Rob Mitchell
McEwen · Australian Labor Party · Australia
“As family, friends and our community gather at Hidden Valley right now, I rise to acknowledge the passing of my dear friend Jeremy Scrivens, co-founder of Love in Action in Wallan.”
“Through Love in Action, Jeremy and Sue quietly and humbly supported those facing hardship across the community. His loss will be felt by many. His family—Sue, Sarah, Michael and Ruby—have all lost a devoted husband, father and grandfather.”
“Don was a founding member of the committee for the Woodend Winter Arts Festival and played an essential role in the establishment of the words and ideas event, attracting big thinkers like Barry Jones, Don Watson and David Marr. Let me tell you, it was always a challenge to speak after one of those three.”
“I rise today to acknowledge the passing of a remarkable member of our community, Mr Don Drummond of Woodend. Don and his late wife, Sheila, were founding members of the re-established Woodend ALP branch in 2004. They welcomed members into their home with great hospitality, mulled wine and lively conversation.”
“But sadly this behaviour was becoming increasingly widespread, in part because DVA's allied health arrangements were uncapped, which allowed these businesses to claim much more for services that some veterans didn't need. So the government is making an adjustment to a $5,000 amount rather than a visit based calculation.”
“Those who need the care will get the care. It is very simple. By removing overservicing, we are restoring integrity to the system. Importantly, by doing this we increase the fees that will be paid to allied health professionals by $169 million. That means it's easier for veterans to access health care without being taken advantage of.”
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“The committee's first recommendation reiterates the Standing Committee on Agriculture's Australian food story: feeding the nation and beyond report's key recommendation—that is, the Australian government develop a comprehensive national food plan. A national food plan will provide cohesion for food policies and plans across the federal, state and local governments. Increased connections for the Australian food system will strengthen our ability to make progress together on food related issues. The inquiry found many opportunities for expanding the Australian food and beverage manufacturing sector. These include export opportunities, integrating new technologies, building on Australia's reputation and competitive advantages, and adding value to the raw products to produce high-value goods.”
“That report examined how Australia's food security could be strengthened and safeguarded, with a focus on the agricultural pre-farmgate side of food production. This inquiry looked at the next step, examining the post-farmgate manufacturing side of food production and the opportunities for expanding innovation and adding value. In response to the evidence we received throughout the inquiry, the committee developed 23 recommendations to support the Australian food and beverage manufacturing sector. Stakeholders told the committee that the lack of national and consistent direction on food policy was a problem for the industry. The policies, regulations and plans that support Australia's food system across the country can conflict or contradict each other.”
“On behalf of the Standing Committee on Industry, Science and Resources, I present the committee's report entitled Food for thought: the opportunities and challenges for Australia's food and beverage manufacturing industry , together with the minutes of proceedings. Report made a parliamentary paper in accordance with standing order 39(e). by leave—Australian food and beverages are amongst the best in the world. The food and beverage manufacturers use top-quality raw products from Australian farms to make world-class goods that are prized both domestically and abroad. The inquiry complements the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Agriculture's Australian food sto ry: feeding the nation and beyond report.”
“In accordance with standing order 216, on behalf of the Standing Committee of Privileges and Members' Interests, I present a report concerning the registration and declaration of members' interests during 2024. I would also like to thank the committee members for their collegiality in the 47th Parliament and the committee staff for their hard work and diligence. Report made a parliamentary paper in accordance with standing order 39(e).”
“I challenge people: tell me, what did you get under 10 years of Liberal government? They spent nothing and they did nothing. I've made sure all our communities in McEwen actually see the funding we need, whether it be Diamond Creek, Darraweit Guim, Wallan, Beveridge, Mernda, Doreen, Kalkallo and across the Macedon Ranges. The choice at this election is clear. Only an Albanese Labor government will invest in our community and it is the only federal Labor government that will get the job done. House adjourned at 20:00”
“Our government promised to put $90 million towards the Watson Street and Diamond interchange for the Hume. This was a project that the Liberals and Nationals have refused to commit to at every single election I have been to. Like the rest of the community, I feel a sense of urgency to get this done and get shovels in the ground ASAP to see the benefit of this massive investment. As I said, only Labor committed to and funded to see this done. All this scratches the surface of what the Albanese Labor government has invested into local roads, with more than a billion dollars invested into McEwen roads under this government to make them safer and to make travel times quicker, which is a real difference to what the Liberal government has ever done for our communities.”
