Kate Thwaites's recent appearances (OpenAustralia.org)
Health Care | Constituency Statements | House debates
Access to health care is top of mind for people in my community of Jagajaga. We're fortunate to be home to some of Melbourne's best medical institutions, including the Austin, the Repat, the ONJ,...
Access to health care is top of mind for people in my community of Jagajaga. We're fortunate to be home to some of Melbourne's best medical institutions, including the Austin, the Repat, the ONJ, the Mercy and many more. Local health care matters, and that's why investing in local services and strengthening Medicare locally is so important for my community. Because for the families, the seniors and the young people I represent, access to affordable health care is not a luxury; it is essential. That is why this government, the Albanese Labor government, has put people and access at the heart of our reforms to strengthen Medicare, and it's why we are already seeing a difference in communities in Jagajaga. For the first time in decades, we are making bulk-billing viable again after it was allowed to languish under those opposite. We have expanded the bulk-billing incentives for GPs so that these incentives apply across the board, encouraging more GPs to make sure that people can see the doctor for a bulk-billed visit. We are seeing this have an effect in Jagajaga. More practices in Jagajaga are now bulk-billing patients, and I'm encouraging even more of our local GP clinics to take up this incentive so that this becomes the norm rather than the exception. I recently visited Greensborough Medical & Dental Centre in Greensborough, which is one of our wonderful local practices and was one of the first clinics in our community to switch to full bulk-billing for GP visits. It was really heartening to talk to Alicia, the practice manager there, who told me that every day she is seeing how this change is making life easier for local families. People are not having to choose what in their budget they have to take out to pay to see a GP, and that is how it should be in Australia. That is how health care works in Australia. It is why Labor set up Medicare, and it is why we continue to strengthen and back Medicare. So, as I said, I encourage more GP practices across Jagajaga to take up this opportunity and to further expand access for our community. In Jagajaga, we are also benefiting from a new Medicare urgent care clinic in Eltham. It's making a real difference for people in that part of my electorate. This is walk-in care for when you need it urgently—those times when your child might have had an accident at sport, it's late at night and the other clinics aren't open. I've had such positive feedback about this clinic. One local told me she had a fantastic experience and had avoided waiting at the Austin Hospital in emergency for the hours that, unfortunately, often takes. So this clinic is a wonderful addition to our local health care. The one in Eltham joins the one that we already have in Burgundy Street, in Heidelberg. As I said, I consistently get good feedback about this investment we are making locally for access to good, affordable health care and the work that this government is doing to strengthen Medicare.
Bondi Beach Attack Victims | Condolences | House debates
Nothing we say today can end the pain of the Jewish people whose lives were upended by the Bondi terror attack. Nothing we do can bring back the 15 people who were killed, people should have had...
Nothing we say today can end the pain of the Jewish people whose lives were upended by the Bondi terror attack. Nothing we do can bring back the 15 people who were killed, people should have had more—more time, more life, more moments with those who now face the bleakness of a future without them. Those moments were stolen, and they were stolen by people who were driven by hatred and by antisemitism, who designed their act of terror to spread fear and to test our trust and our faith in one another as Australians. That is why our words today matter: we are also saying that we will not allow that to happen. I extend my deepest condolences and those of my community in Melbourne to the families and friends of those killed and who are suffering. To all of those people whose lives will never be the same, today we acknowledge that and we grieve for you. I extend our thanks to the first responders: to the police, paramedics, firefighters, nurses, doctors and everyday civilians who acted with courage, professionalism and compassion in the most difficult of circumstances. Their care and their bravery saved lives and provided reassurance in moments of fear and plain terror. At this difficult time, they remind us that our communities are filled with people who value and support each other—not only those who seek to spread hate and terror. This was an antisemitic and deeply hateful attack on our Jewish community, and it has shaken people's sense of safety and belonging. It is confronting, it is unacceptable and it has caused real fear and distress well beyond Bondi. People are shaken, they are angry and they are grieving, and rightly so. At this moment, it matters that we are clear-eyed, that we stand with the Jewish community and that we don't look away or soften the truth of what has occurred. It is also important that those of us in this place who are given the task of leadership do this with respect for each other and respect for our communities in this place and outside. It is not possible for us to build better communities if our words are motivated not by speaking about the challenges we face and the work we need to do but by attacking and posturing. Australia is a multicultural country, and our foundations of that country must continue to include respect for each other. As Australians, we are at our strongest when we stand together, when we look out for one another and when we respond to tragedy not with division or suspicion but with kindness and, through that kindness, with strength and solidarity. In the days following this attack, we've seen flowers being laid. We've seen messages of support and people lining up to give blood donations—quiet acts of kindness and reaching out from strangers to strangers. These moments remind us that, while violence may leave deep scars, it does not have to define us. What does define us is our commitment to one another and to our shared humanity—our commitment to creating a sense of community that every Australian can see themselves in, based on values of respect, inclusion and our responsibility to each other. Today we also reaffirm a simple but powerful truth: terror and hatred will not succeed in dividing us. They will not erode our commitment to community or to the open and inclusive society that we value so deeply. We honour the victims of this attack by remembering them with dignity, with compassion and with deep sorrow and by standing together in the face of great loss. Today we grieve for all of those whose lives should have been longer. We grieve for all those affected. We stand with the Jewish community, and we reaffirm that antisemitism and hatred have no place in our communities.
VET Student Loans (Miscellaneous Measures) Bill 2025; Second Reading | Bills | House debates
As I was saying, in my community I certainly know that these skills are very much valued, and the investment in TAFEs is very much valued. We are fortunate to have Melbourne Polytechnic campuses...
As I was saying, in my community I certainly know that these skills are very much valued, and the investment in TAFEs is very much valued. We are fortunate to have Melbourne Polytechnic campuses in both Greensborough and West Heidelberg. I've visited these many times, and I often hear from students about the quality of the education and support they receive. The Centre of Excellence at Melbourne Polytechnic's West Heidelberg campus is already upskilling locals in Jagajaga and across Melbourne in critical and emerging industries. This includes targeted training in affordable and environmentally sustainable construction techniques. I was talking earlier about how our investment is helping to fill skills shortages, and this is really about us using these skills and using this investment, not just to give young people and other people the skills and training they need but also to deliver on our national housing needs, which is obviously especially timely given the significant housing investments we are making. By allowing these students at these facilities in my electorate and, as I said, right around Australia to defer the cost of their tuition until they earn a sufficient income, this program opens the door to opportunities for thousands of Australians every year. Without it, many would not be able to study at all and our businesses and communities would lose the benefits of a skilled and qualified workforce. That is why this bill and the broader work we are doing are so important in making sure we have a system that operates in a strong, transparent way and is set up to deliver for our country now and into the future. So I'm really pleased that this bill is fixing a technical issue that arose from the transition between the two loan schemes, providing students and providers with the certainty they deserve. But I'm also really pleased that as a government we are putting such a focus on skills and training. I get to see frequently, as I said, what a difference that makes in my community. I always love meeting particularly the construction apprentices at the West Heidelberg site and learning from them about the opportunities they see in their future and learning from their instructors about how important they know the work is. So we as a Labor government are opening up these doors to opportunity for everyone. We are saying that this is not about how much money you earn, this is not about your background; this is an opportunity for every Australian to get the skills they need in order to get a good job and to help us as a country to build the workforces we need. So I'm very pleased to be speaking on this bill and to be supporting this bill and our government's broader work in skills and training. Thank you.
The VET Student Loans (Miscellaneous Measures) Bill 2025 addresses a technical but important issue in the administration of our vocational education loan system. It ensures that students,...
