2025-08-26 3 1 0 House of Reps 0 1

Tuesday, 26 August 2025

The SPEAKER ( Hon. Milton Dick ) took the chair at 12:00, made an acknowledgement of country and read prayers.

BILLS 1 BILLS Home Affairs Legislation Amendment (2025 Measures No. 1) Bill 2025 1

Home Affairs Legislation Amendment (2025 Measures No. 1) Bill 2025

First Reading 1 Second Reading 1 12:01 Mr BURKE DYW Watson I move: That this bill be now read a second time. The Australian government is committed to maintaining a migration system that is robust, effective and in the national interest. Among other things, this means ensuring that where a person has no lawful basis to remain in Australia, our laws operate to facilitate their timely and lawful removal. Procedural fairness Procedural fairness is a fundamental principle in many areas of decision-making. However, these provisions can and are being used by noncitizens to delay and frustrate their removal, at cost to the Commonwealth in circumstances where it is neither necessary nor appropriate for it to continue to apply. The amendments in this bill are largely directed at noncitizens who have come to the end of any visa processes, and who are on a removal pathway. The bill makes targeted amendments of the Migration Act to expressly exclude procedural fairness from applying to the exercise of specific powers that deal with: the taking of action in relation to third-country reception arrangements; the disclosure of information about removal pathway noncitizens or certain former removal pathway noncitizens to foreign governments; and the issuing of removal pathway directions to removal pathway noncitizens to require them to take certain steps to facilitate their lawful removal from Australia. These provisions are primarily directed to noncitizens who have exhausted all legitimate avenues to remain in Australia—and for whom removal is the only remaining outcome under Australian law. In such cases, the purpose of the law should be clear: to give effect to removal as swiftly and effectively as possible. Importantly, this bill will make clear that any actions or things done in relation to third-country reception arrangements are not conditioned on an obligation to afford procedural fairness to an affected person. The amendments in the bill, and the associated validation provisions, reflect the law as it was declared by the Federal Court to be in TCXM v Minister for Immigration and Multicultural Affairs [2025] FCA 540—a case that the government won. In that case, the Federal Court held that entry into a third-country reception arrangement and doing things for the purposes of that arrangement were not conditioned by the requirement to afford procedural fairness. The amendments in this bill merely put that legal position beyond doubt, to reflect the intention when the third-country reception arrangement provisions were introduced into the Migration Act in late 2024. These amendments will support the government's efforts to resettle members of the NZYQ cohort. Let me be clear—these amendments do not remove procedural fairness from the processes that support decisions whether to cancel or refuse the grant of a visa. Neither do they affect merits review. These amendments are largely directed to the final steps in the removal process, where noncitizens who are on a removal pathway have had all claims to remain in Australia considered and rejected. Validation of d ecisions This bill also responds to a recent decision of the full Federal Court in AJN23 v Minister for Immigration, Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs. In AJN23, the full Federal Court set aside a decision of the minister to refuse the appellant's protection visa application on the basis that the decision had been made on the understanding that refusal of the protection visa would result in the appellant remaining in detention indefinitely. That was the law as stated in Al-Kateb v Godwin, which the High Court overturned by its orders in NZYQ made on 8 November 2023. Although the minister's decision, the subject of AJN23, was made before NZYQ and reflected the law at the time the minister's decision was made, the court found that the minister's decision was materially affected by an incorrect understanding of the law. This decision has created legal uncertainty for a range of decisions made by the minister, the minister's delegates and the former Administrative Appeals Tribunal, where the decision maker relied on the Al-Kateb understanding of the law. The provisions in this bill will validate relevant visa decisions so they are taken for all purposes to have always been valid—as if they had been made in accordance with the current law established by NZYQ. These amendments do not seek to alter the current law on immigration detention, following the High Court's decision in NZYQ. They ensure that past decisions—that is, relevant visa decisions made on or before 8 November 2023—are not invalidated on the narrow procedural ground identified in AJN23. All individuals affected by these decisions will have already had full access to visa application processes, merits review, judicial review and ministerial intervention opportunities. The Australian community rightly expects that our immigration laws are upheld and that those with no legal right to remain in Australia will depart or be removed as soon as possible. This bill is an important step in ensuring that this expectation is met without unnecessary and avoidable delay. I commend the bill to the chamber. Debate adjourned. COMMITTEES 2 COMMITTEES National Anti-Corruption Commission Joint Committee 2 Appointment 2 12:07 Mr BURKE DYW Watson I move: That: (1) the resolution of appointment for the Parliamentary Joint Committee on the National Anti-Corruption Commission be amended to replace subparagraph 1(l) with the following: "(l) the committee or any subcommittee have power to consider and make use of the evidence and records of the former Parliamentary Joint Committee on the Australian Commission for Law Enforcement Integrity and the Parliamentary Joint Committee on the National Anti-Corruption Commission appointed during previous Parliaments;"; and (2) a message be sent to the Senate acquainting it of this resolution and requesting that it concur and take action accordingly. For the information of members, we did what we normally do with every committee, which is to use the same resolution as was used during the last parliament, but most committees have been around for some time, so they automatically have the clause contained within them about the committee being able to use the work of previous parliaments. Because this is a new committee, that wasn't included in the original resolution, and this is to correct that. Question agreed to. Appointment 2 12:08 Mr BURKE DYW Watson I move: That so much of the standing and sessional orders be suspended as would prevent the Leader of the House from moving the following motion immediately: That all words in paragraph (d) of standing order 215 be omitted and the following words substituted: (d) Each committee appointed under paragraph (a) shall consist of 10 members (six government Members, three opposition Members and one crossbench Member), with the exception of the Standing Committee on Climate Change, Energy, Environment and Water, and the Standing Committee on Health, Aged Care and Disability, which shall consist of six government Members, two opposition Members and two crossbench Members. Each committee may have its membership supplemented by up to four members for a particular inquiry, with a maximum of two extra government and two extra opposition or crossbench Members. Supplementary members shall have the same participatory rights as other members, but may not vote. For the information of members, I understand that there was an agreement made between the opposition and members of the crossbench to alternate some of the structure of committees in terms of who might be eligible for deputy chair and how many crossbenchers would be eligible to be on different committees. This change is to give effect to what the opposition and crossbench have asked the parliament to do. Question agreed to. Mr BURKE DYW I move: That all words in paragraph (d) of standing order 215 be omitted and the following words substituted: (d) Each committee appointed under paragraph (a) shall consist of 10 members (six government Members, three opposition Members and one crossbench Member), with the exception of the Standing Committee on Climate Change, Energy, Environment and Water, and the Standing Committee on Health, Aged Care and Disability, which shall consist of six government Members, two opposition Members and two crossbench Members. Each committee may have its membership supplemented by up to four members for a particular inquiry, with a maximum of two extra government and two extra opposition or crossbench Members. Supplementary members shall have the same participatory rights as other members, but may not vote. Question agreed to. GOVERNOR-GENERAL'S SPEECH 3 GOVERNOR-GENERAL'S SPEECH Address-in-Reply 3 Reference to Federation Chamber 3 12:09 Mr BURKE DYW Watson I declare that the following order of the day, government business, is referred to the Federation Chamber for debate: Address in Reply to the Governor-General's speech: resumption of debate. COMMITTEES 3 COMMITTEES Intelligence and Security Joint Committee, National Anti-Corruption Commission Joint Committee 3 Membership 3 12:09 The SPEAKER 53517 I have received messages from the Senate informing the House that Senators Cash, Ciccone, Grogan, McDonald and Marielle Smith have been appointed members of the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security and informing the House that Senators Polley and Walker have been discharged from the Parliamentary Joint Committee on the National Anti-Corruption Commission and Senators Darmanin and Ghosh have been appointed members of the committee. BILLS 3 BILLS Defence Housing Australia Amendment Bill 2025 3

