Shayne Neumann's recent appearances (OpenAustralia.org)
type: channel
language: en-gb
creator: OpenAustralia.org, mprss.php script
date: 2026-02-05T22:05:58+00:00
items: Environment Protection Reform Bill 2025 | Constituency Statements | House debates
items: Migration Amendment (Combatting Migrant Exploitation) Bill 2025; Second Reading | Bills | House debates
items: Commonwealth Parole Board Bill 2025, Commonwealth Parole Board (Consequential and Transitional Provisions) Bill 2025; Second Reading | Bills | House debates
items: Low-Income Superannuation Tax Offset | Motions | House debates
items: Aluminium Industry | Statements by Members | House debates
items: Medicare | Statements by Members | House debates
items: Administrative Review Tribunal and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2025; Second Reading | Bills | House debates
items: Treasury Laws Amendment (Payday Superannuation) Bill 2025, Superannuation Guarantee Charge Amendment Bill 2025; Second Reading | Bills | House debates
items: Australian Centre for Disease Control Bill 2025, Australian Centre for Disease Control (Consequential Amendments and Transitional Provisions) Bill 2025; Second Reading | Bills | House debates
items: Aged Care | Questions without Notice | House debates
items: Ukraine | Private Members' Business | House debates
items: Bowel Cancer | Statements by Members | House debates
items: Appropriation Bill (No. 1) 2025-2026, Appropriation Bill (No. 2) 2025-2026, Appropriation (Parliamentary Departments) Bill (No. 1) 2025-2026; Second Reading | Bills | House debates
items: Housing Australia Investment Mandate Amendment (Delivering on Our 2025 Election Commitment) Direction 2025; Consideration | Documents | House debates
items: Commonwealth Workplace Protection Orders Bill 2025; Second Reading | Bills | House debates
items: Veterans Hubs | Constituency Statements | House debates
items: Blair Electorate: Economy | Adjournment | House debates
items: Blair Electorate: Community Grants | Constituency Statements | House debates

Environment Protection Reform Bill 2025 | Constituency Statements | House debates
type: item
description: During the recent debate on the government's reforms of the national environmental legislation, I didn't get the opportunity to speak on the bills. So I want to take the opportunity to...
encoded: During the recent debate on the government's reforms of the national environmental legislation, I didn't get the opportunity to speak on the bills. So I want to take the opportunity to congratulate Minister Murray Watt and the Prime Minister in terms of the agreement that's been reached in relation to the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act and say a few words about the beneficial impact it will have for my electorate. The new streamlined assessment pathway will significantly reduce the timeframe for proponents to provide sufficient information upfront. It will provide an incentive to meet the standards upfront. It will deliver faster decisions, saving businesses time and money. New and improved bilateral agreement with the states will remove duplication for the assessment and approval of projects. The reality is that, in the Ipswich area, the current laws are holding up critical housing and road projects. Some housing developments in Ipswich have been in limbo for five years as a result of green tape and the EPBC approvals, delaying vital housing supply in the middle of a housing crisis. On top of this, the EPBC requirements and associated ecological assessments for the much needed Mount Crosby Road interchange upgrade on the Warrego Highway in my electorate—a major freight and commuter corridor—have seen the finalisation of the design pushed back by around 18 months. The laws are costing business time and money, and strangling the homes and infrastructure that we need. This was a big theme of a local Blair growth and productivity roundtable that I held in August this year, as well as of the Treasurer's national Economic Reform Roundtable. Going forward, the government's reforms will tackle the underlying causes of these delays while also delivering greater protection for nature. It's not an either-or. Indeed, what we're doing in my electorate will benefit both business and the environment. During the last election, I was proud to announce a $1…
date: 2025-11-27T09:45:00+00:00

