Kerrynne Liddle'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: Albanese Government | Statements by Senators | Senate debates
items: Cost of Living | Adjournment | Senate debates
items: Perth: Attack | Motions | Senate debates
items: Bondi Beach: Attack | Condolences | Senate debates
items: Albanese Government: South Australia | Statements by Senators | Senate debates
items: 16 Days of Activism against Gender Based Violence | Statements by Senators | Senate debates
items: South Australia: Marine Environment | Statements by Senators | Senate debates
items: Social Security and Other Legislation Amendment (Technical Changes No. 2) Bill 2025; Second Reading | Bills | Senate debates
items: South Australia: Energy | Statements by Senators | Senate debates
items: Northern Territory: Liquor Licensing | Adjournment | Senate debates
items: Racial Discrimination Act 1975: 50th Anniversary | Motions | Senate debates
items: Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence | Statements by Senators | Senate debates
items: Senate Estimates: Indigenous Affairs | Adjournment | Senate debates
items: Aged Care and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2025, Aged Care (Accommodation Payment Security) Levy Amendment Bill 2025; Second Reading | Bills | Senate debates
items: Indigenous Australians | Questions without Notice | Senate debates

Albanese Government | Statements by Senators | Senate debates
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description: With the rise in inflation and interest rates, the Labor government has again delivered Australians more poverty and more pain. There was no turning the corner, as they promised—another...
encoded: With the rise in inflation and interest rates, the Labor government has again delivered Australians more poverty and more pain. There was no turning the corner, as they promised—another failure in a long list of many broken promises fuelled by policies that just don't work. Labor's focus is not on dealing with their broken economic strategy but on deflection and denial. Right now they are searching for new ways to get their hands on more of your money. There's no reward for hard work in that. In their face right now are big challenges—more people on JobSeeker and more on youth allowance, and increasing numbers relying on income support. On inflation and interest rates, Australia has higher rates than every comparable country, the UK, the USA and Canada. We differ in that Australia is the only one of those going backwards too. As Liberals, we know energy is the economy and energy impacts everything. Our plan is leveraging from our assets—reducing emissions in a way that protects jobs and keeps the lights on, not the reckless race to net zero. After a record-breaking heatwave, the energy bill shock is coming, Australia. Brace yourself, especially those on fixed incomes and for my fellow South Aussies, who already pay the highest electricity prices in the country. The job of government is to keep Australians safe. Labor has tragically failed at that, and we all saw them dragged, kicking and screaming, to a royal commission to find out why. Small businesses are going out of business in record numbers. The usual signals of real trouble are being ignored by Labor because the reality is that they have no answers to a problem that is absolutely of their making.
date: 2026-02-05T13:36:00+00:00

Cost of Living | Adjournment | Senate debates
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description: The skyrocketing increase in your household budget is about to get worse and you can blame Labor for that. Ever-increasing household bills, groceries, record residential property prices and...
encoded: The skyrocketing increase in your household budget is about to get worse and you can blame Labor for that. Ever-increasing household bills, groceries, record residential property prices and higher interest rates for everyone piles even more stress on ordinary Australians. The cost of just about everything—you've experienced it for yourself—has gone up under Labor. Inflation went up last week and is above the Reserve Bank target range. As expected, the announcement came today that interest rates are up too. The truth is that, when the Prime Minister told Australians the economy had turned a corner, it had not. Nothing could be further from the truth. Increasing inflation and increasing interest rates is a trend, and today it equates to a bad day for aspiring and existing homeowners—no matter how Labor tries to spin it. Those seeking to break into the housing market know their dream of homeownership is moving out of reach. For mortgage holders, the cost of your mortgage will go up, making it harder again to get ahead. Average mortgage holders are already paying around $21,000 per year more in interest than they were under the previous government. For those renting, this means the likelihood of experiencing even higher rent for longer. Labor would rather ignore these trends than deal with them. Productivity is down, undermining wages growth, business investment and long-term prosperity. There are more jobs, but most of them are in the public sector and paid for by your taxes. Labor's spending is growing, adding nearly $60 billion to the national credit card, and you can be assured that, when Labor need money, they'll come after yours. A new $60 billion budget black hole gets no explanation from the Albanese government other than to blame someone else—anyone else but them. It is Labor's economic policy failures that are driving your cost of living up, and it's getting worse for South Australians in my home state. We pay the highest electricity prices in the country, and…
date: 2026-02-03T20:03:00+00:00

