Ged Kearney's recent appearances (OpenAustralia.org)
type: channel
language: en-gb
creator: OpenAustralia.org, mprss.php script
date: 2026-02-05T22:06:02+00:00
items: Cost of Living | Matters of Public Importance | House debates
items: Bondi Beach Attack Victims | Condolences | House debates
items: Energy | Matters of Public Importance | House debates
items: Rayner, Ms Jenny | Constituency Statements | House debates
items: Migration Amendment (Combatting Migrant Exploitation) Bill 2025; Second Reading | Bills | House debates
items: g107.1
items: Treasury Laws Amendment (Payday Superannuation) Bill 2025, Superannuation Guarantee Charge Amendment Bill 2025; Second Reading | Bills | House debates
items: Women's Health Week | Statements on Significant Matters | House debates
items: Address-in-Reply | Governor-General's Speech | House debates
items: Rearrangement | Business | House debates
items: Housing | Ministerial Statements | House debates
items: Darebin Child Care and Kindergarten, Assistance Dogs | Constituency Statements | House debates
items: g127.1
items: Fair Work Amendment (Protecting Penalty and Overtime Rates) Bill 2025; Second Reading | Bills | House debates
items: Crowley, Hon. Dr Rosemary Anne AO | Condolences | House debates
items: Apology to Australia's Indigenous Peoples: 17th Anniversary | Ministerial Statements | House debates
items: Women's Health; Reference to Federation Chamber | Statements on Significant Matters | House debates
items: Health Care | Constituency Statements | House debates
items: Housing | Matters of Public Importance | House debates

Cost of Living | Matters of Public Importance | House debates
type: item
description: They ran it into the ground.
encoded: They ran it into the ground.
date: 2026-02-04T16:10:00+00:00

Bondi Beach Attack Victims | Condolences | House debates
type: item
description: Today in this building we have heard 15 names, each one etched into our national memory. They are the names of those whose lives were taken far too soon at Bondi's horrific terrorist attack. This...
encoded: Today in this building we have heard 15 names, each one etched into our national memory. They are the names of those whose lives were taken far too soon at Bondi's horrific terrorist attack. This profound act of violence has shaken our nation. This was an attack on our shores in a place so special to many, an iconic place we all know and love. The names of those we've lost represent an Australia that is forever changed. We are a nation now in mourning and in shock that this happened in our home. As a mother, grandmother and sister, I carry the fear of losing a loved one with me every day. Anyone who has lost someone they love knows that grief does not end. It stays with you, and it eternally comes in waves. For each life lost there remains empty chairs at family tables, faces no longer at community gatherings and a warmth missing from the moments that shape a life. Even the moments that should be joyful are forever marked by absence. Today and every day I extend my deepest condolences to the families whose lives have been torn apart by the attack at Bondi. I want to take a moment to especially acknowledge the parents of young Matilda. No parent should ever have to bury a child. There are no words that can ease your pain, but I'm so deeply sorry for your loss. I also extend my condolences to the broader Jewish community, because the loss of these 15 lives was not random. This was a targeted antisemitic act of terror, an attack directed at Jewish Australians on the first day of Hanukkah, a time that should be marked by light, faith and celebration. Australia has been a place of refuge for so many Jewish people in the aftermath of the Holocaust. We are a country that promises peace, safety and solace not only for Jewish people but for so many people who migrated for a better life or travelled to our shores as refugees seeking safety. We are a fiercely proud multicultural society. It's part of our national character and one of our greatest strengths. Our promise of peac…
date: 2026-01-19T14:49:00+00:00

Energy | Matters of Public Importance | House debates
type: item
description: Making jokes.
encoded: Making jokes.
date: 2025-11-27T16:41:00+00:00

