Leon Rebello's recent appearances (OpenAustralia.org)
type: channel
language: en-gb
creator: OpenAustralia.org, mprss.php script
date: 2026-02-05T22:06:05+00:00
items: Economy | Adjournment | House debates
items: Jonceski, Mr Ljupco (Luch) | Condolences | House debates
items: Economy | Matters of Public Importance | House debates
items: Reedy Creek Quarry Project | Statements by Members | House debates
items: Combatting Antisemitism, Hate and Extremism (Criminal and Migration Laws) Bill 2026; Second Reading | Bills | House debates
items: Bondi Beach Attack Victims | Condolences | House debates
items: McPherson Electorate: Community Events | Constituency Statements | House debates
items: McPherson Electorate: Future Leaders Award | Statements by Members | House debates
items: Energy | Adjournment | House debates
items: McPherson Electorate: Community Groups | Constituency Statements | House debates
items: Gold Coast: Infrastructure, Housing and Services, Cost of Living | Grievance Debate | House debates
items: Excise Tariff Amendment (Draught Beer) Bill 2025, Customs Tariff Amendment (Draught Beer) Bill 2025; Second Reading | Bills | House debates
items: Men's Mental Health | Private Members' Business | House debates
items: Gold Coast: Infrastructure | Statements by Members | House debates
items: Tertiary Education | Private Members' Business | House debates
items: Small Business | Private Members' Business | House debates
items: Mental Health | Statements on Significant Matters | House debates
items: g120.2

Economy | Adjournment | House debates
type: item
description: I always love going back to my electorate after coming to Canberra, although I do really appreciate and relish the opportunity that I've been given to represent, in this place, the people of...
encoded: I always love going back to my electorate after coming to Canberra, although I do really appreciate and relish the opportunity that I've been given to represent, in this place, the people of McPherson. But this time I'll be going back to McPherson with some bad news, and it's bad news in relation to the state of our economy. As we're all aware, we've seen a yet another—the 13th—interest rate rise in Australia. It's well known and well documented that we're going through a housing crisis, and I have the opportunity every now and then to speak to many people, especially young people, across my electorate who are struggling to get into their first home. But I also have the ability at times to speak to people who have managed to get into their first home, and now they're presented with an increase to their repayments and with yet another barrier to real wage growth as well. What we're seeing by this Labor government is no real growth strategy. Consistent with Labor ideology, we're seeing the constant redistribution of what we already have. As somebody who represents the next generation, I think we need to set our sights higher. Not only that, we need to make sure that this government takes responsibility for where it hasn't been able to achieve what is required by the Australian people. Let's look at the state of this economy. We're looking at inflation rates at the moment, and inflation in this country sits at 3.8 per cent, which is significantly above the target range of two to three per cent. We've seen the Assistant Treasurer, Daniel Mulino, recently say that it's actually a global phenomenon at the moment. Well, if you actually look at where Australia sits, Australia and the UK are now the only two countries in the developed world where inflation sits above three per cent. So it is 0.8 percentage points above the upper range of where it should be in Australia. And not only that, but we all saw the commentary by economists in the lead-up to the rate rise on Tuesday.…
date: 2026-02-05T13:12:00+00:00

Jonceski, Mr Ljupco (Luch) | Condolences | House debates
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description: I'm rising to speak on today's condolence motion in relation to the passing of Luch Jonceski. Like many in this chamber, we've had the opportunity to know Luch through our work in this place, but...
encoded: I'm rising to speak on today's condolence motion in relation to the passing of Luch Jonceski. Like many in this chamber, we've had the opportunity to know Luch through our work in this place, but I'm probably one of the only elected officials who can say that they shared the chamber with him as a fellow attendant. I met Luch just over 12 years ago when I started in the building as an attendant. I was paired up with Luch in question time on the government side—Luch was always insistent on being on the government side, whoever was in government at the time—and it was a great opportunity for me not only to get to know the work and the parliament but to get to know Luch. When I was in the chamber yesterday and we had the opportunity to recognise Luch's contribution—and to do so in front of not only the public but, most importantly, his family—I was thinking about Luch and how he would have absolutely loved that, because he very much felt at home in the building, and I think all of us felt at home in the building because he was there. For those who didn't have the opportunity to know him, Luch was the longest serving House of Representatives employee. His service went not only across the lifespan of this building but into the lifespan of Old Parliament House. In fact, I understand that he was involved in the construction of this place as well. Luch understood service. He understood the importance of this place as being significant, and he understood the value of it in our great democracy. For him to be acknowledged in this way following his passing is, I think, a testament not only to him but to our country, because our country is here and our parliament is here to serve those who go about their lives in the way people like Luch did. He had quite an incredible story. When I joined as an attendant, I was in my first year of being an attendant while Luch's daughter Jess was in her second year, so I had the opportunity to spend a lot of time with Jess. I just say, my though…
date: 2026-02-05T12:47:00+00:00

