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. 15
Petitions and Ministerial Responses
11 September 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 Tracey Roberts MP
Ms Meryl Swanson MP
This committee is supported by staff of the Department of the House of Representatives
Report summarising the petitions and ministerial responses being presented.
The committee met in private session in the 47th Parliament on 2 August 2023 and 9 August 2023
1. The committee resolved to present the following 72 petitions in accordance with standing order 207:
Petitions certified on 2 August 2023
From 83 petitioners—requesting the reduction of the Age Pension back to 65 (EN5224)
From 56 petitioners—requesting safety labels for food containing roundup (EN5225)
From 501 petitioners—regarding legal Australian tender (EN5226)
From 13 petitioners—requesting a ban on electric vehicles (EVs) until they have alternative charging mechanisms (EN5227)
From 7 petitioners—requesting subsidies for gas cooking appliances (EN5228)
From 7 petitioners—requesting the abolition of the minimum 12-month period with a new employer before allowing parental leave (EN5229)
From 732 petitioners—requesting a ban on CSG mining until it can safely store waste salt (EN5230)
From 1893 petitioners—requesting the cessation of the Voice Referendum (EN5231)
From 18 petitioners—regarding the reinstating of stripped citizenship (EN5232)
From 82 petitioners—requesting an immediate pause on the use of the Pfizer & Moderna Covid-19 vaccines (EN5233)
From 11 petitioners—regarding the disability support pension rate (EN5235)
From 9795 petitioners—requesting that bus seatbelts be made mandatory nationwide (EN5237)
From 616 petitioners—requesting the introduction of limits on rent increases (EN5239)
From 4 petitioners—requesting the 'Mercy Amendment' whistleblower protection for persons with disabilities (EN5240)
From 3 petitioners—regarding the building of a hyperloop to solve the housing crisis (EN5241)
From 4 petitioners—regarding a compulsory savings mechanism to fight inflation and requesting that the Treasurer use executive powers to overrule RBA interest rate increases (EN5242)
From 185 petitioners—regarding disability parking misuse and abuse (EN5243)
From 25 petitioners—requesting withdrawal from the AUKUS nuclear submarine agreement (EN5246)
From 44 petitioners—requesting that only citizens and permanent residents be allowed to purchase real estate (EN5247)
From 22 petitioners—requesting mandatory trauma-informed training for police as a part of recruitment (EN5250)
From 4 petitioners—regarding the potential abuse of grants and payments to permanent migrants (EN5251)
From 31 petitioners—regarding petition EN5135 (EN5252)
From 4968 petitioners—requesting the disclosure of information on chemical deployments in the atmosphere (EN5255)
From 3 petitioners—requesting that gender affirmation surgery be covered by Medicare (EN5256)
From 24 petitioners—requesting that gender affirming surgery be covered by Medicare (EN5257)
From 94 petitioners—requesting that the ACMA not be granted new powers in relation to misinformation (EN5258)
From 69 petitioners—requesting that staff to patient ratios be improved in residential aged care facilities (EN5259)
From 42 petitioners—requesting the determination of the Russian Imperial Movement as a terrorist organisation (EN5260)
From 7 petitioners—requesting that popular event ticket queue systems display estimated waiting times (EN5262)
From 309 petitioners—requesting an end to the working hour cap for international students (EN5263)
From 2248 petitioners—requesting the prevention of the ACT government's takeover of Calvary Hospital (EN5264)
From 13 petitioners—requesting sanctions on Israel for breaches of UN policies (EN5265)
From 149 petitioners—requesting the removal of benefits for former Prime Ministers and Members of Parliament (EN5267)
From 25 petitioners—requesting a cessation on the introduction of the Felixer grooming trap (EN5268)
From 8 petitioners—requesting that online poker be removed from the Interactive Gambling Act 2001 (EN5272)
From 31 petitioners—requesting the imposition of penalties for airlines that do not adequately compensate after delays or cancellation (EN5275)
From 32 petitioners—regarding the right to repair (EN5278)
From 32 petitioners—requesting that Australia supply Ukraine with Hawkei vehicles (EN5279)
From 11 petitioners—requesting that the RBA stop increasing the cash rate and lower it to 2% (EN5281)
From 12 petitioners—requesting permanent resident pathways for 485 visa holders who are working in skilled occupations (EN5284)
From 20 petitioners—requesting the lowering of interest rates and electricity prices (EN5285)
From 43 petitioners—requesting that the Australian national anthem be changed to 'I am Australian' (EN5286)
