Peter Khalil
Wills · Australian Labor Party · Australia
“Nationally, I think it's important to note that we've delivered multiple tax cuts, more bulk billing, five per cent deposits for people's first home, expanded parental leave and early education, free TAFE, 20 per cent off HECS and so much more.”
“We've backed local arts, schools, sports clubs and community organisations through all of the different federal government investments, grants and election commitments, which have been so critically important for those communities. In the environment, we've revitalised sections of Moonee Ponds Creek, which is the border of my electorate.”
“It was 10 years ago today that I had the great privilege of being elected as a member of Wills. In my first speech, I said that I was elected by the people of Wills to serve them and to make a difference in their lives. That sounds simple, but it is a really important commitment and promise.”
“It's one of the great privileges of my time in this place. In my first speech, I warned that we must beware of the demagogues and charlatans who take advantage of the disaffected and angry in our society and direct that anger towards minorities and refugees to stir up their own political ends. Sadly, that warning still pertains today.”
“But the fact is that 2.7 million businesses and 98 per cent of all businesses will be eligible for generous capital gains tax concessions. Why? Because these reforms are all about helping businesses invest, innovate and grow. That is because they are the backbone of our economy. We know that.”
“If you're a new business, if you're a startup, if you've got an idea and you want to transform that idea into something productive for the economy, we're making sure that we help unlock investors through those tax incentives to change that culture so people are willing and incentivised to invest in those new small businesses.”
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“People like Rebecca, Gulsen and Precious deserve to get the decent pay that they need to look after older Australians. That's why I'm so proud that the Albanese Labor government is backing aged-care workers with their fourth—that's right, Deputy Speaker Lawrence—pay rise since we've been in office. Our aged-care workers deserve this support, and the Albanese Labor government's $18 billion investment demonstrates our commitment to delivering higher wages for our wonderful Australian nurses and carers. That's why it's important that aged-care workers get fair pay that reflects the essential nature of their work. I'm proud that the Albanese Labor government has delivered four pay rises for aged-care workers since coming into office. Our $18 billion investment in aged care is a commitment to valuing nurses, carers and the people they support.”
“A few weeks ago, I visited the Bupa aged-care facility in Coburg in my electorate of Wills and I had the opportunity to personally thank the wonderful aged-care workers for their amazing work. It was an honour to present the Bupa's Living Our Values Everyday awards to dedicated team members at Bupa Aged Care Coburg. The winners were Rebecca, Gulsen and Precious. These workers, these individuals, embody the compassion, the professionalism and the resilience that they have to demonstrate every single day in the work that they do. These workers were recognised by those under their care—they were voted for in the awards by the people under their care—for going above and beyond every day in their work, delivering the best care for our older Australians, with real dignity and with real heart.”
“I hope there is a collaborative, bipartisan approach that they will take into the debate on this bill and that it will translate into support for this important bill—one that is critical to the national security oversight and transparency mechanisms of this parliament, and one that should be above partisan politics and petty pointscoring. Those opposite, I would hope, should take the opportunity to be acting in the best interests of Australia's security, because this bill actually improves both transparency and accountability. The safeguards we are proposing around the operation of this new committee mirror those of the intelligence security committee. It has had support from the opposition in the past. I want to see that support again today. I commend this bill to the House. Debate adjourned.”
“With this legislation we reinforce the message that strong security must go hand in hand with strong oversight, and Labor proudly stands behind that principle today. I would hope that those opposite seek to support this bill, as they similarly did when it was first introduced in our last term of parliament before it was knocked back. I hope they will provide that support given the non-partisan or bipartisan commitment that we have to our national interests and our national security. The Leader of the Opposition is quoted as wanting to do things differently this term. I hope that's the case.”
“The PJCD that we seek to create not only replicates the integral core principles of the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security but is world's best practice for parliamentary oversight and accountability on defence. In conclusion, our government is acting on the longstanding recommendations of the JFADT to establish a defence committee. Our government's primary commitment is to keeping Australians safe. Our strategic environment becomes inevitably more volatile and complex—we know that—and Australia needs enduring infrastructure ingrained within our parliament to ensure all of our departments and agencies are complying with the rule of law. This bill strikes the right balance between safeguarding our national security and upholding the democratic principles that define us.”