Economy | Matters of Public Importance | House debates
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description: This is consistent with what we're seeing from ministers in this government. We've also seen the Treasurer ditch his responsibility to admit to the Australian people that he should be taking...
encoded: This is consistent with what we're seeing from ministers in this government. We've also seen the Treasurer ditch his responsibility to admit to the Australian people that he should be taking responsibility for this most recent interest rate rise. Labor have presided over the biggest collapse in living standards in the developed world. This government's inability to rein in its spending means that, now, Australian families and Australian small businesses have to. The government know that their spending was directly impacting inflation, but they don't care. This is not a global trend, because, while other countries are seeing inflation return to pre-COVID levels, we are the outlier. And we've seen, as I've said, the 13th rate rise under this government. The member for Casey mentioned that the first step in fixing a problem is acknowledging that there is one, and that is what we are calling for today as the opposition. This government needs to sit up and acknowledge that it is the problem. Its reckless spending over the last 3½ years has contributed to the situation that we're in. I think that we in this place should be subject to the same levels of fiscal constraint that we expect of the people we govern. If this place can't do that and if this government can't do that, then we are disrespecting the people who have put us here. We're disrespecting the small businesses and disrespecting our constituents. This government should be stronger and better than that, because Australians deserve better and the people in my electorate of McPherson deserve better. When I go and speak to small businesses across McPherson on the southern Gold Coast, they tell me about the real effects they are feeling of the decisions that are being made in this place. They're telling me about the increases in what they're spending to lease their venues. They're talking to me about the difficulties that they've got in the industrial relations space. They're talking to me about the impacts of inter…
date: 2026-02-05T15:39:00+00:00

Economy | Matters of Public Importance | House debates
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description: I thank the shadow minister for small business for putting forward this MPI, because it's not only giving me an opportunity to voice the concerns of the thousands of small businesses across my...
encoded: I thank the shadow minister for small business for putting forward this MPI, because it's not only giving me an opportunity to voice the concerns of the thousands of small businesses across my electorate of McPherson on the southern Gold Coast but it has also given this chamber and the Australian people an insight into the arrogance of the Minister for Small Business and, in doing so, an insight into the arrogance of this Albanese Labor government. The member for Bonner has just given us all these reasons for why we should end this MPI and, in effect, congratulate Labor. She started talking about the things that Labor has supposedly delivered. Well, what have Labor delivered? They've delivered 13 interest rate rises, they've delivered the highest government spending outside a recession in the last 40 years, they've delivered the sharpest fall in living standards across the developed world, and they've delivered budget blowouts left, right and centre. This is the record of this government, and it's affecting small businesses in my electorate of McPherson and across the country. If you actually look at what this minister said—and this goes back to the arrogance—her interjections, when the shadow minister for small business was raising legitimate concerns felt by small businesses across this country, went to the fact of 'if you're a small business that's going out of business, it's probably because you're dodgy'. That is absolute contempt for small businesses in this country, and it's consistent with—
date: 2026-02-05T15:39:00+00:00

Reedy Creek Quarry Project | Statements by Members | House debates
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description: I rise today to speak directly to the people of Reedy Creek, Tallebudgera, Burleigh and surrounding suburbs, and to make sure your voices are heard loud and clear in the federal parliament. Many...
encoded: I rise today to speak directly to the people of Reedy Creek, Tallebudgera, Burleigh and surrounding suburbs, and to make sure your voices are heard loud and clear in the federal parliament. Many of you have contacted me sharing deep concerns about a new proposal for a major quarry to be built in Reedy Creek, adjacent to homes, schools and our natural environment. I share your concerns and I stand with you. This is not a new battle; our community fought this once before and won. A previous quarry proposal was refused by the City of Gold Coast, and that decision was upheld by the Planning and Environment Court in 2017. Now history is repeating itself. Another quarry application has been lodged with the council, and right now your voice matters most. Please join me in making it clear where you stand and make a submission before Monday 9 February. These submissions matter. They will make your views unmistakeably clear and give council the confidence to do what they did last time and reject this proposal. I share your concerns about heavy truck movements through residential streets, noise, dust, health impacts, environmental damage and the long-term loss of amenity. A quarry does not belong beside homes, schools or wildlife corridors. It's quite simply the right project in the wrong location, and we must ensure that council says no again.
date: 2026-02-04T13:45:00+00:00

