The SPEAKER ( Hon. Milton Dick ) took the chair at 09:00, made an acknowledgement of country and read prayers.
Report relating to the consideration of committee and delegation business and of private Members' business
1. The Committee met in private session on Tuesday, 28 May 2024.
2. The Committee deliberated on items of committee and delegation business that had been notified, private Members' business items listed on the Notice Paper and notices lodged on Tuesday, 28 May 2024, and determined the order of precedence and times on Monday, 3 June 2024, as follows:
Items for House of Representatives Chamber (10.10 am to 12 noon)
PRIVATE MEMBERS' BUSINESS
Notices
1 MR LEESER: To present a Bill for an Act to establish a commission of inquiry into antisemitism at Australian universities, and for related purposes. ( Commission of Inquiry into Antisemitism at Australian Universities Bill 2024 )
Presenter may speak to the second reading for a period not exceeding 10 minutes — pursuant to standing order 41. Debate must be adjourned pursuant to standing order 142.
2 MR GEE: To present a Bill for an Act to require businesses to accept cash payments for certain transactions, and for related purposes. ( Keeping Cash Transactions in Australia Bill 2024 )
Presenter may speak to the second reading for a period not exceeding 10 minutes — pursuant to standing order 41. Debate must be adjourned pursuant to standing order 142.
3 MR WALLACE: To move:
That this House:
(1) notes that:
(a) anonymous perpetrators of family, domestic and sexual violence use social media to bully, harass, and target their victims;
(b) anonymous predators use social media to groom, traffic and exploit children;
(c) anonymous parties and organised crime gangs use armies of operatives and automated bots to radicalise, terrorise and steal from vulnerable Australians; and
(d) the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Social Policy and Legal Affairs in 2021 recommended the introduction of identity verification for social media platforms to strip malicious actors of their anonymity in an effort to prevent technology-facilitated abuse;
(2) acknowledges that:
(a) this recommendation was made with bipartisan support; and
(b) the ongoing, and in some cases default, application of end-to-end encryption on social media and messaging platforms risks undermining existing mechanisms to deploy, detect, disrupt, and prosecute harmful and unlawful conduct;
(3) further notes that the Government did not support recommendation 30 of the final report on the Inquiry into Family, Domestic and Sexual Violence;
(4) condemns the Government for its:
(a) refusal so far to support the recommendation to implement a mandated social media identification verification regime;
(b) failure to address the child safety, organised crime, and national security risks posed by online anonymity; and
(c) patent fealty to big tech, big porn and the big end of town; and
(5) calls on the Minister for Communications to:
(a) charge the eSafety Commissioner with expeditiously developing a roadmap toward social media identification verification within 12 months; and
(b) commence the implementation of the social media identification verification regime within three months of its release.
(Notice given 14 May 2024.)
Time allotted — 35 minutes.
Speech time limits —
Mr Wallace — 5minutes.
Other Members — 5minutes each.
[Minimum number of proposed Members speaking = 7 x 5 mins]
The Committee determined that consideration of this matter should continue on a future day.
4 MS SWANSON: To move:
That this House:
(1) notes the:
(a) Government is delivering a responsible budget that provides cost of living help now, builds a stronger and more resilient economy and invests in a future made in Australia; and
(b) budget delivers for all Australians by:
(i) easing cost of living pressures;
(ii) building more homes for Australians;
(iii) investing in a Future Made in Australia, and in the skills and universities needed to make it a reality;
(iv) strengthening Medicare and the care economy; and
(v) broadening opportunity and advancing equality; and
(2) acknowledges:
(a) the Government's number one priority is delivering cost of living relief to Australians; and
(b) that the responsible economic management by the Government has:
(i) delivered back-to-back budget surpluses;
(ii) seen 82 per cent of revenue upgrades returned since coming to government over the forward estimates;
(iii) saved and reprioritised $77.4 billion of spending since coming to government;
(iv) limited real spending growth to an average of 1.4 per cent;
(v) improved the budget position by a forecast $214.7 billion over the six years to 2027-28 compared to the former Government;
(vi) reduced debt as a share of the economy;
(vii) improved Australia's debt position with gross debt $152 billion lower in this financial year than was forecast at the time of the election; and
(viii) avoided $80 billion in interest costs over the decade due to the improved budget position compared to what was inherited at the election.
(Notice given 28 May 2024.)
Time allotted — 35 minutes.
