Ali France's recent appearances (OpenAustralia.org)
Health Legislation Amendment (Prescribing of Pharmaceutical Benefits) Bill 2025; Second Reading | Bills | House debates
I rise to speak in support of the Health Legislation Amendment (Prescribing of Pharmaceutical Benefits) Bill 2025. The Albanese Labor government is committed to strengthening Medicare and...
I rise to speak in support of the Health Legislation Amendment (Prescribing of Pharmaceutical Benefits) Bill 2025. The Albanese Labor government is committed to strengthening Medicare and building a stronger, fairer healthcare system so that all Australians can access the care that they need. Australians rightly expect that Medicare will be there for them when they need it, no matter where they live or how much they earn. Yet an ageing population, rising rates of chronic and complex disease and workforce shortages, particularly in regional and rural and remote areas, are making it harder for people to get the right care at the right time. 50 per cent of Australians have at least one chronic health condition, such as diabetes, cancer, heart disease, Alzheimer's, endometriosis, motor neurone disease, Crohn's disease and dementia, just to name a few. And they're more likely to be women. For people living with a chronic illness, access to affordable health care is life or death. Managing that illness is never-ending, often exhausting, expensive, frustrating and all-consuming. It often means the loss of work, poverty and a breakdown in relationships. It's a huge struggle. Part of that struggle can be delays in accessing GPS and specialists. Some simply can't afford the appointment, and others are on a waitlist. We know this is a direct result of a decade of underinvestment in Medicare by those two unhappy groups opposite formerly known as the coalition—a decade of turning a blind eye to the rising costs of health care and health inequality. Since 2022, Labor has been squarely focused on fixing Medicare. In the 2025-26 budget, we made the single biggest investment in Medicare since it was established over 40 years ago: an $8.5 billion investment to expand bulk-billing for more urgent care clinics, to undertake the biggest GP training program ever, for hundreds of nurse scholarships, for cheaper medicines and for our women's health package. This investment is why I got involved in politics. It is why I wanted to represent the people of Dickson. Labor's record investment restores the $8.3 billion that the Australian Medical Association, the AMA, says was cut from Medicare under those opposite in a decade-long effort to dismantle Medicare by the Liberal and National parties of Australia, a calculated and sustained attack on bulk-billing. That decade cost us all, and we are now rebuilding. This bill is a part of that rebuild. This bill will make life a little bit easier for all Aussies but in particular for those with chronic health conditions. These changes will empower nurses to work to their full scope of practice and improve access to medicines across the country. It enables suitably qualified, endorsed registered nurses to prescribe specified PBS medicines under a carefully designed, nationally consistent framework. Nurses will be able to provide safe, high-quality care, reducing the need for GP appointments for routine repeat scripts or a trip to A&E. We want to remove the barriers to regular and follow-up prescriptions. Registered nurses make up approximately half of the country's health workforce and are the most geographically distributed health profession. This is particularly true in my state of Queensland. More than half of our population lives outside Greater Brisbane. In many communities, the kilometres to the nearest GP and then the nearest chemist are the barrier. In many Queensland communities, nurses are the first point of contact and the most consistent presence in a person's health journey. This is the case across aged-care facilities, community clinics, Indigenous health services and outreach programs. This bill acknowledges that reality and provides a safe pathway for designated registered nurse prescribers to keep people well closer to home. For a relative in an aged-care home, this might mean a timely dose adjustment can be made and dispensed under the PBS by the authorised nurse practitioner working in partnership with their GP. For a family in Central Queensland, it might mean not having to take a day off work or drive hundreds of kilometres for a simple routine repeat prescription. This is how we make Medicare work for real people—by removing barriers and supporting the teams already caring for people in our communities. Harnessing the strength of our wonderful nurses will improve access to essential medicines, support continuity of care and take pressure off our healthcare system. These new laws come after extensive research, development and consultation led by the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia and the Australian Chief Nursing and Midwifery Officer. These changes include safeguards to ensure the best level of care. Only registered nurses who meet the registration standard for designated registered nurse prescribers through specific education, competency and professional requirements will be eligible to apply for PBS approval. This bill outlines a framework that is collaborative, safe and accountable to deliver access without compromising standards. This bill is part of the Albanese Labor government's commitment to strengthen Medicare. We have delivered more bulk-billing GPS by significantly increasing the bulk-billing incentive, supporting more practices to bulk bill and making it cheaper to see a doctor. We are opening more Medicare urgent care clinics so families can get urgent non-life threatening care without having to go to the emergency department and without a bill. The Murrumba Downs urgent care clinic in my electorate has treated over 27,000 people. The staff is incredible, and the community absolutely loves this service. We've made PBS medicines cheaper by reducing the maximum cost of PBS medicines from $31.60 to just $25. The last time they were this low was in 2004. We introduced 60-day scripts, halving the number of pharmacy and GP visits needed for repeat scripts. We are modernising digital health, strengthening e-prescribing, enhancing My Health Record and improving secure messaging so the right to information is available to the right clinician at the right time. We are investing in our health workforce. We're hiring more doctors and nurses, expanding training pathways, and, as I mentioned before, we're undertaking the biggest GP training program across the country that has ever been undertaken. We want to grow our next generation of GPS. We want to see more GPS in our communities and particularly in regional, rural and remote communities. We are investing more than $790 million in women's health—something I'm incredibly passionate about and, as I'm in my menopause era, I'm actually taking advantage of. We're making contraceptives cheaper. We're expanding access to treatments for menopause. We're making access to endometriosis specialists and getting specialist support for complex gynaecological conditions right across the country. This is long overdue, but we're delivering it. We're opening endometriosis and pelvic pain clinics right across the country so that women can get earlier diagnosis and better treatment. We are delivering more free mental health services, with walk-in Medicare mental health clinics popping up right across the country. We opened one in my electorate, in Strathpine, last year. The feedback from that service has been incredible, particularly from local families, who say that, instead of having to go to the A&E if their relative or loved one is having a mental health crisis, they can now pop down to the Strathpine Medicare mental health centre. No appointment is necessary. It's walk in. We will continue to listen to patients, nurses, doctors, pharmacists and community leaders because good policy is co-designed with the people who use it and deliver it. Medicare is Labor's heart. It is the very best of this country and it is dearly loved by all Australians. That is why we are working to strengthen and protect it and why this bill matters so much. The Health Legislation Amendment (Prescribing of Pharmaceutical Benefits) Bill 2025 is a practical, safety-first measure to improve access, strengthen teams and modernise care. It recognises the central role nurses play in communities across Australia. I stand here in absolute awe of the nurses that I have been in contact with in my health journey. They are an incredible support to so many people across our community. I have always had the most amazing care from our nurses in Queensland and New South Wales. Together with our wider Medicare reforms, this bill helps deliver a stronger Medicare and a more resilient, equitable health system for every Australian. I commend the bill to the House.
