The SPEAKER ( Hon. Milton Dick ) took the chair at 10:00, made an acknowledgement of country and read prayers.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
PETITIONS COMMITTEE
REPORT No. 4
Petitions and Ministerial Responses
6 February 2023
MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE
Chair Ms Susan Templeman MP
Deputy Chair Mr Ross Vasta MP
Mr Sam Birrell MP
Ms Alison Byrnes MP
Ms Lisa Chesters MP
Mr Garth Hamilton MP
Ms Tracy Roberts MP
Ms Meryl Swanson MP
Report summarising the petitions and Ministerial responses being presented.
The committee met in private session in the 47th Parliament on 9 November 2022, 23 Novem ber 2022, 8 December 2022 and 25 January 2023.
1. The committee resolved to present the following 51 petitions in accordance with standing order 207:
Petitions certified on 9 November 2022 (26 petitions)
From 5 petitioners—requesting Google be banned from indexing government documents and websites (EN4573)
From 2 petitioners—requesting legislation to control rent increases (EN4574)
From 55 petitioners—requesting the extradition of Julian Assange back to Australia (EN4577)
From 10 petitioners—requesting an income test exemption for disability support pension recipients due to vaccine injury (EN4578)
From 5270 petitioners—requesting changes to restrictions on 887 visa holders (EN4581)
From 5 petitioners—requesting additional identity authorization for individual loan or credit applicants (EN4582)
From 7 petitioners—requesting a review of requirements for disabled parking across Australia (EN4583)
From 21 petitioners—requesting the introduction of a universal basic income (EN4584)
From 1798 petitioners—requesting the cessation of attempts to mandate digital identification (EN4588)
From 22 petitioners—requesting assistance for Iranian people (EN4590)
From 5796 petitioners—requesting legislation to ban the use of federal funds for the World Economic Forum (EN4591)
From 2 petitioners—requesting action on human rights violations by India in Jammu and Kashmir (EN4592)
From 8 petitioners—requesting the establishment of an Australian Poet Laureate (EN4593)
From 2 petitioners—requesting changes to eligibility for government services for 491 and 494 visa holders (EN4598)
From 4 petitioners—requesting changes to restrictions on 491 visa holders regarding home purchase (EN4599)
From 3 petitioners—requesting the inclusion of Punjabi language in the national curriculum (EN4600)
From 19 petitioners—requesting permanent visas for asylum seekers in Australia (EN4601)
From 164 petitioners—requesting the prioritisation of Iranian visa applicants (EN4602)
From 13 petitioners—requesting a commission of inquiry into abuse in sport (EN4603)
From 100 petitioners—requesting action on the urgent need for childcare workers across Australia. (EN4604)
From 200 petitioners—requesting removal of partner income in calculating Centrelink benefits (EN4606)
From 4 petitioners—requesting improvements to MyGovID (EN4607)
From 1557 petitioners—requesting revocation of protection for vaccine manufacturers (EN4610)
From 2 petitioners—requesting an extension to the deadline for submitting documents for HomeBuilder Grant (EN4611)
From 225 petitioners—requesting study and work rights equity for asylum seekers (EN4612)
From 456 petitioners—requesting a change to asylum seeker policy (EN4613)
Petitions certified on 23 November 2022 (14 petitions)
From 13 petitioners—requesting action on the humanitarian crisis in Eritrea and northern Ethiopia (EN4617)
From 32 petitioners—requesting grant of specific visas (EN4618)
From 11 petitioners—requesting action on human rights in Eritrea (EN4619)
From 5 petitioners—requesting action on human rights violations in Pakistan (EN4621)
From 22 petitioners—requesting restrictions on e-cigarettes (EN4624)
From 18 petitioners—requesting Australia become a republic (EN4626)
From 180 petitioners—requesting a public inquiry into the government's response to the pandemic (EN4629)
From 105 petitioners—requesting improvements to the Medicare covid vaccine compensation scheme (EN4631)
From 530 petitioners—requesting closure of the Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Canberra (EN4632)
From 18 petitioners—requesting the addition of a Volume 4 to the National Construction Code that relates solely to social housing (EN4633)
From 59 petitioners—requesting action on soft plastic recycling (EN4634)
From 3726 petitioners—requesting legislation to compel supermarkets to highlight Australian owned products (EN4636)
From 24 petitioners—requesting changes to JobSeeker eligibility to include full time study (EN4637)
From 119048 petitioners—requesting that the use of cash is protected by law (EN4638)
Petitions certified on 8 December 2022 (11 petitions)
From 175 petitioners—requesting the removal of all non biodegradable soft plastics (EN4640)
From 18 petitioners—requesting people with coeliac disease to enlist in the ADF (EN4641)
From 109 petitioners—requesting the legalization and regulation of drugs (EN4642)
From 20664 petitioners—requesting that 20 psychology sessions be subsidized under Medicare 20 psychology sessions a permanent change. (EN4643)
