John Alexander's recent appearances (OpenAustralia.org)
Commonwealth Integrity Commission | Statements on Indulgence | House debates
I thank the member for Indi for bringing this forward and my colleague. A properly working parliament requires trust, honesty and integrity. It is clear that our standing in the public has taken...
I thank the member for Indi for bringing this forward and my colleague. A properly working parliament requires trust, honesty and integrity. It is clear that our standing in the public has taken a bashing, because these key attributes are in question. Between the scandals that have plagued all governments over the past few decades and the chaos that people see in question time and on the news, public faith in our parliamentary institutions is very low. We need a federal ICAC so we can take action, take the first step, to regain the respect of Australians, who need to have confidence that we are all acting with the integrity and honesty that they rightly expect of us. This sitting fortnight we have seen many members give their valedictory speeches, and a common theme has been the need for bipartisanship. Bipartisanship is necessary for many of our dealings but it is especially important on this issue. We need our leaders and parties to come together on this issue, because a solution will need to outlive a three-year parliament and will need to outlive governments. For too long this has been a political football, each side happier to score political points than to get the job done. The government has proposed a bill but has not accepted debate on it. The opposition hasn't even offered its own version or been willing to do anything constructive, relying simply on criticising the government's bill. None of this is productive. This needs goodwill between the two parties. We must stop bashing heads and instead put our heads together to work our way forward. This is too important to play politics with, because we've seen what happens around the world when people lose trust in their elected representatives. So let's form a team. A team is a group of people who come together with a common goal. Let's form a team to represent Australians, to ensure honesty and integrity as the foundations for those who represent us and those who seek to lead.
Fuel | Private Members' Business | House debates
I'd like to thank the members for Kennedy and Clark for bringing this debate forward today. Fuel security has always been important, but these are probably the most fraught times for this since...
I'd like to thank the members for Kennedy and Clark for bringing this debate forward today. Fuel security has always been important, but these are probably the most fraught times for this since the seventies. Aside from the more protectionist nature of trade today and the implications on tariffs at international borders, the pandemic has tightened supply lines, and a single container ship wedged in the Suez has shown us how dependent global trade is on a few small choke-points. This debate really does matter. It also couldn't be more timely. On the weekend, I saw fuel at $2.28 in Sydney. Clearly, fuel shocks are real. While I don't agree with all of the protectionist measures in this motion, there are certainly some elements which are critical and should be addressed immediately by the government. The call to stockpile six months fuel supply is vital to ensure we can keep moving, even in a crisis. I am pleased to see that the government is acting on this. We are securing a baseline level of key transport fuels to be kept onshore to act as a buffer against supply shocks through the implementation of a minimum stockholding obligation. This will see a 40 per cent increase in our local diesel stocks. But, when prices stabilise again, we must invest in fuels to ensure that we have domestic storage. Beyond the need for storage, sovereign manufacturing capabilities are also essential, which is why the government is ensuring that we have access to the fuel we need to keep Australia moving. We have already locked in Australia's refining capacity and its 1,250 employees through the landmark Fuel Security Act. This means that the Ampol refinery in Brisbane and the Viva Energy refinery in Geelong will both remain in operation until at least mid 2027. In fact, the Viva Energy refinery at Geelong in Victoria has extended this commitment until 30 June 2028, one year more than the minimum required period under the Fuel Security Act 2021. Locking in our refineries is a matter of national security, of Australia's sovereignty and our self-sufficiency at critical times, our resilience, and our resilience as a nation. It means that we continue to have the ability to refine domestic crude oil in times of emergency. We are investing in our refineries through the fuel security services payment, which recognises the vital role that refineries play in our long-term fuel security. The payments are designed to ensure that refineries are supported in downtimes, not when they are performing well. Due to reduced demand, the pandemic resulted in a surplus of fuel products, particularly jet fuel. With the demand dropping by over 80 per cent, refineries faced challenges in reducing the production of petrol and jet fuel while maintaining diesel production. The first quarter of the fuel security services payment has now been finalised by the government, with payments well below the maximum support available. For quarter 1, 2021-22, Ampol will not receive any payments, as their payment rate is zero cents per litre. The results demonstrate the fuel security payment system is working as intended, with refiners only receiving support from the government when refinery market conditions are poor. In the case of Ampol, their margins have rallied to such an extent that they do not need any support. Viva's margins are also improving, with the payments well below the maximum available. This is the economically responsible way to support domestic industry. I'm pleased to see the government has remained committed to domestic refining. It is not too long ago that most states had their own refinery, and, while the companies operating them saw business sense in moving offshore, it is good to see that the government has acted to ensure that not everybody has left the market. While Australia's fuel supplies have remained secure and affordable through the pandemic, we know we need to shield Australians from potential shocks in the future and enhance our national security in the process. Our economy relies heavily on energy and liquid fuels, and this will continue to grow. (Time expired)
Valedictory | Parliamentary Representation | House debates
And he is not a bad tennis player either! He tells me his golf is something special! I rise here today to speak as a result of a strange series of events and a great number of people who have...
And he is not a bad tennis player either! He tells me his golf is something special! I rise here today to speak as a result of a strange series of events and a great number of people who have initiated, cajoled, encouraged, mentored and worked with me to win back Bennelong, hold it through five campaigns and engage in work to address challenges where answers must be found. I've often been asked what the difference is between my first career as a tennis player and this. My quick response is that the game of tennis starts at love all. Ponder that. In my time on the tour, tennis went open, allowing the professionals entry into the grand slams, and the tour events became prize money tournaments rewarding performance regardless of reputation or standing. The equitable breakdown was initiated unselfishly by Ken Rosewall, who was then the king of the pros. The best events welcomed the best players, and tennis became a performance based profession with an equitable distribution of funds—a meritocracy in its purest form. Tennis since that time has grown and prospered beyond the wildest expectations. If our arena in this chamber had the same basis for meritocracy and fairness and a true contest of vision and ideas, imagine what could be achieved. I was attracted to enter the political world after conversations with Brendan Nelson and John Howard, who were both keen to attract people with real life experience who could contribute to the development of policy. My summation of their advice was that a party should only win office on the basis of the policies, plans and vision they present and that governments should only hold on to office on delivering on those undertakings. The year 2010 was good for the coalition, and I was one of many to win a seat in parliament. I was delighted to find I had some 80-plus new friends with a common thread uniting us. We formed friendships quickly, and these bonds have endured. I became besties with the Wyatts—Ken Wyatt and Wyatt Roy—even though my shoes were older than Wyatt Roy, and they still are! However, Ken tested our friendship with his maiden speech. It was magnificent, moving, insightful and hopeful—and totally inconsiderate of those who had to follow! In truth, the real reason why I am retiring now is so that I don't have to follow him again. When elected in 2010, I likened it