2026-02-10 3 1 0 House of Reps 0 1

Tuesday, 10 February 2026

The SPEAKER ( Hon. Milton Dick ) took the chair at 12:00, made an acknowledgement of country and read prayers.

 

BILLS 1 BILLS Universities Accord (Australian Tertiary Education Commission) Bill 2025 1

Universities Accord (Australian Tertiary Education Commission) Bill 2025

Consideration in Detail 1 12:01 The SPEAKER 53517 In accordance with standing order 133, I shall now proceed to put the question on the amendment moved by the honourable member for Berowra to the Universities Accord (Australian Tertiary Education Commission) Bill 2025, on which a division was called for and deferred in accordance with the standing order. No further debate is allowed.  

The House divided. [12:05]
(The Speaker—Hon. Milton Dick)

39 AYES Aldred, M. R. Batt, D. J. Bell, A. M. Birrell, S. J. Boyce, C. E. Buchholz, S. Caldwell, C. M. Chaffey, J. L. Chaney, K. E. Chester, D. J. Conaghan, P. J. Gee, A. R. Hamilton, G. R. Hastie, A. W. Hawke, A. G. Joyce, B. T. G. Landry, M. L. (Teller) Leeser, J. McCormack, M. F. McIntosh, M. I. McKenzie, Z. A. Pasin, A. Penfold, A. L. Pike, H. J. (Teller) Price, M. L. Rebello, L. S. Small, B. J. Spender, A. M. Taylor, A. J. Thompson, P. Venning, T. H. Violi, A. A. Wallace, A. B. Webster, A. E. Willcox, A. J. Wilson, R. J. Wilson, T. R. Wood, J. P. Young, T. J. 96 NOES Abdo, B. J. Albanese, A. N. Aly, A. Ambihaipahar, A. Belyea, J. A. Berry, C. G. Boele, N. Bowen, C. E. Briskey, J. L. Burke, A. S. Burnell, M. P. Butler, M. C. Byrnes, A. J. Campbell, J. P. Chalmers, J. E. Charlton, A. H. G. Chesters, L. M. Clare, J. D. Claydon, S. C. Clutterham, C. L. Coffey, R. K. Coker, E. A. Collins, J. M. Comer, E. L. Conroy, P. M. Cook, K. M. G. Cook, P. A. Doyle, M. J. J. Dreyfus, M. A. Elliot, M. J. Fernando, C. J. France, A. A. Freelander, M. R. French, T. A. Garland, C. M. L. Georganas, S. Giles, A. J. Gorman, P. P. Gosling, L. J. Gregg, M. J. Haines, H. M. Hill, J. C. Holzberger, R. A. V. Husic, E. N. Jarrett, M. L. Jordan-Baird, M. A. M. Katter, R. C. Kearney, G. M. Keogh, M. J. Khalil, P. King, C. F. King, M. M. H. Lawrence, T. N. Laxale, J. A. A. Leigh, A. K. Lim, S. B. C. Marles, R. D. Mascarenhas, Z. F. A. McBain, K. L. McBride, E. M. Miller-Frost, L. J. Mitchell, R. G. Moncrieff, D. S. Mulino, D. Ng, G. J. O'Neil, C. E. Phillips, F. E. Plibersek, T. J. Rae, S. T. Repacholi, D. P. Rishworth, A. L. Roberts, T. G. Rowland, M. A. Ryan, J. C. Ryan, M. M. Scamps, S. A. Scrymgour, M. R. Sitou, S. Smith, D. P. B. (Teller) Smith, M. J. H. Soon, X. Stanley, A. M. (Teller) Steggall, Z. Swanson, M. J. Teesdale, J. A. Templeman, S. R. Thistlethwaite, M. J. Thwaites, K. L. Urquhart, A. E. Watson-Brown, E. Watts, T. G. Wells, A. S. Wilkie, A. D. Wilson, J. H. Witty, S. J. Zappia, A. 0 PAIRS

Question negatived.
Bill agreed to.

 Third Reading 2 12:09 Mr CLARE HWL Blaxland by leave—I move: That this bill be now read a third time. Question agreed to. Bill read a third time. Universities Accord (Australian Tertiary Education Commission) (Consequential and Transitional Provisions) Bill 2025 2

Universities Accord (Australian Tertiary Education Commission) (Consequential and Transitional Provisions) Bill 2025

Second Reading 2 12:14 The SPEAKER 53517 The question before the House is that this bill be now read a second time.  

The House divided. [12:14]
(The Speaker—Hon. Milton Dick)

 97 AYES Abdo, B. J. Albanese, A. N. Aly, A. Ambihaipahar, A. Belyea, J. A. Berry, C. G. Boele, N. Bowen, C. E. Briskey, J. L. Burke, A. S. Burnell, M. P. Butler, M. C. Byrnes, A. J. Campbell, J. P. Chalmers, J. E. Charlton, A. H. G. Chesters, L. M. Clare, J. D. Claydon, S. C. Clutterham, C. L. Coffey, R. K. Coker, E. A. Collins, J. M. Comer, E. L. Conroy, P. M. Cook, K. M. G. Cook, P. A. Doyle, M. J. J. Dreyfus, M. A. Elliot, M. J. Fernando, C. J. France, A. A. Freelander, M. R. French, T. A. Garland, C. M. L. Gee, A. R. Georganas, S. Giles, A. J. Gorman, P. P. Gosling, L. J. Gregg, M. J. Haines, H. M. Hill, J. C. Holzberger, R. A. V. Husic, E. N. Jarrett, M. L. Jordan-Baird, M. A. M. Kearney, G. M. Keogh, M. J. Khalil, P. King, C. F. King, M. M. H. Lawrence, T. N. Laxale, J. A. A. Le, D. T. Leigh, A. K. Lim, S. B. C. Marles, R. D. Mascarenhas, Z. F. A. McBain, K. L. McBride, E. M. Miller-Frost, L. J. Mitchell, R. G. Moncrieff, D. S. Mulino, D. Ng, G. J. O'Neil, C. E. Phillips, F. E. Plibersek, T. J. Rae, S. T. Repacholi, D. P. Rishworth, A. L. Roberts, T. G. Rowland, M. A. Ryan, J. C. Ryan, M. M. Scamps, S. A. Scrymgour, M. R. Sitou, S. Smith, D. P. B. (Teller) Smith, M. J. H. Soon, X. Spender, A. M. Stanley, A. M. (Teller) Steggall, Z. Swanson, M. J. Teesdale, J. A. Templeman, S. R. Thistlethwaite, M. J. Thwaites, K. L. Urquhart, A. E. Watts, T. G. Wells, A. S. Wilkie, A. D. Wilson, J. H. Witty, S. J. Zappia, A. 38 NOES Aldred, M. R. Batt, D. J. Bell, A. M. Birrell, S. J. Boyce, C. E. Buchholz, S. Caldwell, C. M. Chaffey, J. L. Chaney, K. E. Chester, D. J. Conaghan, P. J. Hamilton, G. R. Hastie, A. W. Hawke, A. G. Joyce, B. T. G. Kennedy, S. P. Landry, M. L. (Teller) Leeser, J. McCormack, M. F. McIntosh, M. I. McKenzie, Z. A. Pasin, A. Penfold, A. L. Pike, H. J. (Teller) Price, M. L. Rebello, L. S. Small, B. J. Taylor, A. J. Thompson, P. Venning, T. H. Violi, A. A. Wallace, A. B. Webster, A. E. Willcox, A. J. Wilson, R. J. Wilson, T. R. Wood, J. P. Young, T. J. 0 PAIRS

Question agreed to.
Bill read a second time.

 Third Reading 3 12:17 Mr CLARE HWL Blaxland by leave—I move: That this bill be now read a third time. Question agreed to. Bill read a third time. Law and Justice Legislation Amendment (New South Wales Local Court) Bill 2026, National Health Amendment (Passive Immunological Products) Bill 2026, Social Security and Other Legislation Amendment (Technical Changes No. 1) Bill 2026 3

Law and Justice Legislation Amendment (New South Wales Local Court) Bill 2026

National Health Amendment (Passive Immunological Products) Bill 2026

Social Security and Other Legislation Amendment (Technical Changes No. 1) Bill 2026

Reference to Federation Chamber 3 12:18 Mr BURKE DYW Watson I declare that, unless otherwise ordered, the Law and Justice Legislation Amendment (New South Wales Local Court) Bill 2026, the National Health Amendment (Passive Immunological Products) Bill 2026 and the Social Security and Other Legislation Amendment (Technical Changes No. 1) Bill 2026 stand referred to the Federation Chamber for further consideration at the adjournment of the debate on the motion for the second reading of each bill. BUSINESS 3 BUSINESS Orders of the Day 3 12:18 Mr BURKE DYW Watson I declare that Federation Chamber order of the day No. 2, government business, relating to the death of the Hon. Nick Bolkus stands returned to the House for further consideration. BILLS 4 BILLS Law and Justice Legislation Amendment (New South Wales Local Court) Bill 2026 4

Law and Justice Legislation Amendment (New South Wales Local Court) Bill 2026

Second Reading 4 12:19 Mr WALLACE 265967 Fisher I rise today to speak on the Law and Justice Legislation Amendment (New South Wales Local Court) Bill 2026. It's an important yet uncontroversial piece of legislation that reflects recent reforms to the New South Wales legal system, specifically those introduced through the Local Court and Bail Legislation Amendment Act 2025 in New South Wales. This bill responds directly to the transition from the office of magistrate of the local court to the newly created role of judge of the New South Wales local court. The changes made in New South Wales are significant, and this bill ensures those reforms are reflected in Commonwealth law. The bill provides the necessary updates to ensure there is no ambiguity in the application of those laws across jurisdictions. This bill addresses the need for Commonwealth law to align with the change from magistrate to judge of the New South Wales local court. It necessitates corresponding amendments to Commonwealth legislation to ensure consistency and avoid jurisdictional confusion. The objective of the bill is to update Commonwealth laws, including the Acts Interpretation Act, to reflect this transition. These updates will ensure that jurisdiction and powers previously conferred on magistrates continue to apply to the newly appointed judge in the New South Wales local court. The bill will also ensure the New South Wales local court can continue to perform its functions effectively under Commonwealth law without disruption or confusion regarding jurisdiction as the transition takes place. The bill is comprised of two main parts. Part 1 amends the Acts Interpretation Act and the other relevant Commonwealth legislation to reflect the role change from magistrate to judge. This is a straightforward but necessary adjustment to ensure consistency in the application of Commonwealth law to judicial officers holding office in New South Wales. Part 2 contains transitional provisions designed to facilitate the implementation of these changes. These provisions ensure that the amendments to the Acts Interpretation Act apply to Commonwealth legislation enacted before, on or after the commencement of this bill. The provisions also preserve existing arrangements between the Commonwealth and New South Wales, allowing New South Wales judges to continue exercising certain functions under Commonwealth law, provided formal arrangements are made between the Governor-General and the New South Wales governor. The provisions essentially ensure that jurisdiction and powers conferred on New South Wales magistrates by Commonwealth law can continue to be validly exercised by the new judges of the New South Wales local court. At the same time, the amendments clarify that judges of the New South Wales local court will not be able to exercise jurisdiction or powers beyond the scope of their office, thereby maintaining jurisdictional clarity and ensuring these powers are exercised within their intended scope. The coalition supports the bill, as it's a minor and technical yet necessary measure to ensure the consistent application of Commonwealth law across jurisdictions. The changes to the New South Wales local court system are significant, and it is imperative that the Commonwealth laws are updated accordingly to ensure the smooth and seamless operation of the New South Wales court system. The opposition is supportive of any commonsense measures that support judicial officers to perform their important roles efficiently, even amidst significant changes. The bill will allow them to perform their roles without confusion or disruption, safeguarding the smooth functioning of both state and Commonwealth judicial processes. The bill ensures that the New South Wales local court reforms are appropriately reflected at the Commonwealth level and that the transition from magistrate to judge is seamless. This bill will maintain the integrity of the judicial system and ensure the smooth operation of both state and Commonwealth legal frameworks serving the people of New South Wales and Australia effectively. I commend the bill to the House. Debate adjourned. National Health Amendment (Passive Immunological Products) Bill 2026 4

National Health Amendment (Passive Immunological Products) Bill 2026

Second Reading 4 12:24 Ms PRICE 249308 Durack I rise to speak on the National Health Amendment (Passive Immunological Products) Bill 2026. The opposition supports this bill as a sensible technical reform that improves affordable access to immunisation products for families who choose to access these products, particularly families wanting to protect their babies from respiratory syncytial virus, known as RSV. RSV is one of the most common causes of serious respiratory infection in infants and young children, leading to thousands of GP visits, emergency department presentations and hospital admissions each year. It particularly affects babies under six months of age and places significant stress on families and hospitals, especially during the winter months. It remains a major cause of hospitalisation for Australian children. This amendment ensures Australia's immunisation framework remains fit for purpose, particularly so that RSV immunisations for infants, such as Beyfortus, can be considered for listing on the National Immunisation Program. Importantly, the National Immunisation Program listing process should not be confused with no-jab no-pay immunisation requirements. These operate under separate legislative and decision-making frameworks, and this legislation does not make any changes to those arrangements. Effective products to protect infants against RSV are already available in Australia and have protected thousands of babies, but access remains inconsistent across states and territories, meaning some families miss out on free access to protection. Listing these products on the National Immunisation Program, should they be recommended through the usual assessment processes, would provide national consistency and ensure families have predictable, equitable access wherever they might live. The bill updates the definition of 'vaccine' to be more precise, given the current definition simply states that a vaccine is 'a vaccine for the purpose of immunising persons'. This current definition only allows for the listing of vaccines that stimulate the immune system, known as active immunity. The amendment contained in the bill updates the definition to allow for passive immunological products such as Beyfortus, which provide ready-made antibodies to be considered for listing on the National Immunisation Program. These products are already widely used in medicine, including antivenoms and treatments given after exposure to infections such as tetanus. Importantly, the bill does not automatically list any product. It simply allows products to enter the existing evaluation process. Any product must still go through Australia's health technology assessment system, which is a rigorous and evidence based process to evaluate the safety, clinical effectiveness and cost effectiveness of new medicines, vaccines and medical devices. Safety, effectiveness and value for money remain central to any listing decisions. This bill simply aims to provide more affordable and nationally consistent access for families who choose to protect their children through immunisation. The need for this reform became clear when products protecting infants against RSV could not proceed through the National Immunisation Program under the current legislation. Almost all children contract RSV by the age of two, and, while many cases are mild, RSV can cause severe illness in babies, particularly those under the age of six months. Temporary Commonwealth-state funding arrangements have allowed interim access, which has already seen some improvement in the rate of infant hospitalisations due to severe RSV and a decrease in intensive care admissions. However, the temporary and state based nature of the arrangements has resulted in inconsistent uptake across states and uncertainty for clinicians and Australian families. This bill would address these concerns by allowing RSV immunisation products for infants to be considered by Australia's health technology assessment system for listing on the National Immunisation Program. Taking pressure off our hospitals by removing cost barriers to preventive health care could not be more important than right now, when our hospitals are facing unprecedented pressures. The Prime Minister has failed to take responsibility for the impact of his aged-care crisis on hospitals right across the country, which is taking away hospital beds from families who urgently need them right now. We know thousands of older Australians are currently stuck in hospital because they cannot access the aged care they need—whether that is home care or residential aged care. This means hospital beds are being taken up by older Australians who have nowhere else to go, which creates dangerous bottlenecks that impact patients with urgent needs, including children with severe RSV. This is a direct result of the Albanese government's aged-care crisis—with more than 220,000 older Australians currently waiting for aged care, a net loss in available residential aged-care beds being projected for this decade and only about five per cent of the new aged-care beds needed to meet demand being delivered last financial year. The Productivity Commission has exposed a worsening aged-care crisis under the Albanese government, with wait times for older Australians continuing to blow out dramatically over the past year. The new report reveals the median wait time for older Australians to access home care has blown out to 245 days, which is more than double the wait time from just one year ago. Labor promised to put the 'care' back into aged care, but all they have managed to do is put the 'wait' back into the waiting list. As a result, hospitals are being left to carry the load of a system in deep trouble. Again, we support the amendments in this bill to provide families with better access to immunisations that could protect their children from hospitalisation. However, if the Prime Minister really wants to take pressure off our hospitals, he has no excuse left. It is time for him to also take responsibility and to fix the aged-care crisis he has created. The coalition has consistently supported affordable access to medicines, treatments and vaccines through strong Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme and National Immunisation Program systems. Supporting this bill aligns with that commitment; however, more work needs to be done to ensure Australians have timely and affordable access to new medicines, treatments and vaccines as they become available. On average, it now takes 466 days after registration for a medicine to be listed on the PBS under this Labor government. That is more than a year's delay and is totally unacceptable. Behind those numbers are real people waiting for treatments that could change or even save their lives. Patients, clinicians and industry stakeholders consistently tell us that Australia's system for approving and funding medicines is slow, outdated and overly complex. The health technology assessment review was commissioned to fix precisely this problem, yet, more than 600 days later, many of its recommendations are still sitting unanswered. This review represents a critical and a clinical opportunity to modernise our processes so they remain world class, responsive to innovation and genuinely patient centred. That opportunity must not be wasted. So, while we support the amendments to this bill, the opposition condemns the government's broader failure to ensure Australians have timely and affordable access to life-saving and life-changing medicines and treatments. Once again, this bill is a practical and technical amendment to ensure Australia's National Immunisation Program remains fit for purpose. It improves affordable access for families who choose to protect their children through immunisation, in particular, in responding to the threat posed by RSV to Australian children. The bill maintains safety and assessment safeguards and it does not change immunisation requirements. Therefore, the coalition will support this bill. However, we will continue to call out the government for dragging its feet on critical reforms to our health technology assessment system to ensure Australians have timely and affordable access to new medicines and treatments, and we will continue to call out the Prime Minister for the ongoing aged-care crisis, which is placing serious pressure on hospitals right across this country. I commend the bill to the House. Debate adjourned. Social Security and Other Legislation Amendment (Technical Changes No. 1) Bill 2026 6

Social Security and Other Legislation Amendment (Technical Changes No. 1) Bill 2026

Second Reading 6 12:34 Ms BELL 282981 Moncrieff I rise today to speak on the Social Security and Other Legislation Amendment (Technical changes No. 1) Bill 2026. The opposition will not oppose the Social Security and Other Legislation Amendment (Technical Changes No. 1) Bill 2026 in the House of Representatives. However, we do hold concerns on some aspects of the bill before us today. The coalition has always taken the view that Australia must maintain a strong, fair and sustainable social services safety net. Few countries in the world provide the level of support that Australian taxpayers fund for people who are out of work, facing hardship or experiencing a family breakdown. That's something Australians should be proud of. However, we must also never lose sight of a fundamental truth: our social services safety net is not a bottomless resource. It's built on the sacrifice of millions of hardworking Australian taxpayers. It exists because Australians go to work, run small businesses, invest, take all the risks and contribute to the national economy. We therefore have a responsibility to manage this system very carefully and responsibly through disciplined economic management. We have a responsibility to future generations who will be left to shoulder the long-term fiscal consequences of the decisions that we make in this place today. At its core, a well-designed income support system must provide a robust and sustainable safety net. It must protect the most vulnerable. That is how we are judged as a society. It must support people through genuine periods of hardship, and it must enable pathways to independence and self-reliance. Our focus should always be on helping more Australians move into work and contribute to strengthening the economy—that is the Liberal way—not on keeping people permanently connected to the welfare system. Our welfare system must be fit for purpose today and properly equipped to meet tomorrow's challenges. While in government, the coalition demonstrated that it's possible to strengthen the safety net while managing public finances responsibly. Through disciplined economic management, the coalition delivered the largest permanent increase to the JobSeeker income support payment at the time. In April 2021, the coalition increased working age payment rates, including the JobSeeker payment, by $50 a fortnight and permanently increased the income-free areas to $150 per fortnight. These changes were specifically designed to support jobseekers as they secured employment and re-entered the workforce. During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, the coalition government also provided $32 billion in emergency support payments to protect Australians through an unprecedented economic shock. That support was delivered quickly, responsibly and at scale while maintaining a clear focus on recovery and economic participation and being temporary. The coalition also recognises the integral role that the Child Support Scheme plays when families break down. They're particularly under pressure right now. Child support exists for one reason, and that is to ensure that, no matter where children live or with whom they live, the children affected by family breakdown remain financially secure. The coalition makes no apologies for supporting strong and, where necessary, tough measures to ensure child support is paid. When parents shirk their responsibilities, they're not hurting the system; they're depriving their own children of financial support that helps them live a better life. At the same time, we recognise that most parents do the right thing and of course meet their obligations as parents. Since the scheme was introduced in 1988, more than $33 billion in child support payments has been transferred through the government scheme. When parents do not pay their child support on time, the impact is real and it's immediate. It affects the financial security of single parents and their children. For that reason, the coalition will always support practical measures that improve the administration of the Child Support Scheme and strengthen compliance. Turning to the bill before the House, this legislation is technical in nature and consists of three schedules. Schedule 1 amends the Child Support (Assessment) Act 1989 to clarify and validate child support assessment arrangements. Part 1 of schedule 1 adjusts when a new child support period starts after updated tax information becomes available. In some circumstances, commencement will be delayed by an additional month. This is intended to help parents manage financial changes that arise from updated income information. Part 2 of schedule 1 confirms that individuals who have less than 35 per cent care of a child, whether they are parents or non-parent carers, are not entitled to receive child support. Importantly, this applies retrospectively from 1 July 2008 while validating past decisions and leaving historic assessments unchanged. The schedule is designed to clarify technical legal aspects of the current operation of the Child Support Scheme. The coalition recognises that schedule 1 also addresses unintended consequences arising from previous legislative amendments made under both Labor and coalition governments. It restores the original policy intent of the child support framework. In particular, it clarifies that a parent who provides less than 35 per cent care of a child is not entitled to receive child support. This ensures that eligibility settings accurately reflect actual levels of care and of responsibility. Schedule 2 of the bill amends the Social Security Act and the Social Security (Administration) Act to provide clear legal authority for urgent payments to eligible recipients outside the normal fortnightly payment cycle. This schedule establishes a legislative framework for administering urgent payments. It abolishes the current limit of two urgent payments per year and introduces safeguards designed to ensure that welfare recipients have sufficient funds available to cover regular expenses on their usual payment date. It's important to note that urgent payments are not additional assistance. Urgent payments allow eligible recipients to access a portion of their regular fortnightly entitlement in advance in circumstances of exceptional and unforeseen financial hardship. The coalition accepts that there must be a lawful and transparent framework for those payments. However, on this side we have questions on how the removal of the annual cap will operate in practice and what safeguards will genuinely exist to prevent harm. Noting that urgent payments merely bring forward a portion of an existing payment, further information is needed on the measures the government will implement to ensure that recipients are not drawn into a cycle of repeated urgent payment requests and ongoing financial hardship. The coalition welcomes measures such as access to financial counselling, social work services and alternative payment arrangements, including Centrepay. We are concerned, however, that removing the annual cap on urgent payment requests risks encouraging greater reliance on what was previously a limited and tightly controlled provision. Without effective safeguards, this change may deepen financial stress rather than relieve it, a perverse outcome indeed. We cannot consider these changes to urgent payments in isolation from the broader economic environment in which Australians find themselves. Under the Albanese government, Australians are paying more, simply, for everything. Insurance costs have increased by 39 per cent. Energy costs—as those who are watching from home all around the country, including in my home state of South Australia, who are paying huge energy bills, know—are up by 38 per cent across the country. Rent is up by 22 per cent. Health costs are up by 18 per cent. Education costs are up by 17 per cent. Food costs are up by 16 per cent. These are not discretionary or optional expenses. These are not luxuries. They are the fundamental costs of daily living that all Australians rely on. Against this backdrop, it's hardly surprising that many welfare recipients are experiencing persistent financial stress and may be increasingly reliant on urgent payments and other emergency measures to simply get by and to pay those bills. We know, troublingly, that, in 2024 and 2025 alone, 440,000 social security payment recipients were granted approximately one million urgent payments, outlining the urgency of the position that Australians find themselves in. That figure alone should prompt serious reflection by the Albanese government about the impact on Australians from its failed economic policies and about how this government is letting down every Australian because the interest rates are going up and because we find ourselves in a situation where we have to pay more all the time through inflation, every day. Australians are hurting, and Labor has no viable plan to change that. This impact should lead to serious consideration of whether urgent payments are being used to fill systemic gaps in financial stability, rather than serving their intended purpose as an emergency measure. As highlighted in the government's own explanatory material for this bill, urgent payments are primarily accessed by vulnerable people—45 per cent of recipients of urgent payments are Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, even though only around six per cent of all income support recipients identify as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander. With this evidence of daily struggle, it's clear that closing the gap is also becoming out of reach. Sadly, this raises serious and legitimate questions about how these changes will operate in practice, particularly in vulnerable and remote communities. The government must explain what concrete measures it has implemented to prevent urgent payments from being exploited or diverted toward harmful activities, including gambling and excessive alcohol consumption, especially in the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. Remember that I'm representing, in the lower house here today, Senator Kerrynne Liddle, who is herself an Indigenous Australian. The government must also explain how it will ensure that the promised supports, including financial counselling and access to social work services, will be available to all Australians who need them, regardless of where they live. The coalition calls on the government to guarantee that the changes in this bill will not have a negative impact on our most vulnerable Australians—those who need the most help. They need a hand up, particularly those living in remote and regional areas. I'm sure the member for Durack, who is here in the chamber, will agree with all of the words that I'm talking about right now when it comes to the constituents in her electorate. Schedule 3 of the bill amends the Social Security Act to clarify how employment income is attributed when calculating a person's rate of social security payment. It expressly provides that income attribution rules may apply to attribute employment income paid to the social security recipient or their partner for the purposes of working out the recipient's rate of pay, regardless of whether the relevant payment is a social security pension or benefit or whether the partner receives a social security payment. It also ensures that attributed income continues to apply for the full attribution period, including where a payment is cancelled or suspended. The coalition accepts that clarity in income attribution rules is essential for both recipients and administrators. Clear language and certainty will reduce errors, disputes and administrative complexity and help ensure that payments are calculated consistently and lawfully. Taken together, these three schedules are designed to provide legal clarity and certainty around practices and policy intentions that have existed for some time. However, notwithstanding our decision not to oppose the bill, we will continue to scrutinise the government's approach, particularly in relation to schedule 2, as is our role as an opposition. Urgent payments are being used at scale because people are struggling under the weight of an economy and a government that is failing them. The government is failing you. Urgent payments are being accessed disproportionately by vulnerable Australians, and they're being relied upon in an economic environment where the cost of living continues to rise. The government must demonstrate that it's put in place robust safeguards to ensure that this change does not unintentionally or inadvertently increase financial stress or hardship for people who are already doing it the toughest. It must also demonstrate that it has effective systems in place to identify repeat use, emerging risk and patterns of vulnerability and that it's actively intervening with appropriate support, not simply processing a higher volume of advanced payments. The opposition recognises the broader intent of this legislation and the need to clarify technical aspects of the social security and child support frameworks. For that reason, the opposition will not oppose the passage of the bill in the House of Representatives today. We do, however, put the government on notice. The government must follow through on its commitments. It must ensure that robust safeguards are implemented. It must ensure that financial counselling and social support services are accessible, timely and available to individuals and families who rely on them during periods of financial stress. And it must guarantee that the changes to urgent payments do not entrench disadvantage, deepen vulnerability or create new risks for the very Australians that our world-class social safety net is meant to protect. Australia's welfare system must strike the right balance between supporting Australians who need it the most and remaining sustainable, responsible and fit for purpose so it can maintain public confidence and long-term viability. That is the expectation of the coalition, and that is the benchmark to which the Albanese government must be held. Debate adjourned. National Commission for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children and Young People Bill 2026, National Commission for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children and Young People (Transitional Provisions) Bill 2026 9

National Commission for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children and Young People Bill 2026

National Commission for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children and Young People (Transitional Provisions) Bill 2026

