Peter Khalil's recent appearances (OpenAustralia.org)
Medicare | Statements by Members | House debates
Our government, the Albanese government, promised a Medicare urgent care clinic for Coburg in my electorate at the election, and now we are delivering on our promise. In the coming weeks the...
Our government, the Albanese government, promised a Medicare urgent care clinic for Coburg in my electorate at the election, and now we are delivering on our promise. In the coming weeks the Coburg Medicare urgent care clinic, on 444 Sydney Road, is going to open. It's going to be open seven days a week. It's going to have extended hours on the weekend, and all you need is your Medicare card, not your credit card. So if the member from Wagga injures himself playing footy and he's in Melbourne at the time, he can come and get some urgent medical care for his non-life-threatening condition. He'll be welcome. This is going to help. But, more importantly, it's going to help our locals. It's going to help the constituents I represent in my electorate to get the care they need closer to home. And it's going to take a lot of pressure off the local hospital emergency departments. In comparison, the opposition, when they were last in government, tried to end bulk-billing with a GP tax. They froze Medicare rebates for six years and stripped billions out of Medicare. Only Labor strengthens Medicare and only Labor delivers in my electorate of Wills and across Australia. This might be controversial, but there is no better electorate in the country than Wills, my electorate, when it comes to, specifically, the arts. Why do I say that? Well, it is because of the arts facilities in my electorate, including Balam Balam Place, to which our government contributed $1 million towards construction. There are 8,000 people in my electorate employed in the cultural and creative occupations. So Wills is the place to live or to visit if you love the arts. That's why I'm so pleased to see Creative Australia award 23 grants to artists in my community of Wills in their latest funding round. This includes funding for Triple R, a not-for-profit community radio station, one of the best local radio stations—I've been on there—and funding to musicians like Stella Donnelly and Mindy Meng Wang. It also includes funding for local theatre companies, local visual artists and local writers and funding to help Australian artists in my electorate to take their works to the international stage. One thing that artists across Wills and across Australia know is that it's only the Labor government that actually cares about supporting Australian artists. I encourage our colleagues to visit Wills and enjoy some of the arts on offer. Over the weekend I was pleased to attend two fantastic events representing the multicultural fabric of my electorate. I visited the Masjid Ar-Rahman Mosque open day in Fawkner, part of the Islamic Council of Victoria's initiative of 30 mosques being opened across the state. It is a great initiative to build social cohesion, break down some barriers and engage in conversation with local community members. Masjid Ar-Rahman in Fawkner in my electorate is a very important place. It has more than 2,000 families living in and around Fawkner. I want to thank Dr Mahabubur Mollah and Masjid ar-Rahman for your service to the community and for welcoming me on the day.
Bolkus, Hon. Nick | Condolences | House debates
A month or two before Christmas last year, I got a call from Nick Bolkus. He was at an aged care facility, actually, and he was struggling. His voice was barely more than a whisper, but the...
A month or two before Christmas last year, I got a call from Nick Bolkus. He was at an aged care facility, actually, and he was struggling. His voice was barely more than a whisper, but the clarity of what he was saying to me and what he was asking me about was very much there despite the difficulty in hearing what he was trying to say. He was interested in the policies that we were implementing. He was asking questions about social cohesion and multiculturalism. He was asking me questions about the new ministry position that I have. He was engaged, he was wise, he gave me some good advice, and he cared. We are all standing here, today, to pay our respects in this condolence motion to a man who gave so much of himself in public service—obviously to the state of South Australia but also to the entire nation. I want to offer my sincere condolences to his wife, Mary, and his children, Aria, Mikayla and Nicholas, plus the wider, very large community of friends and family that have been touched by the contribution that he's made—even to, right beside me, the member for Adelaide, Steve Georganas, who worked for Nick for 10 years. Now, Mikayla has worked for Steve. The amount of wisdom that Steve probably benefited from Nick and his experience in his career and as a mentor to so many talented politicians—I'll put you in that category—who serve their community faithfully and who do everything they can to give people a better life—that was Nick at the national policy level but also at a community level, at a local level. We've heard that he was a pioneer of progressive politics. That's certainly the case. He was the architect of modern multiculturalism. We call him one of the fathers of multiculturalism, and that's certainly true. He had a long and distinguished career in politics. He was elected to the Senate in 1980, and his life was a life of public service and of literally giving himself to the nation and to his state of South Australia, his beloved South Australia. He actually began his career as a lawyer—we won't hold that against him—before he moved into politics and had a great political career. He served his home state of South Australia, which he loved so much, and he served all of this nation for a political career that spanned 24 years. He is known, very much, for his contribution to modern multiculturalism, but we should not forget that Nick became the first Australian cabinet minister of Greek descent. That's a significant step within the context of multicultural Australia, but, more than that, what Nick did as a cabinet minister should be remembered and recalled. When Prime Minister Bob Hawke elevated him to the cabinet, it was as the minister for consumer affairs. In that role, he introduced watershed legislation to protect the privacy of Australians from data credit agencies. He also set up the banking ombudsman to provide a dispute resolution mechanism for bank customers. He did some really remarkable policy work—Steve, that was probably a bit of work that you did when you were working for him as an adviser; I'm not sure—that was significant and made a difference. Nick insisted on protecting all Australians equally and, in many respects, embodied the Labor values that we hold dear in every role that he held. On the multicultural space and the advocacy that he was known for—obviously coming from a migrant background himself—when he became the Minister for Immigration and Ethnic Affairs, as well as the Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for Multicultural Affairs, he worked in those roles with not only compassion and empathy but also practicality. He got real and tangible things done. We've heard from previous speakers about the moment—I think most of Australia knows the history—when Bob Hawke, our then prime minister, provided refuge to thousands of Chinese citizens in Australia after the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre. It was actually Nick who was very much part of that decision. He was, alongside the PM, exceptionally proud of that moment in our history. Back then was a time—which maybe one could argue is not too dissimilar to today—where there were people who were deliberately trying to divide us, as Australians, through fear and differences in our ethnicity and backgrounds, and that fear and division could have triumphed at the time. But, due to decisions like this, and people like Nick Bolkus who stood tall and firm against hatred and prejudice, we triumphed. He stood for the idea that our diversity is a strength and that, regardless of our backgrounds, who we are, where we come from or what our faith is, we can embody the Australia that we live in. We can be part of the Australia that we live in, and we can contribute to the Australia that we love so much. That is modern, multicultural Australia. Nick stood up courageously and compassionately to do what was right, despite what was, at the time, a very high political risk. It would have been much easier for Bob and Nick to just fold, go with the polls and go with the loud voices that were, at the time, sowing that fear and division. But, they said, 'No, we are going to stand up and do what is right morally, ethically and politically.' People give politics a bad rap, but when you take political actions like this, the way that Nick did, that is I think the core element of politics—the ability to engage in that public space to make decisions that make a difference to people's lives around us. Nick very much symbolised but also practically delivered on that idea of political action. We know he's of Greek background. He would have claimed to be the holder of the flame of democracy. Apparently the Greeks invented democracy. I think that's true and he handed it down. Nick certainly was someone who was proud of his Greek heritage and proud of the fact that democracy sprung from his homeland. He carried that torch with great courage and compassion throughout his political career. He understood that Australians and Australia should be proud and confident in our differences, and we should recognise that we are multifaith, multiethnic society—one that he helped build. It's not just about tolerating others, it's about those democratic values and the democratic participation that he loved so much. It's about social responsibility in doing things for others and contributing. It's about the shared values that bind us together. Even when we might disagree, there are threads that bind us together and make up the society that we cherish so much. He left an extraordinary legacy of dedication, service and foresight, and he will be remembered for his service by not just those in the Labor Party but all of us in this place. I think his spirit lives on in many respects through not only many of my South Australian colleagues but all of us in the party and all of us in this place. It was an absolute pleasure to engage with him and for him to give some time to me and advice to me over the many, many years from the beginning of my political career. I'm sure he was a great mentor to so many South Australian politicians in this place as well. It is so sad to see him go, but he left us with something very, very special, and we'll carry that flame on for him. Rest in peace, Nick.
