The SPEAKER ( Hon. Tony Smith ) took the chair at 10:00, made an acknowledgement of country and read prayers.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
PETITIONS COMMITTEE
REPORT No. 27
Petitions and Ministerial Responses
21 June 2021
MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE
Chair Mr Ken O'Dowd MP
Deputy Chair Hon Justine Elliot MP
Mrs Bridget Archer MP
Ms Lisa Chesters MP
Ms Gladys Liu MP
Mr Julian Simmonds MP
Mr James Stevens MP
Ms Susan Templeman MP
Report summarising the petitions and Ministerial responses being presented.
The committee met in private session on 12 May, 26 May, 2 June and 16 June 2021
1. The committee resolved to present the following petitions in accordance with standing order 207:
Petitions certified on 12 May 2021
From 973 petitioners - regarding violence in the Tigray region of Ethiopia (EN2613)
From 12 petitioners - requesting age-limit restrictions to adult content on the internet (EN2614)
From 1198 petitioners - regarding shortages of general practitioners in rural Australia and pre-employment structured clinical interview exemptions (EN2616)
From 35 petitioners - regarding taxation of businesses which have received JobKeeper (EN2617)
From 32 petitioners - regarding the Acts Interpretation Act 1901 (EN2621)
From 6 petitioners - requesting a Royal Commission into private health insurance (EN2624)
From 60,072 petitioners - requesting a vaccination passport not be adopted (EN2626)
From 8 petitioners - regarding age-based discrimination in the public service (EN2627)
From 98 petitioners - regarding the COVID-19 vaccine available to different age groups (EN2628)
From 491 petitioners - requesting travel exemptions for parents of migrants (EN2630)
From 109 petitioners - requesting travel exemptions (EN2631)
From 28 petitioners - requesting changes to the Child Care Subsidy to more flexibility for parents (EN2632)
From 904 petitioners - requesting the COVID-19 vaccine available to people aged 50 and over (EN2633)
From 17 petitioners - requesting medical support for India in response to the COVID-19 outbreak (EN2636)
From 25 petitioners - regarding religious freedoms (EN2638)
From 4 petitioners - requesting the removal of late lodgement fees for 2019- 20 tax returns (EN2640)
From 10 petitioners - requesting travel exemptions to India (EN2641)
From 1070 petitioners - regarding the resumption of cruise ships (EN2642)
From 940 petitioners - regarding a travel bubble with Taiwan (EN2644)
From 95 petitioners - regarding repatriation flights for Australians (EN2645)
From 2 petitioners - requesting the closure of the Administrative Appeals Tribunal (EN2646)
From 4 petitioners - regarding travel bans with India (EN2648)
From 37 petitioners - regarding Australia's COVID-19 hotel quarantine system (EN2650)
From 4 petitioners - regarding travel bans with India (EN2651)
From 17 petitioners - regarding intellectual property rights on COVID-19 vaccines (EN2652)
From 8 petitioners - regarding repatriation flights and quarantine facilities for Australians (EN2653)
From 3 petitioners - regarding grants for Australia's film industry (EN2656)
From 13 petitioners - regarding supports for individuals with chronic pain (EN2657)
From 4 petitioners - regarding the prescription of medical cannabis to patients with chronic illness (EN2658)
From 2 petitioners - regarding the Biosecurity Act 2015 and overpopulation (EN2661)
From 79 petitioners - requesting a ban of free-to-view adult content on the internet (EN2662)
From 9 petitioners - regarding travel bans and repatriation of Australians (EN2663)
From 23 petitioners - regarding travel bans and repatriation of Australians in India (EN2664)
From 22 petitioners - regarding travel bans and repatriation of Australian citizens and permanent residents (EN2665)
From 2 petitioners - regarding the Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 and immigration quotas (EN2667)
From 89 petitioners - requesting surgeries for transgender people be funded through Medicare and public funding (EN2668)
From 48 petitioners - requesting changes related to meal breaks and penalty hours be made to the Fair Work Act 2009 (EN2670)
Petitions certified on 26 May 2021
From 1 petitioner - regarding funding for the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (PN0506)
The following ministerial responses to petitions were received:
Ministerial responses received by the Committee on 26 May 2021
From the Attorney-General - to a petition requesting a Royal Commission into the ratio of public to private entities in Australia (EN2001)
From the Assistant Minister to the Attorney-General - to a petition regarding a review of the motion to legislate a federal human rights act (EN2035)
From the Minister for Families and Social Services - to a petition requesting full Centrelink payments for working grandparents raising grandchildren (EN2044)
From the Minister for Communications, Urban Infrastructure, Cities and the Arts - to a petition regarding National Broadband Network cabling in Brunswick East (EN2054)
From the Minister for Communications, Urban Infrastructure, Cities and the Arts - to a petition requesting an investigation into News Corporation (EN2061)
