2025-03-27 2 1 0 House of Reps 0 1

Thursday, 27 March 2025

The SPEAKER ( Hon. Milton Dick ) took the chair at 09:00, made an acknowledgement of country and read prayers.

COMMITTEES 1 COMMITTEES Appropriations and Administration Committee 1 Report 1 09:01 The SPEAKER 53517 On behalf of the Standing Committee on Appropriations and Administration, I present the committee's report No. 32, Budget estimates 2025-26. Document made a parliamentary paper. BILLS 1 BILLS Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Amendment (Reconsiderations) Bill 2025, Supply Bill (No. 1) 2025-2026, Supply Bill (No. 2) 2025-2026, Supply (Parliamentary Departments) Bill (No. 1) 2025-2026, Transport Security Amendment (Security of Australia's Transport Sector) Bill 2025, AusCheck Amendment (Global Entry Program) Bill 2025, Parliamentary Business Resources Legislation Amendment (Machinery of Government Change) Bill 2025, Workplace Gender Equality Amendment (Setting Gender Equality Targets) Bill 2024, Free TAFE Bill 2024, National Broadband Network Companies Amendment (Commitment to Public Ownership) Bill 2024, Treasury Laws Amendment (More Cost of Living Relief) Bill 2025, Treasury Laws Amendment (Tax Incentives and Integrity) Bill 2025 1

Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Amendment (Reconsiderations) Bill 2025

Supply Bill (No. 1) 2025-2026

Supply Bill (No. 2) 2025-2026

Supply (Parliamentary Departments) Bill (No. 1) 2025-2026

Transport Security Amendment (Security of Australia's Transport Sector) Bill 2025

AusCheck Amendment (Global Entry Program) Bill 2025

Parliamentary Business Resources Legislation Amendment (Machinery of Government Change) Bill 2025

Workplace Gender Equality Amendment (Setting Gender Equality Targets) Bill 2024

Free TAFE Bill 2024

National Broadband Network Companies Amendment (Commitment to Public Ownership) Bill 2024

Treasury Laws Amendment (More Cost of Living Relief) Bill 2025

Treasury Laws Amendment (Tax Incentives and Integrity) Bill 2025

Returned from Senate 1 QUESTIONS TO THE SPEAKER 1 QUESTIONS TO THE SPEAKER Member for Moreton 1 09:02 Mr BROADBENT MT4 Monash I have noticed with interest this week that your grace has been upon the member for Moreton in that you haven't ejected him from the chamber. I'm just wondering whether your grace will extend through question time today. 09:03 The SPEAKER 53517 I'm happy to report to the member for Monash that the grace will continue. COMMITTEES 1 COMMITTEES Public Works Joint Committee 1 Approval of Work 1 09:03 Dr LEIGH BU8 Fenner I move: That, in accordance with the provisions of the Public Works Committee Act 1969, it is expedient to carry out the following proposed work which was referred to the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Public Works and on which the committee has duly reported to Parliament: Australian Electoral Commission—Proposed fit-out of new leased premises at 26 Narellan Street, Canberra. The Australian Electoral Commission is proposing works to fit out leased premises at 26 Narellan Street, Canberra, ACT. The new office will consolidate three existing commercial tenancies for which leases will expire across 2026 to 2027. The new tenancy will then allow the commission to consolidate its staff presence and improve operational efficiencies for enhanced collaboration, as well as provide for an uplift in security. The estimated project cost is $35.9 million excluding GST. The proposed works were referred to the Public Works Committee on 12 December 2024. Following its inquiry, the committee recommended that the House of Representatives resolve that it is expedient to carry out the proposed works. Subject to parliamentary approval, the works are expected to commence in June 2026 and be completed by August 2027. On behalf of the government, I would like to thank the committee, ably chaired by the member for Moreton, for undertaking a timely inquiry. I commend the motion to the House. Question agreed to. Approval of Work 2 09:05 Dr LEIGH BU8 Fenner I move: That, in accordance with the provisions of the Public Works Committee Act 1969, it is expedient to carry out the following proposed work which was referred to the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Public Works and on which the committee has duly reported to Parliament: Australian Institute of Sport revitalisation project, Canberra. The Australian Sports Commission is proposing works to revitalise the Australian Institute of Sport campus in Bruce, Australian Capital Territory, and not before time. The proposed works will provide three new facilities: a new athletes' village, a multisports dome and a high-performance training and testing centre incorporating sports science and sports medicine. The estimated cost of the project is $249.7 million, excluding GST. The proposed works were referred to the Public Works Committee on 20 November 2024. Following its inquiry, the committee recommended the House of Representatives resolve that it is expedient to carry out the proposed works. Subject to parliamentary approval, construction is expected to commence from October 2025 and be completed by March 2027. On behalf of the government, I would like to thank the committee for undertaking a timely inquiry. As member for the ACT, I would like to thank those involved in this exciting project. As a sports nut, I am extraordinarily excited by what the new AIS will become. I commend the motion to the House. Question agreed to. Approval of Work 2 09:07 Dr LEIGH BU8 Fenner I move: That, in accordance with the provisions of the Public Works Committee Act 1969, it is expedient to carry out the following proposed work which was referred to the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Public Works and on which the committee has duly reported to Parliament: Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water—Davis Station critical infrastructure works. The Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water is proposing to undertake a program of works to sustain and renew infrastructure at Davis research station in Antarctica. The scope of works will include a new water production and main power facility, new vehicle workshop, refurbishment of trade workshops, and the decommissioning and demolition of redundant structure. The estimated cost of the works is $251.7 million excluding GST. The proposed works were referred to the Public Works Committee on 6 November 2024. Following its inquiry, the committee recommended that the House of Representatives resolve that it is expedient to carry out the proposed works. Subject to parliamentary approval, construction is expected to commence in mid-2025 and be completed in mid-2030. On behalf of the government, I would like to thank the committee for undertaking a timely inquiry. I commend the motion to the House. Question agreed to. Approval of Work 2 09:08 Dr LEIGH BU8 Fenner I move: That, in accordance with the provisions of the Public Works Committee Act 1969, it is expedient to carry out the following proposed work which was referred to the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Public Works and on which the committee has duly reported to Parliament: Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water—Southern Ocean research aquarium. The Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water is proposing to develop a replacement cold water marine research aquarium to be co-located at the University of Tasmania's Taroona site. The proposed works include the production of research areas, a deep tank, a sea ice research freezer, feed and culture rooms for phytoplankton and other species, a marine laboratory and cold room, and supporting infrastructure and services. Ms Collins HWM Saving the skate. Dr LEIGH BU8 Saving the skate, I am informed by the member for Franklin. The estimated total capital cost for the construction project is $36.7 million, excluding GST. The proposed works were referred to the Public Works Committee on 20 November 2024. Following its inquiry, the committee has recommended that the House of Representatives resolve that it is expedient to carry out proposed works. Subject to parliamentary approval, the works are expected to commence in March 2026 for completion by September 2027. On behalf of the government, I would like to thank the committee, ably chaired by the member for Moreton, for undertaking a timely inquiry. I commend the motion to the House. Question agreed to. Approval of Work 3 09:10 Dr LEIGH BU8 Fenner I move: That, in accordance with the provisions of the Public Works Committee Act 1969, it is expedient to carry out the following proposed work which was referred to the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Public Works and on which the committee has duly reported to Parliament: Department of Defence—Facilities to support LAND 8113 Phase 1 Long Range Fires. Defence is proposing works to provide new facilities and infrastructure at the Edinburgh Defence Precinct, South Australia, to support a regiment to operate and maintain a new long-range fires capability. At this point, those listening carefully to parliament might have wondered, 'Why did he say "fires" rather than "firing"?' For those unfamiliar with the term, 'fires' is a doctrinal term used in military strategy, which encompasses all forms of long-range offensive action—not just traditional artillery but also missiles, rockets, drone, air strikes and electronic attacks. It is plural and abstract, like 'forces' or 'operations'. Defence is also proposing works to upgrade and reuse existing training sustainment and storage facilities at the School of Artillery at the Puckapunyal Military Area, Victoria, to also support the new capability. The total estimated cost of the works is $376.7 million, excluding GST. The proposed works were referred to the Public Works Committee on 6 November 2024. Following its inquiry, the committee recommended that the House of Representatives resolve that it is expedient to carry out the proposed works. Subject to parliamentary approval, the works at Edinburgh are scheduled to commence in late 2025 and be completed by late 2028. The works at Puckapunyal are scheduled to commence in mid-2026 and be completed by late 2026. On behalf of the government, I would like to thank the committee for undertaking a timely inquiry. I commend the motion to the House. Question agreed to. Approval of Work 3 09:12 Dr LEIGH BU8 Fenner I move: That, in accordance with the provisions of the Public Works Committee Act 1969, it is expedient to carry out the following proposed work which was referred to the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Public Works and on which the committee has duly reported to Parliament: Services Australia—Proposed fit-out of existing leased premises at Caroline Chisholm Centre, 57 Athllon Drive, Greenway, Australian Capital Territory. Services Australia is proposing works to fit out its existing premises at the Caroline Chisholm Centre, 57 Athllon Drive, Greenway, ACT. The works form part of a project that will consolidate three of Services Australia's Tuggeranong sites into one by 2027 and deliver operational and financial efficiencies. The estimated cost of the works is $144.49 million, excluding GST. The proposed works were referred to the Public Works Committee on 6 November 2024. Following its inquiry, the committee recommended that the House of Representatives resolve that it is expedient to carry out the proposed works. Subject to parliamentary approval, construction is expected to commence in August 2025 and be completed in August 2027. On behalf of the government, I would like to thank the committee, ably chaired by the member for Moreton, for undertaking a timely inquiry. I commend the motion to the House. Question agreed to. Approval of Work 3 09:14 Dr LEIGH BU8 Fenner I move: That, in accordance with the provisions of the Public Works Committee Act 1969, it is expedient to carry out the following proposed work which was referred to the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Public Works and on which the committee has duly reported to Parliament: Services Australia—Proposed fit-out of new leased premises at 158-186 Walker Street, Townsville, Queensland. Services Australia is proposing works to fit out new leased premises at 158-186 Walker Street, Townsville, Queensland. The fit-out is part of a project to consolidate Services Australia's two Townsville corporate office sites, located in Aitkenvale and at 235-259 Stanley Street, into a single building. The estimated cost of the works is $29.16 million, excluding GST. The proposed works were referred to the Public Works Committee on 6 November 2024. Following its inquiry, the committee recommended that the House of Representatives resolve that it is expedient to carry out the proposed works. Subject to parliamentary approval, construction is expected to commence in early 2025 for completion in late 2027. On behalf of the government, I would like to thank the committee, ably chaired by that great Queenslander the member for Moreton, for undertaking a timely inquiry. I commend the motion to the House. Question agreed to. Privileges and Members' Interests Committee 4 Report 4 09:16 Mr ROB MITCHELL M3E McEwen In accordance with standing order 216, on behalf of the Committee of Privileges and Members' Interests, I present a report concerning the registration and declaration of members' interests during 2024. I would also like to thank the committee members for their collegiality in the 47th Parliament and the committee staff for their hard work and diligence. Report made a parliamentary paper in accordance with standing order 39(e). Petitions Committee 4 Report 4 09:16 Ms TEMPLEMAN 181810 Macquarie I present report No. 38 of the Standing Committee on Petitions. The report read as follows— HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES PETITIONS COMMITTEE REPORT No. 38 Petitions and Ministerial Responses 27 March 2025 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 22 January 2025, 5 February 2025, 12 February 2025 and 26 March 2025. 1. The committee resolved to present the following 112 petitions in accordance with standing order 207: Petitions certified on 22 January 2025 From 8 petitioners—requesting the creation of a national reserve of Bitcoin (EN6893) From 26 petitioners—regarding legislation relating to social media age limit restrictions (EN6896) From 9 petitioners—regarding Australia's ambassador to the United States (EN6902) From 71 petitioners—requesting that the School Student Broadband Initiative be extended (EN6903) From 186 petitioners—requesting support for a gamba grass eradication program in the Northern Territory (EN6909) From 45 petitioners—requesting that data about the number of individuals earning an income below the tax-free threshold be made public (EN6912) From 133 petitioners—requesting improvements to telecommunications infrastructure and coverage in Coomera Waters, Queensland (EN6913) From 185 petitioners—requesting support to prevent discrimination in early childhood education (EN6914) From 53 petitioners—regarding the affordability of mental health-related medications (EN6918) From 56 petitioners—requesting that tobacco excise rates be reduced (EN6919) From 51 petitioners—regarding National Disability Insurance Scheme support for people with neurodivergent conditions (EN6920) From 82 petitioners—requesting an inquiry into the Electoral Legislation Amendment (Electoral Reform) Bill 2024 (EN6924) From 16 petitioners—regarding National Disability Insurance Scheme funding for music therapy (EN6926) From 913 petitioners—requesting the implementation of a uniform domestic violence disclosure scheme across all Australian jurisdictions (EN6927) From 914 petitioners—requesting that three-dimensional paramedical tattooing performed by a qualified tattooist be included in the Medicare Benefits Schedule for people who have undergone breast reconstruction after a mastectomy (EN6928) From 20 petitioners—regarding victims of family and domestic violence (EN6935) From 25 petitioners—requesting that funding for the Australian Broadcasting Commission be ceased (EN6937) From 171 petitioners—requesting the recognition of qualified music therapy providers by the National Disability Insurance Scheme (EN6939) From 51 petitioners—requesting the establishment of a Bill of Rights (EN6943) From 49 petitioners—requesting legalisation of the sale and consumption of cannabis and cannabis products (EN6950) From 6 petitioners—requesting a salary increase for members of the Australian Army (EN6951) From 12 petitioners—regarding the publication of images of children on social media platforms (EN6953) From 163 petitioners—requesting continued National Disability Insurance Scheme funding for art and music therapy (EN6958) From 43 petitioners—requesting that the use of glyphosate be prohibited (EN6962) From 10 petitioners—requesting funding and support for illicit substance harm reduction and treatment programs (EN6964) From 85 petitioners—requesting that the construction of a National Broadband Network telecommunications tower be ceased (EN6973) From 31 petitioners—requesting regulations relating to property valuations (EN6974) From 20 petitioners—requesting the establishment of a community bank (EN6975) From 80 petitioners—requesting the removal of automated teller machine (ATM) fees (EN6976) From 11 petitioners—requesting increased taxation on the profits of social media companies (EN6977) From 46 petitioners—requesting that animal testing be prohibited (EN6979) From 5 petitioners—requesting that the voting age be lowered (EN6982) From 39 petitioners—requesting an extension to parental leave timeframes (EN6984) From 9 petitioners—requesting that medals be awarded to members of the Australian Defence Force who participated in Operation COVID-19 Assist (EN6997) From 100 petitioners—requesting support for the education of girls in Afghanistan (EN6998) From 7 petitioners—requesting age limit restrictions for social media platforms (EN6999) From 27 petitioners—requesting support to improve the affordability of home insurance (EN7000) From 30 petitioners—requesting a review of newly announced funding for the Sydney Jewish Museum (EN7004) From 145 petitioners—requesting the simultaneous display of the Australian national flag, the Aboriginal flag and the Torres Strait Islander flag (EN7005) From 20 petitioners—requesting support to study the feasibility of the use of sea water in the production of nuclear power (EN7007) From 1143 petitioners—requesting support for an individual detained in Bangladesh (EN7008) From 6676 petitioners—requesting the prohibition of corporate donations to political parties (EN7009) From 12 petitioners—requesting regulations restricting the collection of online data relating to minors (EN7010) From 88 petitioners—requesting support to increase the manufacture and supply of estrogen and estrogen-progesterone transdermal patches (EN7012) From 10 petitioners—requesting the recognition of Kurdistan as an independent state (EN7014) From 24 petitioners—requesting that the Australian Government withdraw support for Ukraine (EN7016) From 66 petitioners—requesting that Youth Allowance and Austudy be made available to postgraduate research students (EN7022) From 141 petitioners—requesting that the date of Australia Day be changed (EN7023) From 32 petitioners—requesting action to address online content depicting animal cruelty (EN7025) From 9 petitioners—regarding social media age limit restrictions (EN7029) From 775 petitioners—requesting support to assist homeowners to remove asbestos (EN7030) From 10 petitioners—regarding Fibre to the Building National Broadband Network connections (EN7032) From 17 petitioners—regarding income support payments (EN7035) From 8 petitioners—requesting action to address explicit material on social media platforms (EN7036) From 33 petitioners—requesting changes to age limits for international postgraduate students (EN7039) From 50 petitioners—requesting that the use of artificial intelligence in creative industries be prohibited (EN7040) From 11 petitioners—regarding the exposure of workers to second-hand smoke in licenced gaming areas (EN7045) From 232 petitioners—requesting changes to the way child support payments are calculated (EN7048) From 176 petitioners—requesting the reversal of recent changes to the role of the 1st Armoured Regiment (EN7051) From 124 petitioners—requesting that businesses be prohibited from charging a default service gratuity (EN7052) From 4 petitioners—requesting the removal of sanctions placed on members of Israel's Hilltop Youth (EN7054) From 39 petitioners—requesting support for a referendum to abolish state governments (EN7059) From 52 petitioners—requesting that Steve Irwin be depicted on the Australian five-dollar note (EN7063) From 77 petitioners—requesting that the release of genetically modified insects or animals be prohibited (EN7068) From 242 petitioners—requesting that access to the social media platform X be prohibited (EN7075) From 19026 petitioners—requesting that Partner Income Tests be abolished for recipients of Centrelink payments (EN7076) From 29 petitioners—requesting that coal-fired power stations be replaced with CANada Deuterium Uranium reactors (EN7078) From 277 petitioners—requesting support for first home buyers who hold a Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 491) (EN7079) From 44 petitioners—requesting transparency relating to credit card surcharges (EN7085) Petitions certified on 5 February 2025 From 55 petitioners—requesting that the speed and reliability of the National broadband Network be increased (EN7086) From 2188 petitioners—requesting that processing of renewable energy project applications be ceased (EN7087) From 6285 petitioners—regarding processing times for Permanent Residence (Skilled Regional) visa (subclass 191) applications (EN7088) From 4174 petitioners—requesting a response to violence in Syria (EN7090) From 104 petitioners—regarding Australia's commitment to the Paris Agreement on climate change (EN7093) From 7 petitioners—regarding the entry visa of an international performer (EN7094) From 79 petitioners—requesting action to address instances of antisemitism (EN7095) From 162 petitioners—requesting the removal of income tax on payments for overtime work (EN7096) From 194 petitioners—requesting actions to address housing affordability (EN7099) From 86 petitioners—requesting actions to prevent money laundering via real estate transactions (EN7100) From 51351 petitioners—requesting royalty schemes for Australians (EN7101) From 344 petitioners—requesting that Australia withdraw from the Paris Agreement on climate change (EN7104) From 128 petitioners—requesting actions to address human rights concerns in Pakistan (EN7108) From 55 petitioners—requesting reforms to tax laws relating to cryptocurrency (EN7109) From 40 petitioners—regarding concerns related to the Superannuation (Objective) Act 2024 (EN7112) From 57 petitioners—requesting actions to address humanitarian concerns resulting from the conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo (EN7113) From 64 petitioners—requesting an amendment to section 268.22 of the Criminal Code Act 1995 to include gender apartheid (EN7118) From 135 petitioners—requesting the implementation of recommendations from the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody (EN7119) From 1636 petitioners—requesting that a family member of Australian citizens be granted permission to remain in Australia (EN7121) From 175 petitioners—requesting changes to requirements for statements of Members' registrable interests (EN7122) Petitions certified on 12 February 2025 From 11 petitioners—requesting assistance with the costs of schooling (EN7125) From 518 petitioners—regarding processing times for Permanent Residence (Skilled Regional) visa (subclass 191) applications (EN7127) From 15 petitioners—regarding processing times for Student (subclass 500) visa applications (EN7129) From 51 petitioners—requesting the establishment of a Bill of Rights (EN7131) From 10 petitioners—requesting changes to regulations relating to digital banking (EN7132) From 13 petitioners—regarding supermarket pricing practices (EN7133) From 103 petitioners—regarding processing times for Permanent Residence (Skilled Regional) visa (subclass 191) applications (EN7134) From 17 petitioners—regarding eligibility for protection visas (EN7135) From 29 petitioners—requesting that military and intelligence cooperation with the United States be ceased (EN7136) From 16 petitioners—regarding the Australian Broadcasting Commission's coverage of the conflict in Israel and Palestine (EN7138) From 2109 petitioners—requesting that cooperation with the United States be ceased (EN7139) From 1550 petitioners—requesting enhancements to consumer protections related to property sales (EN7142) From 10 petitioners—regarding education about evolution (EN7143) From 808 petitioners—requesting that the sale and use of products containing metaldehyde be prohibited (EN7144) From 15 petitioners—requesting that early childhood education centers be required to contact the parents of children who are absent (EN7145) From 95 petitioners—requesting that new oil and gas fracking projects be prohibited (EN7146) From 73 petitioners—regarding public access to National Parks (EN7147) From 1892 petitioners—regarding access to the National Diabetes Services Scheme for people living with cystic fibrosis-related diabetes (EN7148) From 153 petitioners—regarding changes to eligibility for National Disability Insurance Scheme participants (EN7149) From 208 petitioners—requesting permanent residency for Sri Lankan Tamil asylum seekers (EN7150) Petitions certified on 26 March 2025 From 198 petitioners—requesting a Services Australia kiosk in Numurkah, Victoria (PN0634) From 443 petitioners—requesting face-to-face Centrelink and Medicare services in Cobar, New South Wales (PN0635) From 1188 petitioners—requesting that the Australian Government respond to the conflict in Gaza (PN0637) 2. The following 30 ministerial responses to petitions were received. Ministerial responses received by the Committee on 26 March 2025 From the Minister for Climate Change and Energy to a petition requesting research on climate change (EN5101) From the Minister for Climate Change and Energy to a petition requesting a moratorium on all large-scale wind, solar, pumped hydro and related transmission projects (EN5680) From the Minister for Foreign Affairs to a petition regarding Israel's actions in the Occupied Palestinian Territories (EN6472) From the Assistant Treasurer to a petition requesting that a furniture company be referred to the appropriate regulator for investigation (EN6483) From the Minister for Veterans' Affairs to a petition requesting an increase in the rebates for physiotherapy treatments provided to Department of Veterans' Affairs clients (EN6526) From the Attorney-General to a petition regarding family and domestic violence (EN6552) From the Attorney-General to a petition requesting the criminalisation of institutional coercive control (EN6576) From the Minister for Defence to a petition requesting the cancellation of the AUKUS agreement (EN6580) From the Attorney-General to a petition regarding federal laws relating to the age of criminal responsibility (EN6598) From the Minister for the Environment and Water to a petition regarding the environmental impact of the Ballymore Resources Dittmer Project (EN6605) From the Minister for Foreign Affairs to a petition requesting support for academic freedom in Nicaragua (EN6648) From the Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government to a petition requesting the harmonisation of state and territory laws to mandate hands-free citizen band radio operation in vehicles (EN6662) From the Minister for Foreign Affairs to a petition requesting support to address antisemitism (EN6683) From the Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government to a petition regarding the development of a third runway at Melbourne Airport (EN6689) From the Minister for the Environment and Water to a petition regarding the heritage management of Christian's Minde Settlement in the Jervis Bay Territory (EN6711) From the Minister for Health and Aged Care to a petition requesting that the private health insurance rebate for Bowen Therapy be reinstated (EN6717) From the Attorney-General to a petition regarding the protection of domestic violence victims from strategic litigation against public participation (EN6729) From the Attorney-General to a petition requesting the establishment of a federal judicial commission (EN6746) From the Minister for Health and Aged Care to a petition requesting that the medication semaglutide be listed on the Pharmaceutical benefits Scheme (EN6747) From the Assistant Minister for Social Security to a petition regarding the calculation of child support payments (EN6752) From the Assistant Minister for Health and Aged Care to a petition requesting that an Endometriosis and Pelvic Pain Clinic be established in Newcastle, New South Wales (EN6754) From the Minister for Health and Aged Care to a petition regarding the affordability of autism spectrum disorder and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder assessments (EN6801) From the Minister for Foreign Affairs to a petition requesting regulations to prevent foreign embassies and consulates from using religious places for official purposes (EN6817) From the Minister for Health and Aged Care to a petition requesting support to address perinatal and infant loss (EN6822) From the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry to a petition regarding the protection of domestic rabbits from calicivirus (EN6862) From the Minister for Health and Aged Care to a petition regarding rural maternity health services (EN6873) From the Minister for Health and Aged Care to a petition requesting action against manufacturers of vaping products (EN6879) From the Attorney-General to a petition requesting support for the inclusion of freedom of speech in the Australian Constitution (EN6888) From the Minister for the Environment and Water to a petition requesting the removal of legislative barriers to the development of nuclear power (PN0627) From the Minister for Communications to a petition requesting that Australia Post relocate the Artarmon Post Shop (PN0632) Ms Susan Templeman MP Chair—Petitions Committee PETITIONS 8 PETITIONS Presentation 8 09:16 Ms TEMPLEMAN 181810 Macquarie by leave—I present 112 petitions: Bitcoin 8 Cybersafety 8 Australian Embassy: United States of America 8 School Student Broadband Initiative 9 Litchfield National Park: Invasive Species Management 9 Cost of Living 9 Telecommunications 9 Early Childhood Education 10 Mental Health 10 Taxation: Tobacco 10 National Disability Insurance Scheme 10 Electoral Reform 11 National Disability Insurance Scheme: Music Therapy 11 Domestic and Family Violence 11 Medicare: Allied Health 11 Domestic and Family Violence 12 Australian Broadcasting Corporation 12 National Disability Insurance Scheme: Music Therapy 12 Bill of Rights 12 Illicit Drugs: Cannabis 13 Defence Personnel 13 Political Advertising 13 National Disability Insurance Scheme: Art Therapy 13 Glyphosate 13 Drug Abuse and Addiction 13 Telecommunications 14 Property Valuation 14 Banking and Financial Services 14 Banking and Financial Services 14 Mental Health 15 Animal Welfare 15 Electoral Reform 15 Paid Parental Leave 15 Operation COVID-19 Assist 15 Human Rights: Afghanistan 16 Cybersafety 16 Insurance Industry 16 Sydney Jewish Museum 17 Australian Flags 17 Nuclear Energy 17 Bangladesh 17 Donations to Political Parties 18 Cybersafety 18 Menopause and Perimenopause 18 Human Rights: Kurdish People 18 Ukraine 18 Universities: Financial Support for Postgraduate Students 19 Australia Day 19 Animal Welfare: Online Safety 19 Cybersafety 19 Asbestos 19 Broadband 20 Pensions and Benefits 20 Cybersafety 20 International Students 20 Artificial Intelligence 20 Workplace Safety: Second-hand Smoke 21 Family Law 21 1st Armoured Regiment 21 Service Industry 21 Israel: Hilltop Youth 21 Australian Constitution 22 Australian Currency 22 Biosecurity 22 Cybersafety 22 Pensions and Benefits 22 Nuclear Energy 23 Housing 23 Banking and Financial Services 23 Numurkah: Government Services 24 Cobar: Government Services 24 Middle East 24 Cost of Living: Education 24 Skilled Migration 25 International Students 25 Bill of Rights 25 Banking and Financial Services 26 Grocery Prices 26 Skilled Migration 26 Human Rights: Gender and Sexual Orientation 26 International Relations: Australia and the United States of America 27 Middle East: Media Coverage 27 International Relations: Australia and the United States of America 27 Consumer Protection 27 Education 28 Metaldehyde 28 Child Safety 28 Groundwater: Chemical Contamination 28 Environmental Conservation 28 National Diabetes Services Scheme 29 National Disability Insurance Scheme 29 Asylum Seekers 30 Broadband 30 Renewable Energy 30 Skilled Migration 31 Middle East 31 Climate Change 31 Visa Refusal or Cancellation 32 Antisemitism 32 Taxation 32 Housing 32 Crime: Real Estate Industry 32 Economy 33 Climate Change 33 Pakistan: International Humanitarian Assistance 33 Taxation: Cryptocurrency 33 Superannuation 34 Democratic Republic of Congo: International Humanitarian Assistance 34 Commonwealth Criminal Code 34 First Nations Australians 34 Migration 35 Parliamentary Standards 35 PETITIONS 35 PETITIONS Responses 35 09:16 Ms TEMPLEMAN 181810 Macquarie by leave— I present the following 30 ministerial responses to petitions previously presented: Climate Change 35 Renewable Energy 36 Human Rights: Occupied Palestinian Territories 37 Corporate Governance 37 Department of Veterans' Affairs: Allied Health Rebates 38 Domestic and Family Violence 39 Charitable Organisations: Coercive Control 40 Defence Procurement 40 Youth Justice 41 Goldmining: Dittmer Project 42 International Relations: Australia and Nicaragua 42 Road Safety: CB Radio Operation 43 Middle East 43 Melbourne Airport 44 Jervis Bay Territory: Christians Minde 44 Medicare: Allied Health 45 Vexatious Litigation 45 Judiciary 46 Obesity 46 Family Law 47 Endometriosis 47 Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and Autism 48 National Security 49 Miscarriage, Stillbirth and Neonatal Death 49 Animal Welfare 50 Health Care: Maternity Services 51 E-Cigarettes and Vaping Products 52 Freedom of Speech 53 Nuclear Energy 53 Australia Post 54 COMMITTEES 54 COMMITTEES Communications and the Arts Committee 54 Report 54 09:17 Ms TEMPLEMAN 181810 Macquarie On behalf of the Standing Committee on Communications and the Arts, I present the committee's report entitled Am I ever gonna see you live again? Yes way! You bet! Oh yeah! together with the minutes of proceedings. Report made a parliamentary paper in accordance with standing order 39(e). Ms TEMPLEMAN 181810 by leave—In March 2024, the Minister for the Arts asked the House Standing Committee on Communications and the Arts to inquire into the challenges and opportunities within the Australian live music industry. The inquiry's terms of reference included examining the industry's sustainability, barriers to growth and consumer behaviours. The committee received 130 written submissions from stakeholders and policymakers around the country. In those submissions and public hearings, we heard from musicians, representative organisations, educators, researchers, business owners, streaming services, broadcasters, First Nations groups and government agencies. We heard just how much live music means to communities across Australia. Ninety-one per cent of the New South Wales public who attend live music agree that live music contributes to the vibrancy of their cities and communities. A similar proportion of respondents who work in the live music industry agree that live music can be a powerful form of cultural expression, particularly for marginalised groups. Live music provides us with some of the most meaningful and memorable experiences of our lives. Tim Hollo put this beautifully in his submission, saying: Music, as an artistic and cultural practice, has always been about sharing and borrowing; about free exchange; about something that appears and disappears; a gift of a brief moment of transcendence lifting out of the here and now into something bigger than ourselves. In addition to the spiritual and cultural value of live music, it provides valuable employment opportunities for tens of thousands of people. It always bears repeating that arts jobs are real jobs. The live music industry provides employment to around 41,000 workers, a workforce similar in size to baristas, GPs, cooks, miners and university lecturers. In my state of New South Wales alone, the economic value of live music is estimated to be $5.5 billion. But we also heard that the sector is facing major headwinds. The effect of COVID continues to be felt, with audiences buying tickets in smaller numbers and leaving it later to buy them. Younger people today are less likely to go out to gigs and festivals than in previous decades, and cost-of-living pressures are affecting consumer behaviours. Festivals and venues are facing similar increased costs, especially from insurance premiums, user-pays policing, travel costs and production expenses. These risks are causing festival cancellations in numbers never before seen. Those that do go ahead are facing major challenges to their viability. Around 35 per cent of festivals surveyed by Creative Australia lost money, and we've seen a dramatic decline in the number of venues offering live music right around the country. We heard concerns about anti-competitive practices within the music industry and a lack of transparency and stability in ticket prices. While there is understandable concern about the viability of live music in Australia, we were heartened to hear so many constructive ideas about what the government can do to help turn things around. It's that pragmatic forward thinking that the committee's recommendations are based on. We believe that a tax offset for live performance could be a game changer for the music industry and we recommended that a concrete policy proposal be developed for the government to consider. We recommend that consumer laws be amended to better regulate ticket sales by improving the transparency of fees and charges within ticket pricing and limiting extreme variability in prices caused by dynamic pricing. We also recommended that the ACCC monitor the music industry for anti-competitive conduct and take enforcement action as required. We love seeing the best global talent on Australian stages and we also love seeing the benefits flow through to our own music industry. The committee recommends enacting an obligation for major international acts to work with local support acts. While blockbuster arena shows are drawing huge crowds, grassroots live music in smaller venues is really struggling. So we've recommended that a small levy be charged on the largest, most profitable shows. The funds raised could be directed towards an expansion of the Revive Live program, which I was delighted to see was extended for another year in the budget handed down on Tuesday night. An expanded Revive Live could support smaller grassroots venues to present a series of performances. It could provide funding for capital improvements to venues and improve their functionality and accessibility, covering costs like sound-proofing equipment upgrades and disability access. It could provide funding for festivals that support the viability and diversity of live music in Australia, including regional festivals, all-ages events, First Nations festivals, community festivals and not-for-profit festivals. We heard that special entertainment precincts can make a real difference to the viability of live music by providing a more supportive regulatory regime. This could include exemptions to trading-hour restrictions, concessional liquor excise rates and differentiated noise complaint processes. Our recommendations support the designation of more of these precincts. Live music needs to be more accessible for young people, who are a smaller part of audiences than in past decades. So we recommend that the government assess the viability of a rebate or voucher system to make tickets more affordable. Creativity is innate to all of us. All Australians should have the opportunity to create music, not just consume it. That has to begin in childhood. So we've recommended that the government partner with state and territory governments to improve the standard of music education in our primary schools. We could do that by supporting pilot projects to deliver quality music education in communities of socioeconomic disadvantage and then evaluate the benefits of that on student outcomes. I'm looking forward to pursuing that particular recommendation in our next parliament. Insurance has become one of the biggest costs for music festivals and venues, so we encourage the government to undertake research into the viability of a self-insurance or mutual insurance model for the music industry and other initiatives that could result in lower premiums. Another source of cost pressure on presenters is user-pays policing, so we've recommended that state and territory jurisdictions reduce or abolish these charges entirely. There have been growing calls for governments to re-evaluate the need for large police presences at live music events as well as reconsideration of the use of sniffer dogs and strip searches. Our recommendations back those calls. The music industry is rapidly evolving, and we want to help presenters to adapt. We've recommended that research be conducted into changes in audience behaviour and attitudes that have affected demand for live music. We also recommend research into business models for live music that don't depend on alcohol sales. The way that audiences discover music has fundamentally changed. Radio still plays an important role, but, increasingly, music streaming services and the algorithms behind them are key to musicians' success. That's why we've encouraged that the government work with music streaming services to increase the proportion of local content that algorithms promote to users and, if necessary, legislate to ensure that Australian music reaches Australian audiences. Acknowledgements In closing, I'd like to thank everyone who wrote a submission and presented evidence to this inquiry. It's been a privilege for the committee to gain a deeper understanding of this vital industry from the people who give it life. As sector members, your insights are at the heart of this report, and I'm hopeful that it will provide a pathway towards the recovery of an industry that we all value so profoundly. I also want to acknowledge my fellow committee members for their contributions to this inquiry over the past year. Thank you to the committee secretariat for your diligence, hard work, and for all your efforts in ensuring that this inquiry was rigorous and relevant. Finally, I want to recognise the leadership of the member for Lyons, Brian Mitchell, in chairing this committee. His training as a journalist was clear, throughout this inquiry, in his ability to drill down to the core issues at hand and interrogate the potential solutions. This report is a fine legacy. His choice for its title, Am I ever gonna to see you live again? has been described as 'possibly the most inspired in parliamentary history', and rightly so. It's a reference to the Aussie rock classic 'Am I Ever Gonna See Your Face Again' by The Angels. The famous audience response to that line in the song is one that many members will be familiar with—including the member for Moreton—but parliamentary standards prevent me from repeating it. It's quite alright; the Left Right Out band makes sure that we give our audience the opportunity to engage in that! The chair's foreword recalls that The Angels' Doc Neeson: … wasn't initially thrilled with the fans' hijacking of his song, but the die was cast. Whenever and wherever it was sung, the chorus was taken up with gusto by the crowd and it soon became a staple. That song's place in music history is the result of the magic that happens when performers and audiences share experiences together in real time. And I know, as a mum of a musician, there is nothing like being there at the gig watching that crowd react to the young people on stage. We hope that this report will play a part in restoring that wonderful, intangible dynamism and return this vital part of our culture to good health. I thank the House. Intelligence and Security Joint Committee 56 Report 56 09:28 Mr WALLACE 265967 Fisher On behalf of the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security, I present the committee's advisory report on the Transport Security Amendment (Security of Australia's Transport Sector) Bill 2024. Report made a parliamentary paper in accordance with standing order 39(e). Mr WALLACE 265967 by leave—There are 629 airports and 70 maritime ports in Australia, playing a crucial role in the movement of people and goods between states and countries. Because of the sheer scale of movement through our aviation and maritime hubs, ports and airports remain significant targets for organised crime, terror, and foreign interference. The strength and resilience of our supply chains is a critical issue of national security, our economic prosperity and national sovereignty. Only a few years ago, our nation felt the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on our supply chains, and we would all remember that. With over 99 per cent of Australian imports arriving by sea, we have to ensure that our maritime ports are able to prevent and respond to cyberthreats. At the same time, our country thrives and relies on a strong visitor economy. On the Sunshine Coast alone, tourism and adjacent industries add over $900 million a year to our local economy. Communities like the Sunshine Coast depend on their airports. States like Queensland rely on maritime ports for trade, tourism and transit. And countries like Australia rely on global access and aspiration, and on free and safe movement between nations and states. That's why issues like aviation and maritime transport security are so important. Threats to Australia's transport security have evolved since the Howard coalition government first introduced aviation and maritime security legislation over 20 years ago. Increasing reliance on digital connectivity means malicious cyberactivity is a real and present threat. We saw this recently with the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport hack and the infamous CrowdStrike outage which affected airports across Australia. That's why the Howard coalition government introduced the initial legislation 20 years ago. That's also why the previous coalition government commissioned a review into Australia's aviation and maritime transport security settings. This review formed the basis of the Transport Security Amendment (Critical Infrastructure) Bill of 2022. Although it lapsed at the 2022 election, it forms the basis of this legislation. The committee has made several recommendations for the government to consider. Recommendations relating to the role of the Department of Home Affairs include the need to continue industry consultation so that any changes to subsequent regulations are both clear and accessible, that the department help reduce the regulatory burden on industry through guidance and training, and, finally, that duplication of reporting requirements across Commonwealth agencies be addressed, notably in relation to cyber incident reporting. The committee also makes recommendations that would amend the bill itself, relating to reporting related offences and the need for a penalty regime that's responsive and scalable and also safeguards around the use of expanded security directions powers. Coalition members on the committee took the opportunity over the course of this inquiry to highlight the disproportionate impact of these burdens on regional and smaller entities. The Sunshine Coast area is home to Australia's 12th busiest airport as well as smaller airports in Caloundra and nearby Noosa. We're a region which relies on visitors and which is developing a strong export base and aviation sector. We really do rely on our airports. That's why I'm pleased the committee also recommended that the government consider an extended implementation timeframe for smaller affected entities. These entities are not as well resourced as those larger organisations and will naturally need additional support and time as they begin to shoulder the increased regulatory and cost burden which comes as a result of this legislation. With all that said, the committee recommends that, subject to the implementation of these recommendations, the bill be passed. On behalf of the committee, I extend my thanks to those who participated in the inquiry from industry, academia and the Public Service. I'd like to thank the chair, Senator Ciccone, and my colleagues, including the member for Flinders, who's in the chamber with me this morning; the shadow minister for defence and the shadow minister for home affairs, for their hard work and collegiate spirit. It is a tremendous privilege to serve on the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security. It is the only committee in the parliament that receives classified briefings up to a top-secret level. It has been a privilege to have served as the deputy chair. I would like to send a shout-out to all those within the national intelligence community, whether they are working in their offices or whether they are in the field. We often remark, rightly, and acknowledge the service of our men and women in uniform, but not often enough do we acknowledge the service of our men and women in our national intelligence community who keep Australians safe every day—24 hours a day, seven days a week—often in extremely difficult and challenging environments. We never talk about you, and we never know your names, but on behalf of this parliament and on behalf of this committee I want to send a big thank you and shout-out to you, wherever you are in the world. Thank you for your service. It is equally as important as that of our men and women in the ADF. I commend the report to the House. Industry, Science and Resources Committee 57 Report 57 09:35 Mr ROB MITCHELL M3E McEwen On behalf of the Standing Committee on Industry, Science and Resources, I present the committee's report entitled Food for thought: the opportunities and challenges for Australia's food and beverage manufacturing industry, together with the minutes of proceedings. Report made a parliamentary paper in accordance with standing order 39(e). Mr ROB MITCHELL M3E by leave—Australian food and beverages are amongst the best in the world. The food and beverage manufacturers use top quality raw products from Australian farms to make world-class goods that are prized both domestically and abroad. The inquiry complements the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Agriculture's Australian food story: feeding the nation and beyond report. That report examined how Australia's food security could be strengthened and safeguarded, with a focus on the agricultural pre-farmgate side of food production. This inquiry looked at the next step, examining the post-farmgate manufacturing side of food production and the opportunities for expanding innovation and adding value. In response to the evidence we received throughout the inquiry, the committee developed 23 recommendations to support the Australian food and beverage manufacturing sector. Stakeholders told the committee that the lack of national and consistent direction on food policy was a problem for the industry. The policies, regulations and plans that support Australia's food system across the country can conflict or contradict each other. The committee's first recommendation reiterates the Standing Committee on Agriculture's Australian food story: feeding the nation and beyond report's key recommendation—that is, the Australian government develop a comprehensive national food plan. A national food plan will provide cohesion for food policies and plans across the federal, state and local governments. Increased connections for the Australian food system will strengthen our ability to make progress together on food related issues. The inquiry found many opportunities for expanding the Australian food and beverage manufacturing sector. These include export opportunities, integrating new technologies, building on Australia's reputation and competitive advantages, and adding value to the raw products to produce high-value goods. The committee made several recommendations to take advantage of these opportunities, including a food innovation precinct, protection for native flora, the identification of skill shortages in the industry and support for automation technologies. I'd like to thank all those who contributed to the inquiry, particularly the many businesses and organisations that hosted the committee at various sites across the country. These experiences provided valuable evidence of the realities facing the sector. For instance, the committee visited the Health and Food Sciences Precinct at Coopers Plains in Queensland. The precinct hosts 150 scientists from Queensland's Department of Primary Industries, the CSIRO and the University of Queensland through the Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation. Here, Queensland businesses that design and manufacture food and beverages can use the food pilot plant to develop and test new products that are Safe Food Queensland accredited. Mr Perrett HVP It's in Moreton. Mr ROB MITCHELL M3E It's in Moreton, which has been very ably represented by the member for Moreton behind me, a champion bloke. The food pilot plant is a scaled-down factory built to simulate food and beverage manufacturing practices and allow manufacturing business to experiment and produce trial products under industrial conditions in batches of up to 1,000 litres. It was absolutely fantastic to see scientists and staff at the Health and Food Sciences Precinct working with small- and medium-sized manufacturing businesses, industry associations and other research organisations to develop product prototypes, reformulate products, understand and test the market for food and beverage products and optimise processing protocols, including post-harvest handling, storage conditions, packaging and production of value added products. The committee also visited Fonterra Oceania's manufacturing facility at Campbellfield in Victoria. Fonterra is a dairy cooperative that collects milk from Australian farmers. The milk is then distributed across eight manufacturing sites across Victoria and Tasmania, where it is turned into great dairy products that generations of Australians have grown up with, including Perfect Italiano, Mainland, Western Star and Bega. Fonterra also sells dairy ingredients to many of the world's leading food companies and operates a dedicated sales channel for the food service industry, providing a full range of dairy products specifically designed for commercial kitchens. During the factory tour, our committee was shown many of the behind-the-scenes activities used to produce these great products, along with the multiple automation technologies incorporated through the production line. Of note was the extremely high level of the food safety and quality standards adhered to by all staff to ensure consumers receive safe and high-quality food. I reflect on how lucky we are here in Australia with our robust food safety and quality systems. We were also invited to attend a soft opening of the Suntory Oceania facility in late August last year. Suntory Oceania's $400 million carbon-neutral multibeverage manufacturing and distribution facility is the largest single fast moving consumer goods investment in Australia in over a decade. Once fully operational mid this year, the 17-hectare carbon-neutral site will be the manufacturing distribution hub for the company's multibeverage portfolio of over 40 brands. The facility boasts strong sustainability credentials, with a combination of renewable energy sources, including 7,000 solar panels, state-of-the-art heating/cooling technology and on-site waste-management and water-recycling facilities. The site has the capacity to hold over 50,000 pallets of product. With the production floor boasting leading-edge fill speeds, the two canning lines combine to achieve a rate of 180,000 cans per hour, while the glass line's speed is 35,000 bottles per hour. It was pleasing to hear that the construction of the site delivered over 450 construction jobs. Likewise, the opening of the facility created 160 new operational jobs. I also thank those that attended the committee's public hearings for their critical insight and expert knowledge which helped guide us to form the committee's recommendations for this inquiry. I want to extend my thanks to my committee colleagues, particularly the deputy chair, the Hon. Michelle Landry MP, and her staff, who have been absolutely wonderful right throughout this. We worked extremely closely, and I think it shows in the way that we put a report together that everyone had input in and the way everyone had the ability to do it. We actually had a pretty great time doing this. The rumour mill was that the committee secretariats were pretty jealous of what we were doing, but that was because we had a great crew together and we did work extremely hard. I also want to thank the member for Cunningham, the member for Hunter, the member for Swan, the member for Calwell, the member for Bowman and the member for O'Connor. We have been a very strong bipartisan committee, producing two important reports during the body of this 47th parliament. I think the work that was done, as I said, was good and friendly spirited, and, again, I thank them for that. It is always important to acknowledge the people that keep us in line. There were times when I think our secretariat might have felt like they were herding cats trying to keep us on time, and, when we were going to do some of the exciting things— Mr HVP Was that Michelle? Mr ROB MITCHELL M3E Yes, it was mainly Michelle; it wasn't me, of course! I was always on time! I want to thank Committee Secretary Lynley Ducker, Inquiry Secretary Miona Ikeda and researcher Ben Russell, who are sitting up there in the gallery. These guys are an absolute asset to this parliament. The work they did, the professionalism with which they carry themselves and their ability to help us bring everything together in a fantastic, united front were sensational, and it has been very much an honour to have you guys as our secretariat. I also want to again acknowledge the retirement of Lynley Ducker and thank her for her parliamentary service over many, many years. Whether it was working with the committee or having to sit up the front there during our messy days of question time and the like, she handled herself with absolute brilliance. So, with that, I just want to commend this report to the House and again say this was a wonderful report—we had lots of fun—and the recommendations give opportunity for the next parliament to be able to work closer and look closer into the spirits industry and the alcohol industry, which we know are growing well. Particularly in times of change, we see with some of our friends overseas, it's a great opportunity for us to continue to support, to buy, consume and manufacturer Australian foods and beverages because we have everything we need here to make great product that should be on world shelves everywhere. 09:45 Ms LANDRY 249764 Capricornia I seek leave to make a statement. Leave granted. Ms LANDRY 249764 I rise today to speak on the Industry, Science and Resources Committee's report into food and beverage manufacturing, titled Food For Thought. This report delves into the vital role that food and beverage manufacturing plays in Australia's economy, its connection to our world-class agriculture sector and the opportunities that lie ahead to strengthen and grow the industry. Australia is known for producing some of the highest-quality food and beverages in the world. Our farmers supply top-tier raw materials and our manufacturers turn them into world-class products that are enjoyed both domestically and internationally. Food and beverage manufacturing is a significant part of the Australian economy. It is the largest manufacturing sector in the country, contributing billions of dollars annually and supporting hundreds of thousands of jobs. This industry adds immense value to our agriculture products, ensuring that Australia is not just a supplier of raw materials but a global leader in high-quality, innovative food production. Strengthening this sector means strengthening our entire economy. The report makes 23 recommendations to take advantage of these opportunities. One of the major areas of concern raised during the inquiry was the taxation system for alcohol manufacturers, with 40 per cent of submissions coming from this sector. In response, the committee recommends the establishment of Spirits Australia, a dedicated industry body similar to Wine Australia to support the growth and international success of Australian distillers. The spirits sector contributes $15.5 billion to the economy and supports over 100,000 jobs yet it lacks the same level of government support as other beverage industries. Addressing this imbalance will help Australian spirit manufacturers thrive both domestically and internationally. However, the committee also heard that Australia's excise tax system is placing an unsustainable burden on small distillers. The high rate of excise duty on spirits makes it incredibly difficult for small and emerging businesses to compete, stifling innovation and restricting their ability to grow. Unlike their counterparts in the wine industry, who benefit from a more favourable taxation structure, Australian distillers face some of the highest spirit taxes in the world. The report highlights that reforming this taxation system is crucial to ensure the survival and success of small distilleries, which creates jobs, supports regional economies and showcases Australians' craftsmanship on the global stage. Another key focus of the report is ensuring regional communities benefit from food and beverage manufacturing. This sector is a significant employer in regional Australia, with nearly half of all jobs in meat, sugar, confectionary and beverage manufacturing located outside of capital cities. Developing strategically placed manufacturing facilities, particularly in northern Australia, could strengthen regional economies, reduce food transport costs and increase food security in remote communities. Such investments would not only create jobs but also support sustainable regional development and improve resilience in our food supply chains. Labelling is another issue addressed in the report. Submitters raised concerns about inconsistent regulations and frequent changes to labelling requirements, which create unnecessary costs for businesses. The committee recommends supporting digitisation and innovation in labelling, such as the use of QR codes to provide detailed product information while reducing compliance burdens on manufacturers. This approach would ensure that consumers have access to the information they need while allowing businesses to remain agile and competitive in an evolving marketplace. Finally, the inquiry examined workforce challenges in food and beverage manufacturing. The sector struggles with an ageing workforce, skills shortages and a lack of awareness among young people about career opportunities in the industry. To address this, the committee recommends targeted training programs, better alignment between education and industry needs, and reforms to skilled migration programs to support businesses facing labour shortages. A strong talent pipeline is essential to fostering innovation, ensuring product quality and safety, and driving sustainable growth. The food and beverage manufacturing industry is an essential part of Australia's identity. It supports farmers, creates jobs, strengthens regional communities and ensures that Australian products remain at the forefront of the global market. This report provides a road map for strengthening Australia's food and beverage manufacturing sector. By implementing these recommendations, we can unlock the industry's full potential, create more high-value products, support regional development and enhance the health and wellbeing of Australians. Finally, I'd like to thank our committee's chair, the member for McEwen. As he previously said, it was a really great committee. We enjoyed it as well as doing the work. I'd like to thank our fellow committee members from both sides of politics. We had a really great team, I must say. I'd also like to thank our wonderful secretariat for their professionalism and keeping the team on track during our inquiry. Health, Aged Care and Sport Committee 60 Report 60 09:51 Dr FREELANDER 265979 Macarthur On behalf of the Standing Committee on Health, Aged Care and Sport, I present the committee's report entitled Issues paper relating to the health impacts of alcohol and other drugs in Australia, together with a corrigendum and the minutes of proceedings. Report made a parliamentary paper in accordance with standing order 39(e). Dr FREELANDER 265979 by leave—Substance abuse has long been a profound challenge facing communities across our nation and indeed all over the world since time immemorial. In Australia, harm related to alcohol and other drugs is one of our most significant public health crises—a major cause of preventable disease, illness and death. The health impacts span a devastating spectrum, from substance abuse disorders and mental illness to infectious diseases, cancer, cardiovascular and liver disease, injury, overdose and even effects on the unborn fetus. But the toll extends far beyond individual health. Alcohol and other drug use casts a long shadow across our society and economy, contributing to family violence, child abuse and neglect, gambling addiction and family breakdown. It places immense pressure on our police, community service workers and the criminal justice system. Six months ago, when the House Standing Committee on Health, Aged Care and Sport embarked on this inquiry into the health impacts of alcohol and other drug use, we recognised a pivotal moment of opportunity. With both the National Drug Strategy and the National Alcohol Strategy approaching their conclusion, we had a chance to ensure that the next iterations of these crucial strategies could benefit from the research powers of a committee of the parliament. In particular, the committee was very keen to see these strategies informed by a comprehensive understanding of the sector's needs. The committee was grateful to receive written evidence and hear from witnesses about a range of issues pertaining to current alcohol and other drugs service delivery, the need for developing responses tailored to different communities, and the urgent challenge of raising the capacity of the workforce across this sector. We heard of new challenges, new drugs and new ways of delivering support. The fact that the committee received over 200 submissions from a wide range of stakeholders, including government agencies, peak bodies, researchers, clinicians and harm reduction services among others, speaks to the level of interest in and urgent need for addressing harms from substance abuse. We know that substance use does not impact all Australians equally. Our most vulnerable populations bear a disproportionate burden of alcohol and other drug related harm. This inequity demands that our policy responses be both targeted and equitable, ensuring that a person's background or location never stands as a barrier between them and adequate help. In the time available, there were elements of the inquiry's terms of reference that the committee was unable to fully explore. Accordingly, the committee recommends and wishes that the inquiry be continued in the next parliament. And I commit to that, provided I'm re-elected. We present this issues paper now as both a summary of the substantial evidence we've already gathered and to identify some of the lines of inquiry which should be pursued. We must remain vigilant in studying evolving patterns of substance abuse and the emergence of new drugs that pose grave threats to our community. In closing, I wish to thank the federal and state government departments and agencies, peak bodies, think tanks, academics, health practitioners, research organisations and members of the public who all provided invaluable input into this inquiry. The overwhelming response to our call for submissions reflects how deeply this issue resonates across the country in all societies. The committee was particularly grateful for the opportunity to visit the Salvation Army's Access Health, the Windana adult residential detox centre in St Kilda and the Alcohol and Drug Assessment Unit of the Princess Alexandra Hospital in Brisbane. We were impressed by the dedication and professionalism of the healthcare and social workers at these facilities who so generously shared their time with us. I would also like to thank the committee itself. It's a great committee. I am very grateful to all the members of the committee, including, although not exclusively, the member for Hughes, the member for Werriwa, the member for Kooyong and the member for Robertson. But most of all I'd like to express my gratitude to the initial deputy chair of the committee, Melissa McIntosh, the member for Lindsay, whose intelligence and hard work significantly improved the committee's function. In particular, I'd also like to thank Julian Leeser, the member for Berowra, in his role as the ongoing deputy chair of the committee, for his intelligence, hard work and really indefatigable work for the committee and across the parliament. It was really great to work with him and a great privilege to do so. Lastly, I'd like to thank our secretariat. I cannot express how impressed I am by their intelligence, their hard work and the really wonderful camaraderie that they developed within the whole committee. They are often unsung, but they are real jewels in our parliament. I thank Mr Andrew Bray, the committee secretary, and the inquiry secretary, Iva Glisic, so much for their help and support. It has been wonderful to work with them and I hope to work with them further in the future. So I commend the issues paper relating to the health impacts of alcohol and other drugs in Australia to the parliament. I look forward to continuing this work in the next parliament. My deputy secretary will say a few words as well. 09:57 Mr LEESER 109556 Berowra I seek leave to make a short statement. Leave granted. Mr LEESER 109556 Let me begin by thanking my friend the member for Macarthur, who chaired this inquiry and is hugely respected across this parliament for his knowledge, wisdom and experience as a medical practitioner but also for the way that he's conducted not just this inquiry but committees over the entire parliament. It is really a privilege to work with him. Let me echo his words about our excellent secretariat and the other members of the committee, with whom it's been a privilege to work. Let me also thank all those who have made submissions to this inquiry. In the short time since this inquiry was referred to the committee, we have not had adequate time to hear from the full range of witnesses or consider an adequate range of evidence to allow the committee to draw conclusions. Therefore, what we've produced is an issues paper that a future parliament might pick up and that witnesses might respond to in helping any future committee arrive at recommendations for policy reform. Nothing that appears in this issues paper should be taken as the committee expressing a concluded view about the evidence presented to it. This issues paper highlights areas requiring deeper exploration and careful analysis before drawing conclusions. I want to bring attention to two issues today which I think it's very important for any future committee to consider. Firstly, chapters 3 and 5 raise controversial discussions around harm minimisation and approaches to law enforcement. Speaking for myself, I would have real difficulty supporting a so-called harm minimisation approach to dealing with illicit drugs. While we've heard from many advocates of harm minimisation, the committee hasn't heard from state and territory law enforcement and other broader community stakeholders to better test these strategies. I therefore want to make a special call to state and territory police to participate in any future inquiry. We need to hear from the men and women at the forefront of keeping our community safe. Secondly, I want to turn to the question of nicotine addiction. In this report, we make the following observation: While the use of vapes or e-cigarettes is not the focus of this inquiry, the Committee acknowledges the concern that has been raised by witnesses regarding the use of these products, as younger people are at greater risk of developing nicotine dependence than adults. I want to say a few things briefly about this issue because it's one of increasing importance to our community. If the next parliament takes up this inquiry, I think it has a duty to examine the growing impact of e-cigarettes, vaping and nicotine addiction on our young people. In recent months, I've had concerned parents write to me about the ease of their children getting vapes and I've heard anecdotal stories about the illegal tobacco trade operating even in our own community, and I've raised these issues with local police. Young Australians face a heightened risk of nicotine dependency, increasingly fuelled by the surge in vaping and e-cigarette use. Stories in the media in recent months indicate that the illegal tobacco trade is thriving across our nation. What's often overlooked is how the black market boom is closely linked with rising vape and e-cigarette sales. In my own electorate, we're seeing a sudden rise in the number of tobacconists sprouting up in nearly every suburb, especially near transport hubs frequented by schoolchildren. These shops are strategically marketing chocolate, lollies and other sweets to deliberately entice children onto the premises. The tactic isn't accidental. It lures our young people into the stores, transitioning them into illegal nicotine products as they grow older. I think the next parliament has to look at this. It puzzles me, for instance, that in my home state of New South Wales, while stringent approvals and licensing for liquor stores are required, as they should be, tobacconists can operate with minimal oversight, minimal approval and minimal licensing. I note the coalition has proposed a $250 million illegal tobacco and vaping taskforce led by Australian Federal Police and Australian Border Force to tackle illegal vapes from the border to the shopfront. This will provide desperately needed federal leadership to crack down on organised criminal activity and protect Australian children. The duty to protect our young people lies with every single one of us, especially those elected to represent our communities. I make no apology for calling out those who seek to market nicotine products to children. I make no apology for calling out those who to seek to spread disinformation and misinformation about nicotine products contrary to health advice. I make no apology for standing strong against the scourge of those who'd see our children face a life of dependence and addiction. Treaties Joint Committee 62 Report 62 10:01 Ms CHESTERS 249710 Bendigo On behalf of the Joint Standing Committee on Treaties, I present the committee's Report 226: Australia-Portugal tax treaty. Report made a parliamentary paper in accordance with standing order 39(e). Ms CHESTERS 249710 by leave—I am pleased to make a statement on the Joint Standing Committee on Treaties's Report 226: Australia-Portugal tax treaty. The major treaty action considered in this report is the convention between Australia and the Portuguese Republic for the elimination of double taxation with respect to taxes on income and the prevention of tax evasion and avoidance. The treaty is a taxation agreement with Portugal aimed at eliminating the double taxation for residents of Australia and Portugal. It also aims to prevent tax evasion and avoidance and to strengthen economic ties between our two countries. Portugal and Australia have a history of over 64 years of strong diplomatic relations. The two countries share a range of priorities, particularly the mutual multilateral institutions, and this agreement will further develop these links. The convention aims to promote closer economic cooperation between Australia and Portugal. It will provide tax certainty for Australian businesses seeking to expand into Portugal and for Australian taxpayers deriving income from Portugal. It will encourage trade between the two countries by reducing tax barriers, decreasing the cost to Australian businesses and enabling better access to Portuguese capital and technology. In considering this convention, the committee held one public hearing where the Department of the Treasury gave evidence. Treasury emphasised the importance of strengthening ties with Portugal by creating a more favourable investment environment. This is the first such agreement with Portugal. The committee supports this convention and recommends that binding treaty action be taken. This report before us also contains nine minor treaty actions for which no inquiries were conducted; six of these actions are amendments to the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships. They make minor changes to the convention aimed at preventing and minimising ship pollution in marine environments. The changes include: updated requirements for hinged watertight doors, updates to marine environment protection procedures, changed arrangements for developing states, and states bordering Arctic waters, regarding reception facilities for ship generated waste, changes to requirements for garbage management plans on board ships, amendments to limit air pollution of sulphur oxide and particulate matter, and updating the bunker delivery note requirements regarding on-board fuel delivery. These six minor treaty actions are environmentally sound amendments that have minimal impact on industry. Australia's acceptance of the amendments is consistent with our longstanding support for the protection of the marine environment and active support of the International Maritime Organization. Two of the minor treaty actions in this report relate to the Agreement Establishing the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development 1990 and the Articles of Agreement of the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development 1945. And the final minor treaty action in this report amends the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, known as CITES. CITES is an international agreement that aims to ensure that the international trade in wild animals and plants does not threaten their survival. This minor treaty action updates appendix 3 of the convention to remove six previously listed species of turtle native to China. The committee also resolved that binding treaty action be taken for all these minor treaties. As this is likely to be the final report of the committee in this parliament, I would like to sincerely thank everyone who has been involved in inquiries and making submissions throughout the course of the past few years. Your contributions have been extremely valuable and an important part of the process of examining and scrutinising treaties. Treaties are a critical part of our engagement with other nations and for Australia's participation in the international community. Thank you also to all the committee members for their diligence and hard work on a constantly busy committee, particularly the former chair, the member for Fremantle; and the deputy chair, the member for Herbert. And finally I would like to thank the secretariat for their hard work over this term of parliament. It is a very busy committee, and we would not have been as successful without their hard work. On behalf of the committee, I commend this report to the House. Regional Development, Infrastructure and Transport Committee 63 Report 63 10:08 Mr ZAPPIA HWB Makin On behalf of the Standing Committee on Regional Development, Infrastructure and Transport, and also on behalf of the chair of that committee, the member for Solomon, I present the committee's interim report into local government sustainability, together with the minutes of proceedings. Report made a parliamentary paper in accordance with standing order 39(e). Mr ZAPPIA HWB by leave—On 21 March 2024, the committee adopted an inquiry into local government sustainability following a referral from the Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government. The committee received 287 submissions and held 16 public hearings in person and via videoconference, in Canberra, Launceston, Wallan, Adelaide, Cairns, Beaudesert and Perth. Local governments play a crucial role, acting as the closest tier of governance to the community and addressing various needs and concerns at the grassroots level. Their roles and responsibilities are diverse and multifaceted, encompassing a wide range of services and functions that are essential for the wellbeing and development of communities. The role of local governments has expanded over time beyond rates, roads and rubbish. Today they are being increasingly relied upon to provide services which were the responsibility of the Commonwealth, state and Northern Territory governments. Many local governments now provide vital municipal services, including health care, child care and aged care, ensuring the liveability and wellbeing of their communities. They oversee environmental protection, as well as mitigating and remediating natural disaster risks. Local governments are one of Australia's largest employers. They manage and maintain critical infrastructure and roads that connect communities, being responsible for one-third of Australia's public infrastructure. That's why our government supports local roads. The Roads to Recovery Program supports the construction and maintenance of the nation's local road infrastructure assets, which facilitate greater accessibility and improves safety, economic and social outcomes for Australians. The Albanese government is making local roads safer with our commitment in last year's budget of $4.4 billion under the Roads to Recovery Program over the next five years. Northern Territory councils are receiving $128 million over five years, an increase of $55 million. Roads to Recovery supports local road construction and maintenance by local government. The funding increase allows local governments to plan for the long-term maintenance and upgrade of their road networks, shielding critical road safety measures from the uncertainty of budget cycles. It directly impacts the quality of our local roads, allows for potholes to be filled, pavements to be repaired and culverts to be installed, to improve drainage and keep roads open during bad weather, and helps make sure we all get home safely. The increased funding was part of a series of changes aimed at strengthening investment in safer, more productive local roads across Australia. Councils and shires across regional, rural and metropolitan areas spoke to us about the constant funding pressures they face. The vast majority of local governments told the committee that their ability to remain financially sustainable was being impacted by a number of factors including cost shifting, challenges raising their own revenue and obtaining adequate funding through grants to meet local priorities. Local governments are also experiencing skills shortages across a number of critical areas, further impacting service delivery to their communities. The committee is undertaking a thorough review of all of the submissions received and evidence gathered at public hearings and will subsequently produce a final report. In the meantime, the committee has agreed to present this interim report to provide an update on the work it has undertaken to date. Submitters put forward wideranging recommendations aimed at improving the sustainability of local governments. Given the significant number of recommendations put forward to this inquiry by participants, it is challenging to list them all to you today and in the report. A brief overview of some of the key recommendations made by the various LGAs includes: review the Financial Assistance Grant program including: minimum Financial Assistance Grants restored to one per cent of Commonwealth taxation revenue remove fixed co-contribution and short delivery timeline requirements of grants set the duration of funded programs to a minimum of three to five years to enable for delivery, stability and quality the Commonwealth government establish a new allocative, permanent funding program for local governments increase Financial Assistance Grant funding for smaller regional, rural and remote councils based on relative need review the Intergovernmental Agreement on Federal Financial Relations ensure the allocation of grants is consistent with horizontal equalisation between councils in all jurisdictions, reflecting the different expenditure needs and revenue capacities of councils in different states the Commonwealth government consider the role local governments play, and the appropriateness of funding made available to First Nations councils in achieving the objectives of the National Agreement on Closing the Gap address skills shortages through: increase programs that will improve labour availability such as upskilling retraining, skilled migration and re-evaluate migration policy to enable access to select highly skilled experts develop mechanisms for public/private partnerships to address service gaps incentivise workers to relocate to local government regional, rural and remote areas develop education pathways to promote local government specific skills for regional areas review international best practice of workforce incentive programs and potential application in the Australian context consider local governments' role in National Cabinet and ministerial forums consider developing a new tripartite agreement between all three levels of government, that ends the cost shifting onto local governments consider making councils eligible for fringe benefits tax exemptions and concessions the Commonwealth government to amend the Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth) to regulate the provision of labour hire services by national-system employers to state-system local governments the Department of Defence and other Commonwealth agencies to contribute to infrastructure required to service their operations develop a national working group to proactively prepare and mitigate natural disasters and climate-change impacts, with funding for local programs. Once again, I stress those were recommendations put forward to the committee but are not recommendations of the committee. In tabling this report, I thank the committee members for their constructive input and dedication throughout this important inquiry process. I thank the committee secretariat as well and each of the committee members that participated because it was an extensive inquiry. While I am here representing the chair of the committee, I also participated in many of the hearings, so I know how far and wide the committee travelled. I also extend my sincere thanks to the many local, state and territory government organisations and unions, including the Australian Services Union and the United Services Union, who participated in this inquiry via submissions and public hearings. With those comments, I commend the report to the House. BILLS 65 BILLS Telecommunications Amendment (Enhancing Consumer Safeguards) Bill 2025 65

