Melissa Price
Durack · Liberal Party · Australia
“That dream is born out of the pride they have in watching their current sporting heroes on the national and international stage created by major sporting events. I turn now to the legislation before us, the Major Sporting Events (Indicia and Images) Protection Act 2014.”
“However, whilst some may claim that it might create efficiencies, it does so by trading off on transparency. Members of parliament will only see the decisions once they are law. This debate is not whether indicia or images should be protected or not, because they already are, and, of course, we all agree they should be protected.”
“These include the 2020 Women's T20 World Cup, the 2022 Men's T20 World Cup and the record-breaking 2023 Women's World Cup. There are also other major events in the future to be recognised by this act, such as the 2027 Rugby World Cup, the 2028 Men's T20 World Cup and the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.”
“When our athletes wear the green and gold, they carry millions of Australians with them literally on their back. The merchandise worn in stadiums, around the world and in schoolyards are symbols of aspiration and of national pride.”
“In Senate estimates, Australian Sports Commission CEO, Kieren Perkins—another superstar—confirmed that circa 2,000 athletes currently receive direct athlete support. However, they have no certainty that their scholarships will continue beyond today.”
“Instead of backing grassroots sport, Labor is more interested in protecting their bottom line and creating more uncertainty for the organisations delivering these programs. The coalition supports the protection of indicia and images for major sporting events.”
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“We will be watching very early from Western Australia, and I know that the Socceroos will give it everything. They will give it all and make Australia proud. Come on Socceroos. Aussie, Aussie, Aussie!”
“When our athletes wear the green and gold, they carry millions of Australians with them literally on their back. The merchandise worn in stadiums, around the world and in schoolyards are symbols of aspiration and of national pride. The fabulous international sporting events that Australia has hosted and will be hosting in the future must be protected to continue to inspire the next generation of sporting stars. While the debate here this evening in this chamber is about process and legislative structure, the impacts will be felt beyond parliament. It will be felt in backyards, on school ovals and by every Australian who dreams of representing Australia. I'd like to close by taking this opportunity to wish the Socceroos all the very best against Egypt this Saturday.”
“Instead of backing grassroots sport, Labor is more interested in protecting their bottom line and creating more uncertainty for the organisations delivering these programs. The coalition supports the protection of indicia and images for major sporting events. The government has not made a clear case as to why the parliament should lose transparency and concentrate powers into the executive and the minister of the day. I note that the scrutiny of bills committee will convene tomorrow to consider this bill, and I will be monitoring the progress with interest. This is about more than just legislation; this is about protecting the integrity of events that inspire our young Australians to dream about playing on the MCG or at Wimbledon.”
“Programs such as Sporting Schools, Play Well, Local Para Champions and Local Sporting Champions are all facing uncertainty beyond the next 12 months. The Sporting School program has two million children participating in free after-school sport this year alone. The government wants to strip the ongoing funding for these programs, slashing the sporting grants budget from $330 million in 2025-26 to $151 million in 2029-30, by almost half. These programs help millions, particularly young Australians, stay active, connected and involved in sport. By cutting support for community, school and disability sport programs, families and local clubs across regional Western Australia will be hit particularly hard.”
“In Senate estimates, Australian Sports Commission CEO, Kieren Perkins—another superstar—confirmed that circa 2,000 athletes currently receive direct athlete support. However, they have no certainty that their scholarships will continue beyond today. These are athletes who have been asked to make major career and education decisions with no idea if they will continue to be supported by their government. With the next Olympics just two years away and Brisbane on the horizon, this is disgraceful, and we should do better. In contrast, the US and China both operate on multi-year funding cycles to give their coaches and athletes genuine long-term certainty. Adding further weight to this, the government has dealt a $182 million blow to grassroots sport.”
“These include the 2020 Women's T20 World Cup, the 2022 Men's T20 World Cup and the record-breaking 2023 Women's World Cup. There are also other major events in the future to be recognised by this act, such as the 2027 Rugby World Cup, the 2028 Men's T20 World Cup and the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games. I am sure many Australians are counting down for these events, as am I—events that will unite our great nation once again. Australians—well, we all know they love their sport, but they love their sporting stars even more. Australians expect their government to do all it can to help our sporting stars to reach their potential. Sadly, the Albanese government has a poor track record when it comes to supporting our sporting stars, often leaving them in the lurch.”
