Sophie Scamps's recent appearances (OpenAustralia.org)
type: channel
language: en-gb
creator: OpenAustralia.org, mprss.php script
date: 2025-12-11T22:05:16+00:00
items: Fossil Fuel Industry | Questions without Notice | House debates
items: Peninsula Senior Citizens Toy Repair Group | Statements by Members | House debates
items: Domestic and Family Violence | Constituency Statements | House debates
items: Commonwealth Prac Payment | Matters of Public Importance | House debates
items: Brisbane Olympic and Paralympic Games | Private Members' Business | House debates
items: Interactive Gambling Amendment (Ending Online Wagering on Greyhound Racing) Bill 2025; Second Reading | Bills | House debates
items: Health Care | Questions without Notice | House debates
items: National Environmental Protection Agency Bill 2025; Consideration in Detail | Bills | House debates
items: g48.5
items: g48.1
items: Freedom of Information Amendment Bill 2025; Consideration in Detail | Bills | House debates
items: Freedom of Information Amendment Bill 2025; Second Reading | Bills | House debates
items: g108.1
items: United States-Australia Framework for Securing of Supply in the Mining and Processing of Critical Minerals and Rare Earths | Private Members' Business | House debates
items: Public Sector Governance | Questions without Notice | House debates
items: Youth Voice in Parliament | Statements by Members | House debates
items: Health Care | Constituency Statements | House debates
items: Australian Centre for Disease Control Bill 2025, Australian Centre for Disease Control (Consequential Amendments and Transitional Provisions) Bill 2025; Consideration in Detail | Bills | House debates

Fossil Fuel Industry | Questions without Notice | House debates
type: item
description: My question is to the Minister for Resources. Minister, more than 80 per cent of Australia's gas is used for exports, tripling domestic gas prices and doubling electricity prices. In 2011,...
encoded: My question is to the Minister for Resources. Minister, more than 80 per cent of Australia's gas is used for exports, tripling domestic gas prices and doubling electricity prices. In 2011, Santos's Gladstone LNG joint venture signed export contracts, despite not having sufficient gas reserves, forcing gas to be diverted from the domestic market. Can the minister confirm that this egregious export contract will not be extended beyond 2031 when it expires, as recommended by the ACCC?
date: 2025-11-27T14:58:00+00:00

Peninsula Senior Citizens Toy Repair Group | Statements by Members | House debates
type: item
description: For the last 50 years the Peninsula Senior Citizens Toy Repair Group in Mackellar have been bringing joy to children locally and around the world by restoring and recycling toys. Last week I...
encoded: For the last 50 years the Peninsula Senior Citizens Toy Repair Group in Mackellar have been bringing joy to children locally and around the world by restoring and recycling toys. Last week I thoroughly enjoyed visiting their toy workshop, which is filled to the rooftop with toys, to celebrate their 50th anniversary and to see firsthand the amazing work they do. They held a hugely successful toy drive to mark the occasion. Peninsula toys was established in 1975 with the goal of creating a local organisation that would benefit the community by providing an engaging activity for senior citizens, bringing joy to underprivileged children and contributing to toy recycling efforts, thereby reducing landfill waste. Today, over 30 dedicated retirees, both male and female, devote countless hours each week to ensuring that children in need have access to toys, books, games, puzzles and more. Santa's elves have nothing on peninsula toys, who work all year round distributing thousands of restored and recycled toys to countries such as Cambodia, Papua New Guinea, Sri Lanka, Sierra Leone, Ghana ,Tonga and Fiji. They also provide toys to drought-stricken farming families through Rotary and Lions clubs, to First Nations communities in Sydney and Brewarrina and to children in hospital. I congratulate them on their 50th birthday and thank them for their dedication and commitment to bringing joy to so many.
date: 2025-11-27T13:35:00+00:00

