That this House:
(1) acknowledges that:
(a) the Government's expanded Home Guarantee Scheme has now supported more than 100,000 people into home ownership since the election, bringing home ownership back into reach;
(b) almost one in three first home buyers in 2022-23 were supported by the scheme, a significant increase from the previous year under the former Government;
(c) the Government delivered on its commitment to introduce the new Regional First Home Buyer Guarantee three months ahead of schedule in October 2022, and it has assisted more than 15,000 people across regional Australia into home ownership; and
(d) the Government has also expanded eligibility of the Home Guarantee Scheme to help more Australians who were locked out under the previous Government into home ownership;
(2) notes that:
(a) the Government wants to provide even more support for people to own their home through the Help to Buy scheme, which is due to start later this year following the passage of state legislation; and
(b) Help to Buy will support eligible home buyers with an equity contribution of up to 40 per cent for new homes and 30 per cent for existing homes, with eligible buyers needing as little as a 2 per cent deposit to buy a home; and
(3) further notes that the Home Guarantee Scheme and Help to Buy are just two parts of the Government's broad and ambitious housing agenda, with the Government committing funding of $25 billion in new housing investments over the next decade including committed funding to support thousands of new social and affordable rentals, with many already under construction.
There is no denying Australia is in the midst of the housing crisis. That is why we are taking action and putting in place short-, medium- and long-term plans to tackle the challenges left behind after a decade of little action by those opposite.
In July 2023, Business Illawarra launched the report Solutions to the affordable housing crisis in the Illawarra Shoalhaven, which highlighted what we all knew: this is not just a problem that is confined to the capital cities. Executive Director Adam Zarth described the property boom within the Illawarra as being great news for investors and property owners but terrible news of first home buyers, renters, low-paid workers and the many employers who rely upon them. You don't have to look too far to see this reinforced in the pages of our IllawarraMercury, painting a distressing picture of what is all too common and familiar in our regions. People work hard. They have a reliable income and have been good tenants who pay on time. Still, through circumstances they cannot control, they have become victims of the untenable housing situation in the Illawarra.
How we house Australians is at the forefront of my mind and at the forefront of the mind of this government. That's why we have committed $25 billion in new housing investments over the next decade. This includes the single biggest investment in social and affordable housing in more than a decade, with the $10 billion Housing Australia Future Fund. It is now established, and the first round of applications closes this week. Last month, I was pleased to welcome Housing Australia CEO Nathan Dal Bon to the electorate to host an information session with our community housing providers, builders and developers on the details of the program.
On top of this, the Albanese Labor government's expanded Home Guarantee Scheme has supported more than 100,000 people into homeownership since the election, including over 1,500 people in the Illawarra, Shoalhaven and Southern Highlands. The scheme—comprised of the First Home Guarantee, the Regional First Home Buyer Guarantee and the Family Home Guarantee—helps eligible homebuyers secure finance sooner, through government support and deposits of as little as two to five per cent. We know that the family home and the structure inside it may look very different to how it did when I was a child. It is imperative that governments can adapt policies to keep up with a changing society. That is why, last July, we opened up the First Home Guarantee and the Regional First Home Buyer Guarantee to joint applications between friends and family members, not just single, married or de facto applicants.
The CoreLogic Regional market update for February 2024 revealed that average housing prices have increased by 44 per cent over the last five years. In the early 1990s, it would take the average Australian about seven years to save for a deposit for a typical dwelling; now it takes almost 12 years to save the same amount. That's why we introduced legislation to establish a national shared-equity scheme, called Help to Buy. Eligible participants will only need a two per cent deposit for Help to Buy, and the cost of a mortgage will be reduced by up to 40 per cent for low- and middle-income earners. We know that many renters could maintain a mortgage but can't afford the deposit. This will help more Australians get over the hurdle of a deposit and enjoy ongoing savings thanks to smaller repayments.
Standing in the way are the Liberals and the Greens political parties, delaying real progress and hurting real people. The HAFF was held up for six months whilst those opposite procrastinated. Every day of delay meant more Australians without a roof over their head. Mandy Booker, the formidable CEO of the Wollongong homeless hub, invited politicians who had blocked the HAFF to join her frontline staff and explain to the 13 children currently in crisis accommodation and the 57 children in transitional accommodation why they do not have a home to go to.
To those opposite, I say: stop standing in the way of vital support which will help renters into the security of homeownership. The Albanese Labor government have a mandate to deliver this critical new support, and we know that it will be life changing for tens of thousands of Australians. Addressing the housing crisis is part of our larger agenda to make sure that no-one is left behind or forgotten.
On 1 July this year, Labor will deliver a tax cut for every Australian taxpayer. We want Australians to earn more and keep more of what they earn. The changes mean all 13.6 million taxpayers will receive a tax cut—2.9 million more than would have benefited from Scott Morrison's plan five years ago.
]]>On Thursday 22 February, we sadly lost Melissa Markham. Melissa is survived by her sons, Wayne, David and John; their partners, Tanya and Maree; and her deeply cherished grandchildren, Emily, Georgia, Mikayla, Matilda, Harry and Darcie. She is now reunited with her husband and my friend, the late Colin Markham. Colin Markham was a longtime member of the state parliament. He also served as Parliamentary Secretary for the Illawarra and was appointed Parliamentary Secretary for Aboriginal Affairs. During this time, Melissa was always by his side, through this very, very public time in their life.
She was a long-time supporter of the ALP and a valuable supporter of numerous campaigns at different levels over the years. Candidates included Norman Wilson, Laurie Kelly, Stewart West and George Peterson, just to name a few. Melissa was involved with fundraising, working on polling booths and letterbox deliveries of 'how to vote' cards for the ALP over the many, many years. Melissa was gentle, kind, caring and extremely thoughtful. She was an extremely generous woman with both herself and her time. She lived her life to the fullest and lived it with such honesty and abundance of love. She was a delight to be around, and her warm presence will be missed dearly. May she rest in peace.
