Emma Husar's recent appearances (OpenAustralia.org)
type: channel
language: en-gb
creator: OpenAustralia.org, mprss.php script
date: 2019-07-02T23:05:27+00:00
items: National Disability Insurance Scheme | Questions without Notice | House debates
items: Lindsay Electorate: Pensions and Benefits | Constituency Statements | House debates
items: | Personal Explanations | House debates
items: Fair Work Amendment (Family and Domestic Violence Leave) Bill 2018; Second Reading | Bills | House debates
items: Social Policy and Legal Affairs Committee; Report | Committees | House debates
items: Centenary of Armistice | Statements by Members | House debates
items: Volunteering | Private Members' Business | House debates
items: g127.1
items: White Ribbon Day | Private Members' Business | House debates
items: Social Services Legislation Amendment (Housing Affordability) Bill 2017; Second Reading | Bills | House debates
items: National Apology to Victims and Survivors of Institutional Child Sexual Abuse | Motions | House debates
items: JDRF | Adjournment | House debates
items: Nepean Football Association, Lindsay Electorate: National Rugby League School to Work Program | Constituency Statements | House debates
items: Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission Bill 2018, Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission (Consequential Amendments and Transitional Provisions) Bill 2018; Second Reading | Bills | House debates
items: Fair Work Amendment (Restoring Penalty Rates) Bill 2018; Second Reading | Bills | House debates
items: Lindsay Electorate: Frocktober | Statements by Members | House debates
items: Women: Economic Security | Statements by Members | House debates

National Disability Insurance Scheme | Questions without Notice | House debates
type: item
description: My question is to the Prime Minister. Children with a disability are waiting months to receive an NDIS plan and the support that they need, with the government's own figures showing an average...
encoded: My question is to the Prime Minister. Children with a disability are waiting months to receive an NDIS plan and the support that they need, with the government's own figures showing an average wait time of 15 weeks. Adults are also waiting on specialist accommodation to be included in their plans so they can live independently. When will the government join with Labor to get rid of the NDIS staffing cap so people with a disability can get the support they need in a reasonable time frame?
date: 2019-02-18T14:12:00+00:00

Lindsay Electorate: Pensions and Benefits | Constituency Statements | House debates
type: item
description: I would rather be using this three minutes to wish everybody in my community a really happy Christmas and to thank all of the Parliament House staff—the clerks, the drivers, the security...
encoded: I would rather be using this three minutes to wish everybody in my community a really happy Christmas and to thank all of the Parliament House staff—the clerks, the drivers, the security officers—who support us here in our jobs every day. But the reality is that two people I know of in my electorate have, in the last 24 hours, had their Christmas spirit severely dampened by this cruel and out-of-touch government. I rise today to talk about an issue for a carer in my electorate, Christie Green. Christie is a single mum to four beautiful kids: Tristan, Tyrone, Scarlett Rose and Carlito. All of these children have special needs. All of them have had lives of struggle. Tristan is now 16 and is supported by his mum. He has level 2 autism, ADHD, severe depression, anxiety and other behavioural issues. With four kids with special needs, it is not a surprise that Christie is supported by Centrelink payments that are designed to help families in her position. Yesterday she learnt that her carer payment had been cancelled. That's fine; we can get it back online. But Centrelink have told her that this government's instructions are to make her wait six to nine months to get her carer payment restored. We are coming into the festive season. I urge Minister Fletcher and this government, who are completely out of touch when it comes to special needs families, to do something about it. As if that were not cruel enough, Lachlan Bell, the son of another constituent in my community, Renee Bell, has a DSM5 diagnosis of level 3 autism. He has social communication issues. He has type 1 diabetes and epilepsy. He's non-verbal and totally incontinent. This morning Renee woke up to the news that her son's NDIS package has been slashed by 70 per cent. His diagnosis and his needs have not changed by 70 per cent in just 12 months, and it is an absolute disgrace that Renee is coming into Christmas with the uncertainty of what funds will be available to help her support her child. Renee is also a…
date: 2018-12-06T10:43:00+00:00