Perth: Attack | Motions | Senate debates
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description: Let me begin by clearly and unambiguously stating that the Liberal Party condemns the attempted bombing on 26 January in Perth. Several of my colleagues and I condemned that immediately in the...
encoded: Let me begin by clearly and unambiguously stating that the Liberal Party condemns the attempted bombing on 26 January in Perth. Several of my colleagues and I condemned that immediately in the media after the improvised explosive device was hurled at those people who had gathered. It is appalling, and it's just luck that this wasn't much worse. Regardless, this event has caused so much pain and so much hurt, and it is abhorrent. There is of course no place for violence of this kind in Australia—not ever. We note the ongoing investigation by the Western Australia Police Force, the Australian Federal Police and the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation. We acknowledge the serious harm caused, and we express our solidarity with all those who were affected. We affirm this: this is an attack against Indigenous Australians. That's the appropriate term to use. It is an attack also against all Australians, and we must condemn it. Those propositions are not controversial. They should unite this chamber. Violence directed at people because of who they are is simply and categorically unacceptable. It must be condemned plainly, decisively and without qualification. Where the Liberal Party parts ways with this motion is its decision to go beyond that clear and necessary condemnation and instead prosecute arguments about Australia Day. This is not what this motion needs to be, and it is not what this motion requires. This attack is already being investigated as a potential terrorist attack. That is an investigation to be left to WA police, the AFP and ASIO. Those responsible should face the full force of the law through our police, our security agencies and our courts. That is the proper course. It is not appropriate to use an incident that remains under active investigation to retaliate, to reignite debates about 26 January or to ascribe broader political meaning before the facts are established. We condemn the attack. We stand against racism and violence. This motion is…
date: 2026-02-03T12:13:00+00:00

Bondi Beach: Attack | Condolences | Senate debates
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description: I stand to add my words and thoughts to those already conveyed here today. Today, the Australian parliament and this Senate gather in sorrow. We do so to honour lives stolen, to comfort families...
encoded: I stand to add my words and thoughts to those already conveyed here today. Today, the Australian parliament and this Senate gather in sorrow. We do so to honour lives stolen, to comfort families broken and to affirm the values that bind us as Australians—and to affirm our resolve that the future must be different. Bondi Beach is a place of sunlight and surf, of early morning swims, of late afternoon walks and of grandparents and families minding children while parents grab a coffee. It's a place of freedom. It's a place of joy. But the violence meted out to innocent Australians on 14 December 2025 is, sadly, now etched in our nation's history. This was violence aimed not only at individuals but at the heart of our way of life—at our communities, on all Australians and on Australia. This attack targeted the Jewish community and what they hold dear as they gathered for Chanukah by the Sea, a celebration of light, resilience and hope. What should have been a festival of joy was severed by hate, and that makes our grief deeper still. Our duty is remembrance. We mourn each of the 15 lives lost and the harm meted out to so many others. We hold in our hearts the injured, the traumatised and all who witnesses scenes no-one should ever have to see or hear. We also acknowledge the courage that rose above the sirens and the chaos, and the bravery, compassion and support of everyday Australians risking their own safety in the service of others: strangers helping strangers—police, paramedics and lifesavers securing the scene, treating the wounded and shepherding terrified people to safety. To the first responders, thank you. To the medical teams who worked through the night and the days following, to the counsellors who will work through many more nights and to the faith leaders who stood vigil and prayed with families, thank you. Your response reflects and represents the very best of our country. This attack targeted a community that has for generations contributed much to Aust…
date: 2026-01-19T12:46:00+00:00

Albanese Government: South Australia | Statements by Senators | Senate debates
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description: Well, we have 12 federal Labor parliamentarians who represent South Australia in this place, and they have let our great state down. There's the BOM failure, the algal bloom, your ever-rising...
encoded: Well, we have 12 federal Labor parliamentarians who represent South Australia in this place, and they have let our great state down. There's the BOM failure, the algal bloom, your ever-rising energy costs, new environmental legislation and the latest hit on inflation. In Port Pirie, locals were caught unawares this past weekend when hit by a tornado-like storm. The responsible minister in this place said, 'Don't look to the Albanese government.' Despite BOM's forecasting failure and the cost blowout from $4 million to $96 million for its website, somehow they think that is the fault of a previous federal government. It is a similar story for the devastating and ongoing algal bloom crisis. The Senate inquiry concluded the actions of the state and Commonwealth Labor governments were too little and too late. The Premier and the federal minister were slow to appreciate the risk to marine life, to businesses and industries and to coastal communities and too slow to respond and roll out financial assistance, leading to devastating consequences for those most affected. South Australians pay some of the highest costs for electricity in the country, yet this government is doubling down on its energy plans. It is the Albanese government's race to net zero that that will push your electricity bills up even further this summer. The coalition energy plan puts Australians first, prioritising affordability and a balanced energy mix while doing our fair share on reducing emissions. Labor continues to ignore the evidence. Inflation is up to 3.8 per cent, and South Australians are hit disproportionately hard because we are different to everywhere else. Energy is everything, just as energy is the economy, and this Labor government, including its members representing South Australia, is failing on all of it.
date: 2025-11-27T13:42:00+00:00

