Steve Georganas (Adelaide, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

by leave—One last issue I want to speak about in the debate on the appropriations bill, which I didn't get the chance to do the other day, was housing, which is very important, especially in my electorate. Housing has been an issue for a long time across Australia and homelessness remains a serious challenge. This Albanese Labor government is working to turn this around. Since coming into government, more than 220,000 Australians have bought their first home, rent assistance has increased for over a million households, more than 25,000 social and affordable homes are in planning or construction, including in my seat of Adelaide, and the government has committed to $45 billion to build more homes to support renters and help more Australians into homeownership.

It was only recently that, on behalf of Clare O'Neill, I attended a sod-turning ceremony for a Uniting on Hawker project in my electorate with the premier, Mr Malinauskas. This is a great housing project to be built in collaboration with the state government and the federal government. The project is not just about building apartments; it's about rebuilding lives. For the people who will be going into these houses, it's about restoring their stability, about giving them hope for the future and about creating a place where people can feel safe, valued and supported.

Uniting on Hawker will replace some outdated buildings with 30 modern, thoughtfully designed apartments combining both social and affordable housing. These homes will be built across two levels with shared communal spaces designed to encourage friendship, connection and create a real community. Our focus at the campaign of the last federal election was on housing, certainly for women, who are the biggest cohort of homeless at the moment, the fastest-growing rate, especially women over 55. This housing project will ensure that it houses people that are in vulnerable situations. Every aspect of this development has been shaped with care and safety in mind. Universal design principles will make sure that every home is accessible, comfortable and suited to women with different physical needs.

Another project I attended in my electorate was the Law and Alfred West Cottage's home. I was honoured to be there—again, representing the honourable Claire O'Neill, the minister for housing—that day to celebrate the project which will deliver secure, modern and dignified homes for women over the age of 55. Right there in my electorate, you can actually see the promises of the federal Albanese Labor government come to fruition and it's something that fills me with immense pride. These homes are more than just bricks and mortar; they are about housing human beings. We see these people, we value them and we will not leave older women behind. Through the federal government's Housing Australia Future Fund or the HAFF funding, there's investment in redevelopment projects all around my electorate to provide safe and contemporary homes for older women, who are the biggest group of people to find themselves in vulnerable positions, and who are, tragically, as I said, the fastest-growing group at risk of homelessness. This is not a statistic that we just sit with comfortably nor is it one we can ignore; t's a call to action. These events to launch these projects are part of our answer. That particular project is a $13.3 million project to deliver 29 new homes in my electorate, and it stands as a powerful reminder that housing availability, social infrastructure and dignity in ageing are priorities shared across the federal government and with our state colleagues, of course, because they were assisting as well.

Previously there were some ageing cottages there. They were falling apart on the very site where they had served their community well. But their time has passed and what rises in their place is not simply new housing; it is a renewal. The Laura and Alfred West Cottage Homes represent opportunity, stability, safety and ultimately a place to call home, a home where older women can rebuild, reclaim their independence and re-imagine their futures.

To Believe Housing Australia, trustee of the Laura and Alfred West Cottage Homes, I extend my thanks for their great work that they do in our community, housing vulnerable people. And not only have they delivered this incredible redevelopment in conjunction with the state and federal governments, but their commitment has restored hope, strengthened our community and ensured that more South Australian women can live with the security and respect that they deserve. So I thank them for helping us build a future where every woman, regardless of age and circumstances, has a safe place to call home.

Madonna Jarrett (Brisbane, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise in support of the appropriations bills for 2025-26. Just under a year ago, the Albanese government took to the voters of Australia an ambitious plan to ease cost-of-living pressures and to rebuild the economy. That plan was built around three main pillars: that the economy worked for people, not the other way around, that no-one was held back and no-one left behind and that workers would earn more and keep more of what they earn. We hear these words daily in this House. This plan was backed up by an ambitious agenda around a fairer industrial landscape, housing, health care, renewable energy, climate, education and the environment, all designed to simultaneously address the biggest challenge confronting our communities: cost of living. So these bills put money behind this plan, enabling the Albanese Labor government to deliver for Brisbane and every other electorate across this country.

Let's start with cost-of-living relief. Under Labor, 14 million Australian taxpayers will get a new tax cut this year and next. Last year, Australians received $150 in energy bill relief, and in Queensland the former state Labor government delivered consecutive energy bill rebates, which meant many residents in Brisbane didn't pay an energy bill, some for over a year, until recently. Labor has cut 20 per cent off student debt. This is going to help Patrick, Angus, Jack, Nathan, Emily and Josie in my electorate, who, amongst others, will see their student debt cut, some up to $10,000. This will help almost 34,000 students and graduates with student debt living in Brisbane. Young people voted for this, and we are delivering this much-needed cost-of-living relief. Labor is making free TAFE permanent and is providing paid prac for nurses, midwives, social workers and teachers. This not only helps with cost of living but provides an incentive for workers to join these professions.

We will continue to deliver affordable child care closer to home. There'll be more childcare centres and three days of early childhood education guaranteed, which started this year. This will save many families on average almost $1,500 a year. This sort of change and this sort of package makes it easier for mums, dads and carers when they're having those dinner table conversations and wondering whether or not both parents should be working or not. It makes it easier for them to decide yes. History shows that when the answer is, 'We can't afford it,' it's usually the woman who stays at home, and we know the negative impact this has long term. It makes women poorer in retirement, not to mention their lost contribution to our communities and our economy.

As Minister Rishworth has said, Labor backed wage increases for low-paid workers in each of the last three annual wage reviews. This has helped workers in aged care, health care and early childhood education. They got bigger paycheques, and these went to especially women, who make up the majority of workers in the care sector. Late last year, I had the privilege of meeting some early childhood education workers in my electorate with Minister Walsh. Not only did we see the wonderful care our educators deliver, but we got to hear firsthand how getting more money in the pocket makes a difference to many families. For those workers, it helps them get their food on the table and pay their bills, but, very importantly, something that's not often talked about is the fact that carers felt more valued and appreciated. We can't underestimate the impact this can have on the confidence, performance and commitment to workplaces and the children that go to these centres.

For too long, the work of these people has been undervalued, and women have been financially disadvantaged, including into retirement, with less super than their male counterparts. Just to give you a sense of the scale of the increases, for aged-care nurses alone, Labor is delivering $2.6 billion to increase their award wages from 1 March 2025. $3.6 billion will support a historic wage increase for early childhood educators and care workers. The wage increases, combined with tax cuts, mean workers across Brisbane, especially the lower paid, especially women and especially young people, will earn more and keep more of what they earn.

As has been said in this chamber before, Labor created Medicare, and Labor will always protect it. Access to affordable, quality health care is something I wanted to see improve and campaigned hard on. Coming from a family of eight siblings, my family relied on Medicare when I was growing up. During the campaign, too many people in my community found it too difficult to see a doctor when they needed it. That's why I'm proud to be part of a Labor government that is strengthening Medicare by delivering $7.9 billion for more bulk-billing so Australians can see a GP for free. We have made medicines even cheaper, and all you'll pay for PBS script, as many people in this House have heard before, is $25 or $7.70 if you're on a concession.

We're expanding our growing network of Medicare Urgent Care Clinics, making it easier for Australians to get the urgent medical care they need. The Albanese government has already opened 87 of these centres across Australia, with 50 more in the works. This includes one in the inner north of Brisbane, which I really campaigned hard for. I can say that, just a few weeks ago, I had the pleasure of opening the new Medicare Urgent Care Clinic in Kelvin Grove. It's in the heart of the Brisbane electorate. I really would like to thank the team at the clinic and the Brisbane North PHN, who worked hard to make it a reality.

Nine-out-of-10 GP visits are expected to be bulk-billed by 2030, with a goal of around 4,800 fully bulk-billing practices across the country by 2030. We're already seeing more of this in Brisbane, and we need to see more. The Albanese Labor government is also increasing support for our quality public hospital system with an additional $1.8 billion in funding. On top of this, we're supporting hundreds more government funded GP training places, with 2,000 places per year by 2028 and 400 more postgraduate scholarships for nurses and midwives to extend their skills.

For too long, women's health has been overlooked, underfunded and misunderstood. Now, under this Labor government, women's health has been put front and centre. We've invested $800 million to deliver more choice, lower cost and better health care for women. We've heard some of these examples before, but they are absolutely worth repeating. The first new oral contraceptive pills were listed on the PBS in over 30 years, Yaz and Yasmin. We had the first PBS listing for new menopausal hormonal therapies in over 20 years. Women with specific low levels of reproductive hormones will have earlier access to the combination therapies through PBS, and there will be more endometriosis and pelvic pain clinics treating more conditions, including menopause.

Let's move on to housing. Housing is a human right and an important foundation in anyone's life. As a child with foster siblings, I saw firsthand how a safe home can be life changing. The challenges we have in housing are complex, and they are the result of decades of inadequate attention under the former LNP government. This Labor government has made the single biggest investment in housing since World War II. Our $43 billion plan sees investment across homelessness, social housing, homeownership, support for low- and middle-income earners and additional rent assistance. Labor is working to deliver over 55,000 social and affordable homes and support for more than 100,000 homebuyers to own their own home.

In Brisbane alone, we see we are seeing progress, and we'd like to see more. There are approximately 2,100 Brisbane residents using the five per cent deposit scheme. There are over 9,000 recipients of the Commonwealth Rent Assistance program, 80 social and affordable homes in Lutwyche and Windsor under the Housing Australia financing programs, 12 dwellings for women experiencing family and domestic violence—we need a big uplift there—and almost 2,900 dwellings as part of the build-to-rent program. More than 485 construction trade apprentices have benefited from our $5,000 incentive payments, but we do need to do more.

Across the country, Labor is delivering more homes. This includes unlocking more homes through the $4.5 billion for states, territories and local governments to address local infrastructure backlogs and meet housing targets; providing $120 million from the National Productivity Fund for states and territories to remove barriers to modular and prefabricated construction; $50 million to scale up Australia's capacity in modern construction methods to build more homes more quickly; and up to $10,000 for eligible apprentices in housing-construction occupations. We've also banned foreign buyers from purchasing existing dwellings for two years from 1 April 2025. In addition, the government is delivering a 45 per cent increase in the maximum rates of Commonwealth rent assistance, along with stronger renters' rights through a better deal for renters.

Moving on to education, having access to affordable education is an important foundation in anyone's life. It provides an opportunity to live the life we want. Education has the power to change lives. My mum's childhood meant she missed out on a full education and unfortunately didn't reach her dream of becoming a teacher. No-one deserves this. That's why I'm proud to be part of a government who is delivering a better and fairer education system for all. This includes $3.6 billion to fund wage increases for those in early childhood education; almost $450 million for the three-day guarantee; $1 billion to establish the early childhood education fund, to increase supply of early childhood educators; putting public schools on the path to full funding; making free TAFE permanent; cutting student debt by 20 per cent for three million Australians and making their loan repayments fairer; and an additional $2.5 billion to reform our universities, including to support more students from underrepresented backgrounds.

While there is a big program to improve living standards and the lives of people across Australia, we recognise there also has to be responsible financial management. These bills, through important amendments, can help pay for more government services by making $800 million in savings in the first year. In doing so, this Labor government is delivering on its commitment to rebuild and strengthen our Public Service. Agencies are already achieving savings through reduced spending on contractors, consultants and labour hire and in other areas. Already the Labor government, in its first term, has found $5.3 billion in savings while not affecting the quality of services or reducing the number of staff employed.

Labor will continue to do the work we need to do to rebuild the Public Service after inheriting one that was hollowed out after a decade of the LNP outsourcing, uninvesting in and undervaluing the work that public servants do and the services they deliver. Let's not forget it was those opposite whose plan at the last election was to cut 41,000 Public Service jobs and the services Australians rely on. I have to put on record that I value the work of the tens of thousands of public-sector workers who live in my electorate in Brisbane. We thank you for your service to the people of Brisbane.

These bills will deliver on the government's economic plan, which is focused on rolling out responsible cost-of-living relief and building a stronger economy. On this side of the House, we stand for lower taxes, we stand for workers earning more and keeping more of what they earn, and we believe that no-one should be held back and no-one should be left behind. I commend the bills to the House.

