Joanne Ryan (Lalor, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I move:

That this House:

(1) notes that in May 2022, Australians voted for change and for a Labor Government to build a better future;

(2) further notes that in the six months since the election, the Parliament:

(a) has already legislated to:

(i) fix the mess the previous Government made of the aged care sector;

(ii) deliver a cleaner and greener future to tackle climate change;

(iii) deliver cheaper medicines;

(iv) provide ten days paid family and domestic violence leave;

(v) repeal the cashless debit card;

(vi) expand access to the Commonwealth Seniors Health Card; and

(vii) deliver a 'Future Made in Australia' with Jobs and Skills Australia; and

(b) is currently debating legislation to deliver:

(i) secure jobs and better pay;

(ii) a national anti-corruption commission;

(iii) safer and secure workplaces for Australian women; and

(iv) cheaper childcare for Australian families; and

(3) acknowledges that the Government is:

(a) delivering on its election commitments to build a better future; and

(b) being a responsible government in the face of challenging times globally.

The Albanese government is delivering on its plans to build a better future. This government is responsible in the challenging global times we face. As the Chief Government Whip, I'm proud of the progress our government has taken in just its first six months. The laws they've already passed through the parliament speak to our commitment to backing in the things that we took to an election.

We said we'd fix the mess the previous government made of the aged-care sector, and that work has well and truly begun under the care of the member for Lilley. We said we'd deliver a cleaner and greener future to tackle climate change, and the member for McMahon, as minister, is leading that work every day through legislation in this House.

We said we'd deliver cheaper medicines, and the member for Hindmarsh has done just that and brought legislation through this House.

We said we'd provide 10 days paid family and domestic violence leave, and the member for Watson, as minister, has seen that legislation through this House.

We said we'd repeal the cashless debit card, and the member for Kingston, as minister, has made that happen. We said we'd expand access to the Commonwealth seniors health card, and the member for Kingston has made that happen too.

We said we'd deliver a future made in Australia with Jobs and Skills Australia, and the member for Gorton has overseen the passage of that legislation.

We said we'd deliver cheaper child care and early childhood education for Australian families, and the member for Cowan and the member for Blaxland have brought legislation to this place to do exactly that. I was pleased last week to be at a local prep to year 9 college in my electorate, with the member for Blaxland and the state Minister for Education, to host a round table and hear from teachers and principals about the crippling teacher shortage in my state. And I am pleased to stand here today and say that the member for Blaxland not just has a plan to tackle that skills shortage but has begun a review to tackle one of the pressing issues in my electorate, which is teacher quality through initial teacher training.

I'm really proud of the work that we've done so far. Before the parliament this week will be the secure jobs and better pay legislation, which we will, hopefully, get back from the Senate and pass before we break for Christmas.

As well as that, the Member for Isaacs led the legislation for a national anti-corruption commission through this House last week.

We are doing the things that we said we would get done. We are a committed government. We're working together as a team to make sure we deliver on the promises we made to the electorate. Later this morning we'll be dealing with legislation to make workplaces safer and more secure for Australian women, something that I'm very proud this government is working towards for every woman across this country. I want to commend Senator Gallagher for her leadership in the portfolio, as Minister for Women, and for getting this piece of legislation through both houses of parliament to ensure that our workplaces are safe for women—that women are free from harassment in the workplace. As well, I commend the work that is going on in this parliament through committee structures, like the Joint Select Committee on Parliamentary Standards, and behind the scenes to ensure that this place is held in the highest esteem and that every woman—every person—who works in this building does so in a safe and secure environment.

I am proud to be a member of the Albanese Labor government. I know my colleagues are all proud of the work that we've done to date. We're looking forward to the next tranche of changes that Labor will bring in to make a fairer and better country—to ensure that workers around the country are safe, that businesses thrive and that we have an economy that works for people and with people. It is an absolute pleasure to have been returned as the member for Lalor in this place and to represent my community. I'm really looking forward to the next few years of working with the state Labor government in Victoria to deliver for my electorate both federally and with my state colleagues. It really is humbling to be in government and to be able to deliver the change. The old saying, 'Governments change lives,' is absolutely true.

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