Zali Steggall (Warringah, Independent) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

In reply to the Governor-General's speech it's so important to lay out some of the issues. Yesterday I spoke about the environment, global warming and the economic challenges that we face and that will need to be addressed in this parliamentary term, but it's also important to reflect on the last two years and the health challenge around COVID. We must make sure that we keep our communities healthy and connected. I am very focused on looking at responsible and proportionate responses to the challenges.

We've learnt so much over the last 40 years. Today is the international day for the fight against HIV/AIDS. We learnt so much about how to fight infectious diseases from that, for example. That really assisted and informed our approach to dealing with COVID. Now we have learnings from COVID and how the world responded that can go back into other infectious diseases treatment, prevention and in particular education and testing. It is really important that we listen to epidemiologists and businesses, that we act on the advice of health experts and that we increase funding and support for essential frontline workers.

We had a very important debate in this place yesterday around eating disorders and the sharp increase we've seen in relation to that issue since COVID. We know that there is a lack of treatment facilities. It's an incredibly distressing ailment. It interrelates with mental health issues and it disproportionately impacts our young people, particularly women. It's really important to take a holistic approach to health—the whole-body health—and not separate out mental health and physical health. Too often we focus on the physical ailments, where it's immediately evident—broken bones or blood, which are much more visible—but mental health needs to be approached in a holistic way. That's why improving mental health services nationally and in Warringah, especially youth mental health services, is very much a focus of mine—to make sure we take care of our young people.

We need to modernise and increase the channels to access health care. We know that telehealth was incredibly successful during COVID, and we need to continue going down that path of digitising access to health while being mindful, of course, of those of an older generation for which that might be challenging. But, obviously, we need to make sure delivery of services is in tune with the times.

I don't think there is a community around Australia that isn't focused on aged care, the delivery of those services and the difficulty in making sure that the vulnerable in our community are properly cared for. We need to ensure that implementation of all the recommendations of the aged-care royal commission occurs without delay. We know there remains a significant waitlist when it comes to aged-care plans, and we need to make sure that support is accelerated. I so strongly support flexible funding options for home care and increasing accountability and resources in aged-care facilities.

I have spoken with the minister about the NDIS and improving access to participants and providers. So many in my community approach my office for assistance. It shouldn't be that way. You shouldn't need that individualised attention. The system should work. But I reiterate to the people in Warringah that my office is absolutely there to help you navigate this process, and I look forward to hosting a forum with the minister to address issues and challenges that participants have, because it is such an important program. The NDIS is such an important aspect of making sure that all Australians have the opportunity to be supported and participate meaningfully in society.

I'll continue to stand up for integrity and accountability to restore trust in Australian politics. We absolutely have a duty in this place to ensure scrutiny and accountability at every level of government, in particular at federal level. It was a big day in this place yesterday with the censure motion moved in relation to the former Prime Minister. I must say I was disappointed by the words that were said by him in this place, because there still seems to be no willingness to acknowledge the issue of the secrecy. I have no issue with responsibilities and appointments. The issue is the secrecy. The accountability and the conventions of this place are incredibly important to uphold, and it is pulling back that curtain on the operations of this place that is so important for the Australian people to have trust in what happens here—trust that things are done in their best interests.

It was a big day yesterday, and I was very pleased to see the National Anti-Corruption Commission come into law. It's good legislation, but I still have to say it's not great legislation. I have my concerns that it may not provide the public scrutiny and accountability that I think so many Australians want, because of the threshold test that says that investigations and hearings can only be held in public in exceptional circumstances and if it is in the public interest, at the discretion of the commissioner. My legal experience says, and I suspect, that that will be a very high bar to meet, and the public simply won't be aware of much in the way of investigations. They won't be aware of what investigations are occurring, when they're occurring, what evidence is being heard and also what the outcomes of those investigations are by way of reports, because there is no requirement for reports to be published or presented to the parliament. So I do have concerns.

It was a little bit with mixed feelings that I welcomed the passing of the legislation. Getting a National Anti-Corruption Commission is long overdue, and I certainly fought hard with the member for Indi and so many others in this place in the last parliament to get that to happen. But I think it puts us on the start line of the fight for integrity and against corruption. We need to be vigilant and to continue pushing for the other things, because, in isolation, it won't be enough. We need whistleblower protections and we need much better scrutiny around our media ownership and diversity. We need truth in political advertising and, in particular, around the referendum that is coming next year. We need to stop misinformation and disinformation in our public debate.

I think Australians can handle the facts and the truth. But we know how pervasive misinformation and disinformation are, and they really erode trust in outcomes and trust in democracy. We saw in the US, with the 6 January insurrection, the sway that misinformation and disinformation can have in relation to the public perception of facts and reality, and it's incredibly dangerous. Democracy is fragile, and it is only as strong as how well we defend its pillars. Misinformation is a massive threat to that. One of the first things autocratic governments do is to control media and access to information. That's why it is so important that we remain vigilant on that.

I am also pleased to be on the task force in relation to the implementation of the Set the standard report by Kate Jenkins that was done after the very serious allegations and events that arose in the last parliament. I'm pleased to see the work in relation to the code of conduct for parliamentarians that is coming, and I look forward to further developments and the implementation of those recommendations. It's so important that Australians respect and look to this place as a gold standard of a workplace and for it not to be a workplace that is miles behind other places in Australia. I must say, as a former barrister, I was quite shocked to come into this place in the last parliament and discover that there was no code of conduct, there were no standards and there was very little expectation other than just the assumption that the public will hold you to account every three years at election time. But, in circumstances where misinformation is rife, I don't think that's good enough. I think there should be a duty to this place—a standard of conduct expected of all members.

