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.”
The complete record
Every one of 1,176 lines we hold for Anthony Albanese, in date order, each linked to its source. Free to read, in full, without an account. Page 8 of 24.
“And, my favourite—it is a bit of a mystery in some ways as to why people are so open and honest on such a public platform, but we're very grateful they are. We see them on Sky News talking about themselves. Then they come in here and they try to engage in political opportunism no matter what the crisis is that Australians are facing. The fact is we will continue to govern in the national interest. For those opposite, there'll be a different frontbench when we get back here tomorrow, maybe—who knows! Maybe by the time we come back in a week's time it'll be different again. But one thing will remain the same: same old Liberals, same old Nats, same old One Nation, just three right-wing parties not standing up for Australia. On that note, I ask that further questions be placed on the Notice Paper .”
“On the day that Israel's president was in Canberra to support grieving members of the Jewish community, the member for Hume resigned and called for a spill. Now, with Australians feeling the impact of the war in the Middle East, the Nationals have elbowed their way to centre stage. We're focusing on fuel security for regional communities; they're focused on their front bench security. They have only two settings—talking Australia down and tearing each other down. Tonight Australians will be focused on a certain dinner party on Married at First Sight and they'll experience a bit of deja vu because there's a range of quotes that Australia has about MAFS, but is it about them or the coalition? The fights are explosive. The relationships can be toxic. It's typically maintained a certain level of drama that feels catastrophic.”
“I thank the member for Paterson for her very good question. The government is strengthening Medicare. We're building homes, we're cutting taxes and we're supporting jobs. We're dealing with A Future Made in Australia, which is one of the reasons why we've secured greater fuel reserves than were secured by those opposite, and they are secured here in Australia. Now, the surest sign that something important is happening in Australia or in the world is that those opposite turn the spotlight on themselves. On the national day of mourning for victims of the antisemitic Bondi terrorist attack, they announced they were splitting the coalition—again. On the day of the funeral of the former member for Higgins, the members for Hume and Canning publicly plotted against their leader.”
“I inform the House that the Deputy Prime Minister will be absent from question time today and tomorrow. He's travelling to Indonesia for meetings with his counterparts. The Minister for Defence Industry will answer questions on his behalf.”
“In his words: 'We weren't soldiers; we were heavily armed civilians. We were just ordinary people.' He was anything but ordinary, and that is the powerful truth at the heart of the Anzac legend: ordinary people demonstrating extraordinary bravery, Australians who left behind their families, communities and jobs knowing the danger that awaited because, in Les's words, 'it was the thing to do'. In honouring Les Cook today, we remember all who served and all who serve our nation still. Lest we forget.”
“He was then deployed in the Pacific, serving on the Kokoda Track in Borneo and then in Japan as a member of the occupying force until 1947. Les would be familiar to many Canberrans and to many members of this place as a fixture of commemorations at the Australian War Memorial. I had the honour of meeting him at the dawn service in 2023, when he, of course, was 100 years of age, where he led the Anzac Day march here—at the spritely age of 100. He was just a delightful gentleman, and it was a great honour for me to meet him. He often said he was embarrassed by all the attention, but he felt a sense of personal responsibility to be there to honour the memory of those who had already marched into history and to help young Australians remember the men and women who had served for who they were.”
“on indulgence—Late last week, one of the last surviving Australians who served in the Battle of Crete, Les Cook, passed away at the age of 103. Les was a devoted husband and a tremendously proud father, grandfather and great-grandfather. He was, indeed, a great Australian and, characteristic of members of that greatest generation, a man of extraordinary humility. Les was only 16 when he first attempted to join up, in 1939. He succeeded at his second attempt, in 1940, enlisting side by side with his father, a veteran of the First World War. Both men had to lie about their age. As Les recalled, 'He put his age down four years, and I put mine up four.' Les was sent to North Africa before serving in Greece, Crete and Syria.”
“We've delivered landmark game-changing funding agreements for both schools and hospitals, delivering on the Gonski principles of making sure that every student gets valued and can fulfil their potential but also delivering a five-year hospital agreement with record funding. We promised paid prac for student nurses, teachers, midwives and social workers, and they're getting it. We promised free TAFE—something that those opposite said they wouldn't value—and three-quarters of a million Australians are getting the skills that they need through free TAFE. We've been getting on with delivering; those opposite have just stood in the way, too busy fighting each other to bother with fighting for Australians. There's more to do. We'll continue to work each and every day to make a positive difference to the lives of Australians.”
