National Ag rally - Keep the Sheep

Today I spoke in the House about how proud I am to have attended yesterday's Keep the Sheep Rally in Canberra. Thank you to Peter Dutton for showing our WA sheep producers, shearers, transporters, livestock agents and stock feeders the respect they deserve and that they all matter. We are going to fight for this generation of WA farmers, and the next, and the next.

Developing Northern Australia Conference 2024

The Hon Melissa Price MP

Developing the North Strategically, with Security, Liveability & Investment

 

I’m pleased to be speaking here today as the Federal Member for Durack and as a proud representative of northern Western Australia.  

I think that you would all agree that when the North succeeds so does the rest of our nation and it’s hard to think of a better place to make that point than right here in the Pilbara.

 

It’s hard to believe that we gather here almost 10 years since the release of the Developing Northern Australia White Paper.

This was a landmark document that was released by the then Prime Minister Tony Abbott, Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development, Warren Truss, and Minister for Trade and Investment, Andrew Robb.

I believe this was the first time that the Federal Government took the North of Australia seriously and I was proud to be part of that team.

But of course, it’s not just a glossy document. It sets out a framework for policies to make the most of Northern Australia, many of which were actioned during the 10 years of a Coalition government.

For example, the establishment of the Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility, we now know as NAIF, which provides concessional loans for the development of infrastructure projects.

The $5 billion dollars we legislated for has already supported 32 projects across Northern Australia, including 9 here in Western Australia.

 

I was pleased to read yesterday morning about Minister Madeline King’s announcement for a NAIF Loan of $150 million to De Grey’s gold mine project here in the Pilbara.

I understand a review of NAIF is now underway and I will be following that closely to ensure any amendments to the scheme are purely based on the North’s best interests and not ideological positions.

 

We also committed billions of dollars towards improving public infrastructure in northern Australia.

This included the Northern Australia Roads Program which has funded 20 projects, including upgrades to the Flinders Highway, the Arnhem Highway and the Great Northern Highway.

There was also a $100 million investment in the Northern Australia Beef Roads Program, that has particularly benefited Queenslanders.

We also introduced Designated Area Migration Agreements (DAMAs) across much of the North, with the Pilbara, East Kimberley and Far North Queensland leading the way. A skilled workforce is crucial to develop our north, and our immigration system simply isn’t targeted or nimble enough to be fit for our purposes.

So many good initiatives, but there is still much to do and that brings me to the focus of my presentation.

Developing the North Strategically - Security, Liveability and Investment. If all governments could focus on these three elements we could successfully develop the north, rather than just talking about developing the north.

In terms of security, I thought it important to highlight one simple sentence from the 2015 White Paper:

“Northern Australia is the frontline for our nation’s defence, border protection and biosecurity.”

Since 2015, we have moved into a period of greater global uncertainty and regional competition. In fact, we are increasingly told that we are living in the most dangerous time since the second world war.

 

It follows that our defence policy must be adjusted to support a greater and more secure presence in northern Australia.

This means working with partners like the United States, but as a former Minister for Defence Industry, I can say it must also include greater investments in sovereign capability and infrastructure.

Upgrading bases like RAAF Base Curtin and RAAF Base Learmonth, which are located here in Durack, is a good start. The Coalition committed to that in the 2016 Defence White Paper.  Encouraging our close neighbours to take advantage of this strategic infrastructure will also benefit the north.

But hostile nations aren’t the only concern either, we also must combat the efforts of people smugglers.

Maintaining Operation Sovereign Borders is critical to our border protection and preventing widespread illegal maritime arrivals. While offshore processing remains Commonwealth policy, we need to remain vigilant.

Unfortunately, under the current Government aerial surveillance hours have fallen by 20 per cent and maritime patrol days have decreased by 12 per cent.

Earlier this year, I outlined the necessity of increasing maritime surveillance following the fourth illegal boat arrival along the WA coast in just six months. Border Force also recently confirmed four illegal fishing vessels were found by local fishermen in the mangroves near Broome.

Boats reaching our shores present significant threats to northern Australia. Outbreaks of foot-and-mouth disease across Indonesia should highlight the need to properly monitor our waters.

Just think of the biosecurity disaster that disease would bring to our cattle industries for example.

 

Now to the north’s liveability. Ensuring northern Australia is an attractive place to live is fundamental to its future.

This means addressing cost of living pressures which are even higher in Northern Australia. Here in Karratha the median rental price for a two-bedroom home is around $1,100 per week.

It also means better access to services for locals.

You shouldn’t have to fly to Perth or Darwin or Brisbane for every doctor’s appointment that requires more than a prescription of antibiotics or a band aid.

Part of the problem is simply getting the workers here or losing the ones we have.

We need to be training our own local workforce in the regions because we know too often when students leave for the city to study, they never come back.  

That is why I am a big supporter of regional university centres and have welcomed their expansion including under the current Federal Government.

We have a local example of our own with the Pilbara Kimberley Universities Centre, of which I am proudly a foundation board member. We are well on our way to creating our own unique Pilbara School of Mines. I’ll let Susan Grylls, the CEO, further explain the success of this model tomorrow.

