Carol Brown's recent appearances (OpenAustralia.org)
type: channel
language: en-gb
creator: OpenAustralia.org, mprss.php script
date: 2026-02-05T22:05:57+00:00
items: Two-Way Taxi Trucks South East Rally | Statements by Senators | Senate debates
items: Royal Australian Mint | Adjournment | Senate debates
items: Health Care | Questions without Notice | Senate debates
items: Bolkus, Hon. Nick | Condolences | Senate debates
items: Answers to Questions | Questions without Notice: Take Note of Answers | Senate debates
items: Combatting Antisemitism, Hate and Extremism (Criminal and Migration Laws) Bill 2026; Second Reading | Bills | Senate debates
items: Bondi Beach: Attack | Condolences | Senate debates
items: Australian of the Year Awards: Tasmania | Statements by Senators | Senate debates
items: Minister for Climate Change and Energy | Matters of Public Importance | Senate debates
items: Housing; Order for the Production of Documents | Documents | Senate debates
items: Environment | Questions without Notice | Senate debates
items: Dismissal of the Whitlam Government: 50th Anniversary | Statements by Senators | Senate debates
items: Social Security and Other Legislation Amendment (Technical Changes No. 2) Bill 2025; Second Reading | Bills | Senate debates
items: Housing | Matters of Public Importance | Senate debates
items: Australian Centre for Disease Control Bill 2025, Australian Centre for Disease Control (Consequential Amendments and Transitional Provisions) Bill 2025; Second Reading | Bills | Senate debates

Two-Way Taxi Trucks South East Rally | Statements by Senators | Senate debates
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description: I had the pleasure recently of flagging off the Two-Way Taxi Trucks South East Rally, organised by the Post Vintage Car Club of Tasmania. It was a strong turnout, with more than 68 classic cars...
encoded: I had the pleasure recently of flagging off the Two-Way Taxi Trucks South East Rally, organised by the Post Vintage Car Club of Tasmania. It was a strong turnout, with more than 68 classic cars taking part and a clear sense of pride from everyone involved. The Post Vintage Car Club has been part of Tasmania's community life for decades. It was formed by enthusiasts who wanted to preserve, restore and, most importantly, drive and ride post-vintage vehicles. That commitment is still evident today, not only in the care of the vehicles but in the way their knowledge, skills and time are shared between members. What stood out most was the spirit of the event. This was not about speed or competition; it was a carefully planned time trial focused on navigation, care and respect for others on the road. Drivers were reminded to enjoy the journey as much as the destination. The rally also highlighted the role that events like this play in bringing communities together. The route took participants through a number of towns across southern Tasmania, creating moments of connection between locals and visitors and showcasing some of state's best scenery. I want to say something directly to young Tasmanians who may have an interest in cars, mechanics or restoration: clubs like the Post Vintage Car Club offer a chance to learn real skills, hear firsthand stories and be part of a welcoming community. Getting involved is a way to keep these vehicles and this knowledge alive for the next generation. I want to also acknowledge the volunteers, organisers and sponsors who made the event possible. These are the kinds of people who quietly give their time to keep community life vibrant and strong.
date: 2026-02-05T13:38:00+00:00

