Deborah O'Neill (NSW, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise to speak about the upcoming state election, on Saturday, in New South Wales, my home state. It's a state that's desperate for a fresh start, and a Minns Labor government is a recipe for a great New South Wales. The past 12 years of Liberal-National government in New South Wales has seen our state rocked by scandal after scandal at the highest levels of Liberal-National politics and leadership. There's been an ongoing and egregious privatisation of our state's public assets. It's seen a total lack of policy accomplishments, with nothing—nothing—to show for more than a decade in government.

As a duty senator for the great regions of New South Wales that cover the seats of Parkes, Calare, Farrer, Riverina, Hume and Lyne, much of the work that I do outside of Canberra entails travel to the rural and regional parts of New South Wales. These are regions that the coalition and in particular the National Party claim to advocate for most strongly, and yet the reality is that after 12 years of Liberal-National Party government in New South Wales the entirety of the state of New South Wales and particularly our rural and regional areas are hurting. They are in fact in a state of profound neglect.

Health and education, two of the primary public services which state governments are responsible for delivering, has totally deteriorated under the coalition. The management of the New South Wales health system under the coalition has seen an egregious collapse in the capacity of our health services to respond to the needs in our state. Unacceptably long ambulance waiting times and stories of ambulances being ramped at hospitals for hours have become sadly commonplace. They're just reported daily in our news cycle. Even in our metropolitan areas, the state of public education is in need of serious attention as the teacher shortage in our country really begins to bite. The situation with regard to teachers is even more dire in regional New South Wales. My office constantly hears stories of high schools without enough teachers to actually start classes for the day. Students are forced to take off full days from learning and complete the vast majority of their courses remotely, with no teacher.

But there is hope for change this Saturday. Not only are Labor committed to ensuring that teachers, particularly in our public system, are valued; we are committed to the commonsense policies that will improve the quality of both the teaching and learning experiences for those in schools in New South Wales. To respond practically to that challenge, a Labor New South Wales government is going to ban mobile phones in schools and they're going to expand the school breakfast program to 1,000 schools. No child should have to start school with an empty stomach. They simply can't learn that way. Labor is committed to public education and to addressing gross neglect in the form that New South Wales education has just become accustomed to and which has been the signature of 12 years of coalition government.

It is not just these considered policies that are going to ensure New South Wales prospers under a Minns Labor government; it is the people of New South Wales. I have had the privilege of knowing many of the Labor members of both the current New South Wales Legislative Assembly and Legislative Council as well as the candidates running in this election. Not only are they part of a party which has an undeniable legacy of delivering positive, practical outcomes for Australian families; they are individuals of extraordinary calibre. Each and every member of Labor's New South Wales team that I have met with—from members to staffers, candidates and rank-and-file branch members—is deeply committed to the values of equity, justice, inclusion and a fair go for all Australians, regardless of their postcode.

Labor is the party that delivers for Australians. It has been almost a year—10 months, in fact—since Australia wisely chose to elect a federal Labor government. In that time, we have seen policy and cultural achievements which have dwarfed the efforts of the previous decade of failed Liberal and National Party government. The Albanese Labor government, of which I am so proud to be a part, has already legislated cheaper child care for Australian families, the National Anti-Corruption Commission and 10 days of paid domestic violence leave. We have implemented the Jenkins report in full and ensured women's safety is a foremost concern for government policymaking. We have supported a wage increase for aged-care workers. We have begun the work of modernising Australia's industrial system— (Time expired)

Senate adjourned at 20:08