16 Days of Activism against Gender Based Violence | Statements by Senators | Senate debates
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description: The annual 16 Days of Activism against Gender Based Violence is underway. The human cost of violence in Australia is catastrophic, immeasurable and increasing. Since this time last year, 74 women...
encoded: The annual 16 Days of Activism against Gender Based Violence is underway. The human cost of violence in Australia is catastrophic, immeasurable and increasing. Since this time last year, 74 women have been killed by an intimate partner, but many more are injured and impacted. The financial cost of family violence to this country is $32 billion a year. It remains the main driver of homelessness for women and children. Frontline services continue to turn away about a thousand people a day. The four Closing the Gap targets going in the wrong direction—adult incarceration, children in out-of-home care, suicide and children commencing school not developmentally on track—are fuelled by violence. Indigenous Australians are disproportionately represented in statistics, and multicultural groups remain largely invisible. It is a scourge that does not discriminate, though. It is an issue for everyone. In my home state of South Australia, family violence offences are up six per cent on last year. Our state royal commission provides recommendations, but the key here is not words but action delivering on the contribution of those significant consultations. Attending Rotary Foundation Australia's Purple Waves of Change at Moana Beach in South Australia on the weekend and Djirra's annual walk in Canberra focused attention on the impact on Indigenous women. It's clear the will exists; what we need to do is find more ways. It is work that must be supported by national coordination and consistency of approach, though recognising that there are local solutions, and having the courage to move past reviews and into implementation. The key lies in what Australians do every day and government being prepared do more of what the evidence says we should do more of and being brave about not doing what we know isn't working hard enough to change these statistics.
date: 2025-11-26T13:56:00+00:00

South Australia: Marine Environment | Statements by Senators | Senate debates
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description: Although still open for business, some SA coastal communities remain captured by uncertainty in relation to the algal bloom. Fishers, seafood processors, tourism operators and small family...
encoded: Although still open for business, some SA coastal communities remain captured by uncertainty in relation to the algal bloom. Fishers, seafood processors, tourism operators and small family businesses are right to be disappointed in both the Albanese and Malinauskas governments for their slow, reactive and disorganised response. There is new news now from scientists who have identified a rarely recorded algal species likely responsible for the toxin production driving this prolonged event. I can't stress this enough: stay informed. The impacts are real and lasting, and Labor's response has fallen very, very short. One fisher holding more than eight tonnes of squid quota has not landed a single catch since April. Boats are tied up, and families are eating into savings. Tourism businesses have suffered booking cancellations, although those vouchers provide some relief. Researchers have requested $40 million over 10 years to monitor the Great Southern Reef and are still waiting for an answer. Our seafood is safe, world-class and tested. You can still buy local seafood from commercial retailers. Every plate of our world-class oysters, King George whiting and southern calamari sold supports everyone in some way, even those who don't work. Our coastal towns are open for business. SA communities are resilient and deserve our attention, not just when these types of issues force it. Sure, the cities need to be heard, but people in the regions, in rural areas and in remote communities who drive economic performance—and feed us—need attention too. This week in parliament, I've heard from stakeholders as diverse as credit unions, dentists and palliative care specialists who are frustrated by the lack of attention to those who live outside the capital cities. Having been born and raised in a regional area with ongoing regional interests, I will continue to pursue and raise issues in here that are relevant to you. The coalition will stand with you if you're in the regions and in t…
date: 2025-11-06T13:36:00+00:00

