Gordon Reid's recent appearances (OpenAustralia.org)
Combatting Antisemitism, Hate and Extremism Bill 2026; Report from Committee | Bills | House debates
On behalf of the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security, I present the committee's report, incorporating a dissenting report, entitled Review of the exposure draft...
On behalf of the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security, I present the committee's report, incorporating a dissenting report, entitled Review of the exposure draft legislation: Combatting Antisemitism, Hate and Extremism Bill 2026. Report made a parliamentary paper in accordance with standing order 39(e).
Bondi Beach Attack Victims | Condolences | House debates
The recent terror attack in Bondi was an act of violence designed not only to take innocent lives but to fracture our sense of safety, to sow fear in our public places and to test the strength of...
The recent terror attack in Bondi was an act of violence designed not only to take innocent lives but to fracture our sense of safety, to sow fear in our public places and to test the strength of our national character. It was an attack on Jewish Australians celebrating—families, workers, visitors—people who simply expected to return home safely. Let me be unequivocal: terrorism has no place in Australia. Hate has no home here. Antisemitism, racism and all forms of extremism—whether political, religious or ideological—are fundamentally incompatible with Australian values. Violence driven by these forces will never define who we are as a nation. Australia is strongest not when we retreat from one another but when we stand closer together. In the days following the Bondi attack, we saw grief ripple through communities right across our vast country. We saw fear, but we also saw courage. We saw strangers supporting strangers. We saw first responders running towards danger and communities refusing to be divided. That response tells us something profound about Australia; terror may strike, but terror will never win. In the immediate aftermath of the attack, we witnessed extraordinary courage from those who ran towards danger when others were fleeing. I want to place on record deep gratitude to the New South Wales police and the New South Wales Ambulance, who acted with speed, professionalism and selflessness in the most confronting of circumstances. Police officers secured the scene and neutralised the threat. Paramedics treated the injured under immense pressure. They made rapid, life-saving decisions in chaotic and dangerous conditions—often at great personal risk—and their actions saved lives. I also want to acknowledge the doctors, nurses, allied health staff and support teams in our emergency departments who received the injured. Long after the sirens faded these professionals continued to work, bearing witness to unimaginable grief. Emergency departments do not close their doors when tragedy strikes; they absorb it, and they do so with skill, compassion and resolve. At moments like this, leadership matters. Our words matter, and our actions matter even more. We must condemn terrorism clearly and consistently, while also confronting antisemitism and violent extremism whenever they appear. At the same time, we must protect the social fabric that extremists seek to tear apart. We must resist the temptation to assign blame to entire communities, entire faiths or entire cultures. That path will only lead to further harm, and it is precisely what extremists seek to provoke. Recently, I attended a Hannukah celebration at the Gosford waterfront with Rabbi Yossi and members of the local Jewish community. It was a deeply moving experience, particularly in the shadow of such violence. Hanukkah is a festival of light in darkness, of resilience in the face of persecution and of faith enduring against overwhelming odds. As part of that celebration I learned more about the dreidel: a small spinning top often associated with children and joy but rich with meaning. Each Hebrew letter on the dreidel represents the phrase, 'A great miracle happened there.' It is a reminder that, even in the darkest moments of history, hope can endure and light can return. Standing there by the water's edge, surrounded by families, elders, children and community leaders, I was struck not by fear but by strength: strength in gathering openly, strength in refusing to hide and strength in choosing joy, culture and faith in a moment when it would be easier to withdraw. That is the Australia that I know. The response to the Bondi attack has shown that our communities will not be intimidated into silence or separation. We have seen vigils attended by people of every background. We have seen interfaith leaders stand shoulder to shoulder. We have seen Australians reject antisemitism and reject hatred in all of its forms. Our responsibility as members of this parliament is to reinforce those values, to ensure our security agencies are properly supported, to ensure our communities are protected and to ensure that our national conversation remains grounded in unity rather than suspicion. Terror seeks to isolate, extremism seeks to divide and antisemitism seeks to dehumanise. Community defeats all of those things. Let us honour those affected by the Bondi attack, not only with our words but with our unity, our vigilance and our commitment to one another.
The People's Pantry | Statements by Members | House debates
Recently I had the opportunity to visit The People's Pantry in Woy Woy to see firsthand the incredible work this organisation and its volunteers are doing to support vulnerable community members...
Recently I had the opportunity to visit The People's Pantry in Woy Woy to see firsthand the incredible work this organisation and its volunteers are doing to support vulnerable community members and reduce food wastage. The People's Pantry is a not-for-profit organisation with the objective of helping provide quality groceries at affordable prices and salvaging otherwise good produce and grocery items from ending up in landfill. The People's Pantry works alongside local supermarkets as well as Foodbank and SecondBite to prevent groceries or produce from ending up in the bin. Open every Monday and Wednesday, the service helped over 3,000 people in 2024 and saved a whopping 22,000 kilograms of food from ending up in landfill sites. I would like to thank the following volunteers: Jo-Anne Barron, Yeshe Thubten, Shauntelle Wana, Veronica Baker, the late Gary Hayward, Angela O'Donnell, Gayle Hartley, Christopher Bryden, Peter Wade-Ferrill, Mick and Joy Ball, Sandy Shapley, Angela Carswell, Jennifer Jackson, Susan Giaquinto, Samantha Young, Brian Dawson, Libby Rhys-Jones, Zoe Zhao, Aysha Basheer, Kerry Jarman and Michael O'Donnell. To the phenomenal food rescue project officer, Fiona MacPhail: thank you for the support that you provide. Thank you to Erica Harker in food pantry accounts and ordering. And to CEO Vivian Muraahi: thank you for your leadership, advocacy and dedication to our Central Coast community.