From the Minister for Communications, Urban Infrastructure, Cities and the Arts - to a petition regarding Section 475 of the Biosecurity Act 2015 (EN2076)
From the Deputy Prime Minister - to a petition requesting a national register for reporting noisy vehicles (EN2078)
From Minister for Industry, Science and Technology - to a petition requesting legislation to require online retailers operating in Australia to include country of origin labelling for all products (EN2081)
From the Minister for Communications, Urban Infrastructure, Cities and the Arts - to a petition regarding the current code of conduct in Australian journalism (EN2088)
From the Assistant Minister to the Prime Minister and Cabinet - to a petition requesting 'I Am Australian' be adopted as the Australian National Anthem (EN2094)
From the Minister for Immigration, Citizenship, Migrant Services and Multicultural Affairs - to a petition regarding the establishment of a jury of peers to consider referred immigration issues and cases (EN2096)
From the Minister for Immigration, Citizenship, Migrant Services and Multicultural Affairs - to a petition requesting the removal of a 20-hour work limit for international students (EN2098)
From the Minister for the National Disability Insurance Scheme - to a petition
requesting epilepsy to be considered a disability (EN2104)
From the Assistant Minister for Electoral Matters - to a petition requesting an audit of the Australian election process (EN2112)
From the Minister for Families and Social Services - to a petition requesting a social security agreement between Australia and France (EN2117)
From the Assistant Minister to the Attorney-General - to a petition regarding Australia's adherence to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (EN2121)
From the Assistant Minister to the Attorney-General - to a petition requesting the removal of Minister Tudge from Parliament (EN2127)
From the Assistant Minister to the Prime Minister and Cabinet - to a petition requesting a limit on funding and resources available to former politicians (EN2131)
From the Assistant Treasurer - to a petition regarding COVID-19 vaccinations as a prerequisite to travel (EN2132)
From the Minister for Veterans' Affairs - to a petition requesting a Royal Commission into veteran suicide (EN2147)
From the Minister for Communications, Urban Infrastructure, Cities and the Arts - to a petition requesting an investigation into News Corporation and Australia's news media legislation (EN2152)
From the Minister for Veterans' Affairs - to a petition requesting a Royal Commission into the Department of Veterans' Affairs and other related organisations (EN2154)
From the Deputy Prime Minister, Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development - to a petition requesting a stop to commercial flights at Gold Coast Airport during curfew hours (EN2155)
From the Assistant Minister to the Attorney-General - to a petition requesting the removal of female marriage pronouns (EN2162)
From the Assistant Treasurer - to a petition requesting the Australian Statistical Geography Standard Remoteness Area be revised (EN2163)
From the Minister for Communications, Urban Infrastructure, Cities and the Arts - to a petition regarding film production funding in Australia (EN2177)
From the Minister for Communications, Urban Infrastructure, Cities and the Arts - to a petition regarding dishonest political advertising in Australia (EN2181)
From the Minister for Families and Social Services - to a petition requesting the Cashless Debit Card's terms of use be applied to Members of Parliament (EN2185)
From the Assistant Minister for Electoral Matters - to a petition requesting for all recommendations of the Joint Standing Committee on Electoral Matters' report on the inquiry into 2019 Federal Election be rejected (EN2191)
From the Assistant Minister for Electoral Matters - to a petition regarding compulsory photo identification and early voting during elections in Australia (EN2203)
From the Minister for Communications, Urban Infrastructure, Cities and the Arts - to a petition requesting changes to Australia's Do Not Call Register (EN2227)
From the Minister for Immigration, Citizenship, Migrant Services and Multicultural Affairs - to a petition regarding multiculturalism in Australia (EN2232)
From the Minister for Defence - to a petition requesting changes to the
Defence (Inquiry) Regulations 2018 (EN2256)
From the Minister for Communications, Urban Infrastructure, Cities and the Arts - to a petition requesting an inquiry into the customer service provided by Australia's telecommunications companies (EN2270)
From the Minister for Superannuation - to a petition regarding compulsory superannuation in Australia (EN2279)
From the Deputy Prime Minister - to petitions regarding international passenger arrivals (EN2282; EN2328; EN2382; EN2384; EN2361; EN2330; and EN2324)
From the Minister for Home Affairs - to a petition regarding international flight caps and exemptions (EN2283)
