2026-03-24 3 1 0 House of Reps 0 1

Tuesday, 24 March 2026

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

PRESIDENT OF THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION 1 PRESIDENT OF THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION Address to Parliament 1 12:01 The SPEAKER 53517 On behalf of the House, I welcome, as guests, the President of the Senate and honourable senators to this sitting of the House of Representatives to hear an address by Her Excellency Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission. Serjeant-at-Arms, please escort our guest to the chamber. Her Excellency Ursula von der Leyen having been announced and esc orted to the chamber— The SPEAKER 53517 Your Excellency, I welcome you to the House of Representatives. Your address today is a significant occasion in the history of the House. 12:04 Mr ALBANESE R36 Grayndler President von der Leyen, my friend, on behalf of the people of Australia, it is my great honour and pleasure to welcome you and your delegation to our national parliament. You will shortly become one of only a handful of international leaders to have addressed our parliament, adding your name to a short list that, among others, includes President Obama, Prime Minister Modi, President Widodo, President Xi and Prime Minister Abe. Crucially, you are about to make history as the first woman international leader to address this parliament—an honour that will be forever yours. Your visit is a defining moment in our bilateral relationship. The Australia-European free trade agreement will be a once-in-a-generation achievement that will create jobs and prosperity for generations to come. This was a logical step for two natural partners, but, as we know, it was not inevitable. It took hard work, it took constructive engagement and it required both sides to see the bigger picture—the wider horizon of shared opportunity. That is instinct that defines us and binds us. The European Union and the Commonwealth of Australia are both proud, modern democratic creations built on ancient foundations—both born in a spirit of unity, in the understanding that we are better and stronger together. That is the story of the brighter future that Europe chose to seize in the final decades of a century shaped by the devastation of global war and shadowed by the menace of the Cold War. It has been the story of our ancient continent, too, which offered a home and a future for so many diasporas from so many corners of Europe. Through generations of hard work, aspiration and a deep love of this country, European immigrants and their descendants have enriched and shaped modern Australia, and, in so many ways, they are a living link between our continents. Collectively, the member states of the EU represent the world's second-biggest economy, and you are currently Australia's third-biggest trading partner, with two-way trade already more than $109 billion. Now, thanks to years of patient negotiation, that is set to grow, making you our second-biggest trading partner. Yet there is so much between us that is beyond measure—unquantifiable yet undeniable. Ours is a friendship born out of instinct, a mutual admiration built on respect, values and ideals that Europe gave to us and Australia made our own—ideals that Australians went to fight for alongside Europeans when your great continent was under the shadow of tyranny, ideals that we continue to fight for. There is so much in the bond between us that cannot be counted but can always be counted on. We turn to each other as friends and the closest of partners not because we have to but because we choose to. As the world grows ever more uncertain, our best way of navigating the new reality is for us to do more together not merely as a safeguard against present volatility or future uncertainty but as the foundation for our future prosperity, resilience, security and stability. Right now, we're all dealing with the challenges thrown up by the conflict in the Middle East and Russia's illegal and immoral invasion of Ukraine, which has brought war to the very edge of the European Union. Every global shock underscores the importance of the second milestone moment in your visit—the signing of the new Australia-European Union Security and Defence Partnership. The partnership will bolster our collaboration on defence industry, maritime security, cybersecurity, countering terrorism and combating hybrid threats such as disinformation. It speaks for our shared commitment to stability and security, anchored in sovereignty. The challenges the world holds for us are numerous and ever-evolving, but we do not shy away from them; we work to shape them. To that end, Australia will join this round of Horizon Europe, the world's largest pooled fund for research and innovation. It will bring together the best minds of Australia with those from Europe as we work on new technologies, advanced computing, climate and clean energy, health and critical minerals—research that boosts our resilience, strengthens our economies and makes us more secure, research that builds our future. Madam President, I'm proud that Australia has helped lead the world with our social media ban for under-16s, and I am grateful that you strengthened this effort with your support and with your leadership. Your attendance at the event that Australia hosted at the United Nations—your being there to hear the story of the wonderful Emma Mason, who took heartache and grievance into campaigning to ensure that other parents don't go through what she went through—to witness that extraordinary courage of parents channelling their personal grief into a call for action, and for you to speak as a mother and grandmother as well as a president, was a powerful statement heard by the world. It was proof that, when we work together, there is nothing that is beyond us. That is the truest spirit that binds us and which unites us. Madam President, you honour us with your presence. You are always welcome in Australia as a partner and, above all, as a friend. 12:11 Mr TAYLOR 231027 Hume Your Excellency, on behalf of the coalition and federal opposition, it's a privilege to welcome you here to the parliament, and it's a pleasure to welcome you back to Australia. To your 'guten tag', I say 'g'day'. Yours is a historic visit. It's the first time a president of the European Commission has addressed the Australian parliament, as we've heard, and, on such a historic occasion, it's important to acknowledge the historic achievement of Europe that is Western civilisation. After all, Australia is part of that civilisation—an heir to the European achievement. We too are the beneficiaries of democracy, born in ancient Greece, and the laws, civics and engineering feats of ancient Rome. We too are the beneficiaries of the great transformations of the Renaissance that spread from Italy and of the Reformation that spread from Germany. We too are the beneficiaries of Christianity's influence on values and science's influence on reason. We too are the beneficiaries of the great changes that arose from the revolution in France and from the Industrial Revolution in Great Britain. And we too are the beneficiaries of the imagination of European builders and painters and the inspiration of European composers and writers. When Europeans set sail on treacherous seas to discover and settle unknown lands, they brought legacy with them—some good, some not so good—but Australia has been gifted with the institutions and ideas of an enlightened Europe. Madam President, with your presence here today, we express our gratitude for the European achievement that is Western civilisation, and we acknowledge the contributions that European migrants have made to Australia over many generations, especially after the Second World War. Many people displaced by conflict in Europe found a new home in Australia. They took up tools, and they became nation builders. They also became proud Australians. Hydroelectric schemes in the Snowy Mountains and Tasmania were amongst the labours of love for European migrants who cherished their new home. The legacy of postwar European immigration can be seen across Australia today in the infrastructure constructed, the businesses started, the homes built, the food we eat and the people we are. Australia became a new home for many Jewish Europeans who survived the horrors of the Holocaust. I commend their many contributions and express our solidarity with Australians of Jewish faith. May all of us who cherish our way of life work to expunge the cancer of antisemitism that has afflicted our societies. Madam President, Australians and Europeans today aren't just the beneficiaries of that way of life; we are the custodians. In these precarious times, we must defend and protect the inheritance we cherish. And, as you appreciate, there are many threats—authoritarian regimes whose behaviour has exposed the rules based international order to be wishful thinking of a more benign and bygone era, regimes committed to conquest, coercion and control. The only deterrence to such authoritarian regimes is Western strength. Madam President, unquestionably, you are one of the unfaltering champions of Ukrainian freedom. I commend all you're doing to lead Europe's support for the heroes of Ukraine. Australia steadfastly supports Ukraine too as it strives for a strong peace. As the European parliament has declared, a threat to one democracy is a threat to every democracy. A failure to deter the enemies of democracy in Europe will embolden them the world over, including the Indo-Pacific. That's why the coalition applauds the signing of the Australia-EU Security and Defence Partnership. We stand together with clarity about what must be defended and what is worth fighting for. So, Madam President, I also applaud the joint statement of nations who are willing to lend support to restore safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz. It was commendably signed by no less than 15 European nations, and I'm pleased the Australian government has now signed this statement too. Another mutual threat is Islamic extremism. In Europe and in Australia, the generosity of liberal democracies has been exploited. We've opened our doors to some people who don't want to embrace our culture, who want to erase it. The doors must be shut. Our culture can only survive by putting our values at the very centre of our immigration policies. A third threat is dependency. Europeans and Australians have become dependent on trading with nations in critical supply chains where there are real risks. But the age of free trade has not ended. Our goals of greater resilience, greater self-reliance and re-industrialisation are best served by working more closely with true and trusted friends. We believe in free trade. We know a good free trade agreement underpins mutual economic prosperity, and we must stand united against tariff barriers. The coalition has a notable record in delivering high-quality free trade agreements. I think of the Australia-UK Free Trade Agreement that we signed in December 2021. That agreement removed tariffs on more than 99 per cent of the goods exported to the UK. In any free trade agreement, Australia must not trade away its sovereignty. It must not limit its ability to make decisions in the national interest or protect our way of life. While the federal opposition will scrutinise all aspects of the free trade agreement between Australia and the EU, we commend the spirit in which it has been made. I acknowledge Mathias Cormann, Australia's former finance minister and now secretary-general of the OECD, the founding father of this agreement. Madam President, we welcome you to our parliament and we welcome you to our country we are all so proud of. The SPEAKER 53517 Your Excellency, it gives me great pleasure to invite you to address the House. Members and senators rising and applauding— HER EX CELLENCY Dr URSULA VON DER LEYEN (President of the European Commission ) (12:18): Mr Speaker, Prime Minister, President of the Senate, Leader of the Opposition, honourable members and senators, distinguished guests, indeed, my visit to Australia this week constitutes many firsts. I am the first president of the European Commission to visit Australia in more than a decade. I am the first president of the European Commission to address a joint sitting of your parliament, and I am honoured to be the first woman leader invited to address this joint session of parliament. It's a great privilege and one that I hope many more women will experience far sooner than my address has taken. Mr Speaker, dear Prime Minister, thank you for the invitation. Europe is in a dangerous moment. War has raged in Ukraine for four years, and there's little prospect of this ending any time soon. In the Middle East, a new conflict rages. Countries that build economic models on the very premise of the stability and safety they provide are facing a new reality. The world we live in is brutal, harsh and unforgiving. It feels upside down. What we knew as certainties are in question. The comfort blanket of yesterday is ripped away. It is confronting. But the world we are living in is also a more honest one. We are saying out loud what has changed and how we are changing. Against this backdrop, my visit is not a symbolic trip. What we signed today will unleash a new era of economic and security partnership. Europe, a continent of 27 member states and 450 million people, is changed. We're not just open for business; we're here to begin a new epoch in our relationship, rooted in the spirit of friendship. It takes longer to cross Australia than to fly anywhere within Europe. Your far horizons, identified so eloquently by the iconic Australian poet Dorothea Mackellar is a reminder that the distance has traditionally been a barrier to our relationship. But, today, geography is no more our destiny, and distance is no longer a protection or a luxury. The world has changed, but we get to choose how to shape our responses, and we do this without losing sight of our culture and our connections. And they run deep, built on the foundations of the postwar surge of migration into Australia. These millions of Europeans carried the same dream: of hope, opportunity, prosperity and a better life for the next generation. While we have not always maximised this potential, our kinship has always bound us and our cultures have always understood one another. I'm looking forward to drinking my first flat white on Australian soil, and I'm also looking forward to sampling a pavlova. Or do I have to wait to visit New Zealand to try that delicacy? Standing here in this majestic chamber, modelled after the British House of Commons but rendered in this eucalypt colour, I'm reminded of how young and vibrant your democracy is, but linked to our enduring democracy in Europe, born in Greece thousands of years ago. But your history is even more ancient, and I acknowledge all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and the world's oldest continuing culture. Honourable members: Hear, hear! HER EXCELLENCY Dr URSULA VON DER LEYEN: Our continent owes so much to Australia. You fought for our safety, for a free Europe. As defence minister, I visited your War Memorial. It was a solemn reminder of how much your country gave and of the everlasting obligation Europe owes to your men and women who sacrificed their lives for our common freedom. We have a duty not just to preserve their legacy but to fortify it. Today this task has a new urgency. I recently said that Europe could no longer be custodian of the old world order. This just reflects the reality of our changing environment. But this does not mean giving up on who we are, on our values. That matters. Whether you are Europe or a regional power like Australia, accepting the world as it is simply means making choices sooner and smarter both as governments and institutions. I stand here today proud to tell you that Europe is changed, and you can see that with how much ambition I have for this relationship. One of the indulgences of past decades has been to think our world and our interests can be defined by our neighbourhood. Nowhere proves that more false than Australia. It can take us more than 24 hours to fly here, but so many of the issues that challenge you in Perth are the same as in Paris. Take energy prices: none of us is immune to the shocks, both geopolitical and economic, that the war in Iran brings to our populations. Pain at the pump is hard for our citizens and just another reminder that building our resilience is today's job. We in Europe have been reckoning with our dependencies, particularly with Russian gas. There were warning signs, and we learned the lesson in the hardest of ways in February 2022. For context, imagine, for example, if here in Australia you were forced to stop selling your iron ore overnight. In a way, this is what we have had to do in Europe. Russian gas—a no-go overnight. After our societies had already withstood so much, first with the financial crisis, then the pandemic, then the beginning of the war in Ukraine and now a second energy, gas and oil price shock, diversification was and remains a necessity. This is why I am proud that we have made decarbonisation a defining pillar of our free trade agreement. It is hard-headed common sense. In my six years as president, I have witnessed first-hand how climate change is ravaging our continent from floods in Valencia to the wildfires in Greece, which Australian firefighters came and helped put out. We all know what we are seeing is more severe. Dorothea Mackellar wrote of Australia's droughts and flooding rains affecting your sunburnt country. But the point is, these climate events have become more frequent and more intense, and it is our common responsibility to find solutions to power the planet we leave our children. This is why I am so pleased that Australia is considering entering Horizon Europe. Horizon is the world's largest research and innovation program, so joining this will put Australian researchers alongside Europe's to create tomorrow's technologies. Whether in clean tech, quantum or dual use capabilities, our brightest minds are coming together. With geopolitics at a boiling point, we know firsthand that the more you build home-grown energy, the sooner you get independent and thus can shield yourself from energy price shocks. We are in a race to electrify our economies, and this is what future generations will judge us on. But the war in the Middle East is not just contained to the economic costs. Today's world shows that security threats are no longer restrained by distance, but are enabled by technology. Malicious actors are able to reach into our borders without ever leaving their own. Europe, like Australia, doesn't choose how threats come to us, but we all suffer their fallout. What happens in Ukraine matters in Unley. Australians have always understood this, which is why you have remained steadfast in support of European security. It should not be lost on anyone that the same surveillance plane that flew over Poland to help protect Ukraine is now in the gulf, helping defend our partners under attack from Iran. Equally, it should not be lost on anyone that Ukraine has rushed to the aid of the Gulf States to help them defend their skies against the same Iranian Shahed drones that have been killing Ukrainians from the sky for years. Their cooperation has deepened, and there is no clearer example than the unimaginable sight of North Koreans fighting Ukrainians on European soil. We in Europe have also been battling attempts to undermine our democratic societies, and foreign malign interference is just another example of the threats we face converging. As our adversaries adapt to cooperate together, we too must respond together, because when we stand side-by-side we are stronger. And this is why I am so pleased you have accepted our offer of a security and defence partnership. This is what we have just signed today, creating a new defence industrial base so that we are ready to keep our people safe, because, for us in this chamber, this is our No. 1 duty. In the same way that Australia understands that Europe's security is integral to its own, Europe knows the reverse is also true. Stability in the Indo-Pacific is our common goal, and this is why, when I went to India in January, we also signed a defence and security partnership. With these agreements we can bring together our expertise to secure our maritime routes, collaborate to counter cyberwarfare and build new defence technologies together. Another of the realities that this new world has shown us is that dependencies can be weaponised. Australia knows this all too well. Europe too has been challenged by its dependencies, not just on Russian energy but also for our reliance on imports from a single supplier. We cannot and will not absorb China's export-led growth model and its industrial overcapacity. Last year, for the first time, every single EU member state ran a trade deficit with China. Both the threat to our supply chain security and the shock to our industrial base need urgent responses, and these are responses we can only devise together. For both Europe and Australia, getting China right is a strategic imperative. This is why bringing to life our critical minerals partnership will be crucial to our success. We cannot be overdependent on any supplier for such crucial ingredients, and that is precisely why we need each other. Our security is your security, and, with our new security and defence partnership, we have each other's back. The Europe I am representing is very different to what you have known. It has been hard yakka, but we finally got there. Today we finally conclude our trade deal, and we mean it when we say it. The trade deal is good to go, and I'm so proud that we got this done, because it's a fair deal and one that delivers for your businesses and one that delivers for our businesses. I think you call that 'hitting it for six'. It is a trade deal many thought we might never land, but this reflects Europe's changing approach, from Latin America to India too, and, I'm so pleased to add, Australia. When it comes to trade, Europe is open for business. We are rearming. We are decarbonising. We are preparing. We are becoming an independent Europe and this means a more outward Europe, and this is why I am here today, because showing up matters. This is my second visit to Australia. Last time, I was enchanted by your kangaroos and koalas and, I must admit, I love to see them once again—yesterday in Taronga wildlife park, maybe today in the bush capital. But my overriding impression of Australia was its pluckiness. You are a country that likes to give things a go, and we are watching closely your world-leading social media ban. As a mother of seven children and a grandmother of six, I feel acutely the responsibility of protecting our children. It is we parents who must raise our children and not predatory, addictive algorithms, and Australia's example is one for all of us. Your social media ban was a community-led effort, bipartisan and is up and running. We wish you every success. Several of our EU member states are looking to follow, and earlier this month I convened for the first time my panel of experts. They are examining how Europe can implement possible restrictions in our union. When it comes to the safety of our children, no-one should be surprised that we are so like-minded and willing to stand up for ourselves and the kinds of societies that we want to live in. These things are precious. If the volatile world shows us anything, it is that they are worth protecting collectively. Looking at a map, it can feel like the distance between us is enormous. But I have to say, being in your country feels like being among friends—or mates. Let us take this friendship further than ever before and turbo charge a new age in Australia-Europe relations showing that democracy has no distance. In every one of my speeches I finish with 'long live Europe', but today I would like to add long live Australia and our friendship. Thank you so much. The SPEAKER 53517 Your Excellency, on behalf of members and senators, I thank you for your address. I wish you a successful and enjoyable stay in Australia. I thank the President of the Senate and senators for their attendance. I now invite the Prime Minister to escort our guest from the chamber. The chair will be resumed at the ringing of the bells. Sitting suspended from 12:52 to 15:00 DISTINGUISHED VISITORS 5 DISTINGUISHED VISITORS Acknowledgement 5 15:00 The SPEAKER 53517 Before we begin question time, I'm pleased to inform the House that joining us today on the floor of parliament is His Excellency Wesley Simina, the President of the Federated States of Micronesia. I also acknowledge the Hon. Esmond Moses, the Speaker of the Congress of the Federated States of Micronesia, and Her Excellency Ms Jane Chigiyal, the Ambassador of the Federated States of Micronesia to Australia. Welcome to question time. QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE 5 QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE Trade with the European Union 5 15:01 Mr CHESTER IPZ Gippsland My question is to the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry. At a time of a national fuel crisis, which is hurting our farmers, the National Farmers' Federation is extremely disappointed with the free trade agreement with the European Union announced today, and said Australian farmers 'will now pay the price for this subpar EU deal for decades to come'. Minister, do you really believe this is a good deal for Australian farmers? 15:02 Ms COLLINS HWM Franklin I say to the member opposite that we're strong advocates on this side of the House for farmers and producers, and that's what you've seen from us since we've been in government. That's what you've seen from us in terms of getting our world-class products right across the globe. Opposition members interjecting— The SPEAKER 53517 Members on my left, we're not having yelling while the minister is on her feet. Ms COLLINS HWM The Albanese Labor government has worked day and night to rebuild our trading relations that we inherited from those opposite when they left office. Let's be honest about it: they left us with trade impediments of billions and billions of dollars. Indeed, today's Australia-EU free trade agreement represents an opportunity for Australian farmers, fishers and other agricultural producers. It's not only an important outcome at a time of global trade uncertainty; it further supports the diversification of our agricultural products and our agricultural exports. The EU is the world's second-largest economy and Australia's third-largest two-way trading partner, with our agricultural exports to the EU valued at $4 billion in 2025. This figure is set to grow under the free trade agreement, which will ensure more EU consumers can continue to access Australia's high-quality food and fibre. The agreement eliminates the vast majority of EU tariffs on agricultural products. It will support around $17 million in tariff savings for wine, based on current trade, along with a reduction in testing requirements, removing red tape and reducing export overheads. The SPEAKER 53517 Order! Just resume your seat for a moment, please, the Leader of the Nationals in the House of Representatives. The minister was asked, 'Does she believe this is a good deal?' She is going through exactly what she was asked about—the deal about which she was asked. I know the leader would like a yes/no answer, but the minister is being directly relevant, so, at this stage, I'm not prepared to take the point of order. Ms COLLINS HWM The chief executive of Australian Grape and Wine, Mr Lee McLean, said today: The removal of tariffs on Australian wine entering the EU is good news for our exporters and for the long-term competitiveness of Australian wine in a major global market. The CEO of AUSVEG said— Australia achieving an FTA with the European Union— The SPEAKER 53517 The minister is going to pause. I want to pause for a moment while she's concluding her answer. I was very clear that I did not want yelling during this minister's answer. The member for Maranoa has ignored me, so he'll leave the chamber under 94(a). We had a continuing force of noise there when the minister is updating the House on what she was asked about. Ms COLLINS HWM I was about to quote the CEO of AUSVEG, who said: Australia achieving an FTA with the European Union is welcome news which will benefit Australian grower-exporters of onions, and other vegetable crops through tariff elimination and reductions. On this side of the House, we do understand the importance of fair trade and the benefits that it brings to farmers and producers. Our agriculture, fisheries and forestry exports were valued at more than $82 billion in 2025. This is a 38 per cent increase since 2021, the last time that you were in office. This has only been made possible because of the careful and considered approach that we have taken to restoring our international trading relationships. Trade with European Union 6 15:05 Ms COKER 263547 Corangamite My question is to the Prime Minister. Today, the Australian government and the European Union reached historic agreements, bringing us closer together across trade, industry and defence. Why are these agreements important, and how do they deliver for Australians? 15:06 Mr ALBANESE R36 Grayndler I thank the member for Corangamite for her question and for her interest in actually creating jobs in her community which come from free and fair trade. As a result of this EU agreement, we'll have more Australian beef and sheep meat from Queensland and New South Wales. We'll have more Australian wine from Western Australia and South Australia. We'll have more Australian dairy from Victoria and more seafood from Tasmania. They're all proudly Australian products, the very best in the world. After eight years of negotiations, something that couldn't be done by those opposite, we have today signed the Australia-EU free trade agreement. It represents a very good deal for exporters, and for Australian consumers and businesses gaining more access to European products here at home at lower prices. The EU is the world's second-largest economy and our third-largest trading partner. Deepening cooperation in trade is important to both of our economies, just as strengthening our defence ties is important for our security as well. Today, we've signed a new security and defence partnership, boosting Australia-EU collaboration across the defence industry, maritime security and cybersecurity as well as in countering terrorism and disinformation. Together, at a time of global uncertainty, with trade in flux, we are acting on both security and prosperity. It was a pleasure to hear the president's address to parliament—the first female leader to do so—with such warmth, friendship and good humour. I hear comments about beef and sheep from those opposite. Let me just give a few facts. When we were elected in 2022, beef exports in total were worth $9 billion. It's now $18 billion, double. Last year, beef to the European Union was 4,000 tonnes. This agreement provides for guaranteed preferential access for 35,000 tonnes—4,000 and 35,000, that is the difference. It's eight times our current exports. On sheep meat, this allows for nearly 31,000 tonnes, five times our current market access. That is what we have delivered, but those opposite only have two modes: talking Australia down and tearing each other down. That is all they do. They talk Australia down. (Time expired) Fuel 6 15:09 Mr TEHAN 210911 Wannon My question is to the Minister for Climate Change and Energy. More than two weeks ago, the minister told the house: Today the Treasurer and I have worked very closely together with the ACCC to ensure that ACCC penalties are increased … With fuel prices having doubled in three weeks, has the minister been advised as to when the legislation will actually be introduced? 15:09 Mr BOWEN DZS McMahon I have—tomorrow. Australia-European Union Security and Defence Partnership 7 15:10 Mr GOSLING 245392 Solomon My question is to the Deputy Prime Minister. How will Australia and the European Union strengthen cooperation through the new security and defence partnership? 15:10 Mr MARLES HWQ Corio I thank the member for his question and acknowledge his distinguished service in the Australian Army. With Kaja Kallas, the Vice President and High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy of the European Commission, the Foreign minister and I signed the Australia-EU Security and Defence Partnership. The moment that Russia and China signed a no-limits agreement on the eve of Russia's immoral and illegal invasion of Ukraine was the moment that a war in Eastern Europe became deeply relevant to Australia's national interest, because there are not many rules based orders; there is one. The lessons, good and bad, that will be learnt in Ukraine stand to be applied in the Indo-Pacific. So today there is, in fact, a deep connection between the Indo-Pacific and Europe, which is why this partnership is so important. The partnership will see increased cooperation between Australia and Europe across security and defence in cybersecurity, in space, in combating terrorism financing and in sharing information. Really importantly, it will see greater cooperation in the defence industry. So many of the platforms that are operated by the Australian Defence Force were designed or built by European companies. Navantia, a Spanish company, designed our air warfare destroyers, our supply ships and our landing helicopter dock ships—the largest ships in the Royal Australian Navy. Thales, a French company, has been building Bushmasters for the Australian Army in Bendigo for many years, and those Bushmasters are now providing critical service in Ukraine. Rheinmetall, a German company, is building more than 200 combat reconnaissance vehicles, the Boxers, in Brisbane for the Australian Army. In addition, they are building another 100 more, which are being sent back to Europe, for the German army. It's against this existing strong backdrop that the partnership will help provide for a seamless defence industrial base between Australia and Europe. Australia and Europe are both democratic. We enjoy freedom of speech. We share values, and we have complete trust. In difficult times, the Australia-EU Security and Defence Partnership will be the basis upon which Australia and Europe will navigate a challenging world together. Taxation 7 15:13 Ms SHARKIE 265980 Mayo My question is to the Treasurer. For every litre of fuel sold in Australia, the government receives 52.6c in excise tax. We are in a cost-of-living emergency, and we must act now. Diesel has increased by over 55 per cent in the last month. This is devastating for regional communities like Mayo. Will the government suspend the fuel excise for 60 days to provide immediate relief for Australians. 15:13 Dr CHALMERS 37998 Rankin I thank the member for Mayo for her question, which I think does reflect a level of concern in the Australian community about cost-of-living pressures and particularly pressures which are being felt at the petrol bowser. Unlike the shadow treasurer, the member for Mayo has appropriately represented how the fuel excise works. It's applied per litre of fuel. It doesn't go up when the price of fuel goes up; it's levied per litre. The amount that the member for Mayo mentioned is the accurate one—even if the shadow treasurer didn't know that when he was asked. When it comes to the excise, when it comes to the proposal that the member for Mayo has, it's not something that we have been considering. We have been working very hard to provide cost-of-living relief in the most responsible way that we can. The tax cuts which are coming—rounds 2 and 3—are an important part of that. Cheaper medicines, more bulk-billing, student debt relief and the like are all about recognising these pressures and to try to provide that cost-of-living relief in a different way than the way proposed by the member for Mayo. In fuel markets more broadly, we're working very closely, and as a team, to make sure that there is supply that people need, particularly in regional areas, and to also make sure the ACCC is empowered to go after any suppliers or retailers who do the wrong thing. I do acknowledge that there are a range of views about it. The member for Mayo's question, I think, accurately reflects some of the suggestions which are out there. For our part, we're providing cost-of-living relief, and we're working as hard as we can in fuel markets to recognise and respond to the pressures that Australians are under. Trade with European Union 7 15:15 Mr MONCRIEFF 316540 Hughes My question is to the minister representing the Minister for Trade and Tourism. How is the Albanese Labor government delivering real economic benefits to Australian workers and families by signing a free trade agreement with the European Union? 15:16 Ms MADELEINE KING 102376 Brand I thank the member for Hughes for his great question. I'm really proud to be representing in this place the finest trade minister this country has ever seen, Senator Don Farrell. Under Senator Farrell's leadership and that of the Prime Minister, this government has delivered economic benefits to Australian workers and families. Under the leadership of the trade minister and this Prime Minister, this government has removed $20 billion of trade impediments. We have signed an economic cooperation and trade agreement with India, FTAs with the United Kingdom and the United Arab Emirates, and, today, an FTA with the European Union. All this confirms that Labor is the party of free, open and fair trade. After all, it was the Hawke government that lifted the tariff wall in this country and opened our economy up to fair trade. We lifted the tariff walls, we support fair trade, we support free trade, and we are building more and more connections every single day. I acknowledge the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, and I echo her views that both continents share the same challenges and goals. We need to maximise our potential together, and through this EU FTA, we will do that. This has been eight years in the making. It's a historic achievement achieved by this government. This European Union agreement combines us with the 27 member states—the second-largest economy in the world, with a population of over 450 million people and a GDP of $31 trillion in 2025. This free trade agreement between Australia and the EU means lower tariffs on imports from the European Union, including what's on shelves at grocery stores right around the nation. Lowering tariffs means more choices at lower prices to help ease cost-of-living pressures at supermarkets right around the country for all Australian families. Farmers and businesses will benefit from cheaper machinery, vehicles, parts and equipment that they source from the EU, and this will flow into households around the country. Importantly, this government has protected— The SPEAKER 53517 Order! The minister will pause. The Leader of the Nationals in the House of Representatives, has had a really good go. I need to hear what the minister is saying. I'm just asking everyone to show a little restraint while the minister is on her feet so the House can hear her response to the question that she was asked by the member for Hughes. The minister in continuation? Ms MADELEINE KING 102376 This government has protected the rights of Australians to keep using words for products they have made for many years, like 'parmesan' and 'kransky', and this is really important to people of Italian and Polish heritage. Australian winemakers can keep making and selling prosecco domestically—I know that's very important to the member for Bendigo and others. There are long phase-out periods for other terms such as feta, romano and gruyere. This is important for the marketing of these Australian products for the many Australians with European heritage— The SPEAKER 53517 Order! The minister will pause. The member for Barker, I can hear you from here. You're the furthest from the frontbench. I'm not putting up with these interjections any more. You'll leave the chamber under 94(a) as well— The SPEAKER 53517 For two hours—my correction, three hours. If I'm asking for restraint in the House and someone ignores the Speaker, then I ask them to leave and they continue to interject on the way out, there will be severe consequences. I think that's only common sense and common courtesy. The minister in continuation. The member for Barker then left the chamber. Ms MADELEINE KING 102376 Thank you, Mr Speaker. This is a heritage many are proud of in this country and, indeed, it's a heritage and a shared future that we are proud of. It was an Australian Labor government that has delivered a European Union-Australia free trade agreement. Fuel 8 15:20 Mr RICK WILSON 198084 O'Connor My question is to the Minister for Climate Change and Energy. On 10 March 2026, the minister stated: … the fact of the matter is we have enough diesel in Australia for our needs for the foreseeable future … And it's important that government and industry are working together … Can the minister advise the House as to how many service stations in each state and territory are currently out of fuel? 15:20 Mr BOWEN DZS McMahon I thank the honourable gentleman for the question. In New South Wales, the figure is164 without diesel, 289 without at least one type of fuel. In Queensland the figure is 55 with no diesel and 35 with no regular unleaded. That's out of 1,800 service stations. I should have said, in New South Wales, those figures are out of 2,417 service stations. In Victoria, the figure is 162 with one or more grades unavailable out of 1,627 service stations. In South Australia, it's 46 with one or more grades unavailable out of 700. In Western Australia, I'm advised it's six out of 771, with the total stock out. In Tasmania, it is one with no diesel and six with no unleaded out of 250 service stations. In the Northern Territory, the Northern Territory administration advises me that there are no shortages as a result of fuel supply, but there are of course issues in relation to flooding and road access, and there are no outages in the ACT. DISTINGUISHED VISITORS 9 DISTINGUISHED VISITORS Acknowledgement 9 15:21 The SPEAKER 53517 Before I call the member for Dickson, I'm pleased to inform the House that present in the gallery today are 120 senior school students from across Australia who have been selected to participate in the 31st National Schools Constitutional Convention. Welcome to you all. I'm also pleased to inform that in the gallery is a group of 10 young people attending a civics engagement youth advisory group. Welcome to you as well. Honourable members: Hear, hear! QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE 9 QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE Middle East 9 15:22 Ms FRANCE 270198 Dickson My question is to the Prime Minister. How is the Albanese Labor government working with the states and territories, industry and our international partners to respond to the ongoing disruptions to global trade caused by the war in the Middle East? 15:22 Mr ALBANESE R36 Grayndler I thank the fantastic member for Dickson for the question. As we heard from the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, and as most people around the world would recognise, this is a global issue and there are global pressures on trade. There are global pressures on energy supply. There are global pressures on inflation as a result of the actions, particularly of the Iranian regime, which has engaged in attacks on neighbouring nations in the Middle East and effectively closed to almost all traffic the Strait of Hormuz. It is imperative that freedom of navigation in the region recommences unhindered and we again reiterate Australia's call for Iran to cease this reckless action, which is having the consequence of isolating itself even further from decent people right around the world because of the actions and the reckless way in which it is seeking to damage ordinary people, ordinary citizens, not only in their region of the Middle East but right around the world. Disruption to 20 per cent of the world's oil supply is continuing to impact nations. Indeed, we heard as well about the impact of these actions on the economies of Europe. We live in a world which is more connected than ever before, where no-one is immune from these shocks. We know that increased petrol prices put pressure on Australians, and that's why it's so important to work with every partner that we can, both at home and overseas, to shield our nation as best as possible from the worst of global uncertainty. That's why I engaged with Prime Minister Lawrence Wong of Singapore and issued a joint statement with him yesterday. That's why we invited and had the executive director of the IEA, Dr Birol, here in Australia. It's why we had a discussion with him yesterday afternoon, and it's why senior members of the government are continuing to engage right across with our partners in the region. The Commonwealth is continuing to lead on supply, and we're coordinating action with the states and territories as well, who have a key role in the distribution of fuel across the nation. Earlier today, I met with the coordinator, Anthea Harris. She's convened a meeting already today of the different state coordinators who've been appointed as a result of the National Cabinet meeting that I organised last Thursday through the establishment of the Fuel Supply Taskforce. This is important to coordinate the activity right across different levels of government with the national response. We continue to drive this agenda as well. Part of the agenda has to be to make our economy more resilient. That's one of the lessons that we learned from COVID, and it's one of the lessons that we're being reminded of right now with this issue. Fuel 9 15:26 Mr McCORMACK 219646 Riverina My question is to the Minister for Climate Change and Energy. Minister, what is your plan to get fuel to the more than 400 service stations that have no fuel? 15:26 Mr BOWEN DZS McMahon The government's plan is to work to increase the fuel supply in Australia by releasing 20 per cent of the minimum stock obligation, which we have done. We have done so on the condition from the minimum stock entities that they see that fuel flowing to regional Australia. That has been entered into and has been implemented. I also announced a temporary relaxation of the rules for sulphur for petrol, which will see an extra 100 million litres of fuel be supplied to the system each month. In addition, the Prime Minister has convened National Cabinet, I've convened energy ministers, and we have agreed to keep working together on contingency plans. We will work every day with refiners and with suppliers to ensure that that fuel flows to where there are real shortages as a result of the increases in demand that we have seen across Australia. Mr BOWEN DZS The Leader of the Opposition interjected, which I'll take. He said, 'It's only increases in demand.' If the Leader of the Opposition could point to one ship that hasn't arrived or one refinery that isn't working— Opposition members interjecting— Mr BOWEN DZS As the government has made clear on multiple occasions, every ship that has been expected has arrived. We have very transparently said that there have been cancellations in April. The Leader of the Opposition is the one who has misled people and said that we are stopping exports from Australia, which is not true. The SPEAKER 53517 The manager on a point of order? Mr Tehan 210911 It goes to direct relevance. The question wasn't about the Leader of the Opposition; it was about your— The SPEAKER 53517 Resume your seat. Opposition members interjecting— The SPEAKER 53517 Order! The manager has made his point of order. He was correct. The minister wasn't asked about the Leader of the Opposition, but if the Leader of the Opposition interjects and— Government members interjecting— The SPEAKER 53517 Order! Members on my right! To make sure the minister's not talking about the opposition, I would suggest no-one from the opposition interjects so he doesn't take the interjection. Mr BOWEN DZS The government will work with anyone of goodwill, as we have done across the board. We have not heard a single constructive suggestion from the opposition—not a single one. There's been plenty of sledging and no solutions. There have been plenty of insults but no ideas. All we have seen is politics and negativity. I'm asked about fuel shortages. The SPEAKER 53517 The manager's taken a point of order on relevance. He won't be able to do it again. Mr Tehan 210911 The minister is defying your ruling. The SPEAKER 53517 Resume your seat. He was just in mid-sentence saying that he was asked about fuel shortages and the plan, and he's talking about that. You missed the boat there. Mr BOWEN DZS I was asked about fuel shortage. To give credit where it's due—nobody in the leadership group—some Liberal Party and National Party members have been to see me to talk to me about issues in their electorates, in good faith, and they would concede that we have worked well together. We have worked well together to do that. I'll continue to do that. But the leadership of the Liberal Party has chosen partisanship, not patriotism, and they should hang their heads in shame. Fuel 10 15:30 Mr ABDO 316915 Calwell My question is to the Minister for Climate Change and Energy. Can the minister update the House on Australia's fuel supply? How has the Albanese Labor government acted to strengthen our fuel supply? 