Dai Le's recent appearances (OpenAustralia.org)
type: channel
language: en-gb
creator: OpenAustralia.org, mprss.php script
date: 2026-02-10T22:05:33+00:00
items: Australia: Natural Disasters | Private Members' Business | House debates
items: National Skills Agreement | Private Members' Business | House debates
items: Lunar New Year | Statements by Members | House debates
items: Housing | Questions without Notice | House debates
items: Criminal Code Amendment (Flag Protection) Bill 2026; Second Reading | Bills | House debates
items: Economy | Constituency Statements | House debates
items: g32.1
items: Lord Buddha's Sacred Relics Tour | Statements by Members | House debates
items: Bondi Beach Attack Victims | Condolences | House debates
items: Health Care | Constituency Statements | House debates
items: National Security | Questions without Notice | House debates
items: Commonwealth Prac Payment | Matters of Public Importance | House debates
items: Rearrangement | Business | House debates
items: Australian Chin Lien Chinese Association | Statements by Members | House debates
items: Tertiary Education | Private Members' Business | House debates
items: Mental Health | Questions without Notice | House debates
items: Energy | Private Members' Business | House debates
items: Aged Care | Private Members' Business | House debates

Australia: Natural Disasters | Private Members' Business | House debates
type: item
description: I rise today to pay tribute to the families and communities who've had their lives devastated by recent floods in Queensland and fires in Victoria. When natural disasters hit, there's very little...
encoded: I rise today to pay tribute to the families and communities who've had their lives devastated by recent floods in Queensland and fires in Victoria. When natural disasters hit, there's very little any of us can do to control what happens. For the families affected, I know that words we speak in this House can't offer assurances that life will simply return to normal. These events leave a lasting impact. Many people are still standing in what's left of their homes, looking over their paddocks, where livestock has been lost, or wondering what the next step looks like. For those who've lost loved ones, no words can ease the pain. We can't take away your grief, but we can—and we must—make sure your loss is met with real care, real support and a genuine commitment to recovery. This motion rightly acknowledges the extraordinary contribution of our emergency services personnel, as we've heard already from many members in the House tonight. I want to shine a light on my local SES unit in Fowler, where there are more than 90 active volunteers. They are our neighbours who have given up family time in the middle of the night or stepped away from their workplaces and put their own lives on hold and at risk to help others when it matters most. Under the leadership of Inspector Darren Eurlings, the Fairfield SES unit had an extraordinary year. Their work shows exactly why this motion matters. In March last year, Fairfield SES volunteers were on the ground in Tweed Heads during Tropical Cyclone Alfred, carrying out flood rescues and damage assessments. In April and May, they moved from riverine flooding in Wanaaring to storm-hit communities across the Hunter region and Taree. In August, they were again deployed to northern New South Wales—Gunnedah, Narrabri and Wee Waa—ready for in-water rescues. Closer to home, they responded to more than 340 incidents across the Fairfield local government area. These weren't minor callouts. Many were urgent situations where lives were on the line…
date: 2026-02-09T18:44:00+00:00

National Skills Agreement | Private Members' Business | House debates
type: item
description: I rise to speak on the motion brought by the member for Holt. I understand that the government would like to trumpet its success in securing what it calls a landmark agreement and to point to...
encoded: I rise to speak on the motion brought by the member for Holt. I understand that the government would like to trumpet its success in securing what it calls a landmark agreement and to point to percentage drops in national skills shortages. But the young people and small businesses of Fowler are experiencing something quite different. We've heard today that the National Skills Agreement supposedly gives Australians easier access to training no matter where they live. But the people in my electorate—one of the most diverse and socioeconomically challenged in the country—beg to differ. Let's look at the one of the blind spots that this motion and the National Skills Agreement ignore. This is not just about providing a classroom to teach the next generation of trainees and apprentices; it's about backing the small and medium-sized manufacturing businesses at the heart of our community so that they can actually employ them. Manufacturing is the lifeblood of Fowler, employing around 12 to 18 per cent of local workers—roughly double the national share of about six per cent. These are not giant government-subsidised corporations. They are small and medium-sized family and migrant owned businesses, in light manufacturing and food production—the places that have given generations of migrants and refugees their very first job. They are the backbone of our local economy. In Fowler, we especially need more trainees and apprentices in manufacturing, construction, care, logistics and the service sector—exactly the industries that keep Western Sydney's economy running every day. The government talks about billions in funding, yet the lion's share is funnelled into institutions like TAFE—which is fine, but our small local businesses are left to fend for themselves. How can a small business in Liverpool or Fairfield take on an apprentice when they are being smashed by rising energy costs, rent, insurance and of course other compliance costs as well? The government might be funding the…
date: 2026-02-09T17:31:00+00:00

