Allegra Spender'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: Domestic and Family Violence | Statements by Members | House debates
items: Trust in Government | Grievance Debate | House debates
items: g91.1
items: Migration | Matters of Public Importance | House debates
items: Cost of Living | Questions without Notice | House debates
items: Economy | Private Members' Business | House debates
items: Universities Accord (Australian Tertiary Education Commission) Bill 2025; Consideration in Detail | Bills | House debates
items: g122.1
items: Milano Cortina Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games | Statements by Members | House debates
items: Fiscal Policy | Adjournment | House debates
items: Corporations Amendment (Digital Assets Framework) Bill 2025; Second Reading | Bills | House debates
items: Health Legislation Amendment (Prescribing of Pharmaceutical Benefits) Bill 2025; Second Reading | Bills | House debates
items: Perth: Attack | Motions | House debates
items: Antisemitism | Questions without Notice | House debates
items: Combatting Antisemitism, Hate and Extremism (Criminal and Migration Laws) Bill 2026; Consideration in Detail | Bills | House debates
items: Combatting Antisemitism, Hate and Extremism (Criminal and Migration Laws) Bill 2026; Second Reading | Bills | House debates
items: Bondi Beach Attack Victims | Condolences | House debates
items: Parliamentary Procedure | Questions without Notice | House debates
items: Menczer, Ms Pauline | Statements by Members | House debates
items: Social Cohesion | Constituency Statements | House debates

Domestic and Family Violence | Statements by Members | House debates
type: item
description: Australia is facing a national crisis in domestic and family violence. Intimate partner homicide rates are rising, not falling. In 2023-24, 46 women were killed by a current or former partner....
encoded: Australia is facing a national crisis in domestic and family violence. Intimate partner homicide rates are rising, not falling. In 2023-24, 46 women were killed by a current or former partner. That is one woman every eight days. One in four women and one in 14 men have experienced violence by an intimate partner since the age of 15. These are not just statistics. These are lives cut short, families shattered and communities left grieving. And the most confronting reality is this: the numbers are not improving; they are getting worse. We can see this crisis clearly. We do not need more evidence to tell us it exists. What we need is faster, more coordinated action. The government has taken some important first steps, including commissioning major reviews and agreeing to a national cabinet response and funding package in 2024. But the pace of progress does not match the urgency of the problem. What we have is a patchwork of recommendations and commitments, spread across multiple plans and portfolios, often without clear timelines, accountability or consistent reporting. The Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence Commissioner's 2025 report provides a practical way forward. It recommends that the Commonwealth establish a dedicated implementation and delivery oversight mechanism to drive action and ensure that commitments are actually delivered. It doesn't sound complicated. It sounds like the sort of thing that might already be in place, but it's not. I think that this is really critical to making sure that we deliver on the commitments that have been made to people. This would map and track all Commonwealth plans affecting victims-survivors of domestic and family violence, including the rapid review response, the Closing the Gap agreement and the National Housing and Homelessness Plan. It would require regular dashboard updating to cabinet and ensure that addressing domestic and family violence is treated as a whole-of-government priority, not confined to one portfolio. T…
date: 2026-02-10T16:17:00+00:00

Trust in Government | Grievance Debate | House debates
type: item
description: I'd like to talk today about trust and how to build it, particularly trust in government. The ANU Australian Election Study recently found that only one in three Australians believe that people...
encoded: I'd like to talk today about trust and how to build it, particularly trust in government. The ANU Australian Election Study recently found that only one in three Australians believe that people in government can be trusted to do the right thing. That is damning for all of us and something we desperately need to address. Also we're increasingly seeing a majority of Australians having a moderate or high grievance against government, business or the rich. And 64 per cent of Australians worry that government leaders purposely mislead people by saying things they know are false or gross exaggerations. Finally, only 17 per cent believe that the next generation will be better off. We in this building should be worried about all these statistics. We do have a problem. The Prime Minister, early in his term, said that he did want to improve trust in government. He said, 'I don't expect to make Australians fall in love with question time, but I do want more people to have greater faith in the integrity of our parliament and its representatives.' That's a laudable aim, but my concern is that the government, particularly the Prime Minister, is not taking the steps required to build the trust that we need in institutions. I could use the next eight minutes and a half to have a go at the Prime Minister. But what I'm trying to do, and more interested in doing first, is outlining where I believe that trust can be built—how we can build back. We can complain about the government of the day, or we can actually try to lead by showing where we should develop these areas. There are five key areas that I believe we must work on to increase trust in our government and our institutions. These are around (1) transparency, (2) accountability, (3) strengthening our institutions, (4) delivering what we said we would and, finally, (5) the community and how they can be put back in the heart of government. Let me start with transparency. One of the things that surprised me, coming into parliament,…
date: 2026-02-10T12:30:00+00:00

