Maria Vamvakinou's recent appearances (OpenAustralia.org)
Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Joint Committee; Report | Committees | House debates
On behalf of the Joint Standing Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade, I present the committee's report incorporating a dissenting report entitled A review of the operation of the amendments made by...
On behalf of the Joint Standing Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade, I present the committee's report incorporating a dissenting report entitled A review of the operation of the amendments made by the Autonomous Sanctions Amendment (Magnitsky-style and Other Thematic Sanctions) Act 2021. I ask leave of the House to make a short statement in connection with the report. Leave granted. On behalf of the Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade and as chair of the human rights sub committee, I present the committee's report into the review of the operations of the amendments made by the Autonomous Sanctions Amendment (Magnitsky-style and Other Thematic Sanctions) Act 2021. This report is a legislated review of the operation of one component of this framework, the thematic or Magnitsky style autonomous sanctions. Australia's sanctions regimes offer the potential to tackle serious human rights violations and corruption and address situations of international concern around the world. The framework complements Australia's pre-existing multilateral and autonomous sanctions regimes and holds real promise in tackling human rights abuses, curbing serious corruption and addressing other issues of international concern globally. A DFAT-led 2023 review of sanctions laws is welcomed, and the anticipated outcomes of the review will contribute to further legislative changes during the 48th Parliament. However, given Magnitsky style thematic sanctions remain in their infancy, and noting the current complex and dynamic geopolitical landscape, further periodic reviews will be needed to strengthen the effectiveness of Australia's autonomous sanctions framework. The autonomous sanctions framework is one tool among a suite of foreign policy tools that are available to the Australian government. However, it should be noted that, in the face of serious human rights abuses and corrupt conduct, sanctions will not always be appropriate or effective. It should also be noted that there is limited evidence demonstrating the impact of autonomous Magnitsky style thematic sanctions in either deterring or punishing human rights abuses or seriously corrupt conduct. As such, ongoing efforts by DFAT and others to monitor the impact of Australia's sanctions regime and to identify opportunities for future legislative reform would be most welcome. There are concerns that Australia's thematic sanctions do not yet live up to their full promise. The committee identified areas in which this framework can and should be strengthened. To this end, this report makes five recommendations aimed at strengthening Australia's autonomous sanctions framework: that sanctions decisions be accompanied by detailed reasoning; that reasons for sanctions decisions be included in the consolidated list of sanctioned individuals and entities; that the parliament receive an annual report on sanctions decisions taken during the previous year; that the regulations for imposing autonomous sanctions be updated to include listing criteria for all thematic areas; and that humanitarian exemptions be legislated to ensure humanitarian assistance is not adversely affected by the imposition of sanctions. On behalf of the committee, I extend my thanks to the stakeholders and submitters who contributed their time and experience to the inquiry. I also thank all committee members for their collegiate approach. In particular, I'd like to thank the deputy chair, Senator Linda Reynolds, and also the member for Blair, who is a member of this committee but also chairs the wider foreign affairs, defence and trade committee, for their assistance. I'd also like to thank the secretariat for their support throughout this inquiry. I commend this report to the House.
Treasury Laws Amendment (Tax Incentives and Integrity) Bill 2024; Consideration in Detail | Bills | House debates
The question is that the bill as amended by agreed to. Question agreed to. Bill, as amended, agreed to.
Rearrangement | Business | House debates
The Manager of Opposition Business's time has expired. Is there a seconder for the motion?
Order! Let the minister complete.
I draw the member back to be substantive suspension motion.
The minister, on a point of order?
The question is that the amendment to government amendment (2) moved by the member for Warringah be agreed to. I put that question. Those of that opinion say aye, those against no. The noes have...
The question is that the amendment to government amendment (2) moved by the member for Warringah be agreed to. I put that question. Those of that opinion say aye, those against no. The noes have it? Minister? The minister may assist the chair.
Valedictory | Parliamentary Representation | House debates
I will! It was such an obvious but significant dissemination of the health department's information, with the potential to change and indeed save lives. This, surely, is the point of...
I will! It was such an obvious but significant dissemination of the health department's information, with the potential to change and indeed save lives. This, surely, is the point of multicultural policy—to ensure that everyone has full access to information services and that everyone, regardless of language or culture, can fully participate in our society. This is the multiculturalism that I and so many others have fought for and will continue to fight for, despite the naysayers. I believe that all migrants should be given every opportunity to learn English, no doubt; they have to. But like my constituent and good friend the late Stefan Romaniw, I believe in the importance of supporting the retention of the teaching of community languages. Stefan, sadly, passed away last year. He will be greatly missed by the community languages sector whose advocacy he led, but he'll also missed by the local Ukrainian community. The retention of language is not only important to our diaspora communities; building multilingual capacity is a valuable resource and asset for Australia, especially so in our bilateral relations and interactions with the world and more so with our Asia-Pacific region. It was a significant achievement when the then education minister, Julia Gillard, developed the national school curriculum, which included community languages. The member for Adelaide and I carried into this place a petition of some 22,105 signatures supporting the inclusion of the Modern Greek language on the national school curriculum as a language of cultural, community, historical and economic importance to Australia and the Australian people. The Greek community is often held up as an example of successful integration. It is very much that. Its success is a result of multicultural policies and its own cultural and social resilience. My generation was encouraged to retain culture, language, faith and traditions while simultaneously proudly owning and bringing this inheritance along with us in our integration process. I hated going to Greek school. But I'm grateful that I was forced to by my parents, because today I'm bilingual and that is an asset. I can tell you one more thing: multiculturalism helped my generation—and I say this to a lot of schoolkids—deal with the double life we were living in our formative years, because it was a double life. Successful integration doesn't happen by chance. Multiculturalism has and will continue to enable the integration of migrants and assist their journey to becoming Australians. It will enable our newer, emerging communities who are coming here from our region with the same aspirations and desires to hold on to language and culture, and who are making and will make their contribution to the great Australian story, for they are the next wave of nation-builders. We saw this last week, at the SBS television's celebration of Lunar New Year here in parliament. This event was hosted by SBS's friendship group—again, convened by the member for Monash, me and the member for Fowler—and it saw the member for Monash and me dress in the traditional garments of a Korean groom, which was quite fun. The acknowledgement of country was conducted in Korean—a poignant example of contemporary Australian multiculturalism in action. SBS is a vital piece of our multicultural infrastructure. It's in-language focus is critical to our nation, to our social inclusion and to our national security. My passionate belief in multiculturalism is why, in this place, I have always sought to be a member of the Joint