Emma Comer (Petrie, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Labor government is delivering real change for Australians—not abstract promises, not slogans but concrete action that is actually directly improving the lives of locals in my community. For too long, young Australians have felt that the system has been stacked against them. They study hard, they do everything that's asked of them, yet they finish their degrees and walk straight into a lifetime of debt. That is why the Albanese Labor government introduced a major change that will make a significant difference. We are reducing student debt by 20 per cent. This is one of the most meaningful investments in young Australians in a generation. It is practical cost-of-living relief. It is acknowledgement that education should open doors, not close them.

Very soon more than 22,000 locals in Petrie will be getting 20 per cent taken off of their student debt—no applications, no forms. You don't need to do anything. This is a one-off reduction that will be applied automatically by the Australian Taxation Office, and when the deduction is applied you'll get a text from the ATO letting you know. Labor promised to cut student debt, and now the Albanese Labor government is delivering. This is a game changer for more than three million Australians with a student debt.

Labor believes in education. We believe it builds opportunity, equality and prosperity. Our 20 per cent reduction means that thousands of Australians will finally see the light at the end of the tunnel. It means that teachers, nurses, tradies, social workers and community workers will all be able to move forward in their lives without the growing financial burdens holding them back.

At the same time, we are strengthening our commitment to protecting the Australian environment. Our country is home to some of the most unique ecosystems on the planet. But we have watched biodiversity decline, native species disappear, habitat destruction accelerate, and the ferocity of storms increase. This is why we are proud to be introducing new, stronger environmental legislation. It creates clearer national standards. It restores accountability to environmental decision-making. And it gives Australians confidence that development, economic growth and environmental protection can be balanced responsibly.

This legislation is not about stopping progress. It is about ensuring that progress is sustainable. It is about future generations inheriting the bush, the rivers, the reefs and the wildlife that define our national identity. It is about protecting the places that make Australia home. I want to thank all the environmental groups and community activists, such as ESRAC, the Queensland Conservation Council, Greenpeace and the Redcliffe Environmental Forum, for their ongoing contributions and support of these reforms, as well as the residents who raise their voices on these matters. I want to acknowledge the work of Minister Watt, Minister Plibersek and Special Envoy Kate Thwaites on these important, long-overdue reforms.

Another critical issue facing our country is the impact of social media on young people. Every parent I speak with tells me the same thing: children are being exposed to content that they should never see. They are being targeted by algorithms no parent can monitor. They are facing bullying, exploitation and social pressures that previous generations never had to endure. The evidence is clear; social media is harming kids. So we are taking action. The government's upcoming social media ban for under-16-year-olds is going to let kids be kids. It ensures that children can grow up safely without being pulled into the online world that is not designed for their wellbeing. This reform supports parents, it empowers families and it strengthens the guardrails for our youngest Australians. We cannot reduce harm by wishing it away. We reduce harm by acting responsibly and decisively.

While we focus on the next generation, we are also delivering for every single person who relies on our healthcare system. I'll just let you know that's every single Australian. When Labor came into government, bulk-billing was collapsing. Families were waiting weeks to see a GP only to be hit with fees they could not afford. That is why we tripled the bulk-billing incentive. It is why we have delivered the largest strengthening of Medicare since it was created. The results are speaking for themselves. Bulk-billing rates are rising once again. More families are seeing a GP without reaching into their pockets. This is what Medicare is meant to be—universal, accessible, affordable. It is the foundation of Australian life, and we are proud to be the party that built it, protected it and is now rebuilding it stronger than it ever was.

To every student struggling with debt, to every parent trying to keep their children safe online, and to every Australian who wants their environment protected and our Medicare system strengthened: we see you, we hear you and we are delivering for you.