Meryl Swanson
Paterson · Australian Labor Party · Australia
“The Albanese government is also expanding the Help to Buy scheme, which will help even more Australians achieve homeownership. Under Help to Buy, eligible Australians can buy a home with a deposit of as little as two per cent.”
“We're already seeing the difference that the programs we've already initiated are making. Across my electorate, 2,323 people and families have already taken up the first-home guarantee, helping them purchase a home with just a five per cent deposit. That's 2,323 families that are in homes.”
“Today is a landmark day. Today the Australian Labor Albanese government has reinvigorated the great Australian dream, which—let's face it—was becoming a nightmare, particularly for young people. We have stared down the darkness. This is the cold, hard light of day.”
“More people are choosing to live in regional Australia, and that's pushed up house prices and rental costs, creating real pressure for young people and all people trying to get ahead. I regularly hear from young people who work really hard, and they are saving and they do make sacrifices.”
“In communities like Maitland and Port Stephens, we're seeing pressures that come with rapid growth. Almost 96,000 people now call Maitland home, and we welcome around 2,000 new residents every year. By 2041, that number is expected to reach 145,000 people. Our region's growth is a sign of strength.”
“Importantly, support is also available through the family-home guarantee, which helps eligible single parents purchase a home with a deposit as little as two per cent. For single parents balancing work and family responsibility and the cost of living, this support can make a real difference.”
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“Proposed amendments arising from the inquiry process have been adopted. We listened when there were changes that needed to be made to ensure the commission could operate effectively, without obstruction. This bill further strengthens independence by ensuring the commissioner is appointed by the Governor-General, following a merit-based public recruitment process. This transparency reinforces confidence in the role and ensures appointments are based on capability, integrity and experience. The commissioner's role is an incredibly important role in our country. The bill also strengthens the commissioner's power to ensure accountability. It enhances the ability to access necessary information, and it removes barriers that could otherwise limit the effectiveness of inquiries or, importantly, oversight.”
“This is something we have heard time and time again. I am joined by some of my colleagues, and indeed you, Deputy Speaker Freelander—we were all elected in 2016. One of the first things I did was engage with my veterans community and my defence personnel community, and they were at pains to tell me that their families were pivotal in their lives. That's where this piece of legislation is important. For the first time, we're recognising families. We know the important role they play. They are the additional defence force of our country, and I thank them for their support of our serving personnel and our veterans. The Albanese government is pleased that through this legislation we are formally recognising them. Third, the commission's function and powers have been reviewed and strengthened.”
“The evidence presented was thoughtful, at times challenging and always grounded in lived experience—often very painful lived experience. Importantly, our government listened, and not only did we listen but we acted. The submissions, the evidence and the committee's report have directly informed and shaped the development of this bill, which implements several key recommendations. First, the establishment of standalone legislation for the Defence and Veterans' Service Commission is critical. Standalone legislation reinforces the independence of the commission and reflects its unique role in overseeing system-wide reform. Independence isn't symbolic; it is foundational for the credibility and authority of the commissioner's work. Second, the bill ensures that the commission's functions explicitly include reference to veterans' families.”
“For that work to be credible and for it to be trusted by defence and, importantly, the veteran community the commission must have genuine independence. It must have clear functions and it must have the powers necessary to do its job effectively, and that is what this bill seeks to deliver. The Defence and Veterans' Service Commissioner Bill builds on work already undertaken by this parliament earlier this year, when schedule 9 of the Veterans' Entitlements, Treatment and Support (Simplification and Harmonisation) Bill was brought in and subsequently examined through a Senate inquiry. That inquiry was thorough. It received submissions from veterans, their families, advocacy organisations, experts and stakeholders across the defence ecosystem. It was a thorough investigation.”
“It's something that I feel very passionate about. We talk about recruitment and we put a lot of effort into recruitment, but we've also got a concentrate on retention. In retaining our people, their wellbeing is an important thing, and, when they do finish their service, we must care for them and put in place things like this commission to ensure that it is meaningful. The commission will have a dedicated and sustained focus on suicide prevention. That is imperative. It will ensure that agencies responsible for implementing the royal commission's recommendations are not only encouraged but required in order to deliver long-term change. It will drive the systemic reforms needed to reduce rates of suicide and suicidality among serving and ex-serving ADF members.”