On 16 February, we sadly lost Betty Marcy. Betty is survived by her children, Linda and Frank; her grandchildren; great-grandchildren; and my friend Nicholas Sands, her nephew. She is now reunited with her husband, Frank Marcy, once more. Betty had a profound love of music and found herself embarking on a phenomenal career in the music industry, from her first performance at the age of five on the Uncle Tom's"Gang" show on radio 2SM to touring all over Sydney and working on television. She sang on so many commercials in Australia that she earned the label 'Queen of Commercials'. She sang on the original Vegemite add and she was the Throaties bird.
Betty was brought up with a strong political streak, grounded in her position that people were important above everything. She was a very active Labor Party member for many years. She was always handing out 'how to vote' cards and attending rallies with her sister, Eileen Sands, who we lost a number of years ago. Betty's daughter, Linda, said:
She felt passionately about people and their welfare. She marched in many rallies to save Medicare and the ABC, to stop privatization of electricity, stop coal seam gas development … and stop whatever Tony Abbott was doing.
I miss this tiny twosome at our Labor events. Betty was an avid environmental activist and advocate for the ALP. She was always the life of the party and got her happiness from being around people that she loved and cared for. She drew people in with her infectious smile and personality, and her presence in the Labor Party will be sorely missed. Betty's favourite farewell was not 'goodbye' but always 'try to have fun'. For everyone who knew Betty, she lived by this motto to the very end.
On 16 February 2024, we lost the wonderful David Goss. David is reunited with his beloved wife, Annie, and their son, Andrew. He will be missed by his family Cathie, Sarah, Todd, India, Milla and Andie. David was always up for a chat, whether it be politics, his faith or anything in between. Two weeks prior to his passing I received an email from David. I am honoured to have received this email after writing to him for his 91st birthday. He shared the following:
I am glad to see the changes in Stage 3 tax which was inevitable. When the circumstances change, I change my conclusions as Keynes noted. All the best to you in the year ahead and keep up the good work.
David was a member of the ALP for an outstanding 71 years and has been inducted into the party's life membership ranks. His tremendous effort within the party will be profoundly missed.
Melissa, Betty and David loved their Labor Party, and we loved them back. On behalf of Labor here in Cunningham, we love you, we miss you and may you rest in peace.
]]>We are committed to rebuilding the NDIS. I have seen daily the impact that this scheme has on people. The numbers speak for themselves. During the 2022-23 financial year, 18,103 cases were referred to the minister's office by parliamentarians to help solve complex problems that were stalled in relevant agencies. When members of the community contact my office regarding issues with the NDIS, they are not simple and quick fixes; they have often exhausted all other options and feel at their wit's end. Over the past 18 months I have been dealing with several of these cases.
One of the most heart-wrenching cases I have dealt with relates to the passing of a teenage boy, a NDIS recipient, who lost his life to an aggressive brainstem tumour in 2021. His family have had to endure a horrific battle for bathroom modifications. His family not only had to deal with the trauma of losing a brother, son and grandson; they had to shower at the homes or families and friends, or, even worse, were forced to bathe with a bucket and a garden hose.
The bureaucratic dispute with the NDIS began in the midst of the participant's vast decline. Unfortunately, the clunky and slow system let this family down. The family requested approval for the works in a telephone conversation with a local area coordinator, and submitted occupational therapist reports stating the need for immediate modifications. They believe the request was not passed on to the relevant department, as, after waiting several months, with little return contact from following up with the NDIS, the family felt like they had no choice but to remove the bath and shower screen themselves to allow access for bathing while they waited for official approval. Devastatingly, the participant lost his life before the works were able to be completed, and the family were locked out of the participant portal and any avenues of cost recovery immediately. This grieving family was left to clean up the mess which the system created. At the time of passing, just over $23,000 of funding remained in the NDIS plan and the family were seeking $24,000 for the bathroom rectification to fix the bathroom they had desperately ripped apart to keep their loved one at home, and to be able to shower safely.
The NDIS was put in place to improve the wellbeing of people with disability and their carers, to reduce the longer-term costs of care, to support people and to be compassionate. But, somehow, this seemed to dissipate during the years of cuts and chaos under those opposite, and we are left with the task of trying to rebuild a compassionate and participant focused culture.
The system let my constituent and his family down when they needed help the most over the four short months he was a participant and the long 28 months his family have been trying to reach a resolution. I thank the minister and his staff for meeting with the family in my electorate and doing all they can within the restraints placed upon them. However, the problems within the NDIS need to be resolved to help ensure that this doesn't happen again. Distressed and vulnerable families should not have to fight so hard for basic care and support.
To address cases like these, better support people with disability and improve access to the NDIS, Labor employed 380 additional staff. We have already simplified the process for seeking minor, nonstructural modifications under $20,000, making it faster and easier for participants to access home modifications. To reduce unreasonable delay before the Administrative Appeals Tribunal, Labor introduced an alternate dispute resolution pilot which resolved 7,000 cases before the tribunal.
We also commissioned a far-reaching review of the NDIS. This review travelled to every state and territory, including regional areas, to hear directly from the community. More than 1,000 people with disability and their families were spoken with and listened to, with more than 2,000 personal stories recorded and almost 4,000 submissions received. The final report of this review was published on 7 December last year. Our government took this report to National Cabinet on 6 December last year. At this meeting, the Commonwealth and all states and territories committed to secure the funding of the NDIS.
Labor is committed to improving the experience of people with a disability and their families. On 17 December last year, the Minister for the National Disability Insurance Scheme announced a crackdown on unfair NDIS pricing. We established a multiagency taskforce comprising the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission and the NDIA. The NDIA was in a mess when we came to government. As a responsible government, we have taken steps to fix this mess and restore the public's faith in this vital institution. It is a big job and our minister is working hard to fix the mess and the culture within the NDIA. I thank him for his care and compassion in doing so.