From the Minister for Home Affairs - to a petition regarding Australia's COVID-19 international arrival restrictions (EN2313)
From the Minister for Health and Aged Care - to a petition regarding an urgent doctor shortage in Morayfield and Caboolture (EN2333)
From the Minister for Superannuation - to a petition regarding the availability of Australian superannuation funds for New Zealand first home buyers (EN2337)
From the Attorney-General - to a petition regarding Section 122 of the Constitution of Australia (EN2341)
From the Assistant Treasurer - to a petition regarding legislation governing petrol prices in Australia (EN2373)
From the Minister for the National Disability Insurance Scheme - to a petition regarding the National Disability Insurance Scheme and the funding of specialised sex work (EN2380)
From the Minister for Health and Aged Care - to a petition requesting restrictions not be imposed on individuals who refuse the COVID-19 vaccination (EN2386)
From the Minister for Home Affairs - to a petition regarding Australia's COVID-19 international arrival restrictions (EN2396)
From the Minister for Foreign Affairs - to a petition regarding Australia's COVID-19 international arrival restrictions (PN0493)
From the Minister for Communications, Urban Infrastructure, Cities and the Arts - to a petition regarding the Sebastopol Licensed Post Office (PN0497)
From the Minister for Home Affairs - to a petition requesting relocation and support for asylum seekers and refugees detained offshore (PN0500)
Ministerial responses received by the Committee on 2 June 2021
From the Minister for Energy and Emissions - to a petition requesting the rejection of a gas led future in favour of renewables (EN1942)
From the Minister for Energy and Emissions - to a petition regarding a referendum for new coal power stations in Australia (EN1957)
From the Minister for Foreign Affairs - to a petition regarding the self- determination of indigenous Armenians of Nagorno Karabakh (EN2134)
From the Minister for Foreign Affairs - to a petition regarding a commitment for peace in Afghanistan (EN2135)
From the Minister for Health and Aged Care - to a petition requesting no restrictions for those who refuse the COVID-19 vaccine (EN2192)
From the Minister for Foreign Affairs - to a petition requesting Australia impose sanctions on China in response to breaches of human rights (EN2210)
From the Minister for Indigenous Australians - to a petition regarding the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody final report recommendations (EN2246)
From the Minister for Foreign Affairs - to a petition regarding the Paris Agreement (EN2306)
From the Minister for Home Affairs - to a petition regarding Australia's COVID-19 international arrival restrictions and quarantine arrangements (EN2311)
From the Minister for Foreign Affairs - to petitions requesting the Australian Government make a statement to the Government of India regarding the Indian farmers' protest (EN2347; EN2354; and EN2377)
From the Minister for Foreign Affairs - to a petition regarding the Myanmar coup (EN2374)
From the Assistant Treasurer - to a petition regarding the Australian Government's COVID-19 financial support payments (EN2381)
From the Assistant Treasurer - to a petition requesting that the tobacco tax be substantially decreased (EN2437)
From the Minister for Foreign Affairs - to petitions regarding persecution and organ harvesting of Falun Gong in China (PN0499 and PN0501)
Ministerial responses received by the Committee on 16 June 2021 From the Assistant Treasurer - to a petition requesting mortgage laws be reformed for people with disabilities (EN1817)
From the Assistant Minister for Customs, Community Safety and Multicultural Affairs - to a petition requesting an extension for the Prospective Marriage and Partner Visa (EN1829)
From the Minister for Foreign Affairs - to petitions requesting the Australian government to impose sanctions against the Nigerian Government and officials (EN2023 and EN2025)
From the Minister for Families and Social Services - to a petition regarding an adjustment to taxable income (EN2060)
From the Minister for Finance - to a petition regarding the funding and protection of government accountability agencies (EN2116)
From the Minister for Veterans' Affairs - to a petition regarding the appointment of Kerry Stokes to the Council of the Australian War Memorial (EN2118)
From the Assistant Minister to the Prime Minister and Cabinet - to a petition requesting a ministry for men (EN2133)
From the Minister for Immigration, Citizenship, Migrant Services and Multicultural Affairs - to a petition regarding the impacts of COVID-19 on Skilled - Recognised Graduate visa holders (EN2296)
From the Minister for Immigration, Citizenship, Migrant Services and Multicultural Affairs - to a petition requesting the Department of Home Affairs speed up the processing of Skilled Regional visas (subclass 887) (EN2321)
From the Minister for Communications, Urban Infrastructure, Cities and the Arts - to a petition regarding the National Broadband Network (EN2325)