| Personal Explanations | House debates
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description: Too often during the last six months I've had to bite my tongue and not defend myself publicly whilst being misrepresented. I will not wait around for someone else to do what is right and show...
encoded: Too often during the last six months I've had to bite my tongue and not defend myself publicly whilst being misrepresented. I will not wait around for someone else to do what is right and show leadership. There are two sides to every story. Now it is my time to correct the record, be my own champion and the battler that I've always been in pursuit of what is right and fair. I do not object to the media doing their jobs, but misrepresenting members is not one of them. I respect those who have shown ethical and good conduct while reporting. Let me be very specific. At 9.33 am on 2 August, Ms Alice Workman of BuzzFeed published the most damaging article. In it she claimed that she had requested my comment. She had not. This is false. At 9.34 am on that same day, one minute after that publication, she emailed me requesting comments and answers to 48 questions for the article that she had already published. I had no chance to refute or respond. At 9.35 am she further tweeted that I had bragged about who I was having sex with, that I had sexually harassed an employee and intentionally exposed myself, like Sharon Stone's character in Basic Instinct,in front of a colleague and his infant son. As a result of this initial misrepresentation, over 225 articles were re-published, each and every single one of them misrepresenting me in so many respects. Within 36 hours of this gross misrepresentation and the slut-shaming smears going viral, I was asked to resign as the member for Lindsay. Let me correct the record. BuzzFeed and Alice Workman knew that the confidential letter which contained untested and contested allegations was in their possession. They also knew that I was bound by confidentiality under the Whelan process I was being examined by. But they went ahead and published their slut-shaming story knowing and with full intent that it would go viral. Let me correct the record: They didn't give me any notice in advance. They didn't give me the opportunity to seek release f…
date: 2018-12-06T15:39:00+00:00

| Personal Explanations | House debates
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description: Most grievously and on many occasions.
encoded: Most grievously and on many occasions.
date: 2018-12-06T15:39:00+00:00

| Personal Explanations | House debates
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description: I seek leave to make a personal explanation.
encoded: I seek leave to make a personal explanation.
date: 2018-12-06T15:39:00+00:00

Fair Work Amendment (Family and Domestic Violence Leave) Bill 2018; Second Reading | Bills | House debates
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description: It's a pleasure to rise in this House and to speak. It's always an honour, but it's such a privilege today when I have a school from my local community sitting up in the gallery watching me give...
encoded: It's a pleasure to rise in this House and to speak. It's always an honour, but it's such a privilege today when I have a school from my local community sitting up in the gallery watching me give this speech. My only hope is that the improvements we're able to make here for these year 6 students are not things that we're still talking about 20 years from now. The irony of giving this speech on this particular amendment to the Fair Work Amendment (Family and Domestic Violence Leave) Bill 2018 is not lost on me, and giving it on day No. 5 during the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence is also a poignant reminder of why we still need this and the 16 days of activism. For too long impunity, silence and stigma have allowed violence against women to escalate to pandemic proportions. One in three women worldwide experience gender based violence. The time for change is here and now. In recent years, the voices worldwide of survivors and of activists through campaigns such as Me Too, Time's Up, Ni Una Menos, 'Not one more Niki', Balance Ton Porc and others have reached a crescendo that can no longer be silenced anymore. Advocates understand that while the names and contexts may differ across geographic locations, women and girls everywhere are experiencing extensive abuse and their stories need to be brought to light. Having to stand here and advocate for this change to our National Employment Standards is heartbreaking. When we know better, we do better. I don't want to be here for discussions anymore. I'm tired of the talk; it is cheap and it's time to make the change necessary. This is what I signed up for: the opportunity to make our country better and to give a voice to those who don't have one or who have temporarily lost the courage to use their own. I'm here to make that change—the change we have long been fighting for and the change that can save a woman's life right now. We have the opportunity to create the legislation that will change those lives. It…
date: 2018-11-29T11:25:00+00:00

