In accordance with the resolution of the House of Representatives relating to the registration of members' interests, I have appointed Mr Peter Banson, Deputy Clerk of the House of Representatives, as Registrar of Members' Interests.

I move:

That this bill be now read a second time.

It is a privilege to introduce the Universities Accord (Cutting Student Debt by 20 Per Cent) Bill.

As promised, this is the very first bill to be introduced to the Parliament after the election.

And as promised, it cuts the student debt of three million Australians by 20 per cent.

On 3 May Australians made their voices heard.

They voted for the tax cuts that we are delivering.

They voted for free TAFE that we are making permanent.

They voted for us to build more homes.

They voted for us to roll out more Medicare urgent care clinics.

They voted for cheaper medicine.

They voted for the biggest investment in Medicare ever, to make it easier to see a doctor for free than ever before.

And they voted for this: cutting the student debt of three million Australians by 20 per cent.

Most of those are young Australians just out of uni, just out of TAFE, just out of home and just getting started.

They're trying to save to buy a home and thinking about starting a family.

They're nurses, teachers, tradies, doctors, paramedics, engineers, architects, IT workers and AI experts.

These are the Australians who will build Australia's future, who are already building it, and this will take a weight off their back.

The average HELP debt today is about $27,600.

When this legislation passes it will cut that debt by about $5,500.

If you have got a debt of $50,000 today it will cut it by $10,000.

All up it will cut student debt by over $16 billion.

When this legislation passes your debt will be cut by 20 per cent, based on what it was on 1 June this year, before this year's indexation occurred.

This will make sure that you get the maximum benefit possible and that we honour our promise in full.

And it will all happen automatically.

The Australia Tax Office will process changes at their end.

You won't have to do a thing.

It'll take a bit of time for the Tax Office to do this work.

But once this bill is passed the cut is guaranteed.

This is a big deal for everyone with a student debt today—three million Australians.

But it's not the only thing this bill does.

It also makes important structural changes to the way the repayment system works to make it fairer and to help with the cost of living.

This bill raises the minimum amount you have to earn before you have to start making repayments from about $54,000 today to $67,000.

And it reduces the minimum repayments you have to make.

For someone earning 70 grand, it will reduce the minimum repayments they have to make by about $1,300 a year.

That's real cost-of-living help—more money in your pocket, not the government's, when you really need it.

This is an important structural reform.

We're replacing the current repayment system with a new marginal repayment system.

At the moment the amount that you pay off every year is based on your entire wage.

That means once you earn above the current minimum repayment threshold of $54,435, you pay a percentage of your entire wage as a repayment.

Under the changes in this bill, you will only pay a percentage of your wage above the minimum repayment threshold.

So, for example, if you earn 70 grand at the moment you currently have to repay $1,750 each year.

Under these changes you'll only have to pay about $450 a year.

In other words, if you earn $70,000 a year, you'll have to repay $1,300 less a year than you currently have to.

If you earn $80,000 a year, you'll have to repay $850 less a year than you currently have to.

And if you earn $110,000 a year, you'll have to repay $700 less a year than you currently have to.

You can still pay off more if you want to.

But what this does is make the system fairer.

It means you start paying off your uni degree when uni starts to pay off for you.

It's a recommendation of the Universities Accord.

And it's a recommendation of the architect of HECS, Professor Bruce Chapman.

When we announced this reform to create a marginal repayment system, Professor Chapman said:

This is the most important thing that's happened to the system in 35 years. It's a marginal collection, it's much gentler and much fairer than previously—we should have done it years ago.

These are important reforms, that will help millions of Australians, now and into the future.

It's why it is the first bill that we have introduced into the new parliament.

As the Prime Minister said when he announced that we would cut student debt by 20 per cent and make these structural changes back in November of last year:

It will help everyone with student debt now and deliver a better deal for students in the year ahead. Permanent structural reform to boost take-home pay for young Australians, putting more money back into pockets. It's good for cost of living, good for intergenerational equity and good for building Australia's future.

Not surprisingly, the coalition immediately said that they would oppose this bill. Like everything else, their immediate reaction was to attack this.

I suspect they now rue that decision.

They called it 'terrible'. They called it 'unfair'.

In the electorates they represented, people saw something different.

In electorates right across the country, where one in four voters have a student debt, they saw an opportunity to get a load off their back to make their life a bit easier.

And they voted for it.

As one anonymous National Party MP told the Daily Telegraph after the election, 'My kids are paying off a university debt and I reckon they voted Labor.'

When even your own family won't vote for you, you know you've got it wrong.

Now the opposition have a chance to get this right, not just by voting for it but by actually speaking in support of it.

This is a chance for the opposition to admit that they got it wrong and that the Australian people got it right.

Education is the most powerful cause for good.

A good education changes lives.

A good education system changes countries.

It's changed ours.

We have got a good education system in Australia today.

But the truth is it can be better and it can be fairer.

This bill is part of that, so is paid prac that started this month for teaching and nursing students, for midwifery students and social work students, so are the university study hubs that will open up in our outer suburbs and in our regions over the next few months, and so is the new needs based funding system for our universities that starts next year.

It's also what the agreements that we've signed with every state and territory to fix the funding of our public schools are all about and tying that funding to real reform to help kids who start behind or fall behind to catch up and keep up, and help more kids finish school and then go on to TAFE or to university.

It also means making our childcare centres safer.

And I'll introduce legislation to help do that in a few moments time.

Once again, it is my privilege to make good on a promise that we made last year and that we repeated every single day of the election campaign in every seat across the country: to cut student debt by 20 per cent, to cut the debt of 3 million Australians, to take a weight off their back, to help with the cost of living and to help build Australia's future.

I commend the bill to the House.

Debate adjourned.

I move:

That this bill be now read a second time.

In the last few weeks Australians right across the country have been shocked and sickened by the news in Victoria.

A person arrested and charged with multiple heinous offences against children.

Offences allegedly committed in childcare centres.

The mums and dads of thousands of children are now dealing with the fear that their children could be hurt or are sick, and the trauma of getting them tested.

This is a live investigation, and the matter remains before the courts.

But I've been pretty blunt in the last few weeks.

People have been arrested and convicted for offences like those alleged before.

And governments of different colours, state and federal have taken action but not enough and not fast enough.

That's the truth.

We have to do everything we can to ensure the safety of our children when they walk—or are carried—through the doors of an early childhood education and care service at centres across the country, big and small, but not just there, in family day care too, and in-home care and at outside school hours care.

And this bill is part of that.

In short, it will give us the power to cut off funding to childcare centres that aren't up to scratch when it comes to safety and to quality, services that don't meet the standard when it comes to safety and quality or where they are in breach of the law or are acting in a way that puts the safety of children at risk.

This power will apply to all forms of early education and care that are eligible for the childcare subsidy: centre based care, family day care, in-home care and outside-school-hours care too.

Funding is the big weapon that the Australian government has to wield here.

Australian taxpayers are the biggest funders of childcare centres.

We do that through the childcare subsidy—$16 billion a year.

Centres can't operate without it.

It covers about 70 per cent of the average cost of running a centre.

It pays for things like wages and rent and electricity.

This legislation gives us the power to suspend or cancel that funding if a centre is not meeting the quality, safety and other compliance requirements that are put in place by our national system of early childhood regulation.

This is how that system works.

The Education and Care Services National Law sets the standards we expect childcare centres to meet.

State government regulators are responsible for rating centres and enforcing standards.

Most centres meet the standards now, but not all.

If state regulators think there is a real and imminent threat to safety they can shut a centre on the spot.

And they do.

Sometimes, though, they will identify problems in centres that can and need to be fixed.

And sometimes those problems remain unfixed.

This is where this legislation comes in.

The real purpose of this legislation isn't to shut centres down but to raise standards up—to make sure that the safety and quality in childcare centres is what parents expect and what our children deserve.

This is how it will work.

It will give the secretary of my department the power to take into account a provider's quality, safety and compliance history when considering whether a provider should be approved to administer the childcare subsidy or whether they should continue to be approved, or if they should be approved to operate a new service.

That has never been part of the childcare subsidy system since it started in 2018. It will be now.

This change will tie a centre's eligibility to administer the childcare subsidy directly to their record on quality, safety and compliance.

And it will allow the secretary of my department to cut off access to the childcare subsidy where standards are not being met.

That might mean cutting funding to an existing provider or service or denying a provider the ability to expand until they have met the required standards.

Under these changes, the secretary of my department will be able to impose conditions on a provider's approval or to move immediately to a process to suspend or cancel that approval on the basis of safety and quality concerns.

Where conditions are imposed, a provider must meet those conditions within a specified timeframe if they want to maintain their approval.

This could include a condition that the provider comply with directions from their state regulator. It might require them to follow a quality improvement plan or hire a quality and safety expert to help them lift their standards.

As I said a moment ago, the secretary of my department can also move immediately to a process to suspend or cancel a provider on the basis of quality and safety concerns. That involves issuing a formal notice to the provider requiring a response within 28 days.

If the provider doesn't give a good explanation in that period, the secretary of my department will be able to cancel or suspend their approval.

It's a process that permits providers an opportunity to engage with my department where they have a genuine commitment to improve.

These powers will be used in close collaboration with states and territories, backing in their core role and responsibility in regulating quality and safety.

It means the Commonwealth can use the power of the childcare subsidy funding to lift the standards of providers not doing the right thing—and ensure those that aren't up to scratch don't get access to Commonwealth funding.

This bill also expands the Commonwealth's powers to publish information about providers that are sanctioned for noncompliance.

The secretary of my department already has the power to publicise actions such as suspending or cancelling a provider's approval for the childcare subsidy.

The information is available in the enforcement action register on the department's website, along with other information such as how the department issues infringement notices and imposes conditions on approvals.

This bill expands that power to include the power to publicise when a provider is refused approval for a new service.

The bill also gives the secretary of my department the power to publish other compliance action taken against providers, such as when conditions are applied—including the details of those conditions—or where an infringement notice has been issued, including the details of the notice, such as the alleged contravention and the fine amount.

Conditions and infringements are very important, because they point to specific things a provider must do or fix to stay eligible for the childcare subsidy.

Parents should know when a centre their child attends, or one they are thinking of using, is subject to a condition or has received an infringement.

When this legislation is passed, the secretary of my department will expand the breadth of the enforcement action register to include those things I have just outlined.

I have asked the secretary of my department to ensure the enforcement action register provides parents and other organisations with as much information as possible, given the circumstances of each matter.

Providing more detailed information on compliance actions and refusals of new services is important to ensure parents have the information they need to make one of the most important decisions in their child's early years, about who they want to put their trust in to care for their child.

It will also ensure transparency for company directors and board members, who may not be directly responsible for the daily management of the provider, but who play an important role in ensuring their organisations are taking the steps needed to keep children safe in early education and care.

The bill also gives the Commonwealth's authorised officers more powers to do their job. It allows them to perform spot checks and enter premises without consent during operating hours to detect noncompliance across the sector.

It means that the Commonwealth's officers don't need to get a warrant or other preauthorisation to inspect a centre, an outside-schools-hours care service, or family day-care service.

These Commonwealth powers largely mirror arrangements that are already in place for state and territory regulators.

The primary purpose of these compliance officers is to monitor compliance with the family assistance law. This is a serious issue in early education and care.

Over the last three years, this government has allocated $221 million to detect and prevent childcare subsidy fraud, and this has helped claw back around $318 million for the taxpayer.

These new powers add to this.

If, while the compliance officers are there, they identify safety and quality concerns, they will also be able to share that information with state government regulators to take action.

A person who does not cooperate with an authorised person seeking access commits a criminal offence—and is liable to a civil penalty.

The bill also includes a number of other integrity measures.

It will allow the secretary of my department to delegate the power to apply for a monitoring warrant to an appropriately qualified executive level officer.

Monitoring warrants are an effective tool in conducting childcare subsidy fraud and compliance investigations. These changes will streamline processes, allowing warrants to be requested and issued more quickly.

The bill also makes amendments to allow the secretary of my department to delegate their existing power to appoint an appropriately qualified and experienced expert to conduct audits of large childcare providers.

This power is expanded to allow delegation to a Senior Executive Service employee. This will further streamline the process for appointing auditors, an important tool in ensuring integrity and compliance in the sector.

The bill also makes important changes to how gap fees are collected from families who use family day care and in-home care.

The bill makes an amendment to require all family day care and in-home care providers to collect childcare subsidy gap fees directly from families. This will reduce the administrative burden on individual educators so they can focus on providing education and care to children. It will also improve transparency and integrity of childcare subsidy funding.

The purpose of this bill is not to shut childcare centres down.

It's to raise standards up.

This is not about leaving parents stranded without care for their children because of fixable or minor shortcomings at their service.

But this legislation is also not an idle threat.

Services, whether they be centre based day care, or family day care, or in-home care, or outside-school-hours care, know what they have to do to consistently meet national quality standards.

Providers that can improve their services to meet the standard will get the chance to do that.

Services that don't, can't or won't will lose their access to funding.

I think that's fair. And I think most Australian parents will too.

This bill isn't the only thing we have to do to improve safety in childcare centres.

There is a lot more.

After Ashley Paul Griffith was arrested and charged in Queensland with multiple child sex offences, education ministers across the country commissioned the Australian Children's Education and Care Quality Authority—ACECQA—to conduct a child safety review.

Education ministers have agreed in principle to the key recommendations of that review.

Some have been implemented. But there is more work that needs to be done.

That includes establishing a national educator register to help track workers from centre to centre and from state to state.

It also means mandatory child-safety training to support the 99.9 per cent of educators who care for our children every single day and do a fantastic job to help them to recognise people in their centre that might be up to no good.

After Four Corners exposed appalling examples of abuse and neglect on 17 March this year, the New South Wales government commissioned Chris Wheeler, a former deputy New South Wales ombudsman, to undertake an independent review of the New South Wales Early Childhood Education and Care Regulatory Authority.

The Wheeler review recommends increasing penalties on services for offences that are largely factual or procedural, and for which prosecution is currently the only avenue available.

It also recommends services be required to display their compliance history alongside their quality ratings to help families make informed choices about child care.

The Wheeler review also recommends allowing the regulator to require that a provider install CCTV when they identify a potential risk to the health and safety of children at a service, or when the service has failed to meet quality standards for an unreasonable period of time.

These recommendations and more will be considered by education ministers when we meet next month.

The other area where serious work is needed is to improve the operation of working-with-children checks.

Problems here were identified a long time ago.

The Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse recommended the Commonwealth government facilitate a national model for working-with-children checks.

At the moment systems in different states work differently.

In some states the working-with-children check is valid for five years. In others it's two or three years.

In some states only people over 18 working with children require a check. In others this is required from the age of 14 or 15.

Jurisdictions also differ in how they assess both criminal and non-conviction information, as well as patterns of behaviour.

There are also issues with getting real-time updates to working-with-children checks and information sharing between jurisdictions.

This system isn't run by education ministers. In some states it is run by the attorney-general. In others it is ministers with responsibility for child protection, human services, or families and communities.

Next month the Commonwealth Attorney-General will also bring her state and territory counterparts together to address these serious issues.

There is no more serious work than this.

I want to thank my friend and colleague Senator Jess Walsh, the Minister for Early Childhood Education and the Minister for Youth, for her leadership on quality and safety in early learning and her work in bringing this bill to the parliament.

And I also want to thank the Leader of the Opposition, Sussan Ley, the shadow minister for education, Jonathon Duniam, and the shadow assistant minister for education, Zoe McKenzie, and all of their teams for all of the work that they are doing together with us on this and for the serious and professional and bipartisan approach that they have taken to make sure that we get this right. It's what the mums and dads watching this right now across the country want of us and expect of us. They're not interested in excuses; they expect action. They expect all levels of government to work together and they expect the people that run childcare centres to join us in this work as well.

We all know that no party and no government, state or federal, has done everything we need to do here. That's obvious. But I think everyone here is determined to do what needs to be done to rebuild confidence in a system that parents need to have confidence in—a system that more than one million mums and dads rely on to care for and to educate the most important people in their world: their children. This legislation is an important part of that. It's not everything. The truth is this work will never end, but this is an important step, and I commend the bill to the House.

Debate adjourned.

For the information of members, before I speak to the item, I let people know that both the bills that have just been introduced have a level of urgency to them. Members should expect a couple of late nights to be scheduled next week to facilitate that. I expect, given the nature of those issues, we will not be able to fully accommodate everyone, and so I'll talk to the Manager of Opposition Business and the crossbench to work out whether or not we subsequently do a take-note debate on each of the bills so we can still get them across to the Senate but make sure that there's an opportunity for members who want to speak.

This is a standard motion that deals with the fact that we need a little bit more time to get private members' business ready for Monday of next week, and it's to allow that. I move:

That so much of the standing orders be suspended as would prevent:

(1) the Selection Committee:

(a) meeting on or after today, if necessary by teleconference, to determine the order of consideration of matters and the times allotted for debate on each item and for each Member speaking, for private Members' business and committee and delegation business, for Monday, 28 July 2025;

(b) communicating its determinations to Members prior to that Monday; and

(c) reporting its determinations to the House following Prayers on Monday, 28 July 2025;

(2) the Selection Committee's determinations being shown in the Notice Paper for that Monday under 'Business Accorded Priority' for the House and Federation Chamber; and

(3) in the absence of a fully constituted Selection Committee, the arrangements for private Members' business for Monday, 28 July 2025 provided for in paragraphs (1) and (2) of this resolution being determined by the Speaker, Chief Government Whip and Chief Opposition Whip and reports of such determinations being treated as having been adopted by the House when they are presented.

Question agreed to.

As is also standard on the second day of a new parliament, the government is putting forward a series of amendments to the standing orders and a proposed sessional order. For new members, the difference is that the sessional order will apply to the 48th Parliament only, and the standing orders changes are ongoing. I move:

That standing orders 1, 2, 9, 24, 34, 45, 78, 80, 88, 94, 100, 127, 133, 175, 192, 192B, 193, 215, 232, 267 and 268 be amended, standing order 50B be adopted, and sessional order 65A (Opportunities for crossbench Members) be adopted for the remainder of the session, as follows:

1 Maximum speaking times

The maximum time limits that apply to debates, speeches and statements are as follows.

2 Definitions

The following meanings apply throughout these standing orders.

…

dissolution means the ending of the House, and therefore the Parliament, by the Governor-General before the expiration of three years from the first sitting of the House after a general election.

…

9 When Governor-General does not attend

(a) If the Sovereign attends a meeting to declare the causes for the calling together of Parliament, references to the Governor-General in this chapter shall be read as references to the Sovereign.

(b) If the Governor-General appoints a Deputy in accordance with section 126 of the Constitution to announce the causes for the calling together of Parliament, references to the Governor-General in this chapter shall be read as references to the Deputy.

24 Seats for Members

The Speaker shall determine any dispute about the seats occupied by Members.

34 Order of business

The order of business to be followed by the House is shown in figure 2.

Figure 2. House order of business

45 Order of government business and programming declarations

(a) The Leader of the House may arrange the order of notices and orders of the day for government business on the Notice Paper as he or she thinks fit.

(b) The Leader of the House or the Chief Government Whip may make a programming declaration in the House in relation to one or more items of government business.

The declaration may refer a government business order of the day to the Federation Chamber, or may require a government business order of the day to be returned from the Federation Chamber for further consideration in the House. The matter must be set down for consideration at a later hour that day.

(c) When there is no question before the House, a Minister may move, without notice, that a government business notice or order of the day be called on immediately. The question must be put immediately and resolved without amendment or debate.

50b Further statements

(a) Following a statement on a significant matter (standing order 50a) or a statement by indulgence of the Chair, a Minister may move, without notice, that further statements be permitted in the House or Federation Chamber.

(b) The Minister may specify a time for the conclusion of further statements.

78 Matters not open to debate

The following questions and motions are not open to debate, must be moved without comment and must be put immediately and resolved without amendment:

(a) motion that a Member's time be extended (standing order 1);

(b) motion that a specific item of government business be called on immediately (standing order 45(c));

(c) motion that the business of the day be called on (standing order 46(e));

(d) motion that a Member be heard now (standing order 65);

(e) motion that a Member be further heard (standing order 75);

(f) motion that debate be adjourned (standing order 79);

(g) motion that a Member be no longer heard (standing order 80);

(h) motion that the question be now put (standing order 81);

(i) question that the bill be considered urgent, following a declaration of urgency (standing order 82);

(j) motion that a Member be suspended (standing order 94);

(k) question that amendments made by the Federation Chamber be agreed to (standing order 153);

(l) question that a bill reported from the Federation Chamber be agreed to (standing order 153);

(m) motion that further proceedings on a bill be conducted in the House (standing order 197);

(n) question in the Federation Chamber that a bill be reported to the House (standing order 198).

Should any of these questions be negatived, no similar proposal shall be received if the Speaker is of the opinion that it is an abuse of the orders or forms of the House, or is moved for the purpose of obstructing business.

80 Closure of a Member speaking

If a Member is speaking, other than when moving the terms of a motion, another Member may move—

That the Member be no longer heard.

The question must be put immediately and resolved without amendment or debate.

88 Use of certain names

A Member must not refer disrespectfully to the Sovereign, the Governor-General, or a State Governor, in debate or for the purpose of influencing the House in its deliberations.

94 Sanctions against disorderly conduct

The Speaker can take action against disorderly conduct by a Member:

Direction to leave the Chamber

(a) The Speaker can direct a disorderly Member to leave the Chamber for:

(i) one hour; or

(ii) three hours, where there is continued or escalating disorderly conduct.

The direction shall not be open to debate or dissent, and if the Member does not leave the Chamber immediately, the Speaker can name the Member under the following procedure.

Member named and suspended

(b) The Speaker can name a disorderly Member. Immediately following a naming, on a motion being moved, the Speaker shall put the question—

That the Member be suspended from the service of the House.

The question must be resolved without amendment, adjournment or debate.

Urgent action

(c) If the Speaker determines there is an urgent need to protect the dignity of the House, the Speaker can order a grossly disorderly Member to leave the Chamber immediately. When the Member has left, the Speaker must immediately name the Member and paragraph (b) shall apply; except that the Speaker shall put the question for suspension without a motion being necessary. If the question is resolved in the negative, the Member may return to the Chamber.

Term of suspension

(d) If a Member is named and suspended, the term of the suspension shall be:

(i) on the first occasion, for the 24 hour period from the time of suspension;

(ii) on the second occasion during the same calendar year, for the three consecutive sittings following the day of suspension; and

(iii) on a third or later occasion during the same calendar year, for the seven consecutive sittings following the day of suspension.

A suspension in a previous session or a direction to leave the Chamber for one or three hours shall be disregarded in the calculation of these terms.

Exclusion from Chamber and Federation Chamber

(e) A Member who is subject to a direction to leave the Chamber for one or three hours, or a suspension for 24 hours or more, shall be excluded from the Chamber, its galleries and the room in which the Federation Chamber is meeting.

Removal of Member

(f) If a Member refuses to follow the Speaker's direction, the Speaker may order the Serjeant-at-Arms to remove the Member from the Chamber or the Federation Chamber or take the Member into custody.

100 Rules for questions

The following general rules apply to all questions:

(a) Questions must not be debated.

(b) A question fully answered must not be asked again.

(c) For questions regarding persons:

(i) questions must not reflect on or be critical of the character or conduct of a Member, a Senator, the Sovereign, the Governor General, a State Governor, or a member of the judiciary: their conduct may only be challenged on a substantive motion; and

(ii) questions critical of the character or conduct of other persons must be in writing.

(d) Questions must not contain:

(i) statements of facts or names of persons, unless they can be authenticated and are strictly necessary to make the question intelligible;

(ii) arguments;

(iii) inferences;

(iv) imputations;

(iv) insults;

(v) ironical expressions; or

(vii) hypothetical matter.

(e) Questions must not refer to debates in the current session, or to proceedings of a committee not reported to the House.

(f) The duration of each question is limited to 30 seconds.

127 Six or fewer Members on a side

If, after the doors are locked, there are six or fewer Members on one side in a division, the Speaker shall declare the decision of the House immediately, without completing the count. The names of the Members who are in the minority shall be recorded in the Votes and Proceedings.

133 Deferred divisions on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays

(a) On Mondays, any division called for between the hours of 10 am and 12 noon shall be deferred until 12 noon, except for a division called on a motion to suspend any standing or other order of the House moved by a Minister during this period or any division necessary to resolve the question on such a motion.

(b) On Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays, any division called for from 6.30 pm until the adjournment of the House shall be deferred until the first opportunity the next sitting day, except for a division called on a motion to suspend any standing or other order of the House moved by a Minister during this period or any division necessary to resolve the question on such a motion.

(c) Standing orders 80 and 81 shall not apply during a period of deferred divisions.

(d) The Speaker shall put all questions on which a division has been deferred, successively and without amendment or further debate.

[and see standing order 85 in relation to urgent bills]

175 House bills presented to Governor-General

When a House bill has finally passed both Houses, the Clerk shall certify this and the Speaker shall present the bill to the Governor-General for the Sovereign's assent in accordance with section 58 of the Constitution

192 Federation Chamber's indicative order of business

The normal order of business of the Federation Chamber is set out in figure 4.

Figure 4. Federation Chamber indicative order of business

The meeting times of the Federation Chamber are fixed by the Deputy Speaker and are subject to change. Times shown for the start and finish of items of business are approximate. Adjournment debates can occur on days other than Thursdays by agreement between the Whips.

192b Grievance debate

(a) The order of the day for the grievance debate stands referred to the Federation Chamber and shall be taken as the first item of business each Tuesday.

(b) After the Deputy Speaker proposes the question—

That grievances be noted

any Member may address the Federation Chamber or move any amendment to the question. When debate is interrupted after one hour or if it concludes earlier, the Deputy Speaker shall adjourn the debate on the motion, and the resumption of the debate shall be made an order of the day for the next sitting.

193 Members' three minute constituency statements

During the period for constituency statements by Members, the Deputy Speaker may call a Member to make a constituency statement for no longer than three minutes. The period for Members' constituency statements may continue for 30 minutes on Mondays or 60 minutes on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, irrespective of suspensions for divisions in the House.

215 General purpose standing committees

(a) The following general purpose standing committees shall be appointed:

(i) Standing Committee on Climate Change, Energy, Environment and Water;

(ii) Standing Committee on Communications, the Arts and Sport;

(iii) Standing Committee on Economics;

(iv) Standing Committee on Education

(v) Standing Committee on Employment, Workplace Relations, Skills and Training;

(vi) Standing Committee on Health, Aged Care and Disability;

(vii) Standing Committee on Industry, Innovation and Science;

(viii) Standing Committee on Primary Industries;

(ix) Standing Committee on Regional Development, Infrastructure and Transport; and

(x) Standing Committee on Social Policy and Legal Affairs.

(b) A committee appointed under paragraph (a) may inquire into and report on any matter referred to it by either the House or a Minister, including any pre-legislation proposal, bill, motion, petition, vote or expenditure, other financial matter, report or document.

(c) A committee may make any inquiry it wishes to make into annual reports of government departments and authorities and reports of the Auditor-General presented to the House. The following qualifications shall apply to these inquiries:

(i) Reports shall stand referred to committees under a schedule presented by the Speaker to record the areas of responsibility of each committee.

(ii) The Speaker shall determine any question about responsibility for a report or part of a report.

(iii) The period during which an inquiry into an annual report may be started by a committee shall end on the day the next annual report of the department or authority is presented to the House.

(iv) If a committee intends to inquire into all or part of a report of the Auditor-General, the committee must notify the Joint Committee of Public Accounts and Audit of its intention, in writing.

(d) Each committee appointed under paragraph (a) shall consist of 10 members (six government Members, three opposition Members and one crossbench Member). Each committee may have its membership supplemented by up to four members for a particular inquiry, with a maximum of two extra government and two extra opposition or crossbench Members. Supplementary members shall have the same participatory rights as other members, but may not vote.

232 Appointment of committee Chair and deputy Chair

(a) Before the start of business and at any time a vacancy occurs, a committee shall be informed of the name of the member who has been appointed by the Prime Minister to be its Chair. The Chair shall have a casting vote only.

(b) A committee shall elect a member as its deputy Chair. Except as otherwise provided, the deputy Chair shall be a non-government member. The deputy Chair shall act as Chair of the committee whenever the Chair is not present at a meeting. If neither the Chair nor deputy Chair is present at a meeting, the members present shall elect another member to act as Chair at the meeting.

267 Addresses moved

(a) A Minister may move an address to the Sovereign or the Governor-General after notice, except in cases of urgency

(b) A Minister may move without notice an address of congratulation or condolence to members of the Royal Family.

268 Addresses to Queen given to Governor-General

The Speaker shall give to the Governor-General addresses to the Sovereign or to members of the Royal Family, and ask the Governor-General to send the addresses for presentation.

SESSIONAL ORDER

65a Opportunities for crossbench Members

Consistent with the principle that the call should alternate between government and non-government Members and to enable crossbench Members to receive the call in accordance with the crossbench proportion of the non-government membership of the House:

(a) During Question Time, priority shall be given to:

(i) a crossbench Member seeking the call on the fifth, thirteenth, seventeenth and twenty-first questions; and

(ii) an opposition Member seeking the call on the first, third, seventh, ninth, eleventh, fifteenth, nineteenth, twenty-third, twenty-fifth, twenty-seventh, and twenty-ninth questions.

(b) During each period of Members' statements in the House, priority shall be given to at least two crossbench Members seeking the call (standing order 43).

(c) During each period of Members' statements in the Federation Chamber on Mondays, priority shall be given to at least three crossbench Members seeking the call (standing order 43).

(d) During each 30 minute period of Members' constituency statements in the Federation Chamber, priority shall be given to at least one crossbench Member seeking the call (standing order 193).

(e) During each 60 minute period of Members' constituency statements in the Federation Chamber, priority shall be given to at least two crossbench Members seeking the call (standing order 193).

(f) During the grievance debate in the Federation Chamber, every second Tuesday priority shall be given to a crossbench Member seeking the call as the first speaker (standing order 192B).

(g) During the adjournment debate in the House, on Tuesdays and Thursdays priority shall be given to a crossbench Member seeking the call as the first speaker (standing order 31).

(h) During the adjournment debate in the Federation Chamber, every second Thursday priority shall be given to a crossbench Member seeking the call as the first speaker (standing order 191).

(i) For the matter of public importance discussion, the Speaker shall have regard to the crossbench proportion of the non-government membership of the House in selecting matters proposed (standing order 46).

For the interest of members, I'll go through the standing orders changes that we're having, after which we will have time for debate, so I'll keep my remarks as brief as I can. But I will let members know when it's time for first speeches, just before 10.30. If the debate is still going, I will move that the question be put, to make sure that we're not delaying the first speeches.

In the debate, as is always the case, on whichever of these standing order changes people are supportive of, they will be completely silent, and, by whichever ones they object to, they will be completely outraged. And that's fine! I've done this too.

The first change—we have time limits on a series of debates, but there's a general rule for where debate is not otherwise provided for. We've had time limits on speeches but not the debate. That would be a standing one-hour limit. Obviously, it's always open to the House to extend that should the House choose to.

Secondly, there are some changes to deferred divisions. At the moment, between 12 o'clock and two o'clock on Tuesdays, if a division is called, it doesn't happen until after the MPI that day. That has created some challenges when we've had urgent legislation to get across to the Senate, where the Senate needed to deal with it. Effectively, if a division is called, even though the House as a majority might want to vote for it, it's unable to do so until after the MPI, by which time the procedure of the Senate doesn't actually match the processes here. For those people who are used to, on a Tuesday, taking off between 12 and two, they'd now, under this standing order change, have to remain in the parliament.

Next, there are some changes to the routine of business for the House and the Federation Chamber, extending the hours of the Federation Chamber, which gives 30 minutes more of government business but 90 minutes more of constituency statements. This is trying to acknowledge something that I've had members from all sides raise with me over time, asking, 'Can we get better use of the Federation Chamber?' in particular for people to be able to talk about issues within their electorate that might not be owed and properly given during other legislative speeches. This would now provide that extra time in both changes for the Federation Chamber.

Ministerial statements, which don't happen often, when they do happen would now happen immediately after question time. In practice, they can still occur at other times of the day, as is already the case, but that would shift to being the standard time for them.

Next is something that was recommended by the Standing Committee on Procedure some time ago: that, Mr Speaker, you be given a new power. Under 94(a), you would have an option of suspending someone for one hour or suspending someone for three hours. This was recommended to me repeatedly during the last term. I strategically waited until Graham Perrett had left the parliament before I was willing to move it! But that was a unanimous recommendation from the procedure committee as part of its inquiry to recommendations 10 and 27 of the Set the standard report.

Next is something that we've been doing but is not covered under the standing orders, adding to the list of resolutions that can be moved by a minister and then get put without debate, which is to bring on an item of business immediately.

The next is the number of votes required for a full division count. If people wonder whether the consultation across the aisle matters, they have the evidence here, because I was going for a much higher number on this. Basically, the rule that we have for when you have to take a full count of a division was put into the standing orders back when the crossbench itself was fewer than five, and, as the crossbench has grown, we have never increased that number. I was minded to increase it to something approximately the current size of the crossbench, but, in the consultation, the arguments that were put to me were such that I thought that, to be true to the spirit of the consultation, I'd still have an increase but, instead of it being four or fewer, it became six or fewer. So there is still a minor increase there, but I will be upfront; I was aiming higher.

The procedure that we have to refer statements to the Federation Chamber gets formalised. It's similar to what we've already been doing.

Next, there is a bizarre standing order—there are a few, but we're getting rid of this one—that a member of parliament is allowed to become so attached to their seat that, after an election, they can just say they're staying. I am supportive of most forms of industrial action, but I find this one particularly odd. There has been some consultation with the Manager of Opposition Business on this, and we will be removing it.

Next, we are trying to bring some of the committees up to date with the complexion of the non-government benches in the parliament. Effectively, the non-government benches now are basically not precisely but close to a ratio of three to one in terms of the opposition versus the crossbench. On the positions of deputy chairs on committees, that has meant, under our current standing orders, that the opposition receive every deputy chair's position, and the three-to-one ratio makes no difference with respect to deputy chairs. The standing order would change so that, for three committees, it would be the committee itself that elects the deputy chair. That does not guarantee that it would be a member of the crossbench, but it creates a pathway for that to happen for the deputy chair's position. They are positions that historically have automatically gone to the opposition, but the number of committees we've chosen to do this for, rather than to do it for all of them, is to make sure that we don't go further than the three-to-one ratio. The committees are the Standing Committee on Climate Change, Energy, Environment and Water; the Standing Committee on Economics; and the Standing Committee on Health, Aged Care and Disability—these would be the three where the committee would choose its deputy chair.

The next one is the sessional order. Last time we did a sessional order for the first time to give additional questions for the crossbench. In terms of the numbers of the non-government questions, it was the third, seventh and ninth questions where they came in. Occasionally, we would go very long at question time, which the Prime Minister and I always liked but the rest of the frontbench weren't always as mad keen on the idea as we were. When we would go longer, effectively the opposition would get all of those additional questions and the crossbench would get none, so, where we go beyond 10 questions now, there's an additional question for the crossbench when that would happen.

They're the different changes that I have, and I suspect I know the speech that's about to come. If it's like we heard yesterday, it will be about the rights of minorities. Allow me to say I am pleased that the opposition have found a minority they support! I am disappointed that it is themselves.

I commend the motion to the House.

Indeed that is what democracy is all about. The whole tradition of democracy is about the rights of minorities—always has been; always will be—and it should be in a rights based society. That has always been a Liberal principle.

I think the Leader of the House has belled the cat. That all sounds very lovely when you listen to it—how democratic and smooth everything will be and how lovely the parliament will function with these changes to the standing orders. However, taking my leader's instruction, I think we can be constructive on certain machinery changes that the leader has proposed, but then unfortunately I feel like we must be critical about some other changes that the Leader of the House is proposing here. On the veneer of increased transparency and democratic operation, we have some antidemocratic measures that the government is proposing in its first action.

I will say upfront that, as a lifelong constitutional monarchist and a great supporter of our constitutional monarchy and Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, while we are still, in my view, in the official mourning period for Her Majesty the Queen, we do accept reluctantly the changes to remove all references to 'the Queen' from the standing orders and replace them with 'the Sovereign', which is the bulk of the work that the leader has put forward in today's standing orders. It's a reluctant but necessary change, so, there you go, we have supported you on something. Even as a constitutional monarchist, I've agreed to that.

To move along, sessional order 65A is of course the real meat of what the government is proposing to change in these standing orders. While government members will be disinterested because they now have a supermajority in this place, the whole purpose of having a question time is scrutiny of the executive, not of the government. It's not of you on the backbench but of these people on the frontbench. The leader referenced that ministers will be happy because they'll be able to get out of here quicker. That isn't the principle of effective, transparent government. In fact, if you're a government minister—and I have been—you should know your brief, you should welcome questions and you should be able to answer those questions. That's the point of being in the parliament, and the parliament has an important function on behalf of Australians to say to the executive: 'What are you doing in government? Can you explain to the Australian people what your legislative and political agenda is?' And you have to defend it in the scrutiny of an open, democratic forum.

In its first term, this Labor government under Prime Minister Albanese reduced the number of questions that we have in question time. The average number of questions asked by the opposition went from 10 in the 46th Parliament, the one that we heard was antidemocratic and not transparent, to just seven in the 47th Parliament. That's a big drop. The average number of questions overall fell from the 46th Parliament to the 47th Parliament, and question time ended before 3.10 pm more often in the 47th Parliament, 29 times compared to only 17 times in the 46th Parliament. We know on many occasions the Prime Minister urgently cut off question time because, simply, it wasn't going very well for the government.

These changes that are proposed by the Leader of the House do something very sneaky. I am sad that he mentioned it but didn't say what this would mean. The heading for these changes is 'more opportunities for crossbench questions'. But the crossbench is under no illusion that the reordering of the numbers is after the cut-off that the Prime Minister usually uses. So there won't be more opportunity for the crossbench to get more questions because, on a normal given day, or when things are going badly for the government, the Prime Minister routinely guillotines question time—as is his right. So there will be fewer opposition questions in this parliament, as there were last parliament, and there will be fewer crossbench questions in this parliament, unless the Prime Minister—it's up to him, of course—decides that he's having a good day and extends question time a little bit longer. That, in our view, is a sneaky attempt to rewrite this to, over time, slowly—not under the scrutiny of anyone who pays a lot of attention except for the most ardent watchers of this place—reduce questions bit by bit. Overall, the average number of questions will go down, opposition questions will go down and crossbench questions will go down. How does that help the operation of this parliament? Our view is that it does not and our view is that this is an antidemocratic measure.

That's my criticism. I will now be constructive; the pendulum is going to swing, and we're going back to 'constructive'. We have some solutions. I move the amendments to the motion moved by the Leader of the House as circulated in my name:

(1) Replace proposed sessional order 65A(a)(i) and (ii) with: (a) During Question Time, priority shall be given to a crossbench Member seeking the call on the fifth, thirteenth and seventeenth questions;

(2) Amend standing orders 1, 45, 97, 100, 101, 104, 105, 183 and 197 as follows:

1 Maximum speaking times

The maximum time limits that apply to debates, speeches and statements are as follows.

45 Order of government business

The Leader of the House may arrange the order of notices and orders of the day for government business on the Notice Paper as he or she thinks fit.

97 Daily Question Time

(a) Question Time shall begin at 2 pm on each sitting day, at which time the Speaker shall interrupt any business before the House and call on questions without notice.

(b) The business interrupted shall be dealt with in the following manner:

(i) if a division is in progress at the time, the division shall be completed and the result announced; or

(ii) the Speaker shall set the time for resumption of debate.

(c) Question Time shall not conclude until at least eight questions have been asked by opposition Members.

100 Rules for questions

The following general rules apply to all questions:

(a) Questions must not be debated.

(b) A question fully answered must not be asked again.

(c) For questions regarding persons:

(i) questions must not reflect on or be critical of the character or conduct of a Member, a Senator, the Queen, the Governor-General, a State Governor, or a member of the judiciary: their conduct may only be challenged on a substantive motion; and

(ii) questions critical of the character or conduct of other persons must be in writing.

(d) Questions must not contain:

(i) statements of facts or names of persons, unless they can be authenticated and are strictly necessary to make the question intelligible;

(ii) arguments;

(iii) inferences;

(iv) imputations;

(v) insults;

(vi) ironical expressions; or

(vii) hypothetical matter.

(e) Questions must not refer to debates in the current session, or to proceedings of a committee not reported to the House.

(f) The duration of each question is limited to 45 seconds. The duration of each supplementary question is limited to 20 seconds.

101 Speaker's discretion about questions

The Speaker may:

(a) direct a Member to change the language of a question asked during Question Time if the language is inappropriate or does not otherwise conform with the standing orders;

(b) allow up to five supplementary questions to be asked, per question time, to clarify an answer to a question asked during Question Time—one from the Leader of the Opposition, one from any Opposition member, two from government members and one from a crossbench member; and

(c) change the language of a question in writing if the language is inappropriate or does not otherwise conform with the standing orders.

104 Answers

(a) An answer must be directly relevant to the question.

(b) A point of order regarding relevance may be taken only once in respect of each answer.

(c) The duration of each answer is limited to 3 minutes. The duration of an answer to a supplementary question is limited to 90 seconds.

105 Replies to written questions

(a) A Minister's written reply to a question must be delivered to the Clerk. The Clerk shall provide a copy of the reply to the Member who asked the question, and the question and reply shall be published.

(b) If a reply has not been received 60 days after a question first appeared on the Notice Paper, the Member who asked the question may, at the conclusion of Question Time, ask that the Minister concerned present reasons for the delay in answering. The reasons shall be presented by the Minister at the next sitting.

183 Establishment of Federation Chamber

The Federation Chamber shall be established as a committee of the House to consider matters referred to it as follows:

(a) proceedings on bills to the completion of the consideration in detail stage;

(b) orders of the day for the resumption of debate on any motion;

(c) subject to paragraph (a), private Members' notices and other items of private Members' and committee and delegation business referred in accordance with a Selection Committee determination pursuant to standing order 222; and

(d) further statements on a matter when statements have commenced in the House.

197 Return of matters to the House

The Federation Chamber may return a matter to the House before its consideration is completed:

(a) A matter may be returned to the House on a motion moved without notice at any time by a Minister—

That further proceedings be conducted in the House.

The motion shall be put without amendment or debate. If the Federation Chamber agrees to, or is unable to resolve, this question, the bill or order of the day shall be returned to the House. Consideration in the House must continue from the point reached in the Federation Chamber and the House must resolve any issues that the Federation Chamber reports.

(b) The House may at any time require a matter to be returned for further consideration, on a motion moved without notice by a Minister. The matter must be set down for consideration at a later hour that day.

(3) Insert sessional order 49A:

49 A Moving a motion of condolence

A motion of condolence may only be moved immediately following Prayers.

We only gave short notice of the amendments I'm moving today ourselves. I apologise to the House for the notice I've given. If we get 20 minutes notice, unfortunately you will get no notice.

The amendments I'm moving do something important in relation to 65A. They return something that has been here before and is in operation of the Senate; that is, they allow for supplementary questions to be asked both by the opposition and the crossbench. This would increase transparency in this parliament. I know many of my crossbench colleagues would support the operation of supplementary questions. Not only would a government minister have to be prepared for a question; they'd have to be prepared for a follow-up question, which can only be a good thing, especially on the complexity of the operation of government in today's society. We have the ability to ask any minister any question, but if they don't answer the question we have no ability to follow that up. This is a sensible reform that will return supplementary questions to this chamber, and I welcome the proposal.

In the previous parliament, the conduct of the government was, as I've highlighted, antidemocratic. In relation to the standing order changes to committees, I—

The Manager of Opposition Business can resume his seat for a moment. I will hear from the Leader of the House, on a point of order.

I'm just not sure how to handle this. An amendment is meant to be fully read out unless it's been circulated. I've just checked with the clerks because there is not a copy of the amendments at the table. I'm not sure if they were handed to the Table Office and something has gone wrong, but they certainly haven't been circulated. If the Manager of Opposition Business has to read it out word for word, I'm not sure he will get it out in the time remaining. I'm not sure how we handle it.

We can find a way through this. I thank the Leader of the House. The normal process is that amendments will be circulated, as the member for Warringah has done and the member for Wentworth has done. On this occasion, that hasn't occurred. The manager is, I assume, moving the amendments as part of his speech now. They will need to be seconded but we do need a copy of them—normally before we get to this point, if that makes sense. We don't have them as yet; we're making copies now, so we will have them. He has three minutes left and then we'll have a seconder to those amendments, just to find a way through this. The manager has the call.

I accept that, and I did explain this was a very last-minute process, from the government's point of view, in providing the very substantial standing orders changes, and we did our best to produce amendments very quickly and provide them to the parliament. I've already apologised to members, but we had no idea what the government was doing. Thank you for that reminder about the procedure.

I move back to our conversation about the antidemocratic nature of some of these changes. On committees, that sounds very reasonable: why can't we just share the deputy chairs? The government knows exactly what it is doing in relation to choosing the portfolio areas where it will change the mechanism for electing a deputy chair. That is designed to reduce scrutiny and transparency as well. There was zero consultation with the opposition. I don't know if there was consultation with the crossbench on this issue.

However, the selection of the Standing Committee on Economics is no accident. What the government are saying is that they want less pressure from the opposition on the issue of the economy. They are saying they do not want an opposition member in the deputy chair, asking questions on that committee, raising matters and scrutinising the office bearers that are brought before that committee. And they are saying that of course they want less pressure on the economy. The economy is the No. 1 issue of our day. It is the matter of our time, and the government's agenda on the economy is more government intervention, higher taxes and, of course, an unrestricted commitment to increased government spending—endless government spending! So it's no surprise that the government have said, 'We want to change the procedures on the economics committee.' The economics committee has been a vibrant and important part of our democratic system, and deputy chairs play a vibrant and important part in that. The government are also trying to play politics with parliamentary committees on the topics of their choosing, and we understand why that is. We do not, obviously, support those changes.

In the time I have left, I will refer to a couple of the things that we think are important. I do welcome the Leader of the House's commitment to more speech time. I think that is relevant to this parliament—here and in the Federation Chamber. It's a proposal we welcome and would have put forward, so we support those changes. However, we will have no choice but to oppose the government's amendments.

There are some other matters on which we are moving amendments, including questions in writing. We have increasingly seen a lack of transparency from this government in relation to questions in writing. There are ministers who are failing to respond to this time-honoured mechanism within the prescribed 60 days. According to the Procedure Office, there were more overdue questions in writing in the 47th Parliament than in the 45th and the 46th. This is an executive—just so everyone is clear here—that is not committed to transparency. There will be fewer questions during question time, less scrutiny of government, fewer responses to questions in writing for the parliament. What is going on inside the government? Not only will we have less opportunity to ask; we'll have fewer answers, and we will not know what our own government is doing. So, when the people send us here to do this—and this has happened more in previous parliaments—now we'll have fewer and fewer opportunities under the second term of the Albanese government.

We believe the government's amendments to the standing orders, as they stand, need amendment. Without further time, I will just flag that, while there are some good changes here, we will be opposing the government's amendments.

Your time has concluded. For the benefit of all members, I'll explain the process. So everyone is clear, the Leader of the House has moved a series of amendments to the standing orders. The Manager of Opposition Business has replied to that with his own amendments to those suggestions, and they are now available for members to peruse at the table. If members wish to know what the proposed changes are, they can be viewed at the base of the Mace. Now, those amendments to the amendments will be seconded, and they will be seconded by the Deputy Manager of Opposition Business, the member for Page.

I do rise to second these amendments moved by the Manager of Opposition Business. Before a start, I congratulate you, Mr Speaker, on your election yesterday to Speaker, again, with bipartisan support. I think that says a lot about the respect you have in this chamber.

Mr Speaker, I'll start by paraphrasing something you said yesterday that I thought was quite important—I won't quote you because I can't remember the exact words. You spoke about the importance of this chamber to our parliamentary democracy—how important democracy is and how important this chamber is. And you said that you would look to protect and strengthen the democratic processes in this chamber. I firmly believe that's your thought process and that's what you would like this chamber to do. As the Manager of Opposition Business said, there are many things in what the Leader of the House has proposed here that we do support, but there are some things here that will not strengthen parliamentary democracy; they will, in fact, weaken it.

Before I start speaking on the amendments that we are talking about today, I will give some context. Even in the last parliament, some of the changes that were made to the standing orders then by the current Leader of the House didn't protect parliamentary democracy but actually weakened parliamentary democracy in this place. Two that I remember were the changes to the standing orders for the suspension of standing orders and the process of how that works. New members may not be aware that how it used to work when you suspended standing orders was that debate, that process, would happen immediately. The government moved that process be deferred. You lose the impact and you lose the importance of what you're trying to suspend standing orders over when those things are deferred.

The other thing that happened in the last parliament was the change in the standing orders so that legislation could be rushed through. The government put in the proposal that, if things were important, they needed to be moved quickly. It was basically a gag order, and what we saw in the last parliament, really for the first time, and it happened more often than not, was that important legislation was gagged. There was a time limit on it and it stopped, and the legislation went through without necessarily the thorough parliamentary processes and the checks and balances that happened in previous parliaments.

I think this is what's happening again with some of these standing orders that are being proposed today, especially in relation to the questions. I'm going to be really optimistic. I'm going to have the attitude that people on the government side and on the crossbenches are now reading through the amendments and they're going to support this. We saw a lot of goodwill yesterday and they heard your words when you said that you want to protect and strengthen parliamentary process and parliamentary democracy, and I think that they will agree with the Manager of Opposition Business and his amendments, when they read them, because these amendments will do exactly that. They're going to protect and strengthen parliamentary process. There was goodwill and the optimism shown in that chamber yesterday at the start of the new parliament, and I know that the government, when they were elected—not the last time but the time before—wanted to increase parliamentary transparency. They wanted the sun to shine in, and I think that that's what these amendments will do.

Let's just go through a couple of them. I just want to pick up on some of the more important ones. Question time changes are really important. I think that the supplementary question amendments of the Manager of Opposition Business are exceptionally important. This is what happens in the Senate. This is not earth-shattering, and I'm sure the government, when they were in opposition, would have felt this. You might be surprised, but sometimes, when you've asked a question of a minister, you don't really feel as though they've answered the question, and you would like to have the opportunity just to reinforce or to follow up with some extra availability for the minister to answer the question more clearly. The great thing is how good that would be for strengthening parliamentary democracy, so I think the supplementary question idea is a great idea. I know how well the Leader of the House answers his questions and I'm sure that, if you gave him the opportunity to double up and explain his answer even better by asking him a supplementary question, he'd enjoy that. I'm sure he may well change his mind on this amendment and support it to get the opportunity of getting a supplementary question and maybe giving the clarity to an answer that he may not have given, even though he may have thought he had.

As the Manager of Opposition Business also highlighted, the other amendment was a really important process to do with questions, in the sense that the amount of questions that were asked in the last parliament wasn't high by historical standards. We're putting in a proposal here that there be at least eight questions by opposition members in question time. Again, I don't think that's earth-shattering. If ministers are happy with their decisions and happy with how things are going, you would think that they would be happy having more opportunity to get questions from the opposition to explain what's going on, and to have a cap of eight a day doesn't sound a lot to me. Going back to your words, Speaker, it is all about strengthening parliamentary process. I congratulate the Manager of Opposition Business on his appointment, and I know that, in every chat that I've had with the Manager of Opposition Business about his new role, the only words he mentions to me are that he wants to protect and strengthen parliamentary process. Again, having a minimum of eight a day is a very modest ask.

I know that an issue was raised about the Federation Chamber. The Federation Chamber is important, and one of the things we do support the government on is the constituency statements within the Federation Chamber. That's important and gives the opportunity, especially for a lot of new members, to talk about your electorate and people in your electorate and things happening in your electorate. We support that. However, in the last parliament, we saw a lot of things flicked through the Federation Chamber and some important bills were debated up there. The important bills in this place should be debated in here, so putting up changes to this standing order for motions moving something to the Federation Chamber is, again, a very modest request.

The other thing the opposition has been growing concerned about is those who fail to respond with written questions. This is really common in the Senate. In Senate estimates, if a minister gets asked a written question, there is a process for how that is answered and the timeliness of that, and we're seeing that there's no timeliness with that. So, in this amendment ministers are compelled to talk about the reasons they may be delaying answers to questions and having overdue responses to questions.

We agree, we are supporting—again, the bipartisan thing, because this is not all opposition to the proposals by the government today—that in talking to bills the time should be reduced to five minutes. We just think that will increase efficiency and timeliness in the chamber. I think that in talking to a bill most people would be able to say what they need to say in 10 minutes and not 15.

I want to finish off on a change to the name of a House committee. A House committee in the last parliament included the phrase 'resources and northern Australia'. We on this side of the chamber are happy to talk about resources; we on this side are happy to talk about northern Australia. In my role as shadow trade minister, I'm very happy to talk about those two things, too. The export powerhouse of this country is the resources sector. Northern Australia plays an important part in that resources story. It's a very successful story. So, in the House committee that was formed and that existed in the last parliament, we thought it was very important to have that focus of language. Again, I'm sure you have been up there to northern Australia, Speaker. Whether it be iron ore, gas resources, coal resources or agricultural products, I remind this House—and new members, who may not be aware—that coal, iron ore, gas and food are the four biggest exports of this country. Resources is an important sector of our export sector, and northern Australia is a very important part of that. So, hopefully we'll get the opportunity to move a motion later to make sure we have a House committee with the terms 'resources' and 'northern Australia' included.

I will finish my seconding of this motion with great optimism, Speaker, remembering your words yesterday that we want to protect and we want to strengthen parliamentary process and parliamentary accountability in this chamber. I think when people get a good chance to read and digest these amendments moved by the Manager of Opposition Business there's going to be a light bulb moment on our side as well as the other side of the chamber. These are good amendments. They are going to protect and strengthen parliamentary democracy in this chamber and therefore this country, and I highly recommend them to the House.

Before I call the member for Ryan, I'll just explain to the House—there are a number of new members here, so I like to explain what is happening so that everyone is aware, for full transparency, just as the member for Page indicated to the House—we're dealing with a set of amendments moved by the Manager of Opposition Business. Other amendments have been flagged by other members of parliament, and before we get tot those we'll have to deal with one set of amendments at a time. So, with agreement, we're going to deal with the amendment moved by the Manager of Opposition Business to the motion moved by the Leader of the House. So, I'm going to state that question.

The original question was that the motion be agreed to. To this the honourable member for Mitchell has moved as an amendment further changes to the standing orders. The immediate question before the House is that the amendments be agreed to.

I move as an amendment to the motion:

That standing order 91 be amended as follows:

91 Disorderly conduct

A Member's conduct shall be considered disorderly if the Member has:

(a) persistently and wilfully obstructed the House;

(b) used objectionable words, which he or she has refused to withdraw;

(c) persistently and wilfully refused to conform to a standing order;

(d) wilfully disobeyed an order of the House;

(e) persistently and wilfully disregarded the authority of the Speaker; or

(f) been considered by the Speaker to have behaved in a disorderly manner, including behaviour that is intimidating, harassing or bullying.

This amendment is to make sure that we do, in fact, have a safe and respectful chamber and parliamentary debate. There is a balancing act between robust parliamentary debate and having a safe, respectful and discrimination-free workplace. As parliamentarians, we must lead by example and ensure that freedom of speech is encouraged in our workplace but is not used to excuse harmful behaviour and disorderly conduct. This amendment seeks to clarify what constitutes disorderly conduct in this place so that, when it occurs, it's not left to an interpretation in the moment, which can be difficult, especially if it has not been dealt with in that way in the past under the standing orders—this is for the benefit of the chair—and so that it can be quickly addressed, allowing the debate to return to being productive and allowing MPs to continue with that job.

We know that we have antidiscrimination laws and laws that make it unlawful to have bullying, intimidating and harassing behaviour in a workplace. We know it is unlawful conduct. The difficulty we have is how that then applies in this place, because, at the same time, we have parliamentary privilege. Parliamentary privilege protects members from defamation action for statements made in the chamber; it ensures freedom of speech in parliamentary proceedings. However, parliamentary privilege does not override all legal obligations. In fact, it does not protect against discrimination law and does not exempt conduct within the chamber from scrutiny in relation to antidiscrimination principles.

The difficulty is when the bullying, harassing and intimidation is oral—by way of yelling, for example, as I experienced during the previous term of parliament, where the coalition had a mob-like attitude of turning, yelling and trying to intimidate me from continuing with my speech. In any other workplace, that would be unlawful conduct. The difficulty in this place is that parliamentary privilege is seen as an override to the question of those laws applying to that conduct.

So my amendment seeks to make very clear that standing order 91, which relates to disorderly conduct, includes behaviour that is intimidating, bullying and harassing. By making it explicit, it enables and empowers the Speaker to rule very quickly and promptly when intimidating, bullying or harassing behaviour is underway in the chamber. That's why this is really important.