From 1411 petitioners—requesting the reduction of processing times for the offshore partner visa SC309 (EN5288)
From 14 petitioners—requesting access to a humanitarian visa (EN5289)
From 2477 petitioners—requesting that the Communications Legislation Amendment (Combatting Misinformation and Disinformation) Bill 2023 not be passed (EN5295)
From 10 petitioners—requesting regular maintenance of public EV chargers (EN5297)
From 130 petitioners—requesting a ban on fracking in Australia (EN5299)
From 14 petitioners—requesting the introduction of a housing allowance (EN5300)
From 649 petitioners—requesting greater access to physiotherapy sessions through Medicare (EN5302)
From 12 petitioners—requesting changes to the pay rate for disability employment services consultants (EN5304)
From 59 petitioners—requesting regulation or banning of short-term rentals to assist Australia's housing crisis (EN5307)
From 1068 petitioners—requesting the investigation of the merits of providing all Australians with a Universal Basic Income (EN5308)
From 32 petitioners—regarding the publishing of photos of fatal scenes without the consent of the deceased's family (EN5313)
From 356 petitioners—requesting advocacy for victims of violencein Parachinar (EN5316)
From 48 petitioners—requesting better fuel standards and cleaner air for Australia (EN5317)
From 157 petitioners—requesting that freedom of speech be enshrined in the Australian Constitution (EN5318)
From 57 petitioners—requesting that Australia supply stored tanks to Ukraine (EN5319)
From 58 petitioners—requesting that research students receive a living wage (EN5321)
From 673 petitioners—requesting a detailed financial analysis of taxpayer funded ATSI programs (EN5324)
From 391 petitioners—requesting an extension to the Defence Abuse Reparation Scheme under DART (EN5328)
From 9040 petitioners—regarding Australians' right to access financial and banking services (EN5329)
From 5282 petitioners—requesting a cessation to the development of a wind farm off the Port Stephens coast (EN5332)
Petitions certified on 9 August 2023
From 220 petitioners—regarding the cessation of the development of offshore windfarms near Port Stephens (EN5334)
From 25 petitioners—regarding the development of nuclear fusion reactors (EN5335)
From 1785 petitioners—requesting clear and reasonable timeframes for visa 191 processing (EN5341)
From 27 petitioners—regarding the regulation of DNA tests from Ancestry (EN5342)
From 28 petitioners—requesting removal of 60-day scripts (EN5343)
From 2036 petitioners—requesting that the Myanmar Junta's revenue sourcesbe sanctioned (EN5344)
From 37 petitioners—requesting sustainable water solutions for new developments (EN5345)
From 1914 petitioners—requesting the establishment of a national eczema strategy to end suboptimal management (EN5346)
From 383 petitioners—requesting that purchasing a house be made easier for 491 visa holders (EN5347)
From 65 petitioners—regarding Members' conduct in Parliament during speeches (EN5348)
2. The following 35 ministerial responses to petitions were received:
Ministerial responses received by the Committee on 6 September 2023
From the Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government to a petition regarding the funding and development of an arena in Canberra (EN4104)
From the Minister for the Arts to a petition regarding the funding and development of G.I. Jane 2 (EN4114)
From the Minister for Communications to a petition regarding the ministerial response to EN3329, EN3264, EN3288, EN3296, and EN3328 (EN4204)
From the Minister for Foreign Affairs to a petition requesting formal recognition of Taiwanese statehood and a commitment to its defence (EN4268)
From the Minister for Communications to a petition requesting to amend the Interactive Gambling Act 2001 to include games containing loot boxes, in-game currencies operating secondary markets and microtransactions (EN4272)
From the Minister for Foreign Affairs to a petition requesting a ban on Australian companies and individuals from trading with Russian Federation-based entities (EN4276)
From the Minister for Foreign Affairs to a petition regarding increasing military support to Ukraine (EN4279)
From the Minister for Veterans' Affairs to a petition regarding dedicated PTSD counselling for generational victims (EN4294)
From the Minister for Foreign Affairs to a petition regarding the extradition of Julian Assange (EN4310)
From the Minister for Communications to a petition requesting that social media be banned for children under 18 years of age (EN4314)
From the Minister for Emergency Management to a petition regarding integrated transport and flood resilience solutions for the western suburbs of Brisbane (EN4326)
From the Minister for Foreign Affairs to a petition regarding the situation in Jammu and Kashmir (EN4356)