From 53 petitioners—requesting a reduction in the visa application processing time for the 494 visa (EN4645)
From 59 petitioners—requesting that the monarch's image be retained on the $5 note (EN4646)
From 458 petitioners—requesting no nuclear-capable B52s in Australia (EN4647)
From 510 petitioners—requesting a safer future for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children (EN4648)
From 83 petitioners—requesting that pedestrian and bike infrastructure be a higher priority (EN4650)
From 105 petitioners—requesting a stop to government sponsored violence against civilians in Iran (PN0549)
From 641 petitioners—requesting the condemnation of government sponsored violence in Iran (PN0550)
The f ollowing 31 ministerial responses to petitions were received:
Received by the Committee on 8 December 2022
From the Minister for Immigration, Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs to a petition requesting an increase in humanitarian and military assistance to Ukraine (EN4032)
From the Minister for Immigration, Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs to a petition requesting humanitarian aide and evacuation help to Ukrainian citizens (EN4034)
From the Minister for Immigration, Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs to a petition regarding a commitment to intake 20,000 Ukrainian refugees (EN4042)
From the Minister for Immigration, Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs to a petition requesting special visas for refugees fleeing Ukraine (EN4046)
From the Minister for Health and Aged Care to a petition requesting lower age for National Bowel Cancer Screening Program (EN4055)
From the Attorney-General to a petition requesting banning the burqa and niqab in public places (EN4076)
From the Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations to a petition regarding the appointment of the Member for Cook to ministerial positions (EN4417) (EN4426) (EN4432)
Received by the Committee on 25 January 2023
From the Minister for Transport to a petition requesting that a standard be implemented to warn if a child is left alone in a vehicle (EN3670)
From the Minister for Social Services to a petition requesting that accommodation costs be linked to JobSeeker or Austudy (EN3789)
From the Minister for Social Services to a petition requesting extension to Commonwealth Rent Assistance payments (EN4007)
From the Assistant Minister to the Prime Minister to a petition regarding the introduction of a Parliamentary Accountability, Transparency and Disclosures Act (EN4045)
From the Minister for Financial Services to a petition regarding superannuation contributions for Members of Parliament (EN4048)
From the Minister for Home Affairs to a petition regarding banning person or representatives from certain Ukrainian groups (EN4071)
From the Treasurer to a petition regarding the suspension of fuel tax (EN4074)
From the Treasurer to a petition regarding petrol prices and fuel excise (EN4075)
From the Minister for Government Services to a petition regarding the implementation of contractor services across Government (EN4089)
From the Minister for Immigration, Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs to a petition regarding contingent visas to 60 persecuted Chinese Christians from deportation. (EN4091)
From the Minister for Industry and Science to a petition requesting free or affordable access to Australian Standard (EN4101)
From the Minister for Social Services to a petition regarding early retirement for veterans and emergency service personnel (EN4281)
From the Assistant Minister to the Prime Minister to a petition regarding the appointment of the Governor General (EN4478)
From the Assistant Minister for the Republic to a petition regarding a referendum on becoming a Republic (EN4483)
From the Minister for Health and Aged Care to a petition regarding the reintroduction of mandatory isolation requirement (EN4520)
From the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry to a petition regarding a PBS for Veterinary Services (EN4531)
From the Minister for Health and Aged Care to a petition regarding safety of MRNA vaccines (EN4554)
From the Assistant Minister for Competition, Charities and Treasury to a petition requesting a review of the tax-free threshold each year (EN4555)
From the Assistant Minister for Competition, Charities and Treasury to a petition regarding LGBTQIA+ topics in the Census (EN4557)
From the Minister for Transport to a petition requesting that a standard be implemented for seat belts in buses (EN4560)
From the Minister for Health to a petition regarding Medicare bulk billing (EN4566)
From the Minister for Health and Aged Care to a petition regarding a National Stuttering Awareness week (EN4568)
From the Minister for Home Affairs to a petition regarding immigration detention in Australia and regional processing arrangements (PN0536)
From the Minister for Foreign Affairs to a petition regarding Iran (EN4511) (EN4512) (EN4524) (EN4525) (EN4533) (EN4535) (EN4559) (EN4503)
Ms Susan Templeman MP
Chair—Petitions Committee
Electoral Legislation Amendment (Lowering the Voting Age) Bill 2023
That this bill be now read a second time.