Defence Housing Australia Amendment Bill 2025

Returned from Senate 3 National Health Amendment (Cheaper Medicines) Bill 2025 3

National Health Amendment (Cheaper Medicines) Bill 2025

Second Reading 3 12:10 Ms FRANCE 270198 Dickson Let me take you back. It's 2004. Aussie classic Shannon Noll's 'What about me?' is playing on the radio—although, personally, I prefer the original; sorry, Shannon—along with songs like Britney Spears's 'Toxic' and Usher's 'Yeah!'. A new social media platform has launched, a little-known website called Facebook. All the kids want to play Super Mario on the brand-new Nintendo DS gaming console. Shrek 2 is in cinemas. Australia's Ian Thorpe wins the race of the century, defeating Michael Phelps at the Athens Games. Crocodile hunter Steve Irwin feeds a crocodile at Australia Zoo with his baby son, Robert, in his arms—remember that one? And PBS medicines cost no more than $25. Twenty-one years later and the Albanese Labor government is reducing the cost of medicines to 2004 prices. When we came to government in 2002, the cap on PBS medicines was $42. In 2023, we dropped that to $30. Now, as promised during the election campaign, we have dropped the capped price to $25—the biggest cut to the cost of medicine in PBS history. From 1 January, the maximum co-payment for patients under the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme, our PBS, will drop from $31.60 to just $25. That's more than a 20 per cent cut in the maximum cost of PBS medicines. For our pensioners and concession card holders, we're keeping the cost of PBS medicines frozen at $7.70 until 2030. This matters. It matters to me. I have spent the equivalent of a flat deposit on medications over the last 15 years after I lost my leg and in trying to save my son during his battle with leukaemia—literally thousands. The last thing you want to think about when battling serious and chronic illness is. 'How am I going to afford the treatment?' This will make a difference to so many people across the country. My electorate of Dickson has already saved $9.3 million as at 31 July this year. We know when family budgets are stretched it's everyday essentials that hit hardest—groceries, rent, bills and, yes, medicines. For many people managing a chronic illness, it's not optional; it's a daily reality. We don't want people pushed into impossible choices, skipping doses, delaying treatment, selling the family home or cutting back on the food bill. It means parents can focus on caring for their kids, not worrying about how to pay for the next prescription. It means older Australians can manage their health without dipping into their savings. It's about making sure that no-one in my electorate of Dickson or anywhere in Australia has to choose between their health and putting food on the table. It's not just a headline. It's practical. It's a meaningful step that will save Australians over $200 million every year. This change is a key part of our cost-of-living plan. It's money that stays in your pocket. We made a promise to deliver cost-of-living measures prior to the election, and I'm incredibly proud that we are delivering on this. We made a promise. This builds on our work we've already done to make medicines more affordable. We reduced the number of scripts concessional patients need before the PBS safety net kicks in by 25 per cent. We introduced 60-day prescriptions, saving time and money for millions of Australians with ongoing health problems, health conditions and chronic health conditions. These are real changes. They're helping real people, and they're part of our broader commitment to strengthen Medicare and make health care more affordable. We've also made sure that pharmacies can continue to offer discounts so that you can still take advantage of discounts at your local pharmacy. This legislation includes protections to ensure that discounting remains available so that all Australians can benefit from competitive pricing and local support. Our cheaper medicines are good for your hip pocket and good for your health. The Albanese Labor government is committed to strengthening Medicare because Medicare is Labor's heart. We are delivering more bulk-billing for all Australians and making the single largest investment in Medicare ever. We are investing in women's health, making contraceptives cheaper, funding more treatments for menopause and helping women who are suffering from endometriosis and complex gynaecological conditions. We're opening endometriosis and pelvic pain clinics to help Australian women access the care they need closer to home. This includes expanding the clinics' focus to also provide specialist support for menopause and perimenopause, something for which women over the age of 45 and 50 have been crying out for a long, long time. We're opening more Medicare urgent care clinics and Medicare mental health centres. You can just walk in, with no appointment or cash needed. This includes the new Medicare mental health centre at Strathpine, which I was lucky enough to visit on Friday with the Assistant Minister for Mental Health and Suicide Prevention. The new Medicare mental health centre at Strathpine will help thousands of locals in Dickson. It will allow access to much-needed psychological and psychiatrist appointments. When we reduce the cost of medicines and provide more bulk-billed health care, we're also reducing the pressure on our health system. People stay healthier. They avoid hospital visits. They avoid the accident and emergency department and they get the care they need earlier. This is in stark contrast to the devastating record of those opposite. Who could forget their proposed mandatory $7 co-payment for GP visits, pathology and imaging services, which they tried and failed to implement when they were in government? Their record on Medicare and health care speaks for itself. The former coalition government abolished the Australian National Preventive Health Agency. In doing so, they slashed investment in preventive health care like targeting obesity and smoking, increasing physical activity and improving healthy eating. They also terminated payments to the states for preventive health. They reversed public hospital funding, putting pressure on our hospitals and hardworking frontline doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals. They froze Medicare rebates to GPs for over five years and watched while the price of going to the GP soared. They left GPs with the tough decision about whether to absorb out-of-pocket costs or pass them on to patients, leading to fewer bulk-billing practices and higher out-of-pocket costs. Critics at the time described this as a copayment by stealth, disproportionately affecting low-income and vulnerable Australians who rely on regular doctors appointments and, in particular, those with chronic health conditions who need to go to the doctor on a regular basis. Those opposite might say this was from a budget more than a decade ago, but they're still singing the same tune. The member for Lindsay said yesterday that a Medicare card is nothing more than a 'political prop', but I know firsthand that that is not true. That little green card is the difference between getting treatment or not getting treatment. It is the difference between getting bulk-billed mental health support or not getting immediate support. The Albanese government will never stop strengthening Medicare, and making medicines even cheaper is just one part of how we're delivering on this commitment. We've also delivered, and we are delivering, for Australians who want cheaper energy. We are giving, over the next few months, $150 off electricity bills. We are also boosting the number of bulk-billed GP appointments. In terms of the cost of living, we're also spending an enormous amount on housing, ensuring that young people get the opportunity to own their own home. Yesterday, we announced five per cent deposits for all first-time home buyers, which we know will make a big difference to those struggling to get into the housing market. In terms of the cost of health care, I remember back when I worked at a palliative healthcare charity after I lost my leg. I spoke many times to patients who were in palliative care—this is over 10 years ago—who were having to consider selling their homes, having to consider selling their cars, having to consider downsizing and into a cheaper rental because they couldn't afford to pay their medical bills; they couldn't afford to pay for their cancer treatments. I know that this measure is going to make a huge difference to those patients. I know this myself, having walked away from the hospital two years ago and looked at the bill for medications, which sometimes was over $500. This will make a difference to so many peoples' lives. I am so pleased that we are able to deliver cheaper health care and cheaper medicines. We will continue to do so because Medicare is Labor's heart. We will always fight for Medicare. 12:23 Mrs McINTOSH 281513 Lindsay I rise today to speak on the National Health Amendment (Cheaper Medicines) Bill 2025. The Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme is a critical component of Australia's health system. For decades it has ensured that Australians can access affordable medicines and treatments when they need them most. Under the PBS, patients make a copayment towards the cost of their medicine, and the Commonwealth covers the rest. For this year, that patient copayment sits at $31.60 for general patients. This bill seeks to reduce that copayment to $25. It is an important change and one that the coalition supports. In fact, this bill reflects the coalition's commitment at the last election to guarantee cheaper medicines and lower the PBS copayment to $25. Right now, Australians are under extraordinary pressure. Labor's cost-of-living crisis has forced families into impossible choices. More and more Australians are delaying or avoiding refilling their scripts because they simply can't afford it. Last year alone, eight per cent of Australians delayed or went without their prescription medication due to cost. No Australian should ever have to make that choice. This bill is a step towards easing that burden that has grown increasingly heavy under the Albanese Labor government. It ensures Australians have more affordable access to the medicines and treatments they need at a time when health care has never been more expensive and it builds on the coalition's proud record of supporting a strong PBS. When in government, the coalition made around 2,900 new or amended listings on the PBS—an investment of $16.5 billion. That investment ensured Australians had affordable access to potentially life-saving or life-changing medicines that would otherwise have cost them thousands, if not hundreds of thousands, of dollars. We also maintained our commitment to list every medicine recommended by the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee. This stands in stark contrast to Labor. When last in government, Labor stopped listing new medicines on the PBS because they ran out of money. That despicable decision meant Australians missed out on treatments for severe asthma, chronic pain, schizophrenia, blood clots, IVF, endometriosis and prostate conditions. Sadly, history is repeating itself. Late last year, almost 50 medicines were deferred from consideration because the PBAC imposed a cap on the number of medicines they could review. Why? Because the government has not provided adequate resources, and the health minister has turned a blind eye. Patients were again left waiting for access to new treatments at an affordable price. We've already seen the consequences of Labor's delays with the PBS—for example, for women living with endometriosis. The government announced a listing of Ryeqo on the PBS before the election, but that medicine had been recommended for listing more than a year earlier—an entire year of avoidable delay for women suffering with chronic pain. That is simply not good enough. The coalition also initiated the health technology assessment review, an important opportunity to look at how we can improve timely access to medicines for Australian patients. The findings of that critical review were released last September by the Albanese Labor government. It was already delayed, yet this government has done nothing. We say to the government: the time for reviews has passed. Patients are waiting and action is overdue. While we support this bill, we call on the government to do more: to properly resource the PBS listing process, to end the delays, to deliver on the health technology assessment review and to ensure that Australians have timely, affordable access to the medicines they need. The coalition will always back Australians when it comes to affordable medicines. We led on cheaper medicines at the 2022 election. We committed to a $25 PBS copayment and we will continue to hold this government to account for its record of delays and failures. I move: That all words after "That" be omitted with a view to substituting the following words: "whilst not declining to give the bill a second reading, the House: (1) notes with concern the Government's continuing delays in implementing the recommendations of the Health Technology Assessment review; and (2) condemns the Prime Minister's failure to secure a meeting with the President of the United States to advance Australia's interests in relation to possible pharmaceutical tariffs and other issues". This amendment highlights the need for the government to progress the health technology assessment review. It is very disappointing that we have not seen any movement since the already delayed release of the health technology assessment review in September last year. Furthermore, the coalition believe in our PBS, and we note the Prime Minister's failure to secure a meeting with the President of the United States to advance Australia's interests in relation to possible pharmaceutical tariffs and other issues. I commend the bill to the House. The DEPUTY SPEAKER 249710 Is the amendment seconded? Ms Penfold 248895 I second the amendment and reserve my right to speak. 12:29 Ms JARRETT 298574 Brisbane I rise to speak in support of the National Health Amendment (Cheaper Medicines) Bill 2025. Access to universal, free health care is one of Labor's greatest legacies to Australians. I don't know how my parents, with their eight children, could possibly have managed without free access to health care via Medicare and subsidised medicines under the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme. My pensioner grandparents, who lived next door to us in Paddington, certainly also relied on Medicare and PBS in their later years. Medicare and PBS are Labor legacies that have helped millions of Australians receive the quality health care they deserve. Health care is in Labor's DNA, and this bill is another example of how we continue to improve and expand on our commitment to this fundamental right. It's important to recognise during this discussion that reducing the cost of prescriptions is one of the cost-of-living measures Labor took to the last election. These measures have been overwhelmingly supported in my electorate of Brisbane and across Australia. The PBS benefits so many Australians. As of last year, 930 different medicines were listed on the PBS, across more than 5,000 brands. It is critical that all Australians can afford the medicines and the medicine related services that they need. This is particularly important for people with multiple health conditions, taking multiple medicines; people on low incomes; and individuals or families experiencing high out-of-pocket healthcare costs. In the campaign and before it, as I doorknocked and held community events, the cost of living and health care were consistent themes raised in all parts of my electorate. I heard the real stories in my community of the difference that cheaper medicines make for people. While doorknocking one day, I met one young woman who told me she didn't know who she was going to vote for yet. She raised a number of community issues that she was concerned about, but there were two key ones on her mind. One was the cost of living and the other was the cost of medicines. We talked about the cost of medicines, and she described how those that she relied on, like antidepressants, continue to become more and more expensive for her and therefore out of reach. She also talked about how young people like her understood how important it was to manage their mental health and how our system needs to be responsive and tailored to help people with mental health needs. When I mentioned Labor's commitment to cheaper medicines, she wanted to know more. She soon realised Labor's promise would help lower the costs of her scripts and give her a little bit more of a financial buffer to pay her rent, her electricity and grocery bills, and other costs. She, like many Australians, recognised the effective and immediate relief this would bring. She then said that she had made up her mind and would go to the polls and vote for Labor. She did what millions of other Australians did. Across my electorate, there are many people like this young woman who, with cheaper medicines, will benefit immensely at the chemist check-out. This story shows how reducing the cost of PBS medicines matters to all Australians, including young Australians. As I mentioned in my first speech, I've heard many stories from constituents about how affordable health care is the difference between living a decent life and not living at all. I just want to repeat one of these stories While doorknocking one day, one lady cried. She cried and she thanked me and she asked me to pass on her thanks to our prime minister because her best friend will now live because her cancer treatment is on the PBS and she can afford it. I also heard stories of other people in our Brisbane community not taking their prescribed medicines because they could not afford to buy them. They talked about cost-of-living pressures, including an increase in healthcare costs. Sadly, this financial pressure to delay or not get prescription medication disproportionately affects women and young people, not just the elderly, as many might assume. I hear stories from young people in my electorate with diagnosed ADHD about putting off buying their mental health drugs. This is debilitating in some instances. For some, it just makes it a lot tougher to go about their daily lives. In 2023-24, delaying filling medication prescriptions was most prevalent among those aged 15 to 24, with around 12 per cent of this cohort not having their medication in time or at all. That's a lot of people. There is a significant flow-on to the person's health as well as healthcare costs if these barriers are not addressed quickly. Not taking medicines clearly negatively impacts the health of the individual, but it also leads to higher government costs due to worsening health and, therefore, increased health care—things like the increased likelihood of acute unavoidable hospitalisations and a slow growth in the burden of chronic diseases. Ensuring people can access the medications they need also allows our children to continue to go to school, to learn and to grow up and be productive members of our society, and it allows adults to work, which is important again for our workforce participation and—the words at the top of everyone's mind at the moment—increased economic productivity. Medication adherence can be difficult and complex—I acknowledge that—but, given the significant and increasing impact of health costs on Australian budgets, reducing the cost of prescriptions has to help. This bill also builds on Labor's previous measures to reduce the cost of medications. The Albanese government, in its first term, cut the general patient co-payment for the first time in 75 years. This reduction, from $42.50 to just $30, has since saved general patients around $770 million. Thanks to this government, patients with a stable treatment plan for ongoing conditions can receive 60 days medication for the cost of 30 days and only pay a single co-payment. This also helps a lot in health savings as it reduces the number of times patients need to see their GP for simple medication prescriptions. In fact, a patient with a 60-day prescription for a PBS medicine may save up to almost $190 a year per medicine if they are a Medicare card holder who does not have a concession card. If they do have a concession card, they may save just over $46 a year per medicine. For some people that's a lot of money. This bill before the House makes medicines even cheaper than that though. Once this bill takes effect, it will mean that a prescription on the PBS will cost Australians no more than $25. The last time PBS medicines cost no more than that was in 2004. As a number in this House will remember, 2004 was the year of Shrek 2, Shannon Noll and, unfortunately, the Brisbane Lions losing the grand final. Not only are these prices a classic throwback to 2004, they are also more than a 20 per cent cut in the maximum cost of PBS medicines, which will provide immediate cost-of-living relief to Australians doing it tough. This will save Australians over $200 million each year. Of course, concession card holders will continue to pay just the $7.70 co-payment. Reducing the general co-payment provides the highest level of savings for the most patients, and it targets people within this group who are likely to have little access to government or other financial support, such as social welfare payments. The central pillar of Australia's National Medicines Policy is equitable, timely, safe and reliable access to medicines and medicine related services at a cost that individuals and the community can afford. Affordability is exactly what this bill is aimed at. This bill builds on our support for women's health and medicines. From 1 March, contraceptive devices became cheaper. Some of the most commonly used contraceptive pills were recently listed on the PBS, including Yaz and Yasmin. This is the first listing of new types of oral contraceptives in decades. From 1 July, a new Medicare rebate for menopause health assessments was introduced. After more than 20 years, three new menopausal hormonal therapies were listed on the PBS. Women with specific low levels of reproductive hormones will have earlier access to the combination of therapies through the PBS. The four pens of this therapy would cost more than $3½ thousand without PBS. There are a lot of women who will be much better off as a result. From 1 July, two new Medicare Benefits Schedule items were introduced for gynaecological consultations of 45 minutes or longer, helping those facing complex conditions such as endometriosis and pelvic pain, and there will be more endometriosis and pelvic pain clinics treating more conditions thanks to the Albanese Labor government. As I said, PBS and Medicare is in Labor's DNA, so I cannot fail to mention here today that my electorate will also benefit from the broader package of Labor health policies that we took to the election. Thanks to the Albanese government expanding the Medicare urgent care clinic and mental health clinic networks, I've already started to hear the wonderful and real stories of people across my electorate getting the immediate care they need. Once Brisbane locals start to access those $25 PBS medicines, we will hear even more similar stories, stories of people getting the care they may have delayed in the past. The nearest Medicare urgent care clinic to my electorate is in Kedron, and it's one of the busiest in Australia, which is tangible evidence of how effective this policy is. One of my volunteers gave the urgent care service a trial run earlier this year when her son came off his e-scooter and broke his collarbone. He was seen by a doctor within 30 minutes entirely free of charge. He was patched up in no time thanks to the clinic and its hardworking frontline staff. I'm sure there are many stories just like this of people across Australia being helped every day. The Albanese government is continuing to deliver on its commitment to further expand the Medicare urgent care clinic network, and I'm excited to say there's a tender process underway to identify providers to operate a new Brisbane urgent care clinic. I'm incredibly proud that the Medicare mental health clinic network has expanded in my electorate as well. Just last week, we launched a new Medicare mental health clinic in Lutwyche. This inner-north Brisbane clinic is commissioned by the Brisbane North Primary Health Network and operated by Communify Queensland. I met many young people on the campaign trail, in addition to those I spoke about earlier, who said they were overcoming mental health challenges. My community will get to see a doctor or a mental health professional for free, closer to home, and they won't have to wait. This will mean residents of Brisbane will now have access to free, walk-in mental health care. No appointment or referral is needed to access the services. This will encourage more people, especially young people, to get the care they need when they need it. They will be able to walk in, and they'll need only their Medicare card, not their credit card. Labor really is the party of accessible and affordable health care. Labor introduced Medicare. We're expanding Medicare urgent care clinics, and we're now reducing PBS medicines to just $25. The Lutwyche Medicare mental health clinic will provide immediate help for people in distress as well as ongoing care for those with more complex mental health needs. I met with the incredible service delivery team, which includes expert practitioners and people with lived experience. That lived experience is really important. When people go to that clinic they will get a warm welcome, much-needed conversation and clinical care, as needed. Sometimes people facing mental health distress just want to talk to someone and to know that they're not alone and help is there. They may not necessarily need to visit a psychologist or other clinician, but it's available to them if they need. In closing, I began my working career in the health sector, so this is an area that I am very passionate about. I have a great deal of interest in always looking for ways to improve access to affordable health care for the community. In other countries where I've lived and worked, I've seen what the lack of access to affordable health care can do. Frankly, it is not pretty. For instance, the inhalers that my twin sister and I use daily cost well over $100 in the US, a place where I lived for a while. Here, they will be $25 when the PBS reforms kick in. As I said, this is one of the reasons that I stood for parliament. I want my community and all Australians to have access to universal health care but also the best health care and the best medicine system in the world, which is what I believe we have and are growing towards here in Australia. As successive Labor governments have demonstrated, we are the only party that continues to deliver the needed reforms to expand and improve our world-class healthcare and medicine systems that we are all proud of. 12:43 Ms CHANEY 300006 Curtin I'm speaking today in support of the National Health Amendment (Cheaper Medicines) Bill 2025. This is a bill that aims to ease the financial burden on Australians and improve access to essential medicines, which I commend. The bill also implements a key pre-election promise from the Labor Party, which was matched by the coalition, so we're unlikely to see much opposition to this bill from the coalition. This election promise matching is good for swift outcomes but could be bad, more broadly, for critical analysis of new laws. That said, reducing the PBS co-payment from $31.60 to $25 for patients with a concession card is a meaningful step. For many Australians, particularly those managing chronic conditions or supporting families, this change will result in hundreds of dollars in annual savings. It's estimated to save patients nearly $800 million over four years, which is a big number with a huge impact on individuals. Lower-cost medicines means fewer skipped doses, fewer delayed treatments and fewer people forced to choose between their health and their household budget. The bill also expands access to vital treatments, covering conditions like breast cancer, endometriosis, menopause and rare diseases. These are not fringe issues. They affect thousands of Australians. This legislation will make a real difference in their lives. But, while I support this bill, I do so with a clear understanding of its limitations. This is a step in the right direction, but there are still plenty of people struggling with the cost of medicines. The general PBS safety net remains high, requiring nearly $1,700 in annual spending before additional subsidies or support apply. That's a threshold far above what we see in countries like New Zealand or the UK and it leaves many low-income patients still vulnerable to high out-of-pocket expenses. The bill's impact assessment might have benefited from broader stakeholder consultation. The Office of Impact Analysis noted that, while the assessment was adequate, it lacked a detailed implementation and input from some key groups. We must remember that affordability is only one part of the equation. Medication adherence is influenced by many factors—access to pharmacies, health literacy and continuity of care. If we truly want to improve health outcomes, we must continue to address those systemic challenges. But this is a step in the right direction. It reflects a commitment to equity, preventive care and easing the burden on everyday Australians. On a related issue, I'm frequently contacted by constituents about vital medicines they require that are not listed on the PBS. This includes medications for heart disease, cancer treatment and menopause management. A 2020 House committee inquiry showed that Australia is starting to lag behind in access to new medicines. It takes an average of 466 days from when the Therapeutic Goods Administration says a new medicine is safe to when it's actually added to the PBS. The assessment process for new medications is outdated. It's 30 years old. It doesn't consider many broader benefits, like keeping people out of hospital or in school, or longer term benefits. It could involve patients earlier and more deeply to ensure that the full patient experience situation is considered. I'm aware that Minister Butler has committed to reforms and to implementing the 50 recommendations that came out of the health technology assessment. I appreciate that commitment but note that it's coming up to three years since those recommendations were made and it's time to get on with it. Just before speaking, I saw that there was an amendment put by the member for Lindsay on this legislation. I will be supporting that amendment, the first half of which really draws attention to this delay on implementing the health technology assessment. I will be supporting that amendment even though I don't really agree with the second half of it, which says that the national interest would be progressed by a meeting between the Prime Minister and Donald Trump. I'm not convinced that a face-to-face meeting with the US President would actually further Australia's interests in relation to pharmaceuticals or other issues based on what we have seen from other meetings and it is the gratuitous attack line of the week. But I think the member makes a really good point in the first half of that amendment. We do need to get on with implementing the 50 recommendations that came out of the health technology assessment. In conclusion, I support this bill and the amendment. I urge the government to treat it as part of broader ongoing reform of our healthcare system and to focus on timely access to new medicines as a high priority. We need to continue to build a health system when no-one's left behind and where access to medicine and health care is not a privilege but a right. 12:48 Mr FRENCH 316550 Moore I rise to speak in support of the National Health Amendment (Cheaper Medicines) Bill 2025. This bill is about fairness, dignity and ensuring that no Australian has to choose between paying the bills and filling a prescription. Labor built Medicare, Labor built the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme and Labor will always act to make health care affordable. This bill continues that legacy. Across Australia, households are under real financial strain. The cost of living is high. Families, pensioners and workers are searching for certainty in their household budgets. Medicines are a quiet but constant part of that pressure. Unlike electricity or groceries, the cost of prescriptions is often hidden from debate, but it is an unavoidable reality for millions of Australians. Pensioners may stretch their tablets to make them last longer. Parents may delay filling a child's script until after payday. Apprentices may skip doses so they can cover the rent. These choices are not trivial. They mean chronic conditions go untreated, recovery times are extended and minor illnesses can become major problems. When Australians skip medicines, they get sicker. They end up in emergency departments. They require hospital admissions that could have been avoided. They miss shifts at work, and their families carry the burden. This creates a ripple effect. A skipped blood pressure tablet can lead to a stroke. A missed antibiotic dose can lead to sepsis. A delayed insulin refill can result in a hospital admission. Each of these outcomes is preventable and each is more expensive than the script that was skipped. That is why this bill is before the House. It is about prevention rather than crisis. It is about certainty rather than anxiety. It is about ensuring that essential health care is a right and not a privilege tied to the size of the household budget. Let me turn to the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme, or the PBS, because that is the mechanism at the heart of this bill. The PBS was first established in 1948 and expanded under successive Labor governments. Its purpose is simple but profound: to ensure all Australians have affordable access to essential medicines. Under the PBS, the government subsidises the cost of medicines. Patients pay only a capped contribution, called the co-payment, and the government covers the rest. For many medicines, this subsidy is the difference between a script costing $20 to $30 at the counter and costing hundreds and sometimes even thousands of dollars if left to the open market. The PBS is one of the great pillars of our health system. Alongside Medicare, it ensures universal access. It means a child with asthma in Joondalup can access the same inhaler as a pensioner in Kalgoorlie or a young worker in Sydney, regardless of income. But the co-payment matters. When it rises too quickly, people feel it directly. For families with multiple scripts each month, even small increases compound into a significant burden. That is why co-payment freezes and reductions are so important. To illustrate the point, consider insulin. Without the PBS, insulin can cost several hundred a month. On the PBS, the patient contribution is capped at $31.60 this year, and under this bill it will fall to $25 from 2026. For concession card holders, the cost is $7.70. That is the power of the PBS. In countries without a scheme like this, families can be forced to ration medicines or even turn to online crowdfunding to afford essential drugs. That is not the Australian way. This bill takes several practical steps to reduce costs and expand access. First, it freezes PBS co-payments for five years. Concession card holders will pay no more than $7.70 until 2030. General patients will pay no more than $31.60 throughout 2025. This matters because, without that freeze, annual indexation would push costs up automatically year after year, regardless of wage growth. The freeze delivers certainty in an uncertain time. Second, from 1 January, 2026, the PBS general patient co-payment will fall to $25. That is the lowest level in more than 20 years, rolling back two decades of price creep. This represents a 20 per cent cut in the maximum cost of PBS medicines, saving Australians more than $200 million every year. Four out of five PBS medicines will become cheaper under these reforms. Importantly, pharmacies will continue to have the ability to discount below the co-payment, ensuring patients benefit from competition as well as government policy. Third, this bill strengthens price negotiations with pharmaceutical companies, ensuring taxpayers receive value for money, while patients gain timely access. Fourth, it expands access to higher cost medicines, particularly for rare conditions where breakthrough drugs have been out of reach for too many Australians. Finally, it removes unnecessary regulatory delays that add costs without adding value, streamlining access so patients can start treatment earlier. Each of these measures has a single purpose: to ensure cost is not a barrier to access. Why are we doing this? It is because every dollar saved at the counter makes the difference between a prescription filled today and one on the shelf. Medicines that remain unaffordable are, in effect, medicines that remain inaccessible. For me, this is not an abstract policy; it is personal. In 2009 I was diagnosed with chronic kidney disease. From that moment, my life was defined by declining kidney function, regular medical testing and the knowledge that one day I would need life sustaining treatment. Chronic kidney disease is relentless. It brings fatigue, dietary restrictions and the constant knowledge that dialysis or a transplant will one day be necessary. It is not a condition that can be ignored. For over a decade I lived with that uncertainty. Every blood test brought new anxiety. Every medical appointment was a reminder of the limitations imposed by the illness. Dialysis loomed in the background. For many Australians, that means hours every second day in a dialysis chair, tethered to a machine, exhausted before and after treatment. It means the inability to travel freely, to work full time or to live independently. In 2020 I received a kidney transplant. That gift came from my brother, who gave me one of his kidneys and, with it, a second chance at life. But a transplant is not the end of the story. It is the beginning of lifelong management. Patients must take immunosuppressants every day to prevent rejection. They must take antibiotics to reduce infection risk. They must attend constant monitoring, with every missed dose carrying a risk. The medicines that sustain me—tacrolimus, prednisolone, mycophenolate, pantoprazole—are all on the PBS. Without the PBS, those medicines would cost thousands of dollars a year for most families, and that is simply unaffordable. Because of the PBS, their cost is capped and manageable month after month, year after year. Without them, the transplant could have failed. Without them, my brother's extraordinary gift could have been lost. That is why I know firsthand that affordable medicine is not a matter of convenience; they are a matter of survival. That is why I am proud to support this bill—because it will ensure Australians who need medicines, whether for kidney disease or any other condition, can afford them. Let me turn to the impact in my electorate of Moore. As at 31 July this year, the savings from the cheaper-medicines policy in Moore is already over $12 million. That is not just a number; it is direct relief in household budgets across Perth's northern suburbs. It means seniors on fixed incomes are paying less for their regular prescriptions. It means families managing chronic conditions are no longer as heavily burdened. It means workers balancing rent, mortgages and medical expenses have greater certainty. Predictable co-payments also assist pharmacists. They are both frontline health professionals and small-business operators. Predictability allows them to plan stock, invest in staff and provide better services. When communities have strong local pharmacies, health care becomes more accessible. For many people, the chemist is the first doorway into the health system. This bill strengthens that doorway by making it more affordable. Nationally, more than 17 million Australian will benefit. The freeze on co-payments will save hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars a year for families managing multiple scripts, with substantial cumulative savings. With that combined with 60-day prescriptions, Australians will save time with fewer trips to the pharmacy, fewer days off work and fewer hours spent waiting for appointments. The government has allocated $3.2 billion in the budget to fund the reforms. That is not simply expenditure; it is investment in health, in productivity and in the dignity of households. The alternative is always more costly. When people cannot afford medicines, they delay treatment. They present in emergency wards with advanced conditions, they take longer to recover and they leave the workforce earlier. Prevention is cheaper than a crisis. That is the economic logic behind this bill. Every script filled on time is a hospital admission avoided. Every affordable dose taken is a step towards a healthier community and a stronger economy. Let me make this concrete by turning to some of the major health challenges Australia faces. For diabetes, affordable access to medicines prevents complications such as kidney failure, amputations, blindness and heart disease. Each complication avoided saves lives and reduces the cost to the health system. For cardiovascular disease, affordable blood pressure and cholesterol medicines reduce the incidence of heart attacks and strokes, which are among the leading causes of death and disability. For cancer patients, timely access to chemotherapy, pain management and adjunct medicines means better survival rates and reduced suffering. For people with mental health conditions, access to antidepressants and antipsychotics allows them to remain connected to work, study and community. For those with respiratory diseases like asthma, affordable inhalers prevent hospital admissions and reduce emergency call-outs. For people with arthritis and other chronic pain conditions, access to affordable anti-inflammatories and biologics makes the difference between mobility and immobility, between working life and disability. And for people with dementia or Parkinson's, access to the latest medicines helps maintain function and independence for longer, reducing the pressures for carers and aged care. In each of these cases, cheaper medicines do more than treat illness; they protect productivity, reduce avoidable admissions and strengthen the fabric of society. Cheaper medicines are not just good health policy; they are good economic policy. They keep apprentices on the tools by ensuring injuries and infections are treated properly. They keep seniors active and independent, contributing to community organisations, volunteering and caring for grandchildren. They keep small-business owners at work, managing chronic conditions while continuing to employ staff and serve customers. Affordable medicines reduce avoidable hospital admissions, ease the pressure on ambulances and keep people engaged in study, work and volunteering. They also reduce reliance on disability support pensions and carer payments by keeping people healthy enough to remain in the workforce. They support parents by reducing the number of days taken off work to care for sick children. In short, healthier Australians mean a stronger economy. That is why this bill matters, not only to health policy but to national productivity. This bill is part of a consistent Labor story. Whitlam had the vision to create Medicare. Hawke and Keating strengthened the PBS. The Howard government attempted to increase co-payments, and it was Labor that resisted and restored affordability. Today the Albanese Labor government is cutting the cost of medicines for millions of Australians. Every time Labor governs, health care becomes more affordable. Every step is about opening the door wider, not narrowing it. Every step is about fairness, dignity and security. This bill is about fairness. It is about dignity and it is about giving Australians one less thing to worry about when they are sick. I am here today because medicine was affordable, because my brother made a gift and because public policy helped protect that gift. I want every Australian to have the same chance. That is what we are doing with this bill. It backs the people of Moore. It backs families across Australia. It invests in prevention, protects health and strengthens the economy. Let us pass this bill. Let's make medicines cheaper. Let us give Australians certainty and peace of mind. I commend this bill to the House. 13:03 Mr McCORMACK 219646 Riverina The member for Moore has just outlined the critical nature of the National Health Amendment (Cheaper Medicines) Bill 2025 and given us a deeply personal insight into why it is important. I commend him for that revelation. I also know of a former colleague, Nola Marino, the former member for Forrest, and her deeply personal crusade about endometriosis. These are important, and I recognise and acknowledge the effort that the member for Moore is going to, in his brief career so far in this place, and I wish him well—and certainly on his health crusade. This bill is being supported by the coalition—although I note that it has been enhanced by an amendment put forward by the member for Lindsay, and I hope that that is very much carefully considered by the parliament. This bill is consistent with the election commitment of the government. Importantly, though, I need to note that that was matched by the coalition. The bill amends the National Health Act 1953 to reduce the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme general co-payment, that general patient charge, by $6.60 from the current amount of $31.60 to the new amount of $25. If passed, that will begin on New Year's Day next year. I know that, during the election campaign and since—and I appreciate that the government has a mandate—there was and has been a lot said about how Labor is the party for good health outcomes and the Liberal and National parties are not. This is simply not true. I also know that what is not true is what Labor talks about—health care being free and that the coalition would have pulled apart Medicare. Health care is not free, and the coalition was in no way ever going to tear down Medicare and what it stands for. It's all well and good for the Prime Minister to produce his Medicare card, that green card which many people use, and it's a great health system we have. If you don't think my words are genuine, then go overseas and get sick. See what other people, who aren't lucky enough to be born Australian, have to contend with when they get ill. We've got a great health system. We've got great health professionals. Is it perfect? No, by no means. But, let me tell you, it's better than anywhere else in the world, and we're very lucky. We've got people who genuinely care about health services and health provisions. The member for Moore was not here when the health minister was forced, kicking and dragging his feet, to the table to sign the Eighth Community Pharmacy Agreement. I did note that the member for Moore quite correctly pointed out that a chemist is, as he said, the first doorway into the health system for many Australians—and indeed it is. For many of those regional centres, the friendly pharmacist is the only point of call they have into the health system, and we should be very mindful of the role that our chemists play in the first-class health system Australia boasts. We should never forget that, not just when the accord needs to be signed but at all times. Under this government, the cost of health has increased 15 per cent. In the last term of the Labor government, bulk-billing rates dropped 11 per cent. They are not insignificant numbers. They are not. I know that the health minister, from the leafy suburbs of Adelaide, came out and said: 'If you can't find a doctor to bulk-bill you, just make another appointment. Pick up the phone, see if you can find another appointment and go with that doctor.' It might all be well and good in Glenelg, West Torrens and anywhere else in Adelaide. It might all be well and good in Brisbane, in Sydney, in Melbourne and in any other capital city you care to mention. But I tell you what: when you live in remote Australia and the only doctor in town, if you're lucky enough to have a doctor, is not bulk-billing, you can't pick up the phone and get another doctor, because that other doctor might be five hours away—and that's by plane. We're not blessed with that many doctors in regional, rural and remote Australia—particularly remote Australia. Everybody would like cheaper medicines—and I acknowledge the government's push to have cheaper medicines—but let me also tell the House of a few of the things that we did, as a government, which are often scorned by those opposite, who maintain that, when they came to office, there was a trillion dollars worth of Liberal Party debt. That's not true either. It was nowhere near that. Mr McCORMACK 219646 I'm sorry, it was not anywhere near that. It probably is now, but it was nowhere near that back then. We did have a global pandemic to deal with and over 93 per cent of Australians got protection from vaccines under the former coalition government. I know there are a lot of people out there who are scaremongering about vaccinations at the moment. I will tell you what people who decry the value of vaccines would do well to do: go and visit a cemetery and look at the number of headstones from prior to the fifties and sixties—before vaccinations were made mandatory—with infants' names and ages on them. Go see the number of bubs who weren't able to make it into adolescence, let alone adulthood, because they passed away too soon because there weren't vaccines available. The other thing that the former coalition government was praised for, by the John Hopkins index, no less, was the fact we were ranked second in the world for pandemic preparedness, and that's something I think we should be very proud of. There were 502,413 people on the National Disability Insurance Scheme and we now see the problems with the NDIS. My office deals more with NDIS issues than with any other single matter or concern which comes before us via email or any other means. There are issues with the NDIS, not least of which is the cutback to pricing and payments. This means that those NDIS providers who travelling are now cutting back their services to people who need them and are outside the major regional hubs. This is because the travel cost is being absorbed into the overall cost allowed for by this government. This change came into place on 1 July, and, when you talk about health outcomes, that is of critical importance because it means that the most vulnerable of our society, people who have disabilities, are now not going to receive the allied health that they need, whether it's podiatry, physiotherapy, speech therapy or the like. That's cruel. That's sad. It's truly unnecessary. As a regional member, I will continue to fight for those people who aren't being given those services. Under the former coalition government, there were more than 94 million telehealth consultations through Medicare to 16 million patients. Telehealth will never replace, or should never replace, face-to-face consultations. But, when you are in a remote or regional part of Australia and you don't have that face-to-face professional care, then telehealth is the next best thing and the number of consultations increased under our watch. There have been 857 new medicines listed on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme since 2019. That's a significant number. I praise and I welcome any listing on that scheme. I realise that new listings have got to go through PBAC. I realise there's a process that is required for a listing, and I do appreciate that the pharmaceutical companies want to get their pound of flesh too. Earlier, I heard the member for Moore talking about kidneys and kidney medicines, drugs and treatments. But, particularly when it comes to medicines that ease the suffering from cystic fibrosis, I also support such listings. I appreciate the government has done something in that regard, as we did for heart health and for any sort of health. I say thank you to the government for any work they do on health. I truly acknowledge that. There are more than 128,000 Australians supported by headspace, and I welcomed the Assistant Minister for Rural and Regional Health, Ms McBride, to Wagga Wagga just recently. We visited the walk-in clinic in Baylis Street. When I was in government, we were able to bring headspace to town, just like I was also able to bring it to Griffith and fund it for Cowra. Anything that can be done in the headspace space has got to be valued and praised. To that end, I thank former member for Sturt Christopher Pyne for the pioneering work he did for headspace in its early years, when the genesis of headspace was being brought to this parliament. There were 1,400 additional nurse placements for the regions that also came about under the former coalition government; that's a good thing. We should be acknowledging that work that we did. In the time remaining, I also want to thank the government—here you go—for the work that it's done to fund the Maddie Riewoldt's Vision service that is being provided. Maddie Riewoldt passed away in 2015, all too young, from bone marrow failure syndrome. Her very famous AFL relatives, Nick and Jack, and her wider family are very much supporting that vision that she had—and that they have—and continue the work in this regard. My niece, Elizabeth Shaw—she's married now and has a little baby, Max—has a future because Maddie Riewoldt's Vision is going to be so beneficial for her. Now, with her doctor husband, Dr Byrnes from Wagga Wagga, I know they are going to have a bright future, and I thank the government for that. But I am very disappointed that the government didn't see fit to continue to fund the colorectal centre in Melbourne that we funded. I wonder why that wasn't funded for the few million dollars that it would have cost to carry on the vital work they were doing to help babies, particularly, who were born with that condition. That colorectal centre was providing great hope and opportunity for those children, and it's now just been taken away for the few million dollars that it would have cost. I will continue to work cooperatively with government to see it funded in the future, because it is all too vital not to be funded. At the end of the day, if people can get cheaper medicines, if people can acknowledge the role and responsibility that our pharmacies play, particularly in regional Australia, then that has got to be seen as a good thing. If we have a healthy nation, we have a happy nation and we have a productive nation. I know we had a productivity roundtable last week. I'm not too sure how much health was a part of that, but health is vital. If we get our health system right, if we get the distribution of medicines right, we will increase productivity and we'll have a better nation, besides. Certainly, we need to ensure that those rollouts of vital medicines and vital health services are done in rural and remote regional Australia, where so much of the heavy lifting for this nation is done. 13:18 Ms CLUTTERHAM 316101 Sturt I am proud to rise today to speak on this legislation, the National Health Amendment (Cheaper Medicines) Bill 2025, which is part of the Albanese Labor government's dedication to more affordable and accessible health care for all Australians. It is also part of the extensive raft of cost-of-living measures that this government has initiated. The cost-of-living relief initiated by the Albanese Labor government is extensive. Tax cuts, more tax cuts combined with energy bill relief, reduced higher education and VET debt, a record and welcome investment in women's health and more bulk-billing are all part of the suite of measures designed to help Australians and their families. Nothing, however, is more important than affordable and accessible health care. A good job, cheaper prices at the supermarket, lower energy bills and reduced education debt are welcome but cannot be leveraged by the average Australian if they are unwell. In a country such as Australia, everyone should be able to take advantage of the opportunity that this great land provides, the opportunity to live a productive and meaningful life. Having lived around the world, I can say that our healthcare system is the envy of the world, and this government is determined to protect it. Good health is everything, and a critical enabler of achieving good health is being able to access health care. That is why the Albanese Labor government is making cheaper medicines even cheaper by delivering on the government's 2025 election commitment in relation to the cost of medicines. From 1 January 2026 the cost of the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme general patient co-payment will reduce from $31.60 to $25. The last time PBS medicines cost no more than $25 was more than 20 years ago, in 2004. Under this government, we know that downward trends are becoming increasingly common. Inflation is going down. It had a six in front of it when we came to government; now it has a two. Interest rates are going down, the unemployment rate is going down and the cost of medicines is going down. We know that under this government some things go up, like wages for low-income workers, like paid parental leave and like superannuation on paid parental leave. But we know that the cost of medicines is going down. This reduction of the co-payment to $25 is a critical cost-of-living measure delivered by the Albanese government. The largest cut to the cost of medicines in the history of the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme was in 2023—again, on this government's watch—when the cost of medicines on the PBS was lowered to $30, from $42.50. As a result, as of 31 July 2025 the savings in my electorate of Sturt, in Adelaide's east, from the government's action on cheaper medicines has been just over $13 million. Sturt will also be a beneficiary of the Albanese Labor government's health initiatives in that a Medicare mental health centre and urgent care clinic will be delivered to the electorate. But now we go even further. Importantly, the reduced costs of medicine will include medication newly listed on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme to help address women's unique health needs. Take, for example, the contraceptive pill Slinda, which was first listed on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme on 1 May 2025—one of the first listings of contraceptives on that scheme for, incredibly, more than 30 years. That announcement was made by the federal health minister the Hon. Mark Butler in my electorate of Sturt in May 2025, when we heard from women that, for them, sometimes Slinda is the only option. Because of specific and unique medical circumstances, they cannot take other, more cost-effective forms of contraception. So this listing meant that the annual cost was reduced from more than $300, which is, frankly, prohibitive for some women. If you are a young woman or a low-income earner—perhaps a retail worker, a disability support worker or an aged-care worker—$300 is prohibitive. But now, from 1 January 2026, the cheaper medicines legislation means the cost will be further reduced to $25 for non-concession-cardholders, making it more accessible and affordable to all women, who should not be financially disadvantaged just because of their unique health needs—or, in other words, just because they are women. At the same time as the announcement about Slinda was made, the announcement about Pergoveris was made. This is a fertility drug. We know that women, with their unique complex health needs, require medication from the early family planning stages of life until they desire to start a family. On this occasion, we met with women who had fallen pregnant because of this drug, now listed on the PBS and affordable. What really struck me about this was that an announcement about contraceptives and fertility drugs at the same time underscored the complex and unique health needs that women have and that the Albanese Labor government is listening to and will continue to listen to. The National Health Amendment (Cheaper Medicines) Bill 2025 equates to a more than 20 per cent cut in the maximum cost of PBS medicines, which will save Australians over $200 million each year. Four out of five medicines on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme will become cheaper, resulting in more affordable and accessible health care. And we know that healthy economies only occur when there are healthy populations. A healthy population drives productivity. It drives a healthy economy. So health is an economic proposition. Slashing the costs of medicine is a move to promote better health for all Australians, but it is also an economic imperative. Cheaper medicines are good for the hip pocket, good for your health and good for the economy. If medication is skipped, a condition worsens. If a visit to a GP is skipped, a condition worsens. Skip another course of medication, take a few sick days and, all of a sudden, you cannot work, your condition has worsened and maybe you require hospital treatment. This is all about preventive health care, allowing Australians access to affordable health care when a condition arises, not when it has escalated. In Australia, the statement, 'I couldn't afford to fill my script,' should never be uttered. In Australia, the statement, 'I couldn't afford to see my doctor,' should never be uttered. In addition to the $25 regime, pensioners and concession card holders will continue to benefit from the freeze to the cost of their PBS medicines, with the cost frozen at its current level of $7.70 until 2030. And, as a child of now elderly parents on a raft of different medications, this is very welcome to me. Australia has an ageing population, and we need to ensure that our elderly Australians have access to the affordable health care that they deserve. All of these initiatives further grow and develop action the Albanese Labor government has already taken to deliver cost-of-living relief through cheaper medicines, including 60-day prescriptions, which save time and money for millions of Australians with an ongoing health condition. Cost-of-living relief is the bread and butter of the Albanese Labor government, and cheaper medicines for all Australians is a critical part of this. Cheaper medicines are good for the hip pockets of all Australians, good for the health of all Australians and good for the Australian economy. Australians are passionate about health care. During my campaign for the seat of Sturt, my team and I knocked on over 10,000 doors. We talked education; we talked trade; we talked housing. We had great conversations with the engaged voters of Sturt. But a number of weekends jumped out to me as being particularly significant. The first was in November 2024, when the Albanese Labor government announced its policy to wipe 20 per cent off HECS, VET and apprenticeship student debt, which has had an impact on over 25,000 residents of Sturt. The second-biggest weekend was when the Albanese Labor government announced a $587 million investment into women's health. This was welcomed by men and women, because both men and women know that women's health is good for the family and an economic proposition. As part of this health announcement, the government indicated that it would be funding more treatments for menopause and helping more women suffering from endometriosis, which is a complex condition. There are many women out there who, because of the condition, have been unable to work, unable to get out of bed or unable even to get a diagnosis. The Albanese Labor government has heard you and will be making further investments to ensure the women of Australia get the treatment that they deserve. Another big weekend of doorknocking was the announcement that Sturt would be the beneficiary— The DEPUTY SPEAKER 248181 The debate is interrupted in accordance with standing order 43. The debate may be resumed at a later hour. The member will be granted leave to continue speaking when the debate is resumed. STATEMENTS BY MEMBERS 15 STATEMENTS BY MEMBERS Energy 15 13:30 Mr JOYCE e5d New England Today we see the billionaires are being set up to make even more money out of you sooner, because we have to change the environmental laws to allow them to build more intermittent power precincts quicker, removing environmental protections that would otherwise send sections of the political class, the environmentalists and the media into meltdown. But no more, apparently. Wow! What a deal: secret capacity investment schemes to guarantee a financial win with the taxpayers' money; the change of laws that no farmer could ever get away with so they can build their cash-cows tout suite; laws demanding that their intermittent power product has to be purchased, putting massive upward pressure on an essential item for the dignity of life; electricity pricing at a historical record high; a licence to desecrate the land with wind turbines, solar panels and transmission lines, with no responsibility to clean up the mess of obsolescence; and a clear understanding that the reason given to it—net zero—is impossible to achieve. Here is the kicker: a cheer squad in Canberra of those who otherwise would pride themselves in asking the hard questions and giving voice to the powerless against the powerful. Let's be honest. These boys need 10 out of 10. Basically, the premise is that, if you don't buy their ticket, you are a bad person. Even if you inquire, you are a climate apostate. These boys have pulled the wool over your eyes and taken you to the cleaners, and there is absolutely nothing that this chamber is currently doing to stop them. Canberra Electorate: Housing 15 13:31 Ms PAYNE 144732 Canberra My constituents Abby and Lachlan, both just 23, recently bought their first home in Lawson in my electorate. I want to thank them for welcoming me, the Prime Minister and the Minister for Housing to their home yesterday to hear about what it means to them to be paying off their own mortgage rather than someone else's and to meet their very cute puppy, Chilli, who they've been able to welcome now that they have their own home. This has been possible because of the Albanese government's five per cent home deposit scheme. We were there yesterday to announce that our election promise to expand eligibility of the five per cent deposit scheme to every first home buyer will be brought forward to 1 October this year. This is a game changer for countless young Australians who have been diligently saving to buy their first home—who might be living with parents as Abby and Lachlan were—and see the saving of 20 per cent deposit as an almost insurmountable task. This will bring them a step closer than ever before to having a place they can call their own. Since coming to office in 2022, Labor has helped over 180,000 first home buyers get into a home of their own with a lower deposit. This is just one part of our housing agenda. We've invested $43 billion in our Homes for Australia plan as we work toward our target of 1.2 million new homes by 2030. We're fast-tracking the approvals of 26,000 homes that have stagnated. We're freezing changes to the National Construction Code so that builders can get on with the job— (Time expired) Energy 15 13:33 Mr KENNEDY 267506 Cook This government is the worst government in the last 20 years on emissions reduction. You know who achieved a greater emissions reduction than this government? Tony Abbott, Malcolm Turnbull and Scott Morrison. Emissions have gone down less under Anthony Albanese and Chris Bowen. I think I've discovered finally why Chris Bowen goes so red in question time. He's embarrassed, and he should be because prices are up— The DEPUTY SPEAKER 248181 I will remind the member to use correct titles. Mr KENNEDY 267506 Sorry, Madam Deputy Speaker; I withdraw that. Prices are up, emissions are flat, and they're nowhere near the Renewable Energy Target. But don't worry. Don't worry out there. Who can we trust to set a 2035 target in just a few weeks' time? That is the worst performing government in 20 years on emissions. That's who we are entrusting Australia to. That is who we are asking to legislate a 2035 target: the people who promise a lot but deliver zero. It's no wonder they want to talk about batteries. I have to admire this government for its politics, because when you jack energy prices up sky high you then realise batteries aren't economical to sell to people, so you subsidise those batteries with the money Australians pay you to reduce the electricity prices that you've jacked up. The politics is astounding. Congratulations! No wonder you want to talk about the coalition, because a look in the mirror is pretty ugly. Housing 16 13:35 Mr SOON 298618 Banks During the election campaign, the thing I heard most often from young people in my electorate of Banks was that they wanted to see a government that would help them get into their first home. I heard many stories in Banks of people who were paying an amount in rent that was similar to what they had worked out they would be paying for a mortgage but were unable to get enough saved to get over the deposit hurdle. That is why I am so pleased that this Labor government's five per cent home deposit initiative is being introduced. It will open the doors of homeownership to so many more hardworking Australians, especially our young people. From 1 October 2025, first home buyers can get into a property with only a five per cent deposit, cutting years off the time required to save for a deposit and saving first home owners thousand in lenders mortgage insurance. The housing crisis is a complex beast that has been decades in the making. While the former government didn't even see fit to have a housing minister for most of their term, this Labor government is getting the job done with an excellent housing minister and an ambitious agenda, including to boost housing supply with targets and programs that make it easier for Australians to get into a place of their own, making sure the next generation are able to have somewhere to live and somewhere to build a home for generations to come. Middle East: Protests 16 13:36 Ms WATSON-BROWN 300127 Ryan I want to speak today about the huge rallies we saw over the weekend in support of the Palestinian people. This is what hope looks like—hundreds of thousands of people rallying across the country, calling for an end to the genocide and for the government to sanction Israel and end their arms trade with it. There were 50,000 in Brisbane alone, an incredible cross-section of the community, all united because they see what this government won't: that when a genocide is happening you do everything in your power to stop it. This is a powerful movement that can win. It is part of a powerful global movement that can stop the genocide. But Labor and the Liberals don't want you to think that's possible. They want you to think it's okay to continue exporting crucial parts of F-35 jets that allow Israel to drop bombs on Gaza. They want you to think it's okay not to sanction Israel as we did Russia for its invasion of Ukraine. They want you to think it's acceptable to maintain diplomatic and trade ties with a state committing genocide and to continue to refer to it as a friend and ally. Hundreds of thousands of people sent a message to the government over the weekend: you cannot hide from your complicity in Israel's genocide in Gaza. Housing 16 13:37 Ms JARRETT 298574 Brisbane Housing is a human right and an important foundation in anyone's life. I saw, as a child growing up in Brisbane with foster siblings, how a safe home can be life changing. The challenges we face in housing are complex, but they are the result of decades of inadequate attention. But this Labor government has made the biggest single investment in housing since World War II. Our $43 billion plan sees investment across homelessness, social housing, homeownership support and additional rent assistance. We're working to deliver 55,000 social and affordable homes and support for more than 100,000 first home buyers to own a home of their own. In Brisbane, we've delivered almost 1,200 homes using the five per cent deposit scheme. There are 9,000 recipients of the Commonwealth rent assistance program, 80 social homes under the Housing Australia financing program, 12 new dwellings for crisis accommodation and 2,800 dwellings as part of the build-to-rent program. Meanwhile, those opposite continue to undermine these programs. We all remember they teamed up with the Greens to block important housing reforms, and they still can't figure out a credible housing policy. Shame on you. Meanwhile, Labor's getting on with the job. We're getting on with the job of delivering more homes sooner. Warringah Electorate: Australia Post 16 13:39 Ms STEGGALL 175696 Warringah I rise today to speak on behalf of the Milsons Point, Kirribilli and Lavender Bay communities, who are shocked and deeply disappointed by the decision to close the Milsons Point post office. This closure will have serious welfare impacts, particularly for elderly and disabled residents in the Greenway, James Milson Village and Port Jackson Tower housing complexes. The closure was not part of Australia Post's modernisation program. It was triggered by Transport for New South Wales's refusal to extend the lease. Instead they increased the rent to levels that were simply uneconomic for Australia Post. Transport for New South Wales did not permit community consultation or take into account the impact on community needs. I've met with Australia Post to discuss our community's concerns and will be writing to the New South Wales government to ensure there's greater accountability from them. We need to find a way to balance the need for Australia Post to maintain economically viable outlets and the access to essential services for communities, and that should be provided by national institutions like Australia Post. I commend the Kirribilli, Milsons Point and Lavender Bay precincts for their joint advocacy efforts to fight the closure or to find acceptable solutions. I want to thank Australia Post for their engagement with me on this issue, and I look forward to continuing to engage on the issue. It is important for the community to access essential services, so a solution and a compromise needs to be found. Housing 17 13:40 Ms 316021 Gorton JORDAN-BAIRD () (): Housing is everything in the western suburbs of Melbourne, and Gorton is one of the youngest and fastest growing electorates in the country. Throughout the election campaign, like my friend the member for Banks, I had thousands of conversations with young people who are living with their parents or renting. They would tell me that they felt owning a home was out of their grasp. We know that those opposite think raiding our superannuation for a house deposit is the way to go, but, on this side of the House, we care about the future of our young people. From 1 October 2025, first home buyers will only need a five per cent deposit. Young people aren't an afterthought here. This policy is for us. We're delivering this election commitment even earlier than we said we would. This will cut years off the time it takes to save for a deposit. It will help young people into first homes sooner, meaning they'll pay off their own mortgages and not just their landlord's. This is real cost-of-living relief for those out west. Since we came to government in May this year, more than 1,800 people in Gorton have been able to buy their first home with a five per cent deposit or less thanks to Labor's expanded Home Guarantee Scheme. This five per cent deposit is not in a vacuum. We're tackling the housing crisis from every angle. We're building more homes. We're supporting our skilled construction workforce with more than 400 construction-trade apprentices in Gorton benefitting from incentive payments. We're building more homes, making it better to rent and easier to buy, because young people shouldn't be locked out of the housing market. Vietnam Veterans' Day 17 13:42 Ms LANDRY 249764 Capricornia Last week, on Vietnam Veterans' Day, we paused to reflect on a conflict that shaped a generation and to honour the courage, sacrifice and enduring spirit of all who served. I was privileged to join many Vietnam veterans and their families at Cockscomb Veterans Bush Retreat for a moving service. Together, we remembered not only those who made the ultimate sacrifice in Vietnam but also those who, in the years since, have lost their own battles in different ways. The bonds of mateship remain strong more than 50 years on, and it was deeply humbling to witness. Following the service, I spent time with many of the veterans, sharing in the solidarity that is so unique to the veterans community and reflecting on the incredible work Cockscomb Veterans Bush Retreat does to support those who have served. It was a reminder that the strength of our veterans is found not only in their service but also in the way they continue to look after one another. Since 1997, the Cockscomb Veterans Bush Retreat has been a place of solace and healing for Vietnam veterans. Today, it continues to serve as a place of reflection and peace for veterans of more recent conflicts as well. It's a sanctuary where the silent battles faced by many are, if only for a while, quietened. To the veterans of Vietnam and all who have served since: your courage shaped our history, your sacrifice safeguards our freedom and your legacy will live on through every generation of Australians. We honour you not only in ceremony but in our actions, and we pledge never to forget the price you paid for this nation. Lest we forget. Housing 17 13:43 Ms WITTY 316660 Melbourne Too many young people in Melbourne work hard and save what they can, but homeownership feels further out of reach every year. That's why I welcome the Albanese Labor government's announcement that from 1 October every first home buyer will only need a five per cent deposit. This will cut years off the time it takes to save, and it means buyers won't pay a single dollar in mortgage insurance. In suburbs across the electorate of Melbourne, from Carlton to Collingwood and Docklands to Fitzroy, young people are being locked out of the market. Cutting deposit requirements is practical, immediate relief, and, by building 100,000 homes exclusively for first home buyers, we are levelling the playing field. This comes alongside Labor's 20 per cent reduction in HECS debt. Many graduates in Melbourne balance rent, rising bills and student repayments. This will free up real money to put towards a first deposit. It means more for our teachers, nurses and hospitality workers, who can see a pathway to buy their own home. The Liberals sat on their hands for a decade, letting the crisis get worse. I am proud that this government is tackling it head-on, cutting the time to save, reducing student debt and building the homes our city needs, because everyone deserves a chance to have a place to call home. Veterans 18 13:45 Mr TAYLOR 231027 Hume I rise to raise serious concerns about a decision that will affect thousands of Defence Force men and women over the years to come. In its wisdom, the Albanese government has decided to scrap funding from the Salvation Army's Sallyman program. The Sallymen and Sallyma'ams have provided Australian troops with comfort, care and Christian chaplaincy for more than 125 years, during conflict and peacetime, on bases around the country. Whether it's a hot cuppa or a sympathetic ear, their presence has been a constant source of strength and reassurance. And this has been more than just a service; it's part of our Defence Force culture and heritage. Generations of Australian soldiers have relied on Sallymen and Sallyma'ams for support during their toughest moments. Since this announcement, I've heard from many ex-service people, not only from my electorate but across the country—veterans like James. James said, 'As a veteran, I recall many occasions where this service brightened me and the boys' days when they were doing it tough in the field.' Given that the defence budget's more than $50 billion a year and the Sallyman program needs only $1.5 million to continue, it's not like it's about the money. Cutting the Sallyman program is not the answer. I call on the government to reconsider this decision and ensure that this vital service continues for our serving men and women, veterans and their families. Housing 18 13:46 Mr MATT SMITH 312393 Leichhardt Under the Albanese Labor government, first home buyers are now able to buy a house with just a five per cent deposit from 1 October this year. A five per cent deposit and no mortgage insurance saves money, reduces ongoing costs and now has been brought forward to help more Australians realise their dream of homeownership. Unlike the policy of those opposite, this five per cent deposit policy allows first home buyers to get into homeownership without having to mortgage their retirement by raiding their super. Combined with other cost-of-living initiatives, such as the 20 per cent reduction in HECS debts, disallowing HECS being taken into account when applying for loans, more affordable health care and child care and better access to education, this delivers a holistic response to ensuring Australians can live their lives in a piece of Australia that they own. When I returned to the electorate after HECS debts were reduced, so many people came to me and they were excited because now they felt they could start saving for a home. Well, this is great news for them because that house just got a little bit closer. We were elected to help Australians. We were given a mandate to reduce the imposition of the deposit on first home buyers, to get them into the game sooner and allow them to live their best lives in their own home. And we are delivering. These are the kinds of changes that people expect to see from their governments. We're getting more Australians into their home quicker, while saving them money along the way—a huge win for first home buyers around the country and just another way the Albanese Labor government is delivering on our commitments. Child Abuse: Childcare Centres 18 13:48 Mr McCORMACK 219646 Riverina Our children are our nation's best asset. They are the future of this great country. This is why we must protect them. We must nurture them and give them the best possible chance in life. This is why we must conduct a royal commission into child care. Nothing less will suffice. The appalling string of charges laid against an appalling string of offenders in the childcare system in recent times demands action. As well, the incidents where some childcare centres have put children's lives at risk in the pursuit of profits is obscene. We are now seeing the industrialisation of childcare. It is simply not right. Let's not mince words. The predators who do the wrong thing by babies—and they are babies—in child care ought to be locked up forever. They should never ever see the light of day again. How these evildoers managed to slip through the system is anyone's guess. No more. Let's put the system under the microscope. A full and exhaustive royal commission is what is needed, for the sake of our most precious of people—our kids. You see, with aged care, the older people were able to at least give evidence. Our babies can't; they can't speak for themselves. And we should do the right thing by them. Housing 18 13:49 Ms MILLER-FROST 296272 Boothby This country hasn't built enough houses for 40 years. This has meant prices have gone up, both for purchase and to rent. This Labor government has got cracking on a number of strategies to address this. We're making it better to rent by strengthening renters rights, increasing rental properties through build-to-rent, with 80,000 more homes, and providing a 45 per cent increase to Commonwealth rent assistance, helping one million households. We're building more homes through the Housing Australia Future Fund, training more tradies, providing more infrastructure and reducing red tape. We're also making it easier to buy through shared equity with Help to Buy and a 20 per cent cut to student debt, which we are excluding from mortgage assessments. And now we're expanding the five per cent deposit scheme. So far 175,000 Australians have already bought their first home on this scheme. This means first home buyers can get into the market faster and avoid having to pay mortgage insurance. Mortgage insurance is very rarely called on and costs the average mortgagee $23,000 a year, money they could be putting into their home equity. Alongside increasing affordable housing supply, the five per cent deposit scheme means housing will be more affordable for first home buyers, many of whom are in the younger age groups. The Liberal and National parties left a housing disaster for our next generation and have tried to block our housing strategies at every step. This government is working hard to make housing affordable for all Australians. Health Care 19 13:51 Ms McKENZIE 124514 Flinders I rise today to speak about the Medicare urgent care clinic announced by the Albanese government in the March budget to be located in my electorate of Flinders, in Somerville, but which has now apparently shifted to Hastings without any consultation. A recently published open tender from the South Eastern Melbourne Primary Health Network makes this clear. They're seeking a site on the Mornington Peninsula with a preference for Hastings. I do welcome this much-needed investment in our area from this government, and I have a long list of items which I constantly raise with government ministers. Hastings is well deserving of greater medical facilities. It's a 15-minute drive from Somerville and 30 minutes from Frankston Hospital. But, when governments make big undertakings to our community, locals deserve to see them delivered where and how they were promised or at least to be consulted on such a significant change. Somerville has high need. Indeed 33.2 per cent of Somerville residents have one or more long-term health conditions compared with just 27.4 per cent Victoria-wide. It is an area that's experiencing rapid urban growth, with 20,000 people now calling the township home. Last Friday, Health Minister Mark Butler put out a press release reiterating the plan to establish an urgent care clinic in Somerville. The health minister insists the clinic is still coming, and that's good, but why does the tender point elsewhere, and what are the possible proponents supposed to do? Are they supposed to trust the minister's press release or the tender documents? This government talks about transparency. This might be a good place to start. Housing 19 13:52 Mr REPACHOLI 298840 Hunter Let's be clear about what those opposite did in government. They looked after their mates, left first home buyers and young Australians completely screwed, created a housing crisis, fuelled inequity and walked out without a plan. Now, their big idea? Make young Australians raid their super. There's nothing on supply, nothing on affordability and nothing to fix the mess they created. It's just another Liberal cash-grab forcing young people to choose between a home today or dignity in retirement. The Greens—I'm glad there's one in here, too—showed their true colours as well. They spent the whole term blocking Labor's housing reforms and voting with the Liberals to lock young people out. At the election, Australians delivered the verdict: three seats gone, including their leader. While those opposite play games with people's futures, our government is delivering. From 1 October 2025, first home buyers can purchase a home with a five per cent deposit and no mortgage insurance. That's real help, cutting years off the time it takes to save for a deposit. That is the difference. Young people in the Hunter tell me they are working harder and saving harder, yet homeownership feels further away than it ever has. I tell them this: help is on its way under the Albanese Labor government. We are here to help you and we'll be listening to you along the way. Thank you for your support. Salvation Army Noosa-Coolum 19 13:54 Mr LLEW O'BRIEN 265991 Wide Bay The Salvation Army have been helping people since their formation in the 19th century and doing tremendous work to improve the lives of others, and that work extends into my electorate of Wide Bay and Noosa, where together Sharon and I and 160 other people attended the Noosa-Coolum Salvation Army breakfast at the Sunshine Beach Surf Life Saving Club. The breakfast theme was Hope Rising, and the $20,000 raised will raise the hopes of many. The event's guest speaker, Olympic medallist Natalie Cook, spoke about the importance of hope and how that connects us all. It could be the hope of winning a gold medal at the Olympics or simply the hope of a night's sleep in a safe place. We also heard from some very brave women who spoke about their lived experience of homelessness and how the safe sleeping space that is run by the Salvation Army has changed their life. Not only has it given them a safe place to sleep but also they've followed on and become volunteers to help others at the same time, which is so tremendous. My thanks and appreciation go to the Noosa-Coolum Salvation Army volunteers, led by Captain Matt Gluyas and fundraising committee members Penelope Lena and Donna Frey, for their commitment to helping others. Housing Affordability 20 13:55 Mr GOSLING 245392 Solomon Many young Territorians are working hard and trying to save but feel like the dream of homeownership has never been further out of reach. Of course, we as Labor are making it easier for you Territorians, young or old, to buy your own home. From 1 October, every first home buyer will only need a five per cent deposit. This will cut years off the time it takes to save for a deposit, helping you to own your home sooner. And you won't have to pay a single dollar in mortgage insurance either. First home buyers only need a five per cent deposit, while single parents only need a two per cent deposit. Housing Australia provides a guarantee to the buyer's bank to enable a homebuyer to borrow up to 95 per cent, or 98 per cent for single parents, of the property's value. For those Territorians seeking to apply, you need to be over 18; you need to be a first home buyer or a homebuyer who has not owned a property in Australia for the last 10 years; you need to be buying or building a residential property to live in; and you need to have saved a minimum deposit of five per cent, or two per cent for single parents. This is fantastic support from our federal government to Territorians that want to own their own home. Defence and Veterans' Services Commission 20 13:57 Mr CHESTER IPZ Gippsland RSL Australia has sent a very clear message to the Albanese government: the Defence and Veterans' Services Commission should be established as a Commonwealth statutory agency through purpose-specific legislation, as recommended by the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide. It's the same message from veterans' advocates like Julie-Ann Finney and the respected interim head of the DVSC, Michael Manthorpe, who has told the Senate inquiry it would be 'highly desirable' to create a standalone act. This government needs to listen for a change. The RSL has said: Australian veterans who have made unique sacrifices in service of our nation deserve to know their interests are being protected by an oversight body that will act without fear or favour. The RSL says the commission 'should be established under a separate act of parliament as an independent body'. In opposition, the Prime Minister liked to play politics with our veterans. He even accused the coalition of ignoring grieving parents like Julie-Ann Finney. Prime Minister, why is your government now ignoring the pleas of Ms Finney and the RSL for a truly independent commissioner? We know that true independence is the key to establishing the trust and confidence of the veterans community. Prime Minister, why won't your government listen to veterans, listen to their families, listen to veterans' advocates, listen to mental health experts, listen to the coalition and give our veterans a fully independent commissioner? (Time expired) Housing Affordability 20 13:59 Mr ROB MITCHELL M3E McEwen When it comes to affordable housing, Australians know they can rely on the Albanese Labor government to deliver homes for more people. It's not our government that said in 2017, 'If you want to buy a house, get rich parents.' It wasn't our government that said, 'If you want to buy a house, get a better job.' No, it was our government that said to young Australians, 'We want to help you get into your first home,' and we've done so through our five per cent deposit scheme. Nearly 1,300 people in McEwen have benefited from this, and we know that, right across the country, more Australians will get access to that Australian dream of owning their own home because this government actually went out and supported Australians. We went out and said that we need to get more homes for people fleeing domestic violence. We fast-tracked our support for tradies to get more people building homes and getting into the housing sector. We've also delivered more homes for defence veterans, and we've done the work that is about unlocking the opportunities for young people to get a new home, without relying on, as those opposite said, getting your parents to fund you or getting a better job. We know times are hard, but it's our government that is standing up consistently for Australians and making sure that every opportunity there is to get into your own home is being done courtesy of us. This $43 billion plan is not just about the dollars but about making lives better for families, making lives better for younger and older people, and giving them the safety and security that they need to deliver a better future for themselves. The SPEAKER 53517 In accordance with standing order 43, the time for members' statements has concluded. DISTINGUISHED VISITORS 20 DISTINGUISHED VISITORS Daniher, Mr Neale Francis, AO 20 14:00 Mr ALBANESE R36 Grayndler It's a great honour to welcome our 2025 Australian of the Year, Neale Daniher, to the House. I was able to meet with Neale earlier today and it was a delight, just as it was absolutely a wonderful evening at the Arboretum, where Neale was designated as a very worthy Australian of the Year. Since Neale was diagnosed with MND in 2013, he has inspired all Australians with his battle against what he calls 'the Beast'. Neale, I know that you are fond of saying, 'When all is said and done, more is said than done.' What you have done is truly extraordinary. Through FightMND, those iconic beanies and the famous Big Freeze slide on the King's Birthday at the 'G, over $117 million has been raised to fund research into a cure. I know this whole parliament is proud to support those efforts, as governments from both sides have over many years. Neale, yours is a message of hope, a message of courage and a message of determination. It has touched the lives of so many Australians. You lift us all up. Welcome to our parliament and thank you, mate, for what you do. Honourable members: Hear, hear! 14:02 Ms LEY 00AMN Farrer on indulgence—May I rise to join the Prime Minister to acknowledge Australian of the Year Neale Daniher AO, who joins us in the parliament and in the chamber today. Many of us remember with great fondness Neale's footy career, playing with the Bombers and later as coach with the Demons. I want to take the opportunity to congratulate you on being named Australian of the Year, Neale, in the company of your daughter, Rebecca, and I want to recognise, as do all of the coalition and, of course, the whole parliament, the tremendous contribution that you continue to make fighting MND. Every day in Australia, two people are diagnosed with MND and we lose two people to the disease. Many of us know the FightMND brand, which is the annual fundraising campaign the Big Freeze with the AFL. It is a tremendous Australian organisation that, as the Prime Minister has said, has raised and invested over $115 million. I remember, Neale, attending with you and your family a FightMND football/netball fundraising event in my home town of Albury just a few years ago, where it was very clear to me that you are universally loved and admired. Your commitment to fighting the Beast is a testament to your vision, your courage and your sense of community. Welcome. Honourable members: Hear, hear! QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE 21 QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE International Relations: Australia and Iran 21 14:04 Ms LEY 00AMN Farrer My question is to the Prime Minister. Moments ago, Australians learned of the most egregious acts of foreign interference against our nation and our people since the Cold War. The expulsion of the Iranian ambassador from our country and the listing of the IRGC as a terrorist organisation are entirely necessary actions that the coalition has previously called for and supports. Can the Prime Minister update the House on these developments and the actions the government is taking in the national interest? 14:05 Mr ALBANESE R36 Grayndler I thank the member for her question and for the parliamentary bipartisan support for the actions we have taken. We know that, since those terrible events by the Hamas terrorists on October 7, we've witnessed a number of appalling antisemitic attacks against Australia's Jewish community. We have been clear that these attacks have no place in Australia, and the government asked ASIO and the AFP to investigate as a priority. I do want to thank the extraordinary work that has been done to get to the bottom of what has been quite a complex issue. ASIO has now gathered enough credible intelligence to reach a deeply disturbing conclusion—that the Iranian government directed at least two of these attacks. Iran has sought to disguise its involvement through the use of criminal elements being paid here in Australia. ASIO assesses that, apart from these two attacks, it is likely that there are more as well. These were extraordinary and dangerous acts of aggression, orchestrated by a foreign nation on Australian soil. They were attempts to undermine social cohesion and sow discord in our community. It is totally unacceptable, and the Australian government is taking strong and decisive action in response. The Iranian ambassador is being expelled. We were briefed by ASIO yesterday. We went through our appropriate processes and ensured that the Australian diplomats who are based in Tehran were able to get safely to a third country before these revelations became public, because of concern for their safety. I confirm that that has occurred, and we have suspended operations at the embassy in Tehran. The government will legislate so that we can list Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, the IRGC, as a terrorist organisation. The actions of my government send a very clear message to nations like Iran who seek to interfere in our country that their aggression will not be tolerated. As we face those who seek to do us harm, Australia must stand together. We briefed, prior to the press conference, the premiers of Victoria and New South Wales. As well, I spoke with Rabbi Shlomo Kohn of the Adass Israel synagogue. We also spoke with the restaurant in the member for Wentworth's electorate that was impacted by this. There are more investigations going on, I must say, so there is a limit to what information the ASIO Director-General and the officials will give. Obviously, our priority is making sure that the perpetrators of this, direct and indirect, are brought to justice, and we don't want to engage in any talk that potentially disrupts the investigations which are ongoing. As I said, it's very clear to ASIO and the Director-General that there are at least two accounts. The government has been briefed and, certainly, I would hope that the Leader of the Opposition and appropriate people on the other side, as well, will take advantage of a briefing. It is the case that this is the most serious response that any Australian government has given. We don't expel an ambassador lightly, because of the consequences of that, which obviously aren't all upside, but we do think that it is an appropriate response given the extraordinary behaviour and the direct link that they have been able to draw through a direct chain to individuals and to the IRGC. 14:10 Ms LEY 00AMN Farrer on indulgence—I rise to associate the opposition with the Prime Minister's remarks. We are all disgusted to learn of the serious and chilling foreign interference which has been perpetrated by the Islamic Republic of Iran on Australian soil. As the Director-General of Security explained today, the Iranian government has been confirmed as having directed at least two attacks against Australia's Jewish community, including the firebombing of the Adass Israel synagogue. To Australia's Jewish community, our message has been abundantly clear throughout this period of heightened antisemitism: all Australians have a right to practice their faith free from persecution, free from violence and free from fear. These acts of egregious foreign interference are brazen attempts to cleave apart our social cohesion, to turn neighbour against neighbour and Australian against Australian. I, therefore, want to make it abundantly clear on behalf of the coalition that, while we sit opposite from the government in this chamber, we are entirely united behind the measures announced today to expel the Iranian ambassador and list the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps as a terrorist organisation. National Security 22 14:11 Dr REID 300126 Robertson My question is to the Minister for Home Affairs. How has the government responded today to those who seek to spread hatred and undermine social cohesion in our country? 14:11 Mr BURKE DYW Watson I thank the member for Robertson for the question. I want to pay tribute to the work, first of all, of ASIO, the Australian Federal Police and all the state and territory police forces. In particular, all members of parliament are thinking of the Victorian state police force today as well. I know the significant amount of work and the analytical rigour that goes into ASIO assessments. They do not reach these conclusions lightly. This is an unprecedented attack on our society. It is aimed at creating fear. It's stoking internal divisions and eroding our social cohesion. While, after the attack, it was described in the media that no-one was injured—and that's true—people were harmed. The people who are part of that community at the Adass Israel synagogue were harmed. The owners of the Lewis Continental Kitchen and all their customers were harmed. The local communities around were harmed, the Jewish community was harmed and we as a nation were harmed. There is antisemitism in Australia. It is real. It is ugly. It is debilitating. While this particular attack commenced with antisemitism originating in Iran, nothing changes the fact that these were antisemitic attacks and the impact was identical—the impact on our communities and the impact on our nation. Some antisemitic elements in Australia, as a result of these attacks, felt emboldened. But any antisemitic attack—in fact, any attack that relies on any form of dehumanising bigotry—is an attack on Australia. This extraordinary attack which occurred on our soil means we have to adapt our response to a changing threat. That's why, as the Prime Minister said earlier, the government intends on changing the Criminal Code so that we can list the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps. This sends the strongest possible signal that this conduct has reached a new and totally unacceptable low. The existing Criminal Code clauses, which were designed decades ago, were intended to deal with different threats to what we are now facing. The antisemitism which drove this attack, as I said, began in Iran, not Australia, but, importantly, we must not allow the blame to fall on Australians of Iranian descent. That's exactly the kind of disunity and division that these attacks were designed to create. Instead, Australia stands together. These attempts at division will fail. They already have. We as a nation stand together in unity and strength. Honourable members interjecting—Hear, hear! Taxation 22 14:14 Ms LEY 00AMN Farrer My question is to the Prime Minister. During the government's three-day talkfest, a new housing tax, a new death tax, a new wealth tax, a new tradie tax and new levies on Australian businesses were floated. Is the Prime Minister aware of any work the Treasurer has commissioned on these proposals? Honourable members interjecting— The SPEAKER 53517 Order! There's far too much interjection. The minister for agriculture and others will make absolutely interjections when people are asking questions. 14:15 Mr ALBANESE R36 Grayndler I thank the member for her question and for a question about tax policy not from the government but by people who attended a roundtable. Maybe it was the shadow Treasurer who was raising these things. I actually heard the shadow Treasurer say that everything was up for review and that they had an open mind. I do know this: two days before the last election, the member for Hume, who is a former shadow minister, snuck out the coalition costings, and they revealed a figure $75 billion higher in personal income taxes. That's right. They, including the former Deputy Leader of the Opposition, went to the election on that. Vote for us and you get $75 billion— Mr Taylor 231027 You're so used to lying, Chris. The SPEAKER 53517 Order! We're going to pause and get the member for Hume to quickly withdraw that so we can continue. Mr Taylor 231027 I withdraw. The SPEAKER 53517 I thank the member for Hume. Mr ALBANESE R36 At least it got in Hansard, Mr Speaker! They had $75 billion in personal income tax increases over there. They had higher taxes on the resources sector and on the manufacturing sector because they wanted to abolish production tax credits, which reduce taxes for the resources sector. They had higher taxes on motorists through their abolition of the EV concession that was put in place. This'll be good! The SPEAKER 53517 The Manager of Opposition Business on a point of order. Mr Hawke HWO I didn't want to be there. Why would I want to go to that? The SPEAKER 53517 You may not be here if this continues. Mr Hawke HWO The PM's hectoring me. He's hectoring me, not the other way around. The SPEAKER 53517 Get to your point of order. Mr Hawke HWO I take a point on relevance. In no way was he asked about coalition policy. The only thing the Prime Minister has answered this question with is coalition policy. He was asked about modelling. Is he aware of any modelling that the Treasurer has done on any of the socialist policies? Mr Hawke HWO Yes, I wasn't invited. You're correct, Prime Minister. The SPEAKER 53517 Resume your seat. It's not an open mic session, Manager of Opposition Business. People are entitled to raise points of order. It was a very broad question, and the question was about any modelled views by Treasury on these proposals. I'm going to get the Prime Minister to be directly relevant to the question. He can talk about opposition policies, but, in terms of his answer, he's got to be directly relevant to the policy he was asked about. Mr ALBANESE R36 I'm being directly relevant to what I was asked about, which is policies from non-government members raised last week. I know that, after their party room, things are a bit difficult there, but we saw the Manager of Opposition Business just say that he didn't want to go to the roundtable. Well, talk to the bloke next to you because he was there. He got an invite. He was keen. He even came to drinks at the Lodge, and he was very welcome. They also had, of course, a policy that they're trying to implement tonight: higher taxes on the housing and construction industry through abolishing build-to-rent. We want to assist the building of more homes. They want to abolish those concessions. They also, of course, went through with higher student debts for more than three million Australians—not proceeding with the 20 per cent cut; bigger mortgages for tens of thousands of Australians, because they said they'd abolish Help to Buy; higher power bills, with the abolition of the cheaper home battery scheme; and more expensive training courses, with the abolition of free TAFE. Those opposite actually went to an election arguing for higher taxes and bigger deficits. That is some achievement. (Time expired) Housing 23 14:20 Mr NEUMANN HVO Blair My question is to the minister for housing, homelessness and cities. How is the Albanese Labor government making it easier for Australians to get into homeownership, and what are the obstacles? 14:20 Ms O'NEIL 140590 Hotham I want to thank the member for Blair for his question. He is such a big supporter of giving his community better opportunities for homeownership, and he tops the league table. Since our government was elected, 3,416 people in his local community have got into homeownership with the backing of the Albanese government, and I know that the member cannot wait to get back to his beautiful part of our country to tell potential first home buyers that even more support is on the way from the Albanese government. Housing is very tough in Australia today. That's why our government has built a $43 billion agenda, with policies that are making a real difference to the lives of Australians. Just since we were elected, 180,000 people around our country have bought their first home with our five per cent deposit program. More than a million households have gotten a 45 per cent increase to Commonwealth rent assistance. Half a million homes have been built, new housing approvals are up 30 per cent, and we've got 28,000 social and affordable homes in planning or construction today. We know that the key to addressing Australia's housing crisis is to build, build, build. We've got to build more homes more quickly. That's why the majority of that $43 billion package is aimed at improving supply. Alongside those measures our party has a strong view that we should be doing more to help first home buyers to get into the market now. Yesterday, our prime minister announced that from 1 October every single first home buyer around the country can get into the housing market with just a five per cent deposit. I know it's not just me. All of us speak to younger people in our community and hear about the fact that that 20 per cent deposit is the main barrier for the next generation getting access to homeownership. The expansion of this five per cent deposit scheme will change lives. This will mean tens of thousands of additional Australians who will get the security, stability and joy that owning your own home brings. The PM and I both talked yesterday about our fantastic visit to Abbie, Lachie and Chilli. They spoke to us about this experience they have of spending their 20s paying off their own mortgage, not someone else's. Well, we're fighting to give more Australians that opportunity. They're just one of so many families that I meet whose lives have been changed by our policies. We want to expand the opportunity for homeownership to more young Australians. We can do it, and Labor believe that we should. Speaker, we know that housing is a challenge for people right around the country. That's why you are seeing our government step up and tackle this crisis from every single angle. We are building more homes, we're helping renters get a better deal and we are bloody proud to be helping more Australians realise their dream of homeownership. The SPEAKER 53517 I just remind the minister not to use that language during her answers. DISTINGUISHED VISITORS 24 DISTINGUISHED VISITORS Fiji: Parliamentary Delegation, Marquess of Salisbury, Australasian Union of Jewish Students, Uibo, Ms Selena, Mornington Peninsula Shire 24 14:23 The SPEAKER 53517 Before I call the member for Mayo, I have a number of acknowledgements I'll do together now for the House. I'm pleased to inform the House that present in the gallery today is a delegation from the Republic of Fiji led by the Deputy Prime Minister, the Hon. Biman Prasad, joined by His Excellency Mr Ajay Amrit, the High Commissioner for the Republic of Fiji. Bula vinaka. I am also pleased to inform the House that we are joined by the most honourable, the Marquess of Salisbury, former leader of the opposition in the House of Lords and parliamentary under secretary of state for defence. Also, members of the Australasian Union of Jewish Students are in the gallery today. Ms Selena Uibo, the Leader of the Opposition in the Northern Territory Legislative Assembly, and Anthony Marsh, Mayor of Mornington Peninsula Shire, Mark Stoermer, CEO of the Mornington Peninsula Shire and Josh Sinclair, CEO of the Committee of Frankston and Mornington Peninsula are guests of the member for Flinders. Honourable members: Hear, hear! QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE 24 QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE Aged Care 24 14:24 Ms SHARKIE 265980 Mayo My question is to the Minister for Aged Care and Seniors. On 31 March, 87,597 older Australians were assessed and waiting for home care at their approved level. As of today, that figure is estimated to be over 100,000. Older Australians are dying while waiting for aged care. What justification does the government have for delaying the promised additional home-care packages from July to November this year? 14:24 Mr RAE 300122 Hawke I thank the member for her question, and I acknowledge her legitimate interest in and commitment to ensuring that all older people across her community can access safe, dignified and high-quality aged care. In the last term of parliament, my predecessor, the now minister for communications, worked across the parliament to pass the new Aged Care Act with bipartisan support from the opposition and constructive contribution from the crossbench. We're preparing to implement that new act on 1 November along with the Support at Home program, which is the updated program replacing the current Home Care Packages Program. These are once-in-a-generation reforms, and they will deliver world-class aged-care services to the older people who worked so hard to build our country and to whom we owe the very best care. Support at Home will deliver a system that helps older people to stay at home for longer by making a higher level of care available in the home. This is an entirely reformed program. It is not an extension of the current program; it is an adapted model of care in the home. As our population ages, we've seen demand for in-home care grow very fast. There are now more than 300,000 people accessing home-care packages today, compared to just 150,000 people back in 2020. We are currently delivering more care to more people than ever before. When Support at Home starts on 1 November, we will roll out an additional 80,000 home-care places in the first 12 months. Until then, my No. 1 priority is ensuring that older people continue to receive care and services. Until November, we'll continue to assign packages every single week. The weekly average since September last year is 2,700 packages. I can assure the member that people who are assessed as high priority will continue to receive their packages within a month. The brief deferral of the commencement of the new Aged Care Act is to ensure that programs like Support at Home are ready for older Australians and their families. The Labor government continue to deliver more care for more Australians, and we've given aged-care providers more time to prepare their clients, support their workers and get their systems ready for these historic changes. Housing 25 14:27 Ms CAMPBELL 312823 Moreton My question is to the Prime Minister. How is the government delivering on its commitment to help Australians get into secure housing, and what have been the responses? 