Helen Polley (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

This week the 47th Parliament commenced the work of the Albanese Labor government to create a better future. After Labor being almost a decade in opposition, my home state of Tasmania will again have a seat at the table. We will actually receive a fair deal from the government of the day, and I look forward to delivering on all the Albanese Labor government election commitments made in our home state, Madam Acting Deputy President Bilyk, of Tasmania, commitments to creating secure local jobs, to better health outcomes and access to palliative care, to cheaper child care, to better access to TAFE and training, to better and essential quality aged care and care for those with disabilities, and to creating jobs in hydrogen and the renewable energy sectors.

From day one, the Albanese Labor government has started the job of renewal and reform. The work of improving our country began on election night. This is in stark contrast to the former government, which instead adopted 10 years of drift and policy paralysis. Labor will reform our country for the better and create opportunity for all Australians. As you have witnessed since 21 May, the Prime Minister has not wasted one day.

The Albanese Labor government secured Fair Work Commission's decision to raise the minimum wage by $40 per week, and this government is committed to keeping unemployment low, boosting productivity and ensuring we bring down the cost of living. This is why the Albanese Labor government has organised a jobs and skills summit for 1 and 2 September this year. It will focus on delivering secure, well-paid jobs and strong, sustainable wage growth; expanding employment opportunities for all Australians including the disadvantaged; addressing skills shortages and getting our skill mix right for the long term; improving migration settings to support higher productivity and wages; and ensuring women have equal opportunities and equal pay. And we will legislate to establish Jobs and Skills Australia. These are essential and very important policies which we will deliver on.

We have delivered disaster relief payments to people affected by the New South Wales floods, and we have ensured that the COVID payments for casual workers will continue in the short term, as we continue to battle the health and economic factors presented to us by the COVID-19 recovery.

Before the election and during the election, Labor committed to end the climate wars, unlike the former speaker and his raving, outrageous contribution to this place. The Greens have still learnt nothing about working together in the interest of addressing climate change. We will lead this, and the Prime Minister and the Minister for Climate Change and Energy, Chris Bowen, have signed an emission reduction target of 43 per cent by 2030. We will get on with the job. That is what we took to the election as a formal commitment to the people of Australia, and they endorsed that commitment. Labor has a mandate, and we are committed to it.

I urge those in this place, and in the other place, to listen to the many voices of the Australian people. Australia looks different, at home and abroad. We are repairing the important historical and strategic relationships that have kept Australia in good stead for decades—our relationships with European countries and our Pacific neighbours. The Albanese Labor government has committed more military assistance for Ukraine. We have ramped up biosecurity measures to protect Australia's $70 billion agriculture sector from foot-and-mouth disease. We are committed to action and we will take action in relation to aged care, which was cast adrift and deserted by the previous, Liberal governments over the last decade. We will continue to encourage Australians to have their fourth dose of COVID vaccine. But we do have to work together.

That's why the contribution by Senator McKim just demonstrated how far out of touch the Greens are in this country. They have to learn to work with the government and the opposition of the day to bring about real change. We will do that, whether we're talking about the Uluru Statement of the Heart—

David Fawcett (SA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order!

Helen Polley (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

whether we're talking about ending domestic violence—

David Fawcett (SA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! Resume your seat. The time being 1.30 pm, we will move to two-minute statements.