Angus Taylor
Hume · Liberal Party · Australia
“It was in 1927 that the federal parliament moved from Melbourne, where it had sat for 26 years. It's a much better location here; I'm in agreement. It did take up a beautiful sheep station, but it has become a great city. It came to a provisional building, as we just heard, in the new capital of Canberra.”
“I'm sure that all in this place look forward to that special sitting of the parliament in Old Parliament House to commemorate the occasion, and I warmly welcome that opportunity.”
“On behalf of the coalition and the federal opposition, it gives me great pleasure to support the motion moved by the government. We warmly welcome the establishment of the Joint Select Committee on the Centenary of Parliament in Canberra.”
“He captured the aspirational spirit of the Australian people when he said: One's own life would hardly be worth living without its dreams of better things, and the life of a nation without such dreams of a better and a larger future … Prime Minister Stanley Bruce delivered an address in which he said: May those who enter this open door go…”
“Given the shortage of accommodation in the new capital, I think it was largely restricted to tents at that point. Consequently, the overcatered event reportedly saw a large quantity of Sargents meat pies left over. Legend has it they were disposed of in a pit where the Treasury building now stands.”
“My question is to the Prime Minister. Under Labor, aged care wait times have blown out to over a year. More than 200,000 Australians are waiting for care. Today, Labor was defeated in the Senate, which passed the coalition's bill to put people back in charge of aged care decision-making.”
The complete record
Every one of 397 lines we hold for Angus Taylor, in date order, each linked to its source. Free to read, in full, without an account. Page 3 of 8.
“We will end tax breaks for electric vehicles, which are overwhelmingly going to high-income Australians. We'll terminate Labor's corporate welfare, like sending money to foreign tech companies that don't deliver. We'll scrap Labor's housing bureaucracy, the ineffective Housing Australia Future Fund and its build-to-rent tax breaks for multinationals. We'll remove Labor's handouts for noncitizens. Many Australians would be surprised to learn that noncitizens are eligible for welfare in this country. We've already announced that the first home buyer five per cent deposit scheme will be reserved for Australian citizens only. That's because Labor has allowed some 50,000 noncitizens to access this scheme. Moreover, this government is funding welfare for noncitizens as soon as they arrive on our soil.”
“To that end, the coalition government under my leadership will axe Labor's toxic taxes, end Labor's mass immigration and scrap Labor's net zero policies. When we restore and expand our choices, we can begin to restore our standard of living and protect our way of life. To lower inflation, interest rates and the cost of living, we must reduce government spending. Labor has driven it to a 40-year high outside of the pandemic. We will work with the government to make its National Disability Insurance Scheme sustainable. Labor lacks any real resolve to rein in its reckless ways. Unlike Labor, the coalition will get spending under control and save billions. We will abolish Labor's climate bureaucracy, its net zero agency, its powerlines to nowhere and its tax on the family car and ute.”
“My life has taken me from the family farm—sheep yards and shearing shed—to small business, to factory floors, to boardrooms and to this parliament. I've seen everyday Aussie men and women who make, build, fix, create, contribute and care. And I've seen big government, big unions and big business direct, influence, accumulate power and seek to control the lives of others. Our nation is at its very best when everyday Aussies are empowered. My ambition for this country is to revive the freedom that Australians have lost under Labor—not a government directed economy but a free-enterprise economy, not bigger government but better government that gets the big things right, gets off Australians' backs and puts its faith back in you.”
“Government led child care for all has caused costs to rise by 14 per cent, and government led energy policy—pushing out gas and coal generation—has caused power prices to surge by 40 per cent. Labor's reckless spending has caused inflation to soar. Contrary to Labor's spin, inflation was rising long before the conflict in Iran. Under Labor, interest rates have gone up 15 times, and Australia has experienced the worst collapse in living standards in the developed world. Moreover, under Labor, economic growth is an illusion. Every single dollar of growth has been due to population growth, mostly immigration—every single dollar. Labor remains committed to the follies of mass migration, net zero, locking up our resources and big government. We need to reject these bad ideas to bring about a fairer, freer and better Australia.”
“We're too dependent on other countries for critical supplies of jet fuel, diesel and fertiliser, and yet we have an abundance of resources beneath our feet. We could be self-sufficient and reindustrialise in key areas if we stop locking up our resources and turbocharge digging and drilling. Fourth, during the pandemic, many Australians were reliant on government, but that crisis fed the mistaken belief that bigger government is the solution to every problem. Anthony Albanese promised that you would be better off under a big Labor government, but big government hasn't led to better government or Australians being better off. Government led housing programs have seen 30,000 fewer homes built each year—30,000 fewer each year. Government led industry policy has seen billions wasted on pie-in-the-sky schemes like green hydrogen.”