Combatting Antisemitism, Hate and Extremism (Criminal and Migration Laws) Bill 2026; Second Reading | Bills | House debates
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description: Like 9/11, we all remember where we were on 14 December last year. For me, I was at a Gold Coast Hanukkah celebration at the exact same time that the Bondi attack went down. It was a really good...
encoded: Like 9/11, we all remember where we were on 14 December last year. For me, I was at a Gold Coast Hanukkah celebration at the exact same time that the Bondi attack went down. It was a really good opportunity to have the Jewish community on the Gold Coast come together for what was supposed to be a very joyful, positive, light filled celebration. Halfway through the ceremony, I was tapped on the shoulder and informed about the tragedy that was unfolding in Sydney. I looked around at the families, at the kids, the parents, the grandparents and the beautiful Jewish community that we have on the Gold Coast. It hit me that what unfolded in Sydney could well and truly have been something that unfolded in that crowd. I've been speaking about the rise of antisemitism in this country since I entered the parliament mid-last year. It's something that has to be stamped out, and it's something that as a country we should have taken a tougher stand against. It's something that the Jewish community has long been calling for us to do. What happened in Bondi—let's be clear—was the result of two things: antisemitism and radical Islam. These were the root causes. Hatred and extremism have no place in Australia, and, from day one, we as the coalition said that we would work constructively with the government to address this. Instead what we saw was that the government delayed parliament, resisted calls for a royal commission and produced what was unfit legislation that not only failed to address those root causes that I've spoken about but also severely threatened free speech. Over the last couple of weeks, I've spoken to many people in my electorate—and I've received countless pieces of correspondence from them—who expressed those concerns. They're very real concerns that we in the coalition listen to. The former bill, as I said, was so unfit for purpose that even the government conceded failure. They scrapped their racial vilification laws and have left the coalition to clean up the w…
date: 2026-01-20T12:31:00+00:00

Bondi Beach Attack Victims | Condolences | House debates
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description: I rise today with a heavy heart to speak to this condolence motion following the horrific attack at Bondi Beach. Like the Gold Coast, Bondi is a symbol of who we are as Australians: open skies,...
encoded: I rise today with a heavy heart to speak to this condolence motion following the horrific attack at Bondi Beach. Like the Gold Coast, Bondi is a symbol of who we are as Australians: open skies, golden beaches, families coming together, surfers watching the sets roll in, visitors from every corner of the world, sharing an unspoken understanding that this is a country of freedom and safety. That sense of ease and innocence was shattered. What happened at Bondi shocked us not only because of the lives lost and the lives forever changed but also because it struck somewhere deeply familiar. Those scenes could have been Coolangatta, or Burleigh, or anywhere along the coastline that I represent in McPherson. My heart breaks for Bondi. This is not the Australia we know. This is not the Australia that we have built together. Among those murdered was Alexander Kleytman, an 87-year-old Holocaust survivor. He survived the Nazis, and yet in the country he believed would keep him safe he was murdered for being Jewish. My deepest condolences go to the families and loved ones of those who were killed. No words spoken in this chamber can ease the grief that you carry, but know that the nation grieves with you and that we honour the lives that were taken far too soon. We have a responsibility in this place to speak honestly about why this happened. This attack was not random; it was an act of antisemitic terrorism driven by a radical Islamist ideology that rejects our values, dehumanises Jewish people and glorifies violence. I have walked the grounds of Auschwitz and Dachau. I have stood where hatred was systematised, where ideology stripped people of their humanity and turned neighbours into targets. Those places remind us that antisemitism is not a disagreement or a grievance; it's a lethal ideology. When tolerated, minimised or excused, it does not fade—it grows. Antisemitism has been growing in Australia. We have seen it on our streets, on our campuses, online and in protests whe…
date: 2026-01-19T14:20:00+00:00