Economy | Matters of Public Importance | House debates
Not a question! What have you been doing?
Bondi Beach Attack Victims | Condolences | House debates
While we're all strangers on this earth, even so, our souls melt from the heaviness of last month's heinous attack on Australia's Jewish community. It showed us, horrifically and graphically, the...
While we're all strangers on this earth, even so, our souls melt from the heaviness of last month's heinous attack on Australia's Jewish community. It showed us, horrifically and graphically, the evil that can reside in the souls of human beings, an evil that seeks to destroy our humanity. All Australians and the rest of the world were utterly horrified by this ISIS-inspired terrorist atrocity at Bondi Beach. What we've been faced with is tragedy, pain and grief: the tragedy of 15 innocent people losing their lives, including 10-year-old Matilda; the visceral pain of survivors and family members who witnessed the horror; and the aching grief of our entire nation at the incomprehensible loss of those innocent lives and of our nation's innocence. Yes, this atrocity at Bondi was targeted at our Jewish Australian community, but it was also an attack on all of us. What sense could any of us make of this depraved evil act? For many of us, there was no sense to it. It is an unalloyed hatred, borne of evil. It's an extremist Islamist world view, a perversion of a great faith. It's a perversion that rejects our pluralism, our democracy and our very way of life. It's a world view that encourages its adherents to dehumanise and demonise minorities—people of Jewish faith—and that encourages deadly attacks on innocent people, with no respect for human life. That is the simple evil of it. But there is light in the darkness. There is something to grasp in the emptiness. That has been the response of Australians in the wake of this brutality. They've shown us the light: the strength in our unity when we do come together. The bravery of our fellow Australians, who fought to stop the evil acts of violence inflicted by these terrorists, is the light. Boris and Sofia Gurman and Reuven Morrison all lost their lives trying to stop the attackers, buying precious moments for others to get away and to live. We all know the heroic story of Ahmed al-Ahmed, the Syrian refugee who tackled and disarmed one of the terrorists. We don't know how many lives he saved, but he saved many. The police officers who fought back—detective Cesar Barraza, who brought down one of the terrorists, and constables Scott Dyson and Jack Hibbert, who were both seriously injured during the attack. The first responders, from our amazing paramedics to the local Bondi lifeguards, whom I met today and who acted so swiftly to save as many survivors as possible, even though they told me they didn't have training to deal with gunshot wounds but relied on their training around shark attacks and massive loss of blood, went straight into action and saved people in front of them. All the civilians who found themselves on a typical Sydney Sunday afternoon in the middle of a crisis and who went to aid the wounded—there were so many more people who shone the light so brightly against the darkness of just those two extremist gunmen. All of those Australians demonstrated an unwavering commitment to life and the best of our humanity. Antisemitism is an evil that tears at the fabric of our country because it threatens the peaceful, free and egalitarian society that we all cherish. Since the terrible events of October 2023 we have witnessed a series of appalling attacks targeting Australia's Jewish community. What we do to resist and defeat this hatred and the evil we witnessed at Bondi is our challenge as a nation. If we do cherish our pluralistic society, as lawmakers, political leaders, community leaders and everyday Australian citizens we all share the obligation to protect what we have built over generations. This can be done through the laws we pass here but also every day in every act of kindness, as the Prime Minister has mentioned, and in every resistance to prejudice and discrimination, whenever we hear it and whenever we see it. Our multifaith, multi-ethnic society works because we commit to it. It works because the majority of Australians commit every day to disagree peacefully, despite our differences, regardless of the diversity of our backgrounds. That, fundamentally, is our way of life, our democracy, the harmonious and peaceful society we create. It's the type of country we want to live in, in which anyone should be free and at peace to worship, to celebrate their faith and to be free from this kind of violence and hatred we've seen. Whatever differences we have, whatever disagreements we have, we can navigate through those without resorting to violence. These terrorists, filled with hatred, sought to divide and weaken this multicultural democracy we hold so dear. We cannot allow this. My community of Wills is the embodiment of the society these terrorists want to destroy. Our multiculturalism and the cohesion we've worked so hard to build and protect is what makes Australia stronger. It is our duty to ensure this brutality never becomes normalised in this country. Our national unity is vital to our national security, and our government will continue to strengthen both. In our time of mourning and grief, Australians have put our arms around the Jewish community—our friends, our neighbours, our family. We honour the memory of those lost. May their memory be a blessing. In our darkest moments so many everyday Australians have been the light that has rejected hate. That is real heroism. To all those who have helped, all those Australians who have worked to push back darkness over the past month, thank you. It's not great power that keeps evil in check; it is the everyday deeds of ordinary Australians—the mitzvah, the small acts of kindness and love that keep the darkness at bay.
Glenroy Post Office, cohealth | Constituency Statements | House debates
Last week my office hosted my neighbour, the member for Maribyrnong, Joe Briskey; the local state MP for Broadmeadows, Kathleen Matthews-Ward; and the Glenroy Post Office working group, a local...
Last week my office hosted my neighbour, the member for Maribyrnong, Joe Briskey; the local state MP for Broadmeadows, Kathleen Matthews-Ward; and the Glenroy Post Office working group, a local working group led by John and Sonja Rutherford. We've had many meetings with that working group over the last two years since the closure of Glenroy Post Office in 2023. I wanted, once again, to commend the work of the entire working group—all those locals who care, as we continue to advocate together for Australia Post to reopen an LPO in Glenroy. The effects of this closure, which occurred two years ago, cannot be underestimated for the community: the elderly, people with disability, local shopkeepers, people that don't have cars, and many others who have felt the negative effects of the post office closing. However, our pleas to reopen a Glenroy site have fallen on deaf ears. Despite improper metrics being used—they measured the foot traffic while the Glenroy train station was being rebuilt, so that didn't give an accurate reflection—and a lack of community consultation, there's still resistance to reopening this vital community service. The Glenroy Post Office closure is not unique to my electorate. I know this is occurring in many electorates around Australia. Many constituents have contacted my office—and I'm sure those of other MPs here—in distress about the inability to access local postal services. My hope for the Glenroy community, and for those affected across the country, is that Australia Post continues to come to the table with realistic solutions toward the viability of postal services. It is a community service; it is not just for profit. This is a service that's been provided by government for hundreds of years—like the military, the police and other frontline services. It is important that the community are consulted when changes are happening locally, and we will keep fighting for them. It was also disappointing to learn through the media just last month that the local community health service, cohealth, planned to cease operations at three of their clinics in Melbourne's inner north. This will impact thousands in my community, many of whom I've spoken to directly in the past month. The announcement by cohealth's board was not done in consultation with our government. We actually found out as the public did—through the media. But, once we found out, the Albanese Labor government jumped into action, repeatedly urging cohealth's board to pause their decision. The department of health and the Primary Health Network have been trying to work with cohealth to help them utilise the record investments that Labor have made into Medicare, without compromising the high-quality, complex care that they provide. In fact, just last week Minister Mark Butler announced $1.5 million in additional federal funding to assist cohealth in keeping these clinics open at least until 31 July next year. But this issue isn't over. I want them, this board, to understand that they provide an essential community health service. We want to work with them together to make sure that these clinics stay open.