“In February 2025, it legislated the Defence and Veterans' Service Commission, and I am proud to say that it has been up and running since the end of September last year. But today's bill is about strengthening that foundation. The role of this new statutory entity is clear: provide independent oversight and evidence based advice to drive system reform with the explicit aim of improving suicide prevention and wellbeing outcomes for defence and veteran communities. We put so much effort—and money, to be frank—into training our defence personnel, and they deserve the best training. Therefore, it is imperative that we continue to support them. It is one thing to train people, but it is another to look after them, to not break them in the first place and then to look after them once they have served our nation.”
“Fragmented responsibility, short-term initiatives and the lack of accountability had contributed to devastating outcomes for serving and ex-serving members of the Australian Defence Force. I want to take a moment to remember Julie-Ann Finney. I'm sure those of us who've been in this place long enough will remember her campaigning particularly hard. She had endured the dreadful loss, which no parent should have to endure, of her child taking their life—her son David. She fought absolutely doggedly to ensure that there was a royal commission and that her son's life had real meaning, and I pay testimony to her today. In acknowledgement of the significance and urgency of recommendation 122, the Albanese Labor government acted.”
“The Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide was one of the most significant and confronting inquiries ever undertaken in this country. Its findings were sobering, its recommendations were clear, and it deemed recommendation 122—the establishment of a new statutory entity to oversee system reform across the entire defence ecosystem—as its most important recommendation. The language was not used lightly. The royal commission recognised that without sustained, independent oversight meaningful system reform would not occur, and what does 'meaningful system of oversight and reform' mean? It means that we save more Australian lives and that we make the quality of our veterans lives better. That's what that really means.”
“Members of this club speak openly about the joy of being out on the water, about the camaraderie that develops stroke by stroke and about how being part of a team again has profound benefits for their overall health and wellbeing. For many, it provides a sense of purpose and identity during those times when they can feel lost post service. For families, it offers understanding, solidarity and reassurance that they're not walking the path alone. It is genuinely incredible to see the effect that local Invictus initiatives like this have in supporting our communities. They remind us that recovery, resilience and wellbeing are not abstract concepts. They are lived experiences shaped by the systems we build and the support that we choose to provide, and it is precisely because of those lived experiences that this bill matters.”
“In fact, many people come back to Port Stephens and our local area because of their time at the Williamtown base. It is a beautiful area, and they love it, and they bring their families back. One of the most powerful examples of community led support for veterans can be found on the beautiful waterways of Port Stephens. Invictus Australia works closely with the Port Stephens Dragon Boat Club. It brings together veterans, current serving Defence family members and members of the wider local community in a way that is inclusive, practical, deeply meaningful and can make those shoulder muscles burn. This is not just about sport; it is about belonging, it is about connection, and it is about shared experience and mutual support.”
“Today I rise to speak in support of the Defence and Veterans' Service Commissioner Bill 2025, a bill that goes to the very heart of our responsibility to those who have served our nation and to the families who serve alongside them. Before I turn to the technical provisions of the bill, I want to begin somewhere very human and very local for me. My electorate of Paterson is home to Australia's premier F-35 base at Williamtown. It is also home to the Wedgetail, which has provided such incredible capability in places like Ukraine in recent times. Around 5,000 people not dissimilar to those in this building work on that base each and every day. I could not be prouder to represent those people both serving and who have served there in the past. It is a popular posting, I have to say.”
“I'm incredibly proud to recognise Luke today. His actions give us hope and remind us that the strength of our nation lies in ordinary people stepping up and doing the right thing when it matters most. Good on you, Luke.”
“Luke did what we hope every Australian would do in a moment of crisis. He stepped forward without hesitation and placed the wellbeing of another person ahead of his own safety. He did not act for recognition or for praise but because he instinctively understood that helping someone in need is simply the right thing to do. What makes Luke's actions particularly inspiring is his humility. He sought no attention and expected no acknowledgement. His response reflects values that are shaped by family, by community and by example, values that give us confidence in the future. At just 13 years of age, Luke Mullard is a credit to his family, his school and the Thornton community. More importantly, he's a powerful reminder that leadership, courage and kindness are defined not by age or by title but by action.”
