Madeleine King (Brand, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Northern Australia) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

When I was speaking in this debate in December, I was reflecting on the contributions and speeches of the new members of the parliamentary Labor Party after the 2022 election, so I resume by welcoming the new member for Spence, Matt Burnell, to the parliament. He grew up with a community way of life. From working on his parents' farm to enlisting in the Army reserves, he has always put his community first.

During his first speech, the member spoke about the importance of First Nations voices being heard. Implementing the Uluru Statement from the Heart is about voice, treaty and truth. The referendum is a step towards healing the wounds that have been open too long, and I know the member for Spence will be very active in this campaign.

In New South Wales we welcomed the new member for Cunningham, Alison Byrnes. The new member has made it her mission to ensure the concerns of locals are heard in Canberra. I know she will be a strong voice in her community on issues such as the gender pay gap, supporting the NDIS and backing in industry in her electorate to meet the challenges of net zero emissions by 2050.

The new member for Parramatta is here in the chamber this morning. Andrew Charlton is an exceptional voice in parliament for his electorate of Parramatta. He is an example of the high calibre of MPs now representing Labor in this place. He is an incredibly strong and articulate voice for the people of Parramatta. As he pointed out in his first speech in this place, if New South Wales businesses are not in Parramatta, they are missing out on the future of Sydney. He reminded us that good economic policy is fundamentally about people, and I couldn't agree more.

The new member for Hunter, Dan Repacholi, is an Australian sporting champion. He represented the green and gold five times in the Olympics and is a three-time Commonwealth Games gold medallist in sports shooting. I know he recently had a crack at running the 100 metres on one of his Instagram posts, but I don't think he's going to represent us in that sport. Whilst juggling shooting commitments, the member has worked as a coalminer and most recently as a manager for a medium-sized machinery sales business that services the mining and agricultural sectors. He knows what it means to represent his country on the national stage, and he is fighting for the people of Hunter in this parliament. As the member noted in his first speech, he is a proud former coalminer and he is proud of his electorate's mining history, as we all should be.

I would also like to welcome the member for Bennelong, Jerome Laxale. The member has delivered for the local community on Ryde council since 2012, including five years as mayor. He sought election because he wants this place to be the home of good government. He has a remarkable background. His father is from Mauritius and his mother is from Reunion. He spoke about the sega dance he witnessed at parties as a young child. I've since found out this dance is a little bit risque, so whilst I might have asked for a rendition, I'll leave that for another time. I welcome the member for Bennelong to this chamber.

In Reid we have a very special story. The new member for Reid is the daughter of hardworking Chinese parents who fled Laos after the Vietnam War. She is a passionate advocate for the freedom and opportunities that allowed her family to prosper in Australia. The member understands that with hard work and access to a good education, everyone can build the future they want for their family.

Also in New South Wales I welcome the representative for Robertson, Gordon Reid, to this place. A proud Wiradjuri man from Darkinjung country, the member was on the frontlines during the COVID pandemic, working as an emergency doctor at local hospitals. These same hospitals were the catalysts for the member to run for parliament and represent the people of Robertson. As the son of small-business owners, he understands the importance of small businesses to the community and the wider economy, and this is one of the many reasons I believe he is an outstanding representative for the electorate of Robertson.

In Victoria, I congratulate the member for Chisholm, Carina Garland. She understands the pressure faced by immigrants coming to Australia for a new and better life. Chisholm's namesake, Caroline Chisholm, was a fierce advocate for women's immigration and social justice, and I anticipate the new member will be equally effective in achieving these important goals.

As the first Labor member for Higgins, Michelle Ananda-Rajah is the first person of colour to represent that seat since its formation, and she sets an example to us all. Born to Sri Lankan parents in London and migrating to Australia early in her life, the member has an established medical career in infectious diseases, which meant that before her election she saw the highs and lows of the COVID pandemic on that frontline. She brings years of international medical experience to this place, to the people of Higgins and to the wider Australian community. She will undoubtedly make an enormous contribution to this parliament.

