Madonna Jarrett's recent appearances (OpenAustralia.org)
Labor Government: Health Care | Statements | House debates
I am proud to be a member of this Labor government that is united and getting on with the job of delivering for all Australians. Since the start of this year alone, we've launched 1800MEDICARE,...
I am proud to be a member of this Labor government that is united and getting on with the job of delivering for all Australians. Since the start of this year alone, we've launched 1800MEDICARE, where you can get 24/7 free health advice from a registered nurse. We've rolled out our cheaper medicines. Scripts are now capped at $25 or $7.70 with a concession card. We have delivered a huge funding boost for hospitals across the country. We're rolling out historic women's health packages which deliver more choice, lower costs and better health care for all women at all stages of their lives. Yaz, Yasmin and EstroGel are now on the PBS, and we've opened new pelvic pain clinics across the country. We've also opened new urgent care clinics around Australia, including one in Kelvin Grove in the heart of the Brisbane electorate, and we're making sure that people get access to mental health support when they need it the most, including, again, in Brisbane where we opened a new Medicare mental health centre in Lutwyche last year. But there's always more work to do, and our track record speaks for itself. Australians can rely on this government to deliver. Access to affordable health care closer to home was what we promised and is what we are delivering. This is what strong and united government looks like.
Corporations Amendment (Digital Assets Framework) Bill 2025; Second Reading | Bills | House debates
I rise to speak to the Corporations Amendment (Digital Assets Framework) Bill 2025. As our world continues to change, so too do our financial markets, and so does the way people are holding and...
I rise to speak to the Corporations Amendment (Digital Assets Framework) Bill 2025. As our world continues to change, so too do our financial markets, and so does the way people are holding and exchanging value. That's why the Albanese government has introduced this legislation. We are helping to unlock innovation and protect Australian consumers investing in digital assets. Across the world, digital assets are reshaping finance. Blockchain technology and tokenisation are unlocking new ways to invest and new ways to trade and transfer wealth. Millions of Australians are using or investing in digital assets every year, and this law is about making that as safe and secure as possible while also encouraging innovation. But what are digital asset platforms and tokenised custody platforms? They're a bit obscure to many people. So, to start with, let's define what we mean by 'digital asset platforms'. In plain English, these are businesses that let customers interact with things like cryptocurrency—such as bitcoin and stablecoins—tokenised assets, non-fungible tokens and other blockchain-based financial products. These platforms include exchanges, broker services, custody providers, yield or staking platforms, wallet providers and marketplaces. Tokenisation is the process of representing something valuable as a digital token on a blockchain. A blockchain is a distributed ledger using cryptographics—I know this sounds a bit complicated—to enable digital assets to be created, stored and transferred. The token represents something valuable. It might be real estate, shares in a company or commodities like gold. It could be artwork, carbon credits or invoices. Tokenisation, basically, answers a simple question: what if we could own, trade and transfer real-world value like we transfer digital information? The phrase 'tokenised custody platforms' refers to a new wave of businesses that go beyond trading. Instead of being a general exchange, they build purpose-specific systems, such as tokenised property investment platforms, tokenised private markets, medical credential tokens, supply chain token platforms, tokenised rewards or creator economies. These platforms are customised to specific industries, but the key point is that they still involve money, they still involve an asset of value, they still involve investment-like behaviour and they still expose consumers to financial risk. Our government takes Australia's crypto industry very seriously, and we know that blockchain and digital assets present big opportunities for our economy, our financial sector and our businesses. Digital assets are also reshaping global finance, and they include cryptocurrencies such as bitcoin and stablecoins, as well as real-world assets like bonds, property and commodities—things I spoke about earlier. They can be represented as digital tokens. I remember when I first heard the words 'bitcoin' and 'cryptocurrency'. It sounded to me a bit like these were out of TheMatrix movie. And, for quite a while, it was a system that was on the fringe and people didn't know a lot about it. It was more of an alternative payment system, but it has now become a lot more mainstream and is providing an alternative payment system. This is not a distant future. This is happening now. Global institutions are experimenting with tokenised securities, central banks are exploring digital currencies and investors are demanding safe, regulated ways to participate. These innovations promise faster payments, lower costs and broader access to markets. In fact, new research from the Digital Finance Cooperative Research Centre indicates that Australia could capture as much as $24 billion a year in productivity and cost savings thanks to unlocking digital finance innovation. But, as with all value creation and transfer, there are risks. These laws are designed to deal with both the opportunity and the risk. They will boost confidence, attract investment and support jobs and wages by providing clear, trusted rules for emerging digital markets, helping to make Australia a global leader in financial technology. They will also help reduce the risks to Australians. Currently, businesses can hold unlimited client digital assets without financial law safeguards. The Corporations Amendment (Digital Assets Framework) Bill introduces clear, enforceable rules for businesses that hold digital assets on behalf of consumers, ensuring that they meet the same standards of transparency, integrity and protection that apply across the financial system. If we get this right, we can attract investment, we can create jobs, and we can position our financial system as a leader in innovation. But, as I said, with opportunity comes risk. It is currently possible for a business to hold an unlimited value of client digital assets without any financial law safeguards. The collapse of FTX and other failures show what happens when digital asset businesses operate without proper oversight. Billions were misappropriated. Consumers lost a lot of value. Consumers were devastated. Confidence was lost. And we all know that cryptocurrency remains a vector in scams and frauds. Australians have lost millions to schemes that exploit gaps in regulation and consumer knowledge. These reforms will increase integrity in the digital asset ecosystem. Together with the world-first Scams Prevention Framework and our proposed reforms to Australia's Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Financing regime, this bill will help remove bad actors and restore trust in the digital asset markets. It will make it harder for criminals to operate and easier for consumers to participate safely. By introducing digital assets and tokenised custody platforms into the Corporations Act, it ensures that businesses holding and dealing in client digital assets are subject to the same consumer protections and licensing requirements that apply across the financial system. These include prohibitions on misleading and deceptive conduct, unfair contract terms, design and distribution obligations and supervision and enforcement by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission, the regulator. Anyone providing services in relation to digital assets or tokenised custody platforms, such as advising on them, dealing in them or arranging for others to deal with them, will be treated as providing a financial service. Protecting consumers and businesses has to be at the heart of this legislation. This bill does respond to the risks and challenges by reducing loopholes and ensuring comparable activities face comparable obligations, but it's tailored to the digital asset ecosystem. The digital asset and tokenised custody platforms will now need to hold an Australian financial services licence, ensuring that they are subject to the same core obligations as the more traditional players. These include the requirement to act efficiently, honestly and fairly; prohibitions on misleading and deceptive conduct and unfair contract terms; a requirement to give customers clear information about how assets are held and what their rights are; providing information to consumers; maintaining strong governance and risk controls; and providing accessible dispute resolution and compensation if things go wrong. While digital asset platforms and tokenised custody platforms will be regulated under the existing Australian financial services licence framework, their obligations will be tailored to reflect the unique structure and risk profile of these types of platforms. Small-scale operators with less than $10 million in transaction value across a rolling 12-month period will be exempt from licensing, as will businesses that deal in or advise on platforms only incidental to their main non-financial activity. Flexible powers are provided to the minister and to the regulator, ASIC, to respond to emerging risks and technologies. The minister may designate certain facilities as financial markets or clearing settlement facilities or exempt them when their treatment would be inappropriate. The minister may also prohibit particular products or activities that represent systemic or consumer risks. ASIC's existing product intervention powers—that is, the powers of the regulator—and the government's existing regulation-making powers will extend to cover these new financial products. There will be an 18-month transition period, and this will help businesses and the regulator get familiar with navigating the reforms in practice. The bill aims to ensure a smooth pathway to the new regime, including providing temporary relief for businesses trying to do the right thing. Together, these features create a pathway to a clear, consistent and enforceable framework that protects consumers, provides regulatory certainty for industry and maintains flexibility as technology and markets innovate and evolve. Stakeholders have long called for this bill, engaging in four rounds of public consultation on the policy and legislative approach. These reforms strengthen consumer protections and modernise Australia's regulatory system. They will boost confidence, attract investment and support jobs by providing trusted rules for emerging digital assets. Labor's economic plan is all about modernising Australia's economy to boost wages and growth, to encourage innovation and to increase living standards, and this legislation is an important part of that strategy. Digital assets are a growing part of our financial system. We cannot ignore that. They offer new ways to trade, invest and build businesses, unlocking capital and strengthening Australia's competitiveness as a financial centre. Australia must keep pace. This bill delivers on the government's commitment to modernise Australia's regulatory framework and prepare it for an ever digitising economy. It ensures digital assets and tokenised custody platforms are subject to the same standards of consumer protection, transparency and integrity that apply across our financial system. This is about foolproofing Australia's regulatory settings. The bill supports innovation and competition while giving regulators the tools to act swiftly when new risks arise—and, at the current rate of innovation, that is greatly needed. It extends longstanding, well-understood financial services obligations that can be applied across a wide, diverse and rapidly developing industry. It's another step to making Australia's economy more dynamic, more resilient and more productive. It advances our commitment to smarter regulation that gets more investment flowing more efficiently and more effectively across our economy. As a government, we have listened, improving regulatory clarity and ensuring seamless interaction with existing laws. The government is committed to strengthening Australia's position as a global leader in financial innovation—one where technology supports productivity, competition and long-term economic resilience. This bill is good for consumers, it's good for businesses, it's good for the economy and it's good for Australia's reputation as a leader in financial regulation and financial services. I support this bill.
Health Legislation Amendment (Prescribing of Pharmaceutical Benefits) Bill 2025; Second Reading | Bills | House debates
Continuing, the Health Legislation Amendment (Prescribing of Pharmaceutical Benefits) Bill 2025 provides reforms allowing highly skilled nurses to work to their full scope. This helps reduce...