15:30 Mr BOWEN DZS McMahon I thank my honourable friend for the question and for everything he's done in this House since he arrived here this year. We've heard this week from the President of the European Commission and the Executive Director of the International Energy Agency about just how acute this international crisis is, and both made the point that no country is immune from its impacts—a point the Prime Minister and I and the entire government have been making now for the best part of a month. There will be impacts. We need to prepare, and we need to ensure that we use this as an opportunity to increase our sovereign capability as well. On Friday last, in Brisbane, I announced changes to the fuel security services payment to ensure that our two existing refineries continue to operate after a decade where we saw the de-industrialisation of Australian refining and saw four refineries shut their operations in Australia. Enough! No refinery will close under the Albanese government, and the payments we announced on Friday in Brisbane will ensure that that is the case. I'm very pleased to have been able to work with the refiners to ensure that that is the case. Today, I can announce further measures, because we continue to see shortages in diesel. Despite the fact our national stocks are strong and imports continue to arrive, we continue to see shortages around the country, as honourable members have said. We should do everything sensible to increase supply, so I can announce today that I have changed the diesel standards when it comes to the combustion temperature and allowed a slightly lower combustion temperature of 60.5 degrees, which is called the flashpoint and which provides a little more flexibility to importers as to what diesel we can import into Australia and a little more flexibility for refiners to switch between fuels as well. These are practical measures, not suggested by the opposition—not suggested at any point by any member opposite—but taken by us to get the job done. These are the sorts of practical things which add to what we've already done. Releasing 20 per cent of the minimum stock obligation was not an easy decision and not a decision lightly taken but 100 per cent the right decision in the circumstances—and not just released carte blanche but released on the condition from those entities that they will see the spot market and the regional areas supplied. That is having an effect now. The increase in sulphur rules, which could not apply to diesel despite some members opposite saying it should, simply could not be allowed to be applied to diesel. And this flashpoint decision today will see additional diesel supply into Australia, which will see increased supply from our refiners and increased flexibility for our refiners. These are practical measures taken by a government taking action in the face of international uncertainty when all we have seen from the opposition is partisanship, not patriotism. Fuel 11 15:33 Mr VENNING 315434 Grey My question is to the Minister for Climate Change and Energy. I refer to the front page of today's Sydney Morning Herald with an article titled, 'States warn Albanese of fuel ration confusion'. Have any state and territory energy ministers requested that the federal government prepare a fuel-rationing plan? 15:33 Mr BOWEN DZS McMahon I refer the honourable gentleman to my answer yesterday in which I confirmed to the House the great revelation that the energy ministers had met last Friday and issued a communique, which is not a secret document. For the benefit of honourable members opposite, the communique reads, in part: Ministers agreed that there are shared responsibilities and it will be critical to work together to maintain fuel security by anticipating risks and enabling timely, coordinated responses. Ministers tasked Senior Officials to regularly report on fuel security and potential responses. Ministers will continue to monitor fuel supplies and work together to respond as the situation evolves. A communique! The SPEAKER 53517 Resume your seat for a moment, Manager. The question was about a media report; the member for Grey asked about whether requests had been made to lead to fuel-rationing plans. The minister was directly answering that part of the question, when he was on his feet, about what the ministers had discussed and what the requests, I assume, were that led to that. That is pretty directly relevant, so we'll just have to agree to disagree. In this case, I'm going to endorse what the minister is saying, because he is being directly relevant about the question he was asked. Manager, on a point of order? Mr Tehan 210911 Just on your statement there, the question was really specific, and this is really important. It goes to a significant national issue— Government members interjecting— Mr Tehan 210911 about a fuel-rationing plan. The minister isn't addressing that. The SPEAKER 53517 The Leader of the House. Mr Burke DYW To the point of order, almost every time a point of order is taken by those opposite—particularly the Manager of Opposition Business—on direct relevance, they then pretend that a whole lot of the words of the question were not there. The start of this question referred to an article on the front page of the Sydney Morning Herald. I've just had a look at the full contents of that article. It goes through a broad range of issues. It refers at length to the Prime Minister's speech last night. If you're going to have those words in the question, then they become part of direct relevance in the answer. The SPEAKER 53517 Yes. I've given the Manager a good go. Can you just resume your seat. We heard from you. The SPEAKER 53517 No, resume your seat. Opposition members interjecting— The SPEAKER 53517 Yes, I understand that, but common sense would prevail. If a member is asking about an article, you don't just refer to the title of the article; it's about the article itself. But we're not getting into the semantics here. We just want to make sure that the minister is being directly relevant about the issue of fuel rationing that he was asked about as part of the article that he was asked about. Mr BOWEN DZS As I've previously said in the House as well, the Commonwealth and the states are working together off the frame of the National Liquid Fuel Emergency Response Plan, which is a document that's existed under governments of all persuasions for the last 20 years. Just as in COVID, where the Morrison government worked with states, the Albanese government is working with states on contingency planning on all the measures. The difference now is that, during COVID, the Morrison government had an opposition which was constructive. The Morrison government had an opposition which made policy suggestions, which gave support to controversial measures when it didn't have to. I was shadow minister. I remember Labor Party members complaining to me: 'You're being too soft on the Morrison government. You shouldn't give them that much support.' I said: 'That would not be good for the country. That would not be good for Australia.' But the Taylor opposition sees an international crisis as a political-point-scoring opportunity, not an opportunity to be the adults in the room. I suspect the Australian people will have views about that performance. Fuel 12 15:38 Dr FREELANDER 265979 Macarthur My question is to the Treasurer. What steps is the Albanese Labor government taking in relation to fuel supply and affordability? How does this compare with other approaches? 15:39 Dr CHALMERS 37998 Rankin Mr Speaker, I hope it's okay that I also shout-out the National Schools Constitutional Convention friends who've joined us today. I thank the member for Macarthur for his question. As a wonderful local member in an outer-metro community a bit like mine, I know that he understands the pressures that people are feeling right around Australia. Australians are under cost-of-living pressure, and the conflict in the Middle East is adding to that pressure. We recognise that, and, more than recognising that, we're taking action to help address it. Tomorrow, as the Minister for Climate Change and Energy said, we'll introduce new legislation to help consumers get a fair go at the petrol pump, with bigger penalties for misconduct in the fuel sector. The conflict overseas is no excuse for suppliers or servos to take advantage of Australians. We are putting the petrol companies on notice. Our new laws will double the penalties for false or misleading conduct and cartel behaviour to a maximum of $100 million per offence. That means bigger penalties for any servos and suppliers that rip off Australian motorists. It's on top of all of the other action we're taking to address fuel affordability and security, supporting our refineries, as the minister said; boosting fuel supply; getting more fuel into the market; working with industry and international partners; and empowering the ACCC. Late last year we also legislated to strengthen Australia's fuel security, and the explanatory memorandum of our legislation said, 'It would ensure the government is well placed to efficiently respond to potential shortages of critical fuels.' The bill amended the Minimum Stockholding Obligation to help us manage critical fuel shortages. It facilitated more information gathering. It was about fuel related products critical to Australia's trucking industry, diesel exhaust fluid and technical grade urea. It was all about making sure that we could respond to situations like this. I remind the House that those opposite voted against fuel security at the end of last year. They had the opportunity to support some sensible measures to make it easier for Australia to deal with and respond to threats to our fuel security, and they voted against it. I call on them to not make the same mistake again when it comes to bigger penalties for servos and suppliers who are doing the wrong thing. We call on them to back this bill to put in place higher penalties for petrol companies and to protect motorists. Our legislation is all about a fair go for Australians at the petrol pump. Mr Tim Wilson IMW We call you to turn down inflation. We call on you to stop inflation. Dr CHALMERS 37998 We recognise— The SPEAKER 53517 The Treasurer will pause. The shadow Treasurer is interjecting way too much. This is his first and final warning because we won't be having the MPI if that continues. It's your call. Dr CHALMERS 37998 We are not immune from uncertainty in the global economy. We know that, but this action will help protect consumers and hold petrol suppliers and retailers to account. As the energy minister said, those opposite should stop playing politics, be patriots in this regard and support our legislation Fuel 12 15:42 Mr WILKIE C2T Clark My question is to the Minister for Climate Change and Energy. The Minimum Stockholding Obligation for liquid fuel only applies to diesel, petrol and jet fuel. It does not apply to bunker fuel, which is a specialised marine fuel oil used by the shipping industry. Minister, seeing as shipping is responsible for transporting almost all of our island nation's trade and indeed Tasmania's trade, will you use your power the Liquid Fuel Emergency Act to bring the same priority to bunker fuel? 15:43 Mr BOWEN DZS McMahon I thank the honourable member for the question and the spirit in which he raises it, on behalf of his electorate and in the national interest. The honourable member is right. There are a range of bunker fuels used in domestic and international shipping. Marine fuel is one of the most significant, along with marine diesel. Fuel oil accounted for one per cent of Australia's refined product use in 2025. I do know that the Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government is engaging directly with the maritime sector, and I can tell the member for Clark that I've also engaged directly with the Tasmanian minister for energy and renewables, and we are working well together. I can also tell the honourable member that, as part of the release of the Minimum Stockholding Obligation, although the member is right that bunker fuel is not in the Minimum Stockholding Obligation, we were nevertheless able to make a condition of the release of the Minimum Stockholding Obligation, prioritising maritime oil supply for cargo and passenger vessels to Tasmania, ports, fisheries and forestry. That has been done as part of the MSO release. I can also tell the member for Clark that approximately 13 per cent of the production from Geelong is for fuel oil, and last year total fuel oil production in Australia averaged 23 million litres a month, with the production of fuel oil supported by the announcement I just referred to that we made on Friday of support for our two refineries to ensure that Australian domestic capability. In relation to the honourable member's question about the Liquid Fuel Emergency Act, I've pointed out before that the test for invoking that act is very high, quite rightly. It has never been invoked in the last 40 years—not through the two gulf crises, not through COVID and not at any other time.Of course, it is there to be invoked if necessary, but at this point I am not envisaging requiring that. Indeed, the measures that I refer to show what can be done without invoking that act. Fuel: Road Transport Industry 13 15:44 Mr NEUMANN HVO Blair My question is to the Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations. How is the Albanese Labor government supporting truck drivers and road transport businesses to get a fair go, given the impact of the conflict in the Middle East? 15:45 Ms RISHWORTH HWA Kingston I'd like to thank the member for Blair for his question, because he's someone that always backs Aussie truckers. Our road transport industry is vital to keeping our nation's economy moving. Without trucks and their drivers, the movement of essential supplies across Australia would stop. It's truckies like Justin, who I met this morning on his overnight stop. He was very generous to talk to me, because he hadn't been to sleep yet. He is one of the many hardworking Australians ensuring that food and goods are delivered to where they're needed, and it's this government that wants to give truckies like Justin a fair go. That is why our government has passed significant reforms to ensure that our road transport industry is strong and resilient for Australia's future. We are cracking down on sham contracting and have increased penalties for employers who dodge their obligations to their employees. The government has also introduced strong powers for the Fair Work Commission to set fair minimum standards across the road transport supply chain, ensuring that our truckies and transport operators get a fair go. Under the current legislation, the Fair Work Commission must consult when setting contract chain orders for a minimum of six months. As our country experiences the impact of the war in the Middle East, our government recognises the need to establish an urgent pathway for truckies to argue for their fair share in the Fair Work Commission. That is why our government today announced that we will amend the Fair Work Act to enable the commission to respond more quickly to contract chain order applications in time sensitive circumstances. This is so truckies and transport operators aren't left to worry about managing rising costs on their own. Consultation will not be removed. The commission will still need to step through its processes, but it will be able to act more quickly, helping to maintain business viability in the current volatile environment. It is critical that the costs of rising fuel prices are shared fairly through our supply chain so that our truckies and transport businesses can remain viable. The government's announcement has been widely supported by industry, including the Australian Road Transport Industrial Organisation, the National Road Freighters Association, the Transport Workers' Union and the Australian Trucking Association, whose CEO, Mat Munro, today said that the ATA stands with the government in full support of its announcement. The question for those opposite is: will they stand with Australian truckies when this legislation comes to the parliament? Fuel 13 15:48 Mr REBELLO 316547 McPherson My question is to the Minister for Climate Change and Energy. Have any state or territory energy ministers requested that the federal government prepare a fuel rationing plan? 15:48 Mr BOWEN DZS McMahon I refer the honourable gentleman to my previous answer. Fuel: Road Transport Industry 14 15:48 Ms DOYLE 299962 Aston My question is to the Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government. How is the Albanese Labor government working to support our transport industry through this fuel shock? 15:49 Ms CATHERINE KING 00AMR Ballarat I thank the member for Aston for the question. It was great to join her on Henderson Road in Knoxfield just last week. It's one of the great projects that's being built through her electorate. I want to start by saying that I do know how tough it has been for workers in the transport industry over the past few weeks. They drive through the night to get food on our supermarket shelves, medicines to pharmacies and fuel to our petrol stations. It's been particularly challenging to grapple with spikes in demand for fuel delivery across the last few weeks. In the last couple of weeks, they've also been dealing, of course, with rising fuel costs eating into their bottom line. It's why I was so pleased to join with Minister Rishworth this morning to announce the amendments to the Fair Work Act which will allow for transport operators to apply to renegotiate with their clients more quickly so that they can more fairly share the cost of fuel spikes across the supply chain. Currently, the Fair Work Commission cannot deliver a determination for at least six months. For those opposite, it's going to be a question of whether you will support that legislation when it is introduced next week. With truck operators having such tight margins, they cannot wait, and it would be good if the opposition signalled their support sooner rather than later. Some of the larger supermarkets are already working with the trucking industry to renegotiate contracts, but this should be happening right the way across the board. Government, industry and unions were all united in their support for this change. This is one of the many actions that the Albanese government is taking to address fuel costs and to support businesses and workers across our important transport sector. We're able to do this because of our close and regular engagement with them. Throughout this time, I've been meeting regularly with representatives from the road transport, rail, aviation and maritime sector, joined by representatives of the fuel industry. Along with providing me and my department with updates on impacts on the industry, they are also advising me of the work that they're doing to support the safe arrival of Australians from the Middle East. We know already that over 7,700 Australians have arrived home safely from the UAE and Qatar since the beginning of this conflict. I particularly want to give a shout-out and thanks to the pilots and flight crews who have carefully and expertly navigated flights out of the Middle East, when it has been safe to do so. Qantas have also been putting on additional flights to Sydney via Singapore so Australians have more ways to get home and to the world. Our regular engagements across industries have helped inform the actions that this government is taking. That's what you do. You engage with the industry and you work with your departments when you've got times like these, and you make sure that you're actually being a patriot, not political. Gambling 14 15:52 Ms CHANEY 300006 Curtin Prime Minister, 1,000 days ago, after heartbreaking evidence about the predatory gambling industry, the late Peta Murphy presented our committee report to parliament with 31 unanimous recommendations to reduce gambling industry harm. The government has still not responded. You claim to have done more than any other government, but none of your actions were in response to the inquiry's recommendations, and Australians still lose more through gambling than any other country. Why won't you respond to Peter Murphy's report? 15:53 Mr ALBANESE R36 Grayndler I thank the member for Curtin for her question. We certainly recognise this as a real issue, but it's extraordinary for you argue that the measures that the government have put in place have not been in response to the Murphy report. That is just not true. That is just factually wrong. The fact is that we continue to work. Indeed, just this week in parliament we're introducing legislation that will stop gambling and tobacco companies from claiming the research and development tax incentive. Until this action is taken by the government, betting firms and poker machine companies are able to claim millions of dollars a year in research and development expenses. We're fixing that. But it also builds on the other actions that we have taken. Banning the use of credit cards for online wagering was one of the recommendations and something that was talked about in evidence before that committee. There was also establishing mandatory customer ID preverification for online wagering, implementing monthly win-loss statements, strengthening classification of video games that contain gambling-like content and, of course, launching the National Self-Exclusion Register, BetStop, which has been enormously successful. The recent independent statutory review of BetStop found that users of the National Self-Exclusion Register have testified that it can truly be a game changer. Ministers and I will continue to engage across the community on this important issue and will continue to report back to the parliament and will continue to take measure after measure on this issue. Pensions and Benefits 15 15:54 Mrs ELLIOT DZW Richmond My question is to the Minister for Social Services. How is the Albanese Labor government strengthening our social security system and delivering cost-of-living relief for Australians, including social security payment recipients, and are there any risks to this? 15:55 Ms PLIBERSEK 83M Sydney Thanks so much to the member for Richmond. It was wonderful to visit a great local service that provides emergency relief to her electorate when I was up her way just recently. I know that, like the member for Richmond, all of us believe that we want people to have jobs. We want them to have good, secure jobs. Since coming to government, we've seen the minimum wage go up $9,000. We've seen tax cuts for every taxpayer—more to come. But, when people can't work, of course they need a social security system that supports them, or, if they're aged pensioners, of course they deserve to retire with dignity. That's why we're so proud on this side that, last Friday 20 March, more than five million social security recipients saw a boost to their payments—a $2.6 billion boost to their payments. In the member for Richmond's electorate, it was 25,480 aged pensioners who saw their pensions go up. We know that Australians are feeling the pinch, and these adjustments help keep up with cost-of-living changes. The changes that came into effect last Friday saw the full aged pension—now $5,500 more than when we came to government. They see jobseekers who've got $4,300 a year more since we came to government. Rent assistance has gone up; the maximum rate has gone up by about $1,900 a year since we came to government. And, for the first time in 30 years, we've seen an increase to the threshold for the small debt waiver, making sure that our system is fairer and better value for taxpayers. The waiver is now set at $250. So around 1.2 million small debts will not be collected this year. A lot of those debts actually cost more to collect than they return when they're collected. This builds on cheaper medicines—the maximum cost for a script for pensioners is now $7.70; a bulk-billing boost; five per cent deposits for first home buyers; free TAFE; the 20 per cent cut to student debt. We know that those opposite, of course, would put all of that at risk. They love voting against cost-of-living help for ordinary Australians. Opposition members interjecting— Ms PLIBERSEK 83M Oh, laugh away! You did it. You voted against plenty of these measures! We know that, when they were last in government, despite promising not to touch the aged pension more than nine times, they actually tried to raise the pension age to 70 when they had the opportunity to do that. Those opposite have not changed. They have not learned. They're the same old Liberals focused on themselves while we're focused on making life a little bit easier for Australians. Fuel 15 15:58 Mrs McINTOSH 281513 Lindsay My question is to the Minister for Climate Change and Energy. New South Wales premier Chris Minns has just said in the New South Wales parliament in relation to fuel supply: … demand management procedures are required—that might be rationing … it should be a nationally consistent approach. Does the minister agree? 15:58 Mr BOWEN DZS McMahon I thank the honourable member for her question. Perhaps the honourable member didn't take in when I read out the communique from energy ministers—when we agreed to work together on coordination measures over the coming weeks and months. That's why we appointed a supply coordinator to work not just across the federal bureaucracy but across the states to work with industry, because that is the appropriate thing to do. But this question really goes to the approach of the opposition here—asking constructive questions about fuel supply, making constructive suggestions? No. Fearmongering, disinformation—that's the opposition's approach. The SPEAKER 53517 Has the minister concluded his answer? The manager of opposition business, on a point of order? Mr Tehan 210911 It's on relevance. This question had nothing to do with the opposition. It was about whether there was going to be a nationally consistent approach to fuel rationing. The Australian people want to know an answer. The SPEAKER 53517 The manager is correct. It was not about the opposition. If the minister has nothing else to add, he'll have to be brief with his remarks. He won't be able to, for the remaining two minutes, talk about the opposition. He wasn't asked about that. Mr BOWEN DZS I simply say that this government will continue to work constructively with state governments and will continue to work constructively with industry—and it's state governments like the Tasmanian state government, which is working very constructively with this government across the field in this difficult environment because that's what sensible, adult governments do. That's what serious people do. Non-serious people play politics in an international crisis. The SPEAKER 53517 The Minister for Employment is warned. Health Care 16 16:01 Mr MATT SMITH 312393 Leichhardt My question is to the Minister for Health and Ageing. How is the Albanese Labor government making it easier for Australians to see a doctor when they need urgent care? Why did the government introduce this new model of care, and how does it compare to other policy approaches? 16:01 Mr BUTLER HWK Hindmarsh I know that the member for Leichhardt only got to Canberra this morning. He's been with his community over the last few days, helping them up in Cape York deal with the impacts of Cyclone Narelle. I also know as a player of basketball in the US, he saw firsthand the punishing effects of a healthcare system like America's—bills for hundreds of thousands of dollars to treat serious basketball injuries. That's one of the reasons why he has been such a strong supporter of our stronger Medicare plan. It's delivering for his community in Leichhardt. More than 60 per cent of general practices today are bulk-billing 100 per cent of their patients. Almost 40,000 people have already gone through the Cairns south urgent care clinic since it opened in 2023. Indeed, the member can attest to the high-quality care there because he was bitten by a white-tail spider quite recently. I know he was especially proud and especially delighted last week to open the Medicare urgent care clinic in Cairns North that we promised at the last election. There are now 134 Medicare urgent care clinics open after the Prime Minister opened the Coburg clinic in Melbourne over the weekend. Already, they've seen more than 2.7 million Australians, every single one of whom has been bulk-billed. But let's be clear, this is a Labor vision. This is a Labor program. The shadow Treasurer, now the opposition leader, a couple of years ago described it as 'wasteful spending'. Now, on his website, it says nothing about Medicare or health. I thought I'd have a look at the third right-wing party's policies about this after Senator Hanson said earlier today that there's a heap of policy for Pauline Hanson's One Nation Party, you just have to go to their website. So I did go to their website, I clicked on 'Health' on onenation.org.au, and there are—one, two, three—four lines in their health policy! To their credit, they mention improving regional healthcare services by paying the HECS and HELP debt of recent graduate doctors. I'm pretty sure we're doing that, Minister for Education. There's not a single reference to Medicare, not a single reference to bulk-billing, not a single reference to urgent care clinics and not a single reference to cheaper medicines, which just goes to show that it doesn't matter which flavour you pick from this potpourri, the tutti-frutti of right-wing parties that is available in Australia right now, you won't hear anything about a stronger Medicare. Cost of Living 16 16:04 Ms LE 295676 Fowler My question is to the Treasurer. Treasurer, your government ignored my calls last term to halve the fuel excise to ease the cost of living for families and small businesses. Now, petrol and diesel are surging towards $3 a litre, yet, your government is still taking $27 billion in fuel excise from struggling Australians. Why won't you halve the excise to provide immediate relief and curb inflation, like the previous government did? Surely there's never been a more critical time to act. 16:04 Dr CHALMERS 37998 Rankin For the bulk of my answer, I refer the honourable member to the answer I gave to her colleague the member for Mayo. In addition, I point out, in acknowledging the very real cost-of-living pressures being felt in Fowler and indeed around the country, that the government is providing cost-of-living relief in a number of different ways to her local community. Sixty-five thousand taxpayers are getting a tax cut—actually, getting two more tax cuts because of this government. Those opposite voted against them and said they'd repeal them. About 8,000 people in her community are getting a boost to their superannuation. More than 23,000 people are getting student debt relief. When it comes to the PBS co-payment reduction—more than $5.9 million in savings in her electorate alone across 416,000 scripts. The safety net reduction—$5.8 million in savings across 773,000 scripts. The Medicare urgent care clinic in Liverpool—I pay tribute to the health minister and the Prime Minister for delivering that. There are new bulk-billing clinics, including nine additional practices in the member for Fowler's electorate. We're providing cost-of-living help in other ways, and I've concluded my answer. Small Business 17 16:06 Ms PAYNE 144732 Canberra My question is to the Minister for Small Business. How is the Albanese Labor government continuing to deliver for Australian small businesses in the face of global uncertainty? 16:06 Dr ALY 13050 Cowan I thank the member for Canberra and welcome her back to this place after her period of maternity leave. I thank her also for fighting for small businesses in Canberra—small businesses like one of my favourites, Fancy Yarns. Fancy Yarns is run by owners Cat and John, and they recently held another amazing Australian Yarn Show event right here in Canberra. It's an annual event that showcases small businesses in the yarn industry, from producers through to retailers and creatives as well—so I wanted to give them a bit of a shout-out. The Albanese government understands how important small businesses are, and we're ensuring that small businesses have the right conditions in place not just to survive but also to thrive. Since we came to government, Australians have established more than 26,000 new small businesses every month. Behind that figure there are visionary individuals who take an idea or take a passion and turn it into a business—a business that employs people and supplies critical goods and services, and a business that builds communities. Our National Small Business Strategy, the first of its kind, means that we're working closely with states and territories across three essential pillars—supporting small businesses to grow, levelling the playing field for them and easing the pressure on small businesses. But we know that running a small business can be tough, and I know that members on this side of the House who have run small businesses know exactly what I'm talking about—and it's even tougher when you don't know what's around the corner, when unexpected price shocks or supply shortages throw you curveballs. Mr Speaker, you've heard the Prime Minister, the Treasurer and other ministers talk here about shielding Australians from the worst of global uncertainty. We are working as a team across portfolios to deliver for small businesses and ensure that they too are shielded from the worst of global uncertainty. We're ensuring that they're able to take advantage of Australia's transition to renewable energy, and I'm pleased to inform the House that the latest draft default market offer proposes that small-business electricity costs could drop by as much as 21 per cent. We're also ensuring that they can reduce their energy costs by accessing the home battery program, which thousands have already done. We're boosting fuel supply, amending fuel standards and working with industry and international partners—including, as the minister announced earlier today, the standards for diesel as well. On this side of the House we remain focused on delivery, particularly in the face of global uncertainty. We are the party for small business. Mr Albanese R36 I ask that further questions be place on the Notice Paper. QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE: ADDITIONAL ANSWERS 17 QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE: ADDITIONAL ANSWERS Fuel 17 16:10 Mr BOWEN DZS McMahon Mr Speaker, I wish to add to an answer. The SPEAKER 53517 The minister may proceed. Mr BOWEN DZS I add to my answer to the member for Lindsay. In her question to me, the member for Lindsay asserted that the Premier of New South Wales had said, 'demand management measures are required—that might be rationing'. They have Hansard in the New South Wales parliament as well. In fact, the Premier of New South Wales said: … if demand management procedures are required—that might be rationing, working from home, or other programs or remedies that we can introduce into the marketplace … This is another example of the opposition seeking political point scoring dishonestly in the midst of an international crisis. The SPEAKER 53517 The member for Curtin has indicated she's seeking the call. Ms Chaney 300006 Mr Speaker, I rise on a point of order. The Prime Minister has misled the House in saying that the actions taken by the government were in response to the Murphy report. None of the actions he listed are identified in any of the 31 recommendations, and all had been announced prior to the completion of the report. And I request he correct the record. The SPEAKER 53517 The member for Curtin was seeking the call to correct the record, but it wasn't her record she was trying to correct. Ms Chaney 300006 I think the Prime Minister has misled the House in saying that the actions taken by the government were in response to the Murphy report, and I can provide details of how they were not in response to the Murphy report. The SPEAKER 53517 The member has raised that point. I'm not sure what the member is asking. She's raised her point of order. She's indicated to the House where she feels that someone has misled the House, but there's no action I can take regarding— Ms Chaney 300006 I was asking that the Prime Minister correct the record— The SPEAKER 53517 Yes, the member has made her point. You're asking me to do something I don't have the power to compel a member to do. But you've raised the point. Fuel 18 16:12 The SPEAKER 53517 The Manager of Opposition Business. Mr Tehan 210911 When the minister for energy added to his answer and specifically referenced a quote that was used in question time, he didn't read out the full quote. He left out the operative part about a nationally consistent approach. So he selectively quoted the question that was put. The SPEAKER 53517 Resume your seat. You've done just what the member for Curtin did. You're claiming something. This is not the time to claim those things. At the time when someone believes someone has misspoken, that's the time to do it—at the time. I think you've both raised your points and they are now on the record. DOCUMENTS 18 DOCUMENTS Presentation 18 16:13 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 18 MATTERS OF PUBLIC IMPORTANCE Fuel 18 16:13 The SPEAKER 53517 I have received a letter from the honourable member for Goldstein proposing that a definite matter of public importance be submitted to the House for discussion, namely: The failure of the government to secure adequate fuel supply, pushing up the cost of living across the economy. 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— 16:13 Mr TIM WILSON IMW Goldstein Just think about the challenges Australian families are facing right now. You've got parents who are waiting patiently as they turn up to the petrol station, wondering what the cost is going to be to fill up their car, wondering whether there's going to be any fuel. In New South Wales, we know that 10 per cent—based on the minister's answers in question time today—are absent of fuel and waiting. Australians are waiting at the supermarket to see whether they can afford to pay the final bill as they scan the items. Increasingly, we hear many Australian families choose the self-checkout lane to stop the humiliation they will feel if they have to return an item from their basket. They are waiting to see whether they can afford the bill. They are waiting to see whether there's going to be a situation in the future where they're going to be able to continue to afford their mortgage. They're seeing inflation continue to rage, interest rates continue to rise and looking at their diminishing bank account under this government and wondering how much longer they're going to have. The experience around the country is real. There has been a 16 per cent increase in food prices since the election of this government, and 166 petrol stations are now out of fuel. We know that, as inflation continues to rage, households are going to feel the pinch, and they're going to look to the future and wonder whether they can get ahead. There is a follow through from events overseas, but there is also a follow through specifically from what people are living with right now. I'll ask a simple question. What do these things have in common: the lowest consumer confidence on record; expected highest inflation on record; highest small business insolvencies on record; record government spending outside a war or pandemic; record taxpayers' money handed to organised crime; record taxpayers' money provided to corruption rather than to essential services like the NDIS, health care and child care; and record jobs created by public spending? The one thing all these things have in common is the Albanese government, because this government is running Australia into the ground. They are not seeking to boost it or to grow growth or opportunity for the next generation of Australians. All they are hearing from this government is excuses. If only you could fill your car with the minister for energy's excuses. If only you could buy a home with the Prime Minister's excuses, and if only you could pay off your mortgage with the Treasurer's excuses. Australians know right now the pain that they are living with under this Albanese government, and they know because they know the consequences, as the RBA governor only last week said, are material. After announcing an interest rate hike off the back of inflation data from the second half of last year, the RBA governor made it crystal clear that, unfortunately, we may not have seen the end of this inflation pressure and interest rate hikes. We want Australians to look to the future with confidence and hope, but they are being dragged down by a bad government that is running Australia into the ground, and this is the problem Australians are facing right now. The government, in a point of arrogance and hubris, continues to pour debt petrol on the inflation fire. They continue record spending, and no matter how much and how many times they're called out by economists or the Reserve Bank governor, the only response from the Albanese government is to try and bully their critics into silence. There is a compelling reason why Australians must stand up and call that out, and they are standing up and calling it out, because they know that they are living with the consequences of this government's agenda. More to the point, they know that when the government runs out of money, they will come after Australians' money instead. If they run out of money, they come after yours. That's the problem with the Albanese government. Even worse than that, while Australian households are going to the supermarket and wondering if they can afford the next 15 bucks or 30 bucks in their trolley or in their red basket, the Albanese government is a participant in providing $15 billion to $30 billion to organised crime through the CFMEU-Labor cartel. Their only solution to that is to turn around and go after more Australians' money as they float new taxes and new charges in the forthcoming federal budget. I think we need to put this in perspective—the scale of the problem this country has under the Albanese government and the CFMEU-Labor cartel. So I thought the best place to look was Transparency International's '25 corruption scandals that shook the world'. I'll go through each of them, one by one, and identify where it is that the CFMEU-Labor cartel handing billions to organised crime sits in the rankings of the most corrupt regimes on earth. The lowest one they came up with was the Nigerian prince arrangements. They came in at about $5 million. Mr Tehan 210911 $5 million! Mr TIM WILSON IMW This is just amateur-hour stuff, I'm afraid to say, Manager of Opposition Business. Then they looked at Spain and the Watergate papers—five million euros; Turkiye and gas for gold—$17.5 million; Peru and death squads, embezzlement and public relations—a mere $600 million. This is amateur hour in comparison. You keep going through each one of them and finally you get to around where we are in Australia right now: Tunisia and the 'shutting down competition' scandal—that was $13 billion. Well, we didn't quite win; I will accept that. Mr Tehan 210911 Who won? Mr TIM WILSON IMW I'll tell you who won, outside of the Albanese government and their behaviour. Coming in in third place was Russia with the troika laundromat, where a full-scale bank laundered money, to the tune of $26 billion. That's third place. This list hasn't been updated. That was once silver, but now it is bronze. Then of course you have the CFMEU-Labor cartel, where $15 billion to $30 billion of Australian taxpayers' money has been handed to organised crime. Who is it that managed to beat the CFMEU-Labor cartel? It was the missing millions scandal of Ukraine—up to $40 billion. In this case, a Ukrainian court found a particular individual guilty of high treason and sentenced them to 13 years in prison. As they fled, they left behind documents that showed how they'd financed a life of luxury at the expense of citizens, using nominees as frontmen in a complex web of shell companies, from Vienna to London to Liechtenstein—I could almost add 'and potentially to some super funds', but we won't go there. Swedish broadcasters eventually reported that the shell company with a Swedish bank account received $3.7 million in one bribe alone. What happens when you have this industrial-scale corruption? The family fled to Russia in February 2014, after civil unrest sparked deadly conflict that claimed over 100 lives, including by sniper bullets. What about a regime that is alleged to have laundered between $15 billion and $30 billion of public money to organised crime through the CFMEU-Labor cartel? Well, they sit in government, and this is the problem. In Victoria you've got the Allan government and in Canberra you've got the Albanese government. There are consequences for that, because that is Australian taxpayers' money. When Australians are going to the petrol station to get the fuel they need, they're finding they're not getting it at a price they can afford—if there's even anything in the bowser. There's plenty of fuel for inflation, but there isn't for farmers and families. What are Australians experiencing when they go to the supermarket? Increasingly, they're having to put items back because they can't afford the cost of inflation that this Albanese government is imposing on them. This government keeps borrowing from the future to pay for today, creating an intergenerational problem. The next generation of Australians aren't just going to live with the consequences of inflation; they're going to live with the consequences of the taxes to pay for it, because it's also fuelled by debt. At every point this Albanese government has no understanding of the consequences of what it's doing. But I can assure you of one thing: when they run out of money, they're coming after Australians. 