Standing Committee on Migration. I have served on this committee over six or so parliamentary terms, both as chair and deputy chair. I'm especially proud of the committee's report Inquiry into migration and multiculturalism in Australia from March 2013. This inquiry looked at the economic, social and cultural impacts of migration on Australia. It was, as I have said, an audit into migration and multiculturalism, following a decade of criticism and fear-mongering. Other reports followed, including No one teaches you to become an Australian, and the most recent, Migration,pathway to nation building. These reports made many recommendations, but they also affirmed that, in general, Australians support multiculturalism and accept that we are a multicultural nation and that they also support migration as a nation-building enterprise. Another area of public policy that's been consistently close to my heart throughout my time here is health. I started off specifically taking an interest in support for people with cancer, and, even more specifically, breast cancer. My very first private member's business in this place was in 2002. It was about mammary prostheses. It called on this House to note the recommendations of the February 1995 report of the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Community Affairs to amend the Medicare rebate schedule to include provision of mammary prostheses. The report noted at that time, some 23 years ago, that women diagnosed with breast cancer who underwent mastectomies were forced to endure not only the emotional and physical stress of the disease itself but also the financial burden of breast prostheses. Many had to use crude, birdseed-filled prostheses, like the one my mother did, or they had to make do with reused prostheses from women who had died. This motion came about after I accepted a meeting with this amazing woman named Roz Hill, who herself had had breast cancer and a mastectomy. She led the Canberra based organisation Caring for You, and, together with the Melbourne based Breast Cancer Action Group, advocated for the Medicare rebate. When I spoke to my private member's motion, which was seconded at the time by my colleague the former member for Charlton the late Kelly Hoare, who had mentored me in my first term, I used a prop. As a former teacher, this seemed the best way to illustrate my point to the House. I demonstrated what a more sophisticated version of a breast prosthesis looked like and why it should be available to all women regardless of their financial status through the Medicare rebate. Its appearance startled and bemused the deputy speaker, who at the time was the dry witted former member for Scullin and later Speaker of the House, Harry Jenkins. The mammary prosthesis was a version of the real thing, and it caused Harry to pause for a moment—a very long moment. I eventually got the message that I should put it down. It also caused a flurry in the media across the country the next day. Everyone was outraged as the headlines screamed 'Birdseed in the bra' and 'Dead women's breast prostheses resold'. As a result of the public outrage, the then shadow minister for health Stephen Smith, although unable to implement the recommendations of the 1995 report to amend the Medicare schedule, did commit to provide a nationally funded dedicated breast prostheses program to public hospitals to ensure that funding went directly to the provision and availability of these prostheses. This was a commitment we implemented when we came to government in 2007. It proved to me that advocates could make a difference and influence policy in this place and in this room. I went on to become good friends with Roz Hill, and she encouraged me to keep going over the years when I had doubts about staying. Roz was a two-time breast cancer survivor but sadly passed in 2015, almost 40 years after her first diagnosis. I spent many terms up here involved in raising awareness about breast cancer through the parliamentary friends of the breast cancer networks. My own mother died of it at 53 years of age. Her experience, and mine of losing her at a young age, devastated our family, and I know, as many of us do, the impact of such diseases on the individual, the family, the community and, of course, on the public resources. Breast cancer support became the first of many other vital access areas of health that I have taken an active interest in. I believe strongly that everyone regardless of socioeconomic status or English-language capacity should have access to information and preventative screening programs that are designed for early detection and saving lives. Raising awareness on public health issues has been critical to my work. People and communities cannot flourish without good health, and, from an economic point of view, not only does screening programs, awareness raising and early detection programs save lives but also they're cost effective. I've also co-chaired the heart and stroke friendship group for many years, and I believe that friendship groups have a very important role to play in this place. I, like most of you, am on scores of them, and I particularly want to thank another wonderful woman, Tanya Hall from Hearts 4 Heart, for her advocacy and tenacity. My involvement in these groups has always been about how I can assist and better inform my local communities. I also want to acknowledge the colleagues that I worked with to achieve the passing of the presumptive legislation that provides protection for firefighters. With the support of the Victorian United Firefighters Union secretary, Peter Marshall, I bypassed unwittingly my own caucus's internal processes, teamed up with a member from Melbourne and the member for Monash—there's a theme here—and secured tri-partisan support for this crucial bill. Over 23 years, I have witnessed many changes in both of my workplaces—the main one being my electorate and the second one being here in this building. When I first came up here, there were far fewer female MPs. This place was very different. We sat longer hours. It was not uncommon to sit well into the early hours of the morning. I remember one time I was listed to speak at around 3 am on a particular bill and I had to stay awake only to discover that the bill was finally guillotined just before I was due to speak. This happened often in those days. I know it happens in the Senate more regularly, but this is the House of Representatives, where government's formed. When I was first elected, my children were aged six and eight. Children were not accommodated for in these halls and members of parliament were expected to function in spite of rather than alongside being parents. With more women here, and both women and men of different ages and life stages, the culture has changed, and it's changed for the better. Sitting hours have become a lot more family friendly, and we actually have a childcare centre on site—something, believe it or not, that was vehemently rejected when this House was first planned and built. These changes have not only benefited women; they have meant that male colleagues have been more comfortable talking about their children, bringing them to Canberra and involving them in their working lives. I recall an incident, and there were many of them, in 1993—this is going back a while—when I was here as a staffer to former senator Kim Carr. He had his eight-month-old baby, Ruth, who he had to hand over to an attendant before entering the Senate for a division because 'strangers' were not allowed on the floor of the chamber. Of course, now it's much more common for members to bring their babies into the chamber. That makes a real difference to a lot of the women here but also a lot of the men. Admittedly, it took some years for these changes to evolve, and I'm sure they never would have happened without more women being elected. I'm also pleased to note the increasing number of women from diverse cultural backgrounds being elected to parliament. It is very important for our migrant communities, both established and emerging, to see people like them in positions of representation, power and influence. Not only does it give them the courage and confidence to aspire to their own goals in public or community life; it helps to ensure that cultural nuance is more likely to become embedded in the making of public policy. In my inaugural speech I said: … effective representation involves empowering the community you serve so that it can help itself. It will be my job and proud duty to share in this work. I also said that it was especially important for recently arrived migrants, and, in particular, migrant women, to take up leadership roles where they can and make a real impact on decision-making for the benefit of our community. I'm pleased to say that there are many such women in my electorate