There have been attempts to deal with this through codes of conduct, and we know the previous parliament and the parliament before that have tried to improve respect and conduct in this place. The difficulty is that the code of conduct does not apply in this chamber, because of that interrelation with parliamentary privilege, so it is a balancing act between protecting robust parliamentary debate and ensuring a safe, respectful and discrimination-free workplace. I would argue there have been instances in this place where that has not happened. I've certainly been the subject of it. If we are to commence this new 48th Parliament in a new tone and a new note, I would urge the government to consider this amendment to standing order 91 to make it very clear and explicit, for the benefit of the Speaker in applying the standing orders, that disorderly conduct includes intimidation, harassment and bullying. I think that in this place, as legislators, we have to lead by example. We have to ensure the workplace reflects the values we are legislating for others. We cannot have a situation where our workplace is setting a standard completely different to the one that is applied in workplaces all around Australia. I commend the amendment to the House.

Is the amendment seconded?

I second this motion, and I think that the member for Warringah has outlined very clearly the dilemma that we have for changing the workplace culture in this parliament. What the public see is not what happens in our committees or in our corridors or across the parliament where the code of behaviour does apply. I made reference to this yesterday in my speech commending the Speaker to the position that you hold. This is the kind of amendment that gives the Speaker the tools that the Speaker needs to improve the behaviour in the parliament that will improve the respect that is shown to members and will be in alignment with modern workplace culture across this nation.

I will respond to the amendment itself, and I'll just respond once because there are two amendments that have been circulated. This one deals with giving additional powers to the Speaker by framing things in the negative as to what we want to prevent, and the next one gives similar powers to the Speaker but frames it in terms of what we would want to expect. They frame them differently, but they deal with a similar concept.

Anyone who goes through Practice will see that offensive words are clearly out, offensive gestures are clearly out, but offensive and intimidatory behaviour is not necessarily covered. I think it is fair to say that there is a strong appetite from this parliament and an expectation from the Australian people that that sort of behaviour is just as dangerous and would be considered by the public as just as unparliamentary as the words or the gestures that are already referred to in Practice.

What method is best to deal with this? Do you frame it in the positive or do you frame it in the negative? Do you, in fact, need the power, or is there another method? I don't have a fixed view on that, but I do have a very fixed view that, from my conversations with the crossbench—and I'll put it in these terms—we have often seen a situation where people stand when the chamber is full and a pile on occurs, and this is more directed at the crossbench than any other members in this place. Any observer of that would think they were watching intimidation. Sometimes it will happen to government or opposition members, but I've seen it happen a lot to the crossbench. It is not something we want in the parliament.

What the method is to deal with this, I can't give a guarantee, so the government won't be supporting either this amendment or the next amendment in this motion today. I will undertake to the parliament, though, for both this amendment and the next amendment that, as soon as the Committee on Procedures is formed, I'll be writing to them and asking them to look at this matter and the pathways, whether it's standing orders or whether it's something you as Speaker decide you already have the power to do.

I do think there is an expectation in the parliament that, yes, words can be offensive, yes, gestures can be offensive, but, yes, behaviour can be offensive as well. That doesn't always necessarily involve words or gestures, and it is one of the areas where, as part of us responding to the Kate Jenkins inquiry that came down and in making sure that we are in fact setting the standard and raising the standards of this place, we need to basically ensure that you are empowered to be able to deal with behaviour. So we'll be opposing both amendments, but I wanted to explain, in one hit, the reasons.

Question negatived.

I move:

That standing order 91 be amended as follows:

91 Disorderly conduct   

A Member's conduct shall be considered disorderly if the Member has:

(a)persistently and wilfully obstructed the House;

(b)used objectionable words, which he or she has refused to withdraw;

(c)behaved in a manner that fails to treat others with dignity, courtesy, fairness and respect;

(d)persistently and wilfully refused to conform to a standing order;

(e)wilfully disobeyed an order of the House;

(f)persistently and wilfully disregarded the authority of the Speaker; or

(g)been considered by the Speaker to have behaved in a disorderly manner.

Australia has one of the most diverse and successful democracies in the world, and this is something that I think we are all incredibly proud of, but our diversity and the success of this democracy relies on our ability to disagree well. In times of conflict overseas, when we have very strong and very different views about conflicts—which is certainly the case in my community and many communities across the country—there is that need to disagree well and robustly but with dignity, fairness and respect. Those are things that we in this democracy need, and we need to start by showing that here in the parliament. This is the fundamental part of this amendment.

After Brittany Higgins's terrible ordeal in this parliament, the Set the standard report rightly recommended a code of conduct in the parliament that required people to treat people with dignity, courtesy, fairness and respect. But this code of conduct does not apply in this House, and that is a problem because this House is where the community sees parliament. Question time in particular is a time when the community sees the standards that the parliament is in theory trying to set, and the standards that the parliament sets in these times are not the qualities of dignity, courtesy, fairness and respect needed when conducting a robust debate. This is why I believe that, as was recommended in the Set the standard report, the code of conduct should apply in the House, as well as all around, because you cannot do one thing in the House and then walk out of the room and say, 'This is how we're going to behave.'

I did a survey recently on bullying in my electorate, and a comment that came back from one of the mothers affected by bullying was, 'My only comment would be for members of parliament to show more respect to political opponents.' Hear, hear! If we start to show that respect in this place, we can engender that in our community. In our schools, universities and communities, I want us to be able to have robust and passionate debates with dignity, courtesy, fairness and respect, but, if we're going to hold the community to that standard, we need to start to hold ourselves to that standard as well.

I know the government has proposed a variety of changes to the standing orders to set higher penalties in terms of bad behaviour, and there has been a very welcome change in terms of the gender mix in this parliament. But I don't believe that those are enough, nor do I believe that we should be telling the country that you can hold a robust debate without holding those four qualities in hand at the same time. That is what this parliament should expect of itself, and I think that is what the country expects of us as well.

Everyone I speak to in my community about parliament pretty much has the same feedback. That is: why is the behaviour in parliament so appalling? There is a standard of behaviour that's considered acceptable in this room that would not be acceptable in any boardroom, classroom or even clubroom in the country. This is really unacceptable. We had this 2021 Set the standard report; we now have a behaviour code for Australian parliamentarians. People are horrified when I tell them, 'Oh, yeah, that only applies to behaviour outside the chamber.' The expectation that people are treated with dignity, courtesy, fairness and respect doesn't apply when we're actually in the House of Representatives, and I don't think that meets community standards. I think there is an expectation that we are able to have civil debate, disagree and have robust discussions on policy matters while treating each other with dignity, courtesy, fairness and respect. I would really urge the government to consider making that change to the standing orders so that the new standard of behaviour that we expect outside this room also applies in this room, where Australians actually see us.

If that is not done, and if the government refers it to the procedure committee instead, I would really urge the procedure committee to make recommendations about those changes. I gave evidence to the procedure committee in the last term of parliament on this topic and on the need to increase the level of respect in the chamber, and, as far as I can see, not a lot has happened to develop a positive duty of respect and dignity in the chamber as a result of that evidence. I hope that, if this does go to the procedure committee, they feel empowered to act to lift the standard so that we are actually meeting the expectations of the Australian community in this room.

The question before the House is that the amendment moved by the honourable member for Wentworth and seconded by the member for Curtin be agreed to.

Question negatived.

Original question agreed to.

I move:

That order of the day No. 1, government business, be called on immediately.

Question agreed to.

Before I call the honourable member for Deakin, I remind the House that this is the honourable member's first speech, and I ask the House to extend to him the usual courtesies.

I acknowledge the traditional owners of my electorate, the Wurundjeri people of the Kulin nation, and pay my respects to elders past, present and emerging, as I do the traditional owners of this place, the Ngunnawal people.

I rise today not with self-importance but with a sense of duty. To be elected to this House by the people of Deakin is a profound honour—one I will never take for granted. This is not a platform for ego but a call to serve. First, I want to thank those who made this moment possible. I'm grateful to the people of Deakin for placing their trust in me and in the Labor Party. Every day, I will strive to honour that trust and to do my bit to help build a better, fairer future for our community and for Australia as a whole.

My presence in this chamber follows an amazing grassroots campaign powered by incredible volunteers and supporters, including campaign manager Michael McGoldrick, field coordinator Donna McKinnon, our dedicated local campaign committee and other wonderful volunteers. They were the heart of the effort that brought me here today. We had no war chest. We had no paid staff. We operated out of a decommissioned motel bar. Their conviction, courage and shared purpose made this victory possible. They gave us their days, their nights and their weekends for something bigger than any of us individually. They made this happen. Special thanks to those who helped us—particularly me—sharpen our phone banking skills. For me, as someone who's not naturally inclined to interrupt people at dinnertime, it did take some practice, but it was worth it in the end. Still, give me a street stall, a doorknock or a market day any day of the week.

Our opponents had all the phone boxes and billboards in the area, but we had hundreds of local residents and businesses allow us to put up our little campaign signs in front of their premises, which I think is a gesture far more powerful than any paid ad. Our campaign wasn't about handing out branded shopping bags, not just because we couldn't afford them but because our strategy was to get out into the community and talk to people about what matters to them. It was about listening with curiosity, sincerity, empathy and respect, including for those who held different views from our own.

We were, of course, bolstered by Labor's suite of positive, well-thought-out policies that responded to the concerns of people in our electorate and painted a positive path forward. Thank you to the Labor Party more broadly, including those in this room, that contributed to those policies. I'd also like to thank the Prime Minister for believing in our effort and coming down to Deakin many, many times when the media was really asking, 'Why bother?' Not only did his visits have a direct impact but he reminded our local campaign that perseverance and authenticity still matter and that staying focused on people, not the noise, can still cut through.

I extend that appreciation to the Deputy Prime Minister, to the Treasurer, to Senator Raff Ciccone and to ministers including Senator Penny Wong and the members for Hotham, Ballarat, Scullin and Fraser. Thank you for lending your voices, your time and your belief in our case. It really made all the difference.

I'm also appreciative of the support I received from Michael Donovan and the SDA across two campaigns and his tireless work representing some of the country's youngest and most vulnerable workers. Thank you. I also want to thank the Victorian Society of Labor Lawyers and acknowledge my former colleagues at Slater & Gordon, especially the extraordinary women who continued to support and mentor me over many years. It made me a stronger advocate and I think even a better person. So, thank you. That culture of intellectual rigour, constructive debate and mutual respect shaped me. It provided a template for the kind of working environment I want to create in this new chapter of my life.

I also want to take this opportunity to thank my family. Without them, I wouldn't be here today. I particularly want to pay tribute to my mum, who's in the chamber today and whose love and support have been unwavering. She taught me to think critically, to speak up and to never walk past a problem I could help fix. For most of my formative years she raised my brother and me as a single mum, juggling work as a full-time schoolteacher, with the trials and tribulations of raising two fairly rambunctious young men. Because of her, I became a lawyer and my brother a carpenter, just as we dreamed of when we were eight and 10 years old—with probably a little bit more imagination than realism but no shortage of belief that if we worked hard enough we could achieve it. She also inspired me to follow in her footsteps and become a schoolteacher, a career that has been the highlight of my working life and from which I've learnt so much.

For my mum and stepdad, politics wasn't their natural world, but they made it theirs for me. They rolled up their sleeves for two campaigns and did it out of love, putting countless hours into our campaign, and that support is something I will always carry with me.

My involvement in the Labor Party began in 2010, volunteering for former Labor member for Deakin Mike Symon—knocking on doors, putting up bunting at 2.30 in the morning and all those other jobs normally given to 18- to 25-year-olds during a campaign, happily leaving the argy-bargy to others. I never imagined that one day it would be my face on those campaign posters. But over time I realised I couldn't stay on the sidelines. In 2022 I put up my hand to contest the seat of Deakin for the first time, achieving a narrow defeat. But I learned more from that narrow defeat than I could have ever learned from an easy win. I tried again in 2025, with the support of local branch members, and this time we made it.

What drove me to hand out flyers in 2010 and what drives me now is a belief in the power of public service and in the idea that politics can still be a force for good, that it can be measured not just by slogans and headlines but by real, tangible improvements in people's lives. We live in a time that demands a seriousness of purpose. The challenges before us—economic, social, environmental and geopolitical—are complex and fast moving. At times the temptation can be to retreat—to become reactive, performative and paralysed. But we have to resist that. Our job in this place is to rise to the moment, to face complexity with clarity, to govern not for the next news cycle but for the next generation. We must continue to address the big challenges of our time—education, productivity, the provision of care, and environmental sustainability—with long-term resolve.

In Deakin I see these challenges play out every day. At our local footy clubs I hear about players who have had to move hours away, not because they wanted an opportunity to play on the field or wanted higher pay but because they couldn't afford a place to live in our part of the world. These aren't isolated stories by any stretch of the imagination. For most of my lifetime, the past 30 years, that great Australian dream—the chance to live, work, raise a family and contribute to the community you love—has become increasingly impossible to realise. That dream has been a defining aspect of Deakin for a very long time—families calling our suburbs home from generation to generation. When you go to football clubs and other societies you see the same familiar surnames on the walls and in the old photos. But that is starting to fade away. It's an erosion of that sense of community and security that we came to take for granted. It's an erosion that is fast becoming one of the great social and economic tests of our time. That is why I'm so supportive of and excited about the government's bold and necessary efforts to address housing supply and affordability—because, when people can't live where they feel like they belong, community itself begins to fray.

I also believe that Australia must remain a place that makes things. We cannot manufacture everything all the time—we're part of the global economy—but we must be capable of responding to shocks, of pivoting, of innovating. With the right policy settings, we can foster a modern manufacturing sector that's smart, agile and resilient—a sector where entrepreneurs and small businesses can access capital, support and cutting-edge technology through manufacturing hubs and industry programs so they can test new ideas in a supportive ecosystem whilst also continuing to open pathways to allow more people to participate in these opportunities through skills, training and lifelong learning.

That brings me to education, a subject that's very close to my heart. Not only am I the proud product of public education; I've taught in public schools, specialist schools, in the country and at a university, and what I know without any shadow of a doubt is that education changes lives. It builds confidence. It builds capacity. It opens opportunities. Every child in Deakin, every child in Australia, deserves access to world-class education, no matter their postcode or background. Every adult deserve the opportunity to continue learning and growing throughout their life, and every teacher deserves the respect and resources to do the job well. That's why I'm proud to become part of a government that has put every Australian public school on a path to full and fair funding.

Recently, I have heard deep concerns by members of my community about the impact that social media is having on health and wellbeing and on civil discourse. Teachers see it in the classroom. Some of the toughest teachers I have ever worked with have felt they needed to leave the profession, harassed with misogynistic and other antisocial behaviours like never before, which were inspired by, let's say, bad actors publishing their ill-conceived thoughts on social media. Young people themselves feel it in their own sense of self-worth. They know something is wrong.

We must continue to meet the challenges posed by social media and the landscape it has created, not with panic but with serious, thoughtful action. Our goal should be a digital world build on dignity, confidence and inclusion, where harmful content is sidelined rather than mainstreamed. Adults who wish to engage in that content within the bounds of the law may do so, but it should not define or diminish the experience of everyone else, everywhere, all the time. The relentless push for user engagement, exploiting vulnerabilities in the human brain—particularly those of our young people—to keep us logged in so they can sell more ads has to be tempered by a genuine obligation to protect individuals from unreasonable harm, just as we expect of any other industry or workplace. Commendable work has already been done in this place, but protecting our young people and upholding reasonable community standards will require continued vigilance and a sustained, principled response.

Deakin is a vibrant and diverse electorate. We're home to an incredibly broad array of sporting clubs, volunteer associations, inclusion organisations, conservation and history societies, Dungeons & Dragons competitions, choirs, places of worship, theatres and many other clubs. Ours is a community that is active, generous and engaged, where there is truly something for everyone. It also has strong and vibrant diaspora communities whose stories are woven into our social fabric. These are communities for whom events thousands of kilometres away are not abstract; they're deeply personal. These connections remind us that Australia's global engagement matters. We must remain committed to principled international engagement and to being a trustworthy and constructive partner promoting peace, mutual understanding, prosperity and sustainability within a rules-based global order. At home, fairness must remain our guiding principle defining our reforms and shaping our national identity.

So much of what we do in this place is shaped by culture, not just rules, and you can see that from a cursory look at our Constitution. The culture of politics can either lift people or wear them down. We need to keep asking, 'What kind of culture are we building here?' The Australian people deserve a politics that reflects their better instincts, that doesn't insult their intelligence or play on fears but speaks to their hopes. I will do everything I can to contribute to that kind of politics, not because it's easy but because it's necessary.

Before I close, I will make a short reflection. My great-great-uncle Jack turned 106 last week. Born in 1919, he has witnessed the Great Depression, World War II and, in what we now call the Deakin electorate, the transformation from orchards and clay pits to many of the suburbs we now call home. His perspective reminds me that change is constant and our communities have always navigated it. The question is whether that change is fair, whether it's inclusive and future focused, and whether we're making decisions that serve both the present and the generations still to come. That's the kind of change I believe in—change that builds rather than divides, strengthens our communities and leaves future generations with a society they can thrive in, not just inherit. That's my commitment: not to be perfect but to be principled; not to win every argument but to bring good faith and a constructive approach to each one; not to chase headlines but to work diligently for the people of Deakin and for the country we all share.

Before I call the honourable member for Banks, I remind the House that this is the honourable member's first speech and I ask the House to extend to him the usual courtesies.

It is the honour of my life to stand in this house as the representative for the electorate of Banks. It is the electorate I grew up in, the area I live in and the place where I am raising my own family. Banks is located on the lands of the Bidjigal people. I'm so pleased to be able to recognise, in this great house, their culture and the custodianship of the lands, air and waterways of Banks, alongside the Ngunnawal and Ngambri people of this region.

I would like to take you back to the night of 18 August 1989, to a small house in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. That night, as a three-year-old boy, I asked my parents why all our things were packed. My parents said to my sister and me that we were going to Australia. The next day would prove to be the most important day of my family's life. I'm told I would go on to repeat to myself for most of that evening, as kids do, the word 'Australia, Australia, Australia', unsure about what lay ahead.

My parents had chosen to come to this great southern land in search of new opportunities for the family but with an ever-present concern as to whether they and their children would be accepted. In particular, like so many migrants to this great country, they sought to give their children the best education possible, in the hope that that would make our lives easier than the ones they had experienced with their families but also to contribute to their new home.

We arrived into the arms of family in Sydney—all of whom are up there in the gallery—spending the first year of our new lives in Hurstville before moving to Revesby, where our family home would be. I started school at Revesby Public School and finished off primary at Picnic Point Public School. I then went to Hurlstone Agricultural High School, where I not only had a great conventional education but an education about the land and the importance of agriculture. I am also the proud product of public education.

I had a childhood in the nineties and the 2000s, soundtracked by 'Simply the Best', as the rugby league roared across the telly in the winter and we heard the voice of Richie Benaud in his commentary on the cricket in the summer. I once ate 20 oranges in a single sitting while watching a test match, much to my mother's bemusement. I also spent countless hours at Bankstown Basketball Stadium, imagining myself as a future NBL or NBA star, despite my smallish stature, and on the tennis courts across the area, preparing for my never-to-come debut at Rod Laver Arena. I could also be found, air guitar in hand, pretending I was part of Powderfinger, You Am I or Something for Kate.

It was a childhood rich in diversity. My sister and I were welcomed into the households of families of backgrounds from all around the world. They took us in and treated us as their own. Whether they came from Egypt, like the late Mrs Zammit, Lebanon, like the Abrahams, Vietnam, like the Tans, India, like the Vengurlekars, or otherwise, they showed me that multiculturalism was not just a word but a way of life. It involved sharing food, sharing traditions, sharing hardships and sharing laughter. One moment I was eating a devon sandwich, the next a curry laksa, a kibbeh, a banh xeo or a panipuri. I'm a proud Asian Australian. I'm a proud Malaysian Australian. I'm a proud Chinese Australian. But, most of all, I am a proud Australian.

I was lucky enough to attend university, where I studied law and a broad range of subjects, from political science and international relations to economics. During uni I had a range of jobs—everything from putting up Christmas decorations in a shopping centre to serving food at a football stadium and from shouting, 'Out!' as a tennis linesperson to working as a management consultant. Since then I've had the privilege of a career that has taken me from the prime minister's office here in this house to serving as a diplomat in Afghanistan and working with governments, not-for-profits and businesses all around the world on the application of behavioural economics and improving education standards globally.

In Afghanistan I saw firsthand the horrors of war and conflict. I learnt the importance of having trusted institutions, of combating corruption and of the basics of economic growth. I also learnt about large-scale poverty and the delivery of humanitarian assistance. More broadly, though, in my time in diplomacy, I saw how international agreements were negotiated and the work of our security services and defence force. I saw our alliances in practice and what they mean. Through my time in behavioural economics and education, I've had the honour of travelling to dozens of countries, seeing firsthand how different governments do things. It gave me ideas on how Australia, as great as it is, could do things better. Having high expectations of your government is a good thing.

I've also had the pleasure of working with teachers, school leaders and education policy experts across our great country. I have seen their hard work in action, the profound role they play in our communities and the lengths they go to to make sure no child is left behind. I've also seen their innovation, creativity and empathy. This extends to teachers in regional, rural and remote communities. Unsurprisingly, the research is clear that the biggest in-school impact on a child's outcomes is their teachers. Your work will never go unnoticed in this House.

Whilst I've had the opportunity to travel around our country and to places around the world, I live about a five-minute drive from the house I grew up in. My parents are still in Revesby, albeit on the other side of it now, and my sister is close by. We are now raising our own families in the electorate of Banks. As I told all those I saw at early voting or on election day, I drive the same streets you do, I shop at the same grocery stores, I eat at the same restaurants, I go to the same doctors and hospitals and I'm about to experience, as a parent, the same early childhood education and schools you do. Your problems are my problems, your hopes are my hopes and your joys are my joys.

As a new member, you get asked what you believe in. For the more academically inclined, I am largely a Rawlsian; I subscribe to the beliefs of the great John Rawls and his principles of justice. What that means is I believe we should have systems of government that, no matter what circumstances you are born into, allow people to live happy, healthy and successful lives, and a society that is productive and supports each other, understanding that true achievement is one that is shared and widespread. I also believe strongly in aspiration. Wanting better for you and your family is to be supported. We must have intergenerational mobility, learning from the research of people like Raj Chetty about the barriers to it and what can be done to facilitate it.

I'm also a big believer in social capital, in the value derived from social connections and community. My friend and former colleague David Halpern often refers to this social capital as 'the hidden wealth of nations'. I also share Bob Putnam's views on the importance of social trust not only for social cohesion but as a foundation for economic growth. Social policy is economic policy, and vice versa.

I'm also a great believer in making government more human. People are not just numbers and we should ensure we have the systems in place to reflect that. We should make government processes easier for people to navigate and demonstrate compassion in our delivery. We can strike the balance between fiscal responsibility, accountability, transparency and humanity. Often governments have sound strategic visions for their policy agenda but do not give enough thought to their implementation or how people experience said policy. The details matter.

I'm a person who believes strongly in evidence based or informed policymaking. We should rely on robust evidence to guide our decision-making. Where we know what works, we should adopt. Where we don't, we should try and evaluate. As governments, we need to be humble in recognising what we do and do not know and what we do and do not do well. We must test, learn and adapt.

Another thing you get asked about as a new member is what you want to contribute. First and foremost is my commitment to the people of Banks. Whether you live in Milperra, Revesby, Panania, East Hills, Padstow, Picnic Point, Riverwood, Narwee, Punchbowl, Roselands, Penshurst, Oatley, Lugarno, Mortdale, South Hurstville, Hurstville Grove, Carss Park, Kyle Bay, Connells Point or Blakehurst, I will work day and night to ensure that your voices are heard, that you have the services you need and that government is focused on improving your lives. As I've told every person who has walked through the Banks electorate office since I have been elected, that office is not mine but yours. It is the community's office, and I hope to use it to make the lives of every single person in the electorate better. My campaign slogan was Because You Matter, and I really mean it.

I'm also deeply passionate about education. Education is transformational. It was my life and has been for generations. But my passion for education runs deeper than overarching statements, understanding what makes good education and how we can translate what we know from research about effective teaching and learning into classrooms around our country. This means supporting teachers and school leaders, equipping them with the tools to support generations of kids to explore what they are good at, what they are interested in and what is productive to support our continued growth and development as a country.

I see Australia's potential as an education superpower, one that is a world leader and is at the cutting edge of teaching practice, the adoption of technology and student empowerment and agency. This is not only in our schools but in our early education centres and our higher education institutions, including universities and TAFEs. Good education policy is good economic policy. I can remember the name of every single teacher I've had since kindergarten. That is because of the profound effect they've had on my life.

I also believe we must think about economic policy more creatively than we have in the past. We can do more as government to promote well-functioning markets. There is comprehensive research by economists like Alvin Roth on how to make markets more effective. We should look to intervene in order not only to prevent market failures but also to boost efficiency and productivity in different markets. We should also explore how we can use data held by government more effectively to support business growth. Do we have information that we can share to equip a small-business owner with data to inform their business decisions and to increase their likelihood of success? Equally, can we equip consumers with more data to help support them with their decision-making? I mentioned previously my interest in social capital. We can also do more to explore how this can be utilised to understand and drive economic productivity.

I'm also deeply passionate about Australia in the global context. Having served as an Australian diplomat, I know how important Australia's voice and actions can be on the international stage. We have a role to play demonstrating how people of different backgrounds, creeds and interests can come together, living peacefully and harmoniously together. Australia is respected by the international community. We can be leaders galvanising action on issues such as climate change and trade cooperation, addressing human rights violations and ending conflicts. Whilst we are not a big country by population, we are a great one. We are uniquely placed in the Asia-Pacific. We have strong relationships in our region but also across the world, allowing us to be a leader—something we should continue to embrace. I have always believed that a threat to peace and security anywhere is a threat to peace and security everywhere. This is why international relations and diplomacy are so important.

In order to be here, I have stood on the shoulders of giants. I would first like to thank the people of Banks for entrusting me to represent you at federal parliament and to be your champion in accessing the services and support you need. I would like to pay tribute to David Coleman, the previous member for Banks. Thank you for your service to the community and the work of you and your staff over the years. I would like to pay special tribute to Daryl Melham, who was the member for Banks for 23 years. Daryl might not remember this but I first met him as a year 6 student from Picnic Point primary school in this House. Daryl has only ever asked one thing of me, and that was to be myself. Daryl, I know you couldn't be here today in person, but we did it.

Thank you to the countless volunteers that helped support the campaign in Banks. There are simply too many individuals to name them all, but I would like to recognise some people who made particularly important contributions over the course of our campaigns in 2022 and 2025. My sincere thank you to the Banks Labor federal electoral council leadership, namely Andrew Ogden, Noreen Whittaker, Karno Gangopadhyay and Peter Gayton.

I would also like to recognise the Labor stalwarts in Banks: the Melham family, Linda Downey, Alan Ashton—and the whole Ashton family—Ian Stromborg, John Rodwell, Morris Iemma, Kevin Greene, John Choueifate, the Gambian family and the Bai family. There are also wonderful elected officials in Banks that have supported me: Mayor Bilal El-Hayek, deputy Mayor Karl Saleh, counsellors David Walsh, Kathryn Landsberry, Elaina Anzellotti, Leon Pun, Gerard Hayes and my new colleague, the member for Barton, during her time in local council. There were also many volunteers that kept on showing up, time after time: Derek Russell, Michael Warner, Vince Smith, Aaron Choy, Mary Studdert, Jaden Kelly, Graeme Wilkinson, Margaret and Patrick Brady, Chloe Walsh, Wendy and Kim Stevenson, Sue Wyatt, Paul Judge, Margaret Hermann, Gerry Selvaraj, Andrew Galuzzo, Bethany Pankhurst, Kate Rainbird, Veronica Ficarra, Matt McDonald Ronnie, Simon Byrnes, Roy Cho and Ronnie Wang. I can see many of you up there today. We did it, thank you!

Also, I send a massive shout-out to the team from the Riverwood Community Centre, who are here today. Every time I visit your centre it reminds me of the greatness of multiculturalism in our community. Thank you for coming. I'd also like to recognise the Rotary Club of Padstow and the Lions Club of Lugarno.

My thanks also goes out to the mighty union movement, with special thanks to the United Workers Union, the Community and Public Sector Union, the Financial Sector Union and the Electrical Trades Union. Thank you, also, to the whole team at the Revesby Workers Club for all your support and for flying the flag for working people in South-West Sydney.

I would also like to express my gratitude to the New South Wales Labor head office and the national secretariat, particularly Dominic Ofner, George Simon, David Dobson, and Paul Erickson.

Thank you also to the Young Labor movement whose hard work has helped me and so many in this chamber.

To not only Thomas Arthur, who led the 2025 Banks campaign, but also to Declan Davis and Thomas Gao who led my campaign in 2022: for your intellect, tireless work and commitment, I will forever be grateful. You were the architects of our success. I look forward to seeing your amazing careers ahead. Thank you also to Teryn Crick for all of your support with the campaign.

My sincere gratitude goes to my colleagues in the federal caucus for their encouragement and support, both during the election and since. This gratitude includes the Prime Minister, who came to Banks during the campaign, as well as the many ministers who came out to campaign alongside me during the campaign and who have visited me since. Also, thank you to my New South Wales state parliament and ministerial colleagues, including the Premier Chris Minns and the member for East Hills, Kylie Wilkinson, for all of your support.

Now, for my family. To my parents, Beow Hong and Ee Lay, you have shown my sister and me boundless love and we are who we are because of you. You worried, before we came to Australia, whether we would be accepted. Hopefully me speaking here today in this House and the achievements of your daughter are testament to the fact that we have. To my sister, Dr. Yin-Lan Soon: you are my hero. Thank you for always being here for me.

To my aunties Barbara and Meilin, to my uncle Yeow Leng and my late uncle Nelson, to my cousins Wayne, Ryan, Stacey, Lennox and Aubrey, to my in-laws—the Smith, Lawrence and MacPherson families, to my brother-in-law, Kevin, to my nieces, Elinore and Abigail, and to my lifelong friends Scott Walters, Wilson Kwok, Victor Hua, Edwin Ho, Jerry Lee, Kim Nguyen, Henry Huynh, Stefan Heap, Rey Reodica, Ronny Azzi and, and Chris Kazanis, as well as the rest of my family and friends in Australia and Malaysia: you have been with me every step of the way. Thank you

To my partner, Bridget: you inspire me every day with your kindness, intelligence, can-do attitude and sense of humour. Thank you for your incredible and unwavering support. To our lovely little girl, Dorothy: you mean the world to us. Dorothy is named after the great Labor senator Dorothy Tangney, her fifth cousin, or great aunt, as we like to say, and the first woman elected to the Australian Senate. What we do, we do for you, Dorothy.

Before I call the honourable member for Barton, I remind the House that this is the honourable member's first speech, and I ask that the House extend to her the usual courtesies.

I rise in this chamber with deep humility and enormous gratitude as the newly elected member for Barton. Before I begin, I wish to acknowledge the traditional custodians of the land this parliament meets on, the Ngunnawal and Ngambri peoples. I pay my respects to elders past, present and emerging and to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples here today. I also acknowledge the Bidjigal people of the Eora nation, who are the traditional custodians of the land I have the privilege to represent, the seat of Barton. These lands were never ceded. They hold the wisdom of over 65,000 years of continuous connection to land, water, sky and spirit. This history is not behind us; it lives with us. And it reminds us that the work of truth-telling and justice is far from complete. This always was and always will be Aboriginal land.

I want to acknowledge my predecessor and mentor, the Hon. Linda Burney. Your service to the people of Barton and to this nation, as a proud Wiradjuri woman and a trailblazing parliamentarian, has been profound. Your advocacy for First Nations peoples has shaped this country's moral conscience. I will walk in your footsteps with awe and admiration. I wish you well for the next chapter of your life and thank you for your support.

I also want to congratulate my fellow new members of parliament. I know we will all work together to ensure this parliament is defined by unity, by courage and by decency. We are all part of the most diverse parliament in this nation's history. We should be proud to say as much, but we should also understand the duty that representing that diversity bears. It requires empathy, compassion and humility. It requires an understanding that service to others underpins this job.

I am lucky enough to have been raised by a family that instilled this ethic in me. I was raised in the electorate of Barton. My story is written in the streets of Hurstville, the parks of Kogarah and the laneways of Arncliffe. I stand here as a member of the House of Representatives with Papua New Guinean heritage and as the daughter of a Tamil Sri Lankan mother. While my mother completed her studies in Papua New Guinea and became the first female psychiatrist there, I was raised by my uncle Thiru, her brother. He was a young, single man in his 20s, with thick, slick hair, a leather jacket and a cigarette permanently perched between his lips—not your typical father figure, some say. But he showed up for me every single day.

We didn't do it alone. A Maltese hospital cleaner introduced him to the Bezzina family of Narwee, who became family. Then came the Colubriales, an Italian family from Elwood who taught me to brine olives, make salami and roast chestnuts. My family was not defined by blood but by love and kindness. I was raised in a multicultural village—Sri Lankan, Maltese, Italian, Burmese, Cambodian. I was that dark-skinned little girl running through the streets of Barton who never felt out of place.

It was at Hurstville Public School where I first met my husband, Shamil. Maybe an idea was forged on the bus back from the year 6 excursion to Canberra, but I think it is more likely that neither of us imagined we'd be here. Shamil has been by my side through three election campaigns in 2½ years. He's endured stump speeches at the dinner table and my idea of weekend do-it-yourself at home—hammering a few A-frames together for a shopping centre stall—but that's devotion. I see your patience, your love, and your strength, Shamil, and I'm grateful beyond words.

I learnt early that love doesn't follow convention; it just shows up. Real community is built not by proximity but by generosity. From my maternal grandparents—my grandfather, known as Master Ambi in the Tamil literacy and scientific world, and Mano, my grandmother, a teacher by trade for 40 years—I inherited a commitment to education and justice, and I am eternally grateful to them. I thank my in-laws, Smeetha and Kishore, who came from apartheid South Africa to settle in Hurstville for a better life and taught me resilience and hope. I would like to thank Thiru, my parents, Uma and Siva, Dharamine, Thaya, Ajith, the Bezzinas, the Colubriales and my siblings for the understanding that serving my community often means sacrificing time with you.

While Mother's Day and Father's Day have been a little bit complicated for me, I must say I'm proud that I was raised by a community—mosaic of cultures, traditions and faiths. My childhood transcended the conventional nuclear family. I never felt once left out of place, because love doesn't care for convention; it just shows up. It shows up and it serves.

Barton is named for Edmund Barton, Australia's first Prime Minister. He was a nation-builder, stitching together all of the disparate colonies into one federation. However, as a champion of the White Australia policy, I don't think that Edmund Barton could have envisioned someone with the backstory I've just described making their first speech in parliament. But, like Edmund Barton, I attended the University of Sydney before studying law. Like Barton, I stand here representing more than just a place. I represent the project of Australia itself—a project that is not finished but ever-evolving.

Edmund Barton was Prime Minister when women won the right to vote. In this chamber, I stand on the shoulders of Julia Gillard, our first female prime minister. Her words in this chamber were a clarion call to me and to all Australian women to speak up, to push through and to change the system from within. I also follow in the footsteps of former members for Barton Robert McClelland and Gary Punch. It is an honour, and one I do not take lightly.

After completing my science degree, I began my career in a mortuary. Yes, that's right—dead bodies. It's not glamorous, but it teaches you that life is precious and that dignity matters in life and in death. That's what drew me to law, to unions and to advocacy. It led me to my passion for workplace law reform. My belief that dignity at work is sacred is at the core of everything I do. I've stood with workers here and overseas. I've worked with the United Auto Workers in America, the Electrical Trades Union, the Nurses and Midwives' Association and the Australian Hotels Association. In the federal campaign this year, I worked with the United Workers Union, and I want to thank them, especially Jo-anne Schofield, Mel Gatfield and Riz Chowdhury.

Everywhere I've been, I've seen how easy it is for workers to be exploited, especially when they don't understand their payslips, their contracts or their rights. I've seen employers operate in the 'grey zone', especially in the care sector, where profits can be prioritised over people. That's why I'm proud to be part of a Labor government that is pro-worker, pro-decency and pro-small-business. Labor's secure jobs, better pay reforms are shifting power back where it belongs—with the workers. Setting minimum standards for gig workers, enacting the right to disconnect, giving genuine bargaining power, enacting the government's closing loopholes act and tackling casualisation, underpayment and wage theft is just the beginning.

Some say that supporting workers and supporting small business are incompatible. I reject that. Business success should never come at the cost of dignity and fairness. The best businesses know that when you invest in your people, you invest in your prosperity. I'm proud to be part of a movement that has always understood the role of unions. They stand in the gap for those who don't always know their rights, who can't read the fine print and who just want a fair go. Again, their purpose is to serve—to serve their members and to serve the collective movement for working people. I learnt more about what this service means in my time working at the St Vincent de Paul Society. But, this time, it was applied to those experiencing housing stress and homelessness. This role taught me that policy only works when it is human, when it listens first. My time as a councillor at Georges River Council gave me a glimpse of how compassionate leadership can shape local lives, especially in homelessness advocacy. I've volunteered in soup kitchens, I've delivered meals to some people sleeping rough and I've sat with families terrified of the night ahead. These are not statistics; these are people. They are our neighbours. I'm proud of the Prime Minister's National Housing Accord, because housing is not just an economic issue. It is about dignity, it's about safety, and it is about hope.

I'm also passionate about our young people. This next generation deserves purpose, pathways and potential, not burnout, not debt and not despair. We owe them a future that is fair, full of opportunity and where safeguarding the planet has been taken seriously by the generation going before. That's why climate change must be the lens through which all policy passes. If we're not tackling climate, we're not doing our job.

While there are parallels between Edmund Barton's life and mine, in some ways they could not be more different. While Barton championed the White Australia policy, I live and breathe multiculturalism. I stand here because others lifted me. That's why I will always fight for antidiscrimination, for safety, for equity and for unity. I know what it feels like to be different, to navigate different worlds. I've also seen how political tension can quickly mutate into real-world hate if not called out early. I will always stand up against racism, division and hate. I like to think that Edmund Barton, as the architect of Federation, would recognise the work needed to forge not just a nation but a just nation.

My story is a uniquely Australian story, and it is Barton's story: diverse, proud, imperfect but always striving. In that spirit, I carry forward the unfinished work to ensure parliaments reflect their people, that justice is accessible, that equality is not just a promise but a practice.

I would like to thank the Prime Minister for his faith in me and for leading us all with compassion and strength. Thank you to Dom Ofner, David Dobson and especially George Simon. Thank you, George, for your wisdom and your support.

I stand here today because others stood with me. I carry my community with me every step of the way. I thank the people of Barton for placing their faith in me. I will never take that for granted. I thank the wonderful Barton Labor branch members; I can't list them all, but I can see you up there—my friends, Labor councillors, who worked so hard on the campaign. Thank you to Cherie Burton and Sienna Forrest for volunteering and showing political courage and campaign grit. To Davina Langton, Cheryl Han, Samantha Otardo, Jessica Wei, Loretta Marcus, Anne Sinclair, Anne Tegg and Anna Minns: my campaign was run almost exclusively by women, and the result speaks for itself.

Thank you to the New South Wales Premier, the Hon. Chris Minns, and Ministers Steve Kamper and Sophie Cotsis. It is a remarkable privilege to represent a seat alongside three state MPs of such calibre. I am grateful for your advice, support and friendship. Thank you to the Southern Sydney Young Labor Association, India Jones, Sam and the Iskandar family, and our secret weapon in Barton, Don Smith.

My passion for the people of Barton has been shaped by organisations who serve our community. Lala Noronha and the Kogarah Storehouse provide vital services of food relief and cultural inclusion. His Grace Bishop Christodoulos, the Greek Orthodox Community of New South Wales, the Australasian Hellenic Educational Progressive Association, and our Greek community all promote heritage and belonging. Henry Pan and the team at CASS provide our amazing Chinese community with support through aged care, child care and cultural services and lift countless lives. The St George Dragons Junior Rugby League Football Club in Kingsgrove creates community and opportunity for local kids. These groups and so many more are doing the real on-the-ground work that no level of government can replace. I'm committed to fiercely advocating for equitable funding, fair policy and ensuring the voices of those who serve are truly heard and respected.

As Edmund Barton stitched together a nation, I'm here to help stitch together a future for Barton where no-one is left behind, where every voice counts, where dignity is non-negotiable.

I'm a proud Tamil Sri Lankan, Papua New Guinean Australian woman, educated in local Barton schools and raised by a Sri Lankan, Maltese and Italian village. I'm married to a South African born Indian. I have roots in Hinduism, Buddhism and Catholicism. I am the walking, talking embodiment of modern Australia.

None of us chose the colour of our skin, our birthplace or our family, but we can choose to be kind; we can choose to serve. I close with the Latin phrase that guides me: ut prosim—that I may serve.

Before I call the honourable member for Hughes, I remind the House that this is the honourable member's first speech, and I ask that the House extend to him the usual courtesies.

I want to start by acknowledging the traditional owners of the land on which we meet, the Ngunnawal and Ngambri people, and I also want to acknowledge the traditional owners of the lands and waterways that make up the area of Hughes—the Dharawal people and the Cabrogal clan of the Darug Nation—and pay my respects to elders past, present and emerging. They've looked after this country since time immemorial, and not lost on me is the responsibility that I have to live up to that stewardship.

I grew up as the child of two maths teachers. I studied maths at a postgraduate level, and, for a long time, I viewed politics through a mathematical lens. You draw up a Mackerras pendulum. You write good policy. That policy assists people. The people vote for it, and the swing moves down the rungs of the pendulum. This is not an accurate assessment of politics!

In a democracy, good policies mean absolutely nothing if they aren't supported by the population, and they won't be supported if they're not communicated. I grew up obsessing over politics a little bit, and I'm sure a lot of people in this place and our social circles did too. But most Australians do not spend their days thinking about politics, and that is not a bad thing. We shouldn't expect everybody to focus on the matters that divide us all the time. People are getting on with their lives. They're paying their bills, spending time with their families and running their businesses. But as we do those things our lives are being affected by the decisions that are made here and at other levels of government across our country. It is not our role to wish that those people paid more attention to our amazing policies. It is our role to explain what we're doing with the responsibilities given to us and to seek input on how it can be done better. I firmly believe that good policy cannot be produced without consultation from the people that it affects. That is why engagement from politicians and candidates is so important.

To me, the most direct form of engagement is doorknocking. I occasionally hear political candidates complain about having to doorknock or advise that you really only have to doorknock for the photo: 'Once you have one, you can stop. Who's going to know?' While I understand that every individual has their own way of engaging, I do not relate to this sentiment in the slightest. Doorknocking is not a chore for me. It is core to who I am, and it's core to why I'm here. As public representatives, I believe we should be students of the communities we represent, and there is no better way to learn about them than doorknocking. I have seen doorknocking transform candidates from name-on-the-ballot also-rans to suburb-by-suburb experts on their constituencies and the matters affecting them. Doorknocking teaches me about what my community cares about and guides me on how to communicate about matters that affect it. You earn the right to speak about policy because you listen first.

I put my hand up to run for Hughes because I believed that our community was seeking meaningful engagement. I put my hand up because I believed that our population wanted representation from a local who understood who they were as a community. I put my hand up because I thought we needed a doorknocker, a local who'd lived here, walked these streets and heard their stories.

During the campaign, there were some days when I had an army of volunteers with me, to whom I will always be so grateful. Some days it was just me, going from house to house, street to street, pounding the hot tarred pavement with my walking shoes on my feet and a brimmed hat on my head, on scorching hot days of the summer that didn't seem to want to end. The conventional wisdom was that Hughes was not a winnable seat for Labor. Analysts and psephologists much smarter than me had looked at the seat, it's position on the Mackerras pendulum, and decided that it wasn't the time.

I would often pause at the doors I'd reached after I'd knocked and rung the sometimes up-to-three doorbells—yes, I always ring every doorbell at the door presented to me!—and, while waiting to see whether anyone would come to the door, I'd consider this conventional wisdom and whether this was a rational way to spend my time. But I had seen the power that engagement could have. I remember doing a street stall one Saturday morning during my time as a state staffer, and a community member came up to me and conveyed their cynicism: 'I have so many problems that I could raise with you, but you won't be able to do anything. I've worked in the system. I know how it works.' 'Just try me,' I eventually said, 'What's the harm?' She explained that there was an intersection on the Princes Highway that, in her professional opinion, was too unsafe. It needed better signage. 'But they won't do anything about it,' she said, 'I've tried.' Nevertheless, I noted down her contact details and her concerns. I drafted a letter to the minister. We sent it off, and, a few weeks later, I drove past that intersection, and what did I see? There was brand-spanking new signage. A couple of days later we received correspondence from the minister saying that they'd assessed the intersection as requiring better signage and promptly installed it. I immediately rang that community member. She'd seen the signage and she was happy it had been put up. What she hadn't realised was that it was a direct result of her engaging with her local member. This was a tiny victory. In the scheme of things it was a sign on the road, but one that could have saved her life. But it was something that the government structure had overlooked. One of the strengths of democracy is that we can identify these gaps in our system through the eyes and ears of every citizen. I also like to think that this small victory and others like it put a small dent in the cynicism that has been afflicting democracies around the world, including our own.

My community wanted their income tax cut but most were unaware that a vote had occurred in this place to secure one. My community wanted energy bill relief but they didn't know for what reason that deduction had appeared on their bill. Opportunities like that are why I doorknock. The most common question I've gotten over the last few months has been some variation of, 'Did you know you would win?' I find it to be a difficult question to answer. The mathematician in me wants to say that Hughes had been redistributed to be a marginal seat and winning was within the realm of possibility. The political analyst in me wants to say that the analysis presented to me indicated that it was not winnable. Ultimately, winning and losing were not what I was thinking about. What mattered to me was finding out what issues were affecting community members and doing my best to help them.

As a candidate, it was a privilege to explain government policies and be able to act on concerns raised by voters. I treasured every moment of that opportunity. It is even more of a privilege to be able to act on concerns raised by my communities with me as their local member, and I will treasure every moment of that even more. This role is multifaceted and there are so many important elements to it. I know that committee work is important. I know that voting on legislation is important. But what I really want to do with this role is listen to my community about what issues affect them and do everything I can to help.

When developers tried to move in on land on Bundanoon Road, on which the Woronora Heights community had seen koalas, we engaged with the community to let them know. When the state coalition government turned around and told us there was no evidence of any koalas on that land, we doorknocked because our engagement with the community had picked up something that the government hadn't. On street stalls, community members were coming up to us and telling stories about the koalas they'd seen and showing us videos of the koalas they'd seen. The community hadn't been consulted and information had been missed. I'm so pleased that, in June, this land was declared a regional park.

When the New South Wales coalition government devastated the TAFE system with a decade of underinvestment, I doorknocked. We turned what had once been three safe Liberal seats in Hughes into two marginal seats and one Labor seat. When this place legislated tax cuts, I begged Senator Sheldon's office for material with which to doorknock. Thanks to Senator Sheldon we were able to start spreading the word about them, with many of the people we spoke to hearing about them for the first time. While working for APRA, the prudential regulator, I became a CPSU delegate. I'm proud to have been a member of successive unions since I joined the workforce, and it was such an honour to have been able to represent my colleagues in this manner.

The seat of Hughes was held by successive Labor members Les Johnson and Robert Tickner from its creation in 1955 to 1996, except for a single term which preceded the creation of neighbouring Cook in 1969. Both former Labor members for Hughes served as ministers for Aboriginal affairs during landmark moments in the reconciliation movement. Les Johnson was minister when Gough Whitlam poured that handful of red dirt into the hands of Vincent Lingiari, and Robert Tickner was minister when the Mabo decision was handed down and fought to deliver a just native title act. Inspired by their values, I was proud to play an active role for the 'yes' campaign during the Voice referendum in 2023. I sat on the organising committee for Yes 23 for the Sutherland shire, kicked off our direct voter contact and led the doorknocking. I'm so fortunate to have the support and counsel of Robert Tickner, and I am grateful to have the opportunity to build on the legacy he left in this community.

I started to take an interest in federal politics—a sustained interest in federal politics, sorry; I was always interested!—after the 2010 election. The media focused on the instability presented by a minority government but they couldn't hide the fact that many incredible world-leading achievements were being accomplished by the government during that period. During that period I was particularly struck by the integrity of one cabinet minister, one who stuck by his values even when they were a danger to his career. I was so inspired by that integrity. From that period, whenever I was asked who my favourite politician was, 'Anthony Albanese' was my answer. I even received a 21st birthday card from someone to whom I'd given that answer which had been signed by the member for Grayndler and on which he had been kind enough to add the words 'party hard'. I'm not sure if the party he was referring to was the federal parliamentary Labor Party, but I've chosen to interpret it that way. So, while, yes, I am proud to have that man of integrity and conviction now leading our country, it does not give me much credit in the obscure political trivia community that my favourite politician has been Prime Minister for the last three years!

My electorate contains a diverse range of communities across its nearly 400 square kilometres and three local government areas, stretching from Bundeena to Bardia, from Engadine to Ingleburn, from Menai to Moorebank, from Waterfall to Wattle Grove. Each community has unique needs, and I am honoured to represent those needs here.

Hughes is also home to a thriving small-business community, the lifeblood of our economy. Almost 60,000 local businesses base themselves in the Sutherland Shire, Liverpool or Campbelltown local government areas. I want to work with businesses to help them thrive and to deliver for our community. I want our workforce, especially our young people, to have access to the skills they need to succeed. I'm proud that this government not only believes in TAFE but invests in its future. I understand the value of education, having been raised by two teachers, and I want to see more education opportunities for people in this country that are properly funded.

Health care and social assistance are the largest industries in the local government areas of Hughes by employment. People of all ages have been coming up to me with concerns about the cost of seeing a doctor, after nine years of a government that didn't support bulk-billing. On this side of the chamber, we built and defended Medicare, and I am proud that we're reinvesting in it to make bulk-billing the norm again.

Hughes is home to bushland, waterways and national parks, including the royal and Heathcote national parks, the Georges River, the Hacking River and Woronora River. It is on the forefront of the environmental management conservation movement. Hughes contains the only putrescible landfill site in the Sydney Basin. I have been an active participant in the Labor Environment Action Network and I will continue to advocate for our national environment in this place.

I'm also the only member of this place who represents an electorate with a nuclear reactor, with the Australia's Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation's Sydney facilities located in Lucas Heights. ANSTO produces around 85 per cent of Australia's nuclear medicine, and one in two Australians will require nuclear medicine at some point in their lives. We are fortunate enough to have this world-class institution contributing to both our understanding of science and the strength of our health system.

My electorate also includes the Holsworthy Barracks, one of the Army's major defence presences in New South Wales. I want to honour those who put their hands up to serve this country in our defence forces. The Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide made it clear that we still have significant work to do in improving the support we provide to our veterans. I'm proud that our government has accepted the overwhelming majority of its recommendations and I look forward to working on their implementation and continuing to advocate for better outcomes for those who have served.

We also must reckon honestly with our past and continue the work of building a more just and reconciled nation. I hope to continue in the tradition of my predecessors Les Johnson and Robert Tickner in this place of First Nations justice and advancing the cause of reconciliation. Our country can never be complete for as long as we fail to come to terms with our past, and we must work to remedy injustices that are ongoing.

My team and I worked hard to win this seat, but we stood on the shoulders of giants. The success of my campaign was built upon the hard work of others who kept the flame alive during the wilderness years for Hughes. The former member for Miranda Barry Collier and the late former member for Menai Alison Megarrity—thank you for setting the benchmark for effective local engagement in this community. Along with former shire deputy mayor Dawn Emmerson, Barry Collier set a high standard on doorknocking, to which I hope to live up. Diedree Steinwall sustained the Labor brand in Hughes during its darkest days and won her ward for the first of three times during a period when it was widely thought impossible, and Maryanne Stuart took back Heathcote and showed us that modern Labor could succeed in the Sutherland Shire when we engage and when we follow through.

There are so many hardworking Labor members and volunteers without whom I could not have made it here. I won't have time to name them all, but there are three I would like to call out. Stuart Munn's enthusiasm and energy knew no bounds and did so much to sustain mine. Greg Poulter put so many hours of effort into making our campaign succeed. I'm not entirely sure when Greg slept during the campaign, but I am so grateful for all of the work that he did to bring us home. Finally, Anthony Duff was the first person who believed that I could do this. I'll never forget that, at the first suggestion of me running, he offered to do whatever it took to help, and he delivered. From booth kits and corflutes to calling volunteers and giving advice on every stray thought that came into my head, he did it all. I am so grateful to Anthony.

I also want to acknowledge my predecessor as member for Hughes, Ms Jenny Ware. Ms Ware brought dignity to the office of Member for Hughes after a tumultuous period for representation in our community. I want to recognise the sincerity with which she approached her role and thank her for the sacrifices that she made in putting up her hand for it. I wish her and her family all the very best. I also want to acknowledge my predecessors in this place representing the north-eastern corner of the Macarthur region, the member for Werriwa and the member for Macarthur. I have big shoes to fill. I am very grateful to you both for your ongoing advice and counsel.

I also want to thank the Hon. Anoulack Chanthivong, the state member for Macquarie Fields and New South Wales minister, for all that you did in assisting me to reach the community that you have served during your time in public life. I also want to thank the Sutherland District Trade Union Club, the spiritual home of shire Labor for generations. I want to thank Senator Tony Sheldon and Senator Jenny McAllister, who both took the time to visit my campaign, and I want to thank Minister Tanya Plibersek for visiting my campaign as well.

I want to thank the union movement, notably Unions NSW; Julia Angrisano of the FSU, my former union; Graeme Kelly and the USU, my current union; and Michael Caine of the TWU for their help during the campaign. Julia, I don't know what we would have done without you. You're a superstar. I also want to thank New South Wales Labor, including Dom Ofner, David Dobson and Callum Bain for your enormous help in preparing me and my office for this place.

And, of course, I want to thank my family for your incredible support. I could not be here without you. As many have stated, this path takes a huge toll on families, and, yes, I don't think it's something that you've ever wanted to be involved with, but I'm very grateful for it.

Finally, and most importantly, I want to thank the people of Hughes for placing their trust in me. The enormous honour of serving in this role is not lost on me. It's something I will never take for granted. I'm not entitled to serve in this role. I know that I have to earn it every day. I am here to ensure that this community is not overlooked, and I intend to fulfil that purpose.

Sport is a big part of life in Hughes, and politics is a lot like sport. You have your team that you follow through thick and thin. You have thumping victories and razor-thin losses. But, while democracy can feel like a spectator sport, it isn't. A democracy cannot function without active engagement and participation from elected representatives, not just at the ballot box and not just during campaign season. Our democracy thrives only when people step off the sidelines, and that is what I'll fight for every day in this place.

Before I call the honourable member for Forrest, I remind the House that this is his first speech. I ask that the House extend to him all of the usual courtesies.

As I was saying, it seems like the only fitting way to begin my first speech to the House, some three years after leaving the Senate. But, as most members of the House would probably admit in a quiet moment, we don't always pay much attention to what goes on in the other place, making it quite appropriate for me to reintroduce myself all over again now I'm standing here on the green carpet.

Politics is a contact sport, and, in making the decision to campaign for a return to Canberra, many people asked me why I wanted to join the fray once more. Aside from feeling like I might just be the right amount of mad for this business, I do feel like the Australians that I feel compelled to stand up and fight for need champions now as much as they ever have.

Some 15 years ago I was on duty as a volunteer ambulance officer in Bunbury when my partner and I were dispatched to transfer a dying cancer patient from home to the palliative unit at the local hospital. It wasn't one of the countless lights-and-sirens adrenaline-pumping medical emergencies that I was tasked with in my time in green, but little did I know that one of the more profound experiences of my life would take place in the next hour. Arriving at the house, we discovered that the patient was from a large migrant Italian family, so we'll call him Giuseppe. He was in a bedroom by himself at the back of the house. Lumbering down a long corridor with heavy bags of medical equipment, I bowled into the darkened room and was frankly shocked to find a shadow of a man lying on the bed. Keeping my game face on, despite the relatively confronting scene, I breezily introduced myself and informed Giuseppe that we were going to whizz him onto our stretcher and then pop him up to the hospital, at which point the emaciated figure said quietly, 'No, you won't.' Trying to hide my surprise, I inquired as to how Giuseppe fancied getting to hospital if it wasn't with our help. He said: 'Son, I came to this country before you were born. I built this house myself and I have spent 25 years here raising my family. So I will walk out of this place for the last time.' For what seemed an eternity—and was, in fact, something like 45 agonising minutes—this incredibly frail figure slowly hauled himself out of bed and then dragged himself down that corridor, using only the wall for support, one foot in front of the other in front of the other. Giuseppe collapsed on the front porch, having walked out of his house for the very last time.

