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.”
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“Can I associate myself with the words of the member for Eden-Monaro on Jim Snow. He was my local member for many years. I have to say, I— An honourable member: How'd you vote? I never voted for him; however, my family and I always had a great respect for him as a good man who worked extremely hard as a local member and was very thoughtful. It is sad to see his passing, but his contribution is lasting. He was a great man. I also rise to pay tribute to the victims of the October 7 terror attacks. I was interrupted in my last attempt at this by a division. But on the second anniversary of this heinous crime our thoughts and prayers go to the families who lost loves ones as a result of October 7. We are so sorry for their loss and understand how difficult this time is for them.”
“We cannot allow this process to continue indefinitely, hanging over the heads of our veterans and families. It risks becoming denial of justice. Justice delayed is justice denied. Many of our special forces veterans feel that they've lost the presumption of innocence. This is about fairness, justice and basic decency. We need to do more to support our veterans; we must act. I recently came back from Pollie Pedal, supporting Wandering Warriors, who support those who've worn our uniform. Australians hold deep respect for our service men and women. Our veterans deserve nothing less.”
“Today we've learned that, after spending more than $250 million of taxpayers' money, the Office of the Special Investigator has dropped more than two-thirds of its investigations into allegations of war crimes by Australian special forces in Afghanistan. There are just 16 of 53 matters remaining under active investigation. Just one case has led to charges. Despite years of work, hundreds of millions of dollars, and over 100 staff, there is little to show. These investigations have dragged on, with timelines stretching towards the end of the decade. There are legitimate questions to be asked about the OSI's efficiency and effectiveness. If there is sufficient evidence to prosecute, that should happen without delay. If not, cases should be closed.”
“Society cannot seek to justify this kind of hate speech as free speech and legitimise antisemitism as anti-Zionism. There must be zero tolerance for this kind of behaviour, and this issue of antisemitism demands a strong and unified response and unequivocal leadership. Regarding a protest organised at the Sydney Opera House on Sunday— A division having been called in the House of Representatives— Sitting suspended from 10:15 to 10:27”
“It continues to use civilian infrastructure as military headquarters and storage facilities for weapons. It uses human shields for its operations; it even uses its own people on a constant basis. The terrorist group thrives on the misery of the Gazan people and wants the destruction of Israel. The recognition of Palestinian statehood was premature. It was a mistake. It rewarded terrorists. Hamas even praised the decision. Sadly, since October 7, we've seen an unprecedented rise in antisemitism across Australia and across the globe. The recent stabbing attack at a synagogue in England's north is an example—as was that absolutely abhorrent graffiti in Melbourne just yesterday, glorifying the murder of innocent people. There have been reports of a firearm being threatened at a place of worship.”
“I rise to pay tribute to the victims of the October 7 terror attacks. On the second anniversary of this heinous crime, our thoughts and prayers go to the families and friends of the loved ones who were lost. We are so sorry for their loss and understand how difficult this time must be. They're not alone in their grief and sadness, and we can sympathise with their pain. This was the worst atrocity against Jewish people since the Holocaust: 1,200 innocent people murdered and tortured, women and girls sexually assaulted, men beheaded and babies killed. Hamas took 254 hostages; 48 of these are yet to be returned to their families. The coalition has always believed Israel has the right to defend itself. Hamas, of course, a listed terrorist organisation—a brutal organisation—knew what it was doing that day and knew what would follow.”
“We have the relationships necessary to ensure that we are able to deter conflict in our region and achieve peace through strength.”
“There is no strength in changing the definition of defence spending. The strength comes from investing in what is really needed at this time. Right at the heart of this is the importance of our alliances. It is good to see this government coming to an agreement with the PNG government, but we need to do far, far more than that. Vanuatu—what happened? It's not there. The US? Well, I'm looking forward to this face-to-face meeting. It has taken way too long. We've seen three meetings between the Prime Minister and the general secretary of the Chinese Communist Party but none with the leader of the free world. We need this government to get serious about making sure we have a properly funded Defence Force. We have the agreements in place.”