16:24 Dr LEIGH BU8 Fenner The three major parties of the right in this country have one thing in common: they're very happy to trade in anger but very unhappy to actually come up with answers. They are all about slogans, but they have no solutions to Australia's problems. If you want to think about how Australia is facing the crisis in the Middle East today, just think about how we would have been placed if the coalition had remained in office. Under them, when fuel prices exceeded $2 a litre, at the beginning of the Ukraine war, what was the biggest penalty that the ACCC could impose? It was a $10 million penalty. We increased penalties to $50 million in 2022— The DEPUTY SPEAKER 248181 The Manager of Opposition Business, you're not even in your seat! Dr LEIGH BU8 and we have made clear that we will now increase them to $100 million, with the Treasurer to introduce legislation to this House tomorrow. Under them, we had four major refineries close. When the Leader of the Opposition was the energy minister, we went from six refineries in Australia down to four. Under them we had Australia's fuel reserve sitting in Texas. Under us it sits in Queensland and Victoria. If the coalition had had their way, Australia would have continued to languish, rejecting the electric vehicle revolution. Under us, we've seen EVs go from four per cent to 12 per cent as a share of new vehicle sales. That means fewer Australians are lining up at the bowser and that the fuel is better able to get around existing vehicle owners. They opposed the New Vehicle Efficiency Standard, which is seeing more Australians move to more fuel-efficient vehicles, taking pressure off the fuel supply. In their last summer in office, there was twice the amount of gas used in the national electricity market as in the most recent summer. We've just heard from the shadow Treasurer a whole litany of things which, surprisingly, had nothing to do with the MPI topic that he decided to bring forward. So, given that he decided to stray off the topic, I think it's worth reminding the House of a few of the points that the shadow Treasurer has stood for in the past. Let's face it, if there were a frequent flyer program for unpopular ideas, the shadow Treasurer would have lifetime gold status. He has in the past derided work-from-home arrangements as 'professional apartheid'. He has criticised the Fair Work Commission's decision to deliver a real-wage increase to low-income workers. He has advocated repealing protections for minimum standards for gig economy workers, and he has criticised better wages for frontline workers, aged-care workers and early childhood workers as 'borrowing from future generations'. This is someone who talks about a cost-of-living crisis, but who has opposed every serious measure this government has put in place to raise the wages low- and middle-income Australians. The shadow Treasurer has universal superannuation a form of economic social engineering and a form of economic insanity, and he has called for the dismantling of universal superannuation. He has railed against paid parental leave, and he has called for the doubling of the GST. When others see social insurance, the shadow Treasurer sees a target list. He has claimed that social housing suffocates the spirit of entrepreneurialism, and said 'our real objective should be not to produce more social housing'. He talks a lot about freedom, but when he talks about freedom what he really means is the freedom from workplace standards, the freedom from progressive taxation, the so-called freedom from public services. When it comes to some of the pressures that Australians are under in paying their mortgage, it is important to remember the shadow Treasurer's track record on interest rates. On 10 November 2020, he said 'nobody wins from low interest rates'. On 23 October 2019 he said, 'At the beginning of this term I deliberately communicated my concern about the Reserve Bank continuing to cut interest rates.' On 27 February 2018, he said 'we need to create the policy settings to progressively increase interest rates', and went on to say 'money is too cheap'. So when Australians are considering what they're paying on the mortgage, they should remember that this shadow Treasurer is a shadow Treasurer who has championed increasing interest rates. He has invested in a fund which pays off when the Australian economy does badly, and he has said that he wants Australians to be paying higher interest rates. This Labor government has been very clear about what we are doing in order to deal with the war overseas and the impact that that is having on Australian fuel prices. Our strategy comes in three areas. First, we're coordinating supply. We've put in place a fuel security coordinator, Anthea Harris, who will work with state and territory counterparts in order to coordinate supply and unblock bottlenecks. This builds on work that we have done since coming to office in maintaining sovereign refining capability through the fuel security services payment, investing a billion dollars in low-carbon liquid fuels so our refiners can modernise and make more fuels here, and bringing diesel storage across the country to over 3.7 billion litres with over 90 diesel terminals. Second, we're releasing fuel from the national fuel stockpile. We've released 20 per cent of those fuel reserves in order to deal with shortages which are being driven by spikes in demand. Let's be very clear: Australia has as much fuel here as we had before bombing started in the Middle East. We are currently holding more than 1.6 billion litres of petrol, more than 800 million litres of jet fuel and more than 2.7 billion litres of diesel. This is a dramatically better position than Australia was in under the former coalition government, when four fuel refineries closed during the Leader of the Opposition's time as energy minister, in which he put our fuel reserves in Texas. Third, we are cracking down on anticompetitive conduct. We have seen the ACCC announce that they are carrying out an investigation against four major fuel companies. Last month they secured a $16 million fine against Mobil for making false or misleading representations about fuel. The ACCC has called the fuel companies to an urgent meeting to explain their pricing conduct. The ACCC has more resources than ever before and, under the chair of Gina Cass-Gottlieb, has done work to ensure that they are focusing on fuel supply. They are ramping up fuel monitoring, reporting weekly and taking a focus on unusual price spikes, ensuring that motorists are not taken for mugs. Those three measures—coordinating supply, releasing fuel and cracking down on anticompetitive conduct—see Australia in a dramatically better position to address the challenges that are emanating from the Middle East. Our government has been clear with those parties to the conflict. We have expressed our view to the United States that it is time to wind down this conflict, with the principal objective of reducing the risk of Iran creating a nuclear weapon having been achieved. In this government's view, it is time to bring the conflict to an end. That is in the interests of all countries. We have also been very clear with Iran that its conduct in attacking neighbouring countries is utterly unacceptable, and we have worked with those neighbouring countries, particularly the UAE, where there are 24,000 Australians, in order to provide a Wedgetail aircraft and to work to ensure the safety of people in those regions. We were not notified of this conflict before it began. We are not a party to this conflict, but it is having a clear impact on Australians. When the global oil price goes up, Australia's fuel prices go up. No Australian government can insulate Australian drivers from the impact of international fuel prices. What we can do is coordinate supply, release fuel from the stockpiles which sit here in Australia and crack down on anticompetitive conduct. What we need to see from those opposite is less posturing and more patriotism, and a commitment to put Australians first, not fearmongering like their friends in One Nation. The DEPUTY SPEAKER 248181 I'd like to give the call to the member of the opposition, but I'm going to require less interjection. 16:34 Mr KENNEDY 267506 Cook Unfortunately, right now, right across Australia, inflation is running riot, and Australian consumers and Australian businesses are paying the price. Today I heard a story of a business owner worried about self-harm because he risks losing his business because of the increase in fuel costs. I met a woman in Sans Souci in my electorate in tears, losing her house because she can't make the interest repayments. These are the many stories, the many faces, of this cost-of-living crisis right across Australia—people who don't have a voice, who don't have a voice in this parliament, who can't stand up and change these circumstances. But us in this building, we do. We do have a voice. We can do something about it. Prior to this fuel crisis, Australia was not well-positioned. We had the highest inflation of any advanced economy in the world. Australians rightly expect a national government should be sheltering them, protecting them from external shocks. Instead, Treasurer Chalmers has left the Australian people, the Australian business owners, flailing in the wind with the highest inflation in the advanced world, more than the US, more than the UK, more than the EU, more than Japan, more than Canada, more than any other advanced nation. We're out there flailing in the wind for this fuel shock to come along and hit us, and it's going to hit us harder than any of those countries because of where this Treasurer has left us. And what has he done in his time? He's increased government spending to a 40-year high, the highest that it has ever been since 1986 outside the pandemic. The Reserve Bank Governor herself admitted that this is adding pressure to inflation and interest rates. This is contributing to that poor man I heard talking about self-harm for his trucking business. Ms McBain 281988 How do we help? Mr KENNEDY 267506 How do we help? That's a really good question. I'll take the interjection on how we help because yesterday we asked the energy minister about fuel. We said, 'Can you explain the fuel reserves in South Australia, Northern Territory and Tasmania?' Instead of actually answering where the shortages were, the energy minister cut short his answer, never answered the question, said 'I'm done' and sat down. Well, I was pleased that overnight someone gave the energy minister those numbers so he was able to report them. The president of the IAA said this week that this is going to be a fuel crisis worse than what we saw in the 1970s. You would think the energy minister himself would know the numbers of shortages in SA, in Tasmania, in the Northern Territory. He could not answer the question. Today in question time he was asked about demand rationing. He said, 'Well, someone will be appointed to look at a national strategy.' What does he think his job is? Who's going to be appointed? We need the energy minister to lead and look at this demand rationing. While inflation is just burning down Australia, fuel is in everything. It's in food. It's in agribusinesses, where they need diesel to plant seeds and harvest crops. It's in freight, in agriculture, in construction, in concrete, and in cars getting Australian mums and dads around. Yet right now we have over 400 petrol stations out, with an energy minister who 24 hours ago could not tell us where those outages were. Energy markets are up 40 per cent. This minister has lost control. He's lost control of energy. He's lost control of fuel. It's like a runaway train and he has no idea how to get it back on track. We live in perhaps the most energy-abundant country in the world. We have oil. We have the world's largest deposits of uranium. We have solar and wind, some of the best resources. We have gas, uranium and coal. So why don't you explain to me— Opposition members interjecting— Mr KENNEDY 267506 I'll take the interjection. Why don't you explain to me why we have some of the highest energy prices in the OECD? Why is that the case? I don't hear anything. I hear crickets. I hear those opposite talking about five years ago when we were in government. Well, we live in one of the most abundant nations in the world. The proof that this minister does not understand markets: 97 times before the last election, he stood there in front of Australians and said, 'Energy prices will go down $275.' Well, there's only one thing; he does not understand how energy markets work, be it electricity, be it oil, be it gas or be it petrol. And unfortunately, men like that man who's worried about losing his business are paying the price. (Time expired) 16:39 Ms CHESTERS 249710 Bendigo This gives me an opportunity to set a few facts straight in this debate. It is disappointing to hear the dribble of the second speaker on this MPI that we've just heard. I say 'dribble', and he's still dribbling as he sits there. If you want to be in government, smarten up your arguments, have some facts, have a bit of detail, understand how markets work and understand how fuel excise works. Let's deal with a few facts. Fact: the Middle East conflict has caused real disruption. There is no disagreement with that. It was a war started not by us. It'll be a war ended not by us. But we in Australia, a smart, responsible government, will work with industry, work with community, work with our allies and work with international partners on how we can best manage this crisis. That's what responsible governments do. They don't fearmonger. They don't make up nonsense. They don't create misinformation campaigns like we are seeing from the people who claim to be the alternative government. When it comes to the fuel shortages, as established by industry in Australia and by what we're seeing in the regions, it is a spike in demand. That is what we are seeing in regional Australia—people buying more fuel than they usually would. In my own electorate of Bendigo, we've had a few places where they have run low on fuel. When you talk to the people that work in these stations, they tell you straight out that it's demand. We get one truck coming through a week, and that's usually all we need. But we've had more customers than we usually would. It's simple markets—supply and demand. You would think the Liberal Party would understand that and respect that fundamental basic principle of economics, yet they've thrown economics out the window for a cheap political point. Another point about fuel stocks in regional Australia: before this conflict, it was not uncommon to go to petrol stations in Castlemaine or other parts of my electorate where you would see 'out of order' on one of the pumps, and you would ask people, 'Why is that one out of order?' The answer: 'Because nobody buys that fuel here in Castlemaine, so they just don't stock it.' When you're talking about pumps out of fuel, do we know what context it's in? Not all pumps in all regional service stations supply all the possible fuels, because there just aren't the customers for it. I stand here and say I feel for our farmers who are going into harvest and who are excited about what this harvest could look like. We've had early rain and it looks like it will be a good growing season. When they go to the pump only to see, to their frustration, that their neighbours have stockpiled, it is a hard thing to swallow. I say to those people in the regions again: only buy what you need. Do not stockpile. It is dangerous to stockpile. I cannot stress this enough. Filling up jerry cans and keeping them in your garage is not safe. This is not like toilet paper in COVID. Toilet paper won't catch fire being kept in your bathroom; that isn't a health and safety risk. There's also the amount of time you can store petrol for. It is unsafe to store petrol in jerry cans for long periods if it's not something you usually do. I encourage people to not stockpile, to think of others and to make sure they're only buying what they need. Further to what has been raised around the fuel excise—and I think this is an important point to raise in this debate—it's sugar-hit politics to say, 'Let's just cut the fuel excise.' I was here when those opposite did it, and, first of all, not all of the cut in the fuel excise was passed on; not everybody got it. First and foremost, we don't control, when we cut the fuel excise, how much the companies pass on; there's no obligation to do so. Also, the fuel excise is a measure by which we help pay for our roads infrastructure. We've collected a fuel excise tax since Federation, since we've had this parliament. It is one of the clear ways we fund upgrades. To those opposite: when you have a crack about road infrastructure, remember that you also stood in this place and called for cuts to the fuel excise. 16:44 Ms ALDRED 11788 Monash While we're on the topic of jerry cans, I'll tell the House a story about a dairy farmer I was speaking with last week who's in dire straits. He's a dairy farmer with a herd of about 800 cows, and he's got a regular fuel order for his farm. It wasn't being delivered, so he was making about six trips with his jerry can into town every day. Do you know what happens when you run out of fuel on a dairy farm? You can't feed your animals, and that invites really serious animal welfare concerns. This guy was seriously stressed to the max. This crisis is not just exhausting the fuel reserves and the financial reserves but exhausting the mental and emotional reserves of farming and regional communities like mine. They do not need a lecture right now. They need empathy, and they need action. This is a tale about timing. Australian farmers have been hit at the worst possible moment, and this government is not helping. After years of dry conditions and uncertainty, many grain growers across southern Australia finally caught a break. Early autumn rain delivered what should have been the foundation of a strong winter cropping season. The soil has moisture, the paddocks are ready, and the opportunity is there. But, just as farmers move in to sow their crops, as the tractors roll and as the seed goes into the ground, they are being hit with a double blow that they cannot control—fuel shortages, fertiliser shortages, and, in some cases, no supply at all. Farmers are telling us plainly, 'We need fuel to plant the crop, we need fertiliser to feed the crop, and right now we can't be sure we'll have either.' I am talking to farmers every second day who are having to make a choice between buying fertiliser and fuel, and the ramifications of either choice are profound and will be long term. It's not just a farming issue. It's a national risk because, if farmers cannot plant, Australia cannot produce. When Australia cannot produce, every Australian pays the price. In my electorate of Monash, this is not abstract. This is not a debate. This is not theoretical. This is real life, and it is having profound consequences every day. Farmers are paying through the roof for diesel, if they can get it, and incredibly they're dealing with fuel theft as well. I spoke to a number of farmers last week who have had holes drilled in their fuel tanks. I've got farmers sleeping on their property to guard what little supply they have left. Think about that—the people who grow our food are being forced to act as security guards in the middle of the night just to protect the fuel they need to do their job. The pressure is not just physical; it's mental and emotional because farmers are being forced into impossible decisions at the worst possible time. This government is not acting with urgency, understanding or empathy. Do you plant the full crop and risk not having enough fuel to finish the job? Do you cut back on fertiliser and risk your yield? Do you delay and miss the window entirely? In agriculture, as the member, my good friend the member for Nicholls, knows well, timing is everything. You don't get a second chance at sowing. You don't get to press pause and come back later. If you miss the window, the opportunity is gone. Global instability might be a factor, but the failure of this government to secure adequate fuel supply is making it worse, and that is a fact. It is a reality. It's exposing just how fragile our supply chains have become. It is leaving regional communities like Shepparton, Warragul and Leongatha in my electorate at the back of the queue, and it is pushing up the cost of living across the entire community. Fuel does not just power tractors. It powers freight, it powers production, and it powers the movement of every single good across this country. When fuel becomes scarce and expensive, guess what? Everything becomes more expensive. That cost flows through to Australian families on everyday products. Grain is at the centre of this. Grain feeds livestock. Grain feeds supply chains. Grain feeds Australia. If crops do not go into the ground now, there will be less production later—less wheat, less feed and less supply—and that means higher prices at the checkout, not because farmers are profiting but because they are being squeezed. They deserve better. Australian families deserve better from this federal government. 16:49 Ms FRANCE 270198 Dickson I rise to speak on the somewhat warped MPI move by the member for Goldstein. I really thank him for it because I love talking about Labor's cost-of-living measures, and I'm really happy to inform those opposite about our national fuel reserve in Australia, something that those opposite could never do. We all know global conflict is disrupting fuel supply chains, and this government is acting. We've released a fifth of our fuel reserves and directed that fuel to areas with shortages. We've temporarily allowed lower quality fuel that was destined for export to be used in Australia, enabling an extra 100 million litres of fuel to areas of need. We're also supporting Australian refineries to produce more domestically. Our new fuel supply taskforce is working directly with states and territories to make sure fuel gets to where it is needed most. We are cracking down on petrol price gouging, doubling penalties for companies that try to profit at the expense of Australian families to $100 million. We've taken real action on fuel security and are responding to global changes. Unlike those opposite, we are actually delivering. Those opposite left us a dire inheritance: fuel insecurity, record debt, a housing crisis, energy uncertainty and a healthcare system under serious strain. We now have a national fuel reserve in Australia because, when we came to government, we established one. In 2023, we introduced new rules requiring Australia's two remaining refineries and major importers to hold baseline stocks of fuel onshore. Prior to that, the coalition, under the direction of the opposition leader, held our fuel reserves in Texas, not Australia. Those opposite also presided over the closure of four of Australia's remaining six refineries while in government. Your record on fuel security was appalling and put our country and primary producers at risk. The member for Goldstein moved this motion, so let's move onto his record and the record of those opposite on cost of living. It's no secret that the member for Goldstein, the new shadow Treasurer, supports privatising Medicare and has talked about patients taking on the financial burden of public health care. Here's a translation: the member for Goldstein wants patients to pay more. Let's not forget their $600 billion nuclear plan that would take 20 years to build and push up household electricity bills by hundreds of dollars. Unlike those opposite, we are delivering real cost-of-living relief for Aussies. It is our No. 1 priority. We're cutting taxes for every Australian taxpayer, with another round of tax cuts taking effect on 1 July and again the following year. We've delivered increases in the minimum wage and major pay rises for workers in feminised industries. We've provided energy bill relief and taken 30 per cent off home batteries. Over 1,700 homes and businesses in Dickson alone have taken up that battery discount. Those opposite called it elitist. On Medicare, we have delivered the single largest investment ever, $8.5 billion, for bulk-billing and more GPs and $1.8 billion in extra hospital funding. On housing, we have an ambitious $45 billion plan to build 1.2 million homes, despite those opposite blocking our housing legislation along with the Greens. Right now, 153 new social and affordable homes are being built in Joyner, in my community, as part of our $10 billion Housing Australia Future Fund. We're delivering tax cuts, higher wages, cheaper medicines, better health care and more housing—real relief. Those opposite oppose nearly every single one of these measures. On this side of the House, we are focused on fuel security and delivering cost-of-living relief. Those opposite have literally done everything in their power to make it tougher for everyday Aussies. I urge those opposite to be patriotic—to back Aussies, not work against us. 16:54 Mr BIRRELL 288713 Nicholls Earlier today, I did what a lot of us enjoy doing, which is talking to a group of grade 6 students who are visiting Canberra. One young girl, whose family farms out in the Dookie region, which is in the eastern part of my electorate, said: 'The fuel issue is really hitting us because Dad put an order in for diesel three weeks ago, and, without that diesel, he can't sow his crops. We're starting to get worried.' We had a discussion about it, and it occurred to me that this grade 6 student understands the fuel crisis in Australia better than the Minister for Climate Change and Energy. We are at a point in broadacre farming where farmers are about to sow their crops—I'm sure the member for O'Connor, who's from one of the great cropping regions of this country, will talk about this. They will probably sow with fertilisers called MAP and DAP, and most of them are saying they've got enough of those. They are worried about the supply of diesel. Western Australian farming groups say that they'll probably need about 35 litres of diesel per hectare for the crop cycle—that's sowing, spraying, putting out some urea and then harvesting. They're really worried about where that fuel is going to come from and where the fertiliser is going to come from. These are people who don't talk in the way that we talk in Canberra, where we say 'we're focused on', 'we're working with', and, 'We're considering options.' These are people who, if they don't work their businesses and judge their businesses on results, go broke. They don't say, 'we're working with'. They don't say, 'we're focused on'. They say: 'If I don't get diesel, I can't put my crop in. If I don't get urea, I won't get the yields to make growing a crop profitable.' They're judging the minister on what they see on the ground. 'Is my delivery of diesel turning up or not? Is there a service station in regional Australia that has got fuel or not?' As we heard today, there are over 400 service stations in regional Australia that do not have fuel. I'm happy that the minister's focused. I'm happy that he's telling us that 'he's working with'. He will have achieved something when those farmers get their delivery of diesel and when those service stations have fuel in the pump. That's when he can claim success, and I look forward to that happening. This is a real problem for Australian families because I don't think people understand how important the food supply chain is in this country. I've just come from the NFF Horticulture Council, who've told me that the cost and the supply of diesel is affecting their harvest operations of, for example, avocados and bananas and is making those unviable. But, even if you can get the crop off, the diesel that you need to get it to market—some of this stuff is grown in North Queensland and some of it in Western Australia—is not arriving, or it's too expensive. I understand that there are global supply shocks, but the minister has told us that there is not a supply problem in Australia. I said in a 90-second statement last week that I take him at his word at that, but the distribution issue has not been sorted out. I'm failed to be convinced that the minister's doing everything in his power to sort that distribution problem out, because people are ringing us and emailing us saying: 'I can't get fuel. I can't get the delivery of fuel. I can't go down to the service station and fill up.' When Australian families go to the supermarkets, even if they do drive electric vehicles to get there, and they start to see shelves that don't have food on them, they will understand how significant this fuel issue is for the agricultural sector. If we don't get fertiliser, we will see how significant this issue is in relation to a lot of the grain that we export. I was talking to some farming groups this morning about the Asian countries that rely on that grain. We are a great exporter of food, but we can't do it without diesel and we can't do it without fertiliser, and I'm not convinced that the minister is taking this seriously enough and doing everything he can to ensure that the diesel and fertiliser supply and therefore the food issue is being sorted out. (Time expired) 16:59 Mr GREGG 315154 Deakin While I don't agree with every word the member for Nicholls used, I appreciate that he is taking this issue seriously. That's in stark contrast to the mover of this motion, who spent a whole lot of minutes talking on a range of subjects, effectively providing us with his stump speech once again, but not touching on the very real issue and very serious issue of fuel supply. Australians are following events in the Middle East closely, and they are very much seeing and feeling the consequences when they go to the pump. The longer the conflict in the Middle East goes, I fear the more significant the impact will be on the global economy and on people in all of our electorates. Ensuring our farmers, our regional communities and the services—and, indeed, all the goods—all Australians rely on can continue to be accessed requires us to ensure that all levels of the supply chain have access to the fuel they need. Across the board, the Albanese government has been working through and planning for the impacts of this crisis and protecting Australians from the worst of this global challenge. We have empowered the ACCC to protect motorists from unfair price rises, we have boosted fuel supply by releasing 20 per cent of the baseline minimum stockholding obligation for petrol and diesel, and we're acting to get more fuels into the Australian market by temporarily amending the fuel standards. Just today, only a short time ago, Minister Bowen informed the House that the Albanese government had temporarily made further changes to the diesel standards, which will help suppliers bring more fuel into the country and provide domestic market access to our farmers, to the truckers and to regional communities. These are incredibly important updates. Australian refineries will now have more flexibility to make diesel and widen the markets from which we can source diesel, including the United States, Canada and Europe, which will allow diesel with lower flashpoints. This will give companies more flexibility and more options to adjust supply chains to manage disruption from the Middle East. This builds on the range of work this government has been doing to shore up Australia's fuel supply. We're working closely with industry, the states and the territories to ensure that this fuel gets to where it's needed, particularly in regional communities, because we do appreciate the issues raised by the member for Nicholls and the importance of regional communities having access to diesel, particularly as cropping is going on. Following a meeting of National Cabinet, the Commonwealth has appointed Anthea Harris as Fuel Supply Taskforce Coordinator to support coordination across governments and sectors. If you look at the national fuel emergency response plan, the staged, methodical, well-planned, well-established approach to doing these things, coordinating and leading market-led solutions are the first and second stages. The idea of chucking rumours in about immediate rationing and things like that does not assist an anxious market. It makes it worse. It's rank opportunism and it is almost bordering on a self-fulfilling prophecy, trying to create the very anxiety that causes this supply-demand imbalance that we're seeing around the country. We know full well that there is no less fuel in Australia than there was a few weeks ago and that there is enough fuel in Australia to meet Australia's needs. But, understandably, at these times people are feeling anxious. They drive past the service station and they see how high the prices are. They know the fuel is available, so they utilise that moment. It's perfectly understandable. I have relatives on farms in the member for Monash's seat. I've got relatives who are tradies and of course I understand where that anxiety comes from. It's completely understandable and I don't judge it, but it isn't assisted by people running around saying, 'Oh! Panic, panic, panic! We're about to have rationing,' and things like that, or even hinting at it. The only relevant question they should be asking in a national situation like this is: what can we do to help? And we've heard none of that from the opposition. We've had rank political opportunism that serves no-one but themselves. And people will not forget. We will not forget. This is the time for us to come together and provide fact based information to the hardworking people in our electorates to make sure that we can carry on through this challenge as unscathed as possible. We're not just going to stoke some ridiculous debate devoid of any facts simply to have a little bit of a political edge for one day in question time or to try and treat this as a Facebook video studio so they can just get a little bit of the attention they might be seeking or get a few more followers. This is not the time for that. It's not an election year. There is no need to play these petty little politics. This is a time for us to come together as mature adults and as leaders to try and assist our communities to get through this as best as possible. It's working with states and territories in a productive way to make sure that the distribution of fuel can be done as effectively and responsibly as possible. It requires a mature group of people working maturely to actually address the challenges that we face now. We can't control what is happening in the Middle East. There have been incredibly disturbing developments there. We hope that those matters are resolved as quickly as possible, but the Albanese government is doing its job, and so should you. 17:04 Mr RICK WILSON 198084 O'Connor It gives me great pleasure to have the opportunity to speak on today's matter of public importance. The topic is the failure of the government to secure adequate fuel supplies, pushing up the cost of living across the economy. I want to bring it back to my electorate of O'Connor and how that's impacting there, but I first want to go back to where we were at the start of the Middle East conflict that we're currently experiencing. That was the December quarter. Inflation was up, running at 3.8 per cent nationally, but in Western Australia that number was 4.9 per cent. We were already running at nearly five per cent inflation in O'Connor prior to the Middle East conflict and prior to the almost doubling of fuel prices. I would suspect that across my electorate of O'Connor those numbers would be slightly higher. What that has led to is two hikes in interest rates by the Reserve Bank, which is impacting not only mortgage holders but also small business farmers and those in the mining community who are borrowing money, particularly in the contracting part of the industry. People are borrowing money to buy machinery and other plant equipment. Government spending is running at 40-year highs, at 28 per cent of gross domestic product, which is fuelling this inflation. We've heard that from the Governor of the Reserve Bank. I'll go back to O'Connor and where we're at today with the impact of the Middle East conflict. I was in the electorate on Friday. I was travelling over to Canberra over the weekend. Fuel prices for diesel, in particular, were well over $3 by that stage, and they've probably increased in the last day or two. What does that mean for the cost of living? For people that live in the electorate of O'Connor, their food, their groceries and their goods have to travel. If you live in Kalgoorlie, it's 600 kilometres from Perth by road. If you live in Esperance, it's 700 kilometres. If you live in Albany, it's 400 kilometres—413 to be exact. All of the trucking operators, because they have to—they have to make a living; they have to make a profit to keep their businesses viable—have put fuel surcharges on that freight. What we're starting to see now is the cost of goods on the supermarket shelf rising. That has a direct impact on people. Obviously when they go and fill up their cars at the service station, they're getting a $40 to $60 extra whack at that point on top of the interest rate rises that we've already talked about. Looking a bit further ahead, our farming community in the horticultural sector are currently harvesting. They are paying more for their fuel. The trucks to move that produce from, for example, Dom Della's farm at Pemberton to the potato packing plant in Perth—that's a three-hour, 300-kilometre haul. That is adding to the cost of those potatoes, and then they've got to be transported back out to the regions. These are the direct impacts that we're seeing now. I want to talk a little bit about petrol rationing, which has been discussed here today. The minister has kind of dismissed it as one of the many options on the table. But let me tell you: petrol rationing is happening today in my seat of O'Connor. What is happening is that independent fuel distributors are being cut back to as low as 25 per cent of their normal allocations. That means that, if they've got a range of fuel stations, those fuel stations get 25 per cent. When the minister was asked by me in question time today, 'How many service stations have run out of fuel?' he reeled off, 'About 400,' but he said that six were in Western Australia. Those numbers are not up to date. What happens is that, if you're a service station, you're getting 25 per cent of your normal allocation. So you've got enough fuel to get going in the morning. When the minister answered that question, it was around midday in WA, and he said there were six service stations across WA that had run out of at least one type of fuel. I can guarantee you that by five o'clock this evening there will be over 100 service stations across my electorate that have run out of their 25 per cent allocation. That is fuel rationing. There is no other way to describe that. The majors are restricting the amount of fuel that they are allowing the independent distributors across my electorate of O'Connor to have on a daily basis. 17:09 Ms BERRY 23497 Whitlam Labor has always been a party that cares deeply about the impacts of toughening economic conditions on those who are impacted the most. This is fundamental to our cause as a party. As the opposition has shown, it's easy to be reactive, to trot out an empty slogan or to misrepresent the facts to score cheap political points. What's harder and requires more sophistication is to pull the right levers at the right time in a dynamic and challenging geopolitical context. In stark contrast to the assertion made by the member for Goldstein, the Albanese Labor government has taken strong action to secure fuel supply for Australians. We are working with stakeholders across the country to ensure that the right amount of fuel gets to the right parts of the country to respond to what has been a massive surge in demand. This is a responsibility that we take incredibly seriously, and we understand what is at stake. We've appointed a Fuel Supply Taskforce Coordinator to support coordination between the Commonwealth and state and territory governments on fuel security and supply chain resilience. We are addressing fuel supply chain disruption by releasing up to 20 per cent of the baseline minimum stockholding obligation for petrol and diesel. This allows the release of over 700,000,000 litres of petrol and diesel from Australia's domestic reserves. We've also temporarily amended Australia's fuel quality standards to allow higher sulphur levels for 60 days. This will allow around 100,000,000 litres a month of new petrol supply that would otherwise have been exported to be blended into our existing domestic supply. We've empowered the ACCC to impose fines of up to $100 million for price gouging and uncompetitive behaviour, which sends a very clear signal to anyone engaging in unethical behaviour in this crisis that they will be punished for it. A short time ago, we announced a six-month adjustment to diesel standards that will help suppliers bring more fuel into the domestic market. We understand that the conflict in the Middle East is causing significant challenges, and we're working as hard as we can to address these challenges as quickly as possible. We understand that we are living in challenging times. When confronted with challenging economic circumstances, our government is doing what Labor governments do best. We're engaged in nation building. We're engaged in implementing reforms to make our society and our economy as fair as possible. As the gap grows globally between the haves and the have nots, it's part of the Labor project to ensure that our society and our economy remain as fair as possible. That means we implement reforms which impact every Australian, Australia-wide, to make our economy as fair as possible. I, for one—and I know this is true for all of my colleagues—will continue to passionately advocate for fairness on behalf of the people of our electorates. Labor has delivered record investments in public hospitals, public health care and public education because we know that these great systems are also great equalisers. Labor has taken several steps to reduce pressure on households and to improve fairness in our system. When it comes to cost-of-living relief, we're working hard to relieve some of the pressures impacting on families, and we have delivered tax cuts for every Australian taxpayer, cheaper medicines for all Australians under the PBS, subsidised child care and record investments to create more housing supply, particularly for those who need that housing the most. We've delivered targeted help for first home owners and for renters. We've increased bulk-billing to reduce the cost of seeing a doctor. We've reduced HECS debts. We've delivered more support for apprentices. We've delivered fee-free TAFE. We've delivered pay rises for those workers who are critical to our society, such as early childhood educators and aged-care workers. We've reduced unemployment, and we've protected penalty rates. Labor understands this truth: the cost of living isn't just about prices; it's also about wages. The Albanese Labor government has worked to get wages moving again, backing pay rises for low-paid workers, supporting collective bargaining and restoring fairness to workplace laws that have been deliberately weakened. Australians believe deeply in health care and ensuring that education and a range of our systems, like aged care, need to deliver. They need to work for all Australians, and we're passionate about delivering fairness for all Australians. The DEPUTY SPEAKER DZY The discussion has concluded. BILLS 27 BILLS High Seas Biodiversity Bill 2026 27