Labor plans to make legislative changes to strengthen the NDIS Act and pursue continuous improvement. One of our first acts on coming to government was to establish the Fraud Fusion Taskforce to increase fraud detection and better safeguard the NDIS from organised crime and other fraudsters. We are committed to stopping fraud within the National Disability Insurance Scheme and we are looking to save millions of dollars to protect the funding that supports people living with a disability. The Fraud Fusion Taskforce investigated $1 billion in NDIS payments in its first year of operation. As of 31 October last year, 43 NDIS fraud cases were under investigation, with 18 prosecutions underway. These prosecutions have led to imprisonments and also the banning of some individuals and organisations from delivering NDIS services.
The Labor government is also looking to provide security for NDIS participants to ensure that the provider and worker registrations lead to better outcomes. We have also announced the creation of the NDIS Provider and Worker Registration Taskforce to overhaul the current registration system for the NDIS. One of the key objectives of that taskforce is to ensure that no-one is invisible or forgotten within the NDIS and that participants within the scheme receive a fair go. The recent review of the NDIS called for greater oversight of those responsible for delivering services through the NDIS and we are determined to ensure that this occurs.
It's good to remind everyone why the NDIS was established. It was established to provide funding to individuals or organisations to help people with disabilities to participate more fully in economic and social life through the provision of an entitlement enabling things such as aid, support equipment, supported accommodation or personal attendant care to be provided.
When Labor was elected, the NDIA was letting participants down and the NDIS was a mess. Labor has employed more staff to reduce processing times and crack down on the rorts and set out to reduce costs and overcharging. Labor have listened to the community and we are determined to deliver a better future for people living with a disability. They deserve it. There have been too many cases in my community where people have been having to fight so hard and for so long to get the services and the support they need. That needs to stop, and we need to rebuild the NDIS.
]]>Improving paid parental leave is a critical reform. It is critical for families, women and the economy. These reforms are part of a broad package of measures that have been introduced by this government for the benefit of Australian families. Investing in paid parental leave is vital to the economy as it helps maintain the participation of women within the workforce. The Australian government's Workplace Gender Equity Agency reports that 63 per cent of employers offer paid parental leave. This is an area of reform which has widespread support throughout the community. Paid parental leave provides real opportunities for families and real opportunities for women. Businesses, unions and economists all recognise that one of the best ways to boost productivity and maintain women's participation in the workforce is to provide more support for families. These reforms do just that.
The provision of support for families has been a feature of the Albanese Labor government. Under the Labor tax plan, the average taxpayer on an income of $73,000 will get a tax cut of $1,504 per annum. It is important to see this bill in the context of the government's reform agenda, which is seeking to create a fairer Australia. Of course, these aren't the only initiatives that have been undertaken by the Albanese Labor government for the benefit of families. The government has already made early childhood education more affordable, which has been of considerable benefit to families within the Illawarra. Labor's cheaper childcare initiatives have seen the childcare subsidy increase for nearly 16,000 families within the Illawarra, while child care is cheaper for 96 per cent of local families. This reduction in the cost of child care shows the government's commitment to middle Australia and the government's commitment to the support of families.
These initiatives follow the reform of the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme, which was one of the early priorities of the Albanese Labor government. The cost of the PBS copayment was reduced from $42.50 to just $30. Australian families have saved $220 million on almost 20 million cheaper prescriptions over the period of January to November 2023, with residents of New South Wales saving $69 million over the same period. Labor is also taking steps to deal with bulk-billing after 10 years of neglect by the previous government. In the first two months since we tripled the bulk-billing incentive, Australia's bulk-billing rate has risen, with an estimated additional 360,000 trips to the GP being bulk billed. This year, we are celebrating the 40th anniversary of Medicare, the great achievement of Labor. The provision of quality and affordable health care is part of Labor's DNA. The Albanese Labor government has taken concrete steps to increase access to affordable health care for all.
These changes also reflect the Albanese government's commitment to improve the lives of working families and to provide better outcomes for young children by allowing them to spend the first weeks of their lives with both their parents. To do this, we have increased the paid concurrent leave, which both parents can take, from two to four weeks. This increase and concurrent leave are to be phased in over the period from 2024 to 2026.
A case study provided by the Workplace Gender Equality Agency shows the impact which paid parental leave has on the lives on those that take it:
My wife took leave after our son Julian was born, but wanted to return to work as she had studied so hard to get where she was, and she wanted to keep up her skills.
I wanted to support my wife and help around the house but I also wanted to be a dad. I lost my father a couple of years ago—I didn't get to see him that much when we were growing up, because he was working long hours in a factory and I didn't want to miss out on time with Julian.
When I first raised the idea of taking time off work, people outside work were quite negative saying it would be career-limiting…
Good Australian employers increasingly see paid parental leave as part of their social obligations as an employer. This reflects a positive change in social attitudes and shows that business fully supports the concept of paid parental leave. But this isn't the only improvement in equity of employment conditions that has occurred. Eighty-one per cent of employers who offer paid parental leave now also pay superannuation over the period of this leave.
This bill also understands the complexities of family life and what it means to be a new parent. In our community, many mothers are also recovering from major surgical procedures following the birth of a child. They may have had a caesarean or other procedures, which leave them unable to lift and complete household tasks, but of course there is no opportunity for a rest when there is a newborn baby in the home. This bill is seeking to improve the lives of parents by increasing concurrent leave entitlements, allowing one parent to stay at home and look after their partner, who may be recovering from one of these surgical procedures. The extension of leave entitlements allows many mothers to receive much-needed care within the home, as not every family has support living nearby.