Lunar New Year | Statements by Members | House debates
type: item
description: Despite real cost-of-living pressures, Lunar New Year remains a vital anchor for our families of Fowler. Right now, our local stores are filled with red envelopes and festive treats—candied...
encoded: Despite real cost-of-living pressures, Lunar New Year remains a vital anchor for our families of Fowler. Right now, our local stores are filled with red envelopes and festive treats—candied ginger, coconut pieces, lotus seeds, and sticky rice cakes wrapped in banana leaves called banh tet and their savoury squared counterpart banh chung. These are simple but powerful signals of memory and belonging. Our streets are transformed, and I invite members of this House to visit and witness the resilience of my wonderful community. These traditions connect generations. Our families gather to share food and to hand out li xi, which are the red envelopes given to young people carrying wishes of luck, health and a good year ahead. They include money as well, which, as a child, I certainly used to look forward to. We are farewelling the Year of the Snake and welcoming the Year of the Fire Horse. In many traditions the horse represents rapid change, strong energy and challenge. It reminds us that while the year ahead may move quickly, it demands our collective grit and resilience. There is a lesson here for this House: when pressures rise, progress comes not from noise or division, but from the same cooperation and respect we see in our local communities. I thank the staff of Liverpool and Fairfield city councils for their tireless work in fostering a sense of belonging through the cultural activities they put together year in, year out. May the Year of the Horse bring health, prosperity and strength to the people of Fowler and to all of Australia.
date: 2026-02-09T16:05:00+00:00

Housing | Questions without Notice | House debates
type: item
description: My question is to the Prime Minister. Prime Minister, UNSW research shows that Fowler has the highest level of rental stress in the country, with almost half of the renters in housing stress....
encoded: My question is to the Prime Minister. Prime Minister, UNSW research shows that Fowler has the highest level of rental stress in the country, with almost half of the renters in housing stress. Working renters in my community are being smashed by high rents and soaring bills, yet most are not eligible for rent assistance or other concessions, even though they do the right thing and pay their taxes. What specific new relief will your government deliver this year for the renters in south-west Sydney who are above concession thresholds but are still falling further behind?
date: 2026-02-09T14:10:00+00:00

Criminal Code Amendment (Flag Protection) Bill 2026; Second Reading | Bills | House debates
type: item
description: I second the member for Mayo's bill. As many in the House know, I'm a proud Australian of Vietnamese heritage. In my first maiden speech, I came here wearing my traditional Vietnamese ao dai with...
encoded: I second the member for Mayo's bill. As many in the House know, I'm a proud Australian of Vietnamese heritage. In my first maiden speech, I came here wearing my traditional Vietnamese ao dai with the Australian flag design on it, and of course the Union Jack was slightly too big. But in the second speech, when I got re-elected last year, the design was proportioned. But what mattered was not the design; it was the meaning. That dress represents to me the merging of two worlds, the heritage of my birth and the country that became my home. It tells the story of my late mother, who chose Australia as a place of safety, opportunity and belonging for her children, and it reflects the journey of how we became Australian. For me, and for many like me, the Australian national flag is not an abstract symbol. It is deeply personal. It unites us as one Australia. It carries a simple but powerful idea that, regardless of where we come from, what language we speak or what faith we practice, once we join this country, we stand together as Australians. My beautiful late mother came to this country seeking sanctuary. Under this flag, our family found safety, dignity and a future. For refugees and migrants, the flag is not just a fabric. It represents the promise that this country will protect you and that you in turn belong to it. Australia has not always been perfect, and we continue to debate and reckon with our history. But, after decades of shared effort, we can say with confidence that Australia has forged a unique identity as a multicultural nation that lives together under one flag. That is why this bill, the Criminal Code Amendment (Flag Protection) Bill 2026, matters. This is not about silencing debate. It is about protecting the shared national symbol that represents unity, sanctuary and mutual respect. A poll conducted in August 2025 showed that 77 per cent of Australians believe burning the national flag should be against the law. This bill reflects the public sentiment…
date: 2026-02-09T10:32:00+00:00