From the Minister for Superannuation, Financial Services and the Digital Economy - to a petition regarding superannuation funds and member control of the investment of their super contributions (EN2332)
From the Attorney-General - to a petition regarding the eligibility of government Members (EN2376)
From the Minister for Superannuation, Financial Services and the Digital Economy - to a petition regarding the National Australian Bank Consumer Credit Insurance Class Action (EN2385)
From the Minister for Health and Aged Care - to a petition regarding the COVID-19 vaccination (EN2387)
From the Minister for Health and Aged Care - to a petition requesting restrictions not be imposed on those who refuse the COVID-19 vaccination (EN2393)
From the Minister for Health and Aged Care - to a petition requesting a federal government quarantining facility for international arrivals into Australia (EN2408)
From the Minister for Industrial Relations - to a petition regarding the National Minimum Wage (EN2427)
From the Assistant Treasurer - to a petition regarding JobKeeper and English Language Intensive Courses for Overseas Students sector employees (EN2428)
From the Minister for Foreign Affairs - to a petition regarding the Nagorno Karabakh conflict in Armenia and multiculturalism in Australia (EN2441)
From the Minister for Foreign Affairs - to a petition requesting the House support an international criminal tribunal for the Democratic Republic of the Congo (EN2451)
From the Minister for Agriculture, Drought and Emergency Management - to a petition requesting a Royal Commission into the Australian pesticide regulation system (EN2458)
From the Minister for Housing - to a petition requesting restriction of home loans to a single applicant (EN2486)
From the Minister for Foreign Affairs - to a petition regarding the presence of Eritrean forces in Tigray (EN2510)
From the Speaker of the House of Representatives - to a petition requesting the House remove prayers from the standing orders (EN2599)
From the Minister for Foreign Affairs - to a petition regarding Falun Gong and organ trafficking (PN0505)
Mr Ken O'Dowd
Chair - Petitions Committee
No Domestic COVID Vaccine Passports Bill 2021
That this bill be now read a second time.
Ransomware Payments Bill 2021
That this bill be now read a second time.
Under President Biden's leadership, the Federal Government is stepping up to do its' part, working with like-minded partners around the world to disrupt and deter ransomware actors. These efforts include disrupting ransomware networks, working with international partners to hold countries that harbor ransomware actors accountable, developing cohesive and consistent policies towards ransom payments and enabling rapid tracing and interdiction of virtual currency proceeds.
If one accepts that this is a national security problem, then it becomes hard to defend the suggestion that governments should simply leave these decisions to private citizens.
Repatriation of Defence Data Bill 2021
That this bill be now read a second time.
That this House commends the Government on the delivery of the 2021-22 budget, and in particular the measures to incentivise business investment, including:
(1) extending temporary full expensing;
(2) extending loss carry-back measures; and
(3) establishing a 'patent box' for the biotechnology and medical technology sectors.
That this House:
(1) recognises that the Assyrian people, who are Christian by religion, are an original and Indigenous people of Iraq and encourages the Iraqi Government to reflect this in the Constitution of Iraq;
(2) notes the aspirations of the Assyrian and Chaldean people for the establishment of an autonomous region in the Nineveh Plains and welcomes the in-principle agreement of the Iraqi Government to this request in 2016;
(3) being aware of the Assyrian aspirations for the establishment of an autonomous province, calls on the Iraqi Government to take all appropriate steps to protect the human rights of minorities, including the Assyrian Christian people, and to support the continuation of their linguistic, cultural and religious traditions;
(4) reaffirms the rights of Christian and other minorities of Iraq to live in peace and freedom and calls for all steps to be taken to ensure that members of the affected communities can live in freedom in Iraq; and
(5) calls on the Turkish Government to immediately cease its military campaign in civilian areas of northern Iraq which has resulted in the evacuation of dozens of Assyrian villages and the displacement of thousands of Assyrians.
The Assyrian people have been repeatedly victimized by genocidal assaults over the past century… Massacres, rapes, plundering, cultural desecrations, and forced deportations were all endemic. Around 750,000 Assyrians died during the genocide, amounting to nearly three quarters of its pre-war population. The rest were dispersed elsewhere, mostly in the Middle East–
Farm Household Support Amendment (Debt Waiver) Bill 2021
They should be rehomed into their inner-city apartments so that they can nibble away at their food and their feet at night and scratch their children at night.