“This is absolutely unacceptable when it comes to making sure that we are in the position we need to be in at a time like this. The truth is that Marles mathematics, creative accounting, will not defend this nation. What will defend this nation is proper funding, at at least three per cent of GDP; preparedness; agility; making sure we're getting the spending we need in our drone and counterdrone capability; integrated air missile defence systems; and hardening of the bases. There's big talk about this, but, when you actually look at the numbers, they're way short of where they need to be. Whether it's Henderson, Stirling , Osborne or Tindal, they need serious funding that is not yet there in the budget. We all pay a price for that. Deterrence is achieved through strength. There is no strength in creative accounting.”
“This is doing a disservice to every single Australian who expects our Defence Force to be in the position it needs to be in. This is not a criticism of the people in our ADF. They are marvellous and magnificent people. But they are not being properly funded by this government. You see, the minister is playing mathematical tricks on this. What we're seeing from the government when it comes to funding is not proper funding; its creative accounting. What they've decided to do to get their defence spending up is change the definition of defence spending. They've decided that, for the first time, they're going to include veterans expenditure in the defence spend. Then they can go to the Americans and say: 'It's alright. We've upped our defence expenditure.' Well, this is worse than creative accounting. This is Marles mathematics.”
“We need the preparedness, we need the agility, we need the sovereignty and we need the people necessary to make sure that we are able to deter war, to deter conflict—which is its purpose; it's to achieve peace in our region on a lasting basis. But you can only do that with strength, and right now we are not seeing the strength in the funding applied to our ADF in this country. When you open Budget Paper No. 2, the Defence portfolio's total payments line shows that the additional spending in this budget versus the last one is three—not $3 billion but $3 million. They're crowing about $3 million. What they are doing at a time when we are investing in a massive and incredibly important new alliance, the AUKUS alliance, is gutting the rest of the Defence Force to partially fund the AUKUS agreement, and that is simply not good enough.”
“I agree with the last speaker, that Australia does face the most dangerous strategic environment since the Second World War. There is no doubt that conflict is spreading. We've seen it in Ukraine. We've seen it in the Middle East. But we are also seeing the biggest military build-up in peacetime in history to the north of us by the Chinese Communist Party. At a time like this, military preparedness, military capability, a strong ADF and strong alliances are more important than at any time since the Second World War. The sad reality is that this government is not funding our ADF to the level it needs to be funded.”
“We condemn the Albanese government's broken promises and appalling record on Medicare. Australians deserve a government that tells them the truth, not one that waves around a Medicare card while forcing families to reach for their credit cards. The coalition remains firmly focused on ensuring that all Australians can access timely, affordable and quality health care, no matter where they live.”
“It is the record of a government that says one thing and does another. Under the coalition, Medicare funding increased every single year, from $18.6 billion back in 2012-13 under Labor to more than $30 billion in 2021-22. Bulk-billing rose consistently through our term in office to a record of more than 88 per cent when we left government. In our final year, Australians received 167 million free GP visits, which is 61 million more than under the previous Labor government. That's the coalition's record—delivering affordable, quality health care. So, while the coalition acknowledge the technical objectives of this bill to ensure efficiency in several elements of our health system, we will not let the government use it as a smokescreen for its broader failures.”
“When Labor tore away Medicare subsidised mental health sessions from 372,000 vulnerable Australians, it ignored the advice of its own review and the pleas of mental health experts right across the country. Since that cruel cut, access to Medicare mental health support has fallen to its lowest level in at least a decade, right at the time when demand has never been higher. Labor has cut Medicare mental health sessions in half, abolished the Mental Health Commission and even ripped away the Suicide Prevention Research Fund. Their neglect of mental health is so significant that the former chair of Mental Health Australia was forced to resign in frustration at the government's inaction. This is not the record of a government strengthening Medicare or supporting Australians' health and wellbeing.”