Social Security and Other Legislation Amendment (Technical Changes No. 2) Bill 2025; Second Reading | Bills | Senate debates
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description: We must never forget that every dollar spent on social security is a dollar that is earned by someone else. It means that every measure, every amendment and every program cost must therefore be...
encoded: We must never forget that every dollar spent on social security is a dollar that is earned by someone else. It means that every measure, every amendment and every program cost must therefore be justified. It must be fair, sustainable and targeted to assist those in genuine need while preserving the integrity and future of the system itself. We also carry responsibility for future generations. The choices we make today about the structure and sustainability of our welfare system will determine the burden and opportunity inherited by Australians tomorrow. Income support should deliver a strong and sustainable safety net and encourage a path to employment for those who can work. Employment is the single most effective way to improve living standards for individuals and families. That conviction has long shaped our approach to social policy and continues to guide our priorities in opposition. These priorities are especially important in the midst of an enduring cost-of-living crisis driven by Labor's economic mismanagement at a time when households across Australia are struggling with rising costs and stagnant wages, and when the new working poor must decide between heating or cooling and eating. When in government, the coalition demonstrated disciplined and responsible economic management. We were able to deliver the largest permanent increase in the JobSeeker payment at that time, ensuring that there was a safety net for those in need. In April 2021 the coalition increased working-age payment rates, including JobSeeker, by $50 a fortnight. We also permanently increased the income-free area to $150 per fortnight, giving job seekers greater flexibility and incentive to take on work as they re-entered the workforce. During the height of the pandemic—one of the greatest economic and social challenges of our generation—the coalition government provided $32 billion in emergency payments to help Australians get through. This is the record of a coalition government that under…
date: 2025-11-05T17:53:00+00:00

Social Security and Other Legislation Amendment (Technical Changes No. 2) Bill 2025; Second Reading | Bills | Senate debates
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description: I rise today to speak on the Social Security and Other Legislation Amendment (Technical Changes No. 2) Bill 2025. The coalition will support this bill in the Senate today; however, we hold...
encoded: I rise today to speak on the Social Security and Other Legislation Amendment (Technical Changes No. 2) Bill 2025. The coalition will support this bill in the Senate today; however, we hold concerns about certain provisions that merit closer scrutiny. At all times, we must remember that Australia's social services safety net is among the most robust and generous in the world. This system does not sustain itself. It must be carefully managed and responsibly administered because it is funded by Australian taxpayers—by the men and women who work hard, take risks and shoulder the responsibility of supporting our social security system. Few countries in the world offer a social safety net as comprehensive as Australia's. It is something we can truly take pride in but also something we must safeguard and preserve. Our social security safety net is funded by those who pay taxes—small-business owners, primary producers and frontline workers, who keep our country running. They do so because of a belief in a fair go and that one day they might need that safety net too. It is sustained by those on the frontline—the nurses working through the night, the teachers shaping young minds and the police who put themselves in harm's way to keep us safe.
date: 2025-11-05T17:53:00+00:00

South Australia: Energy | Statements by Senators | Senate debates
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description: We're still on South Australia too. Labor governments across the country are addicted to reckless spending. Do you want certainty? Well, know that, as the taxpaying public, you can be sure that,...
encoded: We're still on South Australia too. Labor governments across the country are addicted to reckless spending. Do you want certainty? Well, know that, as the taxpaying public, you can be sure that, when Labor runs out of money, they will come after yours. The $275? That's not coming. That's a lie. When you open up your next power bill, know that it is not your energy use that has likely gone up; it's Labor's spending that's driven up your cost. The pressure in homes and businesses and in organisations—Australians rely on them, but they'll be fixed not by subsidies, bailouts or even more red tape but by an energy plan that works. Labor's isn't it. Without a credible plan underpinned by principles of reliable energy, inflation will rise, as we saw this week when it crashed through the Reserve Bank's target band. With no change in the cash rate, mortgage holders get no relief from repayments. Some are paying $1,800 more. Are you trying to break into the housing market? You can blame Labor for your dream disintegrating. It is Labor's reckless spending that is running at more than four times the rate of the economy, and it's at its highest level outside of recession in nearly 40 years. Australians are paying 15 per cent more for food, 19 per cent more for housing and nearly 40 per cent more for electricity. In South Australia, we pay some of the highest prices in the country and we have the greatest proportion of renewables in a state's energy mix. Add to that the state's $500 million failed investment in the green hydrogen hoax. What is the key message for Labor? Energy is everything. Reliability and affordability are everything. Energy is not an experiment.
date: 2025-11-05T13:30:00+00:00