In the seat of Holt, the new member, Cassandra Fernando, has seen history made, being the first Sri Lankan-born member of the Australian parliament elected to this place. As a migrant and a person of colour, the member for Holt understands what it's like to feel underrepresented in all aspects of Australian life and the need for diverse voices in our country's chamber. She has worked in various retail sectors and has come to represent those same workers in their fight to improve pay, conditions and industry standards. Also a pastry chef, she will be an excellent representative for the people of Holt. I congratulate her on her election.

I'd like to welcome the member for the newly formed electorate of Hawke in Melbourne's inner west, Sam Rae. The member for Hawke has pledged his commitment to working with the Albanese government to address housing affordability and invest in local education and health care, important goals for the people of Hawke and, of course, for the whole nation. And congratulations to the member and his partner, Zoe, on the arrival last year of their baby, Mack.

I want to also pay tribute to the new member for Lingiari, Marion Scrymgour, who has lived and worked across the Territory her entire life. She served in the NT Legislative Assembly for 11 years and was the first First Nations Australian woman to be elected to the NT parliament. Her many years of experience representing her community will be invaluable to this place, and I am grateful for her assistance and engagement, particularly in my capacity as the Minister for Northern Australia.

I welcome Senator Linda White. Senator White has fought for the rights of the working class through her time at the Australian Services Union. As a senator for Victoria, Senator White will continue to fight hard for working Australians in this parliament. As she has made clear, getting justice for others has been her driving ambition, whether as a union delegate or as a lawyer.

Also in Victoria, I welcome and congratulate Senator Jana Stewart. Senator Stewart is a proud First Nations Australian of the Mutthi Mutthi and Wamba Wamba peoples. Through her career as a family therapist, working for the Victorian Aboriginal Child Care Agency and the Victorian Child Protection System, Senator Stewart has gained a deep understanding of the needs of Victorian communities. Her inspiring dedication to her community will make her a great senator and a great asset to this place.

I think the election result on 21 May in 2022 made clear that the people of Australia wanted change. They wanted secure local jobs. They voted for affordable child care. They voted for affordable housing. They wanted to see real action on climate change, and action is being taken. The people of Australia want reconciliation with and reconciliation of our First Nations people. We'll work across the community of this vast continent to ensure that First Nations peoples have a voice to this parliament, and we will implement the Uluru Statement from the Heart in its entirety. My colleagues and I in the Albanese government are working to build a better future where no-one is held back and no-one is left behind.

In my last remaining few minutes, I want to acknowledge and thank my team—it's substantially larger than it was on 20 May last year—and I do want to acknowledge the transition teams that came in from the various departments to help support members of the then opposition, which then transitioned into government. It says a lot about our democracy that we can have a change of government and the bureaucracy stands by it and makes sure that all new ministers, assistant ministers and everyone who has to take on new responsibility is ably supported by a good, thoughtful Public Service. I really want to thank all those teams in the Department of Industry, Science and Resources who helped me, and I'm sure other newer ministers feel the same way. I particularly want to thank my electorate office team. They have been brilliant, in our office in Rockingham, through the election and post the election. It's also a transition for them, of course, as I am a shadow minister going into a ministerial role. So I really thank you all for your ongoing commitment to the community. As we all know, electorate offices around this country really are at the front line of communities' engagement with each of the members of parliament. They sometimes have to put up with a lot of things we would hope they did not, yet they persevere, have great patience and help the community a great deal.