14:27 Mr ALBANESE R36 Grayndler I thank the member for Moreton for her question. We have a $43 billion Homes for Australia Plan. That is something that is helping more first home buyers, something that is helping to expand homeownership and something that is assisting renters but also supporting people by expanding social housing. The figures are in: new home starts are up strongly. New dwelling commencements were up 17 per cent in the March quarter. Completions of new homes are up 3.7 per cent compared to a year ago. All up, nearly 500,000 new homes have been added to stock since we came to office. Housing approvals are up 30 per cent compared to a year ago. And, in 2023-24, almost 9,000 more firms entered the building industry than exited. Importantly, construction cost inflation has fallen from a half-century high under the former government. It was at 17 per cent when the coalition left office, and it has fallen down to 1.6 per cent under Labor. Yesterday, we announced our fast-tracking of the five per cent deposit plan. I note the support that that has received from first home buyers. It means wiping years off the time it takes to save for a deposit and saving thousands of dollars in mortgage insurance. Overwhelmingly, this has been welcomed by young Australians, who dream of homeownership. But I regret to inform the House that it hasn't been welcomed by everyone. Yesterday morning, the coalition's housing spokesperson went on 2GB and said, 'Why should the children of billionaires get access to a government program?' He was talking about the children of billionaires. But, by the time he got onto Radio National, the class war was advancing. This is what he said: This is an uncapped scheme which is available to billionaires … The idea that if you are a billionaire you're out there worried about whether you get a five per cent deposit or a 20 per cent deposit—that probably isn't the objective of the people this is aimed at. It's aimed at people like Abbey and Lachie who we met yesterday. They're 23-year-olds who are trying to get into their first home and who've stayed with Abbey's mum and dad in order to save a deposit. But it's extraordinary that those opposite just don't get it. Yesterday they were going to have the vote on it in the Senate, but it's been postponed for a day because their housing spokesperson was in his second home, at the Sky News studio. He was on Credlin, being interviewed by Steve Price, because not even Credlin was on Credlin last night! Taxation 25 14:30 Ms LEY 00AMN Farrer My question is to the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister said: The only tax policy we're implementing is the one we took to the election. However, when asked about possible tax changes, the Treasurer was open minded, saying: … it's a matter for Cabinet. Can the Prime Minister confirm that, having successfully eliminated the members for Chifley and Isaacs from cabinet, the Treasurer is now working on eliminating Australians' savings with a fresh round of taxes? 14:31 Mr ALBANESE R36 Grayndler I'll give credit where credit's due. It takes some guts to talk about division in a party room—from people who have just come from a room over there where they were queuing up. The leader of the Liberal Party in the Senate led the charge to abolish net zero in the party room today, and they were queuing up one after the other. They are all over the shop. We have two former deputy prime ministers getting together. It's one of the great romances we've ever seen in this place—the member for Riverina and the member for New England. The SPEAKER 53517 I'd like to hear from the Manager of Opposition Business. Mr Hawke HWO Unsurprisingly, this is on relevance. Every answer, the Prime Minister is not addressing anywhere near the subject matter of the question. He seems obsessed with the coalition and its happenings, but he's been asked about matters affecting the government and its policy. And he refuses to answer. In the last answer he didn't even get to the question. This time he's following the same pattern. The SPEAKER 53517 I agree with the manager. But when there's a pretty broad political brushstroke through a question, as this one had—it wasn't a fact, a figure, which I know sometimes is the theme of a question. This one was, in any objective terminology, a very broad, politically structured question. So I'm just going to invite the Prime Minister to, now that he's had the preamble, perhaps not focus on the opposition's policy; he can also compare and contrast, but that can't be his whole answer. Mr ALBANESE R36 I missed the question; I just heard the sledge. I'm responding to it as I responded to sledges across the chamber. What it boils down to—it's hard to follow the plots over there. The Liberals fighting each other, the Nats fighting each other, and the Liberals then fighting the Nats. When they go to their party conferences, it's everyone fighting the leadership of the Liberal Party and the National Party. They go to a party conference up in Queensland, and they say that you should argue in favour of modernisation and we should support net zero. We need to learn the lessons of the past, but what we see is just division—no policies being put forward—and now we're reduced to just sledging. Mr Taylor 231027 From you. The SPEAKER 53517 When the member for Hume finishes, the manager on another point of order. Mr Hawke HWO The Prime Minister is defying your ruling— The SPEAKER 53517 I invite the Prime Minister to continue his answer. Resume your seat. Honourable members interjecting— The SPEAKER 53517 Order! When the House comes to order, we're going to hear from the honourable member for Macquarie. Housing 26 14:35 Ms TEMPLEMAN 181810 Macquarie My question is to the Treasurer. What progress has been made in the housing market, and what are the next steps informed by the Economic Reform Roundtable? Are there any other approaches the government's being asked to consider? 14:35 Dr CHALMERS 37998 Rankin ():  I thank the wonderful member for Macquarie for her important question. Housing is a big focus of this Labor government, and it was an area where much welcome and meaningful progress was made at the Economic Reform Roundtable last week. I pay tribute to the Minister for Housing again for the work that went into that and the work that has followed that as well, because the housing challenge was ignored in a wasted decade of missed opportunities and messed-up priorities under our predecessors, where they racked up mountains of debt and deficits and still made no meaningful investments in addressing this housing challenge. We're working very hard to turn that around. We've seen some progress, and that's welcome, but we know that there is much more for us to do to hit our ambitious targets. But just today the Reserve Bank released their meeting minutes from August, which said this: Dwelling investment was showing clear signs of strengthening. As the PM said a moment ago, there are a number of ways that we are seeing this progress. Building approvals are up almost 30 per cent compared to a year ago. When we came to office, they were going backwards by 20 per cent. Dwelling commencements are up 17.3 per cent in annual terms. They were falling 28.5 per cent when we came to office—the biggest fall in two decades, under those opposite. Dwelling investment is now growing at 5.6 per cent. It was going backwards by 5.1 per cent when we came to office. Importantly the key driver was investment in new builds, which rose 6.3 per cent, compared to falling 8.4 per cent when we came to office. Cost growth in construction has also moderated substantially. That part of the CPI grew 0.4 per cent through the year. It was growing 19.4 per cent when we came to office. So we're investing more in this challenge than any government in the nation's history. We've added to that plan in the past couple of days. We are blitzing the approvals backlog. We are building more homes. We are pausing and streamlining the National Construction Code. We are fast-tracking assessment of more than 26,000 homes. Today we've announced that we are also accelerating our reforms of national environment laws. We will introduce legislation here before the end of the year to deliver this. The reform roundtable has provided important consensus and important momentum around these next steps. Blitzing the backlog, pausing the code and streamlining environmental assessments will all help to clean up the mess that was left to us by those opposite. When it came to housing, they had a wasted decade of missed opportunity and warped priorities. We are turning that around. We're seeing some progress. We know we've got more to do. Taxation 27 14:38 Mr HOGAN 218019 Page My question is to the Assistant Treasurer. Family trusts are a vital tool for farming families to manage their businesses. Will the government rule out tax changes to family trusts? 14:39 Dr MULINO 132880 Fraser What I'll say to those opposite is that this government held an important forum for people from right around the country to put their ideas to the government so that we can look at productivity, resilience and sustainability going forward. What we can also say is that this government is focused on delivering our election commitments. Our election commitments include sustaining tax cuts for every single Australian taxpayer, and what I can say is that those opposite went to the last election saying they would vote down those tax cuts. When it comes to tax, there is a direct contrast between those opposite and what we're putting forward. We have not changed any of our positions on tax. We have clear tax policies that we took to the last election, which included that one and which included a 20 per cent reduction in HECS, which was our very first bill that we brought to this parliament and which was the first bill that we passed through this parliament in both this chamber and the Senate. That was a critical part of our tax strategy. We will also be bringing forward another important tax policy when it comes to payday super. Housing 27 14:40 Mr MATT SMITH 312393 Leichhardt My question is to the Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government. How is the Albanese Labor government supporting access to housing in regional Australia and cleaning up the housing mess the government inherited? 14:41 Ms CATHERINE KING 00AMR Ballarat I thank the member for Leichhardt for the question. He's just an extraordinary advocate— The SPEAKER 53517 The minister will pause. The minister has been speaking for seven seconds, and the member for Fisher thinks it's appropriate to be yelling across the chamber at her. No more from the member for Fisher. He's going to show her respect while the minister is addressing the House. She has the call. Ms CATHERINE KING 00AMR I'm sure the member for Fisher would agree with just what a fabulous member the member for Leichhardt is in representing regional Australia and particularly the fantastic parts of regional Queensland. Of course, when it comes to housing, for too long regional Australians were doing it tough. Under those opposite, housing affordability and availability in the regions was, frankly, left to slide. Families were priced out, renters had no security and essential workers couldn't afford to live in the towns where they needed to work. Now, this government knows that our regions deserve much better than this. We are taking real, practical action to support access to housing in regional Australia. Of course, the announcement we made yesterday is that, from 1 October 2025, more regional Australian also be able to access Labor's five per cent home deposits. All first home buyers in regional Australia will be eligible to qualify. We know the difference that paying a five per cent deposit will make to regional Australians—and without having to pay lenders mortgage insurance. From 1 October, not too far away, there will be no income limits and the property price caps will better reflect the cost of a home across Australia. Those living in the regions will be able to access more housing and sooner because of this decision. Since this government changed the Home Guarantee Scheme when we came to government, we've issued over 23,500 home guarantees in the regions and we've supported some 38,500 regional Australians into homeownership. That would not have happened under those opposite. This builds on our existing $1.5 billion that we're putting into the Home Support Program to build the enabling infrastructure to deliver more homes where they are needed. It means we are speeding up planning processes and funding new infrastructure, including in the member for Capricornia's electorate, down to the member for Riverina's electorate and across to Western Australia as well. We know that, for many young Australians in particular, it is too hard to get into housing and get into their first home in the regions. We are getting on with the job of getting regional Australians into the housing market. These changes also give a real shot in the arm to those young people and to those other people across our communities who are desperate to get into their first homes, particularly in the regions that we represent. Taxation 28 14:44 Dr WEBSTER 281688 Mallee My question is to the Assistant Treasurer. Will the government make any changes this term to the tax treatment of farming families? 14:44 Dr MULINO 132880 Fraser I thank the honourable member for her question. What I would say is that, when it comes to the tax system, the shadow Treasurer made some interesting comments in the lead-up to the roundtable. He said: 'Well, let's be fair dinkum here. We shouldn't be taking anything off the table.' So, when it comes to their spokesperson on tax, he said that we shouldn't take anything off the table, and he said, 'There's no doubt that the entire tax system needs to be reviewed.' We are here for a serious discussion about the future of this country when it comes to productivity, when it comes to resilience and when it comes to budget sustainability. What I can stress again is that we took a range of tax policies to the last election. Implementing those tax policies is our priority. That remains our priority, and that is something which those opposite should have a think about when it comes to their own policies, which were rejected roundly at the last election. It'd be interesting to hear what their policy is. Veterans: Homelessness 28 14:45 Mr ZAPPIA HWB Makin My question is to the Minister for Veterans' Affairs and Minister for Defence Personnel. How is the Albanese Labor government supporting veterans at risk of homelessness to get into housing? What delays were there to delivering this important support? 14:46 Mr KEOGH 249147 Burt I thank the marvellous member for Makin for this important question— Honourable members interjecting— Mr KEOGH 249147 because when it comes to the very important issue of veteran homelessness, which I wouldn't have thought I'd be receiving any interjections about, we know that every year there are around 6,000 veterans that are at risk of homelessness. On the 2021 census night, there were some 1,500 Australian veterans that found themselves homeless. Veterans are three times more likely to experience homelessness over their lifetimes than the general Australian population. That's why, in the lead-up to the 2022 election, as part of our election commitment for a $10 billion Housing Australia Future Fund, we included setting aside $30 million to assist veterans who are experiencing or at risk of homelessness. This was not just to provide the buildings but to make sure that they were provided with the necessary and important wraparound support services to get them back on their feet as well. You would think that support for such a program would have been entirely bipartisan and that it would have been rushed through the parliament to make sure that we could provide that housing support to veterans who found themselves at risk of homelessness. But what we actually found was that the Liberal Party, the National Party and the Greens party decided to work together in a 'no-alition', blocking that legislation in the Senate and holding up the rolling out of that essential funding to support our veterans. What was the impact? Well, it meant that $24 million for capital works and $6 million for specialist services to support our veterans was held up. But in June last year we were finally able to roll that funding out to support our veterans. It meant that eight organisations around Australia have been funded for capital works programs to build more homes to support veterans who are experiencing homelessness. Importantly, five organisations around Australia have been funded to provide those intense wraparound support services to better support veterans who are experiencing homelessness so they can get back on their feet, which is what I would have thought all party members in this parliament would want to see happen. Instead, what we saw was those services being held up by those opposite. Veterans who are experiencing homelessness were not able to get access to the services that they need in a timely way because that funding was being held up by the Liberal Party, the National Party and the Greens. We are a government that is committed to supporting people getting into a home, whether that's through buying a home, being able to access a rental or being able to access that emergency and transitional housing when people need it. That includes our veterans, who, quite frankly, we would have thought would be the people most likely to receive the support from those opposite when they find themselves on those hard times, but that's not what we saw. Antisemitism 28 14:49 Ms SPENDER 286042 Wentworth This question is for the Prime Minister. The last summer was one of the hardest in memory for my Jewish community. It was terrorised by antisemitic attacks, including the attack on the Lewis Continental Kitchen. Today, we learned that the Iranian government was behind the Lewis Continental Kitchen attack, the Adass synagogue attack and potentially more. The security concerns of my community are real and justified. Will the government work with the community to keep them safe? 14:49 Mr ALBANESE R36 Grayndler I thank the member for Wentworth for her question and for her constructive engagement on behalf of her community about these issues. I think all Australians have been concerned about the rise in antisemitism and the rise of social division that has occurred. I have visited the synagogue in Bondi Junction and spoken directly with the community. I have visited the Jewish Museum in the member's electorate, where we announced additional funding for an expansion and, indeed, met some wonderful survivors of the Holocaust, who went through their personal experiences as well. The information that ASIO has determined is quite shocking. This is a serious attack perpetrated essentially on behalf of a foreign government on Australian soil. The intelligence agencies as well as the Australian Federal Police have undertaken this work. They've worked very closely with the Jewish community and with other communities as well. We informed the Jewish community leaders prior to the one o'clock press conference that was held this afternoon as well so that they could watch what the director-general of ASIO, Mr Burgess, in particular, had to say because that was so important. The attack on the Lewis Continental Kitchen occurred on 20 October. There was another attack that we saw on a restaurant in Melbourne in more recent times as well. People can have different views about the Middle East, and it's absolutely legitimate for people to put forward those views. What is not legitimate is to blame Jewish Australians if they disagree with the policy of the Israeli government or to blame Arab or Muslim Australians for the actions of Hamas or other people. What we need to do is to make sure that we advance peace and security for people in Israel and Palestine. But what we certainly can have control over here is making sure that we don't bring conflict here, that we promote social cohesion. I congratulate the member, because that is something I know she has been undertaking as the local member for Wentworth. We have a range of programs, including the increased security arrangements around schools and around synagogues. That's the increased support that we have put forward. We will continue to have a dialogue with the community and to work with them to ensure that, like other Australians, they feel safe. Every Australian should feel safe. Yesterday I spoke again with the Australasian Union of Jewish Students, who are here somewhere, as I have every year for a long period of time. They tell stories about harassment on campuses, just like students in the member's area have been impacted because they are easily identifiable because of their school uniform. That is not the Australian way. The Australian way is to respect each other regardless of people's faith and regardless of their origin and to engage in constructive dialogue about issues, not to engage in the sort of activity which we have seen. We have taken strong action against Iran as a result of this. My government stands by it. I know it's received the support of the opposition and, I'm sure, the member for Wentworth as well. I would hope every member of this parliament supports the strong action we have taken, which is entirely appropriate given the revelations and the findings that the ASIO director-general and the Australian Federal Police have made. Critical and Strategic Minerals Industry 29 14:54 Ms TRISH COOK 312871 Bullwinkel My question is to the Minister for Resources. How is the Albanese Labor government creating new jobs and building Australia's future by growing our critical minerals industry? What proposals might threaten Australia's resource sector? 14:54 Ms MADELEINE KING 102376 Brand I thank the member for Bullwinkel for her terrific question. Australia has all the critical minerals the world needs to reach net zero and all the rare earths we need for our national security. The Albanese Labor government is committed to creating new jobs by boosting the all-important critical minerals industry. We want to mine, process, concentrate and refine more critical minerals and rare earths here in Australia, and we're making that happen every single day in this place and around the country. We've introduced $17 billion of production tax credits for critical minerals to process more here and create thousands of jobs in the process. One of the proposals that might threaten that is the opposition's continuing opposition to production tax credits. We've invested $3.4 billion in resourcing Australia's prosperity so that Geoscience Australia can keeping accumulating the all-important precompetitive data for industry. Combined with contributions from the Critical Minerals Facility, Export Finance Australia and the National Reconstruction Fund, it adds up to a $28 billion investment in the future of Australia's resources sector, which will create new jobs and new opportunities. No government has done more for the resources industry than the Albanese Labor government. I'll turn to the NAIF for a moment. The Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility has invested $735 million in critical minerals projects across northern Australia, including Alpha HPA's high-purity alumina project in Gladstone, Arafura's project in Alice Springs in the NT, Element 25's Butcherbird manganese project in the Pilbara, the Thunderbird mineral sands project in the Kimberley and the Pilbara Minerals lithium project in Port Hedland. All of these projects will add up to jobs in the north. The NAIF has also supported great projects like BCI Minerals's Mardie salt project and the Perdaman urea project in the Pilbara, which will produce fertiliser for our farmers. I was asked about proposals that might threaten the resources sector and, therefore, the critical minerals industry. I've got one proposal that I've heard of, and it was made in April this year. It was about making gas a critical mineral. Yes, that's what those opposite proposed. Way back in April, they wanted to make gas a critical mineral. Of course, it can't be because it's not a mineral. Those opposite might have thought that everyone forgot about that little thought bubble. We absolutely did not. I tell you what no-one has forgotten about— The SPEAKER 53517 The member for Fadden is now warned. Ms MADELEINE KING 102376 No-one has forgotten about how they opposed production tax credits, which are the single biggest investment in the critical minerals and rare earths industry in this country. It will drive our national security, energy independence and resources independence, and those opposite opposed it all the way. (Time expired) Housing 30 14:57 Mr SMALL 291406 Forrest My question is for the Minister for Housing. With the government failing to deliver on its commitment to build 1.2 million new homes, new taxes on the family home were raised at the government's three-day talkfest. Will the minister rule out slugging Australians with new taxes on their spare bedrooms? 14:58 Ms O'NEIL 140590 Hotham I don't know what bizarre fantasy land those opposite have been living in. What on earth are they talking about? I heard that these questions were getting asked in the other place today, and I thought, 'God, the shadow housing minister hasn't had his Weet-Bix for breakfast this morning.' I don't know what he's going on about. The fact that we've got people in the House of Representatives asking ridiculous questions like this—get a clue, guys! Let me talk to you about our government's tax policies. They're absolutely clear. Mr Small 291406 Just rule it out! The SPEAKER 53517 Member for Forrest, it's not going to happen that way. You've asked the question. It's not then a free-for-all after that. You are going to show respect to the minister while she is on her feet—Order!—just as you were shown respect when you asked the question. The SPEAKER 53517 The Manager of Opposition Business is also not helping this situation. Just cool it. Ms O'NEIL 140590 Our tax policies are absolutely clear. We stand for lower taxes—lower taxes that we've delivered to the Australian people and lower taxes that were opposed by those opposite. Not only did they go to an election saying they did not want lower taxes for every Australian taxpayer; they said that they would come into the parliament and legislate for higher taxes for every Australian taxpayer. Let me come to the matter of housing taxation. The SPEAKER 53517 The minister is answering your question, Member for Forrest. Resume your seat. Ms O'NEIL 140590 Let me come to the question of housing taxation. What a day to ask about housing taxation when our party has lowered taxes on new build-to-rent locations and you are in the Senate today trying to raise taxes on new housing in our country! I wish I could say that I was surprised by the unbelievable incompetence. I do not know what the opposition are doing on housing this term or any other. But what I would remind the House is that the very last people that Australians should listen to when it comes to housing policy are those who sit opposite. Remember that, for almost a decade, they sat on this treasury bench and did nothing about a housing crisis which was building before their very eyes. They then spent three years being housing hypocrites, complaining about things going wrong in housing and then coming into the parliament and voting against measures that would fix the problem. Here they are now, asking ridiculous and nonsensical questions about policies that don't even exist. Get a clue, people. Cost of Living 30 15:00 Ms COKER 263547 Corangamite My question is to the Minister for Social Services. How is the Albanese Labor government helping to ease cost-of-living pressures for Australians and tackle challenges in the Social Services portfolio? 15:01 Ms PLIBERSEK 83M Sydney I want to thank the member for Corangamite for her question and for being the wonderful local member she is. Of course, we are proud, on this side of the chamber, of the economic management that's seen the creation of more than 1.1 million jobs. We're proud of the fact that those on the minimum wage have seen that minimum wage increase by around $9,000 since we came to government. We're also proud of the fact that, when people can't work, we stand up for them and we help them out. That's particularly true for age pensioners. That's why I'm so very pleased to say that, from 20 September this year, we'll see increases again, for more than five million social security recipients, in what they will see in their bank accounts each fortnight. That includes 2½ million age pensioners. Those people who are on the full rate of the age pension will be about $30 a fortnight better off because of those increases coming on 20 September. That means that someone on the full rate of the age pension is about $5,000 a year better off since we came to government. It's also true of people on JobSeeker. They are about $4,000 a year better off since we came to government. Rent assistance, as the housing minister continues to remind us, has also increased by about 45 per cent. If you're a single-rate age pensioner paying $550 a week rent, you're about $1,800 a year better off because of the increase to Commonwealth rent assistance on its own. That comes on top of all of the other cost-of-living measures—the cheaper child care, cheaper medicines, energy bill relief, cuts to student debt, free TAFE and, of course, the $43 billion Homes for Australia plan. On 20 September, we'll also see another change for social security recipients, and that's a change to our approach on deeming. Some social security recipients with financial assets will see a change to their payments as a result of the unfreezing of deeming rates. During COVID, we on this side supported the Morrison government to freeze deeming rates. They were frozen by the Morrison government for two years and, on coming to government, we added another three years to that freeze of deeming rates. But, as other COVID measures have come to an end, so too is it time to gradually unfreeze deeming rates as well. That freeze has saved people affected by deeming about $1.8 billion over the period. But, as people do a few hours of paid work, it's not fair for them to be punished in comparison to people who receive income from their investments, so we will be unfreezing those deeming rates. (Time expired) Waste Management and Recycling 31 15:04 Ms STEGGALL 175696 Warringah My question is to the environment minister. Australians' plastic use has doubled since 2005, and Australians are among the world's largest users of single-use plastic. Without intervention, this figure will continue to rise. With only 14 per cent of this waste recycled, the majority of it is sent to landfill or ends up in our oceans, rivers and waterways. Plastic pollution harms the environment and human health; exposure to chemicals impacts everyone. With the negotiations on the global plastics treaty not finding consensus, will the government update our National Plastics Plan as recommended by the Drowning in waste report? 15:04 Mr BURKE DYW Watson I thank the member for Warringah for the question. The issues around plastic pollution are huge. It was some time ago that the data was put out, which I think every environment minister subsequently has used, showing that—I think it's by 2050—the weight of plastic in the oceans is expected to be more than the weight of the fish. So plastic pollution is something that is a global problem. Our oceans are a global asset, and dealing with this will require global solutions. Australia has a strong ambition to finalise a global plastics treaty. We played a key role during those negotiations. When the Albanese government was elected, we joined what's known as the High Ambition Coalition to End Plastic Pollution, and we're continuing to work with other nations, businesses, ENGOs and civil society. Plastic pollution is still set to triple by 2060. Experts predict plastics in oceans will outweigh the fish by 2050, as I've mentioned. We're working towards an agreement that would globally ban problematic plastics and harmful chemicals, create universal standards and end plastic pollution by 2040. We know that that involves action which needs to also happen at home. This government has already delivered over a billion dollars, including $60 million for soft plastics, with governments and industry to boost recycling by 1.4 million tonnes each year. We have created over 3,000 ongoing and construction jobs. As I say, we're fighting on the international stage for a binding treaty to end plastic pollution by 2040. All members are concerned about this, but, obviously, members like the member for Warringah and their communities have a very special relationship with this because people see it at the beach. People see, very directly, what is there at the beach, and they want to know that the government and their local members are raising the issue and acting to deal with it. The government is committed to being part of that international action, and I acknowledge the longstanding commitment on this issue from the member for Warringah. Climate Change 31 15:07 Mr NG 316052 Menzies My question is to the Minister for Climate Change and Energy. How is the Albanese Labor government getting on with the job of delivering its clear and consistent climate and energy policy agenda? How does this compare with other approaches to energy policy? 15:07 Mr BOWEN DZS McMahon I thank the member for Menzies for his question, and I'll get straight to the point: 38,921. That's how many cheaper home batteries have been installed in Australia since 1 July. That's how Australians—regional Australians, in particular—respond to clear policy direction from the Australian government. I told the House yesterday that the member for Gilmore has the biggest take-up in New South Wales. The member for Indi has the biggest take-up in Victoria. The member for Wright has the biggest take-up in Queensland, the member for Canning has the biggest take-up in Western Australia—getting on with the job of the transition to net zero—and the member for Mayo has the biggest take-up in South Australia and, in fact, the biggest take-up of cheaper home batteries in Australia. This is, as I said, how Australians respond to clear policies. The honourable member asked me if there are any alternative approaches. I'm glad he used the plural. I think that was a very well-worded question because we are replete with alternative approaches to the question of climate change from those opposite, and that's just the leadership group. We saw, in the Liberal and National party room this morning, a push to get straight to abolishing net zero. Senator Canavan said they shouldn't wait for the Canavan review. He wants to get straight on to abolishing their support for net zero. He said on Sky News last night that net zero is 'a great socialist plan'. He is on to us! It's about time somebody stood up to those socialists in the Morrison-Joyce government who embarked on the policy of net zero. I'll convene an urgent meeting of Socialist International to discuss this matter. We're just waiting on the availability of Boris Johnson, Theresa May, Friedrich Merz, Angela Merkel and the two-thirds of Australian companies that are dedicated to net zero. We're waiting on their availability. Then we'll have a meeting. In the Liberal party room, the leader of the Liberal Party in the Senate said there's no time to waste to abolish net zero. I saw it on Sky News. It must be true! You shouldn't deny it. It's on Sky News all day, that Senator Cash has led this charge, trying to keep up with the leader of the National Party, who went to the conference on the weekend to undermine the Leader of the Liberal Party, who said they're out of the coalition unless they have their way. What we have is two parties, one coalition, and many, many ways of killing net zero, and all that leads to net zero plan for the future of Australia—net zero plan for Australia's regions, who are relying on the Australian government to deal with the challenges of climate change and the impacts of drought and flood, net zero plan for Australians who need the jobs of the future to be created by a sensible plan to achieve net zero, which the Morrison-Joyce government once believed in. That's the replete alternatives we have from those opposite. Meanwhile, the Albanese government and Australian households—38,921 of them—get on with the job. (Time expired) Mr Albanese R36 I ask that further questions be posted on the Notice Paper. DOCUMENTS 32 DOCUMENTS Presentation 32 15:11 Mr BURKE DYW Watson This document is tabled in accordance with the list circulated to honourable members earlier today. Full details of the document will be recorded in the Votes and Proceedings. MATTERS OF PUBLIC IMPORTANCE 32 MATTERS OF PUBLIC IMPORTANCE Defence 32 15:11 The SPEAKER 53517 I've received a letter from the honourable member for Hume proposing that a definite matter of public importance be submitted to the House for discussion, namely: The importance of the AUKUS agreement and greater defence spending to Australia's security and prosperity. 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— 15:12 Mr 231027 Hume TAYLOR () (): Authoritarian regimes around the globe are flexing their muscles. They are flexing their muscles. We saw it with Russia's attacks on Ukraine. We are seeing it with the unprecedented military build-up, driven by the Chinese Communist Party, to our north. We saw it with the attacks on Israel on 7 October by Hamas and we have seen it with the support that Iran and the IRGC has given to Hamas, Hezbollah, the Houthis and others to attack democratic countries—in fact, the only democratic country—in the Middle East. We saw that brutal attack on Israel on 7 October—the beheading of men, the raping of women—that absolutely brutal attack by those monsters. We know that the IRGC has supported, funded, armed and trained Hamas for many years. That is why two years ago, in 2023, we called for the IRGC to be listed as a terrorist organisation in this country. When that brutal attack occurred, a couple of years ago, which we are all shocked by—I think everyone in this House would say that—it was hard to imagine that one of the sponsors of that attack, one of the funders of that attack, one of the supporters of that attack would participate in the kind of activity in this country we have heard about in the last couple of hours, but that is exactly what has happened. We know the Iranian government, and the IRGC, has sponsored, driven and been part of these attacks in Australia on Australian citizens, an attempt to harm Australian citizens— Mr TAYLOR 231027 I take the point of the minister, that it has harmed Australians. It has harmed Australians. He's absolutely right about that. We appreciate and support the fact that the government have now made the decision that they have, to list the IRGC. But there was good reason to do that two years ago, and it is important to make that point. This does raise the broader point of the importance of free and democratic countries, at a time like this, working together in alliances against these authoritarian regimes—these regimes who want to destroy our countries and destroy our democracies and who do not believe in the values that we hold dear in this great country of Australia. Alliances with countries like the United States and the UK at this time are more important than ever, because we face the most dangerous environment we have faced since the Second World War and we need to behave in a way, alongside our allies, that reflects the danger of that environment. Central to that is our relationship, as I said, with the US and the UK, and that relationship has long been formalised in arrangements—the Five Eyes arrangements, ANZUS and so on. But we have also, more recently, formalised it in the very important arrangement under AUKUS. AUKUS is important not just because it's about nuclear submarines that can project force at a time when we need to be able to do that, because the Chinese Communist Party—let's face it—is militarising at an unprecedented rate. This is about peace, not war. This is about deterrence. This is about making sure our region, the Indo-Pacific, stays in peace. We all want to see that. But peace is achieved through strength, and strength is achieved through alliances. The AUKUS alliance is central to that. It is also crucial because of the technology that it brings to bear. Tranche 2 of the AUKUS agreement is all about those technologies, and they are incredibly important. But the AUKUS agreement is also about the relationship between our countries and between the leaders of our countries, and it is incredibly important at this time that our leaders work together to make sure that AUKUS is successful. We learned today that the Minister for Defence has failed to get a meeting with the Secretary of Defense, Pete Hegseth, in the United States. He's gone all the way over there. He's not here this week, so we can't ask questions of him, and he hasn't even got a meeting with the Secretary of Defense. He certainly doesn't have a meeting with the President of the United States. Of course, at a time like this and under these circumstances, you would think that the Prime Minister of Australia would have had, after I can't remember how many days—we must be getting close to 300 days now—a face-to-face meeting with the President of the United States. But no. He has had three meetings with the General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party but no meeting with the President of the United States. In every major war or conflict since Federation, we have fought alongside the United States. They are our greatest friends. You can have whatever opinion you like about the leadership of the United States at any point in time, but the US-Australian alliance is absolutely crucial to peace in the Indo-Pacific, the security of our part of the world and the prosperity of our part of the world too. In fact, our prosperity—let's face it—is built on peace in our region, which has been achieved through our relationship with allies and, in particular, the United States. It is also crucially important that we properly fund defence at a time like this, and a defence budget near two per cent of GDP is just not up to scratch. There's no shortage of experts who are telling us exactly that. John Storey, Director of Law and Policy at the IPA, has said: … Australia's defence budget is not sufficient to rebuild capability and arm the nation to provide a credible and effective deterrent from foreign aggression. Bec Shrimpton from ASPI has said: As a nation, we need to accept the need for higher defence spending. Hoping that conflict won't come is not a viable strategy. If we are prepared for war, we have a better chance of deterring and hence averting it. Kim Beazley, a former Leader of the Labor Party, said: We can't afford to run our own game; people are full of piss and wind on that. He added: We have to be mindful that we've got our limits … He also said: We have to up our spending to 3 … per cent. It's colourful language from a former Leader of the Labor Party, a former opposition— The DEPUTY SPEAKER 248181 Member for Hume, notwithstanding the fact you're quoting, that is unparliamentary. It is not to be repeated, nor is protection to be sought by putting it in a quote. Mr TAYLOR 231027 He is a very good man, and he made a major contribution to our country, but— The DEPUTY SPEAKER 248181 That is not for debate, but it is unparliamentary language and wouldn't have been used in the House. Mr TAYLOR 231027 I accept that his language is occasionally a little too colourful for this place. The DEPUTY SPEAKER 248181 So I'm asking you to withdraw that and then move along, please. Mr TAYLOR 231027 I withdraw. The DEPUTY SPEAKER 248181 Thank you. Mr TAYLOR 231027 It's colourful language, but, nonetheless, I think Kim Beazley is absolutely on the money in what he says there. But it's not just about funding for the submarines or for the technology; it's also about all the complementary investments we have to make to make AUKUS work. We need to have submarine bases that can support submarines. We have to have those at Stirling in Western Australia, for instance, but also on the east coast. We've seen those opposite say they're going to have an east coast base. But we wait, month by month—where's it going to be? There's no answer on that. We've got to have places to build and sustain these submarines. I was over at Henderson in Western Australia just last week, and what we have seen committed from this government so far is $127 million to building the facility at Henderson that's going to build and sustain the submarines. And yet we know from Bechtel that the actual cost of what's required here is 100 times that. None of that funding is there. So it's no wonder the Americans are worried. They should be worried, because we are not serious about defending our great nation—well, we are, on this side of the House, sorry. The government are not serious about defending this great nation, they are not serious about AUKUS and they are not serious about the importance of the US alliance. That puts the prosperity and security of our great country at risk. 15:22 Mr KHALIL 101351 Wills Since our first day in government, we have worked hard making Australia stronger in the world and safer at home. This is being manifested in the investment in our capability and in our development assistance, our diplomacy and our defence—what I call the three Ds, which work together as tools of statecraft. Australia does have an important role and responsibility to engage in our region and the wider world. We have a responsibility to collective deterrence and to ensuring we have the defence capabilities to protect the stability of the Indo-Pacific and the security and stability of our region, from which our prosperity as a trading nation flows. I agree, and I think most of us in this parliament would agree—make no mistake here—that we are in a global strategic contest. It's currently underway. AUKUS is a trilateral exchange that is so important—it's actually critical—to that strategic contest, giving us the capabilities to engage in that contest. The work that we do with the United States and with the United Kingdom to enhance our defence capability makes us an even more capable security partner. We will be able to make a better contribution to collective deterrence so that both state actors and non-state actors—adversaries—are deterred from pursuing their objectives with force or violence. AUKUS not only symbolises but substantiates the strength, unity and joint commitment to securing the peace and prosperity of the Indo-Pacific. It is also, I think, a substantive joint commitment to democracy as a governance model—a model increasingly under threat in the contest that is underway against authoritarianism. As the National Defence Strategy reconfirms, we confront the most challenging strategic circumstances since World War II, and we do so at a time when Australia's economic connection with the world has never been greater. Because of that, we clearly need to support the ADF with a much greater capacity to project so we can defend our nation and contribute to regional security and stability. Now, the AUKUS Pillar I investment in conventionally-armed nuclear-powered submarines is fundamental to this. It will ensure our ADF has a much greater capacity to project. Similarly, the fundamental purpose of Pillar II is to enhance our joint capabilities and our interoperability in what is also a massive scope. It spans technological, commercial and communication spheres. We're talking about undersea capability, quantum technologies, AI, autonomy, advanced cybercapabilities, hypersonic capabilities, electronic warfare and so on. Our defence capability is about enhancing deterrence and avoiding conflict. The investment is to avoid going into conflict. I'm not sure how many in this place would know what percentage of GDP the defence spend was during World War II. Anyone? I'm looking for a heckler; I don't have one. You don't know. It was 38 per cent, because, in the midst of war and conflict, all of the nation's efforts and resources go into defending the nation. So an investment now in defence and defence capability and deterrence is an investment in avoiding conflict and war, because it deters others from seeking to change the strategic circumstances based on their use of force. The more we strengthen and enhance our defence capability, the more we can build that global collective deterrence, which lessens the possibility of the factors that may lead to conflict, as I've said, but also, importantly, is a safeguard to what is beneficial to us and in our national interest, and that is the liberal rules based order—the set of rules of the road and international law which we and other countries abide by and which is beneficial to all of us as we trade with each other globally. We're delivering AUKUS. Mr Wallace 265967 Stop talking about it and get on with it. Mr KHALIL 101351 I'll take that interjection. I heard, 'Get on with it.' We are delivering AUKUS. Since the announcement in March 2023— Mr KHALIL 101351 I'll answer that interjection. The DEPUTY SPEAKER 248181 Order, for a moment. Mr KHALIL 101351 Here is a tangible— The DEPUTY SPEAKER 248181 Minister, just take a moment, please. Goading of interjections is problematic. Responding to them is even worse. So let's calm that down and get back to the debate. Mr KHALIL 101351 Thank you, Deputy Speaker, for reining us in. We were formerly good colleagues on the PJCIS—and still are. But I will go to that point, because, since March 2023, we have seen tangible progress on a number of fronts and we recognise the significant investment that we've made. AUKUS is one of the greatest industrial endeavours Australia has ever undertaken, supporting industry, jobs and infrastructure over a number of decades, and it's an opportunity to build a future made in Australia by having Australians be involved in record numbers in defence, skills, jobs and infrastructure. It is a whole-of-nation undertaking. That tangible progress is real. We've bridged that capability gap that we inherited, and we will acquire the conventionally-armed nuclear-powered submarines a decade earlier than the timeframe that we inherited. It will lift Australia into an elite group internationally, as one of only seven countries to operate a platform of this calibre and capability. This year alone we announced the Geelong treaty between Australia and the UK, which will underpin bilateral cooperation and deliver the SSN-AUKUS. We've invested $480 million in our shipbuilding and submarine workforce, with the build of the skills and the training academy in South Australia. We built a new industry-led supply qualification program, with the largest military shipbuilder in the US, including Australian companies now qualified and entering the pipeline, and we've started an AUKUS submarine industry strategy. In March last year, we announced the selection of ASC and BAE Systems to build Australia's SSN-AUKUS, and they are working in Osborne. I was there just recently. I saw the infrastructure build that's occurring. The 'getting on with it' is actually happening. We've seen that with jobs as well, with the Jobs for Subs program enabling around 200 new entry-level recruits from the ASC, to positions for graduates, apprentices and trainees in critical skills—in engineering, in electrical, in machining and fabrication trades and in project management. It's significant. It's happening. We are getting on with it. All have you to do is to go down and visit the Osborne shipyards and you'll see the work in progress. As I said, I was there recently with Premier Malinauskas, as well as a number of US congressmen, looking at the work that's being done—over 4,000 jobs created in South Australia to build the infrastructure; an additional 4,000 to 5,000 jobs in the direct shipyard jobs as well, to create the build for the nuclear-powered submarines in South Australia. We have invested at least $2 billion in South Australia to support infrastructure. And this is happening in Western Australia as well. We're investing up to $8 billion to upgrade HMAS Stirling, creating around 3,000 direct jobs and ensuring 500 direct jobs for the Submarine Rotational Force West. There are about 200 entry-level positions in the ASC as well—upskilling those positions—and around 200 of our people over in Pearl Harbor are learning on the job about maintenance of the Virginia class. Now, I know the opposition wants to play political games with defence spending and national security. Let's be really clear. This government has invested an additional $10.6 billion over the forward estimates and almost $58 billion over the decade in defence. We brought forward billions of dollars in our budget in March in the forward estimates as well. This is based on the work through the Defence Strategic Review as well as the National Defence Strategy, and we've gone through the proper processes. We are a government that decides what we spend on defence based on the capability needs that we have, and that's exactly what we're doing. We are committed to ensuring that our Defence Force capabilities meet the strategic challenges of the moment—of the time. And it's not about playing political football with this, because it's too important. We have had the largest increase in defence spending in peacetime since World War II. Some historians might want to correct me, but that is a fact, and you can't change those facts. Over on the other side, the shadow defence minister at the time of the election, the member for Canning, was saying, about the coalition's position during the campaign, that it became 'very difficult' to talk about defence without a policy—without a policy. Senator Henderson said after the election campaign that it looked like they were talking about defence policy 'as an afterthought'. That's coming from their own members. In conclusion, I will say this. Our job over the coming years is clear. We have a laserlike focus on ensuring that we make the commitments and investments in defence capability that we need to ensure the stability and security of the Indo-Pacific, our place in the world, and the prosperity that flows from that. We have a laserlike focus on that endeavour, and that's why we are delivering every day when it comes to AUKUS and our defence forces. 15:32 Ms PRICE 249308 Durack Australia's strategic environment is at its most dangerous level since World War II. They aren't my words. They are the words of the Prime Minister, the Minister for Defence and every national security analyst across Australia. We debate all manner of things in this place, but let's remember that the first duty of the Australian government is to keep Australians safe and our nation secure. This duty only intensifies when the government declares the situation is so dire. The intent behind this matter of public importance is to call on the Prime Minister to match those words with action. As a former minister for defence industry I was proudly part of the team that secured the AUKUS agreement. I'm proud of this agreement because it is about more than just submarines. It is about strengthening ties with our closest of allies, it is about securing peace through strength and it is about anchoring Australia's prosperity in a world where authoritarian powers are testing the resolve of free nations. AUKUS is the most strategic significant bequest our country has ever received. It gives us access to technology that only the closest of friends would share. This agreement matters for all Australians but especially for Western Australians. WA will be the beating heart of Australia's naval capability. HMAS Stirling, the Submarine Rotational Force West and the Henderson precinct—they are central to AUKUS delivery. While we may not get our first submarines until the early 2030s, US and UK submarines are set to begin rotating through HMAS Stirling in 2027. That means that WA carries a nationally significant responsibility. But I have to say I do not have confidence that the Albanese government is going to meet that initial test—because it is a test, and I'm very disappointed that we may fail that initial test. Despite repeated promises, Henderson's planning runs only to 2027, Commonwealth funding is a fraction of what is required and housing for Allied personnel under SRF-West is still not locked in—2027 is just around the corner. With the United States now reviewing aspects of AUKUS, the questions our allies are asking are simple: Can Australia deliver? Is Australia up to it? And yet, at precisely the moment when reassurance is needed most, we have a prime minister who has not even managed to meet the President of the United States. It's been 293 days now since President Trump was elected, and yet there has still been no meeting. We know that President Trump is not exactly a conventional politician and that for him personal relations are particularly important. Look no further than the positive results that the UK prime minister was able to secure for his nation because of his relationship with President Trump. Maybe even more concerning is that we don't even seem to have support from people around President Trump. We know the ambassador, for example, has struggled to make progress on tariffs and the AUKUS review. A meeting isn't just a symbolic thing. It would provide an opportunity to do exactly what we should be doing, which is making the strongest possible case to the United States. We are a proven ally. We have fought together for more than a century. We share intelligence, we share values and we share risk. Our case should be simple in that Australia strengthens the United States by being their capable partner in the Indo-Pacific. But, to make the case, words are simply not enough and we need to pull our weight. We need to lift our defence spending, A defence budget hovering over two per cent of GDP is just not enough; it's not credible for the risks that we face. The coalition believes in a clear, costed path to at least three per cent, because that is what is required for us to operate and maintain these submarines while not skimping out on other defence priorities. This is a critical time for our nation, and so far Labor has failed us every step of the way. They've cancelled projects. They've delayed capability. They've left our Navy shrinking. During these precarious times, Australians rightly expect their government to step up. AUKUS is too important to fail. Let me repeat that: AUKUS is too important to fail. I call on the government: get your act together, get serious on defence and secure this agreement immediately. 15:37 Ms CLUTTERHAM 316101 Sturt I'm proud to rise today to speak about the significant role my home state of South Australia is playing in our nation's defence sector and in the AUKUS partnership. The decision to build SSN-AUKUS class nuclear-powered submarines at the Osborne shipyard in South Australia, where I proudly used to work, is a targeted and informed one. At Osborne we have the knowledge, the workforce and the burgeoning infrastructure that the SSN-AUKUS class submarines need. This is not just a defence acquisition; this is a generational project that will shape our national security and economy and build jobs for South Australians for decades to come. The program places South Australia at the very heart of one of the most important defence projects and strategic partnerships in our nation's history. AUKUS is structured around two important pillars. Pillar I delivers a fleet of nuclear-powered submarines for Australia, while Pillar II serves as a platform for advanced technology cooperation in areas such as cyber, quantum, artificial intelligence, undersea systems, hypersonics and electronic warfare. Together these pillars provide an optimal pathway to transforming the Australian Defence Force into one that can operate at the cutting edge of technology and security in an increasingly complex geopolitical and security environment. AUKUS is at the core of the Albanese government's national security policy, designed to protect our nation, our supply chain and our interests and security, as well as to keep Australians safe. We need this investment to support the development of an Australian Defence Force with a much greater capacity to project so that we can deter adversaries, defend Australia and contribute to regional security and stability in the Indo-Pacific region. Why is this so important? It is because Australia is an island continent. Our security, our trade and our prosperity rely on safe and open sea routes, and submarines are the most effective way to guarantee that security. Nuclear-powered submarines, in particular, offer unmatched endurance, stealth and reach. They allow Australia not only to defend our approaches but also to deter threats before they emerge. The Indo-Pacific is one of the world's most strategically contested regions, and in this environment Australia must remain a strong and credible partner with our allies, including the US. The SSN-AUKUS class of submarines will be amongst the most advanced platforms in the world. They will combine stealth, endurance, strike power and intelligence systems that no conventional submarine can match. With world-class sensors and surveillance capabilities, they will give us the ability to see further, act faster and respond most effectively to challenges in our region. Crucially, AUKUS places South Australia at the centre of this national effort. At Osborne, the submarine construction yard and a new skills and training academy, the STAC, will be established. This phase alone will create up to 4,000 jobs designing, building and equipping the facilities we need. Once submarine production is underway, a further 4,000 to 5,500 shipyard jobs will be created in South Australia to design, build and sustain the fleet. These are high-value, highly skilled and secure jobs that will endure for decades. This means opportunities not just for today's workforce but for future generations. Young people growing up in South Australia will be able to see a pathway to meaningful well-paid work in our great state. Children not yet born will one day train at the academy, mastering advanced skills and helping to defend our nation. That is the scale of the opportunity before us. Yes, this investment is significant. We recognise this. But the cost of being underprepared would be far higher. AUKUS is a generational decision. It strengthens our sovereignty, it deepens our alliances and it ensures Australia has the capability to deter others and defend itself. This is more than just a defence capability. AUKUS is an opportunity to build a future made in Australia by Australians. It is a once-in-a-generation transformational investment in our security, our industry and our people. 15:42 Mr WALLACE 265967 Fisher I rise in support of this matter of public importance because AUKUS is one of the most important military defence arrangements that we as a country have ever entered into. Pillar I includes $368 billion dollars worth of nuclear propelled submarines. I sit here and I listen daily to those members opposite. I heard the member for Wills, the Assistant Minister for Defence, talking about the importance of AUKUS. I heard him talking about the strategic dangers that we now face in this country, and everybody seems to be acknowledging that we are now absolutely in the most geostrategically challenging times since 1945. But I tell you what; this government continues to let AUKUS slide. When AUKUS was first announced, in September 2021, it was announced by the coalition government, and it was groundbreaking. As has been said previously, AUKUS provides Australia with a technology that very few countries in this world have, with the exception of the United States and the United Kingdom. This technology represents the crown jewels of defence equipment. Yet this government still has defence spending at around two per cent, a tick over two per cent, of GDP. What this government has done is pull funding from the Army and the Air Force and stick it into the submarine program. It's okay to be putting money into the submarine program. We need these submarines, but not at the expense of the Army and the Air Force. The United States has recently come out and said that it wants its allies to be shouldering more of the burden of the defence of the Western world. No longer are NATO countries investing two per cent or thereabouts of their respective GDPs. They are now investing 3½ per cent in defence expenditure and another 1½ per cent on defence infrastructure. For NATO countries, five per cent of their respective GDPs is now being spent on defence, and yet our prime minister says, 'We'll decide how much money we spend on defence.' Our most important defence ally, the United States, is saying, 'Prime Minister, please lift Australia's defence expenditure.' We went to the last election with a commitment of lifting it to a minimum of three per cent. This government has got to increase its GDP expenditure on defence. It is not business as usual. In the times we're in, you cannot, on the one hand, say, 'We live in the most geostrategically challenging times since 1945,' and still spend two per cent of GDP on defence. I would have thought that was not rocket science. Every country in NATO, with the exception of one, has agreed to lift their expenditure to five per cent, and yet here we are, still around two per cent—I think 2.02 per cent is the latest figure. The Prime Minister said, 'We'll decide,' but look at who is saying we need to increase our expenditure—the likes of Angus Houston, a former CDF. He, the author of the Defence strategic review, is saying, 'We need to increase our defence expenditure.' Greg Sheridan is saying the same. Peter Jennings is saying the same. Every expert on defence is telling your government, 'You must increase defence expenditure,' and yet this government, led by your prime minister, is saying: 'We'll decide how much we spend on defence. No-one will tell us what to do.' It is an absolute debacle. Get real. 15:47 Ms CHESTERS 249710 Bendigo I'm pleased to speak on this matter of public importance because it gives me a chance to talk about Bendigo and our proud defence manufacturing history. Before I do that, I want to take a moment just to talk about the Liberal and National parties' policy that they took to the last election. The biggest problem with their proposal to lift defence spending to three per cent of GDP was there was no detail of what they were actually going to spend the money on. That's the equivalent of me saying, 'You know what? I'm going to spend $250 at Coles so I get the free delivery,' and then putting a bunch of things in my trolley that I don't really need. If you set the target without knowing what you're going to spend it on, you might buy things that we don't necessarily need. That is the problem with the coalition's policy: setting a target without any detail of what we actually need. When they were in the government, they went to the 2022 election and had not locked in any contracts for the Bendigo Thales site. We went to the election in 2022 with those opposite not locking in a single contract for that site. If they had won the 2022 election, the Bendigo Thales site would have closed. That was despite the fact that we had donated Bushmasters, which are built in Bendigo at Thales, to the Ukraine and we had a capacity gap in the Army that they had created by not securing replacement contracts for Bendigo. They would have seen, if they had won the 2022 election, the Bendigo Thales site close, ending an era of defence manufacturing. What our government did, on winning that election, was invest in the site at Bendigo. In three years, we have invested over $3 million in defence manufacturing contracts in Bendigo Thales, building the Bushmasters that our Army need to ensure that they continue to have the capability they need going forward. Not only have we invested in the Bushmasters and secured hundreds of jobs in Bendigo in defence manufacturing, but Bendigo is now down to two players bidding for the StrikeMaster contract. For those who haven't seen it, I have a model in my office. It is a Bushmaster with missiles on the back of it, which are aimed to support our army. It is cutting-edge capability, based upon what our country needs, based upon what our army needs and based upon what our navy needs. Those opposite are up here ranting, saying that we have dropped the ball. We have not. We are building and investing in the equipment that our country needs. We are focused on delivering sovereign capability in Australia. Let's be real about that. We are talking about local manufacturing. We're not talking about cutting sweetheart deals with other countries that see equipment built overseas. We want to prioritise local builds. That's where I want to talk about AUKUS and our commitment. AUKUS is absolutely critical to our sovereign capability. We've heard why we need to go down the path of nuclear powered subs. But what is most critical in AUKUS is the fact that it will create local jobs and secure manufacturing. We will have the sovereign capability of building subs here in Australia. As a Victorian, I have to say I am jealous of the job opportunities AUKUS will create in South Australia and in WA. I have learned firsthand about that opportunity that South Australia and WA will have in terms of jobs, because in the last parliament and in this parliament I chair the Joint Standing Committee on Treaties. AUKUS came to us in the last parliament and will again in this parliament. It's where we can actually look at the opportunities that exist under that agreement. It is generational change; it is jobs for a generation—those 'jobs for life' that we have quite often talked about losing in manufacturing. AUKUS recreates them in this country. As for the program—we have seen this—we are on track and delivering under the milestones that we have set. We are dispelling a number of the myths that are out there in relation to AUKUS and ensuring the community of its safety. The jobs alone—the STEM jobs—cannot be understated. Over 30 years, there will be 20,000 jobs. It's a unique opportunity for generations of Australians. These are good, secure jobs. At the same time, it creates the capability that our navy needs to keep us safe. I want to acknowledge the work done not just by our cabinet and our ministers but by local MPs to bring communities along with this agreement. 15:52 Mr McCORMACK 219646 Riverina It gives me great pleasure to rise on this matter of public importance debate on the importance of the AUKUS agreement and greater defence spending to Australia's security and prosperity, moved by the shadow minister for defence, the member for Hume. It is very important. I listened closely to the member for Bendigo, and she mentioned the Bushmaster. Indeed, she is correct—this is Australian manufacturing at its best. She talked about equipment, and she talked about sovereign capabilities. She didn't talk about people. They are our most important asset when it comes to our defence, and we need to lift dramatically the number of people that we have in Defence. The member for New England will follow me, and I'm sure he will use his favourite phrase at the moment, which is that we need to get as strong as possible, as quickly as possible, when it comes to military matters. We do; we absolutely do. Indeed, with the Bushmaster, I cannot understand why this government, when the previous government made a commitment to providing Bushmasters to Ukraine, delayed that. They did. The Bushmasters were very slow in getting to Ukraine in their fight against the illegal invasion of Ukraine by Russia. I cannot understand, also, why we outsourced our national security to a Virgin co-pilot. That particular pilot warned Australia about the Chinese navy circumnavigating our nation, firing test missiles very close to our open waters—our international waters. We saw a situation where China was just mocking us. It's simply not good enough. AUKUS stands for Australia, UK and US. We have got to realise who our friends are at this important juncture in time—it's the most critical geopolitical situation we have faced since 1945. We heard the Minister for Defence, the Deputy Prime Minister, utter that pronouncement and he's right. So I cannot understand why he's in America at the moment and cannot get a meeting with his US counterpart, the Secretary of Defense, Pete Hegseth. I would have thought that would have been prearranged before he actually stepped on the aircraft to fly to the United States. It's critical that we meet with the US President. I've been closer to the US President this year—at the Pope's funeral—than has the Prime Minister. Indeed, I had a conversation with Sir Keir Starmer, the UK Prime Minister. I had a very good discussion with former US president Biden about trade and military matters while in Rome. It was quite a lengthy discussion. It beggars belief that our Prime Minister cannot get a face-to-face meeting with President Trump. This is important. I appreciate that members have mentioned HMAS Stirling in WA, the Henderson shipyard in WA and Osborne in South Australia. These are going to be very important naval shipbuilding and collaborative places to lift our military arrangements. I'm very proud to come from a unique city, Wagga Wagga, where we have all three arms of Defence, which is unique for a regional inland centre. We've got the 'Home of the Soldier', Blamey Barracks, where we've got Colonel Gerard Kearns, who I believe has the most important position in the Army because he is leading the new recruits for our nation. If you spend any time in the Air Force, you'll end up at RAAF Base Wagga at Forest Hill, where air power begins here in Australia. Even though we're a long, long way from the nearest drop of seawater, we have an important military presence, as far as the Navy is concerned, which is in conjunction with RAAF Base Wagga. We are very proud of our military contribution to this nation in Wagga Wagga. We need to lift our defence spending. We need to lift our profile and we need to make sure that we keep cohesion going. Today of all days, when we're kicking out—thank goodness—the Iranian ambassador, we've got a very dangerous situation building and we need to be very prepared. The price of peace is eternal vigilance. 15:57 Mr BURNELL 300129 Spence At its heart, AUKUS is about keeping Australians safe. It is a core pillar of the Albanese government's national security policy. By protecting our nation and safeguarding our interests, we are ensuring that, in an uncertain world, we have the means to defend ourselves. The National Defence Strategy is clear: we face the most challenging strategic environment since the Second World War and we face it at a time when our economic connections to the world are deeper than ever. Security and prosperity are bound together. The lesson is simple: to defend our nation, physically, economically and ideologically, whilst contributing to regional stability, the ADF must have greater capacity to project power. Importantly, AUKUS is not just an announcement; it's a partnership that's being delivered. Since March 2023, progress has been real and measurable. That is why we are investing in conventionally armed nuclear-powered submarines. They will give Australia reach and capability we have never had before. They place us alongside only six other nations able to operate platforms of this calibre. AUKUS is one of the greatest industrial undertakings in our history. It will create around 20,000 direct jobs over the next 30 years in South Australia. It will underpin industries and supply chains across the nation. To solidify AUKUS, this year alone we have signed the Geelong treaty with the UK, underpinning SSN-AUKUS cooperation. We've invested $480 million in the new Skills and Training Academy campus in SA. The member for Sturt and I attended the sod turning earlier this year with the Premier of South Australia, along with the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence. We've launched an industry led supplier qualification program and we have released Australia's first AUKUS Submarine Industry Strategy. AUKUS is about not only security but also prosperity. This is a future made in Australia, by Australians, with skills, training and jobs that will last for generations. This sits within a bigger picture for Australia. The Albanese Labor government has increased defence funding to record levels, the biggest peacetime increase in our history, because this is a partnership that the Albanese government believe in and we see the benefits of it in the short and the long term. That's why we're backing it in financially. The 2025-26 budget included an extra $10.6 billion over the forward estimates and $57.6 billion over the decade. Defence spending is now 2.04 per cent of GDP, rising to 2.36 per cent by 2033-34. Last year Defence spent $16.6 billion on acquisitions—a record. This year it will exceed $17.4 billion. So, even when the coalition gave us a hospital pass and slashed defence spending by $20 billion, we are the ones yet again cleaning up their mess. But what would the coalition know about proper defence policy today? Their election policy on defence was nothing short of a piece of fiction. Now, having stood before the Australian public and not provided any detail about where their defence money was coming from or going to, we have the member for Hume saying we aren't spending enough as a percentage of GDP. Senator Henderson said it best herself when she stated that the coalition's policy on defence is just 'an afterthought'. Quite frankly, I agree with the member for Canning himself when he said it was embarrassing to campaign in the election with no defence policy. The opposition should be looking inward and reflecting. What were their plans for an underfunded Defence Force? Would they ever have provided some concrete numbers for the Australian people or just continued to cross their fingers and hope? Would they have just let our international partnerships and relationships wither and perish? The way I see it, the difference could not be clearer. On one side there is the Albanese Labor government—$57.6 billion in new defence funding, record acquisitions, the delivery of AUKUS, jobs and skills for Australians. On the other side, there is confusion, cuts and neglect. The Australian people expect more than rhetoric. They expect results. This government is providing them. AUKUS is how we strengthen our security; defence investment is how we guarantee our prosperity. It's a simple equation, isn't it? And it's one we believe in, because security and prosperity together are how we secure Australia's future. In closing, I had the very good fortune of being on Talisman Sabre for a week just prior to us sitting. That was a bloody good example of just how well equipped our Defence Force is, with the cooperation between 19 countries across this globe. The DEPUTY SPEAKER 248181 The member for Spence will withdraw the unparliamentary remark. Mr BURNELL 300129 I withdraw. 16:02 Mr JOYCE e5d New England In the Vegetius treatise De Re Militarii, there's a very apt thing, 'Si vis pacem, para bellum', which means 'If you want peace, prepare for war.' You have to be strong to deter people. He was under the Emperor Valentinian. But some time before him, in the 'Melian dialogue' by Thucydides, on the Peloponnesian War of Athens versus Sparta in 416 BC, there is another very apt one: 'The strong will do what they can, and the weak will suffer as they must.' It's once more a reinforcement that, if you want to protect your liberty, you have to be strong, which is why I always say you've got to become as powerful as possible as quickly as possible—and we are not. We are not. I want to go to something just briefly to shine some light on that. We have six Collins class submarines. They're from about 1993. They're antiquated, to be honest. China has 79. We have six; they have 79. We have three destroyers—and that's being kind about them. China has 62. We have seven frigates, and they're very dated. China has 58. We have two amphibious warfare ships. China has 12 amphibious transports, 32 landing ship tanks and 32 landing ship mediums. And that's before we get to the 1.3 million people they have in their army. Just giving this speech is in breach of China's '14 grievances' against Australia, both No. 7 and No. 14. In No. 7 of these grievances—they came out in 2020—we can have no criticism of China's political system by Australian politicians, and grievance No. 14 is opacity in doing the bidding of the United States. What we saw, when Wang Yi went to Timor-Leste, the Solomons and Kiribati, and had communications with the Cook Islands, Vanuatu, to name a few, and attempts with both PNG and Fiji, was the tactics of the encirclement of Australia. It's not the Chinese people, of course; it's the Communist totalitarian regime. Encirclement means they have the capacity of duress over Australia and to put a foot on our throat, and one of the mechanisms that they could enforce is on trading terms. You've got to remember that everything you do, whether you realise it or not, is in US dollars, if it's traded. US dollars is the trading currency. It's a democracy, and we're very lucky it is. China's vision—this came from some bankers from New York, who I was lucky enough to be discussing this with, maybe, a year and a half ago in London—is that the RMB becomes the mechanism of exchange. At that moment, everything in Australia would be determined in Chinese yuan, and at that moment the whole aspect of the Australian economy and the value of everything we have would be turned on its head, without the firing of a bullet. The threats to us are not just military, but we must be strong in order to push back against that. What we have to do is understand that becoming as strong as possible as quickly as possible is one of the reasons I fight so virulently against things such as net zero, because you can't be strong if you don't have a manufacturing base. Australia's got the lowest manufacturing base in the OECD, so we can't manufacture what we require in a time of peril. It's not there—even the componentry of an artillery shell. Whether we can produce everything that's required is highly dubious. In closing, I want to quote Dwight D Eisenhower, who was the 34th President of the United States, from 1953 to 1961: Some day there is going to be a man sitting in my present chair who has not been raised in the military services and who will have little understanding of where slashes in their estimates can be made with little or no damage. If that should happen while we still have the state of tension that now exists in the world, I shudder to think of what could happen in this country. That was the USA, and for us it's vastly more dangerous than when he said that. So how are we going? We've got Richard Marles over in the United States who can't crack a meeting with Pete Hegseth— The DEPUTY SPEAKER 248181 Member for New England, please use correct titles. Mr JOYCE e5d The defence minister—and the Prime Minister of Australia cannot meet the President of the United States. This is not good. This is very, very bad, and we are in a dire position which we've got to get ourselves out of. 16:07 Ms LAWRENCE 299150 Hasluck One of the very first things that the Albanese Labor government did in its last term of office was the commissioning of the Defence Strategic Review by the Hon. Stephen Smith, himself a former defence minister, and Air Chief Marshal Sir Angus Houston. The defence minister received that review in 2023 and described it, quite rightly, as the most ambitious review of our Defence Force and structure since the Second World War. Everything that has followed, including the surface fleet review, the National Defence Strategy and the Defence Industry Development Strategy, has pivoted from the Defence Strategic Review. As that National Defence Strategy reconfirms, we confront the most challenging strategic circumstances since the Second World War, and we do so at a time when Australia's economic connection with the world has never been greater. The Center for Strategic and International Studies has described the AUKUS agreement as the 'boldest strategic declaration of the 21st century'. To deliver on this declaration, the Albanese government has increased defence funding to record levels, and that includes record levels towards acquiring new capabilities for the ADF. This is the biggest peace-time increase in defence spending in Australia's history. Labor's 2025-26 budget included an additional $10.6 billion over the forward estimates and $57.6 billion over the decade in defence funding. Defence funding is currently at 2.04 per cent of GDP and will reach 2.36 per cent by 2033-34. Last financial year, Defence had spent $16.6 billion on acquisition, which is the highest on record by over $2 billion, and this financial year, 2024-25, we're on track to spend more than $17.4 billion on acquisition. For reference: during the election, in particular, we heard those opposite talking about their own position looking like an afterthought. The member for Canning, at the time, said it was difficult to talk about defence at all during the campaign, because they had no policy. That is evidenced by their own MPI today, which they've had a good half an hour or more to speak on. There's probably been only one or two minutes actually on topic because they simply have nothing—no detail, no timelines and no idea of where their ideas for money will come from or where the money will be spent. By contrast, for Western Australia we now have a sector that will be second only to the resources sector in terms of the billions—tens of billions, in fact—that will be spent on defence capabilities, creating nearly 5,000 direct jobs at the shipyards and 6,000 more for small to medium-sized businesses in support of the primes. In addition to this, we will also see the establishment of the Defence Industry Skills Centre of Excellence at the south metro TAFE in Perth, which is underpinning the skill development needed to ensure that we have that sovereign capability to meet our defence industry needs. While at present a lot of the workers in the sector are in professional scientific and technical areas, we have now got a growing number of graduating skilled trades workers. They're gaining practical experience by being deployed at the Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard in the US and will be returning to Henderson in due course to apply that new expertise and knowledge. Many of the new WA defence related activities and industries are, in fact, close to the coast, but Hasluck has not been overlooked. In addition to announcing the recent Geelong treaty between Australia and the UK, which will underpin bilateral cooperation to deliver the SSN-AUKUS, and the $480 million investment in the shipbuilding and submarine workforce in SA, there's also a new industry led supplier qualification program with Huntington Ingalls Industries, or HII, the largest military shipbuilder in the US. What this means in a practical sense is that, for the first time, Australian companies are now qualified and are entering the pipeline. I encourage the member for New England to come and visit Hasluck, because, if he had joined me, even just last week, to visit Hofmann Engineering with the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence, the Minister for Defence Industry and also our WA colleague the Hon. Paul Papalia, the state minister for defence industries, along with Vice Admiral Jonathan Mead and many others, he would have been there to hear the announcement that Hofmann Engineering is now the first qualified Australian company to receive a request for quote to supply its parts into the US supply chain. This is a historic moment for Hofmann Engineering but also for the country, as it's the beginning of Australian companies directly contributing to the global supply chain and preparing our country to make the parts necessary for submarines here and for the sustainment of submarines into the future. The DEPUTY SPEAKER 248181 This discussion has now concluded. BUSINESS 42 BUSINESS Suspension of Standing and Sessional Orders 42 16:13 Ms WHITE 224102 Lyons On behalf of the Leader of the House, I move: That so much of the standing and sessional orders be suspended as would prevent the private Members' business notice relating to the disallowance of item 12 of the Financial Framework (Supplementary Powers) Amendment (Health and Aged Care Measures No. 4) Regulations 2024 made under the Financial Framework (Supplementary Powers) Act 1997 on 24 October 2024 and presented to the House on 4 November 2024, standing in the name of the Member for Kooyong, being called on immediately. Question agreed to. REGULATIONS AND DETERMINATIONS 42 REGULATIONS AND DETERMINATIONS Financial Framework (Supplementary Powers) Amendment (Health and Aged Care Measures No. 4) Regulations 2024 42 Disallowance 42 16:14 Dr RYAN 297660 Kooyong I move: That item 12 of the Financial Framework (Supplementary Powers) Amendment (Health and Aged Care Measures No. 4) Regulations 2024 made under the Financial Framework (Supplementary Powers) Act 1997 on 24 October 2024 and presented to the House on 4 November 2024, be disallowed. I move this motion to disallow the instrument amending the Financial Framework (Supplementary Powers) Act 1997, referred to as the Moderna partnership, tabled by the Minister for Finance in the Senate and then this House on 28 October 2024. The Morrison government struck a deal with Moderna in May 2021 to build a facility in Australia for the domestic production of new vaccines. The Morrison government had failed to procure COVID-19 vaccines in a timely manner. It had lost the vaccine race. It struck a hasty deal without the usual competitive tender so it would be able to announce that it was doing something, knowing full well that that facility would almost certainly be built too late to contribute significantly to the COVID-19 pandemic response. The terms of the deal were kept secret at the time. We now know that it is a multibillion dollar deal in which taxpayers paid for a facility which is fully owned by Moderna—a facility that has, as yet in 2025, failed to produce a single dose of vaccine for our domestic use. We now know—but only because of the tabling of this disallowable instrument by Senator Gallagher last October—that, as part of the Morrison-Hunt agreement, the government has created a streamlined vaccine procurement process exclusively for Moderna's pandemic and non-pandemic vaccines outside the National Immunisation Program. The need for pandemic preparedness is still front of mind for all Australians, but this financial arrangement is about more than just preparing ourselves for the next pandemic. It is a commercial leg-up for one company in what is a very competitive non-pandemic vaccine market. This arrangement should be revised to ensure a level playing field for the best Australian and global companies to research, develop and manufacture the best medicines for Australians in Australia. It should be disallowed because it circumvents the standards and safeguards of Commonwealth procurement processes on the grounds of protecting human health when in fact it is to be applied to non-emergency medicines. There is a defined and accepted process for the procurement of medicines and medical treatments in this country. There is no possible justification for non-emergency vaccines sidestepping this process. The COVID-19 pandemic was the greatest trauma experienced by this country in this century. Thousands of Australians died. Our social and economic life was damaged. Tens of billions of dollars were wasted by the Morrison government on a poorly directed economic stimulus package and on wasteful and opaque spending on diagnostics, PPE and vaccines. We will never know the full extent of that waste, because the Morrison and Albanese governments have refused a royal commission into the management of the COVID-19 pandemic. Without those lessons, we will inevitably be less well prepared for the next pandemic. And so I'm moving this disallowance motion today in the national interest and in the interest of the health of Australians, the health of our economy and the health of the democratic institutions that safeguard the national public interest. I'm moving this motion in the interests of transparency so that a major decision of our government during the pandemic doesn't just slide through this place unnoticed and unquestioned. Do we welcome the Moderna facility in Australia—Moderna in Australia? Yes, we do. Australia's world-class health and medical research capacity, with which I am personally and particularly familiar, makes us an obvious location for world-class pharmaceutical manufacturing. During the pandemic, Moderna's vaccine development was the fastest ever seen globally. Moderna's mRNA vaccine for COVID saved millions of lives. Do we need to expand our vaccine manufacturing domestically? We clearly do. Right now, only one COVID-19 vaccine is available in Australia. That's Pfizer (COMIRNATY) JN.1. The Albanese government actually decided not to replenish supplies of Moderna mRNA vaccine in late 2024. Those unable to receive mRNA vaccines have been unable to access any form of COVID vaccine in Australia since July 2024, and this has caused a lot of distress to those people who are keen to access the Novavax vaccine. We know that two COVID-19 variants are currently active in Australia. A recent COVID wave affected more than 200 aged-care facilities. Most older Australians have not been immunised for six months or more. Does government investment in sovereign capability for medicine production domestically make sense? Yes, it does. Our pandemic experience has shown us the risks of global supply chain interruptions, and they've shown us the importance of building expertise and capacity for research and manufacturing onshore and for safeguarding our resources. Australia imports 90 per cent of its medicines. We have ongoing shortages of medicines for ADHD, for diabetes, for palliative care, for HRT, for antibiotics and more. For years, I have been pushing for more support for local medicines production, which we could facilitate through schemes like A Future Made in Australia. But we have no certainty that putting this very large egg in this single basket is going to help our pharmaceutical industry, our vaccines industry, even just our mRNA industry to strengthen and diversify, or that it will provide continuity of local vaccine production before and after this contract expires in 2032. We don't know if the government has looked at other options open to it under the existing facility establishment agreement, such as expanding expenditure for research and development or for manufacturing for research rather than vaccines. These are options which could have significant spillover benefits for Australian medical research capability and for our commercialisation skills. Do we need to support medical research in Australia? We certainly do, which is why I've been asking the minister to immediately release funds from the Medical Research Future Fund to universities and medical research institutes, which are struggling in a time of decreased local funding for research and development, and at a time when support of Australian medical research by the NIH and other US sources has decreased by $368 million in this year alone. Why is this deal so concerning? Australia's decades-old system of vaccine procurement ensures that safe, effective and cost-effective vaccines are purchased and provided to the Australian people. The government's arrangement with Moderna is the biggest change to vaccine procurement in Australian history. It gives a massive commercial advantage to one company by making a multibillion contribution to the construction of a new, single facility and to the servicing of its operations, with no transparency as to what, if any, ownership we have of that infrastructure and the ongoing operations of the facility. It gives one single company access to expedited procurement processes, remembering that it takes on average 3.8 years for the PBAC to approve new vaccines in this country. In doing so, this agreement disadvantages other vaccine manufacturers. It creates a disincentive for other companies to invest or expand here. In seeking to build capacity, we are potentially stifling it. It's wholly appropriate that governments invoke human health considerations during a pandemic. During the COVID-19 pandemic acute phases, both Pfizer and Moderna benefited from alternative health technology assessment processes. We needed those expedited pathways because of the longstanding issues with medical regulatory pathways in this country. Those issues persist. To its credit this government commissioned the health technology assessment review in 2022, but it reported in May 2024, and it's still not scheduling implementation of its recommendations until 2026. That is too slow. We need faster medication approvals. We need to ensure that we are better prepared for the next pandemic. Now is the time to improve the TGA, the PBAC and MSAC, not to build cut-outs for our favoured partners. We don't know what HDA criteria and assessments will apply to the vaccines produced by this facility. We don't know how they're going to vary from the standard processes. But we do know that the government has actively disapplied the usual rules around competition, value for money, merits review and regulatory impact assessments. And remember that this special treatment is not just for pandemic vaccines. It specifically includes non-pandemic vaccines. There is no possible justification for this carve-out. The usual safeguards for procurement should apply. The usual standards of best product at best value should apply to non-pandemic vaccines produced by the Moderna facility. Giving a single commercial entity a sweetheart deal undermines competition. Companies which didn't receive taxpayer gifts upfront do not have the same capacity to invest. A business environment characterised by uncompetitive deals is an active deterrent to other companies which might be considering capitalising on Australia's medical research expertise, companies which are considering investing locally in the research and development required to bring new and improved products to our market. A guarantee to a single company to fast-track approvals for their product while their competitors wait three years or more for the same approvals is anticompetitive. It's a deterrent to new research and development, for which we will all be the poorer. We need our government to always act in the public's best interest, with honesty and transparency. That is more important than ever when it comes to health care. The people in this place should be asking: What is in the best interests of the people of Australia? With this deal from 2021, what is being promised to the Australian taxpayer in 2025 and beyond? How can we guarantee a fair and equal playing field for business investments in this country? How can we encourage research and development and build sovereign capacity for medicine production when we are committing to these sorts of deals? How do we best protect and preserve the health of all Australians? To that end, I move that this instrument be disallowed, to give the parliament of Australia an opportunity to investigate these really important questions and to act transparently and in the best interests of the health and wellbeing of our constituents. The DEPUTY SPEAKER 248181 Is the motion seconded? 16:27 Dr HAINES 282335 Indi I'm pleased today to rise to support and second this very important motion from the member for Kooyong because it goes to the very heart of accountability, transparency and trust that decisions made by government are in the public interest. We should all be very grateful to the member for Kooyong for bringing this issue to the attention of the House. Decisions that were made back in COVID times were decisions that were made under the spotlight, pressure and uncertainty of a global pandemic. We are no longer in that situation. We know that Australians value transparency and fairness in government. This includes procurement and, most especially, spending on health. These values were not swept aside during the pandemic. In fact, they were more important than ever. During the COVID-19 pandemic, governments across the world made huge asks of their people, and we were no different here in Australia. When governments ask such big sacrifices of their people, governments must also uphold the faith. That means acting with integrity and being open to scrutiny. In this case, we're talking about the deal between the former Morrison government and international company Moderna in May 2021 to build an mRNA manufacturing facility at Monash University in Melbourne under pressure over vaccine supply. I was here in the parliament at that time and there was enormous pressure. The then health minister, Greg Hunt, announced the government would test the market for domestic manufacturing. Only two credible bids emerged: Australia's CSL and the internationally owned Moderna. By December 2021, the Morrison government had entered into a confidential agreement with Moderna to build the facility. Now, we know very little about this deal. How much are we as taxpayers spending? What are we getting for our money? What guarantees do we have? We were told this plant would be operational by the end of 2024, producing up to 100 million doses of vaccines for COVID, influenza, RSV and more. This was a significant national investment during an unprecedented crisis, but the details were and, alarmingly, continue to be hidden from the Australian public, and the question is: why? The parliament and the public do not know what Australia is paying, how much vaccine we are guaranteed or on what terms, and that's simply not good enough. This was a decision made by the Morrison government, but, critically, this secrecy continues, now, into this Labor government. In October 2024, the government tabled a legislative instrument creating what it calls the Moderna Partnership. These regulations grant Moderna exemptions from the usual Commonwealth procurement and assessment processes. What we're debating today is whether the parliament should draw back the curtain on the Moderna partnership between Moderna and the Australian government. It is our role as parliamentarians to ensure scrutiny of governments and the decisions of ministers, and, thanks to the member for Kooyong, that's exactly what we're doing today. It is exactly what this motion is all about. The government has committed to annual minimum purchases of Moderna's vaccines; however, remarkably, those vaccines will not undergo assessment by the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee, which, for decades, has ensured Australians receive the safest and best medicines at a fair price. Instead, the government has proposed an independent health technology assessment pathway, but this pathway has not yet been established. So one multinational pharmaceutical company has been granted a regulatory light touch, but this light touch won't be available to Australian firms or, indeed, to other vaccine producers. Why? Australia's vaccine procurement system is one of the most robust in the world. It ensures vaccines are safe. It ensures they are cost effective, and it ensures Australians can have confidence that their government is acting in the public interest. By exempting Moderna from these longstanding processes, the government risks undermining that very confidence. During the height of the pandemic, extraordinary measures were justified. We needed vaccines fast, and the government rightly used its discretionary powers. But we are no longer in this emergency phase. The member for Kooyong has pointed out so clearly why we need to be now putting great scrutiny on this very decision. Australians deserve transparency at the very least. At the very least they deserve transparency. They deserve confidence that their government is buying vaccines fairly, openly and, ultimately, in their interests. The government must release the details of this multibillion-dollar deal. It must ensure that all vaccines, regardless of the manufacturer, are subject to rigorous, transparent assessment, and this government must reaffirm its commitment to public money always delivering public health for Australians and not to the financial interests of international big pharmaceutical corporations. So I am very pleased to second this motion. I support it and I'm very grateful to the member for Kooyong, and every member of this House should be grateful to her, too, for bringing this issue to our attention and demanding of us that we do our jobs and scrutinise this. 16:34 Dr SCAMPS 299623 Mackellar I, too, rise in support of this disallowance motion brought by the member for Kooyong, and I thank her for bringing it to the House. It's not a race—we all remember those four words from the former prime minister Scott Morrison during the COVID-19 pandemic. They symbolised a government that was unprepared and slow to act. So, after failing to promptly secure COVID-19 vaccines for Australians, the Morrison government, under pressure, struck a rushed deal in May 2021 with the US pharmaceutical company Moderna to build a domestic mRNA vaccine manufacturing facility. This was a $2 billion deal done behind closed doors, with no transparency, no scrutiny and no accountability. Not one detail was made public at that time. Even now we don't fully know what taxpayers got for that money. What we do know is this: to date, Moderna has not produced a single dose for the Australian market from its new facility. The deal bypassed our proven robust systems for ensuring quality, safety and value. Moderna's vaccines were exempted from assessment by the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee, or PBAC, the very committee responsible for determining whether medicines are safe, effective and worth funding through the National Immunisation Program. This decision has created a parallel procurement process, exclusively for Moderna: fast-tracked, exempt and unexplained. Yet the Albanese government has forged ahead with it. It's a decision that has drawn serious concern from leading public health experts and regulatory bodies. Professor Peter Collignon of the ANU has said the PBAC process is critical, not just for safety but also to ensure value for money and informed comparison between vaccine options. PBAC chair Robyn Ward warned speeding up distribution must not come at the cost of fairness, access or safety. Australian manufacturer CSL offered to produce vaccines at a lower cost. They recently invested over $1 billion in a Melbourne facility, but they haven't been offered the same fast-tracked regulatory path. This deal puts CSL and other local innovators at a distinct disadvantage. So we are now at risk of creating two systems for vaccine approval in this country—one for a single foreign multinational and another for everyone else. This is anticompetitive, and it undermines the integrity of Australia's medical procurement processes. Whilst sovereign manufacturing is vitally important for our country, existing safeguards and regulatory checks must not be disregarded. Let me remind the House that this 10-year agreement commits successive governments and taxpayers to purchase Moderna's vaccines for years to come, regardless of evolving science, emerging options or changing needs. The fact that the Australian National Audit Office has launched a formal inquiry into this deal speaks volumes. We are not just talking about vaccines here. This is about how government procurement power should be used to create a healthier population and a stronger economy. Just last week the government hosted the economic reform roundtable to discuss productivity and innovation, and yet we still have this deal. Our Future Made in Australia has overlooked the health and medical innovation sector, one of our greatest economic opportunities. We have examples of world-leading Australian innovation—Cochlear, ResMed and others—who succeeded because they had access to research support, regulatory integrity and, importantly, fair competition. We must not create a system where one multinational receives preferential treatment while local companies are left to wait three years or more for approval. That is not smart investment; that is a barrier to innovation. The Australian public agrees. Nine in 10 Australians support investment in local companies producing medical products. They want transparency, fairness and sovereign capability, not secret deals. This comes at a time when the government is currently undertaking a strategic examination of research and development to grow our core science and innovation capability. If we are serious about building long-term prosperity and sovereign capability, we must disallow backroom deals that go against these very principles. This is not about opposing mRNA technology. It has been transformative. But innovation must be supported by a fair, transparent and accountable process—one that ensures competition, builds local capacity and safeguards public trust. We need smarter investment, not secret deals. We need robust systems, not parallel ones. We need to support Australian innovation, not undermine it. For these reasons, I strongly support the member for Kooyong's disallowance motion and thank her for moving it in the national interest. 16:39 Mr BUCHHOLZ 230531 Wright The opposition won't be supporting the disallowance motion, for the reasons that I'll outline. The Moderna 10-year strategy partnership is about sovereign health security, future pandemic preparedness and growing Australia's world-leading medical research sector. It was commenced by the former coalition government, with the support of the Victorian Labor government, and finalised under the Albanese Labor government in August 2022. The agreement will result in Australia being able to make up to 100 million world-leading mRNA vaccine doses per year in the event of another pandemic or health emergency. This provides the capacity and capability to protect against evolving strains of COVID-19 or new respiratory diseases that emerge in the future. Moderna was selected through a full and exhaustive cabinet process on the basis that it was the only bid that had an existing mRNA vaccine technology. As part of the partnership, Moderna will maintain a world-class facility ready for rapid deployment in the case of future endemic or pandemic threats. The facility will also have the capacity to support Australia with domestically manufactured mRNA vaccines against common seasonal respiratory viruses, pending TGA approval. All vaccines supplied from the facility will need to be approved by the TGA and ATAGI and undergo health technology assessments, as is the case with other vaccines supplied in Australia. It will make critical and regional hubs for mRNA technology development and production, bolstering our local biotechnological sectors. Successive national governments, the independent Halton review and the COVID-19 response inquiry have all identified the need for sovereign manufacturing capability to respond to future health threats. Moderna, established in Melbourne, enables Australia to be one of the few countries worldwide with end-to-end mRNA based vaccine manufacturing. The final framework regulation gives legal effect to the partnership between the government and Moderna and has been in place since 2022. I acknowledge the member for Kooyong, but given the agreement commenced under the coalition government which is being implemented by the Labor government with bipartisan major party support, we will not be supporting a disallowance to void this agreement. For companies like Moderna and the pharmaceutical industry across Australia, predictability in government policy is essential, and it provides the certainty needed to invest in Australia, create jobs and grow our medical and research capabilities. The coalition is committed to delivering that sustainability and stability. 16:43 Ms WHITE 224102 Lyons Firstly, I would like to recognise the member for Kooyong and her deep expertise and professional background that she brings to this place, and I acknowledge that this is something of deep interest to her. However, the government won't be supporting the disallowance, and I'll explain why. The motion moved by the member for Kooyong seeks to disallow item 12 of schedule 1 to the Financial Framework (Supplementary Powers) Amendment (Health and Aged Care Measures No. 4) Regulations 2024 made under the Financial Framework (Supplementary Powers) Act 1997 on 24 October 2024. The item underpins the government's expenditure on Australia's onshore manufacturing capability and pandemic preparedness. The government supports transparency and accountability. In this instance, there are genuine reasons why the precise details of the agreement between Moderna and the Commonwealth must remain confidential. The fact is that the agreement between Moderna and the government secures more than just vaccines. In supporting the development of a domestic manufacturing capability, the arrangement promotes Australia's sovereign capability, resilience and pandemic preparedness; Australia's onshore production of vaccines using mRNA technology, a technology which was successful in responding to the COVID-19 pandemic; and the enhancement of Australia's research and manufacturing ecosystem and workforce to support our world-class capabilities to develop and produce the next generation of medical technology. The agreement is a part of a three-way 10-year arrangement, ending in 2032, between the Australian government, the Victorian government and Moderna. It is the reason why Australia is now one of the few countries in the world with an end-to-end mRNA vaccine manufacturing capability. Like other vaccines—and I think this point will be particularly relevant to the member for Kooyong—vaccines manufactured by Moderna and supplied under the agreement with government must be approved by the Therapeutic Goods Administration for quality, safety and efficacy. These principles will not be compromised—and I want to emphasise this point. The Moderna vaccines must also be assessed by the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation. Importantly, the vaccines are also subject to an independent health technology assessment, consistent with the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee guidelines. These assessment arrangements for Moderna onshore vaccines are the result of significant negotiations between the department and Moderna and are commercial-in-confidence. The agreement was established in line with the Australian government's legal obligations and policy mandate and completed in accordance with the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Act 2013. Moderna Australia's manufacturing facility was completed in late 2024, with regulatory approvals now underway. Registration and supply in Australia will only commence following approval of the manufacturing facility and vaccines by the TGA. This is a crucial investment in our domestic manufacture of vaccines in Australia and our preparedness for future pandemics, and, for these reasons, the government will oppose the motion from the member for Kooyong. The SPEAKER 53517 The question is that the motion be agreed to.  

