2025-09-02 3 1 0 House of Reps 0 1

Tuesday, 2 September 2025

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

BILLS 1 BILLS National Health Amendment (Cheaper Medicines) Bill 2025, Health Insurance (Pathology) (Fees) (Repeal) Bill 2025 1

National Health Amendment (Cheaper Medicines) Bill 2025

Health Insurance (Pathology) (Fees) (Repeal) Bill 2025

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

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

Reference to Federation Chamber 1 12:01 Mr BURKE DYW Watson I declare that unless otherwise ordered the Home Affairs Legislation Amendment (2025 Measures No.1) Bill 2025 stands referred to the Federation Chamber for further consideration at the adjournment of the debate on the motion for the second reading of the bill. For the information of members, what that means is, if we haven't finished it before question time then it will go to the Federation Chamber. Second Reading 1 12:02 Mr HASTIE 260805 Canning Here we are again—a new parliament but the same shambolic handling of Australia's migration system from the Albanese Labor government. Another bill introduced at the eleventh hour, subverting proper parliamentary scrutiny, as Labor tries to patch over its own failings. Again, it has fallen to the coalition to help clean up Labor's mess. This will be the fifth bill Labor has introduced in an attempt to fix the chaos it created when it released hundreds of dangerous criminals onto our streets after it lost the NZYQ case almost two years ago. Make no mistake, it is the Labor government's successive policy failures that have brought us to this position in the first place. It's not the High Court, it's not the coalition or the Greens. This mess sits at Labor's feet alone. When the High Court handed down its ruling in the NZYQ case in November 2023, this government was caught flat-footed when it should have had the laws drafted and ready to go. Instead, this panicked government released hundreds of criminal noncitizens into the community with no plan to manage the very serious risks to public safety. On 14 November 2023 the hopeless former minister for home affairs and the hopeless former minister for immigration said that the released detainees were 'subject to a range of strict mandatory visa conditions'. But as it turns out, no visas were in place at all. According to documents obtained by the coalition under FOI, this government released at least 83 detainees from immigration detention into the community without any visa conditions, meaning they were roaming about freely and completely unchecked. Mr Joyce e5d You couldn't make this stuff up. Mr HASTIE 260805 You couldn't make this stuff up. This was the first of many times the coalition would help to clean up the government's mess—in this instance, by facilitating the urgent passage of the Migration Amendment (Bridging Visa Conditions) Act 2023 on 18 November 2023 so that strict visa conditions could be imposed. Immediately after the NZYQ ruling the coalition called on the government to implement a preventive detention regime to re-detain the most serious risk-offenders that had been released. After the member for Hotham suggested, 'You can't out legislate the High Court,' the government was dragged into finally passing new laws to implement a community safety order scheme—after we'd been demanding it for weeks. In March last year, the member for Scullin was forced to admit that the government had issued invalid visas to nearly 150 people released from immigration detention because of a technical legal error. As a result, our law enforcement agencies were forced to withdraw charges, for alleged visa breaches, against 10 hardened criminals in the NZYQ cohort. Then, in an extraordinary revelation in Senate estimates, the Department of Home Affairs admitted that murderers and sex offenders were being released by the government without being subject to electronic monitoring, meaning they were free in the Australian community without any surveillance at all. They were let loose on the Australian people. Who could forget the member for Scullin's bizarre interview on Sky News, where he claimed this cohort were being monitored under an imaginary drone surveillance program, which he was forced to admit didn't exist? I think he's been watching too many Hollywood movies in his spare time! Mr Tehan 210911 And he is still a minister. Mr HASTIE 260805 He's still a minister. Tragically, it is the Australian community that has borne the very real consequences of this government's dysfunction. We will never forget the tragic image of the front page of the West Australian that showed a cancer survivor and grandmother who, allegedly, had been bashed at the hands of a freed immigration detainee who'd had his ankle monitor removed despite already facing charges for visa breaches and other offences. This came after repeated warnings from the coalition for the government to move quickly to re-detain the highest-risk offenders. It is little wonder that the Prime Minister jettisoned the member for Hotham and the member for Scullin from the Home Affairs portfolio, after their chaotic and dysfunctional approach to Australia's immigration and border protection regime. The member for Watson's test as the new Minister for Home Affairs was to fix this mess and restore order to our immigration system. But, evidently, he has failed too. More than 18 months after the parliament passed legislation to create the community safety order regime, the minister has still not lodged a single application for a preventive detention order, despite the member for Scullin promising in May last year that six applications were nearly ready and a further 26 were in the advanced stage of preparation. This is a shocking failure on community safety from the Albanese Labor government. Tragically, we have seen very real consequences for this inaction. On 15 June, a 62-year-old man was, allegedly, viciously assaulted in Melbourne by an immigration detainee freed by this government. The victim died from his injuries in hospital and the perpetrator has since been charged with his murder. This terrible situation could have been avoided if the government had used its preventive detention powers to put this dangerous criminal behind bars before he had harmed an innocent Australian. Later, in June, the Minister for Home Affairs effectively admitted he had given up on his own preventive detention regime, saying, 'No-one has come close to reaching the threshold that is in that legislation.' But instead of seeking to fix the problem by, for example, changing the law to lower this threshold, the minister has thrown up his hands and put it in the too-hard basket. I suppose we shouldn't be too surprised. When the member for Watson last held the immigration portfolio, in 2013, in just 80 days he allowed 83 boats carrying 6,634 people into our country and put 1,992 children in detention. Things aren't looking much better this time around. The minister needs to pull his act together and use the powers the parliament gave the government to get these high-risk offenders off the streets before they commit more crimes against innocent Australians. There is no reason he can't do this at the same time he pursues avenues for deportation, like the third-country arrangements dealt with by this bill. The need for action has never been more acute. As at 31 July, there were 354 dangerous criminals free in the community following the NZYQ decision. Of these, only 90—less than a third—are subject to electronic monitoring and only 45 individuals are subject to a specified curfew. This means that there are well over 200 dangerous criminals free in the community without ankle bracelets or curfews—basics, really. If you're letting criminals out into the community, you'd think you'd put them under some sort of surveillance—not this government; not the Albanese government. We also know, from previous evidence given by the Department of Home Affairs, that there are child sex offenders free in the community who are not subject to electronic monitoring, curfew or any form of surveillance. Because of Labor's botched legislation, multiple criminals convicted for visa breaches received suspended sentences despite the parliament legislating mandatory 12-month minimum sentences shortly after the NZYQ fiasco began. This minister is asleep at the wheel, and his negligence is putting the Australian community at risk. Mr McCormack 219646 It's putting lives at risk. Mr HASTIE 260805 Lives at risk—exactly, the member for Riverina. Sadly, these are just the latest in a litany of failures from the Albanese Labor government on immigration and community safety, including the former minister for immigration's direction 99 debacle, which saw 97 criminal noncitizens avoid deportation from Australia because of the government's capitulation to pressure from the New Zealand government, and the Minister for Home Affairs' humanitarian program on the run, wherein he admitted he had been personally interviewing Palestinian families before granting them humanitarian visas. This comes after the government granted thousands of tourist visas to people in a war zone controlled by a terrorist group before they were referred to ASIO for proper security checks. The Albanese Labor government is undermining Operation Sovereign Borders by overseeing a 21 per cent decrease in aerial flying hours and a 16 per cent decrease in maritime patrol days compared to 2020-21. We've seen at least 35 illegal people-smuggling ventures carrying more than 600 illegal boat arrivals make the journey to Australia since the Albanese Labor government came to power. At least five ventures have made it to the Australian mainland, at least two of which deposited their passengers and escaped undetected by Australian authorities, something that was almost unheard of in the decade before Labor took government. The current bill seeks to address legal arguments being used by NZYQ affected individuals to prevent their removal from Australia to Nauru under a third-country reception arrangement. They have mounted two types of legal challenge: firstly, by claiming that they were owed procedural fairness before the Commonwealth took the decision to apply for a Nauruan visa; and secondly, by claiming that there was an error in an old visa decision relating to them. The bill seeks to address these lines of argument by putting beyond doubt that the Commonwealth does not need to afford an individual procedural fairness when taking action in relation to third-country reception arrangements, disclosing information about removal-pathway noncitizens to foreign governments and issuing removal-pathway directions requiring noncitizens 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. The bill also removes legal uncertainty created by the NZYQ decision by validating 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. The coalition has always sought to work constructively with government to fix the immigration mess of the Labor government's own making. We'll always act in the national interest, and this is absolutely in the Australian peoples' interest. We cannot have criminals roaming freely without surveillance in our community any longer. I understand the net effect of this bill is to provide legal certainty which will minimise delays in removing NZYQ affected individuals from Australia, meaning that people with no legal right to be here will be removed as soon as possible. Basic rules of hospitality apply. If you're in this country, you do the right thing. If you don't, you're gone. Mr Tehan 210911 Out! Mr HASTIE 260805 You're out. It's how we'd operate with our own homes. This country has the same standards. Given this imperative and the fact that this bill is constrained in its scope to addressing specific legal challenges relating to noncitizens on a removal pathway, the coalition is facilitating the urgent passage of this bill through the House, despite Labor's rushed and dysfunctional process. We will interrogate this bill via an inquiry in the other place to ensure there are no mistakes or unintended consequences, given this government's atrocious track record when it comes to this kind of legislation. Remember, this is the fifth bill Labor has introduced to manage its NZYQ disaster. We would not be doing the right thing by the Australian people if we did not insist on an inquiry in the other place, even if we are committed to facilitating the urgent passage of this bill. I want to restate that the only reason we are here today is that Labor failed to get it right the last four times. Again, it is Labor that has botched its handling of Australia's immigration system, and, again, it has fallen to the coalition as the adults in the room to clean up Labor's mess. We will clean up Labor's mess, and that is why we will support the passage of this bill through the House. 12:15 Dr RYAN 297660 Kooyong I rise today to speak in strong opposition to the Home Affairs Legislation Amendment (2025 Measures No. 1) Bill 2025. It is our government's job to ensure national security by controlling who and what enters our country. It must protect our nation, it must enforce our laws and it must manage our borders. But balanced against those demands is the duty of a democratic government to deal fairly and with justice with some of the most consequential decisions that a government can make—decisions regarding detention, deportation and transfer of individuals who lack the power or the platform to defend themselves. This bill follows the November 2023 High Court ruling on the NZYQ cohort that it was unlawful for the government to indefinitely detain a person if there was 'no real prospect' of them being removed from Australia 'in the reasonably foreseeable future'. In the recent Federal Court decision, it was held that actions in relation to third-country reception arrangements do not require procedural fairness to be afforded. The proposed amendments seek to codify that recent decision by the Federal Court. This bill is aimed at allowing the government to more quickly deport members of the NZYQ cohort—a group of what we call noncitizens, a somewhat dehumanising term—currently living in the Australian community whose visas were cancelled on character grounds. This cohort previously faced indefinite immigration detention. They cannot be removed to their home countries, because they face persecution or because those countries have refused to accept them. The amendment now before the House explicitly removes procedural fairness in decisions to remove these noncitizens to a third-country reception arrangement and with respect to the sharing of their personal information with those third countries. The government, in effect, is continuing to double down in pursuing its desire to deport this cohort of individuals by any means possible—by means of legislation which flies in the face of the values and the fundamental tenets of our legal system. Procedural fairness is a foundational principle in Australian administrative law. It ensures that decisions made by public authorities are conducted through fair and unbiased procedures. Procedural fairness is vital to public trust in government decision-making and to upholding the rule of law. One of its two core elements, the right to be heard, is specifically negated by this legislation. Under the proposed changes, procedural fairness will not apply to decisions relating to third-country reception arrangements. We claim to live in a strong democracy which respects the individual, but this bill denies individuals who are noncitizens of this country what we regard for ourselves as unalienable rights. A human right is universal; it can't be assumed for some and denied for others purely on the basis of their visa status. The bill is presented as a technical fix relevant to a very small number of individuals, but it could in fact potentially be applied to thousands of people—I'm told potentially as many as 80,000 individuals—who are currently seeking residence in this country. Concerns about the bill are shared by legal experts, by refugee advocates and by community organisations across the country—people who see, every day, the human cost of bureaucratic overreach and who deal with the harm and the hurt that it causes. Just today, the Refugee Council has contacted me to describe this bill as 'unbelievably cruel and extraordinarily costly'. The ASRC has called it 'rushed, reckless and dehumanising'. Last week, we learnt that the government has quietly, sneakily signed a $408 million deal, plus $70 million annually, with Nauru. The deal will allow the government to send those members of the NZYQ cohort to Nauru, at a cost of $2.4 million per person in the first five years after that transfer. This payment comes on top of a $100 million treaty signed between the two countries last year, and it is separate from the funding that Australia is already giving to Nauru to run its offshore detention regime. That revelation sets a very stark backdrop to today's debate. What we're talking about is vulnerable people, stateless individuals, refugees and survivors of torture and trauma who will, as a result of this bill, be sent offshore with no public explanation, no proper oversight and no legal recourse. A number of these people previously committed very serious crimes. Some have reoffended. But some have never been convicted of a crime. Some have spent five times as long in immigration detention as they were originally sentenced to serve in prison. Some are frail, some are sick, and some are elderly. They could die in Nauru without proper care. The United Nations Human Rights Committee has previously issued a non-binding order for the federal government to stop one of those deportations on the grounds that the government has legal responsibilities not to deport people to countries where they could face cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment, or death. That is exactly what we propose to do with this legislation. The government claims that its memorandum of understanding with Nauru contains undertakings for the proper treatment and long-term residency of people who have no legal right to stay in Australia, and that Australia will provide funding to underpin this arrangement and support Nauru's long-term economic resilience. But the fact is that we know that refugees and people transferred to Nauru have experienced violence in the past. Just this month, the Age carried a report detailing how private security and community safety in Nauru are being overseen by associates of outlaw motorcycle gangs. Nauru is one of the world's smallest and most economically vulnerable countries. It has a population of fewer than 12,000. It is housed on an area of land which is smaller than the Tullamarine airport. Using a small island nation as a dumping ground for individuals that we don't want here is a disgraceful way to act. It makes Australia a Pacific bullyboy, buying our own piece of mind at the expense of a small and underresourced nation. This amendment risks placing Australia in breach of its binding commitments under international law, including the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment. Our credibility abroad and our moral leadership are both diminished when we undermine the very human rights that we advocate for elsewhere. I particularly want to acknowledge the work of the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre, Grandmothers for Refugees and the many community based organisations and legal advocates across Australia who have brought the gravity of this legislation to public attention and who continue to advocate for those rendered voiceless by systemic neglect and legal exclusion. Their unwavering commitment to justice, to compassion and to accountability strengthens our democracy. I do not accept that a vision of Australia where the rights of the individual are predicated on where they were born, and where the vulnerable can be denied fair treatment and shuttled across borders in silence is the Australia that we wish to represent, so I urge this parliament to reject this bill and to reaffirm its commitment to the rule of law. If this bill passes, it is a mandate for injustice, paid for with our national reputation and our conscience. 12:24 Ms CHANEY 300006 Curtin It appears that the government is trying to do two things with the Home Affairs Legislation Amendment (2025 Measures No. 1) Bill 2025. Firstly, it's trying to retrospectively fix any decision that was made before NZYQ based on the erroneous belief that indefinite detention was, at that time, legal. Secondly, it's trying to ensure that procedural fairness doesn't apply to certain types of executive power related to the removal of noncitizens in line with the TCXM decision. I have four main concerns about this bill. My first concern is about the retrospective validation of unlawful decisions. As a rough estimate, there could be a hundred decisions made before the NZYQ decision that this could affect, where applicants may be hopeful that a reconsideration of their case could deliver a different outcome. The Minister for Home Affairs made visa decisions based on a series of factors, one of which was the belief that indefinite detention was legal. If this is not the case, then those decisions could be invalid. Changing the law to make these decisions valid retrospectively is convenient, but it's not great law. We should be really cautious before we endorse such a step. That's why I want to see this bill referred to a committee. When we're talking about decisions that deal with such fundamental issues such as individual freedoms, we shouldn't just paper over the cracks because it's expedient. My second concern is that the bill declares that procedural fairness doesn't apply to certain types of executive actions. Any law that limits procedural fairness should be done carefully and with proper scrutiny. I understand that the people in question have had the chance to be heard, often numerous times before, and to appeal their cases before they get to the point where they're being removed from Australia, but procedural fairness is fundamental. It upholds the integrity, transparency and accountability of decision-making processes, and we shouldn't mess with it lightly. I'm not arguing that procedural fairness should never be removed from certain legal powers, but I believe that we always need proper scrutiny of the impacts when dealing with such a fundamental legal right. My third concern is that, while the government says this bill is aimed at the NZYQ cohort, its scope is far wider. There could be tens of thousands of people covered by this bill who have no right to procedural fairness when the government is taking significant actions that affect their rights. There may be practical reasons why this pathway won't be used much, but I don't think we should pass laws comfortable in the belief that they won't be used. If we are going to pass a law that makes it clear that no procedural fairness applies to such a large number of people, it deserves scrutiny. Finally, I'm concerned by the rushed nature of the bill. It was introduced last week without clear consultation and will likely be passed through the House today. The retrospective legalisation of all decisions made based on an erroneous understanding of the law deserves scrutiny rather than haste. The government is clearly desperate to deal with the NZYQ cohort, and this is reflected in the eye-watering sums of money that the government is reportedly paying Nauru to accept these people. After the TCXM case, procedural fairness has already been found, at least in the first-instance decision, not to apply to the exercise of executive power needed to remove the problem of this cohort to Nauru. If it's not needed, then what is the rush? Let's go through a proper review process. If there's doubt about whether procedural fairness should apply, then we should be treading very carefully. This is a complex area of law intersecting with constitutional principles, international obligations and human rights, and it should not be rushed. Parliament works best when we take the time to scrutinise legislation carefully, especially when fundamental rights are at stake. Yesterday I moved a motion to refer this bill to committee, given that it deals with significant individual rights, and I stand by that as the best course of action. I understand the government's desire to deal quickly with the NZYQ cohort. Community safety is paramount, but, as legislators, we have a duty to make good law not just fast law. We need to balance security with fairness and efficiency with accountability. In the absence of a committee reviewing the bill to examine with adequate time whether we have that balance right, I will not be supporting this bill. 12:29 Ms WATSON-BROWN 300127 Ryan The Home Affairs Legislation Amendment (2025 Measures No. 1) Bill 2025, another cruel attack on refugees and immigrants by the Labor government, removes their basic right to natural justice. Not content with their anti-refugee laws last term, passed through with the coalition, Labor are now doubling down. What does this bill actually do? It is designed to forcibly remove people to Nauru without their having any right to see the application that the government is making. It removes any right to an appeal process, with no opportunity for them to make representations about why their removal would be unsafe or explain to the government of Nauru why they shouldn't be deported there. Labor are making it retrospective as well to cover for previous, illegal breaches of procedural fairness that are being challenged in court. These are basic rights for procedural fairness that should apply to everyone—no exceptions. Everyone is equal under the law, no matter where they're born. The Nauru president has made it clear that he intends to send people Australia deports there back to the country that they have fled. Make no mistake, this puts these refugees' lives in danger. It is unspeakably cruel. This is Labor with a majority, 94 seats, attacking refugees and depriving them of basic procedural fairness and natural justice. The fact that there is no-one from the government speaking to this bill speaks volumes, doesn't it? It speaks for itself. They should be ashamed because, as long as they keep fanning the flames of anti-migrant and anti-refugee sentiment, they will keep seeing a rise in far-right extremism, and we'll keep seeing what we saw over the weekend. It's the oldest trick in the book. Every time there's a crisis, Labor and the Liberals point their fingers at immigrants. Some do it overtly; others just dog whistle. But the intent is the same. The intent is to distract from the fact that it's tax breaks for investors that's driving housing unaffordability; distract from the fact that the major parties are not willing to tax massive multinational corporations to fund the public hospitals, the schools, the housing and the transport that we need; and distract from the fact that it's massive monopoly supermarkets that are driving surging supermarket prices. Just last year, Labor and the Liberals went after international students, scapegoating them for the housing crisis. Now they're cracking down once again on refugees, spending $400 million of taxpayer money to deport a few hundred refugees to Nauru. This is the tragic outcome of a bipartisan 'tough on borders' agenda. Then they scratch their heads and wonder why Nazis feel emboldened to hold rallies in our cities. Labor and the Liberals put out strongly worded statements defending our 'social cohesion'. They should look in the mirror. If you govern for massive corporations, if you let life get harder for everyday people and if you dog whistle at immigrants, you are providing the oxygen for the far right. Shame on you. I guess it's good to know who Labor and the Liberals will target and who they'll protect. Labor and the Liberals will break— Mr McCormack 219646 That's outrageous. You cannot say we are protecting those people. Ms WATSON-BROWN 300127 You're breaking our own laws to indefinitely detain a refugee fleeing persecution. The DEPUTY SPEAKER 249710 Member for Wannon, a point of order? Mr Tehan 210911 Just to assist the House, I think the member should withdraw the imputation that she's just made, because I think all of us think it was beyond the pale. Ms WATSON-BROWN 300127 I'll withdraw and proceed. Labor and the Liberals will break our own laws to indefinitely detain a refugee fleeing persecution, but they will let the CEO who illegally fired 1,800 workers walk away with a $20 million payout. Labor and the Liberals will subject refugees to systemic abuse in detention centres in places like Manus Island, but will give less than a slap on the wrist to the big banks found to be engaging in systemic misconduct and exploitation. Labor and the Liberals are now deporting hundreds of refugees to Nauru, a very poor country in the Pacific, but they are giving gas corporation Santos, who let a methane leak go on for 20 years, a huge tax break. It's about hypocrisy; Labor and the Liberals protect the rich and powerful, and they throw the defenceless under the bus. The great Tony Benn once said, 'The way a government treats refugees is very instructive because it shows you how they would treat the rest of us if they thought they could get away with it.' That's Tony Benn, not me. Let's not let them get away with it—for refugees, for the rest of us. Do you know who's causing the housing crisis? Labor and the coalition. Do you know who's not? Immigrants. Here are the facts. We had next to zero immigration during COVID. Did house prices fall or flatline? No. They increased dramatically. Over the past decade, the population has increased by 16 per cent and dwellings by 19 per cent. The truth is, it's incredibly convenient for the major parties to blame immigrants for the housing crisis because it lets the real culprits off the hook. Labor and the coalition are on a unity ticket, turbocharging the housing crisis via negative gearing and the capital gains tax discount. Labor and the coalition are on a unity ticket, abandoning any real effort to build public housing like governments used to. A quarter of the homes built post-World War II were public housing—that's 25 per cent public housing—and now it's just one per cent. Pathetic. Mr McCormack 219646 It's the states. Ms WATSON-BROWN 300127 It was the federal government, the Housing Commission just after World War II, to set those facts straight. Labor and the coalition are on a unity ticket to do the bidding of the property industry, giving tax breaks to property developers to build unaffordable housing. Labor and the coalition want you to believe that migrants are causing the housing crisis, because it protects those really responsible—that is, their policies, the banks and the property industry. 12:36 Dr HAINES 282335 Indi I rise today to speak on the Home Affairs Legislation Amendment (2025 Measures No.1) Bill 2025. This bill is the latest in a long chain of legislation to the House in response to the NZYQ cohort decision made in November 2023. What this bill does, effectively, is to: (1) remove the right to procedural fairness for persons subject to removal to a third country, and (2) retrospectively validate relevant visa decisions made prior to the NZYQ case. I, along with human rights groups and the country's leading legal bodies, have serious concerns with this bill, on multiple fronts, which I will outline here. In November 2023, the High Court overturned the Al-Kateb ruling, which had permitted indefinite detention. The court found that there was no real prospect of the removal of a detainee from Australia becoming practicable in the reasonably foreseeable future. It was unconstitutional. There are now over 300 noncitizens from the NZYQ cohort in the Australian community on bridging visas. Many of this cohort do not belong in Australia, and I acknowledge their legal status is a wicked problem. With no legal right to remain in Australia and the government unable to detain them or return them to their country of origin, clearly, there is no simple solution. But a wicked problem does not justify a wicked solution. We must remember the old legal adage, 'Hard cases make bad law.' An extreme case is a poor basis for a general law that would cover a wider range of less extreme cases. The bill before the House will remove a bedrock of our rule of law. It seeks to remove the rules of natural justice and procedural fairness, when trying to remove people from Australia and send them to Nauru or other undisclosed third countries. In the last parliament, in response to the NZYQ decision, the government rushed through legislation, with the support of the opposition, that meant any person released from indefinite detention must be subject to ankle bracelets and a curfew. I opposed this legislation at the time, in part, because I had concerns that it would not withstand a High Court challenge. It turns out I was right to be concerned, because the High Court then considered the case of YBFZ, an Iranian person released following the NZYQ decision who was subject to these restrictive curfew and ankle bracelet conditions. Like it found in the NZYQ case, the High Court ruled that in the case of YBFZ the government was, again, breaching constitutional principles of the separation of powers by imposing punishment on individuals when this is solely within the remit of the courts. This bill before us today is also likely to be subject to a High Court challenge, with a reasonable chance it too will be overturned. On that basis alone, I cannot support this bill. We must remember that every High Court challenge to government legislation costs a significant amount of taxpayer dollars and uses valuable court time. I must be able to satisfy myself that the legislation I'm voting on has been protected as much as possible from this occurring. Right now, I cannot assure myself nor the people I represent that this is the case. It's not just for this reason alone that I will be opposing this bill. I am deeply concerned about the speed in which this government seeks to rush through this legislation and the lack of transparency around it. When I'm deciding whether to support or oppose a bill, I ask a fundamental question: is this good governance? Good governance means good process. It means proper time for scrutiny, proper time for consultation and proper time for negotiation. This bill was only introduced last week, with a 10-minute briefing provided to the crossbench. It has not gone through a Senate inquiry nor the opportunity for scrutiny by legal experts who can determine its potential impacts beyond those in the NZYQ cohort. I need to know what the impacts are that of the bill I'm required to vote on, and I cannot support a bill where the government has not allowed adequate scrutiny for me to understand and have confidence in this legislation. My crossbench colleague the member for Curtin moved a motion for this scrutiny yesterday—a motion that was voted down by all but the crossbench. Then there is the content of this bill, which undermines vital principles of our legal system and the rule of law in this country. That is important. The decision to remove a person to another country is fundamentally distinct from the decision to approve, revoke or refuse the visa to be in Australia. This bill does not just have consequence for the NZYQ cohort but for others, and it could result in people subject to remove to a third country having no legal rights to be heard. This, according to the Refugee Council of Australia, means there would be no consideration of whether a person faces a real risk of persecution or harm if sent to Nauru or indeed any other country. There would be no consideration of whether they would receive adequate health care in the third country, for example. While the government says that these people have already 'had their day in court', the decision to forcibly remove them to another country should not be brushed aside and has broader consequences, which this parliament is being given no opportunity to scrutinise. Refugee law experts say that this bill poses a real risk of chain refoulement, which means there is nothing preventing Nauru or other undisclosed third countries from sending people back to harm, persecution or death in their countries of origin. This would be a breach of Australia's international law obligations, a risk the Department of Home Affairs themselves have acknowledged. The simple fact is that Australia has legal obligations to ensure these people won't be returned to face persecution or death. It's absolutely not clear to me as a parliamentarian that the government can guarantee this. I have deep concerns about that. The removal of due process would mean, if someone were wrongly sent to Nauru, including those who have not been convicted of any offence, they would have no way to challenge their removal. Just think about that for a moment—no way to be heard in court. No justice. It's a big decision we're making here. Legal bodies, such as the Law Council of Australia, also have serious concerns about the retrospective measures proposed in this bill. The Human Rights Commissioner said that the bill 'may give rise to retrospective criminal liability'. She continues: This raises significant concerns about the rule of law and requires careful scrutiny. The Asylum Seeker Resource Centre says the bill would validate 'incorrect decisions that were made in the past, preventing the right for these decisions to be corrected'. It continues: The Bill even allows the government to continue to prosecute criminal charges that were brought as a result of incorrect decisions. Surely, colleagues, this cannot be the standard of legislating we hold ourselves to in this place—is it? When the government introduced another bill last year relating to the NZYQ cohort, I said: … under the bill the government can now pay countries to take people they're deported to. This could create a very real risk of a new offshore warehousing program. If the Australian public want to know how much the government is spending to do this, that will only be revealed by freedom-of-information requests or Senate estimates hearings. At the time, I said: I've got real concerns about ensuring the transparency of such a use of taxpayer money. Well, here we are. We now know two things. Firstly, the government is creating a new offshore warehousing regime. Secondly, it's going to cost $400 million upfront and $70 million per year after that. The Human Rights Law Centre has gone on to say that the legislation would save the government from having to even ask basic questions in relation to the people it's looking to deport to third countries forever. The Human Rights Commission has said that the bill 'raises significant concerns about the rule of law'. It said: Rather than a patchwork of reactive responses, we need to ensure principled migration and asylum policies that maintain the integrity of Australia's migration system while also upholding our human rights obligations. That sounds reasonable. The Asylum Seeker Resource Centre is concerned that the bill is drafted so broadly that its removal of fair process could apply not only to the NZYQ cohort but also to anyone on a bridging visa issued on departure grounds, potentially thousands of people. Already they've told me about being contacted by people with no connection to the NZYQ cohort, terrified that this bill's removal of due process could in fact apply to them. And what reassurance can we give them? Since this bill was introduced, many of my constituents have already phoned and emailed my office, one just a few minutes ago, urging me to oppose it. The rule of law either applies to us all or doesn't. We've said so many times in this place that in our country no-one is above the law. Well, this bill should remind us that no-one should be beneath the law. I urge the Senate to send this bill to a full inquiry for adequate scrutiny so that we can understand the full impact of these proposed laws. Until such a time, in its current form, I will not support this bill. 12:47 Mr WILKIE C2T Clark Much has been said and written about the Home Affairs Legislation Amendment (2025 Measures No. 1) Bill 2025, and I applaud my crossbench colleagues for doing a much better job than I would ever be able to do to explore particularly the legal dimensions of the bill. It is entirely understandable that the speeches that have been given by my colleagues have been needed, because this bill would be a fundamental departure from how Australian law currently operates by removing the right to natural justice. That we would even contemplate that, let alone have a bill before us, beggars belief and diminishes our country. But, because my colleagues have spoken at such length about such matters, I actually want to focus on some other dimensions of this that are perhaps a bit more gritty. I was very pleased that the member for Indi spoke about international law, and that's where I'll start my contribution. If this bill becomes law, Australia will be in clear breach of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court. The Rome statute was a statute agreed upon by our predecessors in this place and ratified by our predecessors in this place when they agreed that the forced removal of someone to a third country is a crime against humanity. That might sound a bit overly dramatic, but that's what we are contemplating today—to bring into law something that would have Australia stand guilty of crimes against humanity. This is another case of where we think that international law only applies to countries like Russia or China or Syria or Iran and that international law doesn't apply to good countries like us. It doesn't apply to the United States. It doesn't apply to Israel. It doesn't apply to Australia. It only applies to the countries that we want it to apply to. That is completely and utterly unacceptable, and that should worry us a lot. We should be the first country in the world, as an important middle power, to be advocating for international law and the rule of law, which have served this country so, so well ever since the end of the Second World War. The other point I'll make is how this stands to be such a gross misuse of public funds. For a group of about 280 people, for there to be a political fix—let's face it: the government's in a hole. They've got to do something about this cohort. They're not getting much cooperation from the opposition, who sees everything through the prism of political opportunity. The government's in a hole, so it's going to throw, over a few years, about $2 million of Australian taxpayer money at each of these approximately 280 people. That's an appalling misuse of public funds. That should alarm us. Even the people who want to be rid of this cohort of people should at least be worried about how we're spending this money, and we're going to be giving it to a country which, when I look at a recent Transparency International report—they surveyed Nauruans, and 50 per cent of Nauruans surveyed said that they thought the Prime Minister and the officials in the Nauruan government are likely to be involved in corruption. But yet we're going to hand over $400 million in year 1 and, I think, $70 million every year after that for, presumably, as long as any of this cohort of people are living in Nauru. That's appalling. In fact, I'd liken it to a form of colonialism that we even think we have the right to ask the Nauruan government to take these people and that we are able to bring such financial force to bear to effectively force them to take these people. I'm reminded of a previous life more than 20 years ago now. I remember reading a cable that came back to Canberra from our top diplomat or one of the diplomats in Nauru, and the cable explored all of the money and the assistance that we were pouring into Nauru. I can still remember the last sentence of that cable from more than 20 years ago, and it said, 'We have bought Nauru.' And you know what? We're doing exactly the same again. I think it is a form of colonialism. I also want to pick up on the point that the member for Ryan made. The member for Ryan, I think bravely, raised the issue of racism. I note that the comment was withdrawn, but I don't think we should be so quick to—I wasn't doing so, but I don't think other honourable members should have been so quick to jump on the member for Ryan for floating the idea that there's an element of racism here. I put the question back to my colleagues. It's a genuine question. Would we be reacting the same way if this group of people had come from other countries? Admittedly, a lot of the other countries would take people back and would accept them being sent back, but not all. If these people in this cohort had come from other countries, would the government or the community have the same emotional response to this? I think it's a question that needs to be explored. The DEPUTY SPEAKER 249710 I believe the member for Wannon has a point of order. Mr Tehan 210911 Once again, the imputation being made is absolutely horrendous, and I would ask the member to reflect on what he said and to withdraw. Mr WILKIE C2T Of course I will withdraw it, but I think these are matters we sometimes should reflect on. I'm not saying that this group of people—let's face it: there are some very unsavoury people in this group. Mind you, some of them have never been charged or convicted of an offence. Some have been charged and convicted of an offence and have done their time and deserve a fresh start. Some of them have spent so long in detention in Australia that they have done multiples of the time they might have spent in prison if they ever had been charged and convicted. It's not 280 people all out of the same mould. This is quite a diverse group of people, and they are all being dealt with with the same blunt instrument. To the degree that there are some members of this cohort who are unsavoury and judged to be a continuing threat to public safety, I'm the first to say they shouldn't be allowed into the community, but there are other ways to deal with those people rather than shipping them off—or flying them off, I suppose—to what I liken to a gulag, or a hulk that might be on the Thames. I haven't been to Nauru, but I know enough about it to know it is a tiny speck of an island almost on the equator in the middle of the Pacific Ocean—a hot, dry, harsh place. Hardy people live there; full marks to the Nauruans. But it's not where you would send people from this country to get rid of them. It's a horrid place in that regard. We should be looking at ways to deal with these people ourselves. Deputy Speaker Chesters, you might remember, some years ago now, I tabled a bill that would have ended mandatory and indefinite detention. Even that bill—advised by human rights lawyers and other people and organisations—went to the point of saying that, if someone were a genuine threat to public safety, then an application could be made to a court, and a court could decide whether that person should continue to be detained. Why don't we do something like that? Instead of shipping our problems off to other countries and giving them almost half a billion dollars, why don't we deal with it ourselves? We are one of the wealthiest and cleverest countries in the world. We pride ourselves on being good international citizens that comply with international law. We're proud of the fact that we live by the rule of law in this country. Surely, if there's one country in the world that could set the example on how to deal with this, it's us. I don't mind if the government and the opposition pull out my old bill that would end mandatory and indefinite detention and go to the relevant part—they could lift it, they could use it; I'd be delighted if they copied it—and, instead of these 280 people being treated as a job lot, go through them one by one and work out what the best solution and the best outcome is for each and every one of them. For those that do need to be kept in detention, we should frame our laws so they allow a court to make that decision. I think that would be the humane, legal and decent way to respond to this. That would send a signal to people who might seek to come to this country via irregular means. Let's face it; our so-called border security policies—I'd call them our irregular immigration policies—are based on punishment and deterrence. They've been that way probably ever since a Labor government introduced mandatory detention decades ago. It might have been the Hawke government, if memory serves me correctly. So no side of politics has clean hands here—no side at all. In fact, I think the only people in this place who have got clean hands at the moment are the crossbench, who are fighting for natural justice, fighting for the rule of law and fighting for adherence to international law and for acting as a decent country with integrity. What we've got instead is this political fix—a political fix because the government's in a hole. They're in a hole because they've got to do something with this group of people. They've got the opposition on their back, who never miss an opportunity to try and score political points when it comes to irregular immigration in this country. So we're going to ram this through with a bill of $400 million in the first year for 280-odd people, and $70 million a year every year thereafter—I assume until there are none of the 280 left. This is an appalling turn of events. I certainly won't be supporting this bill. I would be happy to support another bill brought to this place that sought to come up with a humane, decent and principled way to deal with this cohort of people, one that would look at each on a case-by-case basis and ensure that there was some mechanism like a court making decisions on ongoing detention for anyone who was genuinely a threat to public safety. 12:59 Ms STEGGALL 175696 Warringah This bill, the Home Affairs Legislation Amendment (2025 Measures No. 1) Bill 2025, is incredibly problematic, as I commented yesterday in this place in relation to the motion. The motion should have succeeded, and this bill should have been referred to the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Human Rights. There are great concerns around intervention by government, around ministerial intervention into the judicial system. We have separation of powers for a very good reason in our liberal democracy, and that is to ensure there isn't overreach by the executive branch into decisions. We have the judicial branch there to implement, to ensure we have case law and to ensure that we have elements of natural justice, which includes procedural fairness as a fundamental principle. What is really concerning now is that question of trying to remove it in certain situations where it's simply inconvenient and maybe taking up a little bit too much time from the government's perspective. We have a situation where the High Court has already ruled that in some instances procedural fairness is not required. Why is it necessary for this legislation to go beyond that ruling, to extend it to further cases and to extend it retrospectively? I have a major issue with that aspect. Ministerial intervention into the judicial system is incredibly concerning. Unfortunately we're seeing it all too often from this government around a number of issues. We have a fundamental judicial right in relation to natural justice and procedural fairness, and this attempt by the government to curtail it is incredibly concerning. I think it's important, because it is so significant, that all of this be very carefully scrutinised and that any unintended consequences be identified. It should be put properly to the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Human Rights. I understand the government has a problem it needs to solve. The NZYQ decision left a group of people in our community with serious criminal histories, and, while the avenues through the Migration Act have been exhausted, the government now needs to look at other tools to deal with this group of people. It's a community safety issue, it's a political problem, and it gets weaponised all the time by the opposition. Of course I understand there needs to be a solution, but that does not mean you set aside key fundamental principles of our judicial system. So while I support the intention of the government to form a solution, I note there are serious concerns about the impact of this bill. These are not just my concerns. These are concerns being reflected by the legal fraternity and by many who are making submissions and urging the government to step with great care in this area. Curtailing fundamental and crucial elements of our legal system is seriously not the best way to solve the political problem that they have at the moment. Of course, this has all come about as a result of indefinite offshore detention, which was an incredibly problematic and bad policy for so long. It remains a bad policy of the government. We finally had a High Court judgement that determined that indefinite detention was not legal and could not continue. This should have been a light bulb moment for both major political parties years ago; we finally had a High Court judgement that identified that. Rather than grappling with that question, with what that judgement meant, what we have seen from the Albanese government—in both the 47th Parliament and the 48th Parliament, time and time again—is ways of getting around the decision, of trying to accommodate the decision without fundamentally re-thinking the question around the rights and consequences of indefinite detention. For Warringah, there is a real sense of the importance of the rule of law. I represent a community that values fairness. The rule of law—procedural fairness—is incredibly important. I've received a lot of correspondence, in the small amount of time we've had on this legislation, from across the electorate, raising serious concerns about the human rights abuses that may occur if this bill is passed. The Pacific solution, as it was once known, posed serious concerns. The Nauru files documented numerous instances of abuse, assault, self-harm and other severe forms of mistreatment and neglect against asylum seekers and refugees held on the island. The government and major parties were complicit in that by endorsing policy that continued it. We now stand at another crossroads, where we're sending people back to Nauru for, essentially, what appears to be indefinite detention. We don't even know. What we have is an announcement in the media of huge sums of money being spent on a minor group of people, and we simply have no information about their rights. Are we just basically perpetrating more indefinite detention but sending it somewhere else and saying, at great cost: 'It's not our problem anymore. We will hand that problem over to Nauru'? Back in November 2023, the High Court handed down the NZYQ decision. The court said that indefinite immigration detention isn't constitutional if there's no real prospect of someone being removed in the reasonable foreseeable future. That ruling meant the government could no longer keep certain noncitizens locked up indefinitely. Somewhere between 150 and 300 people had to be released as a result. This was quickly weaponised by the other side, as is the norm when it comes to anything to do with immigration. The group quickly became known as the NZYQ cohort, and some of them—yes—have incredibly troubling and dangerous criminal histories of violent and sexual offences. But that is why we have a judicial system. That is why we take proceedings. That is why we have prisons. We have a system to deal with that. It left the government in a difficult position, so they've rushed their response and tinkered around the edges a few times. We keep having all these attempts. Every time you curtail trust, the public loses faith that the government actually has a cohesive plan and way of approaching and dealing with this. We've seen bridging visa Rs with strict conditions, ankle bracelets, curfews and regular reporting. Later, though, some of those measures were struck down by the courts, again for being unconstitutional. The government was advised that the legislation will only impact 200-odd people in respect to this one now. But the question is: what are the wide-ranging impacts of this legislation? What are we not aware of? Where is the slippery slope we're on when it comes to procedural fairness and natural justice? I understand that there is a huge amount of litigation in our courts around the Migration Act, and that is problematic, I believe, for the government. But, rather than looking holistically at the scale of the problem, the answer from the government is to set aside cornerstones of our judicial system, and I fundamentally disagree with that approach. To me, this bill needs to be delicately understood and balanced. We have to find a better balance to ensure we contain strong borders, have domestic security and have a strong judicial system while also making sure we have appropriate consequences for all those that commit serious crimes within Australia, in particular when they are people that have no legal right to remain. But we also have to ensure we have robust and fair processes consistent with our obligations under international human rights law. These are not just things that are nice to respect when it is convenient and that you set aside when it is inconvenient. It's when it is inconvenient that they need to be respected and upheld the most. What I'm so incredibly concerned about with this legislation is that the government is choosing the other path. It is choosing to set aside those cornerstones. What we're seeing all too often is that, when inconvenient judicial decisions are handed down, the government tries to find a workaround. It doesn't want to grapple with the legal principle that a decision was unconstitutional—that the powers the executive government and the policy they implemented were beyond the bounds of the constitution. Rather than tackling that aspect, the government is constantly trying to work around and find a way of ignoring the constitutional question and just tinker around the edges to try and make it work. That is not good governance. From my point of view, this legislation is deeply problematic. I move the amendment as circulated in my name, which raises these concerns in relation to this legislation. I acknowledge the need to find a solution but the need to respect procedural fairness and natural justice are cornerstones of our justice systems and should absolutely be upheld. We have to make sure that the breadth of this legislation, who will be impacted, the ramifications of the legislation to more groups and visa holders are properly understood and investigated. I intend to move the second reading amendment as circulated in my name, which raises these concerns in relation to the legislation. I acknowledge the need to find a solution, but the need to respect procedural fairness and natural justice are cornerstones of our justice system and should absolutely be upheld. We have to make sure that the breadth of this legislation, who will be impacted and the possible ramifications to more groups and visa holders are properly understood and investigated. I urge the government to ensure that this legislation is properly scrutinised. If not, we are on a very slippery slope of erosion of trust in government and the erosion of a cornerstone of liberal democracy, which is the separation of powers between the executive and our judiciary. 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) acknowledges that the government is looking to find a solution to ensure that people in the NZYQ cohort, who were seeking refugee status and broke Australian laws, are not able to stay in Australia; and (2) notes that: (a) procedural fairness and natural justice are cornerstones of our justice system, however this legislation has immense overreach by curtailing the Court's ability to apply these where a decision to remove a person to a third party has been made; and (b) the ramifications of this legislation will be ongoing, with real-life application for all people on bridging visa E, including those on fast-track and transitory visas". The DEPUTY SPEAKER 249710 Is the amendment seconded? Ms Spender 286042 I second the amendment, and I reserve my right to speak. The DEPUTY SPEAKER 249710 The original question was that this bill be now read a second time. To this, the honourable member for Warringah has moved as an amendment that all words after 'That' be omitted with the view to substitute other words. The question now is that the amendment be agreed to. 13:10 Ms SPENDER 286042 Wentworth I acknowledge that, in this parliament, our first priority must be to keep communities safe, and I recognise that the government is trying to pass legislation in an attempt to do so, following deep concern about the release of detainees from the NZYQ cohort following the High Court's 2023 decision on indefinite detention. I stood very clearly against indefinite detention, but I do recognise that there are some in the NZYQ cohort who have committed serious crimes. In some of those cases, there are security concerns which must be dealt with within this cohort. It is absolutely appropriate to ensure we have measures to keep our community safe. However, the government is responding to these issues, once again, with rushed legislation and a rushed response, and that is not the solution. My community values fairness, values due process and values the rule of law as well as security and compassion. I'm first and foremost concerned about this legislation in terms of that due process and the lack of consultation on this bill, the Home Affairs Legislation Amendment (2025 Measures No. 1) Bill 2025. We received a briefing on this bill just last week, and the government is expected to move to vote on it today. As we know too well, rushed legislation on issues that are critical, like immigration, which is policymaking about peoples' lives and peoples' futures, must be heavily scrutinised and reviewed in full. This bill is just that: yet another piece of rushed legislation as part of an entirely shambolic patchwork that the government has been pushing through this parliament, and the previous one, following the High Court's NZYQ decision in 2023. Last term, we had a suite of measures that were introduced and passed without consultation. This legislation had to be patched up and fixed progressively when it inevitably resulted in unintended consequences. Legal experts and refugee advocates warned us against that process then and are doing so once again with this bill. It is unclear to me why this legislation must be rushed through so quickly. I hold concerns that legislation so rushed may not solve the problem and could also have other implications, and I believe this to be an inappropriate way to legislate, considering how serious the impacts could be on peoples' lives and on our legal system. I'm concerned that this bill has the capacity to cause additional harm, removing the court's ability to apply natural justice when a decision has been made to remove an individual with a third-country reception agreement by legislation and having unintended consequences on lawful noncitizens outside the NZYQ cohort. Where these harms are possible, parliament has the responsibility to review the legislation in full, with public and stakeholder input. That is why I supported the member for Curtin's motion yesterday to refer this bill to the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Human Rights and why I will continue to call for this to be referred to the Senate Standing Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs with adequate time for stakeholders to contribute and respond to any inquiries. Let's go to these concerns—in the first instance, the ability to impact larger cohorts. I am concerned with the ability of this legislation to have ongoing ramifications for those outside the NZYQ cohort, including those on a bridging visa E. Some of these individuals have lived in Australia for a substantial amount of time, some with Australian partners or children. I understand that the government may not intend to include this cohort, nor deport them without natural justice, but this legislation gives them the ability to do so, and this is deeply concerning. The second issue has been the removal of natural justice provisions. I'm concerned that this legislation has a capacity to set dangerous precedents in our legal system, eroding a cornerstone of our justice system with the removal of the right to natural justice and procedural fairness. Natural justice is a basic right to fairness and underpins Australian law, including being informed of and being able to respond to government decisions that determine a person's future. The removal of this right to natural justice from decisions about deportation to a third country sets a precedent for the removal of basic legal protections for certain groups of people. The Law Council has said they are concerned about the removal of any kind of natural justice requirement by legislation. Therefore, the bill deserves careful scrutiny. Although I understand the government awards opportunities for procedural fairness throughout the visa cancellation process, I'm concerned that it is unjust to ask an individual to rely on previous documents or information without any opportunity to submit anything additional. Finally, on retrospective validation, I understand that this bill also has a capacity to validate previous decisions made by the government, which would now be incorrect following the NZYQ High Court decision. Decisions made based on wrong information or outdated law are then placed under review again in general legal proceedings. This is how our justice system functions. Any retrospective lawmaking should not be considered lightly, if at all, and I found this element deeply concerning, as it lies in conflict with the regular rule of law. All these issues and concerns are significant and require time. Again, I am deeply frustrated with the process that the government has undertaken with this bill. I have consulted with legal experts and refugee advocates, and they share my concerns that this legislation has not been adequately scrutinised. Proper scrutiny should include, but not be limited to, referral to the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Human Rights and to the Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee. That is necessary. The result is human lives. Policy which concerns migration and, indeed, the principles of our legal system, such as natural justice, should take great consideration and be part of an inquiry or, at the very least, public consultation and scrutiny before being put to the House or Senate. I urge the government not to rush through this amendment and to consider how this bill could be opened up for future violations. I urge the government to take time to consider the impact of this bill and refer it to the parliamentary committees. I cannot support this bill without the full consideration of its wide-ranging implications. The DEPUTY SPEAKER 249710 There being no further speakers, I will proceed to putting the questions. The original question was that this bill be now read a second time. To this the honourable member for Warringah has moved as an amendment that all words after 'That' be omitted with a view to substituting other words. The immediate question is that the amendment be agreed to. Question negatived. Original question agreed to. Bill read a second time. Third Reading 13 13:17 Dr CHARLTON I8M Parramatta by leave—I move: That this bill be now read a third time. Question agreed to. Bill read a third time. Treasury Laws Amendment (Payments System Modernisation) Bill 2025 13

