Susan Templeman
Macquarie · Australian Labor Party · Australia
“The three key focuses of the government's action are, firstly, to disrupt and dismantle border threats to stem the flow of illicit tobacco and vapes to Australia before they make it to our shores; secondly, to enhance detection, disruption and destruction of illicit tobacco and vapes at the border and within the community; and, thirdly, t…”
“AUSTRAC is working with the banks and service providers to shut down the money flows that keep illicit tobacco profitable. Hundreds of accounts have already been closed and payment systems stopped.”
“We need to keep fighting it and not blame each other. Those opposite need to recognise that, just as we supported the steps they made, we need their full support in taking these actions.”
“That's not good enough for participants, it's not good enough for employers and it's not good enough for the economy. That's why these reforms are so important. This is the most significant change to employment services in 30 years. At the heart of these reforms is the end of the one-size-fits-all model.”
“The Commonwealth, states and territories are working together to reverse the equation for organised crime at every step and in every way to make the illicit tobacco trade more risky and less profitable, disrupting the illicit supply chain and shutting down illegal shops. This bill is another step in that process.”
“Mr Robert, at that time, spoke of the actions they were taking and the changes they were making on duty liabilities being paid when tobacco is imported into Australia.”
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“From a small-business perspective, it's not just an inconvenience. It's your viability as a business that's impacted when your phones are not working the way that you've been led to believe they will. As someone who had a small business for a quarter of a century, for my clients not to be able to contact me and to have to find some other way to reach me would have been an horrific experience for me as a small business operator. Every phone call was vital to my business. There have also been two regular high-profile incidents in the telco sector, including significant service outage and claims of irresponsible selling practices that have really highlighted the problems and the limitations of the existing legislation. Our solution is partly this bill.”
“We want to ensure that the telco industry is working for Australians, that the best consumer safeguards are in place and that there's strong, clear recourse if telcos do the wrong thing. We know these telecommunications services should be enriching people's lives, not causing them inconvenience, frustration or even harm. So, in terms of the size of the problem, I just want to paint a picture of that. The latest data from the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman, the TIO, shows that complaints progressed to the TIO increased 13 per cent between October and December last year, compared to the previous quarter. There was also a nearly 13 per cent increase in small-business complaints. That follows four consecutive quarters of decline and a spike in 3G shutdown complaints in October and November last year.”
“It's fine when things are going well, but when natural disasters hit—and they can be the areas where those disasters really take a toll—it is now critical that those telco services are there for everyone, whether it's people facing that vulnerable natural disaster experience, people living in the regions, First Nations Australians or those who rely on connectivity to support their families and provide services to their community. I was very pleased in this term of parliament to be part of an inquiry that looked at mobile phone coverage around the country and to really understand the impacts it has on people, on businesses and on tourism—on all the different aspects of communities' lives—and why it is so important that we fill those gaps in coverage.”
“The Albanese government is putting Australian consumers right at the heart of the telecommunications industry. Rather than being a bit of a nuisance to the system, we're saying, 'This is why we have it.' We want to ensure that every Australian has access to reliable, high-quality and affordable telecommunications services, supported by a strong regulatory and consumer safeguards framework. That's why we've been actively reviewing the consumer protection framework and making appropriate changes. I think it goes without saying that staying connected is now an absolutely essential part of everyday life. I do still have parts of my electorate where I go where there is no mobile coverage. I relish those moments.”
“One of the challenges under the current laws that we have identified, being in government, is that the Australian Communications and Media Authority, ACMA, is hamstrung where there are breaches that affect a large number of customers. Currently, ACMA can't take direct action against a telecommunications company without first issuing an order to comply. It's only if the compliance breach continues that ACMA can take action. What this means is that, even if penalties are applied, they are seen as being the cost of doing business. In other words, it's not significant enough to the telco for them to worry too much about that behaviour beforehand and, more importantly, it's not significant enough to get them to prevent these things from happening in the first place. That's where this legislation comes in.”
“It might be that that landline is down—that the wires are lying low on the side of the road. All those sorts of telco issues are things we come across probably on a weekly basis. Unsurprisingly, a lot of the complaints that we tackle come from Telstra customers because Telstra is the big legacy network. Given the nature of Macquarie, where landlines are still more widely used in the outlying areas, they are the holder of those. But other telecommunications companies come onto our radar frequently as well. Many of the cases we deal with are quite individual and specific in their nature, but there are also plenty of examples where people are experiencing a pattern of bad behaviour that is impacting large numbers of customers.”
“We work really hard to try and resolve issues that the people in Macquarie face. They might be service issues or they might be infrastructure issues. It might be something that takes a really long time to resolve, like getting in more mobile phone towers and dealing with those black spots. It might be a decline in mobile quality. I'm very mindful that right now we're trying to support people who are suffering a decline in mobile coverage. It might be a landline issue, and, in places where mobile coverage is still patchy, I welcome the fact that that will be addressed by our obligation on the telcos to provide a universal outdoor mobile texting and voice data service. In the meantime, landlines, in our floods and fires, are an essential piece of communication.”