Telecommunications Amendment (Enhancing Consumer Safeguards) Bill 2025

Second Reading 65 10:16 Mr JOYCE e5d New England I would like to commend some of the comments at the outset of the member for Makin. It is a big issue we are trying to deal with, when you have people in regional areas saying, 'Unless we get the financial assistance grant system working properly, looking after the more remote regional government areas, these council areas will not be viable or sustainable.' It seems ridiculous that a place such as the Gold Coast or the centre of Sydney—the Sydney regional council—has a financial assistance grant yet you have a places such as Bingara or Uralla out in the regions that are struggling to look after their roads. These big councils would make vastly more out of parking fines. We don't have that attribute in remote and regional areas. Everybody has been saying that we should be adjusting the financial assistance grants process. We keep talking about it but we never seem to do it. Maybe it is something for the astute people as we go towards the coming election to come up with a policy on that one. When I first got into politics in 2004, the big issue then was the final privatisation of Telstra. It had been half privatised by the Labor Party. The government had privatised about 49 per cent of it and wanted to privatise the rest. It was Treasurer Costello at that stage. I think the logic behind it was they used the money from the privatisation of Telstra to pay off what was at that point in time about $80 billion of debt, so Australia would not have any debt after that. That was the trick we used to get ourselves out. However, in regional areas we were very concerned about this. The reason we were concerned was we just don't trust people to look off after us when they privatise something and say that is the market and that will work. I was in the invidious position because the coalition had won four Senate seats in Queensland and I had actually had, at that point in time, the Liberal Party standing against me to try and beat me. When I arrived down here, I was not really part of the team as I should have been, and the biggest issue was that they needed my vote for the final privatisation of Telstra. I was completely new at my job. Neither I nor any of my staff had been in politics before, so it was rather intense. Trying to get the agreements through, with the universal service obligation, the network reliability framework and the customer service guarantee—a myriad things—and trying to work out what sort of money needed to be put aside so there were some protections for regional areas was an immense task. To be quite frank, I wasn't getting any assistance from either side of politics, and I was having to rely on people external to this building to give me some sort of guidance on where I'd go on that. I don't think we came up with the perfect solution, but I could see that, inevitably, if I didn't come to some sort of agreement at that point in time, they were just going to go around me and use somebody else. So an agreement that did its very best to look after regional Australia was the one I had to take. The Labor Party had already privatised half of Telstra. There was absolutely no reason to believe that they wouldn't have it in their minds to sell another one per cent of it if they had the opportunity. It was just a matter of time and trying to do the best you could at that spot. To this day, our office and, I think, many regional people's offices remind you of a front desk for Telstra. Any complaint about telecommunications seem to walk through our doors, and there are many complaints. As this is a bill to deal with consumer safeguards—and I had a fundamental part in bringing about consumer safeguards back in 2005—it is disappointing that we just get these weasel words. We were given a guarantee that, when 3G shut down, people would not lose service. Now, there was initially a thing called CDMA, Deputy Speaker Goodenough; you probably remember it. It had very low volume but an incredibly good footprint for voice. When that shut down, it went to a thing called 2G—a smaller area but with more data. Then it was 3G, a smaller area again but with more data. Now we're heading to 4G and 5G. But, as they shut down 3G, a lot of people who used to get voice—and this is imperative—don't get it anymore. Mr Pasin 240756 That's right. They promised us they would. Mr JOYCE e5d This is one of the big things—the member for Barker would be in exactly the same boat—that defines regional people from people in capital cities. It can be dramatic if there's an accident. The other day I was coming along a road, and I noticed there was a lady, a young girl and a guy—a wild-looking bloke—on the road. They were just standing around. I was trying to work out what was going on, and as I came slowly around I saw a car had gone off the road. I stopped and I said, 'Who was in the car?' They went, 'They're still in there.' We got them out and walked them up to the edge of the road, but it was very close to them dying. The issue was we had no phone service. There was no phone service. It was about an hour and a half to two hours before an ambulance turned up. That was just one day, driving back up from the coast. We've had other examples, like when a bushfire breaks out. When the fire goes, you've got to move really quickly to try and deal with it. We all have to deal with that in regional areas. But people are having to drive kilometres up the road to get phone service so they can ring the bushfire brigade and also start to organise amongst themselves—because in country areas people organise their own section of the bushfire brigade. But to contact people you've got to be able to phone them. We also have UHFs. At our place, it's channel 41. But, if you don't know what the UHF is and the other person doesn't have UHF on, then you can't contact them. Five, 10 and 15 minutes is huge when you're trying to deal with a fire. It's absolutely massive. It all comes down to us having a reliable phone system, and we don't. We've had a petition in our area from Cropper Creek, Cooletai, Gravesend, North Star, Warialda, Bingara and Upper Horton—some of these are coming into New England. They're fed up with trying to operate their business, security and lifestyle without a phone that works. Just recently I went to the cafe at Gravesend, which is coming into the electorate of New England, and the big issue that people wanted to talk to us about is that they don't have a mobile phone system. To be quite frank, many areas have just given up on fixed lines. They don't even bother to maintain them anymore. It's antiquated technology. A lot of local people say, 'We can't rely on Telstra. We're going to have to look at Starlink and go with the new forms of technology that go straight from your device to low-Earth-orbit satellites.' But I think that's about 150 bucks a month, before we start worrying about calls. It's not cheap. But people say, 'It is absolutely fundamentally part of our occupational health and safety requirements in this area that we have a telephone service.' We have a right to ask the telecommunications companies to abide by this, because they've got bucketloads of money from us to set up mobile phone towers and for the assets they hold when they sell it out of spectrum. In some areas, there's a virtual monopoly on the provision of a mobile phone service. There has to be mandatory compliance with the industry codes that have been set up. There has to be, as this talks to, a proper infringement process if people decide there's a buck to be made by not abiding by the rules. It'll continue to be the case as you go to high-G delivery that you will need more mobile phone black spots. These areas will require a vastly greater rollout of mobile phone towers. Alternatively, you will have to come up with some program. Otherwise, Elon Musk will be the provider for regional areas, because people will just go across to Starlink. It's my great honour to represent the people of New England, and we've delivered around about 50 mobile black spot towers in places such as Balala, Bonshaw, Drake, Dungowan, Hillgrove, Kings Plains, Rocky Creek, Urbenville, Walcha Road, Woolomin, Attunga, Baraba, Bruxner Highway A and B, Tabulam, Duri, Elsmore, Fossickers Way, Hallsville, Invergowrie, Manilla, Moonbi, Mount Carrington, Oxley Vale, Piallamore, Spring Mountain Road near White Rock, Tamworth, Walcha, Westdale, Copeton Dam, Kingston, Baldersleigh, west of Guyra, Koreelah, Pinkett, Mount Hourigan, Doughboy Mountain, Moonan Flat, Torrington, Wellington Creek, Weabonga—up the hill from me—Spring Ridge, Blackville, Gilgai, Glen Elgin, Mole River Exchange, Tenterfield, Watsons Creek and Woodsreef Exchange. As a regional member of parliament, some of the biggest things you can do are to get people a mobile phone tower. It's not that they want to do share transactions; they just want to know at Upper Horton that, if someone comes off a horse at the campdraft when it's on—and you've got 1,000 people or so there—and the person is suspected to have broken their neck, you can make the call straight away. People in regional areas have a right to be looked after. The question going forward is about making sure what we've seen from the telecommunications industry, which promised so much to us and to me—and maybe at that early age I was naive enough to believe promises. I got over that problem pretty quickly. But in 2005 I was naive enough to believe that, when people made promises to you, they would actually do them. We're seeing this again. Now we're getting promises about energy. There's another raft of promises that to be frank, 20 years later, I just don't believe. I do not believe they will be able to maintain the grid in an affordable manner that will all work. I've seen this movie before, and it ends in absolute and utter tears. You end up with a complete fiasco, where people who have been able to swindle the government for whatever it was naive enough to have peeled off get it. The people left picking up the pieces are called constituents. No matter what, the government never turns up later on and fixes the problem. You're just left with a car crash that was a proper, working telecommunications platform where people could make phone calls. In the future, the next one will be, 'You didn't honestly believe we were going to have a working electricity grid, did you?' When we go back to them, we'll say, 'Hang on, these people got 3G, and you promised they would get 4G and 5G, but now they're getting "no G".' They have no G at all. They have no horses at all for this one. What went wrong here? Of course, the deal is done. They got the money. They'll say, 'That was fortuitous!' Mr Pasin 240756 I never heard of fortuitous service till this. They were just getting lucky! Mr JOYCE e5d You were just lucky that day! Wind blowing in the right direction—aren't you a lucky fella that you had service at some stage! You should say, 'Thank you very much,' that, in the past, your mobile phone worked. Now, it won't. You see the sense of cynicism that regional politicians have about that, because, immediately, the dials change. Now, of course, it's back to the swindle factories, intermittent power precincts, and wind turbines and solar panels. 'It'll all be fine. Don't worry. Everything will work well,' once they're decommissioned and fall over in the paddock. 'It'll all work well,' once the bisphenol A and the microplastics blow over your fields so you can't sell your stock in the saleyards because it's contaminated. That has happened. We have to actually come up with a plan to keep our cattle away from the wind towers because they are poisonous, so you don't eat it. You've got about a teaspoon of microplastics in your head at the moment, and they don't want you to have any more. They don't tell you about that little bit, do they? No. All you see is a happy picture of the wind turbine. You're eating the plastics from it, but don't worry— Mr e5d I don't know why you're laughing about that. I can show you—we have to sign a declaration because it brings on Alzheimer's disease. Is that not a concern? Mr JOYCE e5d Okay, I'll take you up on that. I'll give you the report. I'll send it through to your office. Mr JOYCE e5d Yes, it has! The DEPUTY SPEAKER DZY Order! All comments should be through the chair. Mr JOYCE e5d I'll get it through to your office. This is the absolute ignorance of the facts of the issues. You go out and you support the intermittent power precincts, and you aren't actually aware of the facts that are there in the report. I will get you the report. You should have read it, because I think it was on the front page of the paper! Anyhow, I'll get it to you. You are doing it to our countryside, creating the filth all over our countryside and contaminating it. You're going to an election on the back of it because the minister, with his stupid smile, thinks it is a good idea. (Time expired) 10:31 Ms MASCARENHAS 298800 Swan It is a pleasure to have the opportunity to speak on the Telecommunications Amendment (Enhancing Consumer Safeguards) Bill 2025 today. I note that we're almost on the eve of an election, and I think that what this bill demonstrates is that this parliament and the Australian people really have a choice between two parties—two parties that recognise what real action looks like and one that looks like a party of inaction. What I will say, talking about action, is that I do want to talk about real action. Since coming to office, this government has not wasted a single day. We have not sat on our hands. We have not dodged the tough calls. We've shown up in moments of crisis and in moments of opportunity, from the Prime Minister and Senator McAllister standing with communities under threat from ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred, to rebuilding global partnerships and bringing forward important legislation like this. This is work we've done. It's been full on, and I've been busy too. In Swan, we've been upgrading, investing and reviving, delivering real change after years of Liberal neglect. We are upgrading public infrastructure, Boorloo Bridge, METRONET and the McCallum Park and Queens Park open spaces. We're investing in housing—501 new homes under the Housing Australia Future Fund and 875 households supported into homes under the Home Guarantee Scheme. We're backing local manufacturing and future industries. Just this month, the Prime Minister was in Swan announcing $750 million to boost metal manufacturing. And this is just one example of what we've been doing. Mr Pasin 240756 Point of order: I ask that the speaker be drawn to the subject matter of the debate, which is the Telecommunications Amendment (Enhancing Consumer Safeguards) Bill 2025. The DEPUTY SPEAKER DZY Thank you, member for Barker. I am listening carefully. I'll determine whether the member is within the parameters of the bill. Ms MASCARENHAS 298800 This demonstrates that we are a government of action—a government of building a better future. This includes securing our telecommunications as a key part of this future. It is one example of how, every day in everyday life, we are making a lifeline, and we need to secure it. The Labor Party has a big plan for Australia, and every single one of these components feeds into this plan, because we want to make sure that people stay connected, and securing our telecommunications is a key part of that future. It's part of everyday life. It's a lifeline, and we need to secure it. This bill marks a significant step forward in protecting Australians who rely on telecommunications services. These services are essential in our daily lives for work, education, connecting with loved ones and staying informed. In the digital age, connection is not a luxury; it is a necessity. With that comes a responsibility to ensure that businesses are operating fairly and in the best interests of consumers. This legislation will deliver vital reforms to strengthen the enforcement powers of the Australian Communications and Media Authority, ACMA, ensuring that it can act quickly and decisively. It also delivers reforms that introduce serious consequences for failures. For too long we have seen examples of telcos treating penalties as a cost of doing business, deciding that paying the fine is easier than fixing the issue. Frankly, this approach is unacceptable, and this government is saying, 'Enough is enough.' This bill puts an end to the outdated and ineffective two-step enforcement process. As it stands, when a telco breaches its obligations under the industry code, ACMA must first issue a direction to comply. Only if the telco then fails to comply with that direction can ACMA take further enforcement action, even if the initial breach was serious or caused widespread consumer harm. This delay undermines consumer protections and weakens the authority of the regulator. Under the proposed legislation, ACMA will be able to take action when providers breach the code. This is a simple but critical change. It also sends a clear message to telcos that they have a responsibility to meet their obligations to consumers and, if they fail, they will be held to account. The bill also introduces significantly stronger penalties for breaches of industry codes and standards. The current maximum general penalty, which dates from 1997, is $250,000. This will be increased to $10 million. But the reforms go further. In cases where the benefit obtained from offending conduct is higher or where the company turnover is higher, the new framework will allow for even greater fines. Penalties may now be linked to the value of the benefit received from the breach or the overall turnover of the telco. This brings penalties in the telecommunications sector into line with penalties in energy, banking and consumer law. This alignment is important. Consumers should have the same level of protection and regulatory oversight with regard to telco services as they would with regard to their electricity provider. The days of telcos operating in a regulatory grey zone are over. This bill enables the government to increase penalties that ACMA can issue across all applicable breaches. These include breaches of consumer protection rules. This is about the tools to match the scale and seriousness of relevant breaches. Another major reform of this bill is the creation of the carrier service provider, CSP, registration scheme. This is a long overdue measure to increase transparency and visibility in the market, particularly when it comes to telecommunication retailers, who often sit between the customer and infrastructure providers. Under the new scheme, CSPs will be required to register with ACMA. This will not only improve oversight of those who are operating in the market but also give the regulator the ability to intervene where necessary. If a CSP is found to pose an unacceptable risk to consumers or has caused harm, ACMA will have the power to stop it from operating. This is about cleaning up the industry. It's all about making sure that telcos—whether they're large or small, retailers or wholesalers—are playing by the same rules and are subject to the same level of scrutiny. These reforms are substantial. They are practical and necessary. They better equip ACMA to do its job of protecting consumers, upholding standards and taking strong action when telcos fall short. More than that, these changes shift the incentive structure in the industry. They push providers towards a culture of compliance, rather than damage control. They encourage telcos to educate themselves and their staff about their obligations. They encourage compliance. This is about putting consumers first; this is what it's fundamentally about. They also help create a telco sector that is fairer, more accountable and more focused on the needs of Australians, because, at the end of the day, this is what it is all about—putting consumers first. Australians shouldn't have to fight for fair treatment when it comes to dealing with a telco. They shouldn't have to spend hours on hold trying to resolve an issue that should never have occurred in the first place. They should not have to wonder whether there provider is operating responsibly or ethically. With this bill, we are saying that the status quo is simply not good enough. What we're saying is that consumers deserve better. We're ensuring that the rules and the enforcement powers behind them reflect that reality. This legislation is just one part of the government's broader efforts to strengthen the consumer voice in telecommunications and to modernise the regulatory framework that governs this critical industry. It follows the clear principle that, when services are essential, protections must be strong. It follows the clear objective to build a telecommunications sector that works for the people it serves, not just for profit margins or shareholders. We are taking action to stand up for fairness for the millions of Australians who rely on these services every single today. We are taking action to ensure the telecommunications sector is one that puts consumers and the Australian public at its core, where it always should have been. Labor support the Australian public, we support consumers and we are committed to protecting consumers. I commend the Minister for Communications for bringing forward this important legislation. I commend the government for its ongoing commitment to protecting consumers. I urge all members of the House to support this bill. 10:42 Mr PASIN 240756 Barker For metropolitan constituents, it might be difficult to believe, but the single most inquired about issue in my electorate offices day in, day out over the course of more than a decade has been mobile phone connectivity. That dichotomy, sadly, is growing in our country as telcos focus their efforts on providing greater speeds, better reliability—effectively, better services—for those people that live in the heavily populated parts of our country while they turn their back on those people that live in rural, regional and remote Australia. So that gap is broadening day by day. You heard the member for New England saying that what we don't want is for a world in which our heavily populated areas, our metropolitan centres, are serviced by our national telcos, while those of us who live in the bush have to rely on alternative forms of technology—Starlink and these other things. People are moving in that direction via necessity, but it's also broadening another gap, and that's the disadvantage gap, because those alternative forms of technology are much more expensive and are available to fewer and fewer individuals in an economic sense. I'm really pleased that the member for Bradfield is here, because, I've got to say, over the term of the former coalition government, he served for much of that period as the minister for telecommunications. As a bloke who has lived most of his life, if not all of his life, in the city, he got it. I expect he got it because there were people like me knocking on his door—and member for New England and others. We may have been an annoyance, but something got through because there were successive rounds of the Mobile Black Spot Program, a program that he himself developed, a program that those opposite, by the way, cut and underfunded. Mr 298840 Just in your seats. Mr PASIN 240756 No, they were not just in our seats. They were spread around the country. If you want me to go to the priority picks that your minister made in the round before the last one, I can do that if you like. But the reality is this gap has broadened. Most recently, a fundamental chasm has been established. The member for Bradfield, when he was the minister, was astute enough to stand up to the telcos and say: 'No. I know you want to switch off the 3G network. I know you want to sell that bandwidth, because it's very valuable real estate. But I'm going to extend the period before you're entitled to do that, because I need to be assured that those living in regional areas serviced by the 3G network are not going to be disadvantaged by the switch-off.' There was a change of government, change of minister, change of attitude to this issue or perhaps just a minister who was more easily hoodwinked, because what we have seen during the term of this Labor government is the switch-off of the 3G network. Telcos came to the minister and said, 'Hand on our heart, Minister, nobody will be worse off.' The minister repeated those assurances, assuring Australians living in rural, regional and remote Australia serviced by the 3G network that they would not notice the difference when the 3G network was switched off. And so the 3G switch-off proceeded. It proceeded at pace, of course, because the telcos are very motivated to sell the bandwidth. Literally the day it occurred in my electorate, we were inundated with people saying, 'I don't know what's happened, but I can't make a phone call.' 'I don't know what's happened, but my technology doesn't work anymore.' 'I don't know what's happened, but can you help me diagnose and understand this?' We collected all these stories and we presented them to both the minister and the telcos, who had assured us nobody would be worse off. That's where the story becomes interesting. It's indicative of what you have to guard against in this place all the time. The response we got initially from the telcos—which, by the way, have now been mugged by reality because there are literally so many people who have lost reception that they cannot continue to prosecute this fallacy—was that 'those people that have lost service because we switched off 3G service were fortuitously receiving service and therefore are no worse off'. Despite having been around communications policy debate in this place for a decade, I'd never heard of the concept of 'fortuitous service', but, if I'm going to accept that as a concept, what the telcos were staying was that the people who were getting mobile phone reception via the 3G service—who no longer do, because it's been switched off—were just getting lucky and so were not worse off. I have to tell you, if you're a farmer in the Mallee, you don't care much whether a telco determines whether or not it's fortuitous service. If you're at the scene of a farm incident, where you've got that golden hour to get people to medical assistance, you don't much care about whether it's fortuitous or not. I'll tell you what you care about: whether it works or not. I'm telling the Minister for Communications, as we have in a number of engagements since the switch-off, that it don't work anymore. It don't work, and that's a problem. It's a massive problem because the telcos promised you it would. Minister, either the telcos misled you—and, if that's the case, come in here and get into them—or you knew that this would be the outcome and, like other elements of public policy that your government is focused on, you were ultimately making the decision to act in the interests of people that live in metropolitan centres against those that live in regional centres. I've seen more pictures of pandas in the advertisement in the last two days than I care to mention, but that's because those opposite allocated $15,000 a week to feed bamboo to pandas in the Adelaide Zoo at a time when rural South Australians in drought are facing the driest conditions in a hundred years and are not getting a dollar. There is not one dollar to help those farmers deal with that circumstance. So I'm perhaps a little surprised that the Minister for Communications isn't that concerned about the impact of the 3G shutdown in the bush. I have asked people in my electorate to rate their reception. I have written to every single constituent living in a regional area of my electorate outside of the metropolitan districts, the country towns, and I've asked them to rate their reception. Normally, when you do these things, you get a few responses. You know what it is like, Mr Deputy Speaker. But we have been inundated—2,500 people have taken the time to go to my website and fill in a form indicating what level of reception they receive and whether it has improved in recent years or whether it has declined and in particular whether it was impacted by the closure of 3G. I have written to the telcos providing them with that data. I have asked them to investigate each and every case. It wasn't me that made the undertaking. I didn't make the promise. The telcos made the promise. The telcos promised the Australian people and the minister in particular that when they turned off the 3G network they wouldn't suffer loss. But that's exactly what's happened. And so, in my view, it's incumbent on the telecommunications companies to investigate each and every single one of those allegations of loss to determine whether in fact people living in regional communities who are paying for a service are receiving that service. If they don't undertake those investigations then, in my view, we'll know that they knew full well what the outcome of the 3G switch-off would be. The minister should demand they undertake those investigations. We know this is an issue because our friends on the Senate Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport References Committee have undertaken an inquiry. That inquiry predictably highlighted that the 3G switch-off could have 'been handled better'. These Senate committee reports aren't known for their colourful language. They are ultimately fairly dry documents. But—goodness!—it should stand as a real marker to the minister and her actions in relation to the 3G switch-off that her peers in the Senate have indicated it could have been handled better. I have to tell you, where I come from, they use different language if they are on the side of the road, desperate for medical attention, or have had a medical episode at home. It doesn't even need to be on the farm or on the road; it can be at home. Many of these incidents involve people not being able to make a phone call from their own house. For the person who might be on the side of the road or at home, in a paddock or at the yard seeking medical attention, their language is a little bit more colourful. They don't say, 'Oh, well, the minister could have handled it better.' They are filthy and they know who to blame. I sit through question time a bit further away nowadays, but I listen to the Prime Minister and, whenever he's under pressure, it's someone else's fault—the Treasurer or the economic crisis we are living through. The cost-of-living challenges that we are all experiencing have apparently blown in on the north wind from overseas and have nothing to do with the decisions that are made in this place. Rubbish! Real leaders stand up, real leaders take responsibility and real leaders act. The Prime Minister assured the Australian people that that was the kind of prime minister he was going to be. He's been anything but. He's ducked, he's dived, he's slipped, he's slid and he's obfuscated. And on Tuesday night we saw an attempt, in a budget that didn't make it to late-night news, to hoodwink the Australian people into returning this government, which is guided by all the wrong priorities, for another term. Well, here's a newsflash for those opposite: the people of Australia always get it right; they're incredibly intelligent and they've seen straight through your Prime Minister, your Treasurer and your government. There are rumours swirling around this building today that the Prime Minister will call an election on Friday. I hope he does, because the people of Australia are desperate to pass judgement on this Prime Minister and this term of government. They know that we need to get Australia back on track, that we need to get mobile reception back on track, and they're looking forward to the next election delivering an outcome which puts Australia back on the right course, where we start listening to the people in rural, regional and remote Australia, taking their concerns seriously and addressing falling living standards in this country. 10:56 Ms PAYNE 144732 Canberra The Albanese government is committed to putting Australian consumers at the heart of the telecommunications industry. Telecommunications should enrich people's lives, not cause inconvenience, frustration or detriment. We want to ensure that all Australians have access to reliable, high-quality and affordable telecommunications services supported by a strong regulatory and consumer safeguards framework. That is why this government has been actively reviewing the telecommunications consumer protection framework and making appropriate changes, and I thank the Minister for Communications for her hard work regarding the development of these changes. The minister's previous changes include implementing new rules around support provided to consumers experiencing financial hardship and, more recently, directing ACMA to create rules regarding support for consumers experiencing domestic, sexual and family violence. Our government knows that staying connected is a critical part of life. The reforms proposed in the Telecommunications Amendment (Enhancing Consumer Safeguards) Bill 2025 go to the compliance and enforcement regime for consumer safeguards and constitute a comprehensive package of improvements to those arrangements. They help to ensure the ACMA is an empowered and effective regulator and that appropriate incentive structures are in place to drive better behaviour by telcos. Staying connected is an essential part of everyday life. The Albanese government understands how critical telco services are for everyone, including those facing vulnerable circumstances, people living in our regions, First Nations Australians and those who rely upon connectivity to support their families and provide services to their communities. Accordingly we want to ensure that the telco industry is working for Australians, that Australians have the best consumer safeguards in place to protect their interests and that there is a strong, clear recourse if telcos do the wrong thing. Telco services should enrich people's lives, not cause inconvenience, frustration or harm. Many Australians are experiencing significant cost-of-living pressures, and this includes being able to afford critical communications services like mobile and internet services. Debate adjourned. MINISTERIAL STATEMENTS 71 MINISTERIAL STATEMENTS Women's Budget Statement 71 10:59 Ms CATHERINE KING 00AMR Ballarat by leave—I rise to speak on the Women's Budget Statement, tabled as a budget document on Tuesday night, as it has been for every budget delivered by the Albanese Labor government. It is a very proud history that we have of the Women's Budget Statement. The Albanese government is committed to advancing gender equality as a national priority and closing the gender gaps in our community. This has been a priority of this government from day 1. We are very committed to making life better for women. We are the first majority female federal government in Australia's history, and we have the first gender equal cabinet, and every single member of this government is committed to women's equality. Gender equality brings with it opportunities for all Australians to thrive, making our economy stronger, more inclusive and, of course, more sustainable. We know that when women have fair opportunities, are treated equally and are safe, we lift living our standards, we boost productivity and we maximise the talent and capacity we need to build Australia's future. Our government has put gender equality at the heart of policy and decision-making, through the introduction of gender responsive budgeting. Gender responsive budgeting creates better and fairer outcomes and ensures that all Australians have equal access to the opportunities and resources. I particularly pay tribute to the Minister for Finance and the Treasurer for actually embedding that within our budget development processes. It makes a substantial difference. Gender responsive government is not just a Labor legacy, it is a Labor innovation—it was the Hawke government that led the world in introducing gender responsive budgeting back in 1984. Successive coalition governments have dismantled the practice, but under this government, gender responsive budgeting is absolutely core business—as it should be. I invite those opposite to commit to supporting and continuing to embed gender responsive budgeting, because it makes a difference. Women's budget statements are a key feature of gender responsive budgeting. They provide vital analysis and outline the key measures in each and every budget which provide important supports for women, and they, of course, drive gender equality. Since 2024, the statements have been informed by Working for women:A strategy for gender equality, which is the government's 10-year plan for investing in gender equality across five priority areas: gender based violence; unpaid and paid care; economic equality and security; health; and leadership, representation and decision-making. These areas have been our focus since coming to government, and they continue to guide everything that we do. One year into Working for women, the government is continuing to take action to improve the lives of women in Australia and we are seeing progress. Under our government, the national gender pay gap has fallen to 11.9 per cent as of November 2024—down from 14.1 per cent in May 2022. In this same period, women's full-time average weekly ordinary time earnings have grown by $217.40 a week, helping women to better deal with cost-of-living pressure and to build their lifelong economic security. And we've reached record highs for women's workforce participation. Alongside Labor's tax cuts, this means women are earning more and getting to keep more of what they earn. The government's workplace relations reforms, improvements to wages, investments in cheaper early childhood education and care, and expansion of the Paid Parental Leave scheme are having an impact. But we, of course, know there is always more to do. While it is narrowing, the gender pay gap exists and it is persisting—a reflection of challenges related to care and flexibility, industry gender segregation and women's underrepresentation in senior roles, and discrimination. Women continue to carry the largest share of unpaid work, impacting on their long-term financial security, including into our retirements. And rates of violence against women remain unacceptably high. Since the October 2022 budget, our government has made record investments in women's safety—totalling over $4 billion—to support the National Plan to End Violence Against Women and Children in 2022-32. In the second half of 2024, the Rapid Review of Prevention Approaches informed immediate actions following help to end the scourge of violence of against women and children in this country. We invested $534.5 million to extend the National Partnership Agreement on Family, Domestic and Sexual Violence Responses to support frontline service delivery and to deliver additional responses to high-risk and serial perpetrators, support for children and young people and support for other initiatives to help break the cycle of violence. In addition, the Commonwealth funded a new $3.9 billion National Access to Justice Partnership with the states and territories, which has a focus on uplifting services that respond to gender based violence and provide culturally safe legal assistance to First Nations people. I acknowledge the Attorney-General's work in that. In this budget, we have further invested to strengthen justice systems' responses to sexual violence, with $21.4 million invested over three years from 2025-26 for immediate, targeted measures to improve victim and survivor engagement with the justice system and to inform a broader response to the ALRC Inquiry into Justice Responses to Sexual Violence. To further address family, domestic and sexual violence in First Nations communities, the government is providing $21.8 million over two years from 2025-26 to continue the delivery of prevention, early intervention and response services. These reforms build on the actions we've already taken to address domestic, family and sexual violence. Acting to implement all the recommendations of Respect@Work so women are also safer at work has been a significant focus point of the government. We're investing in programs that provide direct support to children and young people who have experienced violence and may be at risk of using it as well. Again, we're working on prevention. We're implementing paid domestic violence leave for more than 12.4 million workers—which has now been demonstrated to actually make a significant difference to victim-survivor 's lives. We're establishing a new Leaving Violence Program to provide better support to victim-survivors leaving violence. We're delivering consent education and support for young people, including for young men and boys, to support them to have healthy and safe relationships. We're investing in housing for women and children fleeing violence. We're supporting intervention for men and boys who use violence, and innovative ways of engaging with perpetrators to support them to change their violent behaviours. We haven't just left it to one portfolio to address these issues; we are all in on this. Paid and unpaid care We know that low wages in the female-dominated care and support economy drives the gender pay gap. We also know a lack of affordable early childhood education and care is a significant barrier to families working the way that they want. This Government is addressing both of these important issues. Under the three-day guarantee, from January 2026, all families will be eligible for at least 72 hours of subsidised early childhood education and care each fortnight for each child regardless of activity levels, with a greater entitlement of 100 subsidised hours for First Nations children. We will also build more early childhood education and care centres and expand services in areas of need, including in the outer suburbs and regional areas through our $1 billion Building Early Education Fund. To support our investments in child care, we are delivering a phased 15 per cent wage increase for eligible early childhood education and care workers over two years from December 2024. These investments will make early childhood education and care more affordable and more accessible so that families have more choices and will help address the historic undervaluation of the critical female dominated workforce. This work builds on the significant investments we've of course made since coming to government—including $4.7 billion in our very first budget to support cheaper child care. This effort is having an impact—a family earning $120,000 a year has saved $2,768, while there are 97,000 more children in early childhood education supported by over 40,000 more early childhood educators. We are making these investments because we know Australian kids deserve high quality early childhood education and Australian families, especially women, rely on access to high quality care for their children. We also know that care industries are critical to our community and, of course, to the economy. The budget invests $2.6 billion for aged-care nurses. This builds on the significant investments in wages for the aged-care workforce—another female dominated sector with a historic undervaluation of critical care work. We expect these investments will help both grow these important workforces and, of course, help to close the gender pay gap. Last year, data from the Workplace Gender Equality Agency showed that the main driver of the decrease in the gender pay gap in 2023-24 was the increase in wages for lower paid workers—in particular, aged-care residential services, where women make up approximately 80 per cent of the workforce. Women's economic equality Australia has one of the highest rates of workforce gender segregation amongst advanced economies. This impacts on skills shortages in key workforces and contributes to the gender pay gap. We know we need to address this to ensure the success of our Future Made in Australia agenda and the massive investments we are making in infrastructure across the country. We're working to promote greater gender balance and opportunities through our investments in new and emerging industries. This budget includes a new $16.4 million tripartite pilot grants program to help identify new ways to make workplaces safer, more respectful and more equitable for women in traditionally male dominated sectors. This complements our $60.6 million Building Women's Careers Program, which works to drive systematic structural and cultural change in training and work environments crucial to the Future Made in Australia agenda. The Future Made in Australia community benefit principles are designed to promote safe and secure jobs and to develop more skilled and inclusive workforces, including for women. These principles are consistent with the government's commitment to address the drivers of workforce gender segregation to ensure that women share in the jobs of the future. We have also made deliberate and careful structural reforms to close gender gaps in the workforce. We reformed our industrial relations system with greater protections for women, such as to provide protections for breastfeeding or being a victim-survivor of domestic or family violence. We've made gender equality a central objective of the Fair Work Act. We've increased transparency and reporting on the gender pay gap. We're now in the second year of the Workplace Gender Equality Agency reporting the gender pay gaps of private sector employers with more than 100 workers, providing focus to how—and if—businesses are working to advance equality within their own workplaces. Pay gaps for public sector employees have been published for the first time in the first half of 2025. We've now also passed the Workforce Gender Equality Amendment (Setting Gender Equality Targets) Bill 2024, which will introduce a world-first targets scheme to accelerate action on gender equality by large Australian employers. It will require organisations with 500 or more employees in Australia to commit to achieve—or, at a minimum, make progress toward—measurable targets to progress gender equality in their workplaces. While those opposite opposed this important legislation, these targets will lead to more ambitious commitments and progress, driving workplace gender equality in Australia and helping to close the gender pay gap more quickly. Our investments in this budget are a continuation of our work to advance gender equality since we came to government, with reforms continuing to come into effect—superannuation will be paid on government paid parental leave from July 2025, and it will expand to six months from July 2026. We're expanding parenting payment single to provide more support to single mums. In late 2024 we launched the new Parent Pathways program to support vulnerable parents and their children. We've introduced legislation to make free TAFE permanent. Commonwealth practicum payments will start from mid-2025, supporting 68,000 education students and 5,000 VET students per year—and women are expected to be the vast majority of these students. Our reforms to HELP and other student loans, including limiting indexation and our proposed changes to the repayment system and to reduce student debts, will help with the cost of living, with women holding the majority of student loans. Health Another big focus you are going to hear a lot more about, of course, is health—especially women's health. I again acknowledge the Assistant Minister for Health and Ageing's work on this matter. Women told us about the challenges in receiving health support when their needs and concerns are often ignored or sidelined and when the cost of care is often high. We've listened to women and experts, and we are taking action to address longstanding gaps in our healthcare system. This budget invests $792.9 million over five years to provide women with more choice and control in their own health care. This includes the first Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) listing for a new oral contraceptive pill in more than 30 years and the first PBS listing for new menopausal hormone therapies in over 20 years. I know many of the members certainly on this side and I am sure the other side have had women approach them to tell them what a significant change that has made not only to their health but also to their cost of living. It is a really substantial investment. These changes will improve access and provide critical cost-of-living relief by saving women who need this care thousands of dollars across their lifetimes. Our investments in women health are being built on the important work being led through the Women's Health Advisory Council and of course by Assistant Minister Ged Kearney and Minister for Health and Ageing, Mark Butler, who have been determined to sit down and listen to women about their health needs and to ensure women's voices in their health policies. As I said, this has been an all-in effort. I want to particularly acknowledge the Minister for Social Services, Amanda Rishworth, whose strong leadership in the area of women and domestic violence has been exemplary. Leadership We continue to invest in women's leadership and representation in this budget. We are investing in business coaching and mentoring for First Nations women. We are investing in women's sport, with investments in MYEFO 2025-26 to support Football Australia to deliver the Women's Asian Cup 2026, building on our previous investments in the Netball World Cup and in the Play Our Way program, which is providing $200 million in targeted grants for infrastructure and sporting facilities to support women and girls to participate in sports and physical activity. And you could not have a better advocate for women's sport than our Minister for Sport, Minister Wells. Labor's investment in women Our fourth Women's Budget Statement tells a clear story of a government that has deliberately placed gender equality at its centre. It shows that deliberate systematic investment in women over four budgets, big investments in every aspect of life from parental leave to women's health. From child care to aged care. From better pay and a fair deal at work and in education, to tax cuts and cost-of-living relief. All informed by analysis of impact on women and focus on lasting structural improvement. Not an afterthought or a nice to have. But as core business of this government. A more equal Australia is a better Australia for everyone of us—it is safer, more productive and means more opportunities and greater flexibility for men and for women. Our government is proud of what we are delivering for women and we will keep going. 11:18 Ms LEY 00AMN Farrer I rise to give reply to be women's budget statement, and I do so deeply disappointed on behalf of the women of Australia, women who have gone backwards after three years of Labor, women who have been put under financial pressure and strain, women who have been failed by this weak Prime Minister—a Prime Minister who has had the wrong priorities and who has broken promise after promise. The fact is this government has failed to deliver a budget that will restore Australians' lost standard of living and failed to restore women to where they were just three years ago. Labor's budget is a budget for the next five weeks, not the next five years. They offered up a cruel hoax tax cut that won't touch the sides of Australians that are worse off under Labor. Our country is facing serious economic challenges, the toughest in a generation, and our living standards have suffered the biggest collapse on record. When a government fails to manage the economy, it is women who hurt the hardest, because, sadly, it is women who face economic hardship at greater rates. The coalition, when we were in government, put in place policies to back women and their aspirations. Under the strong economic management of the coalition we put in place the conditions for women to succeed. That strong economic management meant we had money to fund important policies that made a difference for the women of Australia. Because we balanced the budget we were able to deliver landmark funding of $5.5 billion for women through our two women's budget statements. Under the coalition, women's workforce participation hit record highs. Women were earning more and women's unemployment was at its lowest level since 1974, with a gender pay gap that was narrowing. The coalition took strong action on the issue of women's safety, women's economic security and women's health. We expect that to be continued. The fact is, from when we entered government in 2013 to when we handed over the reins, women and girls were better off. We left women more empowered and more financially secure. These were the strong foundations which this Labor government should have been able to build from. And yet what have we seen? Government changed hands in May 2022, people voted for Anthony Albanese, women voted for Labor on the proviso that they would be better off, and they are just not. Food is up at least 13 per cent. Rent up 18 per cent. Health costs are up and insurance up 35 per cent. Energy prices are rising. We have seen women go backwards under Labor. We've seen more older women queueing at food banks. We've seen single mother sleeping in their cars with their children. We've seen women take on the load of strained family budgets. We've seen women working more and more and falling further and further behind. We've seen women go backwards under Labor. I urge Labor to show me the women who are better off after three years of this government. Show me one woman with a lower cost of living or a more affordable mortgage. Show me one woman with lower rents or lower power bills. Show me a small-business owner who has it easier today than when Labor took office. Show me a community that is safer today than just three years ago. We've seen violence against women increase and we've seen slow delivery of critical policies like the promised 500 domestic violence frontline workers. No, the women of Australia are not better off after three years of Labor. Women have been the collateral damage for this government's incompetence, because it is inevitably women who face the consequences most acutely of economic deterioration and it is women who bear the horrific cost of violence in our communities. The truth is the women of Australia cannot afford another three years of Labor. Only a Dutton government will build a strong economy and get Australia back on track. We have a plan to deliver low inflation, cheaper energy, affordable housing, safer communities and better health care. Health has become yet another victim of Labor's cost-of-living crisis for women. I understand many women will be looking closely at women's health policy and they will want to have confidence that the government they choose at the next election will ensure their health care and deliver better outcomes for women and girls across this country. When they do, I want them to understand that on the issue of women's health the opposition will deliver you more support when it comes to your health care. I want women to hear me say that we will support, advance and safeguard women's health care. As a coalition, we will continue to represent the interests of women on the opposition benches—and, if we are elected, in the cabinet room. We are stepping up and stepping in here, because it has never been harder or more expensive for Australian women to access the health care they need. In just a few days time 15 million Australians with private health insurance will awake to yet another cost-of-living hit under Labor. In the middle of a cost-of-living crisis the Albanese government's private health insurance premium increase will come into effect on 1 April this year. With an average of 3.73 per cent, this cost hike is above the rate of inflation. Prices continued to go up at a rapid rate for hardworking Australian families, and Labor's private health hike will now add further pressure on household budgets. This is but one example. Labor's mismanagement covers all corners of our system. The coalition are committed to ensuring women across Australia have access to affordable, quality health care that understands their needs and experiences. The coalition has a proud record of supporting women's health, and this remains our strong priority. We do support the women's health measures included in the budget because they're an expansion of the historic work undertaken by the former coalition government in supporting women's health. Our package builds on historic investment into critical women's health issues, like endometriosis, spearheaded by the member for Forrest and the Liberal candidate for Boothby, Nicolle Flint, and we will deliver even more. We wholeheartedly support Australian women, who experience the often debilitating impacts of menopause, and the coalition is committed to delivering the Medicare rebate for menopause health assessments, funding to train health professionals, the development of new clinical guidelines and a national awareness campaign ensuring women have the information they need and the support they deserve. Mental health is always a priority for the women of Australia, but it isn't a priority for the Albanese government. Only a Dutton coalition government will make mental health a national priority and ensure all Australians, especially young Australians, have access to the affordable mental health services and support they need and deserve. A Dutton coalition government will listen to women, who have asked us to restore the number of Medicare subsidised mental health session that Australians can access from 10 back to 20 on a permanent basis. Our support for women doesn't stop there. We will invest $5 million to guarantee cheaper medicines and targeted health care for women through a review of the MBS and PBS. We'll also provide $4 million to Ovarian Cancer Australia for specialist cancer nurses to support Australians with ovarian cancer, the deadliest cancer affecting women. No Australian woman or her family should have to battle this insidious cancer alone. Women should never have to choose between their health and their financial stability. The coalition is focused on ensuring women have access to affordable and timely health care that's better tailored to their needs and experiences. Women are worse off today after three years of a Labor government. They are poorer and they are working more, but they're falling further behind. It has been a tough three years for the women of Australia, and they deserve better than what they have faced. Labor's cost-of-living crisis is forcing Australians to make difficult decisions about their health—decisions no Australian should have to make. More families are being forced to delay or avoid refilling scripts or seeing their GP because they just can't afford to under Labor. Whether it's balancing the family budget or seeking medical support, women will be better off under a coalition government. We have a positive plan to get Australia back on track, and we will do everything we can to support the security of the women of Australia and back them to achieve their aspirations. I thank the House. BILLS 77 BILLS Telecommunications Amendment (Enhancing Consumer Safeguards) Bill 2025 77