Treasury Laws Amendment (Payments System Modernisation) Bill 2025

Second Reading 13 13:20 Mr CONAGHAN 279991 Cowper I move the second reading amendment circulated in my name: 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: (a) that the Bill implements recommendations of the 2021 Payments System Review, first initiated by the Coalition, to modernise the Payment Systems (Regulation) Act 1998; (b) that under the Bill, key decisions of the Reserve Bank of Australia and the Treasurer—including designating payment systems, imposing access regimes, and setting standards—will not be subject to parliamentary disallowance; and (c) concerns that the Reserve Bank's narrow mandate does not allow for appropriate consideration of impacts on competition and innovation, and may not be suited to regulating fast-changing industries like fintech and digital payments; and (2) calls on the Government to ensure that major regulatory decisions made by the Reserve Bank and the Treasurer under the Payment Systems (Regulation) Act 1998 are subject to disallowance to provide an appropriate parliamentary oversight mechanism". I rise to speak on the Treasury Laws Amendment (Payments System Modernisation) Bill 2025. This bill matters because it takes the Reserve Bank's powers and applies them to far more businesses than before, not just to Apple Pay and Google Pay but to smaller, local fintechs competing with big banks and big finance. We think this expansion justifies allowing the parliament to review or disallow the RBA's regulation. That is a basic parliamentary safeguard and that's all we're asking for. The payments system is the critical infrastructure underpinning our economy. The payments system includes both the behind-the-scenes infrastructure that moves money, like bank transfers, BPAY and tap-and-go systems, and the services built on top of it, like Visa, Mastercard, Apple Pay and Afterpay. Every tap of a card and every online transaction flows through it. This system is governed by the Payment Systems (Regulation) Act 1998, or the PSRA. In simple terms, the PSRA lets the Reserve Bank step in and set up the rules for payment systems, like making sure that fees aren't too high, that smaller players can get fair access and that the technology works safely and reliably. For example, in 2004 the PSRA was used by the Reserve Bank to force Visa and Mastercard to open their systems to smaller banks and new entrants, a change that increased competition and enhanced consumer choice. This shows that, when done right, regulation can help level the playing field and deliver choice and lower cost for Australians. It is an important law but it was written more than 25 years ago. To put that in perspective, in 1998 Amazon was just an online bookstore being run out of Jeff Bezos's garage, and most of us were carrying Nokias, not smartphones. The PSRA was designed for a world of cheques, EFTPOS, Visa and Mastercard. It doesn't cover many of the payment systems Australians rely on today: Apple Pay, Google Pay, Afterpay and newer technologies, such as blockchain based payment systems. That is why we support the objective of this bill. We must ensure the law reflects how Australians actually live, shop and do business in 2025. The bill does three key things. It updates the PSRA to include modern payment systems like Apple Pay and Afterpay; it introduces a new national-interest power for the Treasurer, allowing intervention in cases involving security, consumer protection or data sovereignty; and it modernises enforcement with new civil penalties, enforceable undertakings and stronger criminal actions. These reforms are sensible and overdue. In fact, in response to the 2021 payments system review, the coalition led the charge, laying the foundation for these changes with our detailed plan to modernise Australia's payments framework. This bill is just one piece of that larger vision, but, unfortunately, much of the coalition's broader plan remains untouched. Our plan called for a licensing framework for payment providers, giving fintechs and new entrants the regulatory certainty that they need to grow, and clearer rules around digital assets so that Australians remain globally competitive in attracting investment and maintaining innovative fintech businesses. Progress on these reforms has been too slow, and that delay carries a real cost. When Australian start-ups can't get clear rules at home, they take their ideas, their capital and their jobs offshore. That means fewer career opportunities for graduates from Southern Cross University in Coffs Harbour or Charles Sturt in Port Macquarie, who instead moved to Singapore or London. Australians deserve better, and we need to get on with the job. These reforms take important steps forward. We want to be bipartisan and constructive on the issue. We had one very simple ask, the most basic form of parliamentary oversight, but, unfortunately, Labor could not agree. Under the PSRA none of the Reserve Bank's decisions are subject to parliamentary oversight or are disallowable. That means when the Reserve Bank designates a payment system or sets rules for it, parliament has no power to review or disallow those decisions even when they affect consumer choice, innovation or small-business cost. This bill does not change that, even though it expands the PSRA to cover a far broader range of technologies, providers and payment models than ever before. That's the key issue here. The RBA isn't getting brand-new powers, but its powers are being applied to many more businesses, from global tech giants to small fintech start-ups. The bigger the net, the more important it is that parliament has the ability to review how those powers are being used. Under the act the RBA's regulatory net will now extend into fast-evolving areas like digital wallets and blockchain based systems. The Reserve Bank's decision will have a wider and more complex commercial, competitive and technological impact. Imagine if the Reserve Bank introduced a standard that unintentionally drove up costs for small business. Parliament would be powerless to act. Let me be clear—we are not questioning the Reserve Bank's competence; it is a respected and capable regulator. However, its mandate is narrow. It looks at efficiency, stability and competition within the payment system. Its mandate doesn't make it well-suited to consider broader economic impacts like whether a new rule might hinder competition for consumer credit or stifle innovation from a fintech start-up. Less competition means higher prices for consumers. Fintechs are increasingly offering alternatives to legacy payment systems, but if regulation tilts the playing field in favour of incumbents, the risk is that promising innovations never get off the ground. For example, a local fintech could develop a low-cost payment app that starts gaining market share, but if an RBA unintentionally favours the big banks, that start-up could be locked out before it even has the opportunity to compete. That's the kind of concern some of our most innovative businesses have raised—not opposition to regulation itself, which they support, but to the potential for unfair rules that stifle innovation and create structural advantages for incumbents. Under this bill, even the Treasurer's new powers would not be subject to parliamentary disallowance. To be clear, we support giving the Treasurer these powers. National security, cyber threats and consumer data protection are too important to leave gaps. However, when giving the Treasurer such broad powers, it is entirely reasonable for parliament to have the power to review them. Disallowance is not a radical idea; it is a commonsense safeguard. It would reassure industry that decisions would be made proportionately, transparently and with democratic oversight. It wouldn't stop the government from acting swiftly when needed, but it would give parliament the ability to step in when it must. That's why we've moved our amendment to put these concerns clearly on the record, and in the Senate we will move further amendments to make the decisions of both the RBA and the Treasurer subject to allowance. The coalition have a proud record on payments reform. We initiated this work in government and we welcome Labor finally picking it up, even if the pace has been slow. We will always support a payment system that is modern and fair and focused—one that keeps the cost down for small business, fosters innovation and protects consumers. Without this most basic form of parliamentary oversight, there is a serious gap. That is why we will keep pressing for a payment system that is not just modern but also accountable to the parliament and to the people. The DEPUTY SPEAKER 248181 Is there a seconder for the amendment? 13:29 Mr CHESTER IPZ Gippsland I second the amendment and reserve my right to speak. The DEPUTY SPEAKER 248181 It being 1.30 pm, the debate is interrupted in accordance with standing order 43 and the debate may be resumed at a later hour. The member will be granted leave to continue to speak if required. STATEMENTS BY MEMBERS 15 STATEMENTS BY MEMBERS Cycling Without Age 15 13:30 Mr CHESTER IPZ Gippsland I rise to acknowledge the hundreds of Australians who are volunteering to help reduce social isolation for older Australians and people with disabilities as part of Cycling Without Age Australia. Cycling Without Age is a reasonably new charity in our country, but it is part of a worldwide movement. The first trishaws arrived in Australia in 2016, and we've now grown to 46 chapters, including one in my electorate of Gippsland. This is a great movement. It gives the volunteer pilots, often retirees themselves, something interesting to do. It's a great hobby, it's healthy, and it helps them engage with their own community. The passengers have normally lost their capacity to cycle by themselves, so it gives them some freedom and reduces their social isolation. They get to feel the wind in their hair. Judging by the smiles on people's faces, it is a great charity. I am proud to say that I am the honorary chair of our chapter in Gippsland. We now have four trishaws operating in my community. With the help of some private business, some sponsors and some government grants, we will have two extra trishaws operating in my community this spring. We've already done rides in Sale, in Lakes Entrance and in Buchan, but there's more to come. As we unveil our new trishaws, we will keep providing safe, free and universal access to Cycling Without Age across my region. I want to recognise and thank the volunteers right across Australia. Keep up the great work. You are generously building relationships, sharing stories and slowing down to improve the lives of your fellow Australians. (Time expired) Medicare 15 13:31 Mr BURNELL 300129 Spence Today I rise to talk about the Albanese Labor government's work to strengthen Medicare and deliver cheaper medicines for Australians. Medicare is at the heart of our health system, and Labor is making the largest investment in Medicare since its creation more than 40 years ago. We are investing $8.5 billion to deliver nearly 20 million extra bulk-billed GP visits each year, funding hundreds of nursing scholarships and training thousands more doctors. By 2030, nine in 10 GP visits will be bulk-billed, saving patients and families $859 million a year and tripling the number of fully bulk-billed practices across the country. Labor has also delivered 90 Medicare urgent care clinics, with more than 1.8 million Australians already having been treated. In South Australia, that's more than 111,000 appointments that have been made possible thanks to the delivery of the urgent care clinics. Imagine a heaving MCG crowd on grand final day. That's how many people have received urgent care in South Australia alone. These clinics are open seven days and fully bulk-billed—no appointment needed—making priority care easily accessible for everyone. We are also making medicines cheaper, cutting the PBS co-payment to $25 from 1 January 2026—the lowest in more than 20 years. This builds on the biggest cuts to PBS costs in history, 60-day prescriptions and freezing PBS prices until 2030—because only Labor will deliver cheaper medicines and a stronger Medicare for— (Time expired) Australian National Flag 15 13:33 Mr HASTIE 260805 Canning Flags are important symbols. That's why it is unlawful in Australia to display the flag of listed terrorist organisations like Hamas, Hezbollah, Islamic State and Neo-Nazi groups. None of those flags are welcome in our country, nor are people who support extremist ideology. But fair minded, law-abiding Australians can march on our streets and display Palestinian or Australian flags—as thousands did last month—without being labelled a terrorist or a Neo-Nazi, even if the marches are tainted by the unwelcome presence of people who support Islamic terrorism and Neo-Nazism. Like most Australians, I prefer the Australian flag because my first allegiance is to this country and our people. Our flag speaks to who we are. The Union Jack reminds us that our tradition of ordered liberty under law and parliamentary democracy is British in origin, anchored in the Glorious Revolution of 1689 and the English Bill of Rights. That is a historical fact. The federation star reminds us that we are one people, one Commonwealth and one country, and the southern cross reminds us that we live down under, far from the ancients strife that has divided Europe and the Middle East over the millennia. We are different, and Australians want to keep it that way. That's why thousands unfurled our flag on Sunday. Health Care 16 13:35 Ms JARRETT 298574 Brisbane Labor built Medicare and we will always strengthen it. We're working hard every day to make sure all Australians can get access to affordable health care when they need it most, and we're doing this in various ways. We have more urgent care clinics across the country, including one in Brisbane's inner north. I campaigned hard for this, and I can't wait for it to be open. We also made the biggest reduction in PBS medicine prices since the scheme was introduced, saving Australians over $1 billion. In my electorate, I've heard stories of people putting off getting medicines they need because they can't afford it. This is not acceptable, and this ranges from asthma treatments to cancer treatments. Both can be life threatening. Soon, the most you will pay for a PBS script will be $25. Also, doctors are now able to prescribe 60-day prescriptions, saving us all that extra trip to the doctor. Cheaper medicines aren't just good for your hip pocket; they're also good for your health. Lastly, Labor has made the largest investment in bulk-billing in the history of Medicare. That has meant almost six million free trips to the GP since November 2023, with nine out of 10 GP visits expected to be bulk-billed by 2030. Recently, Assistant Minister McBride and I opened the Medicare mental health clinic in Lutwyche. At last weekend's mobile office that I had nearby, people of all ages took the information. If this is anything to go by, more locals will get the mental health care they need free and closer to home. We said we'd strengthen Medicare, and that's exactly what we're doing. Racism 16 13:36 Ms BOELE 26417 Bradfield My electorate of Bradfield is proudly multicultural—Chinese, Jewish, Armenian and so many more. On the weekend I was contacted by a constituent deeply troubled by the anti-immigration protests which were about to occur in Australia's capital cities. This constituent is of South Asian heritage and has lived in Australia for close to four decades, safely and happily. But, in the face of the weekend protest, she said that her stomach was churning with grief and fear. It was devastating to hear these words. So let me state my position: I do not condone the rhetoric or actions of the protesters on the weekend. I condemn them both. But it's important to reflect on why this group of people felt compelled to march. There is clearly a cohort of people who feel left behind, without a place in the version of modern Australia that we are trying to build. All too often, we see some people who feel that they are being left behind fixate on or even concoct grievances which are not the real cause of their disaffection. Unfortunately, there are leaders in this place that stoke fear and promote division, and so I'm here to stand and say and do the opposite—to be a welcoming, encouraging safe voice for my community in all of its beautiful diversity. I call on all other leaders of this place to do the same. Health Care 16 13:38 Ms BERRY 23497 Whitlam I'm delighted to highlight the ways in which the Albanese Labor government is strengthening Medicare in my electorate of Whitlam and also across the country. Our legislation to make cheaper medicines even cheaper cuts more than 20 per cent from the maximum cost of PBS medicines, and this will save Australians over $200 million each year. This builds on other actions taken by this government over the past three years to deliver cost-of-living relief through cheaper medicines. I'm proud to report that, since winning government in 2022, Labor's cheaper medicines initiatives have saved the people in the Whitlam electorate a substantial $12.6 million. The people of Whitlam are also benefiting from Labor's Medicare urgent care clinics, which are open for extended hours seven days a week with no appointment needed. Importantly, all patients at these urgent care clinics are fully bulk-billed, which means they receive care for free. A Medicare urgent care clinic opened in Dapto last year, and last week we launched the tender process for a second urgent care clinic in Whitlam, in Shellharbour. So far, 90 Medicare urgent care clinics have opened across Australia, with more than 1.8 million presentations since the first sites opened in June 2023. The success of these clinics is taking pressure off our hospitals, which means hospital staff can spend more time on life-threatening emergencies. I'm proud to serve in this government, which is making the largest investment in Medicare since it was created four decades ago, and this includes delivering cheaper medicines and more urgent care clinics. Banking and Financial Services 17 13:39 Mr WILKIE C2T Clark Australians expect their bank to safeguard their money and to be alert to anything untoward going on. But too often this isn't the case. For instance, just last week, a couple recounted how they'd had $250,000 stolen by a financial adviser, who used the money to gamble. That is of course terrible in itself, but what was more alarming was that the bank, CommBank, thought there was nothing unusual in their account holder, earning maybe $100,000 a year, having his personal account turn over some $10 million on 52 online gambling sites. Last week, I also learned of a CommBank low-income customer who'd been loaned money repeatedly, even though it was obvious that the funds were mostly going to gambling companies and payday lenders. Good grief, what is going on here? We know the banks have algorithms to detect and capitalise on just about anything they choose, so either they choose not to identify some suspicious matters or they do identify such things but then wilfully disregard them. And, in any case, they say it's everyone else's fault—not theirs. The Commonwealth Bank sure hasn't been keen to quickly find an acceptable remedy in the cases I've cited. Well, I won't be a party to this, so expect me to have a lot more to say about such matters during the term of this parliament. Health Care 17 13:40 Mr GOSLING 245392 Solomon I want to talk about the health services and facilities available to Territorians. In the Northern Territory, we're going to have more doctors like my good friend here the member for Macarthur when we put an extra 40 a year through Charles Darwin University. This is all part of the Albanese Labor government's strengthening of Medicare—more doctors, more urgent care clinics and cheaper medicines. And, all the while, this is helping Territorians with the cost of living. Now, the Medicare urgent care clinics provide bulk-billed care for urgent but non-life-threatening conditions, seven days a week, with extended hours and no appointment needed. Medicare Urgent Care Clinics are taking the pressure off hospitals like the Royal Darwin and Palmerston Regional, so that they can focus on their job for Territorians with life-threatening injuries. The urgent care clinic in Palmerston opened in 2023 has seen 26,000 presentations and is one of the best in the country. We've announced an urgent care clinic for Darwin as well, and the EOI process will open this month. Our government, the Labor Albanese government, is making the largest investment in Medicare since its creation over 40 years ago, expanding the bulk-billing incentive and making sure we've got more GPs on the job. Bowel Cancer 17 13:42 Mr LEESER 109556 Berowra Andrew Saliba is a member of a celebrated Lebanese Australian family in my community. At just 36 years old, he was told by his doctor that he was too young to have anything seriously wrong with him. However, months later, he was diagnosed with stage 3 bowel cancer. With two young daughters at home, Andrew knew he had to fight, and, after three years, he is now cancer free. Every day though, Andrew still faces struggles, from bathroom habits to the physical toll of treatment. At one point, he feared he'd never be able to work as an electrician again. Andrew's story reminds us of a hard truth. Bowel cancer isn't just something older people get; it's the deadliest cancer for Australians aged 25 to 54. Each year, more than 1,700 Australians under 50 are diagnosed with bowel cancer. Bowel cancer rates are now two to three times higher among Australians born in the nineties than those born in the 1950s. Too often, young people experiencing symptoms are told they're just too young for bowel cancer. This means young people take, on average, 60 per cent longer to receive a diagnosis, often at a later stage when outcomes are much worse. That's why Bowel Cancer Australia's Never2Young campaign is so important in raising awareness, calling for a lower screening age, ensuring prompt GP referral, improving treatment pathways and funding more research. Andrew Saliba's courage in sharing his story will encourage others to get checked and remind us all, importantly, that no-one's ever too young to get tested for bowel cancer. Health Care 17 13:44 Mr MATT SMITH 312393 Leichhardt I want to take you back to 1998. I was playing in Connecticut, took an elbow to the face, and my bottom lip was torn halfway off. A few dozen stitches later and I was back in my dorm room with a sore face, a new scar and a new story, but the team I was playing for were on the hook for something like $50,000. In 2019, I had a stroke on a football field. I had a few days in hospital, rehab, ECGs, MRIs, CT scans and all the follow-ups with neurologists, cardiologists, OTs and physios—the works. Do you know what that cost me? That's right—Medicare card! But I don't need to hold up a Medicare card, because every single Australia knows what it looks like. It was Wattle Day yesterday, the plant that gave us our national colours—and that is fitting, because the Medicare card is green like our wattle. But knowing the Labor government will always protect and expand Medicare, well, that is gold! The Albanese Labor government is investing $8.5 billion into Medicare to deliver an additional 18 million bulk-billed GP visits per year. There have been 50 Medicare urgent care clinics promised, 87 delivered, with another 50 to come, including one in the northern suburbs of Cairns. The urgent care clinic in south Cairns has seen tens of thousands of people, getting them in, getting them out and getting them back home where they want to be, taking the pressure off hospitals. Medicine is cheaper—and it's going to get better. On 1 January, all Australians will be able to get PBS medicines at 2004 prices: $25. Prices are going backwards; it's unheard of. (Time expired) Renewable Energy 18 13:45 Mr JOYCE e5d New England I make no apology that I'm probably seen as one of the more prominent ones in favour of abolishing net zero. Yesterday during question time, in fact, the Minister for Climate Change and Energy stated that I don't take the harder debates—that I should take the harder debates and I should have taken on a more ferocious and fulsome and complete engagement with an acerbic interlocutor. I thought about this for a while when I was on with Patricia Karvelas on the ABC thinking, 'Those pinkos aren't hard enough.' I thought: 'Yes, I need to debate someone. I need someone strong, who probably has a few tickets on themselves and probably has an unfathomable ego, and who'd possibly consider selling their loved ones into slavery to buy a bigger mirror to look at themselves. I thought: 'Where can I find this person? Where can I find this person to debate?' And then it came to me: they'll be scared of the dark, so they can't go on Sky. It'd better be on the ABC or one of the other channels. But this person—where can I find such a person? And then it came to me! They're right in front of me. It's the member for McMahon! I challenge the member for McMahon to a debate on net zero. If he's so tough—if he can't just be brave in the cave and a bat in the sunlight—if he's so strong and he's so across his facts, then let's have the debate. You and the fourth estate could organise it. It would get the ratings, wouldn't it? I look forward to his reply. Health Care 18 13:47 Mr GEORGANAS DZY Adelaide I too rise today on this side of the House to speak about the Albanese Labor government's record on cheaper medicine, Medicare and health care for all Australians. This government is strengthening Medicare, as we've heard, with more doctors, more urgent care clinics and even cheaper medicine. We're making the largest investment in Medicare since its creation over 40 years ago. Our government is investing $8.5 billion to deliver an additional 18 million bulk-billed GP visits each year, hundreds of nursing scholarships, and thousands more doctors in the largest GP training program ever. If you read the papers and other media this week, you'll see it talk about Labor's increase in health investment making a better healthcare system in Australia. I'd just quickly look back on 19 May 2014 and the front page headline, 'Tony Abbott now admits $1.8bn in hospital cuts will begin from July.' That is the difference between this side and that side. And, to the member for Gippsland: I'm quite proud to hold up my Medicare card. I'm very proud of it, because this is a Labor initiative that gave every Australian free hospital cover, including doctors and other forms of health care. It's something that we on this side are very proud of. When you look at the record of the opposition when in government from 2013 to 2022, you see the freezing of Medicare bulk-billing, which was a real shame. (Time expired) Taxation 18 13:48 Mr KENNEDY 267506 Cook This week, Labor refused to rule out a tax on your spare bedroom. A tax on the room your kids grew up in, a tax on the roof over your head, or a tax on the home you worked your lifetime to build. A recent survey showed that over 60 per cent of houses are lived in by one or two people. Three-quarters of these properties have three or more bedrooms, with spare rooms. At the economic roundtable—surprise, surprise—it leaked out that Labor was discussing a tax on spare rooms. This is who Labor are. If you own it, they'll tax it. Families using a spare bedroom to run a side hustle—a small business—are now being hit with land tax in Victoria. That is in Labor's DNA, and they're going to bring it to Canberra too. Hairdressers, PTs, physios and startups—for the privilege of working in their own spare bedroom, Labor wants a piece of them. The Prime Minister says no to new taxes before the election, but then the next day we hear Dr Chalmers say, 'We'll wait and see.' Who's telling the truth and who's lying? People in my electorate just want honesty. The coalition will fight this spare-bedroom tax and every tax they put on the family home. Because, under Labor, nothing is safe—not your savings, not your bills and not even the spare bedroom in your own house. The DEPUTY SPEAKER 248181 I will remind the member for Cook to always use correct titles when referring to people in this chamber, and I won't let you get away with it next time. Health Care 19 13:50 Ms RYAN 249224 Lalor It's clear that the new member for Cook is also from the shire, and I say that with all its permutations. The member for Cook might want to know what Labor are doing rather than have a fantasy about what Labor might do. What are Labor doing? Delivering on cheaper medicines—that's what Labor are doing. It will be $25 for a PBS script from 1 January next year. After already being reduced from its heights in the $40 range down to the $30 range, now it will go down to $25 per script for PBS listed medicines, and there will be a $7.70 limit for concession card holders and pensioners. This is what Labor's doing—addressing the cost of living and making sure that we have a healthier population. That's what Labor's doing. That's what we've done with the urgent care clinics. There is one proudly in the seat of Lalor, on Station Place in Werribee, that has seen over 24,000 presentations, and those presentations have been extraordinary from state to state. We're reducing the cost of medicines. We're increasing bulk-billing. We've tripled that incentive so that we'll get more bulk-billing happening in every GP clinic around the country. It's happening in my electorate now. Suddenly, people are ringing the office to say: 'I went to the doctor. I got bulk-billed. The world is back on its axis.' World Egg Day 19 13:52 Ms LANDRY 249764 Capricornia Eggs may be humble, but this week they take centre stage in parliament as we celebrate World Egg Day. While the official date isn't until 10 October, we're taking a moment this week to recognise the incredible work of Australia's egg farmers. Eggs are one of the most trusted staples in our kitchen. They're healthy, affordable and found in almost every fridge across the nation. With families looking for nutritious, quick and cost-effective meals, the humble egg continues to deliver. Each year, Australians consume 6.3 billion eggs. That's 266 eggs per person. Behind this impressive figure are around 528 farms across the country producing the fresh, high-quality eggs we all enjoy. The egg industry isn't just about what's on our plates; it's about people. More than 4,000 Australians are employed on egg farms and in associated industries. Together, they inject up to $2 billion into our economy every year. This is proof that, from regional communities to the family table, egg farming is powering both our plates and our prosperity. So, today I say thank you. Thank you to every hardworking egg farmer across Australia. Your dedication ensures that families right across the country continue to enjoy this versatile, protein-rich food every single day. As we celebrate World Egg Day, I encourage all Australians to keep supporting our local farmers by putting eggs on their plate and backing an industry that supports thousands of jobs and communities across the country. Health Care 19 13:53 Ms BRISKEY 263427 Maribyrnong When I'm out doorknocking in Airport West, in Gladstone Park and right across my electorate of Maribyrnong, people don't talk to me about politics; they talk to me about their health. As a proud member of this Labor government, I am very proud to talk to them about what we're doing about it—the biggest investment in Medicare in its history. We're investing $8.5 billion so we can see more families across Airport West and Gladstone Park getting to see their GP for free with their Medicare card. That's exactly right—their gold and green Medicare card. The relief that people feel when I tell them this is real. They know it means less stress. It's better care when they need it, for them and their families. It's much better than what they were getting from those opposite. This week, during Women's Health Week, it matters even more, because women are so often the ones who delay the health care that they need because they are caring for everyone else. Medicare is who we are. It is a part of who we are. It is the reason why it's green and gold. It is part of our story, and it is a promise that, no matter where you live, no matter what you earn, you can get the health care you need when you need it. This is what Labor delivers. Australian National Flag 19 13:54 Mr HOGAN 218019 Page Our Australian flag unites us. I know that, when a lot of people in this chamber and millions of people around our country see the Australian flag, they feel proud of it, whether it be flying above the Sydney Harbour Bridge, whether it be at an international sporting event or whether it be at an international political event, which some of us have had the privilege of being a part of. When you see the Australian flag representing us internationally or indeed in our own communities—whenever I drive past or see one in any of those contexts I am extremely proud of our country. I'm proud of our country because of the prosperity that we have. I'm proud of our country because of many of the things this great country has done and the freedoms people have. What greatly concerns me is that there are increasingly times when we are seeing the Australian flag being burnt at protests in our country. What concerns me about that is what is going on inside that person 's mind. Is it the values that we represent as Australians that they don't like? Is it our democracy that they don't like? Is it the freedom of the press that they don't like? Is it the freedom of religion that they don't like? Is it the independent judicial system that they don't like? I think, if anyone burns the Australian flag, two things should happen. If they're not an Australian citizen, they should be deported. They obviously don't respect our country. If they are an Australian citizen, they should be charged. Medicare 20 13:56 Dr FREELANDER 265979 Macarthur Medicare has been the backbone of my professional life as a paediatrician for 40 years. The coalition does not understand the importance of a universal health insurance scheme. They just don't understand it. Gough Whitlam's Medibank was destroyed by the Fraser government. The Howard government attempted to destroy Bob Hawke's Medicare. We saw the previous coalition leader, Peter Dutton, the worst health minister we've ever had, try to introduce a co-payment. Those on the other side had no health policies to deliver in the previous election—none at all, other than 'me too'. But they just don't understand Medicare. We understand Medicare. It's part of our DNA. We are delivering health care for all Australians in an equitable manner. We're introducing our Medicare urgent care centres. We have one in Campbelltown, which is taking a lot of pressure off our hospital emergency department. We recently opened a Medicare mental health centre, which is a walk-in centre providing enormous support to people with psychosocial problems in Macarthur. We are doing a great job of delivering health care around the country. The coalition do not understand health care. They are doing a very poor job now in opposition. I have no expectation they would deliver proper health policy in the future. Medicare is part of our DNA. Taxation 20 13:57 Mr BUCHHOLZ 230531 Wright Australians know that, when Labor run out of their own money, they'll come looking for yours. Labor's so-called economic talkfest was nothing but a fizzer—hand picked participants trotted out while real Australians continue to suffer. But here's the reality. We've got the lowest productivity rates in 60 years and electricity prices are out of control. The talkfest came up with a whole new bucket of taxes—starting with the unrealised capital gains tax—with leaked documents from Treasury saying that taxes had to go up. A plan to increase the GST was discussed—and the spare bedroom tax, an increase on fringe benefits, an increase on capital gains and abolishing negative gearing. And Labor loves the death tax. They're going to disguise all of this as an intergenerational fairness tax. You watch; before this afternoon you'll see them introduce a fairness tax, a truth tax. They've racked up the highest levels of spending since 1989. They've failed on productivity, they've failed on energy and they've failed to spend responsibly. People ask, 'How could they have done that?' The Department of Defence annual report states that there are 120 fewer personnel than there were 12 months ago. Accordingly, the bureaucracy has gone up—wait for it—by 1,700 people. You've got a spending problem. (Time expired) Medicare 20 13:59 Mr BURNS 278522 Macnamara Saved by the bell on that one, I think! Speaker, I'll tell you who loves Medicare urgent care clinics. It's the great state of Victoria. Victorians love Medicare urgent care clinics. In fact, there have been 393,000 presentations to urgent care clinics by the great people of Victoria. But I'll tell you who doesn't like Medicare urgent care clinics: the Liberal Party. The Leader of the Opposition says the Liberal Party believes you don't value something unless you pay for it. Fair dinkum! And they went even further. The shadow minister for health and aged care said during the election, 'We never said that Australians will get access to free GP services without exception.' Goodness me! They are walking well away from Medicare urgent care clinics—but not all of them. There is a Victorian among their ranks who said something different. He said bulk-billing services ensure 'everyone in our community can access affordable health care' in his petition for a Medicare urgent care clinic. It was the member for Casey. We know he really wants to be on this side of the House. But he understands, just like all Victorians, the importance of Medicare urgent care clinics. They know that the Labor Party is the party of Medicare. We know that we will always support Victorians and all Australians in getting high-quality health care in this country. (Time expired) The SPEAKER 53517 In accordance with standing order 43, the time for members' statements has concluded. DISTINGUISHED VISITORS 20 DISTINGUISHED VISITORS Queensland: Parliamentary Delegation 20 14:01 The SPEAKER 53517 I'm very pleased to advise that sitting in the distinguished visitors gallery is the Speaker of the Queensland parliament, my friend the Hon. Pat Weir, associated with his delegation from the Queensland parliament of Ray Stevens, Linus Power, Andrew Powell, Mick de Brenni, Mark Ryan and Christian Rowan. Welcome to all the Queenslanders. Honourable members: Hear, hear! QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE 21 QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE Aged Care 21 14:01 Ms LEY 00AMN Farrer My question is to the Minister for Aged Care and Seniors. Yesterday the minister gave three different explanations for why Labor is breaking its promise to deliver an additional 83,000 home-care packages. First he blamed the sector, then he blamed elderly Australians, and, by the end, he seemingly blamed the now minister for communications and her legislation. Minister, was the home-care package rollout delay a decision of the minister or a decision of the Minister for Health and Ageing, or was it endorsed by the cabinet? The SPEAKER 53517 Yes, I'm sure the minister will handle that. 14:02 Mr RAE 300122 Hawke I thank the Leader of the Opposition for her question. Australians expect us to get aged care right. Through our reforms, we're making sure that older people get the safe and dignified care that they deserve. Now, the decisions on the new Aged Care Act and the Support at Home program that accompanies it were made by this parliament—or, rather, the last parliament—here in this place in the last term. They were led by my wonderful predecessor, the now minister for communications, but they were supported by the opposition on a bipartisan basis. They were supported by the crossbench. There was once-in-a-generation cooperation across the parliament to ensure once-in-a-generation reforms. The Albanese government's reforms will deliver aged care of the highest quality for older Australians—those who've contributed so much to our nation and who deserve nothing less than the very best care. At the heart of this reform is the Support at Home program, which will enable older Australians to live independently in their homes for longer, with access to higher levels of care, while staying close to their loved ones and connected to their communities. As the Australian population ages, demand for in-home care has also been growing very rapidly. There are currently more than 300,000 Australians receiving care under the home-care packages program, and this is roughly double the number of just five years ago. I've said before and I will say again that, right now, we are delivering more care to more people than ever before. When the Support at Home program commences, from 1 November this year, the Albanese government will release more than 80,000 additional new home-care places in the first 12 months of the program. In the meantime, my priority, as I've said before, is ensuring that every older person across our country continues to receive the services they need. That's why we're releasing packages every single week to older Australians waiting for in-home care. At present, we're releasing more than 2,000 packages every week, ensuring the support continues to flow to those who need it most. And, as I've said before, we will continue to ensure that those who are assessed by the clinical assessment process as 'high priority' receive their home-care packages within a month. The short deferral of the commencement of the new Aged Care Act is about ensuring that workers, providers, advocates and, importantly, older people are fully prepared for these generational reforms that will ensure that older Australians get the care they need and that they deserve. The SPEAKER 53517 There was far too much noise during that answer. The member for Wannon interjected eight times. We're just going to ensure that questions are asked in silence and ministers are heard in silence. The member for Wannon—if you just sit quietly, you won't be bothered. Alright? So we'll just do that. Climate Change 21 14:05 Mr LAXALE 299174 Bennelong My question is to the Prime Minister. What progress is the Albanese Labor government making in taking action on climate change, and what are the risks? 14:06 Mr ALBANESE R36 Grayndler Thank you to my friend the member for Bennelong, who, of course, won an important seat in 2022 off the Liberals and, in 2025, had to win it again on the other side of the pendulum. He received such an overwhelming endorsement, in part, because he understands that climate change is real. He understands that moving on climate change is not just a challenge but an opportunity for Australia. That is why we've legislated for net zero by 2050 and the safeguard mechanism. That's why we have the Capacity Investment Scheme growing the renewable energy industry. That's why the vehicle emissions standard is cutting emissions on our roads. And that's why the Cheaper Home Batteries Program has installed over 44,895, to be precise, batteries in homes. We're backing renewable energy because it makes sense for our economy. It's the largest economic transformation since the Industrial Revolution. And we have everything we need to make the most of it right here in Australia: the best sun, wind and hydro in the world and critical minerals—Australian industries backed by Australian resources. We're making all of this progress despite what we inherited when we came into office. We know that, on the former government's watch, 24 out of 28 coal-fired power stations announced their closure. They did absolutely nothing about it. They had 23 failed energy policies over a decade but didn't implement any of them. Over $600 billion of taxpayers' money was promised to build nuclear power stations, to be ready sometime in the 2040s. They want to go back to denial and delay, but Australians don't want to go back. Australians here certainly don't want to go back, business doesn't want to go back, and their old friend the former minister Mathias Cormann—who is now the Secretary-General of the OECD, and we congratulate him on his re-election—doesn't want to go back either. Those opposite, of course, are having a review, but today we know that Senator Canavan, the person in charge of reviewing net zero for the Nats, has announced that he's introducing a bill in the Senate to abolish it. So he's reviewing it, but he's already going to legislate to abolish it. To mirror the member for New England—spoiler alert!—I reckon the review's going to say it should go. That's what we see: the Liberals fighting with the Liberals, the Nats fighting with the Nats, and the Liberals and Nats fighting each other. Meanwhile, what we will do is fight for Australia. (Time expired) Aged Care 22 14:09 Ms McKENZIE 124514 Flinders My question is to the Minister for Aged Care and Seniors. Kevin, an 85-year-old, lives by himself in Mount Martha in my electorate and now needs further assistance to remain at home. Kevin registered to get an assessment for an aged-care package in March 2025, but his provider was told by the department that the department couldn't even get an assessment until 'early next year'.This is despite Kevin being told he's on the 'urgent' list. Is it really the minister's position that Australians like Kevin were the ones asking him to delay the delivery of 83,000 home-care packages? 14:10 Mr RAE 300122 Hawke I thank the member for the question and appreciate her interest in this matter. I also thank her for raising the matters relating to Kevin and, as I extended to a colleague yesterday in this House, if she is able to provide me with Kevin's details after question time, I will personally follow up and see where Kevin's matter is at. Kevin's story is such a great example of why our aged-care reforms are so very important. Our government is driving landmark reforms to in-home care, ensuring that older Australians get the care they need in the comfort of their own home for as long as possible. In line with recommendation 28 of the aged-care royal commission, we're delivering a single streamlined assessment process that will help people just like those the question refers to. The new aged-care assessment system we're rolling out is designed to be faster, reduce wait times and improve the overall experience for older people and their families. Instead of requiring multiple assessments with different providers, the new system will make it simpler for older Australians to access the right level of care when and where they need it, especially as their needs change over time. We recognise—I've said this before—that current wait times for aged-care assessments are longer than they should be, and we're working hard to address this in every corner of Australia. Median wait time for an aged-care needs assessment from when a referral is issued to when the support plan is completed is currently 25 days, and these wait times are continuing to reduce under our single-assessment system. Opposition members interjecting— The SPEAKER 53517 The minister will pause. It's not going to continue. The Leader of the Nationals had a really good go. One more noise—I mean it, there is far too much noise. We're taking the temperature down. The question has been asked. The member for Flinders wants to hear the answer and so do I. No more. Mr RAE 300122 As our population ages, the demand for assessments continues to grow. Last year alone, more than 521,000 home-support and comprehensive assessments were completed. This is a complex system. The national priority system and assessment lists are related, but different. They can't be conflated. The assessment waitlist contains those seeking lower-level care along with— The SPEAKER 53517 The minister will pause so that the member for Flinders may take her point of order. Ms McKenzie 124514 My point of order is on relevance. I'm very grateful for the assistance that has been offered for Kevin, but my question was whether Kevin or anyone like Kevin had asked the minister to delay the 83,000 packages. The SPEAKER 53517 The member knows I can't direct the minister to answer the question as she would like. He is being directly relevant, talking about the package, talking about the information, talking about exactly the constituent you've asked about. We're not just going to get up and say, 'I don't like the answer.' If the minister was talking about another topic or an alternative policy, he would absolutely be out of line. Everyone knows the rules, so we're just going to follow the rules, not get up because you don't like the answer. If there are any more points of order like that, people won't stay for them. The minister will be directly relevant, otherwise he will be sat down as well. Mr RAE 300122 The assessment list, to which the member's question refers, contains those seeking lower-level care along with crossover and duplication of numbers on the national priority system, with many people waiting for assessment at a higher level while they're already receiving some form of in-home care. These stories are exactly why we're reforming this system from the ground up. Big reforms don't happen overnight, but we're working hand in hand with assessment organisations and the states and territories to ensure a smooth transition, to minimise impacts on older Australians and to get them the care that they deserve. Renewable Energy 23 14:14 Dr REID 300126 Robertson My question is to the Minister for Climate Change and Energy. How are homes, businesses and community groups embracing the opportunities of clean energy, and what obstacles stand in the way of that clean energy? 14:14 Mr BOWEN DZS McMahon I thank my honourable friend for the question. As the Prime Minister said, since yesterday's update another 1,000 Australians have embraced the opportunity to reduce their bills and emissions by installing a battery under the Albanese government's Cheaper Home Batteries Program, so we're now at 44,895. It's not just households. We call it the Cheaper Home Batteries Program, but it also applies to small businesses, farms and community groups. The member for Robertson knows that, because he and I visited the Umina Surf Life Saving Club, which has a wonderful solar array and an excellent battery, which has been installed with the help of the great company RESINC, who have used the policy to donate more batteries to surf life saving clubs to reduce their bills, emissions and running costs, which is an excellent thing. Umina is a wonderful surf live saving club, and it is great to see them reducing their emissions and bills. It's not just community groups—as I said, it's also small businesses and farmers. That's why rural uptake has been so good. The Cheaper Home Battery Program got a very good response this morning when I spoke at the Farming Forever National Summit, organised by Farmers for Climate Action. There were 300 rural people and farmers there advocating. The Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry was there last night, the assistant minister has been there, and they were very pleased to hear that update this morning as well. The member asked me about people who aren't embracing the opportunities, and, of course, they sit opposite. We've seen another example this morning of the process that the opposition is undertaking. My shadow minister the member for Wannon was on ABC radio this morning and was asked to give an update on the net zero review. He said: 'Look, we've always said it will take nine to 12 months. We want to do it methodically. We want to make sure we get it right. There's no more important area for us to make sure we get it right.' It warms your heart to see such process, such diligence, such calm, methodical management! He said the review would take 12 months. He said it would take a year. It didn't take an hour, because 60 minutes later Senator Canavan took to social media to announce he would be introducing a bill to repeal net zero in the Senate. Now we have two bills—not one but two—from the opposition to repeal net zero. The government has introduced 24 bills since the election to do things like lock in penalty rates in law, to reduce HECS debts by 20 per cent, and for cheaper medicines. Those are our priorities. Those opposite had the priorities of fighting themselves about who hates net zero the most. Whether Senator Canavan or the member for New England or the member for Canning or others get the limelight—they're all in an arms race to show that they are more right wing, that they are more out of touch with modern Australia than the others. They want to show they are more willing to ignore the opportunities for rural and regional Australia, for Australia to create jobs and investment, and for our country to seize the economic opportunity that is action on climate change, rather than ignore those opportunities like those opposite did for a decade. Gas Industry 23 14:17 Dr RYAN 297660 Kooyong My question is for the Minister for Climate Change and Energy. The Santos Darwin LNG facility has been leaking massive amounts of methane for almost 20 years. Three federal bodies—NOPSEMA, CSIRO and the Clean Energy Regulator have known and done nothing. Under-reporting like this makes a mockery of the safeguard mechanism and of your claims about decreased emissions. Will you deny Santos any further approvals until it acts to rectify this longstanding act of environmental vandalism? 14:18 Mr BOWEN DZS McMahon I thank the honourable member for her question and I share her concerns, but I can't share the premise of her question in relation to the safeguard reforms. The safeguard reforms have successfully delivered onsite emissions reductions equivalent to two-thirds of Australian domestic aviation in their first year of operation. That is no small thing. These were difficult reforms that were supported through the parliament, but they are working to reduce emissions in our 215 biggest emitters. With respect, that should not be discounted by the honourable member or anyone else. That sort of emissions reduction, achieved by this government, is reflected in the last quarter's figures, which show industrial emissions and stationary emissions coming down. That is a good thing. We on this side of the House thinks that's a good thing—not everyone agrees. In relation to the particular incident, I am concerned to read about that. I have asked my department to ensure that the expert review of methane emission management which I commissioned—the government commissioned—led by the former chief scientist Dr Cathy Foley, examines the matters raised and ensures that they are considered in their deliberations. I will update the honourable member and the House when I've received the report from the former chief scientist. Health Care 24 14:19 Ms TEESDALE 314526 Bass My question is to the Minister for Health and Ageing. How is the Albanese Labor government continuing to make medicines cheaper for Australians? 14:19 Mr BUTLER HWK Hindmarsh Thank you to the member for Bass. The Prime Minister and I launched our $9 billion investment in Medicare with the member for Bass in the great city of Launceston. From that day, she has been just the most terrific advocate for a stronger Medicare. She also understands the power of cheaper medicine. I read her speech in the contribution to the National Health Amendment (Cheaper Medicines) Bill that just passed the parliament. She told a really powerful story about a couple of pharmacists that the member for Bass had spoken to, one in Kings Meadows and another in Ravenswood, both in the heart of her electorate. They told her stories of parents standing at the pharmacy counter and weighing up which prescription they could afford to take home and which one they would have to leave behind. She said that no parent in Australia should ever have to make that choice, and with this bill fewer families at will. And she is absolutely right. When we came to government, the ABS told us there were around one million Australians every year going without filling a script their doctor had said was important for their health, because of cost. Most members in their contribution to the debate told a similar stories to that of the member for Bass. And that is the power of cheaper medicines. It's good for the hip pocket—a really important cost-of-living measure—but it's also good for health. It's good for the health of Australians and good for the health of their kids. Last night the Senate passed legislation to deliver the fifth wave of cheaper medicines reforms under this government. From 1 January, the maximum co-payment on a PBS script Australians will pay is $25. As the Prime Minister points out, that's the same price it was all the way back in 2004. Indeed, without the two big cuts this government has made to the PBS co-payment, that figure would have hit more than $50 next year. Instead it will be less than half of that. Just this change, passed last night by the parliament, will deliver $200 million in savings every single year to general patients, and that's on top of the $1½ billion Australians have already saved at the pharmacy counter through the first four waves of our cheaper medicines reforms. This is another important step in this government delivering on the solemn promises and commitments we made to the Australian people at the last election. More urgent care clinics are already rolling out. Investment for more bulk-billing will start on 1 November. Last night we delivered even cheaper medicines for Australian patients. Aged Care 24 14:22 Ms LEY 00AMN Farrer My question is to the Minister for Aged Care and Seniors. In March 2021, the now Prime Minister said, 'We cannot be satisfied with a situation where older Australians are dying while waiting for their home-care packages.' The minister was sworn in on 13 May this year. Since that date, how many elderly Australians have died waiting for a home-care package? The SPEAKER 53517 The Minister for Social Services is warned. I don't want anyone interjecting while people are asking questions. I think that is crystal clear. 14:23 Mr RAE 300122 Hawke I thank the Leader of the Opposition for her question. It is always saddening to hear of older Australians, whether they are in care or awaiting care, passing away. I extend my deepest condolences to any family who faces that affliction. The decision to briefly defer the Aged Care Act was a difficult one that I made in consultation along with my colleagues. Minister Butler and I announced that brief deferral, and we did it after an extensive consultation. When I first became the minister, I spent many days and weeks speaking to older people across our country, speaking to the workers who care for them and speaking to the providers who provide their care. The overwhelming feedback that was provided was that there needed to be a brief deferral to ensure the continuity and quality of care for older Australians. Some months have passed since then, but perhaps it would be helpful if I were to refresh the parliament's memory about how that was received. The SPEAKER 53517 The minister will pause so the Leader of the Opposition can raise her point of order. Ms Ley 00AMN The point of order is on relevance. It was a very tight question. The minister should know the answer to this question. Since the minister was sworn in, how many elderly Australians have died waiting for a home-care package? The SPEAKER 53517 The minister was asked for a fact, but he was also asked about comments made by the Prime Minister a number of years ago. There were elements to the question, but he's going to have to remain very relevant to this question as there was not a lot of other detail provided. He'll have another minute and 50 seconds to provide the answer to the Leader of the Opposition. Mr RAE 300122 I want to provide one of the most important quotes from the period when the decision was made: The decision to the delay the start date for the new aged care reforms is the right decision for older Australians, aged care providers and home care operators. This is a quote that I think concisely and clearly summarises the decision and its impact on older people and the sector across Australia. It's a quote from the media release that was published by the shadow minister for health and aged care, Senator Ruston. Medicare 25 14:25 Dr GARLAND 295588 Chisholm My question is to the Prime Minister. How is the Albanese Labor government strengthening Medicare for all Australians? 14:26 Mr ALBANESE R36 Grayndler Last night, our plan to make medicines cheaper passed the parliament, cutting the cost of a PBS script from $30 down to just $25. That follows up from what we did in our first term to cut it from $42 down to $30. Had we not done that, if we'd continued the policy that was in place under the former government, those costs today would have been more than $50. So in fact we have cut the cost of medicines by half for people who need them, many of whom, of course, will need multiple scripts. On top of that, we have 60-day dispensing, something that those opposite said would lead to massive closures of pharmacies. We wouldn't be able to find them anywhere around Australia—what nonsense! It's another example of their speciality of scare campaigns rather than engaging in good policy. We've also frozen the cost at just $7.70 until the end of the decade for concession card holders, making an enormous difference. At the last election we promised to do all this, and now we have delivered on this promise, something that makes an enormous difference to communities that we represent, easing cost-of-living pressures right across the country. But it also says something about the way that we do policy. We consulted with the Pharmacy Guild, we consulted with senior Australians in particular and we consulted with people in the health sector about what was needed—a nation committed to Medicare, committed to the Australian idea that, when you get sick, you get the care that you need, not because of your bank balance but because you have this little piece of green and gold plastic— Honourable members interjecting— The SPEAKER 53517 Order! The Prime Minister will not use props. Mr ALBANESE R36 your Medicare card. I thought that might provoke a reaction. But I did the right thing; I kept the shirt in the office. Our government is committed to strengthening Medicare for all Australians—strengthening it by making medicines cheaper and making them cheaper again; strengthening it through the urgent care clinics, another 50 of which we're going to open, and our $8½ billion investment in bulk-billing; and strengthening it through 1800MEDICARE, a 24/7, bulk-billed telehealth service. Our government is committed to Medicare and strengthening it for all Australians now and into the future. Prime Minister 25 14:29 Dr WEBSTER 281688 Mallee My question is to the Prime Minister. Can the Prime Minister explain to the House why he was chased out of Ballarat last Friday by a convoy of tractors? 14:29 Mr ALBANESE R36 Grayndler Possibly because the member for Hume wasn't there! The member for Hume had this to say on 7 April 2022: We are investing in VNI West because it is expected to generate $1.9 billion in net market benefits and will be a key part of an efficient transmission backbone for the electricity market. The protesters in Ballarat on Friday were protesting against a program that was initiated and given regulatory approval by the former government, something that I pointed out at the time. The member for Hume went on to say this: Our investment in this project will support reliable electricity supply, deliver substantial cost savings and help keep the lights on for Australian families, businesses and industries. Well done, Angus. The SPEAKER 53517 Order! The Prime Minister will refer to members by their correct title. Has the Prime Minister completed his answer? The member for Wannon on a point of order. Mr Tehan 210911 It's relevance. The question was: why was the Prime Minister chased out of Ballarat by tractors? The SPEAKER 53517 Member for Wannon, when you ask a question which is very broad and you ask for a reason why— Honourable members interjecting— The SPEAKER 53517 Order! The Prime Minister is giving an answer to a very political broad question. Everyone, take the temperature down; otherwise, there will be actions taken. The Prime Minister will continue. Mr ALBANESE R36 As I said, this was a protest against a project in which the member for Hume also said: The development of interconnectors and transmission is critical to bringing new generation capacity into the energy system … Thousands of kilometres of new transmission is likely to be needed to connect new generation … That is what the member for Hume said when he was the minister responsible. What I did in Ballarat was front up, be honest, tell people— Honourable members interjecting— The SPEAKER 53517 No—the Prime Minister is going to pause. Mr Tehan 210911 I've never seen anyone run like him! The SPEAKER 53517 Member for Wannon, you've been here long enough. Those sorts of— The SPEAKER 53517 Don't point to other people! You're going to leave the chamber under 94(a). Honourable members interjecting— Mr Tehan 210911 I want the Prime Minister to withdraw what he just said. You were the coward! The SPEAKER 53517 If the member does not leave immediately, I will name him. The member for Wannon then left the chamber. The SPEAKER 53517 This goes to the question I have. If I can't hear what's being said because there is continual interjection, it's very difficult for me to get people to withdraw things. I'm sure the manager wishes to help? Mr Hawke HWO I am indeed trying to help. We didn't ask what the top speed of a tractor was, but we could have done that. The way I am helping is the Prime Minister did use an unparliamentary term, and he does know that. He should withdraw it, and I'm sure he would be willing to, to assist the House. The SPEAKER 53517 I didn't hear what the Prime Minister— Honourable members interjecting— The SPEAKER 53517 Order! I'll deal with this very precisely. You can resume your seat. If the Prime Minister has said something unparliamentary, I'll get him to withdraw. If I don't hear it, it's very difficult for me to make these calls. To assist the House, if anything has happened—if not, he's just going to continue on. Mr ALBANESE R36 On Friday, I very clearly— Honourable members interjecting— Mr ALBANESE R36 I withdraw the same thing as the member for Hume said. Good point. I'll tell you what leadership isn't. I'll make two points. At a time when security is an issue, making those sorts of comments—I ask them to reflect on that seriously, given what's occurred with the Victorian premier today and other incidents. That's the first point. And the Australian Federal Police have enough of a job without it being added to. That's the first point. The second point is: I front up and talk with people one on one, as well as at an event. I don't lie to them. And the truth is that coal-fired power stations—24 out of 28 of them closed on their watch, and they pretend it's something different as an example of just political opportunism. Health Care 27 14:35 Ms BERRY 23497 Whitlam My question is to the Minister for Regional Development, Local Government and Territories. How is the Albanese Labor government improving the lives and health of people living in regional and rural Australia? 14:36 Ms McBAIN 281988 Eden-Monaro I thank the member for Whitlam for her question and for the work that she does supporting people in her community for their health and wellbeing. Her electorate is now home to one of 90 Medicare urgent care clinics across the country, and the Dapto urgent care clinic has now had over 16,000 fully bulk-billed presentations. The Albanese Labor government is building Australia's future by investing in our regions. We understand that regional development isn't just about investing in roads and bridges, although they are incredibly important; it's also about cheaper medicine, which, thanks to the Labor government, will come down to $25 on 1 January 2026. The last time they were this cheap was in 2004. In 2004, I was still at university and working in pharmacy. The No. 1 song on the Billboard charts was Usher's song 'Yeah!', and we'll take that as an agreement of this policy, and the word of the year was 'blog'. This year's word of the year is 'delulu', and those opposite are still delulu. This is a huge deal for people in regional Australia, because it will help improve lives. We've frozen the cost of concession card holder medicine at $7.70 for the rest of the decade. This is all about strengthening Medicare. As I said, we've established 90 Medicare urgent care clinics across the country—31 in regional Australia—in Queanbeyan, in Warrnambool, in Broome, Cairns, Coffs Harbour, Devonport and in Dapto. In addition to that, we're prioritising mental health in our regions, opening more Medicare mental health centres. We're improving bulk-billing rates across regional Australia and we're investing in infrastructure for our regional communities. Whether it's a swimming pool or a skate park, we are committed to delivering better sports and health facilities for regional Australia. In the last couple of weeks, we've delivered a range of projects, including the Kwinana aquatics centre on the Sunshine Coast and a new skate and play precinct in Port Fairy. We've committed $1 million and reopened the Bermagui indoor sports centre, thanks to an investment from the bushfire local economic recovery fund, and, finally, the Merimbula skate park is set to open soon, helping local kids keep active. The Albanese Labor government has also announced $14 million for the Hunter Park youth and recreational precinct in Gilgandra—a major investment through our Regional Precincts and Partnerships Program in sporting facilities that keep kids active and healthy. I know the Gilgandra mayor, Doug Batten, was ecstatic at the funding announcement, because he said: 'We're very grateful. This project will change lives in Gilgandra.' On this side of the House, we're investing in better health care and facilities in our regions because we know it changes lives. Only the Albanese Labor government is standing up for regional Australia, delivering better health care, strengthening Medicare and helping our communities stay active. DISTINGUISHED VISITORS 27 DISTINGUISHED VISITORS Republic of Korea: Parliamentary Delegation, Let Them Be Kids, Schelling, Cr John 27 14:39 The SPEAKER 53517 I'm pleased to inform the House that, in the gallery today, is a delegation of members of the National Assembly of the Republic of Korea, led by Ms Ji-hye Park. Welcome to parliament. Also in the gallery today are members of the Let Them Be Kids campaign, which aims to raise awareness of the potentially harmful impacts of social media on children, as guests of the Prime Minister. I also see the Mayor of South Gippsland Shire, Councillor John Schelling, here as a guest of the member for Monash. Honourable members: Hear, hear! QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE 27 QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE Aged Care 27 14:39 Ms BELL 282981 Moncrieff My question is to the Minister for Aged Care. How many older Australians have died waiting for a home-care package since 13 May this year? 14:39 Mr RAE 300122 Hawke I thank the member for her question. As I said, it is always saddening to hear of any older Australian who dies either in care or waiting for care. It's the best reason for why our current reforms are so very important. This is about ensuring that older people all across our community can get the care that they need, whether it be in home care, as will be delivered through our Support at Home program, or through residential care under our improved quality and standards framework. I remind the parliament again that this decision was made on the basis of very comprehensive advice that came from the sector, from older people and from those that care for them. Perhaps, again, it would be helpful if I reminded the parliament of some of the reflections that were made at the time that this decision was made. This is from Silverchain, one of the very large home-care providers, from their media release: As the third largest Home Care Package provider in Australia, Silverchain welcomes the Federal Government's decision to delay the implementation of the new Aged Care Act and the Support at Home program until 1 November 2025. The chief executive went on to say: This is an incredibly ambitious program of reform, and courageous leadership is needed to deliver care differently. We welcome today's— The SPEAKER 53517 The minister will pause. The member for Moncrieff? Ms Bell 282981 A point of order on relevance. The minister is not answering the question. It was a very, very tight question about how many Australians have died since 13 May. A tight question—can we have an answer. The SPEAKER 53517 I can appreciate the member would like a figure, a yes or no to these types of questions. The minister won't be able to stray too much further because he was asked a very specific question. He is providing information regarding the policy, but he won't be able to go on for too much longer because he was asked a very direct question. Mr RAE 300122 As I was saying, the Silverchain chief executive went on to say: This is an incredibly ambitious program of reform, and courageous leadership is needed to deliver care differently. We welcome today's announcement and thank the Government for listening to and engaging with the sector. The Ageing Australia CEO—Ageing Australia being the peak body representing the sector—said: We applaud the Government for listening to the concerns of the aged care sector and putting— The SPEAKER 53517 Order! The minister needs to confine his remarks to what he was asked about. He can't read too much more into it. Just make it directly relevant to what he was asked about. Mr RAE 300122 'And putting the needs of older Australians first'. Sadly, we have lost a number of older Australians who have either been in care or waiting for care. In the last financial year that number was 4,812, as was provided by the department to the Senate in the hearings last week. Defence 28 14:43 Ms BELYEA 309484 Dunkley My question is to the Deputy Prime Minister. How is the Albanese Labor government delivering on recruitment and retention in the Australian Defence Force, and what difficulties has this faced in the past? 14:43 Mr MARLES HWQ Corio I thank the member for her question. The simple facts are that, at the beginning of 2022, the Australian Defence Force was in numerical decline. Under the coalition, the annual separation rate at the ADF had grown to a whopping 11.2 per cent. At the same time recruitment was in the doldrums, and what that meant was that in the last two years of their government, the Defence Force shrunk by 1,400 personnel. Yet at the same time their government provided a fanciful and grandiose announcement of increasing the Defence workforce by more than 18,000 personnel, an announcement which came with a massive price tag and, unsurprisingly and correspondingly, a massive, allocated funding deficit. Because the most arid, deserted, friendless place for Defence spending was the Liberal Party Expenditure Review Committee. The truth is that, the record in government on defence spending under those opposite was an absolute disgrace In the last three years and more, under our government, we have dramatically turned that situation around, and I would like to pay credit to the Minister for Defence Personnel. From our very first budget, we increased the Defence offering, focusing on housing, then focusing on family benefits, then focusing on improving wages in areas of skilled workforce shortage and then focusing on improving and increasing retention bonuses. All of that has meant that, today, the separation rate for the ADF has fallen to 7.7 per cent, below the long-term average. At the same time, we are now finding young Australians where they are— The SPEAKER 53517 The member for Fisher! I don't know what's going on, but you're going to cease interjecting for the remainder of this answer and every other answer during question time. You're on a warning. We're just going to listen to the minister. Mr MARLES HWQ We're finding young Australians where they are—advertising on gaming apps and social media. In the last 12 months, there have been 75,000 applications to join the ADF, the largest number in years. While there's still more work to do, we're now processing those applications faster. That has meant that, in the last financial year, more than 7,000 Australians have enlisted in the full-time force, the largest number in 15 years. Today, the full-time force stands at 61,494. That represents an increase of 2,100 in the last 12 months. What it shows is that, when you value people's service, when you meet young Australians on their own terms and when you improve your processes, young Australians are actually willing to serve our nation by wearing Australia's uniform. Given the world today, that is fundamentally important to our national interest. Road Vehicle Standards Amendment (Safer E-Bikes) Bill 2025 29