Domestic and Family Violence | Constituency Statements | House debates
type: item
description: Yesterday marked the launch of the UN 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence. In Australia in 2024, a woman was killed every four days, and intimate partner violence contributes to...
encoded: Yesterday marked the launch of the UN 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence. In Australia in 2024, a woman was killed every four days, and intimate partner violence contributes to more death and disability in women aged 25 to 44 than any other preventable cause. This is simply astounding. And these are not just numbers; they are lives cut short. The ongoing ramifications of domestic and family violence are devastating. It rips families apart, and the ripple effect on our society is endlessly damaging. In 2024 in my electorate on the northern beaches of Sydney we had the second-highest increased rate of domestic violence related assaults in New South Wales—and these are only the reported cases. This underscores the urgent need for government investment in prevention, culture change and more support and accommodation services, including in Mackellar. The recent, shocking Guardian investigation into the response of Queensland police in the deaths of three women in that state lays bare just how much work there is still to do on changing the culture around domestic and family violence in this country, especially for our frontline responders. In Mackellar, the Northern Beaches Domestic Violence Network brings together local providers and community organisations to support victims-survivors of domestic and family violence. On behalf of the northern beaches community, I extend the most enormous and heartfelt thankyou to you for your tireless care and compassion. These organisations include the Zonta club, the Women's Resilience Centre, Lifeline Northern Beaches, MoWaNa Safe Space and the Northern Beaches Council. Other key members, the Northern Beaches Women's Shelter and Women & Children First, are trusted specialist providers of crisis accommodation for mothers and children fleeing violence. These charitable organisations have delivered thousands of nights of safety and support to those in need, and yet on average both organisations turn away between 40 and 50…
date: 2025-11-26T09:30:00+00:00

Commonwealth Prac Payment | Matters of Public Importance | House debates
type: item
description: I too welcome the member for Indi's topic for debate today, because it truly is a matter of public importance. I really appreciate, as well, the contributions from those opposite who obviously...
encoded: I too welcome the member for Indi's topic for debate today, because it truly is a matter of public importance. I really appreciate, as well, the contributions from those opposite who obviously have a really strong passion for education and further investment in education as well. But our young people are doing it tough right now, and the lack of financial support for students doing mandatory prac placements is an important aspect of this. Today's generation of students are navigating an environment of high living costs—the costs of rent, groceries, transport and utilities—and this leaves students across the country struggling to make ends meet. On top of these financial challenges, mandatory placements are forcing students into real hardship right now, because of the inability to earn an income over long periods of full-time practical training and because of the need to pay rent, sometimes on top of their usual rent. For many the choice is stark—sacrifice basic needs or jeopardise their education. Too often, young students are skipping meals, living in their cars and making the difficult choice about whether or not to give up on their dreams and drop out of their studies completely. They are being forced into vulnerable situations. This growing economic strain threatens not only student wellbeing and safety but also the sustainability of our future health workforce. The introduction of the Commonwealth Prac Payment scheme on 1 July this year was timely, necessary and very welcome. Supporting nurses, midwives, social workers and teachers during their compulsory placements has been widely welcomed as a positive step towards addressing acute workforce shortages in schools, hospitals and aged care. While this targeted measure aims to boost enrolments and retention in these critical sectors, it disregards comparable placement demands and workforce shortages in other disciplines. For thousands of students undertaking allied health and medical degrees, amongst other things…
date: 2025-11-26T16:15:00+00:00

Brisbane Olympic and Paralympic Games | Private Members' Business | House debates
type: item
description: I rise in support of the motion brought on by the member for Ryan, and I thank the member for bringing this really important issue to the House. Brisbane and Australia have a huge opportunity...
encoded: I rise in support of the motion brought on by the member for Ryan, and I thank the member for bringing this really important issue to the House. Brisbane and Australia have a huge opportunity ahead with the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic games. But with that opportunity comes a responsibility to plan well, to plan transparently and to plan with the people who will live with the outcomes and the infrastructure long after the closing ceremony. We don't have to look far to understand what happens when Olympic planning goes wrong. Images of abandoned venues around the world are haunting reminders—vast structures, built at enormous expense, now rusting and empty. In Beijing the iconic birds nest dazzled during the games but has struggled ever since and is largely unused. Athens had little in the way of legacy planning, and many of its venues slipped almost immediately into disuse and disrepair. Even here, in Australia, Sydney's own Olympic Park offers lessons. Despite the excitement and the civic pride of the 2000 games, planning for post games was inadequate, and it was a heavily car-dependent destination from the outset. These shortcomings weren't inevitable but were the result of decisions made without deep community engagement or long-term vision. But there are positive examples too. London's planning for the 2012 games showed what's possible when you start early, listen carefully and think long term. Their games drove major regeneration; accelerated a city-wide transformation that was already underway; and engaged best-practice, environmentally sustainable development. Barcelona did the same for 1992, investing the majority of its funds not in sport but in lasting improvements to the city, successfully integrating a mega-event into long-term urban policy and planning. This led to a sustained economic and cultural benefit for the local community. There are already concerning signs that Brisbane may be missing the opportunity not just to host a great games but to improve…
date: 2025-11-24T12:21:00+00:00