“Only in this last month we announced $45 million to upgrade old Sydney Road Beveridge to Mickleham under the new suburban roads blitz, fully sealing Old Sydney Road from Camerons Lane Beveridge south to Mickleham, providing alternative access other than to the Hume Freeway. It is a direct investment into our community, giving desperately needed alternative routes for locals, not just for the Hume. Of course the Albanese Labor government is the first federal government to invest in the Yan Yean stage 2 road under the $437 million suburban roads funding package. Our community has waited far too long for this essential piece of road to be fixed. Now, through us, it is time to get it done. With the preferred contractor being announced this week, we look forward to get seeing this new project getting under way quickly.”
“As part of two Labor governments $1.2 billion road blitz package, the Prime Minister announced a huge $125 million investment for an upgrade to the Donnybrook Road and Mitchell Street intersection, delivering extra lanes, a fully signalised intersection, a new bridge over Kalkallo Creek and barriers for pedestrian safety. This investment follows on from our $7 million investment rail plan for the northern suburbs, with things like extending lines, electrification to Wallan and new stations including Beveridge. This will make sure that communities can get to work, school or home faster and safer than before.”
“The economy is turning a corner with lower inflation, rising wages and low unemployment. We have achieved all of this the Australian way, by looking after each other and working together. The budget builds on the ongoing commitment of our government to the communities of McEwen. The Liberals and Nationals, who believed that roads could be fixed by press releases, have never put their money where their mouths are. Labor has been committed to delivering for our community. Earlier this week, I had the pleasure of welcoming the Prime Minister and the minister for infrastructure out to Kalkallo to announce some pretty significant news.”
“As we saw last night, this Labor government is standing up and building a stronger Australia. Under the Albanese Labor government, the average Aussie will be able to keep more of the money they earn. Every worker will receive a tax cut. I have fought for this publicly and behind closed doors, and I'm very happy to see it delivered for our community. Additional energy bill relief will be rolled out to every household and small business in our towns and in the suburbs. Only a Labor government will invest to protect Medicare. We are delivering more bulk-billed GP visits, 50 more Medicare urgent care clinics, bringing the total to 137 nationwide, including one in Diamond Creek. We're cutting student debt. We are helping more people into a home of our own. The budget is about people.”
“Tonight, I want to highlight the ongoing commitment the Albanese Labor government has made to our communities in McEwen. For too long, under successive LNP governments, our communities were starved of funding. This meant our country roads fell to ruin, making travel across the electorate slow at best, treacherous at worst. Under those opposite, the state of Victoria only received less than eight per cent of the national infrastructure funding, leaving fast-growing areas like ours ignored. This Labor government, from our very first budget to the one delivered last night, shows that it knows where Victoria is and is here to help. Only a federal Labor government is delivering for our communities and is set on building a stronger, more resilient Australia so that every Australian has a fair go.”
“We are delivering on our electorate commitments, with $15 million to Macedon Ranges Sports Precinct, $5.5 million for Mitchell Shire roads, $5.5 million for Macedon Ranges roads, $1.5 million for the Doreen Splash Park, $1.5 million for Diamond Creek Outdoor Pool and half a million dollars for the Lower Greenhills reserve upgrade. This scratches the surface of what our government is doing, including restoring doctors' payments to make it cheaper and easier to see a doctor.”