To my ministerial office team, thank you all for joining me, helping me into this new role, hanging around to keep the office going and providing all your good, honest and thoughtful advice. I am really deeply grateful for the time, effort and commitment that you put into your jobs, which make my job possible to undertake. I also want to acknowledge the importance of departmental liaison officers. I had a bit to deal with when I worked for the former member for Brand, and I'm sorry to say—if any of them are still paying attention!—I didn't quite understand their role. But now I really understand as a minister how vital the DLOs are, certainly in getting me ready for a number of things in the operation of government and liaison with the departments. So I want to thank you, the DLOs. I won't mention anyone by name, because now the teams are so much bigger than they were; I fear leaving names out. But thank you all. Thank you for your commitment since before the election, of course, and then since the election last year to helping being part of good government and being part of my team as the federal member for Brand and the Minister for Resources and Northern Australia.

Terry Young (Longman, Liberal National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Now that I've been re-elected for a second term, I want to thank the people of Longman for again putting their trust in me to represent them. All I can promise them is that I'll continue to represent and work hard for them in the Australian parliament. I've learnt much from my first term, and I'm even more determined to fulfil my vision to make Longman the most desirable place in Australia to live. To achieve this, I will continue to maintain my level of community engagement by attending as many community events as possible, and I encourage anyone to come and raise any issue with me when they see me out and about. I'm also happy to read written correspondence sent to my office by mail or email and meet people face to face. I will then take this community feedback and advocate for the various projects that are needed in the Longman community to fulfil my vision.

Last term it was amazing to be a part of a government that delivered over 240 projects for the Longman community, from smaller projects like solar panels for local clubs and community groups and fuel vouchers for hard-working volunteers, to major road projects, like the third lane on the Bruce Highway from Caboolture to Steve Irwin Way, the New Settlement Road overpass on the Bruce Highway and contributing to the couple of much-needed improvements for the Bribie Island Road. Much was achieved, but there is much more to do. I'm happy to work with all levels of government, regardless of their political colour, to achieve the outcomes our community deserves.

I'm so proud of my campaign team and volunteers from the election. Unfortunately it was quite an unpleasant election due to the weather but also the negative campaigning, with some of my opponents resorting to mudslinging, intentionally misleading the people of Longman and straight-out lying. The behaviour and language of some of the volunteers from other candidates certainly did not reflect well on those candidates. When I actually spoke to one of the other candidates about this face to face, they said, 'That's politics,' to which I replied, 'It doesn't have to be,' and I still believe that. I also firmly believe that there needs to be truth in election campaigns, as the Australian people expect, and rightly so, that any statements made in the media and advertising material containing information that includes facts and figures is accurate so they can make an accurate, informed decision. I know this is a new concept.

I was advised by some well-meaning people that I couldn't win by running a positive campaign, that I needed to get down in the gutter and fight dirty like the rest. I didn't stoop to that level, and I'm pleased to say, by the mere fact that I'm standing here, that it must have worked. This is what I'm most proud of: that we ran a positive campaign with integrity and were still able to win. I hope this will be infectious to other candidates from all political persuasions. I believe the Australian public will become more politically engaged if campaigns are run in a more respectful and positive manner. As part of my role I will also put pressure on this Labor government to deliver on all their election promises in a timely manner. What the people of Longman don't want is all these promises fulfilled six months before the next election or, even worse, not at all.

It has now been nearly six months since the last federal election, where the Australian people sort of decided on an Albanese Labor government. I say 'sort of' because the reality is that only 32 per cent of people actually voted 1 for the Labor Party, which was in fact less than voted 1 for the coalition. Although I make this tongue in cheek remark, I do respect the decision of the Australian people, and this government were voted in fairly under our current system. This has, however, prompted many questions from constituents in my electorate of Longman and prompted many discussions and suggestions around our entire electoral system.

While there have been many varied suggestions and opinions, there are a couple of suggestions that the majority of people have and agree on. The first suggestion is that they are tired of the compulsory preferential voting system. Many feel it is actually antidemocratic to force people to fill in every box on the ballot paper. Some are against compulsory preferencing, but most believe in optional preferencing.