“That is the stark reality of Labor's primary care crisis. More than 1.5 million Australians said last year they avoided seeing a GP because of cost concerns. That's 1½ million people forced to make a difficult decision about their health, a decision no Australian should have to make, because of Labor's primary healthcare crisis. While Australian families are struggling to afford to go to their doctor, the Prime Minister seems completely out of touch, more interested in political stunts than in ensuring all Australians actually have timely and affordable access to essential health care. Nowhere is Labor's neglect clearer than in mental health.”
“In the past year, Australians have paid over $2 billion out of pocket to see a GP—$2 billion charged to their credit cards, not covered by their Medicare cards. That is the Prime Minister's $2 billion lie. Since Labor was elected, Australians are now paying 75 per cent more out of their own pocket to see a doctor—so much for 'free to see a GP'! Labor promised to strengthen Medicare, but it has only been weakened. Since the Albanese government came to power, the bulk-billing has fallen from 88 per cent to 77 per cent. That's 40 million fewer bulk-billed GP visits in the past year alone. Medicare mental health funding has been slashed in half, and, despite all of Labor's false promises and misleading rhetoric, Australians are now paying the highest average out-of-pocket costs on record to see a GP.”
“This means millions of Australians still need their credit card as well as their Medicare card when they visit a doctor. Now the Minister for Health and Ageing is desperately trying to walk it all back, saying that Labor never said there would be 100 per cent bulk-billing. Well, the Prime Minister certainly did say that. He looked Australians in the eye and said, 'One card covers it all—not your credit card but your Medicare card.' But today Australians are paying the price for the Albanese Labor government's disingenuous approach to Medicare. Whilst the Prime Minister was out there waving his Medicare card, Australian families were paying a combined $166 million in out-of-pocket costs at the GP during a month of the campaign, May 2025, alone.”
“It's vital these measures do not create unintended consequences or additional administrative burden for our hardworking health professionals, because right now it is undeniable that primary health care is in crisis under this government. At the last election, we saw the Prime Minister wave around his Medicare card at every photo opportunity, declaring that under his government all you need is your Medicare card, not your credit card. He said that Australians can see a GP for free under Labor. He made that promise at least 71 times during the campaign. But the truth, confirmed by his own department, is very different. A Department of Health, Disability and Ageing briefing obtained under freedom of information revealed that a quarter of GP clinics across Australia will not bulk-bill.”
“The measures in this bill are intended to tidy up existing legislation, streamline administration and make sure the rules governing Medicare payments and bonded medical placements are clear and consistent. These are sensible objectives, and on that basis the coalition will not stand in the way of this bill in the House. However, we will be seeking further information and scrutiny on this bill through a Senate inquiry, particularly in relation to the implications of the proposed changes to the Bonded Medical Program and the assignment of Medicare benefits for bulk-billing and simplified billing arrangements. We have significant unanswered questions that we believe it is important to seek answers to.”
“I rise to speak on the Health Legislation Amendment (Miscellaneous Measures No. 1) Bill 2025. The coalition acknowledges the intent of this bill, which contains a number of technical amendments to improve the efficiency of several important elements of our health system, including the allocation of Medicare provider numbers, the assignment of Medicare benefits processes and improvements to the private health insurance premiums reduction scheme. It also makes amendments to the Bonded Medical Program, with the aim of ensuring that penalties for noncompliance are fair and proportionate, particularly in light of the serious workforce shortages facing our healthcare system.”
“At the very moment when the Prime Minister should be strengthening our alliance with the United States, his former roommate Daniel Andrews is posing for a class photo alongside dictators and autocrats from around the world. We've heard nothing but silence from the Prime Minister on this. When will the Prime Minister stand up for Australians and call out Daniel Andrews? Even Annastacia Palaszczuk has said it is a bridge too far, alongside many other Labor luminaries. The first duty of every Australian government is to keep Australians safe.”