Road Vehicle Standards Amendment (Safer E-Bikes) Bill 2025

14:46 Dr SCAMPS 299623 Mackellar My question is for the Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government. Currently, e-bikes do not have to meet minimum quality or safety standards on import. The result has been a proliferation of e-bikes that can be easily modified to go at speeds well over 50 kilometres an hour without a single push of the pedal. Yesterday, I introduced a bill, the Road Vehicle Standards Amendment (Safer E-Bikes) Bill 2025, to ensure e-bikes imported into Australia meet international best practice standards, and multiple state transport ministers have also written to you seeking federal leadership on this issue. Minister, will you act to ensure imported e-bikes are safe before there are further tragedies, including in my electorate of Mackellar? 14:46 Ms CATHERINE KING 00AMR Ballarat I thank the member for Mackellar for the question and for her advocacy for the safer use of what are called 'personality mobility devices' in our communities. The member is right that e-scooters and e-bikes both bring a range of benefits to our communities through encouraging more active transport and reducing our reliance on cars. We're particularly seeing an increase of families in inner cities and suburbs using these devices to help kids get to school. However, these devices do also bring risks. I know we have recently seen a number of tragic incidents involving e-bikes and e-scooters. They are the subject of inquiries in both Queensland—I acknowledge the Queensland members of parliament who are here—and WA at the moment, because it has largely been states' and territories' regulatory systems that have seen e-bikes and e-scooters allowed in a range of settings across our local communities. As I understand the member's private member's bill, it focuses on listing specific types of mobility devices as road vehicles under a system that has largely been designed for cars and trucks on roads. It is clear that a broader and coordinated national system is needed for both the safer use and the regulation of these devices. It is why, at the meeting of state and territory transport ministers last month, I placed this issue on the agenda. At the meeting, state and territory ministers agreed to develop an integrated regulatory framework for these devices to improve rider and pedestrian safety. That work is being led by the Western Australian government with support from the National Transport Commission. It will consider issues including compliance, regulation, rules for use, and the development and ongoing monitoring of standards. This work will report back to infrastructure and transport ministers later this year. Additionally, there have also been concerns raised around fires caused by poor-quality lithium-ion batteries. Work is currently already underway through the Consumer Ministers Network on a national approach to the safe use of lithium-ion batteries in these devices under the Australian Consumer Law. Cybersafety 29 14:50 Mr MONCRIEFF 316540 Hughes My question is to the Minister for Communications. What is the Albanese Labor government doing to protect young Australians from harmful and abusive technology? 14:50 Ms WELLS 264121 Lilley I thank the member for Hughes for the question—the best member for Hughes in 30 years. The Albanese government is taking world-leading action to reduce online harms experienced by young Australians, including passing historic legislation to delay access to social media until the age of 16. Today, I announce the next step in that mission: to restrict access to nudification and undetectable online stalking tools. There is a place for AI and legitimate tracking technology in Australia. But the problem facing Australians is that technology has no moral compass. Its capacity for good or for bad depends on who is using it. The rockets that launched the Apollo missions to the moon were the same rockets designed to deliver a nuclear weapon. While AI has the power to move Australia forward, there is no place in our country for apps and technologies that are used solely to abuse, humiliate and harm people, especially our children. One child in every classroom in Australia has been the victim of deepfake abuse. Four out of five reported cases involve young girls. In one Melbourne case, investigators found 50 female students at a single high school were the victims of sexually explicit deepfakes. And the scale of harm is escalating, with reports to eSafety from people under the age of 18 doubling in the past 18 months. Today, I heard from a mum, Emma, whose daughter, Tilly, had a fake naked photo shared by schoolkids on the bus. Between 10 past three and 6 pm, Emma's mum estimates that almost 3,000 kids had seen this fake naked photo, and, that night, Tilly attempted to take her own life. These harms are too great and too urgent for us not to act. While there are federal and state laws against the publishing and distributing of sexualised non-consensual deepfakes and AI generated child sexual abuse material, slimy predators are slipping through the cracks. The current landscape relies too heavily on victims reporting these issues once the harm has occurred. We have to move the burden of reporting from the shoulders of victims and stop the harm at the source. We have to hold big tech accountable for the technology they are delivering. These apps are only designed to abuse, to bully, to humiliate and to harass, and we are determined to restrict them because, while the image might be fake, the abuse is real. 14:52 Mr ALBANESE R36 Grayndler on indulgence—I will just acknowledge some of the parents who I met with today, who are in the gallery. They are parents who, amid their grief and loss, have found the strength to work towards helping other Australians, particularly young people coming through. To Wayne Holdsworth, thank you for sharing your story about your son, Mac. To Emma Mason, thank you for sharing your story about your daughter, Tilly. To Fiona Carusi and Jane Rowan, thank you for talking with me about your daughters and the journey you are on together with them. Your courage and your candour is a powerful reminder of why it's so important for not just the government but the whole parliament to act to keep Australians safe online. Your courage in speaking about such personal stories really is changing future lives for the better. I thank you and acknowledge you. Aged Care 30 14:54 Mr THOMPSON 281826 Herbert My question is to the Minister for Aged Care. This morning, Dr Brendon Radford, Director of Policy and Research of National Seniors Australia, told ABC Radio: … there were people who have died. We had another person who was waiting for a package, ended up in hospital, got released, had no support—three days later, they died. When will the minister apologise to the families of the vulnerable elderly people who have died waiting for you to do your job? 14:54 Mr RAE 300122 Hawke I thank the member for their question. As I have said before, stories that are shared within this parliament and outside of it of older people passing away, whether they are in care or waiting for care, are always saddening, and that's why our aged care reforms are so very important. The decision to defer the implementation of the new act and the Support at Home program that came with it was very broadly welcomed. I've canvassed these matters very extensively in the parliament over the last couple of days, and I refer the member to my previous answers. Economy 30 14:55 Mr GOSLING 245392 Solomon My question is to the Treasurer. What progress has been made on the economy ahead of the release of tomorrow's national accounts? 14:55 Dr CHALMERS 37998 Rankin Thanks, Mr Speaker. I know the member for Solomon won't mind, and I hope you won't mind, shouting out to my colleagues from the Queensland parliament who are up there, particularly my local member, Mick de Brenny, and my great mate Linus Power. The reason I raise the Logan members is that our community is getting a hard time on My Kitchen Rules right now, as I understand it, and, on behalf of the member for Logan, the member for Springwood and the member for Forde, we say to Lauren and Lilli: we are right behind you; we love our community and we believe in you, and you'll do a great job on our behalf. Tomorrow, we get the national accounts for the June quarter. That quarter was defined by extreme volatility on markets because of announcements about tariffs out of DC. Economists expect that overall economic growth picked up a little bit in the June quarter, but not a lot. The private sector is expected to be the primary driver of growth because public demand was flat. We know that already. We'll see what the rest of the numbers say tomorrow, but we already know that, since this government was elected, inflation is down. We've delivered two surpluses. We got the strongest real wages growth in five years. We've got recovering living standards. Interest rates have been cut three times in six months. And we've got the lowest average unemployment of any government in the last half a century. Now, we are one of only half a dozen economies, advanced economies, that have grown every quarter for the last three years. Thirty-two economies have gone backwards at least one-quarter in the last three years, but we aren't one of them. Growth is not as strong as we would like, but continuous economic growth in the circumstances we see around the world over the past three years is welcome. Our progress gives us a decent foundation to deal with the uncertainty which still surrounds us and the challenges which still confront us. We're working hard as a government to give people help with the cost of living—making medicines cheaper, cutting student debt, boosting wages and cutting taxes. But we know that there is more to do because people are still under pressure. We know that we have to make our economy more productive and resilient and our budget more sustainable. That was what the economic reform roundtable was all about. Already, in the last couple of weeks, we have taken action on some of the consensus that was reached there, on speeding up housing approvals, accelerating EPBC reform and abolishing nuisance tariffs. If you look at our economy and you see the national accounts tomorrow, it is looking more and more like the soft landing that we have been planning and preparing for in our economy. But we know that there's more to do to ensure that we turn our recent progress on the economy into higher living standards for our people into the future. That's this government's focus, even if it's not the focus of those opposite. Regional Australia: Health Care 31 14:58 Ms SHARKIE 265980 Mayo My question is to the Minister for Health and Ageing. A year ago, I asked about the $6.55 billion gap in health spending between metropolitan and regional Australians. The response was that the gap was being addressed. Now the National Rural Health Alliance reports that the gap has increased to $8.35 billion—over $1,090 less in annual spending on the health of each regional Australian. Minister, it's getting worse a year later. What urgent steps will you take to fix this inequality? 14:59 Mr BUTLER HWK Hindmarsh Thank you to the member and fellow South Australian for that question and for her ongoing interest in health equality, particularly considered in geographical terms. As I've said to the member a number of times, we're doing all that we can to ensure that Australians living further away from our GPOs are getting good, equitable access to affordable care, particularly primary care. If you look at the results of our first investment in bulk-billing—I haven't checked for a little while, but the member knows, I think, that the biggest increase in bulk-billing rates of any electorate in this entire parliament has been in the member for Mayo's electorate or maybe the member for Clark's electorate. You're Nos 1 and 2—I can't remember who is No. 1 or who is No. 2. That is because the bulk-billing incentives paid to GPs outside of the major cities are higher than the changes we've made to doctors who are working in our major metropolitan areas. That's the same for the bulk-billing investments that will take place on 1 November. The increases for a GP bulk-billing in rural and regional Australia are very significant outside the major cities. They're significant in our cities, but they're more significant outside our major cities. We're also doing all that we can to encourage doctors, nurse practitioners and other health professionals to move outside of the cities and practice there. We've had a range of incentives in place to encourage doctors and nurse practitioners to do that. The Minister for Education passed legislation, which is now in force, that means recent medical and nurse practitioner graduates who go and work in the country get substantial student debt relief related directly to the level of remoteness in the area that they're working in. We know that there is more to do. The National Rural Health Alliance is a terrific organisation I meet with and I know members right across the parliament meet with very regularly. The tyranny of distance has been one that has bedevilled our healthcare system for the entire history of our nation. Technology does help that. That's providing some relief to Australians living outside our major cities, but we're also doing all that we can to support, in particular, general practices to make sure that they can really run a thriving, viable business. Just to give you a sense of what the impact of our bulk-billing incentives will be for a GP—a full-time GP bulk-billing every single patient that comes through their door in the major cities from 1 November will earn about $400,000 a year. In an average rural community, that rises to about $457,000 a year. That's a substantial increase, and that uses the earnings calculator that is used by the College of GPs and their supervisors. I can see some GPs frowning behind you, member for Mayo, but that is using the earnings calculator used by the sector itself. Small Business 31 15:02 Ms SITOU 298121 Reid My question is to the Minister for Small Business. What is the Albanese Labor government doing to ensure small businesses prosper? 15:02 Dr ALY 13050 Cowan I want to thank the member for Reid for her question. I know the member for Reid is a very strong advocate for small businesses in her local community, and, when I speak to the member for Reid, she often mentions to me the delicious noodles at My Aunt's Handmade Noodles, a small business in Burwood. I'm looking forward to also visiting My Aunt's Handmade Noodles with the member for Reid when I'm next in her electorate. The Albanese Labor government has the back of small businesses because small businesses are the backbone of communities right across Australia. I'm pleased to say that there are over 800,000 new small businesses since the Albanese government came into office in 2022, and that number keeps growing week by week. That's a good thing because small businesses contribute around $600 billion to our economy each year and they support more than five million jobs. To ensure small businesses grow and prosper, we've delivered over $2 billion in practical and targeted supports, focusing on three key priority areas that are outlined in Australia's very first National Small Business Strategy. Those three key priority areas are easing the pressure, supporting growth and leveling the playing field. In easing the pressure, we've extended the energy bill relief. We've paused indexation on the draft beer excise, supporting the hospitality industry and also those who drink beer, and extended the $20,000 instant asset write-off so that businesses can buy the things that they need to grow and to thrive. We've got $25.8 million in mental health and financial wellbeing supports for small business—something that's proven to be very successful in helping small businesses to sustain. In supporting small businesses to grow, under that priority area, we are helping to build a skilled workforce through our free TAFE and through reducing HECS debt, providing small businesses with access to the skills and trade workforce that they need. We've provided over $60 million for digital supports through the Cyber Wardens programs, digital solutions, the Small Business Cyber Resilience Service, cyber health checks, reducing red tape and boosting competition. We're levelling the playing field by strengthening the ACCC enforcement of the franchising code and tackling unfair contract terms, to protect small businesses. And we're taking action against illegal phoenixing conduct, especially in the construction industry. Small business, as I mentioned, is one of the key backbones of our communities and is represented right across Australia here. We'll continue to back them, because they back Australians. Aged Care 32 15:05 Mr KENNEDY 267506 Cook My question is to the Minister for Aged Care and Seniors. The National Ageing Research Institute's submission to the inquiry into aged care and service delivery said, 'People waiting for longer than six months for a home-care package had an 18 per cent higher chance of death than those who wait 30 days or less.' Can the minister confirm that this is true? 15:06 Mr RAE 300122 Hawke I thank the member for their question. I've canvassed these matters extensively over last couple of days. I refer you to my previous answers. Housing 32 15:06 Mr MATT SMITH 312393 Leichhardt My question is to Minister for Housing, Minister for Homelessness and Minister for Cities. How is the Albanese Labor government delivering for first home buyers, and are there any risks to delivery? 15:07 Ms O'NEIL 140590 Hotham A wonderful question from the member for Leichhardt. He is such a tireless advocate for housing in his community. We're doing some really amazing things in his local area on housing. We're building more homes. There are 11,000 renters in his community who have got that 50 per cent increase to Commonwealth rent assistance. And I know that the local member will be particularly proud, because our government has already helped 1,106 of his constituents buy their first home through our 5 per cent deposit program. For four decades, our country has not been building enough homes. This failure has left us with a housing crisis that's been cooking for a generation. We know that the solution here is pretty straightforward. We've got to build, build, build. That's why the bulk of our ambitious $43 billion housing agenda is focused on boosting supply. This agenda is of course already delivering for the country. We've had about half a million homes been built around our nation since we came to office. On the last stats that came out from the Australian Bureau of Statistics, we saw that housing starts are up 17 per cent on where they were a year ago. We've seen construction costs stabilise—from their historic increase that was occurring when those opposite left office—and we have got now 25,000 social and affordable homes in planning or construction, with more than 5,000 completed. These are important moves to help us tackle the housing crisis from every angle. But our government also fiercely believes that the young people of this country need help with housing, and they need help right now. That is why our government is making it easier for Australians to buy, through our expanded 5 per cent deposit program—no income caps, no caps on places and increased property price caps that better reflect where we know that Australians want to live. As you've heard me say before, our government is all about delivery, delivery, delivery. That is why we are bringing forward this announcement, because we want to get that help to Australians earlier than we were originally planning. We're bringing this forward to 1 October. Mark that date in your diary, any people in the gallery and want to get that amazing Australian dream of homeownership realised. Now, 180,000 people have already benefited from this scheme right around the country. I want to say my hello to Matt and Maddy, who are in the member for Leichhardt's electorate. I sat down with them just after they'd bought their first home with our 5 per cent deposit program, and they told me an amazing story. This beautiful couple had a young child and another baby on the way. Would you believe that these Australians weren't able to get housing stability, bouncing from family member to family member? That's when our government was able to step in and help them get into a home of their own. That family now owns a home in the member for Leichhardt's electorate. We want to see more Australians get that opportunity, and we're really pleased to be rolling out this program on 1 October. Climate Change 33 15:10 Ms SPENDER 286042 Wentworth My question is for the Prime Minister. Today, former chief admiral of the Defence Force Chris Barrie reiterated the BOE Declaration's warning that climate change is the single greatest threat to security for Australia and for our immediate region, including our Pacific neighbours. You're attending the Pacific Island Forum next week. What assurances will you be providing to your Pacific counterparts that Australia's climate ambition will meet the threat level to the region and will be consistent with keeping temperature increases to 1.5 degrees? 15:10 Mr ALBANESE R36 Grayndler I thank the member for Wentworth for her question, and, more importantly, I thank her for her commitment to acting on climate change and participating in this parliament as the representative for Wentworth on behalf of her constituents. For the people of Wentworth—or the people of Grayndler, for that matter—acting on this can make an enormous difference, but, as she correctly identifies, for people in the Pacific—the people of Tuvalu, the people of Kiribati—this is an existential threat to the very existence of their nations. When I attend the Pacific Island Forum hosted by the Solomon Islands next week, I will be attending as a participant, not as a block to climate action. That is one of the big distinctions that has occurred. The entry fee for credibility in our region, in the Pacific and in ASEAN is action on climate change, and we indeed will be pursuing our hosting of the conference of the parties to be held, we hope, in Australia in partnership with our Pacific Island neighbours and family. I welcome the overnight support for that from at least one person in the Liberal Party, Senator Hume. It's important that we engage constructively. We will do so. We have funding for climate change infrastructure, resilience and preparation as well as agreements, such as the Falepili agreement with Tuvalu. We have a specific program recognising that sea levels are rising. That is having an impact and allowing a number of Tuvalu citizens to be able to come to Australia each year. That has been welcomed. In the lead-up to the Pacific Islands Forum, I've had discussions with a range of our neighbours—including Vanuatu, which I will visit on the way to the Solomon Islands next week—about our joint commitments which are there. The member quite rightly quotes Admiral Barrie and the fact that this is a national security issue. It is because these issues do raise our relationships with our neighbours. They also raise the issue of security and the very survival of those island states. They also raise how we participate and how we're seen by our neighbours. That is important. I've said that our defence relationships are also about investing in our relationships, not just our capability, and this is just one way in which we do so. Medicare, Aged Care 33 15:13 Mr LIM 300130 Tangney My question is to the Minister for Health and Ageing. After decades of cuts and neglect, why is it so important to strengthen Medicare and to invest in aged care? 15:14 Mr BUTLER HWK Hindmarsh I thank the member for his question because he knows that nothing has been more important for this government than strengthening Medicare and aged care over the last three years, partly because health and social care is in Labor's DNA but partly, as well, because of the mess that we inherited from those opposite after a decade of cuts and neglect. As I've said before, when we came to government, we inherited bulk-billing in freefall. Last term, I outlined the impact that that horror health budget in 2014 had on bulk-billing and the role, in particular, of the health minister, at the time, the former member for Dixon. But now, as we go about the serious work of strengthening Medicare, from time to time on this side we do a Medicare pop quiz. The latest question doing the round is: 'Which health minister never once increased the Medicare rebate?' On this side, most people answer: 'Peter Dutton'. But, in his defence, even Mr Dutton increased the Medicare rebate once. They were close! Mr BUTLER HWK I'll talk about aged-care packages, don't worry. Even Mr Dutton increased the Medicare rebate once. I can only find one health minister who never once increased the Medicare rebate. It's the Leader of the Opposition! Indeed, I blamed Mr Dutton for the six-year Medicare rebate freeze, but when I go back to the 2016 budget, when the Leader of the Opposition was the health minister, I find not only did she double down on Mr Dutton's four-year freeze but she extended it another two years. On the serious question of aged care, which the Leader of the Opposition interjected about, I thought I'd compare the pair. We added additional packages in the 2023 budget, the 2024 budget, the 2024 MYEFO, the 2025 budget. The Leader of the Opposition? How many additional packages do you think she added in her time of responsibility for aged care? A big doughnut. I think the residential aged-care sector would have been very happy to just be ignored by the Leader of the Opposition, like the home-care sector was, but she actually cut their funds—by half a billion dollars in MYEFO, by $1.2 billion in the 2016 budget, cuts that helped push the aged-care sector into the crisis that led the royal commission to use one word: neglect. We take our job of strengthening Medicare and aged care very seriously, on this side, but, I tell you what, we're not going to take advice from those opposite led by the Leader of the Opposition, given her record. The SPEAKER 53517 I give the call to the Prime Minister. Mr Albanese R36 On that note, I ask that further questions be placed on the Notice Paper. DOCUMENTS 34 DOCUMENTS Presentation 34 15:17 Mr BURKE DYW Watson Documents are tabled in accordance with the list circulated to honourable members earlier today. Full details of the documents will be recorded in the Votes and Proceedings. MINISTERIAL STATEMENTS 34 MINISTERIAL STATEMENTS Agriculture Industry 34 Reference to Federation Chamber 38 15:37 Ms COLLINS HWM Franklin by leave—I move: That the order of the day be referred to the Federation Chamber for debate. Question agreed to. MATTERS OF PUBLIC IMPORTANCE 38 MATTERS OF PUBLIC IMPORTANCE Freedom of Information 38 15:38 The DEPUTY SPEAKER 248181 The Speaker has received a letter from the honourable member for Berowra proposing that a definite matter of public importance be submitted to the House for discussion, namely: The Government's culture of secrecy. 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— 15:38 Mr LEESER 109556 Berowra It has been a long afternoon in the House of Representatives today. We have seen the hubris of a government with a supermajority giving itself a pat on the back in question time and evading questions about aged care that were asked of them by the opposition and that were raised with us by our constituents. This lack of transparency from the government is what today's MPI is all about because it evidences a disturbing pattern of behaviour that we have seen ever since the election of the Albanese government in 2022. It is a cancer that is eating away at the heart of the Labor Party. It takes the form of a pervasive and malevolent addiction to secrecy. This is a government that always tries to limit and control the message. We saw this in the misinformation and disinformation bill, and I'm sorry we're seeing it again in the FOI bill that is going to be before the House in a few days. This government proposed reforms to the FOI Act, and they seem to be the misinformation and disinformation bill all over again. This government wants to stifle what people will say and what people will see. This government talked a big game, we will remember, in opposition. They said lots before they came to power. They said they were going to be so much better than how they've turned out. Prior to the election, Mr Albanese promised the Australian people that, if they elected him and the Australian Labor Party to office, he and his ministers would deliver transparency, integrity and accountability in everything they did. They're the standards he wanted Australians to judge him by. Let me say those standards again: transparency, integrity and accountability. But what have Australians come to see from the Albanese government? Mr Ted O'Brien 138932 The opposite. Mr LEESER 109556 We've seen the opposite. Former attorney-general the member for Isaacs loved preaching about accountability and integrity in opposition. Here's what he had to say: 'Appropriate, prompt and proactive disclosure of government-held information informs community, increases participation and enhances decision-making. It builds trust and confidence. It's required and permitted by the law and improves efficiency.' That was the member for Isaacs in opposition. They were making the point that transparency actually promotes frank and fearless advice. What about Minister Watt in opposition? He said: We deserve answers and transparency. It's not negotiable—and it should not be negotiable—for the Prime Minister to comply with the standing orders and promptly answer these questions. But, since he's come to government, he seems to have changed his tune. What about the Prime Minister? In the foreword to the Code of Conduct for Ministers, signed personally by the Prime Minister, we get this sort of sanctimony. He said: Australians deserve good government. The Albanese Government is committed to integrity … honesty and accountability and Ministers in my Government … will observe standards of probity, governance and behaviour worthy of the Australian people. In making all that fanfare that he did in relation to his code of conduct, at clause 4, under 'Responsibility and accountability', he says this, and you only need to hear the words to see what a shadow between the promise and the reality there really is: Ministers are required to provide an honest and comprehensive account of their exercise of public office, and of the activities of the agencies within their portfolios, in response to any reasonable and bona fide enquiry by a member of the Parliament or a Parliamentary Committee. Is that what we've seen? Certainly not. The tune now is very different. What we've seen, instead of transparency and accountability, has been the shutting down of information and shutting down of debate. We've seen a surge in FOI refusals. Now, only one in four FOI documents are fully released. The proportion of FOI requests that have been completely refused shot up by 27 per cent in the December quarter last year, and it's only increased since then. By 31 March this year, it had shot up to 31 per cent. Meanwhile, this government has presided over such a systematic maladministration of the FOI system that its own FOI commissioner, Leo Hardiman PSM KC, resigned his statutory appointment just 12 months into a five-year term. As was widely reported at the time, he was routinely ignored within his agency, and his very limited staff were being pointlessly diverted from FOI work. He gave a comprehensive and absolutely damning criticism of the government's approach when it comes to access to information. What's clear from the available evidence is that this government has been rejecting and ignoring ordinary requests for information on an industrial scale. Then we have the non-disclosure agreements. Non-disclosure agreements have become a completely ordinary method in terms of the way this government conducts itself. We saw secrecy agreements in relation to workplace relations reforms, where Labor rammed through the wish list of its union paymasters. They gagged small businesses, employers and the industry groups that were directly targeted. Even on religious discrimination, hardly a matter of national security, we were told all too often by religious leaders that they were only being consulted on a confidential basis and they weren't given the full picture. Even Cassandra Goldie, the head of ACOSS, said in the Saturday Paper that legal gags have become routine with this government. She said: Broad non-disclosure agreements needlessly stifle meaningful consultation and contribution from community sector organisations and people who hold direct experience and expertise of policies and services … Non-disclosure agreements also have a chilling impact on community sector organisations. Community sector organisations or individuals may sign agreements in fear of losing funding or being cut out of policy development processes. Isn't this extraordinary from a Labor government that promised to be so different? The reason you ask someone to sign a legal gag is to enforce it against them or lock them out of consultation. This government should hang its head in shame. Then we've had the secret manual. Can you believe this? We've had a government that has actually drafted a secret manual to help public servants avoid answering questions in Senate estimates. A document entitled Approaches to SEQoNs asked of all (or multiple) agencies was circulated among the agencies. Outrageously, rather than being responsive to this parliament as officials are required to do, this is a manual for obfuscation. Let me give you some examples. In answer to the basic question 'Has the department held any organised external retreats?', the response suggested by the Albanese government is, 'The data required is not captured centrally, and obtaining it would be an unreasonable diversion of resources.' In response to the question, 'How many staff within the department have put in place agreements to work on the King's Birthday or other public holidays?', they've said, 'Substitution arrangements for public holidays are locally managed and data on the number of employees who substitute a public holiday is not recorded centrally.' Thirdly, the response to 'Has the department engaged any external companies or individuals to provide training or advice to officials on the preparation of his Senate Estimates?' the answer is, 'This is not centrally recorded.' These are just three examples out of an 18-page document of evasion, deception and obfuscation, suggested by this government to avoid transparency. What else have we seen? Flagrant flouting of the orders for production of documents in the Senate, such that the Centre for Public Integrity has made it clear that compliance with orders for production of documents in the other place has fallen to the lowest levels since 1993—those are the lowest levels in a generation. No government has been worse than this one on actually producing documents for scrutiny. Claims of public interest immunity—a claim used to oppose the release of documents—have tripled under this government and are being made every single week. What else have we seen from this government? This government doesn't like transparency and it doesn't like being held to account, and we've seen this in the malicious and petty slashing of staff from those in opposition and on the crossbenches whose job it is to hold the government to account. This government broke with decades of bipartisanship to reduce the number of staff provided to the opposition and the crossbench. We're not talking about electorate office staff, which we all have as legislators—we're talking about the staff whose role it is to help members of parliament get across policy detail and hold the government to account. It's absurd, it's petty, it's a personal abuse of power, and it's all designed to shy away from scrutiny. This brings us to the FOI proposals that we've read about in the papers today. I've had a briefing on the principles but I haven't seen the legislation. What has been reported overnight is a continuation of this very disturbing pattern of behaviour. At a time when transparency seems to be at a historic low, this government wants to push through laws designed to further restrict access to information and to charge Australians for accessing the documents that will hold government to account. I'm a pragmatic man. I will work with the government if there are sensible reforms in our national interest. But every Australian should be disturbed by a wholesale truth tax that will require Australians to pay to play to access information held by this government. A wholesale truth tax that requires Australians to pay to play on FOI sends a clear message that Labor believes that your information belongs to them, not to the Australian people. Labor will try to defend this. They'll try to talk about AI bots—clearly, they know about AI bots if they're talking about them. They'll try to talk about vexatious AI requests—well, there are provisions dealing with that already. This is a government with a culture of cover-ups. All of these concerns point to an underlying culture that says the release of information must be managed and controlled. This is the culture that this government has built; a culture of secrecy, an allergy to scrutiny and a failure to keep to the standards that they themselves set in opposition. That's what they presented to the Australian people, and for that they stand condemned. 15:48 Mr HILL 86256 Bruce I will give my friend the member for Berowra points for a valiant effort, but the troops look bored. They look sad, they look bored and they were looking at their phones. I'll give the member for Mallee a shout out; she was nodding appropriately. It's not easy to be a nodder in opposition, so well done. Those poor souls watching the parliament from home, wondering 'What is this debate about?'—I think we've got one person left in the gallery—would be right to be confused at this debate. The opposition can choose for this hour of the parliament to bring any topic they like. They could talk about Medicare—well, they wouldn't want to talk about Medicare, they would have a nuclear explosion. They have one of their little nuclear meltdowns when they talk about Medicare. They could talk about the cost of living, energy prices, agriculture, defence, foreign affairs—anything that might have some relevance to the Australian people. But, instead, the Liberal and National parties choose to bring on this debate. It's their choice to bring on a debate at this hour about the culture of secrecy in government. It feels like we may have entered a parallel universe. I checked the calendar when I saw the topic. Is it April Fools' Day? No, it's 2 September 2025. Is it the 'International Day of Irony'? It is possibly the most ironic thing that this mob—who brought you the shame and cover-up of robodebt, who brought you secret ministries and cabinet committees of one, and who failed to introduce a national anti-corruption commission—choose to bring on a debate about secrecy. It is the silliest thing since Tony Abbott knighted Sir Prince Philip, which the comedians then thought may, indeed, be the death of irony because nothing could ever be funnier. But here we are. I am really happy—and the government is happy—to have this debate with this mob. It is an own goal—that's a little tip to the tactics committee—to bring on a debate on secrecy when you are the Liberal and National parties inheriting the wreck of the Abbott-Turnbull-Morrison legacy. It reminds me of the old saying: never interrupt your enemy when he is making a mistake. Now, you could quibble with two words there. You could quibble with the word 'enemy'—I did not describe the people on the other side as enemies; I described them as opponents. I wouldn't quibble with the word 'he' because, statistically and overwhelmingly, it's going to be accurate. But honestly, the mob who brought you the secret ministries—it's a serious point. It was funny. It was objectively the source of untold numbers of jokes, on social media and for the comedians around the country, that the former Liberal prime minister, Scott Morrison, swore himself in secretly as the Treasurer; the Minister for Home Affairs; the Minister for Science, Industry, Energy and Resources; and the Minister for Health. And, not content with that, he also secretly took on the finance ministry. He didn't tell anyone publicly, although he did tell quite a number of them. They're not going to be able to get away, if they want to bring on a debate about secrecy, by saying, 'Oh, that was that odious Scott Morrison character; he is gone.' The member for New England was all over it. Multiple members of the cabinet knew exactly what was going on. They knew exactly what Mr Morrison was like, and they knew what he was. The inquiry by former High Court justice Bell said that the secret ministries were 'corrosive of trust in government'. The Solicitor-General found that the secret ministries of the Liberal government undermined the basic principles of our entire Westminster system of government and that it was a deliberate action. You don't accidentally appoint yourself as Treasurer, finance minister, home affairs minister and all the others. As I said, you can't blame Scott Morrison. The now leader of the opposition was a cabinet minister in that disgraced, degraded government that enabled this culture of secrecy, which corroded trust and corroded Australians' trust in government itself. No-one could have imagined that early last term, when this got revealed, we would have to introduce legislation into the parliament and debate the bill, week after week, to pass a law to say, 'You can't have secret ministers.' It seemed pretty obvious, as a basic principle of accountability, that Australians needed to know who the ministers were and that the parliament, from which authority for executive government flows, needed to know who the ministers were so they could hold them to account. You didn't think it would be necessary. Then again, when I was chair of the audit committee we had to add an eighth principle—actually, it was when they had a majority, and I was the deputy chair—to the Commonwealth Grants Rules and Guidelines which said that ministers actually have to follow the guidelines. Even the now opposition, the majority, said, 'Yes, it's got pretty bad with the grants rorting. We probably should actually pass a rule that says you have to follow the rules.' The previous prime minister was aided and abetted by his cabinet colleagues, as I said. I wouldn't be able to get away with recording in Hansard the description of the previous prime minister by Michael Keenan, the former cabinet minister who served alongside him, but you can google that. If you want to know what they were like, I encourage you, if you haven't read it, to read Bulldozed by Niki Savva. I actually read it when it came out and my step count that day was 506 steps, from the couch to the fridge to the bathroom and back again—so gripped was I with reading the inside account of the dysfunction that was the Morrison government, the trashing of democratic conventions and norms right throughout that period. Even John Howard had the decency and the common sense to criticise them. Yet when push came to shove, when a censure motion was brought to this House against the former prime minister for trashing the core conventions of the Westminster system, they walked out of the chamber. They couldn't even bring themselves to vote for it. But it's not just domestic secrecy. Their lack of integrity and their addiction to secrecy trashed Australia's standing in Transparency International's global rankings—that is, the corruption perceptions index score. From 2013 to 2021, when this mob were in government, Australia saw the largest decline of any OECD country in Transparency International's rankings—absolutely shameful! On their watch, we fell from the seventh-least corrupt system in the world to eighteenth, it's a record low score for Australia. Why? Well, we heard a bit about FOI. The degradation of the FOI regime under the previous government certainly didn't help. There were absolutely savage cuts by the Abbott government when they were elected, completely stripping out the resources, and there was their failure to appoint a dedicated commissioner of FOI. They actually job-shared the privacy job, the FOI job and the information commissioner job with one person. So the same person who was supposed to be keeping stuff private was also responsible for making stuff available publicly. They failed to modernise the regime. This government has boosted resources to the FOI commissioner—appointed an FOI commissioner—and overhauled the reporting to be more honest. There have been some silly media stories—a bit of hyperbole. That's because we changed the typology of reporting to properly distinguish between FOI requests that are released in part and those released in full. Unfortunately, some media outlets have muddled the reporting on that. But this week, proudly, the Attorney-General will introduce important reforms to improve and modernise FOI; to stop anonymous FOI requests—you'd think it would be pretty low-hanging fruit that you can't make an anonymous FOI request—to stop the secret FOI requests; to prioritise genuine requests; and to save dollars on the frivolous and automated requests. We heard the opposition's new little scare campaign—the truth tax. Remember he said it twice with emphasis for his social media cuts? Ms Plibersek 83M Uh oh! Mr HILL 86256 Uh-oh! Here it comes—a new scare campaign. But he did say he'd work with the government, so we'll see where they end up, with a little bit of noise on the way. I'll finish on this point. The big reason for the failure, under the former government, and the national shame of plummeting in Transparency International's rankings—the slump in transparency versus the jump we've seen under this government—was their failure for years to introduce a national anticorruption commission. Labor put principles on the table, and the then government had a little con trick. They drafted a bill; it was a ridiculous proposal. The former prime minister used to wave it around in here. We'd say, 'Well, introduce it into the parliament.' They wouldn't introduce it into the parliament, because they knew that a whole bunch of their own members would cross the floor and amend the bill with Labor. They didn't want that. Their bill, actually, was a giant con trick. It would've literally given the power to the government to decide whether Liberal MPs would or wouldn't be investigated by the anticorruption commission. This government has proudly introduced a national anticorruption commission with teeth, with the powers of a standing royal commission, with a truly independent commissioner and with real power to investigate public servants, public agencies and members of parliament and their offices—and rightly so. The contrast could not be clearer. As a result of the actions we took in just our first term, we jumped to 10th place in the Transparency International rankings in 2024. Now, of course they go up and down from year to year because they're relative to what other nations are doing. But that big reform alone, which they in their decade in office refused and failed to introduce, has had a fundamentally important effect on our public administration, undermining the culture of corruption and secrecy that had built up. I'm sure other speakers can talk about robodebt—that fine little episode. But it has also helped to restore our international standing. 15:58 Dr WEBSTER 281688 Mallee Here we are on sitting day 13 of the new parliament, and the Albanese government is already acting like a third- or fourth-term government, lacking in transparency and accountability—and very smug at it. The coalition opposition has been listening to Australians, and, as shadow minister for regional development, local government and territories and shadow minister for regional communications—and, formerly, as shadow assistant minister for regional health—I have consistently heard story after story from stakeholders that they cannot get in to see a Labor government minister. It's okay to see the minister's staff, but not the minister. I get replies to my letters to ministers from their chiefs of staff and other staff, not the elected minister. This is an arrogant and out-of-touch Albanese Labor government that think they can get away with anything. Yet, the Prime Minister said last month: My government is unashamedly an open government. In April, Mr Albanese said: I'm not frightened of scrutiny and transparency. If the Prime Minister isn't frightened, why all the non-disclosure agreements? Why launch the biggest attack on freedom of information in 15 years? Why slash the number of staff allocated to the opposition? The Prime Minister said, on 25 November 2022: We're shining sunlight on a shadow government that preferred to operate in darkness, a government that operated in a cult of secrecy and a culture of cover-up, which arrogantly dismissed scrutiny from the parliament and the public as a mere inconvenience. Yet, we have seen cover-up claims unravelling in court in relation to the payout to Brittany Higgins concerning former senator Linda Reynolds and her former chief of staff Fiona Brown, just this week. At the Bush Summit in Ballarat on Friday, the Prime Minister told a sceptical farmer audience, many of whom were from my electorate of Mallee, 'I won't BS you'—I'm paraphrasing. If the Prime Minister is not misleading farmers in regional Australia, why is the government moving in an increasingly secretive fashion? The Australian government should operate as good corporate citizens. It is required to model good behaviour for other businesses to follow, yet what do we see in my electorate of Mallee and across regional Australia? Non-disclosure agreements—one after the other—secrecy, division and families that no longer talk to each other. Indeed, the Leader of the Nationals shared today an ageing farmer's one dying hope that his farming sons will speak with one another again. Why have they stopped talking to one another? They stopped talking over positions on the Albanese government's reckless railroading of regional communities with energy projects. These energy industry cowboys, the majority of them foreign owned, have been trashing social licence, which is a fact I think all serious observers of the energy debate acknowledge, including former and current Australian energy infrastructure commissioners. Social licence is being trashed because these energy industry cowboys are signing farmers and landowners up to non-disclosure agreements using divide-and-conquer tactics. We have seen the same from the Albanese Labor government: using selective consultation on key policy debates; keeping people in the dark, not taking the Australian community with them; and obfuscation and spin over energy prices, pretending power bills are going down, while they're actually going up. The lived experience of all Australians is power prices going up and energy reliability going down while emissions are flatlining. This Labor government is a government that is loose with the truth, using eye-watering amounts of taxpayer money to cover for their policy failures on energy, and pretending it is good for Australians. It is anything but, and the government's culture of secrecy is dragging Australians into the Dark Ages. 16:03 Dr GARLAND 295588 Chisholm I am really pleased to speak on this topic, because I know that maintaining—and, in fact, since we came into government, having to restore—the conventions of democracy is really important to me and my community. I remember when I was first a candidate in 2021 how appalled my community were at the absolute failure of those opposite to have delivered a National Anti-Corruption Commission when they were given the privilege of being in government. Our government's commitment to restore trust and integrity to federal politics is really important and it was recognised earlier this year, with Australia back in the top 10 nations in Transparency International's corruption perceptions index. We know trust declined over the years that those opposite were in government, and it is really important to me and my community—and our government—that we restore that trust. Australia's reputation was absolutely trashed by those opposite, and we fell in the ranks for the first time in almost a decade. We had the worst result, in terms of corruption perception, of any OECD country and the worst result in Australia's history. This is simply appalling. This index is a very important independent measure. It acts as a barometer of global integrity and a powerful reminder for us in this place about what is at stake when corruption is allowed to take root. We saw that for ourselves in this country. We saw that there was a link between corruption and people's faith in government being dismantled. Their participation in democracy was undermined because of the corruption of the previous government. Our commitment to transparency is unwavering— The DEPUTY SPEAKER 248181 Just a moment—a point of order? Mr Wallace 265967 I ask the speaker to withdraw that comment. She is making a direct allegation against the former government as being corrupt. There is no evidence of that whatsoever. Corruption is a criminal offence. The speaker is accusing the government of criminal— The DEPUTY SPEAKER 248181 It's not an opportunity for debate. You've raised your point of order, and I've listened. Thank you. I will ask the member to withdraw that statement. Dr GARLAND 295588 I will withdraw that, but I'll also clarify that this is an independent measure and that Australia dropped to 18 in the rankings of Transparency International's corruption perception index. That is a matter of fact. Mr Violi 300147 On a point of order, for the withdrawal there's no commentary required, and perception is— The DEPUTY SPEAKER 248181 No. Your point of order is denied. Dr GARLAND 295588 Our commitment to transparency is unwavering. Following the 2022 election, we immediately embarked on necessary reform to restore public trust, strengthen accountability and ensure that integrity remains at the core of our public institutions and democracy. I actually am pretty pleased that those opposite are so agitated about allegations or perceptions of corruption, because I think it is very important that we all work together to make sure that we never again see those dark days that we saw under the previous government. Within months of coming to government, we legislated to establish a national anticorruption commission— The DEPUTY SPEAKER 248181 Excuse me, Member for Chisholm. What is your point of order, Member for Fisher? Mr Wallace 265967 My point of order is that the speaker is acting against the standing orders. She has again— The DEPUTY SPEAKER 248181 I am listening very carefully— Mr Wallace 265967 No, just hear me out, Madam Deputy Speaker. The speaker has impugned the former government and members who are still members of this House as having been involved in corruption. The DEPUTY SPEAKER 248181 I have listened very carefully. Your first point of order was taken. Your second point I do not accept. I am listening very carefully to the statements and references to a report that has been cited. You might not like that; I accept that. But it is not casting imputations against you. Mr Wallace 265967 It's not the report. The DEPUTY SPEAKER 248181 Sit, please. You do not have the call. Dr GARLAND 295588 As I said, within months of coming to government we legislated to establish the National Anti-Corruption Commission. People in my community and across Australia had waited for years for the former government to implement its promise to deliver a Commonwealth integrity commission. Our government has delivered that. I'm really proud that we've delivered that and that that became our priority, rather than having a prime minister who decided to swear himself into secret ministries. That was an absolute distortion of this system that we need to always defend so that the public has trust in what we do here. 16:08 Mr WALLACE 265967 Fisher This government is frightened. It's frightened by democracy, frightened by parliament and frightened by the very transparency that it repeatedly promised. In opposition, Labor promised to shine a light on politics and bring back accountability. I want to play a little pop quiz now as to who said this: 'My government is unashamedly an open government.' Who said that? The Prime Minister. 'I'm not frightened of scrutiny and transparency.' Who said that? The Prime Minister. 'We're shining sunlight on a shadow government that preferred to operate in darkness, a government that operated in a cult of secrecy and a culture of cover-up and which arrogantly dismissed scrutiny from the parliament and the public as a mere inconvenience.' Who said that? Mr Buchholz 230531 Same bloke. Mr WALLACE 265967 'When it comes to your money, which of course is from taxpayers we all serve, the only condition that should be attached is accountability.' Who do you reckon said that? The Prime Minister. 'To serve as Prime Minister of Australia is a rare privilege. If successful, I'm determined to restore a greater sense of responsibility to the office of prime minister, a deeper respect for the Australian people and for the integrity of our democracy, real accountability and delivery.' Who do you reckon said that? Mr Violi 300147 Not the PM—surely not! Mr WALLACE 265967 It was the Prime Minister. He also said: The health of our democracy, the integrity of our institutions, the transparency and fairness of our laws, the harmony and cohesion of our population … these aren't just noble ideals. They are a powerful defence against the threat of modern authoritarianism. Who do you reckon said that? Mr Violi 300147 No, not the Prime Minister! Mr WALLACE 265967 This takes the cake. The Prime Minister also said: Labor will restore integrity and transparency to our aged care system. Whether you are in residential care or home care, Australians should have confidence the money they are paying is going where it should … I think anybody who has been watching question time in this last week would know the truth about this government and its care about the aged-care system. Democracy in every nation is fragile. I could not believe the words that came out of the member for Bruce's mouth when he heaped scorn upon the concept of parliamentary accountability. Those members opposite, this government, are acting in ways which are absolutely antithetical to the principles that they stood for when they were the opposition. Let's look at what they've done. They've cut staff numbers for the opposition and the crossbench. Most Australians might think, 'Oh well, so what?' A government is only as good as the opposition who holds it to account, and this government continues to strip away from the opposition and the crossbench our ability to hold this government to account. It also has laid on the table proposed changes to the debates on matters of public importance—like the matters that we are discussing today. In unprecedented ways, it is seeking to strip the opposition's ability to hold this government to account. It's also increasing non-disclosure agreements when dealing with stakeholders. This government does not walk the talk. This government has a rule for us when we're in government and a rule entirely for itself when it is in government. It is absolutely hypocritical. Cutting the number of staff for the opposition and the crossbench, as I said, may not be a hot-button issue for many Australians—unlike the cost of living—but a government that strips away the ability to hold it to account is a lazy, insecure government that is frightened of being held to account. The FOI changes that this government is seeking to introduce are an absolute disgrace. A recent report by the centre for public— (Time expired) 16:13 Mr GREGG 315154 Deakin It was somewhat surprising to hear an analysis of a culture of secrecy from the coalition, the very folks that brought us a secret minister for health; a secret minister for finance; a secret minister for industry, science, energy and resources; a secret minister for home affairs; and a secret treasurer. I recall a culture of secrecy also at a time when we were raising the very serious issue of robodebt, when it was just responded to with doubling down and attacks rather than genuine introspection. Introspection is something we certainly have not seen from those opposite. We don't have to go very far back down the time tunnel to remember a party of government promising to deliver an anticorruption commission, getting into government in 2019 and failing to deliver. The promise of an anticorruption commission was key to restoring integrity in government. They failed to deliver it, but I'll tell you who did deliver it: the Labor Party. When the Albanese Labor government was brought in, we introduced the National Anti-Corruption Commission. It is now here, it is in effect, and it is doing its job. We've also introduced changes to the Public Service Act to ensure that ministers are no longer giving directions relating to the employment of staff. And we've addressed another fundamental institutional problem created by those opposite with the Administrative Appeals Tribunal—a body there to ensure the integrity of government decision-making and the lawfulness of government decisions. It had become an opaque and overly politicised institution, so fatally damaged that it had to be replaced. The new Administrative Review Tribunal introduced by the Albanese Labor government finally has some transparent appointment requirements to make sure we are appointing members on merit—those who are qualified to do the job and can serve the Australian public by providing good decisions relating to the application of executive power. That is true accountability. We have also begun the process of reforming whistleblower protection laws. Tranche 1 is already in effect. We're working on tranche 2, and we'll ensure that whistleblowers are protected, as we would expect in a democratic society. We're also rejuvenating the Open Government Partnership, introducing the third national plan promoting accountability and transparency in government and doing reforms to make sure the culture in this place around personal behaviour is also improved. We did the hard work on delivering the Respect@Work report. We have made the Parliamentary Workplace Support Service an independent statutory body to ensure that the culture in this place of poor behaviour being swept under the rug is gone. It was to ensure the standards that reasonable people in Australia expect of any workplace are adhered to in this place as well. The way we treat each other matters, and, when misbehaviour occurs, people should be held accountable. That is something that we are pursuing not just with rhetoric but with action. The culture of a government can be seen in what it does. The culture of the Albanese Labor government is of delivering cheaper medicines; delivering free TAFE; delivering more housing; delivering changes to the five per cent deposit scheme to ensure that every first home buyer can get themselves into the market; and delivering on paid prac for people studying nursing, social work and other courses, like teaching. We have so many positive plans, and as a government we are not talking about sitting around eating each other up, like the coalition does every time the words 'Medicare' or 'environment' are mentioned. We are focusing on delivering the promises made to the Australian people. A point has been made about changes to the freedom of information legislation. This will be going to committee. There will be every opportunity for all sides to contribute to the discussion about that bill, as is normal process. It will be a transparent, open, democratic process. Changes to the bill may well occur in response to that good-faith engagement. Rather, we have what has become a daily piece of performative, confected indignation and outrage without any sense of personal insight or introspection. We just see another day rallying against a topic which, really, the Liberal Party when in government performed a lot worse in. So, when we're getting a lecture from the Liberals and Nationals about secrecy, perhaps think back just a few years. Where were we before? We can think about the leadership of the secret Minister for Health, the secret Minister for Finance, the secret Minister for Industry, Science, Energy and Resources, the secret Minister for Home Affairs and the secret Treasurer when we think about the character of the previous government and what change in culture the Albanese Labor government has brought in. I can say that it is overwhelmingly positive. Finally, we have a restoration of key institutions. Finally, we have a restoration of faith in the transparency and accountability of government in Australia. As my friend the member for Chisholm pointed out, we're back in the top 10 on Transparency International's Corruption Perceptions Index. Things are improving and will continue to improve. 16:18 Mr TIM WILSON IMW Goldstein The Albanese government is introducing a truth tax. A federal Liberal government introduced the Freedom of Information Act in 1982. Since then we have had transparency in government so that Australians can access information about themselves, governments and government programs. But the Albanese Labor government is betraying its commitment to openness and transparency by now introducing new provisions which make it harder for Australians to access information about government programs and insight into how their government is conducting itself. The Albanese government is seeking to hide information about its deliberations from the public and from journalists to minimise scrutiny. Freedom of information laws are under attack, making it harder than ever to access basic information about government documents. It will expand the range of confidential documents, shielding ministers and, of course, bureaucrats from scrutiny of information. This is not some sort of subjective comment. The Centre for Public Integrity has found that, in the year 2011-12, 59 per cent of documents were available unredacted; now, it is just 25 per cent. This is not a change that is being introduced to try and boost transparency or information about government data or policy advice. This change is clearly about covering up government activity. And they're imposing new taxes to limit access to information, to limit the capacity of Australians to ask basic questions of their government. That's why the Albanese government is introducing a truth tax, because what they're doing is denying information to Australians. In 2022-23, more freedom of information requests were denied than granted, showing a shameful position of secrecy, and a cloud of secrecy has now descended upon the Albanese government. There is a clear pattern of deception and a pay-for-play approach to information under the Albanese government. That is why this truth tax must be defeated. It's a direct attack on the transparency and information available to the Australian people. The truth tax that's being put forward by the Albanese government is one of the most corrosive things that we have seen in our parliamentary democracy. We have seen an active choice wherein the Labor Party is seeking to impose a new cost to limit access to information for Australians in relation to simply knowing, so that there can be proper scrutiny and accountability, what ministers who sit on government benches are doing and the information that's being provided to them as part of normal government decision-making. I understand that, when they're in government, they're sitting there and they do not want to be questioned. I understand that they do not want people to ask for basic bits of information. I understand that they do not like questions at question time. I understand that the Prime Minister likes to come into this chamber, throw his weight around and give his Castro-like responses to basic questions about the operations of the healthcare system or the aged-care system or how his government is operating. But the reality is that we live in a democracy. The parliament of the people of Australia is not the National People's Congress. The job of members of parliament—whether they are opposition members, Independents or members of minor parties, they have a right to ask questions and simply hold the government to account, just as journalists have a right to ask basic questions of government and to submit freedom of information applications so that there can be proper scrutiny of how a government is making its decisions. But the answer, despite the promises of this government—they said they'd be the most transparent in Australian political history—is pulling the curtain of secrecy down behind them so that people cannot see deep into the heart of this government, and they're putting up cost barriers to limit the capacity of everyday Australians to see what this government is doing. Of course, big corporates will be able to afford the fees, but it will be average Australians, already struggling under the daily pressures of the rising cost of living, who will not be able to hold their government to account. This is the problem, and, of course, it sits against a backdrop of everything else this government has already done, from cutting the staff of the opposition so there can be less accountability in this chamber. We are seeing a government that is becoming increasingly drunk on their own power, because they throw out arguments about why they need to limit access to information with no substantiation and no evidence. This truth tax must be defeated. 16:24 Mr NG 316052 Menzies The Albanese Labor government has taken significant steps to restore transparency and trust in government. We recognise how important this is in an era of increasing misinformation and polarisation, particularly at the fringes of society, and as usual we see those opposite peddle that fear and misinformation. We have established new standards of transparency and accountability. We created the National Anti-Corruption Commission in July 2023. For the first time at the federal level, we have an independent watchdog with broad powers to investigate serious and systematic corruption across ministers, MPs, staffers, public servants and contractors. Those opposite went to the 2019 election promising a national anticorruption commission, and then they left the Australian people waiting for three long years. It wasn't until we came to government that this important measure was put in place to ensure integrity in our federal system of government. After years of secrecy and inaction under the coalition, the National Anti-Corruption Commission represents a strong commitment to integrity in government. Equally, in our first term, we announced the robodebt royal commission. This inquiry showed the depth of the coalition's culture of secrecy and contempt of Australians. Only under Labor were $1.7 billion repaid to more than 430,000 victims of this illegal scheme, confirming that we put people first, not profits. Beyond these reforms, we have also introduced stricter rules on grants to prevent rorting, reversed secrecy around National Cabinet to restore freedom-of-information accountability and legislated emissions reductions targets to bring credibility back to climate policy. Over nine years of government, the coalition stacked the Administrative Appeals Tribunal with so many unqualified party hacks that the only way to salvage this important essential function of reviewing government decisions was to abolish the Administrative Appeals Tribunal and put in its place the Administrative Review Tribunal, where members are appointed according to qualifications and merit. We've also re-established the Administrative Review Council—a key robodebt recommendation. We've strengthened the Public Service Act to protect agency independence, and we are reforming the freedom-of-information system to ensure it works fairly and effectively. This stands in stark contrast to the coalition's culture of hidden and secret governments. The member for Berowra referred to our freedom-of-information reforms that the Attorney-General will introduce to this parliament. The current freedom-of-information system is 40 years old and no longer fit for purpose. Like so much of what the coalition clings to, it's well out of date. We are committed to transparency and a robust freedom-of-information regime, but freedom-of-information costs have been increasing exponentially. In 2023-24 financial year, they increased a significant amount—23 per cent. This is not sustainable, especially in an age of vexatious requests. Our reforms will ensure that genuine freedom-of-information requests are prioritised, that anonymous freedom-of-information requests are no longer permitted and that the scheme itself remains sustainable and fit for purpose in an age of increasingly vexatious requests. Those opposite, in bringing this question, show an incredible amount of hypocrisy. Let's talk about transparency in the last Liberal government. I referred to the robodebt scheme, introduced under the Abbott government. Over 430,000 Australians were issued with debts totalling $1.7 billion—many of them falsely. Mind you, at the time, the government hid internal legal advice in 2014 and 2015 warning the scheme was unlawful. Documents showing the Morrison government's and other ministers' direct involvement were buried until the royal commission forced their release. We are talking about government secrecy. The member for Berowra was in government during the worst of it. In 2019, we found that $100 million in community sports grants were allocated to mates ahead of the federal election—the famous colour coded spreadsheets directed at marginal seats. It was money meant for kids, clubs communities that was diverted for political gain. The Albanese Labor government is getting on with making government more transparent. (Time expired) 16:29 Mr BUCHHOLZ 230531 Wright It's always a privilege to be able to make a contribution to the matter of public importance. I thank those that have made a contribution to this debate. Any time we have a conversation about transparency and openness it's a good thing for the Australian public, and I am happy to be able to engage in this debate. I have taken away a couple of points from the debate that I want to share with the room—in light of thanking those members who have made a contribution. We, as an opposition, need to make sure that we keep a light on the government. We need to make sure that the overwhelming numbers within the Australian Labor Party that exist in this chamber, which were so overwhelming and celebrated as a great victory—I think it was Lord Acton who once said: Power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely. I think that was back in 1887. It has stood fast for that amount of time. With the numbers that are in this place, it is incumbent upon us, as an opposition, to shine a light when the light cannot get in. I come to the dispatch box on behalf of our fourth estate, who are raising this discussion, this matter of public importance, as a real concern. If those members in this house are genuine, they will have the conversation with the people who wrote their speaking points to revisit this. In opposition, Labor promised to shine a light on politics and bring back accountability, but now it's rolling out the biggest attack on freedom of information that we have seen as a country in 15 years. The Albanese government wants to introduce what the previous speaker has referred to as a 'truth tax', charging fees on an FOI request that should be made public. I thought the previous speaker made a very valid and salient point about vexatious freedom of information requests, particularly if they were made by an anonymous party. I would agree. If they're anonymous, they're not going to put their name to it and we don't know what it's for, I wouldn't be giving them any credence. But, for those bodies that sit up there and are asking questions that should be made available, I would ask genuinely for the Australian Labor Party to reconsider their position. Plans to roll back scrutiny and normalise the use of fees for freedom of information are the latest in a series of attacks on transparency and accountability. It's the biggest attack on freedom of information in over 15 years, as I just mentioned. Since assuming office, Labor has presided over a massive spike in freedom of information requests and a massive spike in their refusals. They've pioneered widespread non-disclosure agreements on stakeholder consultation. I was not aware that we had ever participated in that type of activity in government. I will stand corrected, but, for the public record, governments having non-disclosure agreements with working parties coming into open forums is just beyond the pale. They've produced a secret manual which they've circulated to public servants on how to give acceptable answers in estimates and repeatedly flouted Senate orders on the production of documents. They've limited parliamentary scrutiny through changes of standing orders. There's nothing wrong with that; that is the privilege of government. But don't come in and be the virtue of all things transparent when debate is being shut down and bills are being sent to the other place while we continue to debate what we'd hopefully think would be an outcome. They've slashed staff for those parliamentarians tasked with holding officers in government to account, and they've ignored the report of the parliamentary inquiry into access to information. This is a real issue for the Australian Labor Party, and I would suggest that, while we agree on all things transparent, you revisit this for the sake of our nation. 16:34 Mr SOON 298618 Banks The shadow Attorney-General has brought us here today to talk about secrecy. While I have a lot of respect for the member for Berowra, it has to be said at the outset that the idea that that party—the party of five secret ministries—could attempt to lecture anyone in this place about secrecy is amusing, though I suppose the Liberals and the Nationals know a thing or two about a culture of secrecy, seeing as the former prime minister swore himself and one of his allies into a whole bevy of portfolios without telling his colleagues. In fact the inquiry conducted found that Liberal members enabled a culture of secrecy that has a corrosive impact on public trust and undermined the basic principles of our system of government. Let us not forget that when those across the chamber were last in government they also oversaw robodebt, which caused untold suffering to nearly half a million Australians over debts they didn't even owe. They gave us an administrative appeals tribunal full of Liberal and National candidates that was beset by delays, mismanagement and cronyism. They promised an anticorruption commission and then didn't deliver as much as a thought bubble around it for three years. They made no response to Respect at Work, had inaction on privacy and whistleblower reform and left Australians vulnerable to money laundering. They also oversaw programs such as sports rorts, car park rorts, the Building Better Regions Fund and the purchase of the Leppington triangle at 1,000 per cent of the face value to boot. When it comes to lectures on matters of credibility, those opposite should be receiving them, not giving them. The Labor government's record on integrity could not be more different from the former government. In fact it's a stark contrast. We are a government that is committed to integrity, honesty and accountability in government. We have already delivered a significant reform agenda to restore public trust in government and create higher standards in the federal public sector. While the former government were all talk on the National Anti-Corruption Commission, this government has been all action. During the election campaign in 2022 we said we would get it done by the end of that year and, guess what, we did, delivering an NACC to deter, detect and prevent corruption conduct across the public sector. We implemented the recommendations of the Bell inquiry to improve transparency and restore the public trust in Australian democracy that was lost as a result of the secret ministries affair. We created, as my colleague mentioned before, the Administrative Review Tribunal, a new administrative review body that is user focused, efficient and accessible but, most importantly, is also independent and free from undue political influence. We established the royal commission into robodebt and re-established the Administrative Review Council, one of the commission's key recommendations. The council will be an expert body to monitor and advise on the operation and integrity of the administrative review system. We passed the Respect at Work legislation, which now requires businesses across the country to take proactive steps to create workplaces that are free from sexual harassment. There is so much more I could speak about, be it the APS Integrity Taskforce, strengthening the Public Service Act, strengthening whistleblower protections or the development of a third national action plan for transparency and accountability. The member for Berowra spoke in his remarks about the proposed reforms to the Freedom of Information Act. Freedom of information is a vital feature of our democracy. It promotes accountability and transparency in government, but right now FOI is not fit for purpose and the laws need updating to bring it into the 21st century. The contrast between this government and those opposite could not be clearer. It is why Australians voted for this government, and we've delivered integrity in spades. The DEPUTY SPEAKER DZY This discussion has now concluded. BILLS 48 BILLS Pacific Banking Guarantee Bill 2025 48

Pacific Banking Guarantee Bill 2025

Returned from Senate 48 Treasury Laws Amendment (Payments System Modernisation) Bill 2025 48