to being selected to represent your country in sport. Initially, there is a euphoric moment of elation, but then very quickly it dawns on you that the responsibility of representation is now yours. The electorate of Bennelong is named after a man who symbolises first contact between the English settlers and the First Nations people—the commencement of multiculturalism in this country—so it is appropriate that it is now one of the most multicultural communities in Australia. Our schools are diverse, with distinctly unique characteristics, and our communities are multicultural and vibrant. Our strength and character are built on this diversity. Macquarie Park, Macquarie University and the CSIRO are at the cutting edge of innovation, and it's amazing how many life-changing and life-saving developments have come from this quarter. Our suburbs hold families both old and young, established and, now, many moving into new apartments in Epping, North Ryde and Meadowbank. Since 2010, I've survived five elections, against a high-profile journalist, an international businessman, a former premier, Australia's best neurosurgeon and—perhaps best of all—a local mum. We kept winning, I believe, because we listened and understood local problems and set out to address them. In visiting schools I was made aware of concerns that a lack of participation in traditional Australian sports was leaving some students out of games but also, more importantly, the friendships that would be made by participating in sport. Thanks to the generosity of Hyundai we put table tennis tables in all 40 schools, providing a sport that every student could play. With the help of Hugh Lee of the AAAB and Andrew Hill, the Bennelong Cup was up and running—and still is. Thousands of children have made friends through this initiative, and I'm grateful to every school that has taken part. A collateral benefit is that we've also produced quite a number of ranked players. In 2010, small businesses were really struggling with the effects of the global financial crisis and unfair competition from the major players with their $2 milk. We set out to encourage people to support their local businesses through the Bennelong Village Businesses campaign. In this, we were aided with marketing assistance provided by Boehringer Ingelheim and their CEO, Wes Cook; and the support of our local paper, the Weekly Times, and its legendary editor John Booth. We're about to celebrate John's 90th birthday. Unfortunately, he finds himself in hospital after a late-night fall after working—he works seven days a week. Get well soon, John, and go the Tigers! They're his favourite football team. We've brought our local schools closer to our innovative businesses in Macquarie Park by setting up the Bennelong STEM Challenge with the generous support of Medtronic. I was inspired to run this as a kind of tournament for the brain, and I've been genuinely surprised and impressed by the collegiate nature of the students participating and the way they discuss and engage with each other to expand and improve their projects. I've walked nearly every street of the electorate through doorknocking and three 100-kilometre walks across Bennelong to raise money for life-saving charities Motor Neurone Disease NSW, the Leukemia Foundation and Rare Voices. We've had some big wins, on 18C, saving Tennis World and making Eastwood safer for residents, and some important invisible ones like securing funding for the life-changing work of RASAID and helping Youthsafe keep our youth, well, safe. These little victories, the ones that don't make headlines but make a real, tangible difference to a small group of people, are as precious as anything. Armed with the advice that government should only be won by better policies, the first step was to really understand the issues in Bennelong. So our three rules of engagement were to listen, listen and then listen again. People were concerned about house prices as Bennelong recorded the strongest growth of any electorate in the mid-decade housing boom, locking first homebuyers out of the suburbs they grew up in and excluding essential workers like teachers, nurses and police from living in the communities that they served. They were also concerned about overdevelopment and traffic congestion, as Bennelong is bisected by five of the 10 most congested roads in the state. Like in much of Sydney, high rises are coming to dominate our suburbs, putting pressure on roads, schools and living standards. This struck a chord with my experience. In my maiden speech I talked about my time living in Atlanta, Georgia and the extraordinary growth of the US's Sun Belt cities from Florida to California. This growth had been implemented by visionary local authorities, who set out to sell Atlanta to the world on the basis of building infrastructure which provided quick connectivity to all of the east coast. 'Where is our Atlanta?' I asked in my maiden speech. I wanted this chamber to be an arena for a contest of ideas and vision like I had seen in America. I wanted our members and leaders to be armed with the courage to achieve bold visions not mired in petty, non-productive denigration of each other, as had been the trend. The extreme growth of the American Sun Belt was in stark contrast to the imbalance of settlement that was stifling our growth. Strategic decentralisation was what America did so well and what would be an answer to our local housing and congestion challenges. As a result, I have devoted much of my time to finding ways to plan settlement and, importantly, fund the infrastructure that will realise the creation of new cities. In the absence of a plan, Sydney and Melbourne have grown exponentially and created a great imbalance of settlement. Our major cities are amongst the most expensive in the world, are congested, and the cost of refitting infrastructure is prohibitive. We must create a plan of settlement and design infrastructure which will facilitate a strategic decentralisation that creates smart, environmentally friendly cities, leveraging off our economic powerhouse CBDs within commutable times, which would be possible when connected by fast mass transport. Initially, growth would be driven by connectivity but eventually these cities would reach a critical mass to be sustainable in their own right, forming mega regions that will drive our economic growth while providing affordable housing and better quality of life for future generations. When funded by a reasonably equitable share of the uplifted value of the land, this infrastructure can be fairly, sustainably and fully funded. Every day we do not act on this raises the cost involved and sets Australia back further. I am pleased to see that we have made some small steps on these fronts. I have chaired inquiries that have called for the creation of a minister for housing, an agency to examine better ways to fund infrastructure and an agency that looks into faster and high-speed rail, which became the Infrastructure and Project Financing Agency and the National Faster Rail Agency respectively. I now look forward to these groups actually doing something. The work has led to numerous in-depth, fruitful discussions with outside groups that support these policies, not just experts and academics but business leaders, engineers, bankers and ambassadors. The community will is there. We just need political leadership and a vision. Unfortunately, vision that plans for decades into the future is at odds with a political system that resets every three years and is obsessed with the narrative of the day. In this House, where the main game is all too often to denigrate and name call, the contest of ideas is the first casualty. If I could change one thing about our system, it would be the way it segregates ministers from the parliament; opportunities are lost through this. Our democracy is not only representative because it incorporates every citizen, but, because of our diversity, the members of this parliament are more representative of Australia than ever before. This legislature is a valuable resource for government because we all represent our communities and our own personal histories but too often parliament and its work are dismissed by government, and committees are seen as ways to occupy backbenchers. I am immensely proud of the work that my colleagues and I have done on backbench committees. Our backbench committees utilise the knowledge and expertise of their members and engage with world-leading experts from across the country. We find the facts that then build the solid foundation of reasoned recommendations to form evidence based policies for our leaders to absorb and use yet, once tabled, the reports sit in at ministerial drawers to gather dust and eventually receive a token response that does not engage with the scholarship within. It is often said that these committees are where we do our best work in this place, and that has certainly been my experience. This good work is only possible through the parliamentary staff who manage us, educate us and draft our reports. I have been incredibly lucky to have the great support of a number of committee staff, particularly Killian Perrem, Lynley