g91.1
type: item
title: National Commission for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children and Young People Bill 2026, National Commission for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children and Young People (Transitional Provisions) Bill 2026; Second Reading | Bills | House debates
description: I rise to speak in support of the National Commission for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children and Young People Bill 2026. I'm honoured to speak on this legislation which places into...
encoded: I rise to speak in support of the National Commission for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children and Young People Bill 2026. I'm honoured to speak on this legislation which places into statute the National Commission for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children and Young People and establishes the national commissioner as an independent statutory officer. This is an important step. It is a step towards stronger accountability, stronger advocacy and, most importantly, better outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people across the country. I commend, in particular, the minister—who's in the room—for the work that she and many other ministers have done to get to this point. As Noel Pearson has said, our strength comes from three threads—our ancient Indigenous history, our British institutions and democracy, and our history of multicultural achievement. This commission sits at the intersection of those threads. It reflects our responsibility to ensure that our institutions serve and protect all Australians, including the youngest members of our First Nations people. While the commission has existed in some form since 2024 and has been operational since 2025, this legislation strengthens its independence, formalises its powers and functions and provides clarity about its long-term funding and authority. This bill also fulfils a commitment made by the government under the National Agreement on Closing the Gap. It is a significant step forward, and I commend the government for bringing it forward. But, more importantly, this moment reflects decades of advocacy from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander leaders, elders and organisations who have fought tirelessly for their children and for future generations. I want to particularly acknowledge the SNAICC, the Secretariat of National Aboriginal and Islander Child Care, which has been advocating for this legislation which recognises the rights of Aboriginal children since 1991. Th…
date: 2026-02-10T16:58:00+00:00

Migration | Matters of Public Importance | House debates
type: item
description: We're here to talk about migration and integration. I'm going to focus mainly on integration because I think that is the urgent point in terms of the discussion today, given some of the earlier...
encoded: We're here to talk about migration and integration. I'm going to focus mainly on integration because I think that is the urgent point in terms of the discussion today, given some of the earlier comments that have been made. But firstly, briefly on migration, I think it's perfectly appropriate for us to have a conversation about the levels of migration. They have concerned a lot of Australians, and a lot of Australians are legitimately worried about house prices, about young people being locked out of homes and about infrastructure not keeping up with our population—100 per cent very fair questions. There are also very fair questions in terms of what pathways are available to people and making sure that those pathways are appropriate. I think those are really important questions. But I really want to talk about integration, because what we say about this in this House does matter. I feel very strongly about this, particularly as an incredibly proud daughter of a migrant—my mum's family. The reason why I think this is really important is that we have a country that is one of the most diverse in history, and that is a remarkable thing. I don't think it's easy to have a country as diverse as this country is. I think we need to take that responsibility carefully. Part of that responsibility is treating people with the dignity of the individual, which is actually a deeply Western value. It's a deeply liberal democratic value: you have a moral authority based on you as a human. Your moral authority and your role in life don't depend on your ethnicity, your ethnic origin, your religion, your sexuality or anything else. It comes down to you in terms of your responsibility and in terms of your character. That is what this country is based on: the moral authority of the individual. That is something that we have to focus on when having these sorts of conversations, because there is an implication—I'm not going to make assumptions about what is deliberate and what is not, but I…
date: 2026-02-10T15:32:00+00:00