Next, people would like to see fixed four-year terms. I'm also personally a supporter of this. Four years would align with local and state government election cycles and give governments time to get more done. I know there are quite a large number of people against a fixed election date, but I am in the camp of a fixed date. The main reason I would like to see this change is that before the last election, like most MPs, I had identified and fought for many worthy projects and programs in my electorate of Longman. As we approached the election date, I asked very clearly if each project was an election promise or a decision of government, as I wanted to communicated accurately to my constituents so that there could be no confusion. We announced decisions on government projects, such as $5 million for the Caboolture PCYC, under the Community Development Grants Programme; $3.5 billion for the Caboolture Sports Football Club, under the same program; $1.8 million, from the health budget, for four years funding for Bribie headspace to help our young on Bribie Island struggling with mental health issues; $5 million for a veterans wellness centre in our community; and funding from the coalition's $28.2 million Peri-Urban Mobile Program for additional mobile towers in communities like Longman that are geographically uniquely located where the suburbs meet the bush. These are all game-changing projects for the Longman community and these are all decisions of government, not election promises.

Unfortunately, due to timing issues with the signing of documents due to going into caretaker mode for the election, some of these were not officially 'signed off'. This created a loophole for the new Labor government to legally, although not morally, back out of these projects, which, for a time, on a couple of them, they tried to do. Fortunately, with the help of shadow ministers, I've been able to ensure that the funding for most of these projects will go ahead as promised, and I hope I will eventually get them all across the line. I also note that this Labor government are now saying that they will fund them under different programs they've come up with, with different names or as election promises. It's a cheap shot—I know—but, at the end of the day, the community gets what they were promised, and that's all that matters.

To prevent this type of thing from happening again, if we had fixed four-year terms, governments would have no reason not to have any decisions of government signed off before going into caretaker mode and remove the issue of a change of government backing out of promised projects. Another issue highlighted in the last term was the need for an update to our Constitution, particularly the powers of state and federal governments. People rightly expected their federal government and Prime Minister to lead through the pandemic. It is reasonable to expect, in a time of national crisis, the federal government to lead and have jurisdiction and freedoms to make decisions on behalf of the nation. Unfortunately, the Prime Minister was not able to do this, as the Constitution clearly states that the states are responsible for the delivery of public health care and imposed the vaccine mandates. This needs to change.

Longman is one of the fastest-growing communities in Australia, and, as such, there is much infrastructure, services and amenities needed to accommodate this growth. My commitment to the people of Longman is that I will work with this government to achieve the outcomes for our residents to achieve the standard of living that they deserve. When good decisions are made, I will support this government; when decisions are made that are not in the best interest of the Longman community or the Australian people at large, then I will speak and vote against those decisions. I commit to the people of Longman that I'll continue to be positive and talk up our wonderful community and our great country.

In closing, I would like to acknowledge all the hard-working volunteers who helped on the campaign, of which there are simply too many to mention here today. You know who you are, and I thank you. A special mention goes out to my campaign committee, including Peter and Beth, Graeme and Lynne, John, Fiona, Peter, James, Beck, Lou and Mitchell. I also want to thank my staff, Sherilee, Sue, David, Emily, James, Peter, Mel, Alistar and Fiona, for all their hard work during the campaign. Lastly, I want to thank my family, who rarely saw me for about six weeks, especially my wonderful wife, Alexandra, who, despite having her own job, helped out tremendously. Thank you, babe; I love you.

Ms Catherine King (Ballarat, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I want to begin by acknowledging the traditional custodians of the land we gather on it here today, the Ngunnawal people. At the beginning of this speech, I also want to acknowledge and thank the traditional owners of the land on which I live and the land that I represent in this place, the Wadawurrung and the Dja Dja Wurrung, and I pay my respects to elders past, present and emerging.