“I know I'm not the only MP in this place who helps constituents out with telecommunications complaints. It is particularly noticeable in my community, which is periurban. We have some quite remote areas and we have rural areas. We have regional aspects as well as the more suburban areas. What this means is that telecommunications are absolutely vital from a safety and productivity perspective. I take very seriously complaints that are made when someone's service is not up to scratch—and, unfortunately, there are a large number of them. I think it's particularly noticeable, as this would be the largest area of complaints and advocacy that my office receives that is not part of a government department, keeping in mind that none of the telcos are owned by government.”
“The chair's foreword recalls that The Angels' Doc Neeson: … wasn't initially thrilled with the fans' hijacking of his song, but the die was cast. Whenever and wherever it was sung, the chorus was taken up with gusto by the crowd and it soon became a staple. That song's place in music history is the result of the magic that happens when performers and audiences share experiences together in real time. And I know, as a mum of a musician, there is nothing like being there at the gig watching that crowd react to the young people on stage. We hope that this report will play a part in restoring that wonderful, intangible dynamism and return this vital part of our culture to good health. I thank the House.”
“His training as a journalist was clear, throughout this inquiry, in his ability to drill down to the core issues at hand and interrogate the potential solutions. This report is a fine legacy. His choice for its title, Am I ever gonna to see you live again ? has been described as 'possibly the most inspired in parliamentary history', and rightly so. It's a reference to the Aussie rock classic 'Am I Ever Gonna See Your Face Again' by The Angels. The famous audience response to that line in the song is one that many members will be familiar with—including the member for Moreton—but parliamentary standards prevent me from repeating it. It's quite alright; the Left Right Out band makes sure that we give our audience the opportunity to engage in that!”
“It's been a privilege for the committee to gain a deeper understanding of this vital industry from the people who give it life. As sector members, your insights are at the heart of this report, and I'm hopeful that it will provide a pathway towards the recovery of an industry that we all value so profoundly. I also want to acknowledge my fellow committee members for their contributions to this inquiry over the past year. Thank you to the committee secretariat for your diligence, hard work, and for all your efforts in ensuring that this inquiry was rigorous and relevant. Finally, I want to recognise the leadership of the member for Lyons, Brian Mitchell, in chairing this committee.”
“We've recommended that research be conducted into changes in audience behaviour and attitudes that have affected demand for live music. We also recommend research into business models for live music that don't depend on alcohol sales. The way that audiences discover music has fundamentally changed. Radio still plays an important role, but, increasingly, music-streaming services and the algorithms behind them are key to musicians' success. That's why we've encouraged that the government work with music-streaming services to increase the proportion of local content that algorithms promote to users and, if necessary, legislate to ensure that Australian music reaches Australian audiences. Acknowledgements In closing, I'd like to thank everyone who wrote a submission and presented evidence to this inquiry.”
“I'm looking forward to pursuing that particular recommendation in our next parliament. Insurance has become one of the biggest costs for music festivals and venues, so we encourage the government to undertake research into the viability of a self-insurance or mutual insurance model for the music industry and other initiatives that could result in lower premiums. Another source of cost pressure on presenters is user-pays policing, so we've recommended that state and territory jurisdictions reduce or abolish these charges entirely. There have been growing calls for governments to re-evaluate the need for large police presences at live music events as well as reconsideration of the use of sniffer dogs and strip searches. Our recommendations back those calls. The music industry is rapidly evolving, and we want to help presenters to adapt.”
“Our recommendations support the designation of more of these precincts. Live music needs to be more accessible for young people, who are a smaller part of audiences than in past decades. So we recommend that the government assess the viability of a rebate or voucher system to make tickets more affordable. Creativity is innate to all of us. All Australians should have the opportunity to create music, not just consume it. That has to begin in childhood. So we've recommended that the government partner with state and territory governments to improve the standard of music education in our primary schools. We could do that by supporting pilot projects to deliver quality music education in communities of socioeconomic disadvantage and then evaluate the benefits of that on student outcomes.”
“An expanded Revive Live could support smaller grassroots venues to present a series of performances. It could provide funding for capital improvements to venues and improve their functionality and accessibility, covering costs like soundproofing, equipment upgrades and disability access. It could provide funding for festivals that support the viability and diversity of live music in Australia, including regional festivals, all-ages events, First Nations festivals, community festivals and not-for-profit festivals. We heard that special entertainment precincts can make a real difference to the viability of live music by providing a more supportive regulatory regime. This could include exemptions to trading-hour restrictions, concessional liquor excise rates and differentiated noise complaint processes.”
“We also recommended that the ACCC monitor the music industry for anticompetitive conduct and take enforcement action as required. We love seeing the best global talent on Australian stages and we also love seeing the benefits flow through to our own music industry. The committee recommends enacting an obligation for major international acts to work with local support acts. While blockbuster arena shows are drawing huge crowds, grassroots live music in smaller venues is really struggling. So we've recommended that a small levy be charged on the largest, most profitable shows. The funds raised could be directed towards an expansion of the Revive Live program, which I was delighted to see was extended for another year in the budget handed down on Tuesday night.”