High Seas Biodiversity Bill 2026

First Reading 27 Commonwealth Entities Legislation Amendment Bill 2026 27

Commonwealth Entities Legislation Amendment Bill 2026

Returned from Senate 27 Appropriation Bill (No. 3) 2025-2026, Appropriation Bill (No. 4) 2025-2026, Appropriation (Parliamentary Departments) Bill (No. 2) 2025-2026 28

Appropriation Bill (No. 3) 2025-2026

Appropriation Bill (No. 4) 2025-2026

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

Second Reading 28 17:16 Ms CLAYDON 248181 Newcastle I'm incredibly proud to be part of a government that is delivering for my community of Newcastle—delivering real projects, delivering real investment and delivering real opportunity because that is what Labor governments do: we build, we invest and we back communities for the long term, not just election cycles. Over recent months the people of Newcastle have seen that commitment in action—first, high-speed rail. For too long people have said that it would never happen, that it was a dream, that it was just a line in the map. But under the leadership of the Albanese Labor government high-speed rail is not just talk; it's moving into its next development phase. The establishment of the High Speed Rail Authority in 2023 marked a turning point. For the first time in our nation's history there is a dedicated body tasked with turning high-speed rail from a concept into construction. The next stage of work between Newcastle and Sydney is now underway: detailed planning, corridor preservation, station precinct planning—the serious work that turns ambition into reality. For the people of Newcastle this is transformative. It means travel times of around one hour between Newcastle and Sydney. It means students can access greater education opportunities with ease. It means workers having access to job markets without uprooting their families. It means being able to travel to a concert, a sporting event or a business meeting and be home again on the same night. But more than that, it means economic development for our city, it means jobs during construction, it means new industries and new housing opportunities and it means investment confidence. Let's be clear: this is happening because Labor made a choice. We choose to invest in nation-building infrastructure, we choose to back regional Australia, we choose to deliver and we are delivering. The same commitment to backing innovation and industry can be seen in the work being done in Newcastle to support clean energy research and manufacturing. Recently we officially opened a $3 million upgrade to the Renewable Energy Integration Facility at CSIRO Energy Centre, Newcastle. This upgrade more than doubles the lab's capacity for renewable technologies, allowing researchers and industry partners to simulate and validate how solar, batteries, electric vehicles and grid integration technologies can operate under real-world conditions, including advancing testing of grid faults, microgrids and vehicle-to-grid systems. This enhanced facility will help Australian innovators develop and commercialise clean energy solutions right in the heart of Newcastle and the Hunter region, strengthening our national capability as we transition to a cleaner, more resilient and more secure energy system. Alongside research infrastructure we're also backing Australian-made manufacturing. Newcastle's Kardinia Energy has received significant backing from the Albanese Labor government through the Industry Growth Program to accelerate the scale-up and commercialisation of its printed solar technology. This funding boost will help Kardinia scale production in Newcastle and has already seen its technology deployed in high-profile settings, including powering events like Coldplay's world tour, showcasing how Newcastle-made clean energy technology can support a big stage performance without relying on fossil fuels. These are exactly the types of projects that turn ideas into real jobs, solidifying Newcastle as a hub for clean energy innovation and manufacturing and giving local businesses the confidence to grow and compete on the global stage. If we're serious about the new energy future of Newcastle and the Hunter, we must also be serious about building the workforce that will power it, and that's why it is so exciting to see construction now underway on the New Energy Skills Hub at the University of Newcastle. This is exactly the kind of practical, forward-looking investment our region needs. It's a purpose built facility dedicated to helping train the next generation of workers for the new energy economy. It's a place where university, TAFE and public school students, alongside those studying in other training provider settings, have a very clear pathway to high-quality STEM education through access to hands-on learning, specialist equipment and direct industry engagement. In other words, this is making sure that local people can gain the skills they need for the jobs that are being created in Newcastle and the Hunter. The transition to cleaner energy is not some distant idea; it is happening now. Our region should not just be watching it happen; we should, and indeed we will, lead it. The New Energy Skills Hub will help ensure Newcastle remains at the forefront of that transformation, linking education, training and industry all in one place. That collaboration between education, researchers and industry partners is what our community excels at. It will support the development of a highly skilled local workforce, strengthen our region's capability and help deliver the workers needed for those industries of the future. Labor understands that building the future is not only about infrastructure; it's about people, it's about skills and it's about giving communities like Newcastle the tools to seize those opportunities ahead. With construction now commenced on this important project at the University of Newcastle, this is exactly what we are doing. Delivering for Newcastle also means investing in our cultural heart. I recently had the privilege of speaking at the long-awaited reopening of the Newcastle Art Gallery. This revitalised gallery is much more than bricks and mortar. It's a statement about who we are as a city. It's a place where First Nations art and storytelling are honoured and elevated, a place where contemporary voices sit alongside those historic works and a place where young people can experience worlds beyond their own and maybe even imagine their own art hanging there one day. The expansion has created jobs, of course, during the construction phase. It's boosted local contractors, and it will drive tourism and visitation in our region for decades to come. More importantly, it gives our community space to gather, to reflect and to experience other worlds and experiences through art. Labor understands that infrastructure is not just about roads and rail; it's also cultural institutions and community spaces, places that enrich our lives and strengthen social cohesion. Once again, Labor is delivering. The reopening of Hexham Street and the restoration of the full 80 kilometres per hour speed limit might not make national headlines, but for the 50,000 locals who use that stretch of road every day it matters. Hexham is a critical gateway into Newcastle and the Hunter. It carries freight and commuters and it connects communities. The completion of this project has improved safety, reduced congestion and restored confidence for people who rely on that corridor, as I said, each and every day, and the job is not stopping there. Progress is continuing on the M1 extension through to Raymond Terrace, and I know my good parliamentary neighbour and electorate neighbour, the member for Paterson, is very pleased about that progress. We're not only continuing that work on the M1 extension to Raymond Terrace but also on the Newcastle Inner City Bypass ,with the finish line now in sight for both projects, so stay tuned. These are city-shaping investments that will take the pressure off local roads, improve freight efficiency and make those daily commutes faster and safer for everybody across our region. It's a reminder that sometimes the most meaningful investments are indeed the practical ones, the ones that make everyday life easier. It's another example of this Albanese Labor government working to get things done. Across our city, the Albanese Labor government is delivering on real, tangible investments, with more than $46 million directly going into the City of Newcastle to make our community stronger, safer and better connected. This is funding that people can see and use in their everyday lives. It's going into critical road upgrades to ease congestion, to improve safety and to keep our city moving. It's upgrading local sporting fields and community facilities so that our kids have better places to train, play and compete so local clubs can continue to thrive. We're investing in disaster resilience, making sure our region is better prepared for the challenges that we know come with a changing climate. That means strengthening infrastructure, reducing risk and helping protect homes, businesses and livelihoods. Importantly, we're also backing the revitalisation of our local town centres because we know that strong, vibrant neighbourhoods are the heart of a connected community. From improved streetscapes to upgraded footpaths and public spaces, this funding is helping to create places where people want to gather, shop and spend time. And it's those small, everyday improvements that matter just as much—safer footpaths, better accessibility for people with disability, more welcoming public spaces for families. These are investments that deliver an improved quality of life. This is what Labor governments do. They are the kinds of investments we want to make into communities, with the kinds of partnerships that we typically foster and help across this nation with local governments. This is the way we have constructive relations across all levels of government to deliver for our communities. We're delivering the infrastructure that supports growth while helping our cities remain liveable spaces. For the City of Newcastle, this $46 million is more than just a number; it's a reflection of the Albanese Labor government's confidence in our city and its future. It's about backing the people of Newcastle, supporting local jobs, and making sure that our region continues to be a great place to live, work and raise a family. And I do want to tell you this, Deputy Speaker Buchholz: we are not done. We have great ambitions for Newcastle and the Hunter region, and I know that I and all our colleagues on this side of the House will work hard each and every day to make sure that regions like Newcastle and the Hunter, which contribute so much to the prosperity of the state of New South Wales and indeed our nation, will continue to do so for generations to come. 17:29 The DEPUTY SPEAKER 230531 I thank the honourable member. I was in Newcastle a couple of weeks ago for a wedding. It was a beautiful destination. 17:29 Ms TRISH COOK 312871 Bullwinkel I rise today to speak in support of the Appropriation Bill (No. 3) 2025-2026 and Appropriation Bill (No. 4) 2025-2026. These bills represent the Albanese Labor government's unwavering commitment to delivering for all Australians. As we move through the parliamentary term, our focus remains clear: providing responsible economic management and cost-of-living relief. For the people of Bullwinkel, a brand new electorate that I am incredibly proud to represent, these appropriations are not just figures on a page; they are blueprints for a healthier, more supported and more connected community. As a nurse, I'd like to use my speech to talk about the health expenditure that this bill allows for. There's Medicare and bulk-billing success. Medicare is the foundation of our social contract. When we came to government, that foundation was crumbling. After nearly a decade of neglect from those opposite, bulk-billing was in freefall, but we've turned that around with the largest investment in Medicare's 40-year history. We've tripled the bulk-billing incentive, and the results have been historic. Nationwide, we're seeing bulk-billing rates jump up to over 81 per cent, and, more importantly, nine in 10 visits for children and concession card holders are now free. For a young family in Mundaring or a pensioner in Northam, this is the difference between getting the care when you need it and waiting until the condition becomes dire. We're not just saving the system of Medicare; we're expanding it so it works for the modern era. Cheaper medicines are another aspect addressing the cost-of-living issues. As of 1 January this year, we capped PBS scripts at $25. This is the first time in two decades that the cost of medicines has actually gone down. For those managing chronic conditions, this isn't just a minor saving; it is hundreds of dollars back in their pocket every year. This is what Labor governments do. We manage the budget so we can manage the costs that hit the kitchen tables and the back pockets every single week. We've also had a revolution in women's health, and I want to highlight a particularly proud achievement of our government, which is the $573 million package for women's health. Our caucus is 50 per cent women. That changes conversations, and it changes budget allocations. For too long, women's health was underrepresented and underfunded, but we're changing that. One example is a new contraceptive that has been placed on the PBS list—for the first time in 30 years, a new contraceptive is on the PBS list. This significantly lowers the cost of reproductive care. We're also addressing women's health at all times of their lives, for fertility, for people with issues like endometriosis—we've instigated endometriosis clinics across the country—and also for menopause, so it's specialised women's health support. And, not forgetting men, we've put $32 million specifically towards men's health and promotion as well. Our commitment to a fairer Australia also extends deeply into the disability sector, and I'm thrilled to discuss the $5 million Assistive Technology Rental and Refurbishment Pilot. This Albanese government initiative is run by Ability WA and is now being expanded to Western Australia. Under this pilot, Ability WA provides vital infrastructure and expertise needed to recycle and distribute disability support equipment. It's a very commonsense policy that allows people with disability to choose whether to rent, purchase or exchange technology through a streamlined platform. Importantly, it allows users—particularly children, who are growing and whose needs are rapidly changing—to test the equipment and switch to more suitable technology without being locked into expensive purchases. This pilot is available to all people with disability under the age of 65, not just NDIS participants, and Ability WA are working closely with the national Aboriginal community-controlled health organisations. By renting and refurbishing assistive technology, we're ensuring timely, affordable access to the tools people need to live independently. This initiative represents a new, cost-effective model for support. The transformation of primary care is also something that the Albanese Labor government has addressed. In our first term of government, we promised 50 urgent care clinics across the country, impressively delivering 87 during that term. We've also committed to another 50 for this term of government, and I'm proud to say that we are now at 134 Medicare Urgent Care Clinics open and operating nation wide. In Bullwinkel and its surrounds, this revolution is saving our emergency departments and it's also reducing the management load for busy GPs. As a nurse in GP clinics, I know the pressure of when an urgent case walks into the GP clinic, and it is sometimes chaotic. Obviously, they have to be addressed, and people end up waiting for hours; it's frustrating. The urgent care clinics have replaced the urgency of some of those presentations attending for treatment when they need it. I'm very proud to have delivered on my election commitment by opening the Mundaring Medicare Urgent Care Clinic at the GP Super Clinic in Mundaring Weir Road. It officially opened its doors just last month on 23 February. One month later, the community's needs for this service are already clear. There have been more than 530 presentations to the Mundaring clinic in the last month since it opened, and this is providing enormous relief for our local hospital at the bottom of the hill, the Midland Hospital. Together with the Gosnells and North Midland Medicare Urgent Care Clinics, it kind of forms a ring of support for our region. Taking the pressure off St John of God Midland Public Hospital emergency department has been a game changer, with the staff there noticing the dramatic difference. For parents of children with a fever or a worker with a deep laceration or a sporting injury, the urgent care clinics, open seven days a week, with extended hours, are really providing a relief valve in the health system. They provide high-quality, fully bulk-billed care for urgent cases, without people having to reach into their wallet. This is what it means to strengthen Medicare and to directly provide direct cost-of-living relief for people of Bullwinkel and across Australia. I also want to take a moment to acknowledge the strides that we've made in mental health care, opening mental health clinics around the country. We recently opened the Northam Medicare Mental Health Clinic, which is a regional area of my electorate, and we are looking forward to the election commitment of a Kalamunda Medicare Mental Health Clinic being delivered within the year. We know that mental health is just as important as physical health. Yet for too long, walk-in support has been out of reach for many in the Hills area, and this clinic will provide a safe, free space for people to get the help when they need it without turning to their credit card and without an appointment or a referral. This clinic will be a great addition, as I said, to the Northam Medicare clinic and the Midland based Headspace. Furthermore, we're investing in the next generation, keeping the little ones healthy and educated with a $5 million Mundaring Early Childhood Education Centre. We look forward to finding a permanent home for this election commitment, and we hope to co-locate it with the local school. This will make life easier for parents and ensure that children have the best possible start in life. Of course, this is supported by the 15 per cent pay rise for the early childhood workforce, a highly feminised workforce that has been undervalued and underpaid for far too long. These are the commitments for the people of Bullwinkel and they are commitments that only a Labor government will deliver. This government is about delivery. Whether it's $25 capped scripts, the expansion of bulk-billing and incentivisation of bulk-billing, or the ring of care provided by our urgent care clinics, we're building a healthy system and a health system that works for everyone. I'm proud to stand here as the member for Bullwinkel representing an electorate named after a nurse and delivering a health system that would make Matron Vivian Bullwinkel very proud. I commend these bills to the House. 17:40 Mr GOSLING 245392 Solomon I rise to speak on Appropriation Bill (No. 3) 2025-2026, Appropriation Bill (No. 4) 2025-2026 and Appropriation (Parliamentary Departments) Bill (No. 2) 2025-2026. High-performing governments invest money efficiently and in line with their priorities. It takes hard work, careful diligence, running the numbers and then running the numbers again and again. It requires a degree of engagement with risk. It's a deliberate policy act, and I am careful to refrain from describing this as spending, because it is actually investment. It is an investment in Australia's people—their futures and Australia's future. It is an investment in sustainability, in security and in health. It is an investment in systems that work and in infrastructure that delivers value for Australians. This is what the Albanese Labor government is doing. We are investing in Australia for the future. In these appropriation bills, there is more than $3.2 billion to implement the 2024 NDS, the National Defence Strategy, and Defence's 2024 Integrated Investment Program, the IIP, and to enable the delivery of prioritised capabilities. Let's consider some of the investments that this Labor government has made in defence capability. The Australian Ocius Bluebottle—and I just spoke with the operators and owners of that great Australian company in the Great Hall a moment ago. Earlier this month, our government announced it would be investing $176 million in a new fleet of Australian-made uncrewed vessels known as Bluebottles, from Ocius Technology. We will be getting 40 of them, making it one of the largest sovereign uncrewed surface vessel fleets in the world. These innovative surface vessels will significantly boost intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance—or ISR capabilities—in our maritime approaches. This will include—based out of my electorate in Darwin—providing situational awareness and maritime domain awareness to the north of Australia. By virtue of their being powered by solar, wind and wave energy, they will have extended operational endurance, and this demonstrates the high levels of innovation we have in Australia for harnessing those forms of energy. I was lucky enough to see a couple of these Bluebottles and meet the team behind them when the Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade visited the Ocius crew in Darwin last year. It's a very innovative capability backed by a great team. On AUKUS long-lead items, continuing in the maritime domain, just last month the government announced a $310 million payment for the long-lead items from the UK in support of the manufacture of critical components for nuclear powered submarines, including the propulsion systems of the SSN-AUKUS. This is further evidence that we are delivering on AUKUS, and that it is making way, full steam ahead. This announcement came off the back of a $3.9 billion downpayment to deliver the new submarine construction yard at Osborne in South Australia. We're not only delivering; we're building our industrial capacity to increase our enduring and sovereign capacity to deliver. Still in the maritime domain, in recent weeks the government has also signed two key contracts with Defence's strategic shipbuilder to build the Army's new medium and heavy landing craft, which the National Defence Strategy and the Defence Strategic Review before it had called for, in order for the Army to be optimised for littoral manoeuvre. These landing craft will be central to that optimisation. The Integrated Investment Program has $7 billion to $10 billion for littoral manoeuvre vessels out to 2033-34, and we are funding that optimisation. This will deliver the largest recapitalisation of Army's littoral capability since the Second World War. Moving to the air, there's the Ghost Bat. In the air domain, the Albanese Labor government is investing $1.4 billion in the MQ-28A Ghost Bat, turning it into a fully operational war-fighting capability for the ADF. It has now successfully engaged, and destroyed, an aerial target. This places us at the cutting edge of collaborative combat aircraft technology globally. It is Australian innovation at its best and demonstrates what Australian industry is capable of. The government is backing industry and innovation. On GWEO, we have announced that we will start making Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System, or GMLRS, missiles right here in Australia—in fact, at Port Wakefield in South Australia. This type of missile will be fired from the High Mobility Artillery Rocket System, HIMARS, being delivered for Army, giving it a long-range strike capability. This is a key milestone in the government's plan to invest up to $21 billion to acquire more long-range strike systems and make long-range munitions in Australia. Regarding our support for Ukraine, in February we marked four years since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine began in a blatant violation of international law, including the United Nations Charter. We have seen four years of unprovoked Russian aggression against a sovereign, democratic Ukraine. Australia continues to be steadfast in its commitment to a just and lasting peace for Ukraine. We commend the bravery and resilience of the Ukrainian people. This support is bipartisan and extends across the parliament, across party lines. We saw this at the recent launch of the Parliamentary Friends of Ukraine on 4 March, and I see it in my electorate of Solomon, with the Ukraine association of the NT. We are backing this support of Ukraine with funding, with action. We are supporting our friends in Ukraine with more than words. Australia has committed over $1.7 billion in total assistance, including $1.5 billion in military support. In December last year, the government announced a further $95 million package in military assistance for Ukraine as part of that. We help our mates in real ways and we stand against aggression. Now, I want to remind everyone that this is not an exhaustive list of all that our government, the Albanese federal Labor government, has done—far from it. I have only mentioned some milestones, some recent announcements and some achievements that have occurred since December last year. Everything I've spoken about has occurred in only the past few months. We are moving at speed, investing real money and achieving major milestones in defence. I want to move to Medicare and health. Not only are we investing in our security, defence capability and sovereign industrial capacity but we're also investing in health and looking after Australians and Australian families. The Albanese Labor government has also delivered a once-in-a-generation change to bulk-billing, which will mean that more Territorians and more Australians can see a doctor for free—no out-of-pocket expenses. We had some fantastic major announcements in my electorate of Solomon last month, in Darwin and Palmerston, with the location of the Darwin Medicare urgent care clinic being announced and the successful tenderer for the 120- to 150-bed aged-care facility to serve Darwin and Palmerston, as well as the Top End. There are now 23 Medicare bulk-billing GP practices across Darwin and Palmerston, allowing Territorians to access free medical support when they need it, which is particularly important in these times of cost-of-living stress. Over 70 per cent of all local GP practices are now registered as Medicare bulk-billing practices. It still allows people to choose to go to non-bulk-billing practices, of course. Record hospital funding for the Northern Territory—$3.5 billion over five years from the 2026-27 financial year—has also been delivered. That's on top of the 30 per cent increase in this current financial year. We're also building the long-term health workforce, with the NT's own medical school at Charles Darwin University having opened last month. It's housed in a brand new building called Garrwa. It's also known as the Better Health Futures building. Garrwa, the Larrakia name for the building, also means 'green tree frog', and that is because of the green tree frog's significance in that area of the beautiful CDU campus in Casuarina. I'm very proud that Charles Darwin University now has its own medical program, as well as of the fantastic work that Flinders University's program continues to do, and I also acknowledge Menzies. We have expanded mental health services, with the Darwin headspace centre upgraded to a headspace Plus and with 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 in the Northern Territory. I call on the Northern Territory government to stipulate that the new not-for-profit provider of Darwin's private hospital includes maternal health services and maternity services in its licence. We also launched services like 1800MEDICARE, helping to keep people out of emergency departments. In addition to this, we're making prescription medication cheaper by capping PBS medicines at $25 and at just $7.70 for concession card holders. This is the least we can do to help people who are concession card holders. This is making a real difference in the lives of Australians and Territorians. People should be able to get the medicines they and their families need without the need to make difficult choices. I say again: we are investing. These are investments in the health security of our community. We are investing in the health and welfare of Australians. We are investing in a health system that actually works for Territorians and for Australians. We are investing in making health services more accessible to people who need them. Furthermore, this investment is also delivering cost-of-living relief for Australians, as I just mentioned. This appropriation bill gives $325 million to the Treasury to provide loans to Housing Australia to support social and affordable housing projects as part of the Housing Australia Future Fund. Housing and home ownership is a challenge in my home of greater Darwin, as it is everywhere, so we announced support for more first home buyers from Darwin to get into home ownership by increasing the property price cap for the five per cent home deposit scheme. On 1 July this year, two price caps will now operate in the Northern Territory. The one for the greater Darwin region, where home ownership is set generally at a higher mean than the rest of the Territory, will now be $750,000. For the rest of the Northern Territory, it will be set at $600,000. The five per cent deposit scheme has already helped more than 1,800 Territorians move into their first home since we came into government. I say again: we are investing in our national security and defence, in our health and wellbeing, and in our housing. We're investing in putting roofs over the heads of people who can call those roofs their own. We're investing in having places for people to call home—places in which they can raise their families and make memories with their loved ones. In the time remaining, I want to talk about home batteries. The Albanese Labor government is helping more households, small businesses and community groups bring down their energy bills for good through sensible changes to expand and secure the sustainability of our Cheaper Home Batteries Program. Territorians in greater numbers every day, every week are cutting their energy bills by installing cheaper home batteries and using them to store all that Territory sunshine, all that Territory gold. Darwin residents are installing batteries at double the rate of residents in Melbourne. Nearly 700 residents have taken up the government's offer of support to have a 30 per cent discount on the cost of a home battery, saving them up to $2,300 per annum. Under Appropriation Bill (No. 3), the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water will receive around $2.9 billion, predominantly to continue their support for the Cheaper Home Batteries Program. After having been expanded to $7.2 billion over four years, an increase from the initial $2.3 billion, this program is expected to see more than two million Australians install a battery by 2030. This should deliver around 40 gigawatt hours of capacity, increasing expected capacity fourfold. I'll say again that this government is investing—investing in the sustainable generation of solar energy, investing to help Australians cut their energy bills. We are investing so we have more cheap, fast, safe solar energy available in our homes by day or by night when and where it's needed. I'm proud that this government is investing in Territorians and Australians. 17:55 Ms McBRIDE 248353 Dobell I rise to speak on the Appropriation Bill (No.3) 2025-2026. Since coming to office, the Albanese Labor government has been focused on strengthening Medicare and delivering more accessible and affordable health care for all Australians. As the Assistant Minister for Mental Health and Suicide Prevention, the Assistant Minister for Rural and Regional Health and the federal member for Dobell on the Central Coast of New South Wales, I am proud of the progress that we're making. Firstly, I want to highlight the real difference our network of Medicare urgent care clinics is making in my community and right across the country. Medicare urgent care clinics treat urgent but not life-threatening health conditions—a sprain, fracture, cut, minor infection, burn or viral illness. They're all fully bulk-billed, open extended hours and available every day with no appointment required. Since the first clinics opened in mid-2023, there have been more than 2.7 million presentations, including nearly half a million across New South Wales alone. On the Central Coast, we opened two clinics in 2023, one in the north and one in the south. Since then, the Lake Haven and Umina Medicare urgent care clinics have seen more than 60,000 locals. Delivering on our election commitment to open a third Medicare urgent care clinic, I recently joined the member for Robertson for the opening of the new Erina Medicare Urgent Care Clinic. I'm delighted to share with the House that the Erina clinic has already seen more than 3,700 locals in the few short months it's been open. Crucially, these clinics are helping to ease pressure on Gosford and Wyong hospitals, where around 44 per cent of emergency presentations in the last financial year were for semi-urgent or non-urgent conditions. Across the nation, our Medicare urgent care clinics are having a significant impact. With my responsibilities for rural and regional health, I've opened new Medicare urgent care clinics in Gladstone and Mackay, in Central and North Queensland, as well as in the outer suburbs—including the new Deception Bay Medicare Urgent Care Clinic alongside my friends the member for Petrie and Senator Mulholland. When speaking with locals in these communities across the country, many people have shared with me the difference, the real difference, access to urgent care is making to them and their families. Nicole from Deception Bay said: I recently attended the clinic with my 4-year-old. We were seen quickly and did not feel like we were being rushed through for the next person. If you're feeling unsure, I would recommend attending. Parents like Nicole are leading most of the presentations to Medicare urgent care clinics, with about one in four presentations being from children under 15 and more than one in four being out of normal clinic hours. So they are really opening up access to urgent care for children and families. That's what Labor governments do. We listen, we act and we deliver new health services for all Australians. Our government is putting mental health at the heart of Medicare and services in the centre of communities. Our network of Medicare mental health centres is rapidly expanding, with 53 currently open, growing to 92 over the coming years. Medicare mental health centres are a new service offering wraparound mental health support and care and removing barriers to access. No appointment, no diagnosis, no referral—simply walk in and be greeted by a peer worker, someone who's likely walked in your shoes, because sometimes the best support you can have is from someone with their own lived experience. I'm delighted that a brand new Medicare mental health centre will soon open on the Central Coast. It is expected to be up and running by the middle of this year. Operated by Grand Pacific Health, in partnership with Hunter Primary Care, Relationships Australia and Odyssey House, the new Central Coast Medicare Mental Health Centre will offer people in our community free walk-in wraparound care, close to home and when they need it. The centre will be staffed by a multidisciplinary team including psychologists, social workers, counsellors and peer workers. Importantly, the centre will be linked to our virtual network of specialist psychologists and psychiatrists. So if someone walks in and needs that extra expert support, it'll be available to them for free under Medicare. When a young person needs free mental health care, headspace is a safe and welcoming place where they can seek support. As the minister responsible for headspace, I've now had the privilege of visiting more than 60 headspace centres across the country, from city centres like headspace Marion in Adelaide South to regional centres like headspace Townsville in North Queensland, to services in the most remote parts of our country such as headspace Mutitjulu on the eastern side of Uluru in Central Australia. All our headspace centres are staffed by dedicated teams of clinicians and support staff with a collective goal of supporting young people, and I thank them for their ongoing work and dedication. In my part of the country, headspace Lake Haven continues to support young people on the northern end of the Central Coast, and I was proud to open the new and expanded service in 2023. The year before, in 2022, I had the real pleasure of opening a brand new Headspace in my home town of Wyong, which has been able to support more young people, particularly in our local schools. At the last election, as part of our record $750 million election commitment to youth mental health, we announced that Gosford headspace will be uplifted to a headspace Plus to care for the more complex and ongoing mental health challenges that many young people face today. As a pharmacist, I also want to shine a light on the PBS changes that we've made to make medicines more affordable for all Australians. When we came to government, people were delaying or avoiding filling prescriptions because of cost, which was having an impact on their health and wellbeing. Since we came to government, we've reduced the cost of PBS general prescriptions from $42.50 down to $30 and now down to $25. The last time the PBS general copayment was $25 was early in my career as a pharmacist in 2004. Importantly, and I hear this in pharmacies that I visit right across the country, putting a freeze on concession prescriptions capped at $7.70 until the end of the decade, until 2030, is making a real difference in patients being able to access medication. No-one should be forced to make a decision about delaying or avoiding filling a prescription or skipping a prescription because of cost, and this is making a real difference to people in my community on the Central Coast of New South Wales and right across the country. Another change that's making a really big difference in my community is fee-free TAFE. My late father was an engineer and a builder and, proudly, a TAFE teacher. I know the difference that quality education through TAFE has provided over decades in communities like mine on the Central Coast of New South Wales and right around the country, opening up opportunities, career pathways and business opportunities, and driving the local economy for so many local people. I'm pleased to share with the House that more than 13,000 people on the Central Coast have enrolled in a fee-free TAFE course, and many of these enrolments are in early childhood education and aged care, helping to train people in areas where workers are needed, particularly in a growing community like mine. I recently joined the team at Goodstart Tunmbi Umbi, who have trainees enrolled in fee-free TAFE courses, who are studying to be the next generation of early educators. I want to thank Goodstart Tumbi Umbi for the care that they provide on most days to 120 children. That is close to 200 families getting quality early childhood education also supported by the three-day guarantee, which is making a really big difference in communities like mine. But fee-free TAFE has saved locals a collective $12 million in tuition and course fees. The Albanese Labor government is investing in our communities. It's investing in the outer suburbs, in the regions. We're providing cost-of-living relief, supporting individuals, families and businesses. I'm particularly proud to be part of a government that has restored bulk-billing, so improving access to care. As a pharmacist and as someone who worked at my local hospital for nearly 10 years, the difference that it is making to people in our community is profound. I know that we have more to do, and that will continue to be the focus of our government as we continue to roll out more support through urgent care clinics, Medicare mental health centres and headspace to make sure that every Australian, wherever they live and whatever their circumstances, has access to quality care that is close to home and that is affordable. 18:05 Mr MONCRIEFF 316540 Hughes The communities of southern Sydney that make up Hughes are truly special ones. It is such a great honour to be able to serve them in this place as the member for Hughes. One of the key ways that this parliament serves the communities we represent is in allocation of resources through bills, such as these appropriations bills which are before us today. It's one of the ways that this parliament can deliver for those communities that send us here, and it means we can get on with delivering the projects that make a real difference in our communities—projects like Heathcote Road, where the Albanese government jointly funded a $188 million upgrade of the section through Holsworthy with the Minns Labor government. The congestion-easing 2.2-kilometre upgrade along Heathcote Road between Voyager Point and Holsworthy has widened the road from a single lane each way to a dual-lane carriageway. Carrying around 36,000 vehicles each day, this upgraded section is expected to significantly reduce travel times in peak hours for general vehicles by several minutes. Heathcote Road is the spinal cord of the Hughes electorate. It's the primary road connection between the Sutherland Shire and the growing south-west region. Its role as a key connector will only continue to grow with the opening of the new airport. As someone who uses the Heathcote Road, sometimes as often as six times a day, I can tell you, Deputy Speaker Buchholz, how much this upgrade is making a difference to travel times and the wellbeing of motorists from Sydney and the Illawarra and for residents of my community. The upgrade saw two bridges being built across local waterways, Williams and Harris creeks, which are designed to withstand a one-in-100-year flood event, as well as a bridge constructed along the T8 railway. I was honoured to be there for the opening in November of last year with the member for Werriwa; the New South Wales Minister for Roads, Jenny Aitchison; the state members for Heathcote, Leppington and Liverpool—Maryanne Stuart, Nathan Hagarty and Charishma Kaliyanda—and Cameron Murphy MLC. The official opening featured a charity walk for cancer in honour of the late state member for Menai Alison Megarrity MP, who represented the area on Liverpool council before serving as the state representative from 1999 to 2011. Alison was a tireless advocate for this improvement. She knew how important it was for this section to be upgraded for our community. Tragically, she lost a prolonged battle with cancer in 2022. Alison was well respected across all sides of politics and left a deep legacy in my community, which I referred to in my first speech in this place. It was such an honour to join with her family, including her husband, Robert, to see her vision realised and the dedication of a new road bridge in her name. The Harris Creek crossing has been named the Alison Megarrity Bridge, and it was so fitting that those who are now benefitting from Alison's legacy have an ongoing reminder of this each time they use this road. On the day, I also participated in the community cancer walk along the footpath of this new, upgraded road in support of the work of the Cancer Council of New South Wales. To herald in the new road, a smoking ceremony was performed, artworks were unveiled along the road depicting flora and fauna native to the area, and there was a commemoration of World War I POWs who built the railway connection through to Liverpool. The improvements to Heathcote Road also include a new intersection to improve access to Voyager Point and a major upgrade at the intersection at MacArthur Drive, including new turning lanes and traffic lights access station facilities at Holsworthy. More than 200 workers were employed on this project. It's a fantastic example of what the Albanese Labor government is doing for communities in the south-west of Sydney. Work also continues on the M5 upgrade between Moorebank Avenue and the Hume Highway, a project jointly funded by the Albanese government through a $190 million investment. Work has been taking place on this project since the start of the year, and further work will be commencing from 30 March. This includes utility work on Powerhouse Road, drainage and earthworks in Helles Park, Georges River embankment enabling work and non-intrusive survey work. Anyone who uses the M5 around Moorebank knows exactly the problem that occurs in the area. In the afternoon peak, traffic is banked up as cars and trucks enter westbound at Moorebank Avenue and try to merge with traffic already on the motorway attempting to exit the highway. It's why the Albanese and Minns governments are getting on with delivering the critical infrastructure Western Sydney needs. The project includes a new three-lane toll-free bridge over the Georges River and the train lines at Liverpool, dramatically improving the connection between the M5 Motorway, Moorebank Avenue and the Hume Highway. It also removes the dangerous weave on the M5 between Moorebank Avenue and the Hume Highway, improving safety and traffic flows for drivers entering and exiting the motorway. A new underpass at Moorebank Avenue will directly connect the M5 westbound to the Hume Highway, and the intersection between the M5 and Moorebank Avenue will be fully upgraded. This matters because the existing bridge currently sees more than 2,500 trucks a day moving from the Moorebank Intermodal Precinct terminal onto the Sydney motorway network, with truck numbers only set to increase as new sections come online. This project gives motorists the confidence that the road network is finally catching up with demand. It's being delivered through a strong partnership between the Albanese and Minns Labor governments, each committing $190 million as part of the broader Western Sydney infrastructure blitz. Those opposite claim to represent people in industries that require them to move around on our motorways. I can recall Tony Abbott, whose contempt for public transport is well documented, famously saying that every man in his car is a king, as if that was an excuse for not investing in public transport across Australia, especially in Western Sydney. I note that today we have taken significant steps to ensure that we are properly delivering for the trucking industry, in ways that those opposite never did. When you look across the network, from the M7 to the M5, WestConnex and the M4, this intersection is such an obvious choke point for a growing region of Sydney. For those opposite to have overlooked it for so long shows their absolute contempt for those who live in south-west Sydney. South-west Sydney is the gateway to Sydney. It's the engine room of the economy. We've got the Moorebank Intermodal Precinct and we've got the new airport coming in. The idea that we would avoid investing in this key infrastructure is beyond belief. We've got trucks that can't get off the road safely, and this is something those opposite knew about when they were in power. Obviously, they didn't want to invest in building a new railway line from south-west Sydney to the new airport, but to not invest in roads just goes against all sensibility and logic. I'm very proud that our government is delivering this and I'm very proud that we're investing $190 million in a key piece of infrastructure for south-western Sydney. It's not the only roads investment that this federal government is making in south-western Sydney. It's in addition to the $50 million that the federal government allocated towards the final business case for the project to support businesses that rely on Cambridge Avenue in Glenfield. This is a project that has been neglected for far too long. The Glenfield Causeway is something that is brought up frequently whenever I am engaging with the community in the south-west. It's something that people have been hearing about for a long time, and I'm so glad that the Albanese Labor government is finally taking action and investing in a project that increases reliable and efficient access to the Moorebank Intermodal terminal and aligns with the Transport for NSW Moorebank Intermodal Terminal Road Access Strategy, or MITRA. This government is also ensuring that education is accessible in my community. That's why last year this government opened the Macquarie Fields suburban university study hub, and it's why last week Minister Clare opened the new campus of the University of Wollongong at Liverpool. The suburban university study hub at Macquarie Fields is part of the Albanese government's $66.9 million investment to more than double the number of university study hubs across the country. Nearly half of all young Australians have a degree, but in Macquarie Fields it's only around 29 per cent. The evidence shows that, where there are study hubs, university participation goes up. As a former student of a suburban campus of the University of Wollongong, I know how much of a difference local campuses, like the new site in Liverpool, make to students who live nearby. It makes university less disruptive to lifestyle, meaning that students can work and meet life obligations without university attendance and study creating too much disruption for them. The cost and accessibility of health care is also one of the most pressing cost-of-living pressures for families and individuals in my community. For years, seeing a doctor was becoming more difficult. Bulk-billing rates across our community were in decline. Practices were charging higher and higher out-of-pocket fees, and too many families were having to make calculations and ask the question: 'Can I go to the doctor, or can it wait?' Health doesn't wait—health can't wait. More importantly, health shouldn't wait. This government inherited that decline, and this government is reversing it. The Albanese Labor government's $8.5 billion investment in Medicare is the single-largest investment in Medicare since it was created. The latest data tells the story, and it's crystal clear. With 22 clinics now bulk-billing, the majority of clinics in Hughes can now display a little sign with those two beautiful, alliterative words: bulk-billing. We have seen the largest quarterly jump in bulk-billing in 20 years outside of COVID, and this has happened because of what we're doing. Nearly 96 per cent of Australians are now within a 20-minute drive of a registered Medicare bulk-billing practice. More and more practices that were mixed billing are converting to fully bulk-billing every single week. On medicines, the change that came into effect on 1 January this year is one of the most direct cost-of-living measures this government has delivered. The maximum co-payment for a PBS script is now $25 for general patients, the lowest it's been since 2004. For concession card holders, it's frozen at $7.70. For those in my community managing chronic conditions on tight budgets, that difference adds up across a year in a way that is really making a difference to their bottom line. House ownership has also drifted out of reach for a generation of young Australians, and the former government's record on this is critical to understanding exactly how we got to where we are and why we are facing the challenges that we are now facing as a country—nine years in office and only 373 social and affordable homes built nationally. That's years and years of neglect. We can contrast this with the work of the Albanese Labor government, of the single largest investment in housing since World War II, the Housing Australia Future Fund, the Help to Buy scheme, the five per cent deposit guarantee, the 45 per cent increase in Commonwealth rent assistance and the ban on foreign buyers purchasing existing dwellings. These are functioning mechanisms backed by appropriations like these. The government is on track to deliver more than 55,000 social and affordable homes and support more than 100,000 Australians into homeownership. For the young people in Hughes who grew up in these suburbs and are watching themselves be priced out of them in real time, this is what this government is working to change. There are many qualities that make Hughes genuinely unique in this parliament, but one of the most notable is that it's the only community in Australia with a nuclear reactor. ANSTO, the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation, has its headquarters and main research facilities in Lucas Heights in Sutherland Shire, in the heart of my electorate. Each week, ANSTO produces approximately 12,000 patient doses of nuclear medicine, sent to around 250 hospitals and medical centres across Australia and the region. Between 75 per cent and 80 per cent of nuclear medicine isotopes used in Australia come from the Lucas Heights campus. On average, each person in Australia will require at least two nuclear medicine procedures during their lifetime. That means, statistically, everyone in this chamber and virtually every constituent across Hughes will one day depend on what is produced at that site—Australians like Will McDonald, who is a Channel 9 news presenter based in Adelaide. At 42 years old, fit and active, he went to his GP expecting to hear about a hip injury. He was told instead that he had stage 4 prostate cancer, which had already spread from his prostate to his hip, with no other symptoms. He was given a frank diagnosis—he would never be cured, only ever in remission. He's continued presenting the news throughout his treatment, undergoing hormone therapy and chemotherapy, all while advocating for men to prioritise their health and for the medical research that, in his words, will keep him alive. Will's story really struck me because Will's story is not unique. Prostate cancer is one of the most commonly diagnosed cancers in Australian men. One in eight men will be diagnosed in their lifetime, and the treatments that give men like Will the best possible chance of surviving it—the diagnostic imaging, the targeted radiopharmaceutical therapies, the nuclear medicine procedures that detect cancer spread before symptoms even appear—rely on radioisotopes manufactured at ANSTO's Lucas Heights campus right in the heart of Hughes. I had the privilege of meeting Will, alongside representatives of nuclear medicine Australia, and, when I sat with Will and the team from nuclear medicine Australia, the conversation was heartfelt and real about the benefits of the nuclear medicines like those produced by ANSTO. It was about a man who's alive and working, raising a young family, because of the nuclear medicines that this country produces. This government is investing in the construction of a new medicine manufacturing facility at ANSTO's Lucas Heights campus, purpose built to produce and distribute nuclear medicine products to hospitals and medical clinics right across Australia. The new facility will replace the ageing building 23, which has been operating since 1959 and is approaching the end of its working life. The project is now in the procurement and design phase, with expressions of interest already issued for the process, equipment and associated infrastructure. This is a major capital investment in Hughes, with high-skilled jobs on the Lucas Heights campus, sustaining growth for decades and Australian sovereign capability to manufacture the nuclear medicines that give people like Will McDonald a fighting chance. I want to acknowledge the workforce at Lucas Heights—scientists, engineers, technicians and support staff who are our neighbours and who do the work of genuine national significance. Our community in southern Sydney has always worked hard, and it's great to see that the federal Albanese Labor government is finally returning that investment. What residents tell me they need from government is straightforward: GPs who can bulk-bill, medicines people can afford, a pathway to homeownership that does not require a deposit the size of a small inheritance, an education system that comes to you rather than expecting you to travel long distances, world-class scientific infrastructure that is properly funded and protected, roads that work, schools that are fully resourced. These appropriation bills deliver on these things as funded operational programs that are already making a difference in the lives of people across Hughes and across the country. I commend the bill to the House. 