Ducker, Bill Pender, Samantha Mannette and Lachlan Wilson. Thank you all for your hard work and your scholarship. Great friendships have been made with co-chairs of these committee—Jim Chalmers, Sharon Bird, Luke Gosling and all the members. I am proud of the camaraderie we have maintained and the bipartisan nature we have always upheld. I am also pleased to have never had a dissenting report on any inquiry report that I have tabled. It is frustrating that, although we have many friends across this aisle, all the public sees is question time, showing us to be aggressive and divided. The low standard of public discourse is high on the list of reasons why Australians are losing trust in politics. A true contest of ideas is not one that relies on the destruction of the opposing view to then win by default. In thousands of conversations in Bennelong, the overwhelming interest of people is on plans and ideas, not political denigration. The Menzies-Calwell Club was formed in 2013, following a magnificent valedictory speech by widely respected Martin Ferguson and the generous response of the then Prime Minister Tony Abbott. I have vivid memories of my dad telling me that Bob Menzies and Arthur Calwell had lunch each Friday after sitting weeks to find agreement on the best courses of action. In their image our club meets each Tuesday for lunch and leaves politics at the door. Arthur Calwell never made it to Prime Minister, but through these lunches he had an inordinate amount of sway from the opposition benches. It's a surprise that, at a time when we look back on this gilded age, for many it was also a high mark for bipartisanship. Bipartisanship starts with all of us. Each Thursday morning we play tennis on the parliamentary courts—it's open to everyone: Peter Khalil, Anthony Albanese, Kevin Hogan—what a great partner! They're regulars. Of course now, with Anthony the Leader of the Opposition, he can't always make it. Kevin and I are not overly competitive, but we do take every no-show as a default. Bipartisanship has its limits. At this point, I'd hoped to turn to a packed gallery and thank my friends who were watching up there—people like the candidate chosen to be my successor, except one hasn't been chosen yet. So, COVID has ruined yet another thing, and the galleries are much barer than I'd hoped. However, I suppose this isn't a bad thing as all of the people I have to thank and friends made over the past 11 years wouldn't fit into these galleries and so, sadly, won't all fit into this speech, but I'll try. Thanks to all my supporters. Back in 2010, we gathered 600 people to help us out in the election, and I'm amazed that so many of those people are still campaigning for us today. To every person who passed out a how-to-vote card, stood before the sun came up at a freezing train station, hammered in a lawn sign or helped in any one of an infinite number of ways: thank you; I am only here because of your generosity. Thanks, also, to my close friends, the late Bill Gough, Craig Brown and Josh Bihary who formed my initial support team; Caroline Currie who insisted I meet with the Brendan Nelson which started this political ball rolling, and Mitch Geddes who led me to doorknock over 9,000 homes in the first campaign. Josh had called me after an incorrect report that I was running for preselection for Bradfield, divulging that his first love was politics and offering to be my campaign manager for this preselection. I looked forward to finding out what a preselection was as I knew not. Josh became my senior adviser, and we remain great friends. He's sitting up there today with Jonathon, my current senior adviser and friend. I always muse: isn't it funny that my senior advisers look so much younger than I? I'm tall for my age. I've been fortunate to have incredible mentors who guided me in my good friend Victor Dominello and the then Father of the House, Philip Ruddock. They, and many others, have provided me with guidance, especially through the first few cautious years of learning—thank you all so much. My good fortune extends to the local conference led over the years by Artin Etmekdjian, the late Peter Graham and currently James Wallace with passionate and helpful executive teams that are too large to mention here. Thank you all for your support and guidance, and good luck leading our team in the foreseeable future. To the people I work with: everybody in this room knows how much we rely on our officers, and I am no different. Our office has been like a home, a family. In the five years between 2016 and when I announced my retirement, we had only one member of staff leave us—for a very large amount of money—which I think speaks more to the camaraderie of the office than anything else. Some time ago, I looked up the definition of team. Essentially, a team is a group of individuals who join to achieve a common purpose, bringing together complementary skills to form a force greater than the sum total of its parts. I've been privileged to be part of this team, united in the quest for fairness, opportunity and equity, and genuinely seeking what is best for our community and our country with an uncompromised integrity. Thank you to everyone who has worked in the office—those who were there at the beginning: Josh, Jen, Peter, Jacquie, Suzanne and Belinda; those who came in between: Sarah, Marie, Edwina, Molly, Jacob, Ursula, Simone and Tim; and those who are here now: Frances; Brendan; Daniel; Kendal and Madison, the twins; Wally and Jonathon. They all work really hard, except for Wally. He's useless, he's a dog—but very good for morale. As with my own family, I love each of you, and this will remain so. Working with you has been a joy, and I am proud of what our team has achieved together. My partner, Gill, daughter Emily and son, Charlie, were able to come to my maiden speech—Charlie still in his school uniform. However, Georgia was in England doing a gap year. All three of my children and Gill are here today, as well as my sister Annette. Thank you for taking time out of your very busy schedules. And it is interesting to note that, last night, or earlier today, when I was going to bed, you were waking up. Funny how times have changed and tables have turned! My other sisters, Pam and Susan, are unfortunately unable to be here today. My first racquet was inherited from Pam; Annette threw me the first balls to try to hit; and my first taste of real competition was trying to beat my sister Susan, which took years. The demands of this job are such that, too often, I've allowed my pursuits to distract from what is really important, and for these lapses I am sorry. My father, a romantic, often said, 'The pursuit of anything but love, laughter and happiness is futile.' Now, without this job, I will be a better partner and dad. To my children: while I am proud of your success, I am more proud of how hard you have worked and persevered to earn your success. The real value of our family, as with all families, is: when we suffer failure, we are comforted by each other, and when there are victories, we're all there to celebrate with you—the more so because you deserve it. And finally, thank you to the people of Bennelong for your trust and support in having me represent you. I hope I'm followed by a candidate who is able to represent you with all of their focus, as I have tried to. To close, in keeping with the advice I received from John Howard, I want this place to be an arena where ideas, plans and visions will be contested, with the best winning and all Australians benefiting. Those involved in achieving such outcomes, whether in government or opposition, will be proud of their contribution, and Australians will be proud of their elected representatives. If this place could agree on common goals and we combine to bring all that we have to achieve these goals on behalf of the Australian people, maybe we could earn their trust and respect. So my wish, on the eve of an election being called, is: make this a contest of ideas, plans and vision that will uplift our people and give them hope for the future and opportunities for all. I thank the House for your indulgence.
I would just like to add some comments to those of the member for Indi. If we were to enter a period of debate on this issue, we might be here in another 20 years, as we have been on climate...
I would just like to add some comments to those of the member for Indi. If we were to enter a period of debate on this issue, we might be here in another 20 years, as we have been on climate change. I would suggest that we act like mature adults, enter a room—we both have our positions—and start working through this document line by line until we have a resolution together. We should work together across this great divide to do well for the Australian people because the one thing they want of the people in this place is integrity, and our stocks are not high in that department at this time.
Cost of Living | Matters of Public Importance | House debates
Not likely! Thank you to those opposite for bringing this matter forward. The cost of living is critically important to everyone across Australia, and we're delighted to be talking about it....