“Power prices have soared, causing households to struggle, businesses to close and industries to move offshore. Far from a future made in Australia, our future is being made abroad. Australians have been fed the lie that our economy can function on solar, wind and batteries alone. But the truth is that fossil fuels continue to drive our economy and our prosperity. In this budget alone, Labor has $18 billion in new net zero spending. Labor's net zero obsession is driving up inflation and destroying our economy, and that's why net zero must go. Third, all Australians prosper from having access to international markets, but blind faith in globalisation has hollowed out our vital industries and made our country vulnerable.”
“First, mass migration is changing Australia for the worse. The number of people coming in far exceeds the number of houses built. Consequently, the great Australian dream of homeownership is vanishing for old and new Australians alike. Across its two terms, Labor will have brought in two million people. That includes 90,000 more than planned in the next two years. By inviting in too many people too quickly, we've also seen some come with the wrong values—people who don't want to join and embrace Australia, but people who want to change Australia to suit them. We saw this with the Bondi tragedy, inspired by radical and violent Islam. Second, prioritising net zero and emissions reduction above all else has seen cheap, always-on power dismissed for expensive, sometimes-on industrial-scale renewables, mainly sourced from offshore.”
“And so the coalition will fight like hell to prevent Labor's toxic taxes from becoming law. But, if they do, I commit that a coalition government I lead will repeal them. There's a simple reason why Labor has broken its core election promises. This incompetent government has lost control of its spending. When Labor runs out of its money, it comes after yours. Intergenerational theft isn't caused by older Australians; it's been caused by the Albanese government. Labor's reckless spending will soon see our country with $1 trillion of debt. The only way to get debt down is to throw out this bad government. To know a fairer, freer and better Australia, we also need something that's been missing for too long, and that's honesty—honesty about what's holding Australia back and leaving Australians behind.”
“Labor's budget isn't intergenerational fairness; it's intergenerational fraud. Their budget is also an attack on every Australian. As Labor's own budget papers state, its tax hikes will reduce the number of houses available for young Australians to buy or to rent. Labor's negative gearing changes will hand over housing investment to multinationals and foreign pension funds. Labor's increase to the capital gains tax will discourage the investment Australia needs to grow. Labor's small business tax will punish small and family businesses that are already working harder than ever and collapsing at record rates. The Treasurer's higher taxes aren't economic reform; they're an assault on aspiration. They're an attack on the wealth creation that benefits all. They will crush the reward-for-hard-work spirit that underpins our nation's success.”
“This isn't the Australia we know today. But we have known it, and we can know it again. We can restore our standard of living and we can protect our way of life. That starts by fighting against the assault on aspiration at the heart of Labor's budget. Labor is locking out young Australians from the opportunities afforded to older Australians to build wealth and prosperity and to get ahead. This prime minister is one of many Australians who have benefited from these opportunities. Now he's pulling up the ladder of opportunity for the next generation by whacking higher taxes not only on housing but also on their savings, investments and small businesses. When government whacks a tax on something, you get less of it—less housing, less savings, less investment and less small business—for the next generation.”
“To Australians watching: thank you for your time. Tonight, I want to tell you about my vision for a fairer, freer and better Australia for all: an Australia where life is affordable; an Australia where we have cheap and abundant energy; an Australia where industries thrive and businesses boom; an Australia where we innovate, make and build things of ambition, and farm, mine and drill with determination; an Australia where a single income earner on an ordinary wage has enough for a home deposit and to pay off a mortgage steadily over time; an Australia where a mum or dad can afford to take time away from work to do the most worthwhile thing in life—raise a child; an Australia where those we welcome to our shores are all determined to embrace our values, to work hard, to contribute to this nation and to become Australian; an Australia where we have confidence in our nation's future; an Australia where we have hope and optimism.”
“My question is to the Prime Minister. Labor promised not to change housing taxes, yet it misled. Labor promised not to change investment taxes, yet it deceived. Labor promised not to change taxes on farmers and small businesses, yet it bent the truth. The Prime Minister promised his word was his bond. When did the Prime Minister decide that the truth doesn't matter?”
“My question is to the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister said 'for the fiftieth time' that he would not impose new taxes on Australian homes and savings. All major newspapers report that the Prime Minister is about to do the exact opposite. Why should Australians ever trust another commitment this Labor government makes?”