Telecommunications Amendment (Enhancing Consumer Safeguards) Bill 2025

Second Reading 77 11:28 Ms TEMPLEMAN 181810 Macquarie I know I'm not the only MP in this place who helps constituents out with telecommunications complaints. It is particularly noticeable in my community, which is peri-urban. We have some quite remote areas and we have rural areas. We have regional aspects as well as the more suburban areas. What this means is that telecommunications are absolutely vital from a safety and productivity perspective. I take very seriously complaints that are made when someone's service is not up to scratch—and, unfortunately, there are a large number of them. I think it's particularly noticeable, as this would be the largest area of complaints and advocacy that my office receives that is not part of a government department, keeping in mind that none of the telcos are owned by government. We work really hard to try and resolve issues that the people in Macquarie face. They might be service issues or they might be infrastructure issues. It might be something that takes a really long time to resolve, like getting in more mobile phone towers and dealing with those black spots. It might be a decline in mobile quality. I'm very mindful that right now we're trying to support people who are suffering a decline in mobile coverage. It might be a landline issue, and, in places where mobile coverage is still patchy, I welcome the fact that that will be addressed by our obligation on the telcos to provide a universal outdoor mobile texting and voice data service. In the meantime, landlines, in our floods and fires, are an essential piece of communication. It might be that that landline is down—that the wires are lying low on the side of the road. All those sorts of telco issues are things we come across probably on a weekly basis. Unsurprisingly, a lot of the complaints that we tackle come from Telstra customers because Telstra is the big legacy network. Given the nature of Macquarie, where landlines are still more widely used in the outlying areas, they are the holder of those. But other telecommunications companies come onto our radar frequently as well. Many of the cases we deal with are quite individual and specific in their nature, but there are also plenty of examples where people are experiencing a pattern of bad behaviour that is impacting large numbers of customers. One of the challenges under the current laws that we have identified, being in government, is that the Australian Communications and Media Authority, ACMA, is hamstrung where there are breaches that affect a large number of customers. Currently, ACMA can't take direct action against a telecommunications company without first issuing an order to comply. It's only if the compliance breach continues that ACMA can take action. What this means is that, even if penalties are applied, they are seen as being the cost of doing business. In other words, it's not significant enough to the telco for them to worry too much about that behaviour beforehand and, more importantly, it's not significant enough to get them to prevent these things from happening in the first place. That's where this legislation comes in. The Albanese government is putting Australian consumers right at the heart of the telecommunications industry. Rather than being a bit of a nuisance to the system, we're saying, 'This is why we have it.' We want to ensure that every Australian has access to reliable, high-quality and affordable telecommunications services, supported by a strong regulatory and consumer safeguards framework. That's why we've been actively reviewing the consumer protection framework and making appropriate changes. I think it goes without saying that staying connected is now an absolutely essential part of everyday life. I do still have parts of my electorate where I go where there is no mobile coverage. I relish those moments. It's fine when things are going well, but when natural disasters hit—and they can be the areas where those disasters really take a toll—it is now critical that those telco services are there for everyone, whether it's people facing that vulnerable natural disaster experience, people living in the regions, First Nations Australians or those who rely on connectivity to support their families and provide services to their community. I was very pleased in this term of parliament to be part of an inquiry that looked at mobile phone coverage around the country and to really understand the impacts it has on people, on businesses and on tourism—on all the different aspects of communities' lives—and why it is so important that we fill those gaps in coverage. We want to ensure that the telco industry is working for Australians, that the best consumer safeguards are in place and that there's strong, clear recourse if telcos do the wrong thing. We know these telecommunications services should be enriching people's lives, not causing them inconvenience, frustration or even harm. So, in terms of the size of the problem, I just want to paint a picture of that. The latest data from the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman, the TIO, shows that complaints progressed to the TIO increased 13 per cent between October and December last year, compared to the previous quarter. There was also a nearly 13 per cent increase in small business complaints. That follows four consecutive quarters of decline and a spike in 3G shutdown complaints in October and November last year. From a small business perspective, it's not just an inconvenience. It's your viability as a business that's impacted when your phones are not working the way that you've been led to believe they will. As someone who had a small business for a quarter of a century, for my clients not to be able to contact me and to have to find some other way to reach me would have been an horrific experience for me as a small business operator. Every phone call was vital to my business. There have also been two regular high-profile incidents in the telco sector, including significant service outage and claims of irresponsible selling practices that have really highlighted the problems and the limitations of the existing legislation. Our solution is partly this bill. Introducing legislation to better equip the regulator, ACMA, with the tools and powers it needs to protect telco consumers and hold companies to account if they do the wrong thing is a really necessary step. We're also establishing new industry rules, prioritising keeping customers connected, greater promotion of financial hardship assistance and requiring telcos to offer assistance, such as payment plans. This is particularly important in the period we've had where the cost of living has put pressure on people. We're also developing requirements for the telcos to ensure they better support customers experiencing domestic, family and sexual violence. We're revising the Telecommunications Consumer Protections Code and improving communications services for people with a disability. That's the whole suite of things that will make a difference here. In terms of enhancing consumer safeguards in this legislation, this will give effect to a number of significant reforms to boost those enforcement powers and penalties available to ACMA. They help ensure that the ACMA is an empowered and effective regulator, and that appropriate incentive structures are in place to drive better behaviour by the telecommunications companies. Nobody wants to see an industry where those penalties are literally the cost of doing business that I referred to earlier. The proposed changes let ACMA take direct and immediate enforcement action against telecommunication providers who have breached their obligations to consumers under industry codes. It removes the two-step process where you get a warning and ACMA must first issue a direction to comply to the offending telcos, no matter how significant the breach, and then only take further action if noncompliance continues. It allows instead for a much quicker process and more appropriate action in response to breaches, by immediately addressing consumer harm and holding those telcos to account. The bill also significantly increases the maximum general penalty for breaches of industry codes and standards from a quarter of a million dollars to about $10 million. It's a much bigger stick. Further changes allow penalties for codes, standards and determinations to be based on the value of the benefit obtained from the offending conduct or the turnover of the relevant provider, allowing for penalties even greater than $10 million in certain circumstances. This penalty framework incentivises industry compliance and better aligns with those in other relevant sectors, like energy and banking, under the Australian Consumer Law. To ensure the ACMA has a range of effective enforcement tools at its disposal, an additional change is going to expand and clarify the government's ability to increase infringement notice penalty amounts that the ACMA can issue for all applicable breaches, including consumer protection rules. This bill also increases the visibility of providers operating in the market, especially telecommunications retailers, through the establishment of a carrier service provider registration scheme, which means that no longer will there be hidden providers who are operating without anyone being aware of what they're doing. It would allow ACMA to stop a carrier service provider operating when they've been found to pose an unacceptable risk to consumers or to have caused significant consumer harm. The significant reforms included in this bill will better equip the regulator with the tools and powers it needs to protect telco customers and to hold providers to account. I want to point out that the reforms in this bill, particularly when taken together with the other measures, really strengthen consumer protection and have received strong support from a number of stakeholders, including the Australian Communications Consumer Action Network, the Consumer Action Law Centre, the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman, the ACMA itself and the Communications Alliance. It's important to know that the sector, particularly those in the sector who currently deal with the consequences of poor behaviour by telcos, are backing this bill. The Consumer Action Law Centre said: Similar consequences and high penalty amounts are already in place in other sectors that provide essential services such as in energy, water and banking. The telco industry has benefited from a very light enforcement regime over the years, which has permitted continued poor practices. The consumer regulator the ACCC commenced court action late last year against Optus for its alleged unconscionable selling of phone products to hundreds of vulnerable customers, even though Telstra was fined $50m for similar conduct years earlier. That helps you understand some of the rationale and why there is such support for this. A body that I know well, ACCAN, which is the peak national communications consumer body, has welcomed this legislation as a vital step forward for consumers who have too often been left in the lurch by failures of a regulatory framework that's been largely voluntary, too weak and poorly enforced. This is common to many of the things that we have done in this term of parliament; we have looked at rules that have been neglected for a decade. No-one's bothered looking at them. They haven't served a purpose. They haven't been fit for purpose. They haven't been fit for the 21st century and how things have changed. What we're seeing in this legislation is an update to take into account not only how the world has changed but also how consumer expectations have changed, as they should. I'm very pleased that we are doing something that backs consumers and allows people to stand up to telecommunications companies, be given a fair deal and seek a remedy when they are not given a fair deal. I commend this bill to the House. 11:42 Mr LAXALE 299174 Bennelong I want to commend the member for Macquarie, particularly for the last points of her contribution where she outlines some of the steps that this government has taken in less than a term to fix up the mess that was left behind for us, particularly in protecting consumer rights. In this first term of the Albanese Labor government, we've taken action on payday lenders to make them operate in a much fairer way to protect consumers. We have regulated buy-now pay-later and made it a credit product when it wasn't. We're taking action on debit card surcharges and working with the RBA to ensure that Australians don't get pinged for using digital payments, particularly when it's their own money. The action on scams led by the Assistant Treasurer is world-leading stuff. This is stuff that good governments should prioritise, not new governments when they come in to clean up the mess. This is about good, ongoing governance. Time and time again, across portfolio after portfolio, you see that the former government really dropped the ball, particularly in the latter end of their time in government. All these issues existed and were around for a long time. They had been brought to the attention of the Morrison government, the Turnbull government and the Abbott government before that, and they weren't being addressed. They were not being addressed. In our first term in government, we've done plenty of that because that is what Labor governments do—we listen and we reform. And that's what today's Telecommunications Amendment (Enhancing Consumer Safeguards) Bill 2025 is about. It's about protecting consumers, it's about listening to Australians who have had some really horrible experiences with some telecommunications providers, and it's about ensuring that there's a minimum standard for consumers for an essential service, because, in 2025, remaining connected is essential. It's essential for how we live, for how we work and for how we participate in society. As such, it's only fair that Australians should rely on our telecommunications sector to serve them and not to continually short-change them. That's what this bill is about. It's about shifting power back to the people and it's about ensuring that those who keep us connected are held to better standards of responsibility and care. It's about modernising our laws so that rules protect every Australian and that these big companies are held to account. For too long, some telecommunications providers—not all of them but some of them—have treated compliance like an optional extra. For too long, penalties for doing the wrong thing were so light that they could have simply been factored in as a cost of doing business rather than act as a disincentive. This amendment ends that. It marks a line in the sand by giving consumers the stronger protections that they deserve, and it gives the regulator in charge of compliance here, ACMA—the Australian Communications and Media Authority—the teeth it needs to bite back and to take action when things inevitably go wrong. One of the most significant changes in this legislation is a shift in how these consumer protections are enforced. Until now, if a telco breached its obligations under the industry code, ACMA had to jump through hoops and go through a number of steps to get it rectified. Step 1 was to issue a formal direction to comply, step 2 was to wait and hope that the company listened, and step 3 was to take further action, but only if they failed again. It was delayed justice that disempowered the regulators and, all in all, it left consumers waiting for justice. This bill fixes that. It empowers ACMA to act immediately and decisively when there's an alleged breach, and, if providers breach the rules, they will know they will face the consequences swiftly and appropriately. It doesn't just help regulators; it helps consumers, who expect their complaints to be taken seriously. It helps the honest providers out there who do the right thing, because they're tired of being undercut by some in the industry who don't do the right thing. It helps build a stronger and fairer telecommunications sector for everyone. These reforms are a response to repeated, well-documented failures in the telecommunications industry—failures that leave our customers frustrated, financially hurt and, in many cases, really vulnerable. Just last year we saw the ACCC commence proceedings against a major telecommunications provider in Australia for engaging in unconscionable conduct in convention of the law. It was reported that sales staff signed people up to multiple postpaid mobile plans they didn't want, couldn't afford and, in some cases, didn't even understand due to language barriers. The consequences were that families and consumers suffered and racked up thousands of dollars in debt for services they didn't consent to and customers were left confused, disempowered and unable to access basic remedies. This legislation also tackles other forms of poor behaviour that have become too common—for example, ongoing billing for cancelled services, failure to adequately assist people in financial hardship and those unresolved complaints, which we've all been party to, that just drag on for weeks or sometimes months. These aren't just minor oversights; they're signs of an existing culture that doesn't put the consumer at the heart of some of the service providers, and this bill will change that. Under this bill, if a provider continues to bill customers for services they never receive and, say, gains a $1 million benefit, we propose to increase the fine so that they have to pay $3 million, three times more than what their benefit is, a true disincentive to continually making these poor decisions. That's because we're cracking down on enforcement and introducing these tougher fines. Penalties can now reach up to $10 million or three times the benefit gained or 30 per cent of the company's turnover, whichever is greater. That's a message to these providers: treat your customers fairly or you will be held to account. It means that big telcos won't be able to shrug off these smaller penalties, which are only in the hundreds of thousands of dollars currently, as pocket change. It means that the punishment will fit the crime. And it means that we are aligning telco penalties with those in other major sectors, other essential service provisions, like energy and banking, and other consumer law protections. Telecommunications, as I've said and as other speakers have said, are essential services, and they need to be held to the same level as other essential services. Another crucial reform in this bill is the establishment of a new carriage service provider registration scheme. This is about transparency and visibility. It's about empowering the ACMA to act before the harm is done, not in response to complaints or breaches. Right now, there is limited oversight over who operates in the telecommunications space. That makes it harder for regulators to spots risks before they become major problems. Under the new scheme, every carriage service provider must register with the ACMA. That means the regulator will know exactly who is operating in the market. It also means that, if a provider is found to pose an unacceptable risk to consumers or if it has repeatedly caused significant harm, it can just be stopped from operating altogether—not fined or not warned but stopped. This is vital in a sector where some small operators may try to fly under the radar, avoid scrutiny, take advantage of their customers and target vulnerable customers. A shady provider with no track record, no safeguards, no accountability should not be allowed to play with such an essential service and people's livelihoods. The registration scheme gives us transparency but also gives the regulator the power to say no and to get on top of these issues early. We're also expanding and clarifying the authority to increase the infringement notice penalties. The current provisions are a bit messy and need to be cleaned up. In some cases they don't even allow for the minister to increase penalties for more important obligations. This bill cleans that up as well. It gives the government the ability to respond to changing market conditions, consumer needs and emerging risks with clarity and consistency. Our regulators need to have that flexibility because they shouldn't have to operate with one hand tied behind their backs. All our regulators should have a full suite of modern and flexible enforcement tools, and that's what this bill seeks to do in the telecommunications industry. As with all our reforms, we take them seriously and we've consulted widely. We've listened carefully, and the support for this bill is broad and deep. The Australian Communications Consumer Action Network supports the bill. The Consumer Action Law Centre supports the bill. The Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman and Australian Communications and Media Authority support it as well. The Communications Alliance, which is the peak body for the telco industry, supports it too. That's telling; it's telling that they do. It tells me and it tells the public that this reform is measured but that it's also necessary. It balances the feedback received from industry but also the really important feedback of consumer advocacy groups and consumers. It lifts the standard for everyone. This bill, obviously, is not about punishing the entire sector. It's about weeding out the worst offenders, incentivising compliance across the sector and building a telecommunications environment that works for all Australians, both in the city and in the bush. It builds on the growing legacy of telco reform from this government. We've implemented new rules to support customers experiencing financial hardship. We've directed the ACMA to create new protections for those experiencing domestic, sexual and family violence, because your safety should never depend on your phone plan. Now we're delivering a comprehensive package to reform how we enforce consumer protections and hold providers to account. This is the culmination of a very careful review of active stakeholder engagement and of decisive leadership. I pay credit to the minister, who has done an extraordinary amount of work in one term to reform these really important parts of her portfolio. We don't just talk about putting consumers first or at the forefront of our reforms; we legislate it too. This legislation is for every Australian that is connected by their phone or tablet. It's for a single mum in Gladesville trying to contact Centrelink or a small-business owner in Lane Cove who needs to be online all the time. It's for the elderly couple in Eastwood who need to use telehealth for their care. It's for every worker, parent and grandparent who relies on their phone or internet connection to stay informed, stay connected and engage in modern society. It's for people who cannot afford for the system to break down or can't afford for their complaints not to be dealt with. It's for the people who don't have the hours to sit on the phone on hold and fight long battles with telecommunication companies who sometimes don't do the best by their consumers. It's for people who just want a fair deal and decent service. This is another step in putting consumers at the heart of regulation that we do, and I commend the bill to the House. Debate adjourned. MINISTERIAL STATEMENTS 81 MINISTERIAL STATEMENTS Early Childhood Education 81 11:57 Dr ALY 13050 Cowan by leave—I present a copy of my ministerial statement. The Albanese government recognises the transformative benefits of early childhood education and care for children and families and for our nation. That's why we are working to build a universal early childhood education and care system that is accessible for families no matter what your circumstances or background. I'm very proud of our record in early childhood education and care, of our work to build a quality universal system that is accessible, affordable and simple. Our Cheaper Child Care reforms made early learning affordable for more than one million Australian families by cutting out-of-pocket costs. Cheaper Child Care cut the cost of early learning by more than 17 per cent when it was first introduced, with the average family using childcare around $4,400 better off. We know that we can't reach our vision for universal early childhood education and care without a strong and sustainable workforce. That's why we are delivering a historic 15 per cent wage increase for early childhood workers to retain and attract our early childhood education workforce. We're also boosting this vital and dedicated workforce through our successful fee-free TAFE program. As a result of Labor's reforms, there are over 1,100 new services since we came to government, 30 per cent of which are outside of major cities. There are 42,000 more educators and, most importantly, there are additional 97,000 more children in early childhood education and care. But we want even more children to access and have access to high-quality early childhood education and care. Because we believe that every child has the right to get the best possible start in life, we've abolished the Liberals' prohibitive-activity test and replaced it with a three-day guarantee so children don't start school behind. The three-day guarantee will replace the current activity test from January 2026 with guaranteed eligibility for three days a week of subsidised early education for children who need it. We are also establishing a $1 billion building early childhood education fund and, through the fund, around 160 centres will be built and expanded in areas of need, including in the regions and outer suburbs. The fund will increase the availability of early childhood education and care for Australian families across the country delivered by quality not-for-profit providers. As we continue to build the universal early childhood education and care system, we continue to ensure that children receive high-quality care with child safety and wellbeing at the core. As we build the universal system that our children deserve and that meets the needs of families, nothing is more important than making sure children are receiving high-quality early childhood education and care. Overwhelmingly, this is the case, with our children well looked after by dedicated professionals who care deeply about safety, child development and early education. However, there are a small number of providers who are consistently and persistently failing to provide quality care and a safe environment. There is no room for this kind of behaviour in the early childhood education sector, and if you are persistently failing to meet minimum quality standards in delivering safe early childhood education and care, you should not have access to government funding and you should not be providing care. Now, while there are only a very small number of providers in the sector not behaving in line with our expectations, when it comes to child's safety, even one dodgy provider is too many. So today we are acting swiftly and decisively and we are sending a clear message to that small number of unscrupulous providers that, if you fail to provide quality care and a safe environment for children, you do not belong in early childhood education and care. While state and territory governments remain responsible for ensuring services in their jurisdictions are operating within the National Quality Framework, the Albanese Labor government will continue to use our significant investment in the early childhood education sector as a lever to strengthen quality and integrity. Today I can announce that we can look to better leverage Commonwealth funding to drive quality and integrity in the early childhood education and care sector. We will work with the sector on the development of changes and how they could be implemented so that if a service provider persistently isn't meeting quality standards or has gross and egregious breaches under the education and care services national law, they will be prevented from opening new childcare subsidy approved services. Also, compliance action can be taken against providers that persistently fail to meet quality standards or repetitively breach the education and care services national law, including the possibility of cutting off access to government subsidies in serious cases. We are putting a stop to providers that put profit ahead of the children they care for. We also want to ensure our wonderful early childhood educators and teachers are not being taken advantage of by the small number of providers who are doing the wrong thing, and we will look to strengthen our powers to crack down on dodgy providers that pose an integrity risk. We expect staff to be fairly compensated for the valuable work they do and we will take action against any provider that is not fairly paying their staff. We will make paying staff correctly and on time a condition of services to access childcare subsidy funding. We will also look to strengthen our powers to crack down on dodgy providers that pose an integrity risk to the childcare subsidy system. This includes conducting checks at childcare subsidy approved early childhood education and care services to confirm that children they are claiming funding for are actually attending the service. We'll give authorised officers more powers to be able to do their job by allowing them to perform spot checks and unannounced visits to detect fraud and non-compliance. Unfortunately, we know that when a dodgy operator is detected and removed from one part of the national care economy they sometimes pop up as an operator in another care sector. To stamp this out, we'll investigate stronger cross-sector banning order arrangements to stop people who have breached safety and quality standards in one part of the care economy from opening a new service in any of the other care sectors. We will commence consultation immediately with state and territory governments, regulatory authorities and the sector to work through the policy detail to ensure that these measures are appropriately designed and targeted to meet the objective of removing the small number of bad providers while we continue to support growth in the sector and support families. The early childhood education sector is important for children, it's an essential service for families and it's vital to our economy. The Albanese government will do everything in our power to protect children, to improve quality in the sector and to ensure that the workforce is supported. The Commonwealth is committed to do our bit with the levers that are available to us, and I expect state and territory governments to uphold their regulatory responsibilities in ensuring that providers and services in their jurisdictions comply with the National Quality Framework. Last week, I wrote to the Australian Children's Education and Care Quality Authority, ACECQA, and requested that they provide urgent advice to all education ministers on what can be done to strengthen the National Quality Framework. This advice will build on ACECQA's comprehensive child safety review, commissioned by the Minister for Education Jason Clare and myself in 2023. In February last year, education ministers agreed in principle to all recommendations under that review, acknowledging that some fall outside of the remit of education. All actions are on track, including the National Model Code and guidelines which were released last year to embed child-safe practices around the use of electronic devices. From September this year, important regulatory changes will come into effect, including a reduction in notification timeframes for reporting incidences or allegations of physical or sexual abuse from seven days to 24 hours and a new requirement for services to have policies and procedures relating to the safe use of digital technologies including the use of CCTV. We'll continue to work with states and territories, the early childhood education sector and families as we undertake our significant reforms in this vital sector. This work will be informed by expert advice and the recent and comprehensive reviews that we have commissioned, including from the ACCC, the Productivity Commission and ACECQA. Finally, I want to take a moment to acknowledge the wonderful, talented and dedicated professionals who educate and care for children right across Australia. Thank you for the important work that you do; you are changing lives. You are changing the lives of children every day, and nothing could be more important. 12:08 Ms BELL 282981 Moncrieff Nothing is more important than the safety of our children, and early childhood education plays an incredibly important role. It provides our littlest Australians with a good start in life, a chance to learn and a chance to make friends. Early childhood education is also crucial for parents who are studying, training and working. Our early educators are so very important in shaping these young lives. They deserve all of our respect and gratitude for the work that they do because it's not an easy job; that's for sure. I know from the hundreds of educators and service providers that I've met over the last three years that they do it out of love and out of care. But there's no doubt that both families and the sector have faced many challenges over the last three years. Affordability, access, quality, choice, flexibility—all these things are key to thriving in early childhood education and care and for the sector to grow. Unfortunately, this government's policies have failed to address these issues in a meaningful way. Regional, rural and remote communities in particular are struggling the most. In fact, according to the Mitchell Institute, around sic million Australians—close to a quarter of the population—live in a childcare desert. That means they live in an area where three or more children compete for each childcare place. This has a devastating impact on these communities, as young families struggle to work and raise their children because of the lack of support available. It's meant that these communities struggle to attract new families and critical workers. We know the sector has faced workforce challenges, and we know that many families, no matter where they live in Australia, are languishing on very long waiting lists. Despite all these challenges, the overwhelming majority of educators and service providers do an amazing job. They provide a safe environment for children, educate them and nourish them. However, as the minister said, a small number of providers and educators are doing the wrong thing. They are those who are letting their staff down, those who are failing the parents who have entrusted them with their precious children and those who have betrayed the innocence of children. I echo the minister's sentiment that there is absolutely no room for this. And I stress again: there is nothing that is more important than the personal safety of our children. The coalition have always shown our commitment to keeping all children safe, whether at home, at school, in child care or online. Of course, it was the Leader of the Opposition, Peter Dutton, who created the Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation, which played a critical role in tracking down one of the worst child sex offenders—a predator who had been hiding in plain sight as a childcare worker. The coalition, as Peter Dutton outlined in his 2023 budget-in-reply, has committed to doubling the size of that centre to further strengthen that very effective child safety mechanism. We must do everything we can to make sure that something like this never ever happens again. That's why the coalition supports in principle the minister's move to crack down on bad providers and educators. As the shadow minister for early childhood education, I welcome her move to working closely with the sector as well as state and territory counterparts to make this a reality. There is no doubt we need the entire sector to be able to work better together and weed out the unscrupulous actors. But the devil is always in the detail. While the coalition welcomes the minister's sentiments, we urge her to make sure this is not just empty words or platitudes. Sadly, families and educators have come to expect not much more from this government, and one must ask why it has taken three years, on the eve of an election and in the wake of a damning news report, for the government to finally take this action. There have been countless reviews into the sector by the ACCC and the Productivity Commission. There was a review into in-home care and inclusion support, and there was theChild safety review by ACECQA. We are yet to see formal responses to any of these. The truth is that this government has made things much harder for the sector. Think about the worker retention payment and the difficulty services and educators have faced. Just last night, on A Current Affair, an early learning provider revealed they are nearly $200,000 out of pocket because of the complexities of this government's grant scheme. A trusted early childhood education service is now seriously concerned about the impact this will have on their viability and, most importantly, the quality of education they can provide to their families. This isn't the only service who find themselves in this situation. Countless small and medium providers—family owned services which have been operating in communities for years and even decades—are facing similar problems. These hardworking services, providers and educators have been completely let down by this government. I welcome the news that the education minister has agreed in principle to all recommendations under ACECQA's child safety review, and it's pleasing to hear that all actions are on track. I encourage the minister to provide more detail on this. The minister made note of the national model code and guidelines which were released last year to embed child-safety practices around the use of electronic devices, and, while this is an important step, we know that it is, in fact, voluntary. In fact, governments do not maintain records of providers who have chosen to adopt it. The safety of our children is far too important for such superficial measures. The headlines might be good, but child safety should be about more than that. What's the point of any sort of code if no-one is even keeping record of who has voluntarily agreed to it? Again, I urge the minister and this government to make sure they get the detail right when it comes to all of the regulatory changes they are planning, including those the minister says are set to take effect from September. The government must work hand in hand with the sector to make sure the rollout of such changes is seamless and effective. While it's crucial to stamp out bad behaviour in the sector, we need to make sure any regulatory changes do not punish the educators who do the right thing—those who go above and beyond to provide safe and quality education for our children. We need to make sure this doesn't just become another layer of bureaucracy that makes life harder for families and our hardworking educators. The government must be sure this doesn't become another broken promise, like the worker retention payment or cheaper child care—because we know that, over the last three years, the cost of child care has risen by over 22 per cent. Since the rollout of the government's changes to the childcare subsidy, out-of-pocket fees have risen by nearly 13 per cent. So I rebut what the Prime Minister says and what the minister says about cheaper child care. Early childhood educators are too important to be treated this way. As the shadow minister for early childhood education and care, I look forward to engaging with the minister on these safety matters to make sure that we get this right. There's much work to do to safeguard children's safety, and more must be done for Australian families and children. Finally, just as the minister said, I would like to take a moment to say thank you to the incredible early educators across Australia. To those who take such pride in the important work they do supporting children and supporting families, and to those who care for, educate and protect our children: thank you. DELEGATION REPORTS 84 DELEGATION REPORTS Australian Parliamentary Delegation to the NATO Parliamentary Assembly 84 12:17 Ms TEMPLEMAN 181810 Macquarie by leave—On behalf of the member for Solomon, I present the report of the Australian Parliamentary Delegation to the NATO Parliamentary Assembly from 6 to 9 October 2023. BILLS 84 BILLS Telecommunications Amendment (Enhancing Consumer Safeguards) Bill 2025 84