“I'm continuing to work with local councils to push the Victorian state government to promptly use this funding to deliver these projects. As someone who does a lot of driving in the electorate, I get the frustration about the quality of our road, and I look forward to seeing the federal funding make roads safer, after nine years of neglect. We've seen mobile phone towers go up in Donnybrook, Wollert, Bulleen, Yuroke, Goldie, Woodend and two in Gisborne South, filling crucial gaps in connectivity within our community, particularly in times of disaster. I remember the coalition government making multiple appeals for ministers to look past the politics and see the real need for this funding. We even secured coalition agreements that got killed in their multiple leadership fights, leaving our community at risk.”
“With the Liberals being antiworker, with a history of not being proactive or taking responsibility, their ideology did irreversible harm to our communities, simply because they did not do their job. Since the Albanese Labor government has been elected, our area is finally getting the federal investment we need. In this term alone, we have seen record investment into the electorate. We've seen a massive commitment by the federal Albanese Labor government to create safer roads within our community, whether it be $90 million for Watson Street ramps, $280 million for the Yan Yean Road stage 2 or another $900 million for Camerons Lane interchange Beveridge Intermodal Precinct, which means jobs in our community.”
“Being a local, I've had many conversations about the need for infrastructure and ongoing investment in our community, unlike the coalition, who treat our electorate as a place to put their seat-shopping candidates from outside McEwen. They drop in, make promises, fly in, fly out, go away, and then nothing happens. Whether it was the deterioration of our roads or the collapse of government services—Victoria was cut down to seven per cent of infrastructure funding—this shows the record of the previous coalition government's inability to look after and work for our people. No-one will be better off under a coalition government. That's just a fact.”
“Talking about small business, I'll remind the member opposite that it was them, their government, that actually removed the small business asset write-off until we stood up and fought and got it back. Today, I rise as the proud member for McEwen, the community and the place where I've lived most of my adult life. As a local to our area, I was affected by the endless cuts and empty promises by successive Liberal-National governments. I spend every day driving around the roads in our electorate, spending time in our communities and watching my grandkids grow up there. I know the devastating impact the years of neglect by the Liberals have had on our community. The coalition was too busy funding things like North Sydney swimming pools under regional grants or carpark rort schemes to look after our community.”
“I'm proud to have done my apprenticeship. I went to the Collingwood TAFE—although you try to avoid anything with Collingwood! It was a great learning curve to go there and meet hundreds of different people from across the state and from similar situations, learning. Sadly, we've seen a lot of the trades disappear off our shores. I was in the footwear and clothing industry, and that's now gone overseas. There's only a handful of small manufacturers here today. We've got to bring them back if we want to end our skills crisis. We must fix up our issues in relation to supply chains; we've got to start doing more here. It's this government—the Albanese government—that's actually enabling apprenticeships in this nation.”
“We need to import workers to do the work while the training begins, but, at the same time, we're got those opposite saying that we shouldn't be doing that either. They don't want to train people. They don't want to bring people in to do the job. But they'll sit there and complain about a housing crisis that they were very heavily involved in starting in the first place. The housing crisis didn't start on 22 May; it started a long time ago. But it really raised its head in 2017, and those opposite put their heads in the sand and did nothing about it. Supporting apprenticeships is so important for a whole range of things. The member for Hunter went through before the different trades that people need. When we look at every facet of life, we've got great apprentices that have been trained and gone on to successful careers.”
“That's why it's important that we've committed to the $10,000 incentive payment for Australians going through construction apprenticeships—because we have a crisis in housing in this country, a crisis that started back in late 2017. It was at that time that we were talking about a housing crisis. I think the words used by those opposite were 'get rich parents'. I remember that strongly; under Turnbull, it was 'get rich parents'. That was your way to get a house. That was their excuse. The Leader of the Opposition is living testament to this; the only way he could get a house was through rich parents. But not everyone has rich parents. The opportunity to learn a trade, go out, forge your own career and build in this country was savagely cut over the nearly six years that they were in government. That has become a national disgrace.”
“If you were into automotive, you could go to Seymore College or Whittlesea—same as you could go to Whittlesea, Broadford or other places to learn about building. That's a generation of children that went through school, became adults and didn't get access to the great support of TAFE or to the educational opportunities that they could have had if the former government not blown the budget that badly and destroyed training in Victoria and across the nation. The importance of TAFE can never be underestimated. It's there for a fantastic reason—the opportunity to help kids build a great future and then have a great career.”