Migration Amendment (Combatting Migrant Exploitation) Bill 2025; Second Reading | Bills | House debates
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description: This country has been built on three aspects: first, the immense contribution of First Nations people, who've been here for tens of thousands of years; second, the British colonial settlement...
encoded: This country has been built on three aspects: first, the immense contribution of First Nations people, who've been here for tens of thousands of years; second, the British colonial settlement that was established in the aftermath of Captain Phillip's arrival; and, third, the waves of migration that came to this country post World War II. We are blessed for having had those waves of migration. Those migrants have made an immense contribution to our culture, economy, sport, arts, education, law, finance and commerce and to our nursing and allied health professional workforces. Where would we be in terms of our doctors, nurses and regional and rural hospitals without migrant workers? But this government is once again fixing up the coalition's mess. The coalition made a number of decisions—consciously, while averting their eyes—in the way they carried out their policy on migration. Some of it was to do with wages and some of it was to do with migration. Migration is critical to our economy. Every business in every city of this country knows that. The business community knows that. BCA knows it. ACCI knows it. The National Farmers' Federation knows it. But those opposite seem to subconsciously or consciously not recognise it. Workplace exploitation of migrant communities can take a number of forms: underpaying workers, pressuring a person to hand over their passport or threatening to cancel a person's visa—employers really can't do that, but they threaten anyway. There can be pressure to work more hours than the visa conditions allow and pressure to engage in unwanted sexual acts, and there wouldn't be a federal MP that hasn't had stories like that given to them at a mobile office, on the phone or in their office. There can be pressure to accept poor living conditions, and I've seen up to 15 or 20 people living in appalling conditions at the hands of unscrupulous employers in suburbs in Ipswich. And there's poor housing, with a lack of access to running water or electric…
date: 2025-11-27T10:33:00+00:00

Commonwealth Parole Board Bill 2025, Commonwealth Parole Board (Consequential and Transitional Provisions) Bill 2025; Second Reading | Bills | House debates
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description: I'm pleased to speak on the Commonwealth Parole Board Bill 2025 and the Commonwealth Parole Board (Consequential and Transitional Provisions) Bill 2025. At the outset, the Albanese government's...
encoded: I'm pleased to speak on the Commonwealth Parole Board Bill 2025 and the Commonwealth Parole Board (Consequential and Transitional Provisions) Bill 2025. At the outset, the Albanese government's highest priority is keeping Australians safe. To that end, the legislation will establish a new independent Commonwealth Parole Board, which will strengthen community safety by empowering law enforcement and community safety experts to make critical decisions about whether convicted federal offenders are released into the community on parole and the conditions under which they are released. Determining what circumstances a federal offender should be released into the community on parole is a critical decision. The bills will ensure these decisions are made by experts who have the qualifications, experience and knowledge to assess the risk posed to the community and whether an offender is suitable for release into the community on parole. We believe these decisions should be made by law enforcement and other community safety experts, not by politicians. Currently decisions are made by the Commonwealth Attorney-General. Parole decisions are complex. Sitting suspended from 17:55 to 17:57 The Commonwealth Parole Board will strengthen the public's trust and confidence in the federal parole system by protecting the rights of incarcerated individuals to have their applications for liberty considered in an independent, transparent, fair and accountable manner and by addressing the risks of perceived political interference in parole decisions. What we're doing here is very similar to what's happening in the states and territories, and it's important that we have separation of powers. I grew up under the Bjelke-Petersen regime, which had no respect for the separation of powers. It's critical that we have separation of powers. It's best practice, and it's happening across the states and territories. International partners who we follow and respect—such as Canada, the United Kingdom and …
date: 2025-11-25T17:53:00+00:00

Low-Income Superannuation Tax Offset | Motions | House debates
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description: I second the motion and reserve my right to speak.
encoded: I second the motion and reserve my right to speak.
date: 2025-11-24T16:46:00+00:00

Aluminium Industry | Statements by Members | House debates
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description: The Albanese Labor government is backing local manufacturing and jobs at Capral Aluminium in my electorate of Blair. We're extending our antidumping protections to support locally made aluminium...
encoded: The Albanese Labor government is backing local manufacturing and jobs at Capral Aluminium in my electorate of Blair. We're extending our antidumping protections to support locally made aluminium products for another five years following an investigation by the Australian Anti-Dumping Commission. These measures help maintain the value of Australian-produced aluminium extrusions, which are used in the construction, automotive, aerospace and electronics industries. The reality is that a large volume of underpriced aluminium extrusion imports into Australia are undercutting local industry prices and undermining Australian jobs and investment through unfair trade practices. Under our protections, these products will be subject to import duties if they are priced below local market values, so local products can compete on a level playing field. Capral is Australia's largest producer of aluminium extrusions as a major facility employing more than 400 workers in Ipswich in my electorate. So this decision will help preserve local manufacturing industry and jobs. I've visited Capral many times and I support local jobs in the local industry. Free trade and fairer trade mean stronger suburbs and stronger industrial regions and mean that manufacturers like Capral Aluminium can invest with confidence in jobs, which is good for our local economy. It's all part of our Future Made in Australia plan to protect local manufacturers and secure jobs.
date: 2025-11-24T16:44:00+00:00