“I'm very cognisant of the important role the intelligence and security committee has played in doing the necessary work in an atmosphere that is conducive to the national interest rather than partisan political pointscoring. The intelligence and security committee provides a platform for MPs across Australia to make informed recommendations on classified issues without being a member of the executive government. Similarly, the new defence committee will allow MPs to express their views on these issues integral to the national security of our country. The ability to platform these views of our citizens on critical issues is the cornerstone of our democratic society, and, the better informed our parliamentarians are on defence, the better it is for the public debate.”
“That's why I'm standing here today in support of this bill—because we will always follow through with our commitments. From my experiences during my time as Chair of the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security—I have colleagues here who were on that committee—we understand the importance of parliamentary oversight. Even as members of the executive, it is important that the parliament and parliamentarians have the ability to do the oversight, conduct the inquiries and do the work necessary to ensure we have transparency and accountability. The PJCIS provides an important forum for vigorous debate, analysis and engagement, with topics on critical national security issues which can be considered.”
“There is $600 million for the maritime bases, including HMAS Coonawarra and HMAS Cairns , and $200 million to fast-track what are existing programs. We're also investing in a new era for defence capabilities, which includes the introduction of the Australian Army's new Apache helicopters, a sovereign autonomous undersea capability through the Ghost Shark program and the delivery of a larger and more lethal surface combatant fleet with the selection of the upgraded Japanese Mogami class frigates. Our government, the Albanese government, will continue to increase defence spending to record levels to deliver the capabilities that Australia needs. These investments are part of the government's commitment to building our sovereign defence industry and supporting a future made in Australia.”
“In one term, we have announced $12 billion toward Henderson to deliver continuous naval shipbuilding in Western Australia and make AUKUS a reality. That's going to support 10,000 direct jobs over the next two decades as well as provide opportunities for businesses across the state. We're investing $4.5 billion for key defence upgrades, including $2 billion for air base upgrades across the Northern Territory, Queensland and Cocos Islands; $1 billion to upgrade land and joint estate capabilities; and $750 million for critical infrastructure upgrades and facilities works at RAAF Base Townsville. I was just up there recently as we welcomed the new Apache helicopters and the infrastructure that we're building to make that a success.”
“The strong legal safeguards in place are designed to uphold the integrity of the PJCD's work and ensure that all participants are subject to clear obligations and serious consequences for any breach. Australians know that the Albanese Labor government is delivering when it comes to our national security and defence. That's why we have made the biggest peacetime increase in defence spending in Australia's history, providing what is now an additional $70 billion for defence capability over the decade. And, every time we get up and make another announcement, that number only grows. We are constantly looking at what our needs are based on the strategic landscape we face and how we may resource these needs effectively.”
“The bill establishes a range of criminal offences to deter members of the PJCD, their staff, committee staff, and any other individuals who receive protected information in connection with the performance of the committee's functions from disclosing or publishing information without specific authorisation from the relevant minister. It also includes offences designed to protect witnesses who are requested to provide evidence or documents to the PJCD. These offences and penalties in the bill are reasonable, necessary, and proportionate, ensuring the new committee can access the information required to exercise effective oversight of the Defence portfolio, while maintaining the confidentiality and security of that information.”
“The minister would also need to authorise any subsequent disclosure by the PJCD of that information, including in reports to the parliament. If necessary, to prevent a witness from disclosing operationally sensitive or other protected information, the minister can issue a certificate to prevent the provision of such evidence or documents. Given the safeguards in place to support the provision of information to the PJCD, these powers are not intended for routine use. Rather, they are reserved for rare circumstances where disclosure of highly sensitive information could cause significant harm.”
“The arrangements for information handling are modelled on those that apply to the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security. Committee proceedings will be conducted in a private and appropriately secure setting, unless the minister has authorised public hearings, with the exception of the PJCD's consideration of the annual reports of Defence agencies. The new committee will be able to request and receive classified information and briefings in order to perform its functions. For certain categories of protected information—for example, specific information about highly sensitive military capabilities, tactics, techniques or procedures—the minister would need to authorise the production of the information to the committee.”