Treasury Laws Amendment (Payments System Modernisation) Bill 2025

Second Reading 48 16:40 Ms CAMPBELL 312823 Moreton I think it's fair to say that, when most people hear the words 'payments system modernisation', their eyes might glaze over. They might not be particularly excited. They might lean back in their chair and get ready for a snooze. They might put in their earphones and settle in to watch something on a streaming service—but not me. I am excited by payment systems because, while they might not seem sexy, they are something that we use every single day. If you are writing out a cheque to someone special on their big birthday, if you are going to the corner store and swiping your debit card to buy milk when you are on your way home, if you are tapping your digital wallet at the supermarket when you're off to buy nappies, if you are paying cash when you are at the petrol station—each and every one of those things is a payments system. It's not something that we think about very often, but we use payment systems more than we do anything else that we will talk about today in this House. We use them to buy things every single day. But the technology is changing, and we have to change with it. To make sure that we protect consumers when it comes to payment systems, we have to make sure that the RBA can regulate them, and that is what this bill is all about. While the Treasury Laws Amendment (Payments System Modernisation) Bill 2025 might not be the subject of intense water-cooler discussion in offices across the country, it is a very important piece of legislation. At its core, what it addresses is the risks that new and emerging technologies pose to the way we pay for goods and services. In 2025 you do that more often than not with just a tap of your phone. Updating the payments system regulatory framework is necessary to ensure Australia has a fit-for-purpose, modern and efficient payments system. This is crucial because the smooth operation of the economy rests upon it. You use the payments system when you dash to the servo to buy that milk late at night, you use it to transfer money to your mate at a restaurant after a shared dinner, and it's used to put your wages into your account. Every single day we use a payments system. None of us probably think very much about it when we're tapping our phones to buy our Pepsi Max, but it is the foundation of our financial system. The payments system supports the stability of the financial system by minimising risks associated with transactions and by facilitating the flow of payments. A well-functioning payments systems bolsters the development of the financial sector through inspiring consumer and business confidence in their transactions. It also links Australians to the global marketplace. We know that consumers, everyday people in the community and in our society, need to have that confidence if they're going to put their hard earned money across the table to buy goods and services. Ensuring that our payments systems are up to date with technology and are well regulated is what drives that confidence for consumers. The components of the payments system are the nuts and bolts of our financial system. That's why it needs to be safe, that's why it needs to be trusted and that's why it needs to be accessible. And that is what this bill delivers. The sector is a rapidly evolving sector, and, as a result of the digital revolution, teenagers today make purchases instantly and seamlessly with their watches or their phones. They've never had to learn how to write a cheque, and the only cash they see is in birthday cards from their grandparents. We now have a payment system that is large and complex, one that is continually adjusting to new technologies and processes. As the transactions become easier and more convenient for consumers, there are opportunities for growth and also increased risk. Where there is increased risk, we need to make sure that people in our community are protected, without stifling growth that will be critical to our economy. There is also the need to balance this with maintaining the more traditional methods of payment, to meet the needs of consumers who rely on those systems. Those consumers are often some of the most vulnerable in our community. That's why, as we expand the regulatory framework for payment systems, we need to make sure that those consumers who use more traditional forms of payments are still protected, particularly older Australians. The New Payments Platform, NPP, underpins the modern payment system, enabling fast and secure transactions. Services such as PayID and PayTo have changed the way consumers and businesses interact. As of mid-2023, nearly 13 million PayIDs had been created, over 25 per cent of account-to-account transactions were being processed via the NPP, and more than 100 payment providers were offering NPP services to approximately 90 million consumer accounts. We are hugely reliant on the robustness and security of this digital infrastructure, and we must take into account the necessity of safeguarding against outages, against technological failures and against cyberattacks. This bill is part of Labor's commitment to the Strategic Plan for Australia's Payment System, which was released in June 2023. The strategy lists five priorities for the government. The first is promoting a safe and resilient payment system. This involves reducing the prevalence of scams and fraudulent activity, strengthening cybersecurity measures to guard against attacks and maintaining robust oversight of systematically important payment infrastructures. When it comes to scams, everyone in this chamber knows someone who has been hit by a scam, whether it be digital or online. Making sure that we as a government prioritise protecting those vulnerable people who are the target of scams is an important part of what we do. The secondary focus is on ensuring the payments regulatory framework keeps pace with technological and market developments. That is what we're talking about particularly in this bill today. Key initiatives include establishing a comprehensive licensing framework for payment services providers and promoting competition through transparent access to payment systems. Thirdly, there is a need to modernise the payments infrastructure by implementing the phased removal of cheques, the enhancement of existing systems and the continued provision of access to cash, to ensure that no community is left behind. This purpose is designed to make sure that, whether you like to tap your phone as you get on the bus, you like to put cash in a card to your grandchild on their birthday or you like to use a debit card, it doesn't matter; you will be protected, you can have confidence in that payment system, and you will have a regulated system that works for everyone. The next priority area is in uplifting competition, productivity and innovation across the economy. We've recently seen that the Treasurer hosted a roundtable focused on productivity. With our laser focus on ensuring that productivity increases and that we have reform in the productivity space, this is another layer to that work. This means aligning the payment system with broader economic and digital transformation goals. These include the Consumer Data Right framework, supporting wider adoption of digital ID and investing in digital and technological skills development. Finally, the government aims to establish Australia itself as a leader in the global payments landscape, by creating a regulatory environment that encourages innovation and investment. This includes facilitating seamless cross-border payments and exploring the policy rationale for introducing a central bank digital currency. This background is useful to explain the broader work the Albanese Labor government is undertaking in this area, and this bill is an important part of that work. The Treasury Laws Amendment (Payments System Modernisation) Bill 2025 provides expanded definitions for 'payments system' and for 'participant' so that the Reserve Bank of Australia can regulate new and emerging payments systems and participants. These include digital wallet providers and buy-now pay-later service providers. As part of the risk management protocols, the legislation will also enable the Treasurer to designate payment services or platforms that present risks of national significance. This isn't just about protecting everyday consumers, this isn't just about protecting people in our community and families in our community, this is also about protecting our country from risks of national significance. These designations will give appropriate regulators additional oversight powers. This is a sensible and responsible approach from the forward-looking Labor government. Under the new legislation, the Treasurer will only be able to give general directions. The Treasurer will not be able to direct the regulator on how to exercise functions or how to enforce regulations. This ensures the ongoing independence of the regulator in assessing and exercising their regulatory powers. These measures are key steps outlined in A strategic plan for Australia's payments system. They also directly respond to recommendations in the payments systems review that the RBA should be better-positioned to regulate new and emerging payments systems that are part of the changing and growing payments ecosystem. The recommendations also state that there should be a greater role for the government, through the Treasurer, in setting the strategic direction of the payments ecosystem in collaboration with regulators and industry. That is what this bill does. As I mentioned, one of the drivers of these reforms is for Australia's regulatory framework to facilitate competition and innovation while upholding financial stability and decreasing risk. To achieve this, the Albanese Labor government embarked on a comprehensive consultation process with stakeholders regarding this bill. Consultation partners included industry participants, government agencies and regulators prior to the release of the strategic plan. The Treasury also received 30 submissions from banks, payment-service providers and industry associations. Further stakeholder meetings were held with organisations such as the Australian Banking Association, the National Retail Association, PayPal, Google and the Commonwealth Bank of Australia to work through feedback on the text of the new definitions and the scope of the new powers proposed for the Treasurer. The measures outlined in this bill are necessary to ensure that the RBA can not only regulate new and emerging payment providers but also combat risks to our national interest by expanding these powers to designated regulators. The measures support the government's key principles for the payment system: it is to be trustworthy, accessible, innovative and efficient. At their heart, what these laws are about is keeping up with the times. Because payment systems are something that we might not think about every day, but they are something that we use every day. Making sure that, as technology advances, we continue to protect consumers, to protect the national interest, to protect families who go about their day not thinking about payment systems but using them is incredibly important, because we don't want people to be scammed, we don't want new technologies to remain unregulated and we don't want families not to have the confidence to be able to pay for their groceries, their fuel and their health care every single day. They also speak to Labor's determination to provide a safe and secure payment environment for all Australians. 16:55 Mr TIM WILSON IMW Goldstein We all know the experience these days—going into a shop, whatever it is, and buying coffee—you're looking very healthy these days, Deputy Speaker Georganas, perhaps you're not buying the muffin! Nonetheless, you're going in with your phone, credit card, debit card, whatever it is and hearing the sound—beep!—and knowing the transaction has just gone through. That is the modern payment system that so many of us engage with on a day-to-day basis, as most of us barely even carry cash anymore. Cash, as much as it is an important part of our economic security and the liquidity of our system, isn't actually how most of us engage. Most of us use digital transactions for the little things because it's become part of our day-to-day routine. As a consequence of the COVID pandemic a few years ago and as a result of the integration of EFTPOS many years ago and the expansion of credit cards and other forms of payment systems, it's very much now fully integrated into our lives. Of course, the laws were designed at a time when payment systems were relatively straightforward. We all welcome this updated legislation to address the modernisation of our payment systems. It reflects a technical capacity to reflect how we use the payment systems today and to give government appropriate legislative coverage, particularly with the emergence of multinational payment systems with things like Apple Pay, Google Pay and Afterpay and for crypto and block chain systems as well. No-one is disputing that there's a need for it to be done in a way that is consistent with Australian law and Australian regulation by the appropriate oversight powers to the Reserve Bank of Australia and to be done with the need to make sure that it's done so that it integrates successfully with Australia's payment system so that we can build out a stable financial environment with confidence. That doesn't mean the government has got everything right in this legislation. We know that the government is, in one sense, overreaching and, in another sense, not doing enough. It's overreaching because it's seeking to extend the RBA's powers into areas that perhaps go well beyond what it should be covering—going beyond components of payment systems and looking at certain types of fintech and even certain types of block chain technologies and digital wallets—where it doesn't necessarily have the appropriate skills or capacity to do so and could limit the capacity for financial innovation. That has actually been one of the great growth areas of Australian innovation in recent years. Financial technology has put Australian small businesses at the fore, has put us in a position to grow and be successful and has often gone on to be sold internationally if not just domestically. We don't want to stifle that innovation and have regulators come down with the heavy hand of government and limit their potential for growth. We want to back them, we want to encourage them, and we want the operating environment to be open so that, where innovation can occur, it is an Australian first wherever possible. Of course, they need to be steered and guided, but that is to make sure that the system is as open as possible rather than it being too burdensome with regulation. In addition to that, it's extended the powers of the Treasurer in a way that is increasingly by a form of regulation. There's always a balance between how much you give powers to the Treasurer by regulation—or any minister, I might add because I know there are a couple of them sitting at the table—versus how much you give power to the Treasurer through forms of legislation which force things to come back to this chamber, to the assent of the representatives elected by the people of this Commonwealth. Of course, by and large, we should always seek to do things through this parliamentary process—it adds proper scrutiny, accountability and deliberation—and also because we want to get to a position where, when a rule is imposed, it's uniform and goes through proper processes so that there's a broader degree of acceptance and understanding about the consequences of it, because, once the law is imposed, the consequences are often hard to undo. This government has become completely addicted to its powers by regulation to bypass this parliament. Only in the motion prior to this debate we talked about the government's new truth tax where it's trying to shut down or limit access to information by the public and scrutiny of this government by putting financial as well as scrutiny barriers over government deliberations. We've had in other pieces of legislation what they call a Henry VIII tax proposal, which after legislation has passed gives powers to the Treasurer to dictate the terms of tax rates, but really it's a lawless tax. That's what it actually is. It is a tax that is introduced that has no legislative coverage and oversight. This legislation has its own similar problems. When you're giving very large powers to the Treasurer to decide things like payment systems, we have mechanisms within legislation to create disallowance motions where the parliament, if it disagrees with the decision the Treasurer makes, can come in and challenge the decision of the Treasurer, simply to say these matters should be brought back before this parliament and the status quo should prevail. This exists in lots of pieces of legislation. It's an entirely reasonable proposition, and I would have thought that, when you're giving the Treasurer this volume of power, that is an appropriate place for a disallowance motion to deal with the extent that power is being given to the Treasurer in these laws. That would build a much greater sense of confidence in this legislation. It disappoints me that the government has been arrogantly dismissing the potential for a disallowance motion in this legislation, because it would improve their legislation, it would build confidence and it would be better for tempering the enthusiasms of the Treasurer in his ambition not just to be Treasurer but to do things that are going to be good for the Australian economy rather than for his own political ambition, trajectory or whatever term we're going to use these days. At the end of the day so many Australian businesses and small businesses are dependent on payment systems today. We all deal with it. I started my speech by referring to that little sound that we know when we tap our phone, credit card or debit card. You hear that little beep when you buy a coffee at your local cafe, and so many of them are using a terminal from a bank or another platform like Tyro or Square. Those terminals are the digital embodiment of small businesses then engaging with the entire global economy. That's the basis on which they then have the capacity to manage their supply chain, their payment systems and often then their tax, and the back-end systems and operations that empower small business to be successful are so critical. It's every single one of those transactions played out that enable the revenue, liquidity and cash flow for a small business to succeed. This stuff really matters. We currently have record small business insolvencies. It's one of those things which the government doesn't like to talk about in question time. We have record small business insolvencies right now because they have cash-flow problems, and they have cash-flow problems because the dead hand of the Australian Taxation Office is coming after them to take away their revenue and what little cash they have or because of the rising cost of inflation. The government haven't been able to control inflation, because they keep stimulating the economy to cover up the fact that there isn't private sector job growth. Whatever it is, this government is failing in the economy. The dead hand is increasing the costs on small business to the point that they are closing. When you think about that, that means a kid doesn't get their first job in their community. They don't get their first foot on the ladder of economic opportunity. They then aren't in a position to step up and get their next job, potentially for a larger business, while they go on and study or go on, of course, into full-time work. The consequences of this government's policy are real. If we get the payment systems wrong, the impact on cash flow is also real. That's the sort of thing that the Reserve Bank is looking at right now in its consultation around payment systems reform. They're looking at the balance of who is going to pay for the different components of the payment system. At the moment, their consultation paper has put out the idea that they're going to ban transaction fees because they think that's going to be the best policy outcome. A robust number of people are coming through this building making different cases about what should happen. I just had somebody come to my office and argue that there should be compelled least-cost routings forced through to the provider as well as other limitations on how the system should operate. Nobody wants to pay merchant fees and transaction fees, and they want somebody else to pay. At the same time, we need a robust payment system because it's integral to cash flow. It's very important around keeping prices low. But we also need a system with integrity, because sitting behind that is one of the most important exposures we have around cybersecurity and risk. If we don't get that right, we expose our entire economy to components of risk. This is one of the things that the prudential regulator, APRA, and ASIC and the banks regularly stress test, because they're mindful of the exposure they have and what it can go on to do for financial stability. As the previous speaker spoke about correctly before, it's also one of the biggest pathways of exposure to things like scams. We all know people who, even with the best of intent, have found themselves exposed to scams, partly through the payment system. The payment system isn't just one of the pathways where people get exposed to scams; it can also be one of the best ways to protect Australians against scams. Banks and other financial institutions with the resources can invest in stopping that. We have to get this right. In addition to that, we need to work with the platforms, the providers and small businesses. This was a topic that was discussed recently between myself and the Minister for Small Business in a speech we recently gave up in the mural hall about the launch of a report about digital payments, sponsored by Square but hosted by COSBOA, the small business advocacy body. The Minister for Small Business, who I have very fond affection for—she's a lovely lady amongst many things—made a very important point in her speech, being that, for this government, small business is part of their consideration and part of their decision-making. I remarked in my speech that that is a very good thing to have, but it also is a reflection that this government see small business as something to be considered. In my speech I said, in a coalition government, small business will be at the fore of decision-making. We fundamentally believe that this nation is best governed from the citizen, the family, the community and the small business up, not from big government, big unions and big corporates down. That is the clear cleave between the Labor government and a coalition government. We believe in a nation governed from citizens, families, communities and small business up, and that is why, like with citizens, families, communities and small business, we make decisions with them at the core of our focus, not the best interests of big unions, big governments and big corporates, as the Labor Party does. That's going to be the basis on which we make decisions about things like the payment system—how we strengthen it, make sure it's got integrity and make sure it backs and enables small business to succeed and thrive? How do we position it so that it's part of the success of small business in being able to get money paid on time? If there's any exposure for small business, it is that they do not get paid on time, unlike large companies or those who do simple things like drive transactions, like with a payment system, because cash flow is king. Have you heard that expression, Deputy Speaker Georganas? I'm looking for a nod; give us a nod. The DEPUTY SPEAKER DZY It's not for the speaker to ask the Speaker a question. Mr TIM WILSON IMW Give us a nod, Member for Hughes. There you go! It just shows you that these days members of the Labor Party can't even give you a nod at 'cash flow is king'. That shows how much they don't understand small business. The DEPUTY SPEAKER DZY Order! I ask the member to withdraw that because the implication is on the Speaker, on the chair. Mr TIM WILSON IMW I withdraw. There is no implication. The member for Hughes, the member I previously regarded, couldn't even acknowledge that cash flow is king, and that shows you that the modern Labor Party doesn't understand that cash flow is king and that they don't understand small business. (Time expired) 17:10 Mr MONCRIEFF 316540 Hughes ():  Payments are something that Australians are engaging with in everyday life, sometimes dozens of times a week. These days, that looks like tapping cards for groceries, paying bills online, splitting meals through apps and subscribing to services that debit our account each month. These payment methods were unthinkable decades ago. For younger Australians, buy-now pay-later platforms are a part of everyday life. For many small businesses, digital wallets are now as common as cash registers once were. I remember when, about 10 years ago, I was working at Woolworths Jannali on the cash register and there was a bunch of young teenagers that came through. One of them wanted to pay with cash, and all of his friends were teasing him because he was paying with cash. They asked, 'Haven't you heard of a card?' It was just ridiculous that these young people would be paying with cash. Even at that time I thought that was fairly reasonable; I still used cash. But, for young people now, it's such a different economy to what we used to have. The way that money moves in our economy has changed dramatically, but the laws that underpin these movements have not kept pace. The Payment System (Regulation) Act dates back to 1998. At the time it was written, smartphones did not exist, digital wallets were unheard of, cryptocurrencies were decades away and even contactless cards were still in the future. This act served us well for its time, but it is now out of step with reality. That lack of synchronicity creates risk for consumers, for small businesses and for the economy as a whole. This bill, the Treasury Laws Amendment (Payments System Modernisation) Bill 2025, tackles those risks. It brings the law into line with how Australians live, trade and pay in 2025. There are three pillars to this bill. The first thing that this bill does is update definitions. The current definition of 'payment system' is too narrow. It only focuses on the circulation of money in a funds transfer system, and that leaves major gaps. It does not clearly capture digital wallets, closed-loop systems like American Express or the growing number of services that facilitate payments in new ways. This bill replaces that outdated definition with a modern, technology-neutral one. It ensures that a system falls within the regulatory net whichever way it makes payments possible—whether through traditional currency, stablecoins or other digital units of value. The bill also updates the definition of 'participant'. Right now, the law is limited to formal members of a designated system, but many entities play a critical role without being formal members. Think of things like Apple Pay, Google Wallet or buy-now pay-later providers. The new definition captures the full value chain of entities that facilitate or enable payment. This is not about regulating retailers or everyday merchants who sell goods and services. It's about ensuring that those who operate or enable payment systems are accountable under the law. Why does this matter? It matters because, today, your payment might involve five or six different actors before it reaches its final destination. Without clear definitions, regulators cannot capture the whole chain, which creates blind spots. Those blind spots are where risks accumulate—risks like unfair fees, misuse of consumer data or instability in new digital assets. By updating definitions, this bill ensures that new technologies are captured from the outset, rather than after problems arise. It makes our framework resilient, not reactive. The second thing that this bill does is strengthen accountability and flexibility. Under the old act, only the Reserve Bank could designate a payment system and only on public interest grounds. That was a narrow test. It did not allow action on issues that fall outside financial stability or competition. The payments system review recommended giving government a broader role, and this bill does exactly that. It gives the minister the power to designate a payment system if, and only if, it's in the national interest. That is important because payments issues today are not confined to financial stability. They touch on cybersecurity, data integrity, consumer protection and even national security. For example, the spread of digital wallets raises privacy questions, and the rise of foreign backed stablecoins can create sovereignty questions. In such cases, it is appropriate for government to be able to act directly, not just rely on the Reserve Bank's limited remit. The bill also allows the minister to nominate specialist regulators. Depending on the circumstances, ASIC, APRA, the ACCC or AUSTRAC might be the right regulator to act. That ensures flexibility, speed and expertise. This is an important change. It recognises that payments are no longer just financial plumbing issues; they cut across competition law, prudential stability, consumer rights and anti-money-laundering frameworks. By nominating the right regulator for the right issue, government avoids duplication and ensures effective oversight. As someone who used to work for the prudential regulator, I can wholeheartedly put my faith in the professionalism of our prudential and financial regulatory landscape. This bill also requires the minister to consult with the Reserve Bank and other regulators before exercising these powers, and ministerial directions must be system-wide, not targeted at individual companies. That balance protects regulatory independence while allowing timely government intervention when the national interest is at stake. The third thing that this bill does is it modernises enforcement and penalties. A regulatory framework is only as strong as its enforcement tools. The current penalty regime in the act is outdated. Maximum penalties are too low. The only enforcement route is through criminal proceedings, which are heavy handed and slow. This bill creates a civil penalty framework alongside criminal offences. That gives regulators a more flexible set of tools—civil penalties for routine breaches; criminal penalties for the most serious misconduct. It also allows enforceable undertakings so regulators can secure binding commitments from participants without resorting to court every time. And it raises maximum penalties to reflect the seriousness of noncompliance. A company that ignores a regulator's direction should face meaningful consequences. For context, under the old regime, failure to comply with a direction attracted 50 penalty units. Under this bill, the maximum penalty doubles to 100 units per day of noncompliance—500 units for corporations. That sends a clear signal that regulators mean what they say and that compliance is not optional. Civil penalties also bring it into line with other areas of financial regulation, such as corporate law and consumer protection. They reduce reliance on criminal prosecutions, which are costly and time consuming, and instead allow proportionate responses to breaches. For consumers, this is about trust. Whether you are paying through a debit card, a buy-now pay-later app or a digital wallet, you should know the system is regulated, fair and safe. You should not have to worry that gaps in the law leave you unprotected. For small businesses, this is about confidence. Many small shops rely heavily on digital payments. They deserve clarity and consistency in the rules and assurance that competition will be protected. The updated framework also ensures that small businesses benefit from clear access regimes, meaning they are not unfairly blocked from participating in major payments systems. For the broader economy, this is about resilience. Payments are the plumbing of commerce. If they fail, or if trust in them is undermined, the economy suffers. By updating the framework, we reduce risks before they turn to crises. Some have asked whether this bill imposes new costs on business. The answer is that compliance costs are minimal. The bill is estimated to have nil financial impact on the budget and minimal compliance costs. It largely brings existing practices into the formal regulatory framework. What it delivers in return—certainty, consistency and trust—is well worth it. This bill also reflects international best practice. Other advanced economies are modernising their payments systems laws. We cannot afford to fall behind. If Australia wants to remain a leader in safe, efficient and innovative payments, our laws must keep pace. This bill also builds in safeguards. Ministerial powers are not unchecked. Before designating a system in the national interest, the minister must consult with the Reserve Bank and relevant regulators. Ministerial directions to regulators cannot single out individual participants. They must be systemwide and consistent with the regulators' independence. These are important protections. They strike the right balance between giving government the tools it needs and maintaining regulatory independence. The payments system may seem invisible to most people. It works quietly in the background. But that is precisely why it must be robust. When it fails, the impact is immediate. When it is misused, the harm is wideranging. By passing this bill, we are future-proofing Australia's payments framework. We are ensuring that it is technology-neutral, flexible and strong enough to meet emerging risks. There's one final point I want to emphasise. This is not about slowing innovation; it's about creating confidence for innovation to thrive. When consumers know their rights are protected, they are more likely to embrace new technologies. When businesses know the rules are clear, they are more likely to invest. By modernising the regulatory framework, we encourage safe innovation; we do not stifle it. Australians expect this parliament to act before problems arise, not after. This is what this bill does. It responds to the finding of the payments system review. It closes gaps in our regulatory framework, and it strengthens consumer protection. It supports competition and innovation. It secures the resilience of a system that every Australian depends upon. I commend this bill to the House. 17:23 Mr McCORMACK 219646 Riverina We have heard from the member for Goldstein, the shadow minister for small business outline the coalition's position on this particular bill, the Treasury Laws Amendment (Payments System Modernisation) Bill 2025. We have before us amendments put forward by the shadow assistant treasurer, the member for Cowper, which I encourage the House to adopt. We just heard a very animated speech by the new member for Hughes, and I applaud his enthusiasm. A person who obviously has studied economics and finance at university, the Wollongong university, he talked about payments and 'the plumbing of commerce'. It's a good line—a very, very good line. As somebody who has run a small business, I know that is very true. I know he got very worked up about the speech, which he and/or his staff have taken quite a bit of time to prepare. But, if you're out listening to parliament today or if you're viewing proceedings, you would be questioning, particularly if you had your superannuation tied up with First Guardian and Shield Master, why this place is not spending time questioning that. Whilst I appreciate that this treasury laws amendment bill is important and whilst I understand full well that, for small business, it has time constraints and limitations and is an important piece of legislation and law, the real finances that this place should be discussing today and isn't have to do with the collapse of this particular superannuation company. The coalition does support this particular bill's objectives, but we do have concern over the lack of parliamentary oversight over the Reserve Bank and the Treasurer's decisions, particularly this treasurer, the member for Rankin. We're not the only ones. The former RBA governor Philip Lowe has also expressed those views very much lately. I know that the RBA needs its independence. I get that. It's Australia's central bank. Obviously, it's got a very important role, which it's had since 1960, when it took over various functions from the Commonwealth Bank. But, if anyone who had superannuation tied up with that particular company I mentioned—$1.2 billion has gone from that company; it has ruined lives—is listening in to this parliamentary broadcast, they must be wondering why we are getting so worked up over legislation which, whilst it's important, is perfunctory legislation. It is going to go through whether or not our amendments are adopted and accepted. I know the member for Hughes was very excited by it all, but tell that to the likes of Adelaide couple Garry and Michelle Thomas. They've had a $240,000 nest egg tied up, and it's vanished overnight. These people are financially ruined. They are going to have to work every day for the rest of their lives to even make up some of the shortfall. I say 'some' because it will be only some. The Australian Securities and Investments Commission is investigating what its deputy chair, Sarah Court, described as misconduct on an industrial scale. There are now 40 people working on finding out about the 12,000 Australians who are victims of this. Forty people—it's too little, too late. We should have better oversight of these sorts of things. Evidence of misconduct was mounting long before investors saw their balances drop to zero, and the government has every right to feel as though it lacked complete oversight of this. When I say 'every right', it probably should be 'every wrong'. It's facing backlash for sitting on a Senate report into ASIC's failures for more than a year, with the watchdog being criticised for failing to stop the collapse before it happened. Here we are, in the House of Representatives, whilst this collapse is taking place and 40 people are working feverishly to find out where the money has gone, why the money has gone and how the money went, and these poor people are left high and dry. We are spending an inordinate amount of time—and I am, too—talking about the treasury laws amendment, about whether, quite frankly, it covers pay-and-go and tap-and-go and all these sorts of things. We should be thinking about our priorities just a little, because it's absolutely no comfort for those people sent to financial ruin by the criminal collapse of this particular fund, this particular superannuation situation. I heard the shadow minister for small business talking about small business in his contribution and how it related to this particular amendment bill before us. It's interesting to look at some of these statistics on small businesses. In 2025, bankruptcies in Australia increased from 1,309 companies in June to 1,362 companies in July. Bankruptcies in Australia averaged 679.61 companies from 1999 until 2025, reaching an all-time high of 1,448 companies in March 2025 and a record low of 192 companies in January 2021. I ask a couple of questions: who was in government in March 2025? That would be Labor. Who was in government in January 2021? That would be the Liberal-National coalition. It's no surprise, it's no coincidence and it's no great shock that Labor is not the government for small business. The definition of a small business can be varied, but, if I were really sarcastic, I'd say a small business these days is what would have been a medium or large business when we were in government, because Labor has this unique way of turning medium and large businesses into small businesses. In Australia, a significant number of new small businesses close within their first few years, and that's just the way small business operates. It is tough being a small business operator. I know; I've run one. I've been in a partnership with two others running a media and publishing company in Wagga Wagga. It's tough work because, often, you are taking home less pay than the workers you employ. It's a great reward to employ someone—it really, truly is—because you're giving somebody the hope and opportunity to have a better life, improve themselves and develop their skills, but it is really tough work to keep the doors of a small business open. The rate of failure of a small business—a proven statistic—is around 20 to 30 per cent closing in their first year, increasing to about half or more within three years. However, these figures can also be interpreted by entry and exit rates. For example, the Australian Bureau of Statistics reported that 362,893 businesses exited in 2023-24. That was a 14 per cent exit rate, proving my point about how very tough it is. I do question—as part of this bill, which is obviously related to small business—why the government has chosen not to renew the employment, the commission, of Bruce Billson. I believe Bruce Billson was the best small-business minister this country has had, and I say that being a former small-business minister myself. Mr Keogh 249147 Very gracious! Mr McCORMACK 219646 It is very gracious, thank you, Minister for Veterans' Affairs! The DEPUTY SPEAKER 265979 The best by a long way, you're saying? Mr McCORMACK 219646 The best by a long way—now I'm getting disparaged by the deputy speaker! But it is true. There were some who called Mr Billson 'the best small small-business minister', very unkindly, about his stature. He also had the portfolio responsibilities for competition, policy and consumer affairs. If I thought the member for Hughes was animated, Mr Billson was totally animated in everything he did. But he's been the Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman for some time, and his contract is not being renewed. I really would ask the government to reconsider that, because he is so enthusiastic about what he does and he's so good at his job. Those sorts of jobs should be above politics. Whilst I appreciate that Labor has made some appointments on bipartisan lines, the contract of Mr Billson should have been extended because of the experience, the enthusiasm, the success and the delivery that he has brought to that position. He is very, very good—Kate Carnell, a former Liberal chief minister here in the ACT, was also very good in that role—and I very much appreciate his advice, particularly when it comes to industrial relations. ASBFEO is a great website for anybody venturing into the difficult world of small business, because the advice that it provides in the very complicated world of IR has been very well received by companies, particularly small businesses. We heard in question time today from the Minister for Small Business how small business is indeed the backbone of the economy—and it is. We should never forget that. I heard the minister—I listened to her closely—talking about the instant asset write-off. It's a shame that it has been limited under this government. I know that, when I was the small-business minister, the rate of tax being paid by small business dropped to its lowest level since the days pre World War II, and I was very proud of that fact. We should, every single one of us, be doing everything we can, and then some, to support, protect and help the small businesses in our electorates, because you don't know how valuable they are until you lose them. A little bit on this particular bill, the Treasury Laws Amendment (Payments System Modernisation) Bill 2025—the law was written a quarter of a century ago, when, obviously, cheques, EFTPOS, Visa and Mastercard were the only ways Australians paid. It's a very different society these days. The law doesn't cover the systems that Australians use today—Apple Pay, Google Pay and Afterpay or even crypto and blockchain systems. I talked about the superannuation fund collapse before, but I would say, too, that I think the other thing that small business would like us to talk about is making sure that we restrict the payment that has to go with using tap-and-go. If that were to be addressed by this government, I think there'd be a lot of cheering not only from small businesses but, indeed, from customers. I know the rate varies, but I'll tell you what doesn't vary or only goes up: the banks' profit margins. They are just milking customers dry when it comes to benefiting from tap-and-go. It is a lot of money. It mightn't seem so much when you buy your morning coffee, but it adds up. It does add up. I commend what the former member for Cowper Luke Hartsuyker did in that regard. I commend the current member for Cowper for the amendment that he's brought forward to this particular legislation. I recommend the House wisely consider and adopt what he has put forward—as he enters the chamber—to improve this particular bill. 17:38 Ms ALDRED 11788 Monash It's a privilege to follow the member for Riverina. I associate myself with his remarks about Mr Bruce Billson, the Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman. That is an incredibly important role. It's a statutory role. It has responsibilities for mediation, where small businesses find themselves in a David-and-Goliath situation. Anyone who knows Bruce Billson knows he is an absolute evangelist for small business. He has lived it and breathed it over many, many years, and I too want to pay tribute to his record of service, not just as a former small-business minister in this place but in his time as the Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman. I wish him and his wife, Kate, all the very best for their next steps. This is an important opportunity to talk about small business in Australia because, right now, small-business owners have never worked harder for less or faced more risk and red tape. I'm a passionate believer that strong businesses sustain strong communities. I see that every single day of the week in my electorate of Monash, where small-business owners are the first to put their hands up to sponsor the local footy team or sporting organisation. It's small businesses that are the first to put their hands up to volunteer at a service club, with a Lions barbecue or with Rotary. We very much rely on those organisations in regional Australia. So I pay tribute to the mum-and-dad small business owners. Every morning they get out of bed, they put their house on the line to give someone else a shot at a job, and they're doing it tough right now. The input costs across so many areas are going up and up. The risks of being in business are going up and up. Having grown up in my parents' family-run small business, I would see them answer phone calls from customers on a Sunday night and work late into the night on BAS statements. I know so many small businesses across this country are doing it tough with lean margins. They will pay their staff before they get paid. They will make sure that their customers are delivered for. They will always put themselves last; they put their community first. They look after their staff, and they are the unsung heroes of this country. I want to talk specifically about the conversation at the moment on the RBA's review into merchant card surcharging, because this is a conversation that's been going on for a number of years now. It is one that, when I was CEO of a national small business organisation a few years ago, I remember engaging in a discussion on, because it's an important issue for many small business owners. The technology that's developed across that time—the scale, pace and acceleration of new technology that's come in since there were cheques and old-style merchant facilities—has changed rapidly. So, as a parliament setting regulatory systems and legislative changes, we need to make sure that we're keeping up with best practice and that we're having regard for cyber security concerns. We've seen many of those in recent years at a consumer level, where there's been sensitive health and financial data breached. We need to make sure that the RBA are not left alone to deal with those challenges, given their very narrow remit. So the government has announced that it will ban debit card surcharges, and that's subject to further work by the RBA. I want to have consideration in my remarks for, most of all, small businesses and consumers, because right now the cost of living is going up and up. I get emails every week from constituents that have said, 'My energy bill has gone up yet again.' Everybody is doing it really tough right now. We need to make sure consumers and small businesses are not wearing the cost impost of large organisations, especially large multinational organisations which are perhaps skimming the cream on support and subsidies that are meant to provide for those in a less profitable situation. I will be raising a couple of key measures which I believe the government and the RBA should be adopting in making sure these considerations are best regarded, and that includes enforcing a separation of debit from credit card merchant service fees. This includes no blending of debit and credit. If you've got a credit card where you're earning Qantas points and a whole range of other benefits, that should be treated differently to, say, an EFTPOS card, which is a bare basic. It's your money that you're using to pay for a can of Coke or a meal at the pub, and that should be dealt with separately. I'd like to see the mandating of dynamic least-cost routing on debit card transactions. I'm also putting forward that a delay in the implementation of any proposed surcharge ban for 12 months is a sensible thing to do to allow time for small-to-medium businesses to switch providers, revise their contracts and look for better options. I think a number of companies have been established in recent years, and some of those include Square and Stripe. These are big tech companies that are paired with big tech providers like Apple and Google, and they're the ones profiting in these situations. The assistance is not being carried through to SMEs and consumers. I think also reducing debit interchange close to zero, which has been recommended by the Productivity Commission, is something else that needs to be proceeded with. While the RBA is still reviewing this matter, I would also countenance that its proposal does not go far enough in properly addressing a number of factors which are live issues at the moment: insufficient reduction in costs for card users and businesses; the increased costs to users of cash; ensuring banks don't pass on forward costs incurred overseas to Australian card presence fees; failing to ensure debit card providers are not subsidising the reward schemes, as I referenced earlier, of credit card users; not mandating to require payment providers to process all transactions using the least cost route; unnecessarily high profit margins on small business transactions compared to big business transactions, which is also something that we need to have regard for; and the steady increase of merchant card fees are all things we need to take into account. The coalition's position on this bill is that we support the objectives but have serious concern about the lack of parliamentary oversight over the Reserve Bank and the Treasurer's decisions in this area. Having said that, if our amendments fail, the coalition will not oppose the bill. Quite broadly, the law that regulates our payment systems is the Payment Systems (Regulation) Act 1988. It is a number of decades since it was initiated into law. The technology and systems used since that time have dramatically scaled up. About 25 years ago cheques, EFTPOS, Visa and Mastercard were the only ways Australians paid. That's changed now. We have Apple Pay, Google Pay, Afterpay, crypto and blockchain systems. We also need to have regard that, when regulators are given sweeping powers over fast-moving competitive industries, parliament must have the ability to review those decisions. Those decisions have a significant impact on regional Australia, which is where my first concerns always lie and are founded in. If I think of the Monash electorate and the Gippsland region, of which I'm a part, we're very proud to grow, make and manufacture things. About 23 per cent of Australia's milk output comes from our region. About 26 per cent of Victoria's beef comes from our region. We're very proud of the clean green horticulture produce we make, which is sought the world over. But there is an ecosystem of small to medium businesses that rely on all of those producers and all of those links in our region to get their products to market quickly and efficiently and to provide for consumers. Small businesses in my region have a number of other challenges they're contending with at the moment. Even though we have the best soil in Australia and are normally in a bit of a rain cloud, we are suffering a green drought at the moment, so I'm speaking on a weekly basis with farmers who are forced to sell off stock early. That is going to be affecting their liabilities in their tax bill with the ATO. As I mentioned in my inaugural speech, I'm a passionate believer—as the Prime Minister once said many moons ago, when he was infrastructure minister—that infrastructure is a primary enabler of productivity, so roads and routes to market in my electorate to get products safely and efficiently to their destination are something I'm particularly passionate about. Around 40 per cent of my region is towns under a thousand people. Some of the small towns are tourist towns where there is a vibrant small business network. They're timber towns too, although thanks to the Victorian Labor government those timber towns and timber jobs are becoming fewer and fewer. They're very important too. If it's towns like Noojee, Neerim South, Walhalla, Erica, Rawson and Loch, I will always do my utmost to make sure their concerns and their challenges are best represented. I'm proud to have worked in the timber industry, which is a great enabler and supporter of a broader system of small businesses. I previously served on the board of Australian Sustainable Hardwoods in Heyfield, and I acknowledge Ian Jones, the chief financial officer there, who, after many decades, will be retiring in October this year. That timber mill makes sure that it's economic for the IGA truck coming into town with groceries to return to Melbourne with a trailer full of timber. They support the timber museum and the Heyfield Lions Club. They do so much for that community, and that's demonstrative of why that quantum of heavy industry is important in regions like ours to support small businesses. I've always very strongly believed that a strong economy is the best way to support the most vulnerable people in our community, to protect our environment and to invest in education, because without a strong economy we can't achieve any of those things. Small business is a key part of that. About 44 per cent of Australian jobs are in a small business, and that's why there are considerations such as those contained in this bill. It's incredibly important that we always look after Australian small-business owners as we work our way through these legislative processes. 17:51 Dr MULINO 132880 Fraser Firstly, I'd like to thank all those members who have contributed to this debate. The government won't be supporting the amendment moved by the member for Cowper. The updates introduced by this bill are a key part of the government's plans to ensure the regulatory architecture underpinning Australia's payments system is up to date and fit for purpose. The broadened definitions of 'payment system' and 'participant' will ensure that, despite the increasing size and complexity of Australia's payments system, the vast array of new service platforms can be regulated effectively by the Reserve Bank of Australia. Further, the ministerial designation powers will give the Treasurer capacity to ensure that payment services or platforms that present risks of national significance can be subject to additional oversight, if necessary. These changes deliver on the government's commitment under the strategic plan for Australia's payments system to update the payments regulatory framework to help underpin its vision for a modern, world-class and efficient payments system that is safe, trusted and accessible and enables greater competition, innovation and productivity across the economy. I commend the bill to the House. The SPEAKER 53517 The question is that the amendment moved by the honourable member for Cowper be agreed to.  

The House divided. [17:57]
(The Speaker—Hon. Milton Dick)

50 AYES Aldred, M. R. Batt, D. J. Birrell, S. J. Boele, N. Boyce, C. E. Caldwell, C. M. Chaffey, J. L. Chaney, K. E. Chester, D. J. Conaghan, P. J. Haines, H. M. Hastie, A. W. Hawke, A. G. Hogan, K. J. Joyce, B. T. G. Kennedy, S. P. Landry, M. L. (Teller) Le, D. T. Leeser, J. Littleproud, D. McCormack, M. F. McIntosh, M. I. McKenzie, Z. A. O'Brien, E. L. O'Brien, L. S. Pasin, A. Penfold, A. L. Pike, H. J. (Teller) Price, M. L. Rebello, L. S. Ryan, M. M. Scamps, S. A. Sharkie, R. C. C. Small, B. J. Spender, A. M. Steggall, Z. Taylor, A. J. Tehan, D. T. Thompson, P. Venning, T. H. Violi, A. A. Wallace, A. B. Watson-Brown, E. Webster, A. E. Wilkie, A. D. Willcox, A. J. Wilson, R. J. Wilson, T. R. Wood, J. P. Young, T. J. 91 NOES Abdo, B. J. Albanese, A. N. Aly, A. Ambihaipahar, A. Belyea, J. A. Berry, C. G. Bowen, C. E. Briskey, J. L. Burke, A. S. Burnell, M. P. Burns, J. Butler, M. C. Byrnes, A. J. Campbell, J. P. Chalmers, J. E. Charlton, A. H. G. Chesters, L. M. Clare, J. D. Claydon, S. C. Clutterham, C. L. Coffey, R. K. Coker, E. A. Collins, J. M. Comer, E. L. Conroy, P. M. Cook, K. M. G. Cook, P. A. Doyle, M. J. J. Dreyfus, M. A. Elliot, M. J. France, A. A. Freelander, M. R. French, T. A. Garland, C. M. L. Gee, A. R. Georganas, S. Giles, A. J. Gorman, P. P. Gosling, L. J. Gregg, M. J. Hill, J. C. Holzberger, R. A. V. Husic, E. N. Jarrett, M. L. Jordan-Baird, M. A. M. Kearney, G. M. Keogh, M. J. Khalil, P. King, C. F. King, M. M. H. Lawrence, T. N. Laxale, J. A. A. Leigh, A. K. Lim, S. B. C. Marles, R. D. Mascarenhas, Z. F. A. McBain, K. L. McBride, E. M. Miller-Frost, L. J. Mitchell, R. G. Moncrieff, D. S. Mulino, D. Neumann, S. K. Ng, G. J. O'Neil, C. E. Payne, A. E. Phillips, F. E. Plibersek, T. J. Rae, S. T. Reid, G. J. Repacholi, D. P. Rishworth, A. L. Roberts, T. G. Rowland, M. A. Ryan, J. C. 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. Urquhart, A. E. Watts, T. G. Wells, A. S. White, R. P. Wilson, J. H. Witty, S. J. Zappia, A. 0 PAIRS

Question negatived.
Original question agreed to.
Bill read a second time.

 Third Reading 59 18:02 Dr MULINO 132880 Fraser by leave—I move: That this bill be now read a third time. Question agreed to. Bill read a third time. 18:03 Dr CHARLTON I8M Parramatta I move: That government business order of the day No. 4 be called on immediately. Question agreed to. Appropriation Bill (No. 1) 2025-2026, Appropriation Bill (No. 2) 2025-2026, Appropriation (Parliamentary Departments) Bill (No. 1) 2025-2026 60

