Shayne Neumann
Blair · Australian Labor Party · Australia
“The new service will be built at Rosewood State School to help local families avoid the double drop-off in the morning—and in the afternoon, I might add—and help students to make a smoother transition to school.”
“It builds on our landmark schools funding agreement with the Queensland government to provide a record $2.8 billion in additional Commonwealth funding to Queensland state schools over the next 10 years, all tied to reforms to lift education standards.”
“The second capital upgrade involved $850,000 for a new custom amenities block at Linville State School, a little country school in the northern Somerset region, which has delivered modern facilities to ensure students' health and safety needs are met.”
“Labor is the party of education. The Albanese Labor government is building the education infrastructure we need in my electorate and building a better and fairer education system from preschool to tertiary.”
“An upgrade to the Mount Crosby interchange on the Warrego Highway is critical to the lives, lifestyle and livelihoods of the people of Ipswich. Last night, I was appalled to hear media reports that the Queensland LNP government is proposing in this week's budget to cut funding for the Mount Crosby interchange in my electorate.”
“I remember being in this House, in this parliament, when the coalition voted against the natural disaster funding, much of which was going to local councils in Queensland. It cost $11 billion of taxpayers' funding to rebuild Queensland after the 2011 floods.”
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“On top of this, there were no updates on projects I'd previously secured funding for, namely the Mount Crosby Road interchange, Bremer River Bridge and the Ipswich Motorway's Darra to Oxley upgrades, or even the Ipswich to Springfield rail line business case. Not a dollar! I will continue to push the Crisafulli government for a commitment to fund these important projects. House adjourned at 20:00”
“I'm looking forward to him renting a house in Ipswich! Finally, the Speaker and I were pleased to recommit a re-elected federal Labor government to a new headspace centre in Redbank Plains to support young people seeking mental health support—a very worthwhile initiative. Some of these commitments rely on matching state government funding, but despite the Queensland Premier's comment about the need for an Ipswich infrastructure plan, his state budget in June was very disappointing. It had no funding for big ticket transport and main roads projects in Ipswich. Critically, there was simply no matched funding for our $200 million commitment for the Amberley interchange, despite the member for Scenic Rim having a billboard there arguing for it!”
“Ipswich is rugby league heartland, so another project I'm really excited about is our $4.5 million in funding for the Ipswich City Council to establish a new rugby league and sports centre and Monterea sports field located in the Ripley Valley Priority Development Area, the PDA, for new fields, a clubhouse and lighting. I'm hopeful the council will see fit to put my old rugby league club, Swifts, in a long-term lease in this locale. It would be the making of the Swifts, as they really need a home. The Somerset region didn't miss out, with $4.05 million to redevelop the Lowood pool and $1.6 million for upgrades to the Fernvale Sports Park netball courts, both of which I was proud to announce with Senator Anthony Chisholm, who I think should really become the senator for Blair as he spends so much time there.”
“When it comes to our precious native wildlife, we committed $1.2 million for the Chuwar Koala and Native Fauna Conservation Park in Ipswich. This will help Goodness Enterprises charity establish a rescued koala rehabilitation centre to rehabilitate injured koalas for release into the wild. Something near and dear to my heart was a $5 million commitment for a one-court extension of the Ipswich basketball stadium on top of the $2 million we committed previously to increase the number of courts from four to five for club competition purposes. It will also assist in state competitions. This builds on the commitment I announced previously.”
“There was also $20 million for the critical Brisbane Valley Highway safety upgrades, first announced in this year's budget, which brought the total of federal government contributions to $40 million for this vital artery in Ipswich and the Somerset region. I was particularly thrilled to announce $5.5 million to assist the Federation of Indian Communities of Queensland, or FICQ, with you, Mr Speaker, to establish a new 'House of India' community and cultural centre in the very diverse greater Springfield area. Complementing this was $700,000 that you and I, Mr Speaker, announced for the upgrade of the YMCA Springfield Central Community Centre for a shared community space for multicultural and sporting groups.”