today. They may not necessarily become members of parliament, but they are already leaders in my community. I have always found that approaching women in my communities is the most efficient and effective way of learning about the issues that matter most to people—to help spread awareness of, and access to, services for the people who need them the most. It's usually the women who understand the needs of families, children and the elderly. They are the ones who get the jobs done. I became an MP because I was always interested in being involved—or, as I often explained to school students, because I don't mind my own business. It's been gratifying, rewarding and sustaining to have met and worked with so many others who also don't mind their own business—many of them for no financial reward. I've met so many amazing people over the years, but I would like to highlight just a few of the extraordinary women from my electorate that I've had a privilege to work with. I'll start with Nayana Bandari. She leads the Oorja Foundation, a community group she helped established to help the growing Indian community. Thank you, Nayana, for the wonderful work you do and for giving me the opportunity to be part of bringing to Australia the film Geeta, an award-winning documentary about an acid attack survivor Geeta Mahor and her daughter, Neetu, and their fight against gender based violence. We showed this film in the Parliament House theatre. `I want to thank its director and producer, Emma Macey-Storch, for her amazing work in helping to make arrangements for Neetu to give evidence by phone from India to the Human Rights Subcommittee inquiry into violence against women and girls. Ravinder Kaur is from the Sahara organisation, which is another community based organisation. Ravinder is fearless, kind and passionate about helping the elderly in the community navigate their way into a new life in Australia. Maria Liistro approached me many years ago to help her persuade a hospital to give her 13-year-old son, Sammy-Joe, life-saving treatment for his rare condition, trichothiodystrophy. Maria fought for him and established the Friends of Sammy-Joe Foundation in 2006 to raise awareness and to support other families in similar situations. Sammy-Joe was not expected to live beyond 25 years of age, but today he is 36 years old—largely due to his mother's sheer and unwavering determination. Agnes Nsofwa established the Australian sickle cell advocacy group. I'm proud to have been the inaugural patron of this very important organisation; it was a real highlight to launch ASCA at the Royal Children's Hospital in 2018. Even more so, Agnes lobbied and succeeded in getting newborn screening for sickle cell disease added to the newborn bloodspot screening program, and I want to thank this government for actually implementing it. It's made a huge difference to the community. Wendy Dyckhoff has played a central role in raising awareness and advocating for the forgotten Australians. Wendy overcame the impact of childhood trauma and abuse to educate herself and fight for the rights of all caregivers. The apology that Prime Minister Kevin Rudd delivered to the forgotten Australians was a milestone in Wendy's life, and it encouraged her not only to not stop campaigning but to continue to campaign to improve the lives of many others. Dorette Sayegh, who is no longer with us, made such an impression on me when I attended her 80th birthday party in 2014. Dorette was the first woman to qualify as a dentist in her hometown of Basra in Iraq. There are many such qualified medical practitioners and other professionals from Iraq and Syria living in my electorate. Like Dorette, they have made me acutely aware of the enormous talents, skills and qualifications within our diverse communities, especially the refugee communities, which we should respect, support, harness and recognise. We should find a way, at least, to allow them to participate. Gina Dougall is the dynamic, inspiring CEO of Banksia Gardens, a wonderful community organisation in Broadmeadows. Gina and I have been working together in our shared community for about the same amount of time, and, thanks to her leadership and vision, Banksia Gardens has hosted many of the most significant community gatherings that I've been proud to be involved in. Aynur Simsirel is a teacher, education adviser and, now, Ilim College's new chief executive officer. I've worked with Aynur over the years but more recently following October 7. She has been instrumental in guiding the school's response to the consequences of October 7. In her caring and compassionate manner, she set up support groups for the children who lost family members in Gaza and, later, those who came to Australia from Gaza. They have settled in Calwell, and my local community has embraced them with love and support. Mental ill health is one of the greatest challenges of our time, and, along with addiction, the sheer weight of its impact is wreaking havoc in the lives of our constituents, especially young people. The mental health of our community is as vital as its physical health. As it currently stands, the mental health system is overstretched and therefore limited in its capacity to respond at all times. This is especially critical in the non-English-speaking communities, where attitudes to mental illness and addiction are influenced by cultural nuances such as shame, lack of information about getting help and an inability to navigate the system. We need to support and partner with the mental health professionals, the mental health advocates and the grassroots community groups who are well-placed to be part of a more holistic approach. One such example is Mental Health Foundation Australia, a grassroots organisation focused on providing a referral service for multicultural communities. They do amazing work, and they're effective, but they don't receive any government funding. I'm joining their board, and I hope to use my knowledge about how this place works to convince government that the foundation should be supported. If community is prepared to step up, government must be prepared to step up also. We shouldn't stick to the usual funding script alone. I want to give a big shout-out to team GROW Clinical Psychology, a psychology clinic in Roxburgh Park using their professional expertise and cultural and linguistic know-how to help our local Turkish-speaking community. The practice recently received one of the inaugural Stronger Medicare Awards, recognising its exceptional service. Despite the changes in demographics over the years, Calwell remains a predominantly blue-collar constituency. The loss of the car industry—and, particularly, for us, the closure of Ford—continues to have a huge impact on the local economy and employment opportunities. A lot of local people have lost jobs through the decline of manufacturing, once a mainstay of Melbourne's northern suburbs. But I'm proud to say that this government has not given up on Australian manufacturing, and we have seen new industries grow, including in food production and medical and advanced manufacturing. When I was first elected, the Kangan TAFE boasted a state-of-the-art aviation school. Sadly, that is now gone, but Kangan, with the support of the state government, has built a new health and community centre of excellence, opening this Thursday, which the minister and I visited recently. Maybe we can get leave to go and share some birthday cake with them. That's always been a problem, you know. The leave business has always been a problem. While we have faced change that is not always welcome in my community, we are resilient and resourceful, and we are always looking to the future. The electorate has changed in shape and complexion. Where Craigieburn was once the outer fringe of Calwell, it is now the geographic centre, and the northern growth corridor stretches ever further north. The member for McEwen and I have always tussled and had fights about Craigieburn, because it keeps bouncing between us during the redistributions. I've got all of it back now. The electorate now reflects the new sources of migration to Australia, including from the subcontinent—the countries of India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Nepal and Bhutan, in addition to, as I've already mentioned, the large refugee communities from Iraq and Syria. Faith is central to many people's lives in Calwell. Our faith communities now include the rapidly growing Sikh, Hindu and Buddhist communities. I've enjoyed my longstanding relationships with a number of temples, and particularly with the Tibetan Buddhist Society, and one of their very important leaders, the venerable Anna Goldstein, who I worked with many, many years ago in the office of Joan Kirner, when she was the education minister. Life has a strange way of