Representing the people of Ballarat is an honour of a lifetime. It's something I have never taken for granted, and it's something I never will take for granted. I have said that at every election. We have to deserve people's votes, and that starts the minute you're elected, not in the 33-day election campaign. To have the people of Ballarat, my hometown, place their faith in me over the course of a few elections now is something for which I will always be both grateful and enormously proud. To the people of Ballarat who voted for me to represent them, I thank you very much. I wouldn't be here without the tireless support of so many in the wider Ballarat community. To those who didn't vote for me, of course I also represent all of you with all of my heart.

In every corner of the electorate, from Ballarat to Creswick, from Trentham to Linton and from Clunes to Shelford, our positive campaign and our plan for a better future was given a ringing endorsement, and it was heartening to see this replicated right across the country. In particular, I want to acknowledge the new communities that I represent for the first time, largely across the Golden Plains shire. Your part of the region is incredibly beautiful. I've thoroughly enjoyed getting to know you over the past 18 months, and I look forward to getting to know you even better over the years to come.

For the communities that have left my directorate—Blackwood, Bacchus Marsh and Ballan chief amongst them—thank you for the many years of support. I will miss engaging with you on a daily basis, but I think you might still see me at the occasional Easter woodchop and autumn show and especially the cherry festival. I know that in the new member for Hawke, Sam Rae, you will continue to have an engaged and dedicated local representative for years to come.

The election result in Ballarat was a terrific outcome—a 2.7 per cent swing, something for which I am very grateful. But not a single point of that swing would have been possible without the immense amount of hard work from a dedicated group of staff and volunteers. Any election campaign is the combined work of hundreds of volunteers, supporters friends and family. The list is exhaustive—thank you—so I will just name a few, starting with my family: my husband, Mark, and my son, Ryan, who were out there every day. Ryan also accompanied me on the election day itself and handed out for me.

Next are my dedicated staff in the electorate office and the portfolio offices. Thank you for the late nights and the early mornings. It was certainly all worth it. To the volunteers and branch members, the people who put up garden signs or handed out how-to-vote cards, who stood in the cold at the Ballarat showgrounds on prepoll: I certainly could not have done it without you. We had so many people out there, including someone who volunteered to provide food and hot coffee for us every single day, which was very kind. And of course I want to give a particular thankyou to Craig Fletcher, my campaign chair, and my entire campaign committee. Thank you again for all your help and your support.

Campaigns are built on commitment and sacrifice, but that commitment and sacrifice is always easier when you know what you're fighting for and that you're fighting for a good cause to build a better country—and build a better country the Albanese-Labor government will. Whether it was our commitments to Medicare, our promise to take real action on climate change or our commitment to make child care cheaper, our message of hope and an ability to imagine a better Australia resonated with voters across the country. Our government has focused on making the lives of everyday Australians better. We haven't waited. We're already delivering on that commitment. Cheaper medicines took effect on the 1 January, making life a little better and a little easier for Australians who rely on prescription medicine. From July, 1.2 million families will benefit from cheaper child care. Our May budget will deliver electricity-bill relief, easing the stress faced by many around the country. We're training Australian workers and tackling the skills shortages that are holding back businesses, with 180,000 fee-free TAFE places. We've established 10 days of paid family and domestic violence leave. We've established Jobs and Skills Australia and a royal commission into robodebt to fully understand the government's and public servants' role in what is a pretty shameful period of our social services history.

We've passed a climate change bill and updated our climate targets. We're setting up the National Anti-Corruption Commission. We've delivered a pay rise for aged-care workers and others on the minimum wage. And we've passed legislation to get wages moving. We've repaired Australia's standing in the world, which has been incredibly important for us both economically and in our capacity to have a say at the table at major security forums across the world. We've ended the cashless debit card and expanded the seniors healthcare card. But perhaps most importantly, we're taking the next steps on the long journey of reconciliation by delivering the Uluru Statement from the Heart in full and initiating long-awaited constitutional change.