“We heard concerns about anticompetitive practices within the music industry and a lack of transparency and stability in ticket prices. While there is understandable concern about the viability of live music in Australia, we were heartened to hear so many constructive ideas about what the government can do to help turn things around. It's that pragmatic forward thinking that the committee's recommendations are based on. We believe that a tax offset for live performance could be a game changer for the music industry and we recommended that a concrete policy proposal be developed for the government to consider. We recommend that consumer laws be amended to better regulate ticket sales by improving the transparency of fees and charges within ticket pricing and limiting extreme variability in prices caused by dynamic pricing.”
“The effect of COVID continues to be felt, with audiences buying tickets in smaller numbers and leaving it later to buy them. Younger people today are less likely to go out to gigs and festivals than in previous decades, and cost-of-living pressures are affecting consumer behaviours. Festivals and venues are facing similar increased costs, especially from insurance premiums, user-pays policing, travel costs and production expenses. These risks are causing festival cancellations in numbers never before seen. Those that do go ahead are facing major challenges to their viability. Around 35 per cent of festivals surveyed by Creative Australia lost money, and we've seen a dramatic decline in the number of venues offering live music right around the country.”
“Tim Hollo put this beautifully in his submission, saying: Music, as an artistic and cultural practice, has always been about sharing and borrowing; about free exchange; about something that appears and disappears; a gift of a brief moment of transcendence lifting out of the here and now into something bigger than ourselves. In addition to the spiritual and cultural value of live music, it provides valuable employment opportunities for tens of thousands of people. It always bears repeating that arts jobs are real jobs. The live music industry provides employment to around 41,000 workers, a workforce similar in size to baristas, GPs, cooks, miners and university lecturers. In my state of New South Wales alone, the economic value of live music is estimated to be $5.5 billion. But we also heard that the sector is facing major headwinds.”
“In those submissions and public hearings, we heard from musicians, representative organisations, educators, researchers, business owners, streaming services, broadcasters, First Nations groups and government agencies. We heard just how much live music means to communities across Australia. Ninety-one per cent of the New South Wales public who attend live music agree that live music contributes to the vibrancy of their cities and communities. A similar proportion of respondents who work in the live music industry agree that live music can be a powerful form of cultural expression, particularly for marginalised groups. Live music provides us with some of the most meaningful and memorable experiences of our lives.”
“On behalf of the Standing Committee on Communications and the Arts, I present the committee's report entitled Am I ever gonna see you live again? Yes way! You bet! Oh ye ah ! , together with the minutes of proceedings. Report made a parliamentary paper in accordance with standing order 39(e). by leave—In March 2024, the Minister for the Arts asked the House Standing Committee on Communications and the Arts to inquire into the challenges and opportunities within the Australian live music industry. The inquiry's terms of reference included examining the industry's sustainability, barriers to growth and consumer behaviours. The committee received 130 written submissions from stakeholders and policymakers around the country.”
“The following 30 ministerial responses to petitions were received. Ministerial responses received by the Committee on 26 March 2025 From the Minister for Climate Change and Energy to a petition requesting research on climate change (EN5101) From the Minister for Climate Change and Energy to a petition requesting a moratorium on all large-scale wind, solar, pumped hydro and related transmission projects (EN5680) From the Minister for Foreign Affairs to a petition regarding Israel's actions in the Occupied Palestinian Territories (EN6472) From the Assistant Treasurer to a petition requesting that a furniture company be referred to the appropriate regulator for investigation (EN6483) From the Minister for Veterans' Affairs to a petition requesting an increase in the rebates for physiotherapy treatments provided to Department of Veterans' Affairs clients (EN6526) From the Attorney-General to a petition regarding family and domestic violence (EN6552) From the Attorney-General to a petition requesting the criminalisation of institutional coercive control (EN6576) From the Minister for Defence to a petition requesting the cancellation of the AUKUS agreement (EN6580) From the Attorney-General to a petition regarding federal laws relating to the age of criminal responsibility (EN6598) From the Minister for the Environment and Water to a petition regarding the environmental impact of the Ballymore Resources Dittmer Project (EN6605) From the Minister for Foreign Affairs to a petition requesting support for academic freedom in Nicaragua (EN6648) From the Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government to a petition requesting the harmonisation of state and territory laws to mandate hands-free citizen band radio operation in vehicles (EN6662) From the Minister for Foreign Affairs to a petition requesting support to address antisemitism (EN6683) From the Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government to a petition regarding the development of a third runway at Melbourne Airport (EN6689) From the Minister for the Environment and Water to a petition regarding the heritage management of Christian's Minde Settlement in the Jervis Bay Territory (EN6711) From the Minister for Health and Aged Care to a petition requesting that the private health insurance