2020-08-24 46 1 4 House of Reps 0 1

Monday, 24 August 2020

The SPEAKER ( Hon. Tony Smith ) took the chair at 10:00, made an acknowledgement of country and read prayers.

STATEMENTS ON INDULGENCE 1 STATEMENTS ON INDULGENCE COVID-19: Parliamentary Procedure 1 10:01 Mr PORTER 208884 Pearce To commence with, for the information for honourable members, I would like to present the Agreement for Members to Contribute Remotely to Parliamentary Proceedings, which has been made pursuant to the resolution adopted by the House on 23 March 2020. I'd like to say a few brief words with respect to that. Obviously this is the agreement that has been made between me and the Manager of Opposition Business in relation to allowing members to contribute remotely to parliamentary proceedings. I'd like to thank the Manager of Opposition Business for his consultation and cooperation in the joint design of this agreement, and you, Mr Speaker, for your assistance. Members will be aware that the agreement will facilitate members contributing remotely via the official parliamentary video system. It's probably useful to clarify here, for the benefit of all members, that where we talk about 'contribution to debate' that includes members' statements, discussions on matters of public importance, statements made by leave and ministerial statements. These will be treated as though they are contributions to the debate, for the purposes of the official parliamentary video facility referred to in the agreement. I might also just note that the words that are used in the agreement, which, from recollection, are, 'essentially impossible, unreasonably impracticable, or give rise to an unreasonable risk for the member', are meant to delineate a distinction between those who are applying to use the facility—between people who have been inconvenienced, indeed, even seriously inconvenienced, and those who can properly apply to use the facilities, which are those who, in all of the circumstances, have found it virtually impossible or simply impractical for whatever reason to attend in person. I'm sure it will work. It will be an innovation that will benefit the House during this very unusual period. The SPEAKER 10000 I thank the Leader of the House. The Manager of Opposition Business? 10:03 Mr BURKE DYW Watson I will say more when we get to the resolution, but the agreement, which has been put in place, has been done with respect to the sessional order, which we carried quite some weeks ago. When we carried it, it referred to the fact that it would be possible for the House to meet in a different manner and form, if circumstances occurred. When we put that in, it was described at the time by one of us—it may have been me—as a break-glass option, which we hoped to never use. Circumstances eventuated, which I will refer to later but are not appropriate to go to during a statement on indulgence, which caused us to hit that break-glass option. It's important to note that what the Leader of the House and I have agreed on is not a virtual parliament. The parliament is meeting and it is meeting here. There has been capacity for a long time for members' speeches, when members weren't able to be here, to be tabled and effectively incorporated into the Hansard. What we're allowing is effectively an extension of that process where, when members want to make a contribution to a debate or discussion in different ways, they're able to do so via video link. But for all other purposes you have to be here. If you want to move something you have to be here. If you want to vote you have to be here. If you want to raise a matter of public importance or support a matter of public importance when the call for support goes up, standing up in your electorate office doesn't count. You have to physically be here. So the parliament is not a virtual parliament. The parliament is still here, in Parliament House in Canberra. But, where members of parliament, through no fault of their own, have found themselves in circumstances where they simply can't be here because of COVID-19, we've allowed the video link to make sure that they can contribute—importantly, not for their convenience but for their electorates, to make sure the voices of their electorates are heard here inside the parliament. STATEMENT BY THE SPEAKER 1 STATEMENT BY THE SPEAKER COVID-19: Parliamentary Procedure 1 10:05 The SPEAKER 00APG Just before we move on, I might make a detailed statement now, if it suits the Leader of the House and the Manager of Opposition Business, just for clarity of all members. As we know, over the course of this year the House has been adapting to the changing circumstances, as have all Australians, as a result of COVID-19. No doubt we will continue to adapt, but for now I want to inform the House about the arrangements for this sitting fortnight, and in particular the matter we're discussing, to outline how we will enable some members, as both the Leader of the House and the Manager of Opposition Business have said, to participate in proceedings remotely. On 23 March the House resolved to make the special provisions that you're aware of. I want to thank the Leader of the House, the Manager of Opposition Business, the whips and members on both sides for their cooperative approach during the consultations about how to enable the House to continue its work during this extraordinary period. The Leader of the House has presented a copy of the agreement. That is available for all members to read, and I'd encourage them to. I also wish to thank all of the staff of the House of Representatives and the Department of Parliamentary Services, who have worked tirelessly to ensure that we're able to do this at this time. As you're aware, the resolution in March provided for a manner in which members may be present for proceedings to be determined by me as Speaker. For this sitting period my determination is that the normal requirements of the House standing orders and practice for quorums and divisions remain in place. However, in addition to the usual opportunities for members to contribute to proceedings in the chamber, members unable to attend for COVID related reasons may seek, as you've heard, and be given the call to speak via the official parliamentary video facility during certain proceedings. Members who have provided satisfactory reasons and notified of their wish to participate remotely will have received the technical information about access. In terms of procedural requirements, I confirm that the House standing orders and practices will apply to members who participate remotely, to the extent possible, except as affected by my determination and the agreement that's just been tabled. That means members participating remotely must participate with the same degree of formality as is required in the chamber, and that includes regard for the authority of the chair. Any member participating remotely who does not comply with the House rules and directions from the chair may have their remote access suspended or terminated. Members may speak when given the call by the chair as usual, and they will be bound by the usual speech limits. If there are technical difficulties at any time, chairs will of course offer a degree of flexibility. But, if it is clear the member is not able to speak when called, the chair will move to the next member, as we do in general debate, and return to the member later on. The House's formal record, the Votes and Proceedings, will record attendance as usual at the end of each sitting and also identify which members did not attend physically but participated in proceedings remotely. I also wish to refer to the matter of parliamentary privilege. As members would be aware, the Parliamentary Privileges Act makes clear that participation in proceedings of parliament is protected absolutely by parliamentary privilege. Members would also know that for 20 years the standing orders of the House have empowered parliamentary committees to conduct proceedings using audiovisual or audio-only links, with members of committees not present in one place, while retaining the protection of parliamentary privilege. Following this well-established precedent, it's my understanding that members who are participating remotely in the chamber proceedings—that is, speaking when given the call and otherwise complying with the standing orders—would be considered to be participating in proceedings in parliament and therefore protected by parliamentary privilege in the same way as members participating here in the chamber in person. I and the President of the Senate issued detailed statements last week that convey very clearly the medical advice that we've provided for members and building occupants. I just want to briefly mention this and remind members to familiarise themselves with those. The medical advice stipulates a number of measures. It also encourages others, such as the wearing of masks in corridors and common areas, particularly those places where you can't be sure of social distancing. I also reiterate that the strong advice is that members of parliament and travelling staff are encouraged to remain in Canberra over the coming weekend to avoid unnecessary travel. For those wishing to have a look at that, it was in the memorandum that went out last Tuesday. Finally, members would recognise this is an unprecedented period in the life of the House and we're all working together to enable the House to meet and conduct its essential business on behalf of the Australian people. I ask all members to treat each other with courtesy and respect and to be mindful of the flexibility that the trial of the new arrangements may require from time to time. We need to remember that the work of the House is, of course, scrutinised closely by Australians, many of whom are going through very, very difficult times at present. They're entitled to expect the highest standards of all of us in this House. I thank the House. MOTIONS 2 MOTIONS COVID-19: Parliamentary Procedure 2 10:11 Mr PORTER 208884 Pearce by leave—I move: That: (1) the House authorises the use of an official video facility in order for a Member not physically present in the Chamber to participate in such proceedings of the House as it prescribes; (2) a Member who participates through the official facility will be identified in the Members' attendance record in the Votes and Proceedings; and (3) to the extent possible, the contribution of a Member who participates through the official facility will be recorded, published and broadcast in accordance with the usual processes and rules, as if the contribution had been made by a Member attending in the Chamber of the House. 10:12 Mr BURKE DYW Watson I might use this opportunity to explain, first of all, that we support the resolution but also to explain how we've got here and to make some additional comments relating to how we got here that I didn't believe were appropriate to make on indulgence earlier but are, for that reason, relevant to the matter that's before us now. We support the motion as moved by the Leader of the House, and, given that we have a video link facility, the resolutions are the appropriate resolutions for the House to conclude on. It is important to acknowledge how we got here, though, and why we are now in a situation where we have to have a video link. Members, including the Leader of the House, will remember that Labor was very resistant to having a video link and wanted to find a way to, as much as possible, get all members of parliament here, to the extent that that was going to be possible. For that reason, I had written, together with Senator Katy Gallagher, to both of the Presiding Officers asking for a working group to be established. The reason for that working group was to avoid where we have now landed. That working group—and I thank the Presiding Officers—was functioning very well. Both managers of opposition business, both Presiding Officers, the Leader of the House and the Manager of Government Business in the Senate were involved. We were working very constructively. You can tell when something is working constructively, because the media keep ringing and saying, 'We can't get any leaks. What's going on?' and they don't get any. We were at the point where that group was ready to put a proposal to the chief medical officers which involved much stricter conditions than what we'll be living under this week but might have found a way for a number of people—in particular, from Victoria—to be able to physically get here. There are some representatives, for example, from border communities where there is currently no community spread, and it might have been possible under the restrictions for them to get here and therefore we wouldn't now be dealing with the video link resolution. The Prime Minister then unilaterally went to the Acting Chief Medical Officer and got advice, when the Acting Chief Medical Officer didn't know what the proposal was going to be, and asked, 'Will it be safe?' The Acting Chief Medical Officer then did the best that he could with the information. He couldn't know what the proposal was going to be. It might have been iterated back and forth. It might not have been. We'll never know. It effectively created a situation where some members of parliament from Victoria—we have one in the chamber right now—were in a circumstance where they were able to deal with the new restrictions of the two-week lockdown before they got here. But, for many members of parliament from Victoria, that restriction simply made it practically impossible for them. At that moment, it became clear to Labor that we were going to have to support a video link, and it was at that moment that I wrote to the Leader of the House saying that that was the path that Labor would now support, acknowledging that that was a change from where we had previously been. I want to thank the Speaker for the foresight. It was way back in March, after we'd put the 'break glass' sessional order and voted for that on both sides unanimously, that the Speaker, even though we were saying we weren't going to do a video link, decided to do the preparations anyway. There were meetings here on the floor of the parliament involving senior representatives from government offices and me, where we worked through, if it were to happen, what it would look like. We've now ended up in a circumstance where that's ready to go, and the important thing for those members who are unable to be here for various reasons is to know that, under this resolution, the official record of the Hansard will be recorded identically as if they had physically been within the room. The voices of their electorates being heard will not be disadvantaged in any way, and the Speaker has put the various precautions in place to make sure that it's used to facilitate as closely as possible what it would have been like if the people were here and not so that they can use the facility to basically become a roving mic throughout their electorates in different ways. Some of the formalities of this place are still locked in, which we support, notwithstanding the interesting television coverage we might otherwise have had. Effectively I don't think we could have done more to make it look and work like a parliament, given the circumstances that Australia is now in. To that end, I want to thank both the Presiding Officers—in particular, the Speaker, because we have an extent to which we don't acknowledge the other place—for the work that they have done and thank the Leader of the House for the motion that is before us. Question agreed to. PARLIAMENTARY OFFICE HOLDERS 4 PARLIAMENTARY OFFICE HOLDERS Speaker's Panel 4 10:18 The SPEAKER 00APG Pursuant to standing order 17(a), I lay on the table my warrant nominating the honourable members for Mackellar, Macarthur and Parramatta to be members of the Speaker's panel to assist the chair when requested to do so by the Speaker or the Deputy Speaker. COMMITTEES 4 COMMITTEES Selection Committee 4 Report 4 10:19 The SPEAKER 00APG I present report No. 17 of the selection committee relating to the consideration of committee and delegation reports and private members' business for this sitting. Copies of the report have been placed on the table. The report read as follows— HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES SELECTION COMMITTEE REPORT No. 17 Committee and delegation business and private Members' business 24 August 2020 MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE Chair Hon A. D. H. Smith MP, Speaker Members Mr B van Manen MP (Chief Government Whip) Mr C Hayes MP (Chief Opposition Whip) Hon D Drum MP (Chief Nationals Whip) Mr R Broadbent MP Ms N Flint MP Ms P Murphy MP Mr K O'Dowd Mr R Ramsey MP Ms J Ryan MP Ms R Sharkie MP Ms A Stanley MP Mr L O'Brien MP, Deputy Speaker Secretary Mr G Worthington Committee support Ms F Hall Mr D Pecar Mr G Taylor Report relating to the consideration of committee and delegation business and of private Members' business 1. The committee met in private session on Tuesday, 4 August 2020. 2. The Committee deliberated on items of committee and delegation business that had been notified, and private Members' business items listed on the Notice Paper, and determined the order of precedence and times on the next sitting Monday, as follows: Items for House of Representatives Chamber (10.10 am to 12 noon) PRIVATE MEMBERS' BUSINESS Notices 1 Ms Claydon: To move—That this House: (1) notes that: (a) more than 140,000 Australians were on social housing waitlists in June 2018; (b) the Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute has identified a shortfall of 433,000 social housing dwellings over the next 20 years; (c) much of Australia's existing social housing stock is in dire need of maintenance and repairs; and (d) the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development has urged the Government to consider investment in social housing as a means of protecting Australia's economy from the impacts of COVID-19; (2) recognises the success of Labor's $5,638 billion investment to build 20,000 new social housing dwellings and renovate a further 80,000, as a key economic stimulus measure during the global financial crisis; and (3) calls on the Government to: (a) ensure that stimulus measures are focused on delivering maximum ongoing public benefit; and (b) work with the private and community sectors and superannuation funds to invest in more social housing and repair existing social housing. (Notice given 16 June 2020.) Time allotted — 60minutes. Speech time limits — Ms Claydon — 5minutes. Other Members — 5 minutes each. [Minimum number of proposed Members speaking = 12 x 5 mins] The Committee determined that consideration of this matter should continue on a future day. 2 Ms Flint: To move—That this House: (1) notes that cultural and creative activity plays an important role in: (a) the lives of 98 per cent of Australians, who engage with the arts by making art, viewing, attending or going online to experience arts and culture; (b) Australia's international tourism industry, with 43 per cent of all international tourists engaging with the arts while in Australia, who are travelling further, staying longer and spending more than other tourists; (c) Australia's domestic tourism industry, with Australians taking 12.3 million arts day trips and 13.4 million arts overnight trips within Australia that include arts activities—this travel will play a role in helping communities rebuild and recover from disasters by supporting local jobs and economies; and (d) Australia's economy, contributing more than $112 billion to our economy this year, or over 6 per cent of our gross domestic product, and this has increased by 30 per cent since 2008-09; and (2) further notes that the Government is providing a record amount of funding to the arts, of around $750 million. (Notice given 3 March 2020.) Time allotted — remaining private Members ' business time prior to 12 noon. Speech time limits — Ms Flint — 5minutes. Other Members — 5 minutes each. [Minimum number of proposed Members speaking = 10 x 5 mins] The Committee determined that consideration of this matter should continue on a future day. Items for Federation Chamber (11 am to 1.30 pm) PRIVATE MEMBERS' BUSINESS Notices 1 Dr Haines: To move—That this House: (1) recognises that: (a) in the 19th century it was regional Australia that led the transition from gas to electricity and that in the 21st century it is again regional Australia that is leading Australia's transition to renewable energy; and (b) according to the Australian Energy Market Operator's Integrated System Plan, around 15 gigawatts of coal-fired power will retire over the next 20 years; (2) recalls the analysis from the leaked report of the National COVID-19 Coordination Commission Manufacturing Taskforce indicated that renewables plus storage are the lowest cost form of new electricity generation, and therefore a lowest-cost energy transition will be based on significant investment in renewables; (3) welcomes the recent comments from the International Energy Agency that 'governments have the opportunity to accelerate renewables deployment by making investment in renewables a key part of stimulus packages designed to reinvigorate their economies. This offers the prospect of harnessing the structural benefits that increasingly affordable renewables can bring, including opportunities for creating jobs and economic development, while reducing emissions and fostering innovation'; (4) notes analysis by the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation that projects that up to $1,000 billion will be spent on Australia's electricity system until 2050 and that local communities should benefit from this investment boom; (5) acknowledges that 'community energy', which is where a renewable energy project is developed by, owned by or delivers benefit to local communities, offers a compelling model for capturing the immense benefits of renewable energy, including jobs and investment, for local communities in regional Australia; (6) welcomes the findings of Sustainability Victoria into the Victorian Community Power Hub pilot program which found that Government investment into community energy of $1.16 million created 15 projects delivering economic benefits worth $25.6 million; and (7) calls on the Government to support the development of community-owned renewable energy projects across regional Australia through: (a) direct financial support for regional communities in the form of grants and concessional loans; (b) technical support for local communities to develop renewable energy projects based on the Community Power Hub model successfully deployed in Victoria; and (c) a dedicated national community energy agency to enable capacity-building across the regional community energy network and to administer financial and technical support over the medium‑term. (Notice given 15 June 2020.) Time allotted — 35minutes. Speech time limits — Dr Haines — 5minutes. Other Members — 5 minutes each. [Minimum number of proposed Members speaking = 7 x 5 mins] The Committee determined that consideration of this matter should continue on a future day. 2 Mr Connelly: To move—That this House: (1) notes the Census and Statistics Amendment (Statistical Information) Regulations 2020 tabled in Parliament on 11 February 2020 seek to ask a question in the 2021 census about whether someone has served in the Australian Defence Force (ADF); and (2) recognises that having a census question around the ADF service will: (a) for the first time, give a complete picture of the number of veterans in Australia; and (b) allow governments of all levels to deliver the right services in the right areas to support veterans and their families. (Notice given 3 March 2020.) Time allotted — 30minutes. Speech time limits — Mr Connelly — 5minutes. Other Members — 5 minutes each. [Minimum number of proposed Members speaking = 6 x 5 mins] The Committee determined that consideration of this matter should continue on a future day. 3 Mr Jones: To move—That this House notes: (1) the purpose of superannuation is to enable Australians to save for a dignified retirement; (2) superannuation has made an enormous contribution to converting Australia from a nation that borrows to a nation that lends, creating a pool of funds to invest locally and abroad; (3) Australia is the 16th largest economy in the world, but because of universal superannuation has a pool of savings owned by Australian workers worth $2.8 trillion, which is the fourth largest pool of retirement savings in the world; (4) before universal superannuation, 68 per cent of Australians and 85 per cent of all women had no retirement savings; (5) the average superannuation balance at retirement is now approximately $160,000 for women and $280,000 for men; (6) under current policy settings, the median balance on retirement for full-time workers will be $310,819 for women and $628,634 for men; (7) over the past decade the average rate of return has been between 6 and 8 per cent—last year it grew by 9.2 per cent and Australia was among only a handful of countries that saw pension fund growth; and (8) superannuation is critical to Australia's economic growth and resilience and must be strengthened so it can play a pivotal role in Australia's economic recovery from COVID-19. (Notice given 13 May 2020.) Time allotted — 35minutes. Speech time limits — Mr Jones — 5minutes. Other Members — 5 minutes each. [Minimum number of proposed Members speaking = 7 x 5 mins] The Committee determined that consideration of this matter should continue on a future day. Orders of the day 1 Roads to Recovery Program: Resumption of debate (from24February2020—Dr Haines, in continuation) on the motion of Mr R. J. Wilson—That this House: (1) notes: (a) that from 2013-14 to 2023-24, the Government will provide a record $6.2 billion under the Roads to Recovery Program, with an ongoing commitment of $500 million each year following; and (b) the significant benefits to the 128 Local Government Areas which will receive an additional $138.9 million in Roads to Recovery drought support funding; and (2) recognises the real and meaningful difference Roads to Recovery is making to communities right across the country. Time allotted — 30minutes. Speech time limits — All Members — 5 minutes each. [Minimum number of proposed Members speaking = 6 x 5 mins] The Committee determined that consideration of this matter should continue on a future day. 2 Precision medicine: Resumption of debate (from25November2019) on the motion of Mr Simmonds—That this House: (1) recognises that precision medicine, enabled by advances in genomics, data analysis and artificial intelligence represents an exciting leap in healthcare that will improve the outcomes of preventative and targeted medicine for countless Australians and their families; (2) acknowledges that: (a) our world class healthcare system ensures Australia is well placed to lead the world in precision medicine innovations; (b) Australian researchers, including those at the University of Queensland, are world leaders in their field and their work is at the forefront of precision medicine; and (c) research in precision medicine stimulates the economy, leads to growth in highly skilled jobs and supports Australia's $185 billion healthcare industry; (3) welcomes the Government's significant investment in precision medicine research including as part of the recently announced $440 million in National Health and Medical Research Council grants; and (4) encourages the Government and private enterprise to continue to invest in the genomics, data analysis and artificial intelligence research required to grow the precision medicine sector in Australia in order to create jobs, keep Australia at the forefront of medical advances and improve the healthcare outcomes for everyday Australians. Time allotted — remaining private Members ' business time prior to 1.30 pm. Speech time limits — All Members — 5 minutes each. [Minimum number of proposed Members speaking = 4 x 5 mins] The Committee determined that consideration of this matter should continue on a future day. Items for Federation Chamber (4.45 pm to 7.30 pm) PRIVATE MEMBERS' BUSINESS Notices – continued 4 Mr Gorman: To move—That this House: (1) recognises that Australia's tourism sector is vital to a strong, growing economy; (2) notes: (a) that 2020 has seen an incredibly tough start to the year for tourism operators with devastating bushfires, an inevitable Coronavirus pandemic and a sluggish domestic economy; (b) Australia is a tourism dependent economy with the Australian Bureau of Statistics noting a $60 billion contribution to gross domestic product; and (c) 666,000 people worked in tourism in Australia in 2018-19; (3) encourages Australians to support our local tourism operators and where possible holiday here, at home, in the best country in the world; (4) commits Members of this House to work with members of the tourism industry and local operators and encourage the development of new tourism businesses and assets; and (5) agrees that Australia is the best country in the world and a must visit country for any international tourist. (Notice given 3 March 2020.) Time allotted — 40minutes. Speech time limits — Mr Gorman — 5minutes. Other Members — 5 minutes each. [Minimum number of proposed Members speaking = 8 x 5 mins] The Committee determined that consideration of this matter should continue on a future day. 5 Mr Pearce: To move—That this House: (1) recognises the importance of working with our Pacific neighbours to deliver a region that is secure and sovereign; and (2) notes: (a) the Government's Pacific Maritime Security Program is providing the region with a modern and coordinated security capability; and (b) the Government is delivering important infrastructure projects that will enhance their security capability—this includes:    (i) Fiji's Blackrock Peacekeeping and Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief Camp;    (ii) gifting of Guardian Class Patrol Boats; and    (iii) the joint initiative with Papua New Guinea and the Lombrum Naval Base. (Notice given 3 March 2020.) Time allotted — 40minutes. Speech time limits — Mr Pearce — 5minutes. Other Members — 5 minutes each. [Minimum number of proposed Members speaking = 8 x 5 mins] The Committee determined that consideration of this matter should continue on a future day. 6 Ms Collins: To move—That this House: (1) notes that: (a) the COVID-19 pandemic has disproportionately impacted women's economic security, and that:    (i) in April over half a million Australians lost their jobs, of which 55 per cent were women;    (ii) women's underemployment ratio now sits at an unprecedented 16 per cent, compared to 14 per cent for men; and    (iii) modelling has estimated that more than 200,000 women casual workers in the accommodation, food services, and retail trade sectors alone will miss out on the JobKeeper wage subsidy; (b) women typically retire with half the superannuation balance as men and if they choose to withdraw funds, women will suffer a significantly greater impact on their retirement income than men; (c) Australian women have been on the frontline of the COVID-19 crisis in Australia in underpaid and undervalued roles—women account for:    (i) 87 per cent of registered nurses and midwives;    (ii) 87 per cent of aged care workers; and    (iii) 96 percent of early childhood educators; and (d) as a result of COVID-19, mothers are spending an extra hour each day on unpaid housework and four extra hours on childcare; and (2) calls on the Government to recognise that women have been disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19 crisis and deliver a plan to reduce gender inequality. (Notice given 10 June 2020.) Time allotted — 45minutes. Speech time limits — Ms Collins — 5minutes. Other Members — 5 minutes each. [Minimum number of proposed Members speaking = 9 x 5 mins] The Committee determined that consideration of this matter should continue on a future day. 7 Mrs McIntosh: To move—That this House: (1) recognises the importance of environmental management and conservation in our local communities; (2) acknowledges the importance of local environmental volunteer groups who devote their time to look after our natural environment; (3) congratulates our local volunteers on their dedication to supporting our local communities and our environment; and (4) acknowledges the Government's continued support of environmental groups through the Communities Environment Program, which provides each of the 151 electorates across Australia with up to $150,000 to fund small, community-led environment projects, totalling $22.65 million. (Notice given 2 March 2020.) Time allotted — remaining private Members ' business time prior to 7.30 pm. Speech time limits — Mrs McIntosh — 5minutes. Other Members — 5 minutes each. [Minimum number of proposed Members speaking = 8 x 5 mins] The Committee determined that consideration of this matter should continue on a future day. THE HON A. D. H. SMITH MP Speaker of the House of Representatives 24 August 2020 BUSINESS 9 BUSINESS Rearrangement 9 10:19 Mr PORTER 208884 Pearce I rise to move a motion to suspend standing orders—it's a suspension motion with respect to private members' business in this sitting—and to advise the House that, pursuant to standing order 47(c)(ii), the Manager of Opposition Business and I have agreed that an absolute majority is not required. I move: That so much of the standing orders be suspended as would prevent the order of consideration of matters and the times allotted for debate on each item and for each Member speaking, for committee and delegation business and private Members' business for today, be in accordance with the determinations of the Selection Committee. Question agreed to. COMMITTEES 9 COMMITTEES Petitions Committee 9 Report 9 10:20 Mr O'DOWD 139441 Flynn I present the 14th report of the Petitions Committee of the 46th Parliament, comprising 79 petitions and 93 ministerial responses to petitions previously presented. PETITIONS 9 PETITIONS Murray-Darling Basin 9 Murray-Darling Basin 10 Animal Welfare 10 COVID-19: Economy 10 COVID-19 11 Trade with China 11 COVID-19: International Students 11 Telecommunications 12 Telecommunications 12 Australia Post 12 Teachers 12 Teachers 12 Teachers 13 Teachers 13 Teachers 13 Teachers 13 Teachers 14 Teachers 14 Teachers 14 Teachers 14 Teachers 14 Teachers 15 Teachers 15 Teachers 15 Vaccination 15 National Rental Affordability Scheme 16 Teachers 16 Teachers 16 Teachers 16 Teachers 16 Teachers 17 COVID-19: Teachers 17 Services Australia 17 Teachers 17 Australian Security Intelligence Organisation Amendment Bill 2020 18 Teachers 18 Teachers 18 COVID-19: Visas 18 COVID-19: Visas 19 Pensions and Benefits 19 Child Care 19 Medicare 19 Climate Change 20 Food Labelling 20 Teachers 20 COVID-19: Visas 20 Teachers 21 Telecommunications 21 Teachers 21 Employment 21 Climate Change 22 Facial Recognition Technology 22 Carers Allowance 22 Online Travel Agents 23 Family Law 23 COVID-19: Small Business 23 Higher Education 23 Qantas 24 Teachers: Mental Health 24 United States of America 24 Live Animal Exports 24 COVID-19: Taiwan 24 Indigenous Australians 25 Hong Kong 25 Hearing Health 25 Charitable Organisations 26 Teachers 26 Teachers 26 Teachers 26 Teachers 27 Teachers 27 Teachers 27 Teachers 27 Teachers 28 Aboriginal Deaths in Custody 28 Teachers 28 Teachers 28 Australian Constitution 29 Taxation 29 PETITIONS 29 PETITIONS Responses 29 10:20 Mr O'DOWD 139441 Flynn Ministerial responses to petitions previously presented to the House have been received as follows: Minister for Men 29 Gambling 30 Film Industry 31 Australian Bushfires 31 Australian Flag 32 Qualifications of Members 32 Economy 33 Energy 33 Telecommunications 34 Taxation 34 Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications 35 Arts 35 Defence Facilities 36 Water 36 Online Gambling 37 Water 37 Cybersafety 38 Water 40 Epilepsy 40 Education 40 Banking and Financial Services 42 Telecommunications 42 Roads 43 National Disability Insurance Scheme 44 Autism 44 Work-Life Balance 45 COVID-19 46 Services Australia 46 Indigenous Health 47 Climate Change 48 Reserve Bank of Australia 48 Indigenous Australians 49 Nuclear Waste 49 Air Travel 50 Superannuation 50 Promotional Toys 50 COVID-19 51 Broadband 51 Domestic and Family Violence 52 E-Cigarettes 53 Women in Sport 53 Age Pension 54 Road Safety 54 COVID-19: Schools 55 Environment 56 Taxation 56 COVID-19: Economy 57 COVID-19: Economy 58 COVID-19: Sports 59 COVID-19: Biosecurity 60 COVID-19: Economy 60 Beechworth Principles 61 Business Investment 62 COVID-19 62 Domestic and Family Violence 63 COVID-19 64 COVID-19 64 COVID-19 64 COVID-19: Hospitals 65 COVID-19 65 COVID-19 66 COVID-19 66 COVID-19 67 Foreign Investment 67 COVID-19: Employment 68 Vaccination 68 COVID-19: Taxation 69 COVID-19 69 Charitable Organisations 69 COVID-19 70 Organic Food 71 Space Industry 71 COVID-19 72 COVID-19: Health Care 72 Vaccination 72 All-Terrain Vehicles 73 COVID-19: Health Care 73 COVID-19: Pensions and Benefits 74 COVID-19: Biosecurity 74 COVID-19 75 Family Law 76 Vaccination 76 COVID-19 77 Vaccination 77 Tourism 78 Banking and Financial Services 78 Kashmir 79 Falun Gong 79 Newstart Allowance 80 Falun Gong 80 Corruption 81 PETITIONS 81 PETITIONS Statements 81 10:20 Mr O'DOWD 139441 Flynn This presentation of petitions and ministerial responses is exceptionally large. This is partly due to changes in the sitting pattern because of the COVID-19 pandemic, but also because of the high level of public engagement with petitioning that we continue to experience, which is great to see. The 79 petitions presented here today represent the diverse Australian community and their genuine concerns. Some petitions address contemporary issues, such as COVID-19, and others are concerned about longstanding issues like technology advances, taxes, education and immigration, to name but a few. By initiating, signing or promoting a petition through the e-petitioning system, or by signing a paper petition at a community event, local church or shopping centre, each person that has had involvement in these petitions has actively engaged with parliament. As a committee we encourage this engagement, safely distanced of course, and also call on our fellow members of parliament to continue in their support of the right of a citizen to petition the House. Fellow members, if you are contacted by a constituent regarding a petition, you may consider presenting the petition on your constituent's behalf. You may also contact the secretariat for assistance in facilitating this process or to obtain advice for your constituent on the correct form and content for a petition. They are there and willing to help, and these actions will further assist in promoting citizens' engagement with parliament, and to allow individual voices to be heard. Thank you, Mr Speaker. I look forward to further updating the House on the work of the committee. PRIVATE MEMBERS' BUSINESS 82 PRIVATE MEMBERS' BUSINESS Social Housing 82 10:23 Ms CLAYDON 248181 Newcastle I move: That this House: (1) notes that: (a) more than 140,000 Australians were on social housing waitlists in June 2018; (b) the Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute has identified a shortfall of 433,000 social housing dwellings over the next 20 years; (c) much of Australia's existing social housing stock is in dire need of maintenance and repairs; and (d) the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development has urged the Government to consider investment in social housing as a means of protecting Australia's economy from the impacts of COVID-19; (2) recognises the success of Labor's $5 billion investment to build 20,000 new social housing dwellings and renovate a further 80,000, as a key economic stimulus measure during the global financial crisis; and (3) calls on the Government to: (a) ensure that stimulus measures are focused on delivering maximum ongoing public benefit; and (b) work with the private and community sectors and superannuation funds to invest in more social housing and repair existing social housing. Report after report has shown that investment in social housing is critical to Australia's post-COVID-19 social and economic recovery. That's why I have moved this motion. Social housing is in urgent need of direct public investment, and we need national leadership to make this happen. Australians are currently living through some of the most dire social and economic conditions in living memory. We are facing what could be the deepest recession in a century. More than half a million jobs have disappeared already and, based on the government's own projections, we're set to lose another 400,000 jobs by Christmas. Key industries have been smashed. The housing construction sector, an important marker of the health of any economy, is heading for a 27 per cent collapse according to Master Builders Australia. Tragically, the Morrison government's attempt at a housing stimulus package—the so-called HomeBuilder scheme—has been almost completely ineffectual. Let's face it, a program that hands out $25,000 grants for renovations costing more than $150,000, or a new home build costing more than $750,000, was never going to hit the mark, in terms of the unmet need for social housing. Recently, I've been deputy chairing the parliamentary inquiry into homelessness and we looked closely at the HomeBuilder scheme. It's fair to say the verdict wasn't good, with consecutive witnesses telling the committee what a lemon it is. They reaffirmed the sentiment of the Grattan Institute's Brendan Coates, who said the scheme is 'retail politics but lousy economics'. They confirmed the reality that it's too small and too complex and will come too late to save many of the hundreds of thousands of tradie jobs that are at risk. Indeed, three months into the six-month window for the HomeBuilder grants, the scheme has accepted less than 250 applications. For a national scheme that purports to be helping the residential construction sector get through this pandemic, this take-up rate is appalling. Witnesses also drove home the reality that much of the public money would be handed out to private property owners for projects they were going to do anyway. But, most importantly, witnesses lamented that the $688 million dollar program fundamentally fails to deliver any direct or lasting community benefit. While property owners will qualify for a $25,000 government grant, there's nothing for the Australians who need housing most. There's not a cent to help women and children fleeing domestic violence, people sleeping rough, young Australians, essential workers or those who lose their jobs. They miss out entirely. In fact, HomeBuilder provides zero ongoing public benefit to Australian taxpayers, which is something that should be non-negotiable with any government investment of this size. In stark contrast to HomeBuilder, the committee heard evidence from many witnesses that there is a way to make a real difference, and that is by increasing public investment in social housing. Of course this makes perfect sense. There has never been a better time to take advantage of record low interest rates to boost our national social and affordable housing supply. That's why federal Labor has been calling for the federal government to deliver a national housing stimulus plan, with a focus on social housing for months. This call has been echoed by economists, housing sector experts and community advocates alike. In my community, I'd particularly like to recognise Compass Housing, Nova For Women and Children, the Samaritans and the Committee for the Hunter, who have all been strong advocates for greater investment in social and affordable housing. We know that investment in social housing works, because we've already done it. Indeed, the former Labor government invested more than $5 billion in the construction of nearly 20,000 new social housing dwellings and repaired a further 80,000 existing public housing properties as part of its response to the global financial crisis. So, the way forward is clear. Now we have a golden opportunity not only to create jobs and drive economic activity but also protect an ever-growing number of vulnerable Australians. This is now in the hands of the government. Programs to build social housing are a long-term investment in a prosperous and fair society, but we need national leadership to make this happen. Will the Morrison government listen to the experts? Will it give up its addiction to transferring public wealth into private hands? Will it instead act in the national interest? It is time for this government to act. Everybody needs a home, Mr Morrison. The DEPUTY SPEAKER 203092 Is the motion seconded? Mr Dick 53517 I second the motion and reserve my right to speak. 10:28 Mr TIM WILSON IMW Goldstein I'm happy to speak on this motion today because, as much as anything else, it highlights the cavernous divide in policy and aspiration that sits between those who sit on this side of the chamber and those who sit on the other side of the chamber. Make no mistake: we all believe—everyone in this chamber—that people should have a home, and that social housing is absolutely part of that mix. For people in crisis or in situations outside of their control, where they need assistance and help, it plays a critical part in providing the security people need at certain times of life. But the reality is that what we should be seeking is for social housing to be the exception and not the rule or the norm. Housing plays a critical part in our country. In fact, I just wrote a whole book about that particular subject—called The New Social Contract, if anybody wants to read it—which makes the point that housing and homeownership is one of the foundations of Australian liberalism and the strength of this great country, a democratisation where people own their own homes and have them as an investment in the community and the country that converts their economic activity beyond themselves to support themselves and their families and ultimately the strength of this great nation. I say that in the context that housing is actually the most important investment that any person can have because of all the sociopolitical benefits and because of how it can be used as a vehicle to help people support their families. It remains, to me, a complete oddity that, particularly when we talk about issues like retirement, the most important thing in retirement is not to have a big superannuation balance. The most important thing in retirement is to own your own home, because, if you don't, you will pay higher rents and higher costs that continue to escalate while you retire versus those who own their own homes. This motion draws the fundamental distinction between this government and the opposition, and it's not the first time we've seen this very clear distinction. Go back to 1949 and the election speeches of Ben Chifley and Robert Menzies, the then Prime Minister and Leader of the Opposition. At the time, Chifley talked about why we needed to use Commonwealth-state housing agreements as a pathway to get more people renting, and Menzies, as we do today, turned around and looked at how we should use those agreements to make more Australians homeowners. That was the foundation of so much of the economic opportunity and growth that we have as a nation. So, when there are disparaging remarks from those on the other side of the chamber, who talk about housing and how they want to get more people to be renters rather than owners, it shows that not much has changed, because in the end they know that homeownership empowers Australians to be able to pursue their own lives, their opportunities and their enterprise and support their families, but when they rent it suits the interests of centralised power and government, because ultimately people become dependent on the state. Of course, we have a natural interest. In my last 60 seconds in this speech, I say that we have a natural interest in understanding how important it is to work with the social housing sector to support those people who are in crisis, and it can be part of a discussion about what we need to do to as part of the post-COVID recovery. But we should never accept the idea that social housing should become the norm. We should want homeownership to be the norm. The reality of the problem of needing more social housing is often a reflection on the private market, because if people cannot afford to buy their own home or rent at affordable prices in the marketplace then they turn to social housing. So our real objective should not be to produce more social housing; it should be to produce more housing—more private housing—and make it more affordable for Australians to be able to own their own home. 10:33 Mr HAYES ECV Fowler I congratulate the member for Newcastle on bringing this motion forward. I start with these words: 'With almost a million people losing their jobs, many people can no longer afford their rent. The current national shortfall of social housing is more than 433,000 properties, and it means that people who can't afford the rent in the private market can't get into social housing, and many are becoming homeless.' They're not my words; they're the words of Dr Eddie Jackson of the Liverpool City Council, speaking at the national Homelessness Week. I think he succinctly puts in perspective the distressing and desperate situation faced by many Australians today. According to the 2016 census, homelessness in Australia increased by 13.7 per cent in five years. That's approximately 116,000 Australians who experience homelessness on any given night. A housing crisis has been building up for years under this Liberal government because of its inaction. We're seeing the escalation and the seriousness of this situation now reaching such a state that the fight that we now have to fight off coronavirus is further impacting on homelessness. While homelessness and housing instability are very real problems across the nation, they are particularly dire in my electorate, where we have an overrepresentation of disadvantaged and vulnerable individuals and families. According to analysis conducted by the Everybody's Home campaign, 1,700 people experienced homelessness in my electorate. In addition to that, there is a 5,400 shortfall in the social housing properties. Issues such as mental health, disability, unemployment, relationship breakdown, substance abuse, gambling, addiction and domestic violence can also put people at risk of homelessness. The risk of falling into homelessness is a real threat for these struggling families who've only been pushed further to the margins by mass job losses stemming from the challenges presenting from coronavirus. For many low-income households in my community the lack of social rental housing has placed an enormous strain on families who are forced to pay unacceptably high costs for housing. The inadequate supply of affordable rental housing has led to an increased number of households having to pay more than a third of their income on rent alone. It is no wonder that my electorate topped the nation in terms of rental stress. Research from the University of New South Wales Everybody's Home campaign showed that 44 per cent of households in Fowler are living in rental stress. With the average household income in my electorate a little over $60,000, the great Australian dream of owning your own home will regrettably just remain that—a dream—for many of these families, given that they live from pay cheque to pay cheque. With many families struggling to afford the private rental market, the demand for affordable social housing is clearly being out stripped by supply. There is no denying the fact that homelessness perpetuates a severe housing problem across the nation, which has only been exacerbated by the current pandemic. It's a critical issue that needs to be addressed at all levels of government. To this end, I would like to take the opportunity to congratulate the Mayor of Liverpool, Wendy Waller, and her team, who have been doing a terrific job in raising awareness about the need for greater social housing in our region. The council has participated in the Everybody's Home campaign, joining hundreds of organisations across the nation to call for the Morrison government to pledge its support to building social housing to create jobs and address the issue of homelessness. This is an initiative that was certainly wholeheartedly supported on our side. As a matter of fact, it was an initiative that Labor successfully implemented as a key economic driver during the global financial crisis. The benefits were twofold. Not only did we see the construction industry grow by 20,000, as it built new homes and renovated another 80,000 properties, but we saw the substantial benefits to the economy, creating jobs and improving the lives of many Australians. After all, access to affordable, safe, sustainable housing is a basic human right. 10:39 Mr CONAGHAN 279991 Cowper I thank the member for Newcastle for bringing forward this motion, in particular to ensure that stimulus measures are focused on delivering maximum ongoing public benefit and to give consideration to working with the private and community sectors and superannuation funds to invest in more social housing. There has been a great deal of talk and discussion about homelessness in the past month. As we know, national Homelessness Week was at the beginning of this month. Unfortunately, I have the unenviable achievement of having the largest amount of homelessness in my electorate, in regional New South Wales. That's something I'll come back to. I acknowledge the work the federal coalition government is doing, has been doing and will continue to do in providing affordable housing. Every year, the federal government provides more than $6 billion in Commonwealth rent assistance and supports the states and territories to deliver social housing through the National Housing and Homelessness Agreement, and the Morrison-McCormack government remains committed to this annually. There are other programs as well. There's the $118 million Reconnect program to support youth aged 12 to 18 years who are homeless or at risk of homelessness. That assists up to 8,000 young people every year. Recently we saw the $60 million Safe Places grant program provide social housing for women and children escaping domestic violence. It's trite to say it, but we don't want to see people on the streets. Quite often when we talk about homelessness we think only about cities and metropolitan areas, but that couldn't be further from the truth. The statistic of 4,400 people in my electorate and overwhelming overrepresentation in Indigenous communities shows that we need to continue to address the issues of homelessness and social housing. As a former police officer of 12 years, I saw homelessness firsthand. There are many reasons why somebody could be homeless, including domestic violence and mental health. We need to provide a net to support people should they fall through the cracks. The solution to reducing homelessness in our country is a matter for everyone. It's not just for the federal government or for the state government to address it; it's for all levels—local, state, federal—to address it and to work with multiple stakeholders in the community and the not-for-profit sector. Until we adopt that approach, we'll continue, year after year, to face the numbers that we see on the streets, whether they be in the cities or in regional and rural Australia. I recently spoke to representatives from Master Builders Australia and the Property Council about the Social Housing Acceleration and Renovation Program. That program is led by national peak bodies—the Community Housing Industry Association, Homelessness Australia, National Shelter and the national housing campaign Everybody's Home. We want a bipartisan approach to this issue—it should not be just the coalition—and it shouldn't be used as a political football. We should talk about it. Some people will never be in a position to afford their own home because of the cards they have been dealt. It's all well and good for the government to provide strong economic policy—and prior to COVID-19 we were in a very strong fiscal position—but, unfortunately, things have changed. Moving forward, all levels of government, together, need to solve the social housing problem. (Time expired) 10:44 Mr THISTLETHWAITE 182468 Kingsford Smith A couple of weeks ago I and the member for Blaxland, who is the shadow housing minister, visited Laurie and Sandra Fraser in Malabar in my electorate. Laurie and Sandra have lived in public housing for over four decades, and they take great pride in their home and have raised their three children there. But Laurie and Sandra have a major issue with rampant mould, which is a concern for their health and their family's health. And it's not just them; others in the housing estate that they live in have the same issue. Laurie and Sandra have been onto the department of housing in New South Wales for four years to try and get this issue fixed, and no maintenance work has been undertaken. Unfortunately, their situation is not unique. This is happening across the whole of Australia. There is a massive backlog of maintenance associated with public housing in this country. With the coronavirus recession, we now have a unique opportunity for the Morrison government to come up with a program that would work with the states to ensure we're investing in upgrades and fixing the maintenance problems that exist in social housing across Australia today. If we were to do this, it would provide much-needed jobs for tradies in the construction industry throughout the country, an industry that is facing its biggest downturn. It would also fix up important public assets and provide an improvement in the lifestyles and welfare of Australians who live in those public assets. But the Morrison government have failed to recognise the need for the upgrade of social housing within our community and have missed the mark again. Their HomeBuilder scheme is poorly targeted, and the uptake rates across the country are woefully inadequate. The program won't provide the stimulus that the government said it would. It won't provide the jobs for tradies that this government said it would. Homelessness is on the rise in Australia, and Australians desperately need more and better social housing. This was true before the COVID crisis but it's all the more important now, given what's occurring. It's time the federal government took responsibility to help the more than 140,000 Australians who are on the waiting list for social housing throughout this country. In New South Wales alone, there were 50,000 applicants on the New South Wales housing register at 30 June last year. But, given the widespread damage that the pandemic has wrought, we know this number will increase. We know that homelessness is going to increase in Australia as a result of this recession. Now is the time for the federal government to be working with the states to improve and upgrade public housing throughout the country. There is a five-year waiting list to get into public housing in the community that I represent. We know that good access to secure housing is important in improving people's mental health. The Productivity Commission's draft report into mental health, released last October, highlighted the importance of non-health services, including housing, in preventing mental illness and in improving recovery. And we know that domestic violence and family violence is a leading cause of homelessness for women and their children. Older women are the fastest growing group of homeless people in Australia. A report released by Housing for the Aged Action Group and Social Ventures Australia reveals that around 400,000 women over the age of 45 are at risk of homelessness in this country. We know that there is a growing demand. We know that there is a need for more social housing in this country. We know that there is a need to fix the litany of maintenance issues that exist in social housing throughout this country. Yet the Morrison government continues to ignore the pleas of Australians who are saying it should come up with a program to fix the problems in social housing, to provide important jobs for tradies during this downturn and, more importantly, to improve the lives, health and safety of Australians throughout the country. The Morrison government must listen to the Australian people and come up with a program that improves social housing for the benefit of all. 10:49 Ms STEGGALL 175696 Warringah Thank you to the member for Newcastle for raising this important issue of social housing. As we enter into our first recession in nearly 30 years, the issue of social and affordable housing is becoming increasingly acute. On 3 August I marked national homelessness day by taking a pledge to support more social housing, to create jobs and to help end homelessness. In Warringah there are 500 homeless people and 1,300 in need of social housing. Nearly 120,000 Australians are without a home every night, and we fear the problem will get worse throughout this COVID pandemic. As the economic impact of COVID-19 continues to be felt, I, along with many of my colleagues in this place, am very concerned that this number could rise. I urge the government to consider investment in social and affordable housing as a stimulus measure for the building sector. It will create many jobs and solve an important problem. I've met with various groups, including The Constellation Project, where one of my constituents is representing the lived experience of homeless people in a collaborative approach to solving homelessness. The project is being driven by the Australian Red Cross, the Centre for Social Impact, Mission Australia and PwC Australia and is seeking innovative approaches to addressing the issue. Some are advocating, for example, for the creation of more homes through a variety of methods, including the development of mandatory inclusion zoning which mandates that new developments must factor in a portion of affordable housing to address supply. In the same way as we can look at community energy, of ways of involving community, there's also the proposal of looking at community investment into social housing as we do in other sectors to ensure this problem is addressed but the full burden of the funding does not completely fall on government. This is one of the many problems and maybe social cracks that we're finding coming to the fore as a result of the COVID pandemic. I call on the government and on the Prime Minister to be agile, to pivot and adapt to what we see are the problems that are really coming to the fore. Australia is a strong and unbelievably lucky and beautiful country, but we do have some failings and we do have some cracks. We need to do our very best to make sure everyone has a home, everyone has somewhere to be safe and warm at night and that we take care of everyone in our community. Thank you to the member for Newcastle for this motion, and I urge the government to listen. Thank you. 10:52 Mr HILL 86256 Bruce It is so important that we spend time talking about social housing in the middle of the first recession for 30 years—even more so—and I want to thank the member for Newcastle for bringing the debate to the House. You never hear the Morrison government proactively talking about social housing. It's not something they'll ever actually volunteer when they talk about housing. I was listening, I should admit—it's a rare admission—to the member for Goldstein when he spoke. I actually wrote a note of what he said—and I don't think I've ever done that before. He said, 'Our real objective should not be to produce more social housing'—at least there's a moment of honesty and clarity there—'it should be to produce more private housing.' That's it. Only two of the government's members got up to speak on this—an hour of debate and only two found their way into the chamber to speak. They're probably all back in their offices watching reruns of 60 Minutes, taking notes. You never hear the Morrison government talking about this unless it's to say it's someone else's problem like aged care, do you? There is a stubborn, arrogant, blind refusal to acknowledge that they have a degree of responsibility for this or to invest or to act. The truth is: it is everyone's problem in this country. The waiting list nationally for social housing is over 150,000 people and rising. There's going to be a shortage, as the motion says, in the next 20 years of 433,000 social housing units. Other members have spoken about crumbling stock. Only a couple of weeks ago it was national Homelessness Week, and in my community this is personal. The people whom I represent have the highest rate of homelessness of any of the 38 electorates in Victoria outside the CBD. If you exclude the capital city electorates and the Northern Territory, we're in the top five in Australia. There are 1,800 homeless people, sleeping in cars, parks and car parks. It wouldn't surprise me if the government said, 'Well, they've got a roof over their head. They're okay.' The government's refusal to act hurts people that I represent. The government says it's acting. It says it's got a minister now. It's an improvement on the Abbott-Turnbull governments, isn't it? They didn't even have a housing minister in those governments. The government says it's got a minister. There are two problems. He's the member for private housing; he only looks at one part of the problem. And, if you watch 60 Minutes, he doesn't seem to be doing much about housing, does he? The other problem is that they'll tell you that we have a housing package. It's actually a $688 million bathroom renovation scheme. It's the kind of housing package you have when you don't actually want a housing package. When it comes to housing packages, size does matter. The government's $688 million renovation scheme is supposedly going to fill the gap in housing construction. Before the COVID crisis, we were building about 160,000 houses a year. That's slumped to around $100,000 or less. Yet the government's own scheme is only going to plug, maybe, at best, about 10,000 of that gap. What about the other 50,000? The member for Goldstein says the objective should be to provide more private housing. Well, you're not even doing that! During the GFC—which the government now tells us, rightly, had a smaller economic impact and was a smaller economic crisis—the housing response by the Rudd-Gillard government was 10 times bigger. The Labor government then invested $5.6 billion to build 20,000 social housing units and renovate 80,000. That's 20,000 units that are still there today providing housing and shelter for people. So it is not just size that matters in your housing package; the focus matters, especially in this Prime Minister's recession. The government now has a minister for private housing through his random private enrichment scheme. Really, it's just chucking money at people who were already going to do their renovations. You've read the media reports of builders saying: 'Don't worry, I'll jack up your quote by $20,000 so that you meet the criteria for the scheme. You'll get $25,000 back, and we'll order better bathroom fittings.' That's not doing anything for the economy. It's not creating jobs. It's importing more bathroom fittings perhaps, but it is not a housing policy or package. The motion quite rightly calls on the government to actually invest—to commit something to social housing. It's a better stimulus than the package that they've got. It would create more jobs—it's a job creation plan—and it would go some way to addressing the desperate need, including in my community and right across the country, for more social housing. There are 110,000 people now homeless in Australia. It doesn't matter how much government members rabbit on with their fantasies about building more private housing. That's not going to address the 110,000 people who are homeless and have nowhere to sleep tonight. The government's package does nothing. I call on them to reconsider, to drop the arrogant, stubborn refusal of the Prime Minister, the marketing spin man, and actually commit something to social housing. 10:57 Ms MURPHY 133646 Dunkley Recently, I had a Zoom meeting with the Seaford Housing Action Coalition. These are people in my community who are homeless or have experienced homelessness or just care about other people. On that Zoom call was a woman who is currently homeless. She was zooming me from her car. She's homeless because she's a victim of domestic violence. She's homeless because she doesn't have enough money to pay a bond to get into a private rental. She's homeless because we don't do enough in this country to help our fellow citizens who are in need. The COVID-19 pandemic and its impacts have been a painful illustration of how indivisible the health of the population and the health of the economy are. It's also given prominence to an age-old question: what is a good human life? What is a contributing human life? What do we as a community value? What do we, in this parliament, stand for? The tragedy of COVID-19 presents us with an opportunity to reconsider the way we measure our economic, social and environmental health. It presents us with an opportunity to say that, when there's investment from the federal government, we need to make sure it ticks three boxes. Firstly, it should be good for the economy, it should be stimulus, and it should help jobs be developed. Secondly, it should be good for the environment, for the future of not only our country but our planet. Thirdly, it should be good for social capital; it should be good for the community and the people that live in Australia. In my electorate, right now, there are about 600 people who are homeless. We have a shortfall of 3,000 social and public housing dwellings. We need investment in this country that is good for the economy. Social housing ticks that box. We need investment that is good for the environment. We can upgrade social housing with better electricity, with solar panels. Social housing ticks that box. We need investment that is good for people, and social housing ticks that box. Recent research from Mission Australia, from before the pandemic, said that one in five Australians between the ages of 15 and 19 reported being homeless. Associated with that homelessness is an increase in mental health problems and thoughts of suicide. That's one in five Australians between the ages of 15 and 19. This is our opportunity, as a parliament and as a country, to say that everything we do, every investment we make, has to be good not just for economic growth and jobs but for the future of our people. That is exactly what social housing delivers. That's what the former Labor federal government delivered during the global financial crisis, with more than $5½ billion of investment in nearly 20,000 new social housing dwellings and the repair of more than 80,000 properties. That's what the Morrison government needs to do. Mr Morrison, as the Prime Minister, needs to sit at the national cabinet and drive a national strategy for social and public housing. In the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Social Policy and Legal Affairs, which I'm privileged to be on, we are looking at homelessness. We have had evidence about the Housing First model, which treats housing as a basic human right. People need safe, secure shelter to be a contributing member of society and to feel like they are valued by society. In my electorate of Dunkley, we have Wintringham and Haven; Home, Safe. They are two organisations that are providing social housing for vulnerable people in need. We know from studies conducted by the ANU and other experts that significant numbers of Australians are suffering from rental stress because of COVID-19. We have a rental ticking timebomb coming our way. The member for Goldstein and others might like to talk about Australians owning houses, but many people, like the woman I spoke to who was zooming me from her car, are not dreaming at the moment about owning a house. They're dreaming of having a roof over their head. This government needs to invest in social housing, and it needs to do it now. 11:02 Ms PAYNE 144732 Canberra Thank you to the member for Newcastle for bringing forward this motion. She has been advocating for an expansion of public housing in Australia throughout her time in parliament, and that continues today. I had the opportunity to speak about social and public housing in June, on a matter of public importance. Two months later, Labor is still calling for this government to get its act together with a proper plan to put roofs over people's heads and create jobs. Put simply, given the massive need for government stimulus in our ailing economy, the Morrison government must build and upgrade the public housing, social housing and affordable housing stock across Australia. When I spoke on this issue in June, the government had just announced its HomeBuilder program. The lack of ambition in this plan is staggering: $688 million for the wealthiest fifth of Australians to renovate their houses in ways that they were already doing. Compare that to Labor's $5.6 billion investment in social housing when the global financial crisis hit. The Morrison government has provided one-tenth of the housing construction stimulus that Labor delivered during the GFC, despite the fact that the impact of the COVID-19 downturn will dwarf the impact of the GFC. I can't think of a better summation of the difference in ideology between a coalition government and a Labor government. In crisis, Labor stands up for all Australians and ensures that our most vulnerable and least well off—those who need it most—are supported. In crisis, this government does what it can to pass the buck, and that is what it is doing now. The pandemic has made it clearer than ever that safe and secure housing is fundamental to the health and safety of human beings. Our homes have become our sanctuaries. But, of course, you can't quarantine or isolate if you don't have a home. You can't quarantine or isolate if your home isn't safe. For the 140,000 Australians on social housing waiting lists across Australia, their ability to quarantine or isolate is not guaranteed. For those living in dilapidated social housing, their ability to quarantine or isolate in safe and secure housing is not guaranteed. We saw this in the bushfires as well—that the most vulnerable are less able to cope—with the health impacts of the smoke crisis we had here in Canberra, where people living in public housing couldn't afford to air-condition their homes and were staying in homes that, frankly, were not safe. In the face of the first Australian recession in 30 years, Labor has called on the coalition government to stimulate the COVID affected economy by building social housing. Our shadow minister for housing and homelessness, Jason Clare, the member for Blaxland, called on the Morrison government to do several things, but the top two were (1) construct more social housing and (2) repair and maintain existing social housing. This is exactly what needs to be done. The OECD has urged the government to do this. The Grattan Institute has urged the government to do this. ACOSS have called for it. Homelessness Australia, National Shelter, Community Housing Industry of Australia—the list goes on. The people who know about social housing know that it is underfunded and that responding to the social housing shortfall will massively stimulate the economy. Now the Master Builders Association have released forecasts that show that, instead of building 175,000 homes this financial year, only 125,000 homes will be built. This is a significant drop. Further, the Master Builders Association have shown that the HomeBuilder scheme has increased this shortfall by only 10,000 properties. Where is the government's ambition, where is their plan, to save the thousands of jobs that will go from the building and construction industry without adequate stimulus? Building and renovating social and public housing should be the Morrison government's plan. Subsidising renovations and builds that are already happening does not stimulate the economy. Instead, the government could be delivering on two critical objectives: stimulating jobs growth and creating more social housing. Another way the government could do this is by waiving the public housing debts for states and territories, like here in the ACT. Our ACT government is making the largest investment per capita in social housing in the country, and that was before COVID-19. They have also now committed to building 260 new public housing dwellings if they form government at the October election, but they have said they could do even better if the federal government waived those debts. Unlike this federal government, their priorities are in the right place. The priorities of this government should be housing for our most vulnerable and creating jobs, as we try for recovery of the economy. 11:08 Mrs PHILLIPS 147140 Gilmore Thank you to the member for Newcastle for bringing this very important motion to the House. The Morrison government want to talk about stimulus. They want to talk about recovery. They want to make sure builders and tradies can keep their jobs. I agree, absolutely, with that. But what I don't agree with is the solution put forward by those opposite—giving cash handouts to people who can afford $150,000 renovations, while not spending a single dollar on social housing. That is no solution. Not only would investing in social and affordable housing create local jobs and stimulate our economy; investing in housing also reduces health costs, reduces costs for our justice system and protects those who are less fortunate. During the global financial crisis, Labor spent $5.6 billion on building new social housing. We committed to 100,000 National Rental Affordability Scheme dwellings, built 21,000 new social housing dwellings and repaired a further 80,000. One of the big challenges of COVID-19 has been finding appropriate housing for people living rough on our streets. We have housed them in hotels and temporary accommodation—very necessary and welcome—but why aren't we looking for a long-term solution? If the government were serious about fixing the homelessness problem in Australia, they would be investing in affordable housing projects in our regional communities right now. My electorate on the New South Wales South Coast is a good place to start. According to a South Coast Register article published in September last year, over 1,000 applicants for social housing from Kiama to Ulladulla will be forced to wait more than five years for a home. Some will even be waiting more than 10 years, including those looking for a three-bedroom home in Nowra or Bomaderry, those looking for a two-bedroom home in Kiama or anyone looking for somewhere in Huskisson. That's struggling local families waiting 10 years for help. That is simply not good enough. It doesn't have to be this way. There are social-housing projects in my electorate ready to get off the ground right now, if only the government would invest in them. As just one example, Shoalhaven City Council has already identified a site for its affordable-housing project in Bomaderry. It is close to services and public transport. It is also an area of high need. We know there are so many people in the Nowra-Bomaderry area waiting for homes. In 2017 the council even engaged the Illawarra chapter of the Property Council of Australia to develop plans for the affordable-housing project at this site. The Property Council provided insight from architects, planners, developers and property surveyors—all for free. Only two months ago the council agreed that Southern Cross Housing will be provided the land and buildings when it is finished. The project is moving forward. It seems that absolutely everyone can see the value in investing in affordable housing. So why won't the federal government step up and provide funding support so that local families can finally get a roof over their heads? Only three weeks ago we marked national Homelessness Week. Coincidentally it was around the same time my community experienced some extreme weather—freezing temperatures, wind, rain and flood. It was hard not to be struck by the injustice of it all: drawing attention to homelessness while, at the same time, picturing people sleeping rough in the bush, the rain and the cold. No-one should have to live like that. The government needs to sort out its priorities. The much hyped HomeBuilder program is not helping those who need it. It isn't helping people impacted by bushfire, it isn't helping people impacted by flood and it isn't helping local people sleeping rough. The Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute has identified a shortfall of 433,000 social housing dwellings over the next 20 years. In June 2018, across Australia, we had 140,000 Australians on social housing waiting lists. In my electorate, families are waiting 10 years for a home. We simply must urgently invest in social and affordable housing in our regional and rural areas, just like the project in Bomaderry. We absolutely can stimulate our economy, create local jobs and work towards a recovery from a year of drought, bushfires, flood and COVID-19 while also helping those who need it most. We know that investing in housing will deliver the maximum ongoing public benefit to communities on the South Coast—more than giving $25,000 to people renovating their homes ever could. We simply must start now. The DEPUTY SPEAKER 203092 Order! There being no further speakers, the debate is adjourned and the resumption of the debate will be made an order of the day for the next sitting. Arts, Tourism 89 11:13 Ms FLINT 245550 Boothby I move: That this House: (1) notes that cultural and creative activity plays an important role in: (a) the lives of 98 per cent of Australians, who engage with the arts by making art, viewing, attending or going online to experience arts and culture; (b) Australia's international tourism industry, with 43 per cent of all international tourists engaging with the arts while in Australia, who are travelling further, staying longer and spending more than other tourists; (c) Australia's domestic tourism industry, with Australians taking 12.3 million arts day trips and 13.4 million arts overnight trips within Australia that include arts activities—this travel will play a role in helping communities rebuild and recover from disasters by supporting local jobs and economies; and (d) Australia's economy, contributing more than $112 billion to our economy this year, or over 6 per cent of our gross domestic product, and this has increased by 30 per cent since 2008-09; and (2) further notes that the Government is providing a record amount of funding to the arts, of around $750 million. When I proposed this motion about the arts in Australia the world was a very different place. The coronavirus pandemic had not yet hit, life had not yet changed and our industries had not yet been severely impacted. We know that our arts, entertainment, and tourism and hospitality sectors have been and remain the most badly affected by this health and economic crisis. This is why the Morrison Liberal government has provided extensive support to the arts sector, which to date has included $336 million of JobKeeper support and $250 million of arts specific JobMaker support. I will continue to advocate for and support our artists, whether they are from the stage, screen, film, literature, music or visual arts. I have made my support for the arts known from my very first day in this place, as my maiden speech shows. I'm incredibly proud to have fought for and delivered some very significant arts funding for South Australia, to build on our long and proud history as the true home of the arts in Australia. My campaign started when the Adelaide City Deal, which focuses on Lot Fourteen, was announced. I knew that the creation of our nation's largest and most significant Aboriginal Art and Cultures Gallery not far from Australia's best state art gallery, the Art Gallery of South Australia, would make North Terrace in Adelaide one of the key art gallery destinations in our land. What I also knew was that, within 30 minutes of North Terrace—and that's probably peak hour traffic timing—we had two opportunities to create Australia's best overall art gallery offering, by supporting the expansion of Carrick Hill and Hans Heysen's The Cedars property. This is why I spent some months working with Premier Steven Marshall and the Minister for Population, Cities and Urban Infrastructure, Minister Tudge, and their offices to put together a plan for not one but three significant galleries under our city deal. When national and international travel resumes, arts based tourism will assist South Australia's and our nation's economic recovery and will add to the usual $112 billion that our nation's arts sector generates each year. The Aboriginal Art and Cultures Gallery is key to this plan, and it's supported by $85 million of federal government investment. The gallery will showcase and celebrate our incredible Indigenous art and culture, drawing on South Australia's nationally significant collection, which is currently warehoused. I am so grateful to the Minister for Indigenous Australians, Minister Wyatt, for explaining to me the importance of this collection and the historic opportunity that we have to showcase our Indigenous heritage to the nation and to the world. I know that the state government is working closely with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities to shape the gallery's design, curatorship, operations and management, and I cannot wait to see how this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and gallery take shape. Just a short drive from our Aboriginal Art and Cultures Gallery and the Art Gallery of South Australia on North Terrace and into the Adelaide Hills you can find the home of one of Australia's most recognised and best loved artists, Sir Hans Heysen, and his daughter Nora Heysen. Thanks to a federal government grant of $9 million, we will finally see The Cedars transformed into one of Australia's most significant art attractions. At The Cedars, we have one of the very few preserved artists' homes and studios around the nation. Sir Hans Heysen was known for his incredible landscape paintings and for his immense love of our natural environment. His daughter Nora was just as talented in her own right. Nora was a distinguished portrait and still-life painter, and she was the first woman to win the Archibald Prize, in 1938. She also became our first female war artist, during the Second World War. Again not far from North Terrace and also The Cedars Heysen gallery is Carrick Hill, in my electorate of Boothby. Carrick Hill is home to a heritage house museum and garden. It's a very unique and unusual part of our national art gallery offerings. Carrick Hill has probably the world's most significant collection of Stanley Spencer's artworks but also some incredible pieces by Australian artists Arthur Streeton, Russell Drysdale, Nora and Hans Heysen and Ivor Hele, to name but a few, and we are supporting this with a $3 million federal government investment as well. The DEPUTY SPEAKER 203092 Order. Is the motion seconded? Dr Allen 282986 The motion is seconded, and I reserve my right to speak. The DEPUTY SPEAKER 203092 The question is that the motion be agreed to. I call the very shaggy member for Scullin. 11:18 Mr GILES 243609 Scullin Thank you very much, Deputy Speaker Zimmerman. Some of us have the opportunity still to be shaggy! The DEPUTY SPEAKER 203092 I rule that disorderly! Mr GILES 243609 On Saturday night, the ABC show Rage broadcast a playlist of Melbourne songs and managed to be disciplined enough to keep this list to 101. I won't debate the selection—here, at least—but that there's such a range speaks volumes. This was a lovely gesture and much appreciated by many of us in lockdown, including those who didn't manage to stay up quite so late. It was also a powerful reminder of the connection between the arts and place. While there are themes that are universal, how we tell those stories that are ours matters. They define us as Australians and, indeed, as Melburnians, and they offer those of us whose lives are presently confined a glimpse of both how things were and how they can be, of hope along with connection—and both matter so much now. But, for the people who tell these stories, write these songs and otherwise create the art that speaks to our sense of ourselves and our place in the world, times could not be tougher. The pandemic has devastated our creative industries. So I welcome this motion, and I thank the member for Boothby for bringing it before the parliament and, in particular, for her remarks on the significance of our First Nations art, something that really is unique to our country. This is so important. But I can't support all the motions before the House, because there is so much more that needs to be done. The Morrison government has failed to safeguard our creative industries and has abandoned many thousands of Australian creatives, so many of whom will, I fear, be lost to the arts forever. They have been cut off from income support, of course, cruelly and unnecessarily. In effect, they have been given a message about their value that is simply wrong. Let me be clear: this is not Labor's view. While state governments—in particular the Victorian government with the leadership of my friend the minister, Martin Foley—engaged early and seriously with structured supports for the creative industries, this has been yet another case of too little and too late from the Morrison government. It was more than five months ago that Labor called for a comprehensive industry support package, recognising that, as the shadow minister has said, we're talking about the first industry to have been shut down due to the pandemic, an industry which will also face very, very significant challenges when it comes to re-emerging from the crisis. The motion before us is right to identify, as it does, the importance of the arts to regional economies, but its terms indicate in themselves that we need to do more and also to think harder. From our perspective now, international tourism, most obviously, looks very different. We do need to focus on how we can rebuild a visitor economy that is in significant part driven by the arts—or, rather, a number of such visitor economies. We need to put in place the right supports and the right plans—supports, in the first place, for our creatives and plans that are sufficiently adaptive to an uncertain environment. Questions of the timing of borders reopening and, indeed, of how people might behave in a new world as consumers—in particular attitudes to crowds even in the absence of social distancing requirements—need very careful consideration. The arts have a critical role to play in our recovery. This much should be evident to all of us. Our challenge, though, is to ensure that we in this place are doing what we can to enable this in all of its dimensions. As the shadow minister for cities, my concern is to see our entertainment precincts once again become drivers of livability and productivity. I know how important this is to all of our cities. Around the world, there's increasing recognition of the critical role creative industries play in driving economic growth and productivity growth. Recent work by the Brookings Institution and the LSE makes this clear. In Australia, this presents a huge opportunity, but we can't and must not assume it will happen all by itself. There is a fundamental role for government here. Brookings tell us that a substantial and sustained national creative economy recovery strategy is required—for the US, of course, in their case. But it's equally true—more so, I would say—here. But are the minister and the Morrison government listening? There's a fundamental debate also to be had beyond all of this about how we value creativity as a society as well as an economy and how we support it. That's a debate Labor is very keen to have in this place and in the community. This motion, for me, brings before the House three critical issues: support for artists to get them through this crisis, support for the arts as fundamental to our identity, and the role of the creative industries in our economy as a vital linchpin of our recovery. These aren't options; they have to go together. Now we can't leave anyone behind. Our stories matter more than ever, and we must recognise that the talents of Australians must be supported to help all of us rebuild. 11:23 Ms HAMMOND 80072 Curtin I thank the member for Boothby for moving this motion. The arts are vital not only to our nation's culture but also as a mechanism through which we express ourselves and understand ourselves as a people. I said in my first speech that while a work of art may not save your life in the way that good health care can, and while it may not make your trip to work any quicker or easier than a good road system can, we need the arts to challenge us and to help us to look at the world in different ways. More broadly than that, the arts in their many varied forms have also reminded us over the past few months of their enduring ability to entertain, provide comfort and stimulate our minds, and, in the absence of live performances, concerts and exhibitions, of just how much they truly contribute to the vibrancy of our communities. In Western Australia, the creative industries employ approximately 53,000 people and contribute an estimated $3.3 billion industry value-add to the WA economy. In my electorate of Curtin, 93 per cent of people in our community attend cultural venues or events. Data from 2017 to 2018 showed that 80 per cent go to the movies, 73 per cent engage with the performing arts, 55 per cent engage with live music and 45 per cent visit art galleries. Forty-one one per cent of people in my electorate are themselves involved in creative activities, such as performing, singing, dancing or playing a musical instrument. We are of course spoilt for choice when it comes to arts events in Curtin. The Perth International Arts Festival is the oldest arts festival in the Southern Hemisphere, having grown out of the University of Western Australia's annual summer school entertainment in the early 1950s. The festival, which runs over February and March each year, plays an important role in not only attracting great international acts to WA but also telling local stories. Two highlights of the festival this year included the premiere season of Yirra Yaakin Theatre's Hecate, the story of Macbeth performed entirely in the Noongar language, and of course the Highway to Hell event, which saw 150,000 Western Australians turn out in force in celebration of AC/DC and Bon Scott. My hopes remain high for a future Locomotion event of similar scale, to celebrate Kylie Minogue! Now in its 16th year, the Sculpture by the Sea exhibition is another incredible event that takes place in Curtin, at Cottesloe Beach. It is estimated that in 2019 the event contributed $6.8 million in direct interstate and international spending and attracted over 210,000 visitors, including 3,500 people from interstate and overseas. Despite having to finish early this year due to COVID-19, it was still a great drawcard, showcasing amazing work by established and emerging artists from all over the world. Of note was the SS Endless Summer, by local artists Ellen Broadhurst, Tom Rogers and Jaxon Waterhouse, which used over 5,000 empty Masters milk cartons and was inspired by the container ships that dot the horizon of the Indian Ocean. Finally I want to highlight the University Dramatic Society, known as UDS, a student-run society at the University of Western Australia. For over 100 years, UDS has been entertaining the public and providing opportunities for young people to pursue creative outlets and shine on stage. I am reliably informed by my dad that the society's best show was the 1956 performance of Romeo and Juliet, in which my dad played Romeo and my mum played Juliet's mum. While the ending in real life was slightly different from that proposed by Shakespeare, I posit that it was certainly a happier ending. It is imperative that we all continue, where possible, to support our local artists and arts organisations. There is no doubt that COVID-19 has hit them very hard. I know my sister has had her work impacted. But, with true spirit, the artists have found new ways of bringing art to all of us, and the government in turn is making a significant investment in our arts and, importantly, is working with the arts industry through the newly established Creative Economy Taskforce, chaired by the former chair of the Perth International Arts Festival Mr John Barrington AM, to ensure that the support goes where it is needed and that our creative industries and our artists stay alive and flourishing. 11:28 Ms PAYNE 144732 Canberra I thank the member for Boothby for bringing forward this motion today. The member for Boothby clearly knows and values the arts and the arts workforce. How could she not, when she is representing the festival state here in this place? According to 2018 data, South Australia brings in over $100 million per year with its program of festivals, and this year, in its 60th year, the Adelaide Festival generated $70 million in expenditure, 286 full-time jobs, 17,105 visitors and the equivalent of 132,000 nights at hotels in Adelaide for the South Australian economy. This is an incredible economic impact and one that is echoed across the country by various festivals and arts events. Therefore, it is a pity that this government, which the member for Boothby is part of, does not value the arts and artists in the same way that she does. It is shameful that artists, creatives, performers and arts industry workers have been left completely behind by this government in its response to COVID-19. They have mostly been ineligible for JobKeeper or JobSeeker and have been left out of the response to the pandemic and to the recession. It is a disgrace that the Prime Minister wheeled out Guy Sebastian to finally announce much-needed funding, only to find out two months later that none of the money has actually been distributed—$250 million still not in the hands of the artists and creatives who need it, and there is still confusion about eligibility—and, anyway, a lot of it is loans, so that's not real support. Worse still, the member for Boothby's claim of a record-breaking $750 million of arts funding has been debunked by senior public servants in the arts portfolio, who warned Arts Minister Fletcher that there was no sufficiently detailed data or modelling to support the claims he was making about the level of support provided by the Morrison government. State and territory governments around the country are stepping in to fill the gaps left by the Morrison government in response to the COVID-19 economic downturn. Here in Canberra, the ACT Labor government has stepped up with $6 million in economic stimulus to support Canberra's creatives through the COVID-19 pandemic. To support our Canberra artists, grants of up to $10,000 each have been provided to local artists through the HOMEFRONT program. In the first round, 66 artists received funding, and a further 59 have received support this month. The ACT arts minister, Gordon Ramsay, has also secured a $1 million investment in Canberra's arts organisations. This is in addition to the over $10 million provided to the ACT's arts sector in annual arts funding. This is what real support looks like. Kate Smith, an artist here in my electorate of Canberra, contacted me prior to Arts Day on the Hill, on 12 August, with data from the Australian Council for the Arts. In Canberra, 90 per cent of people participate as audience members and 51 per cent of Canberrans participate in creative activities themselves. In her email to me, Kate said, 'In this figure, half the electorate participating in creative activities—that I find the most exciting. As a local artist, I have observed firsthand how the local arts societies and centres bring together a diverse array of people and provide community and connection.' Kate is right. This is exciting and it truly demonstrates the value of properly funding the arts in a community. Arts bring us together and tell our stories, and during COVID-19 artists have continued to do that as best they can, despite the lack of support from the Morrison government. And let's not forget how our arts community is often the first to step up in times of crisis. The bushfires were a great example of that. But this government has not supported them in a time of crisis for them, when they were one of the first sectors to be hit. On Arts Day on the Hill I visited local Canberra artist Rosina Wainwright at her studio in the inner north. Through her art, Rosina tells the stories of not only her own life but the lives of others. COVID-19 and not being able to exhibit her work has had a significant impact on her health and wellbeing. She was also able to tell this story through beautiful pieces of art, which she showed me that day, and she also showed me how she made them. Thank you, Rosina, for inviting me to visit. Without support from the Morrison government during this pandemic, many artists have pursued other forms of income rather than creating the works they would have been scheduled to show at the Adelaide Festival and other festivals, exhibitions and events around Australia. I call on the member for Boothby and the Morrison government to show they actually take this seriously and to step up and support this important sector of our economy and sector, our arts sector. 11:34 Dr ALLEN 282986 Higgins I rise in support for the member for Boothby's motion. Never has it been more important to support the arts. Everyday Australians are creating, looking, watching, experiencing and participating in art every day—and now through COVID-19—in so many ways that we would never have imagined before the dawn of the internet. Successive federal governments have invested in the arts over many years, driven by the need for a collective identity and the formation of our reputation in postwar Australia. We began to identify what our expression of us would look like. Trusts were formed, and the public broadcasting station, the ABC—our ABC—added to the new sound of Australia, showcasing for the first time local Australian talent. I'm proud that the former member for Higgins, Harold Holt, announced plans for a national gallery of Australia and formed the Australia Council for the Arts. Supporting the arts and culture has many purposes. It drives social improvement and contributes to the economy. It makes a hugely important contribution to our sense of self and, just as importantly, to our sense of self as a nation, in particular through our Indigenous art, which is precious and globally unique. For all the art and culture sector contributes to our community, it is fragile. It is beholden to a strong economy. And, often, it's the first thing to drop out of the family budget when times are tough. The value of art can drop with the stock market, and the success of a show or gallery is based on the amount of people that come through its doors. But our artists are resilient. We know that. Their passion for their work survives most storms, even if many have had to pivot to new ways of expression, as we've all had to do through COVID. The Australian creative economy contributes about $112 billion a year—almost six per cent of our GDP. The arts, entertainment and screen sectors employ more than 600,000 Australians. But, as with any great endeavour, the sector is not just about the artists and actors with their names up in lights. These industries are full of teams supporting the artists' endeavours: the roadies, the producers, the lighting technicians, the set designers, the ushers and the security guards. So when these jobs were threatened by the COVID pandemic, the Australian government was there to support them: first with JobKeeper and JobSeeker and then with a whole suite of industry-specific measures. These measures were implemented to protect our arts and our creative and cultural sector. We rely on this sector for its beauty, for its joy, for its connection, to be challenged, to be provoked and for our sense of self. We've needed the arts through COVID, and we will need them more than ever when the world starts to open up again. More than that, we want to make sure that this industry will be ready to thrive when the world gets back to business. The Morrison government is working closely with the Australia Council, the Australian government's arts funding and advisory body, to understand the best kind of support needed by the sector. This is through a ministerial task force, which will work to implement the JobMaker plan for the creative economy. The Creative Economy Taskforce, announced over the weekend, will bring together members from many aspects of Australia's arts and cultural sectors. Their extensive experience will play a critical role in ensuring Australia's vibrant and energetic arts scene is returned following the impacts of coronavirus. Through JobKeeper and boosting the cash flow support, we're supporting individuals and businesses—totalling around $100 million a month in the arts sector alone. We know that the art and cultural industries were halted almost overnight, often in the middle of productions. So, with the help of Screen Australia, $50 million has been injected into a temporary interruption fund and will be administered to support local film and television producers to secure finance and start filming again. For those who need help getting back on their feet now that we've started to open up, $90 million in concessional loans will be available to fund new productions and events. These will help get the creative economy moving again, in the form of show starter loans. Seed funding will be available to art productions for new productions, events or festivals, to support the reopening of Australia's creative and cultural sector. This targeted financial intervention will stimulate and support businesses in the cultural and creative sector to restart today and ensure that they are there for everyone to enjoy tomorrow. We know this sector has been fragile, and we've made sure that we're there for them to make sure that they're there for every Australian. 11:39 Ms WELLS 264121 Lilley I'd like to thank the member for Boothby for her motion today, which recognises the economic and cultural value of the arts industry. It is high time that we shift the paradigm of what art means in Australia. It is an economic powerhouse: a creative and performing arts industry that contributes $112 billion to our economy each year—over six per cent of our GDP. In my electorate of Lilley, we have a vibrant and lively arts and entertainment community, who have been hit really hard by the COVID pandemic. Thankfully under the guidance of our Premier, Annastacia Palaszczuk, Queenslanders for the most part are now able to get back out and enjoy live shows with moderated formats and visit art galleries on the weekend to support our local artists and entertainers. I'm particularly excited to announce that Netflix is premiering a movie in September called Romance on the Menu which was shot in my electorate in Shorncliffe pre-COVID. But we cannot underestimate the toll that the last six months has taken on the industry. Within one media conference banning public and private gatherings, 92,000 Queenslanders who work directly or indirectly in the creative and performing arts industry watched at least six months of work go up in smoke. Northside festivals in Lilley like the Zillmere, Einbunpin and Sandgate Youth festivals were all cancelled. Local galleries like Artrageous in Sandgate had to close their doors for public viewings, and theatre productions were put on hold, including shows produced by Stafford Heights youth theatre company Harvest Rain. The shutdown meant that countless hours of preparation, production costs, ticket sales and marketing expenses were effectively flushed down the drain. Speaking with local artists and entertainers, the message they asked me to send to the government in Canberra was clear: 'We need help and we need it now.' The Morrison government's initial response to the industry-wide crisis was to take no action, claiming that JobKeeper was more than enough support. That wasn't true. But if you wanted to design a system which was a boundary to creative arts, JobKeeper would be it. Work in the arts and entertainment industry is transient. People receive lumpy, sporadic income. A small number of creative artists work for one employer over 12 months as casual workers. While a theatre company's admin staff and their agents might be eligible, the creative artists they hire to put on a show are not. In fact the program was so ill-fitting for the arts industry that the Sydney Theatre Company was eligible for JobKeeper but the Queensland Theatre Company was excluded. In April the Morrison government rolled out a $27 million arts package which could best be described as a weak flimsy bandaid with virtually no adhesive—$27 million for an industry that contributes $112 billion to our economy each year does not even touch the sides of the loss that they have suffered. Shortly after the announcement, I had a Zoom meeting with a dozen local artists, entertainers and art business owners, and not one of them stood to benefit from the fresh announcement. It is clear that the Morrison government also knew that the package wasn't good enough, because 154 days after Labor first called for a real package that would actually help local artists, small artists, the Morrison government finally announced a suite of grants and loan programs. I welcome it, because I know what proper funding will mean for so many local artists and entertainers who do qualify. But I cannot stress enough how important it is to get this money out the door as soon as possible to keep our performing arts and entertainment industry going, because the doors don't just swing open once the funds arrive. Art takes time and money to create. It's not a matter of putting on a play that weekend, airing a new show or opening a new exhibition or gallery within days of the money finally coming through; it takes months of planning, prep and practice. Applications for some of the RISE Fund and the Arts Sustainability Fund don't open for another week, which is a full 67 days after they were first announced. As one local artist it put to me a month after the package was announced: 'It is enormously frustrating and hard to plan for the future when we still don't even know if we will be eligible for the support. It is just madness that they would leave us hanging for 100 days and then, once announced, leave us with absolute radio silence since the announcement of that support.' On behalf of northside artists and entertainers, I rise again today to urge the Morrison government to get the ball rolling on the arts package funding as quickly as possible so that those people can get back to doing the work that they love. 11:44 Mr TIM WILSON IMW Goldstein Yes, the arts do matter—to the member for Gellibrand—but I don't just want to support international artists, including the great Reginald Dwight, Sir Elton John; I want to support Australian artists as well. I want to support Australian artists in making sure that they have a career, a future and an opportunity because, believe it or not, Speaker, my background originally is actually in the arts. My first degree at university was in fine art, majoring in painting, and I was going to pursue a career as a painter and printmaker. Circumstances intervened, and a passion for public policy and the good of the nation took priority. But that doesn't change the fact that there are millions of Australians who have chosen to make the arts their career. There are those who have done so through their passion for singing and performance—and, yes, sometimes including people in this chamber—and there are also those who paint for a living and who create and reflect society back to itself. That's the enduring power of the arts. They prompts us to reflect on what we do. I don't mean 'we' as in the people in this chamber; I mean the whole of the community. It's an opportunity to speak about discomforts and injustices and to bring joy and hope and inspiration to many people. The role the arts play in enriching our community is profound, and I don't think anybody in this chamber would dispute that. Artists have been at the forefront of the worst burdens of the lockdowns, particularly in the great state of Victoria, the home of art and culture and cultural appreciation in this country, the home of our literary traditions, the home of—let's face it—most things which are good in this great country, except perhaps for one government at the moment. The arts are critical to our tourism sector, particularly in Victoria, because people travel from all across the nation and sometimes internationally to see some of its most fantastic institutions, like the National Gallery of Victoria, and live performances at the Sidney Myer Music Bowl. That's why the Morrison government has been so clear in supporting the arts sector throughout this pandemic, putting a whopping $750 million on the table to assist with supporting the arts across the country. We know that artists are doing it tough, and we know that when artists can't perform they can't get income. Thankfully, the arts community have been adaptive and have seen the opportunity for what they provide to move online and into the community. Many people are relying on the arts community in their isolation. I can say with absolute confidence that during my two-week quarantine I did consume some of the cultural products of the nation to keep myself entertained, and that's exactly what a lot of families in Victoria are doing right now. They're relying on our television content creators, they're relying on being able to stream performances into their homes and they're relying on a reflection of our own country back to us to understand where we're placed in the world. That's why it's so critical and so important to support the arts. The biggest challenge we've had during this pandemic has been the deception, sadly, by some of the unions about the sector's access to the JobKeeper program. Of course, there has been no such exclusion of the arts sector; it is just dishonest to say so. There was one sector excluded from the JobKeeper program—the banking sector. That was one section of private enterprise that was excluded. They have no right to complain, but they were definitely excluded. The arts sector was not. Despite that, the union continued to mislead and deceive its members about what was going on, often to the detriment of people who were seeking and working towards what they could do to support themselves. This government isn't going to give into deception. This government is going to support the arts community now and into the future as part of the cultural life of the nation. 11:49 Mr WATTS 193430 Gellibrand Well, it's hard being an artist in Melbourne now—really hard. Aussie artists were the first to bear the brunt of COVID-19 restrictions. Social-distancing restrictions introduced in March meant no gigs, no exhibitions, no galleries, no musicals, no theatre productions and no comedy performances, and for many it meant no livelihood. Nearly 650,000 Australians work in the arts, and their job is a special one. It's not just a pay cheque; it's a vocation. It's a job that's meaningful to all of us. Australian artists tell our stories, and their tools are passion, empathy and connection, things that are more important to us during the pandemic than ever before and things that we will value more when we move beyond the current crisis. But, for hundreds of thousands of Australians, it's still a job. It's an income. It's food. It's the rent. It's tough to make ends meet working in the arts in Australia at the best of times, and it's difficult to think of worse times than now, which makes the motion before the House now all the more perverse and cruel. Too many Australians are being left behind by the Morrison government. There's a new announcement every day, but they never deliver. This Prime Minister is there for the photo op but never there for the follow-up. The motion before the House is a classic example. For all the congratulations in this motion about the federal government's arts spending, when COVID-19 restrictions came into force in March of this year the Morrison government did nothing for the hundreds of thousands of Australian artists who'd lost their livelihoods. The Morrison government refused to listen to artists and arts organisations who told them about the difficulties that artists had in satisfying the eligibility criteria for JobKeeper payments. The Morrison government refused to listen to the state and territory arts ministers who, in a meeting with the arts minister in May, pushed for an expansion of eligibility for the JobKeeper package for Australian artists. The government refused to listen to Labor's calls for a dedicated arts sector support package. They did nothing for a hundred days. It was only when public pressure became too much, when the reality of what was happening to Australian artists and their families became undeniable, that the Morrison government reluctantly responded. But, unfortunately, they responded in a way that is now all too typical: turn up for the announcement and go missing when it's time for delivery—the Greatest Showman for the media but an Ebenezer Scrooge for Australians in need. The Prime Minister put a lot of work into planning the media announcement for his arts relief package, which largely comprises concessional loans to major arts organisations. He rolled out desperate artists as props for the media, but, when the TV cameras stopped filming, he forgot about them once again. It was a further six weeks after the announcement of this relief package before guidelines were approved to allow the provision of less than half of the announced funds. To date, not a single dollar of federal government support for the arts sector through this package has gone to artists who need it. On the same day as that announcement, incidentally, the minister finally got around to releasing draft guidelines for live music grants that had been sitting on his desk for 18 months. Even worse, these guidelines provide that the government's emergency funding won't even begin to flow until November, and the minister has been unable even to guarantee that any of this funding will be provided this year. Just to underline it, this crisis and these social-distancing restrictions began in March, and Australian artists won't even begin to see targeted support until November at best. Even worse, when Australian artists read the guidelines of the government's arts relief package, there were a few rude surprises—not least for Creative Productions, the Gold Coast production company who hosted the Prime Minister for his announcement only to discover weeks later when they read the fine print, which you always need to do when it comes to the Morrison government, that they were not even eligible for any of the programs that the Prime Minister had announced at their work site. When he saw the guidelines for the Prime Minister's arts relief package, Stephen Knight, the Creative Productions CFO, said: The entire industry is being left for dead. If this continues, at the end of this pandemic you will have no production companies left to actually stage any events. He wrote to the Prime Minister: I just don't know if you are aware that our industry is simply dead right now. Australian artists deserve better than a 'catch me if you can' Prime Minister, desperately trying to keep one step ahead of accountability through yet another media announcement or public distraction. Australian artists deserve a PM who will actually deliver for them in their time of need, a PM who respects the way they earn a living and will fight for it, a PM who doesn't put political ideology before helping Australian workers in need and a PM who sees the worth of their work for the nation now and after the pandemic. 11:54 Mrs ARCHER 282237 Bass Last year I proudly gave a speech in this House, singing the praises of the incredible creative arts industry in Northern Tasmania. The electorate of Bass has long had a strong cultural scene backed by a passionate community who consistently throw their support behind our many festivals, art shows and theatre performances. Although I'm incredibly proud of our arts scene, I can safely say it isn't just blind patriotism about my community, with tourists coming from all over the state and the mainland to attend our events, ranging from the Junction Arts Festival to MONA FOMA or one of our first-rate theatre shows. As with the tourism and hospitality industries this year, the arts scene, those planned shows, whether they be musicals, dance performances, stage shows or art exhibitions, came to a grinding halt in March this year. From speaking with many involved in this industry, I have some understanding of just how crushing this has been. For the award-winning Encore Theatre Company, it meant their much-anticipated production of Mamma Mia! the musical was cancelled just weeks out from the first curtain. This was a blow to not only everyone involved in the production but also the team at Theatre North, who manage the Princess Theatre, where the show was to be staged. While some theatregoers have held onto their tickets in the hopes of seeing the show, perhaps next year, hundreds of thousands of dollars in ticket sales have been refunded, which has had a major impact on both Encore and Theatre North. As the programs manager for Theatre North, Stuart Loone, said recently: Theatres like the Princess are not meant to be sitting in darkness, they are meant to be places of a lot of joy. Stuart and his team at Theatre North have worked tirelessly during the shutdown in an effort to get the theatre back to being a place where they can begin holding, as they describe them, high-impact, small-scale performances for the remainder of this year, including artist talks, poetry nights, fundraising events and the continuation of their wonderful behind-the-scenes tour of the theatre. I was lucky enough to attend a tour of the Princess Theatre a few weeks ago and was struck by its ornate beauty and history but saddened to see it dark and empty, without the vibrancy that live theatre brings. It also gave me an insight into the challenges the theatre faces now in booking and staging shows, with the safe allocation of seating and the increased cleaning demands being just some of the hurdles the COVID environment presents, making already thin margins even tighter and overheads even higher. To the Theatre North team: I can see the impact that COVID-19 has had on your organisation, and your passion and your determination to build back stronger than ever. I will do whatever I can to help you and I look forward to seeing the lights come on once again. In the discussions surrounding the arts industry, one area that has perhaps been forgotten is the impact on students both at university and in years 11 and 12 who have also lost the opportunity to stage their works of art or perform on stage in their final years of schooling. In the Northern Tasmania region, the annual ArtRage exhibition provides an incredible opportunity for year 11 and 12 students in our community to showcase their talent. It is now in its 26th year. I'm very pleased to report that, despite fears the annual event would not be going ahead due to the pandemic, the exhibition at the Queen Victoria Museum and Art Gallery will be held, from December 2020 through to March 2021. I commend the team at the museum for working so hard to ensure this event can go ahead despite the current restrictions. I do want to acknowledge that, as in many other industries who, overnight, felt the severe impact of COVID-19, there has been worry and concern about the future of those employed in creative industries. JobKeeper and JobSeeker have played a significant role in assisting those in this industry, and the $250 million arts support package announced by Minister Fletcher also marks the government's desire to get the economy going again in the arts sector. Getting our creative industries back on their feet is going to be extremely tough in this new era of social distancing, and I in no way want to diminish what lies ahead. But I am committed to doing what I can to support the local arts community on the journey forward and I encourage everyone in my community to support our local artists and performers, who are trying so hard to innovate and adapt. 11:58 Ms TEMPLEMAN 181810 Macquarie There was a bit of a thread on social media at the peak of COVID: 'What was the last gig you went to before the lockdowns?' Well, mine was a sold-out performance at the Enmore Theatre by Julia Jacklin, with her excellent bass player, my son Harry—and what a performance! But two days later the tour was over and they were coming home to be housebound. By contrast, I went to my first COVID gig a few weeks ago, at the Lansdowne—again, to see my son play—but this time it was a much more intimate audience, and, while it was wonderful to be able to see him, with singer Ruben Neeson, it was one of those moments that brought home to me again the profound effect this virus is having—on some groups more than others. Musicians, actors, visual artists, filmmakers, set designers, set makers, costume makers, circus performers, scriptwriters, lighting teams and buskers saw their income evaporate overnight when the COVID pandemic restrictions came into force. They are among the hardest hit but they are not the only ones. We're starting to see music return to small venues like the Avalon in Katoomba and The Church Bar in Windsor, among others, and performances with smaller numbers at bigger venues like The Joan and the Blue Mountains Theatre and Community Hub at Springwood, but it's going to be a long time before we can call it a vibrant music or theatre scene locally. While I don't doubt the personal interests of those opposite in the arts, I don't think this government really understands the breadth of the support that's needed to sustain our creatives through this darkest time. Their lives have been so affected and, while wonderful creativity online has emerged—I celebrate the fact that many small galleries and artists, like Nadia Odlum in my electorate, have delighted in people's desire to have more works on their walls as they spend more time at home and on Zoom—the ability for many to make money from the arts right now is limited. What we've seen from this government is month after month of delay in announcing support— The SPEAKER 00APG I need to ask the member for Macquarie to resume her seat. We've gone past 12 o'clock and we'll now move to government business. We've got a number of matters here before we get to legislation. COMMITTEES 98 COMMITTEES Agriculture and Water Resources Committee 98 Membership 98 12:02 Mr MORTON 265931 Tangney by leave—I move: That Mr Pasin be appointed a supplementary member of the Standing Committee on Agriculture and Water Resources for the purpose of the committee's inquiry into the timber supply chain. Question agreed to. BILLS 98 BILLS Australian Prudential Regulation Authority Amendment (APRA Industry Funding) Bill 2020, Authorised Deposit-taking Institutions Supervisory Levy Imposition Amendment Bill 2020, Authorised Non-operating Holding Companies Supervisory Levy Imposition Amendment Bill 2020, General Insurance Supervisory Levy Imposition Amendment Bill 2020, Life Insurance Supervisory Levy Imposition Amendment Bill 2020, Retirement Savings Account Providers Supervisory Levy Imposition Amendment Bill 2020, Superannuation Supervisory Levy Imposition Amendment Bill 2020, Treasury Laws Amendment (2020 Measures No. 3) Bill 2020, Education Legislation Amendment (2020 Measures No. 1) Bill 2020, Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Amendment (Coronavirus Economic Response Package) Bill 2020, Treasury Laws Amendment (2019 Measures No. 3) Bill 2019, Commonwealth Registers 2020, Business Names Registration (Fees) Amendment (Registries Modernisation) 2020, Corporations (Fees) Amendment (Registries Modernisation) 2020, National Consumer Credit Protection (Fees) Amendment (Registries Modernisation) 2020, Treasury Laws Amendment (Registries Modernisation and Other Measures) 2020, Crimes Legislation Amendment (Sexual Crimes Against Children and Community Protection Measures) 2020, Migration Amendment (Regulation of Migration Agents) 2020, Migration Agents Registration Application Charge Amendment (Rates of Charge) 2020, Export Control Legislation Amendment (Certification of Narcotic Exports) Bill 2020, Health Insurance Amendment (Continuing the Office of the National Rural Health Commissioner) Bill 2020, Therapeutic Goods Amendment (2020 Measures No. 1) Bill 2020 98