Medicare | Statements by Members | House debates
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description: Last week I dropped into the Riverlink Medical & Dental Centre in Ipswich to celebrate the Albanese Labor government's massive expansion of bulk-billing. On 1 November our historic investment...
encoded: Last week I dropped into the Riverlink Medical & Dental Centre in Ipswich to celebrate the Albanese Labor government's massive expansion of bulk-billing. On 1 November our historic investment to strengthen Medicare kicked in, with bulk-billing incentives to GPs for every patient they bulk-bill and extra incentives for practices which bulk-bill every patient. This is the single biggest investment in Medicare in over 40 years and delivers on Labor's signature election commitment. Currently, around 83 per cent of GP services in Blair are bulk-billed, and at least nine clinics have said they will become fully bulk-billing clinics, thanks to our new incentives. Riverlink Medical & Dental Centre are one of these practices, and last year they saw nearly 87,000 people in my local area for health services. They're the home of the Medicare urgent care clinic as well, which has seen nearly 30,000 patients. The practice estimates that moving to 100 per cent bulk-billing will save our local community more than $238,000 every year. It was great to drop in with the local state MP, Wendy Bourne—the member for Ipswich West—to chat with patients and to thank the hardworking local staff there. We're making it easier to see a doctor and providing significant cost-of-living relief for locals. All you need is your Medicare card—not your credit card.
date: 2025-11-04T13:34:00+00:00

Administrative Review Tribunal and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2025; Second Reading | Bills | House debates
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description: Most Australians don't commit criminal offences and don't get involved in car accidents, so they don't end up in courts, criminal or civil. But 111,000 Australians, or people who aspire to be...
encoded: Most Australians don't commit criminal offences and don't get involved in car accidents, so they don't end up in courts, criminal or civil. But 111,000 Australians, or people who aspire to be Australians, appeared before the Administrative Review Tribunal in the last 12 months. When you look at the jurisdiction of this particular tribunal, which is the subject of the amending bill we are talking about today, you will see the breadth of the jurisdiction of the ART. Child support—you would think that that would be a very large proportion of the work the ART does, but it is a very small proportion. There are well over 600,000 Australians who interact or are a part of the National Disability Insurance Scheme, but a very small proportion of those people ever get to the ART. Indeed, you would think, with the number of Australians who interact with the social security system, that there'd be many people, through Centrelink or paid parental leave, who would be engaging with the ART as a litigant, but hardly anyone of them does compared to what I'm about to talk about. It's the same with veterans or workers compensation cases, or indeed taxation matters. The majority of the work that's done by the ART is in the area of migration, or indeed those people seeking protection. In any given year, migration makes up 50 to 60 per cent of the work of the ART, or its predecessor, the Administrative Appeals Tribunal. That's what's the case. Of those migration cases, about two-thirds of the work that's done relates to student visa issues. If you take migration together with the protection visas people are seeking, they form an overwhelming amount of the work that the ART does. So the bill we're debating today is important. It addresses efficiency and effectiveness in our system, and it maintains integrity and allows people to still pursue their rights in a fair way—the idea of dealing with matters on the papers is a very common thing when it comes to our judicial system. I'm pleased to …
date: 2025-10-30T12:45:00+00:00

Treasury Laws Amendment (Payday Superannuation) Bill 2025, Superannuation Guarantee Charge Amendment Bill 2025; Second Reading | Bills | House debates
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description: I'm directing them through the chair—of course I am—but I'm addressing the claims of those opposite. That's exactly what they're doing. They claim, for example, that there's a...
encoded: I'm directing them through the chair—of course I am—but I'm addressing the claims of those opposite. That's exactly what they're doing. They claim, for example, that there's a trade-off between housing and superannuation. They have failed to address this bill. Not once did the member for Goldstein address the substance of this bill—not once in 15 minutes. This is about making sure that superannuation is paid on time, with people's wages, so they can get their superannuation when they get their salary. I think that's fair. I think if you walked down Riverlink Shopping Centre in Ipswich and asked people shopping in Kmart, or in the food court, they'd say it was a good thing, the right thing to do. And this legislation is another proud Labor reform. It means more super for workers. Yet those opposite, the Liberal and National parties, oppose it—once again. We've already implemented a number of reforms to strengthen the superannuation system over the term of this government, including paying superannuation on government-funded paid parental leave and increasing the superannuation guarantee to 12 per cent. Only a Labor government has done that. Reaching 12 per cent was a signature policy, built on decades of reforms by Labor governments. Now we're pursuing additional reforms of superannuation. By the way, once again we heard a speech from those opposite showing the divisions between the major political parties in this country. Superannuation is one. Universal health care is another. Public or state education is another, as well as people's rights at work. The subject of this bill is superannuation, and this is yet again a demonstration of why the public's vote matters when it comes to people's financial and economic security and dignity in retirement. Payday superannuation is a once-in-a-generation reform that aims to tackle unpaid superannuation, creating a better system for workers and employers alike. We know that for too long too many workers have waited months to re…
date: 2025-10-29T11:34:00+00:00