The VET Student Loans (Miscellaneous Measures) Bill 2025 addresses a technical but important issue in the administration of our vocational education loan system. It ensures that students, training providers and the government all have the clarity and confidence that they deserve in the operation of the VET Student Loans program. This is a responsible and necessary measure that fixes a problem identified during a review. It provides certainty to the sector, and it strengthens the integrity of a system that supports tens of thousands of Australians to gain new skills and qualifications. Vocational education is a highly valued resource in my community, and much of this important work to upskill workers is happening in north-eastern Melbourne, in my electorate of Jagajaga, thanks to some really important investments from our Labor government. Income-contingent student loans for vocational education and training students were first introduced under the Rudd Labor government in 2008 under the VET FEE-HELP scheme. That allowed VET providers to handle student tax file numbers, as those identifiers are essential to linking students' loans with their Australian Taxation Office accounts. In 2017, the VET Student Loans program replaced the VET FEE-HELP scheme. It brought in stronger integrity requirements and a new legislative framework: the VET Student Loans Act 2016. However, the new legislation did not explicitly provide a role for VSL providers to handle tax file numbers, even though the IT systems that supported the program continued to operate as they had under the previous framework. During a review of the program, the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations identified this misalignment between the legislation and the technology platforms that manage loan applications and data. This bill ensures that the law will now match what has occurred in practice. It retrospectively authorises the handling of students' tax file numbers by approved VSL providers for the purpose of administering student loans. This retrospective authorisation will apply from 1 January 2017, when the program commenced, until 30 September 2025, when final system updates fully removed the need for providers to handle tax file numbers. Put simply, this bill provides legal certainty that past actions that were taken in good faith to administer student loans were lawful. While this bill deals with the past, it also ensures confidence for the future. Throughout 2025, the department has implemented system updates to mask tax file numbers from providers and automate their secure transfer between the student interface and government systems. This means that from 1 October 2025, providers will no longer handle tax file numbers at all. These are important reforms that strengthen privacy and reduce the administrative burden for training providers while maintaining integrity and accuracy in the loan system. I also want to assure members and students in my community that no students have been adversely affected by the past handling of tax file numbers and that the department has received no complaints relating to this issue since the program began in 2017. This bill is all about certainty and integrity, but I also think it's about something broader. It's about the value that our government places on skills and training, and the work we are trying to do to continue to build a robust TAFE and training system that is giving Australians the best possible future and the best possible chance at a good future with the job and the skills they need. We know, on this side, that free TAFE is delivering real opportunity right around the country. It's helping hundreds of thousands of Australians to gain the skills they need while also strengthening our workforce in key industries. That's why I continue to be surprised that those opposite have free TAFE on the chopping block. Despite having recently gone to an election where it was wholeheartedly endorsed by my electorate and others, despite the results we see through our TAFE and training sector—where people are getting the skills they need to get good jobs, where we are filling workforce shortages right around our country in key industries—the Leader of the Opposition and her colleagues continue to come into this place, and go out to the community, and oppose Australians getting the skills they want for the jobs we need. I was here in the last parliament when the Leader of the Opposition said: 'It's a key principle and tenet of the Liberal Party: if you don't pay for something, you don't value it.' I want to be very clear. Our government does not see it that way. We believe in opportunity. We believe that every Australian, no matter their background or their postcode, deserves the chance to learn, to upskill, to work and to build a better life for themselves and their families. We believe that education should open doors, not close them—that skills and knowledge are the great equalisers of our society. The truth is, as the Prime Minister has said, that, no matter how far TAFE helps you climb or what opportunities it opens for you and your family, the Liberals and Nationals will always look down on the very education that gave you that lift. We do not see it in this way. That is the difference. This opportunity to help people to get these skills, to get the future that they deserve, is what drives and defines our government: helping Australians now while also building for the future. I'm really pleased to see how this is playing out in my electorate in north-eastern Melbourne. We have a number of excellent TAFEs and vocational institutions locally that have for many years been playing a vital role in creating opportunity and that I know are feeling reinvigorated by this government's focus on skills and training and by the investments we are making in this.
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
The member is clearly a little embarrassed about what is happening under his party at the moment. It seems unlikely that they will learn from these mistakes of the past and reverse direction. In...
The member is clearly a little embarrassed about what is happening under his party at the moment. It seems unlikely that they will learn from these mistakes of the past and reverse direction. In fact, it looks like his colleagues are walking away from net zero. I understand that's probably a shame for the member for Goldstein, but he does not currently have the numbers, it seems. Good luck to him in his efforts to get them. Since 2022 our government has turned the page on that track record. We have passed strong laws to cut emissions and put Australia on the path to net zero by 2050, including strong 2035 reduction targets to get us there. We've committed to achieving 82 per cent renewable energy by 2030, with more than 100 clean energy projects already underway. We've protected 95 million hectares of Australian land and ocean, an area almost the size of Germany, Italy and Norway combined. We've expanded marine parks around Macquarie Island and the Heard and McDonald islands. We've established Environment Information Australia, giving the public and business easier access to transparent environmental data. We've doubled funding for our national parks, including Kakadu and Uluru. We've invested $1.3 billion to expand the Indigenous Rangers Program, delivered $600 million to protect threatened species, and created the world's first nature repair market, unlocking private investment in environmental restoration. It is a strong record, but we know there is more to do, and that is why this bill is before the House. These reforms are the product of one of the most extensive consultation processes ever undertaken in the environmental policy space. As I said before, I want to pay tribute to the individuals, environment groups and business groups—the stakeholders—who have all engaged constructively in that process. Minister Watt and the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water have conducted more than 100 meetings, forums and roundtables across the country. Of course, as I said, these reforms are built on the recommendations of the review conducted by Graeme Samuel: a review commissioned by those opposite—by the now leader of the opposition—but which, unfortunately, they could not follow through on. It's taken a Labor government to get this bill before the House. Under Labor, we're delivering the change that that review called for: modern, balanced and enforceable national environmental laws. We're delivering reforms that reflect the best available science, the most up-to-date policy thinking and the real-world feedback from those who live with the consequences of inaction on protecting our environment. This is something that people in my community in Jagajaga care deeply about. I'm particularly lucky, as are members of my community, to live in one of Melbourne's most biodiverse regions. It's home to bushland, wetlands and parklands—the lungs of our suburbs. Locals are passionate about the Yarra River, the Banyule Flats, the Warringal Parklands and the Darebin and Diamond creeks, and these are all areas where volunteers and community have been working for decades to protect habitat, restore native vegetation and preserve the wildlife that makes our area of Melbourne so special. I give a shout-out to community groups like Friends of Edendale farm, Friends of Yarra Flats Park, Darebin Creek Management Committee, Warringal Conservation Society, our local Landcare networks and many more, who have regularly contacted me both about this bill and about the need for stronger national laws to protect nature. The people who are contacting me are concerned about declining biodiversity, the loss of tree canopy and the impact of urban expansion on local waterways and ecosystems. These are the people who get up on weekends to plant trees, pick up rubbish and teach our kids about the importance of caring for country. Their passion and stewardship reflect the best of our community, and their message to me has been clear: they want stronger, fairer and more effective environmental laws. Throughout the development of this bill, I've been proud to make sure that their voices have been part of the consideration that has gone into drafting. This bill does deliver clear standards, transparent decision-making and a federal EPA that can take action where breaches occur. It ensures that people who live alongside our natural areas, those who know them best, have confidence that they will be protected for the future. The bill is built on three key pillars: stronger environmental protection and restoration, more efficient and robust project assessments, and greater accountability and transparency in environmental decision-making. At its heart, this reform will create Australia's first independent, national environmental protection agency: a tough, science based regulator to enforce one clear set of national rules. This will mean that, when environmental harm occurs, there will be consequences—real ones—with no more loopholes and no more shifting blame between levels of government. There'll be a genuine cop on the beat with the authority to investigate, audit and stop harmful environmental activities before they do permanent damage. The need for these laws could not be clearer. Every day of delay in updating these laws is damaging our environment and costing business time and money. The average time it takes to approve a major project has more than doubled since 2004. Meanwhile, Australia's native species continue to decline at alarming rates, and habitat destruction remains one of the biggest drivers of biodiversity loss. Communities see developers fast-tracked while local concerns are sidelined. They see companies breach environmental conditions and face little or no consequence. And they have seen, for too long, governments, such as those from the other side, pass responsibility from one level to another while the environment pays the price. Our current system is fragmented, outdated and failing both the environment and business. So that is why this bill is so important: to modernise the act, to streamline approvals and to bring consistency, transparency and accountability to a process that, in too many cases, has lost public trust. The federal environmental protection agency, an independent national watchdog with strong powers, will have the ability to audit state and territory approval processes, issue stop-work orders to halt damaging activity, impose stronger penalties on repeat offenders and give communities a clear way to report breaches and see real action taken. The EPA will operate independently of political pressure. It will publish data on environmental outcomes, monitor compliance and help ensure that environmental decisions are based on evidence, not influence. The bill also defines what constitutes unacceptable environmental impacts so that projects causing irreversible damage cannot be approved. A new offsets regime will ensure that, where environmental impacts cannot be avoided, developers must deliver measurable and lasting benefits elsewhere. This achieves a net gain for nature rather than simply offset losses. Importantly, bioregional and regional planning will provide greater clarity for communities and investors alike. These plans will identify no-go zones, areas of critical habitat, high-conservation value and cultural significance that must be protected while guiding responsible development to areas where environmental impacts can be minimised. This approach balances protection and progress. It supports environmental certainty and investment and business confidence at the same time. Strong and clear boundaries, formal rules and no room for ambiguity: our environment deserves nothing less. We have too many precious places and too many precious species still being lost in this country. It's on all of us in here to make sure that we do all that we can to end that loss. That means working together to pass these laws. These rules will also improve efficiency. They will cut red tape for business by removing duplication of Commonwealth and state processes. They will create clear and consistent national standards and save businesses time and money while improving outcomes for nature. The Productivity Commission estimates that these reforms could deliver up to $7 billion in economic benefits through faster and more-efficient approvals. That's a win for business, it's a win for workers and it's a clear win for our environment. This bill represents a once-in-a-generation opportunity. As I said, it reflects the commitment our government made to voters at the last election to get this done. We are very focused on restoring integrity to environmental decision-making. We want to strengthen protection for our most precious ecosystems. We want to ensure that those who damage the environment are held to account. We do all of that with this bill. We are also conscious that we cannot do it alone. For these reforms to be successful, we will need support from the Liberals or we will need support from the Greens. I say to the members of this parliament: this is our chance to do this once-in-a-generation reform. This is our chance to halt the loss that we have seen—the loss of biodiversity and the loss of species, which is unacceptable—and to work together to protect our environment. I started with a series of questions about the attitudes of those opposite and their commitment to this bill. Those questions remain but, as we debate the bill in this House, we have before us the opportunity for those opposite to answer them—and in fact to answer them positively for nature, to answer them positively for our environment for generations to come, and to answer them positively for business and for the work that needs to happen to continue to develop the infrastructure that our country needs. There is an opportunity here for our environment and for this parliament to do the work that has been far too long in coming—to do the work that it takes Labor governments to do—and to work with passionate advocates who have continued to stand up for our environment and who have worked with us on a set of reforms that, while long overdue, will deliver real gains for our environment. It's now over to this parliament to do the necessary work to make sure that what's been in train for so long, since Graeme Samuel started his review, which is now reflected in these bills, becomes a reality for our environment, for our country and for the future of biodiversity in our country.