“Realising something was wrong, he ran towards the house and heard calls from an elderly woman trapped inside. Luke assisted the 92-year-old woman to safety, helping her to her car where she waited until the emergency services arrived. Throughout the incident, Luke remained calm and focused. He called for help, checked whether anyone else was inside the home and stayed with the elderly woman until it was safe to leave her in the care of emergency services. Once help had arrived and the situation was under control, Luke simply continued onto his part-time job and thought nothing out of the ordinary had occurred. It was not until later that evening, after he'd come home from work, and when the police attended his family home, that Luke's parents learned that their son had been such a hero earlier in the evening.”
“I rise today to acknowledge an extraordinary young man from my electorate of Paterson. Thirteen-year-old Luke Mullard, whose actions saved the life of a 92-year-old woman, reflects the very best of the Australian spirit. In recent months, our nation has been confronted by deeply distressing events. In times of fear and uncertainty, Australians look for reassurance that our shared values still endure. Moments like this remind us that courage, compassion and responsibility for one another are not abstract ideals; they are lived out every day in our communities. Only weeks before the tragic events in Bondi, those values were clearly demonstrated in the town of Thornton. Luke Mullard was walking home from school when he noticed smoke coming from a nearby property.”
“Their honours remind us of the extraordinary contribution made by members of our Defence Force and veterans whose service, often under immense pressure and sacrifice, helps keep our nation safe. Together, these Australia Day honours recipients remind us that service takes many forms: advocacy, community leadership, compassion, duty to country. Each matters. Each strengthens our national fabric. Thank you.”
“The Raymond Terrace Lions Club expressed how proud they are to call Bruce one of their own, and that pride is shared widely across our towns and electorate. His OAM recognises a life devoted to community wellbeing and quiet leadership. Andrew Harris AM has been recognised for exceptional service to the Royal Australian Air Force, particularly through his leadership in the enhancement and employment of air combat capabilities, encompassing platforms, people and procedures. Thank you for your service, Andrew. Nigel Ward CSM has been recognised for his meritorious devotion to duty in providing outstanding support to Army personnel, units, formations and commands through his role as the pay and administrative liaison officer at the centre in New South Wales.”
“I also honour Bruce Townsend OAM, from Raymond Terrace—a man whose name is synonymous with service in our local community. Bruce has dedicated many years to supporting others through his involvement with the Raymond Terrace Lions Club, St Vincent de Paul, HealthOne, Raymond Terrace Community Preschool and St Brigid's Church. His contributions span generations and reflect a lifetime of generosity. Many in the community will also fondly remember Bruce as the proprietor of Townsend Pharmacy, where he served local families with care, professionalism and kindness. For Bruce, service was not limited to volunteer roles; it was embedded in everyday interactions and genuine human connection—his life's work, nonetheless.”
“He walked alongside survivors through some of the most challenging moments of their lives—through disclosure, through the royal commission process and well beyond. His advocacy was grounded in compassion, respect and an unwavering commitment to dignity. I acknowledge the words of Kathleen Marriott, who nominated Bob for this honour and who has worked closely with him for many years. She describes Bob as a guiding force—someone who provided not only vital knowledge and connections but genuine care. She notes that this recognition, four years after the nomination, feels like a victory not just for Bob but for the entire survivor community. Bob O'Toole's OAM is a powerful acknowledgement of work that has changed lives and helped change our country for the better.”
“It honours decades of unwavering advocacy on behalf of survivors of institutional sexual abuse—advocacy that required courage, resilience and an unshakeable belief in justice. As the founder of the Clergy Abused Network, Bob played a pivotal role in supporting survivors to find their voice and in shining a light on the wrongdoing that had been ignored for far too long. His efforts were instrumental in the calls that ultimately led to the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse. It was announced under Prime Minister Gillard, and it is something that I take deep pride in as a member of the Labor Party—a turning point in our nation's history. Bob's work was never abstract or distant.”