Treasury Laws Amendment (Payday Superannuation) Bill 2025, Superannuation Guarantee Charge Amendment Bill 2025; Second Reading | Bills | House debates
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description: I've never heard such tosh and nonsense from those opposite. The member for Goldstein thinks he's a member of the modern and moderate Liberal Party. Just that speech: railing against public or...
encoded: I've never heard such tosh and nonsense from those opposite. The member for Goldstein thinks he's a member of the modern and moderate Liberal Party. Just that speech: railing against public or state education, claiming it controls children, and the idea that somehow superannuation—and I'll use the words he used about superannuation—is malicious, that there is denial and corruption, cartels and kickbacks, all associated with superannuation. So, when you take your superannuation at the end of your hard earning and working life and realise that it has been a Labor government that has helped you to gain your dignified and financially secure retirement, know that those opposite, in my 18 years of parliament, never once supported a superannuation guarantee increase. They delayed it again and again. The member calls superannuation 'neo-feudalism'. What nonsense! It's absolute rubbish! Those opposite would have more credibility in their view on the Treasury Laws Amendment (Payday Superannuation) Bill 2025 if they had supported any of the housing reforms of the Labor government, such as the $43 billion Homes for Australia plan. Those opposite spent nearly 10 years in government and did nothing on housing—could barely find a housing minister to represent the portfolio. And when it came to the reforms on housing that we initiated, they voted against them. So, they've got this false dichotomy between housing and superannuation. We want homes for Australia. More than 4,000 people in my electorate have benefited from the home guarantee five per cent. Those opposite, the Liberal and National parties, opposed it. And 55,000 social and affordable houses being built under our programs: those opposite, the Liberal and National parties, opposed it, as well as the Help to Buy Scheme and the 45 per cent increase in rent assistance. Those opposite, the Liberal and National parties, opposed these things, again and again. So, don't come in here and give us lectures on your newfound concern …
date: 2025-10-29T11:34:00+00:00

Australian Centre for Disease Control Bill 2025, Australian Centre for Disease Control (Consequential Amendments and Transitional Provisions) Bill 2025; Second Reading | Bills | House debates
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description: I'm pleased to speak on the Australian Centre for Disease Control Bill 2025 and the Australian Centre for Disease Control (Consequential Amendments and Transitional Provisions) Bill 2025. These...
encoded: I'm pleased to speak on the Australian Centre for Disease Control Bill 2025 and the Australian Centre for Disease Control (Consequential Amendments and Transitional Provisions) Bill 2025. These bills deliver on a key Albanese Labor government election commitment to establish an independent Australian centre for disease control and responds to recommendations from the COVID-19 response inquiry report released in October 2024, a landmark inquiry. It was established by our government in September 2023 to consider the Commonwealth's responses to the pandemic, including vaccination and financial support. This is because we thought it was important to be transparent about the response from a Commonwealth point of view to COVID-19 and how we managed it and the lessons we can learn to inform better management of future public health emergencies. That inquiry found that Australia was one of the most successful nations in its pandemic response, but, as a country, our preparedness left a lot to be desired. I can recall that back in the 1980s people were talking about an Australian centre for disease control in response to HIV and AIDS, and I'm pleased to see this legislation before the chamber today. It has taken a while, but I think it's a matter of good public policy and a matter of necessity. That's why it's so puzzling that those opposite are opposed to this. We've seen them rail against tertiary education. They don't like TAFE, the way they go on—they think we shouldn't be providing free TAFE. They don't like properly funding the university sector. The arts seem something that they think is an optional extra. Climate science seems like something that they don't believe in. Now it seems that health science and its efficacy are at risk of being something they deny. They don't like medical research, and they don't seem to support the idea that we should prepare ourselves. This was a once-in-100 experience that we had with COVID-19. But those opposite also, when I listen to t…
date: 2025-10-09T12:42:00+00:00