Conrad, Bridget | Statements by Members | House debates
I rise to congratulate and commend a tremendous young sailor from my community, Bridget Conrad. Bridget is a rising sports star in the world of sailing and recently was named as a finalist for...
I rise to congratulate and commend a tremendous young sailor from my community, Bridget Conrad. Bridget is a rising sports star in the world of sailing and recently was named as a finalist for Sport NSW's Athlete of the Year and for Australian Sailing's Female Sailor of the Year. Bridget grew up on the Central Coast and first discovered sailing on a school excursion to the Gosford Sailing Club to celebrate Tom Slingsby's Olympic gold medal in 2012. She says that after Tom autographed her hand that day she was inspired to learn how to sail and instantly developed the goal of following in his footsteps into the professional SailGP circuit and the America's Cup. When Bridget was 12, she started sailing the Optimist and went on to represent Australia at several international events as part of the Australian Optimist Sailing Team. Following this, she moved into the 420 class, and she and her crew became back-to-back female national champions. In 2024, Bridget placed third at the SailGP WASZP grand final in San Francisco and seventh female at the WASZP Worlds in Norway. If that wasn't enough, she was recently awarded the 2024-25 NSW/ACT Female Sailor of the Year. Bridget tells me that she is super excited for future competitions, including the SailGP grand final qualifier in December, the Asia-Pacific championship in January and the world championship in March. Congratulations, Bridget.
Intelligence and Security Joint Committee; Report | Committees | House debates
On behalf of the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security, I present the committee's Advisory report on the Strengthening Oversight of the National Intelligence Community Bill...
On behalf of the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security, I present the committee's Advisory report on the Strengthening Oversight of the National Intelligence Community Bill 2025. Report made a parliamentary paper in accordance with standing order 39(e). by leave—The Strengthening Oversight of the National Intelligence Community Bill 2025, also known as the SONIC Bill, represents arguably the most significant reform to oversight of the Australian intelligence community since the 1980s. The bill realises important and long-awaited reforms that have been recommended by multiple independent reviews over a number of years. The bill will ensure that Australia's intelligence oversight framework evolves in line with the increasingly complex intelligence and security environment. The SONIC Bill proposes to expand the oversight functions of the committee and of the Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security to include all 10 agencies of the national intelligence community. This includes the whole of the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission as well as the intelligence functions of the Australian Federal Police, AUSTRAC and the Department of Home Affairs. The bill also broadens the own-motion powers of the Independent National Security Legislation Monitor and includes measures to strengthen the relationship between the three oversight bodies. In relation to the committee, the bill will give statutory recognition to the increasing role the committee has had in recent years in reviewing counterterrorism and national security legislation. The bill will enable the committee to review proposed reforms to such legislation as well as existing sunsetting legislation on its own motion or on referral by the relevant minister, the Attorney-General or a house of the parliament. The bill will also empower the committee to request the Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security to inquire into an agency's operational activities and the committee to receive a response from the inspector-general after such inquiry has been completed. Through the committee's review and through its review of the bill's predecessor in the 47th Parliament, the Intelligence Services Legislation Amendment Bill 2023, the committee held two public hearings and received 23 written submissions, most of which supported the bill's core measures. As well as broadening the remit of the committee and the two independent oversight bodies, the bill contains important administrative amendments to the Intelligence Services Act 2001, affecting how the committee itself operates. The committee has ensured it has taken the time to carefully examine these amendments before giving them its support. As a result, the committee's report includes a number of recommendations aimed at refining and building upon those amendments to ensure the provisions will be as effective as possible. These include a recommendation to give the committee a standing function to review its own operating provisions as required in the future. The committee has also recommended changes to allow the chair and deputy chair of the committee to nominate a member of their staff to be provided with an appropriate security clearance that allows them to assist their respective principal in the performance of their duties on the committee. This reflects the increasing workload and the increasing responsibilities on the chair and deputy chair as the committee's remit has grown, as well as the strict disclosure offences in the Intelligence Services Act 2001, which limit the support that regular staff can provide. Overall, the committee strongly supports the objectives of the bill to strengthen the operational, parliamentary and legislative oversight of the national intelligence community. Following consideration of the committee's other recommendations, the committee recommends that the bill be passed by the parliament. I'd like to thank the chair, the deputy chair and all the members of the committee that have been involved in the creation and publication of this report, as well as the secretariat and their support staff. They all work so hard in support of the committee, in support of the parliament, and I think it's absolutely vital that we give them our recognition in this place. I commend this report to the House.
Robertson Electorate: Woy Woy Road | Grievance Debate | House debates
The Central Coast has over 2,000 kilometres of local roads managed by the Central Coast Council, a large network of infrastructure to maintain. The Central Coast Council has responsibility for...
