Anthony Albanese
Grayndler · Australian Labor Party · Australia
“The ground there at Brookvale Oval, as I call it, was of course sponsored by a gambling company, so every time there's a game on there you see that constant advertising around the ground. What our legislation will do is make sure that future contracts can't be issued with things such as advertising on jerseys or advertising on grounds.”
“She's someone who's passionate about it and tells me about her constituent who is 108 years old and travelled, as a very young boy, from South Australia with family for the opening of the first parliament—and he's still there. We hope he's able to attend again.”
“That is why, just this week, there was the increase in the minimum wage, the decrease in taxes, the support for paid parental leave, super being paid every payday. All of these changes make a positive difference to people's lives.”
“This year, Australia is celebrating 125 years of Federation, and I was with you and other members in Melbourne to commemorate that event of the first sitting of parliament, and it was a very good celebration of our history, which is worthy of celebration.”
“We Australians sometimes think of ourselves as a young nation on an ancient continent, yet by global standards, of course, we are one of the oldest and strongest democracies in the world. Next year will mark an important anniversary: the 100th anniversary of Australian democracy making its home here in Canberra, our national capital.”
“I note the member for McPherson, who's a former attendant in Parliament House, has agreed to be one of the members of that committee as well, and that's a good thing.”
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“We don't expel an ambassador lightly, because of the consequences of that, which obviously aren't all upside, but we do think that it is an appropriate response given the extraordinary behaviour and the direct link that they have been able to draw through a direct chain to individuals and to the IRGC.”
“Obviously, our priority is making sure that the perpetrators of this, direct and indirect, are brought to justice, and we don't want to engage in any talk that potentially disrupts the investigations which are ongoing. As I said, it's very clear to ASIO and the Director-General that there are at least two accounts. The government has been briefed and, certainly, I would hope that the Leader of the Opposition and appropriate people on the other side, as well, will take advantage of a briefing. It is the case that this is the most serious response that any Australian government has given.”
“The government will legislate so that we can list Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, the IRGC, as a terrorist organisation. The actions of my government send a very clear message to nations like Iran who seek to interfere in our country that their aggression will not be tolerated. As we face those who seek to do us harm, Australia must stand together. We briefed, prior to the press conference, the premiers of Victoria and New South Wales. As well, I spoke with Rabbi Shlomo Kohn of the Adass Israel synagogue. We also spoke with the restaurant in the member for Wentworth's electorate that was impacted by this. There are more investigations going on, I must say, so there is a limit to what information the ASIO Director-General and the officials will give.”
“ASIO assesses that, apart from these two attacks, it is likely that there are more as well. These were extraordinary and dangerous acts of aggression, orchestrated by a foreign nation on Australian soil. They were attempts to undermine social cohesion and sow discord in our community. It is totally unacceptable, and the Australian government is taking strong and decisive action in response. The Iranian ambassador is being expelled. We were briefed by ASIO yesterday. We went through our appropriate processes and ensured that the Australian diplomats who are based in Tehran were able to get safely to a third country before these revelations became public, because of concern for their safety. I confirm that that has occurred, and we have suspended operations at the embassy in Tehran.”
“I thank the member for her question and for the parliamentary bipartisan support for the actions we have taken. We know that, since those terrible events by the Hamas terrorists on October 7, we've witnessed a number of appalling antisemitic attacks against Australia's Jewish community. We have been clear that these attacks have no place in Australia, and the government asked ASIO and the AFP to investigate as a priority. I do want to thank the extraordinary work that has been done to get to the bottom of what has been quite a complex issue. ASIO has now gathered enough credible intelligence to reach a deeply disturbing conclusion—that the Iranian government directed at least two of these attacks. Iran has sought to disguise its involvement through the use of criminal elements being paid here in Australia.”
“Neale, yours is a message of hope, a message of courage and a message of determination. It has touched the lives of so many Australians. You lift us all up. Welcome to our parliament and thank you, mate, for what you do. Honourable members: Hear, hear!”
“It's a great honour to welcome our 2025 Australian of the Year, Neale Daniher, to the House. I was able to meet with Neale earlier today and it was a delight, just as it was absolutely a wonderful evening at the Arboretum, where Neale was designated as a very worthy Australian of the Year. Since Neale was diagnosed with MND in 2013, he has inspired all Australians with his battle against what he calls 'the Beast'. Neale, I know that you are fond of saying, 'When all is said and done, more is said than done.' What you have done is truly extraordinary. Through FightMND, those iconic beanies and the famous Big Freeze slide on the King's Birthday at the 'G, over $117 million has been raised to fund research into a cure. I know this whole parliament is proud to support those efforts, as governments from both sides have over many years.”
