2026-03-10 3 1 0 House of Reps 0 1

Tuesday, 10 March 2026

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

BILLS 1 BILLS Corporations (Review Fees) Amendment (Technical Amendments) Bill 2025 1

Corporations (Review Fees) Amendment (Technical Amendments) Bill 2025

Returned from Senate 1 COMMITTEES 1 COMMITTEES Membership 1 12:01 The SPEAKER 53517 I have received advice from the Chief Opposition Whip nominating members to be members of certain committees. 12:01 Dr LEIGH BU8 Fenner by leave—I move: That Members be discharged and appointed as members of certain committees in accordance with the following list: Standing Committee on Appropriations and Administration—Mr Pasin be discharged from the committee and that, in his place, Mr Hawke be appointed a member of the committee. Standing Committee on Communications, the Arts and Sport—Mr Venning be discharged from the committee and that, in his place, Ms Price be appointed a member of the committee. Standing Committee on Economics—Mr Violi and Mr Pike be discharged from the committee and that, in their places, Mr Hamilton and Mr Caldwell be appointed members of the committee. Standing Committee on Employment, Workplace Relations, Skills and Training—Mr Violi be discharged from the committee and that, in his place, Ms McKenzie be appointed a member of the committee. Standing Committee on Health, Aged Care and Disability—Mr Caldwell be discharged from the committee and that, in his place, Mr Pike be appointed a member of the committee. Standing Committee on Social Policy and Legal Affairs—Mr Thompson be discharged from the committee and that, in his place, Mr Hawke be appointed a member of the committee. Joint Committee on the Broadcasting of Parliamentary Proceedings—Mr Pike be discharged from the committee and that, in his place, Ms Price be appointed a member of the committee. Parliamentary Joint Committee on Corporations and Financial Services—Mr Violi be discharged from the committee and that, in his place, Mr Buchholz be appointed a member of the committee. Parliamentary Joint Committee on Human Rights—Mr Rebello be discharged from the committee and that, in his place, Mr Hawke and Mr Wood be appointed members of the committee. Parliamentary Joint Committee on Law Enforcement—Mr Chaffey be appointed a member of the committee. Parliamentary Joint Committee on the National Anti-Corruption Commission—Mr Pike be discharged from the committee and that, in his place, Mr Hawke be appointed a member of the committee. Joint Committee of Public Accounts and Audit—Mr Kennedy be discharged from the committee and that, in his place, Mr Buchholz be appointed a member of the committee. Joint Standing Committee on Electoral Matters—Mr R Wilson be discharged from the committee and that, in his place, Mr Small be appointed a member of the committee. Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade—Mr Thompson be discharged from the committee and that, in his place, Mr Wallace be appointed a member of the committee. Joint Standing Committee on Migration—Mr Pike be discharged from the committee and that, in his place, Mr Rebello be appointed a member of the committee. Joint Standing Committee on the National Disability Insurance Scheme—Mr Thompson be discharged from the committee and that, in his place, Mr Pike be appointed a member of the committee. Joint Standing Committee on Northern Australia—Mr Thompson be discharged from the committee and that, in his place, Ms Price be appointed a member of the committee. Joint Standing Committee on the Parliamentary Library—Mr Pasin be discharged from the committee and that, in his place, Mr Wallace be appointed a member of the committee. Joint Standing Committee on Treaties—Mr Pike be discharged from the committee and that, in his place, Mr Wood be appointed a member of the committee. Question agreed to. BILLS 2 BILLS Parliamentary Frameworks Legislation Amendment (Reviews) Bill 2026, Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility Amendment Bill 2026 2

Parliamentary Frameworks Legislation Amendment (Reviews) Bill 2026

Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility Amendment Bill 2026

Reference to Federation Chamber 2 12:02 Ms RYAN 249224 Lalor I declare that, unless otherwise ordered, the Parliamentary Frameworks Legislation Amendment (Reviews) Bill 2026 and the Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility Amendment 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. STATEMENTS 2 STATEMENTS Personal Explanation 2 12:02 Mr TIM WILSON IMW Goldstein I wish to make a quick personal explanation. The SPEAKER 53517 Does the member claim to have been misrepresented? Mr TIM WILSON IMW I do. The SPEAKER 53517 Please proceed. Mr TIM WILSON IMW An article on ABC online published this morning and following media reports stated I own shares in a company called Narractive Pty Ltd. I have never owned shares in Narractive Pty Ltd. Shares have been owned by a family trust, and that trust has been disclosed on my register and is accurate. I understand the trust sold the shares, and the ASIC register has been updated accordingly. I understand the journalist was reporting from outdated information. BILLS 2 BILLS Parliamentary Frameworks Legislation Amendment (Reviews) Bill 2026 2

Parliamentary Frameworks Legislation Amendment (Reviews) Bill 2026

Second Reading 2 12:03 Mr TIM WILSON IMW Goldstein The Parliamentary Frameworks Legislation Amendment (Reviews) Bill 2026 is, for the most part, a relatively straightforward piece of legislation that seeks to address some other components of legislation, including the Parliamentary Workplace Support Service Bill 2023, or the PWSS Act; the Members of Parliament (Staff) Act 1984, or the MOP(S) Act; and the Parliamentary Business Resources Act 2017. The legislation seeks to ensure that these pieces of legislation work in a correct and proper fashion, sufficient with the objectives designed for their purpose. The PWSS was established in 2023 and provides independent support, complaints handling and human resources advice for parliamentarians, their staff and other parliamentary workplace participants. The MOP(S) Act provides the legislative framework for the employment of staff by members of parliament and senators, including advisers and electorate staff. It sets out the authority of parliamentarians to employ staff and governs the terms, conditions and administration of those employment arrangements. And the PBR Act establishes a framework for the provision and use of public resources to support parliamentarians in carrying out their parliamentary duties. It sets out the rules for entitlements such as office expenses, travel, staff support and other resources and establishes oversight and administration arrangements through the Independent Parliamentary Expenses Authority. Of course all members of this parliament are familiar with those pieces of legislation and the roles they play on workplaces, staff and resources. At times it can be a complex system to navigate, with MPs, senators and staff having to deal with multiple agencies and departments in the operation of our day-to-day workplaces. We understand the government has a view to simplify the current frameworks and systems that govern how MPs and senators work, and this is something the coalition is supportive of. It makes sense to bring forward these three statutory reviews so they can be considered as part of the government's review of the parliamentary ecosystem. It is worth noting, however, that this process follows several reviews in recent years that the government has implemented in part or are yet to be responded to. This includes the independent review of resourcing in parliamentarians' offices. The review found that parliamentarians offices are under increasing workload pressure and that current resourcing is often not sufficient to meet the modern demands of busy electorate offices. The government agreed in principle to all 10 recommendations from the review, but, as is often the case with Labor, you have to look not at what they say but at what they ultimately do. And what did they do? Shortly after the review was released, they trashed the conventions of this parliament and sacked hardworking opposition staff, heaping more pressure on workplaces already struggling with a lack of resources. So we know full well that, despite the rhetoric of trying to support parliamentarians in their duty and upholding democratic accountability, the response from the government has been the reverse. We've seen this also, of course, in their attempts to shut down freedom of information laws, as they have done recently. Of course, thankfully, that has now been shelved after sanity prevailed in the Senate despite every single member of the government on the other side of this chamber being tainted with attempts to shut down freedom of information through legislation. It was a particularly vindictive move from this Prime Minister, who wants to entrench his control rather than actually advance the best interests of Australians and our democracy. We note that, despite the promises of transparency and accountability by this government, we have seen the complete opposite, and stripping the opposition of experienced staff impacts our ability to scrutinise the government effectively and responsibly, which is fundamental to the functioning of our democracy so that it can be sustained for future generations. So, while we support the review of the systems and frameworks that govern parliamentary workplaces, I urge the government to urgently progress the implementation of outstanding recommendations from the resourcing review and consider returning to the bipartisan resourcing of the parliament. Finally, I understand the government is committed to consulting closely with the opposition and crossbench throughout the review period, and that is something that we ultimately welcome. It's quite simple. The legislative framework sitting around parliamentary practices should be designed to maximise parliamentarians fulfilling their duties for their communities and in pursuit of the best interests of Australia. The current legislative framework can, of course, always be improved as any legislative framework can be improved, but the question is whether the work has been done sufficient to make sure that we get the best things forward for our country. One of the biggest limitations now on our democracy has been the deliberate acts of this government to limit the capacity of the opposition and crossbench to scrutinise the government, which only entrenches the government's position and power and undermines accountability in our democracy. This is not a healthy development for any of us, and we all hope that it sees resolution soon. Debate adjourned. MOTIONS 3 MOTIONS Middle East 3 Attempted Censure 3 12:08 Ms WATSON-BROWN 300127 Ryan I seek leave to move the following motion: That the House: (1) notes that nearly 100 Australian military personnel will be sent to the Middle East alongside military equipment that will be used to participate in the US and Israel's war with Iran, and that this decision to deploy military personnel has not been discussed by the Australian Parliament; (2) rejects Labor's push to be part of another US-led war in the Middle East, which has already seen thousands of civilians injured and killed, and caused even greater insecurity and economic damage around the world and in Australia; and (3) calls on the Government to immediately end support for the US and Israeli war with Iran, withdraw all Australian troops from the US military, prohibit the US from using Australian-based military assets, and not send any Australian troops to the region to participate in this illegal war. Leave not granted. Ms WATSON-BROWN 300127 I move: That so much of the standing and sessional orders be suspended as would prevent the member for Ryan moving the following motion: That the House: (1) notes that nearly 100 Australian military personnel will be sent to the Middle East alongside military equipment that will be used to participate in the US and Israel's war with Iran, and that this decision to deploy military personnel has not been discussed by the Australian Parliament; (2) rejects Labor's push to be part of another US-led war in the Middle East, which has already seen thousands of civilians injured and killed, and caused even greater insecurity and economic damage around the world and in Australia; and (3) calls on the Government to immediately end support for the US and Israeli war with Iran, withdraw all Australian troops from the US military, prohibit the US from using Australian-based military assets, and not send any Australian troops to the region to participate in this illegal war. The Prime Minister says we're only politically supporting the war. Then we hear that they're considering defensive aid. Now we hear Australian troops are being deployed—Australian aircraft, Australian missiles—for Trump and Netanyahu's war. When did they ask the Australian people or the Australian parliament? We should be debating this, which is why I'm moving this motion. Troops are troops. Deploying defensive troops to the Middle East is joining the US's war effort. Its effect will be to free up offensive capabilities for the US and for Israel. If not now, when are we going to debate this in the parliament? Australian troops, Australian aircraft, Australian missiles—did the Prime Minister ask the Australian people? Did he ask if we ever wanted to get involved in another illegal US forever-war? Did they ask us if we wanted to deploy our troops, our aircraft and our missiles to support Donald Trump and Netanyahu's illegal war? Did they ask us if we thought putting Australian troops' lives at risk was worth it to support Trump and Netanyahu's illegal war—the war that started with the bombing of a primary school and the killing of 150 school children? No: the Prime Minister has just unilaterally committed us to this, seemingly after a 2 am phone call with Donald Trump. What's worse is that his government has been lying to us, saying troops would not be deployed. And now, of course, we do have personnel deployed. We're putting the security of Australians back home here at risk by getting involved and making ourselves a target. We're taking the side of Trump and Netanyahu in their illegal war that is both costing human lives and causing economic shocks that will crush everyday people across the world. Who benefits? Certainly not the Australian people—but one big beneficiary will be the gas companies that extract Australian gas for free without paying any royalties and export it overseas for massive profits. They will massively benefit from the price spikes after Qatar's gas operation went offline. But only their shareholders will see that benefit, not ordinary Australians—exactly what happened just a few short years ago when the Russia-Ukraine war saw energy bills for ordinary Australians skyrocket. But what does the government do? Not put in a super profits tax to crack down on war profiteering; not unequivocally condemn the attacks—no, we're getting ourselves entrenched in this conflict, contributing to the prolonging of the war and escalating it, and it's making us all a target. Will the Prime Minister jump to comply with Trump's next demand? First it was political support, then refuelling planes and now troops. What will his next demand be? The Australian people deserve to know. I remember Vietnam: sold to the public as a defensive war. I remember Iraq: sold as necessary to prevent 'weapons of mass destruction' that turned out to not exist. Labor had the courage to oppose that war. Where is Labor's courage now? The SPEAKER 53517 Is the motion seconded? There being no seconder, the motion then lapses. BILLS 4 BILLS Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility Amendment Bill 2026 4

Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility Amendment Bill 2026

Second Reading 4 12:14 Mr LITTLEPROUD 265585 Maranoa I'm pleased to rise and deliver this response on behalf of the federal coalition to affirm our support for the Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility Amendment Bill 2026, extending the NAIF for a further 10 years, from 30 June 2026 to 30 June 2036. This is a bill which stems from the independent review into the NAIF chaired by the Hon. Warren Snowdon and assisted by Professor Peter Yu and Dr Lisa Caffery and tabled in parliament on 27 August last year. Just as the federal coalition recognised the significant economic contribution of northern Australia to our nation when we first established the NAIF in 2016, so too did this independent review panel. The panel concluded that northern Australia, which is home to just 5.1 per cent of Australia's population and comprises more than half its total landmass, produces a gross regional product that is significantly above per capita rates for the rest of the country. The panel acknowledged that since 2016, when the former coalition government initially set up the NAIF, it was provided crucial financial assistance, which has bridged gaps in commercial financing to build infrastructure across the North which supports sustainable economic and social outcomes. Importantly, on the extensive consultations with stakeholders that were undertaken across northern Australia, the review panel reported that the NAIF was a known and trusted entity in supporting development and is seen as a key part of northern Australia's economy. Significantly, the review determined that stakeholders see the NAIF as part of the northern Australia ecosystem. Given the laudatory feedback received from stakeholders, the review panel assessed the NAIF's current legislative time limit, with the window for making investment decisions ending on 30 June 2026. On this point, the panel's very first recommendation to government was that the government remove the existing time limit to allow the Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility to make investment decisions in perpetuity. The federal coalition has always recognised the unlimited potential of providing sustainable and resilient economic development in the North. The NAIF has financed projects in the sectors of agriculture, water, energy, resources, social, infrastructure and transport, and logistics across Queensland, Western Australia and the Northern Territory. It's delivered enormous public benefit through new employment opportunities, regional economic wealth and population growth and has contributed to an overall confidence across half of our country, which delivers boundless economic results for all Australians. We recognise how the NAIF alleviates economic and social disadvantage and improves the lives of Indigenous people and communities. The NAIF implements key infrastructure projects and contributes to realising the Critical Minerals Strategy for 2023 to 2030. Proudly, the NAIF has a track record of delivering tremendous outcomes which have made a real and enduring difference on the ground. Since the former coalition government established the NAIF in 2016, as of December 2025 it has supported 33 projects. This is underpinned by $4.3 billion worth of commitments, with the ultimate public benefit to northern Australia forecast to be $33 billion, or $7.60 in forecast public benefit for every dollar of the NAIF finance. Crucially, the NAIF also supports over 18,000 jobs across the North. Northern Australia has always been an exciting and challenging frontier, with incredible and immense opportunities. On this front, the NAIF is perfectly poised to encourage and support investors in converting risk and opportunity into jobs, fostering sustainable communities, delivering transformational infrastructure and helping to secure a strong and more robust overall economy for both the North and the whole of Australia. We should all continue to support the vital work of the NAIF. That's why the federal coalition will be supporting this legislation. I thank the House. Debate adjourned. Migration Amendment (2026 Measures No. 1) 5 First Reading 5 Second Reading 5 12:20 Mr HILL 86256 Bruce I move: That this bill be now read a second time. The Australian government is committed to ensuring Australia's migration system works in Australia's national interest. At any point in time, there are many temporary visa holders outside Australia holding a temporary right of entry to Australia granted to support travel for a genuinely temporary purpose like a holiday or attending a conference. The current situation in the Middle East demonstrates how quickly circumstances can change that may impact whether those temporary visa holders could fulfil that temporary purpose in Australia, including whether they would leave Australia should they travel here. In these circumstances, it is vital that government can respond appropriately, including by placing temporary limitations on the ability of certain cohorts of non-citizens from travelling to Australia. Without legislative change, the only way to prevent travel to Australia by persons holding valid visas is to individually assess whether there are grounds to cancel each visa—a process which is not suited to responding efficiently to international conflict or other rapid international developments where thousands of visas may be affected simultaneously. As we have seen with this conflict and recent global shocks, the migration system must be able to respond quickly and at scale to events where it may be necessary to limit travel to Australia on a temporary basis. The Migration Amendment (2026 Measures No. 1) Bill 2026 will allow temporary restrictions on the arrival of certain classes of temporary visa holders in Australia, where it is necessary to protect the integrity and sustainability of Australia's immigration system. This includes when events or circumstances outside Australia mean that there is an increased risk that certain temporary visa holders will not depart Australia. The bill will expressly provide the Minister for Home Affairs, with the written agreement of the Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs, the power to make an 'arrival control determination' in relation to a class or classes of non-citizens. The minister may make an arrival control determination where an event or circumstance has occurred or is occurring outside Australia—and where one or both of the following apply: having regard to the event of circumstance—temporary visa holders covered by the determination may, if they enter Australia, remain in Australia after the visa ceases to be in effect; or the temporary visa may not have been granted if the event or circumstance had occurred at the time the visa application was being considered. The minister must also be satisfied that it is in the national interest to make the determination. This would result in the temporary prevention of travel to Australia for those temporary visa holders covered by the determination, while it is in force. This will provide the government with time to assess the evolving situation and take the necessary steps to manage any risk to our national interest. This bill will strengthen the migration system and enable government to respond rapidly to any international crisis—importantly with a range of safeguards applying to this power. The determination is limited to temporary visas. It cannot be exercised in relation to any permanent visas. The determination can only be in effect for up to six months. It cannot be varied or extended, and must not be longer than the period that the minister considers appropriate in all the circumstances. A new determination can be issued upon expiry, but only where all elements of the legislative test are met. The determination will not impact a visa held by a non-citizen who is in Australia at the time the determination is made. This bill recognises the importance of family reunion and our international commitments. The bill expressly provides that the power to suspend a temporary visa will not apply, if at the time the determination is made, the non-citizen is: a. The parent of a child under 18 years old who is in Australia, b. An immediate family member of an Australian citizen or permanent resident. c. The holder of a temporary protection, refugee or humanitarian visa, or person who holds a bridging visa granted in association with one of these visas. There will also be the ability to exempt individuals from the determination on a case by case basis, enabling travel for those individuals by issuing a permitted travel certificate. This balances the need to act rapidly with flexibility to support certain individuals where appropriate—for example, in compelling or compassionate cases, or where it is in Australia's foreign policy interest or the public interest to do so. The determination would be required to be tabled in both houses of parliament, together with a statement of reasons. If any 'permitted travel certificates' are issued, the legislation also requires the minister to table a report on the number issued in each six-month period. These requirements provide for appropriate transparency and accountability in relation to the exercise of the powers in this legislation. The determination will not operate to cancel anyone's visa or refuse the grant of a visa application. Once a determination ends, visa holders will be able to travel if their visa period is longer than the determination. If a noncitizen's temporary visa expires during the period of the determination, they are eligible to apply for a further visa. The determination suspends travel to Australia while it is in force—it is not a bar on visa applications. Any new visa application would be appropriately considered having regard to the applicant's intention, circumstances and other relevant matters at that time. This new framework will ensure that government can quickly take the necessary steps to manage risk before it manifests in Australia. It will also ensure that where risks can be appropriately managed, that travel limitations can be lifted as soon as it is in the national interest to do so. This bill allows Australia's visa system to continue to operate effectively and to the benefit of Australia. I commend the bill to the House. The SPEAKER 53517 The question is that this bill be now read a second time. Is leave granted to continue the debate? Leave granted. 12:26 Mr TED O'BRIEN 138932 Fairfax I thank the assistant minister. I want to note that the responsible shadow minister, Senator Duniam, has received a verbal briefing from the government. I note too that he has received a draft of the legislation. This legislation does have the coalition's in-principle support. I note that there will be a Senate inquiry this evening, which will inform the final position taken by the coalition, but we do not see any major hurdles. Thus, today we will be supporting the passage of the bill through the House. This bill, the Migration Amendment (2026 Measures No. 1) Bill 2026, contains reasonable measures to strengthen the integrity of Australia's migration system. The bill provides the government with additional tools to temporarily restrict the arrival of certain classes of temporary visa holders where circumstances overseas create a risk that people may not depart Australia when their visas expire. These powers are designed to protect the integrity and sustainability of Australia's migration system, particularly where international events increase the risk of visa overstays. In particular, the bill allows the minister to make an arrival control determination, which can temporarily suspend the effect of certain temporary visas for people outside Australia, where it is in the national interest. These determinations are time limited and subject to reporting requirements, ensuring that they remain targeted and transparent. The coalition has, of course, always argued that Australia's migration system must be well managed, orderly and sustainable, and measures that strengthen system integrity are sensible and will be supported. However, this legislation also highlights a broader issue, that being Labor's overall record on immigration management, which has been deeply concerning. Under Labor, migration numbers have been too high and standards too low, placing pressure on housing infrastructure and vitally important public services. While targeted integrity measures like those in this bill are welcome, they cannot substitute for the strong overall migration management that Australia needs. The coalition has consistently called for a migration program that balances economic needs with community capacity and strong integrity safeguards. We will continue to support measures that protect the integrity of the visa system while holding the government to account for its failure to properly manage migration settings overall. Question agreed to, Mr Wilkie dissenting. Bill read a second time. Debate adjourned. Coal Mining Industry (Long Service Leave) Legislation Amendment Bill 2025 7