Speech time limits —
Ms Swanson — 5minutes.
Other Members — 5minutes each.
[Minimum number of proposed Members speaking = 7 x 5 mins]
The Committee determined that consideration of this matter should continue on a future day.
5 MS LE: To move:
That this House:
(1) acknowledges:
(a) Australians are currently battling the cost of living pressures and struggling to pay for mortgages, bills and everyday household needs;
(b) across various petrol stations within Australia, the petrol prices have consistently remained above $2 per litre and Australians are expected to pay approximately $100 to fill their tank or up to $200 for large vehicles; and
(c) in the electoral division of Fowler, being one of the most disadvantaged electorates, approximately 60 per cent of constituents rely on their vehicles to commute to work and from work, including to other electorates;
(2) notes that in 2022, the previous Government temporarily reduced fuel excise duty from 30 March 2022 to 28 September 2022, which provided significant relief to the cost of living crisis following the aftermath of COVID-19; and
(3) calls on the Government to indefinitely reduce fuel excise duty as a form of cost of living relief for Australians currently experiencing financial hardship.
(Notice given 28 May 2024.)
Time allotted — remaining private Members' business time prior to 12 noon.
Speech time limits —
Ms Le — 5minutes.
Other Members — 5minutes each.
[Minimum number of proposed Members speaking = 4 x 5 mins]
The Committee determined that consideration of this matter should continue on a future day.
Items for Federation Chamber (11 am to 1.30 pm)
PRIVATE MEMBERS' BUSINESS
Orders of the day
1 DECARBONISED INDUSTRIES: Resumption of debate ( from 25 March 2024 ) on the motion of Ms Chaney—That this House:
(1) notes that under its Inflation Reduction Act, the United States of America (USA) has committed more than one trillion (AUD) in incentives to accelerate the USA's transition to net zero by 2050;
(2) acknowledges that, with our abundant natural resources, Australia is well-placed to become a renewable energy superpower;
(3) further notes that business representatives have raised concerns that Australia is lagging in the race to decarbonise, in part due to:
(a) unwieldly state and federal approvals processes;
(b) low investor confidence due to decades of climate inaction;
(c) the comparatively high cost of doing business; and
(d) competition from other countries with stronger support structures for new industries; and
(4) calls on the Government to commit to an urgent, comprehensive and well-funded plan to increase our international competitiveness in decarbonised industries.
Time allotted — 20 minutes.
Speech time limits —
All Members — 5minutes each.
[Minimum number of proposed Members speaking = 4 x 5 mins]
The Committee determined that consideration of this matter should continue on a future day.
Notices
1 DR FREELANDER: To move:
That this House:
(1) notes the Government is continuing to improve our health system by:
(a) strengthening Medicare by:
(i) growing the number of Medicare Urgent Care Clinics to 87;
(ii) expanding the range of free mental health services;
(iii) increasing the number of Medicare eligible magnetic resonance imaging machines;
(iv) delivering funding for Medicare rebates for nuclear medicine imaging and common medical tests; and
(v) boosting the supply of healthcare in areas of shortage; and
(b) easing cost of living pressures with cheaper medicines, and through:
(i) reducing patient costs and improving access to medicines;
(ii) listing new medicines on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme;
(iii) making Australia a destination for clinical trials; and
(iv) investing in ground-breaking new health and medical research; and
(2) acknowledges:
(a) that only a Labor-led Government can be trusted to invest in and strengthen Medicare; and
(b) the damage done to Australia's health system by the Leader of the Opposition who, as the Minister for Health:
(i) tried to tax visits to general practitioners;
(ii) tried to tax visits to emergency departments; and
(iii) cut $50 billion from Australian hospitals.
(Notice given 28 May 2024.)
Time allotted — 30 minutes.
Speech time limits —
Dr Freelander — 5minutes.
Other Members — 5minutes each.
[Minimum number of proposed Members speaking = 6 x 5 mins]
The Committee determined that consideration of this matter should continue on a future day.