Combatting Antisemitism, Hate and Extremism (Criminal and Migration Laws) Bill 2026; Second Reading | Bills | House debates
I rise to speak on the Combatting Antisemitism, Hate and Extremism (Criminal and Migration Laws) Bill 2026. Some of us here in this place know loss, know trauma and know grief—the grief of...
I rise to speak on the Combatting Antisemitism, Hate and Extremism (Criminal and Migration Laws) Bill 2026. Some of us here in this place know loss, know trauma and know grief—the grief of losing a child or a family member. We know that gut-wrenching feeling, that visceral feeling, of coming home and they are no longer there. But what I don't know, and can't begin to know, is racially-motivated terror, and the loss, trauma, grief and fear that derives from that. I know what it is like to see danger and to put your body in front of your child to give them every chance of living. I know it because I did that, as an out-of-control car came towards my four-year-old in a pram in 2011. That day has never left me. It is seared into every breath I take. It is fear that I never knew before the accident, and it means the management of never-ending anxiety that, at any moment, anywhere, life can end. What I don't know, and have never lived with, is racially-motivated terror, anxiety and fear—deep fear—that you might be purposefully targeted by another human because of your faith, the colour of your skin, where you were born or where your parents or their parents were born; that, while you're doing your grocery shopping, another human will whisper under their breath; that, while you're dropping your child at school, another parent will say things about the way you might be dressed or what's happening in your country of birth; that your family members, your children, may be abused, shunned and targeted; that, while attending a celebration at our iconic Bondi Beach with your friends and family, other humans would plan a mass-murder event targeting you, your friends and family on that beach. I don't know that, and nor should any Australian. That is not living. What I do know is the horrific loss of a child. I know some of the grief that Charlotte's parents are going through. It is a particularly cruel existence, living while your child no longer walks with you. What I don't know is the intentional murder of a child—that another human chose that, planned that and was motivated by hate to do that. Cancer chose my boy. Leukaemia took him. No human took him. I can't imagine the grief, the anger and resentment that that would trigger. Antisemitism, hate and extremism have no place in Australia, and I certainly support any changes that will help ensure that no parent or family experiences the trauma of Bondi again. This bill is about confronting extremism, protecting social cohesion and safeguarding our communities. It is about protecting the loss of life, preventing violence and hate. This bill, together with related firearms and customs law reforms, delivers strong, targeted action against those who spread hate and violence. The bill strengthens hate crime laws by introducing aggravated offences for those in positions of influence, including religious leaders who advocate violence and adults who radicalise children. These provisions reflect the serious harm caused when an authority is being abused. Penalties for hate crimes will be increased to ensure they reflect the gravity of these offences. These laws send a clear message that crimes driven by antisemitism and racial hatred will attract strong consequences. This bill is about protecting innocent lives. It is about honouring 15 beautiful people who left us too soon. Bondi must never occur again.
Energy | Matters of Public Importance | House debates
I completely understand why those opposite are so triggered and confused by our Minister for Climate Change and Energy's success on the world stage. Those opposite haven't seen success like that...
I completely understand why those opposite are so triggered and confused by our Minister for Climate Change and Energy's success on the world stage. Those opposite haven't seen success like that for years and years. This MPI really is a little bit embarrassing, right? Getting an exclusive role for Australia as President of Negotiations for COP31, closely directing the world's response to climate change, is something that those opposite could only dream of. It will give Australia the power to appoint cofacilitators, draft negotiation texts and issue decisions. Representing Australia on the world stage is in our national and economic interest. We understand that on this side of the House. Our neighbours in the Pacific are pretty happy with this appointment along with the pre COP meeting in the Pacific. We also know that serving ministers in other countries have held the same position previously. Actually, if those opposite had done their research, they would find that seven out of 10 since Paris in 2015 have been serving ministers. One actually was a Prime Minister. While we know that those opposite might find multitasking quite difficult, rest assured our minister can walk and chew gum at the same time just like the previous seven ministers from other countries. The opposition seems to absolutely love talking Australia down, but what this is really about is the coalition's absolute opposition to any action on climate change. What we're seeing here is what you could call the Nationals effect. The Liberals drop net zero to make the Nationals happy, and now they're talking Australia down to the world. Australians at the election made it very, very clear they want cleaner, cheaper, renewable energy. Most industrialised nations have committed to net zero emissions. Governments are setting ambitious targets and investing in cleaner technologies, and consumers are demanding more sustainable practices. Big businesses have shifted to net zero practices because if they want to be competitive and save costs they absolutely must. What would hurt Aussie families would be walking away from the table like those opposite have walked away from net-zero—shame! That would scare off investment, prolong ageing and unreliable coal and push up power prices. Renewable energy is not just an environmental choice. It is an economic necessity, embraced by families right across this great nation. The Albanese Labor government is delivering a responsible energy plan that creates jobs, provides business certainty and lowers emissions. We have acted to provide three rounds of power bill relief, and we've capped gas prices and invested in cheaper renewables—all of which those opposite have opposed. Wholesale electricity prices fell by a third last quarter. Nearly 140,000 homes and businesses across the country have installed batteries through our Cheaper Home Batteries Program, storing their sunshine, powering their homes and saving money off their bills. It's worth noting that the electorates with the highest uptake of rooftop solar are not necessarily the inner-city seats that you might expect but overwhelmingly regional and outer-suburban communities, many of them held by those opposite and the Nationals. Those households know it cuts bills and delivers cheaper, cleaner energy. In his address to this year's COP, the Minister for Climate Change and Energy made clear that net zero is the engine room of global economic growth. Australia is leading, with a 2035 target of up to 70 per cent emissions reduction, record renewable uptake and partnership with Pacific neighbours. My message to those opposite is: Do better. Be for Australia, not against us.
Cybersafety | Questions without Notice | House debates
My question is to the Minister for Communications. What threats does Australia's social media minimum age law face, and how is the Albanese Labor government fighting to put parents and kids...
My question is to the Minister for Communications. What threats does Australia's social media minimum age law face, and how is the Albanese Labor government fighting to put parents and kids before platforms?
Dickson Electorate: Roads | Constituency Statements | House debates
Rubber is hitting the road on our Bruce Highway upgrades, benefiting residents and drivers right across our Moreton Bay region. Everyone knows how choked up the Bruce gets. It's bumper to bumper...