Australian Prudential Regulation Authority Amendment (APRA Industry Funding) Bill 2020

Authorised Deposit-taking Institutions Supervisory Levy Imposition Amendment Bill 2020

Authorised Non-operating Holding Companies Supervisory Levy Imposition Amendment Bill 2020

General Insurance Supervisory Levy Imposition Amendment Bill 2020

Life Insurance Supervisory Levy Imposition Amendment Bill 2020

Retirement Savings Account Providers Supervisory Levy Imposition Amendment Bill 2020

Superannuation Supervisory Levy Imposition Amendment Bill 2020

Treasury Laws Amendment (2020 Measures No. 3) Bill 2020

Education Legislation Amendment (2020 Measures No. 1) Bill 2020

Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Amendment (Coronavirus Economic Response Package) Bill 2020

Treasury Laws Amendment (2019 Measures No. 3) Bill 2019

Commonwealth Registers 2020

Business Names Registration (Fees) Amendment (Registries Modernisation) 2020

Corporations (Fees) Amendment (Registries Modernisation) 2020

National Consumer Credit Protection (Fees) Amendment (Registries Modernisation) 2020

Treasury Laws Amendment (Registries Modernisation and Other Measures) 2020

Crimes Legislation Amendment (Sexual Crimes Against Children and Community Protection Measures) 2020

Migration Amendment (Regulation of Migration Agents) 2020

Migration Agents Registration Application Charge Amendment (Rates of Charge) 2020

Export Control Legislation Amendment (Certification of Narcotic Exports) Bill 2020

Health Insurance Amendment (Continuing the Office of the National Rural Health Commissioner) Bill 2020

Therapeutic Goods Amendment (2020 Measures No. 1) Bill 2020

Assent 98 Health Insurance Amendment (Continuing the Office of the National Rural Health Commissioner) Bill 2020, Treasury Laws Amendment (2020 Measures No. 3) Bill 2020 99

Health Insurance Amendment (Continuing the Office of the National Rural Health Commissioner) Bill 2020

Treasury Laws Amendment (2020 Measures No. 3) Bill 2020

Returned from Senate 99 COMMITTEES 99 COMMITTEES Northern Australia Committee 99 Membership 99 12:16 The SPEAKER 00APG I have received a message from the Senate informing the House Senator McMahon has been discharged from the Joint Standing Committee on Northern Australia and Senator Canavan has been appointed a member of the committee. BILLS 99 BILLS National Skills Commissioner Bill 2020 99

National Skills Commissioner Bill 2020

Consideration of Senate Message 99 12:04 Mr MORTON 265931 Tangney I move: That the amendments be agreed to. 12:05 Dr HAINES 282335 Indi The amendment the Senate has made to clause 7(1)(a) of the National Skills Commissioner Bill 2020 is a good one for regional Australia, and it's on that basis that I support it. I will always support good policy that backs regional Australia and my electorate of Indi, irrespective of where it comes from. I want to emphasise, however, that the genesis of this amendment comes from an amendment I proposed last sitting calling on the government in the House to insert an almost identical bullet point into the same section to ensure that the National Skills Commission did not leave regional Australians behind. The Joyce review, which called for the National Skills Commission to be established, specifically recommended it have a particular focus on regional skill and workforce development, and I wanted to ensure that that happened. Instead, though, the government voted down that amendment when I proposed it at the last sitting in the House. The government tried to push the bill through with a blind spot on regional Australia. It was only when I worked with crossbench colleagues in the Senate to put this in front of the government again that they finally capitulated and introduced their own, essentially identical, amendment. It's disappointing that this government will only support regional Australia when the arithmetic is stacked against it. It's disappointing that this government is not on the front foot with regional communities like mine. There are massive opportunities in regions like Indi that can be unlocked if we have the right data to back robust VET and workforce development policies. We heard in recent weeks of more concerns within the community, and even from within the government itself, that regional Australia is being left behind again in the new Job-ready Graduates Package and through the government's slow uptake of the recommendations of the Napthine review. I urge the government not to again leave it until consideration in detail stage to realise that regional Australia is important. I will always support good policy for regional Australia, irrespective of where it comes from. It's on that basis that I support these amendments. Question agreed to. Family Assistance Legislation Amendment (Improving Assistance for Vulnerable and Disadvantaged Families) Bill 2020 99

Family Assistance Legislation Amendment (Improving Assistance for Vulnerable and Disadvantaged Families) Bill 2020