Cost of Living | Questions without Notice | House debates
type: item
description: My question is to the Treasurer. Australians are worried about inflation. There's been a lot of arguing in this House about whose fault it is, but the question I'm being asked is: what is the...
encoded: My question is to the Treasurer. Australians are worried about inflation. There's been a lot of arguing in this House about whose fault it is, but the question I'm being asked is: what is the government actually going to do about it? Australians are scared by the prospect of interest rate hikes, they are scared by their bills going up and they feel that the cost-of-living relief doesn't actually get to the heart of the problem. So the question is back to you: what will the government do about it?
date: 2026-02-10T14:46:00+00:00

Economy | Private Members' Business | House debates
type: item
description: I move: That this House: (1) notes that the: (a) Consumer Price Index rose 3.8 per cent in the 12 months to December 2025, up from a 3.4 per cent rise in the 12 months to November 2025; (b)...
encoded: I move: That this House: (1) notes that the: (a) Consumer Price Index rose 3.8 per cent in the 12 months to December 2025, up from a 3.4 per cent rise in the 12 months to November 2025; (b) Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) warned last year that the Australian economy could not sustainably grow faster than 2 per cent without running into inflationary pressure; (c) RBA has downgraded Australia's medium term productivity growth forecasts to just 0.7 per cent, per year; and (d) Government undertook an economic reform roundtable with progress made on areas including nuisance tariffs and environmental approvals; and (2) calls on the Government to: (a) introduce stronger impact assessments, scrutiny and executive accountability for identifying and discontinuing costly and ineffective regulation; (b) rein-in Government spending, reinstate fiscal rules, reform the Charter of Budget Honesty and make ministers and departments more accountable for blowouts in budget measures; (c) identify how technology and artificial intelligence can support better provision of public services and government effectiveness; and (d) recalibrate Australia's patchwork of climate and industry policies to a framework that transitions the economy at the lowest cost. Australians really saw with a heavy heart the increase in interest rates last week and the increase in inflation in the past couple of months. This is of real concern to all Australians. The big question is: what do we do about it? I'm making the argument that we need to have stronger action on spending restraint. The government needs to step up on this. But, long term, we also need much more powerful action on productivity reforms if we are going to permanently address what we are seeing right now, which is that, if the economy starts to speed up, inflation will pick up and then the interest rates will have to go up again. There was a bit of a debate between the major parties last week on whose plans were worse for the economy and under w…
date: 2026-02-09T11:48:00+00:00

Universities Accord (Australian Tertiary Education Commission) Bill 2025; Consideration in Detail | Bills | House debates
type: item
description: I support the amendment put forward by the member for Berowra in relation to the Universities Accord (Australian Tertiary Education Commission) Bill 2025. I think the point that the member just...
encoded: I support the amendment put forward by the member for Berowra in relation to the Universities Accord (Australian Tertiary Education Commission) Bill 2025. I think the point that the member just made is a fair one. The objectives of the body should reflect what ordinary people see as the role of universities. I think they are pretty well reflected in ways that I think most people would understand. I think that is appropriate. I don't think it's in conflict with anything that the government is seeking to achieve, but I think it is adding to it in a useful and constructive way. A point that I added—and I'm grateful to the member for being open to the addition—was particularly around the linkages between business and industry and universities. I think that this is a part of the tertiary sector more broadly that can be much, much better. I am thinking particularly of two aspects of that. One is better preparing our young people for work by driving that connection between business and universities and the working world—not just business but also the non-market sector—because when our students go into the world of work, which is increasingly competitive and where we are seeing young people struggling to get on that first rung on the ladder, we need to do the best we possibly can so that they are well prepared. That, I think, supports that connection. The other part of deepening those connections that I think is really critical is ensuring that the wonderful research of our tertiary institutions, which is in many cases is absolutely world-leading, is then translated into productivity and innovation outcomes in industry and the wider economy. Again, I think seeing how other countries in the world do this and doing this much more effectively are ways that this can be strengthened, and I think those should be clearer objectives of the sector to really drive those connections.
date: 2026-02-09T18:34:00+00:00