rebate for Bowen Therapy be reinstated (EN6717) From the Attorney-General to a petition regarding the protection of domestic violence victims from strategic litigation against public participation (EN6729) From the Attorney-General to a petition requesting the establishment of a federal judicial commission (EN6746) From the Minister for Health and Aged Care to a petition requesting that the medication semaglutide be listed on the Pharmaceutical benefits Scheme (EN6747) From the Assistant Minister for Social Security to a petition regarding the calculation of child support payments (EN6752) From the Assistant Minister for Health and Aged Care to a petition requesting that an Endometriosis and Pelvic Pain Clinic be established in Newcastle, New South Wales (EN6754) From the Minister for Health and Aged Care to a petition regarding the affordability of autism spectrum disorder and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder assessments (EN6801) From the Minister for Foreign Affairs to a petition requesting regulations to prevent foreign embassies and consulates from using religious places for official purposes (EN6817) From the Minister for Health and Aged Care to a petition requesting support to address perinatal and infant loss (EN6822) From the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry to a petition regarding the protection of domestic rabbits from calicivirus (EN6862) From the Minister for Health and Aged Care to a petition regarding rural maternity health services (EN6873) From the Minister for Health and Aged Care to a petition requesting action against manufacturers of vaping products (EN6879) From the Attorney-General to a petition requesting support for the inclusion of freedom of speech in the Australian Constitution (EN6888) From the Minister for the Environment and Water to a petition requesting the removal of legislative barriers to the development of nuclear power (PN0627) From the Minister for Communications to a petition requesting that Australia Post relocate the Artarmon Post Shop (PN0632) Ms Susan Templeman MP Chair—Petitions Committee”
“The committee resolved to present the following 112 petitions in accordance with standing order 207: Petitions certified on 22 January 2025 From 8 petitioners—requesting the creation of a national reserve of Bitcoin (EN6893) From 26 petitioners—regarding legislation relating to social media age limit restrictions (EN6896) From 9 petitioners—regarding Australia's ambassador to the United States (EN6902) From 71 petitioners—requesting that the School Student Broadband Initiative be extended (EN6903) From 186 petitioners—requesting support for a gamba grass eradication program in the Northern Territory (EN6909) From 45 petitioners—requesting that data about the number of individuals earning an income below the tax-free threshold be made public (EN6912) From 133 petitioners—requesting improvements to telecommunications infrastructure and coverage in Coomera Waters, Queensland (EN6913) From 185 petitioners—requesting support to prevent discrimination in early childhood education (EN6914) From 53 petitioners—regarding the affordability of mental health-related medications (EN6918) From 56 petitioners—requesting that tobacco excise rates be reduced (EN6919) From 51 petitioners—regarding National Disability Insurance Scheme support for people with neurodivergent conditions (EN6920) From 82 petitioners—requesting an inquiry into the Electoral Legislation Amendment (Electoral Reform) Bill 2024 (EN6924) From 16 petitioners—regarding National Disability Insurance Scheme funding for music therapy (EN6926) From 913 petitioners—requesting the implementation of a uniform domestic violence disclosure scheme across all Australian jurisdictions (EN6927) From 914 petitioners—requesting that three-dimensional paramedical tattooing performed by a qualified tattooist be included in the Medicare Benefits Schedule for people who have undergone breast reconstruction after a mastectomy (EN6928) From 20 petitioners—regarding victims of family and domestic violence (EN6935) From 25 petitioners—requesting that funding for the Australian Broadcasting Commission be ceased (EN6937) From 171 petitioners—requesting the recognition of qualified music therapy providers by the National Disability Insurance Scheme (EN6939) From 51 petitioners—requesting the establishment of a Bill of Rights (EN6943) From 49 petitioners—requesting legalisation of the sale and consumption of cannabis and cannabis products (EN6950) From 6 petitioners—requesting a salary increase for members of the Australian Army (EN6951) From 12 petitioners—regarding the publication of images of children on social media platforms (EN6953) From 163 petitioners—requesting continued National Disability Insurance Scheme funding for art and music therapy (EN6958) From 43 petitioners—requesting that the use of glyphosate be prohibited (EN6962) From 10 petitioners—requesting funding and support for illicit substance harm reduction and treatment programs (EN6964) From 85 petitioners—requesting that the construction of a National Broadband Network telecommunications tower be ceased (EN6973) From 31 petitioners—requesting regulations relating to property valuations (EN6974) From 20 petitioners—requesting the establishment of a community bank (EN6975) From 80 petitioners—requesting the removal of automated teller machine (ATM) fees (EN6976) From 11 petitioners—requesting increased taxation on the profits of social media companies (EN6977) From 46 petitioners—requesting that animal testing be prohibited (EN6979) From 5 petitioners—requesting that the voting age be lowered (EN6982) From 39 petitioners—requesting an extension to parental leave timeframes (EN6984) From 9 petitioners—requesting that medals be awarded to members of the Australian Defence Force who participated in Operation COVID-19 Assist (EN6997) From 100 petitioners—requesting support for the education of girls in Afghanistan (EN6998) From 7 petitioners—requesting age limit restrictions for social media platforms (EN6999) From 27 petitioners—requesting support to improve the affordability of home insurance (EN7000) From 30 petitioners—requesting