Aged Care | Questions without Notice | House debates
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description: My question is to the Minister for Health and Ageing. How is the Albanese Labor government delivering generational reforms to aged care after a decade of cuts and neglect?
encoded: My question is to the Minister for Health and Ageing. How is the Albanese Labor government delivering generational reforms to aged care after a decade of cuts and neglect?
date: 2025-09-03T14:31:00+00:00

Ukraine | Private Members' Business | House debates
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description: I want to thank my good friend the member for Adelaide for this motion. I want to acknowledge his longstanding support for the people of Ukraine and the Ukrainian Australian community in his...
encoded: I want to thank my good friend the member for Adelaide for this motion. I want to acknowledge his longstanding support for the people of Ukraine and the Ukrainian Australian community in his electorate and across the country. Just over a week ago, on 24 August, we marked the 34th anniversary of the Ukrainian declaration of independence. It was wonderful to see the Ukrainian community sharing the occasion, with independence day events around Australia, many of which were attended by MPs and senators, including in Brisbane. At the same time, it was a bittersweet moment and a poignant reminder of the courage and resilience of the Ukrainian people in the face of Russia's illegal, immoral and unprovoked full-scale invasion of their country. I want to take this opportunity to reiterate Australia's strong and steadfast support for Ukraine and its people, not just because it's in Australia's national interest but because it's the right thing to do. What happens in the Euro-Atlantic region has serious implications for our region, the Indo Pacific, and vice-versa. In my capacity as Chair of the Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade, I have met the Ukrainian ambassador, His Excellency Vasyl Myroshnychenko, a number of times, and I've conveyed that message to him directly. Make no mistake: this is a David and Goliath struggle not just for the people of Ukraine but for their national sovereignty and existence. This is a monumental struggle for international rule of law and the global rules based order, and it is a just war on the part of Ukraine. It's clear that President Putin's regime has imperialistic designs for Ukraine and beyond. We must ensure that Russia's illegal and immoral actions are not rewarded through any peace process. Australia supports all meaningful progress towards a just and enduring peace in Ukraine for broader security in Europe, but pressure will need to be applied to Russia to engage in good faith. Australia will continue to work…
date: 2025-09-01T18:44:00+00:00

Bowel Cancer | Statements by Members | House debates
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description: Today I met with a constituent of mine, Ipswich mother-of-three Ann-Marie Foster, who is affected by early-onset bowel cancer. Anne-Marie is in parliament today for the Call on Canberra, Bowel...
encoded: Today I met with a constituent of mine, Ipswich mother-of-three Ann-Marie Foster, who is affected by early-onset bowel cancer. Anne-Marie is in parliament today for the Call on Canberra, Bowel Cancer Australia's annual advocacy event, which is supported by the Parliamentary Friends of Bowel Cancer, of which I'm a member. Australia has the world's highest rates of early-onset bowel cancer—diagnosed in people under 50 years of age—with over 1,700 young Australians diagnosed every year. This is despite the fact that we have a world-class health system. Early-onset patients can take 60 per cent longer to receive a diagnosis, and that results in delays in treatment and poorer outcomes. Ann-Marie was diagnosed in October 2023 and has had to undergo five surgeries and more than 20 gruelling rounds of chemotherapy, with ongoing treatment. Throughout this journey she's become deeply committed to advocating for change and is currently involved in Bowel Cancer Australia's Never2Young campaign, calling for greater investment in primary care, development of age-specific clinical practice guidelines and increased federal funding for research to investigate the causes of early-onset bowel cancer. Sadly, Ann-Marie lost her best friend in February this year at the age of 44 due to the same illness. I want to thank Ann-Marie for sharing her experiences with me today. I wish Anne-Marie and all those like her well. We must do better in this country.
date: 2025-09-01T16:44:00+00:00