Energy | Matters of Public Importance | House debates
type: item
description: We have the Leader of the Opposition taking the last MPI of the year in what sounded like a desperate leadership-saving speech. We have leaders on this side who don't need to make...
encoded: We have the Leader of the Opposition taking the last MPI of the year in what sounded like a desperate leadership-saving speech. We have leaders on this side who don't need to make leadership-saving speeches because we're respected around the world as leaders. Australia is stepping onto the world stage with credibility and purpose, and those opposite cannot stand it. They cannot stand that Australia is respected once again as a powerhouse around the world for change and for good—that we have a government that understands both climate change and affordable energy, and that we're united, coordinated and actually delivering. Instead of celebrating Australia's world leadership, the coalition is wandering around with their heads in the sand—sandhills filled with denial, delay, dysfunction and division. They're the Ds that the Leader of the Opposition should be talking about. The tail is wagging the dog, with the Nationals calling the shots, and the Liberals are letting it happen. Meanwhile, this government is building the modern energy system Australians deserve. The Liberal Party once claimed it would 'meet voters where they are'. Well, Australians overwhelmingly support climate action, clean-energy jobs and cheaper renewable power. The problem for the Liberals is that they've walked away from every one of those priorities and are wandering in a wasteland. They abandoned their commitment to net zero by 2050—a commitment backed by business, by agriculture, by energy investors and by the vast majority of Australians. Just months after promising to stick with it, the Leader of the Opposition dumped the target entirely. They are so far away from where Australians are it's beyond belief. Their argument that they can walk away from net zero while still honouring the Paris Agreement simply doesn't stack up. The treaty requires countries to show progression and ambition. Backsliding breaks trust, damages our credibility and holds back our national economic interest at the very m…
date: 2025-11-27T16:16:00+00:00

Rayner, Ms Jenny | Constituency Statements | House debates
type: item
description: Today I rise to honour Jenny Rayner. She's a longstanding and beloved community worker who recently retired after 18 years of service to the most vulnerable members of my electorate, Cooper....
encoded: Today I rise to honour Jenny Rayner. She's a longstanding and beloved community worker who recently retired after 18 years of service to the most vulnerable members of my electorate, Cooper. Jenny's retirement from the Jika Jika Community Centre, a local neighbourhood house, gave us all pause to reflect on her work over almost two decades. Jenny ran playgroups at the beginning, critical for connection between parents and for the development of children. She then worked providing outreach to the residents at the Walker Street public housing estate, where she ran homework programs and advocated for the public housing tenants there. At the High Street housing estate, Jenny ran everything from cooking classes to putting in vegetable gardens and caring for the residents there. She organised hampers for Christmas, delivered meals and ran activities like the popular chalk drawing competition during COVID. All these programs and activities are about connection. They're about people centred, community centred care. They are programs designed to meet real need on the ground, programs that can't be easily accessed elsewhere and that foster healthy, connected living while addressing unmet need and essential support for anyone who needs it in our community. When I think of Jenny and her work, she embodies the essence of community work done right across Victoria through our neighbourhood houses. It reminds me of the many wonderful community workers now in retirement. And, while these are not exclusively female domains, it happens to be women from neighbourhood houses who have provided timely and effective services to the community over many decades—great women like Marie Goonan, Angie Davidson, Gina Wittingslow and Colleen Duggan, who all left our community stronger and more resilient through their tireless work and advocacy. I thank sincerely Jenny and all the workers in neighbourhood houses. These are amazing spaces designed to meet hyperlocal needs centred in neighbourhoods wi…
date: 2025-11-26T09:39:00+00:00

Migration Amendment (Combatting Migrant Exploitation) Bill 2025; Second Reading | Bills | House debates
type: item
description: There's 30,000 people here on PALM, Michael.
encoded: There's 30,000 people here on PALM, Michael.
date: 2025-11-26T18:35:00+00:00