Rubber is hitting the road on our Bruce Highway upgrades, benefiting residents and drivers right across our Moreton Bay region. Everyone knows how choked up the Bruce gets. It's bumper to bumper and enough to drive anyone around the bend. That's why I'm thrilled we've hit top gear on the next stage of upgrades to the Gateway Motorway and the Bruce Highway. The Albanese government has signed a contract worth close to $2 billion to put the pedal to the metal on upgrades from Bracken Ridge to Pine Rivers. What I'm most excited about is the Dohles Rocks Road upgrade. My electorate is one of the fastest growing electorates in the country, and that means more cars on the road. Every day, about 160,000 vehicles travel between Moreton Bay and Brisbane on this corridor. That number is expected to increase by 50 per cent by 2041. Without action, congestion will stall our community. That's why the Albanese Labor government is investing more than $1.5 billion, alongside the Queensland government's $389 million, to deliver the Gateway to Bruce upgrade. This project combines two critical works: the $1 billion Gateway Motorway upgrade from Bracken Ridge to Pine Rivers and the $948 million Bruce Highway upgrade from the Gateway Motorway to Dohles Rocks Road. After years of my predecessor idling in neutral, promising the Dohles Rocks Road upgrade but never shifting into gear, Labor is getting on with this essential upgrade. These upgrades will reduce travel times for commuters, improve freight efficiency and make sure families can get home sooner and more safely. It's also about supporting jobs, because this contract will create hundreds of local jobs during construction. It's about planning for the future because traffic volumes are only going to keep accelerating. And it's about spending more time in the living room with your family, not in the driver's seat. On this side of the House, we're steering Queensland in the right direction. We're in the fast lane on delivery, not stuck in the slow lane of excuses. Queenslanders deserve more time at home and less time on the road. With Labor behind the wheel, we're driving progress, not pumping the brakes.
Medicare | Private Members' Business | House debates
I rise to speak against the motion moved by the member for Bowman, which is really laughable, because the reduction of bulk-billing over the past 10 years is a direct result of the nine years of...
I rise to speak against the motion moved by the member for Bowman, which is really laughable, because the reduction of bulk-billing over the past 10 years is a direct result of the nine years of coalition policies—a direct result of the big six-year freeze on GP rebates implemented by my opponent, Peter Dutton, in 2014, when he was Minister for Health, and then continued under the now opposition leader, Sussan Ley. And let's not forget the ill-conceived GP fee in 2015, where those opposite actually publicly campaigned for people to be paying for a GP visit, with the former minister, Sussan Ley, now opposition leader, saying, 'If you don't pay for something, you don't value it.' We all know that this led to an unprecedented decline in bulk-billing as doctors found it increasingly difficult to recover their practice costs without charging a fee. So I would say to those opposite, if you want to know why we are now doing everything possible to bring back bulk-billing, you should just look in the mirror and say to yourselves, 'It was the coalition that destroyed bulk-billing,' because that is the truth. After a decade of cuts and neglect under the former coalition government, bulk-billing was in freefall. Many patients who had only ever been bulk-billed were having to pay a fee for the first time to see a GP, and as a result some were skipping care because they couldn't afford it, resulting in poorer health outcomes for vulnerable Australians. The Albanese Labor government is turning that around. I've heard too many stories over the past eight years of campaigning in Dickson—parents forced to choose between groceries and a visit to the doctor; people going without treatment because they couldn't afford to pay upfront and ending up in A&E. That was the reality of the system that was neglected for far too long by those opposite. That's why the Albanese Labor government, since its election, has been delivering the single largest investment in Medicare. When we first came to government, we moved to triple the bulk-billing incentive for vulnerable patient groups, children under 16 and concession card holders. Now, for the first time, we're expanding the bulk-billing incentive to everyone—to all Australians. We're providing incentives to general practices that bulk-bill every patient, and we are seeing GP practices take up that offer right across the country. Well over 1,000 have switched to be fully bulk-billed. This is on top of the 1,600 GP practices that already fully bulk-bill. By 2030, we aim to have nine out of 10 GP visits bulk-billed. This investment will deliver an additional 18 million bulk-billed GP visits each year across the country. At the same time, we are rolling out our urgent care clinics across the country, reducing waiting times in A&E and providing more out-of-hours services. Our local Murrumba Downs urgent care clinic recently celebrated over 25,000 visits—now over 27,000. The feedback I get from locals on this service is all positive. It's a great local service. We are also opening walk-in free Medicare mental health centres right across the country, and we now have one in Strathpine in my electorate. On this side of the House, we are restoring bulk-billing, strengthening Medicare and making sure no-one has to choose between their health and their household budget. Whether you need urgent care, mental health care or a check-up at your local GP, we want every Australian to have access to the health care they need, with their Medicare card. That's the promise of Medicare. That's the legacy Labor created, and that's the legacy the Albanese government is strengthening and will always fight for.
International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women | Private Members' Business | House debates
The date 25 November marks the United Nations International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women and the start of 16 days of activism against gender based violence. The statistics...
The date 25 November marks the United Nations International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women and the start of 16 days of activism against gender based violence. The statistics are sobering. I, too, join with my colleagues to acknowledge all those who have lost a loved one as a result of gender based violence. One in four women and one in 14 men have experienced violence from an intimate partner. Women with a disability are more than twice as likely to experience sexual violence. These are not just numbers. They represent lives shattered and trauma. Recently, I met Lauren at a mobile office I held in Petrie. Lauren bravely shared with me her long and harrowing experience of domestic and family violence. Lauren's ordeal began in 2015 when her partner harmed her baby at just three months old. He was charged and incarcerated. But, for Lauren, that was only the beginning. She told me about the lack of support she received from police and the hospital. She was doing everything she could to protect her child, but the system made her feel like the criminal. After that, Lauren endured further violence and coercion from another partner. She became homeless. She fought court battles. Her child was placed into care. At one point, that abusive partner took out a domestic violence order against her, a move that prevented her from completing her nursing studies and left her as a single mother with significant student debt. Lauren told me that, at one stage, she stole petrol because she couldn't afford to fill up her car. Lauren's story is heartbreaking, but what is even more confronting is that her story is not unique. There are thousands of Laurens across this country, women who are doing everything they can to protect themselves and their children yet find themselves trapped in systems that compound their trauma instead of alleviating it. Lauren's trauma reminds us that gender based violence is not just about physical harm. It is about power, control and the structures that allow abuse to persist. It is about the barriers that women face when they seek help—the fear of not being believed, the shame of being judged, finding a new home and the crushing weight of navigating complex legal and child protection systems while trying to survive. The Albanese Labor government is committed to changing this. Since coming to government, Labor has invested more than any Australian government ever, more than $4 billion, in frontline services and preventive programs. We made the $5,000 leaving violence payment permanent, providing support for women leaving violence. We are investing in emergency accommodation and legislated 10 days domestic violence leave. Importantly, we expanded discretion for Centrelink so perpetrators can't use the social security system to leave survivors with tens of thousands of dollars in debt. And we have reformed the family law system so that it is safer, simpler and more accessible. But we know there is more we need to do. We know this because women are still dying, and fighting to keep themselves and their children alive and safe. We're committed to making changes to prevent perpetrators from using the tax and social security systems for coercive control or financial abuse. We must ensure that, when women like Lauren reach out for help, they are met with compassion and tangible support. Lauren said something to me that has stayed with me. She said, 'The shame I felt was indescribable.' No woman should ever feel that way for seeking help, and every child has the right to grow up safe. I commend this motion to the House.
