Luke Gosling's recent appearances (OpenAustralia.org)
Aged Care | Questions without Notice | House debates
My question is to the Minister for Aged Care and Seniors. How is the Albanese Labor government delivering more well-paid, secure jobs for aged-care workers in Australia, including those in the...
My question is to the Minister for Aged Care and Seniors. How is the Albanese Labor government delivering more well-paid, secure jobs for aged-care workers in Australia, including those in the Northern Territory? And how will these plans help deliver more care to older Australians exactly where they need it?
Egan, Hon. Edward Joseph (Ted), AO | Statements by Members | House debates
Later this month I will attend the state funeral for Ted Egan AO, a man who embodied the spirit, generosity and storytelling at the heart of the Northern Territory. Through music, writing and his...
Later this month I will attend the state funeral for Ted Egan AO, a man who embodied the spirit, generosity and storytelling at the heart of the Northern Territory. Through music, writing and his public service, particularly as the Administrator of the Northern Territory, he helped Australians to understand the people and the cultures and the history of the Territory in a way that few others could. Ted gifted me his book Kulilkatimawhich means seeking understanding. It begins with the lyrics of his song 'This Land Australia'. There's a passage that I've always loved: Try to understand This land Australia Take her as she is Her moods, her mysteries Mother of us all Beneath the Southern Cross In her frame of peaceful seas. Ted is urging us to listen, to learn and to respect this remarkable country. Whether he was singing in a beer garden, sharing a yarn or representing the Territory on the national stage, Ted Egan did it with authenticity, great humour and enormous heart. He lived big. My thoughts are with Nerys and the whole Egan family as they grieve the loss of their partner, father, grandfather, great-grandfather and mate.
Excise Tariff Amendment (Draught Beer) Bill 2025, Customs Tariff Amendment (Draught Beer) Bill 2025; Second Reading | Bills | House debates
I rise enthusiastically, following our prime minister, to speak in strong support of the Excise Tariff Amendment (Draught Beer) Bill 2025 and the Customs Tariff Amendment (Draught Beer) Bill...
I rise enthusiastically, following our prime minister, to speak in strong support of the Excise Tariff Amendment (Draught Beer) Bill 2025 and the Customs Tariff Amendment (Draught Beer) Bill 2025. As the Prime Minister said, pubs pouring draught beer are made up of communities—communities of people where everyone has a seat. My local, the Buff Club in Stuart Park, is a good example, and I pay tribute to a member of our community there that we lost recently, Harry. I've spoken about Harry in this place in the past, but he passed the week before last, and we raised a glass of draught beer to him. The railway club is another one close to home and has long been a place for true believers to get together and to have a schooner of draught beer. There are many other great establishments and breweries that I'll mention in my electorate, but it is true that for Northern Territorians—and across northern Australia, I would say—this is a welcome measure and a great measure. This measure applies to great brewers such as Darwin's One Mile Brewing Co. and their 4:21 Kolsch and RDO bright ale, as well as Beaver Brewery's Boofhead Lager, which reminds me of a humorous exchange across the dispatch boxes here in the past. I highly recommend all the One Mile beers and the Beaver beers. Visitors to Darwin can also head down to Mitchell Street, where Darwin's Six Tanks Brew Pub makes a fantastic range of beers, draught beers, and you can have a paddle of those craft beers. They'll also apply when you're enjoying multicultural events, such as the fantastic Territory Oktoberfest that was held by Beaver Brewery last year. The Purple Mango brewery at Marrakai in your electorate, Deputy Speaker Scrymgour, is fantastic, as is the Alice Springs Brewing Co., smack bang in Central Australia, where responsible drinking is the order of the day and delicious draught beers are plenty. With my special-envoy-for-the-north hat on, it behoves me to mention the Spinifex brewery in Broome, Western Australia, and in particular their F88 premium lager, which is named after the Australian Army's service rifle. It's another veteran owned business. That label and that draught beer honours military personnel and first responders and is aligned with the sponsorship agreement with Soldiers and Sirens, which supports those personnel. In Far North Queensland, this excise freeze will also benefit you as you're having a draught beer at Hemingway's Brewery in Cairns, enjoying some of those big, bold flavours of their draught beers, such as the grapefruit, citrus and pine of the Wharf St IPA, which incidentally won a gold medal at the 2025 Melbourne Royal Australian International Beer Awards. I congratulate Hemingway's on that win. My point is that, like all points of our great southern land, northern Australia and Territorians love a beer, and it's great to enjoy it in a pub and, as the Prime Minister said, contribute to that social cohesion and promote responsible drinking. In the Northern Territory, beer contributes about $167 million to gross Territory product and 1,273 full-time equivalent jobs. Nationwide, Australia's beer industry, from growing the barley to pouring pints in venues like those I've mentioned, generates around $16 billion a year. According to the Brewers Association of Australia, on average, every Australian made beer contributes $4.36 to Australia's economy, and it's a very decent return on investment. A 2018 study also indicated that local craft breweries play positive roles in engendering social, symbolic and financial capital in their home towns and regions. This bill is good for the Australian economy, including the north, but also our regions, as I'm sure there is agreement across this place. This is a practical, targeted and responsible measure that supports small businesses, protects jobs and keeps the price of a pint stable for everyday Australians. According to the Independent Brewers Association report from February 2025, independent brewers, most of which are small businesses, contribute $3.53 billion to the Australian economy, 56 per cent of them are located in regional and rural Australia, and 48 per cent of the industry reports being unprofitable or just breaking even. So this bill is an assistance to this sector being sustainable and having those conditions for competition over time. The small independent brewers describe how they are forced to absorb the increases from the excise being indexed to CPI and increasing twice per year. They write that polling indicated that Australians wanted government to stop increasing the excise tax, and that is exactly what this bill does. This is what small businesses asked for, and it's very good for independent brewers. As I used to say when I was in the Army, dehydration is a soldier's worst enemy. The Labor government is taking the fight to that fiercest, most unrelenting of foes. So, with this bill, there'll be less of Slim Dusty's pub with no beer and more pubs from Men at Work's land down under, where the beer does flow—with, hopefully, less of the rest of that song! The bill is good for small business pubs and clubs and brewers. It is good for the hip pocket of Australians who do like to have a pint, a schooie, or one of those smaller versions—I think it's called a pot. It's good for northern Australia and the regions. For all of those reasons, I commend this bill to the House.
International Relations | Questions without Notice | House debates
My question is to the Prime Minister. Can the Prime Minister inform the House about his recent visit to Timor-Leste and explain why building our partnerships, Australia's partnerships, in our...
My question is to the Prime Minister. Can the Prime Minister inform the House about his recent visit to Timor-Leste and explain why building our partnerships, Australia's partnerships, in our region is so important?