The House divided. [16:50]
(The Speaker—Hon. Milton Dick)

9 AYES Boele, N. Chaney, K. E. Gee, A. R. Haines, H. M. O'Brien, L. S. Ryan, M. M. (Teller) Scamps, S. A. (Teller) Spender, A. M. Steggall, Z. 59 NOES Abdo, B. J. Aly, A. Ambihaipahar, A. Berry, C. G. Briskey, J. L. Buchholz, S. Burnell, M. P. Butler, M. C. Byrnes, A. J. Campbell, J. P. Charlton, A. H. G. Chesters, L. M. Claydon, S. C. Clutterham, C. L. Coffey, R. K. Comer, E. L. Cook, K. M. G. Doyle, M. J. J. Dreyfus, M. A. Elliot, M. J. Georganas, S. Gorman, P. P. Gregg, M. J. Hill, J. C. Husic, E. N. Jarrett, M. L. Khalil, P. Lawrence, T. N. Laxale, J. A. A. Leigh, A. K. Lim, S. B. C. Mascarenhas, Z. F. A. McBain, K. L. Miller-Frost, L. J. Moncrieff, D. S. Neumann, S. K. Ng, G. J. Payne, A. E. Phillips, F. E. Reid, G. J. Repacholi, D. P. Roberts, T. G. Ryan, J. C. Scrymgour, M. R. Sitou, S. Smith, D. P. B. (Teller) Smith, M. J. H. Soon, X. Stanley, A. M. (Teller) Teesdale, J. A. Templeman, S. R. Thistlethwaite, M. J. Thwaites, K. L. White, R. P. Wilkie, A. D. Wilson, J. H. Wilson, R. J. Witty, S. J. Zappia, A. 0 PAIRS

Question negatived.