From the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry to a petition regarding the enforcement of biosecurity measures to keep Australia free of foot-and-mouth disease (EN4368)
From the Assistant Minister to the Prime Minister to a petition requesting the Australian National Flag and state flags be changed to remove the Union Jack (EN4369)
From the Assistant Minister to the Prime Minister to a petition requesting a change to the Australian National Anthem to 'I am Australian' (EN4444)
From the Minister for Communications to a petition requesting the introduction of a new classification for all media containing depictions of non-consensual sexual acts (EN4451)
From the Minister for Education to a petition requesting changes to the Australian curriculum to support education around human evolution (EN4467)
From the Minister for Communications to a petition requesting an independent review into the ABC's conduct and perceived bias (EN4823)
From the Acting Minister for Health and Aged Care to a petition requesting access to Medicare for visiting or migrating aged parents (EN4843)
From the Minister for Communications to a petition regarding withdrawal of ABC Triple J's sponsorship and funding of Groovin' the Moo music festival (EN4854)
From the Attorney-General to a petition regarding an extradition matter involving Mr Talalelei Pauga (EN4889)
From the Minister for Communications to a petition requesting a Royal Commission into the Murdoch media (EN4891)
From the Minister for Communications to a petition regarding the harassment of women online (EN4913)
From the Attorney-General to a petition regarding filming in public places (EN4966)
From the Attorney-General to a petition regarding the abolition of State governments (EN4990)
From the Attorney-General to a petition regarding mandatory cognitive testing of prospective Members of Parliament (EN5008)
From the Minister for Communications to a petition requesting a ban on sending unsolicited images online (EN5010)
From the Attorney-General to a petition requesting the establishment of a transgender voice to Parliament (EN5011)
From the Minister for Communications to a petition requesting that mobile phones be banned for use by children under 16 years of age (EN5013)
From the Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government to a petition regarding stopping the development of Macquarie Point Stadium in Hobart (EN5092)
From the Minister for Education to a petition requesting a Royal Commission into teaching in Australia (EN5116)
From the Attorney-General to a petition regarding dual citizenship of Members of Parliament (EN5126)
From the Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government to a petition requesting changes to flight patterns of aircraft departing from Brisbane Airport (EN5132)
From the Minister for the Arts to a petition regarding removing the 1 per cent cap applied to radio broadcast licence fees (EN5134)
From the Acting Minister for Health and Aged Care to a petition regarding a Royal Commission into COVID-19 vaccine-related deaths (EN5149)
Ms Susan Templeman MP
Chair—Petitions Committee
National Housing Finance and Investment Corporation Amendment (Unlocking Regional Housing) Bill 2023
That this bill be now read a second time.
That this House:
(1) notes the Government's failure to reign in excessive profits from corporations which are hurting everyday people by driving inflation and worsening the cost of living crisis; and
(2) calls on the Government to tax super profits and make the big corporations pay their fair share of tax so that everyone can have a better life.
That this House:
(1) acknowledges that the Government's Fee-Free TAFE policy has been hugely successful, with more than 214,300 enrolments so far in the first six months, nearly 35,000 places more than the 2023 target of 180,000;
(2) notes that:
(a) the care sector will benefit significantly, with courses across health care, aged care and disability care attracting 23.8 per cent of total enrolments, with construction attracting 9.8 per cent, technology and digital attracting 7.8 per cent, and early childhood education and care attracting 5.5 per cent of enrolments;
(b) demographic data also shows Fee-Free TAFE is supporting priority groups including young people, job seekers, people with disability, first nations Australians and culturally and linguistically diverse communities; and
(c) women make up 60.2 per cent of enrolments, with nearly 130,000 women taking on a qualification under the program; and
(3) further notes that:
(a) Fee-Free TAFE is a policy delivered in partnership with state and territory governments;
(b) funding is available for a further 300,000 Fee-Free TAFE places over three years from 2024; and
(c) Fee-Free TAFE is another example of the Government working for Australians by delivering a better future.