“I rise today, following Australia Day, to acknowledge and honour Australians whose service, integrity and commitment reflect the very best of our nation. Australia Day honours are not about status or ceremony alone; they are about recognising lives of service, often quiet, often difficult and often carried out without expectation of recognition. They remind us that Australia is strengthened every day by people who step forward for others, who stand up for justice and who dedicate themselves to their communities. Today I'm proud to place on the parliamentary record the extraordinary contributions of several Australians from Paterson who were recognised in this year's Australia Day honours list. Firstly, I wish to acknowledge Robert 'Bob' O'Toole OAM, from Raworth. Bob's recognition, with the Order of Australia Medal, is deeply significant.”
“My question is to the Minister for Agriculture. How is the Albanese Labor government rebuilding our trading relationships to deliver more opportunities for Australian farmers and producers? How does this compare to other approaches, and why are strong relationships key for our farmers and our regional communities?”
“To those people who work in that sector: thank you for your resilience, your generosity, your commitment to your community and, occasionally, the terrific jokes—and, especially in the hard times, thank you for just being there. To all of the people of Paterson and to all Australians—I wish you a very merry Christmas, happy holidays and a safe, joyful and restorative new year. May your days be filled with kindness, connection and community—and, yes, perhaps a cold, responsibly enjoyed beer at your local. I'll say cheers to that.”
“When a club remains affordable, families stay included. When a brewery survives, local jobs endure. As we move into this festive season—a time defined by connection, gratitude and community—I want to acknowledge the enormous contribution of our pubs, clubs and breweries and how they knit that social fabric of Paterson together. They will host Christmas lunches, end-of-year parties, charity raffles, community events and New Year's Eve celebrations. They will help shape the memories that carry us forward into another year. To every publican, every brewer, every hospitality worker, every cleaner, every supplier and every small-business owner in Paterson: thank you. Be kind to those people, even if the queues are deep at the pub. It's a time of the year when we all just need to remember that civility costs nothing.”
“In fact, my grandmother's family, the Sharpes, ran the Hinton hotel as well, so, while I won't claim to be from long lines of publicans, I do have a touch of it in my veins. I also wore out the carpet at the Commercial Hotel in Morpeth, where my sister had the very first restaurant for quite a while. I worked for her while I was at school. So there's plenty of understanding in my family about this industry. In Paterson, we have a proud craft brewing tradition as well: the Dusty Miner Craft Brewery, Maltnhops Brewhaus, the River Port Brewing Company and, of course, Murray's Craft Brewing. These businesses are part of our local identity, our regional economy and our tourism sector. They stand to benefit from this measure, just like our pubs and clubs, because, when a pub stays open, a community stays connected.”
“We all know that, at this time of the year, the ham raffle is a very, very special thing. Across Australia, around 160,000 Australians rely on this sector. These workers are not abstract statistics. They are bartenders, chefs, delivery drivers, cleaners, managers, brewery technicians—hardworking people with families and bills and stories of their own. I know this because I was one of them at one point. At 18, I worked in what was then known as the Brewery at Queens Wharf in Newcastle. We used to brew our own beer there. Bruce was the brewer. We had these magnificent, tall, copper brewing stills. The beers came in pints and half pints. It was a legendary place. My sister got me the job, although I was too embarrassed to tell anyone that I was the boss's sister. We kept that under wraps for quite a while.”
“This pause gives small-business owners what they have been calling for—certainty and cost stability. It supports Australian brewers, especially small and independent ones. It helps local venues keep their doors open. It helps keep the price of a beer stable for the everyday Australian who is enjoying one at their local. It's not a handout; it's not special treatment. It is a balanced, responsible pause that maintains the integrity of our excise system while providing genuine relief to a sector that employs thousands. In Paterson alone, we have around 340 licensed venues that will benefit from this policy. Three-quarters of them are small, family run businesses, the sorts that sponsor junior footy teams, host raffles, take on apprentices and put their profits straight back into their communities.”
“It became exactly what pubs across Australia have always been—a gathering place for families, sporting teams, old mates and new friends, a place where milestones are celebrated and tears are sometimes shared, a place where darts are thrown, pool balls are sunk and yarns are spun and, when the tap beer flows, a place bringing just a small piece of comfort in difficult times. Right across my electorate of Paterson, those stories were repeated time and time again. A problem shared is often a problem halved at the pub. That's precisely why this policy really does matter. Let me be perfectly clear. For the next two years, the cost of purchasing a keg of beer is not going up—no automatic indexation, no extra tax pressure and no surprise increases for pubs, clubs or breweries.”
