Sam Lim (Tangney, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I am new to this role as a member of parliament. So many people come to my office every day about the issues that matter to them most. We have even more coming through via emails. I'm going to read out a few emails here. This email was received on 24 August at 12.06 pm:

Dear Mr Lim,

Congratulations on your appointment to office this previous May. I was very pleased.

Mr Lim, I am having an issue trying to obtain a passport for my daughter … and I don't know where else to turn.

We applied for a passport for my daughter … in April of this year.

…   …   …

We are travelling on September 6th, which is only 7 business days away.

…   …   …

We will be devastated if the passport does not arrive in time and we have to cancel. I think this would also be a massive failure in the system.

Please can you intervene for us and call DFAT on our behalf and urge them to process the application?

We replied straightaway. On the same day, at 1.46, she replied, 'Thank you so much for you fast, prompt reply. If there is anything within your power that you can do to help my daughter's passport issue in time for her travel, I'll be so grateful.' There was a bit more correspondence done from our office to her. On 26 August she wrote a letter to us, saying:

I went to the passport office today and they couldn't really help. Please don't bother trying to help my daughter - I don't think it is going to make any difference.

But we kept doing what we were doing, and on 29 August she sent us a very happy email:

My daughter's passport is ready for collection! Thank you so very much.

For the last three months, we have been dealing with an ocean of passport and visa inquiries. These have been the top two issues for my electorate office. I'm very proud my staff have helped to solve many cases, and many happy constituents have walked out of my office with a big smile on their face. A passport is something that every Australian should have access to without causing them so much stress and headache. I'm glad our government is taking action to rectify this issue. Special thanks go to Minister Giles for his hard work. I'm very satisfied to see myself, as a new member of this parliament, contributing to and providing support and reassurance to our community.