“That's something my government is looking at in a range of areas, as well as providing for local infrastructure programs that the minister might want to talk about.”
“There are a range of funds—including the announcement that I made last week about changes to the RIC program—being made available so that the issue of resilience and investment can be made to that program for issues which are unprecedented, of course. In South Australia at the moment what you have is a combination of events. You have the floodwater flowing down through the Murray-Darling Basin impacting, with sediments being washed into and nutrients out of the water there, but the thing that's really having an impact is that the water is about two degrees higher than it normally would be at this time of the year. That is having an impact on the environment, which is having an impact, therefore, on our economy. So I think the member is quite right to point towards investing upfront.”
“I thank the member for her question, and I'll ask Minister McBain to add to my comments. But we are certainly very conscious of the cost of climate change. It is real. It is real, and in recent months I, of course, have been to regional South Australia, visiting drought areas; I have been to the Mid North Coast, where there have been floods; and I went to South Australia's Kangaroo Island just last week, seeing firsthand the impact of climate change. There is no question that, whilst you can't say every single weather event in Australia is because of climate change, what you can say is that the science told us that there would be more events and they would be more intense, and that is what we are seeing playing out.”
“That is something that we have done consistently, and we'll continue to stand up for the national interest, and they'll continue to show just how irrelevant they are.”
“One of the other things that has defined Australia's international engagement is that, overwhelmingly, it has been bipartisan. If you compare the response and the childish nature of that question with how the Labor opposition responded to the announcement by Prime Minister Morrison to the AUKUS arrangements, I think that is all clear to see. We on this side of the House responded in a constructive, positive way. We always stood up for Australia's interests. I note and want to thank the member for Canning for his remarks where he said recently—just last week in an interview—that, when the Australian Prime Minister is up against any criticism which can be seen to be criticism of Australia, he'll stand up for Australia.”
“The fact is that we take international policy seriously, and the fact that the Manager of Opposition Business asks such a flippant question about the relationship between Australia and the United States or about Middle East peace shows how unworthy those opposite are. We continue to engage with the United States constructively, and, indeed, the Deputy Prime Minister is in the United States as we speak, meeting with counterparts as we announced. We continue to engage constructively. I've had three constructive discussions with President Trump. We'll continue to engage in international politics in a way that protects our sovereignty, in a way that stands up for our national interest and in a way in which Australia plays a positive role in the world, as we have historically.”
“'I support the Palestinian bid for statehood in part because it will give heart to the ordinary people of the West Bank and Gaza. There is a flurry of diplomatic activity in the region designed to make sure the statehood bid stalls. I do not know whether those measures will succeed or fail, but I do know that, whatever the fate of the bid, we in the international community must stand in solidarity with those seeking the non-violent path to a secure Israel and an independent Palestine. After two generations of strife and war, are we going to admit to our children that their parents could not even find a path to peace or, worse still, that we did not even try?' They're not my words; they're the words of your leader.”
“Before I give way to the Treasurer, I will take the opportunity to say that I'll insist that this treasurer continue to do the great work that he has done over the last four years and not follow the rabbits opposite down that hole which they dug year after year after they were elected in 2013 with a policy of producing a budget surplus for the first year and every year thereafter. They came in and slashed education and slashed health, and they managed to produce zero budget surpluses. They then went to the recent election—and this is some achievement—saying: 'We are going to have higher taxes for 14 million Australians, and we're going to have higher deficits as well over two years.'”
“We on the side of House will continue to put forward positive policies that make a difference to people, whether that be improving homeownership, improving the number of rentals, improving social and affordable housing, or supporting greater rental assistance. We on this side of the House are focused on the cost of living and on housing. Those on that side just have Liberals fighting each other, the Nats fighting each other, and the Liberals fighting the Nats. We on this side are fighting for Australians; they're just fighting each other.”
