Anne Stanley
Werriwa · Australian Labor Party · Australia
“Time today does not permit me to speak on the other parts of our health system, particularly the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme and this government's support for our public hospitals across the country, but suffice it to say that, along with the pillar of bulk-billing, the picture looks wonderful.”
“Previously, more than 1,400 of these were mixed billing practices. The upshot of this means that approximately 97 per cent of the population is now within a 20-minute drive of a bulk-billing practice.”
“My parents and our country were excited for Medibank; there would be no more bankruptcy to stay healthy. The disdain for the universal healthcare system from those opposite was established from the outset, as far back as 1975.”
“Indeed, Medicare and the PBS are among the most trusted federal public services in the country. Medicare is central to Labor's philosophy and DNA. We will always defend it and strengthen it. To that end, the matter before us today is yet another step in the Medicare story.”
“By introducing these amendments, the government will strengthen the way it provides financial incentives to primary care providers and ensure the integrity of existing and future incentive programs.”
“Since the urgent care clinic network commenced in 2023, there have been more than 623,000 bulk-billed visits in New South Wales. In Werriwa, the newly opened urgent care clinic in Austral has seen thousands of patients, which both helps those who need to see a GP and takes the pressure off our stretched public hospitals.”
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“This is a victory for the true believers and, in the words of Werriwa's greatest representative, we 'maintained our rage and enthusiasm' and we will govern for all Australians. That is because Labor governments care, and I'm proud to serve in the second Albanese Labor government in this 48th Parliament.”
“Loretta is a marvel in a marginal seat campaign. She makes sure the basics are done right and on time. Finally I also mention my exceptional staff. They are the ones who make sure the people of Werriwa are so well supported. Their care and tenacity to help everyone makes so much of a difference every day. Thank you, Natalina, Aaron, Alex, Daniel, Ingrid, Liam and Stella. Everyone knows I have two beautiful and talented grandchildren, Meaghan and Horatio. This victory is for them and all our future leaders. It means that they will receive equity in education, receive equity in health care and be able to afford university or go to TAFE. There will be homes for them to make their lives in and they will be able to see the promises of what our wonderful world has in store.”
“The union movement came out to support me in Werriwa in spades, and I particularly thank Gerard Hayes, Bernie Smith, David Bliss, Phil Chadwick and Henry Rajendra from the New South Wales Teachers Federations, USU, HSU and the SDA and their delegates, as well as Graeme Kelly. My gratitude goes to the inspiring young activists of Young Labor, left and right, who flew into my electorate to deliver our positive message and who are very much worthy of a special mention. They assisted me doorknocking in blistering heat, pouring rain and cold. I know our party will grow in strength with their future leadership. Thank you, all, especially Adam, Imogen and Luke. Thanks also to the New South Wales party leadership, Dom Ofner and David Dobson. I also need to mention my campaign team—Shannen, James and the fantastic Loretta Fletcher.”
“To others, like Chris Hayes, who was a former member for Werriwa in this place and my state colleagues Chris Minns, Anoulack Chanthivong, Nathan Hagarty, Charishma Kaliyanda, Lynda Voltz, Cameron Murphy, Mark Buttigieg, Anthony D'Adam and Julia Finn: thank you for your support. Also, to the Liverpool Councillors Dr Berry Green, Ethan Monaghan, Sam Karnib and Mira Ibrahim: thank you. My thanks also goes out to Jo and Matilda, who helped me so much on prepoll. Thank you to the member for Fairfield, Guy Zangari. Without your support on election day, I'm not sure how I would have got through it.”
“While I continue with this speech, I want to make it clear to my community that this issue remains at the forefront of my mind and close to my heart. Close to my heart as well are those who supported me. I was supported by so many, and in reality I don't have time to mention everyone here. But there are a few people I would like to thank. To Paul Lynch, the retired state member for Liverpool, who letterboxed our message about health care to thousands and thousands and has always believed in me, even when I didn't: thank you for the encouragement. I am ever so grateful.”