We can't fix all the problems that were left over from the previous government overnight, but we're certainly not wasting a day. We want to deliver these changes, not for our own good but because we don't want to waste our time here. I've spent long enough for the other side of the chamber to know that the halls of government are not something to be taken lightly; nor are they to be taken for granted. We have only a short amount of time here in this place and we can't waste it. I don't want to waste it in my local community and I don't want to waste it in a portfolio I represent.

I have the absolute honour of having responsibility for infrastructure, transport, regional development and local government, a portfolio that is focused on improving the lives of everyday Australians. Every day, we commit money to projects where we look at the multitude of areas across the transport portfolio as well, nation-building portfolios that can and do make a real difference in the lives of all Australians, portfolios that reach into the heart of every community around the country.

Good infrastructure and transport projects are key enabling forces to drive economic growth. They create jobs, they boost productivity and they improve people's lives. Particularly as we look to build back better after COVID, effective transport policy and targeted infrastructure investments can help build equity into the hearts of communities across Australia. We want to build infrastructure so that transport is not a constraint on people's lives but, instead, an enabling force allowing them to thrive. Investing in transport means those in marginalised suburbs and regions can take advantage of opportunity. It allows wealth to spread, it allows people to live where they want to and it builds a better, more connected region right the way across our nation.

On our side of politics we don't see infrastructure as simply bricks and mortar or—even more cynically—to attain votes or sandbag seats. We see infrastructure as a means of genuinely improving people's lives, creating secure Australian jobs and delivering a better life for working families. When we were last in government we invested in nation-building projects, in partnership with the states, like the Pacific Highway duplication, Cross River Rail and metro projects in Sydney, Melbourne and Perth.

In our first months, we've picked up right where we left off. This is clear in our actions to review Infrastructure Australia, turning it back into the expert advisory body, to the Commonwealth, advising Commonwealth investment that Australia really needs. It is clear in our actions to establish the national High Speed Rail Authority as well as a $500 million down payment to start works on the important corridor between Newcastle and Sydney and the Central Coast. It's clear in our ongoing commitment to the Western Sydney airport and the Inland Rail project, particularly to get the latter—the Inland Rail project—back on track so that it contributes to our national freight task.

While infrastructure and transport projects are vitally important to the future of our nation, they are particularly important in our regional communities. As a regional MP, I am particularly delighted to have overall responsibility for regional development. I have a keen understanding of the issues faced by the seven million Australians who live outside of our capital cities. Those of you who are lucky enough to live in our regions, I am committing to elevating and supporting you.

Those of us who call our regions home understand that our national story is as much about the contribution of our regional centres, towns and villages to the economic growth of the nation as it is about our capital cities. It's a story of incredible diversity, of richness of culture, heritage and place. This has continued over the course of the pandemic, with many being drawn away from the cities to our regional areas.

Importantly, we cannot review our regions as one—for, as many similarities our regions may have, no two are the same. Our regions are defined by their diversity and their difference. Each and every region has different strengths, weaknesses, needs and possibilities, and that's been the story of this country. Government's role is to identify what those strengths are, invest in them, build on them and support regional Australia to reach its full potential.

The people of Australia overwhelmingly voted for an Albanese government and the bold commitments that we brought to the election, but they also sent a clear message that the privilege of government should be given the respect that it deserves, that we need to govern in the best interests of all Australians. Australians want integrity, accountability and transparency back in their political system.

We saw it with commuter car parks. We saw it with road upgrades. We've seen it with the Community Development Grants Program that the previous member referred to. We've seen it most recently with the audit reports of the Building Better Regions Fund. We saw it with the way in which sports grants were allocated. We didn't talk much about it but, if you look at it, the infrastructure investment pipeline had a fair bit for the previous government to answer to as well.

Our government is committed to building a better future for all regional Australians, because it doesn't matter whether you live in Burnie or Broome. Our communities' potential is worth much more than politics and it's vital for the future of the country. When Australians see a need for a vision and for a big picture view of the future in our economy they turn to Labor governments. From the city to the country, I'm determined to see these key economic portfolios play their role in helping to build a better future for all Australians. That's the commitment I make.