“Sam O'Connor, the Queensland Minister for Housing and Public Works, has spoken about round 2 of the Queensland Housing Minister, saying: Round 2 of the Housing Australia Future Fund (HAFF) will support us to build 1,005 new community homes at 17 sites across Queensland. This new deal is what it looks like when governments work together and focus on outcomes. The Queensland LNP are a bit more supportive of us than they were of some people opposite over the weekend! They were out there trashing net zero to the tune of over 90 per cent, including the National Party leader voting against the Liberal Party leader, showing the chaos that is there opposite. That chaos has brought them to the position they're in today.”
“Andrew Bragg, the shadow minister, said, 'We will work to try to stop these crazy ideas coming into existence.' That was actually his response—not something that was supporting it, not trying to claim that they were in favour of it—just like the same shadow housing minister will be trying to disallow progress in the Senate later today in a vote that will be held. Maybe the member can have a word with Senator Bragg, ring him up this afternoon and say, 'Mate, I think you've got this wrong. I think you got this wrong. I think you should back in the government on its policies.' While they're at it, they can back in our entire Homes for Australia Plan, because it is certainly being backed in by coalition state ministers.”
“I thank the member for Grey for his question and I congratulate him on his election. I am sure that he would welcome the work that is government is doing in protecting jobs in Whyalla and in his area. It's a great electorate where we are working hard to make sure that we continue to protect that industry, to protect the jobs and to make sure those regional communities thrive—something that my government has focused on in the last few years. I'm asked about housing. The member suggests that maybe his shadow housing minister was wrong or this was ambiguous, but it doesn't sound ambiguous to me as a result of our announcement.”
“I find it extraordinary that I get asked a question in this place about cost of living and what assistance my government is giving, because on the issue of tax, which was also raised, what we know is that when we introduced our stage 3 tax cuts and then backed them up in March—the stage 3 changes that we put in place to ensure 14 million Australians got tax cuts—those opposite, including the Leader of the Opposition, said that they should wind it back. On 25 March this treasurer introduced tax cuts not just once, for next year, but the year after. Those opposite not only voted against them; they said that they would introduce legislation into this parliament to increase taxes for 14 million Australians. Only one side of this house, although a bit more than one side now, is concerned about the cost of living, and that is this side.”
“On 1 July also paid parental leave went to 24 weeks, and super is now being paid on government paid parental leave, as an example of us looking after not just people today but people tomorrow as well—the retirement incomes of women in particular. We have a very successful program run by the minister for energy which is cutting 30 per cent off home batteries to permanently cut power bills. That's been taken up by tens of thousands of Australians, particularly in our outer suburbs and our regions. From 1 July as well there is paid prac for teaching, nursing, social work and midwifery students, something never supported by those opposite. We also of course have had legislation passed in this parliament cutting student debt by 20 per cent, something that those opposite said was regressive, something that those opposite said was waste as well.”
“I thank the member for her question, which goes to how the government is helping people with cost-of-living pressures. The question went to power prices and power bill relief. We're delivering power bill relief that was opposed by those opposite at every turn, like they opposed the cap on gas and coal prices that we instituted during our first term. We increased people's wages by 3.5 per cent on 1 July, something they have never done. The coalition have never made a submission to the Fair Work Commission saying that minimum wages should keep up with inflation—not once. We've done it not once, not twice but three times. Each and every year we have put that forward.”
“Instead of having to pay to assist someone else's mortgage—or what they did for a short period of time, which was to stay in Canberra with Abby's parents—what they've been able to do is get themselves into homeownership, putting those hard-earned dollars into an asset that will serve them for the future. This announcement builds on action we announced just yesterday about boosting supply—fast-tracking 26,000 homes that are waiting for environmental approval, encouraging more prefab and different construction types to build more homes more quickly and pausing the National Construction Code for four years. My government is determined to help people in homeownership, to help people into rentals and to help social housing as well, which is precisely what it is doing in spite of the opposition of those opposite.”
“They've been able to get a puppy—it doesn't come with the home; that's just an added bonus—and little Chilli was very cute, I've got to say. They're an example of a family who are really benefiting directly from government policy. In April, at our campaign launch, in Perth, we committed to give every first home buyer the chance to buy their own home with just a five per cent deposit, and to cover the cost of lenders mortgage insurance. We said these changes would start on 1 January next year, but we want to get on with it, which is why we've brought it forward to 1 October. Together these changes wipe years off the time it takes to save for a loan.”