Economy | Constituency Statements | House debates
type: item
description: I rise today on behalf of my community in Fowler and, in particular, a constituent from Wakeley, Narkis, who has written with deep concern about the rising cost of living and the Reserve Bank's...
encoded: I rise today on behalf of my community in Fowler and, in particular, a constituent from Wakeley, Narkis, who has written with deep concern about the rising cost of living and the Reserve Bank's latest interest rate increase. For families in Fowler, this is more than a policy debate or a blame game about interest rate rises. Rates have risen. What matters now is what the government will do to reduce the pressure families and small businesses will face moving forward. Every 0.25 per cent rise in cash rates means higher mortgage repayments, higher rents and even greater strain on households struggling to afford groceries, power bills and basic necessities. People in my community were clinging to the hope that meaningful relief was finally on the way. Instead, they're met with slogans and announcements that do not match the reality they're living, while being told, yet again, that interest rate rises are not the government's responsibility, when governing means taking responsibility for the consequences, not deflecting them. My constituents tell me our community is hurting. Families are lying awake at night worrying about keeping a roof over their heads, managing energy costs and making ends meet from one week to the next. They're not economists or political strategists. They're mums and dads, carers, pensioners, small-business owners and young people trying to build a future. They're exhausted by uncertainty and worn down by constant pressure—bracing for the next bill, the next bank notice or the next letter from the landlord. Narkis also shared a growing frustration across my electorate. While families and small businesses are doing it tougher than ever, this parliament is distracted. Too much energy is spent on messaging and political manoeuvring, and too little on delivering stability and relief for people carrying the real burden. These are people who love this country. They believe in fairness and the dignity of hard work. They are not asking for special treatment…
date: 2026-02-05T09:30:00+00:00

g32.1
type: item
title: Universities Accord (Australian Tertiary Education Commission) Bill 2025, Universities Accord (Australian Tertiary Education Commission) (Consequential and Transitional Provisions) Bill 2025; Second Reading | Bills | House debates
description: As the House knows, education is very important to my community in Fowler and, of course, across the country, but, for migrants and refugee communities that are in Fowler, I cannot emphasise...
encoded: As the House knows, education is very important to my community in Fowler and, of course, across the country, but, for migrants and refugee communities that are in Fowler, I cannot emphasise enough how critical education is. People would recall I constantly speak about how, when we were in refugee camps when my mother chose Australia, my late mother told me the reason why we chose Australia was that it had the best education system in the world. We came here and settled here, and I have benefited from our education system. I do want to start by acknowledging the government's efforts. It is a start, but I think we need to be honest. It should never have taken this long to recognise what students, families and educators in my community have been shouting from the rooftops for years. For decades, successive governments have lost their way. They have failed in their most basic duty to build the skills and provide the knowledge our young people need to thrive. In my electorate of Fowler and across greater south-western Sydney, we see the consequences of this neglect every single day. For our community, university has not become a gateway; it has become a finish line that is moving further and further out of reach. We have allowed a system to take root where the path to a better life is increasingly determined by your bank balance rather than your potential. For too long, our priorities have shifted. It became about international rankings and protecting our balance sheets. Somewhere along the way, equity, access and opportunity were relegated to the fine print, and, in that process, a silent and cruel understanding was born that, if you are a disadvantaged student, you're simply condemned to a tougher road. Why is that the case? A student's postcode should never be their destiny. Whether a young person grows up in a leafy inner city suburb or in the heart of Western Sydney, quality education must be a right, not a privilege shaped by postcode. I recognise the intention be…
date: 2026-02-05T13:09:00+00:00