Brisbane Olympic and Paralympic Games | Private Members' Business | House debates
type: item
description: I second the motion and reserve my right to speak.
encoded: I second the motion and reserve my right to speak.
date: 2025-11-24T12:11:00+00:00

Interactive Gambling Amendment (Ending Online Wagering on Greyhound Racing) Bill 2025; Second Reading | Bills | House debates
type: item
description: I second the motion. I start by thanking the member for Clark for his tireless advocacy for animal welfare and for bringing compassion and common sense to this parliament. There is widespread...
encoded: I second the motion. I start by thanking the member for Clark for his tireless advocacy for animal welfare and for bringing compassion and common sense to this parliament. There is widespread support for ending greyhound racing in this country. I've heard it consistently in my own electorate of Mackellar since I was elected in 2022 and I've seen it reflected in the national polling. The greyhound racing industry is one built on animal cruelty. In 2015, following the ABC Four Corners expose about the industry, a special commission of inquiry into greyhound racing in New South Wales was undertaken. The report described overwhelming evidence of systemic animal cruelty, including the mass killing of greyhounds, the widespread practice of live baiting, racing deaths and injuries, and the mistreatment of the dogs. The then premier of New South Wales, Michael Baird, acted swiftly to ban the industry in New South Wales, but this was soon overturned due to political pressure to give the industry another chance to reform itself. The industry has now had 10 years to reform itself. So where do we find ourselves a decade on? Sadly, it seems, not much has changed. Last year a handover report by New South Wales former chief veterinary officer Dr Alex Brittan claimed that some dogs were being raised at a 'barbaric' intensity, that rehomed animal figures were inflated and that some dogs were locked in metal cages. In the report, Dr Brittan wrote: There are cases of extreme distress, deep claw marks gouged all over the inside of metal cages and recent pools of blood from toenails that had been ripped off from clawing at the cage door in distress. The New South Wales Minister for Gaming and Racing, on reading the report, stated: This level of animal distress is appalling and can neither be condoned or excused. Last year, a new independent inquiry was undertaken to again look at greyhound racing in New South Wales. The report was handed to the racing minister early this year but is yet…
date: 2025-11-24T10:09:00+00:00

Health Care | Questions without Notice | House debates
type: item
description: My question is to the Minister for Health and Ageing. The Northern Beaches Hospital in Mackellar has provided both public and private services under a public-private partnership. Following the...
encoded: My question is to the Minister for Health and Ageing. The Northern Beaches Hospital in Mackellar has provided both public and private services under a public-private partnership. Following the private operator Healthscope entering receivership in May this year, the announcement that public services would be transitioned to NSW Health was indeed very welcome. However, there is great uncertainty about the continuation of the world-class private services delivered there. Minister, what reassurance can you provide my community regarding ongoing access to all the private services at Northern Beaches Hospital?
date: 2025-11-06T15:01:00+00:00