2 MR FLETCHER: To move:
That this House:
(1) notes that following a ten-month blockade of Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) in defiance of the orders of the International Court of Justice, on 19 September 2023, Azerbaijan conducted an unprovoked 24-hour military assault against Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh);
(2) unequivocally condemns the lightning military assault which resulted in the forcible displacement of an estimated 100,000 indigenous Armenians from their ancestral homeland;
(3) acknowledges the:
(a) Government's condemnation of the 24-hour military assault and the allocation of $500,000 in humanitarian aid to the UNHCR, complementing contributions from the City of Ryde and Willoughby City Council; and
(b) bipartisan parliamentary support for emergency funding and expertise to the International Committee of the Red Cross to assist the indigenous Armenian population of Nagorno-Karabakh;
(4) calls on Azerbaijan to abide by the International Court of Justice's provisional measures handed down on 17 November 2023, calling for the right of return for Armenians displaced from Nagorno-Karabakh under enforceable international guarantees of their security and rights;
(5) further notes the ongoing tension in the region and calls on Azerbaijan to withdraw from the internationally recognised borders of the Republic of Armenia; and
(6) further calls on Azerbaijan to release all illegally detained Armenian political prisoners, including civilians and calls on Azerbaijan to take steps to ensure the protection of ancient cultural and historical sites in Nagorno-Karabakh.
(Notice given 14 May 2023.)
Time allotted — 20 minutes.
Speech time limits —
Mr Fletcher — 5minutes.
Other Members — 5minutes each.
[Minimum number of proposed Members speaking = 4 x 5 mins]
The Committee determined that consideration of this matter should continue on a future day.
3 MS FERNANDO: To move:
That this House:
(1) recognises that the Government is putting in place significant reforms in response to the Australian Universities Accord to provide cost of living relief and to make higher education better and fairer for students, including those from low socio-economic status or disadvantaged backgrounds and those from the outer suburbs and from regional Australia;
(2) welcomes the Government's target of 80 per cent of the workforce having a tertiary qualification by 2050;
(3) further recognises that if the broader accord targets are achieved, $240 billion will be added to the economy over the period to 2050; and
(4) commends the Government for progress on all five priority actions from the Australian Universities Accord interim report and its response to 29 of the Australian Universities Accord recommendations in full or in part, including to:
(a) change the way indexation is calculated, wiping around $3 billion in student debt from more than 3 million Australians;
(b) introduce a Commonwealth Prac Payment for teaching, nursing and midwifery and social work students undertaking mandatory placements;
(c) fully fund Fee-Free Uni Ready courses to provide more students with an enabling pathway into higher education;
(d) guarantee funding for student led organisations; and
(e) establish an independent National Student Ombudsman.
(Notice given 28 May 2024.)
Time allotted — 30 minutes.
Speech time limits —
Ms Fernando — 5minutes.
Other Members — 5minutes each.
[Minimum number of proposed Members speaking = 6 x 5 mins]
The Committee determined that consideration of this matter should continue on a future day.
4 MR HAMILTON: To move:
That this House:
(1) recognises the importance of home ownership to Australian families and that home ownership remains the Australian dream;
(2) notes:
(a) the increasing financial pressure on households with many Australians suffering mortgage stress; and
(b) research by Roy Morgan that an increased level of mortgage stress is being experienced across the country;
(3) acknowledges that the:
(a) high spending, high taxing policies of the Government has entrenched inflation and failed to support Australians struggling with high interest rates; and
(b) Government has failed to take the cost of living crisis seriously, with real disposable incomes collapsing by 7.5 per cent, per capita since the Government came to power, as a result of higher prices, higher taxes and higher interest rates; and
(4) calls on the Government to:
(a) admit that the Government's policies are causing financial hardship for many Australians and fuelling the cost of living crisis; and
(b) immediately implement policies to address the high level of inflation and protect Australians from mortgage stress.
(Notice given 14 May 2024.)
Time allotted — remaining private Members' business time prior to 1.30 pm.
Speech time limits —
Mr Hamilton — 5minutes.
Other Members — 5minutes each.
[Minimum number of proposed Members speaking = 10 x 5 mins]
The Committee determined that consideration of this matter should continue on a future day.