Social Policy and Legal Affairs Committee; Report | Committees | House debates
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description: It's always interesting to follow the minister who was responsible for this area when he talks about and acknowledges the problems in regional and remote parts of this country. I acknowledge his...
encoded: It's always interesting to follow the minister who was responsible for this area when he talks about and acknowledges the problems in regional and remote parts of this country. I acknowledge his presence here now and also challenge the member for Lyne particularly on what he's actually doing, given his knowledge of how tricky the situation is in those remote and regional areas, in terms of funding and supporting those families that are subject to having their children removed. I'd like to thank the member for Macarthur, who spoke before the member for Lyne, and the member for Newcastle, who I had the pleasure—if I can call it that—of sitting on this committee with, and the secretary and all of those who supported the work that we did. More than that, I'd also like to thank those people who gave evidence to our committee. These things and these issues are never easily spoken of. Such knowledge and expertise from those witnesses who were allowed to attend was beneficial to our committee. I rise now to speak against this report, Breaking barriers: a national adoption framework for Australian children, which is the national adoption framework for Australian children. Like my colleagues, I'm horrified by the recommendations by this government to return to the blight on our nation: the years of the stolen generation. Between 1910 and 1970, many Indigenous children were forcibly removed from their families as a result of various government policies and practices. The generations of children removed under these policies became known as the stolen generation. These policies of child removal left a legacy of trauma and loss that continues to this day to affect Indigenous communities, their families and individuals. What this government is proposing harks back to that time. Earlier this year, in this very place, we commemorated the official acknowledgement. It'd been 10 years since the then Labor Prime Minister Kevin Rudd said sorry on behalf of all Australians past and presen…
date: 2018-11-28T12:07:00+00:00

Centenary of Armistice | Statements by Members | House debates
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description: It was my great honour to attend the 100th anniversary of Armistice in the electorate of Lindsay on Remembrance Day. The event in my electorate was organised by the Penrith CBD Corporation in...
encoded: It was my great honour to attend the 100th anniversary of Armistice in the electorate of Lindsay on Remembrance Day. The event in my electorate was organised by the Penrith CBD Corporation in collaboration with the City of Penrith, St Marys and Glenbrook RSL sub-branches. I praise the CEO of Penrith CBD Corporation, Gay Hawthorne, for bringing the three branches together for this very special event. Ron Blakely, John Wakefield and Mick McConnell, the presidents of all three of those branches—I can't imagine what it was like to come together as three RSLs to do that—pulled off a significant and very memorable event. It's been my absolute pleasure to support the committee through the $50,000 grant that we were able to secure from the federal government to ensure that our community had access to such a significant commemoration. It is fitting to acknowledge the struggles that we face towards reconciling our past on such days as Remembrance Day. I was able to give a speech that day and acknowledged, also, the 1,200 Aboriginal men who served in the First World War. It was the first time in their lives that they were treated as equals among their non-Indigenous peers. Sometimes we forget that we had First Nations people serving, and Reg Saunders, who lived next door to Penrith in St Marys, was the first Indigenous soldier to become a commissioned officer in the Australian Army. There are 42 wars active today, and in 2018 127,337 lives have been lost. On 11 November 2018, we made a promise that we will remember, and we will.
date: 2018-11-27T13:35:00+00:00

Volunteering | Private Members' Business | House debates
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description: I follow the member for Macarthur in thanking the wonderful volunteers in his community. I'd also like to thank the member for Bonner, who brought this volunteer motion forward. I rise very...
encoded: I follow the member for Macarthur in thanking the wonderful volunteers in his community. I'd also like to thank the member for Bonner, who brought this volunteer motion forward. I rise very proudly today in this House to pay tribute to some of the tireless volunteers in my electorate of Lindsay, which I'm so privileged to represent. Lindsay is an exceptional part of the world. Over 20,000 people in my electorate volunteer. From sporting clubs and service groups to school canteens and reading groups, we have it all—and lots and lots of it. It's that special glue, that magical glue, that makes a place a home and fills you with a sense of purpose and belonging. Volunteering is part of the fabric of Australia. We get in, give a hand and get it done. Research has also shown that volunteering is a two-way relationship. The OECD Better Life Index found that volunteers enjoyed life more due to the sense of satisfaction that comes from interaction, goal setting, achievement and learning new things. Giving makes you happy. There is scientific research to prove it. People who give time or money are 42 per cent happier than those who do not. I love the term prosocial behaviour. It's often the crux of volunteerism. There are a number of organisations in Lindsay, like the Penrith Valley Chamber of Commerce. They have recently been given new life thanks to the outgoing president, Wayne Willmington, and his board. I'd like to personally thank Wayne and the team at Penrith Valley Chamber of Commerce for their generous support of our business community. I would also like to congratulate the incoming board, made up of Simon Gould, Anil Puri and Mary Donnelly—big shoes to fill, but I know you're up for the challenge. On Melbourne Cup Day, I was thrilled to attend the fundraising breakfast for the Penrith Community Kitchen, organised by Julie Lonard from the Nepean Business Network. This amazing event almost raised $40,000 to keep one of the volunteering institutions of Lindsay pumping …
date: 2018-11-26T17:55:00+00:00