“However, whilst some may claim that it might create efficiencies, it does so by trading off on transparency. Members of parliament will only see the decisions once they are law. This debate is not whether indicia or images should be protected or not, because they already are, and, of course, we all agree they should be protected. The debate is on the philosophy of legislating. The key theme of legislating is that all laws should be placed in primary legislation, in the power of the legislature, unless it is critical to do otherwise. There has been no argument made by the government as to why it is critical to change the legislative process within this amendment bill. Under this current act, Australia has hosted numerous major sporting events that have been legislated under this act.”
“That dream is born out of the pride they have in watching their current sporting heroes on the national and international stage created by major sporting events. I turn now to the legislation before us, the Major Sporting Events (Indicia and Images) Protection Act 2014. This act protects the commercial rights associated with major sporting events in Australia, protecting against fake merchandising. This bill amends the act by changing the process by which a major sporting event will be recognised. It does so by proposing that events are recognised by a delegated instrument, moving power from the parliament and instead giving power to the executive. The government claims this bill modernises legislation to recognise a future major sporting event via a disallowable legislative instrument, making the process more efficient.”
“Whilst there was plenty of joy and excitement in those celebrations, I sensed that there was also relief—relief that after all those years of training, using every spare hour to pursue the dream of representing Australia at the World Cup, the dream finally became a reality. No matter where the players are from, their backgrounds or their beliefs, they were proud to be wearing the green and gold on the world stage, and we were, and continue to be, proud of them. Young Australians right across Australia are dreaming of their own moment of sporting glory. Little do they know that among them is the next Nat Fyfe or Ariarne Titmus or Pat Cummins, or even the next Cathy Freeman or Ash Barty.”
“I rise to speak on the Major Sporting Events (Indicia and Images) Protection Amendment Bill 2026. The one thing that unites Australians—and even more so here in Parliament House—is sport. Whether it be AFL, rugby, basketball, cricket or soccer, Australians certainly know how to unite and to barrack for their team. The current FIFA World Cup has shown this. Whether you were in Fed Square in Melbourne, at the local tavern in a regional community or in the office last Friday at lunchtime, Australians everywhere united behind the Socceroos to get them through to the next round, the round of 32. The celebrations of the players when the full-time whistle was blown were inspiring and proved that we are at our best when we are united.”
“Recognising the challenges of young men does not discredit the challenges faced by young women. If we're serious about reducing the rates of male suicide, domestic violence and coercive control while promoting positive masculinity, we must be equally serious about supporting Australian men and boys to thrive. We need meaningful investment in programs teaching self-care, respect, accountability and healthy relationships. We have to invest in our men and our boys to be able to build safer and happier communities.”
“These include but are not limited to women veterans, the homeless, immigrants, the elderly, the youth, welfare recipients and Indigenous Australians. We need to recognise the real challenges facing Australian males and ensure they have a dedicated voice and a dedicated seat within cabinet and government. The federal government has acknowledged men and their contributions to society with the appointment of a special envoy for men's health. However, an envoy is not a minister and can be merely symbolic. I do want to acknowledge that the member for Hunter, who is the current envoy, has done important advocacy work in this role. However, the challenges faced by men and boys are greater than an advisory role. Supporting men does not come at the expense of supporting women.”
“Seventy-nine per cent of family and domestic violence offenders are male, and the male offender rate is almost four times higher than the female offender rate. These figures represent families under pressure. Women are living in fear, and children are growing up in unsafe environments and learning from poor examples and role models, including in our most remote communities where support can be really hard to access. So the question has to be asked. What do we do about it? How do we support our men to be better men? How do we help men to be the best version of themselves, especially with their mental health? I have often wondered whether a federal minister for men and boys was part of the solution. There are numerous ministers representing the humanitarian portfolios within the federal government, and rightly so.”