The Central Coast has over 2,000 kilometres of local roads managed by the Central Coast Council, a large network of infrastructure to maintain. The Central Coast Council has responsibility for managing and addressing safety matters affecting Woy Woy Road. Woy Woy Road is a busy commuter thoroughfare for residents travelling to and from the M1 from the peninsula or sounding suburbs. As the population has increased over the last decade, so too has the volume of traffic passing through Woy Woy Road, which has led to a number of crashes in recent years, some involving fatalities. There's been increasing feedback from the community about the design of the road and that this design leads to risky driver behaviour and, in turn, leads to more crashes. As the federal member for Robertson, which includes the area encompassing Woy Woy Road, I have received correspondence from the community inquiring about what action the federal government can take to help address the issues affecting Woy Woy Road. After some careful deliberation and following discussions with my state and local government counterparts, I have launched a petition to fix Woy Woy Road. The objective of this petition is to raise awareness for Woy Woy Road and what potential measures and, ultimately, funding can be implemented by all three levels of government. I aim to register as many signatures as possible on this petition so that I can demonstrate to all three levels of government and their departments the concern in my community about Woy Woy Road and the urgent action that is required. Since launching the petition in late September, my office and I have recorded over 500 signatures of people who want to see action taken to fix Woy Woy Road. I will continue to collect and I'll continue to record those signatures over the coming months. I invite residents living on the Central Coast to either visit my website to complete that petition online or to come into my office to complete the physical petition itself. I'd like to commend and recognise the bravery of Central Coast mother Tara Dibben, who tragically lost her son, Joshua Dibben, on Woy Woy Road in 2023. Joshua was travelling along Woy Woy Road on 26 October of that same year when his Toyota HiAce van collided with another vehicle. Emergency services rushed to the scene and worked to save Joshua's life. However, he could not be revived. Joshua is survived by his young wife, Brooke, and son, Jai. Joshua's mother, Tara, continues to advocate for safety improvements along Woy Woy Road and has been a pivotal voice in establishing this petition. Tara is supporting my campaign to fix Woy Woy Road and has said that she believes improvements to Woy Woy Road, like the construction of centre strip bollards, may have saved her son's life. Tara does not want another family on the Central Coast, or another family across this nation, for that matter, to go through the same devastating experience that she had to endure. Thank you, Tara, for all of your advocacy. Thank you for all of your support. Our community appreciates your tireless passion for positive change following this tragedy. The federal government facilitates several funding programs to support regions to undertake improvements and to maintain existing infrastructure. The Roads to Recovery Program is one such initiative is designed to support the construction and maintenance of the nation's local road infrastructure assets, which facilitate greater accessibility, improves safety, as well as economic and social outcomes for Australians. Funding under the RTR program is available to all local governments in Australia for projects delivered through councils. I have spoken to Central Coast Council about this program and I have encouraged them to apply for funding. Similarly, I have raised the issue of Woy Woy Road with the relevant federal minister and placed this matter on their radar for any upcoming support from the Australian government. I will continue to represent my community on this matter to all relevant ministers and their departments in the federal government. Another area of action that my community has requested to address safety along Woy Woy Road is to increase the number of police patrols taking place. Many residents have said that they often see reckless and dangerous driving along Woy Woy Road daily. If there were more highway patrol police or mobile speed cameras on this road, many community members believe that these measures would be a strong deterrent. I welcome the support of our state member for Gosford, Liesl Tesch MP, who has written to the New South Wales minister for regional roads and transport and requested that Transport for New South Wales investigate the implementation of a speed camera at known speeding locations on Woy Woy Road. Ms Tesch has also requested that Transport for New South Wales investigates whether average speed cameras could also play a role in reducing speeding on Woy Woy Road. I'm proud of the work that the Albanese Labor government has done since its election in 2022 and the investments it has made in local road infrastructure on the New South Wales Central Coast. The Avoca Drive upgrade through Kincumber is charging ahead with the recent announcement of the prioritised first stage. The Australian and New South Wales governments are investing over $130 million towards the upgrade of this road to improve traffic flow and deliver infrastructure for active and public transport access on Avoca Drive through to the township of Kincumber. The upgrade will also provide safe and efficient access for the local community to key destinations along the route, including to Kincumber Village Shopping Centre, several schools, and sporting facilities in the area. The concept design and environmental assessment for the priority first stage is expected to be displayed to the community soon for feedback. I encourage all who are interested in this development to review the concept design and provide feedback. In addition to our Avoca Drive upgrade through Kincumber, we have also committed funding for $15 million towards upgrades to several intersections in the Empire Bay and Bensville communities. The Empire Bay Drive Intersection Strategy planning project will deliver a strategy to upgrade intersections servicing Empire Bay and surrounding communities. This will include consideration of the intersection of Empire Bay Drive and Wards Hill Road. The Empire Bay Drive and Wards Hill Road intersection is used by thousands of motorists each day and is an important transport connection to Empire Bay Public School. It also provides access to the Bouddi National Park. These vital planning works will have a road safety focus and deliver a business case for future upgrades. I look forward to continuing to update the Central Coast community on the progress of this project as it reaches important milestones. Our record investment in infrastructure also includes $115 million for the upgrade of Terrigal Drive. Terrigal Drive through Terrigal and Erina is another notorious choke point for motorists in the region. The Australian government will provide funding to the New South Wales government to commence the necessary investigation and planning works for this much-needed project. This project will include the duplication of sections of the single-lane road and upgrades to intersections along the very busy road corridor. Lastly our government's $93 million Central Coast Roads Package has made a real difference to local road infrastructure. Several local roads in the region have received renewal works, including the Esplanade and Bourke Road in Ettalong Beach, Beach Street in Umina Beach and Debenham Road South in West Gosford, amongst others. Excitingly the much-anticipated upgrade to the intersection of Ocean Beach Road and Rawson Road in Woy Woy is taking shape, with progress moving closer to the construction phase. The intersection upgrade project is one of 29 projects to be delivered by council through the $93 million Central Coast Roads Package, which is 100 per cent funded by the Australian government. This project will deliver immediate improvements to traffic flow, reducing the vehicle queue lengths, and will make the existing road environment safer for all road users—including motorists, cyclists and pedestrians—with signalised crossings of each leg of the intersection. The Albanese Labor government will continue to invest in vital infrastructure projects across the Central Coast in this 48th parliamentary term. I want to again encourage my community right across the Central Coast to support my petition to fix Woy Woy Road. The more signatures that we can record on this petition, whether it be through my website or physically in my office, will send a strong signal to all levels of government—to local, to state and to federal—and underscore the urgency of this matter that we must make Woy Woy Road safer.