COMMITTEES 47 COMMITTEES Law Enforcement Joint Committee 47 Report 47 16:55 Mr LLEW O'BRIEN 265991 Wide Bay by leave—I present the following reports of the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Law Enforcement of the 47th Parliament: Examination of the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission annual report 2023-24 and Examination of the Australian Federal Police annual report 2023-24. Reports made parliamentary papers in accordance with standing order 39(e). Mr LLEW O'BRIEN 265991 by leave—I rise as Deputy Chair of the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Law Enforcement to present the committee's report from the 47th Parliament examining the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission's annual report of 2023-24. The report was presented out of session in the Senate in late March 2025 on the day before the prorogation of the previous parliament. The ACIC provides vital intelligence and policing information to protect Australia from serious criminal threats. The committee is charged with providing parliamentary oversight of the ACIC, which is especially important given the coercive powers available to the agency. As part of this work, the committee examines each ACIC annual report and raises a range of contemporary issues with its officials at a public hearing. I'm pleased to report that the committee did not identify any major areas of concern. The committee's review highlighted several important areas of work being pursued by the ACIC, including the completion of tranche 1 of the National Criminal Intelligence System; the National Police Checking Service, which processed its largest number of checks since its establishment, with over 7.2 million in 2023-24; the integration of data into the Australian Firearms Information Network; and the creation of a national firearms register. The register is an important measure that will benefit law enforcement outcomes and improve community safety. The committee appreciates this is a complex and multifaceted initiative to provide real-time data which will uplift current state based systems, some of which are paper based. The committee will continue to monitor the progress of the program, which is expected to be operational in mid-2028. The independent review of the ACIC was released in November 2024. The report stated that the ACIC is inhibited from fulfilling its intelligence mandate by a lack of clarity about its role, complicated legislative frameworks and uncertainty about its funding. The review's 29 recommendations provide a blueprint for comprehensive reform to the ACIC. This reform will modernise not only the commission itself but also its enabling legislation, the Australian Crime Commission Act 2002. The committee also examined a range of other issues relating to the agency's performance, including its staff retention and employee census results. On the latter, the committee commends the ACIC for efforts in the area of staff wellbeing, with the recent census showing that wellbeing initiatives, including a staff counsellor, have been welcomed by staff. I commend the ACIC's officers for their valuable contribution to Australian law enforcement and community safety. I also thank them for their assistance with the committee's oversight process as well as my fellow committee members for their constructive approach to the committee's work. I commend the committee's report to the House. I rise as the Deputy Chair of the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Law Enforcement to present the committee's report from the 47th Parliament examining the Australian Federal Police annual report for 2023-24. The report was presented out of session in the Senate in late March 2025, the day before the prorogation of the previous parliament. I'm pleased to report that the committee did not identify any major issues of concern. As Australia's national policing agency, the AFP protects Australians and Australia's interests. Some key achievements in 2023-24 included the seizure of 31.3 tonnes of illicit drugs and precursors at the border or domestically, assisting overseas police to seize 41.8 tonnes of illicit drugs, and charging 318 people with criminal offences—121 people were charged as a result of child exploitation investigations. The inclusion in the AFP's annual report of key operations as case studies is helpful to increase understanding of the complexity, length of time and co-operation required for some investigations. Operation Gain was a successful example of international co-operation. The AFP increased engagement with the Turkish authorities, which, with the assistance of the AFP, arrested 42 people, 18 of whom were high value to Australian law enforcement. Assets of more than $25 million were restrained by Turkey. The AFP's most important asset is its people, and the committee was updated on several initiatives to improve recruitment and wellbeing. The committee also received an update on the initiatives to meet the sworn female workforce target of 30 per cent by 2028, which was enforced in 2021. As at December 2024, the figure was at 26.6 per cent. The SHIELD program commenced in 2021 and supports all past and present employees, reservists and others, and their families. It provides confidential, personalised care for all members, focusing on education and prevention, including regular health checks. The AFP told the committee that the SHIELD program has been well received. Given the importance of this program to staff wellbeing, the committee will use the next reporting period to focus on what direct measures and evaluation methodology are in place for SHIELD. In the next reporting period, the committee intends to look at the methodology for the annual staff surveys, as a full staff survey is only conducted every two years. In 2023, the survey focused on wellbeing. The committee will examine the approach to surveys, where some factors such as senior leadership and leadership, more generally, are only included every second year, and whether this approach will result in a timely response to emerging issues. This is particularly the case, as the survey did not occur in 2024 as planned. I commend the AFP for continuing to perform well in a complex operating environment to protect the safety of Australians. I wish to thank the AFP officers who gave evidence to the committee and also my fellow committee members for their contribution to the committee's important oversight role. I commend the committee's report to the House. BILLS 49 BILLS National Health Amendment (Cheaper Medicines) Bill 2025 49