This is a landmark piece of legislation that represents the most significant overhaul of Australia's environmental laws in a generation. It is overdue. After our environment was neglected,...
This is a landmark piece of legislation that represents the most significant overhaul of Australia's environmental laws in a generation. It is overdue. After our environment was neglected, ignored and left to degrade by those opposite, this is work that Labor attempted in our last term but that we could not get opposition or Greens support for in the Senate. We are now meeting the commitment we made—I certainly made this commitment to many of my constituents prior to the last election—to bring back to the parliament new laws to protect the environment. Our Labor government understands how critical these laws are, for our environment and the precious places and species we must protect and for the certainty needed by business and those looking to make necessary developments. While this bill, the Environment Protection Reform Bill 2025, very clearly demonstrates that the Labor government understands the need to protect our environment and pass these laws, I'm yet to be convinced that those opposite understand it. These are some of the questions on my mind right now: Will the Leader of the Opposition stand up for our environment? Will she demonstrate her party's new-found capacity to listen, to learn the hard lessons and reflect the Australia from which they have become disconnected? Will she listen to Graeme Samuel—who she commissioned to do the report that these laws are based on—to Ken Henry or to the businesses urging her to support reform? Will the Greens political party finally join the government and pass these reforms to protect our environment, or will they once again hold out for the perfect and scupper the good? I want to pay tribute to the many groups and individuals who have campaigned hard for these reforms for many years, who have made and continue to make informed contributions. These are the people who understand the importance of getting this done. I just hope that the opposition and the Greens political party do too. This bill builds on the Albanese Labor government's broader agenda to protect and restore Australia's natural environment, and this is an agenda that stands in stark contrast to the inaction and neglect of those opposite. For nearly a decade the Liberals failed to act on climate change. They ignored the warnings of scientists, and they left Australia without a credible plan to safeguard our environment. They stalled renewable investment, cut environmental programs and oversaw worsening biodiversity loss.
Energy | Questions without Notice | House debates
My question is to the Treasurer. Why is reliable energy so important to Australia's economy, and how does that compare to other approaches?
Cybersafety | Constituency Statements | House debates
There are some important changes coming up soon as a result of our government's reform to make children safer online. I want to take this opportunity to talk about what these changes mean for...
There are some important changes coming up soon as a result of our government's reform to make children safer online. I want to take this opportunity to talk about what these changes mean for parents, guardians and, of course, young people across our community and the country. From December, social media platforms will be required to prevent Australians under 16 from creating or keeping social media accounts. This is something that is of huge interest to many communities, including those in Jagajaga, and I want to take this opportunity to speak directly to parents and young people in our community. Firstly, what is actually changing? Social media platforms will have to ensure under-16s cannot hold accounts. Children will still be able to view some public content, but they won't have full accounts and platforms will be held accountable if they don't apply these changes. This is a change that is about safety and responsibility. It's about making sure that we are not taking childhood away from young people, who should be protected. It really comes about because there has been a failure of the social media platforms to do this properly—to take their social responsibility seriously. We have essentially allowed them to conduct a giant social experiment, and at many points they have shown that they did not take social responsibility seriously, and we have seen the consequences of that. It's not unusual for government to step in and regulate if we see an industry that's doing harm to young people. We've done it with alcohol and we've done it with tobacco, and now we're doing it with social media. Importantly, under-16s or their parents will not be fined or penalised if they use or allow the use of a platform. The responsibility for this lies on the platforms, as it should. I want to pay tribute to the parents across the country who have campaigned for this change, and I know that they've campaigned because their children have been affected in ways that they absolutely should not have been. This is a tribute to you and your work. As a parent myself, I know that this is an opportunity to have real conversations with our kids about healthy online habits, managing screen time and understanding the pressure social media can bring. I also want to acknowledge that there are legitimate concerns from young people, who have come to me and others and said that they use social media well and that they use it to connect. This is not to say that that doesn't happen; it is to say that the vast majority of the evidence shows us that social media platforms have been harmful for young people. What we are saying is: it's not 'no social media forever', but it is 'no social media at this critical stage while you're still developing and you're still forming your brain and your relationships'. I give my commitment to young people in my community that I'll continue to talk to them as we implement this change. Our government have prepared a range of materials to help explain these changes to young people and to schools. My office in Heidelberg will have information available, and I also encourage people to go to the eSafety Commissioner, a trusted resource, for more information.
Housing | Questions without Notice | House debates
My question is to the Minister for Housing, Minister for Homelessness and Minister for Cities. What is the Albanese Labor government doing to back first home buyers and build more homes? What is...
My question is to the Minister for Housing, Minister for Homelessness and Minister for Cities. What is the Albanese Labor government doing to back first home buyers and build more homes? What is standing in the way?
National Anti-Corruption Commission Joint Committee; Report | Committees | House debates
by leave—I present the following reports of the Parliamentary Joint Committee on the National Anti-Corruption Commission of the 47th Parliament: Examination of the Inspector of the National...
by leave—I present the following reports of the Parliamentary Joint Committee on the National Anti-Corruption Commission of the 47th Parliament: Examination of the Inspector of the National Anti-Corruption Commission annual report 2023-24 and Examination of the National Anti-Corruption Commission annual report 2023-24. Reports made parliamentary papers in accordance with standing order 39(e). by leave—These two reports from the 47th Parliament represent a significant body of work by the former committee, particularly under the stewardship of the former chair, Senator Karen Grogan. I want to thank the committee for that work. It is a committee that plays an important role in oversight and supporting Australians' confidence in the commission's work. I look forward to continuing this important work as the Chair of the Parliamentary Joint Committee on the National Anti-Corruption Commission in this parliament.
Bellomo, Professor Rinaldo, AO, Middle East | Constituency Statements | House debates
I rise to pay tribute to Professor Rinaldo Bellomo AO after his death in May this year. Professor Ronaldo was a director of intensive care research at Austin Health in Heidelberg. He was a giant...
I rise to pay tribute to Professor Rinaldo Bellomo AO after his death in May this year. Professor Ronaldo was a director of intensive care research at Austin Health in Heidelberg. He was a giant in Australian and global intensive care medicine—the most published and most cited medical researcher in the history of Australian medicine. Professor Rinaldo arrived in Australia from Italy in 1980, completed his medical degree at Monash University and earned his PhD from the School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine. He became a professor at Monash University, where his passion for research and teaching shaped generations of clinicians and scientists. In 2018, he was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia for his service to intensive care medicine as a biomedical scientist, researcher and systems innovator. He once said that his life's work wasn't just about finding answers but about having conversations with patients, students and fellow clinicians, rooted in humility and empathy. He said: 'Patients are not just cases; they are people with stories. The privilege of being a doctor is being invited into those stories, sometimes at their most vulnerable point, and trying to help.' I know he is very much missed by the community of Austin Hospital, and our community and our country are grateful for his immense contributions. Vale, Professor Rinaldo Bellomo AO. I continue to be contacted by many people in my community who are deeply distressed by the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza. I share their horror. Gaza is in the grip of a humanitarian catastrophe. Israel's denial of aid, the killing of civilians, including children, as they seek access to water and food, is indefensible. The Australian government has called on Israel to comply immediately with its obligations under international law. This includes ensuring that the United Nations and NGOs can carry out their life-saving work safely and without obstruction. As the Prime Minister said: … it is a breach of international law to stop food being delivered, which was a decision that Israel made in March … It is also a breach of basic humanity. I hear and I stand with members of my community. We are all devastated as this war continues to take innocent lives. The situation in Gaza has gone beyond even the world's worst fears, and the position of the Australian government is very clear: we must continue to contribute to the global efforts to break the cycle of violence, because every innocent life matters. This war must end and we must have peace.
Address-in-Reply | Governor-General's Speech | House debates
It's an absolute privilege and an honour to be here once again as the member for Jagajaga, and I am sincerely grateful and humbled to once again be trusted by my community to represent them in...
