Katie Allen's recent appearances (OpenAustralia.org)
type: channel
language: en-gb
creator: OpenAustralia.org, mprss.php script
date: 2022-07-06T23:05:43+00:00
items: Budget | Matters of Public Importance | House debates
items: Budget | Questions without Notice | House debates
items: Health Care | Constituency Statements | House debates
items: Security Legislation Amendment (Critical Infrastructure Protection) Bill 2022; Second Reading | Bills | House debates
items: COVID-19: Morrison Government | Private Members' Business | House debates
items: Energy | Statements by Members | House debates
items: Higgins Electorate: Australia Day Awards | Adjournment | House debates
items: Aged Care | Matters of Public Importance | House debates
items: Economy | Questions without Notice | House debates
items: Higgins Electorate: Percy Treyvaud Memorial Park | Constituency Statements | House debates
items: Higgins Electorate: Volunteers | Adjournment | House debates
items: Mitochondrial Donation Law Reform (Maeve's Law) Bill 2021; Consideration in Detail | Bills | House debates
items: Online Safety | Questions without Notice | House debates
items: Higgins Electorate: Small Business | Statements by Members | House debates
items: Health, Aged Care and Sport Committee; Report | Committees | House debates
items: Global Polio Eradication Initiative | Private Members' Business | House debates
items: Higgins Electorate: Victorian Tunnelling Centre | Statements by Members | House debates
items: Mitochondrial Donation Law Reform (Maeve’s Law) Bill 2021; Second Reading | Bills | House debates
items: National Health Amendment (Enhancing the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme) Bill 2021; Second Reading | Bills | House debates
items: Corporations Amendment (Meetings and Documents) Bill 2021; Second Reading | Bills | House debates

Budget | Matters of Public Importance | House debates
type: item
description: It appears to me that Labor is stuck in the past. They do not understand the fundamentals of a modern economy, nor do they seem to understand that we have been through a global pandemic with an...
encoded: It appears to me that Labor is stuck in the past. They do not understand the fundamentals of a modern economy, nor do they seem to understand that we have been through a global pandemic with an economic shock that has not been seen for more than a century. It's important for us to understand that we, on the side, get economics. We get finance. We understand that one of the best ways to increase wages is to decrease tax. That means that families, individuals, Australians can take home more pay. We understand this. This is fundamental to the way that we approach things, and we have been doing this from the very first time that I came to this House. I'm very proud, as a member of this 46th Parliament and a member of the Morrison government, that we have been supporting tax cuts from the get-go. We have been supporting them to ensure that Australians keep more of what they earn in their pocket. We have legislated more than $320 billion in tax cuts, including more than $130 billion through stage 3 tax cuts. In fact, it was the very first thing that I voted on as a new member of parliament and something I'm enormously proud of. We've provided more than $40 billion in tax cuts, which have now flowed to more than 11 million Australians since the start of the pandemic. And around $12 billion in support will flow to more than 10 million Australians when taxpayers lodge their tax returns from 1 July 2022. More than $16.5 billion in tax cuts will flow to more than 12 million Australians in this next financial year because of our permanent tax cuts implemented in the 2020-21 budget. More than $93 billion in tax cuts will flow to more than 13 million Australians over the three years in the forward estimates. What does this mean? What are the practical implications of these massive tax cuts for the Australian people? Someone who's on a median income and earning around $60,000 will be $7,980 better off by the end of this financial year compared with the 2013-14 income tax settings.…
date: 2022-03-30T16:00:00+00:00

Budget | Questions without Notice | House debates
type: item
description: My question is to the Minister for the Environment representing the Minister for Women. Will the minister please outline to the House how the Morrison government's plan for a stronger future...
encoded: My question is to the Minister for the Environment representing the Minister for Women. Will the minister please outline to the House how the Morrison government's plan for a stronger future makes significant investments in the long-term safety, health and economic security of women across Australia?
date: 2022-03-30T14:52:00+00:00