Lord Buddha's Sacred Relics Tour | Statements by Members | House debates
type: item
description: On Thursday 22 January, the sacred Lord Buddha relics arrived in the Fowler community and were venerated at Phuoc Hue Temple in Wetherill Park in the heart of south-west Sydney. For many in our...
encoded: On Thursday 22 January, the sacred Lord Buddha relics arrived in the Fowler community and were venerated at Phuoc Hue Temple in Wetherill Park in the heart of south-west Sydney. For many in our community, the arrival of the Buddha relics on that day was profoundly symbolic, as it was also the national day of mourning following the tragic Bondi shootings. Standing alongside Venerable Thich An Thien and other venerables from Buddhist temples in western and south-western Sydney, I was reminded that, in moments of grief and shock, communities instinctively turn toward peace, reflection and compassion. In Fowler, one of the most culturally diverse electorates in the country, it's often our shared humanity, not our differences, that brings us together in times of sorrow. The Buddhist message of respect, mindfulness and responsibility resonated deeply within my community that day. I thank the Druk Community Centre of Australia for bringing these sacred relics from France in collaboration with the Buddhist Union of France, under the spiritual guidance of His Eminence Kalu Rinpoche. Their presence in Fowler reflected values that define our community: dignity, harmony and care for everyone. At a time when fear can lead to division or calls for rushed responses that risk targeting communities, I will always stand for practical, evidence based solutions that keep people safe while upholding the dignity of all Australians no matter where they come from, what language they speak or what they believe in. Thank you. (Time expired)
date: 2026-02-04T13:30:00+00:00

Bondi Beach Attack Victims | Condolences | House debates
type: item
description: I rise today with a heavy heart to honour the 15 innocent lives lost in the horrific and senseless act of violence at Bondi on Sunday 14 December. What should have been an ordinary summer's day...
encoded: I rise today with a heavy heart to honour the 15 innocent lives lost in the horrific and senseless act of violence at Bondi on Sunday 14 December. What should have been an ordinary summer's day by the sea and a joyful celebration marking the first day of Hanukkah was shattered by an act of terror that has left families grieving, communities shaken and our nation in mourning. Today we grieve with the families, friends and loved ones of the victims. Their pain is unimaginable and their loss will be felt for a lifetime. On behalf of my community in Fowler, I wish to place on record the many messages of sorrow, sympathy and heartfelt condolences that have been shared with the families of those who lost their lives. People from all faiths and backgrounds reached out with compassion, united in their horror at what occurred and in their shared humanity. We also stand with the Jewish community of Australia. This was a targeted act of antisemitic terror, and it must be named as such. Antisemitism has no place in this country—none. Jewish Australians deserve to live in safety, dignity and peace, just as every Australian does. Yet, even in such darkness, the candle of hope still flickers, carried by the courage of ordinary people who chose humanity over fear. We remember Boris and Sofia Gurman, who stood together in an extraordinary act of bravery, attempting to disarm one of the gunmen so that others might live. Their selflessness cost them their lives, but their courage will not be forgotten. We thank Ahmed al-Ahmed, a Syrian-born father of two. Despite being shot multiple times, he disarmed one of the attackers. Ahmed, who had already devoted his life to protecting others through service in the police force in his home country of Syria, once again stood up to protect strangers. His actions reflect the very best of Australia. That day ordinary Australians did extraordinary things. They did not ask who was Jewish, who was Muslim, who was Christian or where anyone came from. T…
date: 2026-01-19T13:27:00+00:00

Health Care | Constituency Statements | House debates
type: item
description: I rise today to speak for the people of Fowler and the wider south-western Sydney community who are increasingly feeling abandoned by this government's approach to health care. We hear the Labor...
encoded: I rise today to speak for the people of Fowler and the wider south-western Sydney community who are increasingly feeling abandoned by this government's approach to health care. We hear the Labor government week after week boasting of a $6.1 billion record investment and strengthening Medicare. We hear about a universal card being the solution for all. I invite the Prime Minister and the health minister to come to Cabramatta and Fowler, not just during election time. Come and walk into a local GP's waiting room in Liverpool or Fairfield, because the reality here is vastly different from the rosy picture painted in the Canberra bubble. The truth is that a gold card doesn't mean a golden ticket to treatment. Just last month, my constituent Luis took a family member to Fairfield Hospital Emergency with a broken ankle. They waited six long hours, six hours of waiting in pain, because of a chronic shortage of doctors and nurses. Even worse—they had no equipment or specialist to treat the injury, and they were told to go to Liverpool Hospital. That six-hour transfer is the true measure of a 'strengthened' Medicare in Fowler. In Fowler, we face a silent crisis. Our heroic local general practitioners are retiring. No-one is replacing them. Young doctors are not coming to south-west Sydney. Why should they? A GP can set up practice in affluent suburbs in the east and north, charge a high gap fee and work reasonable hours. Compare that to a GP in Fowler. Our community has a high proportion of refugees and migrants. We have high rates of chronic disease, complex mental health needs and language barriers. Our people cannot afford gap fees. They rely entirely on bulk-billing. This government's incentives are a blunt instrument. They fail to recognise that a bulk-billing consultation in a disadvantaged area like mine is often far more complex and time consuming. The promised urgent care clinics are a bandaid. They may take pressure off an ED for a broken arm, but they do not manag…
date: 2025-11-27T09:30:00+00:00

