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. 10
Petitions and Ministerial Responses
22 May 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 12 April 2023 and 10 May 2023.
1. The committee resolved to present the following 33 petitions in accordance with standing order 207:
Petitions certified on 12 April 2023
From 7 petitioners—regarding corrupt elections (EN4977)
From 14 petitioners—regarding the Reserve Bank of Australia (EN4978)
From 176 petitioners—regarding parliamentary democracy in Pakistan (EN4979)
From 9 petitioners—requesting the banning of euthanasia in Australia (EN4980)
From 4 petitioners—requesting the condensing of degrees down to minimum years (EN4982)
From 16 petitioners—requesting the abandonment of the production and use of fossil fuels (EN4984)
From 6 petitioners—requesting support for South Australian midwifery and nursing students (EN4985)
From 1212 petitioners—requesting the abolition of additional language testing for Australian education and training graduates (EN4987)
From 9 petitioners—requesting the abolition of State governments in Australia (EN4990)
From 13569 petitioners—regarding protected identity for veterans and their families (EN4991)
From 16 petitioners—regarding low emission coal power (EN4992)
From 12 petitioners—requesting Trikafta approval for 6-11 year olds in Australia (EN4994)
From 14 petitioners—regarding the deportation of an Australian permanent resident of 54 years standing (EN4995)
From 302 petitioners—requesting the banning of gambling advertising on television, radio and online (EN4998)
From 1322 petitioners—regarding the review for processing time for BIIP (EN4999)
From 62 petitioners—requesting a Royal Commission into Covid-19 prevention measures (EN5000)
From 217 petitioners—requesting a better visa pathway for parents of Australian citizens and permanent residents (EN5001)
From 620 petitioners—regarding the wind farm off the coast of Port Stephens (EN5004)
From 14 petitioners—requesting Federal Members of Parliament, Senators and Prime Ministers to pass a cognitive test (EN5008)
From 171 petitioners—regarding the signing of the WHO pandemic prevention, preparedness and response accord (EN5009)
From 4 petitioners—requesting the charging of a $2000.00 fine for unsolicited pictures (EN5010)
From 11 petitioners—requesting a Voice for the transgender community (EN5011)
From 5 petitioners—requesting the banning of mobile phones for kids under 16 (EN5013)
From 8 petitioners—regarding the removal of testicles to be recognised as a woman in law (EN5014)
From 11 petitioners—regarding human rights issues in China (EN5016)
From 36 petitioners—requesting the backdating of the commencement date of the age pension (EN5020)
From 163 petitioners—regarding the unfair feed-in tariff rate (EN5021)
From 21 petitioners—requesting the increasing of the minimum wage for under 18s (EN5023)
From 121 petitioners—regarding land homes farms staying in Australia hands (EN5024)
From 25 petitioners—requesting that a national firearms registernot be created (EN5026)
From 139 petitioners—requesting an inquiry into the WHO pandemic treaty (EN5028)
From 572 petitioners—requesting a public referendum on rejecting amendments to the International Health Regulation (EN5029)
From 62 petitioners—requesting the inclusion of remuneration, with superannuation listed separately in job advertisements (EN5030)
2. The following 34 ministerial responses to petitions were received:
Ministerial responses received by the Committee on 10 May 2023
From the Minister for Finance to a petition requesting the development and enforcement of a code of conduct for the Parliament of Australia (EN2597)
From the Minister for Emergency Management to a petition requesting the reintroduction of COVID-19 supplement payments for people on Australian Government income support (EN2954)
From the Minister for Foreign Affairs to a petition requesting the government to introduce Magnitsky-style sanctions legislation (EN3036)
From the Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations to a petition regarding accommodation standards for workers in the Seasonal Worker Programme and the Pacific Labour Mobility (PALM) Scheme (EN3223)
From the Minister for Communications to a petition requesting a full size Macrocell mobile phone tower or equivalent for Tarrawingee (EN3946)
From the Minister for Home Affairs to a petition requesting that the Australian Government designate the United Russia Party as a terrorist organisation, ban members of the United Russia Party from entering Australia, freeze their assets in international jurisdictions and nominate the Ukrainian humanitarian aid organisation as a benefactor of such assets transfer (EN4088)
From the Minister for Finance to a petition requesting to stop the Digital Identity Legislation and cease attempts to mandate Digital ID via myGov (EN4090 and EN4588)
From the Minister for Home Affairs to a petition requesting that the Australian Government designate the Russian Government and its armed forces as terrorist organisations for the purposes of the Criminal Code Act 1995 (EN4333)
From the Minister for Home Affairs to a petition regarding Australian women and children in northeast Syria (EN4526)
From the Minister for Home Affairs to a petition requesting that the Australian Government designate the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist organisation under the Criminal Code Act 1995 (EN4547)
From the Assistant Minister for Competition, Charities and Treasury to a petition requesting to make diesel cheaper than unleaded petrol (EN4551)
From the Minister for Home Affairs to a petition requesting that the Australian Government designate the current Russian Government as a terrorist regime (EN4562)
From the Assistant Minister for Competition, Charities and Treasury to a petition regarding Foreign Investment Review Board (FIRB) fees for Regional Visa holders (EN4599)
From the Minister for Sport to a petition regarding a Royal Commission into abuse in sports (EN4603)
From the Assistant Minister for Competition, Charities and Treasury to a petition regarding the diversity of Australian owned products within the food and grocery sector (EN4636)
From the Minister for Health and Aged Care to a petition requesting more flexible aged care services for small rural facilities (EN4652)