Susan Templeman (Macquarie, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The appropriation bills provide a great opportunity to step back and take a look at how this government, the Albanese government, is delivering on the commitments we've made across vital portfolios—health, education, social services, climate change and energy—and the cost-of-living assistance that we have been able to deliver.

In my own electorate of Macquarie, I want to start with our Hawkesbury urgent care clinic, which is up and running in Kable Street, Windsor. This is something our community wanted; thousands of people signed my petition to get a Hawkesbury urgent care clinic. The data backed up the need for it, too, to ease the pressure on the busy Hawkesbury District Hospital, where around 42 per cent of presentations in 2024-25 were for semi-urgent or non-urgent conditions.

Now, we know how useful the urgent care clinic is turning out to be. I've had the privilege of visiting it and I look forward to the official opening of it next week. But it's already up and running, and people like Jenny are writing to me about it. These are her words from an email:

I had told my family the details of the Urgent Care Clinic and they saw Facebook posts. Yesterday. My great granddaughter suffered an accidental face plant resulting in a cut lip. The parents took her to Hawkesbury Hospital, were seen straightaway by a triage nurse but the wait time was not pretty for a distressed one year old. So they took her to the Urgent Care Clinic in Windsor, were seen immediately, were reassured and back home before normal bedtime with a happy little girl. What a great outcome for all.

I agree with Jenny. This is a great outcome and this is exactly the kind of urgent-but-not-life-threatening situation that urgent care clinics are there for. I'm so glad our Hawkesbury community has the service now, with other urgent care clinics also located in Penrith to service the Lower Blue Mountains part of my electorate and in Rouse Hill for other parts of the Hawkesbury.

The other really important health change that we have made and funded is the new endometriosis and pelvic pain clinic for the Nepean Blue Mountains Primary Health Network. I want to talk about this clinic and the difference it makes in women's lives. It's particularly pertinent to be talking about it, because we are in Endometriosis Awareness Month. The Winmalee Medical Centre opened our endometriosis and pelvic pain clinic in recent weeks, and again I am looking forward to the official opening of that coming up. I held an endo high tea for Endometriosis Awareness Month at the weekend, and we heard from Practice Manager Leanne, GP Doctor Lakshmi and Nurse Navigator Kaylene about how the intake process would work and the referral pathways that they're developing up and down the mountains, across towards Penrith and including into the Hawkesbury for the whole range of endometriosis and pelvic pain treatments that may be required to meet women's needs and support them through what is a very difficult condition.

As my constituent Rachel wrote to me:

I wanted to reach out and let you know how encouraged I am by your continued efforts in this area. It took 20 years for me to get the Endo diagnosis that shocked my doctors, and did not at all surprise anyone else. I'm so glad to see the progress in this space and to see women being diagnosed younger and younger.

In fact, one of the questions that came up at our endo high tea was, 'How old do you have to be to seek help?' The answer is that there's no age limit—no bottom limit, no top limit. These endometriosis pelvic pain clinics also offer menopause support. This is one place where women who have experienced challenges over many years or who are just experiencing challenges now can go and get expert help. I really commend the attitude that Winmalee Medical Centre is taking. It recognises that it's on a big learning curve and it is also going to have a role at uplifting the skills and understanding of GPs right across the primary health network.

Both the urgent care clinic and the endometriosis and pelvic pain clinic are exactly the kind of practical outcome that makes a real difference to residents across Macquarie, but another measure that's making a very big difference is the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme and prescription medicines being set at a maximum of $25 a script. We've also frozen the cost at $7.70 for concession card holders, and, of course, that lasts till the end of the decade. For stable health conditions, the 60-day prescriptions are a convenient and cost-effective pathway for patients. We've also added new PBS listings for a wide range of medications and conditions—contraceptives, menopausal hormone therapies, prostate cancer treatments, Parkinson's disease treatments and things for neuroblastoma, endometrial cancer, cystic fibrosis and melanoma, just to name a few. These are things that make a tangible difference to people's lives and make a huge difference to their cost of looking after themselves.

Continuing on the health deliverables we've had, we've got 1800MEDICARE. That means you can ring a free 24/7 helpline where you speak to a registered nurse about any health condition. I've used this service. I needed some advice before I jumped on a plane to Perth, and the nurse was able to talk to me about my symptoms, guide me through the right steps—the most sensible things I could do. So whether it's looking after yourself at home, getting help from a health service in your area or just getting advice before you hit the road, 1800 MEDICARE is there. You can also access key health information, electronic prescriptions and more through the 1800MEDICARE app, all on your phone. These are things that the Albanese government believes in, because we know that your health is the first step to being able to really fulfil the potential of your life. It is an absolutely fundamental need.

One of the things that drove me to politics was a desire to see improvements in the way mental health issues are treated. I am very pleased that we have been able to establish much greater access to mental health services, and I want to take a moment to talk about some of those. I want to start with the Medicare mental health centre that is already operating in Richmond, and the one in Penrith, which provides walk-in support without a referral or mental health treatment plan being needed. This appropriation bill covers our expansion of this service. We're expanding these walk-in Medicare mental health centres, and I want to point out that many of them are open six or seven days a week; they're not confined to Monday to Friday, nine to five, because anyone who knows anything about mental health challenges knows that they rarely happen Monday to Friday, nine to five. The times where support and action is needed are often outside those times.

So we're expanding into digital support, with the Medicare Mental Health Check In. Now, when people first start thinking about getting support for mental wellbeing, it's really easy just to have a picture of long appointments, big emotional conversations or really complex therapy. For some people, that's exactly what's needed. But for others, especially when they're just starting to see symptoms, a more practical kind of and immediate sort of help can make a difference. That's where the Medicare Mental Health Check In starts. It offers a starting point for better wellbeing, giving people some straightforward everyday skills to help them feel steadier, more supported and more in control. And it is up and running now. You don't need a diagnosis or a referral. You don't even need to know exactly how you're feeling. You just need to be finding things tougher than usual.

This is a free national service that offers early support for people who are beginning to experience mental health concerns or symptoms. It's designed to be really easy to access, so there is no need for a referral, for a diagnosis or even to explain what's wrong. You can dig into trusted information—everyday tools. You can see real stories from people with different backgrounds and experiences. What's really significant is that, from the end of March, the service offers programs that will take around six weeks that you can work through over that time with a trained mental health practitioner who will focus on ways to cope with common challenges.

So we've got the first level of that. This next level comes in at the end of March. Then, from late May, self-guided programs will also be available, allowing people to participate in structured modules on their own with support available if they want it. The service focuses on helping people cope with stress, anxiety, worry, panic or low mood, and it's based on a very safe and evidence based approach called cognitive behavioural therapy, or CBT. That's something that many psychologists use in their counselling sessions. It's recognised for its effectiveness in helping manage symptoms and regain a sense of control. This is a really key next step in our objective to enable people to receive free mental health support when they need it and where they need it. For young people needing mental health support, we have headspace centres. In my electorate they're in Hawkesbury, Penrith—just outside the electorate but still handy—and Katoomba, supporting young people and family to be mentally healthy and engaged in their communities.

While I'm speaking of young people, one of the big changes that has come in and alleviated a lot of stress for a lot of people, particularly young people, is a cut to student debt. More than 3.2 million Australians have now had their student debt cut by 20 per cent. Whether you call it HECS or FEE-HELP, in total, the Albanese government has cut more than $16 billion in student debt. The ATO has sent more than 2.8 million messages notifying people of their cut. The average student debt was $27,600, and we took $5,500 off that. This will help students as they plan for their future. It'll help former students as they're establishing their post-student lives. Less debt gives them a firmer foundation on which to build those lives.

From student debt cut being cut to prac placement payments and programs like free TAFE and the Key Apprenticeship Program, we are backing Australians to get the skills they need for the jobs that we need. Apprenticeships in the clean energy sector, for instance, are on the rise, with more than 17,000 apprentices choosing careers in new energy industries such as solar, automotive and smart technology. We have signed up thousands of construction thanks to our Key Apprenticeship Program. In the first six months of the program, launched in July last year, 11,400 apprentices have commenced in the housing construction trades under the program. In New South Wales it's 2,273 apprentices in that first six months.

The program helps apprentices start and finish training in that critical skills area that we need so we can keep building more homes. Apprentices participating in the program receive $10,000 over the course of their apprenticeship to assist with costs such as tools, equipment and fuel. If people are wondering whether they have a family member who might be interested in it, go searching for it. It's called the Key Apprenticeship Program. The top three housing construction occupations for commencements under the program are carpenters and joiners, plumbers and electrical trades workers, alongside other occupations like glaziers, plasterers, bricklayers and concreters. These are fantastic ways to incentivise young people and get them training up in the areas that we know we need them most.

I want to finish by touching on the clean energy part of our Labor government commitment. Clean energy businesses are busier than ever, with over 2,000 homes and small businesses across Macquarie benefiting from our Cheaper Home Batteries Program. Around the country, it's well over a quarter of a million cheaper home batteries. This program not only helps people reduce their power costs and store their energy; it also means less pressure on the grid at peak times, lower reliance on expensive generation and downward pressure on prices for everybody. Along with the community batteries that are up and running in Blaxland, Blaxland East and Hobartville, these are really helping shift our system and helping people tackle the cost of living.

Carol Berry (Whitlam, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to 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.

Matt Keogh (Burt, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Veterans’ Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

In communities right across Perth's south-eastern suburbs, families are working hard every day to give their kids the best possible start in life. The Albanese government's No. 1 priority is delivering cost-of-living relief to communities like ours. We're working to set Australia up for the long-term. We're strengthening Medicare, investing in education and helping people get into their own homes. Our government is focused on the here and now for every Australian while setting us up for a better future. We are focused on what's good for the wellbeing of families, our local economy and our nation. We're building a better Burt, changing the story of our community for the better. And that starts at the beginning. Many parents tell me the same thing. They want to work. They want their kids to benefit from early learning. But child care needs to be affordable, accessible and available close to home.

That's why the Australian Labor Party is delivering real reforms to strengthen early childhood education and care. First, we've introduced the three-day guarantee, ensuring that every child can access funding for at least three days of subsidised early childhood education and care each week. In growing communities like Byford, across the city of Armadale and the city of Gosnells, where so many young families are moving in, this is making a massive difference.

I don't want to see any more parents needing to contend with mountains of paperwork or being in the situation where they're weighing up whether they can afford to go back to work or study after having kids. Our increases in the childcare subsidy, pay improvements for childcare workers and three-day guarantee are all about making, accessing and affording child care easier for families. This means more children being able to access early learning, for all the educational and social outcomes that brings. And I want to see parents getting back into the workforce, because it's good for our local economy, too. It's great for career progression and for their family incomes as well.

This guarantee means more certainty for families and a better start for children across our community. We're enabling that with long-overdue pay rises for early childhood educators. Anyone who has spent time in a childcare centre knows how dedicated these workers are. They help our children to learn, to build confidence, to develop the skills they need before they even step into primary school. But, for too long, these educators have been underpaid for the critical work they do. I'm proud to be part of a government that has turned that around. We're recognising the value of early childhood educators, helping keep them in the workforce for longer and attracting new workers into this vital profession.

Early childhood education isn't just child care; it is nation building. It supports parents who want to work, it strengthens our local economy and, most importantly, it gives every child the best possible start in life. That's exactly what families in Burt deserve, because when we invest in our children we invest in the future of our community. Education is one of the most powerful investments a country can make in its future. Every child deserves the chance to succeed, no matter where they live, what their background is or what school they go to. That's why fully funding our public schools matters so much, especially in communities in Perth's south-eastern suburbs. Across our electorate, thousands of students attend local public schools. They're learning. They're growing and building the skills that will shape the future of our community.

But, for too long, public schools across Australia have not been funded to the level that they should have been. That means teachers have been working harder with fewer resources. It means schools have been trying to stretch budgets to support students who might need some extra help. And it means families have been worrying about whether their kids are getting the support they deserve. And that's not just support in the classroom. Many of the schools in my communities also offer and run breakfast clubs to make sure kids can rely on a good meal every morning.

Fully funding public schools is about changing that. It means making sure every school has the resources it needs to support our students to thrive. It means smaller classes, more support staff and the programs that help children who might otherwise fall behind. In communities like Burt, where our community is incredibly diverse and where many families rely on a strong public education system, this investment is making a real difference. It means extra support for students who are learning English. It means help for kids who have additional learning needs. It means making sure teachers can focus on what they do best: teaching and inspiring our young people.