“As the federal member for Durack—I'm sure I can say this for everyone who's in this House today, including the Speaker—I constantly come across very fine examples of positive masculinity, whether they be men volunteering at the local fire brigade, helping out at the local footy club or the local surf club, working for a not-for-profit or big business, in local government or are a fellow politician. Put plainly, they're just good blokes. Sadly, the other side of the coin is the rise in domestic violence and coercive control. The data shows we simply cannot look away. In Western Australia, there were 11,908 offenders prosecuted for family and domestic violence related offences in 2024-25. This was an increase of 20 per cent from the previous year. These offenders now represent 28 per cent of all offenders in Western Australia.”
“For regional, rural and remote WA, it was revealed last year by the WA Mental Health Commission that, between 2018 and 2023, suicide rates increased by 20 per cent whilst at the same time they fell by 17 per cent in Perth—some good news. For families across Durack, these are not mere numbers and statistics. Each death by suicide is a loved family and community member. Poor mental health, of course, does not always lead to suicide. It can also lead to other destructive behaviours. We've seen the rise of the likes of Andrew Tate on social media, brainwashing our young men into toxic masculinity. We need more encouragement by governments and society of positive masculinity. Too often, the discussions we have about men and masculinity are negative. Too often, it is wrong to be masculine.”
“Last week was Men's Health Week, an important acknowledgement of the need to break the stigma that prevents men from seeking help when they need it. The week challenges the 'tough it out' culture, promoting early intervention, open conversations and stress management. This event is especially important to me as the representative for some of the most vulnerable men and boys in this country. According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics suicides data, the suicide rate for males living in remote areas is more than double the rate of males living in major cities. Tragically, Western Australia's suicide rate is the highest standardised rate in the country.”
“They don't care for Australians, especially our older Australians. They don't want us to get ahead. They do not want to support everyday Australians—just cutting them down, piece by piece, taxing them harder and making life harder and harder. We all know that Australians deserve much more. They deserve a government that keeps its promises, takes responsibility when it falls short and puts the cost of living front and centre. That is what we will do. (Time expired)”
“Our senior citizens have done exactly what they were told to do: work hard, take out your private health insurance, go without something else just to make sure you've got the cover you need to make sure we keep the pressure off our public health queues. Labor wants to prioritise politics and reduce the private health rebate for senior Australians. It is shameful. Effectively it's a 21 per cent increase for essential health care for our older Australians. I've heard from seniors who are on fixed incomes that it is going to be nearly impossible to keep their private health insurance while managing rising living costs. So many of my constituents in Durack are choosing between keeping their insurance and paying for essentials like groceries and electricity. There is a consistent theme here with this government.”
“Let's face it: Labor's budget is in tatters, and now the government is planning to plug some of these bad policy holes. Well, these carve outs are not going to fix the problems. Across regional Western Australia, small businesses are unable to attract workers, because there is nowhere for them to live. Severe housing shortages are costing businesses and preventing regional communities from thriving. Further to this, in the middle of a cost-of-living crisis, this government has hit our older Australians with more cost increases. How can they claim to be doing everything they can to help Australians when people over the age of 65 are now paying more for private health cover? It is such a callous and uncaring government.”
“In the last four years Labor have done nothing on housing or housing affordability. They pretended it was not a problem until this recent budget, when they had to act as if something was being done by breaking more promises, introducing their toxic taxes on housing. We saw the Labor spin machine go into overdrive, trying to sell the changes to the capital gains tax and negative gearing as a positive for housing, when in fact Labor's own budget papers clearly stated that there would be 35,000 fewer homes available, not more, and higher rents as a result. Remember, this is the Prime Minister who promised there would be no change to negative gearing. It is time for the government and the Prime Minister to take responsibility for their blatant mistruths and for misleading Australians.”
“This is not the outcome that Australians were promised, and it is yet another example of a government failing to deliver on its commitments. Families are feeling the pinch right across Australia. Small businesses are finding it harder and harder to keep their doors open and are being offered no relief by the Albanese government. The result: 41,000 small-business closures under this Prime Minister. In the last sitting week the government had the opportunity to give Australians a bigger automatic income tax cut. Instead, they voted against the coalition's tax-back guarantee 11 times. Labor talks about cost-of-living relief, but in this chamber, only two weeks ago, they voted to make Australians pay more. In fact, Labor's secret inflation tax will cost taxpayers $200 billion more. It's shameful.”