Second Reading 99 12:07 Ms WELLS 264121 Lilley This is actually the resumption of debate on the Family Assistance Legislation Amendment (Improving Assistance for Vulnerable and Disadvantaged Families) Bill 2020 from discussion we had in June. It boggles the mind, really, that I come back to the House now to report that things have gotten worse for the childcare sector rather than better in the months the government have had to repair the damage they have done with the COVID response to an already crisis-ridden sector. We know that things have gotten worse because we have uncovered more information about the status of the childcare sector since June—for example, information from the department of education, which shows that 25 per cent of families are still waiting for the reconciliation of their 2018-19 childcare subsidy. Just to be clear, we are in the 2020-21 financial year. This means that the government have withheld money from some families for over a year—not a standard I think they would accept in reverse. In the same period, the government have collected $130 million in childcare debts from families, despite ongoing concern about the accuracy of their debt collection system. The hypocrisy of this is absolutely staggering. The government are gung-ho when they are accusing families of owing them money, but they move at an absolute snail's pace to hand money back when it is rightfully owed to Australian families. The second failure that we have seen from new information released by the department shows how high childcare fees had already gotten pre the pandemic. Fees had jumped by 4.6 per cent in the year to December 2019, with CPI only rising by 1.8 per cent in that same period. This was supposed to be reform brought in by Prime Minister Morrison, when he was the responsible minister. It was going to fix childcare affordability. This was supposed to be the fix, yet fees jumped 4.6 per cent in that year. With the childcare subsidy pinned to CPI, this data shows that the financial burden carried by families has been snowballing. Around the country the hit has been even worse. Brisbane families, who I represent, were slugged with up to a 14 per cent fee increase in child care. Stepping back to these high fees in the middle of a recession will simply put child care out of reach for many, and that is to the detriment of us all. Families who have taken a pay cut over the past few months will now be forced to give up child care, and, in turn, parents will be forced to give up work. We've also had reports emerge since we last debated this in June showing the deep flaws of the additional childcare subsidy, which the minister claims is the panacea for supporting struggling families to access early education. This subsidy was shown to be wrapped up in red tape and completely insufficient to cover the tens of thousands of families now facing hardship. All of this new information is evidence of a government that is letting families down when they are doing it tougher than ever. Its decision to snap back to its old, pre-pandemic childcare system has left many Australian families wondering how they will get by. They were already crippled by high childcare fees before the pandemic, with out-of-pocket costs soaring by 7.2 per cent in one year alone. Now, in the middle of a recession, when parents rely on mortgage and rent moratoriums, JobKeeper and JobSeeker to survive, childcare fees will simply be out of reach. If these families can't afford early education and care, it will hurt the parents. Without access to affordable care, many parents will simply be forced to give up or turn down work—a sacrifice most often taken by women. In the midst of a recession the last thing our economy needs is working parents being unable to take up work because they cannot find child care. One of the key levers to drive economic growth out of a recession is workforce participation. Yet here we are with the government making these policy decisions that, day by day, make workforce participation more and more difficult for Australian mothers. It will also make the children suffer. Unaffordable child care means some kids miss out. They miss out on receiving an early education, which is of particular concern for our four-year-olds, who are at risk of starting primary school in 2021 already behind. We know that vulnerable and at-risk children, who stand to benefit the most from an early education, are the first to miss out in these circumstances. We know that this new information and these decisions hurt providers, because if families begin unenrolling their children from early education the resulting drop in demand creates significant viability issues for providers. We're also now in a world where JobKeeper has been ripped away from childcare educators. The current situation in Victoria has shone a light on why early childhood educators still need support to stay connected to their employers. Without JobKeeper there is no guarantee that early childhood educators will continue to get paid if Victorian providers are forced to close due to a drop in demand or a potential government directive. If a provider shuts its doors, early childhood educators could be pushed onto Centrelink queues rather than receiving JobKeeper payments. The Morrison government have bungled early education and care throughout the pandemic, and it is parents, children, educators and providers who have paid the price every step of the way. Their free childcare policy left many providers struggling to stay afloat and families without access to care. Now their snapback and removal of JobKeeper will create further pain for families and the sector. Australians need an early education and care system that ensures early learning is affordable and accessible for families. It needs to keep educators in jobs and protect the viability of providers. With my remaining time, I want to bring to parliament—I faithfully promised someone who came to one of my mobile offices in McDowall—an idea to put to the government about how to help the sector. This person said to me: 'For a Prime Minister who is obsessed with high-vis, obsessed with construction and very keen to grab a shovel at every opportunity, why does he not use the recession and the policy responses he has before him to build more childcare centres? It gives him jobs for construction workers. It gives him infrastructure being built. It gives him high-vis announcements. It also gives more early educators jobs, which they desperately need right now, and it gives more Australian families places in childcare centres, which they need in order to participate in our workforce and work together to get our economy out of recession. I thought it was a good idea, I thought it had merit and I promised faithfully to bring it to Canberra and put it to the government. I will conclude my remarks at this time because I already had a good go at this in June. Thank you very much. 12:15 Ms BELL 282981 Moncrieff I would say to the member for Lilley and to her constituent that our Prime Minister is obsessed with one thing, and that is to support all Australians during this pandemic—and the government is working very hard to do just that. The Morrison government's primary aim is to support families and the childcare sector during the COVID-19 crisis to ensure that quality early childhood education and care is available to vulnerable and disadvantaged children and families. The Family Assistance Legislation Amendment (Improving Assistance for Vulnerable and Disadvantaged Families) Bill 2020 makes improvements to the operation of the additional childcare subsidy (child wellbeing) and the childcare subsidy and makes some other technical drafting improvements. The Morrison government is improving access to childcare for vulnerable and disadvantaged children and families. We're cutting red tape that impacts providers, families and governments to improve access to services for vulnerable children. The period of time a provider can apply for an additional childcare subsidy, or ACCS, determination will be extended from 13 weeks to up to 12 months for children under a long-term protection order, such as those who are in foster care. This means that families and state and territory governments are no longer required to reapply for subsequent determinations with supporting evidence every 13 weeks. It recognises the support that vulnerable children need over longer periods. Other amendments will enable providers to apply to backdate a family's additional childcare subsidy beyond the current limit of 28 days—up to 13 weeks in exceptional circumstances. This means that providers can receive the additional subsidy in respect of a foster child who is at risk of serious abuse or neglect while the foster family confirms its childcare subsidy eligibility. These children will have immediate and streamlined access to child care. Childcare providers will also be able to enrol children who are in foster care under the ACCS for an initial period of up to 13 weeks, giving an individual foster family sufficient time to lodge their childcare subsidy claim and have it assessed by Services Australia. Existing provisions, where providers are required to notify Services Australia when a child is no longer considered to be at risk, will continue to apply. This bill demonstrates that the government remains committed to making life easier for providers and vulnerable and disadvantaged families and continues to make improvements based on feedback on how the childcare package is operating. The changes in this bill will reduce the regulatory and administrative burden on families and childcare providers, support vulnerable and disadvantaged families to access quality early learning and childcare and help parents to access financial assistance. I take this opportunity to commend the Morrison government's commitment to child care during the COVID-19 pandemic. At the start of the pandemic the childcare sector was on the brink of collapse as many families withdrew from child care. Swiftly, the Morrison government introduced a temporary childcare relief package to ensure childcare services were available for essential workers, to ensure the sector remained viable and to ensure that childcare centres would be available after the pandemic. Under the childcare relief package provided at the onset of the crisis, around 99 per cent of childcare providers kept their doors open. Now, as our economy starts to open up, a transition package has been put in place that provides fairer, more equitable and more appropriate support to transition the childcare sector. We are replacing one type of support with another type of support that includes a safety net for families who need it the most. From 13 July, the government has continued to support families by providing more than $8.3 billion a year, through the childcare subsidy, to help them with the cost of child care. We will provide around $2 billion in childcare subsidy in the coming quarter. The government will also provide support to childcare businesses in addition to paying the childcare subsidy, with a transition payment of 25 per cent of fee revenue in the reference period—a $708 million package. This is being paid from 13 July. In return, services will guarantee an average employment level. The Gold Coast based childcare company G8 Education says it expects to be in no worse a position under the revised federal government support package. They've said this would leave it financially in no worse a position relative to the prior support measures, even at more subdued occupancy levels. The G8 managing director, Gary Carroll, has welcomed the transitional arrangements. He said: The transitional arrangements announced today are welcome as they provide operators with increased flexibility to support families as the economy recovers. We look forward to continuing to engage with government and other stakeholders to ensure the right settings are in place to support our families and team members. The Gold Coast has not been immune to the economic blow of the pandemic. There have been jobs lost, and many businesses owned by mums and dads are still hurting. To help those families doing it tough, the childcare subsidy, CCS, is means-tested to ensure that those earning the least receive the highest level of subsidy. As a family's income decreases, the amount of subsidy it receives increases, up to an 85 per cent subsidy. If a family has experienced a decrease in income as a result of COVID-19, it will receive more subsidy and will pay less out of pocket for child care. In the September quarter last year, under the CCS, out-of-pocket costs were less than $5 per hour per child for the parents of 72.4 per cent of children in centre based day care. Further, out-of-pocket costs were less than $2 per hour per child for the parents of nearly 24.4 per cent of children in centre based day care. After nearly two years, our childcare package has a lower out-of-pocket cost than previous arrangements, with out-of-pocket costs still 3.2 per cent lower than they were two years ago. Our government supports families and services as we transition to the original CCS system. Stopping fee increases during the transition and relaxing the activity test will relieve financial pressure on families that may be doing it tough. I want to thank everyone who works in our childcare sector, particularly in Moncrieff, for their hard work and commitment as we act to contain the coronavirus. Many services faced challenging circumstances in Australia's lockdown response to COVID-19, and, because of their perseverance and commitment, they have emerged intact and ready to continue to provide child care for around one million families nationwide. 12:22 Ms MURPHY 133646 Dunkley During this pandemic, we've heard a lot about how we're all in this together. We've heard a lot about governments supporting people in times of need. We haven't heard so much about supporting the predominantly women who work in the childcare and early education sector. What we have heard is that they were the first industry to have JobKeeper ripped away from them by the Morrison government. This has had significant consequences for the women who work in the early childhood care and education sector, for the children who are not getting their early education and for the women who are no longer going to their workplace, because they can't get child care. It's not the way women in my community deserve to be treated. Today's piece of legislation is about improving the new system set up by this government to help vulnerable and disadvantaged families. Of course Labor is going to support it. Fundamentally, our reason for being is to help families when they need help. The COVID pandemic and this recession have taught us that vulnerable and disadvantaged families are a much wider cohort than perhaps we thought. In Victoria we're experiencing stage 4 restrictions, and we know that many people are experiencing vulnerability and disadvantage that they've never experienced before as a result of the social restrictions and being at home. It is a sad indictment of the Morrison government that, while they've got legislation that is said to be helping vulnerable and disadvantaged families access child care, their policies are stopping many families across Victoria, and in my electorate of Dunkley, from accessing child care. On Friday I held a Zoom forum with Labor's shadow minister for early education and the state Parliamentary Secretary for Early Childhood Education, the wonderful Sonya Kilkenny, the member for Carrum. We invited people from across the electorate who are early educators, childcare workers, parents with children that need to be or are in early education and providers of family day care. There were a number of really strong themes that came out of that fascinating, informative and interesting conversation. The first one was that, to a woman—because they were all women—the people on that Zoom forum felt that child care and early educators were undervalued. They felt that, as we've been going through this pandemic, in particular, when there has been a lot of talk about the sacrifices of people working at the front line, too often they haven't been acknowledged by this federal government as people at the front line. They are workers that have continued to work, to look after children, so that our health workers, our emergency services workers, our essential workers, can also continue to go to work. They've been at the front line. They've been looking after children in circumstances where, for many of them, they have been quite frightened about the spread of COVID. In my small way, I want to rectify that lack of acknowledgement and say here today, to the women that were on the Zoom meeting with me and to everyone who is a childcare worker, an early educator or runs a child care facility: you are seen, you are heard and you are valued. The work you have done—always, but particularly during this pandemic—has been fundamentally important. But it's not enough, is it, for those of us with the privilege of representing you in this place to simply say that you are seen, you are heard and you are valued? We need to put policies where our words are. We need to make sure that early educators and childcare workers are paid in a way that reflects the value that you provide to the community. We know that those early years of learning are fundamentally important for all children, for their chances of success and for their education levels later in life. And we know that those early years are even more important to children who are vulnerable or from disadvantage. We need to value people like you who work in our social support services for what you do for the rest of us, not just with our words but with appropriate pay and conditions which reflect the contribution that you make. We also need to acknowledge those of us here who have the capacity to make policies and acknowledge that early education and child care are an important economic stimulus—in fact, one of the most important economic stimuluses—that we can look at investing in for the future years. It ticks the boxes. It's an investment which is an economic stimulus because it increases jobs. It increases jobs predominantly for women. It increases productivity, and women are in the workforce. It also provides the opportunity for women who work in other industries, in other sectors, to go back to work, which is good for women, good for their families and good for the economy. Child care and early education are fundamentally important. Women having the opportunity to work is fundamentally important. Children having the opportunity to get early education is fundamentally important. And yet we have a federal government who chose early education and child care as the first industry to take the wage subsidy away from. It doesn't make sense, and the transition funding has not delivered for people who need it in my community. We've heard from Julie, whose daughter is a childcare worker who was on maternity leave just as the pandemic hit. She was supposed to go back to work and wants to go back to work, but because JobKeeper has been ripped away from her workplace she can't go back from maternity leave, and her leave has just been extended and extended. Caitlin from Langwarrin is a single mother who owns and operates her own not-for-profit childcare centre. She's the shining light of what we want women to be able to do, particularly when they're in a circumstance of raising children on their own. She is working to support her children and to care for other people's children but, since JobKeeper was taken away, she's had to close her business, and she's now applying for JobSeeker. She wants to work, but she hasn't received any extra funding as a not-for-profit. She loves the families that send their children to her centre and she understands why many of them are scared to send their children to early education and child care at the moment. She understands why many of them aren't sending their children, because they have lost their jobs or they can't go to work. She doesn't blame them, but she clearly stated to me that if JobKeeper hadn't been ripped away her business would have been able to survive and she wouldn't be nearing the poverty line. Our childcare workers have been working harder than ever during this pandemic. At Jo's centre in Frankston South her workers have been doing double the work, learning how to provide education online. We heard at our forum about education being provided online for children who are 12 months and younger. Jo's biggest gripe is, again, this lack of appreciation of the importance of valuing child care and early education. Because this federal government won't go beyond one-year funding cycles, Jo is always having to say to her staff: 'I want to employ you next year. I value you. I want to keep you on, but I just don't know until I find out whether or not this funding for three-year-old kinder is going to be extended'. She's always saying to the parents: 'We want to have places for your children, but I just can't tell you whether they'll be there or not until I know whether there's going to be funding.' There needs to be more than one-year funding. It's just not good enough. This government needs to commit and actually put in place three-year funding cycles for early education. Linda is an early childhood educator who has two bachelor degrees and has been working twice as hard during lockdowns. She doesn't understand how a 75 per cent approach was reached and why JobKeeper was ripped away from a sector that is vital for parents to get back to work. She's also proud of the fact that she provides nurturing and care for the children she looks after as well as education. She had a message for me to bring to this parliament: 'The government's so-called triple guarantee has not worked for Victorian parents and childcare providers. In fact, between families and centres it's caused some tensions that just don't need to exist at a time when stress levels are at their highest.' Bernadette is a terrific parent who attended my forum because she just wanted to know whether there was an answer. It seemed crazy to her that the government could have used this time to redesign the childcare scheme but in fact hasn't. She's one of many women who want to go back to work but has done the financial calculations and says that if she returns from maternity leave she's going to have to pay more for child care than she will receive from her income. That is the opposite of the kinds of policies we need to have in place for women and the workforce—for the women, for the work that's done, for their children and for the economy. We're in a special position, a unique position, in Victoria because of the difficulties we're going through now with stage 4 lockdown. That is absolutely correct, and the Prime Minister should be fleet-footed and innovative enough to acknowledge that there's a special case to return JobKeeper to early education and childcare workers in Victoria. It is absolutely essential. As the shadow minister for early education has said, there is nothing in the government's measures that protects casual or part-time educators from being stood down, and it's a serious problem because only 32 per cent of the sector is full time. That's what we are hearing. Kerry told me about her centre, which she loves. The management are terrific. She loves working there. But full-time staff are now essentially on day-to-day calls to see whether they're going to get shifts, because there's not enough work. That translates, without JobKeeper, to working women being without income, and it's not good enough. JobKeeper should be returned to the early education and childcare sector in Victoria. This is our chance, with this COVID recession, to say not that we're going to snap back to where we were in 2019 but that we want to build an Australia which is based on the fundamental beliefs of our community. It's about a good quality of life and a standard of living that everyone can attain, not just a privileged few. When a federal government makes decisions about investment and budget it should look at three factors: at the economy and the stimulation of jobs that are part of growing an economy; at a better future that guarantees the environment and the climate; and at whether the investment also builds on social capital, on community connectedness and on a society where everyone feels valued and everyone feels that they can contribute. Investment in early education and child care so that the workers are valued and can contribute and so that every family can send their child to get the early education they need—can you think of a better way of not just stimulating the economy and jobs but also building social capital and connectedness? It's about equity. It's about fairness. On behalf of the community of Dunkley, I'm asking the Prime Minister and the Treasurer to invest in our community, to return JobKeeper to child care and to use this opportunity to build a better system. 12:37 Mr DICK 53517 Oxley I am pleased to speak on the Family Assistance Legislation Amendment (Improving Assistance for Vulnerable and Disadvantaged Families) Bill 2020. Like many of my colleagues on this side of the House, I take early childhood education very seriously, particularly now, when our nation is dealing with the first recession in 30 years, huge unemployment rises and a dislocation in our economy. More than ever, we need to make sure, when we sit in this place and come to Canberra, that we get the policy settings right so that people who are struggling to get a job, or people who are in the workforce at the moment and are struggling to hold onto their job, have as much support as this nation can give them. As we've heard, Labor will be supporting this bill, and I also support strongly the second reading amendment moved by the shadow minister, the member for Kingston, which has to do with a whole range of surrounding issues that it is incumbent upon this parliament to listen to, to deal with and, hopefully, to take action on when it comes to early education. We know that child care is increasingly becoming unaffordable under this government. We know that fees have soared in the last year. We know that child care is becoming more and more unaffordable, particularly in regard to women in the workforce and those considering returning to the workforce. It could potentially be a handbrake on Australia's economic recovery. The final point in today's second reading amendment is to highlight how this government has treated early childhood educators—particularly the disgraceful way that they have been treated, with such little respect, as to JobSeeker and JobKeeper. We all know that the Prime Minister is pretty loose with his words from time to time. We had one promise, and then, three days later, we saw the JobKeeper program announced and educators ripped aside, ripped apart, due to the disrespectful nature of this Prime Minister. When I spoke about this new system when it was announced in 2018, I pointed out that we were aware, and I warned and the Leader of the Opposition and Labor warned, that the changes would leave one in four families worse off. That's what was projected under the government's changes. Now they're not better but worse off. My electorate and the electorate of the member for Rankin in Queensland have had the worst impacts as a result of these changes. That's in my home state of Queensland. Across Australia, 330,000 families have been worse off and a further 126,000 would be no better off. So we're looking at around half a million families that would be worse off or no better off. What do we see when we look at this government's approach to early educators and child care? Cuts, cuts, cuts. As the opposition leader, Anthony Albanese, mentioned when we last gathered in this House, roughly 10 weeks ago, we saw the withdrawal of child care. The week before that, it was the $720 million cost of robodebt, which we now know was an illegal scheme imposed on more than 300,000 Australians. The week before that, it was the $60 billion accounting error. We're seeing, time and time again, more and more mistakes. What we really need, and what we really have needed from the government, is a transition plan, rather than the snapback plan they have delivered for early education in this country. The additional child care subsidy for child wellbeing is a vital program that provides a safe and nurturing learning environment for children in extremely vulnerable situations at home. I often tune in when the minister is delivering his remarks or in the limited opportunities when they take him out of witness protection and let him speak on early education—that's when he's not trying to dismantle our higher education system—and he bangs on about how they have a so-called plan for the future and a plan to keep everybody safe, a plan to keep the country moving forward. How often have we heard the old saying, 'We're all in this together'? Well, we are—except if you have a disability or are a teacher or an Indigenous Australian, or you're poor, unemployed, an artist, an asylum seeker, young or old, or an early educator. We're all in it together—but apart from those people! So we know that, even when the government try to spin it that they are doing something in the early education space, the facts speak for themselves. When you look at the record of child care under this government, it's a system that's been forcing childcare providers to act as unpaid debt collectors for the government because families are struggling to stay on top of the complicated activity and means tests. It's a system that has been riddled with software glitches that have left providers and families in the dark and has left staff without pay—and I will come back to that in a moment. It sends out blunt letters telling families they owe the government money, without any explanation. So far, 91,000 families, or 16 per cent of all families audited, have been hit with a childcare subsidy debt notice, which is more evidence that their new system is too complex and not working for families. We know that childcare fees are already out of control in the new system. The latest CPI figures show that childcare costs increased by about 1.9 per cent back in the December quarter—the fourth successive increase—and have now gone up 7.2 per cent in the 12-month period. Let's put it on record: fees under this third-term Morrison government are now 34 per cent higher than when those opposite first came into government. What does this mean in a practical sense for families living in the south-western suburbs of Brisbane and Ipswich? Families are now paying, on average, $3,800 a year more for early education and care under this government. We were told by the minister and by everyone else in the government that they were very confident the new system would 'put downward pressure on fees' and that they were 'driving down the cost of child care'. If 'downward pressure' on fees means $3,800 a year more for early education and child care, I'd hate to see what driving down the cost of child care would be. As I mentioned, when the new system started in 2018 the government introduced new requirements on providers and families trying to claim the ACCS. The federal opposition warned that the changes would have a detrimental impact on vulnerable families, which the government ignored and which has now come to pass. We know we've seen a 21 per cent drop in children receiving the subsidy, just in the first six months of the program. What's even more shocking is the fact that 20 per cent of at-risk and vulnerable children are no longer getting the support that they need to remain safe. The government doesn't seem to be concerned about this, but I am. As I said earlier in my remarks today, getting the early education systems in this country right is of direct economic benefit to our nation—looking after the future of this country, looking after the future of early educators. In my own electorate there are 78 childcare centres, which I'm proud to represent. I haven't been to all of them, but I've been to many of them. I have reached out to them on many occasions about some of these changes and I've had incredible feedback from parents and from the owners of the centres and also from the early educators. As the federal member, I've had numerous childcare facility coordinators reach out to me about their desperation and confusion and the clarification they need regarding the changes. Add in a global pandemic on top of this, and we've seen a huge burden on these businesses. It's created an even larger impact on families. They've had to make a decision between working, sending their young children to childcare centres and protecting the safety of their children during this pandemic. Just recently, about a week ago, I spoke with Kerrie Wilson from the Aspen Community Early Learning Centre in Inala. I know the minister at the table, Mr Ted O'Brien, is a big fan of the suburb of Inala, like I am. It is a great suburb, and there are terrific learning centres right throughout that suburb. When Kerrie told me what was happening with bookings at that centre, she said they'd lost three families in two days and that, as families are scared of the virus spreading, they were expecting to lose more. Kerrie is a fantastic leader in the Oxley community. I've had the privilege of visiting the Aspen Community Early Learning Centre many times in my previous role, as a Brisbane city councillor, and now, proudly, as the local federal member. I also invited the shadow minister, Amanda Rishworth, to that centre so that she could see what is happening on the ground in a fast-growing community with huge numbers of people from non-English-speaking backgrounds and with complex social issues but with amazing support staff and the amazing leadership provided by Kerrie. Why is the government choosing to neglect centres like this and make it harder for early educators to do their job? Of course, on top of this we're seeing more and more concerns about parents' financial ability to send their kids to childcare centres—the so-called con of free child care, which was just another marketing slogan—when, as the centres themselves and the parents themselves will tell you, there was no free child care; it didn't exist. It was just media spin putting extra pressure on our centres, putting families in a position where they had to choose whether they were going to go to work or stay at home, putting employers in the position of not knowing whether they'd be able to keep their employees on. So many families have had their incomes or their hours or their jobs slashed, yet they still want to look for work, build their businesses and try to reinvent what they can do and how they can participate in the economy. To do that, they do need to send their children to early education and care. In addition to that they may want their children to actually get the benefits of early education and care. But what the government has said is that, despite being in the depths of a recession, it's going to rip away that support and make sure that parents are going to be charged some of the highest fees in the word for child care. I've also been visiting a number of our centres with the help of Act for Kids, and I want to place on record today in the parliament the work that they are doing. I was able to donate hundreds of crayons to childcare centres around the Oxley electorate and the hardest thing that I've heard from a number of centres is: 'We can't afford crayons. We can't afford materials.' I want to place on record my thanks to Act for Kids, because it is the basic resources that some of these centres are now going without. It's incredibly tough to see the staff who love what they do—and I want to place on record all of my thanks to the amazing early educators, support staff and carers who do such wonderful work every single day, getting up extra early to set up the day ahead. To all the cooks and the cleaners: I've been amazed at how everyone has worked so hard during this pandemic, particularly in the early education space. But it's had a huge toll on their mental wellbeing as well, and I think we need to acknowledge that. I want to say thanks to the United Workers Union for the work that they've done in supporting the workforce. I've been involved with the Big Steps Campaign for many years now about respecting our early educators and paying them what they deserve. We know that, time and time again, when this government comes to the most vulnerable and needy in the community they are irrelevant and invisible. I know that families are doing it tough. I know that in my own electorate from doing a Zoom meeting with early educators and the shadow minister, who was able to present Labor's strong alternative vision and policies around support, around respect for our early educators but, more importantly, around support for families. I'm going to keep standing in this parliament to make sure that this government listens to what is happening on the ground and that this Prime Minister takes action and delivers support that is needed by the owners of the centres, by the early educators and support staff who proudly work every single day in complex and difficult circumstances and also by the parents. If there was ever a need for this government to show support for parents who are desperately struggling to hold onto their jobs, the need is in the early education sector. I'll continue to speak out and make sure their voices are heard and that this government delivers more for early education in this country. 12:52 Dr LEIGH BU8 Fenner Nothing I have done in my life has been as rewarding as being the dad to three little boys. Spending time with them, reading and playing games, is one of my true delights in life. But it's hard too. That's just dealing with one or two or sometimes all three of them. When I look at early educators and the work that they do every day, I do so with huge respect. This isn't babysitting; this is education. As we learn more and more about neuroscience, we get the sense as to the importance of quality early education. That's why when Labor was last in government we pursued both a quantity and a quality agenda, ensuring that early childhood education was more broadly accessible but also raising the standards and the qualifications and ensuring that the ratios were right. That's vital not just for now but also in the future. Investing in early education is a productivity measure. We know from studies such as the Early Training Project, Perry Preschool and the Abecedarian Project how much of an impact you can have on lives if you invest early on. A study in Heidelberg West, a new Australian randomised trial, is adding to that evidence base as well by randomising disadvantaged children into high-quality early education and comparing them with a similar control group to look at the impact. We need to learn more about the impact of high-quality early education, because it is potentially one of the greatest investments that can be made. As various studies of the Perry Preschool experiment have shown, when you're working with children who might otherwise end up committing a felony—as the typical child in the control group in Perry Preschool did—then you can get a return something in the order of seven to one for every dollar that you're putting into early learning. So we need a strong focus on early education, not only because it is absolutely vital in improving workforce participation, particularly for women, but also because it's critical for kids. We know that raising the accessibility of early education is vital for improving the labour force participation of parents, but we also know that we need to do a lot on the quality agenda. That's why Labor has been so concerned at the haphazard way in which the government has handled the early childhood sector. On 20 July the government announced that JobKeeper would be withdrawn from the early childhood sector. This is the only sector in Australia now that is specifically banned from receiving JobKeeper, alongside universities, which, through a variety of subterfuge measures, have also been kept out of receiving JobKeeper subsidies. Enormous pressure has been placed on early learning centres. As the shadow minister, Amanda Rishworth, has pointed out, this has been done too hastily and it has caused significant problems right across the sector. So we're calling on the government to put in place a more consistent approach, with more consistent supports for early learning centres. This bill puts in place a number of sensible measures which improve assistance to vulnerable and disadvantaged families. Labor supports those measures. But we do so in an environment in which we're aware that the government was claiming that there would be free child care, without funding free child care. We saw, for many centres, their inability to access JobKeeper prior to 20 July because they used casual workers who'd been employed for less than 12 months and were therefore ruled out, due to this arbitrary distinction that the government made. As the member for Kingston has said, this is 'a broken promise by this government, a broken promise to families right across Australia'. In my electorate of Fenner I've been in touch with a range of early learning educators who are frustrated at the situation that they've been placed in this year. One educator wrote to me, prior to 20 July: … approximately 30% of our employees will not qualify for the job keeper incentive because they have not been with the service for 12 months. She also said that they were frustrated at the lack of access to protective clothing and equipment. She said: This tells us that the Australian Government as well as families don't care about us. I am a grandmother myself and I have not had any contact with my own children or grandchildren for weeks and yet I am expected to come to work every day and hold other children and work in close spaces with co-workers. Early Childhood environments are, in nature, breeding grounds for germs and so we are attuned to the effective prevention of the spread of infectious illnesses. But we are being taken for granted and left without any acknowledgement of what we actually do each day and how our jobs are placing us at risk. Another early learning educator wrote: … I'm writing to ask for your support of early childhood educators who have been defined as essential workers recently with lowest pay & highest risk. Other essential workers such as nurses, doctors, retailers etc are allowed to wear masks & protective clothing but we are not. We cannot practice social distancing, so putting ourselves & our families at very high risk of being infected by Coronavirus. Another early learning educator wrote: Each and every day we are putting ourselves and our families at risk just for the government with no personal protective gear or anything, we even find it hard to get simple things like gloves, soap and hand sanitizer. She went on to say: All I ask is think about us, recognise us as a profession and not as baby sitters, lower-class shit kickers because this is how we feel. I have worked in the sector for 5 years and have gotten many sicknesses like gastro, colds, cases of flu and more from the children. We don't receive any support for the hard times we go through. This needs to change before it's too late and the economy begins to fail even more because all childcare centres close and families can't go to work. Just remember this lies in the government's hands so we ask please support us as educators. Labor will continue to be a strong voice for early learning educators and for the families that depend on them. Labor recognises the crucial role that early education plays in our community and will continue to maintain the pressure on this government to do right by the early learning sector in the course of this pandemic. 13:00 Dr ALY 13050 Cowan I really loved the way that the member for Fenner opened his contribution today with his acknowledgement that one of the most valuable jobs he has is being a father to his boys. I've often spoken in this House about my own experience as a single mother raising two young boys. It seems like it was many years ago, as my eldest son is turning 30 this year—which perhaps shows my age. It does seem like many, many years ago that I, too, relied on Australia's childcare system and on the fabulous and invaluable work of our early childhood educators and childcare givers in supporting parents who go to work—single parents, single mothers in particular—and in raising generations of Australians in their early years. Childcare is not just about wiping bottoms and wiping noses. As the member for Fenner rightly pointed out, it is, in fact, about developing our most precious asset in this country—our children. This amending legislation makes some really positive and, might I add, long overdue changes to improve access and continuity of care for some of the most vulnerable children—children at risk. It also makes some minor technical amendments. Our shadow minister for childcare put forward a second reading amendment, and I want to draw attention to two aspects of that amendment—firstly, that unaffordable child care will force families, particularly women, to reconsider returning to work and could act as a handbrake on Australia’s economic recovery; and, secondly, that early childhood workers were ripped out of the JobKeeper program three days after the Prime Minister promised there would be no changes until September. While we welcome the positive and long overdue changes to improve access and continuity, this bill does nothing to address the concerns of parents for whom the cost of childcare is prohibitive and it does nothing to improve the value that we should have for our childcare workers and our early childhood educators. We all know this Prime Minister loves a headline. In the midst of the first wave of this pandemic 'free childcare for all' made a great headline—it was a fantastic headline. In my electorate of Cowan, many people welcomed the relief from having to pay childcare fees, particularly if they were essential workers. The Prime Minister declared then that every person who was going to work was an essential worker and, therefore, every person would receive free child care. What a wonderful utopia it would be if, indeed, Australia had a longstanding commitment to free, or at least affordable, child care. The reality behind that headline was that providers weren't getting paid and that families were locked out of the system. Childcare workers were the first—the first—to have JobKeeper ripped away from them. Much will be written and spoken about how this pandemic has offered us all an opportunity—an opportunity to reassess our lives, an opportunity to reassess our priorities and an opportunity to think about what's important to us. Often, when we're faced with a crisis, it has that impact on us, doesn't it? It makes us reconsider what we think is important, and, for some of us here, it may also make us reconsider what our future holds for us. I'm sure that's the case for many people around the country. I'd like to see this also provide us, here in this place as leaders, with an opportunity to reassess what we hold important and who we hold important and valuable. What this pandemic has shown us is that our front line has been those essential workers: our retail workers, security guards, cleaners, nurses and doctors—all of those people who we are now relying on to get through this pandemic. Amongst those workers are childcare workers and early childhood educators. They are our front line in this pandemic. They are essential workers. Unfortunately, to date we have not valued them to the level that they should be valued at. Raising, educating and socialising a child is the most important job in the world. What we do here pales in comparison to that, and I know that many here would agree with me, whether or not they have used the childcare system. Our early educators and childcare workers are poorly valued. They do not receive remuneration that accurately and adequately reflects the important work that they're doing. Like one of the previous contributors to this debate, I too have been a longstanding supporter of the Big Steps campaign, which seeks to have our childcare workers and early childhood educators valued in the way that they should be. While we may all acknowledge that childcare and early childhood education are really important and that these are really essential workers who've been part of our frontline defence in these times, and while we can take that opportunity to reflect on just how important good health and our children are, we still have one of the most expensive childcare systems in the world. The other day I made a phone call to one of my constituents, Matt, who wanted to speak to me about child care. Matt works, as does his wife. They have one child, Noah, and another one on the way. Matt and his wife and family are doing what many of us who have raised children and utilised the childcare system have done: they have sat down and calculated whether or not it is worth it for his wife to go to work when the cost of child care is so high that the amount of money that she will earn at work barely covers the cost of child care. We might say, 'Well, if they can afford it, they should pay it,' and all of those things, but there is a broader cost here, a much bigger social cost that is often not counted or recognised when we talk about economic costs. The bigger social cost is that we have women who won't go back to work or can't go back to work because it's not worth their while to go back to work if they have to pay high childcare fees. They have their careers interrupted and then find it more difficult to get back into the workforce. I haven't done the sums, and I don't know if anyone has, about the economic costs of women being out of the workforce for longer because they can't afford the child care or because paying childcare fees is exorbitant and not worth their time, but I'm sure that there is an economic cost here. I'm not interested in the economic cost, but I do want to focus on the social cost and what that means for us as a society in terms of building women's economic freedom, building an equal and just society and the opportunities that we give to our future generations. In closing, once again, I reiterate that Labor supports this bill—of course we do, because it does make some sensible measures. But we don't support this bill without standing here and drawing attention to the fact that there is more reform that's needed—a lot more reform that's needed. Reform is needed to ensure our childcare workers and early childhood educators are valued in the way that they should be and in a way that we should all now at least be able to recognise at a time when we rely so heavily and so strongly on them, if we haven't recognised it before. Our childcare system does need reform, and it needs much more reform than what is contained in this bill. Reform is needed because our childcare workers are so undervalued that they have been the first to be ripped out of the JobKeeper program. That needs to be rectified. We need to focus on providing affordable child care for families in Australia, particularly for women. If we don't, the social and the economic impacts of that will be felt for many years to come. 13:11 Mr THISTLETHWAITE 182468 Kingsford Smith Affordable quality child care is about supporting families. It's about ensuring that all parents have the right to participate in our society through a job and ensuring that their kids get access to good-quality care and an education in a safe environment. The issue with child care in Australia over recent decades has been the issue of affordability and providing that access to all families. We have a subsidised scheme here in Australia that is means-tested, but it doesn't work to provide full access to all families to child care in this country, and that is a great shame. In that scheme, we see the nation being held back in terms of productivity—by having more people in the workforce—and also individuals and families being held back by parents in the workforce being unable to afford the care for their children, particularly those who are on lower incomes where the utility that they can get from going to work doesn't outweigh the cost that they're forced to pay for child care. They simply don't earn enough to make sure that there's an advantage to going to work rather than staying at home. Under this government's scheme, that scenario, unfortunately, has become all the more difficult. This Family Assistance Legislation Amendment (Improving Assistance for Vulnerable and Disadvantaged Families) Bill 2020 is a bill that Labor will, of course, support. I'm speaking in support of the amendment that has been moved by the shadow minister. This bill does make changes to the government's new childcare system, to remove some design flaws that have placed significant administrative burdens on at-risk families and early learning providers. The Additional Child Care Subsidy (child wellbeing) is a payment for at-risk and vulnerable families who need support with the cost of child care to support the child's participation in early learning. The ACCS is a vital program that provides a safe and nurturing learning environment for children in extremely vulnerable situations at home. These children are typically at risk of child protection or child safety issues. Families receiving the ACCS (child wellbeing) payment are exempt from the activity test. For most of these children, it can be the difference between being able to stay at home in a safe environment or having to go into the child protection system. It's critical that the government treat this program with sensitivity and ensure that families and providers are not overly burdened with red tape. The Liberal-National government introduced a number of new requirements and rules in July 2018 that have restricted access to the additional childcare subsidy. Labor and other stakeholders in the sector warned the government that the changes would have a detrimental impact on vulnerable families—a warning which, unfortunately, the government ignored. In the first six months of the new system the number of children receiving the child wellbeing subsidy collapsed by 21 per cent. Remember, we're talking about some of the most vulnerable children in our society. Those numbers have since recovered to pre-July 2018 levels, but only after significant efforts and resources from providers. When asked in Senate estimates if they were concerned about the drop, the department admitted they weren't and confessed that they weren't even tracking whether families had dropped out of the system. During the Senate inquiry into the government's first round of changes to the childcare legislation, last September, the stakeholders all expressed strong views that the additional childcare subsidy was not working in the best interests of vulnerable children. The Early Learning and Care Council of Australia, Early Childhood Australia and Goodstart all call on the government to fix the red tape and restrictions to the ACCS, and Labor will support these changes because they fix some of the design flaws in the system and will help get vulnerable children the support they need. The government's childcare system is failing families in so many other ways. It's a system that leaves one in four families worse off. It's a design feature that's had access to early education and care reduced for 279,000 families. It's a system that only 40 per cent of providers and only 41 per cent of families told the independent evaluation reviewers had resulted in positive change. Eighty-three per cent of parents told the evaluation that the new system had made no impact on their work and study. It's a system that's been forcing childcare providers to act as unpaid debt collectors for government, because families are struggling to stay on top of the complicated activity and means tests. It's a system that's been ridiculed, with software glitches that have left providers and families in the dark and staff without pay. It sends out blunt letters telling families that they owe the government money without any explanation. So far 91,000 families, or 16 per cent of families, that have been audited have been hit with a childcare subsidy debt notice, which is more evidence that the new system is too complex and not working for families. Childcare fees are already out of control under the new system. The latest CPI figures show that childcare costs increased by 1.9 per cent in the December quarter—the fourth successive increase—and have now gone up by 7.2 per cent in that 12-month period. Fees are now up 34 per cent under this Liberal-National government, with families now paying, on average, $3,800 more per year for early education and child care. That results in families dropping out of the system. That means parents don't get the opportunity to work and have their children educated and looked after. That means our nation is not as productive as it could be, because the people who want to work aren't getting access to that work because they're left with the dilemma of having to care for their children or affording to get them into quality care. The government was very confident that its new system would put downward pressure on fees and that it was 'driving down the costs of child care', to quote the minister. The minister was keen to spruik, on the new website, this new system as 'a game changer for families'—they were his words. He told families to shop around. But less than half of the providers were providing accurate information on the website, particularly about their fee structures. As a result, you don't hear the minister making those claims anymore about the system being a game changer and driving down the cost of child care, because it's simply not. The system is simply not providing that support for families that the minister claimed it would. That's the great shame. That's holding back families. That's holding back our nation. As with every other portfolio in this government's realm, there is absolutely no plan to fix the issue and bring some of those fee increases under control. That's going to mean that more families are going to be worse off and unable to get their kids into good early education and care. It's going to hold back those families. It's going to hold back those individuals, particularly single parents, who struggle to make ends meet and have the awful dilemma of whether they can earn enough to afford child care and get their kids into child care rather than stay at home and look after them. They're particularly vulnerable because of this government's changes. It's up to this government to come up with a plan to fix some of these problems and make sure that all families and all parents have access to a good-quality childcare system that is affordable and provides good care for all children throughout the country. 13:20 Mrs PHILLIPS 147140 Gilmore I'm pleased to have the opportunity to speak on the Family Assistance Legislation Amendment (Improving Assistance for Vulnerable and Disadvantaged Families) Bill 2020 and to talk about the need to streamline the childcare system. The changes in this bill are important for making sure vulnerable families can get the support they need when they need it. It also aims to reduce the administrative burden on childcare providers, working to help and support children and families. Our early learning educators are vital in our community. They help to nurture our children by teaching them and caring for them. They also support parents returning to work, and this makes them critical to our overall economy. This legislation will help to fix some of the system flaws that came into place under the government's new system in 2018. At the time, Labor and the industry warned that this would have a negative impact on vulnerable families and providers. Nonetheless, the government pushed it through. As often seems to be the case with this government, it has resisted our calls to make these amendments ever since. The additional childcare subsidy for child wellbeing is a vital program that provides a safe and nurturing learning environment for children in extremely vulnerable situations at home. For most of these children, it can be the difference between staying at home and having to go into the child protection system. It is critical that the government treats this program with sensitivity and ensures that families and providers are not overly burdened with red tape. But the changes the government introduced in 2018 meant there were new rules and requirements which restricted access. In the first six months of the new system, there was a 21 per cent collapse in the number of children receiving the child wellbeing subsidy. That is a significant number of vulnerable children that were no longer receiving support. Since then, the numbers have recovered to pre-July 2018 levels, but only after significant efforts and resources from providers. The government has treated families, providers and children reliant on this system with absolute contempt. The new system leaves one in four families worse off than before. It forces overworked and underpaid early childhood educators to become debt collectors for the government because families can't stay on top of the paperwork. The bungled implementation of this system is just one example of the government's mishandling of the childcare and early learning system. When the government announced during COVID that it was making child care free for everyone, it sure sounded like a great headline. The Prime Minister loves doing that—flashy announcements for ill-considered policy ideas. We have seen plenty of that with the drought and the bushfires. We know where that leads us: to phantom funds. Local families, in the immediate aftermath, were thrilled that they would receive this much-needed help, particularly our essential workers. But, as is too often the case with those opposite, they didn't fund it properly. It didn't take long for local families and educators to work out the program was riddled with problems. I was inundated with concerns from local family daycare operators and parents of children that attend family day care. The initiative to provide free child care effectively halved operators' income, making it impossible to survive. These aren't just words. These aren't just platitudes. These are real people who have felt the very real impacts of these changes, and I rise today to tell their stories. We know that children of essential workers, and vulnerable children, utilise family day care. It is a popular and common form of care. But family day care suffered a huge blow when the government decided to make child care free. I wanted to share the stories of some of the local people who contacted me about this. Lee said: 'My daughter runs a family day care business from her home. This announcement takes away her income and effectively closes her down for the duration. The family day care people, mostly small operators, often caring for and educating children of essential workers, are effectively shut out of this arrangement.' Lee wasn't alone. Erin, a mum, said, 'We need our day care but now it faces closing as it is not viable financially for her to keep her doors open.' She went on to say that, to be honest, she probably wouldn't close, because that is just the type of amazing person she is. She said, 'We would have liked to have been able to opt out of free child care.' She said, 'As much as free child care would be great, and very helpful in these times, not when it is at the expense of our beautiful family day care educator.' In the days following the announcement, I had so many people with the same story to tell. Parents and educators alike felt that the government's announcement only punished them. These changes locked so many people out of the system and left workers with nowhere to take their kids. What did this mean? They had to stay home and turn down work. We know that no-one could afford this, especially not in an area with one of the highest unemployment rates in the country. The government tried to shift the blame onto providers, but many local providers told me how desperate they were to keep providing as much care as possible. To keep their doors open with such a reduction in revenue, some early-learning providers are left with no choice but to reduce staff, cut opening hours, deny care to new families, or cancel existing enrolments. In the days after the announcement I spoke with so many providers who just wanted to be heard. Just a day after the announcement, Barry said, 'Unfortunately, the initiative announced yesterday by the coalition to provide free child care to the larger childcare centres has counterintuitively affected the funding model of the smaller, home based, family day care providers and has in fact halved the income available to family day care providers.' Barry's concerns were echoed by so many. To blame the childcare providers simply missed the point and showed the government's complete lack of understanding of the sector. Perhaps the government should have listened to people like Tina, a family day care operator. She said: 'Even with the COVID-19 pandemic, I have been able to continue running my business without a loss in enrolments. I have been able to provide a safe place for the children to be to escape the stresses of the outside world at present. I did not ask for a bailout. My business, luckily, was pandemic-free. Then came the government's announcement. Now I am left feeling undervalued and insignificant. On top of losing 50 per cent of my hard-earned income, I will probably lose much more than that as there are administration levies deducted from our income.' Tina said: 'I am baffled how this idea was even given approval. What other essential service in our community right now still fronts up every day, works their shift, does their job, acts professionally, gives service with a smile and then happily accepts a 50 per cent pay cut?' A great question, Tina. Chloe is local to the New South Wales South Coast, but she has been delivering essential early-learning services on a sheep station in outback New South Wales. She had a particularly unique story to tell. She said: 'These changes mean that I will be working for considerably less than half my current wage. I am very concerned for the hardworking farmers that myself and others work for. If forced to leave their role on these stations because of severely reduced wages, someone would be required to take over the role as supervisor of the children doing School of the Air.' These are more examples of the government ignoring regional and rural Australia. Emma, a parent, writes: 'What was not fantastic, however, was when I was also informed that because my family receives zero per cent childcare subsidy payment, my daughter is not eligible for care at all under the interim relief package. This means that now, for the next three months, either my husband or myself cannot work in our businesses. We employed 20-plus locals. We are doing everything in our power to work within our businesses and keep them afloat so that we have employment for our employees to come back to after this terrible time. I'm not asking to get free care—I'm happy to pay—but to be denied care at all is unacceptable and discriminatory. I implore the government to revisit this decision.' But it wasn't just family day care. I've had feedback from childcare centre after childcare centre. They told me their concerns about— The DEPUTY SPEAKER 265991 Order! The debate is interrupted in accordance with standing order 43. The debate may be resumed at a later hour. The member will have leave to continue speaking when the debate is resumed. STATEMENTS BY MEMBERS 112 STATEMENTS BY MEMBERS Liberal Party of Australia: Indian Australians 112 13:30 Ms ROWLAND 159771 Greenway What is it with the persistent offensiveness of the Liberals towards Australians of Subcontinent background? Not long ago, the Treasurer mocked Hinduism in this chamber. Then last night we saw on 60 Minutes, in all the glory of the Liberal Party Victorian engine room, people of Indian background being referred to using a term that is so degrading I won't repeat it. It exposes this government's shallow approach to a people and a country that give so much to Australia and with whom we must build an economic relationship that's bigger and deeper. India is Australia's largest source of permanent migration, but the Liberals prefer insults to appreciating the contributions of Indian Australians and the compassion shown throughout COVID by different Indian communities in our suburbs. But it's not just the Liberals' ignorance; it's their incompetence. Nothing of note has happened to progress the recommendations of the epic Varghese report from two years ago. India's share of our exports has fallen to a 17-year low. And don't forget the big call by Tony Abbott and Andrew Robb to deliver a free trade agreement by 2015. Meanwhile, the pandemic has seen offices like mine inundated with Australian citizens and Indian nationals desperate to be reunited with their loved ones. We're at the end of August, and the Prime Minister is only now being reported as asking for ideas on how to help stranded Australians get home. If the Liberals were as focused as building the India relationship as they are on insulting Indian Australians, we would all be better off. Boothby Electorate: Recycling 112 13:31 Ms FLINT 245550 Boothby The Morrison government is taking strong and decisive action on waste reduction and recycling. We're banning the export of plastic, paper, glass and tyres and investing almost $360 million in local waste and recycling projects. Leading this vital work is the Assistant Minister for Waste Reduction and Environmental Management, who I recently hosted in my electorate of Boothby to visit key local environmental projects. We were both hugely impressed by the Southern Region Waste Resource Authority's plans for a new materials-recycling facility. This project is supported by two of my local councils, the cities of Holdfast Bay and Marion, and by neighbouring Onkaparinga. If they can secure full funding for the project, this new recycling facility will potentially process 60,000 tonnes of recycling a year, create 37 jobs and support the waste needs of all of southern Adelaide and the Fleurieu, including the Holdfast, Marion and Mitcham areas in my electorate. In addition to processing recycling the facility will create an opportunity to leverage the circular economy, where other industries can co-locate to help us all to re-use, repurpose and recycle. This is a standout project that encapsulates the exact approach that the federal government is taking to waste management, which is why I am fighting for funding for this facility. Successive councils and mayors had the vision to secure and develop this site, and I want to thank them all, including mayors Amanda Wilson, Kris Hanna and Erin Thompson and SRWRA chairman Mark Booth. I will continue to work with them all for my local community. Northern Territory Election 112 13:33 Mr SNOWDON IJ4 Lingiari Saturday saw the culmination of voting in the Northern Territory election. Voting commenced two weeks ago with mobile teams visiting remote community centres and prepoll centres opening across the Territory's larger urban centres. While the result is yet to be finalised, Labor is well ahead on votes and on seats, and I am very confident as of today that Michael Gunner will form the next Northern Territory government. He and his team need to be congratulated. They are committed to finishing the job they have started and to continuing to steer the Territory through the coronavirus crisis. There's a need for all of us to remain vigilant to ensure we keep this insidious virus out of the Northern Territory, where it would wreak havoc if it were to gain a foothold, particularly if it were to get into any of the remote Aboriginal communities. There is still much work to be done, saving jobs and creating new opportunities for businesses and employment. This is a challenge for the new Gunner government. A salutary tale from the election, however, has been the very low and poor Aboriginal voter participation and engagement. This should raise alarm bells for all of us. I want to congratulate those candidates who stood for remote electorates in the Northern Territory, particularly my friend who stood for Daly and the person who stood in Namatjira. In these two seats, they are at the moment within a handful of votes of claiming victory. I want to congratulate the member for Arnhem, who will be re-elected as of today, the new member for Barkly and the member for Arafura. (Time expired) Lyne Electorate: Men's Sheds 113 13:34 Dr GILLESPIE 72184 Lyne Mr Deputy Speaker O'Brien, as you well know, every man needs a shed, and the coalition government is committed to supporting the Men's Shed program around the country. In my electorate of Lyne last month I had the pleasure of visiting three of these sheds, where the blokes are doing a great job for all the other members in the community with the spirit that they have and also with the work that they do for the community. Wauchope Mens Shed received a grant of $6,327 for a dust extraction unit to allow safe work, with all the woodwork they do. I'd like to congratulate Robert Read, Wally Waterston, John Ridgway and John Williams for all the work they do on their committee. Taree Manning River Men's Shed also received a grant, of $6,000, for the installation of a kitchen. I caught up with Bernard Greening, Ross McLennan, Allan Raine, Wayne Buttel, Len Keough, Wayne Abdoo, Adrian Leven and Peter Hall, and they were most grateful for the grant. Coomba Men's Shed also received a grant from the coalition government, $1,800, for a flammable liquid storage cabinet. Congratulations to their committee, including John Hewkins, Richard Dennis, Steve Dellaca, Warren Arnold, Dave Sinclair and Doug Lewis Driver, for the great work they're doing. The Men's Shed movement does a lot of good. It's good for people's mental health, it gets them out of the house, it prevents loneliness and it builds stronger communities. (Time expired) Garritty, Mr Patrick 'Paddy' 113 13:36 Mr WATTS 193430 Gellibrand I rise to celebrate the life of Paddy Garritty. A proudly militant trade unionist for the Painters and Dockers and for the Seamen's Union, Paddy was a beloved member of the labour movement in Victoria, and Australia. A champion of participation and engagement of working people in the arts, Paddy was a founding member of the Footscray Community Arts Centre and the arts officer at the Williamstown Naval Dockyard, where he enabled workers to contribute painting, sculpture, writing and music to onsite exhibitions. A publican and comrade to all, Paddy drove not only the establishment of Paddy's Bar at Trades Hall in Melbourne but also the flourishing of the Trades Hall as a venue for the arts. Finally, and most importantly, he was a husband to Mary Price, and Paddy boasted their marriage was his one great achievement. Given the scale of everything else he achieved in his life, that says something. The people who loved Paddy treasured his humour, his yarns, his passion for the underdog and his fight for a fairer society. His life changed my electorate for the better, in ways that will live on for many years. I know that many in my community are mourning his loss deeply and itching to celebrate his life, at Trades Hall, when pandemic restrictions permit. Paddy had been ill for some time and died peacefully while suffering from COVID-19 in an aged-care centre in my electorate. I want to be clear that his life is not a statistic. It was rich, meaningful, full of love and passion. Paddy's life was a life to be valued and celebrated, and my thoughts are with his family and friends and everyone else who loved him. Western Australia: Infrastructure 113 13:38 Mr GOODENOUGH 74046 Moore I wish to inform the House that, since the last sitting of parliament, a number of development milestones have been achieved in Moore. Both of the grade separated bridges at the intersections of Wanneroo Road with Joondalup Drive and Ocean Reef Road have opened to traffic, improving the east-west connection between the communities of Joondalup and Wanneroo. The Commonwealth provided $100 million of infrastructure funding to build these bridges, alleviating traffic congestion. Let us not forget that the additional $4.5 billion in GST revenue, which our federal members and senators succeeded in securing for Western Australia through hard-won reforms to the Commonwealth-state GST-sharing arrangements, has gone a long way towards funding state based infrastructure projects, including the extension of the northern suburbs railway to Yanchep, the extension of the Mitchell Freeway to Alkimos and the commencement of civil construction works at the Ocean Reef Marina redevelopment. Without the federal government's recent GST reforms, Western Australia's budget would not be in the strong position it is in today to be able to invest in key infrastructure for our community. Our next major infrastructure priority is to connect Whitfords Avenue to a new, realigned Gnangara Road, further unlocking the economic development potential of the Wangara industrial area. (Time expired) Macquarie Electorate: Telecommunications 113 13:39 Ms TEMPLEMAN 181810 Macquarie Residents in Bowen Mountain have spent nearly a month without a landline or internet connection thanks to a Telstra cable being cut. Their situation was more dire because this is one big mobile black spot. People have had to work from cars on the side of the road to get a bar of signal, kids have missed out on video classes and study for the HSC or uni assignments was near impossible. Those with medical conditions couldn't do online shopping, missed telehealth appointments and were anxious without any form of reliable communication. This is an area still not connected to the NBN. No, the rollout is not complete, and residents were the victims of a degraded copper network, pits that hadn't been looked at for 30 years and the failure of Telstra to have on tap the equipment for a speedy repair. So Bowen Mountain waited: at first patiently then not so patiently, and nor should they. They're suffering 19th century technology in the 21st century, and it should not have been their only form of communication. Bowen Mountain was evacuated twice in the last fires and came close to bearing the brunt of the fire. So while nearly everyone's back online, and ironically the NBN has come online for some before their ADSL connection returned, there's still a massive vulnerability for this community and so many others until the government shows some real determination to fix mobile black spots. Flynn Electorate: Health Services 114 13:41 Mr O'DOWD 139441 Flynn Health services in Gladstone are considered by many to be third world. Gladstone is the most populated town in my electorate of Flynn, and yet the state government has failed to address the lack of doctors in the regions and in particular Gladstone Hospital. The emergency department and the new outpatients department and proposed super clinic are good for the town but we still lack the doctors. I have some questions I would like to ask the state government. How do you explain fewer surgical and medical beds now than in 2012? The population has grown in that period of time. How do you explain the departure of 11 specialists in recent times? Will they testify that the reason is the lack of ICU or the downgrading of the hospital from a level 4 to a level 3? It should be level 2, I think. We can't have you saying there are 50 doctors. If there are 50 doctors in the Gladstone Hospital, give us some names, please. We need those services now, not in 2022 or 2023. Who's Glenn Butcher, the state member, fighting for? A petition signed by 5,000 people called on an urgent hospital upgrade to a level 4, and it seems to have fallen on deaf ears. Thank you. Indi Electorate: Bushfire Recovery 114 13:42 Dr HAINES 282335 Indi I rise today to applaud the communities in the Upper Murray as they rebuild from the summer's destruction, a rebuild that deals with the additional challenge of COVID-19. In Corryong, the Upper Murray Community Recovery Committee and the smaller committees in Walwa, Cudgewa, Biggara, Towong, Tintaldra, Berringama, Lucyvale, Nariel Valley and Thowgla Valley are working to address the impact of the bushfire. In Walwa a few weeks ago I visited the tiny primary school to discuss the progress of its eight students with the principal, Mr Steven Lynch. A couple of hours later I met him again at the Walwa Recovery Committee meeting, where he represented both the school and the tennis club. At the Bush Nursing Centre I spoke with the CEO and nurse practitioner, Sandi Grieve. She too was later at the committee meeting as was the local policeman, Simon McKenzie; as was the CFA captain, David Hanna, also the president of the hall committee. Around the table were a dozen others, all in multiple capacities, serving Rotary, the football club, the cemetery trust and goodness knows what else. In those rooms I witnessed a community who had swapped the N95 masks of summer for the handmade cloth masks of a COVID winter—multiple masks, multiple hats. I witnessed the initiative, the intelligence and the heart of people gathering to rebuild better and to safeguard their communities into the future. Financial Adviser Standards and Ethics Authority 114 13:44 Mr CRAIG KELLY 99931 Hughes One of the things we must be very careful about in this place is that when we introduce new legislation that has red tape in it we need to ensure that the unintended consequences do not outweigh any benefits that we are trying to impose. And I fear that we have done that with the creation of a new bureaucracy known as FASEA, the Financial Adviser Standards and Ethics Authority. Under the legislation a financial planner, someone in their sixties who may have worked all their life without a single complaint and has hundreds of satisfied clients, would be required to, firstly, pass an exam by 2022 and, secondly, go back to university to do six courses. So what we are seeing is that people are deciding that they will leave the industry because of the retrospective requirements that are being placed upon them. The end result of these extra burdens is that many Australians will be unable to afford financial advice. And they will instead go down to the pub and get their advice from Jim at the pub. It is the exact opposite of what we want to do. Liberal Party 115 13:45 Ms WELLS 264121 Lilley It's a big day at the buck-passing factory for this PM, who has said of his own party's branch-stacking scandal that it's simply an organisational matter for the Liberal Party—except that the PM and the government are not accountable only to the Liberal Party; they are not accountable only to their card-carrying party members. They are accountable to all Australian taxpayers, who acted in good faith and elected them to govern with integrity. It is well past time that this federal government signed up for a federal ICAC. And this 'barren womb' message coming out of the Victorian Liberal Party proves that misogyny still lies at the very heart of the ruling political party in this country. Misogyny is dictating how our ruling party is run, who matters and who doesn't, who has power and who doesn't, who is worthy and who isn't. If not for the miracles of modern science, I myself would still be in possession of a barren womb. Australian women who have any qualifications in this space don't need me to speak for them, because their resilience is forged already. But I want them to know that one of their own stands here elected in the national parliament to fight back against misogyny and the entrenched attitudes coming out of the governing party and to work with decent people to make sure that these kinds of attitudes are banished from the corridors of power finally and for good. Parliamentary Representation 115 13:47 Dr MARTIN 282982 Reid One of the reasons why I put my hand up to be the member for Reid is that I believe more women need to be involved in policy and decision-making in our nation. The recent Eden-Monaro by-election has shown us just how close the competition can be when we have two outstanding female candidates going head-to-head. I would like to congratulate Dr Fiona Kotvojs, the Liberal candidate, who is an impressive member of our local community. Whilst she did not win the seat, I know that she will continue to contribute to her community in a meaningful way. Among her list of achievements, Dr Kotvojs had dedicated eight years to the Army Reserve. She dedicated time to Lifeline, volunteering as a counsellor, and spent a decade serving as a volunteer for the Rural Fire service. It was a pleasure to be in the Eden-Monaro electorate campaigning for her during the weekend of the by-election. I would also like to congratulate the incoming member for Eden-Monaro on her win. I do not doubt that she will be a passionate voice for her community. I look forward to working with the women in this House, on both sides, to continue to advocate for greater female representation in parliament. Democracy 115 13:48 Ms PAYNE 144732 Canberra I rise today to talk about trust in democracy. According to research from the University of Canberra's Institute for Governance and Policy Analysis, the level of satisfaction with democracy has decreased steadily under this government—to a low of just 41 per cent in 2018 under Malcolm Turnbull. The research hasn't been done for the last two years of the Morrison government, but I shudder to think how low that level would be now, with the Prime Minister's inability to take responsibility for seemingly anything. What are you doing to stem the rate of infections and deaths in aged care, Mr Prime Minister? 'Not my responsibility.' What are you doing to protect people with disability and disability workers? 'Not my responsibility,' says the Prime Minister. The 18,000 Australian stuck overseas? 'Not my responsibility.' How are you responding to the bushfires, Mr Prime Minister? 'I don't hold the hose, mate.' It was incredibly concerning to see last night on 60 Minutes influential Liberal Party members knee-deep in branch-stacking and making disgraceful comments about women, Aboriginal Australians and Australians of Indian descent. And it makes me even more concerned about what people think about the people here in this place and what we are doing for them. To the government and Prime Minister: every time you dodge responsibility or fail to act on issues that are clearly within your jurisdiction or put your sexist and racist views on display, you are letting the Australian people down, and you must do better. (Time expired) Lindsay Electorate: Manufacturing 115 13:50 Mrs McINTOSH 281513 Lindsay Western Sydney is the key to unlocking the potential of Australian manufacturing, and it's time to get behind Australian manufacturers to create local jobs for local people. Local manufacturers have what it takes to make Western Sydney the hub of advanced manufacturing. Grant Engineered in Penrith recently received their 'Australian made' certification, and they can't be prouder. They've got four young apprentices, along with their team, contributing to the truck and trailer industry, which keeps Australia moving. Kristian and the team at SpanSet in Emu Plains make top-quality harnesses and safety cables that pull cranes and move tanks, putting our ADF in the most capable hands. Another Western Sydney business owner, Tracy at Plustec, builds and supplies thermal double glazed windows and doors and is a member of my local advancing manufacturing task force. These local manufacturers, and more, know that Australian innovation, value and quality set us apart from our foreign competitors. We need to capitalise on the momentum and get behind our Australian manufacturers. I've launched a petition to back Australian manufacturers so we can create more local jobs for more local people. Prime Minister 116 13:51 Ms CHESTERS 249710 Bendigo This Prime Minister just won't take responsibility for anything. He won't take responsibility for the devastating bushfires that occurred during our summer. It's been more than six months, and families who lost their homes, who are quite possibly grieving the loss of a loved one, are still living in tents and caravans. Their blocks have not been cleared, yet this Prime Minister won't take responsibility. This Prime Minister won't take responsibility for quarantine, even though it's listed in the Constitution as an area of responsibility of the Prime Minister. He will not take responsibility for the Ruby Princess debacle. He buck-passes hotel quarantine to the states, even though Australian borders and quarantine are his responsibility. This Prime Minister will not take responsibility for the thousands of university jobs lost on his watch, with more to go, because he will not extend JobKeeper to this sector. He will not take responsibility for aged care and the tragedy of so many older Australians in aged care that have lost their lives. He will not take responsibility for the aged-care workforce, ensuring that they have the proper training and the proper PPE to be able to do their job to care for our older Australians. He won't even take responsibility for the behaviour of his own party—the allegations of corruption and branch stacking in his own party. He won't even take responsibility for that. Australians need a prime minister and a government who will stand up. (Time expired) COVID-19: Parliamentary Procedure 116 13:53 Mr JOYCE E5D New England Before I talk about what I wanted to talk about, I will just say that what the previous speaker said is absolutely ridiculous. I'm no big punter for anybody around here, but I think the Prime Minister has got more responsibility than anyone ever presumed a prime minister would have. He's dealing with what is probably one of the greatest crises of our time, and I think that, for the cards he's been dealt, he's doing a pretty good job. But the issue that I think is really important is that we should go the full hog in making sure this parliament has capacity for people to effect their vote from outside of it. If we believe in decentralisation then we believe in remote voting. I said this in my maiden speech in the other place, when the SARS epidemic was going around. This is not the first time we've had to deal with a pandemic. Obviously this one is vastly more extensive. But we don't want to jump completely in the water with respect to how we can actually vote. If I can move millions of dollars—if I had it—from one account to another, surely I can press 'yes' or 'no' on a keyboard from Tamworth. We can't have a parliament with this sort of set-up, with a few people in here and other people watching but not allowed to vote. It's just clumsy. On both sides, we have got to say, 'Let's do this properly.' I know the reason we don't do it that way is that we want the whips to have control of the vote. That's why we live in this twilight zone. Let's do it properly—let's make it happen and show Australia how we can be smarter about it. Prime Minister 116 13:54 Mr GILES 243609 Scullin Australians right now deserve political leadership that is consistent and which demonstrates a determination to take responsibility, a determination to rebuild trust in the capacity of this place to make a difference through this crisis. They deserve this from the top down. But our Prime Minister seems allergic to taking responsibility. The buck always stops with somebody else. We remember that he is of course the bloke who, in the last crisis, said, 'I don't hold a hose.' Last week we saw more of this in aged care, in the course of a tragedy impacting Melbourne and Victoria—his desperate efforts to dissemble in the face of the fact that this is a core area of Commonwealth responsibility. Australians, including those who have lost loved ones, deserve for him to step up to the plate and take responsibility. Then of course we had the reports last night on 60 Minutes and today in The Age. We remember his response when similar allegations were raised against the Labor Party. We remember his smirk when he called on the Leader of the Labor Party to take responsibility. And of course the Leader of the Labor Party did just that: he took responsibility, he took decisive action, to clean up our approach to politics, to restore faith in political institutions—whereas what does our Prime Minister say? 'This is an organisational matter for the Victorian division of the party.' He is allergic to responsibility— (Time expired) COVID-19: State and Territory Border Closures 116 13:56 Mr PASIN 240756 Barker To say it's a challenging time to be living in a cross-border community is an understatement. As members would be aware, the electorate of Barker, which I represent, stretches the length of the South Australian and Victorian border. The number of calls and emails to my offices in Mount Gambier and Murray Bridge from people seeking assistance to help navigate the South Australian state imposed border closure has been nothing short of astounding. I am hearing very many real stories of health services, education and employment being disrupted and people's lives being turned upside down with uncertainty. It's not just those living on the Victorian side of the border being impacted; it's health services, schools and businesses whose employees travel daily across the border to work in South Australia. Many of these are being forced to close because they can't get their staff to work. Keeping our community safe and well is of course our first priority. South Australia has been incredibly well represented, and we want to remain as safe as we are now, preventing outbreaks that may be coming from interstate. But, when local emergency departments are impacted and aged-care facilities are understaffed because Victorians can't come to work, we need to reassess how we manage the risks on the border zone, particularly when there is very little COVID-19 in that zone. I'm urging the South Australian Premier, police and health officials to be more understanding of the serious cross-border issues that are having such a detrimental impact on lives and livelihoods. We need a commonsense approach. We need to return to the cross-border bubble that operated so successfully up until last Friday. Morrison Government 117 13:57 Mr BRENDAN O'CONNOR 00AN3 Gorton Last night, senior members of the Morrison government were exposed by claims of branch stacking and the misuse of taxpayer funded resources. Assistant Treasurer Mr Sukkar is at the centre of this scandal, caught out endorsing the use of taxpayer funded electorate officers employed within the offices of federal Liberal MPs for the sole purpose of branch stacking. His position is untenable. We know what the Prime Minister says about branch stacking. In June he called it corruption. The Prime Minister should be judged on his own words. This is a test for the Prime Minister, his leadership and his integrity, a test that he set himself. True to form, however, the Prime Minister won't take responsibility for the bushfires, won't take responsibility for the Ruby Princess, won't take responsibility for aged care and now won't take responsibility for branch stacking and corruption within his own party. The Leader of the Opposition, by contrast, moved immediately to expel from the party the senior Labor figure accused of branch stacking and appointed Steve Bracks and Jenny Macklin to lead a reform process. The Victorian Premier removed from his frontbench those implicated in the scandal. That's leadership. The staff of politicians are paid to serve the public, not to stack party branches. The question is: will the Prime Minister follow Anthony Albanese's lead and act decisively against senior figures within his own party? Braddon Electorate: Central Coast 117 13:59 Mr PEARCE 282306 Braddon Delivering on election commitments is a priority for me, and it's been great to be out and about across the Central Coast of Tasmania doing just that. The Ulverstone Recreation Ground upgrade is finished and open for business. As part of the redevelopment, accessible private change rooms have been fitted for both men and women. This has removed yet another barrier preventing recreational participation, and that's a great thing. The Ulverstone Cultural Precinct and Penguin foreshore redevelopments are underway and will transform the region. The visionary cultural precinct includes art galleries, a planetarium and a fit-for-purpose workshop area. The foreshore remediation work taking place in Penguin will safeguard this unique asset and this picturesque township for generations to come. Congratulations to the Central Coast Council on their clear vision for the region. Keeping promises is important, but during this time economic stimulus and jobs are crucial. Our multimillion-dollar investments across Braddon are getting businesses back to work and apprentices back on the books. Money is being spent in local shops, and a positive energy is felt throughout the community. I'm proud to be part of a government that's delivering as promised and on time, and I look forward to updating the House as I continue to deliver commitments right across the north-west, the West Coast and King Island in the great state of Tasmania. The SPEAKER 00APG It being 2 pm, in accordance with standing order 43 the time for members' statements has concluded. PARLIAMENTARY REPRESENTATION 117 PARLIAMENTARY REPRESENTATION Members Sworn 117 14:01 The SPEAKER 00APG I have received a return to the writ which I issued on 28 May 2020 for the election of a member to serve for the electoral division of Eden-Monaro in the state of New South Wales to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Michael Joseph Kelly. By the endorsement on the writ, it is certified that Kristy Louise McBain has been elected. Ms Kristy Louise McBain made and subscribed the affirmation of allegiance. CONDOLENCES 118 CONDOLENCES Johnston, Mr James Roger 118 14:04 The SPEAKER 00APG I inform the House of the death on 24 June of this year of James Roger Johnston, a member of this House for the division of Hotham from 1977 until 1980. As a mark of respect to the memory of Roger Johnston, I invite all present to rise in their places. Honourable members having stood in their places— The SPEAKER 00APG I thank the House. SHADOW MINISTERIAL ARRANGEMENTS 118 SHADOW MINISTERIAL ARRANGEMENTS 14:05 Mr ALBANESE R36 Grayndler by leave—For the information of the House, I present a revised list of the shadow ministry. The member for Paterson has been appointed the shadow assistant minister for defence, and Senator Jenny McAllister is now the shadow assistant minister for communities and prevention of family violence in addition to her current responsibilities as the shadow cabinet secretary. And, just because I'm cheeky, can I congratulate the new member for Eden-Monaro very much. I'll have more to say at a later time, but it is indeed fantastic to welcome her to this chamber. The document read as follows— FEDERAL SHADOW MINISTRY        24 August 2020 Shadow Cabinet Ministers are shown in bold type . STATEMENTS ON INDULGENCE 120 STATEMENTS ON INDULGENCE COVID-19 120 14:06 Mr MORRISON E3L Cook I join with the Leader of the Opposition in welcoming the member for Eden-Monaro, and, to her family, I welcome you also here to this place today. Today, like the rest of our country, our parliament meets with rules and restrictions and innovations that were unthinkable months ago. It's important we meet to assert our hope for the future; to take further action needed to protect the lives and livelihoods of Australians; to affirm that, whatever we face as a nation, our parliamentary democracy will function; and to demonstrate our shared commitment across this chamber to the welfare of the Australian people. COVID-19, a highly contagious, relentless virus unlike anything we have seen in roughly a century, has taken a terrible toll since we last met here in this place. Around the world there have been over 23 million confirmed cases and more than 800,000 confirmed fatalities from COVID-19, but we know the figure is likely far higher than that. In Australia, there have now been almost 25,000 cases of COVID-19 and, very sadly, more than 500 deaths. More than 400 of those were in Victoria alone. This is a heavy toll. Millions of Victorians are now enduring a winter of isolation, anxiety and, all too often, terrible personal loss. But, while they are isolated, Mr Speaker, we gather to say to your fellow Victorians, 'You are not alone.' We've deployed more than 1,700 Defence Force personnel to assist on the ground in Victoria. A further 1,780 ADF personnel were deployed right across our nation as part of Operation COVID-19 ASSIST. We've sent hundreds of Commonwealth officials and other public health experts to Victoria. Together they are leading efforts to support aged-care facilities, support testing and tracing, help out with control points, doorknock and assist with planning and logistical tasks. We've also injected, on top of other supports, an extra $33 million to the Victorian childcare sector to secure places for families, to protect jobs in the sector and to keep these centres viable. We have made supporting the mental health of Victorians a priority, especially young Victorians, who are finishing school or are at university or are out of work and are concerned about their futures. There is a further $50 million package of support that is now underway. I'm pleased other states and territories have also stepped up. I thank the premiers and chief ministers of those states and territories for their prompt assistance, sending nurses, testing and tracing support and other help to our friends in Victoria. Despite our many challenges, especially in Victoria, we can take heart from the unswerving commitment of so many Australians from all walks of life waging this daily war to suppress and ultimately defeat this virus. Nurses, doctors, careworkers, other frontline health professionals, cleaners, truck drivers, police officers, farmers, shearers and retail staff are all keeping our country running. I also thank public servants, including health officials, border officers and other armies of staff processing benefit payments to give their fellow Australians support and hope. Each day and all day we make decisions and we take actions necessary to keep Australians safe. We do so in an environment unprecedented in our lifetimes. We do not claim infallibility. We do not pretend to perfect information, foresight or results in this pandemic, nor do we deny the high expectations that are rightly set for us by Australians. But we openly acknowledge the honest truth that on some days the virus does and will get the better of us, and we fall short—not a unique experience in Australia in these times. On those days we have asked for patience and understanding, and I have been overwhelmed by the encouragement received from a generous Australian people, who quietly understand the challenges and difficulties of these times. I am thankful to all of them for their messages of support—indeed, for their prayers—from the youngest to the most senior in our communities. All who are engaged in this great effort in government are giving it their all, whether they be prime ministers, premiers or ministers making decisions, or public officials giving the best advice they possibly can in a constantly changing and challenging environment. Our efforts seek to match those being made by the Australian people, impacted by these twin crises of the pandemic and the recession. On those days when our efforts fall short, none are more sorry than I as Prime Minister. We do not let those days, however, dampen our hope, nor distract nor discourage us from the task that remains at hand. We learn from those days, we lift our heads and we get back at it the next morning, and each and every day. That is why our nation, Australia, has done better and continues to do better than most of the developed nations in the world today. The United Kingdom, the United States, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the Netherlands, Sweden, Canada, Ireland and Israel are all experiencing case and fatality rates well in excess of Australia—in some cases, more than 30 times per head of population. Importantly, we maintain a strident hope for the future as recent days of disappointment are once again beginning to turn in our nation's favour. In seven states and territories, we have continued to be highly successful in suppressing community transmission, especially in New South Wales. In Victoria we have turned the corner once again. The daily sacrifices and efforts of Victorians are making a difference each and every day. Australia will only succeed when Victoria succeeds as well. Yet the outbreak in Victoria, a re-emergence in countries like New Zealand and second waves across Europe, the United States and Asia, including Japan, have clearly shown that this virus is patient and continues to stalk. It's an enemy that will continue to probe for weakness. To live alongside this virus, reopen our economies, bring down our internal borders and return our lives to as normal as possible, we must keep to the staples of successful containment and suppression of the virus: strong international border protection and quarantine measures; rigorous testing and tracing capabilities; an ability to respond decisively to localised outbreaks and isolate hotspots appropriately defined without shutting down our economy; and consistent hygiene and social distancing behaviours, including wearing a mask when required and, if you're sick, staying at home and getting tested. We must also continue to focus on protecting the most vulnerable, and we are doing so. Sadly, there have been 335 deaths in residential and in-home aged care, where loved ones have succumbed to the virus in Australia. Once again, we send our sincere sympathies and condolences to the families of all those who have been bereaved in this way. There are 2,706 residential aged-care facilities in Australia. In 97 per cent of these facilities, there have been no infections among residents. This compares sharply to many countries around the world, such as the United Kingdom, Italy and Spain. In Victoria, where there have been high levels of community transmission, 126 of the 766 residential aged-care facilities have outbreaks amongst residents and staff. Of those facilities that have experienced infections across Australia, the impact has been significant in 16 cases, and in four cases the impact has been severe and completely unacceptable. Again, I offer my apologies to the residents and families of those affected in those facilities. It was not good enough. Investigations and reviews are underway, as is appropriate, including by the royal commission into aged care that I established. As of this morning, the number of significantly impacted facilities has been reduced to three. The situation in these facilities remains fragile, I'm advised, as of early this morning, but stable. We will continue on with the task, having so far committed more than a billion dollars in aged-care supports. We will continue working to address the many challenging issues in aged care, from waste management to infection control, staff support and communications with families. The issues are many. We are learning and applying the lessons of our experiences. We are continually updating our plans and working with our partners the state and territory health systems and aged-care providers, such as through the Victorian Aged Care Response Centre. We're on the ground, not just in Victoria but across other states and territories, bolstering preparedness and putting in place even stronger arrangements in the event that our response needs to be scaled up to counter any new threat that presents. We are also facing a concurrent economic crisis, as I've reminded the House on many occasions, as a result of this pandemic. Between February and May more than two million Australians either lost their jobs or saw their hours reduced. The national measured unemployment rate is now expected to peak at close to 10 per cent in the December quarter of this year. But the effective unemployment rate is expected to reach over 13 per cent. Our job is to protect jobs. Wherever we can get as many Australians back into jobs as possible, we will. Wherever we can protect those jobs, we will. And we are making our way back. As the Treasurer has reminded us today, more than half of the 1.3 million Australians who had lost their jobs or been stood down to zero hours have found their way back into work. This is a great start. Through our collective health and economic actions, we've avoided the scale of economic pain experienced elsewhere around the world. The decline in our economy at the start of the year in the March quarter was smaller than most of the developed world. Subsequent forecasts by the OECD and the IMF have suggested that Australia's economy will be less affected than almost any developed economy in the world. In the June quarter, we've already seen falls of around 10 per cent in the United States and Germany, 14 per cent in France and more than 20 per cent in the United Kingdom. We will receive our data for Australia's economic performance next week. Our contraction will be substantial and heartbreaking, of course, but we are confident it will be much lower than in the countries that I have mentioned. Alleviating this pain, our government is providing an unprecedented level of economic support to Australians at more than $300 billion and more than 15.3 per cent of Australia's economy. It is support that is being updated and adapted as circumstances require. Last month we announced the extension of the JobKeeper program until the end of March—the single largest economic measure any Australian government has ever undertaken, at a cost of more than $100 billion alone. This week, we will legislate those changes. This will keep more businesses in business and more Australians in jobs. As well, last month we announced the extension of the JobSeeker coronavirus supplement until the end of 2020. Many other supports and reforms are being rolled out, as we both cushion the economic blow from COVID-19 and prepare the ground for economic recovery through the JobMaker plan I announced several months ago. They include the bringing forward of infrastructure investments; a major skills and training package, through JobTrainer, together with the states and territories; faster approval processes and further steps to reduce barriers to job creation and investment; and initiatives to lower gas and electricity prices to support, in particular, our manufacturers. We will have more to say on these issues as the Treasurer brings down the budget in October, when he will give further details on our JobMaker plan to take Australia out of the COVID-19 recession. There's still a long road ahead when it comes to the COVID-19 crisis, but the key to a post-COVID world has always been a vaccine, and there is hope. Through our arrangements with AstraZeneca we are working towards securing a COVID-19 vaccine for 25 million Australians. The vaccine is being developed by the University of Oxford and is currently at an advanced stage of development. If trials prove successful, safe and effective, it could be available next year. We welcome that development. Every single Australian would be able to receive the vaccine for free, and it would be rolled out in accordance with expert medical advice. We're also in advanced discussions with other vaccine candidates, including our very own CSL-University of Queensland's 'molecular clamp' vaccine, amongst others. We are backing our brightest and best to find a vaccine. In total our government is investing $256 million in vaccine medical research. In conclusion, early this year I said that, for many, this would be our toughest year ever. Sadly, this has proven true. But together we have also proven our strength. We are staring down this challenge right across the generations. Together we will see better days ahead. So today let us now claim the hope. Let's lay hold of that hope and press forward together, stronger and safer and always together. The SPEAKER 00APG The Leader of the Opposition, on indulgence. 14:22 Mr ALBANESE R36 Grayndler Thanks very much, Mr Speaker. This pandemic continues to challenge the global community. It continues to challenge us as a nation and it challenges us as individuals. Australians have shown themselves to be the resilient, courageous, determined people that all of us in this chamber know them to be. They've followed instructions under hard conditions, particularly the conditions that Victorians are experiencing at the moment. We are indeed all in this together. Australians are certainly doing their bit, and I have never been as proud to be an Australian as I have been through this difficult time. The job of an opposition leader and an opposition at times like these is to be constructive, just as it should have been during the global financial crisis. We have been constructive. We have put forward ideas in good faith and encouraged the government to get on board with those ideas. Where we think the government has got it right, we have said so and praised the government for doing so. But it's also the job of the opposition in a democracy to call things as they see them. It's the job of the opposition to hold a government to account, to make sure that each and every day the outcome is as good as it can be. To do otherwise is not to be responsible. To do otherwise is to abandon the democratic principles that are the fundamental difference between us and other regimes around the world. There are no areas that have been more critical for this than the area of aged care. The fact is that, whilst throughout the country there are some 517 people, at least, who have lost loved ones during the crisis, some 328 of them were aged-care residents and another seven were in supported home care. Every one of those Australians is valued. It's a source of heartache. My sincere condolences go to all the families and friends who have lost loved ones during this pandemic. Too many of them have had to farewell those loved ones over FaceTime. Too many aged-care workers have had to hold the hands of older Australians as they pass—older Australians who helped make this great country what it is today, older Australians who are deserving of our respect and our support, older Australians who are entitled to dignity in their later years. Aged-care residents are vulnerable. They depend on the dedicated nurses, carers and staff in facilities. I pay tribute to every one of those workers putting themselves at risk in order to provide support to these vulnerable Australians. Aged-care residents also depend upon the federal government, because it's the federal government that funds and regulates these facilities. Indeed, the Prime Minister told us so on 27 February—after question time was over, after a parliamentary week, on a Thursday afternoon in the parliamentary courtyard. He waved around a document that said: 'The Australian government will also be responsible for residential aged-care facilities. They will be responsible for establishing and maintaining infection control guidelines, healthcare safety and quality standards.' But we know that no plan was put in place. We know this from the royal commission opening statement by the counsel assisting, who said: … the evidence will reveal that neither the Commonwealth Department of Health nor the aged care regulator developed COVID-19 plan specifically for the aged care sector. The fact is that there wasn't a plan and there wasn't the action that was required. If actions speak louder than words then the Morrison government truly is 'the quiet Australian'. The fact is that this could also have been foreseen. We know from the statements. The Prime Minister said on 29 July that the complete withdrawal of the workforce was 'a new situation that had not been anticipated or foreshadowed at a state level or considered at a federal level'. In fact, a document issued by the federal health department on 29 June urged providers: 'Keep in mind that up to 80 to 100 per cent of the workforce may need to isolate in a major outbreak. There may be difficulty recruiting agency staff during an outbreak.' But it wasn't just something predicting forward, because we know that it had happened. Going back to November last year, the royal commission released its interim report. The hint is in the title. It's called Neglect. That's the title of an interim report of a royal commission established by this government—Neglect. It described the system as 'cruel and harmful', 'shocking' and 'all too often unsafe and seemingly uncaring'. It found that up to half of the residents were malnourished. They were literally starving. Here, in a wealthy country like ours, almost half the aged-care residents were literally starving—that's what the royal commission found. It found that there were too few aged-care workers and they were paid too little. But also we know that that flowed through to what happened, tragically, at the Dorothy Henderson Lodge, where six residents died. The report was given to the government in April. It was made public only because of the royal commission. It found issues with workforce and it found the problems that were there, consistent with the interim report of the royal commission. Then there was the Newmarch House report—17 deaths attributed directly to COVID. It found serious PPE shortages contributed to the outbreaks. We've heard firsthand stories of nurses and aged-care workers having to use just one glove rather than two. How do you lift a resident with one glove? The sort of pressure that these people were under. It found communications failures. This is back in March and April in New South Wales; warning bells were ringing but no-one was listening. On 10 June there was a phone hook-up with 120 people on the call, including the regulator, with people speaking up, crying out for support. That's outlined in such detail in The Saturday Paper of last week. But for this government the buck never stops. No-one's responsible. The motto that was used last year, 'I don't hold a hose, mate', is a flexible one for all occasions. But it is very clear that this Prime Minister and this government are responsible for aged care, very clear. On 19 August the Prime Minister said: … we regulate aged care, but when there is a public health pandemic … then they are things that are— managed from Victoria. In the same statement he said: … when there is a public health pandemic, then public health, which, whether it gets into aged care, shopping centres, schools or anywhere else, then they are things that are matters for Victoria. There's a big difference between aged care and shopping centres. No-one's arguing that shopping centres are responsible, that there's a federal regulator or that they are federally funded—but aged care is, and that's why there needs to be responsibility. It took until today, believe it or not, that there was a media release as a result of a decision just last Friday to finally set up an aged-care advisory group. That's a positive thing, but why did it take until now? And just today, the royal commissioners themselves—not a lawyer appearing before the royal commission, not a submission to the royal commission, but the royal commissioners themselves—said this: Had the Australian Government acted upon previous reviews of aged care, the persistent problems in aged care would have been known much earlier and the suffering of many people could have been avoided. There it is, the royal commissioners. Last Friday we saw, frankly, a minister appear before the COVID-19 committee who's just not up to this task—just not up to it. I don't know what it takes to lose your job on the front bench of this government. Whether it's the minister for so-called emissions reductions—one of the great ironic titles of modern politics—or the Assistant Treasurer or the minister for aged care, there is nothing that any minister can do which is a dismissible offence. I would have thought that last Friday's performance underlined that. So we are concerned, and it's legitimate. We have a responsibility to raise these issues, and we will be raising them in this parliament, as we should, this week. We'll also continue to be constructive about a range of issues. We put forward arguments— Mr Frydenberg interjecting— Mr ALBANESE R36 Can you withdraw? I ask that that be withdrawn. The SPEAKER 00APG I didn't hear what was said, but if a member or minister made an unparliamentary remark I'd like them to withdraw. Mr Frydenberg interjecting— The SPEAKER 00APG You'll need to come to the dispatch box. Hansard needs to record it. Mr Frydenberg FKL I withdraw. Mr ALBANESE R36 The fact is that we have put forward a range of ideas on the need for borders to be shut—not just to China—that eventually were adopted. We put forward issues about entry points, temperature testing and quarantining at airports for people who were arriving—eventually, some of those were adopted. We put forward extension and support to youth allowance and Austudy that was adopted. We put forward wage subsidies that became JobKeeper. That was originally opposed, but adopted. We put forward the need to support particular sectors, such as the arts—eventually adopted. We put forward the warning, very clearly, that a snapback in September would not work. The reason why we have to have legislation is that the government told us and the Australian people that all support could be withdrawn in September. We warned about the abuse of the superannuation scheme, and we now know that there hasn't been a single cheque, but $40 billion has been withdrawn on that basis. We put forward the need to support public and social housing and to have job creation, not just the so-called HomeBuilder scheme. Above all, throughout this, we put forward a strong view that we needed to listen to the science. That's consistent with our view on other issues as well. We need to listen to the science, listen to the experts and follow that advice, and we'll continue to do so. We'll continue to put forward suggestions to the government. We are concerned about the early withdrawal of support—that it will result in a longer and deeper recession than there needs to be. We will continue to argue for support for measures such as job creation in social housing and other areas. We will continue to argue that, during the pandemic, no-one should be left behind and, during the recovery, no-one should be held back. That's our firm view. We will hold the government to account over this fortnight. It is a good thing that parliament has now resumed. I thank you, Mr Speaker, and the President of the Senate for the foresight that you've shown in supporting the measures, which are flexible and which will enable there to be parliamentary sittings during this fortnight. That's our responsibility, because we have a responsibility to the Australian people to try to be as determined—to end where I started—as courageous and as committed as they are. They have shown that commitment. They deserve nothing less than us doing our absolute best to make sure that the deliberations of the parliament this fortnight produce outcomes that improve health outcomes but also alleviate some of the economic consequences of the necessary health action which has been taken. MINISTERIAL ARRANGEMENTS 125 MINISTERIAL ARRANGEMENTS 14:38 Mr MORRISON E3L Cook I inform the House that the Minister for Veterans' Affairs and Minister for Defence Personnel will be absent from question time today and for the remainder of the week. The Deputy Prime Minister will answer questions on his behalf. The Minister for Immigration, Citizenship, Migrant Services and Multicultural Affairs will also be absent from question time today and for the remainder of the week. The Minister for Population, Cities and Urban Infrastructure will answer questions on his behalf, as the acting minister. QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE 125 QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE COVID-19: Aged Care 125 14:38 Mr ALBANESE R36 Grayndler My question is to the Prime Minister. Counsel assisting the aged care royal commission said, 'Neither the Commonwealth Department of Health nor the aged-care regulator developed a COVID-19 plan specifically for the aged-care sector.' Why didn't the Prime Minister have a plan to protect aged-care residents from COVID-19? 14:38 Mr MORRISON E3L Cook Because we had a plan. We reject the assertion that has been made and have done so in evidence that was given to the royal commission by the Secretary of the Department of Health. On 18 February, the overarching plan for the management of COVID-19, the Australian Health Sector Emergency Response Plan for Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19), was released. On 27 February, the pandemic was declared and the response plan was activated. On 2 March, the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commissioner wrote a letter to all aged-care service providers regarding planning and preparing for COVID-19. On 6 March, the Aged Care COVID-19 Preparedness Forum was held with Minister Colbeck, the chief medical officer and the aged-care sector. On 13 March the Communicable Diseases Network Australia published the National Guidelines for the Prevention, Control and Public Health Management of COVID-19 Outbreaks in Residential Care Facilities. On 17 March, medical expert panel the AHPPC released recommendations to residential aged-care facilities ensuring they are prepared to manage outbreaks for COVID-19. On 28 March the CDNA published updated COVID-19 guidelines for outbreaks in residential care facilities, updated focuses on clinical presentation in older people and updated infection control guidance. On 2 April a guide to outbreak management and guidance on alerting the department about confirmed COVID-19 cases in aged care was released. On 2 April, the Infection Control Expert Group, which reports to the AHPPC, released guidelines for infection prevention and control in residential aged care. On 22 April, the AHPPC updated advice to residential aged-care facilities about minimising the impact of COVID-19, and that was released on that day. On 19 May the CDNA released guidance for health and residential aged-care settings on considering monitoring workers for the symptoms of COVID-19. On 7 July Minister Colbeck wrote to aged-care providers reminding them to have an updated outbreak management plan. On 14 July the CDNA published updated COVID-19 guidelines for outbreaks in residential aged-care facilities. That update focused on outbreak identification and management guidance, roles and responsibilities of government agencies, and additional members for the outbreak management team. There was a plan. The plan was regularly updated and advised to the sector, and the plan continues to be implemented, with over a billion dollars of funding from this government. Mr Snowdon interjecting— The SPEAKER 00APG The member for Lingiari will cease interjecting. Mr Snowdon interjecting— The SPEAKER 00APG Yes, well, it's a long way to come to get thrown out. COVID-19 126 14:41 Mr TIM WILSON IMW Goldstein My question is to the Prime Minister. Will the Prime Minister update the House on how the Morrison government is driving Australia's economic and health recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic? 14:41 Mr MORRISON E3L Cook I thank the member for Goldstein for his question. I was very pleased to join the member for Goldstein when we connected with thousands of residents in his electorate, as we sent our support to those in Melbourne, in particular in his community, not just to provide them with the answers to their questions as they raised them in our town hall telephone meeting but also to give them encouragement and to thank them for the sacrifices they are making each and every day. We welcome the fall in the number of new cases each day in Victoria—116 today and, sadly, an additional 15 deaths, and again we send our sympathies and condolences to the families who have lost loved ones during this crisis, particularly in the last 24 hours. We are turning the corner in Victoria and, as a Commonwealth government, we are very pleased to continue to support all the efforts of the Victorian government, to assist them as they get control of what has been a very significant outbreak, as the second Victorian wave that has impacted Australia and had such a devastating effect not just in Victoria but as ripple effects across the economy, along with the other restrictions and things that have been put in place in other parts of the country that have affected so many parts of our great nation. There has been unprecedented support to our economy, as I noted in my earlier remarks, to ensure that we are there to support and aid Australians in what have been their most difficult hours during this crisis. There has been over $100 billion in support through JobKeeper alone, but also in responding with the doubling, effectively, of the JobSeeker payment through the COVID supplement, which has extended far and wide across the country, and the herculean task done by the wonderful officers at Services Australia, which at one time even included members of the Department of Parliamentary Services itself, answering phone calls in committee halls in this very building, to ensure that Australians could get access to the payments they needed to help them get through. It was an extraordinary effort from our Public Service to ensure that these incredible backlogs and numbers of those seeking assistance were able to be addressed in a matter of months, when normally that same number of applications wouldn't be seen in several years. There is also the JobMaker plan, which I set out to the nation when I spoke at the National Press Club many months ago. A keen focus of that plan is to ensure that we get young people into work, who have been most affected by this crisis, and women, who have also been most dramatically affected economically by this crisis. The good news, as the Treasurer has already highlighted today, is that those most impacted by job losses through COVID-19 are also those who are regaining their jobs now, as we continue to reopen our economy—and it is important that we do reopen our economy and that we get the balance right between the health needs and the economic needs, and we continue to stress those issues as the national cabinet meets. (Time expired) COVID-19: Aged Care 126 14:45 Mr MARLES HWQ Corio My question is to the Prime Minister. The health department says 328 aged-care residents have died from COVID-19. How many more aged-care residents have to die before the Prime Minister accepts full responsibility for keeping them safe? 14:45 Mr MORRISON E3L Cook I thank the member for his question. I join with him, and I'm sure all members in this place, as we grieve the deaths of so many Australians who've succumbed to this virus, not just those who are older but all those who've either been affected with serious illness or ultimately succumbed to that virus. The Commonwealth is responsible, as I set out in the statement the Leader of the Opposition referred to earlier, for all the issues that he referred to in his statement. I stand by that statement. The Commonwealth is responsible for the funding and the regulation of aged-care services in this country. But it is also true, in the course of a pandemic, that there are responsibilities that are held by other agencies of the federation—in particular, the state governments. So, when it comes to managing the crisis in aged care, we must work together with state governments, and that is exactly what we're doing. We are combining our responsibilities to together work to the plan that I set out, and that was set out by the government over many months and restored by its refreshing and its updating, based on the best available evidence. We are working together with the Victorian government on that plan. We both have responsibilities here. The Commonwealth is responsible for aged-care facilities when it comes to their funding and their regulation and their clinical practices, and that is what we are overseeing. But we are working together with the state government of Victoria to ensure that on the broader public health issues, when you have a pandemic of the scale we've experienced in Victoria, the two systems work together to get the best result. We share those responsibilities. That's why I speak regularly with the Victorian Premier about these issues. That's why the Victorian Aged Care Response Centre is led by the Commonwealth and is staffed by representatives of both the state government and the federal government to ensure we get the best possible response, which involves the transfer of residents to public and private hospitals in Victoria. It involves visitation by the public health officers from the Victorian government and the notification of federal officials and federal agencies when testing has been done at those facilities. It is simplistic to seek to apply such a binary representation of this issue. This is a complex pandemic. The responsibilities are clear, and we will meet our responsibilities, and we will work with everyone in this country who wants to work with us. COVID-19: Economy 127 14:48 Mr CONNELLY 282984 Stirling My question is to the Treasurer. Will the Treasurer outline to the House how the Morrison government's plan for jobs growth is supporting Australian businesses and families during this pandemic? 14:48 Mr FRYDENBERG FKL Kooyong I thank the member for Stirling for his question and acknowledge his distinguished service as an officer in the Australian Army, including serving abroad, as well as in the private sector, before coming to this place. COVID-19 is a wrecking ball through the global economy. It's helped destroy some 500 million jobs. According to the World Bank, we will see more economies contract this year as a result of COVID-19 than at any time since the year 1870. More countries will see their economies contract than at any time since the year 1870. In relation to us here in Australia, the economic cost has been very high. It's the highest right now in the state of Victoria, where people are doing it extremely tough with the stage 4 restrictions. That's why, as the Prime Minister has outlined, we're providing every resource possible both on the health side and on the economic side. But we are also seeing, outside of Victoria, the jobs starting to come back. Our effective unemployment rate is at 9.9 per cent today. It was 14.9 per cent in April. In the last two months, we've seen 340,000 new jobs—340,000 jobs have come back. Importantly, 58 per cent of those went to women and 44 per cent of those jobs went to young people. We have seen particularly strong growth in the state of New South Wales. Of the 1.3 million people who either lost their jobs or had their hours reduced to zero, more than half have now come back—around 700,000. So there is light at the end of the tunnel. The road will be bumpy, the road will be long, there is great uncertainty but there is light at the end of the tunnel. This is where the JobMaker plan is doing its work in trying to get people back into work, with tax incentives, including the accelerated depreciation at 50 per cent and the extension of the instant asset write-off. What we're doing is bringing forward around $10 billion worth of infrastructure projects—340,000 new positions and places, in terms of skills, training and education. The work we're doing is to make it easier for businesses to stay in business, whether it's e-signatures and virtual AGMs or the work that the state treasurers and I have been doing in relation to harmonising occupational licensing. And, of course, the 50 per cent wage subsidy for apprentices, and some 180,000 apprentices will benefit. This is the JobMaker plan. This is how we get people back into work after the biggest economic shock this country has ever seen. The plan is there and it is working. COVID-19: Aged Care 127 14:51 Mr ALBANESE R36 Grayndler My question is to the Prime Minister. I refer to his answer to my previous question, in which the Prime Minister claimed that there was really an aged-care plan for COVID-19, even though his own royal commission, with all its resources, days of expert evidence and access to documents, couldn't find it. After 328 aged care residents have died, why should Australians believe the Prime Minister instead of his own royal commission? 14:52 Mr MORRISON E3L Cook I have set out the plan very clearly before this House—it's updating of that plan, the communication of that plan and the implementation of that plan. I am invited to outline the timetable—again. If the members would like me to do that, I will go through it all again, if it would be of assistance to the House. We have set out that plan very clearly. That plan has been available since March of this year and has continued to be refreshed and reported to the aged-care sector and worked through in webinars and other information, including with support by the aged care quality commissioner. Assertions have been made before the royal commission, and we have rejected those assertions. We have set that out in evidence to the royal commission. I welcome the royal commission's investigation of these issues. I welcome the royal commission undertaking inquiries into these matters. In fact, I wrote to the royal commission and asked them to do that very thing. But we're all in a position where we have to back up the assertions that are made. Where an assertion is made, whether it be before the royal commission or any other place that asserts something that the government has not done, when we believe that is not correct we will correct that record, and I have done so here today. When we reflect again that 97 per cent of the aged-care facilities in this country have had no COVID cases amongst residents—97 per cent. As I said before, there have been 16 where there have been significant impacts and there have been an even smaller number where there has been an unacceptable outcome—and that is indeed true. But in 97 per cent of those facilities I know that residents and families and others know that, even in those facilities where there have been some COVID cases, they have been extremely well managed. That is a tribute to those aged-care workers and all of those who are working to keep those facilities safe, in terms of transferring of residents and providing the care that is needed in those facilities and getting those arrangements in place. We will continue to implement that plan. That plan is supported by more than $1 billion of additional investment in aged-care supports. We will continue to invest what is needed to ensure that our residents in aged care are given the dignity and the care that they deserve. COVID-19: State and Territory Border Closures 128 14:54 Dr HAINES 282335 Indi My question is to the Prime Minister. For the past seven weeks, the closure of the New South Wales-Victorian border has upended the lives of thousands of people. There is confusion, frustration, despair. In a national crisis, the role of the Prime Minister is to provide leadership to solve problems for all Australians, but yesterday the agriculture minister said the closures made him feel like a forgotten Australian. According to your own minister, the coalition governments in Canberra and Sydney have forgotten people in border communities. Prime Minister, what will you do as the national leader to resolve this border crisis? 14:55 Mr MORRISON E3L Cook I thank the member for her question and I thank her for her participation in the many exchanges that have taken place among members of this place that represent border communities in New South Wales and in Victoria—but particularly those in Victoria, who have been obviously more impacted, most impacted—about access to work or important medical services in South Australia or in New South Wales. When the decision was taken—which was an exception, I must say, to all the other border arrangements that have been put in place internally in this country—in New South Wales and Victoria, both premiers and I sat down, on the phone, and spoke about what needed to happen next, given the serious outbreak that was occurring in Victoria. The medical evidence supported, indeed necessitated, that firmer restrictions be put in place to contain the spread of what has clearly been the most significant outbreak of the virus that we have seen in Australia. The restrictions that have been put in place also involved a border commissioner being established to ensure that issues could be worked through as they arose—and there have been many, as I know the member for Indi knows. That's why I welcome, following the direct representations that have been made by the Commonwealth, including by the minister for agriculture, me and other ministers, the New South Wales government extending a 100-kilometre zone in Victoria which ensures that there can be greater movement coming out of Victoria into New South Wales to access those important job opportunities and medical care. Similarly, individual cases—and I have written at great length to the Premier of South Australia to ensure that particularly young people are getting direct access to hospitals in South Australia. The Premier and I are working directly together to ensure that those young kids are getting that attention when they need it. I will continue through the national cabinet and directly through the work of the border commissioner, which members here are very familiar with, to resolve the knotty issues caused by the establishment of that border. There are many unintended consequences, and that's why borders, in principle, within the Federation are not a good idea. We should avoid having them wherever we possibly can, and they should only be applied when the health advice absolutely demands it. In the case of New South Wales and Victoria, that is regrettably the case. I know particularly Victorians in western and northern Victoria are frustrated, as there are no cases in those areas of the community, but it is necessary for those borders to be in place so we can get past this Victorian wave. I look forward to when those borders can come down not just there but when it's safe to do so all throughout the country. COVID-19 Relief and Recovery Fund 128 14:58 Dr WEBSTER 281688 Mallee My question is to the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development. Will the Deputy Prime Minister please inform the House how the Morrison-McCormack government is supporting local industry and communities, especially those in Victoria, through its $1 billion relief and recovery fund? 14:58 Mr McCORMACK 219646 Riverina I thank the member for Mallee for her question. She represents a large electorate in north-west Victoria, a third the size of that state, and she has been working so hard for her communities, so hard for those people who want health and economic outcomes. I commend her for her work with Cross Border Commissioner James McTavish and others, and I commend members of this House and the other place also for the tireless efforts that they've have gone to to make sure that their communities get the representation and outcomes that they indeed deserve and need. I'm asked about the $1 billion relief and recovery fund. It's been an integral component, since 12 May, of our economic recovery plan. For those industries and communities hardest hit by COVID-19, it's protecting lives and it's protecting livelihoods. It's on the back of, of course, JobKeeper, JobSeeker, HomeBuilder, JobMaker—all of those programs that we have put in place to help our communities, particularly our regional communities. Our regions vary vastly in their local industry, in their produce, in their exports, in their challenges and indeed in their opportunities. The relief and recovery fund has been specifically designed to provide the support which reflects the varied nature of our communities. Six hundred and seventy million dollars of support has already been committed through this fund. The initiatives, mechanisms and procedures established or increased under the relief and recovery fund are providing support across the nation in such areas as agriculture, the arts, fisheries, tourism and aviation and such things as the International Freight Assistance Mechanism, IFAM, which has made such a difference. Daniel Byrne, export sales manager of the Midfield Group in Warrnambool, Victoria, has said about IFAM: 'What the government has done allows Australian products to remain competitive and retain crucial shelf space required for the future of Australian red meats. IFAM has enabled us to send high-end Aussie lamb, normally destined for fine dining restaurants, to alternate markets. IFAM has enabled us to save many jobs, without doubt.' And I've given up—I've lost count of the number of people who've come to me and said, 'Thank you for the assistance under the relief and recovery fund,' but also, 'Thank you for JobKeeper.' I know that, for those people, it has kept their business doors open; it has kept the lights on. Perhaps even more importantly, it has kept workers engaged with their employment, with those businesses, particularly in small business. I know they are so important. Dr Chalmers interjecting— Mr McCORMACK 219646 I hear the shadow Treasurer call out. The only small business he likes is the one that he can do a picket line out the front of! But they mean so much to us, and we want to keep them going through COVID. COVID-19: Aged Care 129 15:01 Mr ALBANESE R36 Grayndler My question is to the Prime Minister. The commissioners presiding over the aged-care royal commission said today: Had the Australian government acted upon previous reviews of aged care, the persistent problems in aged care would have been known much earlier and the suffering of many people could have been avoided. Are the royal commissioners correct? Prime Minister, what Australians are seeing in aged care could have been avoided. Why didn't the government and you act? 15:02 Mr MORRISON E3L Cook I will await the findings of the royal commission and the recommendations of the royal commission before the government responds to the royal commission, just as we have already responded to the interim report of the royal commission, which has dealt with, particularly, in-home aged-care places, and we will have the opportunity to provide further responses to those items that were raised in the interim report of the royal commission in this year's budget and, if need be, the midyear statement as well. The royal commissioners should be allowed to continue to do their work. Having commissioned it, I am keen for them to deal with all of the issues that need to be addressed and for those to be sifted through and the royal commission to be able to come to its set of findings and to provide its recommendations. But I don't propose to undertake a running commentary on the commission's hearings and commentary that is passed along the way. I think it's important that we just let the royal commission do its job, and I would ask that all members of this place would join me in supporting the royal commission to get on with its work— Opposition members interjecting— The SPEAKER 00APG Members on my left. Mr MORRISON E3L and to not seek to partisanise its activities and to adopt positions that would only seek to undermine— Opposition members interjecting— The SPEAKER 00APG Members on my left. Mr MORRISON E3L But what I would encourage people is to do just as our party did when we were in opposition and we were dealing with difficult issues in aged care. We supported the then government. The reason I called the royal commission is that there have been failings in aged care going back over decades, and, in the interim report, that was made clear—that the failings that they are dealing with go back over many, many years— Ms Burney interjecting— The SPEAKER 00APG Member for Barton. Mr MORRISON E3L and all governments have failed to measure up to the mark, including those who were members of governments previously who now sit opposite. So we are quite prepared to get the recommendations— Mr Bowen interjecting— The SPEAKER 00APG Member for McMahon. Mr MORRISON E3L of that report and its findings and to respond to those at the appropriate time. The SPEAKER 00APG Just before I call the next question, members on my left who've been interjecting: I made clear in a statement this morning that I was going to be less tolerant of poor behaviour. If it was too subtle for people, let me just be very clear. We're here in parliament and there's important work to do. I'm not going to tolerate a wall of interjections, for a whole range of reasons. If members can't work that out now, they'll work it out back in their office. The member for Bonner. COVID-19: Economy 130 15:05 Mr VASTA E0D Bonner Thank you, Mr Speaker. My question is to the Treasurer. Will the Treasurer outline to the House how the Morrison government's economic support packages are helping businesses and families in keeping people in jobs, especially in Victoria, while we get to the other side of this pandemic? 15:05 Mr FRYDENBERG FKL Kooyong I thank the member for Bonner for his question. I note his experience in small business before coming to this place and the fact that there are 5,200 businesses in his electorate benefiting from JobKeeper. Across Queensland there are 180,000 businesses benefiting from JobKeeper and already $7 billion has gone to those businesses and their staff across Queensland. The Morrison government has provided an unprecedented level of support in response to COVID-19—some $314 billion, or 15.8 per cent of GDP. That's in contrast to the states, who have provided around $48 billion worth of support, which is the equivalent of 2.4 per cent of gross state product. Our response has been initially to provide income support to families and to businesses to cushion the blow with the supply-side shock—in particular, the JobKeeper program, which has been described by the Governor of the Reserve Bank, Phil Lowe, as a remarkable program that has helped keep people in a job. Already $42 billion has gone to Australian businesses and their staff as a result of the JobKeeper payments—to people like Tony, who has a hairdressing training business in Mount Gravatt in the electorate of the member for Bonner. He described it as a lifeline for his business in helping him through the recovery. There is also Boosting Cash Flow, which is supporting 780,000 businesses—and $22 billion has already gone out the door to businesses like Wallies Lollies in Box Hill South in the great state of Victoria. There has also been, through our income support, the coronavirus supplement, which has supported 2.3 million people and has seen $9.7 billion go out the door. As well, there have been two payments of $750 each to two million pensioners and many others on income support. We've already seen $9.2 billion go to Australian households through that program. In addition to income support, there is also the targeted HomeBuilder program, the Relief and Recovery Fund and, of course, the $1.3 billion in support for the aviation industry. We are providing a range of economic supports to the Australian community to help get them to the other side. We were with the Australian community at the start of the crisis, we are with them through this crisis, and we will be with them all the way to the end of this crisis. (Time expired) Aged Care 130 15:08 Ms COLLINS HWM Franklin My question is to the Prime Minister. Why did the Prime Minister wait until now, six months into the pandemic and after hundreds of aged-care residents have died, to announce the Aged Care Advisory Group? 15:08 Mr MORRISON E3L Cook The announcement that was made was to add to an existing group that has already been established and to expand its role and expand its membership. Consistent expert advice from infection control experts and geriatricians, and a vast array of clinical experience, has been advising the government's plans on the response to aged-care needs as a result of the pandemic. That has been occurring since early this year in the preparation of the plans that I have already outlined to the House today, the refreshing of those plans and the communication of those plans throughout the country, and particularly to aged-care service providers. We have added to an arrangement that was already in place. We have expanded that. We welcome that added facility that we have put in place for those arrangements and they will continue to assist us well as we respond to this pandemic. COVID-19: Aged Care 131 15:10 Mr BROADBENT MT4 Monash My question is to the Minister for Health. Will the minister update the House on how the Morrison government is working to contain the COVID-19 outbreak in Victorian aged-care facilities, particularly through the Victorian Aged Care Response Centre? 15:10 Mr HUNT 00AMV Flinders I want to thank the member for Monash. He, like all members of this House, is focused on the deep needs and the tragedies that Victorians have faced. Before coming to this chamber today, I spoke with the Victorian Aged Care Response Centre and received information from my department. There are 126 facilities in Victoria that currently have some form of positive case, and 59 of them have staff-only cases. There are no facilities— Mr Albanese interjecting— Mr HUNT 00AMV To the Leader of the Opposition, you exhibited some interest in this topic earlier today. There are no facilities with a positive case anywhere else in Australia outside of Victoria. An opposition member interjecting— Mr HUNT 00AMV Would you like to withdraw that? The SPEAKER 00APG I heard the remark. I'm just going to say to the minister that he has the call. He'd be wise to use it. He can't compel anyone to listen to him—that's just the nature of parliament. Mr HUNT 00AMV All right. If they're not interested, I'll keep going. They can choose or not choose to listen on the topic of the aged-care response in Victoria. Critically, what we set out in January was that, in order to save and protect lives, we had to prevent community transmission. We knew that, from around the world, this is a disease that can affect the elderly. Although any Australian and any person around the world can be subject to it, it's the elderly, in particular, who we have seen to be the most susceptible. Wherever there is community transmission, there has been, in every place, a significant impact on our elderly. And that was why we closed the borders on 1 February. That's why we worked through the six stages of our national plan for the protection of the elderly against COVID, beginning with the national plan in January, which the Prime Minister set out, and the CDNA aged-care plan on 13 March, and all of the other phases. Most significantly, as part of the mass community outbreak in Victoria, we set up the Victorian Aged Care Response Centre as a joint partnership with the Victorian government. That, in particular, has seen over 448 residents transferred from aged-care homes to public and private hospitals. Under the plan, a public hospitals agreement was established back in March, a private hospitals agreement was established back in March and there was $100 million for an aged-care surge workforce. In addition to that, as part of that surge workforce plan, 17,000 shifts were filled by recruitment and 2,300 shifts were filled by Healthcare Australia. By AUSMAT, 69 residential aged-care facilities were visited. Defence had 40 clinicians, 34 officers embedded and 100 officers deployed as part of the field. We've seen the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission visit 83 centres. We've seen, most significantly, 13 hot facilities reduced to three, as of this morning's briefing with the Prime Minister. So, yes, there has been tragedy and there's more work to do, but what these people have done is work together to potentially save thousands of lives in a crisis which has ravaged one state but where the rest of the nation has been protected. COVID-19: Aged Care 131 15:13 Ms TEMPLEMAN 181810 Macquarie My question is to the Prime Minister. Why did the Prime Minister say, in July, that a complete withdrawal of an aged-care workforce could not be anticipated or foreshadowed, when that's precisely what happened at the Dorothy Henderson Lodge in March and Newmarch House in April? 15:14 Mr MORRISON E3L Cook I thank the member for her question. The context of the comment is what the questioner has failed to draw attention to. As the Acting Chief Medical Officer pointed out in our joint press conference last Friday when he was asked the same question, what we were referring to at that time was the immediate withdrawal of that workforce. That is what has occurred at the facilities that you have referred to in Victoria. This was complete in a matter of hours when that workforce was withdrawn, and that is the issue that presented the most critical challenge. It actually is the case that prior to that event, of course, workforce planning had been done for places like St Basil's and other critical facilities that were severely impacted, and with no notice, effectively, of withdrawing that workforce those plans were swung into action and as many aged-care workers were put into that facility as was humanly possible. In other facilities, we were arranging ADF people to go into facilities at about 11 o'clock at night. What was learnt out of the Newmarch process, as well as Dorothy Henderson Lodge, was the need to ensure that, when facilities were dealt with in this way, there wasn't a complete withdrawal of the workforce. That is why, following the incidents that have occurred at St Basil's and other places, we were able to get an agreement out of the Victorian government to ensure that that process of complete and immediate withdrawal was not repeated, as it was a key contributing factor to what occurred in that facility. That is an example of how the Aged Care Response Centre has been working each and every day to deal with problems and issues as they have arisen in what has been an extraordinary set of circumstances in Victorian aged care. As the Minister for Health just reminded the House, in every country where there has been extensive community transmission of the virus, it has gone and had devastating effects in aged-care facilities. In Australia, 97 per cent of facilities in this country, and just over 90 per cent in Victoria, have had no cases of COVID. That, compared to the international experience, is a testament to the great work that is being done by those officials and those working on the ground to prevent the impacts of this virus when it moves through the community—so many aged-care workers and, indeed, health workers in Victoria more broadly, as I was being briefed on only this morning. When there is community transmission, it affects all workforces, and that includes the health workforces. That is impacting hospitals. There has been an outbreak in the Frankston Hospital, and we're dealing with the transfer of residents who had been transferred to that hospital. So we will continue to deal with the issues as they arise. We will work together with the Victorian government to achieve the best results for residents who are in their care. COVID-19: Vaccine 132 15:17 Dr ALLEN 282986 Higgins My question is to the Minister for Health. Will the minister please update the House on the Morrison government's coronavirus vaccine strategy? 15:17 Mr HUNT 00AMV Flinders I want to thank the member for Higgins, who has had a distinguished career in medical research and medical treatment. We know that the search for a vaccine is one upon which the world is focused. There are over 160 clinical trials. Without a vaccine, we won't be able to return fully to the life which we have all known in the foreseeable future. This is an unfortunate and sad reality. But, at the same time, Australia is deeply engaged in the four elements of our national strategy for the vaccine. In particular, first, there is research. We have allocated over $358 million towards research in relation to vaccines, preventions, treatments and respiratory medicines. Most significantly, there's been an investment of $5 million in the University of Queensland molecular clamp. There's another vaccine round currently underway. Funding has been provided to preventions and treatments from multiple proponents. All of these things are helping to make Australia one of the leaders in the search for a cure. But there are also the other elements of our national vaccine strategy. They include, in particular, direct purchasing, international engagement through the Gavi COVAX Facility and Australian based manufacturing. In terms of the direct purchasing, we have struck the first stage of our agreement with AstraZeneca to give Australia whole-of-population access for free, for all Australians, to the AstraZeneca vaccine if it is safe and if it is effective. That is an extraordinary breakthrough. In addition, we are in the process of negotiating with other possible vaccine candidates, both within Australia and around the world. Further, we have completed the Gavi Covax Facility stage 1, which is the stage to which it has progressed so far, in which, along with other countries, we have expressed our intent to participate. If, as we expect it will, it proceeds to stage 2 and it acts as a common platform for investment in return for common participation in whichever vaccine is successful, we will be part of that. Stage 3, of course, is Australian manufacturing, and we are blessed and in a fortunate position with CSL. CSL is part of our national response, and we've been working very closely with CSL—not just the department but the Prime Minister, me, the minister for industry and others. We are very strongly placed to be able to not only acquire vaccines but distribute them to the whole population on the basis of Australian manufacture, and that comes from our national vaccine strategy plan. COVID-19: Aged Care 132 15:21 Ms COLLINS HWM Franklin My question is to the Prime Minister. Can the Prime Minister confirm that the government's own report on the COVID-19 outbreak at Dorothy Henderson Lodge warned that even well-managed providers needed help to respond to an outbreak on day one? Can he confirm he received this report in April but it was kept secret until the royal commission published it this month? Why didn't his government do the things it was told were necessary to keep aged-care residents safe? 15:21 Mr MORRISON E3L Cook The matters were raised in the report, as the member has said, but the assertion that she has made following on from that is not correct. The myriad preparations, plans and advice that were provided to the aged-care sector from the government and from its various agencies have gone to the matters that she has raised. In particular, they have gone to the issue of workforce preparation, which was the subject of quite specific advice and letters, and even webinars and projects, to the sector to that effect. I'm detecting, through the course of these questions, that the opposition is of course going to raise issues. That is appropriate in this parliament, but the assertions they're making simply aren't stacking up. What we have sought to do, and what we have been doing from the outset with this pandemic, is to ensure that we have a plan in place. That plan has been pulled together by the expert professionals here in Australia to ensure that we can be as prepared as we possibly can be. That plan has been continually informed and refreshed by the reports, whether on Dorothy Henderson Lodge or Newmarch—or the other inquiry that we have now instigated into St Basil's, by the same people who did the report on Newmarch—to ensure that the continued response that we provide and deliver on the ground addresses the learnings that come from dealing with a one-in-100-year pandemic as it impacts on the aged-care sector. As the minister himself has noted, in all states and territories other than Victoria, there are no cases. There have been significant cases in Victoria, and the key distinguishing feature between Victoria and other states and territories is the scale of the community outbreak that has occurred. To that end, I commend the New South Wales government and Premier Berejiklian, who, through their procedures, plans and protections, despite many challenges and the many outbreaks that have occurred, have been able to keep that under control. That has saved hundreds if not thousands of lives in New South Wales, and New South Wales have been able to do that while continuing with a plan of keeping the economy open and keeping people in jobs. New South Wales have proven to be the gold standard here, and I commend them for their great work. COVID-19 133 15:24 Ms BELL 282981 Moncrieff My question is to the Minister for Industry, Science and Technology. Can the minister please inform the House about how the Morrison government is backing the development of a COVID vaccine to drive our health and economic recovery? 15:24 Mrs ANDREWS 230886 McPherson I thank the member for her question. As the minister for science, I've been working very closely with Australia's national science agency, the CSIRO. The work that the CSIRO are doing is very central to international vaccine efforts. They have been working closely in this area since the start of the pandemic. They have been leading the evaluation on vaccine candidates from the UK and the US, including the very promising Oxford vaccine. Much of this research work is actually being undertaken at the Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness, which is the CSIRO's high-containment biosecurity facility in Victoria. It's actually the only lab of its kind in the Southern Hemisphere. Recently, our government invested over $220 million to enhance this very important facility. Some of the work that the CSIRO has been doing is to evaluate different administration methods of the vaccine to determine which is the most effective method. We do know that early data has enabled the vaccine from Oxford to progress on to phase 3 clinical trials, where there will be broad testing of somewhere between 30,000 and 50,000 people. Of course, the CSIRO has also been working on the University of Queensland vaccine, and trials have commenced on that vaccine here at home in Australia. Both the Oxford vaccine and the University of Queensland vaccine are very promising, and they are cause for hope. But we should all be well aware that there is no guarantee for a vaccine. There's no guarantee that either of these will be successful. But it is important that we are in the best possible position that we possibly can be when such a vaccine is made available to us. We have been very determined as a government to make sure that there are ways for us to live and to work in the COVID environment in which we find ourselves. It is very important that we look at ways that we can live and that we can work, because the first step cannot be to shut down our economy. We have been very clear from the start that this is a battle that we need to fight on a health basis and also on an economic basis. What we are seeing is work from this government to make sure that we are attacking this virus on both fronts. Our businesses are working hard to make sure that they can do all that they can to remain open, and we encourage them to do that. Together, we will make sure that Australia is in the best possible position to come through this recovery. COVID-19: Aged Care 133 15:27 Mr ALBANESE R36 Grayndler My question is to the Prime Minister. I refer to his statement: We regulate aged care but when there is a public health pandemic, then public health, which, whether it gets into aged care, shopping centres, schools or anywhere else, then they are things that are matters for Victoria. Does the Prime Minister agree that there's a fundamental difference between the Commonwealth's responsibility for shopping centres and its direct responsibility for aged-care residents? 15:28 Mr MORRISON E3L Cook The Leader of the Opposition can seek to misrepresent those phrases as he chooses in this place, but he fails to understand the point that was being made. The Commonwealth is responsible for the regulation and funding of aged care and its clinical practices; that is true. That's what happens in aged-care facilities. What I was referring to was the broader responsibilities of state governments when it comes to the management of public health and pandemics. When a state government is responsible for public health and pandemics, then they are responsible for how that applies to all aspects of what occurs in that state. That includes shopping centres, and that includes public health issues related, also, to aged-care facilities, hospitals, schools, community sporting facilities—any type of facilities that can occur. Ms Rishworth interjecting— The SPEAKER 00APG The member for Kingston is now warned! Mr MORRISON E3L Public health is the responsibility of state governments. When there is a pandemic that is reaching into aged-care facilities, then there is of course an overlap of those responsibilities. The Commonwealth has responsibilities. The state government has responsibilities. What we have done is work together. We have established the Victorian Aged Care Response Centre, led by Joe Buffone from Emergency Management Australia, bringing together a series of professionals—whether it be in the health sector or other sectors—that are responsible for ensuring we get the right outcome. Again I remind people: despite the fact that we have had unacceptable outcomes in fewer than half a dozen facilities, and a total of 16 have been considered to have had a significant impact, 97 per cent of aged-care facilities in this country have had no COVID infections. And in Victoria, where there has been a significant outbreak, more than 90 per cent have not had a COVID infection. I think the Victorian Aged Care Response Centre, under Joe's leadership, is doing a great job. I want to thank the Premier of Victoria for his cooperation, working with me, and the Minister for Health, working with his counterpart in Victoria, and the Minister for Aged Care and his counterpart in Victoria, working together to ensure that we can protect lives in aged-care facilities and throughout Victoria. COVID-19: People with Disability 134 15:30 Ms FLINT 245550 Boothby My question is to the Minister for the National Disability Insurance Scheme and Minister for Government Services. Will the minister please update the House on what steps the Morrison government has taken to ensure vulnerable Australians living with disability are supported during the COVID-19 pandemic, especially in Victoria? 15:31 Mr ROBERT HWT Fadden I thank the member for Boothby for her question and her strong advocacy for the 3,475 participants in her electorate. The government commenced planning for issues of disability when COVID started striking in February. We've followed this plan and we've been updating it ever since. Disability ministers from around the country gathered on 18 March, and we've gathered four times together to ensure the needs of people with disability throughout the pandemic are considered and responded to quickly. We established the Disability Information Helpline to provide information and support to people with disability. In early April, to build on these plans, both at the NDIS and at the national and state level through the DRC, we established an advisory group to develop and implement a further management and operational plan for people with disability, as part of the Australian health sector emergency response. The first version of this was released on 18 April. We moved quickly to provide access to personal protective equipment, PPE, from the National Medical Stockpile for self-managed participants and providers if they were unable to access it via normal channels. We've allocated currently 1½ million masks to that area. Participants who are receiving face-to-face supports in New South Wales, Victoria and now the restricted areas of Queensland are able to claim the costs of all the PPE through their plans, and providers in those areas can claim the costs of PPE directly from the agency. Indeed, in Queensland we put this in place within hours of the public health alert that came out on the weekend. We've proactively spoken to 67,000 vulnerable participants right across the country, including 7,000 participants in Victoria. Planned flexibility has been introduced, including with assistive technologies such as iPads for participants who can't leave home. For children and families, we've ensured existing core supports can be used flexibly to provide disability related supports at home to assist participants—or, frankly, to give mum or dad a break if they're caring at home for a child who would normally be at school. Additional funding is available for deep cleaning. Indeed, in Victoria we've established four very large providers as providers of last resort, to ensure additional workforce capacity and support is acquired immediately if needed, and Aspen Medical has been contracted with to provide a clinical first response. The pandemic leave disaster payments are also available, of course, for everyone in Victoria, and we're also working closely with all state governments in terms of their planning, including with Victoria, where we've been part of their Disability Rapid Response Group since 29 July. All of these measures are designed to keep people with disability safe and to ensure they continue to receive the supports that they need. On this note, I thank all of the state disability ministers for the hard work they're doing with the Commonwealth to ensure we can deliver responsibly. Mr Morrison E3L Mr Speaker, after extending question time for 25 minutes, I ask that further questions be placed on the Notice Paper. DOCUMENTS 135 DOCUMENTS Presentation 135 15:34 Mr PORTER 208884 Pearce Documents are tabled in accordance with the list circulated to honourable members earlier today. Full details of the documents will be recorded in the Votes and Proceedings. Presentation 135 15:34 The SPEAKER 00APG I present the reports of the Commonwealth Ombudsman's activities under section 65(6) of the Building and Construction Industry (Improving Productivity) Act 2016 for the periods 1 October to 31 December 2019, and 1 January to 31 March 2020. AUDITOR-GENERAL'S REPORTS 135 AUDITOR-GENERAL'S REPORTS Reports Nos 42 to 48 of 2019-20 and Nos 1 to 3 of 2020-21 135 15:35 The SPEAKER 00APG I present the Auditor-General's Audit Reports Nos 42 to 48 of 2019-20 and Nos 1 to 3 for 2020-21. Details of the reports will be recorded in the Votes and Proceedings. Documents made parliamentary papers in accordance with the resolution agreed to on 28 March 2018. BILLS 135 BILLS Family Assistance Legislation Amendment (Improving Assistance for Vulnerable and Disadvantaged Families) Bill 2020 135

Family Assistance Legislation Amendment (Improving Assistance for Vulnerable and Disadvantaged Families) Bill 2020