We took the promise of a better future to the Australian people and we've already taken steps to turn that vision into reality. I thank all Australians for the opportunity to govern and I particularly thank the people of Ballarat for their continued support at the last election and those proceeding. With that, I commend the address-in-reply to the House.

Darren Chester (Gippsland, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Like all members, I was very humbled to be elected to the 47th Parliament and am honoured to continue to represent the people of Gippsland to the best of my ability. I am determined, as the member for Ballarat just spoke about a few moments ago, to make sure that we can work wherever possible to build a safer, stronger, fairer and better regional Australia where everyone can get ahead. I say a simple thank you to the people of Gippsland for the trust they showed in me again in allowing me to represent their interests in this place.

In that spirit of bipartisanship, I acknowledge in particular the election of the new government, recognise the Prime Minister's success and congratulate new ministers on their roles. It is a great credit to the people of Australia that a change of government can occur in this country in such a seamless way. Our democracy is precious, and the fact that we can change governments without resorting to violence should never be taken for granted. The fact that we can change governments without the election result being contested, as it may be in other parts of the world, I think is a credit to organisations, such as the Australian Electoral Commission, for being able to manage a sometimes emotional and difficult political debate while maintaining the confidence of the Australian people to have a fair, open and transparent election. Those results, to the best of my knowledge, weren't contested in any part of the country. I congratulate the AEC for its work. I don't congratulate the AEC for the prolonged period of pre-poll voting, but I'll have more discussions with them in the months to come about exactly how many hours we need to provide for people to vote in the lead-up to the election. I think that's one area of reform that we can keep working on.

Elections are a huge logistical task for all the candidates. It ran very smoothly though in Gippsland. I acknowledge all the other candidates who contested that election, again the AEC staff in my region and the volunteers who manned the booths and engaged in a very constructive, positive and respectful way across Gippsland during the election period. Also in that same vein I acknowledge my hardworking staff and family members, who deserve enormous credit for their efforts in achieving the result we as a team achieved across Gippsland. I thank them for their ongoing support in my role as the member for Gippsland.

I also want to acknowledge the achievements of the previous government, former Prime Minister Scott Morrison and all the MPs and ministers I served with, whether it was in an outer ministry role or a cabinet role. I also acknowledge the members who did not return for the 47th Parliament, either through retirement or election results.

We're in a stronger position than most other nations because of decisions we as a government made and because of the hard work of millions of Australians in the face of incredible difficulties. During the time of the previous coalition government we encountered natural crises, whether it be drought, storms, floods or bushfires, and of course the impacts of the pandemic. The Australian spirit has been severely tested in recent years, and we as a nation have a great deal though to be thankful for. I will touch on those issues again later on in my comments, but we as a nation have a great deal to be thankful for. We have the institutions of government and the civic authorities that can respond to people's needs at critical times.

This year will be my 15th year as an MP. My commitment is to keep working in a very constructive way for the benefit for all Gippslanders and to make sure that I can work with the Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government, the previous speaker, to deliver the infrastructure and critical services we need for the future of my community. Wherever possible I'll be seeking to have a positive and constructive relationship across the chamber but also within my own community as we build partnerships to simply get stuff done on the ground. It's all very well to make decisions in Melbourne, Sydney or Canberra, but you actually have to focus on getting stuff done on the ground where it really makes a difference in people's lives.

One of the main reasons I wanted to continue as the member for Gippsland is to ensure that we are working in a very positive way to build hope and optimism, particularly among young people. I think they've been the ones most directly impacted by the pandemic and had their confidence shaken. We need to make sure we're working with those young people right across Australia, particularly in our regional areas, to let them know they can achieve their full potential from those rural and regional backgrounds, and let them know anything is possible for them in this country if they are prepared to work hard and are passionate about their studies, to learn about their trade, to take up an opportunity to start their own business or to proceed to university and get a tertiary qualification. We should never sell ourselves short as Australians or in this place for the achievements that this parliament can work in partnership with the Australian people to achieve every day.