That this House:
(1) notes that:
(a) Australia has been at the forefront of nuclear science and technology since 1953 when the Australian Atomic Energy Commission was established and operated two research reactors at Lucas Heights in Sydney;
(b) since the Australian Atomic Energy Commission became the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation in 1987, it has operated the HIFAR Research Reactor, and subsequently the OPAL Research Reactor, which has delivered significant benefits for nuclear medicine in Australia and around the world;
(c) Australia has developed one of the world's leading regulatory and safety authorities to oversee the operation of its nuclear industries with the establishment of the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency;
(d) Australia is a signatory to international non-proliferation treaties which is overseen by the Australian Safeguards and Non-proliferation Office; and
(2) considers the deployment of nuclear energy to deliver energy security for the nation, as part of Australia's transition to a decarbonised electricity grid, utilising emerging nuclear technologies such as Generation III+, Generation IV Small Modular Reactors and Micro Modular Reactors; and
(3) further considers the following legislative actions:
(a) removing the blanket prohibition on:
(i) the Minister for Environment and Water declaring, approving, or considering actions relating to the construction or operation of certain nuclear facilities as described in sections 37J, 140A and 146M, and paragraph 305(2)(d) of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 , by repealing those provisions; and
(ii) the construction or operation of certain nuclear facilities as described in section 10 of the
Australian Radiation Protection and Nu clear Safety Act 1998 , by repealing that section;
(b) leaving unaffected:
(i) the other elements of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 , pursuant to which the Minister would assess any application to establish a facility previously named in the repealed provisions;
(ii) state and territory powers to protect their citizens and the environment from potential adverse radiation impacts; and
(iii) the power vested in the Minister for Foreign Affairs to determine whether or not to issue a permit under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation (Safeguards) Act 1987 for such a proposed facility.
… the costs of renewables continue to fall due to incremental manufacturing and installation improvements, while nuclear, despite over half a century of industrial experience, continue to see costs rising.
… nuclear reactors have produced 390,000 tonnes of spent fuel since the 1950s, solar panels are estimated to create 78 million tonnes of hazardous waste by 2050, 200 times the amount …
… one of the things that have changed over the last decade or so is that nuclear power has got more expensive rather than less expensive.
In 2018, ten nuclear countries generated more power with renewable than with fission energy. In spite of its ambitious nuclear program, China produced more power from wind alone than from nuclear plants. In India, in the fiscal year to March 2019, not only wind, but for the first time solar out-generated nuclear, and new solar is now competitive with existing coal plants in the market. In the European Union, renewables accounted for 95 percent of all new electricity generating capacity added in the past year.
Nuclear energy's share of global commercial gross electricity generation in 2021 dropped to 9.8 percent—the first time below 10 percent and the lowest value in four decades …
In 2021, wind and solar alone reached a 10.2 percent share of gross power generation, the first time, they provided more than 10 percent of global electricity and surpassed the contribution of nuclear energy.
What this represents is the third quiver in the armoury of those who don't want to see Australia take action on climate change. They accompany delay and denial with distraction.
That this House:
(1) notes that:
(a) 1 February 2023 marks the 39th anniversary of the introduction of Medicare by the Government of Prime Minister Hawke; and
(b) Australia's healthcare system is based on equitable and fair access for all Australians; and
(2) acknowledges that:
(a) as of 1 January 2023, the Government will have reduced the cost of the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme co-payment by $12.50 to a maximum of $30; and
(b) the Government is making medicines cheaper and more accessible for Australian families.