Communications Legislation Amendment (Australian Content Requirement for Subscription Video On Demand (Streaming) Services) Bill 2025; Second Reading | Bills | House debates
but they told the stories of the emerging migrant groups. We saw people reflected on the screen, telling us who we are and showing us who we are. This government is committed to delivering on our...
but they told the stories of the emerging migrant groups. We saw people reflected on the screen, telling us who we are and showing us who we are. This government is committed to delivering on our national cultural policy, Revive. That policy is pivotal to our ability to promote the cultural importance of local Australian stories, ensure that Australian content has international reach and support Australia's global brand and standing. It is also pivotal to our ability to boost the positive economic impact of the screen sector on Australia's economy. This government believes strongly that, to understand who we are better, to tell our stories and to express ourselves, we should never ever underestimate how important it is for Australians to see themselves represented on the screen. There is nothing wrong with American sitcoms, European shows and so on. They're all great shows, but they're not our stories. Our stories are unique to us. They are also a window on Australia and the diversity of Australia, and being able to tell those stories to the rest of the world is important for Australia's standing globally. With this bill, the Albanese government is standing with our Australian creatives. We're making sure that that percentage of revenue that the streaming services collect from their subscriptions in Australia is going to be reinvested in Australian content. It will be a steady stream. In everything I've heard from the industry, they say, 'We need that stability. We need that baseline so we know that we've got work, and a pipeline of work—not one job and then eight months sitting at home, hoping for another job to come. We need to have that steady stream coming through.' So we as a government are always going to invest in our culture, our industries and our future. I think this is a really important bill for Australia's cultural identity and for all the creative people and all the young people, as well as older people, who want to continue to work in creative industries, to tell our stories. It's such a special part of who we are. With the arts, it's not just about the economics. It's the heart and soul of any society. It's intangible to a certain extent. It's immeasurable to a certain extent. But you know when you see it and you understand when you see it how important it is to us as a people to be able to tell those stories and how that moves us emotionally. It moves our hearts as well as our minds. I think it's so important to be able to provide this certainty for the screen industry. That is why I am very, very happy to commend this bill to the House.
Wake in Frightsometimes that happens when I'm in Canberra. Death in Brunswickthat happens in my electorate. Breaker Morant and Gallipoli are great historical stories. Picnic at Hanging Rock;...
Wake in Frightsometimes that happens when I'm in Canberra. Death in Brunswickthat happens in my electorate. Breaker Morant and Gallipoli are great historical stories. Picnic at Hanging Rock; Lantana; Phar Lap; The Castle, which is another great favourite; Strictly Ballroom; Two Hands; WalkaboutI could go on about great Australian cinema. I've got some for you, Deputy Speaker Georganas: Acropolis Now, Our Generation, The Wog Boy. There was all of that great TV that we saw growing up: The Slap, Skippy the Bush Kangaroodo you remember that one? I watched that when I was a kid. Then there's Kath and Kim. Look at me, Deputy Speaker; I'm talking about Kath and Kim. The Secret Life of Us, Mystery Road, Heartbreak High, and on and on—it's great Australian television. My kids watch InvestiGators. That was on the ABC. It's a fantastic show for kids. This is what this is about. The Communications Legislation Amendment (Australian Content Requirement for Subscription Video On Demand (Streaming) Services) Bill is about supporting Australian storytellers, Australian cinema and Australian TV and about making sure, in amending through the Communications Legislation Amendment Bill, that we introduce content obligations on streaming services to make sure that, no matter which screen people are watching on, they have guaranteed access to Australian stories. We've always been a nation of storytellers, from the world's oldest continuous cultures—the First Nations storytellers—to the more modern storytellers that have brought to life the modern multicultural stories of ours to our screens, both the small screen and the silver screen. The screen industry is one of the most powerful platforms we have to share Australian stories—to share our stories with the world—whether it's Crocodile Dundee or Kath and Kim. This bill ensures that our national identity, our voices, our experiences and our creativity are not only preserved but projected out proudly to future generations and to audiences across the globe. This bill will amend the Broadcasting Services Act to introduce an Australian screen content requirement for subscription video-on-demand services and will guarantee a minimum level of expenditure on new Australian content on streaming services. This is about ensuring access to Australian content and making sure that it's made readily available to and not unreasonably denied of Australian consumers and international audiences. This bill is going to require that streaming services with more than one million Australian subscribers invest at least 10 per cent of their total expenditure in Australia or 7.5 per cent of their revenue on new local drama, children's TV or film, documentary, and arts and educational programming. The bill marks a major shift in how Australians will access Australian made content. The world has changed. We know that Australian stories are fundamental to shaping our national identity. I say that in the sense that—people might think it is just TV or movies. But what the screen does, what those stories do, is contribute to our social cohesion as a nation. It reflects back to the community the stories. Seeing ourselves on the screen is all about being able to express culturally what we're about and who we are and to help us understand who we are, what we're on about and sometimes why we are—when you get some of those deeper artistic efforts. The national cultural policy, Revive, affirmed a simple truth that the people of Australia and the stories we tell are effectively our greatest cultural asset. They are worth every dollar because they tell the story of us. And the power of seeing ourselves on the small and large screen is so undeniably important because the stories cultivate community. They share the experiences that we have with each other, and a sense of belonging is nurtured by telling those stories, being part of those stories and seeing ourselves reflected back on the screen. As a kid, I remember getting so excited when there was an Australian film or television show with Australian accents. You'd get a lot of American television and so on, and some of the sitcoms were very funny and great, but there was a certain buzz and excitement when you'd watch BMX Bandits or shows like Skippy, or whatever it might be, with Australian accents on the screen. That was important for us growing up. We also get to see our values reflected, our diversity and our character. In a sense, the stories on the screen show the world who we are. They also give us a way to interpret our past, to define our present and to showcase the creativity that exists here in Australia by putting it out on the global stage. We know that the world has changed the way that we consume media, art, television and film. Streaming services now dominate the media landscape in many respects. The Australian Communications and Media Authority has found that the majority of Australians use streaming services as their preferred method for consuming screen content. That's about 81 per cent of Australians subscribing to at least one streaming service. That's a significant shift in the way that we consume this content. In Australia, we're spending a whopping $3.8 billion on videostreaming services and have a total of 26.6 million videostreaming accounts. Yet, until now, until this bill, these services have had no obligation whatsoever to invest in the country from which they have profited or are profiting. Writers, performers, producers, directors, costume and make-up artists, set designers, gaffers—I could go on, but I don't know all the technical roles that exist. All Australian creatives deserve to have the streaming giants invest in their talent and in their work, their brilliant work, and I'm not alone in saying that. The majority of Australian streaming-service users agree that it's important to have Australian stories, voices and culture platformed on these services. There have been a number of studies done on this. Australians want to see more Australian content available to them. Beyond this, we can't overstate the importance of the Australian screen industry, for not just entertainment but our economy. This is an industry that creates Australian jobs, innovation, cultural identity and international influence. It's an industry that employs tens of thousands of people, such as writers, editors, actors and technicians, and