McPherson Electorate: Community Events | Constituency Statements | House debates
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description: Over the past few weeks, I've had the privilege of engaging with a wide range of groups across our wonderful southern Gold Coast community, each highlighting the strength, diversity and spirit...
encoded: Over the past few weeks, I've had the privilege of engaging with a wide range of groups across our wonderful southern Gold Coast community, each highlighting the strength, diversity and spirit that make our region so special. I recently had the pleasure of attending and presenting at one of the regular afternoon tea meetings hosted by Gold Coast Retirees Inc. This association plays a vital role in keeping our retirees connected, informed and engaged, and I thank the president, Mark Morrell, for his commitment to this initiative. I was grateful for the opportunity to speak with members about the issues that matter most to them and to acknowledge the invaluable contribution that they make to our community. Another highlight this month was joining the 90th birthday celebrations at Tricare in Clear Island Waters. It was an absolute joy to celebrate with residents—including Imelda, Jill and Ann, who each turned 90—as they marked this incredible milestone. Moments like these remind us of the importance of community, connection and celebrating the lives and stories of those who helped shape the Gold Coast that we enjoy today. I also had the opportunity to host the Mudgeeraba Chamber of Commerce for an afternoon of discussion and collaboration at my office. Our small businesses are the backbone of our local economy, and hearing directly from business owners about their challenges and their successes is essential in being able to best support them. Special thanks must go to the president, John Kennedy, his executive and all members who attended and continue to advocate for the needs of small businesses across our community. I recently welcomed the Australian Political Exchange Council's 37th delegation from the United States, giving them a glimpse of the very best the Gold Coast has to offer. The delegation included state legislators, mayors, senior government officials and policy leaders from across the United States. It was an honour to showcase our community, to exchange …
date: 2025-11-27T10:12:00+00:00

McPherson Electorate: Future Leaders Award | Statements by Members | House debates
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description: As the 2025 school year draws to a close, I would like to congratulate all the year 12 students who have completed their high school journey. I wish each of you the very best for your exciting...
encoded: As the 2025 school year draws to a close, I would like to congratulate all the year 12 students who have completed their high school journey. I wish each of you the very best for your exciting new chapters. It was an honour to join our local schools in celebrating the year's achievements and to present my Future Leaders Award to acknowledge an outstanding year 12 student from each school. These young leaders demonstrate initiative, integrity and a genuine commitment to making a difference. I'd like to place on record the recipients so far: Alasdair McCall from Hillcrest Christian College; Georgiana Georghiou from Silkwood School; Lyric Wilkinson and Sophie Spaull from Mudgeeraba Special School; Ella Henderson from Hillcrest Christian College virtual learning; Isaac Elmore, Palm Beach-Currumbin State High School; Claire Robertson, Robina State High School; Talissa Bellette, Elanora State High School; William Davis, Varsity College; Ayla Geralds, Somerset College; Saskia Birner, All Saints Anglican School; Jackson Fietz, Arcadia College; Sophie Fraser, Gold Coast Christian College; Ava Le Cornu, the BUSY School; Heath McLachlan, St Andrews Lutheran College; and Isabella Anderson from the Industry School For our primary- and middle-school students, I was very pleased to present my Spirit and Service Award, recognising one young person from each school who looks out for others. I congratulate each and every one of those students. To every student across the southern Gold Coast: congratulations and well done.
date: 2025-11-27T13:44:00+00:00

Energy | Adjournment | House debates
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description: Australians deserve affordable energy and responsible emissions reduction, and the coalition believe we can do both, but affordability must come first. This is what families and businesses in my...
encoded: Australians deserve affordable energy and responsible emissions reduction, and the coalition believe we can do both, but affordability must come first. This is what families and businesses in my community tell me every day. They're desperate for a government that understands the pressures that they are facing, but, instead of relief, Labor has delivered an energy system that is failing. Prices are soaring, and the targets are pure fantasy. Labor promised cheaper power—a $275 cut to your bill, I remember. Instead, under this prime minister, the average household is paying around $1,300 more. Energy prices have risen by almost 40 per cent. Factories are closing. Business insolvencies are at record highs. Investment is stalling, and emissions haven't moved an inch since the coalition left office. Labor talk tough on climate, but their results say everything. Australia's emissions remain at 28 per cent below 2005 levels, exactly where they were the day the coalition left office. In other words, Labor's emissions reduction has flatlined—all pain and no progress. Yet they continue to insist that their targets—physically unattainable, economically reckless and never properly costed—are the only way forward, and they want Australians to bankroll this failure, even as cost-of-living pressures bite harder than ever before. While families struggle to afford groceries and to keep the lights on, Labor are chasing headlines, lecturing Australians and approving fossil fuel projects they then condemn in public. The hypocrisy is staggering. The Prime Minister is happy to export Australian resources to fuel foreign energy grids and drive global emissions, but he refuses to let Australians benefit from the same standard that he holds for the rest of the world. He forces higher power bills and unaffordable targets on our nation while criticising anyone who questions the price that we are being asked to pay. And now the Minister for Climate Change and Energy, the part-time energy minist…
date: 2025-11-26T19:49:00+00:00