National Health Amendment (Cheaper Medicines) Bill 2025

Second Reading 49 17:04 Ms CLUTTERHAM 316101 Sturt One of the biggest weekends of doorknocking for me during the campaign was when I had the pleasure of announcing that Sturt would be getting an urgent care clinic—a walk-up, fully bulk-billed centre residents can go to when they need something urgently but don't need to go to hospital. That weekend, I met Natalie, who works in healthcare administration, managing urgent care clinics in South Australia. When I told Natalie that Sturt would be getting an urgent care clinic—there was not one in Sturt at the time—Natalie let out an audible cheer, because Natalie knows that urgent care clinics work. Over one million visits by Australians tell us that, and that is why we are opening more—50 more, including in Sturt. Urgent care clinics were new to David, who I also met whilst I was doorknocking in my electorate of Sturt during the campaign. David was elderly and had fallen and injured his hip. He took a while to answer the door, due to his mobility, and when he did answer it and we got chatting, he told me that he was in pain and he couldn't get in to see his general practitioner. I told him about urgent care clinics and that the way they worked was that he could simply attend one on a walk-up basis, be seen by a doctor on a bulk-billed basis and get a prescription for pain medication if one was required. At the time, there was not an urgent care clinic in Sturt, and David's nearest urgent care clinic was in Para Hills, a taxi ride away. Despite that, David said that urgent care clinics sounded 'pretty good', and was very relieved to hear that Sturt would soon be home to an urgent care clinic and that the people of Sturt could access walk-up, bulk-billed services without placing more strain on the hospital system in circumstances where they couldn't get in to see their preferred general practitioner. David was right. It not only sounds like a good idea, it is a good idea. One million visits from the people of Australia tell us that it is a good idea. Another good idea, as we know, is cheaper medicines, which form part of the suite of measures for making health care more affordable and more accessible to all Australians. Urgent care clinics, more doctors and nurses, more bulk-billed places, more investment in women's health and mental health medical centres, in addition to cheaper medicines, are good for the hip pocket; they are good for the health and wellbeing of all Australians; and, as we know, they are good for the economy, because a healthy population drives a productive and successful economy. 17:08 Dr RYAN 297660 Kooyong I rise today in support of the National Health Amendment (Cheaper Medicines) Bill 2025, a bill which will deliver tangible cost-of-living relief to millions of Australians by reducing the maximum Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme co-payment from $31.60 to $25 from 1 January 2026. This is a welcome step. It will save families hundreds of dollars a year, and it will make essential medicines more accessible to those who need them most. This government has done a lot to make medicines more affordable. In the last term of government, it brought in the 60-day prescription policy, which allows up to 12 months of medication at a time from a single script, with two months worth being dispensed at a time. This was a welcome change, which is expected to save more than $1.6 billion over four years for patients on stable doses of medication living with chronic conditions. I have to say, though, that we've had relatively low uptake of the scheme to date. Only 21 per cent of eligible medicines were dispensed as 60-day scripts by the end of last year. Despite that, the policy has already saved consumers more than $110 million. If uptake increases to 50 per cent, annual savings could exceed $310 million for patients and $297 million for the government, primarily through reduced dispensing fees. I have to take some credit for this government's savings because I was the first person to raise this issue—the possibility of this policy change in the House—when I asked the minister if he would consider it, in early 2023. I was grateful to the government for considering the measure and adopting it. Like this bill, it was aimed at making things easier for Australians dealing with pretty significant cost-of-living pressures. But, while this bill is a positive move, it is not enough. It is a bandaid on a system which requires comprehensive reform. As a paediatric neurologist who worked in a public health system for more than three decades, I know firsthand the importance of timely access to affordable and effective treatments. I also understand the frustration of patients and clinicians when access to life-changing therapies is delayed or denied because of outdated, opaque and slow approval processes. The waits are simply too long in our system. The average wait for approval under the Therapeutic Goods Administration is 12 months. For a clinical trial, it's at least a few months—long months when you've got patients desperate to get access to an exciting new possible therapeutic. For PBAC approvals, it's 22 months. For MSAC approvals, it's 12 to14 months. Horrifyingly, the average time for the approval of a new vaccine under the National Immunisation Program—from the time of TGA approval until listed on the NIP—is 1,375 days. That is 3.8 years. I experienced those timelines firsthand when, after leading world-first clinical trials in children with severe neuromuscular conditions at the Royal Children's Hospital, I had to go, cap in hand, to the TGA and the PBAC and fight to have new medications and gene therapies approved and funded. It took years of advocacy, with families and with pharma, to secure access to those treatments for all Australian children. That is a false economy; we are talking about the health of Australians. Just last week I met with a constituent who recently tried and failed to have an agent fast-tracked under our PBAC. The agent was actually TGA approved years ago; he was just trying to get it funded by the PBAC. He had spent a million dollars trying to get that approval. It failed because the government would not negotiate significantly on price. He's been offered the chance to reapply under the standard approval pathways, but he asked a very appropriate question: why would he bother? Why would he spend more of his money doing that, with a very limited chance of success? We are not rewarding those who are doing their best to bring new treatments to this country. I've also heard recently from constituents whose children have been unable to access proton therapy. This is the best form of radiotherapy for brain tumours and many other forms of cancer. Despite attempts to bring it to our country, despite failed attempts by the South Australian and Victorian governments, proton therapy is still not available in Australia. That means that our children with brain tumours have to go overseas to access it, after their parents—these are parents who are under stress, dealing with the critical illness of their child—have had to jump through the endless hoops of the medical treatment overseas program to get them there. I often hear as well from constituents who are frustrated that they cannot access the medicines they need. I've just spoken in this House about the many constituents who would like to access Novavax vaccines for COVID—can't do it. The PBS listings that were announced in this year's budget are a step forward for women's health. We've been hearing ad nauseum from the government about new listings for oral contraceptives, menopause and endometriosis. That's fantastic, but, if those women's HRT agents are unavailable, they find themselves having to settle for poor alternatives at a higher price. And they're not alone. Hundreds of medications are in short supply in this country at any one point in time. I've heard from palliative care physicians who can't get hold of the right forms of morphine for patients who are in pain and who are dying. I've heard from parents who can't get their kids' ADHD medications. I've heard of people who can't access their cardiac medications and the antibiotics that they want, need and deserve. Both yesterday and today I've met in the House with vaccine providers, who have discussed their frustration with the barriers to approvals and funding in this country, particularly with respect to the mishmash of federal and state support for immunisation programs. I've often heard in Kooyong and in Canberra from constituents and carers frustrated by the variability of vaccine schedules from state to state and the variable funding of administration of vaccines by councils or by community pharmacists in different territories and states. The health technology assessment system is the backbone of how we assess, approve and fund new medicines and medical technologies in Australia. The health technology assessment review was commissioned by the department of health in 2021 in response to a report from the joint standing committee on health, disability and ageing. That review was released in 2024. It exposed critical shortcomings in how Australia evaluates and funds new medicines and technologies. Those issues directly affect the speed and ease with which Australians can access novel life-saving therapies. The review called for a more transparent, more timely, more patient centred approach to the evaluation of new treatments. It recognised the need to better incorporate real-world evidence, consumer input and health equity into decision-making. In response to that review, which was released, as you will remember, in late 2024, the Health Technology Assessment Review Implementation Advisory Group was established in November 2024, but there has been very limited progress since that time. Patients are still waiting. Their parents and the people who care for them are still waiting. Clinicians are still waiting. Researchers and industry are still waiting for action on the HTA review. We cannot afford to wait any longer. The fact is that the PBS system which we all treasure has recently come under significant and renewed attack from large international pharmaceutical companies which have successfully mobilised the US government to apply pressure here and in other countries with schemes similar to the PBS. Those companies have variously criticised our PBS for allowing generic medicines to compete in the market, for freeloading by contributing insufficiently to the cost of research and development of new drugs and for taking years to approve new medicines and thereby creating a massive backlog of approvals. The Albanese government has rightly defended the PBS, and I think everyone in this place would do that. But the fact is that our therapeutic goods approval bodies would benefit by not being beyond reasonable criticism, because the criticism that they have received is reasonable. They are slow and they are overly administratively burdensome. So this bill, while it is important, will not address the systemic delays that prevent Australians from accessing new therapies. It will not fix the bottlenecks in the TGA, the PBAC or the MSAC. It will not ensure that our health system is ready to evaluate and fund the next generation of personalised medicines, digital health tools and breakthrough therapies. Cheaper medicines are good, but faster access to the best medicines for all Australians is better. We need a system that recognises the complexity and wonder of modern medicine, one which is agile enough to respond to emerging health needs, one which puts patients, not bureaucracy, at its centre. So, I urge the Minister for Health and Ageing to prioritise the full and urgent implementation of the HTA review recommendations. I do support this bill, but I also call on this parliament to look beyond it, to build a health system which is not just cheaper but smarter, fairer and faster. Australians deserve more than just cheaper medicines. They deserve the best medicines at the right time at a price that they can afford. 17:19 Ms CLAYDON 248181 Newcastle I am very pleased to speak in support of this bill before the House tonight, the National Health Amendment (Cheaper Medicines) Bill 2025. At its heart this bill is about something simple but powerful: making sure people can afford the medicines they need—not in theory, not in a few years, but right now, in the middle of a cost-of-living crunch, when every dollar matters. This is a bill that goes to the core of what we value as Australians: fairness, equity and the belief that no-one should have to compromise their health because of what's in their wallet. We know the price of essentials has been creeping up, whether it's at the grocery shop, in the electricity bill or on the fuel gauge. For far too many Australians that pressure has included the pharmacy counter. For many Australians medicines are a significant cost-of-living pressure, affecting women at almost twice the rate of men. In fact, in 2023-24, nearly 1.2 million Australians delayed or did not fill a script because of the cost. That's not just a number. That's real people—mums, dads, grandparents—having to make an impossible choice between their health and their household budget. I've had countless conversations in Newcastle with people who've told me they've had to delay filling a script or cut tablets in half to make them last longer. Imagine being told by your doctor that you need a full dose to stay healthy and then having to take the risk of halving it because you simply can't afford the next box. That's not how a world-class health system should work. You shouldn't have to gamble with your health just to keep the lights on. That's what this bill is designed to fix. This legislation is practical and targeted. It will cut the maximum PBS copayment. That's the most you'll pay for many common medicines under the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme. This bill will also keep the copayment freeze for concession card holders going even longer, so pensioners, veterans and others on fixed incomes will know that they're not going to be hit with these price hikes. These are practical changes that mean immediate savings for households, without undermining the pharmacies that are so critical to our health system. This is smart, sensible reform that balances affordability for more than 5.1 million patients with sustainability for providers. I always like to bring these big national reforms home, literally, and look at what they mean for Newcastle. Since Labor first reduced the PBS copayment last year, Novocastrians have saved more than $10 million from more than 1.2 million scripts, under Labor's cheaper-medicines bill, for a maximum $25 copayment. They'll save millions more. That's pensioners in Wallsend who can now afford every script on the list. It's young parents in Mayfield who don't have to choose between asthma medication for their kids and paying the water bill. It's people with chronic conditions—diabetes, high blood pressure, mental health needs—who can stay on track with their treatment instead of ending up in hospital. We know the flow-on effect: healthier people, fewer preventable hospital visits and a health system that works better for everyone. These are the kinds of flow-on effects we really want to see. When you take the financial stress out of filling a prescription, you improve lives and you take pressure off the hospital system, which is something that every government and every hospital administrator wants to see. It's worth pausing for a moment here to look at the difference in approach between the Albanese Labor government and those opposite, the coalition, when it comes to health. Labor's record over the past three years speaks for itself: more free and cheaper medicines sooner, with a 25 per cent reduction in the number of scripts a concessional patient must fill before the PBS safety net kicks in, and the largest cut to the cost of medicines in the history of the PBS, with the maximum cost of a general script falling from $42.50 to $30—and, now with this bill, going down even further to just $25. We've had 60-day prescriptions, saving time and money for millions of Australians with ongoing health conditions. We've have the freezing of the cost of PBS medicines, with co-payments not rising with inflation for all Australians for the first time in 25 years. We've had the tripling of the bulk-billing incentives for GPs, helping to keep care affordable and accessible. We've also had the opening of Medicare urgent care clinics right across the country, including one at Charlestown, near Newcastle, so people can get seen quickly without a wait in an emergency department. We are expanding access to life-saving scans and tests under Medicare. Now let's compare that with the track record of the coalition parties. They froze Medicare rebates for six long years, pushing up GP costs and forcing more people into emergency departments. They knocked back proposals for cheaper medicines when they were in office, keeping prices higher for patients. They cut funding for hospitals and, instead of fixing them, picked fights with the states. Back in my part of the world, they also closed GP Access After Hours services. This was the only access to bulk-billing that many people had in our region. The difference is crystal clear: Labor strengthens Medicare and makes medicines cheaper; the Liberals and the National Party weakened Medicare and let prices soar. So let's be clear: when you reduce the cost of common medicines like cholesterol tablets, antibiotics, blood pressure meds and antidepressants, you're delivering relief where people actually feel it. This isn't about a one-off bonus or a token gesture; it's money back in people's pockets every single month. And for concession card holders, pensioners, veterans and people doing it tough, that relief is locked in for years. Every dollar matters, especially now, and this bill delivers real, practical help. I want to take a moment to shout out to the incredible pharmacists and pharmacy teams that we have in Newcastle. They are so much more than dispensers of medicines. These are people who know their communities inside out. They know their customers by name. They notice when someone seems a little off and they check in. They go that extra mile for people who might be struggling, because, for so many, the local pharmacy is the most accessible point of care. In suburbs right across Newcastle, our pharmacies are community health hubs. They're where people go for advice, for their flu shots, for wound care, for emergency contraception and for support in managing chronic conditions. For some people, particularly those in vulnerable circumstances, the pharmacy might be the only face-to-face health professional they see regularly, and let's not forget the role they played during the pandemic. They kept doors open, provided vaccines, answered questions and calmed fears. They were a lifeline then, and they continue to be so now. So when we talk about cheaper medicines, remember that these are the people who will be administering this important measure. Cheaper medicines only work if there's a trusted pharmacist there to provide them, and in Newcastle we are so lucky to have some of the very best. This bill is also part of a bigger picture—a vision for a health system that is accessible so you don't miss out on the care because of cost, sustainable so GPs, pharmacists, nurses and hospitals can keep delivering world-class care for generations to come and affordable so people can afford to stay healthy. Labor believes in Medicare as the cornerstone of universal health care, and this bill strengthens that foundation. We're not just responding to the immediate cost-of-living crisis, although that is critical; we're also laying the groundwork for a future where people can get the care they need when they need it without worrying about the bill. That's what Labor governments do. We strengthen Medicare, we make medicines cheaper and we make the health system fairer for everyone. To my colleagues across the chamber: this is a moment to put politics aside and back something in to make a tangible difference in every single electorate. This bill delivers relief for families and pensioners under cost-of-living pressures. It delivers health outcomes that keep people well and out of hospital. It delivers a stronger, fairer Medicare for the future. This isn't a symbolic vote. This isn't about securing political points. It's about people and about good health outcomes for our communities everywhere. There are 150 of us here in this lower house, representing millions of Australians, and I am pretty certain there would not be one seat in this chamber that didn't have constituents who want to see affordable, reliable access to high-quality health care under the Medicare system—people who are right now standing at the pharmacy counter, wondering if they can afford every script their doctor has prescribed. They're the people we're trying to help now—people who are choosing between a blood pressure tablet and a bag of groceries, people who are cutting their tablets in half, hoping it will get them through to the next payday. That's the reality for far too many Australians, and every one of us in this chamber has the power to change that reality for the better today. Health should never be a luxury. It should never depend on the size of your pay packet or the postcode where you live. It should be universal, affordable and accessible for every person who calls Australia home. That's what this bill is about. It's about saying clearly, 'Your health matters more than profits, more than politics, more than anything else.' Let me say this again: cheaper medicines are not just good policy; they're good economics. Keeping people well keeps them out of hospital. It keeps people at work. It keeps families strong. It takes pressure off an already stretched health system. More importantly, it's the right course of action. A government is ultimately judged by how well it helps those who need a hand, and this bill does exactly that. It makes life that little bit easier. It makes life that bit fairer. It makes life healthier. To those opposite I say: do not block this. Do not delay this. Do not play politics with people's health. Support this bill. Stand with families doing it tough. Stand with the pensioners and veterans. Stand with every Australian who deserves access to the medicines they need without breaking the bank. That is why I'm proud to support this legislation. It's Labor values in action—fairness, compassion and practical help when people need it most. 17:33 Mr TIM WILSON IMW Goldstein I rise to speak on this legislation. It's a great privilege to be able to speak on the National Health Amendment (Cheaper Medicines) Bill 2025. When we think practically about this legislation, I think about it through the lens of the lived reality of so many Australians right now. So many Australians today are struggling with the financial pressure of finding the balance between the cost of their housing, being in a position to afford either their mortgage or their rent and going to the supermarket and being able to fill up a basket of groceries and make choices about whether they're going to be able to pay at the ATM. Then they go on and, of course, make other tough financial decisions about car payments, petrol and essential items, like medicines and going to the doctor. At every point along that transaction journey, people are faced with acute choices about trade-offs and priorities in their life. Nobody ever wants to face a moment in their life where the choice is between their health and wellbeing, the longevity of their life and the fullness of their capacity from being able to afford access to medicines and health care. That is always the basis on which this parliament is seeking to debate health legislation—how we empower people to take agency and responsibility for their health and wellbeing and how we find the right balance so that we can make sure that no Australian ever faces that tough choice. But there is no point in pretending that, as part of the ongoing conversation around what is sustainable for the future of the country, there is not always tension in this debate, because we know there are medicines that don't get listed on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme. Not every medicine that's available is listed by the current government, despite their commentary, nor has every drug been listed by every previous government in the past and nor will every treatment option in the future be listed. There are the realities of the costs and the innovative impacts and experimental nature that they may have. So we always take a sober, balanced approach to say to Australians, 'We need to make sure that we're meeting you to achieve the best outcome we can achieve for every Australian to advance Australia fair'—for want of a better phrase, without wanting to be twee about it. The current government has said that that price is going to be $25 per script to be able to achieve the best outcome to maximise choice and for people to be able to get access to the medicines they need to manage conditions. The demand is real. Nobody's disputing this. We're living longer, healthier, happier lives. In so many ways, that's a beautiful and wonderful thing. Only a few generations ago, people might have been taken out by conditions which can now be managed as chronic conditions with support or access to innovative medicines that simply didn't exist only years ago. But the PBS comes at a cost, and we want to support Australians to manage that cost. The Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme, which is part of a bulk-purchasing arrangement of government, helps millions of Australians every single year afford the medicines they need, where they can go to a simple pharmacy after they've seen their doctor and get a medication dispensed. They can get the support and treatment they need and meet it with a copayment so that they can get the assistance that they need to manage their own care pathway. It's about working with pharmacies, with pharmacists, with their doctors and in particular through primary health care, not just so we get the best health outcomes for patients, though we do manage the best care pathways for patients, but also to reduce the overall cost for the health system and stop the risk over time that people graduate up to the tertiary system and find themselves in hospital. We all win when people take responsibility for their lives and their healthcare pathways and get the best outcome. That's why the coalition has always been such a strong supporter of the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme. I remember the time I was last in parliament. One of the most tragic things was when, during the previous terms of Labor governments, they deprioritised listings of medications on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme because they wanted to prioritise other avenues of the health system to do things like boost the pathways for unions to tax their take at the expense of access to medicines for vulnerable Australians. One of the things that we were proudest to do over that period from 2013 through to 2022 was to increase the volume of medications, often for rarer conditions, for people who were simply left behind by previous Labor governments—rarer conditions that often led, tragically, to a death sentence. There were particular types of cancers or rarer conditions that weren't traditionally part of the mainstream. We all understand the importance of things like cholesterol medication and other types of statins and the like that are often used by Australians on an everyday basis. But those rarer conditions can often mean not just the slow corrosion of somebody's wellbeing but the very difference between life and death. When those medications are able to be listed because we have a strong economy, a balance sheet and, more importantly, a government that understands that you have the capacity to provide the health services that Australians on the margins need when you have those things in alignment, you build a better nation. This legislation is before the parliament, and, of course, when it gets voted upon—and it will pass—it will be a moment where we reduce the price to access a script to $25. It will mean that it will reduce the cost-of-living pressure for millions of Australians so they will be able to fill out their scripts. It will mean that they will find it easier in an environment where they will face less pressure on their cost-of-living choices in the short term, but, because real wages, once adjusted for inflation, have not risen for nearly 15 years, so many Australians will still not be getting further ahead. This is just an adjustment to reflect the reality that Australians are not getting ahead, no matter how much and how hard they work. Yes, it gives hope. But it does not give the long-term, sustainable hope that Australians need so that we can look forward to the future with confidence. The only basis you will have long-term hope for the future is if we have a change of government where we get a reckless spend-athon government off the government benches and you see the return of a coalition government that is prudent, responsible and prioritises putting service delivery for Australians first, that makes long-term sustainability of the budget its priority and that puts Australia in a position of strength and economic growth so that we can deliver the dividends to Australians to be able to afford the access to health and education services—and that includes the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme—so that those who are marginalised, vulnerable or in a situation of need are in a position to be able to afford the health services that they so desperately need. Sitting behind any conversation around access to medicines are so many small businesses. When I go around the electorate of Goldstein, and I talk to many of the community pharmacies in Goldstein, what I hear are the aspirations of so many small businesses. Like all small businesses in the electorate and, of course, across Australia, they're facing real and significant challenges in the current economic environment. They face problems around skills and access to labour. They face challenges around cashflow and, of course, they pay energy bills too. Rising energy costs are a challenge. Of course, regulation and tax are challenges too. Alright, some pharmacists are doing okay because they studied hard and they put themselves in a position to be able to earn a good income, but that doesn't change the fact that they've made a huge investment in themselves, and, often, they're the very basis of their business. Once you remove them, that community pharmacy can disappear. They're providing a good service not just for themselves but for the community as well. The expectation, increasingly, is that they're providing not just a service on a commercial basis but a public service for the rest of the community, particularly through primary care. Despite the boasts of the Prime Minister, who comes in here occasionally with his Medicare card and says, 'No matter who you are in this country, no matter where you go, you never need anything more than that', I'm afraid the lived reality of Australians in just about every corner of this nation is that, if you turn up to a doctor's GP clinic at the moment, you definitely need your Medicare card and your credit card—certainly, in the electorate of Goldstein, that's the reality. Therefore, so many people turn to their community pharmacy and say, 'Is there a way you can provide me with assistance and support?' Increasingly, pharmacies are on the frontline of primary-care need. What they need, more than anything else, is certainty and clarity for their long-term sustainability so that they can invest in their own future. There are people like Simon Rankin from the Sandy pharmacy in Sandringham. He's been a long-term provider in the community and does an amazing job. There are people like Leah Bartolotta at Hampton Discount Chemist, Lili and Aviezer Jaworowski at Dendy Village Pharmacy, Rebecca Nguyen at the Chemist Warehouse in Brighton, Eric Upton at East Brighton Pharmacy, or Simon Kenny and Stephen Morrin at Direct Chemist Outlet in Elsternwick. They've made a huge investment in their own future. There are people like Leah Bartolotta and Damien Gance from the Chemist Warehouse in Elsternwick, Rebecca Tran Nguyen, who's at the Chemist Warehouse in Cheltenham, David Wong at McKinnon Pharmacy & Post Office or Geoffrey Kirschner at Ormond Amcal Pharmacy. There's Malcolm Cosgriff and David Szylit at Beaumaris Pharmacy; Andre Beck at Bayside Pharmacy; Yu-Chun Shao from Gardenvale Pharmacy; Genya and Leon Fleischer from Priceline Pharmacy in Caulfield, Paul Krassaris, who's from Seaview Pharmacy in Beaumaris; Lysbeth and Francis Fong from Bentleigh Centre Pharmacy; Alexander Profus and Richard Needleman from Bentleigh Corner Pharmacy; Steve Zakkas, Azman Haroon and John Huynh from Chemist Warehouse in Bentleigh; Steven Christopoulos and Conor McAntee from Priceline Pharmacy in Bentleigh; Ke Ma, Chaoqun Wang and Bin Zhao from Priceline Pharmacy in Bentleigh East; Paul Pham from Nelson Pharmacy in Brighton East; Allan Bernhart from Hawthorn Road Pharmacy in East Brighton; and Michael Shapp from Soul Patterson Chemist in Elsternwick. What you hear about from these small businesses in the electorate is about people who are backing themselves and investing in the growth of their community and, more importantly, for the primary care services in their community. And, of course, they're also new Australian success stories in many cases. They're people who have been part of a migration, whether it is the first or second generation, who have invested in themselves and for the future of their community and their success. They just want to get ahead and support others. We should be wishing and willing them on. I would have thought that this parliament would want to provide them with the clarity and certainty to be able to do so, just like patients need certainty from this parliament too. When I think about the benefits of the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme, they go so much to older patients in our community as well. So many pensioners I talk to in Goldstein talk increasingly about the trade-offs they are making around access to medicines as part of their broader challenge of cost-of-living pressure, particularly in managing chronic conditions and increasingly managing the realities of co-morbidities across multiple stages of life when people are taking multiple medications, which only increases as people get older. Many years ago, the Productivity Commission did a study which looked at this and assessed that around a third of a person's entire health expenditure occurs in the last few stages of their life. It's no surprise. People need support. They need care, and they need care within their community. A community pharmacy provides that care and support. But it can only do so if it has clarity and certainty to provide the support that the community needs, to run a viable business, to build the relationships with the patients they so desperately need and, of course, to be affordable and accessible as part of a long-term sustainable solution for our country. The only way we're going to achieve that is if we have a change of government that seeks to achieve the best interests of economic growth and long-term sustainable budget management to deliver the future success of this great nation. 17:48 Ms BRISKEY 263427 Maribyrnong 'I dread when I pick up my medication and there are just a few tablets left because that means I need to refill, and that costs me money I don't always have.' That is what Jess from Airport West told me when we were talking about Labor's plan to make medicines cheaper. Jess lives with a chronic condition and she doesn't have a choice about whether she takes her medication. Without it, her condition worsens. Without it, her quality of life slips away. Jess is not alone. Thousands of Australians live with chronic conditions that demand regular medication: blood pressure tablets, diabetes treatments, asthma puffers and antidepressants. These are medicines that aren't luxuries, medicines that aren't optional, medicines that save and sustain lives. For too long medicines have been priced as if they were a choice and, too often, people like Jess have had to make impossible choices: Do I refill my prescription or do I pay the power bill? Do I take my medication today or do I stretch it out and hope I can get through the week? Do I put my health first or make sure I have food to eat? In a country like Australia, people should not have to choose between their health and their household budget. We've heard colleagues talk about 2004—a year of nostalgia, blockbuster movies, iconic songs and the rise of new tech. Do you know what else was true in 2004? Back then the maximum cost of a PBS medicine was $25. Here's the frustrating part: for the nearly two decades since, the costs have kept going up, while the wages of everyday Australians have barely moved. Medicines, bills and rent have gone up; wages have stagnated. This was the reality before Labor came to power in 2022, and that's why this legislation matters so deeply. This government is changing that reality. From 1 January next year, the maximum cost of general PBS medicines will fall again from $31.60 to $25. For the first time since 2004, medicines will cost no more than $25. That's not nostalgia; that's real relief. That's Labor delivering. As Gretchen Wieners once famously said in the 2004 film Mean Girls, 'That's so fetch.' Let's be clear. This is not a minor shift; this is a 20 per cent cut to the cost of medicines—a reform that will save people in my electorate of Maribyrnong $10 million. For families in Maribyrnong, that's more money for groceries. For students, it's less stress when balancing casual shifts and study. For pensioners, it's the difference between dignity and despair. If you rely on a script each month or if your household has two, three or even four prescriptions to manage, these savings stack up quickly. This is relief where it counts—at the pharmacy counter, in people's wallets and in people's lives. In Maribyrnong, I think of the families on tight budgets in Essendon West, students working double shifts in Moonee Ponds and seniors in Avondale Heights feeling the pressure of fixed incomes. I think of our migrant communities—communities who often face language barriers, cultural barriers and financial barriers to health care. For them, this is not just about cost; it's about fairness, dignity and equity. Recently, my office spoke with Fatima, a woman in her early 30s from Ascot Vale, who is living with a neurological disorder. Because of her illness, she can't maintain long-term work and the cost of her medications has been a constant strain. Alongside this medication, she also takes antidepressants and together these costs add up quickly. For Fatima, every dollar counts. This price cut isn't just welcome; it's life-changing. These medications aren't luxuries; they're essential to her health, her dignity and her ability to live well. This legislation recognises that. That's the truth. Access to affordable health care is not a privilege or luxury; it's a necessity. This legislation is another chapter in Labor's long story of building, strengthening and defending Medicare, and undoing the damage from the decade that came before us—a decade of cuts and a decade of neglect. It was a decade of government that never truly understood that health care is not a commodity; it is a human right. Since 2022, Labor has been repairing that damage. On medicines alone, we've already delivered the biggest price cut in PBS history, from $42.50 down to $31. We've introduced 60-day prescriptions, saving people time, money and hassle. We've reduced the number of concessional scripts needed before hitting the PBS safety net, meaning free or cheaper medicines sooner, and we froze the PBS co-payments for pensioners at just $7.70 until 2030. That's Labor's record, and, with this legislation, we go further. Not only does Labor protect Medicare; we continue to strengthen it. Now some have asked if this will stop pharmacies from offering discounts on top of the price cut, and the simple answer is no. Discounting will remain. Pharmacies in Moonee Ponds and on Keilor Road and Military Road will all keep supporting locals with affordable medicines while being a part of this bigger solution. Lauren, a local pharmacist in Flemington, welcomed me into her store and proudly showed me how she and her team are part of the solution. She spoke with passion and genuine care for her community, highlighting the specialist services like compounding medicines and delivering vaccination programs in aged-care homes. Lauren told me how excited she is about this legislation and how it will benefit the people of Flemington in her community and build on the other reforms like the 60-day prescriptions and the freezing of the co-payment. What struck me most is how she has transformed a tiny shopfront into a community focused pharmacy—one that deeply cares for the people it serves and is driven by genuine desire to improve their health in practical, everyday ways. Lauren, like so many healthcare professionals, is the backbone of Medicare, and we must work with Lauren and all healthcare professionals to keep strengthening it. That's what partnership looks like. That's what practical reform looks like. , The principle guiding this government is clear: no Australian held back, no Australian left behind. Yet, for too many, health care has been a source of great stress. Too many people have skipped a script to cover rent. Too many parents have delayed refilling a prescription so they can buy school uniforms. Too many Australians have ignored chronic conditions because the costs were just too high. That's not Medicare. That's not who we are. That is the Americanisation of health care. That is a legacy of those opposite. By lowering medicine costs, we're not just helping people make ends meet. We're keeping people healthier. We're keeping people out of hospital. We are helping people stay in the workforce, support their families and live longer, better lives. Cheaper medicines aren't just good for the household budget. They're good for our health system. They're good for our economy. They're good for Australia. This is bigger than just medicines. This is about Medicare, which is a Labor creation. That green-and-gold promise, that universal shield, means that, no matter your income, no matter your postcode or background, you can see a doctor and get the treatment you need to live a healthier and happier life. Medicare is part of our identity. It's part of our story, and this government will never stop protecting it, strengthening it and renewing it, because that's what good governments do. They listen and they deliver. Today this parliament takes another step forward—a step that helps Jess in Airport West refill her medication without fear, a step that helps Fatima in Ascot Vale manage her prescriptions and pay her next utility bill, a step that helps Lauren in Flemington continue to deliver affordable medicines to her proud local community. This is Labor delivering for all Australians. This is Medicare protected and strengthened. This is the power of government working for everyday people. I commend the bill. 17:57 Mr PASIN 240756 Barker The member for Maribyrnong just spoke about a government that is focused on strengthening universal health care. I want to present a slightly different version of what's happening in a community not that far from Maribyrnong, in south-east South Australia in my home town of Mount Gambier. But, before I do, the National Health Amendment (Cheaper Medicines) Bill 2025 commendably, and with bipartisan support, reduces the cost to clients of filling prescriptions. I say 'commendably', and, of course, it has bipartisan support in this place. But those opposite spent much of the last term telling us it was a real cost-of-living saving, and it is a cost-of-living saving. It's just perhaps unfortunate that, at the same time people were being told about a saving on their prescriptions, their energy bills were doubling and tripling, not to mention their mortgages et cetera. But let's park that for a moment. Let's talk about the community of Mount Gambier. It's in my electorate of Barker, it's South Australia's second-largest city and it's not that far from Melbourne—at least in relative terms. There are four clinics. I received a call this morning from a local journalist from the ABC, saying, 'Mr Pasin, are you aware of the circumstance where all four clinics in Mount Gambier have closed their books?' I don't know if those opposite understand what 'closing their books' in a medical clinic represents, but let me give you a real-world example. Your child's sick. You're new to our community. Thankfully, our community is strong and vibrant, and people are coming to our community. You pick up the phone and you ring clinic No. 1. The first question is, 'Are you a client of this practice?' 'No.' 'Well, we can't see you; we're full.' You pick up the phone and ring clinic No. 2. You're presented with the same question. Same response. Same outcome. Clinic No. 3. By this stage, you're probably feeling a bit stressed. But you ultimately get to clinic No. 4, and they say 'Sorry; we've also closed our books.' And those opposite will say: 'That's fine; we've got a solution for communities like yours, Mr Pasin: urgent care clinics. We opened one of those in Mount Gambier.' And, true, you did, those opposite, to much celebration and acclaim for the relevant minister, who himself is a South Australian and who I am sure is aware of the community of Mount Gambier. But do you know what happened in June of this year? The urgent care clinic in Mount Gambier closed. It's currently closed. You can get on your device and type 'urgent care clinic Mount Gambier', and it says 'temporarily closed'. It's been temporarily closed since June. The operator that those opposite decided should run that facility fell into administration, and the administrator, after running the troubled urgent care clinic for four months—by the way, this urgent care clinic was never open for the hours that it was meant to be open—ultimately closed it. So in Mount Gambier, if you are looking to see a GP, you can't go to the four clinics. Their books are closed. You can't go to the urgent care clinic. It's literally closed. So what do you do? I don't know. When I was asked that question by an ABC journalist today, I said, 'I don't know what you do right now, but I can tell you how we've got here.' He said: 'How? Why?' I said, 'Obviously, there are issues with the urgent care clinic.' But let me take you back to 2022. A newly crowned Labor government was elected and the Minister for Health appointed, and his very first action as federal Minister for Health—the people of Mount Gambier do want him to help, by the way—was to change the distribution priority area for GPs. Now, how is that relevant, you might say. Let me put it this way. Our nation determined over the course of this debate around GP shortages—the member for Grey has joined us, and he would know more than most. This issue is as acute—in fact, it's more acute in his electorate than in mine. When it's becoming an issue in places like Mount Gambier, it's an issue everywhere across regional South Australia. Like I said, Mount Gambier is the second-largest city in South Australia. Over the course of this debate, we have determined that certain areas in our country and, in the case of the member for Grey and in my case, in our state are in need of special assistance when it comes to attracting a GP workforce. And so we've created these special zones. They mean that foreign doctors could be encouraged to come to Australia on visas, but they would need to practise inside those zones. As I said, the very first action for the Minister for Health in 2022 in his official capacity was to change that priority area distribution list. What he did was include Adelaide. That is in the priority list. On the day that came into effect, the office managers of two of the four clinics I mentioned earlier in my contribution rang me and said, 'Tony, we just want to tell you what the read-world impact is of the decision that's just been taken.' I said: 'Don't tell me. Doctors have tendered their resignations.' That was exactly what had occurred. Of course the only thing tying those foreign doctors to our community was the obligation that they practice in those areas. That was the point of the legislative instrument. If you make it that Mount Gambier, Millicent or any other regional town starting with 'M' that might be in the member for Grey's electorate are treated the same way as Adelaide, of course a number of the small number of GPs that we have relative to our population size are going to make that decision. Mr Venning 315434 Melrose! Mr PASIN 240756 Melrose—there we go. And do you know where these doctors went? They went to Marion, in Adelaide—that very disadvantaged local community! I mean, please! But that is the consequence here. Those opposite will get up, as the member for Maribyrnong just did, and give us a fantastic dissertation about universal health care and how important it is and how this was a great Labor legacy. What the member for Maribyrnong didn't say is that, over the term of the last government, bulk-billing rates actually went down. Now, I'm loath to mention bulk-billing rates in my contribution because almost no-one in my electorate is able to access a bulk-billed GP consultation; they're very difficult to get hold of. The reality is that the majority of people pay gaps, and, in some cases, very substantial gaps. Personally, I think it's a real flaw in this system that I could be a well-heeled individual living in a well-heeled suburb of Adelaide and could drive 15 minutes to a bulk-billing clinic, and yet I could be one of the poorest South Australians, living in a very marginalised community a long way from services otherwise, in a community like Mount Gambier where the urgent care clinic is closed, and I could have to fork out a $40, $50, $60 or $70 gap. Someone needs to explain to me the equity of that, because it doesn't feel that equitable to me. Far be it from me to be that member of parliament who grumpily points out all the problems. I'm going to suggest a solution, and that is to undo what the Minister for Health and Aged Care did in 2022 when he stripped Mount Gambier of its special status, and, as a result, GPs left that community—a community that, as I've said previously, is the second largest in South Australia. But I'd remove Adelaide from that distribution priority area designation. A capital city shouldn't be in that category. It is unfair to ask communities like mine to effectively compete with a city of 1.4 million people. That's the first thing the minister for health could do. The second thing the minister could do is to expedite the reopening of the urgent care clinic in Mount Gambier. As I said, it has been closed since June. There is a tender process going on, but let's get it done and get it done quickly. As an aside, I should tell you that, as to the local PHN, when they told me that they were going to allocate it to a particular individual, I warned them that I thought allocating it to an existing GP practice with limited doctor numbers would lead to challenges, and indeed that's what happened. But he could expedite the reopening of the urgent care clinic in Mount Gambier. The final thing is this—and this is directed at everyone in this place. There are so many young people studying in regional South Australia. I'm sure the member for Grey knows some brilliant young students in his communities; I certainly know some in mine. I know how passionate they are about health and health related studies. But too many of them, even with high ATARs, are culled away from the process of studying medicine because they're subjected to subjective testing: 'interviews', the GAMSAT testing for aptitude and these things. Having grown up in a regional community and having left it to study because the degree I wanted to pursue wasn't available in the community I grew up in, I can tell you that the strongest links are those familial and friend based relationships that draw you back to a community. The member for Grey's one example. I'd suggest to you, the member for Barker's another. Having got my degree, I was working in Adelaide. All my friends were living in the regions. At one point I simply walked into the law firm I was working in, sat down with the partner I was working for and said, 'I'm off home.' He said, 'For how long?' I said, 'Forever.' He said, 'Don't be silly. You'll be a partner in this law firm one day.' I said, 'That's not where I want to be, champ. I want to be home, with my people.' I give that example, not dissimilar to the member for Grey's experience, because young people who grow up in a regional community are much more likely to return to it after their studies. I appreciate that we're doing our best to educate our young people in medicine and other health disciplines in regional communities, and that is admirable and we should do more of it. But the very first thing you need to do if you want more rural generalists practising in the country is to give the opportunity to country kids. Give the opportunity to more country kids. I'm not saying that every single one of them will return and become a local GP or, even better, a specialist living in and operating their practice in regional South Australia. But I'm confident you'd massively increase the chance of that taking place. I think it's something that we need to do more of. There's no paucity, can I tell you, of young people who are smart, with the right attitude and aptitude, living in regional communities, who want to do this. So it's incumbent on all of us. We can't solve this problem long term without more GPs. I end my contribution with what I said at the beginning: cheaper medicines have bipartisan support. I don't want to end up in a situation where the only health care available in some communities is from the local pharmacist, but that is the case right now. I began by talking about that new arrival to Mount Gambier with the sick child, ringing around the four clinics and being told there was no room at the inn. Right now, the only place they could go is their pharmacy. I'm glad they can, but it's not good enough. 18:12 Mrs PHILLIPS 147140 Gilmore Cheaper medicines are literally saving lives. Cheaper medicines mean Australians doing it tough don't have to choose between filling their shopping cart, filling up their petrol tank and filling a script. The plan to make cheaper medicines even cheaper is a tangible cost-of-living measure being delivered by the Albanese Labor government. We are delivering cheaper medicines for all Australians because the size of your bank balance shouldn't determine the quality of your health care. I'm delighted to be part of a government that is delivering the largest cut to the cost of medicines in the history of the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme. We're winding the clock back 20 years, because, from 1 January next year, PBS prescriptions will cost Australians no more than $25, which was the cost of a script in 2004. I'm proud to be part of a government that has introduced 60-day prescriptions, saving time and money for millions of Australians with an ongoing health condition. I'm so proud that this government has frozen the cost of PBS medicines—through co-payments not rising with inflation—for all Australians for the first time in 25 years. This means pensioners and concession card holders in my electorate of Gilmore, which has one of the highest numbers of age pensioners of any electorate in the country, will continue to benefit, with their PBS medicines to cost $7.70 until 2030. Residents on the New South Wales South Coast have already benefited from Labor's cheaper medicines, saving $12.5 million on the cost of their scripts during our time in government. Our 60-day scripts have been a huge success, with more than 2.3 million scripts dispensed in Gilmore. People in my electorate and right across the country who are living with conditions like high cholesterol, osteoporosis, diabetes, epilepsy, glaucoma and Parkinson's disease are saving money and saving time. And fewer trips to their doctor and pharmacist means freeing up more GP appointments. We know how busy our health workers are, especially in rural regional areas like mine. Aussie families, including children, are benefitting from our cheaper medicines. Since 1 April, children with brain cancer have had access to affordable treatment options under the PBS. Glioma occurs in the brain and spinal cord and is the most common cancer of the central nervous system in children. Symptoms can include seizures, headaches, vision changes, memory loss, poor balance and difficulty walking. Around 130 Australian children each year are expected to benefit from the listing of Tafinlar and Mekinist, which work together to slow down or stop cancer cells from growing. Without the PBS subsidy, these families could be burdened with paying more than $178,000 for just one year of treatment. Imagine the devastation of having your child diagnosed with brain cancer, having to quit your job, pay medical costs and also pay for travel and accommodation if you live in a regional area like mine, then having to find tens of thousands of dollars for medicines to save your child's life. What an absolutely massive help these PBS listings are for parents dealing with the trauma of caring for a child undergoing brain cancer treatment. Since 1 March, Australians with Cushing's syndrome or with leukaemia and women needing contraception or menopause support have also had access to new and expanded cheaper medicines under the PBS. Previously, there was no PBS alternative for the treatment of Cushing's syndrome. The listing is expected to benefit around 75 patients each year. Without this subsidy, they might have had to pay around $119,000 per year of treatment. The listing of Blinctyo will be expanded to treat more patients with B-cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukaemia, a type of blood cancer. Without a subsidy, patients might pay around $229,000 per course of treatment. Osteoporosis is chronic disease which make   s bones more likely to break, and the addition to the PBS of Evenity as a first-line treatment for severe osteoporosis will benefit around 9,000 patients each year. Without the subsidy, patients might pay around $4,800 per course of treatment. Now, eligible patients will pay a maximum of $31.60 per script or just $7.70 with a concession card. From 1 January, they’ll pay no more than $25 per script. OMJJARA, a cancer drug discovered by Melbourne scientists, is one of only a handful of Australian drug discoveries to be approved for use in the United States and Australia and is now PBS funded. It is now available on the PBS for the first time to treat myelofibrosis, a rare and debilitating bone marrow cancer in patients. Around 1,900 patients accessed a comparable treatment for this condition in 2024, and, before the PBS subsidy, they paid around $70,000 per year of treatment. After losing my dad to coronary heart disease when I was just 21 years old, I know it is vitally important that Australians have ready and affordable access to the latest treatments. Sadly, heart disease is Australia's No. 1 killer, with one life claimed every 12 minutes. Cardiomyopathy covers a number of diseases that affect the heart's ability to pump blood around the body which, if left undiagnosed and untreated, can lead to heart failure. That's why I'm so pleased that we've added two new treatments, Camzyos and Vyndamax, to the PBS, which will benefit around 5,000 people each year. These life-changing medicines are now more affordable thanks to the Albanese Labor government. I'm so delighted to be part of the first federal government with a majority of women in Australia's history and proud we are delivering more choice, lower costs and better health care for women with new and amended PBS listings for women's cancer medicines, contraception, endometriosis, menopause and IVF treatments. For too long, women have struggled to get support in health systems that were not built for them. The Albanese Labor government is changing that. Women have asked our government to take their health care seriously, and we have listened. We know that women often have complex and expensive health needs across different stages of their lives. These conditions impact on their ability to work, raise a family and even stay in relationships. A new contraceptive pill hasn't been listed on the PBS in more than 30 years. Yaz and Yasmin are some of the most commonly used contraceptive pills. From 1 March, one in three Australian women aged 18 to 39 who use the combined oral contraceptive pill will save hundreds of dollars each year. On 1 May, Slinda, a progesterone-only pill that can be used by women who cannot take contraceptives with estrogens, was listed on the PBS for the first time as a new contraceptive option. More than 100,000 Australian women who, without subsidy, might pay more than $250 for a year of treatment will benefit from this listing each year. After more than 20 years, three new menopausal hormone therapies will be listed on the PBS, which will benefit about 150,000 women who otherwise might pay between $400 and $670 a year. We know about one in seven Australian women suffer from endometriosis, and it is just fantastic that they now have access to Ryeqo, a new treatment option for patients who cannot get adequate relief from other hormonal treatments and painkillers. Without the subsidy, women could pay more than $2,700 for a year of treatment. For some women, one of their greatest dreams is to become a mother, and facing the double burden of fertility issues and financial barriers to IVF can be heartbreaking. We are changing that. Australian women undergoing IVF now have access to earlier and more affordable fertility treatment, with the Albanese Labor government funding the use of Pergoveris from the earliest stage of their IVF journey. Sadly, one in seven Australian women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime. Last year, more than 3,000 Australians died from breast cancer. That's nine people every day. It's really great news that Australians diagnosed with a type of metastatic breast cancer now have access to a life-prolonging treatment under the PBS. Enhertu provides a new treatment option for patients who have this advanced stage cancer that cannot be removed surgically or has spread to other parts of the body. Around 1,700 Australians who, without subsidy, might pay more than $160,000 for a course of treatment are expected to benefit from this listing each year. Ovarian cancer is the sixth most common cause of death from cancer among women in Australia and, tragically, only half of the women diagnosed with ovarian cancer will survive five years after diagnosis. Symptoms can often be confused with other health conditions, so many women are diagnosed with advanced disease when the cancer has spread and can be difficult to treat. The listing of Lynparza on the PBS has provided an additional treatment option for around 200 women a year. Without subsidy, niraparib would cost patients around $130,000 per course of treatment. These listings build on Labor's record $573 million investment in women's health and will improve the quality of life for hundreds of thousands of Australian women. Adding these medicines to the PBS will provide doctors with more options to care for their patients and ensure Australians can access the latest treatments. Reducing the general patient co-payment from $31.60 to $25 will benefit Australians now and into the future. This is a more than 20 per cent cut in the maximum cost of PBS medicines, which will save Australians more than $200 million each year. Four out of five PBS medicines will become cheaper because of our government's $689 million investment. Pensioners and concession card holders will continue to benefit from the freeze on the cost of their PBS medicines, with the cost frozen at $7.70 until 2030. The Albanese Labor government has committed to keeping medicines cheaper for Australians, helping to ease the cost-of-living burden on households and helping people live healthier lives for longer. I support this bill because there's no doubt that, for many years, meeting the needs of people in my electorate of Gilmore has been a real challenge. I know that. That's why I've been working really hard to improve our local health services as part of our wider commitment to strengthening Medicare. I'm proud to have lobbied for and opened the doors of the Batemans Bay Medicare Urgent Care Clinic, which has provided more than 17,000 patients with free urgent but non-life-threatening care over the past 20 months. We're extending the hours of the Batemans Bay clinic. This afternoon—I think it's just gone out—tenders are being called for the operation of a new federally funded Medicare urgent care clinic in Nowra. It's so important to provide free access to health care for people with just their Medicare card. The urgent care clinics take so much pressure off our busy hospital emergency departments and local GPs. We've opened a free walk-in Medicare mental health centre at Moruya, and we're elevating the Nowra mental health hub to a full Medicare mental health centre which will provide locals in the Shoalhaven with the free mental health care they and their family need. It's so important that we have headspace at Nowra, Batemans Bay and, most recently, Kiama to support our young people. As a woman and a mum, I was so pleased to secure funding for the new South-Eastern NSW Endometriosis and Pelvic Pain Clinic at Milton, which is really helping women from right around the South Coast access the care they need with just their Medicare card. I'm really proud to see this clinic helping women in our community, and it's paving the way for an additional 32 clinics opening across the country that will provide specialist support for conditions like endometriosis, IBS, prolapse and heavy or painful periods. In other exciting news, construction is underway on Australia's first Aboriginal owned birthing-on-country facility, which will provide a culturally safe midwifery service on the South Coast. As the member for Gilmore I am certainly proud to have delivered many health services for my region, because health care is something that I've always been passionate about and will continue to fight for. 18:27 Ms PENFOLD 248895 Lyne I rise today to speak in favour of the National Health Amendment (Cheaper Medicines) Bill 2025. As I said many times during the election campaign, and as I've said since I was elected, there are more instances than not when this place comes together to agree on good policy and good initiatives. Too often, our work in this place is judged on the argy-bargy of question time. This breeds cynicism, a chasm that this parliament must try and bridge. This bill, this policy initiative, is one of those occasions where MPs from across the chamber are coming together, and I'm pleased to be able to lend my support for cheaper medicines for Australians. We are fortunate in this country to have the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme, and, for the most part, the means to pay for it—something I hope Australians never take for granted. There are many places in the world where the cost of medicines is out of reach for their citizenry and out of reach for their governments to afford to pay for it. Here in Australia, over 5,200 medicines are subsidised by the Australian government to make them affordable and accessible when and where they are needed. Under the PBS, patients contribute a general co-payment towards the cost of their PBS subsidised medicine, with the Commonwealth paying the remainder of the cost. This year, the co-payment is currently $31.60 for general patients, with this bill seeking to reduce the PBS general co-payment to $25. The amendments contained in this bill are in line with the commitment made by the coalition at the last election to guarantee cheaper medicines and lower the PBS co-payment to $25. It will ensure Australians have more affordable access to medicines and treatments they need at a time when health care has never been more expensive. As a 54-year-old woman experiencing menopause, my hormone replacement treatment medicine has become a godsend for functioning like a normal person. Before I went on HRT, night sweats and hot flushes were the bane of my existence, keeping me awake through the night, tired during the day and a little panicked when the heat would rise through my body and distract me from the work at hand. It was embarrassing and at times debilitating, but, with my medication, these symptoms no longer haunt me. Around three million women are in the age bracket for menopause, so the menopause medicines listed on the PBS—including the two I take, which were only added to the PBS in February this year and are now to become even cheaper—will hopefully make a big difference to them, as they have to me. Of course, the reduction in the co-payment has to be taken within the broader context of the cost-of-living crisis facing Australians. While the government is giving with one hand, it is taking from the pockets of everyday Australians in so many ways. This government's policies have seen electricity prices up by 32 per cent, gas prices up by 30 per cent, rents up by 20 per cent, insurance up by 35 per cent, food up by 14 per cent, health costs up by 15 per cent and education costs up by 17 per cent. Anglicare reports full-time, minimum-wage workers are left with just $33 a week to get by after essentials. That's not a cost-of-living crisis; it's a cost-of-survival crisis. Lyne is the oldest electorate and one of the poorest electorates in this country, and these statistics are very real and felt acutely there. I know that so many people are having to make difficult choices they simply shouldn't have to make between putting food on the table and putting the heater on during the day in winter. 'Which medicines are absolutely necessary? Which ones are not?' More families are being forced to delay or avoid refilling their scripts or seeking health advice, because they just can't afford it under this government. In fact, eight per cent of Australians delayed or went without their prescription medication in 2023-24 due to cost concerns. We all want this initiative to land in the pockets of hardworking Australians, but my concern is that it will be washed away by other, ever-increasing price rises created by this government's policies—policies like its pursuit of intermittent power that will cost trillions, do nothing to deal with climate change, damage our natural environment and only make our country weaker and poorer. The PBS forms a critical component of Australia's health system. It is a scheme that has largely had bipartisan support. Both Labor and the coalition have made improvements to it over time. In government, the coalition made 2,900 new or amendment listings on the PBS to provide more Australians with affordable access to potentially life-saving or life-changing medicines and treatments. This was at an overall investment of around $16.5 billion. By listing these medications on the PBS, we ensured that Australians had access to affordable, life-saving medications that would otherwise have cost them thousands—if not hundreds of thousands—of dollars without the subsidy. The coalition were committed to our long-held policy of listing all medicines on the PBS that were recommended by the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee when we were in government. This is in stark contrast to the Albanese government, who stopped listing new medicines on the PBS last time they were in government, because they simply ran out of money. Their poor economic management meant they did not list on the PBS new medicines for severe asthma, chronic pain, schizophrenia, blood clots, IVF, endometriosis and prostate conditions. The Albanese government has now repeated history by imposing a cap on the number of medicines that can be considered for listing on the PBS, leading to harmful delays. In November last year, almost 50 medicines were deferred from consideration for listing on the PBS on the government's watch, creating further delays for patients waiting for affordable access. This is because the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee, the expert body that recommends medicines for listing on the PBS, implemented a cap on the number of medicines it could consider for listing at each meeting. They did this because they have not been adequately resourced under this government. There is no doubt that this mess has caused delays for patients waiting to access potentially life-saving or life-changing new medicines and treatments at an affordable price. We're also seeing some concerning delays in the listing of new medicines for women's health on the PBS under this government. Before the election, the government announced the listing on the PBS of an important medicine for endometriosis, Ryeqo, which was good news for women suffering from this chronic condition across the country. However, Ryeqo had been recommended for listing on the PBS more than a year before the government made this announcement. This means that the government waited more than a year to list a potentially life-changing treatment for women suffering from endometriosis. That's just not good enough. It's absolutely critical that Australian women have affordable access to the medications and treatments they need, especially right now, as they face record-high healthcare costs. Health is one of the major concerns on the mind of Lyne residents. In my discussions on doorsteps and at my weekly mobile offices, it is one of the most often raised issues, next to the state of the roads across the Hastings, Mid North Coast and Hunter regions and, more recently, the impact of the May flood and help with the recovery. I'm very concerned about the level of access to health services across the Lyne electorate. From access to a GP to services offered at local hospitals, it's clear that we need more investment by the New South Wales state government and the Australian government in local health services. During the election, after listening to the concerns in my electorate, I called for an urgent care clinic in Taree. Sadly, the government refused to match it. It was no easy decision to single out Taree, given the demand for such a facility from a number of Lyne communities. Prior to making my public commitment for an urgent care clinic in Taree, I spoke at length with the member for Myall Lakes, Mrs Tanya Thompson, MP, about her work in securing funding for a New South Wales government funded urgent care clinic in Forster. I fully back the community's call for a public hospital in Forster, but it's clear that, while there is a Labor government in New South Wales, Forster will never see it. An urgent care clinic for Forster and Tuncurry communities under either the state or federal model of delivery could be a stopgap until a change of government. My view was that I would seek Commonwealth funding for it if the member for Myall Lakes had been unable to secure state government support. I knew she was working hard to do so, and it's great news for our area that she was successful with her persistent lobbying and advocacy for the funding of a Forster-Tuncurry health facility. I note the member has today called for the Minns government to provide more details on when it will be delivered. Dollars in the budget don't deliver services in a community. At this juncture, however, me doubling up on a funding commitment would be unfair to other locations in my electorate in desperate need. I also explored the potential for a federal urgent care clinic for Bulahdelah. Through my work with the former member for Lyne, the Hon. Dr David Gillespie, I was well-aware of the community's push for a multipurpose centre over many years. I know that Bulahdelah needs additional primary-care services with its elderly population and, through the work of the Bulahdelah and District Health Action Group, led by the amazing Ann-Marie Barry, it had been actively advocating for an MPS facility. But, with the sale of the old nursing home to the Stroud Community Lodge and its commitment to reopen it, the MPS model became much harder to fund. Further, the federal government's urgent care clinic model requires a larger population base as compared to those delivered by the New South Wales state government. As such, I support the delivery of a state funded urgent care facility in Bulahdelah. This led me, ultimately, to my decision about Taree. Bulk-billing rates over the last three years have fallen by 10 per cent. It's becoming harder to see a doctor urgently and Manning Base Hospital needs respite to focus on more critical care, particularly with the disruption from the redevelopment. An urgent care clinic could provide urgent relief and better support the urgent primary-care needs of locals with the added benefit of bulk-billing. I've spoken with the Hunter New England and Central Coast Primary Health Network regarding the urgent care clinic in Taree, and they've confirmed to me that Taree is a location they support. I called for the urgent care clinic in Taree as part of my first speech, imploring the government to work with me to deliver one. I followed up with a request to the Minister for Health and Ageing in writing to seek his support in attaining an urgent care clinic for the Manning. The response from the minister was disappointing, with the Albanese government committing $1.4 billion over seven years to establish and operate a total of 137 Medicare urgent care clinics, while leaving a gaping hole between Coffs Harbour and Newcastle, a healthcare chasm that my electorate sits squarely and the middle of and, undoubtedly, must bear the brunt of. The letter from the minister, which I have here, details a phone line that's meant to replace the urgent care clinic—hardly the sort of service that the government has been spruiking in this parliament since we returned. Whilst the response from the minister's office was disappointing, I am hopeful and I look forward to working with the minister to bring about this goal, and I welcome any opportunity for collaboration in order to see the realisation of an urgent care clinic for the people of Lyne. I recently met with representatives of the Great Lakes carer support group to discuss the potential for a Medicare mental health centre in the Lyne electorate. The volunteer group supports parents, family members and friends dealing with people with mental health challenges and the lack of services in the Great Lakes area. The stories they shared with me about the lack of support were heartbreaking. People in desperate need of support were turned away from the base hospital, with nowhere to go to get the urgent care they need. So many families are struggling to deal with their loved ones' mental health issues, like suicide attempts, without support. A person has to reach crisis point before there is any support available. There are now no permanent psychiatrists at the Manning Base Hospital mental health unit. Nimoola House doesn't have the resources it needs to provide community based care. The group believes a Medicare mental health centre could bridge the gap in services, but, just like with the urgent care clinics, the government seems to have missed our area on the map, with no centre between Coffs Harbour and the Central Coast. Again, I hope the government will engage with me to work towards a service on the Mid North Coast. A great deal more than this single piece of legislation is required to improve the health outcomes of the people of my electorate. Indeed, a great deal more than this legislation is required to ease the immense economic pressures that burden Australians. But I recognise that this is an important measure that will be of benefit to a great many people, and I therefore commend it to the House. 18:41 Mr REPACHOLI 298840 Hunter I rise to contribute to the debate on the National Health Amendment (Cheaper Medicines) Bill 2025. As members of parliament our job is pretty simple when you strip it back. We are here to improve the lives of the people that we represent. One of most direct, practical and effective ways to do that is to make it easier for people to get by—to make life cheaper. And that's exactly what this bill does. We are a country that takes pride in our healthcare system. We love the fact that, no matter where you live, no matter how much money you earn, you can get the care you need. We are proud, proud to the point of patriotism, that, when you walk into a pharmacy to pick up your script, you can get the medicine you rely on without being sent broke—because access to medicines should never, ever be a choice between going broke and staying alive. The reason we have been able to do that and the reason Australians can access medicines that are cheaper than they are almost anywhere else in the world is the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme, the PBS. It puts a cap on the cost of listed medicines so they stay affordable, reliable and within the reach of every Australian. Right now, the cap is $31.60. If you have a script for a PBS listed medicine, that is the most that you will pay. It is already a great system, but we can do better. This bill reduces the cap down to $25. That means that, when you pick up a PBS medicine, you will not pay any more than $25. Now, $6.60 might not sound like a lot at first glance, but let me put it into perspective for everybody here. If your sixpack of beer dropped down from $31.60 to $25 overnight, the whole country would be rejoicing, wouldn't they? People would be lining up around the block! To put it another way, if you need three scripts a month, under the current cap you would be paying $95 a month. Under this new cap, it drops to $75. That's almost $25 of savings every single month. Over a year, that's more than $230 back in your back pocket. That's $230 you could put towards your electricity bill, your rego or your groceries, or just having a bit of breathing space. And that's just for one person. Across the country, this adds up to more than $200 million saved by Australians every year. That is not a small thing. That $6.60 really does make a big difference. That's what a real difference looks like. Think about it this way. This is a 20 per cent cut to the maximum cost of a PBS medicine. We all know what happens when there's a 20 per cent off sale at the shops; I know my wife does. Try finding a park for the Boxing Day sales. People will battle traffic, wait in lines and fight over car spots to save 20 per cent on clothes and TVs. Unlike the Boxing Day sales, this is not just a one day special. This is a permanent 20 per cent saving on something that you actually need—your health. In some ways, this is the closest thing to time travel we can give Australians. The last time PBS medicines cost no more than $25 was back in 2004, the year Facebook launched. That was back when most of us were walking around with flip phones and the indestructible Nokia 3310s, and I didn't have this luscious beard. We've come a long way since 2004, but it's about time medicine prices went back there. This bill builds on the work that we have been doing since 2022 to make medicines cheaper. In 2023 we delivered the largest cut to the cost of medicines in the history of the PBS, slashing the maximum cost of a general script from $42.50 to $30. I know firsthand how much that change meant because people tell me about it when I'm in and around the Hunter. I'm sure they do in your seat, too, Deputy Speaker Freelander. Take Henry, one of my constituents. Henry is on six regular PBS medications, for diabetes, cholesterol, blood pressure, arthritis pain and stomach issues. Before 2023, Henry was paying $42 per script. That added up to $255 per month, every month, just on medications. This is not a great spend. This is not a luxury. This is the cost of managing health and staying alive. When we dropped the price to $30 per script, Henry's monthly bill fell to $180. That was a saving of $75 every month or $800 every single year, and it completely changed the way he managed his health and also his finances. He told me that in the past, when money was tight, he would skip the pain medication to save a bit, putting himself in way more pain than he had to. That meant flare-ups, less mobility and more stress. Now, because of that change, he doesn't have to skip his meds. He can afford to take the treatment his doctor prescribes for him. In fact, with the money he saves, he has even starting paying for a fortnightly physio session to help him manage his arthritis. He tells me he's walking most days now and feeling better than he has in years. That is the power of cheaper medicines. They have not cured Henry's condition and never will, but they have given him the tools to manage it. They have given him dignity, independence and a better quality of life. When this $25 cap comes in, Henry will save even more. Who knows—he might even be at the start line of a marathon before long. Let me bring this home to the Hunter. We have families in Cessnock who are already making tough choices about which bills to pay first. We have pensioners in Kurri Kurri who are stretching every dollar of their fortnightly pay. We have young families in Singo juggling mortgage repayments and childcare costs. And across Lake Macquarie, in Morisset and Toronto, I meet people every week who tell me the cost of medication is one of their biggest worries. When the price of a script drops from $31.60 to $25 it will be a genuine relief for these families. It means a mum in Dora Creek can afford both her asthma inhaler and her kids' new school shoes. It means a retiree in Wyee doesn't have to skip blood pressure medication to keep the lights on. It means a young tradie in Branxton can pay for the pain meds he needs to keep turning up on the tools every day of the week. This is not abstract. This is not numbers on a page. This is real money in the hands of real people in our communities, and it makes a massive difference. But we have not stopped there. We have introduced 60-day prescriptions, cutting the number of trips to the pharmacy in half for people with chronic conditions. That saves money and, very importantly, that saves time, because we are all time-poor as well; we all know that. That's why that is so important. We have frozen the cost of PBS medicines so that co-payments will not rise with inflation. This is the first time that that has happened in 25 years. We have delivered more free and cheaper medicines sooner. We have reduced by 25 per cent the number of scripts concessional parents needs to fill before the safety net kicks in. We have locked in a freeze on concession medicines costs so pensioners and concession card holders will not pay more than $7.70 a script until 2030. This makes a huge difference to the households that are already stretched by the cost of living. Because we are committed to cheaper medicines, four out of five PBS medicines are now cheaper. That's thanks to the $689 million investment from our government—an investment that goes directly into the lives and the pockets of ordinary Australians. It is important to note that this bill also protects discounting pharmacies that currently offer discounts. They will still be able to do that even with the new $25 cap. That means consumers can still shop around and benefit from competition and pharmacies can continue to offer better deals for their communities. So this is not just a win for patients; it's also a win for pharmacies, who play a vital role in our local communities, especially in regional and rural areas, like mine in the Hunter. We have heard the phrase 'new year, new me'. I know I've said it a few times—ignored it many times too, but I'm trying to do better here! In 2026, it's going to be a new year and a new PBS because, on 1 January 2026, this change comes into effect. It will be no more than $25 for a PBS script. Unlike most new year's resolutions—I'll put my hand up for this—this one is guaranteed to stick because, with the support of this House, it will be the new law of the land. This is Australia. In this country we believe in affordable access to health care, and affordable medicines are a vital part of that. If you rely on medication to manage a condition, you live your best life. Your ability to access it should never depend on how much money is in your bank account. It should depend on the fact that you are an Australian and you have a government that puts people, not the profits of big pharmaceutical companies, first. This bill makes medicines cheaper. It eases the cost-of-living pressures. It helps people live longer, live better and just be around for our families and our loved ones. That's why I proudly commend this bill to the House. 18:52 Ms CAMPBELL 312823 Moreton Tonight I want to talk about my friend Ken. Ken lives in Yeronga in my electorate of Moreton. Ken is a long-term resident of Brisbane's south side. Ken raised his family on the south side in Brisbane and Ken is a bastion of our community—someone who has been deeply involved across the community for many, many years. Ken is also one of the millions of Australians who rely on medicines every day. That's what this bill is all about. Those who rely on medicines deserve to have accessible and affordable health care. When I talked to Ken about what cheaper medicines meant for him and his hip pocket, he told me that he saves $62 every month. That's not with this legislation in place; he already saves $62 every month from Labor's position, from Labor's legislation that already makes medicines cheaper. People across Moreton have already saved $9,700,000 because of a Labor government when it comes to cheaper medicines. The Albanese Labor government's primary focus is providing cost-of-living relief, and we are delivering on that promise day in and day out. This legislation, the National Health Amendment (Cheaper Medicines) Bill 2025, will implement a cost-of-living measure that benefits everyone. The Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme, or the PBS, is the mechanism that enables this. All of us here have experienced the positive impact of the PBS, from cheaper everyday medicines, to life-changing access to very expensive medicines, to 60-day scripts saving us both time and money. In preparation for this speech tonight, I decided that I would call my dad, because my mum is a diabetic and my dad—who has recently been through cancer and recovered, after a long bout of chemo—has also been in the wars a bit, having pneumonia following that bout of illness. What happened when I talked to my dad is: he said, 'Why do you want to know?' He then said: 'I take a lot of medicines and I don't know what they are.' But when we spoke for a little bit longer, he eventually got to the place where he started to talk about the medicines that he could remember himself and mum taking, and this is the list that he could get out. He said that they take Nexium; he said that mum takes Diamicron, Diabex and Glyxambi. And, when we looked each of those up, they are all PBS medicines. So, despite the fact that he couldn't remember what medicines they necessarily took—and this is something that many people in our community face—what was clear is that his medicines and my mum's medicines were cheaper because of a Labor government. The formerly expensive medications such as the ones that my mum and dad take are made affordable thanks to the PBS. The current co-payment for a PBS medicine is $31.60 and from 1 January 2026, my dad and you, Deputy Speaker, my mum and I and everyone sitting in this chamber tonight will pay no more than $25 for a PBS medicine. In fact, millions of Australians will benefit when they purchase their everyday medication. The PBS is a crucial part of Labor's ongoing commitment to making health care affordable, and its creation is central to the Labor story of social care, fairness and equality, because, when it comes to PBS medicines, when it comes to the accessibility and affordability of health care, it is what Labor does. It's in our DNA, it's in our bones, it's in our blood. And Labor has always taken a very clear stance that health care should be affordable and accessible. The Curtin Labor government first attempted to legislate to subsidise various antibiotics in the mid-1940s, but it was deemed unconstitutional by the High Court. The Constitution was subsequently amended, paving the way for the Chifley Labor government to introduce an initial version of the PBS in 1948. At this time, free medicines for pensioners and 139 life-saving and disease-preventing medicines were made free of charge to the general public. This initiative was reflective of core Labor values and a vision for a fairer Australia—one where every person, regardless of their financial circumstances, could live with dignity and with security. In 1953, the PBS was established under the National Health Act, which this bill amends, and in 1960 the PBS became more comprehensive, offering a wide range of medicines. The legacy of these decades of work is that we cannot imagine Australia without a PBS and its provision of affordable medicines to all, because the PBS is not only something that is cherished in this country; it is something that is the envy of the world, ensuring that medication and health care are things that you don't have to worry about when it comes to your hip pocket. It is our responsibility to uphold and build on this legacy—to ensure that the PBS remains sustainable and continues to support Australian families. When we talk about threats to health care in this country, the biggest threat to health care in this country has always been those sitting on the other side of this chamber. When you compare the legacies of Labor and the coalition, what becomes clear is that Labor has always prioritised health care and, whether it's PBS medicines, investing in Medicare or making sure that women's health care is prioritised, it is Labor that has always led the way. When you compare those legacies, you can see an incredibly stark difference, because, while Labor was creating Medicare, we know that the LNP and those opposite were cutting from health care, while Labor was investing in bulk-billing, we know that those opposite were trying to introduce a copayment, and while Labor is ensuring that everyday health care is being made accessible, whether that be through urgent care clinics, increasing bulk-billing or making sure that medicines are cheaper, those opposite are continually cutting from critical health services that Australians rely on every day. It's a goal that is echoed in the 2022 National Medicines Policy, which has the aim of providing 'equitable, timely, safe and affordable access to high-quality and reliable supplies of medicines and medicine related services for all Australians.' Medicine affordability is the foundation of Labor's approach and the objective of this bill. As at end of June 2024, there were 930 medicines being subsidised by the government. That is 930 individual, accessible, high-quality, safe and affordable medicines. In recent months we've seen numerous additional medicines added. These include medicines for breast cancer, diabetes, endometriosis and depression, to name just a few. The financial relief is significant. Around 8,500 Australian women suffering from endometriosis could save more than $2,300 a year from the listing of specific medicines on the PBS. Similarly, around 50,000 women a year who use Yaz and Yasmin contraceptive pills, which are now on the PBS, will pay nearly one-quarter of the original amount annually from 1 January. It's incredibly fitting that the member for Cooper is in the chamber today, because the member for Cooper was absolutely instrumental in bringing forward a half-a-billion-dollar investment in women's health—the largest investment that this country has ever seen. I had the great privilege of hosting the member for Cooper in my local electorate in Brisbane, in Fairfield. What we did in Fairfield was talk with people in their homes. We talked to them about what investing in health care like that meant, we talked to them about the largest investment in women's health and we talked to them about how life changing it was to invest in oral contraceptives, to invest in support for menopause and to invest in making sure that women's health is a top priority. Around 150,000 women will save up to $370 per year from next January with the listing of three new menopausal hormone therapies. These are just a few of the examples of the cost-of-living relief that the PBS and this reform will provide. For some, the PBS listing is even more meaningful. It is simply life changing and potentially even life saving. Under the PBS, medicines that were prohibitively expensive become affordable. This is the case for patients with prostate cancer, who, without the subsidy for Talzenna and Xtandi, would have to pay over $100,000 per course of treatment. The medicine Retevmo is used to fight a type of non-small cell lung cancer, and under the PBS patients avoid a course of treatment that can cost $280,000. And there are many more examples. My apologies, Deputy Speaker Freelander; I definitely messed up the pronunciation of that medicine! The DEPUTY SPEAKER 265979 I think you did it very well. Ms CAMPBELL 312823 But can I tell you: you do not need to be able to pronounce what the medicine is to get the $25 cap on cheaper medicines, and that's important. The DEPUTY SPEAKER 265979 Indeed. Ms CAMPBELL 312823 The PBS is not an exclusive club. All Australian residents who hold a current Medicare card are eligible to access the PBS. Citizens of countries with reciprocal health arrangements, such as New Zealand, the UK and Ireland, are also eligible. The numbers clearly illustrate the scale of the PBS. In 2023-24, over 226 million subscribed subsidised prescriptions were dispensed. The government contributed $17.7 billion, and patients contributed $1.6 billion. The patient co-payment contributes to the sustainability of the PBS. This bill is the Albanese Labor government's fifth wave of reform to ensure that medicines are cheaper. It cuts the costs of PBS medicines. The last time medicines cost no more than $25 was in 2004, and 2004 was a long time ago. It was a time when Shannon Noll was at the top of the charts; some think he still should be! For me, it was a time when I was at university, wearing pleated denim skirts. While some things should come back, not all of them should! In July 2022, the Albanese Labor government implemented a $480 million reform: the 25 per cent reduction in the number of scripts a concessional patient must fill before the PBS safety net kicks in. This has seen pensioners save over $500 million. General patients also benefited, with a decrease of around $80 to their threshold. A $625 million investment in January 2023 enabled the government to announce the largest cut to the cost of medicines in PBS history. And, to start this year off, Labor froze the costs of PBS medicines, with co-payments not increasing with inflation for the first time in 25 years. All of these measures strengthen Medicare. All of these measures stand alongside Labor initiatives to increase rates of bulk-billing, to train more doctors and nurses and to open more urgent care clinics. At last count, there were 87 across the country, and there are plans for an additional 50. I'm delighted to have an urgent care clinic on my patch in Oxley and another just across the road at the PA Hospital. These are health initiatives driven by Labor that help people every day. They are health initiatives that make sure that people have access to more affordable health care every day. The PBS is a trusted and essential part of our national fabric, and it is a Labor invention. It is Labor that has always prioritised health care. Whether it's Medicare, cheaper PBS medicines, expanding bulk-billing, making sure that women's health is at the forefront of our funding or making sure that everyday people have access to health care, it's part of who we are and part of what Labor will always do for this country. The DEPUTY SPEAKER 265979 I thank the member for Moreton, and I must say your pronunciation is so good, you are clearly a future health minister. 19:07 Mr MATT SMITH 312393 Leichhardt I rise to speak in support of the National Health Amendment (Cheaper Medicines) Bill 2025, also known as the cheaper medicines bill. Let me take you back to 2004. Unlike the member for Hunter, my beard was there, though less grey and still remarkably patchy. I had more bounce, my favourite song was 'From the Sea' by Eskimo Joe and, at the time, I was still playing basketball in the NBL. I would ask the people of Australia not to hold this against me, but I was playing for the New Zealand Breakers. If it makes you feel any better, we won significantly less than we lost. The other important thing about 2004, though, was that it was the last time PBS medicines cost no more than $25. Under this bill, the maximum cost of medicines on the Pharmaceutical Benefit Scheme goes down from $31.60 to $25. When these changes come into effect on 1 July 2026, we will be delivering on a key commitment made at the last election. I can tell you this will be welcomed by many locals in my electorate and right across the country. When I was on the doors, at the markets or just talking to people in the streets, there were always people coming up to me to talk about how hard the cost of living was and how that impacted their health. To the many locals in my electorate concerned about the cost of living, let me say this: we hear you. I hear you. The Anthony Albanese Labor government hears you and responds. This is why the government has been working hard to address some of the key challenges facing Australian households. We've already legislated tax cuts for all Australian taxpayers. We've delivered cheaper child care. We've brought in more funding for GP bulk-billing. We've provided help to people to pay their energy bills, and work is well underway to help more Australians buy or rent their own home. We've overseen raises to the minimum wage for workers across the country. We're protecting flexible working arrangements and penalty rates. In the last sitting, we passed a 20 per cent cut to HECS, a change that, I will remind everyone, the Liberals didn't feel the need to vote for. There's also work underway to support more cheap and clean energy. There's a commitment to punish supermarkets who are price gouging. Delivering cheaper medicines is one part of this larger push from our Labor government to help make the cost of living manageable. It is also a change that will make a lot of difference to the lives of people who are reliant on medicines. This is what the bill will mean. There will be a 20 per cent cut in the maximum cost of PBS medicines, which will save Australians over $200 million per year. Four out of five PBS medicines will become cheaper because of our government's $689 million investment. Pensioners and concession card holders will continue to benefit from the freeze to the cost of their PBS medicines, with the cost frozen at its current level of $7.70 until 2030. That's the cost-of-living support Australians expect and deserve. It's the Australian idea of the fair go, allowing people to live with dignity and not be afraid of the fixed cost in their lives that medication can represent. This bill builds on the important work the Anthony Albanese Labor government has already done to make medicines cheaper—that's right; we have form. In July 2022, we announced more free and cheaper medicines sooner, with a 25 per cent reduction in the number of scripts a concessional patient must fill before the PBS safety net kicks in. In January 2023, we announced the largest cut to the cost of medicines in the history of the PBS, with the maximum cost of general scripts falling from $42.50 to $30. From September 2023, we started delivering 60-day prescriptions, saving both time and money for millions of Australians with ongoing health conditions. Most recently we announced the freezing of the cost of PBS medicines, with co-payments not rising with inflation for all Australians for the first time in 25 years. In my electorate of Leichhardt alone, this has meant that people, as of 31 July 2025, have saved over $8.8 million under our cheaper medicine policies. That is the nitty-gritty of the numbers. They make the policy. I don't live in a policy; I live in Leichhardt, and there are real-world applications to this. Think about that for a moment—$8.8 million. That is money back in people's pockets, money that people can spend to take their family to the movies or to make sure that their kids' Christmas is a little better, not dealing with that stress. They don't have to be afraid if something happens to the car or the hot water system blows up or, in the case of Cairns, the air conditioner goes on the fritz, which is much more serious! It's reducing stress in life. As we know, if your health is poor and money is tight, it can make recovery harder. This bill helps address that. It's assisting people living in remote places like my electorate only having to travel once every 60 days into town, rather than a monthly pick-up, for their prescriptions—saving time and money and keeping people at home longer. Spend any time in any remote community and people will tell you they live in the best place on earth. This gives people more time where they want to be. It's new medicines on the PBS and a focus on women's health, an area that has been ignored for far too long. It is giving women the care they need and deserve. New contraceptive pills have hit the PBS. So have treatments for perimenopause, giving women an ongoing conversation regarding menopause and HRT and allowing further understanding of issues such as endo. People with complex and chronic conditions will be supported by the PBS safety net kicking in sooner. This will provide peace of mind that the bills won't keep piling up in what can be a very, very trying time. We have made investments in primary health care, including community controlled entities, which deliver culturally appropriate care—because we know that primary health care is the guardrail at the top of the cliff, not the ambulance waiting for you at the bottom. This now includes a commitment to mobile cancer screening on the cape and a focus on work preventing FASD. People's dignity is at the forefront of every decision made. People don't want to feel punished for having a health condition, because you should never have to choose between your meds and a meal. These are the real-world outcomes that are benefiting people right now—benefiting them physically, emotionally and financially. It's work like this that shows why Australians trust Labor to make Medicare stronger. Labor built Medicare, Labor protects Medicare and, now, Labor is expanding Medicare, with $8.5 billion committed to ensure more bulk-billing, cheaper medicines, hospitals funding and urgent care clinics right across the country, including a new one for my area in the northern part of Cairns. There's better access to health care for women, those from the LGBTIQA+ community, people living in regional, rural and remote communities and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. It's better health care. This is what Labor governments mean. This is what they've always meant. It's who we are. It's also what we continue to fight for. Let us not forget the alternative, though. There is a reason the public don't believe the Liberal and National parties when they say they support Medicare. It might be that there have been massive funding cuts to hospitals under previous Liberal-National governments. It might be that previous LNP governments in Queensland decimated the public service, including front-line health workers. It might be that every time we have a Liberal-National government they always have the same fever dream and seek to privatise Medicare. Leaving the Liberal and National parties in charge of Medicare is akin to leaving Jason Voorhees in charge of summer camp. Just like Jason, the Liberal and National parties are quiet, but give them a chance and they will cut and slash everything they can. In both cases I very much doubt that the Australian public wants to clean up the mess left behind. The Liberal and National parties have shown time and time again that Medicare and our health services are not something that they are willing to support or value. As Maya Angelou told us, 'When someone shows you who they are, believe them the first time.' Australians aren't fools. They know the Liberal and National parties are not focused on their health. I couldn't believe during the campaign how many people came up to me worried about what might happen if the Liberal and National parties won and what they might do to Medicare. If you are in an emergency, you want a well-funded and high-quality health system. If you have a chronic condition, you want primary health care when you need it. If you are comparing the pair, there really is no choice. Only a Labor government will make Medicare stronger and health care more affordable. Like I said before, there are a lot of ways we are doing this and will continue to do this, be it the urgent care clinics, which have been a roaring success, or more funding for bulk-billing, more support for the LGBTIQA+ community to allow them access to health care or making sure culturally appropriate care is available to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. All of these things and so much more will build up a better healthcare system and a stronger Medicare. This bill is to deliver more cheaper medicines and, really, it's just the important next step. Cheaper medicines are good for your hip pocket and good for your health, and your health is the most valuable thing you will ever have. The PBS has always sought to ensure the medicine you need is available at the price you can afford, and now this bill ensures that ideal moving forward, that that quintessentially Australian ideal of the fair go continues. This bill is critical to helping deliver cheaper medicines and more cost-of-living support for Australians. This bill will ensure that people are able to maintain dignity and that they never have to choose between meds and a meal. I commend this bill to the House. 19:17 Ms COMER 316551 Petrie I want to begin with a story about Mary, a single mother of two living in Kippa-Ring. Mary manages a chronic condition and fills four PBS prescriptions a month—one for herself and the others for her children. Under the current system, that's over $1,500 a year just for essential medications. With the new $25 cap she will save $300 annually. That is the difference between covering the medicines her children need and stretching her already tight budget even further. I met a veteran in Bracken Ridge named Joseph who had a concession card and had been paying just $7.70 per script. That rate has been frozen until 2030, protecting him from rising costs and allowing him to plan his finances without the fear of unexpected rises. These stories show how policy translates into genuine relief and how savings that might look small in isolation can add up to real freedom, peace of mind and financial stability. I am proud to champion this reform in parliament. It reinforces what I've always believed—that health care should be not a privilege for the well-off but a guarantee for all, regardless of income. Starting from 1 January, the people of Petrie will be able to fill their PBS prescriptions for less, a change that will make a real difference for people with diabetes, high blood pressure, chronic pain, mental health conditions and so much more. Imagine walking into your local pharmacy, like TerryWhite in Margate, where Chris Campbell and his incredible team have been serving the community for years. They know their customers by name. They know the medications their patients rely on, and they go above and beyond to make sure everyone receives the care and guidance they need. I had the pleasure of visiting Chris and the team recently, and I was truly impressed. They walked me through their pharmacy, showing me not just the prescriptions but the personal connections they have built with their patients. Community pharmacists have tough conversations with their patients every single day—patients who are having to choose between filling their scripts or paying for groceries. I saw firsthand the care and compassion that Margate Terry White show to their patients when explaining dosages, offering advice and supporting families in ways that go far beyond filling a script. Their dedication is incredible, and their passion for helping the community is clear in every interaction. It's moments like this, in meeting local heroes like Chris and seeing the human side of health care, that make policies like the $25 PBS cap feel even more powerful. It's not just numbers on a page; it's about people being able to afford the medications they need and local pharmacies continuing to provide exceptional service without compromise. I left feeling inspired and excited to work further with them, to hear more of the stories about the difference affordable medicines are making to their patients and to keep advocating for initiatives that support both our local healthcare providers and the families they serve. This is this is community in action, and the savings are remarkable. Australians will save up to $6.60 on each prescription. Collectively, over the next four years, the cut will put $689 million back into the pockets of patients. The money being saved isn't going to the check-out counter at the chemist. Instead, it's helping people pay their bills and cover their mortgages. These savings will quickly make a difference, especially for patients with multiple regular prescriptions for essential medicines. These are the people who need it the most. For every script filled under this policy is a small act of relief. When you add it up—millions of scripts and millions of dollars saved—it paints a clear picture. This is a government that is delivering meaningful, practical change, not slogans nor empty promises but real relief for millions of Australians right when they need it the most. This is what good policy looks like—real, tangible savings, millions of times over for people who need it the most. In Petrie, we are hardworking families and pensioners. Modest income households make up a large part of the community. This policy will put health care within reach. Whether you rely on one medication or several, the new cap ensures that you are not going without to afford the medication you need. PBS medications have not cost $25 since 2004. I don't know about you, but I was ten years old back then, and life looked a little different. In 2004, my mum would yell at me: 'Get off the internet. I need to make a phone call.' We were still burning our favourite songs onto CDs, and most of us were still on MSN Messenger poking our friends with nudges. If you had a mobile phone, it probably flipped open, and you had to press the number 7 once, the number 2 twice and the number 7 again four times just to type out PBS. The year 2004 feels like a lifetime ago. That's also how long Australians have been waiting for medicines to be this affordable again. Thanks to Labor's reforms, from January 2026, we will be winding back the clock, not on technology, thankfully, but on the price of PBS medicines. They will be back to the cheapest they've been in more than 20 years. This time you won't need dial-up internet to access this benefit. It is very rare that you see prices go backwards. Year after year, costs usually go up, not down. That's true for most things in life, whether it's rent, groceries or petrol. For decades, the cost of filling a script has crept higher and higher. That's why this reform is so remarkable. Labor isn't just slowing the rise; we're turning it around and bringing the cost of medicines down. That means that, for the first time in a generation, Australians will walk into their pharmacy and pay less than they usually do. Think about that for a moment. At a time when families are under pressure from the cost of living, the Albanese Labor government is doing something unusual, something that goes against the grain. We're making medicines cheaper, not more expensive. This is one area where the government has delivered concrete relief where it matters most: right in your medicine cabinet. The PBS is deeply important to both our government and Australia. It is one of Australia's most important health programs. It ensures that every Australian can access essential medicines at the price they can afford. Without the PBS, Australians would face the full cost of life-saving medications—costs that could be hundreds or even thousands of dollars year. Why is this so important? It is because medicines aren't a luxury. They're often the difference between a full, long, healthy life and suffering. The PBS is the cornerstone of fairness in our healthcare system. It doesn't just treat symptoms; it protects families, reduces stress and gives Australians peace of mind knowing that help is there when they need it most. Australia is fortunate to have the PBS, because many countries without a system like this struggle to make medicines affordable. In so many countries patients often pay hundreds of dollars for a single prescription, and it's not uncommon for people to skip or ration their medicines simply because they cannot afford them. Families are forced to make the impossible choices between medicines and other essentials. The PBS protects Australians from that harsh reality. It guarantees that, whether you live in Narangba, Woody Point or Deception Bay, you can get the medicines you need without breaking the bank. It's not just a safety net; it's a lifeline, a guarantee of fairness and a reason why Australians can stay healthier and live longer. In short, the PBS is more than a scheme. It's a commitment that health care is a right, not a privilege, and that no Australian should ever be left behind when it comes to medicine. The PBS supports Australians and has for close to eight decades now. We are proud of our track record of not use just maintaining but strengthening this system, delivering Australians access to the best medicines available from around the world at affordable prices—prices that we're making even more affordable. The PBS isn't the only healthcare initiative we're strengthening. We've tripled the bulk-billing incentive, ensuring that more families can see a GP without worrying about the bill. We're building more Medicare urgent care clinics so Australians can get care closer to home instead of waiting for hours in a hospital emergency department. We're investing in the biggest expansion of our health workforce in history, training the next generations of doctors, nurses and midwives. These aren't just policies; they are practical, lasting changes that mean that, when you and your family need care, you will be able to get it. Affordable, accessible, universal—that's Labor's vision for health care, and it's a vision we are delivering. Accessible health care is who we are. In my electorate, peninsula residents will shortly be able to walk into the Medicare mental health centre and get the mental health support they need without spending a cent. All you need to access this local mental health support is your Medicare card. One of the most important protections we have delivered is for those who need it most: our pensioners, our veterans and our concession card holders. Right now they pay just $7.70 for a script under the PBS. Under Labor, that cost will remain frozen right through until the end of the decade. That means that, no matter what pressures hit household budgets, the most vulnerable in my community can fill their prescriptions knowing that the costs won't go up. For someone living on a fixed income, that certainty is priceless. I think of a pensioner in Bald Hills living on a fixed income, the carer in Mango Hill balancing household bills or the veteran in North Lakes managing chronic pain. For each of them, this freeze is peace of mind. In Petrie, more than 40,000 people hold a concession card. That's tens of thousands of pensioners, seniors, veterans and people on low incomes who rely on affordable medication. For them the Labor government's decision to freeze the cost of the PBS concession scripts at $7.70 until 2030 isn't just good policy; it is a lifeline. It means security. It means certainty. It means that they can go to the pharmacy knowing that the price of their medication won't creep year after year. When you add it all up, that's tens of thousands of households in Petrie who will be healthier, more secure and less stressed because Labor is putting people first. Take Rose, a Redcliffe pensioner who wrote to my office. She fills six scripts a month for arthritis and other health issues. The DEPUTY SPEAKER 265979 Order. The member will be given the opportunity to complete her speech at a later date. Debate interrupted. ADJOURNMENT 70 ADJOURNMENT Business 70 19:30 Ms SPENDER 286042 Wentworth Tonight I want to put on the table an issue that is really important to Australian businesses, the Australian community and the Australian economy, and that is: access to small and medium business financing. It's not working in this country. It needs to be much better. This is an issue that we just have not been discussing enough in this chamber and I believe it needs serious attention from across the parliament. Let's talk about why this matters. We know that small and medium businesses employ 42 per cent of the workforce in the private sector. There are 2.5 million small businesses in this country, and they contribute $500 billion to the economy. I know from my own community how important our small and medium businesses are, but the truth is that, when you talk to them—whether they be family shops that have been passed on between generations or innovative businesses that are going to be the next big or medium businesses—they are not having the access to capital that they need, and I think we, collectively, need to turn our minds to it. Now, I don't have all the answers. I want to put this issue on the agenda. Let's start with bank lending. In the early or late nineties, around two-thirds of bank lending went to business; one-third went to mortgages. Forward through the few years to now and around two-thirds of bank lending goes to mortgages and only one-third to businesses. Australian businesses are struggling to access capital from our banks, who demand high securitisation and are more likely to ask you to put your house on the line if you're going to get a small business loan than those in other countries. What happens when small businesses can't access loans from the banks? They just go to other providers and have to be charged much higher rates. So my question to this House is: Is this a good idea? Is it a good idea that our small businesses are not able to access capital so easily? Is it a good idea that, on aggregate, we've been seeing lending to medium and large firms growing around 30 per cent in the last five years, whilst for small business it hasn't even budged? These are issues that face our economy. They are issues that I hear about constantly from people in Wentworth, including from people that I recently surveyed on this issue. And I think this is an issue that I want to see the economics committee address and investigate. The second type of business I wanted to talk about, in terms of access to capital, is that of venture firms: those firms that are expected to grow fast and could be the big businesses of the future—those really super-innovative firms. What we have seen is that Australia is actually pretty good at building those firms. Actually, Australia has more unicorn companies—'unicorn' meaning having a billion-dollar valuation—per dollar invested than anywhere else in the world. But, despite our success at building these companies, we don't have a lot of capital that flows into this sector. We have around a third of the capital in the venture sector compared to the US, per capita. We have around half of the venture-sector capital of the UK. What we are seeing in the big institutional areas of investment, like superannuation, is that they are reducing their allocation to venture, highly innovative, firms. The super funds have reduced their allocation to venture by around half in the last 10 years. I've heard from industry sources that no big super fund has invested in a new venture fund over the last five years. Basically, the door is closed. I come back to this question of productivity and supporting our most exciting and innovative businesses. If they are struggling so much on finance, how can we be sure that we're backing all the businesses that we can for the future? I think we can be sure that we're not. How do we investigate this? I held a round table recently with a bunch of venture firms, and I was grateful that the Minister for Industry and Innovation, Tim Ayres, also attended. There were really important discussions, I think, in terms of regulatory hurdles—things like RG 97 and Your Future, Your Super, and the structure of those two programs, which disincentives investment in venture firms. Now, let's be really clear. This isn't about trying to give money from super funds to dud investments. Private equity and venture capital have had on average a 15 per cent return over the last 10 years compared to 10 per cent for the ASX, so if there is more responsible investing in those sectors we could actually expect to see increased retirement savings for Australians, which is what super should be all about. As I said at the start, I don't have all the answers on this, but I know that there is a problem. I know that some of the super fund regulations play into that. But there's a much bigger question of how we can get access to capital to venture firms. That's why the economics committee and the government need to be pursuing this issue, and I'll be pursuing it. Stratton, Mr David James, AM, Elfert, Ms Susan, Travers, Ms Mary Catherine 71 19:35 Ms TEMPLEMAN 181810 Macquarie I want to pay tribute to David Stratton. David Stratton was much more than a film critic. He was a committed champion of Australian cinema and a trusted guide to the world of cinema beyond our shores. He was also a constituent, a Blue Mountains local since 1991, and a valued member of our community over the following decades. From his 18-year stewardship of the Sydney Film Festival, bringing international cinema to Australia, to his thoughtful reflections on the Movie Show and At the Movies, he helped shape the way we think about film. With his collaborator of 28 years, Margaret Pomeranz, he modelled the art of respectful, intelligent and constructive disagreement. Above all, David Stratton backed our filmmakers, often before the rest of the world caught on. He made sure that our best stories, our landscape and our voices were celebrated as part of a great global tradition of cinema. In announcing his passing, David's family invited people to celebrate his life and legacy by watching their favourite movie, or his favourite movie, of all time, Singin' in the Rain. Glenbrook Cinema presented a special screening of that film in his honour. It was sold out. Mount Vic Flicks in Mount Victoria also remembered David, recalling that he introduced the first film the current owners screened there 12 years ago—yes, Singin' in the Rain. Since then, they said 'he continued to be generous with his time and knowledge, never tiring of us asking his thoughts on new films or being a special guest speaker at many events.' and ' In that time, we came to know David as a lovely, funny and generous person and are incredibly lucky to have had him as part of our journey.' The Edge cinema in Katoomba, which he often visited, recognised that 'his deep knowledge and passion inspired generations.' I extend our community's deepest condolences to his family, friends and colleagues. As Special Envoy for the Arts, I acknowledge David's lifetime of service to screen culture. In my first speech to parliament, I recognised and thanked an absolute Labor stalwart and supporter of mine from my first foray into federal politics in 2010, Susan Elfert. Today I want to again pay tribute to her, honour her life and mourn her recent death. Susan mentored and guided me and so many Lefties in the Blue Mountains and was the most loyal comrade as my vice-president of our Macquarie federal electorate council—and she became president when I was elected. A Wenty and Bullaburra resident, Susan was passionate about social justice, the law and the environment. As a founding and ongoing member of the Labor Environment Action Network, LEAN, Susan played a key role in educating branch members about environmental policy and building support for ambitious climate change action and protection for the environment. I think outgoing LEAN co-convener Felicity Wade described her perfectly when she said: 'Fierce, sharp, committed, loved the environment, and she backed people.' Susan certainly did back people. In a membership movement, she backed people and supported them to find their voice. I feel very grateful to have had her backing. The Blue Mountains has lost an arts champion with the death of Mary Catherine Travers, an irrepressible, witty and warm person with a huge understanding of arts, advocacy and administration. Among many things, she was theatre officer and youth and puppetry officer at the Australia Council theatre board in the 1980s, a business manager for the Sydney Dance Company and, as an independent consultant, worked with theatres, writers, visual artists and arts agencies. Mary was a pioneer of arts advocacy. She was the founding executive director of Arts Action Australia, establishing the first Arts Advocacy Day in 1990. On spending time with Mary at an arts forum I held in the Blue Mountains many moons ago, the then shadow arts minister said to me, 'Wow, you really do have people who know about the arts.' Mary was chuffed to get that feedback. Mary gave her time and energy generously to the Blue Mountains East Timor Sisters, helping to fundraise to repair cyclone damage at a primary school in Timor Leste. Not long before she died, Mary was celebrated in a glowing portrait by Dr Janet Saunders at the Blue Mountains Cultural Centre. I'm so proud that she got to see herself glowing in that beautiful painting. Employment, Hinkler Electorate: Vietnam Veterans' Day 72 19:40 Mr BATT 315478 Hinkler My electorate of Hinkler is hurting due to a worsening skills shortage and inaction from this Labor government. While a hand-picked few met here in Canberra with the Treasurer and Prime Minister for a three-day roundtable, the predetermined outcomes were simply more spending, more debt and the threat of more taxes. While the Canberra meeting unfolded, I spent two days with the Hon. Scott Buchholz, the shadow minister for skills and training, to hear the real stories directly from manufacturers, business owners, chambers of commerce and training providers in the Hinkler electorate. I thank the member for Wright for the time that he took to listen to my community. Together we hosted a series of meetings and visited manufacturers. Yes, regions like Hinkler are delivering and driving the nation's productivity, but the skills shortage continues to bite badly. David Coe recently purchased a well-known mechanics business in Bundaberg, Trulsons Mechanical. Mr Coe simply can't find enough trade qualified people to work on vehicles and teach new apprentices the trade. These teachers, the skilled workers, are understandably chasing higher wages in the minds, leaving a shortfall of experience in our regional communities. The Brisbane Olympic Games is less than a decade away. Queensland needs a strong, skilled workforce now, more than ever, to deliver infrastructure and services. Yet, instead of tackling the skills and training crisis head on, Labor is presiding over a 60-year low in productivity. The Treasurer has simply run out of ideas. When the coalition left office, we had more than 400,000 apprentices and trainees in the system. Today there are 100,000 fewer. This is leaving Australian businesses high and dry. Labor is failing both employers who are desperate for skilled workers and the young Australians who deserve opportunities. Under Labor, the pipeline of skilled workers just isn't there. The Hinkler region has some of the hardest working businesses in the country, just like Trulson's Mechanical. These operations must be supported to expand, to grow and to teach the next wave of tradies the art of the trade. But instead, like so many regional employers, they're struggling to find the skilled staff they need. It's holding them back, and it's holding my region of Hinkler back. Labor has no real plan on productivity or training. Australia needs more than words and a meeting behind closed doors in Canberra. That doesn't help businesses in Bundaberg and Harvey Bay. What we need is a proper plan to build a skilled workforce and back regional communities. Monday 18 August was an important day for many locations across Australia, including my region of Hinkler. Vietnam Veterans' Day is commemorated on the anniversary of the Battle of Long Tan, which took place in 1966. Major services were held in Hervey Bay and Bundaberg, and I had the privilege of laying a wreath and speaking in the country town of Childers. The service was held at the site of a World War I Krupp 210-millimetre Howitzer cannon. You can't miss it; it's right in the middle of town. The Isis RSL Sub Branch invited me to pay tribute and thank those who served in Vietnam, the ones who fought for the freedoms we enjoy today. As the federal member for Hinkler, I am forever proud to represent a region with a rich history of standing up and fighting for Australia. Childers has always had stories to tell, from all conflicts. So many men and women from the rural community have served with pride. While the trauma is very real and the pain lives on, it is in moments of commemoration we come together to pause and reflect on the lives lost and the immense life-changing sacrifices made. The Department of Veterans' Affairs nominal rolls record 255 Vietnam veterans from the Hinkler electorate. According to these accounts, 32 veterans came from Childers. That's such a high representation for a country town. There were four veterans from Howard, two from Pialba, two from Bargara and 215 from Bundaberg. The Vietnam Veterans' Day service in Childers honoured the role that nurses played in the Vietnam War. The service of female nurses in the conflict is largely forgotten; this is despite their significant contribution. Locally in Hinkler, as a community, much has been and is being done to rectify this. We are fortunate to have the Bundaberg War Nurses Memorial near the Bundaberg Base Hospital. While it honours those who served in the first and second world wars, in July of 2022 the Bundaberg District Women Veterans group ensured the names of nurses from my region who served in the Vietnam War were added. Aussie nurses saved thousands of lives on both sides, routinely working 12-hour shifts, six days a week, despite earning only two-thirds of what equivalent male officers earned. I'd sincerely like to thank the Isis RSL Sub Branch for hosting a memorable commemoration service and for ensuring that all who served in the Vietnam War are remembered now and forever. Ragdoll Foundation 73 19:45 Mr LIM 300130 Tangney When I was 16 years old—that was a long time ago—I had to leave school because my family did not have enough money to pay for my school fees. But a few days later my maths teacher, Mr Lee, helped to pay for my school fees. I was lucky and returned to class. Mr Lee paid both my form 4 and my form 5 school fees. Without his support, I would not have finished high school. When I first learned about Mr Ted Powell's donation of $100 million to Murdoch University, I, like many others, could not believe it. This is the largest donation to a university in Western Australia, and it is one of the largest donations ever to an Australian university. But what also touched my heart was how Ted had, before this donation, supported 150 students to go to Murdoch University through his Ragdoll Foundation. These students were like I had been, facing financial hardship and in need of a helping hand. Like my maths teacher did for me, Ted stepped in and helped these students obtain their education. Education changes lives. This $100 million gift will completely transform Murdoch University's veterinary school and the education that Australian veterinarians receive. Along with the school, there is an animal hospital, livestock and large-animal centres, working vet farms and other research centres. Many of my constituents have used the animal hospital for much-loved members of their families. The veterinary school is a major part of life at Murdoch and in our community. Soon, that school will be completely redeveloped, with a new, 9,600-square-metre state-of-the-art facility. The new school will support 50 per cent more vet students. It will form the heart of a new conservation and life sciences precinct that recognises the link between human, animal and environmental health. It will expand on important biomedical research. It will attract top global talent and experts. Our next generation of veterinary professionals will have a world-class opportunity right there in Tangney. The Ragdoll Foundation was founded in 2010 by Ted and his late wife, Dee, to give to worthy causes. Ted was very successful in business in Hong Kong and South-East Asia before he and Dee migrated to Australia in 2005. Dee was an animal lover, and the Ragdoll Foundation was named after ragdoll cats. Together, Dee and Ted started scholarships at Murdoch and supported Coodanup College, the Salvation Army and programs like Leadership WA. When Dee passed away last year, Ted thought about what he would do with his assets. In supporting the redevelopment and expansion of the Murdoch vet school, Ted is supporting both education and health for years to come. His generosity will have a big impact on our next generation of veterinary professionals and specialists. It will also serve the WA's agricultural and environmental sectors. I want to thank Ted for his generous donation to Murdoch University and for his encouragement of others with wealth to find responsible ways to give back. Ted will be closely involved as the veterinary school is redeveloped. He told me he will continue with the Ragdoll Foundation scholarship—continuing to be the helping hand for students who need it most. Thank you, Ted. News Media Assistance Program 73 19:50 Ms ALDRED 11788 Monash In triumph and tragedy, there's someone who always turns up for regional Australia, and that's the local newspaper. Across towns and regions throughout Australia, the local paper weaves the threads that hold communities together. It shares in the triumphs, grieves in the losses and tells the stories that truly matter to everyday people. It's where a teenager reads their name in print next to a goal they scored for the first time in the sports pages. Everyday volunteers are celebrated, and the births, deaths and marriages of a town are enlivened with photographs, congratulations and condolences every week. Local news keeps people connected not just to events but to one another. There is an array of senior Australian journalists who started in regional media, like Weekend Sunrise co-host David Woiwod from WIN News in Gippsland, and the Age and Sydney Morning Herald Europe correspondent Rob Harris, who started at the Latrobe Valley Express. In my electorate of Monash, we have the South Gippsland Sentinel Times, the Warragul and Drouin Gazette, the Latrobe Valley Express, the Phillip Island Advertiser, the Trafalgar News, the Foster Mirror, the Mirboo North Times and the Bass Coast Post. They are locally funded. They are professional journalists. They are important to the community fabric of our region. Above editor of the Warragul and Drouin Gazette Yvette Brand's desk hangs a plaque that reads: 'A good local newspaper is one of the best public assets that any district can possess.' It's a quote by their founding owner and editor Albert Harvey. The Warragul and Drouin Gazette is more than 127 years old. The Latrobe Valley Express is celebrating 60 years this year, and editor Liam Durkin has been running six decades in six weeks. The South Gippsland Sentinel Times has been going for 51 years. So seriously does editor Michael Giles take the role of the local newspaper, he trekked to Canberra for the maiden speech of my predecessor 25 years ago and came back up again last month for mine. The Phillip Island and San Remo Advertiser newspaper first appeared in 1896 as a title called The San Remo Times and Phillip Island and Bass Valley Advertiser, making its first edition over 128 years old. Eleanor McKay is the editor. Regional journalists show up to meetings no-one else attends. They ask tough questions. They cover the bushfire alerts, and they stay to report the aftermath long after the flames are gone. We've seen some recent threats to local newspapers, from teal donors astroturfing online newsletters to skew readers across to common causes and candidates, through to the move online for the gazetting of government publications. Support has been committed by the federal government, but it's been slow out of the gates in securing the future of regional journalism. The government's own website states: The News Media Assistance Program (News MAP) sets out a framework and measures to support public interest journalism and media diversity in Australia … On 12 December 2023, the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts opened consultation on the News Media Assistance Program. Submissions closed back in February 2024. The News MAP design is still awaiting finalisation, and the successful funding applicants are still waiting to hear from the government. The mandated minimum commitment of $3 million per year for two years from 2025 to 2026 for regional newspaper advertising across the total Commonwealth media advertising spend has gone nowhere. We are now going on over two years after the government said it would address this issue. It was back in early March 2024 that Meta announced it would not renew its deal with Country Press Australia and other Australian publishers. The News Bargaining Incentive is a solution that enjoys broad industry support. Consultation has yet to begin, let alone the draft legislation. I am calling on the government to finalise this process by the end of 2025 to ensure that Meta, TikTok and other platforms join the negotiating table in good faith. Country Press Australia has confirmed that regional and local news industry outlets would strongly oppose any changes to Australia's world-leading copyright laws to allow AI companies to further access and use copyrighted content without permission or payment. There has never been a more important time to support our regional and local publishers. I'm calling on the federal government to get its act together and come good on commitments made which are well past their due date. Parental Leave Pay 74 19:55 Ms JORDAN-BAIRD 316021 Gorton I rise in support of paid parental leave. I'd like to thank the member for Canberra for raising this motion in the House earlier today, and I take this opportunity to congratulate her on her pregnancy. I represent an extremely fast-growing community in Melbourne's west. Our parks always have children playing in the playground, parents taking their babies in a pram for a walk and extended families having a barbeque to celebrate a birthday. The suburbs of Rockbank, Aintree and Truganina have the second-highest birthrate in Greater Melbourne. In the City of Melton, 58 babies are born a week. That is 58 families who are navigating life with a newborn each week. Whether you're a first-time parent or it's your third child, like the member for Canberra, the first year of a baby's life can be both incredibly joyful and incredibly challenging. Specific challenges for women come alongside it, as mums are more likely to take significant breaks from the workforce, lowering their projected income as well as the household budget. We know that when families are given the time to adjust to life with a newborn, the entire household benefits. That's precisely why we're giving all parents in the Gorton electorate and around Australia two additional weeks of paid parental leave. My sister Emily; my sister-in-law, Stephanie; and my cousin Hayley are all on paid parental leave at the moment. It's an incredible, busy time for my family. I'm really proud of the Albanese Labor government increasing paid parental leave to 24 weeks from the start of July this year. We're upping it again to 26 weeks in July next year. This change will make a significant difference to so many families in my electorate, including my wonderful cousin Hayley, who lives in Taylors Hill. Hayley and her fiance, Joshua, welcomed their beautiful baby, Reid, into the world late last year, and Hayley is currently on primary parental leave. Hayley and Joshua are a part of their local parents group, facilitated by the Melton City Council. It's such an important group, where they can meet other locals with babies of a similar age, compare milestones and stay connected. An additional two weeks of paid parental leave will make a tangible difference to Hayley and Joshua's household budget. It's not easy adjusting to parenthood, whether it's baby No. 1 or No. 3. It's not easy to make those sacrifices in both our careers and our family life to navigate the fog of those very early days. Women know it best. On this side of the House, we believe that women shouldn't have to abandon their careers and income stream to give their kids the best start in life, but, too often, women do. The national gender pay gap is sitting at 11.5 per cent. Women historically earn less. Women are more likely to take significant breaks in their careers, putting them on the back foot when they re-enter the workforce. Women are less likely to be promoted into high-paying management roles, and women have less savings in their super when they retire. The gender super gap is about $50,000 for Australians nearing retirement. That's why it's so important that we've legislated paying super on paid parental leave. Paying super on Commonwealth parental leave pay will boost a mother-of-two's retirement savings by about $14,800. It will narrow the gender super gap by about a quarter. This is what happens when we elect women. Women's issues become the forefront of the government's agenda, and I couldn't be prouder to be part of a Labor government made up of over 56 per cent women, because when we elect women, we legislate on women's issues. These reforms are for the betterment of the entire family unit, because when both parents have access to parental leave, everyone benefits. By increasing the amount of leave parents can take at the same time from two to four weeks, we are making sure that both parents bond with baby and support each other through this very challenging period, and it is challenging. Research shows that since former prime minister Julia Gillard introduced the Paid Parental Leave scheme in 2011, the likelihood of a mother to experience postpartum depression has decreased. The research also found that this improvement was particularly significant for first-time mothers and mothers who did not have access to paid parental leave through their employer. At the Caroline Chisholm Society in Caroline Springs, I spoke to caseworkers who have intimate knowledge of these challenges as they care for our local families. It's an incredible local service which aims to assist vulnerable families, empowering them to live their lives with dignity and independence, and allowing parents to feel equipped, supported and ready to handle challenges. These parental leave reforms mean that every family, no matter the income or marital situation, are supported through this formative period to bond, to grow and to heal. This is why, on this side of the House, we will defend and strengthen paid parental leave, because parents, like those in my electorate, are counting on us. House adjourned at 20:00 NOTICES 75 NOTICES Presentation 75

Tuesday, 26 August 2025

The DEPUTY SPEAKER ( Ms Lawrence ) took the chair at 12:30.