“Similarly, the establishment of the PJCD does not prohibit other committees, such as the statutory Joint Committee of Public Accounts and Audit, from examining Defence matters as part of its functions. The new committee will complement these existing arrangements by providing additional oversight of Defence matters that require consideration in a classified setting. In terms of the constitution of the committee, as with the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security, the Prime Minister, in consultation with the Leader of the Opposition, will appoint up to 13 members to the new committee. This includes no more than seven government members and six non-government members from both houses of parliament.”
“It will remain the responsibility of the PJCIS to have oversight of the Australian Signals Directorate, the Australian Geospatial-Intelligence Organisation and the Defence Intelligence Organisation, which will continue to report to the PJCIS. It will supersede, however, and enhance the Defence related functions currently undertaken by the Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade. That's the subcommittee that exists in that larger committee. The existing arrangements for Defence oversight by the Senate Standing Committees on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade, including the examination of legislation and of the Defence budget through the Senate estimates process, will remain unchanged.”
“In recognition of the significance of establishing a royal commission, the PJCD will be responsible for monitoring and reviewing, on an ongoing basis, the Australian government's response to the findings of any royal commission inquiries relating to Defence. To ensure the independent regulators in the Defence portfolio are able to fulfil their statutory functions, the PJCD will also consider the operations, resources, independence and performance of the Inspector-General of the Australian Defence Force and the Australian Naval Nuclear Power Safety Regulator. The functions of the new committee will not extend to matters that fall within the jurisdiction of the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security. This includes oversight.”
“This will ensure it has the information needed to conduct effective scrutiny of Defence and its portfolio agencies, thereby strengthening government decision-making on defence and strategic policy. Importantly, the bill establishes appropriate safeguards that balance the government's commitment to greater public accountability and transparency for Defence, and the necessary protection of information provided to the PJCD to ensure Australia's national security, and that of our international partners, is protected. The PJCD can receive referrals on matters from ministers and either house of parliament, and may also undertake own-initiative inquiries relevant to its oversight functions.”
“Recommendations tabled by the JSCFADT uncovered existing parliamentary oversight and accountability measures for Defence to be inadequate in balancing accountability, transparency and national security considerations. This bill seeks to amend these issues and give Australians greater trust in parliamentary oversight functions. By amending the Defence Act, this bill seeks to create a committee which will oversee the Australian Defence Force, the Department of Defence, the Department of Veterans' Affairs, and key Defence portfolio agencies, including the Australian Submarine Agency, Defence Housing Australia and the Australian War Memorial. In terms of functions, the committee will be able to: The PJCD will be able to receive and consider classified information in carrying out its oversight functions.”
“I move: That this bill be now read a second time. Today I rise in support of the Albanese Labor government's Defence Amendment (Parliamentary Joint Committee on Defence) Bill 2025, which will establish a parliamentary joint committee on Defence. This bill ensures that departments entrusted with extraordinary powers are subject to extraordinary accountability. In a time of evolving security threats, it has never been more important to maintain rigorous, independent oversight of our defence community. The bill delivers on recommendations that were set out and made by the Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade to establish a committee which is purely focused on Defence.”
“It is also important in safeguarding the liberal, rules based order that we all prosper by. So the security and the stability in the Indo-Pacific, which we contribute to through our defence forces, and through our diplomatic and defence efforts, is of critical importance, and that is something that we in the government are committed to and delivering on.”
“The more we strengthen and enhance our defence capability, the more we can build that global collective deterrence. We want, in investing in defence, to invest in peace. It deters others from going down the path of using force as a means to reach their strategic objectives. That is the kind of counterintuitive part of defence spending that it's important for us, as a parliament, to articulate to the public: the more we're investing in defence, the more we're investing in deterring conflict and going towards peace. That's a really important point, and I hope that the opposition, despite their need to do political pointscoring, can bring themselves to make those very important points to the public. That deterrence lessens the factors that would lead to conflict.”