“And, coming up, there are five more to open—Darwin, Whyalla, Cairns, Caloundra and Coburg—because we deliver on our commitments. They promised to close them; we're opening them. That's the difference. We promised record investment in bulk-billing. Rates are up over 80 per cent. More than 3,400 GP clinics now bulk-bill every patient, every visit. We promised to cut the cost of PBS medicines, and now they're down to the same price they were in 2004. We promised to strengthen Medicare and we are delivering it. We promised tax cuts for every taxpayer, and, because we were re-elected, that will happen on 1 July—and another tax cut the following 1 July as well.”
“I thank the member for Jagajaga for her question, and I thank her for the visit that we had to the repat hospital there, speaking to veterans about the difference that our investment in veterans' affairs has made to the speedy processing of applications and the clearing of the queue—which is what we inherited from those opposite. When I went to the National Press Club after the election, I said that this year, in that one year after 3 May, we'd be concentrating on a year of delivery: ticking off our commitments one by one, delivering real cost-of-living relief, investing in our people and building Australia's future. And that is what we have been doing. There are 132 urgent care clinics open around Australia right now. We promised 50 originally; we delivered 87. Then we promised another 50, and another 45 of those 50 are open.”
“Their decisions have not been made lightly, and we have made it clear that if there are other members of the team who make a decision to ask for support they will receive it from Australia. The conflict in the Middle East remains volatile. Its impacts not only spread across the region but of course have an impact on the global economy. Our government remains focused and determined to respond to these issues, working proactively in the national interest to make sure Australians are kept safe wherever possible, and we'll do whatever we can to ensure that that continues.”
“The conflict is volatile, and Australians in the region remain at risk, which is why we say to Australians who are offered a trip home: please take up the opportunity which is there. Since 4 March more than 2,600 Australians have returned on 18 flights. A further four flights are scheduled to depart for Australia later today. I can also confirm that late last night the Australian government issued five humanitarian visas to members of the Iranian women's soccer team. Australians stand in solidarity with these brave women. They are safe in Australia and they should feel at home here. Very early this morning I also spoke with President Donald Trump on this matter, and I thank him for his concern for the athletes and for the United States' support for our actions. This is a very delicate situation for these women.”
“I thank the member for Menzies for his question and for his representation, particularly of Iranian Australians, during what is a very difficult time. The first priority of our government is to keep Australians safe. We've taken action to help ensure that safety. This morning I announced that Australia will contribute to the collective defence of gulf nations under attack from Iran, deploying an E-7A Wedgetail aircraft to the region and providing a number of advanced medium-range air-to-air missiles to the United Arab Emirates. This is a defensive weapon. This is all about protecting civilians in the region. But also, of course, many of those civilians are Australians, including 24,000 of them in the UAE alone.”
“As the leader of the National Party said just yesterday, and it was a very good interview: … the big message for every Australian is don't panic. The suppliers are there. … … … We all have a role to play in that … stick to our normal daily operations and schedules and don't think that we have to always keep topping up. Not to be outdone, Senator Jonno Duniam today, when asked about refinery issues and energy security, said: … I do accept that successive governments have let Australians down … It hasn't just happened over the last four years. This is decades in the making … And, indeed, there were six refineries when government changed in 2013. When they left office, there were two. So two-thirds of them shut down.”
“I take responsibility for the fact that those constituents would have received energy bill relief and that, if they are studying, they would have got the cut to student debt—an average of $5,500. If they're going to TAFE or their children are going to TAFE, they could be one of the 725,000 Australians who've done that. There's the $10,000 bonus for housing apprentices as well. They would have benefited from the fact that, if they or someone in their family has a health issue—”
“I thank the member for Hinkler for his question. What I of course accept responsibility for are the policies of this government. I accept responsibility for the fact that, since 1 July, we've delivered a pay rise for all minimum- and award-wage workers, taking the total increase to over $9,000 since Labor were elected. I accept responsibility for the fact that we've increased the superannuation guarantee to 12 per cent. I accept responsibility for the fact that paid parental leave has been expanded from 24 weeks—it'll be coming to 26 weeks—and that super is now being paid on paid parental leave, something that the shadow Treasurer has had some really interesting things to say about.”