Appropriation Bill (No. 1) 2025-2026

Appropriation Bill (No. 2) 2025-2026

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

Second Reading 60 18:03 Mr TIM WILSON IMW Goldstein Bayside, Glen Eira and Kingston residents should have decent infrastructure. When Labor ripped out $100 million from our community, we are still living with the consequences. The Dendy Park pavilion at Dendy Park has been waiting years for an upgrade. Despite serving Brighton Little Athletics Club and Hampton East Brighton Football Club, it doesn't have facilities for women's athletics or soccer nor disability toilets for people with a disability. Before the election we committed $900,000 to bring the facilities into the 21st century. Bayside is ready if the federal government helped, it would mean women and people with a disability would get the facilities they desperately need and wouldn't be left behind. It is time to take action and sign the petition at timwilsonmp.com.au. Deputy Speaker Freelander, I note some MPs are questioning Australia's commitment to net zero. As you know, I've got a long-term interest in this area and that know delivering long-term emissions reduction depends on trust, and nothing will corrode that trust more than price increases and outages, which takes us to the teals. They were elected on a platform of explicit trust and integrity in politics, so it is fair to hold them to account to this standard. So, when the member for Kooyong was elected on the basis of climate action and reducing fossil fuel subsidies but then voted for $2 billion of new coal and gas subsidies, it was a direct betrayal of their commitment to integrity in office. They have tried to sweep it under the carpet, hoping no-one would notice. When one teal MP was asked why they broke this trust, they first said that it was 'misinformation' before begging forgiveness, saying that they'd have had strips torn off them rightly if they'd voted against it. If you get elected on a platform of climate action and then you vote for $2 billion in new coal and gas subsidies, you lose your integrity. Thank you, Deputy Speaker. Bayside, Glen Eira and Kingston residents should expect decent infrastructure. Labor ripped $100 million out of our community in the 2022 budget and never replaced it. We are still paying the price. The Porter Road Park could be an amazing open park for Bentleigh. Glen Eira bought the houses to clear the land, but it doesn't have any facilities. Before the election, we committed $2 million to make it a modern park to promote healthy living. Glen Eira is ready. If the federal government helped, it would mean Bentleigh would get the park they need and wouldn't be left behind. Take action and sign the petition at timwilsonmp.com.au. Thank you, Deputy Speaker. Bayside, Glen Eira and Kingston residents should have decent infrastructure. Labor ripped $100 million out of our community, and we are still living with the consequences. The Bentleigh Hodgson Reserve smart-lighting upgrade could enable the Bentleigh community to use the Hodgson reserve park all day. The Bentleigh community are living more flexible lives and need spaces to walk their dogs, exercise and meet all year round, but the Hodgson reserve doesn't have adequate lighting. Before the election, we committed $300,000 to invest in smart lighting so it could be used all throughout the day and all year round. Glen Eira is ready. If the federal government helped, it would mean Bentleigh would get the park they need and wouldn't be left behind. Take action and sign the petition at timwilsonmp.com.au. Thank you, Deputy Speaker. Bayside, Glen Eira and Kingston residents should have decent infrastructure. Labor ripped $100 million out of our community, and we are still living with the consequences. The Billilla Mansion cultural precinct on Halifax Street is a majestic asset waiting to be converted into a cultural hub. With an ageing population, the community needs the assets to support community connection and cultural engagement. Assets like Billilla are there to be used. Before the election, we committed $3 million to bring the facility into the 21st century. Bayside is ready. If the federal government helped, it would mean residents would get the cultural facilities they need and wouldn't be left behind. To take action, sign the petition at timwilsonmp.com.au. Thank you, Deputy Speaker. Bayside, Glen Eira and Kingston residents should have decent infrastructure. Labor ripped $100 million out of our community, and we are still living with the consequences. Glen Huntly Road should be a vibrant shopping strip all throughout the year, but it lacks tree coverage. Before the election, we committed $125,000 to invest in an urban canopy to beautify the street, improve community amenities and act as a carbon sink. Glen Eira wants to invest in Glen Huntly's future. We want the federal government to help. It would mean the Glen Huntly community wouldn't be left behind. Take action and sign the petition at timwilsonmp.com.au. Thank you, Deputy Speaker— The DEPUTY SPEAKER 265979 I only need to be thanked once per speech, thanks. Mr TIM WILSON IMW Thank you, Deputy Speaker. Bayside, Glen Eira and Kingston residents should have decent infrastructure. Labor ripped $100 million out of our community, and we are still living with the consequences. The EMC Fox Pavilion McKinnon Reserve sportsground in McKinnon has been waiting years for an upgrade. Earlier this year, we committed $2.75 million to build the facilities the McKinnon community needs for the 21st century so it could have modern facilities for clubs like St Paul's McKinnon, including women's change rooms. Glen Eira wants to rebuild the facilities. We want the federal government to help. It would mean women would get the facilities they need and wouldn't be left behind. To take action, sign the petition at timwilsonmp.com.au. Thank you, Deputy Speaker. Bayside, Glen Eira and Kingston residents should have decent infrastructure. Labor ripped $100 million out of our community, and we are still living with the consequences. The McKinnon community are living with more flexible lives and need spaces to walk their dogs, exercise and meet all year around. Before the election we committed $300,000 to invest in smart lighting at Allnutt Park so it could be used all throughout the year and all day long. Glen Eira is ready. If the federal government helped, it would mean that the community got the park they needed and wouldn't be left behind. To take action, sign the petition at timwilsonmp.com.au. Bayside, Glen Eira and Kingston residents should have decent infrastructure. Labor ripped $100 million out of the community, and we are still living with the consequences. Moorabbin Hebrew Congregation is one of many synagogues in the community, and, like others, it has lived the consequences of antisemitism towards its congregants and property. We should want Australia to be a safe place for people to worship in their houses of worship. That is why we committed $70,000 in vital security upgrades that we wish weren't needed. Moorabbin Hebrew Congregation is ready. If the federal government helped, it would mean they got vital security upgrades to keep the community safe and they wouldn't be left vulnerable. Take action and sign the petition at timwilsonmp.com.au. Bayside, Glen Eira and Kingston residents should have decent infrastructure. Labor ripped $100 million out of our community, and we are still living with the consequences. L'Chaim Chabad is a religious and cultural centre, and, like others, it has lived the consequences of antisemitism towards its congregants and property. That is why we committed $16,000 for vital security upgrades that we wish weren't needed. L'Chaim Chabad is ready. If the federal government helped, it would mean they got vital security upgrades to keep the community safe and they wouldn't be left vulnerable. Take action and sign the petition at timwilsonmp.com.au. Bayside, Glen Eira and Kingston residents should have decent infrastructure. Labor ripped $100 million out of our community, and we are still living with the consequences. South Caulfield Hebrew Congregation is one of many synagogues in the Goldstein community, and, like others, it has lived the consequences of antisemitism towards its congregants and property. We should want Australia to be a safe place and for people to be able to worship in their synagogues. That is why we committed $1.2 million for vital security upgrades as part of its broader redevelopment connected to its centre for community programs. South Caulfield Hebrew Congregation is ready. If the federal government helped, it would mean they got vital security upgrades to keep the community safe and they wouldn't be left vulnerable. Take action and sign the petition at timwilsonmp.com.au. Australia Post is there for every Australian, to ensure we have vital postal services. Australia Post has betrayed the Goldstein community. Along Bay Road in Cheltenham, Australia Post has removed a number of postboxes, making it increasingly hard for older residents to do things like post pieces of mail. Australia Post has made the claim that there simply isn't the volume of mail to justify them, based on the population. The problem with that explanation is they haven't looked at the long-term trajectory of population growth off the back of what the state government is trying to do in building new housing in the area. It's time for Australia Post to return the mailboxes so older residents can have access to the essential services they need. Separately, Australia Post is now trying to close down the South Caulfield post office. In the last term of parliament, Hampton post office was closed, against the wishes of the community. When the head of Australia Post came to the former member for Goldstein, she didn't take the meeting. I'm calling on Australia Post to keep open South Caulfield post office. The best way to take action is to sign the petition at timwilsonmp.com.au. 18:14 Ms COKER 263547 Corangamite Our budget repays hard work, nourishes aspiration and creates opportunity. That's why I stand today to support this enabling legislation—legislation that underpins our reform agenda and recognises the challenges Australians are facing, cost-of-living pressures, the uncertainty of global events and the need for stability at home. It responds to these challenges with proactive policy and investment in sectors such as housing, health, infrastructure, energy, skills, training and multiculturalism with funding to underpin reform. For years, Australians have carried the weight of a coalition government that told them simply 'ride it out'—a government that shrugged its shoulders as prices climbed and wages stagnated and a government that told renters to just buy a house and told families struggling with power bills that nothing could be done. But Australians knew better. They knew that government could and should help. They knew that budgets should serve people, not the other way around. Now, after a wasted decade, that is exactly what this budget delivers. It acts on needs and supports Australians to get ahead. This budget builds on the foundation laid in our last term: cheaper child care so parents, especially mums, can work more, earn more and get ahead; free TAFE so thousands of Australians can train for jobs that are in demand now and in the future; energy bill relief so households and small businesses can breathe easier; and tax cuts for every taxpayer, because, in tough times, every dollar counts. These are not abstract measures; they are practical steps that ease financial pressure and expand opportunity. In my electorate of Corangamite, I've spoken with parents who tell me that cheaper child care has made a real difference to their lives. I've met apprentices at the Gordon Institute of TAFE who are embracing free TAFE and proud to be the first in their family to take up a trade. I've spoken with pensioners in Waurn Ponds who have felt the real difference of hundreds of dollars off their power bills. These are not lines in a budget paper; they are lives being made easier. This budget also looks forward. It invests in the industries that will power our future—clean energy, advanced manufacturing, defence capability and skills. It is a plan to make more things here, to back Australian ingenuity and to create secure, well-paid jobs in our regions. For Corangamite, that means opportunity—opportunity in renewable energy projects on the Surf Coast, opportunity in advanced manufacturing in Geelong, opportunity in construction, in care, in teaching and in all the sectors crying out for skilled workers. It also means investment in the infrastructure that keeps our community strong—local roads, rail connections and community facilities that bring people together. From Armstrong Creek to Torquay, from Waurn Ponds to Ocean Grove and from Leopold to Clifton Springs in my electorate, communities are growing, and they need the infrastructure to match. This budget makes sure that growth in regional communities like mine is recognised and is supported in a sustainable and responsible way that looks to the future. This budget delivers the single largest investment in Medicare since its creation—$8.5 billion to lift bulk-billing, build our health workforce and expand access to urgent care. It funds another 50 Medicare urgent care clinics, building on the 87 already open. One of these clinics will be in my electorate of Corangamite in Torquay. It has been so much welcomed, and I look forward to standing with my community when the doors open. Just last week, I'm proud to say the tender process kicked off for the provider to be selected for the clinic. The Torquay urgent care clinic will expand access to health care on the Surf Coast, ensuring locals can get urgent care close to home without long wait times in emergency. I'm proud that Torquay on the Surf Coast will soon get a mental health prevention hub. This budget also invests in scholarships for nurses and midwives, supporting the next generation of health professionals in our region. Importantly, it delivers record investments in women's health, from contraception access to endometriosis clinics and to menopause support. For too long, women's health was underfunded, undervalued and too often ignored. This budget says clearly that women's health matters. This is a budget designed to keep the pressure off families today while building opportunity for tomorrow. The No. 1 concern for Australians right now is the cost of living. That is why this budget delivers responsible, targeted relief. Tax cuts are front and centre. Every Australian taxpayer will receive a tax cut this year and next. For the average earner, that means an extra $2,548 in their pocket, around $50 a week extra. For more than one million low-income Australians, we are also raising the Medicare levy threshold to provide further relief. Energy rebates will continue, with $1.8 billion more invested in this budget. Every household and one million small businesses will benefit, cutting another $150 from bills this year. The Albanese government is ensuring energy companies pass on cheaper deals and discounts so families get the value they deserve. After a decade of stagnation, real wages have now risen for five consecutive quarters. This is good news. It is a core Labor principle that workers share in our nation's prosperity, and what better way to do this than through wages that add to our productivity? This budget funds $2.6 billion in pay rises for aged-care nurses, supports higher wages for early childhood educators and reforms non-compete clauses to help lift wages across the economy. Wage growth is about whether a worker can pay the bills, save for a home or buy a child new school shoes. We're cracking down on supermarket power, scams and unfair surcharges. We're making the Food and Grocery Code mandatory, boosting penalties and giving more teeth to the competition watchdog. On education and skills, this budget delivers real reform. We are cutting 20 per cent off all student loan debts, raising the minimum repayment threshold and reducing repayment rates. Together with earlier reforms, this will wipe out $19 billion in debt for more than three million Australians. That is good news. That matters for the young teacher in Geelong West, the apprentice electrician in Armstrong Creek and the nursing student in Waurn Ponds. It means that they graduate with less debt and more freedom to build their future. Medications will also be cheaper under Labor's PBS, with the maximum price of a PBS script dropping from $31.60 to $25. For pensioners and concession card holders, the cost will remain at just $7.70. We are listing more life-saving medicines on the PBS, some of which would otherwise cost patients hundreds of thousands of dollars. We will provide relief today. We also want to invest in our future. Our $33 billion housing plan will build 1.2 million homes by 2030. We are expanding Help to Buy, increasing incentives for apprentices in construction, cracking down on foreign ownership when it comes to the purchase of established homes and ensuring new developments are connected to the infrastructure they need. This is about giving young families across the Surf Coast, the Bellarine and Geelong, in my electorate alone, the chance to stay in their communities where they grew up, to build their futures and to contribute to local economies. Early education will be made more accessible through a new three-day guarantee, ensuring every family can access at least three days of subsidised early learning. We're investing $5 billion to expand access to child care and lift wages for early educators. Government schools will be fully and fairly funded, finally meeting the Gonski standard after almost 15 years. As a former teacher in government schools, I can say how proud I am that we have achieved this, and I'd like to thank the Minister for Education for his work in making this happen. Across the next decade, the Commonwealth will also invest $16.5 billion, with states and territories also investing, to better support government schools. Thank you to the states, and let's get on with that. Free TAFE will be made permanent, with 100,000 places locked in each year from 2027. New university reforms will ensure that graduates with less debt have more opportunity. This budget invests more than $3 billion in green metals, clean energy and critical minerals because Labor is committed to emissions reduction and tackling climate change head-on. It also reinvests in the Clean Energy Finance Corporation. This is a product of Labor, and it is serving a very important purpose—funding new innovation and backing industries that will make Australia indispensable in the net zero global economy. We're abolishing non-compete clauses for most workers, introducing national licensing for electricians and rewarding states that implement pro-competition reforms. The changes will help boost GDP, reduce inflation and lift wages across the economy. These reforms are in Labor's DNA. We acknowledge the role unions play in advocating for change. This is what building for the future looks like—a stronger Medicare, more homes for more people to have a roof over their head, a better education and hope for the future, and a new generation of industries to power our prosperity. Inflation is coming down. Real wages are rising. Unemployment remains low. These outcomes have not been easy; they have required responsible choices and careful economic management. I would like to take a moment to recognise and thank our treasurer, the member for Rankin, who has driven economic reform and outcomes and passed sound decision-making policies and responsible economic management. Most importantly, these decisions reflect the resilience and determination that we have in partnership with the people of Australia. We know too many families are still doing it tough. This is why our government is delivering real help with the cost of living right now, while at the same time laying down the foundations for a stronger, fairer and more productive economy in the years ahead. This is a responsible budget. It helps with the cost of living today. It invests in health, housing, education and our environment. It strengthens the economy for tomorrow. It does all of this while repairing the budget itself. Since coming into government, we have delivered the first back-to-back surpluses in nearly two decades. Gross debt is $177 billion lower than forecast. We have found $94 billion in savings—no small amount—banked most of the revenue upgrades and ensured payments are growing at less than half the rate of our predecessors. That is what responsible management looks like. Most importantly, this budget is about responsible nation building. It is about ensuring Australians not only survive the turbulence of today but thrive in the opportunities of tomorrow. Australia is turning the corner. This budget helps us in the fight against inflation, it helps rebuild living standards, and it helps maximise our national advantages in a changing world. It is a budget rooted in responsibility and driven by optimism—optimism that working Australians can see their wages grow; optimism that families can afford the essentials; optimism that every child, no matter where they are born, has access to education and opportunity; and optimism that, in a world of uncertainty, Australia will be a stronger, fairer and more secure place. This is our plan to build a stronger economy, a fairer society and a future every Australian can be proud of. This is our government's approach—to invest in people, to invest in communities and to invest in the future where we are lifting living standards. This budget is a statement of values—that we value hard work, that we nurture aspiration, that we protect families and that we plan responsibly for a hopeful tomorrow. 18:29 Mr JOYCE e5d New England I think I should start by talking about the debt. Australian government securities outstanding as we speak right now are $961.4 billion. I watch it very closely. That's $100 billion higher than it was when the coalition left government. One of the greatest myths is a trillion dollars in debt. You don't have it yet, but you're heading there at a rate of knots. It's an interesting place to start, because how do you pay back debt? In my former life as an accountant and my current life as a cattle producer in business, you've got two choices. You're going to cut your expenses, and for a lot of people that's politically unpalatable. You have to find out where you're spending way too much money. NDIS is a classic one. The money you're putting up against the wall on intermittent power, the money you're paying to billionaires domestically and foreign multinationals, is another huge saving if you want to have an epiphany and go back to what it was. If you want to cut money, they're the two you have to try and work out how to fix up. One you should get rid of, the intermittent power sector; the other you should rationalise, and you're trying to do that. I might just segue into that. I remember when a couple of years ago, before we lost government, I contacted the member for Maribyrnong, Mr Shorten, and said, 'Look, we're going to have to straighten out the NDIS. If we work out some non-contro amendments, can you just let them through?' I get along well with Bill, but he said no; he wanted to play politics with it, and that was what happened. Later on—I remember where I was—I was outside Goonoo Goonoo station on the New England Highway driving south, and I got a call from one Mr Bill Shorten saying, 'Is that offer still open where we can have non-contro amendments?' We actually did it. We came to an agreement. We touched up one thing and let a couple of others through, because we've got to get the NDIS back under control, otherwise the whole thing is going to collapse; it's not going to be there any more, and that would be a tragedy. It was only supposed to cost $13 billion at the start; I think it's heading towards $42 billion. The other way you can try and pay back your debt, and this goes to New England, is to try and build up your asset base. The strength of your asset base, if they're prudent assets, will drive your P and L, and if you've got an effective P and L you can repay debt. In some instances in my time as an accountant and also in banking, if you thought people's business plan was right, you did the oddest thing: you actually lent them more on the prospect that they would drive prudent assets to generate income. I'm not going to give away names, but I can think of a classic example where, against the will of the credit bureau, I did precisely that. This person got themselves out of debt and became very successful. You've got to have prudent assets. Prudent assets on your balance sheet are the ones seminal in the creation of wealth and driving tax incomes forward. I'm not being parochial or bucolic when I say one of the biggest assets you need to do that is effective internodal capacity, effective rail and effective roads. Remember, roads build cities; cities don't build roads. The wealth driven by that transport corridor drives the economy. The other thing that's seminal is seed infrastructure such as dams. Find me one place in the world that has an economy that's effectively gone ahead without water. Dams are absolutely essential. In a place like the city of Tamworth, vastly more water is used by business than is used for domestic purposes, but if you don't have the water, the businesses can't grow. Tamworth is one of the biggest protein providers in Australia. In fact if you eat beef from Woolworths, about 60 or 70 per cent of it is killed in Tamworth, and they use huge amounts of water. The latest investment in poultry must be three million chooks a year. That's with the Camilleri boys, Baiada, but that's $600 million for the plant and another about $500 million for surrounding infrastructure in sheds, so about a $1.1 billion investment in that form of protein coming from Tamworth. Then you've got high-protein grains and mutton, sheep, from Thomas Foods. These people are expanding their operations, but we've got to have water infrastructure there. So I'll start with this. One of the saddest things was when the current government came up with its bogus number of $1.3 billion to build Dungowan Dam, and neither Minister Rose Jackson from New South Wales nor anybody else could ever in a substantive way tabulate how they come up with that $1.3 billion. It was plucked out of thin air for the sake of saying, 'Look at that terrifying number; we can't build it.' In audit, you have to stand behind your numbers. They have a very derogatory term, which Madam Deputy Speaker would pull me up on, and it's called a 'packet of something tickets' if you walk in with rubbish. They say: 'T's garbage. Go away.' We don't have diligent numbers from the government about why they came up with the number they did on Dungowan Dam. We know it's rubbish. It's a garbage number, and it's been proven as such. Another big disappointment is this. You've got to spread the wealth a little bit around, and there's got to be a form of decentralisation, especially in public service jobs. Now, Canberra is a beautiful city and has done exceptionally well at public service jobs. I won't tell you something you probably already know. Not many public servants vote for me, so this is not a pitch to get votes. But we need sections of departments in regional areas. You need to be effective. We started it with a section of fisheries going to Coffs Harbour and a section of the Murray Darling Basin going to Goondiwindi. We moved APVMA to Armadale because the University of New England was there, as was the rural science school and the CSIRO. It was near everything. Cotton, cattle, sheep, grain and sugarcane—it was in a good area for it. Now we've got this stupid game they're playing. 'We believe in the APVMA in Armadale.' That's a strong Labor town in a lot of areas. And they're moving it all back to Canberra. That says to regional people—and I use this against the Labor Party. I always say to Labor voters in Armadale: 'I don't know why you vote them, because all they ever do is kick you. Even when I try to get you something, they kick you. If you don't want to vote for me, I can understand that, but don't vote for them until they want to look after you.' It would be great if the Labor Party had that same vision and said: 'That's fair enough. Let's do a little bit of decentralisation.' It might just go back to one of the doyennes of the Labor Party who did have a crack at that, and his name was Edward Gough Whitlam. He did it with Albury; that was one of his plans. Things should be borrowed from that for the next step. Labor are slowly throttling the APVMA in Armadale, and what a disappointment that is, because it just goes to show that they don't even look after their own people, let alone regional people. These are the people who actually voted for you. On inland rail—this is idiotic. We have a multibillion dollar asset. Rail is incredibly important because you have the vastly more efficient movement of produce. Trains will ultimately be up to three kilometres long travelling at 110 kilometres an hour. If you want carbon reduction, how many trucks is that taking off the road? It's massively more efficient, and it gives a huge impetus for growth to places in my electorate, like Parkes and Narrabri, right up past Inverell. It will be huge for these areas. Now it is funded and built from Melbourne. I don't know if they've finished the Stockinbingal section—it's a small section. It goes to Narromine, and then it stops. You're able to move containers from Melbourne to Narromine. I don't know what they'll do when they get to Narromine. They'll just park them on the side of the scrub. Narromine is not where it's supposed to go. It's supposed to go to Brisbane. Then we've got another one that starts in Newcastle, in Madam Deputy Speaker's area, and goes to a place called North Star. North Star has 240 people. I don't know what produce from Newcastle needs to go to North Star, but that's where the railway line stops. We've got to connect Narromine to Narrabri and North Star to at least Toowoomba. Brisbane would be better, or we could go down the hill to Gladstone. Once more, Labor came up with another fantastic number. They just plucked it out of the air. It was going to cost $30 billion or $20 billion. They just used it as an excuse to not build it. Just be frank. Just say you've got no interest in building it, because it's in regional Australia. This is definitely an asset that strengthens your balance sheet to try to deal with the $961.4 billion of Australian government securities that are outstanding tonight. It's almost a trillion dollars—not there, but getting close. These are the assets that will actually make it politically easier for any government to try to service their debt, because, if the economy's humming, then the money flows in, and, if the money flows in, you've got the tax revenue to start on an effective path of getting on top of your financial predicament. The big one, something I've been banging on and driving people crazy about—and I apologise to my colleagues, but I can't stop—is that you've got to get your power right. If you haven't got affordable power, no industry is going to be here. We have created this catastrophe in this nation. We've lost our plastics industry. Our urea industry, which underpins our agriculture, is gone. Manufacturing glass is gone. You're down to two oil refineries, and even Ampol said the other day that the cost of energy is out of control, so they're asking whether they should stay there. Steel industries are all on their knees, saying, 'If we don't get cheaper energy, we're basically out,' or, 'Pay us subsidies.' Tomago Aluminium, your aluminium industry, is screaming for money. You've got all these heavy manufacturing industries that basically, as a whole, are going broke, clawing for subsidies or not staying. The thing is that the US is multiple times cheaper than us in energy prices, as are India and China. If you lose these heavy industries, you'll never get them back. They're just gone. It all sits on the fact that our energy prices are absurd, and we're making them worse. If you keep on with this lemming-like, perverse desire to single-handedly—because, no, the majority of the globe's not there—go to net zero, shut down the last of our coal-fired power stations and look for no reasonable alternative in base-load power, then you're going to go out the back door. You will not have the assets to pay off your $961.4 billion worth of debt. If you do, I pose the questions: where? what industry? Where's it going to come from? The service industry does not sustain exports. The service industry is merely something that increases the GDP by churning money through the economy. I grant you that. But you'll see that money has to come in from overseas because we're a trading economy. Therefore, you have to have substantive industries to prop up your currency, to keep inflation down and to drive the efficacy of businesses to produce profits that are taxed to pay back your debt. That then takes you to roads. We've got so many roads, whether it's the Tenterfield bypass or even small roads. The upgrade to Goonoo Goonoo Road, the Wingen realignment—these roads have got to be looked after. You've got to keep your average speed over 80 kilometres an hour for an effective transport corridor. I compliment the government; they're driving ahead now on the Singleton Bypass. That's good. That's a good thing. You've got to get cracking on the Muswellbrook Bypass. We haven't built the rail line, so the trucks have got to move at a better-than-average 80 kilometres an hour. Australia has to realise that, on the electricity debate—I don't know who's going to win, but I'll tell you who wins in the end: physics. Physics is going to win that debate, because you get to a point where the grid doesn't work. And economics, the brutality of debt, will win the other debate, unfortunately, on what is an appropriate policy in regard to energy and other things. When economics wins it, we are in such a bad position. My father, who was pretty successful in business, had a lot of adages, but certain ones that work stick in your head, and this was one of his: as poverty walks in the door, love flies out the window, and all your great ideas disappear if you can't make a buck. In closing, I would say we have got to focus on how this nation makes a dollar. 18:44 Ms URQUHART 231199 Braddon I rise to speak on the Appropriation Bill (No. 1) 2025-2026, cognate with Appropriation Bill (No. 2) 2025-2026 and Appropriation (Parliamentary Departments) Bill (No. 1) 2025-2026. I'm very proud to represent the people of the federal seat of Braddon in this place. As you know, Deputy Speaker Claydon, I also served as a senator for Tasmania in the other place between 2011 and 2025. I'm a strong advocate for all things Tasmanian and particularly for the north-west, the West Coast and King Island. It's worth reminding everyone from metropolitan and regional electorates that my electorate is rural, it's remote and it's very remote. Braddon is a large electorate, and the population is geographically dispersed. Circular Head, one of eight local government areas in the electorate, boasts a location called 'the edge of the world'. At this location, looking out to the sea, the next closest piece of land in a straight line is Argentina, more than 15,000 kilometres away. I'm told it's the longest uninterrupted expanse of ocean on Earth. I'm yet to swim it! The electorate boasts extensive areas of wilderness, and it's no surprise that the West Coast was chosen not once but twice as the location for the SBS series Alone Australia—a wild place indeed. In Braddon, people commute long distances to work, to study, to see loved ones and to access services that, for many other people, are available just around the corner. On average, the electorate has an older population and has poorer health outcomes than other parts of Australia. These are issues in the electorate that are attributed to remoteness, but, for some issues, this is a poor excuse from service agencies who should work harder—and this is not good enough. For example, there are areas of my electorate that have persistently poor digital connectivity. This is a handbrake on businesses, it disadvantages students, and it isolates people and their communities. Consumers in my electorate are signing the same standard price contracts with telcos, but they receive far poorer services than the mainland and even some other parts of Tasmania. But I'm pleased to say that the federal government is funding incentives that will bring more competition to the market and better investment on behalf of their customers. The electorate isn't a squeaky wheel and often flies below the radar. It is home to many quiet achievers, boasts innovative industries and advanced manufacturers, is an emerging renewable-energy powerhouse and is a fantastic place to live. It is important that Braddon is not relegated to the edge of the world or left behind when it comes to federal government policy, programs and priorities. The Albanese Labor government has shown that it is a government for all Australians, including residents of Braddon. The electorate delivered the biggest swing in the country—over 15 per cent—to elect me as its representative. And there is a reason for this. The electorate saw that the Albanese Labor government doesn't leave people behind. We don't forget small communities like our agricultural and mining communities, and we know the challenges that face people who live outside metropolitan and regional Australia. The electorate saw Labor committing more funding to public hospitals. In 2025-26, we will deliver a 14 per cent increase in funding to Tasmanian state-run hospitals. Up from $660 million last year, the state will receive $750 million in Commonwealth funding this financial year. We will also invest $120 million to establish a heart centre in Launceston, making it easier for patients with heart disease from the north and north-west to get better health care. The people of Braddon also backed Labor's plan to strengthen Medicare, to make medicines cheaper and more accessible, to increase bulk-billing incentives for medical practices and to increase the number of doctors, nurses and midwives. The estimated savings to patients in Braddon from our cheaper medicines policy is so far almost $8.5 million, and, across Tasmania, more than $40 million has been saved. Our policy is putting money back in the pockets of patients when buying their medicines. We've also prioritised women's health, with over $790 million in funding to deliver more choice, lower costs and better health care for women, including new rebates for longer consultations. Braddon voters have seen the great outcomes of Labor's first round of funding for Medicare urgent care centres. They supported our commitment to extending the number of urgent care clinics. A total of 87 Medicare urgent care clinics are currently operating across Australia. This number will expand to 137 clinics as part of the 2025-26 federal budget and Labor's plan. These are the things that make a difference to people in regional, rural and remote Tasmania and right across the country. The Devonport Urgent Care Clinic has delivered over 25,000 bulk-billed walk-in consultations since it opened at the end of 2023. I'm really pleased to say that a tender process is now underway to select a provider for our second urgent care clinic in Burnie. These initiatives help take numbers out of the emergency departments within our hospitals, which are always chock-a-block full. When people can go to an urgent care clinic, they can get seen within a very short period, get the treatment they need and not have to pay a cent for that. Across Tasmania, urgent care clinics have delivered over 100,000 bulk-billed appointments. Braddon will benefit from two Medicare mental health centres. One is currently being fitted out in Devonport and will open soon, and a second clinic will be located right in Burnie. Again, these centres provide free walk-in mental health services for people of all ages. They will be an important link between hospital services and people in the community with mental health issues and will provide services at a time when and at a place where people need them—no waiting. Walk in and be seen. The centres will be staffed by social workers, nurses, peer support workers and mental health workers, and they will have access to psychiatry services. We know that the dream of homeownership has been out of reach for many people. The Albanese Labor government is helping all first home buyers purchase their first home through the Home Guarantee Scheme. We're implementing the program early, on 1 October 2025, instead of waiting until next year. Under Labor, all first home buyers will be able to borrow for their first home with a five per cent deposit, with no caps in place and no income limits. For single parents, the deposit requirement will be just two per cent of the purchase price. Labor's scheme will save first home buyers tens of thousands of dollars in lenders mortgage insurance. In the first year alone, first home buyers are expected to avoid around $1.5 billion in mortgage insurance costs. Since we came to government, more than 560 people in Braddon have been able to buy their first home with a five per cent deposit or less thanks to Labor's Home Guarantee Scheme. That's 560 people for whom it would otherwise have been out of reach. For renters, we've delivered a 45 per cent increase in Commonwealth rent assistance—the biggest back-to-back increase in more than 30 years—helping over one million low-income Australian households pay their rent. In Braddon, there are 9,000 people who have benefited directly from this assistance. We've made strong progress in delivering 55,000 social and affordable rental homes for the Australians who need it most. We've invested a record $1.2 billion into building new crisis and transitional accommodation to ensure that at-risk groups, including older women, younger Australians and those fleeing from family and domestic violence, will have access to safe and stable housing. We've facilitated the training of more tradies through Labor's fee-free TAFE. More than 365 construction trade apprentices in Braddon, who are building new houses, are benefiting from $5,000 incentive payments. From 1 July this year, Labor's Key Apprenticeship Program has offered up to $10,000 in financial support to apprentices commencing or recommencing their careers in the clean energy or housing construction sectors. If you go along to a TAFE and talk to the students who are involved in that, they are absolutely stoked about it. They are coming through the door. It is helping to train those we need to build the homes. Following tax cuts and energy bill relief in our first term, we will deliver new tax cuts for every taxpayer, and we will deliver more energy bill relief. We've wiped 20 per cent off student debt so that three million students and apprentices will save an average of $5½ thousand each. Almost 8,000 people in Braddon will benefit from this. We're making free TAFE permanent, so young Australians can get the skills that they need for the jobs that they want, and we are delivering affordable child care closer to home. Last week, legislation passed both houses to put penalty rates into law, to protect weekend and overtime pay. Penalty rates make a big difference for many people. If you're working on a Saturday night, on a Sunday or on a public holiday, you should be compensated for what you are giving up, and that is what our legislation will ensure. There are many, many workers across this country who rely on penalty rates but also work unsavoury hours and shifts that keep them away from their families. They really deserve to have those penalty rates. We have looked after those workers, and we have now enshrined that in legislation. Labor governs for all. That's no more apparent than in electorates like mine. We also know that there is more to do. We are playing catch-up on a long period of neglect from those opposite: inconsistent investment, lack of certainty for business and renewables, and lack of concern for the people and places in rural and remote Australia. Our priorities, policies and programs will support and include those who live outside metropolitan and regional Australia—people like the people that I represent in the electorate of Braddon, which is remote, rural and very remote. I commend the bill to the House. 18:56 Dr HAINES 282335 Indi Since I was first elected, in 2019, I have sought to understand the needs of communities across my electorate and to come together to craft solutions—practical solutions—that address the problems we face. It's why I am so glad to speak today on the Appropriation Bill (No. 1) 2025-2026 and related bills, and, specifically, to address the Cheaper Home Batteries Program. These bills, in total, provide $415 million for the first year of the program. This program is, indeed, long overdue but welcomed by communities across Indi and right across Australia. Australian households are the world's most enthusiastic generators of solar energy. With an abundance of sunshine, we've made our roofs work for us and reduced our emissions and reliance on the energy grid. Australian households have been supported to do so by the federal government through the Small-scale Renewable Energy Scheme, the SRES, which reduces the upfront cost of solar panels. This scheme was set up during the Howard years, and it was then—and continued to be, over a long period of time—a roaring success. But, of course, as we frequently hear, the sun isn't always shining, and we know feed-in tariffs are not what they used to be. Until recently, despite the benefits, installing a household battery to complement the solar panels was financially out of reach for most Australians. This is where the $2.3 billion Cheaper Home Batteries Program comes in. The program is simple in design but powerful in its impact. It works by extending the existing SRES to include home batteries. Small-scale batteries are now eligible for an upfront discount of around 30 per cent. This is not a loan or a rebate paid later. This is a point-of-sale discount applied directly by the installer. The Clean Energy Regulator will oversee the program, issuing small-scale energy certificates just as it does with solar panels. For a typical household battery—say, a 12-kilowatt system—the saving is around $4,000, bringing the price down from roughly $13,000 to about $9,000. Larger households, small businesses or community organisations that invest in bigger batteries could see discounts of tens of thousands of dollars. Even with this program, batteries have a big upfront cost, but this program means it will take less time for the battery to pay for itself. Solar businesses in my electorate, like Solargain in Wangaratta and Solar Integrity in Wodonga, say demand is through the roof, but, most excitingly, they tell me it's not the usual customers coming in. They tell me that the customers walking in the door are younger. They're younger couples or they're busy families who've never considered a battery up until now. They simply couldn't afford one, but, with this program, they're lining up to take control of their energy. These are exactly the people the scheme is set up to benefit—households struggling with the cost of living and the rising cost of energy. I am so glad people in my electorate are jumping at the chance to keep more of the power they generate. In fact, I'm proud to say that Indi is leading Victoria in new battery installations, proving once again that regional communities are ready to embrace the charge towards a more resilient and cleaner energy system. I commend the government for rolling out the Cheaper Home Batteries Program, but we know that this policy didn't actually start with government. The people of Indi know that the Cheaper Home Batteries Program is actually an Indi policy. It's the outcome of years of steady work—work that began in Indi and that I carried into this parliament on behalf of the people I represent. Major political parties like to say that independents have no power, but I think this shows the absolute contrary. When you listen to people, craft practical solutions, work with government in good faith and keep at it, you can and do shape national policy. When I was first elected in 2019, I heard from my constituents that energy security was a top priority, as was the transition to clean energy. So I got to work with this community, and, in 2020, I launched the local power plant—a blueprint to drive investment in locally owned renewables in regional Australia. It set out how locally owned renewables could thrive when government gave communities the tools they needed to succeed, and it became clear to me that we couldn't talk about local energy if we didn't talk about home batteries. This is because rooftop solar without storage is really just half a solution. Solar might generate power, but, without a battery, households are forced to sell cheaply in the day and buy back at night at a higher price. I said then that batteries are the critical link between clean energy, cheaper bills and local energy security. That simple truth shaped the home energy bill I first introduced in 2022 and again in 2023. My proposal was simple but powerful: to extend the small-scale renewable energy scheme—the same mechanism that drove rooftop solar to include home batteries. I'm very pleased that the government has done the same through a regulatory amendment to the bill I sought to amend. During the recent election, the cost of living was, of course, a key issue. It still is. I spoke in Indi about how a home battery could help the average household take control of their energy, not only in terms of lowering their bills but addressing the issue of power blackouts or brownouts experienced by many people. The message really cut through. This was practical, sensible reform that would deliver for families, small businesses and the broader economy. My community really backed me on this one. Finally, in April this year, with an election looming, the government acted, and, boy, is it taking off. More home batteries were installed in the first six weeks of this program than in the first six months of 2024. Just this week, we hit 40,000 batteries since July. This is public policy that is working. Reporting from last week from the Australian Conservation Foundation found that, by 2030, the increased level of solar and batteries will lift renewable energy's share of the power supply by 4.5 per cent above that estimated in AEMO's current projections. That's pretty good. I said then, and I repeat now, that this is the missing piece of the puzzle—helping households store excess solar energy and use it during peak periods instead of buying it back from the grid. As with any scheme of this size, we must remain alert and vigilant to emerging problems in the implementation and be prepared to amend the program to ensure households are getting the right battery for their needs and to crack down on any dodgy providers seeking to take advantage of the scheme. Reputable retailers in my electorate have already told me about a rise in unsolicited marketing calls, counterfeit batteries and cowboy retailers trying to make a quick buck selling the biggest battery possible, even if it's not a good fit. The government needs to work carefully with regulators to stop this bad behaviour wherever and whenever it occurs. The government has also signalled that households who install a battery under this scheme will be able to take part in virtual power plants, programs where thousands of small batteries are linked together to provide clean, reliable power back to the grid in times of stress. This means that the Cheaper Home Batteries Program will benefit not only households who install a battery but the wider community as well. Batteries can store excess solar power generated during the day and release it back into the community in the evening when demand and prices are highest. This eases pressure on the grid and ensures plentiful, cheap power is available after sunset. It will be essential in the transition towards a zero-emissions electricity network. One of the most important aspects of virtual power plants is that they enhance grid resilience and strengthen our energy security. When the grid is under stress during heatwaves, bushfires or storms, virtual power plants can keep essential infrastructure and services operating for days or possibly weeks. This is something communities in my electorate know only too well, and why regional communities, like those in my electorate of Indi, recognise the transformative potential of home and community batteries. We are really on board with this. The Cheaper Home Batteries Program is not only a win for Indi but a win for the nation. It shows what democracy should look like. It shows that regional communities can and do lead the way, and that integrity and persistence in politics deliver real and practical outcomes for everyday people. Before I conclude my remarks on these bills, I do want to note that these bills also make provision for a number of so-called election commitments made by the Labor Party during the 2025 election campaign. I want to be absolutely clear with the House: my issue is not with the projects themselves—I am sure they are excellent projects—but I do question the process through which they're being funded. One, supporting the construction of the first-ever Hindu school in Australia, is located in the electorate of Macquarie. The other, funding the restoration of South Melbourne Town Hall, is located in the electorate of Macnamara. Crucially, both electorates were key battlegrounds in the 2025 election, seen as fundamental to the Labor party's path to victory in what most expected to be a closely fought election. This is millions of dollars in taxpayer money with no transparent process, no apparent value-for-money assessment and no clarity on whether the money would deliver a better outcome elsewhere. Instead, it seems the government is choosing to fund projects as line items in the budget. On anyone's measure, that's poor budget practice and, frankly, poor governance. All community infrastructure projects should be funded through open-access, competitive grant processes. This means every community in every corner of Australia has a chance to secure funding. It means only the most meritorious projects will be funded. It means money goes where it will make the greatest difference. It's decision-making based on community need, not on political expedience. Allocating taxpayer funds on the basis of political interest is called pork-barrelling, and Australians think it is a form of corruption. I agree. I've fought long and hard to end the practice of pork-barrelling, not just with this government but with previous ones, because I, like most Australians, believe that taxpayer money should be spent fairly and transparently through an open process. It's why I twice introduced my end pork-barrelling bill to the previous parliament. I put this government on notice: I will continue to fight for fairer funding in this term of parliament, call out bad practices where I see them and do my utmost to make sure that hard-earned taxpayer dollars are spent fairly and transparently. 19:08 Ms CLUTTERHAM 316101 Sturt Election commitments are an important part of election campaigns because they provide incumbents and candidates the opportunity to really connect with their communities, to listen to the needs of their communities, and to learn what projects and services might best serve those communities and be sustainable for the future. The task of then reviewing those commitments, of weighing those commitments up in order to get the balance right as to what the needs of the electorate are, and of determining the most efficient, effective and fair use of funding not only to the electorate but to the Australian taxpayer is challenging—but that's the job we're here to do. I was very proud to have been able to make several commitments to my great electorate of Sturt during the campaign. These commitments were diverse, covering culture, health care, sports and infrastructure, but all will have an enduring benefit to my community. As well as an urgent care clinic and a Medicare mental health centre for the people of Sturt, who worked with me in signing a petition to ensure the pledge regarding the urgent care clinic was made, the other commitments include a pledge to upgrade a section of Sturt's great Linear Park, located within the city of Port Adelaide Enfield, to include better lighting, fitness equipment and safer footpaths and bike tracks. Linear Park is a place comprised of multiple extensive outdoor green spaces for families and is much loved by those using the BBQ facilities, having a picnic or simply watching their children play on the many playgrounds dotted throughout the park. It is also a beautiful place for walkers, cyclists and runners like myself, and these upgrades will make it even better and safer, especially during the early mornings and evenings. Community spaces that promote mental and physical fitness and connection are important for overall community wellbeing. The Labor government is committed to building a stronger, healthier community, and I was very proud of this announcement. Community connection will also be facilitated through the upgrade of Foxfield Oval Hall in the suburb of Athelstone in the far-eastern part of Sturt, within the city of Campbelltown. The renovation will provide a fit-for-purpose space that can keep up with the growing community demand. The project will include providing internal and accessible toilets, a larger hall floor space with better acoustics, kitchen functionality, more storage and better access overall. Foxfield Oval Hall is regularly used for events run by local sporting and community groups and has been the home of the Athelstone Table Tennis Club for more than 60 years. It's also used by the Athelstone Football Club, the Athelstone Cricket Club and a private boxing gym. But, built more than 60 years ago, this ageing facility does not meet current demand or accessibility requirements, and it's the improvement of these types of facilities which election commitments are firmly aimed at, because they are for the betterment of the community. As a huge Norwood Redlegs fan and a big supporter of the AFLW and SANFLW, I was very proud to announce an investment at the Norwood Football Club towards the long-overdue upgrade and renovation of the old, cold, outdated and, frankly, not fit for purpose female change rooms. Women's sport is growing rapidly in Australia, including in footy and at the highest, elite levels like the SANFLW, and the players deserve facilities that reflect their status as elite athletes competing in a high-performance environment. The Redlegs are ingrained in my community's history, and these upgrades mean that the women's team can continue to kick goals in a safe, new and fit-for-purpose environment, which is exactly what they deserve. Staying with sport, I was also proud to be able to commit to upgraded lighting and a new synthetic pitch for the mighty Campbelltown City Soccer and Social Club. I can't wait until club stalwart Don Leombruno is able to realise his vision for this family-friendly, growing and successful soccer club. The Albanese Labor government went to the 2022 election promising to lift the standard of aged care in Australia, and we are working hard to deliver on that commitment. A key part of this is ensuring that people can access the care that they deserve, whether that be in residential care or whilst still at home. Nonna's Cucina is a Sturt community based service run mostly by volunteers which provides home cooked, Italian-style meals to the aged and to people with disabilities and their carers. They predominantly service the Adelaide Italian community throughout the north, south and eastern parts of the electorate of Sturt. Quite rightly, Nonna's has been receiving support from the Commonwealth government for over two decades, and I was proud to make a further commitment to them which will go towards upgrading their new premises in Holden Hill. Nonna's Cucina is more than just a cafe; it's a community institution and it's a vital feature of South Australia's Italian heritage. I participate in monthly delivery runs with Nonna's Cucina, which is not only about meal delivery; it also provides an opportunity to conduct a welfare check on clients. This is an organisation worth volunteering for and an organisation very worthy of the commitment made towards its sustainability and its newer and larger premises. This is what election commitments are about, and this is what the Labor government is about: investing in communities and ensuring community and volunteer led and run organisations like Nonna's Cucina can keep thriving in our communities so they can keep contributing to our communities. I was also very proud to support Sturt's other multicultural communities and the contribution that they all make to the harmony, vibrancy and productivity of our country. The commitment I made to the Sicilia Social and Sports Club in Klemzig to install new, commercial-grade ovens and replace community dining tables means the Sicilia club, which is run by dedicated volunteers, will celebrate its 40th birthday on 25 October this year, producing even more delicious Italian food, and will ensure that it can continue its work of delivering community events, promoting culture and supporting local groups. I was also fortunate to join my friend the federal member for Makin, Tony Zappia, earlier this year to commit funding for the annual Festa della Madonna di Montevergine celebrated at the St Francis of Assisi Church in the suburb of Newton in the electorate of Sturt. The festival will hold its 70th anniversary celebration later this year, and I am assured by the lead organiser, Mr Dominic Zollo, that it will be bigger and better than ever and that the ever-present and controversial debate over whether the sweet zeppole or the anchovy zeppole is better will continue to rage. Further, my dear friends at the Altavilla club in Beulah Park, particularly club manager and self-appointed head chef Dom Repucci, will also be able to continue to serve delicious and well-priced meals to the elderly Italian community due to the commitment to install new, commercial-grade ovens. With these investments, the Albanese Labor government is ensuring that the heritage and culture of the Italian community of Sturt can continue to thrive well into the future. An additional amendment which is being brought about by virtue of these bills is for direct appropriations to two new non-corporate Commonwealth entities, as that definition is understood within the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Act. These are the Defence and Veterans' Services Commission, which is legislated to commence on 29 September of this year, and the Australian Naval Nuclear Power Safety Regulator, which is legislated to commence on 1 November 2025 at the latest. They are fully offset by reductions in the Department of Defence's annual appropriation. It goes without saying that both of these new non-corporate Commonwealth entities will play a critical role in the continued growth of Australia's defence industrial base, which means, in this context, growing the workforce and developing and cementing a sovereign supply chain. In particular, the establishment of the Australian Naval Nuclear Power Safety Regulator, which was subject to public consultation between 1 and 30 July 2025, allowed for the development of a framework that will ensure that the highest standards of nuclear safety and radiological protection are applied across the nuclear powered submarine program. Once established, the Australian naval nuclear regulator will operate within a national regulatory system that supports the safety of people, of the general public and, critically, of the environment. Establishing the Australian naval nuclear regulator will be a critical milestone occurring under the AUKUS trilateral partnership, AUKUS being a core pillar of the Albanese government's national security policy. More importantly, it is also expected to create more than 20,000 direct jobs over the next 30 years, including 4,000 jobs designing, building and equipping the facilities at the Osborne Naval Shipyard in South Australia, and a further 4,000-5,500 shipyard jobs will be created in South Australia to design, build and sustain the fleet once submarine production is underway. This is an example of the efficient and effective use of appropriated funds, because AUKUS is the biggest, most significant security partnership Australia has entered into in a century. The 2025-26 appropriation bills seek to appropriate funding of $83.4 billion in Appropriation Bill (No. 1) 2025-2026, $14.6 billion in Appropriation Bill (No. 2) 2025-2026 and $195.1 million in Appropriation (Parliamentary Departments) Bill (No. 1) 2025-2026. If passed, these bills would provide appropriations of circa $98.2 billion, meaning a total annual appropriation of $195.4 billion, including supply acts. But an appropriations bill is more than just numbers on a page. It is a commitment to the people of Australia. It is a commitment to the people of our communities. For me, it's a commitment to my community of Sturt. These numbers translate election commitments into real outcomes, investing in the future of our communities and making a real difference in the lives of everyday Australians. 19:22 Ms ALDRED 11788 Monash I'm delighted to come to my first point this evening, which is on the Gippsland United basketball league men's team division 1, who were victorious in their recent premiership game by nine points. I had the absolute pleasure of attending the game a fortnight ago, and I have got a strong association with the league, having served previously as chair of the Gippsland United basketball league. It's the fastest-growing participation sport in our region, as I understand it, and it's a great team sport for young people right through to elite athletes to get involved in. There were a number of players from my electorate of Monash that I was cheering on, including Joel Winderlich from Leongatha, who was a stand-out player for Gippsland United. He scored 21 points in that game. The men's coach is Scott McKenzie from Korumburra, and he really has taken this team with just a dream on behalf of the community to be able to play in division 1 in the Big V league. To Scott McKenzie and his assistant coaches, I give my congratulations. There were many other players from the Monash electorate who were in the men's, women's and youth league teams through that competition. The big break that senior basketball in our region had was the re-establishment of senior Big V teams for men's and women's in 2021. Since then, the men's team have gone on to win two championships, and the women's team only narrowly lost their grand final on the same night. So I give my sincere congratulations to both teams. It's a really important opportunity, I think, to provide a regional pathway for very talented and elite junior basketball players in our community who were previously leaving our region to seek senior playing pathways elsewhere. We get to keep them in our region. We get to cheer them on, and that is just an absolutely fantastic thing for our community. We've also got Gippsland United junior teams who compete every Friday night, with many competing in the Victorian championship division. The success of the program is in large part due to local sponsors and volunteers, who come from right across my electorate. I give a special shout-out to the volunteers and also the local businesses who, although doing it really tough right now, are still the first to put their hands up to support local sporting clubs, so I give my absolute sincere thanks and appreciation to them on that front. There are a couple of other things I would like to touch on. I am really passionate about civics education in schools. We've got some absolutely amazing schools in the Monash electorate. I've had the privilege of visiting a number of them recently to present new Australian flags and also talk about our parliamentary system. Although I am a new member here, it's wonderful to be able to share my last couple of weeks in this sitting period with those students. I've been to Foster Primary School in South Gippsland, which only has a few students. It's a small school, but it's an incredible school, and I pay tribute to the wonderful teachers there, who are really, really dedicated in the job that they do. I visited Drouin West Primary School with some new flags as well. At the Marist-Sion Catholic college in Warragul, I spoke to their year 12 legal studies class just a couple of weeks ago. I have to say I was just blown away by the calibre of questions. Only two students seemed to nod off a little bit during my presentation, but for a moment only. But they were such insightful questions. Those students are preparing for their VCE exams later in the year, and I wish them all the very, very best in their study and preparation. I did say to them that, when I was in year 12, it was the TER score, but, no matter how you finish year 12, it doesn't determine the rest of your life. So study hard, and give it your best shot, but I know and I have no doubt that each one of those students that I engaged with is going to go on to have a really interesting, incredible career and life ahead of them. Aged care is a very, very important issue in my electorate of Monash. We've got some wonderful aged-care facilities. We've got some incredibly dedicated staff. I know, for a lot of those not-for-profit providers, there are some really challenging issues that they need to grapple with every single day. I previously served on the board of the Woorayl Lodge community aged care centre in South Gippsland. All of the staff and carers in all of those facilities do an amazing job. I recently visited the Fairview retirement home in Warragul, where the flag-bearer is 94 years old. His name is Bill, and he is a veteran. It was wonderful to present him with a new flag and also speak at the residents' morning tea about my new role and about our magnificent Monash electorate, as well as the story behind General Sir John Monash, which I am passionate about and committed to retelling because, in my humble view, he is Australia's greatest ever citizen. I also want to congratulate the Gippsland Community Leadership Program. They were established in 1996, and that came out of the Karpin review into leadership in regional Australia. I have to acknowledge the Hawke government for initiating that review. But there are a number of community leadership programs right across regional Victoria and regional Australia. Unfortunately, the Allan Labor government has cut funding to those regional community leadership programs, which do such a great job of identifying, fostering and developing leadership talent in our regional communities. Over its 30 years, we've had some incredible alumni come through the Gippsland Community Leadership Program, including the former Victoria Police commissioner Ken Lay, who is a Gippslander, and Senator Bridget McKenzie, who is an alumni as well. I had the great fortune of being able to go through the program in 2011. It's a wonderful opportunity. I encourage more aspiring young Gippsland leaders to put their hands up and nominate themselves for that program. I wish the board of the Committee for Gippsland, who manage and auspice that program, and everyone involved all the very best for what I hope is another 30 successful years. I'm very passionate about the work that men's sheds do. It has been a real privilege to be able to visit a number of men's sheds in my electorate, including Mirboo North, who do some amazing woodwork— Debate interrupted. ADJOURNMENT 72 ADJOURNMENT Health Care: Chronic Disease 72 19:30 Dr SCAMPS 299623 Mackellar Around 6.4 million hospitalisations each year, 55 per cent of the total, are due to chronic diseases, costing around $82 billion a year. Fact: about half of these are preventable. Another fact: in 2024, over one third of the total disease burden in Australia could have been prevented by reducing exposure to modifiable risk factors. Every dollar invested in prevention yields around $14.30 in healthcare savings and broader economic benefits, yet Australia currently invests only two per cent of the health budget on prevention, significantly less than the UK at five to six per cent and Canada at seven to eight per cent. Fact: we need to do better. The 2023 Intergenerational report makes it clear that, to meet escalating health demands and costs, we need a sustainable healthcare system that invests effectively in preventive health. The Productivity Commission's recent report Delivering quality care more efficiently recommends establishing a national prevention investment framework to support investment in prevention. The benefits of disease prevention for a population's health are manifold, including longer life expectancy, reduced incidence and severity of chronic diseases, improved mental health, better educational outcomes, improved employment prospects, and greater quality of life and sense of wellbeing. Failing to act comes at a cost in terms of both our health and our wealth. Here are some more numbers. In 2023, Australians lost 4.4 million years of healthy life due to chronic conditions. By 2030, lost labour force participation from chronic disease is projected to cost $68 billion. Despite having strong national health strategies in the National Preventive Health Strategy and the National Obesity Strategy, the federal government has failed to fully fund and implement them. Currently, one quarter of Australian children are overweight or obese, placing them on a trajectory towards chronic disease. For adults, that figure rises to two thirds. Obesity already costs our health system around $12 billion annually. Without decisive action, this is projected to rise to $88 billion by 2032. The obesity epidemic, in turn, is causing rapid growth in the prevalence of type 2 diabetes mellitus, a leading cause of heart disease, stroke, amputation, kidney failure and blindness. For the past three years, I've been calling for the government to implement two immediate policy mechanisms to help combat this crisis: the restriction of junk food advertising on TV, radio and social media; and the implementation of a reformulation levy on sugar sweetened beverages. Children aged five to eight are exposed to over 800 junk food ads on TV each year. Restricting junk food advertising during children's viewing hours is a commonsense, evidence based intervention that has been implemented in dozens of countries worldwide. Modelling suggests that banning these ads between 6 am and 9.30 pm would save $780 million in healthcare costs over the lifetime of the 2010 population. The 2023 parliamentary health committee inquiry into diabetes mellitus in Australia recommended a graded levy on sugar sweetened beverages, including soft drinks, energy drinks and fruit drinks, something that would drive companies to reformulate them to contain less sugar. Health stakeholders including the AMA, the Public Health Association of Australia, the George institute, ACOSS and others support the reformulation levy, and AMA modelling suggests it could generate $4 billion in revenue over four years, which could be reinvested in health promotion and preventive health. The National Preventive Health Strategy estimates that, by addressing the wider determinants of health, 170,000 Australians could enter the workforce, generating $8 billion in extra earnings and annual savings of $4 billion in welfare payments. So what are we waiting for? By increasing investment in preventive health to five per cent of total health spending and prioritising evidence based prevention measures, the Australian government could reduce long-term healthcare costs, boost productivity and improve community wellbeing. That's a fact. Dunkley Electorate: Community Organisations 73 19:35 Ms BELYEA 309484 Dunkley I'm thrilled to share with the House that 31 not-for-profit organisations in my electorate of Dunkley have been successful in this year's federal government volunteer and stronger communities grant rounds. In Dunkley, the Volunteer Grants program awarded a total of $62,000 to 31 not-for-profit organisations to put towards supporting their volunteers and increasing volunteer participation, and the Stronger Communities Program awarded $85,000 to 12 local organisations. These organisations are more often than not operated by a dedicated group of volunteers. Volunteering is sometimes a thankless task, but it's the heart of our community in Dunkley. At a time when volunteering is declining across the country, Dunkley locals keep digging in and doing their bit to improve the lives of others. Without the tireless work of volunteers, many essential services and sporting and other social clubs that form the social fabric of our amazing community simply would not exist. Services like the Miscarriage Information Support Service, who support women who have experienced early pregnancy loss, would not be able to continue. The Langwarrin Men's Shed, who do critical work to engage and support men to connect in the community and with each other, would not exist. The Monterey Secondary College Breakfast Club, the Frankston Raiders Rugby League Club and the Seaford Tigers Cricket Club all have a distinct role to play in our community. Their hard work has also been recognised and remunerated. These clubs and organisations rely on volunteers and provide important activities for children, young people and adults. Activities build community connection and wellbeing. They are important for mental health. As someone who founded a local not-for-profit, I know how much of a financial boost these grants provide. As everyone in this chamber will know by now, I was a youth worker. I have never forgotten the work I did and my commitment to ensuring our young people have the best opportunities and remain engaged in our community and civics education. That is why I am an avid supporter of the youth parliament and look forward to working with my community to find a young person from Dunkley to be part of the National Youth Parliament. Over the past 14 months, as the MP for Dunkley, I've had the opportunity to speak with young people, parents and professionals from all across our community. A clear pattern has emerged: growing concern about the mental health and wellbeing of our young people and their access to secure housing, and uncertainty about their future, particularly around the cost of education and employment opportunities, even in the context of historically low unemployment. Many young people have also expressed deep concern about climate change and global instability. Community forums have further revealed a strong sense of frustration and anxiety around issues like youth, antisocial behaviour, homelessness and the impact of social media on mental health. These concerns are echoed by residents who are increasingly worried about safety and the wellbeing of local young people. These issues aren't abstract; they're being felt in homes, on our streets and throughout the community and became even more evident during conversations on doorsteps during the by-election and federal election. Therefore the Emerging Leaders Program aims to engage, educate and empower young people who are emerging leaders from the Dunkley electorate. Young people who are interested in being advocates and change agents, locally and more broadly, will be engaged to build their leadership skills and knowledge and develop strategies for progressing solutions to issues impacting young people in the Dunkley community. The program will be available for young adults aged 18 to 21 years, with the application process open in September. You can check out my newsletter for updates. Dunkley has its challenges. Our youth need empowerment, but our community is resilient and always rallies together. I'm looking forward to visiting all of the organisations that have received grants to see the incredible contributions and thank them for their dedication. Migration 74 19:40 Mr SMALL 291406 Forrest If you are an Australian who is uneasy about what you see going on in our country today, I want you to know that you're not alone. Being uncomfortable with the sheer number of migrants that have arrived in this country in recent years and indeed continue to flock to our shores doesn't make you xenophobic. More so, being uncomfortable with the values of those people arriving en masse doesn't make you racist. If you don't recognise Australia in the scenes from Melbourne and Sydney that you see on the news, that doesn't make you a bigot. I want the Australians who quietly assembled across the country this weekend to express their patriotic pride to know that as a Liberal MP I was heartened. I was heartened to see adolescents, young families and grandparents alike united the need to express a statement that Australia is still a country that values a fair go, the rights and freedoms of individuals and a tolerance for all who come to this country because of what this country is. I was heartened to see those who deeply respect our forebears who laid down their lives so that we could express a view freely in this country and to see those looking for leadership that doesn't turn a blind eye to those who burn our national flag while holding aloft the flags of terrorists. We need to have a debate about migration in this country, because we need control over how many people come to this country and the values of those people. To lose control of migration, as this government has, threatens not only the confidence of the Australian people and the very system of migration that for decades has welcomed literally millions of new Australians to our shores but also the preservation of a free and democratic Australian society into the future. To be very, very clear, there is no place for fascists and Nazis in this country, who are as much a threat to our democracy as the terrorists who would tear down our very way of life. For the mainstream media to obsess over a tiny minority of unwelcome extremists is to ignore the clear voice with which those Australians who proudly marched this weekend spoke, and it exemplifies the disgraceful double standard that we see in this country today. The question that has sat very uneasily with me for months now is asked quietly by many ordinary Australians, who have felt the need to first look left and then right and make sure that nobody could overhear them before asking. Why are so many people who don't even believe in Australia being welcomed to this country? The reality is worse than those proud Australians might have even feared. In its first year, comparing the Albanese government's budget migration estimates to actual arrivals reveals they let 300,518 extra people into the country. In its second year, the Albanese government undercooked migration numbers by 200,198. The good news is that they're getting slightly better at this. In their third year, the government only undercooked the migration numbers by a hundred thousand. In short, in just three years in their first term, the Albanese government blew even their own migration numbers by some 600,000 people. Is it any wonder that we don't have sufficient new housing, with the biggest surge in migration in real terms since the end of World War II? These numbers only speak to the number of arrivals, not to the values of those who are coming here. We need confidence that people are coming here because they want a better life and want to become proud and contributing Australians themselves. There should be no place for those who would seek to import their own hatred, division, conflict and even extremism into our country, yet Australians today have no confidence that this Labor government, who can't even get the migration numbers right, are holding the line on values. Tomorrow, on National Flag Day, if they can't look at the Australian flag—the only flag that flies above this building, the only flag our soldiers wear on their left sleeve when they go oversees to protect our freedoms and the only flag that drapes their coffins when they fall—with uninhibited pride, they shouldn't be here. Women's Health 74 19:45 Ms TRISH COOK 312871 Bullwinkel I rise to speak on a topic of vital importance and optimism: women's health. Women now comprise 56 per cent of the Australian Labor Party caucus. That is a record in and of itself, but it's also the reason why we have policies that better represent Australia. We have the most women in parliament and we have the most women in cabinet in history. This has led to different policies, different conversations, different discussions, different priorities and, of course, different funding. For far too long, women's health has been overlooked, underfunded and left in the too-hard basket. The Albanese Labor government is changing that. We're not just talking about women's health; we're investing in it because we know that strengthening Medicare means strengthening health care for all Australians. Our government committed to delivering a historic $790 million for a women's health package. This will deliver more choice, lower costs and better access to care for women right across the country. This comprehensive investment is informed by extensive consultation with women, healthcare providers and advocacy groups. This is not a quick fix; this is a long-term plan for meaningful change. We are already well under way. I'd like to talk about three initiatives under this funding. On contraception, a key part of this package was our focus on reproductive health and choice. For the first time in more than 30 years, we have listed new oral contraceptive pills on the PBS. To be clear, these are already-existing medications that were not available on the PBS. The listing of Yaz and Yasmin from 1 March and Slinda from 1 May will save thousands of women hundreds of dollars a year. We will also make long-acting reversible contraceptives cheaper with larger Medicare payments and more bulk-billing for IUDs and implants. This will reduce out-of-pocket costs by up to $400, once again, for thousands of women across the country. This is a profound change for women, and it's making health care more accessible and affordable. Another issue is drugs for women at a different age—menopause. We also addressed critical gaps in care for women experiencing menopause. Once again, we have new and better drugs that were not on the PBS system. We have listed, for the first time in over 20 years, new menopausal hormone therapies on the PBS. To be clear, they've been available for 20 years, but women have had to pay high costs for them. From 1 March, Estrogel, Estrogel Pro and Prometrium were included on the PBS, once again saving women hundreds of dollars a year. With our National Health Amendment (Cheaper Medicines) Bill 2025, which was passed yesterday, women will save more on oral contraception and menopause treatments, with the amount being capped at $25. On health assessments, we have introduced a new Medicare rebate for menopause health assessments, along with funding to train health professionals and develop national clinical guidelines. In our last term, we opened 22 endometriosis and pelvic pain clinics, and this term we'll provide another 11 clinics and also expand those 33 clinics to provide specialised care for perimenopausal women and women going through menopause. This will provide a network of women's health support in every state and territory. This is about providing dignity and expert care for women who have been dismissed, misunderstood and mistreated for too long. Additionally, we will make it easier to get essential care. Through two national trials, we have enabled 250,000 concession card holders to get contraceptives and treatments for uncomplicated UTIs directly from a trained pharmacist at no cost. These are not just figures on a page; these are real, tangible changes that will improve the lives of millions of women across Australia. Australian National Flag 75 19:50 Mr TAYLOR 231027 Hume Tomorrow commemorates National Flag Day. We honour a symbol that embodies the heart and soul of our nation: our national flag. It is a flag that doesn't just represent government or geography; it represents the people of Australia—our history, our values, our sacrifices and our aspirations. On 29 April 1901, our first prime minister, Edmund Barton, announced a competition to design the flag. Despite having just 32 days to get entries, more than 32,000 Australians responded. That alone says something deeply profound—that, from the beginning, Australians were united by a shared sense of identity and purpose. Of course, the winning design wasn't the work of a single group, authority or bureaucracy but five ordinary Australians: a schoolboy, an optician's apprentice, an architect, an artist and a ship's officer. What could be more fitting than our national flag, the emblem of the people, being designed by the people? On 3 September 1901, the flag was raised for the first time above the dome of Melbourne's Royal Exhibition Building, which was the site of the first Commonwealth parliament. As the Brisbane Courier declared at the time, 'Nationhood is better for the concrete expression, and nothing will stir up enthusiasm or rouse the sense of regard for the country in which we live like a constant sight of the flag of Australia.' They were right, and they still are. Every element of our flag tells part of Australia's story. The Southern Cross, shining in our stars and celebrated by our Indigenous cultures, speaks to our unique place in the world. I remember walking around our farm at night as a young kid knowing that that was the best way to navigate and find your way around, and it still is. The Union Jack acknowledges the British heritage that gifted the institutions of democracy and rule of law and a society grounded in Christian values and civic virtue. The Commonwealth star, with the seven points, reminds us of our unity across six states and our territories. Under this flag, generations have served and sacrificed. It has flown above battlefields from Gallipoli to Afghanistan. It's been draped over the coffins of the fallen—the more than 103,000 Australians who gave their lives in defence of freedom. The flag has been worn with honour by soldiers, sailors and airmen. It has stood in the face of tyranny. It has greeted returning Olympians. It has been raised on construction sites, farm houses, schools and scout hall walls. It belongs to all Australians. Unlike many other nations, we were formed without civil war, without violent revolution and without entrenched tribal conflict. Geoffrey Blainey has called this 'the great Australian achievement'. Yes, we recognise dark chapters—the mistreatment of Indigenous Australians, the appalling treatment of our Vietnam veterans—but we do so without tearing down the whole story, because the story of Australia is one of progress, not perfection. We've been successful not in spite of our differences but because of the values we share—mateship, fairness, respect, responsibility and patriotism. These values bind us no matter our ancestry, our religion, our postcode or our profession. But, sadly, we now live in a time where our flag is under attack. On Sunday 3 August, footage emerged of protesters in Melbourne burning our national flag. On the same weekend, on the Sydney Harbour Bridge, we saw a so-called peaceful rally filled with genocidal slogans, Hamas flags, Nazi swastikas and images of Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. This isn't peaceful protest; it's self-loathing. It's divisive, it's disgraceful and it's dangerous. Worse still, the Prime Minister described it as peaceful. When it comes to our national flag, he seems reluctant to even stand in front of it without being flanked by two others. We have one national flag, our sovereign identity—one standard under which we unite. While we must always uphold the right to protest peacefully, we must equally uphold the right to defend what is good, what is right and what is unifying in this country. It's not just a piece of cloth; it's a symbol of hard won freedoms, sacrifice and shared identity. We must remind those who burn our flag that, in doing so, they reveal far more about themselves than they do about the country they live in. We are lucky to live in this country. We are blessed to be Australians. We should never be ashamed to just say so, so, today, on National Flag Day, I ask you not just to look up at our flag but to live up to its values. Member for Solomon 76 19:55 Mr GOSLING 245392 Solomon It's a great honour to continue being the federal representative for Darwin and Palmerston, and I want to thank the Solomon team that worked very long and hard to deliver for and assist the people of Darwin and Palmerston and, of course, the electoral result in May. Firstly, to my family and to my beautiful wife, Kate, thank you so much for all your patience, understanding and guidance and for the great friend to me and the mum you are to Sally and Frank, our beautiful kids. I thank them for coming out to so many events to have fun with dad. You are a wonderful support to me and, by extension, to the people that I represent. To my extended family; to my dad, Johnny G, who's always there; to mum, Chris, for her unconditional love and support; to my brothers and sisters, their partners, their kids and their friends; and to my mates: thank you for being there for me, whether it be for a chat or putting out corflutes or whatever it may be. To my electorate office team, which includes those that work out of the Canberra office: thank you for keeping us connected with Territorians and with our stakeholders that I serve now and did towards the end of the last parliamentary term as a Special Envoy for Defence, Veterans' Affairs and Northern Australia. I want to recognise and thank my EO team: Zach Cork, who's still in the office working hard right now; Lucy Gunner; Paul Rowston; Emcille Wills; Mitchell Rand; Phil Roberts; Mel Nixon; Mitchell Hearne; Simone Gomez; and Anne McDowell. I want to recognise and thank campaign director, Shlok Sharma, NT Labor secretary Karlee Dalton, NT ALP president Anthony Venes, all of the national secretary team, the Prime Minister, the Deputy PM and all my ministerial and other colleagues. I thank the shoppies for their support and other unions who supported along the way, but I thank all of the supporters that want to see a better Territory and a better Australia. I want to quickly mention the team Solomon volunteers, including but not limited to: Johnny Cook, Sue Condon, Alf Leonardi, the Costello family, Barry Norton, Monty Montgomery, Laura Rowe, Sheena Dunne, Steve Asher, Jason Craig, Brett and Sean Hagen, Alan Berman, Patty Ring, Tim Nicol, Michael Hylard, Caleb Burke, Rachael Chisholm, Marina Gomaz and the whole Gomez family, Georgie Corrie, Jo Kierboom and her mum, Cathy Spurr, Patrik Ralph, Hemali Seneviratne, Fiona Le, Joel Bowden and family, Jaya Srinivas, Brian Manning, Brett Melzner, Lynne Walker, Feroz Ibriham, Peter O'Hagan, Travis—you know who you are—Scott Beven, Nick Barnard, Emma Darby, Tim Rivett, Catherine Philips, Annie Nankivell, Yolanda Kanyai, Dani Everleigh, Nicole Brown, Debbi Lees, Yasmin Warren, Emma Henke, Chay Keating, Ed Smelt, David Thomas, Kerry Gardiner, Sharon McAnelly, John King, Eve Somssich, Phil Maynard, Vida Goodvach, Michael Bezuidenhout, Tristain Sloan, Brett Edwards, Reuben Hart, Mary Fall, Mark Dodge, Mark Monaghan, Rosa Carrascola, Rajeev Sharma, Victoria Brenton, Will Eddyvane, Matt Shaw, Georgia Maloney, Eddie Peters, Jane Agaard, Karen Walsh, Mitch Dyson, Anna Goode, Brionee Noonan, Raelene Noonan, Tony Sievers, Ngaree Ah Kit, Alyce Mokrzycki, Andrew Fyles, Mel Mayo, Jarryd Evison-Rose, Petea Stark, Clare Martin, Jane Gunner, Martin Riley, Damien Hale, Lon Wallis, Egas Alves, Domingos da Silva, Cat Moriarty, Bes, Jenny Anderson, Teresa Fauser, Kailaki Haloti, Andrea Moriarty, Libiane Dos Santos, Ines, Rego, Christine Palmer, Tony Viegas, Alice Casmiro and me old mate Snow. Thank you. House adjourned at 20 : 00 NOTICES 77 NOTICES Presentation 77