Australia's skills needs will only be met if the higher education system and an expanded VET system, with TAFE at its core, work together within a more integrated system to deliver the flexible, transferable skills people want and need.
Talking about our region specifically and also those regions where transport is a barrier, particularly when you're talking about young people who can't drive, it is an incredible barrier. You can have the best program in the world or the best work experience opportunities, but, if they can't get there, they can't get there. We see that in our region, particularly down the southern peninsula. We see pockets as well, like down the southern peninsula and in the western port area. They're like little islands. These young people are stuck. So I do think transport is an absolute barrier and something that needs to be looked at to increase access.
We're not as rigid … with our processes. The biggest complaint—
… the biggest feedback that we get regarding—
TAFE—
… is that it's 'free' education, and they quickly realise that it's not free. With our pricing, we try and keep it as low as possible because we know that there are financial barriers for some students. So they may be able to pay a deposit and then pay weekly or fortnightly payments until the course is completed. We try and minimise what we actually charge students. I hear of other RTOs. For example, a single qualification in, say, Certificate IV in Ageing Support is $186, and that is it. It covers all the resources. The textbook alone is $100. They get a uniform to go on their placement, they get a name badge, they get all the support of a face-to-face class—not an online class—and they get support with any IT issues that they may have. They get all that for $186.
That this House:
(1) notes:
(a) the Government's rush towards 82 per cent renewable energy could expose Australia to unnecessary national security risks due to a dependence on imported solar panel components from China;
(b) that an analysis, led by the Shadow Minister for Home Affairs and Cyber Security, Senator James Paterson, uncovered exploitable flaws and vulnerabilities in smart inverters which accompany many Australian solar photovoltaic systems;
(c) that almost 60 per cent of installed smart inverters are being supplied by Chinese manufacturers bound by China's national intelligence laws, which could require companies to be ordered by Beijing to sabotage, survey or disrupt power supplies to Australian homes, companies or Government;
(d) that energy security is national security, and the predominance of Chinese firms supplying inverters leaves Australia vulnerable to cyber-attacks;
(e) that the Government has been aware of the concerns raised by the Opposition but continues to do nothing to alleviate the risks;
(f) that providing affordable and reliable energy that is free from foreign interference should be a first order priority of Government, and that the Government is failing on all fronts;
(g) that the Opposition's concerns have been reinforced by the Cyber Security Cooperative Research Centre (CRC) which has delivered a report revealing the threat posed by solar inverters; and
(h) that the CRC has warned of the potential for a 'black start event', which:
(i) refers to a scaled, targeted and simultaneous attack on the grid resulting in a power plant being rendered incapable of turning back on without reliance on a generator or battery; and
(ii) could shut down the entire power grid and take a week to recover; and
(2) calls on the Government to:
(a) stop dithering and take action to ensure Australia's energy grid is free from foreign interference;
(b) immediately launch a review into the national security implications of its 82 per cent renewable target; and
(c) follow the CRC recommendation and ensure cyber security impact assessments be completed for all solar inverters being sold in Australia, and that mandatory cyber security ratings be introduced for solar inverters.
Rather, it is the surest way to a vacuum in which those who would do us harm are themselves able to operate, innovate and disrupt …
Instead of asking what online freedoms must be sacrificed for security, we must ask what security is required for online freedom.
That Ms Scrymgour be discharged from the Joint Standing Committee on Implementation of the National Redress Scheme and that, in her place, Ms Vamvakinou be appointed a member of the committee.
That so much of the standing and sessional orders be suspended as would prevent the Member for Griffith from moving the following motion—
That this House:
(1) notes:
(a) that 11 September 2023 marks the 50th anniversary of the illegal coup against the democratically elected Allende Government in Chile;
(b) that 4,000 people were killed or disappeared, and 40,000 people were tortured under the dictatorship of General Augusto Pinochet;
(c) the role that the Australian Secret Intelligence Service (ASIS) and the Australian Government played in supporting the coup against the Allende Government, along with the United States' Government and the Central Intelligence Agency; and
(d) Prime Minister Gough Whitlam's subsequent decision to order that ASIS end their operation against the Chilean people; and
(2) calls on the Government to apologise to the people of Chile for the actions of the ASIS in supporting the coup and the harm caused by the dictatorship of General Pinochet.