Continuing, the Health Legislation Amendment (Prescribing of Pharmaceutical Benefits) Bill 2025 provides reforms allowing highly skilled nurses to work to their full scope. This helps reduce pressure on hospitals and general practitioners as well as areas where those providing these services are stretched, especially rural and remote communities. Currently, our registered nurses, who are highly skilled and highly educated, remain underutilised in primary care, and allowing them to prescribe under the PBS system will boost efficiency, strengthen care coordination and allow GPs and nurse practitioners to focus on patients with more complex needs. The legislation implements recommendations from the Strengthening Medicare Taskforce and the Scope of practice review, and, since 2017, the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia and the Chief Nursing and Midwifery Officer conducted extensive research and consultation on the nurse prescribing models and what might work. The NMBA, the board, developed the standards for designated registered nurse prescribers through multiple rounds of consultations. These consultations received strong support. This was a key election commitment that implements key practice reforms for nurses and midwives. The Albanese government has already been working with state and territory health ministers to register and train the first cohort of registered nurses who, from 1 July this year, are expected to complete their training and start prescribing medicines. This is an important step to ensure that all Australians have better access to affordable medicines that they need when they need them. This bill is just another way Labor is delivering on our commitment to strengthen Medicare. Medicare and PBS are proud Labor legacies, and they have helped millions of Australians receive the quality health care they need. This bill is another part of that legacy. It expands on our commitment to make health care more affordable and accessible to residents across our communities. This bill is an important complement to our $5 billion investment in new uncapped funding into the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme, ensuring faster, more affordable access to innovative medicines. As we've heard, from 1 January this year, our government delivered on our commitment to cap PBS prescriptions at $25. Reducing the cost of prescriptions was just one of the cost-of-living measures Labor took to the last election, measures that had overwhelming support not only in the Brisbane electorate but across Australia. The PBS benefits so many Australians. As of 2024, 930 different medicines were listed on the PBS across more than 5,000 brands. It's critical that all Australians can afford the medicines and medicine related services that they need. This is particularly important for people with multiple health conditions who may be taking multiple medicines, people on low incomes and individuals or their families experiencing high out-of-pocket care costs. This is a policy that really does make a difference to people's lives. When I'm out and about in my community, the cost of living and health care are often raised with me. In my early morning commuter stops, I've had countless people come up to me and describe how much the $25 PBS cap and more bulk-billing have benefited them and their daily cost of living. This is especially the case amongst many young people who live in my community in Brisbane, who had put off buying their medicines or put off seeing a doctor. I am so proud to stand here in this House and to be part of the Albanese government that really is delivering changes that are making a difference to people's lives. The last time PBS medicines cost no more than $25 was in 2004. Shrek 2 was probably the highest-grossing film, and I think I contributed a bit to that with some young children at the time. But PBS medicines being capped at $25 is more than just a 20 per cent cut in the maximum cost of medicines. It will provide immediate cost-of-living relief to Australians doing it tough. This will save Australians over $200 million a year. This bill will help make it easier for women to access their medicines, and it comes on top of our government's significant investment in women's health. For far too long, women's health had been overlooked, underfunded and frankly misunderstood. The Labor government promised more choice, lower costs and better health care for women and we are delivering. Hundreds of thousands of women are now accessing cheaper medicines and better care thanks to that investment and recognition. Since launching the package in 2025, more than 365,000 women have accessed over 715,000 subsidised prescriptions for contraception, menopause treatments and endometriosis care. Contraceptives like Yaz, Yasmin, Slinda are now less than half the previous cost around. They were around $30.80 with a concession card; now they're a lot cheaper. Menopause treatments such as Estrogel, oestradiol and Prometrium now cost $25 a script or $7.70 for concession patients, down from up to almost $670 in some cases. Over 20,000 women have had Medicare-covered menopause health assessments. From 1 November just last year, women have had access to affordable IUDs and birth control implants. From 1 July, two new Medicare Benefits Schedule items were introduced for gynaecological consultations of 45 minutes or longer. This is really helping those women facing complex conditions such as endometriosis, pelvic pain, and there'll be more endometriosis and pelvic pain clinics treating more conditions thanks to the Albanese Labor government. Just last week I had the pleasure to announce the opening of our new Medicare Urgent Care Clinic in Kelvin Grove. Kelvin Grove is in the heart of the Brisbane electorate. Our new Kelvin Grove Medicare Urgent Care Clinic means more affordable, more accessible urgent care for people when they need it most. This was a key election promise I brought to the last election, and I was so proud to stand there and deliver that to the community of Brisbane. No referrals, no bills, nothing to pay. All you need is your Medicare card. I had the pleasure of walking through the new urgent care clinic with hardworking local state MPs, Grace Grace and Jonty Bush. We chatted with nurse Sammy and Dr John, who are just so passionate about what we and they are delivering for the people of Brisbane. A lot of work and a lot of care has been put into setting up this clinic, which will benefit so many people across the Brisbane electorate. I also dropped into the Kelvin Grove Pharmacy with Assistant Minister Emma McBride, who is a pharmacist herself, where we heard firsthand about the benefits of the $25 scripts and how that is really helping people in the community. I'm also proud of our government's focus on its commitment to mental health. Last year, I again joined Minister McBride to open the new Medicare health centre in Lutwyche. The Inner North Brisbane Medicare Mental Health Centre in Lutwyche is commissioned by the Brisbane North Primary Health Network and operated by Communify Qld. And I've met so many people, young people in particular, in my community—when I was on the campaign trail and since then—who are really happy that they have access to proper mental health care. These locals benefit immensely. They can just walk in and see a mental health professional, and they can do that for free and close to home. I've been in that clinic when a young man, a young woman, a family have each walked in looking for care, and that's exactly what they got. Constituents across my electorate have also been telling me how great this easy access is: walk-in, free mental health care close to home. We can't underestimate what no appointment and no referral means to people. It encourages young people especially to get the help they need when they need it. People continue to walk into that centre—some in distress, some for a chat and others with complex health needs. Regardless, they continue to get incredible care from the practitioners and people with lived experience. We all know that sometimes people facing mental health distress don't need a doctor. Sometimes they don't need a psychologist. Sometimes they just need somebody to talk to who understands and puts themselves in their shoes. The Lutwyche Medicare mental health centre is truly a professional and responsive wraparound model of care that continues to develop help for many across my electorate, as do other centres that have been set up throughout Australia. When those opposite were in government, they took any opportunity to undermine our health system. This has had big and long-lasting impacts across our communities. It has meant that people could not access health care when they needed it most. So while those opposite continue to focus on themselves, we're getting on with the job of delivering for all Australians. Labor is the only party that will invest to make health care more affordable whether that's in record investment in Medicare, opening new Medicare urgent care clinics across the country, capping PBS scripts at $25, record investments in women's health or now allowing nurses to prescribe PBS medicines to help ease the pressure on our health system. I began my working career in the health sector, and I'm really passionate about making sure people in our community and across Australia have access to quality health care. In other countries where I've lived and worked, I've seen what lack of access to affordable health care can do. It destroys lives. It can lead to bankruptcy. It leads to health neglect. We have one of the best healthcare systems in the world, and I am proud to be part of a government that continues to make it even better. And now designated registered nurses prescribing PBS medicines enables safe, timely and effective primary care as well as aged-care services. I'm proud to be part of the Labor team that delivered real cost-of-living relief, and that continues to make some basic medicines more accessible for constituents in Brisbane and across Australia. And as successive Labor governments have demonstrated, this Labor government continues to deliver the needed reforms to expand and improve world-class health care and a medicines system that we can all be proud of. This bill delivers on the government's commitment to ensure our health workforce operates at its full scope, enhancing safe and timely access to medicines as well as building a healthcare system that provides accessible and affordable health care for all. This bill is a win for nurses, a win for the people of Brisbane and a win for all Australians. It's a bill with people and care at its heart. It's a bill that delivers on a commitment to provide accessible and affordable health care to Australians no matter where they live.
I rise in support of the Health Legislation Amendment Bill 2025, which is about prescribing medicines listed on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme. Access to universal free health care is one of...
I rise in support of the Health Legislation Amendment Bill 2025, which is about prescribing medicines listed on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme. Access to universal free health care is one of Labor's greatest legacies to Australia, and this bill is just another part of that. You know, I'm one of eight kids. I have no idea how my parents would have possibly managed had we not had access to free health care via Medicare and subsidised medicines through the PBS. My pensioner grandparents, who lived next door, absolutely relied heavily on Medicare and the PBS in their later years. This bill builds on Labor's commitment to make health care more accessible and more affordable for all Australians. This bill increases access to and availability of medicines for all Australians. Importantly, it will allow registered nurses to prescribe certain medicines that can be supplied under the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme and attract a Commonwealth subsidy. Again—
Bondi Beach Attack Victims | Condolences | House debates
I rise to share my deepest sorrow, and sincere condolences from the people of Brisbane, with the Jewish community. For 36 days now, beds have laid unoccupied. Dining chairs have sat empty....