Royal Australian Mint | Adjournment | Senate debates
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description: I rise today to speak about the Royal Australian Mint and the 60th anniversary of Australia's move to decimal currency. On 14 February 1966, Australia changed how it counted money. Pounds,...
encoded: I rise today to speak about the Royal Australian Mint and the 60th anniversary of Australia's move to decimal currency. On 14 February 1966, Australia changed how it counted money. Pounds, shillings and pence were replaced with dollars and cents. It was a significant national reform affecting every household, every business and every school in the country. For many Australians, it required relearning some basics. Prices changed. Wages changed. Everyday transactions had to be recalculated. The scale of the task should not be understated. What made the change successful was planning and public education. The transition was carefully managed, and the government understood that people needed help translating policy into everyday life. That help came in many forms, including the now-familiar 'decimal currency—the easy way' jingle, which turned a complex reform into something people could recognise, repeat and remember. It was a practical choice. By meeting people where they were, the government reduced confusion and built confidence. That lesson still matters, because reforms of this scale work best when they're explained clearly and consistently, not just announced. The Royal Australian Mint played a central role in that transition. Established in 1965, the Mint was responsible for producing the new decimal coins and ensuring they were ready for circulation across the country. Since then, the Mint has continued to supply Australia's circulating coinage. It has also taken on a broader role as a national institution that reflects Australia's history, culture and identity through coin design. I recently attended the Capital Region Showcase here in Parliament House, where the Mint had a stand. I was also able to visit the Mint itself as part of a public opportunity offered to mark the 60th anniversary of Australia's introduction of decimal currency. During that visit, I joined other members of the public in pressing a $1 coin to commemorate the anniversary. It was a practic…
date: 2026-02-04T19:35:00+00:00

Health Care | Questions without Notice | Senate debates
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description: Minister, how do the new measures delivered on 1 January complement other actions that the Albanese Labor government is taking to strengthen Medicare and improve Australia's primary healthcare...
encoded: Minister, how do the new measures delivered on 1 January complement other actions that the Albanese Labor government is taking to strengthen Medicare and improve Australia's primary healthcare system? Why has the government chosen this approach?
date: 2026-02-04T14:53:00+00:00

Health Care | Questions without Notice | Senate debates
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description: Minister, helping Australians access affordable health care when and where they need it is a priority of the Albanese Labor government. In the new year, how has the government delivered new...
encoded: Minister, helping Australians access affordable health care when and where they need it is a priority of the Albanese Labor government. In the new year, how has the government delivered new supports so Australians have even greater access to health care?
date: 2026-02-04T14:52:00+00:00

Health Care | Questions without Notice | Senate debates
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description: My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Health and Ageing, Senator McAllister. In its first term, the Albanese Labor government delivered cost-of-living relief to all...
encoded: My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Health and Ageing, Senator McAllister. In its first term, the Albanese Labor government delivered cost-of-living relief to all Australians by cutting the cost of medicines on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme. On 1 January, the government continued its record, delivering more affordable and accessible health care to Australians. How is the government delivering cheaper medicines for all Australians?
date: 2026-02-04T14:49:00+00:00

Bolkus, Hon. Nick | Condolences | Senate debates
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description: I wish to join with my colleagues in this condolence motion in paying tribute to the life and legacy of the Hon. Nick Bolkus, a man whose contribution to the Australian Labor Party, to the...
encoded: I wish to join with my colleagues in this condolence motion in paying tribute to the life and legacy of the Hon. Nick Bolkus, a man whose contribution to the Australian Labor Party, to the parliament and to our nation was profound and enduring. Although I did not have the opportunity to serve in the parliament alongside Nick, we were members of the same proud tradition within the Labor Party—the Left. I did have the pleasure of witnessing him in action many times at Australian Labor Party national conferences and at numerous gatherings of the National Left. In those forums, Nick Bolkus was something to behold: utterly fearless in debate and driven by an unshakeable commitment to Labor values and democratic principles. Nick Bolkus is one of those figures whose reputation preceded him, whose influence was felt across the generations of Labor parliamentarians and whose legacy continues to shape the party we are today. Fittingly, as the first Greek Australian to serve as a cabinet minister, Nick Bolkus was a passionate believer in democracy and in the rights and responsibilities of citizenship. He understood, from lived experience, what it meant to belong and what it meant to work for inclusion. His story was also Australia's story—a story of migration, contribution and the enrichment of our national life through diversity. In every portfolio he served, Nick sought reform, not only for its own sake but to ensure that the instruments and power of government were also used to serve the aspirations of everyday Australians. Whether in immigration, multicultural affairs or other areas of responsibility, he brought intellectual rigour, moral clarity and an unshakeable commitment to fairness. As Minister for Immigration and Ethnic Affairs and later as Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for Multicultural Affairs, Nick was both a strong advocate for the benefits of a modern multicultural Australia and a living example of its success. He understood that multiculturalism was no…
date: 2026-02-03T16:20:00+00:00