The Australian government insists on secrecy to avoid having to admit to the Australian public that it helped destroy Chilean democracy.
The House divided. [12:17]
(The Speaker—Hon. Milton Dick)
International Organisations (Privileges and Immunities) Amendment Bill 2023
That this bill be now read a second time.
Australia only grants privileges and immunities which are required under our international obligations and commitments. When negotiating privileges and immunities as part of international agreements, this Government takes the line that specific items should be included only where there is a demonstrated functional need. We have to be satisfied that the specific privilege or immunity is necessary for the effective operation of the organisation.
That this bill be now read a third time.
Greenhouse and Energy Minimum Standards Amendment (Administrative Changes) Bill 2023
That this bill be now read a second time.
An answer must be directly relevant to the question.
Migration Amendment (Strengthening Employer Compliance) Bill 2023
It is recommended that the Government consider developing legislation so that a person who knowingly unduly influences, pressures or coerces a temporary migrant worker to breach a condition of their visa is guilty of an offence.
It is recommended that the Government explore mechanisms to exclude employers who have been convicted by a court of underpaying temporary migrant workers from employing new temporary visa holders for a specific period.
She said working conditions were oppressive: staff were shouted at and abused, told they were hopeless and constantly threatened they would be dismissed for "working too slowly".
Agents are closely connected with the exploiters themselves, and everything is organised, right from the beginning. When people arrive at the airport there is somebody there to take them … to accommodation.
These are like forced labour camps, it is like slave labour, these people aren't free at all.
They are not given employment contracts, and there is no agreement on conditions or rates of pay. The face exorbitant deductions from the money that they are paid for rent, food, or other expenses.
… particularly students studying in Australia, find jobs through the Korean local media, where jobs are advertised in Korean without any reference to award rates, or conditions. Some openly advertise pay rates as low as $12 an hour … workers are often kept in bleak conditions, crowded into already-overfull houses, especially in the Sydney suburbs of Strathfield and Lidcombe.
Exploitation of workers is not just an offence against the individual—which is serious enough. It also undermines the competitiveness of compliant businesses who treat their workers fairly and with consideration. Worker exploitation can also have a destabilising impact on whole communities.
Recommendation 19:
It is recommended that the Government consider developing legislation so that a person who knowingly unduly influences, pressures or coerces a temporary migrant worker to breach a condition of their visa is guilty of an offence.
Recommendation 20
It is recommended that the Government explore mechanisms to exclude employers who have been convicted by a court of underpaying temporary migrant workers from employing new temporary visa holders for a specific period.
This has been a severe problem for at least 10 years, there have been huge numbers of underpaid and exploited migrant workers and nothing was done about it.
Wage exploitation of temporary migrants offends our national values of fairness. It harms not only the employees involved, but also the businesses which do the right thing. It has potential to undermine our national reputation as a place for international students to undertake their studies and may discourage working holiday makers from filling essential gaps in the agricultural workforce. This problem has persisted for too long and it needs concerted action to overcome it.
Wage underpayment may be inadvertent, but the outcome is no different as to when it is deliberate.
It is recommended that the Government consider developing legislation so that a person who knowingly unduly influences, pressures or coerces a temporary migrant worker to breach a condition of their visa is guilty of an offence.
It is recommended that the Government explore mechanisms to exclude employers who have been convicted by a court of underpaying temporary migrant workers from employing new temporary visa holders for a specific period.
That this bill be now read a third time.
Greenhouse and Energy Minimum Standards Amendment (Administrative Changes) Bill 2023
Demand-side measures including improving the energy efficiency of appliances and equipment supplied in Australia can support Australia's net zero target.
That this bill be now read a third time.
Fair Work Legislation Amendment (Closing Loopholes) Bill 2023
"Let's not sugarcoat it. These industrial relations changes are some of the most extreme interventionist workplace changes that have ever been proposed in Australia."
I do not need to be welcomed to my country.