It was totally unacceptable that nearly two million Australians were for several years without private insurance or the Commonwealth government's cover provided to pensioners, unemployed and low income earners. Many of the two million were simply unable to afford the cost of private insurance…
… the COVID-19 pandemic—during which pharmacists helped with the vaccine rollout—
had shifted power and made decision-makers more likely to listen to the guild's proposals to improve the health system. The Pharmacy Guild represents about 5900 community pharmacy owners.
"The point I'm saying is, the hospital system is under strain, and other elements of primary care are under strain ... Money is not the solution to system reform," he said.
Twomey said the only solution to Australia's health crisis was "fully utilising all health practitioners to their full scope". "Nurses, yes. Dentists, yes. Pharmacists as well," he said.
That this House
(1) notes that the Family Assistance Legislation Amendment (Cheaper Child Care) Bill 2022:
(a) will increase demand on the early childhood education sector and does not address supply, namely:
(i) training individuals that wish to seek a future in the early childhood education sector; and
(ii) a retention strategy for the early childhood education sector, specifically childcare; and
(b) does not guarantee an increase in workforce participation;
(2) further notes the Government subsidy for high income families is occurring simultaneous to the abolition of the Lower and Middle Income Tax Offset which will increase the cost of living pressures on low and middle income families that need the support most; and
(3) calls on the Government to:
(a) implement the National Children's Education and Care Workforce Strategy which is a co- design piece conducted by the entire sector addressing key supply issues such as:
(i) recruitment;
(ii) retainment; and
(iii) sustainability and quality of the sector workforce;
(b) acknowledge the child care service gaps in facilities and staffing in remote, rural, and regional Australia; and
(c) acknowledge the barriers in the childcare sector that impact multicultural communities across Australia such as:
(i) English not being the primary language for children at home;
(ii) training and upskilling; and
(iii) understanding the unique needs of culturally diverse children.
Treasury Laws Amendment (Energy Price Relief Plan) Bill 2022
Animal Health Australia and Plant Health Australia Funding Legislation Amendment Bill 2022
Broadcasting Services Amendment (Community Radio) Bill 2022
Ozone Protection and Synthetic Greenhouse Gas Management Reform (Closing the Hole in the Ozone Layer) Bill 2022
Ozone Protection and Synthetic Greenhouse Gas (Import Levy) Amendment Bill 2022
Ozone Protection and Synthetic Greenhouse Gas (Manufacture Levy) Amendment Bill 2022
Restoring Territory Rights Bill 2022
Treasury Laws Amendment (Energy Price Relief Plan) Bill 2022
That Ms Lawrence and Ms Stanley be appointed members of the Joint Standing Committee on Electoral Matters.
Treasury Laws Amendment (Modernising Business Communications and Other Measures) Bill 2022
(1) Schedule 2, item 112, page 69 (line 14), omit "that may be".
(2) Schedule 2, item 113, page 69 (line 27), omit "that may be".
That this bill be now read a third time.
That the order of the day be referred to the Federation Chamber for debate.
Each box represents a portfolio. Cabinet M inisters are shown in bold type . As a general rule , there is one department in each portfolio. However, there can be two departments in one portfolio. The title of a department does not necessarily reflect the title of a M inister in all cases. Ministers are sworn to administer the portfolio in which they are listed under the ' Minister ' column and may also be sworn to administer other portfolios in which they are not listed. Assistant M inisters in italics are designated as P arliamentary S ecretaries under the Ministers of State Act 1952 .
I believe we should have a Royal Commission into the electricity companies as well as fuel companies.
There's something that stinks about these electricity companies and fuel companies and if we can get to the bottom of it I think we can get a better outcome for consumers.
You cannot have a market that behaves in such a way—logically and effectively and everything else—that it's going to damage a significant part of society … One way or another there needs to be government intervention.
Those on the lowest incomes are least likely to access services.
All of these indicators have worsened over time.
… I regard it as going beyond the bounds of our sub judice rules if the honourable gentleman puts any construction on the matter for the simple reason that if the Royal Commissioner in fact concluded in a way which was consistent with the honourable gentleman's construction it may appear that the Commissioner was influenced …
The application of the sub judice convention is subject to the discretion of the Chair at all times. The Chair should always have regard to the basic rights and interests of Members in being able to raise and discuss matters of concern in the House.
… it would be a ridiculous restriction of debate if matters that have been raised in public and reported in the media could not be aired in the national parliament.