Coal Mining Industry (Long Service Leave) Legislation Amendment Bill 2025

Second Reading 7 12:31 Mr TIM WILSON IMW Goldstein I rise to speak on the Coal Mining Industry (Long Service Leave) Legislation Amendment Bill 2025. From the outset, I make it clear that the opposition will be supporting this bill because it's both noncontroversial and pragmatic. It resolves longstanding uncertainty and provides fairness to employers who have acted in good faith, and preserves the integrity of the coal long service leave scheme for the workers who rely on it. It's quite straightforward. The legislation exists to facilitate employers who were advised previously they were not part of a scheme to now be part of a scheme and provide a pathway forward. I welcome the government's frankly pragmatic approach on this legislation as a consequence of a series of court decisions. It's also a reminder that good industrial relations legislation comes from cooperation, consultation and common sense, not mad ideology or confrontation. The purpose of this bill is actually shockingly straightforward. It establishes a voluntary pathway for certain employers to repay historical levy debts owed under the coalmining industry long service leave scheme—debts which are legally payable, overdue and would be subject to penalties but which arose from a genuine uncertainty about coverage under the scheme. Under the bill, eligible employers may enter into repayment arrangements over six years once 80 per cent of the debt has been paid. The remaining 20 per cent associated with the LSL scheme is then waived owing to surplus funds available to it. Importantly, once an employer enters into such an arrangement, no further penalties or enforcement actions apply. This is not a write-off. It's not an amnesty. It's a simple, structured, conditional and time-limited mechanism to deal with historic liabilities in a way that protects workers, that, hopefully, avoids business failures, that maintains confidence in the system, and that also gives a pathway forward. Despite the temptation, I'm really looking forward to the minister in question time railing that we were against this, even though I've made it very clear we're supporting it, because we support workers, and we support people working hard and hard work paying off. The long service leave scheme has a proud history. It was established in 1949 and underpinned by a Commonwealth legislation since 1992. It provides a single national system of long service leave for black-coal miners, recognising the unique nature of work in the industry and the mobility of its workforce. In the context of Goldstein, we don't have many people, but I have spoken to lots of colleagues around the country, including those who have FIFO workers who deal with the realities of this scheme. The scheme is funded by a mandatory levy of 2.7 per cent on eligible wages paid to eligible employees. That levy is paid by employers, not deducted from workers' wages, and coal LSL manages the fund to ensure it can meet all the obligations and entitlements while withstanding market and industry fluctuations—something that present moments would remind us of. As of June 2025, the scheme holds more than 71 million hours of long service leave on behalf of 160,000 workers, including around 65,000 currently active employees. That is a significant trust for these critical workers and is one that this parliament has a responsibility to safeguard. However, over recent years, serious uncertainty has emerged regarding the coverage of the scheme, particularly for employers providing specialised maintenance and services on coalmine sites. Companies have found themselves unexpectedly exposed to substantial historical levies and levy debts, going back many years following Federal Court decisions that clarified eligibility. It wasn't the companies doing the wrong thing—they were given one bit of advice and the courts have decided otherwise. It's now about how we get them to maintain and honour their obligations. Large miners will be able to do it, and for smaller miners it will be more challenging. It wasn't the companies doing the wrong thing. They were given one bit of advice. Courts have decided otherwise. It's now about how we get them to maintain and honour their obligations. Large miners will be able to do it. For smaller miners, it will be more challenging. They were not cases of deliberate noncompliance. They were cases where the law was unclear, the boundaries of coverage were contested and businesses structured their operations based on reasonable interpretations that were only resolved years later by litigation. The result was the real prospect of large, immediate liabilities that posed genuine risks to business viability, employment and investment. The bill strikes the right balance because it upholds the principle that lawful levies must be paid. It ensures workers' entitlements are protected, and it recognises that imposing immediate full repayment of historical debts arising from legal uncertainty could cause disproportionate harm, including insolvencies and job losses. The staged repayment model ensures that employers contribute the overwhelming majority of what is owed, where the conditional waiver recognises the exceptional circumstances and incentivises compliance. Crucially, the fund itself will absorb any shortfall arising from the waiver, and advice before the parliament makes clear that, given the limited number of anticipated arrangements and the front-loaded nature of repayments, there is no material risk to the scheme's financial viability. This is not about shifting costs onto other coal producers or compliant employers. Their levy rates are unaffected. The integrity of the scheme remains intact. Industry has worked closely with government to design these arrangements. The Australian Industry Group, which has been heavily involved, has been very clear that many businesses faced hardship or insolvency without some model of reform. That would impact, of course, thousands of jobs and needlessly put them at risk. The Minerals Council of Australia has also welcomed the bill as a positive step in resolving commercial and financial uncertainty, and I note the Mining and Energy Union has also expressed support. So there you go. You've got the Liberal Party, the National Party, the Mining and Energy Union, the Minerals Council, the Australian Industry Group and the government all in one big group hug in favour of workers. How about that? Mr Conroy 249127 Love it! Mr TIM WILSON IMW There you go. The minister on the other side of the chamber is saying he loves it, but it also shows that, without ideology dictating industrial relations policy, there is room for cooperation where it's appropriate. From a small business employment perspective, the bill is particularly important, and this is the part that matters most, of course, to many people on this side of the chamber. Service providers to the mining sector often operate on tight margins, employ highly skilled workers and invest heavily in safety and compliance. Sudden retrospective liabilities of this scale can be fatal regardless of intent or past conduct, particularly when everybody acknowledges that the employers did not engage in misconduct. If there is to be change, the government needs to be facilitators towards a better future, and the parliament is taking that responsibility. By avoiding unnecessary business failures, it's not just good economics, though it is. It's actually just good social policy, because what we actually want is to make sure that Australians are empowered and have more agency and control over their lives, not simply make people mendicants of the state. Every insolvency avoided is jobs preserved, families protected and regional communities kept strong. This bill provides certainty, stability and a clear pathway forward. For those reasons the opposition supports the bill, and no doubt it's the reason that it's not been put forward by the Treasurer. 12:38 Mr CONROY 249127 Shortland I rise to speak today in support of the Coal Mining Industry (Long Service Leave) Legislation Amendment Bill 2025. I imagine most of us take it for granted when we can just flick a switch and the lights are on, the kettle boils, the fridge is cold, the oven is warm and we can sit back and enjoy the latest bingeworthy show on Netflix. But, of course, none of this would be possible without the people who dedicate their working lives to supplying the resources we need for energy supply, and I'm talking about our mining workforce in particular. My electorate of Shortland straddles the Lake Macquarie and the Central Coast, and these are critical centres for Australia's coalmining industry and home to thousands of coalminers. These hardworking people are entitled to the long service leave that has accrued during their employment. This is regardless of whether they have worked for one or multiple employers. They deserve to have their continuity of service recognised without penalty. Workers in the black-coal mining industry hold transferable skills, and they can and will move their employment to where there is demand. That is why it makes sense, like certain other industries, that their long service leave is portable, as is the case for building and construction, community services and contract cleaning. The coal long service leave scheme is funded by a levy on employers and ensures workers keep their entitlements even if they change employers. It's part of a dense architecture of support for the coalmining industry that's grown up organically and through struggle from workers and their representatives over decades. It's an industry that is incredibly dangerous and risky. Every year I attend the miners' memorial at Aberdare or Cessnock, where there are listed the names of the more than 1,800 men, women, and children as young as eight, who have died in our coalmines, supplying energy to our country. Miners make enormous sacrifices in a very risky industry. Their struggle has been, in part, for safe workplaces but also for the architecture that goes around that, in a truly tripartite way. Whether it's the mining rescue service, whether it's long service leave, whether it's the broader safety scheme or the superannuation, this is an industry where it's genuinely tripartite—where workers and their representatives, the unions, and good employers strive together to have world's-best regulation. And this legislation goes towards that. There are impediments to the success of the current scheme for black-coal industry workers. Firstly, there's the issue of historical levies owed by employers. This has meant that employees have been unable to accrue and access long service leave entitlements. Secondly, the additional levy employers must pay on late levy payments needs to change to meet current cash rates, to encourage employers to pay on time. This bill will ensure more Australian workers can access their lawful long service leave entitlements. This bill incentivises employers to comply with the coal long service leave scheme. It will ensure workers in the black-coal mining industry can be more certain of their financial future. And, ultimately, this is about the Albanese Labor government standing up for workers' entitlements. Our miners deserve this certainty, particularly at a time when some mines are closing and many hardworking Australians are struggling with the cost of living. This is why it makes sense that this government is amending existing legislation to remove the current barriers to some eligible workers being able to accrue and access their long service leave entitlements. In my great electorate of Shortland, I'm no stranger to the mining industry, and thousands of my constituents have spent their lives employed at the local collieries. I'm incredibly proud of that. In fact, my electorate is named after Lieutenant John Shortland from the First Fleet, who was the first European to discover coal in Australia, in 1797. Just a short drive from my electorate office sits the Chain Valley Colliery, on the southern end of Lake Macquarie. This colliery operates as part of an integrated mining operation that includes the smaller Mannering Colliery, just a few minutes down the road, and supplies the Vales Point Power Station. Underground mining operations began in 1962, with thermal coal extracted from the Wallarah, Great Northern and Fassifern seams over this period. For decades, miners have combined bord-and-pillar and miniwall mining to supply high quality thermal coal, primarily to the nearby Vales Point Power Station. At its peak employment period in the mid-1980s, Chain Valley Colliery boasted a workforce of around 380 personnel. These employees, a skilled workforce of miners, engineers and administrative staff, have played, and continue to play, a vital role in supporting the energy supply in our region. And they're just some of the over 1,000 coalminers who work in my region, who live in my electorate. They'll cross Five Islands Bridge to work in the coalmines on the other side of the lake or go up the valley to work in the mines up the Hunter Valley. I'm incredibly grateful for the sacrifice they make, and I honour their sacrifice and the sacrifice of the tens of thousands of retired coalminers who have graced my region. I hope this legislation sends the clear message to workers like those at the Chain Valley Colliery that the Albanese Labor government values their vital contribution and has their back. It's the right thing to do, and we know how much it will mean to miners and mining families, not only in my electorate but right across the country. We know there have been cases of employers who have disputed whether some workers have coverage under the coal long service leave scheme, and this has caused considerable stress and anxiety amongst coalminers and their families—not knowing whether they were able to accrue or even access their entitlements and not knowing if there was anything they could do about it. So, as I said, under this bill, employers will be incentivised to comply with the coal long service leave scheme. Employers will be able to repay their debts over a period of six years, making debt management more predictable and manageable. The 20 per cent debt waiver will incentivise participation in the payment arrangement scheme by supporting employers with significant levy liabilities. We're streamlining the onboarding pathway for employers who opt in to the payments arrangement scheme. Employers will provide Coal Long Service Leave—the organisation—with information necessary to create new or updated service records for workers coming into the scheme. Ordinarily, this information would include service records and wage data. But what about when someone's records are missing? What happens then? The good thing about this bill is that it will allow for reasonable assumptions to be made about a worker's service so they don't miss out. For example, there is no requirement that employers hold service records that are more than seven years old. In this case, a reasonable assumption of what an employee is entitled to could be made. This is designed to ensure that the loss of historical records or incomplete historical records aren't a barrier to access, that an eligible worker is not excluded from their full entitlement because their employer has failed to do the right thing or accidents have happened. I understand that Coal Long Service Leave—the organisation—is already working with dozens of employers to assess eligibility for the scheme. These are employers that undertake a broad range of activities across the mining industry. We're talking about maintenance and repair services, labour hire firms that supply maintenance-and-repair labour, shot firer employers, emergency service providers and businesses that conduct testing, inspection and certification of mining operations. It is due to the findings of the relevant Hitachi and Orica cases that the government has moved swiftly to protect the entitlements of mining industry workers. With the clarity gained from these legal proceedings, we can move ahead with this important legislation, and this bill ensures eligible workers get their full entitlements, some dating back 15 years. The current scheme was hard won by unionist coalminers more than 70 years ago, making it one of the first portable long service leave schemes for blue-collar workers anywhere in the world. It was founded based on their struggle and their sacrifice, and now we're refining it to make it even stronger. In a media release from the Mining and Energy Union on 27 November last year welcoming the legislation, general secretary Grahame Kelly said: Legislation introduced to Parliament today strengthens the Coal Long Service Leave Scheme and ensures coal workers get the money they are owed. He said it was a 'long-overdue fix that puts workers first', and I wholeheartedly agree. This bill is another example of how the Albanese Labor government is standing up for our miners, just like we did before the federal election on 25 May, which saw Labor retain government with the start of our same job, same pay changes. This began on 1 November 2024, and it was a fantastic initiative for Aussie workers, particularly coalminers. Same job, same pay has been a game changer. I remember when the former minister for employment and workplace relations Murray Watt joined me in Newcastle just two months after same job, same pay came into force. Just in that short time, just in the first two months of operation, 120 New South Wales mineworkers saw their wages grow by up to $35,000, and, at the same time, another 1,500 New South Wales coalminers had applications in for their wage rises. This pay rise was long overdue, because coalminers doing the same job should get paid the same amount of money. Ms Swanson 264170 Hear, hear. Mr CONROY 249127 Coalminers who risk their lives every day—and the member for Paterson has been a staunch defender of this initiative—who get up and risk their lives to power our state, should not face wage apartheid because one happened to be directly employed and another was employed through a labour hire provider. That's why I'm so proud of same job, same pay, and that's why I was so horrified that this initiative was opposed by the Liberal and National parties, who voted against it. In fact, the opposition leader, Angus Taylor, even went so far as to call these laws dangerous. Well, it's dangerous to allow wage apartheid. It's dangerous to say coalminers don't deserve the same pay for doing the same job. At the same time, we saw then coalition frontbencher the member for New England, Barnaby Joyce, before he defected to One Nation saying same job, same pay was 'ridiculous'. Let's not forget that his new-found friends in One Nation also voted against it or didn't even bother showing up to vote at all in their work-to-rule campaign. One Nation called the new laws a sham, demonstrating yet again that they're happy to don the hi-vis, coat their face with a bit of coal dust and claim to be the friends of coalminers but, when coalminers need them to stand up for their rights at work to say that people should get paid the same for doing the same job, they disappear or, even worse, vote against it. Let's be very clear about this. Pauline Hanson and One Nation are no friends of coalminers. They're happy to schmooze with mining bosses. They're happy to take the largesse from large mining corporations but they vote against coalminers' interests every day of the week, and people in my community are jack of it. Let's also not forget the plight of hundreds of workers at the Myuna Colliery at Wangi Wangi, Lake Macquarie. Workers were at risk of losing their jobs there because of a commercial impasse between Origin Energy and Centennial Coal about supply of coal. That's why I was so pleased that our community campaign sprung up, led by the mining unions—the MEU, the AMWU, the ETU, the Coal Officers Organisation and Professionals Australia—to say that we need certainty for the 300 workers and their families at the Myuna Colliery. I was proud to join with the other Hunter Labor MPs in calling for Origin Energy and Centennial to do the right thing—sacrifice a tiny bit of profit to give certainty to those workers at Myuna Colliery. Our view has long been that, as long as Eraring power station is open, it should be supplied by coal from Myuna Colliery, which is a captured coalmine that has supplied coal since the start of the power station. It has no opportunity to supply coal to the export market because it is a captured coalmine. I was delighted that the public campaign led by the workers and their representatives was successful and that Origin and Centennial have come to the party. There is a good prospect that Myuna Colliery will remain open for the life of the Eraring power station, and I pay tribute to everyone involved in that campaign. I stand here proudly today in support of this bill with the knowledge that the Albanese Labor government is improving the wages and entitlements of hardworking Australians. Once again, we're delivering on what we promised. I stand here proudly with coal miners and their families and say, 'We've got your back. We acknowledge and are deeply grateful for the sacrifice you make to keep power on in our state and our nation, and to provide export dollars. We will always stand up for your wages and conditions and say, 'We're proud of the job you do, we're proud of the sacrifice you make, we honour the sacrifice you make and we will always stand up to protect you and make sure that you have safe working conditions and fair entitlements.' On that note, I commend the bill to the House. 12:52 Mr McCORMACK 219646 Riverina I'm interested to see the member for Fenner and the minister at the table. The member for Fenner has written a number of publications in recent years, one of which is entitled The Economics of Just About Everything:the hidden reasons for our curious choices and surprising successes. Apart from the 1,152 speeches he's given on legislation to this place, when he adds another chapter, when he adds the sequel to that 2014 publication, he may well want to include some sentences about this particular bill, which is rather an oxymoron because we have Labor talking about coalminers and we have the coalition talking about workers' rights and, of course, we're all in furious agreement, which is also rather unusual. The Coal Mining Industry (Long Service Leave) Legislation Amendment Bill 2025 is important; it absolutely is. It's important for many of the reasons that the minister, member for Shortland, has just described. Indeed, it's also very important because we need to protect the rights of our coal miners. The reason we need to absolutely, 100 per cent, get behind them is because coal generates 47 per cent of Australia's electricity. I do look forward to question time today when the energy minister is going to hopefully explain what the government is doing in the area of fuel security. But when we talk about securing our nation's wealth, when we talk about feeding our nation, one industry which very much comes to mind, front and centre of all this, is the black-coal industry. Anyone who represents the Hunter should know that. Anybody who comes from Queensland coalmining areas would know that. And anybody in Australia should absolutely respect the job that our coalminers do. They've been demonised. They have. Mr Buchholz 230531 Bowen Basin. Mr McCORMACK 219646 'Bowen Basin' I just heard from the member for Wright. Indeed, he is right as always. Coal is Australia's second-largest export after iron ore. And, of course, we've got agriculture as well. I often hear from those opposite, particularly the Treasurer, the member for Rankin, talking about the trillion dollars of Liberal Party debt that the government inherited when it took office in May 2022. That is not right; it was nowhere near a trillion dollars, and it wasn't just Liberal Party debt—indeed, the Nationals were very much in a coalition with the Liberal Party for those years of government, those successful years of government. Dr Leigh BU8 National Party. Mr McCORMACK 219646 You can write in your book, Member for Fenner, if you like. If you want to sing out, add it to your next chapter! And I say it with all due respect, because you're a learned person, and I do have high regard for your economic background. That said, what we did during the COVID years was protect jobs and save lives, and it took a lot of money to do that. But Australia finished up as the second best in the world for COVID-19 preparedness, according to the Hopkins Centre. And, as the Deputy Prime Minister for many of the COVID years, I'm proud of that record. Coal supplied 62.6 per cent of electricity to the National Electricity Market in 2022-23. Gas was 4½ per cent; hydro was 8.3; and other renewable energy, including wind, grid, solar and batteries, was 24.1 per cent. Australia has the fourth-largest share of coal reserves in the world, and our coal is the best in the world. It's the cleanest in the world, and we have it as an export. It has helped the member for Rankin's, the Treasurer, ability, to create a surplus in this nation. Without it, we would not have been able to put that surplus in place. In Australia, nearly 80 per cent of coal is produced from open-cut mines, in contrast to the rest of the world, where open-cut mining accounts for only 40 per cent of coal production. Such mining is cheaper than underground mining, and it enables up to 90 per cent of resource recovery. They're important figures, but behind all those important figures are workers: they are the men—and women, too—who put on the high-vis and the helmets with the torches and go out and work and help our country be powered, help our exports be strong and help our nation. Many of those people who live in our cities and enjoy their lattes and their magics and whatever other coffee brew they have of a morning don't quite, I think, appreciate that without our coalminers they wouldn't be able to enjoy that beverage, that morning cup of pick-me-up coffee. Since May 2022, the Minister for the Environment and Water has approved 12 new coalmines or expansions with 725 million tonnes of lifetime emissions. I know that they'll have to be abated. That's just the way life is these days, until we get some common sense. But I applaud and encourage the opening of those new mines. Indeed, I would encourage even more. Without them, we're not going to be able to power Australia. We should have the cheapest energy in the world. We should. Unfortunately, we don't. I'd love the Minister for Climate Change and Energy to explain why that is so. When you see that in the 12 months to May 2025 there was $45.8 billion worth of coal exports, can you imagine trying to provide the National Disability Insurance Scheme, support for public schools, support for public hospitals or just keeping the lights on and keeping the wheels of economic activity in this nation without that coal wealth? When I say 'wealth', I talk about the 27,000 Queenslanders employed by coalmining. Those people would perhaps not be in work. I tell you what, they certainly wouldn't be an ecotourism. The Greens would like them to be. There are no jobs in ecotourism like coalmining wealth. Coal royalties are $5½ billion a year. Mr Buchholz 230531 It's overtaken iron ore. Mr McCORMACK 219646 The member for Wright talks about overtaking iron ore. Indeed, without those two industries, without our great miners—our brave miners—where would we be? This bill creates a voluntary pathway for employers to pay historical debts related to unpaid portable long service leave levies of employees in the black coal industry. We know that workers in that industry often change employer. They often go from mine to mine, employer to employer, and they take their experience with them. They take their know-how, their skills, and they move about. As I said, the black coal industry remains a critical pillar of Australia's economy. Anybody who comes into this place and decries coalminers—I know the member for Paterson wouldn't; I think she's the daughter of a coalminer, and she's nodding, she says that's correct—or the coal industry is decrying Australia. They are going against what this nation stands for—those miners who have helped build this nation, those miners who have made this country what it is today. We should say to them: 'Thank you. We are grateful. We are appreciative. We look forward to you doing more in the future.' This bill will enable the employers to ensure that they provide the support that is needed. The coalition supports this bill and we very much support the industry. It is an industry that backs tens of thousands of workers, an industry that has provided so much hope and aspiration, fulfilled the dreams of so many Australians. Industry has welcomed the legislation. The minister's intention to grant extension of time for repayment plans are in light of ongoing litigation. We don't want to see too much of that, because of lapsed legislation or procrastination within this place, when we line the pockets of lawyers. That's not a good thing. That's not an outcome for anybody. That's why the bill is important. The Australian Industry Group says that many businesses would face hardship and potential insolvency if required to pay historical levy debts immediately. A large number of jobs were at risk. Therefore, the introduction of the bill into parliament is very welcome. We recognise that the bill needed to strike a balance between the interests of all parties. This balance was achieved following the government's lengthy consultation process, in which the Australian Industry Group was heavily involved. That's an interesting thing, because all too often—I stand in this place and I speak on most bills—we find that the government hasn't done the proper consultation, unfortunately. Often we have found, particularly in this term of parliament, that the government is all too willing to rush legislation through the parliament without proper debate, clamping down, nullifying debate, gagging democracy, sending the legislation off to the other place and hoping for the best over there. I do hope that when this bill goes to the other place the senators can see reason and will understand that this has received bipartisan support. I'm not sure where the Greens stand on this. Then again, who would be sure where the Greens stand on anything, quite frankly. We saw that little stunt by the member for Ryan this morning—just unbelievable, quite frankly. If the Greens are ever the answer to a policy in this place, it must be a pretty stupid question. The opposition supports passage of this bill. We support wholeheartedly—vehemently—the black coal industry. I know that sometimes, for those opposite, saying the words 'black coal' must make them feel like they want to grab a glass of water and wash their mouth out. I know that in the Treasurer's first budget he couldn't bring himself to say 'black coal' or even 'coal'. They were words he just wasn't able to say. He described them as 'the things we sell overseas, the things that make our wealth'—the things that helped make his budget surplus. Again, I say that we should be applauding our coalmining workers. Without their work, without their effort—their zeal, their determination, their commitment, their perspiration—we wouldn't have that great industry, we wouldn't be able to keep the lights on, and we wouldn't be able to turn the wheels of industry and manufacturing in this nation and also provide a great export. I say again, thank you coalmining workers. This bill will go towards delivering certainty, stability and fairness while also strengthening the confidence of the coal long service leave scheme. I'd note that the member for Fenner has texted me saying, 'Thank you for the kind words'—and I look forward to his next book, his next publication, where perhaps he might bring himself to exalt and applaud the efforts of our coalminers. I appreciate that he is a member representing many Canberra constituents. This city, great city that it is, would not be the capital of Australia that it is without the beautiful roads and infrastructure—something that has been acknowledged by visiting parliamentarians and world leaders—without black coal, without the mining industry, without those hard workers from the member for Wright's electorate and no doubt the member for Dawson's and others besides. They're the workers who are doing the hard yards. They're the workers we should be very much applauding. Many of them, as the member for Wright comments, are FIFO workers—fly in, fly out workers. The former member for New England, Tony Windsor, an Independent, and I did an inquiry into fly in, fly out workers. That inquiry report is called Cancer of the bush, or salvation of our cities? The member for McEwen was also on that committee. We did some good work. We took a lot of evidence from mining workers at Moranbah and elsewhere, and by gee they do a mighty job. I know the member for McEwen understands that as well. Families spend a lot of time away from home. They come from the member for Moncrieff's electorate and from electorates right across Australia. Indeed, they come from my electorate, to work in Queensland or to work in Western Australia, whatever the case might be. So thank you, coalmining workers. This is important legislation. It's got the support of the coalition, and let's see that it hopefully gets through the Senate as well. 13:07 Ms SWANSON 264170 Paterson I too rise today to speak in support of the Coal Mining Industry (Long Service Leave) Legislation Amendment Bill 2025. I do so not only as a member in this place and the very proud member for Paterson but also as the proud daughter, granddaughter and great granddaughter of coalminers and the proud friend, the proud aunt—someone who is well and truly still enmeshed among those who either used to work in the coal industry or still do. I grew up in a household shaped by the rhythms of the coal industry, by shift work. My father worked dogwatch, which these days is known as night work, for the last 17 years of his career—17 continuous years of dogwatch. I remember seeing him come home just as I was about to go to school every morning. I can remember that a big deal in my house was when mum got an extra small washing machine to wash dad's overalls so she didn't have to clean out our normal machine after washing those clothes. Times have changed in the coalmining industry, and that is a good thing. My father was a coalminer at Bloomfield colliery, and I'm proud to say that my grandfather worked there, too. To this very day, we still extract coal out of that mine, which is less than a kilometre from my house, where I live now. We've been doing so and sending it to Japan for 90 years. That's the depth and the breadth of coal and how much it means not only to my region and the people who extract it but also to our country and the revenue we gain from it. I want to thank each and every one of those workers who continues to extract coal from Bloomfield to this very day. It is an important part of our story. Coalmining isn't just an industry in our region; it's actually part of the fabric of who we are—our identity. It's powered our nation, sustained regional economies like the Hunter and provided generations of working people with good incomes, with secure, skilled employment. And it will continue to be an integral part of the Hunter for many years to come. That's why it's so important that, when we say we back the coal mining industry, we mean we're backing its workers 100 per cent of the way. This bill is doing exactly that. At its heart, this legislation is about fairness. It's about making sure that workers in the coalmining industry can access long service leave entitlements that they've lawfully earned—entitlements that recognise the physical demands, the risk, the long-term commitment required in this industry and, as was just pointed out by the member for Riverina, also the changing nature of work in the industry. In coal in the Hunter, we're not so much FIFO workers as in fly-in fly-out. People drive long hours on top of a 12-hour shift in our region. Sometimes they'll drive up to two hours to get to work, work for 12 hours and then drive home again. It's a very long day. That's why these people need to be paid fairly and properly. Eligible workers in the coal industry are entitled to portable long service leave under the coal long service leave scheme. That has been the law for decades. But the reality is that for too long some workers have been unable to accrue or access those entitlements not because they were ineligible but because of prolonged disputes about employer coverage under the scheme. Over many years, a number of employers have disputed whether they employed eligible workers in the coalmining industry. These disputes had very real consequences. They have left workers without service records in many cases, they have prevented accrual of entitlements and in some cases they have meant that workers who dedicated years of their life to the industry walked away without the long service leave they were, in fact, entitled to. That's just not acceptable. I want to share an example from my electorate of Paterson. Stuart, from Maitland, spent nearly seven years working almost entirely on coalmine sites while employed by a contractor. About 90 per cent of his time was on coalmines. There was no question he was working in the mining industry, but, because of the way the law operated at the time, his employer was able to avoid paying the black coal long service leave scheme. In effect, it was a loophole and one that left workers like Stuart carrying the cost. Eventually, workers challenged it. The matter went through a major dispute and was ultimately recognised but only after a significant fight—and with the support of the Mining and Energy Union, I might add. Stuart lodged a claim for his long service leave. He had to gather years of evidence—site login records, employment documents and detailed work histories—just to have his service recognised. When his claim was finally approved, his accrued long service leave increased from roughly 300 hours to around 900 hours. He told me it was about fairness. He was working side by side with employees directly engaged by the mine. We refer to those people as the 'permanent shirts' as opposed to the contractors. He was doing the same job on the same crew day after day, sometimes night after night. They were accruing 13 weeks after eight years. He was accruing far less. It's simply not right. Stuart now has two young children and, like many long-term miners, he hopes one day to use his accrued leave to either spend extended time with his family or as a bridge into retirement. As he said, if you're working on a coal mine, you should clearly be covered. It shouldn't depend on what logo appears on your payslip or your shirt. And that's precisely what this bill seeks to address. This bill is designed to fix the problem at its source. It incentivises major employer compliance with the coal long service leave scheme with clear and practical focus on connecting workers to their full long service leave entitlements. Importantly, where records are missing—and there will be people listening to this wondering about their records—because records that are more than seven years old sometimes are not kept, they are no longer required to be kept. This bill allows for reasonable assumptions to be made. This is a critical reform. It ensures that workers are not denied their entitlements simply because the historical records are incomplete, unavailable or have been discarded. In other words, this bill places the focus where it belongs: on the worker, not on the paperwork or on the gaps that no longer serve any legitimate purpose. The benefits of this bill will be felt across a wide range of employees in the coalmining industry. At this stage, it's difficult to quantify the precise number of workers who will benefit, as employers will need to submit service records and eligible wage data. But what we do know is that the Coal Long Service Leave is actively engaging with dozens of employers to assess eligibility. These employers operate across a broad range of activities within the industry, including maintenance and repair services, labour-hire firms supplying maintenance and repair workers, shotfirer employers, emergency service providers and businesses conducting testing, inspection and certification. This really matters, because the modern coalmining workforce is very diverse. It extends well beyond the mine gate, and it includes thousands of skilled workers whose labour is essential to the safe and efficient operation of the industry. This bill also recognises the realities facing employers, particularly in the light of recent legal activity. Findings in the Hitachi and Orica cases have clarified coverage for many employers in the coalmining industry. As a result, some employers have now accrued substantial historical levy debts, often going back many years. This legislation does not ignore that reality. Instead, it introduces practical, sensible measures to support compliance while easing the financial and administrative burden on employers. We can't forget that these employers need to generate a revenue too. We should never forget that. Under this bill, employers will be able to repay the historical levy debts in a predictable and manageable way over a six-year period. This gives businesses certainty, stability and time to plan, while ensuring that the scheme receives the funds needed to support workers' entitlements. It is a win-win. This bill also introduces a 20 per cent debt waiver for employers who opt into the payment arrangement scheme. We want to reward these proactive employers who want to do the right thing. We're going to reward them with a 20 per cent debt waiver. Particularly for businesses with significant levy liabilities, it encourages participation rather than avoidance. In addition, where employers have already paid long-service leave entitlements directly to employees upon cessation of employment, those amounts can be deducted from their historical debt. This avoids double payment and recognises good-faith actions already taken by employers. I want to thank the employers who do the right thing for that. It is very important. Importantly, participation in the payment arrangement scheme is entirely voluntary. Employers can choose the approach that best suits their circumstances, and, if an employer chooses not to opt in, employees still retain the ability to pursue queries about their eligibility for the scheme through existing mechanisms. The bill also provides a time limited opportunity for employers to access a more streamlined onboarding pathway, one that's expected to be significantly faster than the current bespoke onboarding process, which can take up to 12-to-18 months. The streamlined pathway includes simplified wage calculations, reducing the need to recreate historical payroll slips, which can be a bit of a nightmare. It allows for reasonable assumptions to address unavoidable historical data gaps, and it enables payment arrangements to progress without needing to resolve every historical data issue up front, ensuring that debt repayment and worker connection to entitlements are not unnecessarily delayed. Finally, this bill strengthens compliance with the Coal Long Service Leave scheme by addressing a technical defect related to the additional levy applied to late payments. The additional levy exists to encourage employers to pay their levies on time. However, it's currently calculated using a rate that's no longer published by the Reserve Bank of Australia. As a result, it doesn't effectively deter late payments and doesn't align with the scheme's original intent. This bill that we're moving in the House today fixes that defect by tying the additional levy to the Reserve Bank of Australia's cash rate. This restores the integrity of the compliance mechanism and supports timely payments into the scheme, ultimately benefiting workers and allowing employers to know where they stand in relation to the RBA cash rate. This bill is grounded in fairness, practicality and respect for working people and those who employ them. It acknowledges the central role of coalmining regions like mine, the mighty Hunter. It supports employers to do the right thing. Most importantly, it ensures that workers, the men and women who have given so much to this industry and our country, can access the long service leave entitlements that they've earned. As the daughter of a coalminer and as a proud representative of the Hunter, I really want to commend this bill to the House, and I want to thank those people who get up early in the morning, go to work and don't go to bed until very late or work through the night. It is a hard job in the coal industry. No-one denies how hard it is. It's still full of risk, but it's also full of good reward, and it's something that each one of us in this place can feel proud of, not only because of the employment it provides the people of Australia but because of the wealth that it provides our nation as well. I commend the bill to the House. 13:21 Mr WILLCOX 286535 Dawson I rise today to support the Coal Mining Industry (Long Service Leave) Legislation Amendment Bill 2025. I wish to speak for the men and women who keep the lights on in this country, those who spend their days and nights at the coalface to ensure Australia remains a resources powerhouse. The legislation before us might seem like a mere administrative clean-up of payroll levies and service records, but in the electorate of Dawson we don't look at our mining industry through the cold lens of a spreadsheet. We look at it as the bedrock of our community, the lifeblood of our local economy and the physical foundation upon which our regional prosperity is built. I want to be clear from the outset that the coalition will support this bill. We support it because at its core it's about fairness for the people who do the heavy lifting for this country. It's about ensuring that a worker's history isn't lost in the overburden of administrative errors or legislative confusion. However, our support is not a blank cheque. While we're prepared to help clear the path for these amendments, we have serious concerns about the legacy of mismanagement that has brought us to this point, and we have even deeper concerns about how this government intends to manage the resources sector moving forward. In Dawson, the coal industry is the very pulse of the region. From the Abbot Point coal terminal in Bowen to the massive industrial service sector engine that is Paget in Mackay, coal is what keeps the lights on. It's what keeps the shops open, the schools funded and the families together. When we talk about coal in North Queensland, we aren't just talking about a commodity; we are talking about community. We're talking about a sector that contributes circa $100 billion to our national economy and generates over $70 billion in export earnings. It is the black gold that pays for the hospitals in the city and the roads in the bush. Yet for too long a grey haze of legislative uncertainty has hung over the long service entitlements of our workers. It is a disgrace that it took two Federal Court cases to do the work that this parliament should have done years ago—just to clarify that these entitlements belong to the workers, regardless of whether they are full-time employees or part-time labour hire arrangements. That is totally irrelevant. This bill finally provides a mechanism for employers to onboard those workers and settle historical arrears without facing catastrophic collapse of their own financial viability. It is a suitable path, but let's not pretend it's a perfect one. It is a patch-up job for a system that was allowed to get sooty with neglect. The coalition is resolute in defending our resources sector. We know that Australian coal is the best in the world. It is high quality, it is efficient and it is the essential ingredient for the global future. And this is where I'd like to provide a little illumination for the members opposite. There is a persistent, almost religious belief on the other side of the chamber that we can simply phase out coal and phase in renewables. It is a hollow argument that ignores the common sense of physics and engineering. If you want a wind turbine, you need steel. If you want a solar array, you need steel. If you want steel, you need metallurgical coal. You can't decarbonise the future without the carbon provided by the Bowen Basin. Coal is not a relic of the industrial past. It is a foundational component of a renewable future. Every time the members opposite look at a wind farm or a solar panel, they should be thanking a coalminer in Central Queensland. But while we're digging deep into the future of the industry, we must ensure that the workers aren't left in the dark when it comes to their entitlements. Mining is a tough, gritty business. It requires true strength from men and women who work 12-hour shifts, often in the blistering heat or in the dead of the night, away from their families for weeks at a time. When a miner earns their long service leave, they haven't just put in time; they have earned the seam of gold in their career. They have earned the right for a hard-fought rest with their loved ones. However, our bill for this support comes with a strong warning: the Coal Mining Industry (Long Service Leave Funding) Corporation has a track record. Frankly, it's less than stellar. We've seen reports of underpayments and a payment system so convoluted you'd have to be a forensic accountant to try to work it out. We're not going to let this government tunnel through this legislation without proper oversight. That's why the coalition is insisting this bill be referred to as Senate inquiry. We need to ensure that the simplified calculation methods aren't just a way for the government to shave the edges off what workers are rightly owed. We want to ensure that every miner receives every single cent they have worked for. We also need to look at the hidden costs of Labor's policy settings, because, let's be honest, it's never easy under Albanese. This government has a habit of undermining the very industries that pay the nation's bill. Their own minister for transport stood up in a question time to rattle off a list of minor road repairs, claiming Labor was investing in the Bruce Highway, while those who actually drive it know the Bruce is crumbling. The Bruce is the artery that carries the lifeblood of our mining communities, and right now that artery is in desperate need of major surgery. It certainly needs a few extra passing lanes. Real investment is what's needed, not just patch-up repairs that are packaged to look like investment. The people of Dawson are tired of being treated like a resource to be tapped but never replenished. They see the billions in royalties flowing out of the Bowen Basin and into the city-centric projects—into light rail in Canberra or stadiums in Hobart—while our local infrastructure is left to weather in the sun. They see a government that is happy to take the cold cash but is too embarrassed to stand up for the workers because coal has become a dirty word in the cities. In my electorate, Paget is the service hub for the entire Bowen Basin. It is a world-class precinct where innovation is happening every single day. The METS sector in Mackay doesn't just service mines; it invents the future of mining. These are small and medium-sized businesses—family run fabricators, engineering firms and specialised technicians. They need certainty. They need to know that, if they do the right thing and pay their levies, the system won't buckle under administrative incompetence. The bill is a step forward to that certainty, but it does require constant monitoring. We support the bill because we support the 42,500 Australians who work in this sector. We support the families in Townsville, Bowen, Burdekin, the Whitsundays and Mackay who depend on the prosperity of mines out west. We support the vision of Australia that remains a resources superpower. But I will be clear on this: the energy transition pushed by this Labor government—the reckless race to renewables—is a tough gig. They want to rush headlong into a future that hasn't been properly engineered. They want to rely on technologies that still require the very resources that they are trying to demonise. The DEPUTY SPEAKER 248181 The debate is interrupted in accordance with standing order 43. The 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 16 STATEMENTS BY MEMBERS Cost of Living 16 13:30 Ms WATSON-BROWN 300127 Ryan I rise to speak to the issue of power bills. Check your power bill lately? Did you wince? Have government rebates all dried up and the bills spiked? Where's your money going when you shell out hundreds every quarter? To build more energy infrastructure? To operating costs? No. It's going to the profits of huge energy corporations—record profits lately, in fact. If you're with AGL, $755 of your energy bill each year is pure profit for that corporation. AGL isn't producing your energy; it's just a retailer, just a shonky middleman. AGL's CEO makes $3.5 million each year. That's where your money is going. There's simply no reason it has to be like this. We used to have a fully publicly owned energy sector with energy run at cost and no profits made. Now we have private energy corporations gouging us to access our energy. Who sold our energy system off to private corporations? It was the Liberals and Labor, who now receive millions in political donations from these corporations. We've got to get corporate profiteering out of our essential services. Privatisation was a mistake. When the government says it can't do anything about huge energy bills, I say they're pulling your leg. Tibet 17 13:31 Mr DAVID SMITH 276714 Bean I rise to acknowledge the 67th anniversary of the Tibetan uprising, to pay tribute to all those that rose up in 1959 and to stand in solidarity with those that have kept up the fight for basic human rights. I recognise that this year, the Dalai Lama's 90th year, is being observed as a year of compassion globally, celebrating his significant contribution to humanity. The Dalai Lama is loved throughout the world for his courage and commitment to the universality of human rights and promotion of interfaith harmony, compassion and democracy. The people of Tibet face repressive policies that are aimed at eradicating their distinct cultural and religious identity. This includes plans to interfere in the centuries-old spiritual tradition concerning the reincarnation of the Dalai Lama. It is critical that Tibetans have the right to determine the identity of the next Dalai Lama using their traditional practices, without the interference of the Chinese government. I urge the government of the People's Republic of China to recognise this authority, recognise the fundamental human rights and dignity of the Tibetan people and approach this through genuine dialogue with His Holiness the Dalai Lama. We can only achieve long-term peace and freedom in Tibet through genuine dialogue without precondition. Energy 17 13:33 Ms McKENZIE 124514 Flinders Fuel security might feel like a technical issue, but on the Mornington Peninsula it is something that locals feel each and every time they pull up at the bowser. Prices always surge before a long weekend, as they did last week, but this is something else. Today, across the peninsula, prices are sitting around $2.19 for unleaded and nearly $2.30 for diesel. For families, tradies and small businesses alike in my electorate, those costs are biting hard, and that's because communities like Flinders are more exposed than most. On the Mornington Peninsula, 59 per cent of households have two or more cars, well above the Melbourne average. More than 58 per cent of residents drive to work, and at least half of them work outside of the electorate. Over 80 per cent of our region has little to no access to public transport whatsoever. In other words, when fuel supply is uncertain or prices spike, Peninsula families cannot simply jump on a bus or a train. They have no alternative. Fuel security and affordability is a local economic and a national security issue. COVID exposed just how fragile global supply chains can be, and at that time the coalition established a comprehensive fuel security package, including minimum stockholding obligations and support for Australia's refining capacity. The question now is whether the current Labor government has the same level of urgency. Australians deserve confidence that, in times of global instability, we have a clear strategy to secure adequate fuel supplies. Tibet 17 13:34 Ms WITTY 316660 Melbourne The Tibetan community is something that must be experienced before you can describe it. It is colour and mantras woven into prayer flags and spinning wheels. Earlier this year I had the privilege of meeting His Holiness the Dalai Lama. When he entered the room, it felt as though the whole of Tibet entered with him, for he remains the living symbol of a people's enduring hope that one day they may again govern themselves peacefully in their homeland. For many people around the world, Tibet has faded from public consciousness but the reality for Tibetans has not changed. Inside Tibet, language, religion and culture remain tightly restricted. Families are separated as children are sent to state-run boarding schools where their own language and traditions are absent. People inside Tibet continue to disappear with no explanation—imprisoned or tortured simply for communicating with others, for possessing a photo of the Dalai Lama or for speaking openly about their identity—and yet the Tibetan people have never surrendered their identity. In exile, they rebuild monasteries, teach language and celebrate their culture in acts of quiet defiance. Even now, the Chinese government seeks to control the future of Tibetan Buddhism itself, attempting to dictate who the next Dalai Lama will be. Tibet is often called the 'Third Pole', a vast and vital region of our planet rich in natural resources. Above all, it is a homeland for people— (Time expired) Greyhound Racing 17 13:36 Mr WILKIE C2T Clark A great many Australians were heartened by the Tasmanian government's promise to end greyhound racing in the state by 2030 and the subsequent introduction of legislation to do just that. Heartened indeed, because Australians are well aware that the greyhound racing industry in Australia inflicts unspeakable cruelty on an industrial scale and no wonder. One dog has died already on Tassie tracks this year and 13 have died across the country. Countless more have been injured or been put down, often simply because they don't run fast enough. The greyhound racing industry only exists because of gambling money, which means there's a fundamental tension between animal welfare and corporate interests, and this tension can't be addressed with tweaks to welfare standards, so the only way to end the cruelty is to end the industry. Regrettably, the legislation for this ban was deferred by the Legislative Council, which has given the greyhound racing industry and gambling companies the time to pull out all stops to try and prevent the ban passing parliament. So I urge LegCo members and the Tasmanian government to hold firm, and I encourage Tasmanians to get in touch with their state parliamentarians and to let them know you want these beautiful dogs protected for good. This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity, a nation-leading opportunity, to end a cruel, unpopular and outdated industry, and Tassie owes it to the dogs to get it done. Organ And Tissue Donation 18 13:37 Mr GOSLING 245392 Solomon Australians, Territorians, I want to talk about organ donation. I want to acknowledge people like Megan and all the Donate Life Northern Territory staff and vollies, like my friend Carly Dalton, the widow of Robbie Dalton—a champion bloke who got an extra 10 years due to a donated kidney. I also want to give a shout-out to my brother-in-law Guy Vanderkelen, who is organ donation coordinator down at Royal Hobart Hospital: thanks for what you do, mate. Organ donation is a conversation that we must have with our loved ones now. Otherwise, unfortunately, these conversations first occur at what is the worst possible time for a family. In the middle of overwhelming grief, families are asked if they want to donate the organs of loved ones to save the lives of others. Most of us say that we support organ donation and many, like me, even register. But registration is only a part of the story. At the most critical moment, families are still asked to confirm a loved one's wishes, so it's only families that can really make organ donation possible. I've had that conversation with my family and I encourage everyone to do the same. If we can improve registration, it will make a huge difference for the more than 2,000 Aussies that are waiting for a life-saving organ donation. Fuel Security 18 13:39 Ms PENFOLD 248895 Lyne How is the government expecting Australians to cope with these high fuel prices when so many are battling to deal with Australia's homegrown inflation? From around $1.80 per litre on Wednesday, it has soared by 40c a litre or more across the electorate in recent days. Businesses and farmers who purchase bulk diesel and petrol in the wholesale market, such as the hardwood timber industry, are today being charged $2.65 per litre, a 70 per cent rise in pain at the pump, which will be felt through to the cash register. Besides the price rises, we must also recognise the critical need to maintain adequate supplies of fuel to our farming, timber, mining and transport sectors across regional and rural Australia, where there are reports that fuel is not getting through the supply chain. We can't produce food and we can't transport our everyday living and business requirements without fuel. This points to the critical need to improve fuel security. We cannot rely on a just-in-time approach and a 30-day reserve of diesel. When last in government, the coalition legislated the Fuel Security Act 2021, which included a baseline level of diesel stock holdings, support to ensure our sovereign refining capacity and a diesel storage program. The measures are there to be used, and we should be able to be assured that they have been used. Australians are hurting badly. They need answers and relief today. Mental Health 18 13:40 Mr LIM 300130 Tangney The WA Police Force has the highest police suicide rate among the mainland states. Suicide and mental health for both serving and retired police officers is a major issue. I served in the WA Police Force for almost 16 years. I had four surgeries because of that job. When I drive around my electorate of Tangney, not only do I remember but I can still smell the dead bodies I picked up. I have many friends who are still serving in the WA Police Force and who want to quit the WA Police Force. They have had enough. Three hundred and fifty-four WA Police Force officers resigned in 2023-24. Many police brothers and sisters tell me about how they are suffering. They feel no-one cares. Our rank and file officers do not feel supported. No-one is listening to them. Their calls are becoming more frequent, more desperate and more worrying. While they are the first to answer a call for help, they feel abandoned and ignored. Being a police officer was my childhood dream. But, if we want it to continue to be the childhood dream of our future generations, we need to act now. Fuel Security 19 13:42 Mr PIKE 300120 Bowman I spoke to locals in my electorate over the course of the weekend, and there were two issues that they raised consistently with me. The first was the cost of fuel at the bowser, and the second was concerns about what fuel supply constraints or disruptions will mean for the economy. The reason why locals were concerned about this is that they simply can't take another shock. They are already working harder than they ever have, they've already witnessed the largest fall in living standards across the OECD and they've already seen inflation higher than any other advanced economy. Today, we heard from the Minister for Climate Change and Energy declaring that he's convening a roundtable this afternoon and that there's nothing to worry about on energy security. To me, that's not good enough. The fact is Australia is a diesel economy, and without diesel we will come to a standstill. When last in government, the coalition legislated the Petroleum and Other Fuels Reporting Act 2017, established the domestic fuel reserve through a minimum stockholding obligation and legislated the Fuel Security Act 2021. The issue today is not whether the government has the tools to deal with this crisis. The question is whether they have the judgement to use them. The buck stops with the energy minister. The buck stops with the Prime Minister. Australians deserve a real explanation—not a 'she'll be right, mate' sort of attitude—on the government's strategy to maintain adequate fuel supplies in this country. Iranian Women's National Football Team, International Women's Day 19 13:43 Mr NG 316052 Menzies I rise today proud that our government has granted humanitarian visas to five members of the Iranian women's soccer team. This was an issue that was raised with me by my local Iranian-Australian community and raised with me at an International Women's Day event I attended on Sunday organised by AusIran and Rana Dadpour. I'd like to acknowledge the work of Minister for Home Affairs Tony Burke in navigating this difficult situation and achieving the incredible outcome of being able to tell five members of the Iranian women's soccer team that they are welcome to stay in Australia, that they are safe here and that they should feel at home here. Rightly are the Iranian women's soccer team called the Lionesses, for they have shown extraordinary courage in the face of repression. All of them were faced with an impossible choice, and it is a moment of pride for our nation that we have offered protection to all of them and can provide protection to five of them. We stand with these women, and we stand with the people of Iran. Having just marked International Women's Day, we also recognise the extraordinary bravery of generations of Iranian women—from those who first protested against hijab laws on International Women's Day in 1979 to the Women, Life, Freedom movement and to the protests this year—women have always been at the forefront of resistance against the Islamic Republic in Iran. We stand with the Iranian people, and we stand with Iranian women. Fuel Security 19 13:45 Ms PRICE 249308 Durack In a time of great uncertainty, Australians deserve a clear answer from the minister for energy as to whether the government has a strategy to ensure there are adequate fuel supplies for our nation. The minister must be transparent about our fuel supplies and the location of our fuel supplies. The minister has this tool available to him; I encourage him to use it. Reports of fuel rationing are very concerning. Energy and fuel prices flow through to the cost of everything we buy. From groceries to power bills, we are all directly affected. Fuel security is a very serious issue. Australians are already struggling with our Albanese homemade cost-of-living crisis and now have to contend with rising fuel prices over fears of not enough supply. I've had reports about petrol stations right across Durack running out of diesel, particularly in those important farming communities. Wholesale suppliers