“We've delivered Ghost Shark—$1.7 billion for that autonomous undersea capability—and we've done this in the last couple of years, where they did nothing over a period of nine years. The fact is that this government—despite the protestations by the opposition—is getting defence back on track, with the stability and continuity that it needs. The Albanese government is committed to ensuring that, in this strategic moment—in this very important moment that we face in the Indo-Pacific and globally—our ADF has all of the equipment and the capability it needs to do the job that it's doing for us in keeping Australians safe. It's about enhancing deterrence and our ability to actually contribute to collective deterrence. That much we can agree upon.”
“We've announced $3.8 billion for key defence upgrades across Australia—$2 billion for the upgrade of northern airbases in the Territory, in Queensland and in the Cocos Islands; $1 billion to upgrade land and joint-estate capabilities; $600 million for maritime bases, including HMAS Coonawarra and HMAS Cairns ; and $200 million to fast-track existing programs. We've announced that we have the Apache helicopters arriving at RAAF Base Townsville. I was up there recently, a couple of weeks ago, and, again, we committed $750 million in upgrades for RAAF Base Townsville to help set up all the infrastructure necessary for the Apaches and their arrival, including a simulation facility and new headquarters for the Army aviation units.”
“We are committed to ensuring that, in this complex strategic environment that we face, the ADF, the men and women in uniform, have the equipment, the capability and the infrastructure backing them up—ensuring that the people who are doing that job for us on the frontline, to keep us safe, have everything they need. I can go on about what they have failed to do, but the facts are the facts. We just announced $12 billion for Henderson to deliver continuous naval shipbuilding in Western Australia and make AUKUS a reality.”
“They made up cost and delivery timeframes for our future frigates, and they left the nation with a growing risk of capability gaps from guided missiles to future frigates and submarines. Nearly $20 billion had been cut from defence, by stealth, by those opposite. What we saw from the former government, when they were in government, was kind of like Top Gun . It was all the hoopla and pageantry but none of the substance. This government, the Albanese Labor government, is all about actually delivering. We have actually added $70 billion in additional spending over the next decade and an additional $10 billion to defence spending over the forward estimates. We have spent more on defence procurement in the last two financial years than ever before.”
“It never ceases to amaze me and it's quite remarkable that those opposite, the coalition, will stand across from us today criticising the government's defence policy when they could barely scrape together their own defence policy during the recent election campaign. They love to talk a big game when it comes to defence, but, when it came down to it, they were all announcement and no delivery. Their record of delivery—if I can even call it that—while they were in government was absolutely woeful. When we came to government, those opposite had 28 different projects running a combined 97 years behind schedule. They had $42 billion in defence commitments with zero dollars behind them. They announced and reannounced capability without adequate funding. They ripped up contracts for submarines with both Japan and France.”
“WorldSkills Australia is an important social enterprise in this country which is dedicated to identifying, demonstrating and promoting skills excellence across the nation. When we were elected in 2022, the Albanese government faced the worst skill shortage in 50 years. Meeting this challenge has been, and remains, a high priority for our government. As part of our National Skills Agreement, over $34 billion in combined investment with state and territory governments will strengthen and transform the VET sector. This includes the establishment of 12 TAFE centres of excellence to provide the vital skills we need in critical parts of our economy. I wish Josh and the entire Australian team the absolute best of luck. He's going to be doing refrigerating, cooling and air conditioning; I reckon he's going to win his competition. Go Australia!”
“We have made a $43 billion commitment to our housing agenda, with $20.7 billion now committed to projects that lock in lower rents for decades to come. This all builds on another huge week for housing investment in this country, where we have cut red tape for more homes, brought forward the five per cent deposits for more first home buyers and made more progress on social and affordable housing. Earlier this week in Canberra I had the pleasure of meeting one of my constituents, Joshua Seymour. Josh travelled to Canberra for the launch of the 2026 Team Australia training squad. He will represent Australia at the 48th WorldSkills International Competition in China next year.”