I second the motion and reserve my right to speak.
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
Thank goodness that speech is over and done with. What a bunch of rubbish was coming from the member for Cook. I believe the Moreton Bay region is the very best place to live in the world....
Thank goodness that speech is over and done with. What a bunch of rubbish was coming from the member for Cook. I believe the Moreton Bay region is the very best place to live in the world. Moreton Bay, just north of Brisbane, is home to native platypus, turtles, frogs, lizards, snakes and many species of birds. We have flying foxes, native eels and a significant koala population, as well as powerful owls, which we know are vulnerable to extinction. Recently I was talking to students at a school in Lawnton. I looked to my right and up there in the tree was a koala—right outside the classroom. There are very few places in this country where this could happen. Moreton Bay is also home to one of only a handful of urban platypus populations in Australia, and it's found right on the South Pine River. We have wet and dry eucalypt forest, rainforest, creek systems and coastal and wetland ecosystems. Nearly 30 years ago our local council had the foresight to preserve some of our precious Moreton Bay rainforest ecosystems, after local residents petitioned the council to save the land around Eatons Hill from residential development. Kumbartcho Sanctuary is now a wonderful place to discover and appreciate Moreton Bay's rainforest ecosystems. The sanctuary is an important wildlife highway, providing a safe place for wildlife to move from the state forest to the river. This rare pocket of untouched rainforest has six kilometres of walking paths throughout the forest and near the river. Saving this land is the only reason we have a unique urban platypus population. That is why the Albanese Labor government has committed $1.6 million for new, improved facilities at the sanctuary to ensure that this important land holding is maintained for future generations. I also acknowledge the support of local councillor Cath Tonks in ensuring that the sanctuary is a priority for the council and the Moreton Bay region. At the mill in Petrie, koala populations have grown by 22 per cent annually since 2017. But we all know that overall our koala populations have been severely impacted over time by development and much-needed housing. The message from my community and across the nation at the election was clear: we want laws that protect the environment, our unique habitats—our koalas—while giving certainty to those who invest, build and create jobs. For far too long, Australia's environmental laws have been broken, outdated, complex, and failing both nature and business. Today we have the opportunity to fix them. The EPBC Act is last century. Those laws were introduced in 1999—more than 25 years ago—and do not reflect modern environmental science or community expectations for nature, protection and sustainability. It is clear that the need for change is urgent. The Environment Protection Reform Bill 2025 represents the most significant overhaul of environmental law in a generation. It is an opportunity for important change, and I urge the opposition and the Greens to take up that opportunity. You may not get everything you want, but I think we can all agree that the current laws are archaic and do nothing to protect the environment. This bill delivers strong protections, faster approvals and greater accountability through the creation of Australia's first ever independent National Environmental Protection Agency. This bill is about getting the balance right between protecting our environment and delivering fast approvals for good projects, particularly for housing and transport infrastructure, in fast-growing regions like mine. Moreton Bay is one of Australia's fastest-growing regions. It is expected that in the next 20 years there will be 210,000 new residents. That's almost the size of Hobart. From young families priced out of Brisbane to those who are looking to retire or those coming from the south to a greater weather and lifestyle, outer urban centres like Moreton Bay are and will continue to be the most impacted by growth. It's only fair that we deliver a strong framework that will protect communities like mine from development in the wrong places while encouraging it and making it easier in the right places. For too long the grey area between federal and state systems has meant confusion, delay and frustration for communities and businesses. The measures in this bill will tackle the underlying cause of delay while also delivering greater protections for nature. Under these reforms we will remove duplication through new agreements between the Commonwealth and states. There will be faster approvals for good projects, particularly in housing, clean energy and regional infrastructure, while ensuring that environmental safeguards are not compromised. The National Environmental Protection Agency will be an independent environmental watchdog with real teeth. The new laws will introduce national environmental standards—clear, enforceable rules that cannot be ignored or watered down. And they will empower an independent regulator to act when those standards are breached. Five years ago, the Samuel review, commissioned by the opposition leader, found the current EPBC Act benefited no-one—not business, not the environment. The review gave the then government a framework for these laws and they promptly shelved the recommendations. Those opposite claim that these laws are too rushed, but they have been aware of the scaffolding and the road map for these laws for five long years. They have had five long years to consider these issues raised by Dr Graeme Samuel. The member for Cook mentioned 'all talk and no action'. Well, the member for Cook should take a look in the mirror. He talks about protecting the environment while, at the same time, his coalition wants to dump net zero and opposes these bills. Everyone in this place has known that we made a commitment at the election to establish a federal environment protection agency and undertake national environmental law reform. Labor is the party for major environment reform but we are also the party for workers, for jobs and for housing. The bills are about getting the balance right—laws that are good for business and good for the environment. We can and we must do both. From the beautiful Great Barrier Reef to the rare platypus in the South Pine River, our natural environment is too important to risk. These bills will deliver on thousands of jobs in construction, agriculture and tourism and on clean energy projects, our renewable energy transition and a future made in Australia. We cannot afford to wait for another review, another inquiry or another election cycle; our environment and our economy are too important. The time to act is now because every delay not only costs us precious biodiversity but also costs us jobs—jobs that could be created today in the outer suburbs and regions, where economic opportunity must be matched by decisive leadership. It is possible to grow our economy, build homes and create jobs while protecting the natural wonders that define our national identity. Only the Labor government will deliver this important change. I commend these bills to the House.
Health Care | Questions without Notice | House debates
My question is to the Prime Minister. How is the Albanese Labor government delivering on its commitment to strengthen Medicare, and how does it help Australians to access the quality, affordable...