I rise to share my deepest sorrow, and sincere condolences from the people of Brisbane, with the Jewish community. For 36 days now, beds have laid unoccupied. Dining chairs have sat empty. Favourite clothes have remained folded in drawers. Bath towels and toothbrushes have sat in their usual spots. There are empty seats in cars. Tears flow. Hearts are heavy. Minds and bodies have changed forever, and futures are gone. This is the personal impact on the families and friends of the 15 innocent people killed in the horrific terrorist attack in Bondi on 14 December. On that day, as we've heard, hundreds of Jewish Australians had gathered at that iconic spot. They came together to celebrate their faith and, specifically, the victory of light over darkness. But this celebration was cut short because of hatred and antisemitism. One group—two men—chose hate, deciding that Jewish people should not live a life with their faith and within their beautiful community. We continue to grieve with the Jewish community across Australia, and we acknowledge that the pain and grief are still raw and, frankly, unfathomable. Following the attack, I visited the local synagogue and, along with others, I have attended vigils offering my support and condolences to the Jewish community in Brisbane. Having our community come together at this very sad time was important to start the healing and the recovery. To the families and friends of the 15 people whose lives were tragically taken away, and to the broader Jewish community, including in Brisbane, know that you are not alone. You are Australian, you are supported and we cannot let this atrocity not change us for the better. Every Australian, no matter their race or religion, should be able to enjoy their life in any community without prejudice, discrimination or harm. No-one should live in fear. Let's be clear: the Bondi attack was an attack on our Jewish community. It was also an attack on Australian society. But this cowardly act does not represent the Australia I love nor what we should expect or want. Tolerance, understanding and unity must be at the heart of our community. In my first speech in this House, I spoke about the community I grew up in, and how we were stronger and better because of the immigrants whose culture, values and benefits transformed our suburbs, and how we knew and helped our neighbours without question. We stood with each other. But, sadly, I also spoke about the segregation of First Nations people which, as a young person, I didn't understand. As I've gotten older, I've realised the whys. It was individuals who made an effort to communicate and understand each other. We cared. We embraced our differences. We were united. It was a lack of empathy and understanding towards traditional owners, fear and, in many cases, blatant racism that saw segregation. More and more, tolerance is giving way to indifference, fear and hate. These last two words are being realised through stronger antisemitic, antiracial and antidifferent expressions and actions, and, as the member for Macarthur said earlier today, it is anti civilisation. We have to stop the hate. Before I conclude, I want to acknowledge and thank our first responders, the police, paramedics, doctors, nurses, surgeons and allied health workers as well as our surf lifesavers and so many more. It's also important to acknowledge those everyday people who put their lives on the line to save people, some of whom they didn't know. You are all heroes, and we can't thank you enough. This evil reminds us, in the most painful ways, of the fragility of life and the deep impact of intolerance, hatred and violence on families, first responders and communities, including those far beyond the place where that evil occurred. I believe Australia is at its best when we choose unity, compassion and care for one another, when we choose to reject fear and hatred, and when we seek out ways to support our neighbours and our friends and those doing it tough. We can never undo what has happened, but together we can honour those affected by understanding that the act of two people sharing a faith doesn't define that faith, by addressing extremism in all its forms and by choosing empathy over division, and community over isolation. Each of us can lead by example. To change where we are starts here in this House. We have a choice to accelerate or block the path to stamp out hate and facilitate social cohesion. My choice is empathy over division, and community over isolation. It's why I'm here. It's also how we honour the memories of those in the Jewish community and responders who lost their lives just 36 days ago. May their memories be a blessing.
Queensland: Members of Parliament | Statements by Members | House debates
As this is the last sitting day of the year, I thought I would share a little Christmas poem, '9 Newbies from Queensland'. 'Twas the night before Christmas, when all through this house I reflect...
As this is the last sitting day of the year, I thought I would share a little Christmas poem, '9 Newbies from Queensland'. 'Twas the night before Christmas, when all through this house I reflect on 9 newbies from Queensland with nouse. We fought tough campaigns with grit and care, And we persuaded the voters to put us there. We arrived in Canberra with the new team of Feds While campaigns and chaos still danced in our heads. With Albo and all, we felt right at home And soon realised we were not alone. We learnt the ropes and to never miss a bell Less the whip would make—our life a living hell. Then into the rabble of the Question Time pit It soon became apparent there was plenty of wit. As the speaker worked hard to manage the crowd, Interjections and jibes came thick and loud. With the opposition in tatters, and fighting themselves the government got very busy like little Christmas elves. As the opposition frayed and voters saw red The government kept delivering on what it said: and pills Was all in stark contrast to the net zero sobs. So Now Renee, Now Ali, Now Kara and Jules; On Emma; on Corrinne; on Rohan and Matt. It is the end of the year; to our home turf we go. We have done something good, and have lots to show. But thanks to you all for a great first run. And we hope '26 will be just as much fun.
Mental Health Month | Statements on Significant Matters | House debates
Mental health has touched many people, most likely everybody in this House, whether it's a friend, a loved one or even yourself. There are many reasons someone might struggle with mental health....
Mental health has touched many people, most likely everybody in this House, whether it's a friend, a loved one or even yourself. There are many reasons someone might struggle with mental health. It could be biological—genetics, family history, brain chemistry or structure. It could be psychological—trauma, stress, substance abuse. Or it could be social and environmental—social isolation, life events, socioeconomic factors, discrimination, or someone else's environment. Recently I spoke with Ariana, a 10-year-old student going to school in my electorate, and we chatted about mental health through the lens of school bullying. She may be only 10, but her observations were very wise and very mature. While we chatted she reiterated what she wrote in her winning Raise Our Voice submission, which I'll read out now. She said of the goal of stopping bullying school: This goal is so important because bullying does not just hurt in the moment; it can stay with a person for life. Many people in our community have experienced bullying, whether at school or online, and we must stop our young Australians from carrying that pain inside because it can lead to serious mental health issues, even suicide. Ending bullying will help create a peaceful, loving, and safe Australia for everyone. Those are wise words. While medications can help those who are struggling with their mental health, that's just part of the answer. We still need to lean in, as Ariana did, and question whether there is something more to do. Our society has become less connected with one another. We have to question whether we're being driven more by social and environmental factors. It's actually human nature to want to feel connected and to feel part of something bigger than what we are. As humans we assign meaning to emotions and relationships that go well beyond an immediate experience. And we can feel a sense of belonging or connection through supportive relationships. But the rapid increase in technology and social media has meant that more and more people are seeking that kind of interpersonal connection through our screens and less with each other—or, to use a young person's language, IRL, which means 'in real life'. I grew up in a household of eight siblings, including foster kids, Mum, Dad and grandparents next door. We didn't have much, but being a family meant we always had each other and we had our community. Now we have an entire generation who didn't grow up knowing what it was like to ride your bike around for hours, to go to the local park and kick a footy, to climb a tree or to drop in on a friend unannounced. Let's face it, that's what was available to us, and we made our own fun. But we do live in different times, and we know that mental health challenges affect many in our community. In fact, a recent Australian Institute of Health and Welfare study report showed that one in five Australians aged 16 to 85 experienced a mental disorder, 3.4 million experienced anxiety—that's 17 per cent—and one in seven children and adolescents experienced a mental illness. As the government we have a responsibility to provide tools and support to give people help when they need it most. That's why I'm really proud to be part of a government that not only recognises this responsibility but is backing it up with necessary resources and funding. This government is putting mental health at the heart of Medicare and delivering more services in the centres of communities across Australia, boosted by our historic $1.1 billion in mental health care, an election commitment. Over the coming years we will see new expanded Medicare mental health centres, headspace services, Medicare mental health kids hubs, perinatal mental health centres and youth specialist centres—very broad ranging. We've already delivered 45 mental health centres, 172 headspace services, 11 Medicare mental health kids hubs and 10 perinatal mental health centres. During the election campaign obviously I talked to a lot of the voters, and one of the biggest issues raised with me was lack of access to affordable mental health care. That's why I was so pleased to join the Assistant Minister for Mental Health and Suicide Prevention recently to open the new Medicare mental health centre in Lutwyche. This centre provides a safe and very welcoming place for anyone to access free, quality mental health care and over extended hours. It's staffed by a team of highly qualified mental health professionals and, importantly, people with lived experience of mental health challenges. They will listen and work with those in my community, providing them with the care and support they need. Again, support through this centre is free for everyone who walks in the door. You don't need an appointment or a GP referral. You can walk in and get access to free mental health support without the need for an appointment, without the need for a referral and without a mental health treatment plan. The centre, as I mentioned, is staffed by multidisciplinary teams, including mental health clinicians, for when they're needed, and peer support workers. It's vitally important to provide places for people to feel safe, where they can get the support they need. As a government, though, we also do need to look at the negative impacts of social media and bullying that are leading to some of this increase in demand. The rise of social media addiction is at pandemic levels, and it impacts our society as a whole but particularly the younger generation. That's why it was so important that this government had the guts to take on the big tech companies and the social media giants to introduce the world's first ban on social media for those under 16. The eSafety Commissioner's recent Keeping Kids Safe Online survey explored the benefits but also highlighted the risks of the online world to children in Australia. There were some telling statistics. Almost three in four children had seen or heard content associated with harm online. More than one in two had experienced cyberbullying. Three in five had seen or heard online hate, while over one in four had personally experienced it. One in four had experienced non-consensual tracking, monitoring and harassment. The prevalence of online harm varied by gender and age, with teens and trans and gender-diverse children generally more at risk. We want kids to know who they are before the platforms assume who they are. The new laws that ban social media for those under 16 give an integral buffer that allows kids to do just that. They will save lives because, as the minister said, while we can't control the ocean, we can police the sharks. These laws, starting in approximately two weeks, on 10 December, will save the lives of Australian kids. We know there will be kids and others who'll try to get around them. It happened when we introduced the alcohol ban, but we persisted with that. It's about a cultural shift, too. That's why I also thought it was important to organise a local social media forum in Brisbane to discuss the upcoming changes with parents and provide them with tools and resources to navigate them. We brought together some experts—Paul from the eSafety Commissioner, and Professor Alina Morawska, who's the director of the Parenting and Family Support Centre at the University of Queensland. Their insights on how these laws worked were very helpful. They provided practical tips for parents and carers, and I really do congratulate those who came along to hear what those experts had to say. When we think about who we are, we have Maslow's hierarchy of needs, which is a psychological theory that outlines five levels of human needs. According to this theory, individuals must satisfy those lower levels—food, shelter, security and health—before we can even think about fulfilling ones like friendship, love et cetera. As a government we're playing our part to try and address some of the fundamentals: affordable housing, being able to see a GP for free, cheaper medicines and 20 per cent off student debt. But, let's face it, there is a loneliness epidemic in our society, and we all have the power to change that. I want people out there to know you are not alone, and, no matter who and where you are, you deserve to be happy. Everywhere we look we see people glued to their phones, almost hypnotised, waiting for the next thumbs-up emoji or that red-heart emoji—an instant response. But the reality is that this is not providing our communities, and each of us, with genuine connections. It's harming our mental health. I believe that we as a society need to take back control of what it means to feel connected and to be happy. Are we really going to wake up one day, when we're much older, and say, 'I wish I'd spent more time on my phone or online'? Or are we going to think, 'I took that chance'? Are you going to spend more time with your loved ones, join that community or sporting group that's been on the to-do list forever, go to that party, read a good book, have a good boogie to your favourite song or simply smile at that person you don't know? You might just change your life for the better and you might just change someone else's in the process.
VET Student Loans (Miscellaneous Measures) Bill 2025; Second Reading | Bills | House debates
I rise in support of the VET Student Loans (Miscellaneous Measures) Bill 2025 before the House. Vocational education and training is skills based learning. It producers our builders, bakers,...
