STATEMENTS BY SENATORS

Senator BELL (New South Wales—One Nation Whip) (13:39): For months now, businesses along the Great Western Highway have been bleeding. They were told, despite begging, that there was no disaster assistance, no rescue package and no serious Commonwealth response. Then, suddenly, like a miracle from Canberra, $100 million has appeared, along with $100 million from the state government for assistance with reconstruction of the road.

One wonders, perhaps, whether the Prime Minister checked behind the couch cushions. It is truly amazing what this government and the Prime Minister can do when the political pressure starts to hurt too much. On 25 May, I wrote directly to the government and the Prime Minister, urging them to act.

I said to them that this closure was an economic disaster. Even if the road hadn't physically collapsed, it might as well have. For businesses cut off from customers, the consequences were the same.

This was a disaster. Trade had disappeared. Businesses were going under.

The highway has been closed since 8 March. Triple 8 Cafe at South Bowenfels shut its doors. For Geekdom in Leura, trade fell by 20 per cent, and the owner says that was the final blow.

After about 168 days, Labor has finally discovered that this is an urgent matter, but there is still no federal rescue package for the workers who lost shifts or the small-business owners who watched their livelihoods disappear while this Labor government looked the other way. Labor now sees the road. It just cannot see the people who depend on it.

It has taken five months, shuttered businesses and a mounting political headache for this Labor government to act, so please spare us the victory lap. Anthony Albanese, the Prime Minister, knew there was a problem and knew people were desperate. I wrote to him.

Businesses were pleading for help. Yet, for about 168 days, the government was more or less silent. Yes, start fixing the road, but do not ask the Australians who have lost their businesses to applaud you for doing so.

The miraculous discovery behind the Canberra couch cushions has come far too late for many of these businesses and many of the people in these communities.