My question is to the Prime Minister. How is the Albanese Labor government delivering on its commitment to strengthen Medicare, and how does it help Australians to access the quality, affordable health care they deserve? Are there any threats to this investment?
Youth Voice in Parliament, The Leukaemia Foundation | Constituency Statements | House debates
I am so pleased to read out a statement from 16-year-old Heidi from my electorate of Dixon as part of the Raise our Voice campaign. My name is Heidi and at the time of writing, I am a 16 year old...
I am so pleased to read out a statement from 16-year-old Heidi from my electorate of Dixon as part of the Raise our Voice campaign. My name is Heidi and at the time of writing, I am a 16 year old student. As a young Australian, I believe our government has a responsibility to build a future where every person is accepted for who they are—no matter their race, religion, sexuality, or culture. Too often, young people grow up hearing voices of hate and division, when what we desperately need is love, respect, and understanding. Australia is one of the most diverse countries in the world, and that should be our greatest strength. But when people are judged for the colour of their skin, who they love, or the faith they follow, we all lose. If the government truly wants to create a better tomorrow, it must do more than just talk about tolerance—it must act. That means stronger protections against discrimination, proper education in schools that teaches empathy and inclusivity, and support for young people who feel silenced or left out. My generation doesn't want to live in a country divided by fear. We want a future built on acceptance, kindness, and courage. If our leaders take bold steps today, they can help create an Australia where difference is not just tolerated but celebrated—and that is the kind of tomorrow I want to grow up in. Thanks, Heidi. I'd also like to use my remaining time to acknowledge that this year we are celebrating 50 years of the Leukaemia Foundation. The Leukaemia Foundation has been providing care and support to people living with leukaemia and their families for over 50 years, including the many regional and rural families I met during my Henry's 18-month battle with leukaemia, families that got to stay close to their loved ones because of the Leukaemia Foundation. Every year, thousands of Australians have their lives turned upside down by blood cancers like leukaemia. The work of the Leukaemia Foundation is immeasurable. Thank you to the Leukaemia Foundation for 50 years of supporting young Australians and all Australians with blood cancers.
Women's Health | Statements by Members | House debates
For decades, women's health has been ignored or belittled. I was told in my late 40s that my tiredness was probably diet related and that I should increase my iron intake. I was told my...
For decades, women's health has been ignored or belittled. I was told in my late 40s that my tiredness was probably diet related and that I should increase my iron intake. I was told my migraines, which I had never had before, were probably the result of stress. Looking back, I was in perimenopause. I'm now aged 52. I am in my menopause era, and I am one of the tens of thousands of women who are benefiting from the Albanese Labor government's record women's health package. I am taking all of the things available to mitigate the symptoms and live a productive, happy life. Getting the diagnosis and initial treatment cost me over $1,000. I've been paying about $800 a year for medications over the past few years. Now, as a result of Albanese Labor government's $800 million women's health package, the annual cost has halved for me. Today, I was proud to join my Labor caucus colleagues to announce that another contraceptive has been added to the PBS. From November 1, the NuvaRing will cost just $31.60 per script or $7.70 for concessional patients. From January, that cost drops even further to $25. What once cost $270 a year will now cost just $25. I'm proud to be part of a government that listens, acts and delivers for Australian women.
Women's Health | Questions without Notice | House debates
My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Women. How is the Albanese Labor government supporting women's health?
Young Australians wish they could afford a home amongst the gum trees or a home with lots of plum trees, a sheep or two or a kangaroo. Young Australians just want a roof over their heads. An...
Young Australians wish they could afford a home amongst the gum trees or a home with lots of plum trees, a sheep or two or a kangaroo. Young Australians just want a roof over their heads. An eighties built flat with no veranda out the back would do. Owning your own home is the great Australian dream, but, for many hardworking Australians, the dream of owning a home is slipping further and further out of reach. That is why the Albanese Labor government is helping first home buyers get into a home of their own by offering five per cent deposits and guaranteeing a portion of their home loan so they don't have to pay lenders mortgage insurance. Single parents will also be able to buy a home with just a two per cent deposit. Young people have the same homeownership aspirations as generations gone by, but our young people are losing hope that homeownership is possible. The portion of average wages dedicated to mortgage payments has risen dramatically, from 32 per cent in the late nineties to 49 per cent in 2024. That means Australians are now spending nearly half their household income on mortgage repayments, and, in some states, they spend over 50 per cent. House prices have gone up, and interest rates have gone up. But, for a decade, while the coalition was in power, wages stagnated. All of these things combined have made homeownership so much more difficult than in previous generations. That's why the Albanese Labor government is expanding our First Home Guarantee. From 1 October, first home buyers will be able to purchase a home with just a five per cent deposit. And, because the government will guarantee part of these mortgages, buyers won't be hit with tens of thousands of dollars in lenders mortgage insurance. On average, they will save about $25,000. For first-time homebuyers in my community of Dickson, I know this will make a real difference. Our beautiful Moreton Bay community is one of the fastest growing regions in the country. North of Brisbane, many young families are moving to Moreton Bay after being priced out of Brisbane. Nearly 800,000 people are expected to live in the City of Moreton Bay by 2046. That's more than double the size of Hobart and almost double the size of the whole of the ACT. During the election campaign, I spoke to many young couples and single parents—long-term renters—who told me they feel like they're always just that one step behind. Many of them told me that making it easier to buy their first home was what they cared about most. Since we came to government in 2022, 1,200 people in Dickson have already been able to buy their first home with a five per cent deposit or less. We are also building 100,000 new homes exclusively for first home buyers so they don't miss out to property investors. We are continuing the largest housing build in Australian history, because more housing means more affordable homes. Whether it's apartments for young professionals, townhouses for growing families or accessible homes for older Australians and those with a disability, we're building for everyone. As a single mum, I am also incredibly proud that the Albanese Labor government is backing single parents, who often face even greater challenges when it comes to homeownership. We are also investing in social and affordable homes for vulnerable people who can't afford rent let alone buy a home. There are around 28,000 social and affordable homes in planning or under construction. When those opposite were in government they failed to invest in housing, only building 373 social and affordable homes in nine long years of government. The Albanese government is making real progress. We're listening to Australians. We're acting on what matters, and we're delivering on our promise to get more people into their own homes—perhaps a little bush retreat where the kookaburras call—with their own kitchens so that they can cook up a roast or vegemite on toast.