18:20 Mr REPACHOLI 298840 Hunter I rise to speak on Appropriation Bill (No. 3) 2025-2026, Appropriation Bill (No. 4) 2025-2026 and Appropriation (Parliamentary Departments) Bill (No. 2) 2025-2026. These bills represent the continuation of our government's responsible and fair economic management. They provide roughly seven-twelfths of the annual funding required for this fiscal year, alongside allocations for budget measures announced earlier in the 2025 budget and some additional items since that include funding for election commitments and measures highlighted in the pre-election fiscal outlook and adjustments following machinery-of-government changes. It's worth taking stock of what we already delivered in our first term. We have stabilised and strengthened the economy. We have made meaningful progress in easing inflationary pressures. Real wages have begun to recover after a period of decline. We have maintained a strong labour market by historical standards, even in the face of global uncertainty. And we dramatically improved the budget position. Australia has now recorded the largest nominal budget improvement in a parliamentary term. We delivered the first back-to-back surplus in nearly 20 years, and recent budget outcomes have come in significantly better than forecast, reflecting disciplined economic management. That did not happen by accident; it was the result of responsible management discipline and an economic plan that works for ordinary Australians, not just the top end of town. The Albanese Labor government will continue this approach in our second term. In a time of global economic uncertainty, rising interest rates and geopolitical instabilities, Australia has remained resilient. That is not by chance; it is by design—balancing the budget, lowering the debt, investing in people and delivering the high-quality services that Australians deserve. These appropriation bills are about more than just numbers in columns; they are about priorities and they are about values. Once again, health is at the very heart of what this government is doing. We know our health system is under pressure, and that is exactly why these investments matter. Medicare is the centrepiece. It always has been for Labor governments and it always will be. In this year's budget, we committed to making sure that by 2030 nine out of 10 GP visits will be bulk-billed. That is a tripling of what we inherited from those opposite, who froze rebates and sent bulk-billing off a bloody cliff. We have increased funding for public hospitals. We have rolled out more Medicare urgent care clinics, taking the national total to 137. We are building up our health workforce with more doctors and nurses, and we're lowering costs for patients, particularly women, by expanding access, choice and affordability. In my electorate of Hunter, this is not an abstract comment. It is something families are seeing in real time. I want to acknowledge the doctors at Always Healthcare in Cessnock and Kurri Kurri, who have taken up the opportunity and are now fully bulk-billing patients just like the other 27 in the Hunter are doing right now. Every single patient who walks through their doors is bulk-billed. That means more families in the Hunter can see a doctor without worrying about whether they can afford it. It means pensioners, young families, apprentices, people out of work—every one of them—can get the care they need when they need it, without the stress of the out-of-pocket costs. That is Medicare working exactly the way it was designed to. And it is happening because this government has put money where its mouth is. I hear from families every week who tell me they can finally go into the GP again, that they're not having to put it off, that they are not sitting at home hoping the cough or the pain just goes away. That is the difference bulk-billing makes. That is the difference Labor makes. I want to be crystal clear: if you live in Cessnock, Singleton, Kurri, Toronto, Edgeworth, Wyee or Greta, Medicare matters to you. If you're a pensioner living week to week, bulk-billing is the difference between getting care and going without. If you're a young apprentice with not much cash in your pocket, bulk-billing means you can see your GP without worrying about how you're going to pay the next lot of rent. If you're a single mum juggling work and kids, cheaper medicines and bulk-billing will mean that you can keep your family healthy without breaking the bank. That is what Medicare is all about. I know families are doing it tough right now, and that is why we have provided responsible cost-of-living relief across the board. We have delivered more energy bill relief. We have delivered tax cuts for every taxpayer. We have cut student debt by 20 per cent. We have made medicines cheaper, because no-one should be splitting pills in half or skipping prescriptions just to make ends meet. We have also supported renters and first home buyers with practical housing measures. We have helped parents with cheaper child care and guaranteed preschool hours. We have backed apprentices with cash payments to keep them in training. Every part of this budget is about making life just a little bit easier, while still being responsible with the nation's finances. These are practical, responsible measures that make a real difference, while not adding to inflation, and they are part of a bigger plan—a plan that takes the pressure off households right now, while investing in the services and skills that make life better in the long run. I want to take a moment to focus on men's health. As colleagues are aware, I was asked to serve as the Special Envoy for Men's Health, and I take that responsibility very seriously. For too long men's health has not been front and centre in the national conversation. We know the statistics. Men die younger. Men take their own lives at higher rates. Men are less likely to access preventive health services. Too many blokes put things off, stick their head in the sand and think that going to the GP is not for them. We are determined to change that, and that's why we announced a dedicated $32 million men's health package, the most significant national investment in men's health in years. The package supports local men's sheds, which provide safe spaces for blokes to connect and look after each other. It supports targeted prostate cancer awareness and screening campaigns. It helps expand suicide prevention and mental health support, and it helps address the barriers men face in accessing the right care at the right time. In the Hunter, I've seen this up close. I've visited men's sheds from Cessnock to Singleton to Lake Macquarie. I've spoken with blokes who say that without their shed they would be isolated, depressed or even worse. These places save lives, and government is backing them in. We are also talking openly about things blokes often avoid—prostate checks, mental health, heart health. I often say to blokes in the Hunter, 'It's not weak to speak; it's actually strong.' Now, thanks to simple blood tests, there are no excuses when it comes to a prostate cancer check-up. Our investment is about sending a message: your health matters, your mate's health matters and your government backs you in looking after it, as well. I also want to highlight women's health, because the two go hand in hand. This government has put record funding into women's health. When women are healthy, families are healthy and communities are strong. We are expanding access to reproductive services. We are funding more endometriosis clinics. We're improving menopause care and research. We are backing in more Medicare support for women's health services across the country. For the first time, women's health is not a side issue; it's a centrepiece of Medicare reform. This is about fairness. For decades, women were told to just put up with endo pain. For decades, menopause was ignored. That is changing under this government, and I know women in my electorate are noticing. From Kurri Kurri to Morisset, from Broke to Cameron Park, women are telling me they finally feel like their health is being taken seriously. As Special Envoy for Men's Health, I want to be absolutely clear: men's health and women's health are not in competition. We rise together. Supporting women's health makes our community stronger. Supporting men's health does the exact same thing. That is the vision underpinning our investment, and that is what Labor governments do. We invest in people. We put health care first. We back the services that Australians rely on every single day. This budget is also about the future—a future built by skilled workers. I left school at 15 to become a fitter. I know firsthand how much opportunity TAFE provides you with. It gave me a trade, a career and a future, and it's still doing that for thousands of young Aussies today. That is why this government has made fee-free TAFE permanent. Skills are the backbone of our economy, tradies keep the lights on, build the houses, fix the machines and keep our economy moving. So many nurses, aged-care workers and disability support workers get their start at TAFE as well. In the Hunter, I meet young people taking up fee-free TAFE to become sparkies, chippies, plumbers and nurses. They are the workforce of the future, they build the homes Australians desperately need, and they will staff the hospitals, aged-care homes and childcare centres that our communities rely on. We're also providing up to $10,000 for eligible apprentices in housing construction trades. That is practical support that helps people stick with their training, stay in the industry and deliver the homes of the future. I will say this bluntly. The other side never believed in TAFE. They cut it, they hollowed it out, and they pushed people into expensive private providers. We are rebuilding it because this government backs skills, backs training and backs Aussie workers. This budget is also about homes, jobs and a future made in Australia. We are taking action to ensure Australian homes are prioritised for Australians, including measures to limit foreign purchases of existing homes. We are making Help to Buy bigger and fairer. We are investing in green metals, clean energy and the future industries. We are cutting reliance on consultants and labour hire, saving taxpayers billions of dollars. This is responsible nation building—investments where it matters, savings where we can and always putting Aussies first. People in the Hunter know what responsible government looks like because they are seeing the results on the ground. They are seeing it in bulk-billing at our GPS. They are seeing it at the new urgent care clinics. They are seeing more TAFE opportunities, more apprenticeships and more homes being built. They see it in better support for Men's Sheds and mental health services. They see it in cheaper medicines and stronger hospitals. They see it in investment in jobs and industries of the future, whether that is clean energy, advanced manufacturing, green metals or our traditional industries as well. They also see it in everyday things that matter most—kids getting better support at schools, older Australians being looked after in aged care and young people getting a fairer go when it comes to jobs and housing. This is what Labor governments deliver: practical, fair, responsible outcomes that make life better for working people. The 2025-2026 appropriation bills are about keeping our economy strong, repairing the budget and delivering services Australians really rely on. We are continuing the fight against inflation while making sure Australians are supported through cost-of-living pressures. We are providing responsible cost-of-living relief, and we are building for the future. At the centre of all this is Medicare, making sure Australians can see a doctor, get the care they need and look after their health without breaking the bank. I am proud of the $32 million package we have delivered. As a Labor MP, I am proud of our investment in women's health, in Medicare, in hospitals, in skills and in homes. As the member for Hunter, I am proud that families in places like Cessnock, Kurri, Singleton and Lake Macquarie are already seeing the benefits. These bills are about building a healthier, stronger, fairer Australia. That is what Labor stands for, that is what Labor delivers, and that is what we'll keep delivering in this term and beyond. I commend the bills to the House. 18:33 Mr NG 316052 Menzies This bill is all about delivery of the commitments we took to the last election. We, as a government, are focused on delivering on the things that matter to everyday Australians, and I'm focused on delivering for my electorate of Menzies—investments in our local infrastructure, in our community organisations, in our local festivals, in cost-of-living relief, in health care, in education and in housing. I'm extremely grateful to the people of Menzies for providing me the opportunity to represent our local community and create real outcomes. Our government is incredibly grateful to the people of Australia for their endorsement at the last election, and we're working every day to make sure that Australians know we've got their backs. Unfortunately, my electorate of Menzies has not always received the investment it deserves. We have a wonderful, hardworking community full of devoted volunteers, hardworking small-business owners, conscientious young people and hardworking families, and I'm committed to making sure we get our fair share of investments. We've done that through our local sporting clubs. Sporting clubs play such an important role in our community. They help our young people stay active and make sure that they're getting enough exercise, but they also provide a sense of community. Through the volunteers, which are often the parents of players, they provide a sense of community and the chance to give back to the community. We're making a long-overdue investment in Bulleen Templestowe Basketball Club, at Sheahans Reserve. We've committed $3.5 million to upgrading the basketball stadium there. Basketball is absolutely booming in Melbourne's east, and that's especially the case with the women's game. When Bulleen Templestowe Basketball Club, the Bulleen Boomers, approached me early on in the election campaign, they told me how their female players, because they didn't have enough space to get changed, were getting changed in the car park before getting in for the games, that the change rooms they did have were pretty small—you wouldn't want to see a sweaty group of boys or girls getting changed in close proximity to each other there—and that the floor cleaner was in the same room, so it was badly in need of an upgrade. This investment will go towards girls' change rooms to make sure that more of their female players have an appropriate place to get changed, and towards improving their general facilities, making sure that their courts are up to standard and safe for players to continue to play on. I acknowledge all the hard work and advocacy of their president, Derek Pangbourne, as well as committee members Mitch Burich and local legend Michelle Timms, who, as we know, has given so much to women's basketball not just in the local area but in Australia. Their advocacy meant that I was very proud to support this investment for both the Bulleen Boomers and the wider community—and all the local teams who come and play at the stadium as well. I was also able to advocate successfully for an investment in the Box Hill United soccer club and their Sparks Reserve field—an investment of $3.925 million to upgrade their existing pitch to a synthetic pitch. That means that more of their players will be able to play for more of the year, that they're going to have more home games so their parents won't have to drive them back and forth long distances to play away games, and that they'll be able to train more of the year. Like basketball, soccer is growing and growing in Melbourne's east. Providing more people the opportunity to play the beautiful game will be a great benefit to the local community and to all the people who are involved in the club—people like George Petheriotis, the president, and Scott Findlay, who advocated so strongly for this much-needed upgrade. Both those commitments are taking place with support from the respective local councils—in particular Sparks Reserve, which has a commitment from Whitehorse council. They're at the stage where contracts are being signed. Those election commitments are progressing, and I look forward to seeing and following each stage of delivery. We were also able to support some of our local arts organisations. We've got the Warrandyte arts and mechanics institute, located in the northern part of my electorate. They took me for a tour of their pottery studio, which is located in the old Warrandyte firehouse. This was one of the visits that illustrated how much need there was in the community for local investments. The back of the firehouse is made of wood and had been eaten by termites—so there were holes in the walls. As I was walking around with them, there were holes in the floor—I was a little bit afraid that my leg would go through—and that made a pretty good argument for making an investment in this space. They use the front of the old firehouse—a beautiful heritage-listed stone building—as their pottery studio. I was lucky enough to visit recently with the minister for infrastructure, Catherine King, and see the pottery group in action. They made some beautiful pieces that were drying in the kiln. As well as, importantly, providing a creative outlet, it provides an opportunity for people to get together, talk about any issues they may be having in their lives, reduce social isolation and feel part of the wonderful Warrandyte arts community, which is very active. They hold regular plays, but they also hold all kinds of activities. They hold life-drawing classes. They've been trying to twist my arm to be a life-drawing model for a little bit, but I've been refusing them—it may not be the best move for a political career! But they're wonderful, active members of the community, and I'd like to acknowledge all the hard work of people like Grant Purdy, Bruce Turner, Marion Cooper and Andrea McMahon for their work with Warrandyte arts and their important advocacy in securing an investment of over $187,000 to upgrade the old Warrandyte firehouse. Another electoral commitment that we've been able to make is to the five-ways intersection in Warrandyte which borders my good friend the member for Deakin's electorate. That is a $25 million commitment for planning and early works. Anyone who's been around to that intersection knows it's one of the most dangerous intersections in the electorate. It had a pretty high speed limit, with blind corners around school drop-off and pick-up areas. Around peak hour, it gets pretty congested, and people take some pretty dicey turns when the road is really busy. So this is a much-needed and overdue investment. Consultation in collaboration with the Victorian state government is now complete, with the local community being really invested in the outcome of this project. Many residents have shared their safety concerns about this notorious intersection. One of the positive outcomes from this already is that the speed limit in the area has been lowered to 60 kays an hour. We'll continue to work with the Victorian government to deliver on this important commitment. One of the local commitments that I'm most proud of is the Box Hill Medicare mental health hub. We know that the mental health system has a lot of gaps in it. I'd like to get to a stage, as I've said before, where mental health is treated the same as physical health. When I speak to young people in my electorate, I hear a lot that mental health is one of the highest priorities for them. There's a missing middle in the mental health system for people whose conditions aren't so severe that they may need to go to hospital as an inpatient but are severe enough that they can't be managed. As well as that, we hear about long waiting lists to see counsellors. As you may know, Mr Acting Deputy Speaker Freelander, there are times when people won't put their hand up to go and see a counsellor or put their hand up to go and see a psychologist until their mental health reaches quite a severe stage. That delay of a few months or even weeks in being able to access help—let alone any cost barriers—means that some people may not get the help they need when they need it. A Medicare mental health hub will mean that there are free, walk-in, accessible mental health supports when people need them. I was really proud to announce that with Assistant Minister McBride. Work is now underway to establish that hub. I was out doorknocking on the weekend, letting people know about it. It's an investment in the local community that people have really welcomed. It's expected by the community to open late this year. I was also proud to support some of our local community festivals with a $200,000 commitment, and those festivals have now been delivered. Just last month, I had the privilege of welcoming Minister Aly, the Minister for Multicultural Affairs, to the Manningham Chinese New Year Festival. This was the inaugural version of the festival, held in Jackson Court in Doncaster East—a wonderful local shopping strip and a great venue for our latest Chinese New Year festival. I live quite close to that area. I am someone who grew up in the area; we always used to go into the city in order to celebrate Chinese New Year. The fact that we can do this in our suburbs now really does mean a lot to me. It's good to see people being able to celebrate Chinese culture but also share that culture with the wider community. So I'm very grateful to the Jackson Court Traders Association and to President Con, whom I saw on the day of the festival. People commented that they hadn't seen Jackson Court so alive. There were lion dancers. There were stalls. The colour red was everywhere. There was the opportunity to do calligraphy. There were traditional Chinese musical instruments and a lot of different ways in which the local community could experience Chinese culture, including enjoying some delicious local food, and I think that's something that a lot of people enjoy. So I was very proud to be able to deliver that. As well as that, we saw the Box Hill Chinese New Year Festival delivered. That's been running for a long time and it's become a real staple of the cultural calendar, not just locally but on a much broader scale. I think it's one of the best Chinese New Year festivals that we now have in Melbourne. Over 100,000 people get through there. It recognises not just Chinese culture; now there's also Korean culture and Vietnamese culture. Similarly, we were able to see some fantastic lion dances and traditional performances. I'm grateful to the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Minister Wong, for visiting that festival and sharing it with my local community. I'd also like to acknowledge all of the hard work of the Asian Business Association of Whitehorse. Bihong Wang, Richard Shi, Charley, Shaun and Tim and all the volunteers put in so much work. The festivals always go off without a hitch and look flawless and get bigger and bigger every year, but I know that's because of a lot of hard work that goes on behind the scenes, so full credit to the Asian Business Association of Whitehorse. As well as that, we're also providing things at a national scale which are delivering for people in my electorate of Menzies. Of course, we went to the election promising that we would increase bulk-billing rates, making the biggest investment ever in Medicare in its 40-year history, and this is one of the areas in which we've been able to deliver most in terms of health care. Recent data shows that bulk-billing rates have increased to 81.4 per cent nationwide. This represents the largest quarterly increase in over 20 years outside of the pandemic period, and that's just since November, when the new bulk-billing measures came into effect. There are now more than 3,400 bulk-billing practices across Australia and more than 96 per cent of Australians live within a 20-minute drive of a bulk-billing clinic. We know that primary health care is the most efficient form of health care. It's the most affordable and the cheapest form of health care, because if we address health issues sooner, then we know that they won't get worse and they won't cause a bigger cost in terms not only of the healthcare system but also of making sure that people are able to keep working and being productive members of the community. So this is an investment not just in health but in all Australian workers and all Australian families being able to access the health care they need when they need it. In my electorate, that's already yielded huge results in the last three months. Ten new bulk-billing clinics have opened in Menzies. This brings the total to 26, which is an increase of 67 per cent. This is affordable health care when people need it. One of the other areas in which we've been able to deliver is $25 scripts for PBS listed medications. This is the lowest cost for PBS medications in 20 years. This is just another way in which we're making sure that people are treating their conditions early and they're getting the health care they need early, when they can manage it themselves, and we're also helping with cost-of-living relief, because we recognise that there has been pressure on the household budgets of Australian families and we want to make sure that we're addressing that. I'm proud to be part of a government that's delivering for my community and delivering for everyday Australians. I commend this bill to the House. 18:49 Ms STEGGALL 175696 Warringah Australia's budget is too exposed to global fossil fuel shocks and too soft on capturing a fair return from our own natural resources. The war involving Iran and disruption around the Strait of Hormuz is a brutal reminder that energy security is national security and that price shocks overseas hit Australian households, freight, food and inflation at home. If Australians are being asked to absorb the pain of global instability then gas exporters exploiting Australian resources should be paying more back to the Australian public. That means reforming the petroleum resource rent tax properly, and it means seriously considering a 25 per cent export tax on LNG exports as a budget repair and resilience measure. The deeper point is that renewable energy and a renewable economy are not just climate policies; they directly translate to economic security and national resilience. As we're here talking about an appropriation budget, we need to talk about those aspects. Australia remains dangerously exposed to imported oil shocks. Our fuel system still depends heavily on liquid fuels, and the government's own stockholding framework only requires private industry to hold minimum days of supply. If government supports fuel security it must also support the transition to lower-emissions transport, because lower-emissions transport is itself part of energy security. The current conflict involving Iran has shown exactly why. Around one-fifth of global oil passes through the Strait of Hormuz, and the International Energy Agency has warned that the present disruption poses a major threat to the global economy. Petrol and diesel spikes do not stay at the bowser. They ripple through freight, groceries, construction, business costs and inflation. That is how an overseas conflict lands directly in the Australian household budget. An electrified transport sector, including heavy vehicles, is critical to immunising ourselves against uncontrollable and unpredictable international crises. At the same time, our tax system gives Australians a rotten deal on our main resource: gas. The PRRT is far too weak. The 90 per cent deductions cap should be reduced to, at a minimum, 80 per cent. Exemptions and excessive deductions have allowed huge export volumes and huge profits to generate far too little public revenue. Ordinary Australians are exposed to every international oil shock, but multinational exporters exploiting finite Australian resources do not return a fair share to the Australian people. First, reform the PRRT so it actually works as a resource rent tax, not a permission slip for minimal returns. Reduce the deductions cap from 90 per cent to 80 per cent. Remove the seven-year exemption. Tighten uplift. Carry forward integrity rules. Increase transparency and crack down on profit shifting. Second, it is well past time for us to apply a 25 per cent LNG export tax. Australians own these resources. Australians should receive a better dividend for them. Third, at a time when Australians are already exposed to global oil shocks and rising transport costs, the last thing this country should be doing is making it harder for people to switch to electric vehicles. If we are serious about cutting emissions, improving fuel security and bringing down long-term household costs, we should be accelerating the shift away from petrol dependence, not putting new obstacles in the way. An EV is not just a cleaner car. It's a small piece of national resilience, because it does not draw on those fuel reserves. What makes this worse is a contradiction that is now coming out of the government's position. It cannot claim to support cleaner transport and lower emissions whilst simultaneously floating new taxes on EVs and winding back incentives that help people make the switch. Today it's been reported that the Albanese government is considering introducing an EV tax in the form of a road user charge, beginning with electric vehicles. It's poor policy design. At a time when Australia's emissions are not declining quickly enough and households are already under pressure from fuel price volatility, introducing a new EV tax that targets only electric vehicles sends a wrong signal and risks slowing down that uptake, undermining efforts to reduce transport emissions whilst completely leaving off the hook those high-polluting, high-fuel used cars. A well-designed road user charge could be a sensible long-term reform. I don't deny that. However, it should be applied fairly across all road users, with a structure that ensures that higher-emitting vehicles pay a greater share of the cost—in particular, those heavy-duty utes and American vehicles that are dangerous on our roads. If Australia wants genuine resilience in the face of global instability, transport reform must make sense from end to end,. That means stronger EV incentives and better charging infrastructure. Keep fringe benefit tax incentives for EVs. Consider exempting EVs from the luxury car tax and give a clear recognition that renewable power transport is not just a climate policy; it is economic security policy, too. The war involving Iran has exposed a hard truth: Australia is still too vulnerable to crises we do not control. We cannot keep running a budget that socialises the pain of global oil shocks while privatising the gains from Australian gas exports. Budget repair, fuel security and climate action should not be treated as separate debates. They are the same debate because, in the end, the strongest shield against global fossil fuel chaos is this: a renewable energy system, a renewable economy and an Australia less dependent on the volatility of other countries' wars. It's very clear that wind and sun cannot be stopped by geopolitical oil shocks and cannot be stopped by wars. Yet we're not hearing anything from the opposition in this debate in terms of sensible policy of how we can actually maximise that fuel use. We're hearing a lot in this place about concerns of shortages but not much, when the opportunities are there, about actually prioritising where those fuel supplies should be going. If we facilitate and accelerate a transition of passenger car transport away from fuel use and to renewables and EVs, we do then prioritise the precious commodity of fuel that we import to be used for those industries that still require it—farming and those areas of industry that have no choice. We import 90 per cent of our fuel to Australia. A vast majority of that is coming from refineries offshore. We are highly vulnerable, and so it is incredibly concerning that what is coming out at the moment from this government, in anticipation of the budget, is a mixed message. So I urge the government that, if we are looking at budget repair and we're looking at appropriation, we have to be really clear about what is in Australia's long-term interest and make sure that policies match that. 18:56 Mr GREGG 315154 Deakin I rise to speak on the Appropriation Bill (No. 3) 2025-2026 and related bills. Like every appropriation bill, it is about priorities—the choices we're making as a government to tackle the big challenges and seize the opportunities before us as a country. But it also means changes and opportunities at a local level, so I'll begin by talking about things happening locally in my electorate of Deakin, and then I'll go to some of the broader economic initiatives seen in these documents. Locally in Deakin, I'm proud to say we've now got the Croydon Primary School gym, which I discussed here only a couple of weeks ago. That's now open. We're working on the Croydon Main Street Revitalisation, which is now underway. That's supported by a $7.5 million investment from the Albanese Labor government. To give you a bit of a picture, picture an outer suburban area, very mid-century infrastructure and design, and pavements that aren't exactly what you'd call even when you're trying to use wheels on them. This project is updating and revitalising facilities that a fantastic community deserves so that people who are using walkers and things like that don't need to trip over. They're very practical but also great visual changes for a growing part of our electorate, with that beautiful revitalisation. That's also complementing the Croydon Community Wellbeing Precinct, which is just a short walk from there as part of a very open, walkable experience, where we'll have new performance and event spaces, meeting spaces, a new library and fantastic facilities for local community groups. That is also backed by a separate $5 million investment by the Albanese Labor government. That's part of a new multipurpose hub, which is space for sports clubs and community groups and is backed by a $7.5 million grant from the Albanese government. So there's been really heavy investment by the Albanese Labor government in the fantastic community out there in Croydon, who are getting the updated facilities they very much deserve and have needed for a long while. No longer will we be taking a journey into the time tunnel and seeing what facilities looked like 50 years ago. We will finally have the facilities our community groups very much need as they continue to grow and thrive. Another fantastic project now open is Forest Hill Reserve's redevelopment project. This was advocated for in 2022, when I was the candidate for Deakin. I was very, very happy to see this opened up after being elected as a member of parliament. Finally, in the 21st century, we have female-friendly change rooms. That's something we might take for granted in a lot of parts of the world, but certainly in my electorate, for a long while, if you had gone to many sports facilities and looked for the female bathroom, you would have realised there isn't one. We've been working on that for a little while now, and, finally, this great facility will have a brand-new female-friendly change room with unisex amenities as well, plenty of room for everyone, a refurbished social room, an upgraded kitchen, referee facilities and improved public toilets as well. I really want to thank the Forest Hill Football Netball Club and the Forest Hill Cricket Club, who have both worked together really well in advocating for those projects. Another bit of work we're doing is the North Ringwood Reserve Pavilion redevelopment. That has been announced. That's a $2 million investment, and we'll be building a two-storey, very accessible pavilion with female change rooms, an elevated multipurpose space and a new viewing area for spectators as well. We're bringing these things into the 21st century so we can actually have inclusive clubs and as many people as possible playing sport without feeling like they need to get changed in their car in the car park, which has sadly been the reality for many individuals, particularly women, for far too long. Another exciting development is the Nunawading Basketball centre, which serves our area as well. It's close to the member for Menzies seat, as well as the member for Chisholm's. That is a $45 million investment and a fantastic new facility. Young people are playing basketball at levels that certainly are unfamiliar to me as someone from the many generations of just football and cricket, but that has received huge take-up and is engaging a lot of communities. We're expanding that to really just reflect demand that's been there, pent up for years, to make sure it's serving as many people as possible. That will be something we'll hopefully get a little bit more support from the Victorian state government on, if possible, as soon as possible. The centre, like many things in our part of the world in our outer suburbs, is ageing. The funding will deliver more courts, better and more accessible facilities and more space for people of all ages to play basketball, as well as netball and other sports. If I go onto the broader picture for what this means for Australia, in health care the maximum co-payment for medications on the PBS has now gone down to the lowest level it's been since 2004, 22 years ago. That is, of course, in addition to the freeze of the price for those on healthcare cards, which has been frozen by this government so people aren't, as has sadly become too common, getting prescribed something by their doctor and not feeling like they can afford to pay for it, missing out on the benefits of those medications. This makes things a little bit easier for those people, particularly those who have to go on multiple medications simultaneously, because that can be very expensive. We've also seen the single largest investment in Medicare in over 40 years, $8.5 billion, delivering more bulk-billing around Australia. That is 12 fully bulk-billed clinics available to the people of Deakin. That's 12 of 3,400 around Australia, so, finally, that Medicare card is doing what we all expect it to do, and people can go to the doctor when they need health care and ensure that they're not going to lose a heap of money, adding to their concerns at this time. A lot of people were missing out on essential health care because they simply could not afford it, and this important work around Medicare means that we're finally able to return Medicare back to its original promise. It's something I—and, I think, everyone in the government—is incredibly proud of. Despite the naysayers, this has been successful. Doctors have realised that this makes economic sense. They have started offering these services, and it continues to expand over time as the economics really stacks up on this. As was noted by the member for Menzies, investing in primary health is essential. We see hospital waiting lists. We see full emergency rooms and things like that. Investing in primary health is a fantastic investment. If we can deal with things early, before they get out of hand and before hospitals are required, it's the best bang for buck you can get in the healthcare system, so it's incredibly important work. I know that the mission of strengthening Medicare continues. We've got a minister for health and ageing who is absolutely dedicated to making sure that Medicare continues to fulfil its promise and benefit Australians around the country. That record funding is in addition to record funding in hospitals. We've got a new hospitals deal, providing an additional $25 billion in Commonwealth funds to support hospitals in Australia, which is going to make a huge difference. That deal with the states has been a long time coming, but it's something we can all be incredibly proud of—to make sure that the hospitals continue to serve patients with the quality of care that they deserve. Another exciting aspect of the agenda, reflected in these appropriation bills, is housing, after years of neglect from governments, federal and state. Traditionally, housing was not part of the federal government's role, but we've now got a problem 40 years in the making that has reached such a scale that it can only be dealt with by a Commonwealth government, and this Commonwealth government has stepped into the game. We are seeing investments from a $45 billion plan focused on three things—building more homes, making it easier to buy a home and making it better for renters. More than 570,000 homes have been built since Labor was elected. There is more to do. There's an ambitious target of 1.2 million—a fantastic aspiration—and we continue to work for it. Even as challenges around Iran and supply chain issues come up, the focus on making sure supply is there is really addressing the root cause of the problem: demand versus supply. We need more and more supply. We need to continue on that relentless mission to ensure that we actually have enough houses for the people in Australia and that we can also deal with the very significant issue of price. This has been a supply-and-demand imbalance decades in the making. It's finally something that is being dealt with at a Commonwealth level. It really is going to be something that addresses one of the great intergenerational inequities that we're seeing. The ability to get your own home and have that sense of security is something that is invaluable to people and something that young people—people of my generation—felt was elusive. So these investments are incredibly significant and actually make that dream possible. That's not to mention the work around the five per cent deposit scheme. Again, five per cent is still a significant bit of savings. You cannot be financially undisciplined and save five per cent of the current price of a house. Five per cent of $800,000, five per cent of $1 million, is still a lot of money to save. It is highlighting the financial prudence—the very reason we have deposits—as well as giving people a shot and actually making that dream possible. If you're saving for years and years for a deposit, that's time where you're going to struggle to rent or it's extra time you're going to have to stay at home. Saving that huge deposit has proven impossible for so many people—and not just people on the lower income scale. People who are on a pretty good wicket will, understandably, struggle to save a 20 per cent deposit for a home with contemporary prices, which have continued to, really, in my part of the world, double every decade. It's something that has been an important initiative, and it's been taken up by many people in my community. About 907 people in my electorate of Deakin have taken advantage of the five per cent deposit scheme. That is life-changing stuff and something they're incredibly grateful for. It's also a really important piece of reform to make sure that we're addressing that intergenerational issue of housing. After a decade, we saw—I think the Commonwealth government built about 373 houses, something that does not reflect the scale of the problem at all. I hear debates in some state parliaments—'Do we build here or there?' Really, the answer is both. We need to build a lot of homes. The scale of the problem is huge, so we need to be considering all ideas of how we go about it. Rezoning, building in activity centres in the suburbs and building in the cities are not mutually exclusive. We have to have a solution that reflects the scale of the problem. 'Build, baby, build' would be my approach to this! Finally, governments are seeing the light on this. They realise that this is going to be key to fairness. It is going to be key for social mobility. It's going to be key for health. The roof over your head is one of the most foundational needs of human beings. Finally, we are addressing these priority issues, and it's fantastic to see the work being done by the Australian government in making a real difference to people's lives not only in my community of Deakin but around Australia. Jobs and wages is another area. Again, this all connects with the cost of living. Since the election of the Albanese Labor government, 1.2 million jobs have been created. That is an incredible record. Our reforms have got the enterprise bargaining system working again. Now, about 2.65 million Australians are covered by an enterprise agreement. That's an arrangement negotiated between workers and their employers, terms and conditions that suit the parties involved, rather than a generic award. This is something that is suitable not only for the industry but for the individual employer. We know that, when we can get rid of disputation and actually come to agreement and an accord between workers and those who employ them, that gets better outcomes for both. It is the best model to ensure fairness for workers at the same time as addressing opportunities for productivity, because we know that, really, the workforce and the economy don't work well when industrial policy is defined by a race to the bottom on wages. No-one wins from that. It's actually anti the productivity we very much need. If it's all too easy to get a competitive advantage just by short-changing your employees, you're not innovating; you're not coming up with new ideas; you're not changing what you're doing to do things better. You're simply saying, 'Well, I can make more profit if I spend less on this input'—that input being a human being who's doing the work. So it's really important to see the enterprise agreement system working as intended, and I'm pleased to see that the changes made continue to support that model. We're also seeing a government that is actually dedicated to increasing the wages of those on the lowest amounts, a government that is willing to support increases to those on the minimum wage—people who we know are doing it tough, people who are really facing the brunt of this cost-of-living challenge that so many of us are facing—a government that actually wants to see workers doing better. It's not a deliberate design feature of our economic architecture to see wages go down. We want workers to share in the prosperity that we are going to be building together. We also want to support business in increasing productivity. That doesn't mean lowballing wages. It means doing things better. It means innovating. It means investing in research and development. We are focusing on what will build productivity—not the shortcut, not the short-changing. We need to be focused on what is going to make our economy work and tick for the decades to come. That's also connected with the initiatives we're doing around superannuation boosting the low-income superannuation offset—or LISTO, as almost no-one knows it as—from $310 to $810 and raising the eligibility threshold from $37,000 to $45,000 from 1 January 2027. In layman's terms, it simply means that the taxation of superannuation isn't antiquated. Paying more for having money in super than not would make no sense. It's keeping up with the reality of our tax system and also ensuring that the benefit of tax cuts for, particularly, low- and middle-income people are being fully enjoyed. This is going to benefit about around 1.3 million people, and it could mean a benefit of around $15,000 to a lot of individuals. Of course, that depends on their income over their career. The payday super reforms as well are going to make a huge difference. For an average 25-year-old worker, in their retirement balance on the compound interest alone—that compound interest being the magic underwriting superannuation—they're going to see an extra $6,000, or equivalent to that, in their accounts by the time they go to retire. It also clamps down on unpaid superannuation, which the ATO estimated to be around $6.25 billion in the most recent financial year data. So it's addressing a very real problem. Earned wages—money that has been earned by workers not being paid to them. This is recovering money that's really been taken from workers through no fault of their own—sometimes not deliberately but certainly in a way that is incredibly significant and needed to be addressed. So those are incredibly important reforms. In education, the Albanese Labor government has wiped 20 per cent off the HECS debts of thousands of Australians, including 24,000 in Deakin, and over 3.2 million around the country are now better off under those reforms. We've also got a new schools agreement which is going to see the Better and Fairer Schools Agreement increasing money to public schools by a huge amount. That's worth about $16.5 billion over the next 10 years. So, in all areas of public policy, the Albanese Labor government is focused on the cost of living, ensuring that we're increasing the social mobility of our community and making sure that tomorrow continues to be better than yesterday. Question agreed to. Bill read a second time. Appropriation Bill (No. 3) 2025-2026 46 Third Reading 46 19:12 Mr JOSH WILSON 265970 Fremantle by leave—I move: That this bill be now read a third time. Question agreed to. Bill read a third time. Appropriation Bill (No. 4) 2025-2026 46