This bill provides support for families as they care for their newborn child and will make a positive contribution to the quality of life of families within Australia. The lived experience of one local family in my community illustrates the problems that many families faced under the previous scheme prior to its reform. One mother told me:
We had our first child in May 2021. At the time the only option for my husband to access parental leave was through the Dad and partner payment. In order to access this payment, my husband had to be on leave without pay from his job with only access to minimum wage payments.
This was a significant pay cut for him. With me taking maternity leave at half pay for a couple of months followed by leave without pay, it wasn't financially viable for him to take leave. We couldn't afford our mortgage repayments if we did this.
Previously, fathers could not take both paid leave from work and receive paid parental leave. I know from my conversations with new parents in my community that this has prevented some fathers from claiming parental leave, and this will no longer be the case.
This bill will have a positive impact on household income by not compelling the father to take unpaid leave before they can access paid parental leave. This is a real improvement in the circumstances of families. The Women's Economic Equality Taskforce recommended this increase in concurrent weeks, as it recognises that the raising of a child is a shared responsibility. The Albanese Labor government has seriously considered the taskforce's recommendations. The reforms contained within this bill are part of a process which is looking to improve the lives of families and increase the economic participation of women.
It is important to see the improvement of paid parental leave as part of a broad reform package that supports Australian families with the cost-of-living challenges. It has been known for a long time that paid parental leave increases the prospects of a woman returning to work. In 2018, the Australian Bureau of Statistics found that 74 per cent of people who took paid parental leave returned to work after at least four months at home with their child, which was up from 65 per cent in 2011. One in four returned to work after 10 months or longer, up from 21 per cent in 2011. There is every reason to believe that this extension of paid parental leave will increase the amount of time that parents stay at home with their children.
The extension of paid parental leave is a real win for families in the Illawarra. Business Illawarra estimates that approximately 25,000 people commute from the Illawarra to Sydney for work each day. This journey can add hours of travel to a working week and adds pressure to families. Statistics show that men have much lower rates of access and utilisation of flexible working arrangements and parental leave entitlements. According to the 2022-23 WGEA data, men make up 14 per cent of people who take primary carer parental leave. This bill is about providing options for parents and letting families make their own choices. It also includes a minor technical amendment to ensure access for fathers and partners who do not meet the work activity test requirements but who would have if their child had not been born prematurely. This provision is already in place for birth parents.
This is the largest investment in paid parental leave since Labor established the current format of leave in 2011. It is estimated that paid parental leave benefits over 180,000 families each year, and the economic value of allowing women to return to work after a period of paid leave outstrips this investment by the government. I am proud to be part of a government which is bringing into effect reforms that are delivering real benefits to the lives of Australian families.
When considering the impact of this bill, ACTU President Michele O'Neil said, 'We welcome the Albanese government's leadership and prioritisation of this issue.' She then went on to say:
This Bill is a significant improvement after a decade of neglect by the previous government by providing more paid leave and creating a more equal balance of caring responsibilities amongst parents.
The Business Council of Australia also welcomed these reforms, with the Chief Executive, Bran Black, stating:
The Business Council of Australia welcomes the Government's expansion of the Paid Parental Leave system that will bring more equity and flexibility to caregiving roles, boosting the economy and making it easier for new parents to stay in the workforce …
The Business Council has longed called for reform to the Paid Parental Leave system, and our recently released Seize the Moment report outlined our Paid Parental Leave proposal aimed at removing barriers for women to work and improving simplicity and flexibility. It is great to see the Government incorporate significant aspects of our proposal in its Bill.
This bill clearly has broad support within the Australian community. This bill is good for parents, kids, employers and the economy. It helps keep women in the workforce and builds stronger families.
]]>The Australian Research Council provides advice and support to the Australian government on research matters. It is a central pillar in Australia's research landscape. It also builds partnerships between researchers, industry, government, community organisations and the international community. It is important that the Research Council fund projects of merit. This bill was designed to address this issue.
A modernised role for the Research Council is also reflected by changes to the object of the act so that this clearly defines the important role and place the Australian Research Council has in supporting Australia's research community and landscape. By contrast, the current legislation only talks about grants processing. The Albanese government is committed to backing our universities and providing targeted research grants to ensure the continuation of real research as a vital part of our tertiary institutions. I am proud to be part of a government that has made available $895 million in non-medical research grants for 2023-24.
This government is also committed to principles of accountability in public expenditure. It is important to ensure that the best projects receive assistance. One of the principal objectives of this bill is to ensure the integrity of all future grants processes and ensure the public's faith in government funding. To facilitate this, decisions on funding approvals have been devolved from the minister, as is currently the case, to the Australian Research Council board. The Australian Research Council board is to comprise a CEO and up to six other members who will provide a combination of skills, experience and perspective reflecting the areas of Research Council funding. The minister will appoint the Research Council board, who will, in turn, appoint the CEO, consistent with a policy of meritorious appointment for statutory officers.
The next phase is to establish and appoint members to board committees, including the College of Experts. This body has the role of approving funding on research projects and providing advice to government. This should help to ensure that the best projects are funded and bring to an end the days of ministerial intervention in the grants process. While it will still be open for ministers to direct the board to not approve a grant or to terminate funding based on national security concerns, parliament will be notified of such decisions within 15 days of the decision to terminate a grant being made, and there will need to be good reasons for this to have been done. The minister will also report the exercise of the national security powers to the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security and offer a private briefing on the reasons. The members of the board will reflect the diversity of the general community and include people of professional credibility and significant standing in one or more fields of research. It is important that we have transparency and that public trust is restored to our research and grants programs. These reforms are part of this vital process. The public needs to be confident that the best projects have been funded and that public moneys have not been wasted.
The recent impact assessment of Australian Research Council funded research has found that every dollar invested in the ARC National Competitive Grants Program generates more than $3 in economic output. Our universities have done great work with Australian Research Council grants. The objective of this bill is to ensure that grant moneys are well spent. Grants provided through the Australian Research Council have been a direct benefit to the electorate of Cunningham.