National Disability Insurance Scheme | Adjournment | House debates
The NDIS is dignity, opportunity and independence. It is a promise to take care of people with significant and permanent disability. However, we all know the NDIS needs structural change. Change...
The NDIS is dignity, opportunity and independence. It is a promise to take care of people with significant and permanent disability. However, we all know the NDIS needs structural change. Change is frightening, particularly to those who rely on the NDIS to have a shower, to eat a healthy meal and to get out in the community. We read about rorting on social media and we see the sceptics creeping in. People with a disability and their families are distressed by the criminals and rorters that have tainted our NDIS lifeline. The NDIS has transformed lives for the better, but we must ensure the NDIS and broader disability support services are safe and leave no-one behind. We have done the work. As soon as we came to government in 2022, we ordered a review of the NDIS, exposing the need for change. There were no basic fraud or compliance controls during the nine long years the coalition were running the NDIS. We are fixing that. The vast majority of providers are unregistered and unregulated. We are going to fix that. The coalition allowed the states and territories to step away, to stop being the provider of last resort, to stop delivering support when no other provider was willing to set up in a country town or remote community. The exit by the states has left a deep hole in our mainstream systems of support. We are throwing the sink at that. I spoke with the mum of a participant a couple of years ago, who was absolutely thrilled her adult son was able to move into purpose-built independent living, designed for his needs. It was the first time, as a man in his 30s, that he'd lived away from his parents. But, when he moved in, he was unable to get nursing support, despite having the funding for 24/7 care. He lived a two-hour drive from Brisbane in a large regional town, where there are many participants but zero providers with nursing care. He tried desperately to get the state back involved in his care, because the alternative was to go back to his parents or a nursing home. I've spoken to families in my electorate of Dickson who live around Dayboro, probably an hour and 15 minutes drive, on a good day, from the centre of Brisbane. They struggle to get any providers or any non-NDIS community supports to their village. We all know that children with autism wait too long for diagnosis and early intervention, and many kids from regional and remote backgrounds and areas and those from disadvantaged backgrounds get next to nothing. That is why foundational supports and Thriving Kids are so very important. We need change because we must have support for all kids, no matter where you live or your socioeconomic status. We need early intervention in early learning settings, in schools and in the community. Support from health agencies, schools and community providers were allowed to dwindle by those opposite. The exodus is so complete that, in most areas, non-NDIS supports have disappeared for many families whose needs don't fully align with the scheme's original scope. Those outside the scheme have been falling through the cracks—cracks that began to appear a decade ago and are now deep chasms of inequity. We must fix this. The state-run health services, including allied health professionals, speech therapists and other specialists, provide services across my state of Queensland, servicing Medicare and aged-care patients, but they won't touch NDIS participants. We are now doing everything we can to renegotiate with the states to get them back in, to ensure everyone gets the support they need to begin with foundational supports. I say to people with a disability and their families: we have your back. We will walk on this journey of change together. We will listen. We will not let the NDIS fall into total disrepair. I also say to the states: you are failing kids and people with a disability on a grand scale. You know this. You see it. You hear it. Don't turn away from us.
National Health Amendment (Cheaper Medicines) Bill 2025; Second Reading | Bills | House debates
Let me take you back. It's 2004. Aussie classic Shannon Noll's 'What about me?' is playing on the radio—although, personally, I prefer the original; sorry, Shannon—along with songs...
Let me take you back. It's 2004. Aussie classic Shannon Noll's 'What about me?' is playing on the radio—although, personally, I prefer the original; sorry, Shannon—along with songs like Britney Spears's 'Toxic' and Usher's 'Yeah!'. A new social media platform has launched, a little-known website called Facebook. All the kids want to play Super Mario on the brand-new Nintendo DS gaming console. Shrek 2 is in cinemas. Australia's Ian Thorpe wins the race of the century, defeating Michael Phelps at the Athens Games. Crocodile hunter Steve Irwin feeds a crocodile at Australia Zoo with his baby son, Robert, in his arms—remember that one? And PBS medicines cost no more than $25. Twenty-one years later and the Albanese Labor government is reducing the cost of medicines to 2004 prices. When we came to government in 2002, the cap on PBS medicines was $42. In 2023, we dropped that to $30. Now, as promised during the election campaign, we have dropped the capped price to $25—the biggest cut to the cost of medicine in PBS history. From 1 January, the maximum co-payment for patients under the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme, our PBS, will drop from $31.60 to just $25. That's more than a 20 per cent cut in the maximum cost of PBS medicines. For our pensioners and concession card holders, we're keeping the cost of PBS medicines frozen at $7.70 until 2030. This matters. It matters to me. I have spent the equivalent of a flat deposit on medications over the last 15 years after I lost my leg and in trying to save my son during his battle with leukaemia—literally thousands. The last thing you want to think about when battling serious and chronic illness is. 'How am I going to afford the treatment?' This will make a difference to so many people across the country. My electorate of Dickson has already saved $9.3 million as at 31 July this year. We know when family budgets are stretched it's everyday essentials that hit hardest—groceries, rent, bills and, yes, medicines. For many people managing a chronic illness, it's not optional; it's a daily reality. We don't want people pushed into impossible choices, skipping doses, delaying treatment, selling the family home or cutting back on the food bill. It means parents can focus on caring for their kids, not worrying about how to pay for the next prescription. It means older Australians can manage their health without dipping into their savings. It's about making sure that no-one in my electorate of Dickson or anywhere in Australia has to choose between their health and putting food on the table. It's not just a headline. It's practical. It's a meaningful step that will save Australians over $200 million every year. This change is a key part of our cost-of-living plan. It's money that stays in your pocket. We made a promise to deliver cost-of-living measures prior to the election, and I'm incredibly proud that we are delivering on this. We made a promise. This builds on our work we've already done to make medicines more affordable. We reduced the number of scripts concessional patients need before the PBS safety net kicks in by 25 per cent. We introduced 60-day prescriptions, saving time and money for millions of Australians with ongoing health problems, health conditions and chronic health conditions. These are real changes. They're helping real people, and they're part of our broader commitment to strengthen Medicare and make health care more affordable. We've also made sure that pharmacies can continue to offer discounts so that you can still take advantage of discounts at your local pharmacy. This legislation includes protections to ensure that discounting remains available so that all Australians can benefit from competitive pricing and local support. Our cheaper medicines are good for your hip pocket and good for your health. The Albanese Labor government is committed to strengthening Medicare because Medicare is Labor's heart. We are delivering more bulk-billing for all Australians and making the single largest investment in Medicare ever. We are investing in women's health, making contraceptives cheaper, funding more treatments for menopause and helping women who are suffering from endometriosis and complex gynaecological conditions. We're opening endometriosis and pelvic pain clinics to help Australian women access the care they need closer to home. This includes expanding the clinics' focus to also provide specialist support for menopause and