Second Reading 9 12:50 Ms BELL 282981 Moncrieff Yes, for those listening from home, you've got me again. I'm here to represent Senator Kerrynne Liddle, a South Australian senator and an Indigenous senator from Adelaide and, actually, from the Northern Territory as well. Today I rise to speak on the National Commission for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children and Young People Bill 2026 and the associated National Commission for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children and Young People (Transitional Provisions) Bill 2026. At the outset, I acknowledge the seriousness of the issues facing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children today, issues that demand practical action, accountability and relentless focus on outcomes on the front line. That is key. I acknowledge the upcoming anniversary of the National Apology to the Stolen Generations and the members of the Stolen Generations that will be present in the chamber this week for that very sad anniversary. The bill empowers the national commissioner to promote, improve and support the rights, safety and wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children while driving greater accountability for policies impacting this group. The associated transitional provisions bill ensures the continuity of the national commission as it transfers from an executive agency to a statutory authority. But this empowerment will do little. Indigenous Australians deserve more than symbolism. They deserve more than Canberra-centric bureaucracy. They do not need more talk. They do not need more consultation. They need resources and focus to be on the front line. Ms Price 249308 Action. Ms BELL 282981 They need action, Member for Durack. And they certainly deserve more than legislation constructed to sound transformative while offering little substance to turn the dial on disadvantage. They need a government that's focused on outcomes, not headlines. We haven't seen that yet—not once from this Albanese government. After carefully considering the bills, the detail of the proposed commission, the consultation undertaken and the record of this government, the coalition will oppose this legislation. There's no question that improved outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children must be a national priority. But the evidence is clear: under this Labor government, outcomes are simply going backwards. They're all spin, no substance—again, headlines, not the work. Under Labor's watch, four Closing the Gap targets are worsening: adult incarceration, children in and out of home care, children commencing school developmentally on track, and suicide, which is very sad. Youth detention is up 11 per cent. Preschool attendance is down 2.6 per cent—and that was a big increase under the Morrison government—and 1.2 per cent fewer Indigenous children are developmentally on track when they start school. Child safety indicators are worsening, and the system is not responding quickly enough, yet the government's answer is another national bureaucracy rather than directing resources to the frontline services and communities where they are so desperately needed. The Prime Minister has repeatedly pointed to structural change as the solution. But, in reality, structural change without functional outcomes is absolutely meaningless to a child living in overcrowded housing, exposed to violence, not attending school or, indeed, removed from their family. Structural change, Prime Minister, is not about building structures. It's about deploying the efforts of existing structures to maximum effect and dealing with those organisations you fund that are not contributing as intended. Because you are distracted, because you won't focus on frontline responses, we cannot support this. This bill is not the answer. It's not even remotely the answer for those children who are in need. The government argues this bill would create an independent and empowered national commissioner by transitioning the current executive agency into a statutory authority. But when we look closely, it becomes clear this is not a commission designed to fix a failing system; it's a commission designed to look like reform. The commissioner's functions mirror what already exists across multiple Commonwealth, state and territory bodies. These functions include coordination, research, inquiry, advocacy, providing advice to government, engagement, programs for children and education initiatives. These responses are about talking action, not taking action. The bill adds extensive, compulsory information-gathering powers, including the ability to compel individuals or organisations to provide information or appear before hearings, backed by civil penalties. But who could the commissioner be consulting that's not captured in consultation that governments and others undertake already? It will cost $33.5 million over the forward estimates, and it adds yet another layer of bureaucracy on top of a system already saturated with commissions, councils, working groups, peak bodies, statutory offices and advisory structures. This is just another expansion of the Albanese Labor government's big government policy. What the bill does not add is a single measurable, practical improvement to the lives of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people who need a response now. This body duplicates existing roles and function. It duplicates the work of the National Children's Commissioner, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner and the multiple Indigenous-specific children's commissioners already operating in the ACT, in Queensland, in South Australia and in Victoria. It overlaps with the Department of Social Services, which is already required to consult children and young people. It holds few functions not shared by state and territory child protection, education, youth justice and health agencies, where the real levers sit and which states and territories control. This new commissioner's work is essentially about consultation, providing advice to government, undertaking research and advocacy. As the gap continues to widen on the Albanese government's watch, there is no gap that this commission will fill. Instead, the focus should be on ensuring existing bodies do their jobs. The government's focus must be on ensuring resources are applied where there is potential for the greatest and most immediate change, and that is in frontline services on the ground. This commission reinforces and replays the Albanese government's track record of creating Canberra based structures to respond to community based challenges. It is bureaucracy masquerading as reform. The government says the commissioner will coordinate the efforts of states and territories, yet the bill offers no explanation of what powers or mechanisms the commissioner has to do so. There is no detail on how an educational program will be delivered across diverse remote communities nor an explanation of what unique power the national commissioner will have to speak directly to children when every government agency and independent commissioner already has that capability. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people regularly report consultation fatigue. It's unclear how the national commissioner will not just be an additional outreach body, consulting the same people on the same issues. Indigenous community leaders are clear, and their message is consistent: ample consultation has been done. It's now time for action, and it's time for implementation and respect for the work that has already been done, not time to reinvent the wheel. It's extraordinary that this government's primary justification for this bill rests on consultation that was limited in scope, circular in nature and heavily reliant on advocates who are already supporters of the concept. The person most consulted ahead of establishing the commission was the same individual appointed as the inaugural commissioner, Sue-Anne Hunter, fresh from her previous role as commissioner of the Yoorrook Justice Commission. The government relied heavily on a single one-off First Nations Youth Roundtable, tied closely to SNAICC—again, one of the most vocal proponents of this commission. Stakeholder diversity was limited, and alternative perspectives, including from frontline workers—such as child protection case managers and school principals in remote communities—and families themselves, were not meaningfully included. You would think that they know what they're talking about. They're living it. And yet, against the evidence, this government claims the bill reflects the voices of children. This national commission will be rich in symbolism but devoid of practical measures. We see this so often under the Albanese Labor government. Symbolic policymaking for the headline has become the hallmark of this government. The bill uses expansive language about human rights and cultural identity but fails to address why children are unsafe, why school attendance is failing, why youth detention is rising or why entire communities are struggling to maintain stable environments for their young people. The government cannot continue to ignore the real failures of existing systems only to shift accountability to a new body when those systems fail. The job of ministers in this government is to demand accountability, not divest it to someone else. The first job of any government, we know, is to keep its people safe. Protecting vulnerable children is not a job the Albanese government can outsource. Let me be clear: everyone in this place is on a unity ticket that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children deserve every opportunity to grow up safe, to grow up supported and to grow up thriving. But there is nothing in this bill that ensures outcome change. The Closing the gap report, due for release later this week, will likely try to gloss over worsening indicators for children in care, children developmentally on track and children experiencing harm. The government will attempt to point to this bill as proof that it's taking action to make a difference, but codifying a national commissioner with the power to write reports does not put a child in school. It does not remove a child from danger. It does not support parents to rear healthier, happier and safer children. This position will cost the taxpayer millions but do nothing to address the issues most immediately affecting those Indigenous children and young people around our nation. Despite the best intentions, the national commissioner will not close the gap. The government must be judged not on the number of bureaucratic structures it creates but on the outcomes it achieves for the most vulnerable Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people—those that need the most help or are in the most danger. Currently, state and territory governments hold responsibility for the key systems impacting children: education, child protection, corrections and health. Nationally, the Department of Social Services, the National Indigenous Australians Agency and the Coalition of Peaks also hold major roles in supporting Closing the Gap outcomes. As Minister McCarthy stated when scrapping cross-portfolio Indigenous estimates last year, improving outcomes for Indigenous Australians is a whole-of-government priority. It is therefore those agencies that must be held accountable by her—by the minister—not by a third party, a so-called independent commissioner. This bill explicitly shifts that accountability away from government and onto the commissioner. It's a part of our Westminster system that the minister is responsible. We've seen this in portfolio after portfolio. We've seen it in environment and now we're seeing it in social services. It does so by establishing a body that will drive accountability for policies impacting this group. The only real opportunity that exists here is for responsible ministers to blame the commissioner, not the ministers responsible and the policy responses that contribute to making the gap much worse. The cost of this commission, I will reiterate, is $33.51 million over the forward estimates and $9.33 million ongoing. The funding could instead support dozens and dozens of remote school attendance programs, fund additional child protection workers in crisis-level regions, strengthen domestic violence interventions, support alcohol restrictions and community safety plans, or provide early developmental support for vulnerable children. What about that organisation in the Northern Territory, Indi Kindi, that does fantastic work in the early childhood education and care space? Every dollar should go where it makes the greatest difference. That's why the coalition has always prioritised frontline delivery, not bureaucratic expansion—bigger government. That's what this Albanese Labor government is all about—expanding government jobs, spending taxpayer money on more wages for government jobs. The coalition's position is guided by longstanding principles. Australia has had enough symbolic gestures. Real improvements demand evidence based interventions. The answer is stronger governance, performance monitoring and transparency of existing organisations, not additional bodies that diffuse responsibility. Funding must flow to organisations with proven governance and results, not those with the loudest voices, and the government must act to end funding to those whose operations fail the very people they exist to help. The coalition is focused on breaking welfare dependency, supporting families and ensuring children attend school—all protective factors that change trajectories and that change lives. Strengthening the family unit is absolutely what the Liberal Party stands for and what the coalition stands for. When we help families, we help children and we help communities. Finally, community-level challenges will never be solved from Canberra. These principles stand in stark contrast to what this bill represents. The coalition has further, deeper concerns about this bill that must be addressed. This government has repeatedly elevated structures, panels and bureaucratic bodies in place of genuine engagement and measurable improvements. Across multiple areas, including family violence, youth justice, community safety and child protection, the Albanese government has consistently failed to listen to the voices of children. For instance, the University of Adelaide's report into the impacts of the cessation of the cashless debit card, vetted and watered down by the Department of Social Services, notably did not include a single child's voice. If the Albanese government were serious about improving outcomes, it would prioritise practical, measurable interventions; it would introduce policies to improve school attendance, especially in remote communities where attendance rates have collapsed; it would strengthen child protection systems, ending the care criminalisation cycle where children in out-of-home care all too often end up in contact with youth justice; it would support early childhood development, ensuring every child commences school on track—as the National Children's Commissioner titled her landmark report, children need 'help way earlier'—and it would also confront the drivers of violence, not just talk about them. This means responding to the havoc wreaked by the Albanese government's reckless decisions to allow alcohol restrictions to lapse in the Northern Territory and the ideological removal of the cashless debit card, which was working. It was getting results. It is those things that contributed to the outcomes ending up much, much worse for remote Indigenous communities specifically. None of these priorities are meaningfully advanced by the creation of the national commissioner. For all of these reasons, the coalition will oppose this bill. We oppose it because it duplicates existing structures. We oppose it because it diverts funding away from frontline needs—the Australians who need it the most. We oppose it because it shifts accountability away from the agencies responsible for delivering services. We oppose it because it relies on symbolic gestures instead of practical on-the-ground solutions. And, most importantly, we oppose it because Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people deserve better. Australia's most vulnerable children do not need another Canberra based bureaucracy. They do not need more reports, more advisory bodies or more symbolic gestures. What they do need is functioning schools, safer homes, stronger families and accountable systems. They need their government to act, not to outsource. This bill will not change outcomes. It will not close the gap, and it will not rescue a single child from neglect, from violence or from disadvantage. The coalition stands ready to support any measure that genuinely improves the lives of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, but this is simply not one of them. It's time for greater accountability and a focus on ensuring existing bodies do their jobs. That's the only way to turn the dial. The coalition will not be supporting this bill. 13:09 Ms CAMPBELL 312823 Moreton It's a bit rich standing up here listening to the member for Moncrieff talk about the need to focus on outcomes not headlines. In a nod to that comment, I had a look at the headlines that are in the newspapers not earlier this week, last week or a month ago, but the headlines that are in the newspapers right here, right now, today. I want to read them to you: 'Taylor timing tested as Hume demands answers from Ley', 'Angus Taylor in meeting with top moderate Anne Ruston', 'Embarrassing—doco reveals rare look into Libs turmoil', 'Hume's blunt exchange with Ley in closed-door party room meeting'— Mr Leeser 109556 I rise on a point of order. I'd ask that you direct the speaker to speak on the bill before the House not about headlines that are irrelevant to the matters before the House today. None of these matters have to do with the National Commission for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children and Young People, and I'd encourage her to focus on the matters relating to the bill. Mr Rob Mitchell M3E Just on the point of order. It's been a wide-ranging debate and there was, before the member for Berowra walked in, a whole range of discussions that went on. So the member for Moreton is entitled, in the first minute of her speech, to be able to put things into context. The DEPUTY SPEAKER 249710 I thank both members for their contribution and will be listening carefully to the remarks from the member for Moreton. The member for Moreton may continue. Ms CAMPBELL 312823 What was made clear when the member for Moncrieff spoke about those headlines that we have seen is that the focus of those opposite in this place is not on First Nations children; it's not on outcomes that deliver better healthcare, better education for First Nations children. The focus of the opposition is on themselves. At the start of every parliamentary sitting day, the Speaker gives his acknowledgement to the traditional owners of this land, the Ngunnawal and Ngambri people. I too would like to acknowledge them in this place and pay my respects to the elders past and present from all the lands represented in this place and, in my electorate of Moreton, to the Yuggera and Turrbal people. Taking this small moment to reflect reminds us that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, the custodians of the world's oldest living continuous culture, are not just part of Australia's past; First Nations people are a vital part of our present and our future. Their languages, cultures, knowledge systems and deep custodianship of country remain alive today, shaping and enriching our nation. Recognising this truth helps us think honestly about Australia's history and how it still influences the present and the part we all play in building a fairer future together. Any discussion such as the debate here today must reflect the importance of that. So today I want to preface my speech with a further acknowledgement. Current systems still impact First Nations people disproportionately, and many families continue to feel the effects of intergenerational prejudice and disadvantage. Despite these challenges, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities show incredible cultural strength, resilience and connection. That strength continues to shine through, even in the face of ongoing barriers and adversity. But First Nations people shouldn't have to rely on their resilience. And that is what the National Commission for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children and Young People Bill 2026 addresses. This bill delivers on Labor's commitment to establish a permanent, independent and empowered national commissioner and National Commission for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children and Young People. This will give Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people the voice they need to be heard by government—a voice that deserves to be heard—ensuring the advice and recommendations given are authentic. The commission will apply a strong, coordinated national focus to systemic issues and support Australia's commitments to human rights. This national commission is urgently needed. The statistics tell an incredibly challenging story, but it's a challenging story where we have the ability to change the ending. This is reflected in the Closing the Gap data over the last decade. This has consistently indicated that progress on issues affecting Aboriginal and Torres Islander children and young people is stalling. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people are 11 times more likely to be in out-of-home care than non-Indigenous children, and they are 27 times more likely to be in youth detention. The national commission will be dedicated to improving outcomes by providing strong oversight and a clear focus on the systemic issues affecting their lives every single day. The national commissioner will help ensure governments are held to account and are supported to deliver better results that will affect our young people's lives. With more than 400,000 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people across the breadth and depth of this nation, this role has the potential to create meaningful, long-term change for generations to come, and it cannot come soon enough. The national commission will build on the work of Lil Gordon, who was Acting National Commissioner from 25 January and who prepared the national commission for its transition to an independent agency. During this time, the acting national commissioner actively built relationships, identified areas for collaboration and brought together stakeholders to discuss a range of pressing issues. These coordinated efforts have helped organise priorities. At the same time, the acting national commissioner developed key internal systems and policies, including the creation of a child-safe framework. This framework will guide how the national commission engages with children and young people in ways that are safe, in ways that are culturally respectful and in ways that are trauma informed, which will set the commission up for success. This standalone legislation is essential to ensure that the national commission can function as a truly independent body. It will enable the national commission to be a strong, authoritative voice that promotes accountability and improves outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people, and it will give the commission the mandate to advocate for their rights and the mandate to push for meaningful, system-wide reform. At present, the interim arrangements do not give the commissioner the full powers needed to carry out the role effectively. They need those full powers to ensure that this is being addressed at a systemic level, to ensure that it is being addressed in a way that understands the deep root causes and to ensure that there are fundamentally better outcomes in every facet of children and young people's lives. Under the current set-up, the commissioner cannot conduct formal inquiries, make recommendations and report to parliament or use important information-gathering powers. These limitations restrict the ability of the commission to hold governments to account and to deliver the strong, informed advocacy required to improve the systems which are adversely impacting on children and young people. Sue-Anne Hunter was appointed to the role of National Commissioner in August 2025. The legislation's increased mandates mean that the national commissioner's role is substantial and effective. The commissioner will be responsible for promoting and protecting the rights, interests, safety, wellbeing and development of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people. The commissioner will identify the systemic barriers that continue to affect this cohort by gaining a clearer understanding of where systems are falling short and where meaningful reform is needed in order to improve outcomes. An important aspect of the work is the recognition that strength based, culturally informed practice is central to better outcomes. This will be combined with work to increase awareness and to increase empowerment of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children around their rights, around their interests and, fundamentally, around their real, lived experiences in community. Ultimately, these efforts will work together to drive stronger accountability across governments. The goal is to ensure that policies, programs and services improve so that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people experience better, fairer and more positive outcomes. We know that so many people are doing fantastic work in our local communities to improve outcomes. In my own seat on Brisbane's south side, the seat of Moreton, we have the Murri School, which is led by a wonderful principal and a fantastic staff, who work every day with young people who are Indigenous to better their outcomes, to better their pathways towards good and secure employment, to better their lives. But they need some backup, and that's what this bill does. The national commissioner will be empowered to strengthen coordination across Australian government agencies with the aim of developing a more consistent and effective approach to supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people. This will include all state and territory children's commissioners, guardians and advocates as well as the National Children's Commissioner and the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner. This collaboration doesn't mean duplication. It means the national commissioner will be able to make and receive referrals and direct issues to the most appropriate entity. It means that we can have a system that talks to each other, that understands each other and that, in doing so, better addresses the outcomes so desperately needed. Another important function is providing guidance to the Commonwealth on how policies, programs and services should be designed and delivered to ensure that government decisions genuinely reflect needs and realities. The role also involves researching the broader system-level barriers and challenges affecting the rights, wellbeing, safety and development. As I've mentioned, empowering children and young people is a major focus. It's the focal point. This includes offering education programs that help them understand their rights and strengthen their ability to advocate autonomously on their views, their needs, their experiences and the issues that are impacting them on a day-to-day basis. There is also a strong public advocacy element, promoting the rights, wellbeing, safety and development of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people while amplifying their voices and highlighting their strengths. The national commissioner will be expected to engage directly with a wide range of children and young people, supporting them to lead, supporting them to speak up and supporting them to exercise their own important agency. The national commissioner can conduct inquiries, commission research, provide expert advice and make recommendations. Collaboration is absolutely essential to this work, including partnerships with the Human Rights Commission and a wide range of organisations and research institutes and engagement with international human rights bodies, such as relevant UN mechanisms. There has been extensive stakeholder consultation from 2023 onwards. In the lead-up to the introduction of the bill, and the bill is supported by the Secretariat of National Aboriginal and Islander Child Care, the peak body. These reforms have been a very long time coming. Advocates started calling for them in the 1980s, over a generation ago, at a time when the young people of today weren't even born yet. It's our responsibility in this place to work for this generation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people. In setting up this national commission, we are putting in place the structure for a better and fairer life and opportunities for generations beyond this one too. I'll leave my final words to the new national commissioner, who said: The introduction of this Bill is a critical moment for the future of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people. Never before has there been a Bill like this that puts our children first. …   …   … Statistics show that we are at risk of losing another generation to systems that have failed our people for generations. This is a bleak future, and one that we cannot allow for our children. This is a future that, in this place, we can now change. 13:25 Mr TIM WILSON IMW Goldstein There is no ambiguity about the support that I would hope comes from all members of this chamber on the importance of making sure the next generation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children has the same economic opportunities and advancement that every other Australian child has. We want them to go on and get a good education, to grow up in a healthy and safe environment and, more importantly, to then mature in a way that enables them to live out the best of their lives. There are many institutions that seek to do exactly that, from the many social support organisations in cities and rural and regional areas throughout schooling—I know this has been a big focus of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander policy for a long time. In fact, without wanting to verbal him, my good friend Mick Gooda says that if we do something to make sure we address the challenges of the next generation—even if it means recognising the limitations of what we can do today for those alive—we will materially improve the future for all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people hereafter. I agree; he is a good friend of mine. The Tudor family established the Melbourne Indigenous Transition School to ensure that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children have a pathway to live the best of the opportunities of our country. That is central, but one of the things that's clear is that the best way to deliver change, the best way to advance the interests of the next Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander generation, is to work on the ground and in the community. The thing that disappoints me about these bills, the National Commission for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children and Young People Bill 2026, and the National Commission for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children and Young People (Transitional Provisions) Bill 2026, is that—as with so many of the things this government seeks to do—they create another bureaucracy. Rather than looking at empowerment in the community, they look at how they can impose another central, big-government, big-Canberra solution on communities that need to be built from the ground up. That's the challenge so many of us have with these bills. We know the data and the consequences of decades of Canberra thinking it can tell Indigenous communities how they should live their lives and imposing solutions on them rather than empowering them. We know full well that there's already a commissioner for children at the Human Rights Commission. I have served as Australia's Human Rights Commissioner. There is already a commissioner responsible for children. There is already a commissioner for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders. These bills are some sort of admonishment, saying they're not doing their job. They are. They're working as hard and as diligently as possible. But we know that we have to support community based solutions to empower communities, rather than support Canberra to impose its solution without any sense of direction or clarity about how to improve people's lives. If this government was really serious about improving the welfare of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders, particularly in community, it would revisit its demonisation and targeting of the healthy welfare card, which went a long way to stopping the abuse of alcohol within communities. It is particularly setting children up for failure right from the outset because of the spread of fetal alcohol syndrome. Unfortunately, this government's record on these issues is not as good as it would like it to be. There's a reason there are still so many problems around closing the gap for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders. Let's be under no ambiguity about this: it is a disgrace that we still have the scale of the gap that exists for our Indigenous and First Nations people. We absolutely should want them to live out their best lives. But when the government deliberately strips apart a pathway to stop the abuse of alcohol and drugs within a community, without any recognition of how it harms those most vulnerable, it has its priorities wrong. It cannot be solved through the imposition of a new commissioner or a new bureaucracy from Canberra thinking they know best or there is a better way they can impose on community. That's the challenge of this bill. It doesn't create the structural solutions that we need— The DEPUTY SPEAKER 248181 The debate is interrupted in accordance with standing order 43. Debate may be resumed at a later hour, and the member will be granted leave to continue speaking when the debate is resumed. STATEMENTS BY MEMBERS 15 STATEMENTS BY MEMBERS Bondi Beach Attack Victims 15 13:30 Ms WATSON-BROWN 300127 Ryan I was unable to speak earlier on the formal Bondi condolence motion brought to this parliament, so I rise today to express my support for that motion. My heart goes out to the victims of the horrific, antisemitic terrorist attack at Bondi Beach on 14 December last year. I, again, extend my condolences to those victims, to their families and to the whole Jewish community. It was an appalling, reprehensible act of terrorism targeting Jewish Australians at what should have been a joyous celebration. Fifteen lives were cut far too short, including 10-year-old Matilda. Her parents chose that name because it's so iconically Australian. We must remember what terrorism is by definition designed to do, and that is to sow hate and division. We must reject that hate and division across the board. That is what we, in this parliament, as representatives of all Australians, have a serious responsibility to demonstrate and to uphold. I reflect in gratitude on the incredible bravery of Ahmed Al Ahmed, who risked his life to save others. I thank the thousands of Australians who, in the days after the attack, donated much-needed blood. It is these acts of kindness that must define us as a nation. Ward, Chloe 15 13:31 Ms BERRY 23497 Whitlam I rise today to recognise Chloe Ward, who, last month, was named young citizen of the year by Wingecarribee Shire Council for her leadership in environmental sustainability, community service and youth advocacy. Chloe is school captain at Bowral High School. She, along with four other Bowral High students became very concerned about levels of PFAS chemicals in the Wingecarribee River, particularly after a researcher discovered elevated levels of PFAS chemicals in platypus found in Berrima, not far from their school. PFAS, known as forever chemicals, describes a group of thousands of chemicals used in a range of household products, including non-stick cookware and food packaging. Chloe and her fellow Bowral High School students developed an app to detect PFAS in everyday products by scanning a product's barcode. The app includes a map of PFAS affected areas in Australia, news updates and a petition calling for mandatory labelling of PFAS in products. The students entered their app in the New South Wales government's Game Changer Challenge in 2024 and won the teamwork award. Chloe has been heavily involved with Rotary Interact, raising funds for local charities, coordinating environmental programs and leading Clean Up Australia Day activities. She also serves on the Future Council international advisory board, contributing to global, youth led sustainability work. I congratulate and thank Chloe for achieving so much at such a young age, and I wish her all the best for the future. Banking and Financial Services 15 13:33 Mr HAMILTON 291387 Groom The announcement made by People First Bank to close their branch at Oakey was a real kick in the guts for the local community. This is a great regional town. It's got meatworks, huge feedlots, an army base, the New Acland coalmine and famous transport companies—they're based all around it—but no bank. This is a huge hit. The ability of people in those regional communities to access their cash and to access banking services has been taken away from a thriving community. Dave Cooper and the Oakey Chamber of Commerce brought the community together to discuss this issue when it was raised. Whilst there was a lot of anger in the room, there was also a desire for the community to work together to try and find a solution. I want to thank Dave for his leadership on that. Over the next couple of weeks and months, I, the community and the chamber of commerce will be reaching out to everybody we can in Oakey, trying to get a feel for what they need for their future banking requirements—what they want and what they're willing to contribute in terms of helping out. We want to work together with the committee to try and find a solution. We've already had some great conversations with the Customer Owned Banking Association and with Darling Downs Bank—two of the major banks. They've reached out and said they want to look at options they can provide that will help. I've had a positive start in these conversations, but this is something that we're going to have to work together on to try and find a way to keep banking in Oakey. If we can't keep it in a place like Oakey, there is no town in Australia that is safe from this. The Chinese Australian Services Society 16 13:34 Ms SITOU 298121 Reid The Chinese Australian Services Society, or CASS, is a pillar of care, connection and compassion not just for Chinese Australians but for Korean, Vietnamese and Indonesian communities across New South Wales. On 8 March, CASS will be celebrating its 45th anniversary—a truly remarkable milestone. CASS began with a simple but powerful mission to help newly arrived families settle in Australia. Today that mission has grown into one of the most comprehensive community service networks across New South Wales. Each week, CASS supports more than 8,500 families through a wide range of services that span every life stage, from child care and settlement support services for newly arrived migrants to disability services, home care and residential aged care. At the heart of this story is Mr Henry Pan, the founding chairperson of CASS. From 1981 to 2006, Henry led the organisation with vision, compassion and unwavering dedication. The success of CASS continues to this day thanks to the leadership of current chairperson Professor Stephen Li and all the board members. What truly sets CASS apart is its people—the hundreds of staff and volunteers—and I want to thank them and congratulate them for 45 years. Defence Estate 16 13:36 Mr WILKIE C2T Clark Reform of the defence estate is long overdue, and it's a credit to the federal government that it's finally trying to sort out all the unused, under-utilised, inefficient and unsuitable stock. But, that said, the reform is confronting for veterans, serving members and the community, especially in Tasmania, which is bearing the brunt of the changes. As it stands, reservists and cadets will be forced to parade at new locations, which will be disruptive and a disincentive. And there will be no field firing facilities in the state, which would be a nonsense. So I say to the government: please continue to push information out, but also be open minded as stakeholders provide feedback. After all, flexibility in war is much better than reinforcing defeat. National Multicultural Festival 16 13:37 Mr DAVID SMITH 276714 Bean This past weekend, Canberra held its annual multicultural festival, one of the highlights of the calendar every year. And—while it's rare you'll find me praising events held on the wrong side of the lake!—the festival brings together the multicultural community from right across Canberra and Australia and showcases our community in its best, with its great diversity and its great strengths. From adobo to za'atar and momos to gyoza, a plethora of cuisine and culture was on display. It was great to be able to meet with my friends across a number of communities, including the Bhutanese, Thai, Tibetan, Nepalese, Latin American and Greek communities. I also joined on stage with Nim Osborne, a great leader of our multicultural community, to demonstrate not only my Thai cooking skills—or lack thereof—but more importantly to help showcase a strong example of culture, cuisine and community working hand in hand to unite us. Diversity is one of the great strengths of this nation, and being able to join in this celebration at the centre of our city is always a joy. And may this joy continue for all across the Bean electorate and right across Australia that celebrate the Lunar New Year. Appelbee, Austin 16 13:38 Mr HASTIE 260805 Canning Today I want to honour a young man who put his life on the line for his family. Our story begins on the WA south coast last month, where a family holiday became a life-or-death emergency. A mum and her kids were out on the water kayaking on a beautiful summer's day in Geographe Bay. And then the wind came up, the sea turned, and they were pulled out to the deep. Very quickly they were stranded, exhausted and afraid, and the clock was ticking. That's when 13-year-old Austin Appelbee was asked by his mother to do something extraordinary. She asked Austin to swim for shore and get help. And swim he did for four kilometres through open and unforgiving ocean. His mission was very simple: to save his family. Now, Austin didn't panic. He took on the job and just kept swimming. And, when he finally hit the beach, he kept moving. He got up, ran two kilometres for help and set in motion the rescue that saved his mum, his brother and his sister. What Austin did was incredible, and that's why I'm honouring him here today in this House. His actions were brave and they were selfless. Austin showed a quiet heroism that reminds us of previous generations of Australians who have stood up during wars, natural disasters and other national trials. Austin saved his family, but he also showed us that Aussie kids have what it takes in a crisis. I believe in our Aussie kids, their potential and their ticker, and that's why I have hope in Australia's future. Superannuation 17 13:39 Mr GOSLING 245392 Solomon As the father of two young children, one of whom is very much looking forward to her first part-time job, I spend a lot of time thinking about them and their future and how we can best set them and their mates up for success. One of the best ways that we can set every Australian up is the through-life financial security that superannuation provides. This is a great Hawke-Keating era Labor reform that created a world-leading superannuation system and set every Australian up for a dignified retirement. Labor—those on this side—aims to ensure that all workers, regardless of how they are engaged, can accumulate super on every dollar earned. At the moment, to get super, under-18s need to work at least 30 hours a week, and this means that super isn't being paid on every dollar earned or every hour worked. This disproportionately affects younger Australians, who miss out on time when the value of those dollars could have been compounding. Running some numbers shows that this can make a real difference. For example, for a 16-year-old, investing a dollar in superannuation means that at retirement that dollar would be worth around 17 per cent more than a dollar invested at 18, purely due to that time compounding. So thanks to all working on this campaign. Let's set our kids up for a dignified retirement. Lyne Electorate: Cenotaph Fundraiser 17 13:41 Ms PENFOLD 248895 Lyne Over 170 people came together on Saturday 31 January at Club Old Bar to raise funds for a permanent war memorial cenotaph. Hosted by the Old Bar Beach RSL sub-branch and Pete Johnson with the flair of a true master of ceremonies, it was advertised as a night of cricket, comedy and song, and it certainly lived up to its name. Special guests included legendary cricketers Doug Walters—a Dungog local—and Lenny Pascoe. They regaled us with many tales from the locker room. Local comedian and singer Greg Hayes, well known for his days of touring with Slim Dusty as his resident comedian, told plenty of tales, not all repeatable even in this place, and sang with the heart and soul of someone who holds a deep love for the country. Golden Guitar winner Matt Scullion finished off the night of entertainment with his beautiful storytelling songs of Australiana. All in all, $16,000 was raised towards the cenotaph, well over the target. To help the cause, I'm taking home a cricket bat autographed by Doug Walters, which will be on display with local art in my offices. My congratulations and thanks to the organisers of the event, Peter Johnson and Linda Patchett, who did such a sterling job, and to the sub-branch president, Jeff Earley, and auxiliary coordinator, Vickie Jackson, for their leadership. Thanks to the board of directors of Club Old Bar—president Wayne Deer, Kerry Turner, Garry Stewart, Bob Cameron, Brenda Perrett, Nick Chard and Jeff Brown—and the new CEO, Craig Norman. Thanks to Sharon Osborn as well. (Time expired) Illegal Fishing 17 13:43 Mr MATT SMITH 312393 Leichhardt In October of 2025, Minister Julian Hill and I travelled to the Torres Strait. We did this to sit with Border Force, community leaders and elders to discuss illegal foreign fishing. We knew that, due to the success of Operation Leedstrum and Operation Luna, there would be a variety of push factors that may result in illegal fishing occurring in the Torres Strait. As a result of those initial meetings, we stood up extra resources, sending them up to the straits in December and January. Additional push factors, including harsh weather in the north-west of the country, have resulted in a larger influx than we at first anticipated. On Monday of last week, I met with the Commissioner of Border Force, Minister Burke and Minister Hill and requested further intervention. Today, Operation Broadstaff was launched. I am saying this very clearly: Australian waters belong to Australians. We will not accept these incursions. Criminality in the waters of the Torres Strait will be met by the brave men and women of the Australian Border Force. You will lose your catch, you will lose your equipment and we might take your boat. This has been a response to the community, and I thank the members of the community within the Torres Strait and the NPA for their vigil and watching to alert us to these incursions. I want to let you all know that we are coming. Operation Broadstaff has begun. Cook Electorate: Australia Day Honours and Awards 17 13:44 Mr KENNEDY 267506 Cook Today, I wish to recognise and congratulate several outstanding members of my local community who have been honoured through the Order of Australia and the Australian military honours system. I'd like to congratulate the following recipients of the Medal of the Order of Australia. Firstly, Dr Adrian Paterson AM was appointed as a Member of the Order of Australia for significant service in the field of nuclear science. Dr Paterson's contributions represent the very best of Australian scientific expertise, all done on the doorstep of our electorate at Lucas Heights. He has advanced knowledge, capability and national resilience in a highly specialised field critical to Australia's future. Mr Michael Kelly OAM is recognised for his service to seafarers' welfare and the maritime transport industry. His work reflects a deep commitment to those who care about our maritime sector and its operations. Mrs Cathy Mason OAM is honoured for service to the community through a wide range of roles, including her Rotary work. This reflects quiet dedication that underpins strong communities—service given freely, consistently and with compassion. I'd also like to recognise Captain Benjamin Hurst CSM RAN, who was awarded the Conspicuous Service Medal for meritorious achievement in the field of Navy engineering. His service reflects professionalism and technical excellence. (Time expired) Rae, Ms Barbara 18 13:46 Ms CHESTERS 249710 Bendigo Last Friday in Bendigo, a new statue was unveiled, of Barbara Rae, honouring our town as the home of the first women's cricket match to be held in Australia and the contribution that Barbara Rae made. In 1874, women still needed to seek permission to play sport publicly, and local schoolteacher Barbara Rae organised a fundraiser cricket match to be played at the Queen Elizabeth Oval in Bendigo between the red team and the blue team—all women. At 19, she recruited two teams and hosted training sessions before the match. Lis Johnson, a local artist, was commissioned to complete the piece, and she has done a tremendous job in capturing the upbeat spirit of Barbara and this moment of Australian sporting history. I was privileged to be able to take my son, Charlie, to the unveiling ceremony on Friday. All week, Charlie and his sister, Daisy, had been discussing what could be under the grey tarp on the way to school and kinder. When the big moment happened, Charlie's eyes lit up and he said, 'Wow, it's a cricket player.' When I asked him why he thought it was a cricket player, he rolled his eyes in that dramatic four-year-old style and said, 'Oh, mummy. They have a cricket bat.' Barbara Rae and her contribution to women's sport is forever immortalised in Bendigo and will be an ongoing inspiration to children for generations. (Time expired) Sunraysia Softball Association 18 13:47 Dr WEBSTER 281688 Mallee I rise today to pay tribute to the Sunraysia Softball Association in my electorate of Mallee. It was a great privilege to attend this event on Saturday. The community gathered to honour dedicated volunteers and supporters, who contribute so much to our local communities. We remembered with deep respect late life member Peter Wade, whose legacy of service continues to inspire. His contribution to local sports are well known, and Judy, his wife, was present to share the tribute. He will not be forgotten. I was pleased to congratulate Megan Hammond, the current president, on her well-deserved induction as a life member for decades of outstanding commitment. To every sponsor and every volunteer who coaches, umpires, maintains the fields, organises and cheers, thank you. You are the backbone of this association. In our regional communities, sporting clubs like Sunraysia Softball do far more than teach the game. They keep families active and healthy, forge lifelong friendships, provide opportunities for young people and build the social capital that makes regional towns great places to live, work and raise a family. Community sport is the glue that binds us. I commend the Sunraysia Softball Association. MJS Line Dance 18 13:49 Mr REPACHOLI 298840 Hunter I want to congratulate MJS Line Dance of Kurri Kurri on an outstanding achievement and recognise a group proving that rhythm is alive and well in the Hunter. At the Australian Line Dance Championships and the New South Wales Open Line Dance Competition, Jessica Kelly and Shanon Dickson delivered an exceptional performance, taking first place in the intermediate and advanced line dancing choreography competitions and earning second place in the People's Choice Award. That is no small effort at all. Anyone who has tried line dancing knows it requires coordination, memory, fitness and the ability to stay in step—something many of us in this place would struggle with. MJS Line Dance is a proud local family-run business founded in 2024. After more than 20 years of dancing, Shanon decided to give back to his local community and create a welcoming and inclusive space. By bringing together the names of the co-founders, Mellissa and Jessica, with his own, MJS Line Dance was born. In just over a year, MJS Line Dance has grown into a thriving community, now running three successful classes every Thursday night. With routines ranging from pop to country to Irish music, there is something for everyone, whether you arrive with fancy footwork or two left feet. A huge congratulations to Jessica and Shanon. Kurri Kurri and the Hunter are so proud of you guys. Queensland: Tobacco Control 18 13:50 Mr CALDWELL 306489 Fadden I rise to acknowledge the Crisafulli government's efforts to crack down on the illegal tobacco and vape trade in Queensland. Over just 10 days in December, 148 illegal stores were hit with 90-day closure orders—a total of 13,320 days shut. Operation Major seized $15.7 million in illegal product, including 11.8 million cigarettes and over 87,000 vapes. This matters because the black market is tied to organised crime, which targets our communities and our kids. These closure powers were strengthened by the reforms passed in the Queensland parliament on 19 November 2025. In my electorate, locals welcomed the recent enforcement action at Grice Avenue in Paradise Point. Law-abiding small businesses shouldn't be undercut by crooks. This is what restoring safety looks like—firm laws, real enforcement and consequences. While Queensland is acting, this federal Labor government has been too slow, too weak and too soft in stopping the supply chains of this trade. Well done to Premier David Crisafulli and his health minister, Tim Nicholls. Keep up that good work. Tertiary Education and Training 19 13:52 Ms FERNANDO 299964 Holt Three years ago the Liberals called free TAFE 'wasteful spending'. The Leader of the Liberal Party even promised to scrap it. Well, fast forward to today, and more than 725,000 Australians have enrolled in a free TAFE course. We know that our nation is facing critical skills shortages. From construction to nursing to care work, shortages are felt in every community. Whether it's training plumbers and electricians to build the houses our country is in desperate need of or training aged-care workers to support Australians who once supported us, Labor's free TAFE is saving students thousands of dollars while strengthening our workforce, and it has been working, with skills shortages dropping across our economy. In my electorate of Holt, I hear from constituents every single week about how free TAFE has unlocked doors they never thought possible. As a proud TAFE graduate, I know firsthand that TAFE changes lives. That's why Labor didn't just defend free TAFE; we proudly made it permanent for more than 100,000 Australians each year. When we back education, we back Australia's future. Australian National Flag 19 13:53 Mr WILLCOX 286535 Dawson The Australian flag is far more than cloth and colour. Under this flag, generations of Australians have fought and fallen. They gave their lives to protect this land and to protect the freedoms that we enjoy today. Those freedoms include the right to free speech, but they do not include the right to deliberately desecrate the very flag that represents our nation. Twice in recent months the Labor government has been asked to act. In September last year and again in January this year, proposals to criminalise the burning and desecration of the Australian flag were put forward, and on both occasions the Albanese government refused to act. Australians have made their views crystal clear. In less than 24 hours, more than 2,000 Australians signed my petition calling for the Australian flag to be protected under law. That is Australia saying: the current laws are not good enough. A country that cannot protect its flag cannot honour those who fought under it. I ask this government: can you look a veteran in the eye and explain why the flag they served under, the flag they buried their mates beneath, means nothing to you? The Australian flag deserves protection. I am demanding it, and the Australian people are demanding it. Our Ways—Strong Ways—Our Voices 19 13:55 Ms KARA COOK 316537 Bonner Seven women have been murdered by their partners this year. Three of those women were First Nations women. We know Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women are seven times more likely to be murdered by their partners in our country and 34 times more likely to be hospitalised due to domestic and family violence. That is why today is a historic day in our fight against this absolute scourge in our society. Today the Albanese Labor government launched 'Our Ways—Strong Ways—Our Voices', Australia's first ever standalone national plan to end family, domestic and sexual violence against Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women and children. This plan was a long time coming and developed in genuine partnership with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities and victims-survivors. It reflects their knowledge, their leadership and their longstanding advocacy over not years but decades. At its core, this plan is about backing Aboriginal community controlled organisations already doing the essential work on the ground—work built on culture, connection and evidence. Today this government is committing $218 million in new funding to expand community led, evidence based services into communities right across our country. I am proud to be part of a government delivering this much-needed work for our country. Jones, Ms Bianca Adrienne, Morton-Bowles, Ms Holly Jayne 19 13:56 Ms LEY 00AMN Farrer I'm calling on the Prime Minister to immediately summon the Laotian ambassador to address shocking revelations that those responsible for the deaths of Bianca Jones and Holly Morton-Bowles received fines of just $185. As a mother, I was devastated to see the fathers of Bianca and Holly forced to resort to fronting the national media today because the Albanese government has failed to obtain justice for their beautiful girls. There has been no justice for Holly and Bianca. The fact that their families learnt what happened not from their own government but via a British victim's family is a disgrace. Australians are rightly shocked. A year ago, we learnt that the Laotian government was refusing Australian Federal Police assistance in the investigation. A year ago, Australians were told by the Albanese government that the matter was in hand. Holly and Bianca deserve justice, their families deserve answers, and Australia should have done everything possible to deliver that. The Prime Minister should join government officials in apologising today and commit to doing something about this. Australia makes a significant contribution to Laos through our foreign aid program and other assistance, and the Laotian government should be reminded of that. The Albanese government must explain why the families of Holly and Bianca were not kept properly informed of these weak prosecutions. Australians are appalled by what they have seen. Labor Government 20 13:58 Mr FRENCH 316550 Moore Australians expect their government to be focused on them, on the cost of living, on secure work and on the services people rely on every day. That is exactly what the Albanese Labor government is doing. We are governing with purpose. We are delivering cost-of-living relief through cheaper child care, cheaper medicines and tax cuts for every taxpayer, not just those at the top. We are strengthening Medicare, investing in public schools and rebuilding TAFE so people can train for real jobs in a changing economy. We are focused on wages, on job security and on building homes Australia needs, because you cannot fix a housing crisis without building more homes and you cannot build them without skilled workers. That is the difference. While Australia is focused on governing, those opposite are focused on themselves, on internal divisions, on leadership games, on settling scores and protecting their own positions rather than delivering outcomes for the community. They had a decade to act and left Australians with stagnant wages, rising costs and neglected services. Now, instead of taking responsibility, they offer blame, slogans and distractions. To the member for Hastie— Mr Chester IPZ The member for Canning. Mr FRENCH 316550 The member for Canning—after raiding the member for Goldstein's library for The Art of War, might I suggest The Prince? It is at least a reminder that effective leadership is about governing well and not seeking to posture. We are focused on Australians. (Time expired) The SPEAKER 53517 I remind all members to use the correct titles. In accordance with standing order 43, the time for members' statements has concluded. CONDOLENCES 20 CONDOLENCES Bolkus, Hon. Nick 20 14:00 The SPEAKER 53517 The question is that the motion be agreed to. I ask all present to signify their approval by rising in their places. Question agreed to, honourable members standing in their places. QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE 20 QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE Jones, Ms Bianca Adrienne, Morton-Bowles, Ms Holly Jayne 20 14:01 Ms LEY 00AMN Farrer My question is to the Prime Minister. As a mother, I was devastated to see the fathers of Bianca Jones and Holly Morton-Bowles front the media today following revelations that those responsible for the deaths of their girls have received fines of just $185. The families had to learn this from a British victim's family. Government officials have apologised today. What action will the Prime Minister now take to seek justice for these beautiful girls? 