Health Care | Constituency Statements | House debates
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description: Australia has been termed the allergy capital of the world. One in 10 infants and one in 20 adults have food allergies. Each of these Australians lives with the ever-present risk of...
encoded: Australia has been termed the allergy capital of the world. One in 10 infants and one in 20 adults have food allergies. Each of these Australians lives with the ever-present risk of life-threatening anaphylaxis. At each snack or meal they need to literally walk the allergy tightrope. This is an issue close to home in Higgins because research has shown that Melbourne has the highest rates of food allergy anywhere in the world. If we extrapolate national data, there are about 72 hospital admissions just in Higgins each year from allergic reactions. That is why the Walking the allergy tightrope report with its 24 recommendations, which was produced by the Standing Committee on Health, Aged Care and Sport, is so important. As a member of this committee, I was proud to contribute to such a report on an issue I worked with in my professional life. As a young paediatrician I had rooms in Higgins and as a professor of paediatrics my team was the first to confirm the rising allergy epidemic in Australia. That's why I'm fighting for a $28 million investment in the next budget to enable the creation of a national allergy council and a national allergy centre of excellence. Funding of the NAC and NACE would increase access to quality care as well as providing further education, translation, prevention and treatment of allergy and anaphylaxis. This funding could potentially reverse the deadly trend of increased allergies and anaphylaxis in Australia. It would provide relief and hope to literally thousands of Australians and their families. This investment would include $7.7 million towards a shared care program to cut wait times to see a specialist by at least 50 per cent. Importantly, it would also improve access to care, especially for Australians in regional and rural areas—and I can tell you, Mr Deputy Speaker, I have seen people wait for over two years to see me as an allergy specialist, and it's so hard for rural patients. It would allow our healthcare professionals to be …
date: 2022-02-16T10:09:00+00:00

Security Legislation Amendment (Critical Infrastructure Protection) Bill 2022; Second Reading | Bills | House debates
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description: I rise to speak on the Security Legislation Amendment (Critical Infrastructure Protection) Bill 2022. Critical infrastructure is: …those physical facilities, supply chains, information...
encoded: I rise to speak on the Security Legislation Amendment (Critical Infrastructure Protection) Bill 2022. Critical infrastructure is: …those physical facilities, supply chains, information technologies and communication networks which if destroyed, degraded or rendered unavailable for an extended period would significantly impact on the social or economic wellbeing of the nation, or affect Australia's ability to conduct national defence and ensure national security. Typically, these assets are used in the supply of services critical to us all: communications, defence, food and water, health care and, of course, critical transport sectors. It goes without saying, therefore, that critical infrastructure is pivotal to the functioning and prosperity of every one of our lives and, indeed, the proper functioning of our nation. Any disruption to this critical infrastructure could be devastating to Australian businesses, leading to supply chain and service industry failures affecting us all. Designed to strengthen critical infrastructure assets, this bill will protect the assets to ensure the continuity of essential services in this country. The potential risks of a disruption to critical infrastructure are significant, with the Australian way of life at risk without adequate protections in place. We could see shortages or destruction of essential medical supplies; supply chain issues for food and water; and the failure of our telecommunications network, so crucial to communication in this country. In addition, our transport and traffic management systems could be disrupted. The finance sector could be shut down, and business and government may be unable to function. These are risks that cyberwarfare and other threats may pose. They may sound apocalyptic, but that's because they are. Australia is lucky to not have experienced any of these at scale in any significant way just yet. But we cannot be complacent about the very real threats that our dependence on the internet, the cy…
date: 2022-02-16T17:05:00+00:00