coming around. It is ironic, therefore, that I, who vehemently and publicly opposed Australia's involvement in the Iraq War in my first term here, would end representing in this place the biggest constituency of refugees from the region, who are Chaldean Christians and Assyrians. The churches play a central role in their lives. For many years, I have worked closely with Father Maher and others. I even helped bring the then governor-general, Sir Peter Cosgrove, to attend mass at the Chaldean Church of our Lady of the Plants. The community was thrilled to have the Governor-General in their church. It was a powerful sign of connecting to this country's highest office, and it made them feel that they were truly included in Australian society. I want to add my praise for the caring principal of the Good Samaritan Primary School in Roxburgh Park, Paul Sedunary, and his wonderful staff. I thank them especially for the work they do with the young refugee children. Seventy per cent of their students are refugees from Iraq and Syria, and, recently, from Gaza. This school and its staff, including the beautiful Ban, who is their liaison officer, go above and beyond the call of duty. Of course, there are many incredible public schools and non-government schools throughout my electorate who continue to do a wonderful job of teaching and supporting our young people. Visiting as many of them as I have been able to has been one of the highlights of my parliamentary career and has allowed me to continue to practice my teaching skills—and I have come to the conclusion that if I were to be back into the classroom now, I'd be in all sorts of trouble. I'm completely out of date. In closing, I want to begin by thanking Mary Elizabeth Calwell for her friendship. She has remained a constant and loyal friend, ensuring my connection to Labor history, Labor values and the legacy of her father, the man who my electorate is named after, remains strong and well-informed. Arthur Calwell was a visionary operating within the context of his time. As such, he can only be described as bold, courageous and with a firm commitment to acting in Australia's national interests. To my staff—and there have been so many over the years; too many to mention, so I'll try and do that another time—I just want to say thank you to all of you, current and past. Some of you have gone onto do exceptional things, and I'm very proud of you. I do want to make a special mention to the longest-serving members of my team. Helen Patsikatheodorou, otherwise known in our community as the 'pink mayor', on account of her having been Mayor of the City of Hume twice during her diagnosis and treatment for breast cancer. In our office, she is known as: 'If anyone can, Helen can,' because of her unyielding assistance to our community and her determination to solve problems, and she does. Joanne Dougall was with me from the beginning, and after a break she returned to the office. It's only fitting that we retire together. I met Carole Fabian when she interviewed me for that electorate officer's job in 1987. We often joke that I went on to become the boss, and I am the boss now. I hope I'm a good boss. Also Basem Abdo, who is now the Labor candidate for Calwell. I look forward to watching Basem take our community forward into the future. He is young and smart, and I have no doubt he will make an excellent contribution both in here and in the electorate. Finally, to my family—there they are—guess who's back! My husband, Michalis; my daughter, Stella; and my son, Stavros. They were six and eight when they were first here, which gives you an idea of just how long I've been here. It hasn't been easy for you guys, but it's been very hard for me. The 24/7 job I stepped up for meant I had to find ways of accommodating its demands and expectations with those of my family and personal life. I have missed so much while I have been up here in all those years. I tried to manage it by ensuring that I always knew where my kids were and that I always took their calls, no matter where I was or who I was with—there are some stories, and I won't name that prime minister! I took helicopter parenting to new levels. Today it would be drones, and I reckon they would have been more useful. I solved problems ranging from finding socks to what to have for dinner and everything else in between, and I did all that over the phone. Zoom and video weren't available in those early years, and, now that they are, no-one at home really has the time to sit and zoom with me while I'm up here. I don't think they want to, either! My life revolved around the parliamentary sitting calendar, and so did my family's. They were sometimes resentful, but we remained close and intact along the way. I want to thank you for the many times you have said to me: 'It's okay, Mum. Don't worry. We're good.' I've known so many people in this building. So many wonderful people make up the sum of who we are in this place. In my opinion, ours is one of the best parliaments in the world and the most architecturally elegant, and no-one should say anything other than that. I've enjoyed being here. It has been a privilege to have sat in this chamber. It truly is a measure of our success as a modern multicultural democratic nation that we are given opportunities to participate and to be heard no matter who we are, where we come from, our colour, our creed or whatever. But it has been an even greater privilege to have been given the opportunity to serve my local community of Calwell, and I want to thank them for eight consecutive terms of support. I have grown to know them so well, and I'm very proud of them. Thank you all. We are a great country and we are a successful country, but we shouldn't take our lucky country for granted. It's our responsibility to protect it, regardless of our difference. To you, Mr Speaker, I hope I've been of some use over the years as a mentor in the early days before you rose to fame. You have been a really good Speaker, so I want to leave with this: geia sas, sas efcharisto kai kali synechia. Loosely translated: see you later—I think you all know what 'geia sas' means—thank you, and may you go forward successfully. Thank you.
I just want to congratulate the member for Moreton for his lovely speech. We'll have a lot to say to each other afterwards. It's been almost 23 years to the day since I rose in this very chamber...
I just want to congratulate the member for Moreton for his lovely speech. We'll have a lot to say to each other afterwards. It's been almost 23 years to the day since I rose in this very chamber to make my very first parliamentary speech. In fact, I was sitting on the other side; I was trying to locate where exactly, but I don't remember. In that speech, I recall that I spoke largely about the nature of the community I would represent and serve in this place. In that first speech, I said: Multiculturalism is one of the modern foundations of our nation. It is one of our proudest achievements. Nowhere is this more evident than in the electorate of Calwell where two-thirds of residents are either first or second generation Australians. In the last 23 years, there have been many challenges to multiculturalism. It is a fact that external events, international developments, have had a profound impact on Australia's social fabric, testing the resolve of our multiculturalism from both a national security and a social cohesion perspective. And, of course, I'll say a bit more about that after. But, first, it wasn't always my plan to be a member of parliament, and I certainly never really intended to stay this long, but I'm proud to be the first Greek-born woman to enter Australia's federal parliament. I'm also proud of all that we—my staff, my community, my constituency and my colleagues from all sides in this place—have achieved together. I had always been interested in politics, but I never aspired to be a politician. I officially joined the Labor Party in 1982, but my very first foray into active politics dates back to 1975, when I was a very enthusiastic year 11 student of politics at Princes Hill high school. With the dismissal of the Whitlam Labor government, 1975 was a very intense time for Australian politics. In fact, the entire seventies were a time of change and reform. The establishment of multiculturalism as a social policy was by far one of the greatest reforms in modern Australian history. My interest in politics and the drama of 1975 led me to the Victorian Trades Hall Council, and I ended up working with the Migrant Workers Committee that had been established to re-elect the Labor government. The people I met there, people such as George Zangalis, Christos Tsirkas—my friend and mentor—Theo Sidiropoulos, Giovanni Sgro and others, were incredible role models who taught me a great deal about the passion of