Mark Dreyfus (Isaacs, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

It's a privilege to represent the people of Isaacs for a seventh term in this 48th Parliament of Australia. To the people of my electorate of Isaacs, I thank them for the trust they have placed in me. To the volunteers who've supported my campaign, I express my sincere thanks. You gave your time to hand out how-to-vote cards, knock on doors, speak to neighbours and engage in respectful discussions about the future of our electorate and Australia. I also acknowledge the dedication and professionalism of my electorate office staff: Judd, Sally, Elly, Lucy, Nicola, Lydia, Olivia and Alex. You embody the very best of public service, and I'm grateful for your support.

I also want to thank the Australian Electoral Commission. I acknowledge the excellent work of the divisional returning officer for Isaacs, Marc Antoine, and his team. The expertise and patient work of the AEC are among the quiet strengths of our democracy. Because of the work of the AEC, Australians have confidence that our elections are conducted fairly and with integrity.

My campaign in Isaacs had a simple vision: to hear directly from the people of our community, to understand their challenges and aspirations and to ensure their voices shape our work. In the months leading up to the election I visited every part of my electorate—from Dandenong to Dingley, Chelsea to Cheltenham and from Moorabbin to Keysborough. I attended community forums, knocked on thousands of doors, joined sporting events, made hundreds of phone calls and visited festivals, shopping strips, businesses, hospitals and aged-care centres.

From a 20 per cent cut to student debt to free TAFE; from cheaper medicines and 60-day prescriptions to more Medicare urgent care clinics and to more bulk-billing; from support for businesses to building more housing; from wage increases for aged-care and childcare workers to secure funding for community legal services; from reforming family law to significant changes to Australia's privacy laws—every one of these policies will make a difference in people's lives, and every one of these policies will build a fairer Australia now and into the future. In all of the conversations I had, people said they wanted help with the cost of living, secure and decent jobs, affordable housing, accessible health care and education, and a government that listens and delivers.

The Albanese Labor government's free TAFE policy develops skills and supports long-term economic growth. When more Australians get the qualifications they need, businesses perform better, essential services improve and the economy strengthens. The Albanese Labor government's policy to cut student debt by 20 per cent is about giving people a fair chance to succeed. Less debt means easing financial pressure, especially for younger people. In my electorate of Isaacs, more than 20,000 people will have lower student debt.

Our government's Cheaper Child Care is about supporting economic productivity and easing cost-of-living pressures. Like cutting student debt, it gives people a level of financial freedom to make decisions that are right for them and their families. It helps parents return to work and increases workforce participation. Our government's tax cuts build on the cost-of-living relief policies we've already delivered. Workers will keep more of what they earn, easing pressure on household budgets, boosting savings and strengthening financial security for workers and their families across the country.

Cheaper medicines are another way we are easing cost-of-living pressures and ensuring more people can get the health care they need. Cheaper medicines have already saved households in my electorate more than $11 million and, with 60-day prescriptions now in place, Australians are saving even more money. The government's Medicare urgent care clinics are another example of policy that's delivering results and improving the lives of millions of Australians. Around 90 Medicare urgent care clinics are now operating across the country, taking pressure off hospitals and emergency departments. They open early and close late seven days a week and provide free walk-in urgent care with no appointment needed. All patients are fully bulk-billed. One of Australia's busiest Medicare urgent care clinics is in Dandenong South, in my electorate.

In my electorate, our policies are making a difference. I think of the young woman from Dandenong, Aadila, who told me that cutting her student debt meant she could finally save money for a car to get to work, or the mum in Keysborough, Sarah, who, thanks to more affordable childcare, is working more, earning more and saving more. In Chelsea, pensioners Barry and Iris spoke to me about how cheaper medicines are making a real difference. They no longer have to choose between filling a prescription or paying a bill. For them, the Albanese Labor government's introduction of 60-day prescriptions means fewer trips to the pharmacy, lower costs and real savings.

Australians are seeing the Albanese Labor government's plan in action. They see it when someone they know gets one of the million new jobs created since the Albanese Labor government came to office in 2022. They see it when a friend or family member enrols in a free TAFE course that leads to well-paid, secure skilled work. They see it when parents can return to work because child care is more affordable. They see it when they or someone close to them visits a Medicare urgent care clinic for the urgent care they need when they need it. And they see it at the pharmacy with cheaper medicines and 60-day prescriptions. They see it in their pay packets because the Albanese Labor government's tax cuts mean people earn more and keep more of what they earn. I'm reminded that the Liberal-National coalition opposed all of this. When Australians needed help the most, the Liberal-National coalition chose division, fear, distraction and harmful politics instead of working in this parliament to deliver meaningful support for all Australians.