“In town after town, these venues transformed from watering holes into community hubs. One in particular, was the Beresfield Tavern, located right in the heart of Paterson. Karla and her hardworking team at the tavern rolled up their sleeves and cooked 250 hot breakfasts each morning for locals who, at that point, had no power, no food and no phone service. They didn't ask for recognition. They didn't wait for instruction. They simply saw the community in need and stepped up, like so many small, family-run venues do time and time again. That morning, the Beresfield Tavern was far more than a pub; it was a refuge, a community kitchen and a safe haven.”
“The damage was heartbreaking—homes ruined, farms under water, roads washed out, businesses forced to close and thousands of people without power, communications, or certainty. People were frightened. They were exhausted. They were not alone, though, because, as we always do in the Hunter, we showed up for one another. Neighbours checked in on neighbours. Food appeared where it was needed. Generators were shared. Warm showers were offered. Meals were cooked for strangers. Comfort was given freely. In those difficult days, something else became unmistakably clear. Our pubs and clubs once again became the beating heart of our community. When people needed warmth, they went to the pub. When they needed the latest information, they went to the pub. When they needed a meal, a phone charged or a friendly face, they went to the pub.”
“I speak about the Albanese Labor government's two-year pause on the indexation of the draught beer excise and excise equivalent customs duties which commenced on 1 August this year. This might sound like a technical tax change—and, yes, excise indexation is rarely the stuff of headlines—but what this pause represents is so much more than a line item in the budget. It is a recognition of the cultural, social and economic role that pubs, clubs and breweries play in communities across the country, especially in regional communities like mine. To understand why this matters, I have to take the House back to the beginning of the year, when severe storms ripped through the Hunter region and the lower north coast.”
“We all know Australians have endless names for beer—a frothy, a cold one, a schooner, a pint, a middy, a jug, a stubby, a tinny, a longneck, a pony, a coldie, a bevvy or a brew. And, for many, it's simply, 'I'll have the usual, thanks.' Whatever we call it, every Australian knows this. A beer at the local isn't just about the drink; it's about the place, it's about the people and it's about the community. That's why I rise today to speak on a measure that is practical, targeted and responsible, a measure that supports small business, protects local jobs and keeps the price of every beer—schooner, pot and middy—stable for the next couple of years for everyday Australians.”
“They had a decade to provide certainty to support manufacturers to invest in new energy, transmission, storage and renewables. Instead, they gave us chaos and confusion. Under the state Liberal government, Barry O'Farrell sold off our generators, and that has made the issue even more complicated for Tomago. Yes, in 2014, Bayswater and Eraring were sold to AGL for $1.5 billion, and there were others sold as well. Today, we're facing the ramifications of that. We know that energy prices will remain difficult for Tomago over the next decade, not because of anything that has happened in the last three years but because of the decade of neglect and failure prior to that.”
“But, last month, Tomago took one step closer to closure, with the announcement of employee consultations. As a result, we, as a country, are staring down the battle of producing 40 per cent less of this critical metal. Let's be honest about how we got here. This problem didn't just appear in the last three years, when the Labor government was elected. Despite what the opposition would have you believe, anyone with even a scintilla of understanding of the Australian, or the east coast, energy market would understand that this challenge has been building for more than a decade. For 10 years, the former federal coalition government lurched from one failed energy policy to another, with 23 separate failed energy policies. They couldn't land a single one.”
“And it's not a Monday morning without leftover Sunday lamb that's been covered in foil—aluminium foil, that is. It's also in our furniture, our sporting goods and the electrical devices we us every day, including laptops and smartphones. Most importantly, aluminium is essential for the construction of powerlines, solar panels and wind turbines. Basically, if you eat, cook, take medicine, use a phone or a computer, consume electricity, travel, play sport, live in a home or sit on a couch, you need aluminium. We have a continuous supply chain right here in Australia, from the bauxite that's extracted out of the ground and then refined to become alumina and then processed, using a lot of electricity, to become that beautiful silver alloy that is aluminium. We have it all here in Australia.”
