Kara Cook (Bonner, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

This week is a landmark moment for Australia's environment and our future prosperity. Tomorrow the Albanese government's historic environmental law reforms, the most significant overhaul of our national environmental laws in 25 years, will pass in this parliament. These reforms will deliver what Australians have long called for: stronger protections for our environment and faster, clearer decision-making for the projects our country needs, such as housing, renewable energy and critical minerals.

This means there will be a new national environmental protection agency, Australia's first independent environmental regulator, ensuring stronger compliance and enforcement. It means there will be national environmental standards—clear, consistent rules to protect the environment across the country. It means there will be a crackdown on high-risk land clearing by the removal of outdated exemptions so all industries will play by the same rules. It also means greater transparency, with major projects required to disclose emissions and emission reduction plans. It also means water protections being maintained for coal and gas projects. And, for business and communities, it means faster decisions through a new streamlined assessment pathway; less duplication, with improved agreements between federal and state governments; and regional planning to give certainty with clear-go and no-go zones. I'm proud to support reforms that protect what's precious, unlock economic opportunity and build a stronger, more sustainable Australia for future generations.

We also know that there is no going back to a world without technology. The internet has given us a wealth of knowledge that can be used for good. Unfortunately, social media has often not been social at all. It's been harnessed as a tool for bullies. It's created spaces for peer pressure. It's been an avenue for scammers. Worst of all, it's been a tool for online predators targeting our most vulnerable. Seven in 10 young Australians have seen content that they shouldn't be exposed to online. This includes sexist, misogynistic and hateful content. It includes content that's sexually explicit, depicts dangerous online challenges or promotes violent behaviours. It includes content that promotes unhealthy living, body image issues and depression.

By harnessing algorithms, we know that online platforms can target and manipulate children with toxic content. That is why the Albanese Labor government is backing laws that creates a new minimum age for social media. From 10 December, certain platforms must take reasonable steps to prevent under 16s from holding accounts. We want technology that backs our kids' education and development, especially during the most important stages of life. We don't want it harming our kids by elevating dangerous content. As a parent, I'm aware of the harms that content, this type of content through social media, can create and also of the families of my community that have these concerns. I want kids in my electorate of Bonner to build real life connections. This law will protect them in those critical stages of development.

I also know that families in my community want bulk-billed health services closer to home. We have opened 90 Medicare urgent care clinics across the country, and 47 more are on the way, including in my electorate of Bonner. The Carindale urgent care clinic will be opened in the coming months, and I can't wait to cut that ribbon. Already, more than 360,000 Queenslanders have visited a Medicare urgent care clinic, and the new clinic in Carindale will be the very first for my electorate. It will be open seven days a week with no appointment needed, and all patients will be fully bulk-billed. This is real and practical cost-of-living relief for my community and families in Bonner. I will always stand up for a better and more accessible healthcare system and for families in my community. That's why this urgent care clinic, alongside cheaper medicines, $25 for scripts from 1 January, supporting training more doctors and nurses, and tripling the bulk-billing incentive are so needed and much supported by my community. Labor is overseeing the biggest-ever investment in Medicare in the last 40 years. The pensioner in Wynnum Manly, the tradie in Tingalpa and the mum from Mansfield know the value of having affordable and closer health care where they live. Labor is delivering for them.

In closing, what a great privilege it is to stand here in this place as the member for Bonner. I'm so proud to be in this place and representing my community. I wish everyone in my community a very merry Christmas and a happy New Year and I'll see you in 2026.

Sitting suspended from 17:38 to 09:00

The House transcript was published up to 17:38. The remainder of the transcript will be published progressively as it is completed.

The DEPUTY SPEAKER ( Mr Boyce ) took the chair at 09:30.

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