Schools are right at the heart of our community. They're where friendships are formed and talents are discovered. Over the almost 10 years that I've been proud to represent the community of Burt in our nation's parliament, I've visited schools across our community. I've visited classrooms all across Perth's south-east and met with teachers, principals, parents and of course students. What I see time and time again is dedication—teachers who go above and beyond every single day for their students and, in fact, for the whole school community, doing what they do best in the classroom, of course, but with so many other things as well, like robotics competitions, sports programs, music, programs for parents and the bravery to try something new.

But dedication alone shouldn't have to fill the funding gap. That's why fully funding our public schools is so important. It ensures that the commitment of our teachers is matched by the resources that they need to do their jobs. I'm proud to be part of a federal Labor government that's working hand in hand with the WA Labor government to fund public schools with $1.6 billion of additional funding over 10 years. That means that every child in Burt going to a public school who walked through the gates for the first day of school this year was in a fully funded school. WA led the way, signing on to the better and fairer schools funding agreement, and now every state and territory has followed.

When we invest in public education, we're investing in the future of our entire community, our entire nation. We're investing in the next generation of apprentices, nurses, teachers, engineers, small business owners and community leaders who will shape the future. We are encouraging more people to get into construction apprenticeships as well, with a $10,000 incentive payment, and we've of course been providing free TAFE. We're backing that in with the new Armadale University Study Hub so that distance is no longer a barrier to our community getting a uni education, should they want one. We're making sure that every child and every young person, no matter their circumstances, has the opportunity to reach their full potential.

But, in making sure we're setting up a person to reach that potential, we need to make sure that they also have a stable roof over their heads. One of the biggest challenges facing Australians right now is housing. For too many people, finding a safe, secure and affordable place to live has become harder than it should be. That's something that we are determined to change. Housing is a life-defining challenge for too many Australians. Housing isn't just about buildings. It's about stability, it's about dignity, and it's about making sure people have the foundation they need to build a good life. That's why our government created the Housing Australia Future Fund, the single biggest investment in social and affordable housing in more than a decade.

Importantly, those investments are happening in our community. In Kelmscott and in Byford, the Housing Australia Future Fund will deliver new social and affordable homes for people who need them most, including women and children escaping family and domestic violence, older women at risk of homelessness and low-income families doing it tough. These homes will provide not just a roof over someone's head but the security and stability that comes with knowing you have somewhere safe to call home. For our community in Burt, this matters enormously. We know that housing pressures have been felt across Perth's south-east. Families are feeling the squeeze. Rents have risen sharply, and community organisations are seeing more and more people needing help. That's why we've taken action, not just with one program but with a comprehensive housing agenda designed to boost supply and help people get into homes sooner.

Through the Housing Australia Future Fund, we're delivering 30,000 new social and affordable homes across the country. We're also delivering thousands of additional homes through the Social Housing Accelerator and other programs, working with states, territories and community housing providers. But we know building homes takes time, so we're also acting to support renters and first home buyers. We've increased Commonwealth rental assistance by around 50 per cent for people who need help the most, and we've expanded the Help to Buy scheme to help more Australians purchase their first home. And, of course, we have our five per cent deposit scheme as well. We're working with states and territories to unlock land and accelerate construction so that more homes can be built where people want to live. The solution to Australia's housing challenge is clear. It is about supply. We need to build more homes. We need to make sure that the homes we build include social and affordable housing so that everyone has a place in our communities.

The investments we're seeing across the south-eastern suburbs of Perth are a really important part of that. They're about making sure people in our community are not left behind. They're about strengthening our local community. They're about ensuring that people who need support the most have a safe place to live.

Housing security should never be out of reach, nor should a good education. We're investing in early childhood, school, TAFE and university education, as well as housing in our community, because it's only by setting up that strong foundation that we'll change the story of our community—a strong foundation to build a better Burt.

David Smith (Bean, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise today to discuss the appropriation bills. We've heard from the health minister recently that the work the government is undertaking on bulk-billing is ensuring our bulk-billing rates are climbing and are back on the right track after years of lost investment under the previous government. In just three months, we have seen the bulk-billing rate for all Australians jumped to 81.4 per cent nationwide. That is the largest quarterly bulk-billing jump in 20 years, outside of the COVID pandemic. To put this into more practical terms, this increase in bulk-billing and bulk-billing practices means that approximately 96 per cent of Australians are now within a 20-minute drive of a registered Medicare bulk-billing practice.

But the ACT does face its own unique challenges when it comes to bulk-billing. While the relatively small uptick in bulk-billing in the ACT is welcome, there is more work to do. It's also one of the reasons I welcomed one of Australia's newest Medicare urgent care clinics in my electorate of Bean in the Woden Valley. This clinic opened in December of last year and strengthens the already existing network of clinics across the territory. It is the first in the ACT to be GP led. It's close proximity to Canberra Hospital means that it will work to take pressure off the emergency department at Canberra Hospital. I look forward to the tender being finalised for the three bulk-billing clinics that we committed to during the 2025 election. These clinics will be critical to providing greater access to affordable and accessible health care in Canberra.

This will soon be joined by more mental health support for Canberra parents. New and expectant Canberra parents will get free, personalised mental health support, with a new perinatal mental health centre to be established in Tuggeranong in Bean. The Albanese government funded centre will offer Canberran families support during the vital perinatal period, from pregnancy through to the baby's first birthday. This is a time when up to one in five women and one in 10 men experience anxiety and/or depression. The centre will help meet local demand for mental health care and provide psychological services with no out-of-pocket costs. This is in addition to the supports already provided by the Tuggeranong Medicare Mental Health Centre, an important avenue for those in my community to access mental health information, services and supports from qualified professionals over extended hours. Anyone can reach out for support for themselves, a loved one or a patient. It is free and no appointment or referral is needed.

But investments in health care do not stop just there. The Albanese government has made record investments in our healthcare system, reaching new agreements with the states and territories to deliver record funding into the hospital system. Here in the ACT, it will mean an additional $557 million boost to hospital funding, alongside additional funding of $75 million to assist with the challenges of being a smaller jurisdiction. This is part of a package that is worth over $4 billion in the ACT. The Albanese government has also established 1800MEDICARE, because life isn't nine to five, and neither should be access to health advice. This new phone line offers free advice and out-of-hours telehealth, backed by Medicare.

You should be able to get the medicine you need without worrying about the cost. That's why Labor is making prescription medication cheaper by slashing the cost of medicines listed on the PBS. From January, that has meant it's no more than $25 per script and just $7.70 for concession card holders. You will have heard many members on this side of the chamber, as well as key stakeholders, discuss the importance of this policy. This is from a Pharmacy Guild media release:

Every week, more than 400,000 prescriptions will now cost no more than $25—putting up to $6.60 back in patients' pockets for every prescription. It makes medicine the most affordable it's ever been.

It also stated:

The cost of medicine for those without a concession card is reducing to $25. That's the lowest amount since 2004 and only the second time in history that the price of medicine in Australia has been reduced.

These are direct quotes not from the government but from the Pharmacy Guild of Australia and their national president, Trent Twomey.

I was able to recognise these changes with the award-winning Wanni White Coats, the team down at Capital Chemist Wanniassa, led by Elise and Honor. I've risen in this chamber previously to acknowledge their incredible work. Joining them last December, I was able to directly hear from them how these record changes to the PBS will really help our community. Like many community pharmacies, they had noticed the cost pressures on constituents and had advocated for change.

I'm fortunate enough to be able to say that this pharmacy isn't the only award-winning pharmacy in Bean, with the team at Capital Chemist Mawson receiving Guild Pharmacy of the Year in 2024 and the team at Coleman Court being recognised for the same award in 2025. Knowing that I am, as part of the Albanese Labor government, able to support the work of these wonderful teams is one of the many privileges of my position.

Deputy Speaker Chesters, if you would allow me, I would like to take this chance to recognise my local schools across Bean and let them know that the Albanese Labor government has their backs. We have great schools across Bean, underpinned by dedicated and caring principals, educators and staff and supported by volunteers and P&Cs. Whilst it's a little overdue, I wish to welcome back all the local schools in Bean for the 2026 school year.

To my local schools, a new school year brings fresh opportunities along with new challenges, and your ongoing commitment to creating a safe, inclusive and engaging environment for students is truly valued. It's a busy time of year for parents, particularly in term 1, as they worry about setting up their children for the new year with stationery, uniforms and restarting the school lunches and routine. But the good news is that the Albanese Labor government is giving parents one less thing to worry about by making sure all schools will be fully funded no matter where you live.

This increase in funding represents an extra $16.5 billion over the next decade and an extra $49 billion in the decade after that, meaning millions of extra dollars being invested in schools, teachers, educators and students right across Bean. This is the biggest new investment in public schools by any Australian government, and it will ensure that students get the best start to schooling not just across local schools in Bean but right across the country. Just over in Whitlam—not only a great prime minister but one of our newest suburbs in Bean—last month, the Albanese and ACT governments announced that they have reached a historic agreement, delivering $10 million through the $1 billion Building Early Education Fund to deliver more not-for-profit early learning at the Whitlam School in Canberra. This Albanese Labor government funding will go towards building a new early childhood education and care service at the new Whitlam School, delivering 130 new early childhood education and care places for families in 2028. This is a crucial investment being provided in the fastest-growing area of our community, and I wish to thank the federal health minister and the ACT deputy chief minister, Yvette Berry MLA, for this investment. It again highlights the importance of having two strong, united Labor governments working together for our community.

Over the last month, the ACT federal Labor team have been out welcoming back students to campuses and talking to them about how the Albanese Labor government is supporting all aspects of the tertiary education system. Labor promised to cut student debt, and now the Albanese Labor government is delivering. Australians with student debt, including HECS-HELP, VET and TAFE loans will have seen a 20 per cent reduction—no application, no forms, just real cost-of-living relief. We have made free TAFE permanent, opening the door to secure work for more young people right across my community. At the same time we've increased the HECS and HELP loan repayment threshold, so students get to keep more of what they earn before repayments kick in. We are paying students on prac for key degrees such as nursing, midwifery and social work so that they're able to complete their training without those extra economic stresses. I enjoyed being at the Australian National University recently to directly speak with students about how these changes will help ensure they have access to quality education and the opportunities that that provides, without having to stress about the expenses that can too often be incurred receiving that education.

I also want to talk a little more about what the Albanese government is doing to assist those taking up a trade because, as we all know, the only way we can build Australia's future is by investing in those who will be the ones building that future. We are boosting support for apprentices, delivering a $10,000 bonus to housing, construction and clean energy apprentices so more tradies can finish their training under the Key Apprenticeship Program. I was able to hear firsthand last month how this funding is making a real difference on the ground.

I was able to meet with Liam and Max, apprentices working in my electorate of Bean, last month at a at a building site in Torrens and hear about how this program and other government incentives have enabled them to get on with their training. When asked what he was going to be able to use the KAP for, Liam said that he would be using it to buy new tools so that he could be more useful on site, learn new skills and service his car. He said it would help cover rent and the cost of living while he trains to develop the skills that will help build our community. Max said that the incentives had already come in handy for him and spoke about how it takes a weight off your shoulders when you know that, as an apprentice, you will be buying tools and a vehicle for work. It is really handy to have support from the government to progress with your apprenticeship and get the things you need. Paul, managing director of Exceed Homes, who employs these two apprentices, echoed these sentiments and reinforced that the structure of the program, with payments being spaced out over the program, means that there is assistance there to ensure that apprentices get through their apprenticeship and can see the light at the end of the tunnel. I would not only like to thank Paul and the team for having me on site but also for the work that they do right across the community.

There is always a lot of talk about government funding in an abstract sense, with huge figures discussed at a national scale, but this is what these numbers mean in my local community. These are real, practical changes that have been provided to my community. These are real, practical improvements delivered to the hip pocket right across my community. These are real, practical improvements to the lives of those in my community. It is these changes and these stories that are why I'm passionate about continuing the work that we started in our previous term. The Albanese Labor government has introduced a broad range of supports and programs to address the cost of living. We know that there's more work to do in 2026, and we're committed to doing more of the same.

