Michelle Ananda-Rajah's recent appearances (OpenAustralia.org)
type: channel
language: en-gb
creator: OpenAustralia.org, mprss.php script
date: 2026-02-05T22:06:04+00:00
items: Allen, Dr Katrina Jane (Katie) | Condolences | Senate debates
items: Education, Waste Management and Recycling | Statements by Senators | Senate debates
items: Answers to Questions | Questions without Notice: Take Note of Answers | Senate debates
items: Bondi Beach: Attack | Condolences | Senate debates
items: Workplace Relations: Amazon | Statements by Senators | Senate debates
items: g17.1
items: Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation | Matters of Urgency | Senate debates
items: Victoria: Medical Workforce, Australian Defence Force School of Health | Adjournment | Senate debates
items: Health Care | Questions without Notice | Senate debates
items: Cost of Living: Tertiary Education | Adjournment | Senate debates
items: Climate Change | Statements by Senators | Senate debates
items: Australian Centre for Disease Control Bill 2025, Australian Centre for Disease Control (Consequential Amendments and Transitional Provisions) Bill 2025; Second Reading | Bills | Senate debates
items: Fair Work Amendment (Baby Priya's) Bill 2025; Second Reading | Bills | Senate debates
items: Construction, Forestry and Maritime Employees Union | Questions without Notice | Senate debates

Allen, Dr Katrina Jane (Katie) | Condolences | Senate debates
type: item
description: I pay tribute to Dr Katie Allen and her life of exemplary public service. Katie's long career of service began first in medicine and research. Many people have asked me whether I knew Katie just...
encoded: I pay tribute to Dr Katie Allen and her life of exemplary public service. Katie's long career of service began first in medicine and research. Many people have asked me whether I knew Katie just because I was a doctor. I just want to clear this up now. I really didn't, because Katie was a paediatric doctor, and I was an adult doctor. In medicine, there's a professional and cultural firewall between these two disciplines. There shouldn't be, but there is. I actually learned the most about Katie sadly at her unbelievable memorial service. People will be talking about this memorial service for years to come. Seeing was believing. When I listened to the eulogies from people who knew her well, all I could think about was relentless service and excellence in each of those chapters of her life, as Senator Sharma said. I think, honestly, she set a new benchmark for the rest of us on how to live a good life—a benchmark which I think is unattainable for me, certainly. She was a consultant paediatrician at the Royal Children's Hospital for nearly 30 years and a leading researcher and academic, holding senior roles at the Murdoch Children's Research Institute, including as division head for population health and director of the Centre for Food Allergy Research. She also held professional appointments at the University of Melbourne, Monash University and the University of Manchester and authored more than 400 peer-reviewed publications—an extraordinary output. Her research helped change how paediatric food allergy is understood and managed. Particularly pioneering was the establishment of the HealthNuts study, which was the first population-based epidemiological study that accurately measured food allergy in infants. It turns out that Australia—Melbourne—is the food allergy capital of the world, thanks to Katie's groundbreaking research. Katie then stepped into political life, serving as the member for Higgins from 2019 to 2022. During my own time as the member for Higgins it wa…
date: 2026-02-04T19:23:00+00:00