Items for Federation Chamber (4.45 pm to 7.30 pm)
PRIVATE MEMBERS' BUSINESS
Notices — continued
5 MR LAXALE: To move:
That this House:
(1) commends the Government's Future Made in Australia plan that is securing Australia's position in the changing global economy;
(2) notes the Government is maximising the opportunities of the net zero transformation by:
(a) providing $168.1 million to better prioritise approval decisions for renewable energy projects of national significance, and support faster decisions on environment, cultural heritage and planning approvals;
(b) investing $3.2 billion over the next decade through the Australian Renewable Energy Agency to support the commercialisation of technologies that are critical to net zero, including through a new $1.7 billion Future Made in Australia Innovation Fund;
(c) investing an estimated $8 billion over the decade in production incentives for renewable hydrogen, supporting new export and manufacturing opportunities;
(d) investing an estimated $7 billion over 11 years in production tax incentives to support downstream refining and processing of Australia's 31 critical minerals;
(e) committing $1.5 billion to manufacturing clean energy technologies, including the $1 billion Solar Sunshot and $523.2 million Battery Breakthrough, and launching the National Battery Strategy; and
(f) undertaking a strategic examination of Australia's research and development system, and investing $38.2 million in a range of science, technology, engineering, and maths (STEM) programs to increase diversity in STEM; and
(3) calls on the Opposition to support Australia's manufacturing future and the creation of more secure, well-paid jobs.
(Notice given 28 May 2024.)
Time allotted — 30 minutes.
Speech time limits —
Mr Laxale — 5minutes.
Other Members — 5minutes each.
[Minimum number of proposed Members speaking = 6 x 5 mins]
The Committee determined that consideration of this matter should continue on a future day.
6 MR THOMPSON: To move:
That this House:
(1) notes:
(a) Australia is facing the most complex set of strategic challenges since the end of the Second World War;
(b) the importance of a strong and capable sovereign defence industrial base to ensure we can respond to these strategic challenges without overreliance on international partners; and
(c) the failure of this Government to take meaningful action over the past two years to grow Australia's sovereign defence industrial base;
(2) acknowledges industry research which shows;
(a) only one in four (25 per cent) of defence businesses are 'extremely' or 'very' confident that their existing or upcoming contracts will continue as planned over the next 12 months; and
(b) 47 per cent of defence businesses believe it is 'difficult' or 'extremely difficult' to operate in Australia's defence sector, including 64 per cent of small businesses and 48 per cent of medium enterprises; and
(3) calls on the Government to urgently implement a policy framework and industry support to build our industrial self-reliance with Australian defence industry primes and successful small and medium enterprises.
(Notice given 14 May 2024.)
Time allotted — 45 minutes.
Speech time limits —
Mr Thompson — 5minutes.
Other Members — 5minutes each.
[Minimum number of proposed Members speaking = 9 x 5 mins]
The Committee determined that consideration of this matter should continue on a future day.
7 MS STANLEY: To move:
That this House:
(1) notes that:
(a) Western Sydney is the third largest economy in Australia behind the Sydney central business district and Melbourne; and
(b) the Western Sydney Airport opening in 2026 will create thousands of jobs, inject billions into the economy and support the continued growth of Western Sydney; and
(2) commends the Government:
(a) for investing nearly $2 billion extra in Western Sydney transport infrastructure, including 14 new projects and additional funding for two existing projects;
(b) for investing a total of $17.3 billion for infrastructure projects to support the growth of Western Sydney and the development of the new Western Sydney Airport; and
(c) on opening the new Moorebank Interstate Terminal, which will deliver thousands of local jobs in Western Sydney and ease congestion by removing more than 3,000 trucks off Sydney roads per day.
(Notice given 15 May 2024.)
Time allotted — 20 minutes.
Speech time limits —
Ms Stanley — 5minutes.
Other Members — 5minutes each.
[Minimum number of proposed Members speaking = 4 x 5 mins]
The Committee determined that consideration of this matter should continue on a future day.
8 MR VIOLI: To move:
That this House:
(1) notes:
(a) that the former Government made record investments which saw more than 227,000 people access home care packages, including our past two budgets which released an additional 80,000 home care packages to support older Australians;
(b) the Government has released just 9,500 additional packages;
(c) stakeholder concerns about the availability of in-home aged care services and the significant wait times being experienced by elderly Australians seeking to access care; and
(d) many providers now have so many clients on their waiting lists that they have closed the lists altogether, leaving vulnerable Australians without vital supports; and
(2) calls on the Government to immediately address shortfalls for aged care packages to allow Australians to access the support they need, when they need it.
(Notice given 14 May 2024.)
Time allotted — 45 minutes.
Speech time limits —
Mr Violi — 5minutes.
Other Members — 5minutes each.
[Minimum number of proposed Members speaking = 9 x 5 mins]
The Committee determined that consideration of this matter should continue on a future day.