are also struggling to get fuel or they're holding on to their fuel stocks. Western Australian farmers are telling me there are genuine concerns about a lack of supply leading into the next growing season. Honestly, this is unbelievable—we are talking about our nation's food security. Many of our farmers, families, pensioners and small businesses are already at breaking point. Minister, our farming and our regional communities are important, and they deserve to know what you are doing about our nation's fuel supply. Griffith Electorate: Mater Foundation Chicks in Pink International Women's Day Fun Run 19 13:46 Ms COFFEY 312323 Griffith On Sunday, my community once again turned out in force for the Mater Foundation's Chicks in Pink fun run. And what a powerful show of solidarity it was. I understand Sister Angela Mary Doyle had prayed for good weather, and thankfully the rain held off just long enough for the event to go ahead and for that sea of pink to make its way through Brisbane. The Mater in South Brisbane is such a special place for people in my community. Like so many families across Brisbane, I was born at the Mater and one of my sons was born there. Our community knows how connected we are to this institution and to the care, compassion and expertise it has provided for generations. One in seven Australian women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime, and one in four of those Queensland women will be treated at the Mater. For 35 years the Chicks in Pink fun run has brought Queenslanders together in hope and in action, and this year it raised $2 million. Every dollar raised helps fund better research, treatment and equipment as well as practical support for women going through breast cancer. I want to thank the Mater Foundation, Mater Chicks in Pink, every volunteer, every fundraiser and everybody who laced up on Sunday. This is community—my community—at its very best: compassionate, determined and making a real difference. Fuel Security 20 13:48 Mr REBELLO 316547 McPherson Fuel security is not simply about getting our cars from A to B; fuel security is national security. Fuel powers the tractors that produce the food on Australian tables. It runs the boats of fishermen who sustain coastal communities and export to the world, it powers the trucks that keep supermarket shelves stocked and it fuels the aircraft of our ADF—the very planes we rely on to defend this nation in times of conflict—yet today Australia is dangerously exposed. Twenty-five years ago this country was fully self-sufficient in oil extraction and fuel refining. We once had seven fuel refineries in this country. Today we just have two, and, unbelievably, both of them are being squeezed by Labor's carbon taxes through the safeguard mechanism—taxes these refineries simply do not need while they're already struggling to survive. At a time of growing global instability, are we really surprised that fuel markets are volatile? How can our farmers produce food, if they can't afford the diesel to run their tractors, seeders and headers? Pretty soon we'll be importing all of our fresh produce too. The buck stops with the energy minister and the Prime Minister, who have the legislative tools to deal with this crisis thanks to the former coalition government. It is on this government to now show up and use them. Leichhardt Electorate: Natural Disasters 20 13:49 Mr MATT SMITH 312393 Leichhardt I rise to speak on the recent weather event in the Far North. I returned home on Thursday last week to ensure that I was on the ground should the system intensify. While the system never made it to cyclone strength, it is not the wind that has concerned us but the rain. The resulting flooding caused some inundation at Wujal Wujal, with the Bloomfield Bridge going 2.1 metres under, and cut off roads and power across the southern cape. The crocodile tours that work the Daintree River lost boats, with one being washed 60 kilometres out into the reef. Across the river, the Daintree—with infrastructure still being repaired from Cyclone Jasper—lost its ferry when it broke free of its moorings, and the damage to the cables is still being assessed. It is estimated that businesses across the river will lose up to $5 million in the next two weeks while the ferry is out of action. These are not large operators; these are family businesses. While we are resilient in the Far North and understand that this is something that is a part of our lives, it is always heartbreaking to see hardworking locals impacted by such natural disasters. As it does, the community has rallied around, with a GoFundMe set up to buy new boats. We hope that, very soon, people are going to be traversing the Daintree again looking for those crocodiles. We aren't quite ready yet for more tourists, but, in the coming weeks, when the ferry returns, I would encourage everybody to head to the Daintree, visit one of the great natural wonders and check out our crocodiles. Fuel 20 13:50 Mr WALLACE 265967 Fisher Last week, we heard the Minister for Climate Change and Energy stand up in this place in question time and extol the virtues of the government's liquid fuel supplies. We heard him say, in fact, that there were 34 days of diesel supply. We all heard him say that, didn't we? We remember hearing him say that. Well, let me tell you, Madam Deputy Speaker Claydon, that I received a phone call yesterday from Heidi and Pavo Walker from Walker Seafoods, who have one of the largest fishing fleets on the eastern seaboard of Australia. They told me that they had zero fuel, zero diesel, on Mooloolaba wharves—zero, zip, nada. Not a scrap of diesel could be got for them, or for De Brett or Rockcliff—three of our large fishing companies in the seat of Fisher. What this means is that around 50 businesses on the Sunshine Coast, on the wharves, can't go to sea; they can't fish; they can't catch our protein; and they can't export it, obviously. What that means is that they may have to lay off staff. And Australian businesses are going to suffer and all Australians are going to suffer as a result. This government needs to get its act together. It talks the big talk, but, when push comes to shove, it can't organise a chook raffle. Women in Government Relations Australia 21 13:52 Mr BURNELL 300129 Spence I am proud to be part of a government with 50 per cent women and a majority women cabinet. We are better off for the collective contribution by women made in this place to our great nation. So it was with great pride that I attended the official launch of Women in Government Relations Australia last week, in the lead-up to International Women's Day. The global theme of 'Give to Gain' was fitting, with my good friend Sarah Cullens launching the new initiative, built on over two decades of hard work in the political arena, giving back to the sisterhood, in the government relations sector. It's a great move, to see more women lifted up and supported in a heavily male dominated workspace. So I am so deeply disgusted at the underhanded attempt to dress up misogyny by way of a veiled attack on lobbying groups in the Australian on Friday. It stinks more of fear and a hurt ego, when others look to tear down the very people trying to lift others up. We need to do better. I stand in this place proudly in support of Women in Government Relations Australia and of the founder, Sarah Cullens, and recommit my support to help provide mentoring for those looking to pursue a career in the government relations sector. I will close with words from Sarah: 'Real leadership is about creating opportunities, backing and nurturing talent and ensuring more voices are heard.' Fuel 21 13:53 Mr PASIN 240756 Barker Families and businesses in my regional electorate are getting smashed by fuel prices and are growing increasingly concerned about supply. In one small town with a single fuel station, that fuel station sold out of fuel yesterday. The closest petrol station is 50 kilometres away, and they're not expecting fuel until later this week. That's not a fuel shortage; that's a fuel crisis. I've been contacted by many concerned constituents in my electorate. Mark from Frances is one. He's a livestock producer who is very concerned at the apparent price-gouging for fuel and is sick of being ripped off. Mark isn't convinced that the ACCC will do anything. Mark says that it's hard enough to make a living from farming, and now having to pay more for fuel imports means that any profit margin is squeezed even tighter. Even worse, the prospect of having reduced or insecure fuel would be a disaster for his business. The Australian economy runs on diesel. Fuel security is national security. It's also economic security. Minister for Energy and Climate Change Chris Bowen needs to assure Australians that he has a plan to keep fuel flowing and that Australians won't be ripped off at the bowser by fuel companies that are seeking to profit from the war in the Middle East. Not surprisingly, Australians are panicking because they don't trust this minister to get it right. Quite frankly, who would blame them? Renewable Energy 21 13:55 Ms DOYLE 299962 Aston More than a quarter of a million Australian households, small businesses and community organisations have now installed solar batteries through the Albanese Labor government's Cheaper Home Batteries Program. Around half have also installed new or upgraded solar systems at the same time. Together, these batteries now provide 6.3 gigawatt hours of storage—a milestone that shows Australians are embracing solutions that cut power bills, make better use of rooftop solar and strengthen a cleaner, more reliable energy system. In my electorate of Aston, more than 1,446 households have already taken up the program since it began—including mine—saving money, boosting energy independence and contributing to a stronger energy system. As more batteries are installed across the country, they help manage demand more efficiently, improve reliability and support Australia's transition to more renewable energy. By contrast, the record of the former energy minister, now the Leader of the Opposition, was, quite frankly, appalling. His time as energy minister was defined by controversy and failure, with a tenure clouded by repeated questions about judgement and conflicts of interest. Under the former coalition government, prices stayed high and climate progress stalled. Australians deserve better, and our government is delivering just that. On this side of the House, we are focused on practical policies that lower bills, strengthen our energy system and build a cleaner future for all Australians. Fuel Security 21 13:56 Mr THOMPSON 281826 Herbert People are working harder for less—and fuel security is so important. Minister Bowen has come into this place and on TV and said: 'There's no need to panic. There isn't a problem.' Well, when is the break-glass moment for this government? People can't get fuel. People can't afford to fill up their cars. People can't afford to go to the service station. But this minister is more worried about what's happening in the bubble than his actual job. How long does the Australian Defence Force have its fuel security for? The buck stops with this minister. Minister Bowen should be in this place making solutions for the Australian people. Instead he goes on TV, and he tells everyone in the gallery and around the country, 'No problem; nothing to see here. I'm great at my job.' Well, Minister, the time to act is now. People cannot afford to fill up their cars. Businesses will close. This is not good enough. This minister should be walking in today and going, 'This is the break-glass moment,' not another round table. Shaq might be flying over to attend, like the Labor Party have done previously. We want action from this minister. We don't want more equivocation; we want this government to put Australians first. Get out of the bubble and start fixing this problem. Climate Change, Medicare, Housing 22 13:58 Ms BRISKEY 263427 Maribyrnong Delivery is the word that defines this government and a word that clearly separates us from those opposite. When we came to office in 2022, we promised Australians we would turn the corner after a lost decade of denial and neglect—denial on climate change, neglect on a housing crisis and a decade spent weakening the very institutions Australians rely on, like Medicare. So we got to work. We didn't just restore Medicare; we strengthened it. That's why today we now have twice as many fully bulk-billing GP clinics in Maribyrnong, so more people in my community can see their GP for free. We're delivering cheaper medicines by cutting the PBS scripts to no more than $25. On housing, leadership was absent for years. Australians waited while those opposite looked the other way. They didn't even bother having a housing minister. Labor stepped up. We've set ambitious targets and are now building more homes, helping more Australians into their own home and making it easier and fairer to rent. In my electorate alone, nearly 400 new social and affordable homes have already been delivered, more than the coalition managed to deliver across the country in a decade. While we deliver real cost-of-living relief, tax cuts, cheaper medicines, energy bill support and cut student debt, what do those opposite do? Do they vote against it every single time. The contrast could not be clearer. Whilst others revel in grievance to further their own political agendas, we on this side of the House remain steadfast on one agenda: to deliver for working Australians, and for their families, and to build a stronger and fairer future. (Time expired) The SPEAKER 53517 In accordance with standing order 43, the time for members' statements has concluded. QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE 22 QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE Fuel 22 14:00 Mr TAYLOR 231027 Hume My question is to the Prime Minister. Can the Prime Minister inform the House where there are fuel supply shortages in Australia? 14:00 Mr ALBANESE R36 Grayndler As the leader of the National Party said just yesterday, and it was a very good interview: … the big message for every Australian is don't panic. The suppliers are there. …   …   … We all have a role to play in that … stick to our normal daily operations and schedules and don't think that we have to always keep topping up. Not to be outdone, Senator Jonno Duniam today, when asked about refinery issues and energy security, said: … I do accept that successive governments have let Australians down … It hasn't just happened over the last four years. This is decades in the making … And, indeed, there were six refineries when government changed in 2013. When they left office, there were two. So two-thirds of them shut down. The SPEAKER 53517 Order! The Prime Minister will pause. The Manager of Opposition Business on a point of order. Mr Tehan 210911 It goes to standing order 104, direct relevance. It was a very specific question. If you don't know where the problem is, how— The SPEAKER 53517 Resume your seat. I'm just going to remind the manager not to give additional information. The Prime Minister was asked where there are fuel supply shortages in Australia. He is answering the question with quotes and comments, which all prime ministers have done for a long time, and he's talking about the issue of fuel supply, so he is being directly relevant. But he was asked a fairly broad question, and maybe the Prime Minister can provide further information to the House. Mr ALBANESE R36 I'm asked about where fuel supplies are, and I'll tell you where they're not. That's in the four refineries that shut on their watch. That's the whole point here—four out of six. I'll tell you where they're not also, Mr Speaker. They're not in Texas, which is where they had their fuel security under this minister. Australia is fuel secure right now. We have as much fuel coming in through our ports now as we did before the war in the Middle East began. Retailers should certainly not be using events in the Middle East to price-gouge Australians, and any retailer that makes false or misleading statements to consumers about the reasons that their prices have increased is in breach of Australian Consumer Law. We've given the ACCC new powers to act on this and increased competition and consumer law penalties fivefold, up to $50 million. We'll continue to work to ensure that we have the fuel that we need, protecting families and primary producers so they can fill up their cars and so they can keep their farms operating. Middle East 23 14:03 Mr NG 316052 Menzies My question is to the Prime Minister. What actions has the Australian government taken in response to the conflict in the Middle East, including humanitarian assistance? 14:03 Mr ALBANESE R36 Grayndler I thank the member for Menzies for his question and for his representation, particularly of Iranian Australians, during what is a very difficult time. The first priority of our government is to keep Australians safe. We've taken action to help ensure that safety. This morning I announced that Australia will contribute to the collective defence of gulf nations under attack from Iran, deploying an E-7A Wedgetail aircraft to the region and providing a number of advanced medium-range air-to-air missiles to the United Arab Emirates. This is a defensive weapon. This is all about protecting civilians in the region. But also, of course, many of those civilians are Australians, including 24,000 of them in the UAE alone. The conflict is volatile, and Australians in the region remain at risk, which is why we say to Australians who are offered a trip home: please take up the opportunity which is there. Since 4 March more than 2,600 Australians have returned on 18 flights. A further four flights are scheduled to depart for Australia later today. I can also confirm that late last night the Australian government issued five humanitarian visas to members of the Iranian women's soccer team. Australians stand in solidarity with these brave women. They are safe in Australia and they should feel at home here. Very early this morning I also spoke with President Donald Trump on this matter, and I thank him for his concern for the athletes and for the United States' support for our actions. This is a very delicate situation for these women. Their decisions have not been made lightly, and we have made it clear that if there are other members of the team who make a decision to ask for support they will receive it from Australia. The conflict in the Middle East remains volatile. Its impacts not only spread across the region but of course have an impact on the global economy. Our government remains focused and determined to respond to these issues, working proactively in the national interest to make sure Australians are kept safe wherever possible, and we'll do whatever we can to ensure that that continues. The SPEAKER 53517 The Leader of the Opposition, to associate himself with those remarks, on indulgence. 14:06 Mr TAYLOR 231027 Hume Thank you, Mr Speaker. Can I associate the opposition with the words of the Prime Minister with respect to deployment of capability in the Middle East and also the asylum seekers. It is a brutal regime in Iran, and we stand by side by side with our allies against that regime to support both humanitarian interests and the economic interests of our great country. We also support the decision of the government on the asylum seekers. As always, applications for asylum should be consistent with Australian law and in our national interest. But we support the decision made by the government. The SPEAKER 53517 I thank the Leader. Fuel Security 23 14:07 Mr TEHAN 210911 Wannon My question is to the Minister for Climate Change and Energy. Industry is required under current laws to provide the Department of Climate Change and Energy with detailed weekly updates on fuel stock levels across the country. Can the minister advise the House of where there are fuel supply shortages in Australia? 14:07 Mr BOWEN DZS McMahon I thank the honourable member for his question. It is true that in rural and regional Australia people are finding it difficult to get diesel, in particular, and there are many instances of that. It's a very serious matter, and it should be dealt with— The SPEAKER 53517 The minister will pause. I don't know why the member for Fisher thinks he's the only person who can be continually interjecting non-stop. The SPEAKER 53517 Well, you definitely will now be leaving the chamber—when I'm addressing the House. I thought that as a former Speaker you would be appreciative of not interrupting so rudely when the Speaker is addressing the House. The minister was asked a question. The manager was heard in silence. The same courtesy is going to be shown to the minister as well. The member for Fisher then left the chamber. Mr BOWEN DZS As I was saying, there are real pressures in rural and regional Australia in particular. For example, the minister for agriculture, the minister for transport and the minister for industry and I just convened a very important meeting with key stakeholders. The head of the service stations agency informed us that they have seen demand increase in Mildura, for example, by 100 per cent at their service stations and in the Adelaide Hills and the Barossa by 280 per cent. I think most reasonable people would understand that that puts pressure on supply chains. When demand goes up so much, it puts huge pressure on supply chains. But it can also be the case—and it is also the case—that, fundamentally, Australia's fuel security is good because of the minimum stock obligations that we have put in place. I can report to the House that petrol, diesel and jet fuel have continued to be received in Australia, as we would expect, in recent days and that the industry expects that to continue for the foreseeable future. None of that is to say that there aren't, as we have all said, real risks in the supply chain, with a crisis in the Middle East at the moment, into the future. That's why we've taken the action we have. That's why the National Oil Supplies Emergency Committee, which I'm advised met once during the Ukraine crisis, has met three times in the last week at the instigation of this government. It is incumbent on all of us to be aware of the facts and to convey the facts. The Prime Minister paid tribute to the leader of the Nationals, and I agree. He has said that there is no case for panic buying because panic buying makes the situation worse. I do need to tell the House that that is not the case for everyone. I regret to inform the House that, in just the last little period, the Deputy Premier of Queensland has intervened in the debate in an irresponsible, dishonest fashion, for which he should be ashamed. He said, 'I've seen Chris Bowen get up in the last couple of days and go, "Well, we've got enough supply to last 30 days". Well, that was nine days ago. You know, we are now 10 or 11 days into that 32-day supply.' Either he doesn't understand how the law works or he has deliberately misled Australians and engaged in encouraging panic buying, because the minimum stockholding obligation, by law, cannot be accessed until I, as the energy minister, agree it should be. Either the Deputy Premier of Queensland doesn't know that and didn't bother to find out or he just chose to play politics. This is an international crisis, not an economic opportunity or a political opportunity. We will continue to work, as we have done over recent days and since the Iran crisis began, with the industry. We will engage in full, with information, with the Australian people. We will not, like the Deputy Premier of Queensland, engage in irresponsible, dishonest tactics. Middle East 24 14:11 Mr GREGG 315154 Deakin My question is to the Deputy Prime Minister. How is the Albanese government supporting gulf countries in their defence against Iran's reprisal and escalatory attacks? 14:11 Mr MARLES HWQ Corio I thank the member for his question. At the request of the United Arab Emirates, today the government has announced that we will be deploying an E-7A Wedgetail aircraft to the gulf to help in the defence of the UAE and the other countries of the gulf against attacks from Iran. From the very beginning of this conflict, the UAE and 10 other countries in the region have been under sustained attack by Iran, without ever having been protagonists against Iran themselves. Indeed, from the very outset, Iran has sought to widen this conflict and attack its neighbours simply because it can, and Australia condemns this in the strongest possible terms. Over the course of the weekend, I was able to speak to a number of my counterparts in the region, including Prince Khalid bin Salman, the defence minister of Saudi Arabia, Dr Jafar Hassan, the Prime Minister and defence minister of Jordan, and, of course, Mohamed Al Mazrouei, the defence minister of the UAE. I was very pleased to be able to make this offer to Minister Al Mazrouei. He, in turn, was deeply grateful on behalf of the UAE. Today, the UAE is really one of our closest friends. It is home to 24,000 Australians, one of the largest expat communities that we have anywhere in the world. For many, many years now it has hosted an operational headquarters of the ADF at the Al Minhad Air Base near Dubai, and for this we are deeply thankful. As soon as there was a call for assistance, we were very keen to do all that we could. The E-7 has one of the most exquisite airborne command and long-range reconnaissance capabilities in the world, and we are one of the leading E-7 operators in the world. As such, our capability has been in high demand. Over the last couple of years it has deployed twice to Europe in support of Ukraine, first in Germany and last year in Poland. The job that it will be doing in the gulf is very similar. This will be for an initial deployment of four weeks, involving 85 personnel. The aircraft will leave Australia today and we are hopeful that it will be operational by the end of the week. In addition to this, and again at the request of the UAE, we are providing a number of advanced medium-range air-to-air missiles. I want to stress that these are defensive weapons by their nature. Indeed, the strategic intent in all the assistance that we are giving is to provide for the defence of the countries of the gulf, countries which are home to thousands of Australians and countries with whom we enjoy a deep, close and enduring friendship. DISTINGUISHED VISITORS 25 DISTINGUISHED VISITORS Acknowledgement 25 14:14 The SPEAKER 53517 I'm very pleased to inform the House that present in the front row of the Speaker's Gallery today are Australian Olympic Committee representatives as well as medallists from the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, including Ian Chesterman AM, AOC president; Alisa Camplin-Warner AM, chef de mission of the Australian winter Olympic team; and especially Cooper Woods, the gold medallist from the men's moguls, and Danielle Scott, silver medallist in women's aerials. Welcome home and welcome to question time. Honourable members: Hear, hear! QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE 25 QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE Fuel 25 14:15 Ms BOELE 26417 Bradfield My question is to the very busy and important Minister for Climate Change and Energy. From COVID to Russia's invasion of Ukraine and yet another war in the Middle East, rolling geopolitical crises continuously threaten global fuel supplies. Here at home, the fuel tax credit scheme, our $11 billion per annum federal subsidy of diesel fuels our addiction to dirty, expensive and unreliable liquid fuels. Why does the government insist on jeopardising our national energy security by keeping miners, farmers and motorists hooked on taxpayer funded, artificially cheap and unreliable diesel? 14:16 Mr BOWEN DZS McMahon I thank the honourable member for her question. Can I say that in this environment, the government's first priority and first obligation and duty is to ensure the fuel security for the traditional liquid fuels that we all rely on. The honourable member is nodding, and I think we would all agree on that. That is what we're doing. I've outlined—and I may have other opportunities over the next hour—everything we're doing and will continue to do. Effectively, the honourable member also points to the fact that moving to more renewable energy makes us less reliant on the fossil fuel supply chain internationally, and that is correct. That is why we're doing things like the $1.1 billion fund to see more Australian manufacturing of low-carbon liquid fuels, for example. That is our policy. I saw the member for Mallee the other day say: 'We've got so much canola. Why are we sending it overseas to be processed? We should do more of that in Australia.' What a good idea. That is what our policy does, and that is why we announced a $1.1 billion fund to do just that—because it's good for Australian farmers, it's good for the environment and it's good for everyone. It didn't happen under the previous government, and the Treasurer, the minister for transport and I have begun that process. Now, also in relation to fossil fuels and the energy system, I'm pleased with the fact that, for example, in the last energy crisis in Ukraine, in that summer, we used in our energy grid 2.7 terawatt-hours of gas. The equivalent figure for this summer is 1.5 terawatt-hours of gas. Now, that is good for emissions, of course, but it also means we are less reliant on it. It still will have an impact. The international gas price will still have an impact on Australia, no doubt—but a little bit less. Our policy in relation to the diesel fuel rebate hasn't changed. It does provide support for farmers in particular in relation to their farm operations. But what we will do is continue with the sorts of policies that we are implementing, like the $1.1 billion cleaner fuel fund. The transition of our energy system to more renewables, which is the cheapest form of energy, is not dependent on global supply chains. I mean, Vladimir Putin cannot interrupt the supply of sun to Australia and the international circumstance in the Middle East cannot interrupt the flow of wind in Australia. So that is a reliable form of energy. We on this side of the House get it. I think many in the crossbench get it. Those opposite less so. Iranian Women's National Football Team 25 14:18 Mr LAXALE 299174 Bennelong My question is to the Minister for Home Affairs. What actions has the Albanese Labor government taken in relation to members of the Iranian women's football team? 14:18 Mr BURKE DYW Watson I want to thank the member for Bennelong, a real champion in this place for Australians of Iranian heritage. Today, as a parliament, as a nation, we stand in solidarity with them. Last night, I was able to tell five members of the Iranian women's football team that they are welcome to stay in Australia, that they are safe here and they should feel at home here. There's been a lot of work going on in recent days to make sure we give these women every possible opportunity to seek assistance if they want it. Once it was made clear that there were five women who wanted to stay in Australia, they were moved to a safe location by the Australian Federal Police, and last night I met with them at that location. Before I signed off on their visas, I spoke with Mike Burgess, the director-general of ASIO, to make sure that there were no security concerns and then spoke to the Commissioner of the Australian Federal Police, Krissy Barrett, to make sure that we had the appropriate measures in place to ensure the safety of these women. At around 9.15 last night, when I was with them, I signed off on their applications to go onto humanitarian visas, and I asked the department to process it as quickly as they could. They went back to the offices and processed it immediately, finishing the processing at around 1.30 am this morning. I also want to thank the Australian media for the way that they have handled this issue. One of the challenges at times like this is that it's not only the Australian people who are listening. The people who would want to harm these women or make it more difficult for them to communicate with our officials are always listening too. Any public messaging that would have led to it being more difficult for the women to access our officials would have made them less safe, not more. I also want to acknowledge the shadow minister for home affairs, Senator Duniam, for his cooperation in making sure that we were handling this issue in that particular way. All of this has been possible as well because of the extraordinary efforts of the team at the Department of Home Affairs, and I want to acknowledge their work. Australia as a nation have taken the Iranian women's soccer team into our hearts. I think, when everybody saw the swapping of jerseys with the Matildas, we all felt we were there in that moment too. I say to the other members of the team who have not yet made this decision: the same opportunity is here for you if that's what you want. Once everything had been signed off last night, there were lots of photos, lots of celebrating and then a spontaneous outcry of, 'Aussie, Aussie, Aussie, oi, oi, oi,' from the newest Australian residents. These women are great athletes and great people. I say to them, on behalf of the government, on behalf of the parliament and, I suspect, on behalf of the whole nation, welcome home. Fuel 26 14:22 Mr CHAFFEY 316312 Parkes My question is to the Minister for Climate Change and Energy. Transwest Fuels is an independent wholesale supplier in Gunnedah and Mungindi in my electorate. Normally it services more than 2,000 agricultural customers. They have now been turned away by their usual bulk fuel supplier in both New South Wales and Queensland and have no certainty that they can secure enough fuel for businesses or the farms that they support. What action is the minister taking to fix Australia's fuel supply storage? 14:22 Mr BOWEN DZS McMahon I thank the honourable member for his question. As I outlined in my previous answer, yes, in regional Australia, there are real pressures on supply chains. So I am sure that the facts that the honourable member has put are correct, and I am sure that that is something that other companies in a similar situation are experiencing. That's why we have convened three meetings of the national oil emergency supply committee, which is an important committee which every state and territory is represented on. In addition, the relevant ministers and I have convened all the key stakeholders, including the National Farmers'— Honourable members interjecting— The SPEAKER 53517 Order! I'm not really prepared to take the point of order, because the minister was answering directly what action was being taken when he was addressing the House. It is impossible to take a point of order on relevance because the minister was just updating the House on what actions had been taken, what meetings had occurred and who he had met with. I gave a decision last week that I would take points of order, but you're pushing the friendship if it's on relevance. The member for Page has the call. Mr Hogan 218019 Speaker, with all due respect, the point of order is on relevance because we were asking about action. Meetings aren't action. We want some action, not meetings. The SPEAKER 53517 Resume your seat. I think everyone heard that point of order and can see it for what it was. If the minister is updating the House on his actions that he's taken, which is the question that was asked, that's an abuse of the standing orders. He was updating the House on who he was meeting with about the issue the member for Parkes had asked him about. He couldn't have been more directly relevant. No-one thinks that's anything other than the case. As I said, if this continues, I will simply not take points of order. I just won't take them, and the minister will continue. So that is in your hands, those people who take points of order. Mr BOWEN DZS We met with the NFF, Trucking Australia, Fertilizer Australia and the peak group of service stations in Australia, the Australian Institute of Petroleum. And I did say to every single person on that call: 'Is there any government action that you would like to ask ministers for today? Because if you ask for it, we will take it if we can.' And the most common response to that was this: 'Please ensure Australians understand there is no need for panic buying, because it is that which is causing the pressure.' That's what the NFF said. That's what the other peak groups said, and that's what we are doing. It is the case. There are there are pressures on supply chains. Mr BOWEN DZS The Leader of the Opposition interjects, saying, 'Just move the supplies around.' We had four refineries close while the Leader of the Opposition, the member for Hume, was the minister for energy. We saw in that period of government four refineries close, which made moving the supplies around just that little bit harder. I can say to the House, in terms of action, that as the House knows the minimum stock obligation requirements are collected weekly but have only been reported quarterly. I have instructed that, during this period of heightened uncertainty and concern, those figures will now be reported weekly. That is a regime which is appropriate in this situation. I didn't hear the Leader of the Opposition weeks ago say it should be done weekly. We have done that. He hasn't even called today for it to be done weekly. We have done that, and that is an appropriate policy action to take. Fuel Security 27 14:26 Mr ROB MITCHELL M3E McEwen My question is to the Treasurer. What impact is the conflict in the Middle East having on the global economy, and how is Australia placed to deal with these challenges? 14:26 Dr CHALMERS 37998 Rankin I really appreciate the member for McEwen's question but also his focus on the impacts in real communities like his of what we're seeing around the world right now. The escalation of the conflict in the Middle East has been dramatic and so has its impact on the global economy. We are seeing a great deal of volatility play out on markets for equities, commodities, currencies and bonds and also in risk indexes. Markets were especially pessimistic over the last couple of days, but they've rebounded substantially so far today in reaction to some comments from President Trump. The most significant impacts have been on energy prices, including oil. Oil was trading just under $90 before question time, but it got up to almost $120 a barrel yesterday. It was about $60 at the start of the year and $73 at the start of this conflict, to give people a sense of the scale of the increase. This sort of volatility, especially in energy markets, puts upward pressure on global inflation at the same time as the conflict weighs on global growth. The longer this drags out, the more serious the economic consequences. We did have an inflation challenge before these developments of risk, making it worse. We will update our inflation forecasts in the budget in the usual way. But we also need to remember that we have very substantial advantages and very solid economic foundations in this country. We are not immune to what's happening around the world, and we are not complacent, but we are very well placed as a country and as an economy, and that's my main message today. Last week's national accounts showed we had stronger economic growth than any major advanced economy. We've got low unemployment. We've got higher participation. We've got stronger jobs growth and lower debt as a proportion of our economy than the major advanced economies as well. We have one of the most robust and best regulated financial systems in the world, and the Council of Financial Regulators has been meeting daily to stay across developments on markets. We have large stockpiles of fuel, and the ministers are engaging with primary industries to stay across the pressures in those industries as well. We've empowered the ACCC to police the service stations and issue on-the-spot fines if necessary, and we've increased the maximum penalties five times to $50 million. We're prepared to take other responsible steps if necessary. We do have a lot going for us but a lot coming at us as well. We will continue to work through these developments to make sure that our people and our economy are as resilient as possible in the face of all of this global economic volatility and uncertainty. Fuel Security 27 14:29 Ms ALDRED 11788 Monash My question is to the Minister for Climate Change and Energy. Last week, the minister stated that he has 'great confidence' that energy companies will not be taking advantage of Australia's fuel crisis. Today, it's reported that fuel prices are up 40c a litre. Can the minister advise the House where there are fuel supply shortages in Australia and what he is doing to fix them? 14:30 Mr BOWEN DZS McMahon I think I've outlined to the House that there are diesel shortages being faced in rural and regional Australia, in particular, in the face of massive spikes in demand. Now, that desire by people to get diesel is understandable, particularly when there's some misinformation out there about Australia's fuel supply, but it is very important that we all communicate that the biggest risk to fuel availability in Australia right now is panic buying. That is the biggest risk. That is why, when we see increases in demand for fuel in the Adelaide Hills and Barossa of 238 per cent, service stations and providers are going to find difficulty in meeting that demand—100 per cent. In Mildura, for example, of course that's the case. It's also the case—we need to be very honest with people—that stockpiling fuel on a property is not an undertaking without risk, and it's also very important that we send that message as well. Those opposite ask what we are doing about it. What we are doing about it is working with the industry. By 'industry', I mean industries across the board, with the refiners—the two that we have left in Australia, not the six that the previous government inherited. We had the member for Hume denying that foreclosed while he was the energy minister, but the facts speak for themselves. The SPEAKER 53517 Order! The Leader of the Opposition will withdraw that comment. Mr Taylor 231027 I withdraw. Mr Tehan 210911 If the Leader of the Opposition wants to talk, he is more than welcome. The SPEAKER 53517 You're now pushing the friendship. What is your point of order? Mr Tehan 210911 It goes to relevance. It was a very direct question: Where are the fuel supply shortages? And what are you doing to fix them? The SPEAKER 53517 And the minister is answering directly those two questions in his answer. He identified the areas of Australia that have fuel shortages and he's explaining to the House exactly what he is doing. Cease the frivolous points of order. He's updating the House exactly about what he is doing. His words are 'This is what the actions are'. This is now getting beyond. The manager, I'll reiterate: if this continues any more today, no more points of order will be taken. And I've got examples of where that has happened time and time again. Mr BOWEN DZS Thank you, Mr Speaker. Again, as I indicated, ministers convened important peak groups earlier today and asked them what actions would be helpful for the government to take. The National Farmers' Federation and the other groups said the most important single government action you can provide is reassurance that Australia's fuel supplies are secure. That is the most important action we can take. That's what the NFF—if you care about what they think—and the other groups said to us, so we will continue to do that. We'll continue to work with industry. If honourable members have particular issues that they wish to raise with me and companies whose concerns they want to bring to my attention, as some honourable members know, my door is open to them. I will take their concerns and I will see what can be done in cooperation with the industry, because that is a sensible approach. There have been several members opposite who have been through my doors, and they're always welcome if they want to raise issues in good faith. Food Security 28 14:34 Ms SWANSON 264170 Paterson My question is to the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry. How is the Albanese Labor government working with farmers to manage the impact of the conflict in the Middle East on agriculture, and what steps is the Albanese Labor government taking to improve food security? 14:34 Ms COLLINS HWM Franklin I want to thank our member for Paterson for chairing the committee that actually wrote a report on Australia's food security, and for keeping ministers up to date on what was happening in her regional community over the weekend. I think everybody in this place, in this building, understands the importance of ensuring our farmers can continue to produce our food and our fibre. We also understand that keeping our freight and supply chains moving is critical. As the government, we know that food production is critical for every community right across Australia and that we actually can produce about 2½ times the food we need. We also, of course, feed our close neighbours in the Indo-Pacific with our world-class agricultural products, and we need to be able to continue to do that, too. From day one of this conflict in the Middle East, we have been monitoring the potential impacts on our ag industry. Indeed, we're working day and night with our agricultural exporters to ensure the safe return of products that have been disrupted due to the conflict. We also recognise how critical the supply of fuel and fertiliser is for agriculture and for our food security. That's why our government is working together with the farmers, the producers and industry—so that we can quickly respond to issues as they arise. We have been very clear, and I reiterate: the conflict in the Middle East is not a commercial opportunity. Indeed, we must all act in the national interest during this period of time, because we know that keeping our farmers farming is in the national interest. As the Minister for Climate Change and Energy has indicated, our government did hold a roundtable today with the National Farmers' Federation, Fertiliser Australia, the Australian Institute of Petroleum and the Australian Trucking Association—all joining together because now, more than ever, collaboration really is critical. This builds on discussions that many of us have had over the last week with our broader sectors and industries. As the energy minister has also reiterated, we have more fuel now than at any time over the last 15 years. We know that fuel continues to arrive in the quantities and at the frequency that we need, with more shipments due within the week. It's also critical that our fuel industry continues to deliver a consistent supply across our economy, including to our regional communities. We have heard some concerns today from people about some of those regional communities that have been impacted, as the minister for energy has indicated and other members have indicated. But we've also heard that many of the input products for the upcoming planting season, including the majority of the fertiliser required, are already on the water or already in the country. Farmers are rightly looking ahead, and they are planning. We understand the importance of fuel and fertiliser to a productive food system, which is why we're also making sure we've got supply-chain resilience as a key priority of our national food security strategy. This strategy will help safeguard Australia into the future. On this side of the House, we'll continue to stand with our farmers. DISTINGUISHED VISITORS 29 DISTINGUISHED VISITORS Acknowledgement 29 14:37 The SPEAKER 53517 I'm pleased to inform the House that present in the gallery today is a group of exchange students hosted by Rotary Clubs Australia District 9685 as guests of the members for Macquarie, Robertson, Bennelong and Bradfield. Honourable members: Hear, hear! QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE 29 QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE Fuel 29 14:37 Mr LITTLEPROUD 265585 Maranoa My question is to the Minister for Climate Change and Energy. Based in Allora, Queensland, independent fuel distributor Bartranz Petroleum are receiving just 10 per cent of their normal fuel volumes. In their words, this is affecting all distributors. Some smaller distributors have no allocation. Our focus is the very critical agriculture sector. Crops need harvesting; crops need planting. Minister, when can the farmers of Allora expect to have their normal fuel supplies returned? 14:38 Mr BOWEN DZS McMahon I thank the honourable the Leader of the Nationals for the question. For those farmers and for the other farmers who are experiencing difficulties getting diesel, I can say this very clearly. The difficulties you are experiencing are not currently as a result of a lack of fuel coming to our country. We have received supplies in recent days as we would expect to. Obviously we keep a close eye, with the industry, on what ships are on their way to Australia, and those ships are continuing to arrive. That's the point we are making—fundamentally, Australia's fuel security is strong. That is why there is no need for people to panic buy or to order 100 or 200 per cent of what they normally order, which is what the service stations association told us was happening across the country. The honourable member asked when they can expect fuel supplies. The answer to that is we will continue to work with the industry—with all industries—to ensure that these pressures on the fuel supply are dealt with as quickly and as expeditiously as possible. I say very clearly to the Leader of the Nationals that, if he has a good-faith idea he wants to put forward, he is welcome to and I will listen to it. The only idea we've heard so far from the opposition is that I should require more reporting from service stations. That is it; they want a very earnest report. I've already indicated that I have issued an instruction that the MSO should now be updated weekly, not quarterly. And reporting is important. The Petroleum and Other Fuels Reporting Act 2017 has been in operation since then. I did require more reporting when we came to office in 2022, and if there is more sensible reporting that actually helps, then I'll do that as well. But I'll also weigh that against a burden of compliance on service stations. I would have thought the party opposite would want me to weigh that up and say: 'Is there extra reporting that we might ask service stations and small distributors to undertake? Is that a helpful addition to the information?' I'll weigh that up against the reporting burden for small and medium-sized businesses. Labor Government 30 14:40 Ms THWAITES 282212 Jagajaga My question is to the Prime Minister. How has the Albanese Labor government been delivering on its commitment to build Australia's future, invest in our people and deliver real, lasting cost-of-living relief? What are the risks? 14:40 Mr ALBANESE R36 Grayndler I thank the member for Jagajaga for her question, and I thank her for the visit that we had to the repat hospital there, speaking to veterans about the difference that our investment in veterans' affairs has made to the speedy processing of applications and the clearing of the queue—which is what we inherited from those opposite. When I went to the National Press Club after the election, I said that this year, in that one year after 3 May, we'd be concentrating on a year of delivery: ticking off our commitments one by one, delivering real cost-of-living relief, investing in our people and building Australia's future. And that is what we have been doing. There are 132 urgent care clinics open around Australia right now. We promised 50 originally; we delivered 87. Then we promised another 50, and another 45 of those 50 are open. And, coming up, there are five more to open—Darwin, Whyalla, Cairns, Caloundra and Coburg—because we deliver on our commitments. They promised to close them; we're opening them. That's the difference. We promised record investment in bulk-billing. Rates are up over 80 per cent. More than 3,400 GP clinics now bulk-bill every patient, every visit. We promised to cut the cost of PBS medicines, and now they're down to the same price they were in 2004. We promised to strengthen Medicare and we are delivering it. We promised tax cuts for every taxpayer, and, because we were re-elected, that will happen on 1 July—and another tax cut the following 1 July as well. We've delivered landmark game-changing funding agreements for both schools and hospitals, delivering on the Gonski principles of making sure that every student gets valued and can fulfil their potential but also delivering a five-year hospital agreement with record funding. We promised paid prac for student nurses, teachers, midwives and social workers, and they're getting it. We promised free TAFE—something that those opposite said they wouldn't value—and three-quarters of a million Australians are getting the skills that they need through free TAFE. We've been getting on with delivering; those opposite have just stood in the way, too busy fighting each other to bother with fighting for Australians. There's more to do. We'll continue to work each and every day to make a positive difference to the lives of Australians. Artificial Intelligence 30 14:43 Ms CHANEY 300006 Curtin My question is for the Treasurer. My constituents are deeply concerned about how artificial intelligence is reshaping our economy and society. Our National AI Plan adopts a largely hands-off posture and leaves all risks up to an AI safety institute with one-sixteenth of the annual funding of its UK counterpart. Comparable nations are moving faster to set clear standards, support innovation and manage risks. Will the upcoming budget include further investment in AI opportunities and safety to ensure Australians, rather than overseas tech companies, shape our future? 14:44 Dr CHALMERS 37998 Rankin Thank you to the honourable member for her question, which builds a bit on the question that the member for Wentworth asked me last week as well. Obviously, AI is a transformational technology, but we have a responsibility, which we embrace, not just to maximise the economic upside of AI but also to minimise the risks. Some of those risks and concerns I think are accurately captured in the question that the member has asked. While I agree that there is a level of concern in the community about AI and about our ability to manage and minimise those risks, I don't accept that the government's AI plan has been silent or unnecessarily focused on the challenges that the honourable member raises. We have made a commitment to robust legal, regulatory and ethical frameworks. We are engaging internationally to protect rights and build trust so that we can deal with some of the issues that the member has raised. Last week I made special mention of Minister Ayres and Assistant Minister Charlton, but I also want to shout out the Attorney-General, who also does a heap of work in this space, particularly when it comes to the copyright issues. This cabinet, this government and this side of the House are very focused on the risks of AI. When it comes to budget commitments, we haven't finalised the budget yet. You wouldn't have expected us to in the middle of March or early in March. We finalise the budget in the first half of May. But what the honourable member can always expect from this government is for us to be very attentive to the concerns that people raise with us so that we can do whatever we can to capture the opportunities and spread the benefits but also keep Australians safe. Housing 31 14:46 Ms COMER 316551 Petrie My question is to the Minister for Housing, Homelessness and Cities. What is the Albanese Labor government doing to provide more social and affordable homes for those Australians who need it most? Is the minister aware of any risks in the government's plans? 14:46 Ms O'NEIL 140590 Hotham I thank the member for Petrie for her question. We've got a really big housing challenge confronting our country, and one of the most important things that governments across the nation need to be doing right now is rebuilding our stock of social and affordable housing. In the member for Petrie's electorate, we're building 330 new social and affordable homes. That's 330 on the pathway to 55,000 homes that we will build across the country. At the heart of this program is the Housing Australia Future Fund. This is a generational investment in social and affordable housing that our government is so proud to be making. A few weeks ago I visited a completed Housing Australia Future Fund project in the member for Petrie's electorate with her and Senator Mulholland from the other place. In my role, my second-favourite thing that I get to do is visit construction sites and see how our home-building program is progressing. But my absolute favourite thing that I get to do is speak to people who are in homes that our government has built. I met three wonderful older women who call this Redcliffe site home, Lyndal, Margot and Marika. These women were kind enough to sit down with us and tell us the story of how they got into precarious housing and the meaning it has had on their lives to be out of that situation. Marika told us about a period of her life when she was being pushed from rental to rental until she reached a period of sheer desperation. Her lease in private rental was coming to an end because her landlord wanted to lift her rent again. She had recently taken on the primary care role for her ex-husband, who was very ill, and she was at a point where she just did not know where to go. She told us that she was seriously contemplating a future where she would be living in her car while caring for someone who is bound to a wheelchair. That was until she was able to make contact with a community housing provider, who got her into a Housing Australia Future Fund home, and her life has completely changed because of this. She talked about the feeling of deep relief that she feels to be in stable housing for the first time in many decades, and she talked to us about how she walked through the front door of her new home every day and felt for the first time, 'I'm home.' The life of this woman has been completely changed by housing that our government has built. We're going to do that 55,000 more times around the country. I'm asked about risks. We don't have to look too far because they sit opposite us. Every opportunity those opposite have had to vote against more social and affordable homes for our country, they have taken it. They want to scrap the Housing Australia Future Fund. They oppose the support that we're giving to people to get into their own home. Our focus is not on squabbling or leadership games. It's delivery, delivery, delivery of better housing opportunities for Australians. Fuel Security 31 14:49 Mr RICK WILSON 198084 O'Connor My question is to the Minister for Climate Change and Energy. A potato farmer in Manjimup, Dom, texted me: 'I rang up Fuels West to order some fuel yesterday. They told me they have no fuel and a three-week waiting list for deliveries. I have 10 days fuel left. After that, you won't be eating my spuds.' Last week the minister said our fuel supplies were in good shape. Can the minister assure Dom, Transwest Fuels and Bartranz Petroleum they will get the fuel they need? 14:50 Mr BOWEN DZS McMahon I thank the honourable gentleman for his question. It is the case that there can be real pressures on regional supply of diesel while our national fuel supply is in very good shape, which is the point the government has been making and which, frankly, we should all make. There's an obligation on all of us, and the Leader of the Nationals has been, to his credit, saying that we do have good supply of petrol and diesel and jet fuel to Australia, and there is no need for panic-buying. The SPEAKER 53517 The member for Herbert is now warned. Mr BOWEN DZS It is the massive spikes in demand we are seeing which are causing supply chain constraints—not an interruption of shipping to Australia, that has not yet occurred. We're alive to the risks, but that has not occurred at this point, and we have very strong minimum stock obligation holdings. Opposition members interjecting— Mr BOWEN DZS Honourable members opposite interject 'What are you doing about it?' Maybe there's a constructive idea coming. The SPEAKER 53517 The Manager of Opposition Business on a point of order? Mr Tehan 210911 It goes to direct relevance. He was asked a very simple question: can you assure Dom and the other petroleum providers that they will get the— The SPEAKER 53517 Resume your seat. There was a lot in that question regarding the person involved, and the minister was asked the question about assuring the individual they will get the fuel that they need. I think the minister was about to outline what he is doing regarding those assurances, so I'm just going to make sure that part of the question is being directly relevant, but the manager was correct to raise that point of order. We're just going to make sure the minister is correct as well in being directly relevant, not talking about any other alternative policies, because he wasn't asked about alternative policies. Mr BOWEN DZS Absolutely, Mr Speaker. It's difficult to talk about alternative policies when there aren't any, because the constructive ideas that have come forward so far are requiring service stations to fill in more forms. The SPEAKER 53517 The minister will return to the question. Mr BOWEN DZS What we will continue to do is work with the sector. The group that we convene today will continue to convene weekly, which was the rhythm of meetings that was suggested by the peak groups that would be helpful to them. They know that they can contact any minister, including myself, at any time if there are any issues that they need our help to deal with. We'll also continue to convene the National Oil Supplies Emergency Committee, which every government—including Queensland—is represented on. The Deputy Premier of Queensland might want to acquaint himself with the fact that his officials have been involved in every meeting, and his officials agreed that the level of alert should be the lowest of the six possible when it comes to international petrol supply. Either the Deputy Premier doesn't know that, which is his negligence, or he is choosing to deliberately mislead the people of Queensland and, in effect, encourage panic buying, which means he is behaving abominably and irresponsibly. Health Care 32 14:53 Mrs PHILLIPS 147140 Gilmore My question is to the Minister for Health. How is the Albanese Labor government making it easier to see a doctor by ensuring we have a strong health workforce? 14:54 Mr BUTLER HWK Hindmarsh My thanks to the member for Gilmore and congratulations on the delivery of her promise to open a new Medicare urgent care clinic in Nowra. It opened last Thursday and it's the 132nd urgent care clinic that has been delivered by this government. The member for Gilmore also delivered on her promise to ramp up operations at the existing Batemans Bay urgent care clinic to manage the impact of some changes to the local hospital operations in that town. That's now operating 18 hours a day, from 6 am to midnight, every single day of the year. With more than half of her general practices now bulk-billing all of their patients all of the time, the member for Gilmore genuinely is delivering a stronger Medicare to the South Coast, and I thank her for that. But a stronger Medicare needs more doctors. For too long, it was simply the case that doctor numbers were not keeping pace with a population that is growing and is getting older. We've turned that around as well. The Minister for Education in particular has expanded medical school places, to train more young Australians in medicine. Cairns and Launceston now have end-to-end medical training, thanks to this government. We've delivered the first medical school in the Northern Territory, which is taking its first medical students, literally as we speak, this year. The education minister also approved the expansion of medical school places to nine other universities, starting this year, with more to come in 2028, as I understand it. We're also cutting red tape and fees for overseas-trained doctors who want to come to Australia and practise here in this country—and why wouldn't you?—particularly from countries where we have high confidence in their training, like New Zealand, the UK and Ireland. All of this means there's been a huge increase in the number of newly registered doctors practising in Australia—up by 50 per cent on pre-COVID levels. But I've also been clear that I'd like to see more of these young doctors choose a career in general practice, because general practice is the backbone of strong health care, and that's why I'm especially pleased that we are seeing record numbers enrolling in general practice as a career. Last year was a record, but we broke that record this year, with 2,100 young doctors choosing to enrol in general practice. That's 500 more enrolments every year than we were seeing under the former government, and half of them are training outside of the big cities, in communities like the South Coast in New South Wales. That's delivering a stronger Medicare. New South Wales: Infrastructure, Great Western Highway: Convict Bridge 32 14:57 Mr GEE 261393 Calare My question is to the Prime Minister. It defies belief that the main access road in and out of the Central West relies on a bridge built by a convict chain gang in the 1830s. The Great Western Highway at Victoria Pass is now closed because, unsurprisingly, that Convict Bridge has failed. This highway is not fit for purpose. For decades, all the major parties have let us down on access to the city—just cheap talk, broken promises and small change. Will you apply pressure to and work with the New South Wales government to finally deliver a genuine expressway through to Sydney? 14:57 Ms CATHERINE KING 00AMR Ballarat Can I thank the member for Calare for his question and for his consistent raising of this issue on behalf of the people of Calare. As you're aware, you are correct. The Great Western Highway currently has damage, impacting travel along the highway. The New South Wales government has advised that both lanes of the highway are closed at Victoria Pass, following defects identified at Mitchell's Causeway and what is known as the Convict Bridge. It is an operational matter for the New South Wales government, in terms of trying to get that road reopened. It is a complex geotechnical issue. Engineers, as I understand it, have been on the ground since Thursday, and an abundance of caution is required when issues like this happen. As you're aware, when we came to office we inherited, frankly, a project which had funded two parts of the highway, but the middle bit, which was not funded at all, would have required an 11-kilometre, $14 billion tunnel under the Blue Mountains. No government is proposing to do that. What the New South Wales government went and did is another study of the highway, to look at: 'Where are the projects that, sensibly, we can work on together?' We await the New South Wales government's requests, which we consider in each and every budget, in terms of what projects can be done on the western highway. But I think the priority, right at the moment, is: the New South Wales government want to get that road reopened as soon as they possibly can, and we'll work with them on what future projects are required. Superannuation 33 14:59 Ms JARRETT 298574 Brisbane My question is to the Treasurer. What is the Albanese Labor government doing to make Australia's super system fairer and more sustainable, and how does this compare to other approaches? 