Second Reading 135 15:36 Mrs PHILLIPS 147140 Gilmore Childcare centre after childcare centre told me their concerns about the halving of their income. They didn't know whether centres would be eligible for the JobKeeper payment because of how they are set up, or need to be set up, to provide services and survive. They were worried about not being able to access the traineeship subsidy. As Darlene, an early educator, said: 'I feel the early childhood education care relief package is nothing more than a marketing ploy by the government to gain some extra votes and appear to be doing the right thing by Aussie families; however, what is hidden behind this blanket 'free child care for everyone' banner is the disconcerting truth that early childhood educators, without consultation, have been told to continue working, despite isolation and social-distancing rules that apply for everyone else, and in addition services will be financially worse off, forcing many services to reduce educator hours, many of whom are not entitled to the JobKeeper package.' I have raised concerns about this package with the government and, while I was pleased when they finally announced a supplementary relief package to assist, it did not solve all the problems. Then the government decided they would just snap back to the old system on 13 July. This was not a plan and it was not a solution to the problems the government has created. I just want to tell you about one preschool in my electorate which I think is a great example of the government's failings to fully consider this policy. Andrew runs the Culburra Beach Preschool. Along with preschools across Australia in April, Andrew was receiving 50 per cent of what the fees were at the end of February before being told he now had to give free child care. When numbers of children dropped, they rejigged staff rosters to adjust to lower numbers. They put in place social distancing to help protect staff and children. They also lost their director and, because of the government's JobKeeper rules, a newly employed director was not eligible. While Andrew's centre did receive JobKeeper, while they still could at least, he said that many centres didn't and it would be hard to survive. These centres provide care for vulnerable children and children of essential workers. When school went back this also sent a message for parents to send children back to child care or preschool, where social distancing is even more difficult. At school, kids either get dropped at the gate or travel by bus, but at child care families come in and want to stay with children for a while. Then the government's department sent an email to providers which said: 'We will look carefully at the government help you are receiving both through the relief package and the JobKeeper payment to consider if the care you are providing is reasonable. Providers found not to be following the requirements of the family assistance law, including the relief package, may have their payments cancelled. Services experiencing a significantly higher demand should apply for an exceptional circumstance supplementary payment.' To clarify, that's a payment that centres had applied for and that, when they received the email, they had still not received—just gobsmacking. Then, after all the difficulties they have already been put through, the government decided to rip away the one lifeline that many of these workers had: JobKeeper. They decided that early educators didn't deserve that help; they can make it on their own. You know what that meant, Deputy Speaker? More hardship for early educators, more parents without support and even more people who can't pay their bills. The government try and try again to make changes to the childcare system, but the problem, as so often with those opposite, is that they are not listening. The truth about free child care is simply that the government were spending less money than they had budgeted for the childcare subsidy—almost half a billion dollars less—so they ripped half a billion dollars from the sector on top of the revenue losses from not being able to charge fees. Then they just wanted to go back to things as they were, switching from one flawed system to another and leaving parents, children and early educators to suffer the consequences. It is absolutely vital that we have a properly funded childcare system that does not overburden our hardworking educators. It must adequately support parents to keep their employment during this unprecedented crisis. The consequences of not doing so are dire for parents, for children, for early educators and for our economy. I welcome the changes the government is making today through this bill, but again I find myself asking: what took so long? So, as I always do in this place, I will keep sharing the stories from my community until those opposite stand up and listen. 15:42 Mr KEOGH 249147 Burt Young families have been hit exceptionally hard by the COVID-19 pandemic in a double-fisted blow. First, young people—specifically women—were the first to lose their jobs en masse in the pandemic. Second, childcare fees were reintroduced and JobKeeper payments for childcare staff slashed well before this pandemic has come anywhere near an end. But I am very happy to stand here today to speak on the Family Assistance Legislation Amendment (Improving Assistance for Vulnerable and Disadvantaged Families) Bill 2020, which seeks to support our most vulnerable children and their families and provide some stability in their lives. It wasn't long ago that we were here in this place debating the first round of touch-ups that the government needed to make to their new childcare subsidy system. We in Labor were pleased to support those changes late last year. They were sensible and overdue fixes to some of the most obvious flaws in the government's childcare subsidy system. They were changes which Labor, families and the early learning sector had been calling for for more than a year. I'm pleased to be back here again to help the government to fix some more flaws in their system, and I'm pleased that we are able to be here in this place to debate this bill. The additional childcare subsidy for child wellbeing is a vital program that seeks to provide a safe and nurturing learning environment for children in extremely vulnerable situations at home. For most of these children, it can be the difference between being able to stay at home and having to go into the child protection system. In Perth's south-eastern suburbs, which I represent, there are around 570 kids in care, and the WA Department of Communities' Child Protection and Family Support service engage up with 50 new families a month. Further to this, about one in seven families with children up to the age of five are in the lowest income bracket. If we do nothing, 55 per cent of these children won't be given assistance to move out of poverty as they come into adulthood. It is vital that legislation like that which is before us today be enacted and that the children in my community get the support that they need to rely on. It's critical that the government treat this program with sensitivity and ensure families and providers are not overly burdened with red tape. When this government introduced a number of new requirements and rules that restricted access to the additional childcare subsidy in July 2019, as a father of a two-year-old at the time I had to deal with mountains of online paperwork in applying for the subsidy scheme, which I had to work through, of course, with my wife. Now, between my wife and me, we hold five degrees, including two law degrees, and we experienced great confusion and difficulty working our way through a mind-boggling rigmarole of calculations, data input and information that had to be provided to access this system. The system is clearly broken. If we had trouble with it, how on earth are the majority of Australians going to be able to grapple with this system that the government has created, especially those families and others who are trying to support children most in need in our communities? So I have a great deal of sympathy for the difficulties that all Australians have had in engaging with this system. This third-term government likes to bang the drum about cutting red tape, but we know that in fact it's more interested in getting a headline than in helping people. They go out of their way to increase red tape for vulnerable families and the childcare providers that are trying to help them. In the first six months of the new system, the number of children receiving the child wellbeing subsidy collapsed by 21 per cent. These numbers have since recovered to pre-July-2018 levels, but only after significant effort and resources from the providers. To help vulnerable children get the support that they need, it is vital that we fix some of these design flaws in this system that was created by this government. Doing so has been a far, far too long time coming. But the Liberal childcare system still has many other serious flaws. This is a system that leaves one in four families worse off. It's apparently a design feature that access to early education and child care is reduced for some 279,000 Australian families. It is a system about which only 40 per cent of the providers and only 41 per cent of the families using it told the independent evaluation reviewers that it had resulted in positive change. Eighty-three per cent of parents told the evaluation that the new system had had no impact on their work or study. It's a system that has been forcing childcare providers to act as unpaid debt collectors for the government, because families are struggling to stay on top of complicated activity and means tests. Childcare fees are already out of control under this new system. The latest data shows that fees in Perth's south-eastern suburbs, including the areas that I represent, have increased by almost six per cent over the 12 months to December 2019, which is well above the 4.6 per cent that we saw nationally, let alone the rate of CPI increase in Western Australia, which was only 1.8 per cent for the same period. More tellingly, to pay for this six per cent increase in fees, wages to December 2019 in Western Australia only increased by 2.2 per cent. These are the high fees that the Morrison government have chosen to lump onto local families—and, again, by snapping back their old childcare system with no extra support to bring down these out-of-pocket costs. The data shows that, before the pandemic, out-of-pocket childcare costs were taking a huge chunk out of household budgets. Now, in the middle of a recession, when families are struggling to get by, these fees mean access to these services continues to be out of reach for many who need them. Families who have taken a pay cut over the last few months can be forced to give up child care and early childhood education altogether. Childcare centres are forced to turn parents away. If families are forced to withdraw their children from early learning, it is the worst-case scenario for everyone. Parents then have to turn down work, children miss out on early education opportunities, and providers suffer from a drop in demand, which of course changes their viability as a business as well. Families are now paying, on average, $3,800 a year more for early education and child care under this government. The government were very confident that their new system would 'put downward pressure' on fees and that they were driving down the cost of child care, but any evidence of this remains to be seen. In fact, it is quite the opposite. The government's bungling of childcare subsidies has meant that centres that were going to close due to the COVID pandemic have now had to increase their fees. This isn't the fault of the early learning and childcare centres; it is due to the unwillingness of the government to help struggling families and the centres that are trying to support them. Early learning providers and childcare centres have been done over by this government. The hoops that they had to jump through to gain government support through this COVID pandemic have been extreme, and they were the first to have the rug pulled out from under them by having JobKeeper for them completely cut, early, before anybody else. I was inundated with cries for help from childcare providers during the height of the pandemic in Western Australia, with many centres telling me of a decline in attendance, the insufficiency of the government subsidies and their apprehension about what the end of those supports would mean for the centres and their families. This government has absolutely no idea. It has no plan for how to bring these fees under control. The Morrison government must ensure that early education is affordable, that it's accessible, that it remains high quality and that it supports our families in our communities, especially our most vulnerable families, who are relying on this care and assistance. Can you imagine being the operator of a childcare service, an early education service, in our country this year? You're already under the pressure of having to increase fees, which is putting the pressure onto families. We then encounter a pandemic, which sees children withdrawn from child care as their parents become unemployed, as they suffer the health problems and lockdowns. Then the government turns around and says, 'We'll provide you support,' and designs that support in such a way that, for many childcare centres, they face even greater pressure and difficulty. And then, just when you think there is a glimmer of hope, it puts further pressure on families by putting those fees back onto families and removing JobKeeper from childcare support services at the very same time. This government can't have it both ways. It needs to actually support our childcare services, it needs to support early education, it needs to support families that need to rely on it and, critically, it needs to support the most at-risk children in our society by making sure that this system works properly. 15:51 Ms STEGGALL 175696 Warringah I rise to speak on the Family Assistance Legislation Amendment (Improving Assistance for Vulnerable and Disadvantaged Families) Bill 2020. This bill makes important amendments to the legislation governing childcare assistance, with a focus on vulnerable and disadvantaged families or those who might be in less conventional family situations. The bill makes amendments to the A New Tax System (Family Assistance) Act 1999 by extending the backdating of additional childcare subsidy (child wellbeing) certificates and determinations from 28 days to up to 13 weeks in defined exceptional circumstances. The bill also extends the period from 13 weeks to up to 12 months in which additional childcare subsidy determinations can be made for certain defined classes of children, such as children on a long-term protection orders, including those in foster care. A further amendment will clarify that a provider is eligible for additional childcare subsidy for certain children, such as foster children. I support this bill and the measures to make it easier for families in difficult circumstances to access child care. I'd like to acknowledge and thank the childcare workers across Australia, in particular in Warringah, who have been on the front line of the response to COVID-19. They have endured numerous changes in their conditions throughout the pandemic response and are now precluded from access to JobKeeper payments. The legislation is important in making it easier for families in unconventional situations to access the additional childcare subsidy. However, given this legislation was introduced prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, it does not go far enough and, I suggest, is an opportunity missed. There are wideranging issues within the childcare sector that need to be addressed. The affordability of services for families has become an increasingly important concern. Similarly, the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the impacts of interruptions to services on the children in care as well as on their families and their ability to re-engage with work. In Australia we have one of the most expensive childcare systems in the world. The pandemic has shown that there are serious issues with the sustainability of the current model. We must take this opportunity to look at it and look for a new way to deal with child care. This particular bill is important to address inequalities that existed in the availability of the additional childcare subsidy scheme between those with traditional families and those with foster children. In speaking with interest groups, such as The Parenthood group, they recognise that this legislation is important to fix gaps in the current system. They argue, and I join my voice to theirs, that more needs to be done to address the broader issues in Australia. Whilst this legislation is necessary and it is an ethical thing to do to improve access for disadvantaged and vulnerable families in our community, as I've said, more needs to be done. I've received a significant amount of correspondence from families, childcare centres, family day care providers and other interest groups in my electorate in recent months on the issue of child care. Since the start of this pandemic, there has been no solution implemented that satisfies parents, childcare centres and professionals. While childcare centres were struggling with falling attendance at the outset of the pandemic, parents too were finding it difficult to work from home with young children around. When the government announced free child care for all, parents were overwhelmingly pleased with the outcome. However, in many places—and in Warringah, perhaps more so than other electorates—childcare centres suffered greatly as the level of funding did not match the operational costs of centres. Many childcare centres saw their revenue cut by up to two-thirds. This was an unsustainable situation for childcare centres. We received numerous representations from childcare centres and parents alike, fearing the closure of centres due to the unsustainable operating model forced upon them. Then we have the return to the childcare subsidy scheme, which has been welcomed by providers due to the compatibility with their existing business models, but that change has now impacted families. The Parenthood group conducted a survey of 2,200 households in June, which found more than half—some 60 per cent of Australian households using child care—would have a parent forced to reduce work when full childcare fees returned and in 68 per cent of those households the parent who would stop or reduce work would be a woman. Affordability of child care for families was already an issue prior to COVID-19. Now, with an increased number of people out of work, particularly women, access to affordable child care is a key factor in decision-making about how and when to return to work. On average, Australian families sending their children to child care pay between 30 and 40 per cent of their household income, when—and it's important to appreciate the difference—the OECD average is just 11 per cent. The bulk of the caring responsibility in Australia still falls to Australian women. The Grattan Institute recently pointed out that, even before COVID-19, Australian women were doing 2.2 fewer hours of paid work on average but 2.3 more hours of unpaid work than men every day. A decade after the birth of the first child, the average mother does more caring and twice as much household work as the average father. The value of early childhood education to the wellbeing and development of our future leaders is well documented. Conversely, the impact on children of the interruption to childcare services can drive learning difficulties and mental health challenges for young Australians. These are not the outcomes we want. The need for consistency at a young age is paramount to our young people's success. There is a solid business case for greater investment in childcare affordability. The Grattan Institute calculated that the return is more than two to one. Should the federal government spend an extra $5 billion a year on childcare subsidies, the pay-off would be an $11 billion a year increase in GDP from the boost to workforce participation, and $150,000 in higher lifetime earnings for the typical Australian mother. I would urge the coalition government, as a government focused on economic policy, to look at this sector and make the necessary changes. This would be a great step towards improving gender parity in earnings for Australian men and women. Similarly, reforms to the parental leave scheme could also contribute to enhancing male participation in caring and unpaid work responsibilities. Given the disproportionate impact of the COVID-19 recession on women and female dominated industries, solutions for how to get women back into the workforce should be front of mind for the government in planning stimulus and recovery packages. Sadly, there has not been any such focus. At the recent Women's Job Creation Forum led by Minister Payne, child care was not on the agenda. In conclusion, while I support this legislation, I urge the government to look further at the childcare system in place in Australia and develop a new legislation to make it affordable to all Australians. I urge the Minister for Women, the Minister for Education and the minister for social services to work closely together on these issues, because an integrated solution is required to make sure we can recover and come out stronger on the other side of this recession. We know that child care is good at getting women into the paid workforce and we know that it is important for the development of our children. Both of these elements contribute to a solid return on investment—let alone the ethical question. Our childcare sector needs work, and it is in the best interests of all of Australia to invest in it. I urge the government to do so. 16:00 Ms THWAITES 282212 Jagajaga Thank you to everyone who has enabled me to be present through this technology and allowed our parliament to catch up with workplaces across Australia so that we can all be representing our constituents this week. In fact, being able to use this technology today means that I started my day by dropping my daughter off at her early education centre. And so I feel very passionate in speaking about this Family Assistance Legislation Amendment (Improving Assistance for Vulnerable and Disadvantaged Families) Bill 2020 because I see firsthand the hard work of our early educators at this time. I know how important the work they do is for our children and for Australian families and I know that they are feeling unsupported by this government at this difficult, difficult time. This bill is important for children from vulnerable and disadvantaged families, but the most critical action the government could make for vulnerable children and the early education sector right now is to reverse their snapback policy which removed the JobKeeper payment from early education workers. It is critical to our country's future that we have an early education system that's equally accessible to everyone. That's not what we have in Australia at the moment. Instead, we have a system where vulnerable children are at risk of being shut out and missing out on the vital preparation they need to start school. We have a system where, even before this pandemic and recession, Australian families were paying some of the highest fees in the developed world for child care, and current economic circumstances make those fees even more of a burden for Australian families. We have a system where this government has abandoned our early childhood educators, targeting them as the one sector to have JobKeeper removed and leaving many workers without pay at this time. Australian families and Australian workers deserve better. I've spoken before in the chamber about how vital early education is to giving our children the best start in life, and I don't think I need to run through all that evidence again. But I do need to highlight that early childhood education is particularly important for vulnerable children and those from disadvantaged backgrounds. Early evidence from this pandemic tells us that, as a result of COVID disruptions, too many of these children have now lost contact with their early education centres, which puts them at increased risk of starting school at a disadvantage. While this amendment will provide some continuity of care for children at risk of abuse or neglect, it doesn't go nearly far enough, given current circumstances. Without additional support, these children are now at increased risk of starting school even further behind or in fact not engaging with our education system again. Of course, the very people who are in a leading position to reach out and help these vulnerable children are the people who've been thrown under a bus by this government. Early childhood educators and providers have been treated disgracefully. They are the one sector in this country to have had JobKeeper ripped away. I—like most of my colleagues in Melbourne, I'm sure—have spent a good part of the last three weeks talking with early childhood educators in my community. I can tell you they are angry, they are upset, and they feel as though they've been actively discriminated against by this government at a time when they are putting themselves at risk and being asked to do frontline work. I'll list some of the people I've heard from in these three weeks. There was a 59-year-old early childhood educator who was stood down without pay for six weeks. Her husband is retired, and this has a significant impact on their family income. There is a provider in Macleod who is trying to do the right thing by her employees. In fact, she doesn't want to stand any of them down. She's been trying to keep everyone employed and trying to provide places to children of frontline workers, and yet she's not getting enough financial support from this government to be able to do that. I spoke with early childhood educators from Eltham North, who are feeling unseen and unheard and are worried about their future. I will quote from what they sent to me, because it reflects how our early childhood educators feel so badly let down by this government at this time. They said: 'The loss of JobKeeper has really upset a number of educators in early childhood education, and it's heartbreaking not being able to provide certainty to the educators who are so passionate about the job they do every day. They've been left feeling extremely undervalued, especially since they've showed up to work every single day since the COVID-19 pandemic began. They've constantly been made to adapt to a variety of changes, sometimes with little to no warning at all. Still, they come to work and provide high quality education to the children and provide continuous support to families each and every day with a smile on their faces even when they're going through their own personal challenges.' What an indictment on this government that these are the people that they have cut off from JobKeeper and that these are the people they're not giving support to. I wrote to Minister Tehan to highlight this problem over a week ago. I haven't had a response yet. In fact, I note, looking at this debate today, that there are no members from Victoria on the other side speaking on this legislation, either remotely or in the chamber. I refuse to believe that their constituents haven't been coming to them and talking to them about this problem as well. Do they just not care? Do they not want to stand up for early education workers? It really is a disgrace that, at a time when we're asking these people to be on the frontline, we are not giving them the support they so desperately need. More broadly, Australian women must be getting used to this government failing to acknowledge them, even as they are the hardest hit by the effects of this recession. More women than men have lost their jobs or had their income reduced. More women than men have had to scale back their hours at work or take on the responsibility for home schooling, caring or cleaning. We know the data tells us that in Australia women spend 64 per cent of their average working hours each week on unpaid work compared to 46 per cent for men. During the pandemic, we've seen mothers spending an extra hour each day on unpaid house work and four extra hours on child care. If we look at all the things that this bill fails to do, we'll see that it fails to make Australian child care more affordable, and we know that is going to hit women hard. This pandemic highlighted what we knew to be a huge problem in this space—that is, the cost. Before the pandemic started, we saw the cost of child care continue to go up and up under this government. The cost of living was continuing to increase, wages stagnated and families were feeling the strain of ever increasing fees, and yet, again, the government has failed to address this. At a time when people are losing their jobs and losing income, this government is doing nothing to make child care more affordable for these families. The cost of child care had already increased by 7.2 per cent in one year alone before the pandemic hit. We've had recent analysis from the Grattan Institute highlighting how the cost of child care is a disincentive, keeping Australian women out of the workforce or from working beyond part-time hours. The Grattan Institute suggested that, for an extra investment of $5 billion a year on childcare subsidies, we could create an $11 billion increase in the GDP from increased workforce participation. At the same time, we could boost the earnings of the typical Australian mother by $150,000. How important could that be at this time? There would be more women able to work and more jobs for women in a female-dominated industry, like early childhood education. But are we getting any of this from this government? Not at all. In fact, we've got a government targeting stimulus in male dominated industries such as construction while cutting off areas where women are working, like early education, and making it too expensive for Australian women to afford child care so that they can work where needed. This is an important bill, but it doesn't address the important issues at this time. It doesn't support our early-childhood education workers on the front line. It doesn't make child care more affordable for Australian women and Australian families who are struggling through this pandemic. I urge the government to think carefully about what more it needs to do. It's leaving too many people behind. It's left too many workers without the support they need at this time. It's urgent that it acts now. 16:10 Ms COKER 263547 Corangamite I rise to support the amendment moved by the member for Kingston. Labor will support this bill, the Family Assistance Legislation Amendment (Improving Assistance for Vulnerable and Disadvantaged Families) Bill 2020, which makes several changes to improve assistance to vulnerable and disadvantaged families. But let's be clear: this legislation is yet another in a long list of 'told you so' moments. It's another example of a government that repeatedly gets it half right and half wrong, and ultimately it's working people and families who suffer. I will return to this later. The additional childcare subsidy for child wellbeing, or ACCS, is a vital program which ensures children in extremely vulnerable situations at home are provided with a safe and nurturing learning environment. For many of these children it can make the difference between staying at home and entering the child protection system. In July 2018 this coalition government introduced a range of requirements, resulting in restricted access to an additional childcare subsidy. These changes included: reducing the initial approval period from 13 weeks to six weeks; approving eligibility certificates for only 13-week periods; only allowing 28 days of backdating of ACCS payments; and refusing applications that aren't approved by Centrelink in 28 days, regardless of merit. The government ignored warnings from both Labor and the sector that these changes would have a detrimental impact on vulnerable families—and we were right. In the six months following the July 2018 changes, the number of children receiving the child wellbeing subsidy collapsed by 21 per cent. These numbers returned to pre-July-2018 levels, but only after significant effort and an injection of resources from providers themselves. Shockingly, in Senate estimates the department said that it wasn't concerned about the drop. They also confessed they weren't even tracking if families had dropped out of the system. Despite this disappointing performance, the bill is a step towards reducing the administrative burden on early-learning providers and at-risk families. It provides greater financial security to these families with four key improvements: firstly, by amending provider eligible enrolment, providers will now be able to enrol children in child protection rather than via a parent or foster carer for up to 13 weeks while the parent or foster carer is applying for a CRN and CCS through Centrelink; secondly, providers may apply to ACCS to be back-paid up to 13 weeks instead of the current 28 days; thirdly, providers will be able to access ACCS determinations for up to 12 months for children on long-term child protection orders or in foster care, rather than the current 13 weeks; and, lastly, the calculation of annual income for couples who haven't been a couple for a full year will change to ensure that childcare support eligibility more accurately reflects the proportion of time they've been together. The sector worked with the department on this bill, and they are supportive of it. Labor will support these changes because they will fix some of the design flaws in the government's system and will help get vulnerable children the support they need. But, having said this, the Liberals are just tinkering at the edges of a seriously flawed system and are not invested in supporting service providers, educators, families or even employers by providing a world-class, accessible early-childhood education system. Early evaluations of the supposedly overhauled package this government introduced in 2018 indicate that one in four families is worse off. A full evaluation report is due in 2021, but initial evidence demonstrates that the government has let down this sector and, importantly, the families that rely on these services. Many providers say the 2018 package was onerous and placed a heavy burden upon them. Providers expressed concerns about the IT system. Issues with the operation of the additional childcare subsidy were also reported, which, hopefully, today's bill addresses; and to date, whilst some providers have introduced shorter sessions, the charges for these services are often prohibitively high. Notably, only 41 per cent of families reported to the independent reviewers that the system has resulted in positive change for them. What we have seen is an IT system that has sent out blunt letters telling around 91,000 families to date that they owe the government money—without any explanation. This is just more evidence that the system is too complex and is not working for families. In 2018 the government boasted that their new system would put downward pressure on fees and that they were driving down the cost of child care. But the reality is that CPI figures show that childcare costs increased 1.9 per cent in the December quarter of 2019 and had increased by 7.2 per cent in that 12-month period. Disgracefully, fees have risen by 34 per cent in seven years under this Liberal-National government. This is bad enough—in particular, punishing women who need to return to work. And now this pandemic is exposing the deep flaws not only in early childhood education but also in aged care. And who is suffering? Our youngest, our most vulnerable and our frontline workers. The Minister for Education last year claimed that Labor plans for taxpayer funding of early education and care were 'communism'—and then COVID-19 hit and, suddenly, free child care sounded like a good idea. 'Centres would be opened and kept open, enrolments would be maintained, and staff would not be worse off.' But we know this is not the case. In today's Age we hear from several early years educators that their hours and pay have been significantly reduced or they have been stood down. It does not help that, on 20 June, the Minister for Education announced that JobKeeper was being ripped away from this sector. The Prime Minister's rescue package for Victoria's early years sector has also failed to protect the jobs of many early years educators. The Prime Minister boasted at the announcement on 5 August that the package would secure childcare spots while ensuring no centre closed or no jobs were lost. It would be a triple guarantee with no job losses and no fees for parents. But what we are finding is that this triple guarantee is not worth the paper it is written on. These rushed measures are complex and confusing, leaving many service providers wondering how the package will ensure their ongoing viability. We know that attendance numbers are significantly reduced. Staff are being sent home. Some of our most underpaid workers are now experiencing financial hardship from significantly reduced hours and no JobKeeper assistance. And many casual workers from the sector have joined the unemployment queue. Importantly, the transition payment introduced as part of the Victorian package was meant to be a replacement for JobKeeper and directly protect the wages of early years educators—or so we thought. Nothing in the transition program ensures that any of the money is used by service providers to protect educators take-home pay. The transition payments included a so-called employment guarantee stating that service providers must maintain existing employment levels and may not terminate an employee other than for misconduct. This guarantee is just not working. One local educator who wanted to remain anonymous because she was afraid of losing her job said: 'I was stood down with no pay on Tuesday. I was waiting for government support but received none. It has been an extremely stressful time for myself and my colleagues, some of whom are single mums. We've been caring for the community's precious children while feeling that weight of uncertainty, stress and doubt about our own financial future. How are we going to pay the bills? Most of us used annual leave in the first lockdown. I will have to apply for Centrelink to survive. The government has let us down.' The government are not protecting workers, services or families with their flawed system and their flawed transition programs for Victorians who are doing it hard during this pandemic. We know that with a stroke of the pen the Treasurer can extend JobKeeper to all early-years educators and give these frontline workers some certainty. We ask the Treasurer to act now, because two-thirds of the sector have no protection and are not covered by the Prime Minister's so-called guarantee. The plight of the sector in Victoria aside, the broader picture is that free child care ended on 12 July and JobKeeper assistance for the sector ended on 20 July, despite the fact that it was supposed to remain until September. Early-years education services providers are receiving only 80 per cent of their usual fee revenue as the system transitions back to the so-called normal system, but our economy isn't anywhere near normal, with double-digit unemployment and nearly 20 per cent underemployment. It is scandalous that this government thinks it can snap the early childcare system back to normal when many families cannot afford the gap fees and are losing jobs. It means parents rebuilding their small businesses or women who wanted to return to work will instead have their little ones around their ankles rather than in care, like Dee Behan, who was quoted in an ABC story on 9 June. Dee had a six-month plan to rebuild her graphic design business, but now a return to the co-payment means withdrawing her son, Max, from care again. Parents like Dee needed the free child care. The problem was that it excluded many parents returning to work and many providers were left with less revenue than they previously had or were shut out of the system altogether. Now we're returning to the system built for five per cent unemployment, not the 12 per cent we're currently experiencing along with massive underemployment. This bill we are debating is just another example of legislation that can only visit the edges. It does little to fix the mess of the government's own making—in this case, the additional childcare subsidy for child wellbeing. Labor supports fixing this mess, but there is so much more to do. I call on the Morrison government to do its job and fix the system, because it's not working. 16:22 Mr BURNS 278522 Macnamara I hope you can all hear me from one of Melbourne's finest suburbs, St Kilda. I'm very pleased to be representing this local area, and I thank all of the staff and all of the people in the parliament who have helped make this virtual contribution possible. These really are historic times that we're all living in right now, and I know that the efforts of many to make our democracy tick over are very much appreciated. So I start my contributions by saying thank you. I also would like briefly to acknowledge the traditional owners of the land I'm calling from, the Boonwurrung people, and pay my respects to their elders past, present and emerging. This pandemic really has tested many of us. It has brought out the best in many Australians, and we've seen our frontline workers really do more than their fair share in this pandemic. But, unfortunately, it hasn't brought out the best in some members of our government. Unfortunately, I would say that the minister responsible for this area has had some really disappointing decisions that have been made. I'm very pleased to see the shadow minister in the chamber with us this afternoon, because she has been a consistent voice of reason throughout this entire pandemic and someone who has stood up for educators, for parents and for people in my electorate, who are some of the hardest hit in the entire country. So I want to thank her for all of her efforts. This bill, the Family Assistance Legislation Amendment (Improving Assistance for Vulnerable and Disadvantaged Families) Bill 2020, is one that the Labor Party does support. But, just as the second reading amendment put forward by the member for Kingston, the shadow minister, says, this issue is far bigger than just this bill, and there are serious issues in our early childhood education and childcare sector that we need to be addressing right now. Despite the government opposing the wage subsidy from the very beginning of this pandemic, despite the government pushing back against the suggestion of the Labor Party and the broader labour movement that we needed a wage subsidy, I think all Australians were relieved when the Prime Minister and the Treasurer announced there was going to be a wage subsidy during this pandemic. At the time Australians were relieved that that wage subsidy was going to last until at least September. But, unfortunately, despite the government committing to the wage subsidy, JobKeeper, being around until at least September, only four days after making that promise, the first group the Prime Minister decided to take the JobKeeper subsidy away from was our early educators and childcare workers. There are many people around the country who are really struggling because they're being left off receiving the JobKeeper subsidy. In my electorate we've had job losses in the university sector and in local government, and arts and entertainment is one of the hardest hit industries. But there is a certain sense of cruelty to pick on this industry and to pick on the workers who, throughout this pandemic, have put themselves on the frontline to look after our children, to make sure they are having the experiences that they should be having at this time, only to be told that their job security and their JobKeeper subsidy was going to be taken away. Unfortunately, it's a reflection of the government's attitude to this sector and to the workers in this sector, who really deserve a whole lot more. We didn't get everything right at the last election, but I would say that our policy to support the workforce, to support our early education and childcare workers with a much-needed pay rise and with the respect that they deserve in their industry, is in stark contrast to the Prime Minister and the Treasurer breaking their promise to support the workforce all the way up to September. It couldn't be more stark, and it couldn't be a more important time for the Prime Minister and the Treasurer to be supporting this female dominated workforce. The other point I wanted to make was to show how important our early education sector has been in this pandemic. In the great electorate of Macnamara, the biggest local council authority is the City of Port Phillip. Last year they decided they were going to look at potentially taking council out of the council-run childcare services in the City of Port Phillip. It was a really frustrating time and it was a really disappointing move by the council, because the council-run services are really good, and the council supported services, the community-run services, are also of an extremely high quality, with two services in my local electorate having an 'excellent' rating—and it is quite rare to have that in services so close to each other. These are extremely high quality services that are relatively affordable compared to some of the local for-profit providers. The City of Port Phillip decided to look at potentially privatising of some of their services. This was a move that divided the council. After this move was announced, a group of local parents and educators, along with union representatives and the state member for Albert Park, my good friend Martin Foley, and I got together and decided to push back against the City of Port Phillip taking themselves out of the council-run services. I am so pleased that, in the last couple of weeks, the City of Port Phillip announced that they will not be proceeding with this plan. The Save Childcare in Port Phillip group had a decisive victory in standing up for their local community and reversing the council's decision to take themselves out of the council-run childcare services. The council reversed their decision because they recognised the importance of our early education sector in these times. At the moment child care is not just about giving parents a chop-out during the day; child care is a pathway back to work in these extraordinary times. Child care and early education are crucial to our essential workers being able to make sure supply lines and healthcare services are available to the broader community. Our childcare and early education services are the linchpin that keeps society together. I think that was reflected in the City of Port Phillip's decision to maintain their commitment to early education and child care. But, unfortunately, it hasn't been reflected in the federal government's decision to rip JobKeeper away and provide uncertainty to our workforce and to our staff, who are doing a herculean job over this period. I want to acknowledge the member for Kingston, who joined me at a roundtable in my electorate where we met with a combination of council-run and community-run services, family daycare providers, union representatives and a really impressive and committed bunch of early educators, who all shared the shadow minister's commitment to the sector. They were speaking not about their own welfare but about the welfare of their industry and the welfare of their colleagues. I just want to reiterate a point that's been made to the government a number of times. The Labor Party hasn't been seeking to undermine the government's effort; we've been seeking to stand up for the interests of those in the industry. Throughout this pandemic the government seems to be consistently forgetting that we need certainty for our workforce, and we need certainty for our providers and parents. In the last month or so Victoria has experienced probably the darkest and hardest days in our state in a very, very long time. I can see that a lot of my colleagues are joining in virtually today. As MPs and representatives in this place, we are deeply concerned about our communities, we're deeply concerned about our elders and we are concerned that this pandemic has stretched people's patience and has taken so much away from so many. The least we can do is provide the certainty that the government showed at the start of this pandemic to not only make sure that young families have the support they need to get their kids into early education services but also to make sure that staff and the workforce receive JobKeeper. Instead, despite all of the turmoil and struggle that we've seen in Victoria, the government has disappointingly decided to snap back to the Liberal Party's politics of old and to take certainty away from our workforce and our providers. It's been really difficult to watch and really frustrating, at times, for families. The Labor Party supports this bill, but, to be fair, we believe that the government needs to do much better in this sector. The government fought against the JobKeeper subsidy from the very beginning, reluctantly introducing it after much pushing by the broader labour movement. JobKeeper has made a deep and profound difference to the lives of Australians. It was extremely disappointing to have JobKeeper removed from early education services, especially for Victorians. Members of the Victorian community can't even have friends and family over for dinner, yet the government wants to reduce the only thing that's keeping them above ground—their JobKeeper support payments. I think the Leader of the Opposition is a hundred per cent right in saying that the circumstances of this pandemic need to be taken into consideration when the government decide on the sort of support they are giving to the Victorian community and the Australian community. Now is not the time to be taking away. Now is the time to be supporting Victorians and now is the time to be supporting people in our workforces right across the country, and it is absolutely the time to be supporting our early educators, because for too long they have worked too hard for too little and have been underpaid and undervalued in our society. I think that we, as a parliament, need to not just take steps to support families but take more profound steps to support our early educators. As a political tragic sometimes, I was watching the Democratic convention, in the background, over the last week, and one piece of policy that stuck with me was from Senator Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, when she spoke about child care. We often talk about infrastructure and how crucial it is. The more roads we build, the more train lines we build, the better it can help support businesses and the better it can help support companies to move freight, to trade, to move products. Well, child care is the infrastructure for families. It is the infrastructure for our families to be able to get back to work. It is the basic foundation that we need to be setting up in our society to make sure that parents, and especially women, can return to the workforce. We are the poorer for putting up barriers to women returning to the workforce. Throughout this pandemic, there have been too many Australians out of work. We need to be doing everything we can as a society to make sure that there are pathways back to work for Australian workers. While it has been wonderful, personally, to be able to stay home and spend more time with my family, it is a cold hard fact that women do more than men at home in our country and they do it without pay. As men, we can absolutely do better at this and it's something that we need to do better at. But as a society, we need to make sure that the pathways back to work for Australian women are not blocked by unaffordable childcare and by the sorts of barriers that we're talking about today. We need to be supporting our early educators, we need to be supporting families and we need to be supporting people throughout these extraordinary times. What that looks like is certainty. What that looks like is making sure that we do not snap back—that we are assessing the pandemic on the times that are before us. In Victoria, now is not the time to be making families who are doing it tough try and stretch themselves to get back into unaffordable child care. Now is the time to be pushing for reform in the sector. Now is absolutely the time to be supporting our childcare workers and early educators. Now is the time to give them the respect and admiration that they have been due for, for a very long time. The DEPUTY SPEAKER 241590 I thank the member for Macnamara for his contribution. The question is that the words proposed to be omitted stand part of the question. I call the member for Lalor. 16:38 Ms RYAN 249224 Lalor It's an absolute privilege to speak today on this piece of legislation because it gives me an opportunity to reflect on the constructive way that Labor, as an opposition, has worked with various ministers in the early education and childcare sector over seven long years. I see in the chamber the member for Kingston, the shadow minister in this space, and I want to call out the amazing way she works with government and the way she constructively goes through the detail, line by line, on every amendment they've brought into this chamber that reflects in the portfolio that is early education and childcare. I'm really pleased to follow the member for Jagajaga and the member for Macnamara this afternoon—of course, all of us in the virtual parliament, at home in Melbourne, because of the position our state finds itself in. We're hopeful, at the moment, that we have turned a corner, but obviously we've still got a lot of work to do to ensure that our great state can get back to where it needs to be in terms of COVID-19. But it is that that drives me every day and has done since this pandemic began, because of course this piece of legislation has been talked about for some time. It's an amendment that was called for by Labor because this government failed to see that its standard legislation had left out some of the most vulnerable children. So I'm pleased to join my colleagues today to support this and say, 'Good; you're going to put back the things that needed to be put back to look after our most vulnerable children, to look after families who have interactions with DHHS and who have very difficult lives, and to ensure that those children, those very young children, have access to early learning and to a system and environment that gives them stability in their lives.' I don't have to remind the chamber that, having been an educator for decades, I absolutely understand how important that stability is in young children's lives. We know what the research says. We know how important early learning is. We know that it sets children up for life. We also know that early education and child care is sometimes where the troubling things in a child's life are identified. It's incredibly important that these vulnerable children have access to that and that their families have access to the support that they need, which often comes from an observation in an early learning childcare setting. It often comes from the people working with those children. Alarm bells might ring, perhaps about a progression in terms of a milestone in speech, movement or health. So this is incredibly important. I'd like to stress again the constructive way in which we've gone about pointing out the errors when the government changes legislation in this space, pointing out to the various ministers, across the seven years that I've been in the parliament, when they really don't understand the finer detail, particularly in this policy space. Of course we're going to support this amendment. We want to see those young children accessing early learning. I want to see them in the childcare centres in my community. In the community that I represent, we have high numbers of children who would be accessing early learning through this process. These are families where income is sporadic and where moving from place to place because of high eviction rates is common. Those sorts of things can cause enormous chaos in family lives, and this sort of capacity to have their very young children in early learning is absolutely critical. The notion of us being a constructive opposition is incredibly important and pertinent at this time. It has been particularly critical since February, when the pandemic began and decisions were being taken. It has been our role to be that constructive opposition, to look at what the government is putting forward, to try and assist the government by pointing out what may not be painfully obvious to them but is painfully obvious to us. The first of those things, in the early education space, has been around the provisions that were made. The member for Kingston has been calling out where those omissions were, foreseeing the problems that were going to arise under the different models of funding and support for this sector throughout the pandemic. We know that early childhood is a critical federal responsibility and we know that, in that first wave of the pandemic, there was a litany of woes. In an electorate like mine, with over 60,000 families and the highest number of childcare educators in the state of Victoria living in just one of the suburbs that I represent, it is absolutely critical that the government get the support from us to get this right. And it has been a struggle. No matter which program was put in place to support this sector through the pandemic, there have been holes. I'd like to think that the work of the member for Kingston and all on our side of the parliament, reaching out, has been critical in this. I know that in my electorate I reached out to my childcare providers, be they family day care or more traditional long-day-care centres, so that we knew what was going on and so that we understood the impacts of each piece of legislation being felt across the sector in various areas. Of course the demographics in each area are very different, from community to community, and therefore the funding models need to be very different. That has been really important work, but what we haven't been able to convince the government on, and what saddens me today, is that the premature withdrawal of JobKeeper from this sector has left communities like mine grappling with incredible issues. This government has pitted families, educators and providers against one another in these last few weeks here in Victoria. We've got educators losing hours, being stood down. JobKeeper is supposed to be about a connection to the employer. It's supposed to be a wage subsidy so that, across the other side of the pandemic, the business will survive and their relationship with their employees will survive. That's what it's supposed to be about. So withdrawing JobKeeper earlier than in any other sector was an error on this government's part, and it's an incredible error that it hasn't been fixed in Victoria with the rise of the pandemic here. At the moment, across this space we've had different providers trying to explain to us, as local members, what it means for their particular centre. In an area like mine, without getting above 80 per cent attendance, 80 per cent capacity, in their centres, all centres could very well become unviable, so they are really stressed at the moment. The worst of this is that it isn't just the families and the educators; it's also the centres. In my area, I need those centres to survive. We all do. We need those centres to be open. We need those family day care providers to be working on the other side of this, when parents get back to work outside of their homes, for those who are working at home, and for when parents get back to work full stop, because they've been on JobKeeper or they've been on JobSeeker without having those hours. When we went through the first wave, obviously JobKeeper was there for the childcare sector, but there were still issues. There were issues around parent contribution. Then we had the minister come out and announce free child care, because he took away the need for parents to pay the contribution. It was a great sugar headline, absolutely great—'Waive the fees for all parents'—but this did not work for every centre. In various parts of the community, people were celebrating, and, in others, they were wondering how their business was going to survive, wondering how they were going to pay their employees. So it's been in the implementation of these ideas around the sugar headline of free child care where the issues have really come, and there's been massive confusion, where the changes made by Minister Tehan have worked for some but not for others. Then we get newspaper articles, with one centre saying, 'This is terrific,' while, in another geographic space, it's a bad news story. Then we had JobKeeper withdrawn prematurely, and in Victoria we are acutely aware of this failure. During the second lockdown in Victoria, I have, ringing my office every day, educators who've lost hours now. I have educators who have been stood down. I have centres concerned that they will not make it across the bridge to a post-pandemic world. And I have families—I'll give you one example. I was contacted last week by a couple. One parent works at our local hospital. The other parent works in the public sector somewhere else. They both work shift work. Under this new system, they feel deeply affronted because no-one understands their situation. They work shift work. They've got a child in child care, and they're only needing at the moment to access child care probably two days a week, because they've got their shifts so that one of them is home more often. They're being asked to pay for the full week. Their question is: why, as essential workers, are they being asked to pay the full-week parent contribution, while other people they know, who are not working, are having their fees waived, and people who are working from home but choosing not to send their children to child care, or are not able to send their children to child care because they're not essential workers, are having their fees waived and their spaces held? These are the fine details that the member for Kingston gets herself across so quickly. These are the important things that this government needs to understand. The Prime Minister said that he would give a triple guarantee. He said no-one would lose their job. He said it won't cost parents more. He said centres can decide whether they ask for the gap or not. He actually set up a system where he put the educators, the providers and the parents at odds with one another. Of course we can tell both sides of this story. When I'm talking to my local providers, they're saying to me: 'I don't have an option but to stand my staff down. That is the only way this business, this centre and this educational facility will survive and be there on the other side.' So it isn't just bad for one; it's pitted all three against each another. This is the reality that we are living and it is a disaster in this sector. It will vary. It will be patchy from geographical place to geographical place, but for my community this is a terrible story. We have educators across my community who don't have a job. How do they stay connected to employers? They're now applying for JobSeeker where they can and where they meet the criteria. None of them feel comfortable and none of them feel that their job has been guaranteed by this Prime Minister. They feel incredibly let down. Some families have their contributions waived; other families do not. The sector is beset with issues that are hurting families. They're putting educators onto JobSeeker, if they're eligible, disconnected from employers. The centres are facing choices between their employees and their viability, between charging gap fees and pressuring families, all while we are battling a global pandemic. We are all being flexible, and this minister needs to advocate to the Treasurer and the Prime Minister to put JobKeeper back. This Victorian minister needs to understand the impact in his home state for the people I represent and the people he represents. And I'll leave you with this one thought: I am tired—and I know many of my colleagues are—of the good-news Prime Minister, smirking when it's good news. But when it's bad news he's shirking because that's what we're seeing on the ground: a sugar headline but no detail; not there to do to implementation and the hard work of going through it line by line, line by line. When it's good news, this PM smirks. When it's bad news, this Prime Minister shirks. 16:53 Ms KEARNEY LTU Cooper I would like to acknowledge that I am standing on the land of the Wurundjeri people of the Kulin nations, and I pay my respects to elders, past, present and emerging. I would like to thank especially the Speaker, all the technicians and everybody who has worked hard to make it possible for me and others to have a video presence in this 46th Parliament at this time. I'd also like to acknowledge the shadow minister, the member for Kingston, who I would like to thank for her amazing passion and the hard work she puts into everybody in the sector—the providers, the families, the workers. It's untiring. It's infectious and it's really worthwhile, so thank you. I'd also say that it's very pleasing to follow the member for Lalor, herself an educator who understands only too well how important education is for our kids and for the future of this country. Today I rise to speak on the Family Assistance Legislation Amendment (Improving Assistance for Vulnerable and Disadvantaged Families) Bill 2020. Labor is pleased to support this bill. It seeks to make a number of changes to the administration of the additional childcare subsidy or the child wellbeing payment. The additional childcare subsidy payment is a vital program that provides a safe and nurturing learning environment for children in extremely vulnerable situations at home. For most of these children it can be the difference between being able to stay at home or having to go into the child protection system. It is critical that the government treat this program with sensitivity and ensures families and providers are not overly burdened with unnecessary paperwork or administrative processes. This Liberal-National government introduced a number of new requirements and rules that restricted access to the additional childcare subsidy in July 2018. As a third-term government, they like to bang the drum about cutting red tape. They do this constantly for their mates in big business, or for those wanting to get around environment laws or for bosses, but they go out of their way to increase red tape for vulnerable families and the childcare providers trying to help them. For that matter, they do it for workers, for anyone needing to rely on a social safety net. In the first six months of the new system, the number of children receiving the child wellbeing subsidy collapsed by 21 per cent. These numbers have since recovered to pre-July 2018 levels but only after significant efforts and resources from providers. When asked in Senate estimates if the department was concerned about the drop, they admitted they weren't and also confessed that they weren't even tracking if families had actually dropped out of the system. During the Senate inquiry into the government's first round of changes to the childcare legislation last September, the stakeholders all expressed strong views that the additional childcare subsidy was not working in the best interests of vulnerable children. The Early Learning and Care Council of Australia, Early Childhood Australia and Goodstart all called on the government to fix the restrictions on the additional childcare subsidy. Labor will support these changes, because they do fix some of the design flaws in their new system and they will help to get vulnerable children the support they need. It's clear to me that early childhood education, including child care, is the kind of sector that simply does not get enough attention in this place. It directly affects the lives of families every day. Educators are entrusted with our youngest and most precious kids and become part of the family. The cost of early education is a battle for nearly everyone I know. They sit at the kitchen table, deliberating over the bills, working out whether it's worth it. For so many families the cost of child care is the same amount that one of the working parents is earning. Often, it's the mum who decides that it will be cheaper to keep the kids at home and not return to work. My own daughter has two children and she and her husband work full time. We and the family and a lot of her friends all juggle one day of care a week for her, just so it's worth her time to go to work. These things were true before the pandemic. But over the past few months the early education sector has been through absolute hell in my seat of Cooper. Right at the start of the pandemic, the childcare sector was one of the last things on the Morrison government's list of things to sort. It resulted in mass confusion, centres not knowing whether to open or close, parents not knowing whether to send their kids or not. It was utter chaos. I spent hours speaking to centres and to families trying to get them answers. Then we had, as usual, from the Prime Minister, a big announcement: free child care—no worries, everything will be fine. The free childcare policy did help families through a tough time but, crucially, the main feature of the Prime Minister's free childcare system was that providers weren't adequately paid for the cost of caring for children in their centres. This meant that a number of children and families were locked out of free child care and many services were driven to the brink of collapse. My office was flooded with calls and emails from early education centres that were struggling to keep their doors open after their funding was slashed. Centres were relying on JobKeeper payments to keep them afloat. I spoke to many family day care educators who didn't suffer a drop in enrolments but, under the Prime Minister's plan, were now expected to work for half their pay because they couldn't access JobKeeper, because the payment went to their service and had to be distributed to so many. I also heard from many families who were being denied places, including healthcare workers who were asked to come back from maternity leave early to help with the crisis and who simply missed out. They couldn't come back because they didn't have child care. What a debacle. So much for us all being in it together. And then—bam!—we snapped back to the old system. Just as Victoria went back into our second lockdown and the country officially went into recession, the Prime Minister used the childcare sector as the test case for removing JobKeeper and returning families to high out-of-pocket costs for child care. My community is doing it tough. Many have lost their jobs or had their hours cut as a result of the COVID-19 lockdown. Mortgages and rent payments have been deferred, and families are barely scraping by. Nobody can pretend that things are back to normal. So now we have the worst possible outcomes for early childhood education: no JobKeeper to pay staff wages, fees too high for struggling parents to afford, falling enrolments and centres closing. My inbox has been flooded with emails from workers—mainly women, I might add, because most early educators are women—who have lost hours, been stood down or know that pretty soon they won't have a job. They want to know: why them? Why can't they access JobKeeper? Why are they the only sector having their access to JobKeeper stripped from them early? Why isn't the work they do valued by Scott Morrison and his government? They are workers who have continued to work, to look after children, so that our health workers, our emergency service workers and our essential workers can also continue to go to work. They've been on the front line. They've been looking after our children when many of them have been quite frightened about the spread of COVID. I don't have answers for them. I tell them that they are heroes, some of the hardest workers I know and some of the cleverest, and that they deserve JobKeeper and they deserve job certainty. But that's not good enough. So I ask those who sit opposite: why are you preventing workers in a female dominated sector from accessing JobKeeper; and, crucially, why do you deny their ongoing requests for policies which would fix the early education sector? We need to make sure that our early educators and childcare workers are paid in a way that reflects the value that they provide to the community. We know that those early years of learning are fundamentally important for all children for their chance of success and further education levels later in life, and we know that those early years are even more important for children who are vulnerable or who are enduring disadvantage. And yet the sector receives pretty much peanuts from this government. The rates of pay for early childhood workers are amongst the lowest in our economy. This is a gendered issue. Ninety-six per cent of early educators are women, and, historically, their work has been undervalued and underpaid. As my good friend Emma Dawson from Per Capita points out: Care is women's work, and women's work for millennia was done at home, unpaid and uncomplainingly. …   …   … The market that relies on the unpaid labour of women at home is completely unwilling to recognise the value of women's work, and so care work by women in the paid labour force is massively underpaid. Coronavirus has absolutely rammed this point home. We've heard so much about shovel-ready projects to get the economy going and nothing about the benefits of early education. It is infuriating. Investing in education and child care is in fact one of the most important economic strategies for ensuring prosperity in future years. It ticks the boxes. It's an investment which is an economic stimulus because it increases jobs, and it increases jobs predominantly for women; it increases productivity; it helps women stay in the workforce; it's good for their families; and it's good for the economy. Along with the requests for help from early educators, I've had so many emails from families, mainly from mothers, who can no longer afford the high cost of child care and, subsequently, are removing their kids from it. It's not surprising that many mothers conclude that working an extra day for no or virtually no take-home pay makes no sense. And, for families that have lost jobs or hours because of the pandemic, Australia's high out-of-pocket childcare costs are even harder to pay now. A few weeks ago, I received an email from a woman in my electorate. She's a single mother of a four-year-old son, who lives with a disability. This mum scrapes by with freelance work, but it's precarious and it's difficult. In those few months when child care was freely accessible, it suddenly all felt manageable. She developed her business to a level that meant she could actually get a decent income. Free child care to her was a lifeline. It allowed her some respite that she desperately needed and gave her son the opportunity to socialise and get the education that child care offers. My request to this government is: fix early education, give the Victorian workers access to JobKeeper now and do something about the exorbitant cost that is preventing women going back to work. 17:05 Mr BANDT M3C Melbourne I acknowledge that I'm coming to you from Wurundjeri country in my electorate of Melbourne. I want to thank everyone who's taken steps to make remote attendance possible as we in Victoria deal with a once-in-a-lifetime crisis. I want to say thank you to all of the childcare workers and educators in this country and especially those in Victoria. They are on the front line of dealing with this pandemic. They are taking steps that are akin to what many of our healthcare workers, educators, emergency services workers and others are taking, where they are putting themselves in situations where they are in close quarters with people who aren't part of their family and aren't part of their immediate circle, and they're required to do that as part of their job. Anyone who's spent any time in a childcare centre will know that being a childcare educator is a hands-on job—it comes with the territory. You have people traipsing in and out through the centre every day. Those workers have not only been dealing with the stress that all of us are dealing with as we tackle this coronavirus crisis but they have also had to put themselves in situations where they have wondered: 'Are we safe? Are we going to have a job? Are we going to be paid?' From what came as a promising start from the government, where they came out in a big blaze of glory and announced a package of free child care, we've actually seen that, for many centres and for many workers, the last few weeks and months have been a time of additional stress. They've been dealing not just with the stress that we are all feeling as we deal with the coronavirus crisis but also with the economic pressures of wondering whether they're going to have a job and what kind of support they're going to be given. So I want to say to all of those educators and all of the staff in all of the childcare centres around the country, and especially in Victoria, who've continued to front up day after day: thank you. Thank you for everything that you've done and that you continue to do. I say that not only as a representative of an area that's got some magnificent childcare centres in it but also as a parent with two children. We've all been living through this, and, knowing what toll the stage 4 lockdowns in particular are taking on small children right across Victoria and Melbourne, I say thank you to all of those people who work in child care who've been helping us deal with all of that. As I said, the situation facing childcare centres and childcare workers was initially helped by the government—at least, in announcement form—but, when looking at how the details of the support packages actually flowed through, for many it caused an additional amount of stress and put childcare centres under some extraordinary pressure. It's helpful that in this Family Assistance Legislation Amendment (Improving Assistance for Vulnerable and Disadvantaged Families) Bill 2020 the government is at least purporting to address some of those issues. But there are many things that the government could have done and could still do in Victoria that would make a huge difference to this very important sector. When the government first announced its initial package, there were plaudits for the government finally stepping up to acknowledge free child care. On my first day of becoming Leader of the Greens, I called for free child care in this country and committed the Greens to working towards it. I didn't imagine it would come quite so quickly. I'm happy that it did, at least in rhetorical form. But, as we start to delve into the detail, we understand that this massive switch from the government to supposedly supporting free child care didn't necessarily do what it said on the tin. JobKeeper was not extended to many workers on temporary visas, and we saw that have an enormous impact at many childcare centres, because many childcare educators and workers had in fact been on temporary visas. The government's support package for child care was premised on centres being able to use JobKeeper for those workers. When some of those workers were ineligible for JobKeeper, either because they were temporary visa holders or because they had been employed on a casual basis, that posed an immediate hit to many centres. I was talking to one centre in my electorate who said they were having to cut back on some basic essentials within their centre and were considering their viability for the future, basically because the government refused to extend the JobKeeper payment to all of the workers in the centre. Had the government done that, it would have made life a lot easier for centres. There is still time for the government to do it. But instead the government's gone in the other direction. It speaks volumes that the first area in which the government breaks its promise and starts withdrawing payments to workers is child care. For a Prime Minister who perhaps thinks that a woman's place is back in the 1950s and that women should not be in the workforce in the way they are now, I can understand, perhaps— The DEPUTY SPEAKER 241590 Order, Member for Melbourne! The minister, on a point of order? Mr Pitt 148150 Reflecting on a member—the comments on the Prime Minister. The DEPUTY SPEAKER 241590 Member for Melbourne, it would assist the House if you would withdraw. Mr BANDT M3C Given the circumstances, given that I am attending remotely, if it assists, I withdraw. The DEPUTY SPEAKER 241590 I thank the member for Melbourne. Mr BANDT M3C I make the point that what we are seeing here is a political attack from the government, where the burden of the coronavirus crisis has fallen on women and young people. They have been the two groups that have been most significantly impacted by coronavirus. We know that women are losing work more. We know that young people are losing jobs more. We know the pathway back for recovery is going to be hard for them. But, also, the government have deliberately chosen in their response package, their supposed industry support package, to hit hard the sectors where women work. They have pulled JobKeeper for the childcare sector—an area where women predominantly work. They have also chosen not to extend JobKeeper to areas like education in universities, where we know women work in large numbers. We also know that the government—with Labor's support, it might be said—is looking at cutting JobKeeper for people who were previously working low hours by working less than 20 hours a week—many of whom are underemployed and in insecure work. Women are twice as likely as men to be impacted by that cut that's looming and that may well sail through with the opposition's support. So the government has deliberately chosen to disadvantage women in the support packages and in the recovery packages. It stands to reason. I understand the government might object to that, because they find it uncomfortable for it to be pointed out to them in parliament that they are deliberately attacking women in their support and recovery packages, but that is what they are doing. What is the answer? The answer, in this sector, in supporting women to not only make some real choices about whether they want to go to work, and how they want to incorporate work and care and family responsibilities, but also assist us to recover from the massive recession induced by coronavirus, is free child care. We need free child care in this country, and the government needs to start thinking about child care the way we think about primary schools. I acknowledge the significant work that was done by the previous Labor government to lift the educational standards and requirements on workers in child care; that was terrific work to start getting that to more closely align with what we might expect of educators in primary schools. But what we've now got to start doing is making the funding match that. We've got to have a bit of a mind shift. Not only will that help get women back into work, if they want to, and, most importantly, give women some real power to start making decisions about how they incorporate family, work and other responsibilities, but it will start providing employment that is COVID compliant, hopefully, as we come out of this recession. In other words, it is a great stimulus package and a great economic recovery package. We shouldn't just be focusing on granite benchtop grants, which no-one takes up, with this industry response that discriminates against those industries in which women work; we should be looking at expanding the education sector, the care sector and the health sector as ways of recovering from the coronavirus crisis. An investment in free child care is not only good for women and families; it will be good for our recovery and jobs as well. So I would urge the government, while it is thinking about these issues, to ensure that its recovery package does not discriminate against those industries where women work. We need to see the government step out of the 1950s and instead acknowledge that we have to support women's rights and give women power to make real decisions about returning to work and about how they incorporate family responsibilities as well. I come back to where I started and say thank you to all the childcare workers and educators, who work under such difficult circumstances. I give a small hat-tip to the government for being dragged into giving some form of JobKeeper, but a huge recognition that the government has cut an industry that needs it. The fact that childcare workers were the first to be cut speaks volumes about this government's approach to gender and how it sees women. But we've got the opportunity to fix it and not only assist with the inequality crisis we have in this country but fix the economic crisis as well. The best way to do that is to invest to ensure that we have free child care. 17:17 Mr VAN MANEN 188315 Forde It's a pleasure to stand in this House and speak about the Morrison government's commitment to looking after and supporting Australian families. During our time in office we've invested significantly to make child care more accessible and affordable. In the last financial year we invested over $8.6 billion and we'll be increasing this investment to more than $10 billion in the coming years. This has meant more families can access child care due to a reduction in out-of-pocket expenses. Typically, a family is better off to the tune of $1,300 per child per annum. In difficult times, this is a tangible and welcome benefit to families. But more can always be done. The Family Assistance Legislation Amendment (Improving Assistance for Vulnerable and Disadvantaged Families) Bill 2020 makes a number of improvements in the operation of the additional childcare subsidy (child wellbeing) and the childcare subsidy and some other technical drafting improvements. As I go around speaking to the childcare centres in my electorate of Forde, it's always a pleasure to see happy kids running around playing and learning. It's also a pleasure to talk to the owners and the managers of those businesses and see the delight and joy they get from looking after and teaching our younger citizens. I was recently at Good Life Kindergarten and Child Care at Park Ridge. One of the interesting things about their model is that, rather than have additional support in the learning space—they've got that well covered—they have a nurse on site. The nurse has identified, for a number of children, health issues that hadn't been picked up. Subsequently, they were able to refer those children to their GP and have some major health issues dealt with very quickly. It just shows that our childcare centres are at the leading edge of trying to do things differently, even during a difficult time for the Australian community and certainly for my community of Forde. That centre only opened in February this year. They have continued to grow. They have been successful and they are talking about opening another centre not far down the road, at Chambers Flat or Logan Reserve, so there is a confidence that the model and the funding and the decisions that this government has made are supporting the sector. Not only is that confidence there with the owners and managers of our childcare centres, but, equally importantly, the confidence is there with the families in my community of Forde that they're prepared and have the financial resources to send their kids to child care. If those financial resources weren't there, these centres wouldn't be able to open and wouldn't run profitably. So the decisions that this government is making and the supports that we have put in place are supporting our childcare sector and, importantly, the families that need to have their kids in child care so that they can go to work to earn a living. In just over 18 months of implementation of the childcare package, it's clear, as I've just outlined practically, that the government is delivering on its goal to create a more affordable, accessible and flexible childcare system. We've done this by listening to the stakeholders regarding areas of improvement, and the key measures contained in this bill are a direct response to that feedback received from the childcare sector on the operation of the additional childcare subsidy payment. This bill makes amendments to the A New Tax System (Family Assistance) Act 1999 by extending the backdating of the additional childcare subsidy certificates and determinations from 28 days to up to 13 weeks in defined exceptional circumstances. It will also mean gaps in subsidy entitlement will be avoided where a child has been identified as at risk and it takes longer than 28 days to be able to provide a certificate or apply for a determination due to circumstances outside the provider's control. Sadly, in my community and, I'm sure, in the communities of many colleagues here in the House, this issue of children being identified as at risk and ensuring they are properly looked after, cared for, put in the right place and taken out of harm's way is a sad reality of life. I've seen that firsthand with a number of close friends and what they have gone through with family members that have been in that situation, and they've had to bring those children into their care. I've seen the devastating impact that that can have on those families. But, equally, I'd like to take the opportunity to thank those families for their willingness to step in and help a child in need, difficult as it may have been. Equally, for these children being placed in child care early on, so we can get them back into their routine, which is important for these children, these sorts of measures, whilst they might seem small for many people, are very, very important. This bill also extends the period from 13 weeks to up to 12 months in which additional childcare subsidy determinations can be made for certain defined classes of children, such as children on a long-term child protection order and those in foster care. I know also, from speaking to many families with children in this situation, that that's greatly appreciated. The importance of these changes is that they seek to reduce unnecessary red tape for providers, families and state and territory governments, by no longer requiring them to reapply for subsequent determinations with supporting evidence every 13 weeks for such children whose circumstances mean that they would be at risk for longer periods of time. These changes, along with a number of other changes in this bill, go significantly towards improving transparency and efficiency and, importantly, the ability of our childcare service providers to provide the service that they need for our youngest citizens. They allow those children to get the maximum benefit available to them through the provision of high-quality childcare. Having their kids in child care allows families to continue to go out to work or do the other things that they might need to do. In closing, I'd like to take this opportunity to thank the childcare workers, both the owners of the childcare centres and their teams—their teachers; as I said in the case of Good Life, their nurse; and their administration staff—for the outstanding work that they do each and every day in our communities. I know from speaking to them that sometimes they are looking after kids that, sadly, come from very difficult circumstances. For many of those kids, it's their few hours in the day when they have a bit of normality and a bit of time when they can actually be children and not deal with the issues they face on a daily basis when they're at home. I want to thank each and every one of the educators in the 80-plus childcare centres across the electorate of Forde and, equally, all of those in the childcare space across our country for the tremendous work they do every day. I commend this bill, in its original form, to the House. 17:26 Ms CLAYDON 248181 Newcastle I'm very pleased to rise this afternoon in the House to make a contribution to this debate on the Family Assistance Legislation Amendment (Improving Assistance for Vulnerable and Disadvantaged Families) Bill 2020 and to lend my support to the amendment moved by the shadow minister for early childhood education, Amanda Rishworth, the member for Kingston. Early childhood education has been one of the worst-managed portfolios under this government. Even before the pandemic, it was a disaster area. It was complex. It was slow. It was smashing families' budgets. Indeed, out-of-pocket costs soared by 7.2 per cent in one year alone before the pandemic hit. So I certainly knew—and I'm sure my electorate is not unique in this respect—that families were already struggling with childcare expenses prior to COVID-19. In the face of the pandemic, enrolments plummeted in all of our early childhood learning centres, and the government announced its so-called free childcare plan. It may have removed the gap payment for parents, but let's be very clear here: 'free' it most certainly was not. Indeed, early childhood centres paid a very heavy price for the government's cynical marketing exercise, as they saw their income capped at 50 per cent of the usual fee. So childcare centres were actually being forced to cover the cost of the Prime Minister's promise. It was pushing many of those centres to the brink. This is the secret the government doesn't want you to know. In my electorate of Newcastle I was contacted by a number of centres that were on the edge of closure as a result of the government's disingenuous policy. I cannot convey to the House the level of distress that both parents and childcare centre operators conveyed to me during those very, very anxious months and days. They told me that staffing each of the centres was also something of a nightmare because, as children returned to care, centres needed to employ more staff to be able to comply with ratios. But, of course, they couldn't do this, because of their newly reduced income and the fact that many of their staff were simply not eligible for JobKeeper. Many early childhood educators lost hours or were stood down at centres they worked for, and they struggled enormously during that time to keep their heads above water—both the providers and the staff who either were losing hours or, indeed, were stood down. Let's not forget that many of them were not eligible for JobKeeper at that time. At the same time, I had families contacting me, and families also contacted many of my colleagues—certainly on this side of the House. Families were telling us that, because childcare centres had had their income capped, they weren't able to take children for any extra days. Parents who wanted to take up additional child care when their children weren't already enrolled found it virtually impossible to find a place. I know that the calls I was taking were replicated across the nation. I had calls from young mothers who'd had their names down at childcare centres since before the birth of their children. They were working in essential services. Among the many examples were frontline health workers who got calls from their respective hospitals saying: 'We are desperate at this hospital. We need to get as many of our staff as possible back onto the floor for work. Can you possibly cut your parental leave short and come back to work early?' These are women who are extraordinarily professional in their approach to providing healthcare services in Australia, and of course they wanted to meet that call. They wanted to be able to return to work to do their bit to help prepare and ensure our health services were ready for whatever might be coming. Nobody quite knew at that stage what the demand was going to be, of course. So they did exactly what their employers had asked and tried to return to work early. The only trouble was that they simply couldn't go back to work unless they had some child care put in place, and that's when these women would make call after call to centres trying to get a placement, only to be told, 'Sorry.' Despite the fact that those early learning centres had very few children, they weren't taking new kids, because they had had their income capped and it was economically unviable to take on additional children at the time. I think that example is a very good illustration of just how dependent the productivity of this nation is on the participation of women in the workforce. Not only are we at least 50 per cent of the population but we're important contributors to the economic productivity of this nation, and, if you cannot access quality, affordable child care, it is very difficult for you to make that contribution to the economic productivity of Australia. So parents, as I said, were telling me that they wanted to take up child care but they simply couldn't. Their children had not already been enrolled. They were trying to get them enrolled but found it virtually impossible to find a place, and this left many of my constituents stuck, unable to take on extra work when their workplaces desperately needed them to do so. So childcare centres were pushed to the edge and parents couldn't get the care they needed. That was the situation. Then, with the pandemic nowhere near over and without warning, the government declared that everything was fixed and fees would just snap back to what they were before, and suddenly Australian families again had to try to find the extra money in severely cash-strapped budgets. You can imagine the distress that caused Australian families. The Parenthood campaign director Georgie Dent summed it perfectly when she said: The idea that in four weeks time all of the households that are dealing with job and income losses will be in a position to 'return to normal' is fantasy. Well, well said, Ms Dent. But, of course, it gets worse because in its wisdom the Morrison government also announced that early childhood educators would no longer be receiving JobKeeper payments. In the middle of what was an understood agreement, they'd been told—and indeed there'd been an earlier promise—that JobKeeper would stay in place until the end of September. But here we are ripping the rug from underneath early education and early educators in Australia, telling them: 'No, from now on JobKeeper payments are stopping. We're going to be pulling them up early.' And every thinking person in Australia at the time asked: how utterly senseless is this policy move from the government—cutting off the wages of the very people we rely on to look after our children in the middle of a pandemic? I mean, seriously? Did the government take no advice? Did the government not listen to Australian women as to what was happening in their everyday lives at that time? Truly, this was reckless, indeed, bordering on insanity when we heard that policy announcement, that flip-flop change in policy, for early childhood educators. If there is any service that should be declared essential and protected at this time, it is child care. Now, let's be clear: no other sector has had JobKeeper ripped away early. It strikes me as worth noting in this House that this is a sector that has an overwhelming number of women in its workforce. It is remarkable that this government has been so deaf to the concerns of Australian women and their families throughout this pandemic. It is remarkable that the government seems oblivious to the pink recession that is underway in this nation. It is remarkable that this government thinks that the very first cohort of workers that you should pull the wage subsidy from in the height of the pandemic would be the women, and they are predominantly women, who are educating the zero to five-year-olds, our children, in this nation. They're the people you think it is okay to chop off at the knees in the height of a pandemic when they had no idea as to how they were going to actually keep going either in the workplace with reduced hours or indeed having lost their jobs altogether. So, despite the government saying how important child care is during these terrible times, it was the childcare workers who were the first, and indeed only, group to have been cut off from this important wage subsidy. Little wonder that Australian women were sitting up and taking note at that point, trying to figure out how this government could be so profoundly deaf and oblivious to the lived experiences and realities for them at home. It is not surprising that the educators and the centres they worked for felt utterly betrayed and abandoned by this government. In making these choices the government has displayed wanton disregard for the critical importance of early childhood education and the key role it has played in laying the foundations for our children to lead happy and successful lives. Of course, things were nowhere near fixed, which anyone from even the most casual of observations could see. The future for the sector is still enormously uncertain. In Victoria, the situation is particularly bad. With average centre attendance levels of between 25 and 30 per cent, many educators are having their hours reduced or cut entirely, and, because the majority of educators are casual or part-time workers, they have no protections against being stood down. Many of these workers are now wondering how they will continue to pay the mortgage or the rent and keep their bills up to date. What a shoddy way to treat your so-called essential workers, Mr Morrison. At this point, it is also important to note that, as with so many things during this pandemic, this pain is disproportionately felt by women. As I mentioned earlier, 95 per cent of the early childhood education workforce is women. Throughout this crisis, Australia has relied on women to care for us and protect us from COVID-19, but now women are bearing the brunt of government decisions that have left them out in the cold again and again and again. In summary, this government continues to make a mess of early childhood education. Australian families need quality, affordable care, and Australian early childhood education centres and their staff need certainty that they will be viable into the future. It's well past time for the Morrison government to deliver. 17:41 Mr PITT 148150 Hinkler In summing up, I thank those members who have spoken on the Family Assistance Legislation Amendment (Improving Assistance for Vulnerable and Disadvantaged Families) Bill 2020 for their contributions to this debate. The Australian government's primary aim has been and continues to be to support families and the childcare sector during the COVID-19 crisis and to ensure that quality early childhood education and care is available to vulnerable and disadvantaged children and families. Through the ECEC Relief Package, over 98 per cent of childcare providers kept their doors open and provided free child care to the children of essential workers, vulnerable children and children whose families have an existing relationship with the service. The bill clearly shows that, with the return to the demand driven childcare subsidy on 13 July, this government is committed to improving access to child care for vulnerable and disadvantaged children and families and to cutting red tape for families and childcare providers. Since the implementation of the childcare package, it has been clear that the government is delivering on its goal to create a more affordable, accessible and flexible childcare subsidy system. We have been listening to stakeholders regarding areas of improvement, and the key measures contained in this bill are in direct response to feedback from the childcare sector. The key measures contained in the bill will benefit families and childcare providers by extending the backdating of additional childcare subsidy (child wellbeing) certificates and determinations from 28 days to up to 13 weeks in exceptional circumstances and by extending the period, from 13 weeks to up to 12 months, that additional childcare subsidy (child wellbeing) determinations can be given for children on a long-term child protection order, clarifying that a provider may be eligible for additional childcare subsidy (child wellbeing) in respect of certain defined classes of children, such as foster children. Notably, the amendments also continue to maintain appropriate safeguards to support the integrity of the additional childcare subsidy (child wellbeing) payment. Schedule 2 to the bill seeks to modify the calculation used for childcare subsidy balancing, for individuals that change their relationship status through partnering, separation or bereavement, to bring the calculation into line with other government payments. These amendments have already been progressed as part of the Coronavirus Economic Response Package Omnibus (Measures No. 2) Act 2020, which received royal assent on 9 April 2020. I will therefore be moving government amendments in the committee stage to remove schedule 2. In conclusion, this bill demonstrates the fact that the government remains committed to making life easier for providers and vulnerable and disadvantaged families and continues to make improvements based on feedback on the childcare package. The changes in this bill will reduce regulatory and administrative burdens on families and childcare providers, support vulnerable and disadvantaged families to access quality early learning and child care and help parents to access financial assistance. I commend the bill to the House. The SPEAKER 00APG The original question was that this bill be now read a second time. To this the honourable member for Kingston has moved as an amendment that all words after 'That' be omitted with a view to substituting other words. The immediate question is that the words proposed to be omitted stand part of the question.

The House divided. [17:49]
(The Speaker—Hon. Tony Smith)

 44 AYES Allen, K Andrews, KJ Bell, AM Conaghan, PJ Connelly, V Coulton, M Dutton, PC Fletcher, PW Flint, NJ (teller) Frydenberg, JA Gee, AR Gillespie, DA Haines, H Hawke, AG Hunt, GA Joyce, BT Kelly, C Ley, SP Littleproud, D McCormack, MF Morrison, SJ O'Dowd, KD Pearce, GB Pitt, KJ Porter, CC Price, ML Ramsey, RE (teller) Robert, SR Sharkie, RCC Sharma, DN Simmonds, J Steggall, Z Stevens, J Sukkar, MS Taylor, AJ Tehan, DT Tudge, AE van Manen, AJ Vasta, RX Webster, AE Wicks, LE Wilson, TR Wyatt, KG Zimmerman, T 32 NOES Albanese, AN Bowen, CE Burney, LJ Butler, MC Chalmers, JE Clare, JD Collins, JM Dick, MD Fitzgibbon, JA Freelander, MR (teller) Giles, AJ Hayes, CP Jones, SP Keogh, MJ Leigh, AK McBain, KL McBride, EM Mitchell, BK O'Connor, BPJ Owens, JA Payne, AE Phillips, FE Plibersek, TJ Rishworth, AL Rowland, MA Snowdon, WE Stanley, AM (teller) Swanson, MJ Templeman, SR Watts, TG Wells, AS Wilson, JH 35 PAIRS Alexander, JG Bird, SL Andrews, KL Burke, AS Archer, BK Zappia, A Broadbent, RE Burns, J Buchholz, S Butler, TM Chester, D Byrne, AM Christensen, GR Champion, ND Coleman, DB Chesters, LM Drum, DK Claydon, SC Entsch, WG Coker, EA Evans, TM Marles, RD Falinski, JG Mitchell, RG Goodenough, IR Mulino, D Hammond, CM Murphy, PJ Hastie, AW Conroy, PM Hogan, KJ Neumann, SK Howarth, LR Dreyfus, MA Irons, SJ Elliot, MJ Laming, A Georganas, S Landry, ML Gorman, P Leeser, J O'Neil, CE Liu, G Gosling, LJ Marino, NB Hill, JC Martin, FB Perrett, GD McIntosh, MI Ryan, JC McVeigh, JJ Husic, EN Morton, B Shorten, WR O'Brien, LS Smith, DPB O'Brien, T Kearney, G Pasin, A Thistlethwaite, MJ Thompson, P Khalil, P Wallace, AB Thwaites, KL Wilson, RJ King, CF Wood, JP Vamvakinou, M Young, T King, MM

Question agreed to.
Bill read a second time.
Message from the Governor-General recommending appropriation announced.

 Consideration in Detail 155 17:56 Mr PITT 148150 Hinkler I present a supplementary explanatory memorandum to the bill and I ask leave of the House to move government amendments (1) and (2) as circulated together. Leave granted. Mr PITT 148150 I move: (1) Clause 2, page 2 (table item 5), omit the table item. (2) Schedule 2, page 6 (line 1) to page 7 (line 12), omit the Schedule. Question agreed to. Bill, as amended, agreed to. Third Reading 156 17:57 Mr PITT 148150 Hinkler I move: That this bill be now read a third time. Question agreed to. Bill read a third time. Primary Industries (Customs) Charges Amendment (Dairy Cattle Export Charge) Bill 2020 156

Primary Industries (Customs) Charges Amendment (Dairy Cattle Export Charge) Bill 2020