many others whose contributions often go unseen unless you sit there—and you should, by the way—until the end of the credits. It takes a lot of work and effort to produce some of those films and TV shows. This all depends on a strong local industry. But to be clear: I've heard it said that more people go to the NGV, the National Gallery of Victoria, than the MCG. Therefore, there is this great notion of looking at all the arts and of people enjoying the arts more than they're enjoying sports. And remember that Melbourne is the sporting capital, so that's quite a statistic. But do you know what I'd say to that too? I'd say that that's great, but not all of the arts is commercially viable. There is a place for us to provide support for emerging artists, for new art and for new film and television as it emerges. Otherwise, we won't have an industry. It can't just be totally based on the commercial value. Otherwise, we'd just be making Hollywood productions up in Queensland. That's an important part of the industry, but having Dwayne Johnson run around with his top off and pretend to be in Los Angeles while he's in the Gold Coast is not an Australian story. Let's be honest about that. It's filmed in Australia but it's not an Australian story. While it's important for work for those creatives, I'm talking about Australian stories. When you speak to people in the industry, it's this idea of a strong local industry that is such a point of advocacy. It's been something that has characterised the debate around the streaming services and the lack of obligation to provide some of their revenue towards local content. I recently met with a constituent, Sky Davies, who is a cinematographer and screen practitioner in my electorate of Wills. I've met with a number of creatives in my electorate. Wills, in the northern suburbs of Melbourne, has one of the highest concentrations of creatives in Australia, I would say. She was joined by all these screen practitioners. There was Ryan. There was Mike. There was Con. All of them have felt the devastating decline in Australian stories, and not having any quotas for local content on streaming services has impacted their work, particularly in Victoria. I mentioned some of the film work that's happening up in Queensland. That's great. But Victoria and other states suffer when you don't have the local content. The number of crew members is at a historic low. There's a very high attrition rate. People are being forced out of the industry due to depleted employment opportunities. The group expressed to me that the situation is so dire that, if this continued, in one year probably only one member of the group would be sitting in our meeting as a working creative. For decades, the Australian screen industry thrived because of the Australian content requirements on free-to-air TV. Quotas for local content have long been required for free-to-air broadcast, but they have not existed for the streaming services as they've emerged and taken over a lot of the platforms that people use to watch content. In the past, those requirements ensured that our screens reflected our lives as Australians, reflected us back to ourselves and reflected our stories. They ensured that, when we turned on the TV, we saw our cities, our unique humour, our history and our culture on the screen. But the world has changed and the way Australians engage with and watch content has shifted, as I mentioned earlier. There has been a 17.5 per cent decline in the number of Australian titles this year alone and a large reduction in overseas investment from streaming services. Before politics, I worked as an executive at SBS. I've worked in film finance, financing independent film. I'm very passionate about the importance of local content and telling Australian stories. When I was at SBS, we brought on NITV to be part of SBS. The profound impact of telling First Nations stories, not just for Indigenous people across Australia but for all Australians, has been really felt and benefits have developed from that. It's also about telling our multicultural stories—who we are as a nation. Earlier in my speech I referred to Acropolis Now and some of these other multicultural sitcoms, and we had a laugh about that. They were great shows—
Defence Amendment (Parliamentary Joint Committee on Defence) Bill 2025; Third Reading | Bills | House debates
by leave—I move: That this bill be now read a third time. Question agreed to. Bill read a third time.
Defence Amendment (Parliamentary Joint Committee on Defence) Bill 2025; Consideration in Detail | Bills | House debates
I thank the member for Bradfield for her contribution. The government will not be supporting this amendment to the Defence Amendment (Parliamentary Joint Committee on Defence) Bill 2025. The...
I thank the member for Bradfield for her contribution. The government will not be supporting this amendment to the Defence Amendment (Parliamentary Joint Committee on Defence) Bill 2025. The membership arrangements of this proposed committee reflect, quite rightly, the arrangements of the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security, and the reason they reflect those arrangements is the success of the longstanding and well-respected PJCIS. It is a key model for the parliamentary Joint Committee on Defence which allows for effective, balanced oversight of defence matters by both government and non-government members. The selection of members of parliament is made in the same way as for the PJCIS—by the Prime Minister, who will select up to 13 members, non-government and government members.
Employment, Workplace Relations, Skills and Training; Reference | Committees | House debates
I move, under standing order 45(c): That order of the day No. 3, government business, be called on immediately.
Middle East | Constituency Statements | House debates
I recently had the opportunity to sit down with students from Coburg High School to discuss advocacy for peace in the Middle East. The students were thoughtful and deeply passionate. They came...
I recently had the opportunity to sit down with students from Coburg High School to discuss advocacy for peace in the Middle East. The students were thoughtful and deeply passionate. They came ready with considered questions and asked me to discuss my reflections on these today. The loss of innocent life that has occurred on and since October 7 in Gaza is horrific, and we all agree that the suffering must end. I've consistently called for a permanent ceasefire and return of hostages over the past two years and I welcome the recent ceasefire and release of hostages. It is all our hope that this ceasefire holds. But, I stress, it is the first of many more steps that will need to be taken to secure long-term peace in the region. The challenges of political transition, a security framework and economic reconstruction in Gaza are immense. During our meeting, the students asked why Australia has not placed sanctions on Israel in the same way we have on Russia. I discussed how Australia has placed sanctions on two Israeli cabinet ministers as well as targeted financial sanctions on various entities. A straightforward answer for the students is that, while Australia has never been a major player in the region, when applying sanctions they are most effective in getting results when done in conjunction with partners such as we have done with the UK, Canada and New Zealand. The students also asked me why we have not been referring to what is happening in Gaza as 'genocide'. I explained that we publicly support international law and the work of international tribunals such as the ICJ and the ICC. In 2024, the ICJ made a provisional ruling that Palestinians in Gaza have plausible right to protection from genocide and ordered Israel to take steps to prevent that. The Australian government supported this. As a matter of important principle, though, it is not in the power of or appropriate for any lawmaker in this place to make determinations on war crimes or genocide. I say that because we have entrusted these international tribunals, through their judicial processes, with prosecutions based on evidence presented to make these determinations on breaches of international humanitarian law such as war crimes and genocide. The students also asked why it has taken so long for countries around the world to recognise Palestine. I explained my longstanding support for Palestinian self-determination and statehood and that I have supported this cause, peace through a two-state solution, for decades. I am hoping, as are we all, that, as we enter the next phase of the ceasefire, Palestinians will be afforded the safety to rebuild lives. Peace can only be achieved through a two-state solution—Palestinians and Israelis living side by side in peace and security. It is, has been and will ever be the only viable solution that affords peace and a secure future for both peoples. Fundamentally, that peace will only come when Israelis and Palestinians accept that the annihilation of the other can no longer and never will be a path forward. The conversations with these students was over an hour long. We touched on a lot of topics. We spoke about their thoughts and the Australian government's work in this place. We agreed on some things and disagreed on others, but it was an important conversation that was worth having. It was worth sharing their perspectives. Thank you to the students of Coburg High School for your engagement and your advocacy.