That Mr Burns be discharged from the Standing Committee on Communications and the Arts and that, in his place, Dr Reid be appointed a member of the committee.
Major challenges—new and old—are before us.
In confronting these challenges, this parliament must seek to match the resolve and resilience of the people in whose name you serve.
We approach these tasks and the work of constitutional change, with humility and with hope.
Humility: because over 200 years of broken promises and betrayals, failures and false starts demand nothing less.
Humility because—so many times—the gap between the words and deeds of governments has been as wide as this great continent.
But also hope.
… … …
I believe there is room in Australian hearts, for the Statement from the Heart.
The rise of EVs also raises equity concerns in car markets. They are more expensive than traditional cars, driven by the wealthy and subsidised by governments. They are in effect a wealth transfer from the poor to the rich.
The larger problem for the world, and for the car industries of many first world nations, is China's rapid rise towards becoming the world's number two car maker. Many of its new overseas sales are EVs. This industrial transformation is built on soaring fossil fuel power use in China.
As this column has observed, essentially Europe has been outsourcing its polluting industries to China and India for decades. This reduces CO2 emissions in Europe and destroys jobs for European workers but at no net benefit to the planet because European companies are simply making goods in highly polluting countries with lower environmental standards than the UK and EU.
European car makers such as Volkswagen, BMW and Ford Europe are moving production to the US, and more models to China, as power prices in Europe make local production unviable.
US President Joe Biden's new green subsidies are accelerating the move to the US. The Guardian reported on January 30 that the UK electric van start-up Arrival would cut 800 jobs—about half its workforce—as it sought US expansion to take advantage of green subsidies.
… … …
Meanwhile, the Greens here want Australia to stop all new coal mines when coal is our number two export earner, ban expansion of gas exploration and production when we are the world's largest natural gas supplier, and reject domestic nuclear power when we have 37 per cent of world uranium reserves.
Like turkeys voting for Christmas, Western governments, our own included, are not just shutting down reliable fossil fuel power generation but are moving to renewables products largely manufactured in China, again with expanding Chinese fossil fuel use. China makes more than 80 per cent of the world's solar panels, many manufactured using slave labour in western China. It also dominates the global market for wind turbines, making 70 per of world supply.
Treasurer Jim Chalmers has been urged to overhaul the fuel tax credit scheme to save the federal budget $4 billion a year …
… more than 60 per cent of businesses in the top-five industries that receive the vast majority of credits are in major cities, where two-thirds of their employees are also based.
There is no way that any transport business could survive this. Diesel is our biggest cost. We are already fighting ridiculous fuel prices; this would be the straw that breaks the camel's back.
The DEPUTY SPEAKER ( Ms Claydon ) took the chair at 10:30.
Can I say this and be upfront and frank? The courts need to do their job.
That this House:
(1) recognises the importance of the International Day of Women and Girls in Science on 11 February 2023, and the amazing contribution of Australian women in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) fields; and
(2) acknowledges the crucial work undertaken by the previous Government to promote gender equity in STEM in Australia.
… if untapped women's workforce participation was a massive iron ore deposit, we would have governments falling over themselves to give subsidies to get it out of the ground.
The causes of the inequality in STEM participation are broad, complex and long-standing. Cultural issues such as bias and stereotyping shape girls and women's views of STEM from an early age. STEM working environments, which are often male dominated and can have strongly hierarchical natures, can support a higher risk of issues such as sexual harassment.
If women are expected to do the same work as men, we must teach them the same things.
That this House:
(1) notes that:
(a) in May 2022 Australians voted for a plan for cheaper child care; and
(b) on 23 November 2022, the Family Assistance Legislation Amendment (Cheaper Child Care) Bill 2022 passed the Parliament;
(2) commends the Government for meeting its election commitment to the Australian people;
(3) further notes that:
(a) the reforms will deliver affordable early education for more than a million families;
(b) from July 2022, approximately 96 per cent of families with a child in early childhood education and care will benefit;
(c) from July 2022, the child care subsidy for families earning $80,000 or less will increase to 90 per cent; and
(d) Treasury modelling shows that this will deliver the equivalent of up to 37,000 workers to the economy in the first year; and
(4) acknowledges that these reforms will deliver real cost-of-living relief while boosting productivity.