g122.1
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: I rise to speak on the Universities Accord (Australian Tertiary Education Commission) Bill 2025 and the Universities Accord (Australian Tertiary Education Commission) (Consequential and...
encoded: I rise to speak on the Universities Accord (Australian Tertiary Education Commission) Bill 2025 and the Universities Accord (Australian Tertiary Education Commission) (Consequential and Transitional Provisions) Bill 2025. Many in this House will have wonderful memories from their time at university—a time of discovery, of independence and of learning not only about the world but also about ourselves. For many Australians, it is the first time they are away from home, the first time they encounter ideas that challenge them and the first time they start to imagine the contribution they might make to our country. That sense of possibility is what our higher education system should offer every Australian—the opportunity to learn, to grow and to build a future. Higher education is vital to Australia's future. As our fourth-largest export, it is a driver of national prosperity today and the foundation for tomorrow. It underpins economic growth, social mobility and research capability, and it strengthens our democracy through critical thinking and civic participation. My community cares deeply about access to high-quality education and a system that is sustainable, future focused, fair and accessible to all. One in 13 Wentworth residents are currently enrolled in tertiary study, and around 70 per cent of our community hold a tertiary education—one of the highest rates in the country. But we must ask ourselves whether the system is still delivering on the promise that higher education has long represented in Australia. For decades our tertiary system has opened doors. It has equipped generations of Australians with the skills to strengthen our economy, enrich our community and deepen our democracy. Yet for many young Australians today that promise feels increasingly fragile. Student debt is rising and opportunity can feel more distant. Around three million Australians carry student debt, with the average balance exceeding $27,000. In many disciplines, student contributions …
date: 2026-02-09T16:11:00+00:00

Milano Cortina Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games | Statements by Members | House debates
type: item
description: The 2026 Winter Olympics in Milano Cortina have well and truly kicked off, and I'm incredibly proud to see several athletes from Wentworth competing for Australia on the slopes and the ice. Even...
encoded: The 2026 Winter Olympics in Milano Cortina have well and truly kicked off, and I'm incredibly proud to see several athletes from Wentworth competing for Australia on the slopes and the ice. Even more exciting is that all of them are making their Olympic debut. First, double congratulations to Jason Chan and Holly Harris, representing Australia in ice dance. Having come agonisingly close to selection for Beijing 2022, the perseverance and dedication they have shown since first competing together has been rewarded with their selection this time. Emma Bosco will be representing Australia in two events at these games: moguls and dual moguls. After returning from a serious knee injury in 2020, Emma has consistently improved with each international outing, demonstrating remarkable resilience. Phoebe Cridland becomes the first ever Winter Olympian from SCEGGS in Darlinghurst. This is a huge achievement, and I know the entire SCEGGS community will be backing her this time. Finally, Ally Hickman, one of the youngest members of the Australian team at just 16, is competing in snowboard, slopestyle and big air. While Ally narrowly missed progressing to the final after heats this morning, I'm sure we'll be seeing much more of her. Each of these athletes reflects the dedication, discipline and determination that leads to every Olympic moment. They carry not only the Australian colours but also the pride of their families, coaches, schools and communities. So congratulations to all the athletes from Wentworth and all the athletes competing for our country in these games.
date: 2026-02-09T13:29:00+00:00

Fiscal Policy | Adjournment | House debates
type: item
description: I'm in the House to talk about something a bit unusual, something I never thought I would be talking about in the House, which is one of my favourite biscuits: Tim Tam. But I do want to explain...
encoded: I'm in the House to talk about something a bit unusual, something I never thought I would be talking about in the House, which is one of my favourite biscuits: Tim Tam. But I do want to explain why that is relevant and, I think, extremely relevant to the business of the House. The government has established a host of specialist investment vehicles to direct public funds into priority areas, like renewable energy, housing, agriculture and exports. The $15 billion National Reconstruction Fund was established in 2023 to diversify and transform Australian industry. But the question I ask, particularly in the economic times that we have right now, is whether these funds are actually doing what they were sold to do—filling funding gaps, crowding in private capital, addressing market failure and building sovereign capability that would not otherwise be built by the private sector. And, when I look at recent decisions, I struggle to see it. Take Arnott's. The National Reconstruction Fund contributed $45 million to a $1.75 billion refinancing. There was no obvious funding gap. Government provided less than three per cent, and the rest came from private markets on commercial terms. The deal was oversubscribed, suggesting public funds actually crowded out private capital rather than attracting it. Market failure? It's hard to identify. Arnott's has operated successfully since 1865. Supporting Australia? Arnott's has not been Australian owned since 1997 and has been owned by US private equity firm KKR since 2019. So what are taxpayers actually getting? It seems that, since the 2019 KKR leveraged acquisition, Australians are actually paying 60 per cent more for homegrown Tim Tams. 'Timflation' is outpacing the consumer price index threefold. The NRF says that investment will expand production, but the funds merely refinance existing debt tied to past investment. But the terms of the deal have not been released, so scrutiny is limited. This is part of a broader pattern that does …
date: 2026-02-05T16:30:00+00:00