I rise in support of the VET Student Loans (Miscellaneous Measures) Bill 2025 before the House. Vocational education and training is skills based learning. It producers our builders, bakers, aged-care workers, healthcare workers, electricians, technicians, gardeners, landscapers and many, many more. These are great careers, but importantly they're jobs that keep our economy thriving. The Albanese government has always supported TAFE and vocational education, and that's why we introduced fee-free TAFE. Fee-free TAFE has opened many pathways for Australians to build a new path in life. Fee-free TAFE is removing financial barriers for students undertaking vocational education and training courses. Fee-free TAFE opens doors for all Australians, whether you're finishing school, changing careers or upskilling. In my own electorate just last month, I visited Eagle Farm TAFE alongside the Minister for Skills and Training. The Eagle Farm campus is nestled in the east of the electorate and is largely in an industrial hub that sits north of the Brisbane River. It is high tech. There are robots. There's 3D. There's everything you can think of. It offers a diverse range of trades and courses for many occupations for many constituents in my electorate and beyond. That TAFE college is training students right now in automation, security, locksmithing, glass glazing, boat-building, telecommunications, renewable technologies and utilities. While I was there I met Zac, Tahi and their class. They were finishing their locksmithing apprenticeship—yes, locksmithing. Like many jobs, the skill requirements have changed, and technology and electronics now feature very heavily. Tahi's just from across the river, but Zac came all the way down from Townsville. They talked about the things that they were learning and the new pathways TAFE has opened for them. After four years, they're both excited to be fully qualified locksmiths. This is a great example of how our government, the Labor government, is helping young people achieve their dreams. TAFEs like Eagle Farm campus are delivering the skills and training needed to grow Australia's economy, caring for Australians, building the homes we need, supporting and building renewable energy, and creating a Future Made in Australia. Fee-free TAFE—we've heard a bit about it from our earlier speaker—is part of training more Australians for these high-demand industries. Fee-free TAFE is a Labor legacy and has been extraordinarily popular, with many constituents in my electorate signing up. Over 128,000 Queenslanders are enjoying fee-free TAFE and are saving thousands in student fees thanks to the Albanese Labor government. Free TAFE is also required to build the Australia of tomorrow, making it easier for Australians to pick up the tools and get into high-demand industries. From school leavers to career changers, TAFE opens the doors to opportunity and lifelong learning. Places like Eagle Farm TAFE are at the heart of the vocational education and training sector, with the states and the territories growing our investment in fee-free TAFE and continuing to build a national network of TAFE centres of excellence. TAFE is just as valuable as university. It gives Australians of all ages the skills they need to build their future. We see life-changing benefits not only in my electorate of Brisbane but also across Australia. Every week more Australians are enrolling in fee-free TAFE courses and more are getting qualified to make their contribution. Recent free TAFE data shows enrolments and course completions continuing to reach new milestones, showing just how popular this Albanese government program is. Hundreds of thousands of Australians are now directly benefiting from the program, with fee-free TAFE enrolments now over 725,000. The Albanese government's free-TAFE policy focuses on priority areas agreed between the government and the states and territories to help address skills shortages. Priority areas include construction, health and aged care, manufacturing, and technology and digital. One important skill area that is required in my electorate is construction, where we need skilled tradies from across the vocations. We are teaching Australians the skills to build the homes and the infrastructure required for our growing cities and suburbs. But we also need to supercharge our housing build to get more homes built sooner, and we can't do this without training more people in essential trades. Across Australia, construction sector courses have seen a surge in sign-ups, with 59,000 enrolments, making them the third-most popular type of free TAFE course. This popularity shows how effective and essential free TAFE is. There is a strong take-up in construction sector courses like carpentry, plumbing, building and construction, and electrotechnology. Fee-free TAFE is particularly benefiting Australians from priority cohorts, with 170,000 young Australians, 124,000 jobseekers and 30,000 First Nations Australians enrolling in the programs. Fee-free TAFE is breaking down barriers for Australians to learn the skills we need. This program is saving Australians thousands of dollars and helping set them up for new careers with secure, well-paid work—setting them up for life. So if you've been sitting on the fence and thinking about a career change or you're just starting to think about your career, reach out to a TAFE campus near you. You never know; it just might change your life. A Future Made in Australia is a cornerstone of our economic and industrial policy and is one of the many measures to achieve our net zero ambitions. The Albanese government continues to deliver an ambitious reform agenda to strengthen the vocational education and training sector, close national skills gaps and train the skilled workforce we need right across the country. Around $600 million in measures in the 2024-25 budget will bolster skills growth and develop the clean energy, construction and manufacturing sectors, as well as support apprentices and help break down barriers for women in male dominated industries. We will see demand and job growth in areas such as our critical minerals, batteries, solar panel manufacturing, electric vehicle mechanics and much, much more. These investments continue our work to remove the cost of barriers to education and training and incentivise people to train in areas our economy needs the most. This bill before the House, though, will provide certainty to VET student loan providers and government officers that their past handling of student tax file numbers in the student loan program from 2017 was lawful under taxation and privacy laws. It's a little technical. Income contingent student loans for vocational education and training students were first introduced in 2008 under the former VET FEE-HELP scheme. Now, this scheme operated under legislation that allowed for the handling of student tax file numbers by VET FEE-HELP providers and higher education loan program providers. This continued under the VET Student Loans program with its own legislative framework, but a review of how the VET student loans are administered by the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations identified that there is no clear role for VET student loan providers to handle tax file numbers in the VET Student Loans Act and stronger alignment between relevant IT systems and legislation was required for handling tax file numbers. So the department has since early 2025 made updates to relevant IT systems to mask tax file numbers from the VET student loan providers and automate the transfer of tax file numbers between relevant systems, meaning that VET student loan providers no longer need to handle tax file numbers. But this bill ensures that the alignment by retrospectivity ensures that VET student loan providers were authorised to handle students' tax file numbers to administer the VET Student Loans program. I understand that it's unlikely that there will be any persons adversely affected by the retrospective operations of the bill and there have been no VET student loan student complaints as a result of past tax file number handling practices since the commencement of the VET Student Loans program. The VET Student Loans program does have strict use and disclosure provisions that are applied to VET information under the VET Student Loans Act, which VET student loan providers must comply with. These protections have previously applied to providers and will continue to apply after the bill's commencement. These safeguards include requirements for providers to comply with strict use and disclosure provisions that apply to vet information under the VET Student Loans Act, undergo extensive approval processes to become an approved provider and notify the department of any student related data breaches. These protections have previously applied to VET student loan providers handling tax file numbers and will continue to do so after the commencement of this bill. With this bill, we are ensuring that there is certainty in the system and that no-one else will be affected by any problems in the future. Now, the Labor government's approach to vocational training is in complete contrast to those opposite. The coalition cut $3 billion from TAFE last time they were in government, and almost 10,000 jobs were lost. The coalition at the last election also threatened to end fee-free TAFE. During this time of cost-of-living pressures and demand for vocational skills, free TAFE is an essential program to build Australia. Australian voters decided to back TAFE and prevent the coalition stopping investment in TAFE like they did the last time they were in government. We want to make sure Australians can go on to have well-paid and secure jobs, and fee-free TAFE creates those opportunities for individuals as well as for investing in the future of our great country. That's why the Albanese government has legislated permanent free TAFE to ensure Australians can continue to access courses without the cost barrier. We are locking in 100,000 fee-free places each year from 2027. After a decade of neglect under the Liberals, the Albanese government is rebuilding vocational education and training and building out that sector. Free TAFE continues to be an enormous success, helping Australians get ahead while easing cost-of-living pressures. More than 500,000 Australians are gaining skills and the opportunity to work in meaningful jobs that give back to our society. Like Zac and Tahi, I met students across the country saying how life changing fee-free TAFE has been for them, and this bill, like fee-free TAFE, is part of the many ways we are rebuilding and securing our vocational education system to keep Australia thriving and to build the Brisbane and Australia of tomorrow.
Brisbane Electorate: Education | Constituency Statements | House debates
I'm very proud to be part of a government that is delivering a better and fairer education system for all, because we know that education has the power to change lives. As we approach the year...
I'm very proud to be part of a government that is delivering a better and fairer education system for all, because we know that education has the power to change lives. As we approach the year end, the season of graduations, awards nights, farewells and celebrations reminds us of just that. Today I recognise all the teachers, students, staff and families across each of the 50-plus schools providing critical learning to young people in the Brisbane electorate. Together, this community gives our young people the opportunity to be who and what they want to be. Over recent weeks, I've had the privilege of attending many graduation and awards celebrations across primary, secondary, public and private schools. Some of these include Aviation High School, Everton Park, St James College, Kedron State High School, Marist College Ashgrove, Mt St Michael's, Brisbane Girls Grammar and Kelvin Grove State College. I could not have been more inspired by the calibre of young people I met—their achievements, their optimism and the strong sense of community that surrounds them—and it leaves me feeling incredibly positive about what is possible in our shared future. To the teachers, principals and staff: thank you for your commitment to education, to care and to opportunity. You spend significant formative time with our young people, shaping them into who they will become. To the families and friends: thank you, as well. Your encouragement, your patience, your tuckshop duties, your packed lunches, your taxi services, those last minute assignments, et cetera—your presence has been vital. And to our students: congratulations. Another chapter is closed. For many, this time brings some mixed emotions. Maybe it's pride in what's been achieved. Maybe it's excitement about what lies ahead, or perhaps even a little trepidation as graduates step into unfamiliar territory. Whatever the next chapter, whether it's university training, an apprenticeship, work or even just time to explore the world, I wish them courage, curiosity and confidence. In recent weeks I also visited a number of primary schools looking at civics and citizenship modules. We talked about democracy, what it's like being a member of parliament and how to be active members in our communities. Some students even wrote to me in advance, expressing their views on the challenges we're facing. I got letters on the cost of living, inflation, house prices, aged care, the war in Ukraine, and a humanitarian approach to refugees. Once again, I feel very hopeful and inspired. These young students are on the cusp of finishing primary school. They have many distractions and interests, yet they're very engaged in our world, and they're engaged with empathy, awareness and intent. These students are our future. Given their quality, our future is in very capable hands. Well done to all of them, and thank you to those who make our Brisbane schools vibrant, supportive and hopeful places.