“Australia faces the most dangerous strategic environment since the Second World War. Around the world, authoritarian regimes and leaders are flexing their muscles—whether it's Iran and its proxies in the Middle East, Russia with its illegal invasion of Ukraine, or the unprecedented military buildup of the Chinese Communist Party. History tells us that peace is only achieved through strength and deterrence. That's why it's deeply concerning that former Victorian premier Daniel Andrews is in China this week, celebrating a massive military parade that showcases the biggest expansion of Chinese Communist Party military capability in history, alongside authoritarian world leaders from Russia, North Korea and Iran—leaders who fundamentally reject the values of democracy, freedom and the rule of law.”
“My question is to the Prime Minister. Will the Prime Minister condemn his close personal friend Daniel Andrews attending the Chinese Communist Party military parade alongside the presidents of Russia, North Korea and Iran?”
“Prime Minister, today, to Australia's shame, Daniel Andrews attended a Chinese Communist Party military parade, alongside dictators Vladimir Putin, Kim Jong Un and the Iranian president. Former premier Annastacia Palaszczuk described Mr Andrews's attendance as 'a bridge too far'. Will the Prime Minister echo her condemnation? Did the Prime Minister or his office provide any personal or consular assistance for the visit?”
“In the toughest strategic era in generations, let us send a signal to every serving member and every veteran: the parliament has your back not just in what we say but in the systems we build and defend. That is how we will move from rhetoric to readiness, put people first and earn the trust that national security demands.”
“That fact based process, which can be trusted, is absolutely essential to the trust that our serving men and women and veterans need to have in being part of our Defence Force. There is a better path here, one that balances care for veterans with stewardship of the system. Of course, all of this is about making sure we have a Defence Force that can secure peace through strength, and that strength requires motivated, great people continuing to want to sign up and serve our great nation. Our message is clear. Respect our veterans, keep the tribunal independent and fix processes that need fixing, but do not extinguish rights that correct injustice.”
“That would not have happened. Exactly the same happened with Teddy Sheean, of course. At the time Teddy Sheean received a VC, the Prime Minister authored an op-ed in the Daily Telegraph urging that Sheean's immense bravery ought to have been recognised without hesitation. I quote from that: If ever there is an image that captures the definition of courage as grace under pressure, surely … there was a deed worthy of the highest military honour … … … … Teddy Sheean deserves the Victoria Cross. On 18 June 2020, he also said in a speech in the parliament: The point of having an independent Defence Honours and Awards Appeals Tribunal is to ensure that the only considerations are the evidence and merit. The tribunal unanimously supported Tasmanian hero Teddy Sheean's getting a VC.”
“Any who have had a chance to see that extraordinary movie, Danger Close : The Battle of Long Tan , will have seen just what those extraordinary people went through. A total of 245 VC were killed in the rubber plantation, and 18 Australians were killed and many more wounded. But, for half a century, many of the men no official recognition of their courage, despite sustained campaigning for recognition. Company Commander Harry Smith long fought for recognition for Long Tan's frontline soldiers. He said a 30-year secrecy period and bureaucratic red-tape process stood in the way of the awards. It wasn't until the tribunal reviewed the cases on behalf of Mr Smith that these 13 Australian men were awarded for their bravery, as they should have been. Under this legislation, they would never have received the medals they were rightfully due.”
“These are commonsense safeguards. As the member for Riverina said—and I pay tribute to the fact that the minister is here today in the chamber—this is an issue on which I know this side of the parliament feels very strongly. We are happy to work with the minister to set it right. We also need to be clear about what all this means in practice. If unamended, the legislation shuts the door on any further reviews, as I said earlier, of actions in the Vietnam War. We heard, from the member for Riverina a moment ago, just what that would mean. D Company actions would not have been reviewable under this bill. On 18 August 1966, members of D Company, outnumbered 20 to one, fought against extraordinary odds to defeat the Viet Cong.”