The University of Wollongong is a fabulous university, and I would like to personally thank the vice-chancellor, Patricia Davidson, for her dynamic leadership of this fine institution. Over the last five years, the University of Wollongong has been awarded more than $71 million through the Australian Research Council. These grants have been used to fund the ARC Training Centre in Energy Technologies for Future Grids, which is looking to address issues currently limiting the growth of renewable energy through innovations that facilitate widespread integration into electricity grids, while maintaining grid stability. It will address the complex and challenging issues currently limiting the growth of renewable energy through innovations that facilitate widespread integrations of the resources into the grid. The ARC Training Centre for Innovative Composites for the Future of Sustainable Mining Equipment is another one that has been funded. It will train industry focused researchers in advanced manufacturing and in how to use new-generation mining equipment and sustainable mining technology. These grants also fund the ARC's Steel Research Hub, which develops new higher-value products and more advanced manufacturing processes to build a stronger and more competitive local industry backed by world-leading research. These grants also fund the ARC Centre of Excellence for Australian Biodiversity and Heritage, which looks to bring First Nations culture to a wider audience.
Of course, Australian Research Council grants are not the only assistance that the Commonwealth provides for universities. I secured investment of $10 million for the Energy Futures Skills Centre, which is a project to train the energy workforce of the future. This will also be located at the University of Wollongong. The University of Wollongong have also received an investment of more than $1 million to study finding ways to keep Australia's grid secure through the renewable energy transformation.
There is also $1.04 million in ARENA grant funding which will support the University of Wollongong's harmonics study to develop a methodology that will help energy grids accommodate various energy outputs, such as wind and solar generation. This is vital work, and it places our University of Wollongong and our TAFE at the forefront of the transition to renewable energy.
The Albanese Labor government has provided funding to grow additional places in STEM courses across universities to help Australia acquire the skilled workforce required to meet the challenges of tomorrow. The University of Wollongong has been allocated an additional 425 places in STEM related courses, designed to attract more students to train in engineering, mathematics, chemistry and physics, which is in addition to our government's funding of an additional 936 university places to train more teachers, nurses and engineers. This is part of an injection of funding of more than $29 million to train Australians under-represented at universities in areas of skills need.
The University of Wollongong was chosen because it has a strong record of working with industry, government, universities and other partners, such as ANSTO, to deliver solutions. Our university has acquired a reputation for excellence in higher education over the 70 years of its existence. The fact that it has received ARC grants and all other grants as part of competitive processes is indicative of the high regard in which our local university is held within the Australian research community. These grants show that its capacity for innovation has not diminished with the passage of time and that it continues to undertake research of great value.
Previously, special appropriation arrangements were made for grants provided through the Australian Research Council. Such vital research undertaken by universities such as ours should not be based on such insecure funding. This bill makes provision for an annual appropriation of funds, which should provide a secure base for the Research Council's work. What is more, this annual appropriation is to be CPI indexed to ensure that the real value of funds provided to the Australian Research Council is retained.
]]>I did not know Peta as closely as some in this place were lucky enough to. The member for Jagajaga, in her beautiful speech about her friend, said:
It was clear to me from that very first speech that she was fierce and supersmart. She was actually a bit intimidating, but she was absolutely someone who I knew would be a valuable colleague.
She was fierce and supersmart, and her intellect and quick wit were a little bit intimidating. She was formidable.
Peta also worked as a staffer for the former member for Denison, Duncan Kerr, and was the chief of staff to my good friend the member for Gorton when I was working for previous members for Cunningham. Despite Peta's broad life experience, particularly in the field of justice—whether that was as an educator at the National Electoral Education Centre, as a team leader at the Victorian Law Reform Commission or as a public defender at Victoria Legal Aid—Peta chose to come and work in this place. I know that Peta saw the benefits that came with seeking to do what can only be described as an apprenticeship in this place. She knew that there was no manual, no training package, and that the only way to learn how to make change in this place would be to roll up her sleeves and give it a crack. Her apprenticeship started with Duncan Kerr in 1999 and then with the member for Gorton in 2017.
The approach of an apprenticeship is something that I know she sought to apply when she was elected to office. She wasn't afraid to take the risk in giving someone new and inexperienced a go as long as they had the right attitude, passion, principles and enthusiasm. Nor did she seek to monopolise their talents as they grew. I know that many of Peta's current and former staff and colleagues are listening today, many of whom have gone on to great things in part because of the support, counsel and teaching from Peta over the years.
Peta was an advocate for all of those who work in this place and wanted to make it a safe and respectful workplace. But, given her experience, she knew of the challenges and the barriers that we have to break through. In 2021 Peta and the member for Jagajaga jointly published an op-ed in the Canberra Times, outlining how we as parliamentarians have a role in setting the standard of this unique Australian workplace. It says:
Members of parliament also need to be prepared to unpick and overcome their own biases when it comes to hiring and supporting staff. Jobs in politics are necessarily personal—offices are small, hours are gruelling, and absolute trust between staff and boss is essential.
But all of this means that ministers and MPs tend to employ the people they feel most comfortable around—people who look like them, sound like them, and think like them.
In a parliament where we still have more men than women elected, and where men hold the absolute majority of senior positions within the Morrison government, that often translates into similar gender imbalances in ministerial and parliamentary offices.
Thanks to the work of people like Peta and the member for Jagajaga—and, in fact, Deputy Speaker Claydon as well—I'm so pleased to say that much of this has changed under the Albanese Labor government. But there is always more work to do.
Almost all of Peta's time in this place as a staff member and as a parliamentarian was in opposition. As I'm sure those opposite would agree, opposition isn't easy. It's a long, hard slog. One thing that makes that hard road a little more bearable is the team of people around you. This may embarrass the member for Gorton, but his extended team, including current and former staff, and all their partners and children, have always been an efficient, fun, tightknit and loyal team, and Peta was very much a part of that. They all loved her dearly. As a staff member and as a parliamentarian, you could always rely on Peta to listen and deliver—and to always do it with a good level of humour and flair.