Tuesday, 2 September 2025

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

GRIEVANCE DEBATE 78 GRIEVANCE DEBATE Charitable Organisations 78 12:30 Dr WEBSTER 281688 Mallee In July this year, the Minister for Social Services published a media release stating: The Albanese Labor Government is boosting food relief and financial wellbeing support funding by 25 per cent to help ease cost-of-living pressures for half a million Australians. The minister reported that funding specifically for food relief had been doubled. Two charities in my electorate of Mallee, the Horsham Christian Emergency Food Centre, or CEFC, and the Stawell Interchurch Council, have been providing emergency food relief for many, many years, supported by Department of Social Services funding. They have been in contact with me because they were shocked to discover that funding that sustains their essential charitable work will cease as of September. The Horsham CEFC received $82,011, a DSS grant, in the 2024-25 financial year. They receive DSS funding to deliver essential services to people in dire need in the Wimmera, as they have done for many years. The Horsham CEFC have a fabulous record for their charitable service delivery. During the 2024-25 financial year, with the assistance of DSS funding, CEFC provided 3,078 client contacts and a total of $527,912 in client support. They are staffed almost entirely by 70 volunteers who work on a roster contributing almost 300 volunteer hours a week. This long-serving, locally embedded community organisation has been providing essential emergency assistance to people in need for the past 27 years. They are a major provider of food relief and other support in the Wimmera region. I have been delighted to visit them on site many times in my terms of parliament. They are an incredible credit to their community. Despite their laudable record, the Albanese government has ripped away $82,000 in emergency relief grant funding that this Christian food charity has relied on for many years. As if that wasn't enough for a small charity to navigate, funding to their partner organisation, Uniting Vic.Tas, has also been dramatically reduced by 80 per cent, which means reimbursement provided by them is likely to be cut, leaving the CEFC with a huge hole in its budget. The Horsham Christian Emergency Food Centre has been kept in the dark about the Albanese government's decision-making process. Worse still, this volunteer-run charity has been left to chase up other organisations to try to find out where the money is flowing, if at all, and why they have been left out. What the CEFC does know is that the Albanese government has funded five organisations in Victoria's north-west. And I must remind you that that is 87½ thousand square kilometres. It is a vast electorate. One Aboriginal organisation has been newly funded, and this will meet pressing need in the local Indigenous community in Horsham. None of the other organisations currently provide emergency food relief in Horsham directly. The reduction in funds provided to Uniting Vic Tas is also significant because of the broader flow-on effects. The Albanese government's food charity cuts have resulted in the Stawell Interchurch Council, or SIC, being defunded altogether—a charity that has provided emergency food relief in Stawell and the surrounding region since 1970. Get your head around that: 55 years of service to their community. I note that the Interchurch Council are the only providers of non-perishable food in the local area. The SIC has received DSS funding grants since 2001—indirectly via the Uniting Vic.Tas organisation since 2015. But Uniting Vic Tas has told them that their funds have been cut, as I said, by 80 per cent. Mary Rita, the secretary and public officer of the Stawell Interchurch Council, wrote to me. She says: We are the sole providers of funded emergency food relief in Stawell and region and I find it inconceivable that DSS means—for those in need in our area—to be unable to access that help. In the 2024-25 financial year, the SIC received a total of $48,500 indirectly from DSS, assisting 292 households and 661 individuals. Of these, 209 were living with a disability, 147 were 17 years old or younger, and 132 were Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander. Their total spend on groceries and food vouchers was $63,834—considerably larger than their government funding. Once again, far from being rewarded for their charitable work, the Stawell Interchurch Council has been informed by Uniting Vic Tas that their sole source of funding will cease as of September—this month—due to Uniting's own funding constraints. In her media release, Minister Plibersek said: No one should be faced with a choice between putting food on the table or paying their bills. It reminds me of the Prime Minister's mantra, 'Nobody held back, nobody left behind.' Yet both of these local Mallee organisations report an increasing need for emergency food services over the last few years. We shouldn't be surprised by that. The CEFC has met record demand in the 2023-24 and 2024-25 financial years. This is how the Albanese Labor government's cost-of-living crisis plays out in reality on the ground in the regions—with record numbers of people seeking emergency relief to feed their families and a government that callously pulls funding from local organisations scrambling to meet this need, despite having spruiked a doubling of funding at a national level. People in the Wimmera Mallee struggling to make ends meet are now at even greater risk of not being able to put food on the table because funding has been mercilessly stripped from the Horsham Christian Emergency Food Centre and the Stawell Interchurch Council. The questions remain. Has Labor stripped emergency food relief funding entirely from the north-west region of Victoria, or has it somehow been shifted to a larger organisation based in a regional city, a major city, or a combination of the two? The lack of transparency is hard to accept. The Nationals have a strong belief in prioritising local organisations to deliver government funded programs. Local organisations have local relationships and history. They utilise and build local capacity. They provide local jobs and local opportunities for volunteering, all of which build local social capital. We want to foster local enterprise, innovation and community service. Government funding should always be offered to local organisations first, especially when they are already doing the work and have been for decades. My concern is not just that this decision is about prioritising larger, centralised organisations over smaller, local ones, but also that Labor fails to see the needs of people in the regions—and, in my case, the north-west of Victoria. This is a pattern of behaviour that continues to play out under the Albanese government—the neglect of rural, regional and remote populations, the failure to look outside of big cities and regional centres to see what is actually happening, and to act and respond accordingly. Essentially, it is a dismissal of regional people. As I repeatedly say, Labor are raiding regions to buy votes in capital cities. Nowhere is this playing out more clearly than in the race to net zero and the federal and state Labor governments' reckless renewable rollout. I won't stand for that, Mallee farmers won't stand for that, and, as they showed in Ballarat on Friday at the Bush Summit, the Nationals won't stand for that. I will continue to fight hard in this place for the needs of my Mallee constituents. Tasmania: Literacy and Numeracy 79 12:40 Ms TEESDALE 314526 Bass Deputy Speaker, may I congratulate you on this role. Today I speak about Tasmania's literacy challenges. Data shows us that Tasmanians are up to, and around, 50 per cent illiterate. What that means is that they're working below level 3 literacy skills, a functional benchmark. What that means for your day-to-day life is that reading signage, engaging with any form of government forms or business, reading in the supermarket or reading maps is a real challenge for over 50 per cent of Tasmanians. One in two, an outrageous statistic. Our school completion rates are some of the lowest in the nation. Part of that is that we are hoping to get more students into apprenticeships early, and that is a really positive thing. However, most of those students who are not going on to year 12 are not going into apprenticeships; they are leaving the school system, particularly because they do struggle with their reading. Our share of kids who are determined as being 'on track' by the AEDC fell from 80.6 per cent in 2009 to 77 per cent in 2021. That's a shocking statistic. That has, since 2021, started to come back, but we are nowhere near on par with the rest of the nation. We have too many adults who cannot confidently tackle everyday reading. Too many kids are starting school already behind, and far too few are finishing school. That's impacting Tasmania's productivity and wellbeing today and tomorrow and into the future. Today I'm going to investigate a little bit into how we got here and what we can do next. For years the Tasmanian government focused on a balanced literacy approach. Traditionally, we like balance. Balance is a positive thing. When we talk about balanced literacy, what it actually means is that we were teaching children to guess. We'd say: 'Look at the word. Look at the shape. What do you think it might look like? Look at the picture; that will help you.' That is not, as evidence very clearly shows now, an appropriate way to teach reading, and is a direct reason why 50 per cent of Tasmanians now face illiteracy. Synthetic phonics is an approach that has now shown consistently positive impact. Synthetic phonics is when we explicitly and systematically teach the letter-sound correspondence. This is very much a key approach that, thankfully, the Tasmanian government has started to look at, but far too late. More broadly, we require that explicit instruction. We need to have clear modelling, we need to show guided practice and we need to lead that into independent practice. Many teachers these days struggle to get to the end of this system. They struggle to get kids working independently due to constant time pressures. Those time pressures are very, very hard on teachers. Our curriculum is very wide, and sometimes it's very hard to get through it all to a place where students can actually work independently. We know that there are changes happening, and I am pleased to say that the Tasmanian government schools have started implementing evidence based reading, which is fantastic, particularly using a multitiered systemic approach. There has been training for teachers available, which has been through Deakin University and UTAS, which is a good start. We also have a bit of a systematic plan, running from 2024-26, and I was very pleased to be part of those initial trials. For our adults, we have the wonderful company 26Ten. They're continuing their statewide advocacy for adult literacy and numeracy training. This is a crucial lever, and they're doing some fantastic work. Our Albanese Labor government, I'm proud to say, is also putting record funding into schools, where it is much, much needed. Then there is the support from charities. If we look globally and see other areas where literacy has been a challenge in previous years, we can see the impact of Dolly Parton's Imagination Library. I'm not sure if anyone here has heard of it, but it is an incredible program with excellent results. The evidence from this program is that children are more school ready by the time they reach kindergarten or prep. An Australian longitudinal study of families engaging with Dolly Parton's Imagination Library showed that those children who are reading daily now are five times more likely to still be reading daily in the future years. That is a huge impact. We know, particularly in Australia, that we need this. We're very grateful to a company called Rosie's Reading in Tasmania. They're just getting started, and they're planning on rolling out in two suburbs across Tasmania. Both of those, I'm very grateful to say, are in Bass, in some of our most needy communities. This charity is working towards providing one book each month, from birth up until five years of age, for every child born within these two suburbs. What an incredible gift for those families. But what can parents do? We've talked about governments and we've talked about schools, but there is a responsibility here on parents. So I beg. I beg to parents: read aloud to your child every single day. We know that shared book reading has very, very positive effects on children's language. It has positive impacts on the quality of their interactions. It helps them understand the meaning of more words. It helped them understand and share their ideas and share what they need. We need to talk together, and we need to help build vocabulary. We talk about vocabulary, but very few people actually understand how important it is. Vocabulary size is a strong prediction for reading comprehension, but it's also a long-term indicator of academic or vocational success. We need to make sure that all children have a broad vocab. This means that they can share their feelings and engage in debate. We know, particularly here in this place, that vocabulary is a very important thing. We need to be able to share our constituents' needs. We know that evidence based teaching and family engagement will boost outcomes for children moving forward. I often have parents ask me: 'Where do I start? How I do help my child gain these skills, gain a love of reading and gain that critical vocabulary?' I say to parents, start with the books you loved as a child. Spot was one of my favourites. Room on the Broom is another fantastic text; it's fun, engaging and has rhyme and rhythm. Make that a ritual. Ten to 15 minutes before bed each night not only gives you that one-on-one time with your child; it also makes a lifetime impact on what they can do for their future. Talk about new words. Pick out two or three new words from every text that you read with your child. Explain what they mean. Use them at breakfast the next day. That is critical. Our libraries are incredible places and so underutilised, I think, particularly for Bass. You walk in there and it is safe, it is quiet and it is calm. There are so many stories and so many adventures you can pick up off each shelf. Read aloud to your child. If we can help parents read aloud every day—if we can promote that in this place, with our reach and what we do here—then we can help children enjoy reading from the very earliest years. We can help them enjoy it at home, in early learning and with evidence based teaching in every classroom. I'm very excited to say that that will help Tasmania to be a stronger, much more capable society which can advocate on its own behalf. Mental Health 80 12:50 Mr WALLACE 265967 Fisher Mental health is an issue that has been one of the four pillars that I have staked my parliamentary career on. It's very, very important to me, because I know it's important to the people of Fisher. I know it's important to almost every Australian. Around eight Australians take their own lives each and every single day. For every person that takes their own life, 30 people attempt it. Those statistics are chilling, and they impact on so many people. When one person decides to take their own life, or to try, the knock-on effect for friends, family and co-workers is unbelievably devastating. Putting aside friends, family and co-workers, it directly impacts 240 people every day, and that's just those who are seeking to take their own lives. I'm proud to say that I am the co-chair of the Parliamentary Friends of Mental Health. At every opportunity in the last nine years, I've come to this place, whether in the chamber or at public-speaking events, and I have taken the opportunity to speak about the prevalence of mental health and how we can care for those people and their families. This is not going to be a beat up of the government, because this has been a very long journey that I have walked for many, many years. But federal and state governments of all persuasions just do not do enough. Having said that, I've said before that this government does not get mental health, and I mean it. They don't understand the pressure faced by millions of Australians, their families and their loved ones. I believe that this government doesn't get the impact of mental health on Australia as a whole—on our economy, our productivity and all aspects of our lives. Nearly half of all Australians will experience mental illness in their lifetime, and at least one in five Australians experience some form of mental illness in any given year. Just think about those figures. Nearly half of all Australians will experience mental illness in their lifetime. We should never forget that the first thing the current government did when it came to power was to cut the number of Medicare subsidised psychologist visits from 20 to 10 over the period of a year. The increase to 20 visits was introduced by the coalition during the COVID-19 era, and the decision by this government to remove these visits was an indication that it simply does not understand the huge impact of mental health on everyday Australians. Suicide Prevention Australia CEO, Nieves Murray, said at the time that the decision was very concerning when distress within the community was high. She said: The decision to remove extra mental health supports at a time when interest rates are rising, housing pressure is growing and distress is high is baffling and very concerning. The decision had an immediate impact when, during the continuing cost-of-living crisis, many Australians were forced to compromise their mental health care and even postpone critical mental health care. From opposition, we've been leading the way on mental health, and I'm proud of what we have achieved, especially in my own seat of Fisher. Many of the things that I'm about to talk about were things and programs that we were able to achieve whilst we were in government. Since my election in 2016, with the support of the then coalition federal government—I want to send a shout-out to the best health minister this country has ever seen, and that was Greg Hunt, the member for Flinders—the Sunshine Coast has become a true leader in mental health research and treatment. The then coalition federal government funded more than $30 million worth of cutting-edge mental health projects on the Sunshine Coast, including $8.3 million for a national PTSD centre managed by the UniSC Thompson Institute, $11.8 million for research and treatment programs into dementia, youth mental health and suicide at the Sunshine Coast Mind and Neuroscience at the UniSC Thompson Institute, $7.3 million for the construction and continued operation of Australia's first residential eating disorder facility in my home town of Mooloolah Valley. We put $3.2 million towards an Australian-first eating disorder treatment trial, delivered through the Sunshine Coast Primary Health Network. We funded a brand-new headspace in Caloundra to tackle youth mental health. We provided further funding for the Nurture Festival, which is on again this weekend. The Nurture Festival connects young people and their families with local mental health support services. This was in addition to the $53 million out of the Liberal-National government's record $1.45 billion of funding for community mental health services in our then last budget, with $53 million allocated to the Sunshine Coast Primary Health Network. I am also a co-chair of the Parliamentary Friends of Eating Disorders, again an issue of huge and growing importance in our society. As co-chair, I can say we have quite a lot planned for this year. I'm especially proud of the coalition government's decision to provide $3.2 million for an Australian-first pilot to improve the treatment and care of people with eating disorders in Fisher. It was based on the building of Australia's first residential eating disorder facility that Greg Hunt and I worked together to secure. We secured around $70 million to roll out one of those eating disorder facilities in every state in this country. Through the Butterfly Foundation, we provided $1.4 million to run a pilot project on the Sunshine Coast. The national pilot supported over 240 patients, trialling new ways to support people with eating disorders, which will ultimately inform future support for patients around Australia. I want to send a shout-out to Mark and Gayle Forbes from endED, who are the masterminds of the building of Australia's first residential eating disorder facility. They've moved on from Wandi Nerida and the Butterfly Foundation and have now created their own purpose-built step-up, step-down facility, which I was at on Friday. Mark and Gayle Forbes are amazing Australians who have given so much to our local community. They've won all sorts of citizenship prizes, but no prize can really reflect the amount of time, blood, sweat, tears and money that Mark and Gayle Forbes have put into caring for Australians with eating disorders. Eating disorders are an insidious disease that impacts not exclusively but particularly young Australians—and particularly young women. The advent of social media has seen an explosion of eating disorders in our community. The member for Flinders and I have worked together very hard on social media issues. She's done a terrific job. We've got to get kids off devices, where kids are constantly bombarded with images of the 'perfect body', which is almost entirely unattainable. The social media platforms are constantly pumping images of sixpacks to young boys and the so-called 'perfect body' to young women. It is incredibly sad that the age of people who are suffering from eating disorders gets younger and younger. What most people don't realise is that more Australians die of eating disorders in this country than are killed on our roads. We have to do better in relation to the care of people with mental health problems right across the board and in particular in relation to eating disorders. Kiama Municipal Council, New South Wales: Kiama By-Election 82 13:00 Mrs PHILLIPS 147140 Gilmore I support the motion that grievances be noted, and I do have a grievance. It's a grievance that I really wish I didn't have to make, but I am at my wit's end. Kiama Municipal Council, it seems, has just not learnt anything from sticking its nose into the federal election campaign. Now it's moved into what can only be described as political meddling in the Kiama state by-election. Many will not know that, during the final weeks of the federal election, Kiama council was engaging in the strangest behaviour. I was hounded by the deputy mayor, Melissa Matters, demanding to meet. There were bizarre advocacy videos by the deputy mayor for projects that weren't shovel-ready, along with some incorrect facts, while the mayor, Cameron McDonald, was away. They looked more like Liberal and Dutton promotional pieces. Beforehand, there were even photos of the mayor, Cameron McDonald, with pro-nuclear Peter Dutton. The CEO, on behalf of council, threatened me with legal action. There were unusual and harshly toned letters from the CEO. It was not the kind of council I knew. Something was very, very wrong, and I could not quite put my finger on it. Needless to say, I kept going, and thankfully, with the many positive policies of the Labor government and my track record of delivery, that's what people voted for. As a result, people in Kiama will benefit from Labor slashing 20 per cent off student debt, introducing five per cent home deposits for first home buyers from 1 October, protecting penalty rates and providing cheaper medicines. We already know that Gilmore has the highest take-up of solar home batteries in New South Wales, which people in Kiama are benefiting from as they help drive down power bills and support local businesses and jobs. I gave Kiama council the benefit of the doubt after the federal election. I have always considered myself to be very fair, and I honestly thought things were better. So you can imagine my surprise when Mayor McDonald, all of a sudden and multiple times, again started to use council resources and ratepayer funds, so close to the Kiama by-election, to have a clear political whack at the state Labor government, not once, not twice, but three times—actually, I'm sure it's more by now. In doing so, he's also had a stab at the federal government. I've had enough, so today I'm airing my grievance, because people in Kiama do deserve better than a politically meddling Kiama council that often hasn't done the work to get projects ready to fund, that has lied to Kiama ratepayers or just hasn't told the whole truth, and that provides just about no recognition of federal or state funding. Well, that stops right here today. I'm setting the record straight because I can and I will. I say this to the mayor and deputy mayor of Kiama council: advocacy is all year round. Do it earlier and provide it to all levels of government MPs. It shouldn't be political. Make sure projects included are shovel-ready; otherwise, you're all hot air. And don't outright lie to Kiama ratepayers when federal and state funding has been provided or is available. Apply for available grants. Don't let them go begging, as is so often the case with Kiama council. Maybe try promoting and being thankful for projects that include federal and state funding, instead of just having a go at other levels of government. I really hoped the mayor, deputy mayor and CEO had learnt from their federal election shenanigans, but I was wrong. For the record, the federal and state governments have both provided significant disaster recovery funding and infrastructure betterment funding for Jamberoo Mountain Road. As to the Kiama Sports Complex, which we all want to happen, the federal government's Local Roads and Community Infrastructure fund provided funding towards the master plan. I'm glad council has progressed the master plan and draft options are out with the community, but council has not adopted the final plan. The project is not shovel ready. I wish it were, because there are federal funding streams that Kiama council could apply for if it were ready to go. I have raised this with the federal minister and continue to provide advice and support for the dedicated and patient volunteers of the Kiama District Sports Association. Similarly, Kiama council's plan for Jamberoo Community Preschool—is it shovel ready? No, not at all. I agree it's a much-needed service, but Kiama council needs to play its part in order to get it off the ground. Kiama council, despite repeated attempts by me, has not addressed flooding issues at the current preschool site. It has not put in an application under the Disaster Ready Fund, nor does it even have a shovel-ready alternative site. So to see it appearing in some mayoral political promo video is, quite frankly, disingenuous. Then there are the exorbitant legal costs of Kiama council, paid for by ratepayers, which should be going into local community infrastructure, like lights at Mick Cronin Oval and at the Kiama Sports Complex. I don't know any other council that instigated a costly and unnecessary legal dispute with a local surf lifesaving club, like Kiama council did with Gerringong Surf Life Saving Club. Despite delivering $5.5 million for a stunning new clubhouse—an important community facility—I copped nothing but grief, disdain and some type of weird punishment from the Kiama council deputy mayor and CEO, and horrible toned letters from the Kiama council CEO. These are not typical actions of a local council, and you have to ask yourself why. Kiama council should really take a leaf out of Shoalhaven City Council's book, and I don't say that lightly, because Shoalhaven council has its challenges, too. But you certainly don't see Shoalhaven council exhibiting behaviour like the mayor of Kiama council is exhibiting, despite both being local government areas in the Kiama by-election. I've had enough. I call time on the behaviour coming from the mayor of Kiama council. I've really tried. I grieve that Kiama ratepayers are told the truth. Recently, I announced, from the Albanese Labor government, more federal funding for terrific local community projects: the Kiama Downs Surf Life Saving Club, Jamberoo Youth Hall, Gerringong & District Historical Society & Museum, Kiama Central Netball Club, Kiama Pipe Band, and Gerringong and Jamberoo public schools P&C associations. This builds on many other terrific local projects delivered under Labor, like headspace Kiama, upgrades at Gerringong Golf Club and the new Gerringong Surf Life Saving Club. We have a terrific opportunity to have a wonderful local advocate in Katelin McInerney, who I know will deliver for local people in the Kiama electorate, from West Nowra, Bomaderry, North Nowra, Shoalhaven Heads, Gerringong, Kiama, Jamberoo, Minnamurra and everywhere to the north, south and west in the Kiama state electorate. Katelin is a local mum. She wants her young son, William, to be able to go to school locally and use our upgraded hospitals under Labor and, like me, she wants all people to be able to live and work locally and to enjoy our most magnificent area. Together, we're fighting for people in Kiama, whether it's slashing 20 per cent off student debt, five per cent home deposits for first home buyers, cheaper home batteries that are slashing energy costs, Kiama headspace, upgraded schools and hospitals, the free Medicare urgent care clinic coming to Nowra or an upgraded Medicare mental health centre at Nowra. Labor is investing in local community infrastructure and roads, with free TAFE, the Jervis Bay flyover, the Nowra bypass and short-, medium- and longer term solutions for the Hampden Bridge at Kangaroo Valley. Katelin McInerney is a fighter and a strong local voice for Kiama. Only a Minns and Albanese Labor government, together, will truly deliver for people in Kiama. Casey Electorate: Small Business, Casey Electorate: Roads, Victoria: Crime 83 13:09 Mr VIOLI 300147 Casey I'm very lucky to represent the electorate of Casey. It's where I've spent my life as a third-generation local. One of the core parts of our community is our small businesses, and I spent 15 years, prior to politics, working in and with small business. I always make sure I talk about the strength of our small businesses but acknowledge their challenges and make sure we are making a difference in their lives—because small business, really, is the heartbeat of a community like mine. They do so much to give back, sponsoring football clubs, any charity, any organisation—a small business will be there giving back. I get to go to many footy clubs and many cricket clubs. A lot of clubs have the signage around the side. Deputy Speaker, you will know, representing your electorate, that they are all small and family businesses. I've not seen a large multinational sponsoring any of our local clubs. When our small businesses are strong, our families are strong, because every small business is a family business. It might be a first-generation new business or a second- or third-generation, but someone in that family has taken a risk. They have put on the line their final safety to create something, to create a better life for themselves and for their children. Earning a wage is important. I've worked as an employer before, and it's important that we have that. There is a sense of security knowing that every week or every fortnight the money that you've earnt as a wage will go into your account, but there is that insecurity for small business owners and sacrifices that they make. In many ways, it takes a level of courage, and it is a family endeavour, because it's not just the husband or the wife; many times, both are in the business. If a wife is running the business, the husband also carries the financial stress of that irregular pay. The sad reality under the Albanese Labor government is that we've seen record insolvencies for small business. We've seen more small businesses going under. That means more families not being able to provide the financial security that their family needs, that their kids need, that the community needs. So we need a strong small-business sector to have strong families so he we have strong communities, and that ladders up to a strong nation. But this government has abandoned small businesses. We do not hear them talk at all about small business in this country. In the last term of parliament, this government, through the Minister for Small Business, brought forward only one bill in three years to help small and family businesses in our country. They have been completely abandoned. Since the election result on 3 May, we have not heard this government talk about the need to help and support small business. They have continued to vacate the field, continued to let families down. I was proud to be part of a coalition government—you hear a bit of spin from those opposite about our policies at the last election, but I was proud of our policies when it came to small business, and I will continue to work internally to make sure we bring forward positive policies to help small business. Our three-year entrepreneurship accelerator program was a brilliant program that allowed new businesses in their first two years to reduce tax on the first $200,000 of taxable income that they earn. Many small and family businesses in those first couple of years don't earn that taxable income, but, when they did, we were going to let them keep more of it, because we knew that every small and family business would put it back into the business to continue to grow. We also, despite the government cutting the instant asset write-off, committed to making it permanent and increasing it to $30,000 for businesses. I've spoken before about the importance of the digital economy and the tech sector for our country and for our businesses. That's why we had a policy that, if a tech spend for a small business with under $10 million of revenue exceeded $4,000, they would receive a tax deduction of $2,000 to encourage them to continue to invest in technology to drive productivity and to ensure that their business was sustainable into the long term. There is so much more that needs to be done to help our small businesses. They essentially want us to create a framework so the economy is strong so that they can go about their business. That's what we need to do. That's what this government is failing to do. But there are ways, as I've just outlined, that we can continue to support them. All of these initiatives are unique because they're not handouts of cash to these businesses. That's not what they're asking for. They're saying: 'If I'm investing in my business through technology, partner with me. Let me have a bit of that back as tax relief.' That's what they deserve. If small business is the heart of our economy and our community in Casey, roads are a crucial part of the infrastructure to allow our businesses to thrive and to allow the community to go about their day. We do not have close networks where schools are five minutes away. We're an electorate of 2,700 square kilometres, and people have to drive hours at a time to get the support that they need. The roads in Casey and in Victoria aren't up to scratch. It's harder for families to get to school, tradies to get to work or locals to get to shops and appointments. It is very dangerous. I've had experiences when living and driving in our community where I have hit potholes that have resulted in dangerous situations for me and my family, and I hear about this time and time again from our community. It also drives the cost of living up for our community to replace tyres and to pay for mechanical work. It is completely unacceptable in 2025 that the roads in Casey are not first-class roads. The state Labor government and the Albanese Labor government have continued to pull money out of road maintenance in our state and in my community, and it is unacceptable. It impacts the businesses of Casey, particularly our farmers and agricultural businesses. When they are trying to take their quality produce to the markets, Woolworths, Coles or the shops, potholes damage the produce, resulting in wastage and cost for our businesses. As the member for Flinders knows, we have a lot of tradies in Casey, and they find it hard when their utes—their tool of the trade—are damaged and off the road. This costs them time and money. One day, the electorate of Flinders might get more tradies than in Casey, but it's not today. It's important we continue to invest in these projects. A project I've spoken about a lot—and I will continue to talk about until the Allan Labor government get their act together—is the Maroondah Highway and Killara Road in Coldstream. In 2019, the Liberal government gave the state government $20 million to deliver the project. In 2025, we are still waiting, despite the Allan Labor government committing to start the project at the end of 2024 and the start of 2025. This is a road that impacts tourism; it impacts safety; it impacts all of our local community. The state government have been holding this money for almost six years. It's time they get on and deliver the project. When I'm out doorknocking and talking to my community, one of the concerns that is raised the most is the increase in crime we're experiencing in Victoria. It's heartbreaking to hear the stories of people fearing for their lives and to see the videos and the testimonials. Criminal incidents in the Yarra Ranges area of my community are up 22.1 per cent; in Nillumbik, 38 per cent; and in Manningham, 9.8 per cent. These aren't statistics; these are real people that are impacted by these incidents. The Allan Labor government has failed the Victorian people time and time again. That's why I'm backing Brad Battin and our local state MPs Bridget Vallence, Cindy McLeish, David Hodgett and Nicole Werner—to make sure that they can keep Victorians safe. They've got a simple plan. If you break bail, you will face jail. It's not that complicated. There have to be consequences for your actions. This plan is going to close loopholes, end the exemptions and restore real consequences for criminal behaviour. That is what we need. We need to feel safe in our community. If you commit a crime and there are no consequences, you will feel embolden to do it again and again. I've heard stories from local police officers who have been taunted by criminals that are saying: 'Lock me up. I'll be back here in our community before you get back from the magistrates court.' And that's what happens—local criminals commit a crime, get bail, turn up at a police station and taunt the police officers because the police do not have the support they need. Brad Battin and the state Liberals have a plan to make sure all Victorians are safe, and I'm backing them in November of 2026. Werriwa Electorate: Infrastructure 85 13:19 Ms STANLEY 265990 Werriwa I rise to discuss my community in the south-west to ensure that our voice is heard in this place. I was disappointed to hear the New South Wales premier comment recently that building additional rail links from the new airport to south-west Sydney were not a priority. It makes sense to have a rail line to the south of the Western Sydney International Airport. This rail line will link Bradfield to Leppington and Macarthur to Kingsford Smith airport. The federal government has already announced a billion dollars to start this process by making land acquisitions for this corridor so that in this future this rail line can be built. I've spoken in this place about the good working relationship between the federal government and the New South Wales state government, such as finalising Elizabeth Drive West, the new driveway to Western Sydney Airport, as part of the M12 Motorway project, or the M5 westbound upgrade, with 50-50 funding from both governments to cover the cost of a $380 million project. We've understood the benefits of cooperation to deliver the best results for everyone, but, of course, it is still my duty to point out when my area of the world gets taken for granted. As soon as the Albanese Labor government was elected, I went straight to work to secure as much funding as I could. I've been witness to the shocking inactions by previous governments, so I made every representation I could. I'm certain that my continual advocacy has been a nuisance, but I won't change and be silent when my community needs more. That's why I can't be silent when the funding that I've fought for, that my community has given me a mandate to follow through on, is being left unspent. In December last year, the Albanese Labor government announced $61.6 million for 15 projects in the Greater Sydney area. That was through the Thriving Suburbs Program. This secured funding for the construction of Austral local park 22. Austral is a fast-growing suburb in my electorate. It has very few parks that the community can use. Liverpool City Council states that it anticipates on-site construction to begin in February 2026, more than 18 months away. When I asked council why it was taking so long to start construction, I was told that time was needed to procure a qualified design consultant and that, after that, a procurement process would be needed to appoint a suitably qualified contractor. On the surface, these sound like reasonable measures, but remember that it was council that asked for this grant and said that it was ready for this project. If I had a degree of trust in this council, I'd take them at their word. However, the truth about trusting governments is not that it's given freely; it's earned. Trust is built up over time. If you say you will do, and you deliver on that, people will be inclined to afford you the benefit of the doubt. The bond is fragile. When you lose the confidence of the community, it's gone—you create a trust deficit, and it will take a lot of hard work to be taken at your word again. I cannot think of a more prominent example of council's failure that has obliterated trust with the community than the case of the roundabout at the intersection of Fifteenth Avenue and Twenty-Eighth Avenue. I'm sure some people in this room have heard about it. It's a debacle. It failed the basic requirement of being round. Most roundabouts are round; it was diamond shaped. Council decided not to follow the original design, and the residents paid the price. The feature required motorists to take multiple point turns on an already highly congested road. As you can imagine, there is footage all over the internet of the near misses and chaos. Roundabouts are often referred to as 'traffic-calming devices'. Suffice to say, this was the opposite. It was referred to in some news bulletins as 'the worst roundabout in Australia'. Council attempted to quickly remove the diamond roundabout, but, in their haste, they created further problems. Temporary road works were washed away by heavy rain, leaving a large pothole in the intersection, creating more unnecessary frustration for residents. When questioned on how the debacle was approved, council said that it didn't know—it didn't know who approved it; it didn't know who awarded the contract to build it. Why was it decided that the design should be changed? Nobody knows. How much did it cost ratepayers? They're not sure, although there have been media reports that the debacle cost at least $130,000. I truly think the saddest thing for all of us who regularly use Fifteenth Avenue is that council's failure isn't even that much of a shock. Fifteenth Avenue had a recurring site of failure after failure by Liverpool council—a failure to plan for the future, a failure to listen to residents raising alarms and a failure to act decisively to stop Fifteenth Avenue from becoming the mess it now is. It should be noted that Fifteenth Avenue was council's responsibility, but it's fallen to the federal and state governments to fix it. We've both contributed to make a $1 billion investment to transform Fifteenth Avenue into a critical transport link. The Albanese government recognises the importance of investing in south-west Sydney. Projects like Fifteenth Avenue, Westlink M7 and the Western Sydney International (Nancy-Bird Walton) Airport will support growth and jobs in Western Sydney. There are early works on Fifteenth Avenue to mark the beginning of the upgrade. Over the coming months, consultation with the community will inform planning and design before exhibition. It's a shame that it has taken the federal and state governments stepping in to make it right, but, if council abdicates its responsibilities, the least it could do is complete projects that the federal government has already provided ample funding for. There are still large infrastructure projects that remain in the planning phase, such as the Kurrajong Road intersection upgrade at Beech Road and Lyn Parade, in Prestons. This has been 100 per cent funded by the Albanese Labor government, topped up with funding in December 2024, but council has not yet awarded a contract or undertaken the significant utility preworks that need to be done. This means that, even when construction is ready to proceed, it will still be delayed. Council state they expect construction to be finished in early 2027, and I intend to hold them to that. The federal government has also contributed $6 million to the Middleton Drive extension. That was in October 2022. Surprise, surprise—it's also still in planning three years later. The current expectations are that construction will commence later this year and finish next year. Again, if council had presented a history of completing projects on time, on budget and fit for purpose, I might be inclined to agree that that's what they'll deliver. But we have to face reality. We have a council that is before a public inquiry. It's been stated that $5 million has been spent on staff payouts in the last three years. Predictably, we have heard there is an exhaustion of all cash reserves. As a former councillor and long-term resident, I am distressed by the state of so many things in our area—the lack of vision and support to staff to plan and ensure that things get done and that the community get what they are supposed to get. I will never abandon the fight to make sure our community gets its fair share. If others are not willing to help, then they should at least stop getting in the way. I look forward to working with the council to make sure that these deliveries are made very soon. The DEPUTY SPEAKER 11788 There being no further grievances, 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 13:27 to 16:00 CONSTITUENCY STATEMENTS 86 CONSTITUENCY STATEMENTS Wentworth Electorate: Sport 86 16:00 Ms SPENDER 286042 Wentworth I want to take this opportunity today to congratulate some incredible sporting groups in my electorate of Wentworth. Firstly, the Easts Rugby Club's Beasties capped off their 125th year with four teams in the grand finals last weekend—and congratulations in particular to the third- and fourth-grade teams who came away with a win. While I'm gutted to see that the first-grade team lost to the member for McKellar's Warringah Rugby Club and that the Colts team lost to Randwick, I know how proud the community is of all the players. These losses take nothing away from the incredible year the Easts have had. I also want to congratulate Emerald City Kickball for their nomination for the Caption by Hyatt Connecting Communities Award from Awards Australia. Founded in Wentworth in 2020, Emerald City Kickball has since expanded to Perth and Melbourne, with Brisbane and New Zealand on the way. They have created more than a sports league; they have created a broad and inclusive environment and a vibrant community of LGBTQIA+ Australians who, through kickball, can connect, lead and thrive. Their impact extends beyond the field—supporting mental health initiatives, standing up for equality and partnering with festivals and research institutions. I am proud to have thrown the first pitch on their tournament day—it was quite an education for me—and to work alongside them in championing inclusivity. I wish them the best of luck with the awards and look forward to celebrating their fifth anniversary soon. Finally, I'd like to acknowledge another wonderful organisation, Woollahra Colleagues Rugby Union Football Club. I recently met representatives to hear about their clubhouse upgrade plans, and I'm very glad to add my voice of support to this and their future endeavours. I want to congratulate them on their inaugural women's team and their longstanding support of the LGBTQIA+ community. The Colleagues club helped pave the way by creating Australia's first gay and inclusive rugby team, the Sydney Convicts, in 2004. Today, the Convicts are the most successful club to have competed in the Bingham Cup, inspiring players across Australia and the globe to push back against homophobia in sport and to show that sport is best when it is welcoming to all in the community. Congratulations once again to all the sporting clubs in Wentworth for their incredible efforts and results. Kiely Plumbing 87 16:02 Ms URQUHART 231199 Braddon The Minister for Skills and Training, Andrew Giles, and I recently visited Kiely Plumbing in Burnie, in the electorate of Braddon. Thank you to Sam Kiely and his team for hosting us. Kiely Plumbing started in 1967 in Sam's pop's shed in Sulphur Creek. It has grown into a well-respected, modern, family owned and operated business. Kiely Plumbing is focused on delivering great service to customers and building a healthy and safe workplace culture with a focus on equality, diversity and inclusion. I was very impressed with the young apprentices I met during my visit, including Isabella, a young woman working in what is still a non-traditional trade for women. She's being encouraged and supported in her chosen trade, and the minister and I enjoyed hearing about her experience. Kiely Plumbing is the first business in Tasmania to partner with Tradeswomen Australia. This is what Sam has to say about that partnership: We believe there is absolutely nothing more important than equality in life. It led us to partner with Tradeswomen Australia and participate in their Workplace Diversity Project. Proud to say we have employed our first woman apprentice and strive to create an inclusive workplace for future female tradeswomen. And it's not just in the workshop that he is encouraging girls and women to meet their potential. Sam wrote Plumbing Power with Mila and Maya to show that there's no limit to what girls can do, to encourage more women into trades and, in his words, 'to show kids that trade jobs aren't just about tools; they are about superpowers.' Congratulations to Sam and the team at Kylie Plumbing. Aged Care 87 16:04 Ms STEGGALL 175696 Warringah The government's response to the final report of the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety in May 2021 assured us that 'the respect for senior Australians is, and must be, a national priority,' and yet here we are, with Australia's aged-care system in deep crisis. The lack of access to home-care packages hurts older Australians and their families. Meanwhile, our hospitals will remain overcrowded, our nurses overstretched and our seniors left without the care they deserve. In Warringah, my office recently met with a nurse who described the heartbreaking practice of so-called 'granny dumping'—families leaving elderly relatives at hospital emergency departments because they cannot access home-care packages or aged care. More and more seniors turn up to emergency departments with non-urgent needs because it is the only way for them to get help. This is exhausting our health system and placing an unsustainable strain on other healthcare workers. At the centre of this crisis is the lack of home-care packages. The purpose is to ensure that people can stay at home for longer with the care they need, yet today over 121,000 Australians are waiting to be assessed. Another 87,000 have been approved but are still waiting for services. These delays mean older people are forced into residential care too early; remain stuck in hospital beds, blocking access for others with urgent needs; or simply die waiting for help. The government promised 83,000 new home-care packages in July but delayed them until November. Unfortunately, this will not work, and there are no intervening provisions. It will make do for those who have been approved and it puts a short-term dent in the current waitlist, but it does not progress the problem. Too many are dying waiting to be assessed or waiting for packages. There is no sense economically. It leaves families across so many areas desperate for support. Every day of delay costs lives, dignity and health. In July, I joined David Pocock and crossbench colleagues in calling on the government to act without delay. We wrote to the minister for aged care, urging immediate release of additional packages—some 20,000. This is not just about packages; it is about people, the dignity of older Australians and the wellbeing of their families and communities. We need this immediate release of current home-care packages today, not 1 November, not when it might be convenient. We need to make sure we have the skills and the committed workforce to deliver these services. I'm urging the government to act. We've seen in question time this week constant delays and, really, bluster from the minister but not real action. It's time for home-care packages to support older Australians. Banks Electorate: Community Events 87 16:07 Mr SOON 298618 Banks I rise to acknowledge some of the community groups, organisations and events in my electorate that I've had the pleasure of meeting with over the last few weeks. On Saturday, before heading back down here to Canberra for this parliamentary sitting, I dropped into the Oatley West Community Festival, held at Oatley West Public School. The festival has been the highlight on the community's calendar for more than 40 years and fundraises for the school's P&C. The event on Saturday was a fantastic success. There was a great atmosphere, and it was heartening to see so many families and members of our community enjoying themselves with rides, market stalls, an art show, a silent auction, food and entertainment. I must admit I enjoyed the rides myself as well as some of the food that was on offer. Congratulations to Oatley West Public School's P&C for another successful festival, and thank you in particular to Chris Chuck from the P&C for showing me around on the day. I look forward to returning next year. On 19 August I had the privilege of attending the HSC showcase at Sir Joseph Banks High School in Revesby. It was a great evening highlighting the extraordinary talent of so many students who have completed their year 12 major works. There were textile works, visual representations of computer programs, visual arts and an amazing drama and musical performance that I got to see in person. Congratulations to all the students, teachers and families involved. Further, the state government has begun building a new facility at the high school. I look forward to seeing what the school can do with even more facilities at hand. Finally, I would like to recognise local Picnic Point resident John Shields. John is a Vietnam veteran and a proud Australian. Several times throughout the year, John will hold memorial services in the front yard of his home to honour Australia's fallen. On 18 August, I had the honour of joining one of John's services to honour Vietnam veterans and the contribution of the many service men and women during the Vietnam conflict. As always, John's service was well attended and supported by people like Jon Guyer, the senior minister at Panania Anglican Church. I had the privilege of laying a wreath alongside my colleague, the state minister for East Hills, Kylie Wilkinson. I would like to thank John for his work in honouring the men and women who wear Australia's uniform, and I look forward to attending future services at his home. Once again, thank you, John Shields, for celebrating and recognising the contribution of our armed services here in Australia and in our community. Disability Services 88 16:10 Mr THOMPSON 281826 Herbert Every Australian should have fair access to air travel, yet so many Australians with disabilities face severe barriers to travel, often left with no options. Julie Brice is a structural engineer, in Townsville, with a spinal cord injury. She relies on a specialised 195-kilogram wheelchair to get by. She has faced significant barriers when trying to fly, due to airline restrictions. Julie has been told not to fly and to 'just drive'. In a worse case, she pays someone to drive her wheelchair to the destination. Julie suffers from severe medical issues while flying without her wheelchair. Those risks include blood pressure drops and fainting. Air travel without her wheelchair is impossible. At the outset, airlines rejected Julie's requests to travel, due to the weight limits. This forced her to either travel without her wheelchair or, like I said, someone drive the 28 hours to Adelaide. The Labor government's Aviation white paper: towards 2050 fails to require airlines to accommodate people with disabilities. The current legislation has a loophole which allows airlines to opt out of assisting passengers with needs like Julie's. It's not good enough to turn a blind eye to people with disabilities. Everyone has the right to travel. So, together, Julie and I wrote to the transport minister. We requested an urgent government review into the legislation loophole which allows airlines to ignore people with disabilities. This was not met with an answer. Julie and I had to go the media, raise the alarm and start the fight. As a result of Julie's dedication and advocacy, Qantas agreed to change its booking system to accommodate people with a disability. Now, when people book, they can click a special link that takes them to a page that will allow the airline to show the availability of an aircraft that can take a wheelchair. I've also pledged to work with Julie. Julie is an engineer and can help with refits for specialised wheelchairs. We've also met with Virgin Australia, They will work with Julie on her recommendations and action her requests. This victory is for all Australians with a disability. It was driven by Julie Brice and our regional Queensland community. We have secured fairer travel for people with disability—but more needs to be done. A disability shouldn't mean you can't travel. A disability shouldn't mean you should be restricted. We will continue the fight so that all people can fly. Werriwa Electorate: Parish of St Anthony of Padua, Werriwa Electorate: Ganeshotsava, James, Mrs Margaret Ann 88 16:14 Ms STANLEY 265990 Werriwa Our community is celebrating a number of milestones this year. Last Friday night, the parish of St Anthony of Padua celebrated 60 years of ministry to the Austral and wider community. Over 350 parishioners, families, clergy and dignitaries joined Father Ronnie Maree, Bishop Tony Percy and Simon Ghantous, the principal of St Anthony of Padua. It was a wonderful celebration of the parish and its volunteers over 60 years. In the last 60 years the church which has baptised 1,172 babies, performed 295 marriages, commended to God with a funeral for 262 souls, confirmed 1,071 people and performed over 31,000 masses. Eight parish priests have served the community, from Father Weaver to Father Ronnie Maree. Congratulations on the milestones, Father Ronnie. I look forward to working with you and the parishioners in the future. Over the last three days, the Hindu community in Liverpool have celebrated the feast of Ganeshotsava. The festival celebrates Lord Ganesha as the god of new beginnings, remover of obstacles and the god of wisdom and intelligence. For the last 30 years, the Friends of India have brought together family and friends to celebrate this event. In 1995, it was much smaller, with only several families coming together at someone's home to go through the rituals and join with friends. In 2025, there were more than 5,000 people present over the three days of the ceremony, dancing, sharing with food and sharing memories with friends. The dance group consisted of all members of the community, from tiny tots to adults, who had been practising for more than three months. The performances were, as always, spectacular. Congratulations to all on another successful event. I would also like to recognise the passing of a local resident, Margaret Ann James. Margaret's family lived in the local Lurnea area for a number of generations, and their long-time contributions to the community have been recognised in the naming of the local park, Phillips Park, for her family. The Jameses lived next to Lurnea Public School for all their married life, and I remember walking past their house and being greeted by her so often during my time attending the school. The Jameses were very active volunteers at the local church of the holy trinity at Lurnea and Denham Court Anglican Church, where Mrs James played the organ in services for many years. Margaret was also a part of Busby Liverpool Auxiliary and raised money for Liverpool Hospital and other charitable organisations. Margaret is survived by her husband of 63 years, Allan; her children Julie-Ann, Lisa and Linda; and grandchildren. I send my deepest condolences for their loss. Prime Minister 89 16:16 Mr TEHAN 210911 Wannon Last Thursday, I tried to do the Prime Minister a favour. He was off to Ballarat for the regional summit, and I suggested he needed to take some talking points with him. He needed talking points on road funding because they aren't investing in western Victorian roads like they should be. I said that he would need to think about social licence when it comes to transmission lines that they are trying to put through farms; social license about windfarms, which had just been imposed on local communities; and coming with some sort of drought funding package because he's delivered nothing for our drought-stricken farmers in western Victoria and in South Australia. He also would need to talk to the Premier about the fire services levy, which is a tax that has been imposed on volunteers who fight fires. They go out and keep the community safe, and here's the Victorian state Labor government taxing them for doing that. I thought that, if he took those talking points along to Ballarat, he might be ready for what he might get confronted with. The PM isn't really listening at the moment, so what happened? He went to Ballarat, he didn't have his proper talking points with them and he got run out of town. There were five trucks and tractors. They all queued up and they ran him out of town. We asked the PM about it today in question time—just a simple question. 'PM, why were you run out of town by tractors?' He couldn't answer. As a matter of fact, he tried to talk about everything else but the question we asked him. I got up and took a point of order, as you do, and said, 'PM, get back to the question and tell us why you were run out of town.' He then went on and blamed everyone else. I interjected—and I must admit it was an interjection that the Speaker looked upon and probably frowned at a little bit—and I said quite loudly that it reminded me a little bit of a scene out of Chariots of Fire, referring to that one where they run along the beach pretty quickly, That was what I was reminded of by the PM scooting out of Ballarat with the tractors following him. The PM must have had a little bit of a glass jaw. The Treasurer seemed to laugh, and every behind me laughed, but the PM just turned around and, out of the blue, said, 'You're a coward.' I just thought, gosh, we're having a little bit of lightheartedness. It's theatre. The PM just went bang. Of course I was very keen for the PM to withdraw that. I don't know whether he did or not because my Chariots of Fire remark led to the Speaker removing me from the chamber. But I hope the PM will withdraw and I hope the PM will begin to listen to the people of western Victoria Hughes Electorate: Community Events 89 16:19 Mr MONCRIEFF 316540 Hughes Heathdene has been such an important part of the Engadine community for generations. In August the church and the preschool both celebrated significant milestones, with the Heathcote Engadine Baptist Church celebrating 65 years and the Heathdene Preschool celebrating 50 years. On 17 August it was lovely to join the celebrations with the Heathdene community, which included a puppet show, live music, face painting and a photo gallery celebrating the decades of the preschool and the church. It was great to tour the revitalised facility with Kathleen, who's the director, and see the amazing services that are offered there. I want to thank the Heathdene community for all their contributions to our community over the last seven decades. We look forward to your work continuing over the decades to come. It's also been a significant period for our vibrant South-Asian community in south-western Sydney. On 14 August the Pakistani community celebrated Pakistan Independence Day, commemorating 78 years since Pakistan's independence from the British Raj. It was a pleasure to join the Pakistan Association of Australia on 23 August and witness the incredible dances and performances from the Pakistani Australian youth. It was amazing to see such diversity from across the regions of Pakistan on display. It was amazing to see all the different styles from all the different regions of Pakistan. It was fantastic to see that celebration on display. I want to thank the Pakistan Association of Australia and its general secretary, Nabeel Khan, for putting on this incredible celebration of Pakistani culture in Australia. On 15 August the Nepalese community celebrated Teej, which recognises the incredible role that women play in our communities. It was beautiful to witness the incredible dancing and performances and to learn some of the dance moves with them. I'm still very much in the early days of learning those dances; I must say it wasn't always an amazing sight. I want to thank the president of the Macarthur Region Nepalese Community, Usha Khadka, and vice president, Sony Tuladhar, for organising this event and helping Nepalese culture to prosper in Australia. It's fantastic to see so many people coming out to support a community that is very positive and makes such a big contribution to our society in south-western Sydney. Last week it was also fantastic to celebrate the Ganeshotsav 2025 festival with the Indian community in Liverpool and to see their amazing dances and celebrations of their culture. Lord Ganesha is the remover of obstacles. Just think about how many obstacles the Friends of India organisation have had to remove over the last 30 years. I want to thank Vinod Scindia for his efforts to organise that event and to say a big dhanyavaada and thankyou to the Friends of India for having me along to what was a fantastic occasion. Aged Care, Taxation, Child Care 90 16:22 Mr VENNING 315434 Grey Last year 5,000 elderly Australians died while waiting for the care they'd been promised. We learnt on Friday that more than 200,000 older Australians are still waiting for support. Of those, 122,000 are waiting to be assessed and another 87,000 are waiting for a package after being told they qualify. This is yet another broken election promise, one that comes with catastrophic consequences. I'd like you to reach out to me and my office if you, your parents or your grandparents are in this situation. The National Ageing Research Institute has shown that older Australians forced to wait longer than six months for a home-care package face an 18 per cent higher risk of death compared to those who receive support within 30 days. Yesterday Labor refused to rule out one of the most outrageous ideas we've heard yet: a tax on your spare bedroom. That's right, a so-called solution to the housing crisis will see Australians punished simply for the way they live in their homes. This comes off the back of a study showing many homes are occupied by one or two people and that three-quarters of homes have more than three bedrooms. Now, Labor want to use those numbers as a reason to put their hands deeper into your pockets. You might think I'm being ridiculous, but Labor has form on this. In Victoria they're already coming after families running a small businesses from their own home. And now here in Canberra, they are refusing to rule out a spare bedroom tax. Australians work hard, save hard and sacrifice for years to own their own home. A home is meant to be a place of security, not a target for government greed. This is insanity. I rise today to address one of the biggest issues facing families in regional South Australia—that is, the lack of access to child care. In today's cost-of-living crisis driven by Labor's reckless spending, energy policies and immigration settings, families need two incomes to raise a family. That makes child care not a luxury but a necessity. Yet, in Grey, empirically we have the worst access to child care in the entire country. Nearly one in three families simply don't have access—let alone, the enormous waitlist for those who do. I want to acknowledge the tireless efforts of the Regional Childcare Desert Advocacy Project, a consortium of 25 councils in my electorate who are working together to shine a light on this crisis and actually get something done. Alongside poor healthcare access and a shortage of housing, the lack of child care is the biggest handbrake on the development and progress of communities in regional and rural Australia. It holds back families; it holds back businesses; it holds back our future. What makes it worse is that this government is spending $8 billion a year on childcare subsidies that we can't access. Families in the regions are effectively paying taxes to subsidise child care in the cities. This is not just a policy failure; it is a moral failure. Families in regional and rural Australia deserve the same opportunities as families in Adelaide. Bass Electorate: Regional Development 90 16:26 Ms TEESDALE 314526 Bass On 20 August in Scottsdale at the heart of Dorset, I hosted my first regional roundtable as the member for Bass. I was joined by the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, the Hon. Julie Collins, and together we sat down with farmers, small-business operators, community leaders and the Dorset Council to discuss the future of north-east Tasmania. What struck me most is that Dorset is a community that knows its strengths and is ready to shape its own future. People welcomed the opportunity for Canberra to listen, and they made it clear what matters most. We heard about the significant issues: food security, freight, infrastructure, youth engagement and biosecurity. These are not abstract policy debates; these are daily realities for farmers, producers and businesses across our region. Farmers spoke about the pressures of changing land and environment. Businesses explained how they have been held back because they couldn't find the workers they need in regional locations. There was a clear call for more practical education options and training pathways to keep our young people in agriculture. Equally we talked about the services that hold communities together. Access to child care, mental health support and volunteers are not extras; they're the backbone of resilient towns. Without them, families can't get ahead and businesses cannot thrive. I particularly want to acknowledge those who joined the roundtable. Thank you to TasFarmers for giving a voice to our primary producers. Thank you to Rural Business Tasmania, who brought insights into the challenges of small farming enterprises. Thank you to Better Health 4 Dorset, who reminded us that good health and mental health support are essential to strong rural communities; Dorset Employment Connect, who underlined the importance of effective local job pathways; and Dorset neighbourhood house—who do exceptional work—who reminded us about the importance of looking after those who are our most vulnerable. Together with farming families, community organisations, the Mayor of Dorset Council and the Deputy Mayor of Dorset Council, these groups painted a picture of resilience, determination and opportunities for growth in their future. Dorset's story is Tasmania's story. It's full of opportunity, but it needs investment in people, services and infrastructure. I'm proud to say that our Albanese Labor government is delivering on that front. We've put in free TAFE for agricultural training, which is going exceptionally well for our regional communities. We've put in a record investment for housing, and I'm looking forward to working with Dorset Council to see how we can keep going with that in their area. We've put money into stronger community services and mental health support. We know we're on the right track, and I know that we cannot stop there. My commitment is clear: the people of north-east Tasmania will be heard here in Canberra. Casey Electorate: Community Events 91 16:28 Mr VIOLI 300147 Casey It's a privilege to be able to speak on the mighty work of the scout groups in my electorate, who support so many young leaders. I was able to visit many of these groups when they held their annual report and presentation, also known as an ARAP. Over the past month, I attended the 1st Kallista Scout Group's and the 1st Mooroolbark Scout Group's ARAP evenings. I was also at the 1st Lilydale Scout Group's presentation where the joeys, the cubs, the scouts, the venturers and the rovers put on a very successful progress dinner as they shared what they'd done in the last year. At Kallista, it was wonderful to present awards and to congratulate them on their achievements, including Lachlan, who was awarded the Joey Scout Challenge Award, and Jayden, who received the Grey Wolf Award—the highest achievement that you can receive in youth cub section. I'm looking forward to heading out to Upwey, later this week, to the footy club to use their rooms, which are a great community asset, to celebrate the local scouts for the whole of the Sherbrooke,Yarra Ranges, ARAP, which covers all of the electorate of Casey. Scouting groups play such an important role in supporting our young people, showing them how to lead, to be confident and to trust in their abilities. This wouldn't be possible without the volunteers and the parents who devote their time to the scouting cause. Congratulations to all recipients on receiving awards that reflect your high level of discipline, commitment and leadership. You've done all Scout leaders across Casey proud. Good luck on another year of scouting. The work of our local CFA brigades doesn't end when the siren stop, and that's why I was proud to hop on a bike recently to officially kick off the Badger Creek CFA 24-hour spinathon fundraiser. The team pledged to cycle for 24 hours to raise funds for the annual firefighter stair climb, which supports Lifeline, the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre and the 000 Foundation. I took the first pedal at 5 pm alongside CFA community safety coordinator Sally. From there, rosters of supporters kept the wheels turning until 5 pm the next day. It was a massive effort by the volunteers and their families, with support from the Healesville SES, the Healesville RSL and members of the community. After 24 gruelling hours the team had peddled over 600 kilometres and raised just over $3,300. Congratulations to the team at the Badger Creek CFA on your hard work, sweat and efforts paying off. When I arrived at the brigade I noticed a sign flashing which said the brigade had attended 110 incidents this year. It's a powerful reminder of how much our brigades and volunteers give to our community. To everyone at the Badger Creek CFA: thank you for being there for us when we need you and for always going above and beyond to support others in need. Macquarie Electorate 92 16:32 Ms TEMPLEMAN 181810 Macquarie I'm very proud of the work I did in two terms in opposition as the member for Macquarie, getting issues on the agenda and highlighting the needs of the Blue Mountains and the Hawkesbury. But, now, in our second term of government, I'm even more proud of the work Labor is doing to deliver solutions to many of the issues