COVID-19: Morrison Government | Private Members' Business | House debates
type: item
description: I have to say that quite frequently the member for Macarthur and I are in furious agreement. That's because we're both paediatricians. We both understand the healthcare system, including the...
encoded: I have to say that quite frequently the member for Macarthur and I are in furious agreement. That's because we're both paediatricians. We both understand the healthcare system, including the public healthcare system, and we both understand the difficulties that this country has faced with regard to the COVID-19 pandemic, which is something that's happening not just here in Australia but right around the world. But, in this instance, unfortunately, I have to violently disagree with the member for Macarthur's private member's motion today. In fact, I find it quite astounding, as someone who sits on the National COVID-19 Health and Research Advisory Committee, that he put this particular motion in writing. The reason I say that is this: I understand the member for Macarthur knows how difficult the situation has been, globally, over the past two years, but I'm disappointed because this is about Labor having to talk down the COVID response. I understand that in opposition it is important to pick out things that you'd like to point out or highlight, and it is true that this has been an awfully difficult period in Australia's history. But, if we take a step back as a country and look at the leadership that the federal government, the Morrison government, has provided to Australia, it has been quite simply extraordinary. That leadership started from the get-go with an understanding that Australia as a country was going to have to learn to live with the virus. We knew that this was here to stay. This is a prime minister who had the maturity to realise this wasn't a short-term thing, that it wouldn't be over in two weeks, that there was going to be a very different approach in the weeks, months and years to come. Further, I think the Prime Minister's leadership has clearly shown that he understands the balance between lives and livelihoods, that we need to be able to get the balance right, that saving lives is absolutely essential—every life needs to be saved—but the impact o…
date: 2022-02-14T12:23:00+00:00

Energy | Statements by Members | House debates
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description: Just over a year ago in Canberra, I went to see a demonstration project involving bidirectional energy charging technology funded by ARENA. For those who don't know what bidirectional energy...
encoded: Just over a year ago in Canberra, I went to see a demonstration project involving bidirectional energy charging technology funded by ARENA. For those who don't know what bidirectional energy charging is, it basically enables your car to become a mobile battery—if you have electric vehicles, that is. That can be a very resourceful use during power outages. It means you can charge your electric vehicle car from your rooftop solar panels, and then, after you've finished driving for the day, you can use your car battery to power up appliances at home. Bidirectional energy charging is literally putting power in the hands of people. But the best part of this is that it can use renewable energy, which then helps to drive down emissions. I can't believe how quickly this technology has developed and become commercially viable, all thanks to a federal government grant of $3.5 million. That means the future is here. JET Charge, in Melbourne, is leading the way in making bidirectional energy charging a commercial reality. I recently visited this impressive company and met their founder, Tim Washington, who happens to be a Higgins constituent. JET Charge is a real-life example of how our government's commitment to technology R&D is the right approach to driving down emissions. You need smart, sensible investment, and that means investing in technology, and that's what this government is doing—driving down emissions by supporting clean technology, research development and commercialisation.
date: 2022-02-14T13:38:00+00:00

Higgins Electorate: Australia Day Awards | Adjournment | House debates
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description: I'm delighted again to see so many constituents in the Higgins community recognised in the Australia Day 2022 Honours List. This year, there were 18 award recipients from Higgins—men and...
encoded: I'm delighted again to see so many constituents in the Higgins community recognised in the Australia Day 2022 Honours List. This year, there were 18 award recipients from Higgins—men and women who have served our community with distinction and dedication; men and women who have given back to the community in a variety of ways. The honours list provides a great opportunity for all Australians to recognise the value of those people who go above and beyond to make a difference to all of our lives. One of the many honour day awardees I would like to thank is my good friend Dr Alan Finkel AC, who has been elevated to the Companion of the Order of Australia, a merit of the highest degree of service in Australia. Dr Finkel was honoured for eminent service to science through energy innovation and research infrastructure initiatives, to climate change policy, for his contribution to Australia's COVID-19 response, and to science and engineering education. It is no surprise I am standing here today to speak of Dr Alan Finkel AC's service to Australia. Alan commenced as Australia's Chief Scientist in 2016, bringing to the role extensive experience as an entrepreneur, engineer, neuroscientist and educator. Prior to becoming Chief Scientist he was Chancellor of Monash University and President of the Australian Academy of Technology and Engineering. He also holds a PhD in electrical engineering from Monash. Alan led the amalgamation that formed the Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health—coincidentally, my father-in-law, Charles Allen, also a Higgins constituent, was the chair of the board at the time. He has been chair of the Australian Centre of Excellence for All-sky Astrophysics and was director of the ASX-listed diagnostics company Cogstate Limited. Some people do not know that Alan is passionate about science education. He cofounded Cosmos Magazine, which, in addition to magazine publishing, operates a secondary school science education program. He also establishe…
date: 2022-02-10T11:29:00+00:00