McPherson Electorate: Community Groups | Constituency Statements | House debates
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description: It's been another busy and uplifting period for our southern Gold Coast community. I've met with local residents, businesses and community groups who've celebrated milestones and cherished...
encoded: It's been another busy and uplifting period for our southern Gold Coast community. I've met with local residents, businesses and community groups who've celebrated milestones and cherished opportunities to come together as we move into the festive season. I'd like to extend my warm congratulations to all southern Gold Coast students on a fantastic school year, particularly the year 12s, who celebrated their final day last week. It has been a pleasure to join our school communities as they wrap up the year and to help recognise students whose achievements, character and contributions make our community proud. I'd also like to make very special mention of and welcome representatives from the incredible Currumbin Wildlife Hospital in my electorate, including senior veterinarian Dr Michael Pyne OAM, who is here in the chamber today. Also joining them are representatives from the RSPCA and Australia Zoo. The Currumbin Wildlife Hospital does vital work in protecting our wildlife. In 2024 they faced their most demanding year on record, admitting more than 16,000 sick, injured and orphaned native animals, a surge driven by the devastating impacts of natural disasters, disease and ongoing habitat loss. The hospital has delivered groundbreaking progress through applied research programs that are changing the trajectory for some of Australia's most at-risk species, including our beloved koalas. The team is here in Canberra this week to advocate for, amongst other things, certainty in their recurring funding. I'm proud to help amplify their needs to ensure that they can continue their vital work in conservation, research and caring for our wildlife. I'd like to thank each and every one of the volunteers and the workers at the Currumbin Wildlife Hospital for everything they do for our community. Earlier this month our community gathered for Remembrance Day to honour all who've served our nation to safeguard the freedoms that we cherish today. It was wonderful to see so many youn…
date: 2025-11-25T17:01:00+00:00

Gold Coast: Infrastructure, Housing and Services, Cost of Living | Grievance Debate | House debates
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description: That is telling of the Minister for Climate Change and Energy's priorities at a time when energy costs have risen by almost 40 per cent. There are a number of issues I wanted to touch on today,...
encoded: That is telling of the Minister for Climate Change and Energy's priorities at a time when energy costs have risen by almost 40 per cent. There are a number of issues I wanted to touch on today, but this is a grievance debate, and we do have significant concerns in our community. As an opposition, we're always prepared to work constructively, but it's disappointing to see the direction that this government is taking us in, and my community is bearing the brunt of it.
date: 2025-11-25T12:30:00+00:00

Gold Coast: Infrastructure, Housing and Services, Cost of Living | Grievance Debate | House debates
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description: I rise in this grievance debate to speak in relation to a number of issues. My home on the Gold Coast is defined by its natural beauty, its unmatched coastal lifestyle and its incredible sense of...
encoded: I rise in this grievance debate to speak in relation to a number of issues. My home on the Gold Coast is defined by its natural beauty, its unmatched coastal lifestyle and its incredible sense of community. It's no wonder our region is one of the fastest growing regions in Australia. But with that growth come some very real challenges—challenges that cannot be ignored, delayed or dismissed. Our infrastructure, our housing supply and essential services must keep pace with the people who call the southern Gold Coast home. During my very first day in this parliament I sat down with the Leader of the Opposition and the CEO of Experience Gold Coast, Mr John Warn, to ensure that our city is front and centre of the national conversation. I'm pleased to say that the Liberal leader was receptive, engaged and committed to working with us on practical solutions for our city's future. It's important that our city has a long-term vision, a plan that manages population growth and tourism by planning smarter and investing strategically. And, as we look to the future of public transport in our city, interconnectivity is key. The southern Gold Coast cannot be an afterthought in the government's infrastructure map. We must be better connected to the rest of South-East Queensland. I've spoken many times before about the extension of the heavy rail from Varsity Lakes all the way to Coolangatta, with stops at Burleigh Heads and Elanora and going down towards the airport. That's a commonsense project that would absolutely transform our region. I think about the many southern Gold Coast locals who commute on a daily basis up to Brisbane. At the moment they have to get in their cars, drive to either Varsity Lakes Station or Robina Station, park their cars and then get on the heavy rail to Brisbane. This project would remove that congestion on our roads, in particular on the M1. It would not only support those Brisbane commuters but also provide direct access to the Gold Coast Airport, whic…
date: 2025-11-25T12:30:00+00:00