Second Reading 156 17:58 Mr FITZGIBBON 8K6 Hunter I rise to speak to the Primary Industries (Customs) Charges Amendment (Dairy Cattle Export Charge) Bill 2020, and I move the amendment as circulated in my name: That all words after "That" be omitted with a view to substituting the following words: "whilst not declining to give the bill a second reading, the House: (1)notes the Government's commitment to a $100 billion agriculture industry; and (2)condemns the Government for its failure to develop a comprehensive plan to achieve the National Farmers' Federation's vision for agriculture to be a $100 billion industry by 2030". This is a fairly straightforward bill and the opposition will be supporting it. It imposes a compulsory $6 per head levy on the export of live dairy cattle. It is a levy which currently exists, although it has been suspended. The industry has asked that it be made mandatory. That's basically the issue under debate this evening. We are told the money will be used to extend marketing and research and development in this area of industry, including, very importantly, the dairy cattle export program, which helps farmers in underdeveloped countries, in particular, build the infrastructure, the skills and the animal welfare architecture they need to make their enterprises a viable proposition. Most Australians, I suspect, would be surprised to learn that we send dairy cattle to these countries. They're quite familiar with the concept of live sheep, as controversial as that is, and live cattle exports for beef purposes and, therefore, in both cases, meat processing. But I think most would be surprised to know that we export live dairy cattle as well. There are two reasons we do so. The first is that it's an additional form of income for dairy farmers, who typically sell older heifers, and it's very helpful to them in difficult times such as drought. Something like 90,000 head went in the last calendar year, if I remember correctly, valued at about $200 million. So you can see that, for a dairy farmer, it's an opportunity to sell cattle, particularly in times of hardship. It's also no doubt a form of development assistance for countries still going through their development phase, enabling them to build their own herds and, therefore, self-sufficiency in dairy products. I think the industry would say it likes to consider it a win-win in that sense. Having said that, I note that it's a curious bill in many ways. Where the initiative comes from to make the levy mandatory is a little bit unclear to me. We did hold a Senate inquiry and no real objections were raised on that basis. The opposition is willing to support the bill. Industry seems to favour the mandatory levy, although there was criticism from some dairy groups that insufficient consultation had been undertaken before the government brought this proposition to the House. The other point to be made is that we know that back in 2011 the amount of money raised with the voluntary levy, as a proportion of the amount of money that would be raised by a compulsory levy now, was around 92 per cent. In other words, many dairy farmers were participating in the scheme and making it a voluntary contribution. By 2018 that had dropped to 14 per cent, and by 2019 to three per cent. You can see that those who are very keen to have the levy in place for marketing purposes et cetera want the levy to become mandatory, because dairy farmers have ceased to take up the voluntary opportunity. There could be two reasons for that: either they don't see the value in the contribution or, as numbers declined, they felt that very few were paying an amount of money that wasn't going to achieve anything anyway, because it's too small an amount of money to fund significant programs—a point that's been made by LiveCorp in respect of this bill. Having said that, I say that it's hardly a vote of confidence in the levy that so few dairy farmers were voluntarily making a contribution. It doesn't leave one with the impression that dairy farmers thought the contribution was a worthy one. But I will let the industry speak for itself in that sense. Certainly, as I said, farmers have been expressing concern that they haven't been properly consulted on the matter. Those things have been canvassed in the Senate report. There are a number of other reasons that the bill is somewhat curious to me. The first is that it's a little bit of cart before the horse, from my perspective. The Labor Party made clear in the lead-up to the last election that, while we were very proud of the research and development architecture used in the agriculture sector, having established it around 30 years ago under then Minister John Kerin, it was a very old architecture that hadn't kept pace with rapidly changing times and one that, we believed, was very much in need of review. There was and is a need to look at that architecture and reconstruct it to ensure that farmers are getting maximum value from their levy contributions and that the industry is getting sufficient return on investment through R&D and extension programs. Yet here we are introducing a new levy without looking at the architecture. The government spent $2.7 million with EY, not long before the election, asking it to look at the architecture of this R&D system. EY delivered a report and the government promised it would implement the recommendations of the report. It did so both pre-election and on many occasions post-election, particularly through former minister Senator McKenzie, it expressed a determination to pursue reform in this area, and yet nothing was done. So it is the cart before the horse: new levies without thinking about the system itself. The second reason is that this is an animal welfare opportunity. We know that there is growing concern about animal welfare in the live export industry. Labor, when last in office, demonstrated that those concerns can be addressed through ESCAS, the auditing trail we put in place to ensure that cattle are treated well all the way from the port here to slaughter in places like Indonesia. That system has never picked up dairy cattle. I accept there are some good arguments for not picking up dairy cattle, because they don't go to slaughter in the importing country. So the question then is at what point you stop auditing them, because they may be with the farmer in a developing country for many years after they are imported. How do you extend the auditing trail without making it ad infinitum? It is a challenge, but I think we should be having a conversation about it. It's worthy of debate. Maybe there can be a point that determines when the supply chain auditing system comes to an end. I think the government lost an opportunity here to have that debate within the context of this bill, because I don't know how that debate comes forward otherwise, other than, God forbid, another incident in the live cattle trade, which none of us want. So it's a missed opportunity. The third reason is that the proposition put forward in the bill fails to tell us how this new initiative fits into the government's overall strategy for the agriculture sector. How does it fit in with the government's plan? How big an issue is it within the government's plan? How important is it within the government's guidance? People need to understand that the government is not capable of telling us where it fits into its plan because it doesn't have a plan for the Australian agriculture sector. It says it matches or supports the National Farmers Federation's ambition to grow the farmgate value of the sector to $100 billion by 2030, as do we, but it doesn't have a plan to demonstrate how it's going to help the agriculture sector to arrive there. I've been saying for more than six years now that there is a lack of such a plan. We had a national food plan, just before we lost government. The member for New England has been pretty unkind about that national food plan, but I disagree with him; I think it was a quality plan. But it was a precursor, a building block, to something much larger. But since this government won office, in 2013, there has been no development of any plan. The member for New England might say that his 2015 white paper represented such a plan. I would beg to differ. I think that was a disappointing document. But, even if he were able to successfully argue that that was a plan, it does not change the fact that the government hasn't embraced his plan. The 2015 white paper has basically been shelved by the member for New England's own government, since then gathering dust, and nothing has been put in place to replace it. Those listening to the debate don't have to take my word on that point. They only need to look at the words of the Prime Minister. Just over a year ago now, the Prime Minister attended the bush summit held in Dubbo, sponsored by The Daily Telegraph newspaper—a summit that, by coincidence, is being held again this coming weekend. I'll certainly be there making a contribution, as will the Prime Minister, I understand; the Leader of the Opposition; certainly, the energy minister; and maybe others. And I think it will be a worthy event. To my joy, and I'm sure to the joy of many in the agriculture sector, including those at the National Farmers Federation, the Prime Minister finally came good at the Dubbo Bush Summit. He talked about the National Farmers Federation's ambition to grow the industry to a $100 billion industry by 2030. On that day he charged Senator McKenzie, the then agriculture minister, with the job of developing the plan. With so many others, I said, 'Hallelujah!' After six or seven years the government had finally come to the conclusion that we needed an overarching plan for the agriculture sector, a plan which, among other things, offered guidance for investors and farmers about where the government believed the industry was heading and what it believed was the best course for achieving those ambitions—whether it be natural resource allocation, the challenge of drought or building resilience. It focused just as much on value in our product as on volume in commodity markets. I could talk about those things all night, but we needed a plan and I was delighted that the Prime Minister, after all that time, said we would have a plan. Alas, here we are, more than 12 months on from the Bush Summit in Dubbo, and we've heard no more about the plan. Not only do we still not have a plan; we haven't even had any mention of a plan. It is extraordinary for the Prime Minister to stand at a public event like that—in front of so many farmers, in front of the media and in front of the Leader of the Opposition—and declare that he was now charging his agriculture minister with developing a plan and then to go 12 months without even mentioning the plan. I can hear others saying that we then had COVID come along. But COVID came along in substantial terms in about March this year, and the Prime Minister made this commitment in, I think, July last year. So it's a long time, and they've had a lot of opportunity to do something. In the past, the government might have been able to argue that there was no need for an overarching strategic plan. I would say that that was a silly thing to argue, but I can see why a government, particularly this one, might try to argue that case. But the Prime Minister himself said in Dubbo that we needed such a plan and that we were going to have such a plan—and there still is no plan. So everything that comes before us in an almost ad hoc basis, like this bill tonight, is in a sense out of turn, because we really should be debating these things in the context of what we believe to be the pathway to our aspirations in agriculture and the path to tackling the many, many challenges we have in the agriculture sector. I can't let this opportunity pass without talking about the government's Future Drought Fund. This was announced with great fanfare by the Prime Minister at yet another drought event. This time it was not the Bush Summit but the Drought Summit, which we had at Old Parliament House in latish 2018. Having announced the Drought Summit, again with great fanfare, the Prime Minister made an announcement about how he was going to fix the drought, prior to a word being spoken at Old Parliament House that day. He announced that he was going to have a $5 billion drought fund. This government loves the big-dollar headline but doesn't like the follow-through. It overreaches and then doesn't deliver. It talks about headline numbers but then spends little. Of course, there never was going to be a $5 billion drought fund—at least, not anytime soon. What the government did was rob $3.7 or $3.9 billion—I'm not sure which—out of the existing Building Australia Fund, a fund largely designed to finance road, rail and bridge infrastructure in the regions, and move it across to the drought fund. How did it get to $5 billion? It said that if it only takes $100 million out of it each year it will grow to $5 billion by, I think, 2027. There was never $5 billion and there still is no $5 billion, but there is $100 million to be drawn out every year. If the government said, 'We're going to spend $100 million every year on building this new drought resilience program,' then the Prime Minister wouldn't have received much of a headline, but $5 billion gave him a great headline. Now we ask ourselves: where will the first $100 million be spent? I don't have time to go into it tonight but, suffice to say, as I predicted, industry is not very impressed with the government's intentions. We need a serious approach to future drought and resilience building, giving people the opportunity to diversify income. From what I've seen of where the government intends to spend that money, it's not going to deliver that coherent plan. That will be a great disappointment to many in the agriculture sector, including most of the leaders in the agriculture sector. Talking about leaders, of course, just last week the National Farmers Federation committed itself to net zero emissions by 2050, making the list of organisations and companies, including those in the resources sector, a very, very long one indeed. If we are to be serious about the future of the agriculture sector, a more challenging climate and the difficulties that throws up for farmers, we again need to give investors guidance. I think all of us banding together, as have industry and farm leadership groups and every premier in the country, to agree on that target, that aspiration, would be a really good thing for investors in terms of investor certainty but it would be a very good thing for farmers as well. It could then act as guidance for some of those strategic plans I'm talking about in the agriculture sector. Sadly, it doesn't look like that's going to happen. With so many companies and groups, including the BCA and others, signing up to zero net emissions, surely the government must be now starting to think: 'Well, we're trailing behind others here, and having that aspiration guiding our strategic plans makes common sense and would be a good thing for the agriculture sector.' The opposition, as I said, will be supporting the bill, and I look forward to the contribution of others. The DEPUTY SPEAKER 241590 Is the amendment seconded? The amendment is seconded. 18:18 Mr JOYCE E5D New England You don't have to, I suppose, require some form of pseudoprofundity or Latinate mysticism to speak on a subject where we agree we need this levy. The Liberal party agrees we need this levy. The Labor Party agrees we need this levy and so does the industry. Therefore what is about to prevail is probably one of my most difficult 15 minutes, to basically prattle on about something that everybody is in roaring agreement about. What I would say is that the ESCAS system has provided a great capacity for the export market, and you can see in the export of cattle it's provided a great capacity for the tapping of further markets. What I can say is that, back home on the dairy farm, the problems still abound, with people getting ripped off by processors who are being pressured by major retailers. It doesn't seem to stand up to the reality of what this House is supposed to do that we still have farmers, especially in Queensland, who are just being held over a barrel. If we keep going down the path of squeezing these people, we won't have a fresh milk market. It will start devolving from the top and make its way down. Once upon a time there was a heap of farmers on the Atherton Tablelands. Now there are maybe a couple. Once upon a time we had dairy farmers in Central Queensland. But the pressure just remains on them. If you have a desire for fresh milk, you've got to support the dairy farmers who produce it. Obviously in the southern part of our nation, we have different climatic circumstances and we also have a different market—predominantly, a solids market. That means they turn the milk into milk solids and export that. But the fresh milk market of the north, which I would say is so vital for one of Australia's accepted standards of living—that you can go to the shop and get fresh milk, not reconstituted milk or long-life milk, but actually fresh milk—can only happen if you've got dairy farmers. I always feel sorry for them because their numbers get smaller and smaller and smaller each year. And each year that their numbers get smaller is a sign of policy failure from both sides of this chamber. We always say that we're going to stand up to the major supermarkets, but we never do. We have consumer laws and we have market laws, but we never really want to step on their toes. We never go that far. They're a bit too big and too powerful for us to take them on. Then you hear of other issues where they go completely off the rails—and we heard tonight that the Business Council of Australia are supporting zero carbon emissions. Are they the ones who are going to reach into their pockets and help the people out when they lose their jobs? We've successfully managed to send our whole manufacturing overseas—that was a clever trick! And now we continue on in a precarious world where we're being tested by things such as COVID-19 as to what our resilience is if borders shut down. Yet a policy such as net zero carbon emissions gets put forward and we say we're going to reinstitute a manufacturing industry. It's like saying that we're going to drive our car on square wheels. It's just not going to work. And, if it is going to work, then where is it going to work? How are you going to do it? Are you going to start subsidising manufacturing again? How on earth does that actually stack up? I also heard about the NFF, from the member for Hunter. He's got dairy farmers in his electorate—there's no doubt about that—that don't believe in zero net carbon emissions. I say to the NFF: be really careful what you wish for, because one of the super greenhouse gases is methane. Guess where methane is prominent? It's in bovine ruminants. What's one of the big areas where you get methane? It's in dairy farms. So how can you say that, and how can you get yourself on the sticky paper on subjects such as this? Be careful—we know how this works. In everything that we do, I believe there is a challenge between socialism and private enterprise. Socialism ultimately wants to have greater control over private assets, such as land tenure and title, and also income stream. We've seen this—and I say this to the NFF—with the tree-clearing legislation that came in. It basically divested the landholder of their title to something that they formerly owned and vested it in the state via state governments—so they didn't have to pay compensation—without payment. That means it was divested from a private individual and vested in the state, just like they did over a number of years with the hydrocarbon materials that resided under the soil which were initially part of the title as well. This is all part of the creeping socialism. The next stage, of course, is to impose on the income stream. What better way to impose on the income stream than with a carbon tax? To think that everything you do and the more industrious you are, the more the government taxes you! We're going to have a carbon trading scheme. Of course, in having a carbon trading scheme, you'll end up with a methane trading scheme. What we'll have is farmers with a licence to expel into the atmosphere a certain amount of methane, beyond which they'll have to buy permits from somebody else—and this in an industry such as dairy, which is doing it so tough. It would be the final nail in the coffin to try and put yet another cost on top of them. Of course, all the noble people will come out and explain to them the ways they could get round it, deal with it or manage the government tax. Another problem we've got here is that, while—I think—Nola Marino is a dairy farmer, I don't think there are any others in the whole building. Maybe I'm wrong. In fact, to be quite frank, these days you can't find an awful lot of farmers, or people who are actually on the land, in this building. So the problem we have with policy coming forward from here is that it's predominantly driven by a construct of the policy desires of an urban constituency which are ultimately then foisted on a rural constituency. Things such as zero carbon emissions don't really affect a white-collar workforce in inner suburban areas. They don't really make an awful lot of difference in the short term. In the long term, as you put more and more pressure on your real income earners, they do, because the actual money that's floating around the country starts to dry up. But in the short term they don't affect an inner-suburban white-collar workforce, so they can virtue-signal and feel morally responsible in going forward with a policy that sounds great but doesn't affect them. But, in regional areas, it does affect us; it affects us massively, and it affects blue-collar working areas massively. When the member for Hunter talks about zero carbon emissions, he has to remember that in his electorate—and I'd say it's probably similar for the member for Paterson and for Labor Party members who want to be members for Central Queensland and North Queensland—that is just a clarion call that you don't want your constituents to have a job, and they're seeing it as such. We're also seeing now that, in the realm of this debate about so-called carbon policy, climate policy and whatever you want to call it—we managed to cure climate change in New England. I know the Deputy Speaker was going through there the other day, and he almost froze to death. Maybe we're doing a good job, because it's been snowing up there. Mind you, I'm waiting for someone to blame snow on climate change as well! It's just a matter of time. What we have to understand is that if we go forward with these policies we are going to be putting people out of work. We should realise this with things like the recent election in Eden-Monaro—Labor with a record low vote, and on our side we didn't win the seat. This bill should sail right through. It's agreed by the Labor Party, the National Party, the Liberal Party and industry. Basically we're oxygen thieves at the moment by talking about it, but it allows us to touch on some other issues which are just as important, such as water policy, which is vital to the dairy industry. Access to water is crucial whether you're in the north of the nation or in the south of the nation. One of the biggest political issues that we've had, especially in areas within the Murray-Darling Basin, is dairy farmers' capacity to get access to water. If they don't get access to water, we won't have a dairy industry, no matter whether you're exporting it or dealing in the fresh milk market. That's something I think has to be addressed in a real way, in a way that shows real respect for places such as Shepparton, Coburn and Mildura. We have to have a water policy that underpins our agricultural capacity to produce for a domestic market and also allows us to do our very best in an international market. In closing, I'll say one thing. We've spent an awful lot of money during the COVID crisis. We see our gross debt grow. I think it's $744 billion today, or it was last time I checked on AOFM. I remember, when I was the shadow minister, getting booted from the job because I'd had the gall to say the debt was going to break through $100 billion and that, if we didn't change the trajectory, it'd go through half a trillion. We can leave that behind! It's three-quarters of a trillion now. But we are going to have to have an economy that can actually pay this back, and I haven't heard a plan from anybody for how we pay this money back—not one. Going back, if you want to hear pseudoprofundity and Latinate mysticism, as I started with, then it's people telling you that they are going to pay back the debt by, I think, 2061. My God! Most of the people in this room will be dead. And between now and then there'll be further depressions and recessions, wars and pandemics. So we've got ourselves into this position whether we like it or not. I said back in 2010 that we wouldn't pay any of the debt back. We haven't. I said the trajectory would continue on. It did. And it's not going to change. If you did want to pay it back then water policy is not the cure, but it is one of the component parts. We should've been spending the money on major infrastructure items, such as the Bradfield scheme, which moves money not to Lake Eyre but actually into the Murray-Darling Basin to try to secure that water supply for the further development of Queensland and of the western areas of New South Wales, to actually secure water and funds for the dairy industry. If we had done that then we would have created our own Snowy Mountains scheme, which was the economic stimulus after the Second World War. But now it has become more difficult because we are getting further and further into debt. I hope we, the coalition, are maintained as the government, but, if we are not, it's going to be the Labor Party's problem as well, and they go to an election and make a promise without someone asking the obvious question: 'How are you going to pay for that?' So we have to grow our economy. That works side-by-side with the support of the dairy industry. One of the biggest components of that will be water policy, and one of the vital components of water policy is water infrastructure, which is going to require people to put away their sneering and sniggering and understand that you'll have to get water from where it's in abundance and move it to where there is a paucity of it. We've got rain at the moment, but that will pass and another drought will come. Water's in abundance in the north of our nation and there is a paucity of it in the south of our nation. That is just a historical fact about Australia. If we're going to create a stimulus package then one of the parts of the package that will actually create a legacy and a benefit for Australia in the very, very long term—just like the Snowy Mountains scheme did—would be to get underway the Bradfield scheme. The DEPUTY SPEAKER 74046 The question is that the words proposed to be omitted stand part of the question. I call the honourable member for Gilmore. 18:32 Mrs PHILLIPS 147140 Gilmore I'm very pleased to have the opportunity to speak on this dairy amendment legislation, the Primary Industries (Customs) Charges Amendment (Dairy Cattle Export Charge) Bill 2020, today. I really want to thank Joel Fitzgibbon, the shadow minister for agriculture. Joel has been a real advocate in helping dairy farmers. I have many, many dairy farmers in my electorate. Joel has come to my electorate over the last couple of years and he has really taken the time to engage with farmers. I know that farmers have appreciated that as well. I have the highest concentration of dairy cattle in New South Wales in my electorate. It's a very important statistic, but it's certainly no surprise to me. I was lucky to grow up on a dairy farm, and three of my children work on that dairy farm today. That dairy farm, like many dairy farms in my area, has been there for quite some time. I think it's important that we go back and look at a little bit of the history, to look at the architecture that was there and what has changed, so that we can look at what we need to do for the future. Back in 1901, I'm very, very proud to say, my great-great-grandfather was the founding chairperson of the Nowra dairy cooperative. That was about local farmers banding together to work out how they could get their milk and their produce to market—for example, via a flying fox over the Shoalhaven River. That was certainly one of the stories that my grandfather told me, and I think that they, like many dairy farmers, loved to travel around the local farms on their roads and have a chat with other farmers. I think that's what our local farmers did particularly well. It's certainly a legacy that is still proudly there today. We also had, obviously, a lot of cooperatives up and down the coast. Again, these are people that were dairy farmers but they also did a lot of other good things in the community. They probably helped set up many of our community halls that we still see today like my famous Pyree Literary Institute where I know many local farmers met. They discussed how they were going to improve their farms—what they could do. They also discussed local community infrastructure and they certainly discussed local politics, I believe, but they had a real kinship with their local community and with their local schools. I think it's really important to remember where we've come from, where we are today and where we want to be in the future. I don't want to be a part of a country that has fewer and fewer dairy farmers. We've got the largest fresh milk market in New South Wales in my area. It is a major supplier of local jobs and local spending not just for dairy farms in direct jobs but also in indirect jobs. We're looking at jobs, for example, like fixing trucks and tractors right through to equipment and electricians. There are so many indirect jobs that support our local dairy farmers, and it's absolutely important that we support them. Obviously, on the New South Wales South Coast we have been absolutely hit, I think, with every disaster that we possibly could have over the last year. We started off with the drought, and that drought was particularly horrific for our local dairy farmers. Even though we are on a river plain, it was just horrific. We had so many dairy cattle that were sold right across the board. It was a very difficult time. But what our dairy farmers do is quite amazing. They are some of the smartest people I know. They have adapted and done every possible thing they could to cut their costs, improve their herd and look after their herd. When I see them I see very progressive people. So I want to take my hat off and thank our local dairy farmers. As I said, they've been through drought, and I think when I first came to this place we were still in that drought. Then, of course, over the recent summer we've had the horrific bushfires which covered around 80 per cent of my electorate, so they were very, very significant. We've had many, many dairy farmers who literally were fighting off the fires, particularly around the Milton-Ulladulla area, the Nowra area and further south. And for them it was absolutely terrible to be fighting those fires not just once, not just twice but, in some cases, four times. So they've gone from drought and obviously those very dry conditions, fuelling the bushfires. We had the fires, and then—would you believe it?—we had floods. We had not just one flood but three floods. It's a surreal thing to go from bushfire to flood. Not so long ago I was walking through an area that had been impacted by the fires and it had also been hit by the flood. And you wouldn't wish it on any area. Then recently, in the last couple of weeks, we had another major flood which particularly hit areas right across the electorate again, from Kiama in the north to Nowra along the Shoalhaven River, around the Ulladulla area to Moruya and the Deua. Along the Shoalhaven River we have many dairy farms, and that is the largest flood that we have seen in 30 years. So our farmers have been doing it really, really tough. And, of course, we've got COVID-19 on top of that. I know all our dairy farmers, when I go and see them, have their COVID signs up to socially distance and do all of that as well. When you take into account the combined effects of drought, bushfires, floods and COVID, they really have had it tough—our dairy farmers and all of our farmers. I think what it's shown is that through those times dairy farmers have had to fight their normal battles but then also other battles—for example, how to get the milk out, how to get the produce out, how to get the fuel tanker in and all those types of things. It's been particularly hard on dairy farmers. When I spoke to one dairy farmer in my region, they said it's very hard, obviously, on their outdoor workers. In many cases, these are areas that people were evacuated from, so to get workers there to be able to milk the cows and things was certainly quite difficult. It's also very hard on the dairy cattle themselves. They get quite stressed. Just going around now looking at the area, which is still quite boggy, you can see calves trying to get out of that to an area a bit higher. But I'm hoping that things are improving there. I just wanted to mention that since I've been in the parliament one thing that I've found is that you've just got to keep advocating and advocating, and sometimes you don't realise why you should have to do that. But when I came here the farmers in my area, which was in severe drought, couldn't even access drought loans. So that was something that I advocated for so that they could access those drought loans, which seems quite ironic now that we've gone through the bushfires and the floods. Nevertheless, it's an important thing that farmers should be able to get the support they need when they need it. The other thing, obviously—and Joel spoke about this earlier—is a fairer farmgate milk price. As Joel said, the architecture is there. Farming has changed. I believe farmers now are quite progressive. As I said, they're implementing solar and lots of things to reduce their energy costs. They're doing absolutely everything they can to survive. That benefits, obviously, the farm, the workers in direct jobs and indirect jobs, and the entire community. I think we do still need to look at a fairer farmgate milk price. That's important to my community and my farmers. Another thing that I advocated for was extending eligibility for the special disaster loans. What happened with this was that, during the drought, some farmers had to go and work off farm to supplement their income, but, when the bushfires came through raging, a lot of them weren't eligible for the special disaster loans because they'd had too much off-farm income, which is kind of ironic because they needed that grant to rebuild the farm infrastructure that had been destroyed by bushfire. I have raised that so many times, and I'm really pleased that the government has finally extended eligibility for the special disaster loans. It means so much to people in my community. Another thing that I advocated quite strongly for in this parliament and to the National Bushfire Recovery Agency was case managers to help people in our bushfire impacted areas. I've gone out and talked with many famers. These are farmers, in some cases, that were too traumatised to actually leave their farm, or, when they did leave their farm they went for a short time but they couldn't handle it all and went back. They were completely surrounded by the blackened trees from the fires. So I'm really glad that the government has put in case managers. Not so long ago, I was really happy to go to the official opening of the Eurobodalla Bushfire Recovery Support Service in Moruya, which will have nine case managers on hand dealing with around 500 clients impacted by bushfire. They handle all sorts of inquiries, so I really want to thank them. The Eurobodalla council has played a really important part in that as well. I think it goes to the core: we need to advocate for our farmers, and we need to make sure that they're getting the support they need. I just want to touch on a couple of things. Barnaby raised the issue around cows and methane and polluters, so I couldn't let that go. I am proud to say that in my area, which has the highest concentration of dairy cows, we have a $5 million project to turn manure into electricity at Australia's first biogas plant, so I think that's pretty good. I think that's something that is positive. I think it also signals the fact that we have a lot of farmers there who want to do that. They want to move to renewable energy and they want to reduce emissions. So I don't accept what Barnaby said. It's not that hard. We can and should be moving to zero net emissions by 2050 and we should be doing everything we can to do that. Our farmers are implementing many practices. We have a regional effluent management system in the Shoalhaven, which we have had for a very long time, that recycles water. A very successful Shoalhaven City Council project has just been expanded. So there are certainly things that we can do. During the recent floods, in the Tallowa Dam we lost—would you believe—20 years of water. It went over the dam because of the flood. That is not on. We had a lot of water, obviously, but we need to learn how to capture more of that water. Moving forward, we absolutely need a plan for the dairy industry. I sit on the House of Representatives Agriculture and Water Resources Committee and I listen to the excellent submissions from people from all different types of agriculture. I'm aghast that we don't have a national plan. We absolutely do need one. I think we need to look more at the impacts of drought, bushfire and flood. We certainly do have a changing climate, and I think you've only got to look at the New South Wales South Coast to see that. We absolutely need to do more about disaster preparedness as part of a plan to address drought, bushfires, floods and any sort of virus, as well. We need to attack that. We also really need to listen to our dairy farmers. They're great advocates themselves, but we need to make sure that we're listening to them. Also, there is the issue of attracting more young people into the agriculture industry. In my local area, we have a great local Young Dairy Network, but they only receive $20,000 a year and it covers a really big area. We should be investing more in our young people. We have a really promising area on the New South Wales South Coast for the fresh milk market, for dairying and for lots of different agriculture. It's very promising. We just need the government to get on board with a plan to support our local farmers. 18:47 Dr GILLESPIE 72184 Lyne I rise to make a few comments about this very important bill, the Primary Industries (Customs) Charges Amendment (Dairy Cattle Export Charge) Bill 2020. It raises lots of questions about the dairy industry. As I have a lot of dairy farmers in my electorate of Lyne, and in the adjacent electorates, I have a deep appreciation of the challenges in the dairy industry. This bill is about the export charges for dairy cattle that are exported to Asia, in most instances, which is a reflection of a very sorry period in the Australian dairy industry on the east coast. There have been instances where fertile valleys on the east coast have literally had their fresh water dry up, such that water was trucked into farms. There are several rivers in the Lyne electorate that have had that problem. In the Gloucester Valley we had similar problems, with two of the three water sources pretty much drying up, such was the severity of the drought. Compounding this were pressures on the dairy farmers themselves, with unsustainable prices. We have been moving comprehensively to change the way milk is marketed and to introduce the dairy code of conduct—we made it mandatory, as a mandatory specified code under the Competition and Consumer Act. But I am hearing feedback that even though these mandatory codes were being put in, establishing the right to sell to multiple partners, to multiple clients, to retain ownership beyond the farm gate, there is still resistance from some entities, including a well-known cooperative on the North Coast of New South Wales. Burying people in detail is not going to help anyone. Suffice to say that we hope the trading opportunities from the mandatory code of conduct will reduce the risk for both processors and farmers. At the moment, contracting is done, in most instances, over long-term contracts. Where processors have to take a punt on a price, people will contract with them. But, if they give too much, they might end up like Murray Goulburn and price themselves into a permanent loss situation. Being able to trade your milk and hedge your risk with multiple contracts to multiple buyers over varying times will allow both the producer and the processor to manage their risk. I don't understand why all the processors aren't running as quickly as possible to embrace those changes. Also, the body of work is being done to set up the Australian milk pricing initiative that Minister Littleproud announced. There are areas where trading of milk happens in shorter contracts, but we want this to be accessed by all farmers, not just processors on a small scale. It will improve the profitability because it will allow both the farmer and the processor to manage risk. They can ride the highs and lock in a margin. It is a commodity that fluctuates in price; people can know to invest to expand or to shrink. The tragedy that comes to light in our discussions on this bill is that, over the last three years, there's been an explosion in the export of our dairy herd. A lot of it went as live cattle to set up dairy herds in China, and a lot of it went to other Asian countries, because male dairy cows are a really good protein source. It just reflects the shrinking of our industry. The member for New England, who spoke previously, mentioned the criticality of water. In Victoria, down in the Murray, the price of water got so high that farmers were not able to turn a dollar. They were losing money hand over fist. That's where a lot of these export cattle have come from, as well as in my area. We need further reform in this sector. Other industries have mandatory codes of conduct for how product is purchased and traded between primary producers, retailers and processors. That would be a great initiative to have in the dairy industry—a mandatory code of conduct in the food and grocery code. The other thing is that competition reform remains a policy of the National Party, of which I'm a proud member. We think that competition reform and having a divestment power for all retail, not just in the dairy industry but in all retail and goods, would be a really good thing for this nation. This bill makes amendments so that the Livestock Exporters' Council voluntary code is made mandatory. It makes the research and development in live cattle export much more viable. That's the genesis of this. No-one likes levies, but, if we want this industry to get the best value for its product, a bit of research and marketing will help. I would like to remind everyone that, for the dairy industry, the rain has come. Things are more profitable, but we need reform so that, for the long term, we have a much more viable industry that can manage risk. The methane issue is real. The biodigester was a project that I promoted up and down the corridors of this building. It is a great project. The potential to capture methane, turn it into fertiliser, clear water and get rid of the smell is a win for everyone. Many more dairy farmers could partake in that. Also, clever farming and cropping can capture methane, as long as you have modern farming techniques. It's not all bad. Methane is a problem for some, but I think a zero emissions target is unrealistic. I commend this bill to the House. 18:54 Mr MORTON 265931 Tangney The Primary Industries (Customs) Charges Amendment (Dairy Cattle Export Charge) Bill 2020 amends the Primary Industries (Customs) Charges Act 1999 to provide for export charges to be imposed on dairy cattle and set the rate of provision on a per head basis on the export of dairy cattle. The bill will enable the full funding of research and development and marketing activities specific to the dairy cattle export sector through the Dairy Cattle Export Program. The dairy cattle export charge was requested by industry to replace the existing voluntary charge that is undercollected, and it will have no negative impacts on the dairy cattle export sector. Extensive stakeholder consultation on the statutory dairy cattle export charge was undertaken. The majority of registered Australian government licensed livestock exporters voted in support of the charge, and no objections were received during the six-week public objection period. The bill will provide for sustainable funding to assist with ongoing improvements to animal health and welfare, including education and training of trading partners on animal welfare matters, and regulatory performance and market access for the dairy cattle export sector. If the bill is not passed, the Dairy Cattle Export Program will continue to be significantly underfunded in its administration of programs that enhance the productivity, sustainability and competitiveness of Australia's dairy cattle export sector, worth an estimated $200 million. This bill will ensure Australian dairy cattle exporters are provided with funding for R&D and marketing that supports them in continuing to supply high-quality dairy cattle to international markets. I commend the bill to the House. The DEPUTY SPEAKER 74046 The original question was that this bill be now read a second time. To this the honourable member for Hunter has moved as an amendment that all words after 'That' be omitted with a view to substituting other words. The immediate question is that the words proposed to be omitted stand part of the question. Question agreed to. Original question agreed to. Bill read a second time. Third Reading 164 18:57 Mr MORTON 265931 Tangney by leave—I move: That this bill be now read a third time. Question agreed to. Bill read a third time. Norfolk Island Amendment (Supreme Court) Bill 2020 164

Norfolk Island Amendment (Supreme Court) Bill 2020

Second Reading 164 18:57 Mr CLARE HWL Blaxland I rise to speak on the Norfolk Island Amendment (Supreme Court) Bill 2020 and to make clear that Labor will be supporting this legislation. The bill amends the Norfolk Island Act 1979 and it builds on changes to the act that were made in 2018 which allow the Supreme Court to sit in a state or territory other than Norfolk Island when it's exercising its civil or criminal jurisdiction on matters concerning Norfolk Island. Due to Norfolk Island's small population and remote location, the 2018 amendments reflected the view that in some cases the best interests of justice may be served by holding a criminal trial away from the island itself. These 2018 amendments were modelled on similar provisions that were created for Christmas Island back in 1987. They were designed to ensure community confidence in the integrity of the justice system on Norfolk Island. The bill before us is largely technical in nature, and it makes further provision to ensure the smooth carriage of justice between Norfolk Island and the broader Australian legal system. Specifically, it makes technical changes to amend the definition of 'host jurisdiction' in the provisions authorising off-island sittings of the Norfolk Island Supreme Court in order to remove any doubt that the Supreme Court may exercise its criminal or civil jurisdiction in a state or territory. The bill also clarifies the basis on which travel allowances are determined for judges of the Supreme Court in order to avoid any ambiguity, and to codify and reflect the existing practices by which judges receive such allowances. Judges of the Supreme Court currently receive travel allowances as determined by the Remuneration Tribunal. This amendment will ensure judges are fairly remunerated in the conduct of their duties. The provisions of this bill also seek to remove any doubt that the Supreme Court may exercise its criminal or civil jurisdiction in a state in the absence of an arrangement between the Commonwealth and the state government or authority where no powers, duties or functions are conferred or imposed upon a state officer. In preparing for this debate, the Labor Party consulted with the Law Council of Australia on this legislation. They have raised concerns about the removal of section 60Q(6), which provides that the fees and allowances of witnesses who appear in civil proceedings held in a host jurisdiction must be paid by the Commonwealth. The government argues in the explanatory memorandum to this bill that it's not appropriate for the Commonwealth to pay these fees in civil matters, where, unlike in criminal matters, the parties concerned are normally responsible for witness expenses. This is a reasonable argument, but it's important for the government to keep an eye on this to make sure that it does not result in parties to civil proceedings incurring unreasonable additional costs, thus creating a barrier for Norfolk Islanders who wish to access civil proceedings. I'd like to thank my colleague and friend the member for Lingiari, Warren Snowdon, who will follow me in this debate and who is the shadow assistant minister for external territories, for all his work and effort during Norfolk Island's transition to Commonwealth governance. The member for Lingiari is an advocate for the people of Norfolk now as well as prior to the end of self-governance. I think the member for Bean will join us in this debate as well. He has also been, and is, a fantastic representative for the people of Norfolk Island. As the local member since the 2019 election, the member for Bean has always pushed to ensure that the needs of the people of Norfolk have not been forgotten despite their remote location. The member for Bean has been very vocal in his support for the people of Norfolk and works hard to represent the needs of this remote community. The changes in this bill form an important part of the work that this parliament has been doing to further improve the operation of Norfolk Island administration for the benefit of the community as a whole. I'm very pleased to commend the bill to the House. 19:02 Dr WEBSTER 281688 Mallee I rise to support this bill, the Norfolk Island Amendment (Supreme Court) Bill 2020, which makes technical amendments to provisions of the Norfolk Island Act 1979, dealing with the Supreme Court of Norfolk Island. The amendments contained in the bill, as well as previous amendments made in 2018, are about enhancing the effective administration of the Norfolk Island justice system. More broadly, they are about improving governance arrangements on the territory, ensuring that Norfolk Island can move forward with solid foundations and providing the same opportunities to the local community that are enjoyed by every Australian. Over many years the federal government, through the work of the Joint Standing Committee on the National Capital and External Territories, and the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications have been working closely with the inhabitants of Norfolk Island to improve the operation of the island for the benefit of the local community. As the new chair of the national capital and external territories committee, I am eager to continue supporting Australia's external territories, including Norfolk Island, Christmas Island and the Australian Antarctic Territory, to make life easier for locals and improve the operation of these territories. In recent years the national capital and external territories committee and the department have conducted outstanding work that has led to a number of significant quality-of-life changes for the functioning of Norfolk Island, its local businesses and its residents. The Norfolk Island Act 1979 established the island as a self-governing external territory. Since that time the need for reform has been hotly debated, with several reports and reviews on governance arrangements and economic development on Norfolk Island completed by the national capital and external territories committee and the department of infrastructure and regional development. The problem with the arrangements established in 1979 was that the Norfolk Island government was required to deliver all local, state and many federal services, including health care, immigration and infrastructure investment. The island's roads were deteriorating, the hospital was outdated and the electricity network was at risk of collapse. It was unreasonable to expect such a small and remote community to deliver these services effectively. In 2014, the then Assistant Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development, Jamie Briggs, restated the Commonwealth government's intention to integrate the Norfolk Island community into the broader governance, taxation and welfare system of Australia. What followed was a process of integration that led to a complete transformation of the governance arrangements of Norfolk Island. A report by the Joint Standing Committee on the National Capital and External Territories titled Same country: different world—the future of Norfolk Island formed the basis of this transformation. In light of a significant economic downturn and a considerable budget deficit, this report was commissioned to discover means to broaden the island's economic base and its tourist offerings. In 2013, it was found that economic activity was down 24 per cent on the previous year, approximately 40 per cent of shops had closed and swathes of the population were leaving the island for mainland Australia or New Zealand. Despite its original remit, the report found that economic development was simply not possible without the establishment of new governance arrangements on the island. It found that governance and economic reform must occur together to give the community the best chance at recovery and sustainability. Just over one year later, the Same country: different world report was followed by a package of bills that reformed the governance arrangements of the island and extended many of mainland Australia's social security, immigration, health and taxation arrangements. The passage of this package of bills meant that, from 1 July 2016, the Norfolk Island community had access to social security and health benefits, including the age pension, family tax benefits, Medicare and the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme. From July 2016, federal taxes replaced a range of inefficient taxes and charges that were levied by the Norfolk Island government, including a local goods and services tax and punitive customs charges. The Commonwealth government also extended the superannuation guarantee to Norfolk Island, helping residents to save for their retirement. The package of bills also transitioned the Norfolk Island Legislative Assembly to a regional council, in line with recommendations by the National Capital and External Territories committee, and allowed for a gradual adoption of New South Wales state laws within Norfolk Island, providing a modern body of state law through which the island's economic recovery could be ensured. Finally, the package allowed the Australian migration system to replace the immigration arrangements maintained by the local government. These immigration arrangements were identified as a key barrier to tourism and trade. Simplifying travel arrangements has allowed the island's key tourism industry to flourish once more. These changes aim to deliver growth and prosperity for Norfolk island while also protecting its unique cultural identity and heritage. They ensure that Norfolk Islanders have access to the same opportunities and support as mainland Australians. Such supports have been crucial to the island during the coronavirus pandemic. Despite its geographic isolation, Norfolk Island has not eluded the impacts of coronavirus. Although the island has been virus free, it has faced strict restrictions. In March, non-essential visits were banned after the local government placed the territory in a state of emergency to protect its elderly population against the spread of the virus. For the tiny island nestled in the Pacific Ocean with a population of close to 1,800, the lockdowns hit hard. While mainland Australians were panic buying toilet paper and pasta, Norfolk Island was suffering a real food shortage due to disruptions in regular shipments. In April, heightened fears led to the introduction of rules to stop people leaving their homes, because some residents recently returned from the mainland were flouting quarantine measures. By May, lockdown measures had eased, and patrons were once again allowed to dine in cafes, restaurants and clubs as well as gather in groups. These restrictions hurt the key tourism and hospitality industries of the island, but many locals saw the validity of the restrictions, given that Australia's winter is an off-peak period for the tourism industry and due to the island's limited healthcare services. JobKeeper data for the month of April shows that there were 143 applications made for the program on Norfolk Island. Furthermore, 92 people received the JobSeeker payment in the month of May. For an island which is almost entirely reliant on tourism, these federal government supports have helped to limit devastating impacts on the local economy. In my role as Chair of the Joint Standing Committee on the National Capital and External Territories, I look forward to the continuing of the Commonwealth government's constructive engagement with the Norfolk Island community. I can't wait to learn more about the island's unique culture and history, and I hope to visit the island when restrictions have been lifted and it is once again safe to do so. The national capital and external territories committee has completed fantastic work over the years, including an economic development and governance report on Australia's Indian Ocean territories, Christmas Island and the Cocos (Keeling) Islands; an inquiry into Australia's Antarctic Territory that made several recommendations to government on how best to serve Australia's scientific program and maintain our national interests in the Antarctic; and, most recently, an inquiry into Canberra's national institutions. The final report, titled Telling Australia's story—and why it's important, struck a chord with me as a student of our nation's history. The report considers the shared value of Canberra's national institutions in conserving, interpreting and facilitating engagement with Australia's history, culture and national identity. It recommends that Canberra's national institutions develop and articulate a shared identity that directly connects them with Australia's story. I look forward to working with my parliamentary colleagues in the national capital and external territories committee, ensuring sustainability and progress for these important parts of our nation. 19:11 Mr SNOWDON IJ4 Lingiari I acknowledge the fine contribution of the member for Blaxland and thank him for his comments, but I also acknowledge the words of the member for Mallee in her contribution and welcome her to the national capital and external territories committee, of which I've been a member for some many years. I was previously Parliamentary Secretary for Territories in the Keating government and have been visiting Norfolk Island since the early 1990s. Of course, Christmas Island and the Cocos islands, about which the member spoke, are also part of my electorate of Lingiari. Actually, it's not Lingiari anymore; it's now the Northern Territory, but there are two members: one the member for Solomon and one the member for Lingiari—get that for an absurdity! We believe that we should be two seats not one, and we are hoping, Mr Deputy Speaker Goodenough, that you and your party colleagues will see the merit of a piece of legislation, a private member's bill, which was in the Senate today, supported by your National Party colleagues, the Greens and the crossbenchers. It's now only up to the Liberal Party to show that they acknowledge the need to have two seats, as a minimum, for the Northern Territory, and to understand the idiocy of the arrangement that would make us only one seat yet again. I was formerly that single member for the seat of the Northern Territory for 12 years. I understand the difficulties that confront a person wanting to look after an area of 1.4 million square kilometres, plus Christmas and the Cocos islands. In this case, now, it would be the largest electorate in the country, by population, by 25 per cent. How absurd! That's not to, at all, ignore the diverse nature of the Northern Territory population, of which 42 per cent in the seat of Lingiari are Aboriginal people, mostly living in very scattered, remote communities. This is not the purpose of this bill before us, the Norfolk Island Amendment (Supreme Court) Bill 2020, but, as I was invited to talk about external territories by the previous member, I think it's only appropriate that this House understands that the external territories, the Indian Ocean territories, sit now in the electorate of the Northern Territory, and should remain in, as it was, the seat of Lingiari, divorced from the seat of Solomon, so that we have two seats in the Northern Territory. I know that you, Mr Deputy Speaker Goodenough, in your wisdom, will be counselling your colleagues in the Liberal Party party room, and the Prime Minister, most importantly, to support a piece of legislation—which I don't mind if you introduce, quite frankly—which guarantees us a minimum of two seats. Let's just appreciate what this looks like. Currently, the Constitution guarantees malapportionment. It does that by providing a minimum of five seats for every state and territory—and of course that includes Tasmania. With a population of roughly 530,000, and a bit over twice the size of the Northern Territory, it's guaranteed five members of the House of Representatives. We will go back to one. They're guaranteed 12 senators. We have two. So they will have 17 members of parliament for 530,000 people; we will have three for 250,000. Is that reasonable? I see you're nodding your head—in affirmation? I'm assuming you agree with me, Mr Deputy Speaker Goodenough. I want to talk about this bill. As the member for Blaxland has outlined, this bill has as its purpose amending the Norfolk Island Act 1979 to make three changes to the operation of the Norfolk Island Supreme Court. I'm indebted to the Bills Digest and I recommend it to those members of this House who are interested in this subject for, in part, its very brief historical analysis, giving a summary of why we're in the situation that we're in. The member for Mallee spoke about the importance of normalising the relationship between the Norfolk Island community and the Australian parliament, which has been done as a result of legislation in 2015. This is a bipartisan exercise which has been going on since the mid-1990s. We're now in a position where we've got legislation which would normalise those relationships and set up processes for legislative reforms for Norfolk Island. An area which was quick to earn concern was the justice system, particularly in relation to family violence, sexual assault and the protection of relevant witnesses. The 2018 amendments to allow the Norfolk Island Supreme Court to empanel juries on the mainland, which this bill seeks to confirm, are one element of the effort to reform Norfolk Island's justice system. As the Bills Digest said: It sits aside measures that did not require Commonwealth primary legislation, such as the Norfolk Island Legislation Amendment (Protecting Vulnerable People) Ordinance 2018, which made various changes to the criminal justice system in terms of witness protection and sentencing. The explanatory memorandum to the current bill explains the rationale for the changes which are being made through the provisions allowing the Norfolk Island Supreme Court to exercise its civil or criminal jurisdictions in host jurisdictions and to empanel juries in those possible host jurisdictions, which, as you would imagine, Mr Deputy Speaker Goodenough, are the states, the Northern Territory and the Australian Capital Territory. I go back to the explanatory memorandum, which described it in these words: These provisions were intended to address concerns that there may be cases where holding a criminal trial on Norfolk Island, given its small size and remote location, is not consistent with the interests of justice. These amendments are important. They redefine 'host jurisdiction' in section 4 of the bill, including all states, the Northern Territory and Australian Capital Territory, regardless of whether the Commonwealth has an arrangement with the state. They repeal the old definition of 'host jurisdiction'. They confirm that the Commonwealth may enter into arrangements with state governments to enable the Norfolk Island Supreme Court to utilise elements of the state judicial or correctional system in either criminal or civil matters and they confirm that any arrangements with host jurisdictions reached under the current statutory scheme remain in force both in criminal and civil matters. The bill also addresses appropriately the issue of travel allowances for judges, because, for the travel allowance, judges of the Supreme Court of Norfolk Island are required to be judges of another Commonwealth court. This will fix the arrangements of a separate scheme of travelling allowances with the four or so federal judges who hold the commission of Norfolk Island Supreme Court justice. I commend the bill to the House. 19:19 Mr EVANS 61378 Brisbane I thank all of the members who've participated in the debate on the Norfolk Island Amendment (Supreme Court) Bill 2020. This bill makes technical amendments to provisions of the Norfolk Island Act of 1979 dealing with the Supreme Court of Norfolk Island. Amendments made to the act in 2018 authorised the Supreme Court to sit in a state or territory other than Norfolk Island in the exercise of its civil and criminal jurisdictions. These amendments allow for a matter to be heard and a jury to be empanelled in another state or territory. The measures were modelled on similar amendments made for Christmas Island in 1987. The amendments in the bill address some technical issues regarding the regulation of off-island sittings of the Supreme Court. These amendments also clarify the basis upon which travelling allowances are determined for its judges. These amendments will enhance the effective administration of the Norfolk Island justice system, and I commend the bill to the House. Question agreed to. Bill read a second time. Assent 168 Third Reading 168 19:20 Mr EVANS 61378 Brisbane by leave—I move: That this bill be now read a third time. Question agreed to. Bill read a third time. Product Stewardship (Oil) Amendment Bill 2020 168

Product Stewardship (Oil) Amendment Bill 2020

Second Reading 168 19:21 Mr JOSH WILSON 265970 Fremantle I'm glad to speak in support of the Product Stewardship (Oil) Amendment Bill 2020 and I move: That all words after "That" be omitted with a view to substituting the following words: "whilst not declining to give the bill a second reading, the House notes the Government's slow and inadequate delivery of meaningful regulatory reform for domestic waste management and product stewardship". The PSO Act, which this bill amends, is important because it helps achieve the recycling of some 300 megalitres each year of what would otherwise be waste oil and pose risks to the environment. At the outset, I make it clear that Labor will be supporting this bill because it fixes a deficiency in the existing law, a deficiency that has the potential to cost the Commonwealth and therefore the taxpayer a lot of money in the future. Indeed, it has already cost the taxpayer some $8 million. I'm not sure that the loss of that money from the taxpayer to the Caltex oil company is something we should be all that comfortable with, but I'll return to that in due course. In essence, this bill amends the existing act to improve the legislative definition of 'oils' so it applies only to lubricant oils, fluid oils and other oils and greases manufactured from base oils and to make some corresponding changes to the Excise Tariff Act. That will hopefully mean that the scheme established under these laws can return to normal operation, providing an incentive mechanism through a levy and benefit payment combination to encourage the recycling of non-combustible oils. These changes are being made in response to last year's Federal Court decision, Caltex Australia Petroleum Pty Ltd v Commissioner of Taxation, which overruled the tax commissioner's decision to disallow Caltex from claiming benefits under the scheme for the recycling and the subsequent sale of contaminated diesel. As a result, Caltex was successful in receiving an $8 million benefit payment from the Commonwealth. These amendments that we're dealing with here are absolutely necessary in order to close a legislative loophole that might otherwise allow further claims and further losses. We're supportive of the bill on that basis, and I'm grateful to the assistant minister for his engagement on the legislation and for the departmental briefings he made available. For the benefit of the public, it's worth noting that the term 'product stewardship' refers to the very sensible idea that a producer should take some responsibility for the life cycle and impacts of their product, especially in relation to what happens when it's no longer useful and needs to be disposed of. Where the disposal of a product has inherent risks in terms of damage to the environment or harm to human health, there should be no question about the requirement for producers to take some responsibility to make sure that doesn't occur. Unfortunately, the fact that this idea would strike almost anyone as being utterly sensible doesn't mean that such demonstrations of responsibility are par for the course. In fact, there are lots of examples where products have been developed with no particular regard or provision for the safe end-of-life reuse, recycling or disposal of these products by companies that have made a profit without accounting for any related impacts or costs. And there are costs. Notwithstanding the fact that those costs and impacts fall directly or indirectly on the community, on all of us, the practice of product stewardship has been rare, which is unfortunate. Without an effective concept of product stewardship, what do we tend to see? We see products designed and provided in a way that gives little thought to and takes little care of what happens when the product is done with. It means producers don't care about and certainly, in some cases, don't take responsibility for the disposal of their product. That means they don't take responsibility for the environmental and health consequences, where that's relevant, and certainly they don't take responsibility for the waste and resource management costs—because, of course, there are costs involved in even the most benign forms of waste. In many cases, there are also health and environmental impacts. We know that, currently, each year, some 10 million tonnes of plastic waste go into the ocean. Microplastic is accumulating in marine birds and fish. Inevitably, it will be accumulating in us. This scenario—and there are many like it—is a market failure. It's a failure of corporate social responsibility. The former Labor government began to address these kinds of market failures in the waste and resource management space by introducing product stewardship laws and related schemes in 2011. It's certainly time for us to take that framework forward, to expect more of producers and to ensure we're achieving much better outcomes in terms of waste avoidance, reuse, recycling and related manufacturing. So far, under this government, we've not gone very far down the path. I know that there are some reforms coming in the parliamentary weeks ahead, and we look forward to debating those in this place. In the case of this bill, it amends a law that established the scheme to encourage the sensible recycling and safe disposal of non-combustible oils through a levy and benefit payment arrangement, as I've described. Basically, everyone pays a levy on the relevant oils, and then, when you ensure the oil is recycled, you can recoup the levy in the form of a benefit payment. Since the scheme's introduction, we've gone from a situation where basically zero oil of the kind covered was recycled to the situation now where more than 320 megalitres are recycled and properly disposed of each year. That's more than half of the total volume. This bill isn't, unfortunately, a further instalment or a genuine expansion of our product stewardship arrangements, but it's important because it fixes a shortcoming or a loophole that has emerged in the current framework. While the intention of the law, and the scheme it creates, is clearly to deal with non-combustible oils—and while that's a matter of commonsense, to the extent that oils that combust don't present the same kind of disposal issue—it wasn't written in a way that effectively excluded combustible oils. How do we know that? We know it because the Caltex oil company came to the view that it could apply for a benefit payment in relation to diesel fuel. As part of its operations, it used diesel as a kind of cleaning agent in flushing out crude oil from tanks and pipes. The diesel was then cleaned through a further process that allowed it to meet Australian standards and be sold as fuel. But because, in Caltex's view, this could be seen as a kind of recycling, they decided to seek for the first time a benefit payment from the Australian tax office. There isn't any doubt that the Product Stewardship for Oil Scheme was not established to cover diesel fuel in this way and that the relevant levy is not charged or paid in relation to diesel, which has its own excise arrangements. I think it's quite understandable and I think the public would find it understandable that Caltex was initially rebuffed by the Australian tax office when it sought a benefit payment, but the company decided to take the matter to the Federal Court, and they won. That means they received $8 million from the Commonwealth. As far as I'm aware, no other company in a similar line of business has sought to pull that trick. Labor has, in examining this bill, sought some information from the government and from elsewhere about whether consideration was given to how the money might be recouped from Caltex. If the definition of 'oils' within the act is wide enough to allow Caltex to claim the benefit, it seems to follow that the government could also apply the relevant levy to the same quantity of diesel and thereby perhaps recoup the funds in the opposite direction to the way the scheme is supposed to work. The advice we've received is simply that this approach wasn't considered likely to succeed. We've asked some questions in trying to better understand whether all the options were explored and why any of those options, if they existed, weren't pursued. That's something for the government to explain. I want to briefly raise the issue of Caltex's approach in this matter. It's not clear to me why Caltex pursued this payment. I think it's a very reasonable question to ask, and we don't yet have the answer to that question. Debate interrupted. ADJOURNMENT 170 ADJOURNMENT Beirut: Explosion 170 19:30 Ms ROWLAND 159771 Greenway Three weeks ago, the lives of millions of people in Lebanon and hundreds of thousands in Australia were changed when a devastating explosion ripped through the port of Beirut. The explosion sent shockwaves throughout the city and could be felt as far away as Cyprus. Some two million people live in Beirut, and 300,000 were immediately displaced by the blast. Like so many Lebanese Australian families, my husband and I woke to the distressing footage and headlines. We spent the morning messaging family in Beirut to check they were okay. We were fortunate that our family were all safe, but so many others, devastatingly, were not. Some 6,000 people were injured and 160 people were killed, including one Australian, innocent and beautiful two-year-old Isaac Oehlers. I extend my deepest condolences to Isaac's family during this incredibly difficult time. I cannot begin to fathom the despair of those who have lost loved ones: the mother waiting for a child who never came home, the father who will never meet his newborn, the children who will live without their parents and the spouses who will live apart as one of them is embraced in God's love and light. My heart breaks for the people of Lebanon. They and the entire international Lebanese diaspora are in mourning, as one of my extended family members described so movingly—mourning the people, the innocence, the city, the heritage and the culture. It is a constant state of hope and despair. My heart aches for the families who have lost loved ones or are suffering mental or physical trauma, and I commit to doing all I can to support the half a million people in need of immediate assistance. Australians are a compassionate people. We have a proud history of supporting those in desperate need of our help. So I say that, for a country as rich as ours, as generous as ours, as compassionate as ours and as safe as ours, a $5 million relief package from Australia is just not enough. This is a nation struggling with the triple whammy of political instability, economic ruin and COVID-19 and now with a tragic incident that has crippled Lebanese import capacity and left so many without homes or jobs to which they can return. The financial toll of the blast is expected to surpass $3 billion, yet Australia's taxpayer contribution to the mother nation of so many of our proud citizens is only half what was found in recent weeks for Fox Sports. In addition to this aid, there are a number of measures Australia can initiate to support the Lebanese people. As suggested by Father Sami Chaaya, my cousin in Beirut, the urgent reconstruction of one of the five hospitals destroyed in the blast or the sponsorship of some students in affected areas to finish their university studies in Australia would go a long way to support the quality of life of the Lebanese people. So how can Australians help? Some NGOs in both Lebanon and Australia are providing emergency relief to those in need. The Lebanese Red Cross is the main provider of ambulance services in Lebanon and is playing a critical role in treating people affected by the blast. In some parts of Beirut, access to food is becoming increasingly difficult. The Lebanese Food Bank distributes dry food parcels to needy families and has done so for some time. Steps of Hope is an Australian based charity providing foods and medicines to vulnerable Lebanese families. It works to address the specific causes of poverty in Lebanon. In recent weeks it has launched a specific Beirut blast fund intended to support those displaced by the explosion. All of these organisations rely on financial support from members of the public, so, if anyone watching or listening has the capacity, please consider making a donation. You would literally be saving lives by doing so. Since meeting and marrying my husband, Michael Chaaya, I have fallen in love with all things Lebanese—the food, the music and Lebanon's people. I proudly wear the Australian and Lebanese flags today. So today I say to the people of Lebanon and Lebanese Australians right across this country: we pray with you and we stand with you. Reid Electorate: Kokoda Track Memorial Walkway 170 19:34 Dr MARTIN 282982 Reid On 15 August this year, Australia commemorated 75 years since the end of the Second World War. Some one million Australians served in World War II, one of whom was my maternal grandfather, George Dashwood. Tragically, 39,000 lost their lives and some 30,000 Australians were taken as prisoners of war. I commemorated this significant milestone at the Kokoda Track Memorial Walkway, in Reid, which is located next to the Concord Repatriation General Hospital, a hospital with a rich history and deep connection to the veteran community, not just in Reid but across New South Wales. It was a sombre day of remembrance but also a day of great pride as we acknowledged the sacrifices made to protect the freedoms of all Australians. Remarkably, 12,000 veterans are still with us. Two of these veterans, Mr Reg Chard and Mr Lloyd Birdsall, who are among the last surviving Kokoda veterans, are my local constituents and they were present at the service. I was deeply moved and honoured to speak with them and hear their experiences and see their ongoing commitment to the Kokoda Track Memorial Walkway. I am pleased to say that the Morrison government is supporting the Kokoda Track Memorial Walkway by committing $266,000 over three years to support the ongoing maintenance of this incredibly important site. This is something that I have fought for in collaboration with the Kokoda Track Memorial Walkway board. I would like to thank the chair, Ms Jennifer Collins, the deputy chair, Miss Carole Anne Priest, the honorary secretary, Ms Alice Kang, and members of the board, for their ongoing commitment to the memorial. This funding is in addition to a $95,000 Saluting Their Service grant, which was for a virtual history project that will preserve our veterans' history and ensure that our veterans are never forgotten. On a personal note, I feel a great sense of connection to the Kokoda Track Memorial Walkway. Not only does it signify what it means to be Australian, but I often go through the walkway on my morning jogs and I have taken my children through the memorial many times to teach them about the remarkable generation that served and protected our nation. It is a place of great reflection and an important place for learning. I am honoured to have this important site in Reid and will continue to advocate for its ongoing preservation so that the stories and sacrifices of our veterans are never forgotten. Heritage Listing 171 19:37 Ms OWENS E09 Parramatta Parramatta Park is one of Australia's most significant sites. Its importance reaches as far back as 39,000 years, for the Burramattagal people. It was also recognised by UNESCO as being of World Heritage significance when it was placed on the Australian Convict Sites listing, back in 2010. Proudly showcasing Old Government House and other colonial buildings, it is one of the oldest public parks in the world. Parramatta Park has been protected by law, with ownership of these parklands vested in an independent trust. This has prevented any government of the day from selling the land of the parklands without the consent of the New South Wales parliament. But in a surprise move the New South Wales planning minister has dissolved the trust and handed over the management of public parks to an agency called Greater Sydney Parklands. This super-agency will have oversight of Parramatta Park Trust, Centennial Park and Moore Park Trust, and Western Sydney Parklands Trust, alongside the lands within the former Callan Park Hospital site and Fernhill Estate in Mulgoa. This is a direct attack on our heritage parklands. Our parks will no longer be protected by independent trusts. This will make it easier for public parklands to be further commercialised and reduced, particularly given the New South Wales government's 50-year vision document, stating that the state is looking at funding mechanisms such as levies to fund our parks. Once again, decisions that affect our community and the places we love are being made without consultation, and our capacity for local input is being permanently reduced. If you want yet another example of the lack of consultation in state government decisions in my community, you can't go any further than the Powerhouse move. State government investment in arts and cultural institutions in Parramatta is well overdue and it is welcomed by many—including me, actually. But it is imperative that we get it right. If the current Powerhouse Museum project proceeds as planned, it will result in the demolition of two 19th-century buildings that are the only examples of their type located in the core of the Parramatta CBD. Willow Grove and St George's Terrace make a significant contribution to the streetscape and set the tone in an area that is rapidly being modernised and transformed. I have received countless emails and phone calls from residents opposed to the demolition of these heritage buildings. Petitions circulated in 2018 by the North Parramatta Residents Action Group opposing the demolition of Willow Grove and St George's Terrace attracted more than 13,000 signatures within just seven days of the announcement. I'm not the only person who thinks it's bizarre that a state government would demolish heritage buildings in order to build a museum that acknowledges heritage. In response to the groundswell of community support for Willow Grove and St George's Terrace, the CFMEU New South Wales has placed a green ban on the demolition of these two buildings. But the groundswell of community support was obvious when the department of planning in New South Wales opened submissions and, in just a couple of weeks, the community made 1,301 submissions, with over 95 per cent of those submissions being objections to the plans as they are. In a city that is experiencing radical change, the preservation of our built heritage is of highest priority. It is a gift that can never be replaced and it is our responsibility to ensure it remains for future generations. With the decision to retain the Powerhouse in Ultimo, there is now a perfect opportunity to pause and reconsider all options to ensure Parramatta achieves investments in the arts and cultural precinct that deliver the best outcome for Parramatta now and in the future. Another example of the lack of consultation of our community is the World Heritage listing for the Parramatta Female Factory. In June, Susan Templeman, the federal member for Macquarie, presented a petition to this House on my behalf and on behalf of the Parramatta Female Factory Friends. At the time, COVID made it impossible for us all to be here. The petition of 11,155 signatures seeks support from the House for the female factory to be declared a site of World Heritage significance—to become a living museum and national resource centre to be managed by a joint federal and state government trust with the expertise to conserve and interpret the site in accordance with the guidelines of the Burra Charter. Now we find the New South Wales government has lodged a development application for alterations and additions to five female factory buildings, including demolition removal of later additions, plus the adaptive reuse of three buildings as office premises. We seek a commitment from the state government that the National Heritage listing of this site will be observed and that the site will continue to be able to be World Heritage listed. These are important sites, and community consultation is essential. Lindsay Electorate: Roads 172 19:42 Mrs McINTOSH 281513 Lindsay In my electorate of Lindsay, we're busting congestion so that people in our community spend less time in traffic and get to work and home again more quickly so they can spend time with their families. Last year, I committed to this congestion-busting infrastructure to deliver road upgrades across our community, and I'm proud to report back on the progress we have made and to highlight a few of my election commitments that I have recently delivered. I fought hard to secure $63½ million to upgrade Dunheved Road, and we're kickstarting this important local road upgrade with $4.2 million for the planning and investigation work to make sure this project is done right, increasing the traffic flow and making it safer for everyone in our community. I started a community petition to upgrade this road, and I thank everyone who supported my campaign and look forward to seeing this vital infrastructure upgrade progress. But we haven't stopped there. On the Northern Road, we've completed the upgrades to improve the efficiency of intersections by widening lanes, building roundabouts and increasing right-turn capacity. These upgrades on the Great Western Highway, the Northern Road, Derby Street, Bringelly Road and Caddens Road will see congestion eased around Nepean Hospital, improving access for everyone in our community. The completion of this project is great news for so many families in Lindsay who use the Northern Road every day and who will now have a safer and faster daily commute to and from work, school and home. We're also increasing access to our public transport, easing the burden on our roads by increasing commuter car parking and connecting the Sydney Metro through to the Western Sydney international airport. Increasing this connectivity around our community and to the airport and Aerotropolis precinct will give our local small businesses access to national and international opportunities, creating local jobs and boosting our regional economy. I did the commute every day for 10 years from railway stations in Western Sydney, particularly Emu Plains, and taking the train out of Emu Plains I know how long that commute is and how hard it is to find a car spot even at 6 or 7 am. That's why I committed to deliver greater access to commuter car parking in Emu Plains, St Marys and Kingswood. Hundreds more car parking spaces will be available for people in our community for their commute to and from work every day, easing the strain on our roads. When we deliver these congestion-busting upgrades, it makes it easier for local, small and family businesses to expand their reach and improve their business. It means more people can work closer to home. Busting congestion and improving safety on the roads is part of my plan for Lindsay and making our community an even better place to live, work and stay. As part of my plan for Lindsay I'm also delivering upgrades to our local sporting infrastructure—it's not just about roads; it's about our whole community. One of these I've recently had the pleasure of seeing delivered is the Penrith Valley Regional Sports Centre upgrade—$1.2 million. These are practical upgrades to help people in our community access better equipment and a better facility. I was delighted to visit Luke Hepburn, the general manager, to see this funding delivered to these much-needed upgrades—fixing leaking roofs and installing cooling on the courts, new court dividers, air conditioning, replacing roller doors, electrical upgrades and bathroom renovations are shortly on the way, improving access for more members of our community. The female change rooms will have additional toilet facilities and new fixtures and fittings, and there'll be three new accessible bathrooms. Luke who runs the centre says: 'With JobKeeper and the cash flow boost we've been given a lifeline allowing us to continue to work through this pandemic and get on with the refurbishments.' I can't wait to see Penrith Valley Regional Sports Centre in full flight with basketball and volleyball returning later this year. I want to thank the wonderful organisations in our community, particularly Penrith Valley Regional Sports Centre, for their commitment during these difficult times and delivering the best outcomes for local families and our local community. Beirut: Explosion 173 19:47 Mr HAYES ECV Fowler We stand in solidarity with the Lebanese people and offer our sincere condolences with regard to the catastrophic devastation arising out of the blast that occurred in Beirut on Tuesday 4 August this year. My heart goes out to the people of Lebanon and all those who are affected by the loss of family and friends as a result of this extremely devastating incident. Australia, as you know, has shared a very strong relationship with Lebanon. Our community ties are great. As a matter of fact, we have over 230,000 Australians with Lebanese heritage. I am privileged to share, along with many members here, a large vibrant Lebanese constituency who've always displayed a strong national spirit despite adversity and have never forgotten their homeland. This tragedy will affect many people in Lebanon, in Australia and around the globe as they grieve for family and friends. Unfortunately, I understand that more than 200 people have been confirmed dead, over 6,000 people injured and 300,000 people have been declared homeless as a result of this explosion. To the parents and family of Isaac Oehlers, the young Australian who was tragically killed in the Beirut explosion that ripped through the Lebanese capital, I can't begin to comprehend the grief that you're experiencing at the loss of your little boy. As a nation, we want you to know that we mourn with you through this most difficult time. The explosion has no doubt added to the ongoing turmoil in Lebanon: a dire economy on the brink of collapse; widespread corruption; homelessness, poverty and starvation, with many people not able to afford the basic necessities. Despite this, Lebanon is still an extremely generous country, caring for the largest number of refugees per capita in the world. Lebanon is now home to over a million people who have fled the decade-long civil wars of Syria and Iraq. Added to these issues, Lebanon has also had to grapple with an unprecedented health crisis as its healthcare system certainly struggles to provide care and support to those impacted by the coronavirus. The number of people now seen to be leaving Beirut and heading towards regional areas is only going to exacerbate the coronavirus implications for Lebanon and, no doubt, cause further issues and anxiety for already struggling families. If these aren't reasons enough to command the attention of the international community, we must question our collective humanity. While the Lebanese people are known for their resilience and strength, given the magnitude of this catastrophic event and the significant hardship it has caused, it will be a long road ahead for Lebanon. This cannot be achieved without the support of the international community. I'm pleased that the Australian government has committed humanitarian support for Lebanon to help with the disaster and to support its recovery. However, we must go further and ensure ongoing support and enduring commitment to Lebanon not only to help it repair from this disaster but to support the establishment of a stable, independent government that focuses on its people and their welfare. As a signatory to various international conventions on the rights of refugees, we share with them a moral if not legal obligation to ensure refugees are given adequate support and protection around the globe. Quite frankly, it is clear that Lebanon is now struggling to provide that level of protection for the refugees it hosts. As a member of the international community, we must be willing to share some of that responsibility. I would like to take the opportunity to thank a number of remarkable organisations in my community and across the nation for their tireless support and recovery efforts in Beirut, including AusRelief, Steps of Hope, Human Appeal Australia, Penny Appeal Australia and the MATW Project. Once again, I offer my sincere condolences to the people of Lebanon and trust that their strength and resilience will overcome this catastrophe. Flynn Electorate: COVID-19 173 19:52 Mr O'DOWD 139441 Flynn I rise tonight to speak on the effects of COVID-19 in my electorate of Flynn. There's some good news, but, unfortunately, there's some bad news that goes with it. Some businesses have increased their sales dramatically. I refer to the white goods wholesalers like Betta Electrical and Harvey Norman. The white goods sold out very fast. They're still selling, and stock levels are low. Cooking at home happens more often than not now, so kitchenware, freezers and that type of stuff have maintained a very high level of sales. Home improvement stores like Bunnings and smaller hardware stores also did very well. People were doing do-it-yourself projects at home and gardening—all the things that can be done at home—and it definitely increased sales. I've never seen homes in Gladstone and other towns looking so prim and proper. Takeaway food stores did well in my electorate. McDonald's were down on the food side but up on the coffee sales as people drove through the McDonald's takeaway. Cattle prices maintained a very good level and the cattle sales were very well attended. Beef prices were kept high because of New South Wales having such a good season. They weren't so good in Queensland, but they were better in New South Wales. Buyers from New South Wales attended most of the sales to build up their herds in that area. Of course, the minister for resources was very pleased to note that coal, gas, even gold—gold prices have been at one of the best levels for quite a long time—aluminium, hydrogen development, cement and chemical industries in Gladstone, and the Gladstone port, all had full employment. Those guys weren't affected at all when it came to work. Pushbike sales and quad bike sales all skyrocketed. Supermarkets did very well; panic buying certainly boosted their sales for quite a long time. Unfortunately, there are a lot of people in business who have suffered during the six months of COVID. There are too many to mention. To name a few, there were people with cross-border issues of sending equipment backwards and forwards when the property was on one side of the border and their homes were on the other side, and the equipment was on one side of the border and not the other side. Hotels, motels, resorts and B&Bs all suffered. We didn't have the grey nomads coming up from the southern states into Queensland. But I do report that the highways up in Queensland have been really full the last couple of weeks. I went to one of the holiday resorts at Agnes Waters, and I have to report that business was very good. There is a lot of activity there. But with the restrictions on numbers and hours for hotels in country areas, it just was not viable for them to open their doors. Some of those hotels don't get any more than 20 people in there on a good day, yet they were restricted. They suffered badly—especially when the police raided hotels in Wallumbilla, Injune and Roma and fined the publican $6,000. I thought that was a pretty low hit. They didn't need to do that when the pubs were struggling. A lot of pubs were caught with keg beer; of course, that product has a use-by date and it was sometimes wasted down the drains—shocking! A lot of the farms did well, but there's a shortage of seasonal workers in most areas of Queensland and Australia. Some of them can't leave Australia and can't get back to Australia. So that's the issue. Queensland Government: Paradise Dam 174 19:57 Mr PITT 148150 Hinkler My understanding is that, if a private member doesn't jump up, I can seek the call. In the last remaining minutes, can I call out the hapless Premier Palaszczuk in Queensland, who is knocking down the Paradise Dam, in the member for Flynn's electorate, and who is taking jobs away from my local people in the future. They are taking away opportunity, and on what basis? Because they built the dam originally to a price and not to a standard. The Queensland Labor government are taking away the agricultural future of our local people and our local kids. They are out there running rumours that it's the Commonwealth's fault. The Commonwealth doesn't own the dam, doesn't operate the dam and didn't decide to knock down the dam; that was solely a decision of Minister Lynham and the Premier of Queensland, Premier Palaszczuk. There is no-one else responsible. There is no-one else who has issued the contracts. There is no-one else who is out there literally knocking the wall down right now. That is a 30 per cent reduction in storage capacity for that dam. It is over 100,000 megalitres. It will take away reliability, it will take away confidence, it will take away opportunity and it will take away growth, and it is certainly not the Commonwealth's fault. They have not come to us for support. They have not come to us to ask for financial support to repair or replace. The only organisation out there looking to keep the dam in place is the Queensland LNP: the local members, Stephen Bennett and David Batt; the local federal member, Ken O'Dowd; and, of course, Deb Frecklington, the Leader of the Opposition, who has committed to make safe, to restore, to replace, to put the dam back as it was and to return that capacity. This is about local jobs. Where will all these jobs come from if we don't have the reliability from this dam, which was built for this purpose? We have agriculture, we have farmers and we have people who have committed tens of millions of dollars. Yet we find that the hapless premier continues to knock down the dam wall. It is simply unacceptable. House adjourned at 20:00 NOTICES 174 NOTICES

Monday, 24 August 2020

The DEPUTY SPEAKER (Mr Vasta) took the chair at 10:30.