I recount this story to the House, as I did to the Senate, for a simple reason. Giuseppe's story, in aggregate, has made our nation what it is today. So we stand on the shoulders of those who have gone before us: those who weren't afraid to work hard, take risks, care for their families and embrace their communities, and who were resilient in the face of adversities that my generation can barely comprehend. These are the people that I have come to this place to fight for: those Australians who are prepared to have a little less today so that their kids might have a little more tomorrow; those Australians who put it all on the line to start a business to create something and to provide opportunities to others; those Australians who are optimistic that their hard work will be rewarded but stoic when it doesn't quite pan out, getting straight back up off the mat to have another go; those Australians who, without second thought or notion of personal gain, pull on a uniform and volunteer to serve our fellow countrymen in whatever their hour of need; and those Australians who would sooner join a committee, become the secretary or roll up their sleeves at a busy bee than see the death of yet another community organisation. These are my people, and I am lucky enough to stand in this House representing a corner of Australia where they abound. My predecessors Nola Marino and Geoff Prosser typified the best of those Australians, and I pay tribute to their decades of service in this place.

Loss has forced me to look at life a little differently from perhaps how I once did. I've experienced loss in political terms, so my place will never be with Teddy Roosevelt's 'cold and timid souls' who know 'neither victory nor defeat', as my 18 months in the Senate was just long enough to see how government could work for Australians but so often doesn't. More profoundly, though, the sudden death of my younger sister at the age of just 30 has taken me years to process fully. I've seen so many grieving families on their worst days, but, on mine, seeing my mum holding my dead sister's babies in her arms is an image seared in my mind.

For me, this perspective anchors the political struggles that play out each day in this building against what really matters in life, especially the value of those incredible people who share our journey in life and to whom in our busy lives we don't often pay enough care and attention. I couldn't possibly rise in the House today without acknowledging the people that have supported me, shaped me and changed me through the many chapters of my story so far. You all know who you are, and I want you to know how much you mean to me even if I don't say it anywhere near often enough.

Today, Australia is brought to you by the word 'can't'. You can't do it, and you can't say it. Almost every business has input costs associated with its people, the power it uses and, of course, compliance. We want highly paid employees in this country, but business is drowning in stifling red tape and regulation while also being crippled by higher and higher energy prices. We are slowly sleepwalking as a country into decline, as investment capital flees our shores whilst we become less and less competitive, with lower and lower productivity. Yet I see limitless potential for an Australia that is bolder, braver and more bountiful as a nation, and I am convinced that deep within our communities is the pride and passion to achieve more for our country and for each Australian to achieve their potential, to maintain a safety net for those deserving a hand up, and to again become a country of 'can'.

In realising such a vision, I hold one thing to be self-evident, and that's that, to change the Australia of tomorrow, we must first understand the Australia of today and accept the Australia of yesterday—as it is, as it was and not how we might have wanted it to be. The more that we obsess over symbolism as a way to alter the past, the less that is said about changing lives in Australia today and the more deafening is the silence about affording all Australians greater opportunity tomorrow.

Matters of employment are of great personal interest to me, not only as a compassionate person who believes in the dignity of work but also as a small-business owner who has had direct experience of hiring hardworking Australians and seeing firsthand both the social and economic benefits that work provides. The false caricature of aristocratic bosses rapaciously exploiting the downtrodden, the vulnerable and the weak in the relentless pursuit of ill-gotten gains is, quite frankly, centuries out of date because such a view denies a fundamental premise of modern Australia, and that's that most Aussies are fair minded and hardworking, whether they be employees or employers.

Like millions of Australians, I had a dream of building my own small business, which grew to employ more than 30 people, including a number who were registered with a disability services agency. I know what it means when we speak of the best form of welfare being a job, and I am particularly proud that one of my former workers has even gone on to start his own small business, which continues to grow today. With almost one in two employees in Australia working in a small business of fewer than 20 staff, most bosses are in fact tradies, restaurateurs, retailers or farmers, working side by side day after day, starting early and staying late. These are the relationships that have built modern Australia.

Businesses in a modern economy have their interests best served by engaged, agile, freethinking and committed employees. Those same staff benefit in term from the superior business performance of an organisation that has the flexibility to change, adapt, trade and prosper. To me, the idea that we need more government red tape between an employer and an employee too often stops people hiring at all, whereas simplicity, certainty and flexibility create opportunity for all Australians.

Every dollar we take off a person or a business reduces the incentive to strive for all, and we must remember that the taxpayer is not an imaginary money tree. Taxpayers are real people, and I particularly shudder at the thought of taking money from a tradie, nurse or teacher and giving it to for-profit companies in the name of some fashionable cause. Whenever we speak of subsidy, commission, plan or initiative in this place, we've got to have the courage to look those tradies, teachers and nurses in the eye and explain why we're taking more of the money that they've earned for themselves and their families. Those hardworking Australians don't live on Twitter, I don't think they always read the paper and they almost certainly aren't members of a political party. They've never marched through the streets of a city with superglue and snorkels. But they do value honesty in political leadership, and they quietly nod their heads in the lounge room when a politician on TV actually talks some sense.

So I'm convinced that political leadership at its best is capable of making the tough decisions whilst carrying the day with reasoned, rational and respectful argument. Australians are no longer listening to political leaders who simply parrot back popular sentiment to the public at large. Indeed, many are yearning for leaders who will take a stance, even where it is a stance with which they disagree. Australians, especially in regional electorates like mine, are crying out for leadership that will truly lift our country and again enliven our communities. They don't send us here to simply argue over the latest way to dole out more and more borrowed money, adding to a debt that will be paid by our children and our grandchildren.

Nobody seems inclined to remind Australians that, just as our forebears learned, we simply cannot turn to government to solve all of our problems, and I hope to lend my voice to this timeless principle. Government shouldn't compete with an efficient and wealth-creating private sector or pick winners with taxpayer money, because it isn't fair that a business should have to compete against a government backed entity that faces no pressure to be profitable and no risk of bankruptcy and is backed by your tax dollar. So government must enable private enterprise, not shackle it, because it is business, small and large, that pays wages and generates wealth in this country. It is business that creates real jobs. Fundamentally, that is why it is an imperative for government to create the right conditions for business to grow, employ and prosper and why we must enhance personal responsibility, reward for effort and the incentive to strive in the Australian economy.

I started my professional career on the deck of an oil tanker, becoming a ship's captain by trade. I followed an icebreaker from the Russian port of Murmansk right over through the pack ice of the White Sea; felt more than a faint terror at the site of breaking waves higher than five-storey buildings in the North Atlantic; and toiled in the searing heat of the Arabian Gulf. Having worked in and with many countries around the world, I've seen the full spectrum of political-economic control and its impacts on the lived experience of ordinary people under those regimes. That has given me a deep appreciation of why Australia is a successful as it is.

A significant part of my career has been in the energy industry, and accordingly I am very cognisant of the fact that energy affects all aspects of life. Households know too well the apprehension of opening a power bill after a hot summer, but less widely understood is the impact of energy prices on business—both the businesses that exist today and the businesses that can exist tomorrow. From the local vegetable farmer I've met who is today considering selling up the family farm because his energy bills are sending them broke to the possibilities for tomorrow unlocked by energy-intense artificial intelligence, our prosperity as a nation depends on affordable and reliable energy.

I believe that, to deliver good government, we should appeal to the pride of Australians and not just to their wallets. We should promise only the dignity of hard work and not the spoils of hard work done by others. Every time the bells ring in this place, opportunity and incentive can be crushed by regulation, restriction or red tape, and we are the only guardians against that. Having bold policy ambition is easy, and yet delivering meaningful change is a different matter altogether. But I will strive never to mistake activity for actual progress towards real outcomes.

To represent my special part of Australia in this place is a deep honour and one that I do not take for granted. My great-grandfather was a 10th Light Horse man who was granted the family's first dairy farm near Boyanup for his service in World War I. My mother, who is here today, grew up on the farm next door, which remains in the family today, and so it is particularly special to represent a region so indelibly linked to my family's history, as well as where I grew up, went to school, messed around in boats as a Sea Scout, started my first business, bought my first property and volunteered as an ambo.

Even in this era of outrage, I still think there's room in our political discourse for a bit of the humour that has long characterised the Australian temperament and is still the quality for which our best remembered parliamentarians on all sides are most often recalled. It might get me into trouble occasionally, but at least nobody will say I'm a bore. Like Giuseppe, when I walk out of this place for the last time, I want to be standing tall with a deep sense of pride and satisfaction that in some small way our nation is at least a little bolder, braver and more bountiful for my contribution here. I thank the House.

Debate adjourned.

For the information of members, we're back to where we were on the procedural motions. We've dealt with the standing orders and sessional orders and the committees that are contained within the standing orders, but now we have others committees that are established by resolution of the parliament. That's what I'll do now. I move:

That:

(1) in accordance with section 242 of the Australian Securities and Investments Commission Act 2001, matters relating to the powers and proceedings of the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Corporations and Financial Services shall be as follows:

(a) the committee consist of 10 members, three Members of the House of Representatives to be nominated by the Government Whip or Whips, two Members of the House of Representatives to be nominated by the Opposition Whip or Whips or by any minority group or independent Member, two Senators to be nominated by the Leader of the Government in the Senate, two Senators to be nominated by the Leader of the Opposition in the Senate and one Senator to be nominated by any minority group or independent Senator;

(b) every nomination of a member of the committee be notified in writing to the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives;

(c) the committee elect a:

(i) Government member as its chair; and

(ii) non-Government member as its deputy chair who shall act as chair of the committee at any time when the chair is not present at a meeting of the committee;

(d) at any time when the chair and deputy chair are not present at a meeting of the committee the members present shall elect another member to act as chair at that meeting;

(e) in the event of an equally divided vote, the chair, or the deputy chair when acting as chair, have a casting vote;

(f) three members of the committee constitute a quorum of the committee, provided that in a deliberative meeting the quorum shall include one Government member of either House and one non-Government member of either House;

(g) the committee:

(i) have power to appoint subcommittees consisting of three or more of its members and to refer to any subcommittee any matter which the committee is empowered to examine; and

(ii) appoint the chair of each subcommittee who shall have a deliberative vote and, in the event of an equally divided vote, a casting vote;

(h) at any time when the chair of a subcommittee is not present at a meeting of the subcommittee the members of the subcommittee present shall elect another member of that subcommittee to act as chair at that meeting;

(i) two members of a subcommittee constitute a quorum of that subcommittee, provided that in a deliberative meeting the quorum shall include one Government member of either House and one non-Government member of either House;

(j) members of the committee who are not members of a subcommittee may participate in the proceedings of that subcommittee but shall not vote, move any motion or be counted for the purpose of a quorum;

(k) the committee or any subcommittee have power to:

(i) call for witnesses to attend and for documents to be produced;

(ii) conduct proceedings at any place it sees fit;

(iii) sit in public or in private;

(iv) report from time to time; and

(v) adjourn from time to time and sit during any adjournment of the Senate and the House of Representatives;

(l) the committee or any subcommittee have power to consider and make use of the evidence and records of the joint committees on Corporations and Financial Services and Corporations and Securities appointed during previous Parliaments; and

(m) the provisions of this resolution, so far as they are inconsistent with the standing orders, have effect notwithstanding anything contained in the standing orders; and

(2) a message be sent to the Senate acquainting it of this resolution and requesting that it concur and take action accordingly.

Question agreed to.

I move:

That:

(1) a Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade be appointed to inquire into and report on such matters relating to foreign affairs, defence and trade as may be referred to it by either House of the Parliament or a Minister;

(2) annual reports of government departments and authorities and reports of the Auditor-General presented to the House shall stand referred to the committee for any inquiry the committee may wish to make and reports shall stand referred to the committee in accordance with a schedule tabled by the Speaker to record the areas of responsibility of each committee, provided that:

(a) any question concerning responsibility for a report or a part of a report shall be determined by the Speaker; and

(b) the period during which an inquiry concerning an annual report may be commenced by a committee shall end on the day on which the next annual report of that department or authority is presented to the House;

(3) the committee consist of 32 members, 12 Members of the House of Representatives to be nominated by the Government Whip or Whips, eight Members of the House of Representatives to be nominated by the Opposition Whip or Whips or by any minority group or independent Member, five Senators to be nominated by the Leader of the Government in the Senate, five Senators to be nominated by the Leader of the Opposition in the Senate and two Senators to be nominated by any minority group or independent Senator;

(4) every nomination of a member of the committee be notified in writing to the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives;

(5) the members of the committee hold office as a joint standing committee until the House of Representatives is dissolved or expires by effluxion of time;

(6) the committee elect a:

(a) Government member as its Chair; and

(b) non-Government member as its deputy chair who shall act as chair of the committee at any time when the chair is not present at a meeting of the committee;

(7) at any time when the chair and deputy chair are not present at a meeting of the committee the members present shall elect another member to act as chair at that meeting;

(8) in the event of an equally divided vote, the chair, or the deputy chair when acting as chair, have a casting vote;

(9) six members of the committee constitute a quorum of the committee, provided that in a deliberative meeting the quorum shall include one Government member of either House and one non-Government member of either House;

(10) the committee:

(a) have power to appoint subcommittees consisting of three or more of its members and to refer to any subcommittee any matter which the committee is empowered to examine;

(b) appoint the chair of each subcommittee who shall have a deliberative vote and, in the event of an equally divided vote, a casting vote; and

(c) appoint the deputy chair of each subcommittee who shall act as chair of the subcommittee at any time when the chair is not present at a meeting of the subcommittee and who shall have a deliberative vote and, in the event of an equally divided vote, a casting vote;

(11) in addition to the members appointed pursuant to paragraph (10), the chair and deputy chair of the committee be ex officio members of each subcommittee appointed;

(12) at any time when the chair and deputy chair of a subcommittee are not present at a meeting of the subcommittee the members of the subcommittee present shall elect another member of that subcommittee to act as chair at that meeting;

(13) two members of a subcommittee constitute the quorum of that subcommittee, provided that in a deliberative meeting the quorum shall include one Government member of either House and one non-Government member of either House;

(14) members of the committee who are not members of a subcommittee may participate in the proceedings of that subcommittee but shall not vote, move any motion or be counted for the purpose of a quorum;

(15) the committee or any subcommittee have power to:

(a) call for witnesses to attend and for documents to be produced;

(b) conduct proceedings at any place it sees fit;

(c) sit in public or in private;

(d) report from time to time;

(e) adjourn from time to time and to sit during any adjournment of the Senate and the House of Representatives; and

(f) conduct meetings for the purpose of private briefings at any time;

(16) the committee or any subcommittee have power to consider and make use of the evidence and records of the Joint Committees on Foreign Affairs and Defence, and Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade, appointed during previous Parliaments;

(17) the provisions of this resolution, so far as they are inconsistent with the standing orders, have effect notwithstanding anything contained in the standing orders; and

(18) a message be sent to the Senate acquainting it of this resolution and requesting that it concur and take action accordingly.

Question agreed to.

I move:

That:

(1) in accordance with section 6 of the Human Rights (Parliamentary Scrutiny) Act 2011, matters relating to the powers and proceedings of the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Human Rights shall be as follows:

(a) the committee consist of 12 members, four Members of the House of Representatives to be nominated by the Government Whip, two Members of the House of Representatives to be nominated by the Opposition Whip or by any minority group or independent Member, two Senators to be nominated by the Leader of the Government in the Senate, two Senators to be nominated by the Leader of the Opposition in the Senate, one Senator to be nominated by the Leader of the Australian Greens in the Senate and one Senator to be nominated by any minority group or independent Senator;

(b) every nomination of a member of the committee be notified in writing to the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives;

(c) the committee elect a:

(i) Government member as its chair; and

(ii) non-Government member as its deputy chair who shall act as chair of the committee at any time when the chair is not present at a meeting of the committee;

(d) at any time when the chair and deputy chair are not present at a meeting of the committee the members present shall elect another member to act as chair at that meeting;

(e) in the event of an equally divided vote, the chair, or the deputy chair when acting as chair, shall have a casting vote;

(f) three members of the committee constitute a quorum of the committee, provided that in a deliberative meeting the quorum shall include one Government member of either House and one non-Government member of either House;

(g) the committee:

(i) have power to appoint subcommittees consisting of three or more of its members and to refer to any subcommittee any matter which the committee is empowered to examine; and

(ii) appoint the chair of each subcommittee who shall have a deliberative vote and, in the event of an equally divided vote, a casting vote;

(h) at any time when the chair of a subcommittee is not present at a meeting of the subcommittee the members of the subcommittee present shall elect another member of that subcommittee to act as chair at that meeting;

(i) two members of a subcommittee constitute a quorum of that subcommittee, provided that in a deliberative meeting the quorum shall include one Government member of either House and one non-Government member of either House;

(j) members of the committee who are not members of a subcommittee may participate in the proceedings of that subcommittee but shall not vote, move any motion or be counted for the purpose of a quorum;

(k) the committee or any subcommittee have power to:

(i) call for witnesses to attend and for documents to be produced;

(ii) conduct proceedings at any place it sees fit;

(iii) sit in public or in private;

(iv) report from time to time; and

(v) adjourn from time to time and to sit during any adjournment of the Senate and the House of Representatives;

(l) the committee or any subcommittee have power to consider and make use of the evidence and records of the Joint Committees on Human Rights appointed during previous Parliaments;

(m) the committee may appoint counsel to advise the committee with the approval of the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives; and

(n) the provisions of this resolution, so far as they are inconsistent with the standing orders, have effect notwithstanding anything contained in the standing orders; and

(2) a message be sent to the Senate acquainting it of this resolution and requesting that it concur and take action accordingly.

Question agreed to.

Deputy Speaker, for another enthralling speech, I move:

That:

(1) a Joint Standing Committee on Implementation of the National Redress Scheme be established to inquire into and report on:

(a) the Australian Government policy, program and legal response to the redress related recommendations of the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, including the establishment and operation of the Commonwealth Redress Scheme and ongoing support of survivors; and

(b) any matter in relation to the Royal Commission's redress related recommendations referred to the committee by a Minister or by resolution of either House of the Parliament;

(2) the committee consist of eight members, three Senators, and five Members of the House of Representatives, as follows:

(a) three Members of the House of Representatives to be nominated by the Government Whip or Whips;

(b) two Members of the House of Representatives to be nominated by the Opposition Whip or Whips or by any minority group or independent Member;

(c) one Senator to be nominated by the Leader of the Government in the Senate;

(d) one Senator to be nominated by the Leader of the Opposition in the Senate; and

(e) one Senator to be nominated by any minority party or independent Senator;

(3) participating members may be appointed to the committee on the nomination of the Government Whip in the House of Representatives, the Opposition Whip in the House of Representatives, the Leader of the Government in the Senate, the Leader of the Opposition in the Senate or any minority party or independent Senator or Member of the House of Representatives;

(4) participating members may participate in hearings of evidence and deliberations of the committee, and have all the rights of members of the committee, but may not vote on any questions before the committee;

(5) every nomination of a member of the committee be notified in writing to the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives;

(6) the members of the committee hold office as a joint standing committee until the House of Representatives is dissolved or expires by effluxion of time;

(7) the committee may proceed to the dispatch of business notwithstanding that all members have not been duly nominated and appointed and notwithstanding any vacancy;

(8) the committee elect as chair a Government Member or Senator;

(9) the committee elect as deputy chair a non-Government Member or Senator;

(10) in the event of an equally divided vote, the chair, or the deputy chair when acting as chair, have a casting vote;

(11) three members of the committee constitute a quorum of the committee provided that in a deliberative meeting the quorum shall include one Government member of either House and one non-Government member of either House;

(12) the deputy chair shall act as chair of the committee at any time when the chair is not present at a meeting of the committee, and at any time when the chair and deputy chair are not present at a meeting of the committee the members present shall elect another member to act as chair at that meeting;

(13) the committee:

(a) have power to appoint subcommittees consisting of three or more of its members, and to refer to any such subcommittee any of the matters which the committee is empowered to examine; and

(b) appoint the chair of each subcommittee who shall have a deliberative vote and, in the event of an equally divided vote, a casting vote;

(14) two members of a subcommittee constitute the quorum of that subcommittee, provided that in a deliberative meeting the quorum shall include one Government member of either House and one non-Government member of either House;

(15) the committee, and any subcommittee, have power to send for and examine persons and documents, to move from place to place, to sit in public or in private, and have leave to report from time to time its proceedings and the evidence taken and such interim recommendations as it may deem fit;

(16) the committee have power to adjourn from time to time and to sit during any adjournment of the Senate and the House of Representatives;

(17) the provisions of this resolution, so far as they are inconsistent with the standing orders, have effect notwithstanding anything contained in the standing orders;

(18) the committee have access to all evidence and documents of the former Joint Select Committees on oversight of the implementation of redress related recommendations of the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Abuse and Implementation of the National Redress Scheme; and

(19) a message be sent to the Senate acquainting it of this resolution and requesting that it concur and take action accordingly.

Question agreed to.

I move:

That:

(1) in accordance with section 6 of the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Law Enforcement Act 2010, matters relating to the powers and proceedings of the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Law Enforcement shall be as follows:

(a) the committee consist of 10 members, three Members of the House of Representatives to be nominated by the Government Whip or Whips, two Members of the House of Representatives to be nominated by the Opposition Whip or Whips or by any minority group or independent Member, two Senators to be nominated by the Leader of the Government in the Senate, two Senators to be nominated by the Leader of the Opposition in the Senate and one Senator to be nominated by any minority group or independent Senator;

(b) every nomination of a member of the committee be notified in writing to the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives;

(c) the committee elect a:

(i) Government member as its chair; and

(ii) non-Government member as its deputy chair who shall act as chair of the committee at any time when the chair is not present at a meeting of the committee;

(d) at any time when the chair and deputy chair are not present at a meeting of the committee the members present shall elect another member to act as chair at that meeting;

(e) in the event of an equally divided vote, the chair, or the deputy chair when acting as chair, shall have a casting vote;

(f) three members of the committee constitute a quorum of the committee, provided that in a deliberative meeting the quorum shall include one Government member of either House and one non-Government member of either House;

(g) the committee:

(i) have power to appoint subcommittees consisting of three or more of its members and to refer to any subcommittee any matter which the committee is empowered to examine; and

(ii) appoint the chair of each subcommittee who shall have a deliberative vote and, in the event of an equally divided vote, a casting vote;

(h) at any time when the chair of a subcommittee is not present at a meeting of the subcommittee the members of the subcommittee present shall elect another member of that subcommittee to act as chair at that meeting;

(i) two members of a subcommittee constitute a quorum of that subcommittee, provided that in a deliberative meeting the quorum shall include one Government member of either House and one non-Government member of either House;

(j) members of the committee who are not members of a subcommittee may participate in the proceedings of that subcommittee but shall not vote, move any motion or be counted for the purpose of a quorum;

(k) the committee or any subcommittee have power to:

(i) call for witnesses to attend and for documents to be produced;

(ii) conduct proceedings in any place it sees fit;

(iii) sit in public or in private;

(iv) report from time to time; and

(v) adjourn from time to time and to sit during any adjournment of the Senate and the House of Representatives;

(l) the committee or any subcommittee have power to consider and make use of the evidence and records of the Joint Committees on the National Crime Authority, the Australian Crime Commission and Law Enforcement appointed during previous Parliaments;

(m) in carrying out its duties, the committee or any subcommittee ensure that the operational methods and results of investigations of law enforcement agencies, as far as possible, be protected from disclosure where that would be against the public interest; and

(n) the provisions of this resolution, so far as they are inconsistent with the standing orders, have effect notwithstanding anything contained in the standing orders; and

(2) a message be sent to the Senate acquainting it of this resolution and requesting that it concur and take action accordingly.

I acknowledge the opposition calls for more in the speeches.

Question agreed to.

I move:

That:

(1) a Joint Standing Committee on the National Capital and External Territories be appointed to inquire into and report on:

(a) matters coming within the terms of section 5 of the Parliament Act 1974 as may be referred to it by:

(i) either House of the Parliament; or

(ii) the Minister responsible for administering the Parliament Act 1974; or

(iii) the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives;

(b) such other matters relating to the parliamentary zone as may be referred to it by the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives;

(c) such amendments to the National Capital Plan as are referred to it by a Minister responsible for administering the Australian Capital Territory (Planning and Land Management) Act 1988;

(d) such other matters relating to the National Capital as may be referred to it by:

(i) either House of the Parliament; or

(ii) the Minister responsible for administering the Australian Capital Territory (Self-Government) Act 1988; and

(e) such matters relating to Australia's territories as may be referred to it by:

(i) either House of the Parliament; or

(ii) the Minister responsible for the administration of the Territory of Cocos (Keeling) Islands, the Territory of Christmas Island, the Coral Sea Islands Territory, the Territory of Ashmore and Cartier Islands, the Australian Antarctic Territory, and the Territory of Heard Island and McDonald Islands, and of Commonwealth responsibilities on Norfolk Island;

(2) annual reports of government departments and authorities and reports of the Auditor-General presented to the House shall stand referred to the committee for any inquiry the committee may wish to make and reports shall stand referred to the committee in accordance with a schedule tabled by the Speaker to record the areas of responsibility of each committee, provided that:

(a) any question concerning responsibility for a report or a part of a report shall be determined by the Speaker; and

(b) the period during which an inquiry concerning an annual report may be commenced by a committee shall end on the day on which the next annual report of that Department or authority is presented to the House;

(3) the committee consist of 12 members, the Deputy Speaker, three Members of the House of Representatives to be nominated by the Government Whip or Whips, two Members of the House of Representatives to be nominated by the Opposition Whip or Whips or by any minority group or independent Member, the Deputy President and Chairman of Committees, two Senators to be nominated by the Leader of the Government in the Senate, two Senators to be nominated by the Leader of the Opposition in the Senate and one Senator to be nominated by any minority group or independent Senator;

(4) every nomination of a member of the committee be notified in writing to the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives;

(5) the members of the committee hold office as a joint standing committee until the House of Representatives is dissolved or expires by effluxion of time;

(6) the committee elect a:

(a) Government member as its chair; and

(b) non-Government member as its deputy chair who shall act as chair of the committee at any time when the chair is not present at a meeting of the committee;

(7) at any time when the chair and deputy chair are not present at a meeting of the committee the members present shall elect another member to act as chair at that meeting;

(8) in the event of an equally divided vote, the chair or the deputy chair when acting as chair, have a casting vote;

(9) three members of the committee constitute a quorum of the committee, provided that in a deliberative meeting the quorum shall include one Government member of either House and one non-Government member of either House;

(10) the committee:

(a) have power to appoint subcommittees consisting of three or more of its members and to refer to any subcommittee any matter which the committee is empowered to examine; and

(b) appoint the chair of each subcommittee who shall have a deliberative vote and, in the event of an equally divided vote, a casting vote;

(11) at any time when the chair of a subcommittee is not present at a meeting of the subcommittee the members of the subcommittee present shall elect another member of that subcommittee to act as chair at that meeting;

(12) two members of a subcommittee constitute a quorum of that subcommittee, provided that in a deliberative meeting the quorum shall include one Government member of either House and one non-Government member of either House;

(13) members of the committee who are not members of a subcommittee may participate in the proceedings of that subcommittee but shall not vote, move any motion or be counted for the purpose of a quorum;

(14) the committee or any subcommittee have power to:

(a) call for witnesses to attend and for documents to be produced;

(b) conduct proceedings at any place it sees fit;

(c) sit in public or in private;

(d) report from time to time; and

(e) adjourn from time to time and to sit during any adjournment of the Senate and the House of Representatives;

(15) the committee or any subcommittee have power to consider and make use of the evidence and records of the Joint Standing Committees on the National Capital and External Territories, the Joint Committees on the Australian Capital Territory, the Joint Standing Committees on the New Parliament House, the Joint Standing Committee on the Parliamentary Zone and the Joint Committee on the National Capital appointed during previous Parliaments and of the House of Representatives and Senate Standing Committees on Transport, Communications and Infrastructure when sitting as a joint committee on matters relating to the Australian Capital Territory;

(16) the provisions of this resolution, so far as they are inconsistent with the standing orders, have effect notwithstanding anything contained in the standing orders; and

(17) a message be sent to the Senate acquainting it of this resolution and requesting that it concur and take action accordingly.

Question agreed to.

I move:

That:

(1) a Joint Standing Committee on the Parliamentary Library be appointed to:

(a) consider and report to the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives on any matters relating to the Parliamentary Library referred to it by the President or the Speaker;

(b) provide advice to the President and the Speaker on matters relating to the Parliamentary Library;

(c) provide advice to the President and the Speaker on an annual resource agreement between the Parliamentary Librarian and the Secretary of the Department of Parliamentary Services; and

(d) receive advice and reports, including an annual report, directly from the Parliamentary Librarian on matters relating to the Parliamentary Library;

(2) the Committee consist of 13 members, four Members of the House of Representatives nominated by the Government Whip or Whips, three Members of the House of Representatives nominated by the Opposition Whip or Whips or by any minority group or independent Member, three Senators nominated by the Leader of the Government in the Senate, two Senators nominated by the Leader of the Opposition in the Senate and one Senator nominated by any minority group or independent Senator;

(3) every nomination:

(a) of a member of the committee shall be notified in writing to the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives; and

(b) from a minority group in the Senate or an independent Senator shall be determined by agreement between them, and, in the absence of agreement duly notified to the President, any question of the representation on the committee shall be determined by the Senate;

(4) the members of the committee hold office as a joint standing committee until the House of Representatives is dissolved or expires by effluxion of time;

(5) the committee elect two of its members to be joint chairs, one being a Senator or Member, on an alternating basis each Parliament, who is a member of the government parties and one being a Senator or Member, on an alternating basis each Parliament, who is a member of the non-government parties, provided that the joint chairs may not be members of the same House;

(6) the joint chair nominated by the government parties shall chair meetings of the committee, and the joint chair nominated by the non-government parties shall take the chair whenever the other joint chair is not present;

(7) each of the joint chairs shall have a deliberative vote only, regardless of who is chairing the meeting;

(8) when votes on a question before the committee are equally divided, the question shall be resolved in the negative;

(9) three members of the committee shall constitute a quorum of the committee, but in a deliberative meeting a quorum shall include one member of each House of the government parties and one member of either House of the non-government parties;

(10) the committee:

(a) have power to appoint subcommittees, consisting of three or more of its members, and to refer to any subcommittee any matter which the committee is empowered to consider; and

(b) appoint the chair of each subcommittee, who shall have a deliberative vote only;

(11) at any time when the chair of a subcommittee is not present at a meeting of the subcommittee, the members of the subcommittee present shall elect another member of that subcommittee to act as chair at that meeting;

(12) two members of a subcommittee constitute a quorum of that subcommittee;

(13) members of the committee who are not members of a subcommittee may participate in the proceedings of that subcommittee, but shall not vote, move any motion or be counted for the purpose of a quorum;

(14) the committee or any subcommittee have power to:

(a) sit in public or private;

(b) report from time to time; and

(c) adjourn from time to time and to sit during any adjournment of the Senate and the House of Representatives;

(15) the President and the Speaker may attend any meeting of the committee or a subcommittee as they see fit, but shall not be members of the committee or subcommittee and may not vote, move any motion or be counted for the purpose of a quorum;

(16) the committee or any subcommittee have power to consider and make use of the evidence and records of the former Joint Committees on the Parliamentary Library appointed during previous Parliaments;

(17) the provisions of this resolution, so far as they are inconsistent with the standing orders, have effect notwithstanding anything contained in the standing orders; and

(18) a message be sent to the Senate acquainting it of this resolution and requesting that it concur and take action accordingly.

Question agreed to.

I move:

That:

(1) in accordance with section 59F of the Parliamentary Workplace Support Service Act 2023 (the Act) matters relating to the powers and proceedings of the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Parliamentary Standards shall be as follows:

(a) members appointed in accordance with subsection 59B (2) and (3) of the Act be nominated by:

(i) the Leader of the Government, the Leader of the Opposition or any crossbench Senator in the Senate; and

(ii) the Government Whip or Whips, Opposition Whip or Whips, or any crossbench Member in the House;

(b) every nomination of a member of the committee be notified in writing to the President of the Senate or the Speaker of the House of Representatives;

(c) in addition to the chair elected in accordance with subsection 59C(1) of the Act, the committee elect a deputy chair in accordance with subsection 59CA(1) who shall act as chair of the committee at any time when the chair is not present at a meeting of the committee;

(d) at any time when the chair and deputy chair are not present at a meeting of the committee, the members present shall elect another member to act as chair at that meeting;

(e) when acting as chair, the deputy chair or other member presiding at a meeting of the committee shall have a deliberative vote and, in the event of an equally divided vote, a casting vote;

(f) three members of the committee constitute a quorum of the committee, provided that in a deliberative meeting the quorum shall include one Government member of either House and one non-Government member of either House;

(g) the committee:

(i) have power to appoint subcommittees consisting of three or more of its members and to refer to any subcommittee any matter which the committee is empowered to examine; and

(ii) appoint the chair of each subcommittee who shall have a deliberative vote and, in the event of an equally divided vote, a casting vote;

(h) at any time when the chair of a subcommittee is not present at a meeting of the subcommittee, the members of the subcommittee present shall elect another member of that subcommittee to act as chair at that meeting;

(i) two members of a subcommittee constitute a quorum of that subcommittee, provided that in a deliberative meeting the quorum shall include one Government member of either House and one non-Government member of either House;

(j) members of the committee who are not members of a subcommittee may participate in the proceedings of that subcommittee but shall not vote, move any motion or be counted for the purpose of a quorum; and

(k) the committee or any subcommittee have power to:

(i) call for witnesses to attend and for documents to be produced;

(ii) conduct proceedings at any place it sees fit;

(iii) sit in public or in private;

(iv) report from time to time;

(v) adjourn from time to time and to sit during any adjournment of the Senate or the House of Representatives; and

(vi) consider and make use of the evidence and records of the former Joint Select Committee on Parliamentary Standards;

(2) the provisions of this resolution, so far as they are inconsistent with the standing orders, have effect notwithstanding anything contained in the standing orders; and

(3) a message be sent to the Senate acquainting it of this resolution and requesting that it concur and take action accordingly.

Question agreed to.

I move:

That:

(1) a Joint Standing Committee on Trade and Investment Growth be appointed to inquire into and report on such matters relating to measures to further boost Australia's trade and investment performance as may be referred to it by either House of the Parliament or a Minister;

(2) annual reports of government departments and authorities and reports of the Auditor-General presented to the House shall stand referred to the committee for any inquiry the committee may wish to make and reports shall stand referred to the committee in accordance with a schedule tabled by the Speaker to record the areas of responsibility of each committee, provided that:

(a) any question concerning responsibility for a report or a part of a report shall be determined by the Speaker; and

(b) the period during which an inquiry concerning an annual report may be commenced by a committee shall end on the day on which the next annual report of that department or authority is presented to the House;

(3) the committee consist of 10 members, three Members of the House of Representatives to be nominated by the Government Whip or Whips, two Members of the House of Representatives to be nominated by the Opposition Whip or Whips or by any minority group or independent Member, two Senators to be nominated by the Leader of the Government in the Senate, two Senators to be nominated by the Leader of the Opposition in the Senate, and one Senator to be nominated by any minority group or independent Senator;

(4) every nomination of a member of the committee be notified in writing to the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives;

(5) the members of the committee hold office as a joint standing committee until the House of Representatives is dissolved or expires by effluxion of time;

(6) the committee elect a:

(a) Government member as its chair; and;

(b) non-Government member as its deputy chair who shall act as chair of the committee at any time when the chair is not present at a meeting of the committee;

(7) at any time when the chair and deputy chair are not present at a meeting of the committee the members present shall elect another member to act as chair at that meeting;

(8) in the event of an equally divided vote, the chair, or the deputy chair when acting as chair, have a casting vote;

(9) three members of the committee constitute a quorum of the committee provided that in a deliberative meeting the quorum shall include one Government member of either House and one non-Government member of either House;

(10) the committee:

(a) have power to appoint subcommittees consisting of three or more of its members and to refer to any subcommittee any matter which the committee is empowered to examine; and

(b) appoint the chair of each subcommittee who shall have a deliberative vote and, in the event of an equally divided vote, a casting vote;

(11) at any time when the chair of a subcommittee is not present at a meeting of the subcommittee the members of the subcommittee present shall elect another member of that subcommittee to act as chair at that meeting;

(12) two members of a subcommittee constitute the quorum of that subcommittee, provided that in a deliberative meeting the quorum shall include one Government member of either House and one non-Government member of either House;

(13) members of the committee who are not members of a subcommittee may participate in the proceedings of that subcommittee but shall not vote, move any motion or be counted for the purpose of a quorum;

(14) the committee or any subcommittee have power to:

(a) call for witnesses to attend and for documents to be produced;

(b) conduct proceedings at any place it sees fit;

(c) sit in public or in private;

(d) report from time to time; and

(e) adjourn from time to time and sit during any adjournment of the Senate and the House of Representatives;

(15) the committee or any subcommittee have power to consider and make use of the evidence and records of the joint select and joint standing committees on Trade and Investment Growth appointed during previous Parliaments;

(16) the provisions of this resolution, so far as they are inconsistent with the standing orders, have effect notwithstanding anything contained in the standing orders; and

(17) a message be sent to the Senate acquainting it of this resolution and requesting that it concur and take action accordingly.

Question agreed to.

I move:

That:

(1) a Joint Standing Committee on Treaties be appointed to inquire into and report on:

(a) matters arising from treaties and related National Interest Analyses and proposed treaty actions and related Explanatory Statements presented or deemed to be presented to the Parliament;

(b) any question relating to a treaty or other international instrument, whether or not negotiated to completion, referred to the committee by:

(i) either House of the Parliament; or

(ii) a Minister; and

(c) such other matters as may be referred to the committee by the Minister for Foreign Affairs and on such conditions as the Minister may prescribe;

(2) the committee consist of 16 members, six Members of the House of Representatives to be nominated by the Government Whip or Whips, three Members of the House of Representatives to be nominated by the Opposition Whip or Whips or by any minority group or independent Member, three Senators to be nominated by the Leader of the Government in the Senate, three Senators to be nominated by the Leader of the Opposition in the Senate and one Senator to be nominated by any minority group or independent Senator;

(3) every nomination of a member of the committee be notified in writing to the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives;

(4) the members of the committee hold office as a joint standing committee until the House of Representatives is dissolved or expires by effluxion of time;

(5) the committee elect a:

(a) Government member as its chair; and;

(b) non-Government member as its deputy chair who shall act as chair of the committee at any time when the chair is not present at a meeting of the committee;

(6) at any time when the chair and deputy chair are not present at a meeting of the committee the members present shall elect another member to act as chair at that meeting;

(7) in the event of an equally divided vote, the chair, or the deputy chair when acting as chair, have a casting vote;

(8) three members of the committee constitute a quorum of the committee, provided that in a deliberative meeting the quorum shall include one Government member of either House and one non-Government member of either House;

(9) the committee:

(a) have power to appoint not more than three subcommittees each consisting of three or more of its members, and to refer to any subcommittee any matter which the committee is empowered to examine; and

(b) appoint the chair of each subcommittee who shall have a deliberative vote and, in the event of an equally divided vote, a casting vote;

(10) in addition to the members appointed pursuant to paragraph (9), the chair and deputy chair of the committee be ex officio members of each subcommittee appointed;

(11) at any time when the chair of a subcommittee is not present at a meeting of the subcommittee the members of the subcommittee present shall elect another member of that subcommittee to act as chair at that meeting;

(12) two members of a subcommittee constitute the quorum of that subcommittee, provided that in a deliberative meeting the quorum shall include one Government member of either House and one non-Government member of either House;

(13) members of the committee who are not members of a subcommittee may participate in the proceedings of that subcommittee but shall not vote, move any motion or be counted for the purpose of a quorum;

(14) the committee or any subcommittee have power to:

(a) call for witnesses to attend and for documents to be produced;

(b) conduct proceedings at any place it sees fit;

(c) sit in public or in private;

(d) report from time to time; and

(e) adjourn from time to time and sit during any adjournment of the Senate and the House of Representatives;

(15) the committee or any subcommittee have power to consider and make use of the evidence and records of the Joint Standing Committees on Treaties appointed during previous Parliaments;

(16) the provisions of this resolution, so far as they are inconsistent with the standing orders, have effect notwithstanding anything contained in the standing orders; and

(17) a message be sent to the Senate acquainting it of this resolution and requesting that it concur and take action accordingly.

Question agreed to.

I move:

That:

(1) a Joint Standing Committee on the National Disability Insurance Scheme be appointed to inquire into and report on:

(a) the implementation, performance and governance of the National Disability Insurance Scheme;

(b) the administration and expenditure of the National Disability Insurance Scheme; and

(c) such other matters in relation to the National Disability Insurance Scheme as may be referred to it by either House of the Parliament;

(2) as soon as practicable after 30 June each year, the committee present an annual report to the Parliament on the activities of the committee during the year, including the examination of each annual report of the National Disability Insurance Agency and the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission, in addition to reporting on any other matters it considers relevant;

(3) the committee consist of 10 members, three Members of the House of Representatives to be nominated by the Government Whip or Whips, two Members of the House of Representatives to be nominated by the Opposition Whip or Whips or by any minority group or independent Member, two Senators to be nominated by the Leader of the Government in the Senate, two Senators to be nominated by the Leader of the Opposition in the Senate and one Senator to be nominated by any minority group or independent Senator;

(4) every nomination of a member of the committee be notified in writing to the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives;

(5) the members of the committee hold office as a joint standing committee until the House of Representatives is dissolved or expires by effluxion of time;

(6) the committee elect a:

(a) Government member as its chair; and

(b) non-Government member as its deputy chair who shall act as chair of the committee at any time when the chair is not present at a meeting of the committee;

(7) at any time when the chair and deputy chair are not present at a meeting of the committee the members present shall elect another member to act as chair at that meeting;

(8) in the event of an equally divided vote, the chair, or the deputy chair when acting as chair, shall have a casting vote;

(9) three members of the committee constitute a quorum of the committee, provided that in a deliberative meeting the quorum shall include one Government member of either House and one non-Government member of either House;

(10) the committee:

(a) have power to appoint subcommittees consisting of three or more of its members and to refer to any subcommittee any matter which the committee is empowered to examine; and

(b) appoint the chair of each subcommittee who shall have a deliberative vote and, in the event of an equally divided vote, a casting vote;

(11) each subcommittee shall have at least one Government member of either House and one non-Government member of either House;

(12) at any time when the chair of a subcommittee is not present at a meeting of the subcommittee, the members of the subcommittee present shall elect another member of that subcommittee to act as chair at that meeting;

(13) two members of a subcommittee constitute a quorum of that subcommittee, provided that in a deliberative meeting the quorum shall comprise one Government member of either House and one non-Government member of either House;

(14) members of the committee who are not members of a subcommittee may participate in the proceedings of that subcommittee but shall not vote, move any motion or be counted for the purpose of a quorum;

(15) the committee or any subcommittee have power to:

(a) call for witnesses to attend and for documents to be produced;

(b) conduct proceedings at any place it sees fit;

(c) sit in public or in private;

(d) report from time to time; and

(e) adjourn from time to time and sit during any adjournment of the House of Representatives and the Senate;

(16) the committee or any subcommittee have power to consider and make use of the evidence and records of former Joint Standing Committees on the National Disability Insurance Scheme, and the former Joint Select Committee on DisabilityCare Australia appointed during previous parliaments;

(17) the provisions of this resolution, so far as they are inconsistent with the standing orders, have effect notwithstanding anything contained in the standing orders; and

(18) a message be sent to the Senate acquainting it of this resolution and requesting that it concur and take action accordingly.

Question agreed to.

I move:

That:

(1) a Joint Standing Committee on Northern Australia be appointed to inquire into and report on such matters relating to the development of Northern Australia as may be referred to it by either House of the Parliament or a Minister;

(2) annual reports of government departments and authorities and reports of the Auditor-General presented to the House shall stand referred to the committee for any inquiry the committee may wish to make and reports shall stand referred to the committee in accordance with a schedule tabled by the Speaker to record the areas of responsibility of each committee, provided that:

(a) any question concerning responsibility for a report or a part of a report shall be determined by the Speaker; and

(b) the period during which an inquiry concerning an annual report may be commenced by a committee shall end on the day on which the next annual report of that department or authority is presented to the House;

(3) the committee consist of 10 members, three Members of the House of Representatives to be nominated by the Government Whip or Whips, two Members of the House of Representatives to be nominated by the Opposition Whip or Whips or by any minority group or independent Member, two Senators to be nominated by the Leader of the Government in the Senate, two Senators to be nominated by the Leader of the Opposition in the Senate, and one Senator to be nominated by any minority group or independent Senator;

(4) every nomination of a member of the committee be notified in writing to the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives;

(5) the members of the committee hold office as a joint standing committee until the House of Representatives is dissolved or expires by effluxion of time;

(6) the committee elect:

(a) a Government member as its chair; and

(b) an Opposition member as its deputy chair who shall act as chair of the committee at any time when the chair is not present at a meeting of the committee;

(7) at any time when the chair and deputy chair are not present at a meeting of the committee the members shall elect another member to act as chair at that meeting;

(8) in the event of an equally divided vote, the chair, or the deputy chair when acting as chair, shall have a casting vote;

(9) three members of the committee constitute a quorum of the committee provided that in a deliberative meeting the quorum shall include one Government member of either House and one Opposition member of either House;

(10) the committee:

(a) have power to appoint subcommittees consisting of three or more of its members and to refer to any subcommittee any matter which the committee is empowered to examine; and

(b) appoint the chair of each subcommittee who shall have a deliberative vote and, in the event of an equally divided vote, a casting vote;

(11) at any time when the chair of a subcommittee is not present at a meeting of the subcommittee, the members of the subcommittee present shall elect another member of that subcommittee to act as chair at that meeting;

(12) two members of a subcommittee constitute a quorum of that subcommittee, provided that in a deliberative meeting the quorum shall include one Government member of either House and one non-Government member of either House;

(13) members of the committee who are not members of a subcommittee may participate in the proceedings of that subcommittee but shall not vote, move any motion or be counted for the purpose of a quorum;

(14) the committee or any subcommittee have power to:

(a) call for witnesses to attend and for documents to be produced;

(b) conduct proceedings at any place it sees fit;

(c) sit in public or in private;

(d) report from time to time; and

(e) adjourn from time to time and to sit during any adjournment of the Senate and the House of Representatives;

(15) the committee or any subcommittee has the power to consider and make use of the evidence and records of the Joint Standing and Select Committees on Northern Australia appointed during previous Parliaments;

(16) the provisions of this resolution, so far as they are inconsistent with the standing orders, have effect notwithstanding anything contained in the standing orders; and

(17) a message be sent to the Senate acquainting it of this resolution and requesting that it concur and take action accordingly.

Question agreed to.

I move:

That:

(1) a Joint Standing Committee on Migration be appointed that may inquire into and report on:

(a) regulations made or proposed to be made under the Migration Act 1958;

(b) any proposed changes to the Migration Act 1958 and any related acts; and

(c) such other matters relating to migration as may be referred to it by a Minister or either House of the Parliament;

(2) annual reports of government departments and authorities and reports of the Auditor-General presented to the House shall stand referred to the committee for any inquiry the committee may wish to make and reports shall stand referred to the committee in accordance with a schedule tabled by the Speaker to record the areas of responsibility of each committee, provided that:

(a) any question concerning responsibility for a report or a part of a report shall be determined by the Speaker; and

(b) the period during which an inquiry concerning an annual report may be commenced by a committee shall end on the day on which the next annual report of that department or authority is presented to the House;

(3) the committee consist of 10 members, three Members of the House of Representatives to be nominated by the Government Whip or Whips, three Members of the House of Representatives to be nominated by the Opposition Whip or Whips or by any minority group or independent Member, two Senators to be nominated by the Leader of the Government in the Senate, one Senator to be nominated by the Leader of the Opposition in the Senate and one Senator to be nominated by any minority group or independent Senator;

(4) every nomination of a member of the committee be notified in writing to the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives;

(5) the members of the committee hold office as a joint standing committee until the House of Representatives is dissolved or expires by effluxion of time;

(6) the committee elect a:

(a) Government member as its chair; and

(b) non-Government member as its deputy chair who shall act as chair of the committee at any time when the chair is not present at a meeting of the committee;

(7) at any time when the chair and deputy chair are not present at a meeting of the committee the members present shall elect another member to act as chair at that meeting;

(8) in the event of an equally divided vote, the chair, or the deputy chair when acting as chair, have a casting vote;

(9) three members of the committee constitute a quorum of the committee, provided that in a deliberative meeting the quorum shall include one Government member of either House and one non-Government member of either House;

(10) the committee:

(a) have power to appoint subcommittees consisting of three or more of its members and to refer to any subcommittee any matter which the committee is empowered to examine; and

(b) appoint the chair of each subcommittee who shall have a deliberative vote and, in the event of an equally divided vote, a casting vote;

(11) at any time when the chair of a subcommittee is not present at a meeting of the subcommittee the members of the subcommittee present shall elect another member of that subcommittee to act as chair at that meeting;

(12) two members of a subcommittee constitute a quorum of that subcommittee, provided that in a deliberative meeting the quorum shall include one Government member of either House and one non-Government member of either House;

(13) members of the committee who are not members of a subcommittee may participate in the proceedings of that subcommittee but shall not vote, move any motion or be counted for the purpose of a quorum;

(14) the committee or any subcommittee have power to:

(a) call for witnesses to attend and for documents to be produced;

(b) conduct proceedings at any place it sees fit;

(c) sit in public or in private;

(d) report from time to time; and

(e) adjourn from time to time and to sit during any adjournment of the Senate and the House of Representatives;

(15) the committee or any subcommittee have power to consider and make use of the evidence and records of the Joint Committees on Migration Regulations and the Joint Standing Committees on Migration appointed during previous Parliaments;

(16) the provisions of this resolution, so far as they are inconsistent with the standing orders, have effect notwithstanding anything contained in the standing orders; and

(17) a message be sent to the Senate acquainting it of this resolution and requesting that it concur and take action accordingly.

Question agreed to.

I move:

That:

(1) In accordance with section 176 of the National Anti-Corruption Commission Act 2022 (the Act), matters relating to the powers and proceedings of the Parliamentary Joint Committee on the National Anti-Corruption Commission shall be as follows:

(a) members appointed in accordance with subsection 172(3) of the Act be nominated by the Leader of the Government in the Senate, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate, or any minority group or independent Senator in the Senate and the Government Whip or Whips, Opposition Whip or Whips, or any minority group or independent Member in the House;

(b) every nomination of a member of the committee be notified in writing to the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives;

(c) in addition to the chair elected in accordance with subsection 173(1) of the Act, the committee elect a non-Government member as its deputy chair who shall act as chair of the committee at any time when the chair is not present at a meeting of the committee;

(d) at any time when the chair and deputy chair are not present at a meeting of the committee the members present shall elect another member to act as chair at that meeting;

(e) when acting as chair, the deputy chair or other member presiding at a meeting of the committee shall have a deliberative vote and, in the event of an equally divided vote, a casting vote;

(f) three members of the committee constitute a quorum of the committee, provided that in a deliberative meeting the quorum shall include one Government member of either House and one non-Government member of either House;

(g) the committee:

(i) have power to appoint subcommittees consisting of three or more of its members and to refer to any subcommittee any matter which the committee is empowered to examine; and

(ii) appoint the chair of each subcommittee who shall have a deliberative vote and, in the event of an equally divided vote, a casting vote;

(h) at any time when the chair of a subcommittee is not present at a meeting of the subcommittee the members of the subcommittee present shall elect another member of that subcommittee to act as chair at that meeting;

(i) two members of a subcommittee constitute a quorum of that subcommittee, provided that in a deliberative meeting the quorum shall include one Government member of either House and one non-Government member of either House;

(j) members of the committee who are not members of a subcommittee may participate in the proceedings of that subcommittee but shall not vote, move any motion or be counted for the purpose of a quorum;

(k) the committee or any subcommittee have power to:

(i) call for witnesses to attend and for documents to be produced;

(ii) conduct proceedings at any place it sees fit;

(iii) sit in public or in private;

(iv) report from time to time; and

(v) adjourn from time to time and to sit during any adjournment of the Senate or the House of Representatives;

(l) the committee or any subcommittee have power to consider and make use of the evidence and records of the Parliamentary Joint Committee on the former Australian Commission for Law Enforcement Integrity;

(m) in carrying out its duties, the committee or any subcommittee ensure that the operational methods and results of investigations of law enforcement, integrity and intelligence agencies, as far as possible, be protected from disclosure where that would be against the public interest; and

(n) the provisions of this resolution, so far as they are inconsistent with the standing orders, have effect notwithstanding anything contained in the standing orders; and

(2) a message be sent to the Senate acquainting it of this resolution and requesting that it concur and take action accordingly.

Question agreed to.

I move:

That:

(1) a Joint Standing Committee on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs be appointed to inquire into and report on such matters relating to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander affairs as may be referred to it by either House of the Parliament or a Minister;

(2) annual reports of government departments and authorities and reports of the Auditor-General presented to the House shall stand referred to the committee for any inquiry the committee may wish to make and reports shall stand referred to the committee in accordance with a schedule tabled by the Speaker to record the areas of responsibility of each committee, provided that:

(a) any question concerning responsibility for a report or a part of a report shall be determined by the Speaker; and

(b) the period during which an inquiry concerning an annual report may be commenced by a committee shall end on the day on which the next annual report of that department or authority is presented to the House;

(3) the committee consist of 11 members, four Members of the House of Representatives to be nominated by the Government Whip or Whips, two Members of the House of Representatives to be nominated by the Opposition Whip or Whips, one Member of the House of Representatives to be nominated by any minority group or independent Member, two Senators to be nominated by the Leader of the Government in the Senate, one Senator to be nominated by the Leader of the Opposition in the Senate and one Senator to be nominated by any minority group or independent Senator;

(4) a Senator or Member of the House of Representatives may be appointed to the committee as a substitute for a member of the committee, in respect of a particular matter or matters;

(5) substitute members have all the rights of committee members in relation to the matters for which they have been substituted;

(6) every nomination of a member, or substitute member of the committee be notified in writing to the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives;

(7) the members of the committee hold office as a joint standing committee until the House of Representatives is dissolved or expires by effluxion of time;

(8) the committee elect a:

(a) Government member as its chair; and

(b) non-Government member as its deputy chair who shall act as chair of the committee at any time when the chair is not present at a meeting of the committee;

(9) at any time when the chair and deputy chair are not present at a meeting of the committee the members present shall elect another member to act as chair at that meeting;

(10) in the event of an equally divided vote, the chair, or the deputy chair when acting as chair, shall have a casting vote;

(11) three members of the committee constitute a quorum of the committee, provided that in a deliberative meeting the quorum shall include one Government member of either House and one non-Government member of either House;

(12) the committee:

(a) have power to appoint subcommittees consisting of three or more of its members and to refer to any subcommittee any matter which the committee is empowered to examine; and

(b) appoint the chair of each subcommittee who shall have a deliberative vote and, in the event of an equally divided vote, a casting vote;

(13) at any time when the chair of a subcommittee is not present at a meeting of the subcommittee, the members of the subcommittee present shall elect another member of that subcommittee to act as chair at that meeting;

(14) two members of a subcommittee constitute a quorum of that subcommittee, provided that in a deliberative meeting the quorum shall include one Government member of either House and one non-Government member of either House;

(15) members of the committee who are not members of a subcommittee may participate in the proceedings of that subcommittee but shall not vote, move any motion or be counted for the purpose of a quorum;

(16) the committee or any subcommittee have power to:

(a) call for witnesses to attend and for documents to be produced;

(b) conduct proceedings at any place it sees fit;

(c) sit in public or in private;

(d) report from time to time; and

(e) adjourn from time to time and to sit during any adjournment of the Senate and the House of Representatives;

(17) the committee or any subcommittee have power to consider and make use of the evidence and records of the House of Representatives standing committees on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander affairs appointed during previous Parliaments;

(18) the provisions of this resolution, so far as they are inconsistent with the standing orders, have effect notwithstanding anything contained in the standing orders; and

(19) a message be sent to the Senate acquainting it of this resolution and requesting that it concur and take action accordingly.

Question agreed to.