Appropriation Bill (No. 4) 2025-2026

Second Reading 46 Third Reading 46 19:13 Mr JOSH WILSON 265970 Fremantle by leave—I move: That this bill be now read a third time. Question agreed to. Bill read a third time. Appropriation (Parliamentary Departments) Bill (No. 2) 2025-2026 46

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

Second Reading 46 Third Reading 47 19:14 Mr JOSH WILSON 265970 Fremantle by leave—I move: That this bill be now read a third time. Question agreed to. Bill read a third time. Treasury Laws Amendment (Genetic Testing Protections in Life Insurance and Other Measures) Bill 2025 47

Treasury Laws Amendment (Genetic Testing Protections in Life Insurance and Other Measures) Bill 2025

Second Reading 47 19:16 Mr ABDO 316915 Calwell I seek to continue my remarks. In other words, the voluntary system and the effectiveness of industry self-regulation have not provided the certainty Australians need. When people avoid potentially lifesaving knowledge because of financial fear, government has a responsibility to act, and when people are avoiding potentially lifesaving medical knowledge because of financial fear, the government has that responsibility to step in. This issue has also been examined by leading experts in genomic medicine. Dr Jane Tiller, the Ethical, Legal and Social Adviser in Public Health Genomics at Monash University, wrote recently about the significance of these reforms. She observed: A bill that would ban life insurers from discriminating against Australians based on results of genetic testing has been introduced to parliament … …   …   … It follows almost a decade of research, consultation, community pressure and political efforts to end this form of genetic discrimination. That observation captures how we arrived at this moment. This reform has not emerged overnight. It has been shaped by years of research, evidence and engagement with clinicians, scientists, patient groups and the broader community. Dr Tiller and others have also highlighted the central problem that this legislation addresses—the fear that genetic information may be used against people when they apply for life insurance. Research has shown that fear of genetic discrimination has been discouraging some Australians from undertaking genetic testing altogether, even when those tests could identify preventable disease or allow early treatment. It's a deeply troubling outcome, because genetic testing has the potential to save lives. Tests that identify inherited risks, such as variants in genes which significantly increase the risk of breast, ovarian and prostate cancer, can enable prevention, early intervention and significantly improved outcomes. Genetic testing can change the future for people at risk of preventable disease. Yet, without proper protections, the very knowledge that could protect a person's health could also become their financial liability. That is precisely the situation this legislation seeks to resolve. It is also worth noting that Australia is not entering new territory with this reform. Several comparable countries have already recognised the risks of genetic discrimination insurance and have taken steps to prevent it. In Canada, federal legislation passed in 2017 makes it illegal for insurers to require individuals to undergo genetic testing or the use of the results of those tests when providing services such as insurance. In the United Kingdom, a longstanding agreement between government and the insurance industry prevents insurers from using predictive genetic test results for most types of insurance. Across Europe, many countries have also implemented restrictions on the use of genetic data in insurance underwriting, recognising the unique ethical issues associated with genetic information. These reforms reflect the shared understanding across advanced economies. Genetic information is fundamentally different from many other forms of medical data. It is predictive rather than diagnostic. It often relates to probabilities rather than certainty, and it can reveal information not only about an individual but about their family members as well. For these reasons, many countries have concluded that genetic data requires special protections. Australia is now taking an important step to align with those international standards. This bill amends the Insurance Contracts Act 1984 to prohibit life insurers from using the results of genetic testing, or information about these tests, when deciding whether to offer life insurance cover or determining the terms and conditions of that cover. Importantly, this legislation strikes a careful balance. It does not prevent life insurers from assessing risk entirely. Insurers will still be able to consider information such as diagnosed conditions, symptoms and family medical history when underwriting policies. Those factors have long been part of the insurance system and will remain so. The legislation draws a clear line around predictive genetic test results, because genetic information raises unique ethical and social issues. A person may carry a genetic variant associated with a disease, yet live their entire life without ever developing that condition. To penalise someone financially for knowledge of a possibility rather than evidence of illness is something many Australians instinctively recognise as unfair. This reform ensures that this does not happen, and it does so with strong safeguards. The legislation establishes strict liability and civil penalty provisions for breaches of the ban, and gives the Australian Securities and Investments Commission responsibility for monitoring and enforcing compliance. In other words, these protections will not just simply exist on paper; they will be backed by real regulatory oversight. While schedule 1 represents essential reform in this bill, the legislation also contains several additional measures designed to modernise Australia's financial regulatory framework. Schedule 2 introduces licensing exemptions for certain foreign financial services providers, allowing them to provide services to Australian professional and wholesale investors under defined conditions. This will help ensure that Australian investors, including superannuation funds, can access a wider range of global financial services and investment opportunities. Schedule 3 modernises the legislative framework governing Australia's participation in multilateral development banks and the International Monetary Fund. These institutions play a critical role in supporting economic stability and development around the world, including in our own region. Schedule 4 repeals the planned stage 2 financial adviser registration requirement, reducing unnecessary regulatory burden while maintaining appropriate oversight of the financial advice profession. Genetic science is advancing rapidly. Over the coming decades, genetic testing will become a routine part of health care. More people will learn about their inherited risks. More people will understand their biological vulnerabilities, and that knowledge has the potential to dramatically improve health outcomes. But if our laws do not keep pace with scientific progress, we risk creating a new form of inequality. We risk creating a world where people are penalised simply because they have access to better medical knowledge about themselves. That is not a future Australians would accept. A person's DNA should be a tool for better health, not a barrier to financial security, and the knowledge that could save your life should never be used against you. This legislation ensures that genetic knowledge remains a tool for prevention, for treatment and for better health, not a mechanism for discrimination. It is for those reasons that I commend this bill to the House. 19:23 Mr GEORGANAS DZY Adelaide I rise to support this bill. I'm very proud to support the introduction and implementation of the Treasury Laws Amendment (Genetic Testing Protections in Life Insurance and Other Measures) Bill 2025. It is very long overdue. Together with members on this side, I stand very proudly in support of stronger protections for people undergoing genetic testing, and ensuring that any genetic testing that's done will not be detrimental in terms of other financial products or insurances that they wish to purchase to protect their lives—something to protect the family with, in case there's a death—or protecting the costs that are incurred with health insurance. That's why this particular bill is very important. We need to ensure that we have measures in place that give stronger protection to people undergoing genetic testing. Genetic testing is a good thing. It can monitor the traits of your ancestors in your body. Deputy Speaker Freelander, I don't have to tell you, being a doctor, how important it is. We don't want people to put their health at risk. Through testing, they might discover that all the males in their family have a history of prostate cancer, for example. It makes sense to have a test done to see if you share genetic make-up that will give you a high likelihood of developing prostate cancer. That would be a good thing to discover early. You could take precautions, have regular testing and put a whole range of measures in place to protect you. The dangerous side of it is that, when we want to purchase a financial product, such as life insurance or general health insurance, it could be very detrimental. At that point the person would have to make a decision as to whether to go ahead with the genetic testing so they can get all the details of their family history—I gave you an example of prostate cancer; it could be a whole range of other things—in order to protect themselves into the future. If these laws aren't in place, they will have to consider: Will I lose my life insurance? Will I be able to get health cover? Will I be able to afford the premiums or the excesses that they may impose upon me because of this genetic testing? Health should never be a choice. We should be doing the best that we can for our health, as individuals, as governments and as a community. This bill protects not only the health of people but also the issues that could affect the financial costs of health or—even worse—lead to people not being able to get any cover at all. Across the country, individuals and families are choosing to undertake genetic testing so they can make sense of their health, prepare for the future and make informed decisions that may one day save their lives. These tests give people knowledge, and with knowledge comes clarity to map out the future for better health. For far too long that same information—information that can guide someone to life-saving treatment—has been a source of anxiety rather than empowerment and, as I explained earlier, potentially detrimental in terms of costs and insurance cover. People who sought knowledge found themselves caught in a system that made them feel vulnerable, judged and sometimes even punished, instead of being supported for taking proactive steps. Too many faced barriers precisely when they needed understanding the most. Across communities, including countless people who began reaching out to my office as early as February last year, the message from the public has been consistent, as I'm sure it has been for all of us who have constituents that come to talk to us about this particular issue. The message that I've been hearing is clear: this isn't fair, and we need to make it fairer. People have shared their stories, their fears, their hopes and their belief that a society built on compassion should not allow people to be disadvantaged simply because they choose to learn more about their health, their genetic make-up and the things that they could be prone to, and what they should be doing to prevent any negative health. These voices, the people who have come to see me, steady and sincere constituents, carried a simple truth: no-one should ever be penalised for doing the right thing, especially in health. No-one should have to choose between seeking life-saving medical insight and preserving peace of mind for themselves and their families. No-one should ever be placed in that position. Debate interrupted. ADJOURNMENT 49 ADJOURNMENT Budget 49 19:30 Ms CHANEY 300006 Curtin It is time to be bold. In six weeks, the government will hand down the 2025-26 federal budget. Many commentators are already calling it the most important budget of the Albanese government, and they're right because this is a moment that demands leadership and ambition. This is not a time for timidity. Long gone is the era where Australian governments could sit back and ride the wave of sustained economic growth. Our current environment is defined by compounding pressures, a housing system that's locking out a generation, stubborn cost-of-living pressures, an economy starved of productivity growth, deep and growing intergenerational inequity, and a world that is more volatile, more fragmented and more dangerous than it has been in decades. Incrementalism will not meet this moment. Yet that is precisely what we have seen too often—a government that treats governing as an exercise in electoral risk management, focused on the last election and the next election, short-term politics and not long-term policy. Leadership is more than this. The Prime Minister often talks about making the Labor Party the natural party of government. If he's serious about this ambition, his government must tackle the hard problems head on, not avoid them. The great reforming governments of both persuasions did not wait for perfect political conditions; they made them. So what would leadership look like now? First, it would mean tax reform so we're not relying so heavily on taxing the share of the population that works as the population ages. Australians need income tax and direct relief, particularly for people doing it toughest, but leadership demands articulating how we pay for that relief. There are obvious places to start. We should tax gas companies properly so that Australians finally get a fair share of their own resources. When global tensions push up gas prices, countries like Norway and the UK collect more for their citizens. In Australia, companies collect the windfalls while Australians pay more at home. That is a policy choice, not an inevitability. We should reform our generous housing tax concessions. The capital gains tax discount and negative gearing, as currently designed, are worsening intergenerational inequity and doing nothing to solve the housing crisis. These concessions overwhelmingly benefit older and wealthier Australians and distort investment away from productive activity and towards property speculation. We should look carefully at other tax concessions that are overly generous to wealthy, older Australians at the cost of younger, working Australians such as family trusts and superannuation. Second, leadership would mean treating housing as a national priority, not a political landmine. We do not just need demand-side tinkering. We need more homes faster and in the right places. That means sustained investment in social and affordable housing. It means planning and zoning reform to allow well-designed infill that builds communities, not just towers. It means prioritising construction workers and materials for housing, not crowding them out with lower priority infrastructure, and the property taxes I've already mentioned. None of this is easy, but leadership is not about easy decisions. Third, leadership would mean preparing Australians for the productivity challenge of the next decade. Low productivity is the quiet crisis eating away at real wages and living standards. Structural tax reform is required, and we must capture the opportunities of artificial intelligence. Leadership here means investing in an AI-ready workforce and backing AI supercharged research and innovation while managing real risks like scams and disinformation and ensuring the gains from AI are shared across the economy, not monopolised by a handful of global firms. The government's hands-off approach to AI is just another example of its timidity. If not now, when? The government has a strong majority in the House, a crossbench calling for action, an opposition at its weakest in a generation, an energy shock creating windfall profits for gas companies while Australians do it tough and a housing crisis that's locking out young Australians in real time. There has never been a better moment for bold reform in my lifetime. Many of us on the crossbench are here because Australians are tired of political game playing, of incrementalism and short-term thinking, and that is what they have seen from the major parties. I call on the Prime Minister to prove us wrong. Prove that you can put Australians first. This budget is a test, not of accounting, not of messaging but of courage. Be bold. Albanese Government 50 19:35 Mrs ELLIOT DZW Richmond I rise to highlight tonight the really positive difference that the Albanese Labor government is making right throughout the country and indeed in my electorate on the far north coast of New South Wales. Our government is building Australia's future and we have a whole range of plans specifically to address cost-of-living concerns, and that is the No. 1 concern of people in my electorate. Since our government was elected in 2022, our main focus has been on addressing cost of living through a whole range of different policies, and many of those actions have made a huge difference to people in my area. Some of those plans and actions include, of course, the tax cuts for every taxpayer, including the 71,000 taxpayers on the North Coast, with an average tax cut of around $1,500. We're also delivering another cut in July this year. Pay rises for all minimum and award wage workers have taken the total increase under Labor to over $9,000. This has had a massive impact on the people who live in my region. We expanded paid parental leave to 24 weeks, and superannuation is now paid on all the government paid parental leave. Cutting student debt by 20 per cent means that in my area nearly 20,000 people have benefited, with an average saving of $5,500. This is a major initiative that people in my region absolutely supported. Of course, we made free TAFE permanent again. What a difference that makes. And that's helped more than 5,000 students on the North Coast save thousands in fees. A lot of young people would not have been able to access TAFE without the free TAFE that we put in place. Through the home battery scheme, we've had over 2,700 installed on the North Coast to help permanently cut power bills. We've expanded the five per cent deposits to our first homebuyers since we came into government, and 566 people in my region have bought their first home with a five per cent deposit. We've brought in paid prac for nursing, teaching, social work and midwifery students, and we're putting all public schools in Australia on a path to full and fair funding. These changes have had a huge impact right across the board. We delivered another pay rise to aged-care nurses, delivered cheaper child care and capped childcare fees. We are taking the next steps towards building a universal early education and childcare system, with three days of child care subsidy guaranteed per week. When it comes to health care, without a doubt, the difference in my electorate is absolutely massive. First of all, we expanded bulk-billing. In my electorate there are 26 GP practices now bulk-billing. That's double the number before our changes came into effect on 1 November 2025. Prior to that, in the years before, it was really difficult for people to access health care at all, but now, with our massive investment in bulk-billing, they can. We now have 1800-Medicare, a free nationwide 24/7 health advice line and after-hours GP health service, all backed by Medicare. We've made it so much easier in my area for locals to get the urgent treatment they need with the Tweed Heads Medicare Urgent Care Clinic, and what a difference that has made. They are seeing massive presentations there, taking the pressure off our local hospitals, and all you need is your Medicare card to get in. As I've said in the House before, another major difference was the reclassification of the town of Murwillumbah under the Modified Monash Model. Under the previous government, Murwillumbah was classified as a city. I don't know if anyone in this chamber has been to Murwillumbah. It's not a city; it is indeed a regional town. We changed that classification so it meant that there was more bulk-billing in Murwillumbah, because there was none under the previous government's classification. We boosted Medicare with $1.8 billion in extra hospital funding. From 1 January, we delivered the biggest cut to the cost of medicines in the history of the PBS. All PBS medicines are $25 or less, and this has made medicines the cheapest they've been in over two decades. So it's only Labor that invests in our regions, that makes a real difference to the lives of people in regional and rural Australia. Of course, all of our cost-of-living measures were opposed by the Liberal and National parties. I can tell you that people in my electorate know that. They know how devastating it is when the Liberals and Nationals are in power and what it means for people in country Australia. It's always us that are making those investments. Of course, on top of all of that, I did have my election commitments as well, which were wonderful in terms of making a difference locally—the $2 million for Byron Bay Wildlife Hospital. I mentioned the Tweed Heads Urgent Care Clinic as well and my north coast crime prevention plan. As a former police officer, I was very proud to be delivering on my $3 million election commitment—$1 million for each of the three councils. They can then get CCTV, lighting, bollards, whatever's needed for community safety in their region. It's only Labor that delivers for regional and rural Australia. Trade with the European Union 51 19:40 Dr WEBSTER 281688 Mallee Labor thought they were very clever today. The factual gymnastics were all on display in question time—claiming that the European Union and Australia free trade agreement was a good deal for farmers. I can assure you that I don't know one farmer who thinks it is a good deal. The farming sector have come out fighting today, standing up for their sector and saying that this is a very bad deal for farmers and that we will wear it into the future. I want to begin by talking about sheep growers, which the Prime Minister claimed benefited from the deal. The sheep meat sector wanted a minimum of 67,000 tonnes into the EU, duty free. But what did they get? Twenty-five thousand tonnes—after seven years. The PM claimed it's a great deal on sheep meat, but Sheep Producers Australia CEO Bonnie Skinner said that sheep producers have been sold out. Australian-EU Red Meat Market Access Taskforce chair Andrew MacDonald said that Australia's 25,000 tonnes stands in stark contrast to New Zealand's access of 163,000 tonnes, which is an outrageous discrepancy. In my electorate of Mallee, Thomas Foods International in Stawell is processing around 2.3 million sheep and lambs annually, contributing to Victoria's 314,000 tonnes per annum of sheep meat—almost half of Australia's total sheep meat output. I note at least two-thirds of Australia's sheep meat is exported, but to date very little has gone to the European Union—around one to two per cent. To say Mallee sheep producers are disappointed with this EU deal is an understatement. Mallee grain and livestock producer Andrew Weidemann said that the deal is exactly what he thought might happen, that it's trading away their right to farm and that they as grain growers and livestock producers will just be taxed more to meet the green economy. He says that this is a joke and that when the EU brings in the annexure 9 legislation to stop using edible crops in fuel—no market either. What a mess. Farmers are intelligent. They are switched on, and they are watching the Albanese Labor government very closely. Time after time, Labor has thrown Mallee farmers under the bus for political expediency on transmission lines, wind turbines, solar panel installations and mining projects. Australian Meat Industry Council CEO Tim Ryan told Sky News today that the deal is a massive missed opportunity and a 'kick in the guts' at a time when we can focus on new opportunities to expand. Victorian Farmers Federation President Brett Hosking from my electorate said: At a time when farmers are getting smashed by devastating water buybacks and skyrocketing fuel and fertiliser costs, we've been hung out to dry for the sake of getting the deal done. National Farmers' Federation president Hamish McIntyre said today that it is a very disappointing day for agriculture generally. Labor's chest beating in parliament today about how good this deal is actually shows how little they understand about agriculture and regional Australia. They rattle off increases of export levels to the European Union but don't say how far they've sold Australian farmers short in this deal. But it gets worse. Australian Forest Products Association chief executive officer Diana Hallam is quoted as saying: We echo the concerns raised by many other agriculture peak bodies today about the lack of opportunities arising from the deal for Australia's forest industries. …   …   … Australia's domestic timber production is already under extreme pressure, including from surging timber imports, a stagnant housing market and rising domestic costs such as energy, insurance, labour, transport and fuel—and this trade deal will further undermine the competitiveness of Australian timber. This trade deal is very political. It sets up the current and future government to be dragged through the mud by the European Union. Heritage College Knox, Aston Electorate: Roads 52 19:45 Ms DOYLE 299962 Aston Last Wednesday I had the privilege of officially opening a new middle school teaching and learning centre at Heritage College Knox in Ferntree Gully, a moment that stands as a powerful symbol of what can be achieved when vision, collaboration and investment in education come together with a clear purpose. This new facility represents far more than just bricks and mortar. Backed by $1,765,800 in federal government funding through the Capital Grants Program, it is a tangible commitment to the future of young Australians. The centre itself is a testament to contemporary educational design. With modern general learning areas and flexible breakout spaces, it has been carefully crafted to support the diverse needs of today's learners and teachers. These are spaces that encourage collaboration, adaptability and the creative skills that are essential in a rapidly changing world. Here learning is not confined to rows of desks. It can be indoors, but can also adapt to include the outdoors. It is dynamic, interactive and student centred. Importantly, the impact of this investment extends well beyond the students who will walk through its doors this year. It will benefit generations of learners to come—young people who will carry forward the knowledge, skills and confidence nurtured within these walls. In that sense, this project is not just about today; it is about shaping the future. I want to take a moment to acknowledge the dedication of the principal, Ms Maureen Theobald, and the teachers, staff and leadership at Heritage College Knox. Facilities like this are only as powerful as the people who bring them to life. It is their passion, expertise and unwavering commitment to their students that truly define the strength of this school community. Our government firmly believes that every student, no matter their postcode, deserves access to high-quality education and the resources necessary to reach their full potential. Investing in our future is not limited to classrooms alone. It also means building the infrastructure that supports thriving connected communities. This brings me to another important matter from my electorate and to why I would like to update the House on the progress of the Henderson Road and Ferntree Gully Road intersection upgrade, an essential project for our local road network and a clear example of infrastructure keeping pace with community growth. This upgrade, supported by $14.3 million in Australian government funding, is being delivered in two stages. Stage 1, completed in November 2023, focused on improvements to the Henderson Road and Kelletts Road intersection in Rowville. It's already delivering meaningful benefits to local traffic flow and safety. Now, at the other end, stage 2 is underway in Knoxfield, targeting the busy intersection of Henderson Road and Ferntree Gully Road. This is a critical junction in a rapidly growing area, and the works being undertaken will significantly improve how people move through it each day. Once completed, the upgraded intersection will feature new and extended turning lanes to ease congestion, as well as a dedicated left-turn slip lane from Henderson Road into Ferntree Gully Road. These changes will reduce bottlenecks and improve travel time reliability, the value of which every commuter understands. Equally important are the safety enhancements. The project includes upgraded pedestrian and bicycle crossings, as well as bicycle priority crossings and lanterns, ensuring that all road users, not just drivers, can move safely and confidently. A new traffic splitter island and improvements to kerb and channel infrastructure will further strengthen the functionality and safety of this intersection. A particularly significant improvement will be the removal of a redundant U-turn at Carrington Park. While seemingly small, changes like this play a crucial role in reducing conflict points and enhancing overall road safety. The benefits of this project are clear and far reaching. It will reduce congestion, shorten travel times and create safer conditions for drivers, pedestrians and cyclists alike. But, beyond those practical outcomes, it represents something larger. It reflects a commitment to planning and responding to the evolving needs of our community, because, ultimately, whether we are investing in schools or in roads, the goal is the same: to build communities where people can live, learn and play. These are the investments that matter. These are the decisions that shape not just infrastructure but lives. I am proud to be part of a Labor government that is delivering them. Fuel Security 53 19:50 Mr WALLACE 265967 Fisher Australia is facing a convergence of emerging and significant pressures—a weak economy, rising costs and now a fuel crisis—hitting families and small businesses across the country. Last Tuesday, the Reserve Bank raised the cash rate to 4.1 per cent, the second consecutive increase and the 14th rate rise under this Labor government. In Fisher, the median house price has reached $1.285 million. That single decision adds more than $200 a month to a typical mortgage. With another rate rise forecast in May, families are moving from pressure to genuine distress. And why is this happening? It's happening because inflation remains too high. As economists have pointed out this week, that is being driven by domestic conditions, not global ones. When a government spends at record levels, it puts too much money into the economy. Too much money chasing too few goods pushes prices up. When prices rise, the Reserve Bank steps in with the only tool it has—interest rates go up—and Australians pay the price. This is cause and effect, driven by decisions made right here in Canberra. But the situation has now taken a more serious turn. As of this week, fuel prices on the Sunshine Coast and across the country have surged dramatically. People in my electorate are now paying up to $3 a litre for diesel and around $2.85 for petrol. Petrol is up by more than 30 per cent, and diesel is up by more than 40 per cent—among the sharpest increases in fuel prices in the developed world. The impacts are being felt locally. A local news report on the Sunshine Coast last night showed more than 70 service stations running dry across Queensland. Operators are dealing with a spike in drive-offs as families struggle to fill their tanks. Drivers are rationing, putting in $20 instead of filling up. Small businesses and families are wearing the cost. Truckies are feeling the pinch. On the Sunshine Coast, businesses like Your Logistic Solutions have had fuel stolen directly from their vehicles, with losses of up to $1,800 in just one single incident. That's what it looks like on the ground, and it raises serious questions: Why is this country so exposed? Why is Australia so dependent on foreign fuel that a conflict on the other side of the world can bring us, effectively, to our knees? The National Farmers' Federation has warned that food prices could rise by up to 50 per cent. Service stations have run dry. Oil shipments have turned back. I was speaking with a farmer this morning who said his urea costs have gone up by 50 per cent in just three weeks—50 per cent in three weeks! This did not happen overnight. For decades, fuel security was treated as someone else's problem. That complacency was not confined to one party; I will admit that. But, when Angus Taylor was energy minister, he acted. He legislated the Fuel Security Act, he invested $200 million in offshore diesel storage and he saved both the Ampol Lytton refinery in Queensland and the Viva Energy refinery in Geelong from closure—serious measures made by someone who understands the risks. Labor inherited that framework in 2022. They had the benefit of warning signs. They had global shocks unfolding in real time. But they did not build the storage. They did not close the gap. They did not act with urgency. And now Australians are paying the price. When the message shifts from 'There's no problem here' to 'Well, actually, this is a national crisis' in the space of days, this is not leadership; this is gaslighting Australians. Australians have not been panicking; they were responding to what they could see with their own eyes. The Reserve Bank meets again in May. Inflation data lands on 29 April. Australians filling up their cars this week will soon feel it again in their mortgages, their groceries and their bills. Australians deserve better. That is why the coalition, in opposition, is holding this government to account. (Time expired) Australian Society 53 19:55 Mr DREYFUS HWG Isaacs Australia is a remarkable country, and I've seen that in the community that I represent. I've stood in school halls, classrooms and community celebrations across my electorate of Isaacs and watched children and families from many different countries call Australia home and mean it. Across our vast continent, first cared for by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, we've built a nation shaped by care, respect, a fair go and shared values. Our history is far older and deeper than the Commonwealth itself, and our national life has been enriched by people drawn from every part of the world. To understand Australia, we must understand how our history has shaped our national story. It's the story of an ancient continent, home to the oldest continuous living culture in the world. It's the story of democratic institutions patiently built and renewed, of which we are rightly proud. It's the story of people who came here from around the world and built a life together. Our story is not one of sameness. For all our differences and all that remains unfinished, there is something enduring in the Australian character. We are a people who value the freedom to live without fear or intimidation. We are a people who know that freedom is built over time, and it depends on institutions and laws that protect it. And we are a people who believe that respect is the foundation of the country we want to be. In a nation shaped by many histories, those principles are particularly important. Too often, diversity is spoken of as though it weakens our national unity and values. It does not. Australia is an inclusive nation built on trust, integrity and fairness. We are the land of the fair go. That work of building our nation is never finished. That work of building our nation has strengthened our national life and made us more open to the world, more capable and confident as a nation and more generous towards one another. A maturing nation does not ask its citizens to be the same; it asks for something better. A maturing nation asks that we understand that, however different our backgrounds, our faiths, our memories or our political opinions, we belong to the same country—a country shaped by many histories and traditions, and strengthened by its diversity. From that sense of common purpose comes a commitment to the national good. I say all this because I've seen what happens when these things are tested. We live in a world in which events far beyond our shores reach into our communities and are often deeply felt by many Australians. I've seen how this can make every disagreement appear absolute, every difference of opinion irreconcilable and judgement give way to reaction rather than reason. We must not let emotionally charged and often hate fuelled online content shape the way we see one another or the kind of community we become. Too often we see fear turned into politics, difference turned into suspicion and prejudice turned into a strategy, yet there is something deeply unconvincing about this kind of politics. Those who advance division and hate depend on the very institutions and services—the hospitals, the schools, the social safety net—that Australians have built together. They benefit immensely from the hard work and sacrifice of earlier generations, many of whom came to Australia from other parts of the world and built the institutions, services and communities they now seek to weaken. Dividing Australians is not leadership; it is a failure of leadership, and a failure of decency and respect. We must not give up on shaping something steadier and better than that. We can do this by the way we treat one another, by the care we show in our words and by refusing to let hatred set Australians against Australians. Hatred always does the same thing; it asks us to see less in one another, less humanity, less generosity and less kindness. It asks us to look at our neighbours, at kids in schools, at families in the park, even at those of us in this place, and see only difference. We are a better country when we refuse to let that in. That is the task before us. It's the same task Australians have always taken on—to look out for one another, to show up for one another and to build a country where everyone has a fair go and feels that they belong. House adjourned at 20:00 NOTICES 54 NOTICES Presentation 54

Tuesday, 24 March 2026

The DEPUTY SPEAKER ( Ms Lawrence ) took the chair at 17:00.