“There is no excuse for killing innocent people, starving children or shooting people just trying to feed their families. The horrors are real and abhorrent. Palestinians deserve to be able to live in their homeland in peace with prosperity. There is no event which excuses what is happening. Shooting people just trying to feed their families is unconscionable. There must be a ceasefire now. There must be agreement, a solution which sees the Palestinian people able to live peacefully and well in their homeland. My community already hosts too many that have been displaced and traumatised by war. Our community has Mandeans, Chaldeans, Assyrians, Cambodians, Vietnamese, Bosnians, Serbians, Uighurs and so many more. It is time to stop.”
“Listen to what the people are saying and what they are crying out for. This is why I want to make time in this speech to speak about something deeply important for many in my electorate. It is an issue that many have spoken to me about. Throughout the world there are so many conflicts. Innocent people are being displaced and having dignity removed. Everyone in my community is touched by these events. They are distressed; they cannot sleep. Their concerns pervade everything they do. I've heard from so many about their desperation. I wrote this part of the speech more than two months ago. At that time, a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas seemed possible, even imminent. Sadly the situation is now so much worse than it has ever been. Israel and Netanyahu must stop.”
“And then there's a myriad of community, religious and sporting groups that Labor has pledged to assist. I look forward to delivering for each of them. Some of the organisations that have benefited or will benefit from park and facility upgrades include Southern Districts Soccer Football Association, the Edmondson Park Malayalee Club, Middleton Rural Fire Brigade, Kemps Creek United Soccer Club, Liverpool Meals on Wheels and Liverpool Olympic Football Club. If there's something to take from this election result, it's a vote for solutions and a vote against obstruction. I would ask that many take heed of that advice, whether you're a senator who has blocked important legislation or a local council that has been allocated federal funding for infrastructure that remains unspent for more than four years.”
“Cleaning up after the inaction of 10 years of liberal government, state and federal, has seen massive investments by this government. There is a Labor commitment of a billion dollars to address the mess that is Fifteenth Avenue as well as $1 billion to secure the future rail corridor between Leppington and Bradfield with Western Sydney airport. In education, Labor is delivering full funding to New South Wales public schools and free TAFE, and I've been proud to witness a massive amount of investment in upgrades for local schools. Schools like Ashcroft High School, James Busby High School, James Meehan High School, Miller Technology High School, Al-Faisal College, Heckenberg Public School and Hoxton Park High School—and the list goes on—have all received funding.”
“We've made health a priority, reducing the price of prescription medications, freezing the concession rate for prescription medications and introducing 60-day prescriptions. After a lot of hard work and support from the Werriwa community, there will be a Medicare urgent care clinic opening in the Green Valley area as well as a Medicare mental healthcare facility. Both are urgently needed and testify that only Labor can be trusted with Medicare, and I'm working to see that they happen as soon as possible. I've heard far too many stories from residents about the challenges of finding an out-of-hours medical care doctor that bulk-bills. It's my hope that the Medicare urgent care clinic will give residents the access to care and ease the pressure on the overburdened hospitals.”
“I'm extremely excited about what we will be delivering for our electorate over the next three years, because of what we've delivered already and what the Australian people have given us the mandate to deliver for them now. We've delivered tax cuts for every taxpayer. We've already saved over $1,400 for Werriwa's taxpayers. We're providing further energy bill relief for every household, and, as a reminder to everyone listening, if you don't see it on your quarterly energy bill, make sure you check with your energy provider. I'm proud that a re-elected Albanese government will see a cut of 20 per cent to HECS debts. Legislation has already been tabled in the parliament that will help over 25,000 Werriwa are residents, and one resident who's very close to me will have her debt reduced by $20,000.”
“Of course success is a team effort, and, in this respect, the Albanese Labor government has one of the most talented ministries ever. It's united, purposeful and hard working. To each minister who responded to my calls, who provided advice or helped me in anyway: thank you, and I extend this thankyou to their staff as well. But especially thank you to Senators Watt and Ayres for your doorknocking. It was great, and thank you to the members for McMahon, Blaxland, Sydney, Dobell, Shortland and Macarthur in this place. It's been a great honour to serve in the Albanese government, and I look forward to continuing in the 48th Parliament.”