“My question is to the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister has said: My word is my bond. I've always been a man of my word, and I believe that when you go to an election, and you make commitments, you should stick to them. Yet reports in all major newspapers confirm that the government is about to impose new taxes on housing, savings, small businesses and farmers. Why should Australians ever trust another commitment this Labor government makes?”
“To every generation, our nation asks, 'Who among you will keep Australians safe?' and, at every march-out parade, we find those who, despite the dangers, have answered, 'I will.' To echo the profound and timeless words, spoken almost 2½ thousand years ago: … the man who can most truly be accounted brave is he who best knows the meaning of what is sweet in life and of what is terrible, and then goes out undeterred to meet what is to come. We honour Lachlan's service and the service of every member of the Australian Defence Force. Our thoughts are with Lachlan's family and friends, members of the SAS and the wider defence community.”
“on indulgence—I thank the Minister for Defence for his words. Once again, we are reminded ever so cruelly about the costs of serving one's country. Once again, we're reminded ever so cruelly about the risks war fighters take on in their jobs. With the tragic death of Warrant Officer Class 2 Lachlan Muddle last night in the parachuting exercise we just heard about, Australia has lost an honourable man, a patriot. Our hearts break for those closest to him. His family has lost a loved one. Friends have lost a mate, and the Special Air Service Regiment has lost a brother in arms. We acknowledge their loss and their grief as we mourn our nation's loss of such a fine Australian.”
“If they are going to impose heavy handed mandates on Australians, they need to tell Australians that. Tonight, at seven o'clock, the Prime Minister has an opportunity to do these things. These are the tests for him tonight: showing transparency, accountability, responsibility and telling Australians where this goes next—because right now they have simply had enough.”
“On top of following our lead by bringing down the price of fuel, they should immediately make the fuel stocks—what's available across the supply chain: in servos, on the way to the servos and in ships coming to the country—transparent on a daily basis. It needs to be made transparent on a daily basis. They then need to move the fuel to those servos. We know there are 600 servos without fuel—that's the latest count, although we've seen other counts published of 800 or even 900 servos without fuel. There is a complete lack of clarity about this. But we know it's a lot because we see it when we're getting out and about around our electorates. It is time to move that fuel that they keep talking about to those servos so Australians can have confidence that it's there. They need to come clean about what happens next.”
“As I said in this place the other day, whilst the economy has grown by 7½ per cent, population in this country, mostly immigration, has grown by exactly 7½ per cent. It is no wonder Australians are having to work harder for less. Australians are struggling to put food on the table. So many families are struggling, and they are struggling now to put fuel in their cars. Australians are watching and they're worried. They are looking for leadership. They're looking for clarity. They're looking for action. They're not looking for confusion, contradiction and delay, and this government has repeatedly failed to provide the leadership that they need. I call on the government to get on with the job.”
“Australians are feeling the weight of this in their electricity bills, in their health insurance premiums, which are up 4½ per cent today, and in the cost of putting a roof over their heads, which is $28,000 a year after tax. I'm always reminded this is after tax. They're having to pay extra because of rising interest rates under this government. The lack of leadership from this treasurer and this prime minister has impacted Australians lives for the worse for the last four years. Not only had Australians been grappling with rising inflation, high inflation and rising interest rates going into this fuel crisis; they have also been suffering from an economy that just does not work for them.”
“The lack of a willingness to take accountability from this government is like nothing I have seen. In the course of my career, I've not seen anything like it. Soon after this crisis began, they said that all the inflation that you're feeling and all the interest rate rises that you've seen were all caused by the crisis. But we know that, before this began, interest rates were already rising. Inflation was at the highest level of any developed country in the world. We also know that the Treasurer has found a long list of people to blame for his complete failures on managing the economy. He's blamed Xi. He's blamed Trump. He's blamed Putin. He's back to blaming Trump now. He'll always find someone to blame. The one thing he will not do is take accountability and fix the problem. There is no accountability at all.”
“These people want to know—all Australians want to know—whether or not they can do that. The Prime Minister's lack of leadership was again on show in the response to our proposal for dealing with affordability of fuel at the bowser. We laid out a very clear plan, fully funded so it wouldn't fuel inflation, to bring down the price of fuel by over 26c a litre. You know what one of the ministers said that day? They said it was a 'thought bubble'. Then they went away and had the weekend off. They came in on Monday, and they suddenly realised in a panic that they actually had to bring down the price of fuel. They brought down the price of fuel. We showed leadership, and they showed a complete absence of leadership in dealing with this. Alongside transparency and responsibility, leadership requires accountability too.”