g127.1
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title: Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia Bill 2018, Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia (Consequential Amendments and Transitional Provisions) Bill 2018; Second Reading | Bills | House debates
description: It's great to follow my colleague the member for Macquarie. She makes a very poignant point about the people whose lives have been lost through the Family Court system. In 1996, on the steps of...
encoded: It's great to follow my colleague the member for Macquarie. She makes a very poignant point about the people whose lives have been lost through the Family Court system. In 1996, on the steps of the Parramatta Family Court, Jean Lennon was murdered by her then husband or ex-partner after they had been in the Family Court. We are not talking about something that is owed or deserves a tick-and-flick mentality. I rise today in complete opposition to the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia Bill 2018. Anyone who has had any experience with the family law courts would agree that the need for reformation is significant, desperately required and overdue. However, there is absolutely no way that what this government has presented to us is anywhere close to the reform that we need. A generalist solution to some of the most complex legal issues facing our country will only cause greater risks for the children and families, like Jean Lennon, who are subjected to proceedings. The need for significant reform is great. Tinkering around the edges and taking a piecemeal approach is not good enough and will further risk the childhoods and the lives of those who are caught up. Labor members on this side of the House know how important the family courts are for protection and the outcomes for families who need it. It was Gough Whitlam and his government, after all, who in 1975 created the act, and since then it has remained unchanged with the exception of very minor amendments. Australian families now, though, look very different from how they looked in 1975. We have moved beyond those cultural and societal norms of families, and families today are made up of many different factors. We also now have a new epidemic flooring some families who find themselves needing the help of the Family Law Courts: domestic violence. Of course, it's not a new problem at all. It has existed for generations, but society has changed and formed the view that we no longer see domestic violence as a…
date: 2018-11-26T18:14:00+00:00

White Ribbon Day | Private Members' Business | House debates
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description: I move: That this House: (1) notes that 23 November 2018 is White Ribbon Day (WRD) followed by the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women on 25 November; (2) recognises...
encoded: I move: That this House: (1) notes that 23 November 2018 is White Ribbon Day (WRD) followed by the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women on 25 November; (2) recognises that WRD aims to prevent violence against women by increasing public awareness and challenging attitudes and behaviours that allow gendered violence to continue; (3) supports the United Nations UNiTE to End Violence against Women and the 16 days of activism campaigns which are held internationally from 25 November to 10 December each year; (4) understands that: (a) this year, as of 15 October 2018, 55 women have been killed by violence in Australia; (b) one in three women have experienced physical and/or sexual violence perpetrated by someone known to them; (c) each week on average one woman is killed by a current or former partner; and (d) domestic and family violence is the principle cause of homelessness for women and their children; (5) acknowledges the high economic cost of violence against women, which is estimated to cost the Australian economy $21 billion a year; and (6) asks all Members to show their support for the principles of WRD. Today, I'm proud to rise in support of a campaign to end violence against women and girls. I shared my personal story this time two years ago in the hope that women and girls throughout Australia would know the strength and resilience you can have after violence ends, and that no-one—no matter where they come from or their achievements in life—can have their lives interrupted by violence perpetrated against them. From 25 November until 11 December, we enter into 16 days of activism to end violence against women and girls. It's an international movement, one which I support but wish we didn't need. When we talk about gendered violence, we must recognise the intersectionality of gender violence around the world and, whilst we see it reflected in Australia, mostly in family and domestic violence, some in the world see violence against wome…
date: 2018-11-26T10:41:00+00:00