CONSTITUENCY STATEMENTS 58 CONSTITUENCY STATEMENTS Fuel Security 58 17:00 Mr YOUNG 201906 Longman No transport, no Australia—it's really that simple. Everything in this country has a transport component. Every product we rely on, from fresh food to construction materials, depends on fuel to get there. And when fuel becomes more expensive or harder to access, these costs do not stay with transport companies; they flow directly through to everyday Australians. We're already seeing it. Yesterday I met with concerned Longman business owners, farmers and transport operators and those in civil construction, alongside the shadow minister for energy, Dan Tehan. Their message was clear: fuel costs are soaring, prices are rising and jobs are at risk. A local strawberry farmer told us a box that normally costs $16 could push closer to $30. Removalists are increasing their prices just to cover fuel. Freight costs are rising, and that is hitting families at the checkout. Everyone pays. When businesses face these pressures they have two choices; they either raise prices or cut jobs. There is no good outcome in either of those scenarios. But what is particularly concerning right now is not just the cost; it's the uncertainty. I spoke with a major local operator who uses up to 35,000 litres of diesel a day and employs more than 250 staff. They have their own tankers and pick up fuel directly from the terminal yet still cannot get guaranteed access. Loads are being stopped because supply is no longer certain, and they are losing around $50,000 per day. So when the government says this is a distribution issue, that simply doesn't stack up, based on the reality of the experiences of people I speak to in the Longman electorate. We have been told that there is no supply issue, that only six tankers have been cancelled, when Australia normally receives around 80 a month. That's less than 10 per cent. We've been told that there are still 28 days of fuel in reserve, when we normally have 30. That's a difference of just two days. If all this is true, why can businesses still not access fuel at the terminal? I smell smoke. I think someone's pants are on fire. What businesses need is certainty. Not knowing whether you can get fuel tomorrow or being forced to pay more than retail to just keep operating is pushing businesses to the brink. And when businesses go under, jobs go with them. Australians are really doing it tough. Families are watching every dollar, cutting back and still falling behind. They do not need to be told what the problem is. They are living it every day. What they need is relief. That is why I'm calling on the government to urgently remove—temporarily—the fuel excise, as an emergency measure, with a clear review period. It's a practical step that would provide immediate relief to families, businesses and the entire supply chain. Australians cannot afford to wait while the government works out what is going wrong. They deserve certainty and relief. At a time like this, we all have a role to play. If you can take public transport or rideshare, please do. Stockpiling doesn't help anyone. The Australian way is to come together, to do what we can to ease the pressure and to not panic. Shortland Electorate: Central Coast Community Legal Centre 58 17:03 Mr CONROY 249127 Shortland Every day there are remarkable people across the Central Coast who go to work to help people they've never met before—people who quietly and diligently offer advice and support to others when it's needed most. That's what the outstanding team at the Central Coast Community Legal Centre do every day for some of the most vulnerable and disadvantaged members of my electorate, and they've been doing it for three decades now. From financial problems and traffic offences to issues at work and family law matters, our Central Coast Community Legal Centre offers free legal help and support to everyone who needs it. A few weeks ago I met the team behind it all and got to hear directly about the work they do to help locals navigate our legal system and how they empower people in our community with information, education and advice. Recognising that the pathway to justice isn't the same for everyone, the centre also offers additional specialist support for young people who might be experiencing financial hardship, people with a disability, those experiencing mental health challenges and locals who are at risk of homelessness. By working with other community support services across the Central Coast, the team helps address more than just legal issues, because legal problems rarely exist in isolation, and neither do their solutions. Overall, last year, the Central Coast Community Legal Centre helped more than 1,621 people. The centre is community owned, community run and not for profit. It is one of almost 200 similar services operating across Australia. They were so positive about the five years of certainty that we've given them through our latest funding agreement. As they approach their 30th anniversary this year, I want to say thank you to Sym'mon and the team. Thank you for what you do for our community every single day. But, more than that, the centre staff sent me here with a message. The Central Coast Community Legal Centre is there for any local who needs it, whether it's on the phone, in person or at one of their outreach clinics. They're there to support you. I'm proud to be a member of the Albanese Labor government, a government that supports and values community legal services just like this one, because access to justice shouldn't depend on your bank balance. It should be available to everyone, and, case by case, the Central Coast Legal Centre makes that a reality. Thank you, Sym'mon and your team, for what you do every day. And here's to another 30 years of empowering and serving our community. National Disability Insurance Scheme 59 17:05 Ms CHANEY 300006 Curtin The NDIS was meant to deliver choice and control, putting the person at the centre of the service. Unfortunately for many, it feels like a large, faceless system that's slow, inconsistent and sometimes deeply cruel. Since the tragic murder-suicide in Mosman Park this year, I've spoken to many carers about their experience of the NDIS and their despair. Too often, it seems we're taking the human out of human services. Supports are siloed and impersonal—wrong names, bureaucratic barriers and no continuity. Many have pointed out that the local area coordinator system under the previous WA NDIS worked far better. Families caring for children with profound, lifelong disabilities are not asking for more than they deserve. They're trying to give their children a life with dignity. Instead, many feel unseen, unheard and exhausted by a system that requires them to repeatedly reprove what will never change. And, when serious errors are made, families are often forced into legal action to defend basic supports. A parent spoke to me about the loneliness of caring on her own for a child excluded from the education system, living with extreme distress and self-harm. She told me she doesn't feel seen or heard by the NDIS or by the supports meant to sit alongside it. Another carer told me that supports were abruptly cut despite no change in her child's needs, leaving her scrambling to hold together work, care and stability during the decision review. Last week I met with an elderly mother caring for a profoundly disabled adult son. She's becoming physically weaker as she gets older and is deeply worried about the future. After 50 years of selfless caring, there is no respite. The NDIS presents as another daily battle to be had, not a source of comfort. When crises hit—violent behaviour, acute escalation, severe sleep deprivation—families told me there is no reliable, rapid-response pathway. Parents leave jobs, run active night shifts and fear that asking for help will trigger cuts. Carer burnout is real, hidden and costly. In consultation on the new NDIS planning rules, Curtin constituents were clear about their needs. Humanity must be hardwired into the system through in-person assessments, face-to-face planning, flexible funding and real crisis pathways. Every participant must have an NDIS contact who knows them and their situation and has a phone number. The recommendations that we made in our Curtin submission are not radical. They are simple, practical and human. We must put people at the centre of the NDIS, so Australians with disability and the families who carry so much are finally seen, heard and supported. Sturt Electorate: St Peters Fair 59 17:08 Ms CLUTTERHAM 316101 Sturt I rise today to speak about the St Peters Fair held on 14 March in my electorate of Sturt. It was a wonderful event that once again showcased the strength, warmth and spirit of our community. It brought neighbours together, celebrated our volunteers and highlighted the local groups who work hand in hand to make our community thrive. The fair has long been a highlight on the calendar for the City of Norwood Payneham & St Peters, and this year was no exception. One of the stand-out attractions was the hugely popular petting zoo, which drew families, children and plenty of enthusiastic adults. I will happily admit that I joined in and had the pleasure of patting a very cute goat. Small, joyful moments really do remind us why community events matter. Events like the fair simply don't happen without an enormous amount of planning and effort behind the scenes, and I want to acknowledge the incredible volunteers from the City of Norwood Payneham & St Peters council, who brought the day together. Their planning, coordination and quiet dedication often go unseen, yet they and the staff are the backbone of community events like this. From organising stallholders and entertainment to setting up early in the morning and packing down after everyone has gone home, these volunteers and staff embody what service to community truly looks like. I also want to recognise the presence of paramedics from St John Ambulance, whose volunteers provided medical support throughout the day. Their calm professionalism gives all of us the confidence to enjoy community events safely, knowing help is on hand if needed. I'm deeply grateful for their ongoing contribution to the wellbeing of our community. Another group that continues to lead with generosity is the Rotary Club of St Peters. The Rotary team not only played a role at the fair but continue throughout the year to run projects that make a meaningful difference both locally and globally. For example, on Sunday 12 April 2026, the Rotary club will be hosting a birthing-kit assembly day, and they're seeking volunteers to join them. Birthing kits are small, low-cost packs that provide clean, simple tools to support safe births in developing countries. For mothers and babies who lack access to basic medical resources, these kits can literally save lives. The assembly day is hands on, purposeful and deeply rewarding. In just a couple of hours, you can directly contribute to a project that improves health outcomes for women and children around the world. Events like these highlight the strength and generosity of volunteers in our community. Their willingness to give their time without expectation of reward shows just how powerful collective community action can be in improving lives beyond our own borders. To every volunteer at the fair, through Rotary and with St John, I say thank you. Bayside Community Emergency Relief, Community Bank Highett 60 17:11 Mr TIM WILSON IMW Goldstein Goldstein is full of amazing community organisations who focus on how they can improve and support each other. The great strength of our community is how much people turn to each other and make sure they deliver support and assistance. At this difficult time, particularly when people are living the reality of cost-of-living pressures, whether it's going to the supermarket and wondering whether they can afford their red basket or their trolley, whether it's going to the petrol station and wondering whether they're going to be able to get fuel, let alone afford it, critical community infrastructure that supports people, particularly those on lower incomes, is so vital. That's where the Bayside Community Emergency Relief support service steps in. It's supported by amazing volunteers led by the most incredible Deb Brook, the founder of Bayside Community Emergency Relief—volunteers like Jen Manson, Louis Kee, Tracey Vi, Gabriela Ammendola, Nubu Adam, Patricia Linard, Katie Frazer and Louise G. They work to raise funds, particularly through voluntary donations, from the community so that people who are facing difficult financial times get assistance and support. They volunteer for things like packing kits for women who need basic support and sanitary items so that they can have dignity in their lives when things are tough. I've been down to help BCER in the important work they do in packing those bags, with the enormous value they provide. They also have an unending need. The need for food relief keeps skyrocketing. Every shopping bag helps us get food to someone who needs it. If you're somebody in the community who can do something to assist BCER, please support them. Donate to them, whether it is money or goods, because it will go towards a good cause—to people who need it. But, most importantly, it will make sure we keep the stitches in our social fabric together. One of the most important things is that banking services are available to communities where they need it. Whether it's older residents, small businesses that want to stay strip shops, or community groups, it's always important to have those banking services where people are. That's where community banking services have made such a difference, particularly in the suburb of Highett. This year Community Bank Highett are celebrating their 25th year as a bank supporting the Highett community. We want to give a massive shout-out to them, because they go on to reinvest 80 per cent of their profits into community support—into programs that help lift all us up. That 80 per cent equates to $3.95 million of donations over the past 25 years, and I give a shout-out and congratulations to Guireh and the board for all their incredible work. May they have many years to come. Onyango, Dr Esther, Marine Environment 60 17:14 Ms COFFEY 312323 Griffith Today I want to recognise the achievements of an outstanding STEM leader and Griffith resident, Dr Esther Onyango. Dr Onyango is an interdisciplinary systems scientist whose work explores the connection between our environment and human health. By bringing together science, policy and community perspectives, she is helping us better understand the health risks communities face in a changing climate and how we can build a more sustainable and resilient future. In doing so, she is making an important contribution to Australia's response to these challenges. She has received international recognition for her contributions to climate change and health research, being named among the leading African women in climate research. Dr Onyango represents the kind of leadership we need more of in STEM—deeply knowledgeable, community minded, and ready to contribute at the highest levels of decision-making. I'd also like to acknowledge the valuable work of WILD for STEM, an important program that supports women in STEM not only to excel technically but also to step into leadership and help shape the future of Australian innovation. Through her involvement in WILD for STEM, Dr Onyango was selected as a board observer with the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering. I congratulate Dr Onyango for her achievements and the work she is doing, and I acknowledge the important role of programs like WILD for STEM in building the leadership pipeline Australia needs. On another topic, it was a joy to catch up with Mark, one of our local Griffith residents, at one of the four recent mobile offices that I held this past weekend. We chatted about oysters, an incredibly important species for the health of our waterways. Like many in our community, Mark was shocked when he first learnt that oysters are now functionally extinct in Moreton Bay, a sobering reminder of how much has been lost but also of how much we can rebuild when community science and practical action come together. I want to recognise the community programs doing incredible work to restore shellfish reefs, including in Moreton Bay, such as the OzFish shellfish reef restoration program. Thanks to initiatives like this, more than 856 tonnes of oyster shells have been diverted from landfill across Brisbane, Moreton Bay and Redlands. These shells are now helping to restore habitat, improve water quality and bring life back to the bay and our reefs. And this work is growing. Under the Reef Trust Partnership, the Albanese government has invested $1.9 million in OzFish to restore oyster reefs and mangroves across Great Barrier Reef catchments. This is just one of the many investments being made through the Community Stewardship Program in the delivery of the Reef 2050 Plan. This is practical environmental action led by communities and delivering real results to protect our marine ecosystems and preserve their beauty for future generations. I thank Mark very much for his advocacy on this issue, even though he gave me an oyster shell—which I placed in my back pocket and then was cursing the rest of the day because I forgot I put it there. National Disability Insurance Scheme 61 17:17 Mr REBELLO 316547 McPherson I rise to speak on a matter of significant and growing concern across my community and across Australia. Recently, every single one of us in this place was sent a video that should make every Australian furious. It exposes what is happening right now in the NDIS—not theory, not spin but reality. Investigative journalists Pete Z and Drew Pavlou went into suburbs packed with NDIS providers—and what they found should shock this parliament. Drew and Pete were threatened, assaulted and called 'retarded'. In one case, a provider banned for fraud—shut down and stripped of registration—reappeared in the same location with the same phone number under a different name. In another case, Pete and Drew booked a simple studio clean. The cleaner stayed 25 minutes. They brought no equipment and they used tissues from the unit. Then Pete and Drew were sent an invoice for two hours—$236 for 25 minutes. Only when confronted on camera did that invoice shrink to $24. How on earth is this happening? This is not care; this is an absolute racket. And, while this is happening, families are having their plans quietly cut. Participants are being told to do more with less, and providers that are doing the right thing are being squeezed to breaking point. When I speak to the hardworking local physiotherapists or OTs on the southern Gold Coast, it absolutely crushes my heart. These therapists might only be able to bill for two hours, but then they're smashed with six hours worth of paperwork and reporting, a cost that they must absorb themselves. It is ridiculous that those doing the right thing, providing tangible, life-changing support, are hit harder than the fraudulent providers who we've seen absolutely rorting the system. The government says it's protecting the NDIS. How can this be, when up to 10 per cent of claims—that is, $5 billion a year—may be fraudulent. That is not protection; that is neglect. Every dollar stolen is a dollar taken from someone who genuinely needs support. So before this government cuts one more plan, it should start by doing the one thing it has failed to do—cut the fraud, clean up the system and restore integrity to the NDIS. Australians with disability deserve better than this, and, frankly, so do the taxpayers who are funding it. Mental Health 61 17:20 Ms PAYNE 144732 Canberra Canberrans often talk to me about the need for mental health services in our community, particularly for young people. So, yesterday, I was really proud to join Assistant Minister for Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Emma McBride and ACT Minister for Mental Health Rachel Stephen-Smith to officially launch the new youth services hub in Lyneham. This new hub is actually an Australian first model, and it brings together three vital services for young people in Canberra: headspace Canberra, the headspace Early Psychosis Program and the newly established ACT Youth Trauma Service. Co-located at one site on Northbourne Avenue, these services represent a major step forward in providing accessible, co-located and trauma informed mental health care for young people in our community. headspace Canberra, which relocated to Lyneham last year, provides mental health, physical health and wellbeing support for young people aged 12 to 25. The co-location with headspace early psychosis allows for seamless early intervention for young people who have experienced or are at risk of experiencing their first episode of psychosis, ensuring they receive the right care at the right time. The launch also marked the official opening of the ACT Youth Trauma Service—a free, multidisciplinary service supporting young people who are living with or are at risk of moderate mental ill-health and complex need, including experiences of trauma. This service has been co-designed with the local First Nations community and with young people, and it was great to hear from some of those people at the launch yesterday. Operated by Uniting NSW.ACT and jointly funded by the Commonwealth and ACT governments, this service fills a critical gap in our youth mental health system. Too many young people carry the impacts of trauma without the support that they need, and this new hub recognises that mental health care works best when services are collaborative, community based and centred on the needs of young people themselves. I acknowledge Capital Health Network for its role in supporting these services through the Australian government's Primary Health Network program, as well as the dedicated staff and clinicians who have made this work possible. Most importantly, I want to acknowledge the young people and families who trust these services during some of the most challenging moments of their lives. This youth services hub is a strong example of what can be achieved when two Labor governments work together with the community sector to improve outcomes. It reflects the Albanese Labor government's commitment to strengthening mental health care and ensuring no young person in Canberra is left without support when they need it most. Taxation 62 17:23 Ms BOELE 26417 Bradfield It's definitely true to say that tax reform has recently become a topic around many water coolers, and that's because it's at that converging point of a number of national crises, including the housing crisis, one cause of which is the tax system preferences property investors over first home buyers and growing intergenerational inequality, a big contributor to which is the fact that we disproportionately tax earnings from income, not wealth; and the energy supply crisis, which could be alleviated by an orderly phase-out of subsidies which prolong our addiction to expensive, unreliable and dirty liquid fossil fuels. For these reasons and more, tax reform is a debate that this country has to have. It's also why I went to the community to hear their thoughts. I launched a survey to gauge people's thoughts on the capital gains tax discount— the rule that gives people who generate income from assets like investment properties a 50 per cent deduction on the tax payable on that income. To be clear, this was an online survey. It wasn't a poll. It had a large number of respondents—1,237—but it's not statistically significant. Its purpose was to obtain a preliminary sense of the community sentiment on what is basically a major policy area in need of reform. Interestingly, 86 per cent of survey respondents were over the age of 45 years and 60 per cent were over the age of 60 years. A majority of those owned their own homes. More importantly, nearly 30 per cent of respondents owned at least one investment property. This is relevant because that group—investment property owners—is the group least likely to benefit by a reduction in the CGT discount. The results may surprise you. Two-thirds of survey respondents were comfortable with the proposal that the CGT discount be reduced from 50 to 33 per cent. A further 11 per cent were open to considering it. Of those who owned investment properties, half were comfortable with that change and a further 15 per cent were open to considering it. In deciding whether to support CGT reform, the factor which most influenced respondents was whether the change would be one part of a broader effort to modernise our tax system; 56 per cent of people responded that way. I'm heartened by all of this—by the number and the nature of responses to my survey, by the support being shown for sensible proposals for reform that aim to make secure housing more available and affordable for the next generation, and by the fact that people are open to change that might be contrary to their own interests. I take it all to mean that there is significant support in my electorate of Bradfield for big, bold ideas that might make our tax system better and fairer. Let's keep that conversation alive. Tasmania: Housing, Tasmania: Infrastructure 62 17:26 Ms COLLINS HWM Franklin I want to provide the House with an important update when it comes to housing policy and Tasmania. Many of my constituents know how hard it is to get a foot in the door of the housing market. This is replicated right across the country. For some reason, our Tasmanian state government decided not to join up to the national shared equity scheme, Help to Buy. So I and my other Tasmanian colleagues have been on a mission to shame them into joining up. The deadline was 1 March, and they hadn't signed up by then. We did a couple of events. We wrote to them. We did some media. Finally, they say that they will now join the national scheme. Whilst this is very welcome news, it means that Tasmanians have missed out on guaranteed places for this current financial year for the shared equity scheme. One of the state government's reasonings was, 'Well, we've got a state scheme.' We wondered: why not give people options and the two can run side by side? But it is welcome news. Importantly, I want to call on the Tasmanian state government to actually legislate and get this done. They first promised it 2½ years ago. The scheme has now been up and running since December, and all we've got now is a promise. Tasmanians know, of course, that the Tasmanian state government says plenty and then doesn't deliver. On that note, I continue to raise with the Tasmanian state government the lack of action on a range of infrastructure projects in my electorate. I'm getting correspondence about it on a regular basis, and I keep writing and talking to the Tasmanian state government. One of these projects includes safety upgrades on the Tasman Bridge—tens of millions of dollars. I have been calling for these safety upgrades for more than a decade, and the Tasmanian state government has been very slow to action this. They did do some preparatory work in January, so I hope that they're not too far away. Then, of course, there's the Mornington Roundabout, which I committed to at the last election—actually, the one before! The Tasmanian state government, at their last state election, also said that they would commit to it, and they've put $20 million towards it to go with the $80 million from the federal government. This is to remove a roundabout, improve the intersection and build some ramps. But, again, they have—it's on their website—dragged out that timeline further, and it has not been happening. The Algona Road-Channel Highway project has over $60 million committed to it; again, there are no commitments from the state government on getting that done. Dates keep slipping in relation to projects. What we actually need to see is some action. In relation to the South Arm Highway, a traffic management system is needed around Lauderdale Primary School, a significant school in my electorate. Again, the Tasmanian community and the Lauderdale school community have been waiting a very long time for this. My big message here today is that the federal government keeps stepping up to the plate and providing funding, but the Tasmanian state government doesn't keep delivering, and we need them to deliver for my electorate and for Tasmania. Gambling 63 17:29 Ms ALDRED 11788 Monash It's been more than a thousand days since the release of the Murphy report into online gambling. That's 1,000 days of recommendations sitting on a shelf, 1,000 days of delay, 1,000 days in which the government has failed to act. In that time, the problem hasn't stood still. It's evolved, it's grown and it's moved offshore. While Australia has an imperfect but well-regulated online gambling system—where identity checks are required, credit card payments are banned and safeguards like BetStop are in place—illegal offshore operators are exploiting the gaps left by government inaction. These operators are not bound by Australian laws. They offer credit card payments, they offer sign-on bonuses, they target Australians directly and, increasingly, they are targeting young Australians who are under the age of 18. Here is where it becomes especially concerning. We are now seeing high-profile Australians like former elite athlete David Warner promoting offshore gambling platforms—former elite athletes like David Warner who should know better and who shouldn't be engaging in this. These platforms operate outside Australian law. They do not have the same consumer protections. They are platforms that Australians, including people under 18, are being driven towards through social media platforms. They are not doing it for free. People like David Warner are receiving significant financial kickbacks to promote the illegal offshore operators, and this is simply not acceptable. When a household name is used to promote them, it gives these platforms a false legitimacy that they do not deserve and that they should not have, and it is putting all Australians, particularly young Australians—teenagers and children—in harm's way. At the same time, regulators like ACMA are doing what they can, but they simply don't have the powers or resources to keep up. These websites are blocked only to reappear the next day under a new name. It is like a game of whack-a-mole. Content is reported but remains live, and enforcement is always one step behind. It's no longer an abstract risk. It's happening right now, every day, and it's targeting young Australians. After a thousand days, the question is simple. Where is the government? When will the government act? When will it take this seriously? Where is the action to deal with offshore illegal gambling websites? If we continue down this path, regulating Australians while leaving the back door open to illegal operators, we are not solving the problem at all. In fact, we are making it worse. We are sending it offshore, and we are leaving vulnerable Australians at risk. The Murphy report was tabled in 2023. It is time for action. Musicare, Health Care 63 17:32 Ms COMER 316551 Petrie I recently had the privilege to join Dan, Vera, DJ and the team at Musicare in Clontarf to see the phenomenal work that they do for children and young people with disabilities. Musicare is the world's first creative arts program of its kind. It's uniquely tailored to each individual and their goal, and I got to see firsthand just how powerful music can be to help children with disabilities to learn, grow and make some positive connections. It was clear to see that the team are working tirelessly, and they're making a real difference to these young kids' lives. I got to go in there and meet some more of the team, see their facilities and see their equipment. A lot of the people working there are musicians or producers, and they're connecting with these young people in a way that these young people haven't been connected with. I'll be joining them in the coming weeks to be a guest on their podcast, and they've asked me to DJ assess, so I'll be getting out there and supporting a great cause. Maybe tune in and you might see some hidden talents! I also want to turn this chamber's attention to the brand new urgent care clinic in Deception Bay. It has absolutely been amazing. My team and I have been out there talking to the electorate and knocking on doors to make sure that people know that there's this facility close by to home and available when they need the help. It's on Bailey Road in Deception Bay. It's also a part of a fully bulk-billed GP clinic, and the response from the community has been so strong and so passionate. I want to share some of the things that have come through from the local community. Here are some of the reviews the locals have provided me. Nicole, who visited the urgent care clinic with her four-year-old, said, 'We were seen quickly and did not feel like we were being rushed through for the next person.' Mark and his wife said they had a wonderful experience at this clinic just a month ago. Daniel said he received fantastic service from really nice doctors and nurses who helped him straightaway. He couldn't be happier with the help that they gave him. Corinne let me know that she went there with a shoulder injury and had no wait time and would recommend this centre a hundred per cent. These are just some of the testimonials that show that our investment into affordable health care is making a big difference to Petrie locals. We promised to deliver this urgent care clinic and we did it. I would never say that the job is done. I want to ensure that everyone in the community of Petrie is able to go see a GP for free with bulk-billing or is able to go to an urgent care clinic. Whether they go to the urgent care clinic in Deception Bay or the urgent care clinic in Murrumba or go further south to Kedron, locals can access the health care they need, when they need it, close to home. Hinkler Electorate: Flooding 64 17:35 Mr BATT 315478 Hinkler The people of Bundaberg have once again banded together, following the third major flood since December 2010. I rise today committed to advocating for flood mitigation that is effective and can be delivered sooner rather than later. Money has already been allocated from state and federal governments in the order of $170 million. We must get moving forward, initially safeguard the Bundaberg community from major floods of the size we just experienced and, if possible, have protection for floods like the event of December 2010. Let's implement the mitigation options that give us immunity in most major floods. In the initial stages, it can be installing floodgates on saltwater and distillery creeks to protect homes and businesses on the south bank, as well as building minor earthwork and floodgates on the north and south side. This will give greater protection on both sides of the river, north and south. This will keep both bridges open longer, keep residents connected and limit congestion and inconvenience by keeping more roads open. Since the flood peak, I've been in regular and productive meetings with the federal minister for emergency management, Kristy McBain, who visited Bundaberg last week; shadow minister for emergency management, David Littleproud; and Queensland Premier David Crisafulli. I've welcomed several Queensland ministers to town, including Minister for Transport and Main Roads Brent Mickelberg and Minister for Police and Emergency Services Dan Purdie, as well as taking Insurance Council of Australia CEO Andrew Hall for a tour of affected areas. I've been working alongside Bundaberg Mayor Helen Blackburn and local and district disaster management groups. I'm ensuring all levels of government do their fair share and understand the evolving needs of our affected residents and businesses. Prior to entering federal politics, I was Bundaberg Regional Council's disaster management and resilience coordinator, and before that, as a councillor, I was deputy chair of the local disaster management group and local recovery coordinator after our 2013 record flood. It's pleasing to see our local planning and development throughout this period has improved the quality and efficiency of response. While the mighty Burnett River rose to levels just under the 2010 flood, this disaster has changed lives forever. More than 200 homes and businesses were inundated, and every single one of those will need support in the days, weeks and months ahead. The people of our region are tough, and our community spirit has been shining brightly. However, that resilience doesn't mean we should be left alone. My role is to keep the pressure on governments and see that effective infrastructure is delivered before the next flood event. Thank you to all who have stood up and supported friends and strangers in their time of need, including the Alive Church, led by Joey and Adam, and the swathe of 'Mud Army' volunteers they coordinated. To our emergency services staff and volunteers, who have been working around the clock to keep people safe and informed: thank you. Now, together, let's get Bundy back on track. When it comes to flood mitigation, we need action. However it looks, let's deliver it fast. Moreton Electorate: Community Events and Organisations 65 17:38 Ms CAMPBELL 312823 Moreton Earlier this month, the Wellers Hill Bowls Club was ablaze with purple, and it wasn't just because we were celebrating International Women's Day. It was also because we were celebrating the young women who were the recipients of the Moreton Emerging Women Leaders Award. They're now in grade 7 and in grade 12, and, with their parents, carers and teachers as well as many people from our local community, we heard from inspirational panel members talking to those young women about their journey. The Hon. Leeanne Enoch, the first First Nations woman to sit in cabinet, was there. Nadia Bromley, the CEO of Women's Legal Service Queensland, was there, as was Senior Constable Lisa Easton from the Sherwood Police. A big thanks to those at the bowls club who helped put that together—Sam and Renae—as well as Martha Bullen and the whole Moreton team for making it a great success to celebrate our young women leaders. Moreton has a brand-new community centre, and it's thanks to the Chinese Fraternity Association of Queensland, led by their president, Maria Hong, and their CEO, Fanny Lam. The CFAQ supports seniors, strengthens community connections and preserves cultural heritage. The celebration included so many special parts of my community on Brisbane's south side. The Brisbane First Chinese Scout Group sang the national anthem, 'Waltzing Matilda' and 'Kookaburra Sits in the Old Gum Tree'.Member Yang Yang presented a fabulous dance. Yuki Hoe and Xiandi Liu undertook a multilingual song melody featuring Hokkien, Cantonese and Mandarin songs, and, of course, the effervescent Lewis Lee OAM hosted a charity auction. It's great to celebrate them on this day, but the work that they do in our community has impacts on so many people every day. Basketball isn't just about how many three-pointers you can net. It's about community, and that's what sport is about—bringing people together, making lifelong friendships. There is no better example of that than the Runcorn Rockets. They were established in 1999 and have an ethos of fun, personal development and team spirit, and they train at Runcorn State High School. They've got over 900 members, with up to 60 teams playing weekly. It doesn't matter if you're in the under-eights Miniballers or if you're in the under-18s mens and womens sides; they do work every day to bring our community together and to drive sport. I was delighted to be there at the singlet presentation on 7 March with their president, Mark Smith, who's been a driving force of the under-16 and under-18 boys heading to China on 15 April for a trip, bringing those teams together. Moncrieff Electorate: Schools 65 17:41 Ms BELL 282981 Moncrieff I've been visiting schools in Moncrieff to present students with leadership certificates and engage in very rich discussion about what leadership is and means. The electorate of Moncrieff, the heart of the Gold Coast, is home to 33 schools, almost half of which I've already had the privilege to visit this year. When visiting schools, I present each of the leaders with their congratulatory leadership certificates. I've been delighted to sit down with senior class cohorts to discuss all things leadership and goal setting, along with of course their aspirations for life after school. Our young people continue to inspire me, and all students have presented informed questions about Canberra, my role as their federal member and leadership more broadly, and it's been a pleasure to answer their questions, any questions; be present in their lives; and share more information on Australia's democratic process. The school leaders, be they year 6 or year 12 students, are very inquisitive, and our interactions are very candid. Not much is off limits for young people, and many students also ask about my favourite part of the job, which for me is a very easy answer—that is, being here with you, the students—the future—and the Gold Coast community. Thank you to all the schools that have hosted me so far this term. I'll just list a few: Merrimac State High School, Southport State School and Southport State High School, Bellevue Park State School, the Southport School, St Michael's College, Broadbeach State School, Worongary State School, St Kevin's Catholic School, Benowa State School and Benowa State High School, William Duncan State School and Nerang State High School. They're just some of the schools in Moncrieff. Young people, especially, cannot be what they cannot see, and the examples that we set are the showcase for the leadership skills of the future. I really enjoy interacting with my schools and the young people of Moncrieff. We've also spoken in depth about the ABCs of life—that is, the attitudes that affect your behaviour. And your behaviour of course affects the consequences. I am thrilled and proud about the IMPACT Gold Coast Youth Summit, and I'll have more to say about that as we roll into our fourth one this year. The Sea World Foundation is the big sponsor of the Gold Coast youth impact summit, bringing together over 220 young people to inspire them, uplift them, give them new opportunities and make sure that they have great aspirations for the future. To all the young people across Moncrieff: you really do make me proud to be your federal member, and I wish you all the best, across all of the 33 schools on the central Gold Coast. You are the heart of the Gold Coast. You are in my heart, and I hope that I'm in yours. Bulimba Creek Catchment Coordinating Committee, Child Care, Health Care 66 17:44 Ms KARA COOK 316537 Bonner I recently had the pleasure of spending a morning with my gloves on, weeding and litter clearing with the Bulimba Creek Catchment Coordinating Committee's bush rovers program in Carindale. They're also known as B4C. In Bonner,we are blessed to have beautiful natural environment, and it's up to all of us to do our bit to protect and preserve it. B4C, together with their fabulous volunteers, certainly do that each and every day. Through the first round of the Urban Rivers and Catchments Program, Labor delivered $165,000 in funding to B4C for their Bulimba and Bayside Creek catchments recovery program. If locals are interested in getting involved in the bush rovers program, B4C takes volunteers each and every day of the week, so please get in touch with them. No experience is necessary. I want to thank them for the extraordinary work that they do right across our electorate and right across the city of Brisbane. I also recently visited Jesse and the team at Mount Gravatt's Active Kids Early Learning Centre. On Saturday, the centre opened its doors to meet the community as part of its open day. It was a wonderful chance for local families to explore the space, meet the educators and get a feeling for the community. Active Kids is a Queensland family owned and operated business with seven centres in operation. The Mount Gravatt East centre supports 153 kids in care, and they are open for enrolment at the moment as well. When I visited, I saw firsthand the care, warmth and energy that makes this centre so special. It was lovely to provide them with some new Australian flags for the centre as well. The Albanese Labor government values our early childhood educators, and that is why we delivered a 15 per cent pay rise to early childhood educators to support them and their important work. From January this year, all Australian children are now eligible for three days of subsidised care each and every week thanks to Labor's three-day childcare guarantee. I say a big thankyou to Jesse and all our early childhood educators right across Bonner for the incredible work they do each and every day in educating and caring for our children at their earliest and most important stages of life. It's also fantastic to see the real impact our urgent care clinics are already having right across my community in Bonner. Since December, the Carina-Carindale urgent care clinic has already cared for over 2,400 residents. At the Capalaba clinic, over 2,450 people have walked through the doors since it opened in December. That's thousands of locals getting the care they need when they need it most without having to wait at an emergency department. Urgent care clinics are absolutely delivering for my community of Bonner, and I am so proud that we've had the delivery of not one but two locally. So thank you to the Albanese Labor government for continuing to deliver for all Australians. Fuel, Turner, Mr Daniel 66 17:47 Mr VENNING 315434 Grey Chris Bowen's fuel crisis isn't just inconveniencing Australians or pulling the handbrake on our economy; it is risking lives. In regional, rural and remote Australia, the Royal Flying Doctor Service provides a critical medical service for Australians. But, unfortunately, Australia's part time energy minister, Chris Bowen, and his inability to take responsibility and resolve Australia's fuel crisis has put this service and these patients at risk. His inaction has forced the RFDS to plan out what services will be cut when the bowsers run dry. Minister Bowen needs to take responsibility and fix this problem. He has been changing his message from day to day, spending more time blaming Australian families and businesses than doing something about the issue. We've now heard more than 400 petrol stations across Australia have run out of fuel, with my constituents in Grey—fishers, farmers, families and now miners—being the hardest hit. Minister Bowen has said time and time again that there is no fuel supply issue. There's nothing to see here, apparently! What a load of baloney. I rise today to honour an extraordinary South Australian, 41-year-old Dan Turner of Port Lincoln. Right now, hundreds of kilometres off the coast of South America, Dan is floating alone in the sea, realising his dream of sailing around the whole world. He is one of just 15 competitors in the gruelling Mini Globe Race. This massive five-leg journey spans around 50,000 kilometres. Competitors navigate tiny 5.8-metre class globe yachts, with the event starting and finishing in Antigua. What makes the story truly remarkable is his vessel, Immortal Game. A property developer with no prior building experience, Dan constructed this boat entirely in his driveway. As I mentioned, Dan has roots tracing back to the proud city of Port Lincoln, where he first learned to sail. On last report, he was leading the second leg of this race, bound for Fiji. He survives on 40-minute sleep cycles and has already overcome immense challenges from complex immigration hurdles to dangerous encounters with orcas. When he completes this year-long voyage, Dan plans to write a book, share his journey through motivational speaking and inspire the next generation of young, aspiring sailors in Port Lincoln. I commend his immense sacrifice, bravery and resilience, and I wish him safe travels as he conquers the high seas and safely returns home to us in South Australia. Bullwinkel Electorate: Community Events, Bullwinkel Electorate: Health Care 67 17:50 Ms TRISH COOK 312871 Bullwinkel In times of global uncertainty, we often look for a sense of home and belonging that goes beyond the physical address. For me and many in my electorate, that sense of belonging is found in communities that ground us. Recently, I had the joy of attending St Cuthbert's Feast Day at St Cuthbert's Anglican Church in Darlington. Joining Reverend Peregrin and the Right Reverend Bishop Kate, I was reminded that places of faith are not just buildings; they are sanctuaries of peace, community and continuity. Places like St Cuthbert's provide the moral and spiritual compass that helps us navigate the complexities of the modern world with grace and resilience. That same spirit of stewardship was on full display when I had the honour of attending the Bilgoman Wells restoration project opening. This project is a masterclass in what a community can achieve together when it honours its roots. The community contribution included meticulous research by local archivist Lyn Myles and local historian Cliff Burns, whose dedication ensured that this piece of heritage was not lost to time. It took a village to bring that history back to life. The Friends of Bilgoman Wells, led by the indefatigable Chris Durrant and ably assisted by Dr Diane Parker, did an incredible job enlisting the help of our local schoolchildren from Helena College. They imparted to the next generation that they are the keepers of our local history. With the vital sponsorship of Bendigo Bank and the support of the Shire of Mundaring, the restoration stands as a testament to the power of collaboration and community. It shows that, when we look after our history, we're really looking after our future. Health care remains the number one priority for the people of Bullwinkel, and I'm incredibly proud to report on the early success of the Mundaring Urgent Care Clinic. Since its doors opened just one month ago, the clinic has already seen 580 presentations. That is 580 times a local resident received high-quality care without an out-of-pocket cost and without having to wait and go down the hill to the emergency department. These aren't just statistics; they represent 580 moments of relief for parents with sick children or seniors needing urgent attention, and it's a clear signal that, when we invest in accessible, local, bulk-billed services, we change lives. I'm honoured to represent a community that works so tirelessly to keep up our spirit and our services and keep us strong. Support at Home 67 17:53 Mr BOYCE 299498 Flynn As I speak today, I would like everyone to consider the older people in each of our lives—those we know and love as parents, grandparents, mentors; those in our political past; and the quiet heroes who built and fought for the communities we all live in. Ask yourselves: would you ever want those who cared for you so deeply to spend the final years of their lives in a state of fear, struggling to afford the very dignity they deserve? On 1 November last year, the new Aged Care Act and the Support at Home program commenced. This was heralded as landmark reform and a turning point for how in-home care is delivered. At the time, the government gave firm assurance to older Australians that they would be no worse off. What was promised as a path of independent living has become a maze of confusion and financial strain. To understand the scale of this dysfunction, we only need to listen to the social workers and service providers who report a harrowing increase in suicidal ideation among our elderly.When a person who has lived for 70 or 80 or 90 years with resilience begins to feel they are a burden, that their life is no longer viable due to financial struggles, we have failed them. Recently, a distraught 94-year-old constituent of mine visited my office. His December statement showed fees of $9,963 for services and a further $7,698 for assistive technology. This gentleman does not have complex needs, yet a single month's charge totals over $17,000. When we queried what appeared to be a blatant double charging with the service provider, their response was quite startling: 'Yes, there are well-known and advertised issues Australia-wide with service provider CRMs. The government has rolled out new Support at Home programs without ensuring it was ready. In November, assistive technology was charged twice and, in December, all direct services were double charged.' These aren't administrative hiccups; they are significant barriers to a dignified life. While provider management fees were previously capped at 35 per cent, the reduction to 10 per cent has helped very little. Providers appear to be making up the difference through inflated service charges. Anyone can hire a private cleaner for $60 an hour, yet service providers under the scheme are charging $112 to $120 for the same exact task, on top of which a co-contribution must also be paid, impacting our seniors even further. When you couple these exorbitant costs with the fact that service availability in regional areas is often limited, and, in some cases, non-existent, our seniors are left in an impossible and vulnerable position. We are seeing a heartbreaking trend where seniors are choosing to go without food, personal care, cleaning and other essential services, and, in some areas, relinquishing