“They are completely confused. The fact that a minister can stand here at the dispatch box and say that there is more fuel in our supply chain than there was before the crisis and then acknowledge under pressure that there are over 600 fuel stations without fuel—it is no wonder Australians are anxious. They're confused, and they want to know what is going on. Rather than being honest and open with the public, the opposition has had to pry information out of the government question by question in parliament, and they sneer. Every time they have to actually say what is going on, they sneer. They're sneering at the Australian people. They are sneering at people who want to know whether or not they can take their family on a holiday or to meet other family members or to go to church or to other events at Easter time.”
“Today we asked a question, as we have every day, about what we are seeing in our supply chain and what fuel there is. We asked the Prime Minister to commit to releasing, on a daily basis, the latest information on the number of servos that are stocked out without fuel, the detailed fuel stock holdings by location, the number of ships which are bound for Australia and how many have been cancelled or delayed. I would have thought that, in the middle of a fuel crisis, they are pretty reasonable things for the Australian people to want to know about. You know what they were saying over there? They were saying, 'No, that's too political.' Several of the ministers yelled out: 'No, that's way too—we can't have the Australian people knowing the facts. That way, we can't spin our narrative.' Australians deserve to know what's going on.”
“And we've heard the Prime Minister in recent days say that national coordination is essential and the Commonwealth government is responsible for national fuel security. But, two days later, he was back to denying any leadership role, saying the response to the fuel shortages was a matter for the states and territories, not a question for him. Then he was insisting that everything was fine and there was no crisis. Mistakenly, a few days later—I don't think he was supposed to do it—the energy minister said there was a national crisis. He said that. He realised what he'd said, and they went into a complete tailspin about it. Time and time again, we've heard the government say that there's lots of fuel, that there's more than there's ever been and that no shipments have been delayed or cancelled, or they've already been replaced.”
“They recall governments determining where they could go, who they could see and how they should live their daily lives. These experiences have not been forgotten. Australians want reassurance that the government has a coherent plan—one that is firmly anchored in the national interest and one that doesn't return us to the days of heavy-handed government intervention. Right at the heart of it, they want transparency. They want to know what's going on. That's how Australians are. And it's fair enough too. We live in one of the greatest democracies in the world, and transparency is a central principle in that democracy. In these circumstances, transparency means understanding what is going on with this fuel crisis.”
“In times of crisis, Australians look to leaders for clarity, for conviction and for direction. The strength of a nation's leadership isn't measured in the good times; it's measured in the tough times. The truth is, across our country right now, Australians are worried. They're anxious. They're deeply concerned about what the current challenges mean for them, for their families, for their businesses and for their communities. They're confused by mixed messaging coming from the government. These aren't abstract concerns. They're felt around the kitchen tables. They're felt at the cafes, at the pubs—wherever people gather, they're talking about it, and they're confused, they're worried and they're anxious. Australians remember, with great trepidation, the long days spent confined to their homes during the pandemic.”
“My question is to the Prime Minister. I refer to his previous answers. On Monday, the Prime Minister's statements included: 'Australia's fuel supply outlook remains secure' and 'There is more fuel available today than there was prior to the war commencing.' Since then, has the government received advice about any additional fuel carriers bound for Australia that have been delayed or cancelled?”
“My question is to the Prime Minister. Yesterday the Prime Minister told ABC Melbourne 'fuel supplies have not been disrupted'. Tonight the Prime Minister will deliver an emergency address to the nation. Prime Minister, what has changed since yesterday?”
“Then, after the coalition proposed a fully costed plan to slash the fuel tax on Friday, Labor took the weekend off, and then on Monday, they begrudgingly adopted our plan but couldn't say how they would pay for it, adding to the inflationary fire that the Treasurer has overseen. This government's failure to prepare has become its failure to act, and a failure to act always lands on the shoulders of the Australian people.”
“Searching for a servo that's not empty, filling up a car at an exorbitant cost, cancelling travel plans altogether—this is the Easter that so many Australians face. Instead of a happy holiday, for many, there will be uncertainty. Yes, the fuel crisis started abroad, but it has been amplified here in Australia by complacency and confusion from this government. First, the energy minister denied there was a crisis. He is a gaslighter extraordinaire. Then, after admitting there was a problem, he sat on his hands. He outsourced his responsibilities to the so-called fuel tsar, and then he blamed Australians for buying too much. He and the PM told us there was plenty of fuel. But, if that's the case, move the fuel. Meanwhile, we know that over 600 servos are without fuel.”