Aged Care | Matters of Public Importance | House debates
type: item
description: I rise because I think we need to put the record straight with regard to aged care. The first thing to say is that our aged-care sector is one that's going through massive transition, and that's...
encoded: I rise because I think we need to put the record straight with regard to aged care. The first thing to say is that our aged-care sector is one that's going through massive transition, and that's not just here in Australia but in fact right around the world, and that is because—because of fantastic health outcomes and medical technology—Australians are living longer, as are those in other countries in the developed world. They're living longer and they're living better. That is putting a massive impost on the aged-care sector, because Australians want to live at home longer, and so then, when they go into the aged-care sector, they are older and more frail and often have more co-morbidities. So there is a massive change that is happening, as we speak, in the aged-care sector, and this is being fuelled by baby boomers in our population, so that we'll see, as we reach the 2030s, a massive explosion of older people in the aged-care sector. This government has seen this coming and has been prepared to put real money on the table, along with real reforms to help transition the aged-care sector. But it is a sector that is under stress and will remain under stress as baby boomers age into their 80s. It is fair to say that, in the aged-care sector, people are older and more frail, but we also know that older Australians are getting the choice that they want, which is to age at home with dignity and grace. There's no doubt that the royal commission into aged care has been shocking. It's been shocking, because the system has been under stress. This is a government that has stood up and said, 'We are going to invest record funding into the aged-care sector and we are going to do it in a way that deals with the changes that are occurring.' We have five important pillars that address this. Firstly, home care. We understand that Australians want to age with dignity, grace and respect. They want to age at home, and we want to provide that opportunity for them. So, in the last budge…
date: 2022-02-09T15:53:00+00:00

Economy | Questions without Notice | House debates
type: item
description: My question is to the Treasurer. Will the Treasurer inform the House of how the Morrison government's strong economic management is driving thousands of new jobs around the country every week,...
encoded: My question is to the Treasurer. Will the Treasurer inform the House of how the Morrison government's strong economic management is driving thousands of new jobs around the country every week, which has the unemployment rate on the path to its lowest level in 50 years, and is the Treasurer aware of any alternative approaches?
date: 2022-02-09T14:49:00+00:00

Higgins Electorate: Percy Treyvaud Memorial Park | Constituency Statements | House debates
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description: If the pandemic has taught us one thing, it's that we are using and appreciating facilities in our local neighbourhoods more now than ever before. With that, we as a government are cognisant of...
encoded: If the pandemic has taught us one thing, it's that we are using and appreciating facilities in our local neighbourhoods more now than ever before. With that, we as a government are cognisant of the need to invest more in our communities. This includes improving our local sporting amenities that help keep us safe and connected. Malvern East is in my electorate and soon to be home of the biggest-ever investment in sporting infrastructure, with the highly anticipated Percy Treyvaud Memorial Park redevelopment finally underway. I was proud to attend the site of the new development with the mayor of the City of Stonnington, Councillor Jami Klisaris; the CEO, Jacqui Weatherill; and the president of the Stonnington City Netball Association, Kate Campbell, for the official sod turning to mark the momentous occasion. We did throw dirt in the air and the cameraman asked us to throw it at their camera! So we have a cameraman covered with dirt as a result, but hopefully the camera is okay. This marks the commencement of works made possible by $4 million in the federal government contribution, helping turn this dream in my community into a reality. As a mother of four kids who have all played sport locally, I understand the importance of these new courts for our community. This is particularly because there are a record number of women playing sport in Higgins. Recent data shows that of 2,785 registered netball players living in Higgins, 1,656 are forced to play outside their local area due to a significant lack of suitable facilities. I have lived that myself. Clubs, including the Malvern Netball Club, Sacre Coeur Netball Club and other local schools in Higgins, are travelling far to participate in community sport. The Morrison government is proud of the huge intake in women's participation in sport, which has increased substantially in the past decade. But with this growth in female participation comes a need for new, modern, safe and inclusive sporting facilities to meet the …
date: 2022-02-08T16:45:00+00:00