14:59 Dr CHALMERS 37998 Rankin The member for Brisbane is an absolute champion for superannuation and also for her local community and is particularly focused on young people and some of the intergenerational issues in our economy. So I appreciate her question today. Whether it's our approach to wages or tax cuts or superannuation, this government is all about helping Australians earn more, keep more of what they earn and retire with more as well. Today is a really important day in that regard because we welcomed the news that our Superannuation (Building a Stronger and Fairer Super System) Imposition Bill 2026 is likely to pass the parliament tonight without amendment. We want to thank the Greens for taking a far more constructive approach to this legislation than the approach taken by those opposite. The passage of this bill means a fairer super system from top to bottom. It means we are delivering more super for people with low balances and more sustainable tax breaks for people with the biggest balances. This is what intergenerational tax reform looks like—a fairer system which maintains concessional treatment across the board but makes those concessions more affordable and more sustainable. A really important part of this legislation is the boost to the low-income super tax offset. It means more super for 1.3 million Australians, mostly women and mostly young people. It means more super for 100,000 sales assistants and 50,000 aged-care workers. It could mean a potential benefit of around $15,000 at retirement by one calculation. So this is a test for the Liberals and the Nationals tonight in the Senate. If they vote no to these changes again, they'll be voting for less super for people on low incomes and bigger tax breaks for people with tens of millions of dollars in super. They'll also be voting for bigger deficits, or they'll be a couple of billion dollars short a year, and they'll try and find that with cuts to Medicare like they always do. They haven't changed a bit, and they haven't learned a thing, and they will fail the same test that they failed under the last two opposition leaders. Whether it's wages, tax cuts or super, they are still the same old Liberals trying to hack away at the pay and retirement incomes of ordinary working people. On this side of the House, we created superannuation, and we have spent the last 3½ years strengthening superannuation. The new shadow Treasurer says that he wants to dismantle compulsory superannuation. We are delivering more super in a stronger, more sustainable system, and the passage of this legislation in the Senate will make that very clear. Fuel 33 15:02 Mrs McINTOSH 281513 Lindsay My question is to the Minister for Climate Change and Energy. Plumbers, transport and security businesses in my electorate of Lindsay say their businesses are being impacted by fuel shortages. Aaron of Penrith City Plumbing Services has a fleet of three trucks but has had to take one of those trucks off the road due to fuel shortages. Can the minister assure Aaron there are no fuel shortages in Western Sydney? 15:03 Mr BOWEN DZS McMahon As a Western Sydney resident and MP, I'm concerned about small businesses and residents right across Western Sydney, and I'm concerned to ensure that they continue to have access to fuel. The best way we can do that is by reminding people that our fuel supplies are secure and there is no need for panic buying. We can remind people that, because of the actions of this government, we have 2.97 billion litres of diesel in our minimum stock obligations, and we have 1.56 billion litres of petrol in reserve—not called upon; in reserve—for if the situation in the Middle East gets worse. Let me say to the House: I won't hesitate to release those reserves if necessary. I will not hesitate, if that's what is necessary. Opposition members interjecting— The SPEAKER 53517 The member for Lindsay has asked her question. Mr BOWEN DZS Are the opposition really calling for us to release those reserves now? I invite the opposition to reflect on the responsibility of what they're calling for. So far, all they've called for is me to require service stations to fill in more forms. The situation remains, with no help from the former minister for energy, the member for Hume, that Australia's fuel supplies are secure. The SPEAKER 53517 The minister will pause. The Manager of Opposition Business, on a point of order. Mr Tehan 210911 Once again, I'm going to have to go to direct relevance. It was a very straightforward, simple question. I know you're under the pump— The SPEAKER 53517 Resume your seat. The minister was asked about the impacts on shortages and for assurances regarding fuel shortages in Western Sydney. He was updating the House on litres in reserve, addressing that part of the question, and he was taking interjections about releasing some of that fuel and what not. I want to make sure he is being directly relevant about the individual that he was asked about on behalf of the member for Lindsay, as well. The manager was right in raising that point of order, but the minister is also correct in giving that information to the House—so just making sure he's being directly relevant. Mr BOWEN DZS As I've said previously, if the opposition want to make a constructive suggestion, we'll listen in good faith if they make the suggestion in good faith. I think I've made very clear the government recognises the pressures—and I do recognise this is a big day; the member for Wannon asked me his first question this year, today. He's rustled up the energy to ask me a question. It's a big call for the part-time shadow minister for energy, but I'm glad he's turned up to work today. Tertiary Education and Training, Health Care 34 15:06 Dr REID 300126 Robertson My question is to the Minister for Education. What is the Albanese Labor government doing to increase education for healthcare workers, and how does this strengthen Medicare? 15:06 Mr CLARE HWL Blaxland I thank my friend the revered member for Robertson for his question. I told the House last week that more Aussies are starting a university degree this year than ever before. I've got some more good news for you: this year, the number of Australians starting a science degree is up by eight per cent. The number starting an engineering degree is up by nine per cent. That's good because we need more scientists and we need more engineers. But we also need more doctors and more nurses—more health professionals. So here is some more good news: the number of Australians doing a pharmacy degree this year is up 3.5 per cent, dentistry is up 11.5 per cent, optical science is up 14 per cent, occupational therapy is up 18.7 per cent, speech pathology is up 12 per cent and medicine is up eight per cent. As my friend the health minister alluded to a moment ago, there's more good news on that front as well. This year, we opened a new medical school in Darwin, in the north, and a new medical school in Launceston, in the south. Next year we'll open a new medical school in Queensland as well. And today we've opened applications to train even more doctors at more universities right across the country. What we're announcing today and what we've already announced means that, when it's all rolled out, we'll have 1,800 more doctors being trained in our universities than we had before we were elected—triple what the last Liberal government did in half the time. That's the difference between the Labor Party and the Liberal Party. We see education as an investment; they see it as a cost. We want to strengthen Medicare; they secretly want to sell it. An opposition member interjecting— Mr CLARE HWL Well, if you're asking me for a story, I'll give you a story. Here's some more good news: 20,000 young Australian nursing students have now got paid prac. That's real cost-of-living help, real financial, help to get you through your practical training. My overly anxious friends opposite want a story. Here's the story of Samantha. She lives in Bundoora, in the outer suburbs of Melbourne. She does her paid prac at the Royal Women's Hospital in the city. That's two trains and one bus from home. Sometimes she finishes her shift at 10 o'clock or 11 o'clock—sometimes midnight. I asked her the other day, 'What does paid prac mean for you?' She said it meant she could afford an Uber. She said it meant peace of mind. She said it meant getting home safe at night. Just think about that. Samantha is training to do one of the most important jobs in the world. Getting her home safe is the least we can do. Mr Albanese R36 Mr Speaker, I ask that further questions be placed on the Notice Paper. CONDOLENCES 35 CONDOLENCES Cook, Mr Leslie (Les) 35 15:09 Mr ALBANESE R36 Grayndler on indulgence—Late last week, one of the last surviving Australians who served in the Battle of Crete, Les Cook, passed away at the age of 103. Les was a devoted husband and a tremendously proud father, grandfather and great-grandfather. He was, indeed, a great Australian and, characteristic of members of that greatest generation, a man of extraordinary humility. Les was only 16 when he first attempted to join up, in 1939. He succeeded at his second attempt, in 1940, enlisting side by side with his father, a veteran of the First World War. Both men had to lie about their age. As Les recalled, 'He put his age down four years, and I put mine up four.' Les was sent to North Africa before serving in Greece, Crete and Syria. He was then deployed in the Pacific, serving on the Kokoda Track in Borneo and then in Japan as a member of the occupying force until 1947. Les would be familiar to many Canberrans and to many members of this place as a fixture of commemorations at the Australian War Memorial. I had the honour of meeting him at the dawn service in 2023, when he, of course, was 100 years of age, where he led the Anzac Day march here—at the spritely age of 100. He was just a delightful gentleman, and it was a great honour for me to meet him. He often said he was embarrassed by all the attention, but he felt a sense of personal responsibility to be there to honour the memory of those who had already marched into history and to help young Australians remember the men and women who had served for who they were. In his words: 'We weren't soldiers; we were heavily armed civilians. We were just ordinary people.' He was anything but ordinary, and that is the powerful truth at the heart of the Anzac legend: ordinary people demonstrating extraordinary bravery, Australians who left behind their families, communities and jobs knowing the danger that awaited because, in Les's words, 'it was the thing to do'. In honouring Les Cook today, we remember all who served and all who serve our nation still. Lest we forget. 15:12 Mr TAYLOR 231027 Hume on indulgence—I rise to join the Prime Minister and his fine words in honouring the life of Les Cook. The coalition notes with deep sadness the passing of Les Cook, who died on 5 March this year at the age of 103. Les enlisted, as we just heard, in the Australian Army in May 1940, just 17 years old. He lied about his age to serve, and what an extraordinary act of determination and patriotism. He enlisted alongside his father, a First World War veteran, and served as a signaller in the 2nd/14th Battalion. Les Cook saw action in Greece, in Crete, on the Kokoda Trail and on the beachheads of Gona. When the war ended, he was in Borneo, and he later served with the British Commonwealth Occupation Force in Japan. After making a significant contribution to our country, he concluded his service in 1947. When asked why he enlisted to fight Hitler and Tojo, his answer was incredibly simple. He said, 'I don't like bullies.' He was a humble man who never sought recognition. Reflecting on his service, he once said, 'I didn't do anything brave, but I served with many.' Today we acknowledge his life and his service, and we send our deepest condolences to his family, his friends and his fellow veterans. May he rest in peace. Lest we forget. The SPEAKER 53517 As a mark of respect to the memory of Les Cook, I ask all present to rise in their places. Honourable members having stood in their places— The SPEAKER 53517 I thank the House. DOCUMENTS 35 DOCUMENTS Presentation 35 15:14 Mr BURKE DYW Watson Documents are tabled in accordance with the list circulated to honourable members earlier today. Full details of the documents will be recorded in the Votes and Proceedings. MATTERS OF PUBLIC IMPORTANCE 35 MATTERS OF PUBLIC IMPORTANCE Energy 35 15:14 The SPEAKER 53517 I have received a letter from the honourable Deputy Leader of the National Party proposing that a definite matter of public importance be submitted to the House for discussion, namely: The government's failure to manage fuel supplies, affordable energy and economic security for Australian families and small businesses. 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— 15:15 Mr HOGAN 218019 Page We all see times when we think and notice that governments have tin ears on issues and are not responsive to something important happening in our communities, but, indeed, this one is happening right across our nation. I mean, I understand that the Minister for Climate Change and Energy believes that there are enough fuel reserves in this country to combat any fuel issues we have, but what he didn't acknowledge today and what he and the other side of the chamber have to acknowledge—remember they are in government—is that there is a fuel supply issue in this country. A lot of ministers have come up. I'll quote one. The Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations said, 'There isn't an issue with supply when it comes to fuel.' There is. There is an issue for supply when it comes to fuel. We've had many examples today where distributors, retailers and, very importantly, wholesalers are not getting their normal fuel supply. This is a huge issue. Some of the examples we got from this side of the chamber this question time are actually quite scary. We're talking about people who are feeding our country. We're talking about trucking companies who need to transport food to our supermarkets. There is a serious issue going on in our country, and they seem to be oblivious to it. What I wanted to know and what I thought the minister might communicate today—I thought, when he said he was taking action by having meetings, that that was a bit light on. Well, it would have been nice to know what he said in the meetings. Okay, so people have come and said, 'You should make sure people don't do this.' What did the minister say to all those really important industry stakeholders who were in his office this morning? Did he tell them to get moving? Did he tell them examples of the threats to our food security and food supply? Did he go through in minute detail and give specific examples of geographic locations of companies, of businesses who aren't getting fuel? We've been sending them to his office. Has he communicated any of that to the stakeholders? What did the stakeholders say about that? Did they say they will take action? Did they say they will change the normal course of events because of what is going on in this country right now? We didn't hear any of that. Even with all the great examples that are very important to farmers and to communities across this nation, we heard nothing from the minister today even though he had many opportunities to tell us about what he's doing about this. Now, I know he's a part-time minister. I know he has a really important role with COP, but he has another very important role. He needed to communicate. This is not for us. We might stay here representing and advocating for our communities. It was important for us to hear, but do you know who needed to hear this today? It was the community out there in Australia—real Australians who operate businesses, who are scared and nervous about their fuel supply. What did the minister say today to allay any fears? Nothing. He gave no information about what he's done. I don't like to be negative, but should we be surprised with this part-time minister? Obviously, the other thing that this MPI mentions is energy security and energy supply. The importance of fuel supply to our food supply, our energy markets and everything else does bring up our sovereignty in a whole lot of areas. I remind the House that the minister is the minister responsible for Labor's reckless $9 trillion net zero 2050 plan, which is obviously an irresponsible plan and one that we can't afford. Part of it obviously is what we know is a reckless renewable rollout that is predominantly happening through regional Australia. We know the 60 million solar panels. We know the 20,000 wind turbines. We know the fact that agricultural land—food supply—is going to be all used up with this reckless renewable rollout. I always remind the other side of the House when we talk about this that a lot of this is done, as we know, for an emission reduction where have to get to net zero by 2050. I think it's really important that the government and every government be reminded that the three biggest carbon emitters across the planet are not signed up to net zero by 2050. It's important that you acknowledge that. It's important that you realise that China is not signed up to net zero by 2050, India is not signed up to net zero by 2050 and the US is not signed up to 2050. They are the world's three biggest carbon emitters. Yet this government believes we should be racing ahead with carbon emission reductions. There's a cost to that. We know there's a huge cost-of-living crisis in this country, and there is a cost to that. Are we on this side saying we should abandon carbon emission reductions? Of course not. We believe that as a citizen of the globe we should do our carbon emission reductions as well. Our plan is to match OECD average carbon emission reductions. We're taking out China's and India's, because we could keep putting emissions up and still be matching the average if we left China's and India's in. So we took them out. Our ambition is to match the OECD actual. We think that's a responsible action. We think it's a far cheaper action. We think it will have less economic cost to Australia. So we encourage the government to have a look at that plan. We believe it's a better, cheaper, fairer plan for Australia in emission reductions and energy costs. But I don't have a lot of faith in the minister that he will look at that. What it will mean practically—and I think it's important to acknowledge what this means in the difference in carbon emission reductions—is that Australia will have, by 2035, about a 35 per cent reduction in carbon emissions, which will be, as we say, in line with a lot of the other countries across the globe. Their emission reductions are going to take us to 65 per cent by 2035. Again, that's why we think this is responsible. The other thing I want to talk about is that this policy and a lot of policies that have been implemented on the other side are why we have a cost-of-living crisis in this country. Why do I say that? It's not me saying that; it's the official inflation figures saying that. The inflation rate in Australia is 3.8 per cent. It came out last week. It went back up. In the US it's 2.4 per cent. Let's acknowledge that: a 2.4 per cent inflation figure in the US and 3.8 per cent in Australia. The average in the Euro bloc is 1.9 per cent, whereas our inflation rate is well over three. Unfortunately this means that Australian families are working harder for less. Should that surprise us? The minister doesn't seem to be across the fuel supply issue. He's got a really reckless policy that's putting our electricity grid in danger. And let's not forget, going back to the 2022 election, that this minister was the one who made one of the big promises. They said it was the most modelled. And these are not my words; they're the now Labor government's words. They said the policy they were announcing was the most modelled economic policy ever done from opposition in Australia's political history. That was of course the famous $275 cut in your power bill. That was meant to happen by 2025. What happened between 2022 and 2025? This is always a divert-and-deflect government, so of course it wasn't their fault. They blamed the Ukraine war. Of course, the Ukraine war had started before they took government. But when they didn't meet that promise, it's not their fault, if anything doesn't go right with this government. Last week we were talking about inflation. Here I'll give credit to a Labor politician. I'm going to give credit to Peter Beattie, because Peter Beattie would sometimes go to a presser or go into the chamber and say, 'I got it wrong; I apologise.' He actually used to admit it occasionally, and he was quite respected for it—going into the chamber or going to a presser and saying, 'I, my government, we got that wrong.' He apologised, and people respected that. This government—it's beyond them. They have not apologised for any policy that they've ever done or for any promise that they haven't met. I think one of the most infamous ones is the $275. It would have been nice for them to say, 'You know what? We thought we'd modelled it well. We got it wrong. We owe the Australian public an apology,' but we'll never get that. This minister needs to get on top of this fuel supply issue. It's real. He needs to tell us what he's going to do about it. 15:25 Dr MULINO 132880 Fraser I must say this is a bit of a catch-all MPI today with a wide range of topics. But, notwithstanding its breadth and the fact there are a whole range of moving parts here, on every single one of the moving parts we have a very good example of areas where the government is making significant progress on behalf of the Australian population and one where the policies of those opposite, both when they were in government and currently2, are in stark contrast. I'll start with fuel supplies. It's one where there is a great deal of misinformation, and I think it's absolutely critical to put out there from the outset that Australia is facing solid fuel supplies. Our national fuel supply is in good shape. The shipping that is meant to arrive is arriving, and Australia is achieving its minimum petrol stockholding obligations. It is really important to get that out there. It's important to clarify that, across petrol, jet fuel and diesel, Australia is achieving its minimum petrol stockholding obligations. In relation to petrol, we have 36 days supply, 1.56 billion litres currently in stockpiles. In relation to jet fuel, we have 32 days supply. In relation to diesel, we have 34 days supply, and we have 35 days supply of urea. It's really important to clarify that, at that national level, Australia is achieving what it needs to. As the minister indicated in question time, we're not denying that in some local areas there are difficulties for some customers and some businesses in obtaining diesel. That is something which the minister made very clear. But what we need to understand is that that is an issue of spikes in demand, particularly in local areas. It's not an issue of national supply levels, and that is very important. The government has made clear that this is an international crisis, and the important obligation on the government's part is to make sure that our international supplies are maintained and that our stockpiles are maintained, and that is exactly what is happening. When it comes to what's happening to industry, when it comes to what's happening to some of these localised areas where there are difficulties in obtaining access to diesel, the minister has convened the National Oil Supplies Emergency Committee. It's in fact met on a number of occasions. The minister for energy, the minister for agriculture and the minister for industry convened a roundtable just today in order to engage with industry. This is exactly the kind of proactive engagement that is appropriate at this time to understand the local contours of these issues and to understand the issues sector by sector. And it's exactly through that kind of engagement that the feedback to the minister has been on the whole that what we need to do is to make clear to people that they shouldn't be purchasing more than they need, that they shouldn't be purchasing double or triple their normal usage. That's the message we should be getting out responsibly, both through the government and through key stakeholders. In fact, it should be the message that the opposition is getting out there, but, for political reasons, clearly that's not the case. It's also important that we look at what the government is doing when it comes to the retail side of this. When it comes to petrol, the Treasurer has asked the ACCC to closely monitor fuel-pricing behaviour to ensure that international events are not used as an excuse for excessive price increases, for price gouging. Not only has the Treasurer done that, but this government has put in place very significant penalties for such behaviour that breaches Australian Consumer Law. So, when it comes to fuel supply, it's important to point out that the national fuel supply is in good shape and that our stockpiles are in good shape and, in fact, at 15-year highs but that, yes, the government is going to work through with stakeholders, as we did today through three senior ministers meeting with stakeholders. The government will work through with stakeholders to manage some of those local issues. When it comes to affordable energy, I just turn to recent modelling. When it comes to the transition that this nation needs to go through, recent modelling by Treasury compares an orderly transition and a disorderly transition. Anybody that's familiar with macroeconomics knows that orderly transitions are transitioning earlier rather than all at the last minute and would expect that it would be better to have an orderly transition, but what Treasury has done in a rigorous and comprehensive way is to actually quantify the difference. What Treasury found was that, by 2050, if the economy goes through an orderly transition as opposed to a disorderly transition, an orderly transition would see an economy that is $2 trillion larger. An orderly transition would see per capita GDP $4½ thousand higher. It would see more jobs, it would see higher paid jobs, and, critically, it would see significantly lower wholesale electricity prices with an orderly transition. But what's perhaps most scary when it comes to the energy transition, which those opposite seem so averse to, is that what's even worse than a disorderly transition is one other option they looked at, and that's no transition. So those opposite, after having essentially taken a disorderly transition to the last election, have, during the course of this term, chosen to go to no transition. Their big policy development in this space, this term, has been to abandon any targets—to abandon net zero by 2050. So we go to an even worse position, based on the Treasury modelling. It is really quite remarkable for those opposite to come in here with an MPI on affordable energy when all of the economic modelling makes clear that an orderly transition is the best way forward. Those opposite seem to have gone from a bad policy last election to an even worse one this time based on nothing other than a populist whim. Finally, I'd like to talk about economic security for Australia's families and businesses. Again, the contrast at the last election couldn't have been clearer. We went to the last election promising a tax cut for every Australian taxpayer—two tax cuts for every Australian taxpayer, after having already delivered one, and there will be one delivered in this upcoming budget and one the one after. Those opposite, at the last election, campaigned against those two rounds of tax cuts for every Australian taxpayer. They promised they would come into this place and undo them. It's not clear where they stand on that now. What about the economic security of owning your own home? We went to the last election promising to help more Australians into homes with an expansion of the five per cent deposit for first home buyers, which is something we've delivered. Economic security is about security in your health care, and this government is delivering more access to bulk-billing. We're already seeing the results of that flowing through. We're delivering on more urgent care clinics. I've got two operating and being heavily utilised in my own electorate. People seeing doctors, not having to go to emergency departments and being able to bulk-bill it is providing security to Australian families right now. Economic security is also about your job and your training. That's why this government promised a 20 per cent cut to HECS, and that's what we delivered in the first bill introduced into this chamber. That's why we're delivering paid prac. The Minister for Education gave such a powerful example of that in his answer in question time today about a nursing student who is going to be able to pay for an Uber to go home after a shift finishing at midnight rather than having to contest with public transport. Economic security is about dignity in retirement, and there are so many areas that this government is delivering. The Treasurer spoke about this in question time today. It's about payday super, making sure that the over $5 billion that isn't going into people's accounts, primarily people in vulnerable jobs and low-paid workers, goes into people's accounts and supports their dignity in retirement. But it's also about the LISTO, the low income superannuation tax offset, a really important bill that's going to pass the Senate today with the support of the government and the Greens. But those opposite are opposing it because their rationale is to give bigger tax breaks to those with $10 million accounts and no extra support for LISTO. Economic security is about having a good job. This government has seen inflation come down, but we've achieved that while supporting 1.2 million jobs being developed in the economy, and that's incredibly important for individuals and families right across our society. This government believes in supporting jobs growth while at the same time responsibly managing the economy. One of the first thought bubbles from the new shadow Treasurer was to say that the Reserve Bank shouldn't have a dual mandate and that we should explore dropping employment growth and full employment from the Reserve Bank's mandate. I'm not sure where that is yet. Nobody else senior on the opposition backed that idea in, but it certainly hasn't totally gone away. On issue after issue, when it comes to family security, individual security, this government has backed in sensible economic development, jobs growth and then all sorts of measures for cost-of-living support that time and time again, those opposite vote against or campaign against, yet they come into this place with an MPI that suggests that somehow they're the champions of people's economic security. It just flies in the face of what has happened over the course of the last term and this term, and it flies in the face of what those opposites say. So this government stands up for fuel supplies, for affordable energy and for economic security. 15:35 Dr WEBSTER 281688 Mallee Let me set the scene for you: 'Labor, the musical'. We are so fortunate to have our very own, the very talented Mr Ripley, who is described as a con artist who pretends to be many things, and, in the Minister for Climate Change and Energy, the star of Labor, the musical is basically a one-man cast. 'Labor, the musical' has this incredible chorus line. It really is quite the performance, with a whole cast of those opposite singing, 'We care about those who are experiencing the cost of living.' They sing it with such caring and sincere faces. Another of Minister Bowen's roles in 'Labor, the musical' is playing the green superhero Captain Planet and, believe it or not, the energy minister also plays the part of Pinocchio. He wants to be a real boy—no, a real climate champion, Australia's part-time energy minister and president of the COP climate conference. Pinocchio's lies made his nose grow longer. This morning we saw the minister saying he has empathy for farmers worried about diesel supplies. But then he said, 'We are managing a spike in demand, not impact on supply.' Last time I checked, supply and demand are kind of the same equation. If you don't have enough supply, there is a problem. If demand grows, supply has to grow with it or there is no good outcome. Out in my electorate in Mallee I have spoken to farmer after farmer after farmer who has said that their wholesale distributors are at risk of no supply. Some distributors in Mallee, when they've gone to their base distribution point in Melbourne, have been turned away. That says something about supply and demand. I noted in question time that the minister said that Mildura had had a demand spike of 100 per cent. Really? So where is the fuel to fill those fuel bowsers so that the people of Mildura can get the petrol that they need, whether it's diesel or otherwise? It's not actually managing the situation when the supply is falling short. Orders are not being filled, independent distributors are having their supplies cut back or cancelled and depots are unable to source fuel. In one report to my office, as I said, a distributor was turned away in Melbourne. In regional Australia, fuel stations are running out of fuel and what does the minister say? He says, 'There's no problem. There is no problem with supply.' All of those who live out in the regions know, without a shadow of a doubt, that there is a problem with supply. If the minister who is responsible does not open up the supply, that is on him. This very tricky Albanese Labor government, indeed, the same minister, time after time fed Australians a pork sandwich—not pork pies, just a sandwich full of porkies. On one side of the sandwich, they are blaming the war in Ukraine for their failure to deliver the $275 energy bill relief. Every Australian remembers that promise. It was promised 97 times yet failed to be delivered. On the other side of this pork sandwich, they are saying now, in March 2026, that there's no supply issue; it's demand that's the problem. Economics 101—supply and demand: believe it or not, a demand spike, whether warranted or not, creates supply issues. So what's driving Labor's behaviour here? Why pretend there's nothing to be concerned about, nothing to see here? When in doubt, look at Labor's form: raiding regions to buy votes in the cities. How does that happen? Are city motorists' concerns being put first, not our food security and fuel security? Are big businesses, large metropolitan operators, being prioritised under Labor? It's like the old Irish riddle, if a tree falls in a forest and no-one is around to hear it, does it make a sound? Here's a Labor version: if voters suffer in regional Australia, has anyone suffered at all? We here in the Nationals are elected to be a voice for our farmers and regional communities. Fuel security is food security. Farmers want to sow the crop to feed our nation. Diesel deliveries are being held up, and this must stop. 15:40 Mr WATTS 193430 Gellibrand I must admit, before I get into the substance of this motion, that the chamber before us really speaks to the seriousness of those opposite. We saw the Deputy Leader of the Nationals come in and move this motion. He hasn't had the wherewithal to hang around and stay through the debate. There was a reasonable turnout from the bloke's world of the frontbench when the bloke was talking. As soon as it became time for a woman on the frontbench of the coalition to speak, there was an exodus from the room. Indeed, there were two backbenchers in this chamber when the previous member got on her feet and started speaking on this matter of public important debate; it attracts four spectators from the side that moved it. Now, why is this? Maybe it's because outside of this chamber we are seeing yet more leadership turmoil in the coalition. The resignation of another leader of the coalition is happening outside of this chamber. I have some sympathy for the position of the former leader of the Nationals in this respect. He determined the coalition's policy on the Voice to Parliament. He determined the coalition's policy on climate change and the abolition of net zero. Then he got to choose the new leader of the Liberal Party. The National Party now gets to set not just policy in the coalition; it also gets to set the leadership of the Liberal Party. So it's reasonable to say, 'Job done.' Now it's time to move off into the sunset. On this matter of importance and the enormous audience that we have for it on the opposite side of the chamber, it's worth noting that the biggest cleavage in Australian politics used to be a Left-Right ideological divide. It was different parties with different values and priorities competing to persuade the Australian public about their vision for the future of our nation. Unfortunately, in Australia, as in a number of Western democracies in recent times, a new divide has emerged. It's a divide between the politicians and the political figures who want to win government in order to shape outcomes in the real world—the people who actually want to do things—and, on the other side of the divide, the politicians and political figures who don't want to do the hard work of governing, who don't even aspire to be in government. These are political figures who are happy to live in their own ideological fantasy worlds, political figures who are happy with hot takes, happy to trade in fear and division, obsessed with the latest internet conspiracy theories and unconcerned when their delusions come into conflict with reality. This issue of fuel security is a perfect case in point. On this side of the House, we take our responsibilities of governing seriously, and, as on all issues, we're ruthlessly focused on delivering in the real world. Serious governments take fuel security seriously. That's why, in 2023, the Albanese government introduced the minimum stockholding obligation, a government intervention that has required Australia's two remaining refineries and major importers of refined fuels to hold baseline stocks of fuels onshore. Of course, this intervention wasn't helped by the fact that four of Australia's six refineries closed while those opposite were in government, including the Altona Mobil refinery in my electorate in Melbourne's west. That said, as a result of the responsible intervention of the Albanese government, we are currently above our minimum petroleum stockholding obligations. Australia is a fuel-secure nation. It is secure with fuel stored in Australia, in Brisbane and Geelong, not in the United States, on the other side of the Pacific Ocean. That's the real-world context that we bring to a real-world international challenge, and the recent conflict in the Middle East has created a serious external shock for global fuel markets. It's an international event that poses challenges to Australia, and we've set about responding to it responsibly. We start from a position of national fuel security. Our petrol companies have confirmed their fuel stock continues to arrive on time and in the volumes expected. There are obviously impacts, though, on the international supply chain resulting from the conflict, and international markets are dealing with uncertainty and global price pressures. But it's important to understand that national fuel supply remains the same and fuel consumption remains consistent. The only thing that has changed is that demand has significantly increased, and that's why we've been engaging with the fuel, transport and agricultural industries, and all responsible stakeholders, who have made it clear industry must act in the national interest and everyone has a role to play in keeping Australian transport moving and farmers growing. We all need to work together to ensure there isn't panic-buying or opportunistic buying on the spot market. That's the biggest risk to fuel security in Australia, and it's a risk that's being fuelled by the opportunistic, fantasy politics of those opposite. 15:45 Ms LANDRY 249764 Capricornia I rise today to speak for the people of Capricornia who are being absolutely smashed by this government's incompetence and their failure to secure Australia's liquid fuel supply. While the city-centric Labor frontbench sits comfortably in Canberra, families and businesses in regional Queensland are facing the grim reality of fuel rationing and skyrocketing prices that flow through to the cost of everything from groceries to power bills. In my electorate of Capricornia, the situation is reaching a breaking point. I'm hearing from local businesses they are being forced to scale back or shut down because they simply cannot get the diesel they need to operate. I had a charter boat company reach out to me in absolute despair—they have been advised that the fuel purchases are being limited to 200 litres in any 24-hour period. You cannot run a charter on 200 litres of fuel. That is a small business' livelihood being stripped away because this government failed to plan. It gets worse. The backbone of Central Queensland, our cattle industry, is being brought to a standstill. I'm getting calls from desperate farmers. One farmer has 300 head of cattle ready and waiting to go to market, but they can't move them. The trucking company they rely on has a fleet of 40 trucks, but currently only one truck is running because they cannot fuel the rest of the fleet. Think about the impact of that. That cattle farmer is a supplier of Woolworths. This isn't just a regional inconvenience; this is a direct threat to the food security of every Australian. It's not just the primary producers. I spoke with a business owner in Parkhurst who employs 25 local staff and runs a mechanic repair business. While he managed to secure some fuel over the weekend, his suppliers have told him they cannot guarantee another drop, because they are prioritising service stations. He's now rationing what he has, but he has only two weeks of fuel left and no idea what comes next. This man has been in business for 12 years and he has told me he has never seen anything like this. This is the reality of Labor's Australia—small business owners who have survived for over a decade now facing ruin because the government can't manage a basic commodity like diesel. And why is this happening? Because this government is flying blind. We have reports that wholesalers have begun rationing petrol and diesel, cutting off transport companies from bulk supplies and forcing them to buy at a much higher retail price. Regional petrol stations are running dry. The government can't even tell us the state of our own reserves because their publicly reported stockholding data has not been updated since December 2025. If the government was competent enough to begin removing diplomatic staff before the international conflict escalated, why on earth didn't they take steps to secure our fuel supply at home? The coalition understood that fuel security was a national vulnerability, which is why we established a domestic fuel reserve and a minimum stockholding obligation to increase diesel stocks by 40 per cent. We legislated the Fuel Security Act to give the minister the tools to handle exactly this kind of crisis. The tools are there, but this minister lacks the judgement to use them. He should be demanding transparency from providers right now to find out where the shortages are and to get fuel to our tractors and our trucks. Instead, he offers excuses. We have a part-time energy minister who is more focused on his own ideology than on the fact that the Australian economy runs on diesel. Australians were already struggling with a homegrown cost-of-living crisis before any international conflict escalated. Now, because of this government's addiction to spending and regulating, we are seeing the largest decline in living standards in the developed world. The buck stops with the Prime Minister and the energy minister. They need to stop the excuses, stop blaming panic-buying and start using the powers they have to ensure that cattle in Rockhampton, a charter boat in my electorate or an Ergon energy truck isn't left stranded because the government forgot that regional Australia exists. Capricornia deserves better and Australia deserves a government that takes fuel security seriously. 15:49 Ms MASCARENHAS 298800 Swan I recognise that it is a challenging time in our world at the moment, and we are feeling some of those impacts here in Australia, whether it be family members affected in the Middle East or, more broadly in the community, fuel pump prices. Wisely, the good people of Australia, at the 2025 election, elected a Labor government, and that is partly because they fundamentally understood that during challenging times we are a government that will have their backs. I am proud to be part of an Albanese Labor government that is strengthening fuel, energy and economic security for the future. A part of that relates to action on climate change. It is fascinating that those opposite are here lecturing us, after a decade of neglect. They had—was it one, two or three energy policies? It was 22 policies. The thing that's fascinating is that they're lecturing us on a reason to not act on climate change. But if we act on climate change, that means we reduce our reliance on fossil fuels, which means we become more energy secure. Earlier it was explained to us that we shouldn't have targets. But when we see more fuel-efficient vehicles, when we see electrification, guess what? That actually means we are being more wise with our energy and being more energy secure. What I hear from the other side, and the member for Gellibrand said this earlier, are delusions—absolute delusions. The Albanese government has indeed been working on the way we decarbonise the transport sector. It's fascinating: Australia has been a dumping ground for inefficient vehicles, because those opposite didn't want to give Australia these opportunities, so they talked down electric vehicles, talked down efficient vehicles. The truth is that people who have those more-efficient vehicles are thinking, 'I'm glad I made that decision.' We have seen from independent research that Australians have paid billions more for fuel because previous coalition governments refused to introduce fuel efficiency standards. A report showed that if the standards had been introduced in 2016 we would have saved almost $6 billion in fuel costs. That's the equivalent of nine million tonnes of carbon dioxide. This inaction, restricting low-emission and electric vehicles, has created a lack of productivity for our transport sector. The Albanese government has acted and is delivering the standards that experts have been recommending for more than a decade, improving fuel security, cutting emissions and saving families at the pump. But this is also a government that wants to see energy independence and energy security for all. This is one of the reasons we introduced the home battery scheme. In my electorate of Swan, 1,400 cheaper home batteries have been installed, while those opposite were promising nuclear power, which would not arrive for decades. The private sector is not waiting, either. Fortescue is rolling out hundreds of electric haul vehicles and heavy vehicles across Pilbara operations, replacing diesel powered fleets that previously burnt millions of litres of fuel. By electrifying one of the largest mining fleets in the world, Fortescue is dramatically cutting diesel demand in WA and helping ease the long-term pressure on Australia's fuel suppliers. We're also seeing electrification of transport in my community and projects such as Metronet, which is a great project that the WA government and the federal government have funded. We've seen the rail line raised and we are seeing more people wanting to catch public transport. In fact, you can do that for only $2.80 all across metropolitan Perth. So the thing I'd say is that there is a role for metropolitan centres to be more efficient when they have access to that infrastructure to make sure that the areas that are hard to abate have access to those fuel supplies. This is one of the many examples of what the Albanese government is working on, along with work we're doing with the ACCC that the Treasurer has been doing a fantastic job on. 15:54 Mr BUCHHOLZ 230531 Wright Well, I'm glad I'm making a small contribution to this debate, because I didn't know what the answer was, but it's all been made clear to us! People in regional Queensland now can just pick up public transport—they can get the bus; they can get the train!—though they'll drive past five service stations that don't have fuel in them to get to the bus station. And it's only Labor that could come up with that solution—only Labor! Last week, here in the parliament, we saw a contribution from the Minister for Climate Change and Energy, who said that we had 34 days of diesel, 32 days of jet fuel and 36 days of unleaded petrol. Five days later, service stations in my electorate, in regional Queensland, are struggling to get fuel. And that's diabolical. They're saying, 'Oh, the reason there are shortages is that there's panic buying.' Yes, because you've got to drive past four service stations that have got no fuel to find one that has got fuel. I'll tell you why. Mr Rob Mitchell M3E Why? Mr BUCHHOLZ 230531 The member for McEwen makes a very good point. 'Why?' Because what happens in the fuel sector is that there's two clients. There are people who buy on contract—and they might be large transport companies— Mr Rob Mitchell M3E They don't buy 4,000 litres a day. Mr BUCHHOLZ 230531 Listen. You asked, 'Why?' I'll tell you why. It's really simple. And, if you can fix it, we won't have the problem that we've got at the moment. But rather than interject on me, Member for McEwen, spend a bit of time with your energy minister trying to find a solution to this, because all you guys want to do is finger-point and blame everyone else. Let me tell you why. There's two— The DEPUTY SPEAKER 248181 I'm just going to ask— Mr BUCHHOLZ 230531 No, let me tell you why, Madam Speaker. The DEPUTY SPEAKER 248181 Comments are to be directed through me. This is getting a little too personal. So thank you, Member for Wright. Mr BUCHHOLZ 230531 Madam Speaker, you are dead right. You had the opportunity to interject on the member yourself. Madam Speaker, can I suggest— Mr Abdo 316915 What's that even mean? Mr BUCHHOLZ 230531 To pull a speaker up when he interjected. That didn't happen—to pull the speaker up. The member for McEwen asked, 'Why?' The DEPUTY SPEAKER 248181 Member for Wright, I am going to intervene on you, right now. You know better than that. You know better than that. You have been in this chair's position. I do expect a little more cooperation than that. My interjection was directed to you both, so please don't take it one way. If you want to second-guess all of my decisions in the chair, that's going to make it a very difficult relationship for you and me. So please proceed. I just ask you and everybody in the chamber: this is not a personal debate here; it's a matter of public importance; direct your comments through me, so that it isn't—that's why that standing order exists. I give the call to the member for Wright. Mr BUCHHOLZ 230531 Service stations in my electorate do not have fuel. There are two clients in the fuel world. There are those that buy on contract. They're, like, large transport companies; they're the big retailers; they're the Coles and the Woolworths. They say to the refiners: 'I want this much volume, and I'm prepared to pay this much margin.' Then there's the second buyer: there's the buyer who buys it on spot price, who buys on a daily rotation. Most of the wholesalers, the fuel distributors, in my electorate, buy in that market. The minister for energy cannot have it both ways—cannot come in here and say: 'The boats are arriving; we've got the fuel,' and yet, when my spot buyers go to buy from the terminals, they're told: 'There is no fuel for you today.' The fuel's there, or it's not. They're the two markets. If we're going to fix this problem, if the government is confident that the supply is there, then release the contracted fuel to the spot market, to get rid of the panic buying which is in the market at the moment—because it is the government's lack of intervention in this. It is the refiners who are profiteering. Now, I understand the government has done the right thing by saying: 'ACCC, go your hardest.' But I cannot remember a point in history where the ACCC has had a successful victory over the large operators; it's always the smaller operators. This problem can be solved. I'm going to take up the minister's invitation, that he offered today, to go and meet with him, to discuss how we turn this around, because Australians don't want to hear us squabbling; they want this fixed. And they don't want to see what we've just seen happen in this chamber right now. 15:59 Mr ROB MITCHELL M3E McEwen We're in this situation because of a large issue that's happening in Iran. This is where the crux of this begins. This is not an Australian problem. It's not something this government's thought up. It's because of what's happening in Iran, where we know thousands and thousands of people have been persecuted, raped, tortured, killed by a horrific regime. That has been the main cause. It's a global situation. It's not something that Australia has drummed up, Australia has made or is Australia's responsibility. But I want to bring up a couple of numbers in particular just to have a look at a couple of things. The numbers are two and six. Six is how many refineries we had in this country prior to the election of the Abbott-Turnbull-Morrison mess. Two is what we had when we came to government. We also know that 24 out of 28 coal-fired power stations closed under the Liberal-National mess—not under the Labor government but under them. So to come in here and say, 'Well, you should have this fixed; you should have this sorted' is just ridiculous. And the irony of the member who raises this MPI—I had a look through his record. He's been here, what, 17 years? He never once talked about fuel. In fact, the only time he's ever spoken about refineries was him trying to get funding for a sugar refinery in his electorate. So this new-found interest in fuel security is nothing more than to cover up during the week to give them something to talk about because they have no policies. Now, we know 22 different energy policies were done during the Abbott-Turnbull-Morrison mess. Not one of them landed. They sit there and they talk about the $275 and say, 'Oh, Labor should apologise,' but when have any of them ever got up and said that what they did was deliberate, deceitful action against the Australian people by changing the law to hide the power price increases from before the May 2022 election? You'll never hear that, but they're always quick to have a cheap shot and a carry-on. From talking about cheap shots and carrying on, let's talk about what's happening with fuel. Panic buying is the No. 1 issue. When service stations are telling you they are selling the equivalent of five days supply each day because people roll up with trailers and put 10 or 12 200-litre drums on the back or they're getting the big plastic fire buckets and filling them up with diesel to take away, it's almost as bad as the toilet paper crisis during COVID. This is the real reason we've got these issues happening. We've got to sit back and take a good, calm look at this, working in a methodical way as an adult and mature government, and that's what we've been doing. While those opposite are squabbling amongst themselves, we're actually sitting down and working out what's the best way forward. We heard today time and time again—because, for those opposite, you've got to say it quite a few times, and eventually it will sink in. The minister made it very clear that he's been working with all the peak groups on what they need and what the government can do straight away to help, and their responses—the industry's responses, the National Farmers' Federation, everyone that's been involved in this—have been to say: 'Stop panic buying. There is no need for that to happen.' And this is the most important bit about this. We shouldn't be seeing this happen, but we know how this has an impact. We also know, when it comes to energy security, that those opposite went to an election just recently promising $600 billion on a nuclear scheme that was a failure. Now, you'd think the member for Page would know more than anyone about the impacts of climate change and why we need to go to a cleaner, greener electricity and gas situation, because of the devastating impacts that his community faced with floods. In a more severe climate that is changing, the floods are more severe, harder and more frequent, resulting in bigger issues. So what we've done is continue to work on making sure that we do get cleaner, greener energy. In fact, some of us have taken up the opportunity to get batteries to use less power. This includes those that attack the battery program and attack solar. We'll talk about the leader of One Nation. Senator Hanson herself has bought a battery on the government's program because, whenever there's a tax dollar available, you can guarantee she's on it like a seagull on a chip. It is unbelievable, the hypocrisy of those opposite, in coming in here and talking about energy and fuel supply, when, for nine years, they kept fuel overseas and did nothing. They had 22 different energy policies that delivered nothing, but they sit there and say: 'Oh, we've got a mess. Why haven't you fixed it?' 16:04 Mr HAMILTON 291387 Groom I'm very happy to rise to speak on the government's failure to manage fuel supply, amongst a great many other things. During question time today, we saw the minister asked multiple times if he could identify the regions in Australia, the areas in Australia, the cities in Australia, where we were experiencing fuel supply shortages, and he couldn't answer the question. He wasn't across his brief. He couldn't tell us where those were. He turned around briefly, to his backbench, looking for a bit of help. Someone shouted out, 'Mildura.' He said, 'Mildura.' So we got one answer out of him. As it turned out, under questioning from the member for Lindsay, there were fuel supply shortages in Western Sydney, right near the minister's own seat. But he wasn't aware; he's not across the brief. This is a minister who wants to be president of COP. He wants to focus on those big, fantastic things that a role like that brings. He can focus on international commitments. He can play on the grand stage, but he's not on the ground in Australia, seeing the problems that we're seeing, and this matters. What we heard today was a minister who's taking a completely hands-off approach to dealing with this issue. In fact, he was playing the role of Johnny Fontane in The Godfather: 'Tell me what to do. What do I do, Godfather?' He wants to know how to do the job. The great thing is we had a wonderful contribution from the member for Wright, a transport professional, who actually spoke to the details of the issue. They've been very helpful. The minister could look back just a short way in history to see what to do, back to 2021 when we had an AdBlue shortage around Australia. A very similar thing happened. It wasn't available anywhere. People were hoarding. Prices went up. What did we do? Did we stand back and say, 'We're going to take a hands-off approach to this, and Australians are the problem?' An honourable member interjecting— Mr HAMILTON 291387 You're going to have a roundtable? No, we didn't. What we did was we reached out to the ACCC, and we identified that, in the Competition and Consumer Act, there was the ability for the ACCC to relax some of the rules, to allow those fuel suppliers to work together to make sure that we had AdBlue in the regions where we needed them. That's what we did. Mr HAMILTON 291387 I hear interjections, and it's so cool because back then do you know who supported it? The DEPUTY SPEAKER 248181 Enough of the interjections, Member for McEwen, or you will leave the chamber. Mr HAMILTON 291387 Do you know who did support the actions that the coalition government took in that period? Labor supported them. They said they were very sensible. That's what you should do in a situation like this. That's exactly what you should do. But now we hear, no, they're not going to do it. And it gets worse than that. Since that time, we now have the Petroleum and Other Fuels Reporting Act in full effect, and that gives the minister up-to-date data on exactly the fuel stock levels right across the country. He can look into each city; he can look into each street and see where the fuel is and where the constraints are. He could work with the ACCC—as we did in 2021, during his time—to work with the distributors to get that done and to smooth it out so that we don't see what we're seeing right now, which is fuel bowsers with little signs saying: 'No fuel. Closed.' Whole petrol stations are closed off and whole distributors. We saw United Petroleum saying they're going to have to shut down for a while, and that's playing out because we have an uneven distribution, which the minister has the ability to do something about. Instead, we heard today, through multiple questions, that the minister has a very different approach to what the coalition took when we had a similar problem. The minister's approach is hands off: 'I'm not going to do anything. This is Australia's fault.' Quite frankly, some of the minister's responses that we heard today beggar belief. He was trying to tell us that there is no fuel supply issue in Australia. To Australians out there who are driving past a closed petrol station, to Australians who can't get their fuel supply: the minister is telling you that's not real, that you're not seeing it. We shouldn't be surprised: this is the minister who told us we were going to get a $275 reduction in our energy bills. That didn't happen either. His connection with reality is tenuous at best, and we're seeing it play out to the detriment of Australians right across the country. This matters in a role like the Minister for Climate Change and Energy. The numbers matter. You have to be across the numbers. You have to know what's going on in your portfolio. Today, it was very clear. There are fuel supply issues right across Australia, with a number of major regional cities experiencing them. The minister is not aware of it, he's not across it, and he intends to do absolutely nothing about it. That is an absolute shame for every Australian who's struggling with higher fuel costs right now. 16:09 Ms KARA COOK 316537 Bonner When it comes to fuel security, Australia is more prepared today because this government has acted decisively, responsibly and in the national interest. I say that not only as a member of this government but as the proud federal member for Bonner, home to one of Australia's two remaining oil refineries, the Ampol Lytton Refinery. This facility is a cornerstone of our national fuel supply. It supports almost 1,000 jobs, strengthens local industry and plays a critical role in ensuring Australians have the fuel they need to keep our economy moving. Australians are understandably concerned about global instability, particularly the deteriorating situation in the Middle East. Conflict in that region affects global fuel markets, global inflation and global growth. Australia is not immune to these pressures. But Australians should know this: we entered this period of uncertainty well prepared. Today, Australia holds 1.5 billion litres of petrol and three billion litres of diesel in our national stockpile. These strategic reserves are held right here in Australia, including at the refinery in my electorate. That was not the case before. When Labor left office in 2013, Australia had six operating refineries. By the time we returned to government in 2022, only two remained. The closure of refineries like Altona and Kwinana didn't strengthen Australia's fuel security; it weakened it. That is the legacy we inherited, and that is why the Albanese Labor government has acted. Our reforms mean that our fuel supply chains continue to operate, and petrol companies have confirmed their fuel shipments are arriving in Australia on time and in expected quantities. Put simply, our nation is fuel secure, and it's fuel secure because of this government. This global crisis should not be a commercial opportunity, and it should not be a political opportunity either. That is exactly why the Treasurer wrote directly to the ACCC asking them to ensure fuel retailers do not use international events to price gouge Australians. Fuel retailers have been put on notice. The ACCC has said that it will not hesitate to act if companies break the law. Importantly, this government strengthened those laws, increasing the maximum penalty fivefold, up to $50 million, and also extending petrol price monitoring for five years and enabling on-the-spot fines for misleading fuel price statements. Fuel security is not only about today; it is also about the future, and this government is investing $1.1 billion to help build Australia's low-carbon liquid-fuel industry, supporting the production of renewable diesel and sustainable aviation fuels right here on Australian soil. I joined the Treasurer and the energy minister at the Ampol Lytton Refinery last year for that announcement, and we made clear that Australia has the ingredients to lead this industry—world-class agriculture, access to renewable energy and feedstocks, such as canola, sugar and waste products. By 2050, this sector could be worth $36 billion to the Australian economy, creating jobs from farms to refineries and strengthening our supply chains for the fuels that power our trucks, ships and planes. It's about energy security, it's about economic opportunity, and it's about making sure Australia benefits from the global transition to cleaner energy. Back home in Bonner, we're already seeing how smart energy policy supports households. More than 1,941 cheaper home batteries have been installed right across my electorate. That's families cutting energy bills. That's households becoming more resilient. And that's what practical energy policy looks like. The global economy is facing uncertainty. The conflict in the Middle East is adding pressure. But Australia is well positioned to weather this disruption. Our economy remains strong and resilient, and this government is focused on providing real cost-of-living relief through tax cuts, cheaper medicines, reduced student debt and more affordable child care. Fuel security, energy affordability and economic stability are too important for political pointscoring. The antics that we've seen today in question time and this MPI and the shameful and inflammatory comments from the Queensland LNP Deputy Premier today cause panic, and they misrepresent the actual facts. We are committed to telling Australians the facts and being honest with them about their future. The DEPUTY SPEAKER 248181 The time for this discussion has now concluded. BILLS 45 BILLS Law and Justice Legislation Amendment (New South Wales Local Court) Bill 2026 45