“As part of this, I was delighted to announce, with the Treasurer, $200 million to fix the notorious Amberley interchange bottleneck and black spot on the Cunningham Highway with a grade separated interchange. This is on top of $16 million I announced last year, with the federal minister for infrastructure, for business cases for this area, as well as the Ripley and Swanbank interchanges, with $4 million committed by the former Queensland Labor government. This project is vital to improve safety and congestion across Ipswich, but is particularly important for access to RAAF Base Amberley, the biggest operational air force base in the country and a hub for the recent Talisman Sabre exercise.”
“My campaign in Blair at the last election was focused on cost-of-living relief, health and delivering key road and community infrastructure needed in my rapidly growing community. I was able to announce a multimillion dollar package of initiatives, which were the product of years of hard work and building relationships with a range of stakeholders on the ground including councils, community and sporting clubs. It meant the final suite of local commitments I announced really resonated with people. The reality is that Ipswich and the areas west of Brisbane are some of the fastest-growing regions in the country. We need to invest in infrastructure and services to support the booming population. That's why the Albanese government is investing more than $400 million in road and transport infrastructure in Blair.”
“I don't understand why those opposite can't see these issues. Real wages have grown for the past five consecutive quarters, in contrast to the previous coalition government's real wages record, which went backwards for five consecutive quarters. When you look at what we are saying here and our track record compared to those opposite, it's only Labor that protects award wages, it's only Labor that protects penalty rates and it's only Labor that protects overtime rates. The contrast between us and them is stark. Debate interrupted.”
“This legislation is aimed at protecting penalty rates and overtime rates for award-reliant workers to ensure they can't go backwards. They are some of the people I referred to in my speech and the member for Adelaide mentioned in his speech. And what's more, there's even evidence that without penalty and overtime rates not only would workers be disadvantaged but skills shortages and productivity might end up being worse than before, which is bad for business. After all, better paid workers are happier and more productive. We on the Labor side make no apologies for advocating for higher wages for workers. I was in business for 20 years before I came to this place, and making sure people had good secure jobs and were well paid was absolutely crucial to the function of my law practice to make sure that it operated profitably.”
“Senator Cash said: Instead of getting double time on Sundays, casuals on the retail award will now get time-and-three-quarters, while permanent staff will get time-and-a-half. Anyone who approaches this issue honestly will acknowledge the benefits the decision will bring for small businesses and jobs. This is a real kick in the guts for many low-paid workers who rely on penalty rates to make ends meet. Of course we've seen the shadow minister, now the member for Goldstein, come out and criticise these laws. We know the coalition doesn't believe in protecting workers' wages and upholding the award safety net. Let's be clear in addressing how we boost productivity in this country. It has never been and will never be a solution, as far as the Labor side of politics is concerned, to make workers do more for less.”
“This failure was another clear point of difference between the major parties, as workplace relations became a clear election issue. I think the Australian people understood this. You can see that the coalition wanted people to work longer and receive less and, in fact, pay more tax as well—that was their policy, because they voted against our tax cuts. The issue of penalty rates has been on the national agenda for years, and the coalition have lots of form on this. The former leader of the opposition and the former shadow minister for employment and workplace relations Senator Cash have been very clear in supporting cuts to penalty rates. They openly supported the decision to cut penalty rates for retail and hospitality workers in 2017.”
“This is a repeat of the same approach they had when they were last in government, where they refused to support increases in minimum wages, which saw low-paid workers go backward, and it was a deliberate design feature. That's what they admitted they were doing. In contrast, for three years consecutive years in our first term, the Albanese government consistently advocated to protect the real wages of low-paid workers at each annual wage review, resulting in an 18.5 per cent increase over the last term of the government—well above inflation. In dollar terms, in the three years since Labor came to government, the national minimum wage has increased by $4.62 per hour, more than $175 per week, $9,120 per year or a 22.7 per cent increase. Against this, the coalition has voted against penalty rates multiple times.”
“In comments quietly released on a Friday in February, the Liberal-National coalition admitted that they wouldn't make a submission opposing the application by the big retailers, including Woolworths and Coles, to cut penalty rates and other entitlements in the award covering retail employees. Prior to the election, the then coalition leader stated, 'The independent umpire sets the conditions,' and he continued, 'We won't propose any departure from the current arrangements.' In other words, they were happy to stand by for big business to cut the wages and conditions of some of Australia's lowest-paid workers. They were happy just to sit back and watch low-paid workers take a pay cut and happy to side with big business rather than hardworking Australians doing it tough.”