Corporations Amendment (Digital Assets Framework) Bill 2025; Second Reading | Bills | House debates
type: item
description: I rise in support of the Corporations Amendment (Digital Assets Framework) Bill 2025. Millions of Australians interact with digital assets in some form, as developers, as investors and as users....
encoded: I rise in support of the Corporations Amendment (Digital Assets Framework) Bill 2025. Millions of Australians interact with digital assets in some form, as developers, as investors and as users. As this form of payment technology becomes more ubiquitous, it will become part of the lives of many more of us. But, until now, anyone buying or selling digital assets in Australia has done so in a regulatory grey zone that has offered little protection for users and a lack of certainty for legitimate digital asset platforms. This bill is a critical step towards addressing this lack of regulatory clarity, and it comes not a moment too soon. Actually, one of the major criticisms—probably the biggest criticism—I have of this bill is the time that it has taken us to get here, because I think the need for this bill has been urgent and one that I've been pushing for since the previous parliament. This bill amends the Corporations Act and Australian Securities and Investments Commission Act to create a regulatory framework for digital asset platforms and cryptocurrency exchanges. It defines digital asset platforms and tokenised custody platforms as financial products and ensures these platforms are regulated according to Australian financial services law. This regulatory clarity will be a significant enabler of Australia's burgeoning digital assets industry. The Tech Council of Australia estimates that, with the right regulatory and policy settings, digital assets could contribute $60 billion per year to Australia's GDP. The digital assets sector is also paving the way to modernising our financial infrastructure, and it has the potential to strengthen Australia's competitiveness as a technological and financial hub in the region. As technology changes, our regulation needs to be nimble to keep up. Our regulation should not get in the way of progress but, rather, create the appropriate guardrails to seize new opportunities. Credible firms, and firms that are trying to do the right…
date: 2026-02-04T13:22:00+00:00

Health Legislation Amendment (Prescribing of Pharmaceutical Benefits) Bill 2025; Second Reading | Bills | House debates
type: item
description: I rise to support the Health Legislation Amendment (Prescribing of Pharmaceutical Benefits) Bill 2025. This bill amends the National Health Act 1953 and the Health Insurance Act 1973 to allow...
encoded: I rise to support the Health Legislation Amendment (Prescribing of Pharmaceutical Benefits) Bill 2025. This bill amends the National Health Act 1953 and the Health Insurance Act 1973 to allow authorised nurse prescribers who meet strict criteria to prescribe certain pharmaceutical benefits under the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme. The types of medicines that can be prescribed will be clearly specified by the minister, and there will be appropriate safeguards in place. This includes oversight by the Professional Services Review, which will now extend to PBS prescribing by authorised nurse practitioners. These changes are not radical; they are sensible, evidence based reforms that flow directly from the recommendations of the Strengthening Medicare Taskforce and the Scope of Practice Review, both commissioned by the government following the 2022 election. At its core, this bill recognises something that many Australians already know to be true: our nurses are highly skilled professionals and are more than capable of working to the full extent of their training and expertise, and we want them to. Empowering healthcare practitioners, particularly nurses, is essential for our healthcare system to remain resilient in the face of an ageing population, rising rates of chronic illness, a growing mental health crisis and increasing demand in regional and rural communities. These pressures are not going away; if anything, they are intensifying, and we cannot meet these challenges by relying on outdated modes of care. We must be innovative in the ways we deliver health care, and we must make better use of the resources and talent we already have. Even if our healthcare system didn't have these constraints, I would still support this bill because it allows nurses to work to the full extent of their capacity, and does that in a safe way for patients but also in a way that gives professional satisfaction for nurses. These highly trained individuals, these important members of our …
date: 2026-02-04T13:01:00+00:00