politics, its capacity for empowerment and change, and the art of campaigning. I also remember meeting prominent feminist Germaine Greer when she came to speak at Trades Hall. I was 16 and absolutely in awe of her. I went on to study arts and then a diploma of education at the University of Melbourne before I went on to teach at Thornbury High School. I spend two years coordinating the Greek Festival, which was the predecessor of today's Antipodes festival, Melbourne's largest street party, and I'm sure some of you will be attending that in a few weeks time. When I decided to leave teaching in 1987, I applied for two jobs. One was as an electorate officer in the office of the former member for Calwell Andrew Theophanous, and the other was with the Red Cross blood bank. I was offered both jobs, but Andrew offered me the job first, and I accepted. I often wonder what might have happened or what could have been if the Red Cross had got in first. Labor adopted affirmative action quotas in 1994, and when the opportunity to stand for preselection in a federal seat came up, I was encouraged to throw my hat in the ring, despite some reluctance on my part. At that stage, I had two young children, Stavros and Stella, and the thought of coming to Canberra weighed heavily on me. My husband and family and, indeed, my comrades in the Labor Party, especially my good friend the former senator Kim Carr, urged and encouraged me to run. So despite my reservations, I stepped up. The 2001 election campaign proved to be a very difficult one. It was the election of the Tampa and the SIEV X, and it was two months after the horror of September 11 and the beginning of the war on terror. I was standing for a seat that had one of Australia's largest concentrations of residents who observe the Muslim faith—in excess of 15 per cent. It was home also to one of the largest concentrations of Turkish-born and Turkish-identifying Australians, who started arriving here in large numbers after the White Australia policy was officially axed in 1967. Today, the number of constituents of the Muslim faith in Calwell stands in excess of 25 per cent. It was also home to many migrants of Lebanese heritage. They were part of a broader community of postwar migrants from Greece, Italy, Scotland, Ireland, Croatia, Serbia and Malta as well as the more recently arrived refugee communities from Iraq and later Syria. Now, there is a growing number of residents from India, Pakistan, Bhutan and Nepal. The electorate of Calwell is also the home of the original inhabitants of the Wurundjeri and Marinbulluk clans of the Woiwurrung tribe. The matter of ultimate recognition and reconciliation with our Indigenous Australians is still outstanding. Whatever form reconciliation takes the future, it will be the role of this place to decide in consultation and partnership with the Indigenous and broader community to decide what that looks like. As a migrant myself, I share a common story with my local communities, and this experience has been critical to my ability to represent them in this place. I would often be asked both here and abroad how it is that a person of Greek heritage could be supported by migrants of Turkish heritage. The answer has always been simple—that, as an Australian, I live in a multicultural country where waves of generations of migrants have settled with a common purpose. It is our shared migrant experiences that bind us as Australians and outweigh the polarised divisions emanating from the original homelands. A successful multicultural society is one that is underpinned by the principles of access and equity for all of its citizens, enabling a shared destiny and a common identity—one capable of accommodating cultural diversity and differing historical, geographical and ideological backgrounds. After all, as I said the chair's foreword in the report of the inquiry we conducted in 2013 called Inquiry into Migration and Multiculturalism inAustralia: Multiculturism provides the framework through which to plan for successful settlement that promotes integration and leads to fuller participation in the wider community and society. It also recognises that freedom to maintain one's cultural and linguistic inheritance is an important factor in developing a confident sense of self and a sense of belonging. Historically, post Second World War migration to Australia had a nationbuilding purpose. I want to pay tribute to Arthur Calwell, Australia's first immigration minister, and credit him and the Labor government of the time for seizing the opportunity to lay the foundations for modern Australia. In fact, Calwell—and even though the term was not used at that time—can be considered the father of multicultural Australia. In 2001, 9/11 and the Tampa incident tested our nation on how we managed our borders and our sovereignty. They also tested multiculturalism in Australia. On 12 September 2001, the day after 9/11, my constituents of Turkish, Lebanese and Arabic heritage suddenly found themselves defined only by their faith as Muslims, and, to many, they were suddenly seen as a threat. In fact, I remember visiting a constituent in Broadmeadows at their home, and, just as I was leaving, with some hesitation they asked me if they should be concerned about their next-door neighbours, whom they had known for 20 years and had always thought of as wonderful people. Their neighbours were Muslim, of Turkish heritage. I reassured them that they would have more chance of being hit by a car walking to Broadmeadows shopping centre than of their neighbours causing them any harm. This was to be the beginning of dramatic changes in mainstream perceptions of and views about multicultural Australia. At the heart of these changing attitudes was fear and loathing amongst some elements of the Australian community towards fellow Australians of Muslim faith. This affected in particular Muslim women and young people, who had to endure racist taunts, innuendos, attacks and endless allegations and suspicions about their loyalties to Australia and doubts about whether their Muslim faith and their values would allow them to integrate and adapt successfully into the broader community. It was feared by some that Islam was not a religion of peace and that we were facing, in this country, the imposition of Sharia law. My local council, under the leadership of the late Gary Jungwirth, who was mayor at the time, had already put in place, before 11 September 2001, the Hume City Council's interfaith network. Gary's commitment to social justice and belief in multicultural Australia led him to form a social justice charter, in addition to the interfaith network. He was a visionary councillor and served the Hume City Council with distinction. The interfaith network represented a diversity of religious faiths, with Christians, Muslims, Buddhists, Hindus and Sikhs participating, and of course I was honoured to be its inaugural chair. We were able to hit the ground running, and our local faith leaders led the way in building bridges and fostering understanding between our local faith communities by encouraging tolerance, urging restraint and calling for dialogue. In the wake of the highly charged atmosphere of Tampa and September 11, we all understood what lay ahead for our local community of Muslim faith. You see, from this time forward, some in the political class, the media and the national security agencies began to define identity and refer to migrants and refugees in terms of their faith rather than their ethnic or linguistic heritage, and Islam itself was under relentless scrutiny; so were those who identified with Islam. Suddenly, multiculturalism became a matter of national security. We began to police the integration process, because it wasn't about nation-building now; it was about terrorism, hotlines and being on alert for foreign interference and homegrown terrorism. Now, I don't want to downgrade the concerns or the threats, but I've always rejected the takeover of multiculturalism policy by the security agencies. Sure, they have a job to do: protecting Australians from credible threats from wherever they emanate. But we don't throw the baby out with the bathwater. We are better than that. Here the media has a grave responsibility in how it portrays, amplifies and perpetuates a view not based necessarily on facts but on opinion, thus becoming, knowingly or unknowingly, accommodators of prejudice, hate and division. I want to pay tribute to those faith leaders, such as the late Yasser Solomon, a local constituent and friend, who, at the time, was President of the Islamic Council of Victoria and worked hard to convey the true meaning and practices of Islam. Others included Father Malcolm Holmes from the Uniting Church in Broadmeadows; the then imamof the Broadmeadows Turkish mosque, Imam Younis Jan; and the late