that were unaddressed for a decade under the Liberals. Much of what we've done has delivered to Australians across the country, like cheaper medicines and more bulk-billing, urgent care and endo clinics, Medicare mental health clinics and headspace. I know these also benefit people right across my communities, but I want to focus on some of the specifics delivered in Macquarie. We're delivering solar batteries to homes, businesses and community organisations. Already 587 batteries have been installed under the Cheaper Home Batteries Program, which puts us in the top 10 in the country. We're helping local first homebuyers with Labor's five per cent home deposits, and so far 997 people in Macquarie have been able to buy their first home with a five per cent deposit, or less, thanks to Labor's expanded Home Guarantee Scheme. Our skilled construction workforce has been supported with more than 545 construction trades apprentices in Macquarie benefiting from more than $5,000 incentive payments, and I have no doubt that the $10,000 incentive payment to apprentices commencing their careers in housing construction, from July, will also have a big take-up in Macquarie. Working with the New South Wales government, we're also delivering seven new and refurbished social homes in the Penrith local government area. We've delivered back-to-back increases to the maximum rates of Commonwealth rent assistance, which is supporting more than 7,350 people in Macquarie. There are two new homes in the Blue Mountains through the Albanese government's crisis accommodation program, providing transitional accommodation for women and children experiencing family and domestic violence. These will make a real difference. Our road funding, with extra to our region because we've been so badly affected by disasters, has meant our local councils have had the opportunity to upgrade and improve many more local roads, and that work continues. The latest list of roads under the ever-growing Roads to Recovery Program has the go-ahead in Nichols Parade in Mount Riverview and Percival Street in Clarendon. They're part of five years of funding for the Blue Mountains, worth more than $7.6 million, and more than $9.5 million for the Hawkesbury. The bottom line is that there's more funding for councils to look after your roads under Labor. National Disability Insurance Scheme 92 16:35 Mr WALLACE 265967 Fisher Over the past few weeks I've been inundated with messages from NDIS participants and allied health professionals across my electorate, all sharing the same story: the Albanese government's sudden changes to the NDIS pricing arrangements are unworkable and unfair, and they are causing pain. I've already met with allied health professionals, many of them small community based providers. They tell me that the reduction in professional fees and travel allowances will make it almost impossible to keep their doors open. I've also spoken to countless participants who rely on these services every single week. For them, these changes are not just numbers on a page; they are a direct threat to their independence, their mobility and their quality of life. One local participant—I'll call him Andrew S—lives with Parkinson's disease. Andrew is 57. He has a family and, until his diagnosis, was living a happy and productive life in sunny Caloundra. Now living with a progressive, life-limiting condition that steadily erodes function and independence, Andrew was recently reassessed as having higher support needs. His package was increased from $50,000 over three years to $144,000 over two years. On paper, this should have been a life-changing support. But, under these new NDIS rules, that funding is meaningless if his therapist cannot survive financially. He now faces the heartbreaking reality of dipping into his own savings and using his credit card to pay for critical therapy sessions—the very therapy sessions that the NDIS is meant to provide. Andrew told me: My disability is lifelong. Instead of my NDIS package supporting me, I'm left worrying about money while my kids watch me struggle with Parkinson's and the stress it brings. Sadly, Andrew's story is not unique, and it's a warning sign of what is coming for countless families if these changes go ahead unchecked. The coalition has formally written to the Minister for Disability and the National Disability Insurance Scheme, calling for these changes to be deferred for at least three months to allow for proper consultation and planning. We've made it clear that this is not just about numbers; it's about people, their families and their futures. We'll continue to hold the government to account and fight to protect participants and the providers they rely upon. If the government does not change course, it will not just be therapy services that close; it'll be the doors to independence and dignity for the most vulnerable of Australians. We've repeatedly said that we'll work with the government to make the NDIS more effective and more sustainable. However, throwing the baby out with the bathwater will only make life more difficult and more expensive for vulnerable Australians. Community Services 93 16:38 Mr THISTLETHWAITE 182468 Kingsford Smith It's been a tough week for police officers throughout the country, and we pay tribute to and offer commiserations to the families of the two police officers tragically killed in Victoria last week. That's why I want to highlight the great work of the Eastern Beaches Police Area Command in the area that I represent. They recently held their Police Area Command Awards to recognise and pay tribute to the great work of police throughout the country, particularly our local area command, who do their utmost to keep our community safe every year. Sharing the special evening were the Central Metropolitan Regional Commander, Assistant Commissioner Peter McKenna, and Detective Superintendent Paul Simpkins. The focus was on supporting police officers at every level. I want to congratulate Constable Luke Noakes for earning the 'Cop's Cop' award, as judged by his peers—a true testament to his commitment and the respect he has earned from them. I also congratulate Detective Sergeant Ryan Booker, who won the award for Leadership in Community Safety. I'd also like to extend heartfelt thanks to all our local police, who do a wonderful job, day in, day out, keeping our communities safe. They often encounter people at their lowest moments. The mental and emotional toll of their job cannot be overstated. Australians expect much from our police, asking them to be brave, fair and calm no matter the situation. Behind each officer is a support network of family and colleagues. We honour both those serving and those who've lost their lives in the line of duty. If you see a local police officer in your community, please take a moment, particularly at the moment, to thank them for their work. I was recently honoured to join Kingsford Smith local legend Con Theocharides for a night of volunteering with his organisation A Touch of Kindness in Sydney's Martin Place. Started by Con in 2022, A Touch of Kindness brings together community groups and volunteers to provide food and support for those who are homeless in the Sydney community. They do it every Wednesday night at Martin Place, where they feed the homeless. Unfortunately, the lines have been growing in recent years. The evening is filled with the spirit of generosity as donors and volunteers from all walks of life come together to offer a helping hand and a caring heart. Con said so eloquently that the heart of his work is about touching people's lives. Con is a true leader. He is very involved in the local Greek community, particularly through Saint Catherine's parish church, and he brings together many members of our community to ensure that those in need are fed, that they have clothing and that they get a touch of kindness in their hour of need. Congratulations and thank you, Con. Renewable Energy 93 16:41 Dr WEBSTER 281688 Mallee I read with some surprise the latest spin from the minister for energy on Labor's reckless energy rollout. From the government that brought the notion of green hydrogen and green steel, now we have 'green noise' thanks to the minister for energy—no, not the noise from wind turbines but 'green noise' from opponents of energy projects. The minister claims opponents of wind and solar projects live 'hundreds of kilometres from developments' and are 'driven by climate denial', and the minister claims to take community consultation very seriously. Well, it is serious, because police have been out in my electorate today as the government owned Transmission Company Victoria uses the powers the Victorian parliament gave them on Thursday to impose $8,000 fines if farmers don't open their gates willingly for VNI West to be built. Those farmers weren't taken seriously. They weren't listened to. They have been told, with the strong arm of the law, that they are being ignored and that the government is coming through. Going back to the energy project opponents who Minister Bowen claims are some distance from energy projects, I thought I'd share the perspective of one of my constituents, young Rupanyup farmer Matthew Weidemann. Matt writes: We personally are very close to the turbines in Wimmera Victoria, with them being built around us as neighbours will have infrastructure. As well as powerlines, this increases the dangers for my kids learning to farm it also is very unclear about how changes in the weather and the ability for autonomous machinery to operate. With reports of debris and toxins becoming major issues to neighbours from the turbine infrastructure this is also very worrying to think we have to have exclusion zones from our own boundary fences—this limits food production again. I can't understand how they think it's 'green' when today in the Weekly Times the headline— is— 127 ha— hectares— of native vegetation— is— to be scrubbed for 102 wind turbines from the area—remembering that this is removing breakdown of CO2. It's very hypocritical and they seem to be adding to net zero not reducing it. Matt provided other thoughts I don't have time to share here today, but he calls out the logical inconsistencies of Labor's position on energy. Matt's views are similar to those of many in regional Australia and similar to the views of those who turned out in force with Matt, whom I was proud to stand with in protesting at the Bush Summit in Ballarat on Friday. Bellomo, Professor Rinaldo, AO, Middle East 94 16:44 Ms THWAITES 282212 Jagajaga I rise to pay tribute to Professor Rinaldo Bellomo AO after his death in May this year. Professor Ronaldo was a director of intensive care research at Austin Health in Heidelberg. He was a giant in Australian and global intensive care medicine—the most published and most cited medical researcher in the history of Australian medicine. Professor Rinaldo arrived in Australia from Italy in 1980, completed his medical degree at Monash University and earned his PhD from the School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine. He became a professor at Monash University, where his passion for research and teaching shaped generations of clinicians and scientists. In 2018, he was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia for his service to intensive care medicine as a biomedical scientist, researcher and systems innovator. He once said that his life's work wasn't just about finding answers but about having conversations with patients, students and fellow clinicians, rooted in humility and empathy. He said: 'Patients are not just cases; they are people with stories. The privilege of being a doctor is being invited into those stories, sometimes at their most vulnerable point, and trying to help.' I know he is very much missed by the community of Austin Hospital, and our community and our country are grateful for his immense contributions. Vale, Professor Rinaldo Bellomo AO. I continue to be contacted by many people in my community who are deeply distressed by the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza. I share their horror. Gaza is in the grip of a humanitarian catastrophe. Israel's denial of aid, the killing of civilians, including children, as they seek access to water and food, is indefensible. The Australian government has called on Israel to comply immediately with its obligations under international law. This includes ensuring that the United Nations and NGOs can carry out their life-saving work safely and without obstruction. As the Prime Minister said: … it is a breach of international law to stop food being delivered, which was a decision that Israel made in March … It is also a breach of basic humanity. I hear and I stand with members of my community. We are all devastated as this war continues to take innocent lives. The situation in Gaza has gone beyond even the world's worst fears, and the position of the Australian government is very clear: we must continue to contribute to the global efforts to break the cycle of violence, because every innocent life matters. This war must end and we must have peace. Dawson Electorate: Bowen State School 94 16:47 Mr WILLCOX 286535 Dawson I rise today to speak about a remarkable celebration in my electorate of Dawson, the 160th anniversary of my old primary school, Bowen State School. Walking back into the school grounds brought back a flood of memories for hundreds of locals who came together to join in the day's celebrations. In part of these celebrations, it was my honour and privilege to conduct the official roll call, beginning with the decade of the 1930s through to the present day. It was a truly moving experience to see past and present students stand proudly as their decade was called. Among them was Mrs Rogers, who is now in her 90s and is a shining example of the school enduring impact. The only student present from the 1930s decade, Mrs Rogers, later returned to the school as a teacher, giving many years of service in education. I believe that this demonstrates the deep connection that so many have maintained with the school throughout their lives. I was pleased to see quite a few of my teachers, and I hope they were equally pleased to see me. You wouldn't know it, but I was a bit of a smart alec as a kid. I probably tested a few of their skills in patience. G'day to Mrs Torkington, Mrs Pilcher, Mrs Discher and Mr Hunt, who always took time to play paddle tennis with us kids. I also got to see the principal's office, where, I must admit, I had to spend a bit of time. These teachers provided education, and it shaped me to be the man I am today, and I thank them for it. Perhaps the most touching moment of this celebration came when Mrs Rogers, the oldest former student, joined the youngest current student to cut the official birthday cake. Over the past 160 years, Bowen State School has undergone quite a few changes. It has grown in size, adapted to new technologies and evolved to meet the changing needs of education. But its core mission remains unchanged: to provide a safe, supportive and inspiring place for young people to learn and grow. I congratulate Principal Christian Payne, Deputy Principal Karen Weekes, staff, parents and volunteers for organising such a spectacular event to mark this very special milestone. Bowen State School is a place of learning. It is the cornerstone of the community of Bowen. May it continue to thrive for many generations to come. Thank you so much to everybody who attended. They came from near and far to attend this very special day, and everyone who attended enjoyed themselves. Well done. Parliament in Schools Program, Medicare, Women's Rugby Union 95 16:50 Ms WELLS 264121 Lilley On 22 August, my friend the Speaker of the House joined me at McDowall State School in my electorate of Lilley to deliver the Parliament in Schools program to the year 6 cohort. The visit was six months in the making, with ex-tropical-cyclone Alfred, a federal election and diary clashes conspiring to postpone the much-anticipated visit three times. But persistence paid off, and we were pleased to join the students to debate the biggest issue of the day: does pineapple belong on pizza? The democratic process delivered a resounding no to that question—much to my chagrin. Everybody knows pineapple is essential on a pizza. I will continue to fight that good fight and, hopefully, change a few young minds in the future with a more convincing argument. The students then peppered us at question time, demanding answers to questions like: How did you become an MP? Why did you run for parliament? Who are some of the famous people that you have met? A special thankyou to Principal Aminta Miller and the staff at McDowall State School for making the visit happen despite the obstacles that were thrown our way. Very best wishes for a beautiful Brisbane day for your spring fair coming up to celebrate 50 years of educating young northsiders. I visited the Kedron Medical Centre and was able to deliver some good news for my constituents. When I hold regular mobile offices, lots of Lilley residents always want to talk to me about bulk-billing doctors and how to find a bulk-billing doctor. Thanks to the Albanese Labor government's $8 billion Strengthening Medicare commitment, the Kedron Medical Centre is now a 100 per cent bulk-billing clinic. Joining me was Andrew Cohen, the CEO of the ForHealth Group, who said that Kedron Medical Centre is one of the first clinics in their network to transition to 100 per cent bulk-billing. Mr Cohen said the change is a direct result of the Albanese government's $8 billion commitment to lift bulk-billing rates nationally. From 1 November they expect seven in every 10 practices in their network to only bulk-bill patients, up from one in every 10 practices today. These changes will make it easier for northsiders to find a bulk-billing GP, with 90 per cent of GP visits nationally to be bulk-billed by 2030. Add this to our Medicare urgent care clinic in Kedron and the largest cut to the cost of medicines in the history of the PBS and it is clear that the Albanese Labor government is delivering on our promise to tackle the cost of living and ensure Australians are getting the health care they need. With my remaining time, I know that you, Madam Deputy Speaker Lawrence, the government whip and the member for Griffith will join with me in wishing our beloved Wallaroos all the very best at the Women's Rugby World Cup. I think their next match is against England, which is no small task, but we know that the girls have the valour and they are up for it. I want them to know that Australia stands with them. All the very best for the match. O'Connor Electorate: King's Birthday Honours and Awards 95 16:53 Mr RICK WILSON 198084 O'Connor The contributions of 61 Western Australians were recognised in this year's King's Birthday Honours List. You can imagine how proud I was, as the federal member for O'Connor, to see six local heroes acknowledged with a King's Birthday honour. I've known two Order of Australia medal recipients for many years, so I rise today to congratulate them individually. Russell Thomson is a lifelong farmer from Woodanilling, just down the road from our family farm. Russell received an Order of Australia medal for services to his community of Woodanilling. Russell has served on his local council, the Shire of Woodanilling, since 1982. He was deputy shire president from 1991, then shire president from 1995 to 2021 and he's still a shire councillor to this day. Russell has been an exceptional wheat and sheep farmer but is also passionate about caring for his country, co-founding the local Wagin Woodanilling Landcare Zone and serving as an active member for over a decade. He was also a founding member of the Blackwood Basin Group, remaining as a member for over 20 years. For his commitment to Landcare, Russell has received awards and commendations from all levels of government—local, state and federal. I close by commending Russell on his ultimate honour: the Order of Australia medal. Ken Clements is another local legend I've known for many years in his capacity as shire councillor, deputy president and president of the Shire of Plantagenet, and through his passion for local history. Ken received his Order of Australia medal for service to local government and to the community of the Mount Barker region of WA. A shire councillor since 1980, Ken was shire president when I took office in 2013, and we have worked together on many Mount Barker projects, including the mammoth Sounness Park redevelopment, incorporating sports grounds and a community centre much valued by the local Mount Barker community as well as visitors to the town. In 2009, Ken acknowledged his commitment to local government with a Long and Loyal Service Award from the WA Local Government Association, of which he has been a life member since 2016. Ken's passion for local history is embodied in his role as chair of the Plantagenet Historical Society, where he is a fierce guardian of local artifacts and anecdotes. Ken recently helped secure federal funding to construct a repository to protect the diary minutes, photos and records related to Mount Barker and its surroundings. For 16 years, Ken was co-owner and publican of the Plantagenet Hotel, which has become synonymous with the TV advertisement for Mount Barker Free Range Chicken. Ken's hospitality provided the obvious answer to the age-old question: 'Why did the chickens cross the road?' I congratulate Ken on this well-deserved honour of an Order of Australia medal. Housing, Cybersafety, Police 96 16:56 Ms RYAN 249224 Lalor Labor is delivering on its social and affordable housing program. It is building momentum. We are up to 5,000 social and affordable homes now completed with federal government investment since the Albanese government was elected. Most of these have been built from the ground up, start to finish, across Australia. These homes are now supporting those doing it tough, from women and children escaping domestic violence to older women at risk of homelessness. These homes have been built across Australia, and we've got 45,000 more to come and 25,000 social and affordable homes now in construction and planning. We are getting on with and delivering what we promised the Australian public. As for the locals at home, our five per cent deposit for first home owners and two per cent for single parents is now up to 4,080 people that have already taken up that opportunity in the electorate of Lalor—fantastic news. Scammers are targeting Tarneit and Werribee. They're targeting communities nationwide, and our community is on the frontline. Recent analysis from a major bank shows Tarneit and Werribee, both in our electorate of Lalor, are among Australia's top five scam-affected postcodes over the past year and the top two in Victoria. This sets off alarm bells for all of us—alarm bells already heard by this federal government and reflected in legislation to address it, with implementation imminent. In the meantime, the scammers are sophisticated and fast moving. The biggest threats right now are investment scams; business e-mail compromise; impersonation of trusted brands, like banks, the ATO and Australia Post; romance scams; and threat-and-penalty demands. The impact is personal and profound, with savings wiped, invoices diverted and confidence shaken. My message is simple: pause before you pay. Don't click on unexpected links or attachments, don't share personal details, verify invoices and make a phone call to make sure you're paying who you think you're paying. Finally, I want to mention recent events in Victoria: the murder of two Victorian police officers and the injuring of a third—officers doing their jobs to keep us safe, two of them cut down. I want to send my condolences to family and friends and all the VicPol members who have been touched by this incredible event. I want to thank you for the work to capture the perpetrator and the work on Sunday, under trying circumstances in light of that so-recent event, keeping Melburnians safe on our streets. The DEPUTY SPEAKER 295588 In accordance with standing order 193, the time for members' constituency statements has concluded. GOVERNOR-GENERAL'S SPEECH 96 GOVERNOR-GENERAL'S SPEECH Address-in-Reply 96 16:59 Mr LEESER 109556 Berowra I'm honoured to have been elected again as the member for Berowra to serve in this parliament as the representative of the community I love. The election campaign in Berowra this time was very different to previous campaigns, and one of the key reasons for that was the redistribution that occurred at the end of last year. That redistribution saw Berowra lose the Hills Shire parts of West Pennant Hills and Carlingford. I want to thank the people of West Pennant Hills and Carlingford, whom I have had the privilege to represent since my original election to the House in 2016. I enjoyed working with them on improvements to telco in their area, on supporting the local schools and on delivering local road projects. This election, the redistribution was quite radical and, for the first time, a member for Berowra represents the entirety of the Hornsby shire. That involved the suburbs of Waitara and North Epping coming into Hornsby and those parts of Hornsby, Normanhurst and Asquith which I previously had not represented becoming part of the Berowra electorate. It is very good to have the Hornsby shire represented by one member of parliament. It means that, alongside the very good state members that are in the Hornsby shire, I can work very closely with my good friend the mayor of Hornsby, Warren Wardell, to deliver outcomes for our electorate. As well as North Epping, we took on Epping from Bennelong. Epping is in the Parramatta council area. It has traditionally been a more Labor voting area, and was so even in the time when John Howard represented Epping. I want to pay particular tribute to John Howard and John Alexander, who represented Epping and North Epping previously for our party. Both of them came campaigning with me at this election, and both of them gave me good advice on representing the people of Epping. I'm looking forward to representing these areas. As I've been out and about talking to local sporting groups, the civic trust and some of the church groups, doorknocking in these areas and getting to know these communities better, it's been a great privilege to find some of the challenges. In particular, I'm looking forward to representing more of the business community in Hornsby and Waitara and to being a strong voice for them, as I have been for other parts of my electorate. In the context of the last federal election campaign, I think that, perhaps, too little attention has been paid to the effect of the redistribution on the result and the way in which, particularly in New South Wales, that changed the composition of a number of our electorates, making them naturally less safe than they previously had been. It also affected how the seats fell more broadly. I also want to take this opportunity to put on record my thanks to the former leader of our party Peter Dutton. There have been lots of unfair reflections on Peter since the election. I want to state on the record that, even when Peter and I had disagreements, which we did from time to time, he was always thoroughly decent to deal with. He always treated me with great respect. On two of the most important issues facing our country and the world today—the dreadful rise in antisemitism in Australia and standing with our Western liberal democratic ally and security, the State of Israel—Peter Dutton showed magnificent leadership, and for that he will never ever be forgotten. I want to thank him for his service and his leadership. I also want to acknowledge his staff, in particular Alex Dalgleish, who was his chief of staff, with whom I always had good relationships—even when, famously, I took a very different position on the referendum on the Voice to Parliament, I continued to have a very warm relationship with Alex—and Michelle Hutchinson, who was his principal legal adviser. They were the two people I dealt with. Even when I was drafting private members' bills or doing work, I always benefited from their support and help. I also want to acknowledge my friend Andrew Hirst, the federal director of the Liberal Party. Being a party official is a thankless task, but Andrew does that job with great distinction. As a party, we are now in a period when we need to reflect on the reasons why we lost nationally and what we can do to bring ourselves back and prepare ourselves to be a government that, in the future, is based on basic Liberal principles and is in touch, particularly with the concerns of families in the suburbs. If we are constantly thinking about how we can make life better for young families in the suburbs, particularly around housing, education and the needs and challenges of raising families, I think that is a good foundation upon which to anchor ourselves. They and the many people who, springing from those communities, are engaged in small business are, in some respects, the forgotten people of the present era. We need to remind people not just of the economic benefit of being involved in small business but of the moral benefit. Putting forward sacrifice, offering to employ people, creating opportunities for people and aspiring to a better future for your family—that is fundamentally what our party has always been about. I particularly want to take this opportunity to thank some of the people without whom I would not be here. I want to note in particular my wonderful conference president, Michael McAuley. Michael is a tremendous person, a barrister, a former president of the Saint Thomas More Society, a bioethicist. As is said repeatedly in my community, he's either the actual godfather or the metaphorical godfather to about half of the electorate. He did a wonderful job running my conference. It is a very cohesive and diverse conference in terms of political opinion. Michael is warmly respected. Michael follows in the footsteps of Senator Maria Kovacic, who was my previous conference president before she went to the Senate, and Matt Cross, who is now the state member for Davidson. I just want to quash all rumours; I don't think Michael is going to seek election to public office. He is a wonderful friend and wise counsellor, and he is hugely respected across my community. I lean very heavily on Michael for advice and counsel, and he has been wonderful to me. I want to thank the other members of the conference executive, including Warren Waddell and Helen McNamee, who've served as vice-presidents of the conference. Warren, of course, has now become the mayor of Hornsby, and he is doing a wonderful job. For the first time in a very long time, we have a mayor who understands the people who live and work on the other side of the Galston Gorge, and who has a traditional farming background. Warren is a fifth-generation farmer in our community. I want to also acknowledge the outstanding work of my conference secretary, Tom Green. Tom's political skills are second to none. I was very lucky to have Tom run my campaign alongside Tracey Shute. Tom has walked this journey with me for many, many years before I was a member of parliament, so a particular thanks to Tom. Tracey Shute also led my office across most of the last term. It was a unique term with many challenges. I think, in some respects, I lived more than three years of a political life in the three years of the last term. Tracey did a phenomenal job keeping our team focused, assisting me to best represent the people of Berowra. She dealt with a major office restructure and an office refit, me being in and out of the shadow cabinet, the big referendum and all of the events that have occurred since October 7 and the enormous projection that that put onto our office—people not only from our electorate but from around the country calling in to the office to offer support or seek succour. Tracey and the team did a wonderful job. I want to acknowledge the other people who worked in my office. I want to disabuse people; I haven't had a big staff turnover, and I don't have a huge army of people working for me, but I have a lot of part-time people that have worked for me, and I want to acknowledge everyone's contribution. I want to particularly acknowledge Lisa Forrest and Karolina Pulczynski. Karolina particularly has been with me for the entirety of the term and has helped serve our wonderful constituents. Clayton Hopper is my media adviser. Lisa has taken over as office manager. Ava Davidson has been my EA. Also Noah McCarthy, Natalie Yeoman, Eliza Brown, Zach Tang, Lach and Josh Dale, Charlie Stephenson. In the earlier part of the term, I was honoured to have Paul Ritchie work with me. Paul is one of the heroes of the Liberal Party. He has been an extraordinary storyteller, writer and speechwriter for four leaders of our party at the state and federal level, and I was hugely fortunate to have him work with me, with his great, good counsel and wise judgement and experience. I want to acknowledge Liat Granot and Graham Bannerman, who worked with me as shadow attorney and has come back again to work with me again. Also Anna Coote, Emma Rogers, the wonderful Annette McHugh, Ross Macdonald, Tracey Barrowcliff, Sarah Greenbaum—and mazel tov to Sarah on the birth of Ella—Rowena Bennett, Winnie Le, Jemima Collins, David Mitchell and Aaron Fawcett. In addition to my hardworking team, there were the wonderful members of the blue crew who helped to ensure I was elected, and I want thank all the people who participated in the various aspects of the campaign, and in particular the people who led the major efforts for the election: Stephen O'Doherty, Georgina Kelly, Peter Brook, Keith and Joanne Anderson, Neil Gleeson and Sreeni Pillamarri, who did a terrific job at the various prepoll locations. Graham Bateman flawlessly ran our train station operation. Phil Hare, despite the personal challenges in his own family, continued to coordinate our street stalls. I want to thank everyone who came and was involved in the wonderful super Saturday and super Sunday of doorknocking that has become a feature of the Berowra campaigns and, in particular, the Young Liberals from the Hornsby-Berowra Young Liberals and also the Young Liberals from Mitchell conference who came to assist as well. We doorknocked hundreds and hundreds of homes in the more densely populated areas of the electorate on those days. I want to thank Vinay Mann, who led the phone canvassing operation. I'm only able to be the member for Berowra because of the wonderful work of my supporters in the Blue Crew. One of the things that I especially focused on for the election campaign was a number of commitments that I want to see made to different organisations in my community that are crying out for infrastructure upgrades. I'm probably the least sporting person in the parliament, but I've ended up— Mr LEESER 109556 I hear my friend the member for Barker have a chuckle at that, because it's almost certainly true. But one of things I have prided myself on is supporting the sporting communities, because the sporting communities are the hub of our community more broadly. If we had been elected, it would have been such a good thing for our community because our sporting communities have some of the worst infrastructure in the entire state, if not the country. I want to say to the sporting communities: when we make commitments, I will continue to fight for you to get upgrades—the upgrades you so strongly deserve—across the term. I was proud to stand with the North Epping Rangers and the North Epping Bulls to seek upgrades for the clubhouse at North Epping Oval. Those are wonderful clubs whose sports include cricket, netball and football, among others, and they are the absolute hub of that community. It was wonderful to be able do something with the North Epping community, and I'm going to continue to do so. Similarly, the Berowra Football Club is desperate for new facilities, particularly to accommodate the expansion for female players in both football and cricket. An upgrade of the changing facilities is 40 years overdue. For two elections now, I have fought alongside the West Pennant Hills-Cherrybrook Football Club to improve facilities at Campbell Park, including a Campbell Park clubhouse upgrade. They need an oval upgrade; I can't remember a worse winter season in terms of the amount of rain than the two winters that we've had. The difficulty is in going back onto the 'Campbell Park swimming pool', as it sometimes looks, rather than the Campbell Park Oval. I want to acknowledge the wonderful work at Normanhurst of the Normanhurst Eagles and the Normanhurst and Warrawee cricket clubs. These are spectacular soccer and cricket clubs. Again, they have a clubhouse from the seventies. It's not DDA compliant. The doors to the change rooms are often missing. On one occasion, I went down there and one of the glass windows to the change rooms was smashed in. These are great clubs, and great clubs deserve great facilities, so I will continue to fight for them. They were the major projects. There are a number of smaller projects that I have encouraged my state and council colleagues to help back so we can try to deliver some of their facilities earlier than after the next election, should we win. The first one is the Hawkesbury River Dragons, who are looking for an upgrade to their storage facilities at Brooklyn. They are a wonderful dragon boat club, and I enjoyed so much spending time with them. They are the best of what a sporting club is all about. The Dangar Island Bowling Club, where there is a great hub for live music in my electorate, needs a place where they can have a permanent stage and facilities to keep them dry and keep them safe. Warrah Disability Services is an organisation that runs a Steiner school for people with disability and uses agricultural pursuits to improve and enhance the lives of people with disability. They were looking to get an upgrade for some of their livestock management to enable them to use livestock and agricultural education to assist students and to get them all the opportunities that they are looking for. The Hills District Netball Association, Hornsby Ku-ring-gai Basketball Association and Hornsby PCYC all need security upgrades. I would have loved to have seen them, and I will continue to fight for them to get better access to CCTV and better access to better lighting at their areas—particularly the Hornsby District Netball Association. I've been very concerned about girls that are going to netball training, because of unsavoury people hanging around there, not being safe when they go to use the toilets. We need to ensure people can go to those facilities very safely. Funding for the Hillside RFS to improve their telecommunications continues to be a battle I'm fighting. People who've seen me in the parliament over the last nine years have seen how hard I've fought for and delivered better telecommunications for our electorate. The Wisemans Ferry Community Men's Shed has done a wonderful job attracting local people to come and see Wisemans Ferry, one of the original Macquarie towns—they want to create a more meaningful experience for people there. The Asquith Scout Hall needs new toilet facilities, and, again, from opposition we will continue to fight for these things. I want to say something about Epping because of two particular challenges that Epping and North Epping face. The first is traffic. For too long, the fact that there have been Hornsby Council in North Epping and Parramatta Council in Epping and that the two councils do not talk to each other has been to the disadvantage of the people of Epping and North Epping. Everyone in Epping and North Epping talks to me about how bad the traffic is. As the government—the state government particularly—rams more people in there as the new towers are built, we're not getting new parking spaces or roads. That's why I fought hard to create a traffic study—the first since 2018 and the first since those towers have started going up—to try and work out whether we have the best configuration of traffic flows across Epping and North Epping. Everyone acknowledges the problem, but no-one agrees on the solution, and that's why we need to get a traffic study happening there. Secondly—and I've said it on a few occasions since the election—the parking situation in Epping is dire. People are not able to get to the doctor or to the shops, businesses are missing out on customers who need to use their services and facilities, and the quality of life for the people of Epping and North Epping just isn't what it should be for one of the most livable and beautiful areas of Sydney. As we see more tower blocks proposed for Epping and North Epping, the state government has this bizarre idea—and I want to be bipartisan about it; it was the same bizarre idea that the state government had when we were in government—that somehow, if you live in an apartment building and you're close to a train station, you don't need parking or not every unit needs parking. I think that is a ridiculous idea. All that does is add to already parked-out streets. What is desperately needed in Epping and North Epping, particularly in the Epping town centre, is an increase in parking. Parramatta Council has had some plans on exhibition for changes to the traffic movement and to the streetscape of the Epping town centre, and they are doing something with the car park there—but I think we desperately need to deliver more public car parking for Epping. Epping will continue to be a difficult and dysfunctional centre if the parking issues are not addressed, whether it means the council and the state government negotiating with the landholders such that, as they develop their new sites, they need to set aside some provision for public car parking, or whether something is done with the council-owned land to improve parking. We just cannot keep having a situation where one of the busiest areas of Sydney—a fundamental transport interchange, an area where people are coming to live because of its great lifestyle and its proximity to the centre of the Metro, the centre of travel to the north and south of Sydney—is inadequately served by parking. Epping is a wonderful area, and it could be so much more wonderful, but we've got to get the traffic and parking under control. As I said, going forward as a party, we need to look to the future with fresh perspectives. Australians rejected what we took to the last election. They've rejected the way we've conducted ourselves as a party, and they've rejected the politics of the past. I want to give Australians a chance to elect a coalition government at the next election—one that represents them, one that represents the people of my electorate—with a clear plan to tackle cost of living, to stand with families and to support some of the most vulnerable people, who too often fall through the cracks. We need a strong plan to keep Australia safe from the hateful unrest in our streets. I cannot remember a time when we have seen the level of lawlessness in our country that there is today. We need our police officers to enforce the law, and we need a government that takes the security of our cities seriously and always puts it first. I want to restore security to our streets. I want to restore to young Australians the hope of homeownership. I want to support our young people, support our Indigenous people and preserve the beautiful areas not just of our country but of my electorate; and I am honoured to have been chosen yet again to serve the wonderful people of Berowra. 17:19 Ms WELLS 264121 Lilley I begin by acknowledging the traditional owners of the land on which we gather today, the Ngunnawal and Ngambri people, and recognise the First Nations communities that call my very own electorate home, the Turrbal and Jagera people. Modern Australia stands on the shoulders of 1,600 generations of Indigenous history, culture and knowledge, and we are always lucky to be able to listen and learn from our First Australians. I rise today, re-elected by the locals of Lilley, with the privilege and responsibility of representing my northside community for another term in this amazing place. I want to thank the people of Lilley for once again placing their trust in me. I'm grateful for the opportunity to ensure all local voices and concerns are heard, whether they voted for me or not. The 48th Parliament is unique—unique in that it now looks more like Australia than it ever has. I'm beyond proud to see our government representing Australians from all walks of life. The decisions of this parliament will shape our country for generations to come. It's especially encouraging to see young Australians gaining a foothold in both houses. From our newest gen Z representatives to our growing millennial contingent, which number more than 20 per cent in the House, our community now recognises itself more on the benches of parliament. When I gave my first speech in July 2019, millennials were less than 10 per cent. I'm so proud that has now doubled to more than 20 per cent. Like all of my colleagues who serve in this place, we do so at the behest of our constituents. But none of us could fulfill our role without the support and sacrifice of our families. Celeste, Ossian and Dashiell: no matter what happens here in Canberra or around the country you are my greatest privilege. To our director of household operations, Finn: wherever I go, you stand beside me. Nothing is possible without you. I also want to take the opportunity to acknowledge and thank my local Lilley campaign team, who worked tirelessly to support my re-election. Like all local members, I might be a tad biased, but I do think my local team is one of the very best. From our proud branch members to local volunteers, family friends, my staff and the wider labour movement I say thank you. It was a busy 12 months in Queensland on the campaign front. Balancing work commitments and life is hard enough as it is without electoral fate stacking consecutive campaigns on top of each other. It was tough. My team is tougher. As usual, there are far too many people to list, but, if you'll indulge me, I want to take the chance to acknowledge a very special few: Warren and Kate Derrington, Graham Appleton, Christine and Megan O'Keeffe, Sofia and Bella Scattini, Cath Palmer, Faye Clark, Anne Marlay, and Kim and Wayne Swan. Running as a local member is just not possible on your own; it is truly a team sport. None of this is possible without the countless early mornings and sometimes very late nights. Throughout the campaign, my local colleagues were a constant source of love and support. Being able to lean on friendly faces and sound out local issues is more valuable than you can imagine. Thank you. When I was elected in 2019, the federal electorate of Lilley was an island, the northernmost Labor-held seat in Queensland, located on the northern suburbs of Brisbane. On 3 May, I was very pleased to see this change, and change in a big way. We've now welcomed a host of friendly new neighbours—Emma Comer, the new member for Petrie; Ali France, the new member for Dickson; and Madonna Jarrett, the new member for Brisbane. I look forward to joining forces to deliver for our respective northside communities. In the Senate, I welcome my friend and colleague Corinne Mulholland, whose office is located right in the heart of my Lilley electorate. I know that Corinne will represent the people of Queensland with great enthusiasm and tireless energy. And, across the river, the ranks of our Brisbane Labor team swelled even further with the election of Rowan Holzberger, the new member for Forde; Renee Coffey, the new member for Griffith; Kara Cook, the new member for Bonner; and my dear friend Julie-Ann Campbell, the new member for Moreton. I was even happier to relinquish the northernmost electorate title to the member for Leichhardt, Matt Smith. I look forward to the new and expanded Queensland team kicking even more goals in the 48th Parliament than Queensland Broncos captain Adam Reynolds, now the second-highest goal scorer in NRL history, after fellow Queenslander Cam Smith. Since the election, I have been out in our Lilley community at mobile offices, community events and, more recently, our own Lilley business roundtable. Northsiders are a rightfully parochial bunch. We know we live in the best part of Brisbane in the best country in the world: Queensland. Like the rest of the country, Lilley residents have been experiencing those same cost-of-living pressures that were fuelled by high inflation. What they've been telling me, as their local MP, is that the measures the Albanese government has taken to ease those cost-of-living pressures and tame the inflation beast are making a difference. There are 23,694 Lilley residents who have just received 20 per cent off their HECS debt. My constituents have also saved another $11.8 million on cheaper medicines since we were first elected to government. There have been more than 20,000 visits to our Northside Medicare Urgent Care Clinic since it opened in December 2023, and just last week I visited the Kedron Medical Centre, which has just become a 100 per cent bulk-billing clinic. Their CEO told me that this is one of the first clinics in the ForHealth network to transition to 100 per cent bulk-billing, as a direct result of the Albanese government's $8 billion commitment to lifting bulk-billing rates nationwide. From 1 November, they expect seven in every 10 practices in their network to only bulk-bill patients, up from one in every 10 practices today. That is good news for Northsiders. In more good news, I'm looking forward to getting back home to talk to people about our five per cent home deposits, which will now start on 1 October. Thirty per cent of Lilley residents are renters, which is much higher than both the Queensland and national statistics. This will help so many people in Lilley get into their own home sooner, cutting years off the time that it has been taking to save for a deposit, and they won't have to pay a single dollar in mortgage insurance. Their ability to service that mortgage will also be helped thanks to the seven consecutive quarters of growth in real wages under our government. Over the next three years, I look forward to delivering more cost-of-living relief for Lilley residents. Alongside the privilege of being the local member, it has been an honour to serve in my role as Minister for Communications and Minister for Sport. Communications touch all Australians in one way or another. Whether it's keeping grandparents in Lilley connected with grandkids or ensuring those in remote Australia have access to fast and reliable broadband and good mobile coverage, I will never stop working to ensure Australians are connected. From Broome to Bendigo, from the Pilbara to Palm Island, Australians deserve to connect with confidence. It is critical that a country as vast as Australia prioritises connectivity regardless of postcode. That is my priority, and the Albanese government will continue delivering a better connected continent for all Australians. Within the Sport portfolio, I am thrilled to be delivering for Australia's high-performance athletes, along with the next generation, through investment in better sport facilities throughout the country. On the pathway to Brisbane 2032, the Albanese government has announced a record $489 million for high-performance sport over the first two years of the Olympic and Paralympic cycle. This is the largest ever government investment in Olympic and Paralympic sports to help Australian athletes achieve success on the world stage. We are continuing to back our athletes at the elite and grassroots levels. That is why I am proud to be leading the delivery of the $200 million Play Our Way program, the largest ever sporting fund specifically for women and girls, which will help develop the next generation of athletes. We know there are too many women and girls who are changing in men's dressing rooms and playing on poor courts and fields. Through Play Our Way, almost 300 programs are being delivered throughout Australia. Everyone has a right to enjoy sport at every level, and this program helps get more women and girls taking part. I am determined to be a good ancestor, and there's no better time than now, so let's take action, leave this place in better condition than we found it and build a future our kids can enjoy for generations to come. I thank the House. 17:28 Mr HAWKE HWO Mitchell It's a privilege to rise today to follow my good friend the member for Berowra, my neighbour in Sydney, whom I congratulate on his re-election. I obviously welcome the fact that, after a very tough contest, he was returned by the people of Berowra to serve them. I also want to open in this parliament by thanking my community in the Hills district again for their endorsement of me as the local member and their support for me to continue, for the next three years, to represent them in this parliament. It's been a great privilege for me to represent all of the communities of the electorate of Mitchell since 2007. However, we now have a very reduced electorate. This election saw a redistribution that led to the loss of the suburbs of Box Hill and Nelson and a lot of Rouse Hill, which were vibrant and very special parts of the Mitchell electorate. We saw them go to Greenway at this election, and obviously it was sad to see them go. I still miss them, in terms of the connected community that we have with Kellyville and the rest of the Hills district. However, that is the theme of the times. In the Sydney equation, in the growth that is being put upon us by the New South Wales Labor state government, the lion's share of new housing is being asked to be met by the north-west of Sydney. In the initial proposal up to 30,000 new dwellings is proposed in already overloaded suburbs under the government's priority housing precincts. Through the community's action, through the Hills District's action, we put together a petition which has seen 20,000 people sign it, and it was submitted to the state parliament of New South Wales. That government already has relented and downscaled the amount of housing they are proposing in my community, in our federal electorate. This is a good and welcome move, but my priority as your local member for the term ahead will be to say to the state government: if you're going to increase the densities to that level in one community in the north-west of Sydney, you must provision infrastructure and you must provision the necessary services our community will want. At the moment there is no plan for an additional school, and to propose even 20,000 new residents with no additional public school isn't an acceptable position from a state government—especially a Labor state government, I must say. Regarding the Rouse Hill Hospital, which the member for Greenway spoke about extensively in the campaign, there are more delays to the funding and the building of the Rouse Hill Hospital. It was commissioned by a Liberal government, the land was secured by a Liberal government, and the site was prepared and ready, with the funding put aside. That has still not commenced. We also had the ridiculous situation where the state government announced there would be no maternity facility at a brand-new public hospital in the biggest growth corridor in the biggest city in our country. I commend the member for Greenway for getting that reversed. Good on her. We all took the same view early on that this was ridiculous. I think she was president of the Labor Party in New South Wales at the time. I just ask her and the state Labor government now: how could you possibly, in 2025, propose a brand-new public hospital without maternity services in the biggest growth corridor in the biggest city in our country? With completely ridiculous issues like this, the community has to waste enormous amounts of time fighting for basic common sense of government policy. Now we understand that maternity services are going to come, but the hospital hasn't started, even though we're now looking at the fifth or sixth or seventh year of well-established need for this hospital, and the land is provided for, the site is secured, and we're ready to go. This has got to get underway. This is a top priority. For Premier Minns to tell us we're going to have an additional 20,000 residents when we already need our public hospital built, this is really where the priority is: better infrastructure and services, and for the funds to be provided at the same time as the houses and the dwellings. It isn't acceptable for a state government to say to a community, 'Take these additional dwellings without those services.' So we've got a good fight on our hands. Our community's up for it. The 20,000 petitioners have already got a win, we have seen a downscaling of these zonings and we have seen some sensible adjustment. I think Minister King in the previous government promised infrastructure funding, and she actually made some announcements with the member for Greenway, including a huge amount of money, half a billion dollars, for regional parks, one of which is in my electorate. We're going to hold the government to account for every single cent of that money—an enormous amount of money for three sites in Sydney, I must say—so that it is spent on the proper infrastructure provision within Sydney electorates. Some people will say they were good announcements, but we still can't get details or answers to basic questions. Where are the parks? What are they for? What regional precincts are they intending to create? They were election announcements committed to, but they have not been forgotten just because the Albanese government has won the election. They need to come forward with this money and provide for this critical infrastructure in parts of Sydney. So I will be holding them to account on that. The signal that was sent to us—to the Liberal Party here in Canberra but also to me as a representative of my electorate—was that people wanted us to do better on the economy in particular. The economy continues to be the No. 1 issue in Sydney. The cost of living is through the roof, and that isn't just a mantra people use every day about the cost of living. I can attest to the House personal anecdotes from my street. A property sold this month for $2.3 million which would have been about $1 million 10 years ago. Prices in Sydney are through the roof. The average price in my electorate is heading to $1.5 million or $1.6 million for a basic dwelling. This is unsustainable price growth already, so I do question and caution the government about its five per cent deposit guarantee which they have been trumpeting. It is worth trying as a policy, but to apply it to properties up to $1.6 million—to have five per cent with no income limits on $1.6 million—does create a lot of questions. One of those questions is: have they modelled the impact on prices in major cities of all these new buyers being given, in effect, the guarantees to access the market in a demand-driven way? We've already had 10 and 20 per cent price increases in recent times. Will this increase prices further? Some economists say it will. How will that help people if prices continue to rise in this unsustainable fashion? The government needs to be very careful about the unintended consequence of this policy: the impact of it at this point in time on pushing up prices, especially in metropolitan cities. It could be real. There's no point hitching someone, on a five per cent deposit, to an unsustainable price if that price is going to continue to rise because of these demand-driven policies. There isn't the supply, even with the Premier's good intentions to fast-track homes and fast-track projects; they're still two to three years away in Sydney. I want to remind this House that the state of New South Wales built more houses at the end of World War II than we did in the last year, despite a population differential, with a substantially lower population. More houses were built in the year following the end of World War II in a single year in our state, the biggest state with the biggest economy, than were completed in the last year, despite, so many years later, demand and population being through the roof. This is a huge problem. Prices are going to continue to increase. The cost of housing and now the cost of rents will increase, with unsustainable rent increases still coming across the City of Sydney. People are getting rent increases again—big ones. This is going to continue to be a drama. The government says: we've got a fund, and, with the earnings off the fund, we'll build a few houses. This is not going to solve the problem. It doesn't matter when the fund comes online; even small increases in the amount of social housing will not solve the basic economic problem in our major cities, where unsustainable price rises for housing and now rent are causing a cost-of-living crisis. People are paying more for their mortgages, even with interest rate reductions, because prices are going through the roof. With their deposits lower, they'll still pay an enormous proportion of their disposable income into mortgages for longer. Rents are through the roof. People can't afford to rent. We have social challenges in front of us that are immediate and require much more urgent action from state and federal governments, in terms of unlocking cheaper and more sustainable housing for all kinds of people who are seeking housing in the market. All constructors and builders will tell you that in Sydney today you could probably not build a house in New South Wales at the moment for less than something like $400,000 minimum. Why should it be the case that that is the minimum house cost before you even get to the price of the land? We need to provide cheaper housing solutions—and more of them, much faster—if we are to seriously tackle this issue. I flag again—with the state government in particular, but also the federal government—that these housing policies are not going to be sufficient to reduce prices. Prices are going to continue to rise unsustainably. It's not going to put downward pressure on rents. Rents are going up, yet we don't see any policies cutting through to reduce the actual cost of construction, to accelerate the release of land and to see more and cheaper dwellings built in a faster way—and this is going to get even more urgent in coming years. It's incumbent upon parties like the Liberal Party to have a good quality housing policy at the next election. It's something that we will absolutely be committed to working on, to make sure that we can cut through this cost dynamic and to make sure that we do put downward pressure on prices so that people can afford to rent and afford to live. We've also seen cost-of-living pressures placed on every kind of business around the country. Having been elevated to shadow minister for industry and innovation, what shocked me the most about getting an update from every major business around the country in the industry space was that a lot of them are on their knees in terms of their profitability and their ability to compete internationally. Almost all substantial heavy-industry businesses across the country are asking for a handout or bailout from the government—and they have serious reasons to do so. The government's response, of course, has been to have funds like the National Reconstruction Fund and the Future Made in Australia fund to hand out money to businesses. We still question the wisdom of this approach, because the government continues to increase the cost of doing business. Energy costs are through the roof, not just for consumers but for manufacturing and domestic industries. Wages are, by deliberate design, being pushed as high as possible, even though we've seen today that profitability in all major sectors is in many cases negative and in some cases very low. Profitability is falling and wages are going up unsustainably in comparison to profitability. Of course, we also have cost and regulation imposition from our net zero commitments, our carbon taxes and all of the things that are being imposed on businesses in Australia. So costs are going through the roof—industrial costs, costs of doing business, costs of components coming into the country and more. Everything is costing more. Yet what we see from the government is: 'I will give you a small bit of public money rather than focusing on the core of the problem, which is: how do we reduce cost structures, what is the competitive advantage Australia can see again, and can we have a reduced power cost profile for manufacturing?' Well, there is no solution to that, and there is no solution coming forward. All industrial users report that the cost of their new energy contracts is much higher than that of their existing contracts. We have no industrial relief; the government will provide none. The productivity roundtable produced exactly zero ideas that the government have said they will agree to on lowering costs through productivity. So what is the government's response to whole sectors of our industry being on their knees? They say, 'We've got some government public money that we're going to borrow and put into some funds, and we'll ask them to give you a bit of it to keep your operations going for a while.' That doesn't smell like success to me. We do need a 'future made in Australia' policy that recognises that the cost structures of doing business in Australia are at record highs and our international competitiveness is at record lows. Private sector investment is at a record low in Australia. Even the Treasurer has discovered that this is a problem, even if it was by reading the book Abundance, I understand. I actually endorse the book Abundance,becauseit actually says what people on the left of centre should have realised for a long time: you can't kill the private sector. We need it to pay the bills. That's the essence of the book. So I do endorse that book, yes. We do need the private sector to survive. They do something useful for the government. They do pay the bills. So I welcome the fact that he's found it. I'd say to him that we must do more to make Australia competitive again and see growth again. If there is zero private sector investment—and, anecdotally, big business chambers and some of the biggest business representatives across the country have come to see me. I won't identify them here, because everyone lives in terror of the Albanese government's supermajority. But they made the point—I think quite sensibly—that they had gone through all of their members around the country—big businesses and everyone who does a lot of foreign investment—and looked at the state of Victoria as one case study, and they said that there had been basically no big new private sector investment in Victoria for two to three years. Nothing has come on. Now, I'm from New South Wales. I love Sydney, and I'm not a huge fan of Melbourne in the Sydney-Melbourne dynamic. But I will say this: I don't find it good that in the state of Victoria there is no new private sector investment. There must be new big-scale private sector investment in the state of Victoria, including Melbourne. So, whatever settings are broken down there in the government and whatever they're doing to discourage private sector investment, you need this. You don't have to believe me—I don't ask any government members to listen to me at all—but grab Abundance and open it up and have a look. That's what it says in there. Abundance says that. That's all the rage in leftie circles. So have a look at it. It says, 'Don't kill the private sector in your state, because they have to pay the bills at the end of the day.' You should really pay attention to Abundance. Don't listen to a word I'm saying; I honestly say, 'Don't do it.' I'm not saying it's a good book; read it. I encourage everybody, including my left-wing friends, to read Abundance. The settings for Australia are quite serious. We're at a time when our cost structures are going through the roof. That's why the Reserve Bank governor warned—it wasn't picked up, but she warned very clearly—that there would be no price deflation in the foreseeable future. That wasn't widely reported, but what that means, in relation to the cost of everything, is that nothing is going down in the foreseeable future, so costs are going to remain unsustainably high for all our goods and services. As to whether wages will try and catch up with prices, she's saying they're not going to do that. Normally, we would have periods of price deflation where costs and things come down, and there would be a catching-up because of downward pressure as well as upward pressure. The Reserve Bank governor is signalling to the government and the economy that we're in for a difficult time. There will be no price deflation. It's a very serious warning that hasn't got enough attention, in my opinion, because prices are going to stay very high. So the government does need to pay attention to this. More regulation is not the answer, and more and more difficult regulation is not the answer. We have some of the world records in regulation in terms of our business sectors. Our competitive advantages have been eroded over time—sometimes by deliberate design; sometimes accidentally, to be fair to the government; and sometimes because things have changed under us. But all of them acting together means our country needs a new economic compact to be able to see more growth and to see our cost structures come down. It will be unsustainable for the government to hand out and subsidise sector after sector with public finances. We're already seeing the broken nature of this model, so we must come up with cost-competitive and pro-economy models. The government started by saying: 'That's exactly what we will do. We will have a productivity summit. We will have an economic roundtable.' We're all still waiting for the memo of what happened at the economic roundtable. What came out of the economic roundtable? Where are these productivity measures? What is going to happen to our economy? Well, the government's gone silent on that. So either they've got some really, really good ideas from the summit that they haven't told us about yet and they're working on them or they're working on other things that they came up with that they already had agreed to—well, we're going to find out which. Or they still don't know what they're going to do about it. Now, I'm thinking we don't have a lot of time. There are cost pressures for most businesses that have come to me, and they say their profits are very, very thin. The margins have dropped in small, medium and large businesses. Large businesses are asking for bailouts and handouts. Medium and small businesses are collapsing at record levels, and insolvencies are through the roof. This is more than just the post-COVID period. That is not the answer to what we are seeing. There are serious collapses of small and micro and medium businesses in our country, and they cannot be explained by the post-COVID period. The government's response, so far, is to say we had a summit. Now, that's fine if it produces results, to be frank. But, if it doesn't produce results, we're going to see these trends continue—no private sector investment, soaring housing costs and the costs of doing business, and an increase in business collapses. The public finances can't get us through this period. There are only so many times the government can pay a small amount of a person's power bill or hand out money to a business to keep it going. The public finances will not sustain that in the long run. We must bring down costs, see cost structures come down and improve our competitive advantages. And we can do these things. We have an energy abundance, and yet we're charging the highest rates for power of all the developed countries from our own citizens and businesses. Why are we doing that when we have all the resources in the world? We need to be smarter and better and take a pure economic focus into the next few years, or we are sleepwalking into a disaster. And so, with that in mind, that will be my prime focus for the next three years—improving the ability for the private sector and our economy to, again, do the heavy lifting for Australia in growth, in prosperity and in paying the government's bills too, which would be a bonus for the Labor Party. The government's going broke. The answer is not to do more taxes; it's not to introduce more charges on people. Let's grow the economy again. Let's listen to abundance. Let's have abundance. Let's bring it back. I don't care if you do that in a left-wing context or a right-wing context. Abundance means we grow the economy, we let people succeed again and we stop holding them back, as the Prime Minister might say. Well, we're holding back the Australian economy at the moment. We can do better. We will do better. We might need to change the government to do that, but we will support any measure from the government that reduces taxes or increases productivity in the meantime. We await with bated breath to see if they'll do it. 17:48 Ms MADELEINE KING 102376 Brand It remains a great privilege today—as it was just over nine years ago, when I was first elected to be here in the Australian parliament—to be re-elected as the member for Brand in this 48th Parliament. I'm deeply honoured that the community I was born in, grew up in and live in have chosen to elect me for a fourth time to represent them and the wider community of Western Australia. As many know, I was born in Calista at the Kwinana Maternity Hospital that was built for the community that emerged to build and then support the extraordinary Kwinana industrial precinct, which has been integral to the WA economy since it was created in the fifties and remains to this day. I've spent much of my life in Shoalwater and Rockingham and I'm very honoured to represent my hometown here. In March this year, Western Australians also expressed their strong support for my friend and member for Kwinana, Premier Roger Cook, and elected him and his government for another term. I want to congratulate the state MLAs in the Brand electorate—Magenta Marshall, Reece Whitby, Paul Papalia and Premier Cook himself—and I look forward to working with each of them over the coming term on continuing to build our community together. And, at the opposite end of the Perth metropolitan area, I want to congratulate my good friend and WA Labor president, Lorna Clarke MLA, who is the newly elected member for Butler. It's fair to say federal Labor and WA have come a long way since I was first elected in 2016. On the eve of my first election, the Australian Labor Party held just three Western Australia seats in this federal parliament. After 2 July 2016, Labor held five seats in WA. In 2022, that number increased again to nine seats, and, after the recent 2025 election, Labor now holds 11 of the 16 seats in Western Australia. That support is founded on a great many things, such as trust in our government to deliver on our promises, to deal with the unexpected challenges that inevitably arise and to implement policies that reflect the concerns and needs of the community. But it is also due, in large part, to the hard work of great candidates, their teams of volunteers and supporters and the commitment of their families. I want to acknowledge Trish Cook, the first member for Bullwinkel; Tom French, the new member for Moore; Ellie Whiteaker, our new WA senator; Tania Lawrence, the member for Hasluck; Tracey Roberts, the member for Pearce; Patrick Gorman, the member for Perth; Zaneta Mascarenhas, the member for Swan; and Sam Lim, the member for Tangney. I also want to acknowledge those I was first elected with in 2016—Matt Keogh, the member for Burt; Anne Aly, the member for Cowan; and Josh Wilson, the member for Fremantle. I also want to congratulate Senator Varun Ghosh on his first election to the Senate after his appointment in February 2024. I also want to congratulate Senator Sue Lines on being elected once again as the President of the Senate. I want to make a very special acknowledgement to Senator Glenn Sterle, an extraordinary advocate for northern Australia who has served WA for 20 years in the other place. I see him regularly in the Kimberley and the Pilbara doing great things, representing the long-haulage truckies that make this country