“If they're successful in their applications, these employer groups will reduce the overall income of workers, and they'll be down by thousands of dollars every year. In the retail case, the Albanese government intervened to argue as a matter of principle that the wages of low-paid workers should not go backwards. In stark contrast, the former leader of the opposition and former member for Dickson said he wouldn't stand up to the big retailers as they attempted to cut the workers' pay. Indeed, before the election, the coalition gave the green light for big business to cut penalty rates under a future Liberal-National government federally, confirming they would not match the Albanese government's intervention in the application currently before the Fair Work Commission.”
“I know your community spirit, because I know you personally. Before the election, fellow Queenslander and former minister for employment and workplace relations, Senator Murray Watt, announced a re-elected Albanese Labor government would legislate to protect penalty rates and awards, ensuring the wages of around three million workers wouldn't go backwards. This commitment and this bill will ensure that in the future, and that position is enshrined in law. In recent times we've seen big-business lobby groups in the retail, clerical and banking sectors make applications to the Fair Work Commission to cut penalty rates of low-paid workers from awards. For example, right now the Australian Retailers Association is proposing to vary the retail award to cut entitlements.”
“One retail worker in my community, Karen, said that picking up weekend work and overtime and earning penalty rates helps her and her colleagues to keep on top of things financially. This is what she said: The importance of penalty rates for people working unsociable hours can't be overstated, especially as they are already on low wages. I see the younger workers particularly, who are struggling to make ends meet in the current financial climate, having to rely on working penalty rate hours to get by. They still have rents and expenses to pay that continue to go up, and they rely on the penalty rates they earn from working holidays and weekends to give them the extra breathing space in their weekly budgets. I agree entirely, Karen. I know the work that you do in shopping centres around Ipswich and I know the work that you've done.”
“We don't want a situation where the rich and the powerful—the billionaires and the millionaires—are in a position where they can dictate to working men and women in workplaces without the protection of their unions and without the protection of legislation that protects their rights. This includes a lot of people on awards in my electorate of Blair, including those who work in retail, hospitality and fast food, and warehousing, many of whom are members of the mighty Shop, Distributive and Allied Employees Association—the SDA or the shoppies. For example, there are 12,700 retail and hospitality workers in Blair, and they make up nearly 15 per cent of the total workforce.”
“Penalty rates and overtime rates are an absolutely essential feature of minimum terms and conditions in modern awards, and safety is crucial for people. Safety equals security. These things should be protected and not reduced, and this bill will ensure penalty rates of workers and awards are protected into the future. Protecting a fair minimum safety net of terms and conditions of employment is crucial for workers who are award reliant and low paid. That's why the Labor Party believes in unions and unionism, in collectivism and in the solidarity that protects you if you're low paid. That's why we believe in terms and conditions that give men and women the opportunity to protect themselves in the workplace. There is economic injustice in this country. There's disadvantage.”
“The AWAs, Work Choices and getting rid of the no-disadvantage test were the sorts of stuff they did, only to try and bring them back on the eve of the election in 2007—too little, too late. The public were onto them. They had pens—do you remember the Work Choices pens and the mousepads they did? They did all that stuff to venerate and worship Work Choices, only to find on the eve of the election that taking away people's penalty rates and overtime rates was not in their best interests, and the public was on to them. That's why legislation like this is so important. This is about definition between us and them when it comes to industrial relations. This particular bill amends the act of parliament to legislate protections. It's effectively a no-worse-off or no-disadvantage test.”
“Millions of Australians will have their penalty rates and overtime rates protected under this legislation—millions! We want to make sure they're protected. The Fair Work Amendment (Protecting Penalty and Overtime Rates) Bill will prevent variations to awards that will reduce or remove an employee's penalty rates or overtime rates—not for us, AWAs, and not for us, WorkChoices; we're going to protect workers' rights. The legislation inserts a high-level principle into the Fair Work Act that operates alongside the modern award objective, ensuring penalty rates and overtime can't be rolled into a single rate of pay which leaves an employee worse off. That reminds you of something that John Howard might have done.”