Ed Husic (Chifley, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Appropriation bills, like the Appropriation Bill (No. 3) 2025-2026 and the related bills, are also about the investment choices that we make as a nation. They tell Australians what we value and the type of future we intend to create. They fund the essential services people rely on. They also shape the way the government participates in and influences the economy through its decisions. Much broader than that too, these bills underpin something we should be talking more about this in this place, and that's government procurement.

Governments always need a lot of goods and services to get things done, so government purchasing power can't be understated. On average, the Commonwealth government procurement program entails around $70 billion and 80,000 contracts committed each year. The question for us is not only whether that money is spent efficiently, though it must be, but also whether it's spent strategically. Does that spend give us bang for buck well beyond the simple purchase of a good or service? Are we taking the opportunity to also use our purchasing power to build sovereign capability? For example, are we giving Australian technology companies a chance to scale here rather than just waving them off to go overseas? Are we strengthening national resilience in the face of rising global uncertainty, and are we prepared to use the enormous economic leverage that procurement provides to build the future we want—dare I say it, a future made in Australia?

In 2023, the Senate Finance and Public Administration References Committee conducted an inquiry into supporting the development of sovereign capability in the Australian tech sector. The committee report states:

The increasingly globalised nature of the tech sector increases the risk of economic disruptions resulting from geopolitical tensions, natural disasters, pandemics, supply chain volatility, raw material shortages, and overseas regulations and policies. These risks necessitate a need for Australia to balance advantageous participation in the global tech market with ensuring adequate sovereign capabilities to mitigate these risks.

Why is this important? Rewind to last week, when we were privileged to be addressed in this place by the Prime Minister of Canada, the Rt Hon. Mark Carney, who, at the World Economic Forum in Davos this year, uttered words that would resonate deeply. He said:

… when we only negotiate bilaterally with a hegemon, we negotiate from weakness. We accept what's offered. We compete with each other to be the most accommodating.

This is not sovereignty. It's the performance of sovereignty while accepting subordination.

When speaking about what it means for middle powers to 'live the truth', he said:

… it means reducing the leverage that enables coercion—that's building a strong domestic economy. It should be every government's immediate priority.

And diversification internationally is not just economic prudence, it's a material foundation for honest foreign policy, because countries earn the right to principled stands by reducing their vulnerability to retaliation.

We are now seeing governments around the world, especially middle powers, move fast on treating procurement as an issue of sovereignty and diversifying things such as digital investments.

Just over a month ago, the French government announced that 2.5 million civil servants will transition away from videoconferencing tools such as Zoom and Microsoft Teams and move to a homegrown system. The French government was explicit about its reasoning: to guarantee the security and confidentiality of public electronic communications, and to rely on a powerful sovereign tool. French ministers have spoken openly about the risks of sensitive data and strategic innovation being exposed to foreign actors.

Other European jurisdictions have migrated public servant inboxes from Microsoft to open-source alternatives, have shifted file sharing from SharePoint to Nextcloud and are exploring replacing Windows with Linux. At the European level, the push for digital sovereignty has become a formal policy agenda. The European Commission's leadership has warned that reliance on single countries or companies in critical digital infrastructure can be weaponised. The EU has paired strong regulatory frameworks with strategic investment and procurement levers designed to foster domestic capability.

We don't have that kind of thought leadership occurring on national soil right now, and we should. Australia isn't insulated from these pressures. Our public sector relies extensively on global cloud and software providers. We've introduced important safeguards, including reforms to critical infrastructure, security and competition law, yet the aforementioned inquiry found:

… there is a significant procurement capability gap in the APS, which is characterised by risk-aversion, inter-agency fragmentation and non-compliance.

Procurement is often obsessively framed, in this place, in terms of 'achieving value for money', 'ensuring probity' and 'avoiding waste'. All of that's essential, but you cannot be blinkered around those concepts. Value for money is not confined simply to the lowest upfront price. It can and should incorporate long-term strategic value.

The European Union recognised this explicitly through its Cloud Sovereignty Framework, introduced late last year, where procurement decisions are weighted to consider strategic sovereignty, legal and jurisdictional sovereignty, data and AI sovereignty, technological sovereignty and more.

Australia does this in some sectors; that's the good news. For example, defence procurement is explicitly linked to sovereign industrial capability priorities. We recognise that certain capabilities must be sustained domestically for reasons of national security and strategic autonomy. The question is: why would digital capability more broadly be treated any differently?

Digital systems underpin our energy grids, our health records, our financial transactions, our education systems and our defence platforms. They're as critical to national resilience as traditional industrial assets. If we default to the largest global incumbents in every single category, Australian firms are denied the anchor customer they often need to grow. Venture capital will then flow offshore. Intellectual property will migrate. Our brightest engineers, for example, will build foreign platforms rather than nurture domestic ecosystems. Conversely, when government deliberately creates space for local providers—through clearer pathways into procurement panels, proportionate contract requirements and genuine consideration of sovereign capability—that catalyses growth.

Technology markets tend towards concentration, which has been seen time and again. Network effects and scale advantages reinforce incumbency. Without deliberate counterweights, smaller domestic firms struggle to compete for large public contracts, regardless of their innovation or quality. Procurement is one of the few levers governments possess to rebalance those dynamics. The government has rightly spoken about, and acted on, building a Future Made in Australia. We've invested in clean energy, advanced manufacturing, critical minerals processing and value-adding industries. But technology has to sit at the centre of that ambition.

Australia's research base is world class. Our research institutions consistently rank among the best globally and produce a disproportionately high share of global research. We produce exceptional research in quantum computing, in medical technology, in cybersecurity, in fintech and in artificial intelligence. Yet, too often, we invent here and commercialise elsewhere. I'm tired of seeing an idea that began in an Australian mind being completed in a company in another country. The issue is not that we're short on ideas or talent. It's the structural and cultural barriers that stop us from scaling innovation. It's got to be called out. There is a complete lack of support and faith in the corridors of Treasury and Finance, whose mindset is stuck in the nineties. They believe the best thing Australia can be is the customer of someone else's idea or product.

Look no further than Vaxxas as an example. Vaxxas is a Brisbane based Australian company that's commercialising novel tech to enhance the performance of existing next-generation vaccines. At the University of Queensland, Vaxxas developed a high-density microarray patch, which is effectively a needle-free vaccine patch the size of a 20c coin, pioneering future self-administered vaccine delivery. Not only can this biotech development achieve stronger immune protection with smaller doses, it can also eliminate the need for vaccine refrigeration during storage and transportation—all developed in this country. The implications for reducing the resource and logistics burden of maintaining this strict vaccine cold chain can't be understated, nor can the possibility of mailing these patches out for self-administration in the event of another global pandemic, rapidly reducing disease spread. Here's what Vaxxas CEO David Peacock had to say:

We have funding from the US and Europe for pandemic preparedness, but we do not have any funding from the federal government here.

Vaxxas doesn't want to see their homegrown invention head offshore. They've told us that their tech could be integral to our sovereign capability for pandemic preparedness. Yet there's a strong likelihood they'll have to move their headquarters overseas, because they've been backed by Europe faster than they've been backed by their own country. Our ecosystem has let them down.

There is a choice before us. We can accept that Australian-built know-how will be governed elsewhere, with economic benefits flowing out of this country. Alternatively, we can treat procurement as a tool—one that deliberately nurtures domestic capability, de-risks world-class Aussie innovation, supports scaling Australian firms and embeds resilience into national tech and digital infrastructure—not as a cost but as a genuine investment to stimulate demand for new tech to support growth. I'm proud of the progress that has been made; for example, the changes to the Commonwealth Procurement Rules that came into effect at the end of last year. Those things matter.

For the first time, we've got a clear definition of what counts as an Australian business for procurement purposes. This is huge. This gives transparency to the system and confidence to Australian firms that when we say we're backing Australian business, we mean it. Too often in the past, procurement processes have favoured those with the resources to navigate complex tenders rather than those with the best ideas or the most innovative solutions. In October last year, the updated Commonwealth Procurement Rules gave that definition practical effect. From 17 November 2025, non-corporate Commonwealth entities have to prioritise Australian businesses for procurement below the relevant procurement thresholds. This update, amongst others, will provide Australian businesses with access to approximately 31,000 Australian government contracts valued at almost $2 billion. Changes that sit within the broader Future Made in Australia framework, taken together, will show a procurement framework that's way more structured, more transparent and strategically stronger than it was years before.

We also have to acknowledge that technology markets are evolving at extraordinary speed. Artificial intelligence is a classic example of what's happening there. The platforms and standards being locked in today will shape productivity, security and economic growth for decades. But we can't afford to treat that as business as usual. We also need to make sure that, when it comes to procurement, Australian firms are not disadvantaged when competing against firms that have aggressive tax-minimisation strategies. If there are firms that refuse or minimise the amount of Australian tax they pay, those firms should not be entitled to reap the Australian revenue that flows to them through procurement, and we should take a much stronger stand on that.

We do need to create space in procurement for alternative providers, particularly Australian firms, creating opportunities for local tech. We anchor capability. We give our researchers and engineers commercialisation pathways in this nation. It doesn't mean excluding international firms. We're an open trading nation, but we want to benefit from global innovation and investment fairly and in a way that does not lock us in to being completely dependent on global supply chains that can reduce our independence as a result.

We should be asking: Are our procurement frameworks adequately weighting considerations of digital and tech sovereignty? Are we lowering barriers for innovative Australian SMEs to compete for government contracts? Are we systematically assessing the long-term strategic implications of vendor concentration in critical digital services? When we appropriate billions of dollars in procurement, we're not simply paying invoices. We're shaping markets. We're signalling priorities. We're determining which firms will grow, which technologies will dominate and where the next generation of innovators will build their careers.

The Finance Portfolio Additional Estimates Statements 2025-26 state that Finance 'will advance regulatory reforms and the procurement integrity agenda and focus on enhancing our data and digital capabilities internally.' There's also been a focus on the application of artificial intelligence as we strengthen and implement AI for the Australian Public Service. I look forward to these developments, but, more importantly, I look forward to Australian procurement backing Australian business.

Tania Lawrence (Hasluck, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Appropriation bills are about priorities. They are about what we value as a nation and whether we are prepared to back those values with sustained investment and service delivery. Over the last four years, the Albanese government has demonstrated that we are prepared to do just that: to invest in climate action that lowers bills; to invest in a health system that puts people first and in a National Disability Insurance Scheme that is sustainable and fair; to invest in a Defence Force that is ready for the strategic challenges ahead; and to invest in a multicultural society that remains cohesive, confident and secure.

The appropriations in these bills reflect those priorities in practical terms. The Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water will receive over $2.9 billion, predominantly to continue support for the Cheaper Home Batteries Program. In Western Australia, particularly in my electorate of Hasluck, this really matters. Households across suburbs like Dayton, Noranda and Guildford are already embracing rooftop solar at remarkable rates. We in the west have recently led the nation in household solar uptake, but until now too many families have generated clean power during the day, have seen it flow back into the grid and then have had to buy it back at peak prices in the evening. Home batteries flip the script. They allow families to store their own power, reduce reliance on the grid at peak times and cut their bills. It's a win-win for the environment and the cost of living. Labor is delivering.

The Cheaper Home Batteries Program builds on the work we've already undertaken, from energy bill relief to investments in grid stability and renewable generation, to ensure that climate action and cost-of-living relief go hand in hand. In Hasluck I speak regularly with families who are doing everything they can to manage household budgets. They want practical solutions, not slogans. Supporting home batteries is exactly that: practical, local, immediate relief combined with long-term emissions reductions. At last count, more than 2,100 batteries had been installed in my electorate, and that number is climbing. That's over 2,100 families who are not waiting for the coalition to come onboard with net zero or with renewables. That's 2,100 families voting with the space on their garage walls. Likewise, all across Western Australia, with our unique grid and our strong uptake of distributed energy, this investment strengthens system resilience while empowering households. It reflects a government that understands the realities on the ground and backs communities to be part of the solution.

The Department of Health, Disability and Ageing will be receiving over $1.5 billion for programs that improve wellbeing and participation, ensuring access to medicines, strengthening Medicare and delivering reasonable and necessary supports for NDIS participants. In Hasluck, these investments are not abstract line items; they are tangible changes in people's lives.