“We need to have the very best people serving our nation in our Defence Force. The opposition supports veterans' rights and the integrity of Australian honours and rewards. We will not support measures that curtail an independent merits review, impose retrospective time bars, extinguish rights or confine applications to those least likely or least able to bring them forward. To be constructive, we'll move amendments that remove the proposed 20-year limit; that maintain broad standing so that veterans, families, advocates and historians can apply—guarding against conflicts of interest and ensuring that meritorious cases are not blocked at the gate—and that require Defence to provide clear written notice of tribunal review rights whenever a decision is made to refuse, downgrade or not recommend an honour or award.”
“Medals don't win wars, but they help to build the culture that does. This is incredibly important. The pride I see in our ex-servicemen and servicewomen, and in our serving men and women, whether it's on Anzac Day or at other times—we've seen it in recent weeks with the ADF's commemoration of the end of the Pacific War or, indeed, Vietnam Veterans Day. I see our veterans wearing their medals with enormous pride. I see their kids doing exactly the same—obviously wearing them in a different way. This is recognition that really matters. It goes directly to morale, to retention and attraction, and to motivation, which are all the things we need if we're going to have an effective Defence Force. From my point of view, this is one of four key imperatives for our Defence Force, alongside preparedness, agility and sovereignty.”
“We've just heard from my good friend the member for Riverina, who has made the point that our RSLs and subbranches across this country are outraged at what they are seeing here. This is a solution looking for a problem. There is no evidence of a flood of frivolous claims overwhelming the system. In fact, the balance between those that have been accepted and those that have been rejected is a very reasonable one. When the tribunal has recommended upgrades, it's usually done so on the basis of rigorous evidence, not sentiment, and only after Defence's review has been fully tested. That's what an independent merits review means. History shows why independence matters on these things. It took persistence, new evidence and, ultimately, an independent tribunal process for some of our most deserving cases to be recognised.”
“The tribunal itself has warned that such a limit would invalidate the overwhelming majority of the reviews it has conducted in recent years. In practice, this is not a tidy up; it's a shutdown. The bill also restricts who may apply, limiting certain honour applications to senior commanders or eye witnesses. The bill has been driven by the department whose decisions are reviewed by the tribunal. Well, it is true that departments often don't like being questioned. But it is the right thing, when new evidence emerges, to question a department or a decision that has been made, and that should continue. Finally, there's been a striking lack of genuine consultation with the ex-service community.”
“The Defence Honours and Awards Appeals Tribunal was created as an independent statutory safeguard. It's a practical mechanism to correct errors and recognise gallantry and service when the original process has fallen short. It exists precisely because military officers, like all of us, are not infallible, and because the passage of time can always bring forward important new evidence. It's a backstop that protects integrity. Of course this bill would substantially curtail that independence and close the door to many who seek review. It imposes a 20-year time limit on applications. That would, importantly, abolish rights of review for service in the Second World War, Vietnam, Somalia, Rwanda, East Timor, Iraq and the earlier years of Afghanistan. Those are exactly the cohorts for whom new materials often emerge.”
“It is also beyond belief that the Prime Minister fails to discourage that kind of behaviour. These authoritarian regimes, whether they are in Russia, North Korea or Iran or whether it is the Chinese Communist Party, do not share our values. Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong Un are not our friends. In the case of Putin, he is the autocratic leader who is currently fighting an illegal war against the free people of the Ukraine. We ask that the Prime Minister state clearly that it is unacceptable for our senior Labor figures to be part of that celebration. Returning to the matter at hand, we do meet in the most dangerous strategic environment since the Second World War. That's why the great people of our Defence Force need the recognition that they deserve.”