a review of newly announced funding for the Sydney Jewish Museum (EN7004) From 145 petitioners—requesting the simultaneous display of the Australian national flag, the Aboriginal flag and the Torres Strait Islander flag (EN7005) From 20 petitioners—requesting support to study the feasibility of the use of sea water in the production of nuclear power (EN7007) From 1143 petitioners—requesting support for an individual detained in Bangladesh (EN7008) From 6676 petitioners—requesting the prohibition of corporate donations to political parties (EN7009) From 12 petitioners—requesting regulations restricting the collection of online data relating to minors (EN7010) From 88 petitioners—requesting support to increase the manufacture and supply of estrogen and estrogen-progesterone transdermal patches (EN7012) From 10 petitioners—requesting the recognition of Kurdistan as an independent state (EN7014) From 24 petitioners—requesting that the Australian Government withdraw support for Ukraine (EN7016) From 66 petitioners—requesting that Youth Allowance and Austudy be made available to postgraduate research students (EN7022) From 141 petitioners—requesting that the date of Australia Day be changed (EN7023) From 32 petitioners—requesting action to address online content depicting animal cruelty (EN7025) From 9 petitioners—regarding social media age limit restrictions (EN7029) From 775 petitioners—requesting support to assist homeowners to remove asbestos (EN7030) From 10 petitioners—regarding Fibre to the Building National Broadband Network connections (EN7032) From 17 petitioners—regarding income support payments (EN7035) From 8 petitioners—requesting action to address explicit material on social media platforms (EN7036) From 33 petitioners—requesting changes to age limits for international postgraduate students (EN7039) From 50 petitioners—requesting that the use of artificial intelligence in creative industries be prohibited (EN7040) From 11 petitioners—regarding the exposure of workers to second-hand smoke in licenced gaming areas (EN7045) From 232 petitioners—requesting changes to the way child support payments are calculated (EN7048) From 176 petitioners—requesting the reversal of recent changes to the role of the 1st Armoured Regiment (EN7051) From 124 petitioners—requesting that businesses be prohibited from charging a default service gratuity (EN7052) From 4 petitioners—requesting the removal of sanctions placed on members of Israel's Hilltop Youth (EN7054) From 39 petitioners—requesting support for a referendum to abolish state governments (EN7059) From 52 petitioners—requesting that Steve Irwin be depicted on the Australian five-dollar note (EN7063) From 77 petitioners—requesting that the release of genetically modified insects or animals be prohibited (EN7068) From 242 petitioners—requesting that access to the social media platform X be prohibited (EN7075) From 19026 petitioners—requesting that Partner Income Tests be abolished for recipients of Centrelink payments (EN7076) From 29 petitioners—requesting that coal-fired power stations be replaced with CANada Deuterium Uranium reactors (EN7078) From 277 petitioners—requesting support for first home buyers who hold a Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 491) (EN7079) From 44 petitioners—requesting transparency relating to credit card surcharges (EN7085) Petitions certified on 5 February 2025 From 55 petitioners—requesting that the speed and reliability of the National broadband Network be increased (EN7086) From 2188 petitioners—requesting that processing of renewable energy project applications be ceased (EN7087) From 6285 petitioners—regarding processing times for Permanent Residence (Skilled Regional) visa (subclass 191) applications (EN7088) From 4174 petitioners—requesting a response to violence in Syria (EN7090) From 104 petitioners—regarding Australia's commitment to the Paris Agreement on climate change (EN7093) From 7 petitioners—regarding the entry visa of an international performer (EN7094) From 79 petitioners—requesting action to address instances of antisemitism (EN7095) From 162 petitioners—requesting the removal of income tax on payments for overtime work (EN7096) From 194 petitioners—requesting actions to address housing affordability (EN7099) From 86 petitioners—requesting actions to prevent money laundering via real estate transactions (EN7100) From 51351 petitioners—requesting royalty schemes for Australians (EN7101) From 344 petitioners—requesting that Australia withdraw from the Paris Agreement on climate change (EN7104) From 128 petitioners—requesting actions to address human rights concerns in Pakistan (EN7108) From 55 petitioners—requesting reforms to tax laws relating to cryptocurrency (EN7109) From 40 petitioners—regarding concerns related to the Superannuation (Objective) Act 2024 (EN7112) From 57 petitioners—requesting actions to address humanitarian concerns resulting from the conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo (EN7113) From 64 petitioners—requesting an amendment to section 268.22 of the Criminal Code Act 1995 to include gender apartheid (EN7118) From 135 petitioners—requesting the implementation of recommendations from the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody (EN7119) From 1636 petitioners—requesting that a family member of Australian citizens be granted permission to remain in Australia (EN7121) From 175 petitioners—requesting changes to requirements for statements of Members' registrable interests (EN7122) Petitions certified on 12 February 2025 From 11 petitioners—requesting assistance with the costs of schooling (EN7125) From 518 petitioners—regarding processing times for Permanent Residence (Skilled Regional) visa (subclass 191) applications (EN7127) From 15 petitioners—regarding processing times for Student (subclass 500) visa applications (EN7129) From 51 petitioners—requesting the establishment of a Bill of Rights (EN7131) From 10 petitioners—requesting changes to regulations relating to digital banking (EN7132) From 13 petitioners—regarding supermarket pricing practices (EN7133) From 103 petitioners—regarding processing times for Permanent