Hourigan, Dr Colette | Adjournment | House debates
Today I'd like to recognise, in this parliament, an outstanding medical professional and doctor on the Central Coast: Dr Colette Hourigan. Dr Hourigan's career has included a number of unique and...
Today I'd like to recognise, in this parliament, an outstanding medical professional and doctor on the Central Coast: Dr Colette Hourigan. Dr Hourigan's career has included a number of unique and fulfilling roles across her 42 years of medical service. I asked Dr Hourigan recently to give me some of the highlights of her amazing career. In the following is some insight into that tremendous professional life. Dr Hourigan grew up on the Northern Beaches of Sydney and attended local public schools. She graduated from Sydney university and then went on to work at Royal North Shore Hospital, where the first two years of her working life as a doctor corresponded with the New South Wales statewide specialist doctors strike. Dr Hourigan then decided to help solo GPs working in remote areas, undertaking locum work to give them much-needed reprieve. Dr Hourigan tells me that she realised then that general practice isn't just about caring for individual patients; it's about improving the health outcomes of communities as a whole. She then spent 15 years working as a GP in Chatswood and Gosford before deciding to do more training to be a women's health GP and working out of a community women's health centre on the Central Coast. Dr Hourigan worked for 20 years at the centre. During this time, she established the first GP led clinic to help women suffering from incontinence, ran community education sessions to promote better health in the community, assisted women and children experiencing domestic and sexual violence, trained GPs in women's health and IED insertion techniques, mentored GPs, ran clinics for adolescent girls at Gosford headspace for four years, did pro bono work to help women from different cultures who couldn't access Medicare and volunteered her time on a women's health board and on panels to promote better health services for women. After all of this incredible work, Dr Hourigan still wanted to do more, so she moved back into mainstream general practice to support and train general practices on how to recognise family and domestic violence in their patients and how to respond to support the family. It became clear to Dr Hourigan after talking to GPs that many victims of family and domestic violence could not access general practice due to coercive control. The only solution was for her to go into three women's and children's refuges on the Central Coast and bring medical care to these marginalised and disadvantaged women and children. Dr Hourigan volunteered her time to care for these women and children, who were experiencing severe injuries, advanced infections, sleep and behavioural disturbances, speech and developmental delay—in children—and poor mental health. She was able to treat the infections, treat the injuries, arrange counselling, get the children vaccinated and do preventive health checks—but, most of all, support them and give them hope. Dr Hourigan was supported by a nurse and had a very dedicated speech therapist to assess and help the children. This early intervention was invaluable to their engagement in education, and many of the women and children that Dr Hourigan treated were Aboriginal Australians. Dr Hourigan has said that her work during this period was very rewarding and that it meant a great deal to be part of a team that was helping Aboriginal women and children reconnect to country, spirituality and kinship. The strength and resilience of the women and children in the refuges never cease to amaze Dr Hourigan. When I found out about the refuge medical outreach service, I wanted to do everything I could to support that service. The service now has a paid doctor, a speech therapist, an occupational therapist and paediatricians working at that refuge. There have also been research papers published on this service's work. Dr Hourigan also ran an outreach medical clinic for Aboriginal women undergoing drug and alcohol rehabilitation, provided trauma informed care for women with complex mental and physical issues, promoted better management of menopause and other hormone related conditions and worked to improve the outcomes of women experiencing endometriosis who can't afford therapy. Dr Hourigan says that she has been very fortunate to have been trusted by her patients and community and that it has enabled her to address health care inequalities on the Central Coast, but now Dr Hourigan is retiring. I place on the record my immense appreciation of a spectacular career dedicated to helping and supporting patients, particularly women and those in our community who are most vulnerable. Dr Hourigan leaves behind a legacy, and I wish her all the best in her retirement. You'll be greatly missed by the medical community. Thank you, Dr Hourigan.
Health Care | Questions without Notice | House debates
My question is to the Acting Prime Minister. How are the Albanese Labor government's historic investments in Medicare and the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme helping Australians with the cost of...
My question is to the Acting Prime Minister. How are the Albanese Labor government's historic investments in Medicare and the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme helping Australians with the cost of living and with access to the health care that they need? Why is this important after a decade of cuts and neglect?
Robertson Electorate: Automatic External Defibrillators | Constituency Statements | House debates
I would like to commend the Tarragal Glen Residents Committee on its work procuring and installing several automatic external defibrillators, or AEDs, on site to assist residents to respond...
I would like to commend the Tarragal Glen Residents Committee on its work procuring and installing several automatic external defibrillators, or AEDs, on site to assist residents to respond quickly to emergency situations. An AED is a portable medical device that can save the life of someone in cardiac arrest by delivering an electric shock to the heart. Anyone can use an AED, because it analyses the heart's rhythm— A division having been called in the House of Representatives— Sitting suspended from 10:24 to 10:46 I would like to commend the Tarragal Glen Residents Committee on its work to procure and install several automated external defibrillators, or AEDs, onsite to assist residents to respond quickly in emergency situations. The Tarragal Glen Residents Committee chairman, Mr Peter Speers, along with committee member Mr Jim Skene have been pivotal in supporting and bringing this project to fruition. Both individuals are responsible for devising and implementing this project through the committee. To obtain the AEDs Peter and Jim completed an application of funding support through the Australian government's Stronger Communities Program. The project was successful in receiving $16,200 to purchase six defibrillators, which have now been installed in weatherproof cabinets that are strategically placed around the Tarragal Glen village. In addition to this, one of the six defibrillators has been placed in the village bus to ensure coverage and access during journeys outside the village, in the community. I'm also pleased to note that Mr Speers has organised training via e-modules for the 500 village residents on how to appropriately use the AEDs during emergencies and has partnered with retired GP Dr John Anderson to facilitate further face-to-face training exercises on familiarisation with the AEDs. As an emergency doctor at Wyong, I can attest to the benefits of AEDs strategically located throughout our community. AEDs increase the likelihood of survival by up to 70 per cent if applied within the first minutes of cardiac arrest. The devices are designed for the general public, providing step-by-step instructions. They provide immediate life-saving assistance before the paramedics arrive. AEDs are outstanding medical devices and I'm comforted knowing that, now, more are operating within my community. I would like to wholeheartedly thank the Tarragal Glen Residents Committee—and a big thanks to Mr Peter Speers on his tireless efforts and contributions to make our community safer. I know these AEDs will be life-saving in emergency situations. My support also goes to community and committee member Mr Jim Skene on his support for this project and for all of his work alongside Mr Speers.