Lew Fatt, Mrs Sandra Joan, Lew Fatt, Mr Walter (Benny), OAM, Connell, Mr Edward Francis (Frank), Shaw, Kwementyaye, OAM | Statements by Members | House debates
I rise to recognise some great Territorians who have passed in recent weeks. My Darwin neighbours, Territory legends Benny and Sandra Lew Fatt, husband and wife, passed away weeks apart, Sandra...
I rise to recognise some great Territorians who have passed in recent weeks. My Darwin neighbours, Territory legends Benny and Sandra Lew Fatt, husband and wife, passed away weeks apart, Sandra on 14 December and Benny last week. Sandra was a legend of the Darwin travel industry. For over 50 years, she was renowned for her service to fellow Territorians and formed lifelong relationships with her customers. Benny was an AFL legend, particularly of the Nightcliff Tigers footy club. He was inducted into the hall of fame in 2012. For Benny's dedication to AFL football and the broader Darwin community, he received the Order of Australia Medal in 2019. Also recently, in Fannie Bay, Edward Francis 'Frank' Connell passed. He was a Vietnam veteran. I presented Frank with an Australian flag on Australia Day to thank him for his service to our nation. He passed away peacefully the following morning. Last week, Kwementyaye Shaw was laid to rest in Alice Springs. Also an Army veteran of Malaya and Vietnam, his life story is an inspiring one of courage, service and progress for Aboriginal people. Improving the lives of his fellow First Nations people in Central Australia, he was instrumental in starting Central Australian Aboriginal Congress and was an absolute legend.
Bondi Beach Attack Victims | Condolences | House debates
I join with all members of parliament, and all the Territorians that I am fortunate to represent with my colleagues the member for Lingiari and the NT senator Malarndirri McCarthy, to express our...
I join with all members of parliament, and all the Territorians that I am fortunate to represent with my colleagues the member for Lingiari and the NT senator Malarndirri McCarthy, to express our sympathies to the family and friends of those murdered—those 15 Australians who were killed—and to all of those who were injured in the horrific ISIS-inspired antisemitic terrorist attack at Bondi. This was an attack on Jewish Australians, which means that it was an attack on all Territorians and all Australians. This is about all of us, and all of us have a responsibility to act. In the days after the massacre, I visited Bondi to pass on the solidarity of Territorians and to thank first responders. I also visited and thanked members, veterans and volunteers at the North Bondi RSL. That is something that I did personally, to thank not only them but also people that were there, from government and non-government organisations, who were actively supporting members of the community, right there and then, out of the North Bondi RSL club. During and after the terrorist attack at Bondi, the doors of the North Bondi RSL club stayed open. Veterans, staff and volunteers moved quickly to help, providing first aid to the injured, giving refuge to people fleeing the shooting and supporting the police, ambulance officers and others working at the scene. The kitchen at the RSL stayed open as well. They were pumping out pizzas and making sure that first responders were fed late into the night. This was local veterans and RSL volunteers backing their local civilian community in a moment of real fear and trauma, and they have continued to do that work in the days and weeks since. Quite organically, the North Bondi RSL became—they established—a support coordination hub. I attended a multi-agency coordination meeting there with Matt Thistlethwaite, the member for Kingsford Smith, alongside New South Wales government agencies and members of national NGOs—including social workers who were operating out of the RSL, going out into the community and spending time providing mental health first aid to members of the community. It is a clear example of the capacity of veterans to make order out of chaos and to provide local leadership when it counts. It also shows, to my mind, the great strength of RSL sub-branches, other ex-service organisations and organisations like the surf lifesaving clubs that step up in times of need as local coordinators for collective, service oriented action. I want to thank the Governor-General for visiting the veterans and volunteers at North Bondi RSL not once but twice. Today I was honoured to attend an event put on by the member for Kingsford Smith recognising some of the surf lifesavers who responded to the tragedy. It was a great privilege to meet Mouse and Beardy—those are their nicknames—who were there at the time of this massacre. The contribution of first responders and surf lifesavers was personified by the photo of the lifesaver from Tamarama running barefoot to assist. Australia owes them and all first responders a deep debt of gratitude, and that includes those who were merely there that day who responded first, putting their lives in jeopardy for the lives of other Australians and visitors—other humans. I've also been speaking with local Jewish community members of the Northern Territory, along with leaders of other religious groups, to express my sympathies and our family's solidarity and support and to say clearly that we recognise the profound loss that this attack on Jewish Australians has caused for their community but also for all Australians. I acknowledge the NT Jewish Community Association's role in providing leadership and support to local Jewish people in our community in the Top End of the Northern Territory. Recognising that our federal parliament has been recalled to deal with one of the most serious responsibilities that any government has—and that is to keep Australians safe—I will be working with colleagues from all sides of politics, because moments like this demand cooperation and a sense of national unity. In that vein, I look forward to working with the Northern Territory government in a constructive and collegial way to keep Territorians safe. Finally, I acknowledge and thank our police—the police that responded at Bondi and the police that keep our communities safe. I stand in solidarity with them because, when the shooting starts, it falls to them to defend the public and neutralise the threat. All honourable members of this place and the other place and all state and territory legislators should remember that. It is the police, and they are the ones we need to back, as well as our beloved Jewish community that our hearts go out to.
Northern Australia | Ministerial Statements | House debates
Thank you, Deputy Speaker. I do appreciate that short recess as I was coming from the other chamber. It's an absolute privilege to be speaking in the Federation Chamber this afternoon about...