From the Minister for Health and Aged Care to a petition requesting to substitute the Pre-Employment Structured Clinical Interview (PESCI) and supervision for the Australian Medical Council's (AMC's) clinical examination as a pathway to general registration for international medical graduates (IMGs) (EN4677)
From the Minister for Early Childhood Education to a petition regarding early childhood education and care (ECEC) providers charging fees when children are absent due to illness (EN4680)
From the Minister for Foreign Affairs to a petition regarding the question of Palestinian Statehood (EN4681)
From the Minister for Health and Aged Care to a petition requesting to restore funding for PCR testing (EN4688)
From the Minister for Emergency Management to a petition regarding disaster relief funding for the local government area of Cabonne in NSW (EN4701)
From the Minister for Health and Aged Care to a petition regarding regulation over private alcohol and drug rehabilitation treatment centres (EN4704)
From the Minister for Foreign Affairs to a petition regarding China's application to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) (EN4711)
From the Minister for Health and Aged Care to a petition regarding medicinal use of marijuana in Australia (EN4713)
From the Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations to a petition regarding changes to sick leave (EN4716)
From the Minister for Health and Aged Care to a petition requesting the Australian Government to reverse the $0.50 indexation of the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) concessional card co-payment (EN4744)
From the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry to a petition regarding revised requirements for the importation of dogs and cats into Australia (EN4756)
From the Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government to a petition regarding rail freight electrification (EN4759)
From the Minister for Foreign Affairs to a petition requesting increased Australian military support to Ukraine (EN4763)
From the Assistant Minister to the Prime Minister to a petition requesting the Australian Government change the Australian National Anthem to 'I Am Australian' (EN4766)
From the Minister for Health and Aged Care to a petition requesting to ban companies convicted of carrying out illegal gain-of-function research (EN4775)
From the Minister for Health and Aged Care to a petition requesting to restrict energy drink sales for persons under 16 years of age (EN4778)
From the Minister for Social Services to a petition regarding the cancellation of the Cashless Debit Card (CDC) in the Ceduna region (EN4783)
From the Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government to a petition regarding the 'Sealing Roads in the Dandenong Ranges and Surrounds (Sealing Roads) projects' (EN4785)
Ms Susan Templeman MP
Chair—Petitions Committee
Criminal Code Amendment (Prohibition of Nazi Symbols) Bill 2023 [No. 2]
That this bill be now read a second time.
As a nation, we need to reflect on why some teenagers are hanging Nazi flags and portraits of the Christchurch killer on their bedroom walls, and why others are sharing beheading videos. And just as importantly, we must reflect on what we can do about it.
The Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO) explained that Nazi symbols play a significant role among nationalist and racist violent extremist groups, both by signalling ideology and in-group belonging, as well as provoking or intimidating ideological opponents. ASIO further explained that symbols are:
… an effective propaganda tool because they are easy to remember and understand. They can transcend language, cultural, and ethnic divides; creating, distributing, and understanding them is not limited to a select few or one cultural or language group.
Nationalist and Racist Violent Extremists adopt specific imagery and terminology to signal their ideology, build in-group belonging between adherents, and provoke or intimidate ideological opponents.
ASIO is aware that nationalist and racist groups use hate speech and extremist insignia in their recruitment and profile raising. Globally, there can be links between hate speech and hate motivated crimes, including terrorism. The possession of extremist material has featured in many prosecutions of terrorist offences.
"Symbols are to the mind what tools are to the hand". We must deny these extremists access to such symbols—symbols they use to create fear, spread hate and capture new recruits.
Broadcasting Services Amendment (Prohibition of Gambling Advertisements) Bill 2023
That this bill be now read a second time.
That this House:
(1) notes that Sunday, 21 May 2023 marks 12 months since the election of the current Government;
(2) acknowledges that after a decade of mismanagement, chaos and neglect by the former Government, this Government is delivering on its election promises and continues to deliver and build on our plan for a better future;
(3) further acknowledges that this Government's second budget handed down during the last sitting week:
(a) provides responsible cost of living relief;
(b) creates more opportunities for Australians; and
(c) builds a more secure economy into the future; and
(4) further notes that this Government is delivering on our plan for a better future in the face of relentless negative opposition from the Liberal-National coalition.
That this House:
(1) notes that in the budget the Government chose to:
(a) spend half a trillion dollars on Stage 3 tax cuts for the wealthy, handouts for wealthy property investors, handouts for fossil fuel corporations, and nuclear submarines; and
(b) not adequately address the cost-of-living pressures people are facing; and
(2) calls on the Government to lift people out of poverty by raising JobSeeker above the poverty line, wiping student debt, and taking urgent action to address the housing and rental crisis.
That this House:
(1) acknowledges that the budget handed down on 9 May 2023 must deliver:
(a) fiscal restraint to take pressure off families;
(b) simpler and fairer taxes, not higher ones;
(c) real action on productivity to make small businesses and families' lives easier;
(d) measured relief for small businesses and families that does not add to inflation; and
(e) no more broken promises; and
(2) recognises that:
(a) the Government's second budget is an opportunity to correct the mistakes of its first; and
(b) in its first budget, the Government increased spending by $115 billion, made the structural deficit worse, and abandoned all goals of balancing the budget.