'Education has the power to transform lives'.
That this House:
(1) notes that:
(a) the previous Government made significant progress on supporting the growth and opportunities of the digital economy, including appointing the first Minister for the Digital Economy; and
(b) the Government does not have a Minister for the Digital Economy; and
(2) acknowledges that:
(a) Australian digital activity value add increased by 7.4 per cent ($7.5 billion) in 2019-20, compared with a two per cent increase for the total Australian economy;
(b) the digital economy strategy of the last Government provided a roadmap to becoming a top 10 digital economy and society by 2030; and
(c) digital assets could represent over 20 per cent of retail payments by 2050.
This historic compact will create and keep more tech jobs for Australians and top global talent. Providing more reskilling and training opportunities is crucial to reaching our shared goal of 1.2 million tech jobs by 2030.
That this House:
(1) acknowledges that November 2022 marks 15 years since the Government of Prime Minister Rudd made the National Apology to the Stolen Generations, a moment that forever changed this nation's relationship with our First Nations people;
(2) notes that since this time there has been an increased focus, including through the annual Closing the Gap report, on the need for governments to deliver real, better outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians;
(3) commends the work of the Coalition of Peaks and other First Nations organisations to progress efforts to Close the Gap;
(4) recognises that the Government's commitment to hold a referendum to establish a Voice to Parliament represents a once in a generation opportunity to acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians in our Constitution, and ensures that they will always be included in the policy-making process on matters affecting them; and
(5) calls on members of Parliament, and people right across Australia to campaign in support of the referendum.
In 1967 we were counted, in 2017 we seek to be heard. We leave base camp and start our trek across this vast country. We invite you to walk with us in a movement of the Australian people for a better future.
There's something the 'No' camp doesn't understand—or if they do, they are worse than I think. We will never get this opportunity again. This referendum is a once-in-many-lifetimes event. That is why it is more important than the cynicism and redneck opportunism with which they have tried to frame it.
It is the duty of Australians who want to build a nation that recognises 65,000 years of human history …
… symbolism is important but, unless the great symbolism of reconciliation is accompanied by an even greater substance, it is little more than a clanging gong.
… if Australians don't understand what they are voting for in a referendum they will vote no. …
… If we went to a referendum now … without any detail about how it's going to be formed and constructed, it's a guarantee of failure. We're committed to a voice, but we think there's a process we've got to go through.
… nobody knows what the Voice might look like and how it might operate. Once that's determined or recommended, if there's broad support for it, then we should go into another round of campaigns.
We believe that a governance body should be established through legislation before the issues around a constitutional referendum are addressed, and that that also requires a period of bedding down. We've seen fear campaigns before …
It's actually the government's responsibility to educate the Australian population and … bring them with us so it's a joint journey of healing for the Australian community.
Mr Mick Gooda, Professor Tom Calma AO and Ms June Oscar AO argued that a constitutional change would only be successful if it was accompanied by clearly articulated legislation, defining and road-testing the implementation of The Voice, after a co-design process.
Let us complete the legislative design of the Voice, and produce an exposure draft of the Bill so that all parliamentarians and the members of the Australian public can see exactly what the Voice entails.
… we will stop PEP-11 going ahead, full stop. Exclamation mark. No question. Not equivocal. No ifs, no buts.
There was nobody else in this world like Wendy Jenkins. I so hope that for this brilliant, questing spirit there is a pen and a notepad waiting on the other side for her.
Hello everyone and thank you so much for the opportunity to let me talk about what Australia's Parliament should accomplish, looking through the eyes of a young person, navigating our way in today's fast paced and challenging environment.
As a young person, I've been surrounded by many peers, leaders, and other young people who I have the pleasure of being an ambassador to.
What I hear most from my generation is that we feel like we haven't been heard or supported enough. What I mean is, when it comes to our mental health, our schooling and our community, we often get spoken over or spoken torather than letting us into the conversation.
We would like people to ask us what we want.
I believe that we need more community organisations like Tribe Monbulk Youth, with better funding. Easier access and more services to help with young people experiencing issues with mental health.
We want to be involved and together we can really change the way young people seek support and services from health to social services to financial and to wellbeing services.
When a Government listens and asks us what we want to see regarding issues that affect us, we feel heard and supported and there are better outcomes for young people. We would like open and honest conversations.