“My question is to the Prime Minister. Yesterday the Special Minister of State said adding more politicians to the parliament is, 'what great Labor leaders do'. At a time of crisis, will the Prime Minister rule out putting upward pressure on inflation by choosing to spend more than $600 million on more politicians?”
“My question is to the Prime Minister. The government blamed Australians for buying fuel and then finally declared a national fuel crisis. The government said the fuel crisis was not a supply problem and then rushed through emergency supply laws. The government said cutting the fuel excise was a thought bubble and then adopted our fuel tax cut. How can Australians have any confidence in the Prime Minister's leadership through this crisis when his position changes every day?”
“My question is to the Prime Minister. On fuel, first the Prime Minister said there was no problem. Just days later, there was a crisis. Last week, the Prime Minister refused to cut the fuel excise in response to our call to slash the tax. Then, just one hour ago, the Prime Minister finally announced a fuel excise cut. Why is the Prime Minister always the last to lead in a national crisis?”
“He got rid of the old board and stacked it with his appointments. That's a statement of fact. Then, lo and behold, there was an interest rate cut during the election campaign. We were told during that election campaign that that was it. Interest rates were down; inflation was down. It was all beaten. They'd beaten the beast.”
“We are, of course, supportive of emergency measures to secure our fuel supply. But make no mistake: this is happening at the worst possible time. The economic situation Australians are facing in their household budgets and in their businesses is dire. It is absolutely dire. Australians are feeling as though this is the straw that is breaking the camel's back. That is how they feel right now because this government has let them down time after time over recent years. They were promised that inflation had been beaten. They were promised that prices would go back to that comfortable range of between two and three per cent that the Reserve Bank targets. They were promised that interest rates were coming down and that they would stay down. The Treasurer sacked and stacked the Reserve Bank board.”
“When I first came into this role, I made the point that Australians want to see their standard of living restored and want to see their way of life protected. Nothing threatens their standard of living or their way of life more than not having access, at an affordable level, to the energy and fuel they need. We're seeing right across this great country now the fear and the concerns that Australians have about whether they're going to get fuel and what they're going to pay for that fuel. After four years of an Albanese government curtailing investment support for our endowment of natural energy resources, today we're presented with the Export Finance and Insurance Corporation Amendment (Strategic Reserve) Bill to help fuel suppliers acquire the fuel we need as we stare down this energy crisis.”
“Across our great country, Australians are hurting. Australians are pulling up at the petrol station to see those yellow plastic tickets saying the bowser is empty. There's no fuel. Service stations are running dry. Prices are surging. They're up by over 50 per cent—by far more for diesel, and, of course, that's so important to our farmers and our truckies. Uncertainty is growing, and Australians can see it with their own eyes. They don't need bureaucrats to tell them about it. They don't need prime ministers or ministers to tell them about it—not that they—”
“My question is to the Prime Minister. Prime Minister, Australians are hurting. Fuel prices are up by over 50 per cent. Service stations are running dry. Farmers can't farm, truckies can't truck and miners can't mine. The cost of food is set to rise. Vital health services are at risk. When is the Prime Minister finally going to show leadership and fix this national crisis?”
“I acknowledge Mathias Cormann, Australia's former finance minister and now secretary-general of the OECD, the founding father of this agreement. Madam President, we welcome you to our parliament and we welcome you to our country we are all so proud of.”
“We believe in free trade. We know a good free trade agreement underpins mutual economic prosperity, and we must stand united against tariff barriers. The coalition has a notable record in delivering high-quality free trade agreements. I think of the Australia-UK Free Trade Agreement that we signed in December 2021. That agreement removed tariffs on more than 99 per cent of the goods exported to the UK. In any free trade agreement, Australia must not trade away its sovereignty. It must not limit its ability to make decisions in the national interest or protect our way of life. While the federal opposition will scrutinise all aspects of the free trade agreement between Australia and the EU, we commend the spirit in which it has been made.”
“It was commendably signed by no less than 15 European nations, and I'm pleased the Australian government has now signed this statement too. Another mutual threat is Islamic extremism. In Europe and in Australia, the generosity of liberal democracies has been exploited. We've opened our doors to some people who don't want to embrace our culture, who want to erase it. The doors must be shut. Our culture can only survive by putting our values at the very centre of our immigration policies. A third threat is dependency. Europeans and Australians have become dependent on trading with nations in critical supply chains where there are real risks. But the age of free trade has not ended. Our goals of greater resilience, greater self-reliance and re-industrialisation are best served by working more closely with true and trusted friends.”