Appropriation Bill (No. 1) 2022-2023
Appropriation Bill (No. 2) 2023-2024
Appropriation (Parliamentary Departments) Bill (No. 1) 2023-2024
That so much of the standing and sessional orders be suspended as would prevent the following from occurring in relation to proceedings on Appropriation Bill (No. 1) 2023-2024, Appropriation Bill (No. 2) 2023-2024 and Appropriation (Parliamentary Departments) Bill (No. 1) 2023-2024:
(1) the bills standing referred to the Federation Chamber;
(2) when the order of the day for the resumption of debate on the second reading of Appropriation Bill (No. 1) 2023-2024 is called on in the Federation Chamber, a cognate debate taking place with Appropriation Bill (No. 2) 2023-2024, and Appropriation (Parliamentary Departments) Bill (No. 1) 2023-2024;
(3) immediately after prayers on Tuesday, 13 June, Appropriation Bill (No. 1) 2023-2024:
(a) returning to the House for further consideration;
(b) being called on immediately and questions being put without delay or debate on any amendments moved to the motion for the second reading and on the second reading of the bill; and
(c) standing referred to the Federation Chamber;
(4) on Tuesday, 13 June the Federation Chamber meeting from 4 pm to approximately 7.30 pm, and there to be no grievance debate;
(5) on Wednesday, 14 June the Federation Chamber meeting from 9.30 am to approximately 1.30 pm and from 4 pm to approximately 7.30 pm;
(6) on Thursday, 15 June the Federation Chamber meeting from 9.30 am to approximately 1.30 pm, with the question that the Federation Chamber do now adjourn being proposed immediately following the consideration of the Appropriation Bill (No. 1) 2023-2024, Appropriation Bill (No. 2) 2023-2024 and Appropriation (Parliamentary Departments) Bill (No. 1) 2023-2024;
(7) when the order of the day for the further consideration of the Appropriation Bill (No. 1) 2023-2024 is called on in the Federation Chamber, consideration of the schedule being in accordance with the following order and timeframes:
(a) Employment and Workplace Relations Portfolio, with the question 'that the proposed expenditure be agreed to' being put at the first opportunity after 5.30 pm on Tuesday, 13 June;
(b) Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts Portfolio, with the question 'that the proposed expenditure be agreed to' being put at the first opportunity after 6.30 pm on Tuesday, 13 June;
(c) Education Portfolio, with the question 'that the proposed expenditure be agreed to' being put at the first opportunity after 7.30 pm on Tuesday, 13 June;
(d) Defence Portfolio, with the question 'that the proposed expenditure be agreed to' being put at the first opportunity after 11 am on Wednesday, 14 June;
(e) Industry, Science and Resources Portfolio, with the question 'that the proposed expenditure be agreed to' being put at the first opportunity after 12 noon on Wednesday, 14 June;
(f) Prime Minister and Cabinet Portfolio, with the question 'that the proposed expenditure be agreed to' being put at the first opportunity after 12.45 pm on Wednesday, 14 June;
(g) Finance Portfolio, with the question 'that the proposed expenditure be agreed to' being put at the first opportunity after 1.30 pm on Wednesday, 14 June;
(h) Health and Aged Care Portfolio, with the question 'that the proposed expenditure be agreed to' being put at the first opportunity after 5.00 pm on Wednesday, 14 June;
(i) Home Affairs Portfolio, with the question 'that the proposed expenditure be agreed to' being put at the first opportunity after 5.45 pm on Wednesday, 14 June;
(j) Social Services Portfolio, with the question 'that the proposed expenditure be agreed to' being put at the first opportunity after 6.45 pm on Wednesday, 14 June;
(k) Foreign Affairs and Trade Portfolio, with the question 'that the proposed expenditure be agreed to' being put at the first opportunity after 7.30 pm on Wednesday, 14 June;
(l) Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water Portfolio, with the question 'that the proposed expenditure be agreed to' being put at the first opportunity after 10.45 am on Thursday, 15 June;
(m) Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Portfolio, with the question 'that the proposed expenditure be agreed to' being put at the first opportunity after 11.30 am on Thursday, 15 June; and
(n) Treasury Portfolio, with the question 'that the proposed expenditure be agreed to' being put at the first opportunity after 12.15 pm on Thursday, 15 June;
(o) Attorney-General's Portfolio, with the question 'that the proposed expenditure be agreed to' being put at the first opportunity after 1 pm on Thursday, 15 June;
(8) any questions necessary to complete the consideration in the Federation Chamber of each of the bills being immediately put without debate;
(9) the bills returning to the House and, when reported, any question or questions necessary to complete the remaining stages of each of the bills to be put without amendment or debate; and
(10) any variation to this arrangement being made only on a motion moved by a Minister.
The Law Council has been unable to consider all aspects of the Bill in detail because of the limited time for consultation, nor has it had the opportunity to adequately consult with its membership on the proposed reforms.
… is intended to allow for greater flexibility in determining PJCIS membership while retaining the requirement for representation of both the Senate and House of Representatives, and Government and non-Government members.
'Need to know' is a sound principle. And, yes, the more people know something, the risk increases.