Education, Waste Management and Recycling | Statements by Senators | Senate debates
type: item
description: This week, school gates have swung open across the country. Families are back to that familiar rhythm. This moment always feels like a reset, but it's also a reminder of something deeper:...
encoded: This week, school gates have swung open across the country. Families are back to that familiar rhythm. This moment always feels like a reset, but it's also a reminder of something deeper: education isn't one stage of life; it's the thread that runs through it. From early childhood, through primary and secondary school and on to vocational training and university, education is foundational to lifelong learning. As students head back into school, we recognise the scale of the work underway to lift outcomes and ensure that no child is left behind. Through the Better and Fairer Schools Agreement, we have, with the states and territories, made the biggest new investment in public schools ever—$16½ billion over 10 years. This funding is not a blank cheque but is linked directly to practical changes that make a difference: year 1 phonics and numeracy checks, because you want to identify problems early so that you can intervene most impactfully; evidence based learning and teaching, such as more individualised supports like small group tutoring so students can catch up and keep up; greater wellbeing support—parents have been crying out for greater mental health support for students, and we're providing it through counsellors, wellbeing coordinators and mental health workers—initiatives that help attract and retain teachers and school leaders, including rewarding and recognising experienced teachers, as they are a national asset; and providing professional development for teachers through free online courses in areas such as phonics, STEM, leadership, explicit teaching and classroom management. You can go and check these out online. They're run by the University of Adelaide. These changes, driven by a $16½ billion investment in public education, won't just succeed on paper; they will succeed in classrooms, delivered by teachers. There is positive news here: more Australians are choosing teaching. Say it from the rooftops! More Australians are choosing teaching. There is no m…
date: 2026-02-04T12:37:00+00:00

Answers to Questions | Questions without Notice: Take Note of Answers | Senate debates
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description: The opposition emoting and waxing lyrical about the cost of living is honestly a little bit rich. Why? I was here in the first term of this government, and I remember that they voted against...
encoded: The opposition emoting and waxing lyrical about the cost of living is honestly a little bit rich. Why? I was here in the first term of this government, and I remember that they voted against every single cost-of-living measure that this Albanese government put forward to this parliament. It's a bit rich and disingenuous that they would stand here and profess to actually care about the Australian people. We're a government who understands that Australian families, households and businesses are under pressure. The cost of living was the dominant issue in our first term of government. Unfortunately, we are still dealing with an inflationary hangover. That is evident. We understand that millions of Australians will be disappointed with this interest rate rise, but we're a government that is not here to emote. We are here to actually do something about this and support Australians during this period. What are we doing about that? There's a whole suite of measures that I can describe. Health care has been a big area of action, as has housing, after a decade of Liberal and National neglect—I was about to say coalition, but they're not that anymore. I don't know what they are. We're acting on the skills shortage, which was absolutely forgotten about after a decade of drift under the Liberals. Of course, we're acting on wages. If we just take one area, health care—an area I can speak about; I have some experience in health care—we have, with $8½ billion, pumped in the biggest investment in Medicare's 42-year history. Medicare is a great Labor legacy. It was borne out of the Hawke government—incredible vision—and before that was Medibank. It was resisted all the way through by the Liberals. They thought that free health care was ridiculous, that no-one should have universal health care. That is not the vision that a Labor prime minister, Bob Hawke, had. With that $8½ billion, we are actually seeing green shoots of recovery in bulk-billing. Since this rolled out on 1 November,…
date: 2026-02-03T15:09:00+00:00

Bondi Beach: Attack | Condolences | Senate debates
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description: Sunday 14 December 2025 will forever be etched in infamy in this country—a day when the malignant effects of antisemitism collided with the equally malignant effects of Islamic radicalism....
encoded: Sunday 14 December 2025 will forever be etched in infamy in this country—a day when the malignant effects of antisemitism collided with the equally malignant effects of Islamic radicalism. The sounds of song and surf were pierced by screams and gunshots as people either fell to the ground killed, cowered in terror or scattered in multiple directions. I pay my respects to the memories of 15 Australians, the majority of them Jewish, along with at least 40 injured people facing long roads to recovery ahead. The physical wounds heal faster than the psychological ones. My sister lost a dear friend in Adam Smyth; my heartfelt condolences to his family and to the families of Boris and Sofia Gurman, Rabbi Eli Schlanger, Edith Brutman, Boris Tetleroyd, Marika Pogany, Peter Meagher, Dan Elkayam, Reuven Morrison, Tibor Weitzen, Alexander Kleytman, Rabbi Yaakov Levitan, Tania Tretiak and, of course, Matilda, only 10 years old. May their memories be a blessing. In Jewish tradition, repeating the names of the deceased ensures that their memories do not die. I pay tribute to the first responders, lifeguards, healthcare workers, police—including constables Jack Hibbert and Scott Dyson, who were injured—and emergency personnel who sprung into action on the day and have continued their work with professionalism in service to our community and country. Amid the chaos and terror were extraordinary acts of courage, like Sofia and Boris Gurman, who had the presence of mind to disarm the terrorist as he was about to start his killing spree, only to be shot dead; 14-year-old Chaya Dadon, who, in the middle of the attack, left the safety of a shelter to shield two children who were stranded next to their wounded parents, getting shot in the process—a child herself shielding children, who said: 'I felt like Hashem'—or God—'was sitting right next to me. He was whispering into my ear, "This is your mission; go save those kids."'; Reuven Morrison, a Russian Australian grandfather who distracted…
date: 2026-01-19T16:34:00+00:00