“Nicole and Esteban explained to me how they absolutely love the committee and lifestyle of living in Brunswick and how being able to rent at this site will allow them affordable access to a suburb and a part of Melbourne that they know and love. That's what build to rent is all about—allowing people to make communities they love their homes, with the security and stability for longer lease lengths. Since we formed government, over 5,000 social and affordable homes have now been completed with federal government investment. This is a stark contrast to the chronic shortage of social and affordable homes built under the previous coalition government. In nine years, the previous government managed to build—wait for it—373.”
“Last week I visited the opening of LIV Albert, a build-to-rent apartment complex in my electorate of Wills. I was accompanied by my good friend the member for Macnamara, Josh Burns. We toured this $330 million project, which sits in the heart of Brunswick, which is in the heart of my electorate of Wills. The complex boasts 498 new apartments and is designed specifically for renters. Build-to-rent sites bridge the gap between buying and renting in the Australian property market, creating a viable option for those who don't, or choose not to, own a home. While we were there, I met Nicole and Esteban, a young couple from Chile who have decided to call Australia home. They will be among the first residents at the site.”
“They could save up to six years off the time it takes to save for a deposit, save about $25,000 in mortgage insurance—that is a very important element—and pay up to around $126,000 towards their own loan instead of paying rent. That'll make a difference to the future of all of those people. Since the inception of our Home Guarantee Scheme, 1,010 people in Wills, in my electorate, have accessed it. As I said, affordable housing is critical as the foundation for people wanting to fulfil their potential. I grew up in inner-city Melbourne in public housing—I'm a houso—in the seventies and eighties. We grew up in a housing commission, as it's called in Victoria. I share that with the Prime Minister, who, if you don't know, also grew up in social housing.”
“Not only was this policy completely irresponsible but no-one across from us had the foresight to think how this would inadvertently bring up housing prices. So, unlike that horrid election commitment that was made by the coalition, we are putting forward real, tangible relief for millions of Australians in this country in this bill, this scheme and all the others that I've spoken about. We were re-elected with a clear mandate to bring down the deposit hurdle for first home buyers, and we are delivering on that. In my electorate of Wills, 38 per cent of my constituents are renters. The expanded scheme means a first home buyer in Wills could purchase a $600,000 home with only a $30,000 deposit.”
“On average, there have been more than 6,000 more first-home-buyer loans a year under Labor compared to under the coalition's period in office. That's 6,000 more than under the other mob. Now, the median home price in Australia today is $844,000, and five per cent of that is around $42,200. The last time $42,200 covered the 20 per cent deposit for a median home was in 2002, which shows the generational scale of this change. This is in stark contrast to the housing policies—if I can call them that—brought to this year's election campaign by the coalition. Their solution to the housing crisis? Let first home buyers access up to $50,000 of their own super to buy a home. I'm not sure what they were thinking—what kind of fantasy this was.”
“In the first year alone, first home buyers who will be using this scheme that we are debating here are expected to avoid around $1.5 billion in potential mortgage insurance costs. That's a massive amount that will be avoided. And we're not going to stop there. We won't stop there, despite whatever arguments are made by the other side for political pointscoring, because we'll continue the family home guarantee that helps single parents to buy a home with a two per cent deposit—not two per cent but five per cent. That is amazing. Since coming to office in 2022, the Labor government has helped over 180,000 first home buyers get a home of their own with a lower deposit. That's 180,000 families. That's a lot of people that have been given the opportunity to build that foundation and to have that foundation to fulfil their potential in life.”
“I know it is valid as well that housing in Australia has also been a vehicle for investment and so on, and that's fine. But having a roof over your head, having your own home, is really about basic human dignity. It is the foundation, literally the physical foundation, to be able to then fulfil your potential in the workforce and through the social, economic and the educational opportunities that flow from that foundation. But first and foremost—it's Maslow, if you're familiar with that, Deputy Speaker Chesters—it's to get that shelter in place. It is about human dignity. I think that housing needs to be seen in this frame—the importance of it for every single Australian and their future ability to fulfil their potential.”
