From 1996 to 2007, Australia was governed by Liberal/National Coalition Government which thought and acted responsibly in the long term national interest.
Australia had a strongly growing economy that was the envy of the world. The Nationals delivered policies and investment for regional Australia that ensured local communities and families had the best shot at a prosperous, confident and vibrant future.
The Liberal/National Coalition Government also eliminated more than $96 billion in government debt left by the former Labor Government, restored Australia’s AAA credit rating and delivered more jobs, lower inflation and lower interest rates.
With more productive workplaces and the lowest unemployment rates in 33 years, Australians enjoyed better living standards. Our buoyant economy was the envy of the developed world.
When Labor came to power in November 2007, it inherited surplus budgets and $60 billion in savings from the former Coalition government. Exports had doubled and net household wealth had tripled from 1996 levels. Infrastructure spending had been more than doubled and a massive upgrading of road and rail was well underway across the nation.
These achievements are a few of the many that the Liberal/National Coalition have delivered, not just for regional Australia, but for all Australians
Landmark achievements in government include:
* Foundation for Rural and Regional Renewal (2000)
* $1.78 billion for dairy deregulation adjustment (2000)
* continuation of analogue mobile phone system beyond scheduled shut down until replaced with CDMA (2000)
* Telstra Country Wide (2000)
* Australia-Singapore Free Trade Agreement (2001)
* Sustainable Regions Program (2001)
* Roads to Recovery Program (2001)
* Besley inquiry (2000) and Estens inquiry (2002) resulting in further $344 million to improve rural and regional telecommunications’ services
* $150 million for sugar industry deregulation adjustment (2002)
* Stronger Families and Communities Strategy, including $8.8 million for National Agenda for Early Childhood (2003)
* National Water Initiative, supported by $2 billion Australian Government Water Fund (2003)
* $1.1 billion Connect Australia package (2005)
* Free Trade Agreements with Thailand and the USA (2005)
* $2 billion for perpetual Communications Fund for regional telecommunications (2005)
* Drought assistance funding totalling $1.25 billion over five years to 2005/06
* Negotiations for Free Trade Agreements with the Republic of China, Japan, Malaysia, United Arab Emirates and between Australia, New Zealand and the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) (2005-2007)
* $15 billion Auslink national land transport program (2005) and $22 billion Auslink 2 program (2007).
The 1990s
* Victoria Cross Memorial Rest Areas on Remembrance Drive (Hume and Federal highways) between Sydney and Canberra (1996)
* Supermarket to Asia (1996)
* Rural Finance Summit and subsequent $525 million Agriculture – Advancing Australia package (1997)
* Natural Heritage Trust (1997)
* Their Service – Our Heritage Program to preserve the memory of veterans for future generations and Regional War Memorials Project to restore country and regional war memorials (1997)
* National Land and Water Resources Audit (1997)
* Centenary of Federation Community Projects Program (1998)
* New Australian war memorials, including at Hellfire Pass, Thailand (1998), Sandakan, Borneo (1999), and for the Gallipoli Dawn Service, Turkey (2000).
* Increased child care places from 306,000 to nearly 562,000 between 1996/97 and 2004/05
* Regional Australia Summit and Regional Solutions Program (1999)
* $1 billion from the partial sale of Telstra for social bonus initiatives to improve country and regional telecommunications’ services (1999)
* Rural Transaction Centres for smaller communities (1999)
The 1960s to 1980s
* The live sheep export trade (1960)
* Development of the Ord River Irrigation Scheme between 1963 and 1972
* State Aid to Independent schools (1964)
* Fluoridation of Canberra’s water supply (1964)
* Devaluation compensation for export industries (1967)
* Australian Design Rules for motor vehicle safety, quality and emission controls (1969)
* Australian Wool Commission and flexible wool reserve price scheme (1970)
* National campaign to eradicate brucellosis and tuberculosis from the nation’s cattle herd (BTEC) (1970)
* Standard gauge Indian Pacific railway between Sydney and Perth (1970)
* National Agricultural Outlook Conference, now including resources and known as the National Outlook Conference (1971)
* Australian Industry Development Corporation – the ‘McEwen Bank’ (1971)
* Rural Reconstruction Scheme (1971)
* Expansion of the Australian Trade Commissioner Service to 53 posts in 40 countries (1972)
* Australian Wool Corporation (1972)
* Diversification of Australia’s international trade with Britain joining the European Economic Community from January 1973
* Medibank Private (1976)
* National Marine Science Research Centre, Hobart (1976)
* Rural Adjustment Scheme (1976)
* Abolition of Commonwealth estate and gift duties (1977)
* Expansion of uranium mining and export (1977)
* National Water Resources Program (1977)
* Peaceful use of nuclear energy agreements with Finland, Sweden, the Philippines, South Korea, USA, UK, France, Canada, European Atomic Energy Community, and Japan (1977-82)
* Australian National Animal Health Laboratory, Geelong, Victoria (1978)
* Self-government for the Northern Territory (1978)
* Primary Industry Bank of Australia (1978)
* Ban on commercial whaling in Australia (1978)
* Low cost advance early purchase (apex) international air fares (1978)
* 200-mile Australian Fishing Zone (AFZ) (1979)
* Ban on the exploration and drilling for oil on the Great Barrier Reef and declaration of the Capricornia section as the first stage of a protected Great Barrier Reef Marine Park (1979)
* AUSSAT, one of the world’s first national satellite telecommunications systems (1980-82)
* Burdekin River Dam, creating Queensland’s largest lake, Lake Dalrymple (1980)
* Ban on all whaling activities within the 200-mile AFZ (1980)
* Convention on the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (1981)
* Australian Bicentennial Road Development Program (1982)
* Closer Economic Relations with New Zealand (1982)
* Bicentennial Water Resources Program (1983)
The 1920s to 1950s
* The nation’s first radio broadcasting licences (1923)
* A restructured Commonwealth Bank as a central bank (1924)
* Chaired the first ever Cabinet meeting on federal territory, at Yarralumla homestead in the ACT (30 January 1924)
* Tax averaging for primary producers (1924)
* Department of Markets, forerunner of contemporary departments of primary industry and of agriculture, fisheries and forestry, to better market primary products overseas (1925)
* Rural Credits Department within the Commonwealth Bank (1925) and the Commonwealth Savings Bank (1927)
* Council for Scientific and Industrial Research – today’s CSIRO (1926)
* Commonwealth funding for roads through the Main Roads Development Act 1923 and the first Federal Aid Roads Agreement (1926)
* The first Commonwealth-state Transport Advisory Council (1929)
* New Commonwealth-State financial arrangements through the States Grants Act 1927
* Australian Agricultural Council (1935)
* Australian Trade Commissioner Service – now Austrade (1934)
* National Health and Medical Research Council (1936)
* Abolition of petrol rationing (1950)
* Free milk for children under 13 in schools (1950)
* Wool Sales Deduction Scheme (1950/51)
* Free medical treatment for pensioners (1951)
* A 15-year Meat Agreement with Britain (1951)
* Beef Roads Development Program in Qld, NT, WA and northern SA (1949-74)
* The first medical benefits scheme (1953)
* Expanded non-metropolitan primary, secondary and tertiary education facilities, notably establishment of the University of New England (1954)
* Expansion of manufacturing and secondary industries (1955-65)
* Introduction of television (1956)
* Australia-Japan Agreement on Commerce (1957)
* Reserve Bank of Australia and Commonwealth Banking Corporation (1958)
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