Workplace Relations: Amazon | Statements by Senators | Senate debates
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description: Amazon is making bank built off the back of hardworking Aussies. Behind unbeatable low prices and next-day delivery are questionable work practices that keep people in economic precarity....
encoded: Amazon is making bank built off the back of hardworking Aussies. Behind unbeatable low prices and next-day delivery are questionable work practices that keep people in economic precarity. Warehouse staff are employed as casuals or through labour hire, and delivery drivers are pushed into the gig economy. We know these workers are overwhelmingly young people and migrants. Amazon maximises its returns off the back of hardworking Aussies, who deserve their fair share. What's the size of that pie? In 2024, Amazon Commercial Services earned an eye-watering $3.12 billion in Australia but paid just—wait for it—$24.9 million in tax. That's a mere 0.8 per cent. A nurse pays more tax than Amazon. We are all being taken for a ride, people! We are all being taken for a ride. This is exactly why unions like the TWU and SDA are so important. Unions hold powerful corporations to account. They hold their feet to the fire. Unions commission research. They engage with leaders and their workers to help deliver better conditions, like stronger safeguards for gig workers, protected penalty rates for casual employees, payday super, banning wage secrecy, and multi-employer bargaining—all these measures that, with the help of our unions, this Albanese Labor government has delivered for Australian workers. There is no standing up to the corporate giants unless you stand together. Join your union.
date: 2025-11-27T13:38:00+00:00

g17.1
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title: Environment Protection Reform Bill 2025, National Environmental Protection Agency Bill 2025, Environment Information Australia Bill 2025, Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (Customs Charges Imposition) Bill 2025, Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (Excise Charges Imposition) Bill 2025, Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (General Charges Imposition) Bill 2025, Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (Restoration Charge Imposition) Bill 2025; Second Reading | Bills | Senate debates
description: I stand in ardent support of the Environment Protection Reform Bill 2025. This is a landmark reform. It's generational, a word we throw around too often, but it is truly generational in every...
encoded: I stand in ardent support of the Environment Protection Reform Bill 2025. This is a landmark reform. It's generational, a word we throw around too often, but it is truly generational in every sense of the word—not only for current generations but for future generations. Many of us came into this parliament, leaving behind jobs that were far easier, to be good ancestors. This is a true moment of being the good ancestors that we wish to be, that we aspire to be. From the outset, I want to thank the Greens political party. I want to thank Senator Waters and Senator Hanson-Young for their collaboration and their leadership in supporting the passage of this bill. I know that, for many Greens supporters and, indeed, Labor supporters and advocates, we all care for nature. We love nature. We are nature. We are embedded in nature, and we recognise that. People across our political spectrum have spent a lifetime fighting for nature—years and years, decades and decades. This is meaningful reform for our nation and for this parliament, and it is vindication of those decades of work by stakeholders in the community, both on the Labor side and on the Greens side. It is disappointing that we were unable to garner the support of the coalition, but the coalition, honestly, have departed the field on so many fronts. They style themselves as an alternative party of government, but I think their decision today not to support this landmark reform only underscores that they can no longer hold the mantle of being an alternative party of government. But they're not the story. The story today is about the environment. This bill builds upon the work of the Samuel review. Professor Graeme Samuel is the architect of this bill. I want to thank him and the team that delivered the Samuel report five years ago, in 2020, under the then coalition government. That report laid it all out. It laid out the state of the environment. It was in a poor state of health and it was deteriorating, and there was…
date: 2025-11-27T09:42:00+00:00

Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation | Matters of Urgency | Senate debates
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description: I thank Senator David Pocock and colleagues for moving this important motion on CSIRO. CSIRO is, indeed, a national asset. As it is a peak public institution in this country, devoted to science,...
encoded: I thank Senator David Pocock and colleagues for moving this important motion on CSIRO. CSIRO is, indeed, a national asset. As it is a peak public institution in this country, devoted to science, we will always support it. This stands in contrast to the climate deniers on the opposite side, who now seem to have discovered a genuine interest in science. It's entirely hypocritical for them to be now clutching their pearls and their chests and wringing their hands in anguish over imminent job cuts at CSIRO. You have no credibility whatsoever. The story of CSIRO is not one of government job cuts. It is, unfortunately, a story of mismanagement. Indeed, four days ago, a whistleblower declared to the Fairfax Papers that there were problems evident at CSIRO five years ago. The Morrison government, during the pandemic, injected an additional $459 million over four years into CSIRO. This funding boost led to a huge increase in CSIRO's headcount. The headcount swelled by nearly 1,400 staff between 2020 and 2024. In other words, CSIRO went on a massive recruitment drive with this additional funding. What also happened during that time is that employee benefits, CSIRO's largest expense, jumped—by 30 per cent since 2019. This is a quote from this former senior staff member: There were no real projects for them to work on. When 2024 clocked on, there was a funding cliff, and this near half-a-billion dollars that had been injected into CSIRO had been, effectively, squandered. The new management have come on under the stewardship of eminent scientist and fine Australian Professor Doug Hilton. He's had to do housekeeping; he and the independent board, which stands at arm's length from the government, have had to do some housekeeping. I want to make it clear: any institution, whether it be scientific or otherwise, that receives public funds must be held accountable. CSIRO must be held accountable even though it is a peak scientific body. It is not a protected species. No-one that recei…
date: 2025-11-26T17:26:00+00:00

Victoria: Medical Workforce, Australian Defence Force School of Health | Adjournment | Senate debates
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description: Recently I had the privilege of attending a celebration for the very first cohort to graduate from Victoria's end-to-end rural medical training program, delivered in partnership between La Trobe...
encoded: Recently I had the privilege of attending a celebration for the very first cohort to graduate from Victoria's end-to-end rural medical training program, delivered in partnership between La Trobe University and the University of Melbourne. It was a landmark moment for the graduates, for regional Victoria and for the nation. For as long as I can remember, we have had a doctor drought in the regions. The evidence is clear that students who come from the regions and train in the regions stay in the regions. This is precisely what this partnership delivers. It is not an add-on or a placement tacked on to a metropolitan degree; it is true end-to-end regional training that opens the doors wider for rural and regional students, many of whom might never have seen themselves reflected in a traditional city-centric model of medical education. At the celebration, I met graduates who are already working in their communities—young people with deep roots in their community who have not endured the dislocation of travel away from family, sporting teams and childhood friends, nor the cost-of-living pressures of studying away from home. Many are the first in their family to attend university. Many have juggled study with work, caring responsibilities and, in some cases, the disruptions of fires, floods and a pandemic. These are not just bright students; they are resilient. After all, they have managed seven years of medical study—that's much longer than my training was. They are community-minded clinicians who understand their patients, because their patients are neighbours. They share their lived experience. If we are serious about equity in health, we must be serious about innovative models like this. They work. They grow a work-ready rural medical workforce. They give country kids a fair shot at a medical career and give country communities a fair shot at a timely and high-quality health service. Of note is that our government has increased the number of Commonwealth-supported pla…
date: 2025-11-25T19:30:00+00:00