9 MS FERNANDO: To move:
That this House:
(1) recognises that intimate partner violence is a national crisis in Australia, with a quarter of all Australian women having experienced it in their lifetime;
(2) welcomes the Government's:
(a) announcement of $925.2 million over five years to permanently establish the Leaving Violence Program, so those escaping violence can receive financial support of up to $5,000, as well as financial support, safety assessments and referrals to support pathways, to help them establish a home free from violence;
(b) commitment to introduce legislation to ban the creation and non-consensual distribution of deepfake pornography;
(c) ongoing commitment to the Stop it at the Start campaign; and
(3) commends the National Plan to End Violence against Women and Children 2022-32.
(Notice given 14 May 2024.)
Time allotted — remaining private Members' business time prior to 7.30 pm.
Speech time limits —
Ms Fernando — 5minutes.
Other Members — 5minutes each.
[Minimum number of proposed Members speaking = 5 x 5 mins]
The Committee determined that consideration of this matter should continue on a future day.
THE HON D. M. DICK MP
Speaker of the House of Representatives
29 May 2024
That this House recognise the State of Palestine.
That so much of standing and sessional orders be suspended as would prevent the member for Melbourne moving the following motion:
That this House recognise the State of Palestine.
A video filmed for CNN in the hospital courtyard shows several body bags laid on the ground with dozens of anguished people including men, women and children crowded around their late loved ones.
People are seen crouching over the body bags, with some caressing their loved one's lifeless bodies. At least one baby's head can be seen sticking out of a bag, as the woman beside it shouts: "My whole family has perished."
… … …
Lifting the baby boy's body to the camera, Mahmoud Abu Taha cries out, "this is who they are targeting. This is their objective. This is the generation they're looking for. This is the safe Rafah they talk about."
… … …
Another eyewitness says a five-day-old boy named Ghaith Abu Rayya was killed in the airstrike. The footage shows him opening a small body bag to reveal the infant's head, saying his body has been dismembered.
"We are all alone. Nobody cares about us," he cries.
He is seen opening another body bag next to Ghaith's, sobbing, and saying, "my beloved Ramy," who he says is Ghaith's 33-year-old father.
… Singapore's support for this resolution is a vote in favour of a negotiated two-state solution at a critical juncture in a very troubled region.
… Japan also voted in favor of the General Assembly's resolution that grants Palestine additional rights as an Observer State on the understanding that these rights are not inconsistent with the framework of the UN Charter.
Setting out a horizon for a Palestinian state should be one of the vital conditions for moving from a pause in the fighting to a sustainable ceasefire.
The House divided. [09:31]
(The Speaker—Hon. Milton Dick)
Nature Positive (Environment Protection Australia) Bill 2024
That this bill be now read a second time.
Nature Positive (Environment Information Australia) Bill 2024
That this bill be now read a second time.
Nature Positive (Environment Law Amendments and Transitional Provisions) Bill 2024
That this bill be now read a second time.
Social Services and Other Legislation Amendment (More Support in the Safety Net) Bill 2024
That this bill be now read a second time.
Payment Times Reporting Amendment Bill 2024
That this bill be now read a second time.
Health Insurance Legislation Amendment (Assignment of Medicare Benefits) Bill 2024
That this bill be now read a second time.
Illegal Logging Prohibition Amendment (Strengthening Measures to Prevent Illegal Timber Trade) Bill 2024
The House divided. [10:44]
(The Speaker—Hon. Milton Dick)
(1) Schedule 1, page 44 (after line 5), after item 52, insert:
52A After section 83
Insert:
83A Review of the operation of this Act
(1) The Minister must cause an independent review to be conducted of the operation of this Act during the 5-year period starting on the commencement of the Illegal Logging Prohibition Amendment (Strengthening Measures to Prevent Illegal Timber Trade) Act 2024 .
(2) The persons conducting the review must give the Minister a written report of the review within 9 months after the end of the 5-year period.
(3) The Minister must cause a copy of the report of the review to be tabled in each House of the Parliament within 15 sitting days of that House after the report is given to the Minister.
That this bill be now read a third time.
Treasury Laws Amendment (Delivering Better Financial Outcomes and Other Measures) Bill 2024
The House divided. [11:06]
(The Speaker—Hon. Milton Dick)
(1) Schedule 1, item 30, page 20 (line 12), omit " Personal advice ", substitute "Financial product advice ".
(2) Schedule 1, item 30, page 20 (line 16), omit "personal advice", substitute "financial product advice".
(3) Schedule 1, item 32, page 21 (line 12), omit "personal advice", substitute "financial product advice".