Sheik Famini Imam, leader of the Arabic-Muslim community in Victoria. When I reflect on the last two decades, I realise that a whole new generation of young people have grown up under the shadow of September 11 and the war on terror. I can say that many young people in my community endured challenges to their identity as Australians and as followers of the Muslim faith, and all because of the external events which were very much beyond their control. Despite this, they have risen to the occasion, and they have succeeded. It was education that transformed and enabled my generation, and it's education that has seen my local young people of Muslim faith excel and contribute in a variety of positive ways. I want to pay homage to a dear friend, the late Ibrahim Dellal, a true teacher and a wise man. He was an Australian of Turkish Cypriot background who led the way in supporting and nurturing young people of Muslim faith by providing educational opportunities, because he knew this was the path, and the only path, to success and contribution. I worked with Ibrahim in my first term as he set up one of the first non-government Muslim schools, known then as ISIK College. Many more have subsequently followed not only in my electorate but in electorates across the country. In my electorate I note the dedication and commitment of the teachers of both Ilim College and Sirius College. I have enjoyed the many visits to these schools and witnessed firsthand their academic excellence and community spirit. Ironically, I stand here today in the wake of continuing destruction, tensions and conflict following the terrible events of October 7 2023 and the subsequent Israeli assaults on Gaza and Lebanon. Once again we are facing challenges to multiculturalism, concerns about the fraying of social cohesion and a diminished capacity for community dialogue. It is often said that different migrant communities should not bring their troubles and conflicts to Australia. This is a naive view. It is inevitable that communities with histories and families in other parts of the world will feel passionately about conflicts and catastrophes that take place in their original homelands. It is an affinity, a connection, that we should not reject but understand and even utilise. We Australians in general have an interest in, and opinions about, world affairs. We also have an affinity as a middle moderate power, especially but not exclusively from the Labor tradition, of being peacemakers, problem solvers and conflict resolution internationalists. Resolving conflicts and mitigating differences is never easy. There is never complete clarity about who is right and wrong, especially in contexts where they are sourced overseas and out of reach or our influence is inconsequential. People shouting at each other in the streets is not what multiculturalism is about. I reject the notion that multiculturalism is a failure and a liability because of some of the ugliness that we have witnessed recently and throughout the post-9/11 period. The important point is that we must work to ensure that such issues and differing opinions are not used as political weapons to further divide people. That is what threatens our social cohesion. Social cohesion is not about everyone agreeing. It is not about wanting everyone to become devoid of opinion, passion or difference. It's about working to build dialogue, civilised debate and a respectful society within which people can express their views and, where possible, work for common, beneficial outcomes. In the last 23 years, I've represented communities that carry with them historical, ancestral, protracted and ongoing differences. Working with them in a constructive and respectful manner has helped achieve many significant outcomes—outcomes that could only happen in this country and can only happen because of our multicultural ethos and demeanour. A great example of the sort of mediation and facilitation I'm talking about is on an issue that is very close to my heart—the reunification of Cyprus. I acknowledge the presence of the High Commissioner for Cyprus, Mr Antonis Sammoutis, who is in the gallery. A small intervention of what can be achieved was set by two Australian men, one of Turkish Cypriot background, Yalcın Adal; and the other of Greek Cypriot background, Stavros Protz, who, together, walked across the length of Cyprus for 16 days in 2018—'from east to west', they called it. Theirs was a mission of peace, reconciliation and healing to a still divided island. I pay tribute to my friends Yalcın and Stavros for their courage and humanity. I was honoured to be involved in their campaign when they both came to Canberra to meet with then senator Pat Dodson. They asked him where they could source a native tree to plant at the end of their journey in Cyprus, which they did. I also pay tribute to my constituents and friends Peter Minas and Tumer Mimi, Greek and Turkish Cypriots who have worked with us over the years to promote rapprochement between the two communities both here and in Cyprus. Our rapprochement work saw me become the first Australian MP to cross the border into the north of Cyprus in 2002 to visit my husband's home, Agios Epiktitos, in the northern part of Cyprus, that he fled in 1974, and to visit Greek and Turkish Cypriots who were and still are seeking a way forward to reunite the island. It was the Rudd-Gillard Labor governments that officially supported the Cyprus Academic Dialogue that sought to give Australia a practical role to play in building capacity for peace and resolution through the network of academics and civil society. I credit my husband, Dr Michalis Michael, for pursuing this important initiative through his work with the then Centre for Dialogue at La Trobe University. By partnering with Greek and Turkish Cypriot counterparts, both here and in Cyprus, we were able to establish an ongoing collaboration where civil society took a lead in dealing with the complexity of issues. It's a fine example of Australia's citizen diplomacy. This was followed more recently with the Famagusta Dialogues that involved the local municipalities. Here our peace-making, middle-power, internationalist disposition, combined with our multicultural ethos and access to diasporas, enabled Australia to mount these second-track peace dialogues. To sustain them, and hopefully others like them, they need support and resources. As with foreign aid, they are but a fraction of what one item of military hardware costs. It's a worthwhile investment in peace. My advocacy for Palestinian self-determination is well known. It has always been about supporting the right of the Palestinian people to determine their future through their own statehood. I have visited the region on many occasions and I've worked with both Palestinians and Israelis over the years with a shared common purpose. I want to thank the former ambassador for the General Delegation of Palestine, Dr Izzat Abdulhadi, for his friendship and advice over the years. I also want to thank APAN, which I've worked with over the years, and also my very good friend Wendy Turner, who would be known to many of us in this place. The Israeli-Palestinian conflict, especially during the last year, has caused major disruption and angst both here in Australia and elsewhere in the world. It remains an outstanding issue that needs an amicable solution—one that is just and one that brings peace, stability, prosperity and security not only to the region but also, importantly, to Palestinians and Israelis. My support for the Palestinian people and Palestinian statehood does not preclude my support and hope for peace, security and prosperity for Israel. I've been critical of the State of Israel over the years, as anyone and everyone who believes in human rights and international law should be, but I have a great affection for the Jewish people, and the current wave of antisemitism in our country is of great concern to me. The horrors of civilian deaths in Gaza and the destruction of Gaza cannot go unnoticed, and it begs outrage, and rightfully so. But we cannot ignore the extremities that are happening in our own community. These acts are conducted, as usual, by anonymous cowards who harbour dark intentions that have little to do with Palestine. Equally, those who seek to exploit antisemitism for their own interests should exercise restraint, responsibility and civil diligence, for they sow the seeds of hate and division. When my family came to Australia in 1963, we settled in North Carlton. The inner suburbs of Melbourne were home to newly-arrived migrants—to Calwell's new Australians. Largely because of the textile, clothing, food and car factories, they were located there. The typical migrant story was to go where the work was and where families and communities were settling and forming. Carlton