“I thank the member for Macnamara for his question. He's a big supporter of affordable housing. He's doing great work as well as the Special Envoy for Social Housing and Homelessness. The area that he represents is where this front line of services often is, and I thank him for the work that he's doing, not just on behalf of the government but also on behalf of needy Australians. This morning I was in Lawson, a suburb here, with the wonderful member Alicia Payne, and it's in her seat. Today, we were with a young couple, Lachie and Abby. They finished university a short time ago at the University of Wollongong and have moved back to Canberra. And, at age 23, they were able to get into homeownership as a direct result of the five per cent policy.”
“But they opposed it, like they opposed the Help to Buy program, which is about shared equity schemes. Of course, on the increase to homeownership with a five per cent deposit, this is what Andrew Bragg, the shadow minister for housing, has had to say: 'We will work to try to stop these crazy ideas coming into existence.' That is what he had to say, and then they asked a question, saying that it's their policy. If it's their policy, not only in the last term did we see them oppose everything that we put forward, but now they're opposing, according to themselves, their own policy as well.”
“It's been developed with the Property Council, but those opposite hate it so much they're moving a disallowance motion on it. We know they opposed the Housing Australia Future Fund. Housing Australia Future Fund projects are being contracted and some are already underway. The fund was delayed, of course, by those opposite. In the electorate of Farrer, 54 homes have been built in Thurgoona; in Canning, 40 homes in Golden Bay; in Lindsay, 135 homes in Penrith; in Page, 32 homes in South Grafton and nine in Casino; in Moncrieff, 213 homes in Southport; in Goldstein, 37 homes in Hampton East; in Berowra, 48 homes in Thornleigh and 10 in Pennant Hills; and, in Herbert, 81 homes in Cranbrook. Right around the country people are benefiting from the Housing Australia Future Fund, which will build social and affordable homes.”
“I thank the member for her question. She is very bold to say that coalition policies work when it comes to housing, because, for most of the time they were in office, they didn't even bother to have a housing minister. We on this side of the House have a $43 billion Homes for Australia plan, almost every element of which wasn't just opposed by those opposite and the Greens members for a period of time in what I dubbed the 'no-alition'; they continued to oppose it and they continue to oppose the announcements that we made over the weekend and again this morning. They continue to oppose them. Tonight, indeed, the Senate is debating a coalition motion to abolish the build-to-rent program. That is a program to support increased private rentals, with some 80,000 being built.”
“I inform the House that the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence will be absent from question time for the next three days. The Minister for Defence Industry will answer questions on his behalf in relation to defence. I will answer questions on his behalf in relation to foreign affairs.”
“I said last week that the Nats had taken up occupation of the Sky News studio, but it was particularly good this week because they had two shows running on Sky News at the same time. There was the Nationals leader in the studio with Laura Jayes, but in the corner, in the little box there, there were all the Nats renegades out the front along with one or two Liberals. It was a split screen showing a split party.”
“That figure of 2.1 per cent is the same as for the last quarter of March 2022, in which the coalition were in government—that is 2.1 per cent in just one quarter, compared with 2.1 per cent across an entire year. We are making a difference, getting inflation down at the same time as we've got wages up and have kept unemployment low. That is the Labor way. That's the Australian way. I'm asked about the alternative agendas that have been pursued in this parliament. Well, the opposition have certainly been pursuing their own agenda—or, should I say, agendas, because there's more than one over there: fighting publicly over whether climate change is real and over whether they support net zero. At one point this week, I had the TV on in the background.”
“I thank the member for Dickson for her question. Of course, a highlight of the first fortnight was the first speeches by all the new members in this chamber, particularly, if I can single out one, the member for Dickson, who was quite extraordinary, I think, in outlining her life story and what's brought her to this place and why she will be an outstanding contributor as the member for Dickson. Our focus this fortnight has been very much on delivering—delivering to improve the living standards of the people we represent: strengthening Medicare through cheaper medicines; protecting penalty rates, which passed the House today; and cutting student debt, which passed the Senate today. This week we've also learned that inflation has come down to 2.1 per cent on an annual basis.”
“Companies that own Australian smelters must step up and invest in transforming their facilities to meet future opportunities. I assure the member that I will continue to work constructively with him, as I always have. I know that the industry minister is very engaged in this issue, along with a whole-of-government response, because we understand how critical this industry is for his electorate as well as for the nation.”