I move:

That:

(1) a Joint Standing Committee on Electoral Matters be appointed to inquire into and report on such matters relating to electoral laws and practices and their administration as may be referred to it by either House of the Parliament or a Minister;

(2) annual reports of government departments and authorities and reports of the Auditor-General presented to the House shall stand referred to the committee for any inquiry the committee may wish to make and reports shall stand referred to the committee in accordance with a schedule tabled by the Speaker to record the areas of responsibility of each committee, provided that:

(a) any question concerning responsibility for a report or a part of a report shall be determined by the Speaker; and

(b) the period during which an inquiry concerning an annual report may be commenced by a committee shall end on the day on which the next annual report of that department or authority is presented to the House;

(3) the committee consist of 11 members, four Members of the House of Representatives to be nominated by the Government Whip or Whips, two Members of the House of Representatives to be nominated by the Opposition Whip or Whips, or by any minority group or independent Member, two Senators to be nominated by the Leader of the Government in the Senate, two Senators to be nominated by the Leader of the Opposition in the Senate and one Senator to be nominated by any minority group or independent Senator;

(4) for the purposes of the inquiry into the 2025 election only, participating members may be appointed to the committee on the nomination in the House of Representatives, of the Government or Opposition Whips or any minority group or independent Member, and, in the Senate, of the Leader of the Government or Opposition, or any minority group or independent Senator, and such participating member:

(a) shall be taken to be a member of the committee for the purposes of forming a quorum; and

(b) may participate in hearings of evidence and deliberations of the committee and have all rights of a committee member except that a participating member may not vote on any question before the committee;

(5) every nomination of a member of the committee be notified in writing to the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives;

(6) the members of the committee hold office as a joint standing committee until the House of Representatives is dissolved or expires by effluxion of time;

(7) the committee elect a:

(a) Government member as its chair; and

(b) non-Government member as its deputy chair who shall act as chair of the committee at any time when the chair is not present at a meeting of the committee;

(8) at any time when the chair and deputy chair are not present at a meeting of the committee the members present shall elect another member to act as chair at that meeting;

(9) in the event of an equally divided vote, the chair, or the deputy chair when acting as chair, shall have a casting vote;

(10) three members of the committee constitute a quorum of the committee, provided that in a deliberative meeting the quorum shall include one Government member of either House and one non-Government member of either House;

(11) the committee:

(a) have power to appoint subcommittees consisting of three or more of its members and to refer to any subcommittee any matter which the committee is empowered to examine; and

(b) appoint the chair of each subcommittee who shall have a deliberative vote and, in the event of an equally divided vote, a casting vote;

(12) at any time when the chair of a subcommittee is not present at a meeting of the subcommittee, the members of the subcommittee present shall elect another member of that subcommittee to act as chair at that meeting;

(13) two members of a subcommittee constitute a quorum of that subcommittee, provided that in a deliberative meeting the quorum shall include one Government member of either House and one non-Government member of either House;

(14) members of the committee who are not members of a subcommittee may participate in the proceedings of that subcommittee but shall not vote, move any motion or be counted for the purpose of a quorum;

(15) the committee or any subcommittee have power to:

(a) call for witnesses to attend and for documents to be produced;

(b) conduct proceedings at any place it sees fit;

(c) sit in public or in private;

(d) report from time to time; and

(e) adjourn from time to time and to sit during any adjournment of the Senate and the House of Representatives;

(16) the committee or any subcommittee have power to consider and make use of:

(a) submissions lodged with the Clerk of the Senate in response to public advertisements placed in accordance with the resolution of the Senate of 26 November 1981 relating to a proposed Joint Select Committee on the Electoral System; and

(b) the evidence and records of the Joint Committees on Electoral Reform and Electoral Matters appointed during previous Parliaments;

(17) the provisions of this resolution, so far as they are inconsistent with the standing orders, have effect notwithstanding anything contained in the standing orders; and

(18) a message be sent to the Senate acquainting it of this resolution and requesting that it concur and take action accordingly.

Question agreed to.

I move:

That this bill be now read a second time.

The Australian Security Intelligence Organisation Amendment Bill (No. 1) 2025 extends the sunset date of ASIO's compulsory questioning powers by 18 months, until 7 March 2027. This extension will enable the government to progress reforms to ASIO's questioning powers, and ensure the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security (PJCIS) has sufficient time to consider those reforms.

In September 2023, the PJCIS elected to review the compulsory questioning framework ahead of its sunset date, but it did not complete its review prior to the parliament being prorogued earlier this year. This bill will ensure ASIO retains these important powers to investigate and gather critical intelligence while reforms to the framework are progressed through parliament, including consideration by the PJCIS.

Closing remarks

I would note that this bill ensures that ASIO continues to have the powers it needs to navigate an increasingly complex, challenging and changing security environment and deliver on its mission to protect the safety of Australia and Australians. The regime will continue to be subject to extensive safeguards and oversight mechanisms to protect individual rights, including oversight by the Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security.

The bill reflects this government's commitment to ensuring Australia's national security agencies have the powers they need to ensure that Australians can be safe, and feel safe, in an increasingly complex national security environment.

Debate adjourned.

I move:

That this bill be now read a second time.

The Australian Security Intelligence Organisation performs an essential role in protecting Australia and Australians from threats to their security. ASIO's compulsory questioning powers, contained in Division 3 of Part III of the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation Act 1979, provide ASIO with a unique and necessary tool to investigate the most significant threats confronting Australia today.

In his 2025 Annual Threat Assessment, the Director-General of Security outlined ASIO's outlook to 2030, which assessed that over the next five years Australia's security environment will become more dynamic, more diverse and more degraded. Australia is facing multifaceted, merging, intersecting, concurrent, cascading threats, and if we are to ensure that Australians are safe, and feel safe, ASIO must be properly equipped to respond.

Today, I am introducing the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2025, which amends ASIO's compulsory questioning powers to reflect changes in Australia's security environment and further strengthen the safeguards and oversight mechanisms in the framework.

ASIO's compulsory questioning powers were first introduced in 2003 in response to the growing threat of terrorism following the September 11 attacks in the United States. After more than 20 years, Australia's security landscape has evolved considerably, and so have the powers.

This bill acknowledges that ASIO's compulsory questioning powers remain a valuable intelligence collection tool and makes amendments to ensure that ASIO has the powers it needs to operate effectively in an increasingly complex and challenging security environment. I'll now turn to the key amendments that are contained in the bill.

The bill repeals the sunset date in Division 3 of Part III of the ASIO Act and makes the questioning powers permanent. Since its introduction, the framework has been subject to five parliamentary reviews and two independent reviews, causing the parliament to extend the sunset date five times. Removing the sunset provision reflects the government's view that these powers now form an essential part of ASIO's collection powers, particularly in light of the threat environment. ASIO has used these powers judiciously in circumstances where ASIO's other powers were not appropriate for the circumstances.

The bill also expands the security matters for which ASIO may seek an adult questioning warrant. This will enable ASIO to obtain an adult questioning warrant in relation to sabotage, attacks on Australia's defence systems, the promotion of communal violence, and serious threats to Australia's territorial and border integrity, in addition to terrorism, espionage and foreign interference. The Director-General's 2025 Annual Threat Assessment made it clear that ASIO anticipates that multiple threats will intensify over the next five years: 'The most confronting thing about the new security environment—the prevailing security environment and the future security environment—is there is no single security concern.' That is from the Director-General.

These amendments ensure that ASIO's questioning powers reflect this reality.

Importantly, the bill makes targeted amendments to further strengthen existing safeguards and oversight mechanisms to protect individual rights. These include amendments to ensure the independence and impartiality of prescribed authorities, additional safeguards for the questioning of a person who is or will imminently be charged with a criminal offence, and additional reporting requirements to ensure that the Attorney-General is made aware of any noncompliance with, or contraventions of, the requirements of a warrant. These amendments will strengthen key safeguards in the existing legislative framework to promote fairness, uphold human rights and the right to a fair trial, and enhance transparency and accountability.

Finally, the bill amends the Intelligence Services Act 2001 to permit the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security to undertake a further review of the operation, effectiveness and implications of the framework three years after the commencement of this bill.

Closing remarks

The measures I've outlined in this bill deliver important reforms to ensure that ASIO has the powers it needs to respond to emerging challenges and to deliver on its mission to counter threats to Australia's security and ensure that all Australians can be safe and feel safe. The bill reflects this government's commitment to ensuring Australia's national security laws continually evolve to protect the Australian community, while ensuring that strong safeguards remain firmly in place.

I commend the bill to the House.

Debate adjourned.

It is an honour to once again be standing here and to be elected to the federal Parliament of Australia as the member for Flynn. I want to start by thanking the people who have entrusted me to represent them for another three years, the people of Flynn particularly. This is a diverse electorate of over 132,000 square kilometres, almost twice the size of Tasmania in area. It consists of eight local government council areas: the Banana Shire Council, the Central Highlands Regional Council, Gladstone Regional Council, North Burnett Regional Council, Woorabinda Aboriginal Shire Council, part of the Bundaberg Regional Council, part of the Rockhampton Regional Council and part of the South Burnett Regional Council. The electorate of Flynn was named in honour of Reverend John Flynn OBE, who lived from 1880 to 1951, founder of the Royal Flying Doctor Service, and who harnessed both flying and radio to relieve suffering and to save lives in remote regions of Queensland and, ultimately, Australia.

Flynn extends from Gladstone in the east and encompasses many regional communities, including Wondai and Proston in the south, the Central Highlands district in the west, and Gracemere district in the north. The electorate is one of the largest economic generators for the Australian economy, comprising agriculture, mining resources, power generation, heavy industry and transport. The electorate is made up of many hardworking men and women, and I'm proud of my local workers who have helped me keep the lights on and who have built products or grown produce Australia and the world will need for many years to come.

As such, it's critical that these industries and these people are supported by our government and not hindered. Since being elected in 2022, I've vowed to fight to protect these jobs in Central Queensland which have been under attack for far too long. I'm pleased to report a 4.6 per cent swing in my favour and I've increased my margin to over 10 per cent on a two-party preferred basis, despite a negative swing against the coalition nationally.

Behind my successful re-election campaign were hundreds and hundreds of people who supported me, from volunteers who handed out how-to-vote cards, householders who had a sign in their yard, people who'd put up their hand and people who put their hand in their pocket to support the campaign financially. While I'm unable to individually thank everybody—it's difficult to single out everybody in this speech—I thank you from the bottom of my heart for all of that support. To my wife, Terri, and my children Sarah, Tom and Scott, and their partners: thank you for your support and for keeping the family business going in my absence. To my Flynn FDC executive Tim Eversham and Rachael Cruwys and my campaign team: thank you so much.

I would like to thank everybody who's supported me along the way, especially my staff, who work tirelessly serving the thousands of constituents in the Flynn electorate. This includes my Gladstone team: my media advisor and campaign manager, Cody Vella; and electorate officers Melanie Kent-Ford, Kellie Wilkie, Natalie Ross, Leanne Ruge and April Vock; as well as support staff Liz Purnell-Webb, Julie Murphy and Rae Cowie. Thank you to Lane Buffington in my Emerald office and Margie McIntyre in my Gayndah office.

Last, but not least, I would like to thank my office manager, Nicole Lobegeier. Nicole is about to head off on maternity leave, and I would like to wish her, Aaron and Ollie all the best for their future and for the safe arrival of their new addition to their family. I also welcome Adele Austin to the team, who will be part of the Gladstone office team while Nicole is away on maternity leave. In the last term of parliament, my team and I were able to achieve some positive things, despite an incompetent Labor government.

I am most proud of protecting the Great Artesian Basin, something I have been fighting for for many years. In 2018 I expressed my strong opposition to anything that would compromise the Great Artesian Basin waters, and this was outlined in my maiden speech as the member for Callide in the Queensland state parliament. Back then, I had stopped the proposal to inject industrial waste into the Great Artesian Basin at Wandoan. A couple of years later, in 2023, I found out about a proposal to inject industrial waste into the Great Artesian Basin near Moonie in southern Queensland. Since then, I've written countless letters, made countless calls and had countless meetings to stop this madness from occurring.

In December last year, the Labor-Greens government quashed any attempt by the Nationals in parliament to ensure important safeguards were put in place to protect Australia's aquifers and, indeed, the largest underground potable water source in the world. The Nationals moved an amendment to the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act so that the Commonwealth, as well as Queensland government, undertakes the appropriate assessments of carbon sequestration projects. The Nationals fought for a commonsense solution to ensure our farmers' communities have confidence in the approval process of carbon sequestration projects by asking for all of these projects to be assessed under the federal act as well. The current EPBC Act does not go far enough in ensuring an appropriate approval process is in place, and it was a disgrace it was voted down by both the Labor government and the Greens.

I commend the work of the Queensland state government, which banned carbon capture and storage in the Great Artesian Basin in Queensland, and I note an enormous effort put in by AgForce Queensland to achieve this result. However, it's critical that New South Wales, South Australia and the Northern Territory governments do the same thing, and I'll continue to call on the Labor government to protect Australia's aquifers and oppose these proposals to sequester carbon dioxide in the Great Artesian Basin in particular.

I've also achieved substantial wins for the electorate in health, aged care, infrastructure, energy, the environment, telecommunications, agriculture and other community initiatives. For health and aged care, my office and I have initiated and secured thousands of signatures for the reinstatement of the Gladstone Hospital maternity ward. We've called out cuts to mental health support, advocated for the fast-tracking of urgent care clinics in Rockhampton and Bundaberg, achieved positive changes to the 60-day dispensing rules, advocated for aged-care changes following the closure of the Mount Morgan aged-care facility and hosted regional health roundtables in Gladstone to address these regional health issues. We've renewed calls for an investigation into district workforce shortages of cardiologists in the Wide Bay-Burnett region and welcomed construction of the Emerald rural health training centre, funded by the previous coalition government.

With regard to infrastructure, my staff and I have opened a school of manufacturing in Gladstone, funded by the previous coalition government. We've secured reinstatement of funding for the Rockhampton ring road along with the Central Queensland LNP team. We've continued to fight to fund the North Burnett evacuation route and deliver the John Peterson Bridge, near Mundubbera, which was also funded by the previous coalition government. We've secured funding for the Palm Drive culvert upgrade in West Gladstone; secured funding for Agnes Water Skate Park via the Growing Regions Program; called for an extension for the Remote Roads Upgrade Pilot Program; called for the reinstatement of the Beef Corridors funding; delivered the Drynan Drive upgrade in Calliope, funded by the previous coalition government; delivered the Rookwood Weir project along with the Central Queensland LNP team, which was partly funded by the previous coalition government; and opposed Labor's decision to cut funding to Paradise Dam. We've called on the Labor government to make changes to the Roads to Recovery program, which disadvantages all regional councils, and we've called on the federal and Queensland governments to prioritise and bring forward funding for upgrades for the Gin Gin-Rockhampton section of the Bruce Highway.

In respect of telecommunications, we've called for further investment into regional telecommunications and have initiated and collated information from telecommunication blackspots in the Flynn electorate with federal funding. We've called for the reinstatement of funding for mobile black spot programs and achieved a Senate inquiry into regional telecommunications.

In respect of community initiatives, we've announced funding for various community organisations and local athletes, ensured Flynn has received its fair share of funding by ensuring that the Labor government honours its election commitments, actively opposed the Labor government's funding cuts to ag shows, successfully advocated for funding through the Strengthening Rural Communities grants, announced funding for community initiatives through the Saluting Their Service Commemorative Grants Program, opened a new office in Gayndah to better serve constituents in the southern part of the Flynn electorate, conducted and released results of Flynn's biggest survey and hosted hundreds of community mobile offices at various locations across the Flynn electorate, including at regional shows. We've helped thousands of constituents with federal government inquiries and successfully lobbied for the building of a high school in Gracemere.

On the energy and environment issue, we've criticised Labor's reckless renewable energy rollout, and we will continue to do that. We've hosted energy forums in Gladstone, Biloela and Gracemere. We've hosted nuclear forums in Gladstone to discuss the energy form. We've opposed Labor's car tax and ute tax. We spoke at the Energy (Renewable Transformation and Jobs) Bill inquiry. We've called for and achieved changes to renewable energy legislation. We've advocated grant funding for Heritage Minerals at Mount Morgan to rehabilitate that mine project, and we've provided submissions to various state and federal inquiries.

With agriculture, we've successfully advocated for increased measures to protect Australia against foot-and-mouth disease, successfully lobbied for improvements to the PALM scheme, opposed Labor's live sheep export ban and lobbied to protect live cattle exports. We successfully lobbied against Labor's fresh food tax.

Other initiatives that we've introduced include a motion in the federal parliament addressing cost-of-living concerns. We've criticised the banks for closing regional branches and supported a Senate inquiry into banking closures. We've prevented franking credit changes detrimental to our constituents, opposed Labor's truckie tax, opposed Labor's divisive Voice to Parliament proposal, successfully lobbied for changes to the HECS system and criticised delays and called for improvements regarding Centrelink wait times. We spoke against Labor's misinformation laws, opposed the cancellation of heavy-vehicle safety and productivity programs, advocated that Australia Day remain 26 January, opposed the digital ID bill and spoke on behalf of constituents of Flynn in the federal parliament approximately 110 times.

Going to this term of parliament, it's about holding the Labor government to account and protecting the future of Central Queensland and the Wide Bay area. I have grave concerns for our regions and their future and for our traditional industries.

The simple fact is that rural and regional Australia is being bulldozed by Labor's reckless renewables rush, and what the government does not understand is that you cannot rely on renewable energy alone. If Australia continues to go down the road of 82 per cent renewable energy by 2030 and achieving net zero emissions by 2050, I fear a repeat of the mass power outages that we've seen in Spain and Portugal, which are countries that are both heavily reliant on renewable energy. To kick the idea of nuclear power into the long grass for the future is an absolute tragedy. Nuclear power, just like coal, is among the safest and most reliable energy sources in the world. Nuclear energy is something Australia needs to consider for the future of business and industry in this country. There are many countries around the world increasing their nuclear capacity, and they understand that renewable energy is not reliable.

Furthermore, the Labor government's unrealistic capital gains tax is not only economically reckless but also fundamentally unfair, and it sets a dangerous precedent in the Australian tax system. This proposal should be abandoned. It is fiscally flawed, ethically questionable and an administrative disaster. Australians deserve a tax system that is fair and transparent and that rewards, not punishes, prudent financial planning.

I have concerns about the sustainability of local government. This concern has been amplified by the North Burnett Regional Council's decision to increase its rates across the area by 25 per cent. While there are many factors that have led to this decision, including the effects of the flawed Local Government Act in Queensland, the current funding model from the federal government is outdated and inadequate. Today, I call on the federal government to increase the untied funding to all councils to at least one per cent of Commonwealth taxation revenue indexed annually with payment timing and certainty. These are some of the policies that I will continue to call out as the federal member for Flynn.

Whether you're a blue-collar worker in Gladstone, a grazier in the Burnett, a truck driver in the mines in the Central Highlands, a support worker in Gracemere, a veggie grower in Bundaberg, a boilermaker at a small business in Biloela, a nurse in Woorabinda or someone who's just trying to have a go, I will continue to represent you and all your people. I will continue to work hard for our region and ensure we are strongly represented in federal parliament by putting the people of Flynn first. In closing, once again, I thank you and the people of Flynn for putting your trust in me.

This is my first opportunity to speak at length in the 48th Parliament, but definitely not my first speech in this place. It is an extraordinary privilege to have be sworn in again this week for the fourth time as the member for Macquarie. I'm so grateful to the people of the Blue Mountains and Hawkesbury and to my new constituents in Nepean who have put their trust in me to be their representative for three more years, and I want to thank the many volunteers who helped make that possible.

I particularly want to thank the people of Emu Plains, Emu Heights and Leonay, which are the new parts of the Macquarie electorate following the redistribution. These people very generously had conversations with me and my team of volunteers on their doorsteps, at the railway station and along the river, sometimes in 38-degree heat. It has been a real pleasure already having conversations with you, and I look forward to more of those. It's also been terrific getting to know the community groups like the Nepean District Historical Society, Emu Plains Girl Guides and Lions Club volunteers and being involved with them in the planning for the Emu Plains Anzac Day event, which the member for Lindsay restarted a year ago, and I'm very proud to be continuing that tradition.

I am looking forward to deepening my relationship with community groups in coming years and months, as I am to working with the Penrith City Council on the various election commitments that we've made that directly involve working with them. One is Labor's $4 million commitment to upgrading Jamison Park netball facilities—not technically in my electorate but used by many of my constituents and their kids. I look forward to working with Penrith council and the netball association on that and also on major projects like the Leonay Oval. We'll be making a $2.25 million investment. One part of it will be the really exciting stuff of upgrading drainage, which is not necessarily exciting but is really essential for a field that sits at the foot of the Blue Mountains. The exciting bit will be developing the master plan. There's a real vision for that site, one that's able to be brought to life in future years. Emu Plains Little Athletics Club and Emu Plains Junior Rugby League Club have hundreds of young athletes and players who rely on this oval every week, and this investment will finally give them the sort of facility that they deserve.

We also have a $1.1 million commitment to invest in local community parks in Emu Plains and Emu Heights. These are the things that make a big difference to you if you're a mum and you want to get out of the house for a break with the kids to really lovely facilities nearby or if you're a kid after school and you want to be able to have a play and let off steam before, of course, heading home to do all that homework. Our funding's going towards replacing deteriorated asphalt on the basketball court at Clissold Park, creating a multipurpose court, and a bunch of other things in Emu Plains like new pathways to make the park more accessible, and modernising of Ausburn Reserve in Emu Plains and Gough and Lucas Street Reserve. As I say, these feel like small things, but I've got to tell you that it's easy to remember what it was like being home with kids and just needing to get out to somewhere that provided a safe and accessible play space for children or grandchildren.

The other thing I want to mention around this new part of the electorate is that the state member for Penrith, Karen McKeown, has been an amazing support in helping me get to know this part of the world, which she has lived in for so much of her life. I think she and I have already established our meeting place as the wonderful cafe at the Penrith Regional Gallery, Cafe at Lewers. It is a perfect place to sit and make sure that at those two levels of government we're working hand in hand to support our community.

One of the things I'm really excited about as we move into this term of government is fulfilling the commitments we've made that go right across the electorate. The urgent-care clinic that is going to be opened in the Hawkesbury will be a real game changer for families there, and I'm grateful for the huge support I've had from the community in making sure we were one of those nominated to get a new urgent-care clinic. There is already an urgent-care clinic operating in Penrith, and one of the delights of doorknocking through the campaign was being able to raise people's awareness about that—something that perhaps the member for Lindsay had not been as excited about as I am, but it is proving to be, in Penrith, a really useful service, particularly for kids with sporting injuries and for older people who know that they really should get a fall looked at or a cut dealt with quickly, not to mention run-of-the-mill things; all of us will do something silly at some point or find ourselves in need of urgent but not critical care. I'm delighted to see that lower-mountains people are using that service, as well as those in the Emu Plains region. But the Hawkesbury deserve one, and that is something I will continue to work on, and I have already had conversations about getting that underway.

Aside from the fantastic commitments we've made around women's health and the changes that are already in place and that this Labor government believes very strongly in, the new endometriosis and pelvic pain and menopause clinic that is slated for the Nepean and Blue Mountains area is a game changer. I acknowledge the work of the assistant minister, who's sitting at the desk and who put so much effort into making sure women's health has been a key focus of Labor's first-term agenda as well as our second. There has already been a discussion for an expression of interest as to who might want to operate the service, looking for health organisations that already do this or have the capacity to do this. We will then build on their capacity to provide a service across that whole Blue Mountains and Nepean region. So, that's another one I'll be keeping a very close eye on.

I'm very proud to represent the Blue Mountains and the Blue Mountains World Heritage Area. Much of the Greater Blue Mountains World Heritage Area sits within my electorate. That's why koalas are a really key election commitment for me. We have committed to creating a stronghold for koalas—a place of refuge for koalas as climate changes. Our $3.495 million—let's just call it $4 million—election commitment will address the knowledge gaps and coordinate the management of areas in this Greater Blue Mountains World Heritage Area. That involves multiple councils, multiple other state organisations as well as the federal government so that we can offer refuge to koalas. The work of Science for Wildlife showed us, in the years following the shocking 2019-20 Gospers Mountain fires—part of that Black Summer fire season—that koalas have found refuge in the Blue Mountains. It becomes even more important, as climate changes, that we conserve these spaces and make sure they are well supported.

The commitment over the next few years will involve collecting and reviewing data across diverse sites, including looking at the connectivity of those sites, the disease that might be present in koalas and the genetic diversity. I'm proud to say that we have already living in this area the most genetically diverse koalas, and they deserve to be protected, which is why another part of it is a responsible pet ownership program to address the risk of predators, many of which are our beloved pets. This holistic program has many elements, and I look forward to talking about it in more detail. I am very much looking forward to the work that we do with people like Science for Wildlife and the different agencies that support the Greater Blue Mountains World Heritage area, including the Blue Mountains World Heritage Institute.

We are very focused on the commitments that we've made this election. One that has been a long-running and ongoing commitment from Labor to my community has been duplicating the North Richmond bridge. The commitment around this started back in 2010, my very first election, where I was unsuccessful, when the now prime minister stepped in with a federal commitment to kickstart this process. It has moved slowly through some periods—quickly when we were in government, more slowly when we were not—and I'm pleased to say it is moving now with pace. At this election we committed an additional $114 million, on top of our $400 million commitment, to ensure this project gets done, and gets done properly. There is a long way to go, but we're looking at the work on this project starting next year. There are some preliminary early-stage works that will, in fact, be starting within a matter of days, but the bulk of the project will get started next year, and that is thanks to the additional Labor commitment of funding to make sure that it's done once and it's done right.

When I think about roads in my community, they have been a key focus of what we've delivered already in our first term, and we'll continue to deliver. On the back of terrible bushfires and floods, there's been tens of millions of dollars of investment of federal funding to ensure that roads can be repaired and, more importantly, built back better, and that is something we saw in the last term of government. But we also have an additional $100 million coming into one of our key roads, the Bells Line of Road. This wasn't an election commitment; this was announced by us in government, and the state government is now working through where those sites will be. It's a road that spans two local government areas: the Blue Mountains and the Hawkesbury. It's a key thoroughfare for people coming from the Central West and from Lithgow through to the city as an alternative to the Great Western Highway, which, in itself, is going to be the focus of a lot of our attention, with the state government, in this term of government. The Bells Line of Road now has $100 million of investment that we will soon start to see the detail on.

I'm very proud to be delivering those sorts of things. Commitments don't always come when there's an election. Sometimes they come because there's a job that really has to be done. There are still some commitments that I made in 2022 that have not quite managed to be brought to fruition by the parties who received the funding for. This term I'm very much looking forward to seeing Hawkesbury City Council deliver on $2.5 million worth of improvements to North Richmond Community Centre, upgrading it so it is more suitable as an emergency and evacuation spot. These projects often end up being complex, and I appreciate that council has been working on them as best they could, but it is very clear to me that the delivery of these projects is urgent in this term of government and I will continue to work closely with council on that, as well as on the rollout of additional mobile services. Obviously, this involves working with the telecommunications companies, and sometimes it gets complicated when councils get involved. One of our new mobile towers, at Hawkesbury Heights, has been switched on and one at Mount Tomah—again, on that really key Bells Line of Road—is not far off.

Those are the things that we keep working on. We try to work collaboratively. I find that, rather than just attacking them for not having got projects done and dusted, it is much more productive to work in collaboration. I'm definitely looking forward to them finalising the work—it's not a huge amount of money—on two small parks in Bounty Reserve in Bligh Park and in South Windsor. That's another Hawkesbury City Council project. They're also spending some of the $3 million we committed last election to Woodbury oval in Glossodia. On the Blue Mountains side, Mount Victoria's investment of a million dollars into their central park is coming along nicely. It's been sometimes frustrating for the community not to see an instant fix from those things, but working with several tiers of government can complicate things.

Two groups who have been beautifully delivering the 2022 commitment have been the Rural Fire Service and the SES. Again, it wasn't necessarily as quick as we would have liked, but I am now seeing $50,000 of expenditure in every single rural fire brigade in my electorate across the Blue Mountains and Hawkesbury. These things are really creative. Some are choosing water tanks to increase their water supply. Others are putting in vermin-proof lockers, because you do not want stuff eating your uniforms. There is a range of innovation happening that is designed to serve the volunteers and the community they serve. I'm very proud to be seeing this. I look forward to visiting every one of those RFS sheds and seeing the work they've done. In 2022 we also announced investments in the headquarters of each, and that is also underway. With $1.1 million for each SES, they are very close to starting those projects. These sorts of commitments are just a sample of the things that we've done in Macquarie, and there is always more to do. The Veterans' and Families' Hub that the government has established is underway. The temporary site is close to opening, and a permanent site is already selected. What it shows me is that federal government doesn't do things on its own. We need to work with other groups.

In the last few minutes I have, I want to turn to an issue that will be a focus for me in this term. It goes to what the Governor-General spoke about when she spoke about caring for others in our community. There is a group of people who are facing increasing distress, and that's homeowners who can't afford to insure their home—likely their biggest asset—because they're in a flood prone area. This is happening across Hawkesbury-Nepean as well as in many other parts of the country. We've experienced eight floods since 2020. While none of them reached more than a one-in-20-years level, they were devastating for people. We've seen the sense of security that people had fall away. In the last week or so, I spoke with one resident who was quoted up to $85,000 a year to insure their home in a suburban area. Yes, it's on a flood plain. The average quote they had was $25,000, and this is a number I hear frequently. It is equally out of reach to the average person. Their insurance broker said there was nothing that could be done. At the same time as I reached out to the insurance industry to try and find a solution, this person was able to secure insurance where they opted out of flood insurance. They're covered for all the other perils and accidents that can occur but not for flood. For this family, that was an acceptable outcome, but there is not always a satisfactory ending in these situations. One recent home-seller had to pay $25,000 insurance on the property to secure the sale with the future buyer.

The Hawkesbury-Nepean was lucky in these last few weather events that some parts of the country faced. There was low-level flooding. But there is urgency to ensure that people can take responsibility for their own recovery by being able to access insurance in some form. We're not the only country facing this issue, and I've been grateful to the Insurance Council of Australia for giving me access to people in the United States, the UK and New Zealand to hear of the very similar challenges they're facing. We all know that mitigation is crucial in this insurance affordability issue, and our government has done more on mitigation than has ever previously been done. But exactly what to do, how to do it at a local level and what difference it makes is not yet completely clear. Obviously, responsibility for so much of the mitigation sits with the New South Wales government. As I say, this is a place where we need collaboration and cooperation. For me, one of the most urgent challenges this term is to work with the Assistant Treasurer, the emergency ministers, the New South Wales government, the insurance industry and my community to find a way forward on this very complex issue. No-one is suggesting there is a quick fix, but what is clear is that the urgency continues to mount and that, where we can't find a solution, we're creating huge distress for communities who see a place they felt secure in become a real ball and chain—a place they can't exit, a place they can't afford to leave but also where they can't afford to stay.

These are some of the many joys and challenges I look forward to in this term of parliament, and I look forward to working with colleagues across the chamber on these issues.

It's an incredible privilege to be able to return to Canberra and rise in the 48th Parliament of Australia, having been re-elected, once again, for an historic fifth term as the federal member for Capricornia. Almost 12 years ago I stood to deliver my maiden speech as the new member for Capricornia. Today, as I rise to speak in the 48th Parliament, it is still the greatest honour of my life to represent my community, fighting every day with the same passion and determination I've carried for over a decade.

When I reflect on the recent election campaign, I'm reminded of the tireless dedication of my volunteers, friends, family and staff. Their hard work, loyalty and belief in me and the National Party made all the difference. Without them, the road to re-election would be so much steeper. I'm deeply grateful for their unwavering support.

I'd like to take this opportunity to express my heartfelt thanks to all involved. Firstly, to my family—Jessica, Tim, Fitzwilliam, Kirstin and my mum, Gloria: thank you. Your love and support not just during the election but throughout the last 12 years has been a constant source of strength for me.

To my incredible LNP supporters and volunteers, especially our tireless booth captains and their teams: thank you. Your dedication not just during the election campaign but year after year at markets and community stalls has been absolutely invaluable.

I also want to extend my deepest thanks to my campaign manager, Ron Carige; our treasurer, Anne Carige; and secretary Tom Birkbeck. To my hardworking staff—Dannielle Martin, Lauren Clein, Ben Springhall, Megan Kerr, Nicole Kamp, Laurie Atlas and Amiee Ford: thank you. Your commitment to assisting the people of Capricornia throughout the last term and the extraordinary effort you put in during the campaign did not go unnoticed. I also say a huge thank you to all those who financially contributed to my campaign and helped out in any way they could.

I thank my federal parliamentary colleagues for their unwavering support, including former Leader of the Opposition Peter Dutton and Leader of the Nationals and member for Maranoa David Littleproud. A special thank you to Senator Matthew Canavan and his team for their unwavering support and friendship, as always.

I want to express my heartfelt gratitude to the quiet Australians who placed their trust in me once again: the small-business owners, the mums and dads, the coalminers, the farmers and the retirees. These are the hardworking Australians who ask for little but give so much. They are the backbone of our communities and the very reason this country is as resilient as it is today. Over the past three years, these Australians have borne the brunt of a deepening cost-of-living crisis. They've watched as their grocery bills climbed, their electricity costs soared and their hopes of homeownership drifted further out of reach. To every battler, every family doing it tough and every person who put their faith in me: I will not let you down. I will hold this government accountable. I will fight for you every single day.

It is the greatest privilege to represent Capricornia in this parliament, and it was also an honour to serve as the shadow assistant minister for manufacturing during the 47th Parliament. Manufacturing is more than just an industry; it's a symbol of what Australians can achieve when we invest in skills, innovation and sovereign capability. This term of government, I am delighted to serve my party as the Chief Nationals Whip. Since becoming Capricornia's federal member of parliament, I've worked tirelessly to secure major investment in real job-creating infrastructure.

Despite Labor tearing much-needed funding from regional Australians, we saw many coalition funded projects come to completion. As well, we saved many projects from Labor's funding cuts. The $670 million coalition funded Rookwood Weir was officially opened and has begun to provide much-needed water to agriculture in Central Queensland. Water is a priority in Central Queensland, and this water is transforming our region, driving the expansion of irrigated agriculture production and opening up new business opportunities, which will boost our local economy. More than 36,000 megalitres of water will underpin agriculture growth and deliver to secure reliable and affordable water across Central Queensland, setting up local industry to succeed. Water infrastructure projects like Rookwood Weir will ensure our dry continent can continue to be not just habitable but productive.

One of the exciting outcomes of the Rookwood Weir project is the expansion of higher-value crops, like macadamia, now flourishing thanks to increased water security. These macadamias are in high demand and destined for export markets around the world, opening new and exciting opportunities for our region.

This growing export potential aligns perfectly with the continued development of Rockhampton Airport. With its strategic location, Rockhampton is well-placed to become a major freight and export hub, connecting our region's premium agriculture products with international markets. The airport itself has benefited from more than $40 million in federal investment, which I fought hard to secure. During the last term, we saw the official opening of several transformative upgrades—enhanced security systems, including state-of-the-art body scanners; a complete pavement upgrade; and vital terminal improvements—to ensure a smoother, more welcoming experience for all our visitors.

The project I'm most proud to have helped deliver is the Alliance Airlines heavy maintenance facility, a $25 million investment by the coalition. This facility is not only creating more than 100 local jobs but also offering apprenticeships and traineeships in aircraft engineering to high-school students from Rockhampton and Yeppoon. It's a game changer for our region, which is building skills, careers and economic opportunities for the next generation.

During the election, I proudly committed $20 million for the next stage of the airport's expansion, including an additional aircraft bay to support the growing number of military training exercises in our region and the first stage of a dedicated freight hub to kickstart Rockhampton's transformation into a true export gateway. Disappointingly, Labor did not match this commitment. They continue to take regional communities for granted and show little interest in supporting long-term growth outside the major cities. Their refusal to invest in this critical infrastructure proves that they don't take regional development seriously.

Major infrastructure projects across the Capricornia electorate continue to drive economic growth and deliver long-term benefits for our region. But time and again we've had to fight tooth and nail to protect them. Last term, alongside local community members and businesses, I stood up to save crucial economy-building projects, none more significant at the $1.9 billion Rockhampton Ring Road and the $14 million Phillips Creek Bridge upgrade nearDysart. Saving the Rockhampton Ring Road from Labor's first budget cuts was no small feat. More than 500 locals rallied to send a clear message to Canberra: regional Queensland will not tolerate vital infrastructure being stripped away. The Start Rockhampton Ring Road team fought with unwavering determination, and, without their advocacy, Labor would have gladly consigned this project to the scrap heap.

Today, stage 1 of the northern and southern sections of the ring road are nearing completion. This project isn't just about busting congestion; it's about keeping our community safe. Every day, around 2,000 heavy vehicles pass through Rockhampton, right past four schools and through 19 sets of traffic lights. The Rockhampton Ring Road will divert this traffic away from our city centre, keeping freight moving and our children safe.

Similarly, I'm pleased to see the $251 million Walkerston Bypass is now completed. This vital project has redirected heavy vehicles away from local schools in the township of Walkerston, which, for years, was impacted by trucks passing dangerously close to school zones. The bypass is delivering safer and more efficient journeys for commuters along the Peak Downs Highway and has significantly improved flood immunity with a new bridge over Bakers Creek and three new overpasses across the local cane railway network.

I also successfully fought to save the Phillips Creek Bridge upgrade from Labor's 90-day infrastructure review, Phillips Creek Bridge is a notoriously dangerous crossing where lives have been lost. This project will provide safer travel for those commuting through the coalfields of Central Queensland, ensuring they return home safely to their families. I'm proud that the $155 million Rockhampton-Yeppoon Road upgrade is now in its final stages. Another coalition funded initiative, this project is expanding the road to four lanes, improving access to private properties and fixing the deadly intersections like Dairy Inn Road and Artillery Road. These upgrades will ease traffic for the 11,600 vehicles that use this road every day and make travel between Rockhampton and Yeppoon safer and more efficient for everyone.

Importantly, we forced Labor's hand on yet another critical project, the beef roads funding. When Labor tried to cut this vital investment from the infrastructure pipeline we fought back and had $40 million reinstated. This win means we're finally seeing the beginning of sealing key freight routes in the beef corridor network, roads that are crucial for our cattle industry, our rural communities and our regional economy.

Connectivity is not just a luxury. It is a necessity, especially for those living in regional, rural and remote parts of our country. When the community of Collinsville began experiencing major mobile coverage issues, I knew immediate action was needed. The existing tower was under immense pressure, struggling to keep up with the growing demand. I met with locals, listened to their concerns firsthand and took those concerns straight back to Canberra. Through community meetings, advocacy and relentless lobbying I fought to ensure that Collinsville got the upgrades it needed. After two years of hard work I was absolutely delighted to see the fight pay off. Earlier this year a new mobile phone base station was officially switched on, providing significantly improved coverage for the Collinsville region. It's a win for safety, a win for business and a win for every resident who now has the connectivity they deserve.

Access to safe, secure and appropriate housing is one of the biggest challenges facing communities across Australia, and Capricornia is no exception. But for people living with disability, the challenge is even greater. Finding homes that not only provide a roof over their head that are designed to support their specific needs is incredibly difficult. That's why I was so proud to bring a vital project to life by securing $1 million in federal funding for Multicap's purpose-built disability housing. What began as a vision on paper is now a reality, with two beautifully designed homes that offer safety, dignity and independence for their residents. These houses are more than just buildings; they're a lifeline for those who too often fall through the cracks of our housing system. Housing security is also critical at the end of life, and I was honoured to deliver $19.6 million in funding for the construction of the Mercy Haven aged care facility in Rockhampton. This state-of-the-art centre is providing high-quality, compassionate care for our senior citizens, ensuring that they can stay close to their families and communities in later years.

Additionally, I was also proud to secure $8 million in federal funding for the Fitzroy Community Hospice, which has now officially opened its doors. This 12-bed facility in Rockhampton is the first regional hospice in Queensland, providing compassionate community based end-of-life care. It delivers holistic support not just for patients but for their families and carers as well, offering dignity, comfort and guidance during life's most difficult moments. I fought hard for this service because everyone, regardless of where they live, deserves access to quality palliative care close to home. The Fitzroy Community Hospice is a testament to what we can achieve when we invest in services that truly matter.

The Capricornia region is one of the best places in Australia to live, work and raise a family, and has been made even better by significant investments I've secured to support its continued growth. Tourism is thriving, and I'm proud to have delivered the funding needed to keep pace with this momentum. One stand-out project is the brand new Keppel Bay Sailing Club, now officially open thanks to a $20 million investment from the coalition. This world-class facility has quickly become a centrepiece for sport and tourism on the Capricorn Coast, creating local jobs, injecting life into our hospitality sector and attracting national and international sailing regattas to our beautiful shoreline. From health care to infrastructure, and from housing to tourism, these investments are building a stronger, safer and more prosperous future for all of Capricornia. I am incredibly proud to have secured a record investment of more than $7 billion for Capricornia—an achievement that reflects years of hard work, persistence and unshakable belief in the potential of our region.

For too long, Capricornia was overlooked by Labor, taken for granted as a safe Labor seat and left behind when it came to serious investment. But that has changed. Capricornia is no longer ignored. It is now recognised as the economic powerhouse it truly is, driving growth through agriculture, resources, defence, manufacturing and tourism. This investment isn't just a number; it's real funding for roads, hospitals, aged care, water security, job creation and essential services that strengthen our communities and build a better future for local families.

Serving as the member for Capricornia has been the honour of my life. As members of parliament, we are entrusted with a profound responsibility: the ability to make a real and lasting difference in the lives of our constituents. Whether it's standing up for residents who need help, improving the essential services families rely on or delivering the infrastructure that drives jobs and opportunity, our role matters. On every one of these fronts, I am incredibly proud of what I've been able to achieve for Capricornia. This is the region where I was raised and where I chose to raise my two daughters. It's more than just an electorate; it is my home, and it's a community I care deeply about. As we begin the 48th Parliament, I remain as determined as ever to fight for Capricornia's future. I will continue working hard every day to deliver for our region and hold the Labor government to account. Capricornia is full of potential, and it is the honour of my life to represent it in this place of democracy. Thank you.

It is a real honour to be returned to this place. It is not a fact lost on me that the last person to have served two consecutive terms was the wonderful Anna Burke. Her second election was in 2001, so I do not take lightly the privilege and honour that the people of Chisholm have bestowed upon me by returning me here to this place to represent them. I want to use this time to reflect on the wonderful support that I've received from my community in Chisholm and the determination with which I will continue to fight for what our community needs.

Over 500 people in my local area volunteered on my campaign, which is an incredible number of people. We knocked on over 50,000 doors and made over 80,000 phone calls attempting to contact every single person in my electorate. We were focused, as the broader Labor campaign was, on optimism for our community and for our country. We know that it is only Labor governments that build. Our campaign was focused on how a re-elected Albanese Labor government will build Australia's future.

Delivery is really important for governments. We've heard in this place a number of times, and certainly over the last day or so, about how faith in institutions has been declining over the years. It is through delivery—through being a government that says they're going to do something and then does it—that we restore faith in institutions in the government. I look forward to being part of the second-term Albanese Labor government, where we will continue our record of delivery on the commitments that we make to people in our communities.

There are many people that I will thank in a moment, but I want to acknowledge the extraordinary support that I received from the caucus—from colleagues such as the Minister for Foreign Affairs, the Minister for Social Services, Tanya Plibersek, the Minister for the Environment and Water and former Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations, Senator Murray Watt, the Deputy Prime Minister, the Minister for Housing, the Treasurer, the Prime Minister, of course, the Minister for Finance, the Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government, the Minister for Skills and Training, the Minister for Home Affairs, the Assistant Minister for Citizenship, Customs and Multicultural Affairs, the Minister for Health, Disability and Ageing, the then Assistant Minister for Women, Kate Thwaites. I want to acknowledge all their support because I really felt that I was going into a pretty intense campaign with some of the best leaders in our country on my side. That really encouraged me, and I know it certainly encouraged the volunteers that they spoke to when they came to visit me. I'm very grateful and will always be grateful for their support there.

The debate is interrupted in accordance with standing order 43. The debate may resume at a later hour. The member will have leave to continue speaking when that debate is resumed.

Former treasury secretary Ken Henry said just last week that Australia's environment protection laws have both failed to stop the degradation of Australia's natural environment and held back economic growth, and they are undermining productivity. It's true that, under the Albanese government, not only are Australians worse off, with soaring cost-of-living pressures, but Australia's environment is also worse off.

We only need to look at Labor's failure on the algal bloom in South Australia, which has been blooming for months and months. On the eve of parliament returning, Minister Watt made a mercy dash to South Australia regarding the toxic algal bloom crisis. Scientists in South Australia have been raising the alarm for over 18 months on this, and, according to the Guardian, 13,800 marine creatures have died since March of this year alone, and over 400 species have been affected. Not only has our precious marine life been impacted but the local economy in South Australia has also been severely impacted. It could have been addressed much, much sooner.

South Australians and all Australians should be very disappointed in the Albanese government. This is an environmental failing of epic proportions. If our precious marine life started washing up dead on the Great Barrier Reef, there's no doubt the minister would have acted within days. They've failed to listen, they've failed to act for 18 months and they've let this algal bloom go from bad to worse.

Before entering this place, I served on Liverpool City Council as a councillor. During this time, I was fortunate to make many friends and also had the benefit of wonderful mentors—in particular, Councillor Ali Karnib. Sadly, Ali Karnib passed away on 20 June this year.

Ali was an Australian success story. He arrived in Australia in 1984 from Lebanon in the hope of a better future for himself and his family. He settled in Green Valley and never left. Ali was a maths teacher and science teacher by profession, and central to his philosophy and approach to life was a commitment to education and social inclusion. Also central to Ali's life was a sense of civic service. Not surprisingly, then, Ali became the president of the Lebanese Community Council and in 1999 was elected to Liverpool council as a councillor. Ali served a total of 26 years on the council and did so with distinction. He served multiple terms as deputy mayor and brought to his role a sense of decency, humility and integrity.

Notwithstanding Ali's achievements in civic life, his greatest achievement was his family. I offer my condolences to his wife, Yousra, and his children and grandchildren for their loss.

It's a great thing for Australia's future when young people are interested in involving themselves in agriculture and rural industries, and AgriFutures Australia is supporting the next generation of rural and regional leaders across our nation. In this very building today, they're coming together. I particularly want to congratulate two outstanding young people from my electorate of Nicholls who have been recognised through AgriFutures' scholarship programs.

Jack McKay was awarded an AgriFutures Horizon Scholarship, which is a bursary to broaden his study. Jack grew up on a sheep farm in Broadford and attended Assumption College in Kilmore. He's now studying a Bachelor of Agricultural Science at Charles Sturt University in Wagga, and he hopes to become an agronomist—a former profession of mine.

Mim Drinnan was awarded the AgriFutures Les Young Scholarship. Mim hails from Nagambie, which is the home of Black Caviar and is a major centre for the thoroughbred industry, where she works with Lindsay Park Racing. Mim is going to use this scholarship to travel to the UK and attend the National Stud bloodstock management course.

I commend Jack and Mim on their achievements, as well as all of the other recipients—people who are working in the agricultural and rural industries, making sure food and fibre production is in good hands for the future of Australia. Thank you to AgriFutures for fostering the future leaders in the agricultural industry.

I wish to pay tribute to a friend of mine, a pillar of the Labor Party in Ipswich, Margaret Doran. Margie was born in Ipswich on 15 April 1935 and died after a short illness at St Andrew's Hospital, Ipswich, on 25 June 2025 at the age of 90. Margie had been an inspiration for so many, and her passing leaves a huge gaping hole in the city of Ipswich. Margie was a life member of the Labor Party, a devout Christian and a fixture at St Mary's Catholic Church, Woodend in Ipswich. She was a proud teacher-librarian. Margaret was a life member of the Queensland Teachers' Union. She dedicated her life to public education and social justice. She was a formidable figure. She was the philosophical and spiritual compass of the Labor Party in Ipswich. A vice-president, treasurer or secretary of nearly every party unit and a former state conference delegate, she was an absolute treasure, and I enjoyed her wise counsel, good humour and loyal support. You could always rely upon Margie to hand out Labor Party how-to-vote cards on election day.

I was honoured to attend Margie's funeral with so many people in Ipswich. The church was nearly full. My deepest condolences go to Margie's family and her many friends. Vale, Margaret, and many thanks.

Let's call it what it is—a genocide. It's a genocide when half a million people are on the brink of starvation with almost the entire population of Gaza experiencing acute food insecurity. It's a genocide when they're massacring starving people lining up for food. It's a genocide when hospitals are treating children with wounds from sniper rifles. It's a genocide when the Israeli defence minister talks about forcing all Palestinians in Gaza into an internment zone along the southern border. It's a genocide when the Israeli finance minister said that Gaza will be totally destroyed.

We have a duty under international law to prevent genocide. Our refusal to act will be a stain on this nation's history. When it's a genocide, you don't just say, 'We can't possibly do anything about this.' Labor still calls Israel a friend and an ally. I'm sorry—a state committing a genocide is not a friend. Labor finally says it supports an end to the conflict and calls Israel's actions indefensible but has not stopped arms exports to Israel. They have not sanctioned them like we've sanctioned Russia for their invasion of Ukraine. It's not a conflict; it's a genocide. Our Labor government should call it what it is and take every possible action to stop it.

This year marks the 80th anniversary of the end of the Second World War. This holds significance to my electorate of Solomon and the Northern Territory as a whole, where the war reached our shores in the devastating bombings of Darwin and Northern Australia. I always fight for the recognition of our Defence Force and our veterans, like getting the Meritorious Unit Citation for those who served in Somalia, keeping the Meritorious Unit Citation for the 3,000-plus ADF personnel that served with the special operations task group in Afghanistan and, of course, pushing for long-overdue recognition with the Victoria Cross for World War II hero Teddy Sheean.

Our World War II veterans are getting on these days. Most of them are approaching or already are 100 years old. There was a commemorative medal struck for the 80th anniversary of Armistice Day for First World War veterans, so I think that's worth looking at now that we've reached the 80th anniversary of the end of the Second World War. It shows our respect for these great Australians who served abroad and defended our shores 80 years ago. We remember them and we remember their mates, members of the greatest generation who, for some of them, did not make it home. We honour their sacrifice every day.

I want to take this opportunity to showcase the work of two wonderful organisations within Wentworth. Earlier this month I had the pleasure of meeting Rabbi Alon Meltzer, the director of programs at a not-for-profit called Shalom Collective. This organisation creates contemporary Jewish experiences that celebrate culture, deepen identity and build a thriving community, as well as inviting everyone, Jewish and non-Jewish alike, to come together over literature, art, food and culture. They run a variety of programs, such as performing and visual arts programs, the Sydney Jewish Writers Festival, Jewish Food Festival and the children's book delivery festival, which connects over 26 thousand people across the community and beyond.

I also want to celebrate the incredible work that's been done at Kinghorn Cancer Centre in Darlinghurst. First opened in 2012, the Kinghorn brings together researchers and clinicians onto a single world-class site, so that research findings can be rapidly translated into clinical applications for the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of cancer.

Trevor Tyne, a patient at Kinghorn, recently came to see me with his oncologist Dr Jenny Liu. I was so moved by the way that Trevor spoke of the kindness and care of the Kinghorn staff, and by both of his and Dr Liu's passion in ensuring that more Australians experience the lifesaving work of this centre firsthand. It particularly focuses on rare cancers, which equate to 25 per cent of cancer deaths, and this is an area that needs greater support.

We all know the Hunter is full of legends, but, recently, the biggest legends of them all were crowned. I was lucky enough to attend the 2025 Hunter Valley Legends Awards, where icons were celebrated. It was great to see Lisa Margan be inducted as the 2025 Hunter Valley tourism industry living legend. Lisa has dedicated more than 30 years to the Hunter Valley's food, wine and hospitality scene, playing a key role in supporting countless initiatives and enriching the local community.

The night just kept getting better when Lisa's husband, Andrew Margan, was inducted as the 2025 Hunter Valley wine industry living legend. This was in recognition of his longstanding commitment to securing the Hunter Valley's place amongst the world's greatest wine regions.

While this award was well deserved for the both of them, I'd like to say to Andrew: don't forget that Lisa won this award first. She was the first of you to be crowned a legend, so you're still playing catch-up, buddy. The First Creek Winemaking Services Hunter Valley winemaker of the year was awarded to Liz Silkman. The Jurds Hunter Valley viticulturalist of the year was presented to Lousie Eather, assistant vineyard manager at Tyrrell's. Alisdair Tulloch, vineyard and operations manager at Keith Tulloch Wine and co-owner of Aeon Wines was awarded the Riedel Hunter Valley young achiever of the year award.

Congratulations to all of these local legends for what you do; thank you for all you do to help promote the Hunter Valley to make it the beautiful place it is, and I look forward to catching up with you all again soon.

For my first 90-second statement of the 48th Parliament, I was hoping to speak on a positive topic but, once again, it's all about the decline of banking services in regional Australia. This time, it's concerning the potential closure of the Bendigo Bank agency in my hometown of Taroom, in Central Queensland. I'm beyond disappointed in this decision by the corporates at Bendigo Bank. They've got absolutely no understanding of what this closure will mean for my community. On 16 July, over 75 people from Taroom attended an information session presented by the Mundubbera Bendigo community bank board, and residents expressed their concerns about the future viability of community events due to cash-holding and the limitations of telecommunications. The information session also heard from Christie McLennan, the local chemist, who has been supporting the Taroom community with banking services over several years.

It's clear as day that the impact to small businesses, community groups and individuals will be vast and significant if Bendigo Bank walks away from the Taroom community. Bendigo Bank describes itself as 'the better big bank', but actions speak louder than words. The four big banks have agreed to keep their regional branches open until at least 2027, and Bendigo Bank needs to do the same. I'm calling on the bank to put their money where their mouth is and keep this agency open for the community of Taroom.

In my first speech, I spoke about my lifelong commitment to listening and supporting young people and my commitment to engaging young people in community leadership and politics. I heard more on this yesterday from the Governor-General and the Speaker of the House, in particular on the importance of engaging with young people, like those in the gallery, at primary and secondary schools through civics education.

Dunkley is home to a vibrant community of young people. Recently, in June, the Committee for Frankston & Mornington Peninsula, under the leadership of Josh Sinclair, hosted the second of two forums for young people from secondary schools across Dunkley and Flinders. The top three issues identified as the most important for the students included cost of living, climate change and social media and its impact on mental health and wellbeing. The leadership insights, questions and solutions and the vexing problems were communicated by individuals and the collective, and it was impressive to watch and listen. Dunkley is in good hands.

With three years ahead of me to mobilise positive change in the community of Dunkley, a key focus will be working with young people and emerging leaders keen to make a difference to elevate their voices and create change.

Tropical Cyclone Alfred made landfall on 9 March. The largest contributor to GDP in my electorate is agriculture. We grow and produce the vegetables that end up on Australians' plates. I want to acknowledge a gentleman, a grower, by the name of Troy Huggins. Troy had a farm. He still has a farm. He had paid all his input costs and was just about ready to harvest. He had paid for his seedlings, he had paid for his fuel, he had paid for his labour and he had paid his machinery payments. His bank was waiting for the yield of that crop. Mother Nature put it three feet underwater. He was devastated, along with many other growers in our electorate.

I have been fighting hard for Troy and growers in my electorate to get assistance upgraded from category C to category D. All that means is that there's assistance available from $25,000 to $75,000 for those that are affected. I will always come into this place and acknowledge those who have done good things. I want to acknowledge the work of Minister McBain who worked with my office and, previous to that, Minister McAllister who worked with me to get the upgrade that my farmers needed. (Time expired)

On a day of first speeches, a little less than three years ago I too stood in this place and gave my own, and, when I got to my feet, I reflected on why I was here. I want to help make people's lives better. I want to unlock the potential of our communities and our nation. I told the parliament how beautiful our area is with its waterways, vineyards and historic centres, and I acknowledged the challenges. I said then that moving around the electorate is one of them, with limited public transport options. The north-east corridor, which centres on Ellenbrook, is one of Perth's fastest growing areas and carries all the needs of a bustling mortgage belt. Access to health, education and social services is harder than in most metropolitan areas.

Today, I can stand before you and say that we now have the new Morley-Ellenbrook line that has changed the lives of thousands of people in places like Whiteman Park, Ballajura and Noranda. We now have youth and community hubs and $30 million for swimming pools. We have a university study hub and free TAFE. Midland and Morley urgent care clinics are open, and Ellenbrook will soon have one too.

My job is to bring the resources of the federal government to bear, and nothing is more humbling or inspiring to be told, 'We've watched you for three years and we know that we can trust you to do the work that needs to be done.' I thank my volunteers and supporters for their dedication to the Hasluck campaign and our movement for listening, caring and helping to deliver such a resounding victory and a great outcome for my electorate of Hasluck.

I rise today to champion one of the backbone parts of our community in my electorate of Fadden: our local sporting clubs—clubs like the Coomera Colts, Helensvale Pacific Pines Hawks, Labrador Legends soccer and the Southport Labrador Cricket Club. These clubs are volunteer run, community built and growing fast, especially with the rise of female participation in sport.

But our girls are being forced to change in cars, public toilets and shared male spaces just because their clubs lack inclusive facilities. I was pleased to commit to projects at each of these clubs prior to the recent election. They had projects that were shovel ready and costed—critical projects to build change rooms, particularly for our young girls to change in a safe, dignified and accessible space. If the coalition won government, I was confident we would deliver.