“Because the Labor Party are the party of good, secure jobs and wages that give men and women the opportunity for financial security and dignity in retirement. It is the party that delivered Medicare, superannuation and all the pensions that we have. Those opposite believe in insecurity and not a fair day's pay for a fair day's work. Historically, that's the difference. This bill is one of those pieces of legislation that defines the difference between the Labor side of politics and the non-Labor side of politics. In Australia, that has been the defining issue. Either you're Labor or you're non- or anti-Labor, and that's been the difference in Australian politics since the pastoral workers met under that ghost gum tree in Barcaldine.”
“What we're doing tonight, with this legislation, is making sure that the men and women who work in our workplaces—the teachers, the nurses, the shop assistants, the firies, the ambos and all those people who serve us and who work hard for our local community—can get their penalty rates protected. I never saw anything like that from those opposite during their nine long years of office, not under Abbott nor under Turnbull nor under Morrison as prime ministers—not once. We promised this legislation as one of the very first acts of business if we were re-elected, and we're doing it and honouring it. And this debate is all about honouring our election commitment. I will be really fascinated to see the vote and attitude of those opposite.”
“On 27 April 1904, Chris Watson led the first Labor ministry not just in Australia but in the world. The first majority Labor government came about when the fifth Australian prime minister, Andrew Fisher, was elected in 1910. That was a situation where we had a majority Labor government. Labor governments, when in power, legislate to protect workers' rights, as with the legislation that's before us here tonight. That's what Labor governments do. It didn't surprise anyone—or it shouldn't have—that one of the first acts of the Labor government in 2022 was to support the rise in minimum wages for millions of Australians, and we've done it again.”
“I'm pleased to speak in support of the Fair Work Amendment (Protecting Penalty and Overtime Rates) Bill 2025. In some countries, politics is divided on the basis of religion or race or culture or geography; in Australian politics, it's really based on the attitude people have to bills like this and to the working men and women of this country. We on this side of the chamber represent the working-class people—compare that to the attitude of those opposite in relation to this issue. There's much contention between Labor historians and people in different states as to the origin of the Labor Party. Some people think it's a pub in Balmain. I, as a Queenslander, try and think it's under a ghost gum, the Tree of Knowledge, in Barcaldine in 1891. And there were Labor parties all through the colonial period, rising out of shearers' strikes.”
“It's a terrific asset for our region and makes a huge contribution to our local economy and community, with over 5,000 ADF personnel working on base and 14,000 ADF veterans and their families living across the Ipswich region. In recent weeks, RAAF Base Amberley has become a significant logistics hub and centrepiece of international defence activity for Exercise Talisman Sabre 2025, hosting aircraft and personnel from around the world, including the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Japan and Germany—more than 35,000 troops and 150 aircraft participating, making it the largest exercise in Australia's history. Thanks to RAAF Base Amberley. A thankyou for the personnel who work there as well.”
“The people of Blair are rightly proud of Ipswich's unique position as home to Australia's largest operational Air Force base, known as RAAF Base Amberley—home to both Air Force and Army units. The base has been operating since the early 1940s. It plays a vital role in our nation's defence and security and in providing humanitarian assistance and disaster responses globally, especially for our Pacific neighbours, given its proximity to the region, and in Australia. I've seen that across Ipswich on numerous occasions through our many floods. We have a proud record of defence service in Blair, and Ipswich's military history goes back 165 years to colonial times, with residents from across our area fighting in every major conflict involving Australia. I'm very proud to have RAAF Base Amberley in my electorate.”
“Our grandparents hadn't gone to high school, and their grandparents hadn't gone to high school. The idea of going to high school and then university was a really new thing for my family. That has made such a big difference in the lives of my family, and I know the piece of legislation that we're talking about today will make a huge difference to working-class kids in regional and rural communities like Ipswich and the Somerset region in my electorate of Blair. I commend the bill, and I'm proud to speak on this particular bill because it will make a tangible difference, a real difference, in the lives of young people and older people in my electorate.”
“Professor Chapman said, 'This relief will make the system fairer by giving those on lower salaries more money in their pockets.' That's cost-of-living relief. These changes build on reforms we've done to fix the indexation formula, as I said before. It means, all up, that the Albanese Labor government will cut close to $20 billion in student debt for more than three million Australians. It's just another way the government is continuing to deliver cost-of-living relief to Australians, because getting an education shouldn't mean you've got a lifetime of debt. No matter where you live or how much your parents earn, our government will work to ensure those doors of opportunity are open to you. They were for me and my two younger brothers. We hadn't gone to university. Our parents hadn't gone to university or high school.”