14:01 Mr ALBANESE R36 Grayndler I thank the member for her question. Indeed, all our hearts go out to the loved ones and friends of Holly Bowles and Bianca Jones. Like so many young Australians do, they set off overseas together for fun and adventure and to expand their horizons in the world, and what occurred is an absolute tragedy. They should be with us today—looking back on a trip full of happy memories made together. Instead, their loved ones are still mourning a devastating loss, and the events of the past 24 hours have added to the heartbreak of their families. The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade has apologised unreservedly for their failure to ensure that the families were informed, and that is an entirely appropriate thing for them to do. The Foreign minister has made it clear to her counterpart in Laos that Australia expects full accountability and the charges should reflect the devastating seriousness of this incident—the fact that six lives were lost, including Holly's and Bianca's. We'll continue to engage Laos authorities on these cases, and we will do everything we can to support Holly's and Bianca's families at this distressing time. Cybersafety 21 14:03 Mr WATTS 193430 Gellibrand My question is to the Minister for Communications. What action is the Albanese government taking to protect Australian children from harm on the gaming platform Roblox? 14:03 Ms WELLS 264121 Lilley I thank the member for Gellibrand for his question and for all the thought and work that he gives to this really important area of public policy in this place. The Albanese government proved through its world-leading social media law that it will not stand idly by when it comes to protecting children online, and that is why I have put Roblox on notice. I am disgusted, and we should all be disgusted, by the reports that there are predators using Roblox to target and groom children—with reports that children as young as four are being exposed to graphic and gratuitous content on this platform. That is unacceptable, and I will be using every lever at my disposal to fix this. Firstly, I have written to Roblox and have demanded an urgent meeting because I want to hear directly from them about what they are doing to protect our children online. Australian children should be able to enjoy an online game without fear of being exploited, manipulated and abused, and Australian parents should be able to let their children play games online without fear that they will be exploited, manipulated or abused. What we are seeing right now is simply not good enough. Secondly, I have written to the eSafety Commissioner seeking urgent advice about what action can be taken to prevent harm to young people on this gaming platform both in the short and the long term. Thirdly, I have requested the classification board to review its rating of Roblox at 'PG'. This was last done in 2018; obviously, things have changed a lot online in the last eight years. Roblox must do better, and we must expect them to do better. The eSafety Commissioner will continue to hold Roblox accountable; I know they are looking into them right now. Going forward, the Albanese government is committed to legislating a digital duty of care. A digital duty of care will take some of the burden off Australians and put the responsibility on platforms like Roblox to have systems in place to prevent harms from happening in the first place—harms that too many young Australians are familiar with, like predatory behaviour on Roblox; like nonconsensual nudified images being created on Grok; and like algorithms that lead people down rabbit holes and feed them harmful content. These are harms that, for the last decade, we have just accepted as an unavoidable dark side of the internet—that is, until Australians united and sent a clear, unprecedented message to big tech by legislating a minimum age for social media. The Albanese government is on the side of parents, not of platforms, and the safety of young Australians online will always come first. Palestine Action Group: Protest 21 14:06 Ms WATSON-BROWN 300127 Ryan My question is to the Prime Minister. In response to President Herzog's visit, who was found by a UN commission to have incited genocide, peaceful protesters were last night subjected to horrific brutality by the New South Wales police. Your invitation has— Mr McCormack 219646 That is rubbish—absolute rubbish! The SPEAKER 53517 The member will resume her seat. Member for Riverina, we dealt with this issue yesterday. We are going to allow members to ask their question in silence, out of respect. We will do a reset, out of respect for the member for Ryan. She'll begin her question again and she'll be heard in silence. You may not like the content of the question, you may not like the content of the answer, but everyone deserves to be shown respect while they're asking their question. Ms WATSON-BROWN 300127 My question to the Prime Minister. In response to President Herzog's visit, who was found by a UN commission to have incited genocide, peaceful protesters were last night subjected to horrific brutality by the New South Wales police. Your invitation has fundamentally undermined unity and social cohesion in this country. Will you condemn this police violence, and, at the very least, send President Herzog home? The SPEAKER 53517 I'm giving the call to the member for Curtin, on a point of order. Ms Chaney 300006 I'm seeking a ruling on whether the member for Flynn is breaching standing order 90 by saying, 'Rip her apart.' Government members interjecting— The SPEAKER 53517 Order! Members on my right are going to cease interjecting immediately! I'm unaware of what was said, but I remind all members to treat each other with respect. If the member for Flynn indicates that he wishes to make a withdrawal, I'll allow him to do so. Mr Boyce 299498 I withdraw. The SPEAKER 53517 I thank the member for Flynn. The Prime Minister will now be heard in silence. 14:08 Mr ALBANESE R36 Grayndler President Herzog is visiting Australia at the invitation of the Governor-General, as her equivalent head of state. The Australian government supports the invitation. I'll be meeting with him later today and with families of the 15 innocent victims whose lives were tragically cut short on 14 December. That is what this visit is about. I would say to everyone in this chamber and outside, as I have said repeatedly, that we need to turn the temperature down in this country. We need to turn it right down, including in the rhetoric that just took place in that exchange in this chamber. President Herzog is here in Australia to offer sympathy and solidarity to people who are mourning, and to offer his support to members of Australia's Jewish community. He has said, to quote him, that his visit is in the spirit of 'solidarity, friendship and love'. There's not enough of that anywhere in the world, not the least here in the past couple of months. I know people have different views and very strong views about the Middle East, and they're entitled to express those, and they're entitled to do that in a peaceful way. The Australian government does that as well. We have recognised Palestine. We support two states. We have spoken out about the devastation and humanitarian crisis in Gaza, in addition to our unequivocal condemnation of Hamas's atrocities on October 7. We will continue to understand that there is a need in this country, as well as globally, for some nuance in this debate, and that the debate is not advanced by people thinking it's like a football team where you have to support 100 per cent one side or the other. That does not advance peace. There are two roads in the Middle East. One is for Israelis and Palestinians to walk the path towards a settlement which does require, in the Australian government's view, very strongly, a two-state solution. In order to do that, you need to engage constructively with Israelis and Palestinians. That is one path. The other path is that a powerful state, the state of Israel, is in a position which we have seen for seven decades, and the Palestinians remain an oppressed people. Now, I believe very strongly that we need to engage with both Israelis and Palestinians as we go forward. I've consistently said that every life matters, whether Israeli or Palestinian. The violence that we saw last night was devastating. I know all Australians would have found those scenes very confronting. I note that NSW Police have said they will examine the footage of what took place last night, including, I note, particularly of the people who were praying, and then action was taken. Many people who saw the footage will want to know all of the circumstances around that, and I'll allow the police to do their job. But I also note that there were systems put in place—which is pretty sensible, frankly—to separate where President Herzog was and where the demonstrations were, and that people sought to break that separation and, therefore, to create a circumstance which was not going to be peaceful and which saw what occurred there. Now, in Australia, we can disagree peacefully and with respect. I will treat President Herzog with respect. I've known him for a long period of time. He is someone you can have a respectful discussion with whilst examining differences which are there. But he is here primarily to provide comfort for people who not only need it but deserve it at this time. I will not, as a number of the crossbenchers have suggested, walk away from my support for his presence here, because it is appropriate that he be here at this time, and it's appropriate that people understand the context which is there—a community that is hurting, a community that is reaching out and asking for some understanding. I've said it before, and I'll say it again to conclude: we need to turn the temperature down, and the Greens political party need to be a part of turning that temperature down rather than up. Australians want the killing to stop. They want innocent lives to be protected, whether they be Israeli or Palestinian. The other thing that they want is for conflict to not be brought here. That is overwhelmingly what they want. That's the government's position, and we'll continue to advocate for it. Family, Domestic and Sexual Violence 22 14:15 Ms SCRYMGOUR F2S Lingiari My question is to the Minister for Social Services. Minister, how is the Albanese Labor government helping to end the violence against Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women and children? 14:15 Ms PLIBERSEK 83M Sydney I want to thank the member for Lingiari, who for many decades has been standing up for the safety of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women and children and communities right across Australia. I also want to thank the many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and communities who shared their advice, their stories and their insights in the drafting of this report, Our ways—strong ways—our voices. I want to thank the members of the steering committee for their work. It's your courage and it's your commitment that drives this plan. Today is an historic day. For many decades, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women have been telling us they want safety for themselves and for their children. Today we have delivered on our election commitment to release a dedicated national plan for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, to end violence against women and children. The statistics are grim. An Aboriginal woman is seven times more likely to die in a domestic homicide than a non-Indigenous woman, 27 times more likely to be hospitalised due to intimate partner violence, and 41 times more likely if they live in a remote or regional community. That simply cannot continue. Importantly, this plan has been endorsed by every state and territory, and it comes with significant extra funding: an additional $218 million so that we can change the story on the ground. We can send out mobile teams to help women leave unsafe situations. We can work with children who've been exposed to domestic violence, to stop their trauma. We can work with men who are at risk of using violence, to stop them using violence. This new investment comes on top of $262 million, which was committed in 2023, which is already making a difference—for example, in establishing men's centres that are working with men to prevent them using violence; or the $367 million which has more than doubled funding for family violence prevention legal services; the Leaving Violence Program, which so far has helped 10½ thousand people leave domestic violence; or our investment in housing—more than $5 billion in emergency and transitional housing and for remote housing in the Northern Territory. I'm proud of the fact that the Albanese government is changing the story on family, domestic and sexual violence in this country. I know that all members would support this work, because it's only by this investment led by and delivered by First Nations communities that we'll see real change. DISTINGUISHED VISITORS 23 DISTINGUISHED VISITORS Acknowledgement 23 14:18 The SPEAKER 53517 I'm please to inform the House that present in the gallery today is a parliamentary delegation from the United Kingdom led by Nick Smith MP, the chair of the Administration Committee of the House of Commons. I'm also pleased to advise that present in the gallery today, there is a delegation from the Springfield chapter of Movember Australia, a community support network dedicated to supporting men's mental and physical health. Over the past 14 years, the blokes sitting in the front row of the gallery have raised over $700,000 for Movember, and the best part is they all live in the Oxley electorate. Honourable members: Hear, hear! QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE 23 QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE Economy 23 14:19 Mr TED O'BRIEN 138932 Fairfax My question goes to the Treasurer. High inflation hurts all Australians—whether you're paying a mortgage, renting, running a business, or just trying to make ends meet. Treasurer these are not my words. These are the words of the Governor of the Reserve Bank, who has also said that inflation will be 'out of band and above target for six years'. Treasurer when will inflation come down? 14:19 Dr CHALMERS 37998 Rankin There are a couple of things about that question. As for the last part of the question, if you look at the Reserve Bank's forecasts, they have inflation peaking around the middle of this year and then trailing away after that. We'll update our own Treasury forecasts in the usual way in the budget, and that will take into consideration recent developments. On the governor's views about the impacts of inflation, I share them. That's why when we came to office and inflation was higher than six per cent and absolutely roaring on your watch we took steps to make sure that we could get inflation lower than when we came to office. In recent times, we've seen a tick up, which means that inflation is higher than anyone would like. That's why we're rolling out cost-of-living help that those opposite oppose. That's why we're cutting taxes again. Those opposite said that they would repeal those tax cuts. That's why we delivered surpluses and we're demonstrating spending restraint and banking upward revisions to revenue in ways that would be unrecognisable to those opposite who didn't do any of those things. I'm happy to compare my record against our predecessors any day, whether it's on managing the budget in the most responsible way that we can or on rolling out cost-of-living help. If those opposite really cared about inflation and the cost of living, they wouldn't have run for the best part of a decade a policy of deliberate wage stagnation in our economy. If they cared about cost-of-living pressures in our economy, they wouldn't have opposed the cost-of-living help. If they cared about cost-of-living pressures, they wouldn't have gone to the last election with a policy to increase income taxes on every single one of the 14 million taxpaying working people in the Australian economy. For that, for this total lack of economic credibility over there, two people are more to blame than any others: the member for Fairfax, who wanted to borrow hundreds of billions of dollars to build nuclear reactors, which would push energy prices up; and, of course, my old mate the member for Hume, who went to the election with a policy for higher income taxes, bigger deficits and more debt. The reason those opposite are in a real bind is because half of the partyroom supports the member for Hume and the other half have met him. The other half have met him, and they know that when it comes to their lack of economic credibility, the member for Hume is part of the problem, not part of the solution. If they flick the switch this week, as they might, from the member for Farrer to the member for Hume, that will mean that they have less economic credibility, not more. The SPEAKER 53517 The member for Barker and the member for Gippsland are now on warnings due to their efforts during that last answer. There were far too many interjections. I counted at least seven to eight on each, so there'll be no more interjections for the remainder of question time from the member for Barker and the member for Gippsland. Economy 24 14:23 Ms TEESDALE 314526 Bass My question is for the Treasurer. How is the Albanese Labor government working to boost productivity and modernise Australia's economy, and how does that compare with other approaches? 14:23 Dr CHALMERS 37998 Rankin Thanks to the member for Bass for her question but also for the way that she represents her Tasmanian community in our team and in this place. Australia has got lower unemployment and stronger growth than most of the major advanced economies. We've got faster jobs growth and less debt than all of the major advanced economies, and our economy hasn't gone backwards in any quarter under this government like theirs have. But we do know that we've got three big pressing and persistent challenges, and they are an uptick in inflation, decades of underperforming on productivity and also this extreme global uncertainty. We know that the best way to deliver higher living standards for more people is to lift the speed limit on the economy so it can grow faster with lower inflation. That's why economic reform will be a central feature of the budget in May. Already, we're getting the budget in better shape. We're rolling out tax cuts to help with the cost of living. We're reforming our economy to make it more modern and competitive, and we've taken substantial steps already with the biggest competition policy reforms in 50 years, FIRB reform, payment system reform, abolishing non-compete clauses, federation reform through the Productivity Fund, energy market reforms, reforms to income tax, the PRRT and multinational taxes, and we've abolished nuisance tariffs. Even in the few months since the reform roundtable, we've sped up approvals, paused the construction code, legislated better environmental approvals, passed a better regulation bill to cut red tape, processed hundreds of ideas for better regulation in the finance sector and released a national AI plan, as well as started another round of tariff and FIRB reform. So we've made some progress, but we know that there is more work to do. This is a government which is working together and is focused on inflation, productivity and global uncertainty. And that's what the budget will be about. Those opposite, at a time when we have these pressing and persistent economic challenges, are in complete and utter shambles. They haven't changed a bit since they came after Medicare and pensions in government and still never delivered a surplus in nine attempts. They haven't learned a thing from an election where they ran on higher income taxes, bigger deficits and more debt to pay for nuclear reactors. As I said a moment ago, two members were more responsible for that election debacle than anyone—the members for Fairfax and Hume. That's why flicking the switch from the member for Farrer to the member for Hume will make their lack of economic credibility worse, not better. We saw in the election campaign and we've seen in the last few days that the member for Hume is not very good with numbers. We've seen that again this week. They are divided. They are divisive, but we are not distracted. We will maintain a focus on inflation, productivity and global uncertainty, and you'll see that in the budget in May. Renewable Energy 24 14:26 Ms LANDRY 249764 Capricornia My question is to the Minister for Climate Change and Energy. What is the total cost to taxpayers of the Albanese government's expensive and reckless renewables-only energy policy? 14:26 Mr BOWEN DZS McMahon That's a pretty broad question when it comes to renewable energy, and the vast majority of investment in renewable energy will come from the private sector. That's the fact. We do have government schemes to support renewable energy, most notably the Capacity Investment Scheme, which is a very successful scheme. The cost is commercial in confidence. Opposition members interjecting— Mr BOWEN DZS This opposition to commercial in confidence is a relatively recent phenomenon for those opposite, because the House has heard me talk before about the previous minister's, the member for Hume's, UNGI scheme. Government members interjecting— The SPEAKER 53517 Order! The Minister for Defence Industry and the minister for infrastructure will pause so I can hear from the honourable member for— The SPEAKER 53517 And the member for Hume will pause. I'm just going to wait. Everyone doesn't need to be interjected on when they just approach the dispatch box. After that is a different matter. The member for Wannon now has the call on a point of order. Mr Tehan 210911 The question was very, very specific. It asked about the total cost of your renewables scheme, and so commercial in confidence doesn't come into it. The SPEAKER 53517 The member for Wannon is correct. It was a very tight question. Obviously, he would like a figure. He would like a number. The person who asked— Honourable members interjecting— The SPEAKER 53517 I get it, but, as I will tell again, under the standing orders, I can't compel the minister. I wish I could, but I can't compel him to do that. Every Speaker in modern times has dealt with that issue as well. What I will say to the minister is he won't be able to talk about the opposition, because he wasn't asked about the opposition. If he is to give an answer regarding the figures he was asked about and do a compare and contrast, that's, of course, allowed, as has always been the case. Minister, I'm asking you to be directly relevant to the question, because you weren't asked about opposition policy. Mr BOWEN DZS Thanks, indeed, Mr Speaker. I'm comparing the Capacity Investment Scheme under this government, which replaced the underwriting new generation scheme of the previous government, and I've indicated that the Capacity Investment Scheme is commercial in confidence. The Underwriting New Generation Investment scheme, masterminded by the member for Hume—when he was asked 'what are the costs?', the member for Hume said, 'Well, look, these discussions are commercial in confidence.' So it is not unprecedented for government policies and expenditure to be commercial in confidence. Indeed, my shadow minister, the member for Wannon, was responsible for various policies including Australian Naval Infrastructure Pty LTD supporting shipbuilding infrastructure. When you look at the budget to find out how much that cost, it says, 'The expenditure for this measure is not for publication due to commercial in confidence provisions.' The SPEAKER 53517 I think I understand the point that you've made. You've made that, now. Mr BOWEN DZS Indeed. The SPEAKER 53517 So I'm bringing you back to the question because you'll be defying me if you continue to talk about the opposition. Mr BOWEN DZS I think we've made the point that commercial in confidence is not a new thing. It is not a new principle. It is one that is well established. And the vast majority of investment in the cheapest form of renewable energy will come from the private sector. That's why we've seen 7.7 gigawatts added to the grid since May 2022, which is equivalent to the demand in the evening of all of the state of Victoria since 2022, compared to the four gigawatts which left the grid under the previous government, and only one gigawatt came on. Gig Industry 25 14:30 Ms SITOU 298121 Reid My question is to the Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations. How is the Albanese Labor government backing workers in the gig economy? Why was this change necessary, and how does it compare to other approaches? 14:31 Ms RISHWORTH HWA Kingston I'd like to thank the member for Reid for that question and also her longstanding advocacy for Aussie workers right around the country. The Albanese Labor government's world-leading laws lay the foundation for gig workers to achieve for the first time minimum standards. Under our laws, the Fair Work Commission can now consider applications for better minimum pay and conditions for platform drivers, like Uber drivers. The commission is now considering two applications to improve the pay and condition of these workers. If these applications are successful, platform food delivery and rideshare drivers will receive life-changing pay increases. Drivers will also benefit from better conditions and have stronger rights to representation, dispute resolution and protection if injured. Rosalina is just one of these rideshare drivers who will benefit from these minimum standards. She explained that this is going to make a difference to hundreds of thousands of workers Australia wide. These changes are part of a suite of reforms introduced by the Albanese Labor government designed to get wages moving for Australians. I'm asked if there are any other approaches to this that we've taken. There was another approach, and that was the approach taken by those opposite, who neglected digital-platform workers for almost 10 years, despite repeated industry calls for better standards. They left these workers to fall through the cracks of the workplace safety net. I'm sure if these workers could have rated the former government's performance, I have no doubt that the Liberal and National Party would struggle to even get a one-star review. But not only did the Liberals and Nationals not care about gig workers when they were in government; let's look at their approach when they were in opposition. When our government took action to provide protections for these workers, those opposite voted against them, and they argued that a lack of minimum standards, low pay and dangerous working conditions were—and I quote—'a good model' and 'working well'. Well, how out of touch is that? It is clear that those opposite have not learnt their lesson. They continue to be completely out of touch, completely consumed by themselves and divided and obsessed by their internal machinations. Those opposite are so completely divided that they are turning on each other, and I doubt that ridesharing in an Uber is even an option anymore for them. While they are fighting completely amongst themselves, our government is getting on with the job to protect— (Time expired) Cost of Living 26 14:34 Ms LEY 00AMN Farrer My question is to the Prime Minister. Parramatta small-business owner Danielle has said, 'People are maxed out on their credit cards, and they're already skipping meals, sacrificing their own food for their children.' Labor's economic mismanagement is fuelling a cost-of-living crisis. Prime Minister, why do Australians have to skip meals in a cost-of-living crisis caused by this government's reckless spending? 14:34 Mr ALBANESE R36 Grayndler I thank the Leader of the Opposition for her question. It goes to a constituent in Parramatta, and I'm sure that there are people in Parramatta like there are in my electorate and the member for Farrer's electorate who are under financial pressure. That's why we're doing something about it. Those opposite do absolutely nothing except oppose— The SPEAKER 53517 Order! The member for Fadden will cease interjecting. Mr ALBANESE R36 every single measure. I hope that when they are engaged in their incessant talking to each other they actually come up with something—anything will do—which actually is a positive plan, but there are no signs of that. There is actually a lot that Liberals agree on. They want to increase income taxes for every Australian taxpayer—we know that—they want to undermine renewables as the cheapest form of new energy, and they want to cut the services that Australians rely upon. I'm not sure, when they speak about spending, what it is that they oppose. Do they oppose what we did in July, which was to cut student debt by 20 per cent? They said they were against that for three million Australians. Do they oppose what we did in August when we legislated to protect penalty rates for weekend and overtime pay? We know they're against that. Is it what we did in September when we increased social services payments for five million Australians? We can guarantee that they would have opposed that. We know they oppose what we did in October when we expanded our five per cent deposit plan to every first home buyer, which has helped 200,000 Australians get into their first home. We know that in November, when we tripled the bulk-billing incentive, that made a huge difference, and we're on our way to installing more than 200,000 cheaper home batteries. We know they're against that. We know that whilst, from time to time, they speak about one urgent care clinic that they support, apparently— Opposition members interjecting— Mr ALBANESE R36 I wish I were that good with the fishing rod, Mr Speaker, I really wish I was. But we have 122 of them open. We promised 50 and delivered 87, and we're delivering another 50 which are well on the way. In December we opened them in Gladstone the Sunshine Coast, Woden, Burwood, Rouse Hill and Marrickville in particular. On New Year's Day they opposed the measures that we did as well—the cheaper medicines and the 1800 Medicare plan. All they have is complaints, no solutions. (Time expired) General Practitioners 26 14:37 Ms TEMPLEMAN 181810 Macquarie My question is to the Minister for Health and Ageing. What's the Albanese Labor government doing to increase the supply of doctors and encourage more doctors to be GPs? How does training more GPS help strengthen Medicare after a decade of cuts and neglect? 14:38 Mr BUTLER HWK Hindmarsh I thank the member for Macquarie for her question and also her relentless advocacy for an urgent care clinic in her community. I'm delighted, because she told me the Hawkesbury urgent care clinic opened last week—the 123rd clinic—and it is already operating very, very well. Opposition members interjecting— Mr BUTLER HWK I'm not sure you really want it. You've got to want it harder than that. When we came to government we inherited a position where it had never been harder or more expensive to see a doctor than it was under those opposite, and we were utterly determined to turn that around. Our Strengthening Medicare agenda has four pillars—more bulk-billing, more urgent care clinics, cheaper medicines and more doctors—and we're delivering on all of them. As the member for Macquarie said, under the former government, doctor numbers simply were not keeping pace with the population that is growing, is getting older and is experiencing more chronic disease. We've turned that around. We've expanded the number of medical school places to train more young Australians as doctors. Cairns now has end-to-end medical training thanks to this government, the Northern Territory has its first ever medical school getting up and running this year, and 10 other universities were granted approval by the Minister for Education this year to expand their medical school numbers, with more to come in 2028. We're also cutting red tape and fees for doctors from all around the world who want to come and practise here, particularly from countries whose training systems we have high levels of confidence in, such as the UK, Ireland, New Zealand and others. All of this means we've seen a huge increase in the number of new registrations for medical practitioners—up almost 50 per cent on the position before the COVID pandemic. But I have also been clear, as the member for Macquarie said, that I want to see more junior doctors take up training in general practice—the backbone of a well-functioning healthcare system—which is why I was so delighted to join the college of GPs and the College of Rural and Remote Medicine in the electorate of Spence the other day to announce that a record number of junior doctors are starting their training as GPs this year. Last year was a record, and this year is another record. This year, 2,100 junior doctors are starting their training as GPs or rural generalists, 500 more than the intake under those opposite, and half of them are training outside our big cities. More doctors, more bulk-billing, more urgent care clinics and cheaper medicines—that's what's delivering a stronger Medicare for all Australians. Renewable Energy 27 14:41 Mr BOYCE 299498 Flynn My question is to the Minister for Climate Change and Energy. How many thousands of wind turbines and how many millions of solar panels are required to be installed to meet the 82 per cent renewable energy targets your government has set through its expensive and reckless renewable-only energy policy? 14:41 Mr BOWEN DZS McMahon I thank the honourable member for the question, given the honourable member denies the science of climate change. I'm not sure that he's particularly interested in how we get renewable energy, given he doesn't accept the scientific consensus of 99 per cent of scientists across the world. Nevertheless, I make this point. Firstly, we don't have a renewables-only energy policy. We have a policy to get to 82 per cent renewables, which is backed by gas peaking and firming for the rest of it. Eighty-two is not 100. There is a difference there. Secondly, our policy is informed by the experts, as is outlined by the Integrated System Plan and GenCost, which we accept. We accept the work of the CSIRO, which is confronting for the member for Flynn and those opposite. We do actually accept the science and the work of the CSIRO, and the Integrated System Plan outlines the pathway to 82 per cent renewables. Those are decisions made primarily by the private sector and investment, as to renewable energy, and by households when they decide to put solar panels on their roofs and a cheaper home battery in their garage, as they are doing in very, very big numbers indeed, which we welcome and those opposite have a big problem with. Aged Care 27 14:43 Ms COKER 263547 Corangamite My question is to the Minister for Aged Care and Seniors. How is the Albanese Labor government delivering real reform in aged care? Why were these reforms necessary? 14:43 Mr RAE 300122 Hawke I thank the member for Corangamite for the question and for being an absolute champion for older people across the Surf Coast and on the Bellarine. Yesterday marked 100 days since the new Aged Care Act came into effect. For each and every single one of those days, this government has focused on making our new system work for aged-care providers, work for hardworking aged-care staff and, most importantly, work for older Australians. From the smallest community support service to acute residential facilities, this Labor government is focused on delivery, not division. The SPEAKER 53517 Member for Lyne, we're not going to have a continual running commentary during this whole answer. I'm going to ask you, for the dignity of the House, to cease interjecting, otherwise I won't be able to have you here, because it's disrespectful. Mr RAE 300122 As I was saying, from the smallest community support service to acute residential facilities, this Labor government is focused on delivery, not division. We inherited a system in crisis—one that failed older Australians, failed their families and failed the workforce. Rather than deny that reality or talk it down or—and I quote—'do the minimum amount they could get away with' like those opposite, this government rolled up its sleeves and got to work fixing it. There's always more work to do, but we've made clear progress in getting older Australians the care they need when they need it. I'm pleased to be able to update the House that, as at 31 December 2025, 346,893 older people had been allocated a Support at Home place. The National Priority System stood at 94,963—that's a drop of almost 30,000 people from the previous quarter. Median comprehensive assessment wait times have dropped by eight days, with the median wait time just 24 days from request to completion of assessments in the July-September quarter. And we're delivering $18 billion in pay rises, because on this side of the House we value our aged-care workers and we believe that they should be paid appropriately. While our government is focused on older Australians, those opposite remain focused on their own internal division. They were a rabble when they were in charge of the system and they're a rabble now. While we're delivering reform, they're cycling through leaders and rerunning older arguments. While we're strengthening aged care, they're still debating who's in charge. Older Australians don't need instability. They don't need the division of those opposite. They need a government that is focused, stable and getting on with the job, and that's exactly what this government is doing—delivering for older people every single day. Cost of Living 28 14:46 Ms SPENDER 286042 Wentworth My question is to the Treasurer. Australians are worried about inflation. There's been a lot of arguing in this House about whose fault it is, but the question I'm being asked is: what is the government actually going to do about it? Australians are scared by the prospect of interest rate hikes, they are scared by their bills going up and they feel that the cost-of-living relief doesn't actually get to the heart of the problem. So the question is back to you: what will the government do about it? 14:47 Dr CHALMERS 37998 Rankin Thank you to the honourable member for her question but also for the constructive way that she goes about engaging with the big challenges in our economy. Inflation, which is higher than anyone would like, is a major challenge in our economy and a major focus of this government, and our plan to deal with this tick-up in inflation is to help people with the cost of living in the most responsible way that we can, primarily through the tax system but also in other ways, which other ministers have spoken about today; to continue to get the budget in better condition—we've made some progress there, but we know that there's more work to do; but also, over the medium term and the longer term, to lift the speed limit on the economy so that it can grow more quickly without adding to these pressures on inflation. On this side of the House, we do acknowledge and we do understand that this inflation is putting extra pressure on people in the community you represent and in the communities that we all represent as well. But, more than acknowledging that, we are acting on it as well. There will always be a range of views about the best way to go about addressing this challenge, but I think the three ways that the government is going about it strike the best balance in the most responsible way that we can. This inflation is higher than anyone would like. The interest rate decision which accompanied it puts extra pressure on millions of people with a mortgage as well. We take our responsibilities to every Australian seriously, and we know that right now, when they're under pressure, we need to do more than acknowledge that; we need to act on it, and that's what we're doing. Illegal Fishing 28 14:48 Mr MATT SMITH 312393 Leichhardt My question is to the Minister for Home Affairs. What is the Albanese Labor government doing to combat illegal foreign fishing in the Torres Strait? 14:49 Mr BURKE DYW Watson I thank the member for Leichhardt and acknowledge his strong advocacy to combat illegal foreign fishing in the northern waters of Australia. Illegal foreign fishing is not only an attack on and damage to our environment. It is not only an attack on and damage to commercial fishing and recreational fishing interests in Australia. It's a straight-out attack on our sovereignty. These waters belong to Australia. That's why, following increased illegal fishing attempts north-west of the Kimberley, the government announced Operation LEEDSTRUM in December 2023. In Operation LEEDSTRUM, we brought together a number of government agencies, including the Australian Fisheries Management Authority—AFMA, which is managed by the Minister for the Environment and Water—as well as the Australian Border Force. Bringing all of those agencies together means that, since that point, there have been 103 interceptions, 35 boats have been destroyed and more than eight tonnes of catch has been seized. Prior to Operation LEEDSTRUM, there had never been a joint taskforce of this nature. That success, though, saw a response from illegal foreign fishers. Having discovered that the north-west was being blocked, they decided to try further east. The MPs here from the Northern Territory then saw attempts in our waters there because of our success in the north-west. As a result of that, we launched Operation LUNAR. Operation LUNAR in the waters of the Northern Territory saw us then have 97 interceptions, 44 boats destroyed and more than 20 tonnes of catch seized. The success of Operation LEEDSTRUM and Operation LUNAR means that there are now attempts going further east to the Torres Strait. I acknowledge the really strong advocacy of the member for Leichhardt in making sure that we have led to the announcement that was made earlier today by Commissioner Gav Reynolds of the Australian Border Force to announce Operation BROADSTAFF to combat illegal foreign fishing in Queensland and the Torres Strait. It's led by Border Force under the leadership of Commissioner Reynolds. Since we came to government, border protection funding has been increased by $600 million. Surveillance flights are now 26 per cent higher than they were in 2022-23. The criminals have tried and failed in the Kimberley. They tried and failed in the Northern Territory. They are now trying in the Torres Strait, and they will fail. The message to foreign fishers who want to operate illegally in our waters is simple: the waters you are on belong to Australia, not to you. You risk losing your haul, your equipment, your vessel and your freedom. Tame, Ms Grace 29 14:52 Mrs McINTOSH 281513 Lindsay My question is to the Prime Minister. A senior member of the Prime Minister's cabinet, the Minister for Social Services and member for Sydney, today refused to specifically condemn Grace Tame's conduct at a Sydney rally where Tame chanted a vile antisemitic slur. Will the Prime Minister today show leadership, disassociate himself from these words and unequivocally condemn this disgusting display of antisemitism by the former Australian of the Year? 14:52 Mr ALBANESE R36 Grayndler I thank the member for her question. I'll make two comments. One is: I'll refer to my previous answer. The second is: we need to not continually look for political opportunities from what is a devastating situation. We need to turn the temperature down. Rural, Regional and Remote Australia: Infrastructure 29 14:53 Ms SWANSON 264170 Paterson My question is to the Minister for Regional Development, Local Government and Territories. What is the Albanese Labor government doing to improve local roads and infrastructure? Honourable members interjecting— The SPEAKER 53517 We're not doing this. I need to hear the question. This is continual from across the chamber. I'm reaching my limit. An opposition member interjecting— The SPEAKER 53517 I said 'across the chamber'. I need to hear the question. All members need to be hearing the question. I'm going to ask the member for Paterson, as I did the member for Ryan, to begin her question again. Ms SWANSON 264170 My question is to the Minister for Regional Development, Local Government and Territories. What is the Albanese Labor government doing to improve local roads and infrastructure in regional communities? How does this compare with other approaches, and why is it so important to support local government? 14:54 Ms McBAIN 281988 Eden-Monaro I ask the other side to listen up, because you're about to get schooled in how we deal with regional communities! Thank you to the member for Paterson. I really appreciate the question. Government members interjecting— The SPEAKER 53517 Order, members on my right! The minister is just going to cool it for a moment. I want to hear from the Manager of Opposition Business on a point of order. The minister is 15 seconds in, but I'll listen to him. Mr Hawke HWO Yes, well, even 15 seconds in, the minister knows she's not allowed to use the term 'you'. That's very inflammatory! The Prime Minister has just said to dial down the rhetoric, and the minister wasn't listening to the Prime Minister about dialling it down. The SPEAKER 53517 Well, it's inflammatory because it's directed to me. The SPEAKER 53517 The member for Holt is warned! The manager is correct. It's disrespectful to the Speaker. So I'm going to ask the minister to also understand the standing orders and to direct her remarks through the chair. Ms McBAIN 281988 I thank the member for Paterson for the question. She knows how important it is to deliver for regional communities and, while we're at it, for future generations. Congratulations on becoming a grandparent for the first time. Since coming to government, we have committed $4.4 billion over five years to the Roads to Recovery program. That's a $1.8 billion increase on the previous five-year period. It's funding that goes directly to every single council to spend money on the roads they want to, the way their community wants to. Why is that important? Because those opposite froze funding in that space. For Port Stephens Council what that means on the ground is an extra $2.9 million that they are receiving under the Albanese government more than what they would have received under those opposite. Our Growing Regions program is delivering $600 million to important projects across the country, including $8.5 million for the Eastwood Leisure Complex redevelopment in the member for Ballarat's electorate and $9.5 million for the Roma pool revitalisation in the member for Maranoa's electorate. We have substantially increased road Black Spot funding to $150 million a year. It's going to 102 rural, regional and remote programs across the country. There's $1.2 million for traffic lights in the electorate of Braddon, in Spreyton, and $1 million for safety improvements in Caboolture in the electorate of Longman. We've also launched a new $200 million program called Safer Local Roads and Infrastructure program, and we recently announced tranche 3 of this program. The Shire of Wyndham-East Kimberley in Durack will receive nearly $4 million towards the Mulligans Lagoon Road and Weaber Plain Road intersection to accommodate heavy vehicle traffic, and the Mareeba Shire Council in Kennedy will receive $3.1 million to support agricultural productivity. More than $77 million is earmarked for projects in regional Australia in this tranche of funding. While we're at it, we have restored highway maintenance funding, which was frozen by the previous coalition government. That's right; they froze funding. In contrast, not only did we restore it; we increased it from $350 million to $460 million. Under those opposite roads were going backwards, just like their polling, but I guess that's what happens when you are focused on yourselves rather than on delivering for regional Australia. On this side of the House, there's a growing number of regional members because regional Australians know we get things done. Mr Albanese R36 I ask that further questions be placed on the Notice Paper. STATEMENT BY THE SPEAKER 30 STATEMENT BY THE SPEAKER Parliamentary Standards 30 14:58 The SPEAKER 53517 Before members leave, I'm going to address a matter before the House. I want to address the House about a matter that happened earlier in question time today. I'm deeply concerned about the exchange within the chamber early in question time today, and I've been reflecting on it during question time. There simply cannot be that sort of language that we heard and used in the House—nowhere. I ask all members to genuinely reflect on how they engage in proceedings. I want this House to ensure language is moderate and respectful at all times. DOCUMENTS 30 DOCUMENTS Presentation 30 14:59 Mr BURKE DYW Watson These documents are tabled in accordance with the list circulated to the honourable members earlier today. Full details of the documents will be recorded in the Votes and Proceedings. MATTERS OF PUBLIC IMPORTANCE 30 MATTERS OF PUBLIC IMPORTANCE Migration 30 14:59 The SPEAKER 53517 I have received a letter from the honourable member for Kennedy proposing that a definite matter of public importance be submitted to the House for discussion, namely: The urgent need for the government to immediately address the unsustainably high level of migration and its serious impact on the state of the nation, and to urgently implement a policy of 'no migration without integration'. I call upon those honourable members who approve of the proposed discussion to rise in their places. More than the number of members required by the standing orders having risen in their places— 15:00 Mr KATTER HX4 Kennedy I was quite appalled and shocked to find out that 340,000 student visas are being issued—that's the average for the last five years—and only 40,000 of them are going home. So there are 300,000 people coming in on student visas. One lovely young lady came in on a student visa, and I said, 'How'd you get in?' and she said: 'You just get a student visa. Anyone can get that at any time at all. It's easy, and you can bring your whole family in.' Only 40,000 of the 340,000 leave Australia, so there are 300,000 coming in there and then another 400,000 coming in as migrants. That's 700,000 people coming here to stay—not to go home—each year. Well, you don't have to be Albert Einstein to figure out, within 15 years, we will be a minority in our own country—we Australians. If you're happy with that—I'm telling you I'm not. Some of those people that are coming in—and I make no apologies for stating this—are coming from the Middle East and from North Africa. I say that because it is not a religion thing. We have a tremendous interface with Indonesia, and you would not find a nicer or better people in the world—or more tolerant. The current ambassador, in fact, is a Christian from Indonesia. They're lovely people. So it is a geographic thing. I'm sorry because there might be some very good people that we're saying 'don't come in' to on those sorts of generalisations, but you'll never make a perfect law. That is for certain. Probably worse still, nearly 75 per cent of them are going to Sydney and Melbourne. There are no jobs and there's no accommodation, so why the hell are you bringing them into this country for? You've sent all the industry overseas. Let me be very specific. Bonds athletics—over 5,000 jobs went out of Sydney and Brisbane in one hit with that one company. The jobs are gone. They're sitting there in little ethnic enclaves—a lot of them hating Australians and having no intention of ever becoming Australians. An honourable member: You're a disgrace, mate. Mr KATTER HX4 I want to know who that interjection came from. I want to find out who's interjecting, because your name's going to go public. I know the people of Australia have had an absolute—and I'll use a crude expression—gutful of this. We're not running around scared anymore of being called racist— The DEPUTY SPEAKER 248181 Member for Kennedy, please direct your comments through me as the chair. We'll have no personal exchanges or attacks going on in this chamber. Mr KATTER HX4 He started it, Madame Deputy Speaker, and I'm pretty good at finishing it, let me tell you. I'm pretty good at finishing it, and I'll remember you. I'll find out what your name is. I don't know what it is, but I'll find out. The DEPUTY SPEAKER 248181 I would ask everybody to stop behaving in a disorderly manner. Mr KATTER HX4 This country is drowning in a flood of 'foreign' migration—and I use the word 'foreign' in inverted commas. I come from a town where almost all of us are from some sort of minority grouping somewhere along the track, and a lot are First Australians. We're regarded as a minority group, too, I can tell you. I'm speaking as one of them. I saw nearly a hundred people standing in front of the great symbol of Australia, the Sydney Opera House, screaming, 'Gas the Jews.' These Australians don't even remotely resemble Australians. Australians would spit on them. So, if you want to be champions for some overseas cause, then you go back overseas and you bloody well stay there. You don't come to this country and murder 15 people at Bondi—like you did. When I say these things and I say them with rage, they reflect the feelings of the Australian people. You have done nothing else except promote Pauline Hanson magnificently well. Well, now you're really going to get chewed up. You created the monster, if it is a monster. I'd say it's probably not a monster. I'd say it's probably a lot of good things. But I'm just saying that you created it. You sowed the wind; now you'll reap the whirlwind. If you think it's only going to hit the Liberal Party, it's not the way this works. Having watched and been involved in political fights for well over 50 years, I can tell you this is not the way the thing works out in the end. And I want to conclude by saying that, when you quote the immigration figures, that's just silly, because there are over 300,000—nearly 400,000—students coming in each year, and they don't leave. So you've got 400,000 there. You've got another 400,000 coming in legally. That's nearly a million a year. Within 15 years we'll be a minority in our own country. I happen to love Australians, and I happen to love us being Australians. Well, we ain't going to be Australians. We'll be something else. It might be a very ugly something else. Having said that, I say 'integration'. Do they come from a country with democracy—North Africa, the Middle East? No. Do they come from a country with rule of law? No. Do they come from a country with industrial awards? No. Do they come from a country with Christianity? And I make no apologies for saying that any moderate student of history—and I'm not a moderate student of history; I'm published historian author. It's pretty hard to get a history book published, I can tell you. Christianity is integral, whether you like it or not. The year of our lord 2026 is 2026 years since the birth of Christ. Every aspect of our lives is put there to some degree from the great Christian movement. And all it says is: you've got a responsibility to look after your fellow man. That's all Christianity says. You've got a responsibility to look after your fellow man. But there are people that believe that their fellow man should be stamped out unless he agrees with them. And those people coming to this country, screaming out, 'Gas the Jews.' Well, why don't you go over and live in Nazi Germany where you bloody well belong? Excuse my language, Madam Speaker. In conclusion, these are the figures that have been given to us. Of 340,000 student visas each year, only 40,000 are leaving the country. That's 300,000 people. Another 400,000 are coming in on immigration visas. And if you talk about criteria, there are five I mentioned before. I don't want to go over it. If you