tick and helping out the communities by personally driving many thousands of kilometres to deliver donated mattresses and other goods for those who need it in the north. I want to congratulate all new members and senators. I've enjoyed the many and varied first speeches of the new parliamentarians. There are far too many new MPs and senators to mention, and I look forward to getting to know you all better as we serve together in this great place. I do want to make a very special mention of one returning member of the House, and that's the wonderful member for Pearce, Tracey Roberts. During the election campaign, Tracey bravely shared some of the serious health challenges she is facing, but even a diagnosis of multiple system atrophy, as well as an injured ankle, couldn't stop her from engaging with the community she has worked for over two decades. The member for Pearce just kept on working hard and reaching out to people because that's who she is. The people of Pearce re-elected her with confidence. They know she puts her community first. And it's also because she has delivered so much in just one term as the first ever Labor member for Pearce. But no campaign is fought alone, so I'd like to thank all of the amazing staff and volunteers who stood by Tracey and have supported her throughout her campaign, including, of course, her very lovely husband, Pete. The member for Pearce's return to this House is a victory for her community and for compassion in politics. I'm immensely proud to call the member for Pearce a friend, and I really look forward to continuing our work together in WA. I want to extend my thanks to the trade union movement supporting my campaign and all of my campaigns, including Ben Harris from the Shop, Distributive and Allied Employees Association, Tim 'Smoky' Dawson from the Transport Workers Union of Australia and all the great members of the Australian Workers' Union. Many of you work in the resources sector and, like my dad, work in the Kwinana industrial area. A division having been called in the House of Representatives— Sitting suspended from 17:53 to 18:07 Ms MADELEINE KING 102376 In continuation, I also thank delegates from the Mining and Energy Union, the AMWU and the MUA, all of whom engage productively in all areas of policy. I want to thank Sally McManus and the ACTU for their support. The union movement has always stood up for working people by fighting for fair pay and safe workplaces. I welcome their engagement on policy development just as I welcome the participation of industry and the wider community. As the Prime Minister has noted, families often pay a high price for the long absences, travel and demands of us as elected representatives in this place. Those absences are often greater for MPs and senators from Western Australia, and, indeed, for my friend from the Northern Territory the member for Solomon and those from other areas that are a long way from Canberra. I take this opportunity to pass on my thanks to my husband, Jamie, for his constant support during the campaign and throughout my parliamentary career. I don't think it is possible to serve in this place without the support of family and friends, and I would like to take a few moments to talk a little about some people who have been very important to me and supportive of me as the member for Brand. Toward the end of May, shortly before her 94th birthday, we said our final farewells to a wonderful woman, Adelphe King. Adelphe is my husband's stepmother. She married Walter King and raised Jamie and his sister and brothers from a very young age after the loss of their mother. I'm enormously grateful to Adelphe for being so welcoming to me as part of the remarkable and joyful extended King family over 25 years ago. Adelphe and Walter were fixtures of the historic town of York, the oldest inland town in Western Australia. They were both conservationists and environmentalists in the true sense of the word and volunteered extensively at the local tourist centre. A few months ago I attended a memorial for Adelphe at the Holy Trinity Church in York, where she and Walter had been parishioners and volunteers for many, many years. It was a wonderful, joyful and very full memorial. It says much about how highly regarded Adelphe King was in York that her contribution, and that of Walter, to the restoration of the riverbank landscape of Avon River has been acknowledged by a charming memorial by the well-known waterway. Thank you so much, Adelphe, for all your support over the years for the whole of the extended King family. It is something of an indulgence to speak here about a constituent that you are related to. All of us who serve here know that so many of the people in each of our constituencies all around the country are worthy of tribute—the salt-of-the-earth, hardworking, caring people who make our communities what they are. One of these people was Diana Morris. Diana was a pioneer of Rockingham and Shoalwater Bay, having lived there since 1959, and she was also my mum. After finishing up on a very rainy Anzac Day a couple of years ago, I got a text from our next-door neighbours Bob and Dorothy saying that Mum had had a fall and been taken to Rockingham General Hospital, and that is where we had our last conversation. She died peacefully two days later in the wonderful care of the staff at Royal Perth Hospital, just over the road from St Mary's Cathedral, where she and my dad, John Morris, were married in 1959. This is my very belated thanks to all the doctors, nurses, paramedics and other staff at the Rockingham emergency department and at the Royal Perth Hospital for their care of our mum and of me and my brothers, Matthew, John and Peter, and our sister, Rebecca, in those moments when we, quite frankly, didn't quite understand what was happening and we had to make some very serious decisions as a family about our mum. Our health workers deal with these very intensely emotional and painful moments every single day, and there are the police officers and other workers who assist the coroner and assist families like ours who have to identify a loved one. We don't much think about all of those jobs that happen until we run into them, usually in the midst of some pretty serious grief, and I want to thank them all for what they do for our entire community. I personally want to thank those strangers who helped our Morris family in the last week of April and into early May in 2023. Diana Morris had an interesting start in life. She was born in 1936; her name then was Diana Pizer. She was raised by her mother, Hannah Pizer, known as Peggy, and her grandparents Thomas and Mary Ann Pizer. In the very conservative Perth of the 1930s and 1940s, it wasn't socially acceptable to have a child without being married, so Mum was raised in the belief that her father had died in the war. That was not true, but it was a kind lie so that Diana had something to say that wouldn't draw scorn and judgement at school when she was asked. When Mum was born, there was pressure for Peggy Pizer to give up her baby for adoption, but my nan did not do that. Her parents and her sister supported Peggy and gave her and Mum all the love and help they needed to stay together and make a really courageous choice for the times, in spite of those societal expectations. Much has changed since then, and that is a very good thing. These were not good old days when women and families had to go through such sad subterfuges to remain a family. Diana and John Morris built a home together in Shoalwater, and it was in this home that they raised a family. Mum lived there from 1959 until she died in 2023. She would remind me that she was the first in her family to own her own home. Her mother lived with us, and her grandparents retired from the Goldfields to social housing in West Perth, where my mum grew up. It goes to show, I think, that homeownership has not always been a matter of course for many working families in this country. We talk a lot about the importance of homeownership, and it is really important, but for many in Australia the dream of homeownership is only, maybe, one generation old and heading into its second generation, and it cannot be taken for granted. John and Diana were both pioneers of Rockingham, having lived there since the fifties. I often refer to my mother's shop, her family drapery and haberdashery on Railway Terrace at Rockingham Beach. My office now is literally five doors up the road. Mum and Peggy worked together in that shop, The Family Traders, for a number of years. It was a much-loved meeting place for many women in the community. There was always lots of chatter and lots of laughs. It's been over 30 years since Mum and Dad retired and sold The Family Traders, and for a long time the shop itself has not been there, but locals still mention it fondly as part of their memory of old Rockingham. Like so many retirees Diana volunteered in the community for many years. Diana, with her great friend Faye Winter, volunteered at Meals on Wheels for what seems like forever, delivering meals to those who needed it at their homes. She only stopped when her knees could no longer help her get in and out of the delivery van. I think of all the volunteers across all of our communities and reflect that, without volunteers in our communities doing all manner of things, we would not have the fine communities and support that we all need. Mum and Dad's home in Shoalwater has been a place that all of our family have returned to again and again for over 60 years—us, our partners, our families, my nieces and nephews, their partners and their children, and, of course, all of the very many Morris dogs. I was really fortunate that my mum was able to travel here to the parliament to see me sworn in as the member for Brand in 2016 and then as a minister in 2022. She was an integral part of three campaigns, and, as I noted when I spoke at her memorial, I really lost a superb campaign asset in 2023. Diana Morris loved coming here to share in the excitement of these events and the work of the parliament. She was a fine Australian. She will be missed by many, but in particular me. Many members and senators lose loved ones while serving in this parliament, and some of those losses are so much more tragic and heart-wrenching than the natural order of things of a parent passing. While the public often—indeed, usually—see this place as the height of contest and debate, it is also remarkably kind in the manner in which colleagues from all quarters offer their sympathies and kind affections in those very sad moments. So I thank all of those colleagues who wrote to me, or simply spoke to me about it, after my mum died a couple of years ago. It means an awful lot. I'm sorry if I never responded, but I remember each and every one of your kind wishes. I also want to thank my ministerial office and my electorate office staff, who kept the wheels turning and provided enormous support for me and Jamie at a very challenging time in my life. They're really good, hardworking people. They care for the community. They care for the policy that we work on in this place. They care for our nation and for ensuring it is well placed into the future. I thank them for their commitment to me as an individual—and, I guess, as their boss but I hope as a work colleague—and for helping me out. I am sure that's the same for many of us here that have experienced such loss. We really rely on our teams; they're very good people. I want to take a moment to acknowledge some of the retiring Labor members that I had the really great good fortune to work with in past parliaments. These all retired at the election: Linda Burney, the former minister for indigenous affairs; Brendan O'Connor, the former minister for skills and training; Bill Shorten, the former minister for the NDIS and government services and the Leader of the Labor Party when I was elected in 2016; Stephen Jones, the former assistant treasurer and minister for financial services; Maria Vamvakinou, the former member for Calwell; Brian Mitchell, the former member for Lyons; Graham Perrett, who was a wonderful friend and a great travel companion when we went on some committee trips together; and the now retired senator Louise Pratt. I would like to pay a special tribute to Louise in mentioning her. She was first elected in 2007, lost her seat in 2013 and was re-elected again in 2016—you've got to say something for her persistence! Throughout her life and parliamentary career, Louise has been an incredibly strong advocate for the rights of the LGBTQI community. Her tireless work has left a positive impact on the lives of all Australians. It has been a privilege to work alongside Louise in standing up for Western Australians here in Canberra. Her retirement marks the end of a remarkable parliamentary career, defined by tireless advocacy and passion, and I wish her and all her family the best. Bec has been by her side for many years now, and I remember their wedding—I think it was up in Broome—and their lovely young son, Jasper. I wish them well in her retirement. I just want to reflect once more for a few moments on the election itself. As we all know, politics is a team sport, and nobody who makes it to this place has done it alone. I've spoken about how families support each of us here, and it takes a really great and dedicated team to get any candidate elected. So I want to give my deep thanks and lasting gratitude to the team who supported me, not only in the campaign but throughout my time in parliament. To all those volunteers across Brand: I want to thank you. To the supporters and branch members who keep turning out time and time again, not only to our great branch meetings but also at the polling booths and at the prepoll: your commitment and unwavering support across the campaign was truly special, particularly since it was only two months after the WA state election. I want to thank you each for your doorknocking and letterboxing and your efforts at prepoll and on election day. And, of course, I mentioned my electorate staff and ministerial staff earlier in the context of supporting me through a personal moment, but their remarkable work in the campaign, especially that of my electorate office, was truly very special. I thank you all for that. The dedication and tireless work over the past three years of my ministerial staff were invaluable in developing policy that has really put this government in an excellent place to be able to develop further policy and implement it for the benefit of the Australian people. They're very hardworking people, very smart people, thoughtful people and, of course, very kind and generous people. And I thank them for it. In my last couple of minutes, I want to reflect on the remarkable new members of this parliament, and there are a lot of new members, which is a really amazing thing. They have made incredibly varied speeches. They have a diversity of backgrounds—and I mean members across the chamber and in the Senate as well. Traditionally, when I've spoken on the address-in-reply, I've mentioned all the new Labor members and gone through their speech, but, quite frankly, there are too many now, and I can't do that this time. But I really look forward to meeting you and engaging in my portfolio responsibilities of resources and northern Australia. As a Western Australian, I'm very familiar with the resources sector. That might not be the same experience for others in different states. I look forward to talking with each of our new members about the resources sector—how it contributes to our economy, how it contributes to our livelihoods and how it goes towards the greater benefit of the nation. I also want to thank the new members for their great enthusiasm and for the work I know they'll do in the coming term. To conclude, I want to thank the Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese. He was a great leader for us, as the party leader, when in opposition and again, as Prime Minister, in the last term and now this term. His commitment to my home state is remarkable. As Western Australian members, we could not have hoped for more. I think he goes to Perth more than I go to Perth, and I'm about an hour's drive south of Perth, so that is saying something. The Western Australian people take his commitment very seriously, and I look forward to serving another term under the leadership of Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. I thank the house. The DEPUTY SPEAKER 11788 I thank the minister and give my condolences on the passing of her wonderful mother. 18:22 Mr HUSIC 91219 Chifley Congratulations, Deputy Speaker Aldred, on your appointment to the Speaker's panel and on your election, for the first time, to this place. I have to say it's my 15th year of having the honour of representing my part of Western Sydney, the electorate of Chifley. I never expected to be elected. I'd had a tilt before and not been successful. As I've explained to people, when the opportunity came round, it was akin to stepping on the wrong end of a rake: it came very suddenly, very quickly. And I didn't know what had happened for me to be put in the position of being preselected and then selected to represent the party I've loved since my teenage years and joined in that time. Having grown up in my part of Western Sydney, I've always taken this job incredibly seriously. It's not been about checking off a list of things that need to get done for the sake of being able to rattle those off. I've always taken the view that my part of Western Sydney has been told long enough that it should wait its turn, that the folks I represent, salt of the earth people in Western Sydney, based in Mount Druitt, should wait a bit longer to get what they need. I saw the needs that they had were great and that they needed to get those things that would make their life easier and, more importantly, that they could use to deliver for their kids, to build better neighbourhoods and to oversee the personal challenges they have in their life, in our area, so they can have a much better quality of life. I've seen tremendous contributions in my area. We recognise them every year—for instance, in the Coral McLean Awards, named after Coral, who, it was estimated, dedicated over 100,000 hours of her personal time, out of the Holy Family Parish in Emerton, to help people at all hours of the day. In fact, when she moved out of our area to the Central Coast, we were told stories by her children of people knocking on her door late at night who'd driven from our part of Western Sydney to the Central Coast to get help from Coral. When Coral passed away after a battle with cancer, we set up these awards to recognise the contribution of women and girls in our area who are building better neighbourhoods. The community spirit in our area is often remarked on by people who visit our part of Western Sydney. They always talk about how those from our part of Western Sydney, when you need a hand, will go out of their way, even if they have limited means to do so. They will literally give you the food off their plate or the shirt off their back to help you out. That is why I have been proud of representing Chifley. I've been proud to have such great faith in the people of our area. As a response to that, I have fought really hard. People know I don't take a backward step; I'm always prepared to argue, and argue hard, for the people of our area because, as I've said, they've been told quite often that they have to just wait in line and take their time to get the things everyone else has had the good fortune of being able to receive. For example, things like education are a big deal in my area—making sure we are investing, in particular, in primary education and secondary education. Once kids finish school, which I always urge them to do—please do. Your fortunes in life will be shaped by the bag of skills you get, and you will not develop them fully just by finishing high school. Being able to take time to go into TAFE or uni is a big deal. The fact that Chifley has some of the highest uptake of fee-free TAFE in the nation shows you aspiration right there. There are a lot of young people that want to go to their local TAFE, like the one in Mount Druitt. I've met automotive apprentices they really want to be able to not only get a job in there but start their own shop as well. That's aspiration right there, and I'm proud of the fact that our government has fought so hard to make sure we have fee-free TAFE. Just the other week we opened up a university study hub with the Minister for Education, the member for Blaxland, Jason Clare. The Mount Druitt Ethnic Communities Agency fought to get that funding and have just opened up a uni study hub in Mount Druitt and will open one in Emerton. So many kids and young people in our area—they would probably be mortally offended that I referred to them as kids, but it's probably a sign of my age—will be the first ones to go through uni. For so many families in our area, it's the first time they have. I want young people in our area to feel that uni is for them, because sometimes they figure it's for someone else better than them, and that's absolute garbage. It is proper. It is right. Labor governments in times past opened up the university sector to ensure more kids from a first-in-family background took up that study. The thing about the study hubs is it gives them a place to go and quietly do their study and, more importantly, engage with other students going through the same experience as them. I am proud of the fact that our government put forward the money that then got invested into our area. It got taken up by MECA, and now we have these hubs, which I suspect will expand in time. We're building those skills, and the base of it all is making sure that, if young people are going to TAFE or uni, before they got there, investment in primary and secondary education happened. Our government, in our first term, worked out with the states and territories the funding stream to properly bring to life those Gonski reforms. People may not remember the bloke, but they do remember and do get that if you've got an area of high need, it takes a bit more in terms of resources to be able to make sure you get your way through. That's what Gonski was about. Schools like Crawford Public would tell me that the extra resources they got at the tail end of our last government helped them set up tutoring for kids who were struggling in math. They provided that, and, once they did, they could see a definite difference in terms of the math scores in that school. That is huge because that means the life trajectory of that student has been transformed. The fact we put in $5 billion, with the New South Wales government, to make sure we invested in the proper resources for primary and secondary schools is phenomenal. As much as people think 'life changing' is a well-worn term, that is exactly what it is. In Chifley we saw the biggest investment in school infrastructure in 10 years. On top of that, about half a dozen schools received improvements to the quality of their infrastructure, so that the schools were modernised, they had modern equipment, and parents could have confidence that their kids were going to a place that is a quality environment. Plus there's the investment we made through the school funding reforms, which has been huge. It is critical. The fact that we are cutting student debt is a point of pride for us. Some of the largest numbers of students who will benefit from the 20 per cent cut in student debt come from the Chifley electorate. It makes it a bit easier that, once they've finished their studies, we relieve a bit of that debt and that they can get on and chase the things that they want in their neck of the woods. The other thing I've fought hard for, which I think reflects our national values, is health care. As much as some people might think we go on about Medicare, the reality is that Medicare reflects an embedded value of this country—the value of a fair go. When you hold up that Medicare card, it represents what we truly believe, which is that if you're in strife, particularly with your health, the size of your bank balance should not be the determinant. It should not decide whether or not you get quality healthcare. For us, it is a clear reflection of a national value that we look after our own, and we don't judge them on how big their bank balance is. They'll get the care they need. The fact that we cut the cost of medicines means a big deal to Chifley residents. It's been estimated that people in our neck of the woods have saved over $9 million, with about 1.5 million of cheaper scripts. For people on low incomes in our area, that is huge. It's a huge relief, and it stops them wondering whether or not they can afford to get the medicines that will make their quality of life better. On top of that, I pushed for the establishment of an urgent care clinic in our electorate. That happened with the setting up of the Rooty Hill Urgent Care Clinic. By visiting the Rooty Hill Road North urgent care clinic, 12,000 people were able to get the help they needed, and it will continue to provide support for them in our part of the world. Doctors, GPs, nurses and support staff all work so hard—and there are a lot of doctors. In fact, I want to recognise one who's retiring this week: Dr Kek, from the Mount Druitt Medical Centre. He's worked in our area for nearly 50 years. The reality is these doctors could have worked in any other part of Western Sydney. They didn't; they stayed in our area and made a tremendous contribution. Infrastructure is another big thing. I've fought hard for upgrades for the fastest-growing parts of our electorate, like Marsden Park, Colebee and Schofields, which have had real issues with road funding. Our government put forward a billion-dollar roads plan, which is delivering for people in my area, including the upgrade of Richmond Road. The other big project that I'll be working on is the extension of the metro and the filling of the metro missing link that would see Tallawong to St Marys constructed in the long term. The other thing that I think we've got to be able to work on is building social and affordable housing in Chifley. I'm proud to be part of a government that has dedicated so much towards the building of new homes and increasing supply. It will be a priority for me in this term to push for the greater development of social and affordable housing. Later this month, we'll hold a housing forum to talk about how we can make that happen. It builds on the fact that we've announced the five per cent deposit scheme for first homebuyers, and we've had a 50 per cent increase in the maximum rent assistance, which helps over 11,000 people in the Chifley electorate. For this term, pushing for more social and affordable housing will be a massive priority for us. All of this can only be done by a government that takes seriously its responses in these spaces. I want to end with thanks. There have been a lot of folks who have helped us out over many years, but especially I want to thank those who helped in the recent election—working on stations and mobile offices and being there through prepoll and out on election day. I make huge thanks to my FEC, the branches in our area, and volunteers—some who may not be members of the party but wanted to assist and support us in the campaign. I extend to them my deepest gratitude. I want to thank local state members Edmond Atalla, Stephen Bali, Prue Car and Warren Kirby. It's been tremendous to work with them and Mayor Brad Bunting and the Blacktown City Council team. It is terrific to have the federal, state and local government levels working together. Can I just say to Deputy Premier Car, who's got her own health challenge at the moment, that, if anyone's going to beat a health challenge, it's Prue Car. She is a tremendous fighter, and we look forward to her getting through the challenges she's facing and getting back on the front line in our area. We had a wonderful campaign launch in Tregear, and I want to thank all the branches for being there through thick and thin. I want to say thank you to my ministerial office. There are a lot of people who have been through the office or worked in the office, led by David Masters and deputy chief of staff Ellen Broad. I want to recognise Brett Gale before them as well and all the team that worked in the ministerial office. I could rattle off a list of things, but the big thing is that we were driven by a belief, a faith, in the power of Australian ideas to make Australians' lives better. It was a huge honour to play a part in that industry and science portfolio—in particular, in terms of supporting the great work of so many people in those areas, Australians who are doing phenomenal things for our nation. I appreciate having that ministerial team there, and I want to say to them: thank you so much for working the hours and doing what you did. It will never ever be forgotten. To be honest, I'm particularly grateful for their service to the country as well because what they did was to help a first-term Labor government achieve quite a lot, and I'm very grateful for all their work I'm grateful to the electorate office as well. In my time as a minister, I wasn't there as much as I'd have liked, but I can tell you that they made a difference. I had so many people say that their lives had been shaped by the fact that the electorate office would go that extra mile to help people out. I'm sure every single member of parliament reflects so warmly on their members of staff within their electorate offices for the work that they do. I give a heartfelt thanks to every member of my office. To one who just recently left, Ade Amuda, I want to say thank you so much for your help. Finally I want to say thank you to my partner, Fiona. She's actually my fiance, but my nickname for her is 'wife asterisk', where the asterisk represents a rounding up, because she will be my wife at some point soon. I can't tell this chamber how blessed and lucky I am to have someone like Fiona in my life. We are parenting three boys: Tor, Sam and Harry. It is an absolute blessing to have that in my life. I regard public office as a tremendous opportunity, but ultimately being able to find someone you love who can make such a big difference in your life is truly something words cannot express gratitude for. To Fiona, who I love so deeply, I just want to say thank you—in particular for all her fierce support, her help and, more importantly than anything else, her love. I'm grateful for all of that. I'm conscious that Minister Rishworth is here and she thought that I'd only speak for 10 minutes but I've spoken for 17. And I notice the member for Barker on the other side coughing. Are you speaking next, or is it Minister Rishworth? Mr HUSIC 91219 You've been very good to me, Minister Rishworth, so thank you for that. I want to end on a sombre note. We learnt of the passing of Greg Whitby. Greg Whitby was with the Catholic education office. He was someone I worked with when I was first elected. I was stunned to hear that he passed away on 30 August. He was a teacher, academic and author who changed the lives of thousands, particularly through his principles of inclusivity. He was awarded the highest honour for teachers in 2017, as director of the Catholic Diocese of Parramatta, assisting 78 schools, 43,000 students and 4,500 staff. Along the way, he wrote a book called Educating Gen Wi-Fi that looked to modernise the way schools educate and deal with the vast impact of technology, and he wrote that 10 years ago. I'm really sorry. I was just saddened incredibly at Greg's departure. I would like the House to know about his contribution to public life in his way. I thank him enormously and will miss him greatly. Vale, Greg Whitby. 18:40 Ms RISHWORTH HWA Kingston It is an absolute honour to have been sworn in as the member for Kingston in the 48th Parliament, my seventh time having this privilege. I continue to be absolutely grateful for and humbled by the confidence that my local community has placed in me to represent them in this place. I continue to be deeply committed to listening to the views and priorities of my community and making sure that they have a voice in this place. I'm a bit biased here, but the southern suburbs of Adelaide are the most beautiful place in the world to live. They have some beautiful coastline that is experiencing some challenges at the moment, but that doesn't take away from the absolute beauty of the coastline, of course, and the many, many open spaces that we have. But, ultimately, what makes our community strong is its people—people from all walks of life, raising families out in the areas further flung from the CBD and contributing to community, whether that's through the local Lions, Rotary or Kiwanis; the local CFS; the local coastguard association; the surf lifesaving clubs; or the sporting clubs, such as football clubs and netball clubs. I am astounded, every weekend and during the week when I get away from Canberra, to go around and visit some of those clubs and organisations and think about the volunteering that is put into this—ordinary people doing, I think, extraordinary things to serve the community. So I want to say that I really always admire and am humbled by the effort and work that people put in. Of course, in my electorate people work very hard. They work very hard to put a roof over their heads and give their children and their grandchildren the best opportunities. For my electorate, making sure that in this most recent election we looked to the future was critically important. It's pretty clear across the country that Australians have chosen to build Australia's future. They voted for fairness, aspiration and opportunity for all and the strength to show courage in adversity and kindness to those in need. This was very important in the election. I think also that, for me and my electorate, people really wanted to connect. I have to say that over my time in parliament it has been absolutely amazing, and I feel so privileged that so many people have invited me into their lives, whether it's through doorknocking, at street corner meetings or by coming into my office. They have trusted me and my office to be brought into their lives. Whether they're seeking assistance, giving me some good advice—which happens on a pretty regular basis—or having a genuine conversation, I feel really honoured that so many people have brought me into their lives and told me of their aspirations. This election was no different. People's aspiration to support their community, to give their kids a better life than they perhaps had and to make sure that they can just get on with life and look after others was really profound. I would like to particularly acknowledge all the members from South Australia and congratulate everyone on their election to this place. I think it's true—hopefully it's true—to say that at times South Australia bats above its weight. I think we are very blessed to have a new member for Sturt join us as well as a new senator in Senator Charlotte Walker. They join other representatives from South Australia: the member for Boothby, the member for Adelaide, the member for Hindmarsh, the member for Makin and the member for Spence. They join the Labor team and make up the Labor caucus. I acknowledge and congratulate the member for Barker, who is in the chamber; the new member for Grey; and the member for Mayo for their re-election as well. I know that, each in our way, we will fiercely fight for South Australia and for the communities that we represent. I want to reflect on the fact that this government was re-elected on a very clear vision for the future building on what we started in our first term of government. I think that everyone—certainly me—decided to enter into politics to ensure that everyone could reach their full potential, that we could as government allow everyone to try and reach their full potential, that we could put the supports in place to ensure everyone got that enabling opportunity, whether that was education or healthcare, to allow them to really do the best they can. I think that really is a critical motivation. Therefore, I'm really proud that, in our first term of government, particularly in my role as Minister for Social Services, we were able to do some really important work to ensure that we did better for people. I would particularly like to say that the reform we did in disability employment services, which will now come into effect as Inclusive Employment Australia, is a really important reform to ensure that people with disability do get the opportunity for economic empowerment to get a job and to make sure that the service system was not trying to make them change but responded to their individual needs to make sure they were working with employers to deliver better outcomes. I heard over and over again from people with disability that they did want the opportunity but no-one was giving them that chance. I'm very proud of the disability reform we did. There was also our National Plan to End Violence against Women and Children. That was work we put in to make sure we could really have a common anchor to guide us all. The document itself drives Commonwealth investments and state and territory investment and really gives us a framework in which we can end violence against women and children. We've got a long way to go, and I remain absolutely committed to that goal along with, I'm sure, everyone across the parliament. Of course, we expanded and strengthened paid parental leave, paying superannuation on it for the first time. We boosted social safety increases, including JobSeeker, the single parenting payment and Commonwealth rent assistance. They were some—I can't go into all—of the work that we did, and I would like to thank all of my ministerial staff, who worked so diligently on ensuring that we could get the best for people. They really were passionate and believed in what we were doing, and I'd like to thank them very much. Now in this new term, I am absolutely honoured to have been appointed Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations. Of course, part of this work continues some of the work that I did in social services to make sure that Australians have the opportunity to obtain and retain a well-paid job. I think it is really critical to acknowledge the work that was done by the now minister for home affairs and Senator Watt for the work that they did in laying a very strong foundation to get wages moving in this country and to work on secure jobs. Some of the work that has been done, that we will continue working on, is a world first in minimum standards for employee-like work. Other countries are looking to us. We have set a pathway to make sure gig economy workers actually get a minimum standards safety net. I think that's really important. We will continue to deliver in this portfolio on our election commitments to workplace relations. But also, importantly, there will be new challenges coming at us. There is, for example, artificial intelligence and its opportunities but also its challenges that we must grapple with. So I think there is still a lot of work to be done. For me, getting back to what the election was fought on, there was a very clear message from my electorate. They wanted us to talk about things that would make a practical difference to their lives, whether that was a tax cut for every taxpayer, energy bill relief, cheaper medicines or a cut to student debt. I heard over and over from young people, and also older people who still had a debt, about just how important that student debt policy was. I did want to talk about free TAFE, in particular, though. In my electorate, further out in the suburbs, the Noarlunga TAFE campus had become a little less populated and not as vibrant as it had been. That was until free TAFE came along. What free TAFE has done was not only unlocked the opportunity for so many people to either train for the first time or retrain but unlocked the ability to do so close to home at Noarlunga TAFE. I visited there, and, in areas where construction had been done and which had been vacant for a long time, I saw students training there again. It is so heartening to hear stories as we see more and more students attracted back to that TAFE campus, getting the opportunity for the first time. Making sure that opportunity is close to home is so critically important. In addition, I did want to talk about health care. Health care is so important. Ensuring you are able to access a universal healthcare system is something I think our country can be very proud of. It's something I actually spoke about in my first speech in this place. The healthcare commitments we've made, particularly in this election, will have a big impact on my electorate, whether that's the tripling of the bulk-billing incentive, which will encourage many more doctors to bulk-bill; the extra funding for our very busy urgent care clinic at Morphett Vale—and a shout-out to everyone who works there; this urgent care clinic is doing amazing work—or the commitment to a walk-in mental health urgent care clinic in the southern suburbs of Adelaide. We know there are times when people are quite distressed emotionally and feeling like they need some support right there and then, and a walk-in Medicare mental health clinic will do just that. I did want to use the remaining time I had to say some thankyous. There have been a lot of people who have worked very hard, including my ministerial office who worked through the last term and was headed up by Owen Torpy. He's decided to look for other opportunities now, but I couldn't have done what I did in that last term without his absolute commitment. We really were a team, and I really appreciate everything that they did. I had a huge campaign team, who gave up their weekends and weeknights and were really committed to seeing me get re-elected. So thank you to Noah Beckham, Lily Waltham, Lachie Byrne, Lorraine Christalee, Oliver Shepherd-Bailey and Saxa McDonald. We had over 300 volunteers who came out, packed shopping centre bags and worked on prepolling days. But I did want to particularly give a shout-out to Kylie and Alistair Douglas, Jono Gauci, Jim Phillips, Chrissy Slater, Sally Hand, John Naylor, Bill and Maxine Watson, Naomi Piper, Bridie Ward, Georgina Walk and Jess Zilly—all did a huge amount of work. I would like to give a big shout-out to the many who, in addition to supporting me as minister, helped in my campaign: Lanai Scarr, Phil Nigg, Kate Coleman, Jaimee Hunt, Kirsty Johnson, Leesa Markussen, Jack Loader, Drina Velidka, Marie Goodnick, Ruth Albertson Kill, Rosie Lenty, Genevieve Scarf, Jordon O'Reilly and Louis Gordon. They worked incredibly hard over the last term, and I am very grateful to them. I am also incredibly appreciative of my electorate staff. Electorate staff do, and I hear this over and over again, make an enormous difference. While I feel privileged to be let into people's lives, they are also let into people's lives, but they have to really spend a lot of time helping and assisting, and they make a difference every single day. They do change lives, and I think sometimes they're not recognised for that. To Angela Duigan, James Carter, Emma Kane, Lucy Nguyen and Eloise Atterton, a really, really big thank you. I also wanted to shout out Jordon O'Reilly, who's actually here today and who was my campaign manager. He has been with me for a while. He's been absolutely dedicated and, with his leadership, he was able to put together such a strong campaign in a seat where there's not always the same attention as sometimes there is on a marginal seat. We were able to mount a really grassroots campaign. Jordon, your attention, your engagement with people and your commitment and loyalty to both the campaign and myself are desperately appreciated. I'd like to thank you very much for the work you've done for a long time for me, but also of course in the campaign. I would like to acknowledge the many members of parliament outside of South Australia—though obviously South Australians comes first—including the many, many new members and members returning to this place. I particularly wanted to reflect on the new Labor caucus. I had the privilege of starting to get to know many of the new Labor caucus before the election, as I visited their seats, and since the election. I feel so privileged to be working alongside so many of these new members. The acumen, the intelligence, the policy, the thoughtfulness, the energy—it is unbelievable. I feel so lucky that, for the next three years, I'll be working alongside so many talented people. And the diversity! From all walks of life, this is one of the most multicultural caucuses and governments ever. With women and men from all walks of life, it's an absolute privilege to be part of this new Labor government. I'd also like to acknowledge the leadership of Aemon Bourke, the state secretary in South Australia, who ran a great campaign in South Australia. I of course acknowledge Paul Erickson as well at the national secretariat. I would also like to particularly acknowledge the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister, through his leadership, really defined what it meant to be optimistic, to look to the future, to address people's concerns in a practical way and to also have an eye on the horizon. I'd just like to acknowledge and thank him for his leadership. Equally, I'd like to recognise our premier, Peter Malinauskas. Peter and the Prime Minister have worked incredibly well together, and nothing better represents that than the decision to keep the Whyalla steelworks going. This was a significant decision and an example of the power of government and of the important role that government can play but also of the importance of partnership between the Premier of South Australia and our prime minister. It was brave to keep Whyalla steelworks going, not only because of the jobs it actually saves and the communities that it supports but also because of the sovereign capability that Whyalla brings to this country, and I would like to commend both the Prime Minister and the Premier for that. I give a big thankyou to a number of union members, including Josh Peak, Jordan Mumford, Nick Townsend, Jason Hall, Sam McIntosh and the broad labour movement. Of course, I'd better get in my husband, Tim, and Oscar and Percy. I couldn't do it without you. 19:00 Mr PASIN 240756 Barker It is a great privilege to rise to give this speech-in-reply, particularly having been given the immense honour of being re-elected to this place now on five consecutive occasions. Like previous speakers I'm incredibly humbled by the faith that the people of Barker have placed in me. It was a humbling experience in 2013 and it has been a humbling experience on every single occasion since. These are not privileges that are earned solo; they are part of a broader team's effort. I want to take the opportunity early in this contribution to acknowledge one team member. I was in regional Victoria campaigning in my role as shadow minister for roads and road safety when my staff told me I needed to find a quiet place to take a call. At that point I thought, 'Hmm, I wonder which journalist has found something to ask me about.' The caller asked me if I was feeling okay, and then they said, 'Tony, we have some really sad news to tell you.' That sad news was that a very close friend and someone who'd been on this political journey with me for a very long time had passed away. His name was Nevin Lamont. Nevin had served as the Barker FEC treasurer since 2013. At the last AGM that Nevin attended, which was the AGM of 2024, he pulled me aside and said, 'Tony, I think this election campaign might be my last.' He didn't mean his last on earth but rather his last as treasurer. But it turned out that Nevin didn't get to see the outcome of the election in 2025. I want to pay tribute to Nevin. Nevin's own grandfather served in this place as the member for Barker. Nevin was a loyal supporter of mine, someone who would walk on broken glass for me and for the Liberal movement. He was a farmer from Glencoe. He was then someone who became a photography enthusiast, which led to a business in retirement. He threw his support behind the Liberal Party. I just want to pay my respects to Nevin in this contribution. Nevin, it's a measure of your contribution that people continue, both as part of that campaign and in meetings subsequent, to refer to how Nevin would deal with a particular matter. So vale, Nevin Lamont. While I'm dealing with volunteer contributions, perhaps I can give the shout-outs now. In particular, I want to give one to Barker FEC President Sophie Wilksch. This is a young lady who was elected to the presidency in the lead-up to the 2022 election. She was a quietly spoken individual. She has grown immensely, and she assisted in my campaigns in 2022 and 2025. Sophie was an amazing support during the campaign. I'd also like to give shout-outs to Sue Andrew in the Riverland, and Greg O'Brien and Suzy Howell, who I'll mention again, in the Murraylands. Shout-outs also go to Clayton Scott in the Barossa; the Peuckers, Mark and Julie, in Mount Gambier; and, through MacKillop, Matt Neumann and Lachy Haynes, who of course has served for a number of years as rural and regional chair of the Liberal Party in South Australia. Thanks also to my staff, many of whom go above and beyond, some of whom have taken the decision, after a number of elections and terms—in particular, my former chief of staff, Vanessa Juergens—to move on to greener pastures. To Ness I want to convey my thanks. It's a particular challenge when you come to work for a member of parliament like me, having worked for former foreign minister Alexander Downer. The electorate office that had my name on the door was the first electorate office I had ever been to in my life. Mine was not a journey through staffing or other things, so Ness had a hard time in the first three or so years. I'm incredibly grateful for her service. Equally, thanks to Charlotte Edmunds, who worked with me in electoral seats and also did much of the work in the portfolio responsibilities I had. I'm so pleased to see her career journey progressing now through the Limestone Coast Local Government Association as their chief executive officer. To Suzy Howell, who has been a long-term stalwart in my office and was much loved by constituents, happy retirement! While I am acknowledging people, can I acknowledge the former leader of the opposition, Peter Dutton. This is a man who, at times, for political reasons or otherwise, has been derided, but I think on election night we saw a glimmer of the character of the man. In his acknowledgement, his concession speech, when he spoke about the Prime Minister and how proud the Prime Minister's mother would have been of his achievements, I think that volumes of the Peter Dutton I knew and do know. I want to thank Peter for his service to the Liberal Party, his service to the parliament and, in particular, his service to the nation. I want to also thank him for giving me the great privilege to serve as assistant shadow minister for infrastructure and transport, and subsequently as shadow minister for roads and road safety. I listened to the member for Kingston's contribution, and it was fine. It reminded me of one thing when she was acknowledging the new members of the Labor caucus. I want to acknowledge one group of people who I expect have not been necessarily acknowledged—at least, not frequently—in this debate, and that is the cohort of Liberal candidates who presented themselves to the Australian people. I had the opportunity to meet many of them and campaign with some of them, and I have to tell you that the result those opposite achieved at the election was not a reflection of the quality of those candidates. Those candidates were let down, and I have offered my personal apology to many of them, as I have to conservative voters, notwithstanding the result in Barker. I want to quickly again thank my staff, who, during my time as assistant shadow minister, took on portfolio responsibilities over and above electoral responsibilities, because there wasn't an allocation of additional staff. That's a huge burden, but it was one they dealt with to great effect. I want to thank them particularly for the development of our policy on road safety. The concept of delivering to this nation the first ever no-fault investigation program—which the Australian people ultimately rejected, but I hope those opposite consider it—is an incredible achievement against a background of doing that with very limited resources. I want to also acknowledge, both as a South Australia member of parliament and, more importantly, as the shadow minister for roads and road safety, as I was then, the announcement we made around the Truro bypass and the greater Adelaide freight route. For those not familiar with Adelaide, Adelaide remains the last of the capital cities in Australia to have the main trucking route boring all the way through it. It means all the heavy vehicle traffic that comes from southern Australia, Melbourne and the south-east of South Australia needs to traverse through the middle of Adelaide on Portrush Road or Cross Road. These are some of the most densely populated suburbs of Adelaide. Disappointingly, it's apparent that too many schools are located in this area, and it's also at the bottom of the sharpest descent into a capital city anywhere in this country. There is every sort of risk that presents itself with this heavy vehicle traffic. It was our policy to remove the majority of that heavy vehicle traffic from the streets and suburbs of Adelaide via a commitment of $1 billion to build the Truro bypass, to duplicate the Swanport Bridge and, of course, to build the interconnection between the Dukes and Sturt highways. Unfortunately, that project will not be proceeded with. As it relates to the Truro bypass, it was a project that was about to start when the Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government began her infrastructure review and effectively knocked that project off the to-do list. It is disappointing. I'm sorry to make this assertion, but those opposite went to the South Australian people with a proposal to build half of that road. Unfortunately, the South Australian state government simply doesn't have the money to pay the balance, which is a sum greater than half a billion dollars. That was, in my assessment, an attempt to hoodwink the people of South Australia into believing that it didn't matter, that they were getting a road in any event. They've now woken up to the reality that the road is more than a decade away, and I pray most days that the road safety risks that the failure to make that investment represent won't realise themselves. Let's talk about the regions. It's hard for me to make a contribution without saying it. Those opposite enjoy an incredibly strong—and I referred to it the other day—hypermajority. Having said that—and I would've said this before the events of Ballarat a week ago—that's not a universally agreed position across the country. The National Party are fond of saying that their members of parliament did particularly well at the last election. I can tell you that, in truth, regional, rural and remote members of parliament, particularly those on the Senate right, did well at this election. I note my colleague opposite referred to some seat, and that might be true, but when we're close to losing the seat of Bendigo, you might need to be a little concerned about what's happening in regional Australia. I can tell you what is happening in regional Australia. Regional Australia is feeling ignored. It felt ignored during this campaign and it's feeling ignored right now. When you've got people pleading with the Prime Minister to save their industry, an industry that's done every single thing that government has asked of it—and I appreciate you, Deputy Speaker Wilkie, don't share my view on this topic. The campaign to keep the sheep was one that resonated in two electorates, and perhaps that's why the call to save the live sheep industry fell on deaf ears. I'll tell you about another policy area that's falling on deaf ears, and that's the Australian wine industry. I've got viticulturists in my electorate that have lost money in three or four successive vintages. This can't continue. Those opposite were fond, in the lead up to the election and indeed in the lead up to the '22 election, of blaming former prime minister Morrison for his actions vis-a-vis China. The truth is that didn't help, but the reality is that's a misunderstanding of what's happening globally to the wine industry. Globally, demand for wine and the propensity to drink wine is in sharp decline. That might be because people want to be healthier. It might be because people are choosing alternative drinks. The reality is demand has crashed, and it has crashed globally. Indeed, Australia left the Chinese market, and our competitors, Italy, Chile, France and America, all saw a market decline at the same time. So a major exporter, Australia, leaves the market, and it is still in decline. The reality is that there needs to be structural assistance in relation to the Australian wine industry. We're going to lose this industry, and I fear for older producers who simply have no other option but to fall destitute. I call on those opposite to heed the calls of the Australian wine industry. Regional Australians, particularly South Australians, have been forgotten during this drought. Much of regional South Australia is living through the most severe drought in living memory. There is limited to no support available—no specific support. When, in 2016, we found ourselves in drought on the east coast and in South Australia, our then government provided grants to local government and specific grants to farmers. None of that has been forthcoming. I suppose I am effectively suggesting that if it's not in the metropolitan news cycle—if it's not affecting metropolitan Australians—then you're not seeing a lot of love or attention. The farmers in my electorate, who've been in drought for more than two years, are particularly interested in the approach of those opposite to the algal bloom in South Australia. Nobody, not a farmer I know—salt of the earth as they are—would be opposed to any form of support going to the coastal communities on the back of this. But I just think it's interesting that dead fish on beaches in Adelaide lead to almost twice-daily visits by senior ministers from the government of those opposite to Adelaide, to profess their undying and loving support for these coastal communities, when I've got farmers on bended knee asking for support. While I've got the time I have, can I just make a couple of other observations. I was sitting through question time, listening to the minister for health talk about GP clinics, particularly urgent care clinics. Can I tell the House and the minister—I know he's aware of this because, while he might not hear my regular speeches on the topic, I understand the South Australian state minister for health has written to him about it—the Mount Gambier urgent care clinic has been closed since June. I don't mean 'not open in particular hours'; I mean closed. Why? It went into liquidation. You might say, 'Mr Pasin, that's impossible, because these projects are block funded.' True, they are, but the operator of that business went into liquidation and, as a result, it is closed. There's a tender process going on. I call on the minister to expedite that, for no other reason than this: there are four GP clinics in Mount Gambier—four—and every single clinic has now confirmed publicly that it is not taking on additional patients. So you've got four GP clinics that aren't taking on additional patients. It's great if you are a patient of the clinic, and, to disclose an interest, I am. But, if you're new to Mount Gambier and your kid's sick, you can't go to a GP clinic. You can ring all four of them, but you'll be told, 'We are not taking on extra clients.' Then you can go around to the urgent care clinic, but it's boarded up. So where do you go? You go to emergency. That's not good enough, and it's something that needs to be addressed immediately. When asked why this happened, I said I warned this would happen in 2022, when the minister for health changed the distribution priority areas. The minute he did that—the next day—I got phone calls from clinics saying that doctors had resigned. Finally, can I say that I was privileged to make commitments to the following organisations as part of the campaign: the Murray Bridge Players and Singers; the Tailem Bend RSL; the Penola bowling club; the Mount Gambier and District Saleyards, via the District Council of Grant; the Kapunda Soldiers Memorial Garden and their efforts at Dutton Park; and the Mount Burr Netball Club. To all of those organisations, who are incredibly worthy and who have been ignored for too long: can I tell you I will continue to campaign for the funding and support you need. No-one was more disappointed than me that we failed to form government at the last election. I went to bed that night thinking about each of your organisations and how happy you were when I came to your facilities and gave you a commitment that a Dutton-led Liberal government would fund your respective projects. I'm going to work hard every day to ensure that whatever opportunities are available—and, sadly, in the last term there were too few; I hope there are more—deliver the social capital communities need particularly in my electorate of Barker. I will work every day to make sure we can deliver on those. Finally, it is an immense privilege to serve as the member for Barker. If you had asked a young, perhaps primary school aged Tony Pasin whether he would ever serve in this parliament, he would have thought you were crazy. I don't take that privilege for granted. I'm fighting every day for the people of Barker. 19:20 Mr CONROY 249127 Shortland Let me start by saying this: representing the people of Shortland is the greatest honour of my life. I'm incredibly thankful to my community for putting their trust in me once again. I won't take it for granted. I promise to keep working hard every single day to deliver for you and for our region. The result of the 2025 election sent a strong message across the country: Australians want a government that listens, that delivers and that puts people first. I'm proud to stand here and say that's exactly what the Albanese Labor government is doing and will keep doing. Throughout the campaign, my team and I spoke with thousands of people across our community. We doorknocked, we phone-called, we held street stalls, eager to hear what mattered most to people. We listened, we made commitments and now we're delivering. One example I'm especially proud of is our support for an amazing local organisation, Survivor's R Us. Survivor's R Us helps people dealing with domestic violence, homelessness and unemployment, some of the hardest things anyone can go through. They told us they needed a permanent space so they could keep doing their vital work. We listened, and now we deliver. A commitment by the Albanese Labor government of $2.8 million will help them buy a permanent site. This will give them the security they need to continue helping our community for many years to come. That's what good government looks like: backing local organisations, supporting people doing work on the ground and making a real change in people's lives. Everyone deserves safety, dignity and opportunity to rebuild. But our work doesn't stop there. We've also committed funding to support important community upgrades across Shortland. There is $4.6 million to deliver the second state upgrade of Belmont Sporting Complex, $130,000 to fix the steps of Charlestown Netball Courts, $220,000 to address Windale rugby league club's drainage issues at Hunter Barnett Oval, $420,000 to upgrade the lighting at John Balcomb Oval, home of the Dudley Magpies, $275,000 to install new floodlighting at Lisle Carr Oval in Whitebridge, $275,000 to upgrade the lighting at Cardiff Netball Courts, $275,000 to install floodlighting at Jack Edwards Oval in Argenton, $325,000 to fix longstanding flooding issues at Slade Park and $35,000 for new fencing at Halekulani Oval, home of the Budgewoi Bulldogs. These projects may not make national headlines, but they matter deeply to our community and to the players, families and volunteers who use these spaces every week. I'm also proud of the $90,000 in funding we've committed for the expansion of the Vedic Samiti Temple in Cardiff South. This will help deliver a new, all-weather dining space for our growing local Hindu community, making it easier to come together, celebrate and connect. Across Shortland and across Australia, people voted for a better future, for fairness, for stability and for a government that backs everyday Australians, not just the big end of town. That's what Labor stands for, that's what I stand for and that's what we'll keep delivering. When I was out and about in my community, my constituents told me they wanted help with the cost of living. They told me they were feeling the squeeze. That's why we're delivering real cost-of-living relief. We gave millions of households more direct energy bill belief, and there's another $150 off electricity bills to come. We've introduced cheaper child care and rolled out free TAFE, and now we're cutting the costs of medicines even further, cutting the price of PBS prescriptions to just $25, the lowest it's been since 2004. Meanwhile, pensioners and concession card holders will keep saving money thanks to the price freeze on PBS medicines, which will stay at just $7.70 until 2030. We'll continue to protect our PBS. That's how we help families, workers and pensioners right now—with practical support that makes a difference every day. During the campaign, young people told me they were struggling. The Albanese Labor government believes in a fair day's pay for a fair day's work, and that's why we've backed minimum wage increases. If you're getting a pay slip soon, minimum wages are now 3.5 per cent higher. We didn't just promise more jobs; we delivered better jobs with better pay and better conditions. That's why we're supporting apprentices in dealing with cost-of-living pressures while ensuring Australia has the workforce it needs to build 1.2 million homes over five years. We're paying housing construction apprentice tradies $10,000 in incentives, because we're building the workforce Australia needs for the future, and we're giving Australians real pathways into meaningful careers. That's what my community wants, and that's Labor's way—lifting people up, not leaving them behind. We know education changes people's lives, and that's why Labor has made it easier to learn, train and grow. I've heard from students and their parents that crushing HECS debts were stopping young people from buying houses and getting ahead. That's why we cut 20 per cent off HECS debt, why we introduced free TAFE and why, for the first time ever, eligible student nurses, teachers, social workers and midwives are getting paid for their prac placements—as they should. This is not just good policy; it's common sense. Because, if we want a strong future, we need to invest in the people building it. We know housing has become a major stressor for far too many people in Shortland and across Australia—renters, first home buyers and people trying to get a roof over their heads. That's why Labor is delivering. We're tackling the housing crisis with our $43 billion Homes for Australia plan, making it easier to buy and better to rent and building more homes. We're delivering up to 100,000 homes just for first home buyers, with no competition from investors, and we're making sure they're built near jobs, families and the community. From 2026, every first home buyer can access a government backed five per cent deposit, with no income caps and no limits on how much you can earn to be eligible. Our Help to Buy scheme will make it easier to buy your first home by cutting the size of your mortgage, with the government covering up to 40 per cent of the upfront costs. We are also speeding up construction with prefab and modular homes, which will fast-track building times. We're cutting red tape and fast-tracking the qualifications of 6,000 tradies to get it done. We've backed renters with more rights and more assistance, and now we're making the dream of homeownership achievable again. We're not ignoring the housing crisis; we're tackling it head-on. My constituents also told me how important Medicare is to our community, and I'm so proud that we're strengthening and protecting it. We tripled the bulk-billing incentive, making it easier to see a GP—especially for kids, pensioners and concession card holders. We all know how important it is to get medical care when you need it without spending hours waiting in a hospital emergency room. That's why we've opened urgent care clinics in Lake Haven and Charlestown. These clinics have quickly become some of the busiest in New South Wales, demonstrating just how vital they are to our community. Because of their success, we're delivering more resources to help them meet growing demand, so more people can get the care they need, when they need it, and for free. This is great news for local families, providing faster and more accessible care for our region. When I'm out in the community, I hear time and time again how much people value these services, so I'd like to thank the dedicated staff who work in these clinics. Your care and commitment are making a real difference every day, as is the care and commitment of every single person in the health sector in Shortland. Now we're working to deliver expanded mental health support, because my community told me that's what they need next. I'm proud that we will have a Medicare mental health clinic in Charlestown in the near future—because your health should not depend on your bank balance, and, under Labor, it never will. My constituents also care deeply about the environment. That's why we're taking bold, responsible action on climate change—not just because it's the right thing to do for our planet, but because it's the smart thing to do for our economy. Under Labor, Australia is becoming a renewable energy superpower. We're investing in batteries, home solar and the Rewiring the Nation project to modernise our grid. We're creating thousands of clean energy jobs and driving down power prices, all while cutting pollution and protecting our future. You can characterise our government as being steady. We've been focused, and we've kept our promises. From cost-of-living relief to Medicare reform and from housing to climate, the Albanese Labor government has delivered what we said we would, and we'll continue to do exactly that. At the end of the day, this election wasn't just about policies; it was about values, Australians chose fairness over division. But, unfortunately, the campaign also had its darker side. I saw scenes I'd never witnessed my time in politics. We had Exclusive Brethren in Liberal shirts busting into our neighbourhoods from as far away as South Australia. They were there not to campaign but to bully, harass and intimidate. They physically blocked voters from entering polling booths, ripped other parties' materials from voters' hands, tore down signs, hurled sexist and offensive remarks and confronted volunteers and voters with aggression and contempt. This was not about persuasion and campaigning; this was about coercion and intimidation. These tactics—the coordination, the coercion and the intimidation—were among the most egregious I've ever witnessed. They were corrosive to democracy and contrary to everything we stand for. They didn't even bother to pretend to know the electorate. They didn't even know where the Charlestown Medicare Urgent Care Clinic was, even though many of them were at a prepoll centre just around the corner from the clinic for two whole weeks. All this, according to media reports, was coordinated out of the then Liberal leader's office—a nationwide, orchestrated effort by a secretive religious cult to influence our election. Let's ask ourselves: Why did the Exclusive Brethren, who don't even vote, mobilise in their thousands for the Liberal Party? What were they promised? What was the quid pro quo? Let's hope the Liberal Party never again employs such disgraceful, antidemocratic tactics. I'm pleased to report the voters of Shortland, when faced with this orchestrated campaign of fear and intimidation, said no. They provided the Liberals with the result they deserved. My constituents chose compassion over cruelty, hope over fear and action over spin. They chose a government that builds, not blames; that backs workers, supports families and stands up for the vulnerable; and that listens, delivers and brings people together. So to everyone who put their trust in me and Labor: thank you. I won't take your support for granted. Together we'll keep building a better Australia—one that is fairer, stronger and full of opportunity for all. I'd like to say a big, heartfelt thank you to my amazing team. I couldn't have done this without you. To the mighty trade union movement I say thank you. Every day you work tirelessly to improve the safety and working conditions of millions of Australians. In particular, I would acknowledge the support of the Mining and Energy Union, the AMWU, the MUA veterans and the SDA. Without your support, the result we achieved in Shortland would not have been possible. To my staff, my volunteers and, of course, my family: thank you for hitting the streets, knocking on doors, making countless phone calls, delivering flyers and handing out on polling places—on prepoll and on election day. We delivered one of the most active campaigns in all of New South Wales, and the results speak for themselves. Your support never wavered, and I have the great honour and privilege of serving the people of Shortland for another three years because of your hard work and dedication. I'd like to take a moment to pay tribute to a very special member of my team: my former office manager Kylie Katalinic. Kylie joined the Labor Party at just 17, inspired by her proud Labor father, and from that day on she dedicated her life to the movement. Kylie joined my office in August 2023. From day one, Kylie was focused on the election campaign to come. She knew just how important it was to have a Labor government in office and how a Labor agenda can transform lives. Tragically, Kylie lost her life to cancer in February this year. Kylie was a passionate unionist, a fierce advocate for mental health and someone who lived her Labor values every single day. Kylie brought warmth, energy and kindness to everything she did in our office, with her family and in our community. She is deeply missed by all of us, and I know she would be incredibly proud of what we've achieved together. I again pass my condolences on to Kylie's family and friends. In conclusion, I would like to thank two groups of people. First, I'd like to thank the Prime Minister for his continued leadership. He ran an incredibly disciplined, value driven, honest and effective government over the last three years, and the election result reflects the trust the people of Australia have in him and his agenda. He is a person who never forgets where he came from and is committed to fighting for Australians every single day. Finally, in conclusion, I'd like to thank my family again. To my beautiful wife, Keara, and my two amazing kids, Rachel and Michael: thank you for the sacrifices you make. Thank you for believing in the Labor project of improving the lives of all Australians. I apologise in advance for another three years of my absence, but I hope I can continue to make you proud and to repay the trust and sacrifice you make every single day so that I can continue to represent the people of Shortland. As I said earlier, representing my community in Shortland is the greatest honour of my life, and I will continue to work every day to make every moment in this place count. Thank you very much. The DEPUTY SPEAKER C2T I join with the minister acknowledging the chamber staff, who've supported us as we have run a little over time. 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 19:3 6