In the spirit of bipartisanship, I wrote to the Minister for Sport seeking her support for these clubs on 2 June. That was now 51 days ago, and there has not been a reply. We know that the minister loves sport. She loves the Olympics, but she will not win a gold medal in responding to correspondence. I would ask that the minister seriously consider supporting these projects in all electorates to make sure that our grassroots sports are supported.

Today is an important day for my electorate of Chisholm, for 26,053 students with a student loan debt in Chisholm are in line for a 20 per cent cut to their student debt following the introduction of legislation that the Prime Minister promised would be the first introduced to this House under a re-elected Labor government. This is such a prominent issue in my electorate and, I know, was a decisive factor when students and families went to cast their vote on 3 May. For someone with a HELP debt of $50,000, this change will cut their debt by $10,000. These changes will make a meaningful difference to people with student debt and I know both current and former students in my electorate welcome these changes, as do their families.

In my first speech in this place in the 47th Parliament, I spoke about the importance of higher education and how pleased I was to be part of a government that was going to take reform to higher education seriously. We are delivering meaningful reform to the sector to make it more accessible for more Australians, and this is part of our commitment. We've also established a Commonwealth prac payment to support about 68,000 teaching, nursing, midwifery and social work students to complete their degrees. I will continue to advocate for reform in this area so that more Australians have the opportunity to access affordable higher education in this country.

Congratulations on your re-election, Deputy Speaker Claydon. I begin my contribution to this term of parliament by reaching across the aisle and thanking the Minister for Health and Ageing and the Assistant Minister for Mental Health and Suicide Prevention for organising meetings with an organisation in my community called Momentum Mental Health. We now need intervention from both these ministers. We need their help and their assistance. The Darling Downs and West Moreton PHN has decided to redirect funding through the Commonwealth Psychosocial Support Program away towards integrated hub models. I'm not against PHNs seeking improvements, and I think it's important they play that role in our community. However, having spent some time talking to Momentum about what they offer and what the changes are going to do, I believe this a case of trying to fix something that isn't broken. We need the minister to intervene and give the PHN some direction on this.

Momentum has been in our community for 40 years. It built the foundation of mental health support not just throughout Toowoomba but right across the Darling Downs and into Western Queensland. Just in the last year, it saw over 7,400 attendances at its services. It's growing and booming. But the truth is that they will not survive a $640,000 cut to their funding. This service will go; it will die if this decision stands. I thank the ministers for their support so far. I need them to take the next step and give the PHN the guidance they need.

Climate change is an existential threat to our way of life, the environment, our health and our economy. In South Australia we are seeing the impacts very directly. An algal plaque twice the size of the ACT and up to 20 metres deep is decimating the marine environment up and down the coast. Fish, dolphins, rays and sharks are washing up on the beach, dead. There is murky brown water and a thick foam on what are usually beautiful beaches. Commercial fisheries, the recreational fishing industry and tourism are all feeling the brunt, and we don't know when or how it will end.

This is not an early warning of climate change; this is a late warning. Scientists tell us there are three factors behind this algal bloom: Murray floodwaters pushing nutrients into the gulf; an upwelling of nutrient-rich water from deep off the continental shelf, caused by changing ocean currents; and a 2½ degree rise in seawater temperatures. Climate change is involved in all three of these factors.

The Minister for the Environment and Water, Murray Watt, and I met with the Premier and the SA environment minister, and, this week, state and federal governments have jointly funded a $28 million package for clean-up and recovery, research and industry support. I also thank the Minister for Emergency Management and the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, with whom I've been working on this for some time.

This algal bloom is unprecedented and we just don't know how long it will last and what the further impacts will be, but it underscores the urgency of climate action.

Today I speak on behalf of small businesses in my electorate that have been left behind in the wake of the catastrophic floods in May. It's been over two months since primary producers, businesses and residents were left devastated by the flooding right across the mid-north coast.

Since that time, government supports have been drip fed with cruel delays and partial announcements. They finally received a category D declaration weeks after the event, only to see the lowest threshold of $25,000 applied, which was torture for most of those impacted. While our primary producers received a reprieve two weeks ago with the threshold increased to $75,000, this was only after thousands gathered at community rallies. But our ravaged businesses were left out.

Family owned businesses are the lifeblood of regional communities. Not only do they provide our goods and services; they employ our workers and train our young people. Without them, our communities wouldn't survive, let alone thrive. Those businesses most heavily impacted deserve our support.

I do recognise the work of the member for Eden-Monaro. I appreciate her transparency and support, and I understand that she cannot pull the trigger without the request of the NSW Premier. So, with that, I call on the Minns government to do the right thing: stop the drip-fed torture and apply the maximum business thresholds now.

Thank you, Deputy Speaker. It is so good to get the call. This is my first speech in the 48th Parliament, and I have to confess there was a little moment on 2 May that I thought that my last speech of the 47th Parliament about the Australia-Portugal tax treaty, whilst important, might be my last contribution to this parliament. But the good news is, because of our commitments in the election, Bendigo was held by Labor.

Our commitment to 20 per cent reduction in student debt is one of the things that helped deliver seats like Bendigo for Labor. Over 17,000 people in my electorate alone will benefit from this change. Three million Australians will benefit from this cut. Not only is it good for students; it is delivering real cost-of-living relief for three million Australians.

That is because, on our side of politics, Labor listens. Labor understands that we need to be doing more to help households with the cost of living. It is good for students; it is good for families; it is good for communities. We have heard from so many members on this side of the chamber of how this will make a real difference to household budgets. We want people to go to university. We do acknowledge that they have a contribution to pay, but it should be a fair contribution. That is the difference between our side of politics and those opposite.

I take this opportunity to congratulate the Labor Party on its election success and remind the Prime Minister as he enters the chamber that he's promised to govern for all Australians. But, if you take one look—just one look—at the electoral map, regional Australians didn't buy what you were selling at the election. There are plenty of reasons for that.

In the first term, the Albanese government cut the Roads of Strategic Importance program. They cut the Building Better Regions Fund. The Albanese government cut the regional airports funding, cut the Local Roads and Community Infrastructure Program and cut the Stronger Communities Program.

Honourable members interjecting—

Those opposite may be interjecting. I know some people may think he's a handsome boy, but he's running an ugly government when it comes to regional Australia. After all these cuts, the Albanese government introduced a growing regions program. Then they cut that too. Not satisfied with cutting all our programs, they cut the program they introduced themselves. The minister for infrastructure and transport, the member for Ballarat, cut her own program. No new funding in the budget for regional Australia does beg the question, 'Why do those opposite hate regional Australia so much?'

Prime Minister, you promised to govern for all Australians, but, out in the regions, they simply don't believe you. Prime Minister, will your government ever stop cutting funding to the regions and start delivering for all Australians? (Time expired)

Today we introduced a bill to help young people, a bill to help rebalance the scales of intergenerational equity. Today we introduced a bill to take 20 per cent off student debt. It'll help over 23,000 people in Bennelong and more than three million people across the country. It'll save them on average $5½ thousand, and it'll make repayments fairer.

But let's never forget that, if it were up to the Liberals and Nationals, today would not have happened. They call this reform unfair. They attacked it before the election, and they still belittle it to this day, questioning our motives for doing it. We're doing it because Labor knows it's tough to be in your 20s and 30s, and we'll always stand up for our young people.

In accordance with standing order 43, the time for members' statements has concluded.

I inform the House of the deaths of Petro Georgiou AO and Elizabeth Robyn Truman, formerly Harvey, former members of the House. Petro Georgiou died on 4 April 2025, and he represented the division of Kooyong from 1994 to 2010. Elizabeth Truman died on 24 May 2025. She represented the division of Hawker from 1987 to 1990. As a mark of respect to the memory of the deceased, I invite all present to rise in their places.

Honourable members having stood in their places—

I thank the House.

My question is to the Prime Minister. The Liberal Party I lead will always champion policies to help more Australians into a home of their own, but under Labor the homeownership dream has never been further out of reach. The Prime Minister promised to deliver 1.2 million homes, but he has let down young Australians by delivering just 17. With leaked Treasury advice confirming this is a broken promise, will the Prime Minister abandon his failing policies and work constructively with the coalition to address Labor's housing crisis?

Start by getting your numbers right.

The Minister for Housing! It is the first question of this term. Trust me: do not interject before a minister, including the Prime Minister, has begun their answer.

Well, there is a housing minister for the LNP from Queensland called Sam O'Connor. This is what he had to say:

A major milestone has been reached with construction underway on one of the Gold Coast's largest social and affordable housing projects … The highrise supportive housing project is being delivered by the Australian Government's Housing Australia Future Fund …

He went on to say:

Importantly, this project will provide 200 vulnerable Gold Coast households with much more than a safe and secure roof over their heads.

Master Builders Australia support our programs. Denita Wawn said:

The 1.2—

million homes—

we say is achievable … for the first time, we've seen a Federal Government actually recognise that they've got a leadership role in resolving this problem. Up until the Albanese Government, we have seen Federal Government say, no, it's the problem of the states, it's the problem of local government.

Who might Denita Wawn have been speaking about? The former government that, over the nine long years, didn't bother to have a housing minister for half the time, had complete contempt for public housing, provided no incentives for—

The Leader of the Opposition has asked her question. I'm just going to ask her, now that she's been given the courtesy of her question being heard in silence, to direct the same courtesy to the Prime Minister.

The Property Council of Australia chief executive, Mike Zorbas, said:

The five-year national housing target is already a success …

He said, 'There is currently an outbreak of nationally coordinated political leadership and productivity on planning and housing, something we have not seen so far this century and would not have seen without the accord.' The Housing Industry Association said:

… we are seeing the right conversations taking place and funding announcements made …

When you inherit a decade of neglect, you put in place the investments, you put in place the construction and you put in place the refurbishments, delivering 55,000 social and affordable homes, our $43 billion Homes for Australia plan, 100,000 homes for sale only to first home buyers and five per cent deposits for all first home buyers. The Help to Buy shared-equity scheme—remember that?—was only passed last December, because the 'no-alition' held it up for three years.

Order. The Prime Minister will refer to the coalition as 'the coalition'.

The collective term.

My question is to the Prime Minister. How is the Albanese Labor government delivering real and lasting cost-of-living relief, particularly for young Australians, students and apprentices?

I thank the member for Dickson for her question. I congratulate her on what was an extraordinary first speech in this chamber last night. It was a privilege to be here, and I think that it will go down as one of the great speeches—a great beginning to what I'm sure will be a long career as the member for Dickson.

Today we are cutting student debt by 20 per cent through the legislation that we've introduced. We announced it last December. We said it would be the first piece of legislation that we would introduce, were we to be re-elected, and one of the reasons why we sit on this side of the chamber is this policy, because it resonated with those young Australians in particular who are looking for intergenerational equity measures, which is what this is, saving some three million Australians an average of $5½ thousand each. But, of course, those opposite said they would oppose this, and we went through the election campaign with one of the big distinctions between the Labor government and the opposition being that we wanted to provide that cost-of-living help, like we did throughout the last term, and—consistent with what they did in the last term—they opposed every single measure. This helps not just people who are university graduates but also about 280,000 apprentices who got vocational education.

And it's just one of the measures. We didn't wait for parliament to come back before we started delivering on our cost-of-living agenda. On 1 July, paid pracs for student nurses, social workers and midwives began. Now, I think that most people would have thought, if you're studying to be a nurse or you're studying to be a teacher—and these are professions that are in short supply; we want to encourage people to go down those career paths. When they took time out to do prac in a hospital or an aged-care facility or in a school, they would actually have to leave their part-time jobs. It would actually cost them money to do a prac. Well, under this government, that was fixed, from 1 July, just like the $10,000 bonuses for construction workers; just like free TAFE; and just like paid parental leave with super paid on it for the first time and an additional two weeks taking it up to 24 weeks, which will go up to 26 next year. The superannuation guarantee went up to 12 per cent. The $150 energy bill relief began. A 3.5 per cent wage increase for minimum age workers, and the subsidy for batteries, began as well— (Time expired)

My question is to the Prime Minister. Under Labor's tax policy, Australians will be forced to find cash they don't have to pay tax on income they haven't earned. Prime Minister, it takes a lot to unite Paul Keating and John Howard, but both are totally against this unfair tax. Will the Prime Minister abandon his plans to work with the Greens and instead join me, the crossbench, Paul Keating and John Howard to reject this unfair tax?

Tax was an issue at the last election. It was an issue on 3 May, and in the budget brought down by the Treasurer in March we had not one tax cut but two tax cuts. We brought forward the legislation before this parliament, we passed it on the Wednesday and then it went through the Senate as well later that day. So, as a direct result of the actions that we have taken, we will see income tax cuts for all 14 million taxpayers, following up from the income tax cuts that we delivered last July for all 14 million taxpayers, delivered on 1 July next year and then a further tax cut on 1 July the year after. Now, that is action that we took, and today, of course, parliament has begun. Our first piece of legislation was to assist people by putting more dollars in their pockets with the 20 per cent cut in student debt, delivering benefits of, on average, $5½ thousand.

But, had we not been successful on 3 May, we know what the first piece of legislation would have been, because, remarkably, those opposite went to an election saying that they would actually introduce legislation to increase income taxes for every single Australian taxpayer by increasing that first marginal tax rate not once but twice.

The Prime Minister will pause, and the Leader of the Opposition will take her point of order.

It's a point of order on relevance. The Prime Minister is not addressing the particular tax that he knows I am asking about: the superannuation tax. The tax that we referred to in the question is not being addressed by the Prime Minister.

Order. I know where the Leader of the Opposition is coming from. She was talking about a policy topic about a tax that wasn't mentioned specifically. The Prime Minister was asked about 'under the government's tax policy'. I just remind the Leader of the Opposition that you can't bring new material into the point of order. I understand her point of order—she's trying to get the Prime Minister to talk about a specific topic—but the name of the tax would be helpful for future questions.

I'll just make sure that we deal with this issue of relevance. I remind all members of page 567 of Practice, about direct relevance. We're not getting into bad habits early, but I generally am making sure ministers and the Prime Minister refer to the policy topic. He will need to refine his remarks to regarding the tax policy he was asked about.

I am certainly talking about tax policy. That was what I was asked about, and our tax policy is pretty clear. We want people to earn more and we want them to keep more of what they earn. That's our policy. Those opposite, the Liberal and National parties, went to the election on 3 May calling for higher taxes and bigger deficits. That is what their platform was at the election, and no wonder there's a vacancy down there. Those opposite were rejected because Australians do want to earn more and they want to keep more of what they earn. That is what we will deliver.

My question is to the Minister for Education. How is the Albanese Labor government delivering on its commitment to help Australians with student debt?

I thank the magnificent member for Melbourne for her question and congratulate her on her fantastic first speech last night and her incredible victory in the electorate of Melbourne. There are more people in the electorate of Melbourne with a student debt today than anywhere else in the country—35,000 people, almost one in three voters—and on 3 May they made their voices heard. This morning I had the privilege of introducing the first bill into this new parliament—the bill that will cut their student debt by 20 per cent, and not just theirs. It will cut the student debt of 20,000 people in the electorate of Dickson; 34,000 people in the electorate of Brisbane; 21,000 people in the electorate of my good mate the member for Banks; 28,000 people in the electorate of Grayndler; 26,000 people in my electorate of Blaxland; and, right across the country, all up, more than three million Australians nationwide. The average HECS debt today is about 27 grand, so that means, as the PM just said, an average debt cut of about 5½ grand. That's a lot of help for a lot of people just out of uni, just getting started—help to buy a home if they are thinking about starting a family. It will just make life for them a little bit easier.

This bill also does something else. It cuts the minimum annual repayments that Australians with a student debt have to make every year. For someone on an income of 70 grand, it will reduce the minimum repayments that they have to make each year by $1,300. That's real help with the cost of living. That's more money in their pocket—an extra 1,300 bucks—rather than the government's.

As I said, on 3 May Australians made their voices heard. They voted for tax cuts. They voted for free TAFE. They voted for more urgent care clinics. They voted for the biggest investment in Medicare ever to make it easier to see a doctor for free. And they voted for this—a 20 per cent cut in the student debt of three million Australians. Today we introduced the legislation to make that happen.

My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for the Environment and Water. One of the first acts of this government was to approve the extension to the north-west gas project, locking in billions of tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions out past this century. Whenever she made unpopular decisions in the previous term, the then minister for the environment said she was simply following the law. Minister, you are the law. When will the pro-fossil-fuel Albanese government stop gaslighting the Australian public and implement the changes it has long promised on our environmental reforms?

I thank the member for Bradfield and congratulate her on her election as well. The first thing to say with respect to the North West Shelf is there are two sets of legal provisions. There are the legal provisions that we've made on environmental law which go to a range of environmental treaties—that's their basis—and that are handled by the Minister for the Environment and Water, and there are a series of other pieces of legislation handled by the Minister for Climate Change and Energy that make sure that the government are doing what we said we would do with respect to emissions. The project on the North West Shelf that the member for Bradfield refers to is subject to both. So, in terms of the impact on climate change, it is subject to the safeguard mechanism. It's subject to the safeguard mechanism because it's a high-emitting project. The laws that we've passed with respect to climate change apply to that project.

But, at the same time, when the environment minister considers environmental law, that's where they consider a series of other issues, including threatened species, and in this case, quite specifically, issues around heritage and, in particular, issues relating to rock art. There are specific conditions that the proposed decision—at the moment it's a proposed decision; the final decision hasn't come down. But the environment minister has put forward a proposed decision. With respect to the concerns about the potential impact on the nearby rock art, there are strict conditions on air emissions which have been put forward in that proposed decision. So, in terms of the impact on climate change, it's affected by the other legislation we've put in place, and, in terms of the heritage impact, it's affected specifically by the EPBC Act—what's known as our environmental legislation.

The member would be aware of the different things that have been said already by the government, particularly by the environment minister, in terms of the work that the government is doing both with industry stakeholders and with environmental groups to try to make sure that we can bring environmental law reform together in this term. That negotiation is happening, that work is happening, because at the moment, until we're able to get environmental laws that are fit for purpose, we have a situation where no-one wins in terms of business, which wants to make sure it can get decisions in a timely way. From the environmental perspective, we want to make sure we are better able to protect our precious environment and our Australian heritage. The minister has made it clear that that work is being done, and it's being done by the government.

My question is for the Minister for Health and Ageing. How are Medicare urgent care clinics making it easier for Australians to see a doctor when they need to and where they need to?

To the new member for Griffith: congratulations on your election and on an absolutely terrific first speech last night. And thank you for the energy with which you sold our government's plan to strengthen Medicare—for more doctors, nurses, bulk-billing, urgent care clinics and for even cheaper medicines. Your background—as a leader of the mental health organisation, the Kookaburra Kids Foundation—made you absolutely the right person, along with Senator Wong, to announce our government's commitment to expanding the Gidget Foundation centre's support for perinatal mental health, as well.

I was especially delighted, in early March, to join the now member for Griffith at the Medicare urgent care clinic in Woolloongabba, the South Brisbane Medicare urgent care clinic—that's one of 87 clinics we established last term. We promised 50; we delivered 87. They're all open seven days a week with extended hours and fully bulk billed. More than 1.7 million Australians have already gone through one of those 87 clinics, including 23,000 in south Brisbane. Around a third of those patients are kids under the age of 15, like Natassja's four-year-old daughter, who went to the south Brisbane urgent care clinic after an accident at kindergarten. In her Google review, Natassja said that Anna, the receptionist, was terrific, that Kirsty, the nurse was 'the most generous and patient nurse I have ever encountered'. She gave a bit of a wrap for Dr John as well. Natassja's review went on to read:

We were there for less than an hour, and left with all the information we need and a little lady who was all bandaged up. This clinic bulk bills and validates parking—

I think that's the first clinic I've heard of doing that, as well. It never stops getting better—

It is a testament to public health. I am so grateful for the experience we had.

At the last election, we promised 50 more of these urgent care clinics, including one in Greenslopes, the other end of the member's electorate. Expressions of interest have already opened for some of those clinics. We've committed to all 50 being open in this financial year, but I'm doing everything I can to get as many open as I can before Christmas. As the Minister for Education and the Prime Minister have said, we are so focused on delivery. We are so focused on repaying the trust shown to us by the Australian people, including around our plan to keep strengthening Medicare. Our expanded urgent care clinic will mean that 80 per cent of the Australian population will live within a 20-minute drive of an urgent care clinic. They will be looking after two million patients each and every year, every single one of whom will be bulk billed. It is absolutely a core part of our plan to strengthen Medicare.

My question is to the Assistant Treasurer. Can the Assistant Treasurer clarify how Labor's super tax on unrealised capital gains would operate for a farmer who has their farm held in a self-managed superannuation fund, when they've had a failed season with no income?

I thank the Leader of the National Party for the question. I would like to firstly state that it is important, I think, to go back to the purpose of superannuation when we consider this important reform. Superannuation was a very important reform brought in in the early 1990s. It was for the purpose of providing dignity and certainty in retirement for people across the Australian population. That is an extremely important piece of context, because this reform that we are talking about is very important in improving the sustainability and the fairness of the superannuation system.

I would like to add that this reform will apply only to around half a per cent of member balances. It is going to apply only to balances of $3 million or more—balances that are well above what is needed for people to achieve dignity and certainty in retirement. I also want to stress that this reform will still provide concessional tax treatment for that part of the balances over $3 million.

The Leader of the Nationals on a point of order.

It is a point of order on relevance. There's been a preamble, but the question was very specific, about how a farmer would pay for this tax—very specific. We've been very fair, but I think we need to get to the crux of the answer.

Yes, and as I indicated when the Leader of Opposition took her point of order, the question was specific. And we're not getting into a situation where, when a minister or the Prime Minister, whoever's directed the question, is on the policy topic and is explaining to the House about, in this case, the tax, we get up every time and disrupt question time. And this is a warning to everyone. Otherwise, I won't take the points of order.

I can give you loads of examples of where this has happened before. But we're starting on the right foot. Just because a minister isn't giving a fact, a figure, a yes or a no—as I was clear in the last parliament—we're not simply going to get people up to say, on points of relevance, that he's not answering the question, or she's not answering the question. If you need further information, go to page 567 of Practice, which clearly articulates the area of relevance. The minister is talking about the tax. He's explaining to the House the details of the tax. I can appreciate that it's not the answer that you want, but I can't direct him to answer it in a way that you would like. I can only direct him to make it relevant. If he strays into other policy, he'll be called to order.

So, can I just reiterate that this is a very modest measure which is well targeted at supporting the fairness and sustainability of the superannuation sector. Can I also say, in relation to the specific question that was raised, that it is important that all superannuation funds are designed so as to take account of diversification requirements and liquidity requirements. That is an obligation under the current law on all superannuation funds. That is something that is very important to bear in mind. It is important also to bear in mind that, if an SMSF has a farm or a business within the fund, it should be receiving commercial, arm's-length payments from that business or from that farm.

Can I conclude by saying that this is a very modest measure. This measure has been on the public books for well over two years. It was consulted on very broadly, and we took this measure to the last election. I certainly won't be taking lectures on the fairness of the superannuation system from a party that has opposed every single increase in the superannuation guarantee over the past 25 years.

The member for Cunningham will cease interjecting.

And the member for Gippsland can give it a rest, too.

My question is to the Minister for Climate Change and Energy. How is the Albanese Labor government getting on with the job of delivering a fairer, better energy system as well as acting on climate change? Is the government being asked to consider any other proposals?

I thank my honourable friend for the question, and I enjoyed campaigning with her during the election campaign on multiple occasions. I said before the election that she'd be a wonderful member of parliament, and I say after the election that she's a very welcome member of parliament in this House.

On 3 May the Australian people gave the Albanese government a clear instruction to keep on going with the task of building a better energy system for our country, and that's exactly what we intend to do. I'm pleased that, overnight, we saw new figures showing that the financial year just ended was a record for renewable energy investment, double the financial year before. There were more than four gigawatts of new renewable energy connected. This is actually energy that is up and running and connected to the system today, and that is a good thing.

We're also getting on with the job of delivering our cheaper home batteries policy, which we sought a mandate from the Australian people for. As the Prime Minister said before, we didn't wait for parliament to sit; this came into force on 1 July. I'm happy to give the House an update that today, three weeks after it came into force—an update even from yesterday for the House—11,045 households across Australia have taken advantage of the cheaper home batteries policy, saving on their energy bills and reducing their emissions. This is a policy we designed for the suburbs and regions of Australia. We designed it for those people in the suburbs and regions, and I'm pleased to share with the House where this policy is being taken up the most. It will be of some interest to the House. Which postcode has taken up the cheaper homes batteries policy the most in all of Australia? It's 2570, Camden, in the electorate of Hume—the electorate which is most embracing of the Albanese government's cheaper home batteries policy, showing that we're getting on with the job.

But the member for Brisbane asked us if we're being asked to consider any alternatives, and I'm sorry to say we are. I've been given a copy of the coalition's anti-net-zero bill. I'm not sure if the Leader of the Opposition has seen it, but I have. It came into my possession, and it's going to be moved by the member for New England. We saw the new dream team, the dream couple—the member for New England and the member for Riverina—out there this morning, backing each other in. The member for Riverina said on the Kieran Gilbert show, 'We're virile, and we're out there.' That's the member for New England and the member for Riverina. Now, this is not his Tinder profile; this is his dream ticket. He's not looking to swipe right; he's looking to swipe out the member for Maranoa. That's what he's trying to do.

They're trying to betray the member for Maranoa, but what they're really doing is betraying people in rural and regional Australia, because people in rural and regional Australia are the people who pay the price for drought and floods, which will be more common and more severe under climate change. Those people in rural and regional Australia have the most to gain out of the jobs and investment created by net zero. That's what the Albanese government gets; that's what those who would betray rural and regional Australia do not understand. (Time expired)

My question is to the Prime Minister. Will the government rule out ever taxing unrealised capital gains on anything beyond superannuation?

The Minister for Climate Change and Energy will cease interjecting. The deputy leader asked his question in silence, and he was given the courtesy of the House, as he deserves. The same courtesy is going to be applied to the Treasurer.

Thank you, sort of, to the member for Fairfax for the question on tax policy. As the Prime Minister reminded you a moment ago, this side of the House is cutting taxes for 14 million Australian workers. We cut taxes last year, we're cutting taxes next year and we're cutting taxes the year after, and that means an extra 50 bucks a week, on average, for Australian workers so that they can earn more and keep more of what they earn.

The Prime Minister is asked by the member for Fairfax to rule something out. I want to remind the House that just on Sunday—not in September, not before the election, not even a few weeks ago—the member for Fairfax said on Sky, on 20 July—and I'm quoting here—'They shouldn't be taking anything off the table.' So, on Sunday, he said, 'They shouldn't be taking anything off the table.' By Wednesday, he is saying, 'We want you to rule something out.'

We've already got a view on the policy issue that the member for Fairfax has asked about. We've made our views public when it comes to tax policy. Our priority is cutting taxes for 14 million Australians. We've made it clear that people will bring all kinds of ideas to the economic reform roundtable next month here in Canberra. If this government has one defining feature, it's that it cuts taxes in the context of a more responsible budget. We haven't just done it once; we're going to do it three times by the end of this parliamentary term.

So you're not ruling out expanding, Jim.

Here he comes again. He's not off to a good start.

We're not starting this way. We're not going to just have a free for all with everyone piling in and yelling at each other. I made the point, deputy leader, that you were heard in silence, and I want to make sure that's for every question that is asked, due to the respect for every member. If you don't like an answer, you simply can't just yell across the Chamber. We had all the discussion yesterday and today during the debates about improving behaviour. That's the opposite of everything we've been doing and talking about. I'm just asking everyone to show a little restraint as we all settle in with our rhythms. I'm just going to ask the Treasurer to also be careful with his language so that he doesn't inflame the situation as well—in general.

Thank you, Mr Speaker. The point I'm making is the member for Fairfax on Sunday said, 'Rule nothing out.' By Wednesday he couldn't stick to the same position. This is a government which cuts taxes for all 14 million Australian taxpayers. That side of the House went to the election with a policy to increase taxes on every single Australian taxpayer and, even after doing that, still went to the election with bigger deficits and more debt. So I won't be taking lectures from the member of parliament more responsible than anyone for their nuclear meltdown on 3 May.

My question is to the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence. How is the Albanese Labor government keeping Australians safe through our continued investment in defence and our engagement with our key partners and allies?

I thank the member for her question and congratulate her on her election to this House. It was a joy to join her recently at the Redcliffe RSL. Her question is an important one as our defence force is engaging in its most important exercise, Talisman Sabre 2025. At the end of May and beginning of June I attended the annual Shangri-La defence dialogue in Singapore, and about a month ago I represented Australia at the NATO leaders summit at The Hague. Albeit the Indo-Pacific, albeit the North Atlantic—what is clear is that we are living in a more volatile world with increasing challenges, ongoing conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East. What this demands of us is crystal clear, strategic clarity for our nation.

For many years, defence policy in our country was characterised by just doing what we always did, which is actually a description of strategic drift. But, from the moment that we came to office in 2022, we implemented the Defence strategic review. We handed down the first national defence strategy; the second will be handed down in the next 12 months. This is giving a clear articulation of our strategic threat and the kind of defence force that we need to build to meet it. We need a defence force which will give pause for thought for any potential adversary which seeks to coerce us. We need a defence force which will make Australia's contribution to the collective security of the region in which we live. That means that we need a defence force with greater capacity to project a long-range submarine capability, which we are delivering through AUKUS; a more capable surface fleet; a more mobile army; longer range missiles; and an air force which can project from our northern bases.

We are a long way down the track of putting all of that in place. This has involved significant reprioritisation of the Defence budget and difficult decisions, but the consequence is much greater quality in our defence spend and a much more potent defence force as a result. It has also seen the biggest peacetime increase in defence spending in Australia's history. Relative to what we inherited from those opposite, it's an additional $58 billion over the decade, $11 billion over the forward estimates. In the here and now, over the last two financial years, Defence has spent more on procurement than ever, the bulk of which has gone to Australian defence industry, supporting defence jobs. This government is, amidst all the noise, delivering a thoughtful, sober and serious plan to keep Australia safe.

I call the member for Goldstein.

Thank you, Speaker, and congratulations on your elevation to office. My question is to the Treasurer. On 28 February 2023, the Treasurer said that Labor's unfair super tax on unrealised capital gains would apply to 'around 80,000 people'. Does the Treasurer stand by that number?

First of all, I didn't describe it the way that the honourable member has said. That's the first point. The second point is that, when we announced the policy, the expectation was that about half a per cent of people in the superannuation system would be impacted by what is a very modest change in terms of the impact on individuals, but it would make a meaningful contribution to making the superannuation system more sustainable. That remains our view. It's about half a per cent of people, and that obviously varies from fund to fund. If you think about the fund that was in the paper today—their expectation at Hostplus is that 57 members out of 1.86 million members would be impacted by the modest changes that we are proposing.

As the Assistant Treasurer said a moment ago, we are the big believers in superannuation. We're about strengthening superannuation, and those opposite are about weakening superannuation. For evidence of that, Mr Speaker, think about the fact that, on 1 July this year, we completed the journey to 12 per cent compulsory superannuation. That's something we're very proud of on this side of the House. So too are we proud to be paying the superannuation guarantee on government paid parental leave for the first time ever. I shout out to the minister here for the work that we did on that in the last term of parliament.

Part of our responsibility to the superannuation system is to make sure that it is treated in a concessional way, that those concessions are generous and that they are also sustainable. After these changes are implemented, there will still be generous tax concessions for everyone in the superannuation system, but, for the half a per cent of people with balances of more than $3 million—remembering that the average retirement balance is about $340,000—

Speaker, on a point of order: I asked a very specific question on whether he stood by the number of around 80,000 people.

The Treasurer did deal with that part of the question. I know you're after a yes or no, and I can appreciate that. You can resume your seat. I'm not sure what you're waiting for there. He's now talking about the policy. He was directly relevant and dealt with the assertion in your question and the claim you made. He is talking about the policy. He's not talking about any other tax policy yet, but, if he strays into any other territory, be assured I will make sure he is being directly relevant to the question you asked.

It remains our expectation that about half a per cent of people in the superannuation system will be impacted by this modest change. They'll still get very generous tax concessions in superannuation. It'll be slightly less generous. For example, someone with $3 million will get a $13,000 tax break for their investment instead of getting a $14,000 tax break. So it continues to be concessional. I think the respected financial commentator Noel Whittaker has made a similar point—that it remains concessional for everyone in the fund but is a bit less concessional for people with more than $3 million.

I think what this question also shows, apart from the fact that the shadow Treasurer's already been benched, is that this side of the House is cutting taxes for 14 million Australians and that that side of the House is going to the wall for the half a per cent of people in the superannuation system who already have more than $3 million in super.

My question is to the Treasurer. How will the Albanese Labor government continue to help ease cost of living for Australians in a responsible way?

It's a source of considerable pride that we say today that we have a Labor member for Menzies, and we heard another unbelievably good first speech from the member for Menzies yesterday, in common with so many of the new colleagues in this place. I congratulate him on his election in a tough seat, and I congratulate him on a characteristically thoughtful first speech in this place yesterday afternoon as well. Well done to the member for Menzies.

One of the reasons the member for Menzies is here is that this government has maintained a primary focus on helping Australians with the cost of living. We know that Australians are under pressure, and this government has been all about finding the most responsible and meaningful way that we can help people with the cost of living. Getting on top of inflation—making sure that we could keep inflation in the Reserve Bank's target band—was a huge focus of our first term, and it will remain a big focus in our second term as well, because we know that, even with all of the substantial and now sustained progress that Australians have made together in our economy—with inflation down, real wages up, unemployment low, continuous economic growth and interest rates starting to come down—people are still under pressure.

That's why today we introduced legislation that will slash student debt. I pay tribute to the education minister and the Prime Minister for the first bill of the 48th Parliament introduced today. But, as the Prime Minister and the education minister have said, this is just one of the ways that we are delivering cost-of-living help from this month. From 1 July, there are increases to the minimum wage and award wages, benefiting almost three million Australian workers; an increase to the super guarantee; more paid parental leave, and paying super on it for the first time; more energy bill relief; more help for people to get into a building trade; cheaper home batteries as well; paid prac for students; and also the usual increases to social security payments. In addition to all of that, we're cutting income taxes for every single one of the 14 million Australian taxpayers.

This cost-of-living help was at stake in the election. It was on the ballot in the election and, if those opposite had their way, this cost-of-living help would not be rolling out into our communities, our families and our economy. They wanted higher taxes, lower wages and still higher deficits.

We have picked up where we left off in the last term, delivering this cost-of-living relief. We know that the people of Australia have put their faith in this prime minister and his government. We will work hard every day to repay that faith and continue to help where we can with the cost of living, in the most responsible way that we can.

This is a question for the Minister for Communications. In the last parliament, this government initiated an inquiry into online gambling which resulted, two years ago, in a report containing 31 unanimous recommendations, including phasing out ads for online gambling. The government hasn't even responded to our report, let alone implemented its recommendations. Since the report, countless more lives have been ruined by gambling harm. Our communities want to see change. Will the government commit to implementing these recommendations during this term?

I thank the member for Curtin for her question and her genuine and ongoing commitment to reform in this area, and I know that's a commitment shared by all of the members of that standing committee of the 47th Parliament. I will assure the member for Curtin that that work goes on. This government has delivered the most significant online wagering harm reduction initiatives in a decade. That's what this government did last term, and that work continues. We take very seriously our responsibility to people affected by online wagering, particularly young people and particularly vulnerable people.

Obviously, I'm the new communications minister. I've been getting my feet under the desk, and as part of that work I have been taking meetings with harm reduction advocates, with the broadcasters and with the sporting codes to get my head around what the pathway looks like moving forward. I know that the Minister for Social Services and I have been working together on this, and we are committed to continuing the work of the previous ministers from the first term. That is very good work, because they were the most significant gambling harm reduction measures in Australian history. We banned the use of credit cards for online wagering. That is so significant. We launched BetStop, which is the national self-exclusion register. We forced online wagering companies to send their customers monthly activity statements to itemise their wins and their losses. We provided direct funding for specialist financial counselling to support people who are affected by problem gambling. We introduced new minimum classifications for video games with gambling-like content. We introduced new, evidence based taglines in wagering advertising. We introduced nationally consistent staff training and we established mandatory customer ID verification for online wagering.

At the end of June 2025, I can give an update to the member for Curtin that BetStop has recorded 44,841 registrations, 39 per cent of whom have chosen a lifetime ban. That is good work, and that work now goes on.

My question is to the Minister for Housing, Minister for Homelessness and Minister for Cities. What is the Albanese Labor government doing to address the generational housing challenges facing Australians, and how will it progress this work in a second term?

Speaker, I congratulate you on your re-election as the Speaker of this House. I look forward to three more years of a very-well-run parliament. I hope we didn't get things off on the wrong foot, Speaker!

I am a part of a Labor caucus today which has now heard nine firsts features of the incoming class of 2025. We are humbled, we are amazed and we are inspired by these remarkable people who join us in this parliament, and I include in that the member for Hughes, who has asked me this question. Almost every one of these new MPs spoke about housing as a core concern in their electorates and about their immense pride at being part of a government which has such a massive housing agenda. The Albanese government is partway through a critical national project. We are implementing a now $43 billion agenda to improve the housing opportunities that are faced by Australians. Last term, we took the Commonwealth from being, really, a negligent bystander on this critical national problem to being easily the boldest and most ambitious Australian government on housing since the Second World War. We're making it easier for people to buy, we're making it better to rent in this country and we are building more homes.

That has had real implications for Australians in our first term. In our last term, 175,000 Australians took advantage of our five per cent deposit program, getting into their first home for the first time. More than a million households around our country benefited from our 45 per cent increase to Commonwealth rent assistance. About half a million homes were built in Australia over the last term. We've got 28,000 social and affordable homes under construction in our country right now.

In our second term, we will build on those foundations. We're going to go further. We're going to go faster. We're going to go bigger. In this second term, we'll deliver more help to first home buyers. Soon, every single first home buyer in this country will be eligible to get government support to get into their first home. We'll build more homes, including 100,000 homes that will be set aside exclusively for first home buyers, with no competition from investors, and we're working with the industry at the moment to address one of the biggest challenges that we face in housing, which is that is too hard to build a house in our country today. The Commonwealth has some control over this, and that's something we're working on towards the August productivity roundtable.

Housing is going to be an absolutely foremost priority of our government in this second term, and indeed it must be for the whole parliament. Housing is in crisis in our country. Every single one of us is duty-bound to spend our time and energy trying to find real solutions to the problems that we face. My door is open to everyone in this parliament, from every party, from every part of our country, to help us work together to make a difference to the lives of Australians.

My question goes to the Prime Minister. Given the Treasurer's refusal in his previous answer to rule out taxing unrealised capital gains beyond superannuation, can the Prime Minister advise the House if taxing unrealised capital gains on the family trust or the family home is to be considered by this government?

I'll give a bit tip to the member for Fairfax: the time to run a scare campaign is just before an election, not after one! That's the time when you stand up and you say, 'Will you rule things in, and will you rule things out?' Because the next election is due in May 2028, what we are going to do—

You said, 'Don't rule anything out,' on Sunday.

Order! The Treasurer will cease interjecting.

What we are going to do—because, unlike those opposite, who couldn't keep a line from Sunday to Wednesday, we on this side have a clear agenda of what we took to the election. It's tax cuts. You on that side of the House, including the member for Fairfax, took a position to the election. Apart from the seven nuclear reactors that they wouldn't visit, they took a position, which was to have tax increases for 14 million Australians. So it's a bit early, on day one, to start the rule-in rule-out game that they themselves said on Sunday was juvenile and absurd. He'll be going to the economic roundtable, and I look forward to him making the sort of contribution that he made in the last term of parliament, which we on this side appreciated, particularly the Minister for Climate Change and Energy, who's very disappointed.

But I'd make this point as well. With the last shadow Treasurer, it was like there was a nuclear force field around the Treasurer asking him questions. The shadow Treasurer has had two opportunities and has failed to do so.

Order. Has the Prime Minister concluded his answer?

We might give him a go.

It's not about giving anybody a go. The deputy leader is entitled to a point of order and he'll now make it.

Mr Speaker, we have had over two minutes of preamble from the Prime Minister. On relevance, he hasn't actually answered the question. He has dodged the same question the Treasurer has dodged.

I can see we're going to need a lot of work on this front, but you would like a yes-or-no answer. I totally hear that.

Thanks, Manager of Opposition Business for your help too! We just need to—

Well, I am trying to help you. We've just got to make sure the Prime Minister is being relevant to the question he was asked about tax on unrealised gains.

The policy that we have is the one that we took to the election, and the policy that we have is for lower taxes. The policy that they have is for higher taxes.

My question is to the Minister for Education. What is the Albanese Labor government doing to lift child safety in early education and care services?

I thank the brilliant member for Bass, a former schoolteacher, for her question. The member for Bass's concern for children in Tasmania and her dedication to their future is a big part of why the people of Bass have sent her here.

Australians right across the country have been shocked, sickened and appalled by the news in Victoria in the last few weeks. A person has been arrested and charged with multiple heinous offences against children—offences allegedly committed in childcare centres. I've been pretty blunt in the last few weeks, and I will be again now. People have been arrested and convicted before for offences like those alleged, and governments, Labor and Liberal, state and federal, have taken action, but not enough, and not fast enough. That's the truth.

We have to do everything that we can to ensure the safety of our children when they walk or when they're carried through the doors of a childcare centre. That's why we introduced legislation today to give us the power to cut funding to centres that aren't up to scratch. This is the biggest weapon that the Australian government has to wield here. The Australian taxpayers are the biggest funders of childcare centres. We do that through the childcare subsidy, $16 billion a year. Centres cannot operate without it. It covers about 70 per cent of the cost of running a childcare centre. This legislation will give us the power to cut that funding off to centres that aren't meeting quality and safety standards. Let me be clear: the purpose of this legislation isn't to shut centres down; it's to raise standards up. But this is also not an idle threat.

I want to thank the Leader of the Opposition and I want to thank the shadow minister for education and the shadow assistant minister for education and your teams for the serious and professional and bipartisan way in which you've engaged with us on this legislation. I mean that.

This is what mums and dads watching across the country want of us and expected of us and deserve of us. No party, no government, state or federal, has done everything that we need to do here. That's obvious. But I think everyone here is determined to do what needs to be done to rebuild confidence in a system that parents need to have confidence in, and the legislation that I introduced today is part of that. It's not everything. There's a lot more that needs to be done, and the terrible truth is that this work will never end. But this is an important step in helping to keep our children safe.

on indulgence—I thank the Minister for Education for the way he has engaged with me, with my team and with our shadow minister for education. I reiterate my strong desire to work positively and proactively on this incredibly important issue. I can't think of many issues in my time in this parliament that have made me feel as physically sick as this one has, and I know this feeling is shared by members across the aisle. To consider that these criminals have found their way into our centres and into the lives of our precious, innocent children is just appalling. So we do stand ready to continue to make sure that we get this right.

The legislation was introduced this morning, and we want to examine it closely, as we should. The scrutiny of all members will make better legislation—if, indeed, amendments do need to be made. But, ultimately, I want those listening and viewing today to be confident that this is an issue well and truly above politics. We will all work incredibly hard to get this right.

My question is to the Minister for Health and Ageing. The rural doctor shortage crisis is devastating for Calare residents. Country people have shorter life expectancies than city people. It's outrageous. The Charles Sturt University's School of Rural Medicine opened five years ago to train doctors in the bush for practice in the bush with 37 Commonwealth supported students. It hasn't been given any more student places since. When will your government take effective action to (a) fix the rural doctor shortage crisis, and (b) give Charles Sturt University more Commonwealth supported medical student places?

Thank you to the member for Calare. Congratulations on your re-election. Thank you to you and your team for our engagement over the last period of time on what you describe—the really significant challenge of access to doctors in rural Australia. Thank you for the roundtable of GPs you organised in your community that we conducted together just before the election.

I've said, from the time I was appointed to this portfolio, it has never been harder to find a GP in Australia than it has been over the last several years, and it's even harder again in the bush. I know that. As our population has been getting larger, older and, in many ways, sicker, we haven't kept up with the number of GPs anywhere in the country, but particularly in the bush.

As the member knows, there is no simple fix for this challenge, which is why we are trying to work right across a range of areas to improve access and also affordability. As he said, we've got to train more young people as doctors in rural communities. We know that, if they train in the bush, they're far more likely to stay in the bush, which is why we have added CSPs, Commonwealth supported places, into rural Australia and why we've committed to, in time, 200 more medical school places, which will be run through the education portfolio in partnership with the health portfolio. In due course, we'll be making it clear how we'll put those out for tender.

We've also done a range of other things to train more not just medical students but post-medical school graduates in general practice. We've got more GPs in training this year than ever before in this country. We want to expand that again, and that includes more in the bush as well. We want to reward doctors who work in the bush, which is why, in our first budget, some time ago, we increased incentives for GPs working in the bush, particularly if they had additional skills in areas like emergency management, obstetrics, mental health and the like. The bulk-billing incentives that apply through our bulk-billing reforms are higher in the bush than they are in the cities, which is why, of the additional bulk-billed visits since we put those plans into place, they have disproportionately benefited the bush. And the Minister for Education introduced very significant student debt relief provisions for medical graduates if they agree to go and work in the bush.

We know we're not going to be able to train enough Australians quickly enough to deal with the challenges that you have been talking about so strongly, Member for Calare, which is why we're also trying to cut red tape and cut costs for overseas trained doctors in countries where we have a high level of confidence, like the UK, New Zealand and Ireland, to come into Australia particularly to practice in the bush. In the last 12 months there has been a 500 per cent increase in the number of GPs from those three countries applying to come here and work in communities like yours.

My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Women. How is the Albanese Labor government continuing to deliver for women in this term of government?

Mr Speaker, can I congratulate you again on your elevation to the chair. I thank very much the member for Sturt for the question, with particular congratulations to her on being the first woman to represent the seat of Sturt. I know that you've got your first speech coming up after question time, but I just want to say to you that we are so very proud and privileged to have you here with us.

We're making history. We have the first majority female parliament in our history, and you can see, from behind me, that Labor has been doing the lion's share of that work. We also have first majority female cabinet in our history, and that means more women are in the cabinet room making decisions that impact on women.

The Albanese Labor government is absolutely committed to delivering for women and representing them. The list of achievements is long. There are many that started on 1 July, and I want to talk about some of those. We've delivered even more support for women. We're increasing the national minimum wage and award wages by 3.5 per cent from 1 July so that women can earn more. We're increasing paid parental leave to 24 weeks; that makes a material difference not just to women but to their families overall. We're making sure super is paid on government paid parental leave. With women holding the majority of student loans, our 20 per cent reduction in HECS debts will also help to lower student debt for women. We're delivering Commonwealth prac payments for women dominated sectors such as nursing, midwifery, teaching and social work. We're also ensuring aged-care nurses, of which the majority are women, will receive their next pay rise in October. All of this is contributing significantly to the record low gender pay gap. We know that none of this happens by accident. Having women in the room matters with all our policy initiatives.

Our new National Access to Justice Partnership is helping to reduce pay disparity and support frontline services for people experiencing family, domestic and sexual violence. We have a proven track record on delivering better outcomes for women and our new measures build on those investments from the last parliament. They include over $4 billion for combating gender based violence. We've secured 10 days paid domestic and family violence leave, and we've directed $1 billion to crisis and transitional accommodation. Again, none of this happens by accident. Having women in the room matters, and making sure women are represented across the country also does not happen by accident; you have to purposely do it.

My question is to the Assistant Treasurer. Can the Assistant Treasurer confirm how many farmers and small and family businesses will be impacted by the government's superannuation tax on unrealised gains?

I thank the honourable member for the question. What I can confirm is that the total number of members who will be affected, as the Treasurer has confirmed, is roughly in the order of 80,000. I think when it comes to drilling down into smaller categories than that, it is difficult to ascribe a particular number to particular types of business.

What I can say is that the overall number of funds affected by this is in the order of half a per cent, across both defined contribution and defined benefit, across the entire category of all members. That's a very small fraction. It's a very targeted and measured policy which is going to improve the sustainability and fairness of this. This is something which will only affect funds with a total amount of investments within those funds which are significantly higher than that which is required for a dignified retirement, that are significantly higher than the amount that was required for the intended purpose of this policy, going back to its original intent.

Can I just reiterate that this is a policy that will see concessional tax treatment for all funds—the amount up to $3 million and the amount above $3 million—all of the earnings, be treated concessionally. This is something which is very balanced, very fair and very reasonable.

My question is to the Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations. How is the Albanese Labor government delivering on its commitments to help Australian workers earn more and keep more of what they earn?

I'd like to thank the member for Banks for the question and also congratulate him on his election and his inspiring first speech this morning.

Every day since coming into government, this side of the House has been absolutely focused on supporting Australians with the cost of living. One of the key ways we are doing this is by getting wages moving again. Of course, we have introduced measures that have improved wages for working people, and this has been after a decade, under those opposite, of deliberate wage suppression. We're now seeing the return of real wages growth, with annual real wages growing for 18 months in a row under Labor. We have reinvigorated the bargaining system, making it easier for employers and employees to make agreements in workplaces, with the number of employees covered by enterprise agreements now at a record high.

Of course, we know that workers on agreements benefit from bigger wage increases. We've also closed the labour hire loophole with our 'same job, same pay' changes—meaning some workers are now earning $60,000 more as a result. Our right-to-disconnect laws have given workers the right to clock off. A recent HR Institute study found that more than half of businesses reported that our changes improved engagement and productivity.

We're closing the gender pay gap. We've seen the gender pay gap hit a record low under our government. We've backed and funded a 15 per cent pay increase for early educators and up to 28.5 per cent for workers in aged care. These workers have been undervalued for too long, and our government values them. Ensuring Aussie workers earn more and keep more of what they earn is a key focus for our government.

We are now delivering on our election commitments. We made a submission to the Fair Work Commission for a real wage increase for our lowest paid workers. Now, minimum-wage earners are earning $9,120 more a year since we were first elected in 2022. Our government will ban unfair non-compete clauses that are holding Aussies back from moving into better, higher paid jobs. Tomorrow, I will introduce legislation to protect the penalty rates and overtime rates in modern awards so workers who rely on the safety net will not go backwards.

Our government is backing Aussie workers. The Albanese Labor government is focused on delivering on our commitments to build Australia's future, ease cost-of-living pressures and help Australians earn more and keep more of what they earn.

My question is to the Deputy Prime Minister, representing the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade. In July, two vessels reportedly docked in Botany Bay, with some 175,000 tonnes of petrol from the Jamnagar refinery in India, which uses up to 55 per cent Russian oil. So these vessels effectively carry some 90,000 tonnes of Russian sourced petrol, paid for by Australians, which will help fund Putin's war in Ukraine. Why are the loopholes in our sanctions so big you can drive a tanker through them?

Firstly, can I thank the member for his question and in doing so acknowledge his commitment to the support of Ukraine in its resistance against the immoral invasion by Russia of its territory and reiterate that our government, and I know the whole of the Australian people, stand with Ukraine in their resistance against Russia. I was at the NATO summit, able to meet with my counterpart, Rustem Umerov, to express our support for Ukraine in its resistance to Russia. He indicated to me, as I know President Zelensky has to the Prime Minister, the deep sense of gratitude that the Ukrainian people have to the Australian people for supporting their cause.

In relation to the question of sanctions, sanctioning Russia is a critically important part of what we need to do in terms of supporting Ukraine in its efforts to resist Russia. At that same NATO summit I announced increased sanctions to an additional 44 people and entities, which now means that in total there are about 1,500 people and entities in Russia that are the subject of Australian sanctions, which sees a significant impact on the Russian economy in areas such as electronics, energy and finance. It is a really important part of what we need to be doing to contest Russia in this moment, but it's not everything, as you know.

We continue to support Ukraine across the board. Since we've come to office we have had iterative announcements in supporting Ukraine with renewed assistance. That includes, most recently, 49 Abrams tanks, the first tranche of which are now in the hands of the Ukrainian Armed Forces—

The Deputy Prime Minister will pause. The member for Clark is entitled to a point of order, and he shall take that now.

On relevance: the question goes directly to the issue of Australia using Russian oil in the production of our petroleum and other fuels.

Yes, that was part of the question, and I'm just going to remind the Deputy Prime Minister: while he needs to be directly relevant—and he is talking about that issue—he has a remaining minute to conclude his answer.

Sanctions, which is the topic of the question the member has asked, is an important part of what we are putting in place to stand with Ukraine. And our government will stand with Ukraine. I know the Australian people will stand with the people of Ukraine for as long as it takes for Ukraine to resolve this conflict on its terms.

My question is to the Prime Minister. How did the Prime Minister's recent trip to China help to promote and protect Australia's interests?

I thank the member for Deakin for his question, and I know from my visit to his now electorate on many occasions during the last term that he understands the importance that these global relationships can have, and at a time of global economic uncertainty and strategic competition in our region, it is particularly important. The way Australia navigates this uncertainty and manages this competition is critical to both our security and our prosperity, and our relationship with China is an important part of that. One in four Australian jobs depend upon trade, and nearly a third of our exports go to one destination: China. Indeed, it is absolutely critical for jobs here in Australia. We know, from the fact that the impediments to trade have been removed, the benefits in repairing and stabilising that relationship. Of course, we have a different political system and different values. But we'll cooperate where we can, we'll disagree where we must and we'll engage in our national interest.

I'm asked how it will benefit this relationship. The leaders of some of Australia's biggest companies and biggest employers who accompanied me on this visit certainly know that that's the case. The Business Council of Australia understand. That's why they had a high-level delegation of CEOs and chairs of finance companies and universities, as well as resource companies, manufacturing sectors and legal service providers. We know that the big iron ore exporters Fortescue, BHP, Rio Tinto and Hancock certainly understand it, which is why they participated, with their counterparts, in the steel decarbonisation roundtable, something that could make an enormous difference—Ross Garnaut expects it could be worth three to four times the value of our iron ore exports today, as well as the most significant contribution we could make to reducing global emissions.

The beef producers of Queensland know that this relationship matters. The lobster fishers in Geraldton know that this matters. The rural communities who grow barley know that this matters. Our tourism operators—and we signed a significant expansion deal there—know that it matters. The wine sector, found in the Barossa Valley, Margaret River, Tasmania, the Yarra Valley or the Hunter Valley, knows that this matters. Australia's relationships in the modern world matter, which is why we need to have a mature and responsible approach to it and which is why this visit will produce real concrete benefits for Australian jobs and our Australian economy.

Prime Minister, the circumnavigation of Australia by armed PLA navy vessels, which included live-fire exercises without warning in the Tasman Sea, was totally unacceptable and must never happen again. Following a six-day visit to China, what assurances did the Prime Minister receive from the Chinese president that armed PLA navy vessels will no longer conduct surveillance and live-fire exercises off our coast?

I thank the new shadow minister for defence for his question. While I was in China, I saw the shadow minister for defence's comments when it comes to the long-held position that has been a bipartisan position up to now on the issue of the Taiwan Strait. The United States has had a long-term position about strategic ambiguity, and that has been done for a responsible reason. But what we saw from the shadow defence minister in his first outing in uttering comments in an area that requires responsibility, requires a national interest and requires the support of our sovereignty when it comes to our decision-making processes was a breach. I'm not sure if that's the position of the Liberal Party today or the National Party today or where it is—

Government members interjecting—

Order, members on my right! The member for Hume is entitled to a point of order, and he'll state it.

On relevance, that answer bore absolutely no relevance to the question. The question was about assurances from the Chinese president about whether or not there would be a repeat of the surveillance and live-fire exercises off our coast.

The Prime Minister did give some context, but he wasn't asked about the shadow minister's comments; he was asked about his visit, so I'll ask him to return to the question.

I was asked about the visit. I was asked about the defence relationships which relate to China and the fact that we do have strategic competition in the region that we have to deal with. And during that visit, those comments by the shadow minister for defence were entirely irresponsible. When it comes to Australia's position, I put forward, as I have publicly, that we were concerned about what occurred earlier this year. I also put forward the response that it was in international waters, in the context that Australia participates in exercises in the South China Sea—in the region—in a consistent way. And it's not just Australia. At the same time, of course, our Talisman Sabre exercises were occurring. But we regularly participate not just as a nation state; we participate as well with our ally in the United States. But we also participate with other countries in international waters. That is what we do. We comply with international law, and we expect international law to be complied with as well.

My question is to the Leader of the House. How is the Albanese Labor government continuing to deliver on its legislative agenda to help Australians?

I thank the member for Braddon for the question. There are 150 of us in the room, all of whom faced an election. But only one of us recorded the largest swing in Australia. I congratulate the member for Braddon on that.

The legislative agenda for the government has already started, and, as the Prime Minister has already referred to in question time, that legislative agenda is different because we have a Labor government. That legislative agenda involved the first bill today, which was the 20 per cent cut to student debt for students from both universities and TAFE who have student debt. They will get a 20 per cent cut which they would not have had. It was at risk as to how the election would go, and, certainly, the plan from the coalition—the alternative—would have been that the first bill was to raise taxes for every Australian taxpayer. Instead, the first bill from the opposition is coming from the member for New England and is to abolish net zero.