That this bill be now read a third time.
Aged Care and Other Legislation Amendment (Royal Commission Response No. 1) Bill 2021
The inappropriate use of unsafe and inhumane restrictive practices in residential aged care has continued, despite multiple reviews and reports highlighting the problem. It must stop now.
At times in this inquiry, it has felt like the Government's main consideration was what was the minimum commitment it could get away with, rather than what should be done to sustain the aged care system so that it is enabled to deliver high quality and safe care.
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:
(a) systemic, ongoing failures in Australia's aged care system as evidenced by the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety, including, but not limited to, the use of restrictive practices and restraints in aged care;
(b) inadequacy of the Government's response to the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety, including delayed and diminished legislative action on key issues and recommendations; and
(c) Government's failures in protecting aged care residents and workers due to their poor management of COVID-19 outbreaks in residential aged care; and
(2) calls on the Government to explain, as a matter of urgency, their plan to fully vaccinate aged care residents and workers."
We cannot undo the wrongs of the past but I hope we can now walk together on a journey of healing.
That the House:
(1)notes:
(a)the Abbott-Truss-Turnbull-Truss-Turnbull-Joyce-Turnbull-McCormack-Morrison-McCormack and now Morrison-Joyce Government promised stable government;
(b)there is a global pandemic;
(c)the Government has bungled the vaccine rollout;
(d)the Government has failed to establish a safe, national system of quarantine;
(e)the Government's Budget forecasts one lockdown every month;
(f)the Government is bitterly divided on achieving net zero by 2050; and
(g)that the current Deputy Prime Minister has said "we need to be concentrating on what people expect us to be doing, to listen to their needs and wants, not our needs and wants;
(2)condemns the Morrison-Joyce Government for fighting itself instead of fighting for all Australians; and
(3)calls on the Morrison-Joyce Government to concentrate on rolling out the vaccine instead of rolling each other.
That so much of the standing and sessional orders be suspended as would prevent the Leader of the Opposition moving the following motion immediately:
That the House:
(1)notes:
(a)the Abbott-Truss-Turnbull-Truss-Turnbull-Joyce-Turnbull-McCormack-Morrison-McCormack and now Morrison-Joyce Government promised stable government;
(b)there is a global pandemic;
(c)the Government has bungled the vaccine rollout;
(d)the Government has failed to establish a safe, national system of quarantine;
(e)the Government's Budget forecasts one lockdown every month;
(f)the Government is bitterly divided on achieving net zero by 2050; and
(g)that the current Deputy Prime Minister has said "we need to be concentrating on what people expect us to be doing, to listen to their needs and wants, not our needs and wants;
(2)condemns the Morrison-Joyce Government for fighting itself instead of fighting for all Australians; and
(3)calls on the Morrison-Joyce Government to concentrate on rolling out the vaccine instead of rolling each other.
That the member be no longer heard.
The House divided. [14:42]
(The Speaker—Hon. Tony Smith)
That the Member be no longer heard.
Liberalisation in the movement of people and mutual recognition of professional qualifications will encourage more service exports, which represent up 70% of our economy.
Lowering barriers to key agriculture goods over time will be a significant boost to regional Australia …
That the House:
(1) notes the:
(a) Abbott-Truss-Turnbull-Truss-Turnbull-Joyce-Turnbull-McCormack-Morrison-McCormack and now Morrison-Joyce Government promised stable government;
(b) incoming Deputy Prime Minister has said investing in renewables is "insane" and "lemming-like";
(c) incoming Deputy Prime Minister backs nuclear power plants in the middle of towns;
(d) Government has had no fewer than 22 energy policies in eight years; and
(e) Government is more divided than ever on achieving net zero by 2050; and
(2) therefore, condemns the Morrison-Joyce Government for fighting itself instead of fighting for the jobs of the future, a sustainable climate and a strong economy for all Australians.
That the House:
(1) notes the:
(a) Abbott-Truss-Turnbull-Truss-Turnbull-Joyce-Turnbull-McCormack-Morrison-McCormack and now Morrison-Joyce Government promised stable government;
(b) incoming Deputy Prime Minister has said investing in renewables is "insane" and "lemming-like";
(c) incoming Deputy Prime Minister backs nuclear power plants in the middle of towns;
(d) Government has had no fewer than 22 energy policies in eight years; and
(e) Government is more divided than ever on achieving net zero by 2050; and
(2) therefore, condemns the Morrison-Joyce Government for fighting itself instead of fighting for the jobs of the future, a sustainable climate and a strong economy for all Australians.