“That's why, in backing up that cognisance of understanding the challenge, we have made record investments in housing in this country. We've actually backed it up with record investments. From 1 October this year, even more young Australians will be able to realise their dream of homeownership. And that's thanks to this government, the Albanese government, bringing forward our Home Guarantee Scheme to allow first home buyers to buy a home with just a five per cent deposit. You heard it right; it's just a five per cent deposit. We're bringing down all first home deposits from 20 per cent to five per cent this year, from 1 October, because affordable and secure housing should be a human right in this country. It's about dignity.”
“I rise to speak not just on this but for an entire generation of Australians who have been locked out of the housing market because of the policies, or, should I say, the lack of policies of previous governments. This generation of young Australians have been locked out not because they lacked ambition but because the system itself has put homeownership increasingly out of their reach. For too long, young people in this country have felt let down by not having any opportunity to purchase their own home. We, on this side of the House, are very cognisant of the challenges they've faced. That's why, since we came to government, we have been making the ability and the opportunity for young people to get into the housing market a priority of this government.”
“The bill delivers on our election commitment to make cheaper medicines even cheaper by reducing the price of PBS medicines from $31.60 to just $25. That's a whopping 20 per cent cut in the maximum cost of PBS medicines, which will save Australians over $200 million each year. To put this in perspective, the last time PBS medicines were this price was over 20 years ago. That's 2004. Back in 2004—I don't know where you were, Deputy Speaker Young—I remember I had a full head of hair, and I was rocking out to Pearl Jam. I think that was the band of the time. Member for Lyons, do you remember where you were in 2004?”
“I also rise in support of Labor's National Health Amendment (Cheaper Medicines) Bill 2025, which will freeze the price of PBS medicines at just $25. It's a remarkable thing, because it's so important. Why is this so important for the community? Apart from the fact that there are so many cost-of-living pressures that people are facing, this type of support, through medicines, is critical to people's lives and their health care. It's fundamental. We on this side are proud to be the party and the government that stand by working Australians. Under the Labor government, no-one will have to choose between putting food on the table and paying for the medicine that they need to stay healthy. It's fundamental.”
“But they're up to the task, and it's our responsibility to provide them with the capabilities and assets they need to do their work. In conclusion, there's a great movie called The Good, the Bad and the Ugly . Some of you might have seen it if you are over 50 or maybe 40. It is a great film. My little kids also said to me—”
“I note our place in the world, Australia's role in the world and the responsibility that we have to make our contribution to the security and stability of the Indo-Pacific, because that security and stability is where our prosperity as a trading nation flows from, and the ADF play an instrumentally important role in ensuring that stability and security in our region and maintaining that rules based order, which includes adherence to international law and human rights. So the work that our men and women in uniform do—the humanitarian assistance they provide, the security work that they do and the defence of our nation and our interests—is of such critical importance, particularly in such a volatile period as the one that we're facing.”
“She asked, 'Why'd they do that?' and I said it was because they have a protocol where they have to salute the Minister for Defence. She replied, 'Settle down, dad; you're just an assistant minister.' So she put me in my place! But it is an important responsibility and a real privilege to do this work in defending our national interests, our national security and our way of life and supporting the Australian Defence Force in the work that they do. I'm particularly keen and excited to be working on things like humanitarian assistance and disaster relief. I've already started to do that work as well.”
“There's going to be a lot of work to do in the next three years. For me personally, that will be reconnecting as well as building new connections with the communities that I represent, and battling those intergenerational challenges that people face. I'm up for the challenge and I know my team is up for the challenge. Lastly, it is a great privilege to be sworn in and appointed as Assistant Minister for Defence. I was reminded of my place in the pecking order by my 10-year-old daughter when she asked, 'What was your first trip like?' I said I went to RAAF Base Pearce in WA, which is like in T op G un ; it is where we train our fighter jet pilots. She said, 'Oh yeah, that's interesting.' Trying to impress her further, I said I'd gone on the PM's plane and, when I walked down the tarmac, all the military saluted me.”