It's an absolute privilege and an honour to be here once again as the member for Jagajaga, and I am sincerely grateful and humbled to once again be trusted by my community to represent them in this parliament. I've said many times that I love our community. It is the place where I grew up, and it's now the place where I'm bringing up my own children with my husband, Daniel. We absolutely know firsthand just how special our part of Melbourne is. The people who live there, the community groups, the parks, the creeks—there is a strong sense of belonging and connection in Jagajaga, and it makes it a wonderful place to call home. Every day I absolutely take pride in the opportunity to be our community's voice here in this parliament. I was really pleased with the conversations I was able to have with community members during the election campaign. A lot of people spoke to me, both about what they could see our government had achieved in our one term in government and also about the progress they wanted to see come next—about the work still to do. There was a marked difference in those conversations I had in the community between the sense of trust they had in a Labor government to deliver on that work still to come and what was being put forward by our Liberal opponents—which really was an agenda based around negativity, an agenda that clearly wasn't well thought through, particularly if we think about their main plan of a nuclear future for Australia. It's an agenda which showed they really don't understand the lives of modern Australians and of people in communities like Jagajaga. I'm thinking here particularly of the way they wanted to limit things like working from home. It was clear to me when I was talking to people, whether it was at early voting centres or when I was knocking on doors or standing outside the local shops, that what they valued were the things that Labor governments do, and they were trusting us to get on and do those things and to build for the future. I am really looking forward to doing that work in the second term, to staying focused on our goals and to making sure that we continue to achieve, not just for Jagajaga but, of course, for the entire country. I would like to acknowledge the traditional custodians of the land on which I'm giving this speech today, the Ngunnawal and the Ngambri people, and I pay my respect to their elders past and present. I also want to acknowledge the Wurundjeri Woiwurrung people of the Kulin nation, who are the traditional owners of the land Jagajaga stands on. Theirs is a deep and ongoing connection to land, water and sky, which is absolutely inseparable from that place, and I again pay my respects to elders past, present and emerging in Jagajaga. In this second term, I look forward to getting on with work to continue that connection, to continue to close the gap and to continue to make sure that we are helping First Nations people in our country to be as strong a part of our community as possible. I know it is something that many people in Jagajaga are passionate about, and they talk to me about it. The Birrarung, the Yarra River, forms a natural border around my electorate. It runs from Ivanhoe all the way through to North Warrandyte. And, certainly, that waterway and other significant waterways such as the Darebin Creek, the Banyule Flats and Plenty Gorge are an important part of Jagajaga. People in Jagajaga care deeply about these places and about our environmental legacy. I can absolutely say that one of the main issues raised with me during the election campaign, and now, by people in Jagajaga is the need for continued action on climate change. There is a real understanding in my community of how environmental protection, emissions reduction and climate resilience action all come together. What was very clear at the last election and what is increasingly clear now, as those opposite continue to debate whether they will actually ditch a commitment to net zero, is that Labor is the party of climate action. We have made tackling climate change a top priority. Again, that is exactly what communities like mine in Jagajaga expect of a government that understands the challenges that we are facing and that understands what this country needs to be doing to provide a safe and secure future with good jobs—not just for people now, but for our children and for their children's children. As a government, we are delivering on our emissions reduction targets. It was really encouraging to see the announcement from the minister this week that emissions are falling and that we are on the right track—with a lot more to do! That's why we are making major investments in renewable energy. We are improving and protecting the places that we love. We're also, this term, putting a renewed focus on expanding our climate adaptation and resilience work, on making sure that communities like mine are supported to live with the effects of what we already see from climate change. That will be critical right around the country. Very clearly at the last election Australians rejected the divisive nuclear push that we know was steeped in climate denialism from those opposite. Every time they put that policy forward, it wasn't a policy about debating a better way forward for Australia; it was a policy about denial. Again, we see this very clearly now with the motion before the parliament to drop net zero. The sense of security and of certainty for Australians that we now are committed to climate action and that that will continue under this government is really important. In Jagajaga, just like around the country, we are rolling out community batteries with support from this government. That obviously supports the many solar rooftops that I see as I travel around the electorate. People in my community understand that batteries are not only a good way to help tackle climate change but also a good way to bring down their bills and reduce electricity costs. I know they will continue to be very popular in Jagajaga. Recently—in fact, just before the start of the election campaign—I helped open the Bellfield community battery, which our government has helped fund. Again, this work is about taking pressure off the grid and supporting local people to reap the benefits of the energy transition. Another key issue during the election campaign in Jagajaga, and right around the country, was Medicare and our health system. Labor will always be the party that protects Medicare. We understand that it is the cornerstone of our health system. We know locals want it to be there for them when they need it—for themselves, for their kids and for our entire community. I was so pleased to be able to open the Heidelberg Medicare Urgent Care Clinic during our first term of parliament, and I've seen the huge impact it's had on the community—providing that place that people can go to when they need urgent care, rather than having to go up the road to the Austin Hospital and wait many hours in emergency. They're able to go to the clinic, be seen and have certainty. I know it's also taking pressure off the Austin emergency department, so it's appreciated there. I was pleased that, in this last campaign, we also committed—together with the member for McEwen—to secure a new Medicare emergency clinic for Diamond Creek and surrounds. I know that will be beneficial to people living in the northern end of my electorate. It was fantastic to be able to do that with the member for McEwen. I'm very pleased he is back in this parliament so we can continue to work together to serve our communities. In fact, today I met with the Northern Councils Alliance with the member for McEwen, the member for Scullin and some other colleagues, to work together across Melbourne's north to continue building the services we need. Another part of election campaigns that I always enjoy is engaging with my local sporting clubs. These play a huge role in bringing people together locally and in providing both young people and older people places to keep fit and engaged. I was so pleased to support the Heidelberg West Football Netball Club with an $814,000 grant for female-friendly facilities, including proper changerooms, showers and toilets. I know these facilities will be much appreciated and make a huge difference to the women and girls playing at that club. Congratulations to all of them. I'm absolutely thrilled that we will be delivering $2 million to support Banyule City Council to build a new netball facility and upgrade the Ivanhoe Park Croquet Club. These investments really help promote active, inclusive communities, the netball encouraging more women to participate in and play sport and the croquet club encouraging people of all abilities, including older people, to be involved. I always enjoy my visits to the Ivanhoe Croquet Club. They are a very lively bunch. They've given me tips. I'm not very good yet, but I hope that I have the opportunity to continue to go back and improve my skills. We are continuing to support community infrastructure more broadly, including at Shelley Park and Heidelberg Heights, which is getting a brand new pavilion and clubrooms through an investment we made during the last term. I'm really looking forward to seeing it become a new hub for local sport and community events. This does come, I think, at an important time for that growing population in that area of Jagajaga. At Eltham Lower Park we've opened a new off-leash dog park, and the sporting pavilion there will be upgraded, which will help the local lacrosse, croquet and cricket clubs. There is lots going on on the sporting and community front in Jagajaga, which I'm very pleased about. One of the main focuses for our government this term is of course housing. We know that right across Australia we have challenges when it comes to housing. It is still very difficult, particularly for people to enter the market. We don't have enough social and affordable housing. We are trying our best to tackle this, obviously, after many years of those opposite neglecting it—neglecting to have a housing minister for most of their time in government, in fact. Again, one of the frequent conversations I had with people in Jagajaga during the election campaign was about how difficult it is to get into the housing market. Many people who were having this conversation with me were approaching it from a situation of generational inequality, talking to me about how they were worried for their children or their grandchildren and also how they want their children to be able to live in the vicinity of them. Again, in many parts, Jagajaga is an expensive place to buy a house, and people want to be able to live near families, to live near the places they love and where they grew up. So I am really pleased that our government has announced that we're expanding the opportunity so that people can access the dream of homeownership with a five per cent deposit and that it will come into effect from 1 October this year. In Jagajaga we are also delivering new social and affordable housing through the Housing Australia Future Fund and the Social Housing Accelerator. In Heidelberg West we've teamed up with the state government to rebuild the Bell-Bardia estate. This will mean 104 homes in the area delivering high-quality, modern housing. It's on a site that previously had 94 homes which were not really fit for purpose anymore, so they were demolished some years ago. I am really glad we are getting these new houses built on that site, and I know that it will be really important for the 3081 community. Across Ivanhoe, Heidelberg, Rosanna and Greensborough, 642 new homes are being built through the HAFF. We have just funded 25 additional homes under the second round of the HAFF, in Bellfield. These are significant investments in Jagajaga and in our communities. Again, I'm really pleased with how our community has embraced this opportunity and seen the need for more housing and particularly more social and affordable housing in our area. It will support women and children leaving family violence. It will support First Nations people. It will mean that key workers can live close to things like the Austin Hospital, so that's going to be really important. I look forward to continuing to see those houses being built and hopefully visiting some of them fairly shortly for an opening. I talked before about intergenerational equality. Again, when I talk about those conversations about the future that people had with me during the election campaign, this idea of how we're making sure we do build a country that delivers a better life for our children and their children was one they were talking with me about. So I'm very pleased that one of the first acts of our government in this new session of parliament was to introduce our bill to wipe 20 per cent off all student debt. I've already heard from many people in Jagajaga about what a real difference this has made to them, particularly when it comes to things like getting into the housing market, so that's fantastic. Obviously we have a commitment to not just wiping debt but also helping young people to get the skills and education they need. We've made free TAFE permanent, because it is essential to skills development and opportunity. In my community, that means that students at Greensborough and the west Heidelberg Melbourne Polytechnic are already benefiting. We are investing in the future workforce though a new national TAFE centre of excellence for housing construction at west Heidelberg Melbourne Polytechnic, which will be fantastic. That's a $50 million investment which will tackle skills shortages, speed up housing delivery and support more sustainable construction, all while creating strong pathways into secure local jobs. It was great to visit that site with Minister Giles and talk with some of the students studying there and also some of the educators about the important work they are doing there. Another great strength of Jagajaga is our diversity. I'm proud to represent one of the largest Somali Australian communities in the country. I was pleased to secure further funding for Himilo Community Connect, which does outstanding work in education, youth leadership and engagement within the community. Supporting community cohesion, interfaith understanding and cultural celebration has been a focus of the great work they are doing. Together with the member for Cooper, I was also proud to support the Darusalam Community Centre, helping to ensure that it remains a safe and welcoming gathering place. Thank you to community leaders Abdallah Ahmed and Ishmael Gabo. To Abdiaziz Farah, Pam Burley and Yusuf Oman: you and your teams are doing the work on the ground in the community, and I thank you for your collaboration—and all of those in the Somali Australian community who are helping us build a more inclusive and connected society. There are a lot of thankyous to make after a campaign, and I want to thank all of the people who made our local campaign possible. In Jagajaga, we ran a grassroots campaign, which was local, positive and progressive, and it focused on what mattered to our community. I'm so grateful to every person who gave their time and energy and for their belief in the work we do. To my incredible volunteers and branch members: thank you. Whether you joined us in the morning at the train stations or you were making phone calls in the evenings, there every day at prepoll or helping behind the scenes, I could not have done this without you. To Judy, Jennie, Garry, Rhonda, Chris, Jason and all our local party leaders and volunteers: thank you for your trust and support. To my state colleagues Anthony Carbines, Colin Brooks and Vicki Ward: it's always such a pleasure to have your support and to work with you on behalf of our communities, and I'm looking forward to standing alongside you in your coming election campaigns. To my wonderful staff—to David, my campaign manager; Simone; Alex; Kate; Ziggy; Izzy, who's here in the chamber; and Carla: you all worked so hard and you delivered for our community, so thank you. Of course to my family—to Daniel, Harriet and Gilbert, these campaigns do take a lot and put a toll on families. I could not do it without any of them. It was great to see Harriet, who's now seven years old, take quite an interest in this campaign. She's definitely on team red. She was quite pleased and proud to see her mum's face up around the electorate. I don't think that will be the case if I get the chance to run for election when she is 10 years old, so I also enjoyed having that moment. But a huge thanks goes to them and to my parents, to my brothers and their partners, and the whole family who wrapped around us. Also a final thankyou from me goes to the Australian Electoral Commission. We are really privileged in this country that we have an independent commission that is dedicated to running our elections in a way that is free, fair and transparent, and I know that that work is not always easy. We particularly see this in local campaigns, and we did see in this last local campaign, particularly when it came to prepolling, that the environment can get heated. There can be some very difficult demands put on AEC staff, who are working to deliver a free and fair election. I think that the way the AEC is able to deal with those demands, with the professionalism shown by its staff, is exemplary. We absolutely must make sure that we protect that system and that Australians do feel confident and proud to vote and to participate in our democracy. Thank you to the AEC, and I look forward to hopefully doing it with them all again. In the meantime, I look forward to delivering for Jagajaga during this campaign.