Thank you, Deputy Speaker. I do appreciate that short recess as I was coming from the other chamber. It's an absolute privilege to be speaking in the Federation Chamber this afternoon about northern Australia, something very close to my heart, obviously, representing the people of Darwin and Palmerston and Territorians in our federal parliament. I was particularly proud of Territorians over the weekend, when Cyclone Fina came through from the east, moving across the Top End and now down to WA. Monday, when we started the clean-up, was the day when there were statements on northern Australia, and I couldn't be here, and I appreciate the opportunity to make some comments now. Cyclone Fina and the damage and disruption created is indeed a timely reminder of the extra challenges faced by people and communities right across the north of Australia. It's very heartening to hear about the progress being made through the Northern Australia Action Plan's first annual progress report. To see that progress on the ground is important and is part of my job as the special envoy for northern Australia. The work being done is strengthening an already resilient north; people living in the north of Australia are generally resilient. But it's also providing many further opportunities for the development of industries and infrastructure, and I want to go through those in a bit of detail. The work addressing critical issues such as housing availability in the north and enabling greater First Nations economic self-determination and progress is only made possible through collaboration. So it was good to hear from the minister, the member for Brand, about the decision to extend the life of the NAIF, the Northern Australia Infrastructure Fund. That 10-year extension of the NAIF will mean that it can continue to invest in projects right across the north, well beyond the current investment deadline of 30 June next year. That will reassure communities and stakeholders in the north, many of whom contributed to the review. The short story is that the NAIF has been topped up and is here to stay, and long may it be topped up and long may it stay. The Albanese Labor government has worked to ensure that the NAIF is supporting projects that deliver tangible benefits to northern Australian communities. So far, $4.32 billion has gone to finance infrastructure development across the north of Australia, including 14 projects in Queensland, 10 in WA and eight so far in the NT. The NAIF was designed to address a lack of private investment that we sometimes see in the north, although more enabling infrastructure is drawing in more private investment. It is understood by people living in the north that things cost more. There are higher risks associated because of our distance from the main population capitals in the south and the remoteness of many of these areas of the north. They have abundant resources and the climate that we quite love, but the vagaries of tropical weather systems, as we saw on the weekend, also make them interesting and exciting places to live and carry some challenges that the NAIF was set up to help with by growing financial ecosystems throughout the north with responsible investment through the NAIF on those long-term development goals. The north is absolutely central and essential to our nation's future prosperity and, of course, our security. I want to give a shout-out to the reference group for First Nations people across northern Australia. The IRG, the Northern Australia Indigenous Reference Group, is led by the esteemed chair Professor Martin Nakata. I was also delighted to spend some time with IRG member Alinta McGuire in Darwin recently with my colleague the Assistant Minister for Northern Australia, Senator Nita Green. We had a great conversation. I also want to publicly thank past members of the Indigenous reference group, including Darwin fellow and good bloke Jerome Cubillo, Tara Craigie, Peter Jeffries, Gillian Mailman and the former chair Colin Saltmere, for their contribution to the Northern Australia Indigenous Reference Group and support for northern Australia. I want to just make a quick comment that the financing that's involved with the NAIF is vital, but it's also vital that we're doing all the things that we're doing to get a workforce and to provide pathways for not just First Nations people but non-Indigenous people as well in the Northern Territory, WA and Queensland who have been underemployed and to build our own. That's what a lot of our policies are about in terms of fee-free TAFE and any work that we can do to have a pipeline of northern Australians to do all the work that we need done in the north. They are the workers and the workforce that we can depend on the most, obviously. So that's also important work. There is important work also done by the offices. So I want to give a shout-out as well to the NAIF office and the Office of Northern Australia. They're providing great support, and long may it continue. Obviously, with the extension of the NAIF, that's assured, but the Office of Northern Australia does great work to support industry and to support communities, including remote First Nations communities, who have a deep and ancient connection to their country but also want to have a future for their children and want to have their kids on a pathway to a sustainable future and a future of dignity. If there's one thing about the north that all honourable members should know and would know, it's that it's very rich in resources, whether it be sun, wind, gas, iron ore or those important critical minerals. Those critical minerals are really crucial to our nation's future security and our engagement with our neighbours in the Indo-Pacific and the development of northern Australia is for all those reasons and for the fact that we are a united country that wants the best for every Australian, including people living in the north. That is why the north is such a priority for our Albanese Labor government. We are committed to realising the full potential of the region. The potential was often talked about, but the action to turn that potential into opportunity, into futures, is what's really important, because a strong north means a strong Australia. The action plan, the 2024-29 annual progress report, shows that we are progressing those priorities and activating the northern economy. Part of the NAIF—$500 million—has been earmarked for projects under the government's Critical Minerals Strategy. We are putting substantial resources into the Arafura Nolans rare earths integrated mining and processing facility near Alice Springs. That's what a future made in Australia is all about—not just digging stuff up but then doing the processing. What that means is great jobs. What that means is logistics hubs up through central Australia that are going to support a whole range of industries into the future, making us more resilient. That is important for our sovereignty. The Australian nation has a bright future in part because of northern Australians and what we can bring to the table, and we thank the federal government for that support. Debate adjourned. Federation Chamber adjourned at 17 : 28
Veterans' Affairs Legislation Amendment (Miscellaneous Measures No. 1) Bill 2025; Second Reading | Bills | House debates
The interim report of the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide was released in 2022, and it contained recommendations that were deemed most urgent. We got after those recommendations...
The interim report of the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide was released in 2022, and it contained recommendations that were deemed most urgent. We got after those recommendations and acted on them all. We legislated the VETS Act in order to simplify and harmonise the veteran compensation system. We know from the royal commission that this was very important. There was broad agreement in the veteran community about how important and necessary a change in the system was. In the handing down of its report, the commission observed that the current system, at that time, of veterans entitlements was so complicated as to adversely affect the mental health of some veterans and their families. That had been, in the past, a common refrain from veterans—that they were very frustrated, angry and confused about how long it was taking, because there weren't enough people in the Department of Veterans' Affairs to get through all the claims that were in there. But it was also a fact that people had served under different pieces of legislation. Calls to address that complexity have indeed been longstanding. There was the VEA, the MRCA, the DRCA—depending on which period of the past that the individual served in. The VETS Act reduced those three acts down to one. Under revised arrangements, the VEA and the DRCA will continue in a limited form to support that single-act model that we're moving towards but will be closed to new claims for compensation and rehabilitation from 1 July 2026, from Territory Day next year. There have been many enhancements that have been shaped by feedback from the veteran community across several consultation periods. I think it's important to note that the commencement date of the single act of 1 July next year ensures that the veteran community is well informed about the changes and what it means for them. As with any new act, of course, there are various technical amendments that are required, and the miscellaneous measures and amendments go to those technical aspects. Importantly, these include a commitment that no veterans or family members will experience a reduction in the support payments that they are already receiving. So there are important amendments there. The bill deals with a range of other matters, including the review pathway; compensation for dependants of deceased veterans; funeral compensation; access to the MRCA education scheme; an additional disablement amount; the Victoria Cross allowance and the decoration allowance; service injuries, diseases and deaths arising from treatment; treatment for serving members; direct deductions; and application and transitional provisions. These are all really important topics that needed to be addressed and have been in this legislation. We don't want to see further delays, and we don't want to see any risk of interruption to critical benefits or payments to veterans and their families. That's why we are putting through this legislation. I expect that it will receive support. This is part of a long period of consultation and the action recommended by the royal commission which was needed to address the whole spectrum of support—from the time someone enters a recruiting system through their training, through their service and, following their service, as they go about life again. I want to pay tribute to everyone who has played a role or is playing a role in the health and wellbeing of our veterans, including our ADF members, and, importantly, of their families. It's often said that they're conscripts to service life because the family goes with the member. It's a deeply rewarding thing to have a family member representing our nation, but, at the same time, it can be difficult at times. So we need to provide as much support as possible to those individuals, particularly if they've been affected by their service. I want to reflect on some of the feedback I've got and the good reports I'm getting from veterans about the way that DVA is getting through these claims. It is encouraging. For a long time, there were only negative stories about huge delays and difficulty with paperwork. I'm not saying that is all gone and there are no issues at all—of course we'll continue to make sure that our workforce at DVA is as well trained and effective as possible in getting support to members—but it has improved out of sight. When you hear that from veterans and their family members, you know that we're on the right track. There's a long way to go with the implementation of the recommendations from the royal commission, of course. I gained some of that feedback on Remembrance Day earlier this month, on the 11th of the 11th, when we gathered at the Darwin Cenotaph for that service—which remembers the First World War and, indeed, everyone who's ever served—and were remembering and paying our respects to those who didn't come home or who came home changed forever. It was appropriate, I think, that it was pouring rain during the Remembrance Day ceremony in Darwin. It was good rain—probably the first good rain that we'd had at that point—and it was appropriate. There's a saying—'If it's not raining, it's not training'—and the reality of service is that, as the role of the infantry says, regardless of season, weather or terrain, you've got to perform your duty. The first regiment that I served with, the Royal Australian Regiment, has a proud history, as does the 1st Commando Regiment and NORFORCE, which I served with later, each with their different characteristics and traditions. I don't think the role of the infantry has ever been read into Hansard, but the role of the infantry is to seek out and to close with the enemy, to kill or capture the enemy, to seize and hold ground, and to repel attack by day or night regardless of season, weather or terrain. That's what we ask people in the infantry to do, and, at the end of the day, everyone who goes through Kapooka is trained to be a soldier, to take up arms and to defend our nation. For everyone else, who they're doing that on behalf of, stop and think a little bit about what it means to be trained up in order to use lethal force when lawful to do so in defence of our nation. It's a significant thing to ask someone to do. Their dedication to that role and their need to try to balance living in those two worlds—the world of applied focus, training, exercising, going on operations and wearing the nation's flag on their shoulder, but then also the other responsibilities that they have in life. On one hand there is operations conflict, training, humanitarian disaster and so many other roles. It's a special task, and we should thank them all for it. (Time expired)
Make Amazon Pay Campaign | Statements by Members | House debates
This is a message for Territorians and for all Australians: think before you click this Black Friday. Bernie Smith from the SDA said it so well: 'We don't work, in Australia, according to an...