Almost all of Peta's work and service was done in partnership with her husband and best friend, Rod. I am lucky enough to be able to call both Peta and Rod colleagues, having worked with Rod when he, too, was a staffer in this place. My heart and thoughts are with Rod and all of Peta's family at this time.
We can only hope that there will be more Australians like Peta who come through this place, with the drive and commitment to see Australia become a fairer, healthier and more prosperous society. Rest in peace, Peta.
]]>In comparison, the Albanese Labor government has not wasted a minute in advancing the lives of Australians. I was ecstatic to welcome Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to the Illawarra, not once but twice since February this year alone, where he spent time talking to members of our community and visiting our amazing University of Wollongong. Under Prime Minister Albanese, this government has spent the past 18 months trying to unite the country while the Liberals have been trying to divide and derail progress. For the past 18 months, I have not wasted a second in fighting and delivering for our community, including through $33 million to support Hysata to develop new facilities to deliver low-cost hydrogen in Port Kembla and $10 million to establish an energy futures skill centre at the University of Wollongong so we have the skilled workforce to build the grid of the future.
We are delivering cheaper child care for around 5,700 families in Cunningham; $2½ million for a renewable energy training facility at Wollongong TAFE to support training in renewable energy technologies; just over $29 million for 936 extra places announced for the University of Wollongong; over $1.3 million to local community organisations for much-needed facility and equipment upgrades, including a new client transport bus for the Cram Foundation which arrived just last week; $66,000 for hardworking volunteer organisations in my community; a million dollars to support the University of Wollongong to find ways to keep Australia's grid secure through the renewable energy transformation; $20 million in Australian Research Council grants for the University of Wollongong—
I can see the member for Casey over there, heckling. You're worried about the redistribution. I note the Liberal Party didn't even get their submission in; that's why you're worried!
We have also delivered $1 million for the Illawarra Legal Centre. We've invested $500,000 in community batteries in Warrawong, making renewable energy available to some of the most vulnerable in our community. We've also opened a Medicare urgent care clinic in Corrimal to help ease the pressure on our local hospital emergency departments. We've had funding upgrades for local schools, including Bellambi Public School, Nareena Hills Public School, Wollongong West Public School, Farmborough Road Public School, Waniora Public School, Woonona East Public School, Coledale Public School, Tarrawanna Public School, St Francis of Assisi Catholic Primary School and Edmund Rice College.
Aged care across the country was left in disarray by the former government, and we have been left picking up the pieces to ensure our older Australians are receiving the care they deserve. In aged care in the Illawarra we have backed in a 15 per cent pay rise for aged-care workers; achieved 24-hour nursing across our aged-care facilities 98 per cent of the time; funded 180,000 fee-free TAFE places for sectors in need, including in aged care across the country; partnered with the New South Wales government to deliver an additional 35 transitional aged-care beds in the Illawarra and Shoalhaven; and opened a Medicare urgent care clinic to also help with aged care.
]]>Today's submission is from Zara Freeman, a 14-year-old constituent from Cunningham. These are her words:
My name is Zara, I'm 14 years old, and I live in the Cunningham electorate. The issue I'm delivering to you today is how children's Medicare bulk-billing is not being utilised to help families. Currently, the top pages of search engines say that Medicare bulk-billing completely covers GP visits, paediatrics, dental work and immunisations for children under 16. But, in reality, these services are guilty of not bulk-billing like is claimed. A basic general practitioner's out-of-pocket gap is up to $40—$40 more than is claimed and $40 more than it should be.
The federal budget for 2023 intended to address this issue by tripling bulk-billing for children, but this has still not solved the problem. There's a direct demonstration that incentivising does not work to combat children's Medicare costs. Instead, we need to penalise for not doing it. That means that free, equal health care would be available for all children when they need it, not just when the budget allows. Through introducing financial penalties for not bulk-billing children's visits, it means that Medicare is utilised so that struggling families aren't affected by absurd out-of-pocket costs, reducing future financial and health burdens on the current youth.
Thank you to Zara.
]]>The proportion of Australian university students from lower-socioeconomic backgrounds has barely increased in over a decade. In 2008 it was recorded that 15 per cent of undergraduates were from lower-socioeconomic backgrounds, whereas in 2019 this statistic only increased by two per cent. Since 2010, the Australian government has invested nearly $1.5 billion in higher education equity programs, yet participation and retention rates for the lower-SES remain far below other students. So why hasn't this $1.5 billion changed anything? Let's look at this from the beginning.
These students aren't getting into uni because they need to complete high school. A study conducted by the NSW Department of Education showed that by age 19 only 61 per cent of lower-socioeconomic groups have completed year 12, compared to the 89 per cent of high-socioeconomic students.
How can we fix this? By incentivising the completion of high school and providing free university education, we can not only increase the percentage of low-SES students attending and graduating university but help lower-SES children exit the cycle of poverty. This will mean, instead of staying on welfare and depending on the government for support, they will have prospects to get jobs and be self-supportive.
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]]>On 30 June 2023, we sadly lost Ronald Keith Pretty, AM. Ron passed away peacefully at home, just as he wished, after a long but courageous cancer journey. Ron is survived by his dearly beloved wife Jane; his daughters Alana and Saroja; their partners, Jakub and Luke; and his deeply adored grandchildren, Alexander, Olivia, Nathaniel, Lachlan, Eliza and Oliver, most of whom are here tonight.
As well as a loving father, husband and grandparent, Ron was a widely respected poet, a devoted teacher, publisher and mentor for Australian poets. I know Saroja and Alana, as well as all of Ron's grandchildren, will cherish his poetry for years to come, and I'm sure Eggshells will become a family heirloom for generations.