“And we know what happened with the automotive sector, when Joe Hockey stood in parliament and pushed Holden out of Australia while his Liberal mate in Victoria, Dave Hodgett, was sitting in the foyer at GMH trying to support the automotive industry. That's what we had. They did not care about trades. They never have, and they never will. We wouldn't have the shortage we have if they'd kept trade training centres open, with the ability for kids in country areas to actually access trades and utilise different services at different schools. Assumption College had a fantastic commercial kitchen, so those that were learning the culinary trades could go there, no matter what school they went to.”
“We saw, during the Morrison-Turnbull-Abbott mess, the important issues that people faced through the dodginess of some of the RTOs that were costing millions of dollars and not delivering anything. If trade training was important to those opposite, why would they shut down trade training centres like, in my home state of Victoria, a trade training centre that actually encompassed the use of independent and public schools to train kids in things like building, construction—the workforce shortage we've had, which has helped create the mess that we were left with when we came into government—and automotive.”
“It's important right across all fields, no matter what field you look at, which is why I shake my head when I listen to those opposite talking down TAFE and saying, 'It's no good; we should look at registered training providers.' Well, during the Morrison-Turnbull-Abbott mess we saw the important issues that people faced through the dodginess of some of the RTOs that were costing millions of dollars and not delivering anything. It's important right across, no matter what fields you look at, which is why I shake my head when I listen to those opposite talking down TAFE, saying that it's no good and that we should look at registered training providers.”
“As one of the few members of parliament who actually went from school straight into a trade, I can testify to the importance of apprenticeships, especially for young Australians to establish themselves in a workforce and as an opportunity further educate yourself. Some of the best lessons I've learnt, even in this place, were learnt on the factory floor when dealing with migrants and the unfair treatment that they received during that time. You also start to realise the importance of apprenticeships and how short-changed they are. They're working for sometimes 25 to 30 per cent less than the person standing next to them doing exactly the same job. Labor has long been the party for the worker and for training, and TAFE is so important.”
“I want to commend Liam O'Brien from the ACTU for taking the time to bring people out to meet me and to tell their stories—to hear their stories and hear firsthand what it means to suffer from something that you had no idea was in the air. It's through that work of the unions, through the ACTU, that stand up and say, 'We've got to get this fixed.' They came to us, they spoke to us and we immediately swung into action to get things done, because this government believes that, when you go to work in the morning, you should go to a safe workplace and you should be able to come back home safe. With that, I commend this bill to the House.”
“These statistics are emblematic of why the Australian government needs to continue to be proactive in preventing engineered stone coming to our country and putting workers at risk. It's only a Labor government that will stand up for workers. It is in stark contrast to the opposition, with a leader that consistently votes against criminalising wage theft, promises free lunch to businesses and swans around on private jets funded by the richest CEOs. It shows that the coalition simply don't understand working Australians and the challenges they face. Here, our government, the Albanese Labor government, is building Australia's future. It shows that we see the issues and that we care about protecting workers.”
“It's pretty clear why we need to be proactive in responding to this disease, because of the devastating and debilitating effects on workers. A Curtin University study shows that between 80,000 and 100,000 people may have silicosis. The Cancer Council estimates that roughly 600,000 workers have the potential for exposure each year across a wide range of industries, whether it's cutting marble for fancy benchtops or from the dust from the rocks cut in mines. Silicosis is not often diagnosed until it's in its advanced stages. Approximately 350 Australians contract silicosis each year. But, of that, around 230 people are diagnosed with the advanced prognosis. The ABC report I mentioned earlier noted that a surveillance program in New South Wales missed over 200 workers.”