Residence (Skilled Regional) visa (subclass 191) applications (EN7134) From 17 petitioners—regarding eligibility for protection visas (EN7135) From 29 petitioners—requesting that military and intelligence cooperation with the United States be ceased (EN7136) From 16 petitioners—regarding the Australian Broadcasting Commission's coverage of the conflict in Israel and Palestine (EN7138) From 2109 petitioners—requesting that cooperation with the United States be ceased (EN7139) From 1550 petitioners—requesting enhancements to consumer protections related to property sales (EN7142) From 10 petitioners—regarding education about evolution (EN7143) From 808 petitioners—requesting that the sale and use of products containing metaldehyde be prohibited (EN7144) From 15 petitioners—requesting that early childhood education centers be required to contact the parents of children who are absent (EN7145) From 95 petitioners—requesting that new oil and gas fracking projects be prohibited (EN7146) From 73 petitioners—regarding public access to National Parks (EN7147) From 1892 petitioners—regarding access to the National Diabetes Services Scheme for people living with cystic fibrosis-related diabetes (EN7148) From 153 petitioners—regarding changes to eligibility for National Disability Insurance Scheme participants (EN7149) From 208 petitioners—requesting permanent residency for Sri Lankan Tamil asylum seekers (EN7150) Petitions certified on 26 March 2025 From 198 petitioners—requesting a Services Australia kiosk in Numurkah, Victoria (PN0634) From 443 petitioners—requesting face-to-face Centrelink and Medicare services in Cobar, New South Wales (PN0635) From 1188 petitioners—requesting that the Australian Government respond to the conflict in Gaza (PN0637) 2.”
“I present report No. 38 of the Standing Committee on Petitions. The report read as follows— HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES PETITIONS COMMITTEE REPORT No. 38 Petitions and Ministerial Responses 27 March 2025 MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE Chair Ms Susan Templeman MP Deputy Chair Mr Ross Vasta MP Mr Sam Birrell MP Ms Alison Byrnes MP Ms Lisa Chesters MP Mr Garth Hamilton MP Ms Tracey Roberts MP Ms Meryl Swanson MP This committee is supported by staff of the Department of the House of Representatives Report summarising the petitions and ministerial responses being presented. The committee met in private session in the 47th Parliament on 22 January 2025, 5 February 2025, 12 February 2025 and 26 March 2025. 1.”
“My question is to the Minister for Health. How is the Albanese Labor government delivering more choice and cheaper medicines for Australian women? Why is it important to deliver more choice, lower costs and better healthcare options? What are the risks?”
“Everything we have done, as best we could, has been with a view on minimising that impact of unemployment and ensuring that people still have jobs. I am so proud that Australian businesses rose to that and that we've got this economy where it is now.”
“One of the things I think that those in opposition fail to appreciate—and some of them might be too young to remember, and I'll forgive them for that—is that the consequences of high unemployment are not just numbers. This is not a piece of data that looks bad on a piece of paper. It's what that does to people and people's lives. It really, seriously impacts someone's self-esteem and their mental health, let alone their finances and their financial future. It impacts their relationships. It impacts our wider society as people choose to withdraw from things. It has such far-reaching consequences, and I know because I saw this in the nineties. That is not something that Labor believes should be repeated.”
“We've achieved that without something that normally happens and that other countries have resorted to, and that is high unemployment. Over the last few years, together, Australians have achieved something quite remarkable—and that is that we have made substantial progress on inflation, we've got wages growing again for the first time in memory, we've got low unemployment and we've seen the creation of more than a million jobs under the Albanese Labor government. As of last week, unemployment continues to be low; it sits at around 4.1 per cent, with record participation and widespread job creation. Four out of five jobs are in the private sector. Those are jobs that businesses are having the confidence to create. That doesn't happen without a steady hand at the wheel steering the economy of Australia.”
“We did that because we knew that we needed to provide a secure foundation for Australia to find its way in what we now know is an ever-changing world and a challenging world. Let's think about where we are now compared to where we were. When we came to government, inflation was shooting up like a rocket. It was going up and up and up. People weren't yet feeling those price increases because they take a little time to work their way through, but it wasn't long before people realised that those price increases equalled pain. We have done a total reverse on that. Not only is inflation not going up now; it's actually on its way down, and it's within a range that clearly gives the Reserve Bank confidence that it's okay to ease interest rates. That's a pretty significant thing to have achieved.”
“That's why we put forward sensible, thoughtful measures—not to fix everything instantly, because none of it has a quick fix, but to address and ease the pain that people are feeling. Unfortunately, nothing we've heard from anybody opposite offers any alternative approach—how they might tackle the economic issues that we face. In every budget we've handed down, we've been focused on helping with the cost of living, using the levers that we have. But we've also been very mindful that we inherited a big Liberal debt and that that needed to be paid down. We found savings in the budget, savings that those opposite were incapable of finding when they were in government. There were no savings in their budgets. They never delivered a surplus. As we found those savings, we used them to pay down debt that we inherited.”