The Albanese Labor government knows that Australians don't need more promises on housing; they need homes built. That's why we've set an ambitious target and are delivering the biggest housing investment in our nation's history. We're building more homes and backing first-home buyers. Since we came into government, new housing approvals are up by 30 per cent, and one million households across the nation have received an almost 50 per cent increase in Commonwealth rent assistance. Half a million homes have been built, 28,000 social and affordable homes are underway and our Build to Rent scheme is creating 80,000 new secure rentals nationally.

The Albanese government is working closely with state and territory governments. Australians expect governments to work together. When they do, we get better results for the people we serve: more homes, built faster, in the places they're needed most. We're delivering more social and affordable homes across Australia, providing security for renters, older Australians, women escaping violence, and families who need stability. For almost 10 years the Liberal-National coalition delivered headlines, not homes. The Albanese Labor government is delivering the biggest housing investment in our nation's history.

I now turn briefly to multiculturalism, because it remains one of Australia's greatest strengths. Multiculturalism is part of our nation's story, reflecting the simple truth that our community is shaped by people who come from somewhere else. It's a story shared by generations of Australians and stands at the heart of Australia's identity. Everyone in this building knows someone who migrated to Australia. For many of us it was our parents, grandparents or great-grandparents who made that journey, seeking safety, opportunity and a better future.

My electorate is one of the most diverse in Australia. People from more than 150 countries have made their homes in our suburbs. Their diversity is a source of strength for our community. I saw that strength earlier this year when I attended the inaugural Ramadan Night Market in Dandenong, organised by Bright Community, a group of local Muslim business owners. It was an extraordinary celebration over the nights of Ramadan, drawing thousands of people from all backgrounds to share food, culture and community.

Migrant-run businesses make up nearly one-third of small businesses in Australia, and in Isaacs they are the backbone of our shopping centres, restaurants and professional services. They create jobs, generate investment and open doors to new international markets. Many children and grandchildren of migrants are now leaders, in medicine, education, law, sport and the arts. Their stories reflect the best of our nation: hard work, determination and the belief that no matter where your family came from you can succeed in Australia. I see it every day, in Springvale, Noble Park, Keysborough, Mordialloc and Dandenong. When people of all backgrounds have the opportunity to participate fully, contribute to society and feel they belong, we are a stronger and more united country. But belonging is only meaningful if people feel it is safe to participate, whether as voters, candidates or volunteers. A healthy democracy depends not just on the right to vote but also on the ability to participate without fear of intimidation, harassment or abuse.

I acknowledge my Liberal opponent at the 2025 election, Fiona Ottey. Fiona conducted herself with dignity and respect throughout the campaign. While we may differ in our policies and visions, we share a commitment to service and our community. I thank Fiona Ottey for her contribution to the democratic process and for engaging in a contest of ideas, not personalities. In my electorate of Isaacs the campaign was respectful and principled. However, I must draw attention to the deeply troubling conduct that occurred in the neighbouring electorate of Goldstein, which shared the Cheltenham prepoll booth with Isaacs.

Goldstein was one of the most closely contested electorates in the nation. Following a re-count, the Liberal candidate and now member for Goldstein, Mr Tim Wilson, was elected by a margin of just 175 votes. Yet, throughout the campaign, there were repeated incidents involving Mr Wilson's campaign volunteers that fell well short of the standard of behaviour Australians expect. These incidents included verbal abuse of volunteers working for other candidates and threats of violence and even death threats against public figures. This conduct was clearly intended to intimidate. One incident reported involved a Liberal campaigner verbally abusing two young women, including one who was just 17 years old, calling them 'little scum'. Another involved a threat of extreme violence, including a death threat directed at the Premier of Victoria and the former member for Goldstein Ms Zoe Daniel.

Mr Wilson did not condemn these incidents. He made excuses instead of accepting responsibility and taking immediate action to remove and hold those responsible accountable. He even attempted to justify one of these incidents, absurdly suggesting his campaign volunteer had low blood sugar levels. On election day, private security personnel needed to be engaged in the electorate of Goldstein to ensure the safety of volunteers and prevent vandalism by Mr Wilson's campaign team. The conduct of Mr Wilson's campaign has undermined both the fairness and the safety of the election process.