Communications Legislation Amendment (Australian Content Requirement for Subscription Video On Demand (Streaming) Services) Bill 2025; Second Reading | Bills | House debates
I rise in support of the Communications Legislation Amendment (Australian Content Requirement for Subscription Video On Demand (Streaming) Services) Bill 2025. When this bill passes, Australians...
I rise in support of the Communications Legislation Amendment (Australian Content Requirement for Subscription Video On Demand (Streaming) Services) Bill 2025. When this bill passes, Australians will see more Australian produced content on their streaming services. Whether you are watching on your television, iPhone, iPad or laptop, it is important that you get to see it and that our government plays a role in supporting Australian content where it can. The first television broadcast in Australia took place on 30 September 1929 at the Menzies Hotel in Melbourne, using the electromechanical radiovision system. That's a mouthful! After 18 months of test transmissions, regular broadcasts began in Brisbane on 6 May in 1934, using a 30-line system. That reached an estimated 18 receivers around Brisbane. The test transmissions, which were an hour's duration each day, were made from the Wickham Terrace observatory tower. The programs included news headlines, still pictures—you've got to go way, way back into the early 1900s here—and silent movies, such as the temperance film Horrors of Drink. Since the introduction of the television in Australia, there have been a number of programs and world events that have stopped the nation and we have used the box to see them. One of the first world events was the moon landing. I can't remember that one. The second, for me, was 9/11, of which there was wall-to-wall coverage. And then who could forget the Women's World Cup quarter-final, with the Matildas versus France and that penalty shootout that had the entire nation sitting on the edge of their seats? Then there was my favourite, Cathy Freeman, with the weight of the nation on her shoulders when she came steaming home to take the 400-metre gold at the Sydney Olympics. These things are in my memory just like it was yesterday. One of my earliest memories as a kid is of coming home from school and huddling in front of the television with my sisters to watch Skippy. The famous theme song would be playing: 'Skippy, Skippy, Skippy, the bush kangaroo.' It stood the test of time. And then, when I was a teenager, as a family we would gather around the television to watch A Country Practiceabout the lives of the locals in Wandin Valley. It was a quintessential Aussie show. Who could forget that episode that stopped the nation when Molly Jones died? There wasn't a dry eye in the lounge room. Then, on a lighter note, every Saturday we would turn on the television at 6.30 for Hey Hey It's Saturday, rolling around the floor laughing at the difference skits. Who could forget Red's face? Then there was the classic Kingswood Country. We can't forget Ted Bullpitt, who himself was a TV addict, and his absolute love of his Holden Kingswood. And then there's one that others have mentioned here before—'Kim, look at moi.' I'm sure many in this House can recognise that line from the iconic Kath & Kim series. There are also classic Australian dramas, like Neighbours and Home and Away, that launched international stars such as Kylie Minogue, Chris and Liam Hemsworth, Margot Robbie, Julian McMahon, Naomi Watts, Simon Bakers, Heath Ledger and many more. Even though we are a relatively small country, with 27.5 million people, we have always batted above our weight when it comes to producing shows that stand the test of time and can compete on the international stage. When Australian writers and performers are given the support to produce Australian stories, we always see the most amazing productions come together, and we have heard from previous speakers here this afternoon the titles of some of our greatest. But we should never underestimate how important it is for Australians to see themselves on screen. It helps us better understand ourselves and our neighbours, and it allows the world to see us. That's why, in 2023, this government released its landmark national cultural policy, Revive: a place for every story, a story for every place. It's a five-year plan to renew and revive Australia's arts, entertainment and cultural sector. It delivers new momentum so that Australia's creative workers, organisations and audiences continue to thrive and grow and our arts, culture and heritage are repositioned as central to Australia's future. Revive is structured around five interconnected pillars which set out the government's strategic objectives: (1) First Nations first: recognising and respecting the crucial place of First Nations stories at the centre of Australia's arts and culture; (2) a place for every story: reflecting the breadth of our stories and the contribution of all Australians as the creators of culture; (3) centrality of the artist: supporting the artist as worker and celebrating artists as creators; (4) strong cultural infrastructure: providing support across the spectrum of institutions which sustain our arts, culture and heritage; and (5) engaging the audience: making sure our stories connect with people at home and abroad. Then, sitting across these pillars are 10 principles that guide actions and investments over the next five years: (1) First Nations arts and culture are First Nations led; (2) all Australians, regardless of language, literacy, geography, age or education, have the opportunity to access and participate in arts and culture; (3) artists and arts workers have career structures that are long-term and sustainable, supported by vocational pathways; (4) Australian students have the opportunity to receive an education that includes culture, creativity, humanities and the arts; (5) creative talent is nurtured through fair remuneration, industry standards and safe and inclusive work cultures; (6) arts and cultural organisations have representation and leadership that is reflective of contemporary Australia; (7) cultural infrastructure, including galleries, libraries, museums, archives and digital collections, is restored, built and maintained; (8) Australian stories are seen and heard, regardless of platform—this is central to today's discussion—(9) creative industries and practice are future focused, technology enabled, networked and globally recognised, including through reciprocal exchange, export and cultural diplomacy; and (10) arts and culture are generative, creating new works and supporting emerging artists, and preservative, protecting heritage and conserving cultural memory. This legislation delivers on our commitment in the national cultural policy, Revive, to set local content requirements on streaming services. It recognises that Australian people and their stories are our greatest cultural asset. Australian stories help to shape our national identity, define who we are and make us recognisable on the international stage. Once this legislation is passed, it will make sure that, no matter what screen you're watching from, you will have guaranteed access to Australian stories. It will mandate that streaming services with more than one million Australian subscribers invest at least 10 per cent of their total expenditure for Australia or 7.5 per cent of their revenue on local drama, children's documentary, arts and educational programs. This will give vital support to our domestic screen sector and arts workers by ensuring quality local stories continue to be produced in Australia. We have Australian content requirements on free-to-air television and pay TV, but until now there has been no guarantee that we could see our own stories on streaming services. We really are in a new era where fewer people are sitting down in the lounge room to watch their favourites on the box. It's all about streaming platforms now, and we have to go where the people are going. With this legislation, we'll be able to ensure that, no matter which remote control you're holding or which laptop button you're clicking, Australian stories will be at your fingertips. In my electorate of Brisbane, I recently visited Ludo Studio. What's Ludo Studio? Think Bluey, Dingo, Chilli, Coco and Dusty, amongst others. Bluey is now an Australian icon. I spoke with the co-founder of Ludo Studio, alongside Screen Producers Australia, about the importance of locally produced content. What I heard was that real Australian content, like Bluey, matters. It connects us to who we are and shares our culture with the world, which is why these laws are so important. These laws will enable us to see the great work of our screen producers and artists. In my electorate office, I recently met with Rebecca and Stephen from Screen Producers Australia. They were talking about their 'Make it Australian: Give Our Stories a Fair Go' campaign. They shared real-life examples of how challenging it was to compete with big companies like Netflix, Stan, Apple TV and Amazon. They said that, when Australian industry is not invested in, we lose these skills locally and often end up importing these skills from overseas. They said that what makes the most difference is having quotas in streaming services, like the quota system that was introduced to broadcasting. Countries like the United Kingdom and Canada have quotas in place, and it has made a big difference to locally produced content. Australian audiences have shifted to online streaming platforms, but our longstanding local content rules have not yet followed them. Australian stories are being left behind, and our audiences are missing out on the most accessible form of culture available. In fact, one artist who lobbied for quotas has gone on record to say: There's something like 50,000 shows accessible to an Australian every day, which is just unbelievable. He also said: And we want to get in on that and tell some of our stories and be part of that bigger picture. It's important that a model of streaming regulation delivers more genuinely Australian stories of cultural worth on our screens, particularly for our children. The screen industry wanted to see a firm commitment from the government to support legislation for streaming services to invest in key genres, including children's content, scripted drama and documentaries, and that's exactly what this legislation will do. We want to work with the Australian screen industry to deliver on their priorities. Their priorities are around ensuring Australian audiences see and hear their own stories. They want to see flexible and fair local content investment obligations for streaming platforms, tied to revenue or subscribers. They want to see intellectual property protections to keep Australian stories in Australia and to ensure independent screen businesses can thrive and be autonomous. They'd also like to see strengthened national broadcasters and screen bodies through more funding for the ABC and SBS, as well as the building of a competitive and fair screen-investment framework. By boosting local production, rewarding Australian ownership and fixing industry gaps—which can attract investment and keep production local—the screen industry really does support a diverse range of jobs across our creative industry economy. This includes writers and actors, but you also have costume designers, set designers, camera operators, audio-visual tech operators and many, many more. This industry drives economic growth across the country by creating skilled jobs, innovation and adaption of new technology. It drives tourism and exports Australian culture and values globally. It helps to shape our cultural identity through protecting local stories that strengthen our national pride, and it boosts connection with authentic Australian stories that foster belonging, community resilience and a shared experience. As you've probably gathered, I love a good Australian production, and I've not long finished watching Mystery Road, with Detective Jay Swan. If you haven't seen it, I highly recommend it. Through a well-produced drama, the audience experiences life in the outback and First Nations struggles with inequality and the history of the Stolen Generation. It's a great Australian story. This homegrown creative force is one of the many we should be proud of and be prepared to ensure gets in front of fellow Australians. Something a little bit lighter is the fantastic program Muster Dogs. It follows five graziers from across Australia who are given five kelpie puppies from the same litter. Who doesn't love a puppy? They are set the challenge of transforming these uniquely Australian dogs into champion muster dogs. But it is great shows like these that could miss out on being developed if we didn't support the industry with this bill. Government has a role fostering the creative forces that live here at home but, as we know, the government doesn't do creating. That role belongs to our artists, who need to be respected as both workers and as creators, who need strong infrastructure that provides training, development and space to share new works, and the nation needs those works to engage the audiences both here at home and around the world. That is why I'm proud to be part of a government that not only recognises but supports our creative industries so they can continue to thrive and tell great Australian stories. In conclusion, I would like to quote The Castle, which to me sums up the principle behind this bill. Daryl is standing in front of the judge, and the judge says, 'And what law are you basing this argument on?' Daryl responds with 'the law of bloody common sense'. With that, I commend the bill to the House.