We need to make sure we're focusing on merit based policies and we have fiscal discipline in that process. I definitely want to encourage the government to focus on recommendations and the evidence around reducing the influence of vested interests and big money in politics and in the Public Service.

I'd like to encourage the government to look at long-term approaches to policies, because we know we have big challenges ahead. This is a very important decade, for Australia and for the world, on very big issues. We are facing headwinds. There are challenges. But no generation has ever been without challenges. There are always going to be those aspects. It does take courage, leadership and bravery to focus beyond what is immediately rewarding in a political sense—those short-term policies that we know are a quick sugar hit, are quick and easy and will be pleasing to electorates and will win votes. We must actually tackle the big issues—the things that go beyond a three-year election cycle. We must tackle those big challenges such as global warming and climate change and really set up our economy for the future. We need to support our young people in the challenges and the anxieties they have towards the future.

I do think there needs to be a discussion around, for example, the rapid revolving door of election cycles. We need to look, as our state governments have, to four-year fixed terms when it comes to the federal parliament, because I think this focus on constant turnaround towards elections means that we simply never address the long-term issues that require focus.

As I just mentioned, there's also a concern around our diversity of media. I strongly support the member for Goldstein's push—obviously, her experience is so telling in this space—for a royal commission or an inquiry into media diversity in Australia. We know misinformation and disinformation play a huge part, and we need to ensure that access to information remains diverse. We have, I think, an unhealthy media ownership concentration in Australia. Media have taken, more and more, a partisan position in relation to so many issues. That is dangerous. The role of the fourth estate is to sit outside of that. Journalism is protected by defamation laws because it's in the public interest to have information, but it shouldn't be partisan. The point of the fourth estate is, in fact, to provide that information and to protect democratic principles. I do support the member for Goldstein's push in that respect and hope the government is really contemplating that. These are hard discussions to have, obviously, but I think they're incredibly important.

Coming from the 2022 election, I can't fail to talk about diversity and inclusion. We need to make sure that we are a more caring and inclusive society. We've talked a lot in this place about improving inclusivity when it comes to workforce participation, pay equity and, in particular, gender. I moved a motion in August in relation to increasing paid parental leave to at least 26 weeks, shared between both parents, because the economic analysis shows the cost is reasonable and there's a significant return on investment. So it was very welcome to see the government shift its position and bring forward a commitment to legislating around 26 weeks of shared paid parental leave, making it accessible equitably to men and women or both parents, to improving access to affordable child care and to driving gender-equity tax reforms.

But we do need to do more. We know discrimination is rife when it comes to ageism, and older women are still very much disadvantaged—we know they pay for it. The difference in superannuation is quite substantial, and, incredibly, older women are the fastest growing group at risk of homelessness. It is unacceptable, when we think of this generation who has cared for us as a society, that they face such a prospect. We need to make sure we improve crisis accommodation, particularly in Warringah, and work to combat domestic violence, bullying and intimidation.

There is also, obviously, the issue of refugees. We've had an intractable policy situation in Australia for some 20 years, and it was ironically formed on misinformation and disinformation at the very start. Who can forget the 'children overboard' misinformation used to sway an election and really harden Australians' views? It became this divisive debate instead of focusing on where our human rights are, what our obligations under international law are and what it means to be Australian. We should be a welcoming country.

We have had so many years of policies of keeping people out, but we now find there is competition internationally to bring people to countries to help with jobs, skills and workforce shortages, so we actually need to think about growing Australia. I look forward to having more discussions with the government about increasing Australia's humanitarian intake and exploring all options to resettle asylum seekers. There are so many issues and challenges, but I look forward to working with the government in this term of parliament.

Anika Wells (Lilley, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Aged Care) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

This morning I want to acknowledge the traditional owners of this land and pay my respects to their elders past, present and emerging. Together, Australians stand on the shoulders of 1,600 generations of First Nations people, and that is our shared history.

It has now been 1,229 days since I rose in this place for the first time and delivered my first address on behalf of the people of Lilley. Had you told me on that day what the next 1,229 days would have in store, I don't think I would have believed you. The Black Summer bushfires scorched the east coast of Australia; 100,000 women marched for justice, demanding action from a lethargic federal government who refused to listen; a global pandemic broke out and fundamentally shifted the way that we live and work; and northsiders battened down the hatches through waves of lockdowns, border closures, business interruptions, homeschooling, vaccine and RAT shortages, and an omicron summer that disrupted our desperately wished for plans to resume normality.

The February floods ravaged South-East Queensland and northern New South Wales, and many of my constituents, like Mary from Deagon and Sarah from Sandgate, lost most of their possessions and were displaced from their homes. Northsiders showed resilience and many showed up to help their neighbours, like the infamous 'tinnie man' of Finnie Road in Deagon, who was ferrying Deagon residents through the floodwater to safety. On a personal note, last term, my first term in parliament, I gave birth to twins, Ossie and Dash, who turned two last month.

The past 1,229 days did not just create new challenges for all of our communities but turbocharged existing weaknesses and left the country crying out for a government with a vision for a better future. Despite the challenges of the last three years there have been many happy moments that have given us hope and propelled us forward. In my community the beginning of 2022 saw many much loved local events and traditions make their return across Lilley. The Bluewater Festival in Shorncliffe, the Einbunpin Festival in Sandgate, Banyo Diwali, Zillmere Festival, Nundah Festival and the Sandgate Youth Festival all returned with full force. In April we welcomed 120 babies born during the pandemic at Lilley's annual Welcoming the Babies event commenced 20 years ago by my predecessor Wayne Swan. At that event we commence my personal passion project, the Lilley Pram Pro Am, aka the running of the babies. In May the Lilley Honours List made a triumphant return, with a ceremony at Burnie Brae, where we recognised local flood heroes who went above and beyond during the floods in Northside. Moving forward the green-and-gold runway to the Brisbane 2032 Games paves the way for significant socioeconomic benefits that will last generations and help to drive Australia's post-COVID-19 recovery.