Medicare | Statements by Members | House debates
Yet again, we mark another chapter in our nation's history books: the chapter where the health of the nation is strengthened—a chapter focused on health care for all Australians and not...
Yet again, we mark another chapter in our nation's history books: the chapter where the health of the nation is strengthened—a chapter focused on health care for all Australians and not just some. The Albanese government is making the single largest investment in Medicare since its creation over 40 years ago. Over $8.5 billion is being invested into Medicare to make sure that patients can get the care that they need when they need it. It is also supporting our Australian doctors—our Australian general practitioners—the backbone of our health workforce. This isn't just a commitment for those practices and for those GPs; it is making sure that GPs can focus on what they do, and that is preventive primary health care. It is making sure that preventive health measures are put in place so that these chronic diseases don't spiral out of control, aren't exacerbated and don't require an emergency department admission. It is making sure that hypertension remains low and that cholesterol remains low so it doesn't become a heart attack or a stroke. That is this government's focus. This government's focus is to make sure that we are funding bulk-billing and that we are sustaining the beating heart that is our healthcare system: bulk-billing.
World Pharmacists Day | Statements by Members | House debates
On 25 September the world, including Australians, marked World Pharmacists Day, an opportunity to recognise and to celebrate the important role of pharmacists in meeting the healthcare needs in...
On 25 September the world, including Australians, marked World Pharmacists Day, an opportunity to recognise and to celebrate the important role of pharmacists in meeting the healthcare needs in our communities right across the country. This year, the theme was 'Think health, think pharmacy first'. It highlights how community pharmacists are stepping up to deliver more health care than ever before, helping communities access care faster, closer to home and more equitably. Across the country, pharmacists are transforming how patients access care, and Australia has more than 6,000 community pharmacies, with almost 500 million patient visits per year. They are one of the most trusted professions. On the Central Coast, I have met many outstanding local pharmacists who provide exceptional health care. One pharmacist who I have had the privilege of working with closely is Trent Playford. Trent is an experienced and community driven pharmacist with nearly 20 years in the profession. He's the owner of the West Gosford pharmacy and Priceline Pharmacy Kincumber, where he leads a team committed to delivering innovative, patient focused health care right across the Central Coast. I want to thank Trent and his team for all of their fantastic work in our community, and I want to thank all of our hardworking pharmacists on the Central Coast and across Australia. The work you do improves health outcomes and saves lives.
Cancer, Scolyer, Professor Richard, AO | Questions without Notice | House debates
My question is to the Prime Minister. What contribution has former Australian of the Year Richard Colyer made to cancer research and advocacy, and what steps has the government announced today to...
My question is to the Prime Minister. What contribution has former Australian of the Year Richard Colyer made to cancer research and advocacy, and what steps has the government announced today to build on Professor Scolyer's work?
Renewable Energy | Questions without Notice | House debates
My question is to the Minister for Climate Change and Energy. How are homes, businesses and community groups embracing the opportunities of clean energy, and what obstacles stand in the way of...
My question is to the Minister for Climate Change and Energy. How are homes, businesses and community groups embracing the opportunities of clean energy, and what obstacles stand in the way of that clean energy?
Robertson Electorate: Tourism | Statements by Members | House debates
As many in this chamber may already know, my electorate of Robertson incorporates the magnificent peninsula on the New South Wales Central Coast. The peninsula is home to the suburbs of Woy Woy,...
As many in this chamber may already know, my electorate of Robertson incorporates the magnificent peninsula on the New South Wales Central Coast. The peninsula is home to the suburbs of Woy Woy, Blackwall, Booker Bay, Ettalong Beach and Umina Beach. The peninsula is where I was raised and where I went to school, and it's home to so many of my happy memories as a child. It is also blessed with natural beauty and is surrounded by the iconic Brisbane Water National Park, as well as sparkling waterways and family-friendly beaches. As a popular visitor destination during the summer months for Sydneysiders and people from all parts of Australia and, indeed, the world, a new tourist guide to explore the peninsula has been created. 'The Peninsula Path' has been marvellously put together by local businessowner and passionate local Kate Toon, with design assistance from Sue Waterson. Kate owns and operates the cosy bookshop Umina Beach Book Nook and is so optimistic about our peninsula community. Kate has lived in the area for 16 years and has seen the peninsula transformed from a sleepy seaside community to a thriving destination that's only an hour's drive from Sydney. 'The Peninsula Path' helps tourists discover hidden gems and must-see businesses, including Margarita Daze, Pro Juice, The Box and many others. It's an evolving project, and 'The Peninsula Path' will continue to add local businesses as it develops. Thank you, Kate Toon and all those involved in this magnificent app.
Robertson Electorate: Mental Health | Constituency Statements | House debates
Recently I had the pleasure of welcoming the new Special Envoy for Men's Health and member for Hunter, Dan Repacholi, to the Central Coast to discuss men's health in the region. Dan and I visited...