I'm proud of everything that my region contributes to the nation, and I'm proud of what Gippslanders do to ensure we have a safe and prosperous community. Naturally I will get an argument from every other member in this place when I say this, but Gippsland is the best region in the country. We have an enormous contribution to make to the future of the nation. But it's not perfect and there's always more to be done, and I have the energy and enthusiasm and experience now to keep delivering for all Gippslanders.

We recently commemorated Australia Day on 26 January. I'm not here to seek an argument about that date or seek to cause further division on that particular issue. But I find Australia Day a perfect opportunity to pause and reflect on what has made our nation so successful and to even reinvigorate some pride in our achievements, plus consolidate the enthusiasm within the community to build the determination we know we're going to need to overcome any challenges that might come our way in the future. I take the theme of Australia Day—reflect, respect and celebrate—as an invitation for us all to stop talking our country down and to start counting our blessings more often. That doesn't mean we ignore our modern-day problems or disregard parts of our heritage which are distressing or make us uncomfortable in some way, but it does mean we seek to build a spirit of optimism, resilience and positivity across our nation. It prompts the question on that day: what makes Australia such a great nation? Other countries have beautiful environments. There are many other countries where democracies can still flourish. We're not the only nation that has brought together many different cultures in a largely harmonious way. In my mind, in my community, it is the people of Gippsland and the people of Australia that make us exceptional.

I reflected before about the challenges we've faced in recent times, with the summer bushfires of 2019-20, the floods, the storms and the ongoing impacts of the coronavirus pandemic. Throughout our nation, we are incredibly blessed to have so many people willing to volunteer in a wide variety of organisations simply to serve their communities. Whether it's frontline health and emergency services or people working with environmental groups or sporting and community charities, we have people willing to give their time for their community's benefit every day of the year. There are so many Australians who simply donate their time to quietly and diligently supporting their communities every day of the week. On Australia Day and throughout the year we should be thanking them and committing ourselves to keeping that tradition alive as a country. It's a tradition based on mateship, it's a tradition based on helping those who need a hand and it's also a tradition based on the need to feel part of something bigger than just our own lives.

The Australian story will never be finished. It's our generation that gets to write just a few chapters during our short lifetime. I believe, in this place and in our own communities, we can all choose to contribute positively to that story by volunteering and making a statement that we care about our communities—in my case, the future of Gippsland, Victoria and Australia.

It's also a time when much of the political and media commentary focuses on what's wrong with Australia. We should try and count our blessings more often as a nation. As we cast our eyes around the world and witness the stories of the pandemic, of armed conflicts and of minority groups being persecuted, we should be thankful for the freedoms we enjoy and the largely safe and secure communities we share.

We can't ignore our colonial past. It's a simple fact that the lives of Indigenous people were changed forever when European settlement occurred. Subsequent generations, though, have built the civilisation we enjoy today, and, by any comparison around the world, we have brought together diverse cultures to live largely harmoniously. That's not to say for a second that there aren't problems and unfinished business we would like to change as a nation. but I believe we're heading in the right direction. By working together we can address these difficult challenges, like poverty, homelessness, Indigenous disadvantage, mental illness, illicit drugs, family violence and any other shortcomings we might find in our government services. It's up to us in this place to be hopeful, optimistic and confident, and it's up to the more fortunate ones among us to lend a helping hand right now to those who may be struggling physically, mentally or financially. We have to believe in ourselves and each other as we keep writing this remarkable Australian story. Now is the time for leaders in this nation to find more common ground and unite around issues of critical importance to the future of Australia.

Maria Vamvakinou (Calwell, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The debate is interrupted in accordance with standing order 43. The debate may be resumed at a later hour, and the member for Gippsland will have the right to continue speaking.