Jagajaga Electorate: Infrastructure | Grievance Debate | House debates
I'm very aware that we're all here in this parliament because we hold a deep sense of responsibility to our communities and to our electorates, and, for me, that responsibility is really clear. I...
I'm very aware that we're all here in this parliament because we hold a deep sense of responsibility to our communities and to our electorates, and, for me, that responsibility is really clear. I do want to improve my community. I want to make it the best place for people to live, work, study and raise a family. I am really proud that, since we've been in government, Labor has been both building our nation and also building our communities, investing in communities like those in Jagajaga, which, unfortunately, were neglected for far too long under previous Liberal-National governments. When those opposite were in power, they put themselves first. They, in fact, allocated community funding in ways that benefited their own seats. That meant, in Jagajaga, that our community missed out on major infrastructure funding, on school upgrades, on sporting and community facilities and on much more. I stood in this place at the time, when then prime minister Scott Morrison led a Liberal-National government, and I called out that government for their unfair treatment of my constituents. Between 2018 and 2021, the then treasurer and member for Kooyong's neighbouring electorates received $5.7 million in community grants while my community just over the river in Jagajaga received just $800,000. That is more than seven times less, and it is absolutely indicative of how those opposite treated running the country. They were not in it for communities. They were certainly not in it for the community of Jagajaga. They were governing for themselves. Labor does take a different approach. We believe that every community—city or regional, no matter who they voted for—deserves respect and deserves its fair share, and I'm really proud of what that means and what we're delivering in Jagajaga. When we come to people's health, one of the key things that people talk to me about is the need for good quality healthcare services that can be accessed locally and that are affordable. We absolutely understand that Medicare is the cornerstone of our health system. It was something that I talked to many community members about during the last election campaign, as I'm sure my colleagues did. We had these discussions about making sure that this very Australian institution is there not just for now but into the future. Of course, we know it was at risk because it was neglected for far too long by those opposite who have never believed in Medicare and who have never believed that you should be able to see a doctor with your Medicare card, not with your credit card. It was neglected, but we have been doing the work to fix it. In Jagajaga, that means that we have delivered the Heidelberg Medicare urgent care clinic right in the heart of the Austin Hospital precinct, taking pressure off the emergency department there. I have a lot of positive feedback about this facility, and I'm really pleased that, at the election that we've just had, together with my colleague the member for McEwen, we pledged that we will deliver another clinic in Diamond Creek and surrounds, which will really benefit people who live in the northern end of my electorate. We're backing that up. We are, obviously, making it easier for people to see a GP and to have that bulk-billed—an extra 18 million bulk-billed GP visits every year so that people in Jagajaga can see a doctor without worrying about the cost. I know there's more work to do in this space. We're not there yet. As I said, it takes time to overturn the damage that those opposite did. In 10 years of government, they never invested in local health infrastructure in Jagajaga. They oversaw the collapse of bulk-billing. They took a service that was essential to Australians, a service that that Australians could count on, and they rubbished it. That is, again, indicative of their approach to services. Labor is strengthening Medicare, the Liberals try to destroy it and that is the clear difference. If I look at other infrastructure in my community, community sport is such a big part of how people spend their time. It's a big part of how people come together and how our kids learn about community. Keeping active is so important. I'm really proud that we've been able to deliver investment in community support in Jagajaga, including funding for the Heidelberg West Football Netball Club to build female-friendly facilities—proper change rooms, showers and toilets; funding for the Banyule City Council to build a brand new netball facility and upgrade the croquet club at Ivanhoe Park; and funding for the Shelley Park pavilion in Heidelberg Heights, on which I'm pleased that construction will be starting soon, along with renovating the pavilion at Eltham Lower Park. Again, this is all work that is underway in our time in government. It is not work that happened under those opposite. We did not have this local-level investment in my community under those opposite. We're supporting the transition to renewable energy in Jagajaga and around the country while those opposite have a debate about whether they need to be signed up to net zero. As the Prime Minister has said, if you are not prepared to back net zero, what you are actually saying is you don't believe in climate change. If you are not prepared to say that this country needs to reach net zero, then what you are saying is you are a climate denier. And it was not just when they were in government; those opposite are still full of climate deniers. In Jagajaga and around the country we are investing and doing the necessary work. We're investing in our cheaper home battery scheme, which has seen nearly 40,000 home battery systems purchased since 1 July, including 166 in the community of Jagajaga. Of course, we know that those opposite promised a $600 billion nuclear plan to drive up household bills, but we are delivering direct energy bill relief to every household. We're doing this on a community infrastructure level as well. We are supporting the Banyule council to electrify WaterMarc, a well-known and well-loved community pool in my electorate. With federal government support it will become a fully electric facility, helping Council cut costs, lower emissions and reinvest savings back into the community. We're delivering on major infrastructure. The North East Link project, which is the biggest infrastructure project ever delivered in my electorate, will transform the way people live and travel in Melbourne's north-east. Connecting Watsonia to Bulleen, it will fix what is known as the missing link in our freeway network. It will take 15,000 trucks off Rosanna Road every single day and cut travel times by up to 35 minutes. This is something we're putting $3.3 billion towards to support the state government to make this happen. Again, we never saw this level of future investment in much-needed infrastructure in my community under the Liberals. I do want to say thank you to all the community members who I know are putting up with a large level of disruption as this major project goes on. You are showing remarkable patience, forbearance and understanding that in the end this project will be a huge win for our community, so thank you. The final area I want to highlight, as I think it shows the contrast between this government's attitude to investment in community and people's lives and the attitude that was taken by those opposite when they had the opportunity in government, is housing. We do still have a housing crisis in this country—one which built up over a very long time, and it certainly built up under those opposite when they were not investing in housing. They didn't see a role for the federal government in housing, and for most of the time they didn't even have a federal housing minister. I have spent quite a bit of time recently going to housing that is being built in my community with the support of the federal government. I never had that opportunity under those opposite, because there wasn't any housing being built in my electorate with the support of the then federal government when it was a Liberal-National government. In West Heidelberg, Labor is rebuilding the old Bell-Bardia estate, which was demolished in 2020 because it needed serious upgrades. Together with the state government, we're really proud to be delivering 104 brand new homes—more homes than were there before. They will be high-quality, modern homes that local families can be proud of. Through the Housing Australia Future Fund, Labor is delivering 642 new homes across Ivanhoe, Heidelberg, Rosanna and Greensborough. We've also just announced another 25 homes to come in Bellfield as part of the second round. I recently, just a couple of weeks ago, had the pleasure of having the Prime Minister and the housing minister visit Rosanna, where we saw the Beetham Parade development take shape. That's a fantastic development that will support women and children leaving family violence, as well as key workers and First Nations people needing a house. It's in a great location—just next to the train station, near our medical precinct. It is absolutely the type of housing we need in our community, so it is wonderful to see this investment going forward. Again, we know those opposite weren't keen to support the Housing Australia Future Fund, but we can only hope that at some point during this period in opposition they do change the way they look at community infrastructure and they do change the way they look at investing for the future and investing in the future of communities like those in Jagajaga. There is still time for them to come to this realisation, change their ways and support some of these fantastic initiatives that our government is delivering on.
Climate Change, Murphy, Ms Peta Jan | Adjournment | House debates
Thank you, Speaker. It is a real pleasure to see you back in your role. It's a privilege for me to be back in this place as the member for Jagajaga. This is now my third opening of a parliament,...