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

Assent 45 Coal Mining Industry (Long Service Leave) Legislation Amendment Bill 2025 45

Coal Mining Industry (Long Service Leave) Legislation Amendment Bill 2025

Second Reading 45 16:15 Mr WILLCOX 286535 Dawson I will be clear on this: the energy transition being pushed by this Labor government is a reckless gamble with regional jobs. Those opposite want to rush headlong into a future they haven't properly engineered. They want to rely on technologies that still require the very resources that they are trying to demonise. But mining isn't going anywhere. It can't go anywhere. There is no such thing as commercially made green steel. If you need steel, you need Australian coal. If the world wants high-tech electronics, it needs the minerals that are extracted using coal powered energy. Those who think that food comes from the supermarket and energy comes from a wall socket don't have any understanding of the digging and doing that happen in regional electorates like Dawson. This bill is about more than just long service leave; it's about respecting the service of the miners who have built this country. It's about respecting the expertise of the tradies in Paget. It's about respecting the economic reality that coal is and will remain an essential part of the global energy mix. Real respect for our miners would see a government that stops turning its back on Queensland. We want to see real investment in the Bruce Highway, not just intersection repairs that wash away in the first tropical downpour or money pledged that won't be spent in a decade. We want power prices that reflect our status as an energy-rich nation, not prices that force our manufacturers to look offshore. To the coalminers living in the greatest electorate of Dawson my message is simple: I know how hard you work and I know how much you sacrifice. This bill needs to ensure that your time is counted and your leave is protected. I also know that you are worried about the future. You are worried about this Albanese Labor government, which seems more interested in pleasing inner-city elites than in supporting regional workers who pay the bills. I will continue to be your voice. I will continue to point out the hypocrisy of those who want to use coal to build their green future while calling for that very same industry to be shut down. Let's get this legislation right. Let's ensure the records are accurate, the payments are fair and the future of the Bowen Basin is as bright as the coal is black. I support the bill, but I demand the scrutiny our workers deserve. Do not let this be a surface level fix. We must drill down until we are sure that all coalmining communities are getting the fair go they were promised. I commend the bill to the house. 16:19 Mr FRENCH 316550 Moore I rise to speak in support the Coal Mining Industry (Long Service Leave) Legislation Amendment Bill 2025. This bill amends two pieces of Commonwealth legislation: the Coal Mining Industry (Long Service Leave) Administration Act 1992 and the Coal Mining Industry (Long Service Leave) Payroll Levy Collection Act 1992. The amendments address two matters that have arisen over the time in the operation of the portable long service leave scheme for the black-coal mining industry. The first concerns historical levy liabilities that have accumulated following disputes about the scope of the scheme. The second concerns the operation of the additional levy that applies where levy payments are made late. Each of these matters goes directly to the integrity of the scheme and to the ability of workers to access entitlements that the law provides. To understand the significance of these amendments, it is necessary to briefly consider the purpose of the portable long service leave scheme itself. The long service leave arrangements that apply in the black-coal mining industry reflect a longstanding feature of employment in the sector. Coalmining is an industry characterised by movement of labour between sites, between contractors and between operators. Workers often spend decades in the industry, yet their employment may be spread across multiple employers during that time. In those circumstances, a traditional model of long service leave that relies upon continuous employment with a single employer does not adequately recognise the reality of working life in the industry. The Commonwealth scheme addresses that problem by allowing long service leave to accrue based upon service within the industry itself. Employers contribute to the scheme through a payroll levy paid into a central account. Service records are maintained by the scheme administrator, and, when a worker becomes entitled to long service leave, the employer is reimbursed from the fund. The practical effect is that a worker's mobility within the industry does not deprive them of the entitlement that would otherwise arise from long periods of service. This principle—that workers should not lose their entitlements simply because of contracting structures or labour hire arrangements—is consistent with the broader industrial reforms this parliament has undertaken. The government's Fair Work Amendment (Same Job, Same Pay) Bill 2021 was introduced to ensure that labour hire arrangements are not used to undermine wages and conditions negotiated through enterprise bargaining. The same underlying principle applies here. The structure of employment should not be used as a device to avoid the obligations that arise from work performed in the industry. That act establishes the entitlement and defines who is an eligible employee for the purposes of the scheme. The legislative framework underpinning that system is set out principally in the Coal Mining Industry (Long Service Leave) Administration Act 1992. The statutory definition incorporates workers employed in the black-coal mining industry whose duties are directly connected with the day-to-day operation of the coalmine. Importantly, the act adopts the meaning of the black-coal mining industry contained in the Black Coal Mining Industry Award 2010. The award definition includes the extraction of coal, the processing and transportation of coal on a mining lease, and other work directly related with these activities. The interaction with the statutory definition and the award coverage provisions has, over time, been the subject of litigation. In particular, a number of employers disputed whether certain categories of workers fell within the scope of the scheme. Those disputes often involved contractors performing specialist services at or around coalmines. In some cases, employers argued that these services were ancillary to mining operations and therefore outside the statutory concept of employment in the black-coal mining industry. Those issues were ultimately considered by the Federal Court in a series of proceedings, including Hitachi Construction Machinery (Australia) Pty Limited v Coal Mining Industry (Long Service Leave Funding) Corporation and Orica Australia Pty Ltd v Coal Mining Industry (Long Service Leave Funding) Corporation. The Orica litigation provides a useful illustration of the issues that arose. That matter concerned employees engaged in shot-firing activities at open-cut coalmines. Shot firing involves the controlled detonation of explosives to remove, overburden and expose coal seams for extraction. The Federal Court noted that the process of shot firing is closely integrated with the extraction of coal and forms part of the operational sequence through which mining takes place. It is coordinated with production schedules and with safety systems operating across the mine site. The litigation required the court to examine the statutory definition of eligible employee and the manner in which that definition interacts with the coverage provisions of the Black Coal Mining Industry Award. In resolving those issues, the court clarified aspects of the scheme's coverage and the circumstances in which employees performing work at coalmines may fall within the statutory framework. It must be said that many employers complied with the scheme in good faith throughout that period. Others, however, adopted a far narrower view of the legislation and chose not to contribute levies while those disputes were being tested through the courts. Whatever the legal arguments may have been at the time, the consequence of those decisions was that workers' service was not recorded within the scheme. The consequences of that clarification extend beyond the parties to the litigation. Where employers have previously taken the view that particular workers fell outside the scheme, levies may not have been paid in respect of those employees. The clarification provided by the courts therefore creates the possibility of historical levy liabilities arising for earlier periods. In some cases those liabilities extend back for many years. The existence of those historical liabilities presents practical challenges. Employers may face significant retrospective obligations. At the same time, workers whose service has not previously been recorded within the scheme may have periods of employment that have not been recognised for the purpose of calculating their long service leave entitlement. It should also be understood that the payment framework established by this legislation is not intended to reward avoidance of obligations. It is intended to resolve historical disputes and restore the proper operation of the scheme. The expectation is that employers operating in the black-coal mining industry will comply not only with the letter of the legislation but with its purpose—ensuring that workers' long service leave entitlements are properly funded. The legislation establishes a structured pathway through which historical levy liabilities may be addressed. It is within that context that the amendments contained in this bill operate. Employers will have the opportunity to enter into voluntary payment arrangements with the scheme administrator. These arrangements allow outstanding levy liabilities to be repaid over an extended period. The legislation also provides for a limited remission of a portion of historical liabilities where employers comply with these arrangements. The intention is to create an incentive for employers to regularise their position within the scheme and to resolve outstanding liabilities within the defined timeframe. It is important to emphasise that these provisions do not reduce the entitlements of workers. Any remission relates to the employer's levy liability rather than the entitlement of employees under the scheme. Workers remain entitled to full recognition of their service in the industry for the purpose of calculating long service leave. The bill also addresses the practical issue of historical record keeping. Some of the liabilities identified through the litigation extend well beyond the seven-year period for which employers are generally required to retain employment records. In many cases it may therefore be difficult to reconstruct precise payroll data for earlier periods. The legislation recognises this practical reality. It allows reasonable assumptions to be made in circumstances where records are incomplete so that service can still be recognised for the purpose of determining entitlements. In this way, the absence of historical documentation will not prevent workers from accessing benefits that correspond to their period of service in the industry. Alongside these measures, the bill also establishes a framework through which employers can regularise their position within the scheme in a manner that supports its continued financial viability. Payment arrangements may extend over several years and will be subject to the oversight of the scheme administrator. The legislation also recognises that in some circumstances employers may have previously paid long service leave entitlements directly to employees outside the scheme. Where that has occurred, the legislation allows these payments to be taken into account when determining outstanding liabilities so that employers are not required to duplicate payments in respect of the same entitlement. The bill corrects a technical defect affecting the compliance framework of the scheme. The current legislation provides for an additional levy to apply where employers fail to make levy payments on time. The purpose of the additional levy is to encourage compliance with payment obligations. However, the statutory formula presented refers to a reference interest rate that is no longer published by the Reserve Bank of Australia. As a consequence, the mechanism does not operate as it was originally intended. The amendments replace that outdated reference with a contemporary rate published by the Reserve Bank, ensuring that the compliance provisions of the legislation continue to function as intended. These amendments will have practical consequences across Australia's major coal producing regions. Workers in the Hunter Valley, Illawarra, Central Queensland, Mackay and Whitsundays regions are among those whose entitlements may be affected by the operation of the scheme. These regions have long been central to Australia's coal industry and remain important centres of employment and economic activity. For many communities in those regions, coalmining has shaped generations of working life. This is also something that resonates with my own background. I grew up in regional New South Wales and, like many families in mining communities, I have relatives who worked in coal mines. In places like the Hunter Valley, the mining industry has been a defining feature of local economic and social life. Workers have spent decades in and around mine sites undertaking demanding and highly skilled work. Long service leave in that context has always represented recognition of sustained service under those conditions. It acknowledges the years that workers devote to the industry and the communities that depend upon it. In circumstances such as these, the role of parliament is to ensure that the statutory framework governing those entitlements continues to operate effectively. Where the courts clarify the meaning of legislation, parliament must address the administrative consequences that follow from those decisions. The amendments contained in this bill perform that function. They ensure that the portable long service leave scheme continues to recognise service across the industry while addressing the practical issues that have arisen through litigation and the passage of time. The portable long service leave scheme has been a longstanding feature of employment regulation in the coalmining industry. It reflects an understanding that the structure of that industry requires a different approach to recognising long service. By allowing entitlements to accrue across employers, the scheme ensures that workers who move between projects or operators are not disadvantaged as a result of that mobility. The amendments before the House ensure that the scheme continues to operate in accordance with that principle. They provide a pathway for resolving historical levy liabilities that have arisen following litigation. They ensure that service performed by workers within the industry can be properly recognised. They also strengthen the compliance framework that supports the financial sustainability of the scheme. In doing so, the legislation reinforces a principle that has long been recognised in Australian industrial law: that service to an industry should be acknowledged even where employment occurs across multiple employers over time. The portable long service leave scheme for the coalmining industry is an expression of that principle. For those reasons, I commend the bill to the House. 16:33 Mr REPACHOLI 298840 Hunter I rise today to speak in strong support of the Coal Mining Industry (Long Service Leave) Legislation Amendment Bill 2025. I do so not just as the member for Hunter but as someone who spent years working as a coalminer. I know what it's like to put the boots on in the dark, to work long shifts, to miss birthdays, to miss weekends and to come home covered in coal dust, knowing you've earnt every dollar the hard way. Mining is not an abstract policy issue for me. It is my community, it is my family and it is my mates. This bill matters because it goes to something fundamental: fairness, certainty and respect for people who built this industry and continue to power this country and the world. Long service leave in the coal industry is not a bonus or a perk. It is a hard-earned entitlement that recognises the physical and mental toll of years working in the mining industry. The portable long service leave scheme exists because miners move between sites, contractors and employers across long careers. Without portability, too many workers would miss out entirely. This scheme was built to stop that from happening. But, for too long, gaps and disputes in the system have meant that some workers could not access what they were owed, through no fault of their own. This bill fixes that. At the heart of this legislation is connecting coal workers to their lawful long-service leave entitlements as quickly and as fairly as possible. That is the purpose, that is the priority, and that is why Labor is acting. The bill addresses two longstanding legacy issues in the coalmining industry long service leave scheme. First, it deals with the historical levy liabilities that arose because of years of legal disputes about coverage. Those disputes left some employers outside of the scheme and workers unable to access or accrue their entitlements. Second, it fixes a broken penalty mechanism by updating an outdated levy rate that no longer functions as an effective compliance tool. These are technical issues, but the consequences for workers are very, very real. Recent court decisions, including the Hitachi and Orica cases, have now clarified coverage under the scheme. That clarity is very welcome, but it also means that some employers suddenly face large historical levy debts and some workers still sit in limbo waiting for their service records to be recognised. This bill responds to that reality. It does not pretend the past did not happen. It deals with that honestly, practically and in ways that puts workers first. The legislation establishes a time limited voluntary payment arrangement that allows employers to pay outstanding levies in a structured and manageable way. Employers who opt in can repay approximately 80 per cent of their unpaid levy, with the remaining portion waived if they comply with the arrangement. Let me be very clear about this point, though, because it will be misrepresented, I'm sure. This is not a giveaway to employers, and it does not reduce a single worker's entitlement. Every worker remains entitled to 100 per cent of their long-service leave. The waiver does not come out of workers' pockets. It is funded by the coalmining industry long service leave fund and designed to get employers into compliance so workers can finally have access to what they are owed. The alternative is years more of delay, litigation and workers stuck waiting. This approach strikes the right balance. It protects the integrity of the fund, incentivises participation and, most importantly, gets workers connected with their entitlements sooner rather than later. This bill also recognises the reality that we are dealing with historical records, sometimes going back decades. In some cases, payroll and service records no longer exist. This bill allows reasonable assumptions to be made about service where records are incomplete, so workers are not punished because paperwork has been lost in time. Again, this is about fairness. A miner should not miss out on leave they earn simply because an employer no longer holds a file from 20 years ago. This bill also fixes the additional levy rate applied to late payments. At the moment, the legislation references a defunct interest rate that is no longer publishable. That undermines compliance and weakens enforcement. By updating the rate to one linked to the Reserve Bank or set by regulation, the bill restores the additional levy as a meaningful incentive to pay on time. That strengthens the scheme and protects workers into the future. I want to talk specifically about what this means for the Hunter. The Hunter Valley is the beating heart of Australia's coal industry. Generations of families have worked in mining. It has built towns, funded schools and supported local communities. When people talk about coal in abstract terms, I remind them they're talking about my neighbours, my mates—about electricians, fitters, operators, truckies, cleaners, shotfirers and maintenance crews. This bill will benefit workers across the Hunter Valley and the New South Wales North Coast, the Illawarra, Central Queensland and Mackay and the Whitsundays. But for the Hunter it is especially significant. It means workers who have moved between employers will finally see their service recognised. It means miners approaching retirement will not be left short. It means certainty where there has been confusion. And it sends a very clear message: Labor has your back. Let's be honest about something else. When it comes to coalminers, there's only one party in this parliament that consistently stands up for them, and that's the Australian Labor Party. Labor built the industrial protections that miners rely on. Labor supports collective bargaining. Labor defends long service leave. Labor brought in same job, same pay. Labor understands that a strong industry, strong work and strong workers go hand in hand. Too often we hear lectures about coal communities from people who have never stepped foot on a mine site. Too often we see miners talked about as an inconvenience rather than a workforce that deserves respect. Labor does not do that. We back miners, because we are miners. I stand here as proof of that. I am not a career politician who discovered coal when I first ran for office. I lived it, I worked it and I will always fight for the people who still work in it. This bill also shows what responsible transition looks like. It does not abandon workers or strip away their entitlements. Instead, it says that while mining continues workers will be protected. Their leave will be honoured. Their service will count. That is what a just approach looks like. I also want to say something about trust, because trust matters in communities like mine. For too long, coalminers have been told one thing and delivered another—promises made at election time, more words spoken at press conferences, and then silence when it comes time to actually stand up for the workers and the workforce. That is why legislation like this matters: because it shows follow-through, it shows that when issues are identified and when court decisions clarify longstanding disputes this government acts, and we act with workers in front of mind. This bill does not just tidy up a technical problem. It restores confidence in the system that miners rely on. It says that if you have put the years in and you've done the hard yards across multiple sites and employers then your service will be recognised. Your leave will not disappear into a legal grey zone. That certainty is especially important for older workers. I've spoken to miners in their 50s and 60s who have been genuinely worried about whether their long service leave would ever materialise. This bill answers those concerns. It's also a matter for younger workers coming into the industry. When you start out you want to know that the rules are fair. You want to know that the system works. You want to know that loyalty and hard work are valued. By fixing these legacy issues we are now strengthening the scheme for the next generation of miners as well as the current ones. I also want to acknowledge the many contractors and ancillary workers who keep the industry moving. Too often when people talk about mining the only picture is the big operators. But anyone who has worked on a mine site knows the reality. It is the maintenance crews. It is the fitters. It is the sparkies. It's the emergency response teams. It's the water cart operators. It's the people who test, inspect and repair equipment so everyone gets home safe at the end of shift. Many of these workers have spent decades moving between sites and employers, doing essential work, yet have been the ones most affected by gaps in the long service leave scheme. I want to put a human face on what these gaps in the system actually mean. In my electorate of Hunter I spoke with a tradie from Cessnock named Jeremy, who works in the black coal industry. Jeremy eventually had his long service leave recognised under the coal long service leave scheme, but only after an 18-month process of gathering evidence from multiple employers and proving he'd been working on site in the industry that whole time. Because he worked for contractors, he was not automatically covered. He had to track down old payslips, bank records and employment details dating back years just to prove what everyone already knew: that he'd been working in the industry the whole time. As Jeremy put it: 'It was heavily scrutinised. It should not be that hard when you have been on site the whole time doing the work.' Years later, one former employer even attempted to change recognised service, arguing technicalities about whether the equipment he worked on counted as mining work. With union support, Jeremy successfully defended this claim, but it reinforced just how vulnerable workers can be when the law leaves room for ambiguity. In Jeremy's words: 'It became a matter of principle. If you have put the time in, it should be recognised.' Today, Jeremy is finally on long service leave. After unfortunately losing his father in a tragic accident last year, that leave has allowed him to support his family and help his mother adjust to life on her own. 'This industry is intense,' he said. 'Long service leave is recognition that you have dedicated years to it. It gives you time you would not otherwise have—proper time with family.' Jeremy got there in the end, but he should not have had to fight that hard for something he had already earned. And that's exactly why reforms like the ones in this bill matter. The legislation is part of Labor's long tradition of standing up for workers and fixing broken systems so entitlements are real, not just words on paper. I am proud to support this bill. I am proud to stand up for coalminers and I'm proud to represent a community that have built this country with their hands, their backs and their sacrifice. Labor will always stand up for working people. We will always back the Hunter and we'll always back coalminers. I commend the bill to the House. 16:46 Dr GARLAND 295588 Chisholm Our communities expect governments to do everything in their power to back the basic rights of workers across all industries so everyone can seize the opportunities we have in this country to build a great life. The proposed legislation, the Coal Mining Industry (Long Service Leave) Legislation Amendment Bill 2025, is about the simple principle that workers should receive in full the entitlements they have lawfully earned. I think all Australians would agree that, if you put in a fair day's work, you should get a fair day's pay. Long service leave is not a bonus. It's not a gift from employers. It is a right that workers accrue through years of dedication, effort and contribution. These are basic entitlements that workers should have. For generations in Australia, long service leave has recognised the loyalty and commitment workers give to their industries and the contributions that they make every single day. In industries where workers move between employers, portable schemes ensure that workers do not lose their entitlements simply because the nature of the work requires mobility. The coal long service leave scheme reflects that principle. Workers across the black-coal mining industry, including FIFO workers in my electorate of Chisholm, whether they be directly employed at mines, undertaking maintenance, performing safety roles or providing technical services, play an absolutely fundamental role in their industry. Workers undertake physically demanding and highly skilled work, and they deserve certainty that the entitlements they earn will be there when they need them. Unfortunately, what we have seen over many years, is a situation where some workers have not been able to access those entitlements. Disputes over coverage have meant some employers have argued that they were not part of the scheme. As a result, workers who went to work every day, playing a key role in this major export industry, and should have been accruing long service leave, have been left without recognition of their service and their hard work. When workers miss out on entitlements they have earned, confidence in the system overall is undermined. Workers should never have to fight simply to receive benefits that the law already says they are entitled to. That is fundamentally unfair. So our government, the Albanese Labor government, is fixing that through this bill. I do appreciate the bipartisan approach from the opposition here in supporting the passage of this bill. It's good to see them support us in backing our workers and ensuring that workers' efforts are recognised through this bill. This bill incentivises employer compliance with the coal long service leave scheme, with a view to connecting workers to their full long service leave entitlements. Employers will provide the necessary data for the coal long service leave scheme to create or update service records for workers coming into the scheme to facilitate accrual of their entitlements. Where records are missing, reasonable assumptions will be allowed in order to connect more workers with their long service leave. This is designed to ensure workers are not denied their entitlements because historical records are no longer complete. Two recent rulings of the full Federal Court of Australia on these matters have clarified the scope of the scheme. So many workers in the black-coal mining industry are now able to access their entitlements under this scheme, and, in some cases, employers may face liabilities dating back to 2010, potentially involving millions of dollars in unpaid long service leave levies. Our government is acting decisively through this bill to address those legacy issues. What this bill does is establish a practical, time limited pathway for employers to resolve those historical levy debts. This pathway means that employers will be allowed to pay their levy in a financially sustainable manner while connecting employees with their entitlements that they've earned. To ensure fairness, employers who have already begun repaying their debts in good faith will also be able to opt in to this pathway. The bill enables employers to create payment arrangements for outstanding levy debts, to be paid in instalments over six years. This gives employers time and certainty to plan while ensuring employees are paid what they're owed. After an employer has paid 80 per cent of the total amount owed, the remaining 20 per cent will be waived. This here represents a balanced approach designed to encourage employer participation, protect the viability of the scheme and assist employers with substantial levy liabilities. Increased employer participation ultimately benefits employees, who will gain access to their entitlements sooner. Importantly—very importantly—the 20 per cent debt waiver does not affect worker entitlements and eligible workers will still receive their full entitlements. I think it's necessary to emphasise that point. Employers will be required to specify the employees and periods covered under the payment arrangements, maintaining the principle that payments should be directly connected to individual workers' entitlements. The bill also includes flexibility and support to ensure eligible employees do not miss out on their lawful long service leave entitlement. Industry is supportive of this bill, and in response to stakeholder feedback timeframes may be adjusted so employers can undertake thorough checks and identify all of their eligible employees. The coal long service leave scheme will also work with employers throughout the process to assist them in establishing their payment arrangements. Because these issues are historical in nature, we know that employer records may be incomplete, and so, to prevent that from disadvantaging workers, the bill adopts a fair and practical approach to establishing arrangements and the calculation of employer entitlements. This includes permitting certain simplified calculations and allowing reasonable assumptions to be made where necessary. Such measures will ensure incomplete records do not prevent employees from receiving their historical entitlements. Some employers acting in good faith have already paid long service leave entitlements directly to employees when their employment ended, and, to ensure that those employers are not required to pay twice, the bill allows eligible payments to be offset against their debt in certain circumstances. In addition to supporting the repayment of historical debts, the bill will strengthen the scheme's compliance mechanisms by updating penalty arrangements. The bill links the additional levy rate to the Reserve Bank of Australia's cash rate plus two per cent, ensuring the additional levy acts as an effective deterrent to late payments by employers. This is a fair outcome for both employers and employees. For employees, the bill provides certainty and recognition after many had previously been excluded from the scheme. Workers who may have missed out in the past will have their service recognised and be connected with their lawful entitlements. For employers, it offers a clear and fair process to resolve debts that in some cases extend back 15 years. The 20 per cent debt waiver and the option to pay in instalments will help employers to meet their obligations. These reforms have been developed in consultation with industry representatives, unions and the Coal Mining Industry (Long Service Leave Funding) Corporation. As previously mentioned, stakeholders have expressed support for these changes as necessary and proportionate to maintain confidence in the scheme. This bill provides a practical and balanced response to complex legacy issues. It reflects the government's commitment to helping employers resolve their debts while ensuring, importantly, that employees are connected with their lawful entitlements. Long service leave reflects the simple idea that loyalty, dedication and years of service should be recognised. This bill ensures that recognition is not lost because of technical disputes, incomplete records or historical uncertainty. It restores the connection between workers and the entitlements that they have earned, and that, all Australians would agree, is a commonsense approach. On that note, I commend the bill to the House. 16:55 Mr HOLZBERGER 88411 Forde I rise in support of the Coal Mining Industry (Long Service Leave) Legislation Amendment Bill. At the outset, I'd like to say that, while this bill is meaningful for me as a representative of an outer metropolitan seat in Forde, at first glance it may seem unusual that somebody from outside a coalmining town is passionate about this, but there's a few reasons—three reasons, in fact—why this is particularly important to me at both a personal and a political level. First of all, I come from a mining town—Broken Hill in far western New South Wales—and, while it's not a coal mining town, it has all of the features that I know exist in coalmining towns. It's not about what's dug up; it's about the people who do the digging. These communities are tight. They stick together, they work hard, they play hard and they are the most decent people that you will ever come across. These are communities where everyone has a nickname, everyone loves a joke and everyone looks after each other. The second reason is that legislation like this is at the very heart of why the Labor Party exists in the first place. Despite struggling on the shop floor to achieve fair pay and conditions, there are some things that you just cannot achieve at the workplace level and there are some things that you need control of the parliament to achieve, to see through, and fixing up coalminers' long service leave entitlements is one of those things. The third reason is that coalmining is fundamentally important to the economy of Queensland as a whole and to Logan specifically. Logan would probably be the biggest coalmining-commuting community in south-east Queensland. In fact, when I was looking at some of the stats, there's a suburb in Forde called Wolfstein, which has something like five per cent of the workforce directly employed in coalmining. Across the whole electorate, that is somewhere around one to two per cent of people working directly in the coalmining industry, and that's before we even start talking about the royalties that the Queensland government relies on to pay for the services that we all need and enjoy, and all of the associated industries as well. The first reason that I speak to this bill is because, coming from a mining town myself, I appreciate what it means to be in the mining industry. In fact, I worked for a short time as a contractor to a to a mining maintenance business— Mr Thompson 281826 I knew it! Mr HOLZBERGER 88411 But you're not wearing the hat, though, today—or there's nothing which I can pin on you there. I won't say that I was particularly talented at it. In fact, I only ever got to the level of being able to break things, never being able to fix them, so, as a wannabe fitter and machinist, I ended up becoming a very good station hand. But being in Broken Hill, you just know what it's like. In another job that I had later on, I was doing income protection for the coalmining industry. I got to spend a lot of time in Moranbah and in Dysart, in Mackay and in Gladstone, and I saw firsthand how it's an understatement to say that they're intertwined with the coalmining industry. These towns are the coalmining industry. I got to know some of those people so well. I got to appreciate how difficult and dangerous coalmining, in particular, is. It's probably even more dangerous than metalliferous mining—which is saying something because, in Broken Hill, over its 100-year history, something like 700 people have died on those mines. Anyone who has been to Broken Hill would have been shocked and moved by the miners memorial that sits at the heart of that city, just as those deaths sit in the memory of that town. In fact, when I was growing up in Broken Hill, there was always a moment of fear that you could feel spread through the community when an ambulance drove past and you could hear the ambulance siren on the way to the mine, because you knew that that was potentially a family member or a friend who was injured. From the work that I did in the Bowen Basin and around those Central Queensland coalfields, there are a few individuals that I would like to give a shout-out to today. John Hempseed, Chris Harper, Mark Johnson, Dwayne Muller and Daryl Piper are just five of the people who I came to respect enormously for the leadership that they provided through the AMWU's Coal Shop Stewards committee. Of course—Hempy, Crawchy, Johnno—everybody had a nickname. Everybody liked to throw a bit of fun at each other. I think there's a word there which would be unparliamentary if I were to use it! Daryl is also somebody who I do a little bit of work with now because he is a FIFO worker working from just near our community in Logan. Hempy, particularly, is someone who's really an indescribable individual. Until you meet him, you just can't appreciate it. He is a big lump of man, now well into his older years. He's a guy who loves life, loves his mates and is not afraid to cry. And it's not surprising when you think about what Hempy's been through in his life. He was there during the Moura mine disaster in 1994, when 11 miners lost their lives—on top of an earlier disaster in 1974 or 1975 where I think 13 people lost their lives—and the truly horrific thing about those 11 people is that a decision was made to plug that mine up after the explosion to prevent any rescue teams endangering themselves further. So those families never knew how those people died or when those people died, and it's something that haunts them as a family, haunts the Moura community as a town and still haunts the coalmining and the wider mining community today. So, when we're making changes to this industry, we remember that these people are really the true definition of 'salt of the earth' and they deserve the support of the wider Australian community and of their governments. The second reason is that exactly this sort of legislation shows why it is so important to have Labor governments. Fundamentally, the Labor Party exists—and the hint is in the name, the party of labour—because, as much as we fight for conditions and for wages on the shop floor, there are some things that you just can't achieve on the shop floor alone. Portable long-service leave is a perfect example of one of them, but there are other things like free health care, superannuation and free education. These are the sorts of things which you need control of the parliament—you need government—to be able to bring about. You need control of the parliament to be able to protect the rights of workers to strike in the first place. One of the reasons we exist as a party is that striking workers decades ago had to contend with troopers on horseback with sabres coming in to break up strikes. We exist, and we arise out of those battles. Mr HOLZBERGER 88411 Under the tree of knowledge, exactly. And so it is today. Things like same job, same pay, which this government has enacted; the criminalisation of wage theft; closing labour hire loopholes; industrial manslaughter reforms; secure jobs, better pay—these are the sorts of things that federal Labor and state Labor governments have been able to bring about, the sort of things that can't be achieved just on the shop floor. Finally, this is a recognition that coal is an important part of our economy. The reality is that the world is committed to decarbonising, and that demand for thermal coal has plateaued and is forecast to go down. No matter what you think about the debate around climate change, two things: one is that coal has been an important part of our economy. We all know why this is such a wrench for the Australian community. Coal is still our biggest export in Queensland. Coal was the magic which powered that postwar economic miracle. Truly the competitive advantage that Australia had against the rest of the world was this ability to create cheap energy out of the ground. So it is a wrench. There is no doubt it is a wrench on the Australian economy and the Australian people, but it is a reality as well. That's why 24 out of 28 coal-fired power stations brought forward their closing date under the former government. I think the current opposition leader, when he was energy minister, gave something like $3 million to build a coal-fired power station in Collinsville. I don't think they even finished the study, let alone the coal-fired power station. People aren't building coal-fired power stations anymore; that is the reality. One act of this government which the other side would not contemplate is that there needs to be a just transition and that, through the Net Zero Economy Authority, there is a real opportunity for this to ultimately be a good thing for our communities. But it is only Labor governments which have an eye to that just transition and that just future. So here we have, ultimately, an industry which is important to Australia, important to Queensland and important to Logan and the Gold Coast, which I represent. It's not just people working directly in the coal industry who directly benefit from this legislation; it's people who work in associated industries. One of the biggest employers there for diesel mechanics, for example, would be Hastings Deering, based in Brisbane, right next to the airport. These are the jobs which are directly involved in the coalmining industry or indirectly involved. It just shows how important it is to our economy and how important it is to our communities. So I want to say here today that this bill, as much as it might seem removed from an outer metropolitan seat, is something which is meaningful to me because of where I come from, because of what it means for our economy and because of what it means for our party. I commend the bill to the House. 17:09 Ms CLAYDON 248181 Newcastle I rise this evening to lend my full support to the Coal Mining Industry (Long Service Leave) Legislation Amendment Bill 2025. This bill is about fairness, security and respect for the working people who have powered our nation for generations, the coalmining workforce. It is particularly significant for communities like mine in Newcastle, and indeed for the Hunter region, where coalmining has shaped not only our economy but also our identity for more than 200 years now. Indeed, it might be worth reminding the House that the very first export commodity to leave this country left Newcastle in 1799. It was coal on its way to India and that's been a really central part of our economy ever since. At the outset, on this bill, let me be very, very clear, long service leave is not a perk. It is a recognition of loyalty, endurance and years of hard—and often physically demanding—work. In the coalmining industry, where workers frequently move between employers while remaining in the same industry doing the same jobs, that portable long service leave is an essential part of their wellbeing. Without it, workers lose entitlements simply because the structure of their industry requires mobility, and this legislation makes sure that that does not happen. The coalmining industry long service leave scheme has existed for decades, underpinned by the simple principle that coalminers should not be penalised for the way that their industry operates. This bill strengthens that very principle and modernises the scheme to ensure it remains sustainable, fair and fit for purpose now and into the future. At its core, this bill delivers certainty. It provides greater financial stability for the long service leave fund. It improves its governance and ensures entitlements earned by workers are properly protected. It also updates administrative arrangements so the scheme can continue to function efficiently and transparently with confidence for workers and employers alike. For coalminers, that means peace of mind. It means knowing that years of service will be honoured. It means knowing that, when the time comes to take long service leave to rest, recover, spend time with your family or care for the your own health or those around you, that entitlement will be there. And for the mining communities like those across the Hunter region, it means economic stability. When workers take long service leave, that money flows directly back into local economies, into the shops, small businesses, services and communities. This bill matters deeply for my electorate of Newcastle. We have a proud mining history. For generations, coalminers have powered the homes, built infrastructure and driven economic growth not just locally but nationally. Our region is indeed the largest regional economy in this country and that is in no small part to the efforts of the working men and women in the coal industry. While our region is diversifying ,as it needs to, and we're leading in many ways that transition to new energy industries, mining remains an important employer going forward with the abundance of critical minerals and high-tech metals that are still to come. There is a future for all of those highly skilled mining men and women in this nation. Today there are thousands of families across the Hunter that still rely on the coal industry for their daily bread and butter, and they deserve the same protections and respect as every other worker in this country, and that's the ambition of a Labor government. This legislation recognises that reality. It does not pit workers up against the future. It does not deny the importance of economic transition. Instead, it says something very simple and very Labor—that workers who built this country should never be left behind. Labor has always understood that strong industries depend on strong workers, and strong workers depend on good strong-but-fair work conditions. Our movement was founded by working people organising for dignity, safety and security. From annual leave to superannuation, from Medicare to paid parental leave, Labor has been the party that turns decent ideas into lasting protections. Portable long service schemes, including in coalmining, are part of that proud legacy. They exist because Labor understands that fairness must adapt to the realities of different industries, that one-size-fits-all models do not work in sectors like mining, where labour mobility is a huge feature, not a flaw. This bill continues that tradition. It's a practical reform that strengthens an existing scheme, responds to changing conditions and ensures that the long service leave scheme works as intended: first and foremost for workers. Labor's proud record stands in stark contrast to those opposite. Time and time again, when working people have needed their help, their protection, the opposition have been missing in action or, worse, actively undermining workers' rights. We have seen it in the attacks on penalty rates, which stripped incomes from some of the lowest-paid workers in this country. We saw it in the attempts to weaken collective bargaining and the undermining of unions—the very organisations that have fought to secure long service leave, safe workplaces and fair pay. And we saw it in nearly a decade of inaction on job security, during which insecure work skyrocketed and workers were left without basic protections. When it comes to coalmining communities, the opposition's record is particularly hollow. They are quick to turn up for the photo-op in hi-vis. We see it at every election cycle in our part of the world. They're quick to use miners as political props. But when it comes to delivering real protections, like secure entitlements and properly funded schemes, they have constantly failed to deliver. Labor, on the other hand, backs workers with legislation, not slogans. This bill is a perfect example of that difference. It is careful, responsible reform that has been developed with an understanding of the industry and with respect for the people who work in it. It balances the interests of workers and employers while keeping the long service leave scheme sustainable for the long term. It also sends a clear message to mining families across Newcastle and the Hunter: Labor sees you, Labor respects your contribution and Labor has your back. As Australia transitions to a cleaner energy future it is essential that we do not repeat the mistakes of the past. Workers must not be treated as disposable. Communities must not be abandoned. Entitlements must not be eroded. Supporting coalminers' long service leave is part of ensuring that the transition is fair and orderly, not chaotic or cruel. It says that, while industries evolve, our commitment to working people does not waver. For Newcastle and the Hunter, this legislation provides reassurance. It provides local workers who have given decades to an industry that has underpinned our region's prosperity and powered our nation. It ensures that their entitlements are secure and it reinforces the principle that fairness at work is not negotiable. This bill also reflects Labor's broader approach to industrial relations, one based on balance, cooperation and respect. Rather than tearing down institutions, we strengthen them. Rather than driving a race to the bottom, we want to see those standards lift. And rather than leaving workers to fend for themselves, we want to legislate to protect them. That's exactly what the Coal Mining Industry (Long Service Leave) Legislation Amendment Bill does. It strengthens an important scheme. It protects hard-earned entitlements. And it delivers certainty to workers, employers and communities alike. I want to take a brief moment to acknowledge the coalminers across Newcastle and the Hunter who have shared their experiences and concerns with me over many years, specifically with regard to the vital importance of coalmining industry long service leave. You have made it very clear how important this long service leave is to your wellbeing and to your families and to our communities at large, and this parliament has the responsibility to listen to those voices. So I'd urge all members in this House to look beyond the temptation to bunker-in to those political camps and trenches, to those convenient slogans, and to batting away on what forms of energy you want to back or don't back, and to think about bringing your focus to what this legislation delivers. I repeat: it delivers fairness; it delivers security; and it delivers, most importantly, respect for working people in Australia. Labor's got a proud history of backing workers. We're proud to stand with the coalminers in Newcastle, in the Hunter—indeed, across Australia—and we're proud to support legislation that honours their contribution and protects their future. And, for those reasons, I commend this bill to the House. 17:20 Mr BURNELL 300129 Spence Long service leave is one of the longstanding protections in Australia's workplace relations system—a recognition that, after years of hard work, loyalty and commitment, workers deserve time to rest and recover and to spend with the people who matter most to them. It reflects something deeply Australian: the idea that hard work should be recognised and that fairness in the workplace is not optional; it is fundamental. In keeping with that sentiment, this legislation, the Coal Mining Industry (Long Service Leave) Legislation Amendment Bill 2025, is designed to ensure that workers in the black-coal mining industry can access a right that many of them have earned, but, for far too long, have been unable to claim. This bill connects workers with their lawful long service leave entitlements, ensuring that the system designed to support them delivers on that promise. Eligible workers in the black-coal mining industry are entitled to portable long service leave, under the coal long service leave scheme. Portable leave exists because of the unique nature of the industry, where workers often move between different employers, projects and worksites across the course of their careers. Without a portable scheme, many of these workers would never accumulate enough continuous service with a single employer to qualify for long service leave. The coal long service leave scheme ensures that service across multiple employers is recognised, allowing workers to build up their entitlements across the industry as a whole. It is a practical and fair system, one that acknowledges the realities of work in the mining sector while protecting workers who contribute to an industry critical to Australia's economy. However, over many years, several employers have disputed whether they fall within the coverage of the scheme. In some cases, employers have argued that they did not employ eligible workers within the black-coal mining industry, even where workers were performing functions clearly connected to that industry. These disputes have had real consequences for workers. Because coverage was contested, some employees have been unable to accrue their service under the scheme. Others have found themselves unable to access the long service leave entitlements they have worked hard to earn. In effect, workers who'd contributed years of labour to the industry were left uncertain about whether those years would ever be properly recognised. That is why this legislation matters. This bill introduces measures designed to incentivise employer compliance with the coal long service leave scheme, with the clear goal of connecting workers to their full long service leave entitlements. Employers will be required to provide the necessary employment data, allowing the scheme to create or update service records for workers coming into the system. These records are essential, because they allow workers to begin accruing the entitlements that should rightly belong to them. By ensuring accurate service records are established, the bill helps restore confidence that the scheme will operate fairly and transparently for both workers and employers. Importantly, this legislation also addresses a practical challenge that has prevented some workers from being connected to their entitlements. In many cases, historically, employment records are incomplete or no longer exist. Under existing record-keeping rules, employers are generally only required to retain employment records for seven years. But the reality of long service leave is that it is earned over far longer periods of time. As a result, workers who may have contributed to the industry years ago can find themselves without the documentation required to prove their service. This bill introduces sensible and fair solutions to that problem. Where records are missing, reasonable assumptions will be permitted to help reconstruct service histories. These provisions are carefully designed to ensure that workers are not denied their entitlements simply because historical records are incomplete. In other words, the absence of paperwork should not erase years of hard work. By allowing reasonable assumptions to fill those gaps, the legislation helps to ensure that workers receive the recognition of entitlements they deserve. These reforms will benefit a wide range of employees across the black-coal mining industry. At this stage, it is difficult to quantify the exact number of workers who will ultimately benefit, because employers must first submit service records and eligible wage data to the scheme. However, Coal Long Service Leave is already actively engaging with dozens of employers to assess eligibility and coverage. The businesses involved for possible long service leave alterations undertake a broad range of activities across the industry. These include companies providing maintenance and repair services, ensuring that mining infrastructure operates safely and efficiently; labour hire firms that supply skilled workers to undertake maintenance and repair across multiple sites; employers of shotfirers, whose highly specialised work is essential to the safe operation of many mining activities; emergency service providers operating within the mining sector, responding to incidents and ensuring that workers are protected in some of the most demanding environments in Australia; and businesses responsible for testing, inspection and certification, work that underpins safety standards across the entire industry. We must acknowledge that these workers are often deeply embedded in the day-to-day operations of the black-coal mining sector, yet historically some have found themselves outside the scheme because of technical disputes over coverage. This legislation helps correct that situation, ensuring that workers performing essential functions are properly recognised within the system designed to help protect them. The benefits will be felt across major mining regions of the country. Workers in the Hunter Valley, the New South Wales North Coast, the Illawarra, Central Queensland and regions like Mackay are among those who stand to gain access to their long service leave entitlements through these amendments. These are communities built on hard work, where generations of families have contributed to Australia's resource sector. This legislation also recognises an important reality facing many businesses operating in the black-coal mining industry. While the bill rightly focuses on connecting workers with their long service leave entitlements, it also acknowledges that employers must be supported to meet their obligations in a practical and sustainable way. The goal here is not to punish businesses that are trying to comply but to bring them into the system in a way that strengthens the coal long service leave scheme for everyone involved, because, ultimately, a scheme that works well for workers must also be one that employers are able to participate in with clarity and certainty. Recent legal findings in the Hitachi and Orica cases have provided much-needed clarity around coverage within the black-coal mining industry. These cases clarified that a number of employers who previously believed they were outside the scheme are in fact covered by it. As a result, some businesses have discovered that they now carry substantial historical levy debts. These liabilities have accumulated over time, often across many years of past employment activity. For some employers, the size of these historical obligations could present significant financial and administrative challenge if left unaddressed. This bill responds to that challenge with practical and balanced measures. It creates a pathway for employers to repay historical levy debts in a predictable and manageable way. Under the proposed arrangements, employers will have the ability to repay those debts over a six-year period. That extended timeframe recognises the scale of some historical liabilities while ensuring that the obligations are still met. It provides certainty for businesses and it allows the scheme to recover the funds necessary to support workers' entitlements. The legislation also introduces further incentive designed to encourage participation in the repayment framework. Employers who opt into the payment arrangement scheme will be eligible for a 20 per cent waiver on their historical levy debt. This measure recognises that many businesses are seeking to do the right thing once their coverage has been clarified. By offering a partial debt waiver, the bill supports employers with significant liabilities while encouraging them to come forward and engage with the scheme. It is a practical incentive that promotes cooperation rather than conflict. The legislation also ensures fairness where employers have already paid long service leave entitlements directly to workers. In some circumstances, employers have provided long service leave payments to employees when their employment ended. Without reform, those businesses could face the risk of effectively paying the same entitlement twice. To address this, the bill allows employers to deduct those direct payments from their historical levy debt. This ensures that workers still receive the entitlements they deserve while preventing unnecessary double payment by employers. Importantly, participation in the payment arrangement scheme is entirely voluntary. It is an opt-in system, allowing businesses to choose the approach that best suits the circumstances. Employers who choose not to participate remain subject to the existing legislative framework, and, importantly, workers retain the ability to pursue questions regarding their eligibility for the scheme through existing mechanisms. In other words, the rights of employees remain fully protected. The bill also introduces a time limited opportunity for employers to access a more streamlined onboarding pathway into the scheme. At present, onboarding processes can take considerable time. In some cases, the process of bringing employers into the scheme has taken between 12 and 18 months. This can delay both compliance and the connection of workers to their long service leave entitlements. The new arrangements aim to significantly reduce that timeframe. They introduce simplified wage calculation methods, reducing the need for employers to reconstruct highly detailed historic payroll records. They allow for reasonable assumptions where historical data gaps exist, acknowledging that perfect records are not always available many years later, and, importantly, they enable payment arrangements to move forward without needing to resolve every historical data issue before progress can occur. This ensures that administrative complexity does not become a barrier to compliance or become a barrier to workers receiving their entitlements. Alongside these measures, the bill also strengthens compliance within the Coal Long Service Leave Scheme itself. It addresses a defect in the current framework relating to the additional levy that applies to late payments. This additional levy was designed to act as a penalty, encouraging employers to pay their levies on time. However, the rate used to calculate this penalty is linked to an interest measure that is no longer published by the Reserve Bank of Australia. As a result, the existing calculation no longer operates effectively as a deterrent. This legislation corrects that issue by introducing a modern and transparent benchmark. Under the new arrangements, the additional levy will be calculated using the Reserve Bank of Australia's cash rate. This change restores the original intent of the penalty, ensuring that late payments carry a meaningful financial consequence. At the same time, it provides a clear and publicly available reference point that is understood across the economy. Stronger compliance ultimately benefits workers. When employers meet their obligation on time, the scheme has the resources necessary to ensure that long service leave entitlements are properly funded and delivered, and, when the system operates as intended, more workers gain access to the benefits they have earned through years of service. Taken together, these reforms represent a balanced and practical approach. They support workers by ensuring their entitlements are recognised and protected. They support employers by providing manageable pathways to meet their obligations, and they strengthen the Coal Long Service Leave Scheme so that it can continue to operate effectively for years to come, because fairness in Australia's workplace system depends not just on the rights we establish but on our ability to ensure those rights are delivered in practice. The principle behind this bill is straightforward. If workers have earned their long service leave, they should be able to have access to it. If they have spent years contributing their skills, effort and dedication to an industry, that service should be properly recognised. This legislation strengthens the Coal Long Service Leave Scheme, improves compliance and ensures that more workers are connected with the entitlements they deserve, because fairness in the workplace is not just a principle we talk about in this place; it's something we must continue to deliver in practice for working Australians each and every single day. 17:34 Mr GEORGANAS DZY Adelaide We know that mining is one of the toughest and most demanding jobs in Australia and, in fact, one of the most dangerous jobs. It has improved over the years, and safety records have improved tremendously, but nevertheless it's still dangerous. It's still demanding. And, as I said, it's one of the toughest jobs that you could do. Miners work long hours in challenging conditions, often far away from their families. One of the things that stand out in my mind when I think of the mining industry and the workers in mining is, of course, the conditions that they worked under many years ago. As I said, they've improved. But a very good friend of mine, a former secretary of the AWU, Wayne Hanson, would tell me a story, and he mentioned this story many a time. He was a young kid at school in Broken Hill. His father was a miner. He became a miner as well. They would hear the siren go, and the siren was for the change of shifts—7 am and 3.30 pm, I think, which was the afternoon shift, and then the 11.30 shift at night for the midnight shift. But, if the siren went between those known hours, it meant that something had gone wrong in the mine. It would be shut down, and people would run home from school. The whole town would hear the siren, and dread would overcome the whole town because there'd obviously been either a dreadful accident—someone may have lost their life—or something terrible had happened in the mine for it to be shut down. This was a regular occurrence. He's relayed this story to me of, when he was in school, hearing that siren and thinking: 'Is that my father? Is that my dad or one of my classmates' parents that's been injured or even worse than that?' So it is a challenging job. It's a dangerous job. Today, safety requirements are much better, and many people make a living working in the mining industries. They help power our economy. They keep our industries moving and shape our entire communities. The work is physically hard, mentally exhausting and absolutely essential. And, because they give so much, they deserve a system that protects them, supports them and honours the years of service they put in. The Coal Mining Industry (Long Service Leave) Legislation Amendment Bill 2025 makes sure that miners receive the long service leave that they have earned, leave that many have been unable to access because of historic problems with how levies were paid or recorded. These issues go back many years, sometimes decades, and have left workers stuck in uncertainty, unsure whether their service would ever be recognised. Recent court cases helped clarify how the scheme should apply, and this bill steps in to fix the gaps so that workers can finally move forward and claim what is rightfully theirs. It creates a pathway for employers with unpaid levies to come into the system, make voluntary arrangements and resolve the historical debts in a fair, equitable and workable way. Employers will be able to pay around 80 per cent of what is owed in instalments, and the remainder can be waived once they meet the requirements. This acknowledges the reality that some older records may be incomplete while still ensuring the scheme is properly funded and workers are not left behind. Importantly, the bill also restores the additional levy rate, a tool that helps ensure contributions are paid on time and strengthens the system's ability to hold employers accountable. This makes the portable long service leave scheme more reliable, more transparent and better equipped to protect miners' entitlements for the long term. At its heart, this is about fairness. Miners don't ask for any special treatment. They don't ask for shortcuts. They simply ask that their years of service be respected and also recognised. This bill helps clear the way for exactly that by fixing these old problems, simplifying how levies are calculated and ensuring that miners can build the long service leave they deserve, no matter which part of the industry they've worked in or how often they've moved between employers. For those workers underground, the workers at the surface, the workers who have carried this industry on their backs, this is about dignity and justice for those workers. It's about giving people the certainty that they should have and should have always had. When someone gives years of their life to the job—their sweat, their strength and their time away from loved ones—the very least they deserve is the security that their service will be honoured. That's what this bill is about. When we talk about dignity, when we speak about honouring the people who have given so much of their time to this industry, we must talk about long service leave, because that's what long service leave is. Long service leave isn't just a workplace entitlement; it's a recognition. It is respect. It is the industry's way of saying your years of hard work matter and you've earned time to now rest. This bill is about making sure that miners—the men and women who have spent decades underground, on the surface, on the machinery, at the plants on the mines—are finally connected to long service leave that is rightfully theirs. For eligible workers in the black-coal mining industry, long service leave is meant to be portable. That means that your service should follow you no matter which mine you worked at, which contractor you were hired through or how often the industry changed around you. But, for too long, some employers disputed whether they were covered under this particular scheme. They argued over definitions. They debated eligibility. While those disputes dragged on, it was those workers who missed out, and it was those workers that suffered. Those workers kept on showing up to work—workers who kept putting their safety on the line and workers who kept this country's lights on. They were left unable to accrue their long service leave, unable to access it and unable to claim what they had spent many years earning. This bill works to finally right that wrong. It creates real incentives for employers to come into the Coal LSL scheme, comply with their obligations and provide the information needed so Coal LSL can accurately create or update service records. Without those records, workers cannot build their entitlements, and, without their entitlements, years of service risk being forgotten. Under these changes, workers will no longer be punished because paperwork was lost or misplaced, because an employer disputed coverage years ago or because records older than seven years were never required to be kept. Where information is missing, reasonable assumptions can now be made, and those assumptions are assumptions that protect the worker rather than disadvantage them. This bill is fairness in action. This is a policy that's compassionate for those workers. This is recognising the reality of an industry where records don't always follow the worker but the worker's service should. No miner should ever reach the end of their career only to be told that the years they devoted to the industry—years, as I said, spent away from family, turning up and showing up every day, years spent in danger, years spent pushing through the fatigue, the hardship and the shift work—somehow didn't count. So this bill ensures that it does count—every shift, every week, every year and every sacrifice. It means workers can finally accrue and access their rightful long service leave not someday, not after years of legal battles, but as soon as possible. And it restores something deeper than entitlements; it restores faith—faith that the system sees them, faith that the system values them and faith that the system will stand up for them. Miners have always stood up for Australia. Now, the system must stand up for them. This reform does not just affect one group of workers; it reaches across the entire industry. The truth is that we may never fully capture the number of people whose lives will be changed by these measures. We may never meet every miner, every contractor or every support worker whose entitlement will finally be restored. But we know this: the impact will be real, and it will be wide-reaching. Across the black-coal mining industry, thousands of employees have fallen through those cracks not because they didn't work the hours and not because they didn't earn the service but because of longstanding disputes about whether certain roles were even covered under the scheme. We now have certainty with this bill. Whether they're maintenance crews, repair specialists, labour hire workers, shotfirers, emergency service teams, testing and inspection staff and certification providers—the many unseen hands that keep mines operating day and night and operating safely, smoothly and reliably, often without even receiving the recognition that they deserve—these workers have been the silent backbone of this sector, yet some have been left without that long service leave that they rightfully earned for their hours of work put into the mines. This bill begins to change that. Coal LSL is already working with dozens of employers to review eligibility and gather the information needed to update the service records. For many workers this will be the very first time in years their dedication is properly recorded. It will be the first time their service is acknowledged and it will be the first time they can finally begin accruing the leave that they were always entitled to. Where records are missing, because they're old, incomplete, were never kept properly or have been mishandled or misplaced, the bill ensures workers are not punished for those gaps. Reasonable assumptions will be made, fairness will be applied and people can finally be connected with what they've earned. No miner should lose an entitlement simply because a folder went missing or a company disputed its obligations. This is a good reform. It is about doing right by the people who did right by their industry. But fairness must also have a structure behind it, a system strong enough to protect workers not just today but for decades to come. That's why this bill also restores the additional levy, a key compliance tool designed to ensure employers pay their levies on time. We know that, for too long, this penalty has been tied to an outdated interest rate which the Reserve Bank no longer publishes, meaning it no longer discourages late payments the way it was meant to. Without timely payments, the system weakens and when the system weakens, workers suffer. By updating the additional levy to align with the current Reserve Bank cash rate, the bill ensures that compliance is meaningful again and not just symbolic. It sends a clear signal that long service leave is not optional, not negotiable and not something that can be delayed without consequence. When employers meet their obligation, the entire system grows stronger. When the system grows stronger, workers are finally protected. These reforms work together towards a single powerful purpose—to ensure that every worker in the black-coal mining industry, no matter their role, no matter their employer and no matter their history, can access the long service leave they've earned with their time, their labour, their effort and their sacrifice for every shift, every year and every contribution. This is not just a policy; it is fairness and it is justice for those miners, those workers that work in the mining industry. It is respect for those workers who've carried this industry and contributed so much to Australia's prosperity. It is long overdue. Debate adjourned. Appropriation Bill (No. 3) 2025-2026, Appropriation Bill (No. 4) 2025-2026, Appropriation (Parliamentary Departments) Bill (No. 2) 2025-2026 59