These are beautiful words. The proposed provision will adorn the Constitution. I've listened to many submissions, I've read all of them and I've listened to people present, and I haven't found a really compelling reason to change the words that the government has introduced into the House. I think children of the future will look back on these words and really be proud of the Constitution. I think this is a good provision. It has a real sense of history. It honours Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. It's a safe provision. It's a provision that meets the needs of Australia and the needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
What they asked for was a voice to Canberra, not a Canberra voice. What we heard in the dialogues was that—and this is why reserved seats and designated parliamentary seats weren't prominent—people don't want to be politicians. In the dialogues they said they did not want to be politicians. They don't belong to political parties. They don't want to be going to Canberra to be politicians. They want to serve their community. They want to live in their communities and serve their mobs and their families. They're extraordinary men and women. They've lived their whole lives in their communities helping their own mobs. … They have no intention of leaving their communities. That's at the heart of the Uluru Statement from the Heart and the Voice to Parliament. It is about getting grassroots voices amplified and feeding into Canberra, representing the views and voices of their communities.
What it is, simply, is that we need a voice. The 1967 referendum said: these are small steps. At the age of 61, I never thought that we would even come to this. I thought I'd be dead. I thought my son would have to pick it up. My mother died and my ancestors died without having a voice in the Constitution, and that lack of a voice is simply because we were never identified as humans. Why is it so important to have it in the Constitution? It is because it needs to be in there. It needs to at least acknowledge that there were humans here and that these are the oldest humans on the face of the planet—continuous, ongoing.
That the House take note of the report.
That the order of the day be referred to the Federation Chamber for debate.
Constitution Alteration (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice) 2023
We … ensure Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have a say in the decisions that affect them.
… somehow jamming the courts from here to kingdom come as a result of this enactment, is really too silly for words.
… we have many programs the executive government delegate to implement themselves that don't require parliamentary intervention , so that's why it's important to work with the executive government and the bureaucrats particularly on how to implement a lot of their programs.
I think it's critical and essential that this Voice has direct communications to the executive …
The proposed section 129 is not just compatible with the system of representative and responsible government prescribed by the constitution, but an enhancement of that system.
A core rationale underpinning the proposed amendment is to facilitate more effective input by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in public discussion and debate about governmental and political matters relating to them … it seeks to rectify a distortion in the existing system.
Proportionally, we are the most incarcerated people on the planet. We are not an innately criminal people. Our children are aliened from their families at unprecedented rates. This cannot be because we have no love for them. And our youth languish in detention in obscene numbers. They should be our hope for the future.
These dimensions of our crisis tell plainly the structural nature of our problem. This is the torment of our powerlessness.
We seek constitutional reforms to empower our people and take a rightful place in our own country. When we have power over our destiny our children will flourish. They will walk in two worlds and their culture will be a gift to their country.
Australia's Constitution contains little of the soaring rhetoric which is familiar in the constitutions of many other lands. That is one of its strengths. It is a practical, matter-of-fact, unpretentious but effective document. As such, it reflects the pragmatic, no-nonsense attitude which we like to think is among the most attractive features of the Australian character.
If many High Court cases had been decided the other way—and many lawyers agree that they could reasonably have been decided the other way—Australia would be a very different country politically from what it is today. The States would be as important—perhaps more so—than the Commonwealth. State Premiers would vie with the Prime Minister for political importance. Federal laws could not bind the States and their employees. Nor, in most cases, could the operation of federal laws extend into internal State matters … Trade practices legislation would not be able to deal with commercial transactions taking place solely within a State … Television and radio might well be controlled by the States, not the Commonwealth. So would company law. Australians would be subjected to both State and federal income taxes, as they were until 1942. There would only be one bank—the Commonwealth Bank, the private banks having been nationalized … The Communist Party would be banned. The Franklin River would not have been saved …
… I am convinced the referendum on Indigenous Australian recognition should not be understood as yes alliance versus no alliance, conservatives versus progressives, left versus right, us versus them.
Constitution Alteration (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice) 2023
(iii) the Parliament shall, subject to this Constitution, have power to make laws with respect to matters relating to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice, including its composition, functions, powers and procedures.
In recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the First Peoples of Australia:
The time afforded for consideration of the provisions of the Bill has been inadequate and does not acknowledge the magnitude of changing our constitution. The Committee has held a total of five public hearings over 15 consecutive days, in which an unreasonably tight deadline was dictated to explore the evidence and provide a report.
We, gathered at the 2017 National Constitutional Convention, coming from all points of the southern sky, make this statement from the heart.
When we have power over our destiny our children will flourish. They will walk in two worlds and their culture will be a gift to their country.
We invite you to walk with us in a movement of the Australian people for a better future.
With substantive constitutional change and structural reform, we believe this ancient sovereignty can shine through as a fuller expression of Australia's nationhood.
Proportionally, we are the most incarcerated people on the planet. We are not an innately criminal people. Our children are aliened from their families at unprecedented rates. This cannot be because we have no love for them. And our youth languish in detention in obscene numbers. They should be our hope for the future.
These dimensions of our crisis tell plainly the structural nature of our problem. This is the torment of our powerlessness .
We seek constitutional reforms to empower our people and take a rightful place in our own country. When we have power over our destiny our children will flourish. They will walk in two worlds and their culture will be a gift to their country.
We call for the establishment of a First Nations Voice enshrined in the Constitution.