Perth: Attack | Motions | House debates
type: item
description: I second the motion and I rise to speak in support of it. I unequivocally condemn the horrendous attack against peaceful protesters marching in Boorloo/Perth on 26 January and acknowledge the...
encoded: I second the motion and I rise to speak in support of it. I unequivocally condemn the horrendous attack against peaceful protesters marching in Boorloo/Perth on 26 January and acknowledge the deep fear, anger and grief that this attack has caused, particularly for Indigenous people but also for Australians right across the country. For decades, protests on 26 January, often referred to as Invasion Day marches, have been held every year. This year, in capital cities and regional towns alike, tens of thousands of people gathered peacefully. They gathered to recognise the suffering of Indigenous Australians, the enduring impacts of colonialisation, the trauma of stolen generations, ongoing racism and the devastating reality of deaths in custody. In Boorloo, around 2,500 people came together peacefully. Families were there. Children were there. People were marching peacefully to express their support for Indigenous Australians, exercising a fundamental democratic right and calling on the government to do better. At approximately 12.40, it is alleged that a homemade explosive device was thrown into that crowd, landing among women and children. By sheer luck, it did not detonate. This was not a hoax bomb. This explosive was reportedly packed with ball bearings and nails to deliberately inflict maximum injury and death in that peaceful crowd of families. This bomb reportedly failed only because of a faulty fuse. The thought of what could have happened is horrifying. Police confirmed that, had this bomb exploded, this could have been a mass casualty event. It should not be an image that any community has to imagine, and it should stop every one of us in our tracks. Tragically, Australians now find it easier to imagine the horror of terrorism. Many Australians are understandably afraid that hatred has motivated another attack—this time on the Invasion Day protest. Australia is a nation woven from many sources. First Australians trace their history on this continent back 70,0…
date: 2026-02-03T16:53:00+00:00

Antisemitism | Questions without Notice | House debates
type: item
description: My question is to the Prime Minister. Radical extremism, Islamist and other forms, is a threat to Jewish Australians and all Australians, as we saw so devastatingly in Bondi on 14 December. We...
encoded: My question is to the Prime Minister. Radical extremism, Islamist and other forms, is a threat to Jewish Australians and all Australians, as we saw so devastatingly in Bondi on 14 December. We have had deradicalisation programs in place for many years, but extremism is still taking root. How does the government measure the current effectiveness of these deradicalisation programs, and how effective are these programs at all? We have the Richardson review and part of the royal commission coming up, but is the government planning to take any other actions in terms of deradicalisation in particular before then?
date: 2026-01-20T14:42:00+00:00

Combatting Antisemitism, Hate and Extremism (Criminal and Migration Laws) Bill 2026; Consideration in Detail | Bills | House debates
type: item
description: by leave—I move: (1) Schedule 1, item 10, page 8 (line 12), omit "distinguished by race, or national or ethnic origin", substitute "distinguished by race, nationality, national or ethnic...
encoded: by leave—I move: (1) Schedule 1, item 10, page 8 (line 12), omit "distinguished by race, or national or ethnic origin", substitute "distinguished by race, nationality, national or ethnic origin, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, intersex status or disability, or because of the target person or target group's personal association (whether as a relative or otherwise) with a person who is distinguished by any of those attributes". (2) Schedule 1, item 11, page 8 (lines 24 and 25), omit "the race, or national or ethnic origin, of the target person or the persons in the target group", substitute "the race, nationality, national or ethnic origin, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, intersex status or disability, or because of the target person or target group's personal association (whether as a relative or otherwise) with a person who is distinguished by any of those attributes". (3) Schedule 1, item 11, page 8 (line 28), omit "the particular race, or national or ethnic origin", substitute "the particular race, nationality, national or ethnic origin, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, intersex status or disability, or because of the target person or target group's personal association (whether as a relative or otherwise) with a person who is distinguished by any of those attributes". (4) Schedule 1, page 8 (after line 28), after item 11, insert: 11A After subsection 16A(2AAD) Insert: (2AAE) In subsections (2), (2AAC) and (2AAD), association with another person includes: (a) being a near relative of the person; and (b) living with the person on a genuine domestic basis; and (c) having a formal business or employment relationship with the person. I rise today in support of the bill, but also to put forward amendments. I'm introducing an amendment to part 3, the aggravated sentencing factor. This provision is a matter which must be considered by the court when sentencing persons for federal offences if the factor is relevan…
date: 2026-01-20T13:20:00+00:00