g107.1
type: item
title: Environment Protection Reform Bill 2025, National Environmental Protection Agency Bill 2025, Environment Information Australia Bill 2025, Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (Customs Charges Imposition) Bill 2025, Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (Excise Charges Imposition) Bill 2025, Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (General Charges Imposition) Bill 2025, Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (Restoration Charge Imposition) Bill 2025; Second Reading | Bills | House debates
description: I rise today to speak on the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act and the proposed reforms. These reforms will ensure the future and prosperity of our beautiful country and...
encoded: I rise today to speak on the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act and the proposed reforms. These reforms will ensure the future and prosperity of our beautiful country and environment. Of course, while speaking on these beautiful lands, it would be remiss not to acknowledge the traditional owners of the land, the Ngunnawal and Ngambri peoples and indeed all First Nations people. For tens of thousands of years, they have cared for and acted as stewards of the lands, air, waterways and oceans of this country. It is within this tradition of stewardship, protection and care that I speak on these bills. Australia is one of the most beautiful countries in the world, from mountain ranges in the east to breathtaking beaches in the west. It is home to a rich biodiversity unlike anywhere else on the planet. Even in my own electorate of Cooper, despite being better known for some of Australia's best lattes and coolest streets, we are home to an abundance of beautiful lands, including waterways like the Merri Creek, the Darebin Creek and Edgars Creek. They are benefiting right now from federal government investments to rewild and protect them and also from the ancient knowledge of Indigenous rangers, including groups that do cultural burns on the waterways, exposing ancient Indigenous grasses and plants that haven't been seen for decades and possibly centuries. In addition to our wonderful First Nations groups who have protected these beautiful lands and waterways, it's been the environment and climate movement and thousands of activists young and old who've played such a big role in championing and protecting our natural environment. In Cooper we have many groups focusing on protecting the environment: Friends of Edwardes Lake, headed up by the indomitable Kate Jost; Darebin Climate Action Now, a tireless group of climate and environment campaigners; friends of all of the creeks I mentioned above, who tirelessly plant trees, remove rubbish and volunteer ev…
date: 2025-11-04T18:46:00+00:00

Treasury Laws Amendment (Payday Superannuation) Bill 2025, Superannuation Guarantee Charge Amendment Bill 2025; Second Reading | Bills | House debates
type: item
description: I rise to speak in support of the Treasury Laws Amendment (Payday Superannuation) Bill 2025. This is a bill that represents the Labor Party and the union movement at its best. It's a bill that...
encoded: I rise to speak in support of the Treasury Laws Amendment (Payday Superannuation) Bill 2025. This is a bill that represents the Labor Party and the union movement at its best. It's a bill that supports working people, women and older Australians. It's a bill that builds a system and a country that is fair, that is just and that supports people to live a life of dignity. That is what the Australian Labor Party is about: working hard, looking after one another and assuring that everyone, not just the wealthy, can live that life with dignity. One of the key ways that the Australian Labor Party has supported this vision for our society is through the mighty superannuation system. Superannuation is one of the proudest achievements of the Australian Labor Party and the Australian Labor movement. It is the absolute embodiment of a simple but powerful idea: that after a lifetime of work, every Australian deserves dignity, independence and financial security in their retirement. Let me tell you this: it did not come easily. Superannuation wasn't handed down by very generous employers. No, it was fought for, tooth and nail. It was envisaged to be part of that great idea of the social wage. This was a view and a vision of the Hawke-Keating era and of that great trade unionist Bill Kelty. It was established along with other great measures of the social wage like Medicare, another great implementation that we are incredibly proud of on this side of the House. In the 1980s, unions and the Hawke and Keating Labor governments came together to tackle one of the great injustices of our economy: that only the wealthiest Australians could have a decent retirement. At that time, it was only a small percentage of Australians—and, I've got to say, mostly men—in fairly high-paying jobs that had any form of superannuation at all. These superannuation funds were run by their employees. They were industry based and all run under different legislation and different rules. We wanted that to be …
date: 2025-10-30T11:21:00+00:00

Women's Health Week | Statements on Significant Matters | House debates
type: item
description: Women's Health Week is not just a reminder for women to prioritise their own health; it's a call to confront the sexism that still runs through our health system. And I must say that the former...
encoded: Women's Health Week is not just a reminder for women to prioritise their own health; it's a call to confront the sexism that still runs through our health system. And I must say that the former speaker, the member for Leichhardt, expressed it so beautifully as a great ally amongst the men in the Labor Party, and it's great to see that the men are now comfortable speaking about these things. See what happens when you have a majority women government? I know the sexism that runs through the health system not just from my experience as the former assistant minister for health but also from my own life and from my decades as a nurse, and I am surrounded by my women colleagues here today whom I know have had their own experiences. Too many times I saw women in tears; they were dismissed and ignored, their pain left untreated until their health worsened. I also experienced it in my own life, and it was then that I truly understood how it felt. In my 50s, I thought that heavy periods—or, as they're medically known, menorrhagia—and exhaustion were just a normal part of menopause. And then I found out that they weren't. But it took me collapsing at work with a haemoglobin level that was 'simply not compatible with life', as the doctor told me, before something serious had to be done. Just how far do women have to go? How bad does their health have to get, before it's taken seriously? I know my story is not uncommon. Almost every woman I speak to has their own version. The #EndGenderBias survey found that two in three women had experienced discrimination or bias in the healthcare system, with 70 per cent saying that that experience was via a GP clinic and half saying that it happened in our hospitals. Women have told me stories of being told their pain surely wasn't that bad or that they were exaggerating it somewhat. There were stories of being shamed by family and friends for actually speaking up. This isn't just bad luck or bad practice; it's what we call medical misogyny.…
date: 2025-09-03T11:33:00+00:00