“It mattered, and we will never forget.' We are seeing the most dangerous strategic environment that our part of the world, and perhaps the world more generally, has seen since the Second World War. It is a volatile world where authoritarian regimes around the globe are flexing their muscles. Indeed, we see that displayed on our TV sets right now, as we speak. We see on our TVs cruise missiles that can reach Australia. We're seeing a celebration of the greatest military build-up in history by the Chinese Communist Party. It is unprecedented. And, can I say, it is beyond comprehension that two senior Labor figures Bob Carr and Daniel Andrews should participate in the celebration of that military build-up. That's exactly what they are doing as we speak here today.”
“I rise to speak on the Defence Amendment (Defence Honours and Awards Appeals Tribunal) Bill 2025. It goes to something very fundamental to our nation, to our Defence Force defending our country, which is how we recognise the men and women who wear our uniform and how we correct the mistakes when recognition has been denied. The coalition's starting point on this important issue is very simple. People are the foundation of national security. If we can't properly attract, retain, motivate and honour the men and women who serve our great country, we cannot defend our great country. Medallic recognition is not symbolism. It is a demonstration of how a grateful nation says clearly and publicly: 'We saw what you did.”
“While we must always uphold the right to protest peacefully, we must equally uphold the right to defend what is good, what is right and what is unifying in this country. It's not just a piece of cloth; it's a symbol of hard won freedoms, sacrifice and shared identity. We must remind those who burn our flag that, in doing so, they reveal far more about themselves than they do about the country they live in. We are lucky to live in this country. We are blessed to be Australians. We should never be ashamed to just say so, so, today, on National Flag Day, I ask you not just to look up at our flag but to live up to its values.”
“But, sadly, we now live in a time where our flag is under attack. On Sunday 3 August, footage emerged of protesters in Melbourne burning our national flag. On the same weekend, on the Sydney Harbour Bridge, we saw a so-called peaceful rally filled with genocidal slogans, Hamas flags, Nazi swastikas and images of Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. This isn't peaceful protest; it's self-loathing. It's divisive, it's disgraceful and it's dangerous. Worse still, the Prime Minister described it as peaceful. When it comes to our national flag, he seems reluctant to even stand in front of it without being flanked by two others. We have one national flag, our sovereign identity—one standard under which we unite.”
“It has been raised on construction sites, farm houses, schools and scout hall walls. It belongs to all Australians. Unlike many other nations, we were formed without civil war, without violent revolution and without entrenched tribal conflict. Geoffrey Blainey has called this 'the great Australian achievement'. Yes, we recognise dark chapters—the mistreatment of Indigenous Australians, the appalling treatment of our Vietnam veterans—but we do so without tearing down the whole story, because the story of Australia is one of progress, not perfection. We've been successful not in spite of our differences but because of the values we share—mateship, fairness, respect, responsibility and patriotism. These values bind us no matter our ancestry, our religion, our postcode or our profession.”
“I remember walking around our farm at night as a young kid knowing that that was the best way to navigate and find your way around, and it still is. The Union Jack acknowledges the British heritage that gifted the institutions of democracy and rule of law and a society grounded in Christian values and civic virtue. The Commonwealth star, with the seven points, reminds us of our unity across six states and our territories. Under this flag, generations have served and sacrificed. It has flown above battlefields from Gallipoli to Afghanistan. It's been draped over the coffins of the fallen—the more than 103,000 Australians who gave their lives in defence of freedom. The flag has been worn with honour by soldiers, sailors and airmen. It has stood in the face of tyranny. It has greeted returning Olympians.”
“What could be more fitting than our national flag, the emblem of the people, being designed by the people? On 3 September 1901, the flag was raised for the first time above the dome of Melbourne's Royal Exhibition Building, which was the site of the first Commonwealth parliament. As the Brisbane Courier declared at the time, 'Nationhood is better for the concrete expression, and nothing will stir up enthusiasm or rouse the sense of regard for the country in which we live like a constant sight of the flag of Australia.' They were right, and they still are. Every element of our flag tells part of Australia's story. The Southern Cross, shining in our stars and celebrated by our Indigenous cultures, speaks to our unique place in the world.”