I have great-grand-uncles who fought in the First World War including Gallipoli and the Western Front in World War 2.
My father and his brother fought in New Guinea, my father-in-law fought in Singapore and became a Japanese prisoner of war.
My mother's brother died in World War 2, they were all trying to save our country.
My brother, three brothers-in-law and myself have all served in our country's defence force.
My nephew did two tours of Afghanistan and my son is in the army now.
I have uncles and cousins who have also served and or are still serving, everyone of us serving our—my—country. I've done 40+ years of community service with local clubs, from coaching juniors and seniors to administration to regional and state level, all of it voluntary.
I've worked for 50 years, paying taxes to my country.
I do not need to be welcomed to my country every day on TV and radio, and at every sporting event, because it's my country as well.
Hello—I was born here, my family has over 150+ years of history here.
I am not responsible for what happened 230+ years ago and I can do nothing about that, I cannot change history, no one can.
But I do want to live in a united country.
Indigenous people I have grown up with, I have served with, worked with, employed, coached, trained and played sport with, lived with, helped, drank, partied and cried with.
So Stop The Division, PLEASE.
Stop trying to divide us, if we are one then we are many, but divided we are nothing, divided we are gone.
Be united for our children and our grandchildren so they have hope and a future, be united and we will be strong.
Are you? I am!!! AUSTRALIAN.
The DEPUTY SPEAKER ( Mr Stevens ) took the chair at 10:29.
That this House:
(1) acknowledges the urgent need to invest in medical research into Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma (DIPG), a childhood brain cancer with a 100 per cent mortality rate;
(2) recognises that:
(a) DIPG causes more childhood deaths than any other disease;
(b) just ten per cent of patients survive two years, and less than one per cent survive five years;
(c) DIPG is one of the only cancers for which there are no effective systematic therapies;
(d) DIPG typically strikes in the middle of childhood, peaking around five to seven years of age;
(e) each year, 20 to 25 Australian children are diagnosed with DIPG and pass away within 12 months; and
(f) Australia is in a unique position to improve outcomes for DIPG patients, since we are regarded internationally as one of the world's leaders in DIPG research;
(3) further acknowledges that the Kids Cancer Centre at the Sydney Children's Hospital estimates that an injection of $25 million specific for DIPG research is needed; and
(4) calls on the Minister for Health and Aged Care to allocate funding from the $20 billion Medical Research Future Fund.
That this House:
(1) notes the Government's commitment to restore dignity to aged care residents;
(2) recognises that the Government is:
(a) delivering on the commitment to put nurses back into nursing homes with 24 hours a day, seven days a week nursing care;
(b) delivering a record 15 per cent pay increase for aged care workers across Australia, the largest ever pay rise in the history of the aged care sector;
(c) delivering support for older Australians who live in aged care homes, so that they are receiving the safe, high-quality care they deserve; and
(d) working to ensure older Australians have tasty and nutritious food in aged care; and
(3) acknowledges this is just part of the Government's commitment to significant new investments to rebuild universal healthcare in Australia.
How many providers have actually signed up to your agreement to access workers from overseas?
Eight providers have signed up so far …
But eight providers of something like 800 across the country—
There does seem to be a concern about the unions and the level of access that they would have to these employees—
Do you think it's an impediment?
Not at all.
Residential facilities in the major cities added just over 1200 beds in the past financial year, which is barely half the average pace of the past five years.
The number of beds in outer regional Australia has also gone backwards, with 86 fewer beds in remote areas in the 12 months to mid-2023 compared to an average annual growth of 116 beds over the five years.
That this House:
(1) recognises:
(a) that despite the Prime Minister declaring he wanted to 'change the way' we do politics in Australia, the Government is following the well-trodden path of the previous Government and failing to meet the transparency expectations of the Australian public; and
(b) this failure is particularly acute when it comes to the protection of whistleblowers;
(2) notes that:
(a) whistleblowers make our democracy stronger by valuing accountability and justice, and promoting good government and good governance;
(b) whistleblowing is one the most effective ways to detect and prevent corruption;
(c) the action of high-profile whistleblowers, such as Richard Boyle and David McBride, has resulted in changed policy and/or public good;
(d) the ongoing prosecutions of these individuals are having a chilling effect on anyone considering blowing the whistle to reveal unlawful and other wrongful conduct, and are not in the public interest;
(e) the Attorney-General has authority under section 71(b) of the Judiciary Act 1903 to decline to proceed further with a prosecution for an indictable offence; and
(f) this power was granted to the Attorney-General so that he may discharge his ultimate responsibility to Parliament and to the Australian people for the conduct of the prosecution process with due regard for public interest; and
(3) calls on the Attorney-General to act in the name of transparency and utilise his power to immediately cease the prosecutions of Richard Boyle and David McBride.