This is a message for Territorians and for all Australians: think before you click this Black Friday. Bernie Smith from the SDA said it so well: 'We don't work, in Australia, according to an algorithm; we work according to Australian legislation, Australian labour standards and Australian ideas of fairness. We want to make Amazon pay fair wages, we want Amazon to pay superannuation, and we want to make Amazon pay their taxes.' Amazon has shown repeatedly around the world that it doesn't respect the rights of working people. In Australia, Amazon continues to try and deny their workers a voice at work. Sometimes it seems that Amazon want to treat their humans, their workers, like they're robots. Digital surveillance of workers and consumers alike is also a serious problem. We must ensure that Australian workers' and consumers' rights are respected. Make Amazon Pay is a call to defend the basic principles of fairness, transparency, accountability, democracy and respect for local laws—our laws. It's time to make clear that no corporation, no matter how large or powerful, stands above our laws or the rights of workers. Finally, I say shop local, keep money in Australia, keep money in the Territory.
I thank those who have acknowledged me and others in the parliament who have served in our Australian Defence Force. Across the parliament and across the chambers, we support our men and women in...
I thank those who have acknowledged me and others in the parliament who have served in our Australian Defence Force. Across the parliament and across the chambers, we support our men and women in uniform and the sacrifices they and their families have made. We want to make sure that they get the best possible deal. As the Special Envoy for Defence, Veterans' Affairs and Northern Australia, I have the enormous privilege to meet with defence members and veterans across this country. And, as a fourth-generation veteran, I am proud of the contribution that my family has made to the defence of our country. Every day I talk to veterans and share their achievements and assist them with any challenges. I concur with the contributions of so many who have pointed out the fact that veterans are incredibly capable people and vital to the future of our nation and to upholding the sovereignty of our nation. I only have to think back to Darwin on the weekend, when veteran mates across our city played a helpful, calming role. Those in the emergency services obviously also played an active role. But the veterans who are walking the streets with a chainsaw, helping out their neighbours, are just one small example of how vital veterans are in our communities. That's what the ADF does. It provides Australian citizens with the opportunity to be trained up in one of our services, to manage risk, to lead under arduous conditions and to defend our homeland and our interests overseas. Every defence member, having made that solemn and sacred commitment to the nation and to the Australian people, should feel safe in the knowledge that, whatever may happen in their service, they and their families will be looked after and, indeed, acknowledged by a grateful nation. It is our nation's duty to empower and support the mental health and wellbeing of our defence and veteran community. There is an expectation from the Australian people that they will be looked after. I lobbied hard with the minister, who is in the room; with our prime minister, who was the then opposition leader; and with veterans and their families, particularly those family members who have lost loved ones by suicide. We worked with those supporters of a royal commission, and the current Prime Minister committed to a royal commission from opposition, and, now in government, we are implementing the recommendations. The interim report was released a couple of years ago, in 2022. It contained recommendations that were deemed most urgent so that we could start getting after those recommendations. We have acted on them all, and that is a credit to the minister. We have cleared the backlog of unallocated compensation claims at DVA, which was causing a lot of angst, so that new claims are reviewed within 14 days. We have legislation the VETS Act, the Veterans' Entitlements, Treatment and Support (Simplification and Harmonisation) Act, which harmonises legislation and simplifies the compensation system, and that is a good thing.
Northern Territory: Cyclones | Constituency Statements | House debates
Darwin and Palmerston and much of the Top End were buffeted by Cyclone Fina on the weekend, with Territory resilience and spirit shining through once again. I give a big shout-out to all the...
Darwin and Palmerston and much of the Top End were buffeted by Cyclone Fina on the weekend, with Territory resilience and spirit shining through once again. I give a big shout-out to all the people of the Solomon electorate, those living in Darwin and Palmerston, but also to all Territorians across the Top End for their work to prepare ahead of Cyclone Fina and in its aftermath. I want to thank all the first responders, everyone working in our hospitals and everyone who assisted. That work continues—to clear the roads and to get the lights back on. Power has been restored to many homes, but many suburbs are still without power. People needing urgent assistance should visit the welfare recovery centre at the Marrara Indoor Stadium. The Albanese government, in partnership with the Northern Territory government, has activated disaster recovery assistance. As the Minister for Emergency Management said today in question time, in order to facilitate the recovery process, financial assistance has been made available under the disaster recovery funding arrangements, the DRFA, to provide immediate relief to individuals and families that have been displaced by Cyclone Fina and any flooding. Further information is available on the Secure NT website, or call the Cyclone Fina hotline on 1800888901 between 7 am and 7 pm daily, and, after that, normal emergency numbers if you need assistance. Witnessing the response of Territorians reminded me once again of the stories of bravery and fortitude that were shared at the Cyclone Tracy 50th anniversary commemorative event that we held in Darwin, with the Prime Minister and the Governor-General in attendance, on Christmas Eve and on Christmas Day last year. The organisers of that event, Remembering Cyclone Tracy, brought together many of the survivors to reconnect, to remember and to reflect on the time when we lost at least 66 lives and more than 70 per cent of Darwin's buildings were destroyed. It was Australia's worst peacetime disaster in modern times until, of course, the devastating Black Saturday bushfires in 2009. It was the largest peacetime evacuation in Australian history, with 25,000 people evacuated by air and 7,000 by road. One week later, just 10,000 people remained in Darwin. We've come a long way since then. Thankfully, there were no serious injuries this time around. But, again, as they did 50 years ago, the Darwin community rallied together. It's important to note that this cyclone was a category 3, but in Darwin only a category 1. It can get much worse. Don't become complacent.
