Kate Thwaites (Jagajaga, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

That's what I am here to do. You invited it this afternoon. I am absolutely here to tell you how good we. That is exactly the topic you gave us; thank you. One of the other areas that our government has brought a real focus to over the last 10 months is transparency, accountability and honesty. Again, if I look at things people in my community were saying to me before the last election that they were so concerned about, they were about how this place operates. They were about whether they could trust the people in this place and those in charge. And what have we done since we were elected? We've delivered the National Anti-corruption Commission that those opposite could not deliver. They promised, but they did not deliver. We know that Australians want those in power in our country to be held to account. We know that they want those of us in here to behave to the highest possible standards, and that's what we have been getting on with.

We're making lives fairer and more equal for Australian women. We've put gender equality at the heart of our work, delivering cheaper child care, the biggest boost to paid parental leave since the scheme was introduced, a record investment to improve women's safety, gender responsive budgeting and great work in women's health—such important work.

I'm going to close on one of the most important things our government has been doing in the last 10 months, and that's the work we are doing to advance an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice to this place. Just today we have seen the Prime Minister unveil what the question will look like. This is such a massive opportunity for our country. I want to commend all the people who have done the work to get us to this point. I want to encourage all Australians to take up the opportunity that is now before us, to turn a new page in our country's story, to walk forward together and to embrace what it means to have the oldest living continuing culture in our country. It is a huge, exciting opportunity. I'm so proud to be part of a government that is doing this together with our country for our country.

See this speech in context