“Over time, inhaling silica dust causes inflammation, which leads to scarring of the lung tissue, which then causes stiffening of the lungs, making it difficult to breathe. Silica dust particles are 100 times smaller than a grain of sand—so small you can't see them with the naked eye. If inhaled, these particles become trapped and will cause irritation throughout the lungs, causing an irritation that the immune system cells will try to attack. The attack will be unsuccessful and cause the immune system cells to die, which then causes inflammation and scar tissue in the lungs. The development of scar tissue inhibits a person's ability to breathe, showing the signs of silicosis and, in severe cases, autoimmune disease.”
“Jurisdictions have also taken immediate steps to address the increase in silicosis, including through legislative changes, development of codes of practice, education, awareness campaigns and compliance awards, and the establishment of a collaborative mechanism such as the heads of WorkSafe's working group on silicosis. This is all good work, but we need to maintain the momentum and ensure the safety of workers. With all that said, let's go back to the basics of what we're talking about here. Silicosis is a lung disease mainly caused by inhaling silica, a mineral commonly found in certain rocks and soil. Silica dust is created when cutting, drilling, grinding or polishing certain types of stone, rock, sand and clay.”
“Too many young Australian workers are diagnosed with this preventable illness, and they are suffering an entirely preventable death. Dust-borne diseases impact workers from a wide range of industries: construction, manufacturing, tunnelling, mining and quarrying. Sadly, we know that the numbers will rise, given workers' exposure to a very high level of crystalline silica in the engineered-stone industry since the early 2000s. Medical experts warned that the time it takes from exposure to the time of diagnosis means the number of cases will likely increase over the next few years. Work is already being undertaken by Safe Work Australia to address silicosis.”
“On 1 July 2024 we joined with states and territories to implement the world's first prohibition of the use, manufacture, supply, processing and installation of these engineered-stone benchtops, panels and slabs in Australia. These are all steps taken by our government to reduce the rate of silicosis and related diseases, because without the measures that our government introduced, the rates of silicosis and other respiratory diseases are unacceptably high. Back in 2023 an ABC report showed that, despite increased awareness, many Australians are still missing out on the diagnosis. The dust-borne diseases are preventable, yet it was shown that bosses, bad workplace practices and a lack of oversight were putting workers at risk.”
“This will cause an increase in the volume of seized goods required to be stored and associated work and will affect ABF's capacity to effectively regulate and administer other operations. The legislation streamlines the logistic and administrative tasks related to managing seizures for the intended new engineered-stone prohibition. It will allow for more-efficient compliance processes. Another important factor about this legislation is that, while it will have exponential effects on health and safety conditions for workers, it is only importers who are still attempting to import engineered stone containing the crystalline silica and have the prohibited goods seized who will be affected this change. And I'd like to remind the House that this amendment we are debating today is just one of the steps we've taken to address this.”
“Labor's commitment to ongoing industrial reform continues to be at the forefront of our agenda—something the coalition fight at every single turn. While they say they're for the Australian worker, they're really for their mates who supply the private jets and the fat wallets. This change is needed not only to protect Australian workers but also to make sure our Border Force and Customs have mechanisms and processes that deal with the product that will not compromise their ability to effectively manage other priorities at our border. It's important because it's a bulk good, and the government recognises the practical challenges of management of seized engineered stone products. This amendment seeks to combat the importation of engineered stone.”
“To ensure the effectiveness of these measures, the Australian government has committed $32.1 million of funding over two years, as highlighted in the 2024-25 budget. The Customs Amendment (Expedited Seizure and Disposal of Engineered Stone) Bill 2024 is a key component required to support the proposed prohibition. The amendments in this bill would support ABF's operational effectiveness by allowing ABF officers to more efficiently administer and dispose of seized engineered stone at the border. It's building on previous policies that the Albanese Labor government has implemented to protect Australian workers, like the National Occupational Respiratory Disease Registry Bill, because only a Labor government will stand up and fight for workers.”
“And this legislation does prevent greedy businesses from putting their workers at risk and into vulnerable positions to suffer the consequences of this disease, closing loopholes that put Australians at risk by prohibiting illegal importation. The ban complements the government's work on Australia's domestic ban under the WHS laws, because now all engineered stone in Australia is manufactured overseas and imported. That's why the Albanese government is acting decisively to add more layers of deterrence at the border, giving Border Force more mechanisms to prevent this silent killer from slipping through the cracks and doing irreversible damage to people. Regulation to enact the import prohibition is currently under development.”