take those five principles—well, alright. The Filipinos—tick, tick, tick, tick, tick. The Indonesians—well, they might not be Christian, but as for the other four criteria, I'd argue maybe. Poland—tick, tick, tick, tick, tick. There's miles of country out there where people would die to come to this country. When you put it all together, we really have the highest standard of living in the world because we have houses with land around the houses, which is very, very civilised. Other countries don't have that. I would say that we are arguably the richest people on earth, so people want to come here. And God bless them for wanting to come here. But you're not coming here to make us the country that you came from. There's no doubt in my mind that there are a certain group of people that fit into that category. I say in conclusion that, obviously, in the live cattle business, we have huge interface with people from Indonesia, and we just find them lovely people—very civilised, very lovely people. There are other exceptions to the rule. But I saw in my country 70 or 80 people standing in front of the Opera House screaming, 'Gas the Jews,' and, to the eternal shame of the New South Wales government, they did absolutely nothing about it. People were advocating murder, classifying themselves as Nazis, and nothing was done about it whatsoever. That's except for one person who had the temerity to stand up as an Australian and say, 'Hey, we don't do that in this country.' The police carted him away. They didn't cart away these fellows advocating murder. The police carted him away. The immigration department allowed those two people into this country. They allowed them to go back to a terrorist training area and then let them back in the country. They had them on an ASIO watch list, and they allowed them to buy three high-powered rifles. In fairness to the Liberal government in New South Wales, they would not give them a permit to own a rifle, so they couldn't own a rifle legally—not that that stops you very much. (Time expired) 15:10 Mr HILL 86256 Bruce I thank the member for Kennedy for bringing the debate. I do welcome a chance to talk about migration and integration, the two core topics in the motion that you've put before the House. This matters to the work of my portfolio. I spoke in my first speech nearly 10 years ago this July extensively, though, around the role of migration and human diversity as our nation's defining characteristic and greatest strength. They are the words that I said then, and they're words that I believe now. It also matters to Australians now. The best I can say about some of your contribution is that you are reflecting some of the fears and the anxieties fuelled by misinformation and by things that we see that we don't like, some of which you've outlined, that are completely unacceptable, and I'll talk about that. I'll say clearly at the outset that migration has been too high. Migration has been too high, and the government is bringing it down. But there is nothing more Australian than a migrant. Everyone in this country except Indigenous Australians—everyone or their ancestors came from somewhere. Since 1945, more than six million people have chosen to make a permanent life in Australia. Every region, every town, every sporting club, every suburb has been touched by generations of migrants. Migrants are our relatives, our friends, our work colleagues, our business leaders, small-business people, researchers and more. Last year, we marked a number of anniversaries in this country. We marked the 80th anniversary of the first Department of Immigration, put in place by the Curtin Labor government to help with World War II rebuilding. We marked the 50th anniversary of the Racial Discrimination Act, the last big bit of legislation by the Whitlam Labor government, which laid the foundations for equality in this country—that everyone is equal under the law, regardless of their race or ethnicity or background, and that everyone has the right to equal participation. We marked the 50th anniversary of the contribution of large-scale Vietnamese migration to our country and the 40th anniversary of the Hawke Labor government's access and equity strategies, providing for the right of everyone to fully participate in Australian society. In years to come, we can look back on last year for the establishment of the Office for Multicultural Affairs, bringing together investment, services and policies, and a milestone that I'm really proud of: the one-millionth humanitarian migrant welcomed to our country since World War II. That was late last year. One of the stereotypes that I cannot stand is the one that humanitarian migrants come to our country to get on welfare. It's deeply offensive. They're far more likely to start businesses and to have a crack than other Australians. In the year 2000, six of our country's then eight billionaires came to this country as humanitarian migrants and refugees. I want to address the two key issues in the motion. The level of migration is a legitimate debate to bring, but it needs to be based in fact. There is no mass migration in this country. Even in that rabble opposite, their shadow minister for immigration admitted this in a moment of honesty. You turn on the TV and look at what's happening in much of the Americas and Europe. They suffer from mass migration. We do not. We have a tightly controlled set of borders. Mr Katter HX4 A point of order! You gave the figures of 700,000 a year coming— The DEPUTY SPEAKER 248181 Member for Kennedy, I really tried to make sure that people gave you the respect to listen to your 10-minute speech. It's now the assistant minister's turn, and I really want to ask you for some cooperation. Mr HILL 86256 The size and the shape of our annual migration program will always vary depending on our national and economic interests. It's been true under this government. A fact to inject into the debate is that the permanent migration program this year is 185,000 people. Last year it was 185,000 people. Seventy per cent of that permanent migration program are skilled visa holders. The rest, predominantly, are family—partner and child visas, predominantly. Despite population growth, despite demand, including in regional areas in particular, for skilled workers and despite pressures on family reunions, that number has remained unchanged. Every state— Mr HILL 86256 This is just a tactic to interrupt because I want to respond to the points made. The DEPUTY SPEAKER 248181 It will be my call. Mr HILL 86256 Indeed. The DEPUTY SPEAKER 248181 Member for Kennedy, what is your point of order? Mr Katter HX4 He flatters himself to think I'm trying to interrupt him, Madam Deputy Speaker. The DEPUTY SPEAKER 248181 What is your point of order? Mr Katter HX4 He is not taking into account those on student visas who don't go home, and that's what I said. The DEPUTY SPEAKER 248181 Member for Kennedy, that's not a point of order. Mr Katter HX4 He's implying that it doesn't exist. The DEPUTY SPEAKER 248181 Sit down, please. Member for Kennedy, I will not be taking more points of order from you. Mr HILL 86256 Despite pressure from every state and territory saying they want a higher migration program, the government has kept it constant at 185,000. We have an ageing population. In 1980, we had about seven workers paying tax for every retiree. We now have about 3½, trending towards three. You cannot run a labour market, staff the aged-care homes or run our industries, and the healthcare system would collapse, without the contribution of skilled migrants. So I just want to get a few facts in the debate. I say to anyone who wants to bring this debate, in the community or the parliament: be specific. Don't come here with generalisations and smears on groups of people. I look at the government bench over there. This reflects modern Australia. This reflects multicultural Australia. I don't know what that is, but it does not look like the country that we are. It doesn't look like the country that we are today. But anyone who wants to bring this debate needs to say specifically what they want to cut. Do they want to stop Australians from falling in love with people from overseas and say, 'No more husband and wife for you; you can't bring it here because people say we have to massively cut migration'? Do they want to cut— Mr Katter HX4 Wives plural. Mr HILL 86256 We don't have polygamy. This is a nonsensical smear that people like you spread on social media. It really is ridiculous. It's juvenile. The DEPUTY SPEAKER 248181 You need to direct your comments through me, please. Mr HILL 86256 Do they want to cut child visas? Which industries would you cripple? Which nursing homes would you close? Which regional healthcare centres would you close down? Which parts of the defence and other industries do you not want to see staffed with skilled workers? Be specific. Don't bring the general smears. The other measure—and I'll address the points made—is net overseas migration. It was too high post COVID and the borders reopening, and it's now falling. It's over 40 per cent down in the last couple of years. Think about it like this, for anyone actually interested in the facts. Net overseas migration plummeted during COVID to negative for the first time since World War II, because—who knows?—if you shut the borders and no-one comes in, it plummets. Then it spiked, when the borders were reopened, for about 18 months or two years, as Australians came back—Australian citizens count as net overseas migrants—and partner visas, students, working holiday-makers and agricultural workers stuck offshore came back. It spiked, and now it's coming down, exactly as the government said it would. The rise was a bit higher, but not because of arrivals. This is the big lie. It was because departures were slower than predicted, because we had the lowest average unemployment in the country for over 50 years. So, if you want to come in here with the smears, deal in facts. There are two things that you got wrong there, Member for Kennedy. You said most students don't leave. That is not true. It's a falsehood. Most students go home. It's our fourth biggest export sector. International education supports more than 250,000 Australian jobs.. I see the Minister for Education here. It's critical to the internationalisation of our universities, to our global research partnerships, to jobs right across Australia and to our global rankings at our top universities. Most students go home. Some of them stay. They become some of our most highly skilled contributing migrants. That's a pretty good deal for the taxpayer with an ageing population. Their home country pays for the first 20 years—their early childhood education and primary schooling. Their taxpayers pay. They come here and pay, at a profit, for an Australian-standard education, and then they work and pay taxes for 40 or 50 years. It's a pretty good deal for the country. But really the trick which has been done here—we see this on social media and, sadly, the member for Kennedy has chosen to come in here and repeat it—is the big scary number. What they're doing is taking parts of the arrivals without looking at the departures. They just pick random numbers and put them on social media and say there are a million people coming. It's just rubbish. It's not true. Just because you say it doesn't make it true. What we have is a competent government, but we do not have a functioning opposition. They're terrified of, and yet cuddling up to, One Nation. They're calling for massive cuts to migration, but they never come in here and say what they actually want to cut. And Pauline Hanson lives rent free inside their heads. Paul Keating said in 1996: The great tragedy of the shamelessly regressive politics of Pauline Hanson is not so much that it is rooted in ignorance, prejudice and fear, though it is; not so much that it projects the ugly face of racism, though it does; not so much that it is dangerously divisive and deeply hurtful to many of her fellow Australians, though it is; not even that it will cripple our efforts to enmesh ourselves in a region wherein lie the jobs and prosperity of future generations of young Australians, though it will—the great tragedy is that it perpetrates a myth, a fantasy, a lie. The myth of the monoculture. The lie that we can retreat to it. We are diverse and the key to being an Australian is respecting each— (Time expired) The DEPUTY SPEAKER 248181 ( ):  Just before I give the call to the next speaker, I am going to remind the House that, as challenging as topics may be, this is a chamber in which debates happen. We might not always like to hear what each other are saying, but it is your absolute obligation in this House to provide each other with courtesy when someone is on their feet and speaking. So I'm going to ask everyone to show some courtesy now to the member for Mayo—and I really don't want interjections. 15:21 Ms SHARKIE 265980 Mayo I am going to do my best to take the temperature down somewhat. Migration and integration are two policy areas that shouldn't be taboo, yet they have been taboo to talk about in our nation for some years. There is no doubt that in the last three years we have had a very steep increase in migration. I have enormous respect for the immigration minister, who just spoke, but it was put to me that the reason why we've had such a steep immigration increase is that we were catching up from the pandemic. I just fail to understand why we were catching up, when the rest of the world also had minimal migration. There was really nothing to catch up on. If I look at the net overseas migration figures from ABS data, in 2024-25, 306,000 people were net overseas migrants; in 2023-24, 429,000; and in 2022-23, 556,000. So over three years this is more than 1.2 million people. It's just supply and demand. This has created significant pressure on housing. The figures don't lie. In South Australia in 2020 the median price of a home was $574,000. In December last year it was $925,000. We've done that in five years, and the thing that's changed the most are our migration numbers. If I look at South Australia, our state government has a very pro-migration policy, and we've gone from a population of one million in 1969—when we last built a reservoir—to two million. That's enormous pressure on the environment and on water, and I think it's reasonable to have a conversation about the size and structure of the nation that we are creating. Why are we doing this? I sometimes ask the question when I look at the life that we have created for people now, where you as a family need to have two full-time jobs just to cover a mortgage and basic costs. The Australian dream of being able to buy your home is fading away. Young people talk to me about this all the time. Our population in 30 years has grown by 54 per cent—an extra 10 million people. I gave you our net overseas migration figures before. Back in 1996, 30 years ago, the figure was only 95,000—these are, I think, reasonable conversations to have—yet our poverty has increased. In 1996, 12.9 per cent of our population lived below the poverty line. In 2026, it's over 14 per cent. So I think we need to have a very real conversation about the size of Australia, what Australia can handle from an environmental and water point of view, and then what our nation stands for, what we value and what we expect of the people that come here. We came to Australia in 1973. It was an expectation on my family. They were told very, very clearly: 'You will follow the rule of law. If you don't, you're gone.' It was as simple as that. There were expectations on us. We are a proud, Western, democratic society. We uphold the rule of law and equality between men and women, and we should expect everyone who comes to Australia, I think, to learn our language, to know our history, to know and value our literature, to embrace all that Australia has to offer. If you come to Australia, you come to be part of our society, to embrace it, and you don't come here to expect Australia to change for you. I think we must affirm these reasonable expectations of all people. We want to have a harmonious society, but we want to have a society where people can live and breathe and be able to afford home ownership, and right now the demand is far outweighing the supply. All we're doing is carving up as much farmland as we can to try to manage that. I think the Australian community expects us to have a very honest and sober conversation about migration, and I don't think we're doing that at this point. 15:26 Ms RYAN 249224 Lalor I rise in my place today the proud member for Lalor, Chief Government Whip responsible for the care and consideration of the members of the Labor Party of this House, and I join this debate. Every instinct in my being wants to leave this chamber rather than join this debate. I'll give you a couple of reasons. One is, as I listen to the tropes from some of those opposite, and I look to my left and I see a First Australian, I wonder who asked what they thought about immigrants coming to this country. I look across this chamber and I see modern Australia reflected here. I see the electorate I represent reflected here, an electorate where fifth-generation Australians thrive and first-generation Australians thrive, and they thrive by living together. They thrive by looking after one another, they thrive by supporting one another, they thrive by challenging one another to do better every day. I absolutely understand that change, for some people, is difficult to deal with. I understand that the pace of change can be challenging for everyone. But I understand that our modern Australia relies on us to see our sameness rather than reflect on our difference, because what do we all want? We all want what's best for our children. We all want a thriving economy for our children to grow into. We all want a world-class education system for our children. I'll tell you what the first generation of Australian migrants are bringing to my community: they're bringing aspiration, they're bringing passion, they're bringing will and drive. They're bringing want for their children to live in a great Australia. They come here to make a contribution and they are making a contribution every day in my community. I'm going to share a moment with the chamber, if I may, in terms of how this has manifested in my community. On 15 December, the morning after the Bondi massacre, I attended an event in my community. It was the retirement of a school principal of a Catholic primary school. When I arrived, that Catholic primary school greeted me and said, 'Joanne, in the shadow of the events of last night, thank you for being here to spend some time with the community.' I was able to speak and say how good it was to be with the community of faith on that morning, and to hear that community of faith send their love around the country to every Australian. It was a beautiful thing to do. In the afternoon I was at a school graduation—a very new school in my community—with probably two of what are considered traditional Australian kids in that school. The school council president got up to make a speech—a Muslim man who has been in the country for three years. His child was one of the grade 6 graduates. He sent his love around the country on that day. He paused, on what should have been a celebration for those children, to mark that occasion and to make sure that everybody there understood how he was feeling, how our Muslim community was feeling and how important it was for us to come together to support these young people and to keep moving. Immigration has been the backbone of this country. From a 16-year-old ancestor of mine who got off a boat and walked farm to farm in the Geelong region looking for a job as a domestic servant, I am a descendant of immigrants, as are the majority of the people who are in this House every day. If we're going to talk about immigration, we do need to make sure that the facts that are put on the table are correct, and it is distressing to be part of debates where you can't rely on people's understanding of net migration, the different reasons people come to this country or the value that they bring when they come in through the door to us. Mr Katter HX4 They're in Sydney and Melbourne. The DEPUTY SPEAKER 248181 Member for Kennedy, the interjections are becoming unbearable, okay? Mr Katter HX4 I agree, Madam Deputy Speaker. I'll shut up. The DEPUTY SPEAKER 248181 Thank you. Member for Warringah? Ms Steggall 175696 I am incredibly concerned about the conduct of the member for Kennedy and would ask for him to be sanctioned again for disorderly conduct under standing order 94. The DEPUTY SPEAKER 248181 Thank you for your input to the debate. I have been thinking about this and the interjections, and I have asked the member for Kennedy to cease now. This is a debate that you've asked for, Member for Kennedy, and the interjections are taking a precious opportunity from the crossbench to conduct this debate today. I've asked you repeatedly; I really am asking for your solemn commitment to stop these interjections. Otherwise I will have no choice but to ask you to leave the chamber. Now we're going to listen to the member for Wentworth in silence. 15:32 Ms SPENDER 286042 Wentworth We're here to talk about migration and integration. I'm going to focus mainly on integration because I think that is the urgent point in terms of the discussion today, given some of the earlier comments that have been made. But firstly, briefly on migration, I think it's perfectly appropriate for us to have a conversation about the levels of migration. They have concerned a lot of Australians, and a lot of Australians are legitimately worried about house prices, about young people being locked out of homes and about infrastructure not keeping up with our population—100 per cent very fair questions. There are also very fair questions in terms of what pathways are available to people and making sure that those pathways are appropriate. I think those are really important questions. But I really want to talk about integration, because what we say about this in this House does matter. I feel very strongly about this, particularly as an incredibly proud daughter of a migrant—my mum's family. The reason why I think this is really important is that we have a country that is one of the most diverse in history, and that is a remarkable thing. I don't think it's easy to have a country as diverse as this country is. I think we need to take that responsibility carefully. Part of that responsibility is treating people with the dignity of the individual, which is actually a deeply Western value. It's a deeply liberal democratic value: you have a moral authority based on you as a human. Your moral authority and your role in life don't depend on your ethnicity, your ethnic origin, your religion, your sexuality or anything else. It comes down to you in terms of your responsibility and in terms of your character. That is what this country is based on: the moral authority of the individual. That is something that we have to focus on when having these sorts of conversations, because there is an implication—I'm not going to make assumptions about what is deliberate and what is not, but I look at the people who are watching this debate today, and I think of the people at home. Every Australian who is in this country, who is willing to live by our values, who commits to the words of our citizenship pledge, which I'm delighted often to hear said by people—those people deserve our respect, and they deserve our support, and we can learn and thrive from their difference as well as the contribution that they make to Australia. I think we just have to keep coming back to the individuals rather than to blanket groups who try and other and dehumanise parts of our community. I think we need to build a modern version of the Australian story, because we have this Gallipoli myth about who we were back in 1914. We are a very different nation from then and, frankly, a much greater nation from then. To see the world, you don't need to travel the world; you can actually experience the world here in Australia. I think that is a wonderful thing and is something that I enjoy enormously. I see a version of Australia which represents the breadth, the depth and the diversity of our country and can unite around inclusivity rather than hark back to a past which excludes a whole bunch of Australians. If you exclude a whole bunch of Australians, you know what? We are not going to get back to that cohesive Australian country that some would like us to get; we are going to be more divided than ever. I think it is up to us now, as a country, to build on that inclusive version of Australia and to accept that we have Australian values. We expect people to live by the rule of law. We expect people to live by our Australian values, but those Australian values encompass the view that your safety and your acceptance are not dependent on your ethnicity, your sexuality or your religion. It is down to you and your contribution to this country. As I said, as a child of a migrant, I couldn't be more proud to be part of this country. I couldn't be more proud of my mother's contribution to this country as a migrant. The member for Kennedy referenced Bondi. I could not be more proud that people like Ahmed Al Ahmed made a huge difference in people's lives by saving them, because he did not look at religion or anything else. He stood up for Australian values, and I am proud that he is part of this country. We have to be very careful how we lead this, because this is a special country. It is not easy to be this diverse, but we can do that. That means having a version of Australia that we can all buy into. 15:37 Mr ABDO 316915 Calwell I think the member for Kennedy has taken politics in the pub a bit too literally—a lot of politics and far too much pub. We need to move away from slogans and get a bit of reality— The DEPUTY SPEAKER 248181 Member for Kennedy, you are now going to leave the chamber please. You have consistently defied my rulings. It is absolutely disappointing that the person who moved the MPI has been asked to leave the chamber. You leave me no alternative for your disrespect for this House. The member for Kennedy then left the chamber. Mr ABDO 316915 It's actually sad to see someone who's spent so much time in this House be reduced to trading in myths about immigration to stay relevant. He has failed at coherence, and he is failing at relevance. Our multicultural Australia is a remarkable achievement. It's part of our story. It's part of modern Australia. As much as he's finding it hard to come to terms with—an identity crisis delivered through megaphones, fist pumps—his arguments and what we could understand from them actually lacked coherence, even though they were delivered loudly. In this place, volume should never be confused with substance. Immigration is a defining feature of modern Australia. It shapes our economy, our workforce and our communities, and it always has. It remains fundamental to who we are. What we're seeing from those opposite is not a serious contribution to policy debate. It's rhetoric that creates confusion to mask their lack of solutions to modern problems. Modern Australia is multicultural Australia. They're inseparable. That remains one of this country's great achievements. We'll put the theatrics aside and deal with facts. Let me tell you something about my own community. Those opposite like to wrap themselves in the Australian flag, but one place they don't want to see the Australian flag is on Australian products like Australian cars. They destroyed the Australian industry, an industry built on everyday Australians and on migrants who came to this country and built communities like mine. The Turkish and Greek migrants and those migrants from all across the world were part of our supply chains and in our assembly plants, building our cars. Those opposite, now in the leadership race, put their elbows along and claim that they want to defend Australian manufacturing. That's the hypocrisy of those opposite. That's the haste in which they operate. Our communities believe in an Australia in which local areas have been built because of industry, which migrants helped contribute to. They helped build our economy. They enriched Australia, not just in a cultural way, as we see in festivals and occasions, but by being everyday Australians—working, living and contributing to defining what modern Australia is about. When you wrap yourself in the flag, fight with us to bring back Australian made products. Fight with us to build a modern Australia which is inclusive and which actually contributes to our economic life and our social life. Those opposite just give us rhetoric that is made to hide the fact that they have no solutions. It's deliberate confusion, spooked by certain political parties which are now coming in to try to hijack their agenda. I think the facts about the numbers were mentioned by those who spoke before me. They want to cut everything, but what is it that they want to cut and do without? They really need to say it. Is it our healthcare workers; our teachers; our construction workers; our hospitals, who will struggle without staff; our housing projects; our regional communities; or our outer suburbs? What parts of the economy do they want to leave with deep, long-term skills shortages? These are the real-world consequences that are never acknowledged. They don't believe in modern Australia—just as they don't believe in Australian industry, in Australian manufacturing, in the rights of Australian workers or in what modern multicultural Australia is really all about. 15:42 Dr SCAMPS 299623 Mackellar I want to start by apologising to the many multicultural, multifaith people in Australia for the revolting diatribe we've heard today from the member for Kennedy. I think it is absolutely disgraceful that on the floor of this place, the House for the representatives of all Australians, we have heard comments that, in my opinion, are so deeply racist and so incredibly wrong. The irony of what is often thrown at migrants, who come here to make Australia bigger, better and greater, is that many people born here have failed to actually look at the pledge they take to become Australian citizens and the commitment they make to Australia. I would invite the member for Kennedy to have a think about the pledge for people to become Australian citizens. It reads: I pledge my loyalty to Australia and its people, whose democratic beliefs I share, whose rights and liberties I respect, and whose laws I will uphold and obey. That includes freedom of religion. It includes respecting people's rights to have differences of opinion, differences of faith, and different cultures and traditions. It means respecting those rights and liberties. Yet, in the very tone of this MPI today, he calls for no migration without assimilation. That is directly contradictory to that very pledge we ask new Australians to make to the Australian people. As a fifth-generation Australian, I find it deeply offensive. It is important that we come and speak out. It is so important that we call out when this kind of rhetoric and language is simply wrong. There are a lot of false facts and false information to suit a populist narrative around migration and immigration. The census data shows that, in fact, we do not have record levels of immigration. We do not have a problem that is out of control. And we know in so many aspects of our economy and our services, we desperately rely on immigration to bring skilled visas and people that come and deliver services, start businesses and do incredible service to the Australian community. When I meet with chambers of commerce and small businesses, they consistently highlight that accessible and efficient migration pathways are critical for keeping businesses open, sustaining regional communities and supporting local job creation. We have to call out misinformation where systemic policy failures have led to poor infrastructure, housing issues and crises that are then blamed on migration. Blame it on the others, because that's the easiest thing to do. We know projected net overseas migration has now come back to levels that are reasonably consistent with pre-COVID levels. It's really important that we don't let those false facts take on a narrative, which is simply not true, that somehow the problems we have fundamentally and structurally within our community and our economy are the cause of others. We know we have complex challenges in housing affordability, infrastructure pressures and urban congestion, but they stem from planning and policy decisions. They cannot be blamed on migration or immigration. We know that, in periods of economic uncertainty, we often see the rise of antimigrant rhetoric. As sure as night follows day, that is what we're seeing in this place. We're seeing it in the other place, with other members of the parliament, and we've seen it today again with the member for Kennedy. We know from social research that such narratives are incredibly harmful. They distort public understanding of our immigration system, and they weaken our social cohesion. Migration intake must be complemented with adjacent planning and infrastructure investments such as road transport projects, child care and public spaces. No-one is denying that. But to lay the blame of structural policy failures on migration is simply wrong. For the member for Kennedy to then imply the assimilation aspect of his MPI is deeply, deeply concerning, because what that really implies is that we should be lose our multidimensional aspect, and I— (Time expired) 15:47 Ms CAMPBELL 312823 Moreton This side of the chamber is what Australia looks like. This side of the chamber is what our community looks like. This side of the chamber is what our nation looks like. When I made my first speech in this place, I chose to talk about my family's migrant story. It's a story of Chinese immigrants coming here in the 1800s. It's a story of Chinese Australians building railroads. It's a story of Chinese Australians fighting for this country and representing it at war. And it's a story of Chinese Australians helping establish community organisations that bring people together. I am a proud Australian. I am a proud Australian of Chinese heritage. I am proud of my family's migrant story, and I would remind the member for Kennedy that I am proud of my family. This story is not unique. It's not a one-off. It's the story of so many Australians. It's the story of so many people who call this place home. Over half of all Australians were born overseas or had a parent born overseas. It's part of what makes Australia a great migration success story, because that diversity builds strength. That diversity also helps build our country into a better place. I'm very proud to represent the most multicultural community in all of Queensland in my electorate. From our multicultural community, we see people who run small businesses, we see people who care for our loved ones, we see people who support our oldest Australians, and we see people who support our youngest Australians. When people think about multiculturalism, often the first thing that comes to mind is food and festivals—because they're great. But, to go beyond that, we should also think of our multicultural and migrant communities as drivers of our economic outcomes, as drivers of our nation's economy. Labor believes that migration should be a function of nation building. When we bring skills to this country, it is to make us better and stronger. If we want to be a country that makes things, if we want to be a country that builds stuff, if we want to be a country that cares for its people, that's what we need. Unemployment is at 4.1 per cent. It's really low. The question that we need to ask ourselves in this debate is: What do we want to cut? What jobs do we want to cut? Is it jobs in agriculture? Is it jobs in construction? Is it jobs in health? Is it jobs in aged care? Is it jobs in education? That is the fundamental question here. If you believe that Australia should be a country where people are gainfully employed and one where we have an economy that is driving towards a better society, migrants are an important part of that story. The member for Kennedy has left this chamber. It's unfortunate because I wanted to direct my comments at him today. I understand that it's important for the member for Kennedy to put on a show. I understand that it's important for the member for Kennedy to lean into populism, because it is easy. I will not empower the member for Kennedy's words by jumping up and down, I will not empower the member for Kennedy's words by shouting, and I will not empower the member for Kennedy's words by shaking my fists. What I will say is this: the traditional Australian values of mateship, a fair go and respect for everyone are the bedrock of patriotism. He is no patriot. 15:52 Ms WATSON-BROWN 300127 Ryan I welcome the opportunity to debate the question of immigration in Australia. People are not wrong to look for someone to blame for the considerable squeeze and stress we've all felt over the last few years. People aren't wrong to want to live in a peaceful and harmonious community, and they want to know why it feels less and less like we live in one. At face value, I can understand why people might look at immigration and assume that's where the problem lies. I disagree, of course, and I'm going to get into why. Before I do, I want to say that I feel like this conversation can get very heated from all sides, and it's not helpful to anyone if you go around calling everyone woke or racist all the time. I want to deal with this in a measured way. They say that facts don't persuade anyone these days, but I have a fundamental belief in the intelligence of the Australian people, so I figure I'll give it a shot. The fact of the matter is that immigration is simply not the cause of our current ills. Take housing—if immigration were really causing the housing crisis, how do we explain the fact that house prices shot up astronomically during the COVID period, when we actually had net negative immigration? Over the last 10 years, the population has increased by 16 per cent, and the number of dwellings has increased by 19 per cent. We're building more homes than there is growth in population, yet prices keep rising. The fact that Labor and the Liberals have rigged our housing system in favour of property investors and the banks is the cause of this terrible situation. Let's look at the cost of living. How can we honestly say that Coles and Woolies are putting up their prices because of immigration—or insurance companies or energy corporations? Studies by the OECD and the Australia Institute show that around 50 per cent of inflation in recent years has been caused by corporate price gouging, largely a result of monopolised and unregulated industries. For those worried about the environment, immigration, again, is not the cause of the lack of regulation on wasteful plastic production, the lack of regulation on damaging suburban sprawl, the lack of regulation on native forest logging. It is true that our roads are clogged. Our services are struggling. You could say that we've had too many people come into this country, or you could simply point out that our major parties have abysmally failed to plan for growing populations and build the public transport, the hospitals, the schools, the public space that we all need. It should be pretty clear by now that there is someone to blame for how much harder life is becoming for so many in this country, and it's Labor and the Liberals and their decades-long bipartisan commitment to deregulation, privatisation and tax breaks for huge corporations and the ultrawealthy. While these corporations and billionaires have plundered much of the country and while Labor and the Liberals have squandered our wealth, migrants work hard, build community and enrich our society. No-one's saying we should simply throw the borders open. Maybe in some distant future humanity will be able to live entirely without national borders. Who knows? In the meantime, we need some controls; we need some balance. The member for Kennedy's statement takes people's legitimate concerns down a dark, distracting and dangerous path, one that renders us all weaker in the face of corporate dominance, since we forget who really has power in this situation—one that makes us more suspicious, less connected to our communities and more anxious, not more peaceful, not more at ease. More to the point, politicians talk about social cohesion, but they never put two and two together. Social cohesion is fundamentally undermined by ballooning wealth inequality. Ultimately, I think, when we talk about curtailing immigration, we are really talking about wanting to take back control of this country. I couldn't agree more, but let's do that together—let's do it all together. Whatever your country of origin, whatever your religion, we ought to take back the country we call home from the lobbyists, from the moneyed interests, from the big corporations, from a political class that has proved so thoroughly incapable of tackling the major problems we face today. 15:57 Mr MATT SMITH 312393 Leichhardt I am Australian. I was born here—and my parents et cetera. I do not have a new-migrant experience to speak of. No-one in my family, in living memory, was one. But a lot of what we've talked about today, a lot of we've heard about, focuses on identity and focuses on control. Australia does not belong to us; we belong to Australia. Australia is not a set point. It is not a fixed moment in time, and it has never been. It wasn't for 65,000 years. It wasn't 230-odd years after that. It's changed in my lifetime, from the late seventies to now, and it's changed for the better. Our identity as a nation grows. It changes; it adapts. It becomes special. We take away from monocultures and we create something new, something beautiful, something that every single person in this country can be proud of—and we are proud of it. We're proud of it together. We're proud of it when we sing the anthem. We're proud of it where every single member in this House—I guarantee—attends a citizenship ceremony, speaks that oath and sees in the eyes of the people there the hope and the joy that they are now a part of this. They are a part of the beauty, and they are going to add to it. They add to it with their love, the love of their community, the love of the communities around them. They volunteer at our sporting clubs and our P&Cs. They're friends with our children. They introduce us to new foods. I know food is not the point, but, jeez, some of it's amazing, isn't it? The point is though that we will adapt and we will evolve and we will continue to. And, with each wave of migrants we've had, we've changed just that little bit more. Now, I said that I don't have a new migrant story, but on 24 April 2025 my fiancee Renee became an Australian, and I'm so proud of her. She brought with her customs from New Zealand like the All Blacks. Her ways are not my ways, but she adds to it and she loves it. She's been here 20 years and she's paid her taxes and she coaches triathlon and she inspires kids and she is a net positive. My friend Xiao came over from China to study geospatial mapping. He is now a doctor in geospatial mapping, which I did not believe was a thing until he told me. He came to the Tablelands. He bought an acreage. He had kangaroos hopping in his backyard—something he could never have had in Beijing, something he is grateful for. He's moved down to Brisbane. His son was born in Australia—Luca. Luca is likely to support the Redcliffe Dolphins; no-one is perfect. Luca is grateful that his father made that transition to Australia and grateful that his wife Shirl came with him. They are the Australian story. We've not asked them to assimilate. They've looked around and they've found the best bits that suit them and they've brought them into their lives. They've showed us the best bits of what they have and they've given it back to us. Assimilation is never the answer. It's never the answer, because, when you enforce that on somebody, they push back. When you look at somebody, at the person, at what they bring and you say, 'I love that; I'm going to make that a part of me,' and they look at you and they go, 'I love that, and I'm going to make that a part of me too,' that is what Australia is. I see it in Cairns. It started with our refugee community. The Bhutanese community arrived probably about 20 to 25 years ago. They struggled. Bhutan and Cairns are not very similar, but, with every cohort of new refugees that has come through, the Bhutanese have been there to help. They smooth their pathways. They make everything easier. Cairns is the living embodiment of the success story that is Australia. I'm reminded of it every day at our festivals and at our schools and by the people who come to our events. We would have Vietnamese coffee— Ms Plibersek 83M When you have Vietnamese coffee. Mr MATT SMITH 312393 Thank you, Minister! Cairns is wonderful, and Cairns is wonderful because of the migration story. Australia is the best country on the planet—I've lived in a few—and there's no debating. It's because of our multicultural experiment and success. The DEPUTY SPEAKER 248181 The time for that discussion has now concluded. COMMITTEES 40 COMMITTEES Public Works Joint Committee 40 Report 40 16:03 Mr ZAPPIA HWB Makin On behalf of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Public Works, I present the 89th annual report and report No. 1 of 2026, Referrals made in September and October 2025. Report made a parliamentary paper in accordance with standing order 39(e). Mr ZAPPIA HWB I ask leave of the house to make a short statement in connection with the reports. Leave granted. Mr ZAPPIA HWB Once again, on behalf of the Public Works, I present the committee's first report for 2026 and the third for the 48th parliament. This report considers the following six proposed works: (1) the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation's Black Mountain greenhouse redevelopment project, which has a total estimated cost of $37.9 million; (2) the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation's Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness stage 1 part-life refit, which has a total estimated cost of $372.216 million; (3) the Australian Tax Office's proposed fit-out of leased premises levels 5 to 10, 152 Wharf Street, Brisbane, Queensland, which has a total estimated cost of $29.17 million; (4) Services Australia's proposed fit-out of leased premises at 90 Crown Street, Wollongong, New South Wales, which has a total estimated cost of $22.34 million; (5) the Attorney-General's Department's proposed fit out of existing leased premises at 3-5 National Circuit Barton, Australian Capital Territory, which has a total estimated cost of $39.93 million; and (6) the Department of Home Affairs's Yongah Hill Immigration Detention Centre Hawk Compound redevelopment project, which has a total estimated cost of $34.94 million. In considering these proposed works, the committee received submissions and held private briefings, public hearings and in camera hearings with the relevant agencies as well as conducting formal and informal site inspections at the Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness in Geelong, the Black Mountain greenhouse site in Canberra and the Yongah Hill Immigration Detention Centre near Perth. After giving due consideration to the evidence that the committee received, the committee is recommending that it is expedient for all of the proposed works to progress. In addition to these recommendations, the committee recommends to the Australian Taxation Office that it continues to enhance and refine its change management processes, ensuring that it incorporates robust consultation procedures for the design and delivery stages of proposed works to effectively capture all affected staff. Similarly, the committee recommends that the Department of Home Affairs ensures that current staff at Yongah Hill Immigration Detention Centre are given an opportunity to provide feedback on the proposed redevelopment design and that the committee be updated on such consultation efforts. With respect to the Yongah Hill Detention Centre, I also draw attention to paragraph 7.32 on page 42 of the committee's report No. 1 of 2026 relating to that redevelopment. In relation to the Attorney-General's Department's proposed fit-out of its current lease at 3-5 National Circuit, the committee recommends that the department exercise its two lease renewal options at the conclusion of the current lease in ten years time in order to maximise the value to the Commonwealth of the proposed fit-out. This would extend the use of the fitted out accommodation to 20 years. Finally, I take this opportunity to make some remarks on the cost of contract services in relation to the CSIRO's proposed refit of the Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness. While the committee acknowledges the vital work done by the centre and recognises the need for and value in the proposed refit, the committee heard disconcerting evidence on the proportion of project costs to be expended on contractor services for the project—double what the committee has seen for other projects of similar scales. Yes, this is a complicated refit that requires specialised skills and knowledge to design and construct. This the committee does not question. However, when asked to justify the proportion of project costs that go to contractors, the committee did not receive convincing answers from the CSIRO or from witnesses from the contractors themselves. Given the magnitude of the quantum of money going to contractors for this project, this type of response is not good enough, and the committee expects more thorough and reasoned justifications for expenditure on contractors in the future. While I make this comment specifically in relation to the proposed works at the Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness, this is a statement that could be applied to public work referrals more generally. I commend that report to the House, and I'll now make some comments with respect to the public works committee's 89th annual report. On behalf of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Public Works, I present that 89th annual report, which is one of the roles of this committee. The Committee is required by legislation to make a report every year on its work within 15 sitting days of the conclusion of the previous calendar year. As an election year, 2025 saw the end of the service of the committee of the 47th Parliament and the establishment of the committee of the 48th Parliament. This report covers the work of both committees over this period, as is required by the legislation. Chapter 1 of the 89th annual report outlines the committee's proceedings in 2025. In 2025, the committee reported on 10 major works with a combined cost of over $1.344 billion. The committee also scrutinised 75 medium works with a combined value of over $825.38 million. The committee also received 30 notifications for changes to already approved medium works. Chapter 1 also reemphasises the recommendation from the committee's 87th annual report for consultative review of the Public Works Committee Act 1969. The nature and volume of public works have evolved significantly since the committee was established over 100 years ago, and the act is in urgent need of reform to ensure it is fit for purpose in the current economic circumstances within which public works occur. The committee acknowledges the government's in-principle agreement with the recommendation and is eager to see the review progress so that the act can provide a more robust and modern framework for the work of the committee. Accordingly, the second chapter of this report provides an overview of the continuing need for reform to the Public Works Committee Act. The committee commends the efforts of those agencies who continue to engage in good faith with the public works scrutiny process. At the same time, the committee takes this opportunity to remind agencies that this parliamentary scrutiny function serves the critical purpose of ensuring that best value for money is achieved for the taxpayer dollar. While the committee for this parliament has only been established for seven months now, we have observed several concerning trends during our scrutiny of proposed works both for major referrals and for medium works. For the committee to confirm the best value for money has been achieved, agencies are expected to be frank and open regarding their sponsored works. Evasive, unclear and obstructive engagement—or, in the worst cases, complete lack of engagement with the committee—undermines the process and calls into question whether agencies have discharged their obligations to pursue best value for money. Agencies are reminded that this legislative obligation serves to prevent inappropriate expenditure of public money. The committee's scrutiny also requires agencies to confirm that all affected and interested stakeholders are appropriately consulted, including those opposed to a proposed public work. Consultation should not be a perfunctory exercise, nor should it be used to quickly identify and dismiss genuine concerns or opposition. Agencies must demonstrate the government has considered and continues to carefully consider how their proposals will affect employees of the agency and other stakeholders, the local community and the Australian public at large. Perhaps most concerning, though, is the general position agencies seem to have adopted concerning the use of consultant services in public works projects, which assumes that consultants guarantee best value for money. Too often the committee is seeing agencies readily shell out eye-watering amounts of taxpayer dollars on what appear to be excessive consultant fees, without any ability to explain what this money is achieving for the effective and measured fiscal delivery of projects. The committee will continue to scrutinise this agency expenditure on consultants to ensure that taxpayer money is serving the interests of the Australian public first, not the multibillion-dollar consultancy industry. I also have concerns with the longstanding practice that only entities that are on a government registered panel can tender for government work. At the very least, these panels should be more frequently reviewed and opened up to new entities. As a final reflection, 2025 was another significant year for the Public Works Committee, which continued to pursue the best value for Australian taxpayers as the government progresses its infrastructure priorities. I thank the committee of the 47th Parliament for their tremendous dedication during their service. I specifically thank the last committee chair, Mr Graham Perrett, the former member for Moreton; the Hon. Keith Pitt, former member for Hinkler; and Mr Andrew Willcox, the member for Dawson, who is still with us. They both served as deputy chairs. I thank them for their careful stewardship of the Public Works Committee through the 47th Parliament. I also express my thanks to the former committee secretariat staff for their support and guidance of the committee throughout the parliament. Lastly, I acknowledge my committee colleagues, particularly the returning deputy chair, Mr Andrew Willcox, and the current committee secretariat. I thank them all for their collaboration and proactiveness from the committee's establishment in this parliament. I commend the reports to the House. 16:14 Mr WILLCOX 286535 Dawson by leave—I rise today to speak on the 89th annual report of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Public Works. I'd like to start by acknowledging our chair, the member for Makin, Mr Tony Zappia, and thank him for his diligence, hard work, professionalism and leadership through this committee. I would also like to acknowledge the chair from the 47th Parliament, former member for Moreton Graham Perrett, and the deputy chair from the 47th Parliament, former member for Hinkler the Hon. Keith Pitt. And I thank committee members from the 47th Parliament and the 48th Parliament. I'd also like to thank the hardworking staff: Jeff Norris, our committee secretary; Danton Leary, our inquiry secretary; Liana Leilua, our senior researcher; Grace Cremen, our researcher; and Tanya Pratt, our office manager. These folks go above and beyond. They look after us. The quality of information that we get from them, in the research that they do, is second to none. Tanya Pratt, from the office, makes sure we're all in the right place at the right time, and we do a bit of travel with this. I thank them all very much for everything they do. The chair has described eloquently the number of referrals and the amount of money that's involved in what comes through our committee, so I won't reprosecute that. It's very high. But I would like to brief the parliament on some of the scrutiny that we have undertaken as part of our work. One of these things is cost. We've had a really good look at the cost per square metre for works in the private sector and in the public sector, and we've done some analysis of how that works. When you have a detention centre, compared to an office building in Canberra, obviously the fit-out costs are very high, but we can use some of our research and our expertise to see how they compare to make sure that we're getting the best bang for our buck. The committee also expects to receive proposed works projects with a P80 level of confidence, which some of the projects previously have not had. It's been clearly shown that, when you have a project that has been costed to P80—so 80 per cent confidence that the price will be correct—you get a better outcome. The better the design, the costing and the work that's done upfront, the fewer the blowouts further down the track. As the chair rightly spoke about earlier, the committee has observed an increase relating to consultants, both in the number of consultants being used and in the amount that consultants are charging for projects. What we want to see is the money going into the bricks and mortar of the fit-out—things that are actually tangible—not just being spent on consultants. Moving forward, we're going to put those consultants right under the microscope. We believe that the scrutiny is very important for this, and we want to make sure that we get the best bang for our buck. All in all, I believe that the public works committee is working and functioning very well. We are applying a lot of pressure to the people who are bringing projects forward, to make sure that the Australian taxpayer gets the best value for money. I commend the report to the House. 16:18 Mr ZAPPIA HWB Makin I move: That the House take note of the 89th annual report. The DEPUTY SPEAKER 248181 The debate is adjourned, and the resumption of the debate be made an order of the day for the next sitting. Reference to Federation Chamber 42 16:18 Mr ZAPPIA HWB Makin I move: That the order of the day be referred to the Federation Chamber for debate. Question agreed to. BILLS 43 BILLS Administrative Review Tribunal and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2025 43