Appropriation Bill (No. 3) 2025-2026

Appropriation Bill (No. 4) 2025-2026

Appropriation (Parliamentary Departments) Bill (No. 2) 2025-2026

Second Reading 59 17:50 Mr RICK WILSON 198084 O'Connor As I'm in continuation, I'll just reiterate some of the points I was making last week about the government's profligate spending. I just remind people that spending growth is running at four times the rate of the growth of the economy, and debt is forecast to soon reach $1.2 trillion. Spending is now $160 billion higher than when the government came to office in 2022. That's an additional $16,000 for every household across Australia. Since coming to office, the government has added around $100 billion to the national debt. In 2024-25, the Commonwealth raised $717 billion in receipts, which is equal to 25.9 per cent of GDP, the highest in 25 years. While I touch on revenue raised, many middle-income earners would have experienced over the last four years bracket creep taking a larger percentage of their wages every week. Those are the stage 3 tax cuts that the previous government legislated and which were reversed by the current government. As we as we know, last week the inflation figure jumped back to 3.8 per cent, which is the highest in the developed world. Comparable countries like the United States are at 2.4 per cent, and the European Union is at 1.9 per cent. One of the things about having lower inflation as a starting point is that, when you do get a world shock, like the current conflict in the Middle East, then you're starting from a reasonable point. When you start at 3.8 per cent, as the Reserve Bank have forecast, the conflict in the Middle East will add 1.2 per cent to our inflation. We will be up at five per cent, according to that forecast, which will be catastrophic. In February, the Reserve Bank raised interest rates by 25 basis points, so we're now sitting at 3.85 per cent. The government simply cannot escape the law of economics. High government spending always results in higher inflation, and higher inflation demands higher interest rates. According to Compare the Market, a single 0.25 percentage point rate rise could push monthly repayments up by about $94 for someone with a $600,000 mortgage. That's an extra $1,182 per annum. The Prime Minister and the Treasurer were very keen to take the credit when inflation briefly started to trend down, and they now must accept the blame as it goes back up. Let's not hear any excuses from the Treasurer about the current conflict in the Middle East. That 3.8 number was baked in well and truly before we saw that conflict erupt. People have asked, and there have been senior ministers from the other side of the chamber calling out during question time: 'What would you cut? Where would you cut?' I'll give the government a bit of free advice here. It's about the fringe benefits tax exemption on electric vehicles. Now, this is an absolute doozy. This is the scheme whereby people buying electric vehicles under novated leases are exempt from the fringe benefits tax. The cost of this scheme has blown out by a factor of 15 on the government's original numbers. These are numbers I'm getting from a climate policy think tank called Climateworks Centre. They were quoted in the Australian Financial Review. This is a climate change think tank: … $1.35 billion in lost tax this financial year—up from the original forecast of $90 million. Under the FBT exemption policy, a person who leases a $60,000 car would save close to $12,000 per year if they bought an EV instead of a petrol car … The Financial Review reported in August that the policy was set to cost more than $23 billion over the coming decade. But the real clincher here is that the benefits of this scheme flowed disproportionately to workers earning more than $150,000, who made up more than 50 per cent of the recipients. This is the Labor Party, right?—the party of the battler, the party of the worker. You couldn't make this stuff up. The one last clincher here is that this $1.5 billion per annum subsidy—effectively, to the Chinese car-making industry—is more money than the Australian governments, both Labor and Liberal, used to subsidise our own domestic car industry. Get that! We are now subsidising the Chinese car industry to a greater extent than we ever subsidised our own domestic car industry. That is the level of complete economic mismanagement that this government has foisted on the country. 17:56 Ms RYAN 249224 Lalor This government is focused on one thing, and that is helping with the cost of living, because we know every little bit helps. We've delivered tax cuts for every Australian taxpayer, we've created more jobs and we've lifted pay. These tax cuts are about easing pressure and helping households get ahead. As we know, as opposed to the plan from those opposite, every Australian taxpayer under Labor got a tax cut. We're also introducing a new $1,000 instant tax deduction from 2026-27, giving Australians even more support at tax time. We've made medicines cheaper by reducing the maximum price of PBS medicines to only $25, and for those pensioners with a card, $7.70 is all they're paying under Labor for their PBS scripts. From July 2025, people in my community have already saved $9 million under that measure, and they're set to save even more now, with it going down to $25 a script. We've already cut 20 per cent off student debt, which is relief for around three million Australians, including more than 80,000 people in Victoria and over 18,000 people in my electorate of Lalor. This really goes to the nub of supporting people with the cost of living. Under the former coalition government, many families were locked out of childcare support by a prejudiced activity test. That's why we've introduced the three-day childcare guarantee, ensuring all families receive three days of subsidised child care, regardless of their financial circumstances. This, we know, is a productivity measure. We know it will get mums and dads back into the workforce. We're investing $430 million over four years to deliver cost-of-living relief for young families and we're helping parents get back to work. In fast-growing communities like mine, these measures matter. It's not rhetoric in Lalor. It's not rhetoric in Hoppers Crossing. It's not rhetoric in Werribee. It's not rhetoric in Tarneit or Manor Lakes. It's targeted, practical support that helps productivity and helps young families, because helping young families and helping Australians with the cost of living isn't optional. It's our responsibility, and that's exactly what this Albanese Labor government is doing. I want to talk now about investment in roads. For a decade, while I was in opposition, I watched growth corridors like the one I represent be neglected by the former coalition government. Our community was growing rapidly, without support from a federal government. Despite that, infrastructure continued to be lacking. It just went on and on. When the Albanese Labor government was elected in 2022, we got straight to delivering what our community needed. In partnership with the Victorian government, we committed $114 million to deliver the first stage of the Wyndham ring road. This transformative project is now nearing completion. The bridge is finished. Now, with Wyndham City Council and the state government completing the Ison Road extension from the bridge to the service station roundabout, we're nearly there. That congestion-busting infrastructure will be further supported, because we haven't stopped there. We've made another commitment, matched by the state, of $125 million for the Princes Freeway and Werribee Main Road Interchange Upgrade. That will start the minute the second part finishes. That means that people will be able to get off the freeway, cross over onto the extension and onto the bridge over the railway line and then go into Manor Lakes and Werribee. This really will make a difference. We delivered an additional $13.2 million through the Roads to Recovery fund to upgrade local roads, because safer local streets also mattered. This is double what the former government had given across the country. We're upgrading the Princes Freeway and the Werribee Main Road interchange. That'll improve the intersections and provide local families with a safer commute. I want to give a shout-out here to the new state member for Werribee, my colleague John Lister, who has already made sure that we've got temporary lights there so that people are supported in coming off that freeway, because it was getting so dangerous. We're transforming the Ballan Road intersection, replacing the roundabout with traffic lights and building additional lanes and priority bus lanes, again in conjunction with the state government. This is what congestion-busting infrastructure looks like. In my community, it is time saved in the car, it's a safer commute to school and it's getting people home to their families sooner and safely. At the most recent federal election, Labor again committed to investing in Lalor—a total of $70 million, which the state government will match, to deliver the second stage of the Wyndham ring road, a bridge over the Werribee River. It's been coined the fourth bridge over the Werribee River because the City of Wyndham has the Werribee River running straight through the middle of it, separating our communities. We need more crossings, and this will be another one, futureproofing our community, taking pressure off the CBD and supporting the people of Tarneit and Wyndham Vale to commute from one side to the other, because growth corridors like Lalor deserve infrastructure that serves its community, and that is exactly what this government is delivering. We're also assisting people with getting into a home. In my community, a highly aspirational community, buying your first home has, for too long, felt like a dream—out of reach—for local young people. First home buyers were told to simply save harder whilst house prices continued to rise under a coalition government. The Albanese Labor government has been determined to change that, and we have. From 1 October last year, first home buyers became eligible to buy with just a five per cent deposit and, for single parents, a two per cent deposit. In communities like mine, where hardworking young families are looking for stability and for somewhere to call home, the five per cent deposit scheme has shaved years off the time it takes to enter the housing market and therefore years off their mortgages. The result of this policy speaks for itself. My electorate has had the second-highest uptake across the nation of the government's housing policies. Since our election to government in 2022, 5,404 individuals in Lalor have benefited. In growth corridors like my electorate, homeownership goes beyond just housing; it's about belonging, setting down roots and a chance to build a future, with a new school provided by the state government just around the corner, with infrastructure to match. This government believes that, if you work hard, owning your own home should be within reach. It is clear that this policy has changed the lives of locals in my community. It's made a real difference. I just touched on education and that 'school around the corner'. The former treasurer for Victoria, Tim Pallas, who was the member for Werribee, would joke and say that there were more schools built by state Labor in the City of Wyndham than there were in any other state in Australia. The growth is so intense; the need and the demand is so high. As someone who spent over two decades in schools as a teacher, a principal and a proud public educator, I know firsthand that funding has a direct impact on what happens in our classrooms, and that is why I'm so proud to be part of a government that is delivering a better and fairer education system. Through the Better and Fairer Schools Agreement, we're delivering an additional $16.5 billion in Commonwealth funding to public schools over the next 10 years and an extra $49 billion in the decade after that. In my electorate, this means support for over 35 public schools supporting tens of thousands of local students. It's funding certainty tied to reforms that lift student outcomes and that support effective teaching and learning practices. It means more resources in classrooms and more support for teachers. Compare that with the coalition's record, where they ripped $30 billion out of public schools. Under the coalition's national reform agreement, attendance rates went down, high school completion went down and teacher shortages got worse. Their ideas about supporting private education over public education meant worse outcomes across the country. Only Labor is rebuilding public education, and that's what our $16.5 billion Better and Fairer Schools Agreement is all about. We're tackling teacher shortages head on through strengthening teacher training, paid prac and Commonwealth teaching scholarships that encourage more students to become teachers. As we heard from Minister Clare last week during question time, we now have more teachers in training. We're strengthening antibullying and wellbeing reforms because children can't learn if they don't feel safe. I know this firsthand. This government is backing teachers, schools and families because investing in education is an investment in our future, an investment in our productivity, an investment in our economy. Education is not a cost. The difference between those opposite and those on this side is a belief in that fundamental truth. The Albanese government is also prioritising investment in our precious public health system. We've heard many, many, many talk about the Medicare urgent care clinics and about more bulk-billing happening in our communities, but we've also done more around hospitals. We've committed an additional $25 billion for public hospitals over the next five years. I say to those opposite: is that something you'll cut? This is an unprecedented 12 per cent increase in funding to support public hospitals across the country. It's historic. It strengthens our universal health system when it matters most. And it is backed by the investments into urgent care clinics; women's health, with $800 million; and getting those bulk-billing rates back up in primary health. We understand preventative measures and preventative health are where the rubber hits the road. Through the National Health Reform Agreement, Commonwealth funding for public hospitals will reach $219.6 billion nationally from 2026 to 2030-31. The Albanese government's funding is three times the increase provided by the previous government's five-year deal. At the core of this Albanese Labor government is a commitment to Medicare. It represents health care as an Australian right, and no amount of Liberal red tape will change that. The Albanese Labor government has made the single largest Medicare investment since its creation 40 years ago, allocating $8.5 billion to deliver more bulk-billed GP visits. That is happening in my electorate. There are now 1,300 more bulk-billing GP clinics across the nation. In Lalor it's changing every day. We've also launched 1800MEDICARE. The Labor government delivers on its election commitment to better access to free health care. When the Albanese Labor government was elected in 2022, we inherited an economy under serious pressure and a budget weighed down by years of fiscal mismanagement. Inflation was already at 6.1 per cent and rising. Let me repeat that for those playing at home: 6.1 per cent and rising. That was the inflation figure that we inherited, and it put real strain on household budgets. Those opposite promised Australians a budget surplus; in nine budgets in government, they failed to deliver a single one. Under the Morrison government, spending peaked at 31.4 per cent of GDP, yet there was no plan to repair the budget. In fact, they went to an election proposing even bigger deficits and more debt. Labor took a different approach of responsible economic management focused not on politics but on the long-term interests of every Australian and supporting our Australians doing it tough. Since coming to office, we've delivered two consecutive budget surpluses, the first in nearly two decades. This is strengthening the nation's finances. Under the coalition, debt was forecast to exceed $1 trillion in 2023-24. Through disciplined budget management, we've pushed that back and avoided more than $60 billion in interest costs. We've identified $114 billion in savings, including $20 billion in the December MYEFO. We know households are still under pressure and inflation is stubborn. That is why we are combining responsible fiscal repair with targeted cost-of-living relief, rebuilding the budget while supporting Australians through challenging times. Unemployment is low under Labor. We've lifted wages. We've given every taxpayer a tax cut, with two more on the way. This is a government that is serious about fiscal management. It's serious about budget discipline. It's serious about what is a cost and what is an investment, and—I speak for everyone on this side—education and health are clearly investments. When those opposite go looking and getting their razor blades out, those are always the areas that they cut; history will tell you that. This government will support the vision that we have for Australia. It includes fairer super. It includes universal health care. It includes access to early education through to higher education, so that every Australian can make the best of every opportunity they're given in this country. 18:10 Ms CHANEY 300006 Curtin I rise to speak on Appropriation Bill (No. 3) 2025-2026 and its companion bills. These appropriations give effect to the government's expenditure decisions since the 2025-26 budget, including measures announced in the 2025-26 Mid-Year Economic and Fiscal Outlook, or MYEFO. In this speech, I want to cover three things: first, to acknowledge a number of important and effective programs that deserve recognition; second, to offer some cautions about the risk of excessive, ineffective or opaque future spending; and, third, to suggest practical ways to raise revenue fairly and to improve the quality of our budget decisions. Firstly, I'll cover important programs worth supporting. I welcome the expanded Cheaper Home Batteries Program, which is doing exactly what it set out to do: reducing the upfront-cost barrier, so more households and small businesses can store their rooftop solar energy, cut bills and reduce emissions at the same time. Australia is already a world leader on solar. We have more than 4.2 million rooftop solar installations—more than a third of all households. We have more rooftop solar panels per person than any other country on Earth. On average, rooftop solar panels save Australian households about $1,500 every year. With a battery alongside solar panels, bill savings nearly double. A household with solar and batteries could save up to $2,300 a year. Often, bills will be reduced to zero. As well as reducing energy bills, batteries and rooftop solar reduce emissions and can stabilise our energy grid. They play an essential role in our net zero transition. At my Curtin's Pathway to Net Zero—Progress Report event a few weeks ago, we heard from a constituent and a neighbour of mine, Chris Johnson, about his solar journey from a tiny PV system 18 years ago to an updated one with a battery. He now lives in a zero-emissions household, charging his EV with sunlight and paying little more than his connection fee for electricity. He's one of nearly 1,500 Curtin constituents who have taken advantage of the Cheaper Home Batteries Program. The government has expanded this program in response to unexpectedly high take-up. This bill enacts the expansion from an estimated $2.3 billion to $7.2 billion over the forward estimates. I welcome this expansion and support continued cost-effective investment in reducing energy bills and reducing emissions. Second, I welcome the government's $1.1 billion investment in mental health care. This continues to be a neglected, yet increasingly important, problem in society. Mental ill-health is now the leading health and social threat to young people worldwide, yet mental health receives roughly two per cent of health budgets globally. This is not enough, given the size of the threat. My Curtin Youth Advisory Groups from the past four years have all reiterated the importance of appropriate supports for young people experiencing mental health challenges. For this reason, I support the government's investment in mental health care, and I hope that it continues. Housing is the other major pressure on household budgets and productivity. I support the government's plan to invest $10 billion to deliver up to 100,000 homes reserved for first home buyers. But ambition must meet delivery, and, while the government's rhetoric on housing has been good, house prices continue to rise and the affordability crisis continues to worsen. I would encourage the government to look at the 15 policy ideas surfaced by my community in our Curtin Housing Policy and be bolder on this issue. At UWA's orientation day recently, housing again came up as the No. 1 concern for first years on their first day of university. There are other programs in MYEFO and the appropriations bill that I support, including investments in the net zero plan, CSIRO, and vital skills for the construction and energy sectors. On the big picture, the government is right to point out that this MYEFO improves the bottom line in every year of the forward estimates, reduces gross debt in each year and delivers net savings from policy decisions. The 2025-26 deficit is now estimated to be $36.8 billion, about $5.4 billion better than before the election. These are non-trivial improvements and they deserve credit. I also acknowledge specific steps to restrain spending efficiency and reprioritisation across the Australian Public Service, including a drive to reduce spending on consultants, contractors and other non-wage costs; attempts to improve the sustainability of the NDIS, including through the Thriving Kids initiative; and introducing reforms to the aged-care system to improve sustainability, including through means-tested copayments for independence and everyday supports. But even with improvements in the forward estimates, the long-term outlook still shows upward pressure from defence, aged care, health, the NDIS and disaster recovery, and government spending is at 26.9 per cent of GDP, the highest level since 1988 outside of the pandemic. Further, while this mid-year budget reduces debt as a percentage of GDP during the four years of the forward estimates, it increases debt as a percentage of GDP over a 10-year horizon. It's yet another example of short-term political decision-making that we see so often in politics. As usual, governments would prefer policies that look good in the forward estimates, even if they make our spending problems worse over the long-term, simply because people primarily look at the forward estimates. With inflation rising and a continually growing national debt, it's increasingly important that the government makes decisions for long-term budget sustainability. Now, it's easy to call for budget sustainability but much harder to actually talk about where you would cut spending. As soon as any politician puts a potential spending cut or new tax on the table, they're open to attack, but we need to have these hard conversations. There are a few areas that I would put forward for consideration to improve long-term effectiveness, efficiency and sustainability of our spending. Firstly, we need to prioritise prevention over treatment. Particularly in social services and health care, investment in prevention can reap significant savings in treatment. There are some practical improvements that could support a greater focus on sustainability. Currently, Treasury costings exclude consideration of second-round fiscal effects and do not consider impacts across portfolios. This means that social intervention programs that may drastically reduce costs to the healthcare system or judicial system down the road cannot consider these benefits in their costings because they exist in different departments and are considered second-round fiscal effects. Now, while this policy is designed to ensure costings are conservative and well-evidenced, the government should be investigating ways to prioritise prevention and early intervention over treatment for long-term sustainability in our social services and healthcare systems. The Victorian Department of Treasury and Finance is trialling the use of the Early Intervention Investment Framework, a policy proposal assessment framework that's used to calculate and bank not just upfront costs and expected outcomes but also an estimate of the avoided cost to the government from the reduction in the use of acute services. This has allowed support to be provided for programs that may have struggled to get up otherwise, such as the Journey to Social Inclusion initiative, which has reduced homelessness by 90 per cent and hospital bed stays by 60 per cent in the intervention group. When considering the second-round fiscal effects, this program is cost negative. It saves more money than it costs. This is just one example of the way the government could consider investing in long-term preventive solutions to support the long-term sustainability of the budget. There's a lot to be said for investing in prevention in a wide range of areas. Climate change is another obvious one. The government now spends an average of $1.6 billion each year on disaster recovery, but each year forecasts that it will only spend $215 million in the following year. Apparently, each year we're again surprised by the scale and scope of natural disasters, and this is only going to worsen. We need to invest in the net zero transition at home and build momentum abroad to limit the growing impact of disasters on our communities, environment and budget. We also need to properly consider the cost of future natural disasters in our budget projections and find sustainable ways of supporting recovery efforts. These problems are going to worsen, and we need to be ready. To find other ways to balance the books, there are a number of expensive programs that the government could consider reforming. The Fuel Tax Credit Scheme costs the budget roughly $11 billion per year, with the top 15 claimants alone receiving about $2.9 billion in 2023-24. These top 15 claimants are often multibillion-dollar companies, and yet they continue to receive nearly $3 billion in rebates every year, incentivising them to burn more fossil fuels. Several independent proposals recommend requiring that the rebates for the largest companies be used for decarbonisation, turning a blunt subsidy for wealthy companies into a driver for decarbonisation without impacting farmers or small operators. There's also been noise about the capital gains tax discount. The CGT discount costs the government about $22 billion per year, while negative gearing costs about $6 billion. These are expensive schemes that in large part support wealthy investors in housing. These two concessions do play an important role in our economy, but there is appetite for reform which could increase budget sustainability and support first home buyers. My community of Curtin is supportive of reform despite receiving a lot of benefits from these tax concessions. Finally, there are a number of potential future sources of revenue for the government. The Superpower Institute, for example, has recently put forward two concepts. First is a polluter-pays levy on the carbon content of fossil fuels extracted or imported for use in Australia. This would cover around 140 sites, accounting for roughly 80 per cent of emissions, while raising an average of $22 billion per year to 2050, with a substantial share recycled back to households. Secondly, they've suggested a fair-share levy on superprofits in the gas sector, raising an average of $13 billion per year, largely borne by offshore foreign shareholders and designed not to raise domestic gas prices. Together, these two levies are estimated to raise $35 billion per year on average between 2026 and 2050. Now, there is much to consider before implementation of these proposals, but they do show that there are options out there for long-term budget repair while supporting outcomes such as intergenerational equity and the clean energy transition. Appropriations are ultimately about choices: how we invest scarce public dollars to ease cost-of-living pressures now, build the productive capacity of the economy and honour our obligations to each other, especially to the young and to the vulnerable. There is much in these bills and in MYEFO that helps: cheaper home batteries that cut bills and emissions, a serious expansion of youth mental health care and a housing package focused on first home buyers. But we must also be honest about our long-term fiscal pressures. We keep the budget on a sustainable path by prioritising prevention, by raising revenue fairly, by reducing tax concessions that no longer serve their intended purpose and by considering well-designed levies where the public interest is clear. That is how we protect the next generation's opportunities, how we give people in Curtin and across Australia confidence that their parliament can deliver practical progress, clear priorities and long-term responsibility at the same time. 18:23 Ms AMBIHAIPAHAR 315618 Barton I rise to speak on the appropriation bills before the House and, in doing so, I want to celebrate the priorities of this Albanese government. Now, budgets aren't just about numbers; they are also about values. Every appropriation bill tells a story about the country we are trying to build together. These bills are not simply line items on a spreadsheet; they are investments in the kind of Australia we want to be. They show what we believe matters, and what this government believes is very simple: that Australia works best when no-one is left behind. The Prime Minister has coined a phrase: progressive patriotism. As Assistant Minister Hill explained in a speech earlier this year, progressive patriotism refers to a pride in Australia and an unashamed, overt focus on inclusion and a striving for a shared Australian identity. It is patriotism that looks forward, not backward. It is pride without exclusion. It is a love of country that grows stronger the more people are welcomed into the story. Put simply, progressive patriotism says that you can love your country and believe it can always be better because the Australian story has never been static. It has always evolved, expanded and grown. We are one, but we are many, as the song goes. That means we have to foster a deep respect for uniquely Australian institutions, educate one another on our core Australian values and celebrate together. Australia's not defined by sameness. Australia is defined by a shared purpose. Our diversity is not a footnote in our national story. It is the story. The Australian story is written in hundreds of languages. It's cooked in kitchens that smell like every corner of the world. It is told at dinner tables where grandparents speak one language and grandchildren answer in another. Yet the values are always recognisably Australian—fairness, opportunity, respect and community. That is why the politics of division are so corrosive. We are not angry, vindictive or divided people. We must not let imported populist attitudes and rhetoric poison our politics and split us apart. Australians know instinctively that the strength of our country comes from pulling together. That is why this government is focused on the things that actually improve people's lives—real issues, real services, real opportunities. For this reason, my speech today is a celebration of all the initiatives this government is supporting in order to lift up all Australians and celebrate the diversity of electorates like my own of Barton. Firstly, we are investing in our healthcare system because health care should not depend on your bank balance or your postcode. In Barton, that investment has seen a 64 per cent increase in bulk-billing Medicare practices. That is on top of the brand new urgent care clinic in Carlton where you can walk in and see a doctor with just your Medicare card. That is what universal health care looks like in practice. Investing in bulk-billing is first and foremost an investment in frontline services, but it's also an investment in equity. It shows people in very practical terms that health care is an inherent right of Australian citizenship and that you have that right not because you can afford but because you are one of us. Our Medicare cards are green and gold. It is proudly an Australian institution, and by investing in bulk-billing we are ensuring it remains so for decades to come. In this chamber, we often hear the member for Lyne lobbying for an urgent care clinic in Taree— Ms Penfold 248895 I'm here, and, yes, I do. Ms AMBIHAIPAHAR 315618 You are. I have a lot of time for that argument because when members advocate for doctors, hospitals and healthcare services they are talking about real issues facing Australians. But sometimes when I listen to many of the member for Lyne's colleagues they're not talking about frontline services. They're talking about culture wars. They're talking about fear and division—not about bread-and-butter issues like access to doctors, which should be the focus of any decent opposition. When was the last time you heard a serious health policy from the coalition? When was the last time you heard One Nation talk about bulk-billing? Too many on that side are not talking about the problems that are facing their constituents. They're talking about the problems they are finding in their own algorithms instead. On this side of the chamber we are listening to our communities, talking about their problems and building the type of nation our citizens deserve. I challenge those opposite to rise to the same challenge. I want to turn celebrating our multicultural communities. Last month I had the privilege of attending the opening of the Museum of Chinese in Australia in Haymarket. The Albanese government is proud to have supported the establishment of this museum, contributing $2.6 million in funding. The museum celebrates and preserves the history of Chinese Australians and is hosted in the heritage listed former Haymarket Library in Sydney. But what makes this museum so powerful is not just the history it preserves. It is the message it sends. It says that the story of Chinese Australians is not separate from the Australian story. It is part of it. As the Prime Minister said at the opening, the museum celebrates, 'a vital thread through the history of our modern nation – the long and extraordinary story of Chinese people in Australia.' As the member for Sydney, Minister Plibersek, said, it reminds us that migrants do not arrive in Australia and replace the national story. They add to it, they enrich it, and they expand it. Every generation adds another chapter, and that is how a nation grows. It was particularly special to celebrate the museum's opening during Lunar New Year. This year is the year of the fire horse, a time of renewal, hope and connection for millions of people here in Australia and across the world, including in my own electorate of Barton. Lunar New Year is celebrated by many cultures, including Chinese, Vietnamese, Korean and other East and Southeast Asian communities. Whilst traditions may differ, the shared themes are very familiar: hope for good health, prosperity and good fortune in the year ahead. Across my electorate and across Australia, Lunar New Year is marked not just by lanterns and shared meals but by something more enduring: the strength of community. It is a time when generations come together, when elders pass on stories and values and when young people learn the importance of respect, hard work and belonging. For many families who migrated to Australia, Lunar New Year is also a reminder of resilience. It reflects journeys of sacrifice and courage—the courage to leave behind everything familiar, as well as the courage to build a life somewhere new and the courage to hold on to culture, language and identity along the way. Multiculturalism in Australia has never meant leaving culture at the door; it means bringing culture to the table. When every culture brings something to the table, the whole country is much richer for it. That is why celebrating multicultural Australia is not just about festivals or food. It is about recognising that modern Australia has been built by people from every corner of the world and that the Australian story is still being written. Every migration journey adds another page, every community adds another voice, and every generation adds another chapter. Across Barton, local organisations hosted Lunar New Year celebrations, including CASS, Kogarah Storehouse, Advance Diversity Services, CanRevive and the Bayside and Georges River councils. They had been planning these occasions for many months, practicing celebratory dances, ordering red packets, sending invitations and preparing speeches, and most of this work was on volunteer basis. This represents so many hours spent serving and celebrating others, not for personal gain but the love of one another. These organisations play an extraordinary role in bringing communities together. They are the quiet architects of social cohesion. They support families, they build bridges across cultures and they remind us that multiculturalism is not an abstract idea; it is something that happens every day in local halls, community centres and neighbourhood festivals. Thank you to those local organisations that made Lunar New Year so special. I am so thankful to be invited and included in your celebrations. We have similar historical preservation works also being undertaken in Barton. I was proud to pledge $200,000 to restore the Hermis-Ilion Hall and Library in Bexley. This space is an important place for people to come together to celebrate and hand down their Olympian culture and traditions. In turn, it illuminates another thread in our Australian story. Every culture adds another colour to the national tapestry, and every story adds another chapter to our shared history. In Barton, Greek Australians have been part of that story for generations. They build businesses, churches and community organisations, and they raise families and help shape the character of the local community. The restoration of the Hermis-Ilion Hall ensures that their history and their culture will continue to be celebrated for generations to come. In a similar vein, I also want to sincerely thank the Australian Tamil Congress for their generous acknowledgement of my election. To be supported and welcomed by a community organisation with such a strong history of advocacy, service and leadership is deeply meaningful for me. For many years, the Congress has worked tirelessly to ensure the Tamil community is not only seen but heard and that its contributions to the Australian story are recognised and respected. I've seen the work that they do standing up for community welfare, preserving culture across generations and advocating with courage and dignity on issues that deeply matter to them. The work strengthens not only the Tamil community; it strengthens Australia. Every time a community preserves its culture while contributing to Australian life, the national story becomes much richer. The Tamil story in Australia is one of perseverance and contribution, and it deserves to be reflected in our institutions, our policies and national conversations. I'd like to thank Mr Rajeevan, the executive and the committee of the Australian Tamil Congress for their dedication and service, and I look forward to continuing to work side by side with the congress and the Tamil community into the future. Finally, I want to highlight the government's Commonwealth paid prac payments because, once again, this side of the House is focused on equipping young people, no matter their background, with the skills they need to enter the workforce. Most importantly, we are equipping them to enter sectors where there are real skill shortages. This policy is for students studying teaching, nursing, midwifery and social work, and these students will now receive financial support for the mandatory placements required as part of their training. For too long, these placements forced students to work full time for weeks or months without any pay. For many students, particularly those from migrant or working-class families, that was simply not sustainable. This reform matters because talent should not be determined by your bank balance and opportunity should not depend on whether you can afford to work for free. This is the first time an Australian government has provided financial support for mandatory placements. It is a significant reform and one we should all be very proud of. I know many students at Kogarah TAFE will benefit directly from this policy, and the professions that benefit from this reform share something important in common. They are caring professions—professions built on empathy, humility and service—and they are the professions that hold our communities together. I think of Karuna Rawat, a local in my electorate of Barton, who is a mental health nurse and also Miss Nepal International, and she is an icon. She works night shifts in our local wards, caring for some of the most vulnerable members of our community, and then she wakes up the next day to champion the Nepali community and advocate for reform in our health system. That is the Australian story in action: a migrant community member serving others, a young woman stepping forward as a leader, and a professional giving back to the country she now calls home. These are the stories our investments help create. Budgets are not just about economics. They are about opportunity, they are about fairness, and they are about ensuring that every Australian, no matter where they come from, can see themselves in the story of this country. That is progressive patriotism, and that is the Australia we are building together. 18:37 Mr REBELLO 316547 McPherson I rise to speak today on the appropriation bills 2025-2026. For those watching from home, these bills provide legislative authority for additional funding from the Consolidated Revenue Fund for decisions taken since the 2025-2026 budget, and that includes decisions announced in the Mid-Year Economic and Fiscal Outlook. The government is today seeking approval for $12.7 billion in additional appropriations, of which $9.1 billion is for ordinary annual services of government, $3.5 billion is for non-ordinary services and $9.2 million is for parliamentary departments. Let me be very clear in saying that the opposition doesn't support all of the policies and programs that are contained within the budget. However, given the bills provide the legislative mechanism to fund government operations, we will not oppose or delay them. But appropriation bills and appropriation debates are one of very few opportunities in this parliament where we can examine the total list of operations of government and the direction of fiscal policy in this country, and those are the areas that I intend to address. When I came to this place in the middle of last year, in my first speech here in the House of Representatives I made a comment that, in my time in this place, it is my duty and privilege to represent the people of McPherson, to share with this place their thoughts and their values and to work hard to ensure that they get the attention of government when they need it. I think about those words very often. In light of that commitment, I received an email from a constituent in Coolangatta only a couple of weeks ago, and I've had the opportunity since to go and meet with that particular individual and hear about their business. I did tell them I would put their concerns on the public record in this place, and I think it's appropriate for me to read out the email that I received, because, within the context of the debate that we're having here, it showcases the interests, the needs and the concerns of people in the area that I represent on the southern Gold Coast. The email that was sent to me said: Dear … Mr Rebello, My name is Paul … I am a veteran and co-owner— of a small business in Coolangatta— … a Mum and Dad small business established in 2012 … We built this business ourselves. No safety net. No corporate backing. Just risk, hard work and long hours. Right now, small business is being crushed. More than 700 small businesses reportedly went broke on the Gold Coast in 2024. That is not a statistic. That is families losing livelihoods. It is happening in our own street. The Coolangatta Pie Shop—operating since the 1960s—will close on 30 June. Waffle & Bean is gone. Dreamtime Artistry is gone. Established operators. Decades of trade. Gone. Here is what we face: Expanding legislation. Growing compliance burden. Increasing employment risk. Higher insurance, energy and supplier costs. Customers cutting back due to cost-of-living pressure. Margins shrink. Risk rises. We employed someone in good faith under a wage subsidy program. The employee resigned after just over three months. We met every obligation. We carried the cost. We received nothing. That is not support. That is risk transfer. …   …   … Small business is constantly described as "the backbone of the economy." If that is true, policy must reflect it. We are not asking for favours. We are asking for a fair environment in which to operate. That is the sentiment of many small-business owners across my electorate on the southern Gold Coast. As I said, I had the opportunity to go and sit down with Paul the day after he sent me that email, and we talked through some really serious issues. Paul is someone who had never reached out to a politician before. The fact is, we're seeing—as, I'm sure, are colleagues across the political divide, but I know we are especially on this side, and I look at my colleague and friend, the member for Lyne—this becoming all too frequent, and it's becoming all too frequent because of the decisions that are made in this building. For the rest of my contribution, I'd like to speak to that record—to the full operations of this government. I'll start with something that we've spoken about on this side of the chamber quite often: record spending and record deficits. Australia is currently running deficits, but it's not running deficits because our revenue is weak. It's running deficits because our spending is out of control. I know, in recent times, due to events happening around the world, the current Treasurer has been out and about speaking about those particular issues. I've said this in the past: there is no doubt there will be some level of contribution based on what's happening elsewhere, but we can't take away the fact that we have seen this record spending over the last three years. We've seen inflation running over the last three years as well. In 2024-25, the Commonwealth raised $717 billion in receipts, which is 25.9 per cent of GDP—the highest level in 25 years. There is no shortage of revenue, but, again, we are running deficits because spending is out of control. This isn't the fiscal restraint that the Treasurer talks about. What have we seen? We've now seen a government—the Albanese Labor government—which has recorded the highest levels of government expenditure over the last 40 years outside a recession. Spending as a percentage of GDP is projected to reach 26.9 per cent in 2025-26, 26.9 per cent again in 2026-27 and 26.6 per cent in 2027-28, so this isn't just a temporary blip on our record. This is something that is becoming systematic. Spending growth is running at four times the rate of the economy itself. Now, when I speak to the small business owners, when they hear those sorts of statistics—that spending is outpacing economic growth in this country at such a level, four to one; that is not something that is sustainable—they know that they can't run a business like that. You can't run a household like that. So the fact that we've got a government who is prepared to run a country like that is concerning, and it's resonating with our small businesses. We've said it many times that we expect many things of the people we represent, and one of those is to be fiscally responsible. I think it is high time that we in this place practised what we preach and do the same, and it's high time that this government does that. Since coming to office, spending is now $160 billion higher, or about $16,000 for every household in Australia. You'd understand that if we saw an increase in services provided to us to the value of $16,000. But I know—when I'm out in my community, whether it's in Burleigh Heads, whether it's in Coolangatta, in Currumbin, in Mudgeeraba—that people on the southern Gold Coast do not see value for money. They do not see that additional $16,000 per Australian household being injected through value back into their household. The small businesses in my seat don't see that either. We are now on track to hit $1 trillion in debt. This is not in 10 years. This is not in five years. This is any day now. By the time we get to the next election, there's talk of $1.2 trillion in debt forecast. That isn't sustainable, and it's not fair. Not only is it not fair for us now; it's not fair for our future generations. And again, I draw back to my maiden speech—the founding principles of me being in this place—where I stood up and said that, as the youngest member of the coalition, I think it's important that I voice a very significant concern of the next generation. That is the debt burden that we are leaving them and the intergenerational fairness that that is creating—because, as we all know, each and every dollar that we borrow today must be repaid at some point. It's not repaid by us necessarily; it is repaid by our children and by our grandchildren. The only way we can get around that is by establishing some sort of fiscal discipline. That is something that this government is lacking. High structural spending, which is locked into the budget, means fewer options in the future. It's less flexibility during downturns and less room for genuine emergencies. Responsible economic management means living within our means, and it means finding meaningful savings when we can, not just creative accounting. We saw in Senate estimates recently that the Minister for Finance spruiked $114 billion in so-called savings. But what did we see when she was questioned and put under a bit more pressure? It became clear that they actually weren't savings at all; they were reallocations. Taking money from one program and shifting it into another one is not a saving. Instead of that, we're seeing $50 billion in new spending. So the fiscal guardrails have come off. I think being upfront and honest with the Australian people, which has been a longstanding tradition in this country, is something that has not been occurring as well. Then we look at inflation, which Australians see every single day. Inflation in Australia remains much higher than it should be. This isn't something that we're seeing across the world. This is homegrown inflation. Make no mistake. This is the Treasurer's homegrown inflation. On 28 January, the ABS confirmed that headline inflation in the 12 months to December was 3.8 per cent. This is outside the Reserve Bank's target band. As we all know in this place, or as we all should know in this place, the Reserve Bank's target is two to three per cent. This is 0.8 per cent above the upper end of that target. That all sounds interesting, but what does it actually mean? It means that every single Australian is paying on average up to 39 per cent extra on their electricity bills. Rent is up 22 per cent. I know in my electorate a lot of the young people in particular that I speak to really struggle to get into the housing market, not only because there's not enough supply; where they do find a place, they're competing with others and the rents are going up. Health is up 18 per cent, education is up 17 per cent and food's up 16 per cent. It's not that these are luxuries; these are essentials for people across Australia and essentials for people in my electorate. They are everyday costs that are hurting families. When you look at our inflation rate, we are a standout and we are a standout for the wrong reasons. If you compare us to comparable countries—the UK, 3.4 per cent; United States, 2.7 per cent; Canada, 2.4 per cent; Japan, 2.1 per cent; and Germany, 1.8 per cent—it's not a global phenomenon. Again, this is homegrown inflation. It's a domestic problem. We've seen this analysis backed in by senior economists. IFM's investor Alex Joiner has warned that fiscal guardrails have come off. Shane Oliver also said that many of the factors driving inflation do relate to government spending. Those of us on this side of the House know that when public demand grows faster than supply, inflation follows. For those who have managed to get across the line and buy their first home, I come to this place as someone who has in the last five years not only rented, so I've had that first-hand experience, but also bought my first home. But for all of those Australians who have gone through that hurdle and bought their first home, they've now been dealt a blow with 13 interest rate rises that, again, are as a result of the government's increased expenditure, which the RBA is trying to counter by addressing interest rates. What does that actually convert to? It converts to the average Australian mortgage holder paying an extra $1,800 every month on their repayments. These are all significant issues. Again, we go back to that intergenerational fairness. We need to start thinking in this place about what legacy we are leaving for our children. The $50,000 every 60 seconds that we're paying on our debt is not sustainable. We will support this bill. We don't support all the measures in this bill but we will support it. But we will not let a day go past as the federal coalition without reminding this government that it must think about all of those individuals like Paul from my electorate in Coolangatta who are doing it tough because of the decisions that are being made under this Labor government, under this Treasurer, who, frankly, should know better. 18:52 Mr BURNELL 300129 Spence Appropriation bills may not always attract the attention of this House or get the front-page headlines in the morning paper but they sit at the very heart of our parliamentary democracy. They are how parliament exercised one of its oldest and most important responsibilities—control and release of public expenditure. Without an appropriation passed by this House, the Commonwealth cannot lawfully spend a single dollar. Programs cannot operate, services cannot be delivered and commitments made to the Australian people cannot be honoured. Appropriation bills are what turn policy decisions into real outcomes. They provide the legal authority that allows government to fund hospitals, schools, payments and national institutions. They ensure transparency, accountability and parliamentary oversight over how public money is used. Importantly, they allow government to respond to reality, to changes in demand, to updated cost pressures and to circumstances that could not have been fully anticipated at budget time. They ensure continuity of government, stability of services and confidence across the economy. At their core, appropriation bills are about responsible governance, about meeting obligations, paying the bills and ensuring the machinery of government continues to function as intended. That is why appropriation bills matter and why this House must always treat them with the seriousness they deserve. When appropriation bills are passed, it means that government promises can be delivered to communities. Communities like mine in Spence have been reaping the benefits of Labor delivery since 2022. Recently, I had the pleasure of welcoming the Minister for Education to Elizabeth to officially open Uni Hub Playford, South Australia's first permanent suburban university study hub right in the heart of Adelaide's north. This is a significant moment for our community because, for too long, where you lived has determined whether higher education felt possible. Located at the TAFE SA Elizabeth campus, the hub provides modern, purpose-built study spaces, high-speed internet, quiet work areas and shared facilities for students enrolled at any university or training provider. But this hub is about much more than desks and wi-fi. Students will have access to academic skills assistance, career advice, wellbeing support and guidance to help them stay on track and succeed. For many people in the north, the barriers to study are real: long travel times into the city; juggling work, caring responsibilities and family life. Uni Hub Playford helps break down those barriers by making study reachable, practicable and part of everyday life. This hub is part of the Australian government's Suburban University Study Hubs program. Working in partnership with local universities, TAFE and our school communities, it supports pathways into the jobs of the future in areas like defence, health, advanced manufacturing and technology. Most importantly, it sends a clear message to young people and mature-aged learners alike: you don't have to leave the north to build your future. Opportunity is no longer something you travel hours to reach. It has arrived right in the heart of Elizabeth, and that is something our community can be proud of. In keeping with the topic of this Labor government delivering on education, we recently had the pleasure of celebrating three years of fee-free TAFE courses. Free TAFE is about opening doors for young people leaving school, for workers retraining or changing careers, and for people looking to upskill without taking on more debt. It recognises a simple truth: a strong economy needs skilled workers and Australians deserve clear, affordable pathways to secure jobs. At TAFE SA, some of the most popular fee-free TAFE courses reflect the real needs of our workforce. Courses in information technology are in high demand, building digital skills that are now essential across almost every industry. Early childhood education and care has also seen strong uptake, supporting the educators who underpin families, communities and workforce participation. Building and construction courses continue to attract strong interest, helping train the tradies needed to deliver homes and vital infrastructure. Importantly, free TAFE is delivering real cost-of-living relief, with South Australian students able to save up to $4,400 on courses like certificate IV in information technology and certificate III in early childhood education and care. Free TAFE isn't just an education policy; it's a workforce reform, a cost-of-living measure and an investment in Australia's future. If you're willing to learn, the government is willing to back you Beyond education, another key area of deliverables for any Labor government comes in health care. In the town of Gawler, we have just opened the new headspace facility to provide high-quality mental health services for the north. This new facility means more young people in the Gawler region will now have timely access to mental health support, counselling services and wellbeing programs right here in their town. Headspace has a proud national reputation for delivering youth-friendly, evidence based care, and bringing that service to Gawler recognises the very real challenges local young people and families have been facing. For too long, many in our community have had to travel long distances to get the help they need. At a time when reaching out for support can feel only too hard, the centre provides confidential mental health support, assistance with work and study concerns, alcohol and drug counselling and guidance on physical and sexual health, all in a safe, welcoming space. This investment means that a young person struggling with anxiety, depression or stress doesn't have to wait weeks for help or leave their community to access care. Importantly, the new headspace in Gawler will be a community hub where young people feel seen, heard and supported by professionals who understand their world. It's a recognition that mental health is as important as physical health and that early intervention changes lives. This centre will make a real difference in the lives of young people and families across Gawler and the surrounding districts. Across the country, we are also providing a record investment into more bulk-billing practices so anyone can see a doctor for free. This is real relief for families facing cost-of-living pressures, for pensioners, for parents and for people managing chronic conditions. By increasing Medicare rebates and introducing new incentives for bulk-billing practices, Labor is helping clinics to keep their doors open and continue offering care that is free at the point of use. At its core, Medicare is about universality—the idea that everyone deserves access to quality health care, no matter their income or postcode. In my electorate of Spence, that investment is already delivering results. We now have 16 fully bulk-billed practices, out of 25 GP practices in total, meaning more locals can see a doctor without delay or cost. That translates to earlier diagnoses, better preventive care and less pressure on our hospitals. It also supports the hardworking GPs and practice staff who keep our primary-care systems running. Labor's commitment to bulk-billing is a commitment to fairness, prevention and a healthcare system that works for everyone. It's a commitment we will continue to deliver on for communities like Spence. A strong health system starts with a strong workforce. That is why the Albanese Labor government is investing more than $1 billion to train more doctors in more communities. This historic investment is about planning for the future and ensuring that Australians can see a GP when they need one, no matter where they live. Through new five-year grant agreements, we are supporting the continued growth of Australia's GP and rural generalist workforce, providing certainty for training providers and for doctors choosing general practice. This year is on track to surpass 2025 as the largest GP training cohort on record. An estimated 2,100 doctors will commence GP training in 2026—including rural generalist trainees, who play a critical role in delivering care in regional and rural communities. These trainees begin their training this month, stepping into a pathway that is essential to the long-term strength of primary health care. Importantly, this work is being delivered through the Australian General Practice Training Program, with both the Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine and the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners committed to continuing their role. By backing training, Labor is backing access, prevention and continuity of care. It is a clear signal that general practice matters and that Labor is serious about building a healthcare system that works for every community. Another area we pride ourselves on is housing. One of the clearest commitments made by the Albanese Labor government was to tackle Australia's housing shortage head-on by building 100,000 new homes for Australians who have been locked out of the market for too long. This wasn't a slogan. It was a promise grounded in the reality facing families, renters and first home buyers across the country. In South Australia, that promise has been delivered in a very real and tangible way. The announcement of 17,000 new homes to be built in South Australia is a game changer for our state, boosting supply and easing pressure in a tight housing market. Importantly, around 7,000 of these homes will be reserved specifically for first home buyers, giving young people and working families a genuine pathway to homeownership. For too many South Australians, owning a home has felt like something slipping further out of reach, with rising prices, rising rents and limited supply. This investment is about changing that trajectory. It's about increasing housing where people actually want and need to live—close to jobs, schools, transport and services. It's also about supporting local construction jobs, apprentices, apprenticeships and the small businesses that rely on a strong building sector. By partnering with states to unlock land and accelerate construction, Labor is addressing housing from every angle: supply, affordability and opportunity. This is nation-building work, but it's also deeply personal for the families who will finally get the keys to their first home. Labor said we would act on housing, and in South Australia that action is now underway. And what is a house without a source of power? The Albanese Labor government's Cheaper Home Batteries Program is about helping households take control of their power bills and take part in Australia's clean energy future. For many families, rooftop solar has already made a difference. But, without a battery, too much of that energy is sent back to the grid during the day and bought back at night. This scheme changes that, making home batteries more affordable so families can store the power they generate and use it when they need it most. It means lower electricity bills, greater energy independence and a more stable, reliable grid for everyone. It also strengthens our transition to renewables by supporting distributed storage across suburbs and communities, rather than relying on a handful of large projects alone. In my electorate of Spence, locals are already embracing this opportunity. We now have 2,622 home batteries installed—the fifth-highest total in South Australia and the ninth highest in Australia. That tells you something about our community. It's practical, forward looking and ready to back solutions that save money and support the environment. The Cheaper Home Batteries Program builds on that momentum, helping more families participate in reducing upfront costs that can otherwise be a barrier. This is good for households, good for cost-of-living relief and good for our national energy security. Labor understands that the energy transition must be affordable and fair, and schemes like this ensure communities like Spence are not left behind but leading the way. As I conclude, it is worth reminding ourselves why appropriation bills matter so profoundly in this place. They are not simply numbers on a page, lines in a ledger nor dry counting exercises. They are the mechanism by which this parliament turns priorities into progress. Through appropriations, we give legal authority for the public's money to be invested in the public good. It is through these bills that Medicare is strengthened, that bulk-billing clinics keep the doors open and that free TAFE students gain new skills without new debt. It is through these bills that new homes are built, that mental health services open their doors and that more doctors are trained for more communities. Every initiative we have spoken about today, from education to housing, from health care to energy, depends on the authority granted by this parliament. Without appropriations, commitments cannot be delivered. Services cannot operate. Communities cannot rely on continuity and certainty. These bills are how we uphold responsible government, ensuring transparency, scrutiny and accountability in every dollar spent. They reflect our values, what we choose to prioritise and who we choose to support. Ultimately, appropriation bills are about trust—the trust Australians place in us to steward their resources wisely. Through these measures, we demonstrate that trust is being honoured with investments that strengthen communities and build Australia's future. 19:06 Mr VIOLI 300147 Casey I rise today to raise my community's voice in our nation's parliament, and I have the honour to serve my community, the community my family has lived in since 1953, and to ensure that I am a strong local voice fighting for our region, from the suburbs to the valley, the hills and all of the outer east. When I'm out speaking with locals, visiting community groups and hearing from small business owners, I know and they know that we live in a beautiful part of Australia. Just like them, I want our region to remain the best place to live, to work, to invest in a local business, to raise a family and to enjoy your retirement. But I know the past few years haven't been easy. Household budgets are being stretched to cover rising housing costs, insurance, child care and groceries. Families and small businesses are paying more for electricity and gas, and local roads and telecommunications are not keeping up. As we move forward into 2026, my focus remains on being a strong local voice for our region. I'll continue to advocate for cost-of-living relief, cheaper power bills, safer local roads, stronger emergency resilience and reliable telecommunications. Together, we'll keep working to make our community stronger. A strong economy is a key pillar for a strong community. In the economics committee recently, I asked a question on behalf of a local directly to the Reserve Bank governor, Michele Bullock, as part of the hearing. The Lilydale local was Matt, and he wanted to know: how is the government spending affecting the economy, and has it contributed to the rate rise? The RBA governor said: Government spending is part of total spending and total aggregate demand in the economy. … that's contributing to inflationary pressures. That's why we've decided to raise interest rates … This statement by the RBA governor completely contradicts the spin from Treasurer Chalmers. For our local community, it's not just economic theory. It's about real people, real families and real small businesses who are seeing their cost of living rising because the government refuses to show spending restraint. The RBA confirmed that the Albanese Labor government spending is contributing to interest rate rises, and, while local families and small businesses are having to manage their own household and business budgets, the Treasurer and Labor cannot manage their own budget, and it's Australians that pay the price. Local residents like Matt from Lilydale deserve to know why their interest rates have gone up, why they are paying more on their mortgage and why cost-of-living pressures continue to worsen. The Treasurer thinks he can spin his way out of inflation, but the reality is that he cannot, and it's the Australian people who continue to pay for his failures. It's not only mortgages that are up; rents are up by 22 per cent, insurance premiums have risen by 39 per cent, food is 16 per cent more expensive, healthcare costs are up 17 per cent and families are paying up to 40 per cent more just to keep the lights on. The increasing cost of living is by far the single biggest challenge facing families. What we're going to see now is a Treasurer trying to spin his way out of this and blaming overseas factors, but the community in Casey and all across the country know that the pressure they are under happened well before conflict in the Middle East and the failures sit squarely with the Prime Minister and Treasurer of this country. Australians have suffered the largest decline in living standards compared to any other nation in the developed world. It's because of the poor decisions of Prime Minister Albanese and his Labor government that Australian families are left paying the price for his cost-of-living crisis. The truth is that Australians are working harder, paying more and getting less under this government. I want to hear directly from Casey locals about how they're going and the relief that they need here in Canberra. That's why I've launched my household budget survey. I want them to let me know how the cost of living is impacting them—is it higher interest rates, higher childcare costs or higher electricity bills?—to best represent them and our community. It's so important that I hear about the issues that matter to them. Every Australian deserves access to affordable housing, whether it be buying a home or being able to rent a place of your own. When I speak to young Australians, it is devastating to see that so many have almost given up on the idea of buying a home. They see that not enough houses are being built and prices for existing stock keep climbing, and renters are paying 22 per cent more. Interest rates have increased, and mortgage holders are paying more as well. House prices increased by around $23,000 in the September 2025 quarter alone. Labor is failing to hit its own housing target, with recent data showing the government fell 15,000 homes short of its own goal. I know that affordable housing is a challenge for so many in our community, and I'll continue to advocate for real action on housing to ease the pressure on renters and homebuyers and increase supply of housing in our community. If you listen to the minister for housing, it feels like she thinks that the job's done and she's solved the challenge. But that's not what the Australian people are feeling. Not only do locals in Casey want to own a home; they also want to access health care when they need it. I was proud that our local campaign for a Medicare urgent care clinic to be established in the Yarra Ranges was successful. A new bulk-billing Medicare urgent care clinic opened in December, located at Access Health and Inspiro, at 17 Clarke Street in Lilydale. The clinic is open for extended hours. I'd like to thank the many local residents who signed my petition and joined our campaign for better local health care. I was proud to be your voice here in parliament and advocate for better access to health in our community and make a commitment at the election for an urgent care clinic in my community. I'm glad the government chose to follow the lead and match my commitment. It is good to see that we can make a difference as good local members. Imitation is the greatest form of flattery, so I'm glad the minister for health chose to copy my announcement. The clinic in Lilydale will help residents of the Yarra Ranges receive urgent care close to home and help to reduce pressure on our closest emergency departments. While a clinic in Lilydale is a step forward, families in the rural parts of our community are still left travelling long distances to access health care. Together, we'll keep pushing for better local health care, and I'll keep being a strong local voice for all in our region. Unfortunately, our community has one of the highest rates of youth mental health challenges in Victoria, and more needs to be done, especially since the government heartlessly shut down the Lilydale Youth Hub. We need to increase the capacity at Lilydale headspace and make it a full-time service for the Yarra Ranges. Please add your voice to our local campaign for better youth mental health support, and I won't stop working until our community receives the healthcare services that it needs and deserves. It is crucial that we have reliable phone and internet communications, particularly during emergencies. I have lived firsthand our local telecommunications challenges during weather events, like the June storms and the 2009 Black Saturday bushfires. I'm proud that the Liberals improved local network capabilities by investing in phone towers in East Warburton, in Steels Creek, in Reefton, in Mount Evelyn, in McMahons Creek, in Silvan, in Menzies Creek and two in Chum Creek. I'm focused on advocating for a reliable communications network that keeps us safe and keeps us connected every day, including in times of emergency. Where we live, emergency preparedness is not optional; it is essential. We know that prepared communities recover faster and stay stronger, and I am proud that I helped to deliver $10 million to Yarra Ranges Council to implement the Resilient Yarra Ranges program, which has improved our local disaster resilience by upgrading community buildings with solar, generators and plug-in points. This includes resilience upgrades on facilities in Monbulk, Olinda, Healesville, Montrose, Dixons Creek, Warburton, Mooroolbark, Mount Evelyn, Upwey and Kilsyth. I will continue to advocate for stronger emergency resilience right across our community to ensure that we are prepared for natural disasters. A key part of emergency preparedness is first-class road infrastructure. It is 2026, and my community is rightly asking what is happening with the Maroondah Highway and Killara Road upgrade. The former federal Liberal government secured $20 million to upgrade this busy intersection back in 2019, and we've been waiting on the Victorian state Labor government to deliver the project ever since. I have continuously followed up this project with both the federal and state Labor ministers for infrastructure and the Victorian Minister for Roads and Road Safety—to no avail. Our community was told pre-works and community consultation would occur in 2024, with construction to follow in 2025. I stand here now, in March 2026, and demand that the government step in until their Victorian colleagues to get on with the job at Killara Road. Residents in my community who use this intersection daily, including local CFA brigades turning out to emergencies, are fed up with being stuck in traffic and seeing near misses at this dangerous intersection. With the new estate now complete in Coldstream, the added traffic has increased the urgency for this upgrade. It's time that federal Labor told Victorian Labor to get on with it and upgrade this intersection. One of the reasons upgraded roads are needed is to prevent accidents; however, when accidents happen, we need to support those impacted. This government talk a big game when it comes to supporting people; however, the reality is very different from their spin. Recent funding cuts to community based and peer-led support models are impacting disability advocacy networks. Brain Injury Matters is an advocacy and community education organisation run by and for people with acquired brain injury. I recently met with Casey local Ross Greenhorn, someone I was lucky enough to grow up with in Yarra Glen. Ross explained how these cuts are impacting him. Disability advocacy networks and groups have reported that there are significant delays with new supports, which means that organisations like Brain Injury Matters are facing the possibility of closure or a reduction in supports available for the community. This is causing an uncomfortable level of uncertainty for participants like Ross, impacting social, mental and physical health outcomes. These are vital supports to help individuals and families after traumatic events have changed their lives, and they must be supported. And thank you, Ross, for having the courage to share your story. It was great to see you, and I look forward to continuing to support you on your journey. The federal government has a core responsibility to keep Australians safe. It is disappointing to see cuts to our defence capability in one of the most globally uncertain times our nation has seen. I'm proud that the coalition has committed to increasing defence spending to three per cent of GDP, up from two per cent under the current government. The government's two per cent does not meet the strategic environment that we face. We have been warned that what we are currently spending to keep our nation safe is not adequate, and it is time those opposite heed those warnings. On the topic of defence and veterans, I wish to take the opportunity to publicly condemn recent comments by US president Donald Trump about our service men and women who served overseas with US forces. Many constituents in Casey, including Deane, have contacted me to express their disappointment. This was deeply offensive to our Aussie diggers and all allied troops who fought overseas, many paying the ultimate sacrifice. Those who pull on a uniform to serve their country and allies deserve our respect and gratitude, and I'll always stand up for and support our veterans. As we're seeing right now, we live in dangerous times, and we need to support the ADF and make sure they have the equipment that they need to keep our country safe. 19:21 Mr GEORGANAS DZY Adelaide It gives me great pleasure to stand here today and talk on the appropriation bills: Appropriation Bill (No. 3) 2025-2026, Appropriation Bill (No. 4) 2025-2026 and Appropriation (Parliamentary Departments) Bill (No. 2) 2025-2026. It gives members of parliament an opportunity to look at budget promises that were made and what's been delivered—and certainly in the area of infrastructure, lots has been delivered in the federal seat of Adelaide. We have seen the tram grade separation projects, which basically included building new tram overpasses over certain roads, something that's been an issue in the federal seat of Adelaide for many years. Ever since I've been a member, constituents have lobbied me and have sent me letters about the traffic congestion, about crossroads, about the tram crossing and about Marion Road, which has been a huge congestion pocket. It is right on the border of the member for Boothby's electorate and mine, and I'm very pleased that funding of $870 million—jointly funded by the Australian federal and South Australian state governments, 50-50—has now come to fruition. We've seen the Marion Road and Cross Road level crossing removals with the tram overpass, starting at South Road, going right through to Marion Road and down to Morphett Road into the seat of Boothby. For many years, the South Road Tram Overpass Upgrade is something, as I said, about which constituents have been lobbying members of parliament to have fixed. I was very pleased that it was announced at the last election and that it's now come to fruition, together with the state government. I went down to the original sod turning and then to different stages of the project. It was great to see the $435 million of federal funding—and the rest from the state—come to fruition and clear up the congestion that used to take place. That makes it easier for people to access the Marion Road and South Road and, of course, Morphett Road in the seat of Boothby. We also had an upgrade in the suburbs of Cowandilla and Hilton at the Marion Road and Sir Donald Bradman Drive intersection. Those from South Australia who know that area know that crossing through Sir Donald Bradman Drive takes you straight into the airport. Thousands and thousands of cars use it every day. It was getting really congested. Marion Road and Sir Donald Bradman Drive are major commuter freight and public transport routes, with around 60,000 vehicles crossing the intersection daily. The intersection became very congested with long queues, especially during peak times, with increased demand. The current intersection will not cater for future road-user demands, and therefore this project has come to fruition and is nearly completed, with $85 million from our federal Labor government and $42.5 million from the South Australian state government. The day after the last federal election I was there to do the announcement, together with the then state infrastructure minister, Tom Koutsantonis. So we had the election on the Saturday and on Monday morning at nine o'clock we did a press conference releasing the information. I'm very pleased that it is now just about completed, if not completely completed. The other big one in South Australia, of course—which is huge and has been going since 2013—is the River Torrens to Darlington project. This project involves constructing two separate tunnels under the ground, the Southern Tunnels and the Northern Tunnels. The tunnels go right through my electorate and will be connected by an open motorway. The motorway and the tunnels will have three lanes operating in each direction, with a combined total distance of 10.5 kilometres. A preferred alliance partner has been selected to deliver this important project. The consortium includes John Holland and others. There are more than 120,000 vehicles using South, Marion and Goodwood roads each and every day. When completed, with the rest of the network it will decrease the crash rate. The crash rate along the T2 section of South Road is 11 times higher than along the Northern Expressway and seven times higher than on the Southern Expressway. Infrastructure Australia expects daily car trips across Adelaide to increase by 26 per cent by 2031. That's up to 6.2 million car trips each day. This needs to be addressed, and I'm very pleased that this government is addressing it. In fact, in 2013 we turned the first sod with the Prime Minister, who was then the infrastructure minister, Minister Albanese, and I recall that moment very clearly. To see this project coming to fruition today is a great result, because this congestion will clear up the North and South roads, especially going right through my electorate. It had put into the Australian economy more than $230 million each year in lost productivity, just from the time wasted on that north-south corridor. It's one of Adelaide's most important transport corridors. It has access to Adelaide Airport and to Port Adelaide, the state's maritime gateway, as well as to the wider national highway network, and there's funding of $7.7 billion—so, $15.4 billion in total. It is another project where we're working very closely and collaboratively with the state government and the federal government. Also during the last election many commitments were made in my electorate, and I was very pleased that some of them are starting their works right now. For example, the Western Youth Centre, through the Thriving Suburbs Program, was given $7.5 million, and the council is putting in some extra money. The Western Youth Centre is a great community group in my electorate. They are a governing body that has about 15 different groups that operate at the centre—everything from football to cricket to judo to kinder gym; you name it. It offers programs for individuals of all ages, from infants right through to seniors. I'm very pleased that the $7.5 million will come to fruition by the end of this year. It'll be a great refurbishment of the club rooms, the tennis courts and the oval. Certainly it'll be an area that many people in Cowandilla and those western suburb areas will be able to use for years to come. For example, I played sport there when I was a kid, my kids played tennis there and my grandkids are now participating in the activities there, from kinder gym right through to tennis and other things. So three generations just in my family have used those facilities. I'm very pleased they were successful in getting the $7.5 million. We also have the Hutt Street revitalisation. That's another three-point-something million dollars. Those of you who know Adelaide will know that Hutt Street is a beautiful street with restaurants, pubs, cafes and small shops. This will be redeveloped to entice more foot traffic into the area to ensure that the street remains a thriving street. It needs to be revitalised, because it's a great street. There were some issues with parking and how many car parks we're going to have. That's been resolved. We conducted a meeting with the state member, Lucy Hood, and the shop owners. Thankfully, council listened to them and have come up with a viable plan now that everyone's happy with. We believe works will be starting very soon once they've been ticked off by the infrastructure minister. This will be keeping Hutt Street's village feel and making it safer and easier for people— Debate interrupted. ADJOURNMENT 75 ADJOURNMENT Fowler Electorate: Fuel 75 19:30 Ms LE 295676 Fowler There is a conflict unfolding thousands of miles away, but it's casting a very real shadow over households in my electorate of Fowler. When we speak about wars and geopolitical tensions in this place, it is often in the language of strategy, alliances and global security, but, to the people I represent in Sydney's west, be it in Cabramatta, Canley Vale, Bonnyrigg or Liverpool, geopolitics is not an abstract concept. It shows up in the most ordinary place of all: the petrol pump. In the past week alone, we have already seen fuel prices climb by a staggering 40c per litre as tensions escalate in the Middle East and markets react to the risk of disruption in global oil supply. In parts of Western Sydney, regular unleaded has already pushed past $2.20 per litre, and I just filled mine up today at about $2.29. For many Australians, that may be an inconvenience, but for the families I represent it's something far more serious. Fowler is a community of workers and travellers, tradies driving utes packed with tools, cleaners and carers driving across suburbs before sunrise, parents doing the school drop-offs because reliable public transport simply does not reach where they live or where they work and small-business owners delivering stock in vans and trucks after hours just to keep their doors open. When fuel jumps as high as it is at the moment, it affects how a family can afford to get to work, it affects whether a small business can afford to deliver its products and it smashes the weekly household budget, which still has to balance at the end of the month. For families already under immense cost-of-living pressure, these global shocks hit harder, and they hit communities in Western Sydney first because, while people in some parts of our cities can rely on metro trains, trams and short commutes, many in my electorate simply cannot. They rely on their cars every single day. On top of the rising fuel prices, many of my constituents are already paying what they call the Western Sydney tax: thousands of dollars a year in tolls just to get to work. When they add fuel, tolls, groceries and electricity together, families in my community are telling me the same thing over and over. They're running out of room in the household budget. The other group feeling the pressure tonight is our small businesses. Over the past few weeks, I've been speaking to local shop owners and operators across Fairfield, Wakeley, Bossley Park and Wetherill Park. Many of them run family businesses that have served their communities for decades. They're proud, resilient and hardworking people. They are worried, but they need to make a living and they have to work. When fuel prices rise, the cost of everything rises with it. Transport costs increase, delivery costs increase and supply prices increase, yet these small businesses cannot simply keep passing on those costs to their customers, because they know their customers—local families—are already doing it tough. So they absorb the increases themselves, their margins shrink, their stress grows and many quietly wonder how much longer they can keep going. While this conflict is unfolding overseas, the economic impact is already being felt in suburbs across Western Sydney today, tomorrow and next week. That is why the government must recognise that global instability does not stay overseas. It arrives quickly on the balance sheets of Australian households. We are now approaching the federal budget and, for communities like Fowler, that budget matters enormously. Families do not need more slogans. They need real relief. They need practical measures that ease the pressure on energy and transport costs. They need long-term thinking about Australia's fuel security so we are not exposed every time conflict erupts near major global shipping routes. And they need a government that understands that the cost-of-living crisis looks very different depending on where you live. Fowler is one of the most resilient communities in this country. It is a community built by migrants, refugees, workers and small-business owners who have overcome enormous challenges to build better lives for themselves and their families. But resilience should never be mistaken for limitless capacity to absorb pressure. Even the strongest communities have a breaking point. Tonight, as conflict escalates overseas, families in Western Sydney are once again bracing themselves for the economic ripple effects. They are watching the petrol price rises. They are calculating the weekly budget. They are asking themselves what they will give next. To the families of Fowler, I want you to know this: I see the pressure you're under, I hear your concerns and I will continue to raise your voice in this place. Because while wars may begin from outside our shores, their consequences are often felt by ordinary Australians simply trying to get through their week. Iranian Women's National Football Team 76 19:35 Mr LAXALE 299174 Bennelong Australia is the new home to five brave, courageous and inspiring Iranian football players who have had their asylum claim approved by the Albanese Labor government, and Australia welcomes them. To Fatemeh Pasandideh, Zahra Ghanbari, Zahra Sarbali, Atefeh Ramazanzadeh and Mona Hamoudi, you are all welcome in Australia. I'm very confident that, like the majority of migrants who come here, you will make our country better, stronger and safer. In Australia you have a nation that respects you, and you have a hospitable, proud and passionate Australian Iranian community here in Australia to help you settle into your new home. Even today, New South Wales Premier Chris Minns extended a welcome to these women to settle in Sydney, home to the largest Persian community in New South Wales. Of course, they will be very welcome to settle in Bennelong, being home to the largest Australian Iranian community in the state. On Church and Devlin Streets in Ryde, we have little Persia, where locals can buy their groceries at Paradise or Bahar supermarkets, grab some meat at Persepolis Butchery, and get some fresh noon sangak at 32 BakeHouse. To celebrate, they can have dinner with new friends at Nikan or Surena restaurants and they can go for a dance afterwards at the Persian Basement in Lane Cove, which often has live music and entertainment. If they choose, Bennelong will welcome these five women with open arms. The ability to seek asylum is a fundamental human right that Labor takes seriously. Those in Australia on a valid visa are able to claim asylum if they are at risk of serious harm if they return home. It is clear that a return home for some of these women was too much to bear. The current Iranian regime are a horrendous, torturous, murderous government that have killed their own citizens, exported terror across the world and targeted the Jewish community here in Australia. To the other members of the Iranian women's football team who have made the decision to return to Iran, who are on their way to Sydney right now as we speak, we understand whatever decision you need to make and we will support that decision for whatever reason you choose to take it. The situation these women face is unimaginable to so many of us, and it's important that these women are free to make a decision that suits them in the safety that we're able to provide them. But let me be clear, as the Prime Minister has stated, Australia's offer of humanitarian visas stands to all members of this team who choose to claim it. It goes without saying that events of the past few days wouldn't be possible without the commitment and tireless efforts of many. First and foremost, I praise the allies and supporters of the football team in the Australian-Iranian diaspora and others who have been staying in the hotel from the very start of the tournament. They've kept their eyes on these women, connected them with support and amplified this issue to government. This announcement was a demonstration of freedom and it wouldn't have been possible without journalists like Raha Pourbakhsh and Alireza Mohebi from Iran International TV. I also recognise the tremendous respect given to these women by the Matildas, who exchanged their jerseys with the players and who used their platform to speak in solidarity with the Iranian Lionesses. To people who have been directly messaging and contacting me like Sam Lewis, Siamak Ghahraman and countless others, I would like to thank them. They have all changed the lives of these five women. Finally, thank you to the Prime Minister and to the home affairs minister and all departmental staff involved with this operation. As a representative of one of the largest Iranian Australian communities in the country, I can tell you this: this government has made time to hear me when I approach them on matters that the Persian community care about. From listing the IRGC as a terrorist organisation and expelling the Australian ambassador to targeted sanctions on over 200 individuals, this government has taken more action against this murderous regime than any government before it. To these five women and to others who choose to stay, I say welcome home. Veterans, Griffis, Mr Gordon David (Griffo) 77 19:40 Ms PENFOLD 248895 Lyne The legacy of the SAS in Afghanistan is one of bravery and sacrifice—of individual men putting their lives on the line to serve this country. Yet, for many of these soldiers, their sacrifice has been met with betrayal, as they've been subjected to official inquiries and allegations of war crimes led by the Office of the Special Investigator. Established five years ago, the Office of the Special Investigator has been responsible for building cases against 19 SAS veterans recommended by Judge Brereton to face prosecution for allegations of war crimes. Over $300 million has been spent by the OSI to date, yet only one person has been charged, and no-one has been convicted. With its substantial budget and staff of around 160, it's beyond belief that only one person has been charged in the past four years. I'm not alone when I ask, 'What is taking so long?' This significant expenditure raises serious questions about the effectiveness of the OSI and concerns about the undue strain that soldiers and their families have been under. It is a sad reality that our war veterans are prosecuted by a bureaucracy that enjoys the freedom and safety secured by the very soldiers they pursue, but it is simply shameful that those soldiers are being subjected to so much anguish and uncertainty as these prosecutions and investigations languish on for years without resolution. To the Office of the Special Investigator: you have the budget, and you have the personnel. Why are you subjecting our war veterans to this turmoil? If evidence exists, lay charges. If there is no evidence, terminate the investigation. Otherwise, this is nothing short of a witch-hunt. I strenuously oppose these belated attempts to prosecute war veterans. These men answered their country's call. They followed orders. They were working in a war zone, and in a war zone opposing Taliban zealots who had no rules of engagement, no respect for life and no regard for our soldiers, routinely engaging in tactics of torture and execution. The people who promote this investigation seem to forget that bit. War is war. It is brutal. Mistakes are made. But that is the nature of war. What kind of message does this send to our next generation of soldiers—that, after having put life and limb on the line for your country and its citizenry, some of those citizens, some do-gooder, will track you down and set the media upon you, that your sacrifice will be twisted into suspicion and scandal and held against you, and that allegations may follow you for years? That is not what soldiers sign up for. It's unimaginable not to make a mistake in a war. Some Australian forces may have made mistakes in Afghanistan, but that does not mean what they did was unjust at the time, nor does it mean that justice is required, as some people in politics, law and the media think it must. There is a grey line about applying the lofty principles of law in the extremes of war, and there is an even bigger grey line about applying those principles to the men and women who were subjected to those extremes of war and have to live with it. I call on the federal government to bring the investigation to a conclusion and to finalise the work of the Office of the Special Investigator. I ask people to watch Channel 7 at 9 pm on 26 April. It is airing Bravery & Betrayal, a documentary about this whole sorry saga. I want to take this opportunity to pay tribute to Gordon 'Griffo' Griffis, who tragically passed away on Sunday 15 February. As Nabiac's long-time butcher and owner of Griffo's Meats, Griffo was a stalwart of Nabiac, Krambach and the surrounding community. Loved by all who knew him, his sudden passing has left an entire community in shock, completely devastated at the loss of this warm, happy and kind man. To quote his family: 'Griffo was a true legend in every sense of the word. If you were lucky enough to be his mate, you were one of the lucky ones, because his friendship was loyal, generous and full of laughter.' I extend my sincere condolences to Narelle, Tracy, Chad, Judi, Jackson, Savanna, Bella and all his extended family. Whilst nothing can ease your pain and loss, I hope that you take comfort in the immense outpouring and the countless tributes that have flowed from the community. They are a testament to Griffo's character and the genuine warmth and affection in which he was held by so many. Though he is gone, his memory will live on in our hearts for a very long time. Griffo loved a drink, a good joke, his beloved Manly Sea Eagles and the Griffo's Meats community. Solomon Electorate: Health Care, Solomon Electorate: Housing, Solomon Electorate: Renewable Energy, Solomon Electorate: Veterans 78 19:45 Mr GOSLING 245392 Solomon We had some fantastic major announcements in the Solomon electorate last month: the location of the Medicare urgent care clinic, which is to be on Osgood Drive in Eaton, just next door to the ice-skating rink, and the successful tenderer for the 120- to 150-bed aged-care facility to serve Darwin, Palmerston and the Top End. The Albanese Labor government has also delivered a once-in-a-generation change to bulk-billing, which means that more Territorians can now see a doctor for free, with no out-of-pocket expenses. There are now 23 Medicare bulk-billing GP practices across Darwin and Palmerston. Over 70 per cent of all local GP practices are now registered as Medicare bulk-billing practices. We also launched services like 1800MEDICARE, which is helping keep people out of emergency departments, and we have kept the PBS medicines at $25, saving Territorians real dollars. That's brilliant cost-of-living support. Add to this, record hospital funding for the Northern Territory, with $3.5 billion over the years from 2026-27 also being delivered. We're also building the long-term health workforce, with the NT's own medical school at Charles Darwin, which opened last month, housed in a brand-new building called Garrwa, or the Centre for Better Health Futures. I thank Aunty Bilawara Lee for explaining that 'garrwa' means 'green tree frog' in the Larrakia language and that the site of the school is on the green tree frog Dreaming. We have expanded mental health services, with the Darwin headspace centre upgraded to a headspace Plus and a youth specialist care centre in Darwin for young people with very complex needs. We are continuing to work with the Northern Territory government to strengthen maternity services, and I call on the Northern Territory government to stipulate that the new not-for-profit operator of Darwin's private hospital includes maternity services in their licence. Like everywhere in this country, housing and homeownership is a challenge in my home town of Darwin, as it also is in Palmerston, so we were proud to announce support for more first home buyers from Darwin, Palmerston and a bit past there into the rural area to get into home ownership by increasing the property price gap for the five per cent home deposit scheme. From 1 July this year, two price caps will now operate in the Northern Territory, one for Greater Darwin, at $750,000, and the other for the remainder of the Northern Territory, which remains at $600,000, in line with mean property prices. The five per cent deposit scheme has already helped more than 1,800 Territorians move into their first home since we came into government. As well, Territorians are cutting their energy bills by installing cheaper home batteries. Darwin residents are installing batteries at double the rate of Melbourne residents. Nearly 700 residents have taken up the government's support to take 30 per cent off the cost of a home battery, saving them around $2,300 per annum. This government, the Albanese Labor government, is moving forward with the Scott Palmer Services Centre to support our Territory veterans and their families in the Darwin area who are experiencing or are at the risk of experiencing homelessness with transitional housing and assistance to find permanent housing solutions. The Salvation Army Northern Territory, the Salvos, have been approved to manage the grant and establish the centre. They are looking at a suitable complex of between three and six self-contained units that will be appropriate for housing veterans and located so that essential wraparound support can be provided to the tenants of the Scott Palmer centre, who, of course, will be our veterans. I want to thank the Territory veterans from the Council of Australian Veterans NT that kicked off this project and put in countless hours of volunteer work. I just want to say to the members of CAV that your volunteer work is appreciated. Thank you very much. That $3 million for the Scott Palmer centre is now going to be with the Salvos to provide those services to our veterans. We say to them: thank you. Wide Bay Electorate: Community Events 78 19:50 Mr LLEW O'BRIEN 265991 Wide Bay In October 2024, the long-awaited $1 billion Gympie bypass opened to traffic, turning one of the most dangerous sections of the Bruce Highway through Wide Bay into one of the safest. The new bypass has changed my home town of Gympie significantly, by improving liveability and amenity and opening up new opportunities for our regional economy, as we continue to grow as a vibrant and desirable destination with much to offer residents and visitors. Gympie is already renowned as the home of the Gympie Music Muster. It's a three-day music country music festival set in the Amamoor State Forest, with an exciting calendar of events and activities which are planned for visitors to the music muster in 2026. This October, the Gympie Gold Rush Festival will make its return. The gold rush festival originally ran from 1973 to 2020, in celebration of the town's rich and colourful heritage and the important contribution that the discovery of gold at Gympie in 1867 made to Queensland's economy and future development. Sadly, COVID and other factors put a stop to the gold rush festival, but, thanks to the hard work of passionate locals and a new committee, headed by President Murray Herron, this iconic celebration of Gympie's history will be making a comeback in 2026. In April this year, the power of the combustion engine will be on full display when Gympie hosts the opening round of the Australian Rally Championship, something local mayor Glen Hartwig has worked hard to secure for the local area. Motorsport lovers are excited about the Accent Benchtops Rally Queensland 2026 round, where Australia's best rally drivers will be competing over three days of full-throttled, thrilling and adrenaline-pumping action across the Gympie region. Gympie's CBD will play host to the sprint events, the Wheels on Mary Show and Shine, and the street rally stage, which will be an exciting race on a purpose-built urban track through the closed streets in the town centre. The city's streets will also be a focal point for spectators throughout the event, as Gympie transforms into a full motorsport precinct, with a walk-through service park where you can get close to the action and catch a behind-the-scenes look at the drivers and teams as they repair and maintain the race vehicles. Regional communities in Imbil, Amamoor, Brooyar and Glastonbury present some of the best rally roads in the country, and the forestry stages of the event will test drivers' skills over gravel, through blind turns and in unforgiving terrain. I'm looking forward to seeing our local drivers in action—particularly my friend Sasha Power, an up-and-coming young female racer who has a big future ahead of her in motorsport. Gympie has come a long way from its origins as a goldmining town, and, as we look ahead, it's clear the region is entering a new era, one shaped by our resilience, our community spirit and our willingness to embrace all the opportunities that the future presents. From world-class events to renewed celebrations of our heritage, our region is thriving and the momentum is only growing. Gympie's future is bright, bold and uniquely our own, and I'm proud to stand alongside our locals, volunteers and visionaries who are helping our community write its next great chapter. International Women's Day 79 19:54 Ms JORDAN-BAIRD 316021 Gorton After a weekend celebrating International Women's Day, I rise in this chamber once again to talk about the incredible contribution of women to modern Australia. When women unite, we are unstoppable. Last Friday I attended the International Women's Day March for Working Women at Victorian Trades Hall. I rallied with our mighty union movement, including the Transport Workers' Union and the Rail, Tram and Bus Union and was honoured to hear the stories of these powerful union women—like Gia from the RTBU, who I'm proud to support in the 'It's a Bloody Mess' campaign for access to clean, safe and private toilets for Aussie women working in transport. There's a reason I attend these rallies as a proud member of the Transport Workers' Union. It's because I grew up with a mum who was one of the first women to work on Melbourne City Loop at a time when the railways were dominated by men. It's because I grew up around women who taught me the value of fighting for what's right—like my sister Emily, an infrastructure lawyer who's working on some of Melbourne's major transport infrastructure projects, and my late sister Clara, who worked as a lawyer and paved the way for housing estates to be built in Melbourne's western suburbs. Clara encouraged me and many other young women to get involved in the Labor Party, where real change is made. I'm surrounded by women in my local community across my electorate of Gorton who inspire me every single day, like Emily Attard, a Caroline Springs local who as a teenager saw a need in our community and founded Specialist Hoops. This is an organisation dedicated to providing a safe environment for local individuals with disabilities to play sports. In our community are leaders like Pooja, who opened the Fraser Rise Kool Kidz Childcare Centre, supporting our local families as our community continues to grow. Once these kids grow, they graduate into our wonderful local schools run by dedicated women like the amazing Gab Zorko, principal of Springside Primary School and Kindergarten in Caroline Springs. Our local community is also so blessed to have women like Poonam and Devika, who I celebrated Holi with this weekend in Kings Park on International Women's Day. A big shout-out to the Women of Brimbank Multicultural Organisation! Our local communities are fitter and cleaner thanks to women like Tanya and Janelle from Aintree Reserve Parkrun, who I recently saw at the community group's plogging event, where we ran five kilometres, picking up rubbish along the way for Clean Up Australia Day. I'd like to shout out Dawn Clark as well, an outstanding member of my local community, for putting together such an amazing International Women's Day event last week at Wintringham in Delahey. These are just some of the incredible women who show real leadership, keeping our community connected. I commend and thank the work of these incredible women and all women in Melbourne's western suburbs, who I have the privilege to meet every single day for everything they do. I'd like to acknowledge the women of Iran and in particular the strength of the Iranian women's soccer team, because there is no greater challenge than having your rights stripped away from you. There is no question that Iranian women deserve better and that life under the IRGC and the situation that has been unfolding in Iran over the last several weeks are terrifying and heartbreaking. But it takes a certain kind of courage that I can't quite put into words for the women belonging to the Iranian women's soccer team playing here in Australia during the Women's AFC Asian Cup to refuse to sing the Iranian national anthem as they did ahead of the opening game. Australians have been moved by the acts of bravery of these incredible women. Late last night our Minister for Home Affairs issued five humanitarian visas to members of the Iranian women's soccer team. They're safe here, and they should feel at home here. I have had the other teammates in mind as they head back to Iran, along with the safety of the team's families as well. This is also a really difficult time for those in our local community with family in the region, and I want to assure my community that we're doing everything we can as a government to return Australians home safely. As the Prime Minister has said, we remain available as a nation to help others. I commend the bravery of the Iranian women's soccer team, and I welcome them home. House adjourned at 19:59 NOTICES 80 NOTICES Presentation 80