Thank you, Speaker. It is a real pleasure to see you back in your role. It's a privilege for me to be back in this place as the member for Jagajaga. This is now my third opening of a parliament, and while I don't yet think I'm at the nostalgia stage, the ceremony and the first speeches of the past few days have certainly prompted some reflections for me. I have in particular been thinking about one of the things that was a huge prompt for me to first stand for parliament, and that is the need for us to urgently tackle the climate crisis. When I first ran for parliament we were well into the decade of Liberal-National climate denial. It was a time when Scott Morrison brought his lump-of-coal prop into question time. At that time for me—and I think for many Australians—thinking about the need for climate action and the lack of it under successive Liberal-National governments could make you tend towards despair. The denial of successive Liberal-National governments meant we were drifting further and further away from the actions that needed to be taken. In general, I am not someone who tends to lean into despair. I try to lean towards hope. A lot of that hope for me was realised in our first term in government. As a government we have been—and we are—working hard to recover the lost time and the lost opportunities, and we are making real progress. Labor is the party of climate action. We've legislated a 2030 emissions reduction target. We've locked in our commitment to net zero by 2050. We're investing heavily in clean energy projects. Since coming to office we've approved a record number of clean energy projects, and we're now at a stage where we're powering homes across the nation. From 1 July we launched our Cheaper Home Batteries Program, providing a 30 per cent discount on battery systems. We're scaling up climate adaptation, investing in disaster preparedness—all of this work that I am pleased with and looking forward to getting stuck into supporting in my role as the Special Envoy for Climate Change Adaptation and Resilience. I'm very aware that we're not all the way there yet. We must still push ahead with the ambitious action that allows us to land the clean economy future that this country deserves—the one that I want my kids and generations to come to benefit from. There are still risks, and there are still deniers in the ranks. Most notably, there are deniers in the ranks opposite. Most recently is the member for New England, who's proposing the Liberal-National coalition abandon net zero. In his recent words: … you have to find issues which are binary, which you are fully for and the Labor Party is fully against. I suppose we've come to expect this type of attitude towards our science and climate action from the member for New England, but I must admit I was slightly disappointed to see he's being joined by the member for Riverina. I expected better from the member for Riverina, who I've always held to be quite a sensible person. The member for Maranoa seems like he might want in on the action as well. He's leaning into suggesting that perhaps net zero needs to go. The Leader of the Opposition has today refused to affirm her commitment to net zero. So, once again, we're back in the situation where those opposite are either deniers or they're a climate rabble. I say to the many Australians who I know are still deeply concerned about the need for climate action, who are urging our government to succeed in tackling this crisis, that we are up to the task, and we certainly won't be wasting this opportunity that this new parliament gives us to get on with this most crucial of jobs. My final point of reflection tonight is once again not nostalgia, but it is deep sadness. Throughout the ceremonies and moments of the past few days of the parliament's opening, I've so deeply missed my good friend the former member for Dunkley, Peta Murphy. Peta and I gave our first speeches on the same day, six years ago. We spent the opening of the 47th parliament together, and I so vividly remember her excitement and her determination as we approached that first term of a Labor government. She made her time count, her determination aptly demonstrated—I told myself I would not cry! You don't need length of service in this place to make a difference. I so desperately wish we could have celebrated the opening of this parliament together, and I do feel like I carry a little piece of her with me into this one. I send my love to Rod, to her parents and to her sister, who I know must feel this ache even more constantly than I do, and I know I'm not the only person here who holds a little bit of Peta and her memory close into this new parliament.
Andrews, Hon. Kevin James, AM | Condolences | House debates
Kevin Andrews was the member for Menzies between 1991 and 2022. In addition to that long service to that community, he was well known and respected in my electorate, which neighbours Menzies, for...
Kevin Andrews was the member for Menzies between 1991 and 2022. In addition to that long service to that community, he was well known and respected in my electorate, which neighbours Menzies, for both his service to the nation and his role as a devoted parishioner of St. John's in Heidelberg. I do believe that word, 'service', sums up Kevin's approach to public life. It was clear that he approached his many roles as a respected local MP, a minister and as a parishioner with humbleness and devotion. After I was elected to the neighbouring seat of Jagajaga in 2019, I always appreciated the courtesy and thoughtfulness Kevin brought to our interactions, both in the parliament and in the community. We would meet each other in the corridors in this place, where he also held the role of Father of the House, and we would meet each other back home in places like pre-poll, where even within the heightened emotional environment of a campaign, Kevin continued to steadfastly and politely interact with the community and with me. In that, I think that he did set an important example in this place, that even when your political views do not align—and there are many of my values that did not align with Kevin's—dignity and respect for others should always win out. I am very aware that, as with so many who choose to serve in public life, the contributions that Kevin made over decades could not have happened without the support of his family—in particular, his wife, Margie, who was so often by his side. It was clear that theirs was a very special relationship, and I once again extend my condolences to Margie, to their children and to all who are missing Kevin. Vale Kevin Andrews.
Biodiversity | Matters of Public Importance | House debates
I thank the member for North Sydney for bringing forward this important topic. I absolutely respect her as a champion for the environment and someone who is passionate about the incredible...
I thank the member for North Sydney for bringing forward this important topic. I absolutely respect her as a champion for the environment and someone who is passionate about the incredible biodiversity in this country, and it is so important that we work to protect that. I agree that this parliament, as a whole, needs to do more to protect Australia's nature and biodiversity. I would hope that this would be an issue where the parliament could come together to get the action that we need to see. Certainly, from our point of view, from the government side, we have been working tirelessly to put together the bills that we brought forward to deliver a new, sensible, federal Environmental Protection Agency. I want to pay tribute to Minister Plibersek and to the work that she's done to bring that proposal forward, because that is what governments do in this place. We bring these really important reforms forward, and we seek the support of a parliament to pass them. And it is important to reflect on how we got to this disappointing place, where these sensible laws are not being passed by the parliament, when, in fact, all of us in this place do know that the current EPBC Act is outdated and does need reform. Even those opposite had an inkling of this, when they commissioned the Samuel review. Yet, when the work was done, when Minister Plibersek put together these laws and brought them to the parliament, we had the typical reaction that we get, particularly from those opposite—obstructionist and negative, saying no. On this occasion, they were joined by the Greens political party. The Greens, the Liberals and the Nationals all worked together in the Senate to block our nature-positive laws. We have been here before, of course. This is, in some ways, history repeating itself, and I know that this has been said in this place before, but it is important that we learn from our past, and, as a parliament, that we learn from some of the mistakes we've made before, because we know that it was that same trio of political parties—the Greens, the Liberals and the Nationals—who teamed up to block the CPRS, and it led to 80 million extra tonnes of carbon dioxide being in our atmosphere. The reality of this parliament, of how it is made up, means that if the coalition and the Greens both say no in the other place then a bill does not pass. That is what, unfortunately, has happened with our very sensible, very necessary nature-positive reforms. As I said, it is perhaps not all that surprising from those opposite who, in the main, spent almost a decade in government ignoring the needs of our environment, ignoring the pressing need to protect our unique biodiversity. I think it is more disappointing from the Greens political party. For Greens supporters out there in communities like mine, I think there is a sense of disappointment and frustration that the Greens chose to also stand in the way of environmental reform and that they chose to say no to a strong new environmental cop on the beat, an environmental protection agency that could have done the work from a federal level to help protect our environment and our biodiversity. I am proud of our government's efforts. We have engaged across the parliament to try and find a pathway forward, and I thank those on the crossbench who engaged in good faith in those discussions, who did try and help us find a nature-positive way through this parliament. This is my message to voters in my community, and communities right around Australia who value our environment and know how precious the biodiversity we have in this country is and understand how urgent it is: this is unfinished business for a Labor government, and by voting Labor, you are getting our commitment that this is unfinished business that we will complete and that we want to get done. I know there's more to be done, but our government has brought a focus to the environment and to the need to protect our biodiversity that we haven't had in this parliament before. Just like the member for Sydney, I want my kids and my grandkids to be able to grow up and see a koala in the wild. My four-year-old son is particularly obsessed with koalas, so I'm putting that on his list. We don't have much time left. We need to act now. I greatly appreciate all the people in my community who raise this really important issue with me, over and over again, and who urge us to keep doing the work that needs to be done. We have invested more than half a billion dollars to help protect our threatened species. This includes $224 million for our government's Saving Native Species program, which has done important work to protect 73 species, like the swift parrot and the Australian sea lion. We've doubled funding to our national parks. We've added more oceans under our country's protection—an area, in fact, that's larger than the size of both Italy and Germany put together. We've saved the Great Barrier Reef from an endangered listing, investing $1.2 billion to protect the reef with water quality projects, land restoration and much more. Again, I want my kids to be able to snorkel, dive and see the beauties of that incredible part of Australia and the legacy that is there. We've legislated to establish the world's first national nature repair market, we're increasing recycling by 1.3 million tonnes a year and we're keeping more rubbish out of landfill. Last year, $7 billion in green bonds were issued in what was a first for Australia's sustainable finance market, backing projects right around the country that focus on nature repair and restoration as well as energy transformation. We are investing in Indigenous rangers, which is a fantastic program doing wonderful work in so many communities—$1.3 billion, doubling the number of rangers. Twelve new Indigenous protected areas have been established, allowing traditional owners to manage these areas for nature conservation. So there is a lot being done and, as I say, there is more to go. We do know that all of this work is at risk if the Leader of the Opposition and his Liberals and Nationals get the opportunity to be back on this side of the House after the next election. In fact, the one policy pledge in this space when it comes to the future of the environment, the climate and biodiversity in this country that we know those opposite are committed to is slow, expensive, risky nuclear energy, a plan for climate denial, really, dressed up with a risky $600 billion commitment to drive up the cost of Australians' power bills. That is all we have from those on the other side. All we get from those on the other side is denial and a failure to back laws that would have allowed us to do this work on a national level and put in place a sensible Environmental Protection Agency with that national focus, making sure that these unique and precious spaces and species that we have in Australia are protected. We know that environmental action and climate action go hand in hand. That is why we are on track to meet our 2030 targets. It's because of the policies that our government have put in place. It's why we are bringing emissions down in the electricity and land sectors. It's why emissions have fallen to 28 per cent below 2005 levels. It's why again the Minister for the Environment and Water is approving projects for renewable energy—to get that renewable energy that we need into the grid. In fact, our government has boosted the wind and solar capacity in our system by more than 40 per cent compared to what it was in 2022 when we entered office. And it's why we've got our commitment to A Future Made in Australia—to unlock the jobs and the investment that also go with this commitment. So I'm passionate about doing this work. I do want to see a future parliament pick this up and run with it. I say the way to get that done is to make sure that the Labor government is re-elected to this place so that we can make sure that we are protecting our climate, nature and our very important species and special places in this country.