When any person is under commitment upon a charge of an indictable offence against the laws of the Commonwealth, the Attorney-General … may decline to proceed further in the prosecution …
… blowing the whistle on crime and misconduct is incredibly difficult, with whistleblowers often facing reprisals, and some are never able to work again. For many Australians who see wrongdoing and want it to stop, blowing the whistle isn't worth the risk.
The Attorney-General is to be commended for resuming the journey towards a better whistleblowing framework, having led the initial enactment of the PID Act—
over a decade ago.
These initial technical changes will start to breathe life back into federal whistleblower protection in tandem with the Albanese Government's historic success in establishing Australia's long awaited national anti-corruption commission.
That this House:
(1) notes that:
(a) October is Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month;
(b) Sunday, 15 October 2023 marks Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day; and
(c) this date acknowledges the shared loss experienced by parents, friends, and healthcare workers of those little ones lost too soon whether through miscarriage, stillbirth, neonatal death or any other loss;
(2) acknowledges that:
(a) there is a significant impact on families which have lost a baby;
(b) every year 110,000 Australians experience a miscarriage, more than 2,000 experience stillbirth, and almost 700 lost a baby within the first 28 days; and
(c) stillbirth occurrence is higher in Aboriginal and Culturally Diverse communities;
(3) further acknowledges all families that have experienced loss, either recently or over time; and
(4) commends the Government for providing $5.1 million to organisations to support women and families following stillbirth or miscarriage.
I think, being inclusive as a baby store, that you need to include those people; they also had a baby.
It's so important, equally for bereaved parents and for those friends and family of bereaved parents, to know that there is something they can buy that is meaningful and establishes that ongoing connection for the parents to that baby, and also shows that bereaved family that you're here.
At a time when we could be clothing and feeding the world, here we are just throwing skins into the tip and shooting sheep.
That this House:
(1) notes that:
(a) safe and affordable housing is central to the security and dignity of all Australians;
(b) the Government has committed to an ambitious housing reform agenda, which will boost the supply of all housing, including more public and social housing, more affordable housing, more homes to rent and more homes to buy;
(c) Australia's housing challenges did not happen overnight and cannot be solved by one government alone; and
(d) the Government is working with state, territory and local governments to deliver better housing outcomes including the work being undertaken through the National Cabinet;
(2) acknowledges the measures agreed to at National Cabinet, including:
(a) federal funding of $3 billion through the New Homes Bonus to help incentivise states and territories to build more homes where people need them;
(b) a $500 million Housing Support Program for initiatives to help kickstart housing supply, including connecting essential services and amenities to support new housing development and building planning capability;
(c) federal funding of $2 billion through the Social Housing Accelerator to deliver thousands of social homes across Australia;
(d) the National Planning Reform Blueprint with planning, zoning, land release and other measures to improve housing supply and affordability;
(e) A Better Deal for Renters to harmonise and strengthen renters' rights across Australia; and
(f) the National Housing Accord that will support planning and zoning reforms to deliver 10,000 affordable rental homes over five years from 2024, to be matched by the states and territories; and
(3) further acknowledges that:
(a) after a decade of little action, the Government is delivering measures to turn around the housing challenges in Australia today; and
(b) there is more work to do and we need governments at all levels to work together.
Your account was restricted due to multiple violations of LinkedIn's User Agreement and Professional Community Policies against sharing content that contains misleading or inaccurate information.
We only needed one lockdown, one test and one treatment for all.
Vitamin D test, Vitamin D treatment.
Did not appear in any of the modelling.
Australia failed as did the WHO and all its agencies.
Remind me again why we keep locking up the entire Australian population in the fight against Covid-19. A grand total of 21 people under 60 died with or of Covid in 2020.