This continues what we did in our first time. In our first term, issues that were at stake in the legislative agenda went through because the Albanese Labor government got wages moving. Because we had the Albanese Labor government, we had legislation for energy bill relief. These were all opposed—making medicines cheaper, free TAFE, the urgent care clinics, progress on closing the gender gap. These issues were all at stake, but the principles of the last term—that this would be a government that wanted people to earn more and keep more of what they earn and that this would be a government where no-one was held back and no-one was left behind—are part of the legislative agenda for the Albanese government in its second term.

Today, because the government is Labor, we have started the pathway for 20 per cent off student debt. We will go on with legislation to make sure that penalty rates for workers are guaranteed. That will happen because the government is Labor. We will continue to have tax cuts for every taxpayer because the government is Labor. There will be more free GP visits because the government is Labor. There will be even cheaper medicines because the government is Labor. There will be permanent free TAFE occurring only because the government is Labor. There will be more affordable homes after three years of blocking by the coalition and the Greens to stop more homes being built. There will be more affordable homes because the government is Labor. There will be more energy bill relief because the government is Labor. You'll have a situation where people will earn more and keep more of what they earn because the government is Labor.

I ask that further questions be placed on the Notice Paper.

I present the following report on the Commonwealth Ombudsman's activities under part V of the Australian Federal Police Act 1979 for the period 1 July 2023 to 30 June 2024 and the quarterly report by the Commonwealth Ombudsman under section 712F(6) of the Fair Work Act 2009 for the period 1 October to 31 December 2024. Details of the reports will be recorded in the Votes and Proceedings.

Documents made parliamentary papers.

I present the Auditor-General's reports Nos 29 to 50 for 2024-25. Details of the reports will be recorded in the Votes and Proceedings.

Documents made parliamentary papers.

Documents are tabled in accordance with the list circulated to the honourable members earlier today. Full details of the documents will be recorded in the Votes and Proceedings.

Documents made parliamentary papers.

I have received a letter from the honourable Leader of the Opposition proposing that a definite matter of public importance be submitted to the House for discussion, namely:

This Government's failure to manage the nation's challenges and priorities.

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—

Well, colleagues, it feels a little bit like back to the future coming in here, and the reason for that is that we all recall—those of us that were here when we left parliament—the jeering, the sneering, the hubris and the born-to-rule attitude from this Labor prime minister and this Labor government. Unfortunately, in their dedicated refusal to answer sensible questions today during question time, in which it is their job to come here and present themselves not just to us but to the Australian people and to answer those questions transparently and honestly, they were full of obfuscation and avoidance, and, in doing so, they let down the people they say they have come here to represent.

I want to start with something that was really important. There was a reason why my first question to the Prime Minister was about housing for young Australians. It was because we care deeply about housing for young Australians, and, when you break the compact between the generation that the Prime Minister and I are from and the generation that can't afford to get into a home today, then you break faith with the Australian people. And that's what we saw. So I made it very clear that 1.2 million homes was the promise—in fact, it was repeated many times. Those 1.2 million homes cannot be delivered. We know this not because the government's been open and transparent about it but because leaked Treasury documents have told us this. Now, if that happens, if the government accidentally leaks their own documents, they should fess up. They should acknowledge it and they should tell us what they're doing about it. More importantly, they should tell young Australians.

So what did the Prime Minister give in his answer? Quotes here, state policies there—muddles here, there and everywhere. He didn't actually answer the question. No question was answered about this. It was interesting, though, because, later on in question time, the Minister for Housing actually said building homes for Australians is in a crisis. She's open to any ideas. She effectively ran up the white flag and she didn't deny the parlous state of building homes for young people in Australia. And it's really, really important that we focus on that. It's really important. It is in a crisis, and the Minister for Housing actually did acknowledge that it was in a crisis. This is not good enough. It's not good enough for a government to not step in to a critical policy area that matters.

I've said we'll be constructive when they have a good idea that's in the national interest. We'll be critical when they have a bad idea that hurts Australians. I want to call out some of those bad ideas and those bad initiatives right now because we have been out there. We have been listening, and Australians are struggling. Members of the Liberal and National parties are out across every corner of this country. We're listening, and Australians are struggling.

I've talked about young Australians finding it impossible to find a pathway into their first home, but mums are struggling everywhere with the family budget. I've been a mum and I know what it's like when you just don't have enough money at the end of the week, when you're too scared to open the bills on your kitchen windowsill, when you don't even want to know how much your power bill's going to cost and when you've got the back-to-school costs—which of course come at this time of year—and you're feeling terrible because you know there are new shoes and new uniforms and you don't know what you're going to do about it. Young mums are struggling, and that means families are doing it tough. Just because we've had an election and we've a whole lot of new rhetoric from this government doesn't mean families are finding it any easier. They are not.

Small businesses are struggling. We're the party of small business. We know that. We love our small businesses; 97 per cent of all Australian businesses are small businesses. So many of our members here have actually worked, raised their families and lived a life in small business. I want to say to the small businesses out there that we're here for you every single day of the week because we know what it's like. We know that people aren't coming into your businesses and that they're not spending money, but we also know that you are the fabric of our towns, the fabric of our society and the fabric of so much of what goes on in volunteering, in sporting and in schools. But you're drowning, small businesses, under red tape and regulation. We care about that. We understand that.

Australians work hard, but they feel like they are running harder and harder and they're just standing still. The first question to the Prime Minister was about meaningful cost-of-living relief. Where? How? When? Who is getting this meaningful cost-of-living relief? We still remember the Prime Minister saying, 'Life will be cheaper under me.' We heard him say in the last couple of days he 'won't leave anyone behind', but none of these statements, these rhetorical flourishes, are going to actually help out there in the real world.

They don't pay the bills.

Paying the bills! I talked about this leaked Treasury advice. There was another nasty leak—apart from the 1.2 million homes—and that was that the budget is straining. The budget is struggling. It is in structural imbalance. What was Treasury's advice to the government? Raise taxes. And we know that when they run out of money, they come after yours, members of the Australian public. Now, if that's the case, again, this government has to be honest. They have to say: 'Yes; we have got Treasury advice that says our budget is out of balance. It's weak. It's falling over, and this is what we're going to do about it.' We haven't heard that. We've just heard failures to acknowledge this problem.

So what is the secret plan to raise taxes? You can bet your life on it—there's a secret plan coming forward. Maybe it's at the productivity roundtable which is desperately seeking an answer to the productivity question. Three years after being in government, they say: 'Quick, what do we do? We get people in a room, and we ask them. We don't seem to consult our own Treasury documents or listen to their advice!'

I talked about struggling families and mums, and I've spoken to many. Coming out of winter, you have three young children, they all have a respiratory infection, and you want to find medical treatment for them. Everyone knows this. Do you recall the Prime Minister during the campaign holding up his Medicare card, saying, 'This is all you need to get free hospital treatment when you go to the doctor.' How many times did he say that? So many times. In fact, I think a lot of Australians voted for this prime minister on the basis that they would get free treatment with that Medicare card.

I know, and my terrific colleagues here know, that there are people who are going in saying: 'I can't pay. I have children who need treatment, and I can't pay.' Maybe they will get pointed to a bulk-billing clinic. Apparently, 90 per cent of all appointments are going to be bulk billed. The Prime Minister was spruiking it today, the Minister for Health and Ageing too. Health minister, I think you're a decent person. I think you care when people don't get the treatment they need in their GP, and I think you understand why—the GP is the centre of your care, so you have to get that right at the very beginning of your health treatment.

But it's not good enough that mothers are saying they're not taking children to the doctor—except they're rushing to emergency in the middle of the night because their children can't breathe properly. The respiratory tract infection has taken hold, but they didn't have the money to take them to the doctor. This is real; this is serious. This is not good enough.

We don't want to hear these statistics waved in our face because we know that when we left government, bulk billing rates were about 88 per cent. When the government won the last election, they'd slipped to 77 per cent. All of these promises are not going to hide those statistics. Bulk-billing rates are falling off a cliff, and that means parents cannot afford to go to the doctor.

They fell off a cliff!

It's something that we will not step away from, member for Hunter, and we absolutely will not, because we need to remember these broken promises.

We mentioned $275 a lot in the last parliament. It's still there, still a broken promise and still on the record. But, in the meantime, electricity costs have gone up about 30 per cent. I talked about those bills on the kitchen windowsill that you really don't think you can open and the panic you feel when you can't pay your bills. There was not a manufacturing factory floor that I walked on in the last three years where somebody didn't say to me: 'We can't make things in Australia. We're going offshore. We're getting rid of our apprentices. We're losing business. We're feeling pretty awful about the situation.' That's because of energy policy, and this government's energy policy is a train wreck, and we will hold the government to account. We will hold this government to account on its energy policy. Pretending that 82 per cent of the grid can be electrified with renewables by 2030 is just a pipe dream. They are sneakily introducing more gas into the system because they know that's the only thing that works. But, meanwhile, families, businesses and households are struggling.

We had about four questions today—which were all avoided—on the big, bad super tax. It's superbig, it's superbad, and already the government is just trying to duck and weave about what it really means. We are asking the question. It offends every single principle of our taxation system that you would pay tax on income that you haven't earned, and I just want to make that point: paying tax on income— (Time expired)

Deputy Speaker Claydon, can I start by just congratulating you on your re-election as the member for Newcastle—a very proud resources based electorate, which also has many other skills and jobs—and also on your re-election as Deputy Speaker.

It really is my great delight to speak today on the government's behalf on this matter of public importance. I want to make it very clear that all of those on this side of the House know, as the general public and, of course, the voting public of Australia know, that the Albanese Labor government's priorities are the priorities of all Australians. We are focused on delivering our election commitments that Australians overwhelmingly voted for. Australians voted for Labor's vision to build Australia's future because they trust us to meet the challenges that face the nation, and this trust is demonstrated, of course, by the 94 Labor MPs that were sworn into this chamber just yesterday.

This government is focused, as the Treasurer said in question time today, on delivering the most responsible and meaningful means of helping ease the cost of living. We know people remain under pressure with the cost of living. What we did for the last three years, in our first term of government, was to deliver cost-of-living relief. It is a priority for Australians and it is a priority for us as a government, and we delivered real, practical help over those last three years and are also doing so today.

Today, of course, we introduced legislation to cut student debt by 20 per cent so students, apprentices and young Australians can get ahead. That's three million Australians—and they are principally younger Australians—who will have, on average, $5½ thousand cut off their student debt. That's a debt that goes right across the economy. It applies to university graduates, of course, but also to tradies who have had to pay fees for TAFE.

While I'm at it, of course, in the last term we introduced fee-free TAFE. Education of tradies to deal with workforce shortages is, of course, a national priority and a challenge that we have indeed been meeting, whilst those opposite, in their terms of government, managed to slash all the funding to TAFE and tried to deride that great Australian institution.

We will introduce legislation to protect penalty rates for more than two million workers right across this country who rely on them to make ends meet. We have slashed the cost of home batteries by 30 per cent, and we have signed contracts with state and territory governments for the construction of more than 5,000 new social homes. Every household will see another $150 in rebates automatically applied to their electricity bill. We have also cut taxes for 14 million taxpayers.

This government is squarely addressing the priorities for Australians, whilst we witnessed all of those opposite who were here in the last parliament vote against tax cuts for the Australian people. Those opposite came in here and had themselves recorded in Hansard as indicating that they would be the party of higher taxes for Australians. They failed to understand in the last term—and I can see it's continuing into this term—the challenges that are facing Australians.

The Labor government, under Anthony Albanese, has ensured Australian workers will earn more and keep more of what they earn. The same job, same pay legislation has literally transformed lives. I know the member for Hunter is here and I think the member for Paterson is here—coal industry workers in their electorates can now work alongside their comrades with the same skills, doing the same job, and be paid the same. That is fair. That is what Australians know and deserve, and it is the right thing to do. We have delivered.

Of course, health is a priority for all Australians, and they only trust Labor to strengthen our health system. Under our health minister, we've seen Medicare reinvigorated. We are delivering more bulk-billing, which is at the heart of our health system.

This government is making medicines cheaper by capping PBS medicines at 25 bucks for everyone from next year. If that isn't addressing a national challenge and a national priority for the people of Australia, I don't know what is. Then, of course, there are concession cardholders. The most they will pay for a PBS medicine is $7.70. That affects everyone on those concession cards, those people who are really feeling the pressure of the cost of living.

We're going to open another 50 Medicare urgent care clinics, on top of the 87 that we already opened in the last term. I commend the team at the urgent care clinic at Rockingham, who I know are delivering care for people who need help with those little things that we don't really want people going to emergency wards for. All of these things were at stake in the last election, and people overwhelmingly supported Labor's vision to build Australia's future. Labor's priorities are Australia's priorities, and we're getting on with the job of implementing them. As we did in the 47th Parliament, we'll do so again in this one. Since 4 May, we've been getting on with that.

Meanwhile, the coalition have prioritised splitting up and getting back together again, completely neglecting the Australian people—does everyone remember that? It was only a few weeks ago, really, when the Nats and Libs decided to split up. The Nats had their own little path to follow, and then they backflipped and got right back on board.

We got what we wanted.

Did you really, leader of the National Party? Right now, it looks like you're splitting up again, doesn't it?

We see there is a national challenge. Everyone accepts—and we can see from those sitting behind me and that were sworn in yesterday—that addressing climate change is a very serious national issue and a national challenge. What do we see from those opposite in addressing that national challenge? The Nationals, of course, have been their ever-helpful selves for the opposition. We have two former party leaders, two former deputy prime ministers, who knocked each other off, and now they're teaming up to knock old mate off.

Honourable members interjecting—

Sorry, pardon me. The current leader of the Nationals is under attack from the two former leaders of the Nationals as well. I do feel sorry for him; we were re-elected on the same day. He's a jolly good chap—but, geez, watch out, Member for Maranoa.

We've seen the basic text of the repeal net zero bill that the member for New England is proposing to introduce. I would note that two of the bills—they're actually acts—were introduced by the Howard government. There was the Renewable Energy (Electricity) Act 2000. The now member for New England was in the Senate at the time, and I presume he supported this act when he was in the combined party room. There was also the National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting Act, which was introduced by former prime minister John Howard, one of the overlords of the Liberal Party and the coalition, a real hero to many of those opposite.

I just want to remind those opposite what John Howard thought about the acts that the member for New England and the member for Riverina are seeking to delete from Australia's legislative regimes. He said:

This challenge, I believe, is best met by a blend of prudent conservatism and economic liberalism. A prudent conservative knows we are but temporary stewards of the environment.

That was John Howard. He knew what the national challenge was. He knew that we had to address climate change to protect the environment. It was he who said that the government would also 'introduce legislation this year for a comprehensive and streamlined national emissions and energy reporting system'. Of course they did, and of course all those opposite—maybe not the ones here right now, but certainly the Leader of the Opposition was there—voted for it.

So, let's see where this ends up on the national priorities for how the coalition deals with this nation's challenges as they once again fail to listen to the Australian people. We see that their position has not changed in that regard. Put on the noise-cancelling headphones, I say to all the Nationals and Liberals, because that's what you've been doing for the past three years, and I see we're going to look forward to another three years of the same.

The Australian people won't forget what you put them through in the recent campaign—a $600 billion nuclear power scheme that would have seen devastating cuts to Medicare and devastating cuts to education, to pensions and to the Department of Veterans' Affairs, as well as the 41,000 public servants that those opposite proposed to slash from the services to Australians. Obviously they've backflipped on that a few times. They would have axed fee-free TAFE; that would have been high on their agenda. And of course we had some weird suggestions. The referendum on deporting people was just one of the many. There was also the tax on gas exports, which I'm sure you must be very proud of; we don't hear much about that anymore.

It just goes to show the failure of those opposite, the failure of the Liberal-National coalition, to have any understanding of the challenges and priorities of the Australian people and the Australian nation. They continue to fight amongst themselves, because that's what they do best. Only the Albanese Labor government will help Australians in the cost-of-living crisis and will face national challenges head on and deliver.

Again yesterday we heard this government and the Prime Minister reiterate what he said when he was first elected: no-one held back, no-one left behind. Well, that's unless you live in regional Australia, because, since the Albanese government came into power in 2022, we have seen over $30 billion worth of infrastructure ripped out of regional Australia. That's roads, that's rail, that's dams. That's about the tools regional Australia needs in order to give this country over $350 billion worth of exports.

This government has callously just said to regional Australia that there are two classes of Australians: there's one that lives in a capital city and there are those of us who live outside a capital city, who can do without. That is not a government that is governing for all. That's a government that went to the last election and did not even promise one cent in new programs, for programs that they have cut—did not say they would reintroduce or refund any of them. They went to regional Australia at this election and said, 'You get nothing.'

That is the contempt that this government has held for regional Australians—the fact that we are contributing to this country's wealth yet having the tools taken away from us by a government that is looking for political expediency in capital cities, worried about fighting the Greens and winning seats off the Greens and not thinking about those who are generating the wealth of this country. That shows absolute contempt—and a Western Australian sits here and doesn't even have the courage to stand up for her fellow Western Australians, cannot even explain the science or economics of why they have called out and destroyed live sheep exports out of Western Australia. Where is the courage of the Western Australians? They have gone missing in their moment of truth, when they condescendingly sit here and talk about what's important in this country.

I'm taking a point of order.

The member is not addressing the matter of public importance.

I think it's my job to make the ruling now, but I will come back to the member for Maranoa, don't worry. I am listening carefully. You are reminded: the topic, which you have chosen, is the government's failure to manage the nation's challenges and priorities, and I'm listening to that.

It's gobsmacking that a Western Australian would do a point of order—

Opposition members interjecting—

The member for Maranoa now has the call. We don't need all of you to chime in right now. I think we're very clear that he has the call and can move on.

That a Western Australian would say that the phasing out of live sheep exports out of the state she represents is not a failure to manage some of the nation's challenges—with all due respect, that just shows the disrespect and the contempt they also have for Western Australians. That is the sad indictment that we see on those opposite—that they talk a big game where they're from, but when they come here they say nothing. They toe the line and they do what they're told, and that's the sad indictment.

It's not just live sheep; let me go to the human toll that is being thrust on regional Australians. In fact, it's great to see the Minister for Health and Ageing here because one of his first acts on getting into government was to remove the designated priority area being restricted to just regional areas. For doctors, the designated priority area meant foreign doctors were only allowed to operate in regional, rural and remote areas, because we didn't have doctors. But, in his wisdom, the minister has decided to change that and extend that so metropolitan and peri-urban areas can now attract those doctors. So if a foreign doctor looks on the internet at Samford, in Brisbane, and then looks at Cunnamulla, in my electorate, I think they're going to pick Samford, with all due respect to the good people of Cunnamulla.

I can give a personal experience from my own electorate: I now have communities without doctors. That is the contempt with which people in regional Australia, a challenge which the health minister articulated today in question time—that is the human toll I face. That is the human toll where I have communities that don't have a doctor or health professionals because the government have prioritised metropolitan areas over the lives and livelihoods of people in regional Australia. That's not 'no-one held back and no-one left behind'; that is regional Australians being treated like second-class citizens. How can you come to this place in good conscience and do that to your fellow Australian? How can you look the people of Mitchell, the people of Burke and the people of Cunnamulla in the eye and say, 'You don't have a doctor because I've changed the policy because it's better to fit in a capital city'? This country is better than that and this government should be better than that, and regional Australia is bearing the brunt of it.

May I say, Deputy Speaker Claydon, it's a pleasure to see you back in that seat. Thank you for everything that you do for us here.

When we look through the history of our nation and things that make it great, there's a common theme: the Australian Labor Party. That's because when Labor is in government it implements nation-building policies. We passed legislation that shaped Australia into the lucky country we know today, and our agenda in this term of government continues to mould the future in ways that generations to come will look back on with gratitude. Thanks to past Labor governments we have Medicare, the NDIS, paid parental leave—and the NBN, even though those opposite tried to stuff that. Thanks to the Albanese Labor government, these have all been strengthened and we've delivered fee-free TAFE, cheaper child care and cheaper medicines.

We're also making housing more accessible, expanding programs to build social and affordable homes, and reforming Medicare to strengthen bulk-billing, especially for children, pensioners and more people in rural and regional communities. This is Labor at work, tackling everyday pressures and delivering fairness for all Aussies. Fee-free TAFE means more than 300,000 Aussies can access vocational training without financial barriers, helping fill critical shortages in areas like aged care, construction and renewable energy. It's not just a boost for our students; it's an investment for our workforce and our future.

Now, in our second term, we're getting on with the job we started. Cost of living continues to be the No. 1 focus. The first piece of legislation we introduced this term will cut student debt by 20 per cent because we believe in opportunity, because getting a qualification to follow your dreams shouldn't send you broke. This reform will cut the average student debt for more than three million Aussies by around $5,500. That's real relief for young people, working people and our future.

We're also the only party that consistently stands up for Australian working families. That's why we're moving to enshrine penalty rates in legislation to protect workers' pay and safeguard the essential Labor legacy. Cheaper child care is saving families thousands every year, making it easier for parents, especially women, to re-enter the workforce and boost the household income. We have introduced new laws to cut off funding for centres that repeatedly fail to meet the minimum standards. This reform supports states and territories and helps ensure childcare centres are putting kids' safety first.

When it comes to men's health, we're investing in better access to mental health services, target awareness campaigns and programs that encourage early detection—especially in rural and regional areas, where services can be a bit harder to reach. This is about saving lives. Men are less likely to visit a doctor. Men are more likely to die from heart disease and cancers like prostate cancer—illness that could be treated if caught early. Tragically, 75 per cent of those who die by suicide are men. We are also working to break down the stigma that stops mainly men from reaching out for the help they need. This means supporting more tailored, community based services run by people who understand the unique challenges men face, from social isolation to cultural pressures. Prevention must be proactive, not reactive.

Clearly, we face a men's health crisis in this country. That's why I'm proud to have been appointed the first-ever Special Envoy for Men's Health to tackle these issues, to start real conversations and to turn these statistics around, because this doesn't need to be the way it is. If this issue isn't a national priority, then I don't know what is. Our priorities are clear and they're with the Aussie people. Whether it's access to cheaper medicines, cheaper child care, stronger Medicare, fee-free TAFE or a lighter student debt burden, we're getting on with the job.

But if you want to see a contrast, look no further than those opposite, the coalition. One of their first private members' bills in this term is a proposal to abolish climate action. It's deja vu. It's the same tired argument they've been pushing for 20 years, so come on. This debate is settled. It should have been settled, but you guys just keep bringing it up. Let's move forward and let's focus on real issues. It's not that Labor isn't managing this country's challenges and priorities; it's that the coalition have no idea what the real priorities are for this country. For them, they're certainly not health, education, workers' rights or cost-of-living relief. It's only one week in, and we're hearing the tired old arguments from last term's MPIs.

We're getting on with the job. Already we've put legislation in that impacts the real lives of Australians. We're shaping this country for the better, just as Labor governments always have. We're taking real action. We're delivering real results. (Time expired)

Like my colleagues, I congratulate you, Madam Deputy Speaker Claydon, on your election once more to this post.

Today's topic, just to remind the member for Hunter, is in fact that the Albanese government has failed to address the nation's greatest challenges and priorities. Interestingly, all we have heard from those opposite today—indeed, including from the Prime Minister himself in question time—is proud boasting and utter hubris, with the government congratulating itself for its sweep of seats at the last election—an election in which they received the lowest first-preference vote ever bar one, which of course was the 2022 election, where its first-preference vote was even lower.

I heard the Minister for Education talk about what people voted for, running through Labor's long list of policies for which someone else has had to do the hard work to be able to pay and for which only 34.6 per cent of Australians voted. Nevertheless, for the last 36 hours we've been listening to them congratulating themselves for achieving the second-lowest primary vote ever since 1910, beaten only by their record—a primary vote of 32.5 per cent last time. Based on what we have seen, we should get ready for another three years of self-congratulation.

This vote was not an endorsement of Labor's management of the critical issues confronting all Australians: cost of living; falling productivity; and abject failures when it comes to keeping Australians safe, whether that's a failure to oversee and institute rigour in our immigration system, a failure to stamp out antisemitic behaviour when it has raised its ugly head repeatedly over the last three years or, most recently, as we have seen so devastatingly, a failure to urgently work with states and territories in relation to the safety of children in our early learning and childcare settings. This last vote was not an endorsement of Labor's management of the critical issues confronting Australians, whether that be energy supply and affordability, housing affordability and availability or the ability to carefully and confidently provide for their future and, ultimately, their retirement.

The Leader of the Opposition, the Leader of the Nationals and the shadow Treasurer today raised a long list of Labor's failures—a housing program, for example, which promised 1.2 million homes but has only delivered 17, and a nonsensical superannuation tax which punishes those who have worked hard to provide for their own retirement and remove the burden from the state of the cost of providing for a pension. This superannuation tax, from the people who told you they wouldn't change settings relating to superannuation, will affect almost 2,000 people in my electorate of Flinders. And today, to add insult to injury, they failed to rule out any future taxation of unrealised capital gains.

Interestingly, I read in the Age yesterday, as I'm sure many of my constituents also did, an article by Shane Wright and Millie Muroi that referred to an analysis of the Association of Superannuation Funds of Australia which revealed that the median income for people slugged with Labor's new superannuation tax will be $110,000.

The analysis found:

Of the 80,000 Australians with super balances eclipsing $3 million, about 55 per cent are male, one-quarter have at least one investment property and about a third are still earning wage or salary income…Of those still working, most are in managerial or professional roles.

The article goes on to explain the impact of this tax on Australian farmers—a point raised by the Leader of the Nationals today—whose superannuation often resides in the family farm and who may or may not, in any one particular year, have the finances set aside to pay such a tax. My electorate, according to the Age, will be disproportionately hard hit—due, most likely, to the fact that 90 per cent of those hit by the new tax are aged over 60, and I have the privilege to represent an older electorate made up of people who have worked hard, saved up, started businesses, created employment for others, looked after their families and provided for their own retirements. The number of people hit on the Mornington Peninsula is higher than all of metropolitan Brisbane and close to the number affected in inner Sydney. In this, as in other measures, my constituents are right to fear that this government does not have their interests at heart, which is so evident from the Labor candidate's mere $3 million in commitments to the electorate of Flinders, contrasted to the coalition's almost $1 billion of commitments across public transport infrastructure, sporting facilities, support for veterans' mental health and the building of a world-recognised walking track around the peninsula.

To add insult to injury, the government's first move in relation to my electorate in this new term is to close the post office at Rosebud Plaza—the one most accessible to people who need to walk or catch public transport to get there. So my electorate, together with the rest of Australia, has good reason to fear what this government has in mind for its future and needs to look carefully at why they got the lowest primary vote ever, bar one.

Member for Dunkley.

Deputy Speaker, congratulations on your reappointment. I am pleased for the opportunity to speak on this matter of public importance put forward by those opposite, but I will have to disagree with the statement. It is ludicrous. This government has very successfully navigated the nation's challenges and priorities after nine years of inertia. As resoundingly endorsed at the most recent election, the Albanese Labor government has been a government of action and delivery. As a relatively new MP, I am proud of the delivery made by the Albanese Labor government in the 47th Parliament: free TAFE, parental leave, Medicare urgent care clinics, NDIS and aged-care reform, and a reduction in the gender pay gap. It goes without saying that the dominant issue of the last parliament was the cost of living, and, indeed, it is to this very day. This government has worked to help Australians with the financial pressures they are facing whilst also lowering inflation, keeping unemployment low and getting wages moving after a decade of stagnation.

Importantly, we are ensuring Australians earn more and keep more of what they earn with this government's tax cuts. Headline inflation in May was 2.1 per cent, its lowest level since March 2021. Real wages have grown for 18 months in a row. Just this month, the national minimum wage increased by 3.5 per cent, benefiting 2.9 million Australian workers. In our second term, we will continue to help Australians with the cost of living, finish the fight against inflation, strengthen Medicare, and build productivity and a stronger economy. I'm proud of our long list of achievements from the last term, and I'm excited by the agenda we have set out to deliver. Along with many of my colleagues, strengthening Medicare is a priority that I strongly campaigned on during the recent election. The Albanese Labor government is getting on with the job of strengthening Medicare. We opened the Medicare urgent care clinics around the nation, including one in the community of Frankston, with 50 more to come, along with Medicare mental health hubs.

We delivered cheaper medicines with the introduction of 60-day prescriptions and froze the cost of PBS medicines for pensioners and concession cardholders at $7.70 until 2030. We've also included, with great pleasure, reproductive health medications for women experiencing menopause. In this term, we will make the single largest investment in Medicare since its creation over 40 years ago, with $8.5 billion to deliver an additional 18 million bulk-billed GP visits each year, hundreds of nursing scholarships and thousands more doctors in the largest GP training program, not to mention prac placement support for midwives, social workers and nurses. Australian patients and families will save hundreds of dollars a year in out-of-pocket costs, and by 2030, nine out of 10 visits to the GP will be free.

A big challenge this nation and my community face is housing affordability. We need to help people into homes. The underlying solution to Australia's housing shortages is to build more market homes and a larger buffer of social and affordable homes for the most vulnerable Australians. That's why this government has taken strong action to get on with the task of building more homes with the $43 billion investment in the Homes for Australia Plan. This will deliver more social and affordable housing for those that need it most. We're delivering 55,000 social and affordable rental homes for Australians, with 28,000 homes in the planning and construction phase. Through the Housing Australia Future Fund—the HAFF—and other programs, we're delivering housing for vulnerable women, children, key workers and veterans while helping to reduce the social housing waiting list. There is definitely more to do, but Labor is building Australia's future with more homes for more Australians.

I would like to end this by saying the Albanese Labor government has prioritised people, ensuring people earn more and keep more of what they earn— (Time expired)

I'll begin my contribution to this debate today by acknowledging the elephant in the room. Yes, those opposite had an excellent election night, and I congratulate the Prime Minister and all the new Labor members in this place. Politics surely should not be about personal victories. Politics must deliver tangible results for Australians, and, unfortunately, this government has failed to deliver. The Prime Minister—well, he'll naturally be pretty pleased with himself. There he is, sitting in the Lodge. But, let me tell you, things aren't so good in the real world.

While this week marks the start of the 48th Parliament, the same issues exist today as existed on 3 May. In my electorate of Durack, which voted overwhelmingly against this Labor government, I still have dual-income families across Geraldton and many other parts of my electorate relying on Foodbank just to get by—just to put food on the table. They can't work anymore, and they're just hanging on by the skin of their teeth. So I say to those opposite, in between patting yourselves on the back—and I'm sure you will do plenty of that—please consider those Australians who are doing it tough. Please consider the 330,000 Australians now trapped in over $300 million of energy debt. Please consider the fact that the average mortgage-holder remains $1,900 a month worse off than before the election of this government back in 2022. Please remember the young Australians who feel that the Australian dream of homeownership is just out of reach. As the MPI before us says: these issues have been perpetuated by the government's failure. That's why the economy is stalling and households are in recession.

One of the greatest issues facing our country is Labor's housing crisis, and I assure you we didn't need a leaked Treasury document to tell us that the government plan is failing. Labor went to the election promising 1.2 million new homes. Members on this side of the house and industry always knew that this number was simply nonsense. Now Treasury has accidentally confirmed this. The Treasurer has said he's not concerned by the leak. Well, he may not be concerned about the leak, but I really hope that he is concerned by industry estimates that we are on track to miss the target by over 400,000 homes. The so-called Housing Australia Future Fund is a complete joke, and my colleague in the Senate, Senator Bragg, has pointed out the government's $10 billion has so far built just 17 houses in Canberra and bought 300,000 pre-existing houses.

This failure with respect to the housing crisis is having real-world consequences. Australians are entering the housing market later and putting off having a family because it's just too expensive, and now we have the lowest fertility rate in Australia's history. What bigger issue could there be than making it easier for Australians to buy their own home and start a family?

This is a big problem facing younger Australian, as is the nation's debt, which is set to hit $1 trillion this financial year and which will be hanging over their heads and those of their children and their grandchildren for years to come. Before the election, there was no talk from those opposite about higher taxes or cuts, but now we know that the advice from Treasury—that secret Treasury document that has been disclosed—is that Labor cannot fix the budget without raising taxes and cutting spending. As the Leader of the Opposition said earlier, when Labor runs out of money, well, they come after yours. We know that Labor's radical super tax on unrealised capital gains will not be the end of their crusade to come after Australians' money.

One of the things that I'm particularly interested in is where these cuts are going to come from. Not surprisingly, we've recently had a really good example of cuts which are related to the remotest and most vulnerable people in this land. I am talking about Labor's snap NDIS decision to remove regional loading and reduce travel support, which is a serious concern for regional therapy providers and recipients. Over the last couple of weeks, I've met with NDIS providers across the Kimberley, the Mid West and the Pilbara, and they have serious issues with the government's reforms. It's clear to me and to all of us that the NDIS has blown out of its original intent, but surely this is not where you start—with the remotest and most vulnerable people in our country, people who have real health needs. That is not where you start, and I encourage Minister Butler to go back and, have a look at this. Please consult more broadly to make sure we get this right. This government is full of hubris and confidence, and I ask that you think about the Australians and stop thinking about yourselves. (Time expired)

I am here today to talk about the matter of public importance put forward by the opposition, and I must say that when I read it I was a bit bemused about it. We've heard a lot of contributions that say we have failed to deliver, so what I want to do is go through and talk about what we actually have delivered and what we have achieved.

In the last three years, we have made it easier and cheaper to see a doctor. We tripled the bulk-billing incentive for people who needed to see a GP most often. That was helping pensioners, people with concession cards and families with children. We restored bulk-billing for 11 million Australians, and that also created an additional six million bulk-billed visits. I am a regional MP as well. I know what it's like out in regions. I'm not from the city; I know the sorts of things that my constituents talk to me about. We also delivered cheaper medicines—the biggest ever reduction in the cost of PBS medications.

Of those 87 bulk billed Medicare urgent care clinics that we opened—I think we said we'd open 50-something; we actually opened 87—one was in my electorate, in Devonport. That has taken enormous pressure not only off families with young children, older people and other people who couldn't get into a GP at the time they needed to, maybe over a weekend when their kids fell over or whatever—they have used that urgent care clinic—but also off the Mersey Community Hospital out at Latrobe. I have got another one promised in the last election for Burnie, which will take enormous pressure off the emergency department at the North West Regional Hospital in Burnie.

So these are things that we have achieved and things that we are going to do, and we've clearly outlined that what we've said we'll do we will do. That is something that we will do. It is absolutely delivering. We have opened Australia's first endometriosis and pelvic pain clinics—there are 22 of these—and we've also invested more than $790 million in women's health initiatives, things that haven't been done before.

So I am not sure why anybody on that side can sit around and say we have failed to deliver. It is just outrageous, particularly in the area of health but also because we've delivered a tax cut for every Australian taxpayer, something that those opposite voted against. They didn't want to share that load around. They wanted the people on the higher incomes to get the tax cuts, and we said that's not fair. We want a fair Australia, and we want to give it to everyone. And that's what we did.

We also delivered energy bill relief, and we will continue to do that in the future. We will deliver that. We've delivered free TAFE and strengthened Medicare. There are the cheaper medicines that I talked about. There are opportunities for apprentices to get assistance, particularly in the building area where we will deliver $10,000 to apprentices to help them through their apprenticeship and also to encourage it, We do need to build more houses, and we will do that by supporting apprentices, by giving them $10,000 to assist them through their apprenticeship and make them want to stay. We'll make it easier for them to stay in their apprenticeship.

I am really proud of some of the announcements that we made in my electorate that back in some of these issues that we've got. As I said earlier, we announced that we will deliver a new urgent care clinic in Burnie. We provided funding towards a Burnie health hub, which is going to sit in an old university building that was unused for years. It was lived in by possums. The possums have now been taken out, and that building is going to be ready to go. Pathology is already in there; one section is operating. By 1 July next year that will be a fully functional multipurpose health hub where people from Burnie can go and get all sorts of different treatments—women's health and women's legal services—for a whole range of issues. I'm really proud of that because I think it is something that our area desperately needs. We've assisted in funding a childcare service in Devonport. We know there are childcare shortages everywhere, and we have put that on the table to assist childcare services in Devonport. At Smithton, at the far end of my electorate on the far north-west coast, we have assisted again, with funding for a Smithton health hub. I am really proud of these, so nobody should come in here and say we have failed to deliver.

Thank you, Deputy Speaker. I congratulate you on your elevation to high office. It was a great privilege to work with you on the panel in the last government, and I know you to be very fair and equitable.

I want to congratulate the new Labor Party members on your elevation to this place. It's a great privilege to serve here. I remember a time, early, when I sat on the government side of the dispatches, and our numbers were very similar. But this is the first time I've sat on this side with such dwindled numbers. Congratulations on your formidable win. There is a great responsibility on each of you to make sure that you do the right thing by our country. And there's a great responsibility on our side to hold you accountable for your policies and hold a mirror up when you fail. The Australian public sent our side of government a very strong message. They want us to do better, and we will. Under our leader we will deliver clear and frank opposition, and we will come in here and prosecute the truth. But what we will not do is stand by and let those on the other side come to this Chamber and speak mistruths. Just today, in question time, we had the Prime Minister again berating that we were a coalition of no, no, no, no. And I thought: 'I was in that government, I don't remember saying no to everything.' If you listen to them, you'll hear we say no to everything.

A source that you can trust is the Parliamentary Library. I went to the Parliamentary Library and asked how many bills were presented in the Chamber last year. And they said there had been 375. I'd asked, just out of interest, because I'm informed by the Prime Minister regularly that we say no to everything.

He wouldn't tell fibs.

He wouldn't tell fibs. He wouldn't mislead the parliament! How many do you think we'd said no to, according to the Parliamentary Library?

Two hundred?

No, there were not 200! There were not 100. We said no to less than 15 per cent of legislation that came through here. We supported 85 per cent of the legislation that went through the last parliament. So I say to the new members that come in here: please check your speaking notes. Don't trust everything that Labor put in front of you. That goes for some of our guys as well. But you can't make up your own facts when you're in here, and we will hold you to account. That is our job. We will hold you to account when you come in here, set emission targets and miss them. Our job is to stand up and tell the Australian parliament you missed them. We will hold you to account when you promise a $275 reduction on electricity bills and electricity bills go up 32 per cent as a result of mismanagement. Here is an interesting fact when it comes to electricity bills: three-quarters of the electricity generated in Australia goes to business, so, when you work out why your grocery bill is getting expensive, it's because your input costs for farmers like mine and manufacturers in my electorate have their electricity bills going through the roof. You're paying for it.

We will hold you to account when you say nothing about new taxes and then you put a little leaked e-mail out through Treasury to say, 'We're going to have to put up taxes.' We will hold you to account. We will hold you to account when you promise to build more houses—1.2 million houses—and you don't get within a bull's roar of building those homes. That's our job. We will hold you to account. We will hold you to account on every promise you made and every dollar you spent. The Australian people deserve better, and we will make sure that this Labor government delivers it or answers for it. They will come in here and they will say, 'Earn more and you will get more,' but, when they say that slogan, be aware that, under their watch, there were 30,000 business insolvencies last year. So it's not about working harder and earning more. Under their watch, people go broke.

I will continue to come in here and remind you when I see productivity rates, under your watch, being the lowest in 60 years. I will come in here and hold a mirror up to your failed policies. The only thing they've got going on with productivity is that no-one knows what it is, but it means efficiency, and these guys are far from efficient. Our job is to come in here every day and hold this government to account, and you can trust we will do it.

I do agree that the role of the opposition, as the member for Wright very well put, is that they are there to hold us to account and hold a mirror to what we have committed, and to that end I think this is very much a welcome opportunity to speak not only to our record but to what the Australian voters voted for. I agreed too with the Leader of the Opposition when she spoke to being back to the future. She is right on that, and that, in this sense, is about the quality of this MPI. Just as we saw in the previous term of this government, for those three years the opposition provided such weak MPIs. It was a lost opportunity to really do their job in opposition. All I can put it down to is that they are in the first stages of election grief or being in denial, because this MPI topic so close to an election begs the question: does the newly minted Leader of the Opposition actually take the Australian people for fools? Does she take my electors of Hasluck for fools? Does she say that they were wrong when they voted in droves for the 94 people on this side of this House? It's offensive because the people of Australia simply couldn't vote for the LNP agenda. There was so little of that actually presented to the public that it was difficult even to name anything other than a radioactive policy.

The voters of Australia voted for a government on its record and how we address the challenges and the priorities that they put to us. That's how the government was judged and that's how we will be judged for these next three years. At the recent election, where the Albanese Labor government gained 17 seats in this House, the Australian people prioritised cost-of-living relief. While those opposite prioritised tax-deducted business liquid lunches, the Albanese government delivered tax cuts to all Australians. We provided energy bill relief to all households. We enshrined fee-free TAFE and secured childcare subsidies. We delivered real wage increases for Australian workers. We did all of this while managing the challenge of inflation. Unemployment remained low, and wages rose while the inflation rate fell, defying all expectations, and the Australian people recognised this effort. The Australian people prioritised cost-of-living measures; the Albanese government delivered cost-of-living relief. At the recent election, where for the first time an Opposition leader lost their seat, the people of Hasluck prioritised health outcomes for their families and communities, as did Australians across the nation.

Time will not allow me to list the hundreds of great decisions that have made life easier and made it cheaper for the people in my electorate and around the country to access affordable health care. To name a few: 87 urgent care clinics are already operating, including in Midland and Morley. Fifty more will be added, including one in Ellenbrook—which I strongly advocated for. With cheaper medicines and 60-day scripts, people in Hasluck have saved with every prescription, and with the addition of yet more medications on the PBS, particularly for women's health, savings will continue. We are addressing the scope of practice for a range of healthcare practitioners to take the pressure off GPs as well as the addition of 24/7 telehealth service for GP advice that will be bulk-billed. The Australian people prioritised affordable access to health care. The Albanese government delivered by expanding access and providing for cheaper medicines.

At the recent election, when the government received a better outcome than at any election since 1943, the people of Hasluck prioritised educational opportunities. We are meeting the schooling resource standard for every public school in Hasluck and across Australia. We provide fee-free TAFE, cheaper child care, paid prac for the needed professions and support for apprenticeships, and we are cutting student debt for every Australian who has one. The Australian people prioritised education and the Albanese government delivered greater access for all and reduced debt.

I have more to say on housing and on infrastructure but I know I'm going to start to lose time, so I just want to summarise by simply saying we understand and we are listening to the concerns and the challenges that continue to be raised by our electorates. We've heard those being spoken about, in fact, in first speeches—particularly around housing and the need for investment in infrastructure. This government has absolutely delivered on vital infrastructure, free from scandal and corruption, and will continue to prioritise investments both in infrastructure and housing to ensure that people can have access to affordable housing irrespective of where they live and which postcode they live in across this nation. The Labor Party will continue to deliver.

Before I call the honourable member for Sturt, I remind the House that this is the honourable member's first speech and I ask the House to extend to her the usual courtesies.

I believe that if you have the capacity to speak up for others, you should. It's this unwavering belief that has brought me to this place. That I stand in this place today holding that belief feels truly remarkable because, when I look back at my life, I consider myself to be the most unlikely candidate to have found a voice and to have been given the honour of using it in the Australian parliament. It feels remarkable to me because for the first 25 years of my life, until I moved overseas, I was utterly paralysed when it came to speaking up for myself, let alone speaking up for others. I was crippled by shyness and self-doubt, issues which can still linger today, because of significant and sustained bullying and harassment throughout my primary school years.

Picture this: the local public primary school in a small country town with old transportable classrooms, creaky air conditioners that barely worked and 30-plus kids crammed into a room. Picture the bathrooms, with cold concrete terrazzo floors and a row of leaky taps that either couldn't be turned on or stayed on permanently. Now, picture recess and lunchtime, and picture a young child in year 2, year 3, year 4 and then year 5 hiding in one of the stalls, because to hide in there alone was better than sitting outside alone where everyone could see you were alone, where you might have to face another jibe, another comment: 'Loser, wuss, square, boring.' If this happens enough, you start to believe it is true. You are a loser. You are boring. You have nothing of value to add. Nobody likes you. If it happens enough, it means the moments when the teacher calls on you to speak up in class become moments of dread, when you start to sweat, to stumble and to blush so heavily you turn a deep red—or beetroot, as the other kids liked to describe the colour of my face.

We moved around a lot because of Dad's job as a bank manager. This meant three different primary schools and three different high schools, each move requiring hard work to make friends and try and fit in. The start of year 6 in 1993 heralded another move, and this time there was a little bit of promise. They were a couple of girls in the other year 6 class who I was pretty friendly with, and in year 7 those girls would eventually go on to become my people. Alex Taylor and Lisa Dickeson, I'll be forever grateful to both of you for that. And, Lisa, one of my favourite moments of the Sturt campaign was the day I fortuitously doorknocked you, having not seen you for almost 30 years. Good girlfriends really are like chocolate and champagne; they make the world better. And so, to my besties of today, Merryn and Jayne: thank you both for continually making my world better.

But back to year 6, which brought with it both a new primary school and, sadly, new dental work—not just braces; they were the least of my problems. I unfortunately needed the torture device known as headgear. Time for another visual. Picture a thick silver wire attached to braces, hooked into a platelike contraption at the back of my mouth, jutting out to sit outside of my mouth, curving around my face to the back of my head, all strung together with a strap—a nice thick strap, the colour of blue denim. There would be no first kiss that year. The boys couldn't have got past the wire even if they'd wanted to. Dad was pleased! I looked like a Transformer, but I definitely didn't have superpowers. My chosen sport was swimming, and I did a lot of it, so I was also usually accompanied by the intoxicating whiff of chlorine. Looking like a character out of a Marvel film, smelling like a swimming pool and being cripplingly shy, with a permanently beetroot face, meant one thing: I was a target for bullies, and school life was difficult.

But, despite what was happening to me, there was someone in my year 6 and year 7 classes who had it worse—someone who was a bigger target. I was so caught up in my own misery I never once spoke up for her. I never said a thing, even though I knew what was going on, even though I knew how terrible it must have been for her. My lack of courage in not speaking up for her has stayed with me and has led me to this place. When something is hard or challenging or is going to take courage, I think of my primary-school classmate and her struggles. It took me 25 years and a move to another country to find my voice, but what about my classmate's voice? Did she ever find it?

All children have a voice and the right to use it. All children deserve an education that is meaningful and allows them to grow and develop free from the crippling mental health impacts of bullying and harassment, so they can become fully functioning adults who have the capacity to meaningfully contribute to the community and to become people who have the capacity to speak up for others.

We know that kids today not only endure bullying in the classroom; they endure it before school, after school and on weekends. The online world has created a platform where torment is public and continuous and cannot be erased. It is there forever. It is a constant reminder. As well as social media restrictions, we need data driven minimisation strategies for schools, informed by stakeholders with lived experience. We need more mental health support in schools, to support victims of bullying but also to redirect the mindset and pathways for those who are doing the bullying so they understand why they are doing it. I'm proud to be part of a government championing an antibullying rapid response review that will deliver on this.

We also need to better equip young and mature aged teacher education students with the knowledge and skills to manage the dangerous and potentially lifelong adverse effects of bullying in the classroom. And we need to do this urgently. I found my voice, but not everyone does. For some kids and their families, the outcome is catastrophic and irreversible. To the kids out there who are suffering, including those children who go to one of the 44 schools in the great electorate of Sturt, please hear this: I did not speak up for my classmate but I will speak up for you to ensure that you have the confidence to go to school, that you enjoy going to school and that you develop the capacity and self-assurance to find and use your voice. To the beautiful little people in my life who are at school—to my darling niece, Caitlin, who will always be my girl, to my fierce but kind nephew, Jack, and to my precious, dear, brave stepdaughter, Niamh: you can tell me anything, and I will always help you and I will always speak up for you.

The country primary schools where I spent my formative years were in the Riverland, which meant that I grew up with the mighty river Murray at my backyard. There is a degree of serendipity in this, given I now have the honour of representing an electorate named for Captain Charles Sturt, who was known for exploring the river Murray. I learnt two important lessons from my 15 years of country life—firstly, that the river Murray is the environmental, economic and social lifeblood of the state of South Australia and that respecting and protecting it so it has the capacity to sustain us for generations to come is critical. Secondly, I learnt about the value of strong communities—how they create a sense of belonging and security and that they do not grow and thrive without volunteers.

The two most dedicated volunteers I knew whilst growing up were my mum and dad, for whom nothing was too much trouble. Mum and Dad, I learnt so much from your dedication to my sister and I but also from your dedication to our broader family and to our country community. I thank you for teaching me this and for always supporting me. Mum and Dad coached and umpired netball and basketball, chopped oranges for half-time, washed the gear, ran swimming carnivals and contributed as voluntary officeholders to multiple sporting clubs. I saw echoes of Mum and Dad during the Sturt campaign when I met true-blue volunteers who had dedicated decades of time to community sporting clubs, such as Dom at the Campbelltown City Soccer & Social Club, Tom at the Glenunga Rams footy club or Rob, Nick and Maria at the MetroStars soccer club. But it was Mum's and Dad's example that encouraged me to become a volunteer in my community, be it through my stepdaughter's local netball club or by being a volunteer director on the board of the Royal Flying Doctor Service.

The RFDS is one of the most brilliant organisations in this great country, providing rural and remote health care and retrieval services to Australians who need it. Every year, the RFDS performs approximately 33,000 life-saving air and medical retrievals. There are 900 patient contacts every day, and, as I speak right now, there are no less than 10 to 15 RFDS red-belly planes transporting doctors and nurses across the country as they provide the finest care to the farthest corner. The RFDS is an organisation that is worth volunteering for. Access to quality remote and rural health care is worth speaking up for. So, to my colleagues at the RFDS: I promise I will speak up for the work that you do at every opportunity.

I took a leap of faith when I was 25 and decided to move overseas to the Middle East. It was a reinvention of sorts because no-one knew me. It was the quintessential fresh start. I remember waking up after my first night, in a hotel in Dubai, opening the curtains and looking out across the desert that was glowing red and gold in the 40 degrees heat and thinking two things. Firstly, what am I doing? And, secondly, I'm so glad I'm here. I couldn't wait to explore the world, to go beyond, and so I joined the so-called great South Australian brain drain of the early 21st century and left. I left for nine years, and those nine years that I spent working as a lawyer in Dubai and Hong Kong were life changing—great travel, great work, great opportunities, but, most importantly, great perspective and a slow but growing realisation that this country, Australia, is a paradise.

In the first few months of my tenure in Dubai I met an Egyptian lawyer who would go on to become my good friend. The look on his face when he realised that I was an Australian citizen with an Australian passport is seared onto my brain because it was one of envy. He told me that everyone wants to move to Australia and that an Australian passport is the golden ticket. Of course, being young, immature and a bit too smug about being an expat, I didn't think that was so, but three years later, in February 2011, I was in the office late one night with my friend and my other Egyptian and Arab colleagues as we watched the Egyptian revolution play out on television. The eyes of my Egyptian colleagues were flashing. They were wild as they saw their compatriots protesting in Tahrir Square, saying no to corruption, saying no to low wages and unemployment, saying no to arbitrary arrest and saying no to electoral fraud, political censorship, authoritarianism and political repression. Protesters were having the courage to speak up, risking imprisonment and risking their lives, and those of their families, and demand change for everyone.

Living in the Middle East during the Arab Spring had a profound impact on me because it was the first time I really reflected on Australia as a country. Yes, we have our problems, but being an Australian citizen is like having a golden ticket. In this country, we fight for working people; we don't oppress them. In this country, we embrace political freedom; we do not shut it down. In this country, we know we will be treated fairly and with due process by our justice system. In this country, we know we won't be woken in the middle of the night by the police and taken to jail, never to be seen or heard from again. What we have here in this country is precious. We need to protect it. We need to understand and be invested in what underpins these freedoms that are simply there for us as if by magic.

If we do not invest in protecting these Australian values and freedoms, we risk losing them. The level of apathy that I witnessed during my campaign troubled me deeply because apathy is the greatest enemy of democracy. If we are apathetic about our political system, we won't engage in it. If we are apathetic about how valuable our healthcare, education, aged-care, social welfare and industrial relations systems are, we will not be invested in sustaining and improving them. And if we are apathetic about the freedoms that we have in this country that we do not have to protest to enjoy, we will not defend them when we need to.

Australia is worth defending. Australia is worth speaking up for. The highly educated people of Sturt and, indeed, the people of South Australia are going to play a key role in this defence of our values and of our nation. There is no longer a brain drain in South Australia. Easily, it is one of the best places to live, work and invest, and people are flocking to it. South Australia is at the heart of our nation's defence industry, and it was with immense pride that I spent five years of my career working for ASC out at the Osborne shipyard in Adelaide's north.

The defence industry offers well-paid, meaningful and secure jobs for South Australians, including those who are still in early learning centres or primary schools or those who haven't even been born yet. That is the opportunity before us. It is the greatest economic opportunity for South Australia in the last century, and I am committed to fight for that opportunity to be realised, to fight to grow the prosperity of my state and to fight to secure the capability we need in this country to defend and deter. In South Australia we will need thousands of additional skilled workers out at the Osborne shipyard to build that capability. Increased investment in STEM research and development, enhanced cyber and AI capability, the faster and simpler transfer of technology and a meaningful value proposition to encourage people to join and remain in the Australian Defence force to conduct this mission are all part of this.

Another part of this is post-service care for our veterans. My grandfather fought in World War II, and like so many others, he had a horrendous experience; he was a prisoner of war. He suffered terrible post-traumatic stress disorder, which was not acknowledged or even recognised during his lifetime, leading to severe battles with alcoholism and unemployment. During the Sturt campaign, I met a young veteran who had served our country. He was home during the day whilst I was doorknocking, because he was unemployed. He was equipped with leadership skills, resilience, character and tenacity. During our 20-minute chat, he told me that, despite trying desperately, he couldn't land a job because his skills did not fit into a box. He was not, for example, an engineer, a doctor or a teacher.

As well as mental and physical health support for veterans in their post-service lives, we must encourage the Australian public and private sectors to continue to offer opportunities to these courageous men and women so that they can benefit from the dignity of meaningful employment and continue to contribute to our community postservice. If we do not speak up for people who have served our country, then we cannot expect others to join this country's great imperative to defend and deter. Without people, we cannot defend and deter, and without deterrence and defence, we risk losing everything.

Our Australian values and way of life are the reason a significant percentage of people who live in Sturt are migrants who have chosen to make Australia their permanent home. Sturt is in Adelaide's east, on the lands of the Kaurna people on the Adelaide Plains, to whom I now pay my respects. For the past two terms of government, Mr James Stevens ably served the people of Sturt. James, you're always classy and always professional, and I thank you for your service to your community.

Stretching from Hope Valley in the north across Adelaide's vibrant green eastern belt all the way to Glen Osmond in the south, Sturt is home to the famous Norwood 'Redlegs' men's and women's footy sides; the brilliant Penfolds Estate winery; the Menz FruChoc shop, which is a South Australian institution; many home grown businesses in the industrial north of the electorate; and several growing and thriving multicultural communities, particularly Indian, Chinese and Italian. I have forged strong relationships with the Italian community in particular, and I now give a big shout-out to my dear friends at the Altavilla club, the Sicilia club, the Marche Club, the Fogolar Furlan Club, San Giogio la Molara club and to Nathaniel's Coffee and Panini on Payneham Road—all of whom I hold responsible for the transition in my wardrobe to almost exclusively elastic waisted garments!

I also thank the Prime Minister for his multiple energetic visits to Sturt during the election campaign, and for the faith and trust he placed in me right from the beginning—faith and trust that never wavered, even when no woman had ever held the seat, and Labor hadn't held it for 53 years. I particularly thank the Prime Minister for rolling his sleeves up at what turned out to be a working visit to a growing business called Nonna's Cucina in Holden Hill, where the Prime Minister was offered a job as an apprentice chef, just in case things didn't go well at the election. Under the leadership of Marco, Dario, Stef, Mel, Rebecca and Michael and their team of volunteers, Nonna's Cucina delivers Italian-style home cooked meals to and does welfare checks on 500 elderly households per day. That is truly an endeavour worth speaking up for.

I am a volunteer delivery driver with Nonna's Cucina. I do home delivery runs as regularly as I can, happily sharing this time with one of the biggest influences on my political career and life, Ms Cressida O'Hanlon, the member for Dunstan in the South Australian parliament. Cressida taught me what it means to be a grassroots campaigner and a true and strong local voice. Cressida, your persistence and effort are a credit to you. I'm so glad we met, and I truly value our friendship.