“But kindness and compassion for others will remain central to what we're about and why we're doing what we're doing—kindness in the sense of being able to help people who are vulnerable, the kindness of helping those who are struggling and can't help themselves, and kindness to those who just need a bit of a helping hand, to give them the guidance to fulfil their potential. These are, I think, the ways that these values can be so instrumental in the work that we do. So whether it's getting people into homes, whether it's cutting their HECS debt by 20 per cent, whether it's tackling the climate crisis or whether it's making GP visits free, what does that stem from? It stems from our desire to help people and to demonstrate compassion and kindness in what we do and why we do it.”
“They can't change the course of the Merri Creek that much; it's a natural feature. It's also so important that future generations can see and enjoy the local flora and fauna along Merri Creek. I've always said that the best and most important thing about being a member of parliament is serving the community. Service is the No. 1 objective of what we do—serving the people you represent and making a difference to their lives. That's why I'm so excited to be part of this second-term Albanese Labor government. The Prime Minister talked a lot about kindness. If we can keep that as our guiding star in this second term, where we look at all the policies that we're developing and trying to debate and all the rest—and that's great—we'll hopefully improve them through the parliamentary processes.”
“We're delivering $3.3 million for the Gillon Oval redevelopment, and that is an important one, because John Curtin—our great Prime Minister John Curtin—actually played football for the Brunswick Football Club at that oval. He also sat up there in the stands when he was a member of the selection committee for the Brunswick Cricket Club. So it's a very famous and historically important place. Upgrades are desperately needed for all the sporting clubs there, and for all the boys and girls and seniors that play there. Again, it will bring that sense of community. We supported lots of local community groups as well. Funding for the environment is so important, such as the $1.9 million for Merri Creek, which is the border of my electorate. Thankfully the AEC didn't change that one; it's still there.”
“There are so many places in our society where there's less and less of that—fewer people are going to mosques or churches or temples or whatever, fewer people are volunteering, fewer people are involved in Rotary clubs—so sporting clubs are still that bastion of community spirit. That's going to make a big difference to the entire team there at Fawkner Netball Club. I also was very excited to announce $3.7 million for the Linear Parklands in North Carlton, North Fitzroy and Princes Hill. As soon as Princes Hill became part of my electorate, Yarra City Councillor Ken Gomez and others were onto me straightaway about how desperately they needed upgrades to Linear Park, and I was thrilled to announce that funding at a community meeting in April. But our commitments for my electorate don't stop there.”
“I also was very pleased to be able to commit $4.5 million for upgrades to the Fawkner netball courts. That sounds like a lot of money for sports, but I can tell you that that community, the Fawkner Netball Club, has built something quite special. It has grown over the last couple of years, and I've been there for the journey with Grace, Jade and everyone there. They've brought in girls and boys—but mainly girls—from so many diverse communities to play netball and to be part of something, to be part of a community. It's a sporting club, yes, but it's also somewhere you go where there's a lot of love and community. It's so important for young people to be physically fit and healthy and play sport, but it's also important for their mental health to have those social connections.”
“We made some incredibly important commitments for the next three years, and that will make a difference to the lives of the people in Wills, the electorate I represent. It also shows the power of being able to form government and deliver for Australians. I'm very excited about the brand-new Medicare urgent care clinic that will be set up in Coburg. Expressions of interest opened just the other day for sites, and that clinic will take pressure off emergency wards in hospitals. It will take pressure off the public hospital system's emergency departments by treating locals for urgent but non-life-threatening issues like cuts, burns and breaks. We've all been in that situation where you need more than a GP but less than an emergency department, and this is the gap the clinic will fill.”
“There were many, many good people who did not vote for me, who I represent, who made the point to me that they didn't accept what was going on. I thank them for talking to me about that. The other point I want to make is—and I would hope that the results in overcoming some of what we faced sends this message too—that this kind of campaigning doesn't work. It's not a blueprint for success; it's a blueprint for failure and condemnation. I hope that message is heard. When you get re-elected, you obviously have a lot of commitments that you made, and it is all about being able to deliver. One of the main things I was talking about during the campaign is the fact that being a member of the Labor Party, a party that can form government, means that we can actually deliver on the commitments that we make to the community.”