We would like the new parliament to consider young voices when forming legislation around issues that affect youth in 2022 and beyond.
That this House:
(1) notes that:
(a) the Government has committed to the former Government's objective of growing the Australian Defence Force (ADF) by 18,500 people by 2040;
(b) to meet the objective, there must be net growth of 1,000 people per year; and
(c) the ADF recruitment numbers currently sit at a net growth of approximately 300 people per year; and
(2) calls on all Members to:
(a) recognise that our regional security environment is deteriorating;
(b) acknowledge that Australia must build a strong and capable ADF;
(c) focus on how we find, recruit and retain young men and women we need to build the ADF into the future; and
(d) build a strong values based narrative of service, duty and country in appealing to our next generation of ADF recruits.
That this House:
(1) acknowledges:
(a) that the Government introduced legislation ten years ago to allow Australia to become the first country in the world to implement tobacco plain packaging in December 2012;
(b) that the successful landmark tobacco plain packaging policy has saved countless lives;
(c) that tobacco smoking remains the leading cause of preventable death and disability;
(d) that in both health and economic terms of tobacco use, disadvantaged groups are hit more than three times harder than others in the community; and
(e) the tireless support and dedication of many in the public health sector, including health workers and the former Minister for Health and Ageing, Nicola Roxon, who fought for the changes to introduce plain packaging; and
(2) notes the comprehensive tobacco plain packaging strategy was multi layered to include:
(a) tobacco plain packaging and graphic health warnings;
(b) rolling tobacco excise increases;
(c) advertising restrictions; and
(d) public health campaigns and quit smoking support.
Take care of the children. Tobacco will kill you, and I am living proof of it.
I have got news for the minister for health and the government: life kills people. Life is a dangerous activity. There are no laws that we can pass to prevent that.
… Philip Morris Asia has lodged a claim for compensation of some $67.5 billion. … Tobacco companies are wealthy, which means they can employ good solicitors … it will cost Australian taxpayers billions and billions.
That this House:
(1) recognises that the:
(a) fuel excise levied by the Commonwealth will raise $13.7 billion in 2022-23, and is expected to increase up to $15.8 billion in 2025-26; and
(b) revenue raised by the fuel excise makes a significant contribution toward the costs of the development and maintenance, safety and efficiency of our road transport network;
(2) notes that:
(a) the budget shows 91 per cent of the fuel excise is being reinvested in land transport infrastructure in 2022-23 but is decreasing to 88 per cent by 2025-26; and
(b) between the March and October 2022 budgets, land transport infrastructure spending decreased over the forward estimates by $4.33 billion; and
(3) calls for the Government to allocate 100 per cent of fuel excise revenue for investment in road transport infrastructure.
That this House:
(1) notes:
(a) the importance of manufacturing for our nation, particularly our regional areas; and
(b) that Australia has suffered nearly a decade of policy-drift ranking last in the OECD when it comes to manufacturing self-sufficiency;
(2) recognises the Government is delivering on its commitment to establish the National Reconstruction Fund, which will:
(a) create secure, well-paid jobs;
(b) diversify Australian industry to drive sustainable growth to create future prosperity;
(c) build our capability to manufacture high-value products for the world; and
(d) drive economic development in our regions and outer suburbs;
(3) acknowledges that the Government is rebuilding Australia's manufacturing capacity to build a stronger and more resilient future; and
(4) further notes that the Government is delivering its plan to:
(a) create a better future for Australians by investing to support and stimulate regional manufacturing; and
(b) implement a National Rail Manufacturing Plan to support the rail industry and create more skilled manufacturing jobs.
Australia has a once-in-a-generation opportunity to be a global leader in green hydrogen and we are delighted to see the Government backing Australian innovators. Our technology will enhance sovereign manufacturing capabilities, create high skilled jobs and position Australia as a green hydrogen powerhouse …
That this House:
(1) notes that:
(a) Vanuatu's Minister of Climate Change, Ralph Regenvanu, would only back Australia's bid to host the 2026 COP if Australia does not commit to any new coal or gas handouts; and
(b) the Government's first budget has over $40 billion in fossil fuel subsidies including $1.9 billion to open up a new LNG terminal and petrochemical hub in Darwin Harbour; and
(2) calls on the Government to end fossil fuel subsidies.