(4) Schedule 1, item 32, page 21 (line 19), omit "personal advice", substitute "financial product advice".
(5) Schedule 1, item 32, page 21 (line 24), omit "personal advice", substitute "financial product advice".
(6) Schedule 1, item 32, page 22 (line 15), omit "personal advice", substitute "financial product advice".
(7) Schedule 1, item 32, page 22 (line 27), omit "personal advice", substitute "financial product advice".
(8) Schedule 1, item 74, page 33 (line 4), after "being website disclosure information,", insert "that is defective,".
(9) Schedule 1, item 80, page 33 (table items dealing with subsections 943G(3) and 943H(4), column 2), omit "personal advice", substitute "financial product advice".
(10) Schedule 1, item 96, page 38 (lines 15 to 19), omit all the words from and including "Paragraphs" to and including "consumer credit insurance", substitute "If a financial services licensee or a representative of a financial services licensee provides, or is likely to provide, personal advice to a retail client in relation to a financial product (the relevant product ) that is a general insurance product, a life risk insurance product, or consumer credit insurance, paragraphs 963B(1)(a), (b) and (ba) do not apply to a monetary benefit given in connection with the issue or sale of the relevant product to the client".
(11) Schedule 1, item 96, page 38 (lines 20 to 22), omit paragraph 963BB(1)(a).
That this bill be now read a third time.
Net Zero Economy Authority Bill 2024
Net Zero Economy Authority (Transitional Provisions) Bill 2024
Appropriation Bill (No. 5) 2023-2024
That this bill be now read a third time.
Appropriation Bill (No. 6) 2023-2024
Bill returned from Federation Chamber without amendment; certified copy of bill presented.
Bill agreed to.
That this bill be now read a third time.
Excise and Customs Legislation Amendment (Streamlining Administration) Bill 2024
That this bill be now read a third time.
Net Zero Economy Authority Bill 2024
Net Zero Economy Authority (Transitional Provisions) Bill 2024
We are home to every metal and critical mineral essential to net zero. Our workforce is skilled and valued, our safety standards are the highest in the world and we have a proven track record as a reliable producer and exporter of energy and resources.
To take a true place-based approach that creates real change and strengthens regional economies, the Authority must be able to take a long-term view. It will not be able to design or commit to long-term activities if it does not have budget certainty beyond three-year funding envelopes.
Between the idea
And the reality
Between the motion
And the act
Falls the Shadow
… smart, targeted use of the tax system to solve big problems, leverage our competitive advantages and enhance Australia's prosperity.
Two men convicted of accessory to murder were released from federal detention when Opposition Leader Peter Dutton was the minister in charge of immigration and home affairs, …
… federal budget funding for low carbon fuels initiatives playing into its strategy to become a major player in the renewable fuels supply chain.
The urgent need for the government to immediately address the shortage of doctors in rural and regional Australia which is now a crisis and deliver better health services for all Australian regardless of their postcode.
That so much of the standing and sessional orders be suspended as would prevent the Member for Kennedy from moving the following motion—
That the House:
(1) express its strong support for the people of Israel who, on the 7th of October 2023, were subjected to a horrific and unprovoked terrorist invasion;
(2) condemn the antisemitism being fuelled relentlessly by the Australian Greens for cynical political purposes and notes history shows clearly how horrifying the consequences of unchecked antisemitism can be;
(3) express its condemnation of the terrorist organisation Hamas, which bears responsibility for the October 7 invasion and the subsequent war; and
(4) demand that the Hamas organisation releases all hostages taken in the October 7 attack.
Net Zero Economy Authority Bill 2024
Net Zero Economy Authority (Transitional Provisions) Bill 2024
Every step we take towards a grid powered by 100 percent renewable electricity is a step towards lower power bills for Australians, less harmful carbon pollution and more control over our own energy.
Australia needs to phase out fossil fuels as quickly as possible and replace them with clean and affordable renewables and storage. It's the quickest path to a cheaper, cleaner, safer, and more reliable electricity system.
To facilitate increased flows of finance into the clean energy sector and to facilitate the achievement of Australia's greenhouse … targets.
There is no nation on earth better placed than Australia to achieve the energy transition here at home and power it in the world.
The task ahead is monumental, but I am confident that with our collective efforts, we can turn this challenge into an opportunity for Australia. We have the potential to not only achieve net zero emissions by 2050 but also to establish the nation as a leader in renewable energy.