Perhaps the greatest conduit was the 2022 federal election. They say rain on your wedding day is a good omen, signifying a lasting marriage to come. Judging by the volume of rain that teemed down in Lilley during the last two weeks leading up to election day in May, hopefully it will prove to be a very good omen for what would become the Albanese government. Voters in Lilley backed federal Labor in record numbers in every suburb, from Brighton to Everton Park to Zillmere to Nundah. Voters turned out in record numbers at prepoll, with some queueing for two hours in the dark and rain to cast their ballot. This persistence highlighted Lilley's determination for change, with almost half of our electorate having cast a ballot at prepoll or via postal vote before 21 May.

When times are uncertain, people often cling to the familiar. They're reluctant to change governments or to take a risk or to try something new. But the voters in Lilley and, as it followed, in the rest of the country had realised in the wake of three years of challenge and turmoil that the Morrison government was not on the side and was simply no longer up to the job. They could not count on the coalition to deliver a better future for their families after a decade of rorts and failures. So, despite the appalling weather conditions, Lilley Labor volunteers showed up at the booths, in the mud, in their jackets, brollies up, drenched how-to-votes in their hands, never wavering in their commitment to rid the country of the tired Morrison government and elect the Albanese Labor government. We proudly campaigned on Labor's economic plan, from our commitment to rebuild Australian manufacturing to boosting wages and helping families with the cost of living by making child care cheaper. On aged care we promised to put security, dignity, equality and humanity back into aged care for older Australians, and I'm proud to now have been given the opportunity to deliver on that as the minister.

After three years of fighting for the people of Lilley on the Northside and in the parliament, we achieved a 9.92 two-party preferred swing and a 6.2 per cent primary swing to the Labor Party in Lilley. Our results would not have been achieved without the unwavering support of the Lilley Labor rank and file. Day after day members volunteering their time and energy turned up to campaign events to keep Lilley Labor but also with the hope that retaining Lilley as a part of the Northside Labor effort would help to secure an Albanese Labor government. Together, Lilley volunteers completed hundreds of home-baking sessions, hundreds of street stalls and 57 doorknocking sessions across every suburb in Lilley, having over 10,000 conversations with local residents. This was only possible thanks to the work of hundreds of volunteers and supporters.

My state and local colleagues, member for Aspley Bart Mellish, member for Sandgate Stirling Hinchliffe, member for Nudgee Leanne Linard, member for Stafford Jimmy Sullivan, and councillor for Deagon Ward and leader of Labor in the council Jared Cassidy, I thank you for your camaraderie and your support. To my staff—my beautiful, beautiful staff—Cath, Justin, Deanne, Summer, Marian, Rhyana, Sophia, Shayne, Saxon and Declan, thank you for sticking by me and seeing it through. You deal with some very complex and shifting sands in the Lilley electorate, not least because of my three young children, and you do it with grace, with dignity and with passion. I could not do any of this without you. I thank you so much.

To my campaign manager, Bisma Asif, who helped drive our phenomenal field campaign to new heights and ensured we delivered our message right across the north side, I thank you.

To the Queensland Labor Party office team, particularly to Mitchell Kingston, who was the driver of strategy behind our campaign to take Lilley from the most marginal seat in Queensland to a hard-fought 10.5 per cent margin—I thank you very much, along with Julie-Ann Campbell and Zac Beers.

To Faye Clark and Anne Marlay, Warren Derrington and Kate Derrington, Matt Fortey and Russell, who braved the cold and rainy conditions day after day for the entire two weeks of prepolling—you know I love you.

Usama Shafiq, Aamna Asif, Emma Babao, Frank Scattini, Scott Macleod and Luke Richmond formed the core of the field team who made all of those calls and knocked on all of those doors. I thank Tom Hinchliffe, Quinn Storrie, Saxon Kliendienst, Will Henderson, Graham Appleton, Walter Kuhn, Jared and Rod, who worked extremely hard to ensure operation yard signs was efficient, getting 150 signs erected in various parts of the electorate at very short notice and in very short time frames.

I thank to the stoic volunteers who spent election eve setting up voting booths in the rain only to back it up the following day by staffing them. My thanks to the hundreds of people on election day who staffed the booths from before 8 am to after 6 pm, handing out how-to-vote cards and talking to the voters about a better future under Labor.

I thank my family, particularly Finn—I'm going to lose it now—who has been an absolute pillar in our lives. None of this would have been possible without everything that you do with your continuous sacrifice, your love and your support—I thank you. To Celeste, who is very upset she is not here with us this week, but who now has her own commitments with prep and her own diary program to adhere to—I love you, my darling, and I hope you are proud.

There are many people who have not been singled out for a mention in the speech—however, that does not diminish the contributions that they have made. It goes to show the sheer scale of the community you need to run a campaign, and that goes for every single community in the 151 electorates that we represent here.

I will touch briefly on the budget process because this is my first opportunity since we handed down the budget. It's the first federal Labor budget in nearly a decade; a budget that feels like a breath of fresh air, I hope, after a decade of waste and rorts; a budget that delivers on our promise to build a better future for all Australians; a responsible, family-friendly budget that helps Australians with the cost of living; a budget that helps deliver cheaper medicine, fee-free TAFE and a future made in Australia.

