Ms BYRNES (Cunningham) (16:34): Tomorrow marks a thousand days since the election of an Albanese Labor government. I am so proud of everything that we have achieved, but there is still so much more to do.
Under the Albanese Labor government, we are seeing real life-changing investment in our people, our businesses and our communities all across Australia. Labor has a strong history of delivering for Australians when in government, especially in Cunningham and the Illawarra. When Labor is in government, investing in the Illawarra is a priority—a priority that I am proudly continuing, along with the member for Whitlam, who is sitting here today.
Under previous state and federal Labor governments, we've seen some pretty big investments, like the $140 million BlueScope steel adjustment package, $45 million in upgrades to Mount Ousley Road, $4.67 million in improvements to Picton Road, $49 million to construct the iconic Sea Cliff Bridge, $12.1 million in funding to establish the Illawarra Cancer Care Centre—with the help and the fierce advocacy of Professor Phil Clingan—and the Illawarra's first MRI Medicare licence.
We've also invested in our academic institutions to set the region up for success, with the University of Wollongong receiving $35 million for the SMART Infrastructure Facility, $31 million for the Early Start facility, $25.1 million for the Sustainable Buildings Research Centre and $43.8 million for the Australian Institute for Innovative Materials. These are just a few major investments previous Labor governments delivered in the Illawarra, and we are continuing that investment. We are building a stronger economy, addressing cost-of-living pressures and ensuring that every Australian has access to quality education, health care and secure jobs.
Under this Labor government, we have seen historic investments to strengthen Medicare. We are opening 87 Medicare urgent care clinics, with two already open in the Illawarra, in Corrimal and in Dapto, offering bulk-billed urgent care seven days a week. We have tripled the bulk-billing incentive, which saw a 4.5 per cent increase to the bulk-billing rates locally, which meant there were an additional 63,356 free visits to GPs from November 2023 to December 2024. We have cut the cost of medicines, we have lowered the safety net threshold and we've introduced 60-day prescriptions, saving Cunningham residents over $8 million of their hard-earned cash.
After being left with an aged-care-bed crisis in the Illawarra, stemming from a decade of neglect by those opposite, I have helped secure $16.5 million through the Aged Care Capital Assistance Program for IRT to open over 40 additional beds in Unanderra. We've funded the local Acute to Residential Care Transition Service and supported an eight-place Specialist Dementia Care Program unit at HammondCare in Horsley, in the member for Whitlam's electorate. And we're working with the New South Wales government, jointly funding 35 new transition care places to assist older people out of hospital and into residential aged-care homes.
We understand the importance of a strong health and aged-care system, just like we know the importance of a good education. We are committed to ensuring that every Australian has access to the best possible opportunities. Our university has received an additional 1,361 Commonwealth supported places to train students in areas of need, like teaching, nursing and engineering. This represents a $42.5 million investment to bridge the skills gap. To continue the phenomenal research that they are renowned for, the university has been awarded more than $74 million in Australian Research Council funding in the last five years, with $20 million in 2023 alone.
For vocational education, fee-free TAFE began in January 2023, and we have seen over 5,000 Illawarra students enrol. Unlike the Liberals, we want to make this permanent. We are investing in new research and teaching facilities, with a $2.5 million renewable energy training centre at the Wollongong TAFE and the $10 million Energy Futures Skills Centre at the University of Wollongong. This will help to train and upskill our industrial workforce, providing them with the skills and knowledge necessary to thrive.
The Illawarra is known for its deep industrial roots, and we know how important it is to retain our sovereign steel-making capabilities. That's why we supported BlueScope with the reline and upgrade of its No. 6 blast furnace at the Port Kembla Steelworks with $136.8 million through the Powering the Regions Fund.
Helping businesses and households decarbonise has been a key focus, and I'm proud to have helped secure over $50 million for the development of a green hydrogen industry at Hysata at Port Kembla and $5 million for the Electrify 2515 pilot in Thirroul.