Health Care | Questions without Notice | Senate debates
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description: The Albanese Labor government delivered cost-of-living relief to all Australians by strengthening Medicare and cutting the cost of medicines on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme in its first...
encoded: The Albanese Labor government delivered cost-of-living relief to all Australians by strengthening Medicare and cutting the cost of medicines on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme in its first term. What further action has the government taken in 2025 to help more Australians access cheaper medicines via the PBS?
date: 2025-11-25T15:01:00+00:00

Health Care | Questions without Notice | Senate debates
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description: In its first term, the Albanese Labor government delivered 87 Medicare urgent care clinics so Australians could get the urgent treatment they need. How has the government continued to roll out...
encoded: In its first term, the Albanese Labor government delivered 87 Medicare urgent care clinics so Australians could get the urgent treatment they need. How has the government continued to roll out urgent care clinics across Australia, and how is this improving access to health care across Australia?
date: 2025-11-25T15:00:00+00:00

Health Care | Questions without Notice | Senate debates
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description: My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Health and Ageing, Senator McAllister. This year, delivering cost-of-living relief and affordable health care has been a key priority...
encoded: My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Health and Ageing, Senator McAllister. This year, delivering cost-of-living relief and affordable health care has been a key priority of the Albanese Labor government. How has the government strengthened Medicare and delivered on its commitments to deliver better access to health care for all Australians?
date: 2025-11-25T14:57:00+00:00

Cost of Living: Tertiary Education | Adjournment | Senate debates
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description: Australia's tertiary education system is one of the best in the world. Under the HELP scheme, every Australian student can study a university degree without paying a cent in tuition until they...
encoded: Australia's tertiary education system is one of the best in the world. Under the HELP scheme, every Australian student can study a university degree without paying a cent in tuition until they earn over $67,000 a year. We actually raised that threshold. It was previously sitting at around $54,000 a year. We have lifted that to $67,000 a year to provide some cost-of-living relief to students. But tuition fees aren't the only barrier to university education. For many students who live out of home and whose parents earn above the income threshold for youth allowance, a part-time job is the only way for them to get by. It's super common for students to work part time. These students deserve of to feel supported and to have their needs accommodated, but, for too many working students, their experience is anything but. Law students at Monash University were recently reminded in an email from the dean of law that they should not be working any more than eight to 10 hours per week. They were told to consider reducing their study load and that this kind of time management is 'an important professional skill and well regarded by employers'. This could not be more tone deaf. For an average student, eight to 10 hours per week is less than $230 in their pocket. For students who rely on part-time work to get by, the message is loud and clear: either reduce your study load or drop out altogether. For international student, reducing your study load isn't even an option. Either get by or go home—that's the subtext. The consequences are plain to see. In 2018, a survey by the Melbourne Centre for the Study of Higher Education found that an overwhelming number of students were experiencing financial stress. One in three students had living expenses that exceeded their income. One in seven students reported regularly going without food and other necessities. One in five students reduced their course load for financial reasons. No student should have to choose between eating and getting …
date: 2025-11-05T19:39:00+00:00

Health Care | Questions without Notice | Senate debates
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description: Clearly, strengthening Medicare by improving access to quality, affordable health care is a key focus of the Albanese Labor government. How will the government continue to strengthen Medicare and...
encoded: Clearly, strengthening Medicare by improving access to quality, affordable health care is a key focus of the Albanese Labor government. How will the government continue to strengthen Medicare and guard against efforts to undermine it?
date: 2025-11-04T14:09:00+00:00