National Environmental Protection Agency Bill 2025; Consideration in Detail | Bills | House debates
type: item
description: by leave—I move amendments (1) to (34) as circulated in my name together: (1) Clause 2, page 2 (table item 1), omit the table item, substitute: (2) Clause 4, page 2 (line 20), after...
encoded: by leave—I move amendments (1) to (34) as circulated in my name together: (1) Clause 2, page 2 (table item 1), omit the table item, substitute: (2) Clause 4, page 2 (line 20), after "Agency,", insert "establishes the Board of NEPA". (3) Clause 4, page 2 (after line 21), after the paragraph beginning "This Act establishes", insert: The Board's functions include appointing the CEO, determining policies and long-term strategic plans for the CEO, advising the CEO and assessing and reporting on the CEO's performance of the CEO's functions. (4) Clause 4, page 3 (line 2), omit "the CEO and". (5) Clause 4, page 3 (lines 3 to 5), omit "the CEO's independence by directing the CEO in the performance or exercise of the CEO's functions or powers", substitute "the Board's or the CEO's independence by directing them in the performance or exercise of their functions or powers". (6) Clause 5, page 3 (after line 17), after the definition of advisory group, insert: Board: see section 11A. Board member means a member of the Board and includes the Chair and Deputy Chair. (7) Clause 5, page 3 (after line 18), after the definition of CEO, insert: Chair: see subsection 11D(5). Deputy Chair: see subsection 11D(5). (8) Clause 5, page 3 (before line 28), before paragraph (a) of the definition of entrusted person, insert: (aa) a Board member; or (9) Clause 5, page 4 (lines 3 to 6), omit paragraph (d) of the definition of entrusted person, substitute: (d) a person engaged under section 23 of the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Act 2013 by the Board under a written agreement to assist in, or advise in relation to, the performance of the Board's functions or the CEO's functions; or (10) Clause 5, page 4 (after line 12), after the definition of environment, insert: former judge means: (a) a former Justice of the High Court; or (b) a former judge of the Federal Court of Australia; or (c) a former judge of the Supreme Court of a State or Territory. Indigenous person means a person …
date: 2025-11-06T13:50:00+00:00

g48.5
type: item
title: Environment Protection Reform Bill 2025, National Environmental Protection Agency Bill 2025, Environment Information Australia Bill 2025, Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (Customs Charges Imposition) Bill 2025, Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (Excise Charges Imposition) Bill 2025, Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (General Charges Imposition) Bill 2025, Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (Restoration Charge Imposition) Bill 2025; Consideration in Detail | Bills | House debates
description: I move the amendments: SHEET 1 (1) Clause 2, page 2 (at the end of the table), add: (2) Schedule 1, page 5 (before line 8), before item 2, insert: 1A Section 11 Omit "it is taken in accordance...
encoded: I move the amendments: SHEET 1 (1) Clause 2, page 2 (at the end of the table), add: (2) Schedule 1, page 5 (before line 8), before item 2, insert: 1A Section 11 Omit "it is taken in accordance with Regional Forest Agreements or". (3) Schedule 1, item 85, page 16 (after line 3), after subsection 33(1), insert: (1A) However, the Minister must not make a declaration under subsection (1) in relation to forestry operations. (4) Schedule 1, item 115, page 38 (line 28), at the end of section 37, add: ; and (f) the action is not a forestry operation. (5) Schedule 1, page 38 (after line 28), after item 115, insert: 115A Divisions 4 and 6 of Part 4 Repeal the Divisions. (6) Schedule 1, item 117, page 39 (after line 11), after subsection 46(1), insert: (1A) However, a bilateral agreement must not make a declaration under subsection (1) in relation to forestry operations. (7) Schedule 1, item 117, page 39 (after line 17), after subsection 46(2), insert: (2A) However, the Minister must not accredit a management or authorisation framework in relation to forestry operations. (8) Schedule 1, page 64 (after line 20), after item 157, insert: 157A After subsection 68(1) Insert: Note: See also section 68B if the proposal involves clearing native vegetation. (9) Schedule 1, page 64 (after line 23), after item 158, insert: 158A Subsection 68A(5) After "subsection 68(1) or (2)", insert ", or subsection 68B(2),". 158B After section 68A Insert: 68B Clearing native vegetation in certain areas requires referral (1) This section applies to a proposal to take any of the following actions: (a) an action that includes clearing one or more areas of native vegetation that total 20 hectares or more; (b) an action that, together with one or more other actions, includes clearing one or more areas of native vegetation that: (i) total 20 hectares or more; and (ii) are on the same property; (c) an action, that together with one or more other actions over a period of up to 2 years, includes clearing one o…
date: 2025-11-06T11:37:00+00:00