A re-elected coalition government will continue to protect you and your family online by:
… It is in the nature of social media that harmful posts may go 'viral' and rapidly be disseminated to a wide audience, amplifying the harm…
… the significant role that providers play in promoting and disseminating content, and community expectations around the responsibilities that come with providing a service that comes with the potential for significant harm.
… we're not just fighting an epidemic; we're fighting an infodemic. Fake news spreads faster and more easily than this virus, and is just as dangerous.
Foreign interference is now Australia's principal national security threat which risks significantly undermining our values, freedoms and way of life … authoritarian regimes continue to pose an unacceptable risk to democratic societies through targeted online disinformation campaigns that leverage social media platforms to skew public debate, undermine trust in our democratic institutions, and establish narratives that favour the interests of authoritarian states.
The Morrison Government will introduce legislation this year to combat harmful disinformation and misinformation online.
… a re-elected Liberal Coalition Government will introduce stronger laws to combat harmful disinformation and misinformation online by giving the media regulator stronger information-gathering and enforcement powers.
… targeted online disinformation campaigns that leverage social media platforms to skew public debate, undermine trust in our democratic institutions, and establish narratives that favour the interests of authoritarian states.
I mean there is a serious risk that in combating misinformation and disinformation we seriously undermine freedom of speech, which is a pillar of that system of democracy that we're trying to defend. … we might actually make the situation even worse than the problem that we're trying to cure.
… there are examples around the world of information being opportunistically labelled as 'misinformation' or 'disinformation' to delegitimise alternative opinions and justify censorship.
… risks enabling unpopular or controversial opinions or beliefs to be subjectively labelled as misinformation or disinformation, and censored as a result.
… fails to acknowledge the reality that misinformation and disinformation can come from government.
The risk is that disfavoured opinions might come to be labelled and regulated as 'misinformation' …
Once a government is committed to the principle of silencing the voice of opposition, it has only one way to go, and that is down the path of increasingly repressive measures, until it becomes a source of terror to all its citizens and creates a country where everyone lives in fear.
While the web has created opportunity, given marginalized groups a voice, and made our daily lives easier, it has also created opportunity for scammers, given a voice to those who spread hatred, and made all kinds of crime easier to commit.
That this House:
(1) notes that:
(a) 11 September 2023 marks the 50th anniversary of the 1973 coup in the Republic of Chile; and
(b) the coup and subsequent military dictatorship was supported and enabled by the interference of foreign powers; and
(2) acknowledges that:
(a) the coup was an abrogation of the democratic rights of the people of Chile;
(b) the subsequent military dictatorship was a period of intense suffering and repression for the Chilean people;
(c) the Government in 1973 initiated a program which brought thousands of refugees from Chile to Australia;
(d) the contribution of those Chileans to the life and society of Australia has been outstanding;
(e) the peoples of Australia have and continue to enjoy strong and happy relations; and
(f) today Chile is a strong and progressive democracy and a key partner of Australia.
The only way to build a future that is more free and respectful of life and human dignity is to know the whole truth.
The union should not be restricted simply to wages and conditions, but a broader picture of the community. All shop stewards and officials of the union must be prepared and educated to deal with the broad issues facing all working people.
Workers of my country, I have faith in Chile and its destiny. Other men will overcome this dark and bitter moment when treason seeks to prevail. Keep in mind that, much sooner than later, the great avenues will again be opened through which will pass free men to construct a better society. Long live Chile! Long live the people! Long live the workers!
That this House:
(1) acknowledges the success of women's sport in Australia, particularly the:
(a) Australian women's cricket team which retained the Ashes in 2023 after winning the World Cup in 2022, and the T20 World Cup in Melbourne in 2022;
(b) Diamonds which recently won the Netball World Cup for the twelfth time, beating England 61-45; and
(c) Matildas' success in the FIFA Women's World Cup;
(2) notes:
(a) that many codes are moving to pay parity and are providing women opportunities previously only seen in men's sport; and
(b) the prestige of women's sport with increasing numbers of people watching sport at the ground, at 'live sites', or on television;
(3) encourages greater free-to-air availability for sports; and
(4) further notes the importance of supporting women's and men's sport to encourage health and fitness—'you can't be what you can't see'.