Address-in-Reply | Governor-General's Speech | House debates
type: item
description: I rise to speak in reply to the Governor-General's address, and I thank her most warmly for her wonderful service. Well, the 2025 election was won by an Albanese Labor government, and it was won...
encoded: I rise to speak in reply to the Governor-General's address, and I thank her most warmly for her wonderful service. Well, the 2025 election was won by an Albanese Labor government, and it was won on the basis of a belief in moving towards a more equal and caring Australia, with greater opportunity for all. The Australian people chose a future based on positivity, on hope and on trust over negativity and division. Reflecting upon it all has been such a positive experience. Our pitch to the Australian people was more cost-of-living support, free TAFE, lower HECS, safer penalty rates, action on climate change and cheaper energy, more bulk-billing, cheaper medicines, the valuing of workers, and cheaper contraceptives and women's health care—just to name a few things. The women's health package was particularly popular in my electorate of Cooper, as were the wonderful Medicare urgent care clinics. During the campaign, while traipsing the streets of Preston, I met a lovely woman, about 50 years of age. Let's call her Sue. Sue is a public servant and manages her life by working from home. Her house seemed beautifully chaotic and full of life. The sound of her dog barking and her teenage daughter yelling in the background made me reminiscent of when my three girls and my son used to all live at home with me. Sue told me that her life is difficult but fun and full of love. When I told her how the government is slashing the cost of Estrogel, she was actually ecstatic. Then, when I told her about how we are cutting the cost of contraceptives and endometriosis care, her face lit up again. Sue was so happy to hear that a government is not just taking women's health seriously but prioritising it. The hundreds of dollars Sue would save through cheaper medicine for herself and her daughters would be life changing. It gave Sue more room to breathe and more room to enjoy her beautiful and chaotic life. Her experience is emblematic of so many women I met on the doors during this campai…
date: 2025-08-27T13:15:00+00:00

Rearrangement | Business | House debates
type: item
description: I move: That so much of the standing and sessional orders be suspended as would remove the time limit for the whole debate on the motion to take note of the Housing Australia Investment Mandate...
encoded: I move: That so much of the standing and sessional orders be suspended as would remove the time limit for the whole debate on the motion to take note of the Housing Australia Investment Mandate Amendment (Delivering on Our 2025 Election Commitment) Direction 2025. Question agreed to.
date: 2025-08-27T12:28:00+00:00

Housing | Ministerial Statements | House debates
type: item
description: I move: That the House take note of the Housing Australia Investment Mandate Amendment (Delivering on Our 2025 Election Commitment) Direction 2025. Debate adjourned.
encoded: I move: That the House take note of the Housing Australia Investment Mandate Amendment (Delivering on Our 2025 Election Commitment) Direction 2025. Debate adjourned.
date: 2025-08-27T12:27:00+00:00