g48.1
type: item
title: Environment Protection Reform Bill 2025, National Environmental Protection Agency Bill 2025, Environment Information Australia Bill 2025, Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (Customs Charges Imposition) Bill 2025, Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (Excise Charges Imposition) Bill 2025, Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (General Charges Imposition) Bill 2025, Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (Restoration Charge Imposition) Bill 2025; Consideration in Detail | Bills | House debates
description: I ask leave of the House to move amendments (1) to (20) on sheet 1, amendments (1) and (5) on sheet 2 and amendments (2) to (4) and (6) to (13) on sheet 2 as circulated in my name together
encoded: I ask leave of the House to move amendments (1) to (20) on sheet 1, amendments (1) and (5) on sheet 2 and amendments (2) to (4) and (6) to (13) on sheet 2 as circulated in my name together
date: 2025-11-06T11:37:00+00:00

Freedom of Information Amendment Bill 2025; Consideration in Detail | Bills | House debates
type: item
description: I rise in support for the member of Curtin's amendments. I just want to add my voice in calling for a broad review of the Freedom of Information Amendment Bill and of our FOI system—again,...
encoded: I rise in support for the member of Curtin's amendments. I just want to add my voice in calling for a broad review of the Freedom of Information Amendment Bill and of our FOI system—again, not just a committee review, but one that's done independently by experts. We know all previous reviews—the Hawke, Shergold, Faulkner and Thodey—all recommended comprehensive reviews. There are multiple concerns with this bill to change our FOI laws. They include the expansion of the cabinet document exemption, the reintroduction of application fees for FOI requests—something that would shut some people out of their democracy and promote secrecy over transparency—and the removal of the ability for a FOI applicant to remain anonymous or use a pseudonym. We know that sometimes it is people like whistleblowers and investigative journalists who need to make these applications anonymously, and we know that there have been many royal commissions coming from investigative journalism, so to cut that out, to shut that out, would be a retrograde step in terms of our transparency. There is one other thing I want to mention. A number of us have said that freedom of information is a cornerstone, a key pillar of our democracy. We need to be moving towards greater transparency and greater accountability, rather than greater secrecy. That's why having an independent, broad based review of our FOI system is incredibly important, and I support the member for Curtin's call for there to be a broad based review of our FOI system. Finally, a lack of trust in our political system, a lack of trust in our democracy, is something that undermines social cohesion and a sense of wellbeing. Anything we can do to inspire greater trust in our government and our political system is always a great way to grow that social cohesion.
date: 2025-11-05T17:33:00+00:00

Freedom of Information Amendment Bill 2025; Consideration in Detail | Bills | House debates
type: item
description: I move the amendment circulated in my name: (1) Schedule 7, Part 3, page 64 (line 1) to page 65 (line 5), omit the Part. The amendment I am moving today is simple. It removes the changes proposed...
encoded: I move the amendment circulated in my name: (1) Schedule 7, Part 3, page 64 (line 1) to page 65 (line 5), omit the Part. The amendment I am moving today is simple. It removes the changes proposed in this bill to the deliberative documents exemption of the Freedom of Information Act. The bill proposes to expand this exemption by including a new list of 'factors against giving access' in addition to the current 'factors favouring access' and 'irrelevant factors'. This list of factors against giving access to a document in the public interest is overly broad. In the words of former Public Service Commissioner Andrew Podger, 'They could be used to refuse access to almost any document.' Specifically, the list includes whether giving access to the document would or could reasonably be expected to prejudice the orderly and effective conduct of a government decision-making process. This is one of many measures in this bill that would reduce government transparency and take our public service in a more secretive direction. As I outlined in my second reading speech, experts, the broader community and my crossbench colleagues have all raised key concerns with this bill, including the expansion of the cabinet documents exemption, the reintroduction of application fees for FOI requests and the removal of the ability for an FOI applicant to remain anonymous or use a pseudonym. A central argument for the government for the proposed expansion of exemptions is that the current provisions constrain the delivery of frank and fearless advice. Certainly, we must protect the Public Service values of impartiality, intellectual rigour and perhaps, most importantly, the willingness of public servants at all levels to offer frank and fearless advice to their superiors and their ministers. Yet the evidence, including from the robodebt royal commission, shows that factors other than FOI are contributing to failures to provide frank and fearless advice. These include the central role of governm…
date: 2025-11-05T16:57:00+00:00