“It means that you start paying off your university degree when university starts paying off for you, really. Importantly, it was recommended by key experts and stakeholders, namely the Universities Accord and the architect of the HECS income contingent loans system, the eminent economist Professor Bruce Chapman. When we announced the reform to create a new marginal repayments system, Professor Chapman said it was 'the most important thing that happened to the system in 30 years'. That's how he described it. It's a marginal collection; it's much gentler and much fairer than previously. We should have done it years ago. He is another expert that those opposite don't want to listen to. They don't want to listen to science or to educators. They don't want to listen to experts at all.”
“By the way, this reminds me of the TSMIT argument on immigration. For nearly 10 years, those opposite didn't raise the temporary skill migration income threshold, and workers were exploited and paid lower rates of wage until we increased it initially to about $67,000. The figures have a certain resemblance, and it does remind me about the fact that those opposite would never ever be interested in increasing people's wages. As a result of what we're doing, someone earning $70,000 will see their minimum payments reduced by about $1,300 a year. The bill introduces a new marginal repayment system, where compulsory student loan repayments are calculated on just the income above the $67,000 threshold, rather than having it based on a percentage of the repayment income or total annual income—and it makes it fairer, to be honest with you.”
“This is a huge help for students attending TAFE Queensland campuses not just in Ipswich at Bundamba but in Springfield as well. Our government is focused on reducing the barriers to further study and training so every student can get the skills they need for a well-secured and well-paid job. It's worth noting that Universities Australia has welcomed the government's legislation. That's why it's such a mystery, by the way, that the coalition opposed this policy and why, in opposition now, they remain so diffident, if not difficult, about this policy. In addition to cutting student debt by 20 per cent, the legislation raises the minimum amount before people have to start making repayments from $54,435 in 2024-25 to $67,000 in 2025-26. This will grow in line with wages growth, which will reduce minimum repayments.”
“1 focus as a government is to continue to deliver cost-of-living relief for Australians. I should stress these cuts for student debts are not just aimed at university students; they reduce debt for all Australians with student debts, including not just HELP debts but debts from vocational education and training, or VET, student loans; Australian apprenticeship support loans; student startup loans; and other student loans as well. We know they can be a barrier for people to get into the workforce, get into the home they want and have that holiday they feel they need. The bill will deliver cost-of-living relief to almost 280,000 students in the VET sector, cutting half a billion dollars of student debt from this group alone, many of whom attend TAFE campuses across Queensland, including the campus at Bundamba in my electorate of Blair.”
“That's help with the cost of living. It's real help—less debt and more money in your pocket, not the government's. I have spoken to numerous people who rang me after the election, who have seen me at mobile offices or country shows where I'm doing mobile offices, or who spoke to me at prepoll or on election day who said this policy really attracted them. We have two University of Southern Queensland campuses in my electorate, in Ipswich and in Springfield. These changes will make a difference to students who attend universities there. As an aside, some will recall in this place that, on 1 June, student debts were indexed. However, the government has backdated these debts to before indexation was applied. We're seeing that people with student debts get the full benefit of the 20 per cent cut. Our No.”
“The particular legislation we introduced last week provided a one-off 20 per cent reduction in HELP and other student loan debts—provided under student loan acts—that were incurred on or before 1 June 2025. That will wipe out about $16 billion in student debt for more than three million Australians. In my electorate, that's 23,149 local students and graduates across Ipswich, the Somerset region and the Karana Downs area in Blair. They'll see a reduction in their HECS or HELP debt. It will help current students as well as hardworking nurses, teachers and tradies who are out there contributing to the local economy. Based on Australian Taxation Office figures, the average student debt in Blair is $24,403, so they'll see about $5,520 wiped from those outstanding student loans. That's a massive, massive difference to people in my electorate.”