Excise Tariff Amendment (Draught Beer) Bill 2025, Customs Tariff Amendment (Draught Beer) Bill 2025; Second Reading | Bills | House debates
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description: I rise to speak on the Excise Tariff Amendment (Draught Beer) Bill 2025 and the Customs Tariff Amendment (Draught Beer) Bill 2025. I'll start by saying that the coalition supports these bills,...
encoded: I rise to speak on the Excise Tariff Amendment (Draught Beer) Bill 2025 and the Customs Tariff Amendment (Draught Beer) Bill 2025. I'll start by saying that the coalition supports these bills, but we do want to make a few points. We support the freeze to the beer excise indexation, and we will not stand between a cut to the beer tax and the government, but we must be upfront and honest with Australians—this freeze delivers less than 1c of relief per pint. I'll come back to the merits of the bill and where we're at as a country, but I will say that, in my electorate of McPherson, we have some incredible breweries and some incredible venues that serve beer. I'm very fortunate in my electorate to have Black Hops Brewing in Burleigh as well as the Burleigh Brewing Company, which is very well known. I've had the opportunity to take the Leader of the Opposition to visit Peta and the team at the Burleigh Brewing Company in the past. We also have the very well-known Balter Brewing Company in Currumbin. Absolutely, member for Grey. We also have Currumbin Valley Brewing. We have some incredible surf lifesaving clubs, bowls clubs, golf clubs and other clubs that serve beer. I will say that what we're seeing from the government is only a patchwork fix in the face of high inflation. It is being sold as a government measure designed to ease the cost of living. We're not seeing the bold structural reform that is needed, we are not seeing the changes that are needed and that so many Australians are crying out for. While this will provide that less than 1c of relief per pint, in the context of this government, I'm sure we will take anything we can get right now. There is a long way further that we need to go. Recent inflation data has highlighted just how ineffective this policy will actually be in helping everyday Australians. Those of us who are out in our communities speaking to members of our community, to small businesses and to families hear every day the real effects of this …
date: 2025-11-25T18:23:00+00:00

Men's Mental Health | Private Members' Business | House debates
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description: I rise to speak about men's mental health, the silent killer which too often sits behind a brave face. Three in four lives lost to suicide are men's. Suicide remains the leading cause of death...
encoded: I rise to speak about men's mental health, the silent killer which too often sits behind a brave face. Three in four lives lost to suicide are men's. Suicide remains the leading cause of death for Australian men under the age of 44, and, among young Australians aged 15 to 24, one in three deaths is suicide. These are not statistics. They're sons, brothers, mates and fathers—lives that were cut far too short. These numbers are heartbreaking, and we truly are in a mental health epidemic. Data shows the proportion of deaths by suicide is edging down. However, reductions in suicide are too often replaced by increased substance abuse. If a man's pain only changes its mask from a rope to a bottle to a pill, we've shifted the ledger, not healed the person. Important national frameworks were set in motion under the coalition: the National Men's Health Strategy and the National Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Plan. These frameworks are now moving through the system, but they require ongoing backing, proper resourcing and consistent review if they're to deliver what they were designed to achieve. We must also be honest about the intersection between the NDIS and mainstream mental health systems. Roughly one in 10 NDIS participants enter the scheme with the primary psychosocial disability supports that are essential for their stability. With that being said, I want to point out the importance of offering both support and a meaningful pathway to recovery for these participants. Constituents in my community have told me about the NDIS's tendencies when it comes to participants transitioning to work. Participants who are recovering, able and longing to get into work and contribute are being shot down within the system. We know that work, routine and social connection are some of the best ways to support recovery and mental wellbeing. Yet participants in my community tell me they're being explicitly discouraged from re-entering the workforce. These are people in recovery who …
date: 2025-11-24T19:18:00+00:00