Northern Territory: Liquor Licensing | Adjournment | Senate debates
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description: Last December the Northern Territory Liquor Commission granted a liquor licence to the Wadeye Community Club, the first in that community for more than 30 years. With a population of over 2,000...
encoded: Last December the Northern Territory Liquor Commission granted a liquor licence to the Wadeye Community Club, the first in that community for more than 30 years. With a population of over 2,000 people, Wadeye is one of Australia's largest remote Aboriginal communities, with a long history, sadly, of episodic alcohol fuelled violence and disorder. The decision has been made despite significant warning signs. The community club is on track to open soon. What I want to know is what, if anything, the Albanese Labor government has done to ensure that Wadeye does not descend into chaos when the club starts opening. There has been significant investment of taxpayer money in Wadeye. There are important questions I invite the Albanese government to answer. Did the government make a submission to the inquiry or just stand by and let it slide, like you did with the lifting of alcohol restrictions in 2022? Has the Albanese government provided a single cent of Commonwealth money, including in-kind support, towards the community club, given the investment in Wadeye? What has the Albanese government done to protect Commonwealth investment in programs in Wadeye to ensure Closing the Gap outcomes don't lurch even further backwards in the Northern Territory, or has it once again looked the other way? In the spirit of self-determination, the NT liquor commissioner recommended new and additional program supports related to alcohol addiction, family violence and school attendance. The Albanese government, which includes three NT parliamentarians, has had nearly three years to act on this advice, to plan, to coordinate and to protect specifically for that risk factor. But when real leadership is required, Labor tends to retreat to slogans and symbolism. A read of the decision would have anyone concerned, alarmed even, about risk mitigation for vulnerable people and public infrastructure. This is not alarmist; it is evidence. It is widely accepted that the Northern Territory is the key dr…
date: 2025-11-04T19:33:00+00:00

Racial Discrimination Act 1975: 50th Anniversary | Motions | Senate debates
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description: The Racial Discrimination Act passed in 1975 and established legal protection against racial discrimination amidst a global push for civil rights and antidiscrimination laws. It passed with...
encoded: The Racial Discrimination Act passed in 1975 and established legal protection against racial discrimination amidst a global push for civil rights and antidiscrimination laws. It passed with bipartisan support. Equality before the law is a core Liberal value. We believe in individual rights and freedoms, including protection from discrimination, recognising the need to balance antidiscrimination protections with freedoms of speech and religion. The coalition has always focused on practical measures to address disadvantage, such as targeted programs in education, employment and health for Indigenous and migrant Australians and effective, meaningful, public awareness and education on issues of race and equality. We've supported the process of reconciliation. Legislation alone, though, cannot change attitudes or eliminate prejudice. In fact, what must also occur is doing things that do no further harm and that prevent it before it starts. Social and economic inclusion create opportunity, diminish difference and make a place in every corner, place and community based on equality of opportunity. Using legislation to assert rights is available to all citizens, but the advice should always be to prevent, to intervene early and to respond and behave in ways that do not result in the need to assert legal rights. The Labor government talks a big talk about social cohesion, yet it has stood by idly and has seen some of the most appalling antisemitic attacks on the Jewish community in Australian history. According to the Executive Council of Australian Jewry, in the 12 months following 7 October 2023, there was a 316 per cent increase in antisemitic attacks. To ensure a fair and just community, we need to be always vigilant. The first job that this government focused on in its first term was the Voice to Parliament referendum. It was perhaps one of the most divisive periods in our history not just for Indigenous Australians but for all Australians, and it was not just about the …
date: 2025-10-30T11:01:00+00:00

Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence | Statements by Senators | Senate debates
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description: The main job of any government is to keep its people safe. Australia remains in the midst of a family and domestic violence epidemic, which is getting worse. New data released by the ABS...
encoded: The main job of any government is to keep its people safe. Australia remains in the midst of a family and domestic violence epidemic, which is getting worse. New data released by the ABS yesterday revealed that sexual assault rose 17 per cent across Australia between 2022 and 2024. Since 2021, the number of FDV related homicides and offences has risen from 106 to 175. Whatever the number, it's abhorrent. While the numbers are new, they should not be a surprise to anybody, least of all the Albanese government, given its carriage of the National Plan to End Violence Towards Women and Children and the so-called Rapid Review of Prevention Approaches. Community legal services still turn away more than 1,000 people every day. The $3.9 billion rapid review response announced last September didn't see the majority of funding flowing until 1 July this year to a sector desperate for action over announcements. The processing of crisis payments for prisoners on release has been three times faster than those for victims-survivors escaping violence. Add to that the greater access to alcohol, drugs and gambling with the removal of the cashless debit card and the lifting of alcohol restrictions in the Northern Territory. The ABS data said that, in 2024, the Northern Territory recorded its highest number of reported sexual assaults in over 30 years. Children are being targeted by organised offenders, while the nation is fragmented on solutions. Last week I hosted a panel facilitated by the National Children's Commissioner, Anne Hollonds, on child sexual exploitation and trafficking—a significant issue that largely remains hidden and that people remain uncomfortable talking about. I'm also co-convening a parliamentary friends group alongside Labor Senator Ghosh to drive meaningful conversations because so few people in this place immerse themselves in these issues—but they should.
date: 2025-09-04T13:50:00+00:00

Senate Estimates: Indigenous Affairs | Adjournment | Senate debates
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description: I think one of the most troubling statistics is that five were on track and now there are only four. Guess which one is no longer on track? Sadly, it's baby birth weight. It's one of the data...
encoded: I think one of the most troubling statistics is that five were on track and now there are only four. Guess which one is no longer on track? Sadly, it's baby birth weight. It's one of the data points that you can accurately predict. Every one of those numbers represents lives, families and futures, and every one of those numbers that are going backwards are going backwards under Labor. There was ending the cashless debit card, the lifting of alcohol restrictions and then standing by and watching nine months before they were put in place and watching NAAJA collapse with its poor governance and doing absolutely nothing to intervene, even though a large proportion of its funding comes from the Commonwealth. People were anguishing in the Northern Territory without even having representation. That was disgusting, and it's factual. The disastrous situation of alcohol restrictions being lifted saw a 77 per cent increase in average monthly domestic violence assaults in Alice Springs, and Central Australia is still a long way from recovery, if ever. Taxpayers deserve to know and to be able to interrogate why $300 million poured into Central Australia has not delivered a better, safer Central Australia. It simply hasn't. You just need to walk down the street to see that. I've done it many times, and not for work; I've been there as a local and as a visitor. What are more reasons Labor did this? The AIHW health performance framework summary report says the Labor fuelled cost-of-living crisis has made things worse, especially in remote areas and in primary health care. It's got harder than ever. We should know more about that. There are the Indigenous organisations that have failed to file mandatory reports with ORIC, their regulator. How come ORIC seem to think that they need to defend that? Why is it that frontline services are still waiting for funds while bureaucracy holds back the cash? It was done in Katherine less than two weeks ago, and that's a serious situation for tho…
date: 2025-09-02T20:22:00+00:00

Senate Estimates: Indigenous Affairs | Adjournment | Senate debates
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description: These are not small numbers and they've happened since 2022. Adult incarceration is up 3.5 per cent, preschool attendance is down 2.6 per cent and 1.2 per cent fewer children are starting school...
encoded: These are not small numbers and they've happened since 2022. Adult incarceration is up 3.5 per cent, preschool attendance is down 2.6 per cent and 1.2 per cent fewer children are starting school developmentally—
date: 2025-09-02T20:22:00+00:00

Senate Estimates: Indigenous Affairs | Adjournment | Senate debates
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description: What we saw from the Albanese Labor government last week was nothing short of shameful. With the Greens at their side—yes, the Australian Greens—Labor slammed the door on...
encoded: What we saw from the Albanese Labor government last week was nothing short of shameful. With the Greens at their side—yes, the Australian Greens—Labor slammed the door on accountability by scrapping the standalone cross-portfolio Indigenous estimates hearing. For the first time in 17 years, this Senate has been denied opportunity for the scrutiny in this area that we've known for 17 years. More recently, this meant that the minister responsible for the portfolio was also at the table, always. Now that's changed. Despite what the Albanese government have claimed, this is not a question of scheduling; this is about silencing. Since coming into this parliament, my experience in asking questions in senate estimates is to get the runaround—being told, 'Not today; that's on Friday, cross-portfolio day,' and on Friday being told, 'No, not today; that was back on Tuesday,' or Wednesday. How many times did that happen? It was awful, and this is going to be worse. It was already the case that we had a truncated day, and Senator McCarthy, you know that; it was a truncated day. We were short on time, but this is about making the situation much worse. I'm going to look forward to you running around all week to try to get in front of every single committee to answer the questions about your portfolio. The latest Closing the Gap data tells us exactly why Labor wanted this hearing gone: because, under this government—and in the territory in which you live, Senator McCarthy—youth detention is up by 11 per cent; suicide is up by 9.4 per cent. These are not small numbers. This has happened since 2022.
date: 2025-09-02T20:22:00+00:00