Appropriation Bill (No. 1) 2025-2026, Appropriation Bill (No. 2) 2025-2026, Appropriation (Parliamentary Departments) Bill (No. 1) 2025-2026; Second Reading | Bills | House debates
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description: I'm pleased to speak on the Appropriation Bill (No. 1) 2025-2026, the Appropriation Bill (No. 2) 2025-2026 and the Appropriation (Parliamentary Departments) Bill (No. 1) 2025-2026, to support the...
encoded: I'm pleased to speak on the Appropriation Bill (No. 1) 2025-2026, the Appropriation Bill (No. 2) 2025-2026 and the Appropriation (Parliamentary Departments) Bill (No. 1) 2025-2026, to support the passage of them and to talk about the positive impact of the budget handed down in March and our commitments from the May election and the government's economic plan and reform agenda for this term of government, both for the nation and for my electorate of Blair. At the outset, I want to say a few things about the broader economic context because it's always critical for the framing of any budget. The Labor Party is the party of lower taxes. The coalition voted against our tax cuts in the last parliament and took a policy to the last election, notwithstanding what the shadow Treasurer said, that would increase personal income tax on the 80,000 Australian taxpayers in my electorate and also around the country. Let's be clear. When we came to power, we were emerging from a sustained period of global inflation, and that inflation surge was primarily caused by international supply-side factors such as the war in Ukraine, which had an impact on energy prices, and the global supply chain pressures arising out of the post-COVID international economic environment. This caused inflation and cost-of-living pressures to rise well before our government came to power in Australia. Inflation at a high level is something we inherited, not something we caused, as those opposite and their cheer squads, some in the media, would like to assert. We're putting downward pressure on inflation and bringing inflation into the band of two to three per cent, and we have done so. That has been the centrepiece of government economic strategy not just over our first four budgets. For governments for a long time, the aspiration has been to have inflation within a two to three per cent band. Of course, it is something that the Reserve Bank of Australia also supports strongly. We've made significant progr…
date: 2025-09-01T18:12:00+00:00

Housing Australia Investment Mandate Amendment (Delivering on Our 2025 Election Commitment) Direction 2025; Consideration | Documents | House debates
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description: The member for Fadden—I am sorry. Fadden is an area on the northern Gold Coast. If the member for Fadden drives a bit south, he might see all the houses and units going up on the Gold...
encoded: The member for Fadden—I am sorry. Fadden is an area on the northern Gold Coast. If the member for Fadden drives a bit south, he might see all the houses and units going up on the Gold Coast. Too many people have been working very hard and trying to save, but the dream of homeownership is out of their reach. We know that. In the 1970s, it took about four times the average yearly wage to get a first home, but we're talking about 10 times now. People in my area do it tough. They don't usually have the bank of mum and dad. They're working-class and middle-class people who aspire to a better life for themselves and their kids. They're not from rich backgrounds. They have to do it tough, and they save as hard as they can. They're worried that they can't get a foothold in the market. They can't. They struggle. Our housing commitments of $43 billion contrast directly with the $5 billion commitment of those opposite in the campaign. I've got to admit, at Bundamba State Secondary College, I was better at humanities and anything you could write an essay on. But $43 billion is a lot more than $5 billion. Those opposite really couldn't bring themselves to support our policies. They might think they sound impressive now, but they didn't vote for them. In our first term, we made significant progress. They failed to acknowledge it. Over 180,000 Australians have now bought their first home with a five per cent deposit under the Home Guarantee Scheme. Since our government was elected, 3,416 people in my local community have been able to get into homeownership with the backing of our five per cent deposit scheme, which shows just how popular it's been in Ipswich and surrounds. In fact, earlier this year, the Home Guarantee Scheme trends and insights report said that one in three first home buyers took up the scheme in 2023-24 and that it helped a range of participants get into a home sooner. So we're expanding the scheme. For example, more than 50 per cent of eligible buyers were wome…
date: 2025-08-28T13:15:00+00:00