We know that Medicare was under sustained pressure when we came to office. Bulk-billing rates were falling, workforce shortages were biting, and patients were paying more for out-of-pocket costs. Through strengthening Medicare reforms, supported here with $101 million, we have reversed that trajectory. Tripling the bulk-billing incentive, expanding urgent care clinics and investing in primary care reform has made a real difference. Western Australia has seen improved bulk-billing rates and in communities across Hasluck, families are feeling that shift.

Access to medicines has also improved. By lowering the maximum cost of PBS medicines and enabling 60-day prescriptions for many common medications, we have reduced costs for patients with chronic conditions. For older Australians and families managing long-term health needs, that is not marginal; it is meaningful. Members opposite really do need to get on board with this.

Medicare and cheaper medicines are popular because they relieve cost pressures at the very time when people need help the most, when they or their loved ones are unwell. The Australian people voted for this, and I know firsthand that the people in Hasluck voted for this both in the 2020 election and again resoundingly in 2025. It really is on the coalition to create some sort of health policy prior to the next election that takes account of the fact that the community want investments in health care.

Then there is the National Disability Insurance Scheme. The further appropriation includes $876 million for the National Disability Insurance Agency to provide that reasonable and necessary support for NDIS participants. The NDIS is one of Australia's most significant social reforms, but it must be sustainable to endure. In Western Australia, thousands of participants rely on the scheme for support that enables independence, employment and social participation. In Hasluck I regularly meet with families who speak of the transformative impact of properly delivered supports, therapies, assistive technologies and community participation.

Over the past four years we've undertaken some serious reforms to stabilise growth, reduce fraud and ensure that funding is going where it is genuinely needed. That work has required cooperation across jurisdictions, including with the Western Australian government, and also with community members—people who identify and call out alleged fraud where they see it. These are people like Drew and Pete, who recently wrote to me to bring my attention to concerns they have about some NDIS providers allegedly being in breach of the contractual obligations that they have to the NDIS. That is something we take seriously and are absolutely clamping down on. It reflects this shared commitment that we have for the individuals who are the beneficiaries—from participants to the providers and across all tiers of government——to protect the integrity of this scheme and safeguard participant outcomes. This appropriation ensures continuity of support while reform continues. It is responsible, compassionate and focused on long-term sustainability.

The Department of Defence will receive over $1 billion, including $985 million brought forward to implement the 2024 National defence strategy and the 2024 Integrated Investment program. Western Australia is central to Australia's defence posture. From HMAS Stirling to the broader defence industry ecosystem in our state, WA plays a critical role in maritime capability and strategic presence in the Indo-Pacific. The updated National defence strategy recognises that we live in a more contested and uncertain strategic environment. Investment must be aligned with that reality. Bringing forward expenditure is about ensuring readiness, modernisation and capability not in some distant future but now.

For Western Australia that translates into jobs, industry participation and sovereign capability. It means supporting local defence industry businesses that contribute to sustainment, shipbuilding and advanced manufacturing. It means training and employment pathways for young Western Australians looking to build careers in defence and related industries. In Hasluck, many residents work in defence, the defence industry and related supply chains, particularly around sustainment. And very soon, we will be the home of not just army cadets but army reserves as well. Strategic investment supports secure, skilled employment and it reinforces Australia's ability to protect its interests. National security is not a slogan; it is a serious responsibility. These appropriations reflect a government that is meeting that responsibility with clarity and foresight.

The Department of Home Affairs will receive $881 million to implement programs that safeguard Australia's domestic interests, respond to crises and threats, support the government's response to the antisemitic terrorist attack and maintain our cohesive multicultural society. Australia's strength has always been its diversity, underpinned by our shared democratic values and mutual respect.

Western Australia is proudly multicultural. In Hasluck, communities from every continent call our electorate home. Our local schools, small businesses, community groups and places of worship reflect that richness. The events surrounding the antisemitic attack in Bondi and then the further failed attack in Forrest Place on Australia Day, as well as the security and police actions that have nipped plans in the bud, are all a stark reminder that hatred and extremism have no place in our society. The government's response has been firm and principled: protecting community safety, supporting affected communities and reinforcing our zero-tolerance approach to antisemitism, Islamophobia, racism and all forms of hate.

Funding through Home Affairs strengthens intelligence, counter-extremism and community safety measures, but it also supports cohesion because security is not only about enforcement; it is about inclusion. Maintaining Australia's cohesive multicultural society requires investment in community engagement, settlement services and initiatives that build understanding across communities. In Hasluck, I see benefits of these investments in local multicultural associations, youth programs and community events that bring people together. Just by way of example, we have the Ellenbrook Multicultural Festival, the Cook Islands community Pasifika festival and the Kings multicultural—I recently attended their Holi event and still have the colours all across the skin on my back, but one day they will come off. I have celebrated the Iftar dinner with the Alnoor community language school and the Pongal harvest festival with the Tamil Association of Western Australia.

These are all extraordinary, fantastic events and I'm honoured to attend them.

But they are not just add-ons or luxuries; they are, taken together, the very foundations of our society and of social stability. They are something that we are deeply proud of within my community—to be able to celebrate culture, language, dance, music, and traditions respecting those who have come from different parts of the world with different perspectives, and to have an open mind and a willingness to learn and build bridges where there are differences. Having that ultimate that respect for each other is what I'm proud that the appropriation for this area will go towards strengthening.

The Housing Australia Future Fund is a Labor legacy program that I am proud to have supported in this place. Already in Hasluck funds have been committed through the first rounds of the construction of 537 social and affordable homes in Ellenbrook, Bassendean, Woodbridge and Midland. All of them are adjacent to the railway line, which is now completed, from stations through to the extension of the rail line out to Ellenbrook. That will soon mean 537 families in Hasluck will have access to housing that they are currently finding difficult to obtain. More than 2,260 people in my electorate have been able to access the five per cent deposit under the Home Guarantee Scheme. A home means security, and we all need a place to call our home.

These appropriations are further evidence of the commitment of this government to govern for all Australians. They support climate action that lowers bills. They strengthen Medicare and protect the NDIS. They modernise our defence capability. They safeguard our security while reinforcing social cohesion. They act to address the housing needs of communities like mine in Hasluck. Importantly, they are extensions. They are backed by four years of demonstrated delivery. In Hasluck and across Western Australia, people are not interested in political theatre. They want to see government that identifies challenges, invests responsibly and then follows through. That is what these appropriations do; they invest in households, in health, in security and in the future resilience of our nation. For these reasons, I commend the bill to the House.

Ms Catherine King (Ballarat, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise to support the Appropriation Bill (No. 3) 2025-2026 and related bills. These additional estimates appropriation bills provide the legislative basis for the Albanese government's policy decisions taken in MYEFO. MYEFO is often something that gets a bit overlooked in the wash, and I doubt there are many Australians there who are following the passage of this legislation closely today, but fair enough—it can be a bit of a dry topic.

Let me tell you what those decisions mean practically. They mean that people across the country will continue to have access to the Cheaper Home Batteries Program. In the six months following its establishment, this program has helped more than 250,000 households and small businesses cut their power bills and take control of their energy. In my electorate of Ballarat, more than 1,000 batteries have been installed—that's 1,000 households who in many instances have seen their energy bills reduced to zero. Interest continues to grow in the program, and that's why in MYEFO we announced the program will be expanding from $2.3 billion to $7.2 billion over four years, which is expected to see two million Australians install a battery by 2030, delivering around 40 gigawatt hours of capacity, doubling our election estimate of one million batteries and increasing by almost four times the expected capacity.

These bills also mean that Australians have access to cheaper medicines. On New Year's Day Australians woke up from their celebrations to the news that general patients would now pay no more than $25 per PBS script. The last time it was that cheap was back in 2004, well over 20 years ago. They also mean the launch of 1800MEDICARE, a 24/7 service which provides expert health advice, referrals and reassurance to people calling about their healthcare needs. It is expected that around 250,000 Australians will avoid an unnecessary trip to the hospital emergency department each year because of the health advice and services provided through 1800MEDICARE. This includes up to 130,000 free urgent telehealth GP services each year by the end of the decade.

These appropriation bills also mean a tax cut for every taxpayer. Only this government is delivering a further two rounds of personal income tax cuts for every Australian taxpayer, adding to the first round of tax cuts that commenced back in 2024. Under these changes, from 1 July this year, the 16 per cent tax rate, which applies to taxable income between $18,201 and $45,000, will be reduced to 15 per cent, and from 1 July 2027, this tax rate will be reduced further to 14 per cent. We estimate that, on average, that's $50 back in your pocket each and every week.

These appropriation bills mean more support for our domestic and international security, with additional funding going towards strengthening our social cohesion and safeguarding Australia's domestic interests from anything that might threaten our peace and prosperity. In my portfolio, it means addressing cost pressures and continuing to build the critical infrastructure and transport projects that Australians rely on each and every day. That's what these MYEFO appropriations bills do, and it shows you what this government is committed to.

The government is focused on easing cost-of-living pressure for Australians now and looking forward to what Australians will need into the future, because unlike those opposite we're not focused on the past. We're not stuck in reprosecuting old ideologies over and over again, solely intent on tearing ourselves apart. We're not trying desperately to revive old policies soundly rejected by the public, as they did—and continue to do—with their $700 billion nuclear energy policy. We are focused on the things that matter to Australians today.

I'm very fortunate to serve in a portfolio where Australians can see the government's investments every day: on the roads they drive; in the trains, buses and planes they catch; and at airports that they go through. We're continuing the work of delivering these crucial investments through our infrastructure investment pipeline, which is worth over $120 billion over the decade. It's going to be a big year for infrastructure fans out there, and, I have to say, it's already been a pretty big month.

I was incredibly proud to be able to announce in Newcastle the next phase of high-speed rail. Together with my good friends the member for Paterson and the member for Newcastle, I announced $659.6 million into the two-year development phase that will ensure that the high-speed rail Sydney-to-Newcastle line is construction-ready and ready for a final investment decision by the government.

High-speed rail is ambitious, but its benefits are enormous. The business case, which I also released at the time, shows that the economic activity generated by the high-speed rail Sydney-to-Newcastle line is around $250 billion, with 99,000 jobs expected to be created from building this line, stretching from advanced manufacturing to increased tourism opportunities, and 160,000 homes will be unlocked along the line.

We are a purposeful government doing the cautious, diligent work to build the infrastructure Australia will need well into the future. We've learnt the lessons from previous projects, such as the disastrous rollout, frankly, of Inland Rail, which was announced with no idea about where it would start or end or how much it would actually cost. High-speed rail is the example of the kind of project a serious government can deliver.

Of course, it doesn't stop there. This year we'll see the opening of the Western Sydney International Airport to freight and to passengers. Started 12 years ago, under the then infrastructure minister and now prime minister, Sydney will finally have its much-needed second airport.

In Victoria, I was pleased to recently attend the start of early works on the Sunshine Superhub—the next step in building the Melbourne Airport Rail link—much anticipated. Like high-speed rail and Western Sydney airport, a rail link to Melbourne Airport has been talked about for a long time. Under this government, it is starting to be delivered.

In Western Australia, we've just heard that the construction of METRONET is complete, with the final—23rd and concluding—project, the new Midland Station, now open to passengers. The project has been transformative: 72 kilometres of new passenger rail and 23 new stations stretching right the way across Perth, changing the way many Western Australians travel. It's unlocked new business opportunities, new housing and new community infrastructure as well.

In Queensland, our historic investment in the Bruce Highway is making the road safer and easier to travel. Just over a year ago, I joined the Prime Minister in Gympie to announce the additional $7.2 billion investment in the Bruce to improve the highway north of Gympie to Cairns. It takes our government's total investment in the Bruce up to more than $17 billion, and construction is underway from Mackay down to Dohles Rocks.

It was incredibly exciting also to be in South Australia late last year to see the arrival of the tunnel-boring machines to help build the $15.4 billion non-stop North-South Corridor. I know the minister at the table is very excited about that project in her home state. When this project is complete, South Australians can expect to bypass 21 sets of traffic lights and cut travel times by up to 40 minutes during peak hour. In the ACT we've seen the first section of tracks laid for light rail stage 2A, marking a major milestone in extending the network to Commonwealth Park. In the Northern Territory, contracts have recently been awarded to continue sealing the Tanami Road, with works to begin in the coming months.