 

Enhancing liveability also means investing in important social infrastructure like this beautiful Red Earth Arts Precinct.

Along with the City of Karratha, I was thrilled to announce $10 million dollars from the Coalition Government towards this important project. 

I’m sure we all understand that crime also impacts the North’s liveability.  

High crime rates have been front of mind during the recent Northern Territory campaign and also the upcoming Queensland campaign. Unfortunately Townsville has been featuring in the media recently for the wrong reasons.

We are not immune from this issue in Western Australia either. In fact, 2023-24 was the worst year on record in regional WA for crime, with the Kimberley topping the list.

People not feeling safe in their homes and communities acts as a significant deterrent to staying in the North.

I’ve long called for more investment in diversionary programs for at risk youth.

I also believe targeted approaches such as mandatory income management and alcohol restrictions should be enforced where appropriate.

 

Given that the next session is “mining and beyond”, I want to touch on touch on investment certainty in our resources sector.  

During the last sitting of Parliament, I gave a speech about the several fundamental factors that make us uncompetitive compared to foreign markets.

Our corporate tax rate is much higher than the OECD average.

Our energy costs are on the rise.

Our industrial relations system is far too complicated and costly.

The level of red and green tape makes it difficult to do business and the approvals process is far too long.

Addressing the fundamentals will be the focus of a Dutton led Coalition Government.

 

Unfortunately, recent events surrounding the rejection of the $1billion Regis gold mine, show that the current Federal Government is only adding to investor uncertainty.

Regis Resources satisfied every state government and federal government hurdle possible to proceed with a gold mine project near Blayney, in central west New South Wales.

The Minister rejected the project based on Indigenous heritage considerations, even though it had the support of the Orange Local Aboriginal Land Council, the representative Indigenous voice for the region.

Here in WA, we know the ill thought out proposed Aboriginal Heritage laws would have caused complete chaos amongst land owners and Indigenous bodies. Federally, we should learn from this debacle and create guard rails around the timeliness of claims and applicant’s legitimacy.

The Government is also legislating further green tape with the creation of a Federal Environmental Protection Agency and through their Nature Positive Plan. What this constitutes is a duplication of environmental approval processes that already exist at the state level.

We need to cut approval times and I am pleased to say that is what the Shadow Environment Minister, the Hon Jonathon Duniam, has committed to. I look forward to joining him back in the Pilbara next week as we meet with local industry.

Part of our plan is to cease the $8.3 million dollars in Commonwealth funding for the Environmental Defenders Office.  

The EDO was recently found by a Federal Court Judge to have confected evidence in a legal challenge regarding Santos’ Barossa gas project. Their work has turbocharged economy-stifling activities across Australia since its funding injection.

As a former Environment Minister myself, I support the protection of our environment, and interested parties’ right to object to a project. 

However, I do not support Australian taxpayers funding activist legal challenges that are detrimental to the development of local jobs and to the national bottom line.

 

I’ll conclude by repeating the point I made at the beginning. When the North succeeds so does the rest of the nation.

Unfortunately, it is a point that must be constantly made, as we are often forgotten about up here and the wealth generation our region is responsible for is often taken for granted.

That means we must work extra hard to ensure the right policy settings are implemented.

But we must be clear eyed about how decisions are made by Government. At a Federal level, the majority of Cabinet members are city based politicians.  A Treasurer will be grateful for the mining royalties but I doubt he or she thinks about the individuals who help to create the wealth here in the north.

On that note I thank you all for your efforts and I look forward to working with you to continue our battle for better outcomes for northern Australia.

*Speech at the Developing Northern Australia Conference, held in Karratha on 27 August 2024*

The Hon Melissa Price MP

Federal Member for Durack

Opposition Whip

Durack Agricultural Shows - An invitation to the PM

This morning I spoke to the House about the many fabulous Durack Agricultural Shows on at the moment. I also extended an invitation to Prime Minister Albanese to come to Dowerin next week for their Machinery Field Days.

I hope he can attend and face the damage he has done, however I would caution him not to make any poor jokes about live export like he did the other night at the AgriFutures event. Unsurprisingly, jests about destroying people's livelihoods will not go down too well in Dowerin.

My prediction is that the Labor tent at Dowerin is going to be a very lonely, sad place.

100 years of the amazing Country Womens Association 🥰

2024 marks 100 years of the Country Women's Association in WA—a fantastic milestone for a fantastic organisation. There are over two dozen CWA branches in my electorate of Durack, which provide a space for women to come together, to share stories, to fight and to advocate for our regional communities and to share the odd recipe. Happy 100th birthday CWA!

Durack small businesses are at breaking point

Australia's small business sector is at breaking point. They're at breaking point because of the economic incompetence of the Albanese Labor Government and because of their cost-of-living crisis. Small businesses are not immune to higher rents, higher energy bills, higher prices for goods and, of course, the dozen interest rate rises that have occurred under this government.