Higgins Electorate: Volunteers | Adjournment | House debates
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description: I think we can all agree on one thing: 2021 has been a very challenging year indeed—challenging not just because the world has had to navigate the ongoing impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic...
encoded: I think we can all agree on one thing: 2021 has been a very challenging year indeed—challenging not just because the world has had to navigate the ongoing impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic but also because the flow-on effects to our local communities have been profound and in some cases devastating. I've been heartened in Higgins by the enormous outpouring of support from our local community volunteer organisations. These groups have weathered the pandemic storm and been a beacon of light, supporting some of our most vulnerable in their darkest of times, and today I want to acknowledge them. Each year I have the privilege of hosting the Higgins community volunteer awards to recognise the outstanding efforts of the local unsung heroes of the Higgins electorate—the men and women of our local sporting clubs, Rotarians, scout groups, churches, toy libraries and the many other local clubs who make our community great. This year 30 individuals were recipients of the prestigious community volunteer awards and were acknowledged for their efforts by their peers at the award ceremony in November. The story of these community leaders touched my heart, and I want to thank all of those who submitted nominations this year. Collectively, our recipients contributed over 260 years of service to their local organisations, which speaks volumes to their ongoing commitment to our community. I want to also place on record my sincere thanks to our extra special guest speaker, none other than three-time Olympic athlete, including the recent Tokyo Olympics, and bronze medallist at the Olympics, Anabelle Smith—who also happens to be a Higgins constituent. Anabelle shared with the volunteers her experience competing as a triple Olympian and her admiration for volunteerism in her sport. As an athlete, passionate sportswoman and local champion, Anabelle has spent her career surrounded by dedicated volunteers who've made an enormous contribution to her success. I want to thank her for joining us …
date: 2021-12-02T11:27:00+00:00

Mitochondrial Donation Law Reform (Maeve's Law) Bill 2021; Consideration in Detail | Bills | House debates
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description: I rise to make a clarification around a technical point, as a paediatrician and someone who has worked in stem cell research and, in fact, worked for a long time at the Murdoch Children's...
encoded: I rise to make a clarification around a technical point, as a paediatrician and someone who has worked in stem cell research and, in fact, worked for a long time at the Murdoch Children's Research Institute, where Professor David Thorburn, who's one of the pre-eminent scientists in the area, works. I have a significant amount of background in this area and have also worked in the area of the ethics of new technology. We know that throughout history new technology has been something that has benefited Australia and, indeed, the world over and over again. Every time there is new medical technology that has an ethical dimension to it, it comes to places like this parliament to make important decisions. It's probably worth reminding that at each point it's important that the conversation and the debate is had right across the whole spectrum of belief systems, but sometimes there can be some technical things that people are confused about. For example, 40, 50 years ago there were a lot of concerns about organ transplantation and donation. In fact, some faith based communities believed it would create monsters of humans. There were many debates and ethical concerns about whether indeed we would have Frankenstein people as a result, because where is the soul based? Is it based in an organ or in the soul of a person? There have been a lot of changes over many decades. IVF is another example where there has been a change in technology. When it comes to the question raised by the member for Menzies, the two types of techniques that are being discussed do make a big difference to whether this technology is likely to be successful or not. The PNT, the pronuclear transfer, technology is the one that is leading the way with regard to the technology discoveries that are being talked about. If we were to support the MST, the maternal spindle transfer, technique, that is less likely to be successful. So, if you are to vote for one over the other, then you are more likely to vote aga…
date: 2021-12-01T17:34:00+00:00