Social Services Legislation Amendment (Housing Affordability) Bill 2017; Second Reading | Bills | House debates
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description: We are currently facing a housing crisis in this country. The cost of living is rising, and wages have not been this stagnant since the release of Jurassic Park in 1998. This government's...
encoded: We are currently facing a housing crisis in this country. The cost of living is rising, and wages have not been this stagnant since the release of Jurassic Park in 1998. This government's solution is to tell low-income earners that, if they ever want to be able to afford housing, they need to stop eating smashed avocado. The Social Services Legislation Amendment (Housing Affordability) Bill 2017 outlines the government's perception that there is a need to create a system for the Automatic Rent Deduction Scheme. This scheme will be applied to public- and community-housing tenants who rely on income support or family assistance payments. This government is victimising individuals and families who are already struggling with this government's out-of-touch attacks on low-income earners. I bet the people who are behind this bill have never gone to the letterbox and felt their stomach turn, never experienced the fear or the dread of opening that bill for fear that they won't be able to make the rent on time from having to pay something that lands unexpectedly. They've never had to make the choice between eating and paying rent. I use the word 'choice' because it is a human right that these people are attempting to take away from people who are affected by the outcomes of this bill. The basic dignity of being able to decide if you can pay your bills, buy groceries or replace school shoes is something that people who need income support value. This bill would introduce the Automatic Rent Deduction Scheme. Under the Automatic Rent Deduction Scheme, everyone who receives an income support payment or family tax benefit and lives in public or community housing could have their payment withheld by Centrelink and paid directly to their housing provider. What concerns me, though, is the ability for people to choose to manage their own already limited finances and make decisions that potentially impact their day-to-day lives. This bill will allow states, territories and community h…
date: 2018-10-25T16:20:00+00:00

Social Services Legislation Amendment (Housing Affordability) Bill 2017; Second Reading | Bills | House debates
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description: I will just pick up on what the member for Corangamite just said about helping victims of domestic violence. The Social Services Legislation Amendment (Housing Affordability) Bill 2017, as it...
encoded: I will just pick up on what the member for Corangamite just said about helping victims of domestic violence. The Social Services Legislation Amendment (Housing Affordability) Bill 2017, as it stands today, could mean that a tenant who is experiencing family or domestic violence could actually be liable for the damage caused to a rented property by someone who is an abusive partner. We don't support this mandatory Automatic Rent Deduction Scheme for all public- and social-housing tenants. Only when we are aiming to prevent homelessness should we apply automatic rent deductions. We on this side of the House will keep those opposite accountable, and we will ensure that we move amendments in the Senate to make sure that those who are the most vulnerable, who are most at risk, those individuals who are in arrears, are not at risk of being left on the streets without a place to live, left behind by this government. We will move an amendment to cap the maximum deduction to prevent the scheme forcing people into housing stress and to make sure that people have money to meet their other needs and pay their other bills—for essentials, like food. We will also move amendments to require that compulsory deductions can only be made for rent and utilities and not for property damage. This is to protect people from being unfairly held responsible for another person's actions, including in the case of family and domestic violence. Around 86 per cent of public- and social-housing tenants use the Rent Deduction Scheme currently. At the moment, some social-housing tenants are also income support recipients. They can choose to have the Department of Human Services withhold a portion of their fortnightly payment already. Fancy that! Giving people a little bit of choice and control over their own lives! Simply because they are on income support does not mean they need to be treated in this way or demonised. It's an absolute shame and an outright disgrace to see young people and potential …
date: 2018-10-25T13:27:00+00:00

