Carol Berry (Whitlam, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I rise to speak in support of the Appropriation Bill (No. 3) 2025-2026 and the related bills because I am proud to be part of the Albanese Labor government, which is delivering on its commitments across the country, including in my electorate of Whitlam. I am proud because our government is focused on delivering real outcomes for the Australian community. We aren't a government of empty promises. We don't hide behind empty slogans. We're not engaged in fearmongering or culture wars. We are focused on delivering real outcomes for the Australian people.

Australians are a pragmatic people, and we don't judge people just on what they say; we judge people on what they do.

Australians like governments that get things done, governments that have the best interests of all Australians at their core, which is what our Labor government is all about. We're not wasting time infighting or focused on our own internal dramas. We are a united, functional and effective government focused solely on delivering for the Australian people.

The Albanese Labor government is delivering for Australians against that test that matters most: real-world delivery. Australians believe in fairness, and our victory at last year's election was so resounding, in large part because of Labor's unwavering commitment to fairness. This focus on fairness is the mandate that Labor was given, and it's the mandate that Labor is honouring.

Cost-of-living pressures are still occupying the minds of many Australians, and Labor understands that cost-of-living pressures place enormous difficulties on individuals and families. We know that many people are already doing it tough. These pressures show up at the supermarket checkout and in rental increases, power bills and the things that you end up going without.

We're working hard to relieve some of those pressures through practical measures. That's why we've delivered tax cuts, cheaper medicines, subsidised child care, targeted help for renters, increased bulk-billing, reduced HECS debts, help for first home owners, more support for apprentices, fee-free TAFE, and pay rises, particularly for those workers that need them the most, reducing unemployment and protecting penalty rates. That's to name just a few of our achievements.

Responsible economic management focuses on tackling inflation rather than fuelling it, and Labor is making investments in our future while also maintaining spending discipline. Crucially, Labor understands this truth: the cost of living isn't just about prices; it's about wages. For too long, Australians were told that wage stagnation was inevitable, that insecure work was the new normal—and that, if you wanted flexibility, you had to give up security. Labor has rejected that false choice.

The Albanese Labor government has worked to get wages moving again by backing pay rises for low-paid workers, supporting collective bargaining and restoring fairness to workplace laws that have been deliberately weakened. Labor has stood with aged-care workers, early childhood workers, cleaners and hospitality staff—people who keep this country running but have not always been appreciated for it. And what's the result? Wages are growing again, job security has been restored, casualisation has been reined in and working Australians are getting a fairer share of the prosperity they helped to create. That's what fairness looks like in modern Australia.

Health care is another area of investment where Labor's values translate into delivery. Australians believe deeply that health care should be based on need, not wealth. But after years of neglect, bulk-billing was in decline. GP clinics were under pressure and people were putting off care because they simply couldn't afford it. The Albanese Labor government has stepped up and reversed that trend. By strengthening Medicare, expanding bulk-billing incentives and making essential medicines cheaper, we are restoring confidence in a system that defines who we are as a country.

The Albanese Labor government is making the single largest investment in Medicare since its creation over 40 years ago, with an $8.5 billion package that is delivering on our commitment to more bulk-billing and more doctors. The latest data shows that Australians can now access over 3,400 Medicare bulk-billing practices across the country. In my electorate of Whitlam, we now have 25 practices that are fully bulk-billing, up from nine, a huge increase since the government's incentive programs began.

In the three months to the end of January 2026, the bulk-billing rate for all Australians jumped to 81.4 per cent nationwide. This is the largest quarterly jump in bulk-billing in 20 years outside of the COVID pandemic. For Australians aged between 16 and 64, there has been a 6.9 percentage point increase in the bulk-billing rate, the largest quarterly increase on record. There has been an increase in the bulk-billing rate in every state and territory, and there are more fully bulk-billing practices in every state and territory, which is a fantastic outcome.

The Albanese Labor government's reforms mean over 95 per cent of Australians are now within a 20-minute drive of a registered Medicare bulk-billing practice. In October 2023, before the Albanese Labor government tripled the bulk-billing incentive for GPS who bulk-billed children under 16 and Commonwealth concession card holders, the bulk-billing rate was just 75 per cent. Our investment in bulk-billing is extremely important because it means people can see a doctor when they need to, not just when they can afford to.

The Albanese Labor government's rollout of Medicare Urgent Care Clinics across the country has also been extraordinarily successful. These clinics are open for extended hours, seven days a week, and you do not need to make an appointment. Importantly, Medicare Urgent Care Clinics are fully bulk-billed, which means there are no out-of-pocket expenses. This means an enormous amount for people across the country and this means an enormous amount for people in my electorate. There have been over 2.5 million presentations at Medicare Urgent Care Clinics since the first sites opened in June 2023.