Administrative Review Tribunal and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2025

Assent 43 National Commission for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children and Young People Bill 2026, National Commission for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children and Young People (Transitional Provisions) Bill 2026 43

National Commission for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children and Young People Bill 2026

National Commission for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children and Young People (Transitional Provisions) Bill 2026

Second Reading 43 16:19 Ms COFFEY 312323 Griffith I would like to acknowledge the Ngunnawal and Ngambri peoples as the traditional custodians of the land on which we meet here, and I pay my respects to elders past and present. I extend that respect to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples across our country and to the children and young people whose rights and futures we are speaking about today. This week marks 18 years since the National Apology to the Stolen Generations. On 13 February 2008, this parliament acknowledged the deep wrong of forced removals and the lasting harm done to children, families and communities. I was here in this very chamber—however, up there in the gallery—as Kevin Rudd delivered this apology. It was a profound experience for us as a nation and a profound experience for me personally—one that ultimately led me to join the Australian Labor Party later that year. Anniversaries like this are not only for reflection; they are a reminder of our responsibility to act and to keep acting, especially when the systems around children still too often fall short. In my electorate of Griffith, we are a community of families. We see the joy of early years, the persistence of adolescence and the pressure that comes when the basics are harder to afford. We also see how quickly a family can end up dealing with systems that feel bigger than them and how difficult it can be to navigate forms, waiting lists, eligibility rules and countless different channels when what you are really asking for is simple: safety, support and stability for a child. That's why I rise to support the National Commission for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children and Young People Bill 2026 and National Commission for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children and Young People (Transitional Provisions) Bill 2026, which will establish an independent national commissioner and national commission dedicated solely to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people. This fills a national gap, ensuring the voices of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people are strongly reflected in advice to government and that there is a clear, coordinated national focus on systemic issues and our human rights commitments. The need is urgent. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people face high and persistent levels of disadvantage, and the overrepresentation in child protection and youth justice is stark. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children are 11 times as likely to be in out-of-home care as non-Indigenous children and 27 times as likely to be in youth detention as non-Indigenous children. That I am still citing these facts this many years after the first time that I spoke about this is of deep shame to me. Those figures represent children with names, families and futures. They also reflect systems that too often respond late, respond punitively or respond without cultural safety. In Griffith I have heard from families and community organisations about the importance of early help, stable housing, safe schools and culturally strong supports that wrap around children before crisis hits. I've also heard a consistent message: keep children connected to family, culture and community wherever possible and back community controlled solutions. This is where the national commissioner matters. The role is designed to promote the rights, interests, development, safety and wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people while recognising and building on their strengths. Crucially, it supports children and young people to assert their own rights and interests and ensures their views, needs and experiences shape the policies, programs and services that impact their lives. The bill also gives the commissioner the practical functions and powers to do the work properly—promoting coordination across Commonwealth entities; advising government on relevant policy and service delivery; undertaking research into systemic barriers; running education programs; conducting inquiries and making recommendations; collaborating with the Human Rights Commission and other relevant bodies; and engaging with international human rights mechanisms where appropriate. This is a systemic reform for a systemic problem. It strengthens accountability across all of government and supports progress on Closing the Gap targets related to children and young people, including the areas where disparities are most severe: in out-of-home care and in youth detention. This is also why primary legislation is necessary. Interim arrangements can begin important work, and they have, but they do not provide the full authority required to conduct inquiries, make recommendations, report to parliament and use the information-gathering and coordination powers needed to drive lasting change. We have already seen what a dedicated national focus can achieve. Since being established in January 2025, the National Commissioner has been meeting with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community controlled organisations and leaders, and with commissioners, guardians and advocates across jurisdictions, to build strong relationships and identify opportunities for collaboration and change. The commission has been convening networks to address issues affecting children and young people, providing advice to government on policy reform and developing systems to ensure it engages with children and young people in a safe, culturally appropriate and trauma-informed way, including through a child-safe framework. There is also strong stakeholder support for this reform. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander advocates have called for a legislated national commissioner over an extended period, with more than 70 organisations uniting behind this request. That consensus matters. SNAICC has welcomed the bills as a critical step, pointing to the importance of a strong national voice to strengthen accountability. I would like to thank them for their tireless advocacy over many years in this area. The Australian Human Rights Commission has also welcomed the bills, reinforcing that every child has a right to feel safe, to live with dignity and to have opportunities to thrive. Organisations working directly with children and families have similarly recognised the value of a strong, independent, national role dedicated to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children. Supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people is a cause very close to my heart. In my career before entering this place I have had the great honour of working alongside and in support of so many remarkable Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people. For 13 years, I worked with the Australian Indigenous Education Foundation, most recently as their deputy CEO. In that time, AIEF provided transformational scholarships to more than 1,000 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children. These children, many now adults and who I count among my friends, have been a joy, an inspiration and an honour to get to know and watch as they thrive and flourish in their careers and in their lives. Like the member for Goldstein, I too would like to acknowledge the work of the Tudor family and the Melbourne Indigenous Transition School, MITS. Through my close work with and observation of the work of AIEF and the Melbourne Indigenous Transition School, it has reinforced something I carry into this place: young people thrive when they are met with high expectations, practical support and a genuine sense of belonging. I want to acknowledge Aunty Muriel Bamblett and the many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander leaders and community controlled organisations who have been calling for stronger national accountability around Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, especially since SNAICC's 2003 State of denial report but for much longer before that as well. When speaking on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, I would also like to take this opportunity to acknowledge my dear friend and mentor, Professor Peter Buckskin PSM FACE, who has been on my mind a lot recently. Peter is a Narungga man from the Yorke Peninsula in South Australia. He worked for over 30 years in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander education. In his early years he worked as a classroom teacher in Western Australia and South Australia. He's been a ministerial adviser, a superintendent of schools and a senior executive at both state and Commonwealth levels. He retired as the Dean of Aboriginal Engagement and Strategic Projects at the University of South Australia, and before that he was the Dean of Indigenous Scholarships, Engagement and Research. I was so fortunate to work with Peter during my time with Reconciliation South Australia in the mid-2000s, when he was co-chair. This period of my life and my ongoing friendship with Peter has played a profound role in shaping my understanding of how best to support thriving, proud and strong Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. Peter is a strong advocate for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children—a passionate believer in the importance of high expectations and quality, culturally grounded education. He's also such a remarkable man. I want to close with a quote from Peter from when he was asked what his hopes were for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children: In the words of Martin Luther King, I hope to see a time when our children 'will be judged on the basis of the content of their character, not the colour of their skin'. I hope we have a future where our children have the capacity to keep true to their Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander cultural identity and are honoured for their contribution to Australia as descendants of the oldest living culture of humanity. Finally, I hope we recruit more warriors to champion this work. It is my hope that the National Commission for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children and Young People will do just that. 16:30 Mr McCORMACK 219646 Riverina Gerard Neesham is a celebrated Australian football player and coach in Australia. He played in five West Australian Football League premiership teams and is a member of the West Australian Football Hall of Fame. He's a former coach of Fremantle. He played for the Sydney Swans as well as other clubs throughout his celebrated career. But the best thing that he perhaps will be remembered for is the fact that he established Clontarf. He steps down from his position as chief executive officer of that organisation this year. I'll give you a few statistics about Clontarf, which gives hope to young Aboriginal people. It supports 12½ thousand students at 161 academies, including 1,100 year 12 students, final year students who but for Clontarf would not, perhaps, be sitting for those final exams and who would not, perhaps, have the opportunities that will be afforded them because they've stayed the course at school. And that is in no small measure due to the work of Gerard Neesham. I thank him for the role he has played to enable young Aboriginal boys, in particular, to be the best versions of themselves. In his remarks on retiring from the position he acknowledged some key people he has worked with in his 26 years of service to Clontarf: Ross Kelly, the founding chair; and Craig Brierty, who has stood alongside him for most of the journey. He said that he appreciates the role that government and corporate partners have played, and the dedicated staff, past and present. He also said this: I would like to acknowledge …   …   … … most importantly, the thousands of young men who have been Clontarf members. Your stories of success, resilience and contribution to your communities are the true measure of Clontarf's legacy. It's organisations such as this and people such as Gerard Neesham OAM who, I think, hold the key. I appreciate that the government is pushing for a national commissioner. This bill, the National Commission for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children and Young People Bill 2026, and the related bill transition the national commission from its current status as an executive agency to an independent statutory agency. The legislation defines the commissioner's objectives as promoting, improving and supporting the rights, safety and wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children while driving greater accountability for policies impacting this group. That's what the legislation says. But will it? That's the question. We all want what is best for young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders. We all need to work towards the common goal of ensuring that they are not overrepresented in incarceration rates, that they have a future—the sort of future that Clontarf would lay out for them, The Commissioner will be—I will say 'will be' because we know that this legislation will pass this House, given the Labor government's huge majority of 50-plus seats. It may be amended in the Senate, but who would know? The bill has a financial impact of $33½ million. Whilst that might sound like a reasonably large figure in the scheme of the money that goes towards Indigenous issues, it's not. That money would be well spent if the commission was not building yet another bureaucracy, duplicating much of the work of existing Commonwealth, state and territory bodies. That's where I think the issue for this particular legislation and this particular initiative lies. It does duplicate the work already being done by existing bodies such as the National Children's Commissioner and the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner with the Australian Human Rights Commission. We want to see the best for people who, as members quite correctly point out, are the oldest continuous culture on Earth. We want to see their youth in particular being given the same opportunities as anybody else in this country. But does this bill do this? I'm not so certain. The new position is essentially about consultation, providing advice to government and undertaking research and advocacy responsibilities that already exist within roles across government. I do wonder, not just with this bill but with others besides, that we are seeing a constant decay and erosion of responsibilities that once lay firmly and squarely and fairly with a minister. Under the Westminster system, ministers carry a lot of responsibility, as they should, and ministers are elected and then appointed by prime ministers through the cabinet process. They wear that responsibility not just as a badge of honour but as a duty to improving the outcomes and the futures of Australians. If we as a parliament keep watering down that level of responsibility by people who are ministers of the Crown, then what we're doing is just giving rubber stamp value to the role that they play. We can't have the bureaucrats down the hill running the whole show. I have every faith and trust in the public servants, who serve us very, very well. They do. I saw the best of public servants during COVID-19, when this country was very much facing the prospect of losing tens of thousands of people. Public servants such as Steven Kennedy, Simon Atkinson and others did a mighty and amazing job—and also, no doubt, in the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander space. What we saw during that time was vaccines going out to remote Aboriginal communities at the same time, or at almost the same time, as in metropolitan Australia. That was right, and that was just, and that was overseen by public servants. Public servants aren't elected by the people of Australia, but ministers are elected by a process. We all go to an election, we put our name on a ballot paper, and the Australian people vote accordingly. We can't keep watering down and eroding the value and the responsibility of a minister. This is what I believe this legislation and other bills that the Labor government is bringing before this House and the Senate are doing. That's what's happening. We must protect our ministers' responsibility. People say that ministers will have too much power. No, they won't. If they err—I see the minister at the table, the member for Sydney, smiling. Ms Plibersek 83M You're worried I'm going to have too much power? Mr McCORMACK 219646 Well, Minister, you would know. You're an experienced minister, and I do have a lot of faith and trust in you. I do, and you know that. Ms Plibersek 83M I appreciate it. Mr McCORMACK 219646 I hear you say you appreciate it, and I genuinely mean that. But if Minister Plibersek or I when I was the minister did the wrong thing, let me tell you, we were hauled before the court of public opinion for doing so. That great old pub test. The media will soon catch you out. Besides, when you're a minister you've got a lot of responsibilities to do the right thing. I know that ministers in the Labor, Liberal and National parties take those responsibilities very seriously and earnestly, as they should. There are already Indigenous-specific children's commissioners in the Australian Capital Territory, Queensland, South Australia and Victoria. Do we need more? Do we need another layer and level of bureaucracy? I doubt it. The Department of Social Services is also already required to consult children and young people, and we know that children and young people are our future irrespective of race, creed or whatever else. But the focus should be on ensuring existing bodies do their jobs, not on creating new bodies and then almost abrogating the responsibility that should lie with existing agencies and the minister. In his book The Gulf Country: The Story of People and Place in Outback Queensland from 2019, Richard J. Martin writes, 'Aboriginal people on the stations were most commonly involved in stockwork, where their understanding of country and skill with animals were highly valued by the pastoralists.' I use this reference for this particular bill not because I'm straying off the topic—I'm not—but because what we saw in the outback country of the gulf land in Queensland, in the Northern Territory and in other parts was an opportunity taken away from young Aboriginal people when a previous Labor government on 7 June 2011 stopped the live cattle trade to Indonesia. Mr Martin writes: 'The contributions of Aboriginal women were commonly around the homestead, where they worked as domestics or in the garden. Both men and women helped to look after children.' In this book—and it is a good book and I recommend it—he praises the work and role done by Indigenous communities, and Indigenous people moreover, particularly in agricultural work, to the point where he said they were the best at it of those in Australia employed and engaged in the practice of stockwork. Many of those Aboriginal people lost the opportunity to continue that work when, in a knee-jerk reaction, Labor stopped the live cattle trade. It was a shameful decision that was subsequently overturned. It didn't help the young Aboriginal stockmen who stopped doing it and were never re-engaged in the process. And I say that because many of them were young. Many of them were either just school leavers or getting into the trade as teenage boys. We need to give Aboriginal youths every hope and prospect of being able to be their best selves. I'm not so certain that this legislation does that. We don't need another onerous layer of legislation. Some might say 'costly'. I would argue against that point. I would say that the $33 million or so would be far better spent in going to the nub of some of the real Aboriginal youth issues. You won't find them in Canberra. You won't find them generally in the eastern states. But anybody who's ever been to Alice or Katherine or Arnhem Land or anywhere else in the Northern Territory—and I know the member for Lingiari would back me up here—will see where money needs to be spent in the Indigenous space. I know how hard I fought, with the member for Solomon and the former member for Lingiari Warren Snowdon, to ensure that the Northern Territory had two seats. I did that against the best wishes, let's say, of our coalition partners at the time—not that I want to open up old wounds or even current ones! Why is it right that people in Katherine would have to travel hundreds upon hundreds of kilometres to see their local federal member who would be in Darwin? I don't always think people in Canberra get that. I don't always think people in Canberra understand that. For the best outcomes for our Aboriginal youth, we need to make sure that money is being spent where it best meets the needs, wants, hopes and expectations of people in those remote Indigenous communities. I don't think this legislation does that, and I think we would be far better off going back to the drawing board and thinking this through again. 16:45 Ms BERRY 23497 Whitlam I acknowledge the traditional owners of the lands across Australia, and I pay my respects to their elders past and present. I acknowledge and celebrate that First Nations Australians are the custodians of the oldest living culture in the world. As an Australian, I am deeply proud of our 65,000 years of First Nations history. As a young lawyer, my first case was representing the Sandon Point Aboriginal Tent Embassy in the Land and Environment Court, supporting their fight for recognition of important First Nations history on local Illawarra land that went on to become a housing development. I saw firsthand how local elders felt about their history being undervalued and unrecognised. I felt their desire for self-determination and the deep pride they felt in their culture. As CEO of the Illawarra Women's Health Centre, I was proud to lead consultation and engagement with Aboriginal women in the community of Warilla and in my electorate of Whitlam. Creating culturally safe spaces and recognition and valuing culture is critical for the wellbeing of First Nations Australians, and I was proud to support their work and honoured to work with local First Nations women who were advocating for stronger recognition of culture, for better services, for economic opportunities and for better support in the community. Earlier this week, I was proud to rise in parliament to recognise Aunty Lindy Lawler, an Aboriginal elder, Yuin woman and survivor of the stolen generations. Aunty Lindy was stolen from her family when she was just five months old. Aunty Lindy is highly respected across the Illawarra, including in my electorate of Whitlam, for her wonderful work across many areas, including mental health, cultural education and mentorship. I met Aunty Lindy while working at the Illawarra Women's Health Centre, and I saw firsthand the value of her work in defending, valuing and celebrating her people and her culture. Today I'm proud to support the National Commission for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children and Young People Bill 2026 and the National Commission for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children and Young People (Transitional Provisions) Bill 2026, which deliver on the Albanese government's commitment to establish a legislated, independent and empowered national commissioner and national commission for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people. The Prime Minister announced the establishment of the national commissioner in 2024, and the national commission commenced its operations on 13 January 2025. The inaugural national commissioner, Sue-Anne Hunter, began her term on 1 September 2025, and since her appointment she's held many meetings with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community controlled organisations and leaders and with state and territory and national commissioners, guardians and advocates to build strong relationships and identify opportunities for collaboration and change. She has been providing advice to government on policy reform that affects Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people, and she's been developing systems and policies such as establishing a child-safe framework for the national commission to properly engage with children and young people in a safe, culturally appropriate and trauma informed way. As the current and ongoing national commissioner, Sue-Anne Hunter has been consulted in relation to these bills, one of which will transition the office of the national commission from an interim executive agency to a permanent statutory agency that is Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander led and independent from government. In 2019, over 70 organisations united to call for a national Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander commissioner to hold systems and services accountable, and there remains strong stakeholder engagement and support for these bills. They've been informed and shaped by in-depth consultations which began in 2023 and have included state and territory children's commissioners, guardians, advocates, peak organisations and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander youth advisory groups, as well as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community controlled organisations. Consultation has also taken place with the National Indigenous Australians Agency, numerous government departments, the Australian Public Service Commission and the Commonwealth Ombudsman. These bills support the Albanese government's ongoing commitment to improving life outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people. The national commissioner established by these bills fills a gap and will ensure the voices of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people are strongly reflected in advice to government. This is critically important. I note the bills make it clear that the national commissioner will always be an Aboriginal person or a Torres Strait Islander and that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are involved in designing a merit based process for the selection of the national commissioner that has regard to the interests and needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people. This is a strategic, nationally coordinated initiative that is critically important, because the scale and urgency of system failures for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people is profound. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people face high and persistent levels of disadvantage. They are 11 times more likely to be in out-of-home care and 27 times more likely to be in youth detention than non-Indigenous children. This bill will provide an independent, dedicated agency focused on the systemic failures affecting outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people across Australia. The National Commissioner for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children and Young People will drive accountability to support all governments to better achieve outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children. The national commissioner has the potential to make a significant and lasting impact on the lives of more than 400,000 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people across Australia. These bills will enable the national commissioner to: (1) promote the rights, interests, development, safety and wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people, and acknowledge and build on their strengths; (2) improve development, safety and wellbeing outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people; (3) identify systemic issues and barriers to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people's development, safety and wellbeing; (4) support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people to assert their own rights and interests and to raise awareness of their views, needs and experiences; (5) increase awareness of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people's rights, interests, views, needs and experiences, and the importance of these factors in developing and delivering policies, programs and services that affect their lives; and (6) drive greater accountability to improve government policies, programs and services to deliver better outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people. The bills enable specific functions and powers for the national commissioner to promote and enhance the coordination of effort among Australian government entities and officials; provide advice to the Commonwealth on the development and delivery of relevant policies, programs and services that affect children of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander descent; undertake research into systemic issues and barriers that affect the rights, interests, development, safety or wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people; provide educational programs for young people and children to empower them to promote and advocate for their views, needs and experiences on the matters that affect them; publicly advocate to promote the rights, interests, development, safety and wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people, and to amplify their voices and strengths; engage with a broad range of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people to support them to assert their own rights, agency and leadership; conduct research and inquire into matters and to make recommendations; accept referrals; refer matters to another entity; contribute to inquiries; provide advisory services; collaborate with the Australian Human Rights Commission and other organisations and entities; and, importantly, engage with international human rights mechanisms, including relevant United Nations bodies and processes. Importantly, these bills support Closing the Gap targets related to children and young people. The national commissioner will have the functions and powers required to drive accountability and influence issues that disproportionately impact Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people, such as out-of-home care and youth detention. An empowered, independent commissioner at the Commonwealth level that is solely focused on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people will drive national coordination and accountability to address these important systemic issues. The role will work with relevant counterparts, including all state and territory children's commissioners, guardians and advocates as well as other Commonwealth roles like the National Children's Commissioner and the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner. I note the national commissioner will not duplicate other existing roles. They can make and receive referrals where required, to ensure issues raised are addressed by the most appropriate bodies. So why is this standalone legislation needed? It is needed to ensure the national commission is an independent voice to drive accountability and better outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people, to advocate for the rights of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people, and to drive important systemic change. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander advocates have long called for the establishment of a legislated national commissioner, and, as I mentioned earlier, there is very strong stakeholder support for a national commissioner right across Australia. The Albanese Labor government is focused on improving the lives of First Nations peoples through economic empowerment, job creation, health improvements and housing. We are resolutely committed to reconciliation and celebrating the profound contribution that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples make to our nation. This morning at Parliament House, I joined the Minister for Indigenous Australians, the Minister for Social Services, the member for Lingiari and many other members of parliament and representatives from the First Nations community for the launch of Australia's first Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander national plan to end family, domestic and sexual violence. The plan is entitled 'Our Ways—Strong Ways—Our Voices', and it has been developed in partnership with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and state and territory governments to address the disproportionately high rates of violence against Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women and children. The plan is backed by $218 million in funding over four years, with an immediate investment in a national network of up to 40 Aboriginal community controlled organisations to deliver community led support services that help Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women and families who are experiencing family, domestic and sexual violence. This new funding is in addition to the record $262 million the Albanese government has already invested in addressing immediate family, domestic and sexual violence safety needs, particularly in relation to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families and communities, through the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Action Plan and our investment of $367 million to more than double funding for the family violence prevention legal services, as part of the National Access to Justice Partnership 2025-30. We are making this significant investment to address family, domestic and sexual violence, because it is a crisis in our nation. Our government recognises this, and we are investing in action plans to ensure that we start to address these issues in a very profound way. There is so much more work that needs to be done to improve the lives of First Nations people in this country, but the 'Our ways—Strong Ways—Our Voices' plan is yet another example of the Albanese government's action to close the gap. It was almost 18 years ago, on 13 February 2008, that the Labor government, led by Kevin Rudd, made a formal apology to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, particularly to the Stolen Generations whose lives had been blighted by past government policies of forced child removal and assimilation. Today, through these bills, the Albanese Labor government is delivering on its commitment to establish a legislated, independent and empowered national commissioner and national commission for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people. I commend these bills to the House. 16:58 Ms SPENDER 286042 Wentworth I rise to speak in support of the National Commission for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children and Young People Bill 2026. I'm honoured to speak on this legislation which places into statute the National Commission for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children and Young People and establishes the national commissioner as an independent statutory officer. This is an important step. It is a step towards stronger accountability, stronger advocacy and, most importantly, better outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people across the country. I commend, in particular, the minister—who's in the room—for the work that she and many other ministers have done to get to this point. As Noel Pearson has said, our strength comes from three threads—our ancient Indigenous history, our British institutions and democracy, and our history of multicultural achievement. This commission sits at the intersection of those threads. It reflects our responsibility to ensure that our institutions serve and protect all Australians, including the youngest members of our First Nations people. While the commission has existed in some form since 2024 and has been operational since 2025, this legislation strengthens its independence, formalises its powers and functions and provides clarity about its long-term funding and authority. This bill also fulfils a commitment made by the government under the National Agreement on Closing the Gap. It is a significant step forward, and I commend the government for bringing it forward. But, more importantly, this moment reflects decades of advocacy from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander leaders, elders and organisations who have fought tirelessly for their children and for future generations. I want to particularly acknowledge the SNAICC, the Secretariat of National Aboriginal and Islander Child Care, which has been advocating for this legislation which recognises the rights of Aboriginal children since 1991. Their persistence and leadership have been instrumental in bringing us to this point. It has taken us too long, but it is important that we're here now. Our progress to close the gap is too slow. In fact, we often go backwards. At the time of the 1997 Bringing them home report into the stolen generations, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children represented one in every five children living in out-of-home care. Today, that figure is closer to one in three. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children are 5.6 times more likely than non-Indigenous children to be subject to a child protection notification and 10.8 times more likely to be in out-of-home care or subject to a third-party parental-responsibility order. The Family Matters 2025 report found that we're still far from achieving target 12 of the National Agreement on Closing the Gap, which aims for a 45 per cent reduction in the overrepresentation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children in out-of-home care by 2031. Data from the Australian Law Reform Commission tells us the engagement with the child protection system is itself a risk factor for later engagement with the juvenile justice system and adult incarceration. On that point, target 11, which aims to reduce the rate of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people in detention by at least 30 per cent, is also going backwards. There has been no improvement from the baseline. The latest data from 2023-24 shows the rate of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people aged 10 to 17 in detention on an average day is 26.1 per 10,000 young people. This is higher than the previous four years. Currently, the minimum age of criminal responsibility in six states and territories is 10. I have long called for this to be raised, and I hope the state and territory governments will listen to recommendations made by this federal commissioner and their respective state and territory commissioners regarding this issue. Recently, Australia's human rights record was scrutinised by the Human Rights Council at the United Nations. There were serious concerns raised about our low age of criminal responsibility and rising incarceration rates. Our record was brought up countless times—specifically about the disproportionate impact on Indigenous populations. This is not good enough. Of course, many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children grow up in strong, supportive and loving families and communities, but we cannot ignore these confronting statistics. We cannot ignore what they tell us about the systems that surround these children. Another key Closing the Gap commitment is target 4. By 2031, we aim to increase the proportion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children assessed as developmentally on track in all five domains of the Australian Early Development Census to 55 per cent. Nationally, in 2024, only 33.9 per cent of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children commencing school were assessed as developmentally on track across all five domains. This is a decrease from 35.2 per cent in 2018, which is the baseline year. Again, we are going backwards. Early childhood development is one of the strongest predictors of lifelong health, education and social outcomes. If we are serious about closing the gap, we must be serious about supporting children from the earliest years of life. I share these statistics not to paint a hopeless picture but to underline how important the work of the commission will be and how much support and cooperation it must receive from governments and agencies across the country. This bill does several important things. First, it establishes the National Commission for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children and Young People as a statutory agency and formally creates the national commissioner as a statutory office. This ensures independence, authority and long-term accountability within our system of government. Second, it sets out the commission's functions and powers. The commissioner will promote and protect the rights, safety and wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people. The commissioner will provide strategic policy advice to government and support the implementation of key national frameworks, including Closing the Gap. The commission will identify systemic barriers and advocate for reform. It will be able to conduct research and inquiries, publish reports and engage directly with First Nations children, families and communities. Importantly, it will work to improve coordination across the Commonwealth, state and territory systems, which is essential if we are going to see genuine change. These bills also provide funding certainty, with $33.5 million allocated over four years from 2025-26 and ongoing funding thereafter. Finally, these bills provide clear accountability mechanisms. The commissioner will publish reports and provide advice to the minister, which must be tabled in parliament. This will help ensure transparency and maintain a clear line of sight between evidence, recommendations and government action. However, action must come from these reports and this advice. This commission is designed to support the delivery of the Closing the Gap commitments and align with Safe and Supported: the National Framework for Protecting Australia's Children. In doing so, it will help ensure that the experiences and voices of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children are not only heard but acted upon. Stakeholders have welcomed this reform. Catherine Liddle, the CEO of SNAICC, has said: … the National Commissioner can finally serve as it was always intended—a true accountability mechanism to ensure governments follow through on their commitments to our children and families. She has also emphasised that this legislation gives the commissioner 'the independence, authority and statutory powers needed to drive accountability and systemic change'. The commissioner herself has highlighted the importance of listening directly to young people. She has said this will give her the ability to talk to kids, bringing their young voices into parliament to hear about the systemic injustices happening. She has also said this can lead to inquiries and the ability for her as commissioner to make recommendations to parliament around these systems, with the data perspective and from the voices of the children. Listening to the voices of children is vital. It ensures that lived experience informs policy and that our institutions respond to what children and young people are experiencing on the ground. However, as I raised earlier, establishing the commission is only the first step. For this body to succeed, agencies must cooperate and the commission's findings must be acted upon. Its reports must not gather dust, and its recommendations must not sit unanswered. I draw the attention of particularly the government members in the House to the fact that more than 50 committee and inquiry reports across government that the government itself commissioned remain outstanding, without a response over six months. Only four were responded to within six months. That's not good enough, and it doesn't give me a great deal of hope, if we are setting up this new body that is going to report to government, that government is going to even respond to the recommendations, let alone act on them. If we are serious about accountability, which this body is seeking to be, the government must step up significantly in its efforts to respond appropriately and enact recommendations of various committee reports it receives as well as broader reports. We must ensure that, when independent bodies provide evidence and recommendations, governments respond in a timely and meaningful way. I therefore urge the government to commit to clear timelines for responding to the commission's reports and inquiries, and to set out transparent implementation pathways for the recommendations that follow. This legislation lays foundations for stronger advocacy, stronger oversight and stronger outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and young people. Now we must ensure that this foundation is matched by action. For these reasons, I support the bills. 17:08 Ms KARA COOK 316537 Bonner I start by acknowledging the traditional owners of the land on which we gather and pay my respects to elders past, present and emerging. I also acknowledge Commissioner Kiss and Commissioner Hunter, who join us in the gallery today. Before I turn to the substantive nature of the bills before us, the National Commission for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children and Young People Bill 2026 and the National Commission for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children and Young People (Transitional Provisions) Bill 2026, I can't let the words of the member for Riverina go unchallenged. Just before, the member stood up in this place and spoke about some history. He brought in the book and painted an idyllic picture of First Nations Australians working as stockmen and domestics. If that's the case—that he wants to talk about that history—we should talk about the whole history, not just the parts that suit him. He wants to talk about women working as domestics and men working as stockmen. What he leaves out is the actual truth—that many women who worked as domestics were often paid very little or nothing at all, that many were exploited and that many were subjected to sexual violence, causing pain and causing trauma that is generational and is still felt deeply today. The men who worked as stockmen were exposed to brutal conditions, including witnessing frontier violence and massacres. If the member for Riverina wants to lecture this place about history then he should have the courage to tell it honestly, not cherrypick fragments that paint a convenient picture for pastoralists while erasing the suffering of First Nations Australians. It highlights the importance of truth-telling in this place and, indeed, right across our country. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people continue to face unacceptably high and persistent levels of disadvantage in our country. They are 11 times as likely to be placed in out-of-home care and 27 times as likely to be in youth detention as non-Indigenous children. These figures are confronting. But, as Minister Plibersek has rightly said, our children are not statistics. They are our future, and they must be at the centre of everything we do. For decades, experts, advocates and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities have been calling for reform. Since the 1980s, many voices have warned that the systems designed to protect and support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children were instead driving discrimination that was widespread, systemic and intergenerational. Too often, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people have been spoken about but not spoken with. Too often, decisions affecting their lives have been made without their voices at the table. This legislation begins to change that. The National Commission for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children and Young People Bill 2026, together with the National Commission for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children and Young People (Transitional Provisions) Bill 2026, establishes a permanent, independent Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander led national commission with the authority and responsibility to drive real systemic change. It delivers exactly what advocates have been calling for: a national commissioner backed by legislation, independence and powers, focused squarely on improving outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people today and into the future. At its heart, this legislation is about listening, accountability and long-term reform. For me, as the proud mum to three First Nations children and as the wife of a proud Waanyi and Kalkadoon man, this policy that impacts all First Nations Australians is deeply personal. Like all parents, what I want for my children is simple: to grow up safe, connected to culture, strong in identity and supported to reach their full potential. This bill reflects that same aspiration for every Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander child in this country. Through this legislation, the Albanese Labor government is delivering on its commitment to establish a permanent national institution that does not come and go with political cycles but endures, because the rights of children demand nothing less. The commission will ensure that the voices of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people and their families are heard directly and heard at the highest levels of decision-making. The legislation makes clear that the national commissioner must always act in the best interests of children and young people, and I have every confidence that she will do just that. It empowers the commissioner to identify systemic barriers and failures through inquiries and research; hear directly from children and young people and support them to assert their rights; promote coordination across government; and advise on policies, programs and services that shape children's lives. These powers are not symbolic. They are practical, enforceable and designed to hold systems to account. This bill also transitions the office of the national commission, established in January 2025 as an interim executive agency, into a permanent statutory authority independent from government and led by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. That independence is critical. It enables the commissioner to conduct inquiries, gather evidence, publish reports and ensure governments are publicly accountable when they fail to respond. It strengthens oversight, it elevates transparency and it ensures responsibility does not stop at jurisdictional boundaries. This reform has been shaped through deep consultation and collaboration. It reflects the work of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander leaders, the Safe and Supported Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander leadership group, children's commissioners and advocates across the country and, importantly, the advice of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people themselves. I want to acknowledge the leadership of the permanent national commissioner, Ms Sue-Anne Hunter, who does join us today, whose words remind us of the urgency of this task. She said: The work is urgent and the statistics are grim. But our children … are our future. This bill forms part of the Albanese Labor government's broader commitment to closing the gap, because we know that children do not grow up in isolation from housing, health, education, justice and economic opportunity. That is why Labor is investing in housing security—recognising that safe, stable homes underpin better outcomes for children and families—through the Housing Australia Future Fund, $600 million in concessional loans in supporting projects delivered by or in partnership with First Nations organisations, alongside a 10 per cent First Nations tenancy target and a new First Nations concierge function within Housing Australia. Labor is also tackling overcrowding in remote communities, delivering more than 300 new homes already, with up to 2,700 homes to be delivered by mid-2034. Economic empowerment is equally critical. The government has launched the Remote Australia Employment Service, investing $75 million in prescribed bodies corporate through the First Nations Economic Partnership; expanded Indigenous ranger programs; and invested in digital inclusion through free community wi-fi in remote communities. These initiatives recognise that self-determination, opportunity and connection to land and culture are central to strong futures for First Nations children and young people. In my electorate of Bonner, there are more than 3,200 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who call our community home. I want to acknowledge organisations like Yulu-Burri-Ba and Winnam Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islanders Corporation and leaders such as Aunty Merle Dippel OAM, whose work strengthens families and supports children every day. Bonner is also home to organisations like Gundala Community Kindergarten, which for 30 years has embedded First Nations cultural knowledge for all children. I've been proud to also support festivals like the Quandamooka Festival celebrating First Nations culture and traditions. Each of these organisations plays a role in building opportunity, identity and belonging. The establishment of the National Commission for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children and Young People is a landmark reform. It recognises that children must be heard. Accountability matters, and lasting change requires systems that are designed with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, not for them—nothing about us without us. This bill is about dignity, justice and opportunity. It was a Labor government that said sorry for the laws and policies that caused profound harm to First Nations peoples. It was a Labor government that apologised for the removal of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children from their families, communities and country. And today it is a Labor government that is promoting and protecting the cultural identity, rights and development of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people by ensuring their voices are permanent, powerful and impossible to ignore. This always was and always will be Aboriginal land. I commend the bills to the House. 17:18 Ms CHANEY 300006 Curtin I rise today to welcome the National Commission for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children and Young People Bill and the National Commission for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children and Young People (Transitional Provisions) Bill. These bills mark a significant step towards doing what successive governments have failed to do: listen to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people, act on what we hear and build the structural accountability needed to ensure that they are not left behind. The government committed, two years ago, to establishing a legislated independent national commissioner, and I'm pleased to see this promise being honoured. I particularly welcome that the bill establishes the commission as a separate statutory agency, with the commissioner recognised as an independent statutory officer. Independence is not symbolic; it's essential. It means the commissioner can speak hard truths, hold government to account and advocate for the safety and rights of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people without fear or favour. Unfortunately, we have a long history of mostly well-intentioned but ultimately ineffective and sometimes damaging policy, and we need independent voices that can call this out. The power to require individuals or government agencies to provide information or documents, backed by civil penalties for noncompliance, is critical. Without this, systemic issues may remain hidden behind bureaucratic barriers. This is the first national role solely focused on First Nations children and young people. The commissioner will be able to hear directly from children, young people and their families, ensuring that their voices are reflected in advice to government and in the design of programs and services. This should never have been revolutionary, but it has the potential to be transformative. From my experience working in various roles attempting to address Indigenous disadvantage, I've learned that the only path to success is listening and co-developing, centring the experience of people affected by policy in the design and development of that policy. I also welcome the bill's clarity on the rights, safety, development and wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people and that they must be understood in a manner that's consistent with their cultures and their communities. The commission is resourced with $33 million across the forward estimates and more than $9 million ongoing. Proper resourcing is what allows intent to translate into outcomes. It means research, education programs, community engagement and public advocacy can be done well and in partnership with communities. I also welcome the commissioner's capacity to prepare and table reports directly to the parliament. This will help to provide a vital lever for sustained scrutiny and action, ensuring the commission's findings, systemic issues and recommendations are placed squarely before the parliament rather than filtered through government agencies. I note, importantly, that this bill has been shaped by significant input from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community representatives and that it's been welcomed by both SNAICC and the Australian Human Rights Commission. These are strong signs, but I want to be clear: a strong commission does not guarantee a strong government response. We've seen too many reports and too many recommendations left to gather dust, including 55 reports from parliamentary committees commissioned by this government and not responded to within the required timeframe. That's a lot of work sitting on the shelf. Given the disproportionate disadvantage faced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people, especially the overrepresentation of young people in out-of-home care and youth detention, this commission will only succeed if its findings drive government action. So today I welcome these bills but I also put the government on notice: independence, powers and resources mean nothing unless matched by the courage to act. This commission gives us the chance to shift the trajectory for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people. My hope is that we seize it—that we listen and we act—and that this commission's reports are not just tabled in this parliament but taken seriously, implemented and responded to with the urgency and respect that First Nations children deserve. 17:23 Ms SCRYMGOUR F2S Lingiari I rise today with a sense of long overdue relief that a legislated, independent and empowered national commission for Aboriginal and Torres Islander children and young people is being established. I want to acknowledge both commissioners—National Commissioner for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children and Young People Sue-Anne Hunter and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner Katie Kiss—who are here. Like many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, I have waited a long, long time to see this legislation. I want to take the chamber back to 2007, when, in this chamber, the former prime minister John Howard launched a savage attack on the Northern Territory remote communities. I want to convey the feeling at that time, as an Aboriginal person and a minister in the Northern Territory government. I had previously served for six years as the Northern Territory Minister for Child Protection. I was, and still am, well aware of the challenges and threats facing young people in our communities. The historical context and the story that has led to this legislation is really important. In fact, it cannot be separated from the previous, punitive policies pursued by former governments. When the Howard government launched the Northern Territory Emergency Response—or the intervention, as we know it—they did it under the manufactured guise of Little children are sacred. The Little children are sacred report was a report that listed many issues facing children in remote communities. Many of the issues raised were valid and needed a comprehensive response. Such a response was not provided. The Howard government was not looking for long-term systemic action. They were looking for a quick political hit. The Howard government needed a political win, and Aboriginal people in the Northern Territory paid for it. It was felt most strongly by our young people, our families and particularly our men in our remote communities. Howard and his government used graphic language of mass sexual abuse and paedophile rings, none of which were ever substantiated. They demonised Aboriginal men and indeed our communities. The intervention stripped elders and traditional owners of their power. It undermined land rights, and it disempowered Aboriginal communities. The intervention did not make our children safer, and, in fact, I would argue it made our children unsafe. In this demonisation and disempowerment, the intervention laid the foundations for the crisis we see today for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people. Let me be clear: there are very real issues with sexual abuse across this country. We cannot hide from this fact. There are a number of intractable, complex social challenges faced by our remote communities that feed into this. It is also clear that we have unacceptable rates of youth crime. I don't need anyone in this parliament to tell me about this. I'm living in Alice Springs. I've lived in Katherine, I've lived in Darwin, and I've also lived for a long time in my home of the Tiwi Islands. I know that some of the behaviour of young people is not acceptable, but we have to ask ourselves seriously, what are the factors driving this? Like many members in this House, I have raised children and grandchildren, and now I have great-grandchildren. I can tell you with authority that ten-year-olds do not belong in jail. I would challenge anyone to look into the eyes of a ten-year-old and tell me that they are inherently criminal. I think about the conditions many of our young people, particularly in remote areas, face every single day—overcrowded houses, intergenerational unemployment, lack of opportunity and things to do and a disrespect of their cultural heritage. These are structural failures and conversations that Aboriginal people themselves have every single day. It is no wonder we see high rates of disenfranchisement of young people. These conditions are not unique to the Northern Territory but exist all across the country. This is not an inherent failing of youth. It is the failing in the structures that are meant to protect them and support them. What these structural failures have resulted in are record levels of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children living in out-of-home care. It has resulted in abuse. It has resulted in young people turning to crime. It has resulted in alcoholism and has weakened family structures. In the Northern Territory, we are seeing a vicious and punitive Country Liberal government hellbent on locking up as many young people as possible. The problem with this is that they are just perpetuating and extending the crisis. People who break the law should face consequences. And, make no mistake, our communities and people living in them deserve to feel safe. Violent crime and property crime are terrifying for victims and are unacceptable. However, young people deserve to be supported to become strong members of our community. All of these things can exist at the same time, and we must aspire to this for our communities. In order to address the structural nature of the challenges young people face, which are causing so much harm, we have to improve those systems. We need independent, honest, transparent advice. This legislation will work towards this by establishing a strong body which has the autonomy and the focus needed to address some of the challenges facing our young people. A key principle of the work this government is doing is working alongside communities we believe in—nothing about us without us. This is not just ideological; it is practical. The only way to create long-lasting, sustainable solutions is to work with local communities. Governments come and go, but it is the community which endures. It is our community which has the solutions to the problems we face. We must keep focused on strengthening families and strengthening communities, and we must work in genuine partnership with communities to deliver real outcomes for our young people. This is the essence of this legislation. The National Commission on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children and Young People will sit as a statutory agency within the government, but it will have the freedom, the power and the independence to provide the frank and fearless advice that we need to government. Having seen the work of commissioner Sue-Anne Hunter, I am confident that the commission will be frank with our government about the difficulties and the difficult things it may not want to hear but needs to act upon. This is essential. I come back to the context of the intervention in an era of politicisation around Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people. We must have the advice to government, grounded in policy knowledge and deeply connected to the experience of community. I want to congratulate Commissioner Hunter on her work to date and encourage her to do this work, particularly in the Northern Territory. I look forward to working with her to improve the lives of our young people in the NT. Aunty Violet said this morning that, for real change to happen, our voices from the community must be heard clearly. Commissioner Hunter has a lot of experience in this, and she will not mince her words, I'm hoping. I am excited to hear what she has to say. This morning, I attended the launch of 'Our Ways—Strong Ways—Our Voices: National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Plan to End Family, Domestic and Sexual Violence 2026-2036'. If we are to improve the lives of our young people, we must also improve the lives of our women. Women are the bedrock of our communities; they keep our families strong and keep our communities functioning. We must expend every effort to keep our women safe, keep them healthy and ensure that they are strong. This is the only way we can get better outcomes for our young people. All of the legislation and policy work is, of course, in line with our Closing the Gap initiatives. Closing the Gap has had many challenges over the almost two decades it's been operating. As our Prime Minister has said, we all must do more. While it's sometimes challenging, it is also a critical part of our concerted effort to ensure that our mob get the opportunities, attention, care and support that they deserve. I hear a lot of people coming up to me and saying: 'Why do Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people get so much attention? Why do they get so much money?' The predominantly clear answer is that they are the most in need of support. This is meant to be a country of justice, of equality and of equity. It is meant to be the land of a fair go, of mateship and of looking after one another. We cannot just say these things as some sort of cultural beacon. We must mean them. There are many people in this chamber who preach about our national values and what it means to be Australian. To me, being Australian is looking after people in need. This legislation aims to do that. It is about elevating the voices of people so often marginalised by the structure of government. If you look at any one of the targets under Closing the Gap and any of the statistics that underpin them, there is a lot of work to do. The legislation is just one step in that work. I hope those opposite, who speak so often about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and young people find it within themselves to support this legislation. As in the time of the intervention, our people are being politicised. We must stop. We must take concrete steps together as a parliament, as a country, towards a fairer place and a better outcome for those in need. This is what this legislation does. I want to acknowledge Assistant Minister Ged Kearney, who did a lot of work leading up to this. I also want to acknowledge Minister Amanda Rishworth and all the work that she did leading up to this, and Minister Plibersek, who now has the work of carrying this forward. Minister Katy Gallagher, who is over in the Senate, has a long-term commitment in terms of women and the rights of women. I think it is a proud moment for all of those ministers and assistant ministers. I want to acknowledge Charlee-Sue, who is with Minister Plibersek. I want to acknowledge the work that Charlee-Sue and a lot of the advisers have done. Often, as politicians, we will stand up here and pat ourselves on the back, but it's often the people behind the scenes who are doing a lot of the grunt work. And I do want to acknowledge Charlee-Sue and all of the people involved in social services who have worked towards this. I've mentioned our two commissioners. It was fantastic to be at the launch today because it was like being taken back to the old days of advocacy, seeing the women and the men—it was great to see the men there because we often say that to get the solutions here we need to have our men as part of that solution. I think that for our families and for the future of our families, our men need to be front and centre as part of that solution. This is an important, overdue piece of legislation. I think of SNAICC, with Catherine Liddle and Aunty Muriel Bamblett and the work that they did back in 2001 with the State of denial report in the Northern Territory, when they talked about the state of the child protection system and just how bad and broken it was in the Northern Territory. Things have improved and you can have legislation and structures—there was contemporary legislation brought into the Northern Territory—but it needs people. It needs all of us to work together to make this happen. I stand here today to say to Commissioner Hunter, our social justice commissioner; and to Minister Malarndirri McCarthy, who is our national minister: I look forward to working—as the local member in Lingiari, which is nearly the whole of the Northern Territory—with everybody to try and turn this around, or to at least to make this better. But I take my hat off to Minister Plibersek for the work she has done. She has brought this piece of really important, groundbreaking legislation. I think only a Labor government will do some of the big reforms, and I'm proud to be a part of it. 17:38 Mr KATTER HX4 Kennedy I have no disrespect for the last speaker. But I've been here for 50 years, and every two or three years we get a new inquiry or body set up that's going to save us all. All we blackfellas are going to be saved by you whitefellas setting up a body. That's been going on for 55 years, and I've been following it. Every now and then we set up another body. The one that's always been interesting for me—I can't help but laugh when I think about it—was when Prime Minister Tony Abbott introduced the Closing the gapreport. It indicated in its first year that the gap had widened. That was not good. In the second year it indicated that it had widened again, and in the third year it indicated that it had widened again. He had to do something, so he abolished the annual report! That's what he did. I make no secret of the fact that Kevin Rudd and I have been good friends since the days he and I were running in Queensland. In screaming frustration, I said to him, 'Mate, do you realise how bad it is?' And he said: 'Yes. Talk to the minister.' 'I did—three times. She burst out crying the last time, so I'm not going back to talk to the minister again.' 'Alright, well, talk to so and so in my office.' Well, two months later we'd had an election, he was gone and we were back to square one again. I'm going to release certain figures that should shock the nation. I have been reluctant to release these figures, because I think that, if the rest of the world finds out what is really going on, then we will become the pariah of this century—we'll be the South Africa of this century. There's no way you can ride around the figures. Everyone knows what's going on, and no-one is doing anything about it. I don't know that everyone does know. If they knew, then, surely, they could not continue. The figures show the highest crime rate in the world, the highest suicide rates in the world, the lowest life expectancy arguably anywhere in the world and the highest unemployment rates anywhere in the world. That's something to be proud of as a nation, isn't it! I'm related to people on Doomadgee. I always talk about my mob. 'Murri from the Curry', they call us. All of us that are dark and come from 'the Curry' are all a bit mixed up, and we always identify as 'Murri from the Curry'. My brother was called 'Boori' at school. It never worried him. He was a bad beggar when it came to a knuckle, but it never worried him. Obviously, if you're dark, you come from Cloncurry. Far from being ashamed of it—we Kalkadoons held the whitefellas at bay for nearly 25 years. That's not a bad effort. For guerrilla tactics, you'll find very little precedent anywhere in the world. Vietnam would be one of those examples. But it was a pretty good effort. People say, 'Oh, yeah? How'd it end up?' I'm pleased that they ask that question, because there are only about 2,000 of us. We own three million acres in an above-24-inch rainfall area, so I don't think we ended up too bad. In fact, we may be the most land-rich people on earth. Freddy Pascoe and Paulie Edwards own the biggest cattle station in Australia. The two families fight all the time, but they're both good blokes. He was also the mayor of Normanton, even though he was a First Australian in towns that can be pretty racist at times. He was the mayor of Normanton and Karumba. Both of them were ringers—stockmen—as young blokes, so they've done a very good job in running the biggest cattle station in Australia. I think we're running about 45,000 head there and have done now for about 60 or 70 years. My great mentor, Mickey Miller, bought the station originally, and they made a success of it right from the start. First Australian affairs are a tragedy. The Prime Minister was giving an award to the Mayor of Doomadgee, the biggest cattle owner in Australia and a bloke I've got a lot of time for. He said, 'Mate, how's Jason Ned going?' And I said, 'He's going good, mate. He's got about 2,000 of those wild mickeys together and branded behind wire—wild cattle—and he made maybe about $4 million over a period of three years.' He said, 'You know he ran all my camps?' I said, 'All of your camps?' He said, 'Yeah, all the camps.' So I rang up Jason. I said, 'Mate, did you run all the camps?' He said, 'Yeah, for 10 years.' I said, 'Do you realise you've mustered more cattle than any other person in human history?' The Americans have big runs. The Argentinians and Brazilians have big runs, but they're nowhere near as big as ours. He said, 'Well, I've never thought about that.' Anyway, the Prime Minister was coming up to Mount Isa to give him a Good Australian Award, a highly sought after honour, and he died a couple of weeks before the award went through. The point I want to make is that he could not get a pastoral lease. Every whitefella in Australia can get a pastoral lease, but a blackfella living on his own land can't get a pastoral lease. What's going on? So he did what the Europeans that came to New South Wales did. He just went out and squatted. He said, 'It's my land. Don't set foot on it or else.' I wrote a history of Australia. I agonised for 3½ years as to how I would start that book off, and I just couldn't get it right in my head. To get a history book published is a really big achievement. I'll be very proud of that till the day I die. But it suddenly occurred to me—I will mention his name: Clarence Waldron. He was mayor, off and on, of Doomadgee. Clarence had his shortcomings, but he could be really brilliant. A whitefella came up, and he said he was solving all of our black drinking problems: he was going to ban alcohol in Doomadgee, he would preside over it, and he'd had a meeting with the representatives of the community. The five missionary ladies, who all hated the grog—that's who he had the meeting with, and everyone screamed out and yelled that at him. But Clarence didn't say anything until right at the end. He was mayor of the town. When it was his turn to talk—he doesn't look at you, Clarence; he speaks like this. He said: 'Don't you come here and say what's what and that's that. Dis mah lan.' That's how the book opened: 'Dis mah lan'—d-i-s-m-a-h-l-a-n. God bless you, Clarence. Jason Ned said: 'Well, you're not ever going to give it to us, so we're just taking it, right? We're just taking it, the same as'—well, he didn't say this, but it's the same as what the Europeans did when they came to New South Wales. They just took it: 'You don't like it? Well, too bloody bad for you.' When I became minister, a bloke jumped out from behind an oleander bush, a journalist, and he said, 'What qualifications have you got for becoming a minister for Aboriginal affairs?' I just said the first thing that came into my head. I said: 'Playing rugby league. It's pretty hard to feel superior to someone when he's buried you upside down in the dirt eight or nine times in a football match.' This bloke laughed, and the comment got a lot of publicity. It was just a quick, off-the-cuff, honest answer. There is no doubt that rugby league has been a great equalising mechanism, and I pay my own sport a very great tribute in this area. Having said that, I want to go back—I'm coming to the end of my run here—to two quotes. One is from Winston Churchill, and the other is from Carl von Clausewitz, who wrote what is always regarded as the best book on warfare in human history. Churchill said, 'Those that cannot learn the lessons of history are doomed to again suffer its miseries.' Carl von Clausewitz said, in On War, 'There is one truism of history: a people without land will look to a land without people.' Read Mein Kampf. On every third page, Hitler uses the word 'lebensraum'—living room. 'Well, we Germans have got the population; Russia's got the land.' We know what's going to happen here, because it's happened every other time in human history. The result was, I don't know, about 32 million people dying in the Second World War, which was really more about Russia versus Germany than any other explanation. To revert back—why won't you whitefellas give us a piece of paper saying we own our own land, like every other person on the planet gets? I didn't know anything about the community areas. I was brought up in a town that was very much—everyone was dark in Cloncurry. 'You Murri from the Curry'—all of us are dark, and who knows what's in the family tree, not that anyone would care anyway. When I went to the community areas, which I'd never been to before, it struck me that—the first one I went to was Yarrabah, the biggest community in Australia, with about 4,000 people—every single bloke I talked to was a whitefella. Every single person running the community was a whitefella, not a blackfella. What's going on here? In Cloncurry, my father was partner to a cattle grazier—a cattle owner, for the sake of a better word—on a big station outside Cloncurry. They were partners in three or four copper mines together. He was a First Australian and one of the more glamorous station owners in the Mount Isa area—a very famous First Australian family. It's normal in that area. At Doomadgee, Jason went out and got 2,000 head together. Two weeks before he was to get a Good Australian Award off the Prime Minister, sadly, he died. But, please God, his family are carrying on up there and a whole lot of them now have taken up blocks, saying: 'We don't care whether you whitefellas give us a piece of paper or not. It's our land. We're putting a fence up. Don't you set foot across that fence.' Earlier today, I was thrown out of the chamber. I'm pretty proud of that, really, because I just can't help but get angry. I think people that have been brought up in a very strong Christian tradition and also people that have been brought up in a very strong Australian tradition don't like watching underdogs get picked on, and their natural reaction is to fight anyone that does that. When I was trying to defend today, a bloke from the ALP kept screaming abuse and I said, 'Mate, on the subject of race, you don't know your history books.' The great John Curtin was easily our best prime minister. But, all the same, he said, 'All we want coming into Australia are Europeans, but not Poles, and no-one from Asia.' I was sad that a great man would say something like that, but that's what he said. Cocky Calwell, the leader of the Labor Party for about 15 years—everyone laughed at it, but I didn't really think it was all that funny—said that 'two Wongs don't make a white', referring to the White Australia policy. Well, the people that weren't white in Australia copped it as well. When it comes to the lesson for Australia, as Churchill said, 'those who cannot learn from history'—we had an empty land, and there were people that were looking for an empty land. People that didn't have land were looking for an empty land, so they came out here and took it off us. We had no standing armies. We had no ability to resist. We had no rifles. So we got nearly annihilated. I can't talk about the rest of Australia, but I can most certainly talk about my homeland—where I come from. My grandparents went out there in a Cobb & Co stagecoach in the 1890s and the Kalkadoon Wars were still pottering along at that stage. My partner in mining was always referred to as the 'last of the Kalkadoons'. His mother had been one of the few 'piccaninny' survivors of the big battle on Battle range. So, if anyone knows about it, I do. But I can tell you, absolutely, if it weren't for the Christian missionaries, my mob would've been annihilated. There's no question about it. I don't want to go into who picked the fight first or anything like that. The fact was that there was a huge fight, and we knew who was going to win it. One had Martini-Henry rifles and the other one had spears and woomeras. We knew who were going to win. But the Christian missionaries roped these people in and secured huge areas of land. I think it was 3½ million acres in North Queensland, and it's all above 26-inch rainfall—most cattlemen in Australia would cry to get 26-inch rainfall—and they can get the cattle in at Pormpuraaw. I went there. Jackson Shortjoe and Eddie Holroyd said, 'We want to have a go at the cleanskins.' I said: 'Alright. Have a go,' and they got 6,000 head together. On that note, I'll sit down. 17:53 Ms JARRETT 298574 Brisbane I rise to support the National Commission for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children and Young People Bill 2026. First Nations people are the traditional owners of the land on which this House resides, of my electorate in Brisbane—Meanjin, the place of the blue water lilies—and of all parts of our great country. First Nations culture is the oldest continuous culture in the world—some 65,000 years. Their connection to land, waterways and the spirits that connect past, present and future are very special, and it's a privilege for me to be here in this House and walk this land with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, who history frankly has not been kind to and who still suffer because of serious injustices and structural failures. Today, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people maintain strong connections to culture, language and traditional lands. They contribute significantly to the environmental management, economic development and cultural identity of Australia. But the fact is that they do remain underrepresented and face significant hardship. The fact is that colonisation of Australia has negatively affected Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and their communities. This is important to note when considering experiences of disadvantage, discrimination and hardship. From Brisbane to Far North Queensland, the Kimberley and beyond, you don't have to look too far to see the disadvantages. On this side of the House, we are committed to improving life outcomes for First Nations people, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people. In my first speech, I relayed the story of my segregated kindergarten, which was a complete contrast to my home, where we ran around the neighbourhood with our Aboriginal friends. I never understood it then, but what it did was ingrain in me the importance of equality and the harm of discrimination. This too is reflected in other remarks I made at that time, which were that everyone, regardless of their heritage, skin colour, sexual orientation, religion or ability must be afforded equal rights and feel safe in our communities. None of us are better than the next, and there must be truth-telling of the historical and cultural current injustices facing First Nations people. Their history is unique, and we should know it, embed it, celebrate it and use it to advance reconciliation and walk forward together as a strong nation. This government's commitment to establishing a national commission for children and young people goes towards that—towards recognition and towards reconciliation. Why is it so important? We've heard some statistics, but I will raise a few more. These statistics are troubling indeed and provide a stark reminder to this House that there is more work to do. I have to say, hearing the examples from the member for Lingiari, she really spelled out some of these structural failures. She brought that to life with real stories. In Australia, there are almost one million Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. This represents just over three per cent of the population. In the Brisbane electorate, my electorate, 1.8 per cent of the population identify as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander. The median age is 24, and one-third of that population is under the age of 15, highlighting a younger demographic that we need to consider. Forty per cent live without two or more essentials for a decent standard of living. Those essentials could be housing, clean water or food. The median weekly household income for First Nations people is 28 per cent less than for non-Indigenous people, and the gap stretches to 50 per cent in some areas. On housing, First Nations people represent three per cent of the population but hold approximately 18 per cent of social housing tenancies; 20 per cent live in overcrowded housing conditions. That's much higher in remote communities, estimated at more than 50 per cent. Almost 25,000 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people were estimated to be experiencing homelessness in 2021, representing over 20 per cent of the total homeless population. As somebody who volunteered at 3rd Space, where we had a number of visitors, they were well and truly overrepresented. Thirty-nine per cent of First Nations people aged 20 years and over had year 12 as their highest level of school completion. Let's go into health. Approximately 49 per cent of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have at least one chronic condition. Diabetes, high cholesterol and mental health issues are the most prominent. We all know life expectancy is much lower. I also understand that a large number of adults experience high or very high levels of psychological distress. Let's jump to the justice system. We all know that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are significantly overrepresented in the Australian justice system, comprising 37 per cent of the total prison population as at June last year, despite only making up roughly three per cent of the population. It's appalling. They're over 12 times more likely to be incarcerated than non-Indigenous Australians with, sadly, women being the fastest growing cohort. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people are 11 times more likely to be in out-of-home care and 27 more times likely to be in youth detention. We heard this earlier today. The system is clearly not working, and these figures highlight the need for government to act and to work with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities in closing the gap and implementing reforms like establishing the National Commission for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children and Young People. This commission has been in the making for a very long time. I understand that Muriel Bamblett AO, CEO of the Victorian Aboriginal and Community Agency and co-chair of the Our Ways—Strong Ways—Our Voices steering committee, called for a standalone commission back in 1990, and that that followed the State of denial report about the neglect and abuse of Indigenous children in the Northern Territory; the member for Lingiari spoke about this. Let's put that in perspective: that's a quarter of a century ago. This morning, I, along with others in this chamber, heard from Muriel, Aunty Violet Sheridan and others, who relayed their personal stories, including stories of domestic violence. These are real stories of real people. It's why we have to do something. It's why, with Minister Plibersek, they launched the first-ever National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Plan to End Family, Domestic and Sexual Violence 2026-2036. It's another landmark reform. The national commission fills a gap to ensure the voices of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people are strongly reflected in the advice to government, as it should. The position of commissioner provides a strategic, nationally coordinated focus to raise systemic issues and Australia's human rights commitments. We know that, of the Closing the Gap targets related to children and young people, those related to development, protection, safety and justice are just off track. As I've said before, it's just not good enough. Who better to know the root cause and extent of problems facing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people—and, importantly, how to potentially address them—than Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people themselves? That's what these bills are about. The Albanese government will work with families, communities, the commissioner and the states and territories to make sure all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children have the best start in life. The powers of this commission will be similar to other commissioners, guardians and advocates, including conducting inquiries, making recommendations to government, public advocacy, research and education. However, this role is the only one at a national level with a sole focus on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people. With a focus on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people, the commissioner will promote their rights, interests, development, safety and wellbeing, and build on their strengths; improve development, safety and wellbeing outcomes for them; and identify systemic issues and barriers to their development, safety and wellbeing. The bills enable the national commissioner to provide advice to government on the development and delivery of relevant policies, programs and services that affect Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people; to undertake research into systemic issues and barriers that affect their rights, interests, development, safety and wellbeing; to provide educational programs for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people to empower them to promote and advocate for their views, their needs and their experiences on matters that affect them; and to publicly advocate to promote their rights, interests, development, safety and wellbeing, amplifying their voices and strengths. The government is putting money behind this—$33.5 million, in fact, over four years, with a further $8.5 million that will support the national commission's continued operations. The legislation for the national commission delivers on the government's commitment to respond to years of advocacy by around 70 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and non-Indigenous organisations from across Australia. It draws on extensive consultation with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peak bodies, leaders, organisations and community representatives. The national commissioner has the potential to make significant and lasting impacts on the lives of more than 400,000 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people nationwide. It is another step by the Albanese Labor government to close the gap facing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Earlier today, I mentioned that we saw the launch of Australia's first standalone plan that strives for a future where Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women and children can live free from violence. We know Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women face unique and significant barriers to getting help. They are seven times more likely to be victims of intimate partner homicide and 27 more times more likely than non-Indigenous women to be hospitalised due to family violence. I hear that this can increase to 41 times greater than that in regional and very remote communities. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women have been steadfast in their advocacy to be safe and to be heard, and the plan announced this morning was one part of that. They have been calling for strong action, and the Albanese Labor government is doing just that. So I'm proud to be part of a Labor government that has introduced this significant reform today into the House. Australia has a proud history of hope and achievement, yet there are still so many areas where outcomes are not improving fast enough. We can do better. We must do better. The task before us is to build a future in which all Australians have access to the same opportunities. The establishment of this national commission will play a crucial role here. It is based on understanding that when Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have a genuine say in the programs and services that affect them, better outcomes are achieved. We cannot pretend we are fully measuring up to the fair go when basic needs like health care, a safe home and educational opportunities are not afforded to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people as they are to others. This community of young people is our future. Their voices must be embedded in the systems and the decisions that affect their lives. This bill is about supporting self-determination. It's also about bringing to life what many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders have discussed with me, which is, 'Nothing about us without us.' 18:06 Ms PRICE 249308 Durack I rise to speak on the National Commission for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children and Young People Bill 2026. As the member for Durack, I consider this bill to be an issue close to my electorate and to myself. Around 15 per cent of my constituents are Indigenous, equating to 30,000 voters from Broome, Kununurra and Derby, and from smaller communities in the Kimberley, East Pilbara, Gascoyne, Mid West and beyond. This bill directly affects me and my duty to support all those who are Indigenous and reside in Durack. I represent some of the country's most vulnerable people. The Albanese government, however, continues to let down those Indigenous people across Australia by offering up poor bureaucratic solutions to Closing the Gap targets, particularly those related to young people. First it was the Voice. When that failed because it was half-baked and poorly thought out, the Prime Minister appeared to have turned his back on Indigenous Australians. Unless there is a photo opportunity or perhaps a chance to get in front of the media, you won't see him talking or relating to Indigenous Australians. Prime Minister Albanese and his ministers went missing during the alcohol abuse crisis in the Kimberley in 2024, and also during the time that there were high rates—in fact, continuing high rates—of youth crime in the north-west of Western Australia. Labor was exposed, following the Voice referendum, as not having a plan B to deal with these issues. When it comes to making the tough calls or putting some work into finding solutions, the Prime Minister takes the easy option of hoping that maybe the vibe will fix them. This bill provides yet another example of just that—a headline-grabbing piece of legislation that doesn't deliver results. It adds more public servants and bureaucrats duplicating work already done by current Commonwealth, state and territory bodies such as the National Children's Commissioner and the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner within the Australian Human Rights Commission. There are also relevant bodies within half of our states plus the ACT, and the Department of Social Services is already required to consult children and young people. Labor had the choice, during their first 18 months in power, to either spend $450 million on a referendum or spend $450 million on improving the worsening frontline situation. I think we all know what Labor chose, and now four critical Closing the Gap targets are going backwards—adult incarceration, school readiness, children in out-of-home care and, sadly, suicide rates. As a coalition, we would prefer the prioritising of practical solutions rather than symbolic measures. More broadly, of the 19 Closing the Gap targets, just four are on track—one less than last year. In the context of children and young people, youth detention is up 11 per cent, preschool attendance is down 2.6 per cent, and 1.2 per cent fewer children are commencing school developmentally on track, compared to 2022. It should be obvious to everyone that creating a $33 million commission won't change these trajectories. Only practical, localised action will. Instead of adding bodies and departments, the minister should be reviewing and improving our current bodies to ensure they are doing their jobs and to hold them to account to deliver real results for Indigenous Australians. The people I represent can tell that Labor prioritise symbolism over practical actions. Frankly, results really don't matter, as long as the photos, the headlines and the reflection in the mirror all look good. It's pretty sad, actually. A hallmark of this government across both terms has been the shirking of responsibility and accountability, and this bill is another example. Work that should already be undertaken by roles within government, such as local consultation, providing advice, undertaking research and advocacy, is simply being shifted to a new position, moving accountability from government agencies, the Coalition of Peaks and the minister. As an opposition—and particularly as the member for the largest Indigenous population outside of the Northern Territory—we need to question. No. 1: how will the commission's education program reach children? Goodness knows the education department is struggling, so why does the government think the commission is going to be able to do any better? No. 2: why do we need another body to help close the gap? No. 3: what special or specific powers will the agency have, and why do they need these special powers? No. 4: how independent will this new independent authority be? The minister must confirm whether her department will be able to amend, edit and influence work undertaken by the commissioner prior to its publication. I regularly hear from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people that they are tired of consultation. How do we know that this will not be just another outreach body, consulting the same people on the same issues without necessarily talking to the people that really matter—the people who are impacted, in localised areas? On this side of the House, we will always prioritise practical actions over symbolic gestures. A coalition government will empower Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people by ending the cycle of welfare dependency. We will ensure funding is only provided to organisations with a track record of good governance. I know and understand that it's is going to take really difficult work to make sure that there's no duplication by other bodies. We will work to increase school attendance rates, because the coalition considers school attendance a critical protective factor. In fact, I would say everyone in this place would consider that education is the first thing that we must deal with. The message and call to the government is simple: please drop the symbolism, the egos and the lack of detail and instead start prioritising practical and real action to support young Indigenous Australians and to close the gap. Quite frankly, we're all waiting for the plan B. The Voice failed. What is your plan B? This commission cannot be your plan B. Indigenous Australians deserve so much better from this government. The coalition does not support this bill. 18:15 Ms CLAYDON 248181 Newcastle I rise to speak in very strong support of the National Commission for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children and Young People Bill 2026. I just listened to the member for Durack's contribution, and I'm really struggling. How anyone stands in this House—knowing everything that we do and on the eve of a Closing the gap report that's going to remind us again of the work that still needs to be done—to speak against a bill that is to protect Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children is gobsmacking. I speak to the rest of the Australian community, who are trying to understand this debate that is happening in this House tonight. I want you to be assured that this is a very significant and necessary piece of legislation. It speaks directly to our responsibility as parliament to protect the rights, wellbeing and futures of First Nations children and young people, the first children of this country. This bill recognises a fundamental truth: that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children continue to experience disproportionate disadvantage but, more than that, that there are harms and systemic failures that we know of. We must acknowledge that, and addressing those outcomes requires much more than goodwill or practical good deeds. We are talking about structural, systemic inequalities and failures. It requires enduring structures, accountability and a national commitment to listening to the voices of children themselves. This parliament doesn't have voices of children. Children depend on those of us who stand here and try to give voice to their concerns, to their futures and to their desires and aspirations. The establishment of a permanent, independent national commission dedicated to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people is a longstanding call from First Nations leaders, communities and organisations, and this bill answers that call. So it is unbelievable for me to hear the opposition say they're not supporting this bill. I have lived in the member for Durack's electorate. I know the communities she represents, and the fact that she could not support this bill will be deeply hurtful. I can assure her of that. The scale and urgency of the systemic failures facing First Nations children and young people are profound, and we need to acknowledge that very much upfront. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people continue to face high and persistent levels of disadvantage. We have heard speaker after speaker talk about the fact that First Nations kids are 11 times as likely to be in out-of-home care and 27 times as likely to be in youth detention as non-Indigenous children. Nobody could seriously suggest that that is okay. The idea that we do nothing is negligent, and that's the kindest word I could bring to the debate this evening. They're also more likely, of course, to experience developmental vulnerability and poorer health and education outcomes, and these outcomes are not the result of individual failure. I think that is the point that we're trying to make here. They are the product of systems that have too often been designed without these children at their centre—systems that fail to properly recognise culture, family, community and self-determination as strengths. That is why the establishment of a national commission matters so deeply and why this legislation has such strong support from those working at the front line. More than 70 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisations across Australia, advocates, service providers and peak bodies have united behind this reform. They are calling for a legislated, independent national advocate with the authority to drive systemic change, not simply observe it. By establishing a national commission with a clear legislative mandate, this parliament is responding to that call and recognising that First Nations children and young people deserve nothing less. The national commission will have a clear and focused purpose. It will promote and protect the rights and interests of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people. It will examine systemic issues affecting their wellbeing across areas such as child protection, health, education, housing and youth justice. And it will conduct inquiries, provide advice, make recommendations to governments and institutions and report publicly on progress and failures. It's an accountability measure for all of us as well. Importantly, it will elevate the voices of children and young people themselves, making sure that their lived experience inform policy development, service delivery and legislative reform. We hear from this debate tonight just how critical it is to ensure those voices are heard. Independence is a defining feature of this bill. The commission will operate independently of government, as it should, with the authority to speak openly, as it should. It will investigate systemic problems and make recommendations without fear or favour. And that is how it should be. That independence matters. It ensures credibility, it ensures transparency and it ensures that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people are not silenced by political convenience or bureaucratic inertia. This parliament has a responsibility not only to create policies but to create mechanisms that hold systems to account when those policies fail. The national commission is such a mechanism. I represent the electorate of Newcastle, a region with a very strong and proud Aboriginal community. The Awabakal and Worimi peoples have cared for those beautiful lands that I get to live on now for more than 65,000 years, and their continued contribution is fundamental to Newcastle's identity and community life today. But the challenges facing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children nationally are not abstract. They are experienced locally by families in Newcastle and across the Hunter, and every single member in this House would say the same if they were to remain true to their heart and representation. Aboriginal families in my region engage every day with child protection, education, health and justice systems that are shaped by national laws, national standards and national policy settings. What happens at the national level directly affects outcomes on the ground, and that's why this bill matters to Newcastle. By strengthening national oversight, advocacy and accountability, it also strengthens the systems that are operating locally. It ensures that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children in Newcastle benefit from a strong national advocate who can elevate local concerns, support local voices and drive change where systems are falling short. It reinforces the principle that children's wellbeing should never be a postcode lottery and that, when disparities exist, they demand national leadership alongside strong local action. This bill reflects Labor's longstanding commitment to improving outcomes for First Nations people through partnerships, respect and action. The Albanese Labor government has placed Closing the Gap at the centre of its agenda, recognising that genuine progress requires shared responsibility across all levels of government. We have strengthened the investment in early childhood education and care, recognising that the earliest years are critical to lifelong outcomes. We've supported community controlled organisations because Aboriginal led services deliver better, more culturally appropriate outcomes. And we have prioritised listening, ensuring that policy is informed by First Nations voices rather than imposed without consultation. The establishment of this national commission builds on that record. It is the result of extensive engagement with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peak bodies, with child and family organisations and with advocates who have long called for a national mechanism focused specifically on children and young people. This bill is not symbolic; it is practical structural reform. It's important to acknowledge why this legislation is necessary. Australia has no shortage of reports, inquiries and recommendations concerning Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children. What has too often been missing is sustained implementation and accountability. Without a permanent national body, attention shifts, priorities change and momentum is lost. The national commission addresses that gap. It ensures continuity. It ensures expertise. It ensures that progress, or lack thereof, is visible and measurable over time. This bill is about moving beyond short-term responses to long-term solutions. Some may argue—as, indeed, we've heard tonight—that this bill creates another layer of governance. But this commission is not about duplication. It is about coordination and accountability. It does not replace existing services or agencies; it strengthens them by identifying gaps, highlighting best practice and driving reform where systems are failing. Others may suggest that a targeted focus on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children is unnecessary, but the evidence clearly shows that outcomes are not equal, and equity demands a targeted response. Treating unequal outcomes with identical solutions does not deliver fairness; it entrenches disadvantage. This bill recognises that principle. This legislation is in the national interest. When Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children thrive, communities are stronger, economies are stronger and our nation is stronger. Investing in children's wellbeing reduces long-term costs associated with poor health, disengagement from education and involvement in the justice system. But, more importantly, it reflects our values as a nation. This bill affirms that First Nations children are not an afterthought; they are absolutely central to our future. There is also a moral responsibility at the heart of this legislation. Australia's history includes policies that caused profound harm to Aboriginal families and children. The impacts of those policies continue to be felt today. While this bill cannot undo the past, it represents a commitment to doing better and to ensuring that future generations of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children are supported, that they're protected and that they're heard. It's recognition that structural change is required to prevent the repetition of past failures. Deputy Speaker Scrymgour, I don't need to tell you how important this legislation is. I heard your speech, and I know your work and your lifelong commitment to ensuring the protection of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children. But the National Commission for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children and Young People Bill 2026 represents a decisive step forward. That anyone would oppose this is beyond me. I really implore those members opposite to rethink their position here. There is not a single First Nations organisation, advocacy group or community not calling for this bill. You do a grave disservice to each and every one of them by opposing this bill. This is a bill that will establish a permanent, independent advocate for children who have too often been unheard,. It strengthens accountabilities across government and systems; it reflects Labor's commitment to partnership, reform and long-term change; and it affirms a simple but powerful principle—that every child in Australia deserves safety, dignity, opportunity and a voice. That's why I commend this bill to the House. That's why I ask members of the opposition and members of the crossbench to lean in and support this bill. You know your communities will thank you for it, and I ask that you look into your deepest conscience and see if you can't bring yourselves to support a bill in the national interest. 18:29 Mr JOYCE e5d New England I do look into my conscience about how I deal with one of the largest communities, one of the strongest proportions of Aboriginal people in an electorate in Australia, which is in New England. There are vastly more Aboriginal people in my area. They call themselves Aboriginal, so I will say Aboriginal. There are more Aboriginals than farmers, to be quite frank. I win the booths, and I suppose, in a little way, that is because I grew up in an Aboriginal area. My children, my sons, still go to the state school, which is a black and white school and always has been. We really love it. That's our community. We've known each other for generations, so this is very close to my heart. What always worries me is we seem to throw an inordinate amount of money—I'm a white fella, obviously; I'm not pretending to be anything else but that—towards things that don't have any efficacy, that don't actually result in people's lives changing. Sometimes I genuinely believe we have sort of a political correctness about trying to deal with issues that are so self-evident when you live there. In my time I've lived in Werris Creek, which has a strong Aboriginal community; Moree, and obviously we all know about that; and Charleville, St George and Danglemah, where I grew up and where I still am. Up the road is Woolbrook, and it was like Canberra; Aboriginal people from Gympie to Dubbo would come into those come into those areas. My childhood was spent growing up with Aboriginal people around me. They certainly had an effect on how I saw the world. What I don't see in the administration of this—I bet you right from the start that it's administered down here in Canberra. That's the first step it gets wrong. If you want to deal with a problem, put the administration and the bureaucracy in the areas where the issue is. You get up close and actually understand it a lot better when it's outside your back door. Look for those within communities, especially when kids go off the rails, who have the capacity to bring them back. I might bring attention to someone that we are involved with, BackTrack and Bernie Shakeshaft, a great guy. I think one of the predominant things of that—it's overwhelmingly money that's given by charity. Bernie does a great job. A lot of the young fellas, the blokes, come down to our place and do cattle work. I'm just a passive observer; the other guys are the role models. That is one of the big things. In so many communities, young guys don't have good male role models. They don't grow up in an environment where they have a reference point of a man who is strong and decent and hardworking and has guardrails of how they exist. I'm not going to name them, because they'll get very upset if I do, and I have to go work with them, but the one thing I always note when the guys are working with these young fellas is they don't muck about. They're not pushovers. They have a very strict code about how things will work, right down to ablutions. At half past seven, you're in the saddle, and that means at half-past seven, you are in the saddle. When you go back to the ablutions blocks at night after you've finished work, there's structure—your towel goes there, your soap goes there, and we all have to use this area, so it must be clean. At the start, there's always pushback. A lot of people get referred to them from the courts. There's pushback and cheek. Very quickly, they realise that that won't work out in the bush when you're swagging it. In the long term, without going through the rituals of how people are brought into gear, they actually love it. That's because it makes a statement about who they are. They are a man, and they have a position, and they have competency, and they have pride in themselves, and then things work out. We always get frustrated with having a politically correct perspective of sociology and everything else. It way overcomplicates something that can be done by a more targeted investment to the areas that actually work. Vikki does a bit of work here too for young girls. People will say, 'Oh, you do that; it's patronising,' and all that stuff. No, it's not. It's essential to actually show people how to shop—just saying, 'You don't buy that.' You take them around with a shopping trolley and say, 'This is the stuff you buy, and that's why.' And we'll show them the structure of a house—this is the time you get up and this is the time you go to bed. People stay in the houses with you—just living with a family and seeing the structure of a family. Once more, people say that it's patronising. No, it's not. People love it. They understand that they get a sense of a life they probably haven't lived. But, if we get too tied up in saying, 'Our perspective of what we believe is culturally appropriate, as determined from Canberra, is going to work in Woolbrook, Cunnamulla or Moree,' it won't. What you'll see is the money spent. I can go to certain areas where they have what they call 'support agencies'. In some of the communities that I go to, 20 or 30 people turn up in cars. They drive around. They chat to everybody or some people, and then they jump in their hired SUV, and off they go. That's it. It costs a lot of money to have those people wandering around. If you go back to the community and say, 'What did that do for you?' the answer is: 'Nothing. It was pointless.' Someone comes in with their clipboard and goes through the ritualistic clatter about Aboriginal issues that they don't even believe or earnestly think. It's just ticking a box about things they are going to say. They don't actually reside in the area in such a form that they can actually grab hold of the problem and follow it through to a conclusion and a solution that they, the people who came in the SUVs, would be prepared to live with. My issue with this is that I get a sense of another lot of money about to be kicked out the door, and the actual determination of an outcome, your KPIs, won't be there. I get a sense from this that it's driven from Canberra, not from community. I get a sense that it's just a gathered heap of politically correct terms and bromides that have to be said. Yet, for the kid growing up on a backstreet in Tingha—the heritage from the Bassendean missionary—will their life be better? I don't know—probably not, I presume. I base that on so many of these other programs. They've been going on for decades, and their lives don't change. But I do find a whole heap of people making a bucketload of money down here from them. I find that. There's no doubt about that. You see the departments. That's why, in certain areas, the cynicism builds up. The biggest Aboriginal community in my area is Tingha, where Nathan Blacklock and Preston Campbell came from. Only 15 per cent of them voted for the Voice. Why? I think it was more of a pushback. They're so cynical now that they just don't think that these things are really going to make a difference to their lives. So let's look for what works. Let's look for the backtracks that work. I'll give you something that works brilliantly in our area but they never did again. One of the great mechanisms for advancement—once more, going back to guys—of Aboriginal guys in more north-western New South Wales and even southern Queensland, right down to Dubbo, is something that was created by the state. It works, and it's called Farrer Memorial Agricultural High School. It's the second-biggest boarding school in Australia after St Joseph's College, Hunters Hill. So many Aboriginal boys go there and become men. Later on you see them in very successful and fulfilling lives wherever they need to go. They go into trades. Some go to uni. It works. Whatever is happening at that boarding school in Tamworth, it works. So why do we just do it once? By the way, why is there only a blokes one? Where's the girls boarding school that does the same job? Where is it? I used to terrorise my daughters, saying that, if they played up, I'd send them to Mount St Bernard College up on the Atherton Tablelands, which a lot of kids from the Gulf came into. That always pulled them back into gear. That's sort of doing a similar thing up there, but we need a girls one—and don't make Farrer co-ed. That's where they're going to try and head off to. It works very well as a boys boarding school. Leave it as a boys boarding school because that works. It gives them a collegiality with guys off the land, with Aboriginal kids from Walgett and Moree and Saint George coming in there. It's good. It has proven success. The only thing we're missing is one for girls, where they have a boarding school and do the same thing, bringing in, quite frankly, poor white kids from farms who can't afford to go away to school—the family budget doesn't go that far—and also Aboriginal kids. I bet you that'll work as well. If you bring those sorts of ideas forward, you're going to get so much support, even in regional areas. We'll say, 'Yes, that's great.' But what we'll see here is that you'll announce this and it just won't turn the dial. It will just be 'here comes another SUV with another clipboard and another person who'll turn up and go through all the welcome to country stuff and say all the right things'. They'll wander around, people will have a chat to them, then they'll jump back in their SUV and off they'll go. That's it—followed by another SUV that'll be here tomorrow. I want us to close the gap. I think it's incredibly important. I think we have a huge moral responsibility to do it. I just call on this parliament to find the things that work. Put aside your political correctness. Stop believing that there's something magical, that one human being is so fundamentally different to every other human being that they work through a whole different set of genetics. They're not. They're people. Human beings are human beings and want to be treated with respect, want to feel secure, need guidance, need a male role model, need a female role model, need to be respected, want to have dignity in their lives, with a job that's worthwhile, and don't want to be categorised as 'oh, well, you believe that because I'm Aboriginal then this is the sort of life I have to live because you think that that this is the place I have to live'. I might want to live in the centre of Sydney. I might want to be an accountant. Double-up on your successes and be a lot more circumspect about coming up with another yet another Canberra program which will have all the bonhomie as it goes out the door but, if you reflect on it in 10 years time and say, 'What did that achieve?' will have some minimal success but will be a very short story. 18:44 Ms KEARNEY LTU Cooper I rise to speak in strong support of this bill, the National Commission for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children and Young People Bill 2026. I have to say that I'm very proud to do that while you're in the chamber, Deputy Speaker Scrymgour, because I know that you have been a longstanding champion for this to happen over the years. Thank you for the work that you've done. I want to acknowledge that I'm standing on the lands of the Ngunnawal and Ngambri people, and I pay respect to their elders, past and present. They are the people who occupied this land long before this building was erected here, long before the nation-state of Australia was even established. For millennia, the First Peoples of Australia lived on and cared for this continent's land, waterways and environment, passing down their knowledge and cultures, generation to generation, as the oldest continuous culture in the history of this Earth. This is something that we as a nation should be proud of and that we celebrate. Even during the most brutal history of colonisation and invasion, First Nations people have persevered, protecting and nourishing their culture—ensuring its survival in the face of state sanctioned brutality. But we know the toll that colonisation has taken on First People, a toll that is reflected in cold, hard statistics—a national shame for this country. Nowhere is this more evident than when we look at the challenges facing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children. First Nations children and young people face high and persistent levels of disadvantage. They are 11 times more likely to be in out-of-home care and 27 times more likely to be in youth detention than non-Indigenous children. Data released last year by the Australian Institute of Health and Wellbeing revealed that only one in three Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children are on track developmentally. Incarceration rates have climbed, suicide rates and out-of-home care rates are getting worse, and the aspirations for healthy baby birth weights have slipped. Let me be clear. This is not a failure of First Nations people. Unlike some of those opposite, we as a government understand that this is not a moral failing on the part of Indigenous cultures and communities—no. We understand the legacy of colonialism, of structural racism, of institutional punishment and systemic disadvantage. We acknowledge the history of the Frontier Wars and the Stolen Generations. We know that, despite efforts from more recent, well-meaning governments, if policy and laws are created without genuine partnership and power transfer to Aboriginal people, we will not create meaningful change and we will only perpetrate the brutal, racist history. The Albanese Labor government is committed to improving life outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people. We know that this requires a systems based approach, one that works with and champions First Nations people, creates genuine partnership and truly transforms the lives and future of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. I heard the member for New England's hopes and aspirations for First Nations people, but I fail to understand why he doesn't see that the establishment of this commission will work towards those very goals. It's why I am honoured to speak to this bill to establish the National Commission for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children and Young People. By introducing this bill, we are delivering on our commitment to establish a legislated, independent, empowered commission. This is a bill that has come about after years of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander advocates calling for the establishment of a legislated national commissioner, over an extended period, with over 70 organisations uniting behind this request. We didn't just dream this up. This didn't just drop out of the sky as a good idea. This has come about through long and hard stakeholder consultation, with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and community advocates calling repeatedly for this to happen. The current and ongoing national commissioner, Adjunct Professor Sue-Anne Hunter, has been involved in developing the bill, and I know that she is in the gallery, in the chamber, with us today. I'll say a bit more about Professor Hunter shortly. I'd also like to acknowledge that Katie Kiss is in the chamber with us today—the national Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner. It's a great honour to have you here, listening to the introduction of this bill. The national commissioner fills a gap to ensure the voices of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people are strongly reflected in advice to government. This position provides a strategic, nationally coordinated focus to raise systemic issues and Australia's human rights commitments. The bill will provide an independent, dedicated agency focused on the systemic failures affecting outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people right across Australia. It will drive the accountability to support all governments to achieve better outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children. It's truly an important, systemic piece that will help drive system-wide change. The national commissioner's functions are centred on identifying systemic issues and informing advice to government to directly influence policymaking. This includes powers to inquire into systemic matters affecting the rights, the interests, the development, the safety and the wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people and to make recommendations to government. Importantly, the national commissioner can publicly advocate for the rights, the interests, the development, the safety and the wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people and can amplify their voices and strengths. Already, I know, the commissioner has been meeting with community controlled organisations and leaders—with state, territory and national commissioners and with guardians and advocates—to build stronger relationships and to identify opportunities for collaboration and change. Sue-Anne Hunter is a First Nations woman with extensive experience in governance and leadership. She has practised as a qualified social worker and is a recognised leader in the First Nations child and family services sector. She, too, has lived and breathed the issues that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families face. She's widely recognised for developing rights based, transformative practice responses that empower Aboriginal people to heal from the continuing effects and processes of colonisation. Her work across these sectors will be vital to ensuring that the rights, the interests and the wellbeing of First Nations children and young people are protected. I have known Sue-Anne for many years, and I know her to be a powerhouse. She will be a powerhouse in this role. Late last year, when Sue-Anne had been in the role for just a few short weeks, she and I attended a roundtable with young people from across the country in Sydney with Minister Plibersek. This included First Nations kids, and they talked to us about their experience with domestic and sexual violence. It was incredibly powerful for those First Nations kids to have the commissioner there with them. I remember one young Aboriginal person saying that they experienced family and sexual violence and that they would not have survived without their wonderful aunties, who surrounded themselves around that young person, supported them and loved them. It may not have been a traditional response to that child's needs, but it was what they needed. I know that Sue-Anne understands the unique perspective of these young people. I've got to say that I'm really very proud to be working with her. This legislation will join other work that the Albanese Labor government is doing in partnership with First Nations people to improve the lives of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders. One such commitment was demonstrated further this morning when I enjoined the Minister for Social Services to launch Australia's first-ever dedicated plan to end violence against Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women and children. This was developed in partnership with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and state and territory governments. 'Our Ways—Strong Ways—Our Voices: National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Plan to End Family, Domestic and Sexual Violence 2026-2036' is Australia's new national plan to address the high and disproportionate rates of violence against Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women and children. It sits on equal footing with the National Plan to End Violence against Women and Children 2022 to 2032. The plan announced this morning will be backed by $218.3 million dollars in new funding over four years. As an immediate step, the funding will invest in a national network of up to 40 Aboriginal community controlled organisations to deliver community-led specialist support services that help Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women and families who are experiencing family, domestic and sexual violence. The new funding will support programs like crisis responses, such as mobile teams in remote areas to work with families after a violent incident or safe transport and emergency accommodation; planning to help victims leave violence safely and continued support once they have; therapeutic supports, like community playgroups, where mums and bubs can connect with elders, receive parenting support and be linked to early help and healing; and behaviour change and education, like outreach programs for men and boys. I know just how important this work is. Last year, I visited Kununurra in Western Australia. When I was there, I saw firsthand the impact that such programs are having on young kids. I met with the Ord Valley Aboriginal Health Service and Wunan Health service. The work that they are doing there is unbelievable. It is community controlled, culturally appropriate and immediately responsive to the needs of those communities. One such program, supported by the Department of Social Services, is the Stronger ACCOs, Stronger Family project. It was designed to strengthen partnerships between Aboriginal community controlled organisations and non-Indigenous service providers in the child and family sector. Through meaningful collaboration, the initiative aims to create a culturally responsive and cohesive system that empowers Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and families. I want to thank everyone who has been involved in the development of this legislation and Our Ways—in particular, the First Nations people who shared their stories with government and who advocated so firmly and persistently for their communities. This legislation doesn't represent the end of this journey but the next step in our shared commitment to support First Nations children and young people. They deserve more. We owe it to them. They deserve to live and grow free from violence. They deserve to live and grow safely in their own homes, on country and with their communities. They deserve to have their strengths acknowledged and celebrated. They deserve the recognition that their communities have the solutions and that they're already doing the work. And they deserve to be supported and to heal. I have to say that I'm proud to be part of a government that will work to turn these words into a lived reality. 18:58 Ms STEGGALL 175696 Warringah I rise to speak on the National Commission for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children and Young People Bill 2026. Firstly, I want to acknowledge the Ngunnawal people as the traditional custodians of the land on which we meet, and I pay respect to their elders past, present and emerging and the same to those of the Warringah region. This bill converts the existing national commission into a statutory agency and makes the national commissioner a statutory officer with legislated functions and powers to advance the rights, interests, safety, development and wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people. The bill is supported by a real financial commitment from the government—$33 million over the forward estimates and nearly $10 million ongoing. The problems the commission will address are structural and inter-generational, and they cannot be solved on a short timeframe, so I hope that that appropriate funding will continue in a meaningful way. The commission will hold genuine statutory independence. This is important. It will be given powers of inquiry, legal protection for actions taken in good faith and the ability to table documents in parliament and to co-ordinate across government on issues impacting the rights and wellbeing of young Indigenous Australians. I welcome this. The commissioner may also provide formal advice to the Commonwealth on policies, programs and services affecting those children and young people, including the commission of research. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have long been overrepresented in youth and adult justice systems in Australia. In 2023-24 First Nations young people aged 10 to 17 were about 20 times more likely than non-Indigenous young people to be under youth justice supervision on any given day. This is despite outcome 11 of the National Agreement on Closing the Gap—that First Nations must not be overrepresented in the criminal justice system. A target to reduce the number of children in detention by 30 per cent by 2030-31 is woefully out of reach at the moment. These figures are underscored by a broader overrepresentation of Indigenous Australians in the justice system among the adult population, accounting for roughly 37 per cent of people in custody, nationally. All experts indicate very clearly that, when children are caught up in the justice system from such a young age, it only leads to bad outcomes. It increases the likelihood of recidivism and ongoing engagement with the justice system, and it is failing young people, particularly young Indigenous people. It often arises out of the failure of other support systems—whether it is health, educational support or social services—around young people and their families. It's usually other systems having failed that leads us to this problem. It's been really concerning to see the rise in state and territory governments pushing for an age of criminality of 10, when the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child has made it clear that it should be raised to 14. No-one wins with a policy of engaging young offenders in the justice system. We lose the potential of so many young people, and we end up with a disproportionate cost. Unfortunately, it doesn't solve anything. The National Agreement on Closing the Gap sets out 19 socioeconomic targets across key life outcomes: health, education, employment, housing, child protection and justice. They were developed in formal partnership with the Coalition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peak Organisations. Last year's Closing the Gap annual data compilation report by the Productivity Commission showed that efforts to improve outcomes for First Nations Australians are having mixed results. Outcomes are improving for targets such as preschool enrolment and employment, but they continue to worsen for life expectancy and incarceration rates for adults and youth. This is clearly a problem area, and I hope this commission will start to make a difference. This bill is a constructive reform because it gives Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people a national champion that is structurally positioned to co-ordinate across governments, drive attention to systemic issues and insist on evidence- and rights-based public policy, but this is not going to be a fix-all. It has to be paired with a clear national commitment to raise the minimum age of criminal responsibility to at least 14, consistent with the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child's guidance as well as contemporary developmental science. The ACT has shown that such reform is possible, moving its minimum age to 14. However, most other states and territories are lagging far behind, with cruel and, I would argue, discriminatory policies in place that see a rise in youth being caught up in the justice system, rather than addressing the social and surrounding issues that lead to the problematic behaviour. We can't talk about children's rights seriously without acknowledging that Australia's protections are incredibly fragmented. We have treaty obligations under the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, but we don't have a uniform, enforceable domestic rights framework at the federal level. When this is raised, it's often said that the Criminal Code and the age of criminality refer back to state and territory jurisdictions, but legal advice has been obtained that our ratification of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child brings a responsibility and the powers, at a federal level, to ratify a minimum age of 14. That's why I've been calling for a national rights-of-the-child framework for some time, and I will continue pushing the government to do that. There is a responsibility in this place to set that national age and to override state and territory laws that are prejudicial to the rights of young people, if one thinks of our ratification of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. The bills are consistent with that direction. I welcome them because they are built on genuine consultation with Indigenous people and representative bodies such as the Human Rights Commission and SNAICC, the national peak body for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and families. A very high proportion of Indigenous young people have also had contact with child protection services. Almost two in three young people under youth justice supervision in 2022-23 had interacted with the child protection system in the previous 10-year period. If we are willing to fund a national commission, we must also be willing to reform the laws that keep failing Indigenous children nationwide. We had a very heated debate across the nation only a short time ago around what should have resulted in the proper recognition of First Australians in our Constitution. Our system is failing categorically. My community of Warringah overwhelmingly voted in favour of that recognition and continually urges me to support legislation and ways in which I can be an ally and the community of Warringah can be an ally. I welcome this legislation but urge the government to look beyond that. We have to look to the age of criminal responsibility. It must be consistent with the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and the recommendation that it be set at age 14. I commend these bills. They are a necessary national institution building step, grounded in genuine consultation with Indigenous Australians, and represent a step forward in confronting the inequities faced by Indigenous children in Australia. However, it remains clear that Australia must go much further on children's rights, including youth justice reform. 19:07 Ms WITTY 316660 Melbourne I've spoken in this House many times about my experiences as a foster carer, and it is on behalf of the children who have been in my care that I rise today to speak in strong support of the National Commission for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children and Young People Bill 2026 and the National Commission for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children and Young People (Transitional Provisions) Bill 2026. For decades, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people have been overrepresented in systems of harm and underrepresented in the decisions that shape their lives. Let me start with a silence. It belongs to a child, Mat, who learned too early how systems really work. He was Aboriginal, he was young and by the time I met him he was already carrying more than most adults ever should. He came from a home shaped by violence. His father was in prison for what he had done to his mother. For this boy, safety had never been consistent; it had been conditional, temporary and fragile. Before he came to me, he'd already had multiple foster placements not because he was a difficult child but because he was traumatised. He didn't trust easily. He tested boundaries. He pushed people away before they could leave him first. One day, after a particularly hard moment, he said something to me that I will never forget: 'I know, if I keep breaking placements, they'll have to send me back to my family eventually.' Think about that for a moment. This was the child who had learned, through systems meant to protect him, that connection had to be earned through failure; that the only way home was to be too much; and that culture, kin and belonging was something you had to break yourself to get back to. Eventually, when he left my care, he went to live with family—with his uncle, alongside his cousins. While I was glad to see him back with mob, I was left asking a hard question: why did it take so much loss for that to happen? This is why the National Commission for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children and Young People matters—because children should not have to weaponise their own pain to find belonging, because trauma should not be misread as misbehaviour, because culture, family and identity are not optional extras but protective factors and because every Aboriginal child deserves a system that sees them not as a problem to be managed but as a person to be held, safely, respectfully and in community. If we are serious about listening to children then we must be serious about building systems that hear what they are really saying, even when they don't have the words. Mat knew exactly what he needed. It's time our systems did too. These outcomes are not accidental. They are not inevitable. They are produced by systems that fragment responsibility, deflect accountability and, too often, fail to listen. This bill is about naming the failure and acting to change it. The Albanese Labor government made a clear and deliberate commitment to improve life outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people. This bill delivers on that commitment by establishing a legislated, independent and empowered national commissioner, supported by a national commission with real authority—not a symbolic role, not a temporary arrangement, but a permanent statutory body with the power to inquire, advocate, coordinate and report to parliament. As the Minister for Social Services said when introducing this bill, this legislation delivers a permanent independent statutory agency with the necessary powers to improve the lives of Indigenous children and young people today and into the future. Those words matter. Independence matters. Permanence matters. Power matter. What has been missing for far too long is a national voice focused solely on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children with the authority to expose systemic failures and the standing to demand better. The scale of the challenge before us is confronting. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children are 11 times more likely to be in out-of-home care and 27 times more likely to be in youth detention than non-Indigenous children. These are not just statistics; they are signals that something is deeply wrong. Behind every number is a child like Mat navigating instability, a family under pressure, a community absorbing loss. Behind those numbers are systems that intervene late, escalate quickly and rarely stop to ask whether they are doing more harm than good. We cannot keep managing crisis without confronting cause. We cannot keep cycling children through systems that were never designed to help them flourish. And we cannot keep calling incremental changes success while these inequalities remain entrenched. That is why the Albanese government has chosen to act. This bill is not about language; it's about leverage. It's about building structures that force acknowledgement and enable reform. The national commissioner will not replace existing services or override state and territory responsibilities, nor should they. Instead, the commissioner will do the work that no single jurisdiction can do alone. They will draw together threads. They will identify patterns of failure. They will challenge silos. They will insist that responsibility does not dissolve when it crosses a border. The commissioner will work alongside state and territory children's commissioners, guardians and advocates and alongside other Commonwealth roles, including the National Children's Commissioner and the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner. This is coordination with purpose, collaboration with intent and national leadership where fragmentation has failed At the heart of this bill is a fundamental shift in how we see children. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children are not problems to be fixed or risks to be managed. They are people with rights. The functions of the national commissioner reflect that principle—to promote the rights, interests, development, safety and wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people, to support them to speak, to be heard and to shape the decisions that affect their lives, to lift up their strengths, not just catalogue their trauma. All too often, the views of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people are not heard in the decisions that affect their lives. The commissioner will have the power to engage directly with children and young people in ways that are safe, culturally appropriate and trauma informed, to listen carefully, to hear what systems miss and to carry these voices into the heart of government decision-making. This is the point where policy meets lived experience, because the bill speaks directly to what happens when systems fail children. It speaks of what happens when care becomes transitional rather than relational. It speaks to the long consequences that follow children into adulthood when safety, stability and trust are taken away too early. Those experiences are not isolated. They echo through communities across this country. Too often, interventions happen without listening. Too often, decisions are made without cultural safety. Too often, systems measure success by process rather than by whether a child is actually safer, stronger or more secure. This bill creates the conditions for that to change. The national commissioner will have the power to conduct research, to inquire into systemic issues and to make recommendations to government. They will be able to advocate, to report to parliament and to ensure that findings are not quietly ignored. Transparency matters because reforms only happen when evidence is visible and responsibility cannot be avoided. The bill also provides the commissioner with information-gathering powers, including the ability to require responses from government agencies. These powers will ensure that, when questions are asked, governments must answer. This legislation strengthens Australia's human rights framework. The commissioner will engage with international human rights mechanisms, including the relative United Nations bodies, to ensure Australia meets its obligations to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people. This is not external scrutiny for its own sake. It's about internal discipline and about ensuring our actions match our values and our commitments are real. This bill has been shaped through extensive consultation. First Nations advocates have called for a legislated national commissioner for decades. More than 70 organisations united behind this call. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander leadership has informed the design of this legislation at every stage. The agreed minimum standard for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children commissioners is embedded in the bill. The current national commissioner, Adjunct Professor Sue-Anne Hunter, has played a central role in its development. As she has said, the statistics are grim, but our children are not statistics. They are our future, and they must be the centre of everything we do. Since the national commission was established in January 2025, we have seen what focused national leadership can deliver. The commissioner has built relationships with Indigenous community run organisations, convened national networks, advised on policy reform and developed child-safe frameworks to ensure engagement with children is respectful, safe and culturally grounded. This bill ensures that work is not temporary. It ensures it is protected, strengthened and properly resourced. The Albanese government has backed this commitment with funding to ensure the commissioner can deliver on its statutory responsibilities. This legislation also supports every Closing the Gap target relating to children and young people. Closing the Gap will not be achieved by aspiration alone. It requires accountability, it requires coordination, and it requires systems that listen to the children they serve. This bill strengthens the national framework needed to address the issues that overwhelmingly affect Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, including out-of-home care and youth detention. It will give us a mechanism to see clearly where systems are failing and to act deliberately to change them. This is not an easy bill. It does not promise quick fixes. It demands honesty, it demands follow through, and it demands that children remain at the centre of everything, even when the findings are uncomfortable. But that is what leadership looks like, and that is what the Albanese Labor government is demonstrating—a willingness to act, a willingness to build and a willingness to be held to account. When you get it right for children, everything else follows. Families are stronger, communities are safer and the nation is more just. This bill says clearly that First Nations children matter, their voices matter, their safety matters and their futures are not negotiable. It says we will no longer accept systems that harm more than they heal and that we are prepared to build the structures needed to do better, not just now but for generations to come. At its heart, this bill asks a simple question of this parliament and of every government in this country: when systems fail children, who is accountable? For too long, the answer has been unclear. Responsibility has been spread thin, passed sideways or lost between jurisdictions. Children have paid the price for the ambiguity. Families have carried the consequences. Communities have absorbed the harm. This bill changes that. It draws a clear line of responsibility. It creates a national voice that cannot be ignored—a commissioner whose job is not to manage headlines, but to tell the truth about how our systems are working and who they are working for. It says that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children are not invisible. They are central to the future of this country. This bill recognises that the measure of a nation is not how it speaks about children but how it structures power to protect them. It recognises that listening is not enough without action and that action is not enough without accountability. The Albanese Labor government is choosing to act, to build a permanent, independent institution that stands with children, listens to them and insists that governments do better. That is the spirit of this bill. It is a commitment to truth, to responsibility and to the belief that every child deserves safety, dignity and a real chance to thrive. I am proud to support this bill. I am proud of the actions taken by the Albanese government. On behalf of Mat and other kids that I've met in my care, I commend this bill to the House. 19:22 Mr GEE 261393 Calare I will be supporting this legislation, the National Commission for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children and Young People Bill 2026 and the transitional provisions bill. Almost eight per cent of Calare's residents are Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander, and I believe that the National Commission for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children and Young People can make a very important contribution to closing the gap that still, disturbingly and, quite frankly, disgracefully, exists in so many different ways in this country. When the Prime Minister announced the establishment of the national commissioner, he noted that Indigenous children are almost 11 times more likely to be in out-of-home care than non-Indigenous children. This must change. I think the establishment of the commission and the office of commissioner is squarely aimed at effecting this change. This can happen through identifying the issues, recommending solutions and ensuring that the government of the day is held to account for policy on Indigenous children and young people. We need this commission to succeed. Every year the parliament pauses to hear the annual update on Closing the Gap, and, yes, while progress is being made, last year only five of the 19 targets were on track to be met, in the modern, prosperous Australia that we live in. In 1965, Charlie Perkins and a group of young Australians got on a bus in Sydney and embarked on what became known as the Freedom Ride through western New South Wales. One of the places they stopped—in fact, I believe it was the first place they stopped—was Wellington, in our electorate of Calare. They went to Nanima Mission, now called Nanima village, and saw what were, in effect, shanty houses with earth floors and no running water. They saw discrimination—effectively apartheid—in the Australia of 1965. There was segregation in the cinemas, with separate seating for Indigenous Australians and a separate entry and exit as well. There was segregation in the hospital. Indigenous women were not allowed the same maternity services that non-Indigenous women were provided and could not have their children inside the hospital. I've heard accounts of being out on the verandah or even in a shed out the back. There was segregation at the pubs. There were pubs that would not allow Indigenous Australians to enter. Interestingly enough, I spoke to one of our local Indigenous representatives, who was a member of the Australian Army, and he told me that, even as late as the 1980s, when he and his mates came through Cowra in their army uniforms and stopped at a pub for a drink, he was refused entry. It's hard to believe but it happened. We've made significant progress on closing the gap since 1965, but the gap continues. It's still there. Reconciliation in this country is not complete and the work of the Freedom Riders in this country is not complete. The detention rate of young Indigenous Australians is 21 times higher than non-Indigenous young people. Sixty per cent of young people in detention are First Nations, which is three in five of those that are incarcerated. So this bill can be a very important driver of change, and that's why I'm supporting it. I've listened to what the opposition has said about this bill and I'm very disappointed by the negativity in their response. They criticise this bill, but they put forward no meaningful policies of their own. Perhaps that is to be expected, because quite frankly their performance over recent weeks almost amounts to an abrogation of their responsibilities as an opposition. They're totally self-absorbed in their own vainglorious grandstanding rather than coming up with meaningful policies that move this country forward. As I've said, there is still a lot of work to be done on moving reconciliation forward in this country. But, as I've said, this commission can be a very important step along that long and winding journey that this country is taking. So I would commend this legislation to the House and I would encourage the opposition to start taking a more constructive approach to not only Indigenous issues but many other issues that are affecting this country rather than focusing on themselves, which quite frankly is not resonating with the Australian people. They see through what you're doing and they are appalled by it. I commend this legislation to the House. 19:28 Ms AMBIHAIPAHAR 315618 Barton I rise tonight to speak in strong support of the National Commission for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children and Young People Bill 2026. This bill is about responsibility. It's about the responsibility to children who have been let down by systems designed without them in mind, the responsibility to communities who have been calling for change for decades and the responsibility to future generations to do better than we have done before. This legislation reflects a clear intention of this Albanese Labor government to place the rights, voices and lived experiences of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people where they belong: in the centre of the national decision-making. For way too long, policies affecting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children have been reactive, fragmented and short term. Too often, the response has been crisis management rather than prevention and control rather than care. This bill is a shift to that approach. It establishes a permanent, independent national body with the authority, reach and focus to drive lasting, systemic improvement. The reality facing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people across Australia is stark and persistent. Debate interrupted. ADJOURNMENT 71 ADJOURNMENT Migration 71 19:30 Mr JOYCE e5d New England I wished to speak on today's matter of public importance, but I unfortunately missed out. I would take issue with the member for Wentworth's statement, which was: I think we need to build a modern version of the Australian story, because we have this Gallipoli myth about who we were back in 1914. I'll start by saying that the 'Gallipoli myth' is not a myth; it is one of the fundamental parts of what is Australia. It is part of our iconography. It is something that we hold so firmly because it identifies Australians at their very best. What we should be doing is attaching where Australia is now to that Gallipoli ethos more than what we saw with the disgusting behaviour of Grace Tame, who was apparently Australian of the Year. I don't dispute for one second the trials of her life, but that does not give her licence to go out and carpet the rest of Australia from the front of the town hall. She's brought the award into disrepute. She should hand it back if that is her belief about Australia. If not, the National Australia Day Council should explain why she should keep it. If you were to go out and promote the intifada in the form of—I don't know what you would call it—an abrasive, piercing caterwaul, the approach of inspiring that violence would absolutely be to the detriment of Australians of the Jewish faith. It would bring about friction, which would inevitably lead to further deaths. A person who does that needs to be called to account, no matter what former laurels they may have attained or what former life experiences they may have had. I do not believe in multiculturalism. I believe in an Australian culture. I believe in an Australian culture that is formed by legacy, heritage issues, such as Gallipoli. I believe in some of the heritage issues that have been given to us by the Aboriginal people. I believe in an Australian culture. I don't believe you can have this amorphous mass of multiple cultural perspectives on how we should be Australian, because inevitably it leads to Balkanisation, it leads to friction and it leads to death. I believe that we have to clearly understand that, when you come to Australia, there is most definitely a contract. When you come to Australia, you are a representation of whence you came. If you come to Australia, you have a responsibility to not be in the crime pages or on social security, because then you are not an asset to the nation; you are a burden to the nation. When you come to Australia, you have to act in such a way as to give good representation of other people from your part of the world, who you may also wish to come to this nation. It is not an issue of colour, creed or geography. It is a representation of actions and how you act in this nation. We have to say the things that in the past would've been called 'politically incorrect'. We have to become strong. We have to understand that the circumstances of how Australia is have unfortunately and tragically changed. And if we are to be resolute in changing Australia back to something that is an adornment and a respect of the Gallipoli legacy and heritage, then we cannot do it by demonstrations in the middle of Sydney, completely at odds with court orders and the directions of the police, without an Australian flag in sight, that laud a form of aggression and antagonism that is nothing but the demise of this great nation of Australia. Jagajaga Electorate: Australia Day Honours and Awards, Geary, Mr Mick 72 19:35 Ms THWAITES 282212 Jagajaga My community of Jagajaga is home to some truly remarkable people. It is a place shaped by volunteers, health professionals, educators, advocates and community leaders. These are people who quietly and consistently give their time and expertise to make life better for others. Each year our community is proud to see locals from Jagajaga recognised in the Australia Day Honours, and it's a privilege to acknowledge these individuals in this parliament. They do deserve to be recognised nationally. This year, Marcus Wigan AM has been awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia for his significant service to engineering, road safety and tertiary education. Marcus is someone I interact with frequently who takes a strong interest in policy, and I always appreciate our discussions. Jeffrey Borland AO has been appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia for his distinguished service to business as a labour market economist, to tertiary education, to microeconomic research and to public policy development. Ann Congleton PSM has been awarded the Public Service Medal for outstanding public service in policy and service design, corporate resources management and operational service delivery. I had the pleasure of working with Ann at what was then the Victorian Department of Health and Human Services, and I know firsthand the care she has for our communities and people who need support. Our congratulations to all our recipients. Your commitment, leadership and service are inspiring, and your work does make a real difference to our community and to our country. I also want to acknowledge the many people in Jagajaga whose contributions do not come with formal recognition but are very important. We have people who are volunteering and people who through their vocations help to strengthen the fabric of our community every day. I am looking forward to recognising many more of these efforts at my annual Jagajaga Volunteer Awards in March. I also support broader efforts for us to continue to make sure women are represented in our national awards as well, and I am hoping to increase the number of women in Jagajaga who are recognised every year. I also take this opportunity to recognise an extraordinary community leader who's contributed so much in Jagajaga, particularly to the Heidelberg West and 3081 community. After many years of dedicated service, Mick Geary is farewelling his role as Executive Director of Strategy and Impact at Holstep Health as he takes up a new role with Anglicare Victoria. Mick began his journey with Banyule Community Health, which is now Holstep Health. He began working in youth homelessness before progressing into senior leadership and serving as the CEO for eight years. Throughout this time, Mick's leadership, his vision and his steady stewardship have been instrumental. He had a pivotal role in guiding the successful merger with Merri Health to secure a stronger future for our local community health services, and I congratulate him and all involved on that. Mick's connections to our community health service and to the people it serves run deep. I know him as a leader of integrity, humility and compassion, with a genuine care for people and communities at the heart of everything he does. His advocacy for the 3081 community has made a lasting difference, and I know his impact will continue to be felt. You only had to walk into the Banyule Community Health building in Heidelberg West to see how Mick was greeted by everyone, how Mick knew everyone and how he knew what was going. He took time and care to invest in people's individual issues and concerns as well as community issues and concerns. Mick has been a valued colleague and a friend to me, to my predecessor in this House and, I know, to my state colleagues. I do want to thank him for his extraordinary contribution. I want to wish him every success and fulfilment as he begins the next stage of his work in service to the community. I know that his contribution in our community isn't done, but we will miss having him in this particular role at Holstep Health. I will miss walking into the building and seeing him, but I look forward to seeing what he achieves next and to continuing to work together for good outcomes for our community in the north-east of Melbourne. Day, Mr Ali, Surf Lifesaving 73 19:39 Ms BELL 282981 Moncrieff The Gold Coast is home to some of our nation's most extraordinary athletes, and I rise to acknowledge and celebrate the incredible career and retirement of one of Australia's greatest surf lifesaving athletes and legends, Ironman champion Ali Day. Ali Day's career stands as one of the most dominant and respected in the history of Ironman racing. Over more than a decade at the elite level, he did not simply compete; he set the standard. His achievements include multiple Australian Ironman championships, Coolangatta Gold victories and national series titles that place him firmly among the legends of sport. But statistics alone do not capture Ali Day's contribution. Raised in a family deeply connected to surf lifesaving, Ali brought to the sport a profound respect for the ocean, for competition and for the values that underpin surf lifesaving in Australia—discipline, service, resilience and mateship. These values were evident every time he stepped onto the beach. In a sport defined by endurance and adversity, Ali Day distinguished himself through consistency and professionalism, year after year—I think it was 11. Across changing conditions and fierce competition, he performed at the highest level. He raced hard, he raced fair, and he conducted himself with humility in victory and grace in defeat. He forced others to lift their standards, sharpen their preparation and push beyond what they thought was possible. In doing so, he elevated the entire sport. Importantly, Ali's influence extended well beyond the course. To young athletes watching from the shoreline, he became a role model. He was proof that excellence is earned through commitment, sacrifice and persistence, and his career showed that greatness is built in early mornings, long sessions and quiet determination. As the federal member for Moncrieff, I'm particularly proud of Ali Day's connection to our coastal communities. Surf lifesaving is woven into the fabric of the Gold Coast and coastal Australia. It represents service, safety and community spirit. Ali Day has embodied those principles throughout his career, and he's represented Australian sport with distinction both at home and on the world stage. Retirement marks the close of an extraordinary competitive chapter, but Ali Day's legacy will endure. It will be felt in the next generation of ironmen and ironwomen, in the culture of excellence he helped to shape and in the continued strength of Australian surf lifesaving. On behalf of the parliament and on behalf of the people of Moncrieff, I thank Ali Day for his outstanding service to Australian sport. I congratulate him on a remarkable career and wish him every success in the next chapter of his life. I congratulate the Surfers Paradise Surf Lifesaving Club—101 years old this year—on their homegrown champ. Surf lifesaving began as a volunteer movement to keep Australians safe at the beach and has evolved into a world-class sporting pathway—one that produces elite athletes, inspires community participation and strengthens our national identity. The Gold Coast is the beating heart of surf lifesaving as a sport. Its beaches host some of the country's most iconic carnivals and events, attracting athletes from across Australia and from around the world. From Nippers to open competitors, surf lifesaving provides a clear, life-long pathway that combines athletic excellence with community service. Athletes are not only competitors; they are trained lifesavers who protect our beaches and save lives. As a sport, surf lifesaving demands extraordinary versatility. Competitors must master swimming, board paddling, surf ski and running, often in unpredictable and challenging ocean conditions. It tests endurance, strength, tactical intelligence and mental resilience in ways few sports can match. The professionalism, broadcast appeal and global reach of elite ironman and ironwoman racing demonstrate that surf lifesaving has matured into a highly competitive, spectator-friendly sport. These qualities make surf lifesaving an ideal candidate for inclusion in the Brisbane 2032 Olympic Games. It is uniquely Australian. Coastal nations across the world already participate in international surf lifesaving competitions. Olympic inclusion would accelerate global growth, participation and safety outcomes, and surf lifesaving aligns perfectly with the Olympic spirit. It would showcase the Gold Coast's natural arena and leave a lasting legacy of increased beach safety. It's a national asset worthy of the world's biggest sporting stage—just like Ali Day. Tasmania: Arts and Culture 73 19:45 Ms TEESDALE 314526 Bass In a world where many of us are feeling increasingly lost, overwhelmed or disheartened, I want to take a moment this evening to reflect on something that has brought real joy, connection and hope to my local community. Over the past three weekends, I've had the absolute pleasure of seeing firsthand how music brings people together—how it creates happiness, builds memories and reminds us of our shared humanity. In those moments, standing among thousands of people, you can feel the weight lift—even if just for a little while. Without a doubt, Northern Tasmania has absolutely been the best place to be over the past month. It began with a one-off world-class performance by the Foo Fighters, supported by local and Australian artists, drawing people from across the state and beyond. The following weekend saw Festivale light up Launceston, with an incredible line-up featuring artists such as Thelma Plum, Jess Mauboy, Boy and Bear, British India and Grinspoon. Just this past weekend, Party in the Paddock delivered yet another epic celebration of live music headlined by major national and international acts alongside many of Tasmania's own artists. On top of that, Music in the Park continues each Sunday in Launceston, giving families and friends a space to gather, unwind and ease into the week ahead. These events do not happen by accident. We've all heard how challenging it is and how hard it has become to run major events in a post-COVID world. Rising costs, logistical hurdles and uncertainty have made it harder than ever for organisers, artists and crews to keep live music alive. Governments at all levels have stepped in to support the arts sector—not always in the same way or for the same events, but with a shared understanding that these moments matter. The federal government provided $200,000 to Party in the Paddock to ensure accessibility was done properly so that people of all abilities could enjoy the event. I've also been told repeatedly how critical the Revive Live grants have been in helping our arts and music industry stay afloat during some of the most challenging times it has ever faced. This support isn't just about keeping events on a calendar; it is about what these moments create. Economically, the impact on Northern Tasmania has been undeniable. Accommodation has sold out. Restaurants, cafes and local producers have seen increased demand. Tourists have not just visited but stayed, explored and invested in our local community. These events have supported jobs, small businesses and regional growth. Culturally, they've also sent a powerful message, particularly to young Tasmanians—that a career in music and the arts is still tough but possible, and that creative talent does not have to leave the state to be recognised or valued. At Party in the Paddock alone, around half the artists in the line-up were Tasmanian. That matters. It shows confidence in local talent and creates pathways for the next generation of musicians, technicians and creatives. Socially, the benefits are harder to measure but just as important. Over the past few weeks I have seen strangers become friends, old mates reconnect, families dance together and communities share moments of laughter and joy. At a time when isolation and disconnection are common, these experiences remind us that we belong to something bigger. I take this opportunity to thank Tasmania's arts community. It is a small but deeply passionate group of people who often seem to wear two, three or sometimes even more hats across multiple organisations. They do it not for recognition but because they believe in the power of art, music and storytelling to bring people together. And let me say this clearly: we punch well above our weight in Tasmania when it comes to the arts. To our musicians, event organisers, volunteers, technicians and creatives: I want you to know that I see you, I value the work you do and I recognise the commitment you show—often behind the scenes, often unpaid—and the enormous contribution you make to our community in bringing our community together. To Tasmania's art community: I back you. Thank you for what you give, and thank you for the joy you bring to so many. Cost of Living 74 19:49 Mr WALLACE 265967 Fisher Australians are doing it tough, right now, and, beyond this chamber, families and small businesses are under immense pressure, with little relief in sight. Make no mistake: this is Labor's cost-of-living crisis. When they spend, prices rise and Australians pay. This is not theory or modelling. It is in the weekly shop. It's in the power bill. It's in their rent and the mortgage that they pay. It shows up in inflation, which is now at 3.8 per cent—and that came over Christmas, at the worst possible time for households that are already overstretched. Under the coalition, inflation averaged over just two per cent. Under Labor, Australians are paying almost double that. And they feel it every single day. Australians are paying more for everything that matters. Insurance is up nearly 40 per cent. Energy prices are up nearly 40 per cent. Rents are up more than 20 per cent. Health, education and food costs are all sharply higher. These are not luxuries; these are basic essentials. Housing and rent are now major drivers of inflation, because Labor's housing and migration settings have pushed demand higher while supply falls further behind. Economists have been blunt: government spending is now at its highest level, outside a recession, in almost 40 years, and they say that it's fuelling inflation and the fiscal guardrails have come off from this government. That is reckless and it's unsustainable. Mortgage holders already know the cost of the government's failure. The average Australian family, in average suburbia, with an average mortgage on an average home, is now paying more than $23,000 a year more in interest than they were when the coalition was in government. That $23,000 is after tax—after tax! Every minute, Australia pays around $50,000 just in interest on Labor's debt. That is money not going to Medicare, schools, roads or tax relief. This government talks about helping families but their actions tell a different story, driving up prices and keeping interest rates higher for longer. Nowhere is this pressure felt more sharply than in small and family businesses—including in my electorate of Fisher, which is the small business capital of this country. What many people in this place don't realise is that, if Australians are failing to cope, just in making their interest payments on their home, think of the poor old small-business owner. Not only does he or she, usually, have to pay their mortgage repayments, but they've also got a debt for their business. Now, whether it be a franchise, like a mowing franchise, or whether they be carpenters, bricklayers or dentists, they all—or many of them—are carrying overdrafts. And, if you think that the interest rate on your home mortgage is high, wait till you have a small business loan. So they're copping it in the neck both at home and in their businesses. Small businesses are the engine room of our economy. And you know what, Mr Speaker? Do you know Labor's idea of how you create a small business? Start with a big one! Start with a big one, and, ultimately, you'll end up with a small one, because this government consistently has its foot on the neck of small businesses, because small businesses are constantly under pressure, with all of the red tape that they have to comply with. They work all day and then, when they go home at night, all they do is paperwork and government-regulation work. They are unpaid tax collectors, as my dear old dad used to say—God bless him—as someone who worked in his own business for 70-odd years. There are Australians who are doing it tough all over this country because they are in small business. Well, we've got your back. The coalition has your back. (Time expired) Australian Society 75 19:55 Mr WATTS 193430 Gellibrand I know from conversations in my community that many Australians are increasingly disturbed about the way that our country is being portrayed on social media and in the mainstream media. If you believe the news or your news feed, you'd think our country was defined by polarisation and division, but this is not the reality that the vast majority of Australians are living in their day-to-day lives. There are certainly groups of Australians with a whole range of motivations who now seek conflict with their fellow Australians instead of connection, people who are quick to condemn others and slow to listen and change themselves. Social media platforms make money by training users to fight each other. They trick people into thinking that their differences are bigger than the things that unite us. While conflict has always been more likely to get a run on TV or in the papers than a good news story, a number of media outlets are now chasing financial viability by pursuing outrage as a business model. But, in our schools and in our workplaces, in our faith groups and in our sporting clubs—in our broader community—the overwhelming majority of Australians are proud of the country that modern Australia has become and thankful to live in the greatest country on earth. As the Prime Minister has said, we need to turn the temperature down in this country, and when disagreements inevitably arise we need to engage in those disagreements respectfully. This is important. It's also particularly important in this context that we take the threat of violent extremism seriously and vigorously pursue the small numbers of extremists who have fallen into the rabbit hole of radicalisation. But I also think that it's important in the current climate to spend time cultivating the things that we have in common as Australians. Australia is more than a nation of difference respecters. We're a nation bonded by shared identity and values, bonded by what one of our greatest authors, David Malouf, described as a community of experience or our common response to place, to land and to landscape in all its diverse forms over the continent, to the events that we call history, to the institutions that determine our relations to one another and through which we try to make a good and just society. Being Australian is about the ideas, values, customs, norms and behaviours that we share as a people and the stories and art that we value as expressions of this shared culture. Australian identity is an imagined community, an idea of what we have in common that we build together. Artists, authors, athletes, politicians, faith leaders, community leaders and volunteers, all Australians, build this together. Australian values—egalitarianism, a sense of humour, a love for nature and the great outdoors—aren't a cliché or empty rhetoric. They are lived every day in our communities, and they set our country apart in the world. We recognise them. We celebrate them. We feel connected when we see them embodied in other Australians. My electorate is one of the most diverse in Australia, and I see Australians with heritages connected to every corner on earth embracing these values every day. I love modern Australia, and I'm proud of it. I love that we're home to the world's oldest continuous culture on earth and share in its deep knowledge of our country. I love that we're home to one of the oldest democracies on earth buttressed by the AEC and democracy sausages. I love the incredible diversity of our achievement. I love our K-pop stars; our African Australian track athletes; our armies of NIDA educated Hollywood stars; our favourite team, the Tillies; and our tech entrepreneurs building world-leading companies. I love Pat Cummins's seam and Alana King's drift. I love that in modern Australia we respond to bushfires in hard hats, Akubras and turbans side by side, looking out for people in need. I love that a Japanese bloke can spend two years walking across this country with a wheelbarrow safely and Australians of every conceivable background will go out of their way to look after him—Catman powered by Australia. I even love this parliament—a place where every sitting week Jews and Muslims play basketball with atheists and Christians under gumtrees just outside this building; a place where our PM grew up in public housing with a single mum and found a father figure in Tom Uren, one of Dunlop's thousand, perhaps the greatest ever embodiment of Australia's values. What an extraordinary country it is that could produce all of this. We've built something special here in Australia, something better. Together, we've built a nation that isn't perfect. It's an ongoing project, and it's getting better over the long arc of history. We've made terrible mistakes as a country in the past, but we've not allowed ourselves to be defined by them or trapped by them. What a miracle it is that a country that federated in the cause of a white Australia policy became the most successful multicultural nation on earth. This is the real story of Australia, not the small numbers of people shouting at each other on the streets or on social media. House adjourned at 20 : 00 NOTICES 76 NOTICES Presentation 76

