Andrew McLachlan (SA, Liberal Party) | Hansard source

Senators would be aware that I'm a proud volunteer with St John Ambulance. On 24 June 2026, we celebrated St John's Day around the world. It's a time of celebration and reflection. We recognise our volunteers and staff, reaffirm our commitment and rededicate ourselves to the service of our fellow citizens.

I came across the sermon of the Right Reverend David Morris, who gave the reflection in London. He started with the traditional Welsh proverb which translated means 'the strength of a nation is its knowledge'. He said:

It highlights how vitally important education, wisdom, and learning are within a society. It suggests that a country's true power does not come from physical size, wealth, or military might, but rather from the intellect, skills, and wisdom of its people.

He went on to say:

Its—

St John's—

purpose is not one of self-interest, but one motivated by the empowerment of others and the betterment of society—we are helping to build something greater than ourselves for the benefit of all. Whether it is through the calm and reassuring voice of a first responder when an individual has collapsed at an event, the first aid trainer who gave someone the skills to save a life, or the Cadet leader who helped a young person discover their worth, with confidence and a sense of purpose.

Those were beautiful words.

This brings me to an amazing program of St John's in Papua New Guinea. Malaria remains one of Papua New Guinea's most persistent health challenges, particularly affecting children and young people in urban and rural communities. Limited access to timely information and basic health knowledge often leads to delayed treatment and preventable complications. St John has addressed the problem with a program that inserts malaria treatment, or malaria response, into the First Aid in Schools program. It has trained over 13,000 students nationally and is empowering youth to effect change in the community. It has been incredibly well received, and I congratulate all those that have been involved in the program. Young people now have life-saving skills and essential health knowledge, and, once again, in Papua New Guinea and around the world, St John is living up to its motto, 'for the faith and in the service of humanity'.

Honourable senators, I note in the public square there has been some groundless criticism, or critique, of the chair of the Climate Change Authority, Mr Matt Kean. In my view, Mr Kean and his staff are doing excellent work at the authority and are instrumental in guiding our nation along the path of electrification and decarbonisation.

I expect the chair to travel the world because pollution does not respect boundaries, and we need international cooperation to reduce emissions and allow our planet to cool so that life can be sustained for the next generation. The position of chair is not full time and demands the appointment of someone of Mr Kean's calibre and industry knowledge. Conflicts always arise in entities such as the Climate Change Authority. It's not that they arise, but how they're managed, and, given the disclosure regime in place, there is every reason to have confidence in the authority and its operation. I thank the members of the authority, especially Mr Kean, for their vital work in securing Australia's future.