Not likely! Thank you to those opposite for bringing this matter forward. The cost of living is critically important to everyone across Australia, and we're delighted to be talking about it. Unfortunately, this motion lacks context. It's a broader problem with MPIs; the need to keep things pithy and one sentence provides little space for exposition. But, in this, as in everything, context is key. The last few years have been tough—very tough. While the pandemic started as a health crisis, it has rapidly spread to be an economic one. Economies have been hit either way, and movement restrictions, initially, had the same detrimental effect on spending, which led to chaos in the countries who let this virus rip. But the last two years have also shown us that, by taking the pandemic seriously, locking down our borders and using public health initiatives from mask mandates to lockdowns, we have kept disruption to a minimum. Each time we come out of lockdown, we spend like sailors on shore leave. A quick look at the economic data shows that, for every dip during a lockdown, there is huge growth that follows. That is the story of today's national account figures: there is certainly a dip, but the strong expectation is that the next quarter will see large amounts of growth. As the Treasurer reminded us today, the economy is recovering strongly, and this is particularly clear to see in the labour markets. Those who were working at the end of the last century will remember the high levels of unemployment during the last recessions, in the eighties and the nineties. These have been avoided this time thanks to a huge amount of investment and support from the federal government. Our payments—JobSaver, JobSeeker and more—have kept our unemployment low and supported thousands of Australians when they have needed their government to step up. Since the start of September, 350,000 jobs have come back, and job ads are more than 30 per cent higher than they were at the start of the pandemic. The RBA is forecasting the unemployment rate to fall below five per cent and to be sustainably in the fours, for only the second time in more than 50 years. When unemployment falls, wages rise. The other function of real wages is inflation. In the June quarter last year, we saw the largest fall in inflation since the 1960s as a result of our COVID-19 response. This saw real wages growth of 2.1 per cent over the year to the June quarter of 2020, which is the highest in over a decade. Inflation has now rebounded from the record fall in CPI inflation in the June quarter of 2020. Once this has flowed through, real wages are forecast to increase. Today, real wages are in line with pre-pandemic levels. We have faced the greatest economic shock since the Great Depression and come away with optimism, low unemployment and big spending. Real wage levels demonstrate that we have been able to recoup the losses of the pandemic, and on these foundations we will now grow. In the Statement on Monetary Policy released on 4 November 2021, the RBA upgraded their forecast for wages growth, reflecting the upgrade to labour market forecasts. The RBA expects wages growth to pick up to above two per cent by the end of 2021 before accelerating to around three per cent by the end of 2023, the fastest pace in almost a decade. The RBA governor said on 16 November: Wages growth is expected to pick up … In terms of the specifics, our central forecast is for the Wage Price Index to increase by 2½ per cent over 2022 and 3 per cent over 2023 … No-one is pretending that the economy has been stellar over the past two years. Of course it hasn't. The pandemic has ensured this in Australia and globally. But I am certain that Australia will see new growth as we leave this pandemic behind, and this growth has been driven by decisions on this side of the House. Our economic stewardship has kept Australia in work and supported, and with these foundations our future looks bright.
Bennelong Electorate: Christian Community Aid | Statements by Members | House debates
This year, 2021, has been a challenging year, to say the least. This Christmas is sure to be difficult for those doing it tough, which is why it is more important than ever to think of those who...
This year, 2021, has been a challenging year, to say the least. This Christmas is sure to be difficult for those doing it tough, which is why it is more important than ever to think of those who are less fortunate than us. There are wonderful and selfless people in every community who are looking out for others at this time, but I would like to highlight just one organisation in Bennelong. Christian Community Aid, or CCA for short, works in the greater Eastwood area to ensure locals have what they need throughout the year. They offer food services, English services and activities for the isolated and the elderly. Through the pandemic, as local needs have become more pressing, CCA have stepped up and done incredible work to ensure that no-one is left behind. At Christmas time they organise hamper deliveries for locals, and I am delighted to say I will be joining them to assist with the packing in the next few weeks. When I'm there, I will also be congratulating them on a federal grant they received recently of $20,000 to go towards an adventure play space for children from disadvantaged families. Thank you to Heather Pinto and her dedicated team at CCA for making sure nobody is left behind this Christmas, and thank you to everyone out there who may also be looking out for others at Christmas.
Genocide | Private Members' Business | House debates
Thank you to my friend and colleague the member for North Sydney for bringing forward this important motion. The word 'genocide' is a terrifying one. It is the chilling finality of homicide but...
Thank you to my friend and colleague the member for North Sydney for bringing forward this important motion. The word 'genocide' is a terrifying one. It is the chilling finality of homicide but on a mass scale—not killing one person, but killing one race, one ethnicity. The concept is as horrifying as it is unimaginable. That genocide exists at all is tragic. That we saw so many in the last century on so many different continents and in so many disparate situations is truly frightening. Some genocides are organised—the Germans. Some are chaotic and opportunistic—Rwanda. Destroying a race is nearly impossible and, thankfully, all genocides fail in that goal. Genocide leaves deep scars in communities. It is not just the loss of the victims, the empty seats at the dinner tables and children growing up as orphans. It's also the deep psychological cuts and the branding aimed to dehumanise before the killing starts. The effects of this dehumanisation live on for decades to come. What can we do? You can't fix it or undo a genocide. You can't bring people back from the dead. Genocide leaves a legacy that can never be forgotten and will mark a people for centuries. Perpetrators can apologise. But what apology can compensate for the lives of millions lost? There is only one thing that can be done; we can discuss. There can be no healing without acknowledgment. The Jewish will never forgive and they will never forget, but they can start to heal at memorials around the world, including in Germany, where they can air their grievances, mourn openly, and continue a discourse with their former persecutors. The Armenians, similarly, will never forgive or forget the atrocities that were visited upon them in the fading light of the Ottoman Empire. There is nowhere they can mourn, no place to discuss, because the genocide is not acknowledged by the descendants of the perpetrators or by many countries around the world. There are tens of thousands of Armenians in Australia. We have one of the largest Armenian diasporas in the world. We've had an Armenian Treasurer, and our biggest state was run by an Armenian until recently. Yet we still cannot officially acknowledge the genocide at a national level. My local council has and my state has, but the government I work in still has not. This is shameful. In my years representing the largest Armenian Australian populated electorate of Bennelong, I have witnessed that this community is made up of active and vital contributors to our contemporary understanding of what it means to be Australian. These Australians are the descendants, the grandchildren and great-grandchildren, of those who tragically died from starvation, deportation and death marches. I have pushed during my time in this place to have the Armenian genocide recognised by our government. Not recognising the past's harrowing realities leaves room for mankind's most atrocious perpetrators to continue pursuing heinous crimes against humanity. The open wounds of the Armenian genocide are a primary example of this. In September 2021 I had the privilege of joining a federal Australian delegation to the republics of Armenia and Artsakh. I visited the Armenian genocide memorial with parliamentary colleagues intent on seeing motions like this lead to what we must do: recognise the Armenian, Assyrian and Greek genocides as a proud signatory to the UN convention we celebrate today. On 9 December 2021, the United Nations International Day of Commemoration and Dignity of the Victims of the Crime of Genocide and of the Prevention of this Crime, surely this is the time to acknowledge this genocide and give these people the opportunity they need to grieve. The word 'genocide' didn't come from a lab or through an experiment. It was first used in 1944 in reference to the killing of Armenians in the 1910s, the very intent of which coined this most odious of words. We should now recognise this for the sake of our Armenian Australians.
Juvenile Arthritis | Private Members' Business | House debates
I second the motion. Thank you to my friend and colleague the member for Macarthur for bringing forward this important motion today. As he often does, he reminds us that there are good people on...