“Tomago is a proud household name that generations of families have given their blood, sweat, tears and wherewithal to, creating an international industrial success story. Indeed, just under 40 per cent of every shred of aluminium that's produced in Australia comes from that plant. Let me say that again: just under 40 per cent of Australia's primary aluminium comes from Tomago Aluminium in my seat of Paterson in the Hunter region. Australians use aluminium in every sphere of their lives. When we shop, it's used to preserve our food and drink. When we're off to the chemist, it's in the packaging that houses our pharmaceuticals. When you travel anywhere today, it's in our cars, trains and planes. For anyone who owns a home, it's in our paint, our window frames and our roofing. For people cooking dinner tonight, it's in the pots and pans.”
“When governments fail to govern and deliver, they fail to deliver real long-term policy. Communities like mine in Paterson and the broader Hunter region are the ones who pay. The decade of inaction by those opposite was a decade that left our communities to carry the cost of that indecision, short-term policies and their failure to plan for the future. Today I want to talk about two very clear examples of that failure— that systemic and systematic failure—to my community: Tomago Aluminium and the Maitland flyover. As I'm sure you've heard, the situation at Tomago Aluminium is serious. It's complex and it deserves our attention and respect, not political point scoring. For 40 years the Tomago aluminium smelter has been synonymous with manufacturing in the Hunter region. It's an industrial jewel in our blue-collar electorate of Paterson.”
“It's creating jobs, improving safety and delivering the modern infrastructure that the people of the Hunter—and those who travel through it—richly deserve. Today, we've just announced another lane opening in the Hexham Straight. This is exactly what the people of Australia need: safer, better roads.”
“A vital piece of national infrastructure, they talked about it for years, they made announcement after announcement, they tried to pave the pavement in press releases, but failed to actually get the work started. This is a project that my community has been crying out for, and finally we are fixing this bottleneck. Since coming to government, we have fast-tracked the project, we have secured the funding and we are building it right now. To those people who'll be driving that way at Christmas: I know it's still a hold-up, but by golly the infrastructure is incredible. We're spending billions. We're fixing that last choke point between Sydney and Brisbane. I've been on site. I've met the workers, the engineers and the local contractors who are seeing this project finally come to life.”
“It's also worth noting that, when Labor formed government in 2022, we discovered that the former coalition government had frozen highway maintenance funding all the way back in 2013, cutting support for the basic upkeep of the very roads country people rely on. We've reversed that Liberal freeze, ensuring that state governments have the resources they need to maintain and repair our national highways, fixing potholes, resurfacing and keeping our roads safer for everyone. In my own electorate of Paterson, I have seen this funding in action. The M1 Pacific Motorway extension to Raymond Terrace was stalled for years—dare I say, decades—by the former coalition government.”
“After a decade of neglect by the former coalition government, we're delivering record investment in regional infrastructure, and we are making regional roads safer. Since coming into government, we've doubled the Roads to Recovery Program from $500 million to $1 billion—with a B—per year. This isn't a one-off boost. It's baked into the budget and will remain at that higher level into the future. We've increased the Black Spots Program to $150 million per year, targeting dangerous crash sites across regional and rural Australia. And we've created the Safer Local Roads and Infrastructure Program, providing $200 million per year to help local councils deliver the bigger road and bridge projects that make real differences in our communities.”
“In May 2018, the former coalition government, together with state and territory transport and infrastructure ministers, released a communique explicitly calling for speed reviews as part of their forward work. So it is a bit rich for the Nationals to come in here now, feign outrage and campaign against their own policy. The Albanese Labor government is putting their policy out for consultation, transparently, openly and with proper community engagement. No decision has been made. No speed limits have been changed. What we are doing is seeking for Australians to have their say on how we can make our roads safer. Now, while those opposite are busy running scare campaigns, the Albanese Labor government is actually getting on with the job of investing in safer, stronger regional roads. You might say we're proceeding with purpose.”