Aged Care and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2025, Aged Care (Accommodation Payment Security) Levy Amendment Bill 2025; Second Reading | Bills | Senate debates
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description: I am in continuation. This is yet another broken promise by the Albanese government, and older Australians are paying the price wondering, waiting, worrying. Grandfathering arrangements protect...
encoded: I am in continuation. This is yet another broken promise by the Albanese government, and older Australians are paying the price wondering, waiting, worrying. Grandfathering arrangements protect those already on their aged-care journey because uncertainty is the last thing they need. The coalition fought hard during the passage of the Aged Care Bill 2024 for grandfathering arrangements. It's because of our persistent negotiations that Australians who are already in residential care, are on a home-care package or have been assessed and are waiting for a package will not see their arrangements change. This 'no worse off' principle is critical. It gives older Australians the certainty they deserve. The main bill provides a framework to ensure those protections are delivered. That is a coalition achievement, something we pushed for and we secured. The coalition has always stood up for hardworking Australians, particularly those who saved for their retirement. It's why we called for a lower taper rate on care contributions. We fought to protect retirees from unfair cost burdens and to hold Labor to account on its commitment to remain the majority funder of aged care. We also fought for the maintenance of a lifetime cap on contributions because Australians should know there is a limit to what they will be asked to pay for in care. Importantly, we opposed Labor's arbitrary caps on access to basic services like cleaning and gardening. Imposing limits in the middle of a cost-of-living crisis shows just how completely out of touch this government is. The main bill removes those ridiculous caps from the legislation. Labor, this delaying and your delay in home-care packages is a national crisis. Perhaps the most egregious outcome of Labor's incompetence is the impact on home care. The Albanese government promised but then failed to deliver 83,000 additional home-care packages from July 2025. They promised support to help older Australians to remain independent in their own homes…
date: 2025-09-02T19:22:00+00:00

Indigenous Australians | Questions without Notice | Senate debates
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description: Your binning of a standalone day focused on Indigenous Australians and the Murray-Darling Basin Plan matters is astounding at a time when you have shut your eyes and closed your ears on South...
encoded: Your binning of a standalone day focused on Indigenous Australians and the Murray-Darling Basin Plan matters is astounding at a time when you have shut your eyes and closed your ears on South Australia's algal bloom crisis and failed to act on Indigenous lives that are not improving. Does the Albanese government know what it's doing, and will the Minister for Indigenous Australians be at the table to answer questions regarding Indigenous matters when we ask them?
date: 2025-09-02T14:17:00+00:00

Indigenous Australians | Questions without Notice | Senate debates
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description: Well, 1,254 organisations failed to fulfil mandatory reporting requirements under regulator ORIC in the 2023-24 financial year. Noncompliance is a fairly good indicator that something's not...
encoded: Well, 1,254 organisations failed to fulfil mandatory reporting requirements under regulator ORIC in the 2023-24 financial year. Noncompliance is a fairly good indicator that something's not right. Recently, Wellington Aboriginal Corporation Health Service was put under special administration for the second time in four years and joins the queue with so many others. Australians should know why your government and its bureaucrats didn't act on these matters earlier. What are you trying to hide?
date: 2025-09-02T14:15:00+00:00

Indigenous Australians | Questions without Notice | Senate debates
type: item
description: LIDDLE () (): My question is to the Minister for Indigenous Australians, Senator McCarthy, and it is on Australians you have not delivered for. Since the Albanese government was elected in 2022,...
encoded: LIDDLE () (): My question is to the Minister for Indigenous Australians, Senator McCarthy, and it is on Australians you have not delivered for. Since the Albanese government was elected in 2022, six Closing the Gap outcomes have regressed. Youth detention is up 11 per cent, suicide is up 9.4 per cent, adult incarceration is up 3.5 per cent, preschool attendance is down 2.6 per cent and 1.2 per cent fewer children commencing school are developmentally 'on track'. With these terrible outcomes only getting worse under Labor, why has the government shut the door on accountability by removing a standalone day for cross-portfolio Indigenous matters at the next supplementary budget estimates?
date: 2025-09-02T14:11:00+00:00