National Apology to Victims and Survivors of Institutional Child Sexual Abuse | Motions | House debates
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description: I'd like to acknowledge the words of the member for Higgins. Obviously, this is deeply emotional content and certainly a difficult thing to rise in here and speak about. Yesterday, as a...
encoded: I'd like to acknowledge the words of the member for Higgins. Obviously, this is deeply emotional content and certainly a difficult thing to rise in here and speak about. Yesterday, as a parliament, on behalf of our nation, we did take that fundamental step towards justice for the survivors and the victims of child sex abuse. This is a very, very small step but one in the right direction, and I'm deeply saddened that it has taken us so long to right the wrongs of the past injustices. To all of those with innocence stolen and childhoods lost and who went on to suffer the effects of abuse induced trauma caused by people who should've known better, the apology is not just a sign of righting wrongs; it is a commitment to do better. I have raised my own children to say sorry, but only if they are, and, in being sorry, to make a commitment to never commit the same mistake again. This is with moderate success with children, but for adults there should be no excuse. I heard many stories throughout the royal commission of terrible injustices. A now grown man with grandchildren of his own, six in all, told me of his abuse in an institution. I heard from a man who, since the time of his abuse as a child in a boys home, had not told anyone in his family about his mistreatment, not one single person—not the woman he married, not his siblings, not his parents; no-one. What an isolating and sad secret that is to keep. After his initial abuse in the boys home, he did tell someone though. He disclosed his treatment to another adult at that facility—an adult in a trusted position who should've known better, an adult who should've done something, an adult who should've cared and who should have acted, an adult who, in acting, may have prevented this perpetrator from committing more abuse on another child. But that didn't happen. Instead, the young boy was taken to the hospital wing to recover from the abuse and then remained there until they relocated the perpetrating adult to another …
date: 2018-10-23T17:26:00+00:00

JDRF | Adjournment | House debates
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description: I rise today to talk about JDRF being at the forefront of investigating type 1 diabetes research. They have been a great advocate in finding a cure and promoting prevention and treatment for...
encoded: I rise today to talk about JDRF being at the forefront of investigating type 1 diabetes research. They have been a great advocate in finding a cure and promoting prevention and treatment for those with type 1 diabetes. In my electorate of Lindsay, 1,129 people live with type 1 diabetes, and JDRF does great work advocating on behalf of those people and 120,000 other type 1 diabetics across Australia each and every day. This number, sadly, keeps growing, and that's why it's vital to find a cure for this autoimmune disease. I'm very proud to see the progress made under the Australian Type 1 Diabetes Clinical Research Network, developed from an initial $5 million investment by the then Labor government in 2010. The funding for the CRN will be fully expended by June 2019. The CRN is an incredible tool for Australian scientists to lead the way on medical research for type 1 diabetes. Its continued impact is vital to paving a way for a cure. That's why the JDRF is advocating for phase 3 of the network, which will ensure enduring change for type 1 diabetics in Lindsay and also across the country. In my electorate, this was brought to my attention by the wonderful Emma Hogan. I met Emma and her mum, Judy, for the first time in 2014. She's a young, proud JDRF advocate, and her dedication has inspired me to be a firm supporter of finding a cure and improving the lives of all type 1 diabetics and their families. Emma was diagnosed with diabetes in 2009, when she was just seven years old. She's now 16 and learning how to drive and do those other things teenagers like to terrorise us with. She can never, though, be carefree or laid back like my 16-year-old daughter, because her mind is always racing, asking the questions: 'What are my sugar levels at?' 'Have I calculated enough insulin to eat my lunch?' Twenty thousand finger pricks over her lifetime, and Emma is still no closer to being able to let go and relax like most teenagers should be able to. Life is, though, getting easi…
date: 2018-10-18T16:30:00+00:00