“Another tight question from those opposite! I'm asked about Brett and Russell. Well, I hope that Brett and Russell got told by the member for Lindsay that more than 1.2 million jobs have been created since we've been in government. I hope that they have been told, when it comes to the cost of living, that we have given them, if they work, a substantial tax cut already, as a result of the changes that we made to the coalition's unfair stage 3 tax cuts. I hope that the member for Lindsay said those opposite were opposed to that.”
“I thank those Australians who are going into a dangerous situation in order to help their fellow Australians caught up in this conflict. We want to see Australians get home safely. 'Do not travel' advice remains in place, and DFAT has activated the crisis centre to provide consular support to Australians who are impacted. We'll continue to monitor the situation. We're having all of the appropriate meetings on a daily basis. We'll continue to act, where it's safe to do so, to support Australians in every way that we can.”
“Commercial flights remain the quickest way for Australians impacted by the conflict to get home. The situation in the region remains volatile, as we know. It's dangerous and it's fast moving. Ten countries are now under attack by the Iranian regime. I, again, reiterate the Australian government's call for Iran to cease all attacks. The government's first priority is keeping Australians safe. We are working with our agencies and our partners to get help to Australians who need it. Officials from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade are working around the clock and engaging surge consular capacity. The government is deploying six crisis response teams to the region, and we've already deployed military assets as part of our contingency planning earlier this week.”
“I thank the member for Moreton for her question. Late last night, the first flight in recent days arrived in Sydney from Dubai. That was a good thing. I'm sure the Australians who were able to touch down on their home soil felt very relieved to be home. I confirm that, right now, another flight, EK414, is in the air with over 200 Australians on board. It departed Dubai at 9.16 am today, Canberra time, bound for Sydney. We are hopeful of more flights being in the air today, which is what we want to see. The most recent advice is that another two flights are scheduled to depart to Australia today. We know that there are many Australians who are waiting for an opportunity to get home. The Australian government, the UAE and airlines in the gulf states are working hard to secure more flights to get Australians home as soon as possible.”
“On the matters that the member has raised, I'd be happy to have a discussion with her about whether the Joint Standing Committee on Electoral Matters could give consideration to some of those issues. We do need to always ensure that people have freedom of expression, including freedom of political expression. We also need to make sure, of course, that, on the full range of issues, we ensure that disinformation and things that are simply not right are able to be called out. The Minister for Communications might like to add to that as well.”
“Thanks very much, Mr Speaker. I thank the member for Warringah for her question. It is certainly the case that some of the so-called political advocacy that we've seen increasingly being used in recent years has caused division, is aimed at distressing people and is aimed at spreading what is a hateful culture. The example that the member has used compares Angela Merkel, who I think is a highly respected former chancellor of Germany. She is entitled to be treated with respect, and I certainly would do that, notwithstanding the fact that she certainly isn't from my side of politics in terms of the Social Democrats in Germany. But we are seeing a rise of hard-right politics that sometimes needs to be called out.”
“Here's another figure for you: $233 billion better budget bottom line accumulatively over the seven years to 2028-29. There are 1,300 extra GP practices that are now bulk-billing—1,300! There are 130 urgent care clinics up and running. It would have been zero under them. There are 3 million Australians who got a cut in the student debt. The average relief is $5½ thousand. And there have been 18 gigawatts added, unlike what happened under them.”
“They are just the facts, and the fact is also that after COVID, when the borders were closed—see if you can think about this—and Australians weren't allowed to come home, when the borders opened there were more people coming here than when the borders were closed. The figures show—I'm asked about them, but they don't want to hear them—that by 2030-31 Australia's population is expected to be 754,000 smaller than what the former coalition government forecasted prior to the pandemic. That's the fact. But I'm asked about numbers. Here are some numbers for you: 1.2 million more jobs, three out of five of them full time and four out of five in the private sector, and 14 million—there's a number for you—is the number of Australians who get tax cuts under us and would have got tax increases under them.”