Medicare, Solomon Electorate | Adjournment | House debates
Labor created Medicare, and now this once-in-a-generation change to bulk-billing will mean that more Territorians can see a doctor for free with no out-of-pocket expenses. That's right;...
Labor created Medicare, and now this once-in-a-generation change to bulk-billing will mean that more Territorians can see a doctor for free with no out-of-pocket expenses. That's right; bulk-billing is back, baby! I visited the Top End Medical Centre in Casuarina, and they confirmed that Territorians are appreciating the assistance with the cost of living through access to a GP for free in their clinics. Dr Marilou Capati, from Top End Medical Centre—which has four clinics across Darwin and Palmerston, in my electorate—said: We are proud to return to full bulk-billing, giving our patients in Casuarina and across Darwin access to essential healthcare without worrying about out-of-pocket costs. Our team is committed to providing high-quality care to our community, and these reforms will help clinics like ours remain sustainable while meeting growing demand. More people in Darwin and Palmerston can now see a GP with no out-of-pocket costs. More than 20 GP practices in Darwin and Palmerston, in my electorate, have registered to become fully bulk-billing clinics from 1 November as part of the Albanese Labor government's historic $8.5 billion investment in Medicare. Our Medicare investment represents the largest single boost to Medicare in more than 40 years. We are delivering on the promise of more bulk-billing and more doctors. We are also investing in hundreds of nursing scholarships and thousands more doctors in the largest GP training program in Australia's history—including in my electorate, with positions at the new CDU medical school. Since we tripled the investment in bulk-billing we have seen a turnaround in bulk-billing rates in the Northern Territory, with a 10 per cent increase from 71.5 per cent to 78.6 per cent—or around 89,000 additional visits. That's a big deal. Our investment in bulk-billing for all Australians is part of our commitment to strengthen Medicare. Labor created Medicare and the Albanese government will always strengthen Medicare. Our government is also delivering on its commitment for the Darwin Medicare urgent care clinics. The tender process to identify a provider to operate the new Darwin urgent care clinic closed in October. This clinic will be open over extended hours, seven days a week, with no appointment needed, and all patients will be fully bulk-billed. The clinic will service Darwin and will help take pressure off the Royal Darwin Hospital, filling an important gap in services across extended hours and over the weekend. This follows on from the massive success of the Palmerston Medicare Urgent Care Clinic, which has already had around 30,000 presentations. The government's expression of interest opened at the beginning of the month to identify a provider for a new 120-bed residential-care home in greater Darwin. More accommodation support for senior Territorians and getting our elders out of hospital has been a major priority for me. It is providing dignity and is another way we are going to free up hospital beds at Royal Darwin Hospital and Palmerston Regional Hospital. And there's more. Darwin's headspace centre upgraded to a headspace Plus and to a youth specialist care centre in Darwin for young people with very complex needs—psychotic disorders, complex eating disorders, personality disorders and so forth. This is on top of the 30 per cent increase in health funding for Territory hospitals in this financial year. We're going into a period of negotiations for that agreement but we won't be going backwards. I was proud to deliver a number of commitments for Darwin and Palmerston at the election. Some of these commitments included the Zuccoli Community Hub, in Palmerston, and the early childhood education and care centre in Karama, to name a few. There's heaps happening in my electorate of Solomon, and it's all for the best for the duty of care we have to people living in the capital of the north. House adjourned at 20:00
Tropical Cyclone Fina | Questions without Notice | House debates
My question is to the Minister for Emergency Management. What is our Albanese Labor government doing to support our Northern Territory communities following the impacts of Tropical Cyclone Fina,...
My question is to the Minister for Emergency Management. What is our Albanese Labor government doing to support our Northern Territory communities following the impacts of Tropical Cyclone Fina, and how is the government helping to prepare the rest of the nation for similar events during this upcoming high-risk weather season?
Torres, Mr Michael | Statements by Members | House debates
I want Australians to know about a Darwin local, Michael Torres, who was honoured at the national counsellors conference in Adelaide, where he received not one but two national awards. Michael...
I want Australians to know about a Darwin local, Michael Torres, who was honoured at the national counsellors conference in Adelaide, where he received not one but two national awards. Michael was named Indigenous counsellor of the year and Counsellor of the Year 2025 by the Australian Counselling Association, which represents more than 20,000 practitioners across the country. Michael has worked in counselling and healing spaces for over two decades, including at the Darwin Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Women's Shelter and through his work with the Indigenous Men's Healing Shed. His work focuses on trauma informed care, cultural sensitivity and mental health advocacy for Indigenous men and First Nations people in general. Michael's story shows the power of community based healing and the importance of culturally grounded services that reflect and respect the people that we serve. Michael shows us that true excellence in counselling lies in lived in experience, deep care and long-term commitment to others. I congratulate Michael for this well deserved national recognition and thank him for his lasting contribution to the health and wellbeing of our entire community. And, obviously, after Tropical Cyclone Fina over the weekend and the last couple of days, I give a big shout-out to everyone there helping others through difficult times.
Mental Health Month | Statements on Significant Matters | House debates
Last month was National Mental Health Month. The theme of the month was 'Building Resilience: Communities and Connections'. I've got a fair bit to reflect on in this area for my own electorate,...