 

GRIEVANCE DEBATE 79 GRIEVANCE DEBATE National Disability Insurance Scheme 79 12:30 Ms WATSON-BROWN 300127 Ryan Labor has ripped the heart out of the NDIS, and people in my electorate are paying the price. They tell me that these changes are a betrayal of them by the Labor government. When the government chose to slash so much funding from the NDIS they also, to add insult to injury, made it harder to access the NDIS in the future—a thinly veiled attempt to remove support for people or to remove them from the NDIS altogether, and they've succeeded. And let's be clear here: these services are essential—absolutely critical to keeping people well and in many cases to keeping them alive, to live a meaningful life. NDIS providers and the participants who are using their services in my electorate of Ryan tell me the same thing: these changes mean that the providers are no longer able to provide the services that the participants and our communities desperately need. The providers are being forced to close their doors. Just this month the Archdiocese of Brisbane contacted me to inform me that they have been forced to make the heart-wrenching decision to withdraw from the delivery of NDIS funded disability services through their social services agency, Centrecare, precisely because of the new NDIS funding model. The closure of Centrecare's disability services is going to directly impact 698 people with a disability and approximately 630 staff across South-East Queensland, and in my electorate of Ryan it's 40 clients and 16 staff directly impacted by the gutting of the NDIS. Now the Labor government is gutting it further by removing children who have mild autism from NDIS support, in another cruel and callous move to save money. Autistic Australians deserve support from our government, not the opposite—not having the rug pulled out from under them. Terms like 'mild' and 'moderate' autism have absolutely no clinical basis. The minister has fabricated this. These terms are harmful and further isolate children who are in need of support. Since the announcement I've had very many parents of neurodivergent kids reach out to my office in deep distress, terrified that their kids will be left behind. It's clear that the government, in designing this policy, didn't consult with experts in the space or indeed with those who would actually be affected. The design does nothing more than attempt to solve a political problem for the government. Neurodivergent kids and their parents being used as political footballs: that's shameful. The proposal is that these kids will be kicked off the NDIS and shunted to a Thriving Kids program. But, for affected kids and their parents, there is staggeringly little information about this, further exacerbating their worry and their distress. For instance, there is no information on the Thriving Kids program that provides guidance as to what happens with children who are currently on the early childhood intervention program and who would have transitioned to the NDIS prior to 2027. There is no information about whether critical services such as speech therapy and occupational therapy would be funded under the Thriving Kids program and with the providers who have been working with these children for a significant period of time. There is no information about how children will access these therapies and what the threshold criteria would be. These cost-cutting measures are indescribably cruel and are deliberately targeting vulnerable Australians. That is unconscionable. Australians deserve better than to be treated like a line on a spreadsheet. That applies to housing, too. You don't yet own a house? You don't have a household income of $200,000 plus? I'm sorry to say, but Labor and the LNP have decided they don't care about you ever getting ahead. They've decided that property prices should continue to just go up and up, and they've decided a small handful of property investors and big banks should make enormous profits at your expense. Want to buy a home in Mitchelton? Back in 2020 the price would have been around $700,000; now it'd be approaching $1.2 million. A monthly repayment that would have been around $2,500 in 2020 is now closer to $6,000 a month. Meanwhile, rent has skyrocketed, so you're less likely to be able to save for a deposit. Labor and the coalition like to pretend they're doing something about this, but they're lying. You can't tackle housing affordability if you keep giving tax concessions to property investors. If an investor can use a property as a tax write-off—if they have half the tax on the sale of that property wiped—of course investors will buy more properties and keep driving up the price. Until we wind back these tax concessions, house prices will continue to be out of reach for more and more hardworking Australians. Sadly, the government has given up its role to provide essential services like housing, handing it over to the private sector—obviously for the worse. Who sold off all our assets and made everything worse? Let's investigate. Case (1) is Qantas. Sold off by Labor in the 90s, they got $2 billion in government subsidies during COVID and turned around and illegally sacked 1,800 workers—for which they were fined $90 million just recently. They didn't have to pay back that free $2 billion to the government though. Case (2) is Telstra. Labor started the sell-off of Telstra in the 90s and the Liberals finished the job. Telstra has just made a $2.2 billion profit after shedding over 3,000 jobs and hiking their fees well above inflation. Case (3) is the Commonwealth Serum Laboratories, a major pharmaceutical corporation sold by Labor in 1994 for $300 million, now worth over $100 billion. They just fired 3,000 workers. Their sale has made us more reliant on the US pharma industry. Case (4) is the Commonwealth Bank, sold by Labor and the coalition for $8 billion. It just posted over $10 billion in profits and was found by the banking royal commission to have engaged in irresponsible banking and lending, overcharging interest and fee gouging. Its sell-off means we have no bank acting in the public interest now. These were our assets, and Labor and the Liberals sold them. It's time to take back control of our economy. Essential services should be in public hands and run for the people. One in three large corporations—including Qantas for several years in a row—are not paying corporate tax. And, speaking of avoiding tax, Queensland LNP and Queensland Labor: are they just two factions of the Adani party? No matter who you vote for in Queensland, multinational coal corporation Adani wins. It was recently revealed that the LNP has made a new deal with Adani where they'll continue to get our coal for free, by deferring royalty payments, and make billions of dollars exporting it. Labor has cried crocodile tears, calling it a 'secret sweetheart deal'. Do they think we have no memory? When Labor approved Adani's Carmichael mine back in 2019, they struck exactly the same royalties deferment deal. They did this after the ex-Labor state secretary was employed by Adani to lobby his colleague, the Labor Premier, directly. And get this—Adani has paid zero dollars in company tax since they started operations in 2021. I repeat: zero. They've made billions in revenue in this time. Adani promised to deliver $22 billion in taxes and royalties to the Australian people but knew it would never have to keep that promise, because Queensland has a two-faction system: Labor and LNP, factions of the Adani party. It's no wonder people—especially young people—are switching off from politics. Here are four ways Labor and LNP have sold out young people. First, most MPs went to university for free. Meanwhile, you are paying more than ever. A social work graduate will now repay the government almost $50,000. Our tax system is so rigged against you that HECS generates four times more revenue than the royalties from giant multinational oil and gas companies. Second, owning a house is totally out of your reach. House prices are growing much faster than wages. For most people, if you started saving for a house 10 years ago, you are now further from having a home deposit than when you started. Third, your future and the planet's future are being sold to coal and gas corporations. Within 25 days of being re-elected, Labor approved the biggest new fossil fuel project in the Southern Hemisphere. Both Labor and the coalition take millions in donations from coal and gas corporations. Fourth, rents are out of control. In Queensland, rents have risen 3.5 times faster than incomes. In Brisbane, rents have increased by 52 per cent since 2020. Labor and the coalition have created this mess because it makes money for their corporate mates. It's time for change. Braddon Electorate: Economy, Tasmanian Freight Equalisation Scheme 80 12:40 Ms URQUHART 231199 Braddon Earlier this month, I hosted a local productivity forum with around 30 business and community leaders in my electorate of Braddon. It was a great opportunity to discuss the region's contribution to national productivity and how we might also improve outcomes for the north-west and West Coast of Tasmania. Participants represented businesses, unions, local government, education providers and service providers with very broad experience right across the spectrum of those who attended, and I'd like to thank everyone who attended the forum and made it such a success. The Minister for Industry and Innovation and Minister for Science, Tim Ayres, attended, and I'm very grateful for his input into the forum. The people who attended the forum are an important voice for rural, regional and remote Australia and bring unique perspectives as residents of an island state. Tasmania has real strength across numerous sectors, including agriculture, resources, manufacturing and energy. There is a firm foundation to build on, and we have an important contribution to make to a more productive Australia. To assist discussion at the forum, I commissioned two papers from leading community organisations. One paper was from the Cradle Coast Authority, representing nine local councils, of which eight are in the Braddon region, and one paper was from Business North West. The Tasmanian Minerals, Manufacturing and Energy Council also provided a paper, and I want to thank CCA, Ian Jones and TMEC for their input in facilitating and assisting me prior to the forum. I'd like to share some of the feedback from the forum. Everyone attending agreed that the Tasmanian Freight Equalisation Scheme is an important part of ensuring Tasmania remains competitive. Tasmania is the only state in Australia that is heavily dependent on interstate sea-transport links, needing to ship or fly goods across Bass Strait. The TFES was a Whitlam government initiative. It helps to level the playing field, or the sea-freight disadvantage, between mainland and Tasmanian businesses. It's about making sure that Tasmanians aren't disadvantaged just because their goods arrive by sea. Goods covered by the scheme are used in our critical businesses across Tasmania, such as manufacturing, mining, agriculture, forestry, fishing and many more applications as well. During the federal election, the Albanese Labor government announced a $95 million increase in TFES funding by increasing rates of assistance by 25 per cent over two years from 1 July this year. That increase is in place now and was welcomed by businesses present and by lots of other businesses that I've visited in the electorate since. Last year, I was the deputy chair of a Senate inquiry into TFES. The inquiry found the rate of TFES reimbursement no longer supported the original policy intent of the scheme. In response, Labor committed to reviewing and modernising the TFES to ensure that it serves Tasmanians well. The government has commissioned a comprehensive review of TFES, and that review is underway. The review will be completed this year, and I look forward to the outcomes of that process. The forum also said the benefits of economic reform should be shared by the whole community. Stronger economies and fairer communities go hand in hand. History tells us that the responsibility for major economic and social reform almost always falls to Labor, and we welcome it. When we put in place the building blocks of big economic reform, we also push ahead with those important social reforms. Just look at the Labor record—Medicare, a proper minimum wage, a decent age pension, a strong social safety net, child care, disability care and workers' superannuation. Labor's approach to the economic reform rewards individuals to work hard and do well. It also supports fairer communities by sharing prosperity and lifting ourselves as a nation. One of the participants summarised this by saying that an honest narrative on economic reform should hear all voices, not just those with choice and power. I couldn't agree more. More broadly, the feedback from the Braddon forum was very much in line with key issues emerging from the Treasurer's roundtable. There was clear support for reducing complexity and red tape; for lowering the cost of production; for ensuring market confidence and certainty for investment; for harmonisation and simplification of regulatory and planning systems—we know these will assist with delivery of more housing approvals—for faster and simpler approvals; to build a modern skilled workforce; and for harnessing the benefits of AI. A more productive economy is how we deliver better living standards. In every discussion we have about economic reform and increased productivity, it's working people in the community more broadly that are front and centre. As the Treasurer said, the whole purpose of economic reform is to deliver for the people who send us here to work hard on their behalf. I look forward to the results of ongoing work out of the roundtable and congratulate the Treasurer on a very collaborative and successful event. I want to thank again all those who attended my productivity roundtable and provided valuable input, which has fed into the work the Albanese government is undertaking. I'm always impressed by the initiatives, the success and inputs by those companies and individuals who operate across Braddon, and this was another opportunity to show this to the rest of the country. While I have a little bit of time left I'd like to talk about Bendigo Bank. Bendigo Bank, as we know, is spread around the community. They have community banks right across the country. Bendigo Bank has just made a decision to close the only bank on the West Coast of Tasmania, in Queenstown. It's a fast-growing region, and hopefully, in the next couple of years, a mine will reopen. It's a powerhouse of Tasmania. Bendigo operates the only bank on the West Coast. There are no other banks. The next closest is about a five-hour round trip away up in Burnie. For people who live on the West Coast, this is a very difficult time for them. I've met with Bendigo Bank on two occasions and asked them to reconsider their position and also to reconsider whether or not they take the ATM out of the town. There is one ATM in Queenstown, which is the largest centre of the West Coast. The West Coast has a population of around 4,000 people, but it is a growing region in Tasmania. Without a bank in the town or in the region, it's going to be very difficult for businesses, for community and for others to be enticed to come into that town to live and work and play. It is also a fantastic tourist destination in the summer in particular—we have a very wet winter on the West Coast of Tasmania. It is detrimental to that whole community to have the only bank branch in that town shut down. I noticed yesterday in the Regional, which is an independent news service, that Bendigo Bank are also cutting ties with community fundraising groups. Now it's a bit rich for a bank such as Bendigo Bank, which yesterday announced a profit of $514.6 million, to even think about pulling out of a town on the West Coast, where there is no other bank. They have spoken to Bank@Post, but there are only a few transactions that you can undertake at the post office. So it is very detrimental to people. Bendigo Bank really should rethink this position, given that huge profit they've made. I understand that banks and other businesses need to provide a return to their shareholders—but $514.6 million? It's a bit rich that they can't even think about the community that they've been happy to support for a period of time, and then they'll just disappear—take away the ATM as well—and not pay any respect to the people there. I would urge Bendigo Bank to rethink their position, particularly for the West Coast of Tasmania—a growing region as I said, but also a region that does it a bit tough from time to time—to keep the bank open and to give those people the credibility and the representation that they should have by having a bank right in the town where they can do their business. National Disability Insurance Scheme 82 12:49 Mr RICK WILSON 198084 O'Connor I rise today to draw the House's attention to the NDIS travel policy changes and their impact on regional and remote electorates like my own. Around the middle of June I started to get a lot of communication from NDIS providers who were very concerned about this change that was coming at them from 1 July and how it would impact their clients. What has happened is that the NDIA has reduced travel labour that can be claimed to 50 per cent of the standard hourly rate. It has maintained the existing time limit of 30 minutes each way in the MMM—or Modified Monash Model—areas 1 to 3, 60 minutes in MMM areas 4 to 5, and continued with no limit in areas MMM 6 to 7. What this actually means on the ground for the providers and, more importantly, the recipients of these services, is that, for example, in a town like Albany a service provider was travelling to Katanning, which is an hour and three quarters there and an hour and three quarters back, and they were previously absorbing the lack of payment for the 45 minutes, because they were capped at an hour. They were absorbing that and they were continuing to travel beyond the one hour to provide the service in a town which has limited service providers. I have been told by those providers that they will no longer be able to viably provide those services, which means that people in a reasonably significant-sized regional town in my electorate will no longer have access to these allied health services. That story is repeated across my electorate in the 100-plus towns that I represent. The peak bodies have complained that there was a lack of engagement, a lack of consultation, prior to these changes being brought in. Only 14 days notice was given to the service providers to make whatever changes they needed to make to adjust when this came in on 1 July. One would have thought that, when making decisions around service provision to remote and regional communities, the providers based in Albany, Esperance and Kalgoorlie would have been consulted to get their view on how this would impact them, but I haven't been able to find anybody yet who was consulted by the NDIA on these changes. The NDIA's annual pricing review says that it needed to address excessive claims and that the current arrangement could lead to travel claims that are higher than the value of the support, especially in regional or less-populated areas. Well, yes, that's absolutely right. If you live in Warburton, which is a thousand kilometres north of Kalgoorlie, then, yes, the travel is going to cost more than your actual service, but that is just the way it is. If the NDIA has a better solution then it should put it on the table. I will come to the impact that it's going to have on that particular community in a moment. What the service providers that I have spoken to are calling for is the reinstatement of full travel rates on regional and remote services, a genuine consultation with regional providers and communities, and a three-month pause on changes until the regional impact is addressed. I mentioned the situation with the Ngaanyatjarra Lands, and one of the service providers—the only service provider, in fact—who travels out to Warburton and many surrounding Aboriginal communities to provide these services has given me a case study she'd like me to present to the House. This is the impact of the travel cuts on an amputee client in the Ngaanyatjarra Lands: I'd like to share the story of an NDIS participant living in the remote Ngaanyatjarra Lands—an Aboriginal woman in her mid-50s who recently underwent a below-knee amputation due to complications arising from unmanaged Type 2 diabetes. In her case, early intervention and health literacy supports were not accessible, contributing directly to the progression of her condition. There is no regular podiatry or diabetes education service available in her community. By the time she presented to hospital, her condition had deteriorated to the point of requiring surgical amputation. She now requires significant support to regain independence and avoid further decline. This is where the NDIS-funded occupational therapy becomes critical. Our team … one of the few mobile OT services willing and equipped to travel to the NG Lands—is working with her to restore function, dignity, and safe access to her community and home environment. Without face-to-face, culturally responsive OT input, here's what she would go without: Appropriate wheelchair prescription and fitting, to allow basic mobility and access to essential daily activities (e.g., using the bathroom, getting food, attending cultural gatherings). Urgent home modifications, such as ramps, grab rails, and bathroom alterations to prevent falls and injury. Functional assessments to support hospital discharge and determine the supports needed to live safely at home. Co-ordination with prosthetic providers, which requires OT involvement to support the transition to aprosthetic limb over time. Self-management training, focused on activities of daily living, pressure care, and secondary prevention of further amputations or infections. Liaison with community supports, family carers, and health services to create a wraparound care plan and ensure cultural safety. That's a pretty extensive list that this particular client will go without. There's no question that this service can be continued under the current rules. She goes on to say: Her nearest regional centre is over 1,000 km from Kalgoorlie, meaning service delivery requires up to 22 hours of round-trip travel per therapist, often over several days. Until June 30th, 2025, NDIS travel rules allowed providers to claim this time in full—making the service possible, if still tight financially. From July 1st, however, travel to and from these communities has been capped at 50% of … what our hours total, regardless of distance, duration, or number of therapists involved. This results in an estimated loss of 20+ hours of unfunded travel time per therapist per outreach trip which makes it financially unviable. The Consequences Are Clear: She may not receive the equipment, training or home modifications needed to return home safely. She may face extended hospitalisation or be placed in aged care—at far greater cost to the system and to her cultural and emotional wellbeing. A prosthetic may never be viable without appropriate pre- and post-rehab OT involvement. There are no locally based therapists to take over—and telehealth is not an option due to limited connectivity, language, and cultural barriers. This is just one example. I do thank very sincerely the service providers across the Goldfields, not only for what they do on a daily basis but also for providing me with a whole host of case studies, which I'm not going to get a chance to get through in the time available. In conclusion, I did want to say that the decision to reduce NDIS travel funding to 50 per cent of the service rate creates a significant barrier to the service provision for families in regional areas, particularly in my electorate of O'Connor. A physiotherapist from Collie, at the other end of the electorate, says he has 'grave concerns regarding the National Disability Insurance Agency's decision to lower price limits and travel funding for physiotherapy supports'. He says: Physiotherapy services under these new pricing limits are unsustainable and will dramatically reduce choice and control for vulnerable NDIS participants. New rate cuts and reduced funding for clinician travel do not keep pace with the growing operational costs required to provide individualised care. This will have an even greater impact on participants in rural and regional settings. What this all adds up to is a situation where people living in regional and rural Australia will receive a significantly lower level of care than their city cousins, and that is simply not fair. I call on the government and the minister—who I have written to, and to her credit she has responded, but she responded by saying there'll be no change—to revisit this and to take into account the impact on those people who live outside the box. We're not talking about millions and millions of recipients here. The people mostly impacted in my electorate would be in the hundreds, if not the low thousands. So it's not a matter of destroying the budget by making concessions and accommodating this small group of people who will be impacted; it's simply about providing equity and fairness for people who live in regional and remote Australia. Jagajaga Electorate: Infrastructure 83 12:59 Ms THWAITES 282212 Jagajaga I'm very aware that we're all here in this parliament because we hold a deep sense of responsibility to our communities and to our electorates, and, for me, that responsibility is really clear. I do want to improve my community. I want to make it the best place for people to live, work, study and raise a family. I am really proud that, since we've been in government, Labor has been both building our nation and also building our communities, investing in communities like those in Jagajaga, which, unfortunately, were neglected for far too long under previous Liberal-National governments. When those opposite were in power, they put themselves first. They, in fact, allocated community funding in ways that benefited their own seats. That meant, in Jagajaga, that our community missed out on major infrastructure funding, on school upgrades, on sporting and community facilities and on much more. I stood in this place at the time, when then prime minister Scott Morrison led a Liberal-National government, and I called out that government for their unfair treatment of my constituents. Between 2018 and 2021, the then treasurer and member for Kooyong's neighbouring electorates received $5.7 million in community grants while my community just over the river in Jagajaga received just $800,000. That is more than seven times less, and it is absolutely indicative of how those opposite treated running the country. They were not in it for communities. They were certainly not in it for the community of Jagajaga. They were governing for themselves. Labor does take a different approach. We believe that every community—city or regional, no matter who they voted for—deserves respect and deserves its fair share, and I'm really proud of what that means and what we're delivering in Jagajaga. When we come to people's health, one of the key things that people talk to me about is the need for good quality healthcare services that can be accessed locally and that are affordable. We absolutely understand that Medicare is the cornerstone of our health system. It was something that I talked to many community members about during the last election campaign, as I'm sure my colleagues did. We had these discussions about making sure that this very Australian institution is there not just for now but into the future. Of course, we know it was at risk because it was neglected for far too long by those opposite who have never believed in Medicare and who have never believed that you should be able to see a doctor with your Medicare card, not with your credit card. It was neglected, but we have been doing the work to fix it. In Jagajaga, that means that we have delivered the Heidelberg Medicare urgent care clinic right in the heart of the Austin Hospital precinct, taking pressure off the emergency department there. I have a lot of positive feedback about this facility, and I'm really pleased that, at the election that we've just had, together with my colleague the member for McEwen, we pledged that we will deliver another clinic in Diamond Creek and surrounds, which will really benefit people who live in the northern end of my electorate. We're backing that up. We are, obviously, making it easier for people to see a GP and to have that bulk-billed—an extra 18 million bulk-billed GP visits every year so that people in Jagajaga can see a doctor without worrying about the cost. I know there's more work to do in this space. We're not there yet. As I said, it takes time to overturn the damage that those opposite did. In 10 years of government, they never invested in local health infrastructure in Jagajaga. They oversaw the collapse of bulk-billing. They took a service that was essential to Australians, a service that that Australians could count on, and they rubbished it. That is, again, indicative of their approach to services. Labor is strengthening Medicare, the Liberals try to destroy it and that is the clear difference. If I look at other infrastructure in my community, community sport is such a big part of how people spend their time. It's a big part of how people come together and how our kids learn about community. Keeping active is so important. I'm really proud that we've been able to deliver investment in community support in Jagajaga, including funding for the Heidelberg West Football Netball Club to build female-friendly facilities—proper change rooms, showers and toilets; funding for the Banyule City Council to build a brand new netball facility and upgrade the croquet club at Ivanhoe Park; and funding for the Shelley Park pavilion in Heidelberg Heights, on which I'm pleased that construction will be starting soon, along with renovating the pavilion at Eltham Lower Park. Again, this is all work that is underway in our time in government. It is not work that happened under those opposite. We did not have this local-level investment in my community under those opposite. We're supporting the transition to renewable energy in Jagajaga and around the country while those opposite have a debate about whether they need to be signed up to net zero. As the Prime Minister has said, if you are not prepared to back net zero, what you are actually saying is you don't believe in climate change. If you are not prepared to say that this country needs to reach net zero, then what you are saying is you are a climate denier. And it was not just when they were in government; those opposite are still full of climate deniers. In Jagajaga and around the country we are investing and doing the necessary work. We're investing in our cheaper home battery scheme, which has seen nearly 40,000 home battery systems purchased since 1 July, including 166 in the community of Jagajaga. Of course, we know that those opposite promised a $600 billion nuclear plan to drive up household bills, but we are delivering direct energy bill relief to every household. We're doing this on a community infrastructure level as well. We are supporting the Banyule council to electrify WaterMarc, a well-known and well-loved community pool in my electorate. With federal government support it will become a fully electric facility, helping Council cut costs, lower emissions and reinvest savings back into the community. We're delivering on major infrastructure. The North East Link project, which is the biggest infrastructure project ever delivered in my electorate, will transform the way people live and travel in Melbourne's north-east. Connecting Watsonia to Bulleen, it will fix what is known as the missing link in our freeway network. It will take 15,000 trucks off Rosanna Road every single day and cut travel times by up to 35 minutes. This is something we're putting $3.3 billion towards to support the state government to make this happen. Again, we never saw this level of future investment in much-needed infrastructure in my community under the Liberals. I do want to say thank you to all the community members who I know are putting up with a large level of disruption as this major project goes on. You are showing remarkable patience, forbearance and understanding that in the end this project will be a huge win for our community, so thank you. The final area I want to highlight, as I think it shows the contrast between this government's attitude to investment in community and people's lives and the attitude that was taken by those opposite when they had the opportunity in government, is housing. We do still have a housing crisis in this country—one which built up over a very long time, and it certainly built up under those opposite when they were not investing in housing. They didn't see a role for the federal government in housing, and for most of the time they didn't even have a federal housing minister. I have spent quite a bit of time recently going to housing that is being built in my community with the support of the federal government. I never had that opportunity under those opposite, because there wasn't any housing being built in my electorate with the support of the then federal government when it was a Liberal-National government. In West Heidelberg, Labor is rebuilding the old Bell-Bardia estate, which was demolished in 2020 because it needed serious upgrades. Together with the state government, we're really proud to be delivering 104 brand new homes—more homes than were there before. They will be high-quality, modern homes that local families can be proud of. Through the Housing Australia Future Fund, Labor is delivering 642 new homes across Ivanhoe, Heidelberg, Rosanna and Greensborough. We've also just announced another 25 homes to come in Bellfield as part of the second round. I recently, just a couple of weeks ago, had the pleasure of having the Prime Minister and the housing minister visit Rosanna, where we saw the Beetham Parade development take shape. That's a fantastic development that will support women and children leaving family violence, as well as key workers and First Nations people needing a house. It's in a great location—just next to the train station, near our medical precinct. It is absolutely the type of housing we need in our community, so it is wonderful to see this investment going forward. Again, we know those opposite weren't keen to support the Housing Australia Future Fund, but we can only hope that at some point during this period in opposition they do change the way they look at community infrastructure and they do change the way they look at investing for the future and investing in the future of communities like those in Jagajaga. There is still time for them to come to this realisation, change their ways and support some of these fantastic initiatives that our government is delivering on. Economy 85 13:09 Mr WILLCOX 286535 Dawson This country is not where it should be. Australia should be one of the strongest economies in the world. We should be a global leader in productivity, competitiveness and opportunity. We should have the lowest energy prices in the developed world, not one of the highest. We should be backing small businesses and farmers, not burying them under red tape and rising costs. We should be a country that rewards hard work, not one where everyday Aussies are forced to choose between keeping the lights on or putting food on the table. Under this Labor government, Australia has gone backwards, and we've gone backwards fast. Across my electorate of Dawson, people are hurting. From cane farmers and fishers to cafe and restaurant owners, from young Australians trying to buy their first homes to pensioners in tears over their power bills, the message is clear: our country is struggling under Labor. Australians are worse off now than at any time since the Great Depression. At the heart of this crisis is one thing: energy. My grievance is the government's approach to energy. This government has bet the house on wind and solar. It's the 'wind and solar reckless race to a renewables-only energy future' policy, stubbornly refusing to consider a broader, more balanced mix. They've rejected the commonsense options like gas, coal and even nuclear, leaving our grid vulnerable, unreliable and unaffordable. They've bet the house and lost. But, instead of admitting defeat, they've doubled down. Too proud to fess up, they hide behind spin and flash more cash to cover up the cracks, too embarrassed to come clean, and Australians keep paying the price. Energy is a central part of our economy. It is connected to everything: mining, farming, manufacturing, transport, small business and every household. When energy prices rise, the cost of everything rises with it, and that's exactly what we're seeing. Groceries, building supplies, freight, food production—every line on the family's budget has gone up. Everyday Australians trying to get ahead are being punished by this Labor government's choices. Without affordable, reliable baseload power, our economy shuts down, and you can't run a full-time economy on part-time power. Since coming to government in 2022, Labor has overseen economic decline that touches every household. Inflation continues to erode budgets. Productivity has fallen. National debt is surging with no serious plan to rein it in. The Prime Minister promised back in the 2022 election a $275 cut to every household power bill. Where is it? In Dawson, power bills haven't fallen; they've exploded. When power prices rise, jobs disappear, businesses close, and costs flow all the way to the family dinner table. Small business is suffering too. Labor don't care. They've long turned their backs on small business. Almost every policy they've introduced makes life harder for those who employ Australians and take the biggest risk. I speak with local businesses in Dawson every week. They're not opening new locations; they are closing doors. They're not hiring; they're laying off. And they're certainly not optimistic about the future. This is what Labor has created: a climate void of optimism. Reports from the CSIRO and Treasury confirm what Australians already know: the current path isn't working. In fact, despite the stories that the Minister for Climate Change and Energy tries to spin, the recent CSIRO report confirms that coal is currently the cheapest form of energy in Australia, yet we are winding back our coal-fired power stations while other countries are building new coal-fired power stations and investing in nuclear. And I can tell you right now that those countries all have lower power prices than Australia. Power prices are up; grid reliability is down. Investors are walking away from their major wind and hydrogen projects, leaving taxpayers to foot the bill. Even members of the government must be quietly questioning this failed energy policy. After all, surely the other side of the House receives power bills too. The government is out of ideas and out of cash. Last week's so-called economic forum was nothing more than a glorified talkfest—a parade of buzzwords, platitudes and photo-ops. When the Treasurer announced the outcomes of the forum, not one word was said about energy, not one word was said about small business, not one word was said about driving down uncontrolled immigration and not one word was said about reducing taxes—it was only about creating them. While the Prime Minister and the Treasurer pat themselves on the back in Canberra, families in Dawson and across the country are sweating over their electricity bills and wondering how they can afford the weekly shop. When Labor run out of ideas, which they clearly have, as they always do, they reach for the Australian wallet. They reach for the Australian public's wallet in order to splash the cash for headlines, hoping the public are distracted long enough to forget the government's energy failures. And, because the government have left the country with nothing but a trillion dollars in debt and a bunch of IOUs, they are desperate to invent new revenue streams to pay for these headlines. Take Labor's superannuation tax grab as an example. It's a proposed doubling of the tax rate on balances over $3 million. The plan is to apply to unrealised gains as well, which will hit farmers hard because, if the on-paper value of their farm goes up, the tax office will send them a bill. How is a farmer, who is already doing it tough, supposed to pay a tax bill on a profit that they haven't even received a cent for? If more farmers sell their farms, there'll be less Aussie produce on the shelves and higher prices at the check-outs. A change to super affects everyone, and consequences go well above a handful of millionaires. We should be a country that unlocks our full energy potential, not one that locks Australians into rising prices through wind and solar; a country that supports small business, not one that burdens it with more red tape and higher costs; a country that celebrates our agricultural producers, not one that taxes them into selling up; and a country that reduces the tax burden, not one that sneaks in stealth taxes through the back door. We should back Australia-made products. Australia is blessed with an abundance of resources: coal, uranium, sunshine, wind, water and gas. We should be using all of them to their full potential. We should have the world's cheapest and most affordable power. Instead, electricity prices are soaring, reliability is falling and households are feeling the squeeze. The gap between what Australians pay for power and what we should be paying just keeps growing. Under this Labor government, Australians are paying more, working harder and receiving less. Many Australians feel lucky just to be able to keep the lights on, lucky to be able to afford to put food on their tables and lucky if they can manage to hold on to a few dollars at the end of the week. That's not being lucky; that's just surviving. Will the government ever admit that their wind and solar only path is not the right direction for Australia? Will they ever allow for a sensible and balanced energy mix? If we get the energy mix and balance right, then a lot of Australia's problems will go away. We need to change the direction on energy because this country is not where it should be. So I'm calling on the Albanese Labor government to come good, look after the people that they were elected to represent, give them cheap, reliable and affordable power and stop sending their households and their businesses to the wall. It's not a fair go, and Australia is the country of a fair go. Bring back the coalition. Macquarie Electorate: Community Services 86 13:19 Ms TEMPLEMAN 181810 Macquarie DV West has been supporting women and children in the Blue Mountains, Hawkesbury, Nepean and Western Sydney for decades. Recently I took the newly appointed assistant minister for the prevention of family violence, Ged Kearney, to sit down, listen and learn from DV West. The frontline workers shared with us examples of the activities that have helped reconnect children with their mums or carers after domestic and family violence. These might be anything from family outings, starting a new sport, cultural camp—all of which can bring happiness but also new ways of bonding. We were updated on the new crisis and transitional accommodation in the Blue Mountains that DV West has secured with funding from the Albanese government's Housing Australia Future Fund, one of my 2022 election commitments. The Crisis and Transitional Accommodation Program supports the building, remodelling and purchase of new or expanded crisis and transitional accommodation. Thanks to funding through this program, DV West has been able to purchase two transitional units in the Blue Mountains, which will accommodate women and children who are no longer in crisis but still have support needs. This Commonwealth funding will help thousands of women and children across Australia, and it's another part of the Albanese government's ambitious housing reform agenda. Since coming to government, we've invested nearly 20 times more in crisis and transitional accommodation and programs than the previous Liberal government did in 10 years. We've worked closely with the New South Wales government, and there are now nine additional DV workers across the Nepean Blue Mountains region as a result of our increased funding. I want to commend the state member for Penrith, Karen McKeown, who has provided more than $70,000 from the Community Building Partnership program for the Haven. The funding for this service will provide essential upgrades to support more women and children fleeing domestic and family violence. All of this is good progress, but, of course, there is more to do. I joined my community this weekend at the Hawkesbury Walk Ride Run Against Domestic Violence at the Hawkesbury Showground, and it demonstrated how far attitudes have changed in our community when it comes to domestic and family violence. The event was organised by Rotarians from the three Hawkesbury Rotary clubs—Windsor, Richmond and Kurrajong-North Richmond. I've been closely involved with Rotary since the 1970s, and even a decade or so ago I didn't hear Rotarians talking about domestic and family violence, let alone spending months planning a fundraiser to support our local frontline organisations like the Women's Cottage, San Miguel, hope4u and the Haven. People signed up to bike ride, run and walk—some with their dogs—and there was plenty of food to help people refuel, including the Jeremiah Project's food truck, ice creams and, of course, a Rotary sausage sizzle. It was a terrific first event to raise awareness and funds for this cause, and I really want to congratulate Rotarians, sponsors and all the participants. A 60th anniversary is pretty special, even more so when it marks six decades of operation as a rural fire brigade. The Katoomba/Leura Rural Fire Brigade have celebrated their 60th. It was a mixture of laughter and tears, which remarkably included some of the founding members. This brigade is a leader in the Blue Mountains district, with a third of its members being women. Many stories were shared, and this one from Charlie Brown, who started his firefighting career at 15 years old, describes the North Springwood fire in 1968 when three firefighters lost their lives right next to where his crew was operating. He said: 'We escaped in the old Blitz truck with no windows. Everyone rode on the back; I was driving. We got to Hawkesbury Road and thought, "Phew, that was close." Then we took off our hats. No hair—it had burnt the hair off all of us. How the guys on the back of our truck didn't die, I'll never know.' That is the calibre and the bravery of the men and women who serve my community in the RFS brigades across the electorate of Macquarie. The dedication of 31 New South Wales volunteers from the Blue Mountains district was recognised earlier in August with a presentation of national medals. These volunteers had more than 900 years of combined service, ranging from 15 to 57 years of service. Many of these volunteers had dedicated significant portions of their life to serving and protecting others. The National Medal is presented to individuals who go above and beyond what's expected of active members within the brigade. Mount Riverview Brigade life member Dennis 'Wayne' Hancock, who's dedicated more than 50 years to the RFS and local community, was recognised. He was a founding member of the Mount Riverview Brigade. The professionalism of these people does not go unnoticed. None of them work for the praise, but it was so good to be able to be there to recognise their service. Another special mention is Linden Brigade member Colin Anlezark, who's given more than 50 years of service to the RFS and who, like many of the volunteers, serves the Blue Mountains district in various roles. My local Winmalee brigade National Medal recipients included Steven Manning, Catrina Jordan, Bec Southwell and Adrian Schovers, with Peter Church, Col Church, Alison Davis and Tony Moore receiving their second clasp. Yes, there's a bunch of relatives in there because that's what happens in the brigade—it's families. Fifteen Hazelbrook members were recognised, with Allan Catt and Cris Hofland being recognised for more than 40 years of service. I also want to record the passing of Hazelbrook RFS member Group Captain Mat Hunter, a former captain with the brigade with more than two decades of service. My thoughts are with his family, and I know that Mat is being mourned by brigades right across the Blue Mountains and by the many volunteers he trained and supported. When you live on a floodplain like the Hawkesbury-Nepean, forecasts of heavy rain can inspire real fear and anxiety—not least because, for many people, flood insurance has become out of reach. For most of us, our home is our most valuable asset, and I know that recovering from a natural disaster is easier—still awful, but easier—when there is insurance to repair, replace and rebuild. I know that from personal experience. But imagine what it's like to know you simply can't afford the $20,000 or $30,000 that insurers quote for a standard home insurance policy to be covered for flood in these flood-prone areas. People have few options: they pay a rate that really stretches their means, they try to get a policy for everything except flood, or they have no policy at all. That means they're not insured for any unexpected event—not for fire, hail damage or serious accidental damage. This cannot go on. It's an urgent issue, and I know we in Australia are not alone in facing it. My visit to the US last year and discussions with people in the UK and NZ in insurance and government roles tell me this is a global issue. But I'm joining with the Insurance Council of Australia to continue the discussion locally with my community and key stakeholders, to unpack what is and isn't an option for my community. Residents, businesses and other stakeholders are invited to a special insurance forum I'm hosting in Windsor in September. We'll hear individual experiences, but, more than anything, this is an opportunity to focus on solutions—because we already know the problem. We'll discuss everything from whether there are innovative insurance products for homes and small businesses, including where homeowners have ways to minimise the repair or clean-up costs. We'll discuss what individuals can do so they can build back better from a flood and how that is recognised by insurers. We'll discuss the appetite for government buy-back options for homes with very high flood risk where alternative mitigation measures are unlikely to manage the risk—because if you're in a home where you can't get insurance, it's likely a future buyer won't be able to get insurance either. I want to see individuals get the support they need so they can build back better from a flood or get on with their lives, and the time to start is when the sun is shining. Our program to buy a home with only a five per cent deposit is great news for first homebuyers. It's available to every single first homebuyer from October. It has no income limits, no limit on the number of places in the program, and the house price caps actually reflect the cost of houses. In Macquarie, a $900,000 cap applies to the property. If you're a single parent with a dependent child, you can use this program and only pay a two per cent deposit. Since we came to government, 855 Macquarie locals have already been assisted into their own homes with the five per cent guarantee scheme. But these changes that we're making open the program to every first homebuyer. Where we see a need and a way to provide more support, that is exactly what the Albanese government is going to do. The DEPUTY SPEAKER 299150 The time for the grievance debate has expired. The debate is interrupted in accordance with standing order 192(b). The debate is adjourned, and the resumption of the debate will be made an order of the day for the next sitting. Sitting suspended from 13:30 to 15:59 CONSTITUENCY STATEMENTS 88 CONSTITUENCY STATEMENTS Casey Electorate: Sport 88 15:59 Mr VIOLI 300147 Casey On Saturday I had the absolute privilege of going to the local women's football grand finals with my daughter. Firstly I want to congratulate the senior women's team from the Mooroolbark Football Club. Three premierships in a row—what an achievement. Congratulations. I want to send my commiserations to the women's team from Montrose, who played in that grand final and showed great spirit. Congratulations to them on making the grand final. To the Coldstream women's team, who unfortunately lost on the day, turn up next year. I know Maddy will have them running hard in preseason and looking to go one better next season. Good luck. To the Belgrave South women's team and also the Belgrave South veterans women's team, congratulations on making the grand final. Hopefully you can go one step further next year. Two weekends ago I was at Yarra Junction for the junior football boys and girls grand finals. Healesville had a couple of wins. I know the Wesburn under-17 girls had a great win. My good friend Matt Tilney's daughter Kaylen took home the premiership. That was a big day for their family. Across the community in Casey and across the country, we are seeing an explosion in young girls and women playing community sport. This is a great thing for our community. It's wonderful to see that they have the opportunity to learn defeat and to learn the joys of victory, hard work and coaching. I've spoken before about the opportunities I had growing up playing sport and how fundamental it is to who I am as a person. But I look back on my junior career and acknowledge that we didn't see young girls and young women playing. So it's so exciting that we see them today. But we also need to acknowledge the fundamental reality of this explosion, whether it's football, netball or soccer. That reality is that the facilities have not kept up with the explosion in female participation, and we need to do more. I'll give the government credit. It was great to see the Play Her Way program for $200 million last term. It was not quite as good as the $250 million coalition policy, but I will give them credit. We need to keep doing more because we risk losing this opportunity. We have seen this growth in female sport. If the facilities do not match, if they don't have the facilities that they deserve, we risk losing this generation of sportspeople at 15, 16 or 17 years of age. It will be a loss to our great games and to our community sport. So I urge the Minister for Sport, the Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government and the government to continue to invest in women's sport. I'll back them up. The coalition will work with them. I will make sure that, on the coalition side, we put forward policies that make sure that our community infrastructure is at the level it needs to be at so that every young person has the opportunity to build friendships, learn life lessons and make sure that they are better people. When our young people are better, our communities are better and our nation is stronger. Community Canteen, Bhartiya Samaj 89 16:02 Ms JARRETT 298574 Brisbane This is another first for me since being elected the member for Brisbane. It's my first opportunity to deliver a constituency statement. Today I want to shine a light on two community organisations whose contribution to Brisbane and well beyond is truly invaluable: Community Canteen and Bhartiya Samaj. Earlier this month I had the privilege of visiting Community Canteen in Newmarket during Homelessness Week. This organisation was founded in 2008. It's a volunteer driven not-for-profit with a simple but powerful mission: to provide fresh, nutritious meals to people who are homeless, at risk of homelessness or experiencing hardship. They operate without paid staff and without their own premises, ensuring that every single dollar that is donated goes directly to preparing and serving meals. With more than 250 dedicated volunteers, the organisation prepares over—wait for it—30,000 meals a year. Working in partnership with Communify, they prepare meals at the Newmarket kitchen, which is where I was, using rescued food and donated funds. The meals are then frozen and distributed to those who need them most. Community Canteen offers more than just food; it provides dignity, inclusion and connection not only for those who receive the food but for the volunteers who give their time and energy. When I visited, I was warmly welcomed by Amir and the team of volunteers and I did my bit to lean in and lend a hand. I want to put on record my thanks for the commitment of Amir, the team and all involved. On that very same day, I also attended the Bhartiya Samaj Empowering Migrants Expo in Brisbane. Bhartiya Samaj was established in Queensland in 2022 and is dedicated to fostering an inclusive Australia, uniting migrants with other locals and, importantly, supporting the South-Asian community. Now only in its second year, the Empowering Migrants Expo, which they established, has become a cornerstone event. This year it attracted more than 8,000 people, making it one of the largest multicultural gatherings in Queensland. The expo showcased 30 multicultural stalls, 15 government stands, 20 international food stalls and 20 cultural dance performances. There was a networking lunch for 200 multicultural leaders and, of course, the 2025 migrant awards ceremony celebrating outstanding contributions across diverse communities. These events matter because migration has shaped and continues to shape our city for the better. From small business to infrastructure, from healthcare and education to hospitality and the arts, migrants have built and enriched our community. I want to acknowledge the president of Bhartiya Samaj, Mr Abhishek Sharma, and the many volunteers who worked tirelessly to make this expo such a success. Both Community Canteen and the Bhartiya Samaj Empowering Migrants Expo are shining examples of the best in Brisbane, bringing our community together, building inclusion and strengthening the fabric of our community. Artificial Intelligence 89 16:05 Ms CHANEY 300006 Curtin Artificial intelligence is already transforming our lives, from how we work and learn to how we make decisions and solve problems. It brings enormous potential to improve health outcomes and research, streamline government services and drive productivity. But it also poses serious risks: disinformation, bias, sexual exploitation and a loss of privacy. Getting the policy landscape right is going to be essential to ensure we maximise the good and limit the bad. But AI is moving fast and the government is already falling behind, so what must we do? First, we need a national AI taskforce and a clear plan. As the Tech Policy Design Institute has said, too often our choices are framed as binary: hit the brakes or slam the accelerator. But we can, and must, take hold of the steering wheel. To take hold of the steering wheel, we need a taskforce that's capable of responding rapidly and holistically to AI development. To regulate in a timely way, this taskforce needs access to key policymakers and regulators. We need a coordinated plan to provide a clear direction to industry and ensure we're not working in silos. Second, we need an overarching legislative approach. Whether it's a standalone AI act or extending existing regulation, the goal is the same: support innovation while limiting harm. We must avoid getting bogged down in structure and focus on outcomes: safe, responsible and inclusive AI. Third, we must address the high-risk uses of AI that will inevitably escape an overarching legislative approach. Last month I introduced a bill to criminalise the distribution and training of AI models designed to produce child sexual abuse material. We'll need to continually and rapidly stamp out horrific and unjustifiable uses of AI like this. Fourth, we need to invest in our AI capabilities, which means investing in our people, businesses, schools, startups and research organisations. Already we've spent so much time debating regulation and whether we're going to slam on the brakes or hit the accelerator that we've forgotten to put fuel in the car. Australia's investment in AI has been modest compared to similar countries. Canada just announced $2.4 billion in funds for AI research, which is 17 times what the Australian government has invested over the past five years. But we have enormous potential. Just look at Maincode's Matilda, a world-leading AI model built right here in Australia. Investment in our AI capability goes beyond funding startups and infrastructure like data centres; it's primarily about our people. That means supporting people in small businesses, schools and across our communities to deploy AI effectively and safely. It means developing world-leading expertise in our universities and research institutions and creating pathways for global AI talent to contribute here. AI presents an exciting frontier for this country, but we need to get a move on to ensure we can make the most of the opportunity in a safe way. Gorton Electorate: Community Events 90 16:08 Ms JORDAN-BAIRD 316021 Gorton Thirty-three veterans—that's how many Vietnam veterans are part of the Caroline Springs RSL. The stories, the history and the psychological scars these service men and women carry are unimaginable. We are eternally grateful for their service to this country. I was honoured to present a quilt of valour ahead of Vietnam Veterans Day to Marguerita on behalf of her late husband, Bill, for his service and sacrifice. Thank you to President Ross Wiltshire, the committee, and members Peter, Paul, Wendy, Gill, Murray, Bobby, John, Dave, Gillian and Andy. Does pineapple belong on pizza? This was the politics of the day during the visit by the Speaker and me to Thornhill Park Primary School. Thornhill Park Primary is the growth of the western suburbs in action. Since opening in 2023, they have seen a huge uptick in enrolments. Like the western suburbs, Thornhill Park Primary is diverse, resilient and persistent and, with the support of Principal Darryl Spiteri, instils the values of respect, integrity and wellbeing in its students. The students voted for pineapple being on pizza. Even though I personally tend to disagree, that's what democracy is for. Thank you, Thornhill Park. Last week was Early Learning Matters Week. I recently visited Goodstart Keilor Village, Goodstart Moonee Ponds and the kindergarten at Creekside K-9 College. I read storybooks, made crafts and saw firsthand the dedication of the incredible care teams in our electorate. There is no-one more important than our little ones, and they deserve every bit of support, protection and care that we can provide. Childcare and kindy are instrumental in shaping the development and wellbeing of our kids at that crucial early age. It helps them navigate the world, laying foundations for future success, and the care provided by our childcare workers is simply invaluable. High-quality early education and care are essential. Thank you to the incredible early education workers we trust day in, day out with the people who matter the most. Dressed as Wally from Where's Wally?, dancing the Nutbush and a litfest parade—it's Book Week at Albanvale Primary School. This year's Book Week theme was 'Book an adventure'. Fostering imagination is critical to our kids' emotional and cognitive development and to giving them the skills essential to navigating their futures, and it all starts with literacy. At Albanvale Primary School, students develop a love of reading. Special congratulations to the Albanvale students who hit over 100 nights of reading. Thank you to Principal Michael Uzunovski and to the incredible teachers around him. Your efforts are invaluable. I recently saw the Blue Light youth program in action at Creekside K-9 College in Caroline Springs. This powerful initiative gives secondary students hands-on experiences with police and emergency services, fostering trust, open conversation and a sense of belonging. That confidence, resilience and strong sense of community connection is essential to keeping the future of our youth and our community bright. Thank you to Principal— The DEPUTY SPEAKER 282335 Thank you. The member for Monash. National Disability Insurance Scheme 90 16:12 Ms ALDRED 11788 Monash I rise to speak on changes to the National Disability Insurance Scheme pricing for providers on travel charges. These charges have reduced physiotherapy funding by $10 per hour and halved travel funding for allied health professionals. For regional communities like Monash, these cuts threaten the sustainability of specialist support services for people who need them most. I want to thank people living with a disability in Monash who have met with me to discuss how these changes will impact them, along with local providers, allied health professionals and plan managers. On 8 July I wrote to the Prime Minister and the Minister for Disability and the NDIS, outlining how these changes will hurt regional Australians living with a disability and those who support them. There has been 'crickets' from the government on this, despite the coalition very reasonably asking for a modest three-month pause on the implementation of these changes, which were due to come into effect from the start of the financial year, to be able to properly account for their impact. I commend my colleague the member for Herbert for his compelling advocacy on this issue. It represents the hurt and anxiety many people in my community are experiencing about these changes. These are not hypothetical case studies and numbers on a spreadsheet; the consequences of these changes are to real people. Among the stories that have most impacted my view on this issue are those of the teenage girl from the Latrobe Valley receiving weekly physiotherapy, without which she would return to being confined in a wheelchair, and the non-verbal child who cannot communicate that he is in pain. His speech therapy is the key that makes the difference every week. The reduction in travel funding poses a significant risk to the provision of necessary and ongoing care for people living with a disability in regional communities. It limits the ability of therapists to reach participants, thereby reducing access to vital services. The cuts jeopardise the essential care of people living with a disability in our community. They deserve better from our government than that. I support meaningful and practical efforts to ensure the NDIS is run efficiently, but disproportionately impacting regional communities is not the way to achieve this. Many of these providers are small businesses; they are not huge corporations and simply cannot absorb the cuts. They will close their doors or not travel to towns where their services are needed the most. In regional Australia, we lack the market density of city and metropolitan areas. This extends to services like the National Disability Insurance Scheme. I passionately believe your postcode shouldn't determine your potential in life. By its actions on this issue, the Albanese Labor government appears to disagree. I will continue to advocate for my community on this issue in the strongest terms possible because they deserve better. Darebin Child Care and Kindergarten, Assistance Dogs 91 16:15 Ms KEARNEY LTU Cooper In October 2023, I stood with early childhood educators, kindergarten teachers, parents and community members against Darebin City Council's plans to cut community childcare centre leases to just two years—an ordeal that not only was costly but would've created instability for educators and for parents and their bubs. After our grassroots campaign, the council were forced to act, and I acknowledge Kat Theophanous, the state member for Northcote, and Nathan Lambert, the state member for Preston and Reservoir, for their hard work on this issue. Darebin Child Care and Kindergarten and 17 other community-run childcare centres and kindergartens fought and won five-year-plus-five-year leases. I'll never forget standing with directors, staff and families, making it clear just how important certainty and stability are for these crucial services that support our youngest Cooper residents. Last week as part of Early Learning Matters Week, I returned to Darebin Child Care and Kindergarten—not to protest but to celebrate with their director, Tina, and her team. It was moving to see the educators' pride in their work and the gratitude of families who rely on their care, and there was more to celebrate. At last these educators who have been undervalued for far too long will see a 15 per cent pay rise back paid, recognising the extraordinary difference they make every single day. This is about respect and dignity and about saying the work of caring for and educating our youngest citizens matters. I'd like to raise the issue relating to standards for training and accreditation of assistance dogs. My constituent Charles has an assistance dog that is vital to his wellbeing as someone who suffers from severe PTSD. He has told me stories that no Australian should have to tell—stories of being refused entry to libraries and supermarkets, turned away from public transport and interrogated when trying to get into rideshare services with his much-needed furry companion. Instead of being supported, many are made to feel humiliated, and these stories are not unique. Thousands of Australians with guide dogs, hearing dogs, psychiatric support dogs and more face this same battle every single day. At the heart of the problem is a lack of national standards, which creates inconsistencies between states and across borders internationally in accreditation, in enforcement and also in recourse for discrimination. The message is simple. Australians with disabilities deserve equality. They deserve dignity and certainty, not confusion and exclusion. I will continue to advocate on this issue to make our standards better and more consistent because people's lives and independence depend on them, and Australians who rely on assistance dogs deserve better. Hinkler Electorate: Community Services, Turner, Mr James and Mrs Gladys 91 16:17 Mr BATT 315478 Hinkler I'll begin by celebrating the grassroots life-saving work of our local LifeFlight helicopter and its crew. During the past financial year, the Bundaberg based rescue chopper and crew completed a record number of search-and-rescue missions, supporting 306 people—more than any other Queensland base. Earlier this month I had the pleasure of visiting the LifeFlight hanger at the Bundaberg Regional Airport. The facilities are world class, but they are outgrowing them already. I had the opportunity to sit in the cockpit of a new AW139 helicopter. The striking dark-blue chopper weighs up to seven tonne when fully kitted out. It can climb at a rate of 2,000 feet per minute and travels at speeds of 305 kilometres per hour. The amazing crew, consisting of a pilot, crew member, doctor and paramedic, are all set up to help 24/7, whether they're out at sea, in the outback or winching in mountainous terrain. I commend the work of these heroes and acknowledge the ongoing support they receive locally to stay in the air saving lives in Hinkler and beyond. In my electorate of Hinkler, life-saving work happens in many ways and forms. Tina Davie and the Bayside Transformations team in Hervey Bay are changing lives for the better through a residential drug and alcohol rehabilitation program. Transformations operate all over Australia, and earlier this month I toured the hub in Hervey Bay, which includes common areas, leisure spaces and accommodation. The program takes individuals from active addiction and places them by the side of those in recovery. They call this therapeutic community. I was very impressed to see the thriving onsite kitchen in full swing, with participants and volunteers preparing locally grown vegetables under a successful social-enterprise project called Bayside Vegies. The kitchen supplies major outlets like the Hervey Bay RSL with potatoes, pumpkin, carrots and much more. I wish Tina and her team every success as they help lives get back on track and give purpose to those recovering from addiction. How amazing is this love story: on 12 August, just two weeks ago, James and Gladys Turner of Kawungan in Hervey Bay celebrated 75 years of marriage! Can you believe that—seventy-five years? In 1950 James and Gladys married in Burpengary. James was born in Mundubbera and Gladys was born in Brisbane. Throughout the 1950s the pair had four children: Trevor, Michelle, Malcolm and Eric. James was in the police force in the early days of their marriage, but his career was mainly spent running dry-cleaning businesses in Mackay, Rockhampton and, for a lengthy period, the heritage city of Maryborough. They were also kept busy growing macadamias and pineapples. James and Gladys moved to Hervey Bay in 2018, and I was fortunate to be able to give them my personal well wishes and a bouquet of flowers. I wish to take this opportunity to again congratulate Mr and Mrs Turner on a wonderful and inspiring 75 years of marriage—and many more to come. Burt Electorate: Volunteering 92 16:20 Mr KEOGH 249147 Burt I want to highlight some local legends from the Burt electorate in Perth's south-eastern suburbs. A couple of weeks ago, I was so proud to host the biggest-ever annual Burt Volunteer Awards. Our community is so much kinder, stronger, more vibrant and more connected thanks to the contribution of our volunteers. They really make a difference, and that's why I host these awards every year—to acknowledge the work of our local volunteers, even though they don't do it for the accolades. In the sports category we had Christine Selwood, Kevin    Brophy and Peter Hanna of the Armadale Junior Soccer Club; James Linton of the Kelmscott Junior Football Club; John Peberdy of the Gosnells Archers; Samantha Saffioti and Tony Sheppard of the Roleystone Junior Football Club; Angus Yarran and Kristian Egan of the Kelmscott Bulldogs Football Club; and Georgia Butler of the Kelmscott Baseball Club. The winner was Ric Batista of the Seville Dragons, a club he built from humble beginnings nearly 10 years ago where he's mentored hundreds of athletes. In the community services category there was Amy Warwick of the Rotary Club of Armadale; Dale Pekel of All Saints Anglican Church of Gosnells; the 'Armidale Train Guy', Kevin Bradney; Dawn Barker of the Good Samaritans WA; Kylee Plummer of the Kelmscott Bulldogs; Lesley Knox of the William Langford Community House; Natalie Crosswell of the Armadale Business Association; Rachel John of Classic Sounds Orchestra; Mark of Halo Care; and Krystelle Wall of the Gosnells Women's Collective. The winners were Kylie and Joel Burns of Feed It Forward, who have been preparing and distributing food hampers for our community for more than five years. In the youth category, we had Jennifer Howe of Team Connect WA; Logan Wolfe of the Gosnells Archers; Sama Raoufi of the local Afghan community; and young leader Suhrab Sadat. The winner was Utsav Thapaliya from the Stories Project, who works to foster harmony among diverse communities and advocates for individuals with disabilities. In the multicultural category, we had Aida Oakdon of the Filipino Australian Health Workers Association and Team Hope; Harry Gill of the Sikh community; Ambika, Jayanthi, Saravanan, Vijayalakshmi and Kanchanadevi of the Valluvan Tamil School; Aryan Malekzadeh of the Afghan Australian Cultural Council; Atul Garg, Eipe Chundamannil and Balli Singh of the Federation of Indian Associations of WA; Father Mehari Tela of the Tigray Holy Trinity Church in Kelmscott; Letty Durkin of the Tigray Orthodox Church in Kenwick; Nasire Koosheshi of the Handelan Iranian Cultural House; and Rajeev Narayanapanicker of the Samskruthi Perth. The winner was Zohal Raoufi, an advocate who has been supporting the Afghan community for over 15 years. In the environment category, we had Alan Dolphin from Free the Hounds; Andrew Batty of the Byford Community Garden; Jane Skoll of Friends of Banyowla Regional Park; Les Jarvis of the Armadale Gosnells Landcare Group; Margaret Middlemas of the Animal Protection Society of WA; and Michelle Hazelwood of the Darling Range Wildlife Shelter. The winner was Alan Wheatley of the Karrakin Black Cockatoo Conservation Centre, who's been volunteering in various roles for over 40 years. Finally, we had Mervyn Wilson of the Western Australian 10th Light Horse Organisation, who received a very special long service award for 24 years as a tireless and passionate volunteer. Thank you to all of our volunteers. Moncrieff Electorate: Vietnam Veterans' Day 93 16:24 Ms BELL 282981 Moncrieff I recently had the great privilege of joining my community for the annual Kokoda Day and Vietnam Veterans' Day commemorations. This year marked the 83rd Kokoda Day commemoration and, as I do each year, I joined the Rotary Club of Broadwater Southport and the Surfers Paradise RSL Sub-Branch for their service. It was a beautiful service held at the Rotary Kokoda Memorial Wall in Cascade Gardens in Broadbeach. This memorial is a wonderful, dedicated space that's also used outside of the official commemorations. Before I go on in this positive tone, I want to condemn those who have absolutely desecrated Cascade Gardens. I've just heard from my office that some vandalism has occurred there. I condemn those people for what they have done, and I hope the police bring the full force of the law down on those people who have done that over the last few days. It's very upsetting for the veterans. At this year's service, we were joined by veterans, community leaders and, of course, special guest Nova Peris OAM OLY. Nova's connection to Papua New Guinea is deeply personal. Her great-grandfather Jack Knox fought in the Kokoda campaign during the Second World War, and together we commemorated the courage, sacrifice and bravery of all who served during that conflict. It was a solemn service where we reflected on the pivotal role this campaign played in Australia's military history, and we honoured the unique bond forged between Australian and Papua New Guinean forces. It would be remiss of me not to mention and pay tribute, of course, to the fuzzy wuzzy angels, who were seminal in the conflict. They bravely aided our wounded troops alongside the Papuan infantry battalion, who fought valiantly. It's so very important to continue elevating and shining a light on our country's military history. We must never, ever forget the contributions of our diggers and the perils, the losses, the grievances and the grieving of war. Just last week I joined the Nerang RSL sub-branch and the Gold Coast sub-branch of the Vietnam Veterans Association for their Vietnam Veterans' Day commemorative service. This service was held in an equally beautiful location, in the veterans garden at the beautiful Nerang RSL and Memorial Club. It was my pleasure to be there alongside our incredible service personnel. We took the time to pause and reflect upon the sacrifices made during the Vietnam War and the Battle of Long Tan, a conflict that saw more than 60,000 Australians serve, 523 of whom were, sadly, killed. Of those 60,000 that served, there are around 35,000 surviving Aussie Vietnam vets. Their service and sacrifice will never be in vain. We must continue to elevate veterans' voices and ensure their legacy lives on. We will remember them. Lest we forget. Asylum Seekers, Murdock, Ms Sara 93 16:27 Mr KHALIL 101351 Wills I recently had the pleasure of meeting with my local chapter of Grandmothers for Refugees, a community group in my electorate. The Grandmothers for Refugees were established in 2014. They're a group that advocates for fair treatment of refugees and for their visas. They're a wonderful group of women who are committed, who are passionate, who care, who advocate and who do the hard work. I share a lot of their passion, and I have throughout my parliamentary career and my work around refugee rights and for asylum seekers as well. That's why it was so great to welcome the Albanese government's commitment to a $160 million package of reforms to restore integrity to Australia's refugee protection system, providing a fair go to asylum seekers and helping break the business model of people who seek to exploit the system. That included a $54 million investment in establishing real-time priority processing of protection visa applications. That's a historic investment. That means most new protection applications are now decided almost eight times faster than those under the previous government. That means individuals and families, if owed protection, can move to permanent protection visas sooner, which, obviously, comes with access to essential services like Medicare, Centrelink and the NDIS as well. I've spoken over many years about the need for Australia to have a fair and a compassionate migration system. My electorate of Wills thrives due to the migration policies of many governments of the past, especially Labor governments. Our electorate is very diverse. It's multicultural, and 62 per cent of residents have at least one parent born overseas. I will continue to fight for a fair, humane refugee policy that reflects the values of our diverse and our generous community, like the Grandmothers for Refugees. Also in my electorate, I have the incredible honour of representing the national Outstanding Community Pharmacist of the year for 2025. Her name is Sara Murdock. She's based at Pharmacy 777 in Pascoe Vale in the heart of my electorate. Sara is an amazing pharmacist. She's been recognised for her dedication to patient centred care, innovations in community health and a commitment to improving public health outcomes. I recently visited Sara for a health screening. She made sure I was fighting fit for my role in parliament. I'm not sure how well she did, but that's on me, I think. Thanks to the Albanese government, from the beginning of next year, pharmacies will now dispense all PBS scripts for just $25, the same price as 2004. Sara was very happy about that, and many of her clients and customers were so happy about that. This is all part of our commitment to ease the cost-of-living pressures and strengthen Medicare. That's what we're doing—we're freezing the cost of the PBS medicines so people have greater access to the medicines they need when they need them, because no-one should be left behind when it comes to their health. Native Title 94 16:30 Mr BOYCE 299498 Flynn Imagine you are inviting a group to lunch to discuss plans for next year, and this group proposed to charge you $16,000 to cover the cost to attend that lunch. This is exactly what happened to the Banana Shire Council in my electorate of Flynn. The Banana Shire Council tried to have an open dialogue with relevant traditional owners to outline upcoming capital projects for the new financial year but were asked to pay $16,000 for four people to attend a working lunch. This is not acceptable—in fact, it's offensive. Another example in the council's July minutes revealed that for a recent road project budgeted for $90,000, where council had to pay four people's wages for each day plus accommodation and travel, the cost to council having to undertake onsite cultural heritage searches cost more than $30,000. The project, originally budgeted for $90,000, ended up costing the council $120,000 just so the council could comply with the cultural heritage obligations. These expenses mean that every single rate payer in the council shire will have to pay more to cover all these expenses. Cultural heritage laws are not just affecting the Banana Shire Council; they are affecting many councils and community organisations in the electorate of Flynn and all over the country. Last year the Bruce Highway was closed after a truck carrying ammonium nitrate crashed and exploded near Bororen in my electorate of Flynn. The explosion created a crater about 20 metres in diameter and three metres deep, and the highway was damaged and remained closed for four days for necessary repairs. I was amazed to learn that it was reported that a cultural heritage investigation had to be undertaken before this critical highway could be reopened. To break down the issue, a cultural heritage assessment had to be undertaken on an already established highway before it could be reopened to thousands of people and vehicles that use it every day. The current native title and cultural heritage laws are not sustainable or practical in their current form, and I'm calling on both federal and state governments to come together and make important reforms to these laws. I am not suggesting for one minute that we abandon cultural heritage or native title—just stop it from becoming a blatant money grab. Ballarat International Foto Biennale 94 16:32 Ms CATHERINE KING 00AMR Ballarat A great event happens every two years in the depths of winter in Ballarat. In contrast to the grey skies above, we start seeing a lot of yellow around the city—yellow signage, people dressed in yellow, the umbrellas in the iconic umbrella laneway in the CBD suddenly become yellow, and in the streets people are carrying bright yellow bags. It means that the Ballarat International Foto Biennale has begun. This year's exhibitions explore life force. The photography that fills the city, the buildings, the laneways, our restaurants and a range of other beautiful venues explores what it is and what it means to be alive—this thrumming energy of living things. More than 360 artists are featured in this year's Biennale, from the arresting work of British-Ghanaian photographer and filmmaker Campbell Addy to the celebrated Robert Mapplethorpe. This year features the world premiere of Catherine Leroy's One-Way Ticket to Vietnam. The French photographer was 21 and had a camera and $100 in her pocket when she arrived to document the Vietnam War in 1966. It was the beginning of a career of fearless war photography. The 11th Ballarat International Foto Biennale includes more than 2,000 photographic works. Overall, there are 111 exhibitions, one of which was made possible with support from the Albanese government's Festival Australia Fund. Mumu Mirri was designed by the Wathawurrung artist Dr Deanne Gilson and constructed by Natimuk artist Dave Jones. It is simply unmissable. It's an enormous bogong moth installed on the façade of the National Centre for Photography on Lydiard Street. It gently flutters by day and it glows at night. While visitors will flock to Ballarat over the next eight weeks, the festival is embraced by locals, too. In fact, more than 200 volunteers will ensure the smooth running of the Biennale. The last three festivals have brought $93 million of economic benefit to our region, and it is an astonishing achievement for the Biennale team, led by Artistic Director and CEO Vanessa Gerrans, with General Manager Kate O'Hehir and Chair of the Board Alicia Linley. Trying to use words to describe the Ballarat Foto Biennale doesn't quite work. You really have to see it for yourselves. So I'd encourage anyone who can to visit Ballarat between now and 19 October. I can assure you that you won't be disappointed by the magnificent works that are on display. Economic Reform Roundtable 95 16:35 Mr BIRRELL 288713 Nicholls The Labor government's touted productivity roundtable, or economic roundtable—whatever it was eventually called—seemed like a bit of a stunt to create the impression that one of the critical challenges faced by Australia, our fall in productivity, is in fact actually being addressed. Many of us gave it the benefit of the doubt, because you have to discuss these issues, and businesses having dialogue with our leaders is a good thing. But here's the problem. Labor, under this prime minister and this treasurer, is fundamentally an antiproductivity government. It is obsessed with government-directed wealth redistribution, crony capitalism and the welfare state. It is dictated to by the unions, and these dictations find their way into legislation, and that legislation makes us less competitive and less productive. Energy policy was barely discussed at the roundtable, as though everyone accepts that the transition is going swimmingly and that cheap and affordable power will just continue as we move from generation techniques such as coal and gas, which are 24/7, to an intermittent supply. Anyone who is seriously assessing the grid and looking at the successes and failures of other nations in their energy transitions would see the flaws in this approach. This particular energy transition is one of the biggest economic gambles Australia has ever faced. The probability and the consequences of getting it wrong are too horrific to contemplate. I worry that government ministers seem to put the viability and competitiveness of businesses, particularly small business, last on their list of priorities when drafting legislation. This is evident in the regrettable changes to the Murray-Darling Basin Plan and the new industrial laws, which have hit small businesses hard with a mountain of regulation. In addition, Labor is on a spending spree, with diminishing economic activity to pay back the debt into the future. According to data published by the Centre for Independent Studies in July this year, more than half of Australian voters rely on government for their main income, through public sector wages, welfare payments or subsidies. The Institute of Public Affairs found that, between August 2022 and August 2024, 82 per cent of new persons were employed in the public service. Now, that's not to say that people who work in the public sector in many cases don't provide a valuable service. But an economy based on taxpayer funded jobs is a house of cards. Tax was discussed, but I don't see any real appetite for reform. And efforts by the previous coalition government to address the productivity-killing phenomenon of bracket creep were reversed by Labor. So, what does this all mean? Well, it appears that we're on a pathway to managed decline, and that means a decline in our living standards and opportunities for our next generation, and we need a bold government to address these factors in a serious way. Brand Electorate: Stronger Communities 95 16:38 Ms MADELEINE KING 102376 Brand Today I would like to congratulate organisations in my electorate of Brand for receiving funding from this government under our Stronger Communities program. I want to congratulate the Seaside Camp for Children at Point Peron, who were awarded $10,000. Formerly known as the Alfred Hines Seaside Camp, this is the first camp to offer camps, getaways and respite for young people with disabilities. The camp has served the community for more than 65 years, and it will use the funds to improve wheelchair access and enable all kids to have a really great time by the beach. Thank you for the work you do at the seaside camp. Congratulations also to Calista Primary School P&C, who received $20,000. That will fund upgraded playground facilities, including new climbing frames and shade structures. It's a wonderful little school, and this investment will create safer and more enjoyable areas for the kids in this great Kwinana school to play and have fun. I look forward to having a visit—although I must say I probably won't be doing the climbing! I also want to congratulate Marine Rescue Rockingham, who received $10,000 under the Stronger Communities Program. This funding will enable them to enhance their rescue capabilities by purchasing a state-of-the-art water drone—it's called the Dolphin; I've seen it myself—and a life-size and apparently life-weight manikin for training purposes. Marine Rescue Rockingham do a really fantastic job. About 90 volunteers form boat crews, radio operators and administrative support working 24/7 all year round to ensure local boaties and fishers get some help if they run into trouble. Rockingham and the suburbs around it are some of the areas with the highest boat ownership in Western Australia, and, with an amazing coastline, a lot of people get out on the water. I really want to thank Marine Rescue Rockingham for what they do. I went along to their volunteer thankyou dinner last Saturday, and I want to join in congratulating all the award winners, the life members and all the volunteers for their achievements. Thank you for always, as they say at Marine Rescue, standing by. The WA Police and Community Youth Centre in Rockingham has received a grant to deliver a project that supports and celebrates Whadjuk Noongar culture. It's a vital organisation that will empower young people and provide social benefits to the wider community. The CREW in Rockingham has received $9,000. They do remarkable work across Brand, with over 100 regular volunteers providing food and clothing to about 700 people a week. That's going to help them purchase solar panels to support the financial viability of the organisation by bringing down their power prices. The White Knights Baldivis Cricket Club has also got some funding, nearly $7,000, for installing publicly accessible, fully monitored defibrillators which will be available 24/7. This is crucial life-saving equipment for both the club and the wider community out at the Baldivis sporting hub, which is a great place for the community to gather. Cudal-Cargo and District Lions Club 96 16:41 Mr GEE 261393 Calare Today in this House I acknowledge the Cudal-Cargo and District Lions Club. For close to 40 years the Cudal-Cargo Lions have been serving our local communities and our country. Cudal and Cargo are smaller communities of the Calare electorate, and they are thriving and vibrant. This mighty club makes a real difference to the lives of residents in the Cudal-Cargo area. Lions clubs all over Australia assist with local community fundraising for important causes. In addition to community service, Lions Australia has a history of providing natural disaster and emergency relief as well supporting medical research. The Cudal-Cargo Lions club is no exception. Over the last year alone, the club has raised over $45,000, supporting a range of impactful programs and projects including the Central West Tractor Trek in support of Little Wings, the Cudal and Cargo public schools, hearing dogs, the Cudal Show, the flood appeal, prostate cancer support, assisting people with a disability to purchase support equipment, providing four young adults with $2,000 each to support their first year of university or TAFE, and nominating local women for the New South Wales rural women of the year awards. The club caters for thousands of people at the Australian National Field Days and also the caravan and camping show as part of their fundraising activities. Recently, club members were assisting with eye screening at Grenfell Public School. I would like to thank and acknowledge the outstanding team at Cudal-Cargo Lions, including the president, Brent Twaddle; the vice-president, Brigitte Eden—Brigitte was just presented with the Lion of the year award at the recent changeover—the treasurer, Greg Lynch; the secretary, Lyn Frecklington; the public officer, Janet Price; the safety officer and current member, Kristy Dolbel; former district governor and communication and publicity coordinator Ron Parry; the catering coordinator and current member, Helen Coleman; former zone chair and current member Barbara Parry; former president and current member Sue Parish; founding and current members Graham Eslick and Dave Farrell; and members Jim Brien, Margaret Brien, Carroll Smith, Jane Miller, Kathy Wicks and Russell Wicks. At the end of September, the Cudal-Cargo and District Lions Club will be celebrating its 40th anniversary. The motto of Lions International is We Serve, and the kind-hearted members of Cudal-Cargo Lions certainly personify this. In a turbulent world, their kindness and compassion shine through. I congratulate this marvellous club on its 40th birthday and the unwavering commitment of its members to our communities. As a Lions Club member myself, I can tell you it's great to be a Lion. Well done, Cudal-Cargo Lions. We appreciate everything you do. Leichhardt Electorate: Run and Roll 96 16:44 Mr MATT SMITH 312393 Leichhardt Seven years ago, Jen Rees walked into my office while I was still working at Sport and Rec in Cairns. She pitched an idea that she was going to bring wheelchair tennis to Cairns, creating a program known as Run and Roll. Run and Roll pairs able-bodied athletes with chair athletes in a modified game of tennis. The goal was simple: create an opportunity for kids to play with their friends—nothing more, nothing less. Working with Tennis Queensland and local tennis clubs, Jen set about creating the program and finding chairs, space and coaches. To launch the program, Olympic gold medallist and four-time Australian Open champion Heath Davidson came to Cairns to show the participants what was possible. One of the attendees was a youngster named Ben Wenzel. Ben was able to spend some time with Heath, and the program took off. As the program went along, Fred Lay, a coach from the Northern Beaches of Cairns, took the opportunity to expand his coaching knowledge and became an accredited wheelchair coach. This provided 11-year-old Ben with the ability to train, improve his game and be more competitive with his friends. Had that been the end of the story, it would have been a truly exceptional program. But Ben had found his thing. Ben has made numerous Australian teams and travelled the world, and last year he became one of the US Open junior doubles champions, the first junior open champion in Australian history. He has gone from strength to strength. This year, he will be participating in the US Open in the open draw for wheelchair tennis, a fantastic achievement for young Ben. But none of this happens in a vacuum. This was about good people doing good things for their community and providing Ben with these opportunities. Ben is to be congratulated for the hard work, the sacrifice and the dedication that has placed him into a spot where he breathes rare air that most of us never even get to. But Jen needs to be congratulated too. She took an opportunity, she found a way and she delivered for that young man so he can live out his dreams and we can cheer him on as proud Australians. Fred deserves congratulations for taking the time and expanding his knowledge so that he could give this young man an opportunity—and he's grabbed it with both hands. We wish Ben all the best from all of Leichhardt. We will be watching him very closely. Congratulations to Ben, and congratulations to his family. A division having been ca lled in the House of Representatives— Sitting suspended from 16:46 to 16:57 Macquarie Home Stay 97 16:57 Mr CHAFFEY 316312 Parkes Specialised healthcare services in the Parkes electorate are hard to find. When you need life-saving critical care, you need people around you who provide that care. That is exactly what Macquarie Home Stay have been doing since 2019 for the people of regional New South Wales who need to travel to Dubbo to receive medical treatment. People in regional Australia face significant disadvantages when it comes to health care. In fact a 2024 Royal Flying Doctor Service report found that rural and remote residents are almost three times more likely to be hospitalised and 2.7 times more likely to die from potential avoidable causes compared to people in major cities. Added to the shock and stress of medical conditions is the need to travel long distances to find help. This comes with a significant expense for those who often are the ones who can least afford it. On Saturday night I attended the Outback Hearts masquerade ball in Dubbo, an event that raises money for Macquarie Home Stay. It was a great reminder of what an incredible service this is, providing safe, specifically designed accommodation at a very minimal cost. It's a service that has been realised by a lot of hard work and financial support from communities throughout regional New South Wales. A recent update from Macquarie Home Stay stated that 20.9 per cent of the people relying on their service come from the Walgett Shire, 17.7 per cent come from the Mid-Western Regional Council area, 14.9 per cent come from the Warrumbungle Shire, 14.7 per cent come from the Cobar Shire, 7.3 per cent come from the Coonamble Shire, 6.9 per cent come from the Bourke Shire, 3.1 per cent come from the Parkes Shire, 2.2 per cent come from the Warren Shire, 1.4 per cent come from the Gilgandra Shire and the rest come from throughout regional New South Wales. Many of these councils have contributed financially to support the growth of Macquarie Home Stay. That is why the Nationals committed $2 million at the last election for future expansions. Where the system lets down our regional people, the least we can do is support them with initiatives like this one. Unfortunately, the Albanese government did not see fit to match this commitment. They are failing in the delivery of health care, and now they are failing to support the organisations that make healthcare support possible for desperate families. Macquarie Home Stay is meeting such a desperate need that it has to turn away between three and 14 families every single day. I repeat: up to 14 families every single day. I commend the hard work and commitment of the people behind Macquarie Home Stay: the compassionate CEO, Mr Rod Crowfoot, and the incredible group of volunteer board members with the vision to serve the people most in need. This shows exactly what regional Australians are capable of, and we must support them to get their fair share. Bennelong Electorate: Bennelong in One Room, Renewable Energy 97 17:00 Mr LAXALE 299174 Bennelong Earlier this year, working with democracyCo, I hosted Bennelong in One Room, a deliberative democracy forum that brought participants from across Bennelong to discuss public policy. They were randomly selected and diverse in background, age and political views. This forum showed us democracy at its best. I must truly thank locals for their participation and their time and Emily Jenke and Emma Fletcher from democracyCo for their expert facilitation. Across the three sessions, participants heard from experts, deliberated respectfully and produced thoughtful, practical ideas. It might seem unbelievable to people in this place, but together they sat around the table and found consensus. At the end of the process, they presented a report—a thoughtful set of practical ideas about how we can tackle the energy transition in a way that works for our community. Their message was clear: Bennelong supports the shift away from fossil fuels, but people want it done fairly and with equity at its heart. They identified priorities like electrifying homes and transport, improving access to solar batteries and electric vehicles, building community batteries, investing in better public and active transport, lifting building standards, increasing urban greening and creating a trusted local information hub. They also asked for four things from government: trust, integrity, accountability and action. This forum reinforced what I've been hearing in Bennelong for years: locals want practical solutions, they want fairness and they want their government to deliver, just as Labor has delivered community batteries across the country, including in Bennelong. Federal Labor has also funded, with the state government, a $115 million bus depot in Macquarie Park—the first electric-only bus depot in New South Wales—and I've been working very closely with the New South Wales state government to deliver new and better public transport routes across our city. The Minns Labor government have improved strata laws, and I will continue to advocate for more so that renters and apartment dwellers can access renewables and electrification. We've made home batteries cheaper and supported renters and apartment dwellers through solar banks and federal funding for solar for apartments. New vehicle efficiency standards are now in effect, and we have rolled out our Rewiring the Nation fund to modernise our grid. Importantly, what we are doing is working. Emissions are now almost 30 per cent below 2005 levels, and renewable energy makes up more than 40 per cent of the generation in our main grids. We are on target to meet our 2030 emissions reductions targets, and we're the only party of government with the ambition and the policy to achieve net zero. Thank you to all of those who participated in this incredible forum. I thank them for their time. Community Events, Renewable Energy 98 17:03 Mr CALDWELL 306489 Fadden On 18 August each year our nation pauses to mark Vietnam Veterans' Day, honouring the more than 60,000 Australians who served in that conflict and remembering the 500 who never came home and the 2,400 who were wounded. Veterans were not shown the respect they deserved on their return, but today we stand united in gratitude. On the Gold Coast our veteran community remains strong, supported by local RSLs and service organisation. To all the Vietnam veterans and their families, we say thank you. Your courage, sacrifice and enduring legacy have strengthened our nation. I welcome the delivery by the Crisafulli LNP Queensland government of the $200 Play On! vouchers for children aged five to 17. This practical support will provide real relief for families and help more young people get active in sport. Importantly, it also strengthens our grassroots community clubs that are the heartbeat of our local areas. Special mention to my state colleagues Michael Crandon, Mark Boothman, Sam O'Connor and, of course, Premier David Crisafulli, the member for Broadwater, who all continue to deliver for local families. Once again, it's the LNP supporting the next generation of Queenslanders to participate and thrive through sport. One of the great strengths of our community is the Scouting movement, which teaches resilience, leadership and service to young Australians. Recently, I was pleased to support the Helensvale Scout Group at their Bunnings sausage sizzle fundraising event. Scouting gives young people confidence, outdoor skills and a strong sense of responsibility to others. These are qualities that last a lifetime. I commend the leaders, parents and volunteers who give so much of their time to ensure scouting thrives on the northern Gold Coast. Earlier this month, I attended the Runaway Bay Little Athletics open day. This remarkable club has now been serving our local community for more than 45 years. With around 400 members last season, it continues to be a thriving hub of activity and opportunity for local athletes. I congratulate centre manager Rene Doel, secretary Nikki and the entire committee for their dedication and leadership. Clubs like Runaway Bay Little Athletics are about more than sport; they are about belonging and building the confidence of the next generation. They remain an aspiration for our Gold Coast community. With 26 seconds to go, I would like to comment on the remarks made before by the member for Bennelong, who has now rewritten history by claiming the reduction in carbon emissions that was actually achieved under the Abbott, Morrison and Turnbull governments. In fact, what's happened in the last three years? The emission reductions have flatlined. The big gains were made under coalition governments, and I urge Australians to see the facts on this. (Time expired) Blair Electorate: Community Grants 98 17:06 Mr NEUMANN HVO Blair I'm delighted to report the Albanese Labor government is delivering around $5.8 million over five years for six organisations to provide emergency and food relief for struggling families and individuals in my electorate, including terrific local community organisations like Ipswich Assist, Leichhardt One Mile Community Centre and Riverview Community Centre, as well as bigger charities like Vinnies. We are also providing $2.1 million over five years to three organisations which are helping people in Ipswich to access financial counselling, including people facing financial hardship due to gambling: the Salvos, Each Ipswich and Women's Legal Service Queensland. I know many people in my electorate are doing it tough, and services like this are seeing a big increase in requests for assistance. That's why this funding will help families and individuals in Ipswich who may be facing hard choices, like a choice between buying new school shoes and doing a grocery shop, or between keeping the lights on and paying their phone bills. I visited one of the funding recipients, local charity Ipswich Assist, before the election to see firsthand their emergency relief work. They provide year-round assistance to people, including basic food staples, utility bills, rent assistance, pharmacy support and local op shop referrals. Just the other week, I dropped in on another grant recipient, the Salvos' Moneycare Ipswich financial counselling service, who are doing a fantastic job supporting locals with debts, gambling problems and other financial issues and helping people deal with their cost-of-living issues. Combined with Labor's tax cuts, increased wages, cheaper medicines, cuts to student debt, increases in Commonwealth rent assistance and energy bill relief, this boost to emergency and food relief and financial wellbeing support is just another way the Albanese government is helping to address the cost-of-living challenge for people in my community and making sure no-one's left behind. I want to congratulate the 14 community groups and sporting clubs who've received $100,000 in funding in total in the latest round of the government's Stronger Communities Program. Charities, including sporting clubs, got this funding, with individual grants ranging from $3,204 to $10,000. Local organisations that are successful recipients include Ipswich Hospice, with $10,000 to concrete brick paver paths; Ipswich Kindergarten in Milford Street, where I went to kindy, which received $10,000 to replace ageing shade sails; North Ipswich Bowls Club in Ipswich, which received $10,000 for energy efficiency and LED lighting; the Vedanta Centre's Maa Sarada soup kitchen in the Greater Springfield area, which received a $10,000 grant; and the Rosewood & District Community Kindergarten in Rosewood, which received $10,000 for new upgraded electrical appliances and equipment. Money also went to the Somerset region for local community organisations. The DEPUTY SPEAKER 299498 In accordance with standing order 193 the time for members constituency statements has concluded. GOVERNOR-GENERAL'S SPEECH 99 GOVERNOR-GENERAL'S SPEECH Address-in-Reply 99 17:10 Mr WILLCOX 286535 Dawson I am proud to stand here for a second term, and I believe I am still the same Andrew who walked through these doors three years ago. My values have not changed. While I learnt a lot in my first term, the training wheels are off and my focus hasn't shifted. My priority remains squarely on the needs of the people of Dawson and the betterment of this great country. I want to take a moment to congratulate all the members of this House, and the senators, who have been elected to represent their communities. There is no greater honour than to be trusted by your community to represent their views, and to fight for their needs in our nation's parliament. While the election result did not go the way I had hoped, I am 100 per cent committed to working with whoever I need to in order to secure the support, resources, infrastructure, and investment the people of Dawson need and deserve. I am also humbled by my new appointment as a shadow assistant minister for manufacturing and sovereign capability. It's a role that couldn't be more fitting for the region I represent. Dawson is a vast and vibrant electorate and, in my opinion, the best part of this entire country. It stretches from Mackay in the south to the southern suburbs of Townsville in the north. It includes the stunning Whitsundays, the communities of the Burdekin, and my home town of Bowen. In Dawson we grow, we build; we are miners, manufacturers, farmers, fishermen, tourism operators and even space pioneers. We are people of vision who take an idea from concept to application. We are innovators and entrepreneurs. We are everyday Aussies who just want to have a fair crack and enjoy their life. Behind wheat, sugar is Australia's second-most exported crop, generating around $2 billion annually. A significant chunk of that comes straight from Dawson, being the largest sugarcane-growing area in the country. How sweet it is. The sugar industry sustains thousands of jobs across Dawson, and the flow-on economic benefits to our communities are massive. Sugar isn't just about the sweet stuff in your morning cuppa. Mackay Sugar's Racecourse Mill runs a 38-megawatt cogeneration plant that turns sugarcane byproducts like bagasse into renewable electricity. This single facility supplies roughly 30 per cent of Mackay's electricity and slashes greenhouse gas emissions by around 200,000 tonnes a year. Paget is an industrial estate in Mackay and the largest manufacturing hub in the southern hemisphere. It is also the service centre of the mining sector just over the hill. Despite what this government says, this industry is vital to our country, creating thousands of jobs directly and indirectly. It generates millions in royalties, which keeps our economy ticking. Without mining, our country stops. At the opposite end of Paget, in South Townsville, Dawson boasts the Wulguru Group, one of the largest steel fabrication and engineering companies in northern Australia—g'day Bob! Dawson is also home to a major coal export terminal and two metal refineries—for now, anyway. Let's see how Labor goes with these. In our section of the Great Barrier Reef, we have 74 of the most gorgeous tropical islands in the world. Of course I'm talking about the Whitsunday Islands. In Bowen and the surrounding regions, we have the largest production of vegetable crops throughout the winter months, worth approximately $650 million, generating roughly 1,500 full-time jobs and increasing to 2,000 more during the season. Our growers feed the nation. We're also home to around 400 kilometres of the more notorious and deadly section of the Bruce Highway—by the way, that last one I'm not terribly proud of. Time and time again, regional and rural Australia—regions like Dawson—get left behind under Labor. As I've just explained, we contribute so much, yet we receive so little. While North Queensland fuels the national economy and revenues flow to the cities, the returns we see in Dawson—well, to be frank, you'd be better off stuffing pineapples under your mattress. In Labor's last term, Dawson was all but ignored. Living standards went backwards. The cost of everything has spiralled. Farmers are being hit hard, and then they're being hit some more. Businesses have closed. People are having to choose between keeping heating and cooling or putting food in the fridge. The Bruce Highway is deteriorating further and faster. And essential services are less accessible and affordable. Dawson deserves better. Over the past three years the people of Dawson have spoken to me and they've shared their stories. Some of our elderly are more concerned about their grandchildren's future than they are about their own current living conditions. Having been through tough times before, they know and understand what it means to tighten their belt. What if the damage has gone too far, irreversible for both the economy and the environment? That is why I will continue to fight for what I believe is just and fair, to get Dawson and rural and regional Australia its fair share. I am extremely proud to have had the AEIOU centre in South Townsville come to fruition in my last term. This centre provides a vital service of education and care for children with autism. I'm also pleased to see the upgrade and expansion of VMR Whitsunday, a project I campaigned hard on, allowing this amazing team of volunteers to have a more creative and up-to-date operations centre so they can continue to keep our boaties safe on the water. For the 2025 election campaign I pushed for $5 million in funding to go towards a veterans wellness hub in Mackay. To have 4,000 veterans living in an area that has no safe place to go or receive support is simply not good enough. I've also campaigned on funding to go towards Orange Sky in Mackay, a service that operates washing machines and dryers for the homeless; Angel-Paws in Townsville, a refuge for abandoned animals; and many sporting clubs throughout the electorate, some of which are in dire need of the basics, like toilets, change rooms, and clubhouse builds and upgrades. Now that the parliament has been sworn in, I've written to the Prime Minister and asked for these commitments to receive bipartisan support and be honoured so that our families in our region can drive. The government made a lot of big promises during the recent election campaign, and I intend to hold them to account. Labor told my constituents that things would improve, that help was coming. They promised no cut to health care, yet the very first thing they did was slash the number of mental health sessions in half, from 20 to 10. They promised no new taxes and only tax cuts. Well, we've all seen how that's been going. They promised that the Bruce Highway would be fixed, boasting that the Labor government is the only government that will fix our Bruce. Let's see how that goes. They promised more housing, and easing of cost of living, but we're living in a Labor-created cost-of-living crisis. They said green energy would mean cheaper electricity. Well, even the CSIRO said that's not right. And we've all heard the promise, over and over again, of a reduction of $275 in our power bills. We never heard of that again. Labor has cut the guts out of the NDIS, with zero consultation and zero notice. These cuts are a huge impact on people living with mobility impairments in Dawson. Next they want to slug Australians with a super tax on unrealised gains, which will hurt our farmers the most. Let me spell it out. How does this government expect a farmer to pay tax on income that they haven't even received—money that's not in the bank and never was? What if there's a drought? What if prices fall or machines break down? Farmers are already doing it tough. They don't need to be hit again. And where's the aspiration for our next generation just starting out? The rest of Labor's so-called promises are also on shaky ground. Back in January, Labor announced $7.2 billion for the Bruce Highway. It's now past midyear. The wet season is fast approaching, and very little has been done. Meanwhile, the roads keep deteriorating—more potholes, more fatalities and more chaos. At the beginning of this year, Whitsunday Coast Airport was cut off four times—four separate times, and for days at a time! The Bruce was also cut at Plantation Creek between Home Hill and Ayr for over a week, and this is the only connection from north to south. A flooded Bruce disrupts the movement of goods and essential supplies, as well as the safe movement of our people. Every time the Bruce gets cut, our shelves run bare. The people of Dawson shouldn't have to live like that. This is a critical national highway, not some hardly used backstreet. Labor's inaction impacting everyday living and costing lives is not good enough. I have campaigned to fix the Bruce, and I won't stop until we see some real investment, not just patch-up jobs and empty announcements. On housing, Labor promised 1.2 million new homes in five years. This target is slipping further and further away. Treasury's own predictions now show that the government targets are not achievable. Treasury documents leaked to the media also show that the government faces a choice: raise taxes or rein in their wasteful spending. On the cost of living, prices are still going up on all of life's essential items. Australia is in a per capita recession. The only reason we haven't ticked the technical recession box is uncontrolled immigration. Let me be clear. Immigration is vital to our story as a nation. But, without proper planning and without controlled immigration, the result is a skyrocketing demand for housing, services and infrastructure, which are pushing prices up for Australians even further. And, while other development countries are shoring up their energy security, Labor is pursuing a renewables-only fantasy. It's ideological and simply not practical. We are one of the most resource-rich countries on Earth. There is no reason or excuse for our power bills to be among the highest in the world, and yet they are. Labor insists that wind and solar will solve everything and drive costs down. That's simply not happening. To cover some of the pain from previous unrealised promises that power prices would be $275 cheaper, Labor rolled out a $75 per quarter subsidy. These subsidies will come off at the end of this year. With prices still rising, this means that next year households will have to find at least another $300 on top of what they're already paying, and that's just to keep the lights on. I support a balanced energy mix. I support what's practical, affordable and reliable. Let's be clear. Solar and wind is not a 24/7 solution. Wind and solar requires massive land use and infrastructure, and, once again, our farmers are shouldering the burden of Labor's green obsession. In this term, I have been appointed to the coalition's energy policy working group. I look forward to reviewing our national energy mix based on economic merit and reliability, not ideology. As the new shadow assistant minister for manufacturing and sovereign capability, I'll be fiercely promoting Australian made manufacturing backed by Aussie talent and resources. If COVID has taught us anything, it's that we need to be able to stand on our own two feet as a nation. We need to manufacture, build, grow and develop in our own right. Speaking of sovereign capabilities, how about our very first Australian made rocket, Eris, which recently launched just north of Bowen. When I gave my maiden speech three years ago, I informed the House of two brothers, Adam and James Gilmour, who were on a mission to launch rockets with payloads of satellites into low Earth orbit. Although the first test flight did not make low Earth orbit, it did get off the ground—for 14 seconds, I might add—and allow the Gilmour team to gather valuable data which will help lead to further launches in the future. Congratulations to Adam and James and the entire Gilmour space team. To the stars! Before I finish, I would like to make mention of a few people who, without, I wouldn't have the opportunity of this second term. Firstly, I would like to acknowledge and thank my campaign team: Ian Shield, Ian Dean, Pauline Townsend, Mardi Mathieson, Jean McCubbin, Merewyn Wright, Amanda Hall, Mick Adam and Rosemary Menkens. I give a shout-out to a couple of young fellas, Rory and Nate, who did a great job handing out, setting up, doing data collection, staying up all hours of the night, setting up booths in the early hours of the morning and working like Trojans. Well done, young fellas. We're looking forward to seeing where your careers are going to go in years to come. I must also mention David Cooper, Laurie Neilson, Sophie and Lawson Camm, Peter Byers, Chrissy Lando, Peter Hall, Trevor Townsend, John and Donna Carroll and my countless volunteers who gave up their valuable time in one way or another. Whether it was setting up, packing down, letterbox dropping, making phone calls, standing out in the weather or even just turning up with a cold drink for other volunteers, I say thank you, thank you, thank you. Of course, I'd like to thank my campaign manager and wife, Raylene, and our children and their partners for their love and support and all their hard work through my campaign. Last, but certainly not least, I thank the people of Dawson for once again putting their faith in me, their trust in me, to be their voice in this place and to fight for their needs. The honour of being a federal member is one that I do not take for granted, and I will continue to work hard for them and to work collaboratively with any member of the House to advance the interests and the better living standards of the communities of Dawson. I extend an open invitation to all members of this place to come and visit my region and see firsthand what my people provide for our nation, what is needed for them to continue to deliver and what they deserve. I promise you: come to Dawson and you will not be disappointed. 