“Understandably, she talked about her anger when she said: I fear this will affect my life and my family's life and I am angry. I should never have been exposed to this disease. Since then, I have been on the tail of this, writing to ministers, lobbying, working in the government for reform. I'm pleased to report that this government has not rested in our attempts to protect Australian workers and to make sure no worker is subject to the long and agonising deaths that are linked to silicosis and silica related diseases. With cooperation with states and territories, we have implemented a world-first prohibition on use, manufacture, supply, processing and installation of engineered stone benchtops, panels and slabs that cause these diseases.”
“As I said the last time we spoke on the Customs Amendment (Expedited Seizure and Disposal of Engineered Stone) Bill 2024, Joanna told me how she was going through her problems and what it meant for her and her daughter's future. She contracted silicosis while working in a quarry in Montrose, where she worked in admin and did some of the more hands-on work. She said: No matter where you were in the plant you would be exposed to dust. It would be all over your clothes and skin. There was no escaping it. There was no protection for the workers who were doing an honest day's work for an honest day's pay. She talked about how there was no information about the danger from her employer. Despite it being a multinational company, there was no education and no warning about the risk.”
“How could she be fine for the rest of her life and have a rapid decline in her standard of living? She said: 'At the moment I feel healthy, but I don't know if that will be the case in one year, let alone five years or 10 years. For a young mum of two kids, that terrifies me.' Debate interrupted.”
“I have also met and listened to workers who are suffering with the disease that affects their lungs. I'm passionate for this essential change because, when the delegation from the Australian Council of Trade Unions came into my office to share their stories, it became pretty clear that this epidemic of work related diseases was having a devastating impact across Australian communities. The story that I remember very strongly was one from Joanna. After returning from maternity leave, Joanna was asked to undergo a fit-for-work test. The test result changed her life, and not in a good way. The 34-year-old mother of two girls was diagnosed with silicosis. When she talked about it in my office, she explained how the unknown was the terrifying part. There is no cure and there are no clear steps to show how the illness will progress.”
“We have seen the dangers and long-lasting consequences workers can have from working with this product and, while we have made domestic changes, this Customs Amendment (Expedited Seizure and Disposal of Engineered Stone) Bill 2024 gives the Australian government methods to dispose of engineered stone effectively. It prevents a gap that businesses who don't care much for their workers could exploit by importing these materials into this country, leaving the average working Australian and their loved ones vulnerable to the effects of the associated dangerous diseases. Along with my colleagues, I have met people who have been impacted directly by this dreadful disease, throughout this and the last term of parliament. I have listened to workers who have seen friends and families impacted by this insidious disease firsthand.”
“I'm proud to continue to speak and advocate for the end of the use of engineered stone in this country. This legislation is another step to protect Australian workers. The Albanese Labor government believes that every Australian should have the right to go to work and return home safely. A big part of this is making sure Australian workers are protected from the risks of life-threatening diseases. This government has taken massive steps to protect Australian workers from the harms of working with engineered stone and the resulting silicosis and silica related diseases.”
“My question is to the Minister for Immigration and Multicultural Affairs. What has the Albanese Labor government done to get rid of dodgy visa programs, and are there any proposals that would undermine the system?”
“I know that for each one of those towns there are probably hundreds of them around the country as well. The other thing that's important about this bill is around moving in relation to tobacco and vapes, in particular, and the issues there. The bill also changes the timeframe during which Medicare claims for bulk-billed services may be made. The minister will keep discretion on how that service works. It's also important to note that what this is about is strengthening the integrity of Medicare and making sure that wherever you are, you will get access to doctors. You will get access to healthcare professionals. It's so important that this bill passes the House in a hasty manner.”