Housing Australia Investment Mandate Amendment (Delivering on Our 2025 Election Commitment) Direction 2025; Consideration | Documents | House debates
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description: I'm pleased to speak on this ministerial statement and the motion to take note of the Albanese government's announcement of five per cent deposits for all first home buyers. I listened to the...
encoded: I'm pleased to speak on this ministerial statement and the motion to take note of the Albanese government's announcement of five per cent deposits for all first home buyers. I listened to the previous speaker. He said our housing policies sounded impressive. They were so impressive, he couldn't bring himself to vote for any of them. That's how impressive they were. They couldn't find a housing bill that we brought into the House that they wanted to support. I'm just a bit bewildered by the previous speaker because he represents a Gold Coast seat in South-East Queensland; I represent a seat based around Ipswich, and we've been growing in population by at least 10,000 every year for the last five or six years. The Gold Coast has about 753,000 people living in it. In 2022, it had 722,000 people living in it, so it's grown by about 30,000 in that period of time. He should drive along Pacific Highway, go down past Pacific Fair and drive his way down the Gold Coast—I think he represents a seat on the northern Gold Coast. If he goes around Palm Beach, he'll see housing and unit constructions everywhere on the Gold Coast. He must be blind. He sort of reminds me of Russell Hinze, the former National Party cabinet minister, who couldn't see any brothels or casinos through Fortitude Valley during the 'moonlight state'. I don't know where the member for Caldwell has been. The Gold Coast is booming, and housing construction's going up everywhere. This particular motion is all about housing construction. If he comes to my electorate, he'll see the Greater Springfield area—the member for Oxley also represents Springfield; we share it—and I've got Ripley Valley. Houses are going up everywhere in these areas. The housing problems we've got in this country are not new, but the member for Caldwell must have been blind for a long time and mustn't be looking around anywhere. He must be the Russell Hinze of the LNP in Queensland, because he can't see houses anywhere. It's very challengin…
date: 2025-08-28T13:15:00+00:00

Commonwealth Workplace Protection Orders Bill 2025; Second Reading | Bills | House debates
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description: I'm very pleased speak on the Commonwealth Workplace Protection Orders Bill 2025. I think that one of the best campaigns I have seen in relation to industrial relations in the last decade was the...
encoded: I'm very pleased speak on the Commonwealth Workplace Protection Orders Bill 2025. I think that one of the best campaigns I have seen in relation to industrial relations in the last decade was the campaign done by the SDA, the Shoppies union, which was called No One Deserves A Serve. In fact, this bill could be called the 'No-one Deserves a Serve Bill' because it relates not to food and retail, which the Shop, Distributive and Allied Employees Association has coverage of, but to public servants and those who interact with the public service. That campaign I referred to found that 87 per cent of people who worked in that industry had suffered verbal abuse, while 76 per cent received verbal abuse on a regular basis, monthly, weekly or daily. In other results, 12.5 per cent were victims of personal violence, nine per cent were spat on, 10 per cent had suffered online abuse, 17 per cent had suffered abuse of a sexual nature and 24 per cent had suffered abuse, harassment or violence referencing their race, ethnicity or cultural background. There were 6,000 people who were surveyed. That is an extraordinary degree of abuse that people who work in food and retail suffer from every day. This particular legislation doesn't deal with them, but it does deal with those who serve our public and are known as public servants. Every Australian, whether working in retail, hospitality or the food industry, deserves to be safe at work. In recent years, Commonwealth workers have increasingly been subject to the kind of violence and abuse that I referred to that the SDA ran campaigns against for their members. They are subject to acts of violence and aggression from the public. This is simply unacceptable, and that's why the Albanese Labor government is introducing the Commonwealth Workplace Protection Orders Bill 2025. We want to make sure that Commonwealth workplaces are safer for workers and the Australian community. Now, we can do this by building arrangements and structural design. …
date: 2025-08-28T09:57:00+00:00

Veterans Hubs | Constituency Statements | House debates
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description: On 12 August I was delighted to announce a location for the new Ipswich veterans and families hub in my electorate together with the Minister for Veterans' Affairs and Defence personnel. Operated...
encoded: On 12 August I was delighted to announce a location for the new Ipswich veterans and families hub in my electorate together with the Minister for Veterans' Affairs and Defence personnel. Operated by RSL Queensland, the new hub will be co-located with Mates4Mates at 260 Brisbane Street, West Ipswich. This follows Labor's commitment in the 2022 federal election to deliver a much-needed veterans and families hub in Ipswich. It has taken RSL Queensland a long time to decide upon and acquire a site, but they got there in the end. It's important because we have one of the biggest bases in the country—in fact, RAAF Base Amberley is the biggest air force base in the country. We've got more than 10,000 veterans and families living in Ipswich and the surrounding areas, and more than 5,000 ADF personnel posted to RAAF Base Amberley, including army units. I'm very proud that the Albanese Labor government is delivering upon my commitment to establish this veterans hub—even more so because the federal Liberal and National Parties previously promised a veterans hub for Ipswich in the 2026 federal election, only to renege upon the commitment after having won the election. They went on to drop the commitment from their 2019 and 2022 election platforms. Then the Morrison government announced funding for a veterans wellbeing centre in South-East Queensland but still failed to deliver one in Ipswich. So it took Labor's commitment at the 2022 election to finally secure this funding and this facility for my community. It's wonderful to see the significant progress made with this project, with the permanent location now locked in and co-located at the Mates4Mates Ipswich Centre, in West Ipswich, and there's the expectation that GO2 Health will operate from this facility as well. RSL Queensland and Mates4Mates have a proven track record when it comes to supporting the veterans community in South-East Queensland, so I am pleased that RSL Queensland was the successful applicant for the fundi…
date: 2025-08-27T10:28:00+00:00