Environment | Adjournment | House debates
Over the last few days, there has been a lot of discussion and divisions around the environmental protection reforms—a busy day today!—but it's clear from today that these historic...
Over the last few days, there has been a lot of discussion and divisions around the environmental protection reforms—a busy day today!—but it's clear from today that these historic reforms are at risk of being blocked by the Greens political party and the LNP. I absolutely don't want to see this happen, and neither does my community of Brisbane. We really are at a pivotal moment in time when we can do something very special—protect our environment while enabling our communities to flourish with affordable housing, renewable energy and infrastructure. In the words of David Attenborough: 'The truth is the natural world is changing. And we are totally dependent on that world. It provides our food, water and air. It is the most precious thing we have, and we need to defend it.' It's also true that our environment and economy are intrinsically linked. Agriculture, resources and our tourism sector all rely on a healthy natural environment. In July last year, the Institute for Climate, Energy & Disaster Solutions at ANU reported a few things. One, our continent has warmed almost 1½ degrees. Our rainfall patterns have changed, and we are experiencing more frequent periods of extreme weather, such as droughts, bushfires and flooding. Our land surface has been significantly modified, and at least 19 ecosystems are collapsing due to climate change and other pressures. I know, with some despair, that it's not possible to reverse this decline; however, I do believe we really are at a turning point. We can't deny the science, but we can build a coalition across the community to help solve the problems and keep the lights on. Government, business and environmental groups must continue to work together to protect our environment and enable the economic benefits of sustainable development. With the introduction of Labor's environmental reform bills, we have the opportunity now to take real action to protect, conserve and restore our important environmental areas and species. That's why this term the Labor government has really prioritised a number of things: reforming these laws to make them fit for purpose while also taking real action on climate change and protecting the environment, and protecting and conserving 30 per cent of Australia's land and 30 per cent of our marine areas by 2030. This is backed by significant investment, a $200 million investment to help meet the 30 by 30 targets, in addition to $232-and-a-bit million for the Indigenous Protected Areas program and $25 million to protect critical biodiversity areas. Our ambitious plan to stop species extinction is directly supported by another half a billion plus to support the recovery of threatened species and ecological communities. This investment really will help rebuild some of our most vulnerable species and prevent further extinction. We also went to the last election committing to 40 diverse local projects, which will be delivered through local conservation groups, Landcare et cetera. I stand here today really proud of Labor's environmental record. Labor is the party that has delivered every single major environmental reform in Australia's history: Landcare, saving the Franklin, protecting Daintree and Kakadu and building the largest network of marine parks in the world, in addition to addressing the threat of climate change. And, if we really think about it, the list of climate and environmental reform since the election of the Albanese Labor government in 2022 has shifted the conversation on how Australia can be a good global citizen and play its part. To pass these laws, Labor needs the support of those opposite and in the Senate. The last time we tried to create a federal EPA, the Greens political party and the coalition blocked it in the Senate. We thought that was bad enough then, but let's fast forward now to November 2025, and the introduction of the EPA is again at risk because of the coalition and the Greens political party. They're incapable of putting self-interest aside and working with the government to introduce much-needed reforms. The coalition appears to be completely bereft when it comes to clearly articulating what their environmental policy is, so it's no wonder we're where we are, and the Greens political party voted against the bill in the House this morning, which is mind-boggling given their background. It's time to help support this bill. The people of Brisbane and those around Australia voted for environmental reforms. This bill is fair and balanced. It protects our environment and ensures net positive outcomes. I urge the opposition and the crossbench to be on the right side of history here and support it. House adjourned at 17 : 00 The DEPUTY SPEAKER ( Mr Boyce ) took the chair at 09:29.
Construction, Forestry and Maritime Employees Union | Private Members' Business | House debates
Let me be clear from the outset. This government will not tolerate corruption, criminality or violence in any workplace, including in the construction industry. But what we will tolerate are...
Let me be clear from the outset. This government will not tolerate corruption, criminality or violence in any workplace, including in the construction industry. But what we will tolerate are strong and effective unions that are there to look after workers and stop them being exploited. I'm a proud unionist. I come from a union family. I've seen what a positive difference unions make to individual workers and their families. The problems that we see in the construction industry are not the norm in the Labor movement; they're deeply embedded and have been decades in the making, and they won't be solved overnight. But let's get one thing straight. I agree in some respects with some of the words from the member for Wentworth—under the coalition's nine years of failed leadership, the discredited Australian Building and Construction Code, ABCC, failed to deal with the problems within the CFMEU or within the construction industry. It failed. Those opposite were running around beating their chests and saying what a great cop the ABCC was going to be. Instead, we saw the exact opposite in terms of culture in the construction industry. A bad culture was allowed to flourish under their watch. Multiple individuals were involved. They were involved in corruption, criminality and violence, all while retaining their positions to continue to conduct unlawful activities. Now, Labor is acting to clean up the mess. As the member for Petrie talked about earlier, following multiple referrals from the Albanese Labor government, our regulators and law enforcement agencies are working together through the joint agency working group to take strong action to stamp out corruption, criminality and violence. We've also taken real action to stamp out corruption in the CFMEU's construction division by placing them under administration for a period of five years. A lot has been done in this time. Under the administration for the last 15 months there's been the removal of and acceptance of resignations from about 60 people. They've developed a national code of conduct and statement of expectations for staff and made it absolutely clear where the union stands when it comes to gifts, organised crime and menacing behaviours and what the consequences will be. They've also established several inquiries into state branches of the CFMEU. On this side of the House, we believe in the right to organise and the right to join a union. The Labor Party was born out of the labour movement. That's why I'm proud to be part of a government that is the delivering for Australian workers. We have a wonderful resume of achievements since coming to office. What's Labor done? We've introduced multi-employer bargaining. In 2022 the Fair Work Legislation Amendment (Secure Jobs, Better Pay) Act enabled employees in certain sectors, such as child care and aged care, to bargain collectively across employers. We increased the minimum wage by 3.75 per cent, directly impacting 2.6 million workers. We made wage theft illegal by introducing criminal penalties as part of the closing the loophole reform. We've reduced the gender pay gap through reforms, including requiring large employers to report their gender pay gap, prohibiting pay secrecy clauses and introducing super paid on government parental leave. We've enhanced delegates' rights with reforms to strengthen the rights of union delegates in the workplace. We've legislated the right for employees to disconnect from work related communications outside their work hours. There have been changes to labour hire. Labour hire workers have new rules to potentially increase their pay. There is a national labour hire licensing scheme being established. There's a ban on non-compete clauses for workers earning under $175,000. Last week, we saw payday super, where workers will now be paid their superannuation the same day they get paid. But it's not just industrial relations reforms that this government has introduced that has been good for workers. A tax cut for every Australian has delivered for working people. Being able to see a GP for free delivers for working people. Cheaper child care, energy relief and a five per cent deposit—these all deliver for working people. While those opposite will take every opportunity to attack working people, this Labor government will always stand up for working people and their families. As I said, the Labor Party was born out of the labour movement, and that's why I'm so proud to be standing here today talking about the importance of what Labor is delivering for workers and why we need a strong union and labour movement. The problems in the construction industry are not the norm, and it's taken the Labor government to clean them up—because we want to see a strong and effective labour movement.
Fair Work Amendment (Baby Priya's) Bill 2025; Second Reading | Bills | House debates
Continuing on from last night, the Fair Work Amendment (Baby Priya's) Bill 2025 introduces a new principle into the Fair Work Act that employer funded paid parental leave must not be cancelled...
Continuing on from last night, the Fair Work Amendment (Baby Priya's) Bill 2025 introduces a new principle into the Fair Work Act that employer funded paid parental leave must not be cancelled because a child is stillborn or a newborn dies. It will ensure that parents who suffer the heartbreak of a stillbirth or neonatal death, as Priya's parents did, can still access employer funded paid parental leave. Labor is doing what is right. We're looking after parents at a time that is so difficult for them. The government has acted to safeguard these entitlements in the bill, and this bill will provide clarity for employers as well as grieving parents about their entitlements. This clarity will also benefit workplaces by helping retain and attract staff. Employees do not have to provide paid parental leave; however, the legal position is unclear in workplaces where paid parental leave is provided but there are no explicit entitlements addressing what will happen if a child is stillborn or dies. This isn't fair on employers, but, importantly, it is not fair on grieving parents. The bill will preserve employer funded paid parental leave entitlements in circumstances where it is not obvious on the face of the agreement what entitlements parents will receive if their child is stillborn or dies. The bill provides that an employer must not, because of a stillbirth or death, refuse to allow an employee to take employer paid parental leave to which they would have been entitled, or cancel any part of that leave. This legislation, though, will not override the freedom of employers and employees to agree on their own paid parental leave policies, allowing bargaining above the safety net provided by the law. The bill also prevents an employer from seeking to avoid the new prohibition against refusal or cancellation of employer paid parental leave by unilaterally varying an employee's terms and conditions after the bill's commencement, such as by amending a workplace policy. In addition, the government does not intend to interfere with the specific entitlements that employees have negotiated which deal with stillbirth or death of a child, and this bill will not stop employers and employees bargaining in good faith. The ability to bargain over entitlements above and beyond the national employment standards, such as for employer funded paid parental leave, is central to our approach to workplace relations. This bill has received support from across the board. We've had a number of fellow parliamentarians talk about this and share their experiences. I'd like to share a couple of quotes with you. The chairperson of Red Nose Australia, Nick Xerakias, said: You cannot make parents feel better after a stillbirth or neonatal loss … But you can absolutely make it worse, and cancelling paid maternity leave is one of the ways that happens. The ASU secretary for New South Wales and ACT, Angus McFarland, said: Parents deserve compassion and support during a time of unimaginable grief. No parent mourning the loss of a child should be forced back to work early or face financial strain. I urge those opposite to support the passing of this bill, because it is the right thing to do. The Albanese Labor government has always expanded and improved our paid parental leave system, and I highlighted earlier in my speech yesterday the long list of achievements that continue to benefit parents and their children today, but the work has continued to deliver with this bill. In addition, from 1 July this year we saw the Albanese Labor government reforms to paid parental leave rolling out, giving around 180 families a year more flexibility and support at one of the most important times of our lives. We also increased the amount of paid parental leave available to families, increasing to 24 weeks, giving parents an extra two weeks to spend with their newest family number. The amount of paid parental leave parents can take off at the same time will also increase from two weeks to four weeks. As a mum, I would absolutely appreciate that. Thanks to the government reforms, paid parental leave will continue to expand to 26 weeks by 1 July next year, and this means parents are able to spend more time with their family and more time caring for their newborn. With the changes to super, the government is also taking huge steps to close the gender gap in retirement income. We know that women are disproportionally impacted in retirement, and they retire with less super in their bank accounts. Parents are already benefiting from the superannuation now also being paid on government paid parental leave. The 12 per cent contribution, based on the increase in the superannuation guarantee that started from 1 July, is now being paid. Parents will also benefit from an increase in the weekly payment rate of paid parental leave, and this equates to around $775 over the 24-week entitlement. Under the Albanese Labor government we are ensuring we continue to back parents and families, not just in my electorate but across the community, and, importantly, with this bill we are doing this in a way that is a more caring, empathetic and compassionate way of looking after people and our communities.