Recently I had the pleasure of welcoming the new Special Envoy for Men's Health and member for Hunter, Dan Repacholi, to the Central Coast to discuss men's health in the region. Dan and I visited the Black Wolf Collective, an awesome local business offering barber, tattoo, piercing and tattoo removal services in Erina. The Black Wolf Collective has partnered with two amazing organisations, the Black Dog Institute and RizeUp, to help bring awareness to men's health and to support other services. The Black Dog Institute is a proudly independent, not-for-profit, globally renowned mental health research institute connected to the University of New South Wales in Sydney. It is the only medical research institute in Australia that investigates mental health across the lifespan, from childhood through to adulthood. The Black Dog Institute believes in creating hope for those experiencing mental illness by improving mental health outcomes for all Australians. RizeUp is a community-driven organisation of passionate men and women dedicated to supporting the many families affected by family and domestic violence. The Black Wolf Collective also helps raise funds for both organisations through its businesses. By having deep and meaningful conversations with its clients, the business promotes a welcoming and safe space. Clients are supported through their visit and provided with the opportunity to donate any sum, great or small, to either organisation. To date the business has raised over $5,000, and it has said it will continue to support both the Black Dog Institute and RizeUp into the future. The owner of the Black Wolf Collective, Alex Molloy, says that they have seen firsthand how mental health affects people of all ages, including teenagers, and that's why part of their mission is to break the stigma early, starting in high school. Through their space, their podcast and their fundraising for the Black Dog Institute and by starting conversations, the Black Wolf Collective are showing that it's okay to speak up no matter what your age. The Black Wolf Collective wanted to make giving back feel easy and accessible to everyone who walks through the door. Whether it's a dollar or more, every donation counts, and its clients get the choice to support either the Black Dog Institute for mental health or RizeUp to help those affected by domestic violence. Both causes are close to their hearts, and it means a lot to the staff of the Black Wolf Collective to offer their community a way of making a real difference. I would like to take this opportunity to formally commend the Black Wolf Collective, owner Alex Molloy and its staff, including Jackson Quinell and Norma-Rose Bell, on their support for these two organisations. Thank you for also creating a positive space in your business to share and speak up. Many thanks go to my good friend the Special Envoy for Men's Health, Daniel Repacholi, for making every effort to visit Robertson and the Central Coast and for supporting businesses that are supporting men's health.
National Security | Questions without Notice | House debates
My question is to the Minister for Home Affairs. How has the government responded today to those who seek to spread hatred and undermine social cohesion in our country?
Fair Work Amendment (Protecting Penalty and Overtime Rates) Bill 2025; Second Reading | Bills | House debates
Today in this chamber it is with great pride that I speak on the Fair Work Amendment (Protecting Penalty and Overtime Rates) Bill 2025, one that protects the penalty and overtime rates of...
Today in this chamber it is with great pride that I speak on the Fair Work Amendment (Protecting Penalty and Overtime Rates) Bill 2025, one that protects the penalty and overtime rates of Australian workers. It is a bill that goes to the very heart of Labor values: the protection and safeguarding of the working men and women on this country. Penalty rates are a critical pillar in Australia's industrial and employment relations framework and one that Labor has always fought for and will continue to fight for now and into the future. Penalty rates are a lifeline for millions of Australians. And they are not a perk; penalty rates are not a privilege. They are recognition of the sacrifices made by millions of workers—workers who give up their weekends, who give up their night, who give up their public holidays and who give up their precious time with their families, with their loved ones, in order to keep our great country running. This is the retail worker who opens up the shop on a Sunday. It's a cafe worker who's serving you your coffee. It's the nurse working on Christmas and New Year's Day. And it's the aged-care worker who, on Anzac Day, is looking after our most vulnerable. For many, especially our young people, penalty rates can be the difference between scraping by and saving for a better future for themselves and for their family. Yet, time and time again, election after election, debate after debate, we have seen attempts by some to undermine and to cut penalty and overtime rates, and that is a shame. It is often under the disguise of workplace modernisation and workplace flexibility. But let's call this out for what it is. It's the erosion of dignity. It's the calculated effort to weaken the value of the worker, to strip away compensation for unsociable hours and to shift the balance further in favour of profit and further away from people. The economic arguments made by those seeking to cut or to slash penalty rates are flawed at best. They say cutting penalty rates will create more jobs, but we know it doesn't. They say it'll help small business. Well, we know it won't. And they say workers will benefit in the long run. Well, no they won't. What happens when you cut penalty rates? It means the working men and women of Australia have less money in their pockets. They spend less at their local cafe. They delay filling that prescription. They cancel a class. They cancel a dental check-up. They cancel a trip to see family. The economy slows, not because of this conjured-up concept that people are lazy but because they're stretched too thin. Wage-led growth is not some abstract economic theory; it's common sense. When working people earn a decent living they often spend that money in their communities. They stimulate demand. They keep our local businesses afloat. And yes, they pay tax—supporting the very services that we all rely on: our schools, our hospitals and our transport systems. They buy coffee. They buy burgers and meals at our local restaurants. Conversely, when wages stagnate and when penalty rates are stripped away from workers, what we see is a hollowing out of demand, an increase in casualisation and a dangerous widening of the inequality gap. Penalty rates also matter for productivity too, a major focus of the Albanese Labor government in this term, because when you pay people fairly they stay in their employment, they show up, they learn and they do more. They become experienced. They become dependable. They become proud of the work that they turn up to do. That's how you build a productive workforce, not by slashing the pay and churning through underpaid staff like they're disposable. Young Australians are particularly vulnerable to these attacks on penalty rates and overtime rates. Let's remember they are overrepresented in sectors like hospitality and retail, which are among some of the lowest paid in our economy. Stripping penalty rates from young workers is more than just