Gold Coast: Infrastructure | Statements by Members | House debates
type: item
description: Planning for the next era of public transport on the Gold Coast must start with a simple principle: seamless connection and interconnectivity. We need stronger links to the rest of South-East...
encoded: Planning for the next era of public transport on the Gold Coast must start with a simple principle: seamless connection and interconnectivity. We need stronger links to the rest of South-East Queensland. A practical, high-impact step is extending the heavy rail from Varsity Lakes through West Burleigh, Elanora and Tugun right down to Coolangatta. This is a sensible nation-building project. It would deliver a direct rail link to Gold Coast Airport, one of Australia's fastest growing gateways, while easing pressure on our roads, opening access to jobs and tourism and strengthening the livability of the southern Gold Coast. Right now, congestion is stealing time from families and productivity from local businesses. Tradies trying to reach worksites, parents on school runs, visitors heading to our beaches—all are caught in the same daily gridlock. Another priority I've been advocating for, along with local councillor Dan Doran, is a fix for exit 82 on the M1 in Robina, the source of the bottleneck that ripples across Robina Town Centre with its notorious double roundabouts. This single choke point costs thousands of hours every year, and commerce grinds to a halt. I've already communicated these priorities to the Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government, and I hope that this Labor government will come to the table on funding the initial steps, such as business cases, for these projects. The southern Gold Coast deserves investment. Let's get on with it and get it built.
date: 2025-11-24T16:12:00+00:00

Tertiary Education | Private Members' Business | House debates
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description: I rise to speak on this motion because I believe that students deserve a higher education system that's fair, affordable and genuinely accessible. Young Australians are not fools. They know when...
encoded: I rise to speak on this motion because I believe that students deserve a higher education system that's fair, affordable and genuinely accessible. Young Australians are not fools. They know when a policy is genuinely designed to help them and when a policy is designed to help a government's polling and win an election. Unfortunately, the policy this government stands here seeking praise for today falls firmly into that second category. The government's policy on student debt disproportionately benefits those with the biggest debts, regardless of their long-term earning capacity. This means that a lawyer or a doctor who graduated last year receives more relief than a social worker. Higher income postgraduates and those from more advantaged backgrounds can gain the most, while borrowers who worked hard and finally paid off their debt before the end of the financial year receive nothing at all. If you made significant repayments throughout the year, your relative benefit shrinks. That's not fairness. That is an untargeted, inequitable, reverse Robin Hood approach that economists across the board have called out. Economist Ashley Craig described this as 'an exceptionally bad policy which favours the rich, doesn't help with current cost of living and does nothing to encourage higher ed.' Our HECS system is a national asset. It has enabled millions of Australians, including me, to gain qualifications and skills that are essential to our economy. Its integrity must be safeguarded. But what the government congratulates itself on today is not its safeguarding; it's sandbagging. With this motion, the Prime Minister wants a pat on the back for his temporary solution to a problem that he himself created. And let's be honest about why this measure was even needed. Turbocharged by Labor's poor economic management, indexation would never have grown so high if it weren't for their out-of-control spending, which drove up inflation. This $20 billion debt write-off isn't just money th…
date: 2025-11-24T12:41:00+00:00

Small Business | Private Members' Business | House debates
type: item
description: I rise to support the motion moved by the member for Goldstein because it is indeed a matter of the utmost public importance. Small and family businesses are doing it tough under this government....
encoded: I rise to support the motion moved by the member for Goldstein because it is indeed a matter of the utmost public importance. Small and family businesses are doing it tough under this government. Across my community of McPherson, from cafes and pubs to local grocers, sole traders and manufacturers, it's becoming harder to operate and more costly just to keep the doors open. When small business succeeds, Australia succeeds. Creating the conditions for enterprise to flourish is critically important to repairing our economy, driving real private-sector wage growth, reducing consumer costs and building a more prosperous nation. Those opposite fail to understand that when they make life harder for small business they make life harder for every Australian. Many Gold Coast businesses do everything they can to shield their customers, but they simply cannot absorb every new cost and every new regulation imposed by this government. Those costs inevitably flow through to consumers, compounding the cost-of-living crisis. In Labor's last term, Anthony Albanese oversaw the worst rate of business insolvencies of any other prime minister since Federation. Let that sink in. During this period, Queensland recorded more than 4,500 insolvencies. Nationally, that figure was around 25,000, with businesses in the construction sector hit the hardest. What does that tell us? Construction is becoming less viable under this Labor government. Between union pressure, mounting red tape and higher operating costs, the sector is being strangled. As a result, Australia is falling behind in infrastructure, roads and housing. Among the thousands of collapsed businesses are hardworking tradies—Australians who backed themselves, took a risk and set up their own business to contribute to building our country. Instead of supporting them, this government is doing everything it can to hinder their growth. Why would Labor want a thriving small-business construction sector? That would hardly suit the interes…
date: 2025-11-24T11:20:00+00:00