Telecommunications Amendment (Enhancing Consumer Safeguards) Bill 2025

Second Reading 84 12:18 Ms LAWRENCE 299150 Hasluck A great number of my Labor colleagues are speaking on the Telecommunications Amendment (Enhancing Consumer Safeguards) Bill 2025—there are not so many speakers on the other side—because this bill goes to the heart of what it means to be Labor. The member for Hunter spoke on this bill. The member for Hunter is a champion of the people of his electorate, and he is here defending their rights in this area of policy and in so many others. My friend the member for Bennelong spoke on this bill. I always look forward to hearing from the member for Bennelong, whose sage contributions in this place and in committees are always worth listening to. It is thanks to his work and advocacy that the government has confirmed an end to consumers being stuck with surcharges when paying with debit cards. We are all in his 'debit'! I trust the electors of Bennelong too will support him to continue to represent their interests in the 48th Parliament. My Western Australian colleague the member for Swan spoke on this bill, because, just as the member for Swan fought for major reforms around financial abuse, the people of Swan know that she has their back on consumer protection in the telecommunications sector. The bill title contains enormously important words: enhancing consumer safeguards. In many ways those words go to the heart of what the Albanese Labor government stands for, what it works for and the people we represent. We know who consumers are and why they need safeguards. They are the people of Australia: people who live here, people who make purchases and people who engage in services in the belief that they are getting what it says on the box. The great majority of the people whose businesses provide and sell these services and products are as honest as the day is long. They are invaluable, generous and straight-up members of society. A few, however, necessitate the provision of enhanced consumer safeguards. This bill is a part of that necessary process. As the minister said, we have already done more. The minister has created new rules to better support consumers who are experiencing financial hardship, and has directed the Australian Communications and Media Authority, or ACMA, to make new rules to better support people experiencing domestic, sexual or family violence. Not very long ago, telecommunications advanced from a landline with a three-metre curly wire that allowed us to take the phone to speak out of earshot of our parents, to mobile and data based technologies. In the eighties, mobile phones were reserved for those on the big screen and for the few who owned yachts and penthouses. I was excited just to own a pager! Somehow, I still have a pager today, thanks to the traditions of the parliament. Now, telecommunications is largely wireless and often satellite based. It has become an integral part of daily existence for people from all walks of life. Telecommunications is a very modern product, but we can call it a staple, like bread. It has become essential to our lives, whether we like it or not. The government of Australia has to stand up in this field, as in so many others, for the people who use these products. They have to be safeguarded from anyone who is more concerned not with the quality of their product but with how astonishingly rich they can get by selling it. Quality products should be fit for purpose. They should be what their producers say they are and do what the producers say they do. They should do no harm nor create difficulties. Good products are reliable and trustworthy, like good people. When Australians access broadband and voice services, they should do so with confidence, not with a sense of trepidation or any kind of anxiety as to whether their Zoom meeting will work, whether their email will be received, whether their data is safe, or whether the plan that they have paid for will deliver the product that they want without indefinite buffering. I'm always amused by the casual way people use the term 'consumer-friendly', as if it's an optional extra, a pleasant change from the normal. If a product is not consumer-friendly it's poorly designed, poorly produced or poorly delivered. Broadband and voice services are already necessities of life for most people—try doing business, banking or even accessing government services without them. Just try living your life now without them. Recently, my office in Hasluck had a call from someone who did not have a computer and did not have a mobile phone. She rang on her landline. We were able to help her by nudging the bank—and I won't name names—which perhaps assumes everyone has such devices and that everyone is comfortable operating them. I give a shout-out to the Good Things Foundation, who literally do good things, firstly by pointing out that one in four Australians are digitally excluded and, secondly, by working to end their exclusion. The Albanese Labor government wants to ensure that there are more things that can be done by another excellent group—ACMA, the Australian Communications and Media Authority. ACMA is a regulatory body. There are people who dislike regulatory bodies intensely and complain bitterly about red tape, and I think we can all understand that there are regulations that can be better streamlined and simplified. It's part of the work of every government to fix this. But there are also regulations vital to safeguarding us all. If those regulations aren't enforced, we are not safe. We need to ensure that ACMA is an empowered and effective regulator in our world of new and advanced technology. One of the things that this bill proposes is bringing private networks, for example, into new developments like retirement villages. People in those developments will be enabled to access broadband and voice at appropriate standards and to help and learn from each other. The bill will also provide a mechanism for compensation to be paid to consumers—or customers, if you like—when a product doesn't meet a standard or a rule. We like to think of this as encouraging a few certain providers to lift their game. Lifting of the game is also needed when products are not provided in a timely manner. We can wait a certain amount of time for a new car and any number of other products, but, if someone moves into a new building and a network has been installed, the telecommunications must come with it—not in the provider's own sweet time but in a way that is timely and appropriate for their purchasers. Customers, or consumers, are expected to pay their bills in a timely manner, and you've no right to get away with breaches of laws and obligations under codes just because you're big, rich and powerful. The changes proposed in this bill will enable ACMA to take direct and immediate enforcement action against telecommunications providers that have breached their obligations to customers under industry codes. Like wage theft—something the Albanese government has taken strong action about—taking people's money and then failing to provide a service is not okay; it's wrong. At the moment, offending telcos are handed what amounts to a get-out-of-jail-free card. However serious the offence, ACMA has to firstly tell them that they're doing the wrong thing and that they really should stop doing it. ACMA can only take further action if the telco ignores the notification and goes on offending. No matter how much harm this offence causes, no matter what distress it creates, they can go on doing it until round 2. Under the changes that the bill proposes, ACMA can immediately take quick and appropriate action to stop harm being done to consumers and hold offenders to account. In the past, that still wouldn't stop those offenders who are rich enough from shrugging their shoulders—no more. The bill will increase the maximum general penalty for breaches of industry codes and standards under the Telecommunications Act 1997 from $250,000 to approximately $10 million, and that's not a slap on the wrist. When you want to enhance consumer safeguards—and I mean really enhance them, not just talk about it—you have to be determined, wilful and watchful; they may be wilful too. The bill will allow penalties for codes, standards and determinations to be based on the value of the benefit obtained from the offending conduct or the turnover of the relevant provider. In other words, we'll be looking at stopping people from deciding that the profits are so great that it's worth continuing to offend. Therefore, penalties greater than $10 million can also be applied in certain circumstances. Our belief is that just knowing that will act as a deterrent. No sector of the economy—whether it's in the areas of energy, banking or telecommunications—should be able to shrug its shoulders where compliance is concerned. These powers won't be wasted on ACMA. ACMA already has a great record of enforcement actions against companies that violate industry standards and regulations. ACMA fined Optus $12 million for failing to route emergency calls through alternative networks and for not conducting welfare checks on affected customers in the 2023 outage. ACMA fined Telstra $3 million for breaching emergency call handling protocols in 2024, and, in early 2022, ACMA issued a record $2½ million penalty to Sportsbet for breaches of the Spam Act 2003. In May 2024, ACMA filed proceedings against Optus in the Federal Court, alleging a significant data breach in 2022. Notwithstanding the forward-leaning approach by ACMA and the dedicated staff that work there, that organisation needs a government willing to act to ensure that it is able to take even greater action to protect consumers. The Albanese government is that government. When I attend citizenship ceremonies welcoming new Australian citizens—which I had the pleasure of doing just recently with you, Deputy Speaker Goodenough—I talk about the essence of Australia as a nation, I talk about how everyone should be respected and valued, and I speak about our shared commitment to the rule of law. Further, I'm proud that Australia is a foundation member of the United Nations, having played an important role in creating its founding documents. This included a commitment to the rule of law, a principle of governance in which all persons, institutions and entities—public and private, including the state itself—are accountable to laws that are publicly promulgated, equally enforced and independently adjudicated and that are consistent with international human rights and standards. That's a big ask, but it's a principle worth defending and applying. This bill will require telecommunications providers operating in the market, especially telecommunications retailers, to be properly registered, through the establishment of a carrier-service-provider registration scheme. This will help to ensure that when a carrier service provider has been found to pose an unacceptable risk to consumers, or is considered to have already caused significant consumer harm, it can be detected and stopped. ACMA will have the tools and powers it needs to protect consumers and hold providers to account. Providers should provide what they say they will provide and do so honourably, honestly and at a fair price. We want to protect the honest and the honourable. Rogue operators harm them too; they harm their reputations by association and thus their competitiveness. The honest and the honourable educate themselves about their obligations to consumers and they abide by those obligations. They won't have to put up with poor behaviour giving the industry a bad name. We hope that this bill will not only reward but increase the numbers of the honest and the honourable. That benefits us all, not only those in the telecommunications sector. Every time we want to make an aspect of Australian life fairer, we advance Australia fair. The Minister for Communications sure has been hard at work across her portfolio for the last three years. She has been increasing the number of premises with access to NBN fibre upgrades from fewer than 300,000 to more than 4.3 million and is on track to get to five million premises by the end of 2025. The minister has seen an additional 2.7 million higher speed plans taken up—an increase of 80 per cent over the term. The minister has made $480 million upgrades to the NBN fixed wireless and satellite networks, more than doubling the average speeds, with more than 800,000 households and businesses in regional, remote and peri-urban areas benefiting. She has commenced the work on the pathway to minimum download speeds of 100Mbps to bring Australia into line with international best practice. She has ably undertaken work on—and, if re-elected, will legislate—a universal outdoor mobile obligation, meaning that anyone anywhere in Australia will be able to send messages and make voice calls, including emergency calls. The Albanese government's stated ambition is to make Australia the most connected continent. Minister Rowland has stated that this is not just about infrastructure. It also must come with the long-term interest of consumers, which is about safeguards as well, and this is the mechanism to achieve it. I congratulate the minister for all the extraordinary work she has achieved for our country. I commend the bill to the House. 12:33 Ms STANLEY 265990 Werriwa On 10 March 1876 the first telephone call was made by Alexander Graham Bell. Bell demonstrated his ability by transmitting a call to his assistant, Thomas Watson. The first words transmitted were: Mr Watson, come here—I want to see you. Come forward almost 150 years, and there are few areas in our lives that have undergone such enormous change than in telecommunications. Every week there is a new model, a new feature or a new innovation. The corollary is that every week those features that were once cutting edge enter the ever-growing pantheon of obsolescence. Connectivity is surely one of the key and defining features of our lives nowadays. In truth, it is both a blessing and a curse. During the early days of the COVID pandemic, connectivity became even more important. As we isolated during the pandemic, it became crucial that we could connect with work, education and, most importantly, our loved ones to ensure that everyday life continued as much as was available to us. Nothing is better than communicating with friends and relatives around the world or having a Teams meeting with a colleague, but there are few things worse than a full inbox and when you wake up every morning to endless spam. Nonetheless, this is the age that we live in, and the challenge for governments around the world is to ensure that legislative frameworks and protections are in place to protect the public as they use these new and ever-changing forms of telecommunication. The bill that comes before us today unequivocally legislates better protections for telco consumers. It puts consumers at the front and centre of the telecommunication industry. It will do this by giving effect to the number of significant reforms to boost the enforcement powers of the Australian Communications and Media Authority—the ACMA. The proposed changes in this bill will enable the ACMA to take immediate and direct enforcement action against telecommunication providers that have breached their obligations to customers under industry codes. In doing so, it will remove the two-step and somewhat lengthy process that is currently in place. The measures in this bill will ensure that ACMA is an empowered and effective regulator and also that there are incentive structures in place to drive better behaviours by the telecommunications companies. Further, the bill will also increase the penalties for breaches of the industry codes. Specifically, the maximum general penalty will rise from $250,000 to approximately $10 million. Indeed, based on the value of the benefit obtained from the offending contact by the relevant provider, penalties greater than $10 million may be allowed. These huge increases in penalties will incentivise the industry into compliance and better align the telco industry with other relevant sectors, such as energy and banking. The bill will also expand and clarify the government's ability to increase the infringement notice penalty amounts that ACMA can issue for all applicable breaches, including consumer protection rules. Finally, the bill will establish a carrier service provider—CSP—registration scheme. This, in turn, will allow for more effective regulation of CSPs, including the empowerment of ACMA to stop a CSP where they have been found to pose an unacceptable risk to consumers or have significant consumer harm. The introduction of the CSP registration scheme will also improve pathways for the ACMA to educate carriage service providers on their regulatory obligations, streamline complaints and compliance processes and create a better overall market accountability. When Alexander Graham Bell made his famous phone call all those years ago, he would not have been able to imagine the advancements and breakthroughs to come, but the essence of his invention—to enrich our lives—remains unchanged. That is, telecommunications should help us and be our servers, not cause endless and needless frustration or inconvenience. The bill before us takes consumer rights seriously and vastly improves the compliance enforcement regime for users. It helps ensure that ACMA is fit for purpose and empowered to be an effective regulator. The reforms in this bill have received strong support from stakeholders, including the Consumer Action Law Centre, the Communications Alliance and the Australian Communications Consumer Action Network. The bill is another way that this government is putting Australian consumers on the centre of what we do and recognises the importance of quality telecommunication services for all Australians. I commend the bill to the House. 12:39 Mr NEUMANN HVO Blair All Australians need access to fast and reliable connectivity, whether or not it's the NBN. They need access so their sons and daughters can prepare for school assignments or exams. Whether you're a farmer living in the Somerset region or rural Ipswich needing access to the internet for accurate and fast email so that you can deal with your customers, producers and fellow farmers, or whether you're running a business, living and operating in Ipswich, we all need this sort of support. We also need mobile phones that actually operate and connect with one another. I saw that in the aftermath of Cyclone Alfred, where people lost power and lost the ability to charge their phones. They lost the capacity to communicate with the outside world using their phones. It's tough in regional and rural areas, and it's tough in the peri-urban fringe where the bush meets the suburbs. These areas have historically been underserviced because of the high cost of deploying infrastructure, difficult terrain, planning challenges and low population densities. Australia's a big place. I represent a large electorate and I know that building that infrastructure is important. But the consumer protection in this legislation is really critical. This gives me an opportunity to mention the fact that the Albanese Labor government is investing in new mobile phone infrastructure in Ripley, Redbank Plains and Springfield. It's all part of our Peri-Urban Mobile Program, and I congratulate Waveconn, who will be rolling out new mobile phone towers and other infrastructure at sites in Ripley, Central Eden's Crossing, Redbank Plains and Springfield Lakes to boost mobile reception in those locations and surrounds. It's part of a $40.9 million commitment to 47 projects around the country. We know how important it is. Having the NBN upgrades is critical. I've seen this recently with the Albanese government's upgrades to the NBN's fixed wireless and satellite services at 8,300 premises. People in areas like Toogoolawah, Coominya, Esk, Pine Mountain, Mount Hallen, Mount Tarampa, Haigslea, Wivenhoe Pocket, Hazeldean, Moore and Prenzlau will be able to access broadband speeds of at least 100 megabits per second. The increased speeds will provide smoother streaming, faster downloads and uploads, and stronger connections. We've also seen some fixed wireless upgrades in my electorate which have delivered increased average end user download speeds for households, from around 40 megabits per second in 2022 to 100 megabits per second today. Using the latest 4G and 5G wireless technology has d about 120,000 premises across the country to access fixed wireless for the first time. I commend the Minister for Communications, Michelle Rowland, in relation to that. That $480 million upgrade complements our nation-building investment to deliver world-class NBN fibre network backed by an additional $3 billion in equity investment. This legislation before the chamber, the Telecommunications Amendment (Enhancing Consumer Safeguards) Bill 2025, is about putting consumers right at the centre of the telecommunications industry. I saw that as recently as the last couple of months in relation to the problems of mobile coverage when upgrades were being made by Telstra in and around Kilcoy. As I said to Telstra, there were problems including inadequate notification, delays, and lack of communication with businesses, schools, consumers and residents. It's a problem if providers don't communicate well. It's no good just putting an ad in the newspaper; you've got to actually communicate and be on the ground. People who live in places like Somerset deserve as much support, in terms of their telecommunications, and similar access to reliable broadband and mobile phones that work as people in Sydney. Somerset should be treated the same as Sydney. The legislation we're looking at today is important because we want every Australian to have access to quality and affordable telecommunications services. But we need the legislative backing, the regulatory backing, behind it, and we need a framework that safeguards consumers. We all want to stay connected; we know it's an essential part of everyday life, as I said before; but we understand how critical these telecommunications services are for everyone. Country towns that get cut off during floods and natural disasters need access to these services for daily operations. I've met many people over the years who have told me they go into their offices in Ipswich or Toowoomba or Brisbane but they live in the rural parts of my electorate and also work from home. When those things cannot happen, it makes it very, very difficult. The Albanese government understands that people face vulnerable circumstances like floods, bushfires and cyclones. We know that people live in our regions. I know the majority of Australians live in capital cities and surrounds, but many Australians live in regional areas as well, and I'm proud to represent a regional and rural seat. First Nations Australians also live in these areas. In my electorate, about one in 10 people are First Nations. They rely just as much on connectivity to communicate with other people, as, certainly, do multicultural communities. Places in my electorate—like Spring Mountain, Deebing Heights, Ripley Valley, Springfield Central, Springfield Lakes, Redbank Plains and Riverview—have very large multicultural communities. They want to communicate with their families and friends not just around Australia but overseas, so access to good telecommunications is absolutely critical. Telco services should enrich people's lives. They shouldn't cause inconvenience, frustration and harm. The reality is many people face significant costs, and this includes being able to afford critical communications services like mobile phone and internet services. The latest data from the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman shows that complaints to them rose by 13 per cent from October to December 2024 compared to the previous quarter. There was a 12.8 per cent rise in complaints from small business following four consecutive quarters of decline and a spike in 3G shutdown complaints in October to November 2024. And there continue to be regular high-profile incidents in the telecommunications sector—and even low-profile instances that really frustrate people like those who live in Kilcoy or, indeed, in Toogoolawah, where there've been ongoing issues with connectivity that people like Beryce Nelson and others have contacted me about. This is why we've been actively reviewing the telecommunications consumer protection framework and making the appropriate changes. The legislation here is about better equipping the regulator, the Australian Communications and Media Authority, or ACMA, with the necessary tools or weapons—if I can put it like that—and powers to protect telco consumers and hold companies to account if they do the wrong thing. We are implementing some new rules to better support consumers who've experienced financial hardship, prioritising keeping consumers connected and requiring those telecommunications companies to offer specific assistance, such as payment plans. More recently, we've directed ACMA to make rules to better support people who are experiencing domestic, family and sexual violence. It's something that is near and dear to my heart, having worked as a family lawyer for 20 years before I came to this place. We have revised the Telecommunications Consumer Protections Code and improved telecommunications for people with disability. We've listened to a whole range of feedback, from consumer advocates to industry, regulators and the TIO. So, on 12 February this year, the Minister for Communications introduced new legislation to the parliament to make these improvements. The bill gives effect to a number of the significant reforms to boost enforcement powers and penalties. They will enable ACMA to be a better and more effective regulator. The proposed changes mean that ACMA can take direct and immediate enforcement action against telecommunications providers that have breached their obligations to consumers under industry codes, and they remove the current two-step process whereby ACMA must issue a direction to comply to an offending telco, no matter how significant the breach—which is quite a clumsy arrangement. This two-step process will go, effectively, so that action can be taken immediately. It means that ACMA can respond quickly and appropriately to breaches to immediately address consumer harm and hold the telcos to account. I think one of the most important things here is the raising of the maximum general penalty for breaches of industry codes and standards under the Telecommunications Act 1997. It's going to go up from $250,000 to approximately $10 million—a very significant increase and quite appropriate. Further changes will allow penalties for codes, standards and determinations to be based on the value of the benefit obtained by the offending conduct or the turnover of the relevant provider, allowing for penalties greater than $10 million in certain circumstances. This penalty framework will incentivise community and industry compliance, and it will make sure that there's a better alignment with competition and consumer law around the country. ACMA is going to get a number of enforcement weapons or tools at its disposal. An additional change will expand and clarify the government's ability to increase the infringement notice penalties that ACMA can issue for applicable breaches, including consumer protection rules. But, at the end of the day, no-one wants an industry that sees penalties as a slap on the wrist. They don't. And I've seen that happen, by the way, in industries like the waste industry around my electorate in Ipswich, where, for so long, I've seen the waste industry pay a penalty or do little when faced with litigation by the Queensland government. Indeed, I've seen so many people in the waste industry fight those cases, but it's almost like it's a price of doing business. I don't single out anyone in particular, but I've seen that happen. We want to make sure that that doesn't happen here. We want to make sure that there's visibility of providers operating in the market. We want to make sure that people know about the establishment of a carrier service provider registration scheme. We want to make sure that the bill equips ACMA with the kinds of tools and powers it needs, and these changes need to be a powerful deterrent. I think they will be. I think getting rid of that two-step process will be. If you look at the bill and if you look at the legislation and the extra powers that ACMA will have under this bill, it gives ACMA more teeth through more weapons and more tools. I think it incentivises those telcos to educate themselves to make sure they behave, and they've really got to not just communicate with their consumers but fulfill their obligations to those consumers. They need to boost their compliance and improve their functioning, and there needs to be fairness in the sector. There's an incredible imbalance of power between telcos and consumers, so ACMA needs to be that body that brings in some sort of equilibrium to the sector and rebalances that imperfect power arrangement between consumers and telcos. This bill is another way that the government is putting consumers at the centre of the telco industry. It's going to beef up enforcement and compliance. It's going to establish a carriage service provider registration scheme, increasing the visibility of the carriage service providers, and enable ACMA to stop providers operating in a market who they believe pose an unacceptable risk to consumers or who cause significant harm. It will increase the visibility in the market. No-one wants to get rid of the market, but we want to make sure that the market works better. It will provide improved pathways for ACMA and other government agencies to educate carriage service providers on their regulatory obligations and to streamline complaints and compliance processes. And I think it will create a better situation in terms of the market overall. We do live in a free enterprise economy, and we want to make sure that that market works for everyone fairly and justly. At the moment, it doesn't. Empowering ACMA, under this legislation, to take greater powers and greater tools to rebalance the unequal situation between consumers and telcos is a very important thing, and the legislation is a very worthy piece of legislation that deserves support. 12:54 Mr GEORGANAS DZY Adelaide I to rise to speak on the Telecommunications Amendment (Enhancing Consumer Safeguards) Bill 2025. I know that this government is committed to putting the Australian consumer at the heart of the telecommunications industry. We have just heard from the member for Blair how important it is to protect the consumer as our entire lives today depend on our connectivity through our telcos and the different businesses that run telcos. They keep us connected. If you think of the industry and where it was 20 to 25 years ago and where it is today, there is a vast difference. It's completely different. Therefore, we need protection laws to keep up with the rapid changes that are being made with telecommunications. I remember as a child growing up my father wanting to talk to his mother, who was on the other side of the world. This was in the early sixties. I can recall him booking a call at the GPO, the general post office, a day before Christmas or a day after Christmas to go up and talk to his mother once a year, if that was possible. Sometimes it was once every two years. When you think of today and you see these mobile phone devices that we have and which carry our entire lives on them, we are connected not just to our local communities but to the entire world. You can see the rapid changes that have been made in the last 20 to 25 years, and it's only going to change even more rapidly. Therefore, we need telecommunication laws to be enhanced continuously to keep up with that pace and to ensure that the consumer is protected. When you think of telecommunications and you go back a number of years to the general post office, then Telstra and then the privatisation of Telstra and the opening up of the market for all sorts of telcos to come in, we started off in a period where you had a landline in your house. Some did and some didn't. If it was an emergency, you would run next door or to the red telephone box and call the emergency number that you needed. Today, it's very different. Our 000 numbers across the nation are connected up to Telstra, for example, which runs this part of the service. The fact is that our entire workloads, files and everything for all of us in this place and many other industries are on these devices. So you can see how important it is to ensure that we remain connected and that we receive calls, text messages, emails and all the things that we do on these phones. As I said, that is whether it is for someone to just say a quick hello and be connected to another human being once or twice a week or whether it is someone who uses their phone continuously for their business, for their work, for their wellbeing, for their health or for a whole range of things, like upcoming appointments. Our access to telecommunications connects us and keeps us informed in a way that would be almost impossible to even imagine in our grandparents' time and for previous generations of Australians. I gave you an example of my father wanting to make a call overseas and booking that call at the GPO to go and do it. That was in the 1960s. It was once a year at Christmas if he was lucky and got in early enough. You would have to make your booking quite early. As a consequence, it is incumbent on us in this place to make sure that the telco communications regulations and consumer protection frameworks keep up with the rapidly advancing technology. The reforms proposed in this bill go to the compliance and enforcement regime for consumer safeguards and constitute this comprehensive package of improvements for those arrangements. Telecommunications should enrich people's lives, and they have. When you think about it, they have from the days that I spoke about, the sixties, to where we are today. But, at the same time, they shouldn't cause inconvenience, frustration or detriment. However, all of us in this place have had constituents who have contacted us to talk about some form of inconvenience through their telcos or telecommunications. They come into our electorate offices on a regular basis. I have seen hundreds of people over the years wanting to know why they were cut off when they had paid their bills and why they couldn't get connectivity when they had actually been paying for their monthly account and a whole range of things. This is where I have to give praise to ACMA. Many people have been referred to them to resolve their issues and, I have to say, nine out of 10 times they are resolved. They do a great job. I think this bill will enhance their work and make their work much easier for them. As an example, just last week my office received a call from a very distressed gentleman, who I won't identify out of respect for his privacy. His landline service and account had suddenly been disconnected, and this had occurred without any consultation and obviously without his permission. What made matters worse is that this particular person is vision impaired and, as a consequence, extremely reliant on his landline service. Fortunately, his telecommunication provider is one of the big players—and I'll name them: Telstra—in the communication sector, so my office, like most offices, had a contact to call. We were able to call the government relations section and have the matter resolved. But, of course, it's not the case with many of the smaller telcos. There are a lot of them out there who are not as easy to get in touch with. You can only get in touch with them via the internet or a robotic system that they have. It is critical that ACMA has the necessary powers to protect consumers and the ability to issue penalties appropriately to send a strong message to those telcos that do the wrong thing. And it's critical for the consumer to be able to contact that telco as well when an issue does arise. Just last December, Telstra paid a penalty of more than $3 million for failing to comply with emergency call rules during a technical disruption at its 000 emergency call centre. An ACMA investigation found 473 breaches of the rules relating to an incident on 1 March 2024, during which Telstra's 000 call centre was hampered in transferring calls to emergency services for 90 minutes. You can imagine the number of emergency calls that were taking place in those 90 minutes. Some could have been life-threatening—a whole range of things. The investigation found that Telstra initiated a contingency process to transfer calls received during the disruption using a list of backup phone numbers. However, several of the phone numbers on the list were incorrect, resulting in 127 calls not being transferred to emergency services for those 90 minutes. It was a fairly serious issues, when you think about it now. Telstra managed those calls by providing callers' details to the relevant emergency service organisations via emails and phone calls. While Telstra, at the end, successfully managed to transfer the remaining 346 calls using the backup phone list, they could not provide the callers' digital location information to the emergency service organisations due to that particular disruption. ACMA noted that Telstra has historically had a strong record on complaints in its role as the national 000 operator and made considerable efforts to keep the public informed during this outage and subsequently updated its backup phone number list and appointed an independent consultant to conduct the incident review. This just goes to show how important the role of regulating the telecommunication industry sector is. It can literally be a matter of life or death. Indeed, staying connected is an essential part of everyday life, especially in our remote communities and regional areas. This bill wants to ensure that Australians are protected, have access to reliable high-quality and affordable telco services and are supported by good, strong regulatory consumer safeguards, such as ACMA. We want to ensure the telco industry is working for all Australians, whether you're in the regions, remote areas, regional areas, country areas or in the cities' outer suburbs or inner suburbs. We need the best safeguards in place to protect people's telco interests, and there is a strong, clear recourse if telcos do the wrong thing. Many Australians are experiencing significant cost-of-living pressures, and this includes being able to afford critical communications. As I said, it's no longer just that landline; it is a critical connection to everything from work to education to health—your entire life on this device. But the latest data from the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman, the TIO, shows that complaints progressed to the TIO—and many of us in this place have used the TIO or referred people to the TIO, and again I want to pay credit to the TIO for the incredible that they do—were up 13 per cent between October and December 2024 compared to the previous quarter. It increased by 13 per cent in the last 2024 quarter. There was also a 12.8 per cent rise in small-business complaints. Think of the small businesses and how reliant they are on connectivity for their income. They are absolutely reliant, so that 12.8 per cent rise for small businesses is a worrying trend as well. That's following four consecutive quarters of decline and a spike in the 3G shutdown complaints in October and November. There have been regular high-profile incidents, and we've read about them in the newspapers. We've seen them, including service outages such as the one I mentioned earlier and claims of irresponsible selling practices. This is an area that I've been going on about for a long time. We need to come down on irresponsible selling practices. Some examples are where different telcos—mainly the smaller ones—have salespeople going door-to-door, knocking on people's doors, asking that if they wish to swap from one service to another. One of the most outrageous once I've seen was during the NBN, when the rollout was taking place in metropolitan Adelaide. The member for Sturt is here as well and would remember that period throughout our suburbs where this rollout was taking place. At the same time, there were different notifications being put out to different residences. One of the smaller telcos picked up on this and went doorknocking in the area, claiming that they were from the NBN and that a particular service will be better enhanced by the NBN. I just happened to be home when one of them knocked on my door. I'd picked up on this and had heard from constituents that this was taking place. When I pressed and asked further questions, it was revealed that they weren't from the NBN; they were from a smaller telco and were actually going door to door. Many people get caught up in these schemes and in these particular scams—I don't want to call them scams, but I suppose they are if you don't know what you're signing up for and they haven't explained it to you. Many people have contacted our office when they've been with one of the providers only to find that the bill the next month or the next quarter is coming from someone completely different. When they come into the office, wanting to know what it was or why they are getting this bill from someone they are unaware of, we sit down, go through it and discover that at some point they signed a form saying, yes, the wanted to be with this provider. Then they explain to me that it wasn't properly explained to them so they could have a period of time to think it through. We need to crack down on those irresponsible selling practices. The reality is that most of the victims are elderly people and people with intellectual disabilities. We've seen plenty of them in my electorate office over the years. It should be wiped out. ACMA and the TIO should be given all the powers possible to ensure that it is wiped out and that these smaller—or any—telcos that are taking part in irresponsible selling practices have the book thrown at them. The reforms proposed in this bill go to the compliance and enforcement regime for consumer safeguards that constitute this comprehensive package of improved arrangements. This is about equipping the watchdogs with the powers that they require. More importantly, we need to do our job and inform the consumers about what rights they have when it comes to signing up with new telcos or when things do go wrong and they cannot find a way through it. We need this bill, and that's what this bill is doing. 13:09 Dr LEIGH BU8 Fenner Telecommunications really is fundamental to modern Australia. More than 99 per cent of Australian adults own a mobile phone; 93 per cent own a smartphone. Over a third of Australians worked from home regularly, according to the most recent ABS survey—which, in passing, does make you wonder what would happen if the Leader of the Opposition were ever to become Prime Minister and ban public servants from working from home. Suddenly public servants in the regions, with disabilities or with caring responsibilities would find themselves out of a job. Digital health is mainstream. Over nine in 10 Australians have a My Health Record, and telehealth accounted for more than 25 million services. Online education is widespread, and we saw this particularly through the pandemic. Telecommunications are the way in which people access emergency services, with the 000 service receiving over eight million calls a year. Small business relies heavily on quality telecommunications. Over seven out of 10 Australian small businesses use mobile broadband. So it is really pleasing, in that context, that we have a Minister for Communications who is so attuned to the importance of modernising our structures and systems so that they serve a digital economy. We saw today the communications minister announce a new memorandum of understanding between the eSafety Commissioner—currently the terrific Julie Inman Grant—and the Australian Federal Police to combat child sexual exploitation online. The communications minister has announced additional funding to keep communities and emergency services better connected in times of disaster by extending wi-fi services for evacuation centres. The communications minister has announced that a re-elected Albanese government would work to build on the network of low-Earth-orbit satellites to provide mobile coverage in emergency situations. We saw during Tropical Cyclone Alfred the outages in the mobile network that were caused. Low-Earth-orbit satellites provide much better coverage than additional base stations can do. And we've seen the Minister for Communications working on the issue of scams, alongside the Assistant Treasurer, the member for Whitlam, who, alas, will be leaving parliament this election. His work on scams, in conjunction with the communications minister, has been quite remarkable. The communications minister has also been focused on delivering better broadband across Australia. The National Broadband Network was a Labor initiative announced by the Rudd government, but the ball was dropped by the incoming coalition government, who took Australians back to a copper rollout. That copper rollout has meant worse services for millions of Australians. We've now announced that we're finishing the job. The communications minister and the finance minister provided an additional equity injection, up to $3 billion, to NBN Co, which will ensure that NBN Co has the resources it needs in order to finish the rollout. This sits alongside Labor's legislation to ensure the NBN stays in public hands—legislation that the coalition voted against. Not only would they cut services if they were to win office; they could well privatise the National Broadband Network, a measure which would be disastrous for competition. It's the competition lens with which I come to this bill today, the Telecommunications Amendment (Enhancing Consumer Safeguards) Bill 2025, as the Assistant Minister for Competition. We do so often see in the competition space that it's monopolies that tend to treat their consumers badly. If you're fighting for market share in a highly competitive sector then you're more likely to be thinking about how you can best serve consumers. But if you've got consumers locked up then there is more of a risk that monopolies will abuse their monopoly power to take advantage of consumers. We've seen an uptick in complaints to the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman. The latest data from the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman shows that complaints progressed to the TIO increased 13 per cent between October and December 2024 compared with the previous quarter. There was also a 12.8 per cent rise in small-business complaints following four consecutive quarters of decline and a spike in 3G shutdown complaints. All of that is for the last quarter of last year, the most recent quarter for which we have Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman data. There have been a range of high-profile incidents in the telco sector—the Optus data breach, significant service outages and claims of irresponsible selling practices, which the previous member referred to. In that context, it is vital that we update the consumer protections that are provided by the Australian Communications and Media Authority, ACMA, in order to boost its enforcement powers and penalties. Part of this is about removing the two-step process. If you're doing a barn dance, a two-step is a terrific thing! If you're making a complaint to the telecommunications ombudsman, it is not quite so terrific. What this two-step process currently requires is for the ACMA to issue a direction to comply to offending telcos. It has to do that, no matter how significant the breach. Then—and only if noncompliance continues—can it take further action. This bill, once passed by the parliament, will allow for the ACMA to take quick and appropriate action in response to breaches to immediately address consumer harm and hold telcos to account. We've also increased the penalties. This has been an important priority of this government to ensure that penalties are commensurate with the problem they're seeking to address and that they are not simply treated as a cost of doing business. In the competition space, one of our first reforms in late 2022 after winning office was to increase the penalties for anticompetitive conduct. We did this because we looked around the world and saw that comparative nations had comparatively larger penalties. We increased those penalties for anticompetitive conduct. We've also increased the penalties on supermarkets who do the wrong thing by suppliers under the Food and Grocery Code of Conduct. The food and grocery code, set up by the Liberals and Nationals as a toothless, voluntary code was empowered by Labor. Labor's mandatory supermarket code carries multimillion dollar penalties. Extraordinarily, when the legislation came to the parliament, the Liberals and Nationals voted with the supermarkets. They voted for negligible penalties against Labor's tougher law. This bill also increases penalties, increasing the maximum general penalty for breaches of industry codes and standards under the Telecommunications Act from $250,000 to approximately $10 million. Further changes will allow penalties for codes, standards and determinations to be based on the value of the benefit obtained from the offending conduct or the turnover of the relevant provider, allowing for penalties greater than $10 million in certain circumstances. That's exactly the approach that we've taken within competition law. Our increase in penalties ensured that the size of the offending conduct—the ill-gotten gains, if you like—could be taken into account when considering the appropriate penalty, as could the size of the entity. That's why for supermarkets, worth billions of dollars, the penalties can be in the millions of dollars. That is appropriate for the most egregious conduct. We hope that those penalties will never have to be used, and the experience in many other areas is a positive one. When the penalty is commensurate with the offence, then you see firms improving their action. You incentivise better firm behaviour. You don't need to deploy those penalties. The penalties framework under this bill will be aligned with those in other relevant sectors like energy and banking and the penalties under the Australian consumer law. There will also be an additional change to expand and clarify the government's ability to issue the infringement notice penalty the ACMA can issue for all applicable breaches, including for consumer protection rules—another tool in the armoury of the ACMA to be able to stand up on behalf of consumers. The bill will increase the visibility of providers operating in the market, particularly telecommunications retailers, through the establishment of a carrier service provider registration scheme and allow for more effective regulation of carriers. Where a carrier has been found to pose an unacceptable risk to consumers or to have caused significant consumer harm, the Australian Communications and Media Authority is able to block them from operating. Of course, that would only be applied in the most extreme cases, but it is critical that that powerful deterrent is in the hands of the regulator. This is critical for ensuring that Australians are looked after in their dealings online, which are, as I said at the outset, an increasingly large part of our lives. This government too has put in place a world-first minimum age for accessing social media. That is a reform which is being watched closely around the world. International researchers such as Jonathan Haidt and Jean Twenge have praised the Australian approach. It recognises that kids should be allowed to be kids, to go out and kick a footy, play with their mates, play a board game and engage with friends, and that, increasingly, digital devices are robbing them of the childhood that previous generations enjoyed. The highly addictive nature of social media makes these rules appropriate, with, of course, a carve-out for activities such as mental health support services, education or science. The focus here is on the highly addictive, slot-machine-like social media sites. That consumer safeguard applies to those who are under 16. In effect, United States law—section 230 of the Communications Decency Act of 1996—set 13 years old as the age for accessing social media. In Australia, we believe the rule ought to be 16, and I would be surprised if, over the coming years, other countries didn't move to that similar standard. This consumer protection focus is a core part of what the Albanese government have done within the telecommunications sector, but alongside that we are a government that is strongly pro research and innovation. We recognise the value of telecommunications innovation in serving Australians. We've strongly supported the 5G rollout and the movement towards more advanced devices. We want Australians to get the very best of artificial intelligence and of the improvements in telecommunications technologies. We understand that, used well, these are tools for cyberconnecting, as Nick Terrell and I put it in a book called Reconnected a couple of years ago. By cyberconnecting, we can build stronger in-person communities and use the technologies to empower face-to-face engagement, not to supplant it. Labor understands the importance of a competition and consumer focused approach. You saw that at this very dispatch box two days ago, as the Treasurer brought down a budget which had competition as one of the core drivers of productivity. Productivity growth languished under the former government, and one of the ways in which we seek to turn that around is through competition and consumer reforms like this one before the House. Labor's competition and consumer agenda is an ambitious one. We make no apologies for that. We established the competition taskforce within Treasury, which has spearheaded the biggest reform of our merger laws in 50 years and a revamp of national competition policy, curtailing the abuse of non-compete clauses. There's work to deal with the problems that the supermarket duopoly can cause for both shoppers and suppliers. Labor's supermarket reforms are about ensuring a fairer deal for farmers and a fairer deal for families. This bill before the House is about ensuring a better deal for telecommunications customers. Everything this government does is focused on the best interests of Australians, and I commend the bill to the House. 13:24 Ms BYRNES 299145 Cunningham Now more than ever, people are becoming more reliant on their mobile devices. We use all of our mobile devices for more than just calls and messages. In the palms of our hands, we can pay for goods and services, transfer funds, send work e-mails, manage social media, access real-time news and even, for the more tech savvy among us,    control our home appliances and cars. We have come a long way with these compact and incredibly useful devices that connect us not just to each other but to an online world of services and information. Many people and businesses around Australia are highly dependent on their telecommunications providers to stay connected to their loved ones, to their communities and to their clients. We want to ensure that all Australians have access to reliable, high-quality and affordable telecommunications services, supported by a strong regulatory and consumer safeguards framework. As mobile technology becomes further integrated into our daily lives, any disruption to service can be frustrating and inconvenient, but in some cases it can result in a loss of business or not being able to provide essential community services or reach out to loved ones in need. We have seen regular high-profile incidents in the telco sector, including significant service outages like the 2023 Optus outage, which impacted the nationwide network, and claims of irresponsible selling practices. This only highlights the need to address these issues within the telecommunications industry and prevent this happening in the future. The Minister for Communications has worked hard to ensure that all Australians, regardless of the circumstance, are able to receive reliable telco services. This includes the development and implementation of the Telecommunications Financial Hardship Industry Standard, which came into effect on 29 March 2024. This standard makes it mandatory for telco providers to better support customers who are struggling to pay their phone and internet bills. This also means that telco providers have to do all that they can to keep customers connected if they are experiencing financial hardship, with disconnection as the last resort. On 8 October 2024, the minister directed ACMA to develop a new industry standard to ensure telcos better support customers experiencing domestic, family and sexual violence. Telecommunications services play a crucial role in providing a safe, secure and reliable means for victims-survivors to navigate their way out of violent situations. These services are essential for maintaining connections with supportive figures such as family members, friends and vital social networks. These are often a lifeline for victims-survivors, providing emotional support, encouragement and practical help during times of crisis. For many, the ability to communicate safely with people that they trust can make a significant difference in their ability to leave an abusive environment and begin the healing process. These services must ensure confidentiality and accessibility, enabling individuals to discreetly access vital information and resources without fear of interception or retaliation. The Albanese Labor government understands how important telecommunications services are to all Australians, especially to the many who provide services to the community, to businesses, to those in rural and remote communities and to the most vulnerable in our society. Our government is committed to putting customers at the centre of the telecommunications industry. The Telecommunications Amendment (Enhancing Consumer Safeguards) Bill 2025 is a significant step towards achieving this commitment. The bill aims to amend the Telecommunications Act 1997 to establish a carrier service provider registration scheme, make industry codes directly enforceable by ACMA and amend existing arrangements relating to the application of penalty amounts for infringement notices and civil penalties. These amendments are designed to enhance consumer protections and ensure that telecommunications providers are held to the highest standards of service and accountability. The minister has reviewed the telecommunications consumer protection framework and has consulted with many stakeholders to make these changes. The establishment of a carriage service provider registration scheme will create a more transparent and more accountable framework for telecommunications providers. This scheme will require providers to register with ACMA, ensuring that only those who meet specific criteria can offer services to Australian consumers. This will help to weed out the dodgy operators that pose significant risks or have caused consumer harm by continuing their questionable operations and ensure that Australian consumers are dealing with reputable providers. The DEPUTY SPEAKER 248181 The debate is interrupted in accordance with standing order 43. The debate may be resumed at a later hour and the member will be granted leave to continue speaking when the debate is resumed. STATEMENTS BY MEMBERS 94 STATEMENTS BY MEMBERS Gladstone Airport Patient Transfer Facility 94 13:30 Mr BOYCE 299498 Flynn Since the closure of Gladstone's Mater Hospital and the downgrading of the Gladstone Hospital from level 4 to level 3 by the former Queensland Labor government, there has been a significant decline in the availability of maternity and other medical services at the Gladstone Hospital. Due to this, Gladstone Airport has had a massive increase in aeromedical and emergency transfers. This has supported the need to develop a fit-for-purpose facility to improve operational efficiency and give patients and their families greater dignity and comfort in their time of need. The current facility is no longer suitable to meet the needs of emergency services, and, built as a temporary facility, the current site does not provide shelter from the elements during the transfer from ambulance to aircraft. A dedicated facility would improve the process and provide a dignified, private, secure area for families, patients and medical staff. Gladstone Airport saw more than 700 aeromedical transfers last year, so there is an immediate need for this facility. The proposed facility will cost around $5 million to build. The federal government has announced just over $1 million for this project via the Regional Airports Program, and that is not even close to what is required. I strongly support the proposed Gladstone Airport patient transfer facility and will continue to advocate for this critical project to be fully funded. National Basketball League 95 13:31 Ms BYRNES 299145 Cunningham What an incredible time to be from the Illawarra! The Illawarra Hawks have triumphantly ended a 24-year drought by securing the 2025 NBL championship, with a 114-104 victory over Melbourne United in a thrilling decider at the WIN Entertainment Centre. This win was made even more significant, as it is the second championship in the club's 46-year history—the first being in 2001. Legendary head coach Justin Tatum has been instrumental in their success, from taking over as interim head coach in November 2023 after the Hawks finished at the bottom of the table to leading them to a historic top-of-the-table finish and a championship win this year. For their grit and determination this season, I would like to congratulate Justin and the team: Sam Froling, Tyler Harvey, Brad Ballinger, Daniel Grida, Darius Days, HJ Lee, Kobe McDowell-White, Kuany Kuany, Lachlan Olbirch, Lucas Yates, Mason Peatling, Todd Blanchfield, Trey Kell, Wani Swaka Lo Buluk, Will Hickey and Zac Triplett. I would also like to congratulate Phil Driscoll OAM, head of medical services; Amber Morrissey of events and social projects; and the Hawks CEO, Stu Taggart, on an incredible season. The Hawks fans have played a huge part in this victory. Their passion and enthusiasm at games not only created a great home court advantage but also lifted the spirits of the players. (Time expired) Health Care: Immunisation 95 13:33 Mr BROADBENT MT4 Monash Our government's no jab, no pay policy, which withholds the family tax benefit part A supplement and childcare subsidies from families who choose not to vaccinate their children in accordance with the national schedule, is unreasonable, unethical and unconscionable in a country like ours. This policy is the only law in the world that ties a person's access to social support payments to their compliance with a medical procedure. Welfare payments are being used as coercive leverage against parents' personal health choices, targeting parents least able to absorb the loss of payments. It punishes young families, single parents and low-income Australians, who are already doing it tough. Coercion is not a good policy; it's lazy and unethical governance. It erodes trust in public health and undermines informed decision-making—two cornerstones of safe and ethical health care. How is questioning your doctor about vaccines—'How safe is it? What's in it? Has it been tested?'—seen as a radical and extreme concept? Surely, having a conversation to weigh up risks and benefits and choosing to decline a medical product without facing fear of financial reprisal from your own government would be an automatic human right. We must be better than this. We must stand for informed consent not enforced compliance. Health decisions are personal, not political. Repealing no jab, no pay is not an antivaccine position; it's a pro-choice, pro-ethics position. The government should never hold your child's welfare hostage to your informed medical decisions. Where is the Human Rights Commission on this issue? (Time expired) Holt Electorate: Religious Festivals 95 13:35 Ms FERNANDO 299964 Holt In Holt we don't just acknowledge diversity, we celebrate it. We are currently celebrating my favourite time of the year, a season of renewal and reflection as we mark important festivals across many cultures, including Easter, Nowruz, Holi, Aluth Avurudu, Hindu new year, Ramadan and Vaisakhi. Each of these celebrations brings people together in hope and solidarity. For my family and I, Easter is a particularly meaningful time, a chance to reflect on the faith and sacrifices of Jesus Christ. I look forward to attending the Good Friday service at Saint Agatha's in Cranbourne and joining my community in reflection. To all those celebrating this month, I wish you a time of joy, peace and renewal. But while Labor embraces multiculturalism, the Liberals do the opposite. They divide communities, attack migrants and push fear for political gain. They cut funding for multicultural programs, undermine the visa system and refuse to stand up against racism. Labor stands with every community in this country, ensuring that they are supported and not used as political scapegoats. Budget 96 13:36 Ms WATSON-BROWN 300127 Ryan You get a coffee a week; fossil fuel corporations get almost $56 billion in subsidies. You get a coffee a week; property investors get $176 billion in tax handouts. You get a coffee a week; nuclear submarines get $375 billion over the next 10 years. You get a coffee a week; gas corporations get billions in tax exemptions, paying even less tax than previous years. You get a coffee a week; the salmon industry gets laws rewritten so they can profit hugely while killing off a species. That's what cost-of-living relief looks like under Labor and the LNP. They'll promise teensy tax relief in 15 months time. Meanwhile, multinationals have had huge tax exemptions for decades. I don't think it's too much to ask that corporations who profit from exploiting Australia should pay tax in Australia, that corporations like gas companies, making obscene profits exporting our resources, should pay royalties on that gas and pay corporate tax on their income. There is an alternative. Tax the big corporations to fund real cost-of-living relief so that we can see a GP for free, wipe student debt, put dental and mental health into Medicare and build affordable housing. Albanese Government 96 13:37 Ms BELYEA 309484 Dunkley While the government gets on with delivering targeted cost-of-living relief for all Australians, those opposite have decided they want to vote against giving Australians more tax cuts. The Leader of the Opposition and the Liberals have promised to increase taxes for every taxpayer. They are not on your side. The coalition have opposed cost-of-living measures implemented by the Albanese Labor government, such as free TAFE and cheaper medicines, because they want to spend $600 billion on nuclear power that will be operational 20 years from now. The Albanese Labor government has a real plan to help with the cost of living. We have more energy bill relief, with an additional $150 off your power bill. We're cutting student debt by an additional 20 per cent. We're making it easier to buy a home with the Help to Buy scheme. And we're making free TAFE permanent. We are delivering accessible child care three days a week for all families. Under Labor inflation is down, incomes are growing, unemployment is at its lowest in 50 years and interest rates are coming down. The budget, announced on Tuesday, is focused on helping people and building a stronger economy because the Albanese Labor government is committed to building Australia's future. Bondi Junction Attack: First Anniversary, Mental Health 96 13:39 Ms SPENDER 286042 Wentworth Next month, Wentworth will commemorate the first anniversary of the horrific attack at Bondi Junction Westfield, which claimed the lives of Ashlee Good, Dawn Singleton, Faraz Tahir, Jade Young, Pikria Darchia and Yixuan Cheng. This was a tragedy that traumatised our community and changed the lives of the families and friends who lost loved ones. Six beautiful lives were cut short. These people mattered, and honouring their memories is up to all of us. The Bondi Junction tragedy also shone a light on Australia's chronic and severe mental health crisis. Mental health has the second-largest burden of disease after cancer in Australia, yet it attracts as little as seven per cent of total government health expenditure. Nearly a quarter of a million people with severe mental health conditions have unmet needs for psychosocial supports. Since Bondi Junction, many people have shared with me their own lived experience in dealing with chronic mental health diseases among family, friends and members of their community. We need to do more to raise our investment in mental health support, to better integrate services between state and federal providers and to dramatically expand the mental health workforce to provide the best care for those in need. We didn't see enough for mental health in the budget, so I urge both the government and the opposition to push for mental health in the coming election, and I will commit to continue to fight for it. Federal Election 96 13:41 Ms DOYLE 299962 Aston What have we learned from yesterday in this House and the other place? It's what we've seen repeatedly from those opposite—voting no to everything this government is doing to assist households. Now, those opposite have done it again, announcing today they'll axe Labor's tax cuts for every taxpayer if elected. Once again, they just say no, and that sums up the Leader of the Opposition's approach for this entire term. I'd like to remind the Leader of the Opposition of the words he spoke on Insiders the day after I was elected to this House: So, many lessons, including for me and for our party. And we'll take those, we'll listen to what the people of Aston have said and we'll act on it. Were those just empty words from the Leader of the Opposition? I think so because the actions of the Leader of the Opposition and his party in voting against every measure that we have brought forward in this parliament to assist the people of Aston mean his words then are ringing hollow now. One thing is certain: past performance is the best indicator of future practice. With the Leader of the Opposition, this is truly the case. The choice is clear at this election: a Labor government that is building on a better future for Australia or a coalition that will just send us all backwards. Federal Election 97 13:42 Mr BUCHHOLZ 230531 Wright At the next election, people need only ask themselves one question: are you better off than what you were three years ago? If the answer is no, Labor's failed you. Labor's failed most Australians. They've failed to manage the economy. They've failed to keep us safe. Under Labor, Australians are paying more for food, paying more for their rent and paying more for energy, and the dream of homeownership is slipping away from everyone. We've had the biggest fall in living standards in the developed world, and small-business bankruptcies are at a record high. Labor has squandered the last two surpluses. Even their own budgets reveal 10 years of deficits in the outward years, so not even they believe that things are going to get better under their management. Are you better off today than you were three years ago? If the answer is yes or no, real-life savings will only come from a Dutton led government reducing the fuel excise by half. Or you can wait for your 70c a day to come in 15 months time. At the next election, ask yourself one thing: am I better off under Labor than I was three years ago? If the answer is no, support a Dutton government. Sport 97 13:44 Ms COKER 263547 Corangamite Strong connected communities need great local facilities, and, for so many families, this starts with grassroots sport. Our local clubs are more than just places to play. They're where friendships are formed, where kids learn teamwork and resilience and where people of all ages stay active and connected. That's why I am so proud that a re-elected Albanese Labor government will deliver $1 billion towards upgrading the netball courts at Grovedale Tigers Football Netball Club's Burdoo Recreation Reserve, ensuring netball players of all ages have safe, high-quality courts. This is a much-needed upgrade. The courts at Grovedale have been deemed unsafe for this season, and this means the netball club have to play all of their home games indoors. This is not good enough for a club that, for more than 100 years, has been the staple of the Grovedale community. Netball coordinator, Kelly McDonald, said the upgrade would open up opportunities for players and the club. Kelly said: 'We will now continue to grow as a great community club without the stress of player safety. This means we can provide safe courts for all our players and visiting clubs to play all year round.' We can be proud to be part of a Labor government that works with this club and all local sporting clubs, because we know supporting our local clubs strengthens the heart of our communities. Go, Tiges! Budget 97 13:45 Mr CALDWELL 306489 Fadden Australians are facing a cost-of-living crisis at the hands of the Albanese Labor government. Because Labor has kept inflation too high for too long, Australians are paying the price with higher groceries, higher insurance, high electricity and higher mortgages. These costs are higher because of the Albanese Labor government. The coalition is committed to getting Australia back on track and restoring our standard of living immediately. That's why, today, we have announced that a Dutton-led coalition will halve the fuel excise for 12 months, as the first order of business in the new parliament. The fuel excise is 50c a litre. We will slash that to 25c a litre on both petrol and diesel. That means around $750 in savings per car over that 12 month period. Of course, many households and businesses will do even better than that: a family with two cars, the mum who has to run the kids to netball, soccer and dancing or the tradie who drives from job to job—they'll likely save much more. The treasurer offered up 70c a day in 15 months time, and what are Australians saying about that and the Labor budget? It is too little, too late. Only the coalition will get Australia back on track. Cost of Living 97 13:47 Mr BURNELL 300129 Spence In the last 24 hours, the opposition said the quiet part out loud. They have vowed that, if the Liberals are elected, they will increase taxes for everyday Aussies. This is absolutely cooked. Families are struggling, especially in Adelaide's northern suburbs where things are especially hard. But, instead of helping Australians put food on their tables or pay their bills, the Liberals would rather help themselves by taking away hundreds of dollars in savings from people that they represent. It's the icing on the cake, rounding out three years of the Liberals blocking cost-of-living relief. When this Labor government wanted to make houses easier to buy or easier rent, the Liberals voted against it, because they don't win when everyday Aussies keep a roof over their heads. When this Labor government made TAFE free over half a million people, the Liberals voted against it, because they don't win when everyday Aussies break free of the barriers to education. When this Labor government made record investments into Medicare, opened urgent care clinics and froze the cost of medicines, the Liberals called it wasteful spending, because they don't win when everyday Aussies can look after themselves. The Liberals blocked all this policy because they don't stand to gain when everyday Aussies get cost-of-living relief. While this Labor government supports everyday Australians, the only thing you can count on from the opposition leader is that he will cut your pay and raise your taxes. Federal Election 98 13:48 Mr CONAGHAN 279991 Cowper In May, the Australian people will have a choice to make—a choice that will affect the future of our country. They will need to choose a government that they believe will take this country in the right direction. Every Australian will need to ask themselves, 'Am I better off today than I was three years ago?' The simple answer for the vast majority is no. Our country needs a government that is focused on the right priorities, both for today and for future generations. We need a government that is dedicated to meaningful change not empty ideology and tokenism. We need a government that will not be distracted by the whims of a few and that is dedicated to governing for the needs of the many. And regional Australians, the people I represent, they need a government that doesn't treat them as an afterthought or second-class citizens. The regions matter. Regional people matter, and they have been ignored. Only a coalition government will cut the waste and curb inflation to address our cost-of-living crisis. Only the Nationals in government will allocate critical infrastructure funding to the regions where it is desperately needed. Only the Nationals in government will prioritise regional communities for better access to health care, aged care and child care. I urge Australians to think carefully about what their vote and preferences mean. And to regional Australia: you know we cannot afford another three years of Labor. Workplace Relations: Mining Industry 98 13:50 Mr REPACHOLI 298840 Hunter Three years ago, the coalition, especially the Nationals, said, 'You shouldn't trust Labor to support the Hunter's coal industry.' They said that coalmines would close under our watch and that workers would be left high and dry. That couldn't be more wrong. The coalmines in the Hunter are thriving. In fact, there has not been a single coalmine closure under this government—not one. We've said that, if it stacks up environmentally, we won't stand in the way of extensions. We've kept our word. We've seen MACH Energy's Mount Pleasant open-cut mine, Yancoal's Ashton underground mine and even Whitehaven Coal's Narrabri underground mine all receive extensions. We will never stand in the way of workers and good, safe and secure employment. Maybe the coalition could have kept these mines open as well. But it's not just about keeping mines open; it's about making sure that the mines are a fair place to go to work. That's where we made a real difference. We said that we'd end the scourge of labour hire, and we did it. We brought in same job, same pay legislation, and those opposite opposed it. We closed the labour hire loopholes that were being used by big business to rip off the hardworking coalminers of the Hunter. Only a Labor government can be trusted not only to keep the mines open but also to ensure miners have good, safe, secure work conditions and get paid what they deserve for doing that hard job and get paid what their mates are getting paid next to them. Only Labor cares about same job, same pay. The Nationals and Dutton will rip that away. Federal Election 98 13:51 Mr COULTON HWN Parkes After 17-and-a-bit years, this is my last speech in this place as the member for Parkes. I want to say how proud I have been to represent such a wonderful part of Australia. The people of Australia need to know that my constituents feed them and clothe them, keep their lights on, and work every day. The unemployment rate in the Parkes electorate is below the national average. But a word of warning: do not take these people for granted. In the last three years, despite the cessation of work on the Inland Rail and other government decisions, no senior ministers have been here. We've had a few nondescript senators wander through from time to time but no senior ministers. The people of Parkes are not happy about this. To show you the contempt the Labor Party has for the Parkes electorate, we're on the eve of an election—apparently it's going to be called tomorrow—and they don't have a candidate yet. They don't have a candidate for the seat of Parkes. Jamie Chaffey has been out there. He's knocked on about 22,000 doors and has been campaigning for eight months. That's how seriously the National Party takes representation in this place. In what has notionally been considered a safe seat, I have a candidate out there who has been working for eight months. It has been a great privilege, but it's time to move on. Australian Public Service 99 13:53 Ms PAYNE 144732 Canberra There are three things you can guarantee in life: death, taxes, and Canberra bashing from the Liberal Party. For those listening to the opposition leader's budget reply tonight, I have a challenge for you. Count how many times he uses the word 'Canberra' as a slur. You could even make it a drinking game, but you might need an ambulance at the end. It is staggering how brazen those opposite are at attacking our community and the hardworking people who live here. And in case you've missed it, they've increased their commitment to cut the Public Service to 41,000 public servants. That is half of the APS. It's not just an attack on the hardworking public servants in Canberra and every Canberra small business in our entire local economy; it's an attack on every Australian who relies on public services and the good governance of this nation. The opposition leader knows that, but he is willing to gamble the wellbeing of Australians on his divisive populous politics. If you're a veteran claiming DVA supports, you'll remember what it was like under the Liberals—a backlog of 42,000 veterans' claims, some waiting more than two years to be processed. That's what happens when you hollow out the Public Service. It took a Labor government and the hardworking APS to clear that backlog. However, the Liberals have confirmed that DVA staff are in their sights, as with the rest of the APS. Today they've confirmed that, if elected, they'll actually increase your taxes. They'll actually not only oppose but repeal the tax cut we delivered for all Australian taxpayers in our budget on Tuesday night. Well, I will always stand up for hardworking public servants and the services that Australians need. Budget 99 13:54 Mr WOLAHAN 235654 Menzies There is a sense of despair in Australia, and it is not just about the cost of living, which has seen the price of milk go up 18 per cent, bread go up 25 per cent and eggs go up 35 per cent. It's not just a sense of despair at mortgages being up 57 per cent or rents up 32 per cent. It's not just a sense of despair that transport costs are up 17 per cent. In the budget on Tuesday, the Treasurer stood there and handed down a budget that showed, for the very first time, that Commonwealth debt is forecast to go beyond $1 trillion. When you look at that clock, I have 90 seconds and it's ticking. In just about every second the Commonwealth will owe $1,000 in interest on debt. This Treasurer and this Prime Minister had no plan to address it. The sense of despair is particularly acute in Victoria, because, if you want to know what a second term Labor government looks like here, look to the third term of the state Labor government in Victoria. It has got the highest debt, the highest taxes, the most rubbish and the most graffiti. It is a state in despair. I take no pride in saying that. When you look at household incomes in Victoria, they are at 2014 levels. If you want to know what the next term of this government looks like, look to Victoria. It's not pretty. Taxation 99 13:56 Ms TEMPLEMAN 181810 Macquarie There's one thing for sure that we know about the Liberals, and that is that they will make every worker in the Blue Mountains, the Hawkesbury and Nepean pay more tax. I'm not saying this just because they voted against our two rounds of top-up tax cuts, which they did yesterday, but I say they want every one of the more than 67,000 workers in Macquarie to pay more tax because today the shadow Treasurer admitted the Liberals would repeal the tax cuts that we passed yesterday if they won the election—tax cuts that flow to every single worker this year and next and beyond. They are permanent tax cuts that, when combined with our tax cuts that came into effect in July last year, lift thresholds and reduce the lowest tax level from 19c on the dollar to 14c—the lowest it has been in about 50 years. Our two tax cuts that are already law and let every worker keep more of their hard-earned money will disappear under the Liberals and Nationals. They want to wipe them out. We know our extra tax cuts are a modest top-up for people, but we think every little bit helps. What we know today is that the Liberals and Nationals don't care about tax cuts. They stand for higher taxes so Australians will earn less and keep less of what they earn. Cost of Living 99 13:57 Mr HOGAN 218019 Page Deputy Speaker Claydon, you know it, and we all know it—you know it too, Speaker, as you arrive: there is a cost-of-living crisis in this country. We know that, since three years ago—when the Albanese Labor government was elected—the average family has been about $35,000 a year worse off, with $20,000 of that being increased mortgage costs. Speaker, you know interest rates went up 12 times. The rest is things like rent, groceries and energy—a whole lot of other lists. So the average family is $35,000 a year worse off. You might have missed it—I know a lot of the Australian public have missed it or been completely underwhelmed by this Labor government—but the solution to being $35,000 a year worse off is, wait for it, 70c a day in tax cuts. That's what the solution is to a $35,000 cost-of-living increase for the average family. What could you buy for 70c a day? I had a quick Google. Unfortunately, you can't even buy a packet of two-minute noodles for 70c a day. But never mind. We have a better tax cut. Our tax cut of cutting petrol taxes means that the average— Government members interjecting— Mr HOGAN 218019 Oh, they laugh. The Prime Minister laughs at the petrol tax cut. The Australian public aren't laughing. They are loving the fact that they will get $15 extra in their pockets, and that will filter through to every business. For every business that has a motor vehicle, their costs are going down. I don't expect them to understand that, but that is a good policy. (Time expired) Taxation 100 13:59 Ms LAWRENCE 299150 Hasluck It is excellent news for everyone in Hasluck this week with the announcement of two further tax cuts on top of the tax cuts that we already delivered last year. They are not one-offs but permanent tax cuts that will help with the cost of living year in, year out. But now the Liberals say that, if the coalition are elected in May, they will legislate to remove the tax cuts. Liberals making Australian workers pay more tax? Unbelievable! But this election is not just about tax cuts. Tax cuts are not the only thing at risk. Everything is at risk with the Liberals. Everything that you asked me to deliver, that you asked this government to deliver and that we have delivered is at risk: energy bill relief, secure jobs, higher wages—at risk; our record investments in Medicare, cheaper medicines and urgent care clinics—at risk; our record investments in housing to build more homes—at risk; our investments in early education, schools, free TAFE and reductions in HECS debts—at risk. The Liberals need the Senate to remove your tax cuts. Do not vote Liberal in the House or the Senate. Don't trust Dutton. The SPEAKER 53517 Order! I remind all members to refer to members by their correct titles, or they won't be staying here for question time. In accordance with standing order 43, the time for members' statements has concluded. CONDOLENCES 100 CONDOLENCES Crowley, Hon. Dr Rosemary Anne AO 100 Report from Federation Chamber 100 14:00 The SPEAKER 53517 The question is that the motion moved by the Prime Minister be agreed to. As a mark of respect, I ask all present to signify their approval by rising in their places. Question agreed to, honourable members standing in their places. QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE 100 QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE Taxation 100 14:01 Mr DUTTON 00AKI Dickson The Prime Minister has caused a lot of pain for Australian families over the last three years. Will the Prime Minister join with me in cutting the price of petrol and diesel to save tradies, pensioners and families up to $28 a week instead of his 70c-a-day tax cut, which doesn't even come in for 15 months? 14:02 Mr ALBANESE R36 Grayndler I wonder if the Leader of the Opposition gave that speech or that question when he was sitting in the cabinet room when indexation of petrol was reintroduced in the 2014 budget. I wonder if, when he sat there and reintroduced indexation in 2014, he gave that rein. Honourable members interjecting— The SPEAKER 53517 Order! The Prime Minister was asked a question by the Leader of the Opposition on an opposition policy, so there's going to be some pretty broad— Mr Albanese R36 On this policy! The SPEAKER 53517 Order! We'll deal with the Manager of Opposition Business's point of order but in light of what I've said. Mr Sukkar 242515 The point of order is on relevance. The Prime Minister can't give us a history of a hundred years of excise. That cannot be relevant to the question. It does not mean that, for example, the Prime Minister can talk about things that happened a hundred years ago, which he would like to do. He's got to be relevant. The SPEAKER 53517 Order! You've made your point. Thank you for— Honourable members interjecting— The SPEAKER 53517 Order! As I— The SPEAKER 53517 The Leader of the Nationals! Everyone's just going to take a deep breath. The Prime Minister was asked about an alternative approach and alternative policy by the opposition, so I'm going to listen carefully. If he's got some context about the policy that he was asked about that the Leader of the Opposition has announced, he will be directly relevant. Mr ALBANESE R36 I'm talking about the temporary one-year decrease that they have said they will put out there. The Morrison leftovers—they've adopted the policy of the Morrison government just like they did in 2022. In the budget in 2022, they brought in a temporary measure, and then it disappeared. That's what I'm asked about. The reason why it's at the level it is today is because of the legislation that they brought it in in 2014. That is why it is at the level it is today. Those opposite have a view—having voted against tax cuts for every taxpayer yesterday, this morning they have declared they are the first opposition to ever say, 'If you elect us to government, we will increase the taxes for every single taxpayer.' Every single taxpayer will pay more tax if they are elected at the election in May. So what we know now is that they have four policies. They have a nuclear power plant of $600 billion that they have to find cuts for; they have their lunch policy—we haven't forgotten about that—and then they have the further cuts that they've spoken about. But now they have something else as well, because we know that the only thing they don't want to cut is people's taxes. Not only do they not want to cut them, and not only did they vote against them; what they want to do is to actually jack them up for every single taxpayer. It's an extraordinary policy from those opposite, who just don't get it, who have not put forward a single, lasting cost-of-living plan and who have opposed every single measure that we have put forward. Taxation 101 14:06 Ms BELYEA 309484 Dunkley My question is to the Prime Minister. How is the Albanese Labor government helping Australians earn more and keep more of what they earn, and is there any opposition to this? 14:07 Mr ALBANESE R36 Grayndler I thank the member for Dunkley for her question. Indeed, we, as a government, do want for people to earn more and to keep more of what they earn. As it turns out, there is a bit of opposition to that. Mr Burke DYW To both! Mr ALBANESE R36 There is a bit of opposition to both, because those opposite have opposed all of our measures—the changes to the definition of casual; same job, same pay; the right to disconnect; and the increases for people on minimum award wages. They've opposed every one of the measures that we've put in place, including the increases for aged care and childcare workers that they described as 'a waste'. But they're also opposed to people keeping more of what they earn. We have, as a direct result of our policies, seen real wages increase five quarters in a row. We are seeing per capita living standards increase in the last figures, and we are also seeing Australians keep more of what they earn because of our legislation last year that provided a tax relief not for some but for every single Australian taxpayer. That is why we're topping that up. It's so that people will earn $2½ thousand extra in their pockets as a result of the legislation that passed the Senate last night. But those opposite have their hands in the pockets of Australian workers to rip that money out. Not only do they want them to earn less; they want them to keep less as well. During the election campaign, I was asked if I would support that $1 an hour increase—it's back!—for workers on the minimum wage, and I said, 'Absolutely.' This morning the shadow Treasurer, when he was asked would he take back the tax cuts and would he legislate to actually jack up taxes for every Australian taxpayer, guess what word he used? He said, 'We absolutely would, absolutely.' That says it all about the stark contrast between the two sides of the House. On this side, we absolutely want people to earn more and we absolutely want people to keep more of what they earn, and those opposite absolutely want people to earn less and they absolutely want them to be taxed more. That is the decision that the Australian people have to determine. Labor is the party of lower taxes. The Liberals want you earning less and keeping less. Honourable members interjecting— Mr ALBANESE R36 You know you've hit a nerve by how loudly they shout. The SPEAKER 53517 Order! I think everyone can agree, the noise level is way too high, so I'm going to ask everyone to help me in that quest to lower the noise. That's on every individual to do their bit. Fuel 102 14:10 Mr TAYLOR 231027 Hume My question is to the Treasurer. The Treasurer has said: … the reason why we support fuel excise relief, we want to see people under less pressure at the bowser … Nothing would make me happier than if there was some pressure taken off families who are doing it tough … Why is the Treasurer now refusing to cut the fuel excise to provide immediate relief to cash-strapped Australian families? 14:11 Dr CHALMERS 37998 Rankin The first point I would make is if the shadow Treasurer cared about the cost of living, he wouldn't be the first shadow Treasurer in living memory to take to an election a policy to increase income taxes on every single Australian taxpayer. That's the first and most obvious point. In relation to petrol, what we did on Tuesday night from this despatch box was to find a way to give ongoing cost-of-living relief to every Australian taxpayer. That combination of cost-of-living relief— The SPEAKER 53517 Order! The shadow Treasurer has asked his question. Dr CHALMERS 37998 whether it's cheaper medicines, cutting student debt, strengthening Medicare, tax cuts, energy bill relief, is a combination of temporary and permanent ongoing cost-of-living relief in the budget that we handed down on Tuesday night. He has asked me about comments from just before the last election. That's a very welcome opportunity to tell the House that during the week of the last budget of those opposite, on the eve of last election petrol prices were: in Sydney, $2.15 a litre and they are now $1.95 a litre. According to the Australian Institute of Petroleum's weekly prices report, petrol prices were: in Canberra, $2.08 before the last election and $1.92 now; $2.15 before the last election in Melbourne, $1.70 now; $2.17 in Brisbane before the last election, $1.93 now; $2.18 in Adelaide before the last election, $1.82 now; $2.03 before the last election in Perth, $1.75 now; $2.09 in Darwin before the last election, $1.81 now; $2 23 in Hobart before the last election, $1.82 now. We have found a much more effective way to help Australians with the cost of living, and the key difference between our cost-of-living package and what those opposite have come up with on the back of a coaster in the last couple of days is we will provide ongoing cost-of-living help to every Australian taxpayer. Not only do they oppose that, not only did they vote against that in the House and in the Senate yesterday, but also—quite bizarrely and unusually in historical terms—the shadow Treasurer was asked this morning if he will legislate to increase taxes on all 14 million Australian taxpayers, and he said absolutely he would. As the Prime Minister has pointed out, showing the difference between this side and that side, the Prime Minister was asked if he would increase the minimum wage and he said absolutely; those opposite were asked if they will jack up taxes for every working taxpayer in this country and they said absolutely. That goes right to the difference. Education 102 14:14 Mr LAXALE 299174 Bennelong My question is to the Minister for Education. What is the Albanese Labor government doing to support students and graduates, and are there any risks to this support? 14:14 Mr CLARE HWL Blaxland I thank my friend the brilliant member for Bennelong for his question. The first thing that the Liberals will do if they win the next election is raise taxes for every Australian worker, and the first thing that Labor will do is cut student debt by 20 per cent for three million Australians. They want to jack up taxes; we want to lighten your load. For the average Australian with a student debt, this will lighten the load by more than $5,000. In the member for Brisbane's electorate, for example, there are 34,000 people who will benefit and save money. The average person there will save about $6,500. In the member for Griffith's electorate, there are 31,000 people who will benefit. The average person there will save $6,400. In the member for Ryan's electorate, there are 27,000 people who will benefit. The average saving there will be about $6,000. The member for Wentworth, I know, will be pleased to know that in her electorate 23,600 people will benefit. The average saving there will be about $6,600. In the member for Fowler's electorate, next door to mine, there are 23,000 people that will see their HECS debt cut. The saving there will be about $6,000. In the member for Curtin's electorate in WA, more than 22,000 people will benefit. The saving there will be around $5,800 on average. So, from Western Sydney to Western Australia, there are millions of Aussies who are going to save thousands of bucks. In fact, according to the Australian newspaper, in analysis not provided by me, the electorate with the highest ratio of HECS to average salary is Blaxland in Western Sydney—a good local member! Almost 26,000 people there will save, on average, $6,127. The Liberal Party are opposed to all of that. In fact, when we announced this policy, the shadow Treasurer said, 'There are no free lunches in economics.' Remember that? It turns out now that they are going to jack up your taxes to pay for free lunches for bosses. You have to think to yourself, 'How ordinary is that?' I know the opposition leader spent a lot of time checking out the All Ordinaries during the GFC. If he wants to see the All Ordinaries now, he just has to look behind him—because they are all ordinary! Defence Procurement: Submarines 103 14:17 Ms DANIEL 008CH Goldstein My question is to the Prime Minister. People in Goldstein are constantly raising with me their concerns about the stability of the Australia-US relationship under the Trump administration and whether it's sensible to be spending billions on the AUKUS deal when even the US Congressional Budget Office says the submarines may never be delivered. What is your Plan B? 14:17 Mr ALBANESE R36 Grayndler My plan is to implement the AUKUS arrangements that we are committed to. I'll do that for a range of reasons. I'll do that primarily, though, for one reason, which is that it is in the Australian national interest for us to have the best defence assets that are possibly available to Australia. When we have briefings, I am happy to arrange for appropriate briefings for the member for Goldstein on these matters. If you are an island continent located where we are, the best asset you can possibly have is a submarine. But. importantly, you have to then ask yourself: what is the best form of submarine in terms of stealth and in terms of capacity to go long distances while not having to snort and rise to the surface and what is the best way that you can ensure that you are not detectable? The answer to that is nuclear powered submarines. That is something that we have supported because we think it is absolutely essential for Australia's national interest. Ms Daniel 008CH I rise on a point of order. The SPEAKER 53517 The Prime Minister was asked about the AUKUS deal and the relationship with the US. He is giving exactly the answer to the question that the member asked. But members are entitled to raise one point of order on relevance and the member has the call. Ms Daniel 008CH It is on relevance. The question went to either the capacity or the willingness of the US to deliver such subs. The SPEAKER 53517 As I said, the Prime Minister is directly talking about the topic he was asked about. He couldn't be more directly relevant. If he were talking about other agreements or other deals, he wouldn't be relevant, but, whilst he's talking about the topic he was asked about, he's within the standing orders. Mr ALBANESE R36 The AUKUS arrangements also have within them pillar II, and what that's about is the capacity for us to lift up our capacity for advanced manufacturing, for really the most high-tech manufacturing that you can have. One of the things about the defence industry is that there are spin-offs as well. I'm very committed to a future made in Australia. That's why the National Reconstruction Fund, for example, has a component in it about innovation for defence industries. Working with the United States, which is the most advanced in terms of, obviously, the largest military in the world, with the defence industries that they have, there are already Australian companies, such as Austal, for example, that are located there in the United States—a fantastic operation, of course, based in Western Australia primarily. That will bring great benefit to Australia. With regard to the support for the AUKUS arrangements in the United States and the UK, I've met with over 100 congresspeople and senators in the United States. There was overwhelming support from both Republican and Democrat people who are elected representatives. I have raised this issue in the discussions I've had with President Trump as well, and he has expressed his support, as, of course, has Prime Minister Starmer in the United Kingdom, who I had a talk with less than two weeks ago. So we will continue to put in place these arrangements because it is in Australia's national interest, and I'm confident that an important part of the defence of this country is the AUKUS arrangements. 14:22 Mr DUTTON 00AKI Dickson on indulgence—I think that was a pretty good answer, and I wanted to support the Prime Minister on what I think is an issue of national significance and importance. The Prime Minister and the Deputy Prime Minister have rightly pointed out that we live in the most precarious period since the end of the Second World War. It's based on intelligence and the advice of the best people in uniform, not just here in Australia but in Europe and in other allies' intelligence networks as well, so it is appropriate that we make this investment. I think the Prime Minister, when he was the then Leader of the Opposition, made a brave call in supporting the then government's decision to go with the AUKUS nuclear propelled submarine. It is a safe technology. It provides the stealth capacity that the Prime Minister pointed out. It gives us the best in class of the technology, and it allows us to project and to provide defences to our country in a very uncertain century. I think to question that is not wise and not in our national interest, and I think it is important for the Australian public and for our allies to hear that there is and there always will remain a bipartisan position when it comes to the submarines. As the first line of defence, it will underpin our national security for decades and decades to come. Energy: Gas 104 14:23 Ms SWANSON 264170 Paterson My question is to the Minister for Resources. How is the Albanese Labor government ensuring that Australian households and businesses have access to affordable and reliable gas supply, and how does this compare to other gas policies? 