National Security | Questions without Notice | House debates
type: item
description: My question is to the Minister for Home Affairs. Minister, my community would like to know, were you or any government minister at the airport when the ISIS affiliated women, also known as ISIS...
encoded: My question is to the Minister for Home Affairs. Minister, my community would like to know, were you or any government minister at the airport when the ISIS affiliated women, also known as ISIS brides, arrived back in Sydney in September?
date: 2025-11-27T14:19:00+00:00

Commonwealth Prac Payment | Matters of Public Importance | House debates
type: item
description: I rise in support of the member for Indi's matter of public importance and to make one simple point. Unless the Commonwealth prac payment is expanded beyond a narrow group of disciplines, we will...
encoded: I rise in support of the member for Indi's matter of public importance and to make one simple point. Unless the Commonwealth prac payment is expanded beyond a narrow group of disciplines, we will continue locking future health workers out of the system we claim we urgently need. As we have heard from crossbench members, while we all welcome the government's scheme to provide about $332 a week in prac payments for student studying teaching, nursing, midwifery and social work, many are asking: why are we stopping there? Why are physiotherapy students excluded? Why are radiographers, psychologists, occupational therapists, speech pathologists, paramedics and medical students left out? This isn't a small policy oversight. It cuts through the principle of fairness and undermines our ability to fix our workforce shortages. The reality is straightforward. Allied health and medical students complete long, unpaid full-time placements. They can't work while doing them, but rent still has to be paid and transport still needs to be paid for, as does food, textbooks and basic bills. Too many are being pushed into an impossible choice: push ahead with placements and fall into financial stress or walk away from their degree entirely. In a community like Fowler, those decisions bite even harder. According to the 2021 census, almost 12,900 students in Fowler enrolled in tertiary education, including over 8,000 university students. Many are the first in their family to go to university. They are our future doctors, physios, psychologists and radiographers. They come from migrant and working-class families. They want to give back to the suburbs that raised them, and we need them to. Fowler has historically recorded some of the highest GP bulk-billing rates in Australia, in the mid-90 per cent range, because our families cannot absorb a large out-of-pocket cost. I want to share the story of David, one of the young people on my Fowler Youth Advisory Committee. David wants to become a do…
date: 2025-11-26T15:57:00+00:00

Rearrangement | Business | House debates
type: item
description: I second the motion.
encoded: I second the motion.
date: 2025-11-26T09:56:00+00:00

Rearrangement | Business | House debates
type: item
description: I rise today in strong support of the member for Calare and his call to stop wind farms from being built in our state forests. Let me start by saying this: Australians support renewable energy....
encoded: I rise today in strong support of the member for Calare and his call to stop wind farms from being built in our state forests. Let me start by saying this: Australians support renewable energy. My community in Fowler supports renewable energy, but we also expect governments to show common sense to plan properly and to protect the environment, not to destroy it in the name of saving it. That is exactly what is happening when wind farms are carved into state forests across New South Wales. We are told that wind energy is automatically clean and low-emission but that is simply not the full story. Building these massive turbines requires enormous amounts of steel, concrete, rare earth minerals and global transport. All of this is highly energy intensive and carbon heavy. Before a single kilowatt of electricity is ever generated, these projects create massive upfront emissions that nobody seems to talk about. Why should we be clearing state forests—precious environmental assets—to build infrastructure that already carries such a large carbon footprint? When we look at the long-term impact, the concerns get even more serious. Wind turbine blades are notoriously difficult to recycle. Current technology cannot process the composite materials, so thousands of blades around the world are ending up in landfill. Australia is no exception. While I acknowledge that it is only for softwood pine plantations and not plantation pine forests, we still have to look at how these wind farms are being built and set out across these softwood pine plantations. If we allow wind farms in state forests we risk turning protected lands, areas meant for recreation and conservation, into future waste sites once the turbines reach the end of their 20- to 25-year lifespan. That is not a responsible environmental stewardship. The irony is that we are destroying natural habitats and biodiversity in order to build something that is meant to help the environment. Renewables must not become a licence to …
date: 2025-11-26T09:56:00+00:00