The voice is a stepping stone
It's the first in many yes threads of restorative justice that will follow on
It's leaning into the wisdom of
those who gathered around the Uluru statement from the heart
It's not the final YES
It's the thread that will lead to treaty and truth-telling and begin to acknowledge the history that sits on and with the Lands now Called Australia
We must weave and unweave the justice and injustice narrative of a nation with this referendum
This is a first step
This is a step we must take
To allow others to follow
To allow truth and treaty to be appreciated, actioned and upheld.
Intergenerational trauma and disadvantage remain high within Tasmania for Tasmanian Aboriginal people. The impacts of invasion, dispossession, genocide, segregation, family separation and institutional and community racism has had and continues to have significant impacts to the health and wellbeing of Tasmanian Aboriginal people. The voice will allow Tasmanian Aboriginal people to bring advice to the national government and Parliament on what needs to happen to improve the services and support programs specifically needed for Tasmania. This is critical for improving the lives of Tasmanian Aboriginal people, whilst we share many of the same problems as other jurisdictions many are also unique due to our history and culture. A voice for Tasmania is critical to bring the issues directly impacting on us as Tasmanian Aboriginal people to the national stage.
Incarceration rates especially for our young people remain significantly higher than the general population. Life expectancy, suicide, health in general and mental health are below national levels. Social disadvantage with intergenerational family poverty, financial stress, poor educational outcomes, family violence are all at unacceptable levels without signs of improving. Again, the issues and solutions to these problems are unique to Tasmania and only the Tasmanian Aboriginal communities through our own voice can genuinely improve these systemic problems. Our communities have many of the solutions to our problems, we just need to be provided the opportunity and respect to be heard. The answers to the problems for the Northern Territory or Western Australia may not be the right answers to the problems we face in Tasmania, the voice will provide carriage for our issues and solutions.
The Tasmanian Aboriginal Community has its own unique challenges with political and funding imbalance and recognition of identity impacting on the Closing the Gap targets. The voices of Aboriginal communities and individuals is silenced due to the power imbalance and until the voices of the wider community are heard the lives of Tasmanian Aboriginal people will not improve. Funding in who receives it and who it is made available to continues to be a big issue within Tasmania directly impacting on the access to services that are needed to support the wider communities. Funding needs for Tasmania are specific for Tasmania and its regional communities, we need a voice to represent everyone so a level of equality and equity can be assured. This is something TRACA has been calling on for many years without success.
Tasmania has a very high level of lateral violence that prevents communities and individuals from speaking up, we need support to stop this intercommunity abuse, so all people are free to speak without fear of reprisals or social media violence. The Voice will provide opportunities for individuals to stand up and become new leaders within our communities which can only be a good thing.
Government at a State and National level has a responsibility to help communities navigate lateral violence which is a tool to silence and disempower the ones without the capacity to defend themselves.
Tasmania is 6 years behind the other States in a state process for treaty and truth-telling, this is a tragedy and directly impacting on the lives of Tasmanian Aboriginal people. We need the national voice to help the state transition to a treaty and truth-telling process as quickly as possible to prevent the disadvantage of our communities compared to mainland mobs. Land returns and self-determination through treaty is critical for Tasmania to move forward, the voice will be needed at a state and national level to push forward these important agendas. The voice at both levels will be critical to ensure the entire community are empowered to be involved and have a say in this process.
Something needs to change; we cannot continue to do the things we have always done. The communities want more than symbolic recognition, they call for positive solutions that will improve the lives of our people. We are yelling loud and clear it's no longer acceptable for our challenges to be used as a political game for personal self-interest. The Tasmanian Aboriginal community expect and deserve leadership, the voice will give us an enshrined and protected platform through the referendums national mandate to be heard loud and clear and not ignored or further silenced.
There are tangible and intangible nuances within all communities and Tasmania is no different. It is implausible for decisions made by Canberra on policies and support programs to be made without direct advice from the people who live within the communities it is targeted towards and impacts on. This is the core purpose of the voice for Tasmanian Aboriginal people, to give those in power and policy-making positions the critical community-level advice they need for appropriate and considered decision-making, nothing less and nothing more.
The hope if successful would give the organisation a vehicle to raise our thoughts and concerns about legislation, policy and how proposed policy on how it would impact the day to day lives of the aboriginal community we deliver services to and advocate on behalf of. It means the decision makers hopefully take into account all the concerns and input from all the communities across Australia, not just peak bodies or others with vested interests. I think it has the potential for decision makers to be more informed in order to make better decisions as most of the time, it is not one size fits all.
A Proposed Law: to alter the Constitution to recognise the First Peoples of Australia by establishing an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice.
Do you approve this proposed alteration?
The Uluru Statement from the Heart is a sacred First Nations' invitation to the Australian people. It was conceived on 26 May 2017 from the collective experiences of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples during an unprecedented process of dialogue and consensus building. Forged from more than two centuries of hardship and struggle, the Uluru Statement gives hope to a nation born from many nations, that we may find our collective heart.
… … …
… … …
The Voice will be accountable and transparent
… … …
The Voice will work alongside existing organisations and traditional structures
… … …
The Voice will not have a program delivery function
The Voice will not have a veto power—
In recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the First Peoples of Australia:
1. There shall be a body, to be called the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice;
2. The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice may make representations to the Parliament and the Executive Government of the Commonwealth on matters relating to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples;
3. The Parliament shall, subject to this Constitution, have power to make laws with respect to matters relating to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice, including its composition, functions, powers and procedures.