“I rise today to support the motion moved by the member for Fadden. Under the Albanese Labor government, Australia has gone backwards, and families are struggling more than ever. Our living standards have fallen more than any other developed country, according to the OECD. We know that inflation is out of control, fuelled by Labor's spending addiction, resulting in 15 interest rate rises under this Prime Minister. And it is that spending addiction which is pushing our national debt towards $1 trillion. At the 2022 election, Labor promised that our power bills would be $275 lower by 2025. The Prime Minister repeated that promise countless times, but Australians know the reality: instead of cheaper energy, households are facing rising electricity costs and continued financial pressure.”
“The council has been unable to include the road in their restoration plan due to it being on land owned by the Department of Defence. Work is yet to begin to reinstate access to the beach and ramp, and there's a real fear in the community that access changes to Bundegi will be permanent. This is incredibly unfair. So I implore the Department of Defence to begin work immediately to restore it. This is a Defence town. You need the community support.”
“I recently visited Exmouth to see how the recovery from Tropical Cyclone Narelle was progressing, and I was pleased to hear that the shire has commenced their local operational recovery plan to help locals with the clean up. An area of immense frustration for locals has been the recent closure of access to Bundegi Beach and the boat ramp. This has been a popular recreational area for families for many years. Swimming, snorkelling, kayaking—you name it—it is Paradise. It was originally created by the US Department of Defense for service personnel and their families. Thankfully, Cyclone Narelle did minimal damage to Bundegi Beach and the ramp. However, the access road to the beach will require some patching and sand clearance to restore the road.”
“When Western Australians—or any Australian for that matter—take a risk and invest in projects such as these, rather than overseas investors, every ordinary Australian benefits. These projects contribute thousands of jobs and millions in taxation and royalties. But it's not just me who believes that we should avoid disincentivising our junior explorers. Labor's Western Australian Premier, Roger Cook said: We do not want to disincentivise exploration in our mining industry … which are essential for bringing these mega projects to life. Mineral investors want a carve out for these CGT changes, but you can't fix these toxic taxes with carve outs. You need to scrap them, which is what a coalition government will do.”
“Labor's toxic taxes are taking more victims every day. Today I want to focus on our junior mineral explorers. Our junior miners are very dear to me, as a child of Kalgoorlie, in the eastern Goldfields. Junior explorers play a critical role in identifying new mineral deposits. Labor's tax changes are not just hitting the big end of town; they are attacking mums and dads who traditionally invest in emerging WA mining projects. Those who invest in junior miners are funding the riskiest stage of nation building. They are making the hardest bet in the mining pipeline—taking a risk, just trying to get ahead, with the awareness that most exploration projects fail. But it has been mum and dad investors helping to fund some of the most important recent mineral discoveries in WA, including the Hemi gold deposit and the Kathleen Valley lithium mine.”
“Not one person in Australia voted for the higher taxes that passed this lower house today. What we have is a gutless and weak prime minister who is loose with the truth. If you truly wanted lower taxes for all Australians, those opposite would have got on board and voted for the coalition's tax-back guarantee.”
“Labor members today had the chance to vote for bigger and better tax cuts by backing the coalition's tax-back guarantee. Instead, they voted to keep taking more of working Australian wages to fuel their spending addiction. How can those members opposite possibly go back to their electorates and face their constituents? How can they look Australians in the eye and tell them that Labor is helping them? How will members opposite break the news to their constituents that Labor is taxing them $80 billion more? Labor will deliver fewer houses, not more. Labor has abandoned small business, our tradies and our hairdressers. Labor has decided young people don't deserve the same opportunities as our prime minister had to get ahead to create a nest egg. What we've seen from Labor these past few weeks has been nothing but deceit and dishonesty.”
“If the Prime Minister is serious about making life better for Australians, he should instead be focusing on repealing his toxic taxes, repealing his changes to negative gearing and capital gains tax, and ending his death tax. The Prime Minister should be backing small business by making the $50,000 instant asset write-off permanent for any small business with a turnover of less than $10 million. The coalition will back us everyday Australians every day. We know what Labor does.”