Last month was National Mental Health Month. The theme of the month was 'Building Resilience: Communities and Connections'. I've got a fair bit to reflect on in this area for my own electorate, which includes Darwin and Palmerston. I have the privilege to serve Territorians along with, across the Territory, my colleagues the member for Lingiari, Marion Scrymgour, and the minister, Malarndirri McCarthy. They are doing important work in this area as well. I want to acknowledge their work upfront. We have the aim in the Territory, working federally with all stakeholders, of improving mental health for all Territorians. I particularly want to thank some of my colleagues, including the member for Hunter, Dan Repacholi, the Special Envoy for Men's Health, who made the trek up to Solomon. We had great meetings with a range of stakeholders that are focused on men's health and male health, including, of course, young men and boys. Dan's appointment as the Special Envoy for Men's Health underlines how our government is giving this the attention that it needs, and he is doing a sterling job. Many would have seen him shave off his voluptuous beard to raise money for charity for men's health related works. I congratulate him for everything that he's doing in that special envoy role. His message is the message of all of us, including the fantastic member for Spence, who also does great work in Adelaide, in the north of Adelaide and in South Australia generally in men's health. We do need to break down unhealthy masculine stereotypes of stoicism and bravado to encourage young men to access services and seek help when required. This is particular important for mental health. Often we see great examples of men reaching out for mental health support, showing that getting that assistance is actually strength. In Darwin, we joined a men's health roundtable, which really highlighted all the fantastic things that a whole range of stakeholders are doing in the Territory. We talked about healthy masculinity, the progress of concepts of manhood and the engagement of young man in particular. But we're also putting our money where our mouth is, in terms of programs in my electorate that are working with teenage boys in particular, and I'll touch on those briefly. At the other end of the spectrum, it's not that men's sheds are only for senior men; they're there for a whole age range of men. The men's shedders were at ShedFEST NT, which was hosted by the Australian Men's Sheds Association. It got all the men's sheds from around the Territory together up in Darwin. It was great to go along to that with Special Envoy Repacholi. It's a great way of getting men in a place where they can connect and chat. It's a safe space. They get to work on projects, share skills and connect. I mentioned our programs with young men and boys aged 12 to 18. Grassroots Action Palmerston has a program called Turtle Back. We have funded them to come up with a learning and leadership centre that they are putting into action. I've visited them and the physical infrastructure is going in. They're going to be working with young boys—in particular, those who have been exposed to family violence when growing up—and giving them the skills, support and encouragement to break those cycles. It's a very important program. It will work with boys from all backgrounds, but, particularly with the First Nations young men and boys, it is done in the culturally safe and appropriate way. When we talk about mental health, we know that a lot of damage is caused through eating disorders. In September, with my friend and colleague, the Assistant Minister for Mental Health and Suicide Prevention, Emma McBride, I hosted the Northern Territory Eating Disorder Roundtable with Eating Disorders Families Australia, led by Jane Rowan. I want to thank all the frontline practitioners, the NT Health people and the system leaders who came together to identify solutions that are going to strengthen our support in the Northern Territory for Territorians with eating disorders or difficulties managing their relationship with food. It was really positive. That was highlighted by everyone. While the assistant minister was there, we also visited headspace. We've given them increased funding, so the Darwin headspace will become a headspace Plus. We also visited the Medicare mental health centre, which has also got extended hours now. Thank you to all those mental health professionals that are doing such fantastic work. Just finally, I want to touch on a couple of important things. One is the leadership role that our government is taking to protect young children and teenagers under the age of 16 from the harms that social media incurs, giving them time to develop the tools to be able to manage that space more effectively and more safely. From 10 December, certain social media platforms will need to take steps to make sure that under-16-year-olds aren't able to have an account. One of the things I'm very proud to be working on with the member for Spence and others is veteran and ADF mental health. We pushed hard for a royal commission when we were not government. The royal commission is done. The recommendations have been laid down. We're getting after implementing those recommendations. We're engaging with stakeholders to make sure that everyone who puts their hand up to wear our flag proudly is provided with the best possible support and care. That is important for our mental health responsibilities as the responsible 'mental health and men's health and all sorts of health' government that we are.
Solomon Electorate: Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence | Statements by Members | House debates
Everyone has a role to play in ending domestic, family and sexual violence in our homes, workplaces and communities. Last week, hundreds of Territorians came together in the Darwin CBD to march...
Everyone has a role to play in ending domestic, family and sexual violence in our homes, workplaces and communities. Last week, hundreds of Territorians came together in the Darwin CBD to march and 'reclaim the night', standing shoulder to shoulder for safety, respect and equality. Their voices were joined by those of survivors and advocates, whose courage reminds us that real change begins when people speak out and stand together. Among the speakers was Schyler Kennedy, who shared her story with remarkable honesty and strength, reflecting the resilience of those rebuilding their lives with dignity and hope. Events like Reclaim the Night and National Survivors' Day, which we recently hosted in Darwin, remind us of our shared responsibility to replace silence with compassion and shame with understanding. In my own office we're developing a domestic and family violence action plan, a DVAP, as part of No More's campaign to establish 90 plans in 90 days, honouring the more than 90 women in the Northern Territory who have been lost to family violence since 2000. Together we can take a stand to end all forms of violence, and I call on everyone to do just that.
United States-Australia Framework for Securing of Supply in the Mining and Processing of Critical Minerals and Rare Earths | Private Members' Business | House debates
I have spoken previously in this place about Arafura's nation-building Nolans project in the Northern Territory. It is the largest and longest live resource project in the Northern Territory...
I have spoken previously in this place about Arafura's nation-building Nolans project in the Northern Territory. It is the largest and longest live resource project in the Northern Territory ever. The Nolans project has the power to transform Australia's rare earths sector, establishing the Northern Territory as an essential processing and logistics hub through vital collaboration between government, industry and, importantly, local communities. It will open up logistics chains and develop the local businesses required to provide critical support and benefit neighbouring minerals projects in that region north of Alice Springs. The Australian government has invested in the Nolans project with support from Export Finance Australia; the Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility, the NAIF; and the NRFC, the National Reconstruction Fund Corporation. The project will deliver over 600 construction jobs and a further 350 long-term operational roles. Arafura is a great example that Australia is home to some of the most valuable deposits of critical minerals and rare earths in the world—almost the whole periodic table, as the Prime Minster likes to remind us. Critical minerals are critical to the world's transition to net zero, including for batteries, wind turbines and solar panels. Rare earths are essential for high-tech manufacturing and defence, the digital economy, artificial intelligence, data centres and clean energy. We've known for some time that our critical minerals are in demand, and we've been working to secure Australia's interest and create diverse resilient and sustainable critical minerals supply chains that reduce market concentration. The United States-Australia Framework for Securing of Supply in the Mining and Processing of Critical Minerals and Rare Earths—otherwise known as the framework—which was announced during the visit to the United States last month by the PM and the Minister for Resources, Madeleine King, will take this cooperation forward with the United States. It will focus our bilateral efforts on overcoming barriers to the development of diversified liquid and free markets for critical minerals. It will strengthen investment in Australia's critical minerals sector by providing an architecture for Australian producers to access US financing—and vice versa; it goes both ways. It will also encourage greater investor confidence through enhanced market transparency and openness. Through the framework we will invest in critical minerals projects, enhance the capabilities of our mining and processing sectors, promote trade in minerals produced to a high standard and encourage markets to reward those high standards of production. We will cooperate on challenges such as unfair trade practices and price volatility, and we'll improve regulatory processes and collaborate on mineral recycling and geological mapping. Australian consideration will be done in collaboration with our Australian financing facilities—the Critical Minerals Facility, the Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility and the National Reconstruction Fund Corporation—as previously mentioned. This framework commits us to providing at least $1 billion in funding to each project located in Australia and the United States. The framework will leverage existing policy tools such as the United States' industrial demand and stockpiling infrastructure and Australia's critical minerals strategic reserve. The establishment of a critical minerals strategic reserve by our Albanese Labor government will maximise the strategic value of Australia's resources. Australia has the critical minerals and rare earths that the world needs, but supply chains and markets are volatile. We saw this with our nickel and lithium sectors last year, and that also impacted my electorate and the Northern Territory. The reserve positions us as a reliable supplier and a global competitor. It will allow Australia to work with partners on trade and market disruptions from a position of strength. It supplements other measures we are implementing to support a critical minerals sector, such as the production tax incentive. We are committed to having the reserve operational by the end of 2026. That is a very important thing when you consider everything else we're doing for critical minerals and rare earths in our nation.