While it is not true to say that every Australian who votes No in the Voice referendum is a racist, you can bet your bottom dollar that every racist will vote No.
The Voice is 24 people on massive salaries living in marble palaces in Canberra for life, condemning Indigenous people to socialism, communism on steroids, and it will end in tyranny.
Her people are the non-Aboriginal conservatives and the Canberra elite to which she wants to belong.
… I would foresee a decade or more of constitutional and administrative law litigation arising out of the Voice.
We are not an innately criminal people. Our children are aliened from their families at unprecedented rates. This cannot be because we have no love for them. And our youth languish in detention in obscene numbers. They should be our hope for the future.
These dimensions of our crisis tell plainly the structural nature of our problem. This is the torment of our powerlessness .
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.
The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice may make representations to the Parliament and the Executive Government of the Commonwealth on matters relating to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
1. No such obligation is contained or can find its source in the text of the amendment.
2. The intent of the amendment, as expressed in official documents, does not support any such obligation.
3. The history of the development of the amendment does not support any such obligation.
4. It is impracticable to draw such implications from a provision of such breadth.
For example, the word 'consultation' was not used, as it might convey an obligation on the part of the Executive Government or Parliament to consult the Voice prior to making decisions. The word 'advice' was also rejected, lest it be interpreted as binding …
There is no obligation upon Parliament or the Executive Government to respond to the representations or give effect to them. There is no obligation of prior consultation. There is no requirement to wait to receive a representation before the Executive Government of Parliament can act. Indeed, there is no obligation imposed upon the Voice, Parliament or the Executive Government of any kind … Sub-section 129(ii) … merely … permits the Voice to make these representations.
It is true that Australians believe in fairness. But the final stretch of this uphill battle will be steeper than ever, and those devils on the shoulder whisper confusion as we toil.
How can we quit now after decades of advocacy before Uluru … aimed at moulding this constitutional proposition into one both safe and powerful, symbolic and practical—true to its intent to just give Indigenous peoples the decency of a say.
When we reach the peak of the mountain, we will see the full vista of who we can be. It will no longer be an obscured view of our country …
… the Parliament shall, subject to this Constitution, have power to make laws with respect to matters relating to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice, including its composition, functions, powers and procedures.
The actions of Parliament concerning its relationship with the Voice would, in the above context, be considered non-justiciable … it does not create an explicit, nor an implied, obligation on Parliament to consider or respond to those representations … the High Court has held that the exercise by Parliament of its own law-making procedures is non-justiciable.
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.
It's a recognition of First Nations voices as being important to the nation. It's recognition that the descendants of the ancient peoples who arrived here 60,000 to 70,000 years ago are still here, have survived and [are] speaking with their voice.
… the federal system provides mechanisms for the historical political communities (the former colonies) to always be heard by the might of the majority.
A First Nations Voice should not be feared, as some would have us believe.
A First Nations Voice should not be regarded as a mechanism devised to block parliamentary process, as some would have us believe.
A First Nations Voice should not be misrepresented as a racially divisive construct, as some would have us believe.
Rather, a First Nations Voice should be recognised for what it would be—a constitutionally protected means by which culturally and socially informed voices of our People lend their advice and support to government during the critical processes that will impact on the lives, wellbeing and future of all Australian First Nations people.
I urge those who currently advocate against the embedding of a Voice in our Constitution to instead turn their passion and efforts towards the work that will be required to establish the legislative and social foundations upon which the Voice will be built.
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.
A Proposed Law: to alter the Constitution to recognise the First Peoples of Australia by establishing an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice.
Do you approve this proposed alteration?
In recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the First Peoples of Australia:
1. There shall be a body, to be called the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice;
2. The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice may make representations to the Parliament and the Executive Government of the Commonwealth on matters relating to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples;
3. The Parliament shall, subject to this Constitution, have power to make laws with respect to matters relating to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice, including its composition, functions, powers and procedures.
The Uluru Statement carves out a path for change and we need that to be embraced by our fellow Australians and our political leaders.
It is about getting grassroots voices amplified and feeding into Canberra, representing the views and voices of their communities.
No matter what, the men that poppa led was his main priority, this was especially shown on their return to Australia. Whilst waiting on the ship to be allowed to disembark, one of the officers was trying to make all the men do exercises. Men who had been fighting a war for years, who were exhausted and just wanted to go home. Poppa being the inventive person that he was decided that this was not going to happen and he threw the officer overboard. This was one of the instances where he went from Sergeant to Corporal quite quickly. I like to think that if I was in that situation, I would have the courage he did to stand up for his men.
Although the war ended in 1945, the battles continued for many service men and women for the rest of their lives. Poppa had demons that he fought for the rest of his life, the memories of what he went through never left him. To his family he tried very hard to be the happy smiley man who left for the war, however, at times it was too much to bare, and he had to deal with a lot on his own.
Where there were school bells, learning and toys, Now there are soldiers, who used to be boys.
Our slingshots replaced by sub machine guns, now we are marching to the beat of the drums.
Playgrounds are empty, not a child to be seen, now in formation in military green.