“I'm asked about numbers. I can tell them what their housing figures, their target, was. It was zero. It was zero because they didn't even have a housing minister. They didn't even have a housing minister. When it comes to migration numbers, we have cut the net migration figures by over 40 per cent in a year. The number of people arriving now is lower than it was under the coalition. The latest population statement released in early January confirmed that population growth is expected to slow to 1.3 per cent in the current financial year and 1.2 per cent from 2026-27 and that this is lower than the average of 1.4 per cent experienced during the 2010s.”
“Prime Minister Carney and Mrs Fox Carney are welcome guests in this country. I look forward to hosting them at the Lodge, together with Jody, tonight, together with their delegation. It has been a really successful visit. I look forward to building on this relationship.”
“I reflected on the deep gratitude that the Australian people have for the support that Canadian firefighters have given to Australia almost every year but particularly during the Black Summer bushfires. The relationship between our firefighters is a true testament of Australians and Canadians having each other's back. Mr Speaker, we do live in a changing and more challenging world. As middle powers, we need to do more together in order to shape positive change in the world together. That is Australia's pursuit—investing in our relationships, finding new opportunities from within complexity, and building the economic potential of our nation, our region in the world, always acting in the national interest, always focused on the positive difference we can make to those that we serve and represent: the Australian people.”
“We're backing our shared economic security with a new clean-energy partnership, updating the Australia Canada tax treaty and, importantly, deepening our cooperation on artificial intelligence as we go forward. Our cooperation in defence is strengthening through defence ministers meetings, and I welcome the defence minister to the floor today. Our Arctic Over the Horizon Radar system will be Australia's largest ever defence export, benefiting both of our nations. As two nations impacted by more frequent and severe natural disasters, together we're boosting cooperation across emergency management, and I thank Prime Minister Carney for the meeting that we had with many of the emergency service workers, the firefighters who we were able to meet with after his address here in my courtyard in Parliament House.”
“I thank the member for Bean for his question. The welcoming of Mark Carney, the Prime Minister of Canada, to this parliament was indeed an auspicious and a good occasion. This is a good relationship between two friendly nations and a good relationship that I have with the Prime Minister of Canada. Our common values and our common purpose underpin the cooperation between our two nations, and cooperation is indeed our clear objective, together announcing new measures to uphold and defend peace and prosperity for our peoples. Today we've done a number of upgrades of that relationship as well, enhancing collaboration—our shared advantages in critical minerals to shape emerging markets and Australia joining the G7 Critical Minerals Production Alliance.”
“I thank the member for his question. Yesterday the national accounts showed that the Australian economy was growing at its fastest rate in almost three years, faster than every member of the G7. On a day when the national accounts showed household incomes and living standards are going up, the opposition was talking Australia down, as they do. They only have two settings—tearing each other down or talking Australia down. Those are their two settings. When the gender pay gap reached a record low, none of the blokes over there gave it a mention. When the bulk-billing rate saw its biggest jump in 20 years—crickets, nothing whatsoever. When we passed 200—”
“A true original, he had a brilliant partnership and true friendship with the legendary Bruce McAvaney, and this was because Dennis's sense of humour was matched by a powerful sense of occasion, an ability to recognise the defining moment and rise to it. Dennis Cometti will be sadly missed by his family, by his loved ones, by so many colleagues who learned so much from his generosity and skill, but also, importantly, by Australians who've never met him but who loved him and enjoyed his contribution. He'll live forever in some of the happiest sporting memories of Australians everywhere. May he rest in peace.”
“He said: The Magpies ought to be kicking themselves right now. But with their luck, they'd probably miss. He said: Barlow to Bateman … the Hawks are attacking alphabetically. And he said: Liberatore went into that last pack optimistically and came out misty optically. He described the then young Melbourne Demons player, now Richmond Tigers coach, Adam Yze as a 'lousy Scrabble hand' but a 'very good young player'. He had a particular focus on people's names. He said at one stage: There's Anthony Koutoufides, more vowels than possessions today. Dennis inspired countless imitators, but he remained the best.”