Aged Care | Private Members' Business | House debates
Over the weekend Labor's once-in-a-generation reforms to aged care kicked off. It's been a long journey to get here, working closely with older people, their families, carers and the industry to...
Over the weekend Labor's once-in-a-generation reforms to aged care kicked off. It's been a long journey to get here, working closely with older people, their families, carers and the industry to build a system that we can all be very proud of. The new act is a huge step in the transformation to deliver rights based, dignified age care for every older Australian, those senior Australians that we owe so much to. We're putting older Australians at the centre of their care and decision-making, building a high-quality, respectful and sustainable system. For the first time, the act's statement of rights makes sure that older people can make their own decisions about their own life and have their decisions not just accepted but respected. From bigger budgets to separate streams for home modifications and assistive technology, the new program will deliver more high-quality care to older Australians. These reforms build on the work we've done in our first term and show that we are absolutely committed to fixing the aged-care crisis and that we are committed to seeing it through. We have already mandated 24/7 registered nursing, delivering more care minutes for older Australians, and there is now a registered nurse onsite in aged care more than 99 per cent of the time, delivering more direct care for over 250,000 senior Australians in aged-care homes. That's 7.1 million additional minutes of care, every single day, compared to when those opposite were in government. We have already invested $17.7 billion towards increasing the wages of aged-care workers. Our government values the critical role workers play in the sector, and we want those willing to join the sector to stay, and to be able to afford to stay, to help deliver the care that older Australians deserve. Most importantly, we've improved the standard of care. In December 2023, only 54 per cent of aged-care homes had an overall star rating of four or five stars—that is, a good or an excellent level of care. Today, 79 per cent of homes do. Thanks to our reforms older Australians are now receiving more care and better quality care under our federal Labor government. We promised to lift the standard of aged care and we are delivering. After the new act is underway, we'll continue to make sure that residential aged care is meeting the demand of an ageing Australian population and delivering truly equitable, sustainable and high-quality care. We know people want to age at home, and the new act will make sure that they can do that with dignity and quality support, but when they need extra care we'll make sure that there's a bed there when they need it. We are delivering on our government's election commitment to ensure that more older Australians in Darwin, in my electorate, can access the world-class residential aged care they deserve. Last week an expression of interest was opened to identify our delivery partner for a new residential aged-care home of at least 120 beds in greater Darwin. The government will invest up to $60 million through the Aged Care Capital Assistance Program to build this residential aged-care facility, with the objective of addressing critical supply shortages in aged care in Darwin and to relieve some of the current pressures in our hospitals. This new home will help reduce the number of older Territorians experiencing delayed discharge from our hospitals, and it will also give Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander elders access to culturally safe care that allows them to stay close to their families in country as well as delivering services to people with complex and high-care needs. Next month a transformational expansion project for Pearl Supported Care in Fannie Bay in my electorate will open. The Albanese government provided an $18 million capital grant to deliver 26 new aged-care beds in a purpose-built dementia-friendly unit and an age-friendly health and fitness centre, which will help transform aged-care and healthy-ageing services in the Northern Territory. Whether it be our national aged-care reform program that has now been launched, including more support for our seniors to stay at home, the new dedicated dementia-friendly unit or the $60 million for a new aged-care facility in Darwin, we are looking after our seniors.
Asche, Dr Leila Valerie, AM, Asche, Hon. Keith John Austin, AC, KC | Statements by Members | House debates
I welcome the announcement that the late Dr Valerie Asche AM is the first Territory woman to have a suburb named after her in her own right. Dr Asche was a respected microbiologist and...
I welcome the announcement that the late Dr Valerie Asche AM is the first Territory woman to have a suburb named after her in her own right. Dr Asche was a respected microbiologist and researcher, publishing over 40 papers and leading significant research on Northern Territory relevant diseases. Dr Asche passed away in 2019. This suburb naming recognises and honours her legacy within science and research and in community service. Valerie's husband, the Hon. Austin Asche AC, KC, passed away earlier this year. Austin had a similar life of service and achievement, recording what they call the 'Territory trifecta' of the Administrator, the Chief Justice and the Emeritus Chancellor at Charles Darwin University. I also note that Austin was a World War II veteran who served with the RAAF. For this year's CDU annual Austin Asche oration we had the wonderful Lydia Khalil as the distinguished speaker on democracy and its discontents. Her oration explored how digital polarisation, disinformation and rising extremism are reshaping democratic systems in our country. I offer my best regards to Valerie and Austin's children, Wendy and Harry, and their family and friends.
Defence Amendment (Parliamentary Joint Committee on Defence) Bill 2025; Second Reading | Bills | House debates
I rise to speak in strong support of the Defence Amendment (Parliamentary Joint Committee on Defence) Bill 2025. I do so mindful of the gravity of decisions that we entrust to our defence...