No. Anglesea was ruled out last year, so there will not be a nuclear fired power plant in Anglesea.
… facilitating public and private sector participation and investment in greenhouse gas emissions reduction and net zero transformation initiatives in Australia, including in new industries …
To facilitate increased flows of finance into the clean energy sector and to facilitate the achievement of Australia's greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets.
Collectively, Australians spent $19.5 million less on clothing, footwear and personal accessories in April. Compared to March, spending in this category declined by 0.7 per cent.
Spending on household goods increased by $37.7 million, or 0.7 per cent in April, and retail spending across the country is 1.3 per cent higher than it was a year ago, albeit driven by a population that's around 2.5 per cent larger.
My Diabetes Story by Nik Mirco
On the 7th of August 2018, I was diagnosed with type 1 Diabetes.
I was 7 years old and my whole world was flipped upside down.
We went to get a check-up because I was feeling tired, wetting the bed a lot, drinking a lot of water, and my sores were not healing.
When we went for a check-up, the doctor made me do a urine test. He saw that there was a lot of sugar in there. He then did a finger prick and tested my blood and told us we needed to go to the hospital immediately because I had type 1 diabetes.
My blood sugar levels were 35. They should be only between 4-8. It was dangerously high. When I went to the hospital it was all very new and scary for me.
Every time I needed insulin I had to have a needle. I hated the needles so much and in the first year I had to be held down so that mum or dad could give the insulin to me.
Having insulin was the thing that was keeping me alive, but I still did not want it.
When I was in the hospital and it was time for insulin, I ran away all through the corridors trying to get away from the nurses. My dad ran after me and caught me because he went the opposite way and when I came around the corner I ran straight into him.
He then brought me back to my room to give me a needle. It was excruciating. I cried and cried.
I have got a lot braver over the years and have now gotten used to the 5-10 needles per day. I spent over a week at the hospital. I still remember having a really bad low, which is when my blood sugar goes very low and I need sugar immediately.
This happens a lot (almost every day).
One time when I was playing with my cousins, I had to stop and sit down because I felt sick and dizzy and have a can of lemonade. This brought my blood sugars back up and I could then go back to play with my cousins.
Lots of people came and visited me in the hospital. I had to learn with my parents all about my new life with diabetes.
I had lots of visitors like my teachers, friends and family.
I was very scared to come home and start my new life because it was hard and painful.
I wanted my old life back and I couldn't understand why it had to happen to me!
The impact on my life from this Diabetes is huge. It made me change my whole diet. We had to have less sugar and carbs, which was hard when my favourite meal was SPAGHETTI.
My whole life flipped. One minute I was a normal kid without a worry in the world and the next I had a million things to worry about all day long.
I needed to make sure that I wasn't too high or too low. I had to make sure I had a bag with me with insulin and jellybeans all the time.
I miss out on a lot of things from being low or too high, things like sports carnivals, excursions, soccer games and much more.
I never get a break from having diabetes. It is with me forever unless there is a cure.
I would love my old life back, one without Type 1 Diabetes, and to be a carefree kid again!!!!!!
The DEPUTY SPEAKER ( Ms Payne ) took the chair at 09:41.
The Australian Bureau of Statistics, the federal Health Department and risk management industry body the Actuaries Institute strongly rejected the claims—
saying they are not supported by evidence and COVID-19 vaccines saved millions of lives globally while causing a comparatively tiny number of deaths.
There is over 225,000 people in Australia suffering with epilepsy and very few get any financial assistance from the government with so much money spent on doctor appointments, transportation, dentist and medication we desperately need assistance for these expenses. Epilepsy is oldest neurological condition recorded and yet it is still a condition very much in the shadows while other conditions get more funding and awareness.
We therefore ask the House to look into the suffering of those battling epilepsy, we ask for those affected by epilepsy to be able to obtain a health care card to help with some of the medical costs and more funding go to raising awareness for adults suffering this debilitating condition that we are 95% likely to die from.
Child abuse and neglect—including growing up with coercive control, being physically or sexually abused, being shamed and/or neglected by parents—are accelerants to adult victimisation and perpetration. Traumatised and abused girls who are not supported to recover and heal are more likely to be targeted by violent and controlling perpetrators throughout their lives.
… often has the effect of normalising grooming and maltreatment and blinding them to 'red flags' and boundary violations.