CONSTITUENCY STATEMENTS 178 CONSTITUENCY STATEMENTS Tasmanian Whisky Week 178 10:30 Mr BRIAN MITCHELL 129164 Lyons Earlier this month we marked Tasmanian Whisky Week, celebrating the achievements and craft of Tasmanian distillers. Tasmanian Whisky Week offers an excellent excuse to treat yourself to a nip or two or three of Australia's and indeed some of the world's finest whiskies. In the few short years that it has been running, it has become a showcase for our state's premier distilling industry. Travel restrictions meant that this year's Whisky Week was quieter than usual—but those restrictions didn't stop the diehards. There are more than 30 distilleries in Tasmania and at least 20 are in my electorate, with more on the way. Nationwide there are now more than 300 spread throughout 84 electorates. As it happens, the only distillery I could get to during Whisky Week was the New Norfolk rum distillery, which doesn't make whisky. Rum made for a fine substitute. The family behind the New Norfolk rum distillery is investing millions into their venture. Their vision includes a $15 million hotel. The investment is significant. In Oatlands, John Ibrahim is investing $30 million in building a state-of-the-art distillery that will transform that historic southern Midlands town. Stories like this are occurring all over the country, breathing new life into regional Australia. The Australian spirit industry has come a long way in a few short decades. It is a significant economic contributor to regional communities in terms of jobs, taxes and tourism, and is a sought after consumer of quality and usually hyperlocal agricultural produce. Last year I cofounded, with New South Wales Nationals senator Perin Davey, the Parliamentary Friends of Australian Spirits group. Plans to officially launch the group have been delayed due to the cancellations of sittings and public access to the parliament. I am hopeful that we will be able to launch the group later this year. The aim of the group—which I am pleased to report enjoys wide and enthusiastic support amongst members and senators—is to provide a bridge between this exciting and growing industry and legislators. The Australian spirits industry is highly regulated and highly taxed, and it is important that we keep ourselves open to making whatever changes are necessary to ensure that the sector continues to grow and can compete fairly on the world stage. Over the next few weeks I expect distillers will be calling their local MPs to have a word about some reforms that they would like to see, and I stand with them. It is time for reform, particularly as the industry grapples with the severe impacts of COVID on tourism related sales. In April 2020, spirits producers witnessed sales volume declines of 21 per cent for full-bottled spirits and a further 37 per cent for ready-to-drink. Distillers in Tasmania have reported to me revenue declines of up to 80 per cent due to the sudden closure of distillery doors. There is no doubt that the spirits industry enjoys wide support in this parliament, and I do implore every member and senator to get behind this industry and make whatever reforms are necessary to see it continue to grow. Member for McPherson: 10th Anniversary 178 10:33 Mrs ANDREWS 230886 McPherson Today I wanted to say a few words to mark the 10th anniversary of my election to parliament. Milestones are always a cause for reflection. The passage of time reminds us that it is a precious and limited commodity and we have to make the most of it. Those who seek election to this place, from both sides of the aisle, do so out of a desire to make a contribution, a real difference. But each of us truly stands on the shoulders of others—from our families, our staff and our branch members, through to every individual who takes part in our great democracy on election day. The best way that we can thank them is by working hard to make a difference. Upgrading the M1 from Mudgeeraba to Tugun, building stage 3 of the light rail to Burleigh, forward planning for the extension of the heavy rail to the Gold Coast airport and the many grants to community groups, sporting clubs, RSLs and our iconic Currumbin Wildlife Hospital are achievements that belong to everyone who has backed me along the way. There's a lot to be proud of, but one of the instances that remains front of mind for me truly demonstrates why I entered parliament. The story starts when Patrick Wallas, the headmaster of All Saints Anglican School, emailed me about 17-year-old Bianca, who had been diagnosed with a rare and life-threatening disease that damages vital organs such as the kidneys, heart and brain. The drug that would save Bianca's life wasn't listed on the PBS. Bianca's mother was facing the prospect of paying up to $385,000 for six months of treatment to save her daughter. After months of petitioning and negotiations, former senator Barry O'Sullivan and I secured a joint state and federal government funding agreement to have the drug listed on the PBS. Bianca is now 24 years old and working in Sydney as a yoga instructor. She still receives treatment each fortnight and is grateful for the quality of life that it affords her. The drug Soliris is just one of the 2,400 the coalition has added to the PBS since 2013, and that speaks to our government's priority, which is people. We've invested $11.6 billion into the PBS so that, every day, Australians like Bianca can receive lifesaving treatment without the added stress of finding thousands of dollars. That's why we fight and that's why our government works very hard every day to manage the economy—so that we can afford to deliver support to those who need it. As we deal with the many challenges of the global pandemic, I want to recommit myself both as a local member and as a minister to truly make a difference for my community and our nation. Greenway Electorate: Community Services 179 10:36 Ms ROWLAND 159771 Greenway I rise to acknowledge the residents of Greenway for the way in which they continue to respond to the health, social and economic impacts of COVID-19. These past few months have been difficult and there will be difficult times ahead, but I want to thank you for the way in which you've responded to the health advice and behaved responsibly in these unprecedented circumstances. Now, of course, is not the time for complacency. We must continue to be vigilant with our hygiene, social distancing and taking care of one another. On that point, there are simply too many to name today, but I want to acknowledge some of the very special individuals and organisations who are helping our community through this pandemic. They are people like Mark Tough, the senior minister at St Clements Anglican Church in Lalor Park, who runs a community pantry to support those in need. Every second Wednesday at St Clements, locals can fill a bag of groceries for only $10. Reverend Tough is an inspiring local leader with whom I've worked with in a variety of circumstances. Thanks to you and your congregation for your important work. The Australian Sikh Association has been invaluable in its assistance to individuals and families who have been in quarantine. They have provided nightly food deliveries throughout the pandemic, in addition to their fundraising efforts over the past 12 months to support those devastated by the bushfires. On behalf of this place, I acknowledge the ASA's important contribution. I pay tribute to your spirit of compassion. Your works are an embodiment of the values of Sikhism. I acknowledge the Hindu Council of Australia for the food support they have offered to families doing it tough. The Hindu Benevolent Fund has gone above and beyond, delivering food staples to those in need, including international students locked out of other forms of support. Thank you to the Hindu Council for the fantastic work you do and to the partnerships you've had with many private enterprises, small businesses and local councils in Western Sydney. I want to thank Turbans 4 Australia, led by Amar Singh and his team, who again have come off the back of the devastating bushfires and supported communities outside of New South Wales in so many ways. They have their own businesses and they have their own families. They barely have gone home to see their families in a very long time. I visited them at their distribution centre in Liverpool. The passion these people have for helping one another is very clear. It is one of the reasons I believe we are going to get through this together. Similarly, I want to thank the team at the BAPS temple at Rose Hill. They have utilised technology not only in helping people keep in touch but also in gathering food for their community and assisting with people's mental health. They have gone above and beyond in keeping in touch with their congregation and ensuring that no-one has been left behind. Australians will get through this pandemic together. Thank you to the thousands of people who've offered their struggling neighbour a hand, helped give reliable information and worked to unite us as a community. A big thank you from everyone in this place. COVID-19: State and Territory Borders 179 10:39 Dr WEBSTER 281688 Mallee Cross-border communities have justifiably received media attention in the last few weeks, but nowhere near enough. The hard closure of the South Australian border has resulted in enormous anxiety and stress for people living in border communities, particularly those with urgent medical needs. The South Australian health exemption system lacks transparency and accountability and is resulting in enormous grief for those who are exposed to it. Over and over I have had people tell me that they have been denied an exemption with no reason given and no ability to appeal. There appears to be no empathy being shown to those living with life-threatening diseases such as cancer. To be given a diagnosis of a terminal or life-threatening illness would be confronting for any of us, but to then be denied ongoing treatment and access to life-saving drugs is unthinkable in Australia. Individuals continue to come to me to ask for help. Take Sally from Kaniva, who sadly has terminal cancer. Her immune system is compromised due to chemotherapy, so she has rarely left her farm since the pandemic arrived in Australia. I have talked with Marcia from Underbool, a young woman with cancer, who has also been denied an exemption to continue her chemotherapy at the Royal Adelaide Hospital. These women are now being denied their regular medical care because, as Victorians, they supposedly pose a risk to South Australia. Who could forget Parker from Murrayville, who received a heart transplant at the age of just two? Now seven, Parker was refused access to his ongoing cardiology appointments in Adelaide and is facing greater difficulties in accessing his life-saving medications. I've also spoken to the wonderful Di Thornton, a nurse practitioner who owns and operates the Mallee Border Health Centre in Pinnaroo, South Australia. Because Di and many of her staff live in Murrayville on the Victorian side of the border, she's had to close her clinic, having been denied an exemption to provide health care. This has resulted in the Pinnaroo community in South Australia, who have been reliant on her health service, now needing to travel hundreds of kilometres for health care. At present, only an emergency is perceived as justifiable. I urge the South Australian health authority to reconsider these parameters and support continuity of care as essential for those living in border communities. In just over one week, 30 people with urgent medical needs contacted my office to ask for help because they had been declined a permit. Many more people have told me how the border closures will decimate their business and their community. These restrictions are un-Australian and unacceptable. There has been an exponential rise in anxiety in communities along the Victoria-South Australia border. I call on Premier Steven Marshall and the Minister for Health and Wellbeing, Stephen Wade, to see reason and to develop an urgent solution for this national crisis. Kingston Electorate: Aged Care 180 10:42 Ms RISHWORTH HWA Kingston During the parliamentary break I've been talking with my constituents about many issues. One of the issues that regularly came up and continues to come up is the issue of aged care and the failure of this government to deliver a high-quality aged-care system that looks after our older Australians. I was planning to give this speech before some of the evidence that was provided to the Select Committee on COVID-19, and I have to say that many people are shaking their heads about the lack of interest, it seems, from time to time, that this government takes in aged care and particularly in understanding what goes on, on the ground. In particular, I had a number of constituents who work in aged care come and speak to me, concerned about the staff retention bonus and the fact that, despite them doing essential work, whether they be the cleaners, the maintenance staff, the wellbeing coordinator, or indeed the cook, the catering staff and the hospitality staff, they are not eligible. What the constituents told me is that this shows a lack of understanding about how all of those in aged care are working together to try and give residents the best possible care, but there isn't always the money. One of the examples that was pointed out is that administration staff don't get the aged-care retention bonus. They are at the front door. They are the people who are greeting every single person who comes into the facility, yet they are not seen as doing the essential work in the running of our facilities. Equally, there are the wellbeing staff. The question that was put to me was: why is it different for the wellbeing staff, who are with residents, looking after residents, supporting residents? The conclusion that my constituents and certainly I have come to is that this government is not paying enough attention to how things happen on the ground in aged care. This government—federal governments of all persuasions—are responsible for aged care. The buck stops with them. It is important that the government have a plan for aged care and ensure that all staff are recognised and supported in aged care. They need to recognise the essential work that all staff in aged care do, have a plan during this pandemic to ensure that staff and, indeed, residents are supported in the best possible way they can be and make sure that it isn't inevitable that there are massive outbreaks in aged care. Steps can be taken and measures can be put in place, and it is the federal government's responsibility to see that happen. Shirking one's responsibility is not very becoming and it does not serve us well in a pandemic. I have also been approached by other— (Time expired) Brooks, Mr Malcolm 180 10:45 Mrs WICKS 241590 Robertson Today I rise in honour of a history-maker and champion of the Central Coast, Malcolm Brooks, who passed away on 19 June this year. Such was his contribution to our community, to local and state government and to the Liberal Party that most people know exactly who you mean when you talk about Malcolm, or Brooksy—not just who you mean but what he stood for as well. There's a quote that's often attributed to Sir Isaac Newton which goes something like this: 'If I've seen further, it's by standing on the shoulders of giants.' Malcolm was one of those giants. The Central Coast has been served well by Malcolm, who gave more than 50 years of civic and community service to our region in so many different ways. Gosford, our great city and the capital suburb of our region, was his civic passion. Malcolm has really left a legacy that others now stand on, build on and continue to grow. I first came to know and respect Malcolm from the moment that I first joined the Central Coast Young Liberals. His name back then was revered and sometimes feared in the hallways of the New South Wales Division of the Liberal Party, as was his famous publication, The Way Ahead. Before he passed, Prime Minister Scott Morrison called Malcolm and Tricia, his wife. It was a true mark of respect for an individual who gave decades of his life to the service of our party and our community. I had the honour of being mentored by Malcolm some 20 years after I met him, when I was first elected. He had served our community as a Liberal candidate for the seat many years before, so it was an honour and it remains so to this day. I always knew when I was about to be told that I was on the wrong side or the right side of a public debate when our conversations over a cup of tea started with: 'Now, listen, Love.' It was through those wonderful conversations that I got to see beyond Malcolm the public figure and caught a glimpse of Malcolm the person. He was an incredible individual. He had a fierce and steady intellect and a cunning and persuasive personality. He was the driving force behind many local initiatives and was a fearless warrior for what he believed in. Beyond all of that, my lasting impression of Malcolm is of his kindness, not only towards me but also towards our community and, most importantly, his friends, his family and the love of his life, Tricia. To Tricia and your sons and daughters-in-law, Darryl, Debbie, Evan, Lyn, Leon and Denise, you've lost an incredible giant whose shoulders we all stand on today. Our hearts go out to you and your family. Malcolm's true and lasting legacy, beyond his automobiles and aeroplanes in the Gosford region, was his love for each one of you, as well as his kindness towards other people. Your legacy will live on, Malcolm Brooks. We thank you for all you did for us, for all you did for our community, for all you stood for, for who you were and for your unwavering belief in our region and our nation. Higher Education 181 10:48 Ms OWENS E09 Parramatta The government recently announced a new policy on the funding of university education, so I want to take this opportunity to talk about my region in terms of university education so that we can have a debate about this really important matter, based on where we are right now. When I was first elected back in 2004, I was pretty shocked to learn that our university attainment rate in western Sydney was just over half the rest of Greater Sydney as our kids enrolled at just half the rate of the rest. That's not good enough. The Rudd government funded a number of programs that allowed the university to reach out and those programs have continued to be funded under this government. Our attainment rate is now about two-thirds of Greater Sydney, so it has improved, but it's still nowhere near good enough. We have a long way to go. So I want to give the government a bit of a heads up on what my community is going to say if that continual improvement is not allowed to continue. There is a lot of detail in the policy, so we will be working through it in the months ahead. I want to give them a heads up that attainment rates in Western Sydney are nowhere near good enough. The 22 per cent Western Sydney wide is really good compared to some other areas. In the electorate of Fowler, around Cabramatta, it is 12.7 per cent, compared to 37 per cent in Greater Sydney. In Lindsay, around Penrith, it's 13.5 per cent. In Macarthur—Campbelltown and Camden—it's 14.4 per cent. In McMahon, around Prospect, it's 14.5 per cent. In Werriwa, around Liverpool, it's 15.2 per cent, compared to 37.4 per cent in the Greater Sydney region. These are appalling numbers. They are improving, but we have a long way to go. Population growth in Western Sydney is one of the highest in the country. We are expected to grow about 25 per cent in the next 15 to 25 years—enormous growth. Yet the areas where our campuses are based are considered to be low growth, so we get a lower indexation than Western Sydney as a whole because of where our campuses are positioned. But when you realise that the University of Western Sydney is still a young university, of course it's building its campuses in the Parramatta CBD and the Bankstown CBD, where the train lines are. If it was 100 years old, it would probably be building them in different places. But let's not let the sensible decisions of the university impact on its funding levels in the way we expect that it will. There is also the demographics. The University of Western Sydney has one of the highest levels of low-SES enrolments in the country: 28.6 per cent compared to 1.5 per cent low-SES in the rest of Sydney. We have 1.6 per cent refugees, compared to 0.5 per cent of the rest of Sydney. We have one of the highest first-in-family enrolment rates in the country. We all know how important it is to get that first person enrolled. I urge the government to have a really good look when they make their final decisions on this policy at how Western Sydney is faring. We have a long way to go. Moncrieff Electorate: Reimagine Jobs, Skills and Industry Forum 182 Ms BELL 282981 Moncrieff I know everyone in this place is highly conscious of the hardship this pandemic is causing for all Australians. In the engine room of the Gold Coast there are 9,700 businesses relying on JobKeeper, along with other federal government support measures available, to keep the doors open. Gold Coast tourism, small business and education have all been badly impacted. The good people of Moncrieff are missing our southern cousins and tourists, locked out by the state border closures. They are pining for Australia's number one destination in the sun. Whilst they are grateful for JobKeeper, locals are understandably anxious about the jobs landscape moving forward. I am dedicated to working with city leaders to lift our heads and look to the future. As chair of the City Heart Taskforce, which I convened in May this year, I have taken action to reignite the Gold Coast entrepreneurial spirit. Over 100 bright minds began the task of re-engineering the pathway to jobs of the future when last week I brought together the Reimagine Jobs, Skills and Industry Forum, a COVID-safe event at the Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre. Thank you to the Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre and the team for the stellar job they did to deliver the all necessary layers of precautions to ensure participants were welcomed safely. I thank the Prime Minister, ministers Cash, Robert and Andrews, and the member for Higgins for addressing the industry leaders, and the Deputy Prime Minister for his support. I thank the mayor, Tom Tait, for attending and listening to the City Heart Taskforce executive members deliver their key objectives. Now is the time to reignite the thinking of our industry leaders. Now is the time for Gold Coast employers and educators, movers and shakers, to reimagine the future of the Gold Coast. The opportunity is ours on the Gold Coast to grow new and emerging economic pillars in parallel with those that are established. As tourism and associated industries like events, education, marine, small business and the night economy rebuild, others like manufacturing, construction, health and knowledge, arts and culture and sport need to flourish and grow in the economy reshaped by the pandemic. Reimagine 2020 achieved an important step forward. There are many more steps on the road ahead. Translating vision into actionable plans takes expertise and determined effort. It takes talent to get the job done. Fortunately there is no shortage of entrepreneurial talent on the Gold Coast. There is no shortage of the entrepreneurial spirit either. I know so much has already been achieved by Gold Coasters. Industry leaders continue to manage unprecedented challenges, but together, through the forum, we are already collectively shaping our future. Industry must generate the jobs and skills that families need because families are the fabric of our community. Reimagine Gold Coast has provided a platform for industry to work with the federal government to create the jobs of the future for Gold Coast families. In Moncrieff we all want the same thing: to grow, to prosper and to shine. Team Gold Coast are not waiting for outside influences to shape our future. Reimagine Gold Coast was from the inside out for us, about us, and by us. Gilmore Electorate 182 10:55 Mrs PHILLIPS 147140 Gilmore The New South Wales South Coast is the most beautiful place on earth but, boy, have my communities had it rough this year—unprecedented drought, never seen before bushfires, a global pandemic. In recent weeks, we have been hit again by flood. So far this year, my electorate on the South Coast has been hit by three disaster-declared floods. The first, in February, hit the town of Lake Conjola, which had barely begun recovering from the summer bushfires, a tough pill to swallow. Six months on and we have had two more in just two weeks, each flood seemingly worse than the last. Our community is no stranger to flood. It is something that local farmers just get on with, finding ways to adapt and adjust because that's just who they are. But two weeks ago, the Shoalhaven experienced its worst flooding in 30 years. In just 24 hours, the Tallowa Dam lost 20 years' worth of Shoalhaven water usage; that is how much water spilled over the side. Flooding was felt from Kiama to Nowra, Sussex Inlet, Moruya, Deua and more. Once again, local communities were forced to flee their homes, something that has been all too common this year. In the immediate aftermath of these floods, I contacted the minister, requesting assistance through the disaster recovery funding arrangements. It was clear early on that the impact would be widespread and it was. While I was pleased to see loans and other support made available for small businesses, primary producers and community organisations, I remain disappointed that the government has not yet made the disaster recovery payment available. We have a long way to go in our recovery. Local people want to be prepared and they are stepping up to that challenge. Only last week, I attended a very well organised community meeting in Sussex Inlet. This community has been evacuated three times this year but doesn't have anywhere local to evacuate to. With one road in and one road out, the community want to make sure they are better prepared for the next disaster, so they are banding together to work out a community plan. Well done to Sandra Gray and the Sussex Inlet and Districts Community Forum committee for putting this together. I agree, disaster preparedness must start now. We need to have community generators, backup power and telecommunications. We need to make sure our evacuation centres and community safe places are fit for purpose. We have to start now, and I will continue working alongside local people to ensure we are prepared if and when the next disaster should strike. We are strong. I know we will get through this together. Brisbane Electorate: Music Industry 183 10:58 Mr EVANS 61378 Brisbane One of the great privileges of representing Brisbane is the engagement I have with our amazing local creative sector. Our live music operators, venue owners, artists and musicians in both the CBD and surrounds, and especially in Fortitude Valley, are the best in the nation. Importantly, they are demonstrating a remarkable ability to pivot their businesses in these difficult times. As an example, the much loved and historic Tivoli theatre has transitioned into Brisbane's best dinner theatre venue, catering to smaller numbers with amazing live music and long tables of beautiful local food and wine on offer. The Triffid in Newstead has been utilising its spacious beer garden for some socially-distanced blues and roots, free gigs and Cabin Fever Festival. As always, legendary valley venue The Zoo has been supporting new artists with initiatives like 'five bands for five bucks' events and local album launches. They have all been genuinely creative and have supported local bands like the Cassowarys, Danny Widdicombe and the Dagwood Dogs. Importantly these venues have supported their surrounding hospitality businesses. Just as many of our artists have been collaborating online in amazing ways, I can also commend all of the bars, clubs and venues for keeping at it. They've been amazingly resilient, and they supply such an important part of the unique Brisbane lifestyle and scene. Unfortunately, they get little respect from the stubborn and archaic Palaszczuk Labour state government. The state government's lockout laws, their trading hour impediments and their burdensome scanner regime still wreak havoc on these creative businesses, punishing the best venues and rewarding the worst. Not for the first time we have to ask the question: why does Labor appear to hate small business so much, or is it that they just don't understand small business because so few Labor MPs have experience in it? Luckily, the state's Shadow Attorney-General, Dave Janetzki, has pledged to review all of the oppressive over-regulation. Let's support these businesses and the associated artists. Brisbane's chair of the night-time economy, Councillor Vicki Howard, has allocated much-needed support for the live-music venues from Brisbane City Council, and, along with the superb teams at QMusic and BIGSOUND, there are great plans afoot to keep live music at the fore of Brisbane's cultural scene. I know that local arts organisations and local venues are already preparing for our government's $75 million RISE funding and our $20 million Live Music Australia programs. These initiatives will provide seed funding for arts organisations, venues and promoters to fund new events, activities and productions. I'll always be the strongest supporter of our amazing, hardworking and creative live music and arts scene in Brisbane. The DEPUTY SPEAKER 260805 In accordance with standing order 193 the time for constituency statements has concluded. PRIVATE MEMBERS' BUSINESS 183 PRIVATE MEMBERS' BUSINESS Renewable Energy 183 11:01 Dr HAINES 282335 Indi I move: That this House: (1) recognises that: (a) in the 19th century it was regional Australia that led the transition from gas to electricity and that in the 21st century it is again regional Australia that is leading Australia's transition to renewable energy; and (b) according to the Australian Energy Market Operator's Integrated System Plan, around 15 gigawatts of coal-fired power will retire over the next 20 years; (2) recalls the analysis from the leaked report of the National COVID-19 Coordination Commission Manufacturing Taskforce indicated that renewables plus storage are the lowest cost form of new electricity generation, and therefore a lowest-cost energy transition will be based on significant investment in renewables; (3) welcomes the recent comments from the International Energy Agency that 'governments have the opportunity to accelerate renewables deployment by making investment in renewables a key part of stimulus packages designed to reinvigorate their economies. This offers the prospect of harnessing the structural benefits that increasingly affordable renewables can bring, including opportunities for creating jobs and economic development, while reducing emissions and fostering innovation'; (4) notes analysis by the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation that projects that up to $1,000 billion will be spent on Australia's electricity system until 2050 and that local communities should benefit from this investment boom; (5) acknowledges that 'community energy', which is where a renewable energy project is developed by, owned by or delivers benefit to local communities, offers a compelling model for capturing the immense benefits of renewable energy, including jobs and investment, for local communities in regional Australia; (6) further welcomes the findings of Sustainability Victoria into the Victorian Community Power Hub pilot program which found that Government investment into community energy of $1.16 million created 15 projects delivering economic benefits worth $25.6 million; and (7) calls on the Government to support the development of community-owned renewable energy projects across regional Australia through: (a) direct financial support for regional communities in the form of grants and concessional loans; (b) technical support for local communities to develop renewable energy projects based on the Community Power Hub model successfully deployed in Victoria; and (c) a dedicated national community energy agency to enable capacity-building across the regional community energy network and to administer financial and technical support over the medium‑term. Australia's future is renewable, and renewables will be built almost entirely in regional Australia. These are not political statements; they're the sober findings of the engineers at the Australian Energy Market Operator who have mapped out a technical blueprint, the Integrated Systems Plan, for Australia's electricity needs over the next 20 years. Their plan shows that in that time frame over 60 per cent of our coal fleet will reach the end of its life—it will retire, it will break down, it will be gone. And, because renewables, even when you add the cost of storage, are cheaper than fossil fuels, these coal stations will be replaced by solar and wind. In fact, by 2040 they estimate that over 80 per cent of our electricity capacity will be renewable. They've mapped out where those new renewable power stations will get built—the locations in the grid with the best resources and the best grid connections—and these new renewable energy zones stretch right across regional Australia. We're building a network of interconnected renewable power stations stretching in a sunbelt from Esperance in the west to Carpentaria in the north and everywhere in between. This means big investment. In recent months, we've seen a $3 billion proposal for a wind farm and battery near Burra in South Australia, a $20 billion farm in the Northern Territory that would export energy to Singapore and $38 billion worth of private investment in a slew of projects around Dubbo. This investment in regional Australia is already starting to happen and, as we look for ways we can rebuild our regional economy from the crisis that we're now in, harnessing this 21st century gold rush for the benefit of everyday people is one of our greatest opportunities. It's right here, right now, and it is before us if we grasp it. We need to make sure that everyday people actually benefit from the boom because those power stations will be selling electricity to the country and to the world. Who owns them and where that money goes matters, and Australia's experience with renewable energy so far underscores that new development does not inevitably benefit the local community. In the past, some developers frankly ignored some communities. As we look ahead to the next phase, we can't repeat those mistakes. We have to involve community. The renewable boom is exciting but it should happen with locals not to locals. We should aspire not just to a renewable energy future but to a community energy future. Community energy is where everyday people develop, own or benefit from renewable energy. Right now, all across Australia, there are over 100 community groups doing just that. In Denmark, in Western Australia, the local community raised money to build their own wind farm, which not only provides local cheap power to the town but provides returns to the local investors, keeping money in the region instead of sending it off to some distant power company. In New England, in New South Wales, the Sapphire Wind Farm, which powers 115,000 homes, was built with $7.5 million of co-investment raised from the local people, who are now receiving dividends alongside the commercial developer. And in my patch, in Indi, Yea and Euroa are developing mini grids to enable low-cost power sharing in their towns. Beechworth and Yackandandah are developing community energies, community batteries. Wodonga is putting solar on the homes of low-income housing and the locals in Benalla will soon receive hundreds of thousands of dollars in community investment from a series of new solar farms. These examples, which are already happening, provide a model for how the benefits of renewables can best be captured for everyday Australians. But it's at this critical moment, for our country, that we need a plan to ensure every regional community can partake in this boom. Over recent months I've been working with communities right across Australia on a plan to do just that, to ensure that renewable energy not only creates local jobs but sets us up for a generation of shared prosperity. On 23 September I will launch that plan. I'd like to invite all Australians who want to see renewable energy drive a new era of prosperity for regional Australia to join me. This multidecade wave of investment is just starting to break. Let's find a way to surf it. I commend this motion to the House. The DEPUTY SPEAKER E0D I thank the honourable member for Indi. Is the motion seconded? Ms Steggall 175696 Yes, I second the motion and reserve my right to speak. 11:04 Dr ALLEN 282986 Higgins It is my honour to rise, in this place, for the first time of this sitting period after what has been a pretty tough few months for Australia. It's been tough for all Australians, and the government's record for keeping Australians safe is to be commended. Australia has been lucky, with a good dose of hard work along the way, but the next 30 years in Australia are going to look vastly different from the 30 years that have preceded it. Going forward, it won't be business as usual. This horrendous virus has opened up a world of pain. For instance, our tourism industry and international education industry will be severely hampered—at least, for the short and medium term. But COVID has also opened up a world of opportunity. We have the chance to do things better, to work to our strengths. With a well-managed health and economic response, we are positioned to grasp those opportunities with both hands and, hopefully, swifter than the rest of the world. We have to look to ourselves to realise the potential of investing, investing in our future. At the core of that is investing in our power infrastructure and renewable energy, right here in our own backyard. To come out of the other side of this virus we need to have affordable and reliable energy for all Australians, while driving hard to reduce our emissions and continue to deliver on our international obligations. I would like to see us become a leader in the opportunities that a renewable-led recovery can provide. Our government's plan is to lead through technology—not taxes. That means a lot to me as a scientist. We've commenced that plan through the technology investment road map, which seeks to develop Australia's plan to make sure we are reducing our emissions but also to put us on the front foot of renewable technology and our ability to contribute to the world's growing appetite for cleaner, greener energy. As the Chief Scientist, Alan Finkel, has said, we have the opportunity to bottle and ship our sunshine to places like Japan. We have to get to a renewable future. Australians know that. We can be proud that, with more solar panels on roofs per capita than almost any other country around the world, Australian science and innovation is being used in almost half of the world's solar panels. We have a proven track record in using our resourcefulness, in using our resilience and in using our technology to help solve some of the world's most important problems. But for our economy to prosper we have to ensure that our energy is also reliable. We need something to balance the system and ensure baseload power supply when the sun isn't shining and the wind isn't blowing. We know we are currently transitioning to a renewable energy future and we need to keep affordable and reliable energy at the centre of that. The coalition government's investments in large-scale storage will help us to move to a standalone carbon-neutral future. Large-scale storage, like Snowy 2.0 and the Battery of the Nation, will help to provide the reliable power needed to keep the lights on during peak demand. Gas, and our emerging capability in hydrogen, will also help us transition to renewables and help provide stability in the network while the new technologies come online. Hydrogen in particular has the potential to serve us not only as a viable energy source for Australia but also as a large-scale export industry which will benefit Australia's economy and help the rest of the world—in particular, developing nations—moved to a carbon-neutral future while serving their large populations. Developing a large-scale hydrogen industry will benefit regional Australians almost more than any. The size and scale of production naturally lends itself to any producer basing themselves in regional Australia. An Australian hydrogen industry could create as many as 8,000 jobs, with even more secondary jobs. On current growth figures, a well-run supported hydrogen industry could generate more than $11 billion a year. The Morrison government has backed this energy source with over half a billion dollars already invested, including $300 million for the CEFC Advancing Hydrogen Fund. Finally, as a scientist, I believe we need to be open-minded about new technologies, which are coming online all the time. As the world moves to a carbon-neutral future, most countries with ambitious energy targets have nuclear somewhere in the mix. We need to think about small modular reactors and new nuclear technologies if we are to compete in getting to a carbon-neutral future as fast as possible. Energy technology is moving rapidly and we wouldn't want to miss any opportunity to lead the revolution in the world's bid for a carbon-neutral future. 11:11 Ms STEGGALL 175696 Warringah I thank the member for Indi for her motion, and I'm pleased to second it. The development of community energy in regional Australia will create local jobs in those communities. I acknowledge the government's support for community energy in Australia with the Energy Efficient Communities Program, which is distributing funds of $40 million to projects around Australia. I also acknowledge the New South Wales government and Minister Kean for the $15 million Regional Community Energy Fund that is supporting community energy projects from Gulgong to Goulburn and right to Byron Bay. Community energy can make an enormous contribution to Australia, from the bush to coastal cities, and will accelerate job creation and shared values. Australia and the world are in an energy transition and, according to the Australian Energy Market Operator, the planner, forecaster and manager of the grid, up to 15 gigawatts of coal will retire over the next two decades. The market has made it clear that the cheapest replacement is renewables and storage; it is not gas. This could be wind or solar, with pumped hydro, solar arrays on roofs, virtual power plants and, of course, green hydrogen. Community energy projects are a way for communities to assist in this transition but also to take the power of renewable technologies into their own hands whilst creating local jobs and boosting local economies. According to the Community Power Agency, community energy projects are social and community enterprises driven by local people. So community energy groups tend to have a social and environmental driver as well as an economic one. They encompass a range of technologies and activities from a breadth of scales determined by the community needs, the availability of local natural resources, technologies and funding and community support. An example of this is a group of community members collectively funding and installing a large array of solar panels on their local town hall to power local businesses in the surrounding area. There are multiple benefits to this approach. The projects create local jobs, they reduce power prices, the power matches local needs and they foster a sense of community cohesion and shared values. We need these benefits in these tough times more than ever—especially jobs. Fortunately, for every $1.5 million invested in renewables almost eight jobs are created, compared to only 2.6 jobs in old energy production like coal or gas. There is no doubt that our job future is in renewables. Luckily, we don't have to look too far for examples. We have these kinds of projects in many regional communities and in Warringah. ClearSky Solar Investments are an award-winning not-for-profit from a New South Wales government grant. They established an unlisted structure allowing private investors to finance solar installations across schools and businesses. ClearSky partnered with another not-for-profit, Pingala, and did one community finance installation for the 4 Pines brewery. They invited 4 Pines employees, friends and Northern Beaches locals to participate and make up an inclusive investor portfolio. They had so much interest that they had to draw names. The way it works is that 4 Pines pays for electricity consumed, with the proceeds being returned to shareholders by a power purchase agreement of smart commercial solar for a return of up to eight per cent on their investment. In Warringah, we're also supporting communities like those in Indi. Solar Choice, a renewable energy developer based in Warringah, secured planning approval for one megawatt in the Majura Valley community solar farm in the ACT. This is the largest community-owned solar farm in Australia. It will have over 5,000 solar modules, will power approximately 250 homes and will abate 1,600 tonnes of Co2 every year. The benefits are obvious so how do we get more of these going? Alongside the member for Indi, I call on the government to direct financial support to these communities in the form of grants and concessional loans, to support local communities to develop renewable energy projects based on the existing model likes the community power hub model in Victoria—the Majura Valley solar farm, the 4 Pines Brewery community funded solar—and take it one step further by establishing a national community energy agency to enable capacity building in regional communities. We need a renewable-led recovery. 11:17 Dr WEBSTER 281688 Mallee I rise to speak not only on the motion of the member for Indi to express my desire to see further investment in recent technologies and the Australia's energy grid in my electorate of Mallee but also on the government's outstanding track record in fostering such investments. Mallee has the potential to lead the nation in renewable energy production, with wind projects in the south of the electorate and solar projects in the north. The Lodden Mallee Renewable Energy Roadmap encompasses the north of the electorate and further afield into Greater Bendigo and estimates renewables could deliver up $1 billion in supply chain benefits to the region and create over 3,200 jobs. Significant investments have been made into solar generation in Mallee by the federal government through the Clean Energy Finance Corporation, including the 50 megawatt Gannawarra Solar Farm at Kerang, the 110 megawatt Bannerton Solar Farm, the 110 megawatt Wemen Solar Farm as well as Victoria's largest solar farm, the 200 megawatt Kiamal Solar Farm near Mildura. Taken together, these projects alone have the capacity to power over 220,000 homes. These projects are located in what's known as the Murray River Renewable Energy Zone. This area, which has been mapped by the Australian Energy Market Operator encompasses more than 640 megawatts of solar generation developments and future commitments. While a significant amount of energy is generated in Mallee, there is concern about voltage stability and thermal limits, which currently restrict the output of these generators. This is why we desperately need to prioritise projects that will increase Victoria's grid capacity, including the Western Victorian Transmission Network Project, which will install new power lines from Melbourne through Ballarat to Ararat as well as VNI West—a proposed new interconnector between Victoria and New South Wales. Kerang in my electorate has been identified as the optimal location for this interconnector, which will significantly increase our region's capacity to generate renewable electricity. Tom O'Reilly, the CEO of Gannawarra Shire Council, told me that, if Kerang is chosen for this interconnector, it will be a game changer for the region. He said that there are millions of dollars of private sector investment knocking at his door and that a commitment to this project would open the flood gates for solar generation in northern Mallee. Another exciting project happening in Mallee is the Donald and Tarnagulla microgrid feasibility study. This $1.4 million project is funded through the Commonwealth Regional and Remote Communities Reliability Fund and will assess the microgrid's potential to deliver the energy reliability, affordability and security which these communities need. A multifaceted approach is needed to fully capitalise on the potential of renewables. I'm excited by alternative energy sources and storage options like bioenergy and hydrogen technologies. In Mallee we are lucky to be home to a world-first bioenergy project at Select Harvests in Robinvale, which utilises almond hulls and shells as a source of energy. This project generates enough energy to power the Carina West almond processing facility and the irrigation pumps at the Carina orchard. It has also led to the creation of eight new career opportunities for permanent staff at Select Harvests. There is also enormous potential for hydrogen to be used as a clean fuel source and as a mechanism to store energy, which will become increasingly important as renewables become a large portion of Australia's energy mix. Mallee also stands to gain from innovations in hydrogen storage technologies. Excess energy that is generated from other sources, including solar, that would otherwise go to waste can be stored in hydrogen molecules. This hydrogen can then be utilised when the sun isn't shining, thereby creating and increasing the efficiency of our renewable energy assets—a living battery, if you like. I support Australia's National Hydrogen Strategy adopted by COAG, and the federal government's $300 million Advancing Hydrogen Fund. I was excited when Linda Beilharz, the CEO of the Loddon Mallee arm of Regional Development Australia, spoke to me about the Mallee hydrogen road map, and I'm eager to review this and explore ways in which Mallee can benefit from innovative hydrogen projects. I support ongoing investment into renewable energy technologies in my electorate, and in Australia's energy grid infrastructure, and I will continue to support the development of related projects in my electorate of Mallee. 11:21 Mr HILL 86256 Bruce I welcome the member for Indi's motion on renewable energy. It's a unicorn of a motion. It's all too rare in this parliament, certainly in the four years I've been here, that you ever get a debate about energy, climate change, renewables that deals in facts and figures as opposed to ideology, blind prejudice and fantasy stories that we hear from the government day in, day out. The motion talks, quite rightly, about regional Australia leading Australia's transition to renewable energy and about the fact that the market operator advises that 15 gigawatts of coal-fired power is going to be retired in the next 20 years. It's not a mad lefty fantasy. The market operator tells us this. Even the Prime Minister's fossil fuel mates that he hand-picked for his dodgy commission to tell us how to get out of the recession that he's presiding over have admitted that renewables plus storage are the lowest-cost forms of energy and electricity generation. The International Energy Agency says to governments around the world: 'Use the trillions of dollars of stimulus to invest in renewable energy. That would be a good idea, and communities should benefit.' But the context that this debate occurs in is key. It's not just about community renewables—and I endorse the contributions made—it is about the government's abject failure over seven years and 19 failed energy policies to provide any certainty for this country about where people can invest, where we're investing in new supply and how we're going to deal with climate change. It's a complete failure. The Prime Minister's latest effort, in an utterly corrupt farce, is the COVID economic recovery commission process. In March the Prime Minister appointed his mates from the fossil fuel industry: Nev Power, who's on the board of the gas company Strike Energy, and Andrew Liveris, unbelievably, who's on the board of Saudi Arabia's state-owned oil and gas giant Aramco. They won't release their conflict of interest declarations—they're secret, mind. And in this secretive, multimillion dollar exercise, which has no transparency, no accountability at all—just how this Prime Minister likes it—guess what they recommend? The answer is: when his fossil fuel mates get together they say, 'Give us billions of dollars!' Surprise, surprise! That's it; that's the answer. Even worse, they want a pipeline from the east coast to the west coast. That failed, silly idea that has been rejected time after time because it doesn't pass any robust cost-benefit test and never will. This is rent-seeking nonsense worthy of Vladimir Putin's Russia, not Australia. Now if you read the detail—this came out in a Senate inquiry—there are little reports that are buried in there that say, 'By the way, Prime Minister, you should underwrite the gas supply at fixed prices.' That sounds okay, until you stop and think about what it means. We'll decode it. What it means is: 'Prime Minister, you should promise to pay us and our companies billions of dollars at a guaranteed price for years, even if global prices drop massively.' That's what it means. And when questioned, Nev Power and the fossil fuel mates that the Prime Minister has got in a secret room advising him backed off and said, 'It's not a final proposal; it might not quite be what we mean.' It's what they wrote and it is what they mean. Even in future years, if tankers sail the ocean full of fossil fuels looking for someone to buy them at a cheap price, don't worry, Scott Morrison's legacy will be that the Australian taxpayers will keep paying inflated prices for decades. That's what it means. The so-called gas recovery is a slogan. The government members' instructions are just to keep saying 'gas recovery'. Gas-fired recovery: it sounds good, like turning on the stove. It's a policy you get when you have a government led by a failed marketing ad man without a plan. Now in case you think I'm just a mad lefty, I might be a mad lefty, but I'll make three points in closing. One: of course gas and coal will remain part of Australia's energy mix for years to come. That's a fact. Labor supports those jobs. The second fact is that we also support cheaper power. The fact is that renewables are the cheapest form of new energy. For cheaper, cleaner energy, you're going to back renewables. The third point—this is really important, in case people dismiss us as mad, raving lefties—is, let the market rip. I say on this topic let the market rip, because the market has spoken. Consumers have spoken. Even BHP is selling out of thermal coal. If you believe in market economics, as we hear from the government members that they do, if you believe this, as opposed to just saying it and then doing another thing by giving billions of dollars of taxpayer money to your corporate mates in fossil fuel, if you believe this, let the market rip. Don't subsidise any form of power. The market has spoken. It will go to the cheapest, cleanest form of new energy, which is renewable energy. So I thank the member for Indi for allowing a fact based debate. 11:27 Mr TIM WILSON IMW Goldstein I want to start where the member left off, which is to highlight some of the somewhat hypocritical arguments that were put before the chamber. He talked specifically about how we should let the market rip and remove all government investment, all government subsidies in the renewable energy sector. In order for him to say that consistently, he would have to say he's against the Clean Energy Finance Corporation. Abolish it—that's what the member was arguing. He was arguing let's get rid of ARENA, which focuses on investment in new technology innovations. He would argue that we should have got rid of the Renewable Energy Target when it used to be in place. He definitely wouldn't have supported the carbon tax, because that would have been a bad subsidy to the private sector as well. Of course these hypocritical arguments go to the heart of the disjointed, incoherent position of the Australian Labor Party on energy. He doesn't even know his own electorate. His electorate is close to mine. In the Goldstein electorate, and many of the businesses that operate just outside it, are many businesses that die cast, which means that they have to melt metals. We can have arguments about renewable energy; I'm not arguing that; I'm pro technology. But I'm also a realist. Wind turbines can't create the heat to melt metal unless they're on fire themselves. You need gas. That's why gas is a critical part of the manufacturing base of the economy. Some of the members on the other side argue against that or shake their heads. They obviously have no real connection to what you have to do in manufacturing. You need to melt things. You need to burn things. That's why we're in this situation. I go to businesses, not in my electorate but just outside, in the member's electorate, and I know exactly what they're like. I know exactly how much it's a dishonest argument to put forward that everything can simply be replaced. Let's be realists. Let's focus on it. One of the reasons why the government has accepted the proposition of gas as a critical part of the transition to lower emissions and energy prices, while guaranteeing reliability, is for the reason that the Chief Scientist comes out in support of it, because so much of the infrastructure that sits behind gas can be converted to hydrogen when it becomes viable. The member who moved the motion, the member for Indi, is now shaking her head at the Chief Scientist. It's just extraordinary. They are not focused on the reality of the engineering associated with energy. As somebody who has studied energy extensively over many years, including in the climate change space, but not exclusively, it's clear to me that to have a sustainable transition plan you need to look at what viable technologies sit in the marketplace and what can be delivered, and you need to make sure that you take the country with you. That is exactly why we've taken the energy road map approach, mapping out a chart or pathway of how we want to get to a lower-emissions future and a cheaper energy future, and what we need to do to support technology into the marketplace. But the only solution that our opponents put forward is one with a singular lens, where cost doesn't matter and we're not worried about the impact on families. Let's remember who are most impacted by this issue: it's not the well-off and it's not business—although they have their own consequences, and when they do it hurts jobs, and jobs and job creation are going to be critical in the months and years to come—it's the poor, it's the pensioners and it's the people who don't have much of a margin in their household electricity bill. They're the people who pay the cost of the agenda of Labor and an Independent, in this case. They don't understand the energy market and think that if they come to Canberra, sit here and tinker with their priorities that somehow that's going to deliver for the Australian people. That's against the approach that this government takes, where we map out a plan and invest in new technologies so that we can build a future energy-reliable supply for the country. That's so manufacturers can have the gas they need to melt metals so they can produce goods and so they can sell Australian products competitively internationally. It's so households can pay lower prices on their bills; that's whether they're on gas, because they've got all that infrastructure and they can't necessarily change or upgrade, or because they need lower electricity bills—particularly in winter when it's cold and they don't have the money to support themselves. Every single thing we do is very mindful of what it is we need to do to cut emissions, what is it we need to do to cut prices and what is that we need to do to make sure that we have a reliable energy supply for this country. The alternative approach which has been put before us in this parliament by this member—and those in the Labor Party who support it—is to make their priorities more important than the lived, real experience of Australian households and Australian businesses. That is why their conduct is so disgraceful. 11:32 Mr CONROY 249127 Shortland I rise with genuine pleasure to talk about this motion. I thank the member for raising it, because this is about empowering communities to reduce their power prices and also to cut greenhouse gas emissions. Those are both laudable and eminently achievable. This is happening all around the world and I'm really proud of previous efforts by Labor governments to support this initiative. For example, in the last Labor government, the Rudd-Gillard government, we allocated significant amounts of funding to empower communities to grab renewable energy opportunities. We had the $10 billion Clean Energy Finance Corporation, we had the $3.2 billion ARENA, we had one $1.2 billion for businesses to invest in energy efficiency and renewable energy, and, very specifically to this motion, we had the $100 million Low Income Energy Efficiency Program, the $200 million Community Energy Efficiency Program and the $40 million Remote Indigenous Energy Program. Those last three funds, $340 million in total, were directed at empowering communities to seize their energy futures by investing in renewable energy, to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions and to reduce power prices. Well, where are we now? The Australian Energy Market Operator has found that there will be 15 gigawatts of coal-fired power which will retire over the next 20 years. Matt Kean, the Liberal New South Wales energy minister, has stated only as recently as last week that four of the five current coal-fired power stations in New South Wales will retire over the next 15 years. I represent the great seat of Shortland in the Hunter region and we are literally the powerhouse for the nation. Four of the five power stations in New South Wales—the four that are due to retire over the next 15 years—are in my electorate and the neighbouring electorate of Hunter. We contribute 25 per cent of the total power production in the entire country. But those four power stations are reaching the end of their technical lives. The companies have set closure dates for three of the four. AGL has said that Liddell will close in 2023, Bayswater in 2035, Eraring—the biggest power station in the country—in 2032, and AEMO has found that Vales Point is likely to retire in the second half of this decade. So we have a massive hole in our energy market which must be filled. The Australian Energy Market Operator has confirmed what every other independent expert has found, which is that the cheapest form of new power to replace it is renewable energy—solar and wind—made 100 per cent reliable, backed up through pumped hydro storage and batteries. That is the future. But the people who are holding the future at bay, who are standing up against the future, are the reactionaries in the current government. I won't call them liberals, because they're not liberals. They are reactionaries. They are the last vestiges of the DLP holding back the future. What have we seen in the last year? Renewables energy investment has fallen off a cliff. In the last quarter only three projects reached financial closure. Investment is down 50 per cent from where it averaged in the 2019 calendar year. A study by the Clean Energy Council and the UTS found that 11,000 jobs will be lost in the industry over the next two years due to this government's policy vacuum. This government, which has presided over the national economy for seven years, has had 19 energy policies in those seven years. How can you invest in an asset that has a 40-year pay-back span when the policy is changing more than once a year? In fact, in one two-week period, it had three different energy policies. I've seen greater stability in third-world juntas than we're getting out of the mob that is in power now! The tragedy is that, as a result of the power games they're playing—the fact that they're being held hostage by fossils like Barnaby Joyce and Craig Kelly in their party room, who reject the science of climate change—it is households that are paying. Households are paying more for their power than they need to because those opposite aren't supporting investment in renewable energy. It's the planet that is suffering, because we're not reducing our greenhouse gas emissions as fast as we can. We're also losing out on the massive economic opportunities of our becoming a renewable energy export super power. We would still be one of the greatest exporters of energy in the world. We would just be exporting renewable energy through hydrogen, through DC underwater cables and through energy intensive manufacturing, through low-energy prices, in aluminium smelting and steelmaking. This is the future if we invest in renewable energy. Those opposite will stand condemned by history because they are standing in the way of that. They reject the science on climate change. They reject market economics. All they're interested in is lining the pockets of their mates. (Time expired) The DEPUTY SPEAKER 198084 The time allotted for the debate has expired. The debate is adjourned and the resumption of the debate will be made an order of the day for the next sitting. Census 190 11:37 Mr CONNELLY 282984 Stirling I move: That this House: (1) notes the Census and Statistics Amendment (Statistical Information) Regulations 2020 tabled in Parliament on 11 February 2020 seek to ask a question in the 2021 census about whether someone has served in the Australian Defence Force (ADF); and (2) recognises that having a census question around the ADF service will: (a) for the first time, give a complete picture of the number of veterans in Australia; and (b) allow governments of all levels to deliver the right services in the right areas to support veterans and their families. We have taken great strides over the course of this government to make seismic improvements in the way that we support those who have served our wonderful country. As a veteran myself, and being the husband to another veteran, I'm honoured today to move this motion. I speak on behalf of fellow veterans to first make this point: veterans in our community do not expect any treatment different to or better than anyone else in society. It is worth noting, though, that the conditions of service and the nature of service do necessitate some very specific support measures. I've witnessed firsthand the passion of our Prime Minister, Scott Morrison, for supporting veterans. In fact, in just the third week that I was here in this place, the Prime Minister convened a roundtable, and he brought to that table the relevant ministers—the Minister for Defence, the Minister for Veterans' Affairs and Defence Personnel, and the Minister for Health—the chief of Australia's Defence Force and the Secretary of the Department of Veterans' Affairs. The Prime Minister posed to us this one simple but very important question: what more can we be doing for our veterans? Since its inception, this government has been continuing to do more for veterans. This has included structural changes such as automatically signing up new members of the Australian Defence Force to the Department of Veterans' Affairs. Similarly, when a defence member separates from defence, they are automatically issued with a white card, which enables them to access free mental health care for the rest of their lives. Another initiative is that the term 'veteran' is now being ascribed to anybody who has served even a single day in full-time service in ADF uniform. This most recent change will include the collection of data about veterans using the census. Following my full-time Army service, I spent about a decade in the business environment. One of the many wonderful lessons I learned in business is that you cannot improve something which you do not measure. Up to this point, we really haven't measured much about veterans. Scott Morrison continues to lead a government dedicated to shaping responses based on reality which is informed by the gathering of data, and he has shown a willingness to make decisions based on that data. This change is a logical next step in the progression of our commitment towards Australian veterans and a further sign of the sincerity of our efforts, in that we are willing to ask the right questions. Census data will provide a better understanding of reality and will help us to tailor services at the right time, in the right areas and to the right people. It will also enable federal, state and territory governments and related agencies to better target and improve services and support. Oddly enough, ex service organisations, because of their outreach and their networks, have often been able to achieve an even greater reach into the veteran community than the Department of Veterans' Affairs. Organisations like the Veterans Transition Centre in Jarrahdale and Legacy WA, as well as individuals like Karyn Hinder, who runs Working Spirit to help veterans find jobs, are helping veterans who may have fallen through some of the more formalised cracks. Inherently and objectively, that is a good thing, but this new census data will help DVA, the Department of Veterans' Affairs, to better identify where those veterans are, what their circumstances are and what support they may require. It is, after all, one of the very highest responsibilities of a citizen to serve and protect their country. It's an equally and incredibly important role of society to support those veterans when they transition and to support their health and wellbeing. I strongly endorse this motion. I look forward to understanding more and better supporting our wonderful veteran community. The DEPUTY SPEAKER 72184 Is the motion seconded? 11:42 Ms SWANSON 264170 Paterson I second the motion. I'm pleased to support this piece of private members' business in the form of the Census and Statistics Amendment (Statistical Information) Regulations 2020. I thank the member for Stirling for not only bringing about this private members' business but also for his service to Australia. His wife has also served Australia. They've both served our country very proudly and very well. I'm also incredibly proud to speak in this chamber for the first time in my new role as the shadow assistant minister for defence, and on a matter relating to the portfolio. We really must understand the contribution that defence personnel make to this country. This government has consistently, sadly, not shown the full amount of respect that I believe we need to show our defence personnel. Indeed, not long ago, the veterans minister was not really able to say how many veterans we have here in Australia. By anyone's measure, that is a problem. Currently, we have more than 105,000 personnel serving and working in Defence. We must ensure that these service women and service men are not forgotten. We must ensure that they're more than a statistic for this government. The government of the day must know how many ex service personnel we have and they must understand the needs of these ex service personnel, their families and the lifelong challenges that they face. The federal Labor opposition, along with the states and territories, has long called for the Commonwealth to include in the census a question on defence service to identify Australia's veterans. The census can serve to capture lost data, allowing us to identify how many veterans there are and where they live, allowing the right services to be delivered to them and their families and to ensure that no-one is falling through the cracks. It simply won't be enough for the government to just collect this data either. It's one thing to put a question on a census; it's another thing to interpret that data and then put it into action for our veterans. We must make sure that the resulting information is shared with state and territory agencies and that ex-service organisations are able to better target support for veterans and their families in areas such as health, mental health, housing and employment. These are all critical areas. Many recent reports on issues such as veteran suicide and homelessness have highlighted that too many veterans are falling through the cracks and that support services are failing our most vulnerable. We need the best information to be readily available to be able to understand the issues that veterans are facing and, more importantly, how to apply the policies and the fixes that we need. Engaging with defence families is another really vital area, because often family is the first line of support for our veterans. They have to have input into the services and they have to be able to help wrap around and provide the best possible support to our ex-service personnel. This government must not be complacent any longer, and we can't wait until census 2021 to start taking steps to address veterans who are, sadly, being left out in the cold—actually, literally. Whilst Labor has long agreed that the census questions around ADF service will help ensure a complete picture, we know that government must do more to engage the veteran community and the families that are supporting them. Regional services need to be well informed if they're best able to serve those people who need them. I want to take a moment to highlight the national shame that is the Morrison government's failure to make any real headway on tackling veteran homelessness—and we all shake our heads at that crisis. Damning figures show that from July around 5,800 ex-service men and women had been homeless in that 12-month period. It is just not good enough. In the Hunter alone, around one in 10 homeless people are veterans. In my electorate, the RSL's information is that there is a 25 per cent increase in the number of veterans locally who are seeking their help. This government must do more. These people have served their nation and they deserve to be well served by their government. 11:48 Mr STEVENS 176304 Sturt I certainly support this motion and I would like to start my contribution by paying tribute to its mover, the member for Stirling, commending him on bringing this motion here to the chamber and, of course, acknowledging and recognising his service to this country and the service of his wife and all those men and women who have served the people of Australia—not just current veterans but also veterans from generations gone by. Recently, we acknowledged the anniversary of Victory in the Pacific, which is obviously a very significant element of the end of the Second World War, and it underscores the contribution that Australian men and women provided to this country in that conflict and so many conflicts throughout our history—and I acknowledge them. The Americans tend to claim developing the term 'red tape', and they say that it comes from the difficulty for civil war veterans in accessing benefits and entitlements from the United States government. I think the red tape was in fact the ribbon that war records were tied in, and, when people went to seek and obtain entitlements from the US government, it was a very difficult process because they had to search for the service records of those personnel manually and through the process of tying and untying the red tape around the bundles of documents. Although there are some other suggestions as to where that term came from, I think it's appropriate to acknowledge that there's been a long history of challenge in veterans across the world being properly supported by their governments after they've provided service to their countries. That's not because governments haven't wanted to—clearly—provide the support that our veterans deserve but there have always been bureaucratic red-tape challenges in properly identifying our veterans community and, therefore, making sure all veterans are getting the services that they are absolutely entitled to in our country. I've certainly found, in a little more than 12 months, as a member of parliament it's rewarding but heartbreaking when you help a veteran to access services that they should have been getting from our governments ever since they left the ADF. There are some people, beyond question, who are entitled to services from our government, not just the federal government but state and territory governments as well, who are missing out on those services. Some of the worst examples are those living in homelessness and those living with very serious mental health issues who are not being properly supported by government. That's not because of any budgetary constraint. We know that veteran support services are demand driven. Anyone who's entitled to those services, when they apply for them, receives them. There's no limit on the Department of Veterans' Affairs budget. But there are so many people who are not properly being supported to get access to those services. That's why I think the prospect of putting this question into the census process is a really important one. There's no strong body of data and evidence that identifies what our veterans community is compared to the number of people who are accessing the services they're entitled to. Clearly, asking this question and getting that data is going to give us an excellent opportunity to look at the areas where there are enormous gaps between the number of veterans we identify through the census process and those who are actually receiving the benefits and entitlements that they are absolutely entitled to for the service they provided to our country. I think that will also send a really clear message to other jurisdictions, the state and territory jurisdictions et cetera, that it is really important that we do a much better job of data sharing between agencies at the Commonwealth and state and territory level. That's another big problem I've been made aware of, very consistently. There might be a certain agency in a state that is working with a veteran client and the Commonwealth is not having that flow of information to the Department of Veterans' Affairs and other agencies and, quite probably, vice versa. I think we'd all agree that it's vitally important to make sure that all agencies that provide support to veterans are sharing information with each other, to make sure that all the support possible is put in place for veterans. This will send a really clear message that we value our veterans communities and we want to make sure that they're given the support that they're entitled to by all levels of government. By putting it in the census, it clearly elevates it to that level of significance. That's why I commend this motion to the chamber. 11:53 Mr GOSLING 245392 Solomon I am pleased to support this motion and thank the member for Stirling for moving it. As a fellow veteran I acknowledge and thank him for his service, along with all other veterans in this place. The health and welfare of our defence personnel and veterans and their families is an extremely high priority for Labor. We understand, as I'm sure those opposite do, that we owe a duty of care not just for the time that people serve but continuing past peoples' service. To that end, I think it was an extraordinary admission by the Minister for Veterans' Affairs—I think it was last year—that the government didn't know how many veterans died from suicide each year, and it didn't have reliable national figures for veterans in general. The reality is that we need to have the best information available if we're going to provide the best possible care and support for our ex-service personnel. So I, hopefully like everyone else in this place, support the addition of a question in the census. Before the last election, Labor committed to improving the record keeping, data collection and information sharing between Defence, the Department of Veterans' Affairs and other agencies to address current gaps in the health of our personnel and veterans. We called for the government to include this question on military service in the next national census, to better inform the support of our veterans. The states and territories have long argued for this. In 2017 veterans affairs ministers from across Australia recognised the importance of the issue, unanimously agreeing that a question about veterans should be included in the next Australian census. This was then reinforced in 2018 and 2019, when those ministers again recognised the need for robust data on veterans issues, strongly endorsed the need for a veteran indicator in the 2021 census and discussed the benefits of this. I want to acknowledge the WA Labor government minister and former SAS officer Peter Tinley, in particular, because I know he has been a very strong advocate of this. We welcome the fact that the 2021 census will include such a question about whether someone has served in the ADF. We know that having a census question around ADF service will help provide a more complete picture of the number of veterans in Australia and will allow governments at all levels to deliver the right services in the right areas to support veterans and their families. Recent reports on issues such as veteran suicide and homelessness, in particular, have highlighted that too many veterans are falling through the cracks and struggling to cope after leaving the ADF. We're facing an increasingly dire situation that will worsen as the longer term impacts of trauma and stress from the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan, in particular, manifest amongst veterans. We need to have the best information available to understand these issues and provide the best possible care and support. But the government cannot afford to see a new census question and the resulting data as a cure-all that will solve all policy problems on its own or an excuse to do nothing in the meantime. For a start, the government needs to do a lot more to support our Defence personnel when it comes to transitioning out of the ADF into civilian life through better support for mental health and suicide prevention, employment and housing. This is why we desperately need a full royal commission into veteran suicide with a clear start and end date, so we can finally get to the bottom of this terrible scourge and deliver real accountability and justice for our veterans and their families. The government has announced a new National Commissioner for Defence and Veteran Suicide Prevention, but it's clear this won't be better than a royal commission, as those opposite have claimed. It is not a genuine attempt to tackle this issue, in my view. One thing they could do right now is get on and roll out the veteran recovery or wellbeing centres, as they're called, across the country, like the one promised at the last election for my electorate of Solomon. We know that people can struggle if they have nowhere to go for help. Fifteen months down the track, we haven't got a general manager for the Darwin wellbeing centre as yet. I hope that Mates4Mates can find the right person soon. When they're finally up and running these veteran hubs are a good example of the types of services that will benefit greatly from the data we get from a new census question on ADF service, which will help inform and target the support we deliver to veterans on the ground when and where they need it. I thank the member for the motion and I commend it to the chamber. 11:58 Mrs PHILLIPS 147140 Gilmore I appreciate the member for Stirling for bringing this motion forward. I absolutely agree that it is vital that we understand our veterans better in Australia. It was disappointing to hear the Minister for Veterans' Affairs admit last year that the government did not know how many veterans we have. This is absolutely appalling, and we need to rectify it immediately. My electorate on the New South Wales South Coast has a proud Defence family, so it is no surprise that we are equally proud of our veterans. It means so much to be able to honour and recognise the invaluable service that veterans have given to our country. In recent weeks I have been proud to attend three local ceremonies to honour and commemorate our veterans. This year we mark 75 years since the end of the Second World War, a momentous occasion. Like many things this year, though, our commemorations have been hampered by COVID-19, with services across the South Coast scaled down or, sadly, cancelled altogether. But many still found a way to honour our war heroes. On the 75th anniversary of the victory in the Pacific I joined a small group of veterans at the Nowra war memorial to mark the occasion. The Shoalhaven City Pipes and Drums, which is predominantly current or former Defence members, played The battle's o'er, and the Nowra and Bomaderry RSL sub-branches managed to put together a fitting yet safe tribute. Last Tuesday I joined the Sussex Inlet RSL sub-branch for a combined commemorative service to mark Vietnam Veterans' Day, National Servicemens' Day, the Korean War ceasefire day and VP Day. I was absolutely honoured to present special commemorative medallions to some of our surviving World War II veterans as well as saluting their service awards to 18 local veterans. It was a moving and special service. At sunset I joined with the Shoalhaven Vietnam Veterans' Association to honour those who had made the ultimate sacrifice for our freedoms. It was fantastic to see a good community turnout as well as many local veterans. Our community holds great pride for our veterans, and it was so devastating to miss out on Anzac Day this year. While all these services were smaller than they might usually have been, it was fantastic to see them go ahead in a COVIDSafe manner. Thank you to all the sub-branches across the South Coast for your efforts to ensure these special occasions were given the attention they deserve. It is incredibly vital that we do not forget the service and sacrifice of those who selflessly fought for our country to ensure future generations could have the freedom that we enjoy today. To mark the 75th anniversary of the end of the war, the Australian government has now made a special commemorative medallion and certificate available to every living Second World War veteran. I would be absolutely honoured to help any South Coast veteran or their family apply to receive one of these, and I encourage you to contact my office for support. It is for all of these reasons and more that we need to understand where our veterans are. We need to make sure our local services are targeted where they are needed—support like health and mental health services, housing and employment. Our community on the South Coast has a number of veterans groups trying to fill that hole themselves, offering advocacy, support and guidance where they can. I have spoken in this House before about the Keith Payne VC Veterans Benefits Group that is doing amazing things to help local veterans. People like Fred Campbell and Rick Meehan are dedicating their lives to it. All of the local RSL sub-branches, and I have visited so many of them, are doing this incredible work. I will always stand with them in their quest to ensure that no local veterans fall through the cracks, but more needs to be done. The Veterans Wellbeing Centre in Nowra will be an amazing community hub for local veterans, but we are still waiting for crucial details like the location. Most importantly, we still do not have a final date of when this centre will be operational. While I absolutely welcome this change to the census, we still have a long way to go. I will keep working with local veterans and their advocates to ensure they are getting the support they need. I also want to sincerely thank all of our remarkable veterans and serving Defence Force members for dedicating your lives to protecting us. Your service and sacrifice will never be forgotten. 12:03 Mr JOYCE E5D New England I rise today to support this motion and note it not only is applicable on a census but also honours families. My family has had a long history in the Defence Force. My father came from New Zealand but my grandfather on the other side was obviously an Australian. My grandfather on my father's side started at the very bottom, a regular in the artillery. He went through the First World War—through Gallipoli and the Western Front, where he got a DCM. Between the wars, he maintained himself and stayed full time with the Army. In the Second World War, he was chasing the Japanese around the Pacific, right up to Guadalcanal. At one stage, he got a DCM, a Distinguished Conduct Medal, for bravery under fire on the Western Front. He arrived at Gallipoli on the first day and left on the last. All the way through, he had a distinguished career. At one stage in the Second World War, he was declared missing. In fact, they went to my grandmother and told her that he was missing only for him to be later discovered. I think the story was he was in a boat with two Islanders, they discovered where to find an island and got the boat they were in back there. He had a distinguished career. My father was repatriated after getting smashed up; an anti-aircraft gun was on a crane and it swung back and hit him against a wall, taking out his leg. He was on embarkation at the Italian Peninsula. My other grandfather was in the Air Force, but he was a wireless operator on the Western Front. He joined when he was 16, and he looked 16. He lied to go off to war. My grandmother—she was English—had seven brothers who were all killed over a range of conflicts, so the story goes. What this means is it's not only within a nation but within families themselves, which have a strong connection to the Defence Force. For my very, very, very small part, I joined the Army Reserve—1809842 is my rego number. That was just really to show that you did your bit, knowing full well the only thing below me in the Army Reserve was a boiled potato. I recognise that. But still, I think it is important that everybody does their bit. Therefore, I think it's important for the nation that, if you believe in this country, you've got to put your money where your mouth is. Obviously, service for your nation is something that's incredibly important. Other people do it in other ways. They might do it in charity groups. They might do it in the police force. They do other things that take that next step, because this nation is made up of three different groups of people. One group of people throw papers out the window of a car because they really don't care about the nation, and they're always going to be with us and there's nothing you can do about them. There's another group of people who complain about the papers that are out on the road and talk about how bad other people are. But then there's a special group of people who go out and pick up the papers and don't complain about it. It's the paper picker-uppers in our nation which make this nation a strong place, and a big group of them are people who serve in our Defence Force because they are doing extra, beyond what is asked of them. We see them all around and a lot of the times we don't recognise them. My partner's brother did ten years in the Navy. I know she had another brother who enlisted in the Army for a period. All these people really could have had greater opportunities had they just stayed on 'civi' street, had they stayed in many instances to go on and get a trade or to go to university. But there's something that inspires people for the sake of our nation to join up, as they'd say. So I think that this is a good move. I think it hopefully inspires other people to take that next step, because, unless we have people who are prepared to serve our nation and protect our nation, then, by the hard lesson of history, there will come a time where you won't have a nation because you'll have no-one to protect that nation. We can all see that, with the passing of Pax Americana—you'd have to say that that is happening—we're coming to a more precarious time. So, once more, we are going to have to, in a vastly more deliberate way, call on Australians, both men and women, to serve our nation so as our nation can be sustained. The DEPUTY SPEAKER 72184 The time allotted for this debate has expired. The debate is adjourned and the resumption of the debate will be made an order of the day for the next sitting. Superannuation 194 12:08 Mr STEPHEN JONES A9B Whitlam I move: That this House notes: (1) the purpose of superannuation is to enable Australians to save for a dignified retirement; (2) superannuation has made an enormous contribution to converting Australia from a nation that borrows to a nation that lends, creating a pool of funds to invest locally and abroad; (3) Australia is the 16th largest economy in the world, but because of universal superannuation has a pool of savings owned by Australian workers worth $2 trillion, which is the fourth largest pool of retirement savings in the world; (4) before universal superannuation, 68 per cent of Australians and 85 per cent of all women had no retirement savings; (5) the average superannuation balance at retirement is now approximately $160,000 for women and $280,000 for men; (6) under current policy settings, the median balance on retirement for full-time workers will be $310,819 for women and $628,634 for men; (7) over the past decade the average rate of return has been between 6 and 8 per cent—last year it grew by 9 per cent and Australia was among only a handful of countries that saw pension fund growth; and (8) superannuation is critical to Australia's economic growth and resilience and must be strengthened so it can play a pivotal role in Australia's economic recovery from COVID-19. Today is 30 days since the government received its report into our retirement income system, an urgent report that they said was going to provide the factual basis on which future policy would be determined. It's 30 days, they're sitting on it and they won't release it. Yet, at the very same time, we've got this sanction revolt from government backbenchers out there trying to pull the superannuation system down and the remarkable spectacle of the Prime Minister thinking out loud about how he might cancel the legislated arrangements for superannuation—legislated arrangements for superannuation that he went to the last election promising to keep intact. Not just once but 22 times since the last election the Prime Minister and senior government ministers have repeated that promise, and yet, here we have this sanctioned revolt of the dirty dozen, those baby-faced Liberals out there, trying to pull down the superannuation system for no other reason than it wasn't their idea in the first place. Australia's superannuation system is the envy of the world. It consistently appears in the top three of funded pension or superannuation systems when compared to countries all around the world. It is providing us with a $3 trillion savings pool that is available for investment in Australia and overseas. And haven't we needed it over this year—whether it's recapitalising listed companies, whether it's providing emergent release for households, whether it's ensuring that we can be investing in the recovery, patient capital, investing for the long-term? And won't it be absolutely critical to the future economic development of this country as we make our way out of the COVID crisis? But those guys over there are like the Taliban in blue suits. They want to blow it up because it doesn't conform to their religion. We will resist it. Today we saw the figures from APRA. We saw that $32 billion has been withdrawn from this problem-plagued early release scheme. A lot of that money has gone to households in desperate need, and we welcome that and we support it. But, day after day, scandal after scandal, we are finding out that a lot of that money has not been properly accessed. I don't blame the individuals; I blame this hopeless government. I blame this hopeless government for the scheme that they have set up which has led to over 600,000 Australians, most of whom are under the age of 35, completely wiping out their retirement savings. Those opposite laugh and giggle. They think it is funny. Those of them with half a brain in their head wriggle awkwardly in their chairs because they know as well as we do that we set superannuation up for a purpose. In the 1980s, when we started on this journey, the ratio of retirees to workers was one in seven. Ten years ago, it was one in six. Today, it's one in four, and rapidly approaching one in three. Let me repeat that: for every retiree, there are three taxpaying workers in the workforce. Who's going to pay for the future pension system? The answer from that mob over there is, 'Don't worry about it; put it on the bill. The grandkids will pick that up.' Well, Australians deserve better than that—better than putting it on the bill for the grandkids to pick up. We've burdened the grandkids with so much—debt approaching $1 trillion and wiping out a generation of superannuation retirement savings. And, after that, what do those opposite say? They say, 'Let's cut the increases.' These smug, smart backbenchers will leave this debate and go back to their offices. They'll stick their feet on their desks in the comfort and the knowledge that they'll continue to take home 15 per cent in superannuation. But the people who come in quietly and clean their offices and walk around them saying, 'I'm sorry, Sir; can I just get that bin?' get nine per cent. So when you get back to your offices, I ask you to look those cleaners in the eye and tell them, 'I am worth 15 per cent but you're only worth nine per cent.' I dare you. The people of Australia will not cop it. We will fight to preserve our superannuation system for the good and the dignity of those people and for the future of the country. (Time expired) The DEPUTY SPEAKER 72184 Is the motion seconded? Mr Thistlethwaite 182468 I second the motion and reserve my right to speak. 12:13 Mr VAN MANEN 188315 Forde Whilst I quite like the member for Whitlam—given that he was one of the class of 2010 and we acknowledged our collective anniversaries last Friday—I think in this last 10 years he's also spent a bit of time at acting class. That was a very good performance but, as usual for those opposite, it lacked any substance. And, as usual with those opposite, what you do is you don't listen to what they say, because it usually has nothing of value; you look at what they do. That's the difference. They do very little. They talk a lot and do very little. But this government, since we've come to government, has been delivering. We've been delivering on a transparent, competitive and efficient superannuation system which, as the member for Whitlam quite rightly pointed out, very successfully underpins our economy, and also underpins people's wealth creation and their planning for retirement. We're focused on ensuring that Australians can reap the full benefits of that superannuation system, and ensuring that members of our super funds and everyday Australians are a priority at the forefront of all decision-making processes with respect to superannuation. That's why, since we've come to government, we've passed legislation to improve the efficiency through strengthening the powers of the regulator to deal with underperforming funds. We've capped fees on low-balance accounts, which has helped around seven million Australians to save around $570 million in fees in the first year alone. We've banned exit fees on all superannuation accounts, and for the first time ever the ATO has the power to proactively unite low-balance, inactive accounts with active accounts. This has seen the ATO proactively reunite almost 2.53 million accounts with almost $3.2 billion in savings. This government, surprisingly to the member for Whitlam, won't be supporting this motion and allowing the member for Whitlam to distil a complex issue down to simple sound bites, as those opposite usually try to do. We know that the issues are more complex. Instead, we're focused on delivering a better superannuation system for everyday Australians. I'm talking about those people who work in our local schools, in our local small and family businesses, like Beenleigh Glass or Luv a Coffee, or on the production lines at places like Teys Australia in Beenleigh or ATP Science at Loganholme. It's these people, these everyday Australians, who now have 9.5 per cent of their wages effectively foregone, going into superannuation, because that was part of the trade-off for setting up super and future increases as well. We want to see them enjoy a dignified and comfortable retirement. This week, we're getting on with the job of delivering for the Australian people. In the Senate we'll resume debate on the your super your choice Bill. This bill will provide choice of fund for more Australians employed under federal enterprise agreements and workplace agreements. I note that those opposite who have just waxed lyrical about the importance of superannuation for five minutes, and particularly the member for Whitlam, made no mention of this piece of legislation. It is a piece of legislation that this government has introduced to ensure that working Australians have genuine choice of superannuation fund. I've spoken plenty of times in this place previously outlining the impediments to Australians who, under workplace agreements or other industrial instruments, do not have a choice of fund. If they believe in choice and they say that people should be free to choose, support this legislation, Member for Whitlam as the relevant shadow minister. He has made no commitment here in this place today. As I said at the outset, don't listen to what they say; have a look at what they do. If they genuinely believe in choice of superannuation and the importance of superannuation, back this legislation in the Senate and let Australians have true choice of their superannuation funds. 12:13 Mr THISTLETHWAITE 182468 Kingsford Smith Superannuation provides Australian workers with a dignified retirement. It's a worker savings scheme that allows Australians to own their own home and to live comfortably in retirement without having to rely on a government pension to get by. It is really about the government saying thank you to Australian workers for your hard work in building the economic wealth of our nation. It's the government saying, 'You worked hard for our nation and we'll support you through a savings tax concession so that you can save for your own retirement and have a good life in your elderly years.' The Australian superannuation system has been remarkably successful in achieving that goal, for which it was planned. That's evident in the fact that Australia has the 16th-largest economy in the world, but we have the fourth largest pool of retirement savings of any nation in the world. It's also evident in the fact that before universal superannuation 68 per cent of Australians—and 85 per cent of women—had no retirement savings whatsoever. Now, because of compulsory superannuation, the average superannuation balance at retirement is approximately $160,000 for a woman and $280,000 for a man. But you don't need to worry about the stats, Deputy Speaker—just ask any Australian worker who's worked all of their working life with voluntary superannuation contributions and compulsory super contributions. Ask them about the benefits of a superannuation system allowing them to retire with dignity and respect and have that reward for their hard work over all of their working years. Labor built that superannuation system that I'm referring to. For all of those reasons we're justifiably proud of the system that we put in place, in providing that support for workers to retire with dignity. We will defend it to the hilt, because of the fact that it provides Australian workers with retirement savings so that they can live with dignity and respect in their retirement years. The Australian superannuation system—that dignity and respect that I've spoken of—is now under attack by this government, and the future dignity of Australian retirees is at risk. We've known for a long time that the Liberal and National parties don't support compulsory superannuation. They didn't vote for it when it was established. When they were last in government they put a stop to increases in the compulsory rate of savings under superannuation. They've always attacked superannuation when they've had the opportunity in government, and they're attacking it again. But this is no ordinary attack. This is a full-on double-barrelled attack on superannuation in this country, through the early-release scheme, encouraging people to raid their superannuation savings. Again, those on the back bench—and some of the ministers now—are out there freelancing and saying that we should be increasing the compulsory rate of superannuation savings in this country. Labor will fight this double-barrelled attack on superannuation. We'll fight to defend Australian workers' rights to retire with dignity under our superannuation scheme. We'll fight to ensure that Australian workers retire with a decent balance in their superannuation balances, particularly those disadvantaged workers who we know, under the current scheme, will not retire with adequate savings. I'm speaking, of course, of low-paid workers and women in Australia. The early release scheme has been a disaster. We've seen it subject to fraud. It had to be shut down because of fraud and the AFP investigations that were undertaken. We've seen that 40 per cent of people who've accessed their super and raided it early have had no drop in their income, and, of those who did, 10 per cent spent it on gambling! Those opposite will say, 'This is their money; they can do with it what they like.' It is their money, but it was established to provide them with dignity in retirement not to whizz up against the wall on gambling and alcohol under an early release scheme that's been poorly designed and allows people to raid their superannuation. Labor will fight to ensure the integrity of our superannuation system. We'll fight to ensure that these legislated increases, these guaranteed increases, are met by this government. 12:24 Ms WELLS 264121 Lilley During my first speech in parliament I spoke about wanting to be a good ancestor, and I rise today to keep that promise and fight against the Liberal and National parties' incessant attacks on superannuation, attacks that are incredibly short-sighted and, possibly, are one of the greatest acts of intergenerational theft that my generation will see from a federal government. To kick off 2020, the Morrison government passed a bill that retroactively legalised the theft of superannuation payments from workers, allowing bosses who have ripped off their workers to get off scot-free. That is an actual problem that they should be addressing—not these problems that Liberal backbenchers are freelancing about in the media. Then, they dropped the drawbridge on superannuation, allowing desperate and vulnerable people to take out up to $20,000 from their super. And what's next—talks of scrapping the legislated superannuation guarantee which would not only be an immediate pay cut for workers but would guarantee them less money in retirement. We shouldn't be surprised because a war on superannuation is in the LNP DNA, and they've been slinging around the line that people should have the right to do what they want with their money. To a point, they're right. We can't blame people for having to prioritise having to get by each day at the expense of their future financial security. People have lost jobs. People have lost benefits. And during the worst economic crisis since World War II, with record high unemployment, these losses are much more frightening. But what I cannot tolerate are a government who sit by and watch people drain their own retirement savings whilst patting themselves on the back for the support that they are giving these people when more money has been drained out of superannuation accounts than has been paid through JobKeeper to date. The data which shows what people are spending their superannuation on is heart breaking. Fourteen per cent of men and 15 per cent of women are repaying debt, and 13 per cent of men and 15 per cent of women are buying food. Think about that—having to take money out of your super to pay for groceries. Around 2.7 million people have so far withdrawn a total of $33.3 billion, and almost 500,000 of those are people aged under 35. So after taking into account inflation and cost of living, a 25-year-old who withdraws $20,000 now will be between $80,000 and $100,000 worse off in retirement. A 35-year-old who withdraws $20,000 will be at least $65,000 worse off. Industry analysis has shown the aggregate loss of savings for Australians under the age of 35 is collectively $44 billion. At the same time the Morrison Government were watching hundreds of thousands of young people raid their own super, they have announced that the minimum pension drawdown rates would temporarily halve for the 2019-20 and 2020-21 financial years, assisting retirees who do not wish to sell their investments, while the value of those assets is reduced. Our lowest paid and most financially vulnerable people should not have to fund themselves through a pandemic while so many handouts are going to far more wealthy people who will never have to touch their retirement savings. The decision to protect one generation at the expense of another is one of the greatest acts of intergenerational theft of our time and will leave permanent scarring once this pandemic is over. Generational progress in living standards has been the happy dividend of Australia's strong economic performance since the Second World War. Children could expect to be substantially healthier and wealthier and better housed than their parents at the same age. But this generational progress, the covenant of trust between generations, can no longer be taken for granted. The wealth of households under 35 has barely moved since 2004. Millennials are earning about 20 per cent less than our parents did at the same age when you adjust for inflation. Younger Australians are much less likely to own a home than their parents at the same age. Poorer, younger Australians have gone even further backwards and, now, the great public bargain that ensures workers will not retire in poverty is under attack. I have spoken to constituents who know what it's like to live in poverty in retirement because they retired without super. A 71-year-old man from Zillmere came to chat with me at a mobile office about his experience. An oil rigger and labourer for most of his life, this man did not own his own home, was living in social housing and struggling with rising electricity costs, relying solely on the aged pension. I also spoke to a nurse who lost thousands of dollars in superannuation because of the Abbott government's decision to scrap the mandated increase to superannuation back in 2014. I wonder what she will have to say about the deliberations to scrap the 2021 rise? If we do not strengthen and protect superannuation and, instead, let this government tear it to pieces, our Australian covenant of trust that one generation will look after the next stands to fall. 12:29 Mr FALINSKI G86 Mackellar I thank the member for Lilley for her erudite comments, as always. The problem with the compulsory superannuation guarantee that the Labor Party is so desperate to force upon the Australian people is that it will make them worse off. So why do the Labor Party want to make workers, ordinary Australians who are struggling to make ends meet, worse off? Could it be the tens of millions of dollars that they receive in donations from industry super every single year? It isn't just me saying this. This is the Governor of the Reserve Bank of Australia saying that Australians will be worse off. Labor is in favour of making Australians worse off so they can get more donations for their political party. It isn't just me saying this. It is, indeed, the Grattan Institute—an institute that I never thought I would ever call upon to bolster a public policy argument. They say that Australians will be worse off, and yet the Labor Party, as an honourable party in favour of workers, want to make them worse off. Would it have anything to do with the tens of millions of dollars that the Labor Party get in donations, laundered through the union movement, every single year? It's not 30 pieces of silver—you have to give them that! They're not cheap! They'll only ask for tens of millions of dollars. Then we move on to maybe the one department in the entire federal Public Service that knows something about this. What does Treasury have to say about this? Treasury says that Australian workers will be worse off. But the Labor Party is an honourable party which believe in standing up for Australian workers. No they don't! They believe in standing up for the tens of millions of dollars that they receive in donations from industry super every single year, laundered through the union movement, and they're happy to make Australian workers worse off. The shadow minister is scurrying from this Federation Chamber! He drops this motion like a stinking dead cat on the table and runs away the minute the facts come out. And it's not just me saying this. In fact, it's the industry superannuation association itself. Bernie Dean, as we know, is a financial expert. How do we know that? Because he pays for advertising to tell everyone that—that he's a financial expert—and because ASIC doesn't do anything when he advises young Australians that they would be better off keeping their money in accounts that are being chewed up in the fees of fund managers and his very members. But he sits on a piece of research that shows Australian workers will be worse off if the compulsory superannuation guarantee goes up. And what does he have to say? Well, the Labor Party is an honourable party that believes in supporting Australian workers. But they don't. They believe in looking after their donors. They believe in putting their donors ahead of ordinary Australians. And why do they believe this? Because it's worth tens of millions of dollars to them every single year. This side of the House wants to stand up for Australian workers. It wants to see them have real wage increases and wants to see them have hope and opportunities for financial security in their retirements. Those on that side of the House want to make sure that their donors continue to get as much money as they possibly can and, indeed, they will force people—force Australians—to do so. Shame on them and shame on their leadership for allowing this to go on and for not looking after Australian workers! 