Australian Chin Lien Chinese Association | Statements by Members | House debates
type: item
description: One of our local community organisations, the Australian Chin Lien Chinese Association, based in Canley Vale, recently marked an important milestone, electing the first-ever female president in...
encoded: One of our local community organisations, the Australian Chin Lien Chinese Association, based in Canley Vale, recently marked an important milestone, electing the first-ever female president in Jennifer Tran. The association has been a pillar in our community for over three decades. It began its journey in 1992, operating from a small rented house on Gilmore Street in Cabramatta before the official temple was built in 1994. Jennifer's involvement with the association spans back to 1992, the very beginning of its operations. Her deep commitment was recognised when she was initially elected as president in March this year. I'd also like to acknowledge previous presidents Mr Henh Phong Duong, Mr Dong An Dang, Mr Wak Kau Chan and Mr Son Ha Long, as well as various vice-presidents who have built this community. The association's contribution goes well beyond cultural preservation. Chin Lien has repeatedly stepped up in times of need, raising funds for communities facing hardship, supporting disaster relief efforts and helping to strengthen local resilience. Here in Fowler, the association generously provides crucial support to organisations such as Fairfield SES, enabling young volunteers to receive essential training and equipment. I congratulate Jennifer, the executive committee and all members of the Chin Lien association for their ongoing service, their commitment to community harmony and their generous work in bringing people together. I thank them for their contribution to the fabric of Fowler.
date: 2025-11-24T16:06:00+00:00

Tertiary Education | Private Members' Business | House debates
type: item
description: I'd like to thank the member for Sturt for bringing this motion forward, but I will say that this motion once again shines a spotlight on the government's remarkable ability to generate headlines...
encoded: I'd like to thank the member for Sturt for bringing this motion forward, but I will say that this motion once again shines a spotlight on the government's remarkable ability to generate headlines rather than deliver real structural change for the Australians who need it most. This motion praises the 20 per cent HECS-HELP debt reduction, a measure I fully supported. Any immediate relief for students is welcome. In my first term, I called for reduction of the HECS indexation from 7.1 per cent to 3.2 per cent, and I'm glad the government did it. As we heard, the member for Kooyong led a petition on this issue as well. However, we must ask: what is the government's long-term plan? What we have before us today is not a solution. It is a sugar hit, a political pat on the back that masks a fundamentally broken system. The government is currently excelling at two things: brilliant marketing and clickbait announcements. We see them everywhere: cheaper medicine, help to buy, free TAFE courses and, of course, the ever-present line about reducing HECS debt. These slogans are slick. They are memorable, and they make for fantastic ad campaigns. But, for communities like mine in Fowler and across Western Sydney, the reality on the ground could not be more different. Take the issue of student debt. A 20 per cent reduction after years of runaway indexation and skyrocketing fees is simply not good enough. It is a temporary patch on a systematic problem that continues to punish low socioeconomic students, migrant households and working families. In my electorate, young people are not just focused on their degrees; they are focused on survival. They are juggling work, study and debt, often working late-night graveyard shifts just to keep their heads above water. They are exhausted, stressed and doing everything right, yet still falling behind. The government's recent announcements are a perfect example of this shallow approach. We are seeing the rebranding of a promised university camp…
date: 2025-11-24T13:01:00+00:00

Mental Health | Questions without Notice | House debates
type: item
description: Thank you, Speaker. I was very specific in asking if the minister or the government will guarantee that about cutting items 2712 and 2713. I understand that Medicare spend. I know that that's...
encoded: Thank you, Speaker. I was very specific in asking if the minister or the government will guarantee that about cutting items 2712 and 2713. I understand that Medicare spend. I know that that's what the government has been talking about and that you have spent millions—$8.5 billion. But I'm asking specifically about 2712 and 2713.
date: 2025-11-05T15:06:00+00:00