Freedom of Information Amendment Bill 2025; Second Reading | Bills | House debates
type: item
description: Freedom of information is one of the key pillars of a democracy. It should ensure that people have access to the information they need to understand the decisions and actions of their government....
encoded: Freedom of information is one of the key pillars of a democracy. It should ensure that people have access to the information they need to understand the decisions and actions of their government. Australia has a proud history as a world leader in freedom of information, having introduced a comprehensive federal FOI scheme in 1982, as part of the new administrative law reforms, and then undertaken a major overhaul of the scheme in 2010, under the leadership of Senator John Faulkner, to promote a greater culture of disclosure. Unfortunately, the Freedom of Information Amendment Bill 2025 does not continue this leadership. This bill reduces government transparency and takes our public services in a more secretive direction. Both of these outcomes would undermine our democracy. Here we are, with the bill having been relegated to the Federation Chamber by a government who clearly wants to ram these changes through without adequate time for scrutiny and consideration and without the level of debate they deserve. Certainly, Australia's FOI system needs an overhaul. You'd be hard pressed to find someone who disagrees with that. Indeed, in December 2023, the Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs References Committee described the system as broken and unfit for purpose. In July this year, the Centre for Public Integrity released analysis of the operation of the FOI system. It revealed a system that is underresourced, riddled with delays and concerning indications of the abuse of exemptions. And the Australia Institute has found that only 21 per cent of FOI requests in financial year 2023 were granted in full compared to 81 per cent in 2006. Where the average request took 13 hours to determine in 2006-7, it took 51 hours in 2023-24. In other words, the government employs four public servants to do what only took one public servant under the Howard government. Clearly, the system needs fixing, but the government's bill takes the system in the wrong direction. Under the guise …
date: 2025-11-04T19:27:00+00:00

g108.1
type: item
title: Environment Protection Reform Bill 2025, National Environmental Protection Agency Bill 2025, Environment Information Australia Bill 2025, Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (Customs Charges Imposition) Bill 2025, Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (Excise Charges Imposition) Bill 2025, Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (General Charges Imposition) Bill 2025, Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (Restoration Charge Imposition) Bill 2025; Second Reading | Bills | House debates
description: I rise to speak on the Environment Protection Reform Bill 2025. There is broad agreement that the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act, or EPBC Act, has utterly failed to...
encoded: I rise to speak on the Environment Protection Reform Bill 2025. There is broad agreement that the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act, or EPBC Act, has utterly failed to protect our environment for the past 25 years. We now have 19 ecosystems on the brink of collapse, and we are a global deforestation hotspot, along with Bolivia and Brazil. I want to begin by saying, sadly, that I cannot support the environmental reforms in these bills in their current form, because, quite simply, they do not guarantee protection for our nature. The EPBC Act is the one piece of national legislation that we have to protect our environment. It should be our nation's safeguard for the environment—the framework that ensures that our forests, rivers, oceans and wildlife are not irretrievably polluted and destroyed but protected for future generations. This package of reforms was intended to fix our national environment laws, but instead it risks entrenching the very weaknesses of the current EPBC Act that have allowed Australia's environment to decline so sharply. It is well understood that business needs greater certainty when it comes to project approvals. For Australia to meet our climate goals and unlock the enormous potential of renewable energy, we need clear, consistent and trusted environment laws. But right now many projects, including renewable energy projects, are being delayed or bogged down in confusion. Communities, investors and industry are all calling for the same thing: an approval process that is efficient, transparent and fair. Businesses need clarity on how decisions are made and they need to know that if they put forward a strong, environmentally sound proposal they'll get a fast 'yes' and if a project isn't up to scratch they'll get a fast 'no', so they can move on and refine their plans—not waste money—and invest with confidence elsewhere. That's what a well-functioning system delivers: speed, certainty and integrity. But this cannot come at t…
date: 2025-11-04T18:59:00+00:00