For the first time since the coalition government scrapped it in 2014, the Albanese government brought back gender-responsive budgeting. The Albanese government knows that for real economic change women need to be part of the policy-making and part of the decision-making, and I'm very proud to have a seat around that table now. Australian women will no longer be an afterthought when planning Australia's economic future. The Albanese Labor government is extending paid parental leave and cutting the cost of child care. These are crucial economic reforms that we are doing that will boost workforce participation for women and make things just a little bit easier.

I couldn't be prouder to be part of the federal Labor government ready to build a better future. We won't let down the Australians who have put their faith in us, and I will continue to do my best to reward the trust that the people of Lilley have placed in me for this, my second term.

It would be remiss of me on this glorious day not to congratulate the Socceroos on their stunning victory, their iconic victory, their very deserving victory in the early hours of this morning. Australians have copped quite a lot of chat about our soccer ability in recent months, but I never lost the faith and neither did any of the thousands of people that gathered in places like Federation Square in the early hours of this morning. The twins were asleep in two travel cots beside my bed in the hotel room, so I was watching it in a very different manner to the first game I got to see in Doha against France. While the two different experiences have formative and lasting memories for me, I note here in this place a moment in the first game against France when Awer Mabil and Garang Kuol were subbed on in the late end of the second half. You could see, as they waited together to run on, what a special moment it was for them. I got to see them later at base camp. They said they were just so proud that they got to do that for their communities in that moment, and I got to say to them, 'To me, your community is Australia, and I hope you know how many Australians felt that magic and that pride in that same moment, watching and waiting for you to run on and represent us all on the pitch.'

This morning, that Mathew Leckie goal in the 60th minute was one of the goals of the World Cup. Then there's Mat Ryan and the pressure that he has to withstand as goalkeeper. It is astounding what he does both as goalkeeper and as captain. I got to meet his family in Doha. They are good people. Eight of them travelled from Sydney to Doha to support our captain. I send a shout-out to Megan, his sister, who does good work for us in community sport.

To Harry Souttar and all the defensive players, who withstood such ferocious attacks from Denmark last night and in our earlier matches against Tunisia and France, I say: you might not get the glory of the goal, but we recognise your efforts and we are so proud. To Arnie, JJ, Mark and Team Australia, who are based over at Aspire Academy, led by national icon Timmy Cahill, I say: thank you for everything that you are doing to bring our boys home and to give us these opportunities that have really captured the imagination of the nation today.

I think it is worth noting here in the federal parliament the national significance in Australian sporting history of what they have now achieved. We are through to the final 16 for only the second time in our history, and they are the only two consecutive wins Australia has ever managed in our World Cup history. It is an iconic and deserving victory from a young side, and we are so proud of you. I hope you are not watching the federal parliament. I hope you are getting some sleep and some Weet-Bix. I hope you are not listening to me, but, just in case you are: 'Hello, legends! We are so, so proud of you. Thank you for everything that you have done, and thank you for giving us all, like I said to you at training, these moments of magic that light up the whole nation. Thank you for doing that for us on an average Thursday morning here in November. We can't wait to support you against Argentina on Sunday morning. I am already seeing that Adelaide Oval will go live. I am hearing perhaps the Sydney Opera House will go live as a site for supporters to gather. You have the whole country behind you. Congratulations on everything that you have achieved, and good luck.'

Michelle Landry (Capricornia, National Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Manufacturing) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Almost nine years ago, in December 2013, I had the immense honour of standing up to deliver my maiden speech to the federal parliament as the newly elected member for Capricornia. It was an amazing privilege to return to parliament and rise in the new 47th parliament of Australia, having once again been re-elected, for an historic fourth term, as the region's federal representative.

As I reflect on the recent election campaign and the hard work and determination of all of those committed volunteers, friends, family and staff who supported me, I am eternally grateful. I would like to take this opportunity to express my heartfelt thanks to: my family, Jessica, Tim and Kirstin, and my parents, Bill and Gloria Martin; our incredible Liberal and National supporters and volunteers; our dedicated booth workers, including my campaign manager, Shannon Clein, Treasurer John Rogers, Secretary Julie Murphy, Ron Carige, Vicki Bastin-Byrne; and of course my dedicated staff, Nicole Neale, Tom Birkbeck, Jake Ash, Cody Vella, Owen Wyte, Lauren Clein, Laurie Atlas, Nicholas McDougall and Amiee Forde. I also say a huge thank you to all of those who financially contributed to my campaign and helped in any way that they could.

I thank my federal parliamentary colleagues for their unwavering support, including: former prime minister and member for Cook, Scott Morrison; former deputy prime minister and member for New England, Barnaby Joyce; former deputy prime minister and member for Riverina, Michael McCormack; Leader of the Nationals and member for Maranoa, David Littleproud; Senator Bridget McKenzie; and the new members that neighbour Capricornia, the member for Dawson, Andrew Willcox, and the member for Flynn, Colin Boyce. I say a special thank you to Senator Matthew Canavan and his team for their unwavering friendship and support, as always. I wish to express my gratitude to the quiet Australians who voted for me: the small-business owners, the mums and dads, the coalminers, the farmers and the retirees. Thank you.

It was such an honour to serve as the Assistant Minister for Children and Families, the Assistant Minister for Regional Tourism and the Assistant Minister for Northern Australia in the 46th Parliament of Australia. I'm thrilled to start this new term of parliament as the shadow assistant minister for manufacturing. This new role is especially important because manufacturing is already a major contributor to our economy, generating over $113 billion in value in 2020-21 and more than $50 billion in exports. Manufacturing accounts for about a quarter of national research and development investment. Since becoming Capricornia's federal MP, I have worked tirelessly to secure major investment in real job-creating infrastructure. We have committed federal funding for projects including the Rockhampton Ring Road, the Walkerston Bypass—which is underway—and the completed Mackay Ring Road. We have also invested in numerous community projects and, of course, in Rookwood Weir—a project that took years of campaigning to make it a reality.