I rise to speak in strong support of the Defence Amendment (Parliamentary Joint Committee on Defence) Bill 2025. I do so mindful of the gravity of decisions that we entrust to our defence organisation and the Australian Defence Force, and respectful of the responsibility the parliament bears to provide both oversight and confidence on behalf of the Australian people. A democracy must balance transparency and secrecy, and it must provide information security. Some of the contributions yesterday went to the genesis or the idea of this Parliamentary Joint Committee on Defence, and, of course, success has many fathers. There were many names mentioned yesterday, but I acknowledge all those who worked in a bipartisan way to get this idea of a Parliamentary Joint Committee on Defence to where we are today. I hope that bipartisan action, which is characterised in the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security continues on into this committee on defence. In a Westminster-style democracy such as ours, one of the foundational principles is that those who wield power must also be subject to scrutiny and accountability. As the government's second reading speech on the predecessor bill noted: … parliament plays a crucial role … by scrutinising and debating the decisions by executive government and the implementation of them by departments and agencies. At the same time, the very nature of defence work demands that certain information remains protected—operational details, intelligence methods, capability vulnerabilities and the like. These cannot always be publicly aired, for good reasons. The explanatory memorandum tells us that the existing oversight and accountability mechanisms for the Defence portfolio were found to be 'inadequate in balancing accountability and transparency and national security considerations'. That was from the inquiry of the Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade. This standing committee called for the implementation of a new joint statutory committee to request and receive classified information and briefings. Thus, our challenge now: to strike the right balance between transparency, oversight, accountability and secrecy, sensitivity, and security. This bill addresses that challenge. Our federal Labor government takes both transparency and security seriously, and we've done the work to draft legislation to achieve that balance between these two competing demands. We must adopt a methodological, census based, non-partisan, deliberative process for the mature and responsible management of Defence matters. It is not enough for Defence decisions to be made in haste—do not make hasty decisions—nor behind closed doors, alone. In a democracy, prudent defence decision-making must be conducted in a deliberative, orderly and methodical way supporting multipartisanship, bipartisan confidence and sound parliamentary oversight. This bill legislates for the establishment of a joint statutory committee, the new Parliamentary Joint Committee on Defence, to review, monitor and report on the administration, operations and expenditure of Defence agencies. In doing so, it draws explicit model from the proven arrangements of the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security, PJCIS, under the Intelligence Services Act 2001. I referred to that act earlier and the strong convention of bipartisan operation within that act and within that committee. This bill stipulates that the defence committee will consist of up to 13 members, drawn from both houses, government and non-government, and the appointments will be made by the Prime Minister in consultation with the Leader of the Opposition. In short, this is not a cosmetic tweak; it is significant institutional reform to embed multipartisan parliamentary oversight of Defence capability, strategy and operations. In a democracy there exists a social contract between the people and their defenders. In this bill, of course, we're talking about the Australian Defence Organisation and the ADF. At the heart of this reform is what I believe is the deeper principle of democracy: the social contract between our guardian and defenders and the people and nation that they defend. We entrust our defence forces and institutions and agencies with extraordinary powers: the power to use force, the power to deploy capability and the power to make decisions that may risk life, liberty and national interests. In exchange, the people and parliament must have the opportunity and the means to verify the application of those powers. This bill is a recognition of that social contract. It acknowledges that, while our defence forces and agencies operate in a demanding and often, importantly, secret environment, their work must nonetheless be subject to democratic legitimacy and oversight. The explanatory memorandum provides that the committee's functions will include reviewing white papers, reviews and other strategic planning documents, scrutinising capability development and sustainment, examining war or warlike operations and monitoring significant non-conflict operations domestically and overseas. By doing so the bill strengthens the link between the people's elected representatives and the guardians of Defence. Thereby it helps reinforce trust, legitimacy and that social contract. The committee will have the ability to inquire into matters on referral by a minister or either house of parliament as well as, importantly, more inquisitorial powers that will enable it to act on its own initiative in the form of an 'own motion' power. The Parliamentary Joint Committee on Defence will be modelled on a proven committee. We know the model works, the PJCIS that I previously had the privilege of serving on, has demonstrated that a statutory parliamentary committee with the capacity to receive classified information, conduct secure hearings that hold the executive to account can function effectively. The explanatory memorandum explicitly states that the new committee will be 'modelled on the PJCIS,' to ensure that it can request and receive classified information and briefings. This committee fills a gap in the current oversight framework by enabling scrutiny of classified matters in a secure setting. That is, of course, vital, because defence oversight cannot meaningfully occur only in public, unclassified settings. Some of the most consequential decisions—capability acquisitions, strategic deployments, operational commitments—will always involve sensitive intelligence, classified data and operational detail. The bill provides for powers of the committee to obtain information and documents, to require persons to appear before it and to request briefings from heads of defence agencies, the IGADF and the Naval Nuclear Power Safety Regulator. By aligning with the proven PJCIS model, this bill improves parliamentary capability without reinventing the wheel. The increased scale and gravity of defence investment that we have at the moment demands greater oversight. We know that Australia faces increasingly complex and evolving strategic challenges. We live in an era where Australia is undertaking what our government describes as the biggest peacetime increase in defence spending in our history: $70 billion for defence capability. The scale of investment, the complexity of capability procurement and the global geostrategic environment all compel us to ensure that our oversight is commensurate with that expenditure and that investment. As one commentator stated, some of the gravest matters are the decisions to commit our service persons to conflict. As the scale of investment increases, so too must the extent and effectiveness of parliamentary oversight. The more resources at stake, the greater the need for deliberation, transparency, methodical process and multipartisan input. Parliament cannot outsource our accountability to the executive alone. The bill recognises this by giving the new committee the function of scrutinising major capability investments, including the Integrated Investment Program, the IIP, and acquisitions. Defence decisions are often among the most consequential a government makes—the resources committed, the lives affected and the strategic risks that must necessarily be taken. This bill ensures that our oversight architecture is up to the task. While I have emphasised that the committee will oversee operations and strategy, it must be noted that the committee's oversight also extends to portfolio agencies like DVA, the Department of Veterans' Affairs, which will have a key role in implementing the recommendations from the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide; the ASA, the Australian Submarine Agency, which will lead us along the optimal pathway in delivery of nuclear powered submarines; and Defence Housing Australia, DHA, which houses our service men and women and their families, but also, due to previous legislation, our allies. This will support and enable a biennial battle rhythm and adaptable policy settings. Another key merit of this reform is that it will support the government's move to a biennial battle rhythm of national defence strategies and refreshes of the IIP, the Integrated Investment Program. The second reading speech on the 2024 bill explicitly referenced that the new committee—that is, the defence committee we're discussing—would 'complement' existing oversight by enabling this deeper scrutiny in a classified setting. By embedding the defence committee with standing functions to review defence strategies, capability development, sustainment and operations, the bill enables our defence policy settings to be more responsive, more adaptable and more aligned with a more frequent refresh cycle—that two-yearly cycle I mentioned. In a rapidly evolving geostrategic environment, the capacity to refresh strategy and investment on that biennial, two-yearly, rhythm is vital. This committee will provide parliament with the means to engage with that two-yearly rhythmic cycle—not simply in the traditional five- or 10-year cycle, but more dynamically. This committee will deliver trust, oversight and effectiveness during that two-year rotational process. In summary, the Defence Amendment (Parliamentary Joint Committee on Defence) Bill 2025 offers a considered reform, grounded in the needs of our democracy, the demands of defence oversight and the responsibility of parliament. It reaffirms the following. We balance transparency and the imperatives of secrecy and security. Defence business must be conducted in an orderly, mature, methodical, multipartisan and deliberative way. The social contract between our defenders—the ADF—the defence organisation and our nation must be acknowledged. We give them the means to act. We expect there is accountability in return, and we do have a proven model on which to base this in the PJCIS. This bill to focus on defence builds upon that, with the scale of investment increasing and the stakes rising in our geostrategic time. We must ensure oversight matches the gravity of the decisions made. This reform will support our move to a biannual defence strategy and investment, and support that rhythm to help our policy settings be more adaptable and responsive. I encourage all members to support this bill. In doing so, they will be strengthening the connective tissue between our parliament, the defence of Australia, the ADF and the Australian people.