Fair Work Amendment (Baby Priya's) Bill 2025; Second Reading | Bills | House debates
I am standing in support of the Fair Work Amendment (Baby Priya's) Bill 2025. I do so encouraged by the fact that we are having this debate in good faith, and with a bipartisanship that is...
I am standing in support of the Fair Work Amendment (Baby Priya's) Bill 2025. I do so encouraged by the fact that we are having this debate in good faith, and with a bipartisanship that is probably all too rare for our parliament—we should have more of that. It is good to see that there is a genuine debate we are having around something that there is bipartisan support for. All of us, on either side of the aisles, know that we are passing this because we want to make sure parents don't have to make that devastating choice between returning to work or giving themselves the space to heal post the loss of a child. I think we're all in agreement that no parent should have to be forced to return to work after enduring a stillbirth or the death of a child. This bill delivers on our election commitment to legislate for that continued access of employer and paid parental leave for working parents dealing with stillbirth or early infant death. It removes the archaic sections out of the Fair Work Act which state that, where a child is stillborn or dies, an employer may give notice to cancel or reduce the leave period. Today we are changing that. Amendments in the bill will preserve entitlements to paid parental leave in situations of infant loss by preventing employers from either refusing to allow employees to take PPL or unilaterally cancelling approved periods of PPL. We've heard some disturbing stories on the news during the course of this debate about employers, who otherwise have had a great relationship with employees, suddenly deciding to cancel what had been approved periods of paid parental leave. One of the parents informed their employer and then was told that they had to come back to work in a couple of days; they were only entitled to two days of bereavement leave. These changes include those who have had children through surrogacy or adoption arrangements as well. The bill is named after Baby Priya, who heartbreakingly died when she was just 42 days old. In the aftermath of Priya's loss, her mother was told that her paid parental leave was no longer available. It's the same story that so many parents have faced. Meanwhile, Baby Priya's father was allowed to take his full leave entitlement. The loss of a child is profoundly tragic. The fact that Baby Priya's mother had to return to work while she was still grieving that loss and that trauma is absolutely devastating. In the darkest moment a family can have, Priya's parents were still able to muster the strength to highlight this devastating issue through an online petition which they organised, which was remarkable in the courage that they had, even in their darkest moment, to do that. That caught the attention of so many Australians. It was 30,000 people who signed that online petition. The issue reached the desks of key federal Labor ministers, and they knew they had to act. So, thanks to the tireless advocacy of Baby Priya's parents, this important issue will now be enshrined in legislation, and they take great credit for that effort. We know no parent should have to go through what Priya's mum experienced. Unfortunately, we see the tragic loss in the statistics. Over 3,000 Australian babies died in the perinatal period in 2021. That's about six babies being stillborn every day and two dying within 28 days of birth. Behind every one of those deaths is a heartbreaking period of loss and mourning and grief by the families, with their lives being changed forever. When they face that unimaginable loss, often without the time or support they need to begin healing, it just compounds the grief and pain. So many of them find themselves navigating complex systems and unclear entitlements at a moment when they should be focusing solely on saying goodbye and caring for each other. Fundamentally, it's important for parents to have certainty about their entitlements at such a difficult moment in their lives, a difficult period, giving them the time and space to grieve. Our government shares this belief, and that's why we've acted to safeguard employer paid parental leave entitlements. The government knows that women should never be faced with workplace insecurity if such a tragedy does strike. It's about enabling confident family and career planning. The bill is another step towards supporting women's long-term participation in the workforce. It ensures their skills and experience aren't lost to the economy when they take time to care or recover. This reform to leave entitlements on paid parental leave forms part of a broader set of work that we are undertaking toward strengthening the rights and opportunities for women at every stage of their life through their working life. As a government, we've made these record investments to support women in this context as well—expanding paid parental leave to 26 weeks, making it more flexible to share between parents, paying superannuation on paid parental leave, making child care cheaper, opening 22 endometriosis and pelvic pain clinics with 11 more on the way, and investing over half a billion in women's health, including new measures on the PBS. These investments are not just figures in the budget; they demonstrate the intent to make a difference to women every day with respect to their quality of life and their health outcomes across Australia. As the member for Bennelong noted, there's a lot of discussion here about statistics and numbers and percentages. I've just rattled off a few. I guess that's what we do here. But, as I said at the start of my remarks, the fact that there is bipartisan support across the aisle and there is support across the parliament for this bill is so encouraging. Our actions today make a difference. They go beyond the numbers. They're about honouring lives. They're about helping shape futures and doing what's right for people who experience this unthinkable tragedy in their lives. Importantly, this bill honours young lives lost too soon. This legislation, when passed, is not going to take away the pain of those who are suffering and enduring the loss of an infant, of a child. It's not going to take that away; that's always going to be there. But it does acknowledge an important issue which affects thousands of Australian families each year. It does provide parents some sense of stability and certainty in their most difficult time. While you can make that time worse, by cancelling paid parental leave—that's one of the ways it happens—we are making sure that time is not worse and that at least they have that certainty. There hasn't been that legal protection, up until now, to stop employers from cancelling PPL. For parents like Baby Priya's and for every family who has lost a child in that unthinkable way and had that experience, this is going to be a lasting legacy. Baby Priya's parents have been so instrumental in ensuring that occurs. It's a promise that no-one is going to face this pain alone and that they're not going to be forced back to work while they're still trying to survive the deepest loss imaginable. It honours the strength of Baby Priya's parents, whose real courage actually made this possible. It is going to make our workplaces fairer and more compassionate. For that, I commend this bill to the House. The Federation Chamber transcript was published up to 12:11. The remainder of the transcript will be published progressively as it is completed.
Defence Amendment (Parliamentary Joint Committee on Defence) Bill 2025; Second Reading | Bills | House debates
I move: That this bill be now read a second time. Today I rise in support of the Albanese Labor government's Defence Amendment (Parliamentary Joint Committee on Defence) Bill 2025, which will...