Online Safety | Questions without Notice | House debates
type: item
description: My question is to the Minister for Communications, Urban Infrastructure, Cities and the Arts. Will the minister please update the House on how the Morrison government's strong record on online...
encoded: My question is to the Minister for Communications, Urban Infrastructure, Cities and the Arts. Will the minister please update the House on how the Morrison government's strong record on online safety has been further bolstered by our world-leading anti-trolling laws and today's initiation of a parliamentary inquiry to put big tech under the microscope?
date: 2021-12-01T14:46:00+00:00

Higgins Electorate: Small Business | Statements by Members | House debates
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description: If there's one thing I hear from small businesses when I'm out and about in Higgins, it's that they're looking forward to a strong Christmas trading season. Businesses in my electorate have had...
encoded: If there's one thing I hear from small businesses when I'm out and about in Higgins, it's that they're looking forward to a strong Christmas trading season. Businesses in my electorate have had to close their doors for nine of the last 19 months due to COVID lockdowns. It's an unprecedented impact on their ability to do business and prosper. That's why I'm enormously proud of the unprecedented economic support this government has provided. My constituents know this government has their back when they need it most. In my electorate of Higgins, JobKeeper has supported 10,600 businesses to keep their staff afloat. The instant asset write-off helped 27,000 businesses to have access to cash flow when they most needed it. Just as importantly, our government has helped taxpayers to keep more of what they earn. Around 65,700 constituents have already benefited from tax relief of up to $2,745 this year alone. That's more money in the back pockets of the people of Higgins—money that I hope my constituents will spend in local businesses in the lead-up to Christmas. Working together, we can all help secure Australia's economic future post COVID. This Christmas we should all go local first. It's about our future together.
date: 2021-12-01T13:55:00+00:00

Health, Aged Care and Sport Committee; Report | Committees | House debates
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description: I rise today in recognition that better health for all Australians is key in our development and success as a country. I would like to thank all the members of the House of Representatives...
encoded: I rise today in recognition that better health for all Australians is key in our development and success as a country. I would like to thank all the members of the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Health, Aged Care and Sport for their report, entitled The new frontier: Delivering better health for all Australians. I extend a special thanks to the member for North Sydney for his work in chairing this inquiry and to the deputy chair—Mr Deputy Speaker, the member for Macarthur—who, as a paediatrician, along with me, is a former brother-in-arms on the front line of health care. Alongside the secretariat supporting the committee, the member for North Sydney and the member for Macarthur have overseen the development of 31 recommendations to ensure the best opportunity for health for everyone in Australia. I am delighted that I was asked to be a supplementary member of the committee. It has been a very bipartisan committee. It has been a great experience for me. It is truly something to be recognised in this parliament as something that is actually progressing outcomes for all Australians. So thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker, for your participation, and thank you for allowing me to participate as well. We know—indeed, most Australians know—that Australia enjoys one of the best health systems of any country. Medicare sits at the foundation of our health system and, combined with private health insurance and private health networks, forms a strong foundational framework of health care that delivers for the benefit of all Australians as part of a universal healthcare system. Indeed, all levels of government are involved in the running of our system, and it is clear that it is a successful system. In fact, as an outcome, Australia ranks eighth in the world for life expectancy. By and large, metrics of health rank Australia in the top 10 worldwide; in fact, some metrics have us at number two. But, of course, there is always more that we can do. We can never be satisfi…
date: 2021-11-30T17:11:00+00:00