12:33 Mr TIM WILSON IMW Goldstein It's really topical to talk about this important resolution on superannuation because all in this chamber take retirement security very seriously. In fact, it was one of the key issues that I focused on in the lead-up to the last election—people may recall that. This side of the chamber wanted to make sure that as many Australians could be independent in their retirement as possible. The other side of the chamber put forward a great big new tax on Australian retirees. A million Australians would have lost a third of their income overnight had there been a change in government. At the time they mocked and ridiculed us providing a platform for those Australians to stand up and give a voice and a face and human experience behind their sinister agenda. It was only after the election it became completely apparent to them just how many low-income Australians would've been pushed below the poverty line had they been elected to government. They would've discarded the interests of millions of Australians and their economic welfare at a vulnerable stage of life. That's why they sit on the opposition benches. When it comes down to it, we all think superannuation has a place. Despite the dishonesty of some members, we believe that super has a place, that retirement saving has a place. Remember, I supported that very strongly at last election when they did not. We also should have an honest conversation about what delivers retirement security. To the opposition, retirement security is about as much money being given to their mates as possible. It defers and reprioritises life choices—for young Australians in particular—from the most important vehicle that you can provide for security in retirement, and that's to buy your own home. It is patently absurd that we as a society force a 20-year-old to save for retirement 50 years in the future when they cannot afford that 10 per cent of their wages to save for a deposit to buy a house today. The reality is that owning your own home is by far the most important vehicle for retirement security. If you cannot secure your own home, you are exposed to ever-increasing rental prices at a stage when you can't earn more income. It's been clearly shown by research institutions that homes are the most important thing. Home ownership is the most important thing to retirement security, not having a large super balance. If we don't have a large superannuation balance, we can at least support it through the pension. And we do. We know why those on the other side of this chamber so unendingly prosecute the case to increase super contributions. As the member for McKellar just outlined with the wisdom of 50 years experience, they do it because the money goes to the funds that their mates control. They don't care about the retirement security of Australians. They care about themselves and the money that is laundered through those funds directly through to the Australian Labor Party. When it comes down to it, you sit here and you make the case about why you support that system. It's because it benefits you at the expense of Australians and their wages. This isn't just my opinion. It's the opinion of the Governor of the Reserve Bank of Australia, who recently said in front of the House Economics Committee that if you increase the cost of the superannuation guarantee it will cost the wages of Australians. It will also cost the jobs growth of Australians. At this critical time, now you want to trade off your own interests against the Australian people and harm the job creation and job opportunities that they need right now. As the member for McKellar outlined, the Grattan Institute, the Treasury, the Reserve Bank of Australia and ACOSS all understand this. There's only one group that doesn't seem to, and it is those people who sit on the other side of this Chamber and the people who manage the funds who will get the benefit. It is the greatest vested interest argument I have ever seen at the expense of the Australian people—at the expense of their home ownership, at the expense of their retirement secure, at the expense of their jobs and opportunity today. 12:38 Mr BRIAN MITCHELL 129164 Lyons There we have it. If we need any illustration of where the Liberal Party stands on superannuation, that speech tells us. They are not the party of superannuation. They want to condemn Australian workers and young people today to a retirement in poverty. That is what they want. Superannuation is the vehicle to a retirement of security, to a retirement where people who have worked all their lives can look forward to something at the end of their working lives and not have to beg and scrape like they would under these people opposite. The member for Goldstein comes to this Chamber and makes out he's the workers' best friend. All it needed was him in a hi-vis vest and hard hat to complete the charade! He makes out he's the workers' best friend. He's the same bloke who was very happy to see penalty rates cut for young people just last year and the year before. If he wants to see young people get ahead in life, stop cutting their penalty rates. That would be a start. Labor is the party of superannuation. Labor built superannuation and we are proud of it. Superannuation works. It works on the magic of compound interest. You need to start saving early in life. The longer you save the more you will have saved at the end of your life. What those opposite are doing is raiding super now. We've seen this happen throughout the last few months. So many Australians have raided their super—some of them because that's all the government would let them have, in terms of assisting them to get by. They've raided their super and have got zero dollars in their accounts. They have to start all over again. The $20,000 they are getting this year and next year is going to cost them $100,000 by the time they get to retirement. They will have to go onto the aged pension. Some of them will have to sell their homes, which those opposite say are so important, to get by. Superannuation works by compound interest. We know those opposite support superannuation, because all their friends in big business and corporate Australia and senior levels of the Public Service have been enjoying the benefits of superannuation for decades. What they don't like is the fact that Labor came along in the eighties and nineties and said, 'How about we extend the benefit of superannuation to all workers, not just the privileged few?' That is what they don't like. They don't like the fact that Australian workers—ordinary workers, bank workers, supermarket workers and tradies—have all got access to superannuation. They don't like it. Superannuation is the path to a retirement of prosperity and comfort, and Labor are determined to protect it. What we've seen in the last few months is that one in seven Tasmanians have taken around $587 million from their superannuation accounts as a result of the changes those opposite brought. I'm not laying one iota of blame or responsibility on the people who have accessed their super. I know a lot of people are doing it very tough at this point in time and they saw that $10,000 that they were given access to as a lifeline. The reason it's a lifeline is that those opposite have failed so miserably in providing for people in what is a shared global pandemic, a shared disaster. They've said, 'You're on your own. If you want to keep going over the next few months, raid your own super, raid your own retirement savings. That's what you need to do.' The reason people have had to access the $10,000 is that there was nothing else for them. I don't blame people for making use of the super that was made available to them, but the costs are going to be borne in the decades and generations to come. Ten thousand of those accounts in Tasmania have been drained to a zero balance. They have to start again. By and large, these are workers on lower incomes and a lot of them are women. We know that women, throughout their working lives, have a more fractious relationship with super. They will retire with a lot less and will be dependent on the aged pension for much longer in life. These are all the things we have been trying to avoid over the last few decades. Superannuation is a success story in this country. It's a massive reserve of capital. What I took great exception to was the member for Goldstein calling this laundering. It is the superannuation holders who are the beneficiaries of superannuation. They put money in and they get money out at their retirement and have a retirement of comfort. We are the party of superannuation and we are damn proud of it. The DEPUTY SPEAKER 74046 The time allotted for this debate has expired. The debate is adjourned and resumption of the debate will be made an order of the day for the next sitting. MOTIONS 200 MOTIONS Roads to Recovery Program 200 12:44 Ms CHESTERS 249710 Bendigo The Roads to Recovery Program is a bipartisan program. It is something that Labor had when we were in government and it is something that we are pleased to see this government continue. But what is missing from this motion by the government minister is the recognition that it was Labor's idea to increase the fund. That is because, when this government got elected, they ordered an increase in the fuel excise. They ordered it. They asked that the tax office, the Australian government, start collecting this increased tax, without the tax ever having passed the parliament. So money was being gathered, but what to do with it? It was Labor's idea—in fact it was the idea of the current Leader of the Opposition, who was then the shadow transport minister, who suggested that this money should go into the Roads to Recovery Program. There's no recognition of that in this motion. It must have just been a simple oversight by those opposite that they didn't acknowledge that it was actually Labor's idea to increase the funding, because we know how critical this program is, particularly to regional electorates. In my electorate of Bendigo, our councils rave about this program and how it almost doubles and quadruples what they're able to do for their roads. Equally important is the 'Bridges to Recovery' program. One of my council areas, the Mount Alexander shire, has the most bridges per population than any other shire in the state of Victoria. That's a lot of bridges to maintain and a lot of bridges to fix. Quite frankly, you wouldn't drive on some of them because they are that unsafe. So, these programs are critical. I suggest that the government also work with local governments to think about a 'Paths to Recovery' program. It's not just our roads and our bridges that need work; it's also our footpaths and our bike paths. Far too many gaps exist, particularly in the regions, between new estates and old estates, between connecting our communities. If we want kids to be able to ride to school safely, they need a decent path to do so. It's an opportunity for the government to further partner with local government in achieving this. This is an area where local government is not able to keep up with community expectations. I've met with the Deputy Prime Minister about this issue and also with the local government minister. Both of them gave me a hearing but buck-passed and said that it is the role of local government. Well, so are local roads and local bridges, yet we've seen, with the success of this program, that, when federal government partners with local government, more can be achieved. Greater Bendigo, the largest council area in my electorate, have about $600,000 to spend on footpaths. If we partnered with them at a federal level, even doubled what they can spend, that would be $1.2 million towards local footpaths. That would bridge the gaps. It could be a 'Paths to Recovery' program. It would help older people on scooters, mums and dads with prams and kids ride their bikes safely to school. Footpaths are raised at all levels of government, and they are something that this government should take on board. I also call upon the government to consider increasing all these programs. We are now going through the recovery stage and, sadly, in Victoria, we are still in the midst of the pandemic. This is funding that these council areas would already have got. They already would have got this money, pandemic or not. I call upon the government to increase funding for these programs, because these programs are truly a local economic stimulus. They are great for local tradies. They are great for small business. They are great for keeping councils, which have also been hit hard by the pandemic, employed. This is an opportunity for the government, not to create a new grants scheme, not to create more paperwork for local government, but to increase the funding in this area. Don't just do what you've always done. It is not business as usual, particularly in my home state of Victoria. These programs will really help our communities survive the economic crisis that they're currently going through and help local businesses to thrive. Now is the time that the government should be looking at increasing the Roads to Recovery Program. Yes, it's bipartisan. Yes, we welcome the funding. But it's not enough. Now is a great chance for the government to increase the funding to the Roads to Recovery Program and to consider a new program of 'Paths to Recovery', because this is good for our communities. 12:49 Mr VAN MANEN 188315 Forde I rise to speak in full support of the motion on Roads to Recovery Program moved by the member for O'Connor, because on this side of the House we recognise the importance of delivering infrastructure projects across the nation. I recognise the comments made by the member for Bendigo as well. The Roads to Recovery Program has been a vital part of our infrastructure investment, and over the time that we're in government it will deliver some $2.64 billion in funding to local governments from 2019-20 to 2023-24, for a total investment of some $6.2 billion for the period from 2013 to 2024. The program has been integral in supporting the maintenance of the nation's local road infrastructure assets and provides councils with maximum flexibility to manage local road projects within their shire council areas. Importantly, the coalition government has delivered more than $78 million in local funding to both the City of Gold Coast council and the Logan City Council in my electorate of Forde since coming to government in 2013. This funding has been critical in supporting local road upgrades across both city councils, projects such as the $785,000 upgrade for the section of Wuraga Road, between Dairy Creek Road and Prangley Road, completed in 2014. This involved the reconstruction of the existing road to upgrade it to a two-lane urban arterial road standard. This important road safety upgrade has been crucial to catering for the growth and development in the areas of Bahrs Scrub, Holmview and Waterford over the past 10 years. Another $750,000 was allocated to construct and install signals on Peachy Road at Ormeau to access the Ormeau Marketplace shopping centre, a project completed in 2017 that delivered significant safety improvements for the residents of Ormeau in the northern part of the Gold Coast, one of the fastest-growing areas in my electorate. The Roads to Recovery Program fully funded the $280,000 project for pavement rehabilitation for the entire length of Anzac Avenue from Waterford Tamborine Road to Kirk Road. Other important upgrades include the $750,000 upgrade on Loganlea Road, from Armstrong Road to the Logan Motorway; $200,000 in works on the Kingston Road service road, delivered in 2016; and some $3.4 million for a major project on Stanmore Road at Yatala. The importance of this project can't be underestimated given the ongoing significant growth in the Yatala Enterprise Area, which is now one of the major commercial, industrial and manufacturing hubs on the northern Gold Coast and a huge source of employment and economic opportunity. This area continues to grow. Every time you go down there you see new buildings being built, new industrial sheds, increased distribution services. This project is happening in conjunction with an upgrade we are funding to the tune of $50 million to exit 41, and also the recently opened Darlington intersection upgrade that I announced last week with the Assistant Minister for Road Safety and Freight Transport, Scott Buchholz. This nearly $6 million investment, in conjunction with Gold Coast city council from a different funding bucket, is equally important for that local business community and for the work that they're doing. A $1.1 million investment in the upgrade of the intersection of Station Road and Jellicoe Street at Loganlea has completely transformed that intersection. It was one where there were frequent accidents and near misses as a result of it being an off-ramp from the Logan Motorway. The work has substantially improved the safety of that intersection. And finally there is $6.9 million for the Chambers Flat Road upgrade between Mount Lindesay Highway and Kings Road at Chambers Flat. This is a significant contribution to the $38 million project that will be carried out by Logan City Council. The Roads to Recovery Program continues to benefit communities right across my electorate of Forde, and I'm very thankful that the government continues to invest and grow these projects to strengthen our economy. 12:54 Ms SWANSON 264170 Paterson Local roads are the arteries and veins of our local townships. We rely on them for safe passage in, out and around our communities. While local government is much more than rates, roads and rubbish, they do administer nearly 80 per cent of all road networks across our country. It's a big job for councils, and they need support. Local government has a vital role to play when it comes to building and, importantly, maintaining our road network. The Roads to Recovery program has been providing extensive funding support to councils since 2001, providing assistance with maintenance for these vast networks. My electorate of Paterson is arguably one of the most picturesque in New South Wales, but still, sadly, the Hunter region, where my constituency belongs, has one of the most significant infrastructure backlogs in the country, amounting to $207 million. My question is, how does the government dare pat itself on the back about how it's been going recently, when we know that more funding is needed despite this pandemic? In the four local government areas across my electorate we have a $136 million backlog. I ask the government, 'Will you take real action to fix this problem and also stimulate our local economies at a time when we have never needed it more?' While I welcome the additional funding the government is injecting into the program, the question must be asked 'Is it enough?' The NRMA have come out and said 'No'. They released their funding local roads report showing just how dire the infrastructure backlog is in New South Wales and particularly regional New South Wales. The report shows us that the regional council maintenance shortfall rose from $11.2 million in the 2015-16 financial year to almost $29 million under the current government. The roads infrastructure backlog across New South Wales has risen by 14.5 per cent from $1.96 billion to $2.23 billion. It would seem that roads aren't getting the love they deserve under the state and federal coalition. Even the Deputy Prime Minister can't get enough money for roads in the Riverina. If he can't get the money, I ask who can? As I said, regional roads are the arteries and veins that keep the blood pumping to our regional centres. For instance, many businesses rely on the freight and logistics sector to continue economic activity. This is a sector that really is critical to our country's economy, more so than ever, and it's highly reliant on investment in road infrastructure. The economic viability of our towns is dependent on freight getting in and out safely, and whilst we all want to be able to go to the supermarket and get the toilet paper and goods that we need at this time, if it weren't for those trucks freighting them in and out those supermarket shelves would not remain stocked. The township of Nelson Bay in my electorate has seen a situation of one road in, one road out for years. The state Liberals have been promising for three elections that they're going to duplicate it. It still hasn't happened. Labor understands the value of regional roads. We know cash-strapped councils are absolutely desperate for support from the federal government if they have got any hope of catching up on years of backlog. The NRMA has also been calling on the government to take action on road funding for a long time. We can't leave it to the states and local councils to play catch-up. The township of Cessnock is famous as the entry point to the vineyards, but I can tell you that the roads in Cessnock have been very rough for a long time. Many people in my constituency talk about that. Many people who drive through my electorate to get to the vineyards say, 'The roads are still pretty rough,' Maitland has been renowned for years for droughts and terrible flash floods. The roads there also need some help. A simple drive through the Maitland LGA after heavy rain shows you that the best part of council resources goes to patching potholes. That's a consequence of sustained periods of drought and then floods and roads under too much pressure. We have got a growing population. Patching potholes is just not good enough anymore. My community wants the government to front up with a real solution, not sprinkle some spare change for a few pothole fills and sprinkling a bit of asphalt around off the back of the truck. The M1 is in my electorate and it still needs to be extended. There are so many vital roads in Paterson. I implore the government put more money in. 12:59 Mr SIMMONDS 282983 Ryan I am very proud to speak on this motion today in support of the Morrison government's commitment of $6.2 billion to the Roads to Recovery Program. This program is one that allows us to work by supporting local governments to build better infrastructure and to create local jobs, which are so desperately needed right now. Since the program was rolled out in 2013, 26,000 projects across the country have been funded. That is a testament to the coalition's commitment to better infrastructure for all Australians. I am particularly passionate about this project. As a former Brisbane City councillor, I know intently the ins and outs of how a council needs to fund the vital road infrastructure for its growing population. This program supported by the Morrison government is a significant contributor to those efforts. I will continue to work hard with Brisbane City Council, particularly with Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner and his hardworking LNP councillors to make sure that we improve our local roads. I was delighted that as part of the recent additional funding provided by the Roads to Recovery Program Brisbane City Council received $11.7 million in additional funding for a total allocation of $58.5 million. This is vital funding that will go towards upgrading local roads to get residents home sooner and safely in the Brisbane City Council area. Programs like these are building road projects and providing jobs at a time when that is so important for our local community. Of course it should be noted that this program is funding on top of other funding that the federal government provides to assist with reducing congestion in local areas and on local roads. Listening to the previous Labor speakers, we might think that this was the one and only contribution that the Morrison government makes towards solving traffic congestion. It isn't; it's a very large allocation on top of what is already a very significant commitment by the Morrison government to assist with reducing traffic congestion. For example, I was very pleased to announce, with the Deputy Prime Minister, $1.4 million in Black Spot Program funding in Queensland for a project on Sir Fred Schonell Drive and Coldridge Street in St Lucia. This is an important local project that is going to make the intersection safer for local residents and help to reduce congestion at this particular bottleneck. And there's a significant difference between how the Morrison government approaches reducing traffic congestion by working with local councils as opposed to how the Labor Party and Labor state governments approach working together with other levels of government to reduce congestion. There are two projects in my local area, my electorate of Ryan, which provide this very stark contrast. The first is the $25 million that the Morrison government is putting into the Indooroopilly roundabout congestion reduction project. That will see the roundabout replaced with a set of traffic lights, an overpass and a flyover which are required to get residents through this black spot and particularly in more safety; it is an accident black spot in our local area. The Morrison government is contributing significant funding to this and they're working closely with the Brisbane City Council. In the year and a bit since the last federal election, the Brisbane City Council has come to the party to match the funding provided by the federal government. We have worked together to do public consultation. The detailed design process is now well underway following that consultation, which decided the best option for the community. In contrast, $12.5 million was provided by the Morrison government to upgrade the Kenmore roundabout. This is a project that needed to be done in conjunction with the Queensland state Labor government. As opposed to the significant steps that the Brisbane City Council has managed to make in the last year, I'm afraid the same cannot be said for the Queensland state Labor government. They have managed to simply sit on their hands and, despite this funding being on the table, they seem to have failed to progress the Kenmore roundabout upgrade project to any significant extent. I know that the local state LNP sitting member there, Christian Rowan, is working very, very hard to get the Labor government moving on this. Because we're working together, we're able to provide the matching funding that will get this project done. I'm certain that the local residents will remember this when it comes to their vote in October. The Morrison government's 10-year economic plan is a $100 billion investment in busting congestion to boost the economy and create local jobs. It's vitally important that the Morrison government can get on with its work to help reduce congestion and to get people home to their families sooner and safely. 13:04 Dr HAINES 282335 Indi by leave—I resume the speech I started in the last sitting. To continue where I left off, the Black Spot Program is an important sister program of the Roads to Recovery Program. I was disappointed, however, to learn that an application from Murrindindi Shire to fix the horrendous blackspot on the Black Spur Road was rejected in the most recent 2020-21 round of applications announced on 7 August. That treacherous blackspot is still there, and it's a disaster waiting to happen on a road that's a feeder pathway to the magnificent regional tourism zone so close to Melbourne—a zone that Melburnians will be champing at the bit to drive the moment they're released from the tough COVID conditions. While the Roads to Recovery and Black Spot programs may have been fit for purpose before the pandemic, I think it's now high time that we did a lot more to get our local roads and infrastructure up to scratch, and to get our economy back on track, through smart stimulus that not only creates jobs but saves lives. Last week I published a budget submission that I drafted with the nine local government areas in Indi, from Alpine to Wodonga, from Kinglake to Benalla and everywhere in between. That submission lists over $400 million in shovel-ready local road and infrastructure projects, projects that have been locked out of the Roads to Recovery Program since its inception and projects that may not always fit into the Black Spot Program but, nevertheless, are programs that we could fund. I'll present that list to the Deputy Prime Minister and the Treasurer next week. These projects would put hardworking Australian back in jobs almost overnight and build stronger, better local communities for us all to enjoy when we're back open again, projects like the $7 million needed for the Benalla-Whitfield Road, which will see six kilometres of gravel upgraded and sealed. Not only would this project put local people straight back into local jobs but also it would support the growing tourism sector within the pristine King Valley region—a region that's located in the foothills of the Alpine National Park, surrounded by mountains, stunning hiking trails and rolling vineyards with cellar doors aplenty. Cellar doors, vineyards, hiking paths—all waiting for people to flock back to them. Funding projects like this will not only protect our economy but also our livelihoods and safety. The King Valley is a very vulnerable area to bushfire, which sharpens the need to complete the sealing of that road. A project like this would secure local communities better accessibility within the valley, which is crucial during an emergency, especially with the next fire season right upon us. Another outstanding opportunity is the $20 million required to enhance the road infrastructure at the Logic industrial estate outside of Wodonga. This estate was established 14 years ago and has ushered in more than $25 million in land sales, more than $900,000 per year in annual rates for the local council and over 615 jobs for local people. It was full of potential before and it's full of potential again. The local council would be ready to proceed to construction within weeks of financial backing from the government, and the new vision would be a reality within just 12 months. It's time this government upped the ante and took a good look at the stimulus opportunities right under its nose. I will hand these and many other projects over to the Deputy Prime Minister and the Treasurer next week, and I implore them to take a really good look. These projects should not be destined to the wastepaper basket but should be front and centre as we look forward to building communities post the COVID restrictions. 13:09 Mr CONAGHAN 279991 Cowper I'm very pleased to rise to speak about the bipartisan Roads to Recovery Program. It works on three levels: economic, social and safety. The economic benefits—as we know, it's administered by local government. It provides employment opportunities through local government. For example, in one small town in my electorate, Kempsey, the program—and I congratulate the mayor, Liz Campbell—has provided employment opportunities not only through council but also through local contractors to carry out those works. It therefore produces local results with employment opportunities for local tradies, and creates more opportunities for them throughout Cowper. In Cowper alone, through the Roads to Recovery, over five years, Bellingen will see almost $3 million; Coffs Harbour will see almost $7 million; Kempsey, almost $6 million; Nambucca Valley Council, $4 million; and Port Macquarie-Hastings Council, just over $9 million. Add that to the half-a-billion-dollar infrastructure bring forward recently announced by the coalition—$191 million for New South Wales alone and $23 million going towards roads and infrastructure in Cowper. From employment opportunities with the infrastructure build come the social outcomes. You have people in work, people with money being able to go out for dinner at night time, the tradies supporting the local hotel like the Settler's Inn in Port Macquarie. The Settler's Inn in turn sponsors almost half of the footy teams and netball teams throughout the community in Port Macquarie. The social outcomes are visible for everyone to see, and it's this bipartisan investment by government that assists our smaller communities. The most important outcome, and something that is very close to me, is the safety outcome. Last year, 1,188 people died on our nation's roads, over two-thirds in rural and regional Australia. The star rating for some of those roads is one or two stars, so this investment by the government towards the Roads to Recovery can increase the star rating and, accordingly, increase safety, because we have our vulnerable road users—the kids in the car, the cyclists, the pedestrians—and they all need protecting. By increasing the safety of the roadways, we can work towards achieving Vision Zero. An example of one very successful company in Port Macquarie is Stabilcorp, which has developed the ShoulderMaster, which adds 1.5 metres to the side of a rural roadway or a regional road that allows better access for road users and reduces the potential for head-on accidents or sideway run-offs. This recently made machine in this family-owned company can seal three kilometres of roadway in 60 per cent less time, with 40 per cent lower costs, which, in turn, means less of an environmental impact. They are now exporting to America and to the United Kingdom. Inventions and innovations such as these in concert with the Roads to Recovery Program and funding will not only increase the amount of work that can be done and increase safety, but will look after all our road users across the nation. The DEPUTY SPEAKER 74046 The time allotted for this debate has expired. The debate is adjourned and resumption of the debate will be made an order of the day for the next sitting. PRIVATE MEMBERS' BUSINESS 205 PRIVATE MEMBERS' BUSINESS Precision Medicine 205 13:14 Dr FREELANDER 265979 Macarthur I'd like to thank the member for Ryan for putting this motion forward and highlighting the emerging tsunami of precision medicine that's occurring around the world in developed countries. I will, if I can, digress a little. I was a medical student in the early 1970s. Since my time as a medical student, we've seen some dramatic changes in the way medicine is practised. When I started my training, the survival rate for the commonest form of childhood leukaemia, acute lymphoblastic leukaemia, was well under 40 per cent using only a few simple medications. These days, with a whole change of different treatments, up to and including bone marrow transplant, survival rates are now over 90 per cent—a dramatic change. In my time as a paediatrician in the early 1980s, I saw children diagnosed with an intellectual disability. The cause of the intellectual disability was unknown for about 90 per cent of children with intellectual disability. These days, it's now under 40 per cent with advances in genetics. So there have been dramatic changes in the way that we look at the human body and the way that we look at genetics, and this has led to precision medicine. Probably the commonest form of precision medicine is blood transfusion. We've gone from screening for the simple blood groups, A, B, O and AB, to now screening for hundreds of different antigens and making blood transfusion much less prone to side effects and much more effective. The practice of precision medicine is gaining significant attention, even in the times of COVID-19, as it's proving that the simple ways of doing medicine are no longer viable in these pandemic days. Precision medicine has achieved through its methodology new advancements in treatments like that pioneered by my friend Professor John Rasco, from the University of Sydney, who has developed a new genetic treatment for haemophilia B, the second most common form of haemophilia. It's a one-off treatment that is curative for life. So these children no longer need regular factor infusions every second day of their lives. They're no longer prone to the side effects of these products and they're no longer prone to recurrent bleeding, causing joint deformity and other major disabilities. I believe that developments in the field of precision medicine will be monumental in developed countries like Australia. It will change the whole way that we approach the practice of medicine. I join with the member for Ryan in encouraging greater funding and support from the federal government and also from private enterprise to be provided to researchers and professionals studying precision medicine. My seat of Macarthur was the early birthplace and schooling place of Professor Graeme Clark, who developed the bionic ear. This is now even more precise in its management. It's now being used in children much younger than 12 months of age and is now also being used in older people. Precision medicine has a variety of expressions, and the cochlear implant is one of those. There is a rare fatal childhood disease called Leigh syndrome. The genetic basis for this metabolic disorder has been extensively studied at Melbourne Royal Children's Hospital and the Murdoch Children's Research Institute. They have found a number of different genetic causes and will be targeting specific treatments to these genetic causes. With cystic fibrosis, there is a whole range of specific genetic treatments for each mutation now available, giving children with cystic fibrosis, a disease often fatal in early adult life, the possibility of leading a life towards normal life expectancy and a normal physical life. So there have been dramatic changes. We are now able to identify the genes for many metabolic disorders, and targeted medications will be available. So I thank the member for Ryan. It's a really great motion and I fully support it. 13:19 Dr MARTIN 282982 Reid I rise today to speak about precision medicine, an approach to patient care which allows doctors to select treatments which are most likely to help patients, based on genetic understanding of their disease. It allows for a tailored medical treatment based on characteristics of each patient, taking into account the differences between individuals. It transforms the way we practice medicine and deliver health care in our country. While medicine and health care delivery has always had personal and predictive aspects, precision medicine opens a new door in the way we view health. It is in direct contrast to the one-size-fits-all approach in which treatment and prevention strategies are developed for the average person. Precision medicine provides an increasingly fine-grained resolution that enables faster diagnosis and personalised treatment options and leads to better targeting of care and information. With greater investment and research being directed towards precision medicine, Australians will access new possibilities of disease prevention, saving costs and maximising the benefits from our health system. As in the case of medical research more broadly, Australia has the resources and scope for world-leading innovation in precision medicine. Our healthcare system is regard as one of best in the world, and we have already embraced some of the technologies that underline precision medicine. We have a strong tradition in research and exemplary research talent that is connected internationally. Since 2010 the National Health and Medical Research council funded $52 million in precision medicine research and $465.5 million in genomics. In May this year the government announced a further investment in genomics research and artificial intelligence totalling $48.2 million. The Australian Research Council also funds research in genomics, data analysis and artificial intelligence. For instance, since September 2013 the ARC has funded a total of 239 projects involving research in artificial intelligence and imaging processing, totalling over $139 million. By investing in ground-breaking research the Morrison Government is driving a new era of better health care and jobs growth. The coronavirus pandemic has shown us how essential a robust healthcare system is. The government knows that if we can continue to invest in Australia's $185 billion healthcare industry, jobs growth and economic recovery will follow. Australia's health sector has already established an innovative business capability that can realise precision medicine as an economic growth opportunity. Over $1.3 billion for a health and medical industry growth plan will inject an estimated $18 billion into the Australian economy. This plan will cement Australia's place as a world leader in health, medical research and technology development. It will create around 28,000 new jobs, provide a minimum of 130 new clinical trials and generate 50 per cent increase in exports, new markets and global market leadership in biotechnology, medical devices and pharmaceuticals. At the core of the industry growth plan's investment is the Genomics Health Futures Mission, which is a 10-year, $500 million investment in genomic medical research. This research will support the clinical use of genomics that is safe, cost-effective and equitable and sensitive to the associated ethical, legal and social issues. The impact of this research will be felt throughout the electorate of Reid and right around Australia. It will save or transform the lives of more than 200,000 Australians and it will deliver better testing, diagnosis and treatment. We have already seen the funding committed to research projects like Mackenzie's Mission, a $20 million pilot research study of reproductive carrier screening for rare, severe and often fatal genetic disorders including spinal muscular atrophy and cystic fibrosis. I personally know of residents in my area who have lost children to mitochondrial disorder. This trial offers hope to parents who have already experienced trauma as a result of genetic disorders. The Morrison Government is committed to working with private enterprise to continue to invest in the genomics data analysis and artificial intelligence research required to grow the precision medicine sector. It will mean that we can generate jobs— (Time expired) 13:24 Ms HAMMOND 80072 Curtin I thank the member for Ryan for raising this important motion. Precision medicine is a relatively new approach for disease treatment and prevention and is one which has been enabled by recent advances in genomics, data analysis and availability, and artificial intelligence. It has enormous potential to transform health care on a huge scale as it allows doctors and researchers to predict more accurately which treatment and prevention strategies for a particular disease will work in which groups of people. It is a tailored approach which takes into account differences in people's genes, environments and lifestyles. As the member for Ryan has noted, the government has recognised its importance and is making significant investment in this area. This emerging area of medicine and research is being embraced by a number of medical research institutes in the west, one of which is the renowned Perron Institute. The Perron Institute for Neurological and Translational Science, based in my electorate of Curtin, was founded by Professor Byron Kakulas AO in 1982 under its original name, the Australian Neuromuscular Research Institute. Led by Professor Kakulas for much of its life—and he still works there today—it has been undertaking vital and world-leading research into neurological conditions for three decades. It undertakes research into a broad spectrum of conditions, including stroke, Parkinson's disease, motor neurone disease, muscular dystrophy, myositis and multiple sclerosis. I recently visited the Perron Institute to tour their world-class facilities and meet with some of their leading researchers. I was inspired by the people who work there. All of their work is being done under their guiding motto, 'Where hope begins.' Steve Arnott, the current CEO of the Perron Institute, emphasised that the focus of their entire team is to ensure that their research translates into positive outcomes for the wider community. They have a multidisciplinary approach to research and a strong connection between the institute's lab research and people who are suffering through its 15 specialised clinics. The Perron Institute has three key strategies. First, it is to undertake translational research to tackle the major research challenges in neurology, and it has affiliations with all five Western Australian universities and with leading universities worldwide. Their second goal is to run clinics. It treats over 2,800 patients annually. They are people who come to receive treatment for their complex and usually long-term neurological and neuro muscular diseases. The third plank is to pursue breakthrough therapies. Like many other medical research institutes, the Perron Institute has also recently pivoted to undertake research crucial to our fight against COVID-19. To that end, the Perron Institute, in partnership with Murdoch University and Monash University, recently received federal funding to research into potential inhalable treatment for COVID-19. In the field of precision medicine, the Perron Institute has partnered with Murdoch University to establish the Centre for Molecular Medicine and Innovative Therapeutics. It brings together scientists and clinicians from different fields of expertise to focus on the unique molecular and genetic make-up of individuals. CMMIT director Professor Steve Wilton leads the team of researchers at the centre to develop specific treatments for serious health conditions such as Duchenne muscular dystrophy, motor neurone disease, Parkinson's disease and blood disorders. This collaboration—and the centre—has already established a worldwide reputation for cutting-edge research on novel genetic therapies for neuromuscular disorders, particularly Duchenne muscular dystrophy. By way of an example, it was given accelerated approval in 2016 by the US Food and Drug Administration for a new treatment of Duchenne. Some of Professor Kakulas's early research in the 1960s on the cause of muscular disease on Rottnest Island quokkas when they were held in cages revolutionised the way the medical and scientific world considered and treated muscle disease in humans. This groundbreaking approach to research continues to this day at the Perron Institute. The Perron Institute now has the capacity and the ability to utilise precision medicine in its endeavours. The DEPUTY SPEAKER 74046 The time allotted for this debate has expired. The debate is adjourned and resumption of the debate will be made an order of the day for the next sitting. Sitting suspended from 13:30 to 16:00 STATEMENTS BY MEMBERS 207 STATEMENTS BY MEMBERS St Augustine's College 207 15:59 Mr DICK 53517 Oxley I'm grateful to share with the parliament this afternoon the fantastic visit that the Queensland state member for Jordan, Mrs Charis Mullen, and I had with the grade 5 students of St Augustine's College in Augustine Heights last week. A few weeks ago, Mrs Mullen and I were honoured to receive handwritten letters from grade 5 students in Mr Keegan Peace's class at St Augustine's College, as the students were learning about state and federal parliamentary processes. The letters asked about what had inspired us to be in our role today, how the different parliamentary processes worked and even questions that only keep us human like what was our favourite food. For the record, for me, it was pizza. Charis and I then organised a visit to the whole grade 5 cohort and, much to their excitement and anticipation, ran a mock parliament with them and got to answer their questions in real life. I would like to take this opportunity to place on record my gratitude to the principal of this college, Mr Graham Meertens; head of early and junior years, Helen Leeson; and Mr Keegan Peace, Ms Cara McLaughlin and Mr Zachary Templeton—the fantastic year 5 teachers—for taking the time and resources to invest in our next leaders, who could in fact stand in this very place one day. I applaud the phenomenal teachers, principals and support staff in all the local schools throughout my electorate of Oxley for the fantastic effort they have put in this year. It's been incredibly different to what we imagined, yet they have risen to the challenge. I thank them for their dedication and their passion to see our next leaders excel in their education. McDermott, Mr Michael: Debut Novel 207 16:01 Mr FALINSKI G86 Mackellar I rise today to commend the creativity, passion and dedication of one of Mona Vale's very own—author Michael McDermott. Mr McDermott's debut novel is a dystopian thriller set in a future post apocalyptic society in 2196. His novel, In the Name of the Father, asks some of the big questions, exploring themes such as religion and science. Whilst Michael adheres to the proscriptions of the science fiction genre, his story explores so much more than that. He understands the novel to be an inspiring story of love, transformation and human spirit, transcending what it meant to search for truth and fight for life. Within the novel, Michael's characters offer multiple perspectives on weighted topics. He does this in order to encourage his readers to question the world around them. By deconstructing the beliefs held by some characters, readers are urged to reconsider their own beliefs, as in ways the novel's futuristic society mirrors our own. With a passion for storytelling, Michael spent seven years writing and editing his work in order to bring this impressive novel to life. The book itself boasts over 900 pages in its paperback form. I am sure I speak for many members of our Northern Beaches when I say that I am looking forward to reading what Mr McDermott publishes next. Kingston Electorate: Winter Appeal 207 16:02 Ms RISHWORTH HWA Kingston I rise today to acknowledge and thank the incredible generosity and sense of community we have in the southern suburbs of Adelaide. This was evident yet again in response to my winter appeal. This year my appeal was run a little differently to normal. Many generous community members approached me asking how they could help people in need in our community during these difficult times while still being conscious of social distancing. That is why this year, rather than collecting canned good, I gratefully received supermarket and shopping gift cards. I then distributed these to local emergency relief support organisations who assist people in our community. I would particularly like to make mention of the following generous donors: Southern Montessori School for raising over $550, South Coast Optometrists for donating two $100 vouchers for eye care services; Mrs Kingsley from Morphett Vale, who donated $700; the Menzel family from Christie Downs, who donated $500; Mrs Whitehouse from Flagstaff Hill, who donated $200; Mr Casey from Woodcroft, who donated $100; and all those others who contributed what they could, which together made up over $2,000. In total, we received $5,000. I also received hand-knitted items from individuals in the community who kept themselves busy as they self-isolated. I would like to thank the residents of Perry Park Nursing Home, in particular, for their hand-knitted items. The gift cards will go to many organisations that help those in need, and I thank them very much for their work. Stirling Electorate: City Centre Development 208 16:04 Mr CONNELLY 282984 Stirling The Stirling city centre in my electorate has been identified as a strategic metropolitan centre. Over the past 10 years, a consolidated vision for the Stirling city centre has been compiled, which will provide the capacity for an estimated 56,000 jobs and 25,000 residents. Last week marked a significant milestone in the development of Stirling as Perth's second CBD—the turning of the sod at Stephenson Avenue. This $130 billion project, jointly funded by the Morrison and WA governments, will increase freight efficiency, improve road safety, reduce business costs and ensure local businesses are able to get their goods to market more quickly, and this project will see the establishment of a new link between Scarborough Beach Road and Mitchell Freeway. Importantly, given high unemployment in Western Australia, it will support 800 jobs. I thank the Morrison government for its commitment to developing Stirling into a thriving second CBD, and I congratulate the City of Stirling under the leadership of Mayor Mark Irwin and Deputy Mayor Bianca Sandri for their strong advocacy and their willingness to partner, to work together, across all three levels of government to create an even more vibrant community in Stirling. JobSeeker Payment 208 16:05 Ms CHESTERS 249710 Bendigo There are over 10,000 people in the Bendigo electorate currently receiving JobSeeker, many of them for the very first time. We are still at stage 3 in Bendigo, in terms of the COVID-19 restrictions, and in Melbourne they are still at stage 4, so it's very hard for people to look for work. That is why I share their concern, particularly the 10,000 people in my electorate, that the JobSeeker rate will be dropped, that this government is cutting back the coronavirus supplement payment. This will hit these families hard. It's hard to look for work, at the moment, when stage 3 restrictions are in place. You cannot go door to door. You cannot ring a business in the hope that they'll be there, because a lot of businesses aren't. This is the reality of looking for work in Victoria. Yet this government is cutting support. This isn't just going to hit these individuals and households hard; it will also hit our local economy hard. Do the maths. Cutting the payment by this much, times that by 10,000-plus, and you will take a lot of money away from local businesses in my community. I urge the government not to proceed with this move, in September, particularly in Victoria. These payments, like the supplement, need to be linked to restrictions. We are doing it tough in Victoria, and we need a federal government that will support us. Saunders, Dr Norman (Sandy) 208 16:07 Mr CONAGHAN 279991 Cowper Thank you. I've been honoured to have spent quite a bit of time with veterans in my electorate, recently, commemorating significant anniversaries of the Korean War, World War II and the Vietnam War. One of the highlights was presenting 94-year-old Norman 'Sandy' Saunders with our government's commemorative medal for this year's 75th anniversary of Victory in the Pacific. Mr Saunders has given a life of service to our nation and, initially, to his country of England. In 1943, when Sandy was just 16, his home town of Portsmouth in England was regularly bombed by the German forces. Sandy joined the Royal Navy and trained to be a naval communicator and later worked as a technician, fitting the newly invented radar into Royal Navy ships. Sandy was involved in the allied invasion of Normandy in France—the famous D-day landings—the largest seaborne invasion of our history. He went on to serve in the Royal Navy and, later, the Royal Australian Navy for almost 40 years, participating in military tours of Malaysia, Borno and Vietnam. Two years ago, Sandy was presented with the Chevalier de la Legion d'Honneur from the French President, Emmanuel Macron. We owe a lot to brave servicemen like Sandy, and I thank each and every Australian veteran, and serving defence men and women, for their service and sacrifice to our nation. Sandy, thank you very much. Freedom of the Media 209 16:08 Ms MURPHY 133646 Dunkley On 12 August Gavin Morris, the ABC's director of news, told the Senate inquiry into media freedom that despite the very welcome decision to abandon the prosecutions of Annika Smethurst and Sam Clarke journalists in Australia can still be prosecuted for doing their jobs, and at least one—Dan Oakes—still faces the very real threat of being charged and sent to prison. Mr Morris said: Yet Dan's fate remains totally uncertain, with the spectre of criminal charges still hanging over his head for the 'crime' of doing journalism and revealing information that we believe the public has a right to know. A central principle of our democracy is freedom of the press and the public's right to know. Journalists should never face the prospect of being charged or even jailed just for doing their jobs, especially when that job signs a light on serious issues of public interest or holds a government to account or exposes wrongdoing. As the member for Isaacs, Labor's shadow Attorney-General, has said, both Ms Smethurst and Mr Oakes' stories were undoubtedly in the public interest and all those involved should be applauded for their commitment to informing the public, not be threatened with prosecution and jail. A strong and independent media is vital to holding governments to account and informing the public. Labor will continue to fight to defend them. I personally will continue to propose that it is past time that Australia had a federal government prepared to meet the challenge of a federal bill of rights so that complex and important national debates can occur within a comprehensive national human rights framework. Forde Electorate: Qscan 209 16:10 Mr VAN MANEN 188315 Forde It's always a pleasure to rise in this House and speak about the great work the Morrison government is doing in the electorate of Forde, and nowhere is more important than the fast-growing northern Gold Coast. It's through this government that we are delivering some $375 million over the forward estimates to deliver 50 MRI licences nationally, including in my electorate of Forde, at Qscan at Upper Coomera, who will shortly celebrate their first birthday. Since opening, Qscan have performed over 18,000 examinations and, of those, over 6,000 were Medicare licensed MRI examinations using the latest state-of-the-art technology. What has been popular is the fact that their opening hours have been extended, at times to 10 o'clock at night, to meet demand. The rapid uptake shows just how important these services and high-quality healthcare services on the fast-growing northern Gold Coast are. We recognise this and that's why we've invested so much in the MRI licensing in Upper Coomera. It allows the residents of Forde, but also Fadden across the highway, to benefit without having to go to Brisbane or further down the Gold Coast. Services such as ultrasound, CT scans, low-dose digital X-rays and a range of other radiological services are provided. I thank the team at Qscan for the work that they are doing to look after our community. Media 209 16:11 Dr LEIGH BU8 Fenner From 2006 to 2016, the number of journalists in Australia fell by nine per cent. Health reporting is down by 30 per cent, and science reporting is down by 42 per cent. In the past decade, more than 100 local or regional newspapers have closed, and the Liberals, in pursuit of their petty culture war, are cutting the ABC. Never has the Australian media been under more pressure and never have we needed quality journalism more. Investigatory journalism by Joanne McCarthy and Adele Ferguson helped spark two royal commissions. Nick McKenzie, Joel Tozer and Paul Sakkal have today revealed shocking wrongdoing in the Victorian Liberal Party. In this environment, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has proposed a scheme that asks Google to negotiate fair payment for Australian news content. In response, the trillion-dollar search engine launched a misleading scare campaign. Google claims that having to give news organisations advance notice of demotion would give others an unfair advantage. It wouldn't. It says that sharing data would lead to data breaches. In fact, Google won't be required to share any additional user data with media outlets unless it chooses to do so. Google makes hundreds of billions of dollars every year. It can afford to share a small slice of that with the news media that is fundamental to Australian democracy. Bass Electorate: Community Organisations 209 16:13 Mrs ARCHER 282237 Bass One of the joys of working closely with community organisations in northern Tasmania is seeing the tangible difference they make on the ground. In the outer suburbs of Launceston, Starting Point Neighbourhood House and the Northern Suburbs Community Centre implemented a very successful pilot program named Adventure Play, working with disengaged or at-risk youth. The aim of the Adventure Play program is to assist children to overcome mental health and trauma issues by increasing positive healthy behaviours through physical activity. Denise Delphin, the wonderful general manager of the Northern Suburbs Community Centre, said that the evidence based program has already shown results. 'You can see the young people flourishing, growing, developing, gaining confidence and channelling some of their emotions in positive ways,' Denise said. They've also noted improvements in attendance at school. Young people are offered a range of sport and other recreational activities, including rock climbing and abseiling—activities that they may not otherwise have access to. I was thrilled last month to announce that this wonderful program is the recipient of significant funding through our government's driving of social inclusion through the Sport and Physical Activity Grant Program. Importantly, this partnership will employ four staff and will collaborate with local schools to involve children and young people who could benefit most from the program. Funding for this program allows the community organisations to further support those most in need, working together for a more resilient and connected life. Scullin Electorate: Aged Care 210 16:14 Mr GILES 243609 Scullin For those of us who are here from Melbourne, the privilege of being in this place seems particularly important here. The people who have sent us here have got extraordinarily pressing concerns and high expectations of all of us. There are many issues that I know my constituents want me to speak to on their behalf over this fortnight. None at the moment, though, is more important than what has been happening in aged care. The crisis in aged care in Australia has been most acutely felt in Melbourne's western and northern suburbs, and many—too many—of my constituents have personally felt its impact. I think particularly of Epping Gardens, where, I believe, there are more coronavirus cases than in any other aged-care facility in the country and where 28 people have lost their lives. I stand here thinking of all those families. I stand here, in particular, thinking of the chaos and confusion that took place when it was revealed that there were only six staff available to attend to the needs of 115 residents. I think of question time today too and the ongoing failure of this government and this Prime Minister to take responsibility. In this contribution, I'm not seeking all the answers. But I am seeking from this government a recognition that more needs to be done and that more needed to be done from the interim report of the royal commission, from the incidents at Earle Haven, from what happened in Sydney earlier this year in the course of the pandemic. What happened today isn't good enough nor is the response. Higgins Electorate: Aged Care 210 16:16 Dr ALLEN 282986 Higgins I rise in this House to give my heartfelt thanks to those working in aged care in my electorate of Higgins. It hasn't been easy during this pandemic. Families have been distressed that visitation hours were reduced significantly early in the pandemic to keep residents safe. Media scrutiny has been tough. We all braced when a massive community transmission outbreak of COVID occurred in Melbourne. Although no country has been able to prevent aged-care communities from bearing the brunt of COVID deaths, Australia actually has done better than most. Compared to other countries, our fatality rates for those in aged care is one of the lowest in the world at 0.1 per cent. Canada's aged-care sector reports a death rate has is 15 times higher, Ireland and Italy 30 times higher, and unfortunately the UK 53 times higher. Every death from COVID is a tragedy. But it is because of the hard work and dedication of all aged care staff, the frontline workers, ancillary staff, in Victoria, but I know right across Australia, who continue to work so professionally throughout this pandemic that our most vulnerable are kept safe from coronavirus. To everyone working in aged-care facilities across Higgins at Brimlea Aged Care, Chomley House, BlueCross Darnlee, Samarinda, mecwacare, Rosstown, Spurway, St Michael's, Oaklea Hall, Arcare, Regis Aged Care. Our community is extremely thankful and grateful. Macquarie Electorate: The Australiana Pioneer Village 210 16:18 Ms TEMPLEMAN 181810 Macquarie AGMs are not always a source of celebration but the AGM of the Friends of The Australiana Pioneer Village was just that, because, for many of us, it was the first time we could attend an AGM in a COVID-safe environment for a very long time. The rules were clear—carry your own chair, names taken, and none of the usual hand shaking and hugs to those wrapping up or taking up a position. The friends reopened the village in early July. This is not just a volunteer organisation; this is a volunteer-run tourist destination at Wilberforce in the Hawkesbury. They estimate they lost around $50,000 in revenue during the nearly four-month closure. Smoke from the bushfires also wreaked havoc with their summer openings. But even if you're not open, animals still need to be tended and the upkeep of historic buildings transplanted there still have to happen. The pioneer village relies on revenue from various sources but also donations. I was pleased to see that CAWB donated money they had left over from their fight to save history in Windsor, a worthwhile $3,000 donation. At a recent visit to see the work of the Hawkesbury Men's Shed on the site of the pioneer village, I was able to see the wheelchair-friendly tables I purchased with the $5,000 grant I secured for the group. I do hope Men's Shed will able to fulfil their ambitious plans in a way that benefits both important groups who each do so much to connect our community. Azerbaijan 211 16:19 Mr ZIMMERMAN 203092 North Sydney As the world fights the coronavirus pandemic, today I want to speak about a battle of a different type: the recent Azeri-Armenian border conflict. I'm sad that I need to do so. Under the cover of the pandemic, we have seen the government of Azerbaijan launch military operations in the border zone of its Armenian neighbour. On 12 July 2020, Azeri armed forces attempted to infiltrate Armenia's borders and cross into the town of Tavush, sparking the biggest ceasefire breach between the two countries since 2016. Previous Azeri aggression has been aimed at the disputed republic of Artsakh; however, this time Azeri forces attacked Armenia itself with tank, drone and artillery fire against soldiers, civilian homes and even a village kindergarten, while people on the streets of Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan, chanted, 'Death to Armenia,' and, 'End the quarantine; start the war.' The skirmish was undertaken with complete disregard for the UN's call for a global ceasefire during the current coronavirus pandemic and resulted in dozens of deaths on both sides. Alarmingly, an Azeri defence ministry spokesman made a threat to Armenia that their weapons were 'capable of hitting the Metzamur Atomic Energy Station with high accuracy, which will turn into a catastrophe for Armenia.' I find it extraordinary that the Azeri government would at this time—indeed, at any time—threaten to attack a nuclear reactor with a missile strike. Such behaviour is not acceptable. I urge both nations to ensure that their disputes continue to be the subject of peaceful negotiations, not armed conflict. COVID-19: State and Territory Border Closures 211 16:21 Ms MADELEINE KING 102376 Brand In the very difficult circumstances of COVID-19, the decision of this Liberal government to join forces with Clive Palmer to seek to force open WA's hard border will never be forgotten by me nor the people of Western Australia. Clive Palmer is a liar, a hypocrite, a narcissist, an egomaniac, and a threat to our democracy. He is a shifty businessman, who lists litigation as a hobby. This is a man facing charges for fraud and the dishonest use of his position as a company director, having been accused by ASIC of illegally funnelling millions into his 2013 election campaign—charges that carry a five-year prison term. Clive Palmer is the man who refused to pay workers at Queensland Nickel their entitlements after it went into liquidation, while boastfully throwing around millions on his crazy, vanity projects. Clive Palmer recently dismissed the coronavirus as a media beat-up. This is a man seeking to bankrupt the WA government with a $30 billion damages claim, which equates to $12,000 for every man, woman and child in WA. Let's not forget the $60 million that Palmer threw at the last election in support of the Liberals. Against the health advice of the WA government, and against the interests of the WA people and the hard work of the McGowan Labor government, this Liberal government have provided evidence in support of Clive Palmer. They've said that they've withdrawn from the case, but the evidence is on the record. This will never be forgotten. An honourable member: Hate Western Australians! Ms MADELEINE KING 102376 Hate Western Australians! Well done! Goldstein Electorate: Queen's Birthday Honours 211 16:22 Mr TIM WILSON IMW Goldstein A healthy and prosperous society is not handed down by the government from Canberra; it's built up from citizens when they come together to form family, community and country. It is built from their enterprise and their acceptance of responsibility and from their charity. Several members of our Goldstein community have been inducted into the Order of Australia for their extraordinary contributions: Carolyn Douglas, for service to law and to the judiciary; Kim Dunphy, for service to community health through dance movement therapy; Saki Ganella, for service to education; Simon Gipson, for service to secondary education; Brian Lasky, for service to golf; Graham Ludecke, for service to the community of Sandringham; Barbara Morgan, for service to the Jewish community of Victoria; Robert Perkins, for service to film and television production and set design; Fran Pfeiffer, for service to the community; and Heather Simmons, for service to medicine, particularly to women's health. Congratulations to each of these remarkable Goldstein residents, and thank you for your leadership in laying the bricks that construct the house of our nation. Every community has members who receive Orders of Australia as part of the Australia Day honours as well as the Queen's Birthday honours. We recognise the incredible contribution they make to the strength of our nation. May it continue. Shortland Electorate: Queen's Birthday Honours 212 16:24 Mr CONROY 249127 Shortland I'd like to congratulate the seven constituents from Shortland whose achievements were recognised in this year's Queen's Birthday honours, a wonderful acknowledgement of your contribution to our community. Associate Professor Seamus Fagan from Belmont has been made a Member of the Order for Australia for significant service to tertiary education, particularly to English language teaching. Four of my constituents received a Medal of the Order of Australia: John Deacon of Kahibah for his service to the performing arts and education; Wendy Naylor of San Remo for service to veterans and their families; Gregory Paterson of Belmont for his service to the performing arts, particularly to music; and Lorraine Blair from Belmont for service to the community. I've been fortunate to have met Lorraine a number of times, including presenting her with Shortland volunteer awards. Lorraine is an integral member of Sailability Belmont, a not-for-profit organisation offering people with disabilities the opportunity to sail. She is also the chairwoman of Headstart Acquired Brain Injury Services. People like Lorraine are the life blood of our community, and this award is well-deserved. Congratulations are also in order for Peter Elliott of Charlestown, who received an Ambulance Service Medal, and Ronald Calman of Jewells, who was awarded an Emergency Services Medal. Congratulations again to all the Shortland Queen's Birthday honours recipients for 2020. I rarely agree with the member for Goldstein on anything, but I do agree with his closing remarks, the recipients of these awards around the country are the foundations of our wonderful community. Congratulations to all of them. Robertson Electorate: COVID Economy 212 16:25 Mrs WICKS 241590 Robertson Many small businesses on the Central Coast are struggling with the challenges associated with the coronavirus pandemic, but in response a number of residents in my electorate of Robertson have really banded together to support local jobs in our economy by backing our small and family-owned businesses, and it's really great to see. Whether it's buying from a local online store, rather than a big retailer, sourcing locally grown produce or purchasing a face mask from a locally owned family business, these acts can all make a big difference. Our community's collective effort to purchase face masks from local manufacturers has been particularly appreciated by businesses like the family owned and operated ZBR Zibara. ZBR Zibara have transitioned from making sportswear and team wear to producing face faces and personal protective equipment. They're now providing more PPE in our region, and I've been advised they're assisting in the national effort to combat coronavirus by supplying PPE to frontline services in Victoria as well. Other businesses where residents can buy locally made face masks are JG's Uniforms in Kincumber, Benjamas Dressmaker & Alterations at Ettalong Beach or Cinta Collections in east Gosford. To connect these businesses with Central Coast residents, we're creating a map of all the local businesses that are producing and selling face masks across the region, so I call on anyone who might know of a local business who is supplying face masks to let us know so that we can add them to the map. We look forward to seeing this completed map and to touring our beautiful region again to hear directly from our business community and local residents. Indigenous Heritage Protection 212 16:27 Mr JOSH WILSON 265970 Fremantle The Australian community was rightly aghast to learn of the destruction of the Juukan Gorge rock shelters. Those sites contained material that was 46,000 years old, including a hair belt that was 4,000 years old and bears a genetic link to the people PKKP traditional owners today. An expert assessment described the site as presenting the highest archaeological significance in Australia. In the present inquiry Rio Tinto's CEO has said the destruction of the rock shelters 'should not have happened', yet, in almost the next line, he said, 'We operated within the regulatory and legal framework, above all.' The bottom line is the protection of Indigenous cultural heritage in Australia is woefully inadequate. There is no effective national protection framework. I'm not sure we needed the Juukan Gorge tragedy to tell us that. In the government's 2015 white paper on northern Australia, there was a commitment to consult with Indigenous people with a view to reforming the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Heritage Protection Act. The government's 2015 Australian Heritage Strategy also promised a review of the ATSIHP Act by December 2017. In 2018 the Australian Heritage Council also pointed Minister Frydenberg to the need to reform the ATSIHP Act, but nothing has been done. And now, after failing to intervene on Juukan Gorge, after choosing not to alert her own department prior to the demolition, the minister says there will be some roundtable conversations about how to improve Indigenous heritage protection. It should be a matter of sober and shameful reflection that that is exactly what the government has been promising for five years without doing anything at all. Mallee Electorate: COVID Restrictions 213 16:29 Dr WEBSTER 281688 Mallee I want to talk today about the issues that are going on in my cross-border communities. We have adults who cannot go to work. We have children who cannot go to school. We have nurses who cannot go and care for the sick. We have businesses that are being crushed and decimated because of restrictions and lockdowns that are very difficult to justify. My regional electorate of Mallee is 82,000 square kilometres; it's over a third of the state. We have just four active cases in Mallee. This means that regional communities, the communities that I represent, across Mallee are being restrained unjustifiably and, effectively, punished—that's how they feel—by the restrictions that have been imposed on them. Basically, they're a buffer. We have become a buffer between Melbourne and the rest of Australia. This is untenable and it is impacting on the lives of individuals. For example, there is Sally, who is down in Kaniva. She is suffering terminal cancer. South Australia will no longer allow her to have ongoing care there. Or there is 3½-year-old Josie, who also has cancer and who had surgery to remove part of her spine. She's in the position where she needs further surgery but is not permitted to have that surgery. She's not permitted to go across to South Australia, where she has been receiving ongoing treatment. Then we have Parker, who is seven years old and who had a heart transplant five years ago. He requires further surgery. (Time expired) Warringah Electorate: Oil and Gas Exploration 213 16:30 Ms STEGGALL 175696 Warringah Petroleum Exploration Permit 11—known as PEP 11—covers 4,500 square kilometres of ocean, from Newcastle, through the Central Coast to Manly. The permit area exists adjacent to the coastal boundaries of Warringah. Many constituents have written to me with their concerns about PEP 11. Offshore oil and gas exploration and production through PEP 11 could have dire consequences for our ecosystems, tourism businesses, coastal communities and climate. Under no circumstances should it proceed. PEP 11 is due to expire by next February, unless renewed. The project proponents, Advent Energy Ltd and Bounty Oil & Gas NL, are seeking a renewal of the permit and variation of the conditions to allow for exploratory drilling. I call on the minister and the government to reject the application to renew, and any move to vary the permit conditions. I also wish to raise concerns on the governance of the current title administration system. There is no visibility or updates on the progress of existing applications on the NOPSEMA website. This is generating a high level of concern and anxiety in community members and it must be rectified. I say to the minister and to the government: coastal communities do not want gas platforms off their coast through PEP 11. Bonner Electorate: Carina State School 213 16:32 Mr VASTA E0D Bonner I'd like to take this opportunity to share with the chamber some exciting news out of Carina State School in my electorate of Bonner. During the 2019 election campaign I visited the school and learned how their quadrangle was unusable due to the searing sun at lunchtime. I committed to funding new shade sails to create a safe and cool space for students, and I'm very pleased to share that this project is now complete. Funded through a $35,000 Morrison government community development grant, these new shade sails have absolutely transformed this space for the better. However, when I visited the school to see the completed project they couldn't shade the heat from budding young journalists, Erika, Mikayla, Safina and Khaow-Too. The students are part of Carina State School's magazine committee. They sat down with me for an in-depth chat about why I went into politics and to answer all their great questions. They asked me what advice I had for school captains when Liam, Addison, Macey and Sandy also joined the meeting, and I told them that leading by example and helping others is what makes leaders great. The magazine committee did a great job in asking questions, recording my answers and even organising a photo. I have no doubt that I met some future journalists. Well done to the school principal, Libby Bond, and everyone else for working with me to get the shade sail project completed, in between managing home learning and coronavirus extensions. Bruce Electorate: Aged Care 213 16:34 Mr HILL 86256 Bruce I rise on behalf of the hundreds of people in my electorate touched by the failure of the Morrison government to adequately plan and prepare for the coronavirus crisis in residential aged care. That includes 113 cases at the Outlook Gardens aged-care facility in Dandenong North, just some of the thousands of Victorians who have been infected and the hundreds who have died. Of course, the Prime Minister pretends that this is not his fault—it's not his responsibility, it's someone else's problem. Then he says, in his most earnest tones, 'Some days, of course the virus gets the better of us.' Every day, for five months, the government has failed on aged care. The royal commission's report last year was aptly titled Neglect, but still the government has no plan. No plan! COVID has been around for five or six months now. The national cabinet said that the federal government had responsibility for aged care, but the Prime Minister does not have a plan, as the royal commission heard. 'Just blame the states.' I want to record a couple of numbers. In Victoria today there are 1,568 cases of COVID in aged care. Three of those cases are in state funded and state provided care, and 1,565 of those cases are in federally regulated aged care. It is the federal government's responsibility to respond to this crisis. How long are people in my electorate and the rest of the country going to have to wait for the Prime Minister to take responsibility? Gold Coast Community Fund 214 16:35 Ms BELL 282981 Moncrieff In a time of crisis, the Gold Coast Community Fund stands for and behind Gold Coasters. In Moncrieff, since the pandemic hit, more people have needed financial and social support. It's been my privilege to work with the fund to support local groups who had to wait up to six weeks for the Queensland government to support them. Haveafeed is run by Lindsay and Robyn Burch at the Mermaid Beach Community Centre, providing meals and food packs for locals who need extra assistance. They received $2,000 towards meal ingredients, food packs and fuel from the Gold Coast Community Fund to keep their service running. At Angels Kitchen in Southport, the cancellation of mass and weekly collections due to the pandemic saw funding cease. They received a vital $3,000 from the fund to cover additional costs for hygiene measures and to continue their support for our community. The Lynne Richardson Community Centre in Molendinar received $2,500 for operating costs to keep their doors open and fuel vouchers for their outreach delivery vehicle. To Mark Woodhouse and his team of volunteers, well done for reaching out for assistance. Operation Gold Coast community food project received $5,000 for containers and meal ingredients. With many charity kitchens closed during the pandemic, the Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre stepped up to fill the gap, delivering 50,000 meal packs to support locals, providing their facilities and services free of charge. There are many other organisations that the Gold Coast Community Fund has assisted during this crisis. I commend their work that has supported Gold Coasters for over 20 years. COVID-19: Aged Care 214 16:37 Mr WATTS 193430 Gellibrand It's been a scary fortnight in my electorate. More than 100 aged-care residents and workers have been infected in COVID-19 outbreaks. Tragically, seven people have died in my electorate and 335 people, loved ones, have died of COVID-19 in residential aged care across Australia. It's a terrible way to die and a horrible thing to endure for everyone involved. I've had to hear about it this week and I wouldn't wish it on anyone. Residents of family first confront the fear of a rapidly moving outbreak and the fear of the virus' spreads and the grave risks that follow an infection. Those who get sick are then cut off from the comforts of family support—a hug from a loved one, a hand to hold—at their most challenging time. In my electorate, I've also seen multiple aged-care centres with the bulk of their workforces either ill or self-isolating, unable to staff centres at the level needed to deliver appropriate care to residents. Infuriatingly, this was entirely foreseeable. Indeed, it had already been seen in Australia and around the world. Despite this, counsel assisting the royal commission on aged care told the royal commission in its opening statement: … the evidence will reveal that neither the Commonwealth Department of Health nor the aged-care regulator developed a COVID-19 plan specifically for the aged-care sector … Today the royal commission has said, 'Had the Australian government acted upon previous reviews, the suffering of many people could have been avoided.' I ask the Prime Minister to think about that avoidable suffering and take personal responsibility. Defence Industry 214 16:38 Mr STEVENS 176304 Sturt I'd like to take the opportunity to update the Chamber on an opportunity I was given last week to be given a tour of the Osborne south shipyards in Adelaide, which has been built by Australian Naval Infrastructure, the Commonwealth agency that's charged with delivering the infrastructure we need to build the future Attack class submarines and the future Hunter class frigates. The south component of Osborne yard is for the frigates. It was my great pleasure to be taken through buildings 20, 21 and 22, which are the three substantive buildings onsite. There they will be receiving the steel, building the blocks and then assembling the hull and the major components of the frigate before putting it out onto the dry dock and then into the water. This project is on track. It's very exciting. They should be prototyping their first couple of blocks later this year, using Australian steel of course, manufactured by Australians for the Australian Navy, giving the navy a great capability and also developing sovereign ship-building capacity for this country, something Labor were never committed to. They made no decisions about ship-building and they didn't commission a single capital ship in their two terms in government. Thankfully, we have reversed all that. It's a very exciting future for the people of Adelaide and particularly the workers that are getting the jobs at the naval shipyards in Osborne in Adelaide and of course all the various supply chain companies that will be located right around the country supporting our navy and their capability into the future. Higher Education 215 16:40 Mr GORMAN 74519 Perth Happy anniversary to the Prime Minister! It's two years since the Liberal Party tore down Malcolm Turnbull for the second time, although it turned out well for the former member for Wentworth. It's great to have him in the chamber here. What a great two years it's been. Mr Turnbull told us in his book that 'Scott is a control freak'. He's not a control freak, though, when it comes to aged care; not a control freak when it comes to holding the hose; not a control freak when it comes to stacking and racism in the Victorian Liberal Party. But he is a control freak when it comes to sports rorts funding; he is a control freak when it comes to helping Clive Palmer tear down the WA border; and he is a control freak when it comes to increasing the cost of university for hundreds of thousands of Australians. The university tax, the knowledge tax that Scott Morrison proudly puts as a centre piece of his higher education policy, will lead to a 7.3 per cent rise in fees for new students. It is a $470 million tax on Australia's university students, and it will lead to a drop in revenue for universities in Western Australia. The chancellor of the University of Western Australia says it will lead to a three to four per cent fall in revenue because of the knowledge tax. Even the chancellor of the Australian National University has raised concerns about this tax. Who is the chancellor of the Australian National University? It's Julie former deputy Liberal leader Bishop. This is a bad tax and it has to go. Ryan Electorate: Baby Give Back 215 16:42 Mr SIMMONDS 282983 Ryan Those who know me in this chamber know that I am passionate about supporting the families of in my electorate of Ryan. So it is with pleasure that today I stand to pay tribute to a local organisation, Baby Give Back. Baby Give Back is a completely judgement-free service, whose core mission is to ensure that every baby has a safe and equal start to life. Baby Give Back works alongside social service agencies, case workers and midwives throughout South East Queensland to distribute essential baby items to families living in crisis. The families they are helping with these second-hand baby goods are experiencing hardship for a multitude of reasons, whether it be escaping domestic violence, being refugees or job losses et cetera. Baby Give Back was started by Carly Lovell and Katie Stephen, who are both locals of Kenmore and the Ryan electorate. It is now in its third year of operation, and they have a very busy warehouse at Varsity Lakes thanks to all the donations that keep coming in. This year and last were a period of expansion for them as they went further into the Brisbane footprint. This is a testament to the work of Carly and Katie and also a testament to the wonderful generosity of those who are donating goods. I was very pleased to sponsor their Kenmore collection day, where there was a stream of donations being received. People were exceedingly generous, locals giving cots and baby carriers and clothing that they no longer required for their own family, which has gone to a family in need. Thank you to Carly and Katie, exceptional Ryan residents. Greenway Electorate: Festival of Mahavir Jayanti 215 16:43 Ms ROWLAND 159771 Greenway I come with greetings in Gujarati and proudly say 'kam cho' to convey my best wishes to Greenway's Jain community on the auspicious occasion of Mahavir Jayanti, the festival marking the birth of Lord Mahavira. Lord Mahavira was the founder of Jainism, and his core teachings remain as relevant today as they were thousands of years ago. Jains strive to live a life of non-violence, truth and non-attachment, to achieve a heightened sense of spirituality. Jains are called to charity and love. As we deal with the ongoing effects of the pandemic, I pay tribute to the important work of many local Jains to support those without the means to support themselves. It hasn't gone unnoticed. Jain values are truly Australian values. I am proud to represent a passionate Jain community in western Sydney. I thank you for your friendship and continued advocacy. You have helped make Greenway a better place and me a better member of parliament over the past decade. You have taught me so many wonderful things about your traditions and beliefs, and I thank you for broadening my world view. I usually join the celebrations, as I have for many years. They are full of colour, food, song and dance. While the pandemic means that this year's celebration could not proceed in person, I look forward to us gathering as one community at your new temple in, God willing, the not-too-distant-future. Wentworth Electorate: Travel Industry 215 16:45 Mr SHARMA 274506 Wentworth Many businesses are struggling through this pandemic. It is a unique crisis affecting every corner of society. I wanted today to particularly single out the travel industry today for whom this crisis has been particularly damaging—the airline workers and associated businesses, tourism businesses—but the topic I want to speak about today is travel agents. Over the last few weeks I have been meeting and visiting with a number of travel agencies in my own electorate: Wentworth Travel at Double Bay, All Tours at Edgecliff, Right Directions Travel in Queens Park, Flight Centre at Edgecliff and the Travel Club Industry in Paddington. I have been hearing firsthand how they are dealing with these unprecedented challenges. Some have never been as busy but it is in processing refunds. When they have processed the refunds, they have also had to return the commissions they earned from these sales. These businesses have benefited from JobKeeper but, in many respects, it has never been tougher for them. They have many of the same costs but their cash flow is often negative because they have no new bookings coming through the door. International travel has taken a big hit. There are no cruises or even domestic travel, flights or packages to places like Queensland, Broome and Uluru. I want today to acknowledge the tough times they face and the stress they're under. But they are all doing the right thing, serving their customers, keeping their doors open, keeping their employees on and, for many, keeping a smile on their faces. I know this is a story being replicated across the country. I want to encourage people, if you're looking to book travel soon, to please use your local travel agents. The DEPUTY SPEAKER 74046 The time being 4.45, in accordance with standing order 43, the time for members' statements has concluded. PRIVATE MEMBERS' BUSINESS 216 PRIVATE MEMBERS' BUSINESS Tourism 216 16:46 Mr GORMAN 74519 Perth I move: That this House: (1) recognises that Australia's tourism sector is vital to a strong, growing economy; (2) notes: (a) that 2020 has seen an incredibly tough start to the year for tourism operators with devastating bushfires, an inevitable Coronavirus pandemic and a sluggish domestic economy; (b) Australia is a tourism dependent economy with the Australian Bureau of Statistics noting a $60 billion contribution to gross domestic product; and (c) 666,000 people worked in tourism in Australia in 2018-19; (3) encourages Australians to support our local tourism operators and where possible holiday here, at home, in the best country in the world; (4) commits Members of this House to work with members of the tourism industry and local operators and encourage the development of new tourism businesses and assets; and (5) agrees that Australia is the best country in the world and a must visit country for any international tourist. Australia's tourism industry has felt the full force and devastation of the coronavirus. Many businesses had already faced the pain of the bushfires, and the double whammy of those two things or even the coronavirus alone means there are many will never truly recover. There have been livelihoods ruined and those that do survive will take many years to get back to what they knew as normal. When it comes to the tourism industry, there definitely will be no snap back. The Australian tourism sector generated $61 billion a year of GDP prior to the virus. That's 300,000 businesses, more than a million people employed directly and indirectly. One in 12 people in Australia owe their jobs to the tourism sector. In my home state of Western Australia, some 25,000 tourism businesses generate more than $10 billion for the economy and support more than 100,000 jobs. In my electorate alone, 4,970 people are directly employed by tourism, but the Western Australian Tourism Council tell me their survey shows that some 55 per cent of their staff have ceased working since the coronavirus hit, from some of our biggest hotels such as the Pan Pacific to boutique retailers like Kirrikin, who rely on international tourists to purchase their beautiful Indigenous clothing. This sector has felt a whack. Sadly, that pain is not over. There are some businesses in my electorate that will not make it to Christmas. That is what they have told me that when I have gone around and talked to them. They say that this is tough and they need as much certainty as soon as possible. They know, because they have sold this country to the world, Australia is the best place in the world. It is a place we can't share with the rest of the world at the moment but, over time, we will once again want Australia to be that high-aspiration destination for international travellers. We don't know if it will be one year or years until our tourism market reopens but, whenever it does, let's make sure that we are well and truly the place that is at the top of everyone's must-visit list. As we wait for those international borders to reopen, and who knows exactly how long that will be, let's build some of the things that tourists want to see. Let's make sure we build light rail in Perth. Let's keep the progress going on high-speed rail on the East Coast. Let's look at what other attractions we might need to make this a family-friendly destination. I'm a big fan of building a Marvel World here in Australia, but there is a whole bunch of other, more pressing, issues which Infrastructure Australia has also identified— Mr Zimmerman 203092 Commonsense ones too! Mr GORMAN 74519 There is a lot of common sense in the Marvel universe; I'm sure it could help the coalition from time to time! One of the other issues which Infrastructure Australia has identified as a national infrastructure priority is a national centre of Indigenous culture and history. We can progress these things so that when people do come to Australia again they are once again wowed by the engineering ingenuity and friendliness of the Australian people. In the meantime, many of us are holidaying at home. Myself, Jess and Leo packed the Mazda 5 in July and went to Yallingup for a week. We took long walks and visited Sunflowers Animal Farm and Farmstay and a few wineries in the Margaret River region. Hundreds and thousands of Australians are holidaying at home right now, and it's providing essential support to our tourism sector. It can't survive without that domestic market right now. But there are some sectors of that tourism industry that are hurting more than others. I too have met with a number of tourism and travel agency businesses in my electorate of Perth. The feedback that I get, universally, is that they want certainty and they want the federal government to realise properly that they are a unique sector in terms of the crisis our country currently faces. We haven't seen any additional funding for the tourism sector since March. Indeed, one travel agent wrote to me and put it in really clear terms: 'We're not like coffee shops, restaurants and pubs, where we could "reinvent ourselves" and start selling takeaway, or clothing stores, that can switch to online sales in the interim.' They sell travel, and with planes grounded and borders closed internationally they remain at a standstill. There have been some glimmers of light, and I commend WA Premier, Mark McGowan, on his $14.4 million package of direct support for tourism businesses and the $150 million investment in infrastructure for WA's tourism industry. They need our support now and they're going to need it for a long time to come. The DEPUTY SPEAKER 248181 Is there a seconder for the motion? 16:52 Ms CHESTERS 249710 Bendigo I second the motion and reserve my right to speak. 16:52 Dr HAINES 282335 Indi The north-east tourism industry, including in the renowned Alpine shire and Victorian high country, was heavily impacted by the summer bushfires. There were widespread closures, evacuations and direct fire damage. The ensuing pandemic and recurrent lockdowns have led to an extended period of economic change and uncertainty for tourism businesses operating across the region. These are businesses which account for 20 per cent of gross regional product and 25 per cent of employment. In the six months to June 2020 the region lost up to 1.6 million visitors, approximately 95 per cent of the business-as-usual market. Visitor expenditure fell by between $400 million to $639 million in the same period and up to 6,390 jobs were disrupted or lost. These are devastating numbers for a region that prides itself on its innovative and high-potential tourism market. What the sector needs from the government right now is a dedicated stimulus investment in shovel-ready tourism infrastructure projects that can get underway right now, even in lockdown, and ready the region for a major revitalisation that fully captures the incoming domestic regional tourism boom. For this to happen, Indi needs dedicated, accessible future-facing stimulus support to put us on the front foot. Last week, I published a budget submission which I prepared with the nine local government areas across Indi, from Towong to Murrindindi and everywhere in between. That submission contains $140 million in ready-to-go local tourism infrastructure projects that currently have no funding avenues available at all. The last Building Better Regions Fund round was exclusive to drought affected communities, and so projects in my electorate were locked out. While I have no issue whatsoever with a drought-specific round, I do take issue with a government which is unprepared to accept that the BBRF is no longer fit for purpose in this current environment and that we need broader, more accessible funding to pick up on our tourism projects. In such an unpredictable year, this is something we can predict. We can predict a spike in demand for regional tourism like we've never seen before. And what better way to stimulate jobs, immediately, than with ready-to-go projects—projects like the $11.6 million requested for the Murray to Mountains Rail Trail enhancements project, which will usher in public art, landscaping, improved amenities options and new commercial opportunities right across the seven sections of the trail. This is a trail that has a pre-eminent reputation in the Southern Hemisphere. There's the Prosecco Road development in the King Valley. The Australian prosecco market will triple in volume to around 34 million litres in the next 10 years. The King Valley has the potential to grow to nine million litres, with a wholesale value of $100 million by 2028. This project would see improvements to digital and road infrastructure, including the widening and upgrading of roads. The construction of new and improved playgrounds and cycle tracks and bespoke art installations are all things that would kickstart a regional arts sector that's been absolutely decimated over the past six months. This is a project that not only kickstarts tourism and arts but is a leg-up to our wine industry, which was hit for a six with smoke taint during the summer bushfires and is now under the shadow of trade restrictions from China. If ever there was a time to invest in us, for us and with us, it is now. There are many more projects like these that would stimulate hundreds of jobs in my electorate. But, right now, our government is silent on economic stimulus that builds a future and makes us stronger in the tourism sector. I met with the tourism minister last week and showed him this list and pointed to the long list of closed funds that, essentially, mean that right now there's no money at all available, in a dedicated Commonwealth fund, to the regional tourism sector. I sincerely hope the tourism minister will secure the funds we need in the forthcoming budget. I don't want to see this government turn its back on our regions and simply hope that our tourism can limp its way along—because, frankly, it cannot. Two years ago this government retired the Tourism Demand Driver Infrastructure Program, a fantastic scheme that drove tens of millions of dollars into regional tourism infrastructure on a dollar-for-dollar basis with states and territories. Where is this initiative now? Nowhere to be seen. The government might not see regional Australia—I do though. I call on the Treasurer to see regional Australia as well and put money into regional tourism in the next budget. 16:57 Mrs PHILLIPS 147140 Gilmore Thank you, member for Perth, for this motion recognising how important our tourism sector is—particularly in my electorate—for local spending, regional jobs and supporting our local families. There is no more beautiful a place than the New South Wales south coast. Sure, we've had our fair share of natural disasters of late—the worst imaginable bushfires, disaster declared floods and COVID—but we should never lose sight of why people come to our coast: for its natural beauty and to just get away. Who could resist the charm of Jervis Bay, Kiama, the Shoalhaven or the beautiful Eurobodalla? Today I actually want to talk about the forgotten part of our talk on tourism: our travel agents. Over the last six months or so I have had so many travel agents contact me. I've also popped in and met with travel agents across my electorate to hear their story in person. It's fair to say the feeling amongst them is the same. Travel agents, like many people, have borne the brunt of these multiple disasters. In what is normally our busiest season—the summer—we had to turn our tourists away because of the bushfires. Multiple floods and COVID-19, which continues to haunt us today, have put more pressure on. Not only that, each of these disasters has added to the stress of travel agents, who needed to make sure their clients were safe, help them get information on evacuations, or help them get home from overseas or find alternatives. It's been tough. When I met Bronwyn, a travel agent in Batemans Bay, she told me how she and her staff were spending much of their time refunding customers. I see travel agent staff working away diligently. I see travel agent owners doing everything they can to support their staff and customers but with little to no support, refund after refund that is absolutely needed but with little to no business income coming in. It is heartbreaking. One local travel agent explained to me that they were thankful for JobKeeper but the issue is, in most cases, there has been a 100 per cent decline in income. The money has just stopped. With the federal government's plans to reduce the rate of JobKeeper, it will simply not sustain this industry which has been hit so hard. The truth is there is no targeted federal government support for travel agents. Travel agents from Kiama to Ulladulla and Batemans Bay tell me they feel forgotten, abandoned in their time of need. People have been very creative during the COVID-19 crisis, adapting to the new challenges: many cafes and restaurants ramping up takeaways; manufacturers and small businesses turning to production of hand sanitiser or face masks to meet the growing demand. Business may be down 30 per cent or more, but there is a glimmer of hope. It is absolutely wonderful to see. But with international borders closed indefinitely, and many state ones as well, it is very difficult for travel agents to repurpose and gain income. One local travel agent who runs a very successful crafty international tours business relies 100 per cent on the international cruise and travel market. I listened to Joanne's heartbreaking story; she told me she wished her business hadn't been so successful, because now she has to undo each tour, bit by bit, and it is hard to take. How can the government abandon travel agents? Falling through the cracks seems to be a common theme of this government, with little care or concern. Why has the Prime Minister left travel agents out of targeted assistance? When regional travel reopened in New South Wales, the Premier said, 'Now's the time to hop online and book a holiday.' Can you believe that? Travel agents told me it was insulting. How about encouraging people to book with a local travel agent instead and support local regional jobs? That's what we need. I encourage everyone in our community to do just that. Call in or phone your local travel agent and book a regional holiday; support local travel agents, staff and their families, local people who shop in our local stores and kids who attend our local schools and contribute in so many ways. My message for local travel agents is: 'I will not forget you. You are valued. You are doing valuable work. You are a valuable part of our community.' Prime Minister, it's about time you stepped up and helped our travel agents with targeted assistance. We don't need anyone else falling through the cracks. 17:02 Mr ZIMMERMAN 203092 North Sydney I want to start by congratulating and thanking the member for Perth for putting this motion on the Notice Paper and for moving it today. It is an important motion about a sector of our economy that is vital to the livelihoods of so many hundreds of thousands of Australians and the businesses that they work for. I am delighted to support this motion because the tourism industry is very close to my heart. In fact, before I was elected to this place I spent five years working in the tourism industry, at the Tourism & Transport Forum as its deputy CEO. I am extraordinarily aware of the contribution that the tourism sector—what we like to call, and it is a better descriptor, the visitor economy—makes to Australia's economic success. Tourism, in all its forms, represents the most incredibly diverse array of businesses and activities in our nation. Of course there are the high-profile businesses like our big airlines or big hotel chains or big travel agency companies. Often they are the most glamorous ones, but the reality is that 95 per cent of tourism is actually a small business operation. It's the mums and dads running a country motel or a caravan park. It's the young person who's working as a tour guide in a capital city. It is the Indigenous community that is providing what is such a uniquely Australian experience. It is all of these small bits of the jigsaw puzzle that go together to create that great and impressive picture, which is the Australian tourism experience. Across our country, be it our biggest of cities or our smallest of towns, there is one thing that you can certainly find, and that is some form of tourism operation. I particularly want to recognise, as we've heard today, how important the tourism industry is for regional Australia. I also want to recognise the fact that tourism is vital to the prospects of young Australians, because not only are there so many people whose first casual job is in the tourism sector but also there are those who start there and who go on to have a whole career in tourism, a career that is just so important. Finally, when I talk about the tourism sector I also want to recognise that tourism isn't just about Australia's economic prosperity. I passionately believe that every international tourist who visits our shores becomes one of our most effective ambassadors when they leave. We know from all of the great research that Tourism Australia does that so many people come to this country with high expectations and leave with those expectations not only met but also fulfilled in ways that they never expected. For example, if you ask virtually any prospective tourist in one of our source country markets, 'What is a reason for visiting Australia?' very few will nominate Australia's food experience, but if you ask a tourist when they're leaving Australia, 'What was the best part of your visit?' many will say that it was the food and wine experience they enjoyed while they were here. Tourism is vital to this country, and, therefore, it has been so distressing to see the devastation that the coronavirus pandemic has caused for the sector. There are very few industries that have been hit as hard as tourism has been. That is self-evidently obvious when you're talking about an industry that relies on cross-border travel, be it intrastate or overseas. Like those who have spoken before me, many of us have experienced that in our own electorates. Just last week, through the Australian Federation of Travel Agents, I met with local travel agents. They have been devastated because travel agents rely on two things for their bread and butter: overseas travel and business travel. Sadly, domestic travel very rarely generates a huge amount of work for the travel agent business because most people feel as though they can do that for themselves, so supporting the tourism industry as we move forward is going to be vital. The support that we've been able to wrap around those affected by coronavirus, like JobKeeper, has been a lifesaver. I've seen comments in the last couple of weeks from tourism industry leaders such as Margy Osmond at TTF or Peter Shelley at ATEC, and recently from Victorian tourism leaders, strongly supporting the government's decision to extend JobKeeper. There have been other measures we've taken: support for regional galleries, support for zoos, and support for so many other sectors of the economy that have a flow-on benefit for tourism. But what I do know is that when we get through this, when the borders do start to reopen, we're going to have to be there, backing the tourism industry with all of our might. We're going to need Tourism Australia to be focused on reopening those markets, establishing Australia as the fabulous place to come to that we know it is, because that will be so vital to our future prospects. 17:07 Ms TEMPLEMAN 181810 Macquarie You can't move on the Bells Line of Road or the Great Western Highway some days, and villages in those areas are packed, but at other times they're dead, and businesses are feeling the fragility of it, knowing that at a moment's notice a hotspot declaration might close the entire area down. Any business that relies on people using public transport or on international visitors, like our hop-on hop-off Blue Mountains Explorer Bus, is still seeing nothing like normal levels. In speaking to tourism businesses in the electorate, from Mount Victoria, Megalong Valley and Blackheath in the west, down through both sides of the mountains and up to Colo Heights and St Albans, it's clear there is a real desire by people to get out and support our local businesses and for Sydneysiders to come and visit. But there's also a strong view that the job subsidy that the Morrison government didn't think was necessary until it finally did is helping them either ride the unpredictable waves of business in a COVID world, or is helping them hang in until the seas settle into something more normal—that's if they qualified—and they desperately want that support to continue at the level it's at. Of course, for us, it came on the back of the worst bushfires we've seen, where peak summer trade evaporated, so most of the businesses have that double whammy. We had an extra one, of course: flood. We've had fire, flood and then COVID. Most tourism businesses think that the level of support needs to be maintained. If you talk to travel agents, their business has done nothing to turn things around. I think, when we're talking tourism, we should also acknowledge pilots, who are in a terribly precarious situation, and they certainly need support. Their industry needs to be maintained so that they're there when we're ready to get on a plane. There's only so much we can do at a local level, but I've certainly helped get the word out to encourage people to holiday within the electorate, with the holiday-at-home campaign. This is a series of YouTube videos showcasing the lesser known gems of our region—the tearooms and wineries of the Megalong; the mum and dad businesses that dot the entire Blue Mountains and Hawkesbury; the hideaways and local produce of Colo; the history and wines of Ebenezer; the contrast of the bustling retail in Blackheath and the solitude of the bush; the sweep of the Macdonald River in St Albans; and original art in Wisemans—all wonderful things to go and explore. I will continue this series in coming weeks and months until confidence returns to the local tourism sector. Of course, COVID and fires compel us to think big. Twenty years ago there was a plan for a Bilpin visitor centre to educate about the then brand new World Heritage declaration for the Great Blue Mountains. It didn't happen. A little over a year ago, some locals raised the possibility, to mark the 20th year of World Heritage, of reviving the plan. They met with the mayor and the council wrote to the New South Wales government about it, but not much has come back. Now is the time to be resurrecting this project. It is an opportunity to educate people who visit the Hawkesbury side of the World Heritage, about world heritage—what it is, how it's recovering from the fire, what tourists can do and shouldn't do, who it's first inhabitants were, and their history and spiritual connection and what local businesses offer—and it should provide much-needed facilities for tourists to have a comfort stop. The bushfires highlight the need for the wider population of Sydney to have a greater understanding of the environment in which my community lives. Our tiny settlement is surrounded by 1.3 million hectares of unique native bush, home to a third of the world's eucalypt forests. This is a key reason that millions of people visit the region. Eighty per cent of this region was burnt by fires. Some of it's recovering fast; others not so. One thriving koala population is now estimated to be less than 10 koalas. There are suggestions that a revised plan of the Bilpin centre could include a base for scientists and National Park staff to support and study this fragile population. Just as the museum and art gallery of the Northern Territory, in Darwin, provides an opportunity to understand what a cyclone is like, with its Cyclone Tracey exhibit, so could we give people a taste of the Gosper Mountain fire and the recovery. There is audio from the Rural Fire Service radio channels and there's video. There would be educators, firefighters and parks personnel much better placed than me to be able to create a safe experience for people. I see it as a school excursion destination, helping to shift volumes away from just weekend day trade. But it also needs to work for the community. Traffic at weekends is already a problem. This needs all three tiers of government to work together so that we can secure this funding for our local recovery. 