Nepean Football Association, Lindsay Electorate: National Rugby League School to Work Program | Constituency Statements | House debates
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description: The popularity of football in my area continues to rise. There are two fantastic organisations in my community I'd like to recognise today. One is the National Rugby League and the other is the...
encoded: The popularity of football in my area continues to rise. There are two fantastic organisations in my community I'd like to recognise today. One is the National Rugby League and the other is the Nepean Football Association. The Nepean Football Association is responsible for over 1,000 teams with over 12,000 registered players and 31 affiliated clubs. The Nepean FC representative football club, the Nepean Referees Group and the Nepean Dragons special needs football club are also vital aspects of the sporting and recreational culture that is rapidly growing and fostered by the Nepean Football Association. The association also stands to promote leadership, friendship, skills, team work, fair and respectful play as well as skills development. Local sporting and recreation in my electorate of Lindsay has never been more important. Research shows nearly six in 10 people in the Nepean Blue Mountains area are overweight or obese, according to expert figures. Getting active and healthy has never been more valued in our area. I'd like to formally recognise the great work the Nepean Football Association does to keep our community active and foster the important values we can all be proud of. The Penrith Football Club, an institution in our community, was recognised for having reached 50 years. The Henry Lawson Club was recognised for having reached 40 years and the Glenmore Park Football Club for 25 years. Thank you to the volunteers who keep those clubs running. I'd like to recognise the following people who make great the work that the Nepean Football Association does: the chair, Frances Refalo, and the directors, Greg, Stacey, Gail, Martin, Di and John. I also recognise Laurie Solomon, who has served the club for 30 years with the Nepean Football Association, and James Rankine, who has accredited over 600 coaches. I thank Linda Cerone, who has given 20 years to our local community in her role. Thanks to Colleen, Alicia, Caitlin and Ryan as well. I want to say a big thank you…
date: 2018-10-17T10:30:00+00:00

Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission Bill 2018, Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission (Consequential Amendments and Transitional Provisions) Bill 2018; Second Reading | Bills | House debates
type: item
description: It's always good to follow the member for Moreton in his passionate speech, particularly about aged care, and it's great to have so many Labor people up here speaking on this important issue....
encoded: It's always good to follow the member for Moreton in his passionate speech, particularly about aged care, and it's great to have so many Labor people up here speaking on this important issue. It's something that we need to all consider, given that we're all ageing and we're all going to get there at some point—some sooner than others, as I note especially when I stand in this chamber with those around me now. We need to do better in the aged-care sector. Currently 1.3 million Australians are receiving some form of aged care, provided by about 400,000 dedicated nurses and carers. I must say that the reports we've seen on Four Corners don't reflect all of the great work that is being done by some of those hardworking and dedicated aged carers. Given that we're all ageing and we'll all be there at some point, in order to keep up with the monumental demand, which is going to increase exponentially by 2056, the aged-care workforce needs to triple to adequately deliver services. Older Australian will make up around one in four of the population. There are over 14,000 age pensioners living in my electorate of Lindsay. Not all of them receive aged care, but it is fair to say that at some point they will. We need to establish this new Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission and we need do it now—no more stalling, no more waiting. Given the government dumped Labor's $1.5 billion workforce compact and supplement after the 2013 election, we have consistently called for the development of a comprehensive aged-care workforce development strategy to address the issues of training and staffing levels on an ageing workforce. The government finally addressed workforce issues by announcing $1.9 million for an aged-care workforce taskforce in the 2017-18 budget; however, when the government made the membership of its task force public six months later, it failed, ironically, to include any representatives from the aged-care workforce. The government's long-term inaction in the aged-car…
date: 2018-10-17T16:54:00+00:00

Fair Work Amendment (Restoring Penalty Rates) Bill 2018; Second Reading | Bills | House debates
type: item
description: It is great to follow the member for Oxley on this very important Fair Work Amendment (Restoring Penalty Rates) Bill 2018. The retail industry is the second-largest employment category in...
encoded: It is great to follow the member for Oxley on this very important Fair Work Amendment (Restoring Penalty Rates) Bill 2018. The retail industry is the second-largest employment category in Australia and employs 1.2 million people, or one in nine Aussies, and 52 per cent of those workers have absolutely no post-school qualifications. In my electorate of Lindsay the retail trade employs over 12,000 people. These working Australians are relying on penalty rates to survive. The Liberal government's savage cuts to penalty rates mean on average a $77 a week pay cut. More than 75,000 people in my electorate—that is, more than half of my electorate—have jobs that will be affected by these cuts and will continue to be out of pocket. We need to stand up for working people and their conditions. Labor has a proud history of supporting workers. According to the calculations made by the ACTU, a level 6 cook who works Sunday to Thursday every week will be $1,000 a year worse off. Penalty rates are not a luxury. They put food on the table, pay the bills and fill up the car. Employees who rely on penalty rates to meet their household expenditure are far more likely to be a single parent, a woman, a young person, on an income of less than $30,000 or living in regional Australia. I ask: where are the Nats on this? These penalty rate cuts stand to negatively and disproportionately affect more women and young people. They also pose a huge risk to our local economies and communities. This is simply not good enough. Under this government, Sunday penalty rates will be cut next year and again the year after that. Make absolutely no mistake: Scott Morrison and the Liberal government support cuts to penalty rates. They voted eight times to support these savage cuts, and they want to take them even further. Currently the industries that are worst affected are retail, hospitality, fast food and pharmacy. We know this government has plans to further slash the wages of ordinary workers, which begs…
date: 2018-10-15T12:43:00+00:00