perimenopause, something for which women over the age of 45 and 50 have been crying out for a long, long time. We're opening more Medicare urgent care clinics and Medicare mental health centres. You can just walk in, with no appointment or cash needed. This includes the new Medicare mental health centre at Strathpine, which I was lucky enough to visit on Friday with the Assistant Minister for Mental Health and Suicide Prevention. The new Medicare mental health centre at Strathpine will help thousands of locals in Dickson. It will allow access to much-needed psychological and psychiatrist appointments. When we reduce the cost of medicines and provide more bulk-billed health care, we're also reducing the pressure on our health system. People stay healthier. They avoid hospital visits. They avoid the accident and emergency department and they get the care they need earlier. This is in stark contrast to the devastating record of those opposite. Who could forget their proposed mandatory $7 co-payment for GP visits, pathology and imaging services, which they tried and failed to implement when they were in government? Their record on Medicare and health care speaks for itself. The former coalition government abolished the Australian National Preventive Health Agency. In doing so, they slashed investment in preventive health care like targeting obesity and smoking, increasing physical activity and improving healthy eating. They also terminated payments to the states for preventive health. They reversed public hospital funding, putting pressure on our hospitals and hardworking frontline doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals. They froze Medicare rebates to GPs for over five years and watched while the price of going to the GP soared. They left GPs with the tough decision about whether to absorb out-of-pocket costs or pass them on to patients, leading to fewer bulk-billing practices and higher out-of-pocket costs. Critics at the time described this as a copayment by stealth, disproportionately affecting low-income and vulnerable Australians who rely on regular doctors appointments and, in particular, those with chronic health conditions who need to go to the doctor on a regular basis. Those opposite might say this was from a budget more than a decade ago, but they're still singing the same tune. The member for Lindsay said yesterday that a Medicare card is nothing more than a 'political prop', but I know firsthand that that is not true. That little green card is the difference between getting treatment or not getting treatment. It is the difference between getting bulk-billed mental health support or not getting immediate support. The Albanese government will never stop strengthening Medicare, and making medicines even cheaper is just one part of how we're delivering on this commitment. We've also delivered, and we are delivering, for Australians who want cheaper energy. We are giving, over the next few months, $150 off electricity bills. We are also boosting the number of bulk-billed GP appointments. In terms of the cost of living, we're also spending an enormous amount on housing, ensuring that young people get the opportunity to own their own home. Yesterday, we announced five per cent deposits for all first-time home buyers, which we know will make a big difference to those struggling to get into the housing market. In terms of the cost of health care, I remember back when I worked at a palliative healthcare charity after I lost my leg. I spoke many times to patients who were in palliative care—this is over 10 years ago—who were having to consider selling their homes, having to consider selling their cars, having to consider downsizing and into a cheaper rental because they couldn't afford to pay their medical bills; they couldn't afford to pay for their cancer treatments. I know that this measure is going to make a huge difference to those patients. I know this myself, having walked away from the hospital two years ago and looked at the bill for medications, which sometimes was over $500. This will make a difference to so many peoples' lives. I am so pleased that we are able to deliver cheaper health care and cheaper medicines. We will continue to do so because Medicare is Labor's heart. We will always fight for Medicare.
Mental Health | Private Members' Business | House debates
We all know that looking after your mental health is so incredibly important. I've spoken before in the House about my own struggles with post-traumatic stress disorder and anxiety after I lost...
We all know that looking after your mental health is so incredibly important. I've spoken before in the House about my own struggles with post-traumatic stress disorder and anxiety after I lost my leg in 2011 and about how I struggled to get out of the house, didn't drive for nearly three years and struggled to get back to work. Mental health is a key component to our health, our wellbeing and our prosperity. I did get back to work as a result of constant psychological support, but that is not everyone's reality. Many people go without the support they need. Socioeconomic status, living conditions and employment status can often impact the likelihood of a person experiencing a mental disorder and whether they are able to get access to services and help. Our government, the Albanese Labor government, understands this. Over seven years of doorknocking, I heard time and again that my community wanted more access to bulk-billed, immediate mental health services, which is why our government is putting bulk-billed mental health care into Medicare and walk-in services in the heart of our communities. At the election, we made a historic commitment to invest $1.1 billion to deliver new and expanded mental health services across the country. This includes the new Medicare mental health centre at Strathpine, which I was lucky enough to visit on Friday with the Assistant Minister for Mental Health and Suicide Prevention. It is walk-in and bulk-billed, with no appointment or cash needed, and, with access to psychologists and psychiatrists, the new Medicare mental health centre at Strathpine will help thousands of locals in Dickson. Strathpine is one of three newly launched Medicare mental health centres in the Moreton Bay region, along with Redcliffe and Caboolture, and I've got news for the member for McPherson: they are all fully staffed and ready to take patients. There are currently 43 Medicare mental health centres open nationally, including 11 across Queensland, and we're also getting a brand new centre in Everton Hills in Dickson, which will be open later in the year. In this term, the Albanese government is establishing 31 new and upgraded Medicare mental health centres, taking the total number of Medicare mental health centres to 91. That's 91 investments in better mental health supports for Australians who need it. Whether you've experienced mental health challenges in the past or this is your first time reaching out for support, everyone is welcome. The centres provide a safe and welcoming place where everyone can access free and confidential services and support. They're open for extended hours, there is no appointment or referral needed and they are co-designed with a range of stakeholders, ensuring services meet the needs of local communities like mine in Dickson. Our investment in the Medicare mental health system is just one part of the Albanese Labor government's commitment to strengthening Medicare. We're making medicines cheaper, bringing the cost of PBS scripts down to just $25 or $7.70 for concession card holders—the same price as 2004. We're opening more Medicare urgent care clinics, bringing the total to 90 across Australia. We are also enhancing the clinical capacity of services to better support Australians with complex mental health needs. This includes boosting the availability of free consultations with psychologists and psychiatrists. Anyone living in Australia can also call Medicare Mental Health to speak to a trained professional for advice, support and connection to services that best suit their needs. On this side of the House, we know just how important Medicare is, and we will always work to strengthen it. The same can't be said for those opposite. Who could forget the proposed $7 co-payment for GP visits, pathology and imaging services the coalition tried to implement when they were in government? They also terminated payments to the states for preventive health. They reversed public hospital funding and reduced payments to doctors to discourage bulk-billing. The member for Grey conveniently left out of his speech that under the coalition they froze the Medicare rebates for GPs for over five years. They sat on their hands and watched as the cost of going to the GP went through the roof. The Albanese government will never stop strengthening Medicare, because Medicare is Labor's heart.