14:23 Ms MADELEINE KING 102376 Brand I want to thank the member for Paterson for her question. She is a very important supporter of the very important Hunter Power Project at Kurri Kurri. She understands, like this government understands, that Australian homes and businesses rely on gas and that gas will play a very important role in the transition to net zero as a backup to renewable energy but also as a really important support for the industries of tomorrow, like the processing of critical minerals. Under this Albanese Labor government, we have driven down gas prices and freed up more gas for Australians. We have secured over 640 petajoules of gas for the domestic market through the mandatory code—enough gas to power Queensland for two years. We have reduced gas prices to around $12, compared to $30 when the coalition was in power. Our policies are ensuring that Australians have access to reliable and affordable gas where and when it is needed. I'm asked how this compares to other policies. Well, I'd like to remind everyone here that those opposite voted against every single measure I have just gone through. They have voted against all cost-of-living measures. They have voted against cheaper gas. They have voted against energy price relief. The opposition have voted against gas price caps that reduced energy bills, and I'll remind everyone watching that the Liberals and the Nationals together have voted against a tax cut for all Australians. Now they've also promised to make sure those tax cuts are repealed, and the Liberals now become the party of higher taxes. Those opposite left the gas market in utter chaos. The coalition were warned about the projected gas shortfalls in 2014, in 2016, in 2017, in 2019, in 2020 and in 2022. You might ask, 'Well, what did they do about that?' Of course, they did absolutely nothing. AEMO and the ACCC warned them, and all they did was pass a regulation to hide just how much they had driven up energy prices. Their shambles of a gas-fired recovery was all hot air. It gifted millions of taxpayer dollars to the gas industry and left us with a national energy market shutdown, supply shortages and barely an extra molecule into the system. The domestic security mechanism could only come into play once a year, and, of course, thankfully we have reformed that. What's next for the coalition and their gas policy? We can be sure it'll be slogans over substance. They say they'll have lower prices, but they voted against the price caps. They've even said they're going to release onshore gas when they've got absolutely no federal jurisdiction to do it. If past performance is an indicator of future performance, all we know is the coalition are going to ruin the gas market just like they did the last—[Time expired]. Budget 104 14:26 Mr TAYLOR 231027 Hume Prime Minister, given families are hurting because of Labor's cost-of-living crisis, what was the logic in delaying by 15 months the Prime Minister's 70c a day tax cut? 14:27 Mr ALBANESE R36 Grayndler I really, really thank the shadow Treasurer for that question. What I'm asked by the shadow Treasurer is, 'Why isn't the policy, which will further top up our tax cuts for every taxpayer—all 14 million of them—next year and then the year after, making a total, with the top up, of $2½ thousand less tax being paid by average taxpayers, and which they voted against, being done sooner?' That is what they've asked. But that wouldn't be quite so bad, because it is not just, 'Why haven't you done what we opposed sooner?' He's actually asked, 'Why haven't you done what we're going to repeal and reverse sooner?' Having stood up and declared this morning that he would absolutely impose higher taxes on every taxpayer, he then says, 'Why didn't you just do the reverse sooner?' It's just extraordinary. They have voted against every measure of cost-of-living support, and, on Tuesday night, it was not just the lower taxes that the Treasurer spoke about. It was the cheaper medicines; we know they oppose that. It was the energy bill relief; we know they oppose that. They oppose the cap on gas and coal prices. We know that they oppose the cuts of $3 billion of student debt, and they oppose the future cuts that we will put in place that will cut student debt by 20 per cent, leading to an average $5½ thousand benefit for three million Australians. They oppose that—$5½ thousand for three million Australians. We know that they opposed the measures that were put in place that have allowed, first, 11 million Australians to get access to their GP just with bulk-billing. We know that they actually support a tax every time people visit a GP rather than that. We know that they've called the largest increase in rent assistance in 30 years 'waste'—all of the measures that we have put in place. Now, those opposite have the hide to come in here and say, 'Why don't you do what we oppose sooner?' It says it all about the lack of logic in their team. No wonder they've come up with this rubbish. (Time expired) Taxation 105 14:30 Mrs PHILLIPS 147140 Gilmore My question is to the Treasurer. How is the Labor government lowering taxes for Australian workers? What obstacles are standing in the way? 14:30 Dr CHALMERS 37998 Rankin Thanks to the member for Gilmore not just for the question but for voting for a tax cut for every single one of her 64,000 taxpayers in that wonderful part of the world that she represents. Last night the parliament passed the government's tax cuts from the 2025 budget. Those tax cuts are now law. Because of our tax cuts, the average benefit is $50 a week, including those top-ups in the budget. This means that the first rate of tax now is the lowest that it's been in half a century. What that means for Australians is that more Australians are working, earning more and keeping more of what they earn because of this Labor government. It was part of a broader package of cost-of-living relief which was one of the centrepieces of Tuesday night's budget. This morning on radio and then on TV, the shadow Treasurer made a stunningly stupid admission. He said that, if those opposite win the election, they will legislate to increase income taxes for every single Australian taxpayer. As far as we can tell, this is unprecedented. It has never happened before that an alternative government has gone to the people and said, 'Elect us and we will jack up income taxes for every single taxpayer.' I can't imagine they are happy about this up the back. That's why they are pretending to read and looking at their shoes once again—because this confirms beyond any doubt that, if they win the election, Australians will earn less and keep less of what they earn. It makes it absolutely crystal clear that Australians will be worse off if those opposite win the election. And it's now not just us saying it; it's the shadow Treasurer saying it as well. As a consequence, they would increase tax-to-GDP, they would increase average tax rates, they would give back 'no bracket creep' and they'd harm participation. This will haunt them for every single day of his election campaign because this renders anything else the Leader of the Opposition says tonight absolutely meaningless. It sets up a very simple choice in this election, and it springs from the budget we released on Tuesday, the reply we will hear tonight and what the shadow Treasurer said this morning. This election is about a very simple choice: this Labor Prime Minister and this Labor government cutting taxes and helping Australians with the cost of living or that opposition leader and that coalition clown show jacking up income taxes and making people worse off. The shadow Treasurer has admitted as much today. Migration 105 14:33 Mr TEHAN 210911 Wannon My question is to the Prime Minister. In Labor's cruel hoax of a budget, 1.8 million new arrivals are predicted to live in Australia over a five-year period. Can the Prime Minister guarantee that this number won't go beyond two million? The SPEAKER 53517 Order. No. The member for Fadden will leave the chamber under 94(a)— The SPEAKER 53517 and the member for Braddon will stop dobbing on people! The member for Fadden then left the chamber. The 53517 There's far too much noise. Members are entitled to ask their question in silence. I don't know why everyone thinks it's appropriate to interject, but the same rules apply today as on every other day. 14:34 Mr BURKE DYW Watson The guarantee's simple—only a Labor government can return immigration to sustainable levels. That is absolutely— Opposition members interjecting— Mr BURKE DYW The laughter is loudest from the man who went the other direction in the strongest possible way. To get immigration back to sustainable levels, we had to first make sure that we were restoring integrity to the system. Let's not forget the way integrity was taken from the system under those opposite. Let's not forget what was said and what came out— The SPEAKER 53517 We're going to hear from the member for Wannon on a point of order. Mr Tehan 210911 It was a very direct question. It didn't go to alternatives at all. It asked for a guarantee that it wouldn't go beyond two million. It didn't ask about anything in the past. It was a very direct question. Guarantee that it won't go beyond two million. The SPEAKER 53517 What you need to do is state the point of order on relevance, which I understand. The minister was asked a specific question on a specific topic. You probably want a yes or no answer, right? So I'll say the same thing I've said many, many times: under the standing orders, I can't direct the minister to do that. It would be a lot easier for me if I could, trust me, but he's entitled to talk about the policy in terms of being directly relevant about perhaps the guarantee and why it's possible or not possible—I don't know what he's going to say. He'll just need to make clear the context in which he's talking about the topic, and I'm not sure where he's going with this, but he is being directly relevant because he's talking about—if he started talking about something else, I'd bring him back in line. Mr BURKE DYW To deal with net overseas migration, which your question asks about, you have to go to the components of net overseas migration. The area that had the biggest growth was international students. For net overseas migration, the 31 per cent reduction that we've had year on year in the most recent figures is a direct reflection of the fact that this government has taken action on the unlimited nature of how international student visas were put in place. When it was actually put to the parliament—whether that should be fixed—those opposite, including the shadow minister who just asked the question, didn't amend the bill to say that maybe it should be a different number. They actually voted for student visas to be unlimited in Australia. That's their position, and then they want to get up and ask about what will happen with respect to net overseas migration. There is a gap from a previous speech that Leader of the Opposition gave where he claimed a number as to how low he would get net overseas migration. He's made a couple of announcements to it, but he's actually still 220,000 places short. If you reduced the student visa system to zero, you still would not fix that gap. And it's not surprising that those opposite have no idea about how to run a system that is sustainable with integrity. Let's have a look at what was said, in terms of the Richardson review, about how the Leader of the Opposition ran immigration. It said, 'A company whose owners were suspected, through the ownership of another company, of seeking to circumvent US sanctions against Iran had extensive suspicious money movements suggesting money laundering, bribery and other criminal activity.' Those opposite ran a system in complete disrepair. The only visa that they've said they will now act on is to bring back the one known as 'cash for visas', where you qualify for a visa to Australia on the basis that you've got cash and that's it. Medicare 106 14:39 Ms SCRYMGOUR F2S Lingiari My question is to the Minister for Health and Aged Care. How is the Albanese Labor government strengthening Medicare by investing in bulk-billing? Why is it important to strengthen Medicare after a decade of cuts and neglect, and are there any threats to a stronger Medicare? 14:39 Mr BUTLER HWK Hindmarsh Thank you to the member for Lingiari, because for her and for everyone on this side of the House, bulk-billing is the beating heart of Medicare, and it was in freefall when we came to government. That's why, of course, in our second budget, we tripled the bulk-billing incentive for pensioners, concessional cardholders and kids, which delivered last year an additional six million free visits to the doctor, lifting bulk-billing for that cohort up above 90 per cent again. But we know it's still under pressure for other Australians, which is why in the fourth budget this week we've extended for the first time bulk-billing support to every single Australian—because we know that seeing a doctor for free is not just good for your hip pocket; it's also good for your health. I was surprised yesterday when the Leader of the Opposition interrupted his speech explaining why he was going to vote against a tax cut for every Australian taxpayer to brag about his record on bulk-billing. I was surprised but not disappointed, because I don't think you understand how much we love it when you talk about your record as health minister! I don't think you understand how much it warms the cockles of our hearts. We hope you do it a lot more over coming weeks, because, yes, bulk-billing was 84 per cent, because he inherited a very good position from a former Labor government. But he then said there were too many free Medicare services. We all remember that. He then tried to abolish bulk-billing altogether and make every single Australian pay a fee every single time they went to the doctor—every single time they walked through the front door of an emergency department—because that is what this man wants in this country: an American style, user-pays a system of health care, not Australia's Medicare. If you think that that sorry, sad, old leopard, the Liberal Party, has changed its spots, listen to what the shadow health minister said in the Senate only a few weeks ago. Senator Ruston said: 'At no time have I or anybody from the coalition ever suggested that the only card you need to take to the doctor going forward is your Medicare card.' And that is the choice over the coming weeks. It's about the value of this beautiful green card. For Labor, this card is everything—absolutely everything. The SPEAKER 53517 Order! The minister will not use props. Mr BUTLER HWK Under the Liberals—under this man—the most important card when you're going to the doctor is your credit card. When this man because Medicare—and he will again—all Australians are going to end up paying. Instant Asset Write-Off 107 14:42 Ms LEY 00AMN Farrer My question is to the Minister for Small Business. Last night, Labor was dragged kicking and screaming into doing the bare minimum on the instant asset write-off. Honourable members interjecting— The SPEAKER 53517 Order! Members on my right! I just said to members on my left that people shouldn't interject during questions before a minister speaks. I'm going to ask for assistance from the House so the deputy leader can ask her question again and be heard in silence. Ms LEY 00AMN They were shamed into passing legislation to extend it to the end of this financial year. But there is still no money budgeted for its extension for next financial year. Will Labor support coalition efforts to make the instant asset write-off permanent, including by lifting the amount small businesses can depreciate to $30,000? 14:43 Ms COLLINS HWM Franklin I do thank the member opposite for that question. I was pleased to finally see their support for the instant asset write-off to get through the parliament last night. After eight months they finally got there, can I say. But this is not the only time, of course, they have delayed us trying to introduce the instant asset write-off. This is actually the third time in a row they've tried to delay this legislation getting through the parliament, and it's because they know that we have been supporting small businesses with targeted support for our term. Indeed, there has been over $2 billion worth of targeted support for small businesses since we have come to office, some of which you have voted against. You've delayed the instant asset write-off. You've voted against the direct energy bill relief. And, of course, those opposite are now saying that they want to go to the election with higher taxes for small-business owners and workers. Australia's 1.5 million sole traders will be pleased to know that those opposite want them to pay higher income taxes. The SPEAKER 53517 The minister will pause. The Manager of Opposition Business on a point of order. Mr Sukkar 242515 Mr Speaker, the question was very tight. On relevance: the question to the Minister for Small Business was whether she could guarantee to small businesses that the instant asset write-off would be extended for future income years, because those small businesses are making decisions today about whether they make those investments. The small business minister should respond to that aspect of the question, which is at the heart of it. The SPEAKER 53517 I appreciate that the manager would like her to address that part of the question. Maybe it would make his life easier and it would make my life easier, but that's not the rules. The rules are that she's got to be directly relevant to the whole question, not just one part. You can't pick and choose; it's all or nothing. It's all in the standing orders. So she's being directly relevant. She's giving the reasons, as she was asked about a decision why or why not. Ms COLLINS HWM It's no wonder that they don't want me to continue to talk about how they want higher taxes for small business sole traders—1.5 million of them. There are 1.5 million small business owners, sole traders, who are getting a tax cut because of our government, a tax cut that you want to take off them. You want to go to the next election with higher taxes for those sole traders. We have been very clear as a government that we want to support small businesses in a targeted way, and that is exactly what we have been doing in our time of government, with more than $2 billion of targeted support, including the instant asset write-off for the last three years. The Treasurer and the Prime Minister have been very clear that when that legislation goes through we will be considering what other measures we will take to support small businesses. The SPEAKER 53517 There was one point of order taken on relevance. This is a good lesson for everyone. In future, that's fine; there will be only one point of order on relevance, then. No-one will get up and take a second point of order. Early Childhood Education 107 14:46 Ms COKER 263547 Corangamite My question is to the Minister for Early Childhood Education. What action has the Albanese Labor government taken to build a universal early education system that is simple, affordable and accessible for every family? Is there anything that could put this at risk and leave families worse off? 14:47 Dr ALY 13050 Cowan I thank the wonderful member for Corangamite for her question. The member for Corangamite has demonstrated her commitment to children and families in her electorate by backing in every single one of our cost-of-living measures, whether that's on health, whether that's on tax relief or whether, indeed, that's on early childhood and care. In our first term of government we've made progress towards our vision of a simple, affordable and accessible early childhood education and care system. On affordability: our cheaper child care reduced the out-of-pocket costs for early childhood education and care by 17 per cent when it was first introduced. That means that a family on $120,000 is $2,768 better off because of this government. We're building on that by putting in fee caps as well. On workforce: workforce, of course, underpins the reforms we want to make in early childhood education and care. We introduced reforms to stabilise and grow the workforce. Our 15 per cent pay rise, I'm pleased to say, now has applications that cover around 80 per cent of the early childhood education workforce. And we have a $72 million workforce package, as well as our fee-free TAFE, helping to grow that sector. Because of these actions, we now have 41,900 more educators in the sector. But it doesn't stop there. Recently, we changed the Liberals' prohibitive activity test, replacing that with a three-day guarantee of subsidised care. That means 70,000 families will save $1,370 in the first year alone. And we've dedicated $1 billion to grow early childhood education services in areas where they're needed, including rural, regional and outer suburbs, to be run by high-quality not-for-profit service providers. But we know there's more to do, and that is why we have commissioned a service delivery price to inform our future reform. I'm asked about risks. Well, today the ANU Centre for Social Research and Methods confirms that around two-thirds of all Australians, led by single-parent families and middle-income families, have gained up to $2½ thousand through our tax cuts, child care and parental leave since the Albanese Labor government came into office. That's real money—real money into the pockets of families—and that is how you do cost-of-living relief. That is how you do it. And this is how you risk it: you risk it by voting for an opposition that has no vision, no plan and no policy. While we're reforming education to build a better future for the next generation, the opposition want to keep the next generation paying for their $600 billion nuclear fantasy. (Time expired) Budget 108 14:50 Ms SPENDER 286042 Wentworth My question is for the Treasurer. Tuesday's budget showed our fiscal position in structural deficit for the next decade. That concerns many of the people of Wentworth. What is the government's plan, apart from bracket creep, to address the structural deficit? 14:50 Dr CHALMERS 37998 Rankin I thank the honourable member for her question. I also acknowledge the 104,000 taxpayers in her electorate who will get two more tax cuts because of Tuesday night's budget. I also want to acknowledge that the member for Wentworth is a frequent and considered contributor to the national debate about tax reform, and I assure her that the government's focus is on implementing the broad and ambitious tax reform agenda that we have laid out over the course of four budgets now. Obviously—and the member referred to this in her question—the tax cuts for every taxpayer are about returning bracket creep and increasing participation. We're also ensuring multinationals pay their fair share of tax here in Australia. We're encouraging investment in important areas like housing and clean energy with our tax breaks. The SPEAKER 53517 Order! The Treasurer will just pause for a moment so I can hear the member. Ms Spender 286042 On relevance: the question was about structural deficit, not tax cuts. The SPEAKER 53517 I will just bring the Treasurer back to the question. Dr CHALMERS 37998 Thank you, Mr Speaker. The reason I'm running through these tax reforms is that a number of them improve the structural position of the budget, which I think the honourable member understands, including the changes to the PRRT, which will see the offshore LNG industry pay more tax sooner, as well as the efforts on tax compliance. One of the defining features of the government's four budgets has been responsible economic management, and that has made a difference in the near term to the position of the budget but also to the structural position of the budget, which the honourable member asked me about. As to the fact that we have engineered the biggest ever nominal turnaround in the budget in a parliamentary term—a $207 billion improvement—the fact that we delivered those two budget surpluses and the fact that we got the deficit down this year and delivered an improvement every year, what that means for the structural position is that we save a lot in interest costs. The fact that interest costs are down is making a major, meaningful difference to the structural budget position. In addition to that, we have also taken steps—and here I pay tribute to the former member for Maribyrnong and Minister Rishworth for their efforts. The steps we have taken on the NDIS are about structural improvements to the budget. The steps that the aged-care minister and the health minister have taken in the aged-care budget are about making the budget more sustainable as well. As to that interest cost difference, the fact that we've got that debt down by $177 billion this year is going to save about $60 billion over the life of the medium term in the budget, and that's making a structural difference too. So if the honourable member's question is, 'Is there more work to do in terms of the structural position of the budget?' of course there is, but we shouldn't dismiss or diminish the very, very substantial progress that this government has made cleaning up the mess that we inherited from those opposite. Budget 108 14:54 Ms FERNANDO 299964 Holt My question is to the Treasurer. How is the budget helping Australians with the cost of living? Are there any threats to this cost-of-living support? 14:54 Dr CHALMERS 37998 Rankin Thank you to the outstanding member for Holt for her great question. I wanted to acknowledge more broadly that, as the government puts together its cost-of-living agenda, it is wonderful local members like member for Holt helped us put together, because on this side of the House we understand the cost-of-living pressures that people are under, even as we make really encouraging progress in the fight against inflation. We saw more progress yesterday in the inflation figures, which came down in a headline sense but also an underlying sense, and what that means is as a government we were getting inflation down. Real wages are up. Unemployment is low. We are getting the debt down. Interest rates are coming down and growth is rebounding solidly in our economy as well, so we have made a lot of progress together as Australians, but we know people are still under pressure and that is why there is more work to do. The cost-of-living pressures that Australians feel despite the progress we have made together on inflation is the primary motivation for the cost-of-living package which was in Tuesday night's budget. We know that the cost of living is front of mind for a lot of Australians and that is why it was front and centre in Tuesday night's budget as well. That budget contained a coherent and comprehensive package of cost-of-living assistance—energy bill relief, cheaper medicines. We are cutting student debt. We are strengthening Medicare because we know that more bulk-billing means less pressure on families around Australia, and we have those two new tax cuts to top up the tax relief that is already flowing despite the opposition of those opposite. Now, the shadow Treasurer's brain snap today makes it really clear that they would legislate higher taxes for every single Australian taxpayer. Under those opposite, as we have said, Australians would earn less and keep less of what they earn, and that is because they want to cut everything except taxes for workers. So whatever the opposition leader says tonight, it is already very, very clear that they are about three things: higher taxes for workers, secret cuts to pay for nuclear reactors and no ongoing help with the cost of living. So this does set up a very simple choice at the election: this Labor Prime Minister and his Labor government cutting taxes and helping people with the cost of living or that opposition leader and that coalition jacking up income taxes and making people worse off. Fuel Excise 109 14:57 Mr CONAGHAN 279991 Cowper My question is to the Prime Minister. Given the cost-of-living crisis Australian families are facing, with the price of everything going up, will the Prime Minister put politics aside and join with the opposition's plan to give immediate relief to family budgets by halving the fuel excise? 14:57 Mr ALBANESE R36 Grayndler I thank the member for Cowper for his question. One of the distinctions to be drawn here is between permanent cost-of-living relief and something that is temporary, that is borrowed from the Morrison government. The leftovers of the Morrison government have borrowed the leftovers of the Morrison government's policy. In the March 2022 budget they proposed something very similar that then just disappeared. They have had time to think about it since and, indeed, they have made comments about it since, very helpfully. This is what the Leader of the Opposition said in October 2023: 'There can be temporary relief through a reduction of excise if they believe that is going to be a benefit. It is costly and it can be gamed by the oil giants.' That was what he said. Not to be outdone, the shadow Treasurer said: 'So while putting more money in people's pockets through a fuel excise might sound good, the problem is it is not actually solving the inflation problem, and you will see price rises elsewhere as a result.' On 5 December 2023, Senator Jane Hume, the finance spokesperson, said, 'Putting subsidies on fuel prices can in fact fuel the inflationary fire rather than temper it.' There is more, just in case you think that was a one-off. Maybe they said this in the shadow cabinet meeting, if it went there. In November 2023, they said, 'There are two problems with it. One is it could all be eaten up with global volatility in a moment, so people might not actually feel that in their hip pocket.' That's what they had to say. But it wasn't just the people with portfolio responsibility. The member for New England got in on it. He was asked whether it would help, and he said this: No, it won't. But what it will do is it'll take money away that we spend on roads. That's what he had to say. The current shadow transport minister was in on the joke as well. Senator McKenzie is always good for a quote. She said, 'I think just pulling one lever, such as fuel excise, won't deliver the whole-of-economy response and relief that Australians are looking for.' They have spent three years bagging this policy that he's going to announce tonight—three years—because they know that this temporary relief is no substitute for the permanent cost-of-living relief that we've delivered and they've voted against. Housing 109 15:00 Ms MILLER-FROST 296272 Boothby My question is to the Minister for Housing and Minister for Homelessness. How is the Albanese Labor government delivering more housing, and what is threatening that progress? 15:01 Ms O'NEIL 140590 Hotham I want to thank the member for Boothby for this question and acknowledge the really significant housing expertise she's brought to our caucus in this term. It was absolutely fantastic too to be in her community of Panorama, where the member and I met Housing Australia Future Fund tenants. Every single one of those houses is being lived in by a person whose life has been transformed by our government's commitment to social and affordable housing. I've said to the parliament before that we've got a housing crisis in this country that's been a generation in the making, particularly exacerbated by the decade of waste and neglect that we saw from the other side of the chamber. When we were elected in May 2022 we inherited a housing horror show. Let me take you through some of the numbers. The cost of building a home when we came to government was rising at 17 per cent. That is the highest rate in half a century. New builds were down, approvals were on a steep decline and, of course, all of our housing affordability metrics were getting worse. That's what you get when, for almost a decade, you have people sitting on the benches behind me who didn't even bother to have a housing minister. In 2022, of course, this all changed. About half-a-million homes have been built in our country since we came to office, and the PM has led the National Cabinet push to commit to try to build 1.2 million homes over the coming five years. The incredible labour shortage that we inherited has dramatically improved—about a 44 per cent reduction in vacancies for construction workers. The planning reforms that we initiated at the state level are starting to bear fruit. We're making real investments in modern construction approaches, and we're starting to see those improvements that we're all looking for. Housing completions across the country are up, and approvals across the country are up. Really importantly, we are starting to make headway on those generational investments that our government have made on social and affordable housing. We made a commitment to deliver 55,000 social and affordable homes around the country. Speaker, I can report to you that, as of today, we have 28,000 homes around the country in planning and construction—28,000. I want to contrast that with the approach of those opposite, who, as you know, did not build a single social and affordable home in their entire first two terms in government. We've got a plan to build 55,000 social and affordable homes. They've got a plan to build precisely zero. I'm asked about threats. I think it's pretty obvious from here. The threat is actually sitting right in front of me. Coalition cuts are coming for housing. We know that, if they win the election, $20 billion in housing funding is going to disappear overnight. Of course, their housing policies, including their dud super-for-housing policy, are going to raise prices and build fewer homes, making the housing crisis worse. Like all of the social and economic problems facing our country, it's going to take a Labor government to address Australia's housing challenges, and that's exactly what we're doing. (Time expired) The SPEAKER 53517 I give the call to the Manager of Opposition Business. Mr Sukkar 242515 My question is to the Minister for Housing. Honourable members interjecting— The SPEAKER 53517 I'll take responsibility. That's my fault because I couldn't see the member for Brisbane. It wasn't the manager's fault. It goes from side to side, just like we did yesterday. We will hear from the honourable member for Brisbane. International Relations: Australia and the United States of America 110 15:04 Mr BATES 300246 Brisbane My question is to the Prime Minister. Prime Minister, why would you invite Donald Trump to Australia when you've got a Temu Trump sitting right opposite you? Honourable members interjecting— The SPEAKER 53517 Order! That question is not within the standing orders, so, as I have done on numerous occasions, I will allow the member to rephrase that question. An opposition member interjecting— The SPEAKER 53517 Everyone has been given these opportunities, and so will the crossbench and members of minor parties. That question is not allowed, so it will have to be phrased directly to the Prime Minister's responsibilities. I would prefer not to use those references to any members of parliament. Mr BATES 300246 My question is to the Prime Minister still. Given Trump's attacks on democracy and Western institutions, and even threatening our allies and even the PBS, why would you invite him to Australia? 15:06 Mr ALBANESE R36 Grayndler I thank the member for Brisbane for his question. Australia has a longstanding relationship with the United States, as our important ally since the Second World War. President Trump was elected by the American people last October. We respect democratic outcomes in Australia. That's something that I'm very proud of, that we have orderly transitions of power. We had that when Mr Morrison lost the election. There was an orderly transition of power. I have had two discussions with the President of the United States. The first was after he was elected and the second was after his inauguration. Both of those conversations were some of the first that we had, and I think that reflects the respect that Australia is shown by the United States as important allies. The United States President will always be welcome in Australia. The United States President, I would expect, will attend the Quad meeting, which will be hosted here either next year or the year after. This year's Quad meeting is in India. The President of the United States has shown me the courtesy of inviting me to visit the United States. I have returned the courtesy, as is normal practice. I will continue to engage in a respectful way, notwithstanding the fact that I have some different political views to different world leaders. But what I do is engage respectfully across the board, and I act in Australia's national interest. That is what people would expect of me. I will continue to do that. I will continue to stand up for Australia's national interests, including of course on issues such as the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme and other things that are uniquely Australian assets. They say a lot about who we are. The PBS is something that was introduced, of course, by the Chifley government. It's something of which the Australian Labor Party is particularly proud, and I'm proud that we've strengthened the PBS by having not just the decrease from $42.50 down to $30, but, now, the further decrease that we support, down to $25, as well as 60-day scripts and other measures that we have put in place. Just like Medicare, it is something that I will always defend. I think that health care and accessibility is something that we should be proud of. If you compare our health system to the American health system, what happens in this country is that people, no matter how wealthy you are or no matter how poor you are, have access to proper health care. That's something that we should be proud of, and that is something that I will always defend. Albanese Government 111 15:09 Dr GARLAND 295588 Chisholm My question is to the Prime Minister. How has the Albanese Labor government been building Australia's future, and what alternative approaches are there? 15:09 Mr ALBANESE R36 Grayndler I thank the member for Chisholm for her question. Indeed, we have cut taxes, of course, for every single Australian taxpayer. We did that last year with legislation where we changed the legislated tax cuts of the Morrison government. We said that, under the circumstances, we could do better than that. We can make sure that no Australian gets left behind. That's why we delivered tax cuts for every taxpayer, and that's why last night the Senate passed legislation to give that tax cut for every taxpayer. I'm asked about alternatives to that plan, and, of course, we know now that those opposite absolutely want to raise taxes for everyone. We're strengthening Medicare on this side of the chamber; they want to gut it. We're growing wages; they want people to work longer for less. We've made medicines cheaper; they voted against cheaper medicines. They tried to stop that measure, voting against it six times in this parliament. We're cutting student debt by 20 per cent; they want to stop that cut to student debt happening. We're building new energy now; they have a $600 billion nuclear energy plan that, sometime in the 2040s, will deliver four per cent of Australia's energy needs and push up energy prices. We're backing a Future Made in Australia; they want to send jobs and industries offshore. We're making free TAFE permanent; they want to end it. They regard it as a waste and say that people don't value it if it's free. We're giving early educators a 15 per cent pay rise; they mock it. We're supporting appropriate working from home arrangements and the right to disconnect; they only want you to work at home if you're not getting paid. That's what those opposite want. Opposition members interjecting— The SPEAKER 53517 Order! Members on my left! Mr ALBANESE R36 We're making child care cheaper and available to all. Honourable members interjecting— The SPEAKER 53517 Order! This is going to stop immediately. It's ridiculous. Order, the Leader of the Opposition! Everyone! Members on my right, show some respect. Mr ALBANESE R36 We are delivering on the cost of living; they're cutting the cost of lunching. That's their priority. Only Labor governments do the big things: better and fairer funding for every school; strengthening Medicare so you can see a GP for free; tax cuts for every single taxpayer; moving to universal child care; and a future made in Australia. Only Labor builds to last. Only Labor does the big reforms. Only Labor is building Australia's future. On that note, I ask that further questions be placed on the Notice Paper. STATEMENTS ON INDULGENCE 111 STATEMENTS ON INDULGENCE Queensland: Floods 111 15:13 Mr ALBANESE R36 Grayndler I had a discussion with the Premier of Queensland, David Crisafulli, last night about the flood situation developing in Queensland, particularly in the member for Maranoa's electorate—and I had a discussion with the Leader of the National Party earlier today. I assured the Premier that of course we would continue to work together on these issues and that the support of the national government would be there, as it always is in a time of crisis or when it is needed. At this stage, we have not received any requests for further support, but our hearts go out to and thoughts are with the people affected—particularly those on the cattle stations in the member for Maranoa's electorate. One of the issues occurring there, as the Premier informed me, is that a relatively lower level of rainfall—when compared with what we have seen on the coast—can have a much bigger impact because the area is so dry on some of those stations and around those towns. The water also stays at an increased level for much longer. So our thoughts are with the farmers and the communities affected by this. I know that the Minister for Emergency Management, Senator McAllister, has been in touch with the Premier of Queensland as well, and with the Leader of The Nationals as the local member, and we'll continue to work on these issues. The seamless work that was done between the national government, the Queensland and New South Wales governments and the respective mayors in the communities was, I think, best practice over recent months. I have assured the Premier that, regardless of the circumstances and status of the government, if I can put it that way, we will continue to make sure that support is available over coming weeks should it be needed. 15:15 Mr LITTLEPROUD 265585 Maranoa on indulgence—I thank the Prime Minister and, in particular, Senator McAllister for the proactive way that they've dealt not just with me but with the local community. This morning I spoke to the mayor of Winton Shire, Cathy White, who assured me that all is being done at a state and federal level and that they were confident that, despite some damage to many stations out there, much of the benefit of this will come after the water recedes; it has been dry. In fact, one station hand said that for the first time they had to use a calculator to work out the amount of rain they've received, they've had so much rain. There is a silver lining to this, and everything has been done. I would also say to every Australian that the other silver lining is that, as we come into our tourist season for Winton Shire, Longreach, Quilpie and Birdsville, from Easter onwards you will be able to get out and spend your dollars in the Queensland outback. We need you to go out there. We need you to spend a dollar. The federal government, state government and local government are doing all they need to to make sure you can do that safely. STATEMENT BY THE SPEAKER 112 STATEMENT BY THE SPEAKER Budget 112 15:16 The SPEAKER 53517 I want to give a short reminder about arrangements for this evening with respect to the Leader of the Opposition's budget reply speech. As I outlined on Tuesday, the usual courtesies apply to the Leader of the Opposition's speech as they did to the Treasurer's. As noted on Tuesday, if I'm required to make use of standing order 94(a), the member will be advised by written note. Finally, I ask all members to ensure their guests comply with the standards of behaviour applying to the galleries and remind all members that they are responsible for their invited guests. DOCUMENTS 112 DOCUMENTS Presentation 112 15:17 Mr BURKE DYW Watson Documents are tabled in accordance with the list circulated to honourable members earlier today. Full details of the documents will be recorded in the Votes and Proceedings. MATTERS OF PUBLIC IMPORTANCE 112 MATTERS OF PUBLIC IMPORTANCE Regional Australia 112 15:17 The SPEAKER 53517 I've received a letter from the honourable member for Page proposing that a definite matter of public importance be submitted to the House for discussion, namely: This government's three years of cuts, delays and broken promises making life harder for regional Australia. I call upon those honourable members who approve of the proposed discussion to rise in their places. More than the number of members required by the standing orders having risen in their places— 15:17 Mr HOGAN 218019 Page It causes me great sadness to get up and speak to this MPI because, unfortunately, the title is very true about the neglect under three years of a Labor-Greens-teals government. As we know in the Senate, the Labor government is in coalition with the Greens and the teals, and that has meant absolute neglect for everyone who lives in regional Australia. I do this nearly every time I get up in this chamber because I don't think that those opposite can be reminded of these statistics enough. Last year, we in Australia sold $650 billion of goods and services overseas, and over $400 billion of that came from just four things—they're roughly about $100 billion each: $100 billion from iron ore, $100 billion from coal, $100 billion from gas and call it $100 billion from agriculture and food. I remind everyone—especially those opposite because they're very poorly represented in those regions—that all of that is from regional and remote Australia. None of it is with our sanctimonious and righteous teals and Greens. None of it is with the elite inner-city MPs, which the Prime Minister and the environment minister are. None of that comes from them. None of that comes from their communities. They don't understand us. They don't get us. That is why, as a government, they neglect regional Australia. I'm going to go through some examples here, Deputy Speaker Claydon, because you might say, 'Well, give me some concrete examples of how they neglect regional Australia.' The first one—it was a decision made so early—was in the health area, actually. If you live in Rose Bay or Vaucluse, on one of those lovely tree-lined streets, you've probably got a rate of one GP for about every 500 or 600 people. In the regions, it's about one GP for every 5,000 or 6,000 people, and in some communities it's actually worse. There were some schemes we had in government to try and help that. What were they? If you were a Commonwealth sponsored student—that is, the Commonwealth government had helped you through your studies to become a GP—you had to, at the end of your studies, through a fair contract, go to a regional or remote community when you first became a GP and got your Medicare provider number. That seems fair enough, doesn't it? If you were a GP that came from another country, it was the same thing—you had to do some time in regional and remote Australia because that's where the real shortage of GPs was. I won't even mention his name, but when the Minister for Health and Aged Care gets up in this place he's very confident. But what was one of the first things he and those opposite did when they got into government? If they were aware that $400 billion of our export wealth comes from the regions, you'd think they would have said thank you. When they charge their electric car at night, using coal fired power, and go for a drive in the country on the weekend, you'd think they would drive out there and say thank you to the miners and thank you to farmers for the wealth they're creating. But what do they do? Let's go back to the health minister. The first thing he did was change the formula for the distribution priority areas, which is where those Commonwealth sponsored students and foreign GPs have to go. What that meant was that you could work in Hornsby, just a little bit further out of Sydney. You could literally live in the Sydney CBD, travel to Hornsby and look as though you work in a distribution priority area. What did that mean? I see the member for Parkes, and he's told me this, actually. They lost doctors overnight, and those communities didn't have any doctors after those doctors left. I know communities in my electorate who lost doctors almost instantaneously. Do you know what the sad thing about that is? Those opposite don't care. They actually don't care, because, if they did, they would have changed it. We've told them; many MPs on this side of the House have told them about this issue, but they seriously don't care. The other thing is that—besides the fact they don't care and besides the fact they don't say thank you for the wealth that's created in regional and remote communities—they go further than that; they demonise us. They actually say, 'What you're doing'—I see some shaking heads, so I'll through some examples; I'm going to give you a few of them right now. They say, 'What you're doing is not okay.' God help us if, after the election, this government is in minority government with the Greens and the teals, because they don't like mining, they don't want coalmining and they don't want us to sell gas overseas. But let's go to farming. One of the things this government has done—you can't shake your head, because it's a fact—is ban live sheep exports. I went with the member for O'Connor and Nola Marino to some parts of their regions, and those communities who are into live export and supply that industry are gutted by the ban of live exports. Why did they do it? Because the inner-city elite MPs said it's not okay. I'd love for them to go to those communities and talk to those people. But this is an insult not just to us, to our sheep farmers and to our remote communities who relied on that industry. It's an insult to every country who we sell live exports to. Those opposite are actually saying, 'If you want live export, you shouldn't.' What an insult that is to the countries who want that. I've had a Greens candidate run against me as well. I don't think it's Greens policy, but I've certainly had a lot of Greens candidates say to me that they don't want cows in Australia. They don't like the fact that cows pass wind, and they don't like the fact that a cow's hoof system apparently isn't good for Australian soil. I said to a Greens candidate once, 'What do you want us to eat?' He had an answer. He wants us to eat kangaroos—try mustering those!—and grasshoppers, I think he said. Again, they actually demonise what we do. The other thing I will just touch on briefly, another atrocious policy, another cut—and I know it was a really sombre day for a lot of Nationals MPs and regional Liberal MPs when this happened—was when they gutted and cut the water we can take from our rivers and streams. Even though that grows all of our fibre and food, the inner-city elite MPs over there and over there want all the fresh just to go out to the ocean because that's better than growing food and growing fibre. That's just another cut. The other thing going on is the reckless renewables-only policy that Labor, the Greens and the Teals have. I've said it before in this chamber—don't do it on North Head; the member for Warringah will not have any wind turbines or solar panels there. The 60 million solar panels and the 20,000 turbines can go in regional and remote Australia. I can tell you right now that the Nationals don't want to see, in places like Sunny Corner, Oberon and Lithgow ruined by thousands of windfarms. It's only the Nationals candidate Sam Faraway who will show up and look at these communities and will not support them. Let's go to the budget. You might ask, 'What was in the budget for regional Australia?' Opposition members interjecting— Mr HOGAN 218019 You took the word out of my mouth: nothing. Not only did they cut programs that we had but they also didn't put any money into the programs that they started. I know my two colleagues and friends the member for Riverina and the member for Gippsland—the member for Riverina is probably a stretch for a friend, and I say that with a smile—would say to the infrastructure minister, 'Name one program that you funded and opened in the last three years. There isn't one. They talk about the fact that we pork-barrelled, but they've been running around the country for the last three years opening infrastructure projects that we funded. This is a list of the very important infrastructure programs we need. We do need infrastructure—because, remember, we sell $400 billion worth of the $750 billion we sell—and we need infrastructure to do that. They canned the Local Roads and Community Infrastructure Program, they canned the Building Better Regions Fund, they canned the Bridges Renewal Program, they canned the Heavy Vehicle Safety and Productivity Program, they canned the Community Development Program, and they canned the Stronger Communities Program, though it might be coming back to life. The energy security regional development program—canned. The region accelerator program—canned. The regionalisation fund was canned, and the educational infrastructure in regional Australia program was canned. It's a very sad story. Everyone on that side of the chamber, everyone on the crossbench, the Greens and the Teals, when they are driving out into the country with their electric vehicles on the weekend, should be saying, 'Thank you.' They should be driving into every regional and remote community and saying, 'Thank you for what you do, thank you for the wealth and the jobs that you create for our country in mining and in agriculture, and— (Time expired) 15:27 Ms McBAIN 281988 Eden-Monaro The Member for Page clearly wasn't paying attention yesterday during the regional ministerial budget statement, because if he had been, he wouldn't be trying to rewrite history today. When we talk about cuts and delays and broken promises, we have only to look at those opposite us: a decade of cuts, of pork-barrelling, of colour-coded spreadsheets that left regional people behind, a mess that we've had to clean up and deal with from day one. Across our government's first term, our message to regional Australians has been loud and clear: your postcode should not be a barrier. That's why we're delivering record funding to rebuild critical services that regional people rely on—the services that have been left in crisis by those opposite. There is record funding to help regional Australians to build a better future, important cost-of-living relief to ease pressure on regional families and businesses—which, let's not forget, every member of the opposition voted against as recently as last night. They voted against more tax cuts for every taxpayer, and we know they will cut everything except for tax, because they have committed to throwing that out the door if they are elected. That's right, they are going to the election saying, 'We are going to increase income tax.' They've also confirmed that they will cut 41,000 jobs, but they're refusing to confirm which services and which towns are going to be impacted by that. How many of the 22,000 public servants who work in our regions will be left without a job? Will the Defence call centre in Cooma be cut, or will jobs be slashed at HQ JOC? Will it be Medicare urgent care clinics and services making a huge difference in our regions, including in the member for Page's own electorate in Lismore? Will that be cut by those opposite? You only have to look at the millions cut from Medicare when the opposition leader was the health minister to know that their only plan for Medicare is to cut. And just today, at 1.30 pm, a Canberra Times article said that 41,000 Public Service jobs are going; it's 'wasteful' spending. However, more than 22,000 public servants are employed in regional Australia. They spend money every day in our local economy. They provide services that we rely on. How many of those jobs are going in every regional electorate that you guys represent? How many are going to go in the regional electorates that we represent? These are people who spend money in our local economies, buying coffee and restaurant dinners in businesses owned by people we know. How many of those Public Service jobs will go in our electorates? Let's be serious. When we talk about decentralisation, it refers to public servants working from home in our local regions. How many of those jobs are going to go? How many of those jobs are going to leave our regional towns? Before the 2022 election, Services Australia officers were on the chopping block from those opposite, including across my electorate. How many Services Australia offices closed in your electorate under your former government? Let's get serious here, because that's what it means—our communities lose services every time you cut the Public Service. We have been dealing with cost-of-living issues. We know how important it is. We want every regional community to be able to address the challenges, harness the opportunities and take the issues in our community seriously. That's why we have been prioritising cost-of-living issues. The additional $150 in energy bill relief builds on the already $300 delivered to every household and $325 to every small business. There are the 127,000 free TAFE places that have been taken up in our regions, from construction to child care, and we are making them permanent, which is something that you want to reverse. Those opposite scream out for more workers to build more housing or staff our regional childcare centres, but they don't have a plan to grow the workforce, and they want to make it even harder for people to pursue those in-demand industries. We are delivering $66 million over the next five years to local councils for Roads to Recovery in the member for Page's own electorate. That's an increase of $27.2 million. We're making local roads safer. That follows what those opposite did when they delivered a funding freeze to every local council across the country, which stripped nearly a billion dollars out of the sector. That means that those roads that are problems now are problems that you created under your government. The Leader of the Nationals said those opposite would deliver a strong infrastructure pipeline, which regional communities needed. He delivered a bunch of press releases with 800 additional projects, with not a single dollar extra added to the budget. In our latest budget, there's $7.2 billion for the Bruce Highway for safety upgrades; there's $200 million to duplicate the Stuart Highway from Darwin to Katherine; there's $40 million for the Main South Road upgrade in South Australia; and there's $1.1 billion for upgrades along the Western Freeway in Victoria. We don't need colour-coded spreadsheets. We're delivering on those commitments in an established and transparent way. That's how we're dealing with it from our grants program perspective as well. There's $600 million for the Growing Regions Program. There's $400 million for the Regional Precincts and Partnerships Program. In the member for Page's electorate, the Clarence Valley Council received $1.6 million for the Clarence Regional Aquatic Centre waterslide development, because pools are the beating heart of our regional communities. We've delivered $3 billion to NBN Co to finalise the rollout of full-fibre connections, including over 334,000 additional regional premises. But we know that the NBN will just get sold off under those opposite. We're serious about supporting regions. That is why I'm so proud that we have launched the National Emergency Management Agency, which continues to support regional communities, most recently in Queensland and New South Wales during ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred. We have just heard from the Leader of the Nationals, the member for Maranoa, how grateful he is that the National Emergency Management Agency is preparing and doing the work, something that wouldn't have happened unless we created that agency and got it working. It wasn't the case in 2022 when the member for Page had serious flooding issues in Lismore, because the response and the recovery wasn't handled well. Communities in my own electorate have felt that firsthand. Unfortunately, the Deputy Leader of the Nationals in the Senate has said she can't confirm or deny whether public servants from the National Emergency Management Agency are on the chopping block with the 41,000 public servants they want to cut if they are elected. Just think about that. Every regional community, every community across the country, that feels the brunt of a natural disaster gets help. But that could be put at risk if you cut public servants from the National Emergency Management Agency. It's outrageous. We have delivered the $1 billion Disaster Ready Fund which is supporting regional communities to be better prepared for disasters. We have supported an additional $35 million to boost our national aerial fleet, because most regional communities need emergency support and, when they need it, they shouldn't have to wait. We have invested in it. But it's not just during disasters when our regions need aviation. We need a strong regional aviation sector. I said it yesterday. It is so important. We are not going to let what happened when the other side were in government be perpetuated. They were handed the Sydney airport slot review in 2021 and sat idle at the departure gate. We have responded with an aviation white paper. We've said that we will keep Rex Airlines operating regional routes through voluntary administration. I am proud that we are supporting Rex's regional flights in the air with $80 million loaned to the administrators and additional support to reduce what Rex owes, because for regional communities like mine these flights are critical to our economy and they are critical to accessing important health services and for getting around. This is why we will continue to stand up for a strong regional aviation sector. Mr McCormack 219646 Hear, hear! Ms McBAIN 281988 The member for Riverina is saying, Hear, hear!' He is a supporter of Rex. If only the shadow transport minister, Senator McKenzie, over in the other place, would get on board. I'm not sure what airline she relies on where she lives, but, in our communities, it's Rex. If it's not operating, nothing happens. You should go and talk to her about supporting Rex. After a wasted decade of nothing but cuts, regional Australia can't afford to slash even more from our services, which is exactly what those opposite are promising. You only have to look at the $600 billion nuclear thought bubble to know that regional Australians were not consulted. It's a plan that is so expensive all it is going to deliver for the rest of the country is cuts. 15:38 Mr McCORMACK 219646 Riverina I am so glad the Minister for Regional Development, Local Government and Territories, the member for Eden-Monaro, has raised Rex Airlines, because there is a petition that's been distributed within the Riverina and Farrer electorates to save Rex and protect regional Australia from the Liberals and Nationals. Please don't go, Minister. Please stay and listen to this, because— Mr Dreyfus HWG I'm staying. Mr McCORMACK 219646 Thank you, Member for Isaacs and Attorney-General. It says: 'By signing I support Labor's efforts to keep Rex flying.' Okay. It's a petition and so you'd say: 'Well, that's fair enough. They want to get people to support the government's initiative to keep Rex flying.' You have no bigger supporter of Rex than right here speaking right into these microphones. I am a supporter of Rex and I urgently encourage people who have a flight to take, if they have the option, to please fly Rex, because we won't know how valuable it is until we lose it. Let me tell you, if we lose it, the prices are going to go up and up. For communities such as Ceduna, Parkes and Narrandera, those towns which only have Rex flying into them, it is a matter of life and death. They won't get Rex to fly in to make their vital medical appointments, for tourism, for business, for all the rest of the appointments and for the business activity that they need. Getting back on to Labor's petition, I really need the Labor members to listen to this. Question 1: 'What is your first name?' Fair enough. Question 2: 'What is your last name?' Question 3: 'What is your email address?' Question 4: 'What is your mobile number?' Question 5: 'What is your house address?' So they're the first five questions. Then we get on to question 6: 'Do you have any other issues the federal government can help you with?' I'm thinking, 'Okay,' but wait for this one. Question seven: 'Do you wish to be contacted about volunteering opportunities for the upcoming federal election?' Under it, they've got a Rex logo and then a Labor logo. That is disrespectful to Rex. That is disrespectful to regional Australia. That's what it's worth. You know what? If people sign that petition, they're going to get Labor paraphernalia and they're going to get bombarded with Labor material: 'How to vote for Labor.' Mr Dreyfus HWG Real information. Mr McCORMACK 219646 No, not real information, Member for Isaacs—not at all. It is information that is going to only allow them to get a Labor government, which has been very, very bad for the regions—a Labor government which offers you 70c a day of tax cuts in 15 months time. What's that going to give you? It won't get you Regional Express, let me tell you. Then we've got the Labor candidates running around Riverina and Farrer, and what are they doing? They're also getting people to sign a petition which has been put forward by the Nationals member for Cootamundra in the state parliament to absolutely condemn the state Labor government about cuts to regional and rural health services, including ambulance services and including centralising pathology services in Cootamundra Hospital—putting them in Young. We've got the Labor candidates running around condemning state Labor. This is just perverse and so is that petition that Labor is circulating around Rex. This comes from the federal Labor government, which we know in the budget put 'nfp'—'not for publication'—beside 'Murray-Darling Basin' because they don't want people to know how many water buybacks they are going to do. This is from the Labor government which took away the distribution priority areas, which forced doctors, which caused doctors, to leave rural and remote Australia and to go to the outer suburbs of Newcastle, Sydney, Wollongong, Gold Coast or wherever else. We now have fewer doctors, and that is a truism. The best thing that any parliament, any government, has done for the doctors is the Murray-Darling rural medical network. I put that in place, and you can see the benefits already at Wagga Wagga, Dubbo, Mildura, Bendigo and Orange. We're making sure that we've got young doctors training from start to finish and doing their course, because we know that, if we train them in the bush, chances are they'll fall in love with somebody in the bush, they'll fall in love with the bush and they'll stay in the bush. That's what it's all about. It's not about Labor taking away the Local Roads and Community Infrastructure Program and all those other regional grant programs. That is on your watch. That is on your heads. At the next election, the only way to get Australia back on track is to vote Nationals, to vote coalition. 15:43 Ms SCRYMGOUR F2S Lingiari I just want to put something on record. I was listening to our Minister for Regional Development, Local Government and Territories when she was talking about our first term of government, and the message to regional Australia has been loud and clear, as well as the support. Often those guys opposite forget that for seats like mine—in terms of Lingiari, in the Northern Territory—the most forgotten Australians by that government have been years in the making. It was only in the election of 2022— Mr Rob Mitchell M3E They said it was a lifestyle choice. Ms F2S Yes, that's right—and that we should move from there. In 2022, it did change, and I can say that I am proud to be on this side, within this government. Listening to the media since the budget, we've had CLP senators and we've had the CLP government in Darwin saying that the Northern Territory has missed out and there hasn't been any investment in the Northern Territory. Mr Dreyfus HWG Not true. Ms SCRYMGOUR F2S You're absolutely right, Attorney-General—not true. But what we've got is L-plates on the back of the Northern Territory Treasurer, who maybe needs a little bit of help to understand budget papers and who, a week ago, when he received the biggest news that any treasurer in the Northern Territory—and I can tell you that there would have been Territory Labor treasurers who would have loved to have had the federal Treasurer say that they've just landed the biggest windfall in terms of the GST. Those guys opposite gutted the Northern Territory by over $350 million in GST funding, so the Northern Territory has been fighting to have the GST reinstated so that the Northern Territory's regions and our remote communities can be better off through an increase in the GST payments. A week ago the Northern Territory Treasurer said, 'This is a windfall, and this is great for the Northern Territory.' Then they must have got the phone call from the Leader of the Opposition's office or someone, and they came out negative and said, 'Oh no, this is bad; the Northern Territory has been left behind.' Which is it? The hypocrisy and the contradictions that are coming out of the Northern Territory CLP government are the same as what you see on the other side of this chamber. I was with Minister McCarthy, the Minister for Indigenous Australians, last week. We were in a community, Maningrida, and we launched a subsidy—and I want to thank every member of our cabinet and the executive government for the decision that was taken to put a subsidy in place for 30 food items. Now, people might think that that's not much, but, as I'm going around these communities, everyone is saying thank you. In terms of the cost of living, what that has done for the families in those remote communities is remarkable. It was fantastic to go to those communities with Minister McCarthy and to talk to those mums and dads and those families that have been doing it really tough, and to know that they are humbled by this government's subsidy of 30 essential food items—often things that we take for granted, living in the big cities where we can have choice. In a remote community you don't get that choice. So I do want to acknowledge the Prime Minister and all of the ministers of the cabinet for that single decision, because a lot of people are saying, 'This will be life changing for us. This will help us with the cost of living.' I was with the Prime Minister when he made the announcement about $842 million for what they call the NTRAI. There has been $200 million on roads, continuing our investment in terms of infrastructure. So I disagree, of course, with the CLP government but also our other NT senator, who think that the Northern Territory has been left behind. I think that they need to read the budget papers properly. They need to give credit where credit's due. The Northern Territory's in a better place than it was. 15:48 Mr CONAGHAN 279991 Cowper Rewind three years, and the then opposition leader Anthony Albanese was telling everybody that no-one would be left behind. Fast forward three years, and the addendum to that is 'unless you live in the regions' and 'unless you live in a National Party seat'. What we saw immediately after Labor was elected into government was a 90-day review of infrastructure projects across the country. Mr McCormack 219646 How long did that last? Mr CONAGHAN 279991 A very good question. How long did the 90-day review take? It took 206 days to complete that review. It would be funny but for the consequences of that review. What we saw was the slashing and dicing of essential infrastructure programs and social programs within National Party held electorates—not Labor electorates; National Party electorates. I will give you an example of some of them that were slashed in my electorate and I will tell you about the one that hurts me the most. That is the slashing of $5 million for a veterans centre—in fact, not just one but three veterans centres. The usual model is $5 million for one, but they had worked together and had worked out a way to have three. Do you know why we need three? It is because my electorate has the largest number of veterans in New South Wales. We have 9,000 veterans, and then you include their families because the families are the ones that have to prop them up when they need the help in the absence of the veterans centre. So they took away that $5 million, and what did they do with it? They put it in a Labor seat, in Richmond, which has half the number of veterans. Veterans need to be above politics, and the first thing that we need to do is allocate that money for a veterans centre in Calabar. The other funding they took away was $5 million for Wrights Road in Port Macquarie. If you live in Port Macquarie, you know what I'm talking about. You have congestion not just in the morning and not just in the afternoon; it's at all times of the day. The worst part of it is that it's not just congestion; it's right outside the base hospital. I was talking to a nurse the other day. It takes her 45 minutes to get out of the hospital. Imagine if there is a medical emergency. Imagine if the congestion is so bad that the ambulance can't get through or somebody trying to get to the hospital can't. But it was deemed not a priority. The infrastructure minister, Catherine King, has not been there. She has not come up and had a look, yet it was gutted. We've seen applications refused over the past three years. There was the Valla Urban Growth Area, which would see up to 7,700 lots opened up. Labor talk a big game about housing, and the local council put in an application to open this up under the Regional Precincts and Partnerships Program, but they were denied. They were rejected. That was 7,700 lots. There was the Sewering Coastal Villages project in Bellingen. Sewerage is a basic service. An application under the Sewering Coastal Villages project was deemed not a priority. Well, the people in Bellingen, Repton and Valla consider it a priority when their sewers backflow or they can't get clean water. You have a choice. You have a choice at the next election to make sure that that funding comes back into the regions, and that choice is to vote Nationals. 15:53 Mr ROB MITCHELL M3E McEwen It's been interesting to listen to the whingeing and the complaining in this debate. I had to listen to the member for Cowper, who came in wanting to talk about veterans. As he scurries out the door, let me remind the member for Cowper, who might want to listen once. Don't come in here and say veterans should be above politics when your own minister resigned because your government— The DEPUTY SPEAKER 248181 Order! It is really disorderly to do that. If you're going to leave the chamber, please leave the chamber. Interjections are unhelpful. Let's try to have a respectful debate. Mr ROB MITCHELL M3E It's disgusting to think that those opposite said to the veterans of Australia that they weren't of a political advantage. These are not my words; these are the words of Scott Morrison when he was here and forced their own Minister for Veterans' Affairs to quit and quit the party. So please don't lecture us on this sort of stuff, because you have absolutely no credibility over there. It's amazing that they sit there and talk about these things. It's like talking about Rex Airlines. How many regional workers lost their jobs at Virgin during COVID because those opposite made a decision to fund their mates at Rex Airlines, to look after them instead of Virgin? Virgin went into administration because they couldn't get support from the Morrison— was it you or Joyce, your other mate? Mr McCormack 219646 No, it was me. Mr ROB MITCHELL M3E It was you? Well, that explains it—to actually go there, to support Rex over Virgin and put thousands of people under stress. When you live in country areas, one of the things you want to do is get access to trade and schooling. What was one of the first things that they did when they got into government in 2013? They cut the trade training centre. The member for Nicholls can laugh, but it was actually his electorate that benefited from the trade training centre that we built and they closed. It's also about getting education in schools. One of the great things we did was the BER. It was ridiculed by those opposite, but, of course, they turned up for every photo opportunity. I went out to Eildon, which had a school building replaced, the first since 1967. That's how much they neglected schools, and they've done nothing since. They panned our programs and they've done nothing to support it. We talk about medical, and we talk about doctors. The reason we have a shortage of doctors in rural and regional areas is that they removed the DPA. Greg Hunt removed it and decided areas like Wallan and Kilmore should be treated the same as Elwood, where Bridge lives, and Williamstown. It is unbelievable that you can't get doctors in the middle of country areas— The DEPUTY SPEAKER 248181 Member for McEwen, I didn't understand the reference, but you must use correct titles when referring to a current member. Mr ROB MITCHELL M3E The minister who was caught rorting was Bridget McKenzie, the senator. If you want to sit there and talk about what was happening in medical, let's have a look at that. Let's not talk about road funding because they know that they actually have a— The DEPUTY SPEAKER 248181 Member for McEwen, you need to withdraw the allegation. Mr ROB MITCHELL M3E I withdraw. It's quite simple. Those opposite cut funding to roads right across Victoria. In fact—the member for Nicholls might want to get his crayon out and note this down—what did they do to the black spot program for mobile phones? They cut every tower in the Black Saturday bushfire area, a place that passed every single test that they had. They took those towers out to fund and look after the member for New England, to try and save his backside. So right across Victoria we can see everything that has been cut: education, health, veterans, workers—whichever way you look at it, they have had nine years of doing absolutely nothing. We saw this last week. We announced $7 million for a northern railway upgrade to help bring electrification and more trains out, with more jobs and more opportunities. They couldn't even wait for the election. They've come out and they want to cut it by $5 million. It's no wonder, when you talk about Peter Dutton—sorry, the member for Dickson. When he cuts, you'll pay. That means people are going to be paying more no matter what they do, whether it's in food, roads, education or health. They cut and destroy every single thing that you look at. We knew that. We'd seen it with the regional programs. Remember, they stopped funding stuff in regional areas to fund a pool in North Sydney because they think the Sydney Harbour Bridge is regional. There's one thing you can be sure of with the nats. When you have a look at their record, you'll see Nationals seats have poorer outcomes, poorer education and poorer job opportunities. The one simple reason for that is that they've got poor representation by the National Party. The only way this country will go forward and keep building a better future is for an Albanese Labor government to be re-elected, because only Labor actually invests in regional areas. They don't care about farmers; they only care about what's under the ground. 15:58 Mr BIRRELL 288713 Nicholls I'll try to make an intelligent contribution to this debate about cuts, delays and broken promises. The first cut, the most important and deepest cut affecting farmers in my electorate, is the cut to the amount of water that farmers can use to grow food for Australia and for food exports. That's the biggest cut. It's a cut that's been delivered by the minister for the environment, trying to rework the Murray-Darling Basin Plan into something that is going to satisfy the Greens breathing down the neck in her electorate and the other electorates of Labor Party people who are worried about losing their seats in inner cities. That's all very well from a political perspective, but that agriculture is so important to our nation for our sovereign food manufacturing capability and for our exports. You need water to be able to grow this food. I did agricultural science at university, but even those who didn't should be able to understand that you need water to be able to grow food. So much good food is grown in the Goulburn Valley: apples, pears, peaches and dairy. It's processed and then exported. I've got some fantastic people doing things in my electorate, earning money and, as the member for Page said, earning export dollars for Australia, and the Labor Party is taking away the tools that they need to do it; that's all they're getting from the Labor Party. Cutting water for food is not the only thing they're cutting. They're also cutting the important grant programs that provide infrastructure that we need in the regions. We had a lot of good infrastructure programs, and one of the most important ones was the Building Better Regions Fund. It was a great bucket, and it funded a lot of important things in my region and other regions. It funded regional seats across the aisle, not just National Party or Liberal Party seats. It's been taken away and replaced with their own programs. I acknowledge there was some money in those programs but not enough to satisfy demand. When we got to the cruel hoax of a budget the other night, we found there's no more funding for the regional grant programs—no more funding! If anyone didn't get a look-in the last time, they're not going to get a look-in again—cuts and delays! Now, broken promises—well, the whopper of the promises is $275 off your power prices. It should never have been made, because the Prime Minister didn't understand that the model was so threadbare that their policies weren't going to deliver it. But clinging at something to try and win the next election, he ran around saying, 'If you vote for the Labor Party, you will get $275 off your power prices.' How many times did he say it? How many? Mr Violi 300147 97! Mr BIRRELL 288713 How many times has he said it since he was elected? Opposition members: Zero! Mr BIRRELL 288713 It's a broken promise. It's terrible. Every time you ask them about it, they say: 'We've taken money out of your taxes to give you a little bit back to compensate for the amount it's gone up, to say sorry that we told you it was going to go down.' Is that $275 their re-election pledge? Unbelievable! Also in the cruel hoax of a budget about the other night were the tax cuts. Here's a tax cut: I've got three 20c coins and one 10c coin; you will get that much off your tax a day. When do you get it? Do you get it now when you really need it? Did they legislate it so that it kicks in in June or July? No, it's 15 months away, and that's what you get: 70c a day. Unbelievable! Have a look. If you want to see what immediate pain relief looks like—and I know we feel pain in the regions a lot—just watch tonight. The DEPUTY SPEAKER 248181 Member for Corangamite, you'll get a chance very soon. Mr BIRRELL 288713 I reckon you'll see a speech that has a bit of an idea about some leadership, that cares about what's actually hurting people and that shows a bit of vision for the future. When I was a young man growing up and thinking about politics, I used to like the Labor Party. Honourable members interjecting— Mr BIRRELL 288713 No, I did, because we came off the Hawke-Keating government, a reforming government that cared about business and wanted to reform the economy. What this government shows is that that was an aberration. People are saying they are the worst government since Whitlam. I think we need to change a word in that. They are worse than Whitlam. The DEPUTY SPEAKER 248181 There were way too many interjections in that speech from both sides. I'm going to ask for people to listen to the member for Corangamite. 16:03 Ms COKER 263547 Corangamite I'd like to thank the member for Page for raising this matter of public importance today because it provides a fantastic opportunity to update the House and those opposite on how the Albanese Labor government is backing in my regional communities. Here's just a sampling of the projects this Labor government is rolling out in partnership with my communities. We have the stage 2 upgrade of the Barwon Heads Road, with more than $190 million in federal funding to transform this road into a four-lane highway that links our fast-growing communities with Geelong. There's a duplication of the rail line between South Geelong and Waurn Ponds, an almost $1 billion project that is reshaping how local travel between south-western Victoria and Melbourne is taking place. We are delivering a $40 million indoor pool for the North Bellarine Aquatic Centre, and construction of the Surf Coast aquatic and health centre in Torquay is now underway. It's worth pointing out that our government invested more than $2.7 million to top up the upgrades to Grubb Road in Ocean Grove after it was left underfunded by the former Liberal government. We are also delivering upgrades to Murradoc Road in St Leonards. Then there are new sporting facilities including a new pavilion for the Barwon Heads Football Netball Club, women's change rooms for the Torquay Football Netball Club, new clubrooms for the Portarlington Football Netball Club, new lighting for night games and training at the Queenscliff Football Netball Club, new netball courts for the Bannockburn Football Netball Club and a $1 million commitment to upgrade the courts at the Burdoo Reserve for the Grovedale Football Netball Club if elected. There is more. We are also undertaking upgrades for local roads, the Esplanade Beach Road and Fischer Street in Torquay and Sugar Gum Drive in Waurn Ponds have all been upgraded as part of Albanese government's expanded Black Spot Program and the Roads to Recovery Program. Under the Albanese government, Black Spot Program funding will reach $150 million per year while funding for the Roads to Recovery Program will progressively rise to $1 billion per year, and at least $200 million is also available each year under the new Safer Local Roads and Infrastructure Program to address current and emerging priorities in road infrastructure. We are boosting environmental protections and protecting the Karaaf wetlands in Torquay, backing in local farmers on the Bellarine through the On Farm Connectivity Program and delivering a water reclamation plant alongside Barwon Water and the state government in Portarlington because the Albanese Labor government knows just how important water security is to local agriculture. Unlike those opposite, the Albanese Labor government understands that a thriving region needs access to quality health care. We recognise that no-one should have to travel long distances or wait hours in emergency departments to see a doctor, and that is why a re-elected Albanese government will fund a Medicare urgent care clinic in Torquay. Open seven days a week, fully bulk-billed, it will be free in providing urgent care when and where locals need it. It will mean fewer hospital visits, less pressure on families and better access to care close to home. All you need to access care is a Medicare card, not your credit card. Whether it is through a new tax cut for every taxpayer, more energy bill relief, free TAFE, groundbreaking funding for our nation's public schools, cheaper medicines or practical measures to ease financial pressures while keeping inflation down, the Albanese government is working hard to back in people across the nation and in our regions. It is why we are backing in apprentices with the $10,000 subsidy. It is why, if re-elected, we will deliver HECS debt relief of, on average, $5,500 per person. This will help our young people to live and work in regions just like mine and prosper. The Albanese Labor government is getting on with the job of delivering a better future for all Australians, helping to build economic opportunity and thriving regional communities. 16:08 Dr GILLESPIE 72184 Lyne As these sun sets on this sad 47th Parliament, what have we got to show for three years of parliament? We have more debt, deficits as far as the eye can see and over $1 trillion in debt. Regional Australia is also a lot worse off. There has been this passive-aggressive attack on agriculture, food bowls, food and fibre production, with cuddly sounding names like 'restoring our rivers', which is code for taking 750 gigalitres out of the Murray-Darling Basin. We have got this idea that nature repair involves putting covenants on good productive land and letting it turn back to native bush, putting covenants on land for lazy farmers, usually based in capital cities, who don't want to farm but think they are going to fix nature by letting productive land go back to bush. We have got the threat of methane pledges, which will reduce so-called bovine methane. We've seen what has happened with those sorts of policies in Ireland, where they suggested a 30 per cent cull of their dairy herd—same in Holland. Also, we have had passive obstruction to our energy system, and they have abandoned a lot of regional and rural road programs, putting in place amorphous road and bridge programs which, funnily enough, favour metropolitan Australia. We've had passive aggressive behaviour towards gas and oil exploration, yet the nation runs on diesel. When has there been an oilfield struck in this country? There hasn't been one in decades. We have survived off the Bass Strait, and we are now dependent on imported oil and gas. Long gone are genuine changes to Medicare. This government is making out that it's saving everyone by having these Medicare urgent care clinics everywhere. Well, in regional Australia, we're not seeing them. They're all in metro Australia. There are no new buildings, no new doctors, no new nurses; there's just a block grant and new Medicare stickers over existing clinics. I've looked through the website. They're all based in existing clinics. All these big super clinics that the corporates run are pocketing the $600,000, or however much the block grant is, and there are no new doctors. There is just, maybe, extra hours practice. The distribution priority areas have been destroyed so that the areas that have no doctors are the least likely to get a doctor. Look at our energy system. Their obsession with renewables is just a giant merry-go-round of subsidies. Where are we now? We got the most expensive energy; we should have the cheapest energy system. That's what kept our industry alive in this country. Not only have we had 29,000 small businesses go broke; we've got all the big industrial companies going off shore to Asia and back to America, because they've got cheap energy. We've now got subsidies for solar and wind for large-scale generation certificates and small-scale technology certificates—that's for rooftop solar and large solar. We've got subsidies for wind. We've got subsidies in the road budget for oversized and overmass special roads to go to renewable energy zones. That's another subsidy. And now we've got the ultimate paradox: we are relying on batteries that don't generate energy; they just storage and consume energy, and they're getting subsidised! Plus, the poles and wires expansion is also being subsidised. The Capacity Investment Scheme is running into the billions of dollars, and that will add to the ever-increasing network costs. Solar and wind are not a cheap system. As a one-off, a solar panel is cheap or a solo wind turbine, but all the other bits are expensive—the extra poles and wires; everything. And the ultimate irony is that everyone in this country still relies on coal 65 per cent of the time. The New South Wales Labor government and the Victoria Labor government are all subsidising their coal plants to keep the lights on, yet you guys are trying to get rid of them all. It is just a joke. Nuclear is the answer. (Time expired) Honourable members interjecting— The DEPUTY SPEAKER 248181 I'm going to remind the House again that I don't want this slanging match. 16:13 Mr REPACHOLI 298840 Hunter For too long, regional Australia was treated like an afterthought, a place the previous coalition only remembered when they needed votes. For a decade, they promised the world but delivered nothing but empty press conferences and broken roads. They talked up big but, when it came to action, they couldn't build a Lego set let alone infrastructure for our communities in desperate need. Under this government, we're getting things done for the Hunter and regional Australia. We believe your postcode shouldn't determine your future. Whether you live in Singleton, Muswellbrook, Toronto, Barnsley, Cessnock, West Wallsend or Kurri Kurri, you deserve more than just leftovers from a government that spent a decade fumbling regional development like a bad amateur football team. For years, local communities begged for critical road projects. What did the coalition do? They ignored them, just like they ignored everything outside their Sydney and Melbourne bubble. Now, we're making up for lost time. We're actually building the Singleton Bypass—not just talking about it. We're building the Muswellbrook Bypass—a game-changer for the Upper Hunter. We're delivering the duplication of Mandalong Road so locals don't have to risk their lives dodging potholes bigger than their cars. We're repairing Coulsons Creek Road, which is something that the coalition and the member for New England couldn't even manage to do despite a decade of being in government, having photo ops and making empty promises. For too long, it's been us having to fix their roads. Unlike the previous government, who treated sports funding like it was a raffle prize for their mates, we're actually delivering. We've given $52 million for the Hunter Sports Centre and millions in funding for grassroots sporting clubs, giving to local facilities so they don't look like they still belong in the 1950s. The coalition had 10 years to get these projects done. What did they do instead? They squandered their time, slashed funding and somehow made a bad situation even worse. We're cleaning up their mess. The previous government butchered our healthcare system, slashing funding and leaving regional Australians with fewer doctors, longer wait times and a Medicare system on life support. We're fixing that. We've established Medicare urgent care clinics in Cessnock, Maitland, Charlestown and Lake Haven, because seeing a doctor shouldn't require a road trip. There are Medicare mental health clinics in Cessnock and Muswellbrook, because mental health shouldn't be an afterthought. We've delivered $7.9 billion in investment in bulk-billing so that people can see a doctor without selling a kidney to be able to afford it. That goes alongside the biggest cut to medicine prices in the history of the PBS. This is what real investment in health care looks like—no slogans, no fake funding announcements. Just results. The previous government left regional students behind while pretending TAFE didn't even exist. We're changing that by delivering a regional university study hub in Currie so local students can get a quality education without moving halfway across the country. There are over 500,000 free TAFE places, including 7,000 in the Hunter, training the next generation of workers in construction, child care and essential trades and services. We made a $626.9 million investment in apprenticeships, including a $10,000 incentive payment for construction apprentices, because we actually care about building Australia's workforce and also our houses. And let's talk about small business. The coalition love to call themselves the party of the small business until it comes to actually supporting them. Instead, they let costs skyrocket and shrugged their shoulders while business struggled. We're stepping in, providing $450 in energy bill relief for households and $475 for small business plus a $20 million investment to boost Australian-made products, because supporting local industries is more than just a talking point for us. We're investing in local manufacturing, steel production, battery technology and solar panel production because we actually believe in making things in Australia instead of a outsourcing things overseas. We're not stopping there. We're giving $2.2 billion to strengthen regional communications, particularly in disaster prone areas, because reliable phone service shouldn't be a luxury. We have also given $3 billion in NBN upgrades, finally delivering high-speed internet to thousands of homes and businesses across the Hunter. This government is doing what the previous one never could: delivering real outcomes of the Hunter. We're building the roads, hospitals and schools our region deserves. We're making health care more affordable, investing in jobs and ensuring our local businesses can actually compete. The coalition treated the Hunter like a second-class region, ignored our infrastructure needs and left families struggling with rising costs. We are fixing these failures. But the pork-barrelling has already begun from those opposite and will continue all throughout this, so I will continue to push hard to make sure Hunter gets its fair share. Under this government, that will never change, because commitment to regional Australia is more than just a slogan and an RM Williams puffer vest. The DEPUTY SPEAKER 248181 The time for this discussion has now concluded. COMMITTEES 122 COMMITTEES Economics Committee 122 Report 122 16:18 Dr MULINO 132880 Fraser On behalf of the Standing Committee on Economics, I present the following three reports: Review of Australia's four major banks 2023-2024,Review of the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission annual reports 2021, 2022 and 2023 and Review of the Australian Securities and Investments Commission annual reports 2021, 2022 and 2023 together with the minutes of proceedings. I ask leave of the House to make a short statement in connection with these reports. Leave granted. Dr MULINO 132880 Today I wish to speak briefly to these three reports—firstly, the report into the big four banks and the public hearings of the CEOs of those banks. This is a part of the Standing Committee on Economics' functions, which I believe has become an important element of accountability for the financial services sector, given the uniquely important role that banks play. This term, I think the public hearings of the CEOs played a particularly important role, given the nature of the challenges that this parliament was overseeing—the inflation challenge that our economy faced and the role that banks played in intersecting their actions with the role that monetary policy played in fighting inflation. The committee held public hearings with each of the four major banks on 12 and 13 July 2023 and 29 and 30 August 2024. The committee acknowledges the significant cost-of-living pressures still confronting many Australians. These pressures have not been felt evenly across the economy. For example—and this was one of the issues explored with the banks—new first-home buyers and renters, often younger Australians, have been particularly severely hit by inflation, cost-of-living pressures and higher mortgage repayments. That's why it's so important that there be continued help for first-home buyers and continued help for housing affordability measures. The committee explored a range of policy issues, including scams. The committee acknowledged that the banks have undertaken a range of measures, including investments in IT, and that this formed a part of broader actions taken by the government to reduce scams and that scam activity and scam losses have in fact started to fall. Having said that, scams remain a significant challenge for people in our community, particularly vulnerable people, and further actions will be needed. That's why further accountability on this front in future parliaments will be important. The committee acknowledges efforts by the banks to support customers in hardship. It is concerned, however, by findings of ASIC's May 2024 report, Hardship, hard to get help, suggesting that more than a third of Australians applying for hardship support have dropped out of excessively onerous application processes at least once and that 40 per cent fall into arrears immediately after hardship support ends. The committee agrees with ASIC's assessment that this is not good enough. While ASIC's report looked at 10 banks, the four major banks should be held to particularly high standards due to their large market shares and direct impact on the lived experience of so many Australians. In overall terms, I reiterate that these public hearings were productive and that they dove tailed well with other reports of this committee—for example, the report into competition and economic dynamism. The committee also undertook public hearings of the ACCC. Through these public hearings, we looked at a wide range of public-policy hearings, including fuel taxation, consumer data privacy and supermarket pricing. Indeed the breadth of issues that we dealt with in these hearings is a testament to the wide range of the ACCC's responsibilities. The report also addresses a wide range of competition issues, including mergers and acquisitions, reforms, gas markets, petrol taxes, greenwashing, the energy transition, aviation, reforms to improve competition in slot management at airports, and Australia's highly concentrated supermarket issues. Many of these issues had been addressed in our competition and economic dynamism report, which the ACCC greatly assisted the committee with. Indeed on a number of fronts, including mergers and acquisitions reforms, the regulatory grid, and noncompete clauses, we welcomed the fact that the government has subsequently taken action. I would like to acknowledge the contribution of the assistant minister, who's in the chamber, for his longstanding advocacy of a number of these policy areas. The report also covers major consumer protection issues, including scams, data breaches, consumer data privacy, unfair contract terms, consumer protections for travellers, alleged misleading pricing claims by the major supermarkets, card-payment surcharging practices and the impact of breaches of consumer law on vulnerable consumers. I reiterate that I think these public hearings have proved to be a very valuable accountability mechanism, given the central role that the ACCC plays in enforcing competition and consumer protection. Finally, I'd like to make some very brief comments in relation to our oversight of ASIC's annual reports. The committee acknowledges the challenges that ASIC faces in triaging thousands of complaints and tip-offs annually. ASIC has a very broad remit. However, the committee also noted—and this was unanimously noted—that it expects ASIC to continue efforts to better communicate with the many Australians who reach out for help. The committee also stated in its report that ASIC's actions under new intervention powers, granted after the Hayne royal commission, are important, including step-in powers to block poorly targeted financial products. We stated that the committee was pleased to see early signs of success from ASIC's use of these new powers, and we encourage ASIC to continue using these new tools judiciously to prevent and take action against wrongdoing. The report also addresses ASIC's recent work on other issues, including corporate cybersecurity obligations, greenwashing and also the ASX's troubled CHESS settlement upgrade. I note, again, that the public hearings in relation to ASIC covered a wide range of other reports and, again, I believe it proved to be a very important accountability mechanism. I will just take this opportunity, now that we are very close to the end of this term, to thank all witnesses who provided written submissions or appeared at public hearings for our committee over the course of this term. There were, indeed, many. We undertook public hearings in relation to the annual reports of, as I noted, the big four banks but also many public sector organisations, and we held two very substantial inquiries: one into competition and economic dynamism and one into flood insurance. I also thank individuals and organisations who participated in private briefings, and I particularly thank prominent economists who took considerable time to provide the committee with very detailed briefings. I think it is fair to say that the entire committee found those to be incredibly valuable. I will conclude by thanking our secretariat members. It's a very, very hardworking secretariat that has produced significant amounts of very high-quality analysis. I thank Lachlan, who was the committee secretary for the initial part of the term. I thank Jeff, who was committee secretary for the latter part of the term and had to deal with some very substantial work in relation to our flood insurance inquiry and also with emails and calls at all hours from myself, the deputy chair and others. He did that with exemplary grace. I acknowledge, with some sadness, Sam, who was a longstanding inquiry secretary for this committee. Sam is sadly no longer with us and is still much missed by her colleagues and also by committee members. I thank Tessa, who travelled across metropolitan and regional Australia with the committee and dealt with highly demanding committee members in all of those exploits. I thank Nicolette. I don't like singling out individuals, but Nicolette deserves special mention—and I hope not to offend others—due to her very hard work and for being the bastion of continuity in a difficult year. She really stepped into the breach to ensure the delivery of our economic dynamism report, the flood report and also our big four bank report. I acknowledge Jazmine, Danton and Nicole. We also had a number of temporary staff and secondees. Our graduates Laura, who made a significant contribution to the ACCC and ASIC reports as well as to the flood report, and Owen. Thank you to Vivien; to Holly, who was a parliamentary assistant; to Anabelle, who was loaned from another team; and to Dee, who was a Treasury secondee for our flood report. Finally, I acknowledge my other committee members. The deputy chair is here in the chamber, and he was somebody who worked very hard on this committee, I want to note, with an extremely collegiate air. He was always looking for evidence based solutions and always looking for solutions and policy recommendations that would stand the test of time, and I think that both the conduct of our public hearings and the way in which we managed to land our two big policy reports and all the recommendations benefited greatly from his leadership and the fact that he was willing to compromise on so many occasions and try to get unanimous outcomes. But, of course, I'd also like to thank all of the other eight members of the committee and also the four additional members who came on board for the flood insurance inquiry. That was a 14-member effort which produced a very substantial report, and I think the recommendations of that report will stand the test of time and lead to ongoing change. All of the members of the committee participated in many days of public hearings—I think there were almost 30 days of public hearings last year alone—two major inquiries and travel right around Australia. I commend these three reports, and I thank all the people that I just mentioned. 16:29 Mr HAMILTON 291387 Groom by leave—Much of my statement will be very much aligned with and in support of the member for Fraser's contribution. I'll start by thanking the secretariat. The member for Fraser was quite right to point out the difficulties we went through, both in production and personally. So, Jeff, I'm very grateful to you and your team. Thank you for working so well with my staff, who I also want to thank for their work in making sure that these reports were attended to in the best way we could. I thank the committee members who are here and previous committee members as well. I will, given his warm comments, thank the chair. It's a pity that a group of schoolkids just walked out of here and probably didn't get to see— An honourable member: They're still here! Mr HAMILTON 291387 They're still here? Good! There are some still here to see this. Question time draws all the attention in this place and the fighting. What's not shown is the amount of working together that goes on in committees. I entered into this role with the view that, where there were opportunities for us to get ahead on matters that we agreed to, I should focus my attention on those and support the chair as much as I could. Throughout these reports, I think that came through very well. This is a very important committee for the government, for the parliament and, I think, for Australia. One of the outcomes that I was most grateful to see achieved—it was through another set of reports—was the establishment of the regulatory grid. I commend the government for listening to what came through our committee, and I'm very proud that that is a result of the work of this committee. It shows what can happen when we find areas that we both agree on and work together to get that done. I commend the chair for that. That is an outcome that he can carry onwards. I know, having spoken to many members of the banking industry, that they see it as a great step forward. To the chair: that's something you get to carry on from this term and your role. So congratulations on that. Directly to these reports: for this term of government, the focus was always going to be entirely on the decision-making of the RBA. I think it drew so much of our attention. Our review of what was happening in insurance, particularly in relation to flood insurance, drew so much of our time and attention. It is my belief that the next term of government, whatever shape that may take and however quickly it may form a shape, will focus more on the regulators. I think that is going to be where the next Standing Committee on Economics sends its attention. There are a couple of areas that I think are brought out in these reports that I'll raise now because I think they should get further consideration. The first one is following through on how we establish a banking industry in Australia that has the level of competition that we want, the strength that we want and the ability to ensure that access to capital remains there. Whilst that is outside the scope of these reports, it does remind all of us watching the actions of APRA when talking about capital and liquidity requirements how quickly a regulator can step ahead of the public mood. That's something that this committee needs to keep at the forefront. The second—and the chair raised this one—is the issue of greenwashing. I'll bring in debanking. The AFR recently ran a very confronting article showing the hoops that have been put in place for legitimate businesses working on legitimate projects in Australia that have already passed through approval levels at state, council and federal levels, yet the banks were making it extremely hard for a gas operation to get finance. I think we need to draw attention to that, and I think we need to accept that some of those hurdles are actually a response to positions that regulators hold. So these reports will form part of that future conversation. Once again, I want to thank the chair. I want to thank the secretariat. It might hurt both of us, Member for Fraser, to reveal to the parliament that we regularly lunched together and discussed these things. I'm not sure how that plays out for you in your electorate, Member for Fraser; it may hurt you. I'm not sure how these things work. But we wanted to get some things agreed on, and I think that was a good step that we took. I appreciate the way that we worked together. I commend these reports. 16:34 Dr MULINO 132880 Fraser Before I move this motion, following on from the deputy chair, I will thank my staff also so that's on the record. I move: That the house take note of the report Review of Australia's four major banks 2023-2024. Debate adjourned. Reference to Federation Chamber 125 16:35 Dr MULINO 132880 Fraser I move: That the order of the day be referred to the Federation Chamber for debate. Question agreed to. BILLS 125 BILLS Telecommunications Amendment (Enhancing Consumer Safeguards) Bill 2025 125