That the Member be no longer heard.
The House divided. [15:14]
(The Speaker—Hon. Tony Smith]
That the member be no longer heard.
The House divided. [15:19]
(The Speaker—Hon. Tony Smith)
The House divided. [15:19]
(The Speaker—Hon. Tony Smith)
Aged Care and Other Legislation Amendment (Royal Commission Response No. 1) Bill 2021
… despaired at times at man's inhumanity to man, particularly the aged, who he believed should be treated with dignity in their final years, not discarded as a burden on society. In this regard, he was right … the aged-care system is bowing under the weight of demand, and residents are all too often treated as a number on a ledger to be measured in profit and loss. The need for a royal commission only validates his decades-old fear. I am pleased, however, that this government has taken steps in recent times to address aged care with record funding. However, more needs to be done. With 27 per cent of residents over 65 in Port Macquarie alone, with similar figures throughout Cowper, we must prepare now for their future.
At times in this inquiry, it has felt like the government's main consideration was what was the minimum commitment it could get away with, rather than what should be done to sustain the aged care system so that it is enabled to deliver high quality and safe care. This must change.
Their dignity is not respected and their identity is ignored. It is most certainly not a full life. It is a shocking tale of neglect.
At times in this inquiry, it has felt like the Government's main consideration was what was the minimum commitment it could get away with, rather than what should be done to sustain the aged care system so that it is enabled to deliver high quality and safe care. This must change.
The House divided. [19:22]
(The Speaker—Hon. Tony Smith)
That this bill be now read a third time.
Parliament is not a Congress of Ambassadors from different and hostile interests … Parliament is adeliberative Assembly ofone Nation, withone Interest, that of the whole.
Your Representative owes you, not his industry only, but his judgement; and he betrays, instead of serving you, if he sacrifices it to your opinion.
We call on the Australian Government to support Aborigines in the development of an international declaration of principles for indigenous rights, leading to an international covenant.
And we call on the Commonwealth Parliament to negotiate with us a Treaty recognising our prior ownership, continued occupation and sovereignty and affirming our human rights and freedom.
… organised campaigns, protests, and courted the media over tea and homemade baked goods. Their well-mannered, conservative and relentless approach was impossible to ignore.
… we fear that the integrity of the nation's premier memory bank, the National Archives of Australia, is in jeopardy … the National Archives is one of the pillars of our democracy.
The DEPUTY SPEAKER (Mr Rob Mitchell) took the chair at 10:30.
There is an opportunity for alternative distributions of development density and built form on certain parts of the site.
Appropriation Bill (No. 1) 2021-2022
Given that loneliness, social isolation, and financial stress are significant risk factors for poor mental and physical health these findings really are concerning.
In order to promote independent outcomes, assessors should be drawn from an approved pool of allied health professionals. Assessors should be independent of the person being assessed to reduce potential for sympathy bias. This means that health professionals, GPs and others with past treatment and support responsibilities for the person would not undertake assessments.
When I met the Ethiopian leadership in February they really used this kind of language, that they are going to destroy the Tigrayans, they are going to wipe out the Tigrayans for 100 years …
Appropriation Bill (No. 1) 2021-2022
… we looked at overseas developments and we drew particularly on what was occurring in the UK and the US, as well as in other jurisdictions.
The problem when you're importing Trumpian thought bubbles is when those bubbles burst you're really left with nothing.
… the government has accepted, after careful case-by-case assessments, including in some areas of new investment such as aged care and veterans, that it is more efficient and effective to use ongoing staff.
I believe we must find room in our national life to formally recognise the special status of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders as the first peoples of our nation. We must recognise the distinctiveness of Indigenous identity and culture and the right of Indigenous people to preserve that heritage.
I will put to the Australian people within 18 months a referendum to formally recognise Indigenous Australians in our Constitution …
Appropriation Bill (No. 2) 2021-2022
Appropriation (Parliamentary Departments) Bill (No. 1) 2021-2022
How do we move the dial so that more people can work where they live? The answer is in Lindsay. We ensure that Lindsay's world-class education institutions … are training our local kids in the jobs of the future. This starts in school and connects all the way through to post school education and workforce training.