Global Polio Eradication Initiative | Private Members' Business | House debates
type: item
description: I move: That the House: (1) notes that: (a) the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) leads the world's efforts to end polio, bringing together Rotary International, the World Health...
encoded: I move: That the House: (1) notes that: (a) the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) leads the world's efforts to end polio, bringing together Rotary International, the World Health Organization, the United Nations Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF) and many others including in the private sector with a common objective to eradicate polio; (b) when the GPEI commenced, more than 350,000 cases of polio paralysed and killed children in 125 countries annually; (c) in 2021, polio is 99 per cent eradicated and wild polio remains in only two countries, Pakistan and Afghanistan, with the entire African continent certified as polio-free on 25 August 2020; (d) this success has been driven by the GPEl's extensive worldwide community-driven vaccination program, the largest of its kind in the world, to safeguard children from polio worldwide; (e) safe and effective polio vaccines have been the single most important factor in achieving 99 per cent eradication of polio so far; (f) Australia has been a strong supporter of polio eradication for more than three decades and has invested more than $135 million in polio eradication over that time; (g) 2022 will be a critical year for polio eradication as the GPEI sets out its strategy to achieve polio eradication by 2026, and that this will be a key opportunity for Australian leadership; and (h) Australian organisations lead the effort to see continued support for polio eradication from Australia, including Rotary International Australia, UNICEF Australia, Global Citizen and Results Australia; (2) acknowledges that: (a) the work of the GPEI is a testament to the great power of vaccines and that the equitable and timely access to those vaccines is critical to the program's success; (b) progress made toward polio eradication is facing new challenges with the humanitarian situation in Afghanistan impeding vaccination efforts and increasing the risk of new polio outbreaks; (c) additional measures will be required to manage the risk of…
date: 2021-11-29T16:58:00+00:00

Higgins Electorate: Victorian Tunnelling Centre | Statements by Members | House debates
type: item
description: It's not every day you get to a specialist tunnel-training facility, but I had a great reason to visit one recently. As the recipient of $419,000 in the Morrison government's National Careers...
encoded: It's not every day you get to a specialist tunnel-training facility, but I had a great reason to visit one recently. As the recipient of $419,000 in the Morrison government's National Careers Institute Partnership Grants program, Holmesglen Institute were keen to show me what this funding will do to help train the next generation of tunnel engineers and workers. With infrastructure projects sprouting across the nation, the tunnelling industry can't keep up with enough skilled workers. This funding will help those who are thinking about a career in tunnelling to find out what it's all about in replica and virtual environments. I want to thank Andrew, Gary, Ross and Tina from Holmesglen, who showed me around the incredible Victorian Tunnelling Centre. They explained that people need to experience working underground in a realistic way to know if it's the job for them. During the tour, I tried on some stylish 3D virtual glasses which transport you to a replica mine tunnel and then to a replica boring machine, using the exact type of equipment used on the Melbourne Metro Tunnel project. Holmesglen are helping to build the engineers of the future and these engineers will build our future. This is yet another example of the Morrison government investing in technology, backing in industry, creating more jobs and securing our future.
date: 2021-11-29T16:29:00+00:00

Mitochondrial Donation Law Reform (Maeve’s Law) Bill 2021; Second Reading | Bills | House debates
type: item
description: We've heard many incredibly moving speeches this evening. I would like to thank the speakers before me for the contributions they have made, including the member for Dunkley for her contribution,...
encoded: We've heard many incredibly moving speeches this evening. I would like to thank the speakers before me for the contributions they have made, including the member for Dunkley for her contribution, and to add my voice to supporting this bill, the Mitochondrial Donation Law Reform (Maeve's Law) Bill 2021. As we've heard, each week in Australia one baby is born with a severe genetic disorder called mitochondrial disease. It's a largely inherited genetic disease. The prognosis for these children, the ones with severe mitochondrial disease, is that most of them will die within their first five years of life—in fact, most in their first year or two. I remember learning about this condition in a textbook as a young medical student. It sounded horrible: Leigh syndrome is a severe neurological disorder that usually becomes apparent in the first year of life. This condition is characterized by progressive loss of mental and movement abilities (psychomotor regression) and typically results in death within two to three years, usually due to respiratory failure. That is very clinical, very cold and very factual. But as a young paediatrician I saw that the reality is not just horrible; it is devastating. It's a devastating condition. It is devastating for the infant; it's a horrible way to die. It is devastating for the parents as they struggle with diagnosing a puzzling set of symptoms. Imagine picking up a child that, over days, weeks and months, becomes progressively floppy. A baby that might once have rolled stops doing it. First the parents are a little worried. They go and see a doctor. They become increasingly worried. Strange things are happening. They're confused. They seek help from different specialists. It's not a particularly common set of symptoms and conditions. They can see many doctors before it is finally diagnosed. And the diagnosis itself is completely devastating, not just for the family but also for the friends around that family and for the community. I can …
date: 2021-11-29T20:41:00+00:00