Telecommunications Amendment (Enhancing Consumer Safeguards) Bill 2025

Second Reading 125 16:35 Ms CLAYDON 248181 Newcastle I rise in support of the Telecommunications Amendment (Enhancing Consumer Safeguards) Bill 2025, a vital piece of legislation that will ensure Australian consumers are placed at the heart of the telecommunications industry. This bill is about fairness, accountability and consumer protection. It's about making sure that, when Australians sign up for a phone and internet services, they are treated with the respect and care they deserve. I really think it's great the minister is here, as I know she has been paying strong attention to this debate throughout. I really thank her for her leadership in bringing these important consumer protections to our parliament. We all know how crucial telecommunications services are in our modern world. Whether it's a parent trying to connect with their child, a small-business owner running their company or someone in a remote area depending on the internet for essential services, our lives are built around reliable connectivity. For too long consumers have been left behind, with some telcos putting profits before people. Right now too many Australians are struggling with their telecommunications services. Complaints to the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman rose 13 per cent in the last quarter of 2024. Small-business complaints also increased, and service outages have left thousands of Australians frustrated and disconnected. We've also seen serious issues in the industry such as the Optus scandal, when vulnerable Australians, many of them from First Nations communities and culturally diverse communities across Australia, were signed up for services that they did not need and then were chased for debts they should never have owed. Consumers are fed up. One regional customer recently told the Australian Communications Consumer Action Network, 'We rely on our internet for everything: paying bills, schoolwork, even medical appointments. But, when something goes wrong, it takes forever to fix and we're left in the dark.' Another customer, a small-business owner, said: 'My business depends on phone and internet services, but, when I had a major outage, I got no help from my provider. It cost me thousands in lost revenue, and there was nothing I could do.' For too long telcos have faced penalties that are simply too low and were not the deterrent we would want to see for that kind of bad behaviour. Companies simply absorbed them as a cost of doing business. Companies that fail to follow the rules must be held to account, and this bill ensures that they will be. This bill will introduce stronger consumer protections and give regulators the power that they need to take immediate action when telcos break the law. It does this in four key ways. Firstly, it creates a carriage service provider registration scheme. This will increase transparency by ensuring that only responsible telco providers operate in the market. If a provider poses an unacceptable risk to consumers, the Australian Communications and Media Authority will have the power to stop them from operating. This means that rogue operators who exploit customers will no longer be allowed to fly under the radar. Secondly, we're making industry codes directly enforceable. Right now, when a telco breaks consumer protection rules, the ACMA must first issue a direction to comply before they can take action. This unnecessary delay means that consumer harm can continue, while bad actors get a second chance. Under this bill the ACMA will be able to immediately enforce industry codes, protecting Australians from further harm. This reform will incentivise compliance and ensure that telcos take their obligations to consumers seriously. Industry codes, which include requirements on customer service, billing practices and complaint resolution, will now have real weight behind them. The third measure in this bill introduces significantly increased penalties. Currently, the maximum penalty for breaches of consumer safeguards is only $250,000, which for some telcos would be pocket change. This bill will raise that to $10 million or up to 30 per cent of the company's turnover, ensuring that penalties are severe enough to make sure compliance is heeded. If a company knowingly profits from non-compliance, they could face fines three times the value of the benefit they gain from breaking the rules. This aligns with penalty frameworks in sectors like energy, banking and Australian consumer law, ensuring that telcos are held to the same high standards. Finally, this bill is empowering the Minister for Communications. This bill clarifies the minister's authority to increase penalties issued by the ACMA, ensuring stronger consequences for breaches of key telecommunications rules. This means that future governments can act quickly in response to emerging consumer risks. This bill is just one part of Labor's broader plan to strengthen protections for Australian consumers. We've introduced the Telecommunications Financial Hardship Industry Standard, which makes it mandatory for telcos to prioritise keeping customers connected and offer real assistance, like payment plans for those struggling to pay their bills. We've created the domestic family and sexual violence industry standard, ensuring that telcos provide safe and secure communication options for survivors, including prohibiting perpetrators from interfering with their accounts. We're working to revise the Telecommunications Consumer Protections Code, ensuring stronger standards on responsible selling, consumer rights and complaint handling. We're improving telecommunications accessibility, investing in the National Relay Service and working with industry to enhance services for Australians with disabilities. We're making sure that no Australian, regardless of their circumstances, is left behind when it comes to accessing reliable, high-quality telecommunication services. The Telecommunications Amendment (Enhancing Consumer Safeguards) Bill 2025 is about ensuring that the telco industry serves Australians, and not the other way around. This bill has received strong support from consumer advocates, regulators and industry groups alike. The Australian Communications Consumer Action Network, the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman and the ACMA all agree that these changes are necessary, overdue and will make a real difference in people's lives. ACCAN chief executive officer, Carol Bennett, hailed the strengthening of the act as a major win for consumers. She said: These reforms will promote increased accountability, transparency and compliance within the telecommunications industry and contribute towards improving diminishing consumer trust in telcos. The Australian Government's reforms address longstanding consumer concerns about the relatively weak regulatory settings of the telco industry and will go a long way towards improving trust in the telecommunications industry. I also note that Communications Alliance CEO, Luke Coleman, welcomed the announcement. I appreciate their congratulations for the government's attention here. The Communications Alliance has consistently called for stronger enforcement powers for the ACMA, and they welcomed this announcement to enhance consumer protections in the telco industry. Labor believes in fairness, we believe in accountability, and we believe that no telco should get away with harming consumers for the sake of their bottom line. To those who have suffered from poor telco service, from unfair treatment, from outrageous penalties and frustrating delays, this bill is for you. It is for the family who needs reliable internet for their child's education. It is for the small business owner who cannot afford to lose another day of work due to service failures. It is for every Australian, as every Australian deserves to be treated with respect, and I urge all members in this parliament to support this bill and to stand with the millions of Australians who rely on their phone and internet services every day. 16:45 Ms ROWLAND 159771 Greenway I thank members who contributed to consideration of the Telecommunications Amendment (Enhancing Consumer Safeguards) Bill 2025. The significant reforms included in this bill will better equip the Australian Communications and Media Authority with the tools and powers it needs to protect telco consumers and hold providers to account. This bill is another way the Albanese government is putting consumers at the centre of the telco industry, recognising the importance of quality services for all Australians. This bill establishes a carriage service provider registration scheme to increase visibility of providers operating in the market, especially telecommunications retailers. It will enable the ACMA to undertake more proactive education and compliance work with providers and ultimately empower the ACMA to stop them operating in the market where they have been found to pose unacceptable risk to consumers or have caused significant consumer harm. This bill will make compliance with industry codes mandatory and directly enforceable. This will allow the ACMA to take direct and immediate enforcement action against telecommunications providers that have breached their obligations to customers. This bill will also increase maximum penalties for breaches of industry codes and standards under the act from $250,000 to approximately $10 million, bringing them in line with those for breaches of service provider determinations under the act. This will also better align telecommunications penalties with other sectors like energy and banking. Additional changes will allow for the courts to determine penalty amounts based on financial turnover of the provider and the scale of the breach, allowing for penalties in excess of $10 million in certain circumstances. Reforms to infringement notices will clarify the application of the framework, enabling the government to increase penalty amounts for any breach where the ACMA can issue an infringement notice. This includes breaches of industry codes and standards relating to consumer protections. The reforms will also allow for the scaling of infringement notice penalties depending on the size of the provider—for example, larger penalties for larger providers and smaller penalties for smaller providers. The Telecommunications Amendment (Enhancing Consumer Safeguards) Bill 2025 is about delivering a stronger, better targeted and more equitable compliance and enforcement regime for the telecommunications sector. The Albanese government has listened to feedback from industry, regulators, the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman and consumer advocates to develop these reforms. Most importantly, we've listened to Australians. These reforms will ensure the right settings are in place to incentivise telecommunications service providers to comply with the law and provide quality services to consumers. They reflect the Albanese government's commitment to making sure Australians are appropriately protected and supported in their interactions with telecommunications service providers. I call on members to support the bill. Question agreed to. Bill read a second time. Third Reading 127 16:49 Ms ROWLAND 159771 Greenway by leave—I move: That this bill be now read a third time. Question agreed to. Bill read a third time. Pacific Banking Guarantee Bill 2025 127