Combatting Antisemitism, Hate and Extremism (Criminal and Migration Laws) Bill 2026; Second Reading | Bills | House debates
type: item
description: I rise today to speak in support of the Combatting Antisemitism, Hate and Extremism (Criminal and Migration Laws) Bill 2026. These are modest changes in this bill, but they are necessary. But let...
encoded: I rise today to speak in support of the Combatting Antisemitism, Hate and Extremism (Criminal and Migration Laws) Bill 2026. These are modest changes in this bill, but they are necessary. But let us be completely honest: neither this bill nor any of the actions of the parliament to date will eradicate antisemitism or keep the Jewish community safe in the future. There is much, much more work that needs to be done. The fourteenth of December is one of the darkest days in modern Australian history, and it is a day that my community, Jewish and non-Jewish, will never, ever forget. Fifteen innocent people were violently murdered while celebrating their Jewish faith, customs and community. It was an attack on Jewish Australians and it was an attack on all of us as a country and all of our Australian values. We know that violence does not start with weapons. It starts with words. It starts with hate. I acknowledge that in this bill there are some important steps to deal with the spread of hate, which leads to the spread of violence. I support the bill. I support the aggravated offences measures, particularly for hate preachers. I support the strengthened measures in relation to hate symbols. I support the actions in relation to hate preachers, and I support the fact that the home affairs minister now has the framework to proscribe certain groups—which should include, in my mind, groups like the National Socialist Network and Neo-Nazis and Hizb ut-Tahrir, who openly spread and promote virulent antisemitism as well as vile hatred against other groups in our country. These groups do not merely offend; they normalise dehumanisation and incitement. Their rhetoric corrodes our social fabric and creates a condition in which violence becomes possible. But let's be honest: this bill does not get to the heart of what I believe we need to do as a country. There is extremism in Australia. There is Islamic extremism. There is Neo-Nazi extremism. These ideologies are a direct threat to…
date: 2026-01-20T12:16:00+00:00

Bondi Beach Attack Victims | Condolences | House debates
type: item
description: Bondi Beach was perfect that Sunday: hot, clear skies, cool waves and people excited for the coming holidays. Around the country, and especially in Wentworth, Jewish Australians were coming...
encoded: Bondi Beach was perfect that Sunday: hot, clear skies, cool waves and people excited for the coming holidays. Around the country, and especially in Wentworth, Jewish Australians were coming together for the start of Hanukkah. Chabad Bondi had celebrated Hannukah at Bondi Beach for years—a joyous, open celebration of music, face-painting, donuts, games and light. I left Bondi Beach with my family just an hour before the horror began. Sunday 14 December was one of the darkest days in modern Australia. One part of our community—Jewish Australians—was murderously targeted. It was an attack on them and an attack on our Australian values. Our country will never be the same, nor should it be. The question is who we become now—how we honour the memories of the 15 beautiful people we lost and how we honour and care for the dozens who are physically injured, the countless who can never forget the trauma and bloodshed of the day, and the families who will live with the scars forever. Every person we lost that day was a precious gift to their family and their community. Simple words are inadequate to express their light. But saying the names of those we have lost has a special place in Jewish culture. People are not gone if we continue to say their names and remember them. Rabbi Yossi Friedman tirelessly led the reading of names for 30 days at Bondi Beach, and I'll continue that here. Cherished community member Edith Brutman; adventurous young traveller, Dan Elkayam; Boris Gurman and Sofia Gurman, who instinctively and courageously tried to stop this atrocity; Alex Kleytman, who survived the Holocaust but died in the country where he sought refuge; Rabbi Yaakov Levitan, who chose a life of devotion; former police officer and community stalwart, Peter Meagher; Reuven Morrison, who lost his life courageously challenging the gunmen; caring grandmother Marika Pogany, who delivered meals to those in need; Rabbi Eli Schlanger, a giver, and someone I was lucky enough to know personall…
date: 2026-01-19T10:00:00+00:00