United States-Australia Framework for Securing of Supply in the Mining and Processing of Critical Minerals and Rare Earths | Private Members' Business | House debates
type: item
description: They're called 'critical' for a reason. Critical minerals and rare earths are the gateway to a decarbonised future. They are crucial to the manufacture of products including electric cars, wind...
encoded: They're called 'critical' for a reason. Critical minerals and rare earths are the gateway to a decarbonised future. They are crucial to the manufacture of products including electric cars, wind turbines, electric vehicle batteries and solar cells. However, China has built a near monopoly on this industry, producing more than 90 per cent of rare earths and rare-earth magnets. Currently all G7 countries except Japan are heavily or exclusively reliant on China for these products. It's never good to put all your eggs in one basket, and the supply of these critical minerals and products is already under threat. Last month, China restricted the export of rare earth minerals and the products that use them as part of the trade fight with Donald Trump. And, as recently as two days ago, European carmakers warned that they may have to halt production in the next couple of days due to a shortage of chips and semiconductors following a dispute with China over control of the Dutch chipmaker Nexperia, which is owned by China's Wingtech. So it is clearly critical—pun intended—that we secure and diversify supply of these critical minerals and products. It is essential to the future security and prosperity of our nation and many of our allies. The recent critical mineral deal struck with our close allies America, Canada and Japan represents an exciting opportunity for Australia, if we get it right. But the experience of our gas export industry stands as a stark warning of just how wrong we can get it. So let's explore our experience of gas exports in Australia, because, as the saying goes, those who cannot learn from history are doomed to repeat it. Currently, Australia is paying a higher price for our gas than many countries importing it from us. In a cost-of-living crisis, this putting unnecessary pressure on families and, in many cases, driving manufacturers to the wall. Here in Australia we have an abundance of gas. Australia produces more than six times the amount of gas we need…
date: 2025-11-03T12:34:00+00:00

Public Sector Governance | Questions without Notice | House debates
type: item
description: My question is to the Acting Prime Minister. In February 2023, the Minister for the Public Service announced an inquiry into public sector board appointments to end the jobs-for-mates culture of...
encoded: My question is to the Acting Prime Minister. In February 2023, the Minister for the Public Service announced an inquiry into public sector board appointments to end the jobs-for-mates culture of the previous coalition government. The minister stated: 'In line with the government’s commitment to transparency, a report will be published after the review is finalised in mid-2023.' The government has had over two years to consider its findings and has repeatedly refused to make the report public. When will the government release the Briggs report and legislate a transparent, merit based appointment process across the public sector?
date: 2025-10-30T14:14:00+00:00

Youth Voice in Parliament | Statements by Members | House debates
type: item
description: I rise to share Mackellar student Imogen Kee's thoughtful response to this year's Raise our Voice campaign, which asked, 'How can government build a better future for young Australians?' Imogen...
encoded: I rise to share Mackellar student Imogen Kee's thoughtful response to this year's Raise our Voice campaign, which asked, 'How can government build a better future for young Australians?' Imogen wrote: "What do you want to be when you grow up?" It's a question we've been asked since we were five. The older I get, the harder it is to answer, not because I don't have dreams but because I wonder what kind of Australia I'll be stepping into. An Australia where climate change has gone unchecked. Where mental health is in crisis. Where access to opportunity depends on your postcode. And where young women still earn less than men of equal ability. Young Australians don't just want to grow up, we want to grow into a future that's fair, sustainable, and equal. To build that future, Parliament must take steps of responsibility not just for what happens now, but for what happens next. That means: - Embedding a legal duty to consider the long-term impacts of decisions; - Investing in public education, so every Aussie kid, not just the lucky few, can thrive; - Funding real solutions to the mental health crisis; - Closing the gender pay gap; and - Giving young women a seat at every table where power is held. 'What do I want to be when I grow up?' I want to be heard. I want to lead. I want a future worth growing into. And I want to trust the government to take the steps to build a better tomorrow for young Australians.
date: 2025-10-30T13:38:00+00:00