As well as the incredible people who volunteered tirelessly on the Sturt campaign—particularly my team of Jason Byrne, Daisy Miller, Antonia Larizza and Ella Shaw—whose effort and dedication I now benefit from and can never repay, there are many other incredible people who strongly encouraged me to put my hand up to run for the seat of Sturt and who supported me not with judgement but with frank and full advice throughout that 11-month campaign. There are too many to list now, but these incredible people include Senator Don Farrell, Senator Penny Wong, the Hon. Amanda Rishworth, the Hon. Mark Butler, ALP state secretary Aemon Bourke, and Josh Peak and his formidable team at the SDA.

To Senator Marielle Smith, another incredible person: Marielle, what a journey! From that very first meeting on 6 April 2024 at the St Peters bakery, you believed in me. Your clear and sensible advice was always spot on, and I am so excited that we now share not only a workplace but a dear friendship.

Finally, to the two superstars in my life—firstly, my sister, Lisa. Lisa, I'm wearing a little yellow sparkle today in your honour because yellow is your colour and I wanted a bit of you here in this place with me, even though you are all the way across the world in Washington, DC with Caitlin, Jack and Dom. 'Sparkle' is the only way to describe you. When we grew up together, you were always the one who spoke up for others, no matter the cost. You still do this. I can only aspire to your integrity, generosity, courage and loyalty. Lisa, I dedicated my campaign to you, and I now dedicate my first term as the member for Sturt in this House to you.

And to my Ben: Ben, you are the bravest person I know and my best friend. You are a beautiful dad to Niamh, and every day you show me how to move forward with purpose, no matter what adversity life brings. I will never forget the clarity I felt on our wedding day—the knowledge that saying, 'I do,' to you was the absolute best decision I could ever make for myself and for our little family. Ben, the second greatest privilege of my life is to stand here in this place. The greatest privilege is to do it knowing you are by my side. Your support gives me the courage to speak up for my community.

So to my community, to the people of Sturt: it is a privilege to represent you. Thank you for trusting me and for giving me the honour of speaking up for you every day.

Before I call the honourable member for Moore, I remind the House that this is the honourable member's first speech, and I ask the House to extend to him the usual courtesies.

I begin by acknowledging the traditional owners of the land on which we meet, the Ngunnawal and Ngambri people, and I pay my respects to their elders past and present. I would also like to pay my respects to the traditional owners of the land of my community, the Whadjuk people of the Noongar nation.

I wasn't born into politics. I'm the son of a painter who was the son of a painter. I wasn't the first in my family to go to university or the first to work in law—because of Labor government policies. But I am the first to stand here in this place, and that matters. That's because I didn't grow up thinking I'd end up here. But this life, in all its twists, brought me here anyway. The truth is I've never fit neatly into a single box. I'm a qualified electrician and a lawyer, a former publican, a father and now a parliamentarian. I am not one thing, but it is the sum of my experiences that brings me here and gives me the insight to do this job.

I come from working-class stock. I've poured beers, pulled cables, written briefs and represented workers. I've stood on job sites and picket lines, and I've heard more excuses from bosses than beats in a Ramones song. But the common thread, the baseline that has carried me, has always been a love for people, a belief in fairness and a commitment to opportunity, equity and the dignity of work—values at the very heart of the Labor movement. People often ask me how I went from being an electrician to being a lawyer. I tell them it's actually a pretty straight line. Being a sparkie got me into the Electrical Trades Union, the union got me into politics, and politics eventually led me to law. Somewhere along the way I realised I might be better at making laws than enforcing them. Not many lawyers wear steelcaps, but, then again, not many sparkies wear robes. Turns out whether it's a switchboard or a courtroom, the job is the same: keep calm, stay grounded and pray nothing catches fire!

Maybe that's why I've always tried to make sense of the chaos—to understand how things go wrong and what can be done better. That drive comes from seeing people slip through the cracks. In the Fair Work Commission, on job sites, over the bar, it's knowing someone has to be willing to speak up. Being an electrician taught me more than how to run a cable or wire a switchboard, and working in pubs taught me more than how to pour a beer. Both jobs taught me how to read a room—not just for voltage but for people. They taught me how to stay calm when things went wrong, how to think on my feet, how to de-escalate a situation before it kicked off, how to finish the job even when it was raining, the plans were wrong and someone was shouting at you from across the bar.

I didn't grow up dreaming of conduit or cable trays, but, once I put on the hi-vis, I found a trade that made sense. It was practical, tangible and essential. I still remember the buzz of finishing a job and knowing that when you flicked a switch something lit up because of you. There's a deep satisfaction in that—the kind of pride that comes from using your hands, your brain and your back all at once. It's not glamorous work, but it's good work, honest work, and I'll always carry that with me. Being a tradie taught me that nothing stays the same for long. One year you're an apprentice; the next you're mentoring one. One week you're on night shift; the next you're looking for a new contract. Change isn't a theory in industry. It's reality. You learn to adapt, or you don't last. That ability to change course, take a risk, back yourself and try something new is something we don't talk enough about in politics. But it's baked into the lived of working people. Whether it's retraining, recovering, starting over or just picking yourself up and turning up again on Monday, that's resilience.

I've met sparkies who became small-business owners, painters who became nurses and publicans and chefs who became teachers. There's no straight line through life, and we should stop pretending there is. I'm standing here because I took a few detours. I've changed careers, cities and expectations. I've gone from live wires to legislation, from wiring offices and mines to writing laws. And every shift, every fork in the road, added something to who I am, because your story doesn't have to be polished or perfect to be powerful.

Before I found politics, or even law, I found music, particularly alternative music—the soundtrack of share houses, long drives and cheap guitars. It didn't always offer solutions, but it made you feel seen. That music has shaped how I've seen the world. It gave working class kids like me a voice, even when no-one else was listening. In preparing for today, I kept returning to a lyric from Everclear: 'the hand you hold is the hand that holds you down'. It's a confronting line, but it's always stayed with me, because sometimes the people or the systems that claim to support you are the same ones holding you back. Recognising that, learning to stand up anyway, is how many of us from working class backgrounds find our voice. It's how we learn to fight for something better.

Years later, I found another kind of anthem, in an unlikely place. Now, I'll be honest: I never listened to a musical until I met my partner, Clare. But she introduced me to Hamilton, the perfect crossover of great music and great politics—a story about someone who wasn't meant to be in the room but wouldn't take no for an answer. There's a lyric that's stayed with me ever since: 'I am not throwing away my shot!' This is my shot—my shot to fight for my community of Moore, a community that stretches along Perth's northern corridor, from Trigg in the south to Iluka in the north, a stretch of coastline patrolled by volunteers from our local surf lifesaving clubs at Trigg, Sorrento and Mullaloo.

Our community spirit isn't just in the sand; it's in the suburbs. It's a region defined by families juggling work, school runs and weekend sport, a place where ambition is measured in early starts, late finishes and long drives to footy training and back, a community built on hard work, hope and determination to give the next generation more than we had. The spirit is old school: help your neighbour, back your mates, speak your mind.

Joondalup is the urban heart of Moore. It's a city that grew from vision, shaped by planning, migration and opportunity. For decades it has been a place where new suburbs rose from the bush and new Australians built their lives. There's a time capsule buried near the train station; it was buried in 1999, and it's to be opened in 2029. This is a reminder of just how fast the future arrives and how bold the original dream was. That capsule reminds us, though, that bold ideas take time, but they also take commitment. We owe it to the people who planted those dreams to see them realised.

I see the future for Joondalup as a cultural capital, a city that doesn't just house people but is a place that inspires them, a place where kids can learn, play and perform, and a home for live music, local talent and big ideas. We must turn the Joondalup Performing Arts and Cultural Centre into reality, a venue that'll put our city on the map for every touring band and school orchestra. Music, theatre, libraries: these are bridges between people. Culture is infrastructure, too—the stages on which identity is built, because culture isn't just something we consume; it's something we create. And it doesn't belong just to the elite. Some of the most honest stories ever told came from local pubs and backyard jam sessions.

Moore's suburbs have their own voice: raw, honest and full of life. It's time we gave them a proper mic and a proper stage, not just in backyards or pubs but in venues worthy of the talent we're growing, so the next generation doesn't have to leave Joondalup to be heard. My family's pubs gave music a home, a stage, a sticky carpet, a chance to be heard—my mum's thinking, 'Oh no!' But that's where I learned that music isn't just entertainment; its protest, it's poetry, it's belonging. Music taught me to question authority, to speak out, to feel. Songs remind me that we govern not just with laws but with stories. Music has been the highway of my life, and now, in this place, I get to help build the on-ramps so others can find their way. I want kids in Connolly to pick up guitars. I want teenagers in Duncraig to choreograph dance routines. I want mural art in Craigie, punk gigs in Heathridge and poetry in Padbury. I want working-class kids to see their own lives reflected on stage, not just once a year but every weekend.

Every life has off-notes, and sometimes those are what gives a song its power. At 25, just before starting my electrical apprenticeship, a routine prework medical found something wasn't right. They told me to follow up with my GP, who sent me for more tests and referred me to Professor Neil Boudville. That's when I first heard the words 'chronic kidney disease'. I'd barely picked up a set of tools and already I was carrying a health condition that shadowed me for more than a decade and led to me having a kidney transplant in 2020. I wasn't special; I was just lucky—lucky to have the support of a great family, lucky to have Medicare, lucky to live in a country that didn't put a price on my future. That's why I will always defend Medicare.

But health isn't the only battle working people face. We continue to see apprentices being treated poorly, pushed too hard, paid too little, left without support. They're vulnerable, and some people exploit that. I've stood beside apprentices who were threatened when they raised safety concerns or were too scared to say they didn't understand a task. That's not training; that is exploitation, and every time we fail an apprentice, we fail our future. If we want a country that builds things, fixes things, invents things, it starts with backing our apprentices, not breaking them.

I believe in public education. I believe in a strong union movement. I believe in workplace rights, fair wages, free TAFE and safe jobs. I believe in art, in music, in laughter and, to the horror of my staff, in dad jokes. I've been part of campaigns where we've changed safety procedures after an injury. I've represented health and safety reps who've stopped unsafe work. I've stood with families after injury, illness and injustice and then gone home to change nappies at 3 am, because I'm a dad before I'm anything else.

People ask why I ran. The truth is that once you've stood beside someone on the worst day of their life after a workplace death, a failed workers comp claim or a wrongful dismissal, it's hard to unsee that. It gets in your blood. I didn't run because I wanted to be a politician; I ran because I've seen too many people get shocked by the systems that were meant to shield them. I couldn't keep drawing up briefs and crossing my fingers. I was tired of trying to restore power without the switchboard. I didn't want to just survive the system; I wanted to rewire it.

I know people say, 'Politics will change you,' and maybe it will, but I'd rather try and fail than never try at all. And as Hamilton put it:

Legacy! What is a legacy?

It's planting seeds in a garden you never get to see

I'm here for that garden, full of song, a fair go and opportunity for my kids, for yours, for the next band that plays in Joondalup, for the kid in Edgewater who dreams of studying medicine, for the worker in Beldon who just wants a fair deal. For 35 years, Moore hasn't had a Labor member. That ends now.

There weren't many people who thought I could win Moore back. In 2022, I was almost good enough! But here I am and I'm not going away. I'm not here just to hold the seat; I'm here to make it sing, to make sure the voices of our suburbs ring out in policy, in parliament and maybe even in the distorted guitars and social perspective of punk. There will be challenges—of course there will—but I've stared down worse and I know what it means to fight and I know what it means to lose. But I've learned that courage isn't the absence of fear; it's doing it anyway. It's holding your kids close and then standing up to speak. It's pressing play when everything inside you says pause.

There's a poem that hangs on the wall of my office, Martin Niemoller's 'First They Came', a stark reminder of what happens when good people stay silent. Its message is simple: if we don't speak out for others, there may be no-one left to speak out for us. That poem is a compass, a reminder that silence helps the powerful and hurts the vulnerable. Every time I look up at the grass above this building, I remember why that matters. Parliament House was built beneath the feet of the people to remind us we serve the people, not the other way around.

That belief has guided every step that brought me here, but I didn't take those steps alone. To my partner, Clare—for your love, your honesty and your fierce belief in me—you are my home. Now, Clare has always been known for her wise investments. She picked me up when I was 38, an electrician with a dodgy kidney, two tool bags and a dream of being a politician that sounded more like a punchline than a plan. Some invest in shares or property; Clare invested in me. I reckon she's still waiting for the dividend, but I'm working on it! My boys aren't here—chaos! They won't remember this speech, but hopefully one day they read it and feel proud.

To my parents, John and Mary: look what you have done! You raised the kid who asked too many questions, challenged everything and somehow turned that into a job. You taught me the value of hard work, doing the right thing when no-one's watching and backing yourself when the odds aren't in your favour. If I stand a little taller today, it's because I'm standing on the shoulders of your sacrifice and love.

To my brother Joe, who saved my life by donating his good kidney: I carry that with me every day. To my other brothers, Greg, Kieran and Dominic: Joe set a pretty high bar. But in all seriousness, I'm proud to call you my brothers.

To Professor Neil Boudville, who oversaw my care and transplant for more a decade: I wouldn't be standing here without you. Thank you.

To Adam Woodage and Michael Wright from the Electrical Trades Union: you've always had my back, and I'll never forget it. To the United Professional Firefighters Union: thank you for giving me a chance to learn a new profession and trusting me to represent your members. To the RBTU and the AMWU: your support has meant more than you know.

To the member for the Kingsley, Hillarys and Joondalup branches: thank you for your dedication, your energy, and your belief that Moore could be won.

To Kim Young, Sue Hearn and Greg Wilton: your guidance, political education, belief and hard work made all the difference.

To my colleagues and friends in the WA parliament, Caitlin Collins, Emily Hamilton, Jess Stojkovski, Stuart Aubrey and Mark Folkard: thank you for your friendship and support.

To my campaign director, Tim Grey-Smith: thank you for believing. You ran a campaign that was smart, steady and full of heart. To my campaign team and staff: thank you for backing me. I'll do everything I can to make you proud.

And to my oldest friends, Murray, Logan, Scott, Andrew and Cameron: thank you for keeping me grounded, honest and moving forward.

But to the people of Moore: thank you for your trust. I won't waste it. I'll work hard, I'll listen, and I'll fight for the things that matter to you. You've put your faith in me, and I intend to repay it one conversation, one vote, one outcome at a time.

To the Prime Minister: thank you, Albo, for your support, for your example and for proving that a love of music and a love of people are not just compatible to leadership—they're essential. To my WA Labor colleagues Pat Gorman, Matt Keogh, Madeleine King, Anne Aly and Josh Wilson: you've known me since this journey began back in 2016. Thank you for your guidance, advice and encouragement. You've shown me what it means to lead with purpose and serve with purpose. I'm extremely proud to stand alongside you.

To the members of this House: I look forward to working with you, learning from you and occasionally debating with you, loudly.

I'd like to finish on this. To the young people out there who feel like they don't belong: maybe this place is for you, too. Maybe one day you'll be here, not because you fit the mould but because you didn't. Sometimes the hand that you hold doesn't hold you down. Sometimes it lifts you up.

Before I call the honourable member for Maribyrnong, I remind the House that this is the honourable member's first speech, and I ask the House to extend her the usual courtesies.

Congratulations to you, Mr Speaker, on your re-election to the high office. Your commitment to this place and passion for civic education to help safeguard our democracy is a powerful example to us all.

To be in this place, to rise as the new member for Maribyrnong, is both exhilarating and humbling. I begin by acknowledging the Ngunnawal and Ngambri peoples of these lands and, from my home, the Wurundjeri and Woiwurrung peoples of the Kulin nation. I recognise their elders, and I pay tribute to their care and continuous custodianship of this country. I'm deeply proud to live in a nation home to the oldest continuing culture on the planet. The simple act of welcome to country is powerful—an act of generosity that invites us to listen, learn and reflect on the stories and wisdom of those who have walked these lands for tens of thousands of years. At its core, this act is about curiosity, and it's curiosity that leads us to ask the questions that matter: Why? Why not? Einstein once said, 'Curiosity has its own reason for existing.' As a newly elected member of this place, I intend to bring that spirit of curiosity to everything I do—ask questions, listen, seek answers and do what I can to help build a more inclusive, more productive and ultimately kinder Australia.

In the 119 years since the division of Maribyrnong was first created, I am only the ninth person to represent it—but the very first woman to do so. I am humbled by this unique and special privilege afforded to me by the voters of Maribyrnong and the Australian Labor Party. During the announcement of my candidacy at Goodstart Early Learning in Moonee Ponds, I had the distinct honour of being flanked by both the current leader and the former leader of our party—two giants of modern Labor. They gently reminded me of this fact as we prepared for the upcoming media conference, really setting me straight and putting me in my place, making sure I truly enjoyed the magnitude of the moment and didn't lose sight of my role and my responsibility in it—very kind.

It is a delight to have a leader of our country who has promoted kindness as a virtue and who has singled it out as something that is a source of strength and a wellspring for change. I want to congratulate the Prime Minister on his resounding victory and unwavering commitment to Labor being a party that delivers real, meaningful and lasting change for all Australians. Over the years, the Prime Minister and I have both shared a deep belief in the transformative power of education. His leadership and determination to reform early learning is, in my view, both inspiring and historic. It will stand as one of the most enduring legacies. Prime Minister, I am so proud to stand at your side to help get this done. As the Prime Minister rightly said in his Light on the Hill address:

Labor seeks office so we can use the power of the state to intervene to make a real difference to people's quality of life and their access to opportunity.

If we see a barrier to fairness, we are prepared to use the power of the State to make a difference.

That light will never go dim as long as we continue using the levers of government with purpose—making bold choices, staying curious and relentlessly striving to build a better future for us all.

We see the light more clearly because, in the Labor movement, we stand on the shoulders of giants. I want to recognise that I am following in the footsteps of one of those giants, the Hon. Bill Shorten. I don't underestimate the expectations that come with succeeding him, but I embrace them. To take on the legacy of one of the greats of the union movement, of the Labor Party and of our nation is a privilege. Bill, to be measured against your dedication to the people of Maribyrnong is an honour that I accept with energy and resolve.

Maribyrnong's story is Australia's story. It has been home to the Wurundjeri Woiwurrung people for tens of thousands of years, who have gone on to welcome the many who have migrated here from all across the globe, including a strong Greek and Italian diaspora who have made an invaluable contribution to our community and the Australian way of life. The electorate is home to the race that stops the nation and to the Kerrigans—their Fords, their Holdens, their greyhounds and their castle. It is a place where, in the immortal words of Lawrence Hamel QC, 'a home is not built of bricks and mortar but of love and of memories'.

During the campaign, I was welcomed into many homes across Maribyrnong. I doorknocked in every suburb and spoke with thousands of locals, like Len and Melva, who have lived on their street in Avondale Heights for 60 years, and Francesco, who has called Essendon home for almost as long, and Nina, whom I met in Oak Park, proudly casting her first ever vote at 18. Community, kindness and curiosity are at the heart of Maribyrnong, and they shine through in the people who make it the place it is. From the Maltese Seniors Club at Airport West and the Italian Community Keilor Association to the Friends of Maribyrnong Valley, who work tirelessly to protect and restore the Maribyrnong River and its valley parklands, and from Kensington Neighbourhood House, which offers a lifeline to those who do it tough, to the incredible volunteers of Helping Hands, these groups are but a few of the many. Kindness and care are everywhere.

Then there are the sporting clubs—footy, tennis, soccer, cricket, netball. You name it, on any given Saturday, you'll find a great game and even better community spirit at local fields right across the electorate, including, of course, at the iconic Windy Hill.

There are some things we're born into and there are others we choose. My family and I, like many thousands of families before us, chose to make Melbourne our home. Whilst Queensland will forever be my state of origin, my husband, Ravi, and I have made Melbourne our home and our future, where we are raising two wonderful daughters, Gwenevieve and Margot.

Now, looking back, there was almost a sense of inevitability about our making Melbourne—in particular, near the north-west—our home. It was Melbourne, and specifically Keilor East, in the summer of 1985 that was Ravi's first experience of Australian life. Visiting from Fiji just prior to the Chandra of family move to Australia, Ravi has fond memories of his summer trip to Melbourne—riding the tram, going to the Myer's Christmas windows on Bourke Street and enjoying the unique combination of opportunity, security and warmth that only Australia can provide. Like so many migrants before and after them, the Chandra's were curious about what life could be for them and their young children in the big, great unknown of Australia, and they grasped that opportunity with both hands, and I'm so grateful that they did.

My story begins with my family. I was the oldest of four. My siblings and I had the very good fortune of being raised in a village of family members—grandparents, uncles, aunties, cousins. We had a typical and idyllic childhood of big family Christmases, camping holidays and Mario Kart sessions.

I'm the daughter of teachers and the granddaughter of working people. My mum's parents were Les and Gwen Winkle. Les was a high school principal who worked across regional Queensland and then went on to play a leading role in advancing senior education in the state as the director of secondary education and the inaugural secretary of the Board of Secondary School Studies. Gwen worked even harder raising their four amazing children: Ann, who's in the gallery today; David; Evan; and their youngest, my mum, Cathy.

My dad's parents, Bob and Bev Briskey, were originally from Roma in regional Queensland before they moved the family to Brisbane to raise their three children: Karen; Anne-Marie; and their middle son, my dad, Darryl. Bob was a linesman, union member, then union official, then state secretary, then national president of the Postal and Telecommunications Union. Thanks to my pa, joining my union was an instinctive act on the first day I started my post-school job at the local Alex Hills hotel bottle shop. The Liquor, Hospitality and Miscellaneous Union, the Missos—now the mighty United Workers Union—remains my union to this day.

My grandad Bob Briskey was also an active member of the Queensland branch of the Australian Labor Party and, no doubt, a driving force over my father's involvement in the party and subsequent candidacy in the historic Queensland Labor victory of 1989. My dad, Darryl Briskey, a former teacher, was first elected to the Queensland parliament as the Labor member for Redlands when Wayne Goss and Queensland Labor swept to victory, ending 32 years of conservative rule under the infamous Joh Bjelke-Petersen. I was four years old, but I remember the euphoria of the night. I couldn't tell exactly what was happening, but I could sense it was big.

My dad represented the communities of Redlands and Cleveland for 17 years, retiring in 2006 when I was 21. I grew up with my father as an MP. His example showed me the real, lasting difference strong, community focused representation can make. It's no surprise that his influence helped shaped my path into the ALP and a lifelong commitment to Labor and the union movement.

My mum, Cathy, as a teacher, active union delegate, passionate artist and actor, has a deep love for the arts and culture that has also shaped my politics. Artists channel curiosity into creation, and I'm incredibly fortunate to have a mum who has taught me the value of the arts, not just as expression but as a powerful force for change.

Beyond watching my dad in public life, I remember my own curiosity about politics. What it was and what it meant to me was sparked when I was about eight years old, in Mr Weir's grade 3 class at Thornlands State School learning about Australia's prime ministers. I remember being pretty indignant that none had been women.

I am thrilled now though that Margot, my eight-year-old, can point to a great Labor prime minister, Julia Gillard. There's not only that. Margot and my eldest, Gweny, are here witnessing a sea of women, from all walks of life. This is a very different parliament to the one I would have witnessed when I was eight, and we're all the better for it.

With curiosity as my compass, a commitment to helping others has always driven me. In high school I watched many of my peers struggle with the stress, anxiety and pressures of adolescence. Whilst my school was a great school, like many schools at the time, mental wellbeing of students was not the key feature it is today. This gap is what inspired me to pursue child and youth psychology and become an educational and developmental psychologist. My brief experience with the Logan child and youth mental health service gave me firsthand insight into how government and community services can work together to provide wraparound care vulnerable children need and deserve. Today I'm proud to be a part of a Labor government that understands the important power of shaping formative experiences for the better. Our world-leading social media reforms—designed to protect the mental wellbeing, safety and future of young Australians—are a powerful reflection of that commitment.

My time as a CEO of the Parenthood gave me the opportunity to rally and empower Australian parents to advocate for better—better Paid Parental Leave, better support for single parents, more affordable and accessible high-quality early learning and care, and better and more responsive workplaces. A moment that sticks in my mind was the powerful testimony of an Australian Navy lieutenant commander, Sandra Croft, who had joined the Parenthood and, through us, had the opportunity to give evidence to the Senate committee reviewing the then coalition's plans to end so-called double dipping on paid parental leave. Sandra spoke with raw honesty about what it felt like to be told by her government that she was a double dipper and somehow rorting the system. It was a turning point for me. It made clear just how much decisions made in this place directly and personally affect people's lives.

It was then I knew that I wanted to take my advocacy from outside these walls to inside. In my most recent time in the union movement, I advocated for workers who care for our communities—aged-care workers, early childhood educators, those who show up every day with compassion, patience and purpose. It was an honour to help elevate their voices and play a part in the historic early learning and aged-care reforms delivered by the Albanese Labor government. Now, as a Labor member of this place, I'm honoured to champion the voices of parents and carers, educators, aged-care workers, cleaners and factory workers. Representing working people and their unions is a responsibility I carry with pride and conviction.

I intend to use my time in here being curious, knowing what I can change and fighting hard to change it. Too many Australians depend on Labor to deliver real outcomes. That's what sets us apart from those who make the promises they never intend or are never able to keep. The Hon. Barry Jones, a former Labor member of this place representing Lalor, has previously ascribed a set of principles of strong leadership. These resonated with me: having curiosity and vision, pursuing the unknown and seeking to understand so as to tackle the wicked problems we face; seeking knowledge from experts; basing decisions on principles and beliefs; tackling complexity and rejecting oversimplification; maintaining flexibility—when facts change, we can change our positions and opinions—having ambition for the long view, which means planting seeds in a garden we may never get to enjoy; being ready to act with urgency; acting with courage and advocacy, being prepared to take the hard decisions and bring people with you; being honest and accountable, clear on what you stand for, to inspire confidence and sacrifice; and, finally, being concerned for the welfare of others, including those we may never meet, and rejecting the promotion of division as a political strategy.

I have seen the ease at which we can tear each other down, blame and fight, especially when we're anxious or under threat. It's easy politics to stoke this fear, to further division and to create an 'us' and 'them'. It's harder to meet anxiety, stress and hardship and sit with it, to move others and to earn their trust with credibility and humility. The easy politics of protest and division, outrage over outcome, ultimately solves nothing. Instead we should meet our communities where they're at, listen, seek understanding and strive to achieve better together. I'm reminded of a great scene from Ted Lasso. Ted uses the phrase, often attributed to Walt Whitman, 'Be curious, not judgemental.' He points out how he is often underestimated because people judge without taking the time to learn more about who he is. Ted reminds us that judgement closes us off, but curiosity opens us up.

In a strong community, curiosity builds bridges; judgment builds walls. Prejudice thrives when judgment precedes curiosity, when we think we know the answer before we've even taken the time to ask the right questions. We condemn ourselves to the same mistakes if we don't use our curiosity to unearth new information, identify new ideas and ultimately create new solutions. So let us be curious, not judgmental. Act with empathy as we bring people with us to collectively take on the challenges we face.

I am fortunate to have had so many in my life whom without I would not be here today. Firstly, to the Labor Party branch members of Maribyrnong, so many stalwarts of the party committed to its purpose and collective vision to make life better for working people: thank you. To the mighty trade union movement, to the union members of the ETU, the AMWU, ASU, CPSU, FSU, HACSU, TWU, AWU and the SDA, and, in particular, to my union, United Workers Union: thank you. This is a huge shout out to the cleaners, security guards, food and beverage manufacturers, logistics workers, and, of course, aged-care workers and educators. I am so incredibly proud to be a member of UWU. I want to especially acknowledge Gary Bullock. Thank you, Gary, for believing in me and seeing in me a true advocate. Your commitment to Labor being the party of working people ensures we all stay focused on this important work. You have supported me and my family through highs and lows for well over a decade now. Thank you.

To my other fellow UWUers—Dom Rose, Aaron Jones, Mel Little, Cara Anderson, Paddy Keys McPherson, Felix Sharkey, Jacqui Woods, Greg Moran and Jake Araullo—and my past work colleagues who have now become my colleagues again: the member for Chisholm, Carina Garland, and Senator Karen Grogan. To others across the Victorian Labor Party who welcomed me with open arms—Kat Hardy, Julijana Todorovic, Michael Watson, Tony Piccolo, Steve Staikos, Alan Griffin, Steve Dimopolous, Tim Richardson, Dylan Wight and Ingrit Stitt—it's an absolute pleasure to work with all of you.

To my amazing campaign team, led by the formidable and unflappable Connor Grant: thank you for everything you all did during the campaign and now the amazing work we'll get to do for the Maribyrnong electorate.

Politics, like many male-dominated professions, has not always been welcoming of women. It still takes extra effort to break down both the real and the perceived barriers for participation. That's why I want to acknowledge the role of EMILY's List and thank them for their support. I also take this moment to recognise incredible women that have encouraged me and inspired me to step forward and do this important work. To Laura Fraser Hardy; Emily Taylor; Nita Green; Alana Tibbits; Jackie Trad; Cynthia Kennedy; the new member for Moreton, Julie-Ann Campbell; Nicola Hazel and Fiona Sugden: you are all contributing to making it just that bit easier for the young women who will succeed us, for our daughters and sons to enjoy a fairer and more inclusive future.

To my old school friends and my new parent friends: thank you for keeping me grounded by always being there to talk about everything besides politics.

To the Farm Stay crew and our Wolf Pack: the wolf cubs were dutifully referenced during the first speech of the Hon. Minister Wells and, as such, I feel it incumbent upon me to update the Hansard on some new additions to the pack. To Oshy and Dash, Trystan, Oscar, Milo and Margaret: these newest cubs provide a wonderful comic relief and support to the OG cubs Gweny, Margot, Celeste, Macsen, Arianwen, Harriet and Maxwell.

Last but by no means least, to my family. Firstly, to my in-laws Vinesh and Ramila, Ronesh and Emily and our newest family members, Luca and Beau: Ravi and I simply could not do this without your love and support. Thank you To my siblings Kathleen, Ally and Will: I know I can always count on you to keep me grounded and focused on what truly matters—and I'll always be able to beat you at Mario Kart! To Mum and Dad, Darryl and Cathy: thank you for everything, for always believing in me and supporting me. Thank you.

And to my husband, Ravi: from the moment we met working in an electorate office, I think you may have known deep down this might have been on the cards for us. During the election, we celebrated 20 years of campaigning together—very nice! I'm sure, as many members of this House can relate, we spent more time together in the car on election day than we had done in the duration of the campaign. Ravi, you are my everything. To have you by my side is such an incredible source of strength. It's our teamwork that really makes this whole dream work. This job will undoubtedly have a toll on us and our family, and I know I will always be able to count on you to steer our family through the tough and crazy times. Love you, Ravi Bear.

Let me end off acknowledging the two most important people in my life: Gweny and Margot. I'm here because of you and for you. This job has and will continue to pull me away from you, sometimes at really important times. With every moment I spend with you, I'm inspired by your curiosity and moved by your kindness. I want you to know that I will use these values during every hour I spend away from you in this place to pursue the change that will lead us to a kinder, better Australia for you and for generations to come. I hope to make you proud.

Thank you.

Before I call the honourable member for Brisbane, I remind the House that this is the honourable member's first speech, and I ask the House to extend to her all of the usual courtesies.

I'd like to acknowledge the traditional owners of the land on which we gather today, the Ngunnawal and Ngambri people. I also acknowledge the traditional owners of the land from which I'm visiting, the Yuggera and Turrbal people, and I pay my respects to elders past, present and emerging.

Each of you has a story that shapes who you are. Today I'm going to tell you mine. It began in a small workers' cottage in the then blue-collar suburb of Paddington, but it has brought me to this grand people's House, Australia's Parliament House. Our inner-city home was really noisy. There were eight siblings, seven sisters and a brother, along with a few foster kids that came and went. At times there were mattresses on the floors, and sometimes sheets hung for privacy, as the bedrooms were made to accommodate children needing a safe roof over their heads. We wore hand-me-downs. We shared books. Fences did not define who we played with or where we played. We knew our neighbours by name and their daily routines. The day Mrs Smith passed away—you will remember this, Mum and Dad—she left her milk on the verandah. She never did that.

With Mum tending to all the kids and Dad working long hours, I stepped up early. Almost daily I did the after-school shop runs for Mum, or I dropped off to our neighbours Mr Biffin's homegrown chokos or Mrs Conti's home-hatched eggs, which I collected at the same time. Mum's childhood meant she missed out on a full education, and, unfortunately, she didn't reach her dream of becoming a teacher. So she did everything she could to make sure we had the opportunity she didn't.

First was Petrie Terrace kindy. I found it confusing, I could run the streets all day with the other kids, yet our skin colour meant we walked through different doors into the typical low-rise wooden building that was our kindy, and, during outside play, we were separated by the wire fence. My primary school, Rosalie Primary School, was home to many new immigrants, especially from Europe. We conversed in broken English or with gestures, but they transformed our suburbs with delicious cuisine and Mediterranean-style homes that didn't fit in but were cooler than the wooden structures that I grew up in. They opened our school and our suburb beyond Australian borders.

At my all-girls high school, Mt St Michael's, I thrived on understanding of how the world worked, especially physics; using maths to manage a budget, bake or build; and learning that, when you mixed certain chemicals, they absolutely stunk. A few of us also fought really hard to raise support and funds for a computer. They were new back then—it says a few things, doesn't it?—and not widely available, but we saw how these would change our lives forever.

My constant curiosity was also fed at home. My da, who lived next door, collected all sorts of things: rocks, plants, coins and stamps. He often explained to me what the rocks were and what they were used for. He knew the name of every plant in his garden and the ones he couldn't grow because of the climate. He taught me that our environment is very precious and that climate impacts everything. My Mr Fixit dad let me TA him very often, and by my teens I was proficient at fixing any leaking tap, building a lamp, fixing a bike, restoring a desk or whatever it was. He never threw anything away if it could be fixed. He still doesn't. A piece of wood that is lying around is always useful for something, and I still look to fix things before I throw them away.

One period in my life that had a profound impact on me—and some people have mentioned this today—was the Bjelke-Petersen era. During this time, Queensland saw its worst expression of gerrymandering. Political and police corruption was rife. The 'can't lose' dictatorship mentality just saw so much injustice. There were almost daily scenes of First Nations people and other so-called subversives being dragged away, usually with excessive force, into police paddy vans. Women and the LGBTIQA+ community were treated as second-class citizens. The Premier, along with his working senator wife, were fierce advocates, though, of the traditional family, where mum stayed at home. They saw same-sex marriage as denigrating to marriage.

Workers also suffered. One of the most memorable and infamous times for me was the SEQEB dispute, where over 1,000 electricity workers were sacked. Mum and Dad joined the picket lines. Dad, a proud member of the Electrical Trades Union, took no wages, in solidarity with the workers. Mum and others raised money, prepared food boxes and were there with simple hugs, just to help families through these dark days. As children, we were intimidated by men who would drive beside us as we walked to school, calling out abuse or just staring us down. It took the bravery of the Fitzgerald inquiry—which saw four ministers jailed alongside a former police commissioner—and a landslide win by Wayne Goss and Labor to start righting these wrongs.

Inequality, though, remained a constant feature in my world. I worked full-time from the age of 17, other than in the six months after our twins were born—first as a radiographer and then in government. This was followed by almost 25 years in the corporate sector, working both here and overseas. Early on, actually, I thought I was going to lose my job as a radiographer when a surgeon blew up an X-ray machine. He ignored my advice to shut it down because 'I didn't know what I was talking about'. In classic form, I have been accused of being the boss's squeeze. For the record, I was not. I felt like I missed promotional opportunities, and at times I had to ask to be paid the same as the men because my husband got a good wage. Welcome to my first taste of gender inequality.

This, I knew, was wrong and unfair, and I took every opportunity I could to mentor women, encouraging them to never shy away from their strengths of compassion, kindness and empathy. I called out workplace discrimination, and I worked on gender-positive policy developments with global multilateral organisations like the OECD. I also learned a lot about leadership and standing up for civil liberties. Wayne Goss never shied away from taking on the big issues, which I saw firsthand as a young staffer.

Now, most of this took place in the wonderful seat of Brisbane, the electorate that I now have the honour and privilege to represent here in this wonderful place. I've lived most of my life in Brisbane. As I said, it's home to the Yuggera and Turrbal people. The electorate is bordered by Maiwar, the Brisbane River, and extends to Kedron Brook and the inner north-west. It takes in the CBD, which is now a mix of commercial and high-rise residential. Within one kilometre of that, there are single-plot, heritage, postwar and modern homes. There are also a growing number of six-packs and multi-unit complexes. Brisbane is dotted with parks as well as active transport routes. Over the past 30 years, Brisbane has transformed from a country town earning the nickname 'Brisvegas' to a growing metropolitan city, and the Brisbane electorate houses its heart, with its vibrant arts, culture and sports scene.

We also have more than 36,000 businesses, with a quarter of them in the professional, scientific and technology sectors. Health care, social assistance, real estate and construction make up the other third. There is pioneering technology such as quantum computing, and biomedical and sustainable energy industries.

Our community also has one of the largest student populations in the country. It is home to two of Queensland's largest and most prestigious universities—the Queensland University of Technology, my alma mater, and the University of Queensland Herston campus. It is also one of the most progressive electorates in Queensland. Brisbane supported the Voice referendum. It is growing in multicultural character and is blessed with a large LGBTIQA+ community. But, sadly, Brisbane is also blighted by homelessness and continued injustice towards Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

Back in 2021, while I was having a drink with an old friend, I got on my soapbox about how our community is breaking down and how social justice, equality, opportunity and intergenerational fairness were crumbling. We were losing our compassion and our care towards one another. It was at that time when many in this room will recall that our country's leader didn't hold a hose, he needed his wife to tell him how to have empathy towards women and he commented, on the Me Too march:

Not far from here, such marches, even now, are being met with bullets—but not here in this country.

On top of this, affordable health care was being undermined. I'd lived in the United States, and I didn't want people here to be like my friend Johnny, who had untreated arthritis because he had no affordable health care. Jokes were being made about water lapping at the homes of our Pacific neighbours, and I thought to myself, 'Australia's better than that.' During the conversation, it was suggested to me that I run for office. I thought about it a lot, but, in the end, it was that fear of losing our community values—a fair go for all and looking out for each other—that clinched it. So here I stand.

I am extremely grateful and humbled to be the member for Brisbane, and I have so many people to thank for getting me here. First, to the people of Brisbane who put their faith in me, whether it be the Windsor community who helped their neighbour literally drag a piano up a hill and leave it on the footpath so it wouldn't get flooded, the families who we sweated with to fill sandbags, or the elderly Barden resident to whom we sent a clean-up crew: thank you.

To Mum and Dad, Jack and Lue Camp, sitting in the back there: you gave me the knowledge and strength to live my values. Your energy and commitment to social fairness glows in me. Friends, my mum and dad are in their 80s, and, for the best part of nine months, they were almost daily features on the Paddington strip, the local shopping strip, showing me off to passers-by. You are such legends.

To my husband, John; our lads, Jack and Paddy; and Jess, also over there: you were my sounding board and my rock during the campaign. You managed to keep the house running while I was running in and out. Without you, though, I wouldn't be here, as this journey was only ever going to be ours. A special call-out to you, John, my best friend, my love, my confidant, the man who has always got my back. Everyone on this floor knows how important that is in politics.

To my sisters and my brother: I know you always have my back. To the hundreds of volunteers, some not even old enough to vote and others first timers; Chris and Lulu, two of my sisters; and the stalwarts, who were there day in, day out, hail, rain, wind or shine—there are too many to name, but, again, thank you. To my irrepressible, energetic and loyal campaign team, including my dear and long-time friend Greg, who is up there in the gallery. There was also Charli, Jack, Alana, Bri, Kate C, Paula and Ben C. You were the cog that kept the wheels turning.

To my Labor family, those on the daily phone calls, who doorknocked and provided quiet guidance in the background, especially John, the other Kate, Hayden, Hannah, Grace and Ben D—you know who you are: thank you. To my union, the United Workers Union: a big thank you. To the STA and others within our mighty union movement: thank you also. You all keep Labor true to its values and will always be there for workers, the engine of our economy. To EMILY's List, who supported and mentored me: it was invaluable. To my friend the Prime Minister: I'll leave it to you to say how long we've been friends! You and your team believed in me. You put your arms around me and you lifted me. Thank you. I can say I am so proud to be here and to be a part of your team. And, as I say as often as I can, thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Looking ahead, I see a bigger and brighter Brisbane. People continue to move here in drones, and it's no wonder—but then I'm a little bias. In less than a decade, Brisbane will host the biggest sporting event in the world: the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic games. Queensland has a very proud sporting history, producing 'the King'; Madame Butterfly; and our Cathy, the golden girl—three greats from my era. But the games are more than a sporting contest; they will provide many opportunities to enrich and strengthen our community.

Labor recently committed to finding a female change facility at a large local Brisbane football club. Finally, the girls will have the same facilities as the boys. But this is more than just a building; its recognition that women in sports matter and that sports matter for women. As a swimmer and a lifesaver who trained five days a week, shared sandy beach beds and rejoiced at the nationals, I learnt so much. Through sport we learn confidence, strength, leadership and resilience. The 50 or so players who joined me that morning for the football announcement were all so excited that this means more girls will join our community and grow. And, you never know: there might be another Matilda in the waiting—another Tilly.

As Brisbane grows towards the next decade, global developments will challenge us. However, with steady leadership, I do believe we can remain focused on restoring intergenerational fairness, strengthening social cohesion and protecting our environment. This starts with implementing Labor's election reforms—I'll be biased and say especially in Brisbane.

First is housing. Ownership is tough, with many, like my sons, living at home well beyond when I did. Renting is tough. My friend Ben, who is in the gallery today, has been forced to live in eight homes since 2020, and he now lives in an area where he has no connection to his community. More people are couch surfing or rough sleeping. What Brisbane needs is more affordable and social homes across all our suburbs. We saw in the last parliament the blocking of the Housing Australia Future Fund. Frustratingly, there have been local protests against sensible development. We can do better.

We also need to set realistic and achievable goals to eradicate homelessness. This is particularly important to me. Women my age are the fastest-growing group of homeless, and I saw this while I was on the board of 3rd Space. Also, here's a little story: during the campaign, I met Karen. Karen is in her 60s, and, after fleeing domestic violence around seven years ago, she finally got her own place. This means so much. She can decorate it as hers. She can leave the dishes to tomorrow, if that's what she wants to do, and she can use the washing machine without checking first. She can live her life her way.

I'm really proud of what Labor's doing to help realise the Australian dream of owning a home. This gives people long-term security and stability and a sense of belonging. It will enable people in our communities to set down their roots and create long-lasting memories. We can't forget the renters, though, who are trapped paying the equivalent of a mortgage in rent, and I want to explore how housing policies can do more to help them.

When it comes to health, I will always stand up for Medicare. As one of eight kids, our family relied on it. I also heard many stories, while on the campaign trail, about how affordable health care is the difference between living a decent life and not living at all. While doorknocking one day, one lady cried. She thanked me and asked me to pass on her thanks to our prime minister because her best friend will now live because her cancer treatment is on the PBS and she can afford it. So I am just so proud to be standing here and saying that, down the track, we will be delivering Labor's new urgent care clinic and new Medicare mental health clinic in Brisbane. Our community will get to see a doctor for free closer to home, and they won't have to wait those long, long hours in hospital waiting rooms. I also met many young people on the campaign trail who are suffering mental health challenges. They will now have easier access to life-changing care.

Addressing climate change is also extremely important to Brisbane, and this starts with Australia becoming a renewable energy powerhouse. I truly believe Brisbane can play a leading role here. This will support our net zero targets and reduce electricity prices. Queensland is rich in critical minerals, and we are on the doorstep of Asia, which is transitioning to renewables. This creates a unique opportunity to grow our local renewable energy capabilities and manufacturing. I'd like to see more Brisbane businesses and education providers innovate and grow and build the skills that we will need for this transition.

Battery and solar power incentives will encourage the uptake of renewable energy, and that's absolutely great, but we also know renters need more support. We need to continue to look for solutions for them, including more community batteries. I call on the local LNP council to stop playing politics and stop blocking our Newmarket community battery. It was promised back in 2022, and we need it delivered.

Over the next decade, we need to see our infrastructure and renewables programs come together to create a long-lasting and sustainable footprint in Brisbane. This will need all levels of government working together on appropriate planning, community consultation, and environmental and heritage protection, including for 2032. It also includes reforms to our environmental laws, which I am proud this government is committed to.

Lastly, we need to be more inclusive. Everyone, regardless of their heritage, skin colour, sexual orientation, religion or ability, must be afforded equal rights and feel safe in our community. Not one of us is any better than the next, and no-one is entitled.

A must here is truth-telling of the historical and current injustices facing First Nations people. Our children may no longer have to walk through separate kindy doors like I had to, but there is a long way to go. The original custodians have over 65,000 years of knowledge and connection to this land which has always steered this country forward. I was reminded of this recently during a NAIDOC event, when young Sandy, probably in her early 20s, proudly shared her story and that of her forebears. This history is unique, and we should all know it, embed it, celebrate it and use it to advance reconciliation and walk together as a stronger nation. Sovereignty was never ceded.

My vision for Brisbane is grounded in realism but is also a little aspirational. We have a privileged opportunity to recalibrate generational inequality and strengthen social cohesion. Our kids deserve the same opportunities I and many in this room had. This includes opportunities for education to aspire to be what they want to be; to buy their own home, raise a family and not be burdened by excessive debt; for our daughters not to be disadvantaged; for the LGBTIQA+ community to live as their true selves; for First Nations people to genuinely feel we share their history and walk with them; for our vibrant migrant community to flourish and enrich us; for everyone to have a safe home; and for our environment to thrive.

I will be a leader who will listen and care for our community. I will be a leader who will bring us together. This will require pragmatism, respect and courage from all of us. My commitment to Brisbane is that my door is always open. Friends and colleagues, it took a community to get me here. The next chapter in my life story starts now, and the pens you all hold will help me write this.

by leave—It is an enormous honour to have the privilege of serving here for a second term. As I noted earlier, the last member for Chisholm to win a second term was the wonderful Anna Burke, who won her second term in 2001, so it's been some time since the people of Chisholm have returned a member. I am very grateful and very humbled by the trust that they have placed in me.

I'm really proud of what we were able to achieve as a community together in the 47th Parliament—in the first term of the Albanese Labor government. We were able to establish an urgent care clinic in Mount Waverley and to establish a headspace in Box Hill, now in a former part of my electorate but that I am sure the member for Menzies will have great stewardship over—and congratulations to him. Many sporting pavilions have been established across the electorate. And, of course, our promises of a tax cut for every Australian taxpayer have been delivered, as have energy bill relief and so many other commitments to help people with the cost of living.

Now, in our second term, I'm really looking forward to getting to work to continue to deliver for the community of Chisholm.

I'm really looking forward to establishing a new Nunawading basketball facility, which will service the eastern suburbs of Melbourne. I'm really looking forward to seeing another urgent-care clinic being established in our community, in the Stonnington Council area. And I'm really excited that we will be the first metropolitan Melbourne site for a Medicare mental health clinic, which is something that is really important for our community in the eastern suburbs. So many people, from all walks of life, have spoken to me about the importance of investing in mental health, and I agree with them. That's why it is really heartening that we have a government who takes mental health very seriously—and indeed all health care seriously.

We're going to work on new changing rooms at the Monash Aquatic Centre. The Monash swimming pools were where I first learned how to swim, so it is a very special commitment for me. And of course today we saw the introduction of legislation to deliver 20 per cent cuts to student debt for so many in our community, and over 26,000 people in Chisholm will benefit from that; we are one of the greatest beneficiaries of this change.

Throughout the campaign, and earlier than when the formal campaign began, I spoke to my community about really wanting to be a champion for Chisholm, and that is the commitment that I renew today in the 48th Parliament, and we'll hopefully be able to deliver on everything that we've said we will deliver on. I'm really proud that all the commitments I made in my first term for our local community have been delivered on. We had a redistribution in Victoria, which saw my community of Chisholm change a little. But whilst we said goodbye to areas that I loved in our electorate and communities that I will hopefully have the opportunity to continue to work with, as a representative I was able to take in and learn about new parts of the eastern suburbs of Melbourne, although they are areas that were very familiar to me.

My old high school is in my electorate now, and I've had the great pleasure and privilege to visit my old school since the election. That gave me cause to reflect on my own journey to this place. It was as a high school student that I learned the importance of involving myself in social justice. I remember spending lunchtimes at school writing letters in the Amnesty International club that I was part of. I remember spending time after school volunteering with St Vincent de Paul to tutor refugee children and students across the community. At school the teachers really instilled in all the young women there—it was a girls' school—confidence and the importance of never second-guessing yourself.

I wish I had never second-guessed myself and that those lessons were unchallenged throughout my working life. But I remember stepping out of that school environment and into university and indeed, I must admit, into the Labor Club at university and thinking that I didn't really belong there and that the contributions I wanted to make were not possible. I look back now and I look around this chamber and I see that we have a majority female government, and I hope no young women in universities or at schools or in workplaces feel as discouraged as I did back then. And I thank you, Deputy Speaker, and I thank all the women in this place and those who have come before for opening up those opportunities and helping me find more confidence to be involved in the Australian Labor Party and the broader labour movement. I want to thank the labour movement for all their support throughout my campaign.

Ours was truly a community campaign, and that is a source of great pride for me. We had over 500 volunteers. We knocked on over 60,000 doors and made over 80,000 phone calls, attempting to contact every person in the electorate. It was a campaign that brought together people from all walks of life. We focused on optimism and hope. We focused on our community and wanting to build a kinder, better country, and it's been wonderful listening to all the first speeches in this place over the last couple of days and hearing that theme of kindness resonate so strongly in everybody's contributions.

I have a lot of people I would like to thank, and I want to make sure that they are recognised in Hansard, so please bear with me. I want to thank my team for their hard work: Jarrod Panther, Matt Lawler, Meg Swain—who I congratulate on her new role in the Prime Minister's office—Evelyn Garcia, Vivian Liu, Barbara Harman, Jerry Cui, Grayson Lowe, Jordan Liang, Matt Merry, Jordon Conway, Josh Chuah and Tharun Balasubramanian.

I want to thank our amazing field organisers for all that they did leading our field campaign, recruiting volunteers and coordinating very large numbers of people and maps and taking on enormous logistical work. I want to thank Alfonso Silva from the national secretariat for his hard work and support. I want to thank, too, Paul Erickson and one of my oldest and dearest friends, who also happens to be the Victorian secretary of the Labor Party, Steve Staikos. Steve and I knew each other well before politics. This is not just a political friendship. We grew up on the same street. We worked at the same supermarket, on the check-outs, and I maintain that working in retail and working on the check-outs at a supermarket remains the best training I have had for this job. Talking to people, taking an interest in their lives and understanding that some people are going to have had a bad day and you need to treat them with kindness and empathy was wonderful training for being an MP who seeks to listen and learn from her community.

I want to thank my very dear friend Senator Jess Walsh for her support on this campaign, and I want to thank her team for volunteering on their weekends to come and help me: Courtney Zavalianos, Lucy Skelton, Sean Doherty, Steven Blacker, Maddison Lewis, Riley Geary and Atticus Corr.

I am a very proud member of the United Workers Union, like so many in this chamber, and I want to thank the union for all their support. In particular, I want to thank Paddy Keys-Macpherson, Felix Sharkey, Corey Matthews and Gary Bullock for all their work.

I've received incredible support from the Young Labor movement, so I want to thank all the students involved in Deakin Young Labor, Monash Young Labor and Swinburne Young Labor for their efforts. I want to acknowledge the support of Michael Miao, Nos Hosseini, Winnie Huang and their teams. They phoned many people in our community and spoke in language with our wonderful diverse community.

I want to thank every volunteer who gave up their time to help our campaign—and it really was our campaign; it was not simply my campaign. Every day I'm in this place and every day I'm in the community, I will remember that I owe so much to the people who have put their faith in me and who worked so hard to see a re-elected Albanese Labor government. We knocked on so many doors and we spoke to so many people because we believed in the Labor movement and the Labor cause and in what we could do together as a re-elected Albanese Labor government.

I want to thank people who turned up time and time again to knock on literally thousands of doors in teams every single week: Campbell Frost, Bayley Mackie, Angus Duske, Marko Mrksa, Simone Milhuisen, Meghan Williams, Rod Carls, Alex Gilders, Rudy Blums, James Lintott-Southwell, Gavin O'Loughlin, Geoff Rundell, Jason Zhao, Mark Warburton, Zhiyuan Pan, Thomas Campbell, John Nihill, Gail Hall, Phil Ryan, Shaoting Yan, Julie Vine, Mandy Li, John Morter, Hayden Makmur, Tristan Walde, Alessandro Papleo, Esther Fan, Oneja Jayaweera, Radha KC, Chloe Davies, Tanmay Kabir and Emily Mao. It's been amazing to have met all of you and to have worked with you. To Deb Pidd, Lisa Carpenter, Bruce Carpenter, Graeme Bond, Rod Short, Todd Moore, Noah Blumhoff, John Milhuisen, Angus Reynolds, Anton Grodeck, David Higginbottom, Diane Hardidge, Evelyn Clarke, Greg Hughes, Huifen Xiao, Julie Dickson, Lesley Hardcastle, Manfred Xavier—who I first met volunteering on the 2007 Bennelong campaign for Maxine McKew, so we go way back—Melva Austin, Michael Murray, Paul Halliday, Rob Grimmer, Phil Robinson, Susanna Mason and Veronica Davies: thank you.

I thank the booth captains that helped make sure that we were able to hand out how-to-vote cards and ensure that everyone in our community participated fully in our democracy: Naveen, Robert Lowe, Garry Dirks, Jimmy Li, Paul Ting, Jonathon Wight, Peter Spriggins, Ava Howard, Rangika Iddamalgoda, Dustin Kim, Xavier Andueza, John Watson, Peter Fiske, John Burgess, Jeremy O'Keeffe, Harrison Valentine, Thomas Nash, Michael Schaefer, Jacob Clifton, Harsha Guneratne, Carlo Buratto, Michael Gotze and Mithun Rajan. I thank all the scrutineers that we had helping us out too: Tessa Jones, Peter Bearsley, Harmon Barrett, Parsa Ghodsieh, Kurt Liffman, Julie Dickson, Hamish Welte, Dominic Burns, Jackson Walmsley, Alessandro Papaleo, Anton Grodeck, Jim McCabe, Kevin Adlard, Tess Robb, Herb Ramselaar, Janie Sue Brooks, Mark Sims, Gillian Davenport, Edwina Kay, Tom Whiteside, Elijah Buckland, Shara Teo and Nick Richardson.

In my final few minutes here, I want to thank my family for their support over the years. I don't know if they quite realised what me being a member of parliament would involve, but I'm really grateful that they have been so understanding and supportive. I do miss the time that I would otherwise have spent with them. It is hard not seeing the children in your family always at those special moments, when you'd like to, but I think all of us do what we do because of the people that we love and the people who support us. It is right that I take this moment to thank them for all that they do for me. I always do seek to find those moments that I can spend with them.

To my colleagues here, both returning—I don't want to say old—and new: it has been an honour so far, and I am sure the privilege and honour will only grow as our numbers have. We are going to be able do some amazing things for our country together. We know that Labor builds the things that our nation needs, whether it is universal health care through Medibank and then Medicare, whether it is the superannuation system, whether it is the NDIS, whether it is making sure we have paid parental leave programs for people. I know there is always going to be work for governments to do. The job is never done. It never will be done. But I'm so proud to be part of a team that puts shoulder to the wheel, will seek to solve the problems that present themselves to us and won't shy from the challenges that are thrown our way by a changing global geopolitical context.

I'm proud that I have this opportunity, but I don't ever want to take this opportunity for granted. My word to my electorate is that I will work as hard as I can with every day that I have in this place. Throughout my first term, I would say to people, 'I don't know how long I get the privilege of being the member for Chisholm, so every single day I have is an extra day of work I get to do to deliver for the community.' For however long I get to keep this privilege and this honour of being the member for Chisholm, I will work as hard as I can, every day that I have, to make my community proud.

It's with great humility that I rise tonight to renew my promise to my electors, to my people in Fisher, that I will once again serve them in the best way that I can. It's been one of the greatest privileges of my life—perhaps the greatest privilege of my life—to take my seat in this place, to be given the honour of representing my community as an elected representative in this place. Every time I drive up into this place and I see the flagpole—to the newbies in the room, I hope you never lose the special goosebumps that you get when you see that flagpole, because it is incredibly special.

This is my ninth year now serving the Sunshine Coast, and it's a great privilege. Deputy Speaker Freelander, you and I have been sparring partners and, dare I say, good friends, because you and I have done a lot of good work in this place. In all the time that I have spent in this place, some of my fondest memories here are the work that I have done with you on Standing Committee on Social Policy and Legal Affairs.

Yes.

The member for Bruce has chimed in, and I've done some good work with him as well. I love youse all, as Jeff Fenech would say! But in all seriousness, Mr Deputy Speaker, you and I have done some really life-changing work, and I'm very proud of that work.

We have. Me too.