Tuesday, 10 February 2026

The DEPUTY SPEAKER ( Ms Lawrence ) took the chair at 12:30.

 

GRIEVANCE DEBATE 78 GRIEVANCE DEBATE Trust in Government 78 12:30 Ms SPENDER 286042 Wentworth I'd like to talk today about trust and how to build it, particularly trust in government. The ANU Australian Election Study recently found that only one in three Australians believe that people in government can be trusted to do the right thing. That is damning for all of us and something we desperately need to address. Also we're increasingly seeing a majority of Australians having a moderate or high grievance against government, business or the rich. And 64 per cent of Australians worry that government leaders purposely mislead people by saying things they know are false or gross exaggerations. Finally, only 17 per cent believe that the next generation will be better off. We in this building should be worried about all these statistics. We do have a problem. The Prime Minister, early in his term, said that he did want to improve trust in government. He said, 'I don't expect to make Australians fall in love with question time, but I do want more people to have greater faith in the integrity of our parliament and its representatives.' That's a laudable aim, but my concern is that the government, particularly the Prime Minister, is not taking the steps required to build the trust that we need in institutions. I could use the next eight minutes and a half to have a go at the Prime Minister. But what I'm trying to do, and more interested in doing first, is outlining where I believe that trust can be built—how we can build back. We can complain about the government of the day, or we can actually try to lead by showing where we should develop these areas. There are five key areas that I believe we must work on to increase trust in our government and our institutions. These are around (1) transparency, (2) accountability, (3) strengthening our institutions, (4) delivering what we said we would and, finally, (5) the community and how they can be put back in the heart of government. Let me start with transparency. One of the things that surprised me, coming into parliament, was that the Public Service, or the work they do in the departments, was not accessible to me as a member of the House of Representatives. I'd thought that I would be able to talk to departmental people and see all the reports they write for the government. But no, because the Public Service is there to serve the government, and the government chooses what it releases and what it doesn't. Particularly, it makes that choice through things like the FOI restrictions that are currently placed on the release of documents. So my question is: how can we build transparency so that, as a member of parliament and, frankly, as a citizen you have access to what is going on in government? You can understand what recommendations are being made and what opportunities are being considered. People say that sunshine is the best disinfectant. I believe strongly that if you can increase transparency you can increase trust in government. There are things that the government and parts of this country do already—things like releasing ministerial diaries so that people don't feel that perhaps government are meeting with lobbyists more than they're meeting with citizens. I was speaking to a former leader in one of the states of this country and they said to me that actually releasing ministerial diaries made them aware of how much lobbying was going on by a particular group on a particular issue. We could make sure there's much more transparency about who's sponsoring lobbyists. Those are some of the things that could be really important. But I think it really goes to an attitudinal shift in transparency, perhaps like Audrey Tang in Taiwan, who I will quote a number of times in this debate. In Taiwan they have really pushed for radical transparency. I believe I'd be very excited to have a government where so much of what government does is released—where it's released by the rule rather than the exception. Instead, what we have in this government at the moment is that FOI requests disclosed in full have plummeted from 59 per cent in 2011 to just 21 per cent in 2023 and 2024, and refusals have doubled. First, change the attitude, change the FOI rules, change the laws around ministerial diaries and lobbyists, and go for radical transparency to build trust with the Australian people. Second is accountability. One of the things that I have said from the very start is: answer people's questions. That's what people expect from you. During question time, we spend over an hour every single day that parliament sits feeling like we are watching the government—in the main, not in all situations—skirt around questions through the cover of relevance, even though they're not answering a question, which sometimes is as simple as yes or no. If you want to build accountability, if you want to build trust then start by answering the questions and take them further. Be accountable to the weaknesses and the strengths of the things that you have brought in and recommended. Make sure that your projects are assessed. Before policies are put forward, give some KPIs, give some costings and then, three years later or however long it takes, come back, assess the project and the policy against its KPIs and its costings. That's what you do in business. That's about building accountability for the outcomes that you said you're going to achieve. If government is clear on what it's going to achieve and not afraid of assessing whether or not it has actually achieved that in a policy, then we will have better public debate. And frankly, I believe we will have better policies. Right now, we can't even get this government to be accountable to the things that it sets up. When there are big issues, sometimes people ask for reports by committee inquiries. The government has commissioned tens of these committee inquiries. It has responded so far to four committee inquiries within six months, which is what it's meant to do. It has 55 reports that are outstanding beyond the six-month mark. That is where the government could build trust—by building accountability. Third is institutions, and that is not only about building the strength of our parliament and ensuring competition in our parliament but also about making sure that people have trust in other institutions such as our courts and the Public Service. For a time, particularly when I was growing up, public servants were seen as providing frank and fearless advice. They contradicted ministers publicly about some of their interpretations or their work. They were brave because they were there to represent the public. Now public servants have become more the servants of the government as opposed to the servants of the people. How could you increase the transparency and openness of public servants to criticise, to share the information that they're putting forward to government? Again, you would build trust. If you can handle a criticism, you build trust. Australians really recognise this. In terms of competition in the parliament, make sure you have the rules that allow competition. Instead, last year the Labor government with the coalition passed rules to make it harder for Independents and minor parties to be successful in elections. That doesn't build trust; take those back. Access to institutions, the courts and those other institutions, should be free and fast. Only 42 per cent of Administrative Review Tribunal cases are resolved within 12 months. That's not a strength of institution, that is not justice delivered and that doesn't build trust. Deal with that. Fourth is delivering, because, ultimately, people trust people who do what they say they're going to do, and that applies to governments as well. We haven't seen quality or accountability from governments in the delivery of better outcomes for people. Make sure that people feel like the services that they're paying for are actually delivering better results; that will ultimately build trust. Finally, I'm going to talk about community. Audrey Tang, a person who has really driven enormous change in trust in Taiwan, said: We recovered from the trust crisis not by asking people to trust the government, but by encouraging public services to trust the people. And that comes down to community. Who are you asking? Who are you engaging? How is government listening and responding to the concerns of the community? Are there different and exciting ways that people around the world are doing this? Citizens' assemblies—a recent poll found that actually almost 50 per cent of Australians are open to citizens' assemblies to deal with possibly difficult issues. Maybe, at a certain level, if you have enough people—in some countries, if you have enough people to sign a petition, the government has to respond. That is, I think, a way that government can be accountable. When you do reviews and these parliamentary inquiries, how do we get everyday people, not just people with vested interests, to engage in these things? There are innovative ways to do this online. We have never actually had a world where it would be easier for us to engage the community and citizens in these things. This really comes back to the final point: trust matters. The strength of the Australian democracy, of our economy, of our institutions, depends on trust. It is eroding, and there are ways that we can deal with it. It is about transparency, accountability, institutions, delivery and community, and it is time this government took those properly into account. Education 79 12:40 Ms MILLER-FROST 296272 Boothby In my first speech in this place I talked about my grandparents living in poverty in Northern Ireland, and how they knew that education was the key to make sure that never happened to their children—my mother and her siblings. They knew that education was the key to being able to take advantage of opportunities. It was the key to being able to get ahead and have more options for a career. It was the key to being able to look after your family. I was lucky enough to be born into a family that valued education and valued education for girls, and I was lucky that my family decided to migrate to Australia when I was very young. My entire education has been here in this country, a country where public education was available and affordable, a country where tertiary education is also subsidised. My life would be very different if I had not been able to access education. Education is such a key indicator for the rest of your life. In public health there are some key statistics that link educational attainment with health outcomes. Educating women and girls is the most effective way to positively influence the health of the next generation and, at a community or country level, population-wide education is the key to having a highly skilled workforce driving innovation. Education is the most powerful investment a government can make in the future of our nation. That is why the Albanese government's commitment to fully fund public schools matters so deeply. It's not an abstract policy position. It's a statement about who we are, what we value and whose side we're on, and it will benefit every single one of us, whether we have children at school or not. Good-quality, accessible and affordable education at a country-wide level is an investment in the future of the country. It's an investment in the economy and an investment in current and future workforces. The 2011 review into school funding conducted by David Gonski stressed the need for an equitable school-funding system, one that ensures that differences in educational outcomes are not the result of wealth, income, power, possessions or postcode. The review was established to develop a funding system for Australian schooling which is transparent, fair, financially sustainable and effective in promoting excellent outcomes for all Australian students. Every Australian child should have access to education and access to opportunity. Talent and ability isn't concentrated in certain groups by virtue of postcode, income level or wealth. Now, over a decade later, public schools are finally on the pathway to full and fair equitable funding thanks to the Albanese Labor government. The Better and Fairer Schools Agreement is a 10-year agreement developed in collaboration with state and territory governments. It represents an extra $16.5 billion over the next decade, and an extra $49 billion in investment over the decade after that. In South Australia it means more that $1 billion in additional funding for public schools across the state. It is the biggest new investment in public schools by an Australian government ever. Importantly, this investment is tied to real and practical reforms like phonics checks and numeracy checks, evidence-based teaching, and catch-up tutoring for kids who need additional support. Ultimately, the success of education is seen in the outcomes for the children and young people using the education system. This funding will help to make sure students across the country catch up, keep up and finish school. Around two-thirds of Australian students attend public schools, but they also educate the majority of students who have other challenges in their lives. Public schools educate the overwhelming majority of children from low-income households, from regional and remote communities, and from migrant and refugee backgrounds. Yet, for too long, public schools have been asked to do more with less. Under previous arrangements, many public schools never reached their full funding entitlement under the Schooling Resource Standard. The consequence of that failure has been felt in overcrowded classrooms, stretched specialist services and teachers working long hours just to meet the basic needs of their students. Labor is changing that. We are committed to full and fair funding for every public school. Need—not postcode, not parental income—must determine the level of support a child receives. The additional funding will mean more teachers in classrooms, reducing class sizes and giving students the attention they deserve. It will mean additional learning supports for students with disability. It will mean targeted funding for literacy and numeracy intervention, mental health support, and wellbeing programs that recognise the whole child, not just their test results. It will mean properly supporting schools in regional and remote communities, where staffing pressures are real and resources must stretch further. And it means backing schools in suburbs where disadvantage too often compounds across generations. Fully funding public schools is also about respecting teachers and education workers. Teachers do not enter the profession to struggle against systemic underfunding. They enter it to teach, to inspire and to change lives. Labor's approach recognises that, when we invest in schools, we are investing in the professionals who make those schools work. Ultimately, we are investing in our next generation of Australians. This is not about ideology, it's about evidence. Every credible education review has shown that needs based funding works. It lifts outcomes for students who are falling behind without dragging down those who are already doing well. It strengthens equity and improves overall performance. Equity in education is not about lowering standards, it's about lifting everyone. On this side, we know that education is the foundation of economic participation, social cohesion and opportunity. We know that a child's future should not be shaped by their parents' income, the suburb they grow up in or whether their school can afford specialist staff. Labor believes that public education is the backbone of a fair society and that a strong public system benefits everyone, not just those who use it directly. Fully funding public schools is how we break cycles of disadvantage. It's how we give every child a genuine chance to succeed, and it's how we ensure Australia has a skilled, confident and capable workforce for the future. I recently met with some of the outstanding public school students in my electorate to talk about social media and hear about the amazing opportunities being afforded them by good-quality public education. Lachlan Pfitzner was the dux at Unley High School in 2025, and it was lovely to see him recently awarded Young Citizen of the Year by Mitcham Council for his work strengthening student voice and leading charity fundraisers, including for access to period products. He also helped establish a native garden featuring locally endemic plants and co-organised the inaugural Yarapurla Cup interschool sports competition with three other local public schools: Urrbrae Agricultural High School, Blackwood High School and Mitcham Girls High School. Lachlan's passion for service extends beyond the school gates through his volunteering with Friends of Belair National Park and St John Ambulance SA, where he's represented South Australia at a national level. Mitcham Council said of Lachlan: Leadership doesn't always look loud. Sometimes it looks like listening, noticing what's missing, and stepping up to make positive change. One of the other students I met with was Felicity Cox. Unley High School is one of those rare public schools that's lucky enough to have a rowing program—not a common experience in public schools in Adelaide. Felicity's mother, Michelle Cox, says: The Unley Rowing program has changed my children's lives. I don't know what we would have done without it. We are so grateful that they've had the opportunity to learn all the life skills rowing teaches them. A sentiment I've heard from many of the families with children who row, so proud of how the Unley students conduct and manage themselves and their racing. Felicity's exciting news is that she is off to Ohio State University on a scholarship, where she will row for four years while earning an engineering degree and living her dream. She'll begin in August 2026, and she'll continue to row for the South Australian state team until then. It all started with Unley High—a public school and the alma mater of Julia Gillard, former PM; Mark Butler, Minister for Health and Ageing; Amanda Rishworth, Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations; and many, many others. These two students are just two of the young Australians who have benefited from an excellent public education. We want that experience to be available for every Australian child, no matter their postcode and no matter their parents' income. When we fully fund public schools, we invest not just in education but in opportunity, fairness, hope and a better future for our country. Cost of Living, Berowra Electorate: Infrastructure, Australia Post 81 12:50 Mr LEESER 109556 Berowra As we enter the year 2026 and students go back to school and parents return to work, one thing is constantly discussed with me across my electorate and that is how much harder life has got under this Labor government and how much more expensive it is. As we know, when Labor spends, you pay. Across my electorate, families are working harder just to afford the basic essentials as costs go up and up under this government. Insurance costs are up 38 per cent, energy bills are up 38 per cent, rent is up 22 per cent and health is up 18 per cent. In my shadow portfolio, education, the cost since Labor came to government is up 17 per cent. It's up 5.4 per cent this year, well above the broader inflation figure of 3.8 per cent. Child care is up 11.2 per cent. Grocery prices across the board are up 16 per cent. These figures are shocking and they have real impacts on families and family budgets. A local in Waitara recently wrote to me saying their apartment strata fees have more than doubled in two years. Their council charges and water and electricity costs have gone up as well. What we're seeing now in my electorate is families having to make very difficult decisions as the school year starts and the club sport year starts. Do they buy their child school shoes or do they register them at the local sporting club to play a winter sport? This is Berowra. This isn't one of the most economically strong areas of our country, nor is it one of the most economically challenged areas. It is a Middle Australian area. If families are struggling in my community, they're struggling so much more in other places. Not only has Labor's management of the economy made people's lives more difficult; Labor's failure to properly invest in infrastructure is also having a very deleterious effect on people in my community. New Line Road is the worst bottleneck in my community. It connects Pennant Hills and Pennant Hills Road through Cherrybrook up to Dural and up and out to the semi-rural part of my electorate. For 50 years, people have been waiting for New Line Road to be widened. My in-laws built their dream home there in the early 1980s and were told that the widening of New Line Road was some six months away. Well, people are still waiting today. When I first became the member for Berowra, I secured $10 million for the planning for the widening of the road. New Line Road is a state road, but sometimes when the federal government puts money on the table it pushes the state into action—and, indeed, it did. The state government matched that money. This was a Liberal state government. Then, in its last budget, the Perrottet government, with Matt Kean as Treasurer, committed $77 million for the widening of New Line Road between Hastings Road and Purchase Road, the main bottleneck. But, when the Minns government came to office, they shelved the project. They shelved the project that our community has been waiting half a century to bring about. We're fed up with it. It's why I've started a petition to put pressure on the Minns government—and the Albanese government, if the Minns government won't find the funds—to widen this very important road and improve the bottleneck. It's so important that New Line Road is widened, particularly as the state government has announced plans to insert an extra 9,500 dwellings around the Cherrybrook metro. How can you put more dwellings around a metro where the road infrastructure already is not keeping up? It's vital that before a sod is turned in Cherrybrook for the metro redevelopment that important infrastructure upgrades, like the widening of New Line Road, occur. Otherwise, the quality of life of people in our community will just continue to decline. People have waited long enough. It's time for action. We are going to continue to put the pressure, as I have done right across my last decade in parliament, on the state government to do its job and the Albanese government to back them in to fund the important widening of this road that not only affects the suburbs I mentioned but is a bottleneck for people in Kenthurst and Annangrove and the suburbs in the neighbouring electorates, which are undergoing their own redevelopments and their own increases in density and population. There is nothing wrong with building more homes. I obviously support the idea of more Australians buying a home in my community, but we cannot build more homes when the infrastructure for existing homes is already failing. New Line Road's widening is a must, and I urge everyone to sign my petition and to amplify the voice of our community to ensure that the Minns government and the Albanese government hear what we need to do to improve the situation across those suburbs. At the redistribution just before the last election, I was privileged to begin representing the suburb of Epping. Most of the suburb of Epping is in the Berowra electorate. Epping is a wonderful and diverse part of the community. It has a very significant Chinese Australian community. It is a community that has gone from single-dwelling houses to 20-storey apartment towers. Again, the infrastructure in Epping has not kept up with the growth in population there. The Epping train station is now a major train station. It has the metro, it has the northern line, and it has the express line going from Newcastle through to the city. It is a major transport hub. It is a hub for major businesses near Macquarie Park. It is a hub for people going to Macquarie University. It has a town centre that is really struggling. It's struggling because people cannot get a park. They cannot get a park to go to Coles. They cannot get a park to see the doctor or the optometrist, to take their kids to tutoring or to go to one of the restaurants there. It's affecting the business community. It's affecting the quality of life. At the end of last year I doorknocked around Epping, and, again and again, the issue of more parking for Epping around the station was one that was raised with me. It's all very well to build more of these towers across Epping, but there's no point building the towers if nobody can actually shop at Coles there and if nobody can see the doctor. It just diminishes the quality of life. The state government has this bizarre policy when they allow people to develop new dwellings that you don't have to provide a carpark for every bedroom you've got there. If you had to provide a carpark for every bedroom you've got, you wouldn't have as many problems in relation to parking, but we don't. So we need the parking situation addressed, and I call on people in my community to sign the petition to get more public parking in Epping so we can make Epping and its town centre workable and liveable again for the residents and those people who need to visit Epping. I want to turn to the issue of the Australia Post decision to close the post office at Pennant Hills. This has been a body blow to the Pennant Hills community. There are an increasingly large number of older Australians in Pennant Hills who've moved into the retirement villages around those areas. There are people who shop at the excellent Pennant Hills shops there with the IGA, Harris Farm and a range of speciality shops. There are an increasing number of businesses in Pennant Hills, including Excelsia University College, which opened up at the beginning of this year. McDonald's headquarters in Thornleigh used to have, as its post box, the Pennant Hills post office, but when Australia Post decided to dispense with a post office in Pennant Hills, it's really left that community bereft, and my office knows it as well because we used that post office to service our constituents. This is now a real matter of which business in Pennant Hills are suffering. We know that Pennant Hills is due for redevelopment. I welcome a redevelopment of Pennant Hills. But all of these things are factors that Australia Post should be taking into account in determining whether to maintain services or not. Australia Post will not even provide for a licensed post office. We've written to the CEO. We launched a petition, which now has over 1,200 signatures, which I gave to the Minister for Communications, yet there's been no action on restoring postal services to Australia Post. I've put in a freedom-of-information application to find out not only what the status of decisions about the future of the Pennant Hills post office is but what Australia Post's plan to close post offices in other parts of my electorate and indeed other parts of Australia is, because I believe Australia Post has a secret plan to close post offices right across the country that they're not coming clean about with Australians. We need to expose this, because today it's Pennant Hills. Tomorrow it'll be other communities. Australia Post services are absolutely vital. They're particularly vital for older Australians, they're particularly vital for the civility of our society, and they're particularly vital for people who are trying to access services. So I put Australia Post and its well-paid CEO and its well-paid board on notice that we in the Berowra community will not stomach the closure of any more post offices, and we intend to expose Australia Post's plan, right across the country, to close post offices and diminish the services that Australians want. Unfortunately, life under the Albanese government has got harder, whether it is because of the cost of living, the reduction of services or the imposition of a lower standard of living because of a failure to invest in important infrastructure. Science: Women in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics, Bennell-Pegg, Ms Katherine 83 13:00 Ms MASCARENHAS 298800 Swan When a teacher asked Katherine Bennell-Pegg to list three careers, she wrote only one word and that was 'astronaut'; she never added a second or a third. And this was not about wishing upon a star. She wanted to work intentionally and systematically towards reaching for the stars. But she didn't just reach for the stars; she became a star, and she is now Australian of the Year, which I'm thrilled about. In 2024, Katherine became the first person to qualify as an astronaut under the Australian flag, and now she is eligible for missions on the International Space Station. This is so unlikely. She was one of six trainees out of 22½ thousand applicants from 22 countries. Only one in 100 people qualified to be able to go on the International Space Station. Now she is blazing a path for space and bringing that ambition home to Australia for the next generation. She matched her childhood dream with study, discipline and teamwork, through survival training, spacecraft systems, robotics and simulations. She was qualified, not because it was easy but because she was driven, and she wanted to make sure that she delivered excellence. It's sometimes rare to see a childhood dream become a lifelong career, and unfortunately it's often very rare for women and young girls to follow that dream. I think of one of the mothers in my mothers group. Her name's Gemma Anderson, and she's a transient astronomer. She talks about how, when she was a little girl, she looked at a telescope for the first time with her father. She was probably not even in formal schooling, but she looked through that telescope, looked at the stars, and thought, 'This is the career for me.' So she knew from a young age that that's what she wanted to do, and I'm proud to see Gemma continuing to have an amazing career as an astronomer in the heart of Swan. But sometimes little girls have their dreams fade and don't have the opportunity to actually follow their dreams. I want to make sure that we lower the barriers, to make sure that everyone can achieve their full potential. Katherine Bennell-Pegg calls astronauts 'scientists in the sky', small parts of a much bigger team on the ground. She reminds us that, from orbit, you can't see borders. She explains that space is not about escaping Earth, but about seeing it with clarity. Sometimes you need to do that big picture thinking to understand what the real problems are. Katherine's message is not all about inspiration and dreams. There is important work to do to ensure that more women can pursue careers in STEM. And the broader picture for women in STEM is, indeed, sobering. Women account for about 15 per cent of people working in STEM jobs in Australia and about 37 per cent of STEM university enrolments. I'm hoping that we see those numbers improve. And we have seen some improvement. The CEO of Engineers Australia, Romilly Madew, reflected last year that women make up just 16 per cent of Australia's engineering workforce and only 12 per cent in construction. These figures don't reflect a lack of talent; they reflect structural barriers and outdated ideas of what an engineer looks like. Too many young people, especially young women, despite having talent in maths and science, don't pursue careers in STEM. The social data on what exactly leads to this decision is not settled. However, we cannot be blinded by the obvious barriers, and these statistics reflect unacceptable structural and cultural barriers. What makes our Australian of the Year even more remarkable is that she surmounted them all. She is, indeed, Australia's first astronaut, and the thing that I would say is really cool is she won't be the last. I'm going to say this: sisters, step over the glass; the glass ceiling is cracked. We will see more astronauts happen in Australia. I don't know what that timeframe is though yet. STEM, at the moment, for some industries and for some people, can feel like it's a bit of a boom-bust grind to see how long you can last in the field. Sometimes people go, 'This is enough,' or sometimes it's a boys club. If this continues, we will keep on losing brilliant minds. I think that's such a shame because I see STEM as one of the most exciting fields of work to work in. When I go and visit students and speak to schools, one of the things I talk about is careers and the way that you can have an impact that's a positive difference on people's lives. I see STEM professions as being one of the most profound ways to do that. Sometimes one of the questions that I ask students is, 'Which profession has saved the most lives?' This is probably debatable, but I would say that it's not necessarily doctors. They do have a lot of exciting television shows about them. I argue that it is, indeed, engineers, specifically through access to clean water and sanitation. One of the things that we've seen from, I guess, an industrial revolution perspective is the improved life expectancies of people. Access to sanitation has improved people's life expectancies. That's what happens when you've got clean water and you've got good sewerage systems. That's just one example, but I think that there are so many different ways that people can actually improve our world. People can think about what their impact will be and what their legacy will be, and this is a way that you can do it on quite a grand scale. I want to make sure that the next generation think about all the career paths that they have and that they see STEM professions as something that they can contribute to and make a wonderful contribution to. This is something that Katherine shares wholeheartedly. I think that we need to make sure that we look at the ways that we can incorporate more people into this field, whether it's the sports field or the STEM field. For me, a STEM profession hasn't taken me exactly where I had imagined. I did start my career in steel capped boots on a mine site, and then I had an opportunity to think about whether I would go to America and work in Virginia or go work for the World Bank in Bangladesh. I picked the opportunity to go work in water and sanitation in Bangladesh, which was wonderful. Then, after that, I had the opportunity to work in decarbonisation. I worked for an amazing team, for amazing companies all across Western Australia and Australia, and it felt so rewarding to have the opportunity to do that. But that's where I would also say that I do not only want more people to think about STEM fields; I also want people to think about parliamentary careers as well. Whether it's cultural backgrounds, gender or work skills, I think the more diversity that we have in this place the better decisions the we will make as a whole. I want to continue to see that diversity, whether it be in STEM or the federal parliament. This government has been working intentionally to look at diversity in STEM. In fact, we had the Statement on the pathway to diversity in STEM review, which sets out a whole-of-life approach, from early learning to school to VET and universities, to make sure that we think about how we have inclusive workplaces. This will be backed by better data through a STEM equity monitor. Its principle is simple: equity is not optional; it is foundational. At the same time, we're wiring the economy to make STEM careers visible, valuable and more secure. The $5 billion Net Zero Fund is set to be operational in mid-2026. It demonstrates globally competitive finance, delivering confidence to investors, manufacturers, heavy industry, Australian workers and communities. Australia is open for business and committed to capturing opportunities of the global energy transformation. This policy targets a rate of return below the five-year government bond rate, so we can take on more risk in hard-to-abate sectors. This fund should be operational by mid-2026. We're also set to run in a global AI race. The National AI Plan sets three goals: capture the opportunity, spread the benefits and keep Australia safe. To underpin safety, we're establishing an AI Safety Institute to monitor, test and share information on emerging AI capabilities. There is so much work to do in the STEM field. It's very exciting. Cook Electorate: Community Events 84 13:10 Mr KENNEDY 267506 Cook I want to recognise the Richie Walker Aquathlon, organised by the Cronulla Triathlon Club and run last weekend in my electorate. I'd like to particularly thank Steve Papworth, the race organiser and a 30-year police veteran, who's been doing a phenomenal job of organising this event. I'd also like to recognise the president of the club, Adam Stroud, and the vice-president, Luke Targett. This event is held in memory of Richie Walker. Richie was an incredible athlete, a member of the Cronulla Triathlon Club and passed away 39 years ago because of a heart attack in a race in Tamworth. David and Elizabeth Walker, Richie's parents, were there as keen supporters. They've watched this event raise hundreds of thousands of dollars for our local community and the Heart Foundation. I also want to acknowledge my mate Glenn Gorick, who, with me, won the state champions of the teams event. It may have been that there was only one entry, but, Glen, I'm proud of you anyway. I also want to note that this is a beautiful event that actually brings people together and keeps them healthy in my community. The Cronulla Triathlon Club has a proud history, with seven world champions—more than many countries—and I congratulate them on their achievement. Late in 2025, our community took an important step forward with the first community domestic and family violence roundtable. It was held in partnership with The Family Co. This roundtable was about listening, identifying gaps and strengthening the local response to domestic and family violence, an issue that affects far too many families and takes too many lives. I want to sincerely thank everyone who attended and contributed their time and expertise. In particular, I want to acknowledge Ashleigh Daines, the CEO of The Family Co., and Belinda Harrison from The Family Co. for their leadership. They provide the central hub that pulls together domestic violence support right across the Sutherland Shire. Also in attendance were other NGOs from our community who play a critical role: Vicki Sherry, the CEO of Hopefield; Bernadette Hoy, the coordinator of Orana Women's Health; Liza Barlow, the manager of homelessness and housing services for the St George and Sutherland areas at St Vincent de Paul; and Mark Soper, the manager of Salvos Miranda Housing. I also wish to acknowledge the local councillors and police representatives who attended as well as the state member Eleni Petinos, for her leadership. This roundtable was not just about talk but about action. It was a first step where we set actions that we want to keep meeting on every quarter to see how we achieve them. Now that the first step is done, we need to ensure this work continues to make sure we improve domestic violence responses in the Sutherland Shire. I would also like to congratulate an outstanding local achievement on the world stage. Michael Dickson, a former student of Kirrawee High School is a proud local from my electorate, and yesterday he did something amazing. He helped win a Super Bowl for the Seattle Seahawks, becoming Australia's newest Super Bowl champion. Michael's journey from the shire to the NFL is an extraordinary one. It speaks to talent, discipline and persistence. It's a powerful reminder to young people in Cook and right across Australia that big goals are possible, even if the path to them is unconventional. Kirrawee High School, his teachers, coaches and family can be immensely proud of what Michael has achieved. I now know our community will be following his career with great interest. I saw that the one thing he wanted to do when he won was to celebrate with chips and chicken salt and a chicken parmy. I can't think of a more Australian way to celebrate that achievement. Whether it's local sport, community safety or international sporting success, these stories all reflect the same thing: a community that supports one another, celebrates effort and strives to do better. I'm proud to represent the people of the Sutherland Shire, and I thank those who continue to make our country such a strong and caring place to live. I also wish to acknowledge several local community organisations in my electorate that have recently benefited from grants and, more importantly, to recognise the volunteers who make these initiatives possible. At Saint Luke's, Miranda, a volunteer grant has helped support the annual youth camp. This is a longstanding community initiative that gives people a positive, safe and memorable experience, while allowing volunteers to focus on mentoring, leadership and building connection. Programs like this strengthen confidence, resilience and community spirit in our next generation. At Lilli Pilli School, a community led garden project has been supported through a grant to help get it off the ground. These projects bring students, parents and the broader community together, teaching practical skills, environmental responsibility and teamwork while creating a shared space for the whole community can be proud of. At Marine Rescue, Botany Bay and Port Hacking, a grant has helped fund and the support the purchase of new radios. Marine Rescue brings together volunteers from right across my electorate to protect Port Hacking and Botany Bay. I want to place on record my thanks to these volunteers for the critical work they do, often in challenging circumstances. I also want to acknowledge Marine Rescue for their work on the weekend in the Port Hacking Putters launch on the weekend. It was a lovely event celebrated by 20 or 30 boats. People were dressed up in all kinds of fancy dress and it was a phenomenal event. I'd also like to talk about e-bikes. E-bikes in my local community have been very dangerous and have helped create community damage. Recently at Bellingara netball courts, volunteers training hundreds of local girls playing netball have been harassed by e-bike riders coming onto these courts, vandalising the courts and abusing the volunteers and parents. We also saw similar scenes recently at Cronulla Golf Club. So I want to applaud the New South Wales state government for starting to get serious on illegal e-bike use. Yes, we want kids on bikes but we can't have vandalism and we can't have people risking their lives and health, damaging property. It's beyond the time that we saw action and I thank the New South Wales government for acting. Tangney Electorate: Energy 85 13:17 Mr LIM 300130 Tangney When I recently met with the Melville City Climate Action Network, also known as MCCAN, the group's members shared with me the success of their ongoing campaign called Electrify Melville City. MCCAN is one of the many volunteer-run organisations in Tangney. It has a large and growing network of residents who reside in the City of Melville. The group's focus is on climate action, with a focus on the local community, much of it in my electorate of Tangney. The group's current campaign is working to electrify the local community, replacing appliances and cars with efficient electric versions, powered by renewable energy. We spoke about the government's Cheaper Home Batteries Program, a program that has been incredibly popular in Tangney. Australians have installed more than 225,000 cheaper home batteries since the program started last July—less than a year. In Tangney, 2,371 cheaper home batteries have been installed. I'm very proud that Tangney is the leader in Western Australia for the take-up of this program. As part of their campaign, MCCAN members have embraced the Cheaper Home Batteries Program and they have helped to spread the news about this rebate to the local communities. As MCCAN said, 'We now can save money while saving the planet.' I've attended several MCCAN information events in their Electrify Melville City campaign and was proud to support the groups with a volunteer grant earlier this year. Last year alone, the group's grassroots campaign hosted 16 different events, including an expo attended by more than 150 householders. They also hosted information stalls across the city, including at popular local festivals, and a pop-up at the local library. I really applaud MCCAN's enthusiasm for wanting to electrify their local neighbourhoods. Whenever we speak, the members talk to me with such great passion about how they have electrified their homes with heat pumps and using induction cooktops. At coffee catch-ups we have talked about electric cars, rooftop solar and, of course, the Cheaper Home Batteries Program. The program is part of our government's plan to create a fairer, cleaner and more reliable energy system for all Australians. It means unlocking the full potential of solar and tapping into the cheapest form of energy available. I can say that this is a friendly network with lots of energy and a real enthusiasm and dedication to making sure our community takes climate action. From the attendance at their event, it is clear that people are interested in learning more. At these information sessions, MCCAN members shared their own experiences. Their enthusiasm spread from person to person. Their community education and information sessions have helped so many Tangney constituents understand more about electrifying their homes and about the Cheaper Home Batteries Program. I'm very proud to have such great community advocates in my electorate of Tangney. I encourage Tangney locals living in Melville City to reach out to MCCAN if you have any questions at all. I want to thank MCCAN for helping inform our community about how our government is making home batteries cheaper for every household, small business and community organisation. Robert also lives in Tangney. Robert was one of my first constituents to contact me asking for information about the Cheaper Home Batteries Program. He called my office not long after the announcement to let me know that he liked the idea and he wanted to learn more. When I visited Robert last September, he proudly showed me the battery he had installed as part of the program. He showed me the impact these changes have made on his power bills. I also want to share the conversation we had about how the use of the batteries and solar panels is helping him reduce his emissions. Robert and I are both grandparents, and we spoke about how we both want to act for future generations, including our grandchildren. Robert is just one of the many constituents in Tangney who have reached out to me in support of this program. When I had my own battery installed a few months ago, my neighbours came out to see me. We shared a lot of information, and my neighbours commented on how much they appreciated this program and how easy it was to make the most of Australia's world-leading solar power. Community organisations in Tangney are also looking to batteries to reduce their emissions and to reduce their power bills. Blue Gum Tennis Club has been in Tangney for more than 50 years. The club has 450 members, with 200 more in the neighbouring squash club and many more people around the whole community who hire the courts to play. Last year I made an election commitment to deliver solar panels and a battery for the club. I'm proud to say that the commitment is now progressing. The new system will dramatically reduce the club's costs and will also generate significant environmental benefits. The lower power costs will help the club keep membership fees and public hire fees at reasonable levels while improving the facilities of this longstanding club. I also want to touch on the suburbs of Canning Vale and Willetton. From 1 July through to the end of last year there were 499 solar battery installations in this postcode alone, making it among the top 10 postcodes for battery installation in 2025. Tangney is home to so many small businesses that sell solar panels, systems and solar batteries. I had the opportunity to visit some of these local businesses, and they shared with me some of the reasons people in Tangney are installing more batteries, from reducing energy bills to feeling that they are doing their part to reduce their carbon footprint. I recently spoke with Empower Solar, one of the small businesses in Tangney, based in Canning Vale. They spoke to me about the take-up of the program across WA and Tangney and the popularity of this program, including in the suburbs of Willetton, Canning Vale and Bull Creek. It is great to see this program really take off in Tangney and to see so many of our community households powering their homes with solar energy and solar batteries. Debate adjourned. Sitting suspended from 13:26 to 15:59 STATEMENTS BY MEMBERS 86 STATEMENTS BY MEMBERS South Australia: Bushfires 86 16:00 Ms SHARKIE 265980 Mayo Last week in my electorate around the Deep Creek National Park on the southern Fleurieu Peninsula, we had a bushfire that burned out of control for a week before being officially contained on Sunday. It caused significant damage, burning more than 4,400 hectares, 22 structures and 12 vehicles. It had a perimeter of 56 kilometres. Our CFS worked tirelessly to defend property and to protect the habitat of native flora and fauna in Deep Creek. A huge thank you to those CFS crews and to the more than 200 firefighters from across the country who came to help from Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland. Part of the huge firefighting effort was from the air, led by our local company Aerotech. Aircraft operations undertook more than a thousand drops over the fire with water and firefighting material. They gathered intelligence from the firegrounds and assisted with back-burning. Aerotech is forefront in South Australia's bushfire rapid response. The approach can mean the difference between a minor incident and a full-scale emergency. I recently visited the company's Adelaide Hills base in Brukunga, where I saw a fixed-wing fleet and a range of helicopters, including repurposed Black Hawks. Aerotech not only does work in emergencies but also in other sectors such as agriculture, construction and resources. The company has sovereign capabilities, delivering services across Australia and internationally, providing training programs including for pilots, offering in-house maintenance, airfield infrastructure, avionics and ground transport. This South Australian company operates more than 40 aircraft and employs more than 160 people. It's a world leader. But Aerotech and other aircraft companies are waiting on the federal government for approval for a set of aviation maintenance rules put together by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority, CASA. These rules, Civil Aviation Safety Regulations part 43, are designed to simplify maintenance requirements, with clearer rules delineating private and aerial work aircraft from passenger airlines. Part 43 is ready to go. It's supported by industry but it has been sitting on the minister for transport's desk since October 2024—it must be lost! We should be acting faster to cut red tape. After 16 months, the minister should approve this package so companies like Aerotech can get on with the job. Again, I would just like to reiterate my great thanks to all of our firefighters, including the air support from Aerotech. My heart goes to the families in Deep Creek who have lost infrastructure, as well as to all the animals and the damaged environment. It's been a very terrible time on the Fleurieu. Eastick, Dr Bruce Charles 87 16:03 Mr BURNELL 300129 Spence Today I speak to acknowledge the life and legacy of Bruce Eastick, a giant of our community in the north and a man whose leadership, wisdom and service helped shape Gawler and South Australia for generations. Bruce's contribution to public life was defined by purpose and a genuine belief that public office is a responsibility to serve others. He served the people of the district of Light for 23 years, a remarkable period of dedication that speaks to the trust his community placed in him election after election. In that time, he held some of the highest offices in the South Australian parliament, serving as Speaker of the House during the Tonkin government and later as Leader of the Opposition from 1972 to 1975. But no matter the title he held, Bruce never lost sight of who he was there to serve—the people of Gawler and the communities that make up Light. His commitment to local government was just as profound. He served as Mayor of Gawler from 1968 to 1972 and again from 1993 to 2000, returning to the role decades later out of a continued sense of duty to his town. Across those years, he helped guide Gawler through periods of growth and change, always with a steady hand, a practical mindset and a deep respect for community voices. Outside of politics, Bruce was also a pioneer in his profession of veterinarian. He became the first self-employed rural vet in the Gawler region, building a practice that supported local farmers and families alike in Williston—a place I now call home, too. His leadership extended to the profession more broadly, serving as president of the South Australian division of the Australian Veterinary Association in 1961 and later as national president in 1966. That same dedication to service carried through every chapter of his life. In recognition of his extraordinary contribution, he was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia in 1996, a fitting acknowledgement of decades spent giving back. While his public achievements were significant, those who knew him best will remember the man behind the titles, including his simple joys like the genuine love of a good vanilla ice cream with caramel topping, his only vice. Above all else, Bruce Eastick will be remembered as a great man of his community, someone who worked tirelessly for the good of the north. On behalf of this chamber, I extend our deepest condolences to Bruce's family, friends and loved ones and thank them for sharing him with our community for so many years. His legacy lives on in the institutions he strengthened, the community he served and the example he set for future generations. May you rest in peace. Aged Care 87 16:05 Dr WEBSTER 281688 Mallee This Labor government said they would put the care back into aged care, but instead they are blithely presiding over an aged-care crisis. Every week, I am contacted by Mallee locals who are worse off under the new aged-care system that commenced on 1 November 2025. Older people in my electorate in Mallee are paying more for services and getting less out of their packages. It's not only this; distressed Mallee constituents are reaching out to me appalled that their loved ones cannot get the home care they need and deserve. The wait time for an aged care assessment has doubled in the period from 2021 under the coalition to 2025 under this Labor government, with too many people waiting up to six months just to get an assessment. It's worse than that; older people are waiting up to two months for any form of reply from My Aged Care. It's like ringing up and not getting a call back. Amazingly, one residential aged-care provider in my electorate reports having empty beds due to the lack of assessments being done. Then we must talk about the time from approval, once the assessment has taken place, to access granted. It has doubled, increasing from four months in 2023-24 to almost eight months on average, with many waiting a year. One elderly resident from Murrayville waited for more than two years to be able to access the Commonwealth Home Support Services she was assessed as eligible for. This is a very unamusing joke on behalf of an inept Labor government. Service providers covering this lady's area have no capacity. Sadly, during that time, her husband passed away. This is not an uncommon story in the regions, where people are literally waiting years before accessing services. My constituents just can't understand why they are being left behind. COTA, the consumer group, and Ageing. Australia have come out swinging, saying that urgent action on home-care packages is required and that no-one should ever have to wait more than 30 days for the care they need. I wish that for my constituents. Under Labor, they are waiting six months for an assessment and eight months to access services, with many waiting longer—especially, where I live. Our older Australians have given so much and deserve the dignity of support in their own home and in a timely manner. Hasluck Electorate: Industry and Innovation 88 16:09 Ms LAWRENCE 299150 Hasluck I'm continually amazed at the spirit of innovation on display amongst businesses and community organisations in my electorate. Cyclowest is a radiopharmaceutical manufacturer in Bayswater. General Manager Angela Whittington contacted me for support in relation to a skilled worker they were looking to sponsor through the Skills in Demand (Core Skills) pathway. I also had a tour of their incredible facility. Cyclowest develops, manufactures and supplies radiopharmaceuticals of the highest quality, supporting precise cancer diagnosis and treatment. It is also at the cutting edge of nuclear industry, in Hasluck, and that is shaping the future of our health care. It's also enabling support for defence, giving a safe space for people to understand and learn how to safely handle radiological materials. In December I was honoured as a guest of the end-of-year function for AES Equipment Solutions, which operates in Hazelmere, in the industrial area of Hasluck. AES designs, manufactures and maintains vehicles and equipment for the mining industry, and they are well placed to take advantage of the changes in our mining and energy economy in the years ahead. This is possible because they have a first-rate employee culture, starting with apprenticeship programs. They are connecting with high schools and the Swan Chamber of Commerce, providing people from all walks of life with opportunities, both the young and those looking to reskill and upskill. I thank the AES leadership for encouraging men and women to explore career paths with them and in the broader field and giving them the recognition they deserve for the extraordinary work they perform in the workplace. A big shout-out to general manager Alex Cooper and the team of AES Equipment Solutions for their work. Last year I was lucky enough to go on a Transforming Lives Through Employment tour at Hanssen Constructions in Hazelmere. Gerry Hanssen, who has been active in the Swan Chamber of Commerce over many years, has made his organisation available to take on people who have served time and to give them the start they need to get organised, skill up, get working and start the second chapter of their lives. At the peak of some projects, Hanssen Construction has employed more than 90 former prisoners, providing them with work and training. Apart from the expectation that this will assist the ex-prisoners, it is also quite arguable that it strengthens our workforce, our local economy and our community. Being able to provide employment to people who have experienced hardship in the past gives them dignity and gives them security. It gives them a way forward that reduces the risk of recidivism, which costs us around $120,000 per person annually. I congratulate Gerry Hanssen on this initiative and his leadership in this area, where he's undoubtably changing lives for the better. Casey Electorate: Veteran and Community Organisations 88 16:11 Mr VIOLI 300147 Casey Our veterans served and sacrificed for our national flag, our country and our democracy, and we stand here today in this House and look up at that same flag, which flies above this building. It is displayed proudly at the entrance of the House and is mounted in every corner of the floor of parliament. We have the privilege to stand here to debate laws and discuss the ways forward for our future as a free nation. And we must never forget that we stand in this building in peace to debate our future because our veterans stood on the front line to protect it. And to our veterans our flag represents the promise of a future they fought for, a future that thousands of service men and women never got to experience. That's why I was honoured on Sunday to present Lilydale RSL President Bill Dobson and the members at the AGM—and I'm a member of the Lilydale RSL as well—with an Australian flag that has flown here at the heart of the democracy that is Parliament House. The flag will now proudly fly at Lilydale Cenotaph, which stands as a permanent reminder of the sacrifices of those who served our nation. It lists the names of those who once called our community home but left to defend freedoms that they never had the opportunity to enjoy. It symbolises local lives cut tragically short in the pursuit of a cause greater than themselves and a sense of courage and bravery that is difficult and impossible to comprehend. I'm looking forward to seeing this flag fly in my local community as a fitting tribute to our beautiful nation and the many selfless veterans who paid the ultimate sacrifice so we can enjoy the freedoms we have today. I'm proud to say that nominations are open for the 2026 Casey Community Awards. These awards were established as a way to give back and say thank you to the incredible volunteers who make our community stronger. Our region is made up of volunteers who go above and beyond to help others, through protecting our community, running food banks and op shops, protecting our environment, keeping local sporting organisations running, and bringing our community together. If you know someone who volunteers with Rotary, the guides, the RSL, Probus, the men's shed or Inner Wheel, or perhaps someone who coaches a team, mentors students or otherwise volunteers in our community, I encourage you to nominate them for a Casey Community Award. These people deserve to be recognised and celebrated for the service they provide to our community. They are great examples of the true Australian spirit that deserves to be celebrated. Watson Electorate: Lunar New Year, Zia, Begum Khaleda 89 16:15 Mr BURKE DYW Watson This month marks the celebration of Lunar New Year—a big deal in my part of Sydney—and just on the weekend I joined hundreds of locals in Bankstown to kick off the early celebrations for the Year of the Horse. I want to thank Canterbury Bankstown Council for putting on the vibrant celebration; the local Vietnamese community for all the work that they did as performers, volunteers and stallholders; as well as the council staff, whose hard work made it all possible. The Year of the Horse symbolises energy, independence and ambition, reflecting a time of momentum, progress and new opportunity. Lunar New Year is a time of new beginnings, offering an opportunity to honour family, culture and tradition, while looking forward with optimism and unity. It reminds us of the enduring strength found in renewal and in generations coming together. As with everything in my part of Sydney, while it was the Vietnamese community putting the celebration on there was an invitation to everybody to be involved. Many people who have heritage in other parts of Asia who also celebrate Lunar New Year were there, but also people who don't have a heritage that would traditionally celebrate Lunar New Year were there, as one community, celebrating the Year of the Horse together. I also want to acknowledge the passing of the former prime minister of Bangladesh, Begum Khaleda Zia, who passed away in December last year. Khaleda Zia was a defining figure in the political history of Bangladesh. As the country's first female prime minister and one of South Asia's most prominent women leaders, she broke barriers in a region and at a time where leadership was overwhelmingly male-dominated. Her leadership paved the way for future generations of women to participate confidently in public life and national decision-making. Whether one agreed or disagreed with her politics, her impact on Bangladesh's democratic journey is undeniable. In my electorate, I want to acknowledge how profoundly this loss has been felt by many people who share their heritage in Bangladesh. For many Bangladeshi Australians, Khaleda Zia was not just a political leader in a distant homeland; she was a symbol of pride, identity and hope. The sense of loss at this moment among the Bangladeshi community reflects the enduring bond between diaspora communities and their countries of origin, and it deserves to be acknowledged with respect and compassion. In recognition of this significant loss, I formally handwrote a letter of condolence to Mr Tarique Rahman, the son of the late Khaleda Zia, who is, at the moment, Chairman of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, expressing my deepest sympathies on behalf of our community. Khaleda Zia leaves behind a complex and enduring legacy, one that will continue to be studied, debated and remembered for generations. May she rest in peace. Domestic and Family Violence 89 16:17 Ms SPENDER 286042 Wentworth Australia is facing a national crisis in domestic and family violence. Intimate partner homicide rates are rising, not falling. In 2023-24, 46 women were killed by a current or former partner. That is one woman every eight days. One in four women and one in 14 men have experienced violence by an intimate partner since the age of 15. These are not just statistics. These are lives cut short, families shattered and communities left grieving. And the most confronting reality is this: the numbers are not improving; they are getting worse. We can see this crisis clearly. We do not need more evidence to tell us it exists. What we need is faster, more coordinated action. The government has taken some important first steps, including commissioning major reviews and agreeing to a national cabinet response and funding package in 2024. But the pace of progress does not match the urgency of the problem. What we have is a patchwork of recommendations and commitments, spread across multiple plans and portfolios, often without clear timelines, accountability or consistent reporting. The Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence Commissioner's 2025 report provides a practical way forward. It recommends that the Commonwealth establish a dedicated implementation and delivery oversight mechanism to drive action and ensure that commitments are actually delivered. It doesn't sound complicated. It sounds like the sort of thing that might already be in place, but it's not. I think that this is really critical to making sure that we deliver on the commitments that have been made to people. This would map and track all Commonwealth plans affecting victims-survivors of domestic and family violence, including the rapid review response, the Closing the Gap agreement and the National Housing and Homelessness Plan. It would require regular dashboard updating to cabinet and ensure that addressing domestic and family violence is treated as a whole-of-government priority, not confined to one portfolio. The report also calls for strengthening the powers of the Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence Commission and establishing it as a statutory authority. This would give the commission the ability to compel agencies to provide data and information, improve transparency and ensure that implementation and funding decisions are properly monitored. Every one of us reads the news and feels the weight of these stories. The number of people in my community who have come into my office and told me stories of their experience—they are people you would look at and never know what they have been through and what their families have been through. We all know people who have lived through this violence. We teach our kids to recognise the warning signs. We talk about prevention and early intervention. Yet still the violence continues. If we are serious about ending this crisis, we must empower the institutions responsible for addressing it. This cannot be solved with silos or through slow, fragmented reform or yet another royal commission. It requires urgency, coordination and accountability. The evidence is in front of us. The recommendations are on the table. What is needed now is the action, the implementation that matches the scale of the crisis and the courage to deliver it. Bennell-Pegg, Ms Katherine 90 16:20 Mr BUTLER HWK Hindmarsh Today I rise to acknowledge and to celebrate an extraordinary resident of Adelaide's western suburbs: Katherine Bennell-Pegg, whose achievements continue to inspire Australians right across the country. Katherine was born in Sydney in 1984 and, from a very young age, she had an ambitious dream: to become an astronaut. While many childhood dreams fade, Katherine's only grew stronger. With the encouragement of her parents, she committed herself to learning, excelling at school and pursuing interests including aerobatic flying and amateur astronomy. Katherine went on to the University of Sydney, completing honours in aeronautical and space engineering and a Bachelor of Advanced Science in physics. She also served in the Army Reserve, showing strong leadership and discipline well beyond her years then. Her service was recognised with the Sword of Honour and the Field Marshal Sir Thomas Blamey Memorial Award for topping her officer class at the Royal Military College. In 2007, Katherine completed her degrees and was awarded the prestigious Erasmus Mundus Scholarship. This opportunity took her across Europe as part of the Joint European Master in Space Science and Technology program. By 2010, she had completed two master's degrees, in space science and space engineering. From 2014 to 2019, Katherine lived and worked in Europe, building an impressive career at Airbus. During this time, she married her husband, Campbell Pegg, and together they welcomed two daughters. In 2019, Katherine and her family returned to Australia to join the newly established Australian Space Agency in Adelaide. She served as assistant manager of the chief technology office before becoming Director of Space Technology. In 2023, she began astronaut training at the European Space Agency in Germany and in April 2024 became the first person to qualify as an astronaut under the Australian flag. Katherine has been directly involved in NASA's Artemis program, which will return humans to the moon for the first time in more than 50 years. Katherine and her husband, Campbell, worked on the Orion spacecraft, the vehicle central to these missions. Australians are watching with pride and anticipation as she prepares to go further into space than any Australian before her. In recognition of her remarkable journey and her contributions, Katherine was named Australian of the Year for 2026, the third South Australian in just seven years to win that prestigious award. As her local MP, I'm so proud to recognise Katherine Bennell-Pegg as a constituent who embodies determination and excellence. Her achievements show that Australians from our local communities can reach national recognition and even reach for the stars. Australia Day Honours and Awards 91 16:24 Mr WALLACE 265967 Fisher Australia Day is one of my favourite days on the calendar. This year I spent the day in two very special places—Maleny and Kawana—welcoming new Australians at citizenship ceremonies. In Maleny, 24 people proudly became Australian citizens. In Kawana, another 67 did the same. Across the nation, almost 19,000 people chose to call Australia home this year. Standing alongside people as they take the pledge of citizenship is one of the best parts of this job. It is a powerful reminder of the values that bind us together: respect, opportunity, contribution and a shared belief in Australia's future. Our newest Australians strengthen our community, and Fisher is better for having them. Australia Day is also a time to recognise service, and this year the Fisher electorate was exceptionally well represented in the Australia Day 2026 Honours List. I want to place on the Hansard my congratulations to all our local recipients. Mr David Gole AM of Balmoral Ridge was recognised for significant service to architecture and heritage conservation. Mr John Western AM of Mooloolaba was recognised for significant service to surf lifesaving, an honour received at a time of deep personal loss, just the day after his wife Judy passed away. That must have been incredibly difficult. It reminds us that behind every award is a lifetime of service shared with loved ones that support those people. Mrs Patricia Barry OAM of Caloundra was honoured for her service to lifesaving and to the Sunshine Coast community. Mr James O'Shannessy OAM of Beerwah was recognised for his service to the community through a wide range of roles. My friend Travis Schultz OAM of Mooloolaba was honoured for his service to the law and also the community. Mr Kevin Stroud OAM of Currimundi was recognised for his outstanding service to the Caloundra community. Mrs Margaret Taylor OAM of Maleny was honoured for her service to music and the community. I also acknowledge Group Captain Phillip Godfrey CSC of Buddina, who received the Conspicuous Service Cross for outstanding achievement in senior officer management within the Royal Australian Air Force. These honours reflect the very best of Fisher—the quiet dedication, service and leadership that make our community stronger. On Australia Day, we celebrate unity, contribution and the shared story we are all part of, from our newest citizens to those recognised for decades of service. I'm proud to represent the people of Fisher and proud to call the Sunshine Coast home. Health Care 91 16:27 Mr BOWEN DZS McMahon I want to update the House on some very positive news for my community in relation to health services and provision. Firstly, there are the Albanese government's highly successful urgent care clinics. There are people in my community who have benefited very much from these urgent care clinics. In particular, the Westmead clinic, which services Greystanes, has seen 21,452 people through its doors. The Rooty Hill clinic, which services the parts of my electorate in the Blacktown City Council area, has serviced 20,085 patients. The Fairfield urgent care clinic, which is in my electorate, has so far serviced 10,936 Fairfield locals who were in need of care which was urgent but not an emergency. This has been a remarkable addition to our local service provision, and I'm very proud of it. I want to thank the Minister for Health and Ageing, who was here with us just a moment ago, for these really big improvements to services in my community which were so needed. Of course, urgent care clinics aren't for everyone all the time. I'm very pleased we've expanded the Medicare bulk-billing clinics as well through our bulk-billing incentive. We've seen a further eight clinics become 100 per cent bulk-billing, which has taken our number to over 70 clinics that provide bulk-billing only, which gives us the sixth-highest rate of bulk-billing in Australia. Again, that's very much needed in my community, and I very much welcome it. Again, that's good policy that's improving lives in my community. In relation to cheaper medicines, I'm pleased to report that McMahon locals, since our cheaper medicines policy came in, have received $17.5 million in benefit. That's money that's better in their pockets than in anyone else's. That is a very good thing. There are two other developments. Last Friday was a busy day. I was very pleased to attend the Blacktown mental health clinic. I visited it with the Assistant Minister for Health and Aged Care. The Premier came along to check it out as well, which I very much welcomed, together with the state Minister for Mental Health. Since that clinic opened, it has provided 1,000 instances of care. One of the big changes in my lifetime and I'm sure yours too, Madam Deputy Speaker Aldred, is that we can now talk about mental health. When I was a kid, it was taboo. You didn't talk about it. Now, when people are doing it tough, it is something to talk about. More importantly, you can get support. The Blacktown mental health clinic is nine to five, but you can also make an appointment after hours. This is the final one. This is really a lovely piece of good news. Bringing a little ray of sunshine into the world, a little baby, should be the best time of your life. But, for too many Australians, it isn't. One in five Australian women and one in 10 Australian men suffers perinatal depression at some point. Now there's a specific service, the Gidget House perinatal depression service, which will now be provided at Fairfield Hospital. It opened yesterday. We attended the opening ceremony on Friday. For people—young parents, new parents—doing it tough who need help, there's no shame. There's now support at the Gidget Foundation's Fairfield Perinatal Mental Health Centre. O'Connor Electorate: Agriculture 92 16:30 Mr RICK WILSON 198084 O'Connor I rise today to give this speech in memory of O'Connor constituent, Mark Huisman, an innovative deer farmer and loving husband of Keeva. Since Mark's untimely passing last July, Keeva has worked tirelessly to maintain his legacy, single-handedly running Premier Deer Farm. I visited the farm when Mark was still alive and was guided through their novel agricultural enterprise: selectively breeding deer with antler and velvet characteristics specific to the traditional Chinese medicine market. Deer velvet is worth around $110 per kilogram, and the Huismans are the biggest producers of velvet in Australia, yielding about 35 per cent of our annual harvest. Unfortunately, in May 2023, China ceased importation of frozen deer velvet from both New Zealand and Australia. While New Zealand promptly renegotiated new protocols and resumed the velvet trade with China, Australia did not. In my communications with the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, it appears any progress in their negotiations with the General Administration of Customs of China has been painfully slow. Questions asked in Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Senate estimates in March 2025 revealed DAFF were actually unaware of the May 2023 Chinese ban until May 2024, but they had been working on an interim solution to secure export of the 2024 deer velvet harvest. Meanwhile, Australia's velvet producers were holding that harvest literally on ice at minus 22 degrees Celsius in expensive freezer facilities. I subsequently made several representations to the Minister for Agriculture. In August 2025, Minister Collins provided a glimmer of hope for producers like Keeva Huisman when she stated, 'I'm hopeful the trade may resume in time for the upcoming harvest later this year,' and, 'The department will continue to prioritise the resumption of this trade.' Well, the 2025 harvest is now complete and producers are now stuck with two years of perishable product, which has devalued by up to 45 per cent, whilst unproductive negotiations continue. For my constituent Keeva Huisman, her future has also stalled. She has an unsellable asset and a business with no turnover. She imports skilled labour from New Zealand to harvest a product with no market, and she has had no income for the past two years. As summer progresses, Keeva has 1,000 hungry deer to feed, many with fawns at foot, and any prospect of turning stock off is limited by local processing capacity of only eight animals per week. With all these delays, Keeva is looking down the barrel, literally, of having to shoot her herd if this trade does not recommence. I close by commending Keeva on her determination to continue Mark's legacy as Australia's premier producer of quality deer velvet, and I call on Minister Collins and the department to redouble their efforts to restore the trade in Australian frozen deer velvet with China. Our reputation as a reliable exporter of fit-for-purpose deer velvet is at stake. Moreton Electorate: Runcorn State High School 92 16:33 Ms CAMPBELL 312823 Moreton Runcorn State High School is having a very special anniversary this year. The school was founded in 1986—a very good vintage, if I do say so myself—and, like me, will celebrate its 40th birthday in 2026. The school is ably led by the principal, Darren McGregor, and P&C president representing the parents, Zorica Stancov. It's a very multicultural school. They do wonderful work there, and I had the great pleasure of attending their leadership induction on 30 January this year, when the new school captains were inducted. So to Karima Musse, who actually won the Moreton emerging women leaders award just last year, and to Nick Ilincic, who's also Zorica's son—so we have a very proud P&C president—I congratulate you on your achievements and look forward to seeing what you will do in the year to come. The Annerley Stephen's History Group is one of the most active local history groups in all of Queensland. They do a lot and it was wonderful to meet with their president, Pauline Peel, recently. It's a group that is driven by volunteers—Pauline; their vice-president, Jeff—but also so many people across my local community on Brisbane's south side, and they've put together publications that celebrate the history of our local community, whether it's on women, local stories, local houses or even tennis. They do it all. They hold events such as the 'History Alive' quiz, exhibitions and talks, and their current project that they are working on is a history of sport and recreation. They're having their open day on 18 April, and they do such a marvellous job at everything they do. I wanted to talk about the Oxley Creek Catchment Association, affectionately known as OCCA in my part of the world. On 2 February, we celebrated World Wetlands Day. In the lead-up to that day I got to visit the Archerfield Wetlands, which are such crucial areas for biodiversity. I joined my friends from OCCA at those wetlands. Dave Kent, Lynn Whitfield and Ralph head up that organisation. We've recently provided federal funding for the Habitat Transformation Project. That project is an important one. Work is underway to create a thriving wetland for native plants and animals by revegetating an area containing old wastewater run-off ponds associated with a former bacon factory. It supports threatened species such as the powerful owl and the glossy black cockatoo. I send a big thank you to OCCA for what they do not just on World Wetlands Day but on every day. Goldstein Electorate: Awards and Honours 93 16:36 Mr TIM WILSON IMW Goldstein The Goldstein medal acknowledges the incredible efforts of so many young residents in the Goldstein community who embody the values of their school, stand up and take responsibility and most importantly show leadership at a young age. We established the medal in 2016 to acknowledge young Australians in our community who stand up and take responsibility for themselves and others, but more importantly it's a pathway to recognise them and encourage them to keep going. Of course the Goldstein medal is named after the electorate's namesake, Vida Goldstein, who was a suffragist who stood up for the right of women to vote, to buy property and to enter marriages in the same terms as men. Last year we had an incredible array of local students who got the Goldstein medal: Abby Larsen of Beaumaris North Primary School; Zoe Bond of Beaumaris Primary School; Ruth Sharma of Bentleigh West Primary School; Allie Howard from Black Rock Primary School; Rose Muirhead of Brighton Beach Primary School; Anastasia Tsikaris of Caulfield Primary School; Gabriella Perdikis from Caulfield South Primary School; Julian Tyler of Caulfield South Primary School; Frank Bokser of Gardenvale Primary School; Isla Fox of Hampton Primary School; Joanna Szeto of McKinnon Primary School; Chloe Lightfoot of Moorabbin Primary School; Lachlan Warfe at Ormond Primary School; Milla Bade of Sacred Heart Parish School; Scarlett Williams of Sandringham East Primary School; Darcy Tolmer of Sandringham Primary School; Jack Askew of Southmoor Primary School; Leona Cunningham of St Catherine's Moorabbin; Skye Pullman of St James Catholic Primary School; Freya Bradley of St Leonard's College, primary; James Lockhart of Stella Maris Catholic Primary School; Zoe Eccles of Tucker Road Bentleigh Primary School; Lily Gorvett-Page of Beaumaris Secondary College; Isabella Kyrebel of Brighton Secondary College; Mary Lazar of Firbank Grammar School, secondary; Maleesha Dharmadasa of McKinnon Secondary College; Sarina Azad of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart College Bentleigh; Holly Turner of Sandringham College; Patrick Wilson of St Leonard's College, secondary; Keira Kinsella of Star of the Sea College; Richard Gomes of Haileybury college, primary; Bella Yap of Haileybury college, primary; Mona Bachmann of Kilvington Grammar School, primary; Henry Duncan of Kilvington Grammar School, secondary; and Christine Vrahnas of Cheltenham Secondary College. We got through them all, Deputy Speaker! They're all of diverse backgrounds. They've all made an incredible contribution to our community, and, more than anything else, they have embodied the values and the ideals that sit behind the Goldstein medal—that no matter your age you can show responsibility and you can show leadership to inspire others to do good in this world. I want to say to all the recipients: congratulations on what you have done; congratulations on what you are doing and what is yet to be done. Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme, Huntly North Cricket Club 93 16:39 Ms CHESTERS 249710 Bendigo It's been over one month since Labor's cheaper medicines became even cheaper, with us capping the most you'll pay for medicines on the PBS at $25. Millions of Australians are now paying less for medication that they rely upon every day, including in my electorate of Bendigo. For concession card holders, it's just $7.70, with us freezing the price of medicines on the PBS for concession card holders for five years. The last time that PBS medicine cost no more than $25 was 2004. That's more than 20 years ago. This is one of the key measures that our government has introduced to help people with cost-of-living pressures. I've had the opportunity, since the announcement of this policy, to meet with local pharmacies to discuss how this will make a difference to the patients and to their customers that they see each and every day. In Eaglehawk I visited David and the team at the EUFS pharmacy, a critical pharmacy that serves so many people in the local community. I met with Sanjay at TerryWhite Chemmart White Hills and Dan from the pharmacy in Flora Hill. All of them told a similar story. They strongly support our government's recent changes to the PBS co-payment of $25 from 1 January. They see it as a meaningful step to ease the cost burden on hardworking Australians with cost-of-living pressures. They also mean that their pharmacists won't have those silly or tough conversations about what you can and can't afford when people present their scripts. I stand here today proud to say that cricket is now being played on the Huntly North Cricket Club's second oval. It was a disused oval not up to playing standards for many years. To the frustration of the club, particularly the junior cricket players, it had basically been relegated to a car park. But, after a commitment that I made in 2022, just under $500,000 and the work of the local government, that ground is now up to playing standards. It was wonderful to see the father-son team playing at their home ground, not being allocated to another ground somewhere else in greater Bendigo. Women and juniors are also playing on the oval. The oval will also be ready for the football season that is coming up soon. This is just one way in which our government is working to hear the local needs of the community, helping to deliver the sporting infrastructure that we need to make sure young players, female players and all players can play their way in their community and not have to travel great distances for home games. Casey Hospital 94 16:42 Mr WOOD E0F La Trobe When it comes to any parent, any time their child needs emergency attention and goes to hospital, they want to make sure the child is seen very quickly. It's the same with anyone who needs to go to the emergency department at a hospital. That's so important. I had this experience back in 2019, when my daughter, Jasmine, had an anaphylactic reaction to cashew nuts. We urgently ran down to the Casey Hospital at the time. Like I said, it was 2019. The hospital staff were amazing. They saw her quickly, and everything was fine. But the line of people waiting to be seen went right out of the emergency department. At the time I got on the phone to the then minister for health Greg Hunt and said, 'This is a huge issue; we need to do something about it.' Back in 2019, under the former Liberal government, we committed half the funding to a children's emergency department at the hospital, something we're very excited about. The state government also agreed to put in half the funding. It was a joint announcement and very exciting at the time. That was back in 2019, and just last Friday, 6 February 2026, the government issued a press release stating that a builder has been appointed to deliver the expansion. It was announced in 2019, and we haven't even seen works started. They described this as a major milestone. I say it's a major disgrace for all those parents in one of the fastest growth corridors in Australia. We've seen so many people move into areas in Clyde North, and we go right up to Pakenham, where the state government's building a so-called community hospital. The emergency department work should be finished by now, yet it still hasn't started. I feel so sorry for the parents and so many people every time they go down to the emergency department, in particular the staff. I have paid a few visits there over the years and the staff and the nurses tell me they have been waiting to get this new emergency department started. It just never seems to happen under Labor. I call on the federal health minister, Mark Butler, to really get onto this. They've been in power since 2022, and it's just disgraceful that for one of the busiest locations in Australia—the initial announcement was made back in 2019, but I can't see the work being completed for another two or three years. Shame on state Labor and shame on Mr Albanese for not making this happen earlier. Shaw, Mr 94 16:45 Ms SCRYMGOUR F2S Lingiari I rise to pay my respects to Mr Shaw, a name deeply embedded in the history of Central Australia. Mr Shaw was a leader of conviction, of principle and of integrity. He fought for what was right—and not just in the political realm, but also as a soldier on the front line. As Minister McCarthy said at his funeral two weeks ago, his was a life incredibly well lived. He served as a battlefield commander, doing two tours of duty in South-East Asia—first Malaya and then Vietnam. His time in the Army, fighting for this country, shaped his leadership and his life. When he returned home in 1970, he found himself looking for work. He was struck by the circumstances of so many living in what were then called the fringe camps. This drove so much of his work and his leadership. Mr Shaw was a key figure in the establishment of the Central Land Council. The CLC is a critical institution in the Central Desert. It represents tens of thousands of people and works to safeguard country. Mr Shaw's role in the formation of this council was pivotal. He was the founding member of the Tangentyere Council Aboriginal Corporation in Alice Springs, and anyone who lives in Alice Springs knows that when Tangentyere is thriving, our town thrives. Tangentyere represents all of the town camps, providing much needed service, representation and advocacy. Mr Shaw led the charge to create Tangentyere, an early example of exactly what community control is all about. The leadership, courage and perseverance of Mr Shaw is an inspiring message to all Australians. He was a Kaytetye and Arrernte man who fought on the front lines for Australia at a time when white Australia did not even recognise him as a citizen of this country. He showed a level of bravery and commitment to his people and community, and that is incredibly rare. At a time when people are talking about national spirit, this man is the embodiment of courage, mateship and sacrifice. It was incredibly moving to see all of the returned soldiers from the RSL, including people who fought side by side with him in Malaya and Vietnam, come and pay homage to Mr Shaw for his service. It shows us just how important this country is, that as Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people we love this country. We can stand side by side and defend this country. I think for someone from the Central Desert, someone who was completely a cultural and traditional man, to have fought side by side with those white soldiers—he called them 'brother', and they stood up at his funeral and they said that he was their brother. That was just a fantastic embodiment of what this country is all about. The DEPUTY SPEAKER 11788 I thank the member for Lingiari, and I too acknowledge Mr Shaw's contribution to our country. Australia Day Awards and Honours 95 16:48 Mr YOUNG 201906 Longman The electorate of Longman that I serve is very diverse, and at times it has had more than its fair share of knockers. However, having been part of that community for most of my life, and being its federal member, I know there is a lot more to our community than what the naysayers spruik online. Every Australia Day we see some of the very best in our community be recognised and honoured for their efforts, and this year was no different. The president of the Bribie Island Heritage Society, Barry Clark OAM, received a Medal of the Order of Australia. For years now, Barry has worked tirelessly sourcing and archiving the long history of Bribie Island. As part of his ongoing research, Barry has published articles in our local newspaper, the Bribie Islander, for all to read. His articles have allowed us to travel through time, from the first inhabitants of the island to the war years, to where we are today. Barry has noted it all, and his work has helped and continues to help preserve the rich history of our local area. Barry wasn't the only local to receive an OAM this year. Raymond Thomas OAM was also presented with his well-earned medal on Australia Day. Over the years, Raymond has worked alongside veterans and their families, guiding them through life after service. As part of his advocacy efforts he has worked to ensure that veterans are recognised for the sacrifices they have made for this great nation. Furthermore, Chris Paterson became Moreton Bay's Citizen of the Year during the City of Moreton Bay Awards. Chris is the founder of Bamboo Projects, a local charity and NDIS provider. Chris and his team of volunteers spend more than 30 hours a week mentoring community members who are doing it tough. Together they offer mateship, guidance, hope and purpose. They do this by providing participants with the opportunity to traverse our local waterways, collecting debris onboard their clean-up boats. Chris is very passionate about his venture, which is infectious—so much so that he had me in a set of waders and out of the boat in Burpengary Creek pulling tyres out of the mangroves. Since 2019 they have collected over 80 tonnes of rubbish, ranging from car tyres to discarded fishing materials. Doing so not only has helped keep our waterways clean but also has created real opportunities for people with disabilities. Chris and the team at Bamboo Projects have helped participants to leave their mark and be part of something life changing, something that improves the life of everyone and everything that calls our local waterways home. I don't want to just thank Barry, Raymond and Chris. I want to thank everyone who takes time out of their day to make the Longman community better. Every day, thousands of people volunteer their time. It is these efforts that make us all proud to live in the suburbs and towns that make up the Longman electorate. It is these efforts that represent the very best of Australia. Medicare 95 16:51 Mr KHALIL 101351 Wills Our government, the Albanese government, promised a Medicare urgent care clinic for Coburg in my electorate at the election, and now we are delivering on our promise. In the coming weeks the Coburg Medicare urgent care clinic, on 444 Sydney Road, is going to open. It's going to be open seven days a week. It's going to have extended hours on the weekend, and all you need is your Medicare card, not your credit card. So if the member from Wagga injures himself playing footy and he's in Melbourne at the time, he can come and get some urgent medical care for his non-life-threatening condition. He'll be welcome. This is going to help. But, more importantly, it's going to help our locals. It's going to help the constituents I represent in my electorate to get the care they need closer to home. And it's going to take a lot of pressure off the local hospital emergency departments. In comparison, the opposition, when they were last in government, tried to end bulk-billing with a GP tax. They froze Medicare rebates for six years and stripped billions out of Medicare. Only Labor strengthens Medicare and only Labor delivers in my electorate of Wills and across Australia. This might be controversial, but there is no better electorate in the country than Wills, my electorate, when it comes to, specifically, the arts. Why do I say that? Well, it is because of the arts facilities in my electorate, including Balam Balam Place, to which our government contributed $1 million towards construction. There are 8,000 people in my electorate employed in the cultural and creative occupations. So Wills is the place to live or to visit if you love the arts. That's why I'm so pleased to see Creative Australia award 23 grants to artists in my community of Wills in their latest funding round. This includes funding for Triple R, a not-for-profit community radio station, one of the best local radio stations—I've been on there—and funding to musicians like Stella Donnelly and Mindy Meng Wang. It also includes funding for local theatre companies, local visual artists and local writers and funding to help Australian artists in my electorate to take their works to the international stage. One thing that artists across Wills and across Australia know is that it's only the Labor government that actually cares about supporting Australian artists. I encourage our colleagues to visit Wills and enjoy some of the arts on offer. Over the weekend I was pleased to attend two fantastic events representing the multicultural fabric of my electorate. I visited the Masjid Ar-Rahman Mosque open day in Fawkner, part of the Islamic Council of Victoria's initiative of 30 mosques being opened across the state. It is a great initiative to build social cohesion, break down some barriers and engage in conversation with local community members. Masjid Ar-Rahman in Fawkner in my electorate is a very important place. It has more than 2,000 families living in and around Fawkner. I want to thank Dr Mahabubur Mollah and Masjid ar-Rahman for your service to the community and for welcoming me on the day. Nicholls Electorate: Agriculture 96 16:54 Mr BIRRELL 288713 Nicholls It's a very exciting and rewarding time in my electorate of Nicholls in the Goulburn Valley, in the food bowl of Australia, the food bowl of South East Asia, because it's harvest time. Now, the harvest sort of kicks off in December period with the cherries and then the apricots. As we get into January, we move into the peaches, both the canning varieties and the fresh varieties. At the moment we're right in the middle of the pear harvest, and I would like to just put on the record for those who don't know that the Goulburn Valley grows over 90 per cent of Australia's pears. Soon in March we'll move into the apples—the Fujis, the Pink Ladies, the Royal Galas. People from the Goulburn Valley are very, very proud of the fruit that they grow. A lot of it goes to the fresh market. Some of it still goes to that iconic company called SPC, which has been processing fruit for over 100 years and sending it all around the world so that people can experience the delights of sun-kissed Australian fruit in cans, in snack packs right around the world. There two main things that the fruit of the Goulburn Valley needs to grow. One is the climate, the beautiful sunlight that we get. But the other thing is water. We don't get the rainfall to be able to grow that fruit where it is. The ingenious pioneers of the Goulburn-Murray irrigation system put together a scheme whereby we can put water all around the fertile plains of the Goulburn Valley to provide water for the fruit farms and the dairy farms. At the moment, we have a reduced allocation and that means, because there's a bit less water in the catchments, Hume and Eildon, the farmers don't have access to 100 per cent of their water right. Therefore, what they need to do, is go and buy temporary water from other farmers who might sell it to them. It's a good system. The problem is when that pool of water—what we call the consumptive pool—gets reduced because irresponsible governments come in and buy it and put it in environmental accounts that don't get used, there is less water in the pool and the price goes up. Now, right now, in the middle of a heatwave, those orchardists are paying over $450 a megalitre per year for that water. That input cost has gone up, which is making it very difficult to run those businesses. It's just another example that the Albanese government doesn't get agriculture and doesn't get business. Griffith Electorate: Medicare Urgent Care Clinics 96 16:57 Ms COFFEY 312323 Griffith In Griffith, Medicare matters most for the times that you can't plan for—a sudden fever after dinner, a pain that worsens on the drive home, a kid who hurts themselves on a Saturday afternoon sporting game. That's why our Medicare Urgent Care Clinics matter so much in our community. We're really lucky in Griffith. We have had the South Brisbane Medicare Urgent Care Clinic now for quite a while on Cornwall Street, and we've recently opened the new Carina-Carindale Medicare Urgent Care Clinic, where people can walk in, be seen quickly and most importantly be bulk-billed. In the coming weeks the new Coorparoo Medicare Urgent Care Clinic will be open, adding more capacity and making it even easier for locals to get urgent care close to home, especially after hours, moving our area closer to the national target of four out of five Australians living within 20 minutes of a Medicare Urgent Care Clinic. Just last week I received an email from a constituent, Peter, whose partner, Claire, developed worrying symptoms over the course of a day. By that evening, her symptoms became quite severe. They tried to find a GP appointment for that night but could not. So they went to our South Brisbane Medicare Urgent Care Clinic, arriving at about 8:30 pm. Peter told me, 'I'm so glad we did.' He described staff who kept checking in, and who were kind, attentive and focused on helping people. He said the triage nurse provided immediate comfort and symptom relief. And he spoke warmly about the doctor they saw, describing him as thorough, curious and caring, and already organising the right tests and thinking ahead about what follow up might be needed. I also heard from another constituent, Ben, who summed up his experience with a Medicare Urgent Care Clinic by simply saying, 'I've just left there and they were absolutely incredible. Thank you so much for making it happen.' That feedback reflects what we are hearing across our community. These clinics are working because they are built around how people actually live, and we can see it in the results reported by the Brisbane South PHN. This year, they have already delivered 39,597 episodes of urgent care, up from just over 19,000 last year, and 100 per cent of discharge summaries are shared with a person's usual GP, up from 74 per cent. There is 94 per cent patient satisfaction, up from 83 per cent. When we invest in Medicare and, in particular, when we invest in these Medicare urgent care clinics, we invest in people—their health, their time, their dignity and their peace of mind. In Griffith, we are seeing the benefits one patient, one family and one community at a time. The DEPUTY SPEAKER 295588 In accordance with standing order 193, the time for members' constituency statement has concluded. BILLS 97 BILLS Law and Justice Legislation Amendment (New South Wales Local Court) Bill 2026 97