“By cutting all student debt by 20 per cent as a one-off, we're helping more than three million Australian students and graduates across Australia. We're making it easier for students and graduates who are starting off their careers to raise their family, juggle a mortgage, save for a home, rent a better place or have a holiday. We want to make sure that they get cost-of-living relief, and that remains top of our agenda. This bill amends a number of pieces of legislation, including the Higher Education Support Act of 2003. It's delivering on our commitment to make the Higher Education Loan Program, or HELP, and other income-contingent student programs fairer, more affordable and more accessible.”
“Once again, the Liberal and National parties are absent in the area of tertiary education. They've never liked university education for working and middle-class families. They've never liked TAFE. They've done everything they can to destroy TAFE at a state level. So I'm not surprised they're not speaking on the bill. They don't mind debt reduction for big corporates, but they don't like debt reduction for students. They are not the party of aspiration and opportunity. That remains the Labor Party. I reckon, if Alfred Deakin came back today, he'd be taking a Labor Party membership ticket. He wouldn't be looking at a Liberal Party, free-trader or protectionist ticket, I can tell you. We're about making sure that aspiration and opportunity are supported.”
“I'm pleased to support the member for Lalor in making this statement in support the Universities Accord (Cutting Student Debt by 20 Per Cent) Bill 2025. We promised to introduce this legislation as our first order of business once parliament returned, and we've done it. It was and it remains a high priority for us—a reduction in student debt. You can tell a lot about the priorities of politicians and the political parties they represent by the number of speakers on the list. I see none from the coalition parties on the list today for statements. I'm not surprised by that, because the party of Menzies, who built universities, is the party that tries to link funding to the tertiary sector to a political agenda—to industrial relations right-wing activity. We saw that during Prime Minister Howard's time, with AWAs and Work Choices.”
“This could have happened six years ago, but, as I said in the local government debate a few minutes ago, those opposite blocked the increases. In my time in politics I can't think of a time when the Liberal and National parties have actually supported an increase in the superannuation guarantee—not one. We are delivering more money in retirement, giving people dignity in retirement and more security for their future, and those opposite can't have the grace and humility to accept it.”
“On 1 July this year we celebrated another milestone, which the member for Spence talked about: the superannuation guarantee finally getting to 12 per cent, up from 11.5 per cent. Labor is the party of superannuation. It took Labor governments to get there: prime ministers Hawke and Keating introduced the superannuation scheme; Julia Gillard and Wayne Swan, her Treasurer, legislated the guarantee, and now our government is delivering it. This increase in the superannuation guarantee under our government means a worker early in their career who is earning about $72,000 a year will have an extra $91,000 in retirement, and a worker at 30 years of age earning the average full-time income—about $103,000—will have an extra $98,000 in retirement. This is very significant. Imagine a young person looking at that. That's what we are doing.”
“On top of this, the new data shows that a record high number of employees are now covered by federal enterprise bargaining agreements, or EBAs, which produce real wage increases for Australian workers—not those stupid AWAs that John Howard brought in with the Work Choices stuff, which caused so much of a problem and the suppression of wages under the previous coalition government. Workers covered by EBAs have seen their wages increase by 3.8 per cent, outpacing inflation and economy-wide wage increases. Boosting wages, cutting taxes for taxpayers and creating jobs are a central part of our effort to help Australians with the cost of living. That's absolutely vital. We're combining increasing wages with our tax cuts, cheaper medicines, cuts to student debt and energy bill relief. We're making a difference in easing the cost of living.”
“Our strategy was to get wages moving again, get on top of inflation, maintain the gains in the labour market and build a more productive economy. That was our commitment. From 1 July this year about three million Australian workers, minimum wage and award wage workers across the country, received a 3.5 per cent pay increase. That's many workers in my electorate. This followed our submission to the Fair Work Commission. It is good for workers, is good for the economy and will help with cost-of-living relief. It recognises the substantial progress Australians have made together in the economy. But we know people are still under pressure and ongoing cost-of-living relief is critical.”
“We made a submission just after the election to the Fair Work Commission recommending that the Fair Work Commission award an economically sustainable real wage increase to Australian award workers. We said we were going to do this, and we did it after the election. Our plan that we took to the election was all about ensuring Australians earn more. We want to make sure they can earn more and, through our tax cuts, keep more. Our economic strategy was about getting wages moving. Don't forget, Mathias Cormann, the then finance minister in the previous government, belled the cat when he said that a deliberate design feature of their economic policy and industrial relations policy was to keep wages low.”