unfair; it's short sighted, and it is economically reckless. How can they save for a home? How can they plan for a life, when their income is subject to the whims of a workplace deal or a regulatory backflip? We should not be building a future that asks the next generation to accept less—less pay, less stability, less opportunity than the one before them. The Labor Party stands for fairness—we always have. It's in our DNA. We believe that workers should not have to fight for the crumbs at the end of the table. They deserve a seat at that table. They deserve pay that reflects not just the hours that they work but the hours that they sacrifice: it's the birthdays, the barbecues, the weekends away. It is the time with their children that they are sacrificing. Penalty rates are about justice. They are about balance. Above all, they are about respect for time, for effort and are for the people who carry the weight of this country on their backs every single day, every minute of every hour. So, to those who seek to abolish or those that seek to diminish or those that seek to block penalty rates, like we saw the shadow minister do yesterday, I say this: you aren't pursuing reform; you are pursuing regression. You are not supporting small business; you are punishing workers. You are not modernising this economy; you are eroding its very foundations of fairness and of equality. Let us be clear here today. The Australia we should all be fighting for is one where work is valued, effort is rewarded and no-one is left behind simply because they don't work Monday to Friday, nine to five. That is why this government, the Albanese Labor government, will always defend penalty rates, whether it be in this chamber or out in our community. We will always fight to secure and safeguard penalty rates. We will stand with every nurse, every retail assistant and every shiftworker who simply wants to be paid fairly for the time that they sacrifice, because, in the Labor Party, we don't just talk about supporting workers; we act. In closing, to outline the Fair Work Amendment (Protecting Penalty and Overtime Rates) Bill 2025, it adds a new section to the act, 135A, to establish a clear principle requiring that, when exercising its powers to make, vary or revoke modern awards, the Fair Work Commission must ensure that specified penalty or overtime rates are not reduced, and: … modern awards do not include terms that substitute employees' entitlements to receive penalty rates or overtime rates where those terms would have the effect of reducing the additional remuneration … any employee would otherwise receive. The bill will commence the day after it receives royal assent, reflecting the government's election commitment to move quickly to protect penalty rates and overtime rates for Australia's lowest-paid workers. It will ensure award-reliant workers continue to be fairly compensated for working overtime; unsocial, irregular or unpredictable hours; weekends, public holidays or shifts. The bill preserves the commission's existing powers under section 144 to insert flexibility terms into its awards. That allows employers and employees to enter into individual flexibility arrangements, including to vary penalty and overtime rates, as long as the existing legislated safeguard of ensuring they are better-off compared to the standard terms is met. The bill also preserves the commission's existing powers under section 160 of the act to vary a modern award to remove any ambiguity or uncertainty, or to correct an error. The safeguards in the enterprise bargaining framework will remain unchanged, and parties would still be able to bargain at the enterprise level to reduce existing penalty rates and overtime rates so long as the commission is satisfied the enterprise agreement meets the better off overall test. Finally, this is a bill that goes to the heart of what Labor values are—and that is ensuring that penalty rates and overtime rates are protected. It is ensuring that we protect the fairness, equality and dignity of all workers right across this country, not just on the New South Wales Central Coast but right across New South Wales and right across Australia. I know that as the federal member for Robertson I will continue to defend that, and I know that everyone on this side of the chamber will continue to defend penalty rates. We know from the shenanigans that were undertaken yesterday by the shadow minister that the Liberal Party really don't have any concept of what workers' dignity or effort is. All they do is simply talk; they don't act. That's what the Labor government does here on this side—act in the best interests of working Australians.
Health Insurance (Pathology) (Fees) (Repeal) Bill 2025; Second Reading | Bills | House debates
A lack of courage! What a fascinating statement—a lack of courage. Can I just say that it was the courage of this Albanese Labor government that invested in Medicare after 10 years of...
A lack of courage! What a fascinating statement—a lack of courage. Can I just say that it was the courage of this Albanese Labor government that invested in Medicare after 10 years of Liberal-National neglect. They decimated our universal healthcare system, making it harder and more expensive for people to see a doctor, whether that be to access a GP, pathology, imaging or an emergency department. They chronically underfunded our nation's hospitals through the national health agreement. It was an absolute travesty. I still vividly remember—this is pre COVID—standing in the emergency department, looking out through the window, and there was a TV in the waiting room. And I remember the former member for Cook, the then prime minister of Australia, continuing to parrot the lines that the Liberal-National government were continuing to invest in primary health care, in the health care of Australians and in Medicare. I looked around in that waiting room and I looked around at the sick people who couldn't access health care because it had been chronically underfunded, and that was part of a tipping point for me. That was part of a moment that—like the member for Goldstein just said—made me a Labor MP. That made me put up my hand, doorknock tens of thousands of houses, talk to constituents right across my electorate, talk to people in Dobell and in Shortland—the great Central Coast region of New South Wales—and say, 'Hey, this isn't good enough.' People are waiting too long in EDs. People can't see a GP. People can't get access to the pathology services and imaging services that they need to live long, happy, healthy and productive lives. And that's what made me run for parliament. When we heard the first speeches of some of these amazing Labor members who sit in this chamber here today, they talked about the importance of Medicare, because it is important. It is important. Medicare is important, and bulk-billing is the beating heart of Medicare; it is the beating heart of Australia. It's what allows us to do the things that we want to do and not have to worry that going to the doctor, going to the hospital or having surgery is going to bankrupt us and send us onto the street. That's why Medicare exists. It's not just about Medicare. The whole package of health care that this Albanese Labor government has brought forward in both the 47th parliament and now the 48th parliament is one for the history books. It is fantastic. We are looking at making sure that pathology and imaging services are more widely available for the Australian