Health Care | Constituency Statements | House debates
type: item
description: I speak today on behalf of families in my community of Mackellar who are very worried about the transition to the new Thriving Kids which the government plans to roll out from July 2026. The 2023...
encoded: I speak today on behalf of families in my community of Mackellar who are very worried about the transition to the new Thriving Kids which the government plans to roll out from July 2026. The 2023 NDIS review recommended investing in foundational supports outside the NDIS for children aged zero to eight years with mild-to-moderate developmental delay or disability, including autism. The goal is to ensure early identification and support for children while also ensuring the long-term sustainability of the NDIS. These are incredibly important goals; we all want our children to have the best possible start in life and we all want a sustainable NDIS, but in the rush to implement change, our community is already feeling the unintended consequences. Despite assurances from the government that no child would be removed from the NDIS before foundational supports are in place, I have heard from local providers and families that this is not the case. One local provider, Kids First, has had to advocate for 10 families whose children were exited from the NDIS when their funding expired. These families were left without support for up to five months—months that are critical in a child's development. This has caused immense stress and disrupted care, and has led to setbacks in the children's progress. Another local speech pathologist shared with me that two of his young clients have also already been removed from the NDIS despite no alternative supports being available. The proposed Thriving Kids program is intended to fill this gap, but has not yet been designed or implemented. The children's schools are doing their best, but they are already stretched to capacity and don't have the required expertise. These are not isolated incidents. They reflect a broader experience as children with clear developmental needs are being exited from the scheme before the new supports are in place. The Thriving Kids program is welcome in principle, but we must ensure that, as government works with…
date: 2025-10-27T10:30:00+00:00

Australian Centre for Disease Control Bill 2025, Australian Centre for Disease Control (Consequential Amendments and Transitional Provisions) Bill 2025; Consideration in Detail | Bills | House debates
type: item
description: by leave—I move amendments (1) to (5), as circulated in my name, together: (1) Clause 10, page 15 (lines 9 to 11), omit subclause (3), substitute: (3) The Minister must not appoint a person...
encoded: by leave—I move amendments (1) to (5), as circulated in my name, together: (1) Clause 10, page 15 (lines 9 to 11), omit subclause (3), substitute: (3) The Minister must not appoint a person as the Director-General unless: (a) the Minister first appoints a selection panel consisting of at least 3 persons for the purposes of assessing whether a candidate is suitable for appointment; and (b) the independent selection panel has advertised the appointment, conducted interviews and shortlisted at least 3 candidates for appointment on the basis of the following criteria: (i) appropriate expertise; (ii) qualifications or experience in public health matters; (iii) integrity; (iv) opportunities for promoting diversity in the public sector; and (c) the independent selection panel has provided to the Minister a comparative assessment of the 3 shortlisted candidates against the criteria in paragraph (b), and a certification statement indicating that they are eligible for appointment; and (d) that person has been shortlisted for the appointment by an independent panel in accordance with paragraph (b). (2) Clause 11, page 16 (after line 19), after subparagraph (h)(v), insert: (va) bodies whose objects include the prevention and management of occupational disease and injuries; (3) Clause 11, page 17 (after line 3), after paragraph (j), insert: (ja) promoting public health research through: (i) maintaining close relationships with key public health research entities; and (ii) providing advice to government grant making entities on research priorities for public health matters; (jb) building and enhancing expertise in relevant public health expertise and workforce capacity; (4) Clause 29, page 28 (lines 11 and 12), omit the clause, substitute: 29 Chair of the Advisory Council The Minister must appoint an Advisory Council member other than the Director-General to be the Chair of the Advisory Council. (5) Clause 30, page 28 (line 25) to page 29 (line 10), omit subclause (4), substitute…
date: 2025-10-27T13:28:00+00:00