Early Childhood Education and Care (Three Day Guarantee) Bill 2025; Second Reading | Bills | House debates
Some might say 'unhinged', but I probably wouldn't—so detached from the reality of the lives of Australian families and Australian women's lives. We saw Senator Simon Birmingham, in an...
Some might say 'unhinged', but I probably wouldn't—so detached from the reality of the lives of Australian families and Australian women's lives. We saw Senator Simon Birmingham, in an opinion piece at the end of last year, making an incredibly out-of-touch and frustrating claim, suggesting that changes to the activity test would mean that women would be dropping their children off to child care so that they can go and play golf or do Pilates. That is not the reality of Australian women's lives. They are not thinking: 'I've got two hours. I will pop off to Pilates.' They are thinking: 'How do I hold down a job? How do I support my family? How do I do all the other things I need to get done?' And I hope they do get a bit of time for some Pilates and some exercise, but certainly they are not thinking, 'Well, I'll just pop my child into child care for two hours now, because the government has taken away the activity test, to go to Pilates.' I would encourage those opposite to get in touch with some Australian women, to get in touch with some Australian families. It is concerning that someone who, up until very recently, was such a senior member of the Liberals frontbench team would show such disrespect to Australian women and Australian families. This is a benefit for Australian families, and, in particular, it is a benefit for those families who can get locked out of our early education system—not because they're going to Pilates but because they have other strains and pressures on their lives that make it difficult for them to access early education. This is actually about making sure those children who most need that support to get the best start in life are able to access it. Again, it is something that those opposite should be able to bring themselves to support, but, once again, they are saying no to Australian families and no to Australian women. They are diminishing the value of this really important service for all children in our community and diminishing the value of the work that our early educators do. Of course, it's not, as I said, just in this area, when it comes to the difference that this government is making for women, where we see opposition from those opposite. We see time and time again that, when this government brings forward measures that are designed to support the lives of Australian women, what we get from those opposite is a no. Just last week, again in the Senate, Senator Canavan was targeting the Workplace Gender Equality Agency, suggesting it was a form-filling agency that was taking away from businesses judging people on merit. Gee, I wonder who he's been listening to. For someone who was a minister in the last government, it is surprising how little Senator Canavan understands not just about a government agency but also about women's lives. Through WGEA our government has been driving forward gender equity in Australian workplaces. Again: this is good for Australian women, it is good for Australian families, it is good for Australian business and it is good for the Australian economy. This term, we have worked and we have closed the gender pay gap to its lowest level ever. There's more work to do, but that's the achievement we have already made. We have helped employers make their workplaces more flexible for staff with caring responsibilities, through our reforms to paid parental leave. We are working to remove barriers to workforce participation, with measures like this three-day guarantee. We're collecting the data, through WGEA, that lets us know that we are making this progress. This is not a form-filling exercise. This is about making sure that Australian women are supported, that Australian businesses are better off, and that Australian children get the best start in life. Those opposite should really have a look around, read the room, talk to some Australian women, find out what's going on in their lives and get behind these measures. Our government has taken a deliberate view that education in this country does need to be looked at from all levels—from early education, through to primary and secondary schooling, and up to university and TAFE. We are investing, across all of these levels, to give Australians the best education they can have. As a Victorian, I am particularly pleased to say that last month we reached a historic funding agreement with the Victorian government to put all public schools in Victoria on the pathway to their full and fair funding. Through this agreement, our government will be increasing our funding to Victorian public schools by $2.5 billion over the next 10 years. This is the biggest ever investment in Victorian public schools by an Australian government. We will see this play out in our schools in an incredibly positive way for students in my community and in schools right across Victoria. It goes to all those things that I know parents want to see in our local schools—more individualised support for students, mandated evidence based teaching practices and more mental health support in schools. Coupled with these broad reforms that we're delivering in the early education sector, this full and fair funding for public schools in Victoria is a massive win for children in my community and for students in my community. Right across Victoria they will be getting the support and quality education that they need, all the way from those early childhood years right up to year 12. Wait—it doesn't stop there. At the tertiary level, our government is making significant investments to support both university students and TAFE students. We have, of course, already delivered cost-of-living relief to students with HECS debts, cutting $3 billion worth of HECS debt through our changes to the student loan indexation formula. Around 22,000 people in my community saw credits on their HECS balances last year. We've been clear that, if our government is returned at the coming election, we are taking HECS relief even further by cutting 20 per cent off of all student loans. This will wipe $16 billion in student debt, benefiting three million Australians. Of course, today, the Treasurer has also announced that he is making moves to make sure that HECS debts don't get in the way of students being able to apply for a mortgage and their first home, and that is a very important reform. Thousands of students in my community continue to benefit from the fee-free TAFE, enabling access to courses in important industries, like early education and like construction, nursing and technology. At every level, we are doing the work to allow Australians to access quality education. Again, I come back to the fact that this is what this particular bill is all about—making sure that every child in Australia gets the best possible start in life. Every child in Australia does have the right to the best possible start in life, to a quality early education. The activity test introduced by those opposite has been a barrier for those families who most need that access, and we are taking it away. We are supporting Australian families. We are supporting Australian women. We are doing the work to build our country, to make sure that there is a positive future, and we are doing it while supporting early educators. We are doing it while bringing costs down for families. This is the work we will continue to do in the face of opposition from those on the other side, in the face of an opposition that cannot see when a measure is good for Australian families and good for Australian women and, in fact, that actively works against our efforts to support the lives of Australian women and Australian families. We won't be deterred. We will continue the work up, and I am very pleased to support this bill.
Early education is so important. The evidence is clear that children benefit from access to early education and care, and that it sets them up for the best start in life, so it is confounding to...
Early education is so important. The evidence is clear that children benefit from access to early education and care, and that it sets them up for the best start in life, so it is confounding to hear those opposite, including the last speaker, try and paint the making sure that all Australian children get the best start in life as being divisive. In what world is that divisive? It would only be in a world where you're prepared to stand against the best interests of Australian children. It does seem that is what those opposite are prepared to do because they are opposing this bill that gives all Australian children the best start in life. That is the hill they've chosen to die on and that is their choice. But, I must say, I am very, very surprised. Our government started this term delivering on our commitment to deliver cheaper child care to Australian families, and families across Australia have saved up to $2,768 since our government's childcare subsidies took effect. This is real cost-of-living relief that's going back into the pockets of Australian families. Now we are once again delivering reform in early education. We are replacing the activity test introduced by the previous Liberal government. We're introducing the new three-day guarantee from January next year, guaranteeing 72 hours of childcare subsidy each fortnight. We do believe that every child has the right to early education, to the best start in life, and this reform will help make that a reality right around the country. From early education through to school education, university and TAFE, our government has been delivering the investments we need to make sure that Australians are set up to get quality education, to get the education they deserve right through life. Of course, we have been opposed by those opposite, who do not share our belief that the best way to support Australians is to support them with education, with the best start in life, all the way through to a tertiary degree and their best start into a career. Early education is the starting point. It does set children up for their educational journey. I have seen this in my community, where I get to visit childcare centres from Watsonia to Bundoora to Eltham North, and talk with the wonderful educators there about the difference they are making in those children's lives, and see the many special moments that add up to giving those children the skills they need for heading on to school. I also get to see it in my own life. My four-year-old is a strong participant in the early education system, and every evening I get to come home and hear from him about what he's learnt during the day. Sometimes it is a fact or a figure, sometimes it's a new letter or number, and often times it's learning some of those other skills he gets in this setting—who he played with, how he worked out the disagreements with them, and how he worked out his relationship with the early educators who do a fantastic job with him. It makes me aware of how much growth he and other young children get through that system. No Australian family should be shut out from that because of an unfair activity test. Yet that is what those opposite are doing by opposing this bill. They are saying that my child should have the privilege of having that best start in life because I can afford to pay for it but that others should be locked out of a system that gives their child the best start in life. Well, I am proud to say that our government has brought an unprecedented focus to early education over the past 2½ years. We know how important it is to get the building blocks in place for a child to be ready for school and for what comes next. It's why we took to the last election our commitment to cheaper child care—a measure to help families with childcare costs. But we also did it because we want to support families to make the most of early childhood and care. As I said, this is good for children. It gives them the chance to learn and grow in an environment alongside other children, with the guidance of those fantastic educators. But it is also good for families, helping them to save costs on child care and providing more choice for parents, particularly women, who may want to return to work or pick up more hours—and, of course, it is good for the economy and for our country as a whole, encouraging more parents back to work and allowing them the flexibility to do more hours, setting up our next generation for the future. All of this brings economic benefits. Alongside the work we have done to support families in early education, we have been supporting early educators, because we recognise that this environment, where our children are being set up for the best start in life, does not just happen. It happens because there are qualified, wonderful and dedicated staff who are in there every day, thinking about creative ways to teach our children, to guide them on their journey. I am sorry to say that for far too long those wonderful early educators were underappreciated—and they were certainly underpaid. This is a heavily feminised industry, and like many highly feminised industries, such as our aged-care industry where we have also raised wages, for too long it wasn't recognised through its wages as it should have been. I am very proud to say this government is fixing that. We are raising the wages for those who are taking our next generation on the path that is going to set them up for a quality education and a quality start in life. So we are respecting those educators while also making sure that we are keeping costs down for families. This is really important. The next part is what this bill does, which is replacing the activity test and introducing the three-day guarantee. This is another part of our government's ambition to make our early education system the best it can be. I did say I wasn't surprised that those opposite are opposing this, because they regularly come into this place and oppose measures that are good for Australian women and for Australian families. In fact, in responding to this announcement, some of the rhetoric from those opposite has been—I wouldn't say 'unhinged'—
AusCheck Amendment (Global Entry Program) Bill 2025; Third Reading | Bills | House debates
by leave—I move: That this bill be now read a third time. Question agreed to. Bill read a third time.