Health Care | Questions without Notice | Senate debates
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description: The Albanese Labor government opened 87 Medicare Urgent Care Clinics in its first term. These clinics have made a big difference in communities right across Australia, giving Australians access...
encoded: The Albanese Labor government opened 87 Medicare Urgent Care Clinics in its first term. These clinics have made a big difference in communities right across Australia, giving Australians access to care quicker and for free. How is the government continuing to deliver on its commitment to strengthen Medicare by establishing even more Medicare Urgent Care Clinics?
date: 2025-11-04T14:07:00+00:00

Health Care | Questions without Notice | Senate debates
type: item
description: My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Wong. A focus of the Albanese Labor government's first term was strengthening Medicare after a decade of neglect. How is...
encoded: My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Wong. A focus of the Albanese Labor government's first term was strengthening Medicare after a decade of neglect. How is the government delivering access to quality, affordable health care for even more Australians?
date: 2025-11-04T14:05:00+00:00

Climate Change | Statements by Senators | Senate debates
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description: Australians know that climate change is real and the need for action is urgent, even many in the Liberal Party now say as much. But missing in action are the Nationals, who, with a shrug and a...
encoded: Australians know that climate change is real and the need for action is urgent, even many in the Liberal Party now say as much. But missing in action are the Nationals, who, with a shrug and a smirk, walked away from net zero over the weekend. In abandoning net zero, they have abandoned the Australian people, current and future generations. The party of farmers are turning their backs on farmers who wish to droughtproof their businesses. They are turning their backs on jobs in regional communities. They are turning their backs on regional communities who wish to diversify their economies, knowing that it's these same communities who are the ones who are most acutely feeling the impacts of climate change. This is the very definition of 'climate delayism'. It is the next chapter in the climate denialism playbook, and it is just as harmful. We have seen this movie before—
date: 2025-11-04T13:58:00+00:00

Australian Centre for Disease Control Bill 2025, Australian Centre for Disease Control (Consequential Amendments and Transitional Provisions) Bill 2025; Second Reading | Bills | Senate debates
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description: I absolutely agree with you; it should do that. Climate change is the threat multiplier. It puts pressure on every single system and sector of society. It's not just about heatwaves; it's not...
encoded: I absolutely agree with you; it should do that. Climate change is the threat multiplier. It puts pressure on every single system and sector of society. It's not just about heatwaves; it's not just about heat stress. There's so much more going on when it comes to climate change. It will certainly dovetail and support the work that our government has done in creating a national health and climate strategy. It will be complementary to that. I want to issue a note of caution here, though. During the pandemic I became an activist. I was a science based activist. I spoke up for the health and welfare of healthcare workers, because we were not being looked after during that pandemic. It was really difficult. It was existential for us. It was existential for patients and people in the community, but it was absolutely existential for the front line. I came away from that with learnings that I think the CDC needs to take into account. Firstly, we need to protect the workforce. The healthcare workforce is mission critical to the functioning of this nation. Protect the workforce; ring fence the workforce. It is the asset. It's not the experts, necessarily; it's the workforce. The workforce is everything. Protect the asset. We should not be in a situation where PPE is being rationed in hospitals, aged-care facilities or clinics. We should not be in a situation where surgeons are jury-rigging their masks and literally sticking micropore tape on the edges of their mask because they have not been given the right PPE. We should not be in a situation where paramedics are having their masks and goggles fog up while they are resuscitating patients during a pandemic. That is exactly what happened. We should not be in a situation where healthcare workers are purchasing their own PPE, at considerable cost, because it's simply not provided by their place of work. We should not be in a situation where any healthcare worker is gaslit or censured in a system that privileges optics over work h…
date: 2025-11-04T13:17:00+00:00