Mental Health | Questions without Notice | House debates
type: item
description: My question is to the Prime Minister. Prime Minister, I welcome your record Medicare spend, having long called for expanded bulk-billing access. But with mental health the No. 1 reason people...
encoded: My question is to the Prime Minister. Prime Minister, I welcome your record Medicare spend, having long called for expanded bulk-billing access. But with mental health the No. 1 reason people visit a GP in Fowler, doctors tell me that cutting items 2712 and 2713 removes the flexibility to provide longer, meaningful consultations for complex mental health cases. Can you guarantee that cutting items 2712 and 2713 won't deter GPs from offering the mental health care that families in Western Sydney depend on?
date: 2025-11-05T15:05:00+00:00

Energy | Private Members' Business | House debates
type: item
description: The issue at hand is energy or, rather, the lack of affordable, stable energy and its brutal role in driving our cost-of-living crisis. The kitchen table debate in Fowler is no longer about...
encoded: The issue at hand is energy or, rather, the lack of affordable, stable energy and its brutal role in driving our cost-of-living crisis. The kitchen table debate in Fowler is no longer about saving $5 on a power bill. It's about paying for the power bill or putting food on the table. It's about a government whose energy policy has become less about practical engineering and economic stability and more about ideological virtue signalling. When the Reserve Bank released its most recent figures, warning signs were flashing red. Annual headline inflation has jumped to 3.2 per cent. This is not abstract economics; this is a tax on every working family. And what is the single biggest contributing factor to this fight? It's the energy sector. The data confirms that households are spending a devastating 33.9 per cent more on electricity than they were just a year ago. A 33.9 per cent price hike on an essential service is not inflation. It's economic sabotage, inflicted by a chaotic market and poor planning. But the pain doesn't stop at the power meter. The energy shock travels straight down the supply chain and lands with crushing weight in the shopping trolley. Food manufacturers are telling us that their gas and energy costs have soared by more than 50 per cent over the last three years. Do you know who pays for the costs when the manufacturer, the truck driver and the local supermarket pass it on? It's the battlers of Western Sydney and the families of Fowler. The price of milk, the price of bread and the price of fresh vegetables—these are all now inflated by the soaring price of keeping the lights on. It's unacceptable that, in a country blessed with abundant resources, we are forcing low-to-middle-income families to choose between heating their homes and feeding their children. Right now, energy pricing feels like a lottery. On Monday, the spot price is low; by Wednesday afternoon, it's sky-high. On Thursday at lunchtime, it can even go negative. Businesses can't budge…
date: 2025-11-03T12:13:00+00:00

Aged Care | Private Members' Business | House debates
type: item
description: I'd like to thank the member for Boothby for bringing this important issue to the chamber. This week we enter a new era in aged care with the commencement of the New Aged Care Act and the...
encoded: I'd like to thank the member for Boothby for bringing this important issue to the chamber. This week we enter a new era in aged care with the commencement of the New Aged Care Act and the replacement of the Home Care Packages Program with the Support at Home program. It's understandable that, when a new government comes in, they want to leave their mark on existing policies, but the real questions for my community are these: Will these changes actually make life easier for the people who need care? Will it shorten the waiting time? Will it simplify the system? And, most importantly, will it make sure that older Australians get the support they need when they need it? Because, right now, that's not what's happening. In Fowler aged-care issues cut right to the heart of our community. Every week I meet families and older Australians who tell me the same thing: the system is too complicated. There are too many forms, too many departments and too many long waits. Even for those with urgent needs, those waiting for level 4 packages, the delays can stretch out for more than 15 months. In that time people's health declines, families burn out and their faith in the system disappears. For many in my electorate, one of the most multicultural in the country, the problem is even worse. Carers who don't speak English fluently are often left struggling to navigate a system written in complex language. They face forms they can't understand and call centres they can't communicate with. Even when language isn't a barrier, navigating the system proves to be complex and time consuming. Take Jenny—that's not her real name—who came to my office desperate for help. Her brother had been waiting for a year for his home-care package. She'd called My Aged Care again and again, but no-one could tell her where he was on the list. She told me she feared he would pass away before receiving the care he was entitled to. Or take Anna, who works a full-time corporate job and came in to see me to shar…
date: 2025-11-03T11:18:00+00:00