“I believe that people take their cues from one another and from the examples set by their leaders. I believe this is true for other campaigns I've encountered in this election but also for our broader campaign achievements. The Prime Minister deserves credit and accolade for the campaign he led. I just want to add to the thousands of words spoken and written that in this prime minister we have a remarkable leader who cares. He cares about our country and he cares about its people. At times, when things have not gone so well for me, I've had the PM personally seek me out to offer his support and encouragement. This speaks volumes of the PM, and it is that quality above almost everything else that I think saw the Australian people get behind him.”
“Up until this campaign, candidates in our area respected other people's placement of posters, but this time posters were taken off private properties and replaced by the other candidate's. Owners were abused if they had the audacity to ask the volunteers not to do that. Trespassing, intimidation and destroying property are not only against the law; they are just not right. I fear there were some under the belief that, because it's an election, it's okay to behave this way or they had to do everything possible to win. Let me be clear—and this is what the voters of Werriwa said—if that is the way you want to win, you don't deserve it. When you act like that, you bring everyone down, you make people disengage and you make people lose trust and lose faith. To sum it up, this was an election like none I had ever experienced before.”
“Let's explain the policies, give citizens something to inspire them. Don't reduce their participation in our great country to words of condescension. This is not us, and the results in Werriwa shouted that. In fact, the results Australia-wide tell us the story. My community endured a barrage of corflutes peppering the area, and most have still not been removed. The thousands of posters of other candidates plastered on trees, telegraph poles and traffic lights did not endear you to our community; rather, it served to infuriate them. I know this because I was fielding the complaints. Residents quite rightly pointed out that the countless signs were illegally placed. Some were in hazardous positions that endangered council workers who had to remove them.”
“My children and grandchildren could see and hear the words that were directed to me and my campaign, and that is not okay. To hire a person to closely circle me at a polling booth is not okay. To have them hand out authorised Liberal Party material to influence voters, even though they protested they had nothing to do with the Liberal Party, is not okay. Voters being grabbed, pressured or having their how-to-vote cards taken out of their hands is not okay. Women were speaking to me, saying they were feeling unsafe and wanting to warn their friends to stay away. That is not okay. It is completely unacceptable for anyone to feel unsafe when voting. Let's have a contest of ideas, but don't take how-to-vote cards out of voters' hands hoping that will sway them to vote for you.”
“I thank every voter, especially those who took the time to provide encouragement and support at the early morning train station visits, when doorknocking and at polling places—and even when I was making those late-night shopping trips. Your words made so much difference. While the behaviour of candidates is normally a matter for them, I feel I must address the behaviour of some during this campaign—not just because of unreasonable conduct, but because so many residents made a specific point of reaching out to me about it. I'm not easily intimidated, especially when I know the cause I fight for is on the side of the angels, but the constant lies, the other campaigns' people yelling and talking over the top of me at polling places, along with the constant barrage of social media negativity, went way too far.”
“I have no illusions about who I answer to and how important the voters of Werriwa are. I truly didn't think I'd be making this speech. Our campaign faced a massive spend, lies and dirty tactics. But the wonderful community of Werriwa—my home—saw through it all. I didn't know, before the election result was called, whether or not I'd be here today. Every election is a challenge, and if it isn't then you're not working hard enough! I was well aware of the media coverage and what they were saying about my chances of holding this seat—I was asked about it often enough. For the record, I really do welcome media focus on our local issues. I just wish it didn't take an election every three years for them to pay attention!”
“He and his wife were people of our community, opening their house to their children's friends, to their neighbours and to others, and were always ready to lend a hand if it was ever needed. I'm told he apparently liked to watch question time, especially if I was asking a question. He was so proud that a girl from Lurnea High School, the school that educated his children, was in this place. I am humbled by my election and representing my community, but hearing that this makes a difference to people does take my breath away. My heart goes out to Robyn, David, Kris, Peter and their families at Mr Thomas's passing. My community has given me everything in my life, and I will spend my life giving everything for my community. It is my great honour to serve. I take none of this for granted.”
“This is really important. There is so much more to do to better support our First Nations people by walking alongside them and finding ways to permanently close the gaps in education, health and wellbeing. My community is also home to 150 distinct ethnic language groups. We live together in harmony, embracing the difference and enjoying the best of each group. This is the community I represent. When I was elected in 2016, I wanted to represent everyone, to ensure their voices were heard and that community was at the heart of every decision that governments make. I will still be that voice. I was reminded recently this makes a difference to so many people. Mr Donald Thomas passed away recently, and, due to responsibilities last week, I was unable to attend his funeral.”