Tuesday, 10 March 2026

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

GRIEVANCE DEBATE 83 GRIEVANCE DEBATE Accountability of Grants, Investment Mandates and Use of Public Resources Amendment (End Pork Barrelling) Bill 2024 83

Accountability of Grants, Investment Mandates and Use of Public Resources Amendment (End Pork Barrelling) Bill 2024

12:30 Dr SCAMPS 299623 Mackellar As the member for Indi so eloquently put it, it's time to put a fork in the pork. In other words, it's time to end the practice of pork barrelling—something that has long been relied upon by successive Australian governments to get into or maintain power. As Chair of the Centre for Public Integrity Anthony Whealy KC explained, in the eyes of the community, senior academics and lawyers: The deliberate misuse of large amounts of public money for political gain is seriously corrupt. To label it as mere 'pork barrelling' is a misleading misnomer. In this context, 'corrupt' does not mean criminally corrupt but instead means a lack of political integrity and doing something that is not in the best interest of the public but is instead in the best interest of a party by trying to buy favour in certain electorates, particularly swing seats. Often described as grey corruption, pork barrelling is not how public money is supposed to be spent. As Simon Longstaff, executive director of the Ethics Institute, put it: … the practice of pork-barrelling … contravenes the core requirements of democracy and as such should be deemed an illicit form of conduct that corrupts the democratic process. As identified in the Grattan Institute's 2022 report New Politics:preventing pork-barrelling, the allocation of grant money in particular seats to try to buy votes is one of the most visible forms of pork barrelling. The report found: Grants processes often allow substantial ministerial discretion, with little transparency around decision-making, making them 'an ideal vehicle for delivering pork'. The 2025 federal election was no exception. The Labor government allocated $650 million in taxpayer funded election commitments through a one-off round of the Major and Local Community Infrastructure Program. This program is closed and non-competitive, meaning community organisations in electorates like Mackellar cannot apply. Instead, projects have already been hand-picked and decided by the government. The majority are in Labor electorates, thus creating a system that prioritises political interest over community need. Out of 197 local community infrastructure projects committed to during the 2025 election, totalling over $1 billion, 180 of these are in Labor Party seats. Local football clubs in the Labor electorates of Boothby and Gilmore, for example, have been promised millions in funding for projects that include upgrades to changerooms, training facilities and a new clubhouse. Yet Forrest Rugby Club in Mackellar, which needs funding to upgrade its facilities to cater for the rapid growth in female participation in rugby, cannot apply to this grant program. Similarly, surf life saving clubs in the Labor electorates of Lyons and Kingsford Smith have been promised around $5 million in funding. Meanwhile, Newport and North Narrabeen surf life saving clubs in Mackellar, which both need funding for upgrades to improve accessibility, public amenity and facilities for education and training, cannot access these funds. The Supporting Multicultural Communities Program follows the same pattern. It even states on the website: The Australian Government is investing up to $190.3 million over 2 years from 2025-26 to provide direct support to multicultural communities … in line with the 2025 election commitments. This program, like the Major and Local Community Infrastructure Program, will be funded through closed non-competitive grants rounds. The first cab off the rank was the Supporting Multicultural Communities Infrastructure Program which opened on 14 November last year. This closed non-competitive grant program allocates over $109 million to more than 40 organisations all located in Labor electorates. Many of these projects are for community centres and cultural hubs. In Mackellar we have the largest Tibetan community in Australia, yet we cannot apply for funds through this program to build a much needed cultural centre for this community. Quite simply, they have to still go without. The irony is that one of the stated objectives of this program is to improve equity outcomes and social inclusion, yet this program treats multicultural communities around the country unequally. This is pork-barrelling at its finest, directing public funds for political gain rather than merit or community need. Where is the transparency on how these decisions are made to allocate grant money to one project over another? The answer is that there is no transparency. Instead, it seems like the government of the day simply handpicks the projects where votes are needed most. Both the major parties engage in this pork-barrelling. Analysis by the Sydney Morning Herald and the Age of 19,000 federal grants allocated 11 grant programs between 2017 and 2021 under the coalition government found that coalition electorates received $1.9 billion while Labor electorates received $530 million. We all remember the $660 million carpark rort scandal, where not a single commuter carpark site was allocated grant funding based on the need to solve congestion issues which was the stated aim of the program. Instead, each grant was handpicked by the coalition to serve its own ends at the taxpayers' expense. And who could forget the community sport infrastructure program under the coalition, better known as sports rorts, whereby the Australian National Audit Office found that the minister had disregarded departmental advice and program guidelines and that government seats had received much higher levels of funding. The minister responsible at that time, Senator Bridget McKenzie, justified it by saying: 'I make no apology for exercising ministerial discretion. To do so was my prerogative, but more importantly it was my responsibility.' The senator and I obviously have different definitions of responsibility. Commonwealth grant funding is relied upon by small businesses, volunteer led organisations and not-for-profits around the country to support local communities. A minister's responsibility should be to all Australians, not just those in their own backyard or their party colleagues' backyards. It is the minister's responsibility to spend taxpayers' money responsibly. When ministers and government use public funds as a tool for political advantage, it undermines trust, fairness and principles of democracy, and Australians won't stand for it. The Australia Institute's research shows that four in five Australians consider it corrupt to allocate public money to projects to win votes. Despite the government formally agreeing or agreeing with qualification to all eight recommendations of the 2023 joint committee's inquiry into Commonwealth grants administration, nothing has meaningfully changed. The new merit based processes principles still allows ministers, accountable authorities or delegates to bypass competitive merit based selection wherever they choose, leaving the door wide open to the very practices these reforms were meant to prevent. This brings me to the bill introduced by the independent member for Indi, Dr Helen Haines, the Accountability of Grants, Investment Mandates and Use of Public Resources Amendment (End Pork Barrelling) Bill 2024. This offers a framework that puts an end to misusing taxpayers' money for political purposes. The bill requires all grants to have publicly available merit based criteria. The reality is that all communities deserve equal access to funding based on merit and need, not political affiliation. Closed non-competitive grant processes, by their very nature, lack transparency, allowing ministers to choose the pool of candidate projects as well as allowing for greater discretion in the final selection. The majority of Australians want this to change. It's time the government put an end to the practice of closed, non-competitive grant programs and instead implement transparent, open, competitive, merit based grant funding that fairly and equitably offers the same opportunities to all electorates around the country to support community needs. Housing 84 12:40 Ms JARRETT 298574 Brisbane I'm here to talk about housing, because it really is a fundamental human right and we're at a critical point in this nation's history that we need all levels of government working together to build the homes we need for this generation and the next. When we put up our hands to represent our communities, one of the main goals is to ensure we leave our communities in a better position than when we started, and this starts with making housing more affordable and accessible. Housing really is a life-defining challenge for so many Australians. People are working hard; they are doing the right thing and still they can't get into a home or into a place to call their home. Young people are outbidding each other for rental properties. Families with kids who would have absolutely owned their own home a generation ago can't get a foothold in the door. We hear from young people who feel they will never have the chance to own a place of their own. We hear it from their parents, who cannot give their kids the stability they got as children. We hear it from renters whose rents are going up too much and too often. And we see women who have fled violent or unworkable domestic situations being left stranded, couch surfing or car sleeping. And we see it in the rising rate of homelessness that is so evident across our suburbs and our region. So no matter what your situation, having a roof over your head is fundamental to how your life will unfold. In my first speech to this parliament, I spoke about my experience growing up in Brisbane and the importance of this foundation not just to me and my siblings, but to the many foster siblings who shared our home. Our inner-city home was noisy, there is no question about it—there were eight siblings, seven girls and my brother, along with foster kids that came and went. At times, there were mattresses on the floors and sometimes sheets hung for privacy as bedrooms were made to accommodate children needing a safe home. I saw firsthand how having a bed, clean sheets and the safety of a home can be life transforming. For a long time, the Commonwealth government had tapped out of our nation's housing challenge, leaving the hard work up to the states. Indeed, for the nine years the coalition were last in power, they didn't even have a housing minister. They built just 373 social and affordable homes over that entire period. This crisis wasn't created overnight, and it won't be fixed overnight. Our government understands this, and we are throwing everything at it. We are undertaking the single-biggest housing build since the Second World War. Our $43 billion housing agenda is focused on three things: building more homes better, making it easier to rent and backing first home buyers. We have actually completed more than 500,000 social and affordable homes, and have 25,000 more homes being planned and in the construction phase. This is helping people right across the country—like Karen, who I met during the election campaign. Karen's in her 60s. After fleeing domestic violence around seven or eight years ago, she lived in shared accommodation and then finally got a place of her own. She said to me that she can decorate it as hers, she can leave the dishes until tomorrow if she wants to and she can use the washing machine without checking first. Basically, she can live her life her way. Since we were elected, more than 180,000 Australians, and counting, have bought their first home with our five per cent deposit scheme. More than one million households have been supported with our 50 per cent increase in rent assistance. We are seeing a real turnaround in homebuilding, with 500,000 homes being built since we came to office, and new housing commitments up 17 per cent compared to the same time last year. But let's be clear. The job is not done. It's still too hard to build and to buy in this country, and that's what we're focused on. In this term this Labor government will build more homes. We are continuing down the path of building 55,000 social and affordable homes, as well as building 100,000 homes for first home buyers. And we're working towards our bold national aspiration in Australia to build 1.2 million homes in five years. We're making it better to rent, helping thousands more rental homes to get built, and continuing to lift rental standards through our work with the states. We're also implementing Help to Buy, our first national shared equity scheme, and delivering on our five per cent deposit guarantee for every first home buyer. But we need to keep building, we need to make it easier to build and we need to make it quicker to build. We know there is more to do, and I'm calling on the state LNP government in my state of Queensland to stop playing politics and to build more social and affordable homes. Housing in Queensland is the tightest it's been in more than a decade. Entry level prices for first home buyers have overtaken Sydney. That was hard to imagine, really, even a few years ago. Research shows there's only one month left of apartment supply. The Queensland LNP government needs to stop cancelling affordable and social housing projects, stop selling off public land, stop claiming previous Labor government projects as their own and start helping to build more social and affordable housing. Let's look at some of the activities that have happened recently. Since coming to government in 2024, the LNP housing policy has been the removal of the 20 per cent social and affordable housing target for developments in the Woolloongabba priority development area, which was located near the Cross River Rail—the perfect place. The Deputy Premier, Jarrod Bleijie, revoked approval of a 90-unit affordable housing project in Birtinya on the Sunshine Coast. With the Noosa social housing project, they scrapped an approved four-storey, 90-unit affordable housing project in Tewantin. With state owned government land developments, the government has pivoted to a 'use it or house it' policy, selling vacant state owned land to the private sector without mandatory quotas for social and affordable homes. At the Olympic village site, the requirements for a percentage of affordable housing have now been removed. In a major policy shift, the LNP government said that mandating social housing reduces the speed and volume of construction. What a pathetic excuse. Think about what the Queensland Council of Social Services says when they talk about the impact. They've expressed distress over the lack of mandates, stating that without government driven requirements, new housing supply will not benefit low-income households. Last year, the state LNP government reintroduced the 'three strikes' policy for social housing. What it means is that you get evicted after three incidents of disruptive, antisocial or illegal behaviour within 12 months. There is no recourse and nowhere to go. This is a cruel policy that does nothing to help the most vulnerable in our community. Karyn Walsh, chief executive of not-for-profit organisation Micah, said: I understand the issues that social housing is facing— and she would know— but I think there are other ways that we need to be addressing it because it disproportionately is going to affect the most vulnerable in our community. I say to the people in the Brisbane community that you should demand better out of the state LNP government. Their record, frankly, is shameful. They have abandoned you and they have given up the fight of making housing more affordable in Brisbane. They don't care, frankly, and it's just not good enough. I want to say to the people of Brisbane that this Labor government has your back, and we will keep working hard to tackle the housing challenges you are facing. Under this Labor government we've made a radical switch. We are tackling the housing crisis from every angle. Our government is the boldest and most ambitious Australian government on housing since the postwar period. We are already delivering, we are taking this seriously and we're seeing real results for many Australians, including in Brisbane. To make a difference, we must work together at all levels of government. We need to find better ways to get on top of the housing challenge. We're doing our bit, and I'm calling on the state government and, frankly, the LNP council to do their bit. We owe it to the next generation of Australians. Early Childhood Education and Care 86 12:49 Mr CHESTER IPZ Gippsland I'm often critical of the Canberra bubble, and for good reason. Too many decisions made in this place reflect decisions made in the bureaucracy by people with a lived experience very different to that of the people I represent in Gippsland. The rich diversity of rural, regional and remote communities is nothing like the Australian Capital Territory. We face many different challenges, and they're rarely catered for in the one-size-fits-all approach which dominates Canberra. It's with that in mind that I rise today to talk about how we raise children in Australia and the system of child care, which isn't fit for purpose any more, if it ever was. Australia needs to have a conversation about our approach to supporting families as they raise children because the current system is broken and is completely unfit for purpose in a modern world. Mums and dads across Australia are increasingly concerned they've been sold a dud system by all levels of government when it comes to supporting parenthood—the most important job they will ever have. The current system of institutionalised child care actively discriminates against parents who want to raise their own children. So I welcome the contributions to this debate by author Virginia Tapscott with her book titled All Mothers Work: A Revolutionary Plan to Fix Failing Care Systems and Truly Liberate Women and the Page Research Centre's Raising the next generation: apractical plan to protect children, support parents, strengthen families, and restore genuine choice. I say, at the outset, to those opposite: there's nothing to be afraid of in either of these documents; they are both invaluable contributions to the conversations we need to have as a nation. This is not some ultraconservative, nostalgic stroll down memory lane to a bygone era with women in the kitchen and men off to work. These are both pragmatic documents which highlight how women have been misled into having their right to choose what works for them removed and how big government dominates the decisions that families should rightfully make all by themselves. The core of the debate is that we have now reached a point where we have a 'one size fits all' model of institutionalised child care, which has displaced choice and flexibility, with the biggest losers being the children, whose interests should actually be returned to the centre of the decision-making regarding families. The current system has become a high-cost money-go-round, with $16 billion in taxpayer funds going to subsidise child care, which is overwhelmingly a profit driven enterprise. What we're seeing now is that many parents are feeling trapped into returning to work earlier than they wanted to, so they can earn some money to qualify for the childcare subsidy to keep up with their cost-of-living problems. Then they feel guilty because they're spending more time away from their children than they had originally planned. What we need to see is more flexibility, and it starts with non-judgemental choice. As I said, the Australian government now provides $16 billion in childcare subsidies per year. You don't need to be working to place your children in care, yet the system actively puts barriers in front of parents who want to care for their own children in those crucial first three years of life. This institution based system is fundamentally flawed and struggling on many fronts, with a shortage of long-day-care places in the outer suburbs, childcare deserts in the regions, a lack of trained staff—which is being exacerbated by burnout for those staff who are in the industry—and an exodus of workers to the higher wages in the disability sector. We are now seeing, sadly, frequent reports of abuse and childcare centres failing to meet the required standards, only adding to the concerns of many Australian families. I want to stress that the overwhelming majority of workers in childcare centres are doing the right thing every day to look after the children in their care, but there is no question that media reports of abuse are adding to anxiety for families, and I am concerned there will be more revelations in the years to come. No-one should feel threatened by this debate and, just as importantly, no-one should be judging anyone else for the decisions they make which are right for them and their families at that time. Not everyone wants to send their child into a formalised childcare environment at a very early age, regardless of the government subsidies that intend to herd them back into the paid workforce before they are really ready to go. Obviously there are cost-of-living pressures here, which are a driving force, but imagine if we actually valued the care given by parents, either mum or dad, and made it possible for more families to look after their own children if that were their choice. The current model doesn't work for many families in Australia today. So the national conversation we need to have is about equality for children—truly valuing the role of parental caregiving and giving families more choices, with an improved system that works for their individual family unit. Even better, it would take the pressure off the formal care sector and reduce the need to build more centres and the seemingly impossible task of finding the skilled staff required to work in them. A parent's decision to stay at home for a few years and be the primary caregiver should not be judged any more than the decision to send a child to a formal care environment. Individual families should have the freedom and the flexibility to do what works for them and their family. But our governments do cast judgement. They cast judgement on families with policies that reward one form of care and punish the other. This is not a party-political comment at all, because, in the coalition government, we also increased the childcare subsidy, just as the Labor Party has done. But we did nothing to address this example, where a single-income household with a parent who opts out of the paid workforce is immediately penalised, because they have no access to the second-income tax-free threshold, which a PAYG working couple can utilise. Income splitting, or treating their earnings as a family income during the early years of a child's life, would be a much fairer system and would enable more parents to take the choice to become a primary caregiver in the crucial early years. Women I've listened to, in my electorate, don't want to be referenced in public debate only as a unit of economic production. They want their worth also measured in their caregiving roles, if that's their choice. They want the extent of their unpaid care work and early education efforts properly valued, recognised and respected too. Not everyone wants to send their child to a formalised environment, and I think government subsidies that are intended to drive that choice need to be reconsidered with a view towards supporting families to make the decision which is right for them and their child. In her book, All Mothers Work, Tapscott also argued that the system needs a fundamental reset because children are a public good. I quote: 'Childcare policy is rooted in the idea that parents could and should be doing something more valuable with their time. With each new childcare incentive, it feels like a slow process of making parent-carers redundant. The agenda is clear—you're of more value in the paid labour force.' Tapscott's right; the system is discriminatory. The book is a must-read for policymakers who are interested in reforming the system to make it work for the Australian people and make it work for Australian families rather than trying to squeeze every family into a 'one size fits all', 'Canberra knows best' model. Tapscott's thoughts on the issue are well documented over a period of years. They're grounded in the lived experience of a rural mother with professional skills and a desire to change the system for the better. In her submission to the Select Committee on Work and Care, Tapscott argued: … I'm really disappointed with the lack of support for parental caregivers to engage in a caregiving role full time for a child under 3 years of age. I feel it has made my journey as a parent isolating and less enjoyable than it might have been. Policies that incentivise a return to work have eroded the community around me which I might have once found support in. …   …   … Policies that could better validate and encourage parents who choose a full time unpaid caregiving role, while also easing financial pressure, include income splitting, caregiver allowances and longer paid parental leave. Parents working longer hours with younger children seems obviously like a situation that is far from ideal for the well-being of families, yet the government seems to unashamedly promote these policies. I generally feel that the government plays an active role in the cultural devaluation of caregiving and consistently prioritises profits over well being. I think concerted efforts should be made to recognise the contribution of unpaid caregivers. Workforce participation should include unpaid care work because it is still work. I must stress that Tapscott and I—we're not opposed to child care. We just want to see some choice. We want to see a situation where there are essential support measures for families, but not everyone is going to want to send their child under three to hours and hours of care in the hands of a stranger. At a time when access to child care is impossible in many areas—and there are those chronic workforce shortages—surely it makes sense for us to develop a system where a little more assistance is provided to parental caregivers, which may encourage them to take on more of that responsibility in those formative early years. Again, I stress that no-one should be judged for decisions they make which work best for their family at that time. Family policies matter because, when families are doing well, our communities prosper and our nation is stronger. I urge those opposite and members on this side to engage in this debate constructively with a view towards improving choice, accessibility and flexibility in our childcare system. Blair Electorate: Infrastructure 87 12:59 Mr NEUMANN HVO Blair The Albanese Labor government is building Australia's future. We have an infrastructure pipeline of $120 billion that is about making the journeys between cities and regional and rural communities safer, getting people home on time, improving productivity and making sure the lifestyle and livelihoods of people are improved. In addition to that, we've doubled the Roads to Recovery funding to $1 billion per year so that councils can get the funding they need to maintain local roads and make improvements. We reversed, of course, the coalition government's cuts in this space. Now we've put $200 million on the table available for the Safer Local Roads and Infrastructure Program each year, and we've increased the black spot funding to $150 million a year. Locally, on 26 February, I was pleased to announce a major update on the Bremer River Bridge upgrade along the Warrego Highway in my electorate, along with the local state member for Ipswich West, Wendy Bourne. The Queensland Department of Transport and Main Roads, TMR, finally confirmed it won't be going ahead with its original plan to redeck the Bremer River westbound bridge, which would have seen it closed for six months. Instead, TMR is undertaking rehabilitation and strengthening works to repair fatigue cracks in the steel girder welds under the bridge, which should be completed this year or early next year. That means less disruption for the 32,000 commuters and heavy vehicles that use the bridge every day. It means we can remove the current reduced speed limits that are in place and get traffic flowing again sooner. This has been the bane of people's lives. This is a good outcome for our local community, but the reality is it should never have taken this long to get to this point; the works by TMR were supposed to have started late last year. It's all the more disappointing when you consider that the Albanese Labor government and the former Queensland Labor government, through myself and local state member, who was then the candidate for Ipswich West, Wendy Bourne, secured the joint funding to fix the Bremer River Bridge two years ago, back in mid 2024. With the change of government in Queensland later that year, the project stalled. The new LNP government and TMR failed to keep myself, the state member, the council and local residents informed about what was going on with the upgrade. Sadly, this has become all too common for most major transport projects in Ipswich over the last 18 months. It's been an experience of delays since the election of the Crisafulli LNP government. So what are we doing? We simply cannot afford to fall behind like this, and we are trying to put as much pressure as we can on the LNP government in Queensland to recognise the fast-growing region of Ipswich and the western corridor. We've hit 270,000 people in Ipswich, and we're growing at the rate of 10,000 people each year. We're well on track to hit over 500,000 people by 2046. We are bursting at the seams, infrastructure is struggling to keep pace with the population growth and we're experiencing significant growing pains. As a very rough proxy, Infrastructure Australia has estimated the cost of congestion on Ipswich Motorway is to rise to $139,000,000 per annum by 2031. This is not some backwater. This is Ipswich, one of the major provincial cities in Queensland. The Albanese government gets this, and we have stepped up to invest more than $400 million in road and transport infrastructure in Blair. I'm proud of the fact that in the last few years we've been able to secure funding for pretty much every major transport infrastructure in my electorate and surrounds: $200 million for the Amberley interchange, $138.5 million for the Mount Crosby Road interchange, $42.5 million for the Bremer River Bridge, another $20 million for the Brisbane Valley Highway, $12.5 million for planning for the next stage, the final stage, of the Ipswich Motorway, plus $3.4 million for Ipswich-Springfield rail line business case. I fought for years to lock in funding for these projects, and now I find myself in the invidious position where most of these projects are well behind schedule and probably years away from construction even starting, much less being completed, because of the failure of the LNP state government. The federal government is really responsible for assisting in providing funds in this space. We are very much beholden to the Queensland government and its TMR when it comes to project delivery, and we have little control over project timeframes. Politics aside, I genuinely hope the Queensland government can understand the urgency of the task and the growth in the Ipswich corridor. At least based on public pronouncements, it seems that there is a bipartisan approach to meeting the needs of the region, but in practice it's not happening. Indeed, the Premier of Queensland, Premier Crisafulli, visited Ipswich in June last year, on the eve of the first budget, and acknowledged the need for an Ipswich infrastructure plan. Yet, a few days later, the Queensland budget had no such plan for Ipswich. There was no funding for big-ticket transport items, which was very disappointing and a political slap in the face for people living in Ipswich. There was no matching funding for the Albanese government's $200 million commitment to the Amberely interchange. There was only $4 million for a detailed business case for a second river crossing to duplicate the David Trumpy Bridge over the Bremer River. They failed to match, of course, the former state Labor government's $146 million commitment towards construction of such a bridge. Their failure to back in the Amberley interchange, in particular, was very poor and disappointing after LNP candidates—indeed, some members at a state level—had campaigned on the slogan Just Fix It during state and federal election campaigns, with billboards all over the place and brochures being distributed. On top of this, there were no updates on projects that had already had joint funding allocated, like the Mount Crosby Road interchange, the Bremer River Bridge, the Ipswich Motorway or the Ipswich to Springfield rail line. These projects all now appear to be in the slow lane. While we're now finally seeing some progress on the Bremer River Bridge repairs, the Mount Crosby interchange upgrade just up the road has been mishandled by TMR. The department had to complete additional ecological surveys under the federal government's Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act beyond what they claim they had initially anticipated. They knew about this in 2023, so it's disappointing that the construction is not expected to start until late 2026 and that it could be delayed even further. This is mishandling by the LNP government at a state level and its TMR department. Going forward, I hope they do not continue to hide behind these environmental approvals and use them as an excuse to delay the project further. Unfortunately, this project pre-dates the recent reforms to the EPBC Act aimed at fast-tracking project approvals. I can't help but feel that, if these projects were in other major centres like the Gold Coast or the Sunshine Coast, they would have been far progressed by now. In a bizarre postscript to the Crisafulli government state budget, the Queensland Minister for Transport and Main Roads, Brent Mickelberg, claimed wrongly in a speech in September last year that the Crisafulli government had matched the $200 million federal commitment to the Amberley interchange and that the funding was in the budget. It clearly was not. It was an extraordinary gaffe. In addition, the minister admitted the Amberley interchange was 'dangerous', yet he refused to join the federal government and commit money to this much-needed project. When I announced the $200 million ahead of the federal election last year, it was expected the Queensland government would match the funding because the LNP candidate running against me also matched our commitment just days later, expecting his comrades and colleagues in the Queensland government to match it. After all, it also followed an announcement in September 2024 from our government and the former state Labor government of another $20 million in joint funding for business cases for upgrades to the Amberley interchange and the Ripley Road and Swanbank Road interchanges along the Cunningham Highway. On top of this, in his speech, Minister Mickelberg further tried to claim that funding in the state budget for the Ipswich to Springfield rail link, or the public transport corridor, came from the Crisafulli government, when it was actually committed by the former state Labor government as well as the Albanese government. This was a 2022 election commitment of mine, with the Albanese Labor government and the former state Labor government both committing $3.4 million towards a detailed business case for the rail line to get the project back on track after it had stalled under the former coalition government. I understand the preliminary evaluation has now been completed, so the state government and the Ipswich City Council need to work with the federal government to finalise the scope of works and get the project to the detailed business case stage as quickly as possible. This is one of Ipswich region's highest priority projects and has just been endorsed again in Infrastructure Australia's latest priority list. We need to get moving and shovel ready. The Crisafulli state Liberal government have so far failed to deliver for Ipswich, and their first state budget was a missed opportunity for our region. I'm very hopeful, although I'm not quite sure, that they'll have a road-to-Damascus conversion experience and all of a sudden recognise that Ipswich is one of the biggest cities in Queensland and deserves the infrastructure to match the growth in its population. Cost of Living, Fuel Security 89 13:09 Mr CONAGHAN 279991 Cowper I stood in this place last week and spoke about Labor's unwritten slogan that every MP, from the Prime Minister down to the backbenchers, has adopted over the past four years. That slogan is 'Divert, Deflect and Deny'. These tactics have been used by those on the other side of the floor to distract the Australian people into believing that they are better off than they were four years ago, and nowhere is it more pronounced than when they are answering questions about the economy right now. I recall the Prime Minister saying in question time recently: … I've seen the positive difference that our government is making in easing cost-of-living pressures, improving the lives of Australians … Everybody out there knows that that is completely false, and I can say with certainty that the people in my electorate of Cowper on the Mid North Coast are definitely not feeling that their lives have been improved under this government. In fact, Australia has seen the biggest fall in living standards in the developed world over the past four years, so I find it absolutely remarkable that the Prime Minister can stand there at the dispatch box with a straight face and say that Australians are better off—'Divert, Deflect and Deny'. Australians are paying 39 per cent more for insurance, 38 per cent more for energy and 22 per cent more in rent. Health is up 18 per cent, education is up 17 per cent and food is up 16 per cent. Well, food's up 16 per cent right now, but, given the unfolding crisis in terms of fuel security, I think we'll see a definite peak in that statistic. But the Treasurer will tell you one of two things when he is asked about his role here—firstly, that it's somehow the coalition's fault. This is a line that he has become so accustomed to using over the four years, or perhaps he's just forgotten he's now in government—he's now the Treasurer. To be perfectly honest, it's almost like he's channelling his inner Bart Simpson: 'I didn't do it. It's not my fault.' The second reason he uses is that it's due to global forces outside of the government's control, a line that doesn't hold up when you compare the performance of Australia's economy to those of similar nations. When things are so clearly wrong and the trajectory of the Australian economy continues to sink ever lower, this treasurer behaves as though he is a bystander or a commentator, not a leader. Under this government and, more specifically, this Treasurer, government spending is at its highest level outside of a recession in 40 years, and Labor's debt is racing towards $1 trillion. What that means in plain English is that Australian taxpayers are currently shelling out $50,000 a minute to service that debt—to service Labor's debt. It's completely dead money, just like the repayments on your home loan and your mortgage. But, unlike your mortgage, this government isn't spending its money; it's spending your money, the taxpayer's money—the money that you pay every time you go to work. I know that, in my electorate of Cowper, the average household income is $1,500 a week. That's about $80,000 a year. So, in just two minutes, this government is spending more taxpayer money on servicing the debt than what the average household in Cowper earns in a year. I imagine it would be very similar in some of the Labor members' electorates. It's no wonder that Australians are feeling poorer than ever. Now, to add to the household budget woes, we're seeing petrol prices go through the roof. Look, I'll be fair. I'll acknowledge that this is out of the control of the government; there are international forces at play here. But the government absolutely has some levers within its reach to mitigate the fallout of the war in Iran on Australian citizens. Right now, farmers across the country can't get the fuel they need to do what they do every single day. I found it remarkable this morning—and I will talk about this for a little period—that Minister Bowen and Minister Rishworth were in the media saying there is no fuel supply issue. If you go to any regional electorate and go to any independent station or large business, you will be told the exact opposite. 'Divert, Deflect and Deny' is this government's new slogan. Remember we were told that there are 32 days of fuel security, and we're only at day 5 into the crisis. I can tell you that right now the service stations at Nana Glen, Glenreagh, Bowraville, Boambee and Coffs Harbour Marina have all run out of fuel or, in the case of the marina—and it's a large marina with a cooperative that supplies seafood up and down the coast—have been told that their fuel supply is not guaranteed. What we will see is job losses. What we will see is that freight will not be able to deliver those goods to supermarkets. What we will see is a shortage of food in supermarkets because of this government's failure to actually make sure that the fuel gets out there. It's no good sitting offshore. It's no good in containers where we can't access it. This government needs to act right now, immediately. We don't want to see our frontline workers, our frontline services such as the police, having to act as security or enforcement because of this government's failings. Once again, the minister for energy has to provide assurances to the agricultural sector that there will be access to fuel in the near future and that operations won't be affected. We are only five days into the Iran conflict, and, despite the minister assuring us that fuel reserves are at at least 32 days, we've already seen chaos in the market implications. The net zero obsession that we've seen during the four years of Labor's reign has become all consuming for the minister for energy. He needs to spend his entire day defending it rather than putting forward sensible solutions. This is where we see 'Divert, Deflect and Deny'. It is time for this government to come clean. It is time for this government to say, 'We have lost control of our economy.' It is time for this government to start dealing with the opposition and working in the interests of the Australian people rather than heading down the road of destroying the economy with $1 trillion in debt, no solutions and no answers. Fuel Security, Energy 90 13:19 Mr HOLZBERGER 88411 Forde There are a couple of things in the member for Cowper's contribution that I would like to respond to. He says that maybe it's not good enough for our strategic fuel supplies to be offshore. I'll say where it's not good enough for them to be. That's Texas or Louisiana. I think that the fact that the person who's now the opposition leader, and was the former energy minister, was the person responsible for that says a lot about where this opposition is going and where they would want to take this country. The second thing he said is that it's up to the energy minister to guarantee to agricultural business—and I guess to other businesses—that there will be fuel supply. The energy minister has been very clear that this is not a supply problem, that all of the fuel that was supposed to arrive in Australia has arrived and that all of the fuel that we expect to arrive in Australia is going to arrive. I think that the opposition should really be much more responsible in the language they're using. Ultimately there are demand pressures here, which is creating disruption, but there is enough diesel and there is enough petrol in this country. As much as we had expected there to be, there is. So there is no problem with supply. Actually the opposition would be helpful, in the national interest, if they were to help get that message out. So I guess I'm aggrieved, in my first grievance speech, about what the member for Cowper has had to say, which incidentally is the sort of thing that I did want to talk about here. In what is my first grievance speech, there are many things which I am aggrieved about—many things which people in the communities that we represent are aggrieved about. That is because we have been left as a government with 10 years of inaction by the previous government in so many areas that it's really hard to choose one topic to be aggrieved about. What I do want to talk about is energy and energy policy, but it could easily have been about housing. It could easily have been about health care. It could easily have been about training. There are so many things where the former government completely vacated the field that I could be aggrieved about, but I think energy is probably the one which is both relevant and fundamental to the Australian economy. Ultimately I'd like to surprise people a little bit by quoting Peter Dutton of all people. I thought that he summed it up perfectly when he said that energy is not just part of the economy; energy is the economy. From a historical point of view, we have seen that the 19th century was very much the birth of the Industrial Revolution, where we had coal and steam fired motors. The 20th century was about oil and the internal combustion engine. And the 21st century is very much going to be about electric motors and renewable energy. We've seen at each of those points in the past—when we started digging up coal, when we started drilling for oil—that living standards across our economies went up. They shot up through the roof. So it is, I think, the promise of renewable energy to lift living standards up even higher than we could possibly have imagined in the past. Yet it is because of this ideological obsession—this is what I don't get about the opposition's policy. There is this ideological obsession with using coal—and now dangling out their promise of nuclear energy, which nobody's going to build—which is now the most expensive energy that you could want to use rather than renewable energy firmed by gas and batteries, which is the cheapest model of energy. The only way to explain this is that they've got this ideological obsession that prevents them from supporting the cheapest model, because, somehow, if you believe in coal and nuclear, then you don't believe in climate change. That gives them the free pass. They are so obsessed with fighting the science of climate change that they would rather choose the most expensive forms of power. So it is that, through the course of the previous government, we've had this ideological fixation. So it is continuing today, I think, with the shadow Treasurer, who history will show is an even more radical shadow treasurer than John Hewson, who was bad enough in his time as shadow Treasurer. Now we've got a shadow Treasurer who is so fixated on this idea that the government should not be involved in health care, that superannuation shouldn't exist, that it should be all up to the individual, that people should have individualised health accounts rather than a universal scheme. And so it will be on energy that we again see this complete denial of the reality, the complete denial of the economics. We'll end up in the situation where we are at the moment, which is—just to reinforce what the energy minister has been saying, while there isn't a supply problem, I totally understand why people feel that our energy supply is precarious. COVID really showed those first shocks, that we could be exposed so openly to the international market, and the latest conflict in the Middle East has really accelerated that. We saw oil prices jump from $60 to $120 yesterday. They're back down to about $80. When Australians see that, just like all of us in here, we feel it in our bones that there is something wrong with our economy. When the Abbott coalition government came to power in 2013, there were six oil refineries in this country. When the coalition government lost power, there were two. It was only because of the pressure put on the coalition by the Labor Party at the time to protect those refineries—a policy which has been continued—that we still have those two. Otherwise, the ideology that the other side continue to espouse, the total abandonment of government involvement, would have seen those refineries walk, just as those opposite encouraged the car industry to walk. A fact about chemistry, which I learnt only recently, is that you can store oil longer than you can store fuel, so it is vital that Australia has that sovereign capacity. It is only because of the actions of the Labor government that we still have those two refineries left. Heaven forbid what would happen should those opposite get back into government! Another thing is the actual cost to the economy of the inaction of those opposite. As the Australian Energy Market Commission said, 'Delaying the connection of renewable generation and transmission into the market would put upward pressure on residential electricity costs.' So why do those opposite want to delay it? What is it that they have got against renewable energy so much that they want to put that at risk? The fact is, Australia had a very strong economy post-World War II because governments did get involved in the economy. For instance, we had great publicly owned electricity assets around the country. Unfortunately, under Liberal governments we've seen them privatised or corporatised to the point now where they don't play a useful role in helping to keep the cost of living down for workers or for businesses. It's now got to the point where privatisation and economic rationalism are now having a negative impact on the economy. But it is something they want to continue for some ideological reason. It's the same philosophy that saw 24 out of 28 coal-fired power stations close down. It's the same philosophy that saw four gigawatts of energy leave the system and one gigawatt of energy come on. It's the same philosophy that actually doesn't care about the results and doesn't care about the impact it has on people's lives. They are trying to appeal to a very narrow base of people who are obsessed with fighting the science of climate change, who are obsessed with a very sterile ideology of removing the government from the economy. Those opposite are obsessed with an ideology that comes at the expense of actual results for people. And so it is, in my first grievance debate, that I would like to get that off my chest on behalf of everybody who is struggling to pay a bill, on behalf of every business that is struggling. And before they start saying it is the current government, the opposition should take a look at their own record from when they were in government to what they are continuing to do now and what, heaven forbid, should happen if they got in again. The DEPUTY SPEAKER 299150 The time for the grievance debate has expired. The debate is interrupted in accordance with standing order 192B. The debate is adjourned, and the resumption of debate will be made an order of the day for the next sitting. Sitting suspended from 13:29 to 15:59 CONSTITUENCY STATEMENTS 92 CONSTITUENCY STATEMENTS Aged Care 92 15:59 Dr RYAN 297660 Kooyong When the government's new Aged Care Act came into force in November of last year, the minister declared a 'new era for aged care in Australia'. He promised 'once-in-a-generation changes' that would 'enshrine the rights of older Australians'. The minister was right. The reforms have ushered in a new era for older Australians. But it's one in which the futures of those who built this country are deeply uncertain, one in which frail Australians are being crushed by the cost of basic services and one in which far too many Australians, almost 5,000 last year, run out of time while stuck in a waiting queue. They die without the care and the support that they deserve. When I asked the minister during question time recently about 'robo' aged care, I was prompted by constituents who saw that the sector's new opaque algorithm was stripping aged-care assessments of clinical judgement. I'm hearing stories of people seeking reassessment, only to be told that they're no longer eligible for aged care. I'm told that the algorithm is systemically underestimating older Australians' needs. I'm hearing from experienced clinicians who are forbidden to override the algorithm to recommend more appropriate levels of support. And I'm hearing from clinicians who have left the sector in distress over their inability to adequately support the aged. Not only are there more than 100,000 older Australians waiting for these 'robo' assessments but there are over 130,000 people who have already been assessed and who are still waiting for Support at Home. And, once they do receive support, older Australians are getting less value for money. Many who were previously able to have their needs met through home care are now reporting reduced hours of support because of the rising costs of services. This is completely at odds with the government's promised no-worse-off principle. It's now four months since these reforms took effect. The system is unfit for purpose. It's relegating millions of Australians to a future of poorer health outcomes, lower quality of life and increased cost of living. This government promised a new era for aged care. Instead it has delivered an unfolding crisis. Older Australians deserve better than this. They deserve dignity, care and genuine needs based support. The government has an opportunity now to review, assess and iteratively improve Support at Home so it can be the program it was intended to be. It should do that as a matter of urgency. Good Gumnuts Festival, Wyndarra Centre 92 16:02 Ms URQUHART 231199 Braddon How good is live music? I went to the Good Gumnuts Festival on Saturday, in my electorate of Braddon. The Albanese Labor government is delivering on its commitment to keep Australia's music scene strong, supporting venues, keeping festivals vibrant and ensuring artists can continue doing what they love. Through the Revive Live program, 105 organisations right across the country received support, including in Braddon. I was especially pleased that the Good Gumnuts Festival received $70,000 to support Australian artist fees, professional development, production and accessibility. What began as a first-anniversary celebration for Harry Badcock and Charlotte Grey has now grown into one of the region's favourite festivals—an event that brings families, music lovers and visitors together in a spectacular setting. Good Gumnuts has always been about community, connection and joy. This funding has helped ensure that that spirit continues to grow. The line-up on Saturday was outstanding, and it was fantastic to join so many locals and visitors to support a festival that truly reflects the heart of the north-west. To the event volunteers: thank you for your hard work and dedication—you made the entire weekend run seamlessly. To Harry and Charlotte: congratulations! What you've created is something truly special. Your passion for music, for arts and for culture is strengthening our community and bringing new life and visitors to our region. I'm proud to highlight the Albanese Labor government's strong commitment to supporting Tasmanians who are doing it tough, including in Circular Head, in my electorate of Braddon. We've delivered a $5.7 million boost to emergency relief funding for Tasmania, shared across 10 local providers. This represents a 35 per cent increase in annual emergency relief funding for our state through to 2030, taking our total investment to almost $18 million. One of the key organisations benefitting from this support is Wyndarra, a fantastic, trusted, community based service that has been there for Circular Head residents for decades. This additional funding means that Wyndarra can offer more support for supermarket, petrol and pharmacy vouchers, more food parcels and toiletries and, importantly, more compassionate support when people need it most. But emergency relief is only the first step. With this investment, Wyndarra can continue connecting people to longer term assistance, such as housing support, financial counselling and wellbeing services that help families regain stability and move forward with confidence. Local services like Wyndarra understand the unique challenges faced by our rural communities. They know their community, they respond quickly and they provide support and dignity with care. That's why this investment matters. It ensures that no-one is left behind and that help is available close to home when and where it's needed. Northern Beaches Men's Wellbeing Collective 93 16:05 Dr SCAMPS 299623 Mackellar Across the Northern Beaches many men experience challenges such as stress, anxiety, depression, isolation, relationship breakdown, addiction, work pressures, grief or major life transitions. For many men, asking for help can feel difficult, whether that's due to stigma, uncertainty about where to turn or a belief that they should cope alone. That's why I'm so proud of the work being done by the Northern Beaches Men's Wellbeing Collective. The Northern Beaches Men's Wellbeing Collective is a trusted network of local men's community health organisations operating across the Northern Beaches to improve the lives of men through compassion, connection and community driven action. These organisations offer a wide range of support, from early intervention and prevention programs, to fundraising, mentoring, peer connection, counselling, crisis assistance and pathways to recovery. Each organisation has a different focus and approach, but all share a common goal: helping men feel supported, connected and empowered to take care of their mental and emotional wellbeing. The Northern Beaches Men's Wellbeing Collective was born out of a men's mental health roundtable I hosted in July 2024 which identified the need for local men's groups to come together on a regular basis to share ideas and resources and to increase public awareness of local services and support for men and their loved ones. The collective is supported by the Sydney North Health Network, the Northern Sydney Local Health District, Northern Beaches Community Health Services and the Northern Beaches Mental Health Interagency, who are all member organisations. I'd like to recognise the 10 local men's organisations, many of them volunteer run, and thank them for their commitment to fostering a connected and resilient community of men by normalising help-seeking, increasing awareness of supports and providing accessible pathways to health resources and services. My deepest thankyous go to Man Anchor, ManUnplugged, Mentoring Men, Mongrels Men Health and Wellbeing, MoWaNa Northern Beaches Safe Space, Northern Beaches CARES, Pittwater Offshore Men's Shed, Proveda, Saltwater Veterans and Lifeline Northern Beaches. On behalf of the people of Mackellar, I thank you for the wonderful work that you do, and continue to do, in supporting the men and families of the Northern Beaches. Lingiari Electorate: Flooding 93 16:08 Ms SCRYMGOUR F2S Lingiari I rise today to speak on the ongoing floods affecting my electorate of Lingiari and my old hometown of Katherine. Intense and sustained rainfall has caused widespread flooding throughout the Big Rivers region—the worst of its kind in over 20 years. The Aboriginal communities of Wugularr, or Beswick, Palumpa and Jilkminggan have been significantly impacted, and the people of these communities need urgent assistance. The Katherine community has also been greatly impacted. Homes have been severely damaged, people have been running out of food, many people's finances are stretched to the limit and businesses along the main street of Katherine have been flooded. The community of Daly River, or Nauiyu, had to be evacuated to Darwin for the second time this year, with evacuations also taking place in Palumpa and Jilkminggan. I want to thank the emergency services workers, NT Police Force and the amazing volunteers who are helping people navigate what is an incredibly difficult time. They have done an incredible job. I have heard how the community is also rallying together. I want to say a big thank you to all of the essential workers who are bringing food and supplies into remote communities which are currently isolated, and helping keep the shelters in Katherine open and shops running. The Commonwealth government has supported the NT government through the disaster recovery funding arrangements, which are now available to impacted residents in the Katherine Town Council region. It is critical that the Northern Territory chief minister also extend this to those impacted in our remote communities in the Daly and Roper River regions. They are in serious need of support, and the NT government must work quickly to provide this. I want to quickly mention that people have spoken to me and to Minister McCarthy of the need for more food and a greater level of information. My thoughts are with those members of our community who have been evacuated and are away from their homes during this very stressful time. I want to quickly take this moment to say this to our mob: floodwaters are incredibly unpredictable and dangerous. Crossing floodwaters is simply not worth it. If it's flooded, forget about it. Don't try and cross it. As the police have been saying over the weekend, there are crocs everywhere, and everyone needs to make sure that they are taking heed of the police and emergency services and doing the right thing. In times like this, it is easy to take risks, but, when you take that risk, it could be your life. I say to our communities and to everyone affected by the floods, yes, it's frustrating, but we all just need to work together to try and overcome this once-in-a—it has been a huge amount of rain that's fallen, but let's work with our police. Bowman Electorate: Economy 94 16:11 Mr PIKE 300120 Bowman I want to speak today about the realities facing families, retirees and small businesses in my community. Recently, I released the findings of my January 2026 Redland Business Survey, and I want to thank every local business who took the time to respond. Their feedback was incredibly insightful and deeply concerning. Almost 89 per cent of the businesses responding in my electorate expect their input costs to increase or significantly increase over the next 12 months. At the same time, 13 per cent anticipate reducing staff levels, up from just 10 per cent six months ago. Nearly half, 48 per cent, believe the economy will contract in the year ahead, while only 20 per cent expect growth. Most alarmingly of all but perhaps not surprisingly, 96 per cent of respondents believe that the current federal government is not delivering policies that encourage growth or support small business. Business confidence in the Redlands is not just softening; it is sliding. But these statistics only tell part of the story of the economic pressures facing my community. I have been inundated in recent weeks by constituents reaching out to outline how the rising cost of living is affecting them and their households. A 73-year-old pensioner, Patricia, in my electorate, wrote to me about her struggle. She receives just over $1,300 per fortnight from the pension. Her rent is $1,140 per fortnight, leaving just $204 to cover food, electricity, petrol, insurance and medical costs. At 73, she's returned to work, driving for DoorDash. She's working into her 70s not as an added extra but just to sustain herself. This is just one of many examples, many stories that I'm hearing from my constituents. But, listening to the government in question time any day this week, you'll be forgiven for thinking that we're entering some sort of golden era. Australians have never had it so good, according to this government. But that is absolutely not the case in my community. Small businesses in the Redlands are telling me that red tape is relentless and confidence is falling. My constituents are emailing me, calling me every day, talking to me at street stalls about the costs being too high and energy bills totally unaffordable. The government must confront the reality that policy settings are squeezing retirees, families and employers at the same time. If we continue down this path, we risk entrenching a two-speed economy, one where governments grow but private enterprise shrinks, where pensioners work longer but feel less secure and where aspiration is replaced by anxiety. This is not the sort of Australia that we want. This is not protecting Australians' way of life or restoring their standard of living. Under the Albanese Labor government, Australia is heading in the wrong direction, and we need to fix that as soon as possible. Corporate Governance: Superannuation Industry 94 16:14 Ms SITOU 298121 Reid I recently met with a local constituent, Melinda Kee. She is a victim of the collapse of the superannuation fund First Guardian Master Fund. This collapse and that of the Shield fund have impacted over 12,000 Australians. It has caused devastating financial losses for many of those people just before they hit retirement, a time when they most need their super fund nest egg. These are not just numbers; these are people's futures, their plans and their sense of security that have been shattered. Ms Kee lost all of her retirement savings, worth hundreds of thousands of dollars. On top of this financial hardship, Ms Kee has faced many other life challenges over the last 12 months. Despite all of this she has bravely stepped forward not only to fight for herself but to advocate for others who have been affected. Ms Kee has chosen to stand up, speak out and support other victims in chasing compensation. She has provided guidance, shared her experience and helped other people navigate the system. Sometimes she's been their only lifeline. I want to commend her sacrifices, her resilience and her commitment to help others, many of whom have faced severe financial distress as a result of these collapses. Her courage represents the very best of our community. Ms Kee has been working closely with the Australian Financial Complaints Authority, AFCA—a free, independent service which helps consumers and small businesses resolve disputes on financial matters. Thanks to the Albanese government, AFCA has been strengthened and now covers additional financial areas, such as disputes around scams, and from this year it will also cover complaints involving crypto platforms. One of the most important initiatives by the Albanese government was the introduction of the Compensation Scheme of Last Resort. This helps people recover up to $150,000 in lost funds in cases like the collapse of the First Guardian and Shield funds. While no sum of money can fully erase the stress and uncertainty victims have gone through, it does give victims such as Melinda Kee some peace of mind that they can get back some of their life savings. The government takes the integrity of our financial system very seriously. We are committed to ensuring that the system not only delivers financial security in retirement but does so with fairness. I would encourage anyone impacted by First Guardian or Shield to contact AFCA and ensure your claim is lodged before 31 March. Fadden Electorate: Community Events 95 16:17 Mr CALDWELL 306489 Fadden Today I rise to celebrate a wonderful occasion that was held recently at Gainsborough State School where the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the Hon. Milton Dick MP, visited as part of the Australian Parliament House National Flag Roadshow. I want to thank Principal Clay McCann and all of the school community for such a wonderful and warm welcome. We spoke with year 5 and 6 students about the role of parliament, the importance of democracy and why every Australian, no matter their age, should know that their voice matters. Students were very engaged, and interestingly we were able to unfurl one of the flags that sits on top of the Parliament House inside the school hall. Of course it's the same size as a double-decker bus, which was quite impressive for the students. The interesting thing was the vote in relation to whether or not pineapple should be on a pizza. I would like to record for the history books that apparently the first ever dead heat was held—it was 99 votes all—and I was given the great honour by the Speaker of the casting vote. Now, do not mention this to the Premier of Queensland—just keep it between us in this room—I said that pineapple should be on pizza, and so of course that side won. But, in all seriousness, thank you to the Speaker and his team for a wonderful experience. I rise today to pay tribute to the wonderful community event that is the Paradise Point parkrun. On the weekend they marked their 500th event, and I am very proud of this one because, back when I was in the local council at the Gold Coast, we started this event on 17 October 2015. All these years later it's still going strong and getting hundreds of participants each week. It's a great community event, and I'm so very proud of it. On Friday of last week I attended the Arundel State School leadership induction ceremony. I was joined by my state colleague the Hon. Sam O'Connor and by local councillor Joe Wilkinson for what was a very great event for our local students to recognise their leadership that they will offer this year. Now this doesn't happen without some serious work behind the scenes by the staff. So to Principal Landon Dare and to Deputy Principal Bridgette O'Donnell, thank you so much for getting these students ready for leadership. I was very proud to be there to hand out some badges and certificates. Last week, I had a visit to Parliament House by one of my local schools. Kings Christian College from Pimpama visited my office as part of their recent tour to Canberra, and I was joined by a roundtable of grade 12 executive captains together with one of their deputy heads of high school, Mr Ralf de la Mare. It was great to discuss with them the importance of parliament and the leadership that they can offer. Taylor, Ms Michelle, Scarlett, Mrs Noeline 95 16:20 Mr DAVID SMITH 276714 Bean I rise today to highlight the work of Michelle Taylor, group leader of Lake Tuggeranong Sea Scouts, who has worked in our community for over 30 years taking on many roles and being a leader for hundreds of youth members. Acting Chief Commissioner of Scouts ACT Daniel Bartlett summed up her work best, telling my office: Michelle is someone who is truly passionate about scouting. She is exceptionally keen to get her group out on the water, practicing sailing, canoeing and kayaking on Lake Tuggeranong and competing with other Canberra based and inter-state groups at the Tri-Lakes and Sirus Cup events and also sharing these experiences with other groups from across Australia at the Governor General's Camp in 2024. She is also a keen organiser of branch wide events such as the recent Kub Kars event, partnering with volunteers from the South Canberra Veterans' Shed who helped Cubs with woodworking and finishing to get their cars track-ready. She was also the Contingent Lead for the ACT Contingent to the 26th Australian Jamboree at Maryborough, Queensland in January 2025. This involved setting up and managing a team to prepare and coordinate 314 leaders and youth participants for their journey, to get the most of their experience and to come home safe and sound, muddier but wiser, from this once in a lifetime event Thank you, Michelle, on behalf of the Bean electorate, for all the work you've done in our community over the decades. There are people across my community who've lived extraordinary, selfless lives, and today I want to shout-out to one of those people. I recently had the opportunity to write to Noeline Scarlett to celebrate her 90th birthday. Noeline's family hails from Montrose, Scotland, with her father travelling here in 1925 before settling in Queanbeyan and running a local bakery. Noeline, alongside her husband, Keith, had a corner store in Queanbeyan. From there, she went on to work at the Queanbeyan Golf Club. Noeline eventually came over to the better side of the border and worked with the Rugby Union Club at Barton as an office clerk and then manager. Noeline has also served our broader community with extensive volunteer work, including 39 years with the Quota Club of Queanbeyan. She served on the committee responsible for the start of Meals on Wheels in the region and the committee responsible for the start of the children's kindergarten in Harris Park. After living in Curtin for many years, Noeline has now settled in the best part of the region, the proper south of Canberra in Monash. Thank you, Noeline, for everything you've done for our community right across the region, and I look forward to writing to you on your 100th. Fuel 96 16:23 Mr BUCHHOLZ 230531 Wright Across my electorate, the largest contributor to GDP is certainly agriculture. I just wanted to give a shout-out to those farmers, graziers, service station people, fuel supply wholesalers and distributors who have taken the time to reach out to me personally and to share the level of despair that they are experiencing at the moment as a result of the fuel shortages. It's a real issue in regional Australia, and they're frustrated. They feel that this government is not aware of the problems that are existing out beyond the 60-kilometre zones of Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane. These are real problems confronting regional Australia and regional Queensland. We don't get the opportunity, when we go to a service station, to make a decision as to whether or not we put $10 or $15 in. On the distances that we have to travel, normally it's a full fill. I want to share with you a story about a farmer by the name of Tim Russell. Tim's a very good farmer. He used to farm in Victoria. He grows lucerne. He'll do a couple of rotations with barley. He's an exceptionally disciplined grower. Tim has been disciplined because he's got a planting window for him to be able to get his crop in the ground. He ordered fuel a week ago—a thousand litres, just his normal top-up—and he hasn't been able to get that for the last five days. Today he rang me, and I said: 'Mate, ring your supplier again. Ask him what's going on because, when I'm here in the parliament, I'm being reliably told by the energy minister that the boats are arriving on time and that the fuel is coming into the terminals.' So he rang his supplier, an independent who buys on the spot market, and said, 'Can I get my thousand litres today?' and he said, 'No, you can't.' But he was offered 300 litres. The supplier who gives him the fuel said he had been in the industry for 45 years and had never seen it this bad. So my question to the parliament is: why is it that we've got this panic buying on? There's no doubt that there is panic buying. I think the optics of having the first five independent service stations—there have been many across my electorate: Aratula, Walloon, Forest Hill, Boonah, Beaudesert—where you go to fill up and there is no fuel creates the panic. If we remove the panic by getting the terminals to release the fuel that they've got, the problem disappears. It's not complicated, and I'm going to the minister now to have this conversation with him. Australian Parliament 96 16:26 Mr MATT SMITH 312393 Leichhardt As part of my work in the community, I welcome in work experience kids to my office. They spend the week. They shadow me. They occasionally answer the phones. They occasionally write letters. One thing I get them all to do is help me write a speech. My last work experience kid was Sania Arora. She attends St Monica's College. She's 15 years old. Her parents migrated from India when she was just a small child. She remembers a bit of India, but Cairns is her home. She is clever and driven, and it was a pleasure to have her. This is her speech: I rise today to express sincere gratitude to the Prime Minister, Members of Parliament and to al those who serve within the House. Leadership carries great responsibility and it is important that we pause to acknowledge the dedication shown by those entrusted with guiding our nation. Public service requires patience, discipline and a deep commitment to the Australian people. Every decision made in this chamber reflects long hours of effort and a shared desire to build a stronger future. The progress our nation has achieved is a result of commitment and cooperation. Your leadership and service continue to strengthen Australia and guide our nation forward. I also extend appreciation to the staff, advisors and community leaders who support the work of this Parliament. Their contributions often made quietly and constantly, are essential to the functioning of our democracy. Australia continues to grow stronger through integrity, respect and service. In times of challenge and in times of progress, it is unity, respect and cooperation that move our nation forward. Today, we recognise the resilience and commitment of those who lead with integrity and purpose. On behalf of the communities we represent, I say thank you for your service in Australia. Sania Arora. I read it and I was struck because it's easy to get lost—sometimes in the cynicism, sometimes in question time. But I know that every single person here, every single person in this room, is here out of a desire to make their communities better. The philosophies might be different. The way we go about it might be different. But we've all put our hand up for this service, and to have a 15-year-old come in with that kind of clarity to remind us of the reasons that we're here every day was really refreshing. She is a great kid. She's got fantastic ambitions and she's an absolute credit to her school and a credit to our region. I have welcomed her back. I hope that she'll spend some more time in my office. Words cannot describe just how excited I was to have her and just how excited she was to be a part of the process. Sania, we're going to print this out and send it to you. Thank you so much for your time. Neille, Mr Josh 97 16:29 Mr CHESTER IPZ Gippsland Students of Australian politics would know that the totem animal of the Nationals is the wombat. The story of the wombat and the National Party dates back about 60 years. It was known as the 'wombat trail' on the campaign, when the journalists would join the leader of the day and travel throughout regional Australia to some of the more far-flung places. Deputy Speaker Aldred, as a country girl, you'd know that wombats are resilient and adaptable. But wombats are also a little bit obstinate, which is probably something they have in common with the National Party. When they make up their minds, they stop at nothing until they get what they want. So personally I have a bit of a soft spot for wombats. It's probably why my eye was caught by one legendary Gippslander by the name of Josh Neille. Josh has actually been catching the eyes of people right throughout the world. Josh has 1½ million Instagram followers. He's known as the bloke who saves the wombats in Gippsland. Now, 1.5 million Instagram followers for Josh is quite extraordinary because, along with his wife, Amber, and his daughter, Ashlee, he is somewhat of a self-styled wildlife warrior. In addition to rescuing wombats and nursing them back to health, Josh and his family have also been involved in catching snakes for people on their properties and relocating them back to the bush. He also works with emus, birds of prey, kangaroos, wallabies—you name it. He will help any native Australian animal that has been injured, perhaps, by vehicles or had an altercation with another native animal. Josh will get the call and he'll go out and rescue that animal and nurse it back to health. He is a deeply authentic Gippslander. Deputy Speaker Aldred, I'm sure you've probably seen a couple of his videos. He's a tradie by day and by night; he works night shift. But he's quite an unlikely looking character. When you see him on his Instagram page, you'll know what I mean. He has dreadlocks down to here. He's tattooed. He looks like a reserves player for the Boisdale Briagolong football club. In fact, he is a reserves player for the Boisdale Briagolong football club. He was part of the premiership team last year. So he's a very authentic Gippslander and also a very humble fellow. In fact, his description on his Instagram page is 'just a little Australian family helping out wildlife and getting them back to the bush'. So I say to Josh: congratulations and well done on what you're doing to save wildlife in our part of Gippsland. Keep taking that incredibly positive message with your family to the world. Or, as Josh would say on his Instagram account—onya, mate; keep up the great work. The DEPUTY SPEAKER 11788 Before I call the next member, while I too love wombats, I remind all members about bringing props into the chamber. Education 97 16:32 Mr SOON 298618 Banks In my first speech to the House, I spoke about my passion for education policy and ensuring that all students have access to the opportunities that a quality education affords. This is why I was so pleased to hear the update from the Minister for Education in the House last week that confirmed this government's education policies are making a difference for students across our country, including in my electorate of Banks. As the minister laid out, for the first time in years the number of students completing high school is going back up. This improvement hasn't been driven by growth in just one area; it is across the board. Regardless of gender or whether they study at a public, independent or Catholic school, more students are completing year 12. As the minister noted last week, finishing high school is more important than ever. This is not just for the individual but for the Australian economy as well. As the Australian Universities Accord report notes, in order to meet the demand for skills in the years ahead, the proportion of people in the workforce who hold a certificate, a diploma or a degree needs to rise to about 80 per cent, meaning finishing high school is just the first step. In my electorate of Banks, I hear from so many parents who tell me that they want their children to receive a quality education and access all the opportunity that comes with it. The Better and Fairer Schools Agreement is this government's answer, with the biggest ever new investment in our schools by an Australian government, tied to genuine reforms of teaching practice and complementing programs like the Schools Upgrade Fund, which supported nine schools in my electorate of Banks. It should be noted that, when this Labor government came to office, each of these metrics—year 12 completion, school attendance and teacher shortages—had been getting consistently worse. They were the all too predictable consequences of the former Liberal government ripping $30 billion out of public education. But this Labor government is turning the corner. With rising school attendance, rising year 12 completion, more schoolteachers and more people enrolling to become teachers, parents in my electorate know they have a government that believes in the power of education and that is making the important investments needed so that every student across the country, including in Banks, can realise their full potential. Fuel 98 16:35 Mr HAMILTON 291387 Groom Sadly, my office has received multiple reports of fuel supply shortages throughout our area. Two petrol stations on Taylor Street are no longer serving. In Wyreema it's capped at 60 litres per customer. I just heard Chris Smith on the radio saying that Dalby is out of diesel. I have to confirm that, of course, but this is a real concern for us. We've got the sorghum harvest just around the corner, about to get started. People are trying to secure the fuel they'll need to do that, to recover their costs and, hopefully, make a little bit more. It's a huge issue in my electorate. My electorate is one of the electorates, one of the areas, that the minister for energy couldn't identify today, in question time, when he was asked where the fuel supply shortages are. He couldn't identify it. We heard today that the minister intends to take a very hands-off approach to dealing with this issue. He's not going to do anything more. He's saying that this is just panic buying—and I join with the concerns around panic buying—but why is the panic buying happening? It's because people are seeing closed petrol stations. They're driving past signs that say it's capped at 60 litres. They're seeing it. That's why the panic buying is happening. And we saw the minister today standing there, saying, 'Tell me what to do. What do I do?' There's lots that the minister can do. The first thing he can do is look back to 2021, when we had the AdBlue crisis. When we were in government, we saw there was a shortage of AdBlue playing out in certain parts of Australia. We worked with the ACCC to relax some of the provisions of the Competition and Consumer Act to make sure we could work together, across Australia, to get that AdBlue where it was needed so that our farmers and our truckers had what they needed to keep Australia moving. We did that, and Labor supported it. Labor said it was a sensible option to take. But now, when Labor find themselves with the weight of government on their own shoulders and a very similar problem in front of them, with the blueprint laid out for how to respond to a crisis just like this, what do they do? They freeze. They freeze—hands off—and blame Australians for panic buying, when there is so much that this minister can do to address the concerns in my local area. It's long been my view that this minister is more focused on trying to be the president of COP than he is on delivering as the energy minister for Australia, getting on the ground and understanding the issues that we have to deal with, particularly in regional Australia. Energy is the economy, and this economy runs on diesel. That's the truth of Australia's set-up. The longer this goes on, the more concern there will be in communities like mine, like many of my colleagues' and, I'm sure—as we heard today—even in Western Sydney, where there are fuel shortages, right next to the seat of the minister for energy. I suggest he goes out and puts his feet on the ground and sees what's happening in his own patch. Marsden, Mr Jim, OAM 98 16:38 Ms STANLEY 265990 Werriwa The Marsden family have been part of the fabric of the Campbelltown community for decades. Jim Marsden's parents, Guy and Tibby, were well known in the town as publicans. Nowadays, the Marsden name is synonymous with the legal practice established by Jim's late brother John in 1968. Jim joined his brother in the practice in 1973. Jim Marsden was admitted as a lawyer in 1975 and celebrated 50 years as a solicitor last year. To recognise this milestone and Jim's significant contribution to the law, the Law Society of New South Wales bestowed Jim with life membership on Friday 6 March. Jim has been recognised by the Law Society of New South Wales, acknowledging his outstanding contribution to the legal profession. This recognition reflects his professional attainments, expertise, leadership and dedicated service to the community of the Macarthur and beyond over this time. This prestigious honour is well deserved, and I congratulate Jim on the outstanding achievement. Jim is a committed family man, loyal to his community. Over the years he's been involved in many charitable, civic and sporting organisations. Currently he's on the board of the Ingham Institute for Applied Medical Research, leading groundbreaking research to improve the health of locals in south-west Sydney. Jim has always been a generous supporter of any worthy cause in the region. The Marsdens group is often acknowledged for their support for kids charities, cancer charities and sporting groups. In 2011, Jim was the winner of the law society president's award for his pro bono work in our community. He was also awarded an OAM in 2013 for his continuing contributions. In 2017, Jim was awarded an honorary fellowship by Western Sydney University. He also received the very special honour of being made a Campbelltown ambassador at a function at the New South Wales parliament house in 2018 in recognition of his efforts in promoting and supporting the Macarthur community. Over the course of his career, Jim has shown himself to be an outstanding practitioner, leader and mentor. Marsdens Law Group is synonymous with excellence, and that's largely because of Jim's leadership. Nowadays, Marsdens group in Campbelltown employs over 170 staff across five offices. It's more than a law practice; it's an institution. I, along with hundreds of others, am lucky to call Mr Jim Marsden a friend. I'm personally delighted for him on the honour bestowed on him by the law society. I wish Jim many more years of practice, confident in the knowledge that he will continue to contribute to the region that means so much to him. 2026 Cook Awards 99 16:41 Mr KENNEDY 267506 Cook I wish to acknowledge 39 amazing Australians who reside in Cook. Our 2026 Cook Volunteer of the Year is Lisa Brown. For many years, Lisa served as registrar for the Gymea United Football Club, a very demanding and largely unseen role ensuring hundreds of local families participate and have fun each season. Lisa has also supported the all-abilities Sutherland Titans FC and the St Pat's Baseball Club. She gives back well beyond her family's involvement and continued the role decades after her children went through. Her dedication strengthened grassroots sports across the Sutherland Shire and reinforced a sense of belonging. There are now three people doing the job Lisa used to do at Gymea United. She is humble, serves without fuss and accepted the award without a speech. Well, Lisa, I will speak for you. Your community celebrates you, and I celebrate you. From all the mums and dads right across the Sutherland Shire, thank you. Our 2026 Cook Young Volunteer of the Year is Angus Cunningham. After facing cancer twice before the age of 12, Angus chose leadership over retreat. Through his book Twice Before Twelve, his advocacy, talking and mental-health coaching, he's offered hope and reassurance to young families navigating serious illness. Angus speaks on mental health, showing courage, vulnerability and love for his family and friends—the very role model of a modern man. He now fundraises for charity and is an avid runner. Angus, the whole community of Cook is very proud of you. This year, we also presented the inaugural Legacy of Lifetime Excellence in Surf Lifesaving Award to Warren Rennie AM. For almost 70 years, Warren has served surf lifesaving as a lifesaver, as a coach, as a referee, as an educator and as an administrator. He's been inducted into the Surf Life Saving Australia Hall of Fame, appointed a Member of the Order of Australia and awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia. Internationally, Warren has been recognised as a Grand Knight in the Order of Lifesaving, the highest honour in the global lifesaving movement. Warren, you are a legend. Thank you for what you do for our community. In sport, we honoured Alex Johnston, Dave Richards, Jodie Green, Katrina Sant, Maureen Crowther and Helen Hamilton-Foster. We also recognised Luke Khoury and Jarryd Biviano for community sporting development, Tracie Sammut as a sporting trailblazer and Sandra Moss as a sports mentor. In surf lifesaving, we honoured Kasey Diver-Tuck, and, for community leadership and fundraising, we recognised Timothy and Kathryn Murdoch and Thana Akkari. Colman, Linda Ann 99 16:44 Ms SWANSON 264170 Paterson We in this place all know that we couldn't do our jobs without our teams. They are the engine rooms behind us all. So it was with incredible sadness and shock last year that I received a message advising me that one of my team members had suddenly and most unexpectedly passed away. I am speaking about Linda Ann Colman. She was 65 and she was affectionately known by her family as 'Lindy-Ann from Queanbeyan'. Linda was born and bred in Queanbeyan, and she was one of those people who are gems from start to finish. She was a stalwart of the Australian Labor Party and she was old-fashioned Labor—she believed in a hard day's work for well-earned pay. She also loved a very cold espresso martini. Linda came to work for us five years ago. She had worked for the former member for Eden-Monaro, Mike Kelly, and, when I phoned Mike to tell him of her passing, he too was deeply shocked and saddened. He said, 'Mate, she was a massive part of my show.' She'd worked for him for around 15 years. He had a lot of responsibility, particularly in defence, and I know Linda played a pivotal role in that. Around five years ago, Linda decided to step back a little bit from the political-staffer life and retire to Port Stephens because she loved scuba diving. But she couldn't give it up completely—the political-staffer life, not the diving—so she came to work for me part time. Really, it wasn't ever part time, because she was always on the emails at home and she was always just a phone call away when I would invariably forget a password or someone needed the code for the lock on the door. We had a little sign, and it said, 'If you can't remember your code, phone Linda.' She was the keeper of all of the secrets and all of the important information. She did all of my financials. She kept the wheels turning in our office. You can't imagine the shock that we all felt in hearing that she had been diving at her beloved Port Stephens and had had a very sudden medical episode. We were all terribly shocked on 8 November. It was a Saturday, and I'll never forget when I got that message. Linda was the embodiment of loyalty, care, quiet strength and respect. She didn't seek any recognition, but she most certainly earned it. When I spoke to the Prime Minister in the days before her funeral, he said, 'She was a true believer, wasn't she?' And I said, 'She sure was.' She's terribly missed, not just by me and my team but by her family. She will be forever remembered for her contribution. The DEPUTY SPEAKER 11788 Deepest condolences to Linda's family, you and your team. Ms SWANSON 264170 Thank you. Young Australians 100 16:47 Mr YOUNG 201906 Longman Over the last couple of months, I've had the pleasure of attending leadership investiture events at many of the 44 schools in the Longman electorate. I find these events one of the most enjoyable aspects of this job. That's because they're positive events, and I love talking to the students, who are just excited about their future and couldn't care less about politics. I've been privileged to have been asked to speak on leadership at some of these leadership investitures, drawing on my life experiences in this area. I've shared my journey of being led and inspired by great people in my life—and the little bit of leadership experience I've had as well. I always try and reinforce to these students that the greatest leaders that I've followed have also been the greatest servants, that they put the needs of others before their own, that they see the best in people and believe the best in people. But one of the greatest attributes of great leaders is that they understand that failure is not a final destination but actually one of the vital steps to success. No successful leader I have personally known has ever not failed or not had to face some type of adversity. Yet we now live in a society that, in many cases, encourages that you're better off not having a go in case you fail. Children aren't allowed to climb a tree in case they fall out. Some parents, teachers and guidance counsellors are pushing and even forcing young people to take up career paths that simply don't suit them—and which, in some cases, they actually hate—simply because those pathways have university degrees, which are admirable but no good for these particular young people. I talk to so many people that have started a university degree and, after one, two, three or even four years, dropped out because they hated it, and they shouldn't have been there in the first place. Then, to top it off, they start a job as a tradie, which they love, and they have a HECS debt. I often ask students what Janine Allis—who started Boost Juice—Lindsay Fox from Linfox, Frank Lowy from Westfield, Melanie Perkins from Canva, Kerry Packer, Gerry Harvey, Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, Richard Branson, Henry Ford and Walt Disney all have in common. These people all had one thing in common: either they didn't start university or, if they did, they didn't finish. These people are the people that the universities write and lecture about. They are the players in life, not the spectators. To young people: don't ever think that the story writers are more important than the actors. They both matter. I say to you: follow your dreams and live my mantra. It's better to have a go and fail than not to have a go at all. We are a better nation when we let our youth explore and follow their own passions and dreams rather than tell them what is best for them. Education 100 16:50 Ms TEESDALE 314526 Bass Today I want to talk about something that is simple but can have an extraordinary impact on a child's life: reading aloud. Before entering this place I worked as a teacher and spent many years supporting students through literacy intervention, from prep right through to year 12 and beyond. Through that work I saw firsthand the difference that early exposure to books and stories can make. Children who grow up hearing stories, language and conversation arrive at school ready to learn. But children who miss those experiences can spend years trying to catch up. The research in Australia is very clear. Studies on early language exposure show that children who are read to regularly hear well over one million more words before they start school than children who are rarely read to. Shared reading is so important. It helps children develop vocabulary, comprehension, and social and emotional skills. Those benefits can begin as early as infancy. We need words to be able to share our thoughts, feelings and needs. A broad vocabulary is integral to this lifelong wellbeing. The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare notes that reading regularly with young children stimulates patterns of brain development, strengthens the bond between parent and child and builds language and literacy skills that children will need to succeed at school. We also know that Australian children value this time. Research also shows us that 86 per cent of Australian children say they love having books read aloud to them at home because it creates that special time with parents and carers. Yet, despite this, only around one in four Australian parents is actually getting that time to read aloud regularly with their children, which means that too many young Australians are missing out on those really key experiences. Across the country there are remarkable community organisations working to fix that. Local library groups, which are absolutely fantastic, and groups such as Toast for Kids, Rosie's Reading and the Lighthouse Toowoomba are helping families access books and encouraging parents and carers to read with children every single day. Their work shows that supporting literacy is not just the job of schools; it is something that communities—and we—can do together. This weekend I'm excited and looking forward to celebrating that message at Home Hill in Devonport—where Joe Lyons also lived, just for our Labor crew here, well, for everyone—where families will gather for a special event, encouraging parents and grandparents to read aloud to their children every day. It's a simple idea, but it can change lives because, when adults read to children, they're not just sharing a story; they're building language, building imagination and building the confidence children need to succeed at school and beyond. My message is simple: please read aloud to the children in your life every single day because sometimes the smallest daily habit can make the biggest difference to a child's future. Hinkler Electorate: Flooding, Hervey Bay Sun 101 16:53 Mr BATT 315478 Hinkler As I rise this afternoon, so too is the mighty Burnett River which runs through Bundaberg. Homes and businesses have begun to be inundated and more are under threat as the Burnett is expected to peak at a major flood level overnight tonight, at a level similar to, but hopefully lower than, that we experienced in December 2010. Approximately 280 homes and 120 businesses are expected to be inundated at some level As council's former disaster management officer, I encourage people to keep up to date with trusted local advice. Look out for your neighbours, and stay connected with the council disaster dashboards. I've just met with the federal Minister for Emergency Management, Kristy McBain MP. I thank her for meeting with me at such short notice today. The minister has assured me that she is well aware of the flooding currently impacting Bundaberg and will be monitoring it closely. I've been granted leave from parliament, and I will be heading back to the electorate first thing tomorrow morning to be on the ground for the recovery efforts. This afternoon both traffic bridges, which connect the north of Bundaberg to the CBD, have been closed. As my community always does, it is pitching in—mates helping mates to get people and their belongings to higher ground. My office and I have been keeping in contact with businesses that will be impacted and have offered our support. I've also been in briefings with local and district disaster management members. An evacuation centre has been established at the Bundaberg Recreation Precinct as a last resort for affected residents. However, I would urge all residents who may be affected in north, east, south and central Bundaberg, and in Avoca and Branyan, to act now and enact your disaster plan. Find family or friends in safer places and move while you can. The people of Hinkler are tough, and together we will get through this flood like we have in the past. I say thank you to those who are standing up and supporting friends and strangers in need. Times like these bring out the best in our people. To my community, please stay safe and stay informed by following the Council's Disaster Dashboard. At a time when we are witnessing a general decline of regional media, it gives me great pleasure to inform the House that a new hard-copy newspaper has gone to print and 20,000 copies of the Hervey Bay Sun have been distributed to my community. Locally owned media with a sharp local focus is crucial at a time when so much regional content is being swallowed up and overshadowed by state and national network news. Editor Craig Winter tells me that their small family business has made huge investments in local media, and his staff have worked incredibly hard to get this first edition off the press. When local media is thriving, politicians like us can be held to account, and the issues we are standing up for can be covered. Hervey Bay, like all regional communities, deserves to be kept informed and represented. I congratulate the Hervey Bay Sun on their first edition. Floods 101 16:56 Ms TEMPLEMAN 181810 Macquarie As we've watched flooding occur around the country in recent days and weeks, there's deep empathy for victims from my electorate who live on the Hawkesbury-Nepean floodplain. This season we've been lucky so far, but that doesn't mean we can ignore the need to act urgently on flood mitigation, flood resilience and flood insurance. Around 1.3 million properties around the country are at risk of flooding. About half of them are without the flood resilience measures of modern planning and building standards. Around 240,000 of those properties, homes and businesses face at least a two per cent or five per cent chance of flooding each year—many are in Macquarie. Since 2022, floods and storms in Macquarie have led to more than 3,000 properties requiring a rebuild by insurers, $107.6 million in insured losses and $193.6 million in total economic costs. Flood insurance is a problem. The link between high flood risk and lower socioeconomic status is strong. We're talking about 70 per cent of homes where median incomes are below the national median of $92,000 a year, and 35 per cent of these are in areas where the median income is below the poverty line. When people are quoted insurance premiums for flood coverage, as they are in parts of Macquarie, of $10,000, $20,000 or $30,000 a year, it is understandably completely out of reach for homeowners. The Insurance Council of Australia estimates around 80 per cent of homes that are in severe to extreme flood risk are not insured for flood. This is something we have to tackle head on as a government, but we can't do it without the industry. We've started the work through the Hazards Insurance Partnership, the HIP, which the government established in 2023 to look at solutions for easing pressures on insurance premiums. In addition, I've worked with insurers exploring and learning more about models used elsewhere. I can say that no single country has nailed this. The Albanese government also created the Disaster Ready Fund in 2022, dedicating a billion dollars over five years for investment in disaster mitigation. But I want to see a greater focus on flood defence, especially for my region, and we await the New South Wales government's Hawkesbury-Nepean Valley Disaster Adaptation Plan to understand their priorities. I stress again that there is urgency to act on flood risk and flood insurance. This is not just an issue for Macquarie; it's for every one of those 1.3 million properties at risk of flooding and already—or at risk of—being priced out of insurance. It's also a reality that those without insurance will turn to the government of the day for support should the worst happen. Our role should be to find a pathway to help people who live in floodplains have the financial resilience to cope with the inevitability of a flood. BILLS 102 BILLS Parliamentary Frameworks Legislation Amendment (Reviews) Bill 2026 102