was where the first Jewish Holocaust survivors settled as refugees until they started to move out in the late 1960s and early seventies. It was Arthur Calwell who accepted the first ship of Jewish refugees to Australia when other countries wouldn't. My parents worked in the local factories. My mother worked at the Ivan Porter shoe factory in Fitzroy, with many other migrants. She befriended a woman named Rosa. Rosa was a Polish Jew who had survived Auschwitz. They worked together in this factory and walked home together. When my mother first invited Rosa to our house, I was eight years old. I remember Rosa vividly to this day. My first impression was of a very highly strung woman. Today we would recognise this as post traumatic stress disorder. My good friend—known to many of you—Paris Aristotle and his organisation, the Victorian Foundation of Survivors of Torture, or Foundation House, would have been able to render assistance. Mum spoke little English, so I had to be an interpreter. Rosa carried with her in her big purse photographs of her family members who had perished in the death camps. She carried 'the mark', as she called it—a numerical tattoo on her forearm—and she cried as she spoke of her dead family members. I had to translate all of this to my mum, but she understood anyway. She understood empathetically what was going on; she and Rosa didn't need to speak to each other in English. My parents had experienced the German occupation of their village, Ayios Petros, in Lefkada in the Ionian Islands. They were 10 years old when the war started. Agios Petros village sits at the back of the island, and the German command set up their communications stations at the top of the mountain just above the village. What is left of the ruins today are referred to by the locals as the 'German remains', and people don't really want to venture there. My parents, aunts and uncles often spoke of the brutality and cruelty of the German soldiers. They were terrified of them, and the German command made sure of this. They also spoke about the concentration camps and the gas chambers and the killing of Jews. As children, we would listen to these stories, and these experiences and memories were our family's legacy. It is what they and other post Second World War migrants brought with them to Australia. It is what more recently arrived refugees and migrants bring with them also. They shaped and influenced my generation's thinking and they will do the same for current generations within the context of our multicultural Australia. In this period of post Second World War migration, it always struck me as incredible that my parents would finally meet the Jewish people they had heard about during the war, that they would live amongst them in Carlton and they would work alongside them. My mother and Rosa shared the pain of lost homelands and loved ones, the experiences and memories of the devastation of the World War II. My formative years were shaped by these stories and these people. I know they shaped and haunted my parents' generation and all those who endured the violence and devastation of World War II. I pay tribute to them all because they were all resilient. Australia gave them opportunity, safety and a new home. They embraced their life circumstances and became nation builders. We owe them a great debt. We owe them our modern Australia. We have a responsibility to honour and protect their legacy, and to follow their lead. Of course, Rosa has been in my thoughts constantly lately. The 85th anniversary of the Holocaust reminds us that we cannot ignore what is happening in our community at the moment. As parliamentarians, we can't just offload the challenges for others to deal with. We have to work here and within our own communities with genuine intent, and lead initiatives to lead people together. Talk is cheap. Politicisation of conflict is dangerous. In the 23 years that I have sat in this parliament, the weaponisation of immigration, refugees and multiculturalism has not helped social cohesion; it has threatened it. I want to recognise the member for Monash, who, in recognising these dangers, tag teamed with me to establish the Parliamentary Friends of Multiculturalism in 2015. Our purpose was to reaffirm the importance of multiculturalism and to encourage the restoration of bipartisan support. A SBS news item described us 'the odd couple of federal politics' because we were on opposite sides of the political spectrum—one of Greek heritage; the other of British stock. Let me give the House an example of what a practical response to encourage social cohesion in our community looks like. I refer to an event I organised in partnership with the now member for Macnamara, Josh Burns, when he was a young staffer in this place. At Josh's initiative we held an event for progressive young Jewish and Arab people to come together as a way of breaking barriers and confronting stereotypes resulting from September 11. In November 2012, quite a while ago, we hosted an intercultural dialogue event at the Banksia Gardens Community Centre in Broadmeadows. We had two inspirational speakers. One was the Hon. Justice Emilios Kyrou AO, the first Greek born judge to be appointed to the Supreme Court of Victoria, who now heads the AAT. Emilios grew up in Broadmeadows and endured, like myself and others of our generation, the rejection and racism of the time. The other speaker was renowned author and activist Arnold Zable, himself a Jewish migrant, who, like me, attended Princes Hill high school; it is a good school, and quite a few notable people have been there. They both recounted their experience growing up as migrants, experiencing racism and being outsiders. Yet despite this they were able to rise beyond it all and become successful members of the Australian community. This event had a major impact on the young people in that room not just because the speakers themselves had walked in their shoes previously but, more importantly, because in that space on that day they were able to sit together—Jewish and Muslim youth in one place at the same time. Their paths would never have crossed otherwise. I thank Josh for this initiative and look forward to Josh being returned as the member for Macnamara in this place, as he has a very important contribution to make. This event helped convince me that it is our responsibility to lead the way. We have to make dialogue happen in a way that brings people together, especially those who have such entrenched views about each other. We can make a difference; 50-plus years of multicultural policy shows us the way. And now, 13 years later, we find ourselves in yet another crisis where old hatreds resurface and where we risk another generation of young people experiencing these fears and prejudices. We must do better if we are to protect and preserve social cohesion, and we can only do this through initiatives that encourage dialogue—not marketing or advertising it but actually conducting it. Multiculturalism is about much more than managing intercommunal tensions or focusing exclusively on immigration and refugees; it is a practical policy framework to ensure social inclusion and equal access to services and opportunities. One of the keys to access inclusion is language and communication. A prime example of what this might look like is the initiative during the Rudd Labor government to translate the instructions on the bowel cancer testing kits into multiple community languages. I approached the then health minister, the member for Sydney, to explain that one important reason for the low take-up rates of the free bowel cancer testing kits that we all receive in our letterboxes after turning 50 and thereafter was a lack of understanding, especially amongst communities whose first language was not English. She was very quick to respond by directing her department to rectify this. The information became available in multiple community languages, and for my part I continued to tell my constituents that when they turn 50 and go onwards—as I had at the time—the Australian government sends them a birthday present in the mail, and I advised them to open it and make use of it. I hope they did!
The debate is interrupted in accordance with standing order 43. The debate may be resumed at a later hour, and the member will have leave to continue speaking when the debate is resumed.
National Capital and External Territories Joint Committee; Report | Committees | House debates
The debate is adjourned and the resumption of the debate will be made an order of the day for the next sitting.
Migration Joint Committee; Report | Committees | House debates
I rise to present the report of the New Zealand and Vanuatu delegation of the Joint Standing Committee on Migration entitled Joint Standing Committee on Migration Delegation: New Zealand and...