“Warimi. That's 'welcome' in the Indigenous language of the Dharug people, the traditional owners of the lands where Werriwa sits and that I call home. I acknowledge the Dharawal and the Cabrogal clan of the Dharug nation, who have looked after the land and waterways in Werriwa for more than 65,000 years. I acknowledge the Ngambri and Ngunnawal people in the lands in Canberra and all First Peoples all over Australia. I also acknowledge Richard Torning, another Lurnea High School graduate and a member of the Bayala Aboriginal Corporation. They are running courses in the Dharug language, and I did the course last year. I wasn't a great student, and I only have a smattering of words, but I really enjoyed the lessons and the history provided in the course. Thank you for keeping the traditions of our First Nations people alive and relevant.”
“Margaret volunteered with the retired teachers' union and was on the board of the Child Adolescent and Family Services for over 20 years. She was also instrumental in informing the Heckenberg-Busby over 50s club. Margaret received the Commonwealth seniors award in 2001 and the Australian government volunteer award in 2014. The mayor and the Liverpool City Council recently awarded Margaret the Macquarie Award for services to our community. Margaret was my friend and a supporter, and I know she will be missed by so many others in our community. My condolences to Brian, Brad, Grant and all her family. Vale, Margaret.”
“I rise to acknowledge the recent passing of a stalwart of our community, Margaret Parker. Margaret's life was a testimony of someone who cared deeply about her fellow people and who always put her hand up to assist others. Margaret was an early childhood educator working in preschools for decades. She was the director of the Anzac Village Preschool at Holsworthy for over 10 years and taught a childcare certificate at TAFE. But Margaret's real passion was her family—Brad, Brian, Grant and their families. During their childhood, there was always volunteering at the sporting teams they and anyone else who was around played for. Margaret especially wanted to ensure when she did the barbecue that no-one went home hungry.”
“Ali served a total of 26 years on the council and did so with distinction. He served multiple terms as deputy mayor and brought to his role a sense of decency, humility and integrity. Notwithstanding Ali's achievements in civic life, his greatest achievement was his family. I offer my condolences to his wife, Yousra, and his children and grandchildren for their loss.”
“Before entering this place, I served on Liverpool City Council as a councillor. During this time, I was fortunate to make many friends and also had the benefit of wonderful mentors—in particular, Councillor Ali Karnib. Sadly, Ali Karnib passed away on 20 June this year. Ali was an Australian success story. He arrived in Australia in 1984 from Lebanon in the hope of a better future for himself and his family. He settled in Green Valley and never left. Ali was a maths teacher and science teacher by profession, and central to his philosophy and approach to life was a commitment to education and social inclusion. Also central to Ali's life was a sense of civic service. Not surprisingly, then, Ali became the president of the Lebanese Community Council and in 1999 was elected to Liverpool council as a councillor.”
“The bill is another way that the government are putting Australian consumers on the centre of what we do and recognise the importance of quality telecommunications services for all Australians. I commend the bill to the House.”
“When Alexander Graham Bell made his famous phone call all those years ago, he would not have been able to imagine the advancements and breakthroughs to come, but the essence of his invention—to enrich our lives—remains unchanged. That is that telecommunications should help us and be our servers, not cause endless and needless frustration or inconvenience. The bill before us takes consumer rights seriously and vastly improves the compliance enforcement regime for users. It helps ensure that ACMA is fit for purpose and empowered to be an effective regulator. The reforms in this bill have received strong support from stakeholders, including the Consumer Action Law Centre, the Communications Alliance and the Australian Communications Consumer Action Network.”
“The bill will also expand and clarify the government's ability to increase the infringement notice penalty amounts that ACMA can issue for all applicable breaches, including consumer protection rules. Finally, the bill will establish a carrier service provider, CSP, registration scheme. This, in turn, will allow for more effective regulation of CSPs, including the empowerment of ACMA to stop a CSP where they have been found to pose an unacceptable risk to consumers or have significant consumer harm. The introduction of the CSP registration scheme will also improve pathways for the ACMA to educate carriage service providers on their regulatory obligations, streamline complaints and compliance processes and create a better overall market accountability.”