Darebin Child Care and Kindergarten, Assistance Dogs | Constituency Statements | House debates
type: item
description: In October 2023, I stood with early childhood educators, kindergarten teachers, parents and community members against Darebin City Council's plans to cut community childcare centre leases to just...
encoded: In October 2023, I stood with early childhood educators, kindergarten teachers, parents and community members against Darebin City Council's plans to cut community childcare centre leases to just two years—an ordeal that not only was costly but would've created instability for educators and for parents and their bubs. After our grassroots campaign, the council were forced to act, and I acknowledge Kat Theophanous, the state member for Northcote, and Nathan Lambert, the state member for Preston and Reservoir, for their hard work on this issue. Darebin Child Care and Kindergarten and 17 other community-run childcare centres and kindergartens fought and won five-year-plus-five-year leases. I'll never forget standing with directors, staff and families, making it clear just how important certainty and stability are for these crucial services that support our youngest Cooper residents. Last week as part of Early Learning Matters Week, I returned to Darebin Child Care and Kindergarten—not to protest but to celebrate with their director, Tina, and her team. It was moving to see the educators' pride in their work and the gratitude of families who rely on their care, and there was more to celebrate. At last these educators who have been undervalued for far too long will see a 15 per cent pay rise back paid, recognising the extraordinary difference they make every single day. This is about respect and dignity and about saying the work of caring for and educating our youngest citizens matters. I'd like to raise the issue relating to standards for training and accreditation of assistance dogs. My constituent Charles has an assistance dog that is vital to his wellbeing as someone who suffers from severe PTSD. He has told me stories that no Australian should have to tell—stories of being refused entry to libraries and supermarkets, turned away from public transport and interrogated when trying to get into rideshare services with his much-needed furry companion. Instead of being su…
date: 2025-08-26T16:15:00+00:00

g127.1
type: item
title: Universities Accord (National Higher Education Code to Prevent and Respond to Gender-based Violence) Bill 2025, Universities Accord (National Higher Education Code to Prevent and Respond to Gender-based Violence) (Consequential Amendments) Bill 2025; Second Reading | Bills | House debates
description: I rise proudly today to speak on the Universities Accord (National Higher Education Code to Prevent and Respond to Gender-based Violence) Bill 2025. This is a bill that should have been...
encoded: I rise proudly today to speak on the Universities Accord (National Higher Education Code to Prevent and Respond to Gender-based Violence) Bill 2025. This is a bill that should have been introduced long ago, because, for too many years, female students have endured violence, harassment and abuse on our campuses, while many governments and institutions looked away. For too long, survivors have been left unsupported, unheard and disbelieved. So I stand here not only in support of this bill but in recognition of the generations of students, advocates and survivors who've fought relentlessly to make this moment possible. I also stand here as a woman who has experienced sexual harassment. The truth of the matter is that most women you know will have experienced sexual harassment, attempted assault or assault at some point, because, unfortunately, rape culture is deeply embedded in many parts of our society. I remember the first time, as a younger woman, I experienced sexual harassment. I felt deeply threatened and shocked. It makes me nervous even to stand here and talk about it now, because there's still a great deal of stigma associated with having been sexually assaulted. A man ran his hand up my skirt as I served him his meal in a restaurant that I was working in as a waitress. I was told, when I reported it, that working in hospitality, as I did, just goes hand in hand with this type of thing. As I got older and started going out and started going to university, for me, too, the harassment began to feel, well, just normal—'That's life. Just put up with it.' And this isn't a good thing. Women should feel shocked when facing harassment. It should feel strange, like something we've never heard of before. Instead, I remember, as a young woman, always being prepared, and moving in packs with the sisterhood. And this is how most young women live. We'd always have a friend accompany us to the bathroom. We'd have code words or looks to get a friend to intervene, or we'd hold…
date: 2025-08-25T16:00:00+00:00

Fair Work Amendment (Protecting Penalty and Overtime Rates) Bill 2025; Second Reading | Bills | House debates
type: item
description: I rise today to commend not just a piece of legislation but a promise—a promise that has been made to the Australian people, to our workers. It's a promise to introduce the Fair Work...
encoded: I rise today to commend not just a piece of legislation but a promise—a promise that has been made to the Australian people, to our workers. It's a promise to introduce the Fair Work Amendment (Protecting Penalty and Overtime Rates) Bill 2025, a fight that many of us have been waging for years, including yourself, Madam Deputy Speaker Chesters. I stood with this struggle wearing many hats—as assistant minister in the Albanese Labor government, as the President of the Australian Council of Trade Unions, as the secretary of the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation and, most importantly, as a shift worker myself. As a nurse, as a retail worker and as a hospitality worker over my life, I know what it means to miss birthdays, barbecues, bedtime stories, bath time and precious moments with your kids and your family because your shift ends when everyone else's day begins. I know what it's like to work during those silent hours of night, where your only friends are the owls, the bats, or anyone coming home from Revolver! In the aftermath of all those odd hours resides a consistent state of jetlag too. When I was a young mum with baby twins, my husband and I bought our first house. It was in 1987. He was an apprentice chef, earning, at the time, about $180 a week, which wasn't a great deal of money, even back then. So, with two young babies and with interest rates soaring around 18 per cent—if anyone can remember when that happened—we were in real dire financial straits. I decided to work permanent night shift, because I knew that the penalty rates would get us over the line. I worked seven nights on and seven nights off. For anyone who has had to do this type of night-time rotation, they will know it is gruelling. You come home in the morning. I would get the kids ready for daycare. I'd give them their breakfast and get them dressed. My husband would well and truly have been gone by the time that happened. I'd get them to child care. I'd fall into bed and always mana…
date: 2025-07-31T11:17:00+00:00