In recognition of his dedication, in 2001 Ron received a Premier's award for his lifetime service to literature, followed by becoming a Member of the Order of Australia shortly after, in 2002. In 2012, he was awarded a six-month residency at the Whiting studio in Rome, and, in 2015, Ron was granted a fellowship back home at the University of Wollongong.
Ron was a committed, active member of the Mount Kembla Unanderra branch, regularly contributing to policy discussions and providing ideas of how Labor could achieve our best ideals. Ron was a strong advocate for the most vulnerable, particularly the rights of asylum seekers. He regularly developed branch motions and actively contributed to discussions to ensure that the rights of asylum seekers were protected and understood by everyone.
On 5 October 2023, we also sadly lost the formidable Stella Chapman. Stella joined the party in 1976 and held numerous positions across many branches that she was a member of. Notably, she was the President of the South Coast SEC for a number of years and also helped to establish the bay and basin branch of the Australian Labor Party on the South Coast, which she was immensely proud of. In 2005, she was awarded the prestigious McKell Award for her years of service to the party, and in 2017 became a life member of the party.
Stella is survived by her loving children and stepchildren, Michele, Ross, Gloria, Ian, Araya, Vanessa, Ged and Natalie; grandchildren Heath, Kareena, Ambre, Dean, Ben, Luke, Leon, Melinda, Emily and Romy; and 15 great-grandchildren, Ashaylen, Layla, Sharden, Zahir, Charlise, Sage, Evie, Kairo, Oscar, Connor, Kayden, Abe, Digby, Cody and baby Koa, who was born last week.
I know Stella was particularly proud of her granddaughter, and my friend, Kareena, when she began working in federal politics two years ago for Fiona Phillips and spent time here at Parliament House. One of my favourite recent memories was when Vanessa and her daughter Kareena kindly picked up Stella's best friend Annie Wilcox from the nursing home last year and brought Annie and Stella to Paul Scully's lunch with now Deputy Premier Prue Car. They jumped straight back into their usual routine, scrunching the raffle tickets and, of course, giving a running commentary: 'When is the food going to arrive?' and 'Was the fish a bit dry?' One of them wasn't sure about the calamari. They love to have a laugh. They love to have a whinge, and they were awesomely over-opinionated and outspoken. These were my favourite words from Stella: 'These lemon cakes just aren't lemony enough, and they aren't very sweet.' I understand she had the same experience with lemon chicken.
Stella has probably already joined a branch of the Labor Party up there in the sky. In fact she has probably already taken over the branch from Gough Whitlam and Bob Hawke and ensured that the lemon cakes are finally lemony enough—or at least she will have made her views about them clearly known. Both Stella and Ron loved their Labor Party, and we love them back. On behalf of Labor in Cunningham: We love you. We miss you. Rest in peace.
]]>Petitioning has been described as the oldest of all parliamentary forms, and is the only direct means by which an individual or group can ask the parliament to take action. I, like many in this place, am of the view that the House of Representatives should provide an open and accessible petitioning process that allows people to readily exercise their right to petition. As a member of the Petitions Committee, charged with overseeing this process, as a parliamentarian and as a member of the Illawarra community, I was shocked when I read in the Illawarra Mercury that individuals were seeking to undermine the legitimacy of the petitions process in this place and the genuine concerns and questions from my community. As the chair has outlined, the committee is aware that a small number of signatures on petition EN5444 may have been collected through unethical means—namely, by seeking to offer prizes and inducements to petition this parliament against the proposed Illawarra offshore wind zone, which the government currently has out for community consultation.
There are many parts of this situation which I find concerning, including the serious risk to the integrity of the petition system that this action poses. What I find most concerning is that this approach was not made in error or from a lack of knowledge about the petitions process, but done with the full intention to distort the scale of this particular petition. The Illawarra Mercury article by Connor Pearce on 10 October states:
Her post acknowledged the unethical nature of the competition. "I realise this is blackmail I don't care at this stage," she said.
When contacted by the Mercury, the woman said the inducements were "not really blackmail" but were driven by her response to the offshore wind farm proposal. "I offered discounted services for people to vote," she said.
As the chair has pointed out, and as the Minister for Climate Change and Energy has said publicly, there is evidence and further allegations of people sending multiple responses under fake email addresses or aliases to subvert the legitimacy both of this petition and the community consultation process, which the minister is undertaking on the proposed offshore wind zone. One such allegation has been provided to me in the form of a statutory declaration from a constituent, Martin Cubby. Mr Cubby put to me that at a community meeting on 28 September this year, members of the Coalition against Offshore Wind, 'Encouraged community members to submit multiple submissions to the REZ through the federal government website using alternative or fake email addresses.' I would put to this chamber that the actions we saw taken on petition EN5444 are not an isolated incident but a coordinated effort to undermine and inflate representations of community options to this parliament and to the government. I would like to thank the secretariat for their work in investigating this matter and note that the committee has agreed to look further into the security of petitions.
The proposed offshore wind zone in the Illawarra has raised a lot of questions and concerns, and these are justified. There is a lot to learn and consider with renewable energy generation for Australia. I have been listening to my community's questions and concerns, relaying them to the minister and seeking to provide the community with accurate and reliable information. However, just like the secretariat, my office has been waylaid in having to sort through the countless fake emails, fake profiles and pseudonyms. This is a coordinated action by a select few whose clear intention is to hinder and hamper my ability to engage and answer questions from genuine members of the community. I do acknowledge that a great majority of people who engage with the House petitions process do so in good faith and in accordance with the rules.