I move: That this bill be now read a second time. Today I rise in support of the Albanese Labor government's Defence Amendment (Parliamentary Joint Committee on Defence) Bill 2025, which will establish a parliamentary joint committee on Defence. This bill ensures that departments entrusted with extraordinary powers are subject to extraordinary accountability. In a time of evolving security threats, it has never been more important to maintain rigorous, independent oversight of our defence community. The bill delivers on recommendations that were set out and made by the Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade to establish a committee which is purely focused on Defence. Recommendations tabled by the JCFADT uncovered existing parliamentary oversight and accountability measures for Defence to be inadequate in balancing accountability, transparency and national security considerations. This bill seeks to amend these issues and give Australians greater trust in parliamentary oversight functions. By amending the Defence Act, this bill seeks to create a committee which will oversee the Australian Defence Force, the Department of Defence, the Department of Veterans' Affairs, and key Defence portfolio agencies, including the Australian Submarine Agency, Defence Housing Australia and the Australian War Memorial. In terms of functions, the committee will be able to The PJCD will be able to receive and consider classified information in carrying out its oversight functions. This will ensure it has the information needed to conduct effective scrutiny of Defence and its portfolio agencies, thereby strengthening government decision-making on defence and strategic policy. Importantly, the bill establishes appropriate safeguards that balance the government's commitment to greater public accountability and transparency for Defence, and the necessary protection of information provided to the PJCD to ensure Australia's national security and that of our international partners is protected. The PJCD can receive referrals on matters from ministers and either house of parliament and may also undertake its own-initiative inquiries relevant to its oversight functions. In recognition of the significance of establishing a royal commission, the PJCD will be responsible for monitoring and reviewing, on an ongoing basis, the Australian government's response to the findings of any royal commission inquiries relating to Defence. To ensure the independent regulators in the Defence portfolio are able to fulfil their statutory functions, the PJCD will also consider the operations, resources, independence and performance of the Inspector-General of the Australian Defence Force and the Australian Naval Nuclear Power Safety Regulator. The functions of the new committee will not extend to matters that fall within the jurisdiction of the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security. This includes oversight. It will remain the responsibility of the PJCIS to have oversight of the Australian Signals Directorate, the Australian Geospatial-Intelligence Organisation and the Defence Intelligence Organisation, which will continue to report to the PJCIS. It will supersede, however, and enhance the Defence related functions currently undertaken by the Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade. That's the subcommittee that exists in that larger committee. The existing arrangements for Defence oversight by the Senate Standing Committees on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade, including the examination of legislation and of the Defence budget through the Senate estimates process, will remain unchanged. Similarly, the establishment of the PJCD does not prohibit other committees, such as the statutory Joint Committee of Public Accounts and Audit, from examining Defence matters as part of its functions. The new committee will complement these existing arrangements by providing additional oversight of Defence matters that require consideration in a classified setting. In terms of the constitution of the committee, as with the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security, the Prime Minister, in consultation with the Leader of the Opposition, will appoint up to 13 members to the new committee. This includes no more than seven government members and six non-government members from both houses of parliament. The arrangements for information handling are modelled on those that apply to the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security. Committee proceedings will be conducted in a private and appropriately secure setting, unless the minister has authorised public hearings, with the exception of the PJCD's consideration of the annual reports of Defence agencies. The new committee will be able to request and receive classified information and briefings in order to perform its functions. For certain categories of protected information—for example, specific information about highly sensitive military capabilities, tactics, techniques or procedures—the minister would need to authorise the production of the information to the committee. The minister would also need to authorise any subsequent disclosure by the PJCD of that information, including in reports to the parliament. If necessary, to prevent a witness from disclosing operationally sensitive or other protected information, the minister can issue a certificate to prevent the provision of such evidence or documents. Given the safeguards in place to support the provision of information to the PJCD, these powers are not intended for routine use. Rather, they are reserved for rare circumstances where disclosure of highly sensitive information could cause significant harm. The bill establishes a range of criminal offences to deter members of the PJCD, their staff, committee staff, and any other individuals who receive protected information in connection with the performance of the committee's functions from disclosing or publishing information without specific authorisation from the relevant minister. It also includes offences designed to protect witnesses who are requested to provide evidence or documents to the PJCD. These offences and penalties in the bill are reasonable, necessary, and proportionate, ensuring the PJCD can access the information required to exercise effective oversight of the Defence portfolio, while maintaining the confidentiality and security of that information. The strong legal safeguards in place are designed to uphold the integrity of the PJCD's work and ensure that all participants are subject to clear obligations and serious consequences for any breach. Australians know that the Albanese Labor government is delivering when it comes to our national security and defence. That's why we have made the biggest peacetime increase in defence spending in Australia's history, providing what is now an additional $70 billion for defence capability. And, every time we get up and make another announcement, that number only grows. We are constantly looking at what our needs are based on the strategic landscape we face and how we may resource these needs effectively. In one term, we have announced $12 billion toward Henderson to deliver continuous naval shipbuilding in Western Australia and make AUKUS a reality. That's going to support 10,000 direct jobs over the next two decades as well as provide opportunities for businesses across the state. We're investing $4.5 billion for key defence upgrades, including $2 billion for air base upgrades across the Northern Territory, Queensland and Cocos Islands; $1 billion to upgrade land and joint estate capabilities; and $750 million for critical infrastructure upgrades and facilities works at RAAF Base Townsville. I was just up there recently as we welcomed the new Apache helicopters and the infrastructure that we're building to make that a success. There is $600 million for the maritime bases, including HMAS Coonawarraand HMAS Cairns, and $200 million to fast-track what are existing programs. We're also investing in a new era for defence capabilities, which includes the introduction of the Australian Army's new Apache helicopters, a sovereign autonomous undersea capabilities through the Ghost Shark program and the delivery of a larger and more lethal surface combatant fleet with the selection of the upgraded Japanese Mogami class frigates. Our government, the Albanese government, will continue to increase defence spending to record levels to deliver the capabilities that Australia needs. These investments are part of the government's commitment to building our sovereign defence industry and supporting a future made in Australia. That's why I'm standing here today in support of this bill—because we will always follow through with our commitments. From my experiences during my time as Chair of the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security—I have colleagues here who were on that committee—we understand the importance of parliamentary oversight. Even as members of the executive, it is important that the parliament and parliamentarians have the ability to do the oversight, conduct the inquiries and do the work necessary to ensure we have transparency and accountability. The PJCIS provides an important forum for vigorous debate, analysis and engagement, with topics on critical national security issues which can be considered. I'm very cognisant of the important role the intelligence and security committee has played in doing the necessary work in an atmosphere that is conducive to the national interest rather than partisan political pointscoring. The intelligence and security committee provides a platform for MPs across Australia to make informed recommendations on classified issues without being a member of the executive government. Similarly, the new defence committee will allow MPs to express their views on these issues integral to the national security of our country. The ability to platform these views of our citizens on critical issues is the cornerstone of our democratic society, and, the better informed our parliamentarians are on defence, the better it is for the public debate. The PJCD that we seek to create not only replicates the integral core principles of the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security but is world's best practice for parliamentary oversight and accountability on defence. In conclusion, our government is acting on the longstanding recommendations of the JFADT to establish a defence committee. Our government's primary commitment is to keeping Australians safe. Our strategic environment becomes inevitably more volatile and complex—we know that—and Australia needs enduring infrastructure ingrained within our parliament to ensure all of our departments and agencies are complying with the rule of law. This bill strikes the right balance between safeguarding our national security and upholding the democratic principles that define us. With this legislation we reinforce the message that strong security must go hand-in-hand with strong oversight, and Labor proudly stands behind that principle today. I would hope that those opposite seek to support this bill, as they similarly did when it was first introduced in our last term of parliament before it was knocked back. I hope they will provide that support given the non-partisan or bipartisan commitment that we have to our national interests and our national security. The Leader of the Opposition is quoted as wanting to do things differently this term. I hope that's the case. I hope there is a collaborative, bipartisan approach that they will take into the debate on this bill and that it will translate into support for this important bill—one that is critical to the national security oversight and transparency mechanisms of this parliament, and one that should be above partisan politics and petty pointscoring. Those opposite, I would hope, should take the opportunity to be acting in the best interests of Australia's security, because this bill actually improves both transparency and accountability. The safeguards we are proposing around the operation of this new committee mirror those of the intelligence security committee. It has had support from the opposition in the past. I want to see that support again today. I commend this bill to the House. Debate adjourned.