Our mothers so used to watching us play, now they are crying as we march away.
The face of my friends were so young and clean, now they are damaged by something unseen.
Where there was music, laughter and glee, now there is sorrow where joy used to be.
Our grandparents house where we all used to meet, is now desolate, its destruction complete.
Where there used to be mischief behind his eyes, now for the first time I've heard my father's cries.
The perfume of flowers is no more, now it's the stench of death and war.
When will it stop? What is the cause? Haven't they learnt there is no point in wars.
I don't care who is right or wrong, I don't want to end up the name of a song.
Why are we taught, not to fight, but to talk, when all of our leaders don't walk the same walk?
Maybe us kids should make the rules, haven't you noticed there are no wars in schools?
The DEPUTY SPEAKER ( Ms Claydon ) took the chair at 10:35.
They banished him
From the tribes then
And sent him on his way
He had a backless boomerang
So here he could not stay
That this House:
(1) notes that the Government's superannuation tax will unfairly impact younger Australians;
(2) recognises that:
(a) a 20-year-old today earning an average salary will be caught in the net of the Government's doubling of superannuation taxes;
(b) an analysis of Australian Taxation Office and Australian Bureau of Census data reveals that this means more than two million Australians under the age of 25 today will be slugged with the Government's latest tax grab; and
(c) the Government has been misleading Australia and it is time for the Treasurer to come clean and confirm exactly how many people will lose out under these changes; and
(3) acknowledges that young Australians today will pay the price for the Government's reckless spending.
More than two million young Australians earning an average wage throughout their working life could be hit with a future super tax under the government's plans …
That this House:
(1) acknowledges the Government's second budget delivers a record 15 per cent pay increase for aged care workers across Australia, and that this represents the biggest ever pay rise for aged care workers;
(2) recognises the work of the Government supporting the aged care sector to improve facilities and lift the quality of care for residents, including through increasing average care minutes and greater transparency; and
(3) commends the Government for having directly addressed 37 recommendations of the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety since coming into office, and its commitment to continue delivering reform for the aged care sector.
That this House:
(1) notes that:
(a) the consequences of harm from gambling are poorer health and wellbeing for individuals who gamble, their family members, friends and community;
(b) family and relationship problems, emotional and psychological issues, including distress, depression, suicide and violence and financial harms are all costs of gambling;
(c) the potential for harm has increased with the proliferation of online gambling, and the proliferation of sports bettors gambling online which significantly increased during the COVID-19 pandemic; and
(d) a three-year study by La Trobe University with 50 thousand respondents revealed that more than three quarters felt they should be able to watch sport on television free from gambling ads and that young people are exposed to too much gambling advertising; and
(2) acknowledges that:
(a) expenditure on gambling advertising in Australia has increased by 320 per cent in the past 11 years;
(b) exposure to gambling advertising normalises betting and increases the risk of harm;
(c) current restrictions have failed to reduce children and young people's exposure to gambling, especially sports betting; and
(d) the prolific promotion of sports betting does not align with community values.
That this House:
(1) recognises that Australia's millions of small businesses are the engine room of our nation's economy, at the heart of local communities across the country and employ millions of Australians;
(2) acknowledges that deadly flooding, bushfires and the COVID-19 pandemic have hit our small businesses hard which is why the Government is delivering for small business, helping them to bounce back from these challenges and improve their long-term resilience by:
(a) providing $15.1 million for small business owners across Australia to access free mental health and financial counselling support through the New Access for Small Business Owners and Small Business Debt Helpline programs;
(b) updating Commonwealth Procurement Rules so small businesses get a bigger slice of the $70 billion in contracts that the Commonwealth Government spends every year, with a 20 per cent target;
(c) reviewing the Payment Times Reporting Act 2020 to consider what other policy measures are necessary to achieve better payment terms and practices for small businesses;
(d) opening the first round of $62.6 million in energy efficiency grants to eligible small and medium businesses to help address rising costs; and
(e) passing legislation to make unfair contract terms illegal so small businesses can negotiate fairer agreements with large partners; and
(3) notes that the Government's wider agenda will benefit small businesses by:
(a) delivering an increase in skilled migration;
(b) accelerating the delivery of 465,000 additional fee-free TAFE places, with 180,000 to be delivered in 2023, helping get more skilled workers into the job market quicker; and
(c) delivering cheaper childcare to make life easier and increase workforce participation.
That this House acknowledges that:
(1) the Government:
(a) has not consulted with or listened to the genuine concerns of community pharmacists in regard to its proposed pharmaceutical 60-day dispensing changes; and
(b) must provide a strong guarantee that this change will not:
(i) harm the viability of community pharmacies;
(ii) affect medicine supplies especially in regional and rural communities; and
(iii) increase the stockpiling and wastage of medicines;
(2) the increased cost of living has placed enormous pressure on Australians, but questions remain on whether this policy will have perverse and unintended consequences; and
(3) community pharmacists play an integral role in the provision of primary healthcare in Australia, particularly in rural and regional Australia, as they stepped up when the nation needed them most through the COVID-19 pandemic and they deserve the support of the Government.