I second the motion. Thank you to my friend and colleague the member for Macarthur for bringing forward this important motion today. As he often does, he reminds us that there are good people on both sides. Juvenile arthritis is a serious, incurable, debilitating autoimmune disease affecting an estimated 6,000 to 10,000 children and adolescents in Australia. For a condition with such a high prevalence, there is an incredible lack of awareness of this condition. For example, today I learned that shorthand for juvenile arthritis is JA, something I feel I should have known sooner! The condition is debilitating but also unpredictable: mornings without flare-ups are no guarantee of a pain-free afternoon. And when the condition does flare up, the excruciating pain can leave people unable to walk, move and, importantly, play and socialise. At this age particularly, even temporary disability can leave lasting stigma and depression. With effects like this it would be logical to think that juvenile arthritis would be better known, and yet despite the prevalence being similar to childhood diabetes and epilepsy, and around six times more common than cystic fibrosis, there is hardly any political or community awareness of juvenile arthritis. Thankfully, there is some movement by the government to address this condition. In 2018 the government commissioned the National Strategic Action Plan for Arthritis, which is an evidence-informed blueprint to guide national efforts to improve the health-care-related quality of life for people living with arthritis, including children living with juvenile arthritis. The action plan was released in 2019 and implementation funding of $4 million has been provided to date, focusing on consumer awareness-raising, educational activities and health professional education and training for arthritis. In regard to juvenile arthritis specifically, activity being implemented under the action plan includes development and dissemination of guidance on consumer focused care for people with the condition, their carers and families, and support for kids camps run by arthritis organisations. These camps provide an opportunity for children and adolescents to meet others like themselves and to participate in condition-appropriate and fun activities. They include educational workshops and self-management techniques delivered in a fun environment, and provide important opportunities for peer support both for the child and for their families and carers. For a disease that can limit the amount of childhood that a child can enjoy, camps like this can make a real difference. The emotional and physical therapies for juvenile arthritis are obviously important, but we must also devote time and energy to finding treatments and, hopefully, a cure, so that this condition does not continue to bring pain to people into the future. On October 14 2021 the health minister announced a new grant opportunity through the Medical Research Future Fund's Emerging Priorities and Consumer-Driven Research initiative, targeted at chronic musculoskeletal conditions in children and adolescents and with funding of up to $20 million over four years, from 2021 to 2022. The objective of this grant opportunity is to provide financial support to Australian medical research and medical innovation projects that develop or improve approaches for the early diagnosis of chronic musculoskeletal conditions occurring in children and generate knowledge that supports the development and implementation of improved therapeutic regimes through models of care for chronic musculoskeletal diseases in children. The grant opportunity will target chronic autoimmune diseases that affect the musculoskeletal system, such as juvenile idiopathic arthritis, juvenile system lupus erythematosus and juvenile scleroderma. The final piece of this puzzle is education. We can't treat these conditions if we can't diagnose it, and early detection is key. There needs to be more education for doctors and clinicians. I understand that work is also underway to develop a living guideline for juvenile arthritis as part of a health professional's education and training via a grant funded by the government, led by the Australia and New Zealand Musculoskeletal Clinical Trials Network and cochrane musculoskeletal— (Time expired.)
Global Polio Eradication Initiative | Private Members' Business | House debates
I thank the member for Higgins for bringing forward this motion on the Global Polio Eradication Initiative. I have spoken a few times lately on medical treatments that are bringing an end to...
I thank the member for Higgins for bringing forward this motion on the Global Polio Eradication Initiative. I have spoken a few times lately on medical treatments that are bringing an end to debilitating conditions. It might be a COVID thing with this endlessly ongoing disease, but it's nice to look around and see that we aren't victims to diseases and we have some agency against them. It takes time and effort, but eventually, with enough people focusing on one condition, we can consign it to the history books. Polio is one such story. Less than 100 years ago it was so prevalent that the president of the most powerful industrialised country in the world could have it. In prewar generations, polio was rife in Australia, with thousands of children suffering. Even when I was at school, one of my mates, Barry Mulligan, had polio and could only get around with the help of calipers and crutches. But while it was endemic in the thirties, in Australia our final case of polio was caught in 1972. Since then it has hardly been visible. Australia was declared polio free in 2000, at the same time as the whole of the western Pacific. The western Pacific point is important. As a rich country, we often have health outcomes that are better than the poorer countries around us, but eradicating polio is not about eradicating it in rich countries; it is about ensuring that it is consigned to history everywhere. That Australia was declared polio free at the same time as the western Pacific is very important. This excellent news has been continued across the world. As this motion says, in August 2020 the entire African continent was declared polio free and, around the world, polio is 99 per cent eradicated. How have we got there? Together. The Global Polio Eradication Initiative has brought together organisations like Rotary International, the World Health Organization and the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund as well as the private sector to bring polio to heel. When it started, there were more than 350,000 cases of polio annually. Each of these cases resulted in a child being paralysed or killed. The program has been incredibly successful. The other key ingredient has been vaccination. The polio vaccine has been one of the more efficient vaccines, proving to be easily distributed and highly effective. The National Immunisation Program in Australia still operates a polio vaccine for newborns and infants, and, by this method, we will keep Australia free of this terrible condition. Just as we talk of smallpox being eradicated by a vaccine, soon this narrative may be taken over by the polio shot. But we are not fully there yet. Polio continues to spread in two countries: Pakistan and Afghanistan. Both of these countries have challenging health networks and very isolated, if not autonomous, regions. Lawlessness is as endemic as polio, and this makes treatment difficult. There have only been two cases this year, one in Pakistan and one in Afghanistan. However, 2021 has not been a good year for health reporting in either jurisdiction, and it is safe to assume that polio remains widespread, with continuing transmission throughout the community in these countries. Furthermore, COVID restrictions have caused massive disruptions to the eradication goals compared to 2019. In 2020, there were reports of increasing cases of circulating vaccine-derived polio virus globally and continued reports of wild polio virus cases in endemic countries. Polio vaccines were briefly stopped at the beginning of the pandemic as health care was diverted to more pressing areas. However, that has since been reinstated. So, although we don't know the extent of the COVID impacts, it is likely that there is underreporting of cases globally, particularly in resource-poor settings. That said, ultimately, polio is a good story. Hundreds of thousands of children who would have suffered from polio will now live full lives, thanks to modern medicine and the efforts of the international community. There is still more to do in a small number of countries, but we have the tools and the willpower to make this happen. Then, soon, the world will be able to look back at polio, knowing that we will never have to fear it again.
Youthsafe | Constituency Statements | House debates
A few years ago I was contacted by a local charity called Youthsafe. They do good work in the community to prevent unintended injury to young people. They take a holistic and wideranging view of...
A few years ago I was contacted by a local charity called Youthsafe. They do good work in the community to prevent unintended injury to young people. They take a holistic and wideranging view of safety, focusing on everything from road safety to risk-taking behaviour and highlighting the main causes of harm in teenagers and young people. Their chief executive, Warren Johnson, works tirelessly and intelligently to get their messages out there and to help save lives and livelihoods. But they had a problem relating to designated gift recipient status. DGR is common in Australian charities, and many charities use it to incentivise donations that people can claim back at the end of the financial year. We also know that many charities don't get it. We expect to claim back money donated to a health charity, but not a political donation. But we don't often think about what separates the two. Some types of charities automatically get DGR—educational institutions and fire and emergency services, for example. If you don't fit inside these groups, often for fairly arbitrary reasons, you need to apply to the minister for special acceptance. Youthsafe fell into this category. Interestingly, Youthsafe don't need DGR to attract donations. At the time, they raised very little money from donations and weren't seeking to change this model. Instead, they wanted to apply for grants, which is where the story gets interesting. Many grants are only applicable to charities with DGR status, as if DGR status confers legitimacy on a charity. Without DGR, Youthsafe couldn't apply for grants and were staring into a financial abyss. I'm delighted to say that we were able to get DGR status for Youthsafe. But it wasn't easy. It took four years, six ministers and a lot of lobbying. Treasury doesn't like to give DGR status easily, as it can be a drain on taxpayers. That's an understandable concern, but not one that applies here. We need to create an indicator for a charity's legitimacy that is not also bound in financial or other gains. It makes sense for rules to insist on certain markers to be met before conferring a grant. But having that marker be something that locks out legitimate charities makes no sense. In this case, all's well that ends well. But I'm concerned that there are other groups out there in Youthsafe's predicament that are not lucky enough to have their stubborn persistence or a leader like Warren. We could be seeing worthwhile charities going to the wall over a tiny bureaucratic tick box, leaving the people who depend on them behind to fend for themselves. This must be a simple fix, but for now congratulations to Warren and his team at Youthsafe. Thank you for the very good work you do.