their Support at Home packages altogether. Newcastle Electorate: Community Events and Organisations 68 17:56 Ms CLAYDON 248181 Newcastle Today I rise to acknowledge two major milestones in my community of Newcastle. This year marks 40 years of Surfest, an event that has become synonymous with Newcastle, our surfing culture and spectacular beaches. What began in 1985 as our local surfing competition has grown into the largest surfing festival in the Southern Hemisphere. I especially want to acknowledge the vision of Surfest founder, Warren Smith, whose passion and hard work helped build something truly lasting for our city. His legacy is seen not only in the event itself but also in the generations of surfers, volunteers and supporters who have carried it forward. For four decades, Surfest has welcomed surfers from across Australia and indeed around the globe to our shores. But Surfest is much more than an elite competition. It's about the volunteers who arrive before sunrise to help run events. It's about the families who gather on the sand to watch the next generation of surfers take to the waves. It's about local businesses, community groups and sponsors who come together each year to make it happen. Surfest has helped put Newcastle firmly on the global surfing map, showcasing our beaches, our lifestyle and our love for the ocean. But, just as importantly, it's helped nurture young talent and inspire thousands of people to get in the water and have a go. I also want to acknowledge a remarkable milestone for our community, the 10th anniversary of Got Your Back Sista. For the past decade, Got Your Back Sista has provided life-changing support for women and children escaping family and domestic violence. It is important to acknowledge the founder, Melissa Histon, whose compassion, determination and leadership helped turn a grassroots idea into a vital organisation supporting women across Newcastle, the Hunter and beyond. Her vision and the hard work of the board, staff, volunteers, advocates and supporters who have stood alongside her has changed lives. Through practical assistance, mentoring, financial support and simply standing beside women when they need it most, Got Your Back Sista has helped hundreds of women rebuild their lives with dignity, safety and hope. Behind this work is an extraordinary community of volunteers, supporters and advocates who believe that no woman should have to face violence alone. The courage of the women who reach out for help and the dedication of those who support them is nothing short of inspiring. Anniversaries like this give us an opportunity to pause and recognise the sometimes quiet but no less profound work being done in our communities every day. On behalf of a grateful community, thank you for your passion and commitment to making a positive difference each and every day. The DEPUTY SPEAKER 299150 In accordance with the resolution agreed to by the House on 23 March 2026, the time for members' constituency statements has concluded. GRIEVANCE DEBATE 68 GRIEVANCE DEBATE Fossil Fuel Industry: Taxation 68 17:59 Dr RYAN 297660 Kooyong The irony of Australia's nickname 'the lucky country' is more pronounced now than when Donald Horne coined that phrase more than 60 years ago. Australia is home to some of the most valuable natural resources and critical minerals on earth. We're one of the greatest and largest gas producers on the planet. The means for economic strength and prosperity lie beneath our soil and our seas. Yet, for all of that abundance, very little wealth from our extraordinary natural mineral and fossil fuel resources flows back to Australian people. We saw that as recently as 2022, when the war in Ukraine began. Energy prices, including gas prices, surged. Windfall gains flowed into the pockets of gas companies both here and overseas. Companies exporting LNG reportedly made almost $100 billion in windfall profits in the three years following Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Australian gas should belong to us all. Our government should have secured a significant return from that gas for all Australians, but instead those profits flowed to foreign investors and multinational companies like Santos, like Shell, like INPEX. Now, as we're confronted with another global energy crisis, we cannot let history repeat. Donald Trump's war with Iran has quickly escalated into a regional conflict. Qatar usually produces 20 per cent of the world's LNG, but some of its gas fields have been so significantly damaged during this conflict that QatarEnergy has had to declare force majeure on its long-term contracts, meaning that that could affect international supply for up to five years. Energy markets are being impacted globally, and, at a time when energy and gas prices are rising domestically, it would be a profound shame were we to let Australians down again. At the heart of this problem is the petroleum resource rent tax, the PRRT. When the parliament legislated the PRRT in 1988, the aim was to ensure that all Australians would enjoy a fair share of our collective wealth—a fair share of our national luck. The PRRT is targeted at economic rent—in other words, profits above the level reasonably required to maintain investment returns. But, instead, the PRRT allows companies to sell Australian gas with minimal tax while pocketing billions in public subsidies. The reality is that we collect less from the PRRT than we do from the beer excise and less from the PRRT than we collect from students in the repayment of their HECS, and WA drivers pay more in rego than west coast gas companies pay in royalties. Plainly, the PRRT is broken. It was designed to place a 40 per cent tax on the excess profits from the exploration and extraction of oil and gas, but longstanding loopholes, generous uplift deductions and an overly complex design mean that the PRRT is not working for us. The formula is designed in a way that allows companies to understate the value of gas before liquefaction—in other words, to minimise their taxable amount while overstating the value created by the liquification process, which is then not taxed. Deductions are another major problem. The PRRT allows capital expenses, like the enormous costs of offshore equipment and infrastructure, to be immediately deductible expenditure—in other words, a tax write-off. That means that companies can deduct massive project costs from their PRRT liability. And, if the expenses exceed revenue, the difference can be carried forward into future years. Many projects can accumulate deductions for years, sometimes decades, and can continue to report no taxable superprofits for PRRT purposes. As the Commonwealth Treasury put it in 2016, companies can defer the payment of PRRT indefinitely. There is a reason why the ATO has labelled the oil and gas industry systemic nonpayers of tax. Essentially, the gas companies can use creative accounting—approaches which remain legal under our poorly designed resource rent tax—to make it look like they are not making superprofits even while they export vast quantities of Australian gas at enormous value. We have tried to fix the PRRT. The government continues to point to changes it made in 2023 as having delivered a fairer return to the Australian community. But because uplifted deductions continue to suppress taxable profit, those changes delivered only $1.5 billion to our economy in 2023-24. Now more than ever, it is time for the government to act in the national interest and properly tax our gas exports. We could start by urgently implementing a targeted windfall tax on supernormal profits generated from global crises such as wars. This could apply only when profits exceeded a defined threshold, and it could be limited to a period in which prices are unusually high due to these external price shocks. As a more permanent measure, we could consider the Superpower Institute's fair-share levy, a two-way tax on the net cash flows from the extraction, processing and sale of Australian gas. This could completely replace the PRRT. A fair-share levy would result in Australians sharing in a 50 per cent share of fossil fuel profits, which would be a marked improvement from the 18 per cent we share in now. Had the government legislated the fair-share levy at the start of the Russian-Ukrainian war, Australia could have raised $27 billion—nearly 14 times as much as we have accumulated in that time from the PRRT. We could have used that revenue to completely relieve all young Australians of HECS debts, or we could have used it to increase the supply of Australian housing. If the government had placed a fair-share levy into the legislation before the start of the recent conflict in Iran, government revenue would have increased in the last four weeks by $1.6 billion. We could have raised more revenue in the last four weeks than we did last year from the PRRT. Claims by the gas industry that fairer taxation will drive exporters and buyers away and chill investment ignore a basic economic reality: a tax on supernormal profits affects producers, not our foreign trading partners. And, under the fair-share levy, the government would share in investment costs as well as upside, meaning that there shouldn't be any lack of investment incentive or certainty. Introducing a fair-share levy would realise the original intention of the PRRT. As the name suggests, a fair-share levy would finally give Australians a fair share of our national resources. Australians do want their fair share. A whopping 87 per cent agree or strongly agree that Australians deserve a better return from the sale of our gas exports. Three per cent of people disagree; who those people are escapes me. With another rate rise announced just last week and with fuel prices doubling in some places across the country, we can't ask Australians to foot the bill again while big gas companies are pocketing yet another enormous payday. Australians deserve their fair share on gas. As Donald Horne said, and I've abbreviated his quote: 'Australia is a lucky country, run mainly by people who share its luck. Most of its leaders so lack curiosity around the events that surround them that they are often taken by surprise by those events.' Australians deserve better. They deserve a parliament that governs with vision, with imagination and with courage. They deserve a country that gets a fair share on its extraordinary natural mineral, oil and gas deposits. So I ask the government to take action on this issue as a matter of urgency for all Australians, to give us our fair share. Deakin Electorate: Community Events 70 18:09 Mr GREGG 315154 Deakin Today I want to touch on some great events that have been happening in my electorate of Deakin just in the last month. On 1 March we had a fantastic turnout for Clean Up Australia Day at Heatherdale Creek Parklands. This is a beautiful part of our community. Whether you're walking the dog, going for a run or taking kids to the playground, it is a beautiful place to be every weekend. One of the reasons it is so beautiful is the Heatherdale Creek Parklands Advisory Committee, a dedicated group that have for years energetically and enthusiastically worked to maintain the facilities at the park. They're led by a very determined Valerie Turnbull. Val and many other volunteers have been looking after our local park for years, organising countless working bees and events to maintain and improve community spaces. Clean Up Australia Day has long been a part of the big event calendar that they host. Working with Val and Rob, it was a pleasure to make this year's the biggest one yet. I'm proud to report that we had more volunteers turn out for Clean Up Australia Day than we've ever seen before, so much so that we had to fight over the rubbish on the day! I was very excited when I was able to find something under a rock or something like that because we had a lot more volunteers than pieces of rubbish by the end of it. Rob made the important point that each year they find less and less rubbish at the park, a trend that we really do need to celebrate. It seems that when a community is maintaining something together, the collective respect for that facility is also increased. It's become a really valued and treasured part of the community and locals have really taken ownership. They rightly expect our local facilities to be maintained and kept spick and span. In my first speech to parliament, I spoke about how Deakin is home to active citizens who really care about their community. That community spirit was definitely on show for Clean Up Australia Day that day. It was wonderful to see so many people from all sorts of backgrounds. We had young kids, we had teenagers, we had young adults and we had older Australians all together, including the first Heatherdale Scout group and the Ismaili community, as well as many other locals who gave up part of their day. It just shows that, while many of us come from different backgrounds and fill our lives with different activities, we all share the same natural environment and we all care about maintaining it so we can share our parklands for generations to come. It also made me think about the kinds of multicultural events we love seeing in our part of the world, ones that bring communities together, ones where we get to know each other a little bit better and help build that trust and respect between communities, ones where we get to know the authorities in our area and ones where we get to really work towards lifting one another up. That reminds me of another event we hosted in our electorate only last week: a senior's morning tea. It was my pleasure to host it at the Mitcham bowls club. We had over 60 older Australians come to the event and hear about the government's policies around aged-care services and groups relevant to them. More importantly, it wasn't just a propaganda fest; it wasn't me just dishing party lines. It was an honest and respectful dialogue with older Australians in our community. We had the Minister for Aged Care and Seniors come out to Deakin to speak directly to the residents. They asked some very perceptive and worthwhile questions. We had an honest conversation about what that legislation was about, its benefits and how it will work in the future. We connected them with people who could answer questions they have but also took on board the feedback that they shared, which is important as well. It's important that we have this as a dialogue. The relationship with the community can't be one about me just providing one-line messages and standard replies to things. It's about genuine dialogue, understanding what the real concerns are and addressing them directly and, when we don't have the answers, finding out what those answers are and getting back to people. That's part of that ongoing respectful engagement I've really wanted to foster with different parts of our community. I'm very lucky in my electorate because it's the home of Robyn Abrahams, who is one of the members of the Aged Care Council of Elders. She would hold me to account if I were to start just spewing standard government lines. She's someone who is an incredibly honest, dignified person, and her presentation at that session as well was greatly enjoyed by attendees and really highlighted the commitment we as a government have and that she has to hearing the voices of older Australians, taking that feedback on board and making sure that we are making improvements that respect what they have to say. I want to thank the minister, Sam Rae, for coming across and being so generous with his time. I know a lot of constituents also gave him a lot of homework on individual cases, so I thank him in advance for providing those responses. I also want to thank very much the Lions and Rotary clubs that came along as well because they highlighted that our older Australians aren't just recipients of services; they are essential parts of our community. Not only are older people helping one another but they're also building up our community in so many ways—supporting young people with assistance with eye testing and providing grants of books and things to students in our schools who they know come from lower-SES backgrounds. It's really subtle, quiet work just to help them out with their education. They do so much in our community. Every barbecue they have is fundraising for one group or another in our community. It's not just themselves or their own activities. They are always thinking about how they can help. I know in our job we often get people coming to our offices and requesting various forms of support. These are groups that always come in and really do ask: How can I help? What can we do to support people? I'm incredibly grateful for the contribution they continue to make. They really are one of the many organisations in my electorate that also highlight the profound contribution older Australians make to our community. They're making a difference to people of all ages and all backgrounds, and they just do incredible work and give so much of their time. It doesn't really look like retirement when I observe them working. They are working harder than many full-timers I know, and I'm incredibly grateful for the wonderful work they do in our community. I also want to thank the people who came from local council and explained the services that they provide to older Australians in our area, as well as the Australian Taxation Office, who came and talked about scams and other matters relevant to older people—and, more importantly, provided them with a business card with a phone number they could call to get answers to questions. This was something that was very often requested. Whenever the response was, 'Oh, it's on the website, go and look,' they were quite rightly put back in their place and told about ways that would be useful for communicating information to people. Again, that's the kind of feedback we need to take on board. How can we make government better for people? That's the real question. Services Australia also brought a few people along and, again, provided really useful information to our locals. They are aware, as am I, of the importance of always taking printed material to these events. That is something that I will ensure is in abundance for all future meetings as well! I'm grateful to all 60 people for coming along. They were telling me already about how the information they collected was being shared with friends and family. They were already taking that on board. So many of them there continue to make incredible contributions to our community. Another event I want to briefly discuss in my remaining three minutes is a visit I made to the Ringwood RSL just a few days ago. There we were hosting a relatively new program in our part of the world—eSports. So this was about installing a range of computers and some very cool screens and lighting that enabled veterans to come to the RSL and compete in eSports with these very cool and highly capable computers, play a range of eSports and engage in international competitions with 'you-beaut' technology. The RSL in Ringwood is really dedicated to engaging with younger veterans. The days of the gaming floor and the long general meetings attracting the crowds just isn't playing like it used to. I'm very grateful to the fantastic leadership at Ringwood RSL that are really dedicating a lot of time and thought to new ways of engaging with younger veterans by trying new activities and doing things they haven't done before. It was fantastic to see this incredible facility. The Albanese government is supporting that new eSports hub with a grant of over $130,000, enabling a great new initiative to support young veterans' mental health by fostering connections through gaming, teamwork and that shared passion. It's something that people can bring their kids to as well, so there's a lot of people really looking forward to that facility. They're still doing more work on the space. They're putting a big screen in the room, which'll be fantastic not only for grand final time but for other activities that the veterans are running. I think it's fair to say that this isn't the first thing I naturally associate with people doing in an RSL on a given day, but it's exciting to see that they are really reshaping themselves to support new veterans. I'm really looking forward to seeing veterans actually using those facilities. The minister, Matt Keogh, really enjoyed himself—and I'm sure the veterans will, too, as it opens in the coming days. I really want to thank the team there at Ringwood RSL—including the President, Colonel David Jamison, for hosting both the minister and myself—and the minister for his fantastic support of the project. It's incredibly important that we as a government continue to do whatever we can to support our veterans. There is a range of challenges around service delivery and things like that, but we've got to get creative in how we engage with the veteran community, and the best way to do that is to listen to what they're interested in—to really take on board what they have to say and implement programs that reflect what their interests, passions and concerns are. Like so many things in government, it really is just about taking the time—investing that time—listening to what people have to say and doing everything we can to support the great ideas they have and empower them. We owe our veterans everything we can do to support them. This is one example of one great initiative, but it is a small part of a very big picture. It's something that I was very, very pleased to be part of, and I look forward to continuing to work with the Ringwood RSL. Fuel, Local Government, Donald, Emeritus Mayor Ray, OAM 71 18:19 Mr CHAFFEY 316312 Parkes Two weeks ago, energy minister Chris Bowen scoffed at the coalition's efforts to bring the fuel crisis to his attention. There was no problem, he said. Fuel supplies were as high as they've ever been in Australia, he said. At the very time he handed us these platitudes, farmers across the electorate of Parkes were living a very different truth. Due to the war overseas and the false security of those opposite, they were being told they could have no access to fuel. We all know that a farm with no fuel is not a farm; it's a business at a standstill—no ability to produce food, no ability to produce fibre. Almost three weeks ago I started hearing from desperate farmers and desperate independent fuel wholesale distributors in my electorate. Last Friday we heard there were 80 petrol stations across New South Wales without diesel, and today, in question time, we heard the minister update the House and say that the number of stations without diesel or petrol had sharply risen. Also, the price of fuel is commonly in excess of $3 a litre. On the weekend we heard that six fuel tankers due to deliver to Australia had been cancelled or deferred. Again I quote Mr Bowen: 'There is no problem.' This is just a bump in the road due to 'panic buying'. The bump in the road soon won't matter, because people won't have the fuel to access that bump. There is very clearly a supply chain issue here, and, even after this Labor government acknowledged there was a problem, it has not done enough to fix it. Australia's a big country. We need fuel not only to travel it but to get our goods to market, to access emergency care, to work on machinery and to keep our country running. Independent fuel distributors are critical for the supply to communities across the Parkes electorate, whether that is supplying our towns, our villages and our cities or is bulk fuel supply directly to the farm gate, transport companies or industry. The Albanese government have chosen to turn a blind eye and a deaf ear to the calls from these businesses over the past three weeks as they plead for assistance to keep the fuel flowing and their businesses solvent. This morning I spoke to one of these distributors, and he told me he now must take drastic measures to keep his business from folding. He has to park up tankers and lay off staff because the normal fuel supply chains won't or can't allow supply. Who's telling the truth? Is it my distributors who are on their knees begging for help, or is it the Minister for Climate Change and Energy, Chris Bowen? I was recently honoured to be named as the shadow assistant minister for regional development, local government and territories, and I'd like to speak tonight specifically about local government. I'm thrilled that the coalition has elevated local government into shadow cabinet. That is where it should be. More than 200,000 men and women serve throughout 537 councils across Australia, with direct oversight over the big three—rates, roads and rubbish—and so much more. Those people work across more than 400 different occupational areas, including community theatres, sporting groups, dog pounds, art galleries, sewerage plants, water treatment plants, footpaths, cemeteries, noise complaints, noxious weeds, airports, public pools, libraries, parks, planning, food safety, community awards and sometimes aged care, child care, health care and youth services. They all come under the label of local government. I know the huge scope of local government well as a former mayor of the Gunnedah Shire Council, board member of Local Government NSW and past chair of Country Mayors Association of New South Wales. For the eight years that I served as mayor, the council's battles were my own battles. It is a vital tier of government and one that provides so many of the essentials of everyday life. My role in local government also made me more than familiar with the critical challenges councils are facing in doing more with less. Councils' ability to build their budget has not changed. Some regional populations are slowly growing, but unfortunately many are going backwards. This means a smaller rate base. If you add in the result of years of cost shifting to local government from state and federal governments, councils are now forced to do more in an economic climate where they have less money and are facing the killer blows of inflation and the high cost of living for their ratepayers and the threat or reality of natural disasters such as droughts, floods and fires. Now add in the death by a thousand cuts inflicted by this Labor government—no new funding under the Stronger Communities Program, Local Roads and Community Infrastructure Program, Growing Regions Program and regional Precincts and Partnerships Program. Local government in Australia is populated by strong, innovative elected members and also skilled staff. This is a lucky thing. Local government representatives can clearly articulate just what is needed, and they have. I quote from the Australian Local Government Association 2026-27 Federal budget submission: While councils are prepared to lead with tailored, place-based solutions that meet the unique needs of every community, they are being asked to do more with less. The ability to deliver on these priorities depends on financial sustainability and adequate funding. Many councils are already active in these areas but are constrained by insufficient and unpredictable funding. They list as their priorities financial sustainability, housing infrastructure, community infrastructure, safer roads, emergency management and climate adaptation. Recently, I asked the 20 councils in the Parkes electorate for a list of their top priorities for the upcoming federal budget. Their eight top challenges were escalating costs and financial sustainability—there's a definite theme here—road maintenance, freight inefficiencies and road safety; natural disaster preparedness, recovery and resilience; community infrastructure; airport infrastructure; regional telecommunications infrastructure; the inland rail; and water infrastructure. There are many similarities there with the struggles councils are facing across the country. They must provide clean water, road maintenance and community infrastructure. But where are the funds? If the state and federal governments financially strangle local government, then all of the costs fall back onto their ratepayers, either through a special rate variation or other direct charges. Councils throughout Australia need financial support, and they need it now. It's time to listen to what they are saying. While I am on the subject of local government, I'd like to pay tribute to a man who has been described as one of the New South Wales legends of local government. Emeritus Mayor Ray Donald OAM passed away earlier this month. Our paths in local government did not cross, but I have heard from many people of the great work that Ray did over his career. He served as a councillor of Bogan Shire Council in the electorate of Parkes for 30 years, 25 of those as mayor, up until his retirement in 2021. Ray was the last president of the Shires Association of New South Wales before it amalgamated with the Local Government Association of New South Wales in 2013. He was one of the Local Government Association of New South Wales inaugural presidents and later one of its patrons. The great local paper the Nyngan Weekly published a tribute to Ray Donald, and I would like to include a few comments from that story. This is from the current Bogan Shire mayor, Glen Neill: Ray Donald OAM, a man whose dedication, leadership and quiet strength helped shape our town for generations and that the Nyngan community will be forever grateful for his outstanding contribution to the Bogan shire and surrounds. Every asset you see in Nyngan whether it be the parks and gardens, the roads and the infrastructure throughout the last 30 years Ray was an instrumental part of everything Nyngan is today. This is from the immediate past president of Local Government NSW and Forbes shire current mayor, Phyllis Miller OAM: Ray's commitment to his community was unwavering. He dedicated decades to ensuring rural and remote voices were heard at every level of government. His passing is deeply felt but his impact will continue for generations. And this is from the Country Mayors Association of NSW chair, Rick Firman OAM: Through Local Government and community organisations, Emeritus Mayor Ray Donald OAM gave so much to his community and rural, remote and regional NSW in general. His contributions, his life deserves to be celebrated and will be remembered. Mr Donald's family have described local government as his calling and I believe that sums it up, and for many of our country Mayors. Ray Donald received the OAM, the Order of Australia Medal, for his service to local government— (Time expired) Northern Territory: Floods 73 18:29 Mr GOSLING 245392 Solomon ():  These floods have hit the Northern Territory hard, capped off by Tropical Cyclone Narelle over the weekend, which brought more rain. The federal government has been supporting Territorians on the ground from the start. The federal minister for emergency management, Kristy McBain MP, the member for Eden-Monaro, has been to the Top End and the Territory multiple times, and not just for this flood event in Katherine and surrounds but earlier this year as well. And the federal assistant minister for regional development, Senator Anthony Chisholm, was in the NT last week. Senator Malarndirri McCarthy, the Minister for Indigenous Australians, as well as my friend and colleague Marion Scrymgour MP, the member for Lingiari, have spread out right across the affected communities, working side-by-side with locals and helping to drive the recovery. We've rolled out real support for Territorians doing it tough through jointly funded federal and Northern Territory government payments that are providing up to $1,537 per family in immediate relief, up to $1,160 for temporary accommodation and up to $8,843 to repair and replace essential household items. Unfortunately, that is going to be needed by many Territorians. On top of that, the Australian government disaster recovery payment is also available across Katherine and communities including Nauiyu, Palumpa, Beswick, Berry Springs and Darwin River, with $1,000 per adult and $400 per child for those directly impacted by this weather event. It's expanding to Daly River and Lansdowne from today. If you have lost some or all of your income because of this disaster, you may also be able to access the Australian government's disaster recovery allowance. And this is alongside the ADF assisted evacuations from Numbulwar on the east coast of Arnhem Land as well as personnel from RAAF Base Tindal on the ground in Katherine helping out with the clean up and recovery. I give a shout-out to all the ADF personnel and emergency response teams and all the local community volunteers who have helped during the evacuation process, which was as smooth and well managed as it could be given the challenging conditions. I also recognise the opening of an Australian medical assistance team. AUSMAT field hospital in East Katherine, delivering critical health services during the disruption of the Katherine Hospital due to the flooding. The AUSMAT field hospital is operating 24 hours a day, seven days a week, ensuring Katherine residents maintain access to emergency and essential healthcare while normal hospital operations are disrupted. The field hospital will deliver a 20-bed emergency department and primary health service, including acute care and resuscitation capability, a one-bed maternity delivery suite to support urgent birthing needs, an on-site medical laboratory and radiology services including portable imaging. Up to 25 clinical and support staff will operate the facility to ensure continuous service delivery. A further 20-bed inpatient unit supporting both adult and paediatric patients has also opened, providing additional surge capacity during this period of significant health service disruption. AUSMAT personnel can remain deployed in Katherine for up to 28 days, ensuring sustained support to the community as recovery efforts continue. The National Critical Care and Trauma Response Centre, NCCTRC, coordinates the Australian government funded capability established to ensure Australia's preparedness for and response to both domestic and international health emergencies. The NCCTRC has been funded by the Australian Department of Health, Disability and Ageing since 2004, established after the 2002 Bali bombings. It maintains Australia's deployable health emergency response capability through the AUSMAT program. I want to thank, through Dr Len Notaras, the director, the entire team for their excellent work. The federal government is also helping with infrastructure—and no-one is pretending it's a small job. The Australian government is making solid investments. We are delivering $40 million each to upgrade the Victoria and Barkly highways and $100 million for the Buntine Highway, all impacted, and $60.3 million to strengthen and widen the Carpentaria Highway. In 2025, we committed a further $200 million to upgrade the Stuart Highway, which, unfortunately, again was cut during these weather events. We're investing $2.8 billion in NT infrastructure over the next decade, and there's more to come as recovery work continues. Recovery doesn't happen overnight, and no-one is pretending it will. But Territorians can rest assured that the federal government is with them for the long haul. I note this week the Northern Territory government finally announced the start of a tender process for a youth engagement hub at a new location in the suburb of Leanyer. We announced a youth engagement hub as an election commitment in 2022. We were working with the then Territory Labor government, and a site was chosen at the old Casuarina fire station on Dripstone Road after significant consultation. Ever since the Youth Shack Backpackers at Casuarina closed in 2021, there has been a great need for a place for young people in our community to drop in and access support and connection. The fire station site was chosen due to its centrality, including proximity to the large Casuarina shopping centre, bus services, mental health services such as headspace and areas where young people not only live but study and work. A detailed consultation process was undertaken and designs developed for that site. In preparation for the construction process, the men's shed was moved to a temporary site before the construction of the youth engagement hub could begin. Funding was allocated to the Darwin Men's Shed for their new site at Marrara. The fire station was removed, the site was made ready for development of the youth engagement hub—and then nothing. The incoming CLP government has moved the location based on a shonky and small petition to parliament. This petition was not reflective of the community in the local area where the youth engagement hub was going to be. Over 50 per cent of the only 90 signatories weren't even from the local area; they were from Palmerston and the rural area. And only 16 per cent of the signatories were from the surrounding suburbs. Again, that's a piddling amount of people, and I suspect that the petition was simply sent out to the CLP distribution or membership list. It was an absolute travesty, after all that work. This was a shovel-ready site where the Casuarina Square owners were going to provide internships and traineeships in retail at the Casuarina Square shopping centre for those young people, engaging effectively within walking distance. It was all scrapped. After 18 months of nothing in the time since, they're now saying they're going to build something or reach out through a tender process. That is a shame. The CLP NT government have let down young people in the Territory and, by extension, the whole of the northern suburbs. I want to thank the owner of Casuarina Square, Warren Ebert, who was fully supportive of the youth engagement hub being adjacent to the Casuarina shopping centre. But I want to put on the record the shonky decision made by the NT government and their inaction over 18 months, which let down our young people, particularly those in the northern suburbs. As opposed to these delays in providing services for young Territorians, the Albanese Labor government is delivering effective programs on the ground for young Territorians. I was proud to be at the opening of one of those, directly funded by the NT government with other partners, providing direct support for young adolescent boys in the suburb of Palmerston. I look forward to the youth engagement hub opening for young Territorians. Economy 74 18:39 Mr CALDWELL 306489 Fadden It is indeed aptly titled that we rise today on grievance in this place. I do so with a significant level of concern for the direction that our country is being taken under this Albanese Labor government. As we know, there's something going on in the Middle East which is causing some disruption to international trading routes. That is clearly having some impacts here in Australia. But I just want to set the scene as to why, as we enter this period of time of uncertainty and instability, Australia under this government and under this Treasurer is not as well prepared as it should be. A very good comparison of where we could be at is with some other comparable economies. Each nation has its own Reserve Bank-style body, and I just want to run through where they're all at in a few alternative economies similar to ours. On 18 March, the reserve bank of Canada kept their rates on hold at 2.5 per cent. Inflation in Canada is 1.8 per cent. On 18 March, the United States Federal Reserve kept their interest rates on hold. On 19 March, the European Central Bank decided to keep their rates on hold at two per cent. On 19 March, the United Kingdom's Bank of England decided to keep their interest rates on hold. On 19 March, the Bank of Japan decided to keep their interest rates on hold. You'll see the trend here is that, in other comparable advanced economies, the reserve banks of those countries were able to make a decision to leave rates on hold. What's happened in Australia is that on 17 March, with inflation absolutely raging out of control, having tipped to 3.8 per cent and rising, the Reserve Bank had no choice but to raise interest rates to 4.1 per cent. This is a measure of the performance of this Albanese Labor government and of this Treasurer. It is a shameful indictment on their management of the economy that, having been in office for four years, having come in post COVID, they did not do enough to lower inflation in order to give the Reserve Bank the ability to keep interest rates lower for longer. Instead, Australians are paying, on average, about $27,000 a year more now in interest on their mortgage than they were when the coalition was in office. All of this is important because it sets the scene for global uncertainty and how well prepared we as a nation are to maintain the lifestyle that we love dearly here in Australia and to maintain the standard of living that we have here in Australia. But we are shockingly exposed under this Treasurer to the global events that are unfolding far, far away. We're exposed because inflation was already raging out of control. The Reserve Bank governor made it crystal clear in her remarks that this inflation and this necessary rise in interest rates had nothing to do with what's going on in the Middle East this week. Everything in their data pre Christmas already had interest rates needing to go up to deal with the inflationary pressure that was building in the economy. The Treasurer is probably thinking at this point in time: 'Jeez, I really could have done something sooner. I really should have done something sooner.' I'm absolutely certain that's what the Prime Minister's now thinking about the Treasurer and his job. But, instead, Australians are facing record government spending and record government debt. To put that in context for Australians out there that are tuning in, we are going to tip over $1 trillion in national debt. What does that mean? It's a big number, but what it means is this: interest payments of $72 million every single day—just paying the interest on a trillion dollars worth of debt. Imagine what we as a nation could do with that money if it wasn't servicing the spending habits of this Treasurer. Having been in office for four years, the Treasurer has absolutely squandered the opportunity to get the finances of our country back in order. Instead, inflation is raging out of control and interest rates are going up. And now what have we got? We've got, on the Gold Coast right now, diesel fuel at $3 a litre. No average Australian should be paying $3 a litre for diesel right now. How on earth is a family going to fill their car, run the kids to school and to sport, and get to work, let alone the tradies who are driving from job to job and the transport companies that are driving goods from point A to point B? How are all of these businesses, these households—think of the students at university. Think of the seniors who are on a pension. They cannot afford this Labor government, because everything is getting too expensive too quickly, and it's playing out every single day. Now we're going to the fuel pumps and paying three bucks a litre for diesel. You go to the supermarkets, and you're paying more for your food. You get your power bill in the mail, and it's up by hundreds and hundreds of dollars. This is not the Australian way of life. We are supposed to be a country where you can get ahead, where you can work hard and be rewarded for that hard work. Instead, we are all paying the consequences of this Treasurer's inability to rein in his spending habits. That trillion dollars worth of debt is costing every single Australian every single day. There are businesses out there that I know are contemplating right now whether to lay off staff. I know that they're contemplating whether they need to put levies on, and that's if they have the ability to even vary the terms of contracts or the dealings that they have with other businesses. If they can't, then their petrol bills and their diesel bills have basically doubled overnight, and that is potentially an irrecoverable cost for those businesses. The minister has been wandering into question time every day this week being completely evasive, not being upfront with the Australian people, selectively choosing what numbers he gives of where petrol or diesel is on any given day in any given state or territory. He should have that data on hand. He should be able to contact those fuel companies and direct them to where they need to go to get that petrol and diesel every single day. But we have had to drag him kicking and screaming to provide some level of transparency and accountability to the Australian people, who are out there wondering when those hundreds and hundreds of bowsers in New South Wales are going to once again have petrol and diesel available to them. If it's not a fuel crisis when there's lack of supply and there are extremely high prices, then I don't know what is going to get this minister excited about doing his job on a full-time basis. I think it's time he retired from COP and actually took on his ministerial role on a full-time basis, because that's what the Australian people deserve. Dental Health 76 18:49 Mr GEORGANAS DZY Adelaide I rise today to raise an issue in South Australia and in my electorate. As many of you may or may not be aware, last Friday, 20 March, was World Oral Health Day; in other words, a day internationally that we look after our oral health or talk about oral health. In my electorate, I have a magnificent, not-for-profit organisation that assists people with emergency dental issues. They provide critical dental triage services in South Australia. It's run by volunteer dentists and volunteers who assist with fundraising and a whole range of other things. At the head of this is Dr Greg Miller, a renowned dentist in South Australia—and a very good dentist, I must say. He also looks after the orangutans at the Adelaide Zoo. Have you ever seen the teeth on an orangutan? I was asked to go into an extraction of a tooth that Dr Miller performed while the orangutan was asleep, which was a very difficult situation. He's a very good and renowned dentist in South Australia. Dr Miller runs a critical service for people living in regional South Australia and in nursing homes in South Australia. They call themselves the Australian Dental Foundation. It's Australia's largest dental health charity not-for-profit group. They're registered; they have an ACNC registration, and they are based in my electorate in North Adelaide. They're celebrating 10 years of operation and can proudly say that they're now genuinely a national charity, because they get calls from all over Australia. The service is being delivered to vulnerable people in every state of South Australia. In 2020, ADF was successful in receiving some small funding through Country SA Primary Health Network to provide dental triage services for regional South Australian zones such as the outback and Murray Mallee. The funding has been renewed each year, under performance based criteria, and the service has expanded to include all non-metropolitan areas of South Australia, but he still gets calls from metropolitan areas, and they still do the triaging service. They don't turn anyone away. I've been an advocate from day one, when I came to this place, that we should include dental care in our national scheme for health care. I've been saying it for many, many years, and my position hasn't changed from 2004 when I was first elected in this place. I've shown a great interest in dental care. For example, if you have an issue with any type of oral dental problems after hours or on the weekends, there's nowhere to go except for the emergency department. There, you will have doctors dealing with everything from strokes to heart attacks. If you have a tooth knocked out or an abscess on your tooth or an infection, you'll most probably sit there waiting for hours and hours and hours with no relief and absolutely no treatment. Maybe someone will look at you after seven or eight hours and give you some painkillers and send you home. This service provides a 24-hour telephone number that you can call, and they will triage you and tell you exactly what's required and what you can do. It's an incredible service. It extends access to dental services. It refers people to different dentists who operate after hours. It has basically provided emergency dental triage services for more than a thousand people just in 2023-24. The case load was 62 cases a month from country SA and 184 cases a month from Adelaide. Even though they're not provided in the small funding they were getting for the metro area, they were providing the services. Currently, the calls are ramping up to hundreds per day as nursing online services and GPS are now contacting them. Their name is getting out there; they're being contacted, and they don't turn anyone away. We've written to the state health minister and to the federal minister to see if there is some way to continue the small funding that gave this great service, the Australian Dental Foundation, the ability to continue their wonderful project. It's got a significant benefit in that it triages patients away from the emergency department areas of those overcrowded hospitals, where doctors have real life-saving dramas taking place. It's not the place for dental care or for a dental emergency. So they've managed to do that. The majority of dental emergencies for which patients are attending GPs and hospitals are toothache, avulsion, luxation and trauma. These issues are not dealt with appropriately through the ED hospitals because that's not their expertise. Their expertise is looking after trauma victims, heart attacks, strokes et cetera. What happens, as I said, is that people ring this number and they get the advice that is specific to their injury or their sore tooth. By the time they present to an emergency department or to a GP and by the time they're eventually seen, a knocked-out tooth will be long past that viable period. The ADF explained to me that it needs to be dealt with immediately. Most doctors—GPs or people working in emergency departments—are not experts in this. Information can be given immediately over the phone—what to do with the tooth that's been knocked out, how to place it back in the gum, how to put ice on it et cetera—and many, many people's teeth are saved just by talking on the phone. You can imagine, being a mum or dad, that your kids are playing football or soccer on the weekend, on a Saturday afternoon, and there's a tooth knocked out. What do you do? You ring this number, and they'll give you the right advice. I think reducing the specific dental advice to patients in South Australia will create an unnecessary pain burden for patients, delayed specialist dental treatment, poorer prognosis and outcomes due to delayed advice and reduced access to equivalent primary health care for regional South Australians. So I've asked both the state minister and the federal minister to look at it, to make sure that we can keep this group going. They will keep on going even if they get no funding. They'll still answer those calls at any time after 6 pm right through to 6 am and on the weekends. It's an incredible service. They also go out as volunteers to nursing homes, to aged-care facilities, to the outback and to Aboriginal communities. It would be such a pity not to be able to get them a little bit of funding to keep them going because we know that poor oral health isn't just about tooth cavities. It affects other parts of our bodies as well. If you're not eating well because you haven't got teeth or because of things that could have been prevented years ago—perhaps losing a tooth through an accident—that may contribute towards serious health conditions later on in life. Not eating effectively affects a person's ability to speak and to go to work or school. I've been given examples of some of the things that they've dealt with. This is one particular call they got from Murray Mallee. Miss H bit on a fork whilst eating her dinner and fractured the coronal of tooth 12, upper right lateral mouth, exposing the dental pulp. It goes into technical talk. Something was performed with mineral trioxide, and the bonding of the coronal fragment effected an excellent prognostic outcome. This is advice on the telephone that you just wouldn't get at an emergency department. Another one is about Mrs K's slip and fall. Mrs K fell over and was triaged by the regional medical centre. After a significant commute she was discharged and contacted the triage service—that's the Australian Dental Foundation—which arranged for an immediate dental visit from someone that was perhaps operating after hours. Unfortunately she had recurrent pain and swelling in her upper lip after her discharge from the dental examination, and radiographers determined that fractured tooth fragments were embedded in her lip. It was arranged for these to be retrieved by a dental expert. I've got some gruesome photographs, which I won't show to anyone. It emphasises the importance of appropriate case assessment, of appropriate experts and of people like Greg Miller and the cohort of dentists that work at this not-for-profit association giving the right advice at the right time. They do important voluntary work by visiting Indigenous communities, outback communities and regional areas, making sure that people are getting the right advice. So I've written to the state minister for health and to the federal minister as well. The DEPUTY SPEAKER C2T 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 the debate will be made an order of the day for the next sitting. Federation Chamber adjourned at 19:00