Answers to Questions | Questions without Notice: Take Note of Answers | Senate debates
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description: I rise to take note in this debate—about the economy, the cost of living and the difference between a government that is doing the work and an opposition that has completely lost the plot....
encoded: I rise to take note in this debate—about the economy, the cost of living and the difference between a government that is doing the work and an opposition that has completely lost the plot. What we have heard today is a decision that was widely expected, but that doesn't make it any easier, and I want to put on record a comment from the Hon. Dr Jim Chalmers, the Treasurer, who is an excellent treasurer, I might say. He said: We know that many Australians are doing it tough, which is why we continue to roll out responsible cost-of-living relief, including a further tax cut this year and another one next year … Right now, Australians are not asking for theatrics by the opposition. They're asking for stability, they're asking for help with bills, and they're asking for a government that knows what it's doing. That is what this Labor government has delivered. When we came to office—it's important that those opposite are reminded of this because it appears, by the contributions that have been given thus far, that they've completely gone down some sort of memory hole in terms of the past, when they were in government—we inherited a budget that was weighed down by debt and excuses after a decade of big talk, very little discipline and no plan for what came next. What did we do? We delivered budget surpluses. We turned Liberal debt into Labor surplus—not by cutting Medicare and not by telling Australians to tighten their belts. We did it through responsible economic management, careful savings and clear priorities, and that matters because good economic management is not an abstract idea. It's what allows a government to help people when cost-of-living pressures bite. Make no mistake: cost of living is our No. 1 focus. Every policy we have delivered asks the same question: does this make life easier for Australians right now? That is why every taxpayer received tax cuts, with another, as I have said, coming in July this year. That is why minimum and award wage workers have s…
date: 2026-02-03T15:19:00+00:00

Combatting Antisemitism, Hate and Extremism (Criminal and Migration Laws) Bill 2026; Second Reading | Bills | Senate debates
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description: This bill is being debated in extraordinary circumstances. It comes after the antisemitic terrorist attack at Bondi, carried out on the first day of Hanukkah, a deliberate attack of targeted...
encoded: This bill is being debated in extraordinary circumstances. It comes after the antisemitic terrorist attack at Bondi, carried out on the first day of Hanukkah, a deliberate attack of targeted hatred that took innocent lives, traumatised survivors and turned a place of everyday safety into a scene of terror for Jewish Australians and the nation. In recalling parliament, our first action was to come together through the condolence motion to honour those who were killed and those whose lives were forever changed. Our next responsibility is to act. This bill, the Combatting Antisemitism, Hate and Extremism (Criminal and Migration Laws) Bill 2026, is about drawing clear lines around what Australia will and will not tolerate. It's about ensuring that those who seek to spread hatred, radicalise others or exploit positions of authority to encourage violence face consequences that reflect the seriousness of their conduct. This is about protecting Australians. The government originally developed an integrated package of reforms. That was the right approach. Hate does not exist in isolation. Extremism does not respect neat legislative boundaries. Criminal law, migration settings, firearms regulations and intelligence powers all intersect when it comes to public safety. We govern in the parliament that Australians elected. Faced with the reality that the full package would not pass as one bill, the government made a clear and responsible choice: we split the legislation so the urgent and necessary reforms would not be delayed. This bill represents part of that original response that deals directly with criminal law and migration powers. It should not be read as a lesser response. It is a serious and substantial set of reforms. This bill changes what happens when the hate moves from rhetoric into real harm. When a person in a position of authority uses their standing to advocate violence or threaten harm against a community, the law now responds with clarity. Influence brings res…
date: 2026-01-20T21:39:00+00:00