As you should be, Mr Deputy Speaker. John Howard is renowned for having said that, when it comes to elections, the people never get it wrong, and I think he's right. Again, he's right. I will not go into some diatribe of all the things we did wrong in the last election, although I'm sure the member for Bruce would love me to.

I've got that covered!

I'm sure you do! This next short while will be a period of self-reflection, because it's important that we take a good, long, hard look at ourselves to see where we went wrong. I've lost a lot of good friends that are not here today, not here in this sitting term, because of the many things we did that we shouldn't have done and the many things that we didn't do that we should have done. I'm very sad for them, and I hope that they're getting over what is no doubt the pretty significant grief of not being in this special place serving their communities.

But since the election, I've hit the ground running. In my usual style, I've done 20 listening posts since the election, because it's really important that we do listen. I always draw upon the analogy that the good Lord gave us two ears and one mouth and that we should use them in that order. We need to listen a lot more than we speak, and the vicar general in the church service yesterday spoke about that very thing.

As I sit and listen to those members opposite on what is for many of them a victory lap—I will not criticise the newbies, because it's a very special time for them—clearly, the Prime Minister is on a victory lap. I would just say to the Prime Minister and senior members of the government that it is incredibly important that they understand that Australians are still absolutely hurting. Nothing has changed. We are still in a period where more small businesses have gone to the wall in the last three years than in any other period in modern Australian history. As a small-business man of some 30 years before I went into politics, I feel their pain. It seems like the world is just getting more and more complicated, and that's not just at the feet of the current government; I think that's almost universal. I think back to my days when I was a young carpenter swinging a hammer for a living, and life seemed to be so much simpler in the eighties. But, of course, we can't just hanker for the past; we have to live in the future. But we really do, in this place, need to take stock. As lawmakers and parliamentarians, we should take stock of every single bill that gets tabled in this place and stop and think about how they will impact mum and dad Australia and small businesses. Small businesses are not just the backbone of my electorate in Fisher. They are the backbone of the Australian economy. They don't have human resources departments. They don't have in-house lawyers. They don't have IT specialists. It's mum, dad or maybe both sitting up at night doing the books. My dad used to say he felt like an unpaid tax collector when he was a motor mechanic for nearly 70 years. And nothing's changed. If anything, it's just gotten a whole lot worse. So I call upon my colleagues in this place to think about every single law that we look to pass and the consequences that they cause for everyday Australians. Every law that we pass often makes life more and more complicated.

Of course, over the last three years in particular, we have seen a significant increase in the cost of living. Groceries are up. Rents are up. Mortgages have been significantly up. Everything has gone up—the cost of energy. The cost of energy under this government is crippling Australian families. There are now 300,000 Australians in energy debt—300,000 Australians who cannot pay their energy bills. Just stop and think about that for a moment. Those are people who, in summertime, can't afford to turn the air conditioner on. In wintertime, they can't afford to turn the heater on. There are so many Australians who can't heat and eat together. They've got to make a decision: do I stay warm and not eat, or do I eat and not stay warm? That includes families across my own electorate. So my heart goes out to those people and those small businesses that are doing it tough.

I often remark, and have remarked over the last nine years, that unless you have sweated blood, wondering about how you are going to make payroll tomorrow, as many small businesses are doing tonight—it's payday tomorrow, and hundreds of thousands of small businesses are making decisions tonight about how they're going to pay their staff. And do you know what? They are very often dipping into their mortgages. They are very often dipping into their overdrafts to pay their staff tomorrow. So many small-business owners put themselves last. They will pay their staff before they pay themselves. And so I say to those small-business people out there in Australia: we hear you. We understand the pain that you are going through. But I'm not sure that the government does. In fact, I'm quite certain that they don't.

Over the last nine years, I have been absolutely driven, as the federal member for Fisher, to deliver for my local community, essentially on four pillars. Those four pillars are infrastructure, health care, small businesses, which I've spoken a lot about already, and protecting our future and the safety of Australians. In my first two terms in this place, the first six years, I was able to secure funding, when we were in government, for increases and better funding for the Bruce Highway—$3.4 billion to bring rail from Beerwah to Birtinya. I got funding for the Mooloolah River Interchange. I got funding for Third Avenue upgrades. Unfortunately, though, the member for Ballarat, who is the Minister for Infrastructure, cut the funding for the Mooloolah River Interchange in her infrastructure cuts. She cut the funding for Third Avenue. And what really upsets me, what really gets up my goat, is that members opposite talk about all they're doing in relation to the housing crisis, like building 1.2 million homes. But when this callous federal Labor government cut funding for the Mooloolah River Interchange, the then state Labor government had demolished over 100 homes to make way for the Mooloolah River Interchange upgrade. That's hundreds of Sunshine Coast locals that were evicted from their homes to make way for a road that the federal government then cut funding for. And yet, this government talks about all they're doing in relation to building homes, which has never eventuated. There was some $10 billion in their Housing Australia Future Fund. Actually, homes were demolished and people were evicted, and for nothing. Until, of course, the Crisafulli government in Queensland was elected. To their eternal credit, David Crisafulli reinstated 100 per cent of the funding for the Mooloolah River Interchange. As it turns out, those people weren't evicted from their homes for nothing, but they would have been but for David Crisafulli and the LNP state government.

Mr Deputy Speaker, one of my passions in this place, and you know this pretty well, has been my great interest in mental health. There are millions of Australians tonight who aren't just sad or down about something but suffer from anywhere from mild to very chronic mental health conditions. My family has walked that path for more than 20 years, and I want to say to those millions of Australians, particularly in my electorate of Fisher, that, even though we are in opposition, I will continue to hold this government to account in relation to issues around mental health.

In the six years that we were in government, I was able to secure funding for $12 million to build the Wishlist House, which provides accommodation for families with a sick person at the Sunshine Coast University Hospital. I was able to secure more than $20 million for the Thompson Institute, which is the first research centre for post-traumatic stress disorder for our first responders and our veterans.

I was able to secure more than $6 million to build Australia's first residential eating disorder facility. Based on the experiences that we learnt from in that process, when Greg Hunt was the health minister, he allocated $70 million to build a dedicated residential eating disorder facility in every state in this country. Prior to that, if you had a loved one that suffered from a chronic eating disorder, you had to travel to Sweden or the United States. Whilst the rollout by the states has been appallingly slow, I'm very pleased to see that they are finally starting to get on with spending that money and building facilities in their respective states.

We live in uncertain times. Everybody talks about that. I'm the former deputy chair of the PJCIS, the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security. The member for Bruce served admirably on that committee as well. We worked very well together. There is no doubt in my mind that we live in perilous days. The security of Australians, from a national security perspective, is at greater risk today than it has ever been, perhaps with the exception of the period leading up to 1945. Australian government departments and businesses are subject to constant cyber attacks from the likes of Russia, China, North Korea and Iran. It is incredibly important that we, as a parliament, ensure that our security agencies are properly equipped with the legislation, the tools and the funding they need to keep our country safe.

I take this opportunity, once again, to implore the government to look at the national security strategy Jim Molan put up in the past. It is not enough, as the government has done, to institute a national defence strategy. A national defence strategy is just one aspect of a national security strategy. The defence of our nation involves the entire community—local government, state governments, territory governments, the business community both small and large. The whole entire civil society needs to be on board to assist us to defend this nation, because, make no mistake, this country is under attack. It is under attack every single second of every single minute of every single hour of every single day. It's all very well for the Prime Minister to be in China, but, if we do not recognise the threats we constantly face from the likes of the Chinese Communist Party, North Korea, Iran and Russia, we are turning a blind eye to those risks—and we do that at our peril.

The last election was a sobering experience for my colleagues. I acknowledge in the chamber the member for Monash—and the member for McPherson, who used to work for me; I'm very proud of him being in this place. Still, it is a very sobering moment. We have much to learn. We have to go through this period of listening, as to where we went wrong. We need to develop our policies without losing our values. I know that the shadow defence minister, sitting at the table here, will play a very important role in that policy development, and I look forward to working with him.

There are many other things I could say in the time remaining, but I want to thank my family for putting up with me and this very strange career that we have all chosen. I want to thank all 573 volunteers that helped me on my campaign. I would not be standing here representing my electorate but for those 573 people. I am immensely humbled by the hard work you put in. I thank you, and I thank the people of Fisher for showing their support. I will not let you down. I will work hard every single day I'm in this place.

I thank the member for Fisher. I'd also like to acknowledge the work you've done in this parliament and elsewhere for people with mental health issues.

I also acknowledge my friend the member for Fisher's work on mental health. I enjoyed greatly our time working on the defence subcommittee of the Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade, the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security Committee and elsewhere. I wish you a long and illustrious career serving in opposition on parliamentary committees!

Here we are. We've survived the world's worst job interview; it's my fourth in a row! I give very grateful thanks to the people of Bruce. The defining characteristic of the Bruce electorate is its human diversity—people of every background, from literally everywhere, speaking hundreds of different languages every day, getting on with daily life together. Stretching from the rural shire of Cardinia through established greenfield areas of the city of Casey and the hyper-multicultural Greater Dandenong, and to touch the city of Monash, Bruce has the largest number of voters of any seat in Victoria and tens of thousands of future citizens as well.

Whilst campaigns are always tough, this one was especially brutal. The Liberals and News Ltd were convinced they'd win Bruce. But it turns out the magnificent people of Bruce felt differently. We achieved the largest to swing to any incumbent MP in the country—9.31 per cent, thanks to the team. It was an incredible team effort due to hundreds of volunteers who lived their values. But this election wasn't just difficult; it was the most disgraceful and dirty campaign locals have ever seen. You might ask, why so? This time it wasn't the far-right Fraser Anning neo-Nazis, which we endured in 2019, or the Palmer cookers of 2022, and not even the One Nation folks, who actually turned up this time—last time they had a candidate from Queensland, no-one even turned up, but to everybody's surprise, they were very decently behaved. No, in 2025, the truly vile and disgusting behaviour, day in day out on the ground, emanated, radiated like a nuclear cloud from the Liberal Party—the supposed alternative government over there, or what's left of them, fuelled by their choice of the dodgiest major party candidates ever seen, Mr Zahid Atal Safi and the collection of largely intimidatory, discriminatory goons he surrounded himself with. Mr Safi and his party advertised him as 'a successful small businessman' who had 'a deep commitment to his community'. A deep commitment to lying, dodging and weaving would be more accurate, as it became clear as the campaign unfolded.

What my community endured during this campaign deserves to be recorded here. What happened in Bruce is bad for Australia's democracy, and it shines light on the ongoing failure of the Liberal Party, including its new leadership cabal, to face up to it, apologise, or reform itself. I quite liked and respected my three previous Liberal opponents—I did; I never heard from them again, but I did like them. But from the moment Mr Safi was mysteriously chosen to be the Liberal candidate, locals started calling, whispering and writing to me, raising serious concerns about his personal integrity and business dealings. Over months, a number of local Liberal branch members—the small number of decent people they still retain—quietly shared their unease that someone so manifestly unsuitable to sit in our national parliament had been preselected by a party of government. As things progressed, they shared their deep dismay at the sort of campaign they were embroiled in.

Nobody has ever properly explained why he was chosen. Some have concluded it was basic idiotic racism, a simplistic offensive view that if Mr Safi was the choice then all Muslim voters, and especially all Afghan voters, would automatically vote for him, as if they were Daleks with one brain cell that would vote along ethnic or religious lines, not Australian citizens with their own hopes or dreams and diverse thoughts and views. Others quietly explained to me that Mr Safi had access to significant mysterious funds which helped to fund his own campaign as well as his patron and mentors. Whatever their reasons, as a result, my community endured a toxic, nasty, negative campaign replete with misogyny, racism, homophobia, and good old-fashioned intimidation, largely at the hands of Mr Safi's associates. It was consistent, I suppose, with their national campaign, where they literally ran out of groups of Australians to offend and alienate with their culture wars.

The serial and daily disregard for the law and community amenity in Bruce saw the most bizarre signage wars we have ever seen. There was a Liberal Party truck, which we have a video of, that went around every night, rain or shine—it wasn't shining, because it was night—nailing hundreds of signs, literally hundreds, to trees, roundabouts, schools, churches park fences, and everything that didn't move. People called my office en masse—we've never had this before—enraged that Mr Safi's face had been nailed to their own fence in the night without permission. They even tied political signs to the RSL. You can imagine how well that went. Then one night massive banners that were homophobic appeared across south-east Melbourne, on freeways, overpasses and park fences right through Isaacs and La Trobe. They didn't know the boundaries; they were actually trying to capture people going in and out work—in some bizarre personal smear. For the record, I don't have a husband, but at least they chose a nice photo of me.

The broader community was appalled. It was personally unpleasant at the time, I will acknowledge. But my heart went out to all the young people grappling with their own identity who had to see that toxic rubbish in 2025.

We weren't surprised by the banners and their vile WhatsApp groups—yes, we got the screenshots. An insider had tipped off, for months, that this was their central campaign tactic. Geniuses!

I wish I could send whichever of their goons organised the banners a lovely thankyou note. Not only has it showed the broader community what they are really like but also their tactics generated generous donations and a hell of a lot more volunteers. Unfortunately, though, they forgot to authorise their handiwork in breach of various laws and electoral regulations. The police remain on the case, so let's see who gets outed now.

But I'll go back to Mr Safi, the man that the Liberal Party still thinks should've been elected to sit in this House. Turns out Mr Safi, the businessman, actually owns three NDIS providers. One of them, Willow Support Services, was registered to a residential address, yet the people living there said they had no idea about the business. They did, however, receive mail for it from time to time, which they put in the bin—exactly what the Liberal Party should've done much earlier with their candidate. Another business, No. 2 of Mr Safi's NDIS businesses, was recently deregistered for unpaid fees.

But then there's Infinite Community Supports. This seems a bit more promising if you read the glowing online reviews. I'll read some. John lswanto from St Kilda wrote:

The ICS team broke down my plan in a way that was easy to understand and helped me find the best providers to suit my needs.

Another positive review was left by Numen Khan from Richmond, who said:

They helped me set and achieve meaningful goals.

A basic Google search though reveals all is not as it seems. Mr Iswanto's photo actually fronts hundreds of fake reviews globally, including as a student in London and the head of marketing at crown plaza sweets in Sydney. He's even a general project coordinator in Azerbaijan.

Wow, talented!

I know! He gets about. Numen Khan is also a tech engineer in Germany, a talent recruiter in Amsterdam and a marketing manager in Wisconsin. Mr Safi's website reviews were entirely made up—naughty! Dodgy.

Full credit to the formidable journalist Charlotte Grieve at the Age for both exposing dodgy Zahid Safi's fake business empire and for her tenacious pursuit of journalism's holy grail of the 2025 Bruce campaign—an interview with the Liberal candidate. For 23 days she doggedly pursued Mr Safi, trying to land an interview. For 23 days, Mr Safi dodged and weaved and went into hiding, but predictably, when she finally tracked him down on the big day, he literally ran away. But, fortunately, Charlotte pursued him and had a camera on her phone to record the epic moment. Mr Safi had made it to what he thought was the safety of his car, about to drive away, but—you couldn't script this—in a moment of genius, the Liberal Party official who was minding him physically ordered Mr Safi out of the car. You have to watch the video to really get the full gist of it, as the Liberal Party dude was also inexplicably dressed in shorts, a fedora hat and a colourful shirt like he'd wandered out of a Bavarian beer hall. Anticlimactically, just as Charlotte got him, he refused to answer any questions about his businesses. Instead he gave a very credible impersonation of one of those dolls where you press the button and they repeat the phrase, and he said 'cost of living', 'crime', 'cost of living' and 'crime' until he drove away.

There were further revelations through the campaign later including actual victims of Mr Safi's dodgy NDIS businesses, with multiple referrals now to regulatory authorities for investigations. These are not trivial matters. Numerous laws may have been breached with fake website reviews, false addresses and phone numbers, and other worrying reports that attract serious civil and potential criminal penalties in breach of the NDIS Act, the Corporations Act and the Criminal Code Act, including 'failure to comply with the condition of registration as an NDIS provider or the NDIS code of conduct by failing to act with honesty, integrity and transparency' or 'false or misleading information in registration'. Terms of imprisonment are provided under other acts, such as the Commonwealth Criminal Code Act and the Victorian Crimes Act. The Australian Consumer Law also creates specific offences, including 'making a false or misleading representation relating to the supply of goods and services' such as things like false testimonials on the website.

Further tip-offs about Mr Safi's previous, now deregistered, training businesses allegedly selling fake qualifications have been referred to the appropriate authorities. Even News Limited eventually couldn't stay out of the action and they dipped their toes into the cesspit, exposing Mr Safi for faking his own master's degree at Monash University, which is still featured on his LinkedIn. His excuse to the media was that he'd lost his LinkedIn password. Of course, Mr Safi was a very good fit with his campaign team. His campaign manager, a local Liberal elder affectionately known in their crowd as 'Uncle Andrew McNabb', had to resign as campaign manager due to a slew of misogynistic social media posts using terms I cannot repeat here.

Some of Mr Safi's more charming volunteers really excelled themselves on the polling booths, using multiple different languages to advise Australian Hazaras that Mr Safi was the reincarnation of Abdur Rahman Khan—he was brought back again—and warning voters that voting for me would betray Khan's legacy. Now, for most Australians, that's a rather obscure historical reference. For those not in the know, Abdur Rahman Khan is known for perpetrating the Hazara wars and genocide in Afghanistan in the 1800s. You might be forgiven for thinking that this was just a rogue volunteer, an extremist whose views didn't align with Mr Safi's campaign. But no: as the Guardian reported extensively, in 2021 Mr Safi co-authored an inflammatory anti-Hazara submission to a Senate inquiry. The Taliban has of course pursued and killed and persecuted people of every ethnicity in Afghanistan and continues to do so. But Mr Safi's and his associates' denial of specific atrocities against Hazaras is dishonest and deeply hurtful to those who've lost family and loved ones in countless acts of targeted violence. And the intimidation of Hazara Australians exercising their vote is disgraceful.

After all of this, you'd think that a functional political party would have dumped a candidate like Mr Safi. But nope: they didn't just tolerate him; as the scandals kept unfolding, they were falling over each other to embrace him—Senator Hume; multiple campaign videos, sans cocktails and sundowners; and glowing endorsements from the member for La Trobe, who described him as a 'phenomenal candidate. He was pictured with Liberal heavyweights like the shadow minister for defence and the Leader of the Nationals. The wonderful Senator Henderson blessed him as 'the exceptional candidate for Bruce'. Senator Paterson hailed him as 'an outstanding candidate'. 'A fantastic candidate', said the now Leader of the Opposition, 'fighting hard for the people of Bruce every day'. In her defence, I suppose Mr Safi did fight hard every day—to get away, run away and stay away from all those pesky journalists.

All that said, to be fair, perhaps you could explain away their professed admiration for Mr Safi as just the heat of a campaign: 'stand by your man'. As the old saying goes, 'He may be an idiot, but he's our idiot.' But even that cannot explain the most concerning and perplexing part. Even after the election, even after all the scandals and revelations and referrals to investigation, this mob are still embracing Mr Safi. In the last few weeks, the Deputy Leader of the Opposition, the shadow Treasurer and the shadow minister for immigration have already had meetings with Mr Safi, described up there on social media as 'very productive'. Maybe Mr Safi was teaching them how to create fake profiles and fake positive reviews for the Liberal Party!

This is now a test for the Liberal leadership—to come in here and apologise for their candidate choice, apologise to the people of Bruce and admit that what they are doing is wrong. Now, they should—but I wouldn't hold your breath waiting. Of course, one giant problem for them is that if they did say sorry then they couldn't get away with pretending it was just one bad apple, could they? Their problem is that the whole tree is rotten. Their whole rotten Liberal enterprise needs root-and-branch reform.

A senior journalist did suggest to me that one reason Mr Safi didn't get the attention nationally in the media that he deserved and wasn't dumped was in part because they had so many appalling candidates that there just wasn't the bandwidth in the media to pay attention to all of them! Let's not forget the Liberal candidate for Wills, who pled guilty last year to obtaining financial advantage by deception, and the Liberal candidate for Whitlam, who said we need to 'fix the military' by removing women from combat and that the ADF had been weakened by diversity and equity quotas and all those woke Marxist ideologies. So they sacked him. But get this: their replacement candidate for Whitlam was just as bonkers as his predecessor. His big agenda was gender fluidity and other forms of Marxist brainwashing in schools. The Liberal candidate for Bradfield, who's still off at the High Court now, was named in a $650,000 settlement over discrimination and harassment claims brought by a former staffer.

This is my personal favourite, though: the Liberal candidate for Kooyong, who thought she'd relate to everyday Australians by describing herself as a renter. The only problem was, she forgot to mention her giant trust fund and investment properties in Canberra and London worth millions of dollars. Twitter was possibly just a little unkind, with the pony club and nepo baby monikers—possibly. Perhaps she just misspelled 'rentier'! Then there's the candidate for Leichhardt, who described my home state of Victoria as a fascist state and bemoaned the 'feminists who helped kick Trump out'—whatever that meant.

Not content with that offering, though, the Liberal Party has now launched its latest civil war over there about gender quotas—you know: whether it's maybe time to ensure that half the population is properly represented in the parliament. Apparently it's okay to have quotas for National Party blokes and seemingly for dodgy candidates but not for women.

Talk about your electorate!

Oh, I have been talking about my electorate. You weren't here. You should check the transcript. Then you can come in and apologise for standing with that dodgy candidate who you ran against us.

Order! We don't need a two-way conversation.

But let's move on from the 'so what'—make this bloke happy. This isn't just about some postelection catharsis—

Order! The member shall refer to other members—

Yes—make the shadow minister happy. This isn't just about some postelection catharsis; this is about the state of our democracy.

In my firm view, the Westminster system relies on strong, functioning political parties that can perform public goods; develop realistic, costed policies for people to choose from; campaign for those policies; and vet and select candidates who are suitable to hold public office in the parliament. A strong democracy requires a proper, functional opposition, yet what the Bruce campaign and, indeed, the entire national campaign and their postelection civil war has starkly revealed is the rotten, broken shell that is now the Liberal Party. They were a terrible government and they weren't much good at opposition, but beneath that sad fact is that they are now barely a functional party. In Victoria, their main pastime is suing each other in the courts. They're back there again in September. Can't wait for Moira for PM and those stickers; that'll be great! They've well proven their inability to vet and select proper candidates. They have literally not a single policy—not one—except those forced upon them by the National Party to avoid the messy divorce: climate change denial, economic populism and risky nuclear reactors. But don't worry, the Leader of the Opposition says. 'We have our values. We'll always be guided by them.' The only problem is they're not actually sure what they are, so they've now embarked on this soul-searching exercise to find their values. Good luck with that. Eat, pray, love to you all.

One of the best things about the 2025 election was the resounding rejection by Australians of the politics of fear and division in the community, voting instead for a politics of unity, care and optimism. To me, an Australian is anyone committed to our country, to its institutions and to that basic principle of mutual respect for their fellow Australians, who may be very different to them. The people in this chamber may be very different to each other. They may have very different beliefs, identities and world views. Perhaps one day the Liberal Party will get that. Miracles do happen; I'm not giving up on you!

I'm proud to be a member of this government. I've known the PM since 1996; he's the real deal. He's kind, he's smart, he's strategic, he's tough, he's experienced, he's authentic, he's an insanely hard worker and he's actually fun. In my first speech, I spoke about the fun faction back then.

I'll finish on this. I'm especially proud to be part of a parliament that now reflects more modern Australia. In my first speech to this place, I spoke about institutions of power. The judiciary, the military and this parliament have to reflect the communities that we serve, and these are without doubt the best first speeches I have ever heard in my time here. I could not imagine a better collection. They're people who have real problems, have had real lives and actually reflect the community, so full marks and a shout-out to my new colleagues. The country is going to be well served by this government under this Prime Minister.

As we commence the 48th Parliament of Australia, I wanted to take this opportunity to thank the people of Robertson. Your trust and support mean everything to me. Representing our community in the federal parliament is one of the greatest privileges of my life, and I will continue to serve with dedication, humility and an unwavering fairness for progress for all. It was an honour and a privilege to have been the member for Robertson in the 47th Parliament, and I now look forward to continuing my work building a better future for my community and for our region, the Central Coast.

Campaigns are particularly challenging, and having a supportive team is crucial for any member of parliament running for election or re-election. There are some exceptional people that must be mentioned here tonight. To my beautiful wife, Shaylee: what a vision! Words cannot express my love for you in this moment. Public life is not something that one does alone, with its demands, pressures and countless absences. You have endured the burdens of this life with quiet grace, resilience and extraordinary patience. Your support has been the steady foundation beneath every step I have taken, and your sacrifice, often unseen by many, has made it possible for me to serve the people of the Central Coast and of Australia. Thank you for being by my side every step of this journey.

To my incredible parents, Bryan and Leanne: in my first speech to parliament, I said that there has never been a time in my life when you have not been there for me. It was true then and is true now. Your love and support have been a quiet constant behind every moment of my public life. You both instilled the values of service, humility and hard work long before I ever imagined a role in parliament. Through the pressures of being the member for Robertson—the long hours, the difficult decisions and the moments of doubt—you have both been my strength to move forward. I know your belief in me has never wavered, and your quiet and sometimes not-so-quiet pride has given me strength. I would not be who I am or have done what I have done without the life that you built for me. I love you both.

To my sister, Grace—sorry, Dr Grace Reid: as any big brother knows, having a little sister means never getting too full of yourself, because she'll be the first to bring you back down to Earth. Throughout my time in public life, while I've been giving speeches and sitting in parliament, she's been there with her quick wit and that unique sibling ability to keep me grounded. But, behind the jest, is a heart full of loyalty, love and unwavering support. She has been one of my biggest cheerleaders, and I couldn't have done this without her strength, humour and the occasional reality check only a little sister can deliver.

And she lives in Alice!

She lives in Alice, too. That's exactly right, Member for Lingiari.

To Nan, Aunty Robyn, the 'Lady of Labor', the matriarch of the Reid family and a proud Aboriginal woman: thank you for encouraging me to run in 2022. Without that moment, none of what we have achieved so far would have been possible. So thank you, Nan.

I want to offer my deepest thanks to two exceptional people who have stood at the heart of my parliamentary office: my chief of staff, Jo Lloyd, and my press secretary, Jesse Corda. Jo has led our team with strength, integrity and a tireless commitment to serving not just me but the people of the Central Coast and of Australia. Her leadership and strategic mind have guided us through every challenge with clarity and with resolve. Jesse has been our voice—sharp, principled and unwavering—navigating the public arena with skill and with conviction. Their loyalty, professionalism and belief in the work we've done together have meant more to me than words can express.

And I want to take a moment to thank the extraordinary group of people who have been the engine room of my parliamentary office—Cherie Pulley, Jackson Tumpey, Matthew Henry, Lily English, Bernadette Cox, Joshua Partier, Cooper Lloyd, Max English and Megan Connor. Each of them has brought dedication, heart and an unshakeable work ethic to everything that we have done for the people of the Central Coast. Whether it was helping a constituent through a difficult time, helping to deliver vital local projects or simply keeping the wheels turning, day in and day out, they showed up with professionalism and they showed up with purpose. Their belief in our mission and their service behind the scenes has been nothing short of remarkable. I'm deeply proud of what we have achieved together, and I'm forever grateful for your talent and your care.

To my campaign team—Chiara Moore, Chloe Oliver, Chistian Lauber, Oskar Loofs: all of those months of doorknocking, phone calls, letter boxes, street stalls, train stations and so much more paid off. Labor now holds the seat of Robertson with a historic margin, one of the highest since the 1930s. I wish these brilliant young Labor campaigners all the best for their futures, and I look forward to them continuing to contribute to our great Labor Party.

I want to pay special tribute to the trade union movement, those who stood shoulder to shoulder with me through this campaign. I want to make special mention of the USU, the United Services Union; the Transport Workers' Union; the Rail, Tram and Bus Union; the SDA; my amazing health colleagues in the HSU; and the New South Wales Nurses and Midwives' Association. I am unashamedly a supporter of the trade union movement. Your support was not just political. It was principled, passionate and deeply rooted in the belief that working people deserve a voice, dignity and a fair go. You knocked on doors, made calls and stood in the rain because you know what's at stake not just at elections but in everyday lives. The trade union movement has always been and remains the beating heart of progress in this country. From better wages to safer workplaces, from universal superannuation to paid parental leave, unions have fought for and delivered the foundations of a fair society. Thank you for everything you've done, not just for me but for the country we all believe in.

To the incredible Labor volunteers: thank you from the bottom of my heart. You are the true soul of our movement. You gave your time, your energy and your passion, not for recognition or reward but because you believe in a better future and a fairer Australia. You knocked on doors, handed out how-to-vote cards, made calls, put up signs and had countless conversations, each one an act of faith for what we believed in.

To the New South Wales Labor Party office: thank you for your support. To General Secretary Dom Ofner, Assistant General Secretary David Dobson and organiser Peter Duggan: your support of me and our team over the last term has been appreciated.

I want to also acknowledge and recognise my federal and New South Wales state government counterparts, particularly the member for Gosford, Liesl Tesch. Along with former member for Gosford Marie Andrews, I could not have asked for a better support duo. Thank you to both of you. And to the rest of the Central Coast Labor caucus—Senator Deborah O'Neill, Assistant Minister Emma McBride, Minister Pat Conroy, Minister David Harris, Minister Yasmin Catley, Parliamentary Secretary David Mehan and the fantastic New South Wales MLC Mark Buttigieg: thank you.

I also want to make special mention of several local Labor branch members and supporters who went above and beyond in this campaign to help with this re-election. Thank you to Sam Boughton, Hugh Sykes, Dr Jon Fogarty, Margaret McDonald, Jenni Neary, Joe Colbran, Genny Murphy, Sharon Dunn, Jenny Taaffe, Mils Brown, Harry Barnett, Bill and Pauline Hayden, Kim De Laive, Penny Rogers, Rhonda Audsley, Claire Pullen, Leighton Drury, Valerie Govind, Hannah Mercer, Sarah Loaney, Scott Palmer, ED nurse Kelly Falconer and Corel Roberts—and a quick shout-out to my Aunty Deb Mawson and Uncle Gary Matthews. That rain and wind was cold, but that victory sure was sweet. To the over 400 Robertson Labor branch members and volunteers who helped me during this campaign: your support was invaluable and helped us achieve this historic win. Thank you for believing in me, my campaign and our vision for a stronger, more prosperous Central Coast.

During the 47th Parliament, I was able to secure significant funding towards several major projects on the New South Wales Central Coast. These federally funded projects included securing $100 million for the upgrade of Avoca Drive through Kincumber. The upgrade of Avoca Drive is now gathering pace, reaching critical milestones and progressing closer to having shovels in the ground. Just recently, Transport for NSW published the project's consultation report, following community feedback on its strategic design options. There were 337 individual submissions from the community which will now help shape the future design of the upgrade. I thank everyone who contributed during the feedback period, and I look forward to continuing to support Transport for NSW as they progress this vital piece of infrastructure for my community.

Another major funding allocation that I fought hard to secure was the $40 million Central Coast Local Roads Package. That package is helping Central Coast Council undertake much-needed road renewal works and local road infrastructure in our region. These renewals benefited Rickard Road in Empire Bay, Debenham Road South in West Gosford and Beach Street in Umina Beach, plus many more, and during this term of parliament I will work with the Central Coast Council to help improve local road infrastructure and to identify additional funding sources from the federal government.

The Narara community battery has now been established and is storing excess solar electricity from nearby rooftop solar panels in the suburb. This community battery is helping to reduce electricity costs for Narara residents and helping to lower emissions. Since the establishment of this community battery, with the support of Ausgrid, there has been a marked increase in interest from my community for this technology. Several groups in suburbs from across my electorate have now been formed to explore the viability of community batteries and whether one can be established in their communities. There has been considerable interest from beachside suburbs including Copacabana, MacMasters Beach, Avoca Beach, Davistown and Saratoga, plus Patonga.

Like any region in Australia, sport plays an integral part in our community. I had the pleasure of meeting with and supporting many sporting organisations over the course of the last term. Examples of this support include federal funding for upgrades to local sporting facilities at Frost Reserve in Kincumber and at Kariong recreation precinct. The upgrades to the sporting facilities at Frost Reserve are progressing in collaboration with local sporting organisations, the Kincumber Roos and Avoca Kincumber Cricket Club. Upgrades to Kariong sports facilities include refurbishment of interior changing rooms and other amenities to ensure they are fit for purpose and reflect growing female participation in sport.

A huge highlight during my last term was the opening of the Peninsula Medicare Urgent Care Clinic in Umina, which has now seen over 17,000 patients, all of whom have been bulk-billed. As an emergency department doctor I see firsthand the impact Labor's Medicare urgent care clinics are having on our healthcare system on the Central Coast and more broadly across Australia. Patients now have a place to go when they are too sick for a GP and not sick enough for the emergency department. I welcome the Albanese Labor government's commitment to continue to roll out more Medicare urgent care clinics across the country.

Now, in this new parliamentary term, I will be continuing to deliver for the people of Robertson and for the Central Coast community, working on delivering the commitments made during the federal election. These commitments include securing $115 million to commence works to upgrade Terrigal Drive through Erina and Terrigal; establishing another Medicare urgent care clinic to service the northern end of the electorate of Robertson; providing $10 million towards improving maternity services at our public hospitals in Gosford and Wyong; delivering $15 million to assist in upgrading intersections in Empire Bay and Bensville; providing $1.8 million to upgrade Ettalong Beach foreshore in conjunction with the Central Coast Council as well as $2.1 million towards the construction of a shared pathway at Avoca Beach; and, lastly, delivering $985,000 to upgrade Breakers Indoor Sports Stadium in Terrigal. I look forward to delivering on all my election commitments and continuing to identify further areas on the Central Coast where the federal Labor government can continue to support.

Australians have backed Labor's plan for the future of our country. They want to see more investment in health care, housing, education and infrastructure. That's our record investments in women's health care, improved access to medications through our cheaper medicines policy, Medicare urgent care clinics and our record funding for bulk-billing so that more Australians can see a doctor for free. That's our Housing Australia Future Fund and its investments in building housing for vulnerable Australians or our policies to help younger Australians get their foot in the door of home ownership, making it easier to buy a first home. That's fully funding public education in Australia, giving all young Australians the best possible start in life through a quality public school system.

The nation is built on the shoulders of working people, on the dignity of secure jobs, on the power of education and innovation and on the belief that a fair go means looking after one another through both the good times and those times of crises.

Labor understands that a strong nation is a self-reliant nation, and that is why today, as part of my contribution, I want to speak about a defining issue for Australia's future: our industrial sovereignty. From health care to defence and from energy to transport—all are vital for our nation to thrive into the future because, when I talk about sovereignty, I'm not just talking about flags and borders. I'm referring to something deeply practical: the ability to care for our own, to protect our communities and to stand on our own two feet in a fast and often uncertain world.

The Australian Labor Party has always believed in the power of local industry. From the NBN to Medicare to the rebuilding of our industrial base, Labor governments build for the future because that is what responsible governments do. Since the pandemic, Australians understand more than ever that we must never again find ourselves in a situation where we are overly reliant on fragile overseas supply chains, whether that be for medications, vaccinations or equipment that our hospitals need and that our families depend on for the care that they need.

That is why Labor is delivering a future made in Australia—an economy built on Australian innovation, on Australian jobs and on Australian resilience. Industrial sovereignty is no longer just an economic aspiration; it is a national security imperative and a strategic necessity. In a world of geopolitical tension, disrupted supply chains and strategic competition, Australia must never be in a position where we cannot produce what we need to protect our people and what we need to care for our people. Whether it's critical medicines, security, energy systems or advanced technologies, our capacity to manufacture at home is part of the foundation of our resilience. This is not just about economics. It is about national preparedness. It is about ensuring that, in times of uncertainty, Australia remains strong, Australia remains self-reliant and Australia remains steadfast in the knowledge that the future truly is made in Australia.

I again want to thank the people of Robertson for re-electing me to this House. It is truly a privilege to sit on these benches. Whether it be in government or in opposition, it is an honour to represent your community in here, because what we do matters and what we say matters. What we do in here makes a difference to people's lives, to the lives of working people, families, the young and the old—or the young at heart, I should say—and of our First Nations communities, whether they be in New South Wales, the Northern Territory or WA, right across our vast continent. The decisions that are made and the words that are spoken in this chamber and in the other place will matter now and for the rest of time for our country. I truly believe that.

We are lucky to live in this country. It's a beautiful place. I'm a bit biased, but Robertson is a beautiful place. I'm even more biased: Umina Beach is God's country. I encourage every member to look at that beautiful place. Lion Island, sitting out there just off the coast, used to have a fairy penguin colony. It's absolutely beautiful stuff. Umina Beach is one of the best beaches on the Central Coast and one of the best beaches in Australia.

Good surf!

There's great surf when there's a southerly, as the member for Kingsford Smith points out. It is a beautiful place, and I encourage every member to get along there. I've had a few members there for a pint or two. But, wherever you're from in Australia, you are more than welcome, even those from opposition benches; we'll have you there. It truly is a great place.

Again, thank you to the people of Robertson and to all the amazing Labor volunteers. To my amazing family and my beautiful wife: thank you for everything that you've done for me, not just in this latest campaign but in the campaign prior, because it's tough. I know it's tough on you. Thank you for everything.

There might be some argument about the best beach in Australia from some of the South Coast beaches and, indeed, from some of the Northern Territory beaches.

And we have a rock!

You do.

The Shipwreck Coast!

The Shipwreck Coast as well—it's beautiful. I thank the member for Robertson for that very colourful and positive speech. It being almost 7.30 pm—

You talked about a few more feature spots with good beaches.

Yes.

We could run through what's at wonderful Apollo Bay, Port Fairy. You should all think about—

Port Fairy's lovely, I agree.

It's not a patch on Maroubra.

No. Maroubra is fantastic. I totally agree. I don't think I should get into arguments about the best beaches in Australia. I think we're very lucky to have so many great beaches in our country.

Today I rise to address a matter of urgent and ongoing concern to small businesses in the Flynn electorate and, indeed, across regional Australia. It is unfortunate that two of my speeches today have focused on dealing with the lack of support for regional areas. Our small business owners are already doing it tough, with rising energy and transport costs impacting their ability to run their businesses. They are also dealing with illegal competition, not from another business working under rules and regulation but from the illegal tobacco trade.

Tobacco, like alcohol, is strictly regulated. As retailers, the businesses are responsible for complying with the new tobacco laws and obligations, including the smoking product supplier licence in Queensland. This new licence includes mandatory employee training and the additional requirement that employees must be over 18 years of age even to sell smoking products in their businesses. This is another issue for small businesses that employ young people. They are now forced to meet this new requirement, which is impacting on their staffing levels. My understanding is that there will be job losses in many communities, as juniors will need to be replaced with adult staff members to comply.

At the same time, just across the road, there's another retailer selling cigarettes and chop-chop illegally, but it's not hidden. This is the black market in full view. There are no secret deals and no back road meetings. This is easily verifiable and reported trade. These illegal shops have been identified and reported to the Queensland police, the Australian Taxation Office, the Australian Border Force, Queensland Health and even local councils, with video and photographic evidence all provided. As law-abiding citizens, you feel that this is all that would be needed to attract attention and that action would be swift. After all, these government agencies are supposed to be working together to target the black-market trade. Months later, these illegal operators continue to sell their chop-chop with no penalty.

The new Queensland government announced tougher penalties and flying squad raids were carried out which resulted in 15 million illegal cigarettes being seized. Honest retailers were seeing unprecedented enforcement, but not all reports and tip-offs were followed. In regional areas of Flynn, our businesses are still being impacted, despite their efforts to report these illegal operators and shops. My constituents continue to cry out for equal justice in the regions, where their businesses are losing hundreds of thousands of dollars. Why are they being ignored? Why is no action being taken on these reports? They are facing the very real threat of bankruptcy because nothing has been done to stop this illegal trade from operating across the streets from their legitimate businesses.

As Australians, we believe in a fair and equitable justice system where we abide by the rules and laws set down by our parliaments, both state and federal, and by our court systems and the police. The penalties and processes are in place to deal with these illegal operators. Queensland has introduced tough new laws, including the ability to shut down these shops, along with massive fines for operators, which extend to the landlords who lease these premises to the illegal trade. The swift enforcement of these laws must be prioritised, especially where the evidence has been provided directly to those tasked with keeping law and order in our communities.

As the receiver of taxes from the tobacco trade, where is the Albanese government in this? The Treasurer would have a vested interest in seeing this illegal trade stopped due to the revenue the legal trade brings to Australian coffers. Surely he would want to help our small retailers in their efforts to stamp out the black market that is forcing them out of their businesses. Every packet of legal cigarettes contributes about $35 in tobacco excise. With the recent budget forecast, the Treasurer knows the impact of the black market on revenue. This is a $4.5 billion hole in the budget. If there were a genuine reduction in the amount of people smoking, and we saw the improved health benefits that come with this, then we'd be celebrating. But, with the knowledge of the thriving black market trade and the flow-on effects in our community, there's no celebrating, with businesses closing and the resultant loss of jobs. As the re-elected member for Flynn, I will continue to advocate for these issues facing my constituents, and I will always fight for jobs and small businesses in the Flynn electorate.

Mr Speaker, congratulations on your well-deserved reappointment as Speaker of this House. Last Saturday, on 19 July, I attended a community meeting at the Australian Unitarian Druze Community Centre in Hope Valley. The meeting had been urgently convened to raise awareness and seek help for Druze people living in their homelands in the Syrian-Israeli border region who were reportedly being killed, beaten, raped and looted by Syrian militia groups allegedly linked to ISIS. I believe similar Druze community gatherings took place in other cities in the eastern states. Druze people are of Arabic heritage but do not identify as Muslims. Although they can be found in substantial numbers in several countries, the largest populations are in Syria, Lebanon and Israel. In Australia, they are a minority group, but their presence here dates back decades.

Many of the people who attended the forum were visibly distressed at reports and video footage showing family members and friends—including women, children and the elderly—being horrifically attacked. They were additionally distressed at global media reports portraying the attacks on Druze people as being longstanding tribal clashes in the region between the Druze people and Sunni Muslim clans, when, in reality, the Druze people were being attacked as defenceless people, unarmed and in their own homes. Druze people who fled their homes are reportedly trapped within the region because exit points have been blocked. These reports are consistent with reports by the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

Understandably, armed members of the Druze community in the Sweida region engaged in military clashes in defence of their people and in retaliation, but they claimed they were not the aggressors but were responding to what they refer to as an act of ethnic cleansing or genocide carried out by Syrian militia with the tacit complicity of the Syrian government. It was only because of the Israeli intervention that a temporary pause in the hostilities occurred, but even that has left the Druze people in fear, feeling under siege and completely vulnerable. In summary, the Australian Druze community is seeking a stronger UN intervention, an investigation by an independent body into the attacks on the Druze people in Sweida, protection by the Syrian government and the recognition of Druze people as having centuries-old ties to their homelands and their right to exist.

I'm not on the ground in Sweida, and I know there are conflicting reports about events in the region. However, I heard from members of Adelaide's Druze community who are in direct contact with family and friends in their homelands, and right now they are desperately pleading for help from the Australian government on behalf of the Druze people in Syria. They will be grateful for any assistance the Australian government can provide them. They've provided a statement which they've asked that I pass on to the government, and I will read it out in full:

On Sunday the 13th of July 2025, under the false pretense of peace and security, the Syrian Interim Authorities entered the province of As Suwayda and started the indiscriminate systematic execution of men, women, children and elderly of the Druze population.

These forces arrived with tanks and immediately started killing, raping, burning and bombing the city of As Suwayda.

The atrocities being carried out include:

These violent acts are not just violations of basic human rights, but an assault on the cultural heritage of a unique and ancient people and international war crimes.

We call on the Australian Government with a heavy heart, urgent action is needed immediately. We demand medical supplies, food and water and financial aid to help with the displacement, safety and security of the people of As Suwayda.

Condemnation is not enough. We need to act now.

I have written to both the Prime Minister and the Minister for Foreign Affairs about this matter, and I draw the House's attention to the statement from Australia's Druze community.

Mr Speaker, I take the opportunity to thank you and to acknowledge you for your elevation to the high office of Speaker of the House. I had the great fortune of serving with you in the previous parliament, and I know you to be fair, equitable, a man of enormous integrity and someone who serves, at the core of your being, the values of this parliament. I wish you the best in all your endeavours for the deliberations that lie in front of you in the next parliament. I think I win the award for the biggest praise of you!

I congratulate Labor on their remarkable victory. I was sitting in the House today, and hearing the first speeches of the new parliamentarians allows you to ponder about your own maiden speech. There were times, in the time I've spent here, where our side of politics commanded similar numbers in the parliament, but, can I say, it's the first time I have seen, from the opposition benches, such diminished numbers on our side. The Australian public have sent the coalition, our Liberal and National parties, a very clear message that they want us to do better. They want us to have a more articulated policy position. They want us to articulate that message to them in a clear and precise way that they can understand.

Whilst we are in diminished numbers, can I share with the House that, now more than ever, the job of the opposition is to hold a government of this magnitude to account and to put a mirror up to the language they bring into this House. I do that from that perspective. I acknowledge—to you, Mr Speaker—that the Prime Minister, in this House, referred to the coalition in language that said we keep on saying no to everything. I was in the previous parliament, I was on the benches, and I don't actually remember us saying no to too much at all. I asked the Parliamentary Library to do some research, and they came back to me and they said that during the last parliament 375 bills came through—and the member for Gellibrand was here when I made an address earlier on today in the MPI; thank you, Member for Gellibrand. We didn't say no to everything, but if you listen to the Prime Minister he would have the Australian public and every new member giving their maiden speeches believe that we said no to everything. There are few people in this world that you can believe, but, can I tell you, you can believe the Parliamentary Library when they say that 375 bills came before this House. I ask the question: how many bills do you think we said no to? You would think, 'Well, clearly, all of them', if you listen to the rhetoric and the mendacious claims made by those on the other side. It wasn't 200. It wasn't 100. It was fewer than 15 per cent of pieces of legislation that came through that we supported. For 85 per cent of the bills that came through this place, we were in lock-step with the government. So, when the new members get their speaking points, my point would be: don't trust everything that this Prime Minister says. Don't trust them when they say that they're meeting their emissions targets, because they are not. Don't trust them when they're saying that they're giving $275 relief to energy bills, because they're not. Those are going up 32 per cent. Don't believe them when they tell you that they're meeting their housing targets. They're not. Our job as an effective opposition is to hold up a mirror to the failings of this government, and believe me: with every breath I have, I will do it every day.

Speaker, I extend my congratulations to you for your continuing service in this important role.

The results of the last federal election said something about the kind of nation we are, and we have seen it in parliament this week. On Tuesday we saw new MPs being sworn in on Bibles, on Korans and on the Bhagavad Gita. We saw gender equality in the members and the senators sitting on the government benches during the Governor-General's address, and in members' first speeches we've heard beautiful stories encompassing the glorious diversity of modern Australia.

At the last election, the Australian public chose a government that reflects and represents modern Australia, a diverse nation united by common values and aspirations, a nation that doesn't always agree but still comes together around the bigger things that unite us as Australians, a nation that defines itself not by our differences but by what we have in common. It is what the Prime Minister called a 'progressive patriotism'. The Australian voters voted for this at the last election, but they also voted to reject those politicians who practice the politics of division. They rejected politicians who sought to advance their own partisan interests by dividing the Australian community.

The world has thrown a lot of challenges at Australia over the last three years. Australians have been traumatised by direct connections to international conflicts, and some Australians have disagreed strongly about how the world and Australia should respond to these conflicts. It's challenged the cohesion of our diverse Australian community. I've said before that cohesion is a verb, not a noun. It means the action of forming a united hole. It's an ongoing process, not an end state. Preserving our cohesion as a nation requires a continuing work, and Australian multiculturalism works best when we work at it. This means engaging with each other in good faith; understanding that our fellow Australians will sometimes see things differently than we do and listening to each other with empathy and curiosity about this rather than judgement; trying to understand where other Australians are coming from and why they think, feel and act in the way they do; and using that understanding to find common ground. Unfortunately, in the last parliament, some in this place chose to exploit the challenges we faced, demonising some groups and seeking to divide the Australian community for political gain. The Australian public rejected this at the last election, and many of the most enthusiastic practitioners of this kind of politics are no longer with us in this chamber as a result.

But there are lessons for those who remain and for their parties. For the Greens, the lesson is that you can't build a political movement condemning everyone who disagrees with you. You can't build a political movement based on the premise that everyone who disagrees with you is either financially corrupt or morally evil. Unsurprisingly, this approach to politics doesn't persuade anyone who didn't already agree with you beforehand, and it makes it impossible to build a big enough coalition to actually deliver anything on the issues you care about. Speaking of coalitions, there are lessons for the LNP from the last election too. From labelling Chinese Australians participating in our democracy as Chinese spies to actively preferencing Pauline Hanson's One Nation party, it sometimes felt like the Liberal-National coalition were deliberately trying to alienate every segment of modern Australia.

But tonight I want to highlight one specific trend on the right of politics that has attracted less attention and needs to be addressed. It's not a reflection of the broader Australian community but a narrow part of right-wing politics. In far-right circles around the world, there's now an emerging trend to specifically single out Indian diaspora communities in anti-immigration rhetoric. Media reports have noted a significant increase in overtly racist AI generated material targeting Indian Australian communities on social media platforms like TikTok.

Former Liberal National MP George Christensen has even nonsensically alleged that the Albanese government rigged the last election in slow motion by flooding Australia with Indian migrants. George is an irrelevant nobody, but this kind of singling-out of Indian migrants over other groups has more recently been taken up by Advance, a group that has actively campaigned for Liberal-National coalition candidates. Advance recently published an anti-immigration video that explicitly singled out Indian and Chinese migrants as hurting Australia by sending remittances to their families. The video even included a photo of the Prime Minister wearing a turban—an act of respect at a Sikh event. What are they trying to achieve by sharing a picture of the Prime Minister wearing a turban in an anti-immigration video? And why did they not use a picture of any other group referenced in that report?

The new Leader of the Opposition says that she wants the Liberal Party to reflect and represent modern Australia, and I'm glad to hear it. All of us in this chamber should work together in this cause. I welcome the Liberal Party joining this mission. A good contribution the new opposition leader could make is taking on this emerging trend of singling out Indian diaspora communities in anti-immigration rhetoric on the right. She should nip it in the bud now in the interest of a modern Australia.

If housing were a game of hide-and-seek, Labor would be world champions, because no-one can seem to find the houses that they promised would be built. We were told Labor had a plan, a so-called ambitious target of 1.2 million homes over five years. But ambition without ability is, quite simply, fantasy. According to the Property Council of Australia and as now validated by Treasury, Labor is on track to miss this target by a staggering 400,000 homes. That's not a small error; that's the equivalent of forgetting to house the entire city of Canberra twice over.

Let's be clear: the core of this crisis is not the weather or the war in Ukraine or some mysterious supply chain ghost; the core of this crisis is Labor's catastrophic mismanagement of the policy levers that drive housing supply. They talk a big game about the Housing Australia Future Fund. The $10 billion allocation was proudly announced with much fanfare. But, two years on, that fund has delivered a grand total of 17 homes. That's right—17 homes. To put it in context, that's one home for every 43 days since the fund was announced.

Meanwhile, the Prime Minister continues to ramble on about solutions, but he has quietly relocated his once-beloved Minister for Housing and Homelessness. She used to sit around about there, just behind the Prime Minister, but now she's been shuffled so far down the front bench she might as well be out in the cark park. She's now further from the Prime Minister than the member for Sydney. In Labor terms, that is really saying something. And yet, she remains the public face of a housing policy that's so hollow not even termites will move in.

Make no mistake: this is policy failure and economic failure. Labor has utterly failed to provide the conditions for housing construction across all sectors. The private market, the not-for-profit sector and even state governments are hamstrung by policy paralysis here in Canberra. Builders are crying out for certainty, local governments are asking for coordination, and families are desperate for a roof over their heads. And what they're getting from this is delay, dysfunction and dishonesty.

And it gets worse. Labor's immigration settings are running at full tilt. Net overseas migration topped 500,000 last year, but housing completions are dropping. There's now a yawning mismatch between migration and housing supply. Labor is bringing in more people than we are building homes. It's a basic economic imbalance that puts upward pressure on prices, inflates rents and prices Australians out of the market. Where's the plan to align migration, infrastructure and housing?

Now, let's talk renters. Labor said they would act on rents. They said they would take pressure of families. But, under their watch, rents have skyrocketed up to 30 per cent in some parts of this country. Their only solution? More red tape, more talking points and more false hope. Even social housing, their so-called priority, has stagnated. Labor's approach seems to be to announce the money, pocket the headline and then walk away from responsibility.

This is a government that can't get the foundations right, literally. They cannot and will not construct housing. The real failure is not providing the settings for others to do so. Their policies are confused, their coordination is non-existent, and they're credibility is going, going, gone. I wonder if the minister will now concede that it's time to stop using the word 'ambitious' and replace it with 'unachievable', 'delusional' or 'misguided'. The Australian people deserve better than spin in place of shelter. They deserve a government that can match population growth with infrastructure, that can enable builders not bury them and that can enable the private sector to get on with doing what they do—building houses, roads, shopping centres and playgrounds. Labor has had three years to show leadership on housing, and all they can show is failure. They can't build homes. They can't manage supply. They can't fix the crisis. But what they have built is an almighty housing mess.

Thank you, Speaker. It is a real pleasure to see you back in your role. It's a privilege for me to be back in this place as the member for Jagajaga. This is now my third opening of a parliament, and while I don't yet think I'm at the nostalgia stage, the ceremony and the first speeches of the past few days have certainly prompted some reflections for me.

I have in particular been thinking about one of the things that was a huge prompt for me to first stand for parliament, and that is the need for us to urgently tackle the climate crisis. When I first ran for parliament we were well into the decade of Liberal-National climate denial. It was a time when Scott Morrison brought his lump-of-coal prop into question time. At that time for me—and I think for many Australians—thinking about the need for climate action and the lack of it under successive Liberal-National governments could make you tend towards despair. The denial of successive Liberal-National governments meant we were drifting further and further away from the actions that needed to be taken.

In general, I am not someone who tends to lean into despair. I try to lean towards hope. A lot of that hope for me was realised in our first term in government. As a government we have been—and we are—working hard to recover the lost time and the lost opportunities, and we are making real progress. Labor is the party of climate action. We've legislated a 2030 emissions reduction target. We've locked in our commitment to net zero by 2050. We're investing heavily in clean energy projects. Since coming to office we've approved a record number of clean energy projects, and we're now at a stage where we're powering homes across the nation. From 1 July we launched our Cheaper Home Batteries Program, providing a 30 per cent discount on battery systems. We're scaling up climate adaptation, investing in disaster preparedness—all of this work that I am pleased with and looking forward to getting stuck into supporting in my role as the Special Envoy for Climate Change Adaptation and Resilience. I'm very aware that we're not all the way there yet. We must still push ahead with the ambitious action that allows us to land the clean economy future that this country deserves—the one that I want my kids and generations to come to benefit from.

There are still risks, and there are still deniers in the ranks. Most notably, there are deniers in the ranks opposite. Most recently is the member for New England, who's proposing the Liberal-National coalition abandon net zero. In his recent words:

… you have to find issues which are binary, which you are fully for and the Labor Party is fully against.

I suppose we've come to expect this type of attitude towards our science and climate action from the member for New England, but I must admit I was slightly disappointed to see he's being joined by the member for Riverina. I expected better from the member for Riverina, who I've always held to be quite a sensible person. The member for Maranoa seems like he might want in on the action as well. He's leaning into suggesting that perhaps net zero needs to go. The Leader of the Opposition has today refused to affirm her commitment to net zero. So, once again, we're back in the situation where those opposite are either deniers or they're a climate rabble. I say to the many Australians who I know are still deeply concerned about the need for climate action, who are urging our government to succeed in tackling this crisis, that we are up to the task, and we certainly won't be wasting this opportunity that this new parliament gives us to get on with this most crucial of jobs.

My final point of reflection tonight is once again not nostalgia, but it is deep sadness. Throughout the ceremonies and moments of the past few days of the parliament's opening, I've so deeply missed my good friend the former member for Dunkley, Peta Murphy. Peta and I gave our first speeches on the same day, six years ago. We spent the opening of the 47th parliament together, and I so vividly remember her excitement and her determination as we approached that first term of a Labor government. She made her time count, her determination aptly demonstrated—I told myself I would not cry! You don't need length of service in this place to make a difference. I so desperately wish we could have celebrated the opening of this parliament together, and I do feel like I carry a little piece of her with me into this one. I send my love to Rod, to her parents and to her sister, who I know must feel this ache even more constantly than I do, and I know I'm not the only person here who holds a little bit of Peta and her memory close into this new parliament.

It being 8 pm, the debate is interrupted.

House adjourned at 20:00