Blair Electorate: Economy | Adjournment | House debates
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description: Earlier this month, I was delighted to host a Blair economic reform roundtable at Jets Leagues Club in Ipswich to workshop ideas on how to boost productivity and economic resilience in the...
encoded: Earlier this month, I was delighted to host a Blair economic reform roundtable at Jets Leagues Club in Ipswich to workshop ideas on how to boost productivity and economic resilience in the region. The event brought together around 30 local business, union, community and government representatives as well as experts to discuss shared economic challenges and opportunities in Ipswich, the Somerset region and surrounds. It canvassed a wide range of issues: the value of volunteering, cutting red tape for local charities, cracking down on tax evasion and sham contracting, the importance affordable insurance and disaster resilience, and the economic sustainability of our local area. We had a terrific video from the Assistant Treasurer and Minister for Financial Services, who set out the Albanese government's broader growth and productivity agenda, and renowned seniors advocate, philanthropist and author Everald Compton entertained us with an engaging talk about the value of intergenerational partnerships and tapping into the human capital of older Australians. After the well-received forum, I wrote to the Treasurer with the key outcomes to feed into the national economic reform roundtable held here in Canberra last week. We've seen that this has already delivered a number of initiatives that participants at my roundtable were calling for, and that's very pleasing. Part of the motivation for holding a local roundtable was that we had seen strong local economic and jobs growth in recent years powered by a number of major developments, such as the new Suntory drink manufacturing plant at Swanbank and the Rheinmetall military vehicle facility at Redbank, and by big employers like JBS meat processing at Dinmore and Kilcoy Global Foods at Kilcoy. This is all very welcome, but we want to keep good, secure, well-paid jobs for locals now and into the future. This means continuing to back local industry, to attract new investment and to build the skills that people need to succeed. …
date: 2025-08-27T19:55:00+00:00

Blair Electorate: Community Grants | Constituency Statements | House debates
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description: I'm delighted to report the Albanese Labor government is delivering around $5.8 million over five years for six organisations to provide emergency and food relief for struggling families and...
encoded: I'm delighted to report the Albanese Labor government is delivering around $5.8 million over five years for six organisations to provide emergency and food relief for struggling families and individuals in my electorate, including terrific local community organisations like Ipswich Assist, Leichhardt One Mile Community Centre and Riverview Community Centre, as well as bigger charities like Vinnies. We are also providing $2.1 million over five years to three organisations which are helping people in Ipswich to access financial counselling, including people facing financial hardship due to gambling: the Salvos, Each Ipswich and Women's Legal Service Queensland. I know many people in my electorate are doing it tough, and services like this are seeing a big increase in requests for assistance. That's why this funding will help families and individuals in Ipswich who may be facing hard choices, like a choice between buying new school shoes and doing a grocery shop, or between keeping the lights on and paying their phone bills. I visited one of the funding recipients, local charity Ipswich Assist, before the election to see firsthand their emergency relief work. They provide year-round assistance to people, including basic food staples, utility bills, rent assistance, pharmacy support and local op shop referrals. Just the other week, I dropped in on another grant recipient, the Salvos' Moneycare Ipswich financial counselling service, who are doing a fantastic job supporting locals with debts, gambling problems and other financial issues and helping people deal with their cost-of-living issues. Combined with Labor's tax cuts, increased wages, cheaper medicines, cuts to student debt, increases in Commonwealth rent assistance and energy bill relief, this boost to emergency and food relief and financial wellbeing support is just another way the Albanese government is helping to address the cost-of-living challenge for people in my community and making sure no-one's left behin…
date: 2025-08-26T17:06:00+00:00