“It's one of the most important things that we do, and the protection of Medicare is something that Australians value because Medicare means that we all get the opportunity to go and see a doctor or a nurse practitioner, who do great work, when we need to. But we've got to make sure we've got governments that back that in. The importance of having governments back that in means that we will get things like our superclinics and the change of the Monash medical rating done. In one town in McEwen, if you live at No. 82 and set up a practice, you're MM 2. If you go in at No. 84, you're on MM 3. It's a bizarre set-up. It's one small, little town, but a street divides the different ratings. I know that the health minister has been working diligently on this and I understand that it's not as simple an issue as just moving a line.”
“This year, as we head to the election, we'll be fighting very hard to get an urgent care clinic into the seat of McEwen. We know the importance of that. Through the redistribution, we've now lost our only hospital in that seat. It's now gone into Nicholls, so make sure you look after it, mate. It's a good hospital with great people, and they've done great service for years. But we need to get those services into those growing areas, throughout the northern suburbs, through Kalkallo and all the way up to Wallan, to be able to have services available. There are areas in the north-east of the electorate, like Diamond Creek and out that way, that also have difficulty getting access to doctors and health care.”
“As the member for Moreton said, there are a lot of new businesses these days that have started up. They're big companies that run medical practitioners and that actually do work doctors to the bone, and I don't think they treat them fairly. We see that happening in areas such as Mernda, where nearly every single practice is now owned by one company, and then they remove bulk-billing. That makes it hard for people who are doing it tough. And, of course, as anyone that's had kids knows, kids don't fall sick between nine and five. It's usually three in the morning when it's freezing cold and it's all a problem, and you've got to then travel for miles to try and find access to a medical professional. That's part of the reason those superclinic programs were so successful.”
“One of the first things we did when we got into government was address the workforce shortages after we had a committee, chaired by my friend and former colleague Peta Murphy, on the shortage of doctors in outer suburban and regional areas. We found that, for some stupid reason, those opposite wanted to treat areas like Wallan and Whittlesea the same as Brighton and Elsternwick. We still have that issue today of the hangover where we can't get doctors out. We're working closely with the states and with our local providers to actually get more doctors into our region. You should be able to see a doctor when and where you need to, and we should see more work being available for nurse practitioners. We should be able to see that, no matter where you are, you can get access to quality health care in your area when you need that service.”
“It's a slightly bizarre concept, but that's what you get with those sitting in the modern Liberal Party these days. There was a time when, as the member for Moreton said, Medicare was a bipartisan issue, where people worked together and actually did that. But the change we've seen in the Liberal Party, which has pushed itself further and further to the knuckle draggers on the right, has meant that they've taken that away. That's why we see so many of these small-l liberal seats now occupied by Independents, because those Liberal members who would support free health care and unified health care and who have a social conscience have been pushed aside. It's a terrible thing we see happening. That's why it's important that we keep a government that actually cares about Medicare and cares about our doctors.”
“In the work I used to do with Ambulance Victoria I saw firsthand the ability of people to work in high-pressure, emergency and life-threatening situations. The care and compassion they showed was second to none. But, of course, we had 10 years when Medicare was attacked. There was an attempt to turn it into a profit-driven exercise through a GP tax by what the Australian Medical Association referred to as 'the worst health minister in living memory'. He is, of course, now the Leader of the Opposition. That leopard ain't changing its spots. We know that those opposite have no interest in protecting Medicare as an opportunity where it's your Medicare card that gets you service, not your credit card, as they don't think you'd value that service. They don't think Australians value Medicare if it's free.”
“It has been open since we built it in 2013, but technically it was never opened, because the leader and deputy leader of the Liberal Party, who were the health ministers at the time, didn't want to do an official opening. That was because they could then stand back and say Labor had never delivered their 22 superclinics. That was the pettiness we had under the Abbott-Turnbull-Morrison mess. It's beyond belief that you wouldn't officially open something because you wanted to use it as a political opportunity. It talks about just what those opposite think of Medicare and of our medical profession. As the member for Moreton rightly said, most of our doctors, nurses and health professionals are exemplary people and do absolutely amazing work.”