“I rise to speak on this motion moved by the member for Mallee and, I must say, it is disappointing to see yet another attempt by those opposite to play politics with the safety of regional Australians. After a decade of neglect by the former coalition government, the member opposite and her colleagues are now trying to deliberately mislead the people of regional and rural Australia about what is really going on here. Let's be absolutely clear: the idea of reviewing speed limits on high-risk regional roads did not start with this government. It was, in fact, a coalition commitment. As part of the National Road Safety Action Plan 2018-2020, the then deputy prime minister, Michael McCormack, made it priority action No. 1 to review speed limits on high-risk regional roads. So let's be clear: the coalition kicked this off.”
“Thanks for your resilience and strength. We know there's another storm season and fire season heading our way, as January will soon roll around. I say to people: thank you for being prepared and thank you for looking out for each other. Paterson is a remarkable community, and I couldn't be prouder to represent it in this place.”
“The sheer frequency and intensity of these weather events, not just in my electorate but right across Australia, remind us how unpredictable and challenging our environment can be. We're seeing more severe storms, heavier rainfall and longer recovery periods, and our communities are the ones that are on the front line. It's a reminder of how important it is that we plan carefully. I want to take a moment to thank both Minister Kristy McBain and Minister Julie Collins for the immediate support for the Paterson electorate. We have been investing in stronger local infrastructure, like the M1, which is finally being built after years of promises. Now we as the Labor government are delivering it. As the member for Paterson, I couldn't be prouder of what we're doing, but also I say thank you to our community.”
“Homes are still being repaired. Roads are still being fixed. Farmers are still clearing up fencing and counting the costs. We're rebuilding, and there's still work to be done, but we are getting on with the job. Our local councils have been incredible partners in this effort. Port Stephens Council and Maitland Council worked hand in glove with the New South Wales government and the Albanese Labor government to access disaster recovery funding, repair vital infrastructure and support local residents and businesses. Together, we're delivering real, practical help where it's needed, fixing roads, restoring essential services and making our communities even more resilient for the future. We also have to talk about what's driving this.”
“I suppose, when you're called the Hunter Valley, you do expect to get a lot of water coming through the topography of our region. But it was certainly a testing time. Through all of this, one thing has stood out above all else: the resilience, the heart and the strength of local communities. Neighbours checked in on each other. The SES, the RFS, community volunteers and countless others worked tirelessly around the clock. Local businesses stepped up to support recovery efforts, offering food, shelter and supplies. I saw firsthand the way communities in Port Stephens and Maitland banded together, with people helping people, often before help could arrive. It's what makes our region so special—those incredible people, who are so pragmatic and practical. But, while our communities are strong, the impact has been immense.”
“And this was all set against the backdrop of the 70th anniversary of the 1955 Maitland flood, which saw terrible loss of life, incredible destruction and loss of livestock and was in fact so horrific that it was the first major natural disaster to ever be televised. It also bore the New South Wales State Emergency Service. We stopped to reflect on those 70 years, only to be inundated and flooded again, and the trauma of 1955 was certainly brought back for many of our elderly residents as well. While the two events that we had in January and May this year were the major ones, we also experienced further weather events in early June and again in August. Torrential rain, relentless wind and widespread flooding reminded us that our region is no stranger to extreme weather.”
“This year has tested the people of Port Stephens, Maitland and the wider Hunter like few others in recent memory. In January, our region was hit by a powerful and destructive storm system that tore through homes, farms and businesses. Thousands were left without power, roads were blocked, trees were torn down and, in some areas, entire streets were under water. Both Port Stephens and Maitland were declared natural disaster areas. Then, in May, it happened again. Heavy rain and flash flooding inundated parts of Port Stephens and Maitland, from Morpeth to Williamtown, closing schools and cutting off local roads. It came on top of months of recovery work still underway from the January system, compounding the strain on families, councils and emergency services.”
“I want to specifically thank the unions, who have really engaged with employees. The AWU—the Australian Workers' Union—the AMWU, TWU, the ETU and Hunter Workers have all played a really important role, and I also want to thank those concerned people who have reached out to my office and Minister Ayres's office with some brilliant ideas, particularly Oliver Yates, whom I met with this morning on a special finance vehicle. There are some great ideas coming forward, and we are leaning into this problem.”