I rise to present the report of the New Zealand and Vanuatu delegation of the Joint Standing Committee on Migration entitled Joint Standing Committee on Migration Delegation: New Zealand and Vanuatu 26-31 August 2024. The report recounts the various meetings and site visits the delegation undertook while in New Zealand and Vanuatu and outlines the matters discussed at these meetings. Australia maintains extremely close and friendly relationships with both of these countries, with migration strongly underpinning and reinforcing these bilateral relationships. The delegation was honoured to have the opportunity to visit these countries to discuss a wide range of matters related to migration. To begin with, the delegation visited Wellington, New Zealand between 26 and 28 August. While in Wellington, the delegation met with a range of organisations and individuals including New Zealand's Associate Minister of Immigration, the Hon. Casey Costello; the New Zealand opposition's spokesperson for Immigration, the Hon. Phil Twyford; New Zealand's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade; New Zealand's education and workforce committee; Health New Zealand; Immigration New Zealand; the New Zealand Red Cross; and the Medical Council of New Zealand. These meetings provided the delegation with the chance to discuss virtually every aspect of New Zealand's migration system, as well as matters affecting New Zealanders within Australia's migration system, such as the recent changes to allow New Zealand residents in Australia a direct path to Australian citizenship. Of particular interest to the delegation in relation to New Zealand's migration system were: New Zealand's system of seasonal employment, and New Zealand's close relationship with its Pacific neighbours within this system; New Zealand's approach to attracting and retaining international healthcare workers; and New Zealand's approach to settlement services for refugees. The delegation felt that there is scope for Australia to learn from New Zealand's experience in dealing with our own seasonal worker program, our healthcare workforce shortages and our own refugee settlement services. Between 29 and 31 August the delegation visited Vanuatu's capital city, Port Vila. The delegation's time in Vanuatu provided an opportunity to discuss Vanuatu's participation in the Pacific Australia Labour Mobility scheme—the PALM scheme as it's known—by which thousands of Ni-Vanuatu workers have already contributed to Australia's primary industries, and which acts as an important source of remittances and up-skilling for Ni-Vanuatu people. The delegation also discussed the recently announced Pacific engagement visa, which provides up to 150 permanent visas each year for Ni-Vanuatu people wishing to live and work in Australia. While in Vanuatu, the delegation met with individuals, such as the minister for internal affairs, the Hon. Andrew Napuat MP; Vanuatu's minister for finance, the Hon. Johanny Koanapo MP; and Vanuatu's commissioner of labour, Ms Murielle Meltenoven. The delegation also met with organisations such as V-Lab and Yumi Growem, which provide support for returned seasonal workers to start their own businesses, and with the International Organization for Migration, the IOM, which, among other things, facilitates training for seasonal workers and their families prior to departure. At V-Lab and Yumi Growem, the delegation had the opportunity to meet with former seasonal workers who had used the skills and finances accumulated through participation in the seasonal worker programs to establish small businesses. It was gratifying for the delegation to see how seasonal work in Australia can translate to small business opportunities for Ni-Vanuatu entrepreneurs and contribute to sustained economic growth for Vanuatu. The delegation also visited an IOM facilitated training session for outgoing seasonal workers and their families. The delegation was delighted to have the opportunity to speak firsthand with the seasonal workers destined for Australia to hear about their experiences and expectations. While in Vanuatu the delegation was honoured to be hosted for an evening reception at the official residence of the Australian High Commissioner to Vanuatu, His Excellency Mr Max Willis. The reception allowed the delegation to speak to Vanuatu's political leaders, including members of Vanuatu's parliament—Madame the Hon. Jenny Regenvau and the lord mayor of Port Vila, Ms Marie Louise Milne—as well as staff of Vanuatu's parliament and officials of the Australian High Commission in Vanuatu. Finally, on behalf of the delegation, I'd like to thank the officials of the Australian High Commissions in New Zealand and Vanuatu for facilitating such a stimulating and insightful series of meetings and events, and ensuring the delegation was where it needed to be when it needed to be there. I also thank the staff of the International and Parliamentary Relations Office, here in Parliament House in Canberra, for all of their hard work in bringing this program together and for facilitating our travel, accommodation and visas. I also thank Mr Danton Leary, the inquiry secretary to the committee, and the delegation secretary, who ably supported the delegation while in country. Lastly, I also thank my fellow delegates: Dr Anne Webster, the deputy leader of the delegation and the deputy chair of the committee; Mr Cameron Caldwell and Ms Casandra Fernando for their collegiality and contribution to the delegation. I commend the report to the parliament.
Scams Prevention Framework Bill 2024; Second Reading | Bills | House debates
Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Joint Committee; Reference to Federation Chamber | Committees | House debates
I move: That the order of the day be referred to the Federation Chamber for debate. Question agreed to.
On behalf of the Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade, and as chair of the human right subcommittee, I present the committee's report on the inquiry into Australia's...
On behalf of the Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade, and as chair of the human right subcommittee, I present the committee's report on the inquiry into Australia's efforts to advocate for the worldwide abolition of the death penalty. Report made a parliamentary paper in accordance with standing order 39(e). by leave—There's no place in this world for the death penalty. Whilst many countries retain capital punishment, it exists in stark contradiction to our deeply held human rights beliefs and obligations—a position I'm pleased to say enjoys longstanding bipartisan support in this country. As such, this committee is firmly of the view that Australia has an important role to play in advocating for the worldwide abolition of the death penalty. This role is particularly vital within our own region. This inquiry was referred to the committee by the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Senator the Hon. Penny Wong, in June 2024. The committee received 13 submissions and held two public hearings in Canberra. During the course of the inquiry we clearly heard that Australia's strategies for advocating for the abolition of the death penalty need to be re-evaluated and revamped if they are to continue to have an impact in today's complex geopolitical environment. The committee also heard that sustained, nuanced and targeted advocacy by Australia and other abolitionist countries is essential to ensuring steady progress towards abolition. As such, the committee considers it vital that the Australian government strengthens existing partnerships and builds new coalitions to push for change in our region. This report makes seven recommendations to this end. These recommendations range from the need for continued advocacy to a recognition of the need to support the critical work undertaken by civil society organisations in this space. This report also recommends a strategy of incremental change in which Australia presses for the abolition of the death penalty for less serious crimes and for the removal of the death penalty as a mandatory sentence for particular crimes. In addition to these changes, it is clear that Australia and other abolitionist countries must remain vigilant against any backsliding or complacency on the issue of the death penalty. Progress on this issue is of paramount importance but should not be taken for granted. On behalf of the committee, I extend my thanks to the many stakeholders and submitters who contributed their time and experience to the inquiry. I also thank all committee members for their collegiate approach and the secretariat for their support throughout this inquiry. I commend this report to the House. I move: That the House take note of the report.
Competition Policy: Supermarkets | Motions | House debates
Leave is not granted. The member for Kennedy does not have the call. Leave was not granted to the member for Kennedy; therefore, the member for Kennedy does not have leave to speak. I would ask...
Leave is not granted. The member for Kennedy does not have the call. Leave was not granted to the member for Kennedy; therefore, the member for Kennedy does not have leave to speak. I would ask that the member for Kennedy take— I'm not sure that you can do that, member for Kennedy. To assist the House, is the member for Calare seeking to speak on this motion? I give the call to the member for Calare, and I would ask the member for Kennedy to take his seat.
The member for Kennedy doesn't have the call. The member for Kennedy is seeking leave. Is leave granted?
Is leave granted for the member for Kennedy to speak? Honourable members interjecting— Through the chair, the proposition is that the member for Kennedy allow the Deputy Speaker to give the...
Is leave granted for the member for Kennedy to speak? Honourable members interjecting— Through the chair, the proposition is that the member for Kennedy allow the Deputy Speaker to give the call to the member for Calare whilst a conversation takes place. That's my understanding.
The member for Kennedy will need leave to speak. I could either ask if leave is granted or give the call to the member for Calare.
I'm sorry. I wasn't in the chair, but my understanding is that you have moved this motion, so as mover you have spoken already.