Water is a priority in Central Queensland. Projects like Rookwood Weir near Rockhampton must go ahead to create long-term jobs. The Rookwood Weir project is underway, and it's going to transform the Rockhampton region, driving the expansion of irrigated agricultural production and opening up new business opportunities, which will boost the local economy. The weir's approximately 86,000 megalitres of water will underpin agricultural growth and deliver secure, reliable and affordable water across Central Queensland, setting up local industry to succeed. I have been impressed by the willingness of the coalition to front up with the money for projects like this through the National Water Infrastructure Development Fund. Millions of dollars have been committed to ensuring that our dry continent can continue to be not only liveable but productive.

While the Rookwood Weir project was one of the first to receive capital funding from the fund, national water infrastructure must continue to be built. I was proud during the recent election to join my colleague the member for New England, Barnaby Joyce, in announcing $483 million for the Urannah dam near Collinsville. This dam would unlock 103 gigalitres of water, enabling local producers to develop up to 20,000 hectares of irrigated agriculture. Urannah dam is a must-do project for Central and North Queensland, and I believe the state and federal governments must do everything they can to see this underway as soon as possible.

I wrote to the new Prime Minister seeking confirmation that he will honour the coalition's funding commitments for Capricornia that were outlined in the federal budget—including for Urannah Dam. Unfortunately, the budget has confirmed my worst fears, with the funding for Urannah ripped away, along with $10 billion in vital regional projects. As well as the $483 million for the Urannah dam near Collinsville, other commitments in the coalition's budget earlier this year included $14.4 million to replace the Philips Creek bridge on Saraji Road, which will improve safety and year-round accessibility; and $100,000 for the rebuild of the Collinsville CWA, which is an essential community centre for the Collinsville community.

The coalition also committed $2.9 million to fund Archer Street drainage scheme stages 1 and 2, which will improve the flood resilience of up to 70 commercial and residential buildings and low-lying areas around Archer Street in Rockhampton. There was also $2.8 million to deliver stage 1 of the Nebo Showgrounds master plan, which includes primary infrastructure upgrades, construction of heavy vehicle access, general camping upgrades and car parking; and $5 million for new veteran wellness services in Kinchant Waters, in the Mackay region, to benefit veterans, defence personnel and their families.

In terms of road upgrades, there were commitments for $400 million to improve Queensland beef road corridors, which included the sealing of Clermont-Alpha Road, May Downs Road and Kilcummin Diamond Downs Road; and $6.18 million to upgrade Artillery Road and Greenlake Road, with approximately two kilometres of pavement widening and floodway and alignment upgrades. We also committed $795,000 to MRAEL for their CYCLE—creating youth change and leading engagement—program to reduce youth crime and antisocial behaviour in Rockhampton; and almost $7.7 million for better telecommunications, including for the Pioneer Valley in Mackay Regional Council, Pasha in Isaac Regional Council and the Livingston Shire Council agriculture precinct.

A considerable amount of time and effort, both locally and in Canberra, was put into developing the case for a variety of projects. I have to thank our local media, including CQ Today, Channel 7, WIN News, ABC Capricornia, the Daily Mercury, ABC Tropical North, the Morning Bulletin, Southern Cross Austereo, ARN and the Mackay and Whitsunday Life. Each of us un this place owes some debt to our local media, and their devotion to what our local communities need is one of the things that keeps each of us accountable to the people we represent.

The new Albanese Labor government has seen fit to cut Capricornia off at the knees by cutting millions of dollars of funding from the electorate. The Prime Minister and the minister for infrastructure have delayed vital funding for years for the Rockhampton Ring Road, a $1 billion transformational infrastructure project that has been on the books for many years. Thousands of trucks move through Rockhampton and must contend with over 20 sets of traffic lights. Our local Queensland Labor members for Rockhampton should hang their heads in shame for not fighting their masters in Brisbane and Canberra to get this funding reinstated. At least the Queensland infrastructure minister gets his Cross River Rail—at the expense of the safety of motorists in Central Queensland. Capricornia funds the nation, but it seems the nation won't fund Capricornia.

The Prime Minister, in one of many short-sighted decisions, also decided to cut $10 billion from regional programs, including the regional development plan, Regional Accelerator Program, community development grants and the Building Better Regions Fund. The Albanese government has also seen fit to provide $32 million to progress consultation and planning with the Queensland government for water infrastructure options in Central Queensland and the Burdekin region. This reads to me that they will be helping the Queensland government shove people out of their homes, in the Pioneer Valley, with their half baked hydro scheme.

Sometimes what our region has needed most has not been a project of concrete and steel but essential services to ensure regional families are supported. In the last term of parliament, I was proud to secure $8 million for the Fitzroy Community Hospice. This 12-bed facility, based in Rockhampton, will be the first regional hospice in the state and will provide dedicated, holistic end-of-life care in the community and support families and carers.

I met with staff on the border of the Fitzroy Community Hospice last year and am pleased this centre, when it is up and running, will be able to support and guide patients and their families through the most difficult of times. I fought hard for this service. It is absolutely crucial that comprehensive access to community based palliative care is available in Central Queensland.

In the last term, one of my proudest achievements as the member for Capricornia was officially launching a new headspace satellite service in Sarina. I wanted our young people in Sarina to know that they were not alone on their journey. Headspace delivers quality frontline support and ensures the best possible care for people at risk. The headspace program has improved access for young people aged 12 to 25 who are at risk of mental illness. One in four people aged 16 to 24 experiences some form of mental illness every year and three-quarters of all mental illness manifests in people under the age of 25. The service, located at 1/71 Broad Street, Sarina, was announced as part of the coalition government's $111.3 million funding commitment to establish 30 new headspace services.