Housing, WorldSkills Australia | Constituency Statements | House debates
Last week I visited the opening of LIV Albert, a build-to-rent apartment complex in my electorate of Wills. I was accompanied by my good friend the member for Macnamara, Josh Burns. We toured...
Last week I visited the opening of LIV Albert, a build-to-rent apartment complex in my electorate of Wills. I was accompanied by my good friend the member for Macnamara, Josh Burns. We toured this $330 million project, which sits in the heart of Brunswick, which is in the heart of my electorate of Wills. The complex boasts 498 new apartments and is designed specifically for renters. Build-to-rent sites bridge the gap between buying and renting in the Australian property market, creating a viable option for those who don't, or choose not to, own a home. While we were there, I met Nicole and Esteban, a young couple from Chile who have decided to call Australia home. They will be among the first residents at the site. Nicole and Esteban explained to me how they absolutely love the committee and lifestyle of living in Brunswick and how being able to rent at this site will allow them affordable access to a suburb and a part of Melbourne that they know and love. That's what build to rent is all about—allowing people to make communities they love their homes, with the security and stability for longer lease lengths. Since we formed government, over 5,000 social and affordable homes have now been completed with federal government investment. This is a stark contrast to the chronic shortage of social and affordable homes built under the previous coalition government. In nine years, the previous government managed to build—wait for it—373. We have made a $43 billion commitment to our housing agenda, with $20.7 billion now committed to projects that lock in lower rents for decades to come. This all builds on another huge week for housing investment in this country, where we have cut red tape for more homes, brought forward the five per cent deposits for more first home buyers and made more progress on social and affordable housing. Earlier this week in Canberra I had the pleasure of meeting one of my constituents, Joshua Seymour. Josh travelled to Canberra for the launch of the 2026 Team Australia training squad. He will represent Australia at the 48th WorldSkills International Competition in China next year. WorldSkills Australia is an important social enterprise in this country which is dedicated to identifying, demonstrating and promoting skills excellence across the nation. When we were elected in 2022, the Albanese government faced the worst skill shortage in 50 years. Meeting this challenge has been, and remains, a high priority for our government. As part of our National Skills Agreement, over $34 billion in combined investment with state and territory governments will strengthen and transform the VET sector. This includes the establishment of 12 TAFE centres of excellence to provide the vital skills we need in critical parts of our economy. I wish Josh and the entire Australian team the absolute best of luck. He's going to be doing refrigerating, cooling and air conditioning; I reckon he's going to win his competition. Go Australia!
Housing Australia Investment Mandate Amendment (Delivering on Our 2025 Election Commitment) Direction 2025; Consideration | Documents | House debates
Yes, everyone knows. They might not know that about me, though. For my family, a migrant family that came to Australia in the seventies, having access to that affordable housing helped to level...
Yes, everyone knows. They might not know that about me, though. For my family, a migrant family that came to Australia in the seventies, having access to that affordable housing helped to level the playing field to a certain extent. It offered my family real equality of opportunity, and it was because of the policies of Labor governments, both state and federal, that we were given that opportunity. Despite many of the challenges and the prejudices we faced, it gave me the chance to succeed based on hard work and on merit. The fact that we had that foundation meant we weren't worried about being able to have a place to live. We were given that opportunity. The five per cent deposit scheme brought forward by the government will now make it even easier for those growing up in situations like mine to purchase their first home and have that foundation as well. As I said, we were elected with a clear mandate to bring down the deposit hurdle for first home buyers. That's what we're doing today with this debate. We have an ambitious $43 billion housing agenda that is actually delivering on our promise and our election commitments, because this government is about delivery. When you get rid of all the white noise—all the sound and fury that comes from the opposition benches, the crossbench and all the rest of it—in the end, Australians look to their government, the federal government, to fulfil its commitments and to deliver on the commitments it makes to them. We are building more homes to deliver on our commitment. We're backing first homebuyers, and we're supporting renters as well. We're making the Australian dream of homeownership attainable for millions of Australians, as it should be, because I think it's true to say—and I would hope this is agreed upon right across this place—that every Australian deserves the opportunity to own their own home. It shouldn't just be some day in the distant future; it should be sooner. And this government, the Albanese Labor government, is working hard every day to deliver and make that dream a reality.
I rise to speak not just on this but for an entire generation of Australians who have been locked out of the housing market because of the policies, or, should I say, the lack of policies of...
I rise to speak not just on this but for an entire generation of Australians who have been locked out of the housing market because of the policies, or, should I say, the lack of policies of previous governments. This generation of young Australians have been locked out not because they lacked ambition but because the system itself has put homeownership increasingly out of their reach. For too long, young people in this country have felt let down by not having any opportunity to purchase their own home. We, on this side of the House, are very cognisant of the challenges they've faced. That's why, since we came to government, we have been making the ability and the opportunity for young people to get into the housing market a priority of this government. That's why, in backing up that cognisance of understanding the challenge, we have made record investments in housing in this country. We've actually backed it up with record investments. From 1 October this year, even more young Australians will be able to realise their dream of homeownership. And that's thanks to this government, the Albanese government, bringing forward our Home Guarantee Scheme to allow first home buyers to buy a home with just a five per cent deposit. You heard it right; it's just a five per cent deposit. We're bringing down all first home deposits from 20 per cent to five per cent this year, from 1 October, because affordable and secure housing should be a human right in this country. It's about dignity. I know it is valid as well that housing in Australia has also been a vehicle for investment and so on, and that's fine. But having a roof over your head, having your own home, is really about basic human dignity. It is the foundation, literally the physical foundation, to be able to then fulfil your potential in the workforce and through the social, economic and the educational opportunities that flow from that foundation. But first and foremost—it's Maslow, if you're familiar with that, Deputy Speaker Chesters—it's to get that shelter in place. It is about human dignity. I think that housing needs to be seen in this frame—the importance of it for every single Australian and their future ability to fulfil their potential. In the first year alone, first home buyers who will be using this scheme that we are debating here are expected to avoid around $1.5 billion in potential mortgage insurance costs. That's a massive amount that will be avoided. And we're not going to stop there. We won't stop there, despite whatever arguments are made by the other side for political pointscoring, because we'll continue the family home guarantee that helps single parents to buy a home with a two per cent deposit—not two per cent but five per cent. That is amazing. Since coming to office in 2022, the Labor government has helped over 180,000 first home buyers get a home of their own with a lower deposit. That's 180,000 families. That's a lot of people that have been given the opportunity to build that foundation and to have that foundation to fulfil their potential in life. On average, there have been more than 6,000 more first-home-buyer loans a year under Labor compared to under the coalition's period in office. That's 6,000 more than under the other mob. Now, the median home price in Australia today is $844,000, and five per cent of that is around $42,200. The last time $42,200 covered the 20 per cent deposit for a median home was in 2002, which shows the generational scale of this change. This is in stark contrast to the housing policies—if I can call them that—brought to this year's election campaign by the coalition. Their solution to the housing crisis? Let first home buyers access up to $50,000 of their own super to buy a home. I'm not sure what they were thinking—what kind of fantasy this was. Not only was this policy completely irresponsible but no-one across from us had the foresight to think how this would inadvertently bring up housing prices. So, unlike that horrid election commitment that was made by the coalition, we are putting forward real, tangible relief for millions of Australians in this country in this bill, this scheme and all the others that I've spoken about. We were re-elected with a clear mandate to bring down the deposit hurdle for first home buyers, and we are delivering on that. In my electorate of Wills, 38 per cent of my constituents are renters. The expanded scheme means a first home buyer in Wills could purchase a $600,000 home with only a $30,000 deposit. They could save up to six years off the time it takes to save for a deposit, save about $25,000 in mortgage insurance—that is a very important element—and pay up to around $126,000 towards their own loan instead of paying rent. That'll make a difference to the future of all of those people. Since the inception of our Home Guarantee Scheme, 1,010 people in Wills, in my electorate, have accessed it. As I said, affordable housing is critical as the foundation for people wanting to fulfil their potential. I grew up in inner-city Melbourne in public housing—I'm a houso—in the seventies and eighties. We grew up in a housing commission, as it's called in Victoria. I share that with the Prime Minister, who, if you don't know, also grew up in social housing.