Australian Centre for Disease Control Bill 2025, Australian Centre for Disease Control (Consequential Amendments and Transitional Provisions) Bill 2025; Second Reading | Bills | Senate debates
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description: I rise in support of the establishment of an Australian CDC. I've got to say, Senator Antic, it was pretty hard for me to listen to what you just said. That tirade was next level, particularly...
encoded: I rise in support of the establishment of an Australian CDC. I've got to say, Senator Antic, it was pretty hard for me to listen to what you just said. That tirade was next level, particularly for someone who was on the front line during the COVID-19 pandemic. I was a healthcare professional on that front line with my colleagues, wrapped in PPE. I put it to you that you get to stand here, and I get to stand here, thanks to the decisions that were made by healthcare professionals, public health specialists and government. And I also say to all those Victorians: yes, it was really hard; I completely agree it was hard. But the decisions that were made by the then Victorian government meant that our hospitals in Victoria did not collapse. We remained functional and we were able to still see patients, some of whom died. The fact that next week I will be celebrating my father's 85th birthday means that we did something right as a country. Yes, there were a lot of things that went wrong and that we want to learn from. And this is why we are, as a Labor government, fulfilling a promise that we took to two elections: to establish a national centre for disease control. We will now be aligned with other OECD countries in the world who actually have a centre like this so that we do not have to go through some of that confusing, contradictory advice that we had during the pandemic. I won't stand here, as a Victorian, and watch people like Senator Antic—and others, no doubt, during the course of today—tear down the decisions that were made. It was tough; it was really tough. I saw enough people die on the front line, often people who did not get vaccinated. They either ended up gasping for air—and we were unable to save them—or they ended up with chronic health conditions thereafter. So we are establishing this long-awaited CDC. It is a capability born in the aftermath of a one-in-100-years event, which was the COVID-19 pandemic. It will stand as an enduring legacy of this Labor …
date: 2025-11-04T13:17:00+00:00

Fair Work Amendment (Baby Priya's) Bill 2025; Second Reading | Bills | Senate debates
type: item
description: I rise to speak on the Fair Work Amendment (Baby Priya's) Bill. The loss of a child is a profound tragedy. It has been described as a palpable, cascading grief that is linked to an equally...
encoded: I rise to speak on the Fair Work Amendment (Baby Priya's) Bill. The loss of a child is a profound tragedy. It has been described as a palpable, cascading grief that is linked to an equally palpable yearning—a longing that stretches into the infinite. It is everlasting—a grief for what has happened and what could have been of a life cut short. In this situation, in this period of grief, what we aim to do is prevent it from morphing into, or becoming, a trauma. This, unfortunately, was the scenario that faced Baby Priya's mother. Baby Priya died at six weeks of age to a mum who had been employed in an organisation for 11 years. This mum then faced the situation where her paid parental leave was unilaterally cancelled by her employer, yet this was not the situation for Baby Priya's father. As a result—thanks to their courageous advocacy—we now have this bill before us. We are here in this parliament to right this injustice. We want to, by bringing forward this amendment, reduce the distress of both parents and employers, who really shouldn't be in this position with a lack of clarity around what to do in these circumstances. We want to allow, with this amendment, parents the time and space to grieve and to provide clear guidance to employers as to what they should do in these rare scenarios. Stillbirth is rare. Australia is a country that has one of the safest records for women in childbirth. But in Australia six babies a day are stillborn. They're not viable when they're born. We also know that two babies die within 28 days of birth per year. That totals over 3,000 families who are affected every single year. So it's not negligible. It is rare, but it is certainly not negligible. In moving this amendment, we will be attempting to alleviate some of that distress for those families, giving them the time and space to grieve. I do want to say that it has been beyond disappointing to hear some of the arguments peddled in this chamber linking this bill in some way to late-t…
date: 2025-11-03T10:40:00+00:00

Construction, Forestry and Maritime Employees Union | Questions without Notice | Senate debates
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description: I seek leave to ask a question on behalf of the state of Victoria regarding the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme. Leave not granted.
encoded: I seek leave to ask a question on behalf of the state of Victoria regarding the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme. Leave not granted.
date: 2025-10-30T16:43:00+00:00