National Disability Insurance Scheme | Private Members' Business | House debates
FRANCE () (): The NDIS is a lifeline for so many. It can be the difference between isolation, loneliness and intermittent human contact and regular time in the community with people and with...
FRANCE () (): The NDIS is a lifeline for so many. It can be the difference between isolation, loneliness and intermittent human contact and regular time in the community with people and with support at home. It has also enabled carers to work and re-engage with community and take care of their mental health. Many participants and carers remember what it was like before the NDIS. I stayed in the house all day—just awful. I don't know how we survived. Every time we in this place talk about making change to the NDIS, their fears rise up. They struggle to sleep at night. I struggle. It is a reasonable reaction to the trauma of a severe lack of support before the NDIS. That is why Labor established the NDIS and why we will always work to protect it and ensure it delivers for those it was set up to support: people with significant and permanent care and support needs. It is also why we are making structural changes to the system—changes that must be made to ensure the system is equitable, safe and sustainable. The NDIS is a lifeline for many and has been a cash cow for many others. Participants know this, providers know this and the general public knows this. Despite knowing this we still fear the change. Most participants and carers are genuinely distressed by the rorting and fraud that was allowed to enter the system by the previous coalition government. They have tainted our lifeline. We feel the scepticism from others. We see the buzzards circling. A few weeks ago a local mum, Carol, who has an adult child with cerebral palsy, came to the office distressed and upset over the bill a new service provider had sent them for two trips down the road to and from the Endeavour Foundation. The trip was no more than five minutes; their car had broken down. The bill was $1,000. She was embarrassed and angry and didn't know what to do with it. I seek leave to table a copy of Carol's bill and her email. Leave granted. We know, those opposite know and good providers, which are the majority, know that many bad actors were rorting the travel subsidy. We are listening to the vast majority of providers, who do the right thing, particularly those who travel to areas with no local services. But let's be clear: we need pricing discipline. People on the NDIS should not be paying a cent more than those in the aged care and health sectors. Change is needed not just because of bad actors but because the NDIS is not doing what it set out to do. It has left many with no support while others are overserviced. The other side talk about recent changes to rectify some of this, but they often talk knowing that nine years of turning a blind eye and a general lack of interest in the lives of disabled people allowed the problems of today to fester, run rampant and set in. As soon as we came into government in 2022 we ordered a review, and what I heard was worse than I had ever anticipated. There were no basic fraud or compliance controls in the nine long years the coalition were running the NDIS—zero. That's on the coalition; that's your record. The fact that the vast majority of providers, 15 out of 16, are unregistered and unregulated is a disgrace. We are fixing it. The fact that the states and territories were given the green light to step away, under the coalition, from being the provider of last resort and delivering support where no other provider was willing to set up in a country town has left a deep hole in our mainstream systems of support. We are throwing the sink at that. We also know that children with autism wait too long for diagnosis and early intervention and that while kids in our cities can mostly get access to early intervention supports, kids in regional and remote areas and those from disadvantaged backgrounds really struggle for the basics. That is why foundational supports and Thriving Kids is so important. We cannot have a system for our kids where the biggest spender wins.
Repeal Net Zero Bill 2025; Second Reading | Bills | House debates
I remind the member for Groom, who's just spoken to the House, about a recent federal election in which Australians were presented with two very distinct energy policies when they voted in May:...
I remind the member for Groom, who's just spoken to the House, about a recent federal election in which Australians were presented with two very distinct energy policies when they voted in May: embracing Labor's plan for a clean, cheaper renewable energy future that secures our economy, is good for our environment and our communities and will deliver the jobs of the future; or the coalition's costly detour down a nuclear path that we all know is slow, risky, expensive and out of step with our national strengths. Australia no longer stands at a crossroads. Aussies made their choice. The Queensland LNP, however, are obviously still in denial, as demonstrated over the weekend. The people of Australia overwhelmingly voted at the last election to support better health care, more cost-of-living relief and a strong jobs economy that includes a transition to cheaper renewable energy. This affects everyone. It affects Queenslanders living in the regions, who want more local jobs; young people in our inner cities, concerned about climate change; and farmers, who are seeing and experiencing firsthand the impacts of natural disasters. Reducing our emissions is crucial to creating Australia's future. The world is undergoing one of the most rapid transitions since the Industrial Revolution. Most industrialised nations have committed to net zero emissions. Governments are setting ambitious targets, investors are shifting capital towards clean technologies, and consumers are demanding more sustainable practices. Big businesses have shifted to net zero practices because, if they want to be competitive, save costs and ensure resilience, they absolutely must. By endorsing Labor's plan in May, Aussies have made a very clear statement to the world that Australia is the place to do business if you're looking to use clean energy to create prosperity. That is why this bill, the Repeal Net Zero Bill 2025, is so bizarre. It goes against the will of the people and it is antibusiness. Responsible emissions targets are essential to Australian jobs. Australia's trading partners, particularly those in Europe and Asia, are more and more demanding that the places they trade with act responsibly. If we don't act, we risk being left behind. Many of those opposite say that this transition is costly, but that simply is not true. The truth is it's an investment—an investment in Australia's future and an investment in our suburbs and the regions. In Australian suburbs, over 33 per cent of homes now have rooftop solar. With over four million rooftop solar installations, Australia has the highest per capita rate of solar in the world. Solar panels on homes are saving families up to $2,300 a year. Our Cheaper Home Batteries Program, with a 30 per cent discount on solar batteries, is already working to bring on energy storage to cut bills for households and support the grid. We know climate change disproportionately affects cost of living for regional households—for example, due to higher insurance premiums. Worsening droughts and extreme weather from climate change are far worse for farmers and food prices. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change says climate change has already slowed agricultural productivity. The Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences found that, from 2001 to 2020, climate conditions reduced farm profits by an average of 23 per cent. This bill is the clearest sign yet that those opposite are in a shambles. They are not even trying to hide their undermining of the Leader of the Opposition anymore; they've come straight out with it. This is their desperate attempt to cling on to the keystone policy of my predecessor, despite it being shot down by Australians at the election. This bill is not just seeking to repeal Labor policies but also seeking to repeal those introduced by the Morrison and Howard governments. The member for Maranoa doubled down at the Queensland LNP convention over the weekend, because along with the member for Fisher he thinks he is much smarter than the Queensland voters. (Time expired)