“on indulgence—Today Australians right across this great sport-loving nation of ours will be mourning the passing of one of our best loved commentators. Dennis Cometti was a proud son of Western Australia, who played for West Perth in the WAFL. Yet he is much better known by being the voice, or one of the voices, of Australian sport. For five decades, he broadcast footy, three Olympics and virtually every other sport on TV and radio. We were very familiar with that velvet voice of his. He was elevated for us by having an eagle eye, a brilliant insight and a distinctive humour, which was the product of both meticulous preparation and spontaneous genius. No tribute would be complete without giving a few quotes—not just the iconic 'centimetre perfect' or 'like a cork in the ocean' but those brilliant, offbeat observations that he made.”
“Prime Minister, in this decade, where nearly every single challenge is indeed a global one, the distance between our two nations has never mattered less and the closeness of our values has never mattered more. Together, let us seize the opportunities that the world holds for us. You are very welcome here in our parliament today. I thank you for your ongoing friendship and our regular dialogue. You'll be welcome in Australia always.”
“What's more, when we send a message to all those nations that look to us as equals, as peers, as neighbours and as leaders, they too have a choice, agency and a part to play because peace, security and prosperity are not the preserve of the great powers alone; they are our common cause and our collective responsibility. Prime Minister, Australia and Canada are middle powers in a world that is changing. We cannot change it back, but we can back ourselves, back our citizens and back each other. Your visit reflects our shared ambition for Australia and Canada to do more together at a deeper level and to build on our shared strengths, from our resources and critical minerals to defence technology and the investing power of our superannuation and pension funds.”
“When we do, when we stand in solidarity with the brave people of Ukraine, when we work together to seize the economic opportunities of clean energy, when we strengthen our defence industry cooperation—including through Australia's biggest ever defence export, the world leading over-the-horizon radar technology—and when we face up to the urgent global challenge of climate change—because we know what it means for our unique environments, for our farmers, growers and producers and for our firefighters, who, for decades, have travelled between our nations to help each other in the toughest of times and now face the prospect of their fire seasons overlapping because of climate change—when we act together, we demonstrate to our citizens that government is not a passive institution; it is an instrument for positive change.”
“We do not share a border, a region, a hemisphere or any market smaller than the global one. Yet this makes the connection between our countries more meaningful, not less, because our cooperation, our partnership, is a positive choice, not a necessity. When we work together, it is on the basis of our shared convictions, not mutual convenience.”
“Technology is changing the nature of conflict and heightening the risk and cost of escalation. And, if ever nations such as ours had the luxury of imagining that distance alone kept us safe, those days are certainly gone. The same Iranian regime launching indiscriminate attacks on nations across the Middle East orchestrated antisemitic terrorist attacks on a synagogue and a small business here in Australia in 2024. For us, as two democracies in an age of polarisation, as two dynamic trading nations in a time of disrupted supply chains and as two middle powers in an era of strategic competition, Australia and Canada must seek and create new ways to stand with and for each other. Prime Minister, for all the comfortable ties of old affection, what makes the friendship between Australia and Canada noteworthy is what we do not share.”
“The first Australian prime minister to address a joint sitting of the Canadian parliament was our great, wartime Labor leader John Curtin, standing in your House of Commons on 1 June 1944, just five days before Australians would help Canadians take and hold Juno Beach. Curtin looked to the future those brave men were fighting for, to how to secure a lasting peace worth the winning, to how to build an economy and society worthy of the service, sacrifice and suffering of those who had kept it free and to the role that Australia and Canada had to play in this. Curtin said this: In a world where none of us is strong enough to stand alone, we shall discover how—and by what means—we can best stand with and for each other. More than eight decades on, even in a new world order, that old test endures.”
“In other words, Prime Minister, Canadian rebels with bold ideas have always been welcome here in Australia—there's always a context—and that is because our countries have always recognised something of ourselves in each other. We are two societies enriched by indigenous cultures and their love of and connection to the beauty of our lands and our waters; Commonwealth countries that have forged unique, proud and independent identities; democracies that did not just adopt the Westminster system—we made it fairer, stronger and our own; and two nations that are at our very best when we look over our wide horizons, when we look out to the world and bring our values with us as we engage with it.”