At the same time, traumatized boys are disproportionately at risk of becoming perpetrators of gender-based violence, and other forms of criminal behaviour—
Every day, my colleagues and I witness the devastating impact of domestic and sexual violence on women's lives. We meet survivors who have been failed by the very systems designed to protect them—the courts, the police and their partners. The death of Molly Ticehurst serves as a grim reminder of the urgent need for comprehensive legal assistance, safety planning, advocacy, and support for women in rural and regional areas.
However, despite steadfast dedication, Western Women's Legal Support faces significant challenges in fulfilling its mission. With only nine staff numbers, most of whom work part-time, and covering a vast geographic area comparable to the size of Korea, the organisation's resources are stretched thin. It operates on a tight budget, unable to afford essential expansions to office space or additional staff to meet the growing demand for its services.
The funding shortfall we face is not merely a financial issue; it is a matter of life and death.
Ms S had been married to the offender for 10 years …and they had 2 children together.
During Ms S's time in Australia she had been made to stay at home at all times (other than to take the children to school) and instructed not to speak to anyone. Consequently, her English was poor. Parties rented two rooms in a share house of foreign workers. Ms S and the children were confined to the bedroom. She was not permitted to use electricity at the property and spent her days washing clothes by hand and cooking outside on the BBQ.
Ms S was not allowed access to money. She was not permitted to go shopping or anywhere alone. On the rare occasion she was permitted to grocery shop with her husband she was not allowed to touch anything or request anything be purchased for her.
Over the course of numerous appointments with Ms S she disclosed some of the most horrific physical, emotional, mental, sexual, financial and psychological abuse our unit has ever encountered.
Ms S had numerous legal and non-legal issues. With the permission of Ms S we engaged numerous legal services and coordinated Ms S and the children's ultimate removal from the property and away from her husband.
Our lawyers and caseworkers assisted with housing applications, Centrelink matters, child support exemptions, an additional application for victims support for the sexual abuse (distinct from the DV). We provided assistance with court prep and court support and advised Ms S in relation to family law.
Ms S's story took the dedication and collaboration of legal services, casework services, housing providers, DV refuge staff, Police and various Government agencies all working together. This case, whilst ultimately a positive one, really demonstrates how one service working in isolation cannot wholly support victim survivors and their multiple complex needs.
Loving mother of Nate, Daughter of Kate and Tony, Adored sister of Hayley, Brooke and Luke, Much loved Aunty, Niece, Cousin and Friend.
We thought of you with love today,
But that is nothing new.
We thought about you yesterday
And days before that, too.
We think of you in silence.
We often speak your name.
Now all we have are memories
And your picture in a frame.
Your memory is our keepsake
With which we'll never part.
God has you in his keeping.
We have you in our heart.
Appropriation Bill (No. 1) 2024-2025
Appropriation Bill (No. 2) 2024-2025
Appropriation (Parliamentary Departments) Bill (No. 1) 2024-2025
… a Coalition Government will invest $400 million to provide junior doctors who train in general practice with incentive payments, assistance with leave entitlements, and support for pre-vocational training.
I'm the Prime Minister. I am in a position to do something about it. We are doing something about it. And it's the right thing to do.
I have three jobs, one permanent part-time and two casual jobs. Every chance I get I am working only to pay bills. I have nothing left over. I am exhausted. I have had just four days off in six months.
In the last ten years my children and I have moved seven times. I have had to move as I couldn't afford the rental increases. This is not what I want for my children. I would like them to have stability a home that they know. But unfortunately there is very little help for single parents in my situation. The housing waiting list is ten years—
I am on all the affordable housing lists I know.
Because I am paying my rent I probably won't be considered for public housing so this again puts me in a stressful situation.
Last year I was paying $640 a week—
the landlord raised the rent at the end of the fixed term to $840—
I told her—
that I could afford—
but my limit was $750. She issued me with an eviction notice. Frantically looking for a new place, I was turned down so many times. We had nowhere to go.
I found a place near my children's school but I was only approved when a friend stepped in to be the guarantor. We have a roof over our heads but I am struggling to pay all the basics. Sometimes I do go without to provide for my kids meaning skipping meals.
I am now six months into my lease and I am worried because I know that at the end of this term the real estate agent will raise the rent and I won't be able to afford it.
… we have a private sector economy in Australia and not a command and control economy.
Billions for green industry, no new money for gas—this is how we build Australia's clean future.
If you are successful, you must commence your project no later than 15 May 2024.