I have secured funding for transformative local infrastructure projects that are completed, underway or in the pipeline. A few of these are: $5 million to Signature Onfarm beef for a processing facility, creating more jobs with $25 million in additional NAIF funding; $325,000 to Collinsville CWA for the new community hall; $230,000 to Clermont kindergarten for a physical environment upgrade; and $3.2 million to support the redevelopment of the Clermont saleyards and showgrounds.

Funding on the Capricorn Coast includes: $10 million to the Livingston Shire Council for the Yeppoon foreshore precinct and CBD revitalisation; $20 million to the Keppel Bay Sailing Club for a 650-seat convention centre; $64 million for upgrades on Yeppoon Road; $25 million for Alliance Airlines' repair and maintenance facility in Rockhampton; $5 million for the Rockhampton Airport upgrades; $7 million for the Rockhampton Hospital car park; $10 million for the Rockhampton art gallery; and $852 million for the Rockhampton Ring Road.

In the Mackay region, funding includes: almost $10 million to CQUniversity for a world-class sports precinct at Ooralea; $120 million for the Walkerston bypass; nearly $654,000 to Wests Tigers Leagues Club for an undercover bowls green; $300,000 to the Palmyra Dragway for track upgrades and repairs, following Cyclone Debbie; and $50,000 for the Finch Hatton emergency airstrip.

Serving as the member for Capricornia has been the honour of my life. As MPs in this place we all have the ability to make a real difference in our electorates by supporting local residents who need a bit of assistance, by improving the essential services that our families rely and by fighting for major infrastructure projects that have the potential to create jobs and strengthen our communities. On every single one of these benchmarks I am immensely proud of what I've been able to secure as an MP. But it's not just in my role as the member for Capricornia where I've worked hard to achieve positive outcomes. During the previous term of the coalition government I was the Assistant Minister the Children and Families. This was a portfolio which gave me incredible opportunity to work directly with community leaders, providers and frontline staff who work hard every single day to deliver crucial support to the most vulnerable children in Australia. During the onslaught of the global COVID-19 pandemic the challenges that this sector faced were enormous, and I would like to pay tribute and thank the sector today for their leadership, resilience, courage and dedication. It was inspirational to see.

When it comes to the responsibilities of government one of the most critical priorities is to keep our kids safe. The latest stats from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare show that we still have a long way to go on this front, especially when it comes to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, who continue to be massively overrepresented in the child protection systems, and the 46,000 children and young people in out-of-home care. As Assistant Minister the Children and Families I knew that to forge a positive way forward on child safety it was important to build a template to help us get there. That's why in December last year I was thrilled to welcome the federal government's launch of Safe & Supported:The national framework for protecting Australia's children 2021-2031. This framework is a crucial piece of work that we negotiated with the states and territories as well as Indigenous leaders and the family sector.

While we managed to achieve a great deal during our time in government and we can reflect on our successes, we must not rest on our laurels. There is more to do and there is much more for the people of Capricornia to look forward to. I want to see the Rockhampton Airport eventually become an international airport. The runway is already the right length, so all we need is the Customs workforce with increased agricultural exports and tourism interest in the Central Queensland region. With projects like Rookwood Weir nearing completion to help the region grow more crops and a renewed interest in Great Keppel Island as a target for development, I'm confident we will see Rockhampton Airport be able to handle international passengers in the short to medium term.

In Capricornia we have a severe lack of sporting infrastructure for local sporting teams to train and play on due to inaction by the Queensland state Labor government. This is why the previous coalition government committed $23 million to a new sports stadium in Rockhampton. I have committed to seeing it built and available for us not just for sports but for live international acts and as a convention space. The Shoalwater Bay training area expansion is nearing completion, and it will be the most sophisticated military training area in the southern hemisphere. Once it's completed, the region will need a permanent military presence to deliver economic benefits to the region and put Australia's defence posture in good stead. This is something I will be lobbying hard for. I'll also fight to see more social housing built in Capricornia. Central Queensland has been in a housing crisis for some time, and, while the previous coalition government provided record funding to the Queensland Labor government, they have let the region down and done nothing with that funding.

In conclusion, Capricornia is the electorate where I was raised and where I decided to raise my daughter and my eight-week-old new grandson. This community I truly love. I will continue to work hard for Capricornia and hold the incoming Labor government to account on the plethora of promises that were made for Central Queensland. Capricornia has a great future, and I am honoured to represent it in the 47th Parliament.

Meryl Swanson (Paterson, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I'm delighted to speak today in response to the Albanese Labor government's first budget. Deputy Speaker Freelander, I was first elected along with you to this place in July 2016 and have watched six budgets delivered by those opposite. This is the first budget where I can proudly say I am part of the government and an Albanese prime ministership. I am proud to see a Labor budget that puts people back at the centre of our nation's focus. This budget respects workers and values industry and business. We are taking action to ensure our economic and environmental prosperity moving forward.

Many people are not really interested, truth be told, in the national budget as they go about their daily lives. They are unsure what it means for them. As the headlines come and go and they hear the narrative on the news and in their social media feeds, it's mostly just political traffic—in one ear and out the other. But they do desperately care how the budget impacts their lives. So I want to take this opportunity to have a conversation about the Labor budget and what it means for a typical family in my electorate of Paterson.

This budget means that a single parent or a single-income family, a couple, seeking for both parents to be active in the workforce can have the support they need from their government to be confident they can afford quality child care and increase their household income. One of the things I often hear when people in my community talk to me is: 'Meryl, the roads are shocking and child care is so expensive.' Well, we're doing something about that expense, which is one of the biggest expenses, outside of mortgage payments or rent, in household budgets.