Parliamentary Procedure | Questions without Notice | House debates
type: item
description: My question is to the Prime Minister. Many constituents complain to me that question time is 'question time', not 'answer time'. That is driven by the standing orders that don't actually force...
encoded: My question is to the Prime Minister. Many constituents complain to me that question time is 'question time', not 'answer time'. That is driven by the standing orders that don't actually force real answers from the government. They say to me that it means that we don't hold the government to account in the same way that they expect us to in this House. I ask the Prime Minister: have you considered reforming question time to give a greater expectation of answers and a narrowing of relevance so we can get better answers in this House?
date: 2025-11-27T15:22:00+00:00

Menczer, Ms Pauline | Statements by Members | House debates
type: item
description: Last week, I was honoured to attend the unveiling of a bronze statue of Pauline Menczer, which overlooks the waves of Bondi Beach. Born and raised by the beach, Pauline is Bondi's only world...
encoded: Last week, I was honoured to attend the unveiling of a bronze statue of Pauline Menczer, which overlooks the waves of Bondi Beach. Born and raised by the beach, Pauline is Bondi's only world champion surfer—winning the title in 1993. But her path to that achievement was far from smooth. Pauline told us at the unveiling about how she battled sexism, homophobia and debilitating rheumatoid arthritis, and, unlike her male counterparts, she received no sponsorship support. Her success is a testament to her extraordinary resilience and determination. She said, 'If you don't have sponsors, you can't offend them when you speak your mind.' Initially, Pauline didn't want a statue, but she was convinced to have one because she could see the role it would have in inspiring the next generation of female sportspeople. Only six per cent of statues in New South Wales are women and most of them, apparently, are royal women. It's important that trailblazing sportspeople like Pauline are also immortalised in our public spaces. This public statue has been a long time coming—not just for Pauline and her partner, Sam, but for the Pauline in Bronze campaign led by Christopher Nelius, who has been pushing tirelessly for this recognition for over five years. I want to thank the artist, Cathy Weiszmann, and Waverley Council for helping to secure this perfect location. I'm so proud that the Wentworth community and visitors alike will be able to see Pauline in her place overlooking Bondi, and I know her legacy will continue to live on in the dreams of the next generation of women surfers.
date: 2025-11-26T13:36:00+00:00

Social Cohesion | Constituency Statements | House debates
type: item
description: Australia's one of the most successful multicultural nations, and Wentworth reflects this richness in every one of our schools. Our students come from more than 100 cultural and linguist...
encoded: Australia's one of the most successful multicultural nations, and Wentworth reflects this richness in every one of our schools. Our students come from more than 100 cultural and linguist backgrounds, with the largest Jewish community in the country alongside a large LGBTQIA+ community and various multicultural and multifaith communities. But diversity alone does not guarantee belonging. In recent years, school leaders and students have raised concerns with me around exclusion, prejudice and rising antisemitism in particular against the Jewish community, as well as broader social pressures that our young people face. These concerns lead to ongoing discussions with principals throughout 2024 and 2025 which made clear that the next step had to be student led. That is what brought us to Wentworth's first student led social cohesion roundtable, hosted by Rose Bay Secondary College last week. School leaders emphasised that meaningful change must come from the ground up. As principal Cathy Archer said, 'We can talk a lot as school leaders, but if we want something meaningful to come out of this, we need to lead with the students.' The roundtable brought together 37 students and school leaders from nine public, private, independent, faith based and non-faith schools, supported by facilitators from Together for Humanity and the New South Wales Jewish Board of Deputies. Both organisations helped create a space where students felt safe to speak openly, disagree respectfully and explore how trust can even be built when views differ. Students told us that learning how to disagree well is a skill they urgently need. One group from a faith based school described how eye-opening it was to learn about diversity within neighbouring schools, including active LGBTQIA+ groups and cultural clubs that helped students feel welcome. They reflected on how microaggressions affect not just the Jewish community but also Islamic students and people of different races and cultures and on how seei…
date: 2025-11-25T16:06:00+00:00