Bennelong Electorate | Adjournment | House debates
It is a wonderful time of the year. Christmas is approaching. Lights are starting to appear outside homes. Christmas shopping is imminent. It has only been six weeks since decorations appeared in...
It is a wonderful time of the year. Christmas is approaching. Lights are starting to appear outside homes. Christmas shopping is imminent. It has only been six weeks since decorations appeared in the shopping centres! Most years we look at each other and think, 'Where did the year go?' Lockdowns have blended into lockdowns. Homeschooling has drudged on, and well-intentioned sourdough starters have been in the fridge now for so long they are becoming sentient and have started to look to move out! Einstein told us decades ago that time is an illusion, but only in the last two years has this proven to be our experience. So we come to the end of this year with a relieved sigh and optimism for the future. It's worth remembering that in November last year we felt similarly, before Christmas and New Year's were upturned by the Northern Beaches outbreak. While Bennelong wasn't locked down, the implications of gathering restrictions affected the Christmas plans of many in my electorate, especially the many large local families looking forward to their traditional gatherings. Thankfully, this year, our optimism is supported by data. Our vaccine rollout, after an admittedly slow start, fired up in the second half of the year, and now the nation is 86 per cent double vaccinated, and New South Wales is trickling towards 95 per cent single vaccinated. In Ryde, we have 93 per cent fully covered, which is an incredible figure. We couldn't have gotten here without an incredible amount of work from our doctors, nurses, pharmacists and everyone else who helped roll out the jab and manned our emergency departments and COVID wards during our biggest outbreak this year. Thank you to everyone who played their part in keeping us safe, and, of course, thank you to everyone who rolled up their sleeves to get the jab. We're opening shops, opening borders and reducing restrictions purely thanks to the huge numbers of people who have come out to get their jabs, so thank you. This means Christmas will be somewhat back to normal this year, and I for one can't wait. Ryde Rotary Carols on the Common is back again, although not on the common this year—how common! TG Milner is the new home for this year, and it promises to be a great event. I look forward to seeing the thousands of people who normally come once again able to congregate and sing together. Another stalwart that is back for another year is my Christmas card competition. The cards are being printed now and will be coming out shortly. We had wonderful entries from St. Charles, Epping West, Ermington West, St Michael's, Putney public, Our Lady Queen of Peace in Gladeville and St Anthony's Catholic Primary School. Choosing a winner was very, very difficult. Every child who put in an entry was a winner. The finalists were Isabel Chan, year 1 from Epping West Public School; Olivia Payne, year 2 at Putney Public School; Annabel Debkowski, year 3 at St Charles public; Ryde's Isabel Nagwani, year 4 at Ermington West Public School; and Chloe Palmer, year 5 at St Michael's Meadowbank. But there can only be one winner, and I'm happy to announce that this year that goes to Annabel Debkowski from St Charles. Congratulations, Annabel, and make sure you keep an eye out for your card around the community. Thanks to every student who participated and the teachers who found the time to make this happen. To end, I would like to thank everybody for their perseverance this year and wish everybody a very happy Christmas. Hopefully, this year you can spend it with friends and relatives, but, if you can't, because they live in faraway places—or in Perth in the country of Western Australia!—you can look forward to the rapidly approaching day when borders will open. Please remember those less fortunate nearby you too. They've probably had a pretty hard year. Next year will bring a soggy La Nina January, an election and perhaps another COVID season, albeit a smaller one, hopefully, but that's a few months away. For now we can focus on things closer to home, and for the next few weeks we can raise a glass—or maybe three!—to our essential services, our neighbours and ourselves, smile and know that we deserve this festive season.
Thank you, Mr Speaker. Congratulations on obtaining this high office. I'm sure you will do this place proud.
Schools | Statements by Members | House debates
As we approach December, 'tis the season for school graduation ceremonies. Thirteen long years of school are coming to an end, and it's time for celebration and recognition of achievements,...
As we approach December, 'tis the season for school graduation ceremonies. Thirteen long years of school are coming to an end, and it's time for celebration and recognition of achievements, particularly after these last two unprecedented years. Like most people in this chamber, I would normally attend many of these ceremonies. I would get to present awards and sometimes say a few words to the leaving students, passing on my congratulations for hanging on in school longer than I did. But, of course, this year is not a normal year, which is something we definitely don't need to remind the graduating class of 2021 of. I cannot begin to comprehend the challenges they have must faced learning without classrooms, studying without friends and finishing without celebrations. It is to their great credit that these students have persevered throughout this year, and in many cases excelled, so I would like to congratulate all the students of Bennelong, especially in my absence. Well done for surviving another strange year without your friends, teachers and routines. Thank you to all the teachers who have had to adapt in tough circumstances and continued to stay upbeat and positive. Most importantly, congratulations to all those leaving school this year. Well done on keeping your heads through the last two bizarre and unpredictable years, and good luck for whatever next year and beyond has for you.
Stryder Community Transport Services | Statements by Members | House debates
It was an absolute pleasure to visit local Bennelong community transport provider Stryder last Friday. Stryder has just purchased a new Toyota commuter van through a Stronger Communities Program...
It was an absolute pleasure to visit local Bennelong community transport provider Stryder last Friday. Stryder has just purchased a new Toyota commuter van through a Stronger Communities Program round 6 grant. It was gratifying to see the benefit this grant has created. I sat in the driver's seat, inhaled the brand-new-car smell we're all familiar with and love, and nearly drove the van right out of the depot to give it a little test drive. It took Stryder board member Craig Chung and CEO Virginia Coy all their creative nous to talk me out of the van. It hadn't been run in and couldn't be taken to full revs, so what the— Craig and Virginia said COVID had impacted the organisation severely, as vulnerable people were not able to use community transport services, and this made them even more isolated and vulnerable. It has been a difficult time. Now that most people are vaccinated and being COVID-safe, Stryder are as busy as ever. Without the new van, they may not have been able to satisfy demand. Stryder is named after the City of Ryde and 'striding'—to go forward with purpose. It's a wonderfully apt name. Well done, Stryder—from Craig Chung and the board to Virginia Coy and her staff and their generous volunteers. Thank you for your service.
I thank the member for Higgins for bringing forward this debate today. I speak about medical marvels a lot in this chamber. Representing the innovation capital of Australia makes that an easy...