“Madam President, unquestionably, you are one of the unfaltering champions of Ukrainian freedom. I commend all you're doing to lead Europe's support for the heroes of Ukraine. Australia steadfastly supports Ukraine too as it strives for a strong peace. As the European parliament has declared, a threat to one democracy is a threat to every democracy. A failure to deter the enemies of democracy in Europe will embolden them the world over, including the Indo-Pacific. That's why the coalition applauds the signing of the Australia-EU Security and Defence Partnership. We stand together with clarity about what must be defended and what is worth fighting for. So, Madam President, I also applaud the joint statement of nations who are willing to lend support to restore safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz.”
“Australia became a new home for many Jewish Europeans who survived the horrors of the Holocaust. I commend their many contributions and express our solidarity with Australians of Jewish faith. May all of us who cherish our way of life work to expunge the cancer of antisemitism that has afflicted our societies. Madam President, Australians and Europeans today aren't just the beneficiaries of that way of life; we are the custodians. In these precarious times, we must defend and protect the inheritance we cherish. And, as you appreciate, there are many threats—authoritarian regimes whose behaviour has exposed the rules based international order to be wishful thinking of a more benign and bygone era, regimes committed to conquest, coercion and control. The only deterrence to such authoritarian regimes is Western strength.”
“Madam President, with your presence here today, we express our gratitude for the European achievement that is Western civilisation, and we acknowledge the contributions that European migrants have made to Australia over many generations, especially after the Second World War. Many people displaced by conflict in Europe found a new home in Australia. They took up tools, and they became nation builders. They also became proud Australians. Hydroelectric schemes in the Snowy Mountains and Tasmania were amongst the labours of love for European migrants who cherished their new home. The legacy of postwar European immigration can be seen across Australia today in the infrastructure constructed, the businesses started, the homes built, the food we eat and the people we are.”
“We too are the beneficiaries of Christianity's influence on values and science's influence on reason. We too are the beneficiaries of the great changes that arose from the revolution in France and from the Industrial Revolution in Great Britain. And we too are the beneficiaries of the imagination of European builders and painters and the inspiration of European composers and writers. When Europeans set sail on treacherous seas to discover and settle unknown lands, they brought legacy with them—some good, some not so good—but Australia has been gifted with the institutions and ideas of an enlightened Europe.”
“Your Excellency, on behalf of the coalition and federal opposition, it's a privilege to welcome you here to the parliament, and it's a pleasure to welcome you back to Australia. To your 'guten tag', I say 'g'day'. Yours is a historic visit. It's the first time a president of the European Commission has addressed the Australian parliament, as we've heard, and, on such a historic occasion, it's important to acknowledge the historic achievement of Europe that is Western civilisation. After all, Australia is part of that civilisation—an heir to the European achievement. We too are the beneficiaries of democracy, born in ancient Greece, and the laws, civics and engineering feats of ancient Rome. We too are the beneficiaries of the great transformations of the Renaissance that spread from Italy and of the Reformation that spread from Germany.”
“A proud Bundjalung woman, she achieved many firsts, as we heard: the first of a mainstream TV show, the first head of First Nations programming at the Sydney Opera House and the inaugural elder in residence at the SBS. She was the director of the Festival of Dreaming in the lead-up to the fantastic 2000 Olympic Games and the creative director at the visual awakening component of the opening ceremony, a showcase of our history to the world. On behalf of the coalition, we send our deepest condolences to Ms Roberts' family, friends and especially to the arts communities where her legacy will live on. May she rest in peace.”
“I rise to join the Prime Minister in honouring the life of Rhoda Roberts. The coalition acknowledges the passing of Rhoda Roberts, who died peacefully on Saturday at the age of 66. Raised in Lismore in a big family, she started out as a nurse. She once described her entry into nursing, saying she always wanted to be a writer and a journalist but said that when she grew up, 'The attitude was: why would we put you through to year 12? So I went to Sydney to do nursing, and, once I had that under my belt, I started to explore options in the arts.' Her exploration led to groundbreaking achievements, an indelible impact on the prominence of Indigenous Australians in art and culture in this country.”
“For the information of honourable members, I present a revised shadow ministry list reflecting changes made and announced on 16 March. The document read as follows— SHADOW MINISTRY Each box represents a portfolio. Shadow cabinet ministers are shown in bold type.”