Pacific Banking Guarantee Bill 2025

Second Reading 127 16:50 Mr HOWARTH 247742 Petrie I rise to speak on the Pacific Banking Guarantee Bill 2025. This bill is designed to ensure that Australian banks remain engaged in the Pacific financial sector, thereby preserving Australia's strategic presence in a region where China's influence continues to grow. By maintaining essential banking services for trade and remittances, the objective of the bill is to prevent further isolation of Pacific nations from global financial systems and help safeguard regional prosperity. We all want to see a safer Pacific and strong, soft diplomacy ties to it. But clear oversight and transparency measures are needed, because the bill creates an ongoing risk to the taxpayer, with the potential for open-ended liabilities if claims on the guarantee arise. While the coalition will not oppose this bill, referring the legislation to the Senate Economics Legislation Committee is crucial, as this will help identify any necessary amendments and ensure robust protections are in place for Australian taxpayers. The coalition's track record in the Pacific includes delivering record levels of aid, establishing diplomatic missions in every Pacific Islands Forum country and strengthening maritime security and labour mobility programs. In contrast, the Albanese government's approach appears reactive and has even been blindsided by China's growing presence in the region, highlighting the need for more proactive, long-term strategies. Balancing strategic objectives with fiscal prudence is vital, especially since the bill could expose taxpayers to geopolitical and commercial risk if not properly regulated. A robust national security stance underpins all Pacific engagement, and the coalition's record shows that only a comprehensive, whole-of-government approach can maintain Australia's leadership in the region. The Albanese government want to deflect the blame for their failures in the Pacific onto the coalition. This government just can't face its own failures. The fact is that, while contestability in the Indo-Pacific has been intensifying for some time, it is under this government's watch that China has been able to extend its influence in our region through a series of security, economic and other agreements with Pacific island nations—some of which, media has reported, have blindsided the government. This has happened while the government, with few exceptions, has not been able to finalise a raft of agreements it has sought with the Pacific island partners. What the Albanese government's record in the Pacific shows is that it is not up to the strategic challenge in the Indo-Pacific. The Albanese government is weak on national security, and only a Dutton Liberal-National government can ensure that Australia is a natural partner of choice for our Pacific family. The facts show that the coalition delivered record aid into the Pacific in our last budget: some $1.85 billion—$750 million more than in Labor's last budget, which only provided $1.1 billion. In 2021-22, total support to the Pacific, including loans, was $2.7 billion and included security programs, health and financial support. Under the coalition, Australia became the only country to have diplomatic missions in every Pacific Islands Forum country. The coalition doubled the lending capacity of the AIFFP from $1.5 billion to $3 billion, including climate-resilient infrastructure, for the assistant minister opposite, and clean energy projects like Palau Solar, the Tina River project, and off-grid solar in PNG. The coalition increased our Pacific climate finance to at least $700 million in 2020 to 2025. The coalition's $2 billion Pacific Maritime Security Program delivered 14 out of 21 Guardian class patrol boats, upgraded wharf infrastructure and supported aerial surveillance. The coalition took a whole-of-government approach to supporting our Pacific friends and partners by (1) training defence and security personnel from the Pacific—that's what the coalition did; (2) providing maritime safety security assistance; and (3) implementing a very successful labour mobility program, which Labor has diminished by bowing to its union masters. Those are facts. In government, the coalition provided-record levels of development assistance to the Pacific and Timor-Leste. We budgeted for an estimated $4.55 billion as official development assistance in 2022-23, up from an estimated $4.46 in 2021-22, an increase under the coalition in our term in government. This included an additional $460 million in official development assistance in 2022-23 for temporary and targeted measures, responding in particular to COVID-19—that global pandemic that those opposite may remember—such as $281 million to address the economic and social impacts of COVID-19 in the Pacific and Timor-Leste, $98.3 million for vaccines in the Pacific and South-East Asia, $61.5 million to support economic recovery in South-East Asia, $13.6 million for Pacific labour mobility and $5.7 million for an ASEAN comprehensive strategic partnership. We resumed indexation 2½ per cent on the baseline ODA budget in 2022-23, which will see the ODA budget increase over the forward estimates. Our ODA was complemented by a comprehensive package of support to the Indo-Pacific region. This included budget support—Indonesia's $1.5 billion, PNG's $1.14 billion, Fiji's $168.5 million—security assistance and vaccines. Nearly 33 million doses were delivered out of the 60 million committed by the end of 2022. So the Liberal-National coalition had a good record in the Pacific with our neighbouring friends and partners. In soft power and strategic diplomacy, we increased scholarships to the Pacific with nearly 69,660 Australian students through the New Colombo Plan, and we increased the number of students we sent to gain experience in the Pacific by over 60 per cent. Despite COVID-19 challenges, we resumed Australia's award scholarships in short courses to 27 developing countries with 2,075 granted in 2021-22, including 484 for Pacific scholars, with 4,429 Pacific scholars through Australia's award since 2015—PNG, Solomon Islands and Samoa as top participants. We contributed some $5.4 million over 2017 to 2022 to develop the next generation of women Pacific leaders through targeted workshops and network delivered intensive leadership and mentoring for 126 women from 10 Pacific countries connected with 141 Australian mentors and a range of Pacific leaders. Again, to close, referring this legislation to the Senate's Economics Legislation Committee is crucial, and the coalition looks forward to supporting that committee process. 16:59 Mr CONROY 249127 Shortland I intend to spend most of my time on the substance of the Pacific Banking Guarantee Bill 2025, but I can't let the contribution from the member for Petrie go unchallenged. It was a massive rewriting of history from a person clearly reading notes provided by another minister's office. I would submit to you, Mr Deputy Speaker, the member for Petrie couldn't find Papua New Guinea on a map, quite frankly, and that contribution in this debate demonstrates that. Let's go through some facts here— The DEPUTY SPEAKER DZY The minister will resume his seat. On a point of order, the member for Petrie. Mr Howarth 247742 It was reflecting on me, abusing me, when there's no need to do that. You should just get on with the actual speech of the minister. The DEPUTY SPEAKER DZY There's no point of order. The minister has the call. Mr CONROY 249127 I was reflecting on the great policy ignorance and policy failure of those opposite on Pacific matters in their almost 10 years in government. Let's go through some of their highlights. The member for Petrie talked about ODA. Their first budget cut ODA by $65 million, as part of an $11.8 billion cut to ODA in their first budget, which had a demonstrably negative effect on our standing in the world. Their inaction and positive opposition to action on climate change made it so much harder for Australia to build rapport in the Pacific. Who can forget the now Leader of the Opposition's hot mic moment when he made jokes about climate change wiping out Pacific islands? That demonstrably made Australia less safe by imperilling relationships in the Pacific. Who can forget former prime minister Scott Morrison's bullying behaviour at the Pacific Islands Forum leaders week, Tuvalu, where his actions were so demonstrably counter to our interests that then Fijian prime minister Bainimarama said his behaviour was 'very insulting' and 'condescending' and pushed the Pacific towards China. Those are direct quotes from then prime minister Bainimarama of Fiji. Who can forget the Solomon Islands-China security pact that the last government allowed to happen under their watch—the most disastrous foreign policy failing of any Australian government since World War II? So committed are they to the Pacific, what was the foreign minister at the time, Senator Marise Payne, doing when that security pact was being discussed in the Solomon Islands? Was she getting on a plane to go and try and persuade the Sogavare government not to enact it? No. Was she even making phone calls to the Sogavare government to persuade them? No. She refused to make phone calls. She was handing out on prepoll in my electorate of Shortland instead of doing her day job of getting on a plane and trying to persuade the Solomon Islands government not to do that security pact with China. The last government's, the coalition government's, record on the Pacific is appalling. It condemns them. It demonstrates they are unfit to govern because they can't be taken seriously on national security or foreign policy. That's notwithstanding some very enthusiastic members on the other side, and I do acknowledge the deep interest of the member for Riverina, my shadow minister, who is an enthusiastic advocate for close relations with the Pacific. I acknowledge that. Unfortunately, he is few and far between compared to people like the member for Petrie and the opposition leader, who instead make jokes about climate change and refuse to do the hard yards. The truth is that the Pacific is our home. It's in our interest to foster a resilient, connected region that enables our economies to grow and our peoples to prosper. The Albanese government has brought new energy and ambition to revitalise our Pacific partnerships after a decade of neglect. We are using all tools of statecraft, including security cooperation, development cooperation and people-to-people links, to that end. We're also supporting the services that underpin economic growth, like banking, aviation and critical infrastructure. Pacific countries look to us first for support. That is what good neighbours do. We're also facing a more uncertain strategic and international environment. As both the foreign minister and I have remarked, we are in a permanent contest in the Pacific, and there has been a transformational change in Australia's approach to the Pacific since we were elected in 2022. We've signed landmark treaties with both Tuvalu and Nauru, creating a safer region and advancing our position as the security partner of choice. We've strengthened cooperation with Papua New Guinea through our bilateral security agreement and the innovative National Rugby League deal, and both of these are underpinned by shared strategic trust. We've also been getting the relationship with the Solomon Islands on a better footing by helping build its police force, and this confirms our position as the security partner of choice for the Solomon Islands. Our view is that regional security is the responsibility of the Pacific, and we've been working to put this into practice through the Pacific Policing Initiative, which will enable regional police teams to deploy quickly on request, as well as the Pacific Response Group. We're building a proud track record of assisting one another after natural disasters. Most recently we worked to support Vanuatu after its earthquake, getting rescue and humanitarian teams on the ground within 24 hours of Vanuatu's request. But we also shouldn't forget that, when Australia was hit by the terrible bushfires of 2019-20, Fiji sent 54 of its soldiers to help our emergency response, and I acknowledged the bipartisan response there. We're working hard to support every Pacific country to have an undersea telecommunications cable by the end of 2025 to bolster economic growth and connectivity, and we're building people-to-people links. A love of sport is a connection we share with the Pacific, and we're building sports cooperation, whether it's for rugby league in PNG, rugby union in Fiji, netball across the Pacific or soccer in Vanuatu and the Solomon Islands. We're increasing the number of Pacific workers in Australia under our labour mobility scheme. This is resulting in higher remittance flows to the region and fills vital worker shortages in regional Australia while, at the same time, increasing protection and welfare measures for those Pacific workers—a very solemn responsibility we take seriously. We're also creating the first ever Pacific permanent migration pathway through the Pacific engagement visa, responding to a longstanding request from our Pacific partners. Our engagement with the Pacific is underpinned by the government's recognition that climate change is the top concern of the Pacific, and our commitment to climate change action has enabled us to build transformational relationships in the region. For example, our landmark Falepili Union treaty with Tuvalu responds to Tuvalu's position at the front line of the climate crisis. Recognising this has enabled us to unlock greater security cooperation. This bill is part of our commitment to our Pacific neighbours. The Albanese government places a high priority on ensuring that the Pacific and Timor-Leste remain connected to the global financial system. The Pacific has experienced the fastest withdrawal of correspondent banking relationships anywhere in the world. Just as the Pacific suffers the worst consequences of climate change, its businesses, workers and people are disproportionately bearing the cost of debanking. Secure access to the global financial system and banking services is critical for economic growth, financial inclusion and overall stability. At a national level, banking services mean governments and businesses can engage in international trade, can progress projects for infrastructure and essential services and maintain and grow their economies. At a local level, banking services allow people to start up new businesses and maintain and grow their existing businesses. They enable workers to send money home to support their families and communities. For example, we've seen for many years now how transformative remittances can be. Under the Pacific Australia Labour Mobility, or PALM, scheme, workers from the Pacific contribute to Australia by filling labour gaps in regional and rural areas and specific industries. Right now over 30,000 PALM scheme workers are, on average, sending $1,500 per month home to their families and communities. I've visited many communities throughout Timor-Leste and the Pacific and I've seen firsthand how this income directly alleviates poverty in local communities. It helps pay for food and other essentials. It pays for education and medicine and is even used to start small businesses, contributing to economic growth and job creation. Banking services are essential in supporting remittances and fund transfers between people, organisations, businesses and nations. Australia and our Pacific partners want to avoid a situation where Pacific nations are debanked and lose access to timely and affordable cross-border payments and banking services. This is not about any individual country. This is about enhancing our cooperation with Pacific island neighbours. This is about listening to their needs and working together on solutions. We all want to live in a region that is peaceful, stable and prosperous—a region where our partnerships are grounded in respect, including respect for sovereignty—and we're committed to doing our part to contribute to this vision. For over 140 years, Australian banks have been partners to the Pacific region. Today, three Pacific nations use the Australian dollar as their national currency, underscoring our economic interdependence. But banks are not just financial intermediaries; they're symbols of our commitment to the region and they're a key to stronger trading and investment relationships between us and our Pacific neighbours. Our presence in the Pacific ensures that our neighbours can stay connected to their global financial system and experience secure, reliable and higher quality services. I've engaged directly with Pacific leaders and Australian banking executives to find ways to ensure an enduring banking presence in the region. Australian banks' Pacific operations are lauded for maintaining high standards of service quality and high rates of regulatory compliance, helping to thwart financial crime. The importance of this cannot be overstated. Economic instability creates vulnerabilities that can be exploited by transnational criminals and other bad actors. Ensuring the Pacific is a robust financial system mitigates financial crime risks and supports economic resilience. A financially stable Pacific benefits Australia too. I thank the Commonwealth Bank of Australia for providing banking services to Nauru in our national interest, and this is part of the recently signed Nauru-Australia Treaty. Under that treaty, Australia committed to ensuring Nauru will not be left without a bank when Bendigo Bank departs this year. The treaty also reflects a shared commitment to security that is led by the Pacific family, which is in our national interest. I also acknowledge ANZ's commitment to remaining in eight Pacific markets in Timor-Leste. ANZ has been in the Pacific for 140 years. The guarantee will support meaningful access to face-to-face banking services. It will also support enhancements to ANZ's banking services, including its digital banking services. ANZ will continue to support access to international money transfers and correspondent banking services. ANZ will also support Pacific countries through infrastructure financing, in line with the bank's credit risk policies. The guarantee is a responsible and low-risk way to secure ANZ's long-term commitment to the Pacific. I also acknowledge and thank Westpac for their continued presence in the Pacific. Having three banks active in the Pacific, committed to those markets, improves services in the Pacific and improves our relationship with the Pacific. Supporting the Pacific Banking Guarantee Bill 2025 is how members here today can also advance our national interest. A secure, stable and inclusive financial system in the Pacific is not just beneficial to the region; it is in Australia's national interest. We're also doing our part to address the structural factors that are leading to banks exiting the Pacific. This includes helping to build digital identity infrastructure in seven Pacific jurisdictions; building the capacity of financial intelligence units so that Pacific governments can respond to money laundering and terrorism financing risks; trying to find ways to address the lack of scale in Pacific countries' financial markets—and we're doing this in partnership with the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank; and supporting secure and affordable channels for Pacific workers to remit money—and we're doing this with the New Zealand government and the IMF. This is important in itself. I'm pleased to be a part of a government progressing this important piece of legislation. We must ensure that Australia remains the partner of choice for Pacific nations. Let us be clear that safeguarding banking services in the financial system is also about underpinning greater economic resilience and security in our region. We're committed to listening and working together with our Pacific neighbours on this issue that matters to us both. That is the principle that underpins all our actions in the Pacific: we turn up, we listen, and we act on the priorities of the Pacific. That leads to greater relationships with the Pacific, and it stands in stark contrast to actions of the last government, particularly of people like the Leader of the Opposition. This bill is a clear demonstration of our commitment to building stronger Pacific relationships, and I commend the bill to the House. 17:13 Mr McCORMACK 219646 Riverina I thank the member for Shortland, the Minister for International Development and the Pacific, for his kind words about me. I thank him for his actions and involvement with the Pacific. Let's not be partisan about the Pacific. We need statesmen and stateswomen, we need diplomacy, and we need team Australia when it comes to the Pacific. It's too important to allow any other foreign interests or any other incursions into the Pacific. That is why the minister and I have been very firm about what's important to Australia and very firm about what's important to the Pacific island nations we call family and we call friends. He and I would agree that, when it comes to faith, family and football, the Pacific and Australia are as one, and we need to continue, irrespective of who forms the next government. You and I, Deputy Speaker Georganas, have been on overseas trips together before in various delegations. Hopefully we'll get to do that again. When Australian politicians and members of parliament, senators et cetera travel overseas, foreign countries need to see us at our best, and they need to see us speaking as one. When it comes to the Pacific, we need to do just that. The Pacific Banking Guarantee Bill 2025 is an important piece of legislation. I know just how important the Pacific Australia Labour Mobility scheme is because my electorate benefits from it. The remittances that go back to the Pacific Islands nations—for some of those tiny countries, they are more than half of their gross domestic product. It is something those families back home rely on very much, and it's earned in various capacities. It's horticulture and it's agriculture, but it's more than that. It's so many areas of endeavour. Australia relies on Pacific workers, and those from other international countries besides, to ensure that we can get the jobs done that cannot be filled by Australians—by our own citizens. We very much thank, admire and value the efforts made, particularly by those PALM workers. It really came home to me when I attended a very sad farewell on Sunday 16 March at the North Wagga Hall. The previous week, a young woman—just 41—passed away. Her name was Tuota Kirition, and she inexplicably passed away at the Teys Meatworks. Teys were very much in there offering support and whatever they could to her family and to her many friends. I was in the front row at that particular memorial service. Sometimes, when you're sitting in the front row, you don't get an appreciation for just how many people are in that hall, but, when I glanced around, the hall—and it's only a small hall—was filled to overflowing. There were more than 400 mourners that turned up. So I want to pay tribute. It is very much relevant to the topic of debate because she had a 15-year-old daughter back home. She was in Australia, in about her third year working here, and sending the money back to Kiribati. She was sending the money back so that her daughter could have a better life. She was sending the money by banks to ensure that her daughter, her village, her community and her island could have better outcomes. All too sadly, she's passed away in Wagga Wagga. It struck me so vividly that, at the end of the service, her female friends and all the women there were virtually moved to one side of the hall, and the men—big, robust men as they were—had prepared the food. They moved the chairs. They put the tables out. They laid on the feast that followed and allowed the women to mourn. You could see the love and support and family. They weren't all related, but they were all family. It was a very moving service, and I want to pay tribute to Pastor Jerry Rokosuka and all of the island nations that turned up to farewell Tuota, because it was a moving service. I know her loss will be felt keenly in Kiribati, no more so than by her teenage daughter. Australia is better for having her work on that PALM scheme, for her coming to our city and for contributing what she did. I know XXXX will continue to work with her family, her community and, indeed, all her island friends to make sure that she is remembered and that she is supported, and that is a good thing. On this Pacific banking guarantee bill, we heard the minister outline the fact that there has been an arrangement struck between the Commonwealth Bank and Nauru when Bendigo withdrew, and we acknowledge that. We acknowledge all the banks which have for many decades operated in the Pacific, because it is important. I know the minister would be interested to hear this, and I know he probably made representations as well when financial institutions—and not necessarily Australian ones—were taking too much of the remittances and it was actually difficult for the people in the island nations to withdraw their money or to have access to that money. I know that he and I would both be as one when it comes to ensuring that the money that was sent back home went straight into the bank accounts and that—but for some minor adjustments—they received full recompense for their labours. That's critically important. The guarantee covered by this particular legislation supports Australian-authorised deposit-taking institutions—ADIs—operating in the Pacific region to maintain vital banking services there. I know the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Senator Penny Wong, and the former foreign affairs minister Senator Simon Birmingham from South Australia—he and I have travelled to the Pacific together, though we didn't come home in the same state! We went there as team Australia. We went there as one. Mr Conroy 249127 Doing your country proud. Mr McCORMACK 219646 We were enthusiastic—thank you, minister, we were. I look forward to working closely with the member for Banks in what will, hopefully, be a future coalition government to build upon the work that is being done in this term, to build upon the work—and the minister and I might diverge here—done in the previous coalition government. We did do some good things, and every Australian government, going right back to Howard and, no doubt, even before that, have done good things in the Pacific, because it's too important not to. While I do respect Minister Wong—and she knows that—I pay acknowledgement to former foreign affairs minister Senator Marise Payne for the work that she did in the step-up campaign. It might not have been to the minister opposite's taste or liking, but she certainly did have her heart in the right place when it came to the Pacific. We all need to—it's not just those who sit in shadow ministry or ministry; every single one of us has an obligation to the Pacific. At every opportunity that we have, we need to bed down those relationships and make sure the Pacific knows—as Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has often said—that we should be their first partner of choice. As the minister noted in his remarks, when disaster strikes, we are there with HMAS vessels, we're there with our men and women in khaki, providing fresh water, providing logistics and providing support. It's very important. Several Western banks have scaled back or closed Pacific operations in recent years, leaving some nations without reliable access to global financial systems. I know how important our banking relationships are—I met with ANZ Bank representatives in Port Vila on my very first trip to Vanuatu, and I thank them on behalf of the nation for the work that they did. I know that what we need to do is ensure that, with legislation such as this and any other Pacific legislation, the Pacific knows that we are their best friends. We don't want to create opportunities for other nations who have less-than-ideal endeavours or vision for the Pacific than we do as Australia. We need to make sure the Pacific know that we're there for them in finance, infrastructure, funding, aid—and football! Good luck to the Kumuls, and good luck with the future Pacifica team in the National Rugby League. The ANZ has, as the minister said, been a firm friend of the Pacific. I know NAB has been there. I know Westpac has been there. What we don't want to see is any other nation having an in there that we would otherwise not want them to have. The government has announced partnerships with ANZ, Westpac and Commonwealth Bank of Australia to support their operations in the Pacific. Thank you; that's good. Well done. In exchange for the guarantee, the banks will need to pay a fee to the Commonwealth. That's fair enough. It would guarantee that they would be called on if the banks or their subsidiaries suffered a default for the Pacific operations. It's too important to be suffering defaults. We need to have successful financial operations because it's not only good for the government and Pacific relations; it should be good for the banks. Banks have a responsibility—let's call it a social licence—to do the right thing in the Pacific, because banks make good money. Let's not beat around the bush. When you see the bottom lines that banks produce, they do very nicely, thank you very much, and they do very nicely because of the goodwill of Australian customers. They also do very nicely out in the Pacific, but, if they have to take a bit of a haircut on the Pacific, well, that's just a social licence that they have to continue to operate in Australia when they make the sorts of profit margins that they do. Let me tell you: if the Pacific doesn't go as well as what we would all like, then their profit margins in Australia might well be trimmed. People can read into that whatever they like, but I think our banking sector is smart enough to know exactly what I'm talking about. By establishing a special appropriation in the Consolidated Revenue Fund, the legislation provides a framework for ensuring an Australian-bank-specific business or guaranteeing it. Its primary objectives—its main purposes—are to uphold banking services, particularly those crucial for trade and remittances, like that PALM money that goes back to Pacific Island nations, and to maintain economic connectivity for Pacific nations. The minister and I both know that this is of vital importance. While officials consider the likelihood of calling on the guarantee to be low, its main purpose is to keep the banks operating in Pacific Island countries where profitability can be challenging. Refer back to what I said before about the social licence to operate. Profitability can be challenging, but we call on those banks. We don't then need them to get all nervous if the profits aren't what they expect—if, indeed, they might have to suffer a little loss. Ultimately, in the long run, we all know that everything will be okay. Everything will be fine. They will make the money, and our PALM scheme will continue to operate. I know the minister and I have had differences of opinions over the number of hours worked and all that, but I think he and I also are as one that PALM needs to operate and needs to continue. It was an invention of the Gillard government, in fact, and we enhanced it and improved it. We certainly know how important those Pacific Australian Labour Mobility workers are to our nation. I say vale to the Wagga Wagga civic worker who died recently. But this is legislation which needs to be passed, and I thank the minister for bringing it to the House. 17:29 Mr PERRETT HVP Moreton I rise in support of the Pacific Banking Guarantee Bill 2025 brought to the house by the Treasurer and so nobly spoken about by the Minister for International Development and the Pacific. I do acknowledge the words of the member for Riverina, who I know is a great champion of the Pacific. He mentioned team Australia. I've been on touring delegations with the member for Riverina, and I remember how he took the kava for team Australia and his kind words about the minister, who I know is passionate about the Pacific. He has some dubious rugby league teams that he supports, but nevertheless I recognise his great commitment to the Pacific. Mr McCormack 219646 Good on you, Graham. Mr PERRETT HVP I'll take that interjection. At the heart of this bill is Labor's commitment to strengthening our regional ties and to our Pacific family. I use the term 'Pacific family' not in a patriarchal sense but rather as a sibling. I think the Treasurer has the most significant Pasifika community in the country, but, as the member for Riverina touched on, the Pasifika diaspora and Pasifika migrants are scattered right throughout Australia. They are particularly noticeable in our rugby league teams, rugby union teams and netball teams, in fact. But the Treasurer, Jim Chalmers, is particularly engaged with the need for this guarantee. Obviously, coming from the electorate of Rankin, it is personal. Since coming to office, the Albanese government has been committed to strengthening partnerships in the Pacific, which, sadly, have been trashed by the coalition for nine long years—that wasted decade, in fact. Who could forget the coalition leader joking about our Pacific family members losing their homes due to climate change? Contrast that with the fine words the member for Riverina just delivered. The Minister for Foreign Affairs and the Minister for International Development and the Pacific have travelled extensively, amending the relationships that have become strained during that disastrous decade of coalition government. In fact, Albanese government ministers visited every Pacific Islands Forum nation in our first 12 months in office—something that reflects our commitment to the region. In August 2023, the government released the milestone International Development Policy. This policy focuses on high-quality support for our neighbours in economic growth, infrastructure development, health care, climate change, gender equality and addressing poverty—all of which contribute to a stable and prosperous region. The International Development Policy operates alongside the Official Development Assistance budget. That shortsighted former coalition government slashed this budget by $11.9 billion. That's right—$11.9 billion. I know that speakers from the coalition have spoken about team Australia and bipartisan support, but you just can't get away with the damage that you do to relationships when you slash $11.9 billion. That is something that the former foreign minister, Julie Bishop, has never publicly apologised for, nor has she been held accountable for the damaging slap in the face delivered to our Pacific neighbours and others. Labor however recognises the vital and ongoing importance of supporting our neighbours. It makes Australians safer. That's why we've increased the ODA budget by $10.4 billion. The Albanese government has also added $500 million to the ODA budget over the forward estimates for climate change finance for developing countries and for the development of better infrastructure. Labor's responsible economic management will also ensure long-term sustainable growth to the ODA budget via annual indexation of 2.5 per cent. As mentioned by the Treasurer on Tuesday night, we'll redirect $119 million to the Indo-Pacific region, after the United States cut, effectively, 40 per cent of the world's global aid overnight. I know it's not quite that. They've cut back a little bit on the cutting, but it is incredible to think of the hundreds and thousands of people who lost their jobs and, even more than that, as we know, the lives that have been lost since that decision. Something as simple as keeping people alive with HIV treatment—what would have been 600,000 deaths per year is probably going to be 10 times that over the next five years. People are dying right now because of that decision. Obviously, we can't take up 40 per cent of the world's foreign aid. We can't fill that gap. All the world's other economies can't fill that gap. It's quite significant. But we will support the Pacific in terms of economic health, humanitarian and climate responses wherever we can to try and make up for that and do what we can to look after our patch. All of these measures indicate Labor's strong commitment to international development but especially to the development in our region. They also highlight this government's focus on reinforcing crucial regional relationships. In times of increasing global insecurity and uncertainty, the relationships we have with our regional partners are vital. We are collectively facing complex geopolitical challenges as we emerge from a global pandemic. We are faced with conflicts, with wars, with humanitarian and economic crises and with that ever-growing grim reality of climate change that everyday Australians see every time they—basically, we see it on our television screens every couple of weeks. The challenges of climate change are no laughing matter for our Indo-Pacific neighbours, despite the Leader of the Opposition's cruel performance. His flippant comments about the effects of climate change on the Pacific islands laid bare his contempt and lack of understanding of the modern world. What's that saying from Maya Angelou? 'When someone shows you what they are, believe them.' It has been 10 years since that infamous boom mic incident, but the Leader of the Opposition continues to be steadfast in his climate change denial, and he will not come clean about his plans for the 2030 emissions target or the Paris Agreement. In contrast to the coalition's approach to our regional neighbours, the Albanese government is drawing on all the tools of statecraft, including rugby league, rugby union, netball, football, cricket, and others, I'm sure—I'm seeing some nods from someone who would know—to deepen and strengthen our vital relationships with regional partners. And, just as an aside, I know I'm speaking to a Western Australian deputy speaker, but the rugby league diplomacy that the Prime Minister exhibited on the State of Origin a few years back was a masterstroke—perhaps it something that would never be written by a DFAT official but by a South Sydney Rabbitohs tragic like the Prime Minister—and it was incredibly effective. The Pacific Banking Guarantee Bill is obviously a part of this expanded relationship. Simply put, this bill will help to provide ongoing access to banking facilities across the Pacific. In recent years, Australian banks have scaled down operations in Pacific countries, and the decrease of correspondent banking services has been faster in this region than anywhere else in the world. Correspondent banking services occur when a financial institution provides banking services to another financial institution in a foreign country. The services provided include cash management, international funds transfer, cheque clearing, trade finance arrangements and foreign exchange services—all crucial to stay connected to the international finance system, particularly when you have the PALM worker scheme, which is, I would suggest, one of our greatest diplomatic engagements with the Pacific. Connection is necessary for economic growth, financial inclusion and regional stability. The Albanese government's Pacific banking guarantee will ensure the entire region stays connected. The need for this guarantee was discussed when the Treasurer attended the Pacific Islands Forum Economic Ministers Meeting in August last year. In fact, it was the first time in nearly 20 years that an Australian Treasurer had attended such a meeting. The Pacific banking guarantee is not a loan or a subsidy. Instead, the Commonwealth will back eligible Australian banks to continue their operations in the Pacific by providing a guarantee. It places the risk of default on low-risk exposures on the Commonwealth rather than the financial institutions, who, I have noticed, are not exactly struggling. The participating banks will pay a fee for the arrangement. The bill will implement a special appropriation on the Consolidated Revenue Fund and enable the Commonwealth to pay for the full amount of the guarantee if there is a default. It's unlikely that the guarantee will ever be needed, but it provides additional security and confidence for Australian banks to continue to operate in the Pacific. The Pacific banking guarantee is a regionwide approach. It is not about any one nation, and it's all about strengthening our Pacific family, as a good sibling should do. The importance of finance to this regional relationship is reflected in the work this government has already undertaken in the sector. I'm talking about progress such as the Commonwealth bank opening in Nauru this year and the development of digital identity infrastructure with the World Bank and Asian Development Bank. We've also supported ANZ and Westpac to continue operations in the Pacific. It's not just about the banks, though. The Attorney-General's Department has been working with capacity building in Pacific countries in the areas of financial crime protection. This reflects the core tenets of the international development policy, which focuses on genuine partnerships that value consultation, listening, collaboration and respect. Those four terms, again, are consultation, listening, collaboration and respect. Throw in a little bit of culture and food, the occasional shared meal, maybe even a bit of kava—not as much as the member for Riverina consumes—and some sporting links and you have a recipe for a happier Pacific family. We know what the Pacific is. You can't just go to Noosa and have a swim and say you are involved with the Pacific. That's not diplomacy. You need to do a lot more, as our ministers have shown. The Albanese Labor government's put partnership at the centre of international development, and we respect the different strengths that all our different partners bring to the table. The Pacific banking guarantee is a necessary, useful and forward-thinking component of our relationship with our Pacific family. It sets the region up for ongoing growth, prosperity and stability. For the last time I say, I commend the bill to the House. 17:40 Mr WATTS 193430 Gellibrand Let me say what a serendipitous privilege it is for me to be able to follow the member for Moreton in this debate for his last contribution in this chamber. Let me put on the record my deep affection and admiration for GP. This is a man who has made a contribution across so many different aspects of our nation. Importantly to me, he has been a consistent voice for Australia's relations with Africa, a cause that I have spoken about a lot in my time and a cause that needs more voices in this chamber speaking up for it. GP and I have been able to travel all the way to north-western Kenya to the Kakuma refugee camp, which so many members of the Australian community have travelled through on their way to Australia, to really see the impact that our work through both ODA and other arrangements has had there. Travelling with someone in an environment like that you get a sense of the kind of person they are. I won't share with the chamber everything that happened on that trip, GP! But I have to say it is a genuine tribute to the calibre of GP and the regard in which he's held in this chamber that he can inflict so much pain on so many members of this chamber on the sporting fields of Parliament House and still be so beloved. The member for Fremantle and I have both been personally affected by GP's enthusiasm on the sporting field! Good luck, mate. I know you owe it to your family. Let me put on the record our thanks to them for sharing you with us during this time. Good luck in retirement from this place, mate. I am pleased to be able to speak on the Pacific Banking Guarantee Bill 2025 today. Since the election of the Albanese government, we have committed to a new era of Australian engagement in the Pacific. We have worked hard to deepen the social, cultural and economic connections between Australia and our Pacific family. We have really worked to enmesh our nation with the Pacific family. The foreign minister visited the Pacific on just her fourth day in the role, travelling to Fiji to discuss how we could best secure our region and help to build a stronger Pacific family. The foreign minister visited every member of the Pacific Island Forum in the first year of this government. It was a clear demonstration of the new energy and focus that our government would bring to Australia's Pacific relationships. This was replicated across our government, with visits to the Pacific by the Prime Minister, the Deputy Prime Minister, the Minister for International Development and the Pacific, the Treasurer, the Attorney-General, the Minister for Home Affairs and other ministerial colleagues. When we say we are part of the Pacific family, we mean it. We share an ocean and we share a future. The connections that Australia shares with our Pacific family—our mutual understanding, common purpose and cooperation—have never been more important. We face the most challenging strategic circumstances of the postwar period. There are major changes reshaping our region and the world—climate change, technological innovation and disruption, geostrategic competition and demographic change. These circumstances demand that Australia work more closely with our international partners to shape the kind of region that we want—a region that's peaceful, stable and prosperous, a region that operates according to agreed rules, norms and international law, where sovereignty is respected and where individual countries are free to make their own choices, and a region where no country dominates and no country is dominated. We can't achieve a region like this on our own. We have to work with others, and it is only becoming more challenging. How we work together with our international partners, with our neighbours, with our Pacific family to meet our shared challenges today will have a great effect on future generations. The Pacific is at the front line of many of the environmental, geopolitical and economic challenges we confront. Our Pacific neighbours are highly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, increasing their need to work with us. They also need to look to us first to support their development and economic needs, which can be acute. Responding and providing support is what good partners do. As the Foreign Minister has said, we are now in a state of permanent contest in the region. We need to work harder to be the partner of choice in the Pacific. Our opportunity to be the only partner of choice was lost to us over the previous decade, when those opposite were in government. The former coalition government cut Australia's overseas development assistance program to the Pacific. They cut official development assistance by $11.8 billion in their time in office—and perhaps later tonight we will see further commitments to cuts in the budget reply speech. This was a drastic drop that made our region less safe, and it left a vacuum in the Pacific for others to fill. Australian security continues to pay a price for the coalition's neglect in government. We now have to compete to become a partner of choice. We have to work at it. That's why the Albanese government has been hard at work implementing our vision for stronger engagement with the Pacific, with our nearest neighbours, with our family. On that note, I will cede the floor to my colleague the member for Fremantle, in anticipation of this evening's budget reply speech. Debate adjourned. BUSINESS 136 BUSINESS Rearrangement 136 17:45 Mr JOSH 265970 Fremantle WILSON (—) (): I move: That business intervening before order of the day No. 5, government business, be postponed until the next sitting. Question agreed to. BILLS 136 BILLS Appropriation Bill (No. 1) 2025-2026 136

Appropriation Bill (No. 1) 2025-2026

Second Reading 136 19:31 Mr DUTTON 00AKI Dickson To Australians listening tonight, thank you very much for your time. Soon, you'll have a say in determining the future of our great country. We live, literally, in the best country in the world, and we're the beneficiaries of what our forbears have built and defended. We love this country because it has forged us into a remarkable people. We're compassionate, we're stoic, we're fair and we're quietly patriotic. We cherish this country because it affords opportunities like no other, but only—and I stress this point—if we're governed well. When Australia is governed badly, dreams and ambitions become beyond reach. And that's what has happened during the last three years of the Albanese government. In my travels across the country, Australians tell me that they're working hard but they're not getting ahead. In Perth, a mum in a grocery store in tears told me how she, her husband and her children couldn't keep their heads above water with the bills stacking up. In Adelaide, I spoke with a food manufacturer whose electricity prices had gone up by about 300 per cent. In Victoria, I spoke with a supermarket employee, a woman in her 60s, who had a machete held against her throat during a robbery. In Brisbane, I listened to a young couple in their 30s who have moved back in with their parents because they simply can't buy a home even though both of them are working overtime. Such stories have now become commonplace across our country—stories of rent and mortgage stress; stories of power, shopping and insurance bills going through the roof; stories of home ownership being out of reach for so many; stories of it being increasingly difficult to see and to afford a GP; and stories of crime on our streets. For so many Australians, aspiration has turned to anxiety, optimism to pessimism and national confidence to national uncertainty. The truth is Australians can't afford three more years of the Albanese government. Every election is important. But this election does matter more than others in recent history. It is a sliding-doors moment for our nation. A returned Albanese government in any form won't just be another three bleak years. More economic mistakes will take a lot longer to recover from. Setbacks will be set in stone, and our prosperity will be damaged for decades to come. But you have the power to change the path our country's on, you have the ability to reverse decline, and you have the opportunity to get our country back on track. You can do that by voting for your Liberal or Nationals candidate so that a new Dutton coalition government can be elected. At this election, the choice could not be clearer. Tonight, I'll outline the choice Australians face at this election and our plan to fix Labor's mess. We have a positive plan to deliver: a stronger economy with lower inflation, cheaper energy, affordable homes, quality health care and safer communities; a plan to help you and your families; a plan to bring about a stronger, safer and better Australia; a plan to usher in more confident, resilient and self-reliant people right across the country. And we need to accept that we live in a more dangerous and disruptive world. To these ends, tonight I'll announce new policies that a coalition government would implement. Tonight I commit a coalition government to the following. We will introduce four critical pieces of legislation on the first sitting day in the next parliament: (1) the energy price reduction bill; (2) the lower immigration and more homes for Australians bill; (3) the keep Australians safe bill; and (4) the guaranteed funding for health, education and essential services bill. This is my signal to the Australian people of what my priorities will be in government. In his fourth budget, like the previous three, the Treasurer again painted a rosy picture of the economy. But Australians aren't silly. Your bills tell the true story of Labor's cost-of-living crisis, and here are the facts of the Albanese government's economic record: rents are up by 18 per cent, housing is up by 14 per cent, groceries are up by a staggering 30 per cent, electricity is up by 32 per cent and insurance is up for many households and businesses by 35 per cent. Australians have experienced the longest household recession and the worst collapse in living standards in our country's history. Under Labor, interest rates have gone up 12 times but only been cut once, and they've stayed higher for longer compared to other, comparable nations. This budget makes clear that Labor was only able to deliver two surpluses, piggybacking off the former coalition government's strong economic management, as well as record commodity price windfalls. And now the outlook is one of deficits as far as the eye can see. For three years Labor peddled the lie that they inherited a trillion dollars of debt, yet the budget papers that we saw on Tuesday night confirm that the Labor Party will burden Australia with a trillion dollars of debt as of next year. Tuesday's budget was one for the next five weeks, not one for the next five years. It was a shameless election voting exercise, not a plan for our country's future. It was about saving Prime Minister Albanese, not about you and certainly not about safeguarding our nation. Jim Chalmers's so-called tax cut top-up is simply a tax cut cop-out. It's a cruel hoax. Labor will spend $17 billion of taxpayers' money to give you back 70c a day in 15 months time, and yet a family with a typical mortgage under this government is $50,000 worse off. I think it's insulting, to be honest. We oppose these tax cuts and will repeal them because we think there's a better way to provide assistance to Australians. We will provide immediate cost-of-living relief for Australians. A coalition government will halve the fuel excise for 12 months, and then we'll review it. We'll make sure that that comes in on the first day that our parliament sits. For a household with one car filling up once a week, that's a saving of about $14 a week, or around $700 over the year. For a household with two cars filling up once a week, that is a saving of $28 a week, or around $1,500 over 12 months. Compare that to 70c a day in 15 months time. Working with industry, we'll ensure that heavy-vehicle road users also benefit from this measure, and we'll make sure the ACCC will ensure that the fuel excise cut will be passed on in full to consumers. The policy will cost $6 billion. Amidst Labor's cost-of-living pressures, charities are experiencing increased demand, including from Australians who never previously relied on that support. To scale up assistance and provide immediate relief, we will commit $50 million for food charities like food banks SecondBite and OzHarvest to expand their services and to include school breakfast programs. They approached the government with this plan, and it was rejected in this budget. Of course, to get out of Labor's economic mess and to tackle Labor's cost-of-living crisis, we need hard decisions and a proper plan. A coalition government will do three things: first, we will rein in inflationary spending; second, we will reduce the cost of energy; and, third, we will strengthen the economy so that it works for you. I just want to address each of those aspects in turn. Over three years, the Albanese government has increased spending as a share of the economy more than any government since the recession of the 1990s. It's lifted spending by an extraordinary $425 billion. That's about $40,000 per Australian household. Much of this spending hasn't gone to essential services or generated economic activity. Rather, it's been inflationary, it's been ineffectual, and it's been wasteful. Such rapid and unrestrained spending is not only adding to the debt that our children will have to repay but also keeping the pressure on inflation. During a cost-of-living crisis that's the last thing that you want. The Reserve Bank governor has independently pointed out this great failing in this bad government. Core inflation under this government has averaged more than double what it was under the coalition. Personal income taxes paid have also increased by about 24 per cent under Labor. The average taxpayer is now paying $3,500 more tax this year alone or, for a dual income household, $7,000. That's a big hit. I want Australian families to be making choices about what they will eat, not choices about whether they can eat or heat, which is the prospect facing many people, particularly pensioners and people on low incomes, in our country right now. I want to make sure that we can fight the cost-of-living pressures, because we need to get interest rates down. To get interest rates down, we need, of course, to get inflation down. To get inflation down, we need to address its underlying causes, and that's something the government hasn't done. We want to stop wasteful government spending, and tonight I announce that a coalition government will reign in key inflationary, ineffectual and imprudent spending, which has been a hallmark of this government. We will end the reckless $20 billion Rewiring the Nation Fund. We will stop the $10 billion Housing Australia Future Fund, which has not built a single additional home. We will scrap Labor's nearly $14 billion of production tax credits for green hydrogen because it is not going to work. We'll reverse Labor's increase of 41,000 Canberran public servants because it will save about $7 billion a year. That's money that we can provide back to the Australian people in frontline services. The growth rate of public servants under this government in Canberra is about three times the rate it was under the Rudd-Gillard government. But I make this guarantee to the Australian people tonight: in line with our national interest, we will continue to invest in essential services and critical areas of the economy like health and aged care, veteran support, the NDIS, Indigenous affairs, child care and defence. We won't cut frontline service delivery roles. We will ensure that the services Australians rely on are sustainable. Under Labor, you will be guaranteed a number of things, but one thing I'm sure of is more reckless and wasteful spending, which will cause interest rates and inflation to stay higher for longer. That means you'll pay more for everything—more for food, more for your rent, more for your mortgage, more for power and more for insurance. You'll continue to pay more tax too. But, under the coalition, we will fight cost-of-living pressures at their source. At the very centre of Labor's cost-of-living crisis, is, of course, the skyrocketing cost of energy. That's due, of course, to Anthony Albanese and Chris Bowen's reckless renewables-only policy train wreck. As every Australian knows, energy is the economy. Australians are paying some of the highest power prices in the world—indeed, up to three times more than comparable economies—and the Albanese government has broken its core election promise when it comes to energy. Your electricity bill hasn't gone down by $275 as Labor promised on 97 occasions. The Prime Minister and Treasurer refuse even to mention that word, even though they looked you in the eye and said that they would bring your power prices down by $275 each year. As Australians can attest, they're now paying $1,300 more than what Labor promised in their energy bills. I think the point to make is that it's not just homeowners and renters who are paying higher power bills. It's farmers, it's business owners, it's cafe owners, and it's manufacturers too. Across the economy, it's costing more to grow food, more to produce goods, more to store the food and the goods and, certainly, more to deliver services, and those costs are just passed on to Australian consumers, which is why Australians are feeling the crunch at the moment. I want Australians to be putting items in their shopping trolley, not putting them back onto supermarket shelves. I want businesses to be able to hire more staff, not put more money aside to pay ever-increasing power bills. Gas is the key in our country, as it is around the developed world, to manufacturing, to making electricity and to keeping the lights on. But the Albanese government has stalled projects from getting off the ground and created a national gas emergency due to insufficient supply. We now know that, in our country, Victoria is about to spend money building an import terminal to bring gas into Victoria—to import gas into Victoria. Under Labor, gas prices have gone up for households and businesses by 34 per cent and 43 per cent respectively. The coalition understands what Labor won't: you can't run a full-time and functioning economy using part-time and unreliable power. Under Labor, the energy crisis—and, therefore, your pain—will continue. Bills will keep going up because the cost of putting out 28,000 kilometres of new transmission lines will just be passed on to Australians. Our energy grid will become more unstable, with a greater reliance on sometimes-on power, which equals blackouts and brownouts. And you can expect a lot of energy rationing in Australia under a re-elected Albanese government. Under the coalition, energy will become affordable and reliable again, where we use a mix of technologies which include always-on power to firm up the renewable sometimes-on power. And the only way to drive down power prices quickly is to ramp up domestic gas production, and tonight I announce our national gas plan. This plan will prioritise domestic gas supply, address shortfalls and reduce energy prices for Australians. This is all about ensuring Australian gas is for Australians. We will immediately introduce an east coast gas reservation. This will require a proportion between 50 and 100 petajoules of spot cargo exports to be delivered to the domestic market. This will secure an additional 10 to 20 per cent of the east coast demand—gas which would otherwise be exported for use in other markets by consumers in those countries. But our gas needs to be first and foremost for our people. Gas sold on the domestic market will be decoupled from overseas markets to protect Australia from international price shocks, and this will drive down new wholesale domestic gas prices from around $14 per gigajoule to under $10 per gigajoule. And this is just the start. We will immediately audit development-ready projects, with a focus on the southern states. We will fast-track a decision on Western Australia's North West Shelf project. The government has delayed a decision on that project, conveniently, until 31 May, which happens to be after the election. So good luck in WA! We will halve approval times. We will defund the activist led Environmental Defenders Office, which has been disgraced and which has obstructed projects. We will accelerate new investment into gas projects by reinstating a $300 million strategic basin plan and include gas in the Capacity Investment Scheme. We will invest $1 billion into a critical gas infrastructure fund and increase gas pipeline and storage capacity. We will put in place 'use it or lose it' stipulations for gas-drilling companies so offshore gas fields are not locked up for years. And we will ensure that we have a fit-for-purpose gas trigger to safeguard supply. This plan will lower wholesale gas prices, which will flow across the economy. Our national gas plan is expected to push prices down for new gas sales to below $10 per gigajoule, compared to the $14 in the market today. Energy prices will always be lower under a coalition government. A coalition government will also secure our nation's energy security for decades to come and over the longer term. We will join the other 19 top economies in the world in adopting proven zero-emissions nuclear power. This is one of the most visionary and necessary policies put forward in our country's history. It was supported by Bob Hawke, and it's supported by John Howard and other leaders of our nation. It will underpin our energy security for the next century. Our plan has been independently costed at 44 per cent cheaper than Labor's plan. Labor has never been able to dispute that outcome. What it means is that there are savings of $263 billion for Australians. If a plan is cheaper, electricity prices will be cheaper as fewer costs are passed on to consumers. Nuclear power's high yield of energy and small footprint means that there's no need to carpet our national parks, prime agricultural land and coastlines with industrial-scale renewables. The coalition has the only energy policy which protects our environment and safeguards the livelihoods of regional Australia. The exorbitant cost of energy is one reason why a record 29,000 small businesses have gone insolvent under Labor. It's one reason why there's been a threefold increase in the number of manufacturers who have closed under Mr Albanese's watch. But another reason is Labor's excessive regulation and interference in the economy. Sectors critical to our economy, like mining, manufacturing, forestry, fishing and agriculture, have been crippled by Labor's weaponisation of environment industry IR and cultural heritage laws. We are seeing industries simply pack up and go offshore and international partners withdraw investment from our country. For all of Anthony Albanese's talk of a future made in Australia, the opposite is actually a fact. Less is being made in Australia under this government's watch and more is being made abroad. The last three years are a lesson: no government can subsidise the economy to success. Under Labor, we will continue to see a hollowing-out of our economy. Industries and businesses will continue to collapse in record numbers or simply move operations offshore, which means that we'll lose those jobs. Under the coalition, we will build a stronger economy, not only by getting power prices down but also by ripping up as much red tape and green tape as possible. Tonight, I commit to removing regulatory burdens where we can, where there's duplication across local, state and federal government, during a first-term coalition government. My intention is to make Australia a mining, agriculture, construction and manufacturing powerhouse once again. The revenue generated from these revived sectors will create more money to build new infrastructure, to fund health and education and, importantly, to equip our defence forces. In addition to backing our natural strengths, we will encourage new areas of the economy, like artificial intelligence, automation, cybersecurity, space, and bio- and nanotechnologies. AUKUS, too, has the potential to foster a new arm of our economy and transform our civil industrial base. We will spend taxpayers' money wisely, in a manner which has an economic multiplying effect, in a way which generates productivity and can attract new investment. That's better for you and your family. It will create jobs for your children and grandchildren. We will curtail union militancy in workplaces. We will revert to a simple definition of 'casual worker'. The corrupt and disgraced CFMEU, who have donated $11 million to the Labor Party, which in turn has seen the Labor Party turn a blind eye to them and their illegal conduct, will be deregistered. The construction industry watchdog will be restored so that we can have safety again on big building sites. New antiracketeering laws will be legislated and a dedicated Australian Federal Police led taskforce will tackle the criminal elements in our building sector that are ripping off Australians and undermining productivity. Prime Minister, I would never tolerate seeing a member of a union—or any person, for that matter—kicking a woman on camera and not even commenting in relation to it. It was a disgrace, and it was a disgrace that this government allowed it to happen. It is a common practice from the CFMEU. Reviving growth also means having the backs of small business, including through tax relief. We've got tax relief coming for small business. We will increase the instant asset write-off from $1,000 under this government to $30,000, and we are going to make that arrangement ongoing. We will provide a deduction of up to $20,000 per year for small businesses for business related meal expenses, which is also a much-needed shot in the arm for struggling cafes, restaurants and pubs. If your kids or grandkids work in a local cafe or at a local pub or club, this will see them get more hours and have more secure employment. It will allow the local real estate agency or a builder to take staff to a local cafe to celebrate a big sales event or simply to say thank you to their hardworking employees. It creates jobs, and it supports the struggling hospitality sector. I want small businesses to be taking calculated risks, not shutting up shop. Reviving growth and preparing our economy for the future also means supporting skills development. Tonight, I announce that a coalition government will set a target of 400,000 apprentices and trainees in training across Australia. Our plan is to restore targeted and proven incentive payments for employers to hire and train an apprentice. We will provide small and medium businesses with $12,000 to support them to put on a new apprentice or trainee in critical skills areas for the first two years of their training. It will have a particular focus on the building and construction sector. Addressing Labor's cost-of-living crisis and energy crisis is just the start. In its first two years, the government brought in a million people through the migration program. That's 70 per cent more migrants than in any two-year period in Australia's history. Of course, there will be consequences. And yet, after three years in power, the Albanese government hasn't delivered a single additional new home built under its failed housing policies. Australians are generous and welcoming people, but they want migration to be sustainable and the government to be in control of it. Labor neither is in control of migration nor has kept migration at sustainable levels, and Australians know it. I don't want young Australians locked out of the property market or having to rely on the bank of mum and dad. I want to see fewer Australians homeless and more Australians in homes. Under Labor, migration will continue to put pressure on housing, on infrastructure and on services. But, under the coalition, we will cut the migration intake to free up housing and restore the great Australian dream of homeownership. We will cut the permanent migration program by 25 per cent. We will ban foreign investors and temporary residents from purchasing existing Australian homes for a period of two years. We will set stricter caps on foreign students to relieve stress on rental markets, and we will invest $5 billion in essential infrastructure to get stalled housing projects up and going, and it's going to create 500,000 new homes. We will allow for first home buyers to access up to $50,000 of their super for a home deposit because it's better to get into a home sooner. When a government doesn't have any achievements to speak about, which is the reality for this government, it resorts to smears and scare campaigns. There's no greater sign of the Albanese government's desperation than its 'Mediscare' campaign—Labor's third attempt in less than a decade. But, while Labor peddles falsehoods, we'll remind Australians of the facts. On this government's watch, bulk-billing nationally has fallen by 11 per cent. There have been 41 million fewer bulk-billing episodes with GP services under this government. And more than 270 GP practices have closed under this government's watch. Australians should never have to choose between seeing a doctor or paying their bills. Under Labor, Australians will have ongoing pressures on the health system, but, under the coalition, we will deliver quality health care. We will invest $9.4 billion into health. That includes incentivising junior doctors, as I announced last year, to work as GPs to address the current shortages at your local clinic. We will boost Medicare bulk-billing. We will invest in hospitals, especially in high-population-growth areas where there is the biggest strain on services. We will guarantee cheaper medicines and lower the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme co-payment to $25, and we'll invest $500 million into women's health. And we will double the subsidised mental health sessions from 10 20 and make this arrangement permanent. Many young Australians require access to mental health services in any given year, and tonight I announce that a coalition government will invest an additional $400 million into youth mental health services. We will expand the remit of the National Centre for Excellence in Youth Mental Health, which I created in 2014, into a national institute. We will boost regional services and expand treatment to Australia at the forefront of youth mental health treatment in the world. We will continue to support the world-leading Medical Research Future Fund, which I established as the then health minister. There is now more than $20 billion in that fund, and it's providing support to our specialists all around the country, to scientists, to researchers and to labs—all of them working on incredible projects. That funding will continue to provide them with support and Australians with hope. In my travels across the country, Australians tell me they've never been more worried about crime and division in our community. It started with the Prime Minister's Voice referendum, which sought to divide our country by ancestry and race. He then left a vacuum of leadership following the crime wave in Alice Springs and the antisemitism on the steps of the Sydney Opera House. All too often, the Prime Minister is too weak, too late and too equivocal. This government has released 300 hardcore criminals from immigration detention into the community, with more than a third having reoffended against Australian citizens. It granted tourist visas to 3,000 people from a terrorist-controlled war zone, conducted without security checks that should have been put in place. It has failed to deter people smugglers trying to reach our shores by illegal boats. It has turned a blind eye when our military personnel have been endangered. It didn't stand up for our country when Chinese communist warships entered our waters without notice. It relied on Virgin Australia pilots to alert us to the Chinese navy's live fire exercise off our coast. Australia should be a country where people live without fear and without worrying about the future. Under Labor, you'll get the same weakness of leadership that has compounded crime and emboldened antisemitism on our streets. You'll get a nation that is less safe and less secure. But, under the coalition, we will provide the moral and political leadership needed to restore law, order and justice. We will establish a dedicated antisemitism taskforce to turn the tide of this scourge of hatred. Every Australian should be equally treated. We will work with states and territories to develop national uniform knife laws. We will toughen bail laws to stop domestic violence offenders. We will again stop the boats, just as we did in 2013, and we will again deport dangerous non-citizen criminals, just as I did as home affairs minister in cancelling 6,300 visas of murderers, sex offenders and drug traffickers, something this government hasn't continued. We will again invest in defence to play our part as a credible partner to deter aggression and to maintain peace. We've already committed to $3 billion of additional funding to reinstate the fourth squadron of the F-35 joint strike fighters cancelled by Labor. Our plan is to energise our domestic defence industry and to retool the ADF with asymmetric capabilities to deter a larger adversary. During the election campaign, we will announce our significant funding commitment to defence—a commitment which, unlike Labor's, will be commensurate with the challenges of our times. The Prime Minister of our country and the Deputy Prime Minister, the Minister for Defence, tell Australians regularly that we live in the most precarious period, the most dangerous period, since the end of the Second World War. What leader of a country says that and then doesn't do anything about it? We will nurture pride and unity in our country. We will provide support to the Australian Defence Force to keep us safe today and into generations ahead at a time when we most need it. That starts by making sure that we don't fail young Australians. I think this is an incredibly important point. A coalition government will restore a curriculum that teaches the core fundamentals in our classrooms, a curriculum that cultivates critical thinking, responsible citizenship and common sense. This election is as much about leadership as it is about policy, and the choice is clear at the next election. I will be a strong leader with a steady hand. I will make the tough decisions, not shirk them. I will put the national interest first. I will lead with conviction, not walk both sides of the street. I have real life experience to demonstrate it, as a veteran of the police force who dedicated nine years to protecting Australians, especially women and children; as a small business owner who started and successfully ran businesses; as someone who came from a working-class background and knows the value of hard work and the aspiration that drives Australians; and as a parent, along with my wife, Kirilly, who understands that family is the most important unit in our society. I want to give a shout-out to Kirilly tonight. She's just had surgery on her wrist and is at home watching with Rebecca, Harry and Tom—unless maths clashes with this broadcast. I've been an assistant treasurer in our country. I've been a minister for health, a minister for immigration, a minister for home affairs and a minister for defence, which was an enormous honour. I lead a united and incredibly capable team. We're ready to govern. We're ready to deliver a stronger economy with lower inflation, cheaper energy, affordable homes, quality health care and safer communities. We will govern with respect for the views, values and vision of everyday Australians. Australians are worse off under the Albanese government, and Australians cannot afford three more years of this bad Labor government. I say to Australians tonight: at this election, you can make the right choice. You can make a better choice for you, a better choice for your family and a better choice for your country. Together, let's build a stronger, safer and better Australia, and let's get our country back on track. Debate adjourned. House adjourned at 20 : 08 The DEPUTY SPEAKER ( Ms Payne ) took the chair at 09:30.