Community Sports Infrastructure

The Coalition are dedicated to improving regional sporting infrastructure. Last year we commited to deliver $250 million towards improving facilities for women and girls. Just days after our announcement, Labor announced a program of their own.

However, here we are, 12 months after Labor's announcements, with nothing to show for it. Community sporting organisations have been left in limbo. This delay makes clear that this was simply more policy on the run by this government and that those opposite, once again, care more about the announcement than the delivery.

Future Made in Australia Bill 2024

This bill is full of the normal smoke and mirrors from the Albanese Labor Government, who now have another clever slogan, with their "Future Made in Australia." Bill.

How could anyone possibly be opposed to such proposed laws that sound so wonderful and so positive, like they're really trying to solve a problem?

Well, unfortunately, again and again, the substance and the results of Labor's legislation fails to live up to the promise of these titles. Those opposite are consistent, if nothing else.

Train Lighting Petition

Today I tabled an important petition signed by 6,600 concerned Australians calling for mandatory minimum standards for train lighting. The absence of a legal requirement has led to preventable deaths from vehicles colliding with oncoming trains. The introduction of mandatory minimum lighting was recommended back in 2001. I call on Labor to reconsider their position and implement these lighting standards. Thank you to the Member for North West Central, Merome Beard MLA and Lara Jensen for your leadership on this issue.

Durack Roads Will Collapse Under Labor

Durack Roads Will Collapse Under Labor 

 12 July 2024 

 Member for Durack, The Hon Melissa Price MP, says the Albanese Labor Government’s Roads to Recovery’s (R2R) new funding distribution is metropolitan focused and will leave regional councils behind in their struggle to address ever-growing local road maintenance tasks.  

The R2R program was established by the Coalition Government to support councils to maintain local road networks, proving to be highly successful. Now, with the funding round under a Labor Government, local shires in the Durack electorate will be disadvantaged compared to more prosperous capital city councils.  

“Whilst Labor is slowly increasing the R2R funding, I am shocked that local government areas in my electorate of Durack are only receiving an increase of 46.7 per cent, well below the average increase of 65 per cent and far below the 76 per cent being received by city councils. This lack of required funds is another direct attack on the regions by Labor and will only exacerbate the disadvantages that rural, regional and remote areas already experience,” said Ms Price. “Our communities are crying out for investment in their local road networks.”

The R2R program is delivered in five-year funding periods and funding determinations are made by the Minister itemising five-year allocations to each local government area. While the Federal Labor Government is increasing R2R funding gradually, Ms Price says the recently announced five-year funding allocation indicates this increase is not being distributed fairly.  

“The 2024 National State of the Assets Report shows $23.1billion worth of local government roads are in poor condition, $18.7 billion have poor function and $17.0 billion have poor capacity,” said Ms Price. “My electorate of Durack has 41 local councils, all located in regional, rural or remote areas and they rely heavily on funding such as the R2R program to keep their road networks safe and operational. In fact, local government roads represent a whopping 77 per cent of our national road network by length.”

“The Prime Minister said when he was elected two years ago that no one would be held back, no one would be left behind. It is evident that Mr Albanese’s many promises have only been kept to those who live in urban Australia. A Coalition Government will always look after regional Australia.” Ms Price stated.

Ms Price encourages Durack residents to nominate a local road in their area that is in desperate need of funding, through the National Road Survey launched last month.  Submit your views through the survey at https://www.research.net/r/2HRHBV9. Submissions are open until 5pm, 30 August 2024. 

 

Ends.

Media Contact: Jackie Perry

0427 587 395, jackie.perry@aph.gov.au

Energy Security Under Labor

As the Federal Member for Durack, I am very proud to represent much of Western Australia's resources sector and natural gas production territory. I frequently meet with the sector and understand how critical gas is to Australia's economy today and into the future. The natural gas supply chain employs 80,000 people across Australia, primarily in regional areas. Unfortunately, under this government, we have seen the price of gas increase by 22.2 per cent, and the warnings of upcoming shortages are real.

Labor has Lost WA

The agricultural industry has been dealt a crushing blow from the Albanese Labor Government, who have sold out WA because of their desire to curry favour with inner city voters. The passing of legislation to ban live sheep exports in the House this week is another reckless and shameful decision by Labor. A re-elected Coalition Government will reverse this ban immediately. We will not stop fighting.

Durack Railway Level Crossings Safety

This morning in the House I spoke about the dire need to improve regional level-crossing safety through better train illumination. Between 1 July 2014 and 31 December 2022, across Australia's level crossings there were 7,839 near hits, 322 collisions, 39 fatalities and 49 serious injuries. These numbers are a stark reminder of the urgent need for improved safety measures.

Pilbara Parliament in Schools trip

Earlier this week I was thrilled to be in the Pilbara with the Hon Milton Dick MP, the Speaker of the House of Representatives. Milton and I visited five schools as part of the ‘Parliament in Schools’ program. Baynton West PS, St Paul’s PS, Wickham PS, Nullagine PS and the Port Hedland School of the Air. A big thank you to the Speaker for coming to the Pilbara and meeting with kids from regional and remote schools.

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