“We've backed this ambition with transformative industry policy: the National Reconstruction Fund, the production tax credits, the Green Iron Investment Fund and investing $2 billion for Australia's aluminium smelters to transition to clean energy. We're getting on with the job of supporting North Queensland and Australian industry. The critical minerals facility within Export Finance Australia will be expanded by another billion dollars, taking it to $5 billion, to finance critical minerals projects. This facility is making a difference to Queensland. It has provided $160 million for the Alpha High Purity Alumina project, and has delivered more than $30 million to Queensland through the Critical Minerals Development Program. This is not a government-only solution.”
“That's why the Minister for Industry and Innovation, Senator Ayres, has been speaking with the Mount Isa community, Glencore and the Queensland government almost daily to protect the national interest and to protect the workers and families of Mount Isa. Let's be clear about Glencore, though. It is a highly profitable company. Just this year, it paid $2.2 billion in dividends to its shareholders. Australia's been pretty good to Glencore; it's about time that Glencore recognises that it needs to be good to Australia. They should back the town that has backed them and has helped build the wealth of their shareholders. Our plan for a future made in Australia is about keeping smelting and processing capabilities here in Australia, and the good blue-collar and engineering jobs that go along with them.”
“I thank the member for Kennedy for his question. The member for Kennedy is a fierce advocate for his community, his electorate and for North Queensland. I do want to acknowledge firstly the workers affected by Glencore's decision to close the Mount Isa copper mine. The member for Kennedy is right for calling out Glencore on the future of Mount Isa. Workers are losing their jobs and the broader and proud north-west Queensland community is hurting. I also want to acknowledge the Keep Our Copper delegation, who are here in the gallery. You are fighting hard for your industry and for your region at different levels of government as well as the private sector. Mount Isa, which I visited with the member for Kennedy on at least five occasions, is too important to Queensland and to the nation for there not to be Commonwealth involvement.”
“Those opposite went to the election saying that they were opposed to the cut in student debt and to the fairer repayments and to these measures that we put before the parliament after the election. They said it was 'unfair'. They said it was not an 'equitable position' to take forward. They said that we're advantaging university students, even though it applies to TAFE as well. Now, today in the Senate— The member helpfully calls out, suggesting that it's vote buying. What it's doing is providing cost-of-living relief, Member for Gippsland—something that they opposed in the Senate today. They all abstained. None of them could even walk into the chamber to vote for this change. (Time expired)”
“It means someone earning $70,000 in the member for Sturt's electorate will save $1,300 a year in repayments—a structural and lasting boost in take-home pay. Now, part of our vision for a fairer future for younger Australians is also changes to mortgage rules so banks don't automatically penalise someone with a student debt when they want to borrow money to buy a house. The combination of the 20 per cent cut in debt, a boost to take-home pay through a fairer repayment system and fairer mortgage rules, when taken together, all aim at helping young Australians to build the future that they want, whether it's buying a home, starting a family or growing their career. Labor is the party of education, and Labor is the party of aspiration. Today, we voted for both.”
“I thank the member for Sturt for her question, and I congratulate her on her election to this House and a fantastic first speech in this House. Of course, I had met the member for Sturt before. We travelled in November to Adelaide, to the electorate of Sturt, where we launched this very policy. When we launched it, we said that it would make a difference to around three million Australians, to the tune of $5½ thousand each, putting dollars back into the pockets of Australians—three million of them. But we didn't just do that to deal with the question of intergenerational equity and making the system fairer. Our changes also raise the repayment threshold and lower the rate of repayments, indexing both of them to keep them fair in the future. This legislation passed both houses of parliament earlier today.”
“What that was about was making sure that the global spike in energy—the biggest global spike in energy prices and pressure that we had seen since the 1970s—was dealt with in a responsible way. We did that in New South Wales and in Queensland in particular. Thirdly, yesterday there was a question from the member for Monash—her first question. I congratulate her on her election to the House of Representatives and on giving her first speech in this place. In her first question, she asked in part—not her fault—about permanent reductions in people's energy bills. That is precisely what batteries storing energy from solar panels on roofs does.”
“One of the things that my government has done, of course, is introduce energy bill relief—three lots of energy bill relief, all of which were opposed by those opposite. The latest element of energy bill relief began on 1 July and will extend until 31 December. We are engaging, as we have, in the immediate support for people and for small business in energy bill relief. The second thing that we did as a government—and I'm asked about last term—was to intervene in the gas and coal market to put a cap on prices. That was a very significant intervention, and it's true that it wasn't something that we took to the 2022 election. But it was something that we did in partnership with a responsible Liberal government, led by Dominic Perrottet, in New South Wales.”