Shovels are in the ground across the country. It's possible because we did the hard work of cleaning up the infrastructure investment pipeline. Of course, when we came to government back in 2022, we walked into a mess, frankly. We had a pipeline that was simply underfunded and under-planned, resulting in us having to find an additional $33 billion if we were to deliver every project on the pipeline. We cleaned up that mess, making sure every project in the pipeline is properly planned and able to be delivered.

Our investments in transport are also demonstrating what can be achieved when we have a sensible government focused on delivering for Australians. Our support for the administration and subsequent acquisition of Rex Airlines has helped to keep flight prices down and provide choice for regional Australians. Likewise, our new vehicle efficiency standard is increasing vehicle choices for consumers while helping to bring down emissions. Those opposite claimed that NVES would destroy the weekend and that we were banning utes. I'm not sure that they'll be pleased to know this, but there are now electric utes in Australia. More ranges are expected to be offered, but they're still around. The traditional ute still exists as well. Through the work of the transport portfolio, we are continuing to both deliver the infrastructure Australians need and ensure our transport systems continue to move.

My electorate, of course, is also a very special place I want to talk about. It's one of history, diversity and opportunity, from Daylesford and the spa country in the north, the proud communities of Shelford and Teesdale in the south and the city of Ballarat itself, the home of Australian unionism and the Eureka stockade right in the middle of Ballarat. I never take for granted the honour it is to represent my community here in our nation's capital, and I continue to work every day to get the best outcomes for people in Ballarat.

Throughout last year's election campaign, I had the opportunity to respond to the advocacy of our councils and many local organisations and to commit to a number of projects that would make a tangible and positive difference to local people. One of the most important of those in our community is the Continuous Voices Memorial in Victoria Park. I've spoken before in this place of Ballarat's history of institutional abuse and the way that it continues to echo through generations. For some time now, local survivors and supporters have been working together on the design of a memorial, a place of healing, recognition and quiet reflection, a place in the heart of Victoria Park that acknowledges and honours all survivors of sexual abuse and assault. I was incredibly proud to stand with survivors and their supporters in Ballarat's Victoria Park and commit $500,000 for the Continuous Voices Memorial. This commitment from this government together with the previously announced support from the Victorian government and the City of Ballarat will ensure this project is a reality. The commitment assures survivors that we see you, we believe you and we support you, and it will provide a space for everybody to continue to reflect on what happened not only in our town but across the country.

As, of course, a very proud and welcoming country, we are proud and welcoming community, one where people support each other. The Ballarat Regional Multicultural Council operates out of an old high-school building called the Ballarat Welcome Centre. It's a beautiful site, but the building needs some love, and I was delighted to pledge $500,000 to revitalise its facilities. The role of the Ballarat Regional Multicultural Council and the work that they do to ensure social cohesion and harmony in our community has been starkly highlighted by some terrible events that occurred at an iftar event in my community in the suburb of Alfredton. This is not the reflection that any of us want to see of our community, and I want to thank the many members, including the Ballarat Regional Multicultural Council, who have been supporting members of the Muslim community in Ballarat recently and will continue to over the coming days and weeks. The money to BRMC will improve its accessibility and support the multicultural council to do its important work in our city going forward.

The Ballarat Agricultural Show has also played an iconic role in Ballarat for almost 170 years. This show is something many families look forward to each year and it's always a brilliant day out. It's run by a terrific group of volunteers. They don't just deliver the show but also play an integral role in supporting primary producers and showcasing agriculture throughout the region and lots of other events as well. We've committed over $1.5 million towards the event and exhibition centre. I'm really looking forward to its hosting the Ballarat Wine Show, agricultural workshops and private events as well. In essence, it will ensure the sustainability of the show for generations to come.

We've also committed to community soccer upgrades in Creswick and Daylesford, pretty important areas, as well as to the Don Wallace Recreation Reserve through to Teasdale. The other commitment we made during the election was to the Veterans Hub. It will be a place of connection and practical support for the servicemen and women to whom we owe so much in our community, and also for their families and their supporters. Our work is well under way in making sure that that Veterans Hub becomes a reality, and I do want to thank and particularly acknowledge not only Andrew Hamilton and the team behind the Ballarat Veterans Assistance Centre for their many years of advocacy for this project but also the City of Ballarat for being fully prepared to step forward with premises to actually now make this hub a reality.

I'm looking forward to the progress across all of these election commitments from 2025. We've recently seen some of the 2022 election commitments opened, cutting the ribbon on the Vicars Street Community Hub, a terrific new multigenerational facility in my electorate, the Central Springs Recreational Reserve and work is progressing on other projects across the electorate. I would recommend a visit, for anyone who is keen to go, to the springs in Daylesford. It is a beautiful place featured on The Block just last year and I know they've seen visitors go up as a result of that.

I'm thrilled again to be able to have the opportunity to not only represent my community—it's the proudest job I have—but also to lead the infrastructure and transport portfolios and to do so within a government that is committed to delivering for all Australians. I commend the appropriation bills to the House.

Amanda Rishworth (Kingston, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise to speak on the Appropriation Bill (No. 3) 2025-2026 and related bills. It gives me great pleasure to be speaking on this bill, because this bill is the next bill to actually focus on our government's agenda of delivery. Our government has been delivering and delivering, and I'm really very proud of that. I want to start by speaking about delivery in my local electorate in the southern suburbs of Adelaide. I'm going to have to disagree with the minister for infrastructure. I think the southern suburbs of Adelaide is the most beautiful place in Australia and, indeed, probably the world. It is the gateway to the Fleurieu Peninsula, with an incredible coastline and beaches that run from Hallett Cove all the way down to Maslin Beach. It's a wonderful community to live, work and raise a family in. It has had its challenges over the last little while with the unprecedented algae bloom that has been persistent on our beaches. But I have to say, being down on our coastline, it is magnificent. I'd encourage anyone to get down and enjoy the South Australian coastline. There are businesses that are ready to take your order, ready to sell you something, ready to give you an experience that you will enjoy.

Of course, in my local electorate, we continue to see really significant investment. I did want to talk a little bit first about the investment in health that our government has made, particularly when it comes to the cost of medicines. We know that if the cost of medicine is too high then people will choose not to refill their script or will not actually do what they are directed to, so I am proud to be part of a government that has lowered the cost of scripts on the PBS for everyone with a Medicare card. The maximum co-payment is now the lowest it has been in 20 years, just $25 per script, and it has stayed frozen at $7.70 for concession card holders. This is making a real difference. It builds on our investment and our reform, quite frankly—for example, our quite important reform of 60-day dispensing. These are really important measures making a real difference to people in my electorate.

We have also seen the investment in bulk-billing in the electorate, and I'm proud that our investment is starting to turn around the really concerning numbers that happened under the coalition when they were in government with their complete neglect of Medicare and bulk-billing. I'm pleased to see that the rate of bulk-billing has jumped to 81.4 per cent nationwide. This is the largest quarterly jump in bulk-billing in 20 years outside of COVID. We as a government promised more bulk-billing, and that is exactly what we're delivering. I want to share a story from John from Christie Downs, who messaged me to say that he was so pleased to find out his local clinic had started bulk-billing again, taking his $80 consult fee down to zero. That is really good news for John but good news for so many residents across the southern suburbs. Since our new bulk-billing practice incentive payment was introduced, 10 medical practices in the southern suburbs have become fully bulk-billed, helping to ease the cost-of-living pressures for patients.

We also have invested in the Morphett Vale urgent care clinic in the south, and this is a very popular addition to medical infrastructure in the south. We see many people using the urgent care clinic for things that you can't see a GP for or they're not able to treat but that are not quite serious enough to get to the emergency department, and so we're really pleased. I want to share some stories. Keith from Hallett Cove wrote to me to let me know the service at Morphett Vale urgent care clinic was superb, avoiding the inevitable trip to the local emergency department. I'm really pleased that additional funding has been made for this very popular urgent care clinic and is now going to be able to stay open longer on weekends and public holidays with boosted capacity during peak periods. This is really important and shows how important these facilities are.

Infrastructure is so critically important. As my electorate is an outer metropolitan electorate, we need to make sure we have the infrastructure so people can get to where they need to go faster. Just recently, it was a great pleasure to be at the final opening of the duplication between Seaford and Sellicks. In particular, I was there to open the duplication between Aldinga and Sellicks. This is a really proud investment by both the state government and the Commonwealth, making that piece of road safer. It was great to be joined with some of the action group members at the opening, hearing about how that would not only save time on commute times but also, importantly, potentially save lives, because that piece of road is so much safer.

Work continues on the Torrens to Darlington, or T2D, piece of infrastructure. This is so critically important to connect our city and is funded by both the state and the Commonwealth. The Torrens to Darlington non-stop north-south corridor is 78 kilometres of traffic-light-free motorway. This will be so critically important. The down payment of that is the Majors Road interchange, which is now connecting the people of Sheidow Park and Trott Park and Flagstaff Hill and Aberfoyle Park much quicker to South Road. I would like to assure Natalia from Flagstaff Hill, who says she loves the new interchange—as a twice daily user, it cuts her work commute by 20 minutes every single day—that the investment we've made is already making a difference. But I can tell you, Natalia, that once that interchange gets connected to that non-stop north-south corridor, it is going to be such an important piece of infrastructure. I'd like to acknowledge everyone working on that piece of infrastructure. It is really important, and we know that investment in this type of infrastructure is nation-building.

Labor is really investing in both ensuring that there's more construction of housing and also making it easier for people to get into their first home. The new Help to Buy scheme is having a big impact, including in my electorate. Just under 900 people in the southern suburbs have been able to purchase their first home with a five per cent deposit or less. This is really important good news for those people, and that support is really, really important.

There is a lot happening, including investment in our local sporting facilities. Work continues to be underway on the Noarlunga aquatic centre. That will be super exciting when it's ready. It has not been updated for decades. That investment from the Commonwealth government, under this Albanese Labor government, is really critical to ensuring people can stay fit and involved in their local community.

We're also investing in other facilities, including the Cove Sports and Community Club. We made a commitment at the election to invest $5 million, which will go towards stage 2. I am really pleased about and welcome the commitment by the state Labor member. If he and Labor are re-elected in South Australia, they will also contribute $5 million to that project, which, along with a council contribution, will allow a very important update to that sporting facility to be made. We also made a commitment of $5 million for a new important investment in the South Adelaide Football Club, and I am continuing to work with the South Adelaide Football Club to ensure that we get a really, really good upgrade there.

In addition to the investments in my local electorate, we continue to make progress in my portfolio of employment and workplace relations. We are starting to see the really significant benefits flowing from our agenda when it comes to making our workplace relations system fairer. When we look, we see the increases in wages and in enterprise bargaining. We are also closing the gender pay gap, which is at an equal record low of 11.5 per cent. This, of course doesn't happen by accident, and I did want to highlight the investment we are making in breaking down gender segregation in workplaces. In the MYEFO, we were able to continue to support the work done by both employer organisations and trade unions to look at practical ways in which we can break down some of the systemic barriers, as well as the individual supports that can be given to support the breaking down of gender segregation. As I've said to many of those industries with male dominated workplaces, 'You're missing out on talent.' The construction industry and many of the trades are missing out on talent because we still have some structural barriers for women to participate. So there is still work to be done, and we will continue to do that work.

We are really starting to see enterprise agreement-making increase. Of course, enterprise agreements are really important. Workers and their unions can sit down with their employers and negotiate what the right wages and conditions to have are to meet those workplaces' needs. We are now seeing 2.65 million Australian workers covered by enterprise agreements. This is good news. Our changes that allowed for or improved multi-employer bargaining have led to early educators getting a 15 per cent pay increase. I just want to highlight again—I've said this many, many times in this place—that educating our youngest Australians is critically essential work. This pay increase is a real recognition of the work that they do, and I want to pay tribute to them.

Our same job, same pay reforms are benefiting more than 8,000 workers. This includes workers at a Queensland mine who had pay increases of up to $60,000 a year, and domestic flight attendants who secured pay increases of up to $20,000 a year. That was by enforcing a pretty simple concept: two people doing the same work should get paid the same amount, and temporary labour hire shouldn't be used to undercut the negotiated pay and conditions of workers. Those pay increases, while they're very good for those workers when it comes to the cost of living, are essential in recognising the dignity of the work that those workers are doing and the value of that work. I've spoken to many workers who said that the same job, same pay laws were critical in feeling valued. We continue to do the work in the portfolio of employment and workplace relations.