Parliamentary Frameworks Legislation Amendment (Reviews) Bill 2026

Second Reading 102 16:59 Ms CAMPBELL 312823 Moreton The Parliamentary Frameworks Legislation Amendment (Reviews) Bill of 2026 is an administrative bill that amends certain different—and, indeed, connected—legislative frameworks associated with Commonwealth parliamentary workplaces. While parliamentary frameworks legislation might not float everyone's boat, it's important. It's important, because this is also a bill that speaks to the bigger picture. It speaks to the bigger picture of parliamentary workplace reform, and it speaks to that bigger picture that has been driven over the last few years by this Albanese Labor government. Of course, when we think of parliamentary workplace reform, many of us immediately think of the Set the standard report. This was the outcome of the Independent Review into Commonwealth Parliamentary Workplaces, led by Sex Discrimination Commissioner Kate Jenkins, which was delivered in November 2021. The report documented widespread challenges, including bullying, sexual harassment and even cases of sexual assault. These were problems that needed addressing as a matter of urgency. Those widespread problems were in Commonwealth parliamentary workplaces. It revealed a culture with power imbalances. It revealed a culture with poor accountability and unsafe ways for people to report concerns. To address these issues, the report set out 28 recommendations aimed at improving the culture of Commonwealth parliamentary workplaces and, indeed, embedding best practice workplace standards. Key recommendations included establishing clear codes of conduct, creating an independent body to receive and investigate complaints, introducing trauma informed support systems and improving leadership accountability. The recommendations called for a foundation of safety, respect and professional behaviour in all aspects of parliamentary work. Those principles, those foundations, should be true wherever you work, no matter where you work in our community, because that is the standard that we should set. Accordingly, in 2023, the Albanese government passed the Parliamentary Workplace Support Service Act of 2023, which established the Parliamentary Workplace Support Service, the PWSS, as an independent statutory agency. This delivered on a key recommendation of the report, and it's one of the acts that will be amended by this legislation. As I mentioned, this bill amends various different frameworks, such as those used to guide employment and expenses. It is acknowledged that these are complex frameworks in both application and administration. They are also subject to differing review schedules, further adding to operational complexity. This bill will combine multiple legislatively required reviews. This will enable the government to undertake a comprehensive and integrated review of the frameworks that govern the parliament and the frameworks that govern Commonwealth parliamentary workplaces. This is a responsive and effective approach to ensuring the standards are meeting the needs of our diverse and continually evolving parliamentary environment. These are standards and frameworks that need to be up to date, and these are standards and frameworks that need to accord with the way things work today. It will also ensure that these structures remain fit for purpose, support best practice governance and reflect the expectations of a contemporary workforce and a contemporary community. Specifically, the bill will amend the commencement dates of the statutory reviews of three acts which are required during the 48th Parliament: (1) the Parliamentary Workplace Support Service Act of 2023, (2) the Members of Parliament (Staff) Act of 1984 and (3) the Parliamentary Business Resources Act of 2017. The amendments will mean that the required reviews can be carried out concurrently but also maintain the flexibility to be reviewed separately. These are the acts that underpin the parliamentary environment that we sit in right here today. They provide the interdependent set of legislative and administrative frameworks that regulate how resources are provided to parliamentarians, how their staff are employed and what services and supports are available to enable members and senators to carry out their democratic responsibilities effectively. Put simply, these frameworks make this place tick, and these frameworks are administered by multiple entities, each contributing to the delivery of support and guidance for parliamentarians and their staff across Australia. The Parliamentary Business Resources Act establishes the core legislative foundation for how public resources are allocated and used by parliamentarians in the course of their official parliamentary duties. It sets out the rules, the principles and the accountability mechanisms that govern the responsible use of public funds and ensures that parliamentarians are equipped to fulfil their roles while also upholding the highest standards of integrity and stewardship. The MOPS Act and the PWSS Act regulate the employment of staff who support parliamentarians in carrying out their parliamentary duties day in and day out. These are the people who give up their time to ensure that democracy gets done. Specifically, the MOPS Act provides the legislative basis that enable parliamentarians and office holders to employ staff on behalf of the Commonwealth. It was amended in 2023 to ensure the employment framework remains effective and aligned with modern workplace conditions. As part of these updates, a one-time statutory review was introduced with the review to occur no sooner than three years and no later than five years after those changes. This timeframe was set to allow sufficient opportunity to assess how the new provisions were operating in practice and also to determine whether additional amendments may be needed. The PWSS Act, in turn, established the Parliamentary Workplace Support Service, creating a centralised source of human resources, advisory services and other employment related support for parliamentarians and, importantly, their staff. Subsequent amendments to the PWSS Act also created the Independent Parliamentary Standards Commission, or IPSC, an independent body responsible for impartially investigating allegations of conduct that breech parliamentary behaviour codes. This bill also changes the frequency of future periodic reviews of the PWSS Act. This is currently undertaken each parliamentary term but would extend to once every five years. I detailed some reforms that followed the release of the Set the standard report earlier. Others included the development and adoption of behaviour codes and standards for parliamentarians and their staff as well as Commonwealth parliamentary workplaces more generally. The implementation of the Set the standard report's recommendations were the continuation of a series of necessary and major reforms which have reshaped the Commonwealth parliamentary workforce as we know it. This includes the establishment of the Commonwealth statutory authority Independent Parliamentary Expenses Authority, or IPEA, in July 2017. The establishment of IPEA marked the most substantial reform to the management and oversight over parliamentarians' work expenses in more than 25 years, signalling a major step towards improving accountability and improving transparency in this area. As an independent authority, IPEA is responsible for advising on, reporting and auditing the work expenses of parliamentarians and the staff employed under the MOPS Act. IPEA's functions are broad and are designed to strengthen integrity in the administration of public resources. IPEA provides guidance to parliamentarians and to MOPS Act staff on expenses and allowances, ensuring that they understand the rules and obligations that apply to them. It monitors the expenditure of both parliamentarians and their staff and prepares regular public reports. In addition to that oversight and reporting, IPEA conducts audits of all categories of work expenses and allowances, reinforcing public confidence in the proper use of Commonwealth funds. It is also responsible for processing claims, ensuring they are administered consistently, transparently and in accordance with legislative requirements. This bill is supported by a commitment from the Albanese Labor government of $7.5 million over two years from 2025 to 2026 to implement a review with the purpose of ensuring the frameworks governing members, governing senators and governing staff are fit for purpose. The Parliamentary Frameworks Legislation Amendment (Reviews) Bill means the required reviews of the PWSS Act, MOP(S) Act and PBR Act can be captured into a review of all legislation that departments and agencies associated with Commonwealth parliamentary workplaces fall under. It will enable a holistic review of the Commonwealth parliamentary workplace system, navigating the complexity of the different frameworks and providing recommendations to ensure the standards in Commonwealth parliamentary workplaces meet community expectations and the expectations that Australians hold of all of us. 17:10 Ms BRISKEY 263427 Maribyrnong On any given day when this parliament is sitting, there are upwards of 4,000 people inside this building. A quarter of these people are employed under the Members of Parliament (Staff) Act, and more than half of these 4,000 people are supported by the Parliamentary Workplace Support Service Act. When you walk into this building during a sitting week, you are greeted with an ecosystem that is unlike any other. It feels like its own city within a city, with many siloed departments. Because of this, at times, some have lost sight of the fact that this building may be the home of democracy but it is first and foremost a workplace for thousands of Australians. It is the responsibility of this parliament to never forget this fact. The Set the standard report commissioned by Kate Jenkins did not appear out of nowhere. It emerged from the lived experiences of staff who endured cultures that were at times toxic and harmful. It was a moment of reckoning for this parliament—a recognition that for too long some of the people who keep this place running felt invisible, unsupported and unsafe. When we talk about the people who work in this building, I want to be clear about who we are talking about. We are talking about the staffer who flies across the country with their MP to serve their community. We're talking about the House and Senate staff who endure long proceedings and ensure that proceedings run smoothly no matter how late the sitting goes. We're talking about the security officers who keep this building safe, the cleaners who begin work long before many of us arrive, the catering staff who keep the building running, and the advisers whose work underpins the decisions made in this Chamber. All of these people find themselves working long hours in a high-pressure environment. The parliament asks a great deal of them. It is only right that the systems designed to support them are fair and fit for purpose. One of the most significant outcomes of the Jenkins review was the establishment of the Parliamentary Workplace Support Service, PWSS. The PWSS represents a fundamental shift in how this parliament responds when things go wrong and the education required to change culture. It is a dedicated, confidential, trauma informed service designed to support staff navigating difficult situations. Since its establishment, the PWSS has assisted hundreds of people by providing advice, mediation and, in some cases, complex case management. For many staff, it has created a pathway to raise concerns that previously would have felt impossible. The PWSS does important work to support parliamentary workplaces that are made up of multiple workplaces, each with their own cultures. They are populated by people who work under multiple different employment arrangements and who do not report to one central agency. Crucially, we must remember that this ecosystem extends far beyond the physical footprint of this capital. It reaches directly into electorate offices like mine in Moonee Ponds and into every single community across the country. The staff in our local offices are often serving as the first point of contact for Australians who are vulnerable or in distress. Every day they manage heavy, emotionally taxing case work and work tirelessly to resolve local issues. They do all of this whilst being geographically isolated from the immediate resources of Canberra. These local teams face a distinctly different set of daily workplace pressures and safety risks compared to those working in this building, yet they are employed by, governed by and entirely reliant upon the exact same central legislative frameworks. If the systems meant to protect them are fragmented or misaligned, it is these staffers who are most at risk of being left behind. That complexity is precisely why this legislation is necessary. The work that has gone into changing the standards of this complex ecosystem cannot continue to be reviewed in isolation. Currently, the laws that govern this building are on different review cycles. This creates a patchwork of oversight. We review one law while another is mid-cycle, meaning we never truly see how they interact on the ground. This bill changes that. It aligns the statutory reviews of these three acts so they can be conducted as one holistic review during the 48th Parliament. Why does this matter? It's because the staff who work in this building deserve to be supported, to have access to adequate resources and to be given real job security. The MOP(S) Act outlines their employment, the PWSS Act is a support and learning system and the PBR Act is the resources some use to do their job. You cannot review and fix one without understanding the others. As part of the recent MYEFO, our government committed $7.5 million to support this comprehensive review. We see this not as a bureaucratic tidy-up but as a major investment in ensuring these frameworks are fit for a modern, diverse and evolving workplace. This bill also extends the frequency of future periodic reviews of the PWSS Act from every parliamentary term to every five years. This does make the review less frequent, but it provides stability, which helps continue the deep cultural change of the kind that we are trying to achieve, and the time it needs to bed down. By moving to a five-year cycle we give these reforms the space to actually work before we pull them apart again to see if they are functioning. Cultural reform does not happen overnight. It cannot be measured solely through the short cycles of legislative review. The changes initiated through the Jenkins review require time to embed, to influence workplace behaviour and to build trust among the people they are designed to support. It allows us to gather real data and meaningful feedback from staff and unions. I want to acknowledge the role played by the Community and Public Sector Union and its members in advocating for better conditions in this building. The Set the standard report highlighted that many staff employed under the MOP(S) Act felt disconnected from traditional workplace protections and industrial processes. That sense of isolation was deeply felt. But, through the advocacy of workers, through the work of the Jenkins review and through the most recent enterprise bargaining agreement negotiations, we have seen meaningful progress. When workers are able to organise and speak collectively about their experiences, institutions improve. That is as true in this building as it is in workplaces across the country. Earlier I spoke about the risk of forgetting that this is a workplace. For many Australians, Parliament House can feel distant, an institution that they see on their televisions rather than a place filled with thousands of ordinary working people. But those people are here every day. They are the staff who answer phones, draft legislation, organise community visits, maintain the building, prepare committee hearings and keep the machinery of democracy moving. When my daughters, Gweny and Margot, come to visit this place, I want them to see more than the grandeur of the building or the theatre of the parliamentary debate. I want them to see a workplace that reflects the values we expect across the country—a workplace where people feel safe raising concerns, a workplace that recognises the pressures faced by working parents, a workplace where respect is not an aspiration but a standard. This bill may deal with statutory reviews, legislative alignment and timelines. It is technical legislation. But, beneath those technical provisions, we are ensuring that the thousands of Australians who work in this building are supported by systems that are coherent, effective and fair. It continues the work begun through the Jenkins review and reinforces this parliament's commitment to building a safer, more respectful workplace for everyone who serves our democracy. I commend the bill to the House. 17:18 Ms CLUTTERHAM 316101 Sturt I rise today to speak in support of the Parliamentary Frameworks Legislation Amendment (Reviews) Bill 2026. This bill, at its heart, is about efficiency and how governments can employ efficiency when it comes to spending public money. Governments are tasked with spending public money, and their overriding duty is to spend responsibly, which means that they must spend that money in service of the public good. This includes spending with respect to how our great parliament operates and how the people who work in this building, elected and unelected, are treated. The efficient use of maximum available resources to create a dignified workplace is therefore a key driver behind this bill. Using maximum available resources can mean using all the tools at the government's disposal to influence or compel action in order to create the conditions where people can work in their workplaces safely and with dignity. For example, this could mean using legislative or policy tools to ensure that employers provide decent working conditions for employees, which again is what this bill goes to the heart of. Getting this right is a big job, and it's the government's duty to put everything it has behind it, because what is for sure is that the spending of public money is not something to be taken lightly. Governments must account for and be held accountable for using public funds, including with respect to how our parliament operates as well as with respect to other categories of spending like health care, education, housing and defence. It all matters. When we look at government budgets or at government spending on particular programs, such as conditions for staff employed under the MOPS Act or how the Parliamentary Business Resources Act is functioning, our primary concern should not always be just how much will be spent—although, this is a concern—but rather how that spending will support the working conditions of staff and how this will qualify as efficient use of taxpayer money. Again, whilst quantum is important, it's not everything. So we shouldn't just ask how much it will cost but rather what we will get for it. Spending too much, of course, risks failure when it comes to value for money. But spending too little creates a risk that services are not provided or are provided poorly. And there is a risk that employment conditions are not sustainable, compromising staff retention, which ultimately leads to additional costs and creates the unacceptable risk that the parliament doesn't operate as effectively as the Australian people deserve. Effective spending is about allocating resources to improve desired outcomes. It's not just about reducing costs; it's about making strategic decisions that will enhance productivity, efficiency and the bottom line. To do this in business, a business needs to completely understand its spend data. This includes knowing where the money is going, what is being received in return and how this compares to other options. Once a business has this information, its leaders can start making more informed decisions about where to allocate resources. Considering this is not 'set and forget'. It is an exercise that needs to be done with a regular cadence in government as well. We ask: What is the best way to spend your budget while ensuring you deliver quality products and services? How can a business ensure it's getting the most bang for its buck? The answer lies in understanding what effective spend looks like, which is again a key driver of this bill. Spending and costs must be both reasonable in amount and reasonably incurred. In my former career as a lawyer before being elected to parliament, it was not enough to send a bill to a client with just the dollar amount on it and to seek payment. Quite rightly, clients are entitled to an itemised bill, which details the task completed, who completed it, when they completed it and how long it took, together with the corresponding amount. A small bill containing items that were meaningless or which did not produce value to the client could be worse than a large bill which contained meticulously detailed information that enabled the client to determine not only whether the bill was reasonable in amount but whether the costs were reasonably incurred. Reasonable in amount and reasonably incurred must be at the heart of all spending decisions, because a small bill with no discernible value is not fair, just as a large bill with no discernible value is not fair. Any bill with no easily identifiable value for money cannot be acceptable. So effective spend management is about more than just cost saving. It's about making smart expenditure decisions that will improve productivity and efficiency. Spend efficiency methodology is part of this as well because it helps ensure that businesses and governments make the most of their time and money when they acquire goods and provide services. Efficient spend is achieved through data driven strategies like cost optimisation, spend visibility, examination of personnel and, of course, competitive bidding. Then we have probity. Probity and conflict management in government spending, in the operations of parliament and in the parliamentary workplace is critical. Probity is much more than just avoiding corrupt and dishonest conduct, and conflict management is more than just avoiding actual conflicts of interest. Probity involves proactively demonstrating that a process, including a process of review, is robust and that the outcome achieved through that process is beyond reproach. It's about acting in such a way that there can be no perception of bias, influence or lack of integrity. Probity is a demonstration of ethical conduct that often exceeds legal requirements. Probity in decision-making, particularly the exercise of decisions regarding the use of public funds, must always be business as usual. Integrity and impartiality, promoting the public good, commitment to the system of government, and accountability and transparency are key elements of this, as is ensuring that value for money is achieved in an environment underpinned by ethical behaviour and fair dealing. Probity is the evidence of ethical behaviour and can be defined as complete and confirmed integrity, uprightness and honesty in a particular process. It should not, however, be used to justify avoiding reasonable discussion with stakeholders or failing to engage with innovation, new ideas and new solutions as part of a review process. The level of detail and formality in providing information should be appropriate to the risk of the task at hand and the breadth of the desired outcome to be reached once the task is completed. Probity and spending efficiency are key factors that will be taken into consideration when examining the MOP(S) Act, the PWSS Act and the Parliamentary Business Resources Act. It's important because these are the pieces of legislation that facilitate the operation of our parliament and the conduct of parliamentary business by elected members. Taxpayer money funds this, so regularly measuring the effectiveness of the legislation, testing whether spending that takes place to facilitate the operation of the legislation is both reasonable in amount and reasonably incurred, and examining whether the processes used to carry out those tests have been underpinned by the highest standards of probity is essential. We know that parliamentarians and their staff experience complicated employment and expenses frameworks. They are complex. They're often difficult to apply. They're often difficult to administer. They require dealings with many departments and agencies relating to the parliament, and the roles of people who work in those agencies are often difficult to understand and fit within the system. If the system is not understood, or it is hard to operate efficiently, then it's hard to find efficiencies and it's hard to know whether the system is fit for purpose. So, after a series of reviews across some parts of the parliamentary workplace in recent years, this bill seeks to join up multiple required legislative reviews so that the government can complete a holistic review of the frameworks that govern our parliament to ensure they are fit for purpose for a modern, diverse and evolving parliamentary workplace. The bill seeks to amend the commencement dates of the statutory reviews of the PWSS Act, the Members of Parliament (Staff) Act and the Parliamentary Business Resources Act so these reviews can occur at the same time. The bill will ensure that the reviews of those three acts can be combined into this larger review of all legislation, departments and agencies interacting within the parliamentary workplace. Each of these pieces of legislation plays a critical role in supporting parliamentarians and supporting the parliament. Firstly, the PBR Act established the legislative framework for the provision and use of public resources by parliamentarians in connection with their parliamentary business. The periodic independent review of the PBR Act is aimed at ensuring that the act continues to meet its objectives of improving the accountability and transparency of parliamentary work expenses, which are funded by the taxpayer and which must be efficient and effective, reasonable in amount and reasonably incurred. Secondly, the provision of staff to assist parliamentarians with their parliamentary business is governed by the MOP(S) Act and the PWSS Act. The MOP(S) Act establishes the legislative framework for parliamentarians and office holders to employ people on behalf of the Commonwealth, and the PWSS Act established the Parliamentary Workplace Support Service, known as the PWSS, to provide centralised human resources and other employment related support to parliamentarians and their staff. The periodic review of the PWSS Act aims to ensure that the performance of the PWSS and the underpinning legislative framework are operating effectively to further the objectives of the PWSS on a regular basis. Combining these reviews within a broader review of all the systems and frameworks that govern Commonwealth parliamentary workplaces provides an opportunity to test and measure how the recent reforms other members have spoken about are performing, to make absolutely sure that the legislative frameworks supporting parliamentarians and the parliament continue to be fit for purpose and accord with community expectations. Incorporating the PWSS Act, MOP(S) act and PBR Act statutory reviews within the broader review of the systems and frameworks will enable an integrated examination of these statutes, which will not only reduce the risk of contradictory outcomes but examine the entire parliamentary legislative infrastructure as a whole. So, let's look at it. Is the system working for those who use it? Is it working for those who fund it? Is it fair? Is it sustainable? Does it reflect community expectations? And does it facilitate the conduct of parliamentary business to the benefit of the Australian people? Let's look. Let's find out and make any changes that are necessary to further the overriding objective of parliament, which is to facilitate our democratic system of government and serve the Australian people. I commend the bill to the House. 17:32 Mr GORMAN 74519 Perth It's my joy to sum up the excellent contributions to the debate on the Parliamentary Frameworks Legislation Amendment (Reviews) Bill 2026. First, we had the member for Moreton, who reminded us where so much of this work came from—the power imbalances and poor culture that we've seen in this building for too long and that had been highlighted in the nation's media and in the nation's newspapers. We had the Set the standard report, which gave clear direction for this parliament. This was embraced and acted upon. We've made good progress, but we still have very complex interacting frameworks, and that is what this bill seeks to address. I note that the member for Moreton also rightly pointed out that this is about helping members and their staff navigate those complex frameworks and giving them a chance to have a say on how we can ensure they are fit for the future. The member for Maribyrnong noted that some 4,000 people work in this building every day. Each of them in this workplace, like any other workplace, has the right to come to work safely and to go home safely—something I know you have much of your life standing up for, Deputy Speaker Garland. This is the home of Australia's democracy, and it's in all our interests to want that democracy to function as best it possibly can. And we've heard some of the stories, as the member for Maribyrnong reminded us, where we had 'the lived experience of staff who'd endured toxic workplaces'. Those workplaces weren't somewhere else; those workplaces were here. This is about ensuring that we do indeed set the standard. As the member noted, this is about that next step of cultural change, something that you never stop doing as there's always room for more improvement. Probably the most accurate thing I heard in the debate was 'it is technical legislation', and this definitely fits that description well. But it's technical legislation that enforces our commitment to improve this workplace and to improve our democracy, as the member for Sturt outlined so well. When we are spending money, we have to ensure that it is in the public interest, as she said. She highlighted that we want 'dignified workplaces, sustainable work conditions, and a well-functioning parliament and democracy' and this will deliver that and allow people to put forward ideas about how we have those intersecting acts fit for the future. In conclusion, the Parliamentary Frameworks Legislation Amendment (Reviews) Bill 2026 would amend the Parliamentary Workplace Support Service Act 2023, the Members of Parliament (Staff) Act 1984 and the Parliamentary Business Resources Act 2017 to allow the statutory reviews of these acts to be combined as part of a holistic review of systems and frameworks that govern Commonwealth parliamentary workplaces. Combining the three statutory reviews within a broader review of the systems and frameworks that govern Commonwealth parliamentary workplaces will provide an opportunity to examine these acts in a holistic way and ensure the frameworks continue to be fit for purpose. It will also ensure the frequency of future periodic reviews of the PWSS Act and the PBR Act to allow them to be combined or conducted separately. I commend the bill. Question agreed to. Bill read a second time. Ordered that this bill be reported to the House without amendment. Federation Chamber adjourned at 17 : 36