“I inform the House that the Minister for Regional Development, Local Government and Territories and Minister for Emergency Management will be absent from question time today. The Minister for Home Affairs will answer questions on her behalf in relation to emergency management, and the Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government will answer questions on her behalf in relation to regional development, local government and territories.”
“The only people arguing for higher taxes are those opposite, who, before the member was here, all voted for higher taxes. When it comes to the diesel tax rebate, the fact is that it's been in place for some time. We haven't changed anything there. Those opposite are the only people who have stood for higher taxes. The question is: will they do what they said they would do before the election, which is that they would come in here and introduce legislation for higher taxes? We've seen them come in here and introduce different private members' bills. I wonder whether the member will move such a private members' bill.”
“What we are determined to do, each and every day, is to focus on the issues that people in her electorate and electorates like hers are most concerned about. That is how we make their lives better, how we increase opportunity, how we support aspiration and how we make sure that no-one gets left behind and no-one gets held back.”
“The students in her electorate and others will benefit as well from free TAFE that we are making permanent, which has already benefited over half a million Australians, many of whom would have been in the member's electorate. We will continue to support good government legislation. We have come into this place in the first fortnight and have concentrated on the first introduction being things that make that practical difference to people's lives and that we were re-elected on, whether they be the changes to student debt and that reduction; the changes in the threshold; the changes to how much people have to pay back and when, which will put more dollars in people's pockets; or the support for cheaper medicines that we've also done in this parliament that will benefit so many people in the electorate of Fowler.”
“I thank the member for Fowler for her question, and, of course, she wasn't here when the Morrison government made those changes to education, which is what she is talking about. She has been here in the chamber and, I know, supported the reduction in student debt that passed this parliament today and will pass the Senate as well, if it hasn't already. That will benefit 23,000 people in the electorate of Fowler. Twenty-three thousand people will benefit by an average of $5½ thousand each—students who have studied to get a better start in life at university and people either training or retraining through TAFE, making an enormous difference across the board. What's more is that people will benefit from the changes in the thresholds that we have made and the changes to indexation that we have made.”
“This change, which I thought had bipartisan support, is absolutely critical going forward. Building Australia's future also means strengthening Medicare. It means building a better and fairer education system. The legislation to cut student debt by 20 per cent, make free TAFE permanent nationwide and fully fund every single school will make a difference there. We delivered on 1 July a range of cost-of-living measures. We will continue to focus every day on making a positive difference to people's lives, because that is what good government looks like.”
“Under this government, it's 2.1 per cent in a year. That's making an enormous difference. The combination of lower inflation, higher wages and lower taxes, quarter after quarter, means that people are earning more and keeping more of what they earn, making an enormous difference. Building Australia's future also means looking after the next generation—supporting parents to combat the harms of social media, so every child can have a childhood. That's a commitment that I made again today. I've been meeting courageous parents who've lost their children and reiterating that social media has a social responsibility. We want young Australians out onto the netball courts, tennis courts, swimming pools and football ovals. We want them off their devices and engaging with each other and growing as young people.”
“I thank the member for Bonner for her question, and I congratulate her on her first speech and on the fantastic campaign that she ran. I was a regular visitor to the electorate of Bonner, including medical centres, announcing an urgent care clinic there so that more people can see the doctor for free. We went to the election saying that we would build Australia's future. One of the things that you need to do that, a precondition, is building a stronger economy. Today's inflation number is certainly good news for that. Today's inflation number says that annual inflation is down to 2.1 per cent—12 full months in the RBA band. Here's a comparison for you. When we came to office, the quarterly inflation rate for the March 2022 quarter was the same number. Under the former government, it was 2.1 per cent in a quarter.”
“This is an important part of the reform agenda, where Labor not only created Medicare but will always work to strengthen it. I know it annoys those opposite to see this little bit of green and gold. Green and gold are the same colours that our athletes proudly wear. Why do they wear the green and gold? It's because it's a source of Australian pride. Just as we take pride in Australian athletes—I see Emma McKeon up there and Jess Fox; I see some great athletes of the past, the present and, indeed, the future—we take enormous pride in the fact that, unlike some countries, where people can't get health care because they don't have the money to pay for it, here in Australia, we have a different system.”