Our national budget means that workers on the minimum wage will be better able to meet the cost of living and will have, importantly, more money in their super when they retire. I was certainly no fan of the previous government enabling the raiding of super, because, whilst it might seem really important at the time, the ramifications—the loss of all that compound interest—can have absolutely devastating effects on people when they retire.

Our government is making medicines cheaper and more affordable for Australians by reducing the cost of prescription medications.

Our government will support new and expecting parents to have more parental leave during the vital first 20 weeks of their child's life. Deputy Speaker, I know that you, as a former paediatrician, and I have had many long and meaningful conversations about the importance of the first 5,000 days of life and how we need to give those beautiful new souls every opportunity to prosper and grow. This government's budget supports new parents. As one of those who are well beyond the bleary-eyed years of 'peak parenting', as I call it, I say to new parents: 'Hang in there! It does get easier, and this government is trying to make it better for you by giving you parental leave. It's the hardest but the best job that anyone can ever do.'

This is a budget that gets on with fixing the mess that is the former government's botched NBN. Thanks to the policy passion of my colleague and friend Minister Michelle Rowland, we will see full fibre access to 1.5 million homes and businesses by 2025. I can only think how different the experience of COVID might have been for so many people who worked from home and children who were at home if we'd had a fully functioning fibre NBN. It could have been so much more interactive, so much more responsive—it could have been so different had the NBN been done well in the first place. It wasn't. Now we're going to fix that issue, and fix it we must.

Our budget will deliver on a Voice to Parliament, committing funding to promote the referendum, including for the Electoral Commission to conduct an enrolment drive among Indigenous Australians. In recent days I've spoken to a number of people who've said to me, 'But, Meryl, we don't know the detail.' I understand that that is important, but can I ask people to broaden their thinking on the Voice to Parliament. It is akin to having children. You have your first child and think, 'I could never love anything more than this being.' Then you have your second child and think: 'My heart has grown. I love this one just as much as the other one.' The member for Canberra is here in the chamber. She could attest to this—and far more recently—with her two magnificent children. You think: 'I've grown as a person. My heart is bigger. I'm better for this experience.' It's like when you get a new dog and it's a puppy, and you think, 'Oh, this dog! It's chewing up everything!' But your heart gets bigger and that becomes an old, faithful dog, and you think, 'My God, what an experience. How would I have lived my life without this?' This is, I feel, what the Voice will do for our country. It will make us better. It will grow our hearts. We are big enough and mature enough.

There is no diminution of our country from recognising our First Peoples of this land. There is no downside. There is only betterment for us all to be on this journey together. So I say to each and every Australian: look to your heart. Allow your heart to be bigger and more generous. There is no downside for any of us giving our First Nations people a voice in this parliament. Making that decision table a little bigger will only make the meal that we all share so much better for all Australians. Be part of it, don't shy away from it and please don't be scared.

We're making it easier for senior Australians to return to the workforce, if they wish to, without fear of financial penalties to their retirement savings or pensions, thus returning experience and expertise to the employment pool. Again, I think this is a such a brilliant thing, and I implore every experienced Australian, as I like to call them: if you're thinking that you might like to return to the workforce, get back amongst it. Some of these young'uns will do well to take heed of your life experience. And that whole 'interweb' thing—don't be worried about that, don't be shy, don't be frightened. Just get in there and give it a go. Your experience, and the miles that you've walked in your moccasins, will bring an energy back to business and back to the workforce of Australia.

I say to businesses: take a punt on someone who's over 50 in your business. You will be rewarded by their experience. They've got more energy than you think they do. They will bring depth to your workforce and perhaps even a different kind of ingenuity. They can fix things with wire. They've got practical experience. Give them a crack at your business; you just don't know the benefits that could come your way.

We are ensuring more senior Australians can access a seniors health care card as well. We're also ensuring self-funded retirees won't be penalised, by making it easier for them to qualify for a seniors health care card by increasing the threshold, and that's important.

Despite the white noise from those opposite, this is a budget that delivers on Labor's commitment to the Australian people. We now have a Prime Minister who is working for his fellow Australians. I want to make special reference to a couple of conversations I've had again this week. The first one was with the owner of Angove wines. I was at the Australian Organic Industry Awards in the Hunter region last Friday evening, and he said to me, 'Meryl, I'm not a traditional Labor voter, but I voted for Anthony Albanese last election. Can I say to you, in my opinion, he hasn't put a foot wrong.' Thank you for that.

I had a second conversation with a friend, who said, 'Albanese, or Albo, as you like to call him, Meryl'—I call him the Prime Minister these days—'has those rare qualities of leadership and humility.' It is so rare. It is such a silken thread to be a leader and also humble. It's a delicate balance, but I think he is really doing that, and doing it very well.

One of the most personal commitments made by Labor, for me, was the commitment to ensure a better life for residents of aged care. My own mother spent her last eight months in an aged-care facility until, sadly, passing away earlier this year. It will be my family's first Christmas without both of our parents, and it will be difficult, but I know that she led a really terrific life, living to 90. Whilst in the care and support of the Royal Freemasons' Benevolent Institution masonic village at Kurri Kurri, she had really brilliant care. The village exceeded my expectations, and enough hadn't been done by previous governments to support the hardworking staff at these kinds of facilities. They do this selfless work. They are passionate about dignity and respect for all people in their most senior years, and as a government we must support them. That's why our budget has delivered on our commitment to listen and act on the needs of this workforce.