Youth Voice in Parliament | Statements by Members | House debates
I rise to read the winning entry from Raise Our Voice. It's from 11-year-old Arianna, who goes to St Rita's College in Brisbane in my electorate. Arianna says: I want to see a future where every...
I rise to read the winning entry from Raise Our Voice. It's from 11-year-old Arianna, who goes to St Rita's College in Brisbane in my electorate. Arianna says: I want to see a future where every person in my community and across Australia feels safe, valued, and respected, no matter their background, appearance, beliefs, or lifestyle. I imagine communities that are more united, that genuinely celebrate diversity and promote understanding. I want to see schools that are truly safe spaces, where bullying and harassment are taken seriously and actively decreased. To support this vision, Parliament can take real action, they can fund nationwide anti-bullying programs in schools and make them mandatory for students, work with tech companies to stop cyberbullying and online abuse, provide more school counsellors and mental health services for students. Most importantly, guarantee that Parliament itself promotes respectful debate and has zero tolerance for bullying in public life because leaders should lead by example. This goal is so important because bullying does not just hurt in the moment; it can stay with a person for life. Many people in our community have experienced bullying, whether at school or online, and we must stop our young Australians from carrying that pain inside because it can lead to serious mental health issues, even suicide. Ending bullying will help create a peaceful, loving, and safe Australia for everyone. Together, we have the power to create a future where everyone feels safe, respected, and included. With leadership like yours, Arianna, our future is in good hands.
Social Security and Other Legislation Amendment (Technical Changes No. 2) Bill 2025; Second Reading | Bills | House debates
I rise in support of this bill, Social Security and Other Legislation Amendment (Technical Changes No. 2) Bill 2025. Like many in the Brisbane community, I had grandparents and, now, another...
I rise in support of this bill, Social Security and Other Legislation Amendment (Technical Changes No. 2) Bill 2025. Like many in the Brisbane community, I had grandparents and, now, another family member who relied on the economic support of the government to survive. They were hardworking. They paid their taxes. They contributed to society and to our economy. They looked after their neighbours. One had a terrible illness in the prime of their life that left them as a paraplegic, amongst other complications. They were a fit, outdoor blue-collar worker. The illness happened through no fault of their own. As for many, sometimes life just happens. They now rely on government payment support because they have to; their ability to work and earn a living is gone. I tell this story because this is the primary purpose of social security: to provide economic and social wellbeing by creating a safety net for individuals and families who cannot fully support themselves due to age, disability, unemployment or other circumstances. Our social security system is something to be really proud of. It's a system that goes to our values as a government: no-one held back and no-one left behind. It is part of our identity and how we view ourselves as a nation—one that helps those when they need help the most. This is at the heart of why I am in this House. They are the values I live by. These are Labor values. In Australia, the concept of social security was first introduced in 1908, when the Commonwealth parliament passed the Invalid and Old Age Pension Act. It provided financial support to the elderly and the ill. It followed the economic depression of the early 1890s, when poverty was widespread and the idea of who should support those unable to look after themselves was a big topic of debate. In the 1940s, Labor Prime Minister Curtin announced the development of a national welfare scheme, including sickness and unemployment benefits. Then, building on his legacy, the post-war Chifley government held the social services referendum—again, a Labor government. This allowed a change to the Constitution which granted the Commonwealth power to legislate for a wide range of social services, and these changes laid the foundations for the modern social security system we have in this country today. This Labor government continues the fundamental principles underpinning social security, providing a safety net when people need it the most. We are also committed to a fairer and more efficient social security system. This bill does just that. This legislation is the government's response to the full Federal Court Chaplin case, which established beyond doubt that income apportionment was unlawful. We've heard a bit about that today. Income apportionment was the method used by Services Australia to calculate social security debts between the early 1990s and 2020. It involved using evidence from the individual, such as payslips, to determine their entitlement to a social security payment. That was also used as part of calculating debt. Where it wasn't clear what a person's exact daily earnings were, the employment income could be apportioned over two or more Centrelink fortnights. This practice is now understood to have been inconsistent with legislative provisions at the time. Just to be clear, this government has never used this practice, but, under the scheme, debt had accrued to some Australians. If debt is reopened in this fashion, it will cause a number of issues. First, it would cause distress, delay and uncertainty for people with debt. Second, in some cases, debts are decades old and some have been repaid where maybe they might not have been correctly calculated. Third, it would also divert critical government resources from frontline services that help people who need support now. So this legislation avoids the need to recalculate potentially millions of debts, at a significant cost to the Australian social security system. That is why we are legislating also to put the historical practice of income apportionment on clearer legal footing. This bill will wipe out almost half of Australia's undetermined social security debt backlog. It's anticipated that, as a result, around 1.2 million undetermined debts are expected to be waived or not raised in 2025-26. We will establish a scheme also to roll out resolution payments for those impacted by income apportionment. This bill will also increase the threshold for waiving small debts for the first time in over 30 years. It'll change from $50 to $250. Since 1990, that's a long time for something not to change. That small debt waiver amount has not kept pace with the value of government payments, which have tripled since 1993, and it no longer reflects what a small debt means to many people today. As has been mentioned in this House earlier, often the administrative cost of recouping small debts is higher than the value of the debt itself, making the process of debt recovery uneconomical. The changes in this bill will mean Services Australia does not waste time or resources chasing small debts, and they will spare Australians significant stress, particularly those who have accidental debts. Setting the threshold at $250 recognises people generally engage with the social security system in good faith while continuing to ensure responsible fiscal management. This bill will also protect Australians who are subject to financial abuse and coercive control, which, as we all know, are predominantly women. As part of our election commitment, we committed to embed safety in Commonwealth systems. The government is legislating changes to better protect victims-survivors and prevent the social security system being weaponised against them. Financial abuse—as we heard from the member for Bonner—and coercive control are serious forms of family and domestic violence. The changes delivered through this bill will give Services Australia extended powers to waive social security debts that have been incurred as a result of coercion or financial abuse. What this means is that, when considering a debt waiver, a Services Australia official will be able to take into account all the circumstances that led to somebody knowingly making false statements to Services Australia or not complying with the law, and this includes coercion or financial abuse. This change directly responds to a recommendation of the 2024 Parliamentary Joint Committee on Corporations and Financial Services inquiry into financial abuse. It also demonstrates the government's resolve in delivering on its commitment to support victims-survivors under the National Plan to End Violence against Women and Children 2022-2032. But, as I said before, we know this is a first step. The government is doing more to address financial abuse, including consulting on changes to tax and social security laws so perpetrators, not victims-survivors, are accountable for debts they accrue through financial abuse. We know that financial abuse is one of the most powerful tools perpetrators use to trap women and children. That's very sad. These changes are about putting control back in the hands of victims-survivors, removing unnecessary harm and making sure our system supports safety and dignity. To compensate people with potentially affected debts, the bill establishes the Income Apportionment Resolution Scheme. Through this scheme, people with historical debts potentially affected by income apportionment from 1 September 2003 to 6 December 2020 will be eligible to apply for a resolution payment. This is in recognition of the fact that we know this method of calculating entitlement was invalid. To assist those affected to navigate the resolution scheme, Economic Justice Australia and the Australian Council of Social Service will each be given $400,000 in funding. The amount of compensation available will be based on a person's determined debt, with resolution payment amounts up to $600. The Minister for Social Services recently also announced a new $300 million package to support this reform. Further details on how and where to apply for compensation will be available following the passage of the legislation. This bill really is an important step towards social security debt reform. It's important to note that, when issues are identified within a system, action is taken by this government to ensure that there is public confidence in that system. That's really important given what we've gone through over the last decade. This approach is quite opposite to the recent robodebt scandal, which was overseen by those opposite. Work was recently undertaken by the Attorney-General where an historic agreement to settle the Knox v Commonwealth class action was reached. This was an appeal from the original robodebt class action settlement in 2020. In the Attorney-General's own words: When the unfairness, the illegality and the cruelty of robodebt became apparent, the approach of those opposite was to double down, to go on the attack against those who complained and to maintain the falsehood that in fact the system had not changed at all. But, when this government— the Labor government— came to office, we— took swift action and— established a royal commission which heard tragic stories of people being hounded by their own government to repay debts they did not even owe. None of us should forget— I will never forget— former minister Alan Tudge saying to vulnerable Australians, 'We'll find you, we'll track you down, you will have to repay those debts, and you may end up in prison.' Is this how we treat some of the most vulnerable people living in our society? This goes to the true character of those opposite. It is a Labor government that cares about people. The Attorney-General said: The royal commission's findings were damning. Commissioner Holmes found that robodebt was 'a crude and cruel mechanism, neither fair nor legal' and 'a costly failure of public administration, in both human and economic terms' On this side of the House, we believe in strong social security which helps our fellow Australians, including those in my community in Brisbane, when they need it the most, whether that's a local pensioner who receives the age pension—someone who has worked hard their entire life and has now reached retirement age but cannot fully support themselves financially—or a local student under the age of 25 who might be studying or training at TAFE or university and is receiving youth allowance. Maybe it's a dedicated carer receiving a carers payment and providing critical support to those who cannot support themselves. Maybe it's a single parent who is receiving the single parenting payment and who is the main carer for a young child. Maybe it's simply income support for a jobseeker, for someone who is looking for work, who may be sick or cannot work. In Australia, our values are based on respect, fairness and equal opportunity, and these values go to the heart of why we have a social security in this country that is designed the way it is. It recognises the inherent human right to a decent standard of living and helps individuals live with dignity, free from excessive hardship. It provides a sense of security and stability, ensuring that people's living standards are not drastically eroded by unpredictable social or economic events. By providing a safety net, social security aims to prevent social exclusion and promote social inclusion. It enables people to participate in society. Social security not only addresses the needs as they arise but also works to prevent risks and help individuals and families adjust to unavoidable disadvantages. The people in my Brisbane community benefit from social security, as do millions of Australians, and this bill supports and makes our social security system more robust, stronger and fairer. I commend the bill to the House.