Crowley, Hon. Dr Rosemary Anne AO | Condolences | House debates
type: item
description: I rise today to offer my deepest condolences and to honour the life of a truly remarkable woman, former senator Rosemary Crowley. Rosemary was a trailblazer, a dedicated advocate for women's...
encoded: I rise today to offer my deepest condolences and to honour the life of a truly remarkable woman, former senator Rosemary Crowley. Rosemary was a trailblazer, a dedicated advocate for women's rights and a tireless champion for justice and equality. Her passing marks the end of an era, but her legacy continues to inspire us all, including myself and, I'm sure, many generations to come. Rosemary was born in Melbourne on 30 July 1938, which was a tumultuous period to spend some of your most pivotal early years. Like me, Rosemary was from a large Catholic family; hers had six children. Her mother, Monica, kept a busy home humming, while her father, Everard Willis, worked as an accountant. Rosemary's Roman Catholic upbringing and education at Kilmaire Brigidine Convent in Hawthorn instilled a passion for social justice and a vocation for community service within her. She was a bright young girl in a period that did not value girls' education. Despite this, she obtained a Commonwealth scholarship to complete a medical degree at the University of Melbourne. In her early years, Rosemary worked as a resident medical officer and as a pathologist. In 1964 Rosemary married James Raymond Crowley, and they moved to Berkeley, California. During this period, Berkeley was a hub of political activism, from the civil rights movement to the anti Vietnam War movement and the beginnings of the women's movement. I imagine being witness to it all left a deep impression on Rosemary. In 1969 Rosemary and James returned to Australia, this time to Adelaide, where she lived with their three sons, Stephen, Vincent and Diarmuid. In Adelaide Rosemary worked at children's hospitals as a parent education counsellor, as a lecturer on childbirth and as a foundation member of the South Australian Mental Health Review Tribunal. Rosemary's experience at Berkeley was matched with a period of significant political and social movement in Australia. Notably for Rosemary, it was the election, leadership and th…
date: 2025-03-26T10:38:00+00:00

Apology to Australia's Indigenous Peoples: 17th Anniversary | Ministerial Statements | House debates
type: item
description: Today marks a sombre but important occasion—a day that reminds us to reflect on the past of this country, examine the present and look to the future for what we as a society should be and...
encoded: Today marks a sombre but important occasion—a day that reminds us to reflect on the past of this country, examine the present and look to the future for what we as a society should be and what we can be. It's an important day—a day for reflecting on our nation's brutal and dark history and for acknowledging the pain that has occurred and is still occurring. It is a day for transformation and for committing to doing better and being better as a country. Of course, 13 February is the anniversary of the day in 2008 when the then Labor Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd, issued his apology to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and to the stolen generations—people whose lives had been blighted by past government policies of forced child removal and assimilation. It is a time that is a stain on our country and one we can't ignore—one that we must acknowledge and commit to never letting happen again. I, like so many Australians, remember that day very well. It was a watershed moment. I remember being on the lawns in front of Parliament House. At the time, I was working at the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation, and I stood proudly on the lawns with my colleagues from the Congress of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Nurses and Midwives. We stood there listening to those amazing words—those moving words, those important words—from Kevin Rudd. There were tears. There was relief. There was joy. There were lots of hugs. At this morning's Sorry Day breakfast, the Prime Minister reflected on how, when we first apologised for the atrocities inflicted upon our First Nations people, we collectively became a better country, a country ready to take the next step to moving forward. Just as we acknowledged that history in 2008, today we commit to being a better country for now and into the future. Earlier this week, the Minister for Indigenous Australians, Senator Malarndirri McCarthy, tabled the Closing the gap annual report and implementation plan. As the minister sai…
date: 2025-02-13T10:40:00+00:00