17:12 Ms SHARKIE 265980 Mayo It's been a few months since I visited a domestic airport. When I drove to Canberra last time—and it was a very long drive—on Sunday I was really quite surprised when I saw that our Adelaide Airport was bereft of crowds and car traffic. Such sights are a visual reminder of how COVID-19 has changed our visitor economy. A Tourism Research Australia report released earlier this month provided some sobering statistics. Some 666,000 people worked directly in tourism in Australia in 2018-19 and another 370,000 people were employed indirectly. According to the ABS, the economy lost 21,000 tourism jobs between December last year and March this year largely due to the impact of the Black Summer bushfires, which also occurred in my electorate. Restrictions to contain the spread of COVID were introduced in March. Between mid-March and mid-May, the number of jobs in accommodation and hospitality fell by 27 per cent and the number of jobs in the arts and recreation sector fell by 19 per cent. In Mayo, more than 5,000 people are directly employed in tourism and many more are indirectly employed. Job losses of this magnitude affect hundreds of small businesses and families. With international and interstate borders closed, Tourism Research Australia says interstate travel will lead to a slow recovery and regional centres within driving distance of cities are expected to recover first. Australia has a $151 billion a year visitor economy, in which $107 billion is spent by Australians in Australia on overnight travel and day trips. Mayo, which stretches from the hills around Adelaide, down the Fleurieu and over to Kangaroo Island is well located to lead the recovery in South Australia. The Hills and Fleurieu are on the doorstep of Adelaide, and more than 70 per cent of our visitors are day-trippers and those looking for a short stay. My electorate is home to six of South Australia's 18 wine regions and we have a growing craft brewing and distillery industry. We also grow some of the best produce of the nations, and many savvy growers are offering boutique experiences connecting visitors with food and wine in beautiful locations. Throughout September the Hahndorf Handmade, Handcrafted, Handpicked festival is being held in and around the main street of Hahndorf to celebrate the artisan culture of the region. This will boost the tourism economy in our hills, which was significantly impacted by the Cudlee Creek bushfire. Even though it was 20 kilometres from Hahndorf, Hahndorf also endured the fallout of the bushfire and the COVID restrictions. Kangaroo Island is facing an even greater challenge. Tourism Australia figures show that international visitor numbers in Kangaroo Island dropped by 55 per cent in the March quarter as a direct result of the bushfires. This is significant because nearly 30 per cent of KI tourists come from overseas, and 40 per cent are from interstate. Visitor numbers lifted after the state government #BookThemOut campaign to support bushfire ravaged regions, but then came COVID-19. I would like to commend the government for its JobKeeper program, which has assisted not only the tourism operators on Kangaroo Island but businesses right across my electorate and the region. During our winter break I made two trips to the island, where I caught up with several business owners who have encouraging news to share. Jeff and Val Howard from Dudley Wines told me last week they'd enjoyed one of their most profitable Julys in many years. July is still a very quiet time on Kangaroo Island, but it was a good July for them. It's been a bit of a roller-coaster for the winery businesses with the bushfires, then the #BookThemOut campaign and then the COVID restrictions. But business is picking up again. I also dropped in to see Big Red and the team from KI Oysters. This business is optimistic about the future, and they are actually going to have oyster tasting in the water at American River—you can sit in the river and eat an oyster. In the heart of fireground I spent time with Fiona from the Western KI Caravan Park talking about the recovery of her fire ravaged business. I would urge any South Australian to go and book a holiday on the western part of Kangaroo Island. The regrowth is stunning to see and you will be warmly welcomed by Fiona. She has a can-do attitude, she really does. She is also looking at putting in accommodation for recovery workers who are going to come to the island. Mayo has taken a significant hit because of the bushfires and COVID, and we can add drought to that mix. But our businesses in Mayo are open, our tourism businesses are open and despite the challenges of 2020 we're looking forward to welcoming South Australians to holiday across our region. 17:17 Dr WEBSTER 281688 Mallee by leave—I would like to make a correction to a statement I made earlier regarding seven-year-old Parker. I made the statement that Parker, who is seven years old, had a heart transplant at the age of two and requires surgery. He doesn't require surgery; he requires ongoing cardiology monitoring and ongoing treatment. Debate adjourned. Pacific Maritime Security Program 221 17:18 Mr PEARCE 282306 Braddon I move: That this House: (1) recognises the importance of working with our Pacific neighbours to deliver a region that is secure and sovereign; and (2) notes the: (a) Government's Pacific Maritime Security Program is providing the region with a modern and coordinated security capability; and (b) Government is delivering important infrastructure projects that will enhance their security capability—this includes: (i) Fiji's Blackrock Peacekeeping and Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief Camp; (ii) gifting of Guardian Class Patrol Boats; and (iii) the joint initiative with Papua New Guinea and the Lombrum Naval Base. The DEPUTY SPEAKER 72184 Do I have a seconder for the motion? Ms Stanley 265990 I second the motion and reserve my right to speak. Mr PEARCE 282306 In the face of the global COVID-19 pandemic, our engagement in the Pacific remains one of Australia's highest foreign policy priorities. There has never been a more important time for us to stand shoulder to shoulder with our near neighbours and reaffirm our commitment to deliver a region that is both secure and sovereign. It makes sense. The Pacific is where we live. It is our home. The basis of strong relationships is being there for each other when we need it most, and it's at the heart of the Morrison government's Pacific Step-up. This program continues to grow economies, build resilience and enhance regional stability through defence, policing and border security cooperation. The program also continues decades of strengthening the region's capacity through the Defence Cooperation Program. As a region, we are united in our joint fight against the scourge of the COVID-19 pandemic. For our part, Australia remains committed to working with our Pacific partners and maintaining our engagement within the restrictions of COVID-19. I'm pleased to advise that Defence has responded and is reprioritising funding through the Defence Cooperation Program to support the COVID-19 response wherever possible. Defence is also engaging closely with our security partners in the south-west Pacific to share our collective understanding of the impact of COVID-19 right across the region. As we continue to work cooperatively with our partner neighbours, the bonds that exist are further strengthened. Not only is this true for our defence forces but, more importantly, it consolidates our steadfast ties with families, communities and nations right across the region. The reciprocal nature of the support was evident earlier this year, when our Pacific friends lent their support to our ADF response to the bushfire crisis. Australia faced an unprecedented national disaster when bushfires swept across large parts of New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia and, indeed, my home state of Tasmania. Images of the Fiji and PNG defence forces were welcomed into Australia and were uplifting, reminding us all of the deep connections that we share as nations. It was also an important reminder that this relationship is two-way—one where we gratefully and welcomely accept support when needed, just as we lend a hand in their hour of need. In April this year, in the aftermath of Tropical Cyclone Harold, the Australian Defence Force conducted four flights into Vanuatu delivering critical emergency relief. In supporting the government's COVID-19 response, to date, the humanitarian corridor has transported over 21 tonnes of supplies into the region, including testing equipment, PPE and medical supplies for local hospitals. Following the outbreak of COVID-19 in Papua New Guinea, Prime Minister Marape and his government swiftly responded to help stop the outbreak. In response to the PNG government's request, Australia lent our support with the deployment of the Australian Medical Assistance Team, and this was welcomed by PNG on the ground. 'Vuvale' is the Fijian word for 'family' or 'my home is your home'. The Vuvale Partnership between Fiji and Australia aspires to elevate cooperation, consolidation and friendship between our two nations. However, the sentiment of 'vuvale' is not exclusive to our partnership with Fiji; it is our commitment to all our Pacific partners as we help protect their communities from COVID-19 and ensure that the region is secure, stable and sovereign. 17:23 Mr CONROY 249127 Shortland I begin by acknowledging this motion and saying that Labor does indeed support this motion and we thank the member for bringing it here. The impact of COVID on the Pacific highlights more than ever the importance of Australia working with its Pacific neighbours to deliver a region that is secure and sovereign. This pandemic has also highlighted the multidimensional nature of security challenges in this region. There are not just traditional challenges but also challenges to human security and to the health and welfare of Pacific islanders. There is also the profound security challenge of climate change, which poses an existential threat to low-lying Pacific island nations. Pacific countries are being hit hard by COVID-19. Most countries in the region are able to avoid large outbreaks by taking steps to control the spread of the virus. However, several countries are experiencing second waves. The number of confirmed cases in Papua New Guinea has risen to more than 350. There have also been significant outbreaks in French Polynesia and the US territory of Guam in the northern Pacific. COVID-19 is also having a devastating impact on the economies of the Pacific countries, which rely heavily on tourism and on earnings from Pacific islanders working abroad, including in Australia. Australia needs to show that the Pacific step-up is real. We need to provide assistance, not only with immediate health impacts but also with medium-term economic recovery and development. This is a time to boost Australia's development assistance along with our diplomatic and Defence engagement with Pacific countries. Unfortunately, this government has cut more than $11.8 billion from Australia's official development assistance since it came to office in 2013. The government's assistance for Pacific countries with COVID-19 has not been supported by any new funds. These measures are paid for by cuts to other areas of the federal budget. If you are concerned about security in the Pacific, you cannot ignore the development, economic and human dimensions of security. This has been recognised in the Pacific Islands Forum's Boe Declaration on Regional Security. The Boe declaration refers to an expanded concept of security, inclusive of human security, humanitarian assistance, prioritising environmental security and regional cooperation in building resilience to disasters and climate change. One important way for the Australian government to support this expanded concept of regional security in the Pacific would be to increase official development assistance in the coming budget. The motion focuses on defence and security cooperation between Australia and its Pacific partners. Labor supports the Pacific Maritime Security Program. We support measures like the Pacific patrol boats and the cooperation with Fiji at the Blackrock Camp and with PNG at Lombrum. The Pacific patrol boats program would deliver 21 new Guardian class patrol boats to Pacific Island nations in Timor-Leste. This is an important initiative, so it is disappointing that the incompetence we have seen from the government in major projects has been on display in the Pacific patrol boat program. The Auditor-General's Major projects report revealed that the Morrison government delivered a new patrol boat to PNG before finishing construction of the new wharf facilities needed to ensure that the boat could dock safely. Let me repeat that: they delivered the boat before they had the wharf built to dock the boat. The Major projects report also revealed that the government failed to provide enough funding in the Pacific patrol boats program for upgrading wharf infrastructure in receiving countries. Defence had to scramble to pay for wharf upgrades by raiding funds from the wider Defence Cooperation Program. Then there is the government's promise of a new Australian Navy vessel for providing humanitarian and disaster relief support to the Pacific. This is an important initiative and will be critical in coming years as Pacific countries feel the brunt of climate change. Prime Minister Morrison announced the new vessel in November 2018. Nearly two years later, no action has been taken to acquire the vessel. Yet again, we have a grand announcement from the government but zero delivery. This vessel is pencilled in Australia's latest Defence Force Structure Plan for delivery by 2024, but no further details have been provided by the government on when and how this vessel will be acquired. So, when it comes to security in the Pacific, this government says the right things but, all too often, does not live up to its rhetoric when it comes to delivering on the promises. Let me repeat where I began. If the coalition government is serious about supporting security in the Pacific, they would take action on climate change and they would restore the cuts to official development assistance. If they don't advocate those opposite for increasing the aid budget and actually taking action on climate change, they are betraying themselves as hollow hypocrites and are betraying the Pacific and they showing the Pacific step-up is rhetoric only. 17:28 Mr CONNELLY 282984 Stirling I was very pleased to hear about this motion and have the opportunity today to make comments on reflection. I note first of all that the motion talks about recognising the importance of working with our Pacific neighbours to deliver a region that is secure and that is sovereign. I would like to add a little to that and say that I believe that the principles of friendship and of collaboration are also inherently fundamental and important in delivering these outcomes. Indeed, through the Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade, and the Defence subcommittee, we are inquiring at the moment into the Pacific step-up program the Australian government has. We are listening to the region about what is working well and what else the region would like to see. Some of the feedback we're getting is that the idea of working collaboratively together as partners in the region is foremost in our regional neighbours' minds. I will start with a personal reflection. While I was still a young Army officer, I was in command of an infantry company at the Townsville based 2nd Battalion. I was part of the online company of the online unit of the Australian Defence Force. It was incredibly exciting when we got what's called a warning order, which basically says, 'You're going somewhere; start packing your bags.' This was a warning order to deploy to Solomon Islands as part of Operation ANODE, which sought to restore law and order to, effectively, cordon and search and catch criminals, round up weapons and restore peace and stability to this absolutely beautiful region. It was exciting, then, to deploy as the very first company on the ground. We flew into the famed island of Guadalcanal and the capital, Honiara, a place which saw immense and fierce fighting in the Second World War but one that has a deep history and natural beauty. We were joined, there, by partners from the region. We served alongside platoons from Papua New Guinea, Fiji, Tonga, New Zealand and quite a few of our other Pacific neighbour nations. Moving towards the Pacific Maritime Security Program, this program has three essential elements. It includes 21 Guardian Class Patrol Boats, air surveillance and improved regional cooperation. What this program will deliver is infrastructure, but it will also deliver sustainment and training. For these 21 Guardian Class Patrol Boats, it will include crews being trained. They will be brought to Australia and trained and deployed with those vessels back to their home countries. There will remain in country the ability to sustain them and access resources to help continue their effective use. I was really pleased to visit the Austal shipyard in Henderson, in my home state of Western Australia. Here I was able to see two of these Guardian Class Patrol Boats, there on the dock, all shiny and ready to roll out the door—I should say, sail out the door. Really exciting. I should admit there is a bit of a slowdown because of COVID, so the crews who were coming from Pacific islands to accept those boats, to be trained and then sail home, haven't yet been able to arrive. But, rest assured, that is high on the radar, and I'm sure those vessels will be very welcome back in their home countries. I also note the significance of the humanitarian and disaster relief program, which will be housed at the Blackrock Camp in Fiji. This will be a wonderful regional capability. We know and have seen the importance of being able to rapidly deploy medical equipment, supplies, emergency food relief and, of course, essentials like water and medicines when natural disasters hit within our region. It goes almost without saying and across all sides of politics, in this place, that the Pacific Step-up, our engagement with our neighbours, remains one of the very highest priorities of our Australian foreign policy. Whilst we have seen some impacts around COVID, we've seen that collaboration and working together. We've deployed some 21 tonnes of PPE and other emergency relief equipment into our region and, indeed, as we heard earlier, our region has supported us, including through the bushfires, where we had Fijians and Papua New Guineans fighting fires alongside Australians. This is the sort of region we want to become, and it is how we will achieve that strength, that stability and that security. 17:33 Ms ROWLAND 159771 Greenway I am very pleased to speak on this motion today, and it's very pleasing to have discussion facilitated on the Pacific. In my opinion, we don't do it enough as a parliament. So this is a great opportunity. I'm going to confine my remarks to Fiji. As members might know, I'm of Fijian heritage and maintain an abiding interest in Fiji and the Fijian people. I would also note that we're not too far off—on 10 October—Fiji celebrating its 50th anniversary of independence, which will be a very important milestone in their history. I want to acknowledge the member for Werriwa, who is here, who has a very large Australian-Indian population that she represents so ably. Today's motion is an acknowledgement of the strategic importance of Australia's relationships, including with Fiji. While the issues raised are certainly worthy of discussion, I also think it warrants reflection on a number of gaps in the Australia-Fiji relationship. There will be huge challenges for Fiji in the years ahead, our most populated Pacific neighbour other than New Zealand. They have been particularly hard hit economically by the travel restrictions. Fiji is one of Australia's closest friends in the Pacific. We share a common bond and a willingness to promote our shared values of freedom and respect throughout the region. Fijians themselves are active global citizens. They're not restricted by their island status or small population. Interesting to note, since 1970, since independence, Fiji has provided more personnel per capita to UN peace keeping missions than any other foreign nation. They wear that as a badge of honour and rightly so. As Fijian Prime Minister Bainimarama said: 'Fijians believe the right of peace should be enjoyed by all humanity'. As an island nation dealing firsthand with the effects of human-induced climate change, Fiji has been at the forefront of international efforts to reduce global emissions. Across many fronts, Fiji is a Pacific and an international leader. It is unfortunately the case that, unlike our Fijian friends, Australia has a track record in some cases of neglecting our responsibilities. I am deeply concerned that some of our government policies have either undermined the importance of key strategic relationships in the region or failed to promote them. This disrespect goes all the way to the top, with Prime Minister Bainimarama describing the government's posture on climate change previously as very insulting, very condescending. What I really want to highlight is of real import for Australia's strategic interests in the Pacific is soft power. The stability and security of the Pacific region cannot be taken for granted—it must not be neglected—and it won't be achieved with empty words about stepping up or being family, nor will it be realised if Australia fails to leverage the tools it has at its disposal to engage with our Pacific nations. Yet this government has cut funding to the ABC, cuts that diminish the strength of Australia's international broadcaster and, in turn, undermine the safety and security of Australians in the region. Since this government took office in 2013, the ABC's capacity has been substantially reduced. The Australia network has been shut down and the ABC shortwave radio transmissions across the Pacific have been switched off, a direct result of funding cuts. Meanwhile, the Peoples Republic of China has been doing the exact opposite, working to boost China's international media voice by making significant investments to expand the coverage, presence and reach of Chinese media, including taking over the shortwave radio frequencies previously occupied by the ABC. Nature abhors a vacuum. In the face of rising concerns about disinformation and misinformation, this government is cutting funding to Australia's most trusted source of news and information. The ABC's April 2020 submission on strengthening Australia's relationship with countries in the Pacific sets out a host of ways in which with greater resourcing, the ABC's public diplomacy role could be strengthened. With a budget of only $11 million per annum, funding for ABC international broadcasting is being dwarfed by other nations. This government should bolster it and Australia's influence and the capacity of Pacific voices in the region. To put it into perspective, this government has granted $40 million over six years to Fox Sports for women's and niche sports. While I welcome this motion here today, surely our Pacific footprint warrants much more than it is getting from this government? 17:38 Mr SIMMONDS 282983 Ryan It is a pleasure to rise in support of the motion of the member for Braddon. Like him, I am pleased that Australia's engagement in the Pacific remains one of the Morrison government's highest foreign policy priorities. During this difficult time, there has never been a more vital opportunity for Australia to stand with our Pacific family. The government continues to deliver on important infrastructure projects to enhance security capabilities in the region. Defence's enhanced engagement initiatives are responding to Pacific priorities, identified through our ongoing discussions with our Pacific neighbours. Every time we work together with our Pacific neighbours, we further strengthen the bonds that exist between not only our defence forces but between our families and our communities and between nations. To that end, I want to take the opportunity that the member for Braddon has afforded us with this motion to talk briefly about some of the important aspects of our cooperation in the Pacific. Firstly, COVID and the impact it is having on them. Just as we struggle with our own economic and health crises, we stand shoulder to shoulder with our Pacific neighbours who are in the same fight. We have been working with our Pacific partners to help them prepare for and manage the COVID-19 pandemic. In the aftermath of Tropical Cyclone Harold, our Australian Defence Force conducted four flights into Vanuatu, supporting the government's COVID-19 response and delivering critical emergency relief. As other speakers on this side of the Chamber have noted, to date the humanitarian efforts have transported over 21 tonnes of supplies to the region, including testing equipment, PPE gear and medical supplies for hospitals. Following an outbreak of COVID-19 in PNG and in response to the direct request of the PNG government, Australia have lent our support with the deployment of Australian medical assistance teams. We will continue to work with our Pacific partners to help protect their communities from COVID-19 and ensure our region is secure, stable and sovereign. Defence is also reprioritising, as a response to COVID, the Defence Cooperation Program to ensure that it reflects post-COVID priorities. Australia remains committed to working with our Pacific partners and maintaining our engagement, wherever possible, despite the restrictions that have been put in place for us all as part of COVID-19. I hope also, as we get closer to a vaccine and we task Australian manufacturing capability with the goal of producing sufficient vaccines for all Australians, that we can assist our Pacific neighbours with the manufacture of adequate supplies for their populations as well. I want to acknowledge the cooperation between our governments to significantly reduce the threat of people smuggling in our region and to also build the capacity of local police forces, particularly in PNG. Australia is committed to supporting PNG's priorities in building its capacity in policing, and is committing $135.9 million over 3½ years to the policing program. The funding is a collaboration with ADF officers and will enhance and modernise local policing operations through improved community level service delivery, prosecution services and enhanced training capabilities. The AFP is working hard to deliver on Australia's commitment to work with our regional partners to strengthen the ability of Pacific governments to enforce their laws and protect their sovereignty. The Australian Federal Police deserve our thanks for the recent efforts in shutting down a major cocaine-trafficking exercise near Port Moresby that was intended to deliver a drug haul valued at around $80 million to Australia's shores. The AFP had excellent cooperation with the PNG police drug squad, which demonstrated the cooperation and capability we've built up together. This cooperation was evident when, soon after the light aircraft carrying the drugs crashed on a makeshift airstrip near Port Moresby, alleged members of the syndicate were arrested in Melbourne, Sydney and North Queensland by AFP officers. Australia and our incredibly talented AFP officers have a vital role to play in ensuring the Pacific nations are vigilant and have the capacity to clamp down on drug and other smuggling operations that are either taking root in those nations or using them as a stepping stone to Australia, and I encourage the Morrison government to continue to support this ongoing policing collaboration in the Pacific. There are also our humanitarian connections, forged through our deep friendships and longstanding connections to each other. We want the communities of our Pacific neighbours to be strong, and Australians expect that we support those bonds wherever we can. A great example is a local charity in the Ryan electorate, Library For All. Library For All is providing a diverse and inclusive digital and print library aimed at meeting the various needs of primary-school-aged children in the Pacific. Working with local Pacific and Australian authors, they publish over 700 titles for local children in Pacific nations. I thank them very much for their efforts. 17:43 Mr GOSLING 245392 Solomon Working with our Pacific family is incredibly important, and to strengthen their security, prosperity and safety from the effects of climate change is an overriding Australian national interest. There's no separating Australia's security from the Pacific's security, and the recent commemorations of 75 years since the end of the war in the Pacific should tell us that. We are a Pacific nation and an active member of the Pacific Islands Forum. Our fates are intertwined by ties of kith and kin, as my friend mentioned a little while ago. Culture, sports, religion, and economic and strategic reality bind us to our family in the Pacific. In Cairns last year our Indo-Pacific trade task force had great meetings about encouraging and fostering those bonds better into the future. Strengthening Australia's vital relationships with Pacific island nations has traditionally been, and should be, a bipartisan priority. The Pacific Maritime Security Program mentioned in this motion, for instance, is the successor to the original Pacific Patrol Boats program, which saw Australia give vessels to Pacific island countries, beginning under Labor from 1987 to 1997. Ignoring the Pacific has been an own goal by the coalition government, with costly strategic consequences. The Pacific Step-up was designed to fill a vacuum created by this government's own Pacific step down. The chronic gutting of Australian aid and climate change inaction have decreased the influence and credibility Australia long enjoyed among Pacific nations. The one thing that the Pacific really cares about— A division having been called in the House of Representatives— Sitting suspended from 17:46 to 17:58 Mr GOSLING 245392 I was mentioning that our credibility among Pacific nations has been good, but it did suffer from what has been called the government's own Pacific 'step-down' in the past. I continue to encourage them to step up. One area is climate change action. If there's one thing the Pacific really cares about, it's the existential threat that they see climate change and sea level rise as. It's funny, isn't it? When people who live on islands see those islands being subsumed by the ocean, it's going to be an important thing to them. On top of the Guardian class patrol boats and the Lombrum base initiatives that have been mentioned in this motion, I'd like to mention the plan for the Navy to acquire a new Pacific support vessel that would provide assistance with humanitarian and disaster recovery efforts, including responses to cyclones. This Defence acquisition was first announced by the Prime Minister in November 2018, but there hasn't been a lot of progress in delivering it. The new Defence Force structure plan in July this year indicates that it is expected to be acquired by 2024. I urge the government to follow through and provide more information on when the capability will be delivered. I note that Queensland and the east coast in general play a significant role in the maintenance of our Pacific friends' patrol boats. Darwin too is a natural partner for the servicing and maintenance of Timor-Leste's two new patrol boats under the program. This is in line with Darwin's increasing role as a Navy hub in Australia's evolving strategic posture. The Pacific is currently hit hard by COVID-19, with PNG and other countries experiencing a second wave and with the devastating impact on their economies due to travel restrictions hitting tourism and remittance from workers abroad. Australia needs to show that the Pacific Step-up is real by providing assistance, not only with the immediate health impacts but also with medium-term economic recovery. That means it's time to boost Australia's development assistance, along with diplomacy and defence cooperation, and not make further cuts to the aid budget. Aid NGOs are concerned that the government may make even more cuts in the coming budget. Recently, the Prime Minister announced that the government's COVID vaccine initiative would also be extended to people in Pacific island countries. I welcome this, but call on the government to make sure it follows through by ensuring the vaccine is made available for free in Pacific countries. It's good for the people and it's good for our relationships. This is not a defence matter— (Time expired) The DEPUTY SPEAKER E0D There being no further speakers, the debate is adjourned and the resumption of the debate will be made an order of the day for the next sitting. Domestic and Family Violence 226 18:01 Ms COLLINS HWM Franklin I move: That this House: (1) notes that: (a) at least 23 women have been murdered so far this year at the hands of an intimate partner in Australia; (b) on average, more than one woman a week is murdered by a current or former partner; (c) violence against women and their children is worsening in the face of job losses, stand-downs and financial stress and uncertainty; and (d) domestic and family violence services funding was inadequate before the COVID-19 pandemic and the impact of the associated restrictions will affect rates of violence for a significant time; and (2) calls on the Government to: (a) follow Labor's call to convene a national summit on violence against women and their children; and (b) urgently provide more support for frontline services. Of course, what we know from COVID-19 and what we've seen from the data and statistics is that it's having a really big impact on women in our community. Indeed, we know that most of the essential workers who have been working throughout this pandemic, and particularly during times of lockdown like we now see in Victoria, are women—predominantly, sadly, in low-paid jobs. When we look at the statistics, 80 per cent of the aged-care and disability workforce are women, and we've seen the horrific impact that COVID-19 is having on aged-care facilities right across the country. That's not just in Victoria—of course, we had two terrible outbreaks in New South Wales as well. Eighty per cent of healthcare and social assistant workers, including nurses, doctors and hospital staff, are women and 85 per cent of primary school teachers are women. Seventy-five per cent of checkout operators in retail stores are women, 57 per cent of commercial cleaners are women and of course 96 per cent of childcare workers are women. We're seeing a real issue in Victoria at the moment in relation to accessing child care for those women who do work as well as the workers in child care themselves. Of course, the workers in child care in Victoria at the moment are unable to access JobKeeper and women who are not able to go to work in the lockdown in Victoria are facing a big dilemma about whether or not to hold their childcare places. That is impacting very heavily on the workers and centres in terms of their workforce. We know that during the months of April and May in Australia the government did provide some additional support to childcare centres, but we know that the premature withdrawal of JobKeeper for childcare workers is having a very significant impact on that workforce, particularly in Victoria today. We know that at least 200,000 Australian women who have insecure work in the accommodation, food services and retail sectors alone missed out on JobKeeper. They were in casual positions and had been in them for less than a year and therefore were excluded from this payment. So we know that it's also impacting them. We also know from the ABS that women lost more jobs during some of the shutdowns that have occurred across the country—and again, in Victoria, which is really bearing the brunt of its lockdown at the moment. The other important impact is that we know that women are now doing more unpaid housework because of COVID and that women are predominantly taking on more of the teaching and learning-from-home work with their children during the lockdowns that have occurred across the country in the last few months. So this pandemic is really having a significant and disproportionate impact on women in Australia. What we haven't seen from the government is an actual response which impacts on women significantly. What we've seen instead is a proposal from the government to change fees for TAFE and university for some of the positions that women predominantly work in. We've seen a suggestion that they're going to produce some sort of economic statement that we haven't yet seen. I've asked many times about this JobMaker program that the government has and how many jobs it will actually make for women. Of course, the only program that we've heard announced under JobMaker to date really is about the predominantly male industry of the building sector. We haven't seen from the government an actual response that deals with the disproportionate impact that this crisis, this pandemic, is having on the women of Australia. Of course it will be the women of Australia that are being impacted in the economic response or lack thereof unless the government does something about addressing the disproportionate impact. Women will continue to be disproportionately impacted for a long time to come. So I hope that the government does actually deliver the economic statement that it said it would do in June, because Australian women and their families are depending on it. We have Equal Pay Day coming up later this week. We know that the gender pay gap remains stubborn at around 14 or 15 per cent. I think it is about 14 per cent at the moment. We know there is more work to do. This pandemic will increase the gender pay gap. Women are going to go backwards because of this pandemic. The women of Australia need a government that will respond, that has some answers, that addresses the disproportionate impact. As I said, at the moment the only program under JobMaker is to do with the building industry. That does need some support, but it is disproportionately dominated by men. So it's about time that this government has a program that disproportionately impacts on women when it comes to the response, because the women of Australia and their families really need it. The DEPUTY SPEAKER E0D Is the motion seconded? Ms Claydon 248181 I second the motion and reserve my right to speak. 18:06 Dr ALLEN 282986 Higgins I rise to speak on the motion put forward by the member for Franklin. While I agree with some of the things that the member for Franklin spoke about, I also would like to say that there are many things that the government is doing. In my view, there is more that we can always do, but it is important to note the things that are being done and acknowledge them, because they are very important as a point to actually understand what has been already initiated. The first thing to say is that the Morrison government has responded to the COVID pandemic with JobKeeper, JobSeeker and the emerging JobMaker. Those economic cushionings are very, very important for the whole of the Australian economy, but of course they have also provided support for those industries that have been hard hit. As the member for Franklin said, those industries include healthcare, retail, and a whole variety of other food services and other sorts of industries. Women provide services in that area in greater proportions than men, but they are also receiving greater support and benefit through both JobKeeper and JobSeeker. We have seen also, most encouragingly, in the most recent analysis that there is a sign that the economy is already recovering. So the good thing about what we've done with regard to our health response is that we've been able to contain the pandemic, outside of Victoria anyway, and this has meant the economy is now opening up. This is good for the jobs of Australia because it has meant that while there are now 1.3 million jobs that were lost, almost 700,000 are now back in the job situation. This is important because as the economy recovers so will women's jobs recover. But what I want to talk about for the rest of my speech is the issue of the Women's Economic Security Statement. I'm proud to say that it was the previous member for Higgins, the honourable Kelly O'Dwyer, who championed the Women's Economic Security Statement. We understand, as a government, that women have been joining the workforce in greater numbers, and we understand that our economy does well when women join in greater numbers. One of the key planks of the Women's Economic Security Statement was increasing work force participation. Minister O'Dwyer oversaw the higher proportion of women in the workforce under her leadership. She's also worked very hard to ensure women's increased earning potential and economic independence. This statement highlights the challenges and barriers faced by women trying to achieve secure economic parity with men. The statement includes $158.3 million of practical and tangible initiatives to provide economic security for women and girls. This will be refreshed later this year. One of the initiatives in this economic statement is the Academy For Enterprising Girls, an initiative that encourages women and girls to participate in STEM, a topic which is a very close to my heart. To ensure economic security for the women and girls of tomorrow we need to educate them for the jobs of the future today. That starts with being aware of the jobs that are going to become greater in number going forward, so that we can be ready to rebound after the COVID pandemic to make sure we're ready for the jobs of the future. The statement builds on and will work in tandem with existing government programs that benefit women and helps them at every stage of their careers and family. This is just a number of those. The ParentsNext program helps parents re-entering the workforce after having children by helping them identify educational and career pathways. The Career Revive pilot assists and supports businesses to employ women after a career break. We all know women who have taken time out and have trouble getting back into the workforce without having the confidence and the skills to do so. The Mid-Career Checkpoint program will support 40,000 Australian women between the ages of 30 and 45 who are looking to return to the workforce. These are tangible, practical initiatives that are aimed at helping get women into the workforce that understand their workforce participation issues around being primary carers. But further than that, we also understand that women struggle with the financial peaks and troughs of a woman's working life. As such, we have introduced the low-income superannuation tax offset, which will benefit over 1. 9 million women and has done so since July 2017. The government's superannuation payment of up to $500 to help low-income earners save for retirement has seen over $500 million in super contributions made to eligible women who earn less than $37,000 a year. The benefits for women are very clear in the initiatives we have rolled out. We understand that financial security, resilience and empowerment give women real opportunities and choices about their lives and the lives of their family. 18:11 Ms CLAYDON 248181 Newcastle I would like to thank the shadow minister for women for raising this issue today. I also commend her for her longstanding commitment to gender equality and her tireless hard work and advocacy for Australian women. The disproportionate and devastating economic impact of COVID on women is indisputable. Throughout the pandemic women have seen their jobs disappear, their unpaid workloads climb, while they have been disproportionately excluded from government support. And their superannuation balances have stalled, gone backwards or disappeared entirely. Even before COVID-19, gender inequality was baked into the system in so many ways. On virtually almost every measure, women came out second-best on pay rates, on superannuation and retirement incomes, on employment opportunities, on workplace bullying and sexual harassment, and the list goes on. As a result of all the systemic inequality, women over 50 are now the fastest growing cohort of people facing homelessness. Regrettably, this pandemic has only deepened those pre-existing fault lines despite the fact that it has been women who we have relied on to care for us and to protect us throughout these perilous times. But rather than being recognised for this vital role, women have borne the brunt of the crisis at every turn. Indeed, women were the first to lose their jobs as widespread shutdowns hit the retail, hospitality and accommodation service sectors, where they are disproportionately employed. Then as shutdowns spread and children were increasingly kept home, the increased burden of care and education was largely borne by women. While this has meant increased unpaid hours, it has also restricted the paid work that women have been able to undertake. Women are also more likely to be employed in casual jobs that were excluded by the Morrison government from the JobKeeper wage subsidy. And then, in a stroke of bitter irony, the first and only group of workers to have JobKeeper removed early were the early childhood educators, 95 per cent of whom are women. But it gets worse, because the disproportionate economic impact on women will again rear its head in September when part-time workers—again more likely to be women—will have their wage subsidy halved to $750 a fortnight. Even as the economy starts to add jobs, women seem to be returning to work at lower rates than men. Certainly, this has been the case in my electorate of Newcastle. We gained 3,800 jobs in July but only 400 of them were filled by women. Given all these terrible inequities it's no wonder that more women than men turned to the Morrison government's offer to withdraw superannuation early. Indeed, AMP estimates that 14 per cent of women have cleared out their entire superannuation balances. Sadly, this could slash more than $100,000 from their retirement balances and impact their financial security for life. To add insult to injury, they will be less able to make up these losses thanks to the stubborn gender pay gap, which has failed to drop below 14 per cent in two decades. While women are bearing the brunt of this grave disruptive virus, inequality impacts all Australians. But we can turn this around because we know that when gender equality increases the benefits also flow to the broader economy and the community in many ways. Indeed, the McKenzie Institute estimates that if action is taken to advance gender equality we could add up to a staggering $13 trillion to the global GDP. To this end, the United Nations has called on governments across the planet to act. Specifically, it's calling for equal representation of women in all COVID-19 response planning and decision-making, and it's asking governments for real transformative change to the care economy, both paid and unpaid. It's now more than ever the Morrison government must bring a gendered lens to the budget process. Every minister should be asking how their policies and decisions will impact women and girls so we can address equality in recovery too. A single-mined focus on shovel-ready jobs and industries that employ few women is not acceptable. Australia's pink collar recession demands a new toolkit, a new economic response. Don't let us down, Prime Minister. (Time expired) 18:16 Ms BELL 282981 Moncrieff It's true, the economic security of women has been disproportionately impacted by COVID-19. Unfortunately, business closures caused by health restrictions have occurred in industries where women make up a large proportion of that workforce. We should also acknowledge that many of the women who have maintained employment through the pandemic have been essential workers who are exposed to greater risks than most. We're all conscious of the risks faced by our nurses, the majority of whom are women, and we thank them for what they are doing on the front line every day. Pre-pandemic, the economic security of women in Australia was improving due to women's efforts, improvements by employers and the government. The gender pay gap had closed to its lowest level on record of 13.9 per cent, a significant improvement from the gap of 17.4 per cent under those opposite. With 9,700 businesses in Moncrieff currently relying on JobKeeper, we know that JobKeeper is the reason that many women in vulnerable industries, like tourism, food services and retail, still have jobs. The jobkeeper-employer connection is well understood, but we should take time to consider why it's particularly important to women. Often women have negotiated arrangements in the workplace, at home with their family and in their community activities to carefully balance their commitments. When a woman loses her job, even if she's fortunate enough to find another, she then faces the often difficult process of re-harmonising the many aspects of her life. That's why JobKeeper is about so much more than money to pay bills; it's given many women in Moncrieff a degree of stability that's even more important in this time of crisis. The government knows that child care is important for the workforce participation of women and has acted to support the childcare sector to support the workforce participation of women during the pandemic. For example, since July, families with reduced activity due to COVID-19 have been able to access 100 hours of subsidised child care per fortnight up until 4 October 2020 and higher subsidies where eligible. The good women of Moncrieff will also benefit from the government's continued implementation of our $158.3 million women's economic security plan that the member for Higgins just mentioned. This government was the first to introduce this statement in 2018. The plan will be updated this year, and I'll be taking a keen interest in the benefits of the plan update for the women and the girls of the central Gold Coast. The programs from the package will make a significant difference to many women. For example, the Mid-Career Checkpoint program, targeted at women 30 to 45, will support up to 40,000 Australians looking to return to work after spending time caring for others. Moncrieff is the small business engine room of the Gold Coast, so I expect that another of the programs, Boosting Female Founders Initiative, will be of great interest to many women in Moncrieff. By investing $18 million over three years to provide access to capital for women engaging in innovative entrepreneurship, the government is helping to address the greater difficulty female start-up founders experience when seeking to raise venture capital. I say to entrepreneurial women outside the Gold Coast: consider starting or continuing your entrepreneurial journey on the Gold Coast, where we're already re-imagining the future. Last week, as the chair of the City Heart task force, I brought together over 100 bright minds, creating a platform via the reimagined Gold Coast forum, to shape the future of jobs, skills and industry in our beautiful city. Women of Australia, the entrepreneurial spirit of the Gold Coast will welcome your business. Superannuation is a key concern for the economic security of women. The compulsory superannuation system has needed reform to better meet the needs of women. Problems have included the impact of the gender pay gap and the design of a system being premised on a continuous work history for paid work. The government has introduced measures to support the retirement savings of women, including the low-income superannuation tax offset, LISTO. Since 1 July 2017, about 1.9 million women have benefitted from the offset, delivering an over $500 million improvement to the economic security of women to date from that measure alone. Other tangible measures by our government include the co-contribution scheme, the introduction of catch-up concessional contributions and the Protecting Your Super package. But Labor wants to remove concessional catch-up contributions, threatening to remove the opportunity for women to catch-up on their superannuation contributions after taking a break from the workforce. This is more important now than ever. By guiding the economy through this crisis, delivering economic lifelines to women through tangible supportive measures, workforce participation and their retirement savings, the Morrison government is planning and delivering for the economic security of Australian women. 17:21 Ms McBRIDE 248353 Dobell While every Australian has been impacted by COVID-19, it's clear the economic impact, both in the short and long term, is falling disproportionately on Australian women. It is also clear that this economic impact is being felt more by women in regional and remote Australia. In my community on the Central Coast of New South Wales, underemployment of women is 34 per cent—the highest in Australia. The federal government must act. The global pandemic has exposed the social and economic fault lines in our society, and women are falling through the cracks. At a time when the work done by women, paid and unpaid, is protecting us and keeping us safe from COVID-19, it is undervalued and undermined by this government. Women were already at the frontline of caring. According to the recent Deloitte Access Economics report, The value of informal care in 2020, 60 per cent of all carers and 70 per cent of primary carers are women, with primary carers spending an average of 35 hours per week providing care. A study by the government's Workplace Gender Equality Agency found that women are likely to increase time spent on caring responsibility as a result of the pandemic. They are more likely to care for sick family members at home and take on education related responsibilities while children are home from school. The report found the increasing caring responsibilities can heighten feelings of stress and limit women's economic opportunities. Clearly, much greater support for carers is needed. Sadly, the pandemic has seen the very real human consequences of the gross underfunding of aged and disability care, a sector where women are on the frontline, underpaid and undervalued. Staff shortages, PPE shortage, casual work and poor pay and conditions, forcing individuals to work across multiple aged-care homes, have all contributed to the spread of COVID-19. These problems were known before the pandemic hit, and the government had spent less than half of the money it promised the aged-care sector for COVID-19 by the end of June when the outbreaks occurred in Victorian aged care. This government must address the cost of child care and early childhood education. Instead, it has chosen to snap back to high fees in the middle of a recession. Many families will be forced to give up child care, and parents, particularly women, will be forced to give up work and the benefits of early childhood will be lost. Sarah, from Forresters Beach in my electorate, told me: In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, it has become clear that our current government care less about the welfare and future of women and children than they do about large business and construction, which predominantly employ men. It is clear that our society does not value early childhood education as a meaningful and valuable contribution to the lives and outcomes of children, despite evidence to the contrary having been around for a long time. Investing in the care economy will create jobs and lift women's and girls' opportunities. We've just marked Homelessness Week across Australia. A 2019 WYCA housing report found that women aged over 50 are the fastest growing group of people at risk of homelessness in Australia, with a 30 per cent rise in the number of women sleeping in their cars, couch surfing or accessing crisis accommodation since 2011. Labor has repeatedly called on the Morrison government to invest in social housing as part of a comprehensive stimulus plan to kickstart the economy. This includes building more social housing, the repair and maintenance of existing social housing and the building of more affordable rental accommodation for frontline workers—urgently needed for women. Now more than ever it's important that the government addresses the gender pay gap. A recent report by the Financy Women's Index suggests that the pandemic is pushing out the time frame for closing this gap by another four years—another generation or more of Australian women working for less than they deserve and experiencing poverty during their working lives and in retirement. This government should strengthen the ability of the Fair Work Commission to order pay increases for workers in undervalued female-dominated industries and make pay equity a central objective of the Fair Work Act. The government should also invest in education and training programs to address the gender segregation of the Australian workforce. This pandemic is risking the retirement security of many Australians, particularly women. Australian women retire with less super than men. The average superannuation balance at retirement for women is around $120,000 less than for men. The impact of job losses, underemployment and early withdrawal of superannuation savings due to financial hardship will only worsen this situation. The government must support, not undermine, the superannuation guarantee, the mechanism which has done the most to improve women's financial position in retirement. In closing, the government should produce a women's budget statement as part of the budget this year and every year for the benefit of all Australians. 18:26 Dr WEBSTER 281688 Mallee The COVID-19 pandemic has had wide-ranging and devastating impacts. My electorate of Mallee is in the unique and unenviable position of bordering two states that have taken hardline, parochial approaches to the management of the virus. For the Victorian, New South Wales and South Australian state governments, the statement 'All in this together' has lost its meaning. Regional Australians, particularly those living in cross-border communities, including Mildura, Robinvale, Swan Hill, Murrayville, Kaniva and Edenhope, are being left behind. These communities are being decimated by unwarranted and unconstitutional border restrictions. I've heard from families, businesses, farmers, agricultural workers, students, teachers and healthcare workers. These people are telling me that their health is at risk, their business is losing money or closing, they are missing out on shifts and their education is suffering. Although I have been contacted by many different people, in keeping with this motion today, I will focus on the stories shared with me by women and about women to highlight how the decisions taken by state governments are affecting their daily lives. In just over a week, I have been contacted by over 30 people with urgent medical issues who would normally rely on medical services in South Australia for treatment and ongoing care. Whether it's a woman that needs to go to South Australia to visit her obstetrician, or the mother of a young child with cancer, women are being hurt by the decision taken by the South Australian government to close their border to Victoria. Last week I heard from Marcia, a woman from Underbool with kidney cancer, who has been denied an exemption for ongoing chemotherapy that she desperately needs. Joanne from Kaniva is pregnant for the third time in 12 months, after two devastating miscarriages. She knows that this is a high-risk pregnancy and needs continuous and ongoing care. Unfortunately, the new border measures mean that she has been denied access to her regular obstetrician in Adelaide. Sally, also from Kaniva, sadly has terminal cancer. Her immune system is compromised due to chemotherapy, so she's rarely left her farm since the pandemic arrived in Australia. She is now being denied her medical care because, as a Victorian, she apparently poses a risk to South Australia. Not only are these border restrictions affecting the health of women and their families, the closures are also affecting their livelihoods and educational outcomes. Take Kristy from Sea Lake. Kristy is in her final year of her Bachelor of Nursing at the University of South Australia. She is on track to complete her course by the end of this year but needs to go to Adelaide to complete a four-hour practical trial in order to graduate. She applied for an exemption but has been denied, meaning her ability to graduate has been cast in doubt. I've spoken to Michaela from Maryborough, who is entering the second year of her studies in medicine at the University of Wollongong. Her family, with two young children, was planning to move to Wollongong to support Michaela through her studies. They've sold their home and business in Maryborough but will no longer be able to relocate to New South Wales due to the border closure. Her educational outcomes and her family's financial security are at risk. Several mums who live in Victoria and send their kids to school in Tooleybuc in New South Wales have also contacted me. Due to a change in the border permit system, these mothers are now unable to send their kids to school because they live outside the arbitrary border zone identified by the New South Wales government, sometimes by as little as two kilometre. Lisa, for example, lives one kilometre outside the border zone. Lisa and her husband grow wheat, barley, canola, chickpeas, lentils and lupins. She provides a critical service to this nation. Not only will her children's education suffer but the increased pressure from homeschooling will mean the farm will suffer too. Lisa's children are among 22 who are now no longer able to travel to Tooleybuc—to go across the bridge to school. These are just a handful of the hundreds of stories that have been shared with me and other border MPs over the past few weeks. COVID-19 is not present in the border regions, and the blunt control measures cited in relation to it are neither lawful under the Constitution nor justified in practical terms. These parochial decisions by rival state governments are hurting women and their families in my electorate. I implore the state governments to reconsider their approaches to these border restrictions and develop workable solutions for our border communities. 18:52 Ms PAYNE 144732 Canberra Thank you to the member for Franklin and shadow minister for women for creating this opportunity to discuss this very important issue and for the leadership she's showing around the issues important to Australian women in this parliament. COVID-19 has brutally exposed the fault lines in our society. Women already struggled to get paid fairly, to get permanent work, to have their industries taken seriously and to share unpaid work equally. The pandemic has exacerbated all of these issues and, in some cases, impacted women in ways that will effect them for the rest of their lives. Superannuation is something that I am particularly concerned about in that regard. As the shadow minister for women points out, women typically retire with half the superannuation balance that men do. Put simply, it means that after a lifetime of work and care giving, women are retiring to a life of poverty, and this is borne out in the homelessness statistics. Women over the age of 55 are the fastest-growing cohort of homeless Australians. We need strategies now that assist women to boost their super balances—embrace the magic of compound interest and set women up comfortably for retirement. Therefore, it concerned me greatly when the Liberal Party started laying the groundwork last week to peel back plans for increases to the rate of superannuation payable by employers in this country. It all began when assistant minister for super, Senator Hume, said she was ambivalent about sticking to the government's promise to increase super to 12 per cent by July 2025. The assistant minister cited tough economic times for potentially reneging on this promise. Let's be clear about what this increase actually constitutes. From next financial year, 1 July 2021, super is set to increase by 0.5 per cent. It will then creep up by 0.5 per cent every year until 2025. This is slow and incremental policy change that must continue. It is slow and incremental policy change that enables businesses to plan for the increase. Despite the pandemic and the economic impact, this slow and incremental change allows businesses to recover while also doing the right thing for the workers. For too long we have known that the current levels of super will not provide sufficiently for Australians in retirement. Almost 50 per cent of Australians expect to retire with less than $200,000 in super, and just 19 per cent of us expect to be able to retire with enough to live comfortably. To make matters more challenging, both for the individual and for the country, the ratio of taxpayers to pensioners is decreasing as our population ages. Right now we have about 3.6 workers to every one pensioner. By 2040 this will drop to about 2.6 workers to every pensioner. In part, super was designed by Labor to ensure that this challenge was mitigated—good, long-term economic planning to set up the country and its citizens for the future. But this government wants to undo this planning. Despite taking home 15.4 per cent taxpayer funded super himself, the Prime Minister has indicated he is considering the delay of the already legislated increase to superannuation. The Prime Minister claims that any decision on this front will be made in the best interests of Australians. If that is the metric, clearly keeping the legislated increase in place is in the best interests of Australians. Instead of going backwards on super, we actually need to go further. We need to think carefully about how we improve the superannuation balances of Australian women. We need to think about how we can mitigate the effects on super balances that happen to women when they go on maternity leave, when they take time off to care for children and other relatives, and when they work part-time in order to balance these caring responsibilities. We need to figure out how to change the fact that the median superannuation balances for women at retirement are 20.5 per cent lower than that for men. It has been astounding to watch this government throw any consideration of the needs of women out the window as they have dealt with this crisis. The way they have treated the female dominated childcare and early education workforce, which consists of 96 per cent women, is a prime example of this, from the fake free childcare policy to swooping in to take JobKeeper away from the female dominated industry months before anyone else. These are not highly paid people. Why do they have to take the brunt of this government's erratic policymaking process? I call on the government to rethink their approach to economic stimulus and create an economy that is truly equal for men and women in this country. 18:36 Dr HAINES 282335 Indi From bushfires to pandemics, emergencies expose the precarious nature of our hard-fought wins. Nowhere is this more obvious than in the consequences of COVID-19 for women. Women went into the crisis already behind. We are more likely to be in poverty, underemployed or in casual employment, and more likely to earn less money in equivalent roles and have less savings and less superannuation. We do the lion's share of unpaid labour and we're taught never to expect thanks for it. From this starting point, things have become worse. The pandemic has destroyed paid work for many women while increasing their unpaid work burden. The government's policy response to date has been absent and largely inadequate to this empirically demonstrated issue. The essential workers in this pandemic, our front line, are women. We make up the majority in health care, early childhood education, aged care and disability sectors—sectors also characterised by casualisation, understaffing and low wages. In aged care, it's mostly women who turn up day in and day out, doing their utmost in a system that's largely broken—a system that is the epicentre of the worst COVID outcomes for our elders; a system that urgently needs repair. The findings of the aged-care royal commission's examination of COVID-19 found that the service was grossly lacking. In fact, the service urgently needed action on the recommendations of the interim report of the royal commission into aged care and safety—a report that was handed down in October 2019; a report with a damning one word title, Neglect. If that report had been acted on immediately, perhaps we wouldn't see the deaths that we're seeing right now in aged care centres across some of our most desperate areas in Melbourne. Indeed, right now families all across Australia are also asking, 'Why did our federal government not act on what they knew from the interim report? Why did they not urgently address the issues that would lead to a repeat of the experience of Europe? Why not act on the Newmarch House report? And why are they not urgently funding aged-care packages to keep our elders in the one place where we know they're safest right now, and that's at home?' We need to prepare other vulnerable sectors. Disability workers in my electorate still aren't getting access to PPE unless there's an outbreak or infection. This is unacceptable, and it's unacceptable for the large numbers of women who work in that sector. We need to keep our workers and those they support safe. The education of women and their families is also suffering. Women are postponing or dropping out of university or TAFE places because they're needed at home or paying their bills takes priority over the books. For parents of school aged children, supervised learning, remote learning, has rapidly become women's work. Research has shown that male partners are reverting to stereotype, overwhelmingly leaving women to do the impossible: balance full-time work and full-time supervision. For early childhood education, I'm gravely concerned that the government's policies risk the viability of many providers in rural and regional Australia, at the moment when we need them the most. The impacts on women from a lack of accessible and affordable child care are obvious. Over 90 per cent of early childhood educators are women. Anything that threatens their job security is another blow for women's financial independence. In this place, we're asked to pass laws that lay the groundwork for what our society looks like on the other side of this pandemic. Will women be expected to shoulder the burden as our gains are wound back and inequalities become entrenched or will we chart a course for a future that protects our most valuable asset? We need to ask, with each piece of legislation and with each government decision: how are women affected? How will this mitigate the impacts on women? Last month I asked the Minister for Women for an analysis of the gender impact of COVID-19 and the government's policy responses. I, again, ask the minister to release it before the budget, so we can assess the budget response to the gendered nature of this pandemic. We need women leading decision-making and policy formation. We need to strengthen the sectors that employ women, and young women in particular, and we need to strengthen and improve the working conditions of our female dominated industries on the front line: aged-care workers, disability workers, support workers, NDIS workers. We have the power and we must have the wisdom to take action now, to mitigate long-term consequences—because we know that if women suffer we all go backwards. 18:41 Ms TEMPLEMAN 181810 Macquarie No-one believes that women and men started COVID on an equal economic footing. In January, pre-COVID, Australian women were still retiring with, on average, 47 per cent less super than men, and women over 55 were the fastest-growing group of homeless people. There were fears of a big impact, as the number of older Australian women grows. There was already a 13.9 per cent gender pay gap and—just to finish the picture—there had been no success in reducing the number of women killed by family violence or the number of women experiencing violence, despite 10 years and tens of millions of dollars in funding. On average, one woman a week was still being murdered by her current or former partner and one in three Australian women had experienced violence since the age of 15. Along comes COVID. In its research, AMP notes that many of the industries that have been hardest hit by the pandemic are the ones that are found in the Blue Mountains and Hawkesbury, the regions that make up my electorate of Macquarie. These are so-called family-friendly flexible jobs, traditionally filled by women—that is, retail, hospitality, events and food service businesses. The businesses that run these jobs were forced to stand staff down or cut their hours, or they asked staff to take unpaid leave. The research shows that women have suffered the biggest pay cuts in 11 of the 189 sectors of the economy and job losses across 14 of 19 sectors. In spite of this issue being discussed in parliament the last time we were here, the only decision we have seen so far is a future cut to JobKeeper and JobSeeker, the very things keeping a lot of women still employed or supported while they look for work. There are childcare workers who were on JobKeeper and then off it, their industry treated as a plaything with no-one being consulted, neither directors of the centres, who are predominantly women, nor the workers, who are also predominantly women. We've seen nurses and midwives and aged-care workers, making up 80 per cent of the sectors in which they work, carrying a huge burden with little or no economic gain. The latest Bureau of Statistics figures released earlier this month show the urgency for action, with the gender pay gap continuing to stagnate under the Morrison government. They show the gaps have increased to 14 per cent, with women earning $263.60 a week less than men. That's an increase of $10.70 a week since the November data. Between February and July, female workforce participation also dropped by 1.5 per cent. Consider how all this will affect women's futures—that is, their superannuation. Women in Super states that women currently retire with 47 per cent less super than men, but they live five years longer on average. Women only get one-third of the government tax concessions on super, so it is unsurprising, but very disturbing, that 40 per cent of older single retired women live in poverty and experience economic insecurity. When the Morrison government announced people could access up to $20,000 of their super as a response to the COVID crisis, the cost was always going to be greater for women. Part of it is the fact that they'll forgo future earnings on the balances taken out of their already lower super. The estimate is that if a 50-year-old woman took out $20,000 from a super account with $109,000 in it, she'd be more than $41,000 worse off at retirement. A 25-year-old woman who did the same would be more than $120,000 worse off. And then there are women who have been pressured to access their super early by controlling partners. I've had local domestic violence services and their workers tell me of the increase in family violence that they're seeing, and that includes financial abuse. The insight from these local workers is backed by a survey by the Australian Institute of Criminology, and it points to domestic violence increasing during the pandemic with figures that one in 10 Australian women in a relationship have experienced domestic violence during the crisis, with two-thirds saying the attacks had either started or become worse in this time. In spite of the fact that the police data in New South Wales doesn't back up these findings yet, the eSafety Commissioner, Julie Inman Grant, is concerned that the reason for that is that abusers might be keeping victims in their homes and limiting their access to reporting. All of these issues show that we could do so much more to assist women during this pandemic. It really is time to say: where is the plan for women? 18:46 The DEPUTY SPEAKER 265967 There being no further speakers, the debate is adjourned and the resumption of the debate will be made an order of the day for the next day of sitting. Environment 234 18:47 Mrs McINTOSH 281513 Lindsay I move: That this House: (1) recognises the importance of environmental management and conservation in our local communities; (2) acknowledges the importance of local environmental volunteer groups who devote their time to look after our natural environment; (3) congratulates our local volunteers on their dedication to supporting our local communities and our environment; and (4) further acknowledges the Government's continued support of environmental groups through the Communities Environment Program, which provides each of the 151 electorates across Australia with up to $150,000 to fund small, community-led environment projects, totalling $22 million. Local families in Lindsay love our natural environment. It's an integral part of encouraging healthy, active living in our community. In fact, the heart of our community is our very own Nepean River, which my family and many other families in Lindsay enjoy. It's why I fought so hard to deliver on my election commitment for the Nepean River health upgrade, revitalising the river with native vegetation and weed management. Even the Prime Minister, from his young days as a rower, understands the importance of the Nepean River for healthy, active living. I often say that Lindsay is full to the brim and overflowing with community spirit. Our many local volunteers are the true embodiment of this spirit. I saw it firsthand at Clean Up Australia Day down on the Nepean River, and have seen it many times over my 40-plus years living in the community. The Morrison government is committed to supporting the environment and volunteers in my electorate of Lindsay, and right across Australia. Through the Communities Environment Program, the Morrison government has provided a total of 1,333 approved projects with a combined value of more than $18 million. The Communities Environment Program delivers $150,000 to every electorate in Australia to fund community led environment projects that will have a real impact for local families, encouraging them to enjoy the outdoors and appreciate the local environment. These projects help our communities protect local flora and fauna and threatened species, and make sure that we can look after our own unique environments. In Lindsay, this funding has allowed for local environment projects that have revitalised river systems, protected wildlife, supported local volunteers through hands-on practice and education, and better facilities. The Australian Trust for Conservation Volunteers, the Cumberland Land Conservancy and the Mulgoa Valley Landcare Group are all contributing to our local natural environment thanks to the Communities Environment Program. It's not unique to Lindsay. Across Australia, this funding ensures wildlife corridors and koala sanctuaries are protected; our local beaches and rivers are cleaned; and, in many cases, revegetation is occurring in rivers, just like in the Nepean River in my electorate of Lindsay. Composting waste and recycling programs are running, nurseries for Indigenous flora are underway and we're funding programs to protect our unique Australian wildlife. The Communities Environment Program also ensures that we teach our kids the importance of looking after their natural environment. In Lindsay we all enjoy going for bushwalks and using the Nepean River, and that's why it's so important to look after both. Last year my kids and I had the wonderful opportunity of joining our local Mulgoa Valley Landcare Group for a Saturday at the Get Your Hands Dirty! Nocturnal Nature Safari. We planted trees and pulled out weeds—a lot of them. We met new people and spent hours outdoors. This wonderful program encourages young people to get outdoors and look after their natural environment. The Mulgoa Valley Landcare Group have a wonderful team, including Lisa Harrold, who does extraordinary work in our community. They're always looking for more volunteers. The Communities Environment Program is enriching our community by giving volunteers the support they need. Schools, not-for-profit groups, community and Indigenous organisations and bush care groups have received funding to help them achieve their goals and protect our natural environment. Our local volunteers in Lindsay and right across Australia dedicate their time and effort to care for our environment. They contribute so much to the environment we all love and enjoy in our everyday lives. This means greater protection so more local families can stay healthy and active and enjoy our local parks and river walks. We thank all of our local volunteers for their hard work and we will continue to support their efforts in our community and our local environment. After taking part in the 30th anniversary of Clean Up Australia Day, I saw the impact of plastic waste on our natural environment. This is another initiative that we're committed to: being a world leader in lessening waste and improving recycling. It's important we have programs like this in our communities. The Communities Environment Program ensures we can all enjoy a cleaner, healthier environment for our kids and for future generations to enjoy. The DEPUTY SPEAKER E0D Is the motion seconded? Mr Pasin 240756 Yes. I second the motion and reserve my right to speak. 18:52 Ms PAYNE 144732 Canberra Thank you to the member for Lindsay for bringing forward this motion today. I rise today to talk about some of the incredible environmental projects currently underway in Canberra, which I have been able to support through the Communities Environment Program. This program provides our local environmental community groups with fantastic opportunities to improve and protect our precious and unique local environments. Last year I was able to help secure this funding for 11 projects in the Canberra electorate, and today I would like to highlight a few of these. The first project I would like to talk about is the creation of an urban microforest in the suburb of Lyneham by the Molonglo Conservation Group. Microforests like the one in Lyneham are a great way that we can help mitigate the impact of climate change while creating a beautiful natural space within an urban environment that the community can share. Microforests like these provide a significant cooling effect that helps combat the urban heat island effect, which significantly contributes to global temperature increases. Urban areas can be anywhere from one to three degrees warmer than their surroundings. However, innovative projects like this help keep the temperature down. I was lucky enough to meet with Edwina Robinson and Dan Harris-Pascal from the Molonglo Conservation Group earlier this year to see the microforest site and talk about the plans. It is truly inspiring to see what passionate Canberrans are able to do with funding opportunities like this one. Another very special project that we were able to help fund is the creation of the Aranda bushland walk, which the Molonglo Conservation Group and the Friends of Aranda Bushland are working hard on together. The walking path will be established in the beautiful bushland adjacent to the Black Mountain reserve. It will engage community members, foster a sense of connection between its visitors and the environment and, most significantly, minimise human impact on important natural assets through the prevention of erosion. This project also has a special significance. Ian Loiterton, a beloved science teacher, geology aficionado and long-time member of the Friends of Aranda Bushland, volunteer with ParkCare and Landcare, was instrumental in getting this project off the ground. I had the pleasure to meet with Ian several times and see firsthand his passion and dedication to our environment and in particular that special Aranda bushland spot and the group of tight-knit volunteers who have been working together for years to protect and care for it. Ian put so much work and vision into seeing this walk happen, but unfortunately he passed away just before the funding for the project was approved,. The Molonglo Conservation Group and the Friends of Aranda Bushland will continue to create this walk as a memorial to Ian and his immense contribution to the Canberra community and its environment. Another exciting project that I was able to support was the Ginninderra Catchment Group's plan to restore native grasslands in Lawson and Bruce. Unfortunately, less than five per cent of native grass species remain in the ACT. Nationally this picture is even bleaker, with only 0.5 per cent of our native grass species surviving today. Efforts to restore these critically endangered species are vital, which is why I supported funding for this project. As part of this process the Ginninderra Catchment Group will generate community stewardship, provide capacity building and deliver community revegetation events. These are just three of the projects that my Communities Environment Program was able to support in my electorate. Whether it is helping ACT Wildlife purchase humidicribs for the rehabilitation of injured native wildlife, assisting the Southern ACT Catchment Group with their fight against the devastating weeds in our native bushland, or supporting the Ginninderra Catchment Group and FrogWatch with their restoration of river bank environments, the Communities Environment Program contributes in a small way to maintaining Australia's unique environment. I have been so proud to play a part in getting funding for these projects, and I encourage Canberrans and environment groups in my electorate who have exciting ideas to improve our environment to apply for future rounds. However, I do want to take a moment to say that programs like these do not make up for the government's disgraceful track record on climate change. They do not make up for the government's failure to conserve Australia's natural environment. The government currently has a real opportunity with the Samuel review of our EPBC Act to truly strengthen our national laws to protect our precious environment. Our natural environment depends on it. 18:57 Dr MARTIN 282982 Reid I thank the member for Lindsay for moving the motion. The protection, preservation and restoration of the natural environment is a significant issue in Reid. It is an issue that I am frequently contacted about by residents who are very young and also residents who are at the end of their lives. They are rightfully concerned about the anthropogenic damage being done to our environment. I want to commend the work of Reid's local volunteers and conservationists who are working to restore and protect our environment. The Morrison government understands how significant their work is on a local level. That is why, as a government, we are providing ongoing support to environment groups in Reid and across Australia through the Communities Environment Program. The program provides each of the 151 electorates across Australia with up to $150,000 to fund grassroots, community led environment projects. In the electorate of Reid several of these grants have been provided to our local councils. When the federal government funds projects at a local level we see results that reflect the specific needs of the area. The City of Canada Bay Council has received $20,000 for their improving biodiversity in back yards project. Through this funding the council will train local residents in how to monitor and enhance local habitat for native wildlife, conduct community planting workshops and provide landowners with native plants for revegetation. This project will be taking place in Rodd Point and Five Dock and will provide natural habitats for local wildlife to increase the biodiversity of the area. The City of Canada Bay Council also received $20,000 for a project taking place at Queen Elizabeth Park in Concord. This funding will be used to restore native flora by removing exotic plant species. The new plant life will create purpose-built habitats for native fauna, including our bees. Likewise, Strathfield council has been awarded a $20,000 grant for their Mason Park bird survey and community engagement program. This project will work with contractors and community members to conduct a bird survey to track the change in migratory shorebird species at Mason Park Wetland. The council will coordinate with BirdLife Australia's Shorebirds 2020 Project, contributing to a national conservation project. Community engagement with local schools, universities and the wider community will strengthen the program's scope and build up the community's pride and commitment to local conservation. I value the work of our local councils in protecting Reid's native wildlife and natural environment. When the federal government backs projects at a local level we see excellent results. Reid is fortunate to be the home of Sydney Olympic Park, which contains a rich natural environment with over 400 native plant species and three endangered ecological communities. Conservation volunteers are working in collaboration with the Sydney Olympic Park Authority for their frog habitat conservation and rehabilitation project. The project has been granted $18,900 through the Communities Environment Program. The funding will be used to restore the habitat of the endangered green and golden bell frog through bush regeneration activities, including invasive weed removal, native tree planting and habitat construction. Many of the projects taking place through the Communities Environment Program include an educational element. They engage local students in our area to participate in environmental conservation. I have met with many students in Reid who are passionate about environmental conservation, and I am pleased that through this program students are empowered to protect the environment in real and tangible ways. In Strathfield, Santa Sabina College received $20,000 to create a safe haven for the endangered green and golden bell frogs, as well as for microbats. In Croydon, PLC Sydney students are making use of a $10,000 grant for their native turtle rehabilitation project. They are overseeing a breeding program that will eventually see more native turtles released into the Parramatta River. The school's work is being carried out in partnership with the Parramatta River rejuvenation program and the 1 Million Turtles project. I am proud to represent a community that is passionate about the preservation and restoration of our natural environment. The Morrison government will continue to provide ongoing support to ensure that local conservation tasks take place in our community. 19:02 Ms TEMPLEMAN 181810 Macquarie I rise to support this motion moved by the member for Lindsay, who, like me, lives within a world heritage area. But that's probably all we have in common when it comes to the environment, because, while the clean-up projects she referred to are terrific, you can't claim to love the environment and ignore the thing that is having the single biggest impact on the environment in which we live. And of course that would be climate change. Frankly, the Liberals at the federal level have shown little interest in protecting world heritage in my region over the last seven years. In fact at a state level they are actively bent on destroying the Greater Blue Mountains World Heritage Area, or a sizeable chunk of it. The New South Wales Liberal government is continuing its crusade to ride roughshod over the environmental approvals process around the raising of the Warragamba Dam wall. They now want this planned wall to be higher than they originally said—not 14 metres higher but 17 metres. The spin, of course, is to save Western Sydney from flooding, but the real reason is to increase urban development in the flood plain. In doing so, they will destroy the Greater Blue Mountains World Heritage Area along the way. The New South Wales government wants to put 134,000 more people onto already overcrowded flood plains, where people will still be exposed to the worst and most dangerous floods however high a wall is built. That's because raising the dam wall won't stop downstream flooding from other rivers and streams that feed into the flood plain. Anyone who has been in the Hawkesbury for several floods knows those facts. The New South Wales government is deliberately subverting a fair and transparent environmental assessment process. New South Wales agencies, like New South Wales Parks and Wildlife, have reportedly despaired at the New South Wales government's plan not to review the environmental impact statement for the dam in the light of the bushfires. Remember those?—the biggest fires that we've ever had, where 80 per cent of World Heritage burned, with millions of animals killed. Now a federal department has joined those state agencies in criticising the state government. The Department of Agriculture, Water and Environment said the draft EIS for the wall-raising project needed to account for the effects of fires on 25 threatened plant and animal species that are likely to face risk of inundation when the bigger dam fills. We've also learnt of the federal environment department's concerns about the way New South Wales is the assessing the impact of raising the dam wall on flora and fauna listed as nationally significant under federal environment law. It is good to see this federal agency coming out with concerns. New South Wales is trying to avoid paying hundreds of millions of dollars to secure offset land for the damage the lifting of the wall would cause to the World Heritage area. They want the effects of potentially inundating more than 5,000 hectares of Blue Mountains World Heritage area to be treated as an indirect impact that would not require offsetting to counter the likely damage. Raising the wall and flooding the area doesn't just affect the environment, although the effects are absolutely profound; it also affects Indigenous culture heritage, and the assessment of those impacts have been appalling. Gundangara women like Aunty Sharon Brown describe the process as rushed and inadequate. In fact, anyone who has looked at the process has described it that way. UNESCO is watching all of this, and the federal government must report to it on World Heritage impacts. What we don't want is for the greater Blue Mountains Area World Heritage listing to be threatened by this project. There are alternatives. You can invest in downstream flood mitigation and in flood-safe infrastructure—road, bridges and drains. You can limit the number of people in harm's way. But none of these will get serious examination when you have a New South Wales government hell-bent on raising a wall irrespective of the gains or the losses. And that's their problem: they're in the developer's pockets. Nothing will shift them, not even reason, science or the threat to the region's major tourist attraction. The region I represent has forests, swamps and rivers of all sizes. For many people, the environment is a key reason to choose to live in the mountains or the Hawkesbury. Nine organisations received community environment program grants to support much-needed projects like treating invasive species, stabilising eroding stream banks and protecting wetlands. The area is 4,000 square metres; that's the size of my electorate. The funding was a start, but it doesn't make up for years of environmental neglect by the Liberals. (Time expired) 19:07 Ms FLINT 245550 Boothby Environmental management and conservation in our local communities is so important to safeguard our unique Australian ecosystems for future generations. The Morrison government is supporting the fantastic work of local environmental volunteer groups through the very popular Communities Environment Program. In my community, we are incredibly lucky to have Adelaide's best stretch of coastline in the west, the best stretch of the leafy foothills and creeks in the east, and we are even luckier to have so many wonderful local residents who take environmental protection very seriously. These dedicated volunteers show we can all play a role, no matter how large or small, in improving the health and wellbeing of our environment. That's why I have been so pleased to support so many local initiatives run by volunteer groups that ensure future generations can experience the wonderful environment that my community currently enjoys today. There are so many projects under way or complete that I have been pleased to join my community in supporting, such as the Conservation Volunteers important work on saving the endangered southern bandicoot. Scotch College's Kaurna Shelter Tree Project, working with the tireless Ron Bellchambers, regenerated vegetation around a 400-year-old Indigenous shelter tree and has fostered local connections with Indigenous elders and youth. Close by, the ever-hardworking Friends of Belair National Park, led by President Mark Pedlar, used a grant to remove feral trees and then restore natural bushland in what is Australia's second-oldest national park. Down the road on the Mitcham Plains, the Friends of Waite Conservation Reserve received a grant for protecting significant vegetation. Over on the other side of Boothby, the Friends of Marino Conservation Park, led by Alan Wilson, received funding for the relentless work of removing weeds and replanting native vegetation on the park's botanical trail. I have had the pleasure of planting native vegetation here—work that comes with some of the best views of Adelaide's coastline! At the Seacliff Recreation Centre, headed up by the endlessly energetic Beverley Manns, the federal government supported a project called 'Bugs, birds and butterflies', which provided habitat, food and shelter for local fauna, including the installation of a birdbath and a bee hotel. We have also supported the Trees for Life volunteers' work for regeneration and the conservation of the threatened grey box woodland. Recently, I had the pleasure of visiting several community groups to see how their projects were coming along. The first of these was the stormwater management project at the Dara School in Morphettville, headed up by Dara's gifted students. Situated next to the Sturt River, the school community at Dara recognise the importance of limiting waste that enters our waterways, and they kindly welcomed me and the Assistant Minister for Waste Reduction and Environmental Management, Trevor Evans, to see their good work. Their project has reduced waste water going into the Sturt River by funnelling water through their ecosystem pit. They catch the waste before it reaches the river. Unsurprisingly, the high achievers at Dara also went a bit further, removing invasive weeds and revegetating using native plants. Assistant Minister Evans and I were given the opportunity to test our planting skills, joining students to plant some new varieties. I want to commend Dara's principal, Lynda McInnes, board chair Sophia Elliott, Mr Tony Baulderstone, who owns the site leased to Dara, and all the students at Dara for this fantastic initiative. I did some more planting at Brighton Beach, with the South Australian Minister for Environment and Water, David Speirs MP, and Trees for Life CEO, Natasha Davis, for the Reclaim the Dunes project. Again, this is supported by a Communities Environment Program grant. It was wonderful to see so many volunteers turn out to this event, including members of the adjacent Brighton Surf Life Saving Club led by President Chris Parsons. All up, Trees for Life will plant over 5,000 plants over four key sites, covering over five hectares of beachside dunes. I wish to extend a big thank you to everyone involved, including Trees for Life member VJ Russell, who organised a very productive morning. This is just a tiny snapshot of the everyday work done by local community environmental volunteers. These vital initiatives have been made possible by $150,000 in grants, from the Morrison government, but the value for our environment unlocked by the volunteers is priceless. I'm so proud of my community, who understand that the work to look after our environment begins and ends at a local level. I wish to thank all our local volunteer groups in Boothby for the tremendous work they do in protecting and preserving our unique and diverse local environment. 19:13 Ms SHARKIE 265980 Mayo My electorate of Mayo is very proud to have one of the highest rates of volunteering in the country and a high concentration of local community environment groups. We are rightfully proud of our environment in Mayo. Its natural beauty is a core reason people visit and live in our electorate. I've been a strong advocate, since coming to this place, of environmental groups and the funding for those community environmental groups. In Mayo, these groups are highly effective at implementing onground environmental work, including weed control and creating wildlife corridors, and climate mitigation work. Not only do these groups have a unique understanding of their local environment, but the work of experienced and passionate volunteers is a very cost-effective option for government to do good environmental work, and Mayo's volunteers are, indeed, passionate. I was therefore very pleased when the government announced the Communities Environment Program. I'm pleased to advise the House that the 2019 program's electorate allocation of $150,000 for Mayo was fully subscribed, with 15 excellent and ultimately successful projects being nominated by my expert panel. All of the projects had a strong on-the-ground conservation focus, with projects including the planting of 2,500 seedlings by the Goolwa to Wellington Local Action Planning Association; planting efforts at JAKEM Farm, including the nationally vulnerable silver daisy bush, and I visited and joined in on the planting last month; the nurturing of 3,000 trees along Bull Creek Range, south of Meadows, by the Prospect Hill Bushland Group; the planting of native trees by the Wistow Community Hall on their property; the establishment of a native garden at Byethorne Park by the Nairne Landcare Group; the removal of bridal creeper weed from the Aldinga Scrub Conservation Park by the Friends of Aldinga Scrub; the introduction of a bush kindy for the children attending the Kangaroo Island Children's Services; and the planting and guarding of 2,000 plants along the Clayton Bay Foreshore Walking Trail by the Clayton Bay Nursery. They are just a few of the great projects that were selected in Mayo. I'd like to take this opportunity to thank the government for this program and say that I hope that there are further rounds of the Communities Environment Program. My constituents deeply appreciated the government's support for their conservation work. I recognise the desire for political equity, but I would encourage the government to consider allocating funding in a tiered manner, according to the land area of each electorate. This would help to ensure that the funds allocated to small and tightly clustered metropolitan electorates are not underspent. As a regional electorate, I know that Mayo could have doubled or indeed tripled the number of projects that were available with the funds. We have such diversity and quality of environment to nurture and many great local community environmental groups who are passionate about the work they do. I would like to conclude my giving my thanks to members of the panel who worked tirelessly to take the field down to 15. I think it's really important that we in this place all pay tribute to the volunteers. I have been out there on Hindmarsh Island. It is raining and it's cold, but they are still digging and planting trees and clearing out the weeds. If I look just to Hindmarsh Island, they have a wonderful nursery there. They're growing in the nursery the plants that are indigenous to the area and then transplanting them across the region. We are incredibly fortunate in Mayo to have such wonderful environmental groups. I do hope that the minister will consider having this program again this year, in 2020. 19:16 Mr SIMMONDS 282983 Ryan In Ryan we believe, quite rightly I think, that we live in the most beautiful part of the country, and the local environment is such an important aspect of that. Protecting it is very important to me and the other local residents of the electorate. It's something that I worked on significantly in my previous role for 10 years as a local councillor working with local environment groups, and it is something that I continue to work closely on with Brisbane City Councillor Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner. Whether it is bush care, creek revitalisation, tree planting or engaging our next generation by teaching them about our local environment, these groups are the heart and soul of making sure we keep our local area beautiful. No-one knows how to care for our natural environment better than local people—local residents on the ground who live close to these waterways and green areas. That is why I'm so proud to be part of the Morrison government, which is giving support directly to these groups. I concur with the previous speaker, that the Morrison government's Communities Environment Program was a tremendous resource—and one that I hope to see repeated—in providing a direct resource to the grassroots organisations themselves for some truly inspirational work that the volunteers are doing in the local electorate of Ryan. It provides funding for them to deliver on the practical projects that have a benefit to the long-term sustainability of our natural environment. This funding injection has a direct impact on making sure that we keep our area cleaner and greener for future generations, and goes towards protecting our lifestyle. This is on top of the significant investments we have already made as a government to protect our environments—through our $2 billion Climate Solutions Fund, the $1 billion commitment to the next phase of the National Landcare Program and our continual investment in renewable energy and resources, among other things. Australia's a world leader when it comes to renewable energy investment—and I would like to take this opportunity to give a quick plug to the tremendous work that they are doing in my electorate of Ryan at CSIRO Pullenvale, when it comes to research on hydrogen renewable technology. In relation to the funding for this particular program, when the funding round opened, I am sure I shared the experience of many other local MPs in saying that we were inundated by submissions from our fantastic local community groups, who were very keen to get on with some local community projects that they had had their eye on for some time. Projects ranged from protecting our waterways, protecting our native animals, reducing waste and litter and planting our bush restoration. In particular, I want to commend what I observed has been an enhanced focus on local residents and local groups, particularly school children, taking an interest in reducing waste and litter in our waterway, which is something that our assistant minister for waste reduction, Trevor Evans, as a local Brisbane MP and my electorate neighbour, is pushing very hard. During the COVID restrictions, many of these groups were unfortunately unable to meet, but I really want to commend the way in which they continued, with their passion, to undertake the work they could during the COVID period. As restrictions have been relaxed, I'm pleased to see that some of them have been able to get back to the practical activities of planting and weeding that they so enjoy. As part of the program, I was very pleased to be able to support the over 400 volunteer members of the Moggill Creek Catchment Management Group with their regular weed eradication program and vegetation restoration working bees that they do as part of the catchment area. They have 12 groups within their catchment area and all are highly active. Likewise, the Pullen-Pullen Catchments Group is also very active. The work they do that was funded as part of this is to remove invasive species from the Pullenvale Forest Park. I also want to commend the Cubberla-Witton Catchments Network. They have a number of bush care groups within their auspices that are doing great work in rejuvenating the local environment and, importantly, encouraging our natural wildlife to return to the creeks and natural vegetation areas. I mentioned earlier the importance of this program, not only for the practical on-the-ground work but also for educating the next generation. I was pleased to support a number of Ryan schools to improve their programs. Oakleigh State School is using the grant to put in place a community composting program that will educate students and engage community members to divert waste from landfill. Indooroopilly State High School is working with the assistance of the funding to organise students, volunteers and local contractors to plant native species and eliminate evasive weeds from the local area. I very much want to thank all the volunteers and students who are working on these local environmental projects. They are a tremendous resource and boon for our local area. Gilmore Electorate: Volunteers 240 19:22 Mrs PHILLIPS 147140 Gilmore I am always excited to talk up the amazing volunteers in my electorate on the New South Wales South Coast. This year really has been the year of the volunteer. With so many disasters impacting on people across my electorate, our volunteers have stepped up by organising food and shelter, fighting the bushfires and evacuating people from floods. The endless list of what our volunteers have done this year would take me hours; so would naming all the organisations that have got us through our toughest year yet. Instead, I say a great big thankyou to each and every volunteer on the South Coast. Where would we be without you? I am grateful. Our community is grateful. They aren't only helping people, though. Our environment has been absolutely devastated by the bushfires. Over a billion animals have been lost. Millions of hectares of bushland have been burnt. Local volunteers have stepped up in this space as well, making hundreds of water stations, caring for injured animals and working to rejuvenate our bushland. I have been proud to support our local environmental groups and together we have helped Gilmore gain more than $140,000 in grants across 13 projects, from Kiama to Tuross Head, under the Communities Environment Program. There are these projects: creating an Indigenous garden in Ulladulla; weed control at Currarong; pest control at Lake Wollumboola; erosion control at Tallyan Point, Basin View; protecting the Bangalay Sand Forest at Broulee; the Kiama microplastic survey; and many more fantastic local projects driven by volunteers. I would like to take a quick minute to congratulate all the amazing organisations that received funding under this year's program: the Eurobodalla Landcare network, New South Wales WIRES Mid South Coast, the Coastwatchers Association, the Ulladulla Children's Centre, Landcare Illawarra, Carroll College, Shoalhaven City Council and Kiama Municipal Council. Well done and thank you. While the bushfires and COVID-19 have made visiting some of these organisations difficult, I had the pleasure of joining a few local groups to celebrate. In February, I joined the Eurobodalla Landcare network, Eurobodalla Shire Council and some very excited kids at Sunshine Bay Public School to hear about how they will clean up the Clyde and protect the little penguins, thanks to the $20,000 they received under the program. Eurobodalla Landcare is working with several local schools to teach the kids about keeping our waterways clean as well as building nesting boxes for our precious penguin population. I also shared a lovely morning tea with the Coastwatchers Association in Moruya to celebrate their $2,800 grant to conduct a koala habitat and occupancy survey in the Eurobodalla. When the group applied for the grant last year, they couldn't possibly have known how important this would be in the wake of the bushfires. In May, I also had the great opportunity to thank some wildlife carers with WIRES Mid South Coast, who dedicate their time to caring for injured and orphaned wombats like Neddie, who came tucked up in a little pouch. The group is working with local landholders to identify and treat wombat mange along the South Coast thanks to more than $6,000 under this program. It's been lovely to see the difference these funds have made, and I hope to see more as restrictions allow. However, what has been a tough pill to swallow is that, sadly, my electorate did not benefit from the full amount of funding available. At the time that applications were due, local groups were in full swing responding to the bushfires, doing their best to help and barely having time to think past immediate needs. The Kangaroo Valley area was one of our hardest-hit communities. Many local members of Shoalhaven Landcare had suffered damage to their own homes. They were working to help local wildlife recover, and they simply didn't have the time to commit to another project just at that moment. Sadly, the group was forced to withdraw their application for $6,500 to conduct a fox control program in Kangaroo Valley. Fox control is a major issue, particularly for sensitive local animals like the brush-tailed rock wallaby. There is still a strong need for this project, so I was extremely disappointed that the minister refused to keep these funds available for our community, given these exceptional circumstances. Again, we see that the government has no idea about the reality of life post bushfires. This money was in the budget. It was set aside for the South Coast community, and we don't deserve to miss out because of the bushfires. So I again ask the minister to reverse this decision and make these missing funds available to volunteers on the South Coast now. The DEPUTY SPEAKER 265991 The time allotted for the debate has expired. The debate is adjourned, and the resumption of the debate will be made an order of the day for the next sitting. Federation Chamber adjourned at 19:27   QUESTIONS IN WRITING 242 QUESTIONS IN WRITING