David Shoebridge (NSW, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I'm pleased tonight to read a speech written by Tricia for the Youth Voice in Parliament campaign, a national non-partisan initiative that aims to increase the political literacy of all our young voters and voters to be. Thank you, Tricia, for these words.

My name is Tricia. I am a 16-year-old student from Fowler. I am in Year 11. I only have one more year of high school left. I should be optimistic about the future. I should be excited to attend university, pursue my dream career, and make the big bucks. But I'm anxious. How will I achieve these goals without certainty? Where will I go? Where will I live? Where will I stay? Should I pay rent to live in the city centre, or should I spend three hours commuting daily to university, or simply show up to work? That should absolutely not be a difficult choice to make, yet millions of young Australians eventually have to. They eventually make up their minds. They either pay exorbitant rent or sit in a mind numbing train for hours.

The power dynamic between landlord and tenant is clear for anyone to see. Like Ursula, tenants are bound with a contract with purposefully vague terms. There are no clear promises from landlords to make fixes. There are no clear promises they will not be unfairly evicted.

My vision for Australia is a flourishing society where everyone can pursue their dreams with no anxiety, no worries, and no fears of being homeless in an instant. I can see optimism on the horizon, taste the freedom on the other side and scent of sweetness, hear the vivacious cheers, and feel the pounding hearts of many who have received their university and interview acceptance emails. Yet, this vision is slipping away from me the longer the parliament refuses to take action. Parliament needs to immensely increase rental support and impose the rent freeze that we have all been asking for.

One third of Australians are renters, yet nothing sufficient is being done. There needs to be a rent freeze. There needs to be a rent cap which can be adjusted for inflation. Instead, there is no rent freeze. House rents are increasing three times as fast as wages.

I urgently implore the parliament to successfully pass legislation to establish a rent freeze, discussed by economists, politicians, and people alike. Start discussing more policies to assist renters today. Now. All of Australia is waiting.

Thanks so much, Tricia, and good luck to you and all of your friends in year 11.

Madam President, yesterday I had the privilege of meeting 15 inspiring Tamil and Iranian refugee women who had completed their Walk For a Fair Go all the way from my hometown of Sydney to Canberra. They walked 300 kilometres over 14 days to come to this place and share their struggle for a fair go. I met them out the front and I saw their sore feet and also the fact that they had got here and achieved that extraordinary outcome.

These brave, strong women came to our country seeking asylum and a better life, and they expected to be given a fair go, because that's what our country is meant to be based on. Instead their refugee protection applications were rejected by the flawed fast-track process put in place by the previous coalition government. When the Labor government came into power, they expected that their decade-long life in limbo, with no protection and no access to benefits, would come to an end, because that's what the Albanese government's election platform was when they were in opposition. That's what they promised. These 15 women, and over 10,000 other refugees just like them, have still not been given an opportunity to fairly seek permanent protection under a fair refugee assessment process.

The Albanese government must do better. It must put in place a fair and proper refugee assessment process to ensure those who are seeking asylum are given a fair go and don't have to live their lives in limbo and uncertainty. If you bring that legislation to the parliament, the Greens will back you in and support it in a heartbeat. We must do better. We must give these amazing women, and the thousands more like them who were fast-tracked to unfairness by the coalition, a fair, prompt and transparent pathway to permanent protection in Australia, welcome them into our society, welcome them as fellow citizens and give them that fair place, that fair process to protect them. They deserve that much.

Senate adjourned at 19:51