I thank the member for Higgins for bringing forward this debate today. I speak about medical marvels a lot in this chamber. Representing the innovation capital of Australia makes that an easy thing to do. Local companies are vaccinating us against COVID and other diseases, curing heart conditions and consigning many deadly diseases to history. It's an incredibly exciting time to be alive, and it's the best part of Australia to represent. One of the areas we have had stupendous improvements in is the area of AIDS. Not long ago HIV/AIDS was terrifying. It seemed to strike without warning, taking healthy young people rapidly. There was no cure. The grim reaper ads are still a vivid reminder of the fear of those days. It was all the more shocking because its victims—young people, healthy people, people with their whole lives ahead of them—were taken by this insidious disease. Everybody knew someone who was affected. Tackling this disease took incredible resources, vigilance and teamwork. By working together, the world dragged this disease into the light. In 30 years it has gone from a disease that people will die from to one you might die with in many years time. Looking at where we were with it in the eighties, it is miraculous that we have come this far this quickly. Now, in Australia, we have the results to show for all our hard work. Overall HIV transmissions continue their long-term trend of decrease in Australia. In 2019, 90 per cent of the 29,045 people suspected to be living with HIV in Australia have been tested and diagnosed with HIV. Of those diagnosed, 91 per cent were on treatment and, of those on treatment, 97 per cent had an undetectable viral load. Because working on this requires a global push, the UN has become involved and set ambitious targets to fight HIV. They have created a high-level task force which has set the following targets to reduce annual new HIV infections to under 370,000 and annual AIDS related deaths to under 250,000 by 2025, ending paediatric AIDS and eliminating all forms of AIDS related stigma and discrimination and to achieve the 95-95-95 testing, treatment and viral suppression targets within all demographic groups and geographic settings. I'm proud to say Australia continues to be a world leader in the elimination of HIV. Australia has achieved the 2020 HIV limitation targets set by UNAIDS and we are working hard to meet the 2025 UNAIDS targets. These are ambitious targets, and we still have work to do in this area. In particular, the overall reduction of HIV has not been seen in many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, and for overseas-born gay and bisexual men there was a three per cent increase in HIV notification. The government continues to support efforts to eliminate HIV and to support people living with HIV and working closely with the sector. Australia's role in this global push is highly commendable. This year Australia, together with Namibia, cofacilitated the United Nations meeting and we have been strong in ensuring that critical issues like comprehensive education of sexual and reproductive health and rights for adolescents and young people are addressed. We have got there through hard work and diligence but also through technology and testing, and tracing and treatment medications have all been game changers over the past two decades. We have come a long, long way on this front. But it's exciting to note that there are still improvements being made to these treatments. Just in February the Therapeutic Goods Administration registered the first prolonged release injectable HIV treatment for use in Australia. Injectable HIV treatments have several benefits for the patient, removing the need for daily tablets—the bright present leading to an even brighter future for everyone diagnosed with HIV. I'm still amazed by the turnaround in fortunes for people with this condition. The defining feature of HIV in the eighties was fear and uncertainty. Now it's optimism. This change cannot be understated. It also shows that we can do whatever we set our minds to fixing when we work together towards a common goal. We're seeing it today with COVID as well. When we work together with focus, we can achieve anything that we set our minds to.
Infrastructure Funding | Motions | House debates
Thank you to the member for Lalor for bringing this motion to the chamber. We're colleagues on the Standing Committee on Infrastructure, Transport and Cities, and I know we share a real interest...
Thank you to the member for Lalor for bringing this motion to the chamber. We're colleagues on the Standing Committee on Infrastructure, Transport and Cities, and I know we share a real interest in this area. The member would know from the hearings she has attended with me that I have serious concerns about how infrastructure is funded and planned. We missed the opportunity to look at it long term and to provide certainty to industry and the community. More regrettably, we allow speculators and camp followers to make away with millions of dollars in uplift that should, by rights, belong to the taxpayer who funded the infrastructure that gave them this uplift. There were many concerns that I had in 2010 and, as I look to leave this place, these concerns, unfortunately, remain. So while I have concerns that we are not reaching our full potential in providing as much transformational infrastructure as we should, I can't agree entirely with the idea that infrastructure has been neglected. The numbers are pretty staggering. Since 2013-14, we have committed a total of $175 billion in infrastructure across our nation, with over 700 projects delivered or under construction. Investment across our infrastructure pipeline has averaged over $8 billion per year since 2013-14. The Australian government have spent over $12 billion on land transport infrastructure investment in the 2020-21 financial year. We are investing $110 billion over 10 years into the land transport infrastructure investment pipeline. The expenditure this year is forecast to be even higher, at more than $14 billion. Together, these investments form part of the Australian government's economic recovery plan and will secure Australia's world-leading economic recovery by delivering nation-building infrastructure projects, meeting our national freight challenge, and getting Australians home sooner and safer. Areas of growth need jobs to make them sustainable, and infrastructure provision is a great way to create these jobs, as well as improving liveability and viability of growth areas. The new and additional funding in the 2021-22 budget for projects and initiatives will support over 30,000 direct and indirect jobs over the life of these projects. This, in turn, builds on around 100,000 jobs supported through our existing pipeline of projects under construction. So it is clear that this government is investing in growth areas. Indeed, with an election coming up, the season for local infrastructure approaches. In Bennelong, we know all about the cost of unfulfilled election promises, as the proposed Epping to Parramatta train line promised, and apparently funded, by Labor back in 2010 never saw the light of day. With the excellent Sydney Metro now flying through Epping station, the opportunity missed by Labor a decade ago is an opportunity that now will be lost forever, unfortunately. But, if anything, this is an example of a larger problem. As are the issues that have led to the member for Lalor bringing this motion forward today. On the larger issue, both parties are equally culpable. A lack of vision exists. The attractiveness of a big cash splash at every election contest belies the truth that infrastructure spending needs to last longer than three years and needs constant support between the excited peaks of election mania. Good infrastructure is planned, created and expanded over many years and decades, across parliaments and changes in government. It must be bipartisan; otherwise it will not survive. Unfortunately, the arguments about who has built what and who has not built what demonstrate that infrastructure is being used—by both sides—only as a tool for campaigning, not as a tool for improving our suburbs and making our cities and regions more livable, let alone as a national plan of settlement. When the Sydney Harbour Bridge was built it wasn't quickly announced to make the best media release. The plans weren't rushed out to ensure that it could be used as part of an election; no, it was planned, tested and invested in soundly. Nearly 100 years on, we're still using it and benefiting from the way it has fundamentally shaped our city. That is what good infrastructure does. We currently have three-year plans, but we need to have 50- and 100-year plans if we want to ensure we have infrastructure that will stand the test of time, not just the test of the ballot box.
Bennelong Electorate: Events | Adjournment | House debates
Over the last 10 years in representing Bennelong, I've started a number of initiatives designed to bring the community together. They've been huge successes in the past, but the last 18 months...