In my electorate of Whitlam, a Medicare Urgent Care Clinic opened in Dapto in 2024 and another opened in Shellharbour just last month. A significant benefit that flows from opening an Urgent Care Clinic is that it takes pressure off our local hospitals. In my electorate, that includes Shellharbour and Wollongong hospitals, where around 55 per cent of presentations are non-urgent and semi-urgent. Data from the New South Wales bureau of health shows that semi-urgent presentations to New South Wales emergency departments have dropped by 5.1 per cent since Medicare Urgent Care Clinics began opening, while non-urgent presentations have dropped by 8.7 per cent.

I note that last Sunday was International Women's Day, and I'm proud that, just over a year ago, the Albanese Labor government announced its landmark $792.9 million women's health package, an investment that is delivering more choice, lower costs and better care for Australian women and girls. When health care works properly, it doesn't just save money; it saves lives. It reduces stress, it keeps people at work, it strengthens communities and families, and Labor understands that investing in health isn't a cost; it's one of the smartest investments we can make.

If you want to know what kind of country we're building, look at how we treat families and children. Labor knows that raising kids has become harder, not just because parents aren't working hard enough but because the system hasn't been working for them. That's why Labor has made child care more affordable and accessible, helping parents, especially women, return to work if they choose or increase their hours without being punished by impossible fees. For example, the Albanese Labor government has introduced the three-day guarantee, which means that every child is eligible for three days of subsidised early learning each week, no matter what their parents do. And First Nations families will be eligible for five days a week of subsidised early learning. About 100,000 families who previously were eligible for fewer than three days are expected to benefit from the three-day guarantee, and most of these families are low-income households. This reform is part of the Albanese government's broader plan to give every child access to quality early learning. It sits alongside a 15 per cent pay increase for early childhood educators and investment in new centres through the $1 billion Building Early Education Fund. This isn't just good social policy; it's good economic policy because when parents can work, businesses grow. When women's workforce participation rises, productivity improves. When kids get quality early education, outcomes improve across their whole lifespan. This is what smart government looks like: policies that support families and strengthen the economy at the same time.

Labor is also delivering for Australians by investing in skills and opportunity. For too long, Australia relied on short-term fixes rather than long-term planning. Skill shortages were ignored, training was underfunded, young people were told to take on a debt for education that didn't always lead to secure jobs. Labor is turning that around by expanding fee-free TAFE places, investing in apprenticeships and rebuilding respect for vocational education. Labor is opening doors, not just for young Australians but for workers of all ages who want to retrain, upskill or change careers.

This year marks the three-year milestone of free TAFE since its introduction Australia-wide by the Albanese Labor government. Free TAFE has seen 725,000 enrolments and more than 210,000 course completions around the country since the start of the program, putting hundreds of thousands of Australians on pathways to jobs in sectors including nursing, construction, aged care, the tech sector and early childhood education and care. This is about dignity, and it's about choice. It's also about making sure Australia has the workforce it needs for the future, not just today.

One of Labor's greatest achievements has been restoring trust in economic management. Over 1.2 million jobs have been created since we won government in 2022. At a time of global uncertainty, Labor has chosen responsibility over recklessness: paying down debt, improving budget outcomes, making tough decisions where necessary and always keeping an eye on the long-term health of the economy. This matters because strong public finances aren't an abstract concept. They are what allow governments to invest in health, education, infrastructure and social services when Australians need them most. Labor understands that compassion and competence are not opposites; they depend on one another.

Australians also expect their government to act on climate change, not with slogans but with solutions. Labor is delivering a responsible transition to cleaner, cheaper energy—creating jobs, attracting investment and lowering emissions without leaving workers or communities behind. The Albanese government has now approved 132 renewable energy projects: 54 solar farms, 28 onshore wind farms, 20 energy storage systems, 17 infrastructure and exploration projects and 13 transmission projects. These projects are estimated to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by over 70 million tonnes of CO2 each year, which is the equivalent of emissions from about 22.7 million passenger cars. Together, the projects will generate more than 43.5 gigawatts of renewable energy and storage around the country—enough to power every household in Australia.

Renewable energy is the cheapest and cleanest form of energy available and will help us meet our ambitious and achievable 2035 target and achieve net zero by 2050. This is about seizing opportunity, not fearing change. Renewable energy isn't good just for the planet; it's good for power bills, regional development and national resilience. Labor is ensuring Australia competes in the industries of the future rather than clinging to the past.

Finally, Labor is delivering something that can't be measured in dollars but matters just as much: integrity and decency in government. We will remain focused on what we have been elected to do, which is to not fight amongst ourselves but to focus on getting the job done. Australians deserve leaders who respect democratic institutions, tell the truth and take responsibility when things go wrong. Labor believes in accountability and respects the public service. We believe in building relationships with local governments, with states and territories and within our local communities and around the world. We have shown that governing can be calm, serious and focused on outcomes, and that matters, because trust, once lost, is hard to regain and democracy depends upon it.

Labor is delivering for Australians. We're delivering relief for families under pressure, fairer wages and stronger health care.

See this speech in context