“Back in 2019 I sat on that side of the chamber, and I remember speaking to a deaf government about the challenges that families were facing around stagnant wage growth and the rising cost of living, and that was just completely dismissed by the people who were in charge of the economy back then. Having now been on this side of the chamber for three years and having listened to those opposite from a different perspective, I can see why. It's because they do not have a single policy that would tackle the challenges that people face. They can whine and they can moan and they can stir people up. We know that people have been hurting. We know what the consequences have been.”
“We all know that investing in things that prevent problems down the track is such a better use of taxpayer dollars than dealing with issues later down the track. This is exactly what this bill will do. It will ease things for families, and I commend it to the House.”
“Georgie Dent, the CEO of The Parenthood, someone who speaks to many families and particularly to women, describes the activity test as 'a barrier that disproportionately locks out children who stand to benefit the most from participating in quality early childhood education and care'. She says: The evidence shows the main people who will benefit from scrapping the Activity Test are single mothers and their children, First Nations families and casual and shift workers. So I'm very proud that this policy change to bring affordable, accessible and quality child care within the reach of more people is going through this parliament, and I would really urge those opposite to support it. There's nothing better that we can do than invest in our young people.”
“We're not punishing families and particularly not punishing children for the circumstances that they are in. I want to leave you with some of the words of those who know this sector way better than me. I come to it as a parent, and hopefully grandparent, not only thinking about how my children might interact with this system but watching my many friends' children coming to grips with how they navigate work, child care and early education. Dr Ros Baxter, the CEO of Goodstart, who knows a thing or two about child care, says: This will change lives. It will boost our nation's productivity, ensuring Australia's children don't fall behind. And it will support more parents into work, study and training. That's the change we make.”
“Today, the average out-of-pocket costs for early education and care are not only lower than before cheaper child care came in but lower than they were when the former Liberal government introduced the childcare subsidy in 2018. This is significant for families. Our three-day guarantee will deliver additional cost-of-living relief for more than 66,000 families after the changes commence in January 2026. As an example, families earning from $50,000 to $100,000 will be better off under the three-day guarantee to the tune of about, on average, $1,460 a year, so I'm very pleased to be here to talk about these changes. The regime that we are replacing has been described by Jay Weatherill from the Minderoo Foundation as 'punitive and unfair'. We are making this fairer.”
“This is a fundamental difference to the existing status quo. To those who argue that this is something we can't afford to do: this is something we can't afford not to do. The benefits of educating children early in a quality way flow through their entire lives. The benefits flow through to the rest of society. These are things that people will look back on and say, 'That was transformational.' This legislation will also help with cost-of-living pressures. Our whole focus has been on trying to alleviate cost-of-living pressures wherever we can. The cheaper childcare reforms cut the cost of child care by about 17 per cent for the typical family—that's more than a million families receiving about 17 per cent relief.”
“It's not a one-off—let's just do this and give it a tick, and that'll fix everything. We recognise the breadth of work there is to do. I acknowledge in the chamber the Minister for Education, who, along with his assistant minister, works so hard to ensure that we have an education system that will have universal access and treats people across Australia with dignity and respect and recognises that it's not just those who live in posh parts of cities who deserve the best; it's everybody. The key to this legislation is that all families will be guaranteed three days, 72 hours, of childcare subsidy each fortnight. Families caring for First Nations children will be guaranteed 100 hours each fortnight. Families who work, study or train will continue to be eligible for 100 hours of subsidised care each fortnight.”
“It's the height of hypocrisy for those opposite to now suddenly discover that there are problems and a bit tricky to get childcare places if you're a new mum. This has been going on for years, and, under their watch, they did absolutely nothing. They chose to ignore it completely. The Building Early Education Fund is going to include $500 million in targeted capital grant rounds focused on quality, not-for-profit early childhood education and care providers and state and local governments to establish new services and increase the capacity of existing services. Grants will be targeted—as Labor always does—to priority and underserved markets, including regional locations and outer suburbs. I certainly know I am advocating hard for my community on these matters. That's how this piece of legislation fits into a bigger picture.”
“It obviously builds on cheaper child care, which cuts the cost of early education and care for around a million families. It also builds on our efforts to get a 15 per cent pay rise for early educators. It's part of a package that establishes a $1 billion Building Early Education Fund to build and expand childcare centres in areas of need, including the outer suburbs and regions. That brings a big smile to my face because, as someone who represents an outer suburb and region—the Hawkesbury, the Plains and the Blue Mountains—we really need help getting access to childcare places. I know mums who can't work or who can only work a small amount of time but not the amount they'd like. That's because we are one of those deserts where the actions of the previous government did nothing to help increase access to early education.”
“The three-day guarantee is about making sure that every family and every child can access subsidised early learning. We want to make sure every single child gets the best possible start in life. They have a right to go to early education, to help make sure they don't start school behind other kids. This Labor government is going to make sure that is possible. This bill replaces the activity test, and the three-day guarantee will essentially increase entitlements for more than 100,000 families, with more than 66,000 families expected to be better off in the first full financial year of the implementation of this policy and no families worse off. This reform is part of our next steps to continue building a universal early education and care system where we see expanding access to quality care across the country.”