Over the last 10 years in representing Bennelong, I've started a number of initiatives designed to bring the community together. They've been huge successes in the past, but the last 18 months has caused disruption to them, as the last 18 months has caused disruption to many things. But I'm pleased to announce that there are a number of local initiatives starting back up as we all start to re-open and look to the future. The Bennelong Table Tennis Cup is something I'm incredibly proud of. First devised in 2010 as a way of bridging multicultural divides in schools through sport, we provided free table tennis tables to all schools through the generosity of a local company, Hyundai, and, in 2019, we replaced any tables that had not survived the arduous needs of schools and their sporting infrastructure. Last year, the competition was sadly cancelled. This year, again, we have not been able to bring all the schools together in one place for the big event, so we're taking the lessons of 2021 and adapting the event so that students can still take part. This year, I'm encouraging schools to do an in-house event, and, when permitted, I'll be delighted to come to your school and present certificates to the winners and all those who participate. The Bennelong Village Business campaign has similarly had a hiatus for the last two years, as promoting local businesses has been hard while they have all been shut. But now we are coming back with a vengeance. This shop local campaign started back in 2010 when I received a lot of feedback that the small shopping areas around Bennelong weren't bouncing back as well from the GFC as larger shopping centres were. It's fair to say that exactly the same can be said today, as many of the local shops are struggling with the bills after many months of lockdown. The rush of business as we re-open will be a huge benefit to many, but we still must encourage everyone to shop at our local businesses whenever possible. I'm in discussions with local chambers of commerce to see how we can supercharge this initiative, and I intend to visit as many local shopping districts as possible over the coming weeks to ensure that we get the message out about the benefits of shopping locally. Also making a welcome return is the Stronger Communities Program. This is the seventh round of this excellent program that enables local groups to invest in the broader community. Last year alone, we had some wonderful and inspiring applications for new minibuses for our local mobility group, Stryder; new community gardens for Epping Rotary Club; and IT equipment to help the wonderful Eastwood Chinese Senior Citizens Club. Great projects get funded through these grants. I look forward to seeing what will be coming through this year. Grants are up to $20,000. Normally, they need to be matched with funding from another source. But recognising the difficult times that many community groups are having at the moment, this requirement has sensibly been waived. To apply, please contact my office and get an application form and make sure it gets back by 9 am on 3 December. It promises to be another great round. One thing that can't be held back is the mighty Bennelong Christmas card challenge. Every year, I conduct a Christmas card design competition for local primary schools, and this year it's on again. The competition never fails to reveal new, wonderful, original designs. The winning designs will feature on my Christmas cards this year. That will be sent to many local community members and groups. Each grade per school from K to 6 is able to submit up to two works. The winner will be on the cover, while the four runner-up entries will be on the back page. Any school that wants to participate needs to submit artworks to my office by 19 November. I'm so glad to be able to announce that these initiatives are coming back. They are all designed to help the community and bring us all closer together; enjoy our freedoms. I just can't think of a better time for that than right now. Question agreed to. Federation Chamber adjourned at 13:00
Climate Change | Matters of Public Importance | House debates
It's a little sad to see the opposition's desire to maintain the climate wars. We've had inaction bred by division for nearly a decade and a half. It has cost leaders on both sides their jobs and...
It's a little sad to see the opposition's desire to maintain the climate wars. We've had inaction bred by division for nearly a decade and a half. It has cost leaders on both sides their jobs and led to a more disruptive political climate. For the first time in a long time, we now have city MPs like me and the assistant minister agreeing with country MPs. Together we can get this done, but those opposite have sought to revisit a divisive past. It's time we came together so we can stop this constant and non-productive bickering and finally take some action. Australia will achieve net zero emissions by 2050. We all should celebrate. Perhaps more importantly, we're going to get there by empowering people, if you will excuse the pun. Australia already has the highest rate of rooftop solar in the world. And, if you could see the weather in Bennelong today, you would see why so many people are putting solar panels on their roofs that energy companies are slashing the feed-in tariffs and working out ways to stop it flooding the system on hot days. This is a good problem! The Prime Minister talks about technology as our way through, and this could sound aspirational if it wasn't for our incredible track record in developing breakthrough technologies, especially in this area. The CSIRO in my electorate, just across the border, also in West Lindfield, is home to some incredible advances in solar panel technology. These breakthroughs have led the world, and we look likely to continue setting the pace in solar technology. Hyundai in my electorate was home to Australia's first public hydrogen-filling station, and I believe there are plans to increase this capability rapidly. EVs and hydrogen vehicles are firmly rooted in the Australian market and are growing at an exponential rate. We're also making wave breakthroughs in other fields—renewable energy. For the last few months, a large artificial blowhole has been sitting in the water off King Island, a prototype for a new type of wave power, and, unlike wave power in the past, the data in demonstrates it actually works. Wave Swell is an Australian startup and should soon be making these turbines for islands and coastal populations around the world. Many islands—King Island included—rely on diesel generators for electricity, so these turbines will turn island electricity green overnight. The waves roll day and night with incredible predictability, so it can operate as baseload power.
Climate Change | Statements by Members | House debates
In great news for the country and the planet, Australia has now a target to reach net zero carbon emissions by 2050. Our Prime Minister will be able to go to Glasgow confident that we're doing...
In great news for the country and the planet, Australia has now a target to reach net zero carbon emissions by 2050. Our Prime Minister will be able to go to Glasgow confident that we're doing our part to tackle one of the biggest challenges facing humanity today. With this commitment and this plan, we know we can achieve what we set out to do. As with everything else, there's a lot of interest about this in Bennelong. I have met multiple times with local groups, including the Bennelong Climate Action Group, Christians Together for Climate Bennelong and Citizens Climate Bennelong. I trust they will all welcome this announcement and this commitment. We will get there sooner. All across Bennelong, more and more homes are going solar, electric car numbers are on the rise—Hyundai, which is headquartered in Bennelong are world leaders in hybrid electric and hydrogen powered vehicles—and businesses across Bennelong are cashing in on the opportunities offered by this new direction. I have had faith in our ability to develop green technologies to increase the speed of our decarbonisation ever since the CSIRO developed more efficient solar panels at a site just down the road from my office. Australia has been at the cutting edge; I know of successful testing of new wave-swell technology that has just been proven in Bass Strait, and I'm sure that there are more exciting breakthroughs to come through. The future is green and the future is exciting. (Time expired)
Bennelong Electorate: Schools | Constituency Statements | House debates
This week, the state of New South Wales has reached another COVID landmark, and the parents of Bennelong have all breathed a collective sigh of relief. School is back. Bennelong is blessed with...
This week, the state of New South Wales has reached another COVID landmark, and the parents of Bennelong have all breathed a collective sigh of relief. School is back. Bennelong is blessed with some of the best schools in Australia. We've got great public schools and the cream of the Catholic schools. We have schools that predate Federation, like Ryde Public School, and schools that are brand new, like Smalls Road Public School. We have specialist schools, like the wonderful Karonga, and giant schools, like the soon-to-be-opened Meadowbank K-12 school. From Carlingford—at the top of the electorate—to Gladesville, our schools are hitting above their weight. Of course, we've got great parents too. But with thousands already working remotely, homeschooling has been an extra element that has stretched the time, capabilities and bandwidths of everyone. This return to school has been long overdue for many. This doesn't just come as a relief to parents; for many students the past two years have been the longest and toughest they can remember. School isn't just a place of learning; it's also a place for making friends and socialising. Chats on Zoom aren't the same as chats in the playground and, especially in the later years of high school, many of the social aspects of school, like graduation and formals, are things that can't be recreated virtually. Children's mental health has also been suffering, which is a heartbreaking thought for any parent. School can be a stressful time, but the traditional stress release valves of friendship and play have been missing for many months. I sincerely hope that the return to face-to-face schooling will see a return to lower levels of stress and other mental health concerns in the coming months and years. It's clear that there will be ongoing challenges. We know that a number of schools have already been closed for deep cleaning following positive cases since schools partially opened last week. This will continue to happen as we learn to live with COVID. But while the lockdowns are essential and effective at keeping us all safe, we must start to open up as we continue to reach even higher vaccine targets. These short-term school closures will be the norm. As vaccinations get rolled out to children under 11, even these closures will become rarer. I would like to end by saying congratulations to all the parents who have led their children's learning in recent months, the parents who have simultaneously relearnt and taught calculus and poetry, the parents who have split time between their own work and their children's and all the parents who deserve a break. Thanks to you all, and hopefully the rest of the year will be a return to that most elusive state of normality.