Bondi Beach: Attack | Condolences | Senate debates
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description: Today the Senate, and indeed the parliament, honours the lives lost, the lives forever changed and the community shaken by the antisemitic terrorist attack at Bondi on 14 December. It was a...
encoded: Today the Senate, and indeed the parliament, honours the lives lost, the lives forever changed and the community shaken by the antisemitic terrorist attack at Bondi on 14 December. It was a targeted attack on Jewish Australians carried out on the first day of Hanukkah, a time that should have been marked by light, faith and celebration. Instead, it became a moment of profound grief. Our thoughts are with every person affected by this attack. We think first and foremost of those who've lost their lives and of their families and loved ones who now carry a loss that words cannot ease. We think of those who were injured and whose recovery will take time, care and support. We think of the broader Jewish community who were targeted simply for who they are. No-one should ever be attacked for their faith. No-one should fear gathering in public, worshipping freely or celebrating their traditions. Jewish Australians have the right to live, work, study and worship in peace and safety. They should not live in fear. Antisemitism is not just an attack on one community. It is an attack on the values that bind us together as a nation. It is an attack on tolerance, on mutual respect and on the idea that difference should be protected and not punished. There is no place for this hatred, this division or this terrorism in Australia. I also want to pay tribute to the bravery shown in the immediate aftermath of the attack, to the first responders, police officers and surf lifesaving workers who ran towards danger, to the paramedics and emergency workers who treated the injured under the most confronting circumstances and to the civilians who acted with courage, compassion and calm in moments of chaos. Their actions saved lives, and they represent the very best of our country. I also want to acknowledge the courage of Ahmed al-Ahmed, whose actions on that day spoke to the instinct to protect others, even in the face of grave danger. That instinct to look after one another is something we…
date: 2026-01-19T16:57:00+00:00

Australian of the Year Awards: Tasmania | Statements by Senators | Senate debates
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description: Last week, I had the pleasure of attending the Australian of the Year Awards for Tasmania. Every nominee had a story that spoke to courage, community and quiet determination. I want to...
encoded: Last week, I had the pleasure of attending the Australian of the Year Awards for Tasmania. Every nominee had a story that spoke to courage, community and quiet determination. I want to congratulate Dr Jorian Kippax on being named the 2026 Australian of the Year for Tasmania. Many first heard his name after the Franklin River rescue, where he helped save a stranded rafter in incredibly difficult conditions. But what stands out when you meet him is not the drama of that moment, but his humility and the deep respect he has for the whole rescue team. His career as an emergency medicine specialist, including service with the ADF and the Australian Antarctic Division, reflects years of calm, steady work in the toughest of environments. I also want to acknowledge our Senior Australian of the Year, Julie Dunbabin, whose vision has changed the way we think about school lunches in Tasmania. Her simple but powerful belief that every child deserves a nutritious sit-down meal made from local produce is now reaching thousands of students each week. It is building healthier habits, supporting local growers and easing pressure on families. Our Young Australian of the Year, Alyssia Kennedy, is helping young Tasmanians to take their first steps into adult life with confidence. Through her Life After School program, she is giving young people the skills and support they need for the real world. Finally, I congratulate the 2026 Local Hero for Tasmania, Emily Briffa. Hamlet cafe has been a place where people living with disability and mental health challenges gain skills, confidence and a pathway to work. More than 700 Tasmanians have trained through Hamlet—a testament to Emily's leadership and the belief in the potential of every person. Congratulations to all recipients across the country, and best of luck to our Tassie contenders. I have no doubt they will do our state proud.
date: 2025-11-26T13:44:00+00:00