17:28 Mr GEORGANAS DZY Adelaide I'm very proud to be part of this government, the Albanese government, in this 48th Parliament. I say so because, No. 1 and as we just heard the member say, it's an absolute honour to be elected to this place, regardless of what political party you're in or what your political views are. It's something that is an honour, and there is no greater vocation than to have your peers elect you to this place. It's something that is very, very special. This was my 10th election. I've run in 10 elections. My record is seven out of 10, so it's not bad. I first ran in 1998 and then in 2001, missing out both times by a tiny margin, and then scraped through in 2004, in one of the most marginal seats in the country, with 108 votes. I went on to win in 2007 and 2010, losing in 2013 and making a comeback in 2016—again, scraping through—and, certainly, winning in 2019, 2022 and again in 2025. But, regardless of the margin or the results, I am, as I said, immensely proud to represent the people of Adelaide—to be their voice, their conscience, and to ensure that we listen to the electorate, that I hear the electorate, and that I bring those views to the parliament. That's our No. 1 role as members of the House of Representatives. If you look at the title, it says House of 'Representatives'. Representatives—we represent those people in our electorates. I'm very honoured to be here again at the will of the electors in the seat of Adelaide. For someone who's been a long-term supporter and defender of multiculturalism in this country, it's great to see the changes in this parliament. I'm delighted to be part of such a wonderful, diverse parliament that has changed immensely from when I was first elected in this place. The electorate of Adelaide is a diverse community, and, when I look around, this parliament indeed reminds me of that community I'm so proud to serve and represent, where over 72,000 people—around 36.8 per cent of my constituents—were born overseas. It is a very diverse electorate, and I'm absolutely blessed to, every weekend, attend an event, whether it be an Ethiopian Orthodox Church service or a Hindu temple for a particular Hindu event. My family were migrants. When they came here in the 1950s, I was born here. I was lucky enough to have been born here—very blessed to have been born in this wonderful nation. I know that my parents came here in 1954, worked in the lowest-paid jobs, had no command of the English language and no skills whatsoever, but they managed to make a life for themselves. Why did they do that? Because of the laws and legislation that were in place—the pillars of our democracy. And that's what we're here to do: to uphold those pillars to give generations of Australians—whether they're second-, third- or fifth-generation migrants—the same opportunities that we had. That is very important. I'd like to thank the people of Adelaide for placing their trust in me to serve them in this 48th federal parliament. I'm truly humbled and honoured to represent them here. The Albanese government is getting to work straightaway, and we've seen legislation that went through this place at the last sitting and will go through this sitting to deliver more help with the cost of living. That's the No. 1 issue at the moment for all of us. That cost of living is something we must focus on, to make it easier for those people that put us here, as is more investment in the next generation and more support for working Australians. I'm very pleased to say that every household in Adelaide and across Australia will see $150 taken off their power bills, while three million minimum- and award-wage workers are getting a 3.5 per cent pay rise. We've strengthened Medicare to protect the PBS, delivered generational reform to the aged-care sector and secured the future of the NDIS. These are all very important pieces of legislation being brought forward in this place. Our legislation to reduce student debt, which will wipe 20 per cent off every single student's HECS, saving students an average of about $5,000. I'm very pleased and honoured to represent the universities in my electorate: Adelaide University, the University of South Australia and, with the merging of Flinders as well, the many, many students who live within the electorate of Adelaide. We're also investing in Australia's future in education and training. Eligible students—nurses, teachers, social workers and midwives—will now be paid during placements. If you're training to be a tradie—to help build those homes that Australia needs—there will be support there as well. The superannuation guarantee is increasing from 11.5 per cent to 12 per cent, giving more security to Australians, as they retire in their old age, that they will be able to live with dignity. Working parents will now get two extra weeks of government Paid Parental Leave—to spend more time with their children and families—and, for the first time, will earn superannuation while on government Paid Parental Leave. That is a big step towards closing the gender retirement gap. My electorate is focused on growing our community and sporting clubs, as well as our multicultural groups, by creating housing, focusing on the cost of living and addressing important infrastructure matters around roads and transport—being a CBD seat with surrounding suburbs. I am very proud to be part of this Labor government, which takes infrastructure very seriously. Now this is very important—climate change and energy. We know climate change is something that we are absolutely committed to—ensuring that we reduce emissions. In Labor's last term we passed strong laws to make big polluters cut their emissions and committed to 82 per cent renewable energy by 2030. We're committed to net zero and embracing renewable energy, and we've already ticked off more than 87 renewable energy projects—enough to power more than 11 million homes. That's 11 million homes which will be powered by renewable energy projects, bringing down emissions and meeting our targets in the future. It's very important that this government is also investing in circular industries and the circular economy, with Australia's recycling capacity increased by more than 1.4 million tonnes a year to prevent more waste going into landfill. In my electorate of Adelaide, in the suburb of Kilburn—that you, Deputy Speaker Boyce, would be very familiar with—a company called Recycling Plastics Australia received $20 million in Australian government funding through the Recycling Modernisation Fund, RMF, plastics technology stream to install advanced polymer separation equipment, which will be able to recycle more plastics. They're already recycling thousands of tonnes. The project will expand RPA's existing operations—a HydroDyn cleaning and purifying hot washing plant will be installed to process 14,300 tonnes per annum of problematic soft plastics to a purity level capable of making new soft plastic packaging. It is described as the world's best advanced mechanical recycling of post-consumer soft plastics, replacing virgin resin in packaging. This is cutting-edge technology in one of the suburbs not far from the CBD. It has already been touted as the world's best advanced mechanism for plastics and will no doubt be exported to other countries in the very near future. The government is helping households, small businesses and community groups bring down their energy bills with the Cheaper Home Batteries Program that was announced. I am pleased that South Australia has one of the highest uptakes already. This will save households with existing rooftop solar up to $1,100 off their power bill every year, and those installing a new solar battery system could save up to $2,300 a year—up to 90 per cent of a typical family's electricity bill. The Albanese Labor government is fixing that by giving all Australians a proper leg up towards the cost of a battery. That's around 30 per cent or around $4,000 off the cost of a typical home battery. As a proud South Australian, I'm delighted to see that five of the top 10 electorates in the country for the take-up of the Cheaper Home Batteries Program are in South Australia, and Adelaide is No. 7 in the nation, with 495 installations as of 18 August. I was very pleased to welcome Minister Bowen to the electorate recently, for a forum to discuss this new program with constituents on 5 August. I would also like to take this opportunity to thank a particular group who are doing some great projects in the electorate of Adelaide, Electrify Adelaide, who were there speaking to people about the different projects that they can assist them with. There are some great infrastructure projects taking place in my electorate. As I said earlier, this Labor government takes infrastructure seriously. In May this year—in fact, it was exactly 5 May, because I remember it was the Monday after the election—I went out with the Minister for Infrastructure and Transport in South Australia, Tom Koutsantonis, and we announced that construction had officially commenced on the non-stop South Road project. This project will allow motorists to bypass 21 sets of traffic lights between the River Torrens in the electorate of Adelaide and Darlington, saving up to 40 minutes of travel time in peak-hour traffic. The project will support approximately 5,500 jobs. So, it's not just the infrastructure; it's also the jobs being created—5,500 jobs per year during main construction, with 90 per cent of labour hours to be undertaken by South Australians, which is a great thing for my electorate and for South Australia. The government is also contributing $7.7 billion of the $15.4 billion, half the funding for this project, with the other half coming from the South Australian Malinauskas Labor government. Another project is Marion Road and Sir Donald Bradman Drive, which is very close to the airport. It gets congested traffic, back to back, bumper to bumper. For years this has been going on. For years I've had constituents talk to me about it. Major works commenced in May on the upgrade to the Marion Road and Sir Donald Bradman Drive intersection. I just have to make a correction—when I said 5 May, it wasn't for that particular project; it was for this project, because I remember it was two days after the federal election. This is $85 million, which is being jointly funded by the federal Labor government and the state Labor government. More than 60,000 vehicles pass through the corner of Sir Donald Bradman Drive and Marion Road every day. It's a very busy intersection, and there were 28 crashes at this intersection between 2018 and 2022. So you not only fix up the bottleneck but also avoid serious injuries et cetera. This upgrade will make the journey through this intersection safer and more reliable. Then we have Grange Road and Holbrooks Road. It encompasses three suburbs: Flinders Park, Allenby Gardens and Hindmarsh. It's a huge bottleneck as well. There's $90 million going into that. That project has started. It forms part of the $850 million package of broader network upgrades that are being undertaken as part of the River Torrens to Darlington project. These are all offshoots of that project. The intersection upgrades include two through lanes on all approaches, two dedicated right-turn lanes for traffic going from Grange Road into Holbrooks Road and travelling south. Those people that live around there will know what this means for them. It's certainly very welcome. Those are just some of the infrastructure projects. We've had Medicare urgent care clinics. There are three Medicare urgent care clinics in Greater Adelaide thanks to this government. They're located close by in Oaklands Park, Royal Park and Para Hills. Following the election in May, there will soon be one in the Norwood/St Peters area adjacent to my electorate, which is very close. I look forward to these clinics being established in the future, which takes the load off our public hospitals. That is the whole purpose of these Medicare clinics. You have a place to go after hours which bulk-bills so you don't have to line up in hospitals, clogging up serious injuries et cetera that need to go to the emergency services, so it's very important. We've also announced the Thriving Suburbs Program in my electorate. It's very important funding. There's a contribution for Karkungka Reserve of $3.6 million, together with the City of West Torrens upgrade to community facilities. It's a reserve project which will be called Karkungka. There's an existing reserve there, the Keswick reserve. This will include upgrades to the National Servicemen's Association building, which is housed there as well, and the former Child and Family Health Service building. The new centre will be a remembrance centre, and it will replace the existing National Servicemen's Association building and provide space for the NSA, the Hilton RSL sub-branch and other service and veteran groups to connect. The space will also be available to other community groups as residents use the programs, activities and events. And we've got a great new community recreation facility at Cowandilla Western Youth Centre. The Western Youth Centre is a great organisation. Many sporting clubs are associated with or are members of the Western Youth Centre, and it forms part of a number of things, from judo classes to kinder gym. I'm very proud to say that, as a child, I used to go to the Western Youth Centre. We used to have Boys' Brigade. I don't know if anyone remembers Boys' Brigade and those blue uniforms. When my kids grew up, they used the Western Youth Centre. They played tennis there. They went to kinder gym there. Now my grandchildren are there at kinder gym. I'm very proud. I've seen the great work they do, and that's why we've contributed $7.53 million for this new facility. I thank Mayor Michael Coxon and the City of West Torrens for their support and their efforts in making both these projects possible—both the Karkungka Reserve project with the National Servicemen's Association and this particular project. I've got to say that Mayor Michael Coxon's a true asset to the community that he represents. There's also the Unley cultural club through the Thriving Suburbs Program grants. We contributed $2.66 million towards the creation of a new cultural hub in an expansion of the existing Unley Museum, and the upgraded museum will provide for an increased and improved gallery space with the capability to feature national and regional exhibitions. And, of course, there's the Hutt Street revitalisation project. This is within the CBD. The government has contributed $7.32 million towards the Hutt Street revitalisation project in the City of Adelaide. The street is lined with cafes, restaurants and small businesses, and this project will beautify the street and bring more people into Hutt Street, making those businesses more viable. I'd like to thank Dr Jane Lomax-Smith, the lord mayor, for her efforts in helping this project come to fruition. There was also the Unley Swimming Centre, which has been electrified—not to confuse that with electrifying the water and causing damage! Basically, it was about their pumps and the energy they used. There was an announcement from Chris Bowen during the campaign of $1.055 million from this government to electrify the entire swimming centre through the electrification project, and I'm very pleased that the Mayor of Unley announced that during the lead-up to the election. Some of the other things that we've been working on include a great announcement we made a few weeks ago about the Adelaide United, the A-League football club in my electorate, and AMES Australia, which is a settlement service for refugees and migrant communities. In other words, they've partnered to be able to use the club and its players to help settle some of our newest arrivals. A lot of them gravitate towards the club, and they feel like they're at home when they play soccer or football. You can imagine it is an extremely lonely time when you've arrived in a new country, and sport is a great facilitator in getting you into the community, whether it be through football, cricket or whatever. Adelaide United have played a big role in partnering with AMES. Earlier this month I was joined by the Hon. Emily Bourke, the South Australian Minister for Recreation, Sport and Racing; Grace Portolesi, former South Australian minister for multicultural affairs and a good friend; Catherine Scarth, the CEO of AMES Australia; and Nathan Kosmina, the CEO of Adelaide United, to announce this wonderful partnership and this wonderful foundation that will promote and assist new arrivals and people of refugee background to help settle into our communities. It's important that we make people feel part of our community if we want them to integrate. More than most sports, football or the round-ball game allows for the joining of individual efforts through the foundation of shared passion, optimism, belief and commitment, and this ability of sport to create, connect and cement relationships explains the authenticity and nature of this great partnership between the club. It champions the efforts of its young migrant players. We've seen many players come through Adelaide United that are playing at the top level. Thank you to everyone that assisted on the campaign, and I look forward to working hard for the federal seat of Adelaide over the next three years. 17:48 Dr HAINES 282335 Indi I'm pleased to speak today in reply to the Governor-General's address. In doing so, I want to honour the people of Indi who have granted me the utmost privilege of representing them again in this parliament. Each time I rise when the Speaker says, 'The member for Indi has the call,' I feel this responsibility deeply. It's a responsibility I don't take for granted. The people of Indi elected me first in 2019 and in 2022—again this year because they wanted their representative to act with respect, integrity and accountability to the community and to the nation. This is the Indi way of doing politics. The electorate of Indi covers a vast 29,000 square kilometres, and I travel right across this region. I meet people where they're at, in their home towns, and I represent the unique needs of these diverse Indi communities. I listen to the challenges people are facing in their lives—the problems that they turn to their members of parliament to help solve. A key part of my job is to bring these voices to the federal parliament. But I don't use this platform just to describe problems. I work with my community to find solutions together and bring them to the parliament and to the government, and my work has a history of having local impact and national influence. The people of Indi demanded better transparency and integrity in our government. That's why I campaigned for a national anticorruption commission in my first term—a campaign that was won with the start of the National Anti-Corruption Commission two years ago. I'm proud of my work in the last parliament representing Indi as Deputy Chair of the Parliamentary Joint Committee on the National Anti-Corruption Commission, and this term I can assure you that I will continue to advocate for the transparency of the National Anti-Corruption Commission's decision-making, because the work of integrity is never done. It's why I'll continue to champion the establishment of an independent whistleblower protection authority to provide real safeguards and provide support for those who take the personal risk of exposing corruption and misconduct. Without them, and without broader reforms to end things like pork-barrelling and clamp down on the lobbyist free-for-all in Canberra, our integrity framework remains unfinished business. When the people of Indi told me they're struggling to purchase and rent homes, I campaigned for a fund to build the critical enabling infrastructure—the pipes, the poles, the pavements—needed to open up housing supply. I was pleased to see the government adopt my policy under the Housing Support Program, but their commitment of $500,000 is just not enough. I will continue to advocate for this important investment and demand that a fair share be allocated to regional Australia. When I heard Indi farmers tell me they wanted to take climate action but needed the support about how to do it, I successfully secured $76.4 million in the 2023-24 federal budget to establish a network of sustainable agriculture facilitators, or SAFs. This policy delivers tangible support for farmers to adopt climate-smart agricultural practices. My constituents tell me they want to access cleaner, cheaper energy, so in 2022, and again in 2023, I introduced a Cheaper Home Batteries Bill to include batteries in the Small-scale Renewable Energy Scheme. Home batteries help households and community groups take control of their energy and receive maximum benefit from their rooftop solar. Over time, we will see this benefit extended to all consumers by reducing overall pressure on the grid. This election campaign, I was very pleased indeed to see the Labor government finally listen to me and take up this idea, right down to the very title of my bill. These are policies and laws that benefit the people of Indi, but they benefit the whole nation too. I'm the first to say that we haven't solved all of the problems. Significant challenges remain for my constituents: accessible and affordable health care, housing, child care and aged care. The cost of living is still a challenge for so many households, as is reliable and secure energy, especially as we continue to transition towards net zero. These are big challenges, but I'm confident that the cooperative, consultative and evidence based work that I do with my community means that we can bring solutions to address these very big challenges. Access to health care is one of the biggest issues right across the electorate. This election campaign was no different to any other that I have participated in. From Corryong and Wodonga in the north of Indi through to Alexandra and Kinglake in the south, I heard time and time again about the need for better investment in our health care in the regions. Regional Australians have poorer health and die younger than metropolitan Australians. That's a fact, and it's simply unacceptable that in 2025 rural Australians continue to suffer poorer health outcomes because of their postcode. One of the biggest concerns I hear from the people in the north of my electorate is the desperate need for a greenfield single-site hospital on the border in Albury-Wodonga. Albury Wodonga Health is the largest health service between Sydney and Melbourne. It's the only cross-border health service in the country, and it's stretched across two separate hospital campuses. As the border region grows, so too does the need to increase our access to high-quality health care close to home. I'm committed to working constructively with all levels of government—the Victorian and New South Wales governments and the Commonwealth government—and to come together. We need to come together and collaborate on this project. In the last parliament I brought the Wodonga and Albury mayors to Canberra for a meeting with both the Assistant Minister for Rural and Regional Health and the federal Minister for Health, to make the case for federal funding for a greenfield hospital. I handed the Prime Minister a letter signed by more than 200 doctors—200!—from the Albury-Wodonga region, explaining the duplication of services across the border as inefficient, inadequate and unsafe. The community is calling for a greenfield hospital. Doctors and health professionals are calling for a greenfield hospital. And I'm joining them in this call. In this parliament I will keep fighting for a single-site hospital at Albury-Wodonga. I've done the work to make it possible for the Commonwealth to come to the table on this. During the recent election I campaigned for a $2 billion building rural hospitals infrastructure fund. I had my policy reviewed and costed by the Parliamentary Budget Office. The Commonwealth government funds hospital infrastructure. This is a fact. The problem is, it's not done transparently, fairly or equitably. Recently the government announced $200 million as an election commitment for infrastructure for a Perth hospital. Yet a letter from Minister Butler to the Victoria and New South Wales health ministers, who were requesting federal funding for Albury-Wodonga Health, said there were no current Australian government grant opportunities available to support public hospital infrastructure development at Albury-Wodonga Health. Think about that. My building rural hospitals fund would provide hospitals like Albury-Wodonga Health and small regional health services, like those in Bright, in Mansfield and in Alexandra, with a fair, transparent and competitive opportunity to apply for the funding they need. Our rural health infrastructure is falling behind that of our metropolitan counterparts, and rural Australians are paying the price with their lives. That is why I've done the work here for the government to close the gap on healthcare outcomes in the bush. But it's not just infrastructure that Indi's healthcare system needs. As a former nurse and midwife and then rural health researcher, I know just how critically important it is to have an exceptional health workforce—doctors, nurses, psychologists, all the allied health professions—in the regions. In Indi we don't have enough health professionals to care for the needs of our community. During the election campaign I consistently heard about long waitlists to see health professionals and about people spending too much and travelling too far to access necessary health care. We need to do everything we can to support the growth of our healthcare workforce, and nowhere more than in rural, regional and remote Australia. We know that students who live and train in rural and regional Australia are more likely to stay and practice in rural, regional and remote Australia. But we must do more to support them to do so. While undertaking mandatory clinical placements, many students report significant hardship, including loss of income, housing insecurity and the need to pay double rents. Some simply can't afford to do this and are forced to stop their studies. What a waste. I welcome the government introducing the Commonwealth Prac Payment scheme for Australians studying teaching, nursing, midwifery and social work to get the support they need while on practical placement. This is good. However—and it's a big 'however'—this policy leaves behind students who are studying medicine and all of the other allied health professions. In this parliament I will continue to put pressure on the government to extend practical payments to include students who are studying medicine and the allied health degrees. We are in dire need of excellent health professionals in rural Australia. It's our responsibility to act and help them get their degrees and provide the services we so desperately need. My constituents in Indi care deeply about our natural environment. I often hear that the natural beauty of our region is one of the reasons people move here. My constituents tell me they love to explore the bushland, the mountains and the rivers so close to where we call home. They also care deeply about the preservation and regeneration of Indi's natural spaces and unique flora and fauna. This includes the magnificent snow gums in the alpine High Country, covered in snow right now; grass-tree orchards in the Warby Ranges; and the native orchids in the Chiltern-Mount Pilot National Park. These are loved, these are visited and these are cared for by local people. My constituents first sent me to this place in 2019 to protect our beautiful and unique natural environment, and they've re-elected me twice more to push for stronger action on climate change to care for our precious environment and for ourselves. We need to strengthen our environmental laws, and I'll continue to call for comprehensive reforms in the 48th Parliament, including for the inclusion of communities in decision-making—not just businesses and environmental groups. It is important that the public has a clear line of sight on all environmental decisions, like whether the large-scale renewable energy or fossil fuel projects should be approved. We need to make laws that lock in transparency, and we can't leave that to chance—or, worse, vested interests and lobbyists. I will keep fighting for this; I'll keep fighting for this hard in the 48th Parliament. Reforms like these are critical as we transition to renewable energy—a goal I support. But I am concerned at the damage done to regional communities from the poor consultation—and bad behaviour, frankly—of some renewable energy companies. Communities deserve to be engaged early and meaningfully in the development of energy projects happening in their area, and right now this is not consistently happening. In 2023, I took my concerns to the Minister for Climate Change and Energy to set up an independent community engagement review, and I was very happy to work with Senator Pocock on this endeavour. This review, undertaken by former Australian Energy Infrastructure commissioner Andrew Dyer, made nine recommendations to improve community engagement and consultation on renewable energy projects. I successfully argued for some of these recommendations to be funded in the 2024-25 federal budget. I will continue to advocate for the people of Indi in ways that are appropriate as their federal member, to work to improve the systems for all regional Australia and to also ensure regional communities meaningfully benefit—long-term benefit, long-term legacy and regional development—from their renewable energy transition. As with their renewable energy plans, if the government fail to take a strong regional lens to their housing plans, they will be failing our growing regions. We experience the housing crisis just as those in the cities do, and, for too many people in my electorate, finding an affordable home or secure rental feels like a complete impossibility. This is why the Housing Australia Future Fund, and similar investment programs delivered through Housing Australia, must guarantee—guarantee!—funding for regional communities. We represent 30 per cent of the population, so we should receive 30 per cent of housing funding, and I will continue to prosecute the case for this. Addressing the housing crisis will require sustained commitment from all levels of government—not for a single year, not for a single election cycle, but over many years and many election cycles. This government has taken important first steps with investments in social and affordable housing, critical enabling infrastructure and planning reform at the state and local level. But the work cannot stop there. Australians will expect results over the next three years, and so will I. During the recent election, I highlighted that while the government has conducted significant work to address the affordability of early childhood education and care, the major issues in my electorate relate to accessibility. We know that childcare deserts exist right across regional Australia, occurring at more than double the rate that they do in major cities—yes, double the rate. In north-east Victoria there are three children for every childcare place. This means that many children miss out on all the benefits of child care and parents are unable to work to their full capacity, meaning that our whole community misses out on their skills. I'm working with communities in my electorate to prepare for the Building Early Education Fund, or the BEEF, which, if delivered well, can make a meaningful difference in childcare deserts like those in my electorate. But, frankly, this fund is too small, and more funding will be needed to meaningfully increase availability across regional and outer-urban Australia. Like long day care, outside school hours care is another key pillar of education in small rural communities. That's why, in 2024, I fought hard for eight local providers when they had long-term funding under the Community Child Care Fund withdrawn. These providers are the only services in their areas and are mostly based in small rural primary schools. The funding cut meant some services were at risk of closing. Last year, hundreds of providers across Australia were found to be in need of this funding, but the funding pool was just too small. During the election campaign, I argued that this could be solved if the Community Child Care Fund was a demand-driven grant, not a competitive grant. If we want young families to come and stay in the regions and grow our communities, we must have available child care. Thriving communities also rely on reliable internet and phone connections to run businesses and healthcare services and to simply stay connected when there's an emergency. In the election, I put forward a costed policy to ensure all mobile phone towers in areas of high fire and disaster risk are equipped with battery backup. This is crucial, because, when mobile phone towers and internet systems fail, entire towns can become cut off. During emergencies, like fires or floods, that can cost lives. By requiring all towers in high-risk areas to have at least 24 hours of backup, we will increase our resilience and keep businesses and communities online even when the power goes out. I hear from my constituents and Indi's nine local governments about how our roads are disintegrating before our very eyes and how we simply do not have the funding to fix them. To solve this, I want to see the return of the Local Roads and Community Infrastructure Program. This program provided untied funding for local governments to invest in the maintenance and upgrade of their local roads, of which they have thousands of kilometres to look after. Through my work as a member of the Regional Development Infrastructure and Transport Committee, I know that untied funding is vital for small rural councils. The nine local governments in my electorate frequently raise the need to reinstate this funding. I am glad to support them, and this government should do so. I was pleased to see the coalition make the same commitment during the election, and now I call on the government to step up to the plate and do the same. This 48th parliament is a big opportunity for this place to come together and solve some of the big problems that Australians face. I want to be clear that I come into this parliament with the spirit of collaboration, with the spirit of bringing solutions to difficult problems, and with the community of Indi firmly in my mind every time I stand to speak in this place. 18:07 Mr KHALIL 101351 Wills The last election campaign feels like a long time ago now. I don't think it would be hyperbole to say that our particular campaign in Wills was one of the most difficult campaigns—remarkable in some respects—in recent Australian political history. It was tough campaign; I think that's the best way to put it. On that, I do want to thank a number of people who made such an amazing and remarkable commitment to such a tough campaign. All the Labor members, all of my staff, all of the supporters, all the people who were part of that Wills campaign—I want to say a really deep, strong thank you to them for everything they did. They should take great pride in the effort they made and in the commitment, the passion and the belief that they kept. We did it together. A lot of people wrote us off, with respect to winning or being re-elected in Wills. Then there were people who kept the belief. They were true believers, in many respects. We did it against the odds. We did it in the face of what could be considered a barrage of sometimes seemingly insurmountable obstacles. We prevailed together because of those people who were so committed. I say thank you to each and every one of you, because you never gave up, you never took a backward step and you never stopped working for Wills. I say thank you, for us to be able to represent the people of Wills and work for Wills. There are a lot of people to thank. They know who they are, and I'll come to some of the individuals in a moment. One of the key themes in the campaign—particularly at the national level, all the way at the top—was the theme of kindness, compassion and respect. These are important values, and they were articulated regularly by our prime minister during the campaign, before the campaign and at key moments. Part of the respect aspect was that there was this culture war and a debate about the acknowledgement of country. But acknowledgement to First Nations people is a profound mark of respect. Because of the work we do in this nation, we seek a more perfect union of Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians across what is an ancient land. That respect is important. The work we do as a Labor government for the peoples of Australia right across this continent—whether it's to uplift First Nations peoples, whose ancestors have been here for over 60,000 years, or whether it is to support newly arrived Australians who've been here for 60 days—is about giving every single Australian an opportunity to fulfil their potential. All the volunteers, staff, Labor members and Labor supporters who worked on that campaign, I think, understood the core of that, which is that we are here and we have a special privilege being here, as members of parliament, to try and uplift the people that we represent, to give them a better life. Of course, you can't do that unless you win elections and get re-elected, and it is the work of those people—those volunteers and those supporters—that makes amazing victories happen. They dedicate weeks, months and years to victory, and they do it in the smallest possible ways but in the most important possible ways: doorknocking, calling on phones, phone banking, and putting up signs and corflutes in front yards across the electorate. They work at prepoll—which was brutal, sitting there from 8 am to 6 pm every day for over two weeks—and they work on election day as well. They are what makes our democracy tick. I think all the members of parliament, whatever their political stripes—whether they be from whatever party they belong to or whether they be Independent—understand that the work these people do and the commitment they make forms the guts of our democracy. It's what makes it tick as well. We did a lot of doorknocking and a lot of calling of people—tens of thousands of people—over that period of time in engaging with our community. As I said, it was a tough campaign, and we faced what were very significant obstacles over a long period of time. There was a redistribution. We can't fault the AEC; they're independent from us and they do their thing. But that cut the margin by five or six per cent in my electorate. We faced a very strong campaign from the Greens political party, throwing pretty much everything at us, including lots of money and resources and a full-time candidate, for over a year. That's all normal; that's fine. But I wanted to just touch on something that wasn't fine and wasn't acceptable, and that is the violence and intimidation that we experienced and that many of our volunteers, supporters and staff experienced as well. Threats against staff and volunteers that were made at the prepoll, including death threats, are not normal. That's not acceptable and should never, ever be acceptable in our democracy. Physical violence and harassment of that nature are absolutely unacceptable. Every person in this country has a right to participate in our democratic processes freely and without risk of violence or intimidation of that sort. That is, I think, fundamental to our democracy as well. Our democracy is built on the idea that we resolve our disagreements through debate and voting and not at the end of a sword. I think the length of the table in the House of Representatives chamber is the length of a sword, or longer than a sword, so that you can't reach over and do harm to your political opponent. The right to protest, though, is something that I've publicly stated again and again is a fundamental democratic principle and a democratic right of every Australian citizen. Every Australian has a right to freely express their views in public protest, and we should always support that 100 per cent. That's what I've tried to do. But I think it's important to note that with that great privilege in our democracy comes obligation as well—that people don't cross the line into attacking someone because of their ethnicity, faith, gender or sexuality, or whatever attribute, and they don't personalise in that respect. But they can be free to express any view they want, and we can be free to disagree. It's navigating that difference that I think makes our democracy work. It's not just here in this place—this is the pointy end where we navigate difference in robust debate—but every day within our society and within our communities that people must find a way to get through their differences and navigate those differences without resorting to attacking someone else because of who they are. I would like to say that our campaign—and I can speak for the many people who volunteered and were part of that—rose above some of these petty hatreds that we experienced. I again want to thank those people for being able to conduct themselves with such grace and respect in the face of such unacceptable behaviour. It is not right for my staff to be subjected to physical attacks where they basically had to be escorted by police out of their own electorate office. These are young men and women who are working every day to help people have a better life, as most MPs would understand. The work we do is to help people with their visas, with NDIS, with Centrelink or with whatever it might be. They're helping people. They don't deserve to be spat at or surrounded by a mob and to have to have a police escort to leave their own office. They don't deserve to arrive at their office to find chemical fumes from a hole drilled into the back of that office by activists the night before and to have to evacuate our electorate office for six to eight weeks while a hazmat team sorts it out. They don't deserve that. I don't think any of us as MPs should be subjected to this kind of hate speech, but I want to really emphasise that our staff should not be subjected to that, nor should our volunteers be subjected to that. Ultimately, one can make the point that the voters rejected these disgusting tactics. This even goes for those people who didn't vote for us. So many people who I spoke to said, 'Well, Peter, I like you, but I'm voting for the Libs'—or, 'I'm voting for the Greens'—'but we think what's happening is disgusting.' I appreciated those people speaking to me in that way. This is not a question of whether you agree with the politics or the party or whatever; it's a question of what kind of society you want to live in and what you think is acceptable. There were many, many good people who did not vote for me, who I represent, who made the point to me that they didn't accept what was going on. I thank them for talking to me about that. The other point I want to make is—and I would hope that the results in overcoming some of what we faced sends this message too—that this kind of campaigning doesn't work. It's not a blueprint for success; it's a blueprint for failure and condemnation. I hope that message is heard. When you get re-elected, you obviously have a lot of commitments that you made, and it is all about being able to deliver. One of the main things I was talking about during the campaign is the fact that being a member of the Labor Party, a party that can form government, means that we can actually deliver on the commitments that we make to the community. We made some incredibly important commitments for the next three years, and that will make a difference to the lives of the people in Wills, the electorate I represent. It also shows the power of being able to form government and deliver for Australians. I'm very excited about the brand-new Medicare urgent care clinic that will be set up in Coburg. Expressions of interest opened just the other day for sites, and that clinic will take pressure off emergency wards in hospitals. It will take pressure off the public hospital system's emergency departments by treating locals for urgent but non-life-threatening issues like cuts, burns and breaks. We've all been in that situation where you need more than a GP but less than an emergency department, and this is the gap the clinic will fill. I also was very pleased to be able to commit $4.5 million for upgrades to the Fawkner netball courts. That sounds like a lot of money for sports, but I can tell you that that community, the Fawkner Netball Club, has built something quite special. It has grown over the last couple of years, and I've been there for the journey with Grace, Jade and everyone there. They've brought in girls and boys—but mainly girls—from so many diverse communities to play netball and to be part of something, to be part of a community. It's a sporting club, yes, but it's also somewhere you go where there's a lot of love and community. It's so important for young people to be physically fit and healthy and play sport, but it's also important for their mental health to have those social connections. There are so many places in our society where there's less and less of that—fewer people are going to mosques or churches or temples or whatever, fewer people are volunteering, fewer people are involved in Rotary clubs—so sporting clubs are still that bastion of community spirit. That's going to make a big difference to the entire team there at Fawkner Netball Club. I also was very excited to announce $3.7 million for the Linear Parklands in North Carlton, North Fitzroy and Princes Hill. As soon as Princes Hill became part of my electorate, Yarra City Councillor Ken Gomez and others were onto me straightaway about how desperately they needed upgrades to Linear Park, and I was thrilled to announce that funding at a community meeting in April. But our commitments for my electorate don't stop there. We're delivering $3.3 million for the Gillon Oval redevelopment, and that is an important one, because John Curtin—our great Prime Minister John Curtin—actually played football for the Brunswick Football Club at that oval. He also sat up there in the stands when he was a member of the selection committee for the Brunswick Cricket Club. So it's a very famous and historically important place. Upgrades are desperately needed for all the sporting clubs there, and for all the boys and girls and seniors that play there. Again, it will bring that sense of community. We supported lots of local community groups as well. Funding for the environment is so important, such as the $1.9 million for Merri Creek, which is the border of my electorate. Thankfully the AEC didn't change that one; it's still there. They can't change the course of the Merri Creek that much; it's a natural feature. It's also so important that future generations can see and enjoy the local flora and fauna along Merri Creek. I've always said that the best and most important thing about being a member of parliament is serving the community. Service is the No. 1 objective of what we do—serving the people you represent and making a difference to their lives. That's why I'm so excited to be part of this second-term Albanese Labor government. The Prime Minister talked a lot about kindness. If we can keep that as our guiding star in this second term, where we look at all the policies that we're developing and trying to debate and all the rest—and that's great—we'll hopefully improve them through the parliamentary processes. But kindness and compassion for others will remain central to what we're about and why we're doing what we're doing—kindness in the sense of being able to help people who are vulnerable, the kindness of helping those who are struggling and can't help themselves, and kindness to those who just need a bit of a helping hand, to give them the guidance to fulfil their potential. These are, I think, the ways that these values can be so instrumental in the work that we do. So whether it's getting people into homes, whether it's cutting their HECS debt by 20 per cent, whether it's tackling the climate crisis or whether it's making GP visits free, what does that stem from? It stems from our desire to help people and to demonstrate compassion and kindness in what we do and why we do it. There's going to be a lot of work to do in the next three years. For me personally, that will be reconnecting as well as building new connections with the communities that I represent, and battling those intergenerational challenges that people face. I'm up for the challenge and I know my team is up for the challenge. Lastly, it is a great privilege to be sworn in and appointed as Assistant Minister for Defence. I was reminded of my place in the pecking order by my 10-year-old daughter when she asked, 'What was your first trip like?' I said I went to RAAF Base Pearce in WA, which is like in Top Gun; it is where we train our fighter jet pilots. She said, 'Oh yeah, that's interesting.' Trying to impress her further, I said I'd gone on the PM's plane and, when I walked down the tarmac, all the military saluted me. She asked, 'Why'd they do that?' and I said it was because they have a protocol where they have to salute the Minister for Defence. She replied, 'Settle down, dad; you're just an assistant minister.' So she put me in my place! But it is an important responsibility and a real privilege to do this work in defending our national interests, our national security and our way of life and supporting the Australian Defence Force in the work that they do. I'm particularly keen and excited to be working on things like humanitarian assistance and disaster relief. I've already started to do that work as well. I note our place in the world, Australia's role in the world and the responsibility that we have to make our contribution to the security and stability of the Indo-Pacific, because that security and stability is where our prosperity as a trading nation flows from, and the ADF play an instrumentally important role in ensuring that stability and security in our region and maintaining that rules based order, which includes adherence to international law and human rights. So the work that our men and women in uniform do—the humanitarian assistance they provide, the security work that they do and the defence of our nation and our interests—is of such critical importance, particularly in such a volatile period as the one that we're facing. But they're up to the task, and it's our responsibility to provide them with the capabilities and assets they need to do their work. In conclusion, there's a great movie called The Good, the Bad and the Ugly. Some of you might have seen it if you are over 50 or maybe 40. It is a great film. My little kids also said to me— The DEPUTY SPEAKER C2T I hope you don't reflect on the chair! Mr KHALIL 101351 No, not on you, Deputy Speaker! I tried to show this to my kids, aged 12 and 10, and my daughter said to me: 'Oh, do the good always win? Sometimes the bad win in life.' I said: 'That's true. Sometimes the bad win. But you know what? If you stick to your principles—if you stand fast to what you really believe in and you work hard and express that compassion and kindness in everything you do and help others—more often than not the good will win.' I think that's very true. 18:26 Ms PAYNE 144732 Canberra I want to begin by acknowledging the traditional owners of the land on which we meet for this parliament, the Ngunnawal people, which is of course part of the electorate that I am so proud to represent in this place, and I pay my respects to their elders past, present and emerging. It was particularly moving to see Aunty Violet Sheridan do the welcome to country for the opening of parliament this term. It was really wonderful to see her, as someone I know and am often with at events, have that honour this time. We share this continent with the world's oldest continuing culture—more than 60,000 years of custodianship and of deep connection to country, land that always was and always will be Aboriginal land. 'Canberra', of course, comes from a word meaning 'meeting place', a fitting description for a place which for millennia has brought together Indigenous nations and today brings together the representatives in our democracy. I was born and raised here in Canberra, and it is an immense privilege to have been re-elected by my community to represent them in the 48th Parliament. On 3 May, Canberrans once again rejected the politics of hate and division, they rejected fear campaigns, they rejected relentless attacks on public servants and they rejected the tired, cynical attempts to diminish this city. As a proud Canberran, I was heartened to see the rest of the nation reject those attacks too, resoundingly, and to see my Labor team and my prime minister defend our city and the hardworking people that live here, not just here in our city but in the national conversation. Canberra is a special place. We have five university campuses in my electorate. The federal government is a major employer. We have an incredible small-business community that makes our city the vibrant and wonderful place that it is. For many years, Canberrans have punched above our weight on the national and international stage. I want to focus for a minute on the Public Service. The men and women who make up our APS are dedicated, hardworking, professional people. The work of the APS is the solid foundation that we use to build the future prosperity of the nation. It is work that confronts the challenges we face as a nation, from climate change to health care to infrastructure to social security. It requires long and tiring work hours, attention to detail, and a deep understanding of what Australia and Australians need as a nation and as a people. As the term suggests, these people are servants of the public. They are people whose motivation to go to work every day is the national interest, and that is something that, as a Canberran, I have a deep respect for. Canberrans know, probably more than most, the value of an empowered APS in delivering the policy outcomes that create a better future for all Australians and are a key part of a well-functioning democracy. I saw it in my father's career in the Public Service, and I was fortunate that he taught me about the principles of frank and fearless advice and how important that was to getting the best policy outcomes for Australia. In my own career, including as a public servant in Treasury, I was also able to see that work firsthand and work with some of the most professional and dedicated people I will ever have the privilege to work with. That is why it is so enraging to see the politics of Canberra-bashing wielded by those opposite. While in office, those opposite gutted the APS in what could only be seen as an attitude of contempt for those who work in it. We saw huge amounts of outsourcing, arbitrary employment caps designed for political pointscoring, wage freezes, and speeches by the former prime minister that completely misunderstood the purpose and mission of the APS—or, more likely, misrepresented what he knew was the hardworking and important role they play, as anyone who has served as a minister or of course prime minister would know from working directly with those people. When Labor returned to power in 2022 we set about rebuilding a greatly diminished APS, and the response of those opposite was as expected. For the last term we saw Trumpian attacks on public servants, culminating in the election threat to sack 41,000 Canberra based public servants and end flexible work. Thankfully, Australians understood the dire consequences there would have been, not just for those who would have lost their jobs but also for the services that Australians rely on. Given that election result and the fact that our government openly rejected this, I hope we can move on from this cheap politics of Canberra-bashing that had no basis in actual outcomes for the Australian people but was based on a cheap political idea that attacking our city is popular elsewhere. I hope we can put that to bed and move on from it, because I've been incredibly proud of the way our prime minister, our government and my ACT colleague Senator Katy Gallagher, who has ministerial responsibility for the APS, have stood up to defend those hardworking people. On 3 May Australians voted for a government that, over the previous three years, had delivered stability, decency and vision—a government that understands the lives, hopes and needs of everyday Australians. Australians told us clearly what they wanted to see: help with the cost of living, serious action on climate change, action on housing so that more people can have a roof over their head and own their own homes, free health care and affordable medicines, cheaper early childhood education and care, fully funded public schools, a fairer deal on student debt, Australia's global reputation restored, and the ability to earn more and keep more of what they earn. The Albanese Labor government delivered on these priorities and will continue to deliver for the Australian people in the 48th Parliament. We are lucky to live in Australia. Our democracy is robust, our elections are fair and our independent Australian Electoral Commission is one of the best in the world. We should be immensely proud of the system we have built, a system that delivers stability, integrity and a voice for every citizen. Our elections are well run, transparent and trusted—a credit to the professionalism of the AEC. Of course, no system is perfect, and there are always improvements that can be made. But the 2025 federal election once again showed why Australia's democracy is among the strongest and most inclusive in the world. Our system of compulsory and preferential voting is unique and powerful. It ensures broad participation and real representation, and we must never allow it to be undermined. I should say that while my Labor values are fundamentally part of who I am and will always motivate me, my first love is democracy, and my first political lesson from my mother was that you should never take for granted your right to vote. We continue to see people around the world dying for that very right. I think it is something that we must cherish and always take the opportunity to engage in as much as we can. When I'm out talking to Canberrans and campaigning, I'd rather hear someone say to me that they are supporting someone else or that they want to see me or my party doing something differently than hear someone express a total disinterest or disengagement with politics. It is so important that we stay engaged in order to maintain that strong democracy. I'm particularly pleased about and looking forward to serving on the Joint Standing Committee on Electoral Matters in this 48th Parliament and to do my part in protecting and strengthening our democracy for future elections. My own re-election campaign here in Canberra was a massive grassroots effort as it always is. Our campaign team was made up of committed volunteers, mostly from Labor Party members, who did everything from erecting roadside corflutes, doorknocking and assembling booth kits to standing on pre-poll for countless hours, always with a smile on their face. I really want to thank them for their efforts from the bottom of my heart. I'm always hesitant to start naming people because you will leave someone off, and I probably didn't actually see the work that many people were doing behind the scenes, putting in countless hours doing things like putting the signs out at night. But I particularly want to thank a few volunteers who showed up to pretty much every doorknock across almost all of the suburbs in my electorate, including Oksana Melnyk, Anne Baly and Julia Raine. I also want to acknowledge Janaline Oh, Labor's formidable second Senate candidate, who was doorknocking at not only all of my doorknocks but also those for our other ACT candidates. Her commitment to our cause was an inspiration, and I'm so grateful for the time that she gave to my campaign. With over 32 booths on polling day, it took essentially an army of volunteers to man those booths and spread the Labor message. I want to thank everyone who helped out on that day, particularly the booth captains of whom there are far too many to name. I want to thank my core team: Hamish; Rad Miller; Grace; Andrew; India; my volunteers Fran and Karen, who came out of retirement to help out on the election campaign; and Tina, who always takes time off work to come and volunteer in the lead-up to polling day. I couldn't do it without you guys. You're absolutely amazing, and I'm very lucky to have such a wonderful team around me. I also want to thank the Labor Environment Action Network for the faith they placed in me when naming me as one of their LEAN champions in recognition of the importance of having people within our Labor caucus speaking up on environment and climate matters. It was really helpful for me, with the grassroots campaigning that the ACT region LEAN team did for me as well as the national efforts around that. Campaigns are run by people, but they also require money. I want to thank the many Canberrans and Labor Party members who donated generously to my campaign. I'm very grateful. To my community who put their faith in me at the ballot box: I will not let you down and I pledge to work every day to represent you as best as I can in this place. Thank you for placing your trust in me. For those who didn't support me at the election, I want you to know that I am equally here to listen to you and understand the changes that you want to see and also to represent you in this place. Even before this parliament convened, key policy changes began from 1 July. Paid parental leave was extended to 24 weeks, with superannuation now paid on that leave. This is something that will make a huge difference for so many families around Australia. Also from 1 July, every household and business began receiving energy bill relief. We slashed the price of home batteries to help lower household emissions and energy bills at the same time. Apprentice tradies who will be building Australia's homes became eligible for a $10,000 bonus. An extra $1.8 billion flowed into hospitals, including here in Canberra. Paid prac placements began for nursing, teaching, social work and midwifery students. The superannuation guarantee increased to 12 per cent, and millions of minimum wage and award wage workers got a 3.5 per cent pay rise. These are true Labor reforms to improve the lives of Australians. The mission of Labor governments has always been one of fairness, of a society where, as the Prime Minister says, no-one is held back and no-one is left behind. We are the party that created and will always strengthen Medicare, we are the party that stands up for our environment and for climate justice and we are the party that established the NDIS and paid parental leave. We will continue to deliver on these things in this term. I now want to turn to some of the issues that my constituents have been raising most with me since the election and in the lead-up to the election. I want to begin by speaking about the situation in the Middle East. The people of Gaza are starving. The humanitarian crisis unfolding in the Gaza Strip is beyond comprehension. As the Prime Minister has said, it has exceeded the world's worst fears of what could happen there. We see the photos of starving children and hear the reports of doctors collapsing from hunger. We watch the videos of desperate people scrambling for the tiniest scraps of food, dodging gunfire to do so. Just yesterday we saw another hospital bombed and more journalists killed in what has been the deadliest conflict on record for the press. UN agencies have warned that the worst-case scenario of famine is currently playing out. The famine is not the result of natural disasters or drought. It is not an unavoidable tragedy. It is a man-made catastrophe. It is a calculated, deliberate starvation of a civilian population that has endured relentless war for nearly two decades. We cannot let this go on. Using starvation as a weapon of war is horrendous and clearly a breach of international law, as is the bombing of hospitals and relentless killing of innocent people. I welcome Australia's decision to recognise a state of Palestine at the UN General Assembly. It is so important. It is a clear and principled statement and something that many people, including me, have advocated for for a long time. It is a recognition that the Palestinian people are entitled to dignity, to safety and to statehood. Of course, it doesn't address the current situation that is going on in Gaza. The fear that many are expressing to me is that, as the Foreign minister has said, there's a risk that there will be no Gaza left to recognise. But it is an important step in creating that international momentum. Our prime minister has been subject to personal attacks from the Prime Minister of Israel for taking this position. The Israeli prime minister has claimed that our prime minister is weak. But I thought the Leader of the House said it best when he said that strength is not measured by the number of people you can blow up or children you can starve. True strength is measured in the pursuit of peace. True strength is measured in protecting the innocent, in committing to uphold international law and in having the courage to stand on the side of humanity. I am proud of what our government has been doing in this regard. We have been calling for a ceasefire, we have been calling for aid to flow into Gaza and we have contributed significant aid. We have been calling on Israel to respect international law, and we will continue to do so. I hear my community and their deep distress about what is going on in Gaza. I have been engaging with people all of this time, particularly with the Canberra Palestinian community, with organisations like APAN and with any constituents, because I understand their desperation about wanting to see an end to this and the powerlessness that they feel when they see this happen. They just want to stop the killing and destruction. What I do reject when I hear it from my constituents is that our government is doing nothing, because we are not. We have been speaking very strongly on this. There is incredible work that is going on behind the scenes by the Foreign minister, the Prime Minister and others. I also want you to know that, as your representative, this is something that I am focusing on very much and constantly raising in discussions around this. We do want to see an end to what is happening there—this terrible situation. It would dehumanise us all if we were to stand by and see what is continuing to happen in Gaza. The government is taking real, responsible action to protect nature and secure the economy of the future. We are reforming Australia's outdated and broken environmental laws—laws that don't work for the environment, for business or for communities. We're responding to the Samuel review with our Nature Positive Plan, backed by serious investment, and we're getting on with delivering it. I've been really pleased, since the election, to see the momentum with which we are working towards delivering reform of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act. This is something that my constituents raise with me constantly. It is something that I have focused my advocacy on for the whole time I've been in parliament, since 2019. It is critical that we get this right, and I was pleased to see that, as part of the roundtable last week, this priority was emphasised again. We need strong laws that protect nature and protect the environment but also are going to make it more efficient for projects to be approved in a way that is more fitting for these decisions. So I want to say to my electorate: I am raising those concerns that you raised with me, and I will continue to do so. When we choose fairness over division, compassion over cruelty and responsibility over denial, we build a better future for all Australians. That is the mission of this Labor government, and it is why I sought election, why I am honoured to serve in this place and why I will continue to work every single day for the people of Canberra and for our common future, because ours is a nation built on the principle that no-one should be held back and no-one should be left behind. I'm so proud to be part of a government that will always strive to achieve this goal. 18:47 Mr WATTS 193430 Gellibrand In this traditional first debate of the parliament after a federal election, it's always been my practice to begin by saying thank you. Thank you to the voters in my electorate in Gellibrand in Melbourne's west for their trust and confidence. Thank you to them for choosing the things that unite us and seeing that the things that we have in common are bigger and more important than the things that divide us. Thank you to the outstanding, professional and independent staff of the Australian Electoral Commission, who undertook a very well-run election in Gellibrand in Melbourne's west. Thank you to the other contesting candidates who ran in Gellibrand at the last federal election. They all conducted themselves with, I think, very real respect and dignity, and I was proud to spend many, many hours standing next to them at prepoll and on election day. But, of course, the most important group that I need to thank here in this chamber are the Labor true believers and my supporters, who made the election win in Gellibrand for the Labor Party possible. We couldn't have achieved the result we did without the volunteers who shared our vision for building Australia's future, including those who, without complaint or ego, showed up in a common cause to support our Labor campaign. I'm proud that our campaign in Gellibrand was as diverse as the place in which we live and work. It reflected modern Australia and won the endorsement of modern Australia. It brought together people from all possible backgrounds in pursuit of a common cause: to build a stronger and fairer future for Australia. I want to name many of these people individually here for the benefit of the Hansard. I want to give special thanks to Alison, Catherine, Freddie, Victor, Azhar, William, Jason, Greg, Leon, Clovis, John and Nitika, who showed up throughout the entire campaign to deliver our Labor government's vision for building Australia's future. Alison and Victor showed up for all the usual events, joining me for doorknocking, prepoll and election day, but also went so far as to indulge me in that very Queensland practice of wobbleboarding on Point Cook Road and Central Av, where our government has committed $58.5 million to get our community where they need to go faster and safer. That funding will deliver duplication on Central Avenue to Point Cook Road to ease congestion. We're also developing a business case to duplicate Point Cook Road between Jamieson Way and Dunnings Road. I'm proud that we're delivering meaningful action for some of Australia's most diverse and fastest growing suburbs. Scores of people turned up to help throughout the campaign and on election day to share our message for the voters in Gellibrand. I want to thank our booth captains: Tully, Melissa, Felix, Gary, Bill, Japinda, Jason, Anne, Rajash, Alison, Archita, Gary, Nathan, Sean, Catherine, Rajash, Sean, Scott and Aidan. I also want to share our gratitude with all the locals who volunteered on the doors, at train stations and at voting booths: Amar, Ken, Noel, Mel, Peter, Narelle, Isaac, Dylan, Myles, John, Effie, Andy, Houssein, Kifeh, Raha, Claire, Ahmad, Ghassan, Milad, Micheel, Olivia, Ehsan, Amany, Khaled, Louay, Kemal, Wajid, Tefera, Meserat, Matiebie, Catherine, David, John, Peter, Daniel, Dan, Margie, Craig, Marguerite, Lucien, Mark, Muffy, Chandni, Nadia, Tilak, Kazim, Israel, Abdi, Azhar, Abdul, Lorraine, Robin, Dean, Peter, Dan, Enchalew, Di, Lance, Andrew, Rajash, Palak, Solomon, William, Hasan, Julie, Kiran, Rubay, Tekeste, Alula, Neha, Jeeva, Aymart, Rashmi, Mac, Vinesh, Eva—but, wait, there is more—Rabindra, Mita, Ravi, Amit, Ivo, Kay, Gavin, Matt, John, Tom, Greg, Nahida, Rayane, our third Rajneet, Greg, JP, Katherine, Reena, Anagha, Niharica, Nick, Abnash, Ali, Trish, Sumit, Nick, Maryam, Ian, Kerry, Kevin, Molly, Maria, Justin, John, Linelle, Patsy, Ralph, Carrol, Trevor, Kai, Joel, Sandy, Scott, Jane, Kate, Ken, Sam, Andrei and Bill. I also want to thank our state members, Mat Hilakari, Melissa Horne and Sarah Connolly. It was a team effort. Thank you for giving us all your early mornings at train stations, your voices at doorknocks, prepolls and polling booths, your time scrutineering, and for coming together to celebrate on election night. Thank you to all—it really means a lot. Can I also say thank you to my staff, some of whom were experiencing their first election campaign working from an electorate office. I should assure them that they're not all like this one! Thank you to Lachlan, Priya, Arth, Alex, Annabel, Laura, Mel, Francis and Archita. I do want to single someone out here, and that is, of course, Stevie Le. I want to briefly recognise the contribution that he has made as a long-term member of my office, who finished up with me shortly after the last election. Stevie Le has worked with me since I started as a member of parliament 12 years ago. He's the only staffer who's done the full journey. We've gone through five elections together and seen thousands of volunteers and staff come and go through our office and our campaigns. During that time, Stevie has been the foundation stone of the work of my office. He's been a mate, and he's been a personal rock for me. We've been through a lot together over the last 12 years. There's been a lot of joy. Steve's had a wedding and three kids while working in my office. Steve won ABC's Hard Quiz with his expert knowledge of S Club 7. He won the APH footy tipping competition—an extraordinary achievement that deserves recognition in the Hansard. We were both there when the Western Bulldogs won the flag in 2016. We were also there for the open training, the banner making, the grand final parade and all that good stuff that goes along with a grand final win. There were hard times too, though. We've been confronted by neo-Nazis at the pub. We've lost dear friends from our office and grieved our fellow staffers Clara and Walter together at their funerals with our electorate office family and the community that they served. We got through the long Victorian COVID lockdowns together, for stretches of which it was just Steve and me in the electorate office. Through all this, there has been no-one who has helped more people in my electorate than Steve. As a result, he's been a beloved member of our local community. It would be a rare day for me at a train station, polling booth or supermarket that someone in my electorate didn't thank me for something that Steve had done for them. So thank you, Steve. More importantly, thank you, Marylyn, for sharing Steve with us on so many weekends and late nights. To Sammy, Spencer and Maisie: you can all be very proud of your dad. For the benefit of the Hansard, I want to say thank you, mate, for the last 12 years, and I do want to note that Steve isn't out of the electorate office game just yet. He's just moved on to work with a dear friend of the both of us, the new member for Gorton, helping her set up her electorate office in the electorate down the road. So he's got plenty more people to help in Melbourne's west just yet. I want to send him off into this new role with the words of S Club 7. Let me say this just once for the record. I say: Don't stop, never give up Hold your head high and reach the top Let the world see what you have got Bring it all back to you Thank you, Steve Le. Point Cook in my community in Melbourne's west is the largest and most multicultural suburb in Australia. In Point Cook, one of those spaces for connection where we come together in our diverse backgrounds is the Point Cook Pop Up Park. For nearly a decade, this diverse and growing community has come together at the Point Cook Pop Up Park at Stockland. The Point Cook Pop Up Park would not have existed without the tireless work of CoLocal, a not-for-profit grassroots group who have championed the park from inception and nurtured it to the success that it is today. It's been supported by a series of state and federal grants along the way and has hosted a swathe of important local and multicultural events which reflect who we are as a community in Melbourne's west. I have personally attended at the pop-up park many Diwalis, Holis, Lunar Festivals, Pasifika Festivals, a Latino festival, Filipino Fiesta, Tamil New Year, Eid al-Fitr, Harmony Day, the Africa Festival, Halloween events, spring racing activations, kids fun days and the Christmas market and carols. There's also a wonderful Rainbow Serpent mural celebrating First Nations culture, symbolising community unity and cohesion. The events that have been at the Point Cook Pop Up Park are a reflection of the rich tapestry of culture, tradition, food and storytelling that makes Point Cook unique as Australia's most multicultural suburb. The park not only provides community space and celebrates our community but provides real economic benefits to local traders and has revitalised Point Cook Stockland's dining precinct, with 81 per cent of people who have said that the events at the park encourage them to explore new shops, cafes and restaurants in the area and 83 per cent of people surveyed who purchased food or went shopping at nearby stores before, after or during attending events at the park. Located on a pedestrian street in one of the community's biggest shopping centres, events aren't just something on the way to your weekly grocery shop. They're a destination. It's clear that CoLocal and the Point Cook Pop Up Park's events are deeply valued and supported by the community, drawing 60,000 people to the town centre in the last 18 months alone. The park has become a cherished gathering place for westsiders to frequent today and a focal point for building community and connection and an array of events and entertainment. Although it is a collaborative project, the driving force is CoLocal, a grassroots community group who conceived of and power the park's development and success. Sadly, CoLocal have made the difficult decision to step away from future involvement in the pop-up park in coming months, and now the future of the park is at risk. Stockland has indicated its preference to wind up the park and reopen the road it currently occupies. As a community, we can help ensure this doesn't happen. Wyndham City Council is currently seeking feedback from people in Melbourne's west that will determine the future of the park. This feedback is vital to the pop-up park's existence. The council will be guided by what our community tells them. Although CoLocal is stepping away from the pop-up park for now, their hard work and legacy will not be forgotten. I want to thank CoLocal for their leadership, determination and passion over the past eight years. They turned a regular suburban street into a welcoming space that celebrates diversity, fosters connection and champions collaboration. I want to thank in the Hansard in this place today the CoLocal volunteers who made this project possible: Sudhit Juneja, the organiser of the Diwali and Holi events I mentioned earlier; Phebe Yeo, the organiser of the Kids Lunar Festival; Luciana Manrique, the organiser of the Latino festival; Kaliope Vassilopoulous, the organiser of the Greek Festival; David Mullins; Steve Jaz; Karthick Thanigaimani; and Senthill Sundaram. And, of course, I want to personally recognise Sara Mitchell, the founder of CoLocal. Sara has really put her whole soul into the Point Cook Pop Up Park. I've seen it over the years, and I've seen the very real personal sacrifices she has made investing her time and labour into this passion project. I've seen it, I valued it, I recognise it in this place and I thank her for everything she's done—and I do understand the reasons that she is now walking away from the project. But I do want to say to everyone in Melbourne's west: whether you're a resident, a community group or a local business, share your feedback on how you use the Point Cook Pop Up Park via the Wyndham City Council's community survey. You can voice your support and what you'd like to see happen there in the future. You can complete the survey online or by speaking to one of the council staff present at the pop-up park from 1 pm to 3 pm on Sunday 7 September or from 3 pm to 5 pm on Thursday 11 September. This feedback will directly determine the future of this vital space for Point Cook locals, and I encourage my community to jump online and make sure the community knows you support the park's ongoing operation and existence. Let the council know how important it is to have a place in the most multicultural suburb in Australia for our Diwali events, our Holi events, our lunar festival—a place where you can bring your family and your friends to come together to celebrate. Share your stories of connection, of celebration and of tradition. If you value the Point Cook Pop Up Park as a place for our community to come together, make sure your voice is heard by the council. After the federal election I was pleased to be appointed as the Prime Minister's Special Envoy for Indian Ocean Affairs. The Indian Ocean matters to Australia. The Indian Ocean region is essential to Australia's prosperity and security. It's a major part of the Indo-Pacific region, home to the world's fastest growing large economies and also a centre of increasing geostrategic competition. Australia faces the most challenging strategic environment since the Second World War, and our strategic circumstances are continuing to deteriorate. In the Indian Ocean there's increasing competition for access and influence, including efforts to secure dominance over sea lanes and strategic ports. The shipping lanes in the Indian Ocean aren't just vital to Australia; they are vital to the world economy. The Indian Ocean is already bustling with more than a third of the world's bulk cargo traffic and two-thirds of global oil shipments. Around half of Australia's sea-bound exports set sail from Indian Ocean ports. The Indian Ocean is also critical for our defence and national security. Half of Australia's naval fleet is based in the Indian Ocean. And of course it's home to Fleet Base West and Submarine Rotational Force—West. The north-east Indian Ocean was identified as an area of primary interest in the National Defence Strategy for these reasons, and strengthening our partnerships with key partners in the Indian Ocean is one of the Albanese government's priority areas for action in response to the Defence Strategic Review. Our priority in the Indian Ocean is to enhance regional resilience by coordinating with partners on solutions to shared challenges, including maritime and economic security, climate change and disaster resilience. As the foreign minister, Penny Wong, has said, by building resilience we can help keep Australians safe. Australia has shared interests with the countries of the Indian Ocean in maintaining the peace, stability and prosperity of the Indian Ocean and in seeing all countries growing their economies and deciding their own futures. The Albanese government is working with the countries of the Indian Ocean to increase our trade, investment, diplomatic and development ties. And we're supporting regional institutions, like the Indian Ocean Rim Association, the region's premier ministerial-level organisation. IORA is critical for Indian Ocean countries to collaborate and resolve shared challenges, and Australia is working to strengthen regional resilience through IORA, including through our investments in maritime security, the blue economy and climate change. We're also supporting humanitarian initiatives to help prevent regional crises from spilling over and causing instability throughout the Indian Ocean region. For example, we continue to support regional resilience through our development program, including, since 2017, $1.26 billion in humanitarian assistance for people in need in Bangladesh and Myanmar. In Bangladesh, in Cox's Bazar, there are now 1.1 million Rohingya refugees who have been in that camp for going on nine years. This week in the parliament is the anniversary of their exodus from the Rakhine state in northern Myanmar into Bangladesh. It's important for countries in the region—like Australia, the South-East Asian countries, the Indian Ocean countries—to support Bangladesh and support their resilience in hosting this very significant refugee community in our own region. Where requested, the Australian government also invests in regional resilience by taking targeted actions to help lift the sovereign capabilities of Indian Ocean partners. For example, this year Australia announced that we will gift the first Australian built Guardian class patrol boat to an Indian Ocean country, the Maldives. This gift is a key milestone in our bilateral relationship and a significant step towards enhancing the Maldives's capability to protect its sovereign waters and to contribute to collective maritime security in the Indian Ocean. Lifting the sovereign capabilities of Indian Ocean partners supports them with meeting their challenges in the best way that they see fit. It invests in their agency and their sovereignty. We've lifted our engagement throughout the Indian Ocean region. We've expanded our diplomatic footprint in the Indian Ocean with a new high commission in Male, in the Maldives, and new consulates in Bengaluru and Kolkata, in India. We're also strengthening our defence partnerships with key partners in the Indian Ocean. Our bilateral defence relationship with India is a primary example of this effort. India is a top-tier security partner for Australia, and we have never been more strategically aligned than we are right now. There are real steps we're taking to grow our defence relationship. We're doing more exercises together, and we're concentrating on how we can build interoperability between our defence forces, enabling us to have greater access to each other's defence facilities. In times of increasing geostrategic uncertainty, engaging with the Indian Ocean is more important for Australia than ever. We have the biggest search and rescue zone of any nation in the Indian Ocean and one of the biggest EEZs. Australia is using all the tools of statecraft to build a peaceful, stable and prosperous Indian Ocean region where each country can pursue its own aspirations. 19:07 Mrs PHILLIPS 147140 Gilmore As the re-elected member for Gilmore, I am honoured to give this address-in-reply to the Governor-General's speech to start the 48th Parliament of the Commonwealth of Australia. I want to start by thanking the people of Gilmore, on the South Coast of New South Wales, for re-electing me as your representative in the Australian parliament and for the privilege of fighting for you every single day. I am so thankful to have been first elected in 2019, then in 2022 and now in 2025. It is not something that I take for granted any single day. I have relished the opportunity to stand up for people and fight for more services, roads and community infrastructure. From Moruya and Batemans Bay in the Eurobodalla to the Shoalhaven and Kiama regions, this is a place I am so proud to call home. It's where I was born, where I was married and where I've raised my four now young-adult children, who also live locally. It's where I want all children to be able to grow up, have access to a good education, go to TAFE or university, and work and live locally so they can enjoy this most beautiful part of the world. When I embarked on this journey some years ago now, to be perfectly honest I didn't know what really lay ahead. But I knew I had, and still have, a yearning thirst and undeniable determination to make sure people in my communities get the best possible support. It was my way of giving back to my community, which I eternally loved and which had provided me with so much. But nothing could prepare me for those first years. From the significant drought in 2019 to the Black Summer bushfires, floods, COVID and natural disaster after natural disaster, people in my communities have gone through so much. They have given so much. Every day we see the selfless sacrifice of volunteers, essential workers, emergency service volunteers and workers, and people in our communities working so hard together to help make our communities even better. Those are communities that I'm proud to be a part of. I stand with all people in Gilmore as we face many hurdles moving forward, whether it's helping ease cost-of-living pressures, providing better access to health and mental health services, providing more access to affordable and social rental housing or helping more people into homeownership.We are moving forward and delivering on major road projects, such as the Jervis Bay flyover, the Princes Highway duplication to Tomerong, the Milton-Ulladulla bypass and the Nowra bypass, and we are supporting many community infrastructure projects, which, in turn, support people and families. This election was an excruciatingly tough one, but it was a critical election in Gilmore and returned the Albanese Labor government to continue with the job of providing important cost-of-living relief. There are some people who wrote Gilmore off, but luckily I have never been a person to listen to idle chatter and sometimes even threats. I thought I had seen it all through many elections, but this one really surprised me. I was simply stunned by the scale and ferocity of personal threats. I never knew that we even had woke-culture wars in my own little village of Callala Beach and Callala Bay. This was not the place I knew and loved; it's like someone had invaded it. I remember driving around thinking, 'I just really hope people see through all of that over-the-top, horrible and self-indulgent signage.' I'm pleased to say they did. There are many great outcomes of this election, but, apart from all the terrific things I'll be able to continue to deliver for my communities, for me, it was knowing that good had prevailed. You don't need to be nasty, to lie outright, to backflip on your views for a vote or to be misogynistic to succeed. And, just because some of the nastiest people might be the loudest, they are, in fact, not the normal. It really is a victory for kindness, for what is right and, ultimately, for what will help people best into the future. I have been strengthened by what I have learnt over the last three years and before that as well. I have tested my own inner strength to the absolute max and beyond what I could imagine, but I've done this because I want the best for our community. I want to take the next moments to highlight some of the positive measures coming to Gilmore. Health is always No. 1 in Gilmore. With one of the highest numbers of age pensioners in Australia, access to health services is key. That's why I'm proud to be delivering a second Medicare urgent care clinic at Nowra, providing bulk-billed urgent care every day of the year with extended hours. Importantly, this will also take pressure off our busy emergency department at Shoalhaven Hospital. At Batemans Bay, we saw the first Medicare urgent care clinic established, which has now seen over 17,000 patients, all fully bulk-billed. We're extending the hours of the Batemans Bay Medicare Urgent Care Clinic even further so it will be open from 6 am till midnight. That's 18 hours a day—the longest opening hours of any Medicare urgent care clinic in Australia. Again, we're supporting this community, taking pressure off the EDs and supporting local GPs as well. I'm also proud to say that we're upgrading the existing Medicare mental health hub at Nowra to a full Medicare mental health centre, which will provide extended services and access to psychiatry and psychology services. I have had so many people approach me quietly and tell me that the mental health hub at Nowra and the mental health centre at Moruya have literally saved lives. They are much-needed services and ones I'm proud to deliver, supporting local families and individuals and, again, supporting our local hospitals as well. Our South-Eastern NSW Endometriosis and Pelvic Pain Clinic at Milton has been so successful, and I'm pleased that the Albanese government has a comprehensive women's health package that provides greater access to menopause support as well as greater access to women's services. I know people in Gilmore love the changes to make medicines cheaper. Of course, we have introduced 60-day prescriptions. We've also reduced the maximum price of a general script down from $42 to $30, and we're slashing the PBS script price further to $25 from 1 January. We've frozen the cost of PBS scripts for pensioners and concession cardholders at $7.70 until the end of the decade, further helping pensioners with the cost of living. When it comes to education, I'm immensely proud that our government will deliver fair, needs based funding for our local public schools. This is something I have been campaigning for a very long time. Importantly, it means students will get greater needs based support because education really is a human right. Not only does it support students but it benefits our entire communities. Thanks to the Albanese Labor government, 14,000 people with student debt in Gilmore will have 20 per cent of their student debt slashed. Importantly, the legislation also changes the repayment system to a marginal system, which will reduce minimum repayments required and further help people with the cost of living. We're extending energy bill price relief, and our Cheaper Home Batteries Program is going gangbusters, with the take-up in Gilmore the highest in New South Wales. Community infrastructure is vital in Gilmore, and I'm thrilled that I'll be delivering $1.39 million to help build a new pilot house for Marine Rescue Shoalhaven at Crookhaven Heads, $3 million for the Batemans Bay Seahawks Football Club to build a new clubhouse, $512,000 for Kiama Surf Life Saving Club to help with their amenities, $840,000 for the Gerry Emery Oval clubhouse upgrade at Gerringong and $5 million to help with the upgrade of the Shoalhaven riverfront at Nowra. When it comes to roads, we've made great progress. The Jervis Bay Road flyover is under construction and going well, with $100 million in federal funding. The Princes Highway, from the Jervis Bay Road flyover intersection to Hawken Road at Tomerong, is also progressing well, with the concept design being refined, enabled by $400 million in federal funding. The Milton Ulladulla bypass, with $752 million in federal funding, has moved forward to a contract being awarded for concept design. The Nowra bypass, with $97 million in federal funding, is also progressing and expected to enter the development phase in 2026. I have also been really pleased to have secured and delivered federal funding for a wide range of local road projects which are much needed. Whether it is disaster recovery funding, infrastructure betterment funding, Roads to Recovery funding, black spot funding, safer roads funding, the Shoalhaven local roads package or more, federal funding is assisting our local councils and state government with local roads. When it comes to housing, you can feel the change happening. The momentum is growing, and we are seeing more affordable and social rental housing, more build-to-rent premises that have started and been completed. Importantly, the incentives provided to the state governments are resulting in this uptake of affordable and social rental housing projects and planning reforms, which is allowing more medium-density housing. One such example of this is the Nowra riverfront project, which in one precinct will see an additional 650 medium-density homes, including social and affordable rental housing. This will also assist with frontline worker accommodation, a significant upgrade for Shoalhaven hospital. Defence and the defence industry is crucial in Gilmore. I am pleased that infrastructure upgrades are occurring at HMAS Albatross in preparation for further upgrades to house additional Seahawk Romeo helicopters. All of this means additional ADF members, squadrons and the training and maintenance to support this increase in capability for our Navy's Fleet Air Arm based at HMAS Albatross. We're home to many terrific defence industry businesses, and we're working to support defence industry employers as well. We're Navy and Defence proud, and it's the reason why we're bringing the 'chopper on a stick' back at its iconic gateway position, which says, 'We are a Navy and Defence town.' Shortly, nominations will open for the community to decide whether the new chopper should be the Huey or a more contemporary Seahawk Romeo that is currently operated by our squadrons. During the 47th Parliament, I had the honour of participating in the ADF Parliamentary Exchange Program at my local ADF parachuting school just outside HMAS Albatross. The ADF Parliamentary Exchange Program is something I definitely recommend to new MPs. I tell this story because of the immense lessons it has taught me and the deeper understanding I have gained of Defence generally. I participated in the exchange because the Gilmore electorate is home to thousands of serving Defence members, veterans and their families. We're mostly Navy, but the Australian Army's Special Operations Command runs the ADF Parachuting School. I simply wanted to gain a greater understanding of what goes on there, and I wanted to encourage every child locally to consider an ADF career. The reality is that we need more people to join the ADF to fly and maintain our helicopters locally but also to take up a range of roles to provide the integrated and ready capability that Australia needs. During my exchange, I undertook a tandem ADF parachute jump around 5,000 feet above my beloved electorate, with a very experienced ADF tandem parachuter. While my parachute jump did not quite go as expected—we had a canopy malfunction and a cutaway parachute, we came down on the reserve chute, and I fractured my ankle on the landing—it actually taught me so much. Our ADF members put their lives on the line every single day. They train for every situation possible. But, as I was told later, you can mitigate risk as much as possible but, when you step off the back of a plane, anything can happen. I also came to realise that Defence members and MPs possibly do have some similarities. They both protect and help people—just in different ways. Thank you again to the ADF parachuting school. I have so many people to thank with this campaign. Thank you to my campaign team, led by the amazing Amy Knox and Simon Zulian. Thank you to Jess Malcolm-Roberts, who has the best political know-how. Thank you to my awesome electorate office team, who just kept things going and kept me on track. Thank you to our most wonderful branch members and volunteers, who were out there every day talking with voters, phone banking, doorknocking, and doing mobile offices, coffee clubs and election day. You name it; they were there. Special thanks to Gwen, the most sensible sounding board, and Lizzie. Michelle Miran, this speech is also for you. While I know you are so unwell, I will always be thankful to you for your unwavering support over many years. You are indeed a Labor legend. Thank you to the best dedicated CPSU doorknockers, Young Labor and everyone who helped. Special thanks to George Simon, assistant general secretary of New South Wales Labor, and to my colleagues for their support during the campaign, for visits and, yes, for more doorknocking. Thanks to the Prime Minister for visiting multiple times, always being there when needed and providing the steady guidance. I think we both agree that the impromptu visit to Alfresco Coffee Roasters at Moruya on Easter Monday, where you were mobbed in a good way, was a highlight and perhaps the only poll we really needed to listen to. My final thanks go to the people of Gilmore. Thank you for putting your faith in me, for me to support you over the next three years and be your voice in the Australian parliament. I love supporting people in Gilmore because I love the community I grew up in and always will. The DEPUTY SPEAKER C2T There being no further debate on the matter tonight, the debate is adjourned and the resumption of the debate will be made an order of the day for the next sitting. Federation Chamber adjourned at 19:22