“This is not just something where we say, 'I've been a mum and I know.' The analysis by the Institute of Family Studies has been backed in multiple ways, and I want to quote Dr Angela Jackson and Impact Economics, which found: The current activity test— and this is talking about the Liberals' activity test— for the Child Care Subsidy limits access to subsidised child care and is contributing to … children from the poorest households missing out on critical early childhood education and care. As a result, these children are more likely to start school behind their peers, with many never catching up. And these are choices that the Liberals made, choices that have consequences for kids who are now in school. They have consequences for our system now and in years to come. That's why this reform is so important.”
“When you look at the consequences of that down the line, you see that when kids get to primary school—in New South Wales in their first year they do kindergarten—if they haven't had that early learning there are big differences within that class. This means big challenges for teachers, who of course do an extraordinary job in our schools to cater for it. It's actually a benefit to every parent of a child in those first years of school to have all the other kids having had a fantastic quality early childhood education background. All of this is backed by research.”
“The Australian Institute of Family Studies found that detailed activity testing was making the system more difficult to navigate—and it is not a simple system; it never was. Even back in my day it was complicated and confusing. When you're a young mum with young kids, the system is even more challenging to try and get your head around when there's so much else going on. When you're trying to get out the door in the morning with the kids while you're on your way to work, that's really the focus of the way you start each day. The Institute of Family Studies also found that children in low-income families who didn't meet the activity test were not getting enough access to early childhood education. These were the children who, as we all know, often need it the most—not always, but often.”
“That suggests that without that extra help many low-income families simply dropped out of early education. There's a whole generation of toddlers who missed out because of the Liberal Party's decision. That is unacceptable. The Australian Institute of Family Studies reviewed the Liberals' childcare reforms back in 2021 and gave them the advice that the small increase in parents' employment since 2018 was consistent with ongoing trends around the world in workforce participation and couldn't be linked to their reforms. The Liberals probably wished they hadn't been given that advice. They certainly didn't take note of that advice, and they maintained their policy settings.”
“It made it harder for families to access early childhood education, especially for those with children who are likely to benefit from it the most. That's the appalling consequence of what happened. And it had multiple other consequences. We've seen a massive increase in grandparents looking after grandchildren to try to help ease the costs because parents aren't able to access the number of subsidised hours of care that would make it accessible. That 2018 childcare package halved the number of subsidised hours of care that low-income families could access. It went from 48 hours a fortnight to 24 hours, essentially one day a week. Data from the Department of Education shows that the number of children from low-income families who accessed care went from 32,000 in 2018 to around 6½ thousand in 2019.”
“On top of that, those young people are probably at the hardest stage of their lives, with the biggest calls on their time, their funds and their energy. That's what this is tackling. It's about recognising the challenges—challenges that got harder because of the previous government. When the Liberals were in government they created a bigger problem here, and that's where I want to start, in talking about the Early Childhood Education and Care (Three Day Guarantee) Bill 2025. When the former Liberal government introduced the activity test in July 2018, they promised that it was about enabling and encouraging greater workforce participation and simplifying childcare payments. Instead, what it actually did was to create new barriers to workforce participation for parents. It made the childcare system more complicated for their families.”
“I want to acknowledge the contribution that the member for Warringah just made, echoing that belief that there is a fundamental good for society in having every young child given the opportunity to have quality early education. I think back to what it was like to be a mum with little kids. It was a long time ago. It's more than 30 years ago. It was during the recession we had to have. It was a tough time economically, and the cost of child care even back then was something that weighed on you. But, as we know, it's gotten tougher. I see my children's generations really struggling to work full time—or part time, if they can afford it—and balance the budget with their childcare costs. We need to say to those young people now: We realise that it's tough. These have been difficult economic times.”
“I want to especially thank the staff of the secretariat, including Dr John White, for all their diligence, advice and drafting expertise. I commend this report to the House.”
“Victims-survivors need someone to walk with them from the moment they decide to reach out for help—to guide them safely through separation, to advocate for them and to connect them with the services that they need. This report would not have been possible without the bravery of many victims-survivors who shared their stories with the committee and those who dedicate their lives to preventing and responding to family, domestic and sexual violence and support victims-survivors to safely navigate separation. We acknowledge your strength and courage, and we thank you for sharing your lived experiences and your advocacy. I also thank my committee members, including my deputy chair, for their participation in the inquiry, which has delivered a unanimous report.”
“The period of elevated risk is extended because family law matters are slow, complex, adversarial and expensive, and perpetrators often manipulate the system as an extension of their control and abuse. Most applications to the family law courts involve multiple family violence and child abuse risk factors. The committee has made recommendations that will build on the Australian government's significant reforms over the past two years that have made the family law system safer and fairer for victims-survivors of family, domestic and sexual violence, including: Further work to explore a single advocacy support model for victims-survivors is needed.”