Minister for Climate Change and Energy | Matters of Public Importance | Senate debates
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description: I'm pleased to rise to speak to this matter of public importance and to follow the mover of the motion, Senator Hume. The content of her contribution really tells me that she hasn't—the...
encoded: I'm pleased to rise to speak to this matter of public importance and to follow the mover of the motion, Senator Hume. The content of her contribution really tells me that she hasn't—the effort into her MPI is not really up to scratch, I'm sorry. What I mean by that is it did seem like it was more tongue-in-cheek. I thought Senator Hume's contribution was more tongue-in-cheek. Unfortunately, the issue of energy is a serious matter, and this MPI really shows that the opposition are not here to take that issue seriously. In terms of their position on energy, they're here because they're climate deniers dragged around by the Right and the further right of their own party. The MPI is not about policy; it's a distraction from the chaos overtaking the Liberal Party. Their leader is under pressure, their backbench is undermining them, and their party is split. Ms Ley would rather deny climate change exists than face what is going on in her own ranks. The simple truth is this—I actually said this earlier today, but it is worth repeating because these are the facts—the opposition had almost 10 years to put an energy policy in place, and they failed. For a decade they went from slogan to slogan without delivering a single settled plan. Twenty-three different policies came and went. None of them stuck. None of them delivered certainty. None of them delivered investment. All the while, the system aged, and the market moved. During their time in government, 24 out of 28 coal-fired power stations announced they were closing, and yet they did nothing to prepare the country for it. I know those opposite understand this. They know that these are the facts. They know that their inaction is a key reason Australians face the pressures they do today. When you ignore a problem for 10 years, it doesn't go away; it becomes harder to fix. Instead of taking responsibility, the opposition now want to entirely abandon net zero, a target they signed Australia up to and which their own colleagues…
date: 2025-11-25T18:31:00+00:00

Answers to Questions | Questions without Notice: Take Note of Answers | Senate debates
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description: I, too, rise to speak on the responses in question time today. Firstly, in their contributions, those opposite talked about questions not being answered directly. You couldn't get any more direct...
encoded: I, too, rise to speak on the responses in question time today. Firstly, in their contributions, those opposite talked about questions not being answered directly. You couldn't get any more direct answers to questions than those in question time today from our ministers. They directly answered the questions that were put to them. Unfortunately, the coalition just don't like the answers. The other thing that the coalition don't seem to like are facts. Facts matter. It is important that the coalition are reminded of their record when they were in government when they seek to lay blame at this government's feet for actions the coalition did or did not take—and when we get to energy prices we'll talk about 10 years of neglect in that sector. It matters, and they can't walk away from the decisions they made. Then we go to the BOM website. Minister Watt has been on the record on so many occasions in the last few days about his expectations and what he has done in terms of the BOM website. I'm going to read some of his response to an interview he gave prior to question time. Why did the coalition ask the question about the BOM website when the answer was already out there? They'd have to go back to their tactics committee to work that one out. Minister Watt said, 'I'm not happy with how this has been managed.' You may have seen a few weeks ago, when the issue first arose around the issue with the website, that he got the acting CEO in for a meeting and said that it wasn't meeting his expectations or public expectations, and since that time they've made changes. He continued: 'We have now all learnt about the cost increases. I would just say the website change was always going to cost more than $4 million.' This actually began under the Turnbull government. I don't know why they're so sensitive over there. That is a fact. It was begun under the Turnbull government, and the first contracts for the new website were signed under the Morrison government in 2019. That's the reali…
date: 2025-11-25T15:34:00+00:00

Housing; Order for the Production of Documents | Documents | Senate debates
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description: Who is it?
encoded: Who is it?
date: 2025-11-24T15:44:00+00:00

Environment | Questions without Notice | Senate debates
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description: The Albanese Labor government is unified in its approach to investing in renewables to achieve net zero by 2050, which will ultimately protect our precious environment. How important is policy...
encoded: The Albanese Labor government is unified in its approach to investing in renewables to achieve net zero by 2050, which will ultimately protect our precious environment. How important is policy certainty around our energy market, particularly for business investment around the country?
date: 2025-11-06T15:01:00+00:00