We are delivering $2.5 billion to mandate a minimum number of care minutes for nursing home residents and to employ a registered nurse on site 24/7. As someone who has slept on a foldout couch beside my mother in her final days, I can only tell you how incredibly angst filled it is for those people. There are buzzers and bells going off through the night, people having falls. These things just happen in aged-care facilities, not because people aren't being well cared for but because, as we get older, the risks are higher. We have been forcing carers in aged-care facilities to constantly make these choices—'Do I stay here and make sure this person is in their pyjamas and in the right position for bed and all settled while I've got someone else buzzing, desperately needing to be helped out of a chair, or someone who needs to be toileted or showered?' These are real and everyday pressures that aged-care workers face. Not only do we need to train them well and pay them well; we need to support them in the work that they do. I give my personal thanks to you and wish you a blessed and happy Christmas. For those that are helping our elderly over this holiday season, I thank you for that, spending time away from your own loved ones while caring for the loved ones of others.

Our policy to invest over $800 million to provide 480,000 fee-free TAFE places will be groundbreaking. It ensures trades and expertise into the future, ensuring the sustainability of professions to keep the country going, quite frankly. The skills and trade industry has been neglected for far too long. Returning opportunities into this sector is vital and well overdue.

I want to particularly turn my attention to students attending Kurri Kurri TAFE and Maitland TAFE. Whether you're studying water or energy management, or whether you're studying viticulture at Kurri Kurri TAFE and producing some of those magnificent award-winning intuition branded wines, good on you. You are learning a craft. You are gaining skills that will contribute immeasurably to our country. We need you to keep learning. TAFE is one of the best places to do it, and this Albanese Labor government is backing you. We're backing your TAFE place. We want you to live the best life you can live contributing through your trade. Thank you for getting on the tools for your country.

The great Australian dream was always to own your own home. In many cities this has now become, sadly, a pipedream, as wages stagnate and housing prices skyrocket. The solution of the former government was to raid your super. As I said earlier, I do not think that was the way forward for Australians. Reducing security in retirement or hitting up Mum and Dad—I think I remember a former Prime Minister saying that perhaps parents could help out to buy a home. Well, you know what? When I grew up and as those who are younger than me grow up, mum and dad mercantile isn't an option for most ordinary Australians. This is where the government comes in. Poor policy provides poor results. Our government provides, in the budget, opportunities for homeownership that are achievable. We are delivering a plan, working with all levels of government, that will deliver an estimated one million new homes over five years from 2024. We will ensure more affordable housing is delivered to support first home buyers. We will look at diversity in housing choices that open up windows across our country.

In keeping with our climate commitments, the first Labor budget has renewable energy as one of its key priorities. Like many other items in the budget, the government has followed through on its commitment to clean energy, with $800 million earmarked for a range of projects. This includes previously promised cuts to taxes on electric cars, improving electric vehicle charging network infrastructure and providing community batteries and solar banks. I note that the Minister for Climate Change and Energy is in the House today. I thank him because I was a particularly passionate advocate for making sure that we could have a fleet of electric vehicles as the fleet vehicles of the nation. To be able to get our businesses into electric cars was an important priority. I am really, really pleased to see that come through.

Our budget also includes $500,000 to be spent in the next year to develop a strategy to, in the future, enable the government to support offshore renewable projects in Australian waters. I am extremely pleased about that.

One of the pillars of our democracy is journalism, and one of the most important assets to regional Australians is the national broadcaster, the ABC, or 'Aunty', as most of us like to refer to it as. I was delighted to attend the first ABC showcase since COVID, and we were celebrating 90 years of the ABC. I actually worked at the ABC when we celebrated 70 years, so I was reminded of the amazing work and the incredible talent and commitment the ABC family brings to our lives every day. Current affairs, up-to-date breaking news and outstanding Australian drama is all just part of the package of the ABC. I stand here as a parliamentarian who is particularly proud of our national broadcaster, and I will support it until my dying breath.

Many would recall funding was cut by the coalition government in 2018. That saw the ABC cut 250 jobs, making their world-class delivery difficult and sometimes nigh on impossible. We are fulfilling our pre-election promise to restore $83.7 million over four years in funding to the ABC. This will ensure that the ABC remains a safe and secure broadcaster that can fearlessly report on current events as well as support future Australian talent and education. I just want to say that all democracy is built on that great excellence of freedom of speech and impartiality. Without the ABC in Australia, I fear the worst for not only our broadcasters but also our system of democracy. I can't tell you how much I value that.

Another pillar of the Labor budget is our commitment to women and gender equality. We have a Prime Minister and a ministerial team who are putting women's safety front and centre. That's why our budget will focus on women's safety initiatives, including $39.6 million in the next financial year to keep up with the sadly increased demand for crisis payments for people escaping violence. I just want to say, especially to people like those working at Carrie's Place in my electorate: I hear you. I understand what you go through on a daily basis supporting the women of Maitland and surrounding areas. I think it is wrong that as part of your armoury in helping women you have to have a shelf of tents and sleeping bags, such is the dire state of our short-term accommodation for people fleeing violence. It isn't right and, as a government, we are working to make this situation so much better than it is.

I am just so proud to be here as the member for Paterson, and there are so many more things that I would love to tell you about but time doesn't permit. We have delivered sporting facilities. We have delivered critical investments in the Port Stephens koala population that mean that we are going to help conserve those koalas into the future. We are helping people with cancer. We are helping veterans in my electorate. I am very pleased to see the minister for health at the table as I say that we have delivered an MRI licence for the new Maitland Hospital. Thank you, Minister, for that. We are progressing the remediation of PFAS, and I thank the Assistant Minister for Defence, Minister Thistlethwaite, for that.

Last but not least, I want to thank my wonderful constituents, my beautiful staff who manage my electorate office and my fabulous colleagues, frontbench and backbench. All of you, have a safe, joyous and Merry Christmas.

Debate adjourned.