“We know that small business owners are fearing for their future. Regional Western Australians feel attacked—just think about our farmers. And no-one is buying the spin that you are putting out there. So it is all a shambles. People can see it for what it is: a shameless tax grab, with no return for everyday Australians. Labor, through their broken-promise taxes on housing, small business and savings, will raise a whopping $80 billion more in taxes. Just think of that: $80 billion more, from Australians. Why does Labor need so much tax? Why do they need to tax Australians so much? It's because they can't control their spending and they think they can win votes by spending in certain places. It is incredibly cynical. And the Prime Minister, he wants to keep himself in the Lodge. We know that's just shameless.”
“Don't just go about putting up TikTok posts, talking them down and telling them what to think and what to feel—that's not going to save you from the wrath of young entrepreneurs, investors and workers, because they know their own mind and they know what they're seeing over there. They know exactly what they're seeing. But it's not just young people. Senior Australians hate it as well. Maybe that's because, for their private health cover, the tax rebate will be decreased, and they know the only reason Labor is doing that is because Labor has made an assessment: 'Oh, you know what? Those people over 65—they're not going to be around long. But, by the way, they don't vote for us anyway.' It is very, very cynical. And guess what? Older Australians, senior Australians, have seen right through the Labor government.”
“For a typical worker it's a tax cut of $250 in the first year, $500 in the second, $750 in the third and $1,000 in the fourth, protecting all taxpayers by 2031-32. The Albanese government's tax cuts? Well, they'll be wiped out by Christmas, because of their active inflation agenda. The coalition has always been the party of lower taxes, less red tape and, quite frankly, just better economic management. We have a clear plan to fund this tax back guarantee: ending Labor's corporate welfare, ending Labor's climate and housing bureaucracy and limiting future access to welfare and the NDIS to Australian citizens. Prime Minister, you cannot ignore what Australians are saying. Your budget—well, it's a shambles. And young Australians? They hate it. You don't understand them. They are ambitious. And they will punish you.”
“It's impossible for them to escape it, whether it's at the supermarket, or in their mortgage, or in their tax bill through bracket creep. And does the government want to do anything about it? Well, no—no, the government does not, because, when Labor runs out of money, we know—the choir sings—they come after yours. On this side of the House, we want Australians to keep more of what they earn—a very simple proposition. This will be done through our tax back guarantee. Income tax thresholds will be indexed to inflation, ensuring Australians are not taxed more just because of price rises. Now this is proper generational and right tax reform: automatic tax cuts, that get bigger every year, to help with the cost of living. So what are we talking about?”
“Thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker, for the call. I do rise to speak on the MPI moved by the shadow treasurer today. This certainly is a matter of public importance to all Australians. Since the Albanese government came to power, four long years ago, Australia's economy has gone backwards. And let me tell you: everyday Australians have been the ones feeling the brunt of this. Living standards have fallen, energy prices are rising, inflation is out of control and interest rates continue to rise—all of this because of Labor Party policies. The simple fact is: Labor does not care for Australians. They can try and spin it as much as they like, and promise the world to all of us—all Australians. But the fact is that they simply do not care. Labor's inflation is like that thief in the night, stealing from Australians.”
“We will make the $50,000 instant asset write-off permanent for any business with a turnover of less than $10 million. When a small business invests, it grows. And when a small business grows—well, Australia grows with it. The difference between the coalition and Labor is clear. While Labor wants to move Australia away from being an ambitious nation, we want more ambition. We want young Australians to be able to get ahead, small businesses to grow and older Australians to have the support they need and deserve after a lifetime of hard work. We believe that, if you work hard, you should keep more of what you earn. That is why we will repeal Labor's taxes and give all Australians a fair tax system. I thank the House.”
“Everybody in this House values the contribution of migrants. We've all come from somewhere else. But without a secure home to come to, it cannot be a great start to a life in Australia for new migrants. The key to getting more people into a home is more supply. That is why we will establish a $5 billion housing infrastructure fund to unlock up to 400,000 homes, funding critical last-mile infrastructure such as water, sewerage, power and access to roads. The National Construction Code will be simplified, ending red tape, making it easier—not harder, easier—for building companies to build more homes and cutting the cost of a first home by up to $70,000. The coalition will always back small businesses and startups. We see the value of small business and want to help small businesses grow, not stall.”