]]>Thank you to the organising committee, made up of John Corker, Jeremy Lasek, Jaymee Beveridge and Woolyungah, Sally Stevenson, Sallie Moffatt, Tina Smith, Theresa Huxtable, Sharon Callaghan, Stephen Young, Callum Glasgow and Russell Couch. Thank you also to all the dedicated postcode leaders right across the electorate: Cam Sugden, Francis Brazil, Ciara Bowe, Bronwyn Batten, Russell Hogg, Vicki Sugars, Jess Holz, Benita Andrews, Tiana Myers, Elisabeth Smith and Susan Benham. A special acknowledgement goes to Uncle Richard Davis and Dr Jodi Edwards, who did many of the welcomes to country.
Working in tandem with Wollongong for Yes was the outstanding and never-tiring Illawarra Young Labor team, led by Geordie Horan and Callum Bain. This team knocked on over 500 doors and made 5,000 phone calls, all while balancing work and university. Thank you to Callum Glasgow, Lou Fitch, Ethan Powell, Noah Hardie, Miles Watson, Harrison Ledger, Jessica Wallace, Noah McMillan, Frances Kerkham, Ben Hancock, Ryan Jinks, Josh Lane, Ella Rose-Webber— (Time expired)
]]>The Australian Energy Market Operator is responsible for the security of the national energy market, and they have undertaken extensive modelling in relation to the future energy needs of Australia. Yes, the experts and even the nightly weather reports are predicting this will be a hot and dry summer, but the government is working collaboratively with states and territories to prepare. AEMO's 2023 Electricity statement of opportunities report states in relation to this summer that approximately 3.4 gigawatts more of new generation and storage capacity from a range of technologies is expected to be available compared to what was available last summer.
The market is speaking. Green energy is cheaper. Only the opposition would consider that the government is following an ill-informed pathway by decarbonising the grid. We are acting to fix the mess left behind by those opposite, delivering overdue policy certainty and investing in the cheapest form of energy—renewables. We're making up for a decade of inaction with a $20 billion Rewiring the Nation fund. We are implementing the Capacity Investment Scheme to increase new dispatchable capacity and to ensure reliability. We delivered more than $1.7 billion for the Energy Savings Package in the last budget, for energy savings upgrades for homes, business and social housing, to cut bills and reduce pressure on the grid.
In the electorate of Cunningham, steps are being taken to assist Australia to build a strong and clean energy future. A proposed offshore wind zone is currently out for consultation, and I had many conversations in the recess with my community about our future energy needs. I have had many of those conversations with young people in my community, who are particularly concerned about our environment. They are a generation that have seen nothing but the effects of climate change: volatile temperature differences, fires, floods, erosion and habitat loss. This worries them. They know that we need to look at new ways to generate strong, reliable and renewable energy. Businesses in my community have sent me the very clear message that in the future they need strong, reliable and renewable energy. Major manufacturers know that they are going to need renewables to produce their products, not just because of the cost but also because the market is going to demand clean and renewable products.
BlueScope Steel recently said they'll need 15 times the current amount of electricity to transform the Port Kembla Steelworks and make the same volume of steel using hydrogen powered direct reduced iron-making, or DRI, technology. BlueScope Steel currently uses 750,000 megawatt hours of grid supplied electricity across the steelworks per year. This equates to the usage of about 150,000 households, and they're going to need 15 times that to make green steel. The offshore wind proposal for the Illawarra, if implemented at the current size, would generate enough electricity to power 3.4 million houses. BlueScope Steel will need about two-thirds of that amount of energy to keep our local steelworks open and producing green steel in the future. BlueScope currently employs 3,500 people directly in the Illawarra and is responsible for a total of 9,000 jobs in the region, including contractors and suppliers.
Also locally, Australian Industrial Power, a subsidiary of Squadron Energy, is developing a 635 megawatt Port Kembla energy hub. While this project is in the early stages of development, it is indicative of the steps being taken by private investors as we move to new energy sources. It is renewable forms of power, not just any old power, which are going to sustain and grow thousands of jobs in my local community. Future energy generation will not be a task for a few communities in Australia; it will be a responsibility for every community and every household.
]]>The Young Alumni Award, recognising graduates aged 35 and under, was presented to Dr Natalie Matosin, senior research fellow at the University of Wollongong. Dr Matosin has risen to international prominence for her pioneering research providing major insights into the brain biology of mental illnesses, influencing industry partners, international researchers and clinicians to inform human clinical trials and identify novel drug targets.
The Professional Excellence Award was presented to Professor Faye McMillan AM, Professor of Indigenous Health at the University of Technology, Sydney. A proud Wiradjuri woman, Professor McMillan is an esteemed leader in Aboriginal health and education who has tirelessly championed the wellbeing and equity of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. She is the first Indigenous Australian to receive a prestigious Harkness Fellowship, awarded earlier this year, and was awarded New South Wales Aboriginal Woman of the Year for 2019.
The Social Impact Award was presented to Honorary Professor Tanya Buchanan, CEO of the Cancer Council Australia. Honorary Professor Buchanan has made considerable contributions to public health through her leadership and commitment to improving health concerns in our community. As CEO of Cancer Council Australia, she is highly influential in Australia's approach to cancer treatment, prevention and research.
The Innovation and Entrepreneurship (Individual) Award was presented to Paul Smith, founder and chairman of Total Sport and Entertainment. Paul founded the world's most prominent sports marketing research business, RepuCom, changing how consumer research was delivered and used to measure sports sponsorships. Paul returned from the US in 2016 to focus on his agency and acquire the Sydney Kings men's and Sydney Flames women's basketball teams, where he is harnessing innovation and excellence to achieve Australian basketball records.
The Innovation and Entrepreneurship (Group) Award was presented to Glenn Farrant and Jahmai Lay, CEOs and founders of CriticalArc. Glenn and Jahmai are outstanding entrepreneurs who have transformed the security industry with their innovative SafeZone application. Developed during their founding research residency at UOW, SafeZone has fundamentally changed how incident detection and response occurs in tertiary education. The Research and Scholarship Award was presented to Distinguished Professor Omowunmi Sadik.
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