Economy | Questions without Notice | House debates
My question is to the Treasurer. What is the Albanese Labor government's plan to sustain the progress we're making on the economy?
Health Care | Statements by Members | House debates
Labor built Medicare and we will always strengthen it. We're working hard every day to make sure all Australians can get access to affordable health care when they need it most, and we're doing...
Labor built Medicare and we will always strengthen it. We're working hard every day to make sure all Australians can get access to affordable health care when they need it most, and we're doing this in various ways. We have more urgent care clinics across the country, including one in Brisbane's inner north. I campaigned hard for this, and I can't wait for it to be open. We also made the biggest reduction in PBS medicine prices since the scheme was introduced, saving Australians over $1 billion. In my electorate, I've heard stories of people putting off getting medicines they need because they can't afford it. This is not acceptable, and this ranges from asthma treatments to cancer treatments. Both can be life threatening. Soon, the most you will pay for a PBS script will be $25. Also, doctors are now able to prescribe 60-day prescriptions, saving us all that extra trip to the doctor. Cheaper medicines aren't just good for your hip pocket; they're also good for your health. Lastly, Labor has made the largest investment in bulk-billing in the history of Medicare. That has meant almost six million free trips to the GP since November 2023, with nine out of 10 GP visits expected to be bulk-billed by 2030. Recently, Assistant Minister McBride and I opened the Medicare mental health clinic in Lutwyche. At last weekend's mobile office that I had nearby, people of all ages took the information. If this is anything to go by, more locals will get the mental health care they need free and closer to home. We said we'd strengthen Medicare, and that's exactly what we're doing.
Brisbane Electorate: Sport | Statements by Members | House debates
On Saturday night, it was my pleasure to present the 2025 premiership trophy to the Newmarket metro 2 women's soccer team. The team went undefeated for the season to take out the premiership,...
On Saturday night, it was my pleasure to present the 2025 premiership trophy to the Newmarket metro 2 women's soccer team. The team went undefeated for the season to take out the premiership, and, as a retired soccer mum, I really do understand what a feat that is. It wasn't their night on Saturday though. They did lose the nailbiting semifinal in a thrilling penalty shootout, but they can still hold their heads high. This is a big shout-out to the coaches, clubs, mums, dads, carers and, of course, the players for their hard work and dedication. Community sports play such an important part across the Brisbane community. It brings people together and provides a purpose for our community. It teaches players and participants resilience, leadership, teamwork, the importance of lifting others up and the importance of being lifted when one needs it. Although I was hugely sporty growing up, soccer wasn't an option for me, but, at my local swimming club and lifesaving club, I found my peeps and I benefited, as the Newmarket girls have done with their sport. Soccer is a rapidly growing sport for girls, spurred on by the Tillies during the 2023 World Cup and not to mention the upcoming 2027 Women's Asian Cup. Young girls can now see what they want to be. The Newmarket division 2 women have given the young girls at Newmarket someone to look up to and something to aim for, and, given a few of them have become Tillies, maybe there are a few more. Thank you to Ken and the club for having me along on Sunday. It was a night to be proud of.
Fiscal Policy | Matters of Public Importance | House debates
Australians spoke pretty loudly at the last election, and the make-up of the chamber pretty much tells that story. Why? Because they wanted to see cost-of-living pressures reduced, and they...
Australians spoke pretty loudly at the last election, and the make-up of the chamber pretty much tells that story. Why? Because they wanted to see cost-of-living pressures reduced, and they didn't want to see a $600 billion nuclear fantasy—which is, incidentally, a very big spend. I think many members in this House would agree that, during the campaign, cost of living was the No. 1 issue, and in my electorate it didn't matter whether it was Seb, who was studying at university, or the young couple trying to buy a house or even retired Ray, who was gardening when I dropped by. Our No. 1 priority was helping Australians with the cost of living, raising the standard of living, and we make no apologies for that. Let's look at what we've already done: tax cuts for every Australian, $300 in energy bill relief for every Australian household, and $325 for small business. We've tripled the bulk-billing incentive and restored bulk-billing to 11 million Australians, creating an additional six million bulk-billed GP visits. We've delivered cheaper medicines at a cost of $25. We've cut student debt, we've delivered free TAFE, we've delivered cheaper child care and we've delivered real wage increases for Australian workers. Not only did we see three consecutive pay rises for Australian workers on awards; we also delivered pay rises for aged-care and early childhood education and care workers. Who does this greatly benefit? Women, because women make up the majority of workers in those sectors. But wait; there is more on the way. We will deliver new tax cuts for every taxpayer, we will deliver more energy bill relief, and we'll wipe 20 per cent off student debt—well, that's happening right now. We will deliver the biggest boost to Medicare, delivering those extra GP visits I mentioned. We're expanding the growing network of Medicare urgent care clinics across Australia, including one in Brisbane. We're making free TAFE permanent, and we're delivering affordable child care close to home. In case you missed it, we're building the biggest ever house build. We want more Australians into their own home. We'll give first home buyers access to that five per cent deposit, which will start in October, and invest $10 billion to build up to 100,000 homes for sale to first home buyers only. We're making the tax system simpler by delivering $1,000 instant tax deductions, and we're delivering our Cheaper Home Batteries Program to help with energy cost relief. We have also legislated to protect penalty rates in awards. That went through today, and I'm very proud of that. And we're ensuring that the wages of around three million workers do not go backwards, as they did under the opposition. The shadow Treasurer hasn't really learnt anything from the election results. Australians made it loud and clear that they wanted action on cost of living. On this side of the House, we believe in helping one another while the opposition over there would rather focus on cuts. When Australians are hurting, it's the role of government to step in when we can. Let me remind those opposite of their record when they left office. As the minister and others before me highlighted, Australia's budget was at its weakest point under the former Morrison-Joyce government. The coalition inflicted immense economic damage and inflation on Australian households and families. Their shameful record of waste and rorts led to skyrocketing inflation and interest rates. Households were under immense stress and pressure to make ends meet, yet the coalition continued to spend and mismanage Australia's finances. Despite this pressure on households, the Morrison government still decided on tax cuts that left behind people earning $45,000 a year or less. Where did they want their tax cuts to go? They went to the rich, to those who did not need it the most. Households were simply forgotten by the former coalition government. Here we are today, under Labor, and more households are working and earning more, and they're keeping more of what they earn. Under this government, real wages are up, superannuation is strengthening, inflation is down, unemployment is low and incomes are growing. We won't be lectured by those opposite on how to lift living standards, nor on economic management. Your record speaks for itself. To use a previous speaker's words: what we do matters.
Community Canteen, Bhartiya Samaj | Constituency Statements | House debates
This is another first for me since being elected the member for Brisbane. It's my first opportunity to deliver a constituency statement. Today I want to shine a light on two community...
This is another first for me since being elected the member for Brisbane. It's my first opportunity to deliver a constituency statement. Today I want to shine a light on two community organisations whose contribution to Brisbane and well beyond is truly invaluable: Community Canteen and Bhartiya Samaj. Earlier this month I had the privilege of visiting Community Canteen in Newmarket during Homelessness Week. This organisation was founded in 2008. It's a volunteer driven not-for-profit with a simple but powerful mission: to provide fresh, nutritious meals to people who are homeless, at risk of homelessness or experiencing hardship. They operate without paid staff and without their own premises, ensuring that every single dollar that is donated goes directly to preparing and serving meals. With more than 250 dedicated volunteers, the organisation prepares over—wait for it—30,000 meals a year. Working in partnership with Communify, they prepare meals at the Newmarket kitchen, which is where I was, using rescued food and donated funds. The meals are then frozen and distributed to those who need them most. Community Canteen offers more than just food; it provides dignity, inclusion and connection not only for those who receive the food but for the volunteers who give their time and energy. When I visited, I was warmly welcomed by Amir and the team of volunteers and I did my bit to lean in and lend a hand. I want to put on record my thanks for the commitment of Amir, the team and all involved. On that very same day, I also attended the Bhartiya Samaj Empowering Migrants Expo in Brisbane. Bhartiya Samaj was established in Queensland in 2022 and is dedicated to fostering an inclusive Australia, uniting migrants with other locals and, importantly, supporting the South-Asian community. Now only in its second year, the Empowering Migrants Expo, which they established, has become a cornerstone event. This year it attracted more than 8,000 people, making it one of the largest multicultural gatherings in Queensland. The expo showcased 30 multicultural stalls, 15 government stands, 20 international food stalls and 20 cultural dance performances. There was a networking lunch for 200 multicultural leaders and, of course, the 2025 migrant awards ceremony celebrating outstanding contributions across diverse communities. These events matter because migration has shaped and continues to shape our city for the better. From small business to infrastructure, from healthcare and education to hospitality and the arts, migrants have built and enriched our community. I want to acknowledge the president of Bhartiya Samaj, Mr Abhishek Sharma, and the many volunteers who worked tirelessly to make this expo such a success. Both Community Canteen and the Bhartiya Samaj Empowering Migrants Expo are shining examples of the best in Brisbane, bringing our community together, building inclusion and strengthening the fabric of our community.