I also want to note that we have now seen 1.2 million jobs created under this government's watch. That is really significant and, despite so many naysayers on the opposite side, these jobs are so important. The dignity of work is so important. Having a well-paid, secure job is very, very important. I look forward to continuing to work with stakeholders and with the community for the Australian people to deliver better pay and secure work so that we can all live productively.

Tony Zappia (Makin, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Greek philosopher Aristotle is credited with saying that true democracy requires citizens to care about injustice to others. As a general observation, Australia could be considered a democratic country, and it prides itself on being so. The very simple Australian citizenship pledge specifically states, 'whose democratic beliefs I share'. Yet even Australian democracy is far from perfect. It has its flaws, and our laws do not always deliver justice. When laws do not deliver justice, confidence in government diminishes. When confidence in government diminishes, civil standards begin to crumble.

In Australia, the notion of a fair go used to be central to our character, but it is a characteristic that is rapidly fading. Maintaining civil standards is dependent on all Australians believing in those standards and calling out poor or bad behaviour when it occurs. Regrettably, all too often when wrongdoing or malpractice is called out, the person calling out the wrongdoing is attacked and becomes the target. It happens in the private sector, it happens in government departments, it happens in sporting bodies, in religious organisations and across so many other aspects of life.

In recent years there have been widely reported examples of whistleblowers who have exposed serious wrongdoing and are then themselves punished, prosecuted and even jailed. The common tactic by both government and the private sector is to smear, threaten and even prosecute those people who expose malpractice. The cases of ATO whistleblower Richard Boyle and ADF whistleblower David McBride are good examples of where acting in the public good can have devastating consequences for the whistleblower. The charging and prosecution of those two whistleblowers does not pass the pub test and highlights the need to further strengthen national whistleblowing laws.

Recently at a parliamentary briefing Kieran Pender, the associate legal director of the Whistleblower Project—Australia's first specialist legal service for whistleblowers, based at the Human Rights Law Centre—reported that, since launching in mid 2023, the project has triaged more than 600 whistleblowing inquiries and provided advice to more than 200 whistleblowers. Those figures alone are concerning, and I suspect they are only the tip of the iceberg. We now have the case of an ASIO whistleblower who is known by the pseudonym 'Marcus'. I recently wrote to the Attorney-General about this matter. Marcus claims to have information relating to the Bondi shootings. However, it appears that ASIO is attempting to discredit him. His story went to air last month on ABC's Four Corners. I hope Marcus is able to provide evidence to the Bondi royal commission.

When others see whistleblowers poorly treated they remain silent, and the wrongdoing continues. This issue is integral to our democracy and to the Australian people's ability to have confidence in our institutions. We need to do better. I know that the Attorney-General is looking at strengthening the whistleblower laws. I commend her for that, and I look forward to those changes being brought to this parliament so that we can indeed provide protection to whistleblowers when they need it. I also understand that one of the concerns we have in this country is that there is a plethora of laws that protect whistleblowers. Simply navigating through those laws is in itself a legal minefield. However, if we can improve that, I would certainly welcome it.

The other matter I wish to speak about is the issue of the world as it stands today. We live in very difficult times. Global instability is at its highest level since World War II. Global conflict, frequent devastating extreme weather events, global population growth, and irregular immigration, cost-of-living pressures, transnational crime, and even rapid technology changes are all causing uncertainty, insecurity and fear across society. Australia has again been caught up in another US initiated war, a war that has already cost the lives of hundreds of innocent people, including a reported 175 or so schoolchildren and staff at a school bombed in Iran and around 750,000 people in Lebanon who are now displaced. It is a war that many reasonable observers question the legitimacy of, a war that is already having serious consequences for the world, including here in Australia. We are seeing the effects on fuel prices and indeed the flow-on effects that that has here in Australia and indeed across the world.

My view is that this is only the beginning. It is only a matter of time before other imported everyday products are also affected as shipping lanes are disrupted. It's in effect the kind of situation we saw when COVID struck this country some five years ago, when products suddenly became scarce and supply chains became very difficult. I see that happening again. But it also highlights once again that, whilst here in Australia we are very far removed from even the Middle East war, the reality is that it still impacts us, as do other global events. And once again it highlights the need for Australia to rebuild its manufacturing base, something the Albanese government is committed to doing and something that I think is so important.

We used to have a country where just about every product was manufactured here. I can recall that in the 1960s or thereabouts there wasn't a single product that was needed for everyday use that wasn't made here in Australia. However, we have gone from having something like 30 per cent of the workforce employed by manufacturing at that time to having more like only five or six per cent, which shows how much we have lost in terms of the manufacturing ability of this country. Again, it is important for Australia to rebuild its manufacturing base not only because we cannot continuously rely on importing products from overseas but also because it builds skills and gives us security. And, to be frank, we have the ability to do so, as we used to do.

The last issue I want to touch on is modern slavery. Whilst Australia has a Modern Slavery Act, and we have appointed former senator Chris Evans as the first Anti-Slavery Commissioner, we must do more to ensure that large businesses do not source products that are produced under slave labour. This is happening too often and in too many places. In fact, the number of people who are currently considered to be treated as slaves around the world is something like 50 million, and the figure has grown in recent years.

In a society and in a world where we would have thought that slavery ended 100 years or so ago, it's interesting to note that there are more people today working under slave conditions than there were in decades past. I'm not entirely surprised by that, because, with just over half of the world's population living in either extreme or relative poverty, modern slavery is an easy issue for those who want to exploit cheap labour. And we are seeing it throughout so many parts of the world. Human trafficking, forced labour, debt bondage, forced marriages, sexual exploitation and the like are all too common in so many other countries.

This is a global problem, and I don't pretend we can solve it alone here in Australia. But we can play our role in reducing modern slavery throughout the world, as other countries have done and are doing. Yes, we do have a Modern Slavery Act here in Australia, but more needs to be done. We need to ensure that big businesses—because they are the ones who import most of the products that come into this country—have an obligation that they in turn ensure that the products they are bringing in are not produced under slave-like conditions. Whilst our current laws attempt to do that, they simply don't go far enough. I accept that there are a lot of businesses in this country that indeed do the right thing—companies who try to source their products from ethical manufacturers overseas, who take a stand when they know products are produced in places where slave-like conditions are used—but that's not always the case with many other big businesses.

Yes, slavery produces cheap products, and I guess in the end it's also up to individual consumers to take a stand and try to source and buy products that come from places where they are produced ethically. But the reality is that consumer demand is driven by cost, and cost obviously means that importers look for the cheapest product and don't necessarily source from places that produce ethically. I accept that it is sometimes difficult to trace back to where a product was made, because the chain of supply can sometimes be very complicated. I accept that for any business to undertake the detailed investigations they need in order to know where a product comes from is not always simple. I believe we can do better, and I believe we should do better. We have an obligation, to all those people around the world today who are being treated as slaves, to stop their exploitation. In particular, we have an obligation to ensure that all those children around the world who are used to make products and used as child labour are also freed from their bondage.

I believe we can do more. I know that the government is now looking at this issue to try to strengthen the laws, through the Anti-Slavery Commissioner. There is work being done right now to see how we can address this issue. I certainly look forward to reports coming back to this parliament and the laws of modern slavery being strengthened.

Lisa Chesters (Bendigo, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The bills before us, as other speakers have established, are Appropriation Bill (No. 3) 2025-2026, Appropriation Bill (No. 4) 2025-2026 and Appropriation (Parliamentary Departments) Bill (No. 2) 2025-2026. These bills underpin the government's expenditure decisions that have been made since the last budget. They are related to the financial year and include the changes that have been made and were announced in the midyear update at the end of last year.

Appropriations Bill (No. 3) seeks to approve, for all appropriations in consolidated revenue, up to $9.2 billion, funding that will go towards a number of key measures and to strengthen other measures that were announced in the budget—for example, the cost of demand-driven programs and how that has increased; this funding helps to bridge that gap.

The bill also provides funding to support a number of significant programs. A key one that many on this side have highlighted and that I also wish to highlight is a funding increase of $2.9 billion to the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water, predominantly to support the Cheaper Home Batteries Program. We know this program has been popular in electorates all over the country, particularly in regional electorates. In my own electorate, more than a thousand homeowners and small businesses have already tapped into Labor's Cheaper Home Battery Program.

Recently Minister Chris Bowen and I visited Christopher at his home in Cal Gully. Christopher is an NDIS worker, and his partner is an early childhood educator—people working hard in our community but not millionaires. They have tapped into the Cheaper Home Battery Program to install a battery and expand their solar system. They say it has literally wiped out their energy bills. They are looking forward to a winter where they will not get that bill shock that they got when they were still reliant on the grid. So, a thousand people so far, and that number is set to climb.

I want to use this as an opportunity to remind people in my electorate to not believe the mis- and disinformation you might read on social media or here through the community. Batteries are safe. If you're unsure or want to know how they work, engage one of the local installers. Find out from companies like ProSolar whether a solar and battery system would suit your home. Every person like Christopher and the thousand other people who have tapped in are helping others who aren't yet signed up. Having fewer customers relying upon the grid means we will have less demand on the grid, meaning more supply to go around. Christopher is helping his neighbours purely by powering himself.

What is unique about this program is that it gives those who have the capacity to help power themselves, and that helps others who may not be in the same situation. I acknowledge that not everybody can tap into the program, such as if their roof isn't strong enough to support solar, if they're renters or if they're in an apartment block. There are lots of reasons why people can't access the program, and we need to look for alternative ways to support people in those situations. But I encourage those who can to think about investing in Labor's Cheaper Home Batteries Program because it will help lower your energy bills. It will make you more energy efficient and secure going forward. People talk about the apps they get, where they check to see how much solar energy they have in their battery and find out when best to use it—when to turn the washing or the dishwasher on. They are becoming more energy aware and energy efficient and taking back control of their energy use. This is a good thing for all of us.

Also in this bill is increased funding for various programs in the health, disability and aging portfolio. We've heard other speakers talk about the transformational changes to aged care, in particular the boost to aged-care workers' wages. These are quite often the unsung heroes not just of the pandemic but of people caring for our older Australians and making sure that their final years in life are lived with dignity and respect. If you meet an aged-care worker, they tell you they do it for the love of it. They love the work that they do caring for the residents and making sure they've got the support they need. It is so important for us to continue to support the sector, lifting their wages and ensuring that they have training opportunities to progress through the system. Thinking of all the aged-care services that I've visited locally, you meet lots of people who've worked in the same place for the same home for many, many years. Every year I'm invited out to Bendigo Bupa to award their service certificates. Quite often people spend five, 10, 15 or 25 years working in the same home, supporting different residents and ensuring they have the dignity and the care they deserve. These people are angels, and making sure they are paid a decent wage is core business to this government.

At the other end of life, we've also boosted the wages of early childhood educators. We've supported changes to the award to see all educators now receive a pay increase, and wages will continue to go up. This acknowledges for the first time that their pay should reflect the skills and the work that they do. Early childhood educators long ago won the debate that they are not babysitters but educating our youngest Australians and giving them the foundations to succeed at primary school and secondary school. It took the election of our government to change the system and boost the wages of these critical workers and educators in our community. These changes have seen a stabilisation of the workforce and people coming back into the sector because they're now able to earn a decent wage to pay the bills. I recently visited Goodstart Early Learning Bendigo as well as the Goodstart Early Learning Strathfieldsaye. In both visits I met educators and teachers who were able to buy a home because their wages now allowed them the opportunity to pay a mortgage and to secure their future. Homeownership is now possible for so many people in the sector where previously, because of low pay, they felt locked out.