“The capital gains tax changes, negative gearing changes and the hidden death tax will all be gone. The more you tax, the less you get—less housing, less saving, less investment, less small business. We will always back aspiration and reward for hard work, starting with the scrapping of these taxes. The coalition has always prioritised homeownership and wants to put it back at the centre of Australian values. We will restore common sense to migration and housing by only bringing in as many people as we can house. A coalition government will cap net overseas migration each year based on how many new homes are completed. Never again will we have a migration program that brings in more people than what our housing can support. It simply doesn't make sense. The coalition values the contribution of migrants. Of course we do.”
“The coalition wants to give Australians a greater tax cut—one that is not wiped out by Christmas. We call on the Albanese government to agree to our proposed amendment. Why not? You want to give Australians more of a tax cut. Here's a chance to show that you really do believe in tax cuts for all Australians. Under our tax-back guarantee, the coalition will index income tax thresholds to inflation so that Australians are not taxed simply because prices have gone up. We believe that when you earn your money, risk your money and save your money, you should get to keep it. From 2028-29, a coalition government will index the bottom two income tax thresholds to inflation, delivering relief of around $250 in year 1, growing to $1,000 a year by year 4. Now that is generational tax reform. A coalition government will repeal Labor's toxic taxes.”
“Older Australians on fixed pensions are telling me it is becoming nearly impossible to keep their private health insurance while managing the rising cost of living. Many are being forced to choose between keeping their insurance and paying for essentials like heating and groceries. There is a consistent theme in this budget. Labor simply does not care for Australians. They do not want you to get ahead. They do not want to support you. They only want to cut you down and tax you more. For what? It's purely to help feed an overspending government that has been reckless with our economy. The coalition supports the introduction of the working Australian tax offset and the $1,000 standard deduction for work related expenses. We support an annual offset of up to $250 for all Australians. But the coalition is more ambitious.”
“Nearly a quarter of residents in Durack will be directly affected by these changes. Regional Australians are already facing limited healthcare services, longer wait times and fewer specialist options. Yet Labor has shamefully prioritised politics over practical support, imposing increases of up to 21 per cent on essential healthcare cover for older Australians by reducing the tax rebate. The government has ignored a simple reality. Older Australians rely on health care more frequently than younger Australians. At a stage of life when affordable and reliable access to health care matters most, Labor is forcing our older Australians—our senior Australians—to pay more. This is unforgivable.”
“By the way, the Prime Minister was asked, only the other day in Canberra, whether the family home was going to be the next capital gains tax victim. Well, he refused to answer that question, so I'll leave it up to those listening, playing along at home, as to what they make of that. Why wouldn't he just count that out and say, 'Of course the family home is not going to be the next victim of capital gains tax'? But I smell a rat. This budget is not intergenerational fairness, as those opposite would have us believe. It is causing intergenerational war, fuelling fights at the dinner table between generations about what will be left and what the government will pocket. Older Australians—well, they can't escape the Prime Minister's cash grab. Labor will hit them with higher costs for private health insurance.”
“We're talking about feeding our country—food, and fibre, for our country. If hitting small business, farmers and young Australians wasn't bad enough, hidden away in the budget papers, hoping no-one would see it, was a 30 per cent death tax. The Prime Minister was asked in question time, in front of the Australian people, if he would rule out a death tax. He wouldn't rule it out, and now we know why—because it had already been announced; it was already hidden in the budget papers. So you've got to ask yourself: how low can this Prime Minister go? Honestly! He fails to tell the truth to the Australian people during an election campaign; he attacks aspiration; and now he wants to insert himself into families' inheritance.”
“Everyday Australians must start somewhere, and often, particularly in regional seats like Durack, they start working in a small or a family business. Now Labor are trying to take that start away. Farmers—well, they're becoming Labor's No. 1 target. Labor views farmers as their personal cash-grab. Labor bowed to the Greens and the inner-city voters in ending live export—and we all remember that and those dark days. They provided inadequate compensation—still ongoing, by the way—wrapped it in red tape, and watched as the industry tanked. Now the future of WA's agricultural industry is at risk because of Labor's toxic taxes. The last thing our country needs—and I repeat: the last thing our country needs—is to make it harder for the next generation of farmers to stay on the land.”