Scams Prevention Framework Bill 2024; Second Reading | Bills | House debates
Scams have been a feature in many of our lives for decades, but in today's digital age they have taken on a new, invasive form that is leading to devastating outcomes for too many people. Like...
Scams have been a feature in many of our lives for decades, but in today's digital age they have taken on a new, invasive form that is leading to devastating outcomes for too many people. Like nearly every member in this place, I have heard some terrible stories from constituents in recent years about the scam losses that they or a loved one have experienced. Top of my mind is an experience of a local resident, Doris. Doris has shared her story with the media to make other people aware of the very creative ways that scammers try to reach out to people, and she is really hoping that sharing her story will stop others from falling victim to similar scams. Doris was trying to set herself up for retirement by investing her savings, $260,000. She was looking online at banks to invest with, looking for a good investment rate, and she came across what looked like a very legitimate Singapore based bank offering what looked like a very good return on that investment. Doris spoke to someone who said they were from the bank. She got sent some very legitimate-looking documents. I've seen those documents myself. I looked at them, and they looked like the kinds of documents that a bank would send you if you were looking to set up an account and invest with them. Doris thought: 'Great! This is what I'm going to go ahead with. This is a good rate of return. This will secure my retirement.' She went along to her local Commonwealth Bank branch, where her money was, to send the money to this allegedly Singapore based bank. Doris completed an international money transfer at the bank and thought that all seemed well. Six weeks later, Doris went to try to withdraw some of her funds, and she found that there was nothing there. She in fact had been scammed. Her life savings were gone. And, again, Doris is towards the end of her working life, and this has a devastating impact for her and her future. As she said, 'They made it sound so perfect, and I lost the lot.' Doris is a smart woman, and she has worked hard. Like many people, she's had her share of challenges, but she did what she thought was her due diligence on this investment. She was caught out by a sophisticated scam designed to lull her and others into a false sense of security. Doris took her case to the ombudsman because she was concerned about whether the Commonwealth Bank should have played a bigger role in checking where that money was going. The ombudsman found the bank was deemed to have done all it was required to do in this situation. It is absolutely fair enough that Doris wishes that the Commonwealth Bank could have and would have done more to stop this transaction and that, when she got to that point of transferring the money, there were more warnings to her about the risks before she approved that transfer. Doris did nothing wrong. She is an intelligent woman, and she has shared her story to try to stop others from being in the same position. But it is absolutely the case that banks, telcos and social media companies must all do more. That's why I'm really pleased to be speaking on the Scams Prevention Framework Bill 2024 today and about the work that this government is doing to focus on this insidious problem and to make sure that people like Doris are not at the same level of risk of being scammed in the future. Of course, Doris's story is not a unique one. In 2023, Australians lost a total of $2.7 billion as a result of scams. That shows the scale of the challenge we face. As I said, banks, telcos and social media companies in particular have a responsibility to do more to stop people from being scammed. People like Doris should not be left without their life savings, particularly if there could have been just a bit more done to advise her of risks, to make sure that the transaction she was taking was legitimate before it was too late. Absolutely, social media companies have a responsibility to stop the absolute flood of ads and scammers that fill our news feeds, local community group pages where people are just trying to talk about what's happening in their neighbourhood, and the friend requests that aren't actually friends or, in most cases, real people. They are absolutely not doing enough, and this isn't a new problem. It has been like this for years. It had been getting worse until this government took the focus that we have now. Scams have been allowed to flourish for too long in this country. Our government has been and is taking action on an issue that the Liberals and the Nationals put in the too-hard basket for far too long. We have delivered more than $180 million to combat scams and online fraud, and it is making a difference. Scam losses have dropped by 40 per cent. Losses have almost cut in half since we stood up the National Anti-Scam Centre. There is more work to be done, and that's why this bill is going to be so important. The Scams Prevention Framework is the next vital step in our work to stamp out scams. Scamwatch data tells us bank transfer was the most reported payment method used by scammers, with more than $200 million in reported losses in 2023. It was phone calls and social media contact that were the methods associated with the highest value of the losses: $116 million and $93.5 million, respectively, in 2023. With the work we're doing, we will be holding banks, telcos and social media to account to ensure that they are doing their bit to keep people's savings safe from criminals. To get the change that we need, we do need to have an all-in effort. It will obviously take government and the work we are doing here, but it will also take all of these companies and our community. Certainly, as a government, that's also a message we have been trying to empower people with. I want to echo what others have said in this chamber: if you have been scammed, it is absolutely not your fault. It's not that you have missed something. I think people sometimes feel ashamed and like they are at fault. It is not your fault. It is the fault of these very sophisticated criminals who are targeting you. It has been great to host in my electorate the Assistant Treasurer and the Minister for Financial Services, who has been leading a lot of this work. He came to Jagajaga last year and spoke to a packed audience and the Bundoora Community Hall for a scams forum. That was a really useful session talking about the types of scams people face, the avenues people can take to protect themselves from scammers and why our government's work to stop scams is so important. At this moment, I would particularly like to thank the Assistant Treasurer for his dedication and work over the past 2½ years as a minister driving this work to stop Australians being scammed, to protect Australians, and also for travelling the country to electorates like mine to make sure that Australians know what protections are out there for them when it comes to scams. As Assistant Minister for Ageing, I am particularly aware that older Australians often feel that they are particularly vulnerable to scams as people who haven't grown up being digital natives. They feel as though (a) they're probably more likely to be targeted and (b) they're less likely to understand what's going on. Again, I do want to say to those older Australians: if you are scammed, it is absolutely not your fault and there are avenues to support you. That's the work we are doing here. We are also doing work to make sure that older Australians can feel more confident online. In particular, the Be Connected program, which is run in conjunction with the eSafety Commissioner, is a wonderful program that provides all Australians but, in particular, older Australians with workshops and modules to learn how to get online with confidence and with safety. It's often run in community centres, in libraries or through senior citizens groups. So, if you are an older Australian and you are worried about being scammed and want to feel more confident online, I would absolutely recommend looking up the Be Connected program, finding out about where it's running near you and taking some of the modules under that. The Minister for Small Business has reminded me that we are also assisting small business to make sure they're set up to be able to deal with the impact of scams. The IDCARE program specifically supports small businesses that have had a cyberattack or a scam. They are the people for small businesses to contact when they've been attacked or fallen victim to scams. Again, these scams are insidious. They're happening across our economy. They're happening to people across the country. So, as the government, we are really aware that we need to take an all-in approach, putting the scammers on notice that we are onto them. We are looking at banks, telecommunication providers and digital platforms. Under this framework, we are asking them and requiring them to do more than they have done before. We will be making sure that the framework is kept up to date. We'll be looking at other sectors that may be coming under it in the future, such as superannuation, cryptocurrency, online marketplaces and other payment providers. We will make sure that there are penalties of up to $50 million that may apply if people breach the framework. Obviously, that's intended to incentivise compliance and provide adequate penalties to deter regulated entities who may, in fact, foresee higher possible gains from breaching the framework. We want to make sure that this works. Regulators will also have other compliance tools available: infringement notices, enforceable undertakings, injunctions, public warnings and remedial actions. These are all to ensure the framework is administered as intended to protect consumers. Consumers will have access to free and transparent dispute resolution processes. Again, this is going to make a big difference in the cases such as the one I outlined. There will be somewhere for a consumer to go to actually resolve their dispute when they feel like an entity has not met its obligations. I think that will be a really important part of this puzzle as well. People will be able to take action in court if they have suffered loss or damage because a regulated entity has not met its obligations under the framework. I want people in my community to have increased confidence that this is something our government is bringing a huge amount of attention to. With this bill, we are saying that more must be done to combat scams, to keep Australians safe and to make sure that others do not end up in the position of Doris in my community and that others do not fall victim to scams that mean they lose their life savings. This is really important work, and it is, of course, the work that a Labor government does to make sure that our communities are safe and fair for all.