Women's Health; Reference to Federation Chamber | Statements on Significant Matters | House debates
type: item
description: by leave—I move: That further statements on women's health be permitted in the Federation Chamber. Question agreed to.
encoded: by leave—I move: That further statements on women's health be permitted in the Federation Chamber. Question agreed to.
date: 2025-02-12T09:24:00+00:00

Health Care | Constituency Statements | House debates
type: item
description: I'm pleased to inform this chamber of an important step that will save lives and help Australians make informed choices about their health care. It was community advocates, parents and patients...
encoded: I'm pleased to inform this chamber of an important step that will save lives and help Australians make informed choices about their health care. It was community advocates, parents and patients here in Australia, my electorate of Cooper and indeed around the world that raised awareness of the neuropsychiatric side effects of taking montelukast, a prescription asthma and allergy medication. These advocates experienced trauma, confusion and, sadly, even the death of their children. Last month the TGA issued a safety alert to better highlight these side effects, including a new warning at the start of the consumer medication information sheets on montelukast products and additional information for doctors and patients on what to do if serious behaviour and mood related changes happen. I thank everyone who has raised this issue with me and fought so hard. This will help doctors and families across the country be better informed. It won't bring back young people we've lost but it will help save future lives, so thank you. I also wanted to express my pride about the Albanese Labor government's commitment to women's health. As assistant health minister, I often meet with women to hear their stories and to inform our policy. I heard one such story only last week from Carmen Lahiff-Jenkins, a social justice advocate in my community of Reservoir. At the age of just 13, Carmen suffered from undiagnosed adenomyosis and diverticulitis, and was told by a doctor that 'women just have pain'. Throughout her life, her pain is constantly dismissed. At times, Carmen lost her vision or the use of her hands and arms. Over the course of two years, she constantly asked the doctor if this could be MS. What did her doctor do? He ordered a blood test for MS just to placate Carmen, but Carmen later discovered that there's no such thing as a blood test for MS; he was merely mollifying her. Carmen went to another doctor who ordered proper tests, and what showed up was deeply troubling. With conc…
date: 2025-02-06T10:09:00+00:00

Housing | Matters of Public Importance | House debates
type: item
description: For far too many Australians, especially younger Australians, the prospect of homeownership feels far away, and being a renter has never felt more insecure. I know that, if I'm driving around the...
encoded: For far too many Australians, especially younger Australians, the prospect of homeownership feels far away, and being a renter has never felt more insecure. I know that, if I'm driving around the suburbs any weekend in Melbourne, even in my electorate of Cooper, I'll see lines of young people queueing up to inspect a rental property. Much of the housing isn't adequate, either. Housing is mould infested, riddled with mice and doesn't have proper amenities like water and insulation. The rental market is so bad that you'll see tenants put up with those things. Looking at the faces of those queueing, it's apparent that the demographics of renters has changed. It's not just uni students; it's young professionals, middle-income earners and young families. Unless you've got the bank of mum and dad, you might be renting for your whole life. Right now we've got a whole generation of Australians who are stuck in rent traps. They feel anger and despair that homeownership may never happen for them. Secure housing isn't just important for comfort and financial security. It's also important for your health. Poor housing is associated with a wide range of health conditions, including respiratory diseases like asthma, cardiovascular diseases, injuries and infectious disease, including TB, influenza and diarrhoea. It's also associated with poor mental health, which can cause physical stress to your body, especially to your nervous, cardiovascular, digestive, immune and respiratory systems. The member who preceded me in this debate spoke very passionately about this, but the reality is the member and, indeed, those opposite ignore some pretty big facts. We know that a housing crisis doesn't just happen overnight. It creeps in like a home left to the elements. At first the cracks seem small: a loose tile here and there, a splintered floorboard and a creaky door. Then the roof begins to sag, the windows cloud with dust, and the rain seeps through, warping the very foundations of the ho…
date: 2025-02-06T15:23:00+00:00