National Health Amendment (Cheaper Medicines) Bill 2025; Second Reading | Bills | House debates
It's $631. You were close, and that's without health insurance. In Australia, this medication on the PBS will only cost Alex $25. You know where this is going. For pensioners like Alex, it costs...
It's $631. You were close, and that's without health insurance. In Australia, this medication on the PBS will only cost Alex $25. You know where this is going. For pensioners like Alex, it costs even less. Guess what. It's not actually $25 for Alex. We got it wrong! Alex, because he is a pensioner, he will have his medication frozen at only $7.70 until 2030. That's much better than $631, isn't it? Lucky for Alex, he doesn't need to afford health insurance to pay for his medicines, because in this country, in Australia, Medicare is for all. It is for all Australians. This is why the Australian people are so passionately committed to Medicare. It is something that is iconic. Those on the opposition benches just love criticising the PM when he pulls out his Medicare card and so on. But guess what. The Australian people know the importance of that card. When they see that card, they understand what it means for them, their families and their health care. This is why it's so important and we're so committed to it. We will continue to make sure affordable medicines are available for those who need them most. This is why the Labor Party is the party for all Australians. There is real, tangible relief for every Australian who is deciding what scripts they can refill this week. This relief comes through these reductions. We will continue to ensure that no-one has to decide between their health or putting food on the table. Frankly, that should not be a choice that Lucinda, Alex or any Australian should have to make. While the opposition talk a lot, on this side of the House, we, the government, deliver. This is what this second term is about: delivering on our election commitments to the Australian people on the things that matter to them and will give them a better life. This is one of those commitments that we are meeting. We are making medicines more affordable for every Australian. We haven't just cut the cost of PBS scripts to $25; that's just one great thing. This amendment is just another piece in the bigger part of our commitment to delivering cost-of-living relief through cheaper medicines. As a government, we have already provided a 25 per cent cut to the number of scripts a concession patient must fill before the PBS safety net kicks in. We've already established 60-day prescriptions, saving time and money for millions of Australians, and, for the first time in 25 years, we've frozen the cost of PBS medicines, ensuring co-payments will not rise with inflation. Thanks to the Albanese Labor government, the cheaper medicines policy in my own electorate of Wills—and I'm sure this is probably replicated in the electorate of Lyons and all of the other electorates represented in the chamber—has already saved over $9 million for the people in my community. That's what Labor does. That's what we do. That's what we're here for. It's to deliver on our promises to make sure health care is a right for all and not just a privilege for some. We're always going to fight for a fairer, healthier Australia. This bill is a practical, compassionate and economically responsible bill. I commend it to the House.
I heard a hundred. It's actually $968. If ever we needed proof about the brilliance and importance of the PBS as something that's critical to our healthcare system in Australia, there it is....
I heard a hundred. It's actually $968. If ever we needed proof about the brilliance and importance of the PBS as something that's critical to our healthcare system in Australia, there it is. Thanks to the Albanese Labor government's massive investment into the PBS, families like Lucinda's will have certainty around the cost of medication moving forward. I also met on another occasion a retiree by the name of Alex. In Alex's older years, he's developed high blood pressure. High blood pressure actually affects about 42 per cent of Australians over the age of 75. If Alex was living in the US and his blood pressure went up, and it would go up because of the politics there, his high blood pressure medication would cost—I'm going to try asking again. Does anyone know how much this would cost him in the US?
I don't want to know! The member for Wannon was probably wandering around, listening to rock music or something like that. It was a long time ago, 2004. I can tell you times have changed a lot....
I don't want to know! The member for Wannon was probably wandering around, listening to rock music or something like that. It was a long time ago, 2004. I can tell you times have changed a lot. We don't want to, necessarily, roll back the clock. I don't think the member for Lyons, the member for Wannon or I want to roll back the clock; we enjoyed the experiences we had in the last 20 years. But guess what we do want to roll back the clock on? PBS medicines. That's what we want to roll the clock back on. We could be in a time machine here in this parliament. We could go back in time to the cost of PBS medicines back in 2004. Isn't that amazing? Jules Verne would be very proud of us here at the Australian parliament. So we're setting the price of PBS medicines to a figure of $25. We remember, but some people might not have even been born in 2004. In all seriousness, since we formed government, Labor have provided Australians with the largest cut to PBS medicine prices in the history of the PBS. Thanks to our $689 million investment into the PBS, we have brought down the cost of medicines from $42.50 in January 2023 to just $25 by the beginning of next year. That's remarkable. Making cheaper medicines even cheaper is our way of providing real solutions—real outcomes—to easing the cost-of-living pressures felt by all Australians. Unlike those who sit across from us, we are delivering on our promise to bring down the cost of medicines. It doesn't matter whether you live in metropolitan cities or the most rural areas of our vast country; you too will be able to afford the medicines you need most when you need them. I've been doorknocking around my electorate of Wills a fair bit, even after the election as well, just saying g'day to constituents. I've heard firsthand how cost-of-living pressures are affecting my constituents. On the doors, I met with a woman, a mum of four, by the name of Lucinda. Lucinda described to me how her son had recently been diagnosed with epilepsy and that she had had to decrease her hours at work to care for her son. She made the choice to look after her child, which meant less work. Now that the joint income of her family has decreased, the family is feeling the pressure of the cost of living even more. Luckily for Lucinda's family, her son's epilepsy medication is one that is listed on the PBS, meaning that they will have to pay only $25 from the beginning of next year, down from $42.50. The time machine is working. To put it into perspective, the same medication in the US without health insurance would be—I don't know if anyone wants hazard a guess here?