“I thank the member for Spence for this excellent motion. I want to acknowledge his strong commitment to working people not just in this place but in his previous career as a Transport Workers' Union official. When we came to power in May 2022, we set about lifting people's wages. Since we came to office, the minimum wage has already increased by $143 a week, and the median wage has increased by $206 per week. We set about helping three million workers across the country. That's cleaners, retail workers and early-childhood educators. After the election, we advocated to the Fair Work Commission that we would do it. We did this during the election, but we continue to support decisions made.”
“We're streamlining and merging the Heavy Vehicle Safety and Productivity Program and the Bridges Renewal Program into a safer local roads and community infrastructure project program with at least $200 million available every year, providing a $50 million boost. Those opposite didn't talk about that increased funding. They froze indexation; we increased funding. We did it during the global financial crisis when we brought forward the funding, and we've provided additional funding and brought forward assistance in the financial assistance grants. What did those opposite do? They didn't really support it at all. In fact, they voted against the second tranche in the stimulus package. In politics, you look at what people do. You don't just look at what people say.”
“We have provided $3.3 billion in direct investment to local government this year through financial assistance grants to ensure councils have ready access to the funds they rely on. We've doubled the Roads to Recovery funding, and I could show, all over my electorate, local projects that are being done. Over the next five years, there will be a billion dollars annually to help local councils in long-term maintenance and upgrades to the road network—everything from potholes through to turns that are necessary across the area. I'm chair of the black spot consultative panel in Queensland. I have seen what projects councils put up, and I know how important road safety projects are in my local community and across my home state of Queensland. We are not doing what the coalition says we're doing.”
“Now we have a Prime Minister who was the minister for local government during that time I referred to and was dealing with the global financial crisis. We support a strong and sustainable local government sector. We referred the matter of local government financial sustainability to the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Regional Development, Infrastructure and Transport for inquiry. The federal election put the inquiry on hold. The standing committees will be re-established in due course, and I am assured, as a member of government, that there are plans to refer the matter of local government sustainability for inquiry, and I support that. I think that's a terrific idea. I think it's really critical.”
“First, it was three years. Then it went up to 2018-19. The Local Government Association railed against it. Nearly a billion dollars of funding which would have gone into local government in untied financial assistance grants and other programs was stopped. It didn't get there. It wasn't delivered. Those opposite, including the member for Mallee, who brings this motion, would have you believe that they should not even look at that. But that's the history of two coalition governments over two long periods: regional partnerships, rorts and, of course, the failure of three prime ministers—Abbot, Turnbull and Morrison—on indexation. That's egregious failure on local government. So this motion, which talks about reviews and talks about 'looking at' et cetera, fails to address the fact that the coalition has a shocking record in this area.”
“We responded to the global financial crisis, and our nation built the economic stimulus plan, which those opposite in large part didn't support. It was a $550 million investment in community infrastructure focusing on local government. In my area—during that time I was the federal MP—got much-needed support for local government. We got upgrades, for example, to the Ipswich Civic Centre and a whole range of other upgrade projects, including the Condensery project for an art gallery up in the Somerset region. There are just so many I could list, but I won't. The coalition gets in in 2013. They don't want to know about this. But Joe Hockey, the member for North Sydney at the time, and Mathias Cormann, the finance minister—Tony Abbott was the Prime Minister—froze the indexation of local government payments year after year after year.”
“The problem with the motion from the member for Mallee, the comments from the member for Bowman and the comments from the member for Groom is this: they want to look at the current situation but ignore the long history of the failure of successive coalition governments in the area of supporting local government. Who can forget the 12,000-page, three-volume audit, by the Auditor-General in the ANAO reports, of the former coalition government under John Howard and its discredited regional partnerships program which found that one-third of funding went to just 10 coalition electorates. That came out, by the way, in July 2010. Then, of course, we brought in the regional and local community infrastructure program.”
“In areas of international, strategic and national security, the Liberal and National parties don't want to listen to the experts. It's anti-intellectualism. Go back to Robert Menzies. This is the bloke that created and expanded universities. The party of Menzies is no longer.”