Mental Health | Statements on Significant Matters | House debates
type: item
description: I rise today to speak on this important motion. Mental health is one of the defining challenges of our time. It reaches into every home, every school and every workplace, and it is something that...
encoded: I rise today to speak on this important motion. Mental health is one of the defining challenges of our time. It reaches into every home, every school and every workplace, and it is something that government simply cannot afford to get wrong. We all know someone who has been or is struggling. It's the young person who can't get the right support at school, the parent quietly carrying a heavy burden or the colleague who suffers in silence. Our country is facing a mental health epidemic. According to the ABS, around one in five Australians experience a mental or behavioural condition each year. Rates of psychological distress have never been higher, and yet access to help has never been harder. Despite billions in federal investment, outcomes are going backwards. Children are waiting months for appointments, and families are being pushed to breaking point. Communities are crying out for help, but under this Labor government the system is going in reverse. The system under Labor is completely backwards. We saw it when Labor cut Medicare subsidised psychology sessions in half, a lifeline that thousands of Australians relied upon. They took away something that was working, leaving vulnerable families to fend for themselves. In my own electorate of McPherson, the need is undeniable. Nearly eight per cent of locals live with a long-term mental health condition and more than one in five report a mental or behavioural disorder. Behind each statistic is a person, a family or a community trying to hold it together. Deputy Speaker Small, as you will well and truly know, in this role we have the opportunity to meet with people from across our community, to hear their stories, to understand their experiences and then, ultimately, to represent them here in this place. Soon after I was elected as the federal member for McPherson, I met with a local family from Palm Beach who spoke to me about the fact that they will never forget the day that their world fell apart. A father who had …
date: 2025-11-05T19:18:00+00:00

g120.2
type: item
title: Environment Protection Reform Bill 2025, National Environmental Protection Agency Bill 2025, Environment Information Australia Bill 2025, Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (Customs Charges Imposition) Bill 2025, Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (Excise Charges Imposition) Bill 2025, Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (General Charges Imposition) Bill 2025, Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (Restoration Charge Imposition) Bill 2025; Second Reading | Bills | House debates
description: The coalition believes stop-work powers must be time limited, appealable and transparent. Otherwise, they threaten investment confidence and local jobs. I can only imagine the consequences for my...
encoded: The coalition believes stop-work powers must be time limited, appealable and transparent. Otherwise, they threaten investment confidence and local jobs. I can only imagine the consequences for my community on the southern Gold Coast. A stop-work order on a small civil worksite could hold up dozens of tradies, including apprentices, concreters and electricians—everyday people trying to make a living. A prolonged suspension on foreshore renewal projects or surf club upgrades could leave construction zones fenced off through peak tourism season. This would hurt local cafes, surf shops and accommodation providers. Even a short delay in approvals for new housing estates would send ripple effects through supply chains. Timber yards, surveyors and local suppliers would all feel the pinch in my electorate. That's not protecting the environment; that's punishing local jobs and small-business confidence. The second major concern is the sheer scale of penalties that are buried in this legislation. We're talking about fines reaching hundreds of millions of dollars—in some cases up to $825 million—for breaches that might include administrative oversights. For large corporations, it's another cost of doing business, but, for smaller tourism and eco businesses in McPherson—boat operators, local quarries and community groups—these penalties could destroy livelihoods overnight. To make matters worse, the bill includes strict liability provisions, meaning intent doesn't even have to be proven. That's not fairness; that's a trap for honest Australians trying to do the right thing. Environmental protection should be about partnership, not punishment, yet Labor's reforms send a chilling message: 'We don't trust you.' It's a system designed by bureaucrats for bureaucrats, not for the people who actually build our nation. The Business Council of Australia has said plainly that we need clarity, consistency and common sense in enforcement, not overreach. The government's approach will make …
date: 2025-11-05T17:12:00+00:00