That this House:
(1) notes that the Government will invest an extra $262.3 million in the 2023-24 budget to address the chronic underfunding of Australia's iconic national parks;
(2) acknowledges that after a decade of mismanagement and neglect by the former Government, our national parks have been left with broken infrastructure, out-of-date equipment, and inadequate facilities; and
(3) further notes that the Government's investment will address critical infrastructure needs, including updating unsafe equipment, fixing inadequate signage, providing essential ranger housing, and refurbishing rundown facilities.
That this House:
(1) notes that:
(a) Australian manufacturers continue to be significantly impacted by the cost-of-living crisis;
(b) the Government still has no plan to tackle inflationary pressures contributing to the rising input costs of manufacturers, with no plans to address:
(i) rising power prices;
(ii) rising interest rates;
(iii) damaging labour shortages; and
(iv) disrupted supply chains; and
(c) the National Reconstruction Fund has not issued a single dollar to our manufacturers and will have a contributory impact on inflation; and
(2) calls on the Government to reveal when the National Reconstruction Fund will make its first investment.
The key pathway to enabling new economy industries will be to leverage the capability in the regions of our existing industry. A circular economy and domestic focus for industry policy will maximise the value of these new industries.
That this House:
(1) celebrates:
(a) the close trans-Tasman relationship between Australia and New Zealand; and
(b) the contribution New Zealanders living in Australia have made to our country;
(2) notes that changes under the former Howard Liberal Government made it more difficult for New Zealanders living, working, and paying taxes in Australia to become citizens;
(3) further notes the announcement made on 22 April 2023 that will mean all Special Category Visa holders will be able to apply directly for citizenship without becoming permanent residents first, as long as they meet a four-year residence and other eligibility requirements; and
(4) commends the Government's commitment to build a fairer, better managed, and more inclusive migration system for New Zealanders living in Australia.
That this House:
(1) notes that:
(a) in 2022, Australians lost an estimated $3.1 billion to scams; and
(b) in the last 12 months to April 2023, almost half of all Australians have been scammed, deceived, or exposed to a fake text message;
(2) commends the Government's commitment to crack down on fake text message scams by:
(a) establishing a SMS sender ID registry in the 2023-24 budget; and
(b) committing to tackling illegal scams and keeping Australians safe; and
(3) further notes that the Government's commitment compliments:
(a) the rules registered by the Australian Communications and Media Authority that saw telecommunications companies block more than 90 million scam texts between July and December 2022; and
(b) the Government's investment to establish a National Anti Scam Centre within the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission as an innovative, world-leading public-private sector partnership to disrupt and stop scammers in Australia.
(b) in the last 12 months to April 2023, almost half of all Australians have been scammed, deceived, or exposed to a fake text message;
… the Government's commitment to crack down on fake text message scams by:
(a) establishing a SMS sender ID registry in the 2023-24 budget; and
(b) committing to tackling illegal scams and keeping Australians safe; and
(3) further notes that the Government's commitment compliments:
(a) the rules registered by the Australian Communications and Media Authority that saw telecommunications companies block more than 90 million scam texts between July and December 2022; and
(b) the Government's investment to establish a National Anti Scam Centre within the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission as an innovative, world-leading public-private sector partnership to disrupt and stop scammers in Australia.
That this House:
(1) recognises that;
(a) financial literacy rates in Australia are in decline;
(b) enrolments in economic based subjects, which incorporate financial literacy in the national curriculum, has declined by 70 per cent over the past three decades;
(c) enrolments in maths-based subjects has decreased from 76 per cent to 66 per cent in 2020, and boys outnumber girls 2 to 1 in these subjects;
(d) only around 50 per cent of Australians are considered financially literate, with women having significantly worse outcomes compared to their male counterparts;
(e) on average, 50 per cent of Australians live pay-check to pay-check;
(f) financial hardship is one of the most commonly cited contributors to poor mental health;
(g) Australian students are falling behind other Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development nations in financial literacy performance, based on the Program for International Student Assessment Survey data;
(h) 20 per cent of Australian students do not meet baseline levels of financial literacy; and
(i) the 2021 Australian Government Australian Financial Capability Survey indicates that 94 per cent of young Australians aged 14 to 17 either agreed or strongly agreed that is important to learn how to manage their money; and
(2) calls on:
(a) the Government to make financial literacy a compulsory part of the national curriculum and extend this into the senior years of schooling; and
(b) all Members of Parliament to support measured and considered action to improve financial literacy outcomes in this country across all demographics.
Education is the most powerful weapon you can use to change the world.
Education is the kindling of a flame, not the filling of a vessel.
education is the silver bullet. Education is everything. We don't need little changes, we need gigantic, monumental changes. Schools should be palaces. The competition for the best teachers should be fierce. They should be making six-figure salaries.
Schools should be incredibly expensive for government and absolutely free of charge to its citizens, just like national defense.
That this House:
(1) notes the Government is easing cost-of-living pressures and making hundreds of common medicines cheaper by allowing millions of Australians to buy two months' worth of medicine for the price of a single prescription;
(2) acknowledges that for at least 6 million Australians, this will:
(a) halve their medicine costs;
(b) require fewer visits to the general practitioner and pharmacist;
(c) save Australians more than $1.6 billion over four years;
(3) further notes that this policy comes after the Government's policy to reduce the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme general co-payment from $42.50 to $30, which has saved Australians more than $58 million on 5.1 million prescriptions in the first three months of the laws coming into effect; and
(4) commends the Government for its commitment to make responsible and targeted cost-of-living relief.