Ali France's recent appearances (OpenAustralia.org)
type: channel
language: en-gb
creator: OpenAustralia.org, mprss.php script
date: 2026-02-05T22:06:04+00:00
items: Health Legislation Amendment (Prescribing of Pharmaceutical Benefits) Bill 2025; Second Reading | Bills | House debates
items: Combatting Antisemitism, Hate and Extremism (Criminal and Migration Laws) Bill 2026; Second Reading | Bills | House debates
items: Energy | Matters of Public Importance | House debates
items: Cybersafety | Questions without Notice | House debates
items: Dickson Electorate: Roads | Constituency Statements | House debates
items: Medicare | Private Members' Business | House debates
items: International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women | Private Members' Business | House debates
items: g31.1
items: Health Care | Questions without Notice | House debates
items: Youth Voice in Parliament, The Leukaemia Foundation | Constituency Statements | House debates
items: Women's Health | Statements by Members | House debates
items: Women's Health | Questions without Notice | House debates
items: Housing | Adjournment | House debates
items: National Disability Insurance Scheme | Adjournment | House debates
items: National Health Amendment (Cheaper Medicines) Bill 2025; Second Reading | Bills | House debates
items: Mental Health | Private Members' Business | House debates
items: National Disability Insurance Scheme | Private Members' Business | House debates
items: Repeal Net Zero Bill 2025; Second Reading | Bills | House debates

Health Legislation Amendment (Prescribing of Pharmaceutical Benefits) Bill 2025; Second Reading | Bills | House debates
type: item
description: 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...
encoded: 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 inv…
date: 2026-02-04T11:19:00+00:00

Combatting Antisemitism, Hate and Extremism (Criminal and Migration Laws) Bill 2026; Second Reading | Bills | House debates
type: item
description: 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...
encoded: 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 i…
date: 2026-01-20T12:37:00+00:00

Energy | Matters of Public Importance | House debates
type: item
description: Caps that you opposed.
encoded: Caps that you opposed.
date: 2025-11-27T16:46:00+00:00

Energy | Matters of Public Importance | House debates
type: item
description: 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...
encoded: 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…
date: 2025-11-27T16:30:00+00:00

Cybersafety | Questions without Notice | House debates
type: item
description: 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...
encoded: 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?
date: 2025-11-27T14:54:00+00:00

Dickson Electorate: Roads | Constituency Statements | House debates
type: item
description: 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...
encoded: 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 …
date: 2025-11-24T10:33:00+00:00

Medicare | Private Members' Business | House debates
type: item
description: 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...
encoded: 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…
date: 2025-11-24T11:21:00+00:00

International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women | Private Members' Business | House debates
type: item
description: 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...
encoded: 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 str…
date: 2025-11-24T11:05:00+00:00

International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women | Private Members' Business | House debates
type: item
description: I second the motion and reserve my right to speak.
encoded: I second the motion and reserve my right to speak.
date: 2025-11-24T10:55:00+00:00

g31.1
type: item
title: Environment Protection Reform Bill 2025, National Environmental Protection Agency Bill 2025, Environment Information Australia Bill 2025, Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (Customs Charges Imposition) Bill 2025, Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (Excise Charges Imposition) Bill 2025, Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (General Charges Imposition) Bill 2025, Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (Restoration Charge Imposition) Bill 2025; Second Reading | Bills | House debates
description: 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....
encoded: 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 …
date: 2025-11-05T12:58:00+00:00

Health Care | Questions without Notice | House debates
type: item
description: 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...
encoded: 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?
date: 2025-11-03T14:50:00+00:00

Youth Voice in Parliament, The Leukaemia Foundation | Constituency Statements | House debates
type: item
description: 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...
encoded: 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 Leukae…
date: 2025-10-29T10:52:00+00:00

Women's Health | Statements by Members | House debates
type: item
description: 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...
encoded: 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.
date: 2025-10-27T16:10:00+00:00

Women's Health | Questions without Notice | House debates
type: item
description: My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Women. How is the Albanese Labor government supporting women's health?
encoded: My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Women. How is the Albanese Labor government supporting women's health?
date: 2025-09-03T14:18:00+00:00

Housing | Adjournment | House debates
type: item
description: 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...
encoded: 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 fa…
date: 2025-09-01T19:45:00+00:00

National Disability Insurance Scheme | Adjournment | House debates
type: item
description: 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...
encoded: 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 …
date: 2025-08-27T19:35:00+00:00

National Health Amendment (Cheaper Medicines) Bill 2025; Second Reading | Bills | House debates
type: item
description: 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...
encoded: 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 m…
date: 2025-08-26T12:10:00+00:00

Mental Health | Private Members' Business | House debates
type: item
description: 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...
encoded: 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 …
date: 2025-08-25T18:19:00+00:00

National Disability Insurance Scheme | Private Members' Business | House debates
type: item
description: 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...
encoded: 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 …
date: 2025-08-25T11:04:00+00:00

Repeal Net Zero Bill 2025; Second Reading | Bills | House debates
type: item
description: 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:...
encoded: 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. Responsi…
date: 2025-08-25T10:19:00+00:00