Environment | Questions without Notice | Senate debates
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description: These reforms are vital not only to protect our precious environment but also to ensure that we can accelerate investment in key national priorities like housing and renewable energy. Minister,...
encoded: These reforms are vital not only to protect our precious environment but also to ensure that we can accelerate investment in key national priorities like housing and renewable energy. Minister, can you outline the broad support for this bill and for climate action from across the community?
date: 2025-11-06T14:59:00+00:00

Environment | Questions without Notice | Senate debates
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description: My question is to the Minister for the Environment and Water, Senator Watt. Today is a landmark day for the environment in Australia. The Albanese Labor government's environmental law reforms are...
encoded: My question is to the Minister for the Environment and Water, Senator Watt. Today is a landmark day for the environment in Australia. The Albanese Labor government's environmental law reforms are expected to pass the House of Representatives today. Can the minister outline how these reforms will protect the environment and why they're so important to achieve our climate goals?
date: 2025-11-06T14:57:00+00:00

Dismissal of the Whitlam Government: 50th Anniversary | Statements by Senators | Senate debates
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description: Next week marks 50 years since the dismissal of a prime minister who transformed Australia. On 11 November 1975, Gough Whitlam stood on the steps of Old Parliament House and told Australians that...
encoded: Next week marks 50 years since the dismissal of a prime minister who transformed Australia. On 11 November 1975, Gough Whitlam stood on the steps of Old Parliament House and told Australians that nothing would ever take away their right to be heard. It was a moment that shook our nation—the first and only time a democratically elected Australian government was dismissed. It sparked anger and protest, but it also strengthened the nation's belief in the power of the Australian people to choose their government and their future. Gough Whitlam expanded the horizons of our nation. He believed government could be a force for fairness, equality and opportunity. He opened the doors of universities to every young Australian. He recognised the rights of First Nations people. He made women's equality a national priority. He gave Australians universal health care through Medibank, a world-leading reform that the Liberals later scrapped but which Labor rebuilt as Medicare. His optimism changed Australia's sense of what was possible. He imagined a fairer, more educated, more equal nation and then set about building it. We still see the results of Whitlam's vision in the way we live today, in our universities, in the Medicare card that guarantees care when we are sick and in the belief that every person deserves dignity and opportunity. His reforms changed not only laws and institutions but the way Australians saw themselves and the country's potential. As we approach the anniversary of his dismissal, we remember not the event itself but the legacy that continues to shape our country and the values that guide Labor governments to this very day.
date: 2025-11-06T13:32:00+00:00

Social Security and Other Legislation Amendment (Technical Changes No. 2) Bill 2025; Second Reading | Bills | Senate debates
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description: I rise to speak on the Social Security and Other Legislation Amendment (Technical Changes No. 2) Bill 2025. It is a bill grounded in two of Labor's most enduring values—dignity and...
encoded: I rise to speak on the Social Security and Other Legislation Amendment (Technical Changes No. 2) Bill 2025. It is a bill grounded in two of Labor's most enduring values—dignity and fairness. Those values are at the heart of why Australians built a social security system in the first place: to make sure that, when life takes an unprecedented turn, no-one is left without help. The Albanese Labor government believes that dignity should never depend on circumstances. Whether it's a job loss, illness, caring responsibilities or simply bad luck, every Australian deserves a system that treats them with respect. This bill is about restoring that respect. It fixes longstanding flaws in the way our social security debts are managed and strengthens protections for those who have been harmed by coercion and financial abuse. It draws a clear line under the mistakes of the past and builds a fairer foundation for the future. Before I get into the detail, I want to pause to reflect on what this means in human terms. When we talk about debts or income apportionment, it can sound dry or bureaucratic, but, for the people affected, these are not abstract concepts. They are letters that arrive unannounced, phone calls from private numbers and sleepless nights spent worrying about how to pay back money they should never have owed. In my own state of Tasmania I've spoken to people who still feel anxious every time they see an unknown phone number on their phone, because they've lived through years of being chased over minor or mistaken debts. Many were older Tasmanians, carers, or people living with disability, who'd done their best to comply with complex rules that even experts struggle to understand. That is why dignity matters. When bureaucracy forgets compassion, real people suffer. This bill ensures that that never happens again. We all remember the harm caused by the unlawful robodebt scheme. It was a national disgrace, a cruel policy, that replaced fairness with automation and comp…
date: 2025-11-05T18:28:00+00:00