“My friend, Prime Minister Carney, and Madame Fox Carney, it is my great honour and an absolute pleasure to welcome you and all the members of your delegation to our parliament on behalf of the people of Australia. I know that I speak for every member of this place when I say we are very much looking forward to your address. It may help you to know that, back in 1839, Britain sentenced 58 French Canadians involved in the rebellion in Quebec to be transported to New South Wales and put to work widening Parramatta Road, which goes through my local electorate in Sydney and past Canada Bay in the electorate of the member for Reid. In 1854, it was a Canadian, Henry Ross, who stood in the centre of the Eureka Stockade at Ballarat and raised a new flag—the iconic Southern Cross, a symbol of the miners' struggle for justice.”
“Thank you for the question. The truth is that the current account figures today show that the Australian economy is growing at the fastest rate it has in three years, and it's growing faster than any economy—any advanced economy—in the world. That's what the facts show. They also show that per capita living standards are positive and are growing. That's what the figures show today. They also show an improvement in productivity across the year. The figures today—”
“I'll tell you the other thing, which is decreasing, and that's the gender pay gap. Yesterday's figures show a record-low gender pay gap. It's the lowest it has ever been—something that we are very proud of. They come in here with Monday's pack that they forgot to ask, ignoring today's figures on the national accounts that are out today, completely ignoring the growth that is there. They come in here and continue to just talk Australia down.”
“Another tight question from the opposition there! He invites me to be able to say—I'm asked what is growing—today's figures show the Australian economy is growing strongly. It's stronger than any other advanced economy; it's as simple as that. The other thing that's been growing is our jobs—1.2 million of them. The last figures showed that there were an additional 50,000 full-time jobs created on our watch. We think that is good. What else is growing? The number of people who have benefited from free TAFE—725,000 and counting. What else is growing? The number of people who are benefiting from the five per cent deposit to get their first home—225,000 and counting. What else is growing? The number of Australians who are benefiting from cheaper batteries—250,000 and counting. That is all growing.”
“We have a lower unemployment rate than Canada, France, Italy, the UK and the United States. They think that that, somehow, doesn't matter. We on this side think it does matter when people have jobs. That's why we're proud that 1.2 million jobs have been created on our watch—stronger employment growth than Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the United States, and, at the same time, a higher participation rate than Canada, France—”
“I thank the member for her question. Living standards today went up. There are figures today. The national accounts figures today have gone up. Today the figures show the fastest economic growth of any major advanced economy. And what we're really seeing here, is the projection that, clearly, yesterday—they briefed the Australian that they were going to talk about the economy today. Clearly, they wrote the questions yesterday, before they saw the facts of the accounts. Now, Australia has—I remind the House; I'm asked about international comparisons—faster economic growth than Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the UK and the US. That is the entire G7—faster economic growth. The UK and Germany recently experienced recessions, along with whole lots of the advanced economic world, including our neighbours in New Zealand.”
“They must have missed the fact that the shadow Treasurer has advocated a flat tax. He said: We must stop fiddling at the margins. … we have to move towards a simpler 20 per cent flat personal, company and consumption tax …”
“I thank the member for his question on 'economy day' for those opposite, apparently. We congratulate him on getting a question on the economy today. I thank him for not singing the question! I thank him sincerely. He spoke about the economy, how Australia is going and how, according to those opposite, who continue to talk Australia down—they must have missed the recession that took place in countries. Just look across the ditch at New Zealand, for example, as well as the UK and other countries. They must have missed the fact that 1.2 million jobs have been created. The member who asked the question asks about standard of living and the impact on quality of life. Well, they've also missed the fact that paid parental leave will hit the full six months in a little while. The shadow Treasurer described it as a 'very bad scheme'.”
“We're also deploying further resources to the region to assist. Our thoughts are with all those caught up in this conflict. We continue to engage. I've had personal conversations, as I'm sure many others in this chamber have, with people who are visiting the region and are concerned. We say: continue to listen to advice and stay safe. We want to see every Australian able to come home safely.”
“The safety of Australians in the region is our government's first priority, and we'll continue to do all that we can to provide Australians with information and support. I was able to discuss with His Highness the importance of the resumption of these commercial flights when it's safe to do so. There are around 115,000 Australians in the region. The resumption of commercial flights continues to be the best avenue to ensure the safest and quickest way for Australians to return. Australian passengers facing flight delays or other issues should check with both their insurer and the airline about their options for cancelled flights. Of course, DFAT is playing a role as well in keeping people informed. It has activated its crisis centre, which is providing consular support to Australians in the region.”