“Small businesses now have a new 47-per-cent co-owner: the Albanese government. The government has taken on none of the risks and it will not work one day in these businesses, but now it wants nearly half of the business at the time the business is sold. Why would any Australian now start a new business when the government acts as a silent partner from day one? The young plumber or chippie or hairdresser or gym operator or yoga athlete—just trying to build wealth beyond a day-to-day income, and to get their business to a point of selling in the future—is now being cut down for just having a go. For many business owners, it's their retirement savings and their family legacy. And they're the first employer of many young people in our regional communities.”
“The Financial Services Council data confirms that aggressive investors, typically Australians aged around 35, will be the hardest hit by these capital gains tax changes—not the ultra wealthy, as our Prime Minister wants us to believe, just ambitious young Australians. Gen Z and millennials are investing more than three times the share of their income than baby boomers. The government's response to this ambition: just tax it! We've heard all of the contributions here today. But, no matter how much spin we hear from the other side of the chamber—that this budget is all for young people, young Australians—the facts, in their own budget papers, and from experts right across the country, tell the true story: that this budget is about limiting opportunity, not about increasing opportunity.”
“There is a death tax, a tax on family savings and a tax on renters. There is a tax on first home buyers and young Australians just trying to get ahead. That's on top of taxes on small businesses, startups and entrepreneurs—truly unforgivable. The coalition has consistently said that if you tax something more, you get less of it. But don't trust me—Labor's own budget papers say that there will be 35,000 fewer homes delivered because of these new taxes. The Commonwealth Bank's chief economist says that these changes will raise government revenue but will not build more homes. How can Labor claim that this budget is about young Australians when all it delivers is a lower supply of houses, higher prices, higher rents and higher taxes on their deposit and investments? That is not helping first home buyers. That's kneecapping them.”
“I rise this evening to speak on the Treasury Laws Amendment (Tax Reform No. 1) Bill 2026 and the Income Tax Rates Amendment (Tax Reform No. 1) Bill 2026. It is in these pieces of legislation that Labor squarely attacks regional West Australians, small businesses, small-business owners, farmers, and younger and older residents. The coalition absolutely opposes the adjustments to the capital gains tax discount and negative gearing contained within these bills. These pieces of legislation mark the end of aspiration in Australia and trust in government. Not one Australian voted for Labor's toxic taxes at the last election. Prior to the last election, the Prime Minister told us in his own words more than 50 times that there would be no change to capital gains tax or negative gearing. Is there anything this Labor government is not taxing?”
“Sam may never speak with his voice, but his presence, his smile and his hugs communicate what all of us in this House must understand: the NDIS is about real people, real lives and real dignity. In this parliament and within this bill and its implementation, we must never lose sight of that fact. I thank the House.”
“But I've sat here during these years—I've been here since 2013—and I know that our ministers have worked very hard and worked very closely with Bill Shorten when he was the opposition spokesperson for NDIS, and I'm telling you that it was politicised beyond comprehension. So it really sticks in my gut to hear this rubbish coming from those opposite about what we have done to NDIS. It was politicised by them from day one. I think they should hang their heads in shame. If we fail to provide clarity and certainty in how these reforms are implemented, we do risk undermining the very trust that the scheme depends on. Ultimately it is that trust between families like Clara's, participants like Sam and the system itself that must be protected above all else. Sam and his family remind us every day why this work in this place matters.”
“That means clear rules, genuine consultation with the disability community and a transition that does not leave people in limbo for years. The NDIS must remain true to its founding purpose to support Australians with permanent and significant disability to live with dignity, independence and opportunity. That purpose must not be overshadowed by fiscal targets alone. The coalition is committed to working with the government to get the NDIS settings right—unlike Labor when it was in opposition. It took every opportunity to politicise the NDIS and resisted all attempts by the coalition to make NDIS more sustainable. I've listened to many speeches here today from Labor government representatives, all laying the blame for the way the NDIS was rolled out more recently at the foot of the coalition.”