Housing | Matters of Public Importance | Senate debates
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description: Senator Bragg has come in here today, supported by the Liberal opposition, and has brought this MPI about housing. It's about time we put some facts into this MPI, and, in my contribution and in...
encoded: Senator Bragg has come in here today, supported by the Liberal opposition, and has brought this MPI about housing. It's about time we put some facts into this MPI, and, in my contribution and in the contribution by Senator Whiteaker, we've had some facts. From the other side, we've had nothing but spin and, unfortunately, not much support for those people out in the community that are looking to buy homes. When the coalition were in government—when they had a chance to act—they had no plan, no ambition and no housing minister. Don't worry about this MPI; their plan was MIA—missing in action. After almost a decade in government, the coalition left behind a housing system in crisis. Home ownership fell. Rents skyrocketed. Social housing virtually stopped being built. When they left office, Australia was building fewer homes than at almost any time in the previous decade. They went years without even having a housing minister, and their one big housing idea at the 2022 election was letting young people raid their superannuation to buy a home—a policy that would have pushed prices up and left people worse off at retirement. That is not a plan; that is desperation dressed up as policy. By contrast, the Albanese Labor government has a long-term plan to make it easier to buy and better to rent and to build more homes. Our Homes for Australia plan is the most ambitious housing agenda in generations, and it is working. ABS data shows building approvals rising—a sign that Labor's reforms are taking effect. We have a shared national target to build 1.2 million new homes over five years, the most ever built in any five-year period in our history. We have established the $10 billion Housing Australia Future Fund, delivering tens of thousands of new social and affordable homes. Those opposite fought it every step of the way. They teamed up with the Greens to delay it for 14 months, denying real help to people who need it most. What are they doing now? They're still voting against…
date: 2025-11-04T17:20:00+00:00

Australian Centre for Disease Control Bill 2025, Australian Centre for Disease Control (Consequential Amendments and Transitional Provisions) Bill 2025; Second Reading | Bills | Senate debates
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description: The government has backed this reform with serious investment—$251.7 million over four years to established the CDC and $73.3 million in ongoing annual funding from 2028-29. That is a...
encoded: The government has backed this reform with serious investment—$251.7 million over four years to established the CDC and $73.3 million in ongoing annual funding from 2028-29. That is a long-term commitment to building national capability. At the national level this reform would transform the way Australia manages public health threats. The CDC would become the central hub for public health expertise, supporting both the Australian government and state and territory agencies to respond consistently and effectively when emergencies arise. It would strengthen pandemic preparedness by ensuring our national medical stockpile, testing capacity and response plans are regularly reviewed and updated. It would coordinate surveillance for infectious diseases, track emerging risks and build rapid response capacity. It would provide an authoritative public voice during health emergencies, cutting through misinformation with clear evidence based information. The COVID-19 inquiry found that confusion and mistrust flourished when communication was inconsistent. The CDC would help fix that. This bill also reinforces Australia's global standing. The CDC would work closely with international bodies like the World Health Organization to share expertise and support global health security. As we saw during COVID, disease threats do not stop at national borders. A strong Australian CDC would help protect not only our country but our region. If I turn to Tasmania, this bill is particularly important for my home state. Tasmania's geography brings both strengths and vulnerabilities. Our isolation can help slow the spread of disease, but it also makes it harder to access supplies, staff and support when emergencies strike. During COVID-19 Tasmania faced major challenges. It took a toll on our health workforce and our communities. A national CDC would ensure that Tasmania is never left behind in national planning and response. It would give our public health experts direct access to national da…
date: 2025-11-04T12:40:00+00:00