Lindsay Electorate: Frocktober | Statements by Members | House debates
type: item
description: One woman dies every eight hours from ovarian cancer. It is the ninth-most-common cancer and the most lethal of all the gynaecological cancers. It has few warning symptoms and no early detection...
encoded: One woman dies every eight hours from ovarian cancer. It is the ninth-most-common cancer and the most lethal of all the gynaecological cancers. It has few warning symptoms and no early detection test—it is called the silent killer. Four women are diagnosed each and every day in Australia. Whether it is ovarian or cervical cancer, endometriosis or polycystic ovary syndrome, successive governments have failed to recognise the value of funding research into these women's issues adequately. It is just another reason why women are needed in this place, sitting at the decision-making tables leading those debates and helping to tackle the issues that are facing women, who make up half the population. Women's issues and issues affecting gynaecological health had been ignored and overlooked for far too long. This year I'm very proud to be participating in Frocktober, where team Lindsay ladies frock up to raise money and awareness for ovarian cancer and a diagnostic screening test for early diagnosis that will help reduce the fatality rate of this silent killer. Frocktober is in its 12th year and continues to get bigger and better each year. It involves wearing a dress each day and snapping a photo to share on social media to encourage others to encourage awareness of the 1,600 women who are diagnosed every single year. I would like to acknowledge those around me have taken up the fight: the Lindsay Ladies Frock Up! team: Amanda Wiley, Janis Donnelly-Coode and Peggy Wilcox, inspired by the formidable Ellie Whiteaker, who participated last year and clocked over $4,000 in donations. A massive shout-out to all those people have already supported our efforts. Currently, our team has $1,500 and will power through the second part of the month hoping to double that. I implore anybody who can to frock-up and donate to help together to frock cancer.
date: 2018-10-15T13:53:00+00:00

Women: Economic Security | Statements by Members | House debates
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description: Older Australian women in this country are the fastest-growing group of people living in poverty and the fastest-growing group of homeless people. Today Labor are announcing our new policy...
encoded: Older Australian women in this country are the fastest-growing group of people living in poverty and the fastest-growing group of homeless people. Today Labor are announcing our new policy supporting women's superannuation, which will hopefully lead to a decrease in those horrific numbers. Women retire with significantly lower superannuation balances than men—40 per cent are lower than men's. On this side of the House we have a Labor Status of Women Caucus Committee, which I've very proudly been the secretary of for the last two and a bit years. I want to thank all of the members of that committee, in particular the chair, Sharon Claydon, and all of the people who have worked so tirelessly. Whether it was from Perth to Penrith or Alice Springs to Adelaide, we held consultations right across this country, hearing from women about what it is they need from government, and what government needs to do, to act and change the story. I am proud that our leadership team have acted and have made some tough decisions to be able to announce this $400 million package, which is a significant step in making sure that older women in this country are getting a fairer deal—from ensuring that recipients of Commonwealth paid parental leave, including the dads, continue to receive superannuation contributions, to phasing out the $450-minimum monthly income threshold for those who are able to receive superannuation payments. I want to commend the work of the Status of Women Caucus Committee and thank everybody who helped with those consultations.
date: 2018-09-19T13:54:00+00:00