Law and Justice Legislation Amendment (New South Wales Local Court) Bill 2026

Second Reading 97 17:01 Mr McCORMACK 219646 Riverina Of all the things that the New South Wales government has on its plate at the moment, you would think this would probably be the least imperative and important, but, given the fact that amongst one of its so-called 'primary reforms' was the abolition of the statutory office of Magistrate of the Local Court and the establishment of a new statutory office called Judge of the Local Court, we find ourselves having to update all our statutes, books and paperwork involved in this. Now, of course the coalition supports this bill, but I do want to make a few pertinent remarks in relation to the Law and Justice Legislation Amendment (New South Wales Local Court) Bill of 2026 and other related matters pertaining to our legal system. Now, in the Local Court and Bail Legislation Amendment Act 2025 New South Wales made a series of amendments to the Local Court Act 2007 and related statutes. We know that because that's why we're here doing this supposedly perfunctory bill. The matters that are coming before the New South Wales courts at the moment are pretty important. And whilst I appreciate a lot of them aren't going before what were once local magistrates are and are going before other levels of courts in New South Wales, I do really worry about some of the sentences and some of the decisions being made in that state. It is my home state, and I care a lot about it and care deeply for the people of New South Wales. To be honest, I don't think—I can say this given the fact that I have parliamentary privilege here—that the people of New South Wales are being well served by some of the sentences being handed out. When you've got Justice Belinda Rigg making a decision against the Premier of New South Wales, Chris Minns, who is doing a good job, and Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon, who is doing an excellent job—when they go and apply to the courts to have protests stopped and Justice Rigg then decides to overrule them and allow protests to go ahead, and we see what we saw on the Sydney Harbour Bridge on 3 August, I do question why then the NSW government seems to see a priority in changing the titles of people running their courts. What we saw on the Sydney Harbour Bridge and again last night comes back to the fact that I don't believe our courts are doing well enough when it comes to stopping these protests and, moreover, sentencing those people who end up in the courts as a result of those protests. We have a right to demonstrate in this state and in any state. In Australia, there is that God-given right. We live in a democracy, and may we long uphold that. As Voltaire once said, I mightn't agree with what somebody says, but I very much fervently believe in their right to say it. But with free speech comes responsibility. What we saw last night, what we saw on 3 August last year and what we saw on the steps of the Opera House on 9 October 2023, two days after the initial Hamas attacks, is not the way we should be living. Then we've got the New South Wales parliament deciding that, 'Gee, let's change the name "magistrate" and call them "judges".' Really? Why is this important and imperative? I don't understand it. The other thing that is happening and that we see so often is with the system of family courts. My predecessor, Kay Hull, who was a very good member and was the member for Riverina from 1998 to 2010, told me when I took over from her that one of the most heart-rending things that I would oversee and hear about was the situation of family courts and often men being denied access to their children. Justice—or so-called justice—in our family court system is too lengthy. I know the wheels of justice turn very, very slowly, but, if there is anything that we can do to speed up a good and due process in the family court system, I would appeal to the Attorney-General, a person of good heart and good faith, to do just that. Whilst it has been overtaken by the shambles that is the National Disability Insurance Scheme, we still have people—often men—not being well served by the family courts, and often the cases are taking way too long to hear. The biggest sufferers from this are the children, who seriously don't know whether they're Arthur or Martha. They are pulled and dragged from one home to the other and from one court to the next. It's just not right, and it is just taking too long. Why I mention Kay Hull in this context is that she presided over a parliamentary committee hearing where they released a report called Every picture tells a story. It was groundbreaking in the recommendations that it made to improve the family court system. But, unfortunately, in New South Wales—and no doubt elsewhere—there are people who just feel powerless. Don't just take my word for it. An online 8 September 2025 article, a well-written piece by Isabella Ross for the ABC News, was headed just that—'$1m on legal fees and feeling "powerless": Parents detail "crushing" Family Court experiences'. Attorney, if you could look into that as a matter of some urgency, I would implore you to do so. I appreciate it's not just New South Wales; it's the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia. But often these matters start in a local court in New South Wales and they go up the chain and they cost people so much money, so much time and so much of their health. It is exhausting. It is expensive. As Isabella Ross wrote: Financial abuse from "high conflict" ex-partners, lawyers "maximising fees" and a family report writer's warning to a client that "your case is a murder-suicide waiting to happen". These are just some of the allegations parents have told the ABC about their experiences in the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia. I would add, as I said before, that often these cases start before what was once a local magistrate. Isabella Ross writes: But it is the emotional impact on their children that these parents say has taken the biggest toll. Over the last two decades, approximately one in two divorces involved parents with children aged under 18 years. For the co-parents swept into family law, it can be an exhausting journey. It's a sad situation. It's getting even sadder given the fact that marriages aren't lasting as long as they used to. They simply are not. I appreciate that's a matter between adults, but, for the sake of the kids, I think we need to do better and be better. Just on background, this bill makes minor and technical amendments, as I said earlier, to the Acts Interpretation Act, which dates back to Federation in 1901, and other Commonwealth legislation as a result of the Local Court and Bail Legislation Amendment Act of 2025 in New South Wales, which replaces the office of a New South Wales magistrate with the office of judge of a New South Wales local court. We are talking about state courts, and that previous sentence or two of mine mentioned bail. I spoke recently to a woman in Melbourne, in the home state of the member for Mallee, who woke to find a large man in her bedroom at 6.15 in the morning and shrieked. The police came. Apparently, he'd got himself through the doggy door and was at the end of her bed. She has three young children. When the police came and apprehended this felon, he had already been bailed 67 times. Just think about that—67 times. Dr Webster 281688 What? It's insanity. Mr McCORMACK 219646 It is insanity, Member for Mallee. Victoria is a mess. It is a complete mess. I do hope that there is a change of government there soon. When you think about that case and you think about what is going on at the moment in New South Wales, our largest populated state, with the protests, with the lack of tough sentencing on people who are doing dreadful things to the police, it is no wonder that people are uptight. Then you've got the New South Wales government wanting to change a word—wanting to change the title of a magistrate to a judge. I have to say that I believe words are important, and 'magistrate' probably suits the role that they do and the court that they preside over. Whether or not they deserve to be called a judge might be a matter, perhaps, for other legal minds to decide upon. But I don't know why we go down this path, because it then involves us getting up and talking about it. No doubt the Attorney-General thinks that I've probably just taken up 11 minutes of her life that she's never going to get back, but truly, really, doesn't the New South Wales parliament have better things to do? Don't our courts have better things to do? Doesn't our Commonwealth parliament have better things to do than to be going through the perfunctory bureaucratic nonsense that we are now faced with because these amendments are necessary to ensure so many aspects of the change from magistrate to judge? I just wonder, when we've got everything that's going on in New South Wales at the moment, why the government that runs that state thought that this was a priority. You really have to scratch your head and ask yourself why. 17:12 Ms ROWLAND 159771 Greenway I thank all members who have contributed to this debate, and I was delighted to be able to be here for the member for Riverina's contribution. I always learn something listening to the member, and I thank him very much. The Law and Justice Legislation Amendment (New South Wales Local Court) Bill 2026 will make a range of important amendments to Commonwealth legislation in response to the Local Court and Bail Legislation Amendment Act 2025. On commencement of schedule 1 of the New South Wales act by proclamation, the office of New South Wales magistrate will be replaced by the office of judge of the New South Wales Local Court. The bill will make amendments to Commonwealth legislation and set out transitional provisions to ensure that jurisdiction and powers conferred on state magistrates by Commonwealth law can continue to be validly exercised by judges of the New South Wales Local Court. Conversely, the amendments will also ensure that judges of the New South Wales Local Court will not be able to exercise federal jurisdiction and powers beyond the intended scope of their office. This bill will ensure that the New South Wales Local Court can continue to perform its important role in the federal justice system, dealing with a range of matters under Commonwealth law, including both civil and criminal proceedings. I commend the bill to the chamber. Question agreed to. Bill read a second time. Ordered that this bill be reported to the House without amendment. CONDOLENCES 99 CONDOLENCES Jonceski, Mr Ljupco (Luch) 99 17:14 Ms MADELEINE KING 102376 Brand I would like to join with other members of this chamber and acknowledge and pay my respects to Ljupco Jonceski, or, as we all knew him, Luch. Luch, sadly, passed away on New Year's Eve. I hope it is comforting to his wife, Mary, and his children, Joshua, Jessica and Rebecca, to know that he was loved by all of us in this place. Members of parliament past and present have benefited over the years from Luch's tireless dedication and enthusiasm to his role as a parliamentary attendant. He was a calm, reassuring and gracious presence in the House of Representatives from the morning prayers to question time to the adjournment debate in the evening, whenever that was—sometimes very late. Luch helped keep parliament running for over 40 years. After working down at the Old Parliament House, he helped bring new Parliament House to life. I did not know this until recently, but he literally helped build this magnificent place. He worked as a labourer on the construction of this iconic building before becoming one of the most respected and diligent attendants of this parliament. Luch was a constant. Indeed, he was the longest-serving employee in the Department of the House of Representatives. Governments and ministers, members and senators—we all come and go, but Luch's warmth and kindness was a common thread that has helped unite this place for generations of the elected. I was elected nearly 10 years ago, on 1 July 2016. When you are first elected, the experience of arriving at parliament can be quite overwhelming. Before that, arriving at the Canberra Airport, maybe not for the first time ever but for the first time as an elected member of the House of Representatives, is also a pretty different experience. When I first arrived in 2016, Luch was the attendant at the airport in Canberra. With a clipboard and a smile and a warm greeting, he made sure I got my Comcar and my new colleagues all got their cars on our way to the parliament. It was very reassuring and a great kindness. For many years on a Sunday evening Luch would be at the airport managing the drivers and welcoming us to Canberra after our long flight from Perth. The Perth flight, as some of you will know, is one of the last flights to arrive—it certainly used to be—and Luch would be there making sure we got our cars. Sadly, the practice of having someone to help us at the airport has stopped. Personally, I think that's a false economy, but that's a matter for DPS. He helped all MPs in their speeches as well, particularly for members' first speeches. The other attendants, of course, also always help us in this, making sure we have a lectern—letting us know there was such a thing as a lectern that you could put on your table was instructive and really helpful—and delivering us a water before that speech, all allowing us to be at our very best. I can assure anyone who hasn't done a first speech in this parliament that it's one of the most terrifying experiences—it was of my life; I can't speak for every member of this place. But to have someone like Luch and the kind attendants that are around us today help us deliver those speeches is really something, and I thank Luch for his kindness and for all the attendance. He also took magnificent care of the mace—that amazing traditional part of our parliament that represents the authority of it. He would care for it as it passed out of the hands of its formal custodian, the Serjeant-at-Arms, to its home for the night in the Speaker's chambers, locking it up every night and unlocking it every morning the parliament was held. He was also a personal assistant to the Speaker and my friend Milton Dick, and I knew they spent much time together. Luch's commitment to Milton as the Speaker and to all the Speakers and their respective offices over many years will live long in the collective memory of the House of Representatives. The member for Riverina observed in his condolence motion that condolence motions are usually reserved on the passing of members of the royalty, world leaders, ministers of the Crown, members of parliament, senators and now for Luch. Perhaps he is the first attendant in the parliament to receive such an honour; I can't be sure. But it does say a tremendous amount about Luch and his constancy that we are here lamenting his loss. I hope all the attendants here that serve our parliament, our democracy, realise how important they are to each of us, the members of the House of Representatives, and to the senators. You work diligently in the background, in service. Your smiles and contributions to our days here are meaningful, and we could not do without you. You will miss Luch, and we will all miss him as well. I want to take this moment to also thank everyone that makes the parliament work for us, whether it be, of course, the drivers that get us to and from our homes—I live a long way from the airport, and many others do as well, and we know some of those drivers have to be out of their beds at three in the morning or two in the morning to collect the cars to come and get us, to get us to the airport, and there are also long nights, when they pick us up late at the airport, returning from Canberra or from wherever else we travel around the country, and I thank them for their patience when our planes are late or there all the other mishaps that befall us in this. I also thank each of the attendants, the cleaners and everyone else that works really diligently to keep this place working. There's also the workmanship in this place—and there are a lot of people that come here when we're on a break, that no-one ever sees, that do things like fix up these wooden tables and make sure that this place, that's 38 years old, is always looking its best. It says a lot about our parliament and the deep respect the people that work in this building have for the building itself, the fixtures in it and all the things we need to make it work, that they care for it so carefully and with such love and so meaningfully. It's lucky for us, and it's a privilege to get to work here every single day, and the people that work here all work hard. I know we have some tough times. It's always very contested. But we all know we live and work in such a remarkable building, and we have the people around us that help us. Returning to Luch, he was truly a genuine person. He was generous and friendly to every person he met. I feel privileged to have met Luch, and I thank him for welcoming me to the parliament when I first started nearly 10 years ago. This entire building is all the better for working with him. I'm saddened by his loss. And I can truly say this place will not be the same without him. Luch will long be remembered. May he rest in peace. The DEPUTY SPEAKER 295588 Are there any statements? 17:22 Dr WEBSTER 281688 Mallee Yes—impromptu. I do want to speak about Luch, because, when I first came to Parliament House in 2019, it was Luch, and his friendliness and his warmth, welcoming me as a new MP—Luch just had that beautiful personality that was open to everyone and friendly towards everyone and just wanted to be helpful. I agree with the minister's characterisation of Luch but also of every attendant in this House and all those who serve us. You know, we, sometimes, get a little bit precious about how important we are. We're elected; that's true. But we couldn't do what we do without the support of the people who work in this House, and every one of them is valued. I always think about the culture that is developed here, and the fact that it doesn't matter whether we're from opposition parties, or whether we're walking beside someone, or someone's coming towards us who might the cleaner for the day—everyone is friendly; everyone treats one another with respect. It is a real delight, and it's an enormous privilege to work in this House, to represent the people of my electorate in Mallee, but also for every MP—and senator, to be fair—to work in this House, for the people of Australia. I think people don't understand, and I was very interested to hear the minister say just then, that this House is 38 years old. It's still kind of feels new to me, and that has to do with the upkeep and the care, and the fact that people do take their jobs very seriously here. Once again, I would just thank every person who serves in this House. They're not just doing a job; they are supporting the democracy of Australia. And it is a wonderful thing for us to be involved in and a true privilege. 17:24 Mr MONCRIEFF 316540 Hughes It's a real honour to be able to speak in remembrance of Luch. I didn't know Luch for as long as some of the other members here, having been elected only last year, but I want to acknowledge how welcoming he was to the new members here. As has been said by some of the members that were welcomed a bit longer ago, he was so welcoming. The moment that I always remember about him is when I was in my first couple of weeks here and I was looking for a lectern. I walked up to the little spot next to the main doors of the chamber. I was still working things out. I said, 'Can I get a lectern?' and he went, 'Come in, come in,' immediately. He was so welcoming. He said, 'Come in any time you want.' He was so generous and welcoming with his time and his resources. The first time I saw Luch was on The House With Annabel Crabb and they talked about how long he had served in this place and the place before it. There are no members left serving in this place now who served in the previous place. It's so sad that we've lost that connection to that previous place and to the legacy of that building for this place. Luch was always such a warm reminder of the familiarity of this place and of the legacy of this place. As has been said, we as members of parliament couldn't do this work without those people supporting us—the attendants, the cleaners and all the people that make this place hum. We couldn't do it without them. Luch represented the best of this place. He represented that warmth and that welcome that we want for this seat of Australian democracy. We want it to be a place where all Australians feel welcome, and Luch did that in the most humble and welcoming of ways. He did it with a sense of humour as well, as the Prime Minister said. He used the same joke on me a couple of times. I drink a lot of water in the chamber as the member for Tangney, my bench mate, will attest. And, yes, Luch did use the old, 'It's on the house!' joke on me a couple of times. It was always very warm and it's something that I'll miss very much. I want to wish all the best for his family. They have our sincere condolences. Our thoughts are with them at this time. It's such a difficult time, losing such an important part of not just our family but their family even more dearly. Vale, Luch. Long may his legacy in this place continue. 17:27 Mr TIM WILSON IMW Goldstein I remember at the end of last year, as I left the building at the end of 2025, on the way out I said goodbye to Luch. Like everybody else in this chamber, when we said goodbye at the end of last year, I thought we were saying goodbye for a couple of months. I never thought that my passing reference and good wishes for the holiday season and Christmas would be the last time that I would see him. I remember, as the previous speaker did, when I was first elected. It was in 2016. It was one of those experiences. You're brought into the House of Representatives. You get shown by the Speaker the parading of the chamber. The enormity of the flowing eucalypt walls is overpowering. When I was talking to people, this fellow started chatting away to me and I asked politely, 'What's your job?' And he introduced himself: 'I'm Luch. I'm the guy who kind of runs the show.' From that moment on, he was not just charming, endearing and warm throughout my entire parliamentary service—iteration 1 and iteration 2—but a permanent fixture of this place. This institution will endure well beyond any of us. We are a temporary beings that come and go. We have the great privilege of representing electorates. The building itself, since 1988, has been a symbol of and a testament to our democracy. It's a symbol of what makes this country great. But sitting beneath the surface of the physical structure are the people who work in this building every day, who bring it to life. Luch was one of those people who bridged the divide between the perpetual and the temporary in this building, and who celebrated our great democracy. He was as much a part of the institution, and his commitment to the democracy that we all love and participate in was not just a temporary thing: it was enduring. To pass away at only 59 years of age really is one of the most devastating things, I'm sure, for him and his family because he gave his life over to service of our great Commonwealth and its democracy. He represented the best of the Public Service and particularly the Parliamentary Service. He was diligent, he was discreet, he was loyal and he was respectful. I never met a member in this place who ever had anything bad to say about him, only that he was ever anything other than entirely willing to support and assist with a complete blindness to party allegiances, responsibilities. As the old saying goes, no-one would ever know how he voted because he was there, he was always willing and he was always able to assist. So, in one sense, he lived his life through this building and through the success and the contributions of the members, and that's why there's so much emotion from so many members in response to his tragic passing at such a young age. I was on Annabel Crabb's documentary The House, which stepped through how parliament itself works. In one sense, Luch was the embodiment of the parliament itself and how it, at least in spirit, wanted to operate—cooperative, engaging and focused squarely on the best interests of the people of Australia, lived out through the parliamentarians who have the great privilege of serving here. So I fully understand why everybody is so emphatic and warm in their acknowledgement of Luch and his legacy to this place. I can't even imagine the devastation that his family must feel for his early passing, and we can only express on behalf of all members the most incredible outpouring of grief and support for them at this very difficult time. But they should also take comfort that a life well lived in service of others is one of the greatest contributions that anybody can make. And he did that perhaps not in the way that many members in this House do—through their performative dimensions—but with a quiet and enduring resilience to support others to do their best to serve the community as part of the achievement of this great Commonwealth. That's why his life and legacy are such an achievement and why so many of us are so impassioned to acknowledge his life and legacy. We just want to wish his family all the best. May he rest in peace, because his legacy most resolutely endures. 17:33 Mr HASTIE 260805 Canning Today I rise to honour the memory of Luch Jonceski, a servant of this parliament for four decades, who served as an attendant in this House of Representatives and as an assistant to the Speaker of the House. It's a privilege to join with my colleagues in honouring his memory in front of some of his colleagues. Luch was a man who straddled history in the sense that he served both in the old and this present parliament. That's quite an achievement. I only knew Luch for just over a decade, and most of our interactions occurred in the House or in the courtyard outside, where we'd chat away in the sunshine during short breaks. I think that's an experience that many colleagues had. The thing I want to note about Luch today is that he was a consistently cheerful and friendly man. That's how I'll remember Luch. I think everyone who works in politics, but particularly in Parliament House, has to have good people skills. But for Luch, it wasn't just a vocation; it was who he was. He was a friendly, cheerful man. Luch transcended his vocation in that sense, which explains why we all had such great affection for him. Our political life is full of peaks and troughs, summits and valleys, and no matter where we might find ourselves on a particular day, Luch always graced the moment with a warm smile and greeting, and that is the memory I have. He had the common touch and he also reminded us of the outside world, the regular Australians who we represent in the chamber. He reminded me not to take things too seriously and not to take things too personally, which I think is really important, and that there is life outside of this building. I think that's why I will miss Luch. I think he was the best of the Australian people. Everyone in this House will be the poorer for his absence but none more so than his family—his wife, Mary, and his children, Jess, Rebecca and Josh. I offer my condolences to them today. 17:35 Mr BUCHHOLZ 230531 Wright Hey, Luch, it's Scotty. What did you go and do, mate? I left here last year with the intention that we'd see you again. It wasn't supposed to be this way, mate. I know you're up there with God in heaven, but jeez, mate, you've left a bit of a hole for us down here. Who's going to take your job? Who's going to look after us the way you looked after us? Your family have got the shits, mate. They're upset. I caught up with them the other day when they were here in the parliament. But you know what? The Speaker of the House put a good gig on for you. It was lovely to have your family there in the parliament where you used to work. It was a bit of a shock when I heard the news that you'd gone over up to heaven. It wasn't your time, but it would have been peaceful by all the accounts of it—no pain, no suffering. It was just having a bit of a camp on the couch and then not waking up the next day. It makes us all think about our own vulnerability. Footy season will be around soon, mate, and I won't have anyone to talk to about the fixtures and those bloody Broncos. Thanks for the smokes you used to give me every now and again. But, more importantly, thanks for the chats. I'll miss you, mate. I'll miss you. When it's my turn, I'll keep an eye out for you. Thanks, Luch. Federation Chamber adjourned at 17:37