“Tomorrow commemorates National Flag Day. We honour a symbol that embodies the heart and soul of our nation: our national flag. It is a flag that doesn't just represent government or geography; it represents the people of Australia—our history, our values, our sacrifices and our aspirations. On 29 April 1901, our first prime minister, Edmund Barton, announced a competition to design the flag. Despite having just 32 days to get entries, more than 32,000 Australians responded. That alone says something deeply profound—that, from the beginning, Australians were united by a shared sense of identity and purpose. Of course, the winning design wasn't the work of a single group, authority or bureaucracy but five ordinary Australians: a schoolboy, an optician's apprentice, an architect, an artist and a ship's officer.”
“You see time and time again that in these clubs it's the same people over and over who are taking on an incredible workload to support these organisations. It brings together people in our local communities, and that makes them better places to live, work and raise a family. I'm proud to say these grants will help to cover so many of these costs. I absolutely congratulate all successful organisations, and I thank, most importantly of all, the thousands and thousands of volunteers across my electorate of Hume, in my local communities, for the time, the care and the commitment they give every single day.”
“We know insurance is becoming a crippling cost indeed for many organisations. The Oaks Junior Rugby League Football Club has been awarded $1,640 to get a new freezer. South West Rugby League Football Club secured $4,000 for line-marking equipment. Appin United Football Club received $2,000 for a portable gazebo and tablet, and the Wallacia Progress Association received $2,500, again to cover insurance costs. Other successful organisations include the Australian Breastfeeding Association in Macarthur, Buxton Community Association, Equestriad Camden, Macarthur Lions Club and Shining Stars Foundation. Every one of these organisations is powered by volunteers—ordinary people doing extraordinary things.”
“In Camden, the Camden Bowling Club received $1,500 to purchase new bowling equipment for the junior competition, the Camden Rugby Club received $3,000 for a generator, the Rotary Club of Camden received $3,100 for insurance, and the Camden CWA also got $2,500 for insurance. In Wollondilly, grassroots sport has received a welcome boost, with the Wilton Warriors Football Club receiving $4½ thousand to purchase a new line-marking machine, the Wollondilly Junior Australian Football Club receiving $2,400 to reimburse coaches for travel costs, and the Wollondilly Pony Club receiving $1,800 to cover insurance costs. We know those insurance costs are a really big deal for these organisations, and getting support so that they can cover their insurance has been a feature of the grants this year.”
“I rise today to acknowledge the extraordinary contribution of volunteers across my electorate of Hume and to congratulate the recipients of the 2024-25 Volunteer Grants Program, a program that we strongly supported when we were in government and continue to support, because volunteers are the backbone of our communities, and that's absolutely true in my community of Hume. They dedicate their time, skills and energy to local sporting clubs, community associations and service organisations. These grants recognise their efforts and provide much-needed support to help them continue their vital work. Small amounts of money can make a really big difference to these organisations, and this year a diverse range of organisations have been successful.”
“Deputy Prime Minister, the coalition is deeply committed to the Australia-US relationship. Between Sunday and this morning, the DPM's office has provided two conflicting statements about the nature and formality of this week's meeting with Secretary Hegseth. Since this morning there have been three different explanations about the nature and extent of the meeting. Deputy Prime Minister, was this a meeting with Secretary Hegseth or just a photo opportunity, and was there an outcome beyond the photo? Honourable members interjecting”
“If we are prepared for war, we have a better chance of deterring and hence averting it. Kim Beazley, a former Leader of the Labor Party, said: We can't afford to run our own game; people are full of piss and wind on that. He added: We have to be mindful that we've got our limits … He also said: We have to up our spending to 3 … per cent. It's colourful language from a former Leader of the Labor Party, a former opposition—”