I acknowledge Ms Zoe Daniel, the former member for Goldstein, for the integrity with which she conducted her campaign. She ran on ideas, on values and on service to her community. Despite this, her campaign was at times deeply personal and harrowing. As a respected journalist and parliamentarian, she faced a level of hostility no candidate should ever have to endure. She was subjected to vile abuse on the street, including misogynistic slurs. She had to report incidents of stalking and harassment to the police. Her car was identified online. She feared being followed home, and, in the final week of the campaign, she needed the protection of the Australian Federal Police. The hostility also extended to her volunteers and staff, who were intimidated at booths and endured a barrage of personal attacks online and in person. Through it all, Ms Daniel refused to retaliate. She focused on policy and principle. Her campaign was a model of integrity, and her resilience in the face of such adversity deserves recognition and respect from all sides of politics.

One reported incident also involved Mr Wilson himself. As a candidate for public office, he shouted at a member of Ms Daniel's staff as she returned to her car: 'Enjoy your last week.' It was a comment intended to intimidate—behaviour unbecoming of anyone seeking to serve in our national parliament. I'm sure he would not accept such treatment if it were directed at him. The behaviour did not end with the campaign. It carried into the prolonged counting process, where Mr Wilson's campaign scrutineers were encouraged to intimidate, distract and use standover tactics against Ms Daniel's scrutineers.

The behaviour of Liberal volunteers and Mr Wilson at polling booths in Goldstein, including those shared with Isaacs, shows how quickly abuse and intimidation can erode confidence in our democracy. Hostility and harassment do not just silence voters' voices in the moment; they deter people from wanting to take part at all. Democracy only works when Australians can participate without fear or intimidation. This is not about courtesy; it goes to the very integrity of our democracy here, in our local communities and across the nation.

What occurred in Goldstein reflects a broader challenge facing democracies in Australia and across the world. Harmful political discourse, threats of violence and death, and the harassment of candidates are pushing people away from public life. We must not allow that to take hold in Australia. The strongest safeguard against this kind of conduct is a shared commitment to democratic principles, truth, mutual respect and civic participation. When those principles are undermined, the harm extends beyond individual candidates. It erodes public confidence and weakens the foundations of our democracy. All members of this parliament, regardless of their political views, benefit from the strength of our democratic institutions and share a responsibility to uphold the standards that Australians rightly expect and to protect those institutions in return.

The unfortunate behaviour of the new member for Goldstein and his team during the Goldstein campaign is particularly disappointing given Mr Wilson's service as Australia's human rights commissioner from 2014 to 2016. That statutory role exists to champion respect, dignity and the protection of rights for all Australians. A genuine commitment to human rights is tested in moments of difficulty: when taking action is inconvenient, when stepping in to stop misconduct carries political risk and when personal accountability is required. By any fair assessment, Mr Wilson did not show such a commitment during the election campaign. He had the opportunity to uphold the principles of respect, accountability and fairness that underpin our democracy, but he chose not to act. That is what leadership demands, and it is what the Australian community is entitled to expect, especially from someone who has held the office of Human Rights Commissioner.

It was also deeply troubling that in October 2024 a former Liberal MP, Jason Falinski, referred Ms Daniel to the National Anti-Corruption Commission. This was a reckless attempt to misuse the commission for political advantage. The commission has made it abundantly clear that the referral was groundless. I'll quote the commission's statement:

… the Commission considers that no corruption issue arises, and will take no further action in relation to the referral.

This episode says something deeply concerning about the Liberal Party. It shows a willingness to misuse, for political gain, one of the most important anticorruption institutions in our democracy. The National Anti-Corruption Commission exists to prevent corruption in government. It is not there to be used as a tool for political advantage. Such conduct undermines trust in our institutions and has no place in Australian politics. Democracy works best when people can participate without fear or intimidation, because fear undermines the core principles that make democracy function, such as fairness, safety and equal participation. This is not simply a matter of politeness or manners; it goes to the integrity of our democratic system.

As I commence my seventh term, I remain driven by the values that have guided my service—fairness, integrity and a genuine commitment to this community. Public service is not about self-interest; it is about serving the community's interest. That is what guides my work as a member of parliament. My vision for Isaacs and for Australia is a community that is inclusive, connected and economically secure—a place where every child can access a good education, where health care is available when needed and where opportunities are not limited by one's postcode or background. The people of Isaacs have trusted me again with the responsibility to represent them in this place, and for that I am deeply grateful.

I will continue to deliver on the Albanese Labor government's commitments to defend the integrity of our democracy and uphold the standards the public rightly expects of us. I call on all members to send a clear message: intimidation and abuse have no place in Australian politics. We must lead by example and help build a democratic culture grounded in respect, inclusion and integrity.

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