Hansard debates

Mr McGUIRE (Broadmeadows) (10:23): I refer to the Public Accounts and Estimates Committee inquiry into the budget estimates and the contribution from the Treasurer, as Minister for Economic Development, on how Victoria is trying to strengthen economic performance with a range of mechanisms. Put simply, economic development requires a vision, a plan and partnerships to deliver critical funding and results. It needs to have a targeted, coordinated approach, especially to revitalise districts like Broadmeadows that are struggling through deindustrialisation. My position has not changed in decades in pursuing a big-picture vision, seeking opportunities with the three tiers of government, business and civil society for a better deal for the people of Broadmeadows, the municipality of Hume and Melbourne’s north. Ultimately Victoria gets the benefit as well.

Last year this strategy helped attract a $500 million private investor for stage 1 in establishing new industries and jobs at Ford sites and the Australian government’s election commitment to city deals for Melbourne’s north-west and south-east. One of the propositions that the Treasurer, as Minister for Economic Development, highlighted is: how do we facilitate private sector investments to drive the new industries and jobs of the future? I am also delighted that the Victorian government offered further opportunity through the Growing Suburbs Fund, which highlighted developing town centres and had no limit to the number of projects councils could submit. Additionally, the Treasury Corporation of Victoria fund offered the cheapest loans available of up to $10 million for community infrastructure projects, which are vital in connecting the disconnected and welding social cohesion to economic development. This is a critical gap that is too often missed and has major consequences, so this is a really important opportunity.

The Broadmeadows Revitalisation Board’s first report provided a range of proposals, including a town centre development that I believe could have fit these categories. An advanced manufacturing accelerator is also an outstanding project that I think has the potential to bring back or provide a major local industry, if we can harness support, to tailor-make equipment for the national disability insurance scheme and then extend that to aged care. Manufacturing could range from everything from wheelchairs to hoists—a whole range of different products that can be manufactured—and the Australian government has substantial funding for technology transfer. This could become a major import replacement industry. If you just look at it, as China retreats and is curtailed by manufacturing, this is time to bring back Broadmeadows. This is the chance. This is the opportunity.

What I am calling for is that we need to have this coordinated approach. I note that the other council in my electorate, Moreland, did not miss the opportunity in seeking a loan of almost $10 million to build another iteration of the global learning village model, founded on a new public library in Glenroy, and then adding a range of social services to create a community hub. As I say, these are the connectors that you need in these communities.

So my question remains: why did Hume City Council fail to apply for such funding opportunities for any projects in the state district of Broadmeadows on behalf of the communities with the highest need? In my view they could have also delivered a higher value for the entire municipality, particularly at this critical time, because you do not know how many times these offers are made and how many times the opportunities are there—there is no guarantee of whether such funding will be available again, especially with the impact that is still unfolding from the coronavirus and the bushfires—that we have to pursue.

The other proposition is that in trying to address and put together these strategies and get people to lock into a bigger picture view of what can be done with the city deal for Melbourne’s north and west, this is a federal government election commitment, so we need to hold them to it. All we had previously was managed decline. That is what we had when the Ford industry closed. That is really what they did to Melbourne’s north. So we need to hold them to it—and here and now the ingredients are all there with private sector investment—to get a coordinated strategy and not miss any funding application. If you do not apply, you cannot win; you have got to be in it. This is the opportunity to put things together in a targeted approach.

I will be reaching out again to the Hume City Council in my role as the chair of the Broadmeadows Revitalisation Board to try and get these coordinated approaches with the Victorian government, with the Australian government, with the private sector and with civil society as well—with the universities—to provide these opportunities. ‘See the opportunity and seize it’ is my message on what we need to get done, and that reflects what I think the Treasurer and Minister for Economic Development wants as well.