Another key part of the bills before us is extra funding to help secure and support our strengthening Medicare reforms. This is core Labor business and has been for many decades and generations of Labor parliamentarians. The investment into bulk-billing incentives has seen a turnaround in many areas, including my own electorate of Bendigo, where we are now seeing more and more doctors and clinics become 100 per cent bulk-billing clinics. Three-out-of-five clinics in my electorate are now 100 per cent bulk-billing clinics, from those in Kyneton in the south all the way up to Rochester and Heathcote and for so many other services in between. We now have more bulk-billing clinics and more doctors bulk-billing, and that is because of the investment from our government. And why? It's because we believe it should be your Medicare card and not your credit card that you use when accessing health care. We don't want cost being a barrier to you accessing or seeing a GP. It is helping and changing lives. For the clinics not yet signed up, I encourage you to do so. For the GPS who've not yet gone to bulk-billing, I encourage you to do so. Think about the difference it will make to the patients and to the health of our community if you sign up and join us on lifting bulk-billing rates.

Also in my electorate is the Bendigo Medicare Urgent Care Clinic, which is hosted by the Bendigo Primary Care service. It's a good old-fashioned GP superclinic funded by the previous Labor government to be built just around the corner from our hospital. Since the funding from our government has invested in the Medicare urgent care clinic, we are seeing a drop in presentations at Emergency. They are supporting what are known as category 4 and category 5 patients. People are able to call and book an appointment, or there is a walk in service, so they're able to get the support that they need. After hours and on weekends, this service is helping. It is staffed by doctors from around the region, who take on the shifts as well as the nurses to make sure that people get the urgent care that they require. This measure, working hand in hand with bulk-billing changes, is seeing people being able to access the care that they need, taking pressure off our hospitals.

Cheaper medicines—that is a fundamental change which kicked in on 1 January and is really helping people with cost-of-living pressures if they have to take regular medication. The last time that $25 was the most you would pay for a PBS prescription medication was in 2004. I had literally just finished my university studies and moved to Victoria. That's how long ago it was since medicines were capped at $25. But we didn't just cap them at $25; we've also locked in that people on concession cards, including our pensioners, will pay no more than $7.70 for their prescriptions. These are the practical ways in which our government is helping people make ends meet and meet the cost of living. They are practical changes that are really helping people.

I can also report back to the House that, since the last election, one of the key things that we've been working on locally is ensuring that all of the recipients of our election commitments have completed their paperwork so that funding can soon flow for key projects, including funding for the upgrade of Bendigo Heritage attractions to restore and redevelop this very important tourist aspect that we have at the Deborah goldfields triangle. We've updated the funding for the Truscott Reserve changerooms, which is home to the Eaglehawk Soccer Club. That funding has been secured along with the final bit of funding required for the Football Netball Club changerooms.

This is a project that I'm particularly proud of. In the 2022 election, I was the first level of government, the first person, to make a commitment to the redevelopment of the North Bendigo Recreation Reserve upgrades. That million dollars that I committed back in 2022 triggered the increased funding that would flow from state and local governments towards the redevelopment of the entire precinct. I was incredibly proud to commit the final component of funding required to complete stage 2. As I stand here today, the council is well underway with developing and delivering stage 1 and stage 2 of the North Bendigo rec reserve upgrades.

The Bendigo Creek funding has been secured—$7 million to revitalise and restore the Bendigo Creek, devastated by a legacy of gold mining and development. We are starting to see natural wildlife return to the Bendigo Creek through the work that is being done in partnership between the City of Greater Bendigo, local Landcare groups, our First Nations group and the Loddon-Campaspe catchment management authority. Finally, the funding has now been confirmed for the Kyneton and the Kangaroo Flat skate parks. I know that there are lots of young people in Kyneton and Kangaroo Flat, particularly at Crusoe College, who will really welcome that we've passed another milestone for these two projects.

These are just some of the many projects that we're working on in my electorate and that I am delivering. I'm part of a government that listens to the community and delivers what is needed locally, whether it be in aged care or early childhood education or whether it be through cheaper batteries, energy security, Medicare, health care, school funding or the many community based projects that I've outlined. We are a government that listens to and works with the community to make sure that they get what they need.

Ali France (Dickson, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise to speak on the Appropriation Bill (No. 3) 2025-2026, the Appropriation Bill (No. 4) 2025-2026 and the Appropriation (Parliamentary Departments) Bill (No. 2) 2025-2026. Australia, like most of the world, continues to experience persistent inflationary pressures, but we know that inflation is much lower than when we came to government. Inflation has a three in front of it instead of a six, but it's still higher than we would like. We also know people are under pressure and are worried about paying the bills, including people in my electorate of Dickson. That is why we have been clear-eyed and focused on responsible cost-of-living relief while, at the same time, delivering a $235 billion turnaround in the budget. This government has got the Liberal debt down by $176 billion, saving Aussies $60 billion in debt interest. Treasurer Jim Chalmers has also delivered two surpluses—something the previous coalition government could never achieve, no matter how many black mugs and premature slogans they put out.

Along with record debt, those opposite also left us with a dire housing shortage, energy and fuel uncertainty and a serious lack of access to affordable health care. They left a hot mess, and you would think they would have recalibrated and gone to the last election with a plan to reduce the massive debt that they left us, but, instead, they decided to go all in, gambling with our economic security and proposing a spending spree to end all spending sprees—$600 billion on nuclear power stations that would take at least 20 years to build. Just to rub salt into our cost-of-living wounds, that plan was widely panned by experts who said it would actually have increased electricity costs by hundreds of dollars for every household.

Those opposite also went to the election promising to raise income taxes. No-one, and I mean no-one, understood this crazy plan—a plan that the new Leader of the Opposition, the then shadow Treasurer, was the architect of. He was the mastermind behind those proposed tax increases. Fantastic! Well done! Great move! In stark contrast, the Albanese Labor government is providing real help for people with the cost of living, as promised during the election.

When I'm in my community knocking on doors or talking to locals at a coffee shop or a supermarket, cost-of-living relief is by far their No.1 concern. That's why we're providing tax cuts for every taxpayer, with another round coming into effect on 1 July and again next year. These are tax cuts opposed by those opposite. Our tax cuts, once implemented, will save Aussies an average of $50 a week—$50 a week back into the pockets of every Australian, opposed by those opposite.

We also know that Aussies are now earning more and keeping more of what they earn. Under Labor, real wages are growing again. We know that those opposite intentionally limited wage growth while in government, a cruel approach that meant that the lowest-paid Aussies could not even crawl their way to a wage they could live on, let alone thrive on. Since coming to government, we have taken significant steps to deliver wage increases to address working poverty after a decade of neglect. As a result, nominal wage growth is at its highest in nearly 15 years. We've seen an increase in the minimum wage and significant increases in award wages, particularly for feminised industries like child care and aged care. Early childhood educators and aged-care workers were leaving their sectors in droves prior to this wage rise because they could earn more working at Macca's or Kmart. Those much-needed wage rises, of course, were opposed by those opposite. The new deputy leader of the Liberals claimed that real wage increases would be the worst thing for Australians. Really? Minimum wage earners, educators and aged-care workers would respectfully disagree.

We've provided energy bill relief and cheaper home batteries to help with the cost of household power bills—opposed by those opposite. While they yell and scream about energy prices, they've voted against energy bill relief every single time. They are against investment in cheaper renewable energy. They called our Cheaper Home Batteries Program 'elitist'. Over 1,700 homes and businesses in my electorate of Dickson have taken up the 30 per cent discount on new home batteries—again, much needed cost-of-living relief opposed by those opposite.

We've also delivered the single largest investment in Medicare ever: $8.5 billion for more bulk-billing and more doctors, and $1.8 billion in extra hospital funding. This is in stark contrast to those opposite. While in government, they tried—and, thankfully, failed—to introduce a GP co-payment, which would have effectively ended bulk-billing. Interestingly, the new shadow Treasurer, the member for Goldstein, has previously suggested Medicare should be privatised. All Aussies should be low-key terrified of the member for Goldstein and of the Liberal Party's suggestion that he should ever be in charge of the country's finances.

Our investment in Medicare is unmatched, because you should not have to rely on your credit card for essential health services and medications. The Albanese Labor government has tripled the bulk-billing incentive for people who need to see their GP most often and offered an extra incentive for whole GP practices to offer bulk-billing to every single patient. New data shows Australians can now access over 3,400 Medicare bulk-billing practices across the country. That number continues to grow every single week. Almost 1,300 of those practices were previously mixed billing. In just three months, the bulk-billing rate for all Australians has jumped to 81.4 per cent nationwide. This is the largest quarterly jump in bulk-billing in 20 years.

We've launched 1800MEDICARE, a free service that will get you a free consultation with a registered nurse—or a GP, if needed—over the phone. We've opened more fully bulk-billed Medicare urgent care clinics. That includes the Murrumba Downs UCC in my electorate. It is now a much-loved community service. We've made medicines cheaper, reducing the cost of medicines on the PBS to just $25—back to 2004 prices. And we're investing more than $790 million in our women's health package, providing Australian women with more choice and better treatment at a lower cost. For the first time in 30 years, we have put new contraception pills on the PBS, as well as menopause medications. That is what you get with a majority-female caucus. On that front—on the gender pay gap—it's worth reminding the House that those opposite voted against our three-day childcare guarantee, saying, 'It's not something the country can afford.' Working mums can't afford the coalition.

We've provided 20 per cent off student debt, literally changing the lives of so many students. Those opposite called it 'reverse Robin Hood', basically labelling uni students 'the big end of town'. We've also funded more free TAFE and paid prac places. On that, they said, 'If you don't pay for something, you don't value it.' Well, in Queensland, the most popular free TAFE courses are nursing and early childhood education. I know my local nurses and childcare workers value and love what they do.

The Albanese Labor government is also taking strong steps to ensure Australians have a safe, secure and affordable home. We have an ambitious $45 billion plan to build 1.2 million homes across the country. Of course, those opposite blocked our plan in conjunction with the Greens, which delayed our progress for a long time. But, with the states and territories, we are doing everything we can to increase supply right across the country. Our five per cent deposit scheme for first-time buyers is making a real difference in my electorate of Dickson. Since we came to government, 1,713 people in Dickson have been able to buy their first home with a five per cent deposit, fast-tracking their way to homeownership. We're also investing in more social and affordable housing through the $10 billion Housing Australia Future Fund to support the delivery of 55,000 social and affordable homes right across Australia. One hundred and fifty-three of those new homes are being built right now in Joyner, in my community of Dickson.

Of course, those opposite not only opposed our investment in social and affordable homes but have also said they would repeal the laws that have allowed investment in these homes. They have said our $10 billion investment fund for social and affordable homes was a 'warped' approach. I tell you what's truly warped. It's the coalition's record on construction of social and affordable homes in the nine years they were in government. There were just 373 homes in nine years. That's not just warped; it is neglect. We've built over 5,000 social and affordable homes since being elected. For renters we've delivered real relief with back-to-back increases to Commonwealth rent assistance—nearly a 50 per cent boost—supporting 7,230 people in my electorate of Dickson. And we're backing the construction workforce, with more than 335 apprentices receiving $5,000 incentive payments. From 1 July 2025, it will be up to $10,000 through Labor's Key Apprenticeship Program.

These appropriation bills have ensured responsible cost-of-living relief. The Albanese Labor government is focused on getting inflation under control while easing cost-of-living pressures for Australian families. That is what my electorate of Dickson voted for and that's what we are delivering here.

Anne Stanley (Werriwa, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Albanese Labor government is now into its second term after having been elected in May 2022 and re-elected in May last year. In that time, there has been no shortage of challenges both domestically and internationally. Notwithstanding that, on every occasion our government has risen to the occasion. We are fortunate that in uncertain times we have leadership that provides certainty, direction and a steady hand. Front and foremost among the Albanese Labor government's achievements has been addressing the cost-of-living pressures for many Australians. The list of measures the government has implemented in this area is long and exhaustive and covers almost every aspect of life. But let me let me use this opportunity today to highlight just a few.

Few things are more important to the lives of Australians than healthcare, particularly in the electorate of Werriwa. The Albanese government knows this, as have successive Labor governments all the way back to Gough Whitlam. Central to healthcare is Medicare bulk billing and the PBS. All have been strengthened by the Labor government and in doing so eased cost-of-living pressures for those who live in the electorate of Werriwa. I begin with Medicare. I've said many times that the green Medicare card all Australians carry is the envy of the world. It ensures free and universal access for Australians to the world's best health system when they need it.

Sharon Claydon (Newcastle, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The debate is interrupted in accordance with standing order 43. The debate may be resumed at a later hour and the member will be granted leave to continue speaking when the debate is resumed.