Thursday, 27 March 2025

The DEPUTY SPEAKER ( Ms Payne ) took the chair at 09:30.

CONSTITUENCY STATEMENTS 142 CONSTITUENCY STATEMENTS Budget 142 09:30 Ms DANIEL 008CH Goldstein This week's budget saw the age-old ritual of the government announcing a tax cut with great fanfare to offset the impact of bracket creep. While the top-up tax cut is welcome relief, voters in Goldstein aren't fooled. It is yet another tactical return of bracket creep just before an election, not a sustainable or transparent way to run the tax system. I have been calling for the indexation of income tax brackets for some time. Indexation forces governments to make deliberate, honest decisions about revenue, rather than relying on inflation to quietly grow the size of the tax pie. When I speak to voters in Goldstein they are frustrated with the major parties on this issue. My community tax survey made that crystal clear. Bracket creep is a stealth tax increase year after year that disproportionately burdens younger Australians, workers and families. It allows the government to fill its coffers through an overreliance on income tax and enables them to kick the can down the road, instead of conducting a meaningful review of our tax system. As our population ages, we must broaden the tax base to ensure the next generation isn't saddled with enormous national debt and the interest payments that come with it. Relying on revenue creeping through the back door is no longer working for the lucky country, and unless we get serious about tax reform, we are going to run out of luck. For too long the major parties have relied on windfalls, whether from resource prices, superannuation taxes or bracket creep, to paper over structural deficits, but that well is running dry. Hoping for budgetary luck or favourable resource prices is not fiscal policy. It leaves the national accounts in structural deficit with no real plan, and there's red out until at least 2035. Bracket creep is not just bad policy; it's an intergenerational equity issue and a drag on the lives and livelihoods of working Australians, especially young people. Seventeen countries in the OECD already index their income tax brackets. There's no reason Australia should lag behind. We are the lucky country, but luck isn't a policy. If I am re-elected in May I look forward to working constructively with both major parties to restructure our tax system so it is fit for purpose and fit for the future of our children. Albanese Government 142 09:33 Ms RISHWORTH HWA Kingston Over the last three years the Albanese Labor government has been working to build Australia's future. When we were elected after 10 years of the coalition being in government, inflation was rising and wages were going backwards through a deliberate design feature of their policy. There were year-on-year cuts to Medicare, hospitals, schools, TAFEs and other essential services. There were 23 failed energy policies, and that was after the Liberals' famous promise in 2013—no cuts to education, no cuts to health, no cuts to family payments, no cuts to the pension. We saw cuts to all of those things. Over the last three years, our government has worked hard to clean up the mess left behind and to deliver for the Australian people. Under our government, inflation is down, wages are moving again and more Australians are in a job than ever before. We are delivering cost-of-living relief to all Australians through tax cuts for every taxpayer, not just high-income earners, along with cheaper medicines, energy bill relief, wiping student debt and cheaper child care. We have strengthened our social safety net to include legislating the largest increase in paid parental leave since its inception, and we will pay super on it. We've strengthened our social safety net by legislating the largest increase in paid parental leave since its inception, and we will pay super on it. We've been rebuilding our essential services, like Medicare, aged care and the NDIS, and starting the largest housing build under our housing for Australia plan, which will deliver 1.2 million homes. Not only has our government taken action on climate change as a good global citizen; it has embraced it as a competitive advantage opportunity to build our country's economic capability. We are building on a record that we can be proud of, not making empty promises like those opposite. We actually deliver. Of course, this is all at risk of the Liberals and the Leader of the Opposition, who have recklessly opposed every single cost-of-living measure introduced by our government. I hear today they're going to oppose and repeal our tax cuts too. This is the modern Liberal Party. But we are not going to let that happen. We have our eyes focused on the election and building Australia's future. Our focus has been how we build Medicare, how we build universal early education in this country, how we ensure that we continue to deliver responsible cost-of-living relief for Australians and how we are more resilient as a country. That's what's at risk this election from those opposite and that's what the Labor Party has to offer. Federal Election 143 09:36 Mr TEHAN 210911 Wannon This nation is at the crossroads, and the next election is going to determine which direction it takes. That is why it's going to be absolutely vital that the coalition wins. If we have another three years under Anthony Albanese and his failed Labor government, we're going to see cost of living continue to increase and we're going to see our living standards continue to fall. Those living standards have fallen faster than at any time in this nation's history. What do we need to do to get Australia back on track? The first thing we need to do is provide immediate cost-of-living relief, and that is what we would do. We would halve the fuel excise on the first day the parliament sits with a new coalition government. What does that mean? That means, for an average family, especially in a rural community like mine in a rural constituency like mine, the electorate of Wannon, they would immediately save in the first year between $750 and $1,500. That is immediate cost-of-living relief. We will make sure that we also manage the economy properly. We will put downward pressure on inflation. We will put downward pressure on interest rates. That is what sensible economic management will achieve. We will make sure that we address the cuts that we have seen to road funding. The two major roads that run through my electorate, the Princes Highway and the Western Highway, have seen the contribution made by the federal government to their maintenance and to improving those roads drop. For every dollar the Victorian state government put in, we used to put in $4. Now, for every dollar the Victorian state government puts in, the federal government under Anthony Albanese only puts in $1. We need to change that and we need to change it quickly because everyone in Victoria knows that the Allan Labor government has no money. It's broke. If the Commonwealth doesn't put in more money, we're not going to see that immediate attention given to our road network. What else will we do? We will make sure that there is no offshore wind farm off the coast of Port Fairy and Warrnambool. Chris Bowen has tried to ramrod this project through our local communities, and we will make sure that it doesn't go ahead. We will continue to roll out community projects and we will fund them in the budget, unlike this Anthony Albanese Labor government, which put no new funding for those regional community projects in the budget. In the most important election we have faced in years, you've got to vote for the coalition. Albanese Government 143 09:39 Ms ROBERTS 157125 Pearce I'm proud to stand before you today as the member for Pearce, representing this vibrant and diverse community in one of the largest and fastest growing areas in the northern metropolitan area of Perth. As the former mayor of Wanneroo and president of the Western Australian Local Government Association, I'm proud to continue this service in the Australian parliament. Our electorate of Pearce is a region of immense growth and opportunity, and our community proudly reflects the multicultural tapestry of Australia. I'm proud to highlight the significant investments the Albanese Labor government has made in health care within our community. The Clarkson Medicare Urgent Care Clinic has been a welcome addition for our residents. This clinic provides convenient bulk-billed medical care seven days a week, easing pressure on the Joondalup Health Campus. Furthermore, we have successfully petitioned for and plan to establish another Medicare urgent care clinic in Yanchep. This commitment demonstrates our intent to provide quality healthcare services for the benefit of the Pearce community. We have also invested in community infrastructure, including the extension of freeway to Romeo Road and the train line to Yanchep, with two additional stations at Alkimos and Eglinton that opened last year. The Albanese Labor government has contributed $30 million to the Alkimos Aquatic and Recreation Centre, which will provide a fantastic help for recreation learning, will create jobs and will stimulate economic growth in our region. On a broader scale, the Albanese Labor government has achieved significant milestone across Australia, including strengthening Medicare, reducing the cost of PBS medicines, increasing the minimum wage, giving every taxpayer a tax cut, introducing fee-free TAFE, creating more jobs, adding two weeks to paid parental leave, ensuring every shopper gets a better deal at the checkout, helping more Australians own their own home, helping secure a future made in Australia and giving every household a combined $700 off their power bill with a $150 rebate from 1 July. In my first speech I stated: I promise to serve with all the passion, prudence, integrity, energy and resolve that I possess … I thank you for putting your trust in me. I'd like to extend my deepest gratitude to the community of Pearce for their unwavering support. Your valued contributions and feedback are what drive our efforts to make Pearce an even better place to live, work and raise a family. I look forward to continuing our work together to build a brighter future for our local community. Queensland: Floods 144 09:42 Mr THOMPSON 281826 Herbert North Queensland has been inundated by floodwaters over the past two months. Many homes in the electorate of Herbert have been impacted and continue to be impacted today—from Bluewater in the north and Wulguru in the south to Kelso in the east and Magnetic Island in the west. Thousands of local families have suffered because of the extremely wet start to the year. Some homes have been inundated by water. Others have been swamped by sewerage. Most homes and businesses have had mould growing on the walls, ceilings and floors. The damage has run into the thousands of dollars for many. Townsville has a heart like no other region. People are tough, but they deserve better than the crumbs that they've been served up by the Albanese Labor government. While the Prime Minister made a cash splash to win votes in the south-east following Tropical Cyclone Alfred, North Queensland was begging for help more than six weeks after the flood impacts. The level of disdain shown by this Prime Minister reached record heights when he flew into Townsville for a media stunt and then left hours later—jumped on his private jet—to attend a Labor Party fundraiser. The speed in which the PM left North Queenslanders to fend for themselves was rivalled only by the speed in which he threw cash at every possible voter in the state's south-east. It makes absolutely no sense and is grossly unfair that the Prime Minister applied one set of standards to funding arrangement eligibility in the south-east corner and another, less favourable approach, to residents in North Queensland. After the advocacy of the North Queensland community turned into a loud roar, so loud that even a prime minister couldn't ignore it, he finally announced additional support to cover the broader Townsville region last week. But, as with everything from this Labor government, there's a catch. I received thousands of messages from desperate locals who are still being told they aren't eligible for financial support despite being severely impacted. We have instances in Kelso where one person in the household was deemed eligible but the other person, living in the same residence, was deemed ineligible. That is totally unacceptable and yet another example of bureaucracy gone mad. The messages I've received have been heartbreaking. Jenny wrote to me: I'm immunocompromised and feeling unwell, mould all through my house, water leaked through my walls and I've been rejected. Another wrote: my mum Margaret was evacuated … and her house got water all through it. She lost everything mate. Why is the government rejecting her claim? Prime Minister, I call on you to urgently review this flawed policy and ensure the people of North Queensland can finally get the help they so desperately need instead of being treated like second-rate Australians. Prime Minister, this is not your personal slush fund to buy votes in the south-east; start treating Townsville with the respect it deserves. Health Care 144 09:45 Ms ROWLAND 159771 Greenway I rise to speak about the health care the families of Greenway want and deserve. The accessibility of high-quality health care has never been more important, particularly in the fast-growing north-west. That's why we ran a successful community campaign that secured an emergency department for the planned Rouse Hill hospital. It's why we are campaigning for a maternity ward at Rouse Hill hospital, backed by broad community support. We need the public Rouse Hill hospital to be built for the future, not for yesterday. As I met with constituents across Greenway, I found there was rightful concern about the commute times to access health services at hospitals in Blacktown and Westmead. In the nation's fastest-growing population corridor we must ensure essential services to support this growth are prioritised. Improving access to urgent care for non-life-threatening injuries is another critical part of Labor's plan to improve health care for Australians. That's why I was so pleased to recently announce that Labor has committed to delivering a Medicare urgent care clinic in Greenway. Labor's Medicare urgent care clinics provide fast, accessible health care for urgent, non-life-threatening injuries such as burns, cuts, infections, sprains, minor fractures and more. Medicare urgent care clinics are walk-in, are open early until late and fully bulk-bill. At the Medicare urgent care clinic in Rouse Hill, all you will need is your Medicare card, not your credit card. It will take pressure off Blacktown and Westmead hospitals and will mean people get care when they need it, without waiting hours in a busy emergency department. Labor proudly built Medicare, and since coming to office the Albanese government has been making it stronger. We have delivered cheaper medicines and more bulk-billing, and a re-elected Albanese Labor government will deliver another 50 Medicare urgent care clinics on top of the 87 we've delivered in our first term, including in Greenway. North-west Sydney is part of this, and I'm proud to assure my local area that through stable advocacy and good government they can expect more under Labor. The alternative is placing everything at risk, and I won't stand for that in Greenway. The Leader of the Opposition was voted the worst health minister by Australian doctors, and he tried to destroy Medicare. We won't let him do it again. He tried and bulk-billing and slashed $50 billion from public hospitals. He wanted to monetise essential health care by making patients pay a GP tax to see their doctor. They had nine years in government and never opened a single urgent care clinic, and have repeatedly labelled them as a wasteful spending, so how on earth can you trust them to deliver this facility for our community? Labor's urgent care clinics are an essential service, and only a re-elected Albanese government can be trusted to deliver for the people of north-west Sydney. Budget 145 09:48 Mr VAN MANEN 188315 Forde This week we have seen a budget which really encapsulates what we already know about this government: it is a government that is bereft of ideas, it is a government that has given up and it is a government that has lost the plot. Every Australian—and particularly every resident of Forde—is poorer now than there were three years ago when this government came to power. This was the budget that they did not want. In true form, it is a budget for the next five weeks, not for the next five years or even the longer-term future of this country. It's all about short-termism and getting a government re-elected. At a time when living standards have suffered the biggest collapse on record, Labor's budget has failed to deal with the economic challenges our country faces. Our constituents waited with bated breath to see how this government planned to meaningfully bring down the cost of living, and this budget failed to achieve that. You will have $5 more in your pocket, but some 15 months down the track. The government thinks that is something you should shout from the rooftops, that you'll be able to really splurge and treat yourself. But let's not forget, shall we, that your food has gone up some 13 per cent. Let's not dwell on the fact that your electricity has gone up 32 per cent or that insurance, rent, health and education expenses are all at all-time highs. Comparatively, tonight the coalition will outline our plan to get Australia back on track. We will put forward meaningful change—something we didn't see for any of my electorate. We were once again left out to dry by this Labor government. There is nothing for the electorate of Forde in this budget, and it demonstrates that this Labor government has no consideration for our people. Labor has always taken the electorate of Forde for granted, whereas the LNP and the coalition over our time in government has delivered a wide range of projects for the electorate. We have seen a range of projects, such as the Chambers Flat Road upgrade—which, sadly, Logan City Council still hasn't built—the Mount Lindesay Highway upgrades on the M1 to exits 41, 49 and 54; upgrades to Beaudesert-Beenleigh Road to the M1, more generally; and funding for a range of local community projects, including headspace, an urgent care clinic and Logan Hospital. We have seen small business supported and our manufacturers supported through a range of initiatives. It is only under a coalition government that my electorate of Forde benefits, and that is why it's so important in this upcoming election that you vote LNP to get Australia and Forde back on track. Labor Government, Lalor Electorate: Community Events 145 09:51 Ms RYAN 249224 Lalor I was born and raised in the electorate I serve. I have lived my entire life there, and I always have and always will fight for my community. That's why I'm proud that our federal Labor government has managed to get inflation going down, wages going up and unemployment staying low, which has resulted in the first lower interest rate. I believe that addressing the cost-of-living pressures facing locals is our number one priority. It has been since I was elected and the Labor government was elected, and that's why we've delivered tax cuts for every taxpayer, cheaper childcare for around 8,000 local families, energy bill relief for every household, HECS-HELP relief for 18,000 locals with student debt. We've expanded paid parental leave, we've increased rental assistance by 40 per cent, and we've provided cheaper medicines. We've also ensured wage increases. It's why in this budget we've gone further, with more tax cuts for every taxpayer, more energy bill relief for every local household, more funding to further strengthen Medicare to make it free to see the doctor and a 20 per cent reduction for all student debt if we're re-elected. Today, we found out that the Liberals will legislate to increase income tax for every Australian if they win in the election. There is no doubt in my mind that we need to return the Albanese Labor government. In my community of Lalor, we are home to many faiths, cultures and languages. Our community's diversity is what makes us strong. I want to wish my Muslim community all the best for those who have been observing the holy month of Ramadan and very happy Eid. Eid Mubarak! To my Christian community, to those who are observing Easter, I wish you a happy Holy Week. I wish you well. Whether you spend Easter in religious observation or with family and friends on the long weekend, I want to wish everybody in my community a very happy Easter. I want everyone to stay safe over that long weekend. I want to ensure that everyone in our community understands what the upcoming election means for them—the difference between an Albanese Labor government and a Liberal government. The difference is that a Labor government cares about every Australian. We want to ensure that every Australian earns more and keeps more of what they earn, and that's why we've introduced the tax cuts. That's why we've supported pay rises for the poorest in our community and made sure that our aged care workers, nurses and carers, and our childcare workers all got a pay increase across this first term in our government. You can trust Labor to support everyone, not just some people in our community. Tropical Cyclone Alfred 146 09:53 Mr VASTA E0D Bonner Although we anticipated the arrival of ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred, the intensity and the precise location of the cyclone was still unknown. This made it a difficult task for locals and authorities to prepare proportionately for the incoming weather event, and it is not something that we are used to in South-East Queensland. I'd like to say thank you to the many volunteers who helped friends, neighbours and strangers throughout ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred. Throughout the long days at the sandbagging depots, I repeatedly saw generous acts of selflessness, togetherness and a contagious get-the-job-done spirit. Afterwards, as flooding set in, it was clear that we were in for a massive rebuild and restoration, particularly on Boundary Street in Tingalpa, Billen and Gray streets in Carina as well as on Moreton Island. I saw the damage first hand as 'Team Vasta' doorknocked flood-affected suburbs, conducting welfare checks and offering to drop essential items as the reality of the job is set in. This is why I wrote to the Prime Minister, asking that he make the federal government's disaster recovery payment available to Brisbane residents. Following my letter, the eligibility criteria were extended in recognition of the hardship faced by our community. I'm glad the Prime Minister chose to listen and recognise how much the payment was needed. We joined the clean-ups at the Wynnum Volves Soccer, AC Dolphins Carina and the Mount Gravatt Easts Junior Rugby League clubs—swapping their boots for old runners—and, in a few hours, we made significant progress restoring damaged fields, equipment and infrastructure. We saw massive turnouts, and it's clear just how much these clubs mean to their local communities. I want to thank the lord mayor, Adrian Schrinner, and the Premier, David Crisafulli, for their strong leadership as well as the entire council, Bureau of Meteorology, SES and Energex teams for their swift action and clear communication throughout ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred. Thank you to the local businesses, like Lemoni Greek Cuzina and May's Thai, who gave out meals to the community for free. Well done. And a shout out to BMD, who not only teamed up with Felons so that we could pass cold refreshments onto volunteers but also joined the 'ute army' to drop green waste at the council's free resource recovery centres. Whether it be a phone call or a physical hand, it was heartening to see locals stepping out of their usual routines and conveniences to chip in. While the weather is unpredictable, one thing I know to be certain is that we are always stronger together. Budget 146 09:56 Ms SCRYMGOUR F2S Lingiari I just want to touch on our federal budget last night and to look at it from the Northern Territory's perspective. In 2025-26, the government expects to provide the Northern Territory with $7.2 billion in funding, which is nearly 88.3 per cent of the Northern Territory's total revenue. There has been a lot of media, over the last 24 to 48 hours, from members opposite—also from our CLP government in Darwin—saying that there hasn't been funding and that the Northern Territory has done badly in terms of the federal budget. It couldn't be further from the truth. I think we've got a Northern Territory Treasurer with his L-plates on, who is doing nothing but playing politics. The NT at the moment is the biggest beneficiary in terms of GST payments. If we go back to under the Liberal government over 10 years, there was a reduction in the Northern Territory by over $310 million in GST payments. It has been fantastic to see that being reinstated by our government. You had the NT Treasurer coming out a week ago saying: 'Big win for the Northern Territory. This is fantastic,' pat, pat, pat, 'We've done a great job.' And then, the day of the budget and the next day he's saying: 'This is bad. This is terrible for the Northern Territory, and the NT has lost.' Get it right, stop contradicting yourselves and try and look at the budget papers and try and understand that a bit more. I'm looking forward to getting back into my fantastic electorate, which is nearly the whole of the Northern Territory, except Darwin, and to visiting Christmas in Cocos islands. It is an electorate that this government has certainly recognised needs a lot of resources and support. When I look at the budget—I will go throughout the Northern Territory and sell this budget to my constituents—there has been substantial investment, particularly in infrastructure and connectivity. When we talk about connectivity, that's the NBN but also our highways. So it's important that the budget reflect not just the $200 million in terms of the duplication in that part of the Stuart Highway. Unlike the CLP senator, I drive that road quite a bit, and it is a part of the road that actually does need that money, so I'm looking forward to that happening, but it does need the CLP government to deliver on all of those infrastructure projects that we've outlined in our great federal budget. The DEPUTY SPEAKER 144732 In accordance with standing order 193, the time for members' constituency statements has concluded. ADJOURNMENT 147 ADJOURNMENT Lithgow Small Arms Factory Museum 147 10:00 Mr GEE 261393 Calare Since the First World War, the Lithgow small arms factory has been integral to our nation's security and cultural history. After the Boer War campaign, it became clear that, due to its geographic isolation, Australia required a sovereign arms-making capability. After Federation in 1901, it fell to the new Australian government to secure Australia's defence and make Australia's arms manufacturing a reality. The Lithgow small arms factory officially opened in June 1912, when the factory had 190 employees. This grew to 373 employees by June 1914. When the First World War broke out, the factory was still not up to its full production potential of 20,000 rifles per year. It's been manufacturing arms for our men and women in uniform ever since. By 1937, the factory had been making about 30,000 rifles each year, and by 1942, with the outbreak of World War II, employment at the Lithgow small arms factory had grown to 6,000 people, with a further 6,000 employed at various feeder factories around the region. Production had increased to 4,000 rifles per week at this time. Through the Korean and Vietnam wars to modern day conflicts, Lithgow has continued to make rifles for the Australian Defence Force. It is currently operated by world-wide defence and armaments manufacturer Thales. The community values and supports Thales and the crucial employment it brings, as well as its contribution to our national security. Defence manufacturing at Lithgow must continue. At the site of the Lithgow small arms factory is the Lithgow Small Arms Factory Museum. The museum is iconic not only for Lithgow but for Australia. It's the keeper of the history of arms manufacturing in Lithgow and our country. Visitors come from all over our nation to visit the museum and learn about the arms being manufactured there. Some 10,000 people visit the small arms factory museum every year, and it's a key tourist drawcard for Lithgow and the region. Many Australians have a deep connection with Lithgow and the small arms factory. The museum is a real and tangible link with our history, and it's why so many people feel attached to it. The museum is run by a small group of volunteers and is funded through admissions and sales in its shop. The museum's hardworking executive includes President Donna White, Vice-President Adam Cullen, Graham Dixon, Joseph Abraham, secretary Kerry Guerin, Lynne Butler and Ray Bent. I thank all of the museum's volunteers for their wonderful, dedicated work. The community really appreciates it. Last year there was a criminal break-in at the museum in which dozens of historic handguns were stolen. The museum has been closed since the break-in, pending essential security upgrades to the building. The closure of the museum has had a devastating impact on the volunteers and also on people around Australia who wish to visit the museum, including those who want to research the history of family members who worked at the small arms factory. Unfortunately, at present there appears to be an impasse over the museum's tenure at the small arms factory site. Thales has offered the museum a lease, but the volunteers have issues with the proposed terms. The museum wishes to buy the site to secure long-term tenure and its future in Lithgow; however, to date no sale of the site by Thales to the museum has been agreed upon. The Lithgow Small Arms Factory Museum is truly unique. It not only contains a firearms collection but also contains UNESCO-listed archives and a huge machinery collection. If the museum does not reopen, the collection will be split up and Australia and Lithgow will lose a key part of our history. I'm therefore urging all parties to redouble their efforts to conclude outstanding issues between the Lithgow Small Arms Factory Museum and Thales. The community is extraordinarily supportive both of armaments manufacturing in Lithgow by Thales and of the museum, and it's vital for Lithgow and Australia that this issue be resolved as soon as possible. This is our history at stake and it would be a real tragedy if the museum closed for good and its collection was lost. Our community is of the firm belief that the Lithgow Small Arms Factory Museum must be saved and reopened. It's as simple as that. I hope all outstanding issues can be resolved by all parties with good faith and goodwill. The communities wants a bright future for Thales and the manufacturing that occurs in Lithgow, as well as the museum. They both have a key role to play in our wonderful region. Federal Election 147 10:05 Mr BRIAN MITCHELL 129164 Lyons It's been an article of faith in the Liberal Party, handed down in reverent tones from Liberal parent to Liberal child, that the Liberal Party stands for lower taxes while the godless socialists of the Labor Party seek only to tax and spend the nation into economic oblivion. The facts tell a different story, of course—has anybody heard about those two Labor budget surpluses? Facts rarely shake those of the deepest faith, but what a shock it must have been this week for even the bluest of blue believers to see holy writ being torn up before their eyes: a Labor government voting to cut taxes and a Liberal opposition voting to keep taxes higher. The Liberal leader even described Labor's tax cuts as a 'cruel hoax', despite the fact they contribute to a package of tax cuts, now delivered by a Labor government, that will see, on average, $2½ thousand put back into the pockets of Australian workers every year. But I'll tell you what is a cruel hoax. Spending three years as Liberal leader voting against every cost-of-living relief measure the Labor government has put forward and then claiming to care about the cost of living—that's a cruel hoax. Spending a parliamentary career railing against so-called higher taxing governments but then voting to keep taxes higher—that's a cruel hoax. Opposing work-from-home flexibility, which saves workers the significant cost of travelling to and from an office, but then opposing workers having the right to disconnect from their employers when on their own time—that's a cruel hoax. Standing next to tradies and apprentices and claiming that he backs them, but voting against the same job, same pay laws that ensure workers are treated fairly on the job—that's a cruel hoax. Inviting employers to claim long lunches as tax breaks, but opposing their employees getting even modest tax cuts—that's a cruel hoax. Complaining about immigration while opposing the Labor government's cap on student visa numbers—that's a cruel hoax. Complaining about crime, when, as a Liberal minister, he presided over a migration system riddled with corruption and human trafficking, and did nothing to stop robodebt—that's a cruel hoax. Complaining about the cost of energy, when he did nothing as a senior Liberal minister for 10 years to produce more energy supply—that's a cruel hoax. Complaining about the cost of energy, but voting against Labor's power bill relief and against Labor's cap on domestic gas prices—that's a cruel hoax. Planning to spend hundreds of billions of dollars of taxpayers' money developing nuclear reactors, when, as a Liberal minister, he said such a plan would be too expensive and take too long—that's a cruel hoax. Planning to cut thousands of public servant jobs, when he wasted millions of dollars on expensive consultants as a senior Liberal minister—that's a cruel hoax. Claiming he supports veterans while planning to cut the jobs of the staff who provide their services—that is a cruel hoax. The next election will be called within days and will be held in May. In just three years, this federal Labor government has delivered a record number of new jobs, supported higher wages and fairer working conditions, delivered bigger and better tax cuts and halved Liberal inflation. We know the job's not done and we know people are still doing it tough. The difference between Labor and the Liberals is that Labor is doing something about it. Our measures are improving the economy over the long term after a decade of Liberal neglect and failure. We are fixing the skills crisis that we were left with with free TAFE. We are building more homes. We are delivering critical infrastructure, improving school and tertiary education and strengthening Medicare. We are doing this while providing affordable, responsible cost-of-living relief, backing in higher wages and delivering permanent tax cuts so workers earn more and keep more of what they earn. The alternative is a divided Liberal Party at war with itself and its own principles, a Liberal Party wedded to a nuclear plan that is unaffordable, undeliverable and unnecessary, a Liberal Party that will smash the essential services Australians rely on, and all led by a Liberal leader whose own record as a Liberal minister is one of cuts and portfolio failure. This will be my last contribution to this parliament. I use it to urge all listening to vote Labor at the May election in both the House of Representatives and in the Senate. In Lyons, vote 1 Rebecca White. Federal Election 148 10:10 Mr HOGAN 218019 Page I want to get up and speak quickly about the cost-of-living relief that we're going to be giving in tonight's budget-in-reply, as some have alluded to, but also about some of the wonderful Nats candidates who are standing in this general election. As we saw, 70c a day, Labor's plan a year or two out, isn't cost-of-living relief. You wouldn't even get two-minute noodles on special at 70c. But ours is going to be immediate cost of living relief. If you fill up your tank, it's about 60 litres. You're going to be saving $15-20 every time you fill up the tank. That's real cost-of-living relief. I know our candidates are excited about this. I wanted to go through a number of our candidates that are standing for us. We have Mia Davies in Western Australia standing in the seat of Bullwinkel. She is a wonderful candidate and was actually the Leader of the Opposition in the WA parliament in the last term. Her father, too, was a Nationals legend. She has real Nationals pedigree. She is standing in the seat of Bullwinkel and will be a great representative given the fact that she has been in the state parliament and has represented her seat over there very well. We are excited about Mia potentially being in chamber. We also have a great candidate in Bendigo. You might say, 'Bendigo? The Nationals?' but yes, we have a strong candidate in Andrew Lethlean, a really well known small-business man in Bendigo. He's running a great campaign. He has strong local support, and we're excited about his candidacy in Bendigo. We're looking forward to him joining. We also have Sam Farraway running in Calare. We're really excited about Sam being a candidate for the Nationals in Calare as well. Sam is an ex state MP, has a great record as a state roads minister and is a really strong local person. I was talking to Sam this morning. He knows that cost-of-living issues are the important issues for the people of Calare. We spoke this morning about the petrol excise cut, the tax cut on petrol, and Sam is very supportive. He's also very excited about our nuclear plan cutting energy bills. There is a proposition to have a nuclear generator at Mount Piper, and he says he wants that because it's reliable base load. We support and like renewables, but we need secure base-load power. He says he wants to know where all the candidates stand in Calare on this nuclear generator. As he says, if we don't have a nuclear generator there, where are we going to put the 1,500 wind turbines that we would otherwise have to have? As for other things that I know are important to Sam, he speaks with great passion about the Great Western Highway. He was very disappointed in the Labor-Greens-teals-Independents budget this week in the sense that there was no new money for the $2 billion needed for the Great Western Highway. The $15 million Bathurst integrated medical centre is a very big passion of his. There was no money for that either. There was also no money for local roads in Calare. As Sam said, that's what you get when you get an Independent. At the last election, Calare did elect a Nationals MP. He, for his own reasons on the voice referendum, left the Nationals. We were very disappointed that he left, but we are asking the good people of Calare. We are very worried about the election if after the election result we were to get a minority Labor-Greens-teals-Independents government. We think that wouldn't be good for the people of Calare. We don't think that would be good for the people of Australia. We're asking the people in Bullwinkel, the people in Bendigo, the people in Calare, the people in Whitlam, the people in Hunter and the people in Richmond, where Kimberly Hone is running. We have some great candidates around the country. We're asking all those local communities to support their Nationals candidate, because, as I said, we want strong representatives, and I think the best result for this country after the next election is to have a majority Liberal-Nationals coalition. We have been proven through many decades of being in government to be strong economic managers. We have national security concerns as well, which we think we will be stronger on. We know we need cost-of-living relief, which is why the petrol excise is important to us. We know it's important to family budgets. We know 70c a day a year or two out isn't going to cut the mustard. Again, I'm very excited about Sam Farraway in Calare and many others. We need strong representation in this chamber for the Australian people, especially in regional communities, not a Labor-Greens-teals-Independents minority government. Albanese Government 149 10:14 Ms MILLER-FROST 296272 Boothby The Albanese government is closing in on three years in government, and, for me, it's been almost three years as the member for Boothby. My entire career has been about serving my community through my work in the health sector, my work in local government, delivering services and infrastructure, and my work in the not-for-profit sector as CEO of Catherine House and St Vincent de Paul in SA. I decided to run because of the appalling record of the Abbott-Turnbull-Morrison Liberal government. It was their complete lack of action on climate change and energy transition—despite 24 coal-fired power stations announcing closures, they did nothing to replace that energy in the grid—their appalling record on the treatment of women in parliament, their deliberate ignoring of the issues facing women in the community and their lack of focus on integrity. The Liberal government was riddled with constant scandals and allegations of rorting—so many, week after week, that it was hard to keep track of them all. They promised an integrity commission but didn't introduce any legislation to make it happen. This government inherited inflation at 6.2 per cent and rising, thanks to the big-spending Morrison government, which overheated the economy and left Australia with massive debt. RBA rates had begun to go up. This government has that turned around. Inflation now sits at 2.4 per cent and falling, and we have had our first RBA rate cut. Unemployment is at record lows. This is an almost unbelievable achievement, to bring down inflation and keep unemployment low at the same time. Over one million Australian jobs have been created, another record for a term of government. Wages are rising after flatlining under those opposite and their deliberate strategy to disadvantage Australian workers. Every taxpayer has received a tax cut, not just the wealthy, and now they are set to receive a top-up. Every household is receiving energy supplements. Two historic surplus budgets in a row mean $170 billion paid off that Liberal debt. So much is being achieved across the country and in Boothby. Labor is the party of Medicare. We believe health care should be affordable and accessible to all. We've opened a bulk-billed Medicare urgent care clinic in Marion, which has already seen over 17,000 patients—that's 17,000 patients who didn't end up in the emergency department. We're expanding the bulk-billing incentive, the biggest investment in Medicare's history. We've already seen a 4.2 percent increase in bulk-billing in Boothby, and our next step is to expand this to nine out of 10 appointments being bulk-billed. We've saved locals more than $7.5 million through cheaper medicines, and we've opened an endometriosis and pelvic pain clinic in Glenelg. We're now investing $573 million in women's health to provide more choices and reduce costs. Having run women's health services, I can tell you this has been so welcomed in the community and in the sector. Of course, there's the rebuild and expansion of Flinders Medical Centre, which will mean an additional 150 beds, with 52 of those beds already open between Flinders and the Repat. Education changes lives, and this government has been working hard to bring our neglected education system up to scratch. We're investing an extra $1 billion to fully fund South Australian public schools. We've made early childhood education cheaper, and we're committed to a guaranteed three days for every child, because a child that arrives at school ready to learn has much better educational outcomes. We're cutting student debt and delivering the massively popular and oversubscribed fee-free TAFE, to encourage students to skill up in the areas this country needs and to give them a good-quality, secure well-paid job. Unlike those opposite, we haven't ignored Australia's need for the energy transition. We've ticked off over 80 large-scale renewable projects, enough to power 10 million homes. There are another 130 projects in the approval process, because industry and investors know they're onto a good thing with renewable energy. In Boothby, we have the much promised, never delivered tram overpasses at Marion Road, Morphett Road and Cross Road. The Majors Road on-off ramp is finally happening. In the budget earlier this week, there was funding for the Adelaide Freight Bypass, which will finally take heavy vehicles off Cross Road. There is one big risk to all of this progress—the economic management, the health, the education benefits, the progress on energy transition and the environment. If we get a Dutton Liberal government it all goes away—all the progress. The man was voted the worst health minister. The man needs to make massive cuts to fund his nuclear fantasy, which, even half of his own party don't believe in and no energy company or bank will back, which is why we, the taxpayer, have to pay it. He won't tell you where the cuts will come from until after the election. Don't get conned by a short-term sweetener from a big-spending Dutton opposition. They don't have the interests of Australians at heart. They only care about their billionaire donors. We have a lot to lose. South Australia: Roads 150 10:20 Mr STEVENS 176304 Sturt The Greater Adelaide Freight Bypass is a project that involves building a new heavy-freight route from Monarto to Truro so that heavy freight that is currently travelling, say, from Melbourne to Perth no longer has to come through suburban Adelaide and instead can get off the South Eastern Freeway at Monarto, travel on a new route up to Truro, connect to the Sturt Highway and go wherever it needs to go. It's a vitally important project for my community in Sturt and indeed for the entire city of Adelaide, because it is patently ridiculous that heavy freight from, say, Melbourne to Perth is travelling through suburban Adelaide. On Tuesday night, I hoped to see some kind of commitment towards this project in the budget. Regrettably, there was no money in the budget for the Greater Adelaide Freight Bypass. There was only one project listed in the budget papers for South Australia, which was $125 million for the Curtis Road project in northern Adelaide—the one and only project in South Australia listed in the budget. Things became a little more curious the next morning when some South Australian Labor MPs started to purport on social media that the budget had delivered funding for what they called the High Productivity Vehicle Network. The HPVN is essentially the entire freight route from the Victoria border and New South Wales border across to the Western Australia border—a 1,500-kilometre route from Bordertown to the WA border on the Nullarbor. The morning after the budget speech, it was claimed in a press release from the honourable Catherine King, the Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government, that the HPVN was receiving $525 million. She said in this press release: The HPVN will deliver upgrades between the South Eastern Freeway and Sturt Highway such as the duplication of the Swanport Bridge. The Swanport Bridge has nothing to do with the Greater Adelaide Freight Bypass. It's, no doubt, a worthy thing to do at some point in time, but in fact the Swanport Bridge is already carrying freight that is rumbling through the suburbs of Adelaide. Indeed, an upgrade to the Swanport Bridge will ensure that even more freight can travel through the suburbs of Adelaide, whether that be through Portrush Road or Cross Road. The money wasn't in the budget or listed in the budget papers. But what was then referred to in a press release the day after the budget speech was money to increase the ability for heavy freight to travel through my community in Sturt along Portrush Road and no doubt along Cross Road in the future. This is greatly concerning because I was crestfallen to see no money in the budget to build the Greater Adelaide Freight Bypass. Now, it turns out that not only is there no money to build the bypass but there is money to increase the amount of freight going through the suburbs of my constituency of Sturt. This is an absolute disgrace. But it gets more confusing still because we've heard nothing so far from the South Australian state government welcoming the announcement of this funding or even confirming that they want it or are going to be a partner in the project, which is very rare for a project that would have to be delivered by the South Australian state government. The press release doesn't specify how much of that $525 million would be going to this Swanport Bridge, which will increase freight going through my community. There's also confusion about whether or not Infrastructure Australia have even approved this funding and agreed that it passes through the processes that they have in place. There are Labor members and candidates claiming that this announcement includes building a freight bypass. That is a patent lie. This is a plan to put more freight through the suburbs of Adelaide. Duplicating the Swanport Bridge makes it easier for more freight to go into suburban Adelaide, and there is no money whatsoever to build the Greater Adelaide Freight Bypass, which involves building a new carriageway from Monarto to Truro. So I say to my community in Sturt and to people in seats like Boothby and Adelaide: watch out. We thought it was bad enough that the budget was not going to take freight out of Adelaide's suburbs; it now turns out the budget is going to put even more freight throughout Adelaide's suburbs. Eden-Monaro Electorate: Bombala Show, Stewart, Councillor Robert (Bob), Caldwell, Mr Jack, Chawner, Mrs Cindy, Queanbeyan Senior Citizens Association, Australian Public Service 151 10:25 Ms McBAIN 281988 Eden-Monaro The Bombala community recently celebrated 150 years of the Bombala Show, which is a huge community milestone. I want to congratulate all of the committees and the volunteers over the decades who have contributed to this long-running event. I also congratulate all of the small businesses and organisations that have sponsored the show along the way. The recent show was even more special because the community came together to celebrate a very special Bombala legend, Councillor Bob Stewart, who has been serving his community for 30 years. He is a formidable character who champions the region with gusto, from his time as councillor and mayor of the Bombala Council to, now, being the longest-serving member of the amalgamated Snowy Monaro Regional Council. Congratulations again, Bob, on this milestone and thank you for all you've done for our local community. I want to give a shout-out to Eden triathlete Jack Caldwell. Jack is 18 years old, and he recently won a gold medal at the 2025 Oceania Triathlon Junior Championships in Devonport. The win has secured him a spot at the 2025 World Triathlon Championship in Wollongong in October representing Australia. He graduated in December last year from Lumen Christi Catholic College, where he was waking up at 5 am every day to train and then head to school to complete his studies. Jack, well done. You're a legend. We're all cheering you on from the coast. I can't wait to see how your bright future unfolds. Bring on Brisbane 2032. At the end of last year I spoke in the House about Cindy Chawner from Cobargo, who was due to represent Australia at the Invictus Games in Vancouver this year. She competed in five sports at the games, picking up a silver in the skeleton and bronze in snowboarding. Cindy joined the Royal Australian Air Force in 1999, initially as an Army Reserve operations officer and later serving most of her career as a personal capability officer. She was deployed in the Middle East in 2010 and was medically discharged in June last year. Despite a range of physical and mental health injuries related to her service, Cindy personifies what it means to be resilient and hardworking. Before she left for the Invictus Games, I gave Cindy an Australian flag and an Australian Aboriginal flag to take with her to Canada. I bumped into Cindy in Cooma last week, and she showed me a picture of her with Prince Harry holding the Aboriginal flag. Prince Harry kept the flag as a special memento of the games. I'm going to put the picture up on my Facebook over the next few days. It was absolutely fabulous to see Cindy. Well done to her and all of the Australians who were involved in the Invictus Games. I had the great privilege of opening Queanbeyan's new seniors centre last week. The Queanbeyan Senior Citizens Association is a dedicated organisation committed to promoting the welfare of all senior citizens in the city of Queanbeyan and the surrounding districts. When I was asked to attend the grand opening, I jumped at the opportunity because jumping is what this fantastic new space is all about—jumping and a little bit of stretching, from Zumba to yoga. There are also activities that are much easier on the body but benefit the mind, like mahjong and euchre. But, most importantly, the seniors centre is a place to connect with friends, both new and old, like never before. The space is a real testament to the Queanbeyan seniors community because it's been designed for the community by the community. This space will have a huge impact on our community, especially for the over 20 per cent of the Queanbeyan population who are seniors. Congratulations to Brenda and the entire association on the opening of Queanbeyan's new seniors centre. Well done to Queanbeyan-Palerang Regional Council on making it all happen and working with the community there. Across Eden-Monaro a lot of my constituents, from Goulburn to Queanbeyan to the coast, work in the Public Service, which is why they are incredibly concerned about what they've heard from Peter Dutton, Angus Taylor and all of the Liberals about pledges to cut 40,000 jobs—which, to put in perspective, is roughly the population of Queanbeyan. He said he will cut workers' flexibility too, which will not only disadvantage workers but disadvantage women in particular, and it will result in worse services to our community. Under the former government, Veterans' Affairs claims took over 400 days to even be assigned to assessment. We've cleared the 42,000-claim backlog, and claims are now being allocated within weeks. Where are these cuts going to come from? Is it going to be from Services Australia? Is it going to be from Medicare? Is it going to be from the Defence call centre in Cooma? Is it going to be from NEMA? NEMA is an organisation that has done so much good in our community over the last three years. If we are serious about good public service, then we have to back it, and outsourcing $20 billion to consultants is not that. Federation Chamber adjourned at 10:30