National Health Amendment (Enhancing the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme) Bill 2021; Second Reading | Bills | House debates
type: item
description: I rise to talk on the National Health Amendment (Enhancing the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme) Bill 2021. Australians view the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme or PBS, as it's known, a bit like the...
encoded: I rise to talk on the National Health Amendment (Enhancing the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme) Bill 2021. Australians view the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme or PBS, as it's known, a bit like the way people in England view the NHS. It is something that people know, that they care about and that they trust, and they want their government to deliver the best PBS possible. That is because every Australian knows that at some point in their life they may have to rely on the PBS, and we know that many millions of Australians currently rely on the PBS. The Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme serves to give Australians affordable access to quality medicine. It is something that everyone in this House should be proud of. The PBS is being supported by this government but has been supported over many, many years by many, many governments in Australia. Importantly, since this government came to power in 2013, nearly 2,800 new medicines have become available through the PBS. They are all government subsidised to ensure that the health of the citizens of our country is maintained. The amendments in this bill reflect the new five-year agreements with Medicines Australia and the Generic and Biosimilar Medicines Association. These agreements seek to ensure Australia has a strong supply of medicine, with Australians able to access breakthrough medicines as early as possible. These new agreements that the government and the medicines industry have co-developed as a comprehensive package of reforms for the PBS will ensure that Australians can continue to gain access to new breakthrough medicines as early as possible but also deliver a robust and uninterrupted supply of medicines needed and used every day by Australians. It will just as importantly keep the PBS on a long-term sustainable footing. The industry agreements will achieve this by securing commitments from the medicines industry which will result in new savings from improved statutory price reductions which will be reinvested in th…
date: 2021-11-29T18:35:00+00:00

Corporations Amendment (Meetings and Documents) Bill 2021; Second Reading | Bills | House debates
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description: I thank the member for Mackellar for his eloquent contribution to the public discourse of this bill. I rise to support the Corporations Amendment (Meetings and Documents) Bill 2021. The changing...
encoded: I thank the member for Mackellar for his eloquent contribution to the public discourse of this bill. I rise to support the Corporations Amendment (Meetings and Documents) Bill 2021. The changing world is led by the changes of business, and the legislation passed in this place needs to keep up with this fast-paced environment. As someone who has worked in the real world, outside of this place, I know how frustrating it can be when legislation does not keep pace with the real world. But the bill before us today stands to recognise this, understanding that regulations forcing business to hold in-person meetings and sign documents by hand are outdated and that a technology-minded approach allows for easier running of companies. This bill reduces the regulatory burden on Australian businesses, allowing our companies to operate more efficiently and more competitively. And, in a post-COVID economy, speed and efficiency are going to be what helps the Australian economy recover. We need our businesses to be globally competitive. The pump-primed economy that the Morrison government has delivered to Australia means consumers are ready to spend as we move into a post-COVID economy. This bill serves to allow companies to hold hybrid meetings, with shareholders either attending in person or remotely, and to use technology to execute and sign relevant documents. In May of last year an amendment of the Treasury laws under Treasury Laws Amendment (2021 Measures No. 1) Act 2021 allowed companies and registered schemes to hold virtual meetings and electronically sign and send documents, an amendment which serves to continue until 31 March next year. Of course, this was due to restrictions from the COVID-19 pandemic and was referred to as 'temporary relief'. This bill serves to make the change permanent as well as some further modifications to provide even greater flexibility and technology-neutral provisions. I'm a bit of a tech head, I would say. I believe healthtech, smart tech and …
date: 2021-11-29T17:23:00+00:00