people. But let's talk about urgent care. If you're too sick for the GP but not sick enough for the ED, now you've finally got somewhere to go, and it's bulk-billed. I can only imagine what those opposite would do if they decided to set up some sort of network like that. You would be paying for it and you would be paying deep into your pockets for a privatised health system, and that is just not good enough. Let's move on from urgent care; let's talk about the tripling of the bulk-billing incentive. I know that, following the tripling of the bulk-billing incentive—which is now going to be expanded to every Medicare card holder to make sure that we can improve access to bulk-billing right across this country so that people can access a GP—preventive healthcare is important. It stops people going to the emergency department in the middle of the night. We treat the hypertension. We treat the hypercholesterolaemia. That stops it from becoming a myocardial infarction. That stops it from becoming a CVA. That stops people from becoming critically unwell and needing those tertiary- or quaternary-level services. That's what general practice and preventive care is all about. I support our GPs on the Central Coast and right across Australia, and I know that the Albanese Labor government supports our general practitioners, through the tripling of that incentive. There is one more thing I want to talk about that I think is important and that has been chronically underfunded for decades, to be frank, by governments of every persuasion, but particularly by the former Liberal-National coalition government. That is investment in women's health care. Investment in women's health care is so important, not just for the fact that women make up half the population of Australia but for the fact that the chronic underfunding of women's health care has meant time off work and significant morbidity and, in some cases, mortality in the female population. That's just not good enough. Out-of-control misdiagnosis or delayed diagnosis of endometriosis impacts lives. It impacts lives and it impacts families, and, quite frankly, the chronic underfunding of women's health care under the previous government was just not good enough. It took our prime minister, our cabinet and our majority-female Labor government to take a stand and to say, 'That's not good enough, and we need to invest in women's health care.' It's the endometriosis clinics. It's the pelvic pain clinics. It's access to contraceptive options. It's making sure that, when women see the GP, they can actually see the GP for a timeframe wherein they can actually address the issues that affect women in their lives and affect women in their health care journey. And I believe that is really, really important. Locally, on the Central Coast, there are those federal policies, but there are also the local policies. We are investing millions of dollars in our maternity services on the Central Coast, making sure that, after the closure of our private hospital, women have choice about where they can give birth, making sure they don't have to go to Newcastle, making sure they don't have to go to Sydney. They can give birth in our public hospital, Gosford Hospital. We're making sure there is up-to-date, world-class infrastructure in our maternity and birthing units. We're making sure that our gynaecology and our colposcopy clinics are adequately funded and making sure that people have access in our public hospitals to world-class, world-leading obstetrics and gynaecology services. I'll make a final point, on what has often been a taboo subject in Australia: mental health. Under this government, in the last parliament and now in this parliament, we are making sure that we are talking about mental health and that we are investing in mental health. That is a really important part of the healthcare journey of a patient. My good friend the assistant minister and member for Dobell, Emma McBride, along with the broader health caucus, and the Prime Minister and every Labor member in the parliament have backed the introduction of the Medicare mental health centres. These will be walk-in clinics where you can access psychologists, where you can access counsellors, where you can talk to people—bulk-billed, importantly—about your mental health issues and either have them addressed onsite or be referred to a specialist pathway. Ultimately, that will reduce the disease burden not just on yourself but also on our society more generally. For the member for Goldstein to come in here and talk about us underinvesting in Medicare, despite everything that we did in the 47th Parliament and despite everything we are doing now—one of the first pieces of legislation this fortnight was to cut the cost of medicines. As Minister Butler, the Minister for Health and Ageing, continues to say, bulk-billing is the beating heart of Medicare, and Medicare is the beating heart of Australia. It truly is. I know, as the Labor member for Robertson, I will continue to support universal health care. I will continue to support cheaper medicines. I will continue to support the expansion of women's health care and access to health care. I will continue to support our mental health services. I will continue to support our public hospitals. These are important not just to the Central Coast but to New South Wales and Australia more broadly.
My question is to the Minister for Health and Ageing. How are medicines listed on the PBS helping to improve the lives of Australians? Why is the government so determined to make PBS medicines...
My question is to the Minister for Health and Ageing. How are medicines listed on the PBS helping to improve the lives of Australians? Why is the government so determined to make PBS medicines cheaper for Australians, and why is this necessary?
Oliver, Ms Holly, Scouts Australia | Statements by Members | House debates
I rise to recognise Holly Oliver of Avoca Beach for her contributions to the Central Coast community, particularly in supporting young people through her involvement with Scouts NSW and Scouts...
I rise to recognise Holly Oliver of Avoca Beach for her contributions to the Central Coast community, particularly in supporting young people through her involvement with Scouts NSW and Scouts Australia. Holly is the group leader at the 1st Avoca Beach Scout Group and is also the Regional Commissioner for Scouts Australia. By day, Holly is a regional health, safety and environment manager for a multinational food company. Holly moved to the Central Coast with her family in 2018 and decided to join the local scouts to better integrate and understand her new community, as well as to give back. A scout for 15 years prior, Holly has used her expertise from her day job to assist in her roles with Scouts Australia. Scouts Australia has embraced a diverse, inclusive approach and proudly celebrates 50 years of participation by girls and women. At its core, scouting is about developing well-rounded individuals. Through the youth led, adult supported philosophy, young members set their own goals, plan activities and review their progress. Scouts Australia fosters resilience, leadership and confidence in a fun, adventurous and supportive environment. I want to take this opportunity to thank Holly for all of her work at the 1st Avoca Beach Scouts Group and, more broadly, in her role in Scouts Australia. Scouts Australia is a tremendous organisation with so much history supporting communities right across Australia.