“The measures in this bill will ensure that ACMA is an empowered and effective regulator and also that there are incentive structures in place to drive better behaviours by the telecommunications companies. Further, the bill will also increase the penalties for breaches of the industry codes. Specifically, the maximum general penalty will rise from $250,000 to approximately $10 million. Indeed, based on the value of the benefit obtained from the offending contact by the relevant provider, penalties greater than $10 million may be allowed. These huge increases in penalties will incentivise the industry into compliance and better align the telco industry with other relevant sectors, such as energy and banking.”
“The bill that comes before us today, the Telecommunications Amendment (Enhancing Consumer Safeguards) Bill 2025, unequivocally legislates better protections for telco consumers. It puts consumers at the front and centre of the telecommunication industry. It will do this by giving effect to a number of significant reforms to boost the enforcement powers of the Australian Communications and Media Authority, the ACMA. The proposed changes in this bill will enable the ACMA to take immediate and direct enforcement action against telecommunications providers that have breached their obligations to customers under industry codes. In doing so, it will remove the two-step and somewhat lengthy process that is currently in place.”
“As we isolated during the pandemic, it became crucial that we could connect with work, education and, most importantly, our loved ones to ensure that everyday life continued as much as was available to us. Nothing is better than communicating with friends and relatives around the world or having a Teams meeting with a colleague, but there are few things worse than a full inbox and when you wake up every morning to endless spam. Nonetheless, this is the age that we live in, and the challenge for governments around the world is to ensure that legislative frameworks and protections are in place to protect the public as they use these new and ever-changing forms of telecommunication.”
“On 10 March 1876 the first telephone call was made by Alexander Graham Bell. Bell demonstrated his ability by transmitting a call to his assistant, Thomas Watson. The first words transmitted were: Mr Watson, come here—I want to see you. Come forward almost 150 years, and there are few areas in our lives that have undergone such enormous change than in telecommunications. Every week there is a new model, a new feature or a new innovation. The corollary is that every week those features that were once cutting edge enter the ever-growing pantheon of obsolescence. Connectivity is surely one of the key and defining features of our lives nowadays. In truth, it is both a blessing and a curse. During the early days of the COVID pandemic, connectivity became even more important.”
“He served the community as an elected representative for more than 35 years and held the position of mayor for eight years. He then went on to serve as the member for Cabramatta for a further 15 years. I offer my condolences and those of Labor Party members in south-west Sydney to Nick's family and friends. So many of them must be feeling the loss quite acutely today.”
“I rise in relation to the sad news that Nick Lalich, another stalwart of the Labor Party in my part of the world, passed away overnight. He served our community for over 35 years. Nick was old school, always impeccably dressed with a great head of hair, very much 1950s style. He never had a single hair out of place. In some ways, that sums up Nick. He lived in changing times but always upheld unchanging principles and values. Those can be summed up in one word: decency. Nick was a decent man. He was always generous in his support for me, offering sage advice and encouragement. The member for Dobell also told me today that she remembers him very fondly for his support of her father, Grant McBride, and their family during his illness. Nick Lalich's achievements for our community are wide and varied.”
“My question is to the Minister for Social Services. How has the Albanese Labor government helped Australians receive income support payments? What approaches would leave Australians on these payments worse off?”
“We are the party of opportunity, we are the party of access, we're the party that helps out and we're the party committed to making sure that no Australian child is left behind. I commend the bill to the House and thank the minister for all the work they've done, in all sectors of education, making sure that every Australian has the opportunities that they deserve and that the country really needs.”
“It forms part of a package that establishes a billion-dollar Building Early Education Fund to build and expand early education and care centres in areas of need. Specifically, the fund will build and expand around 160 childhood education and care centres. As a result, there will be around an additional 12,000 ECEC places for Australians in need. Labor is building a universal early education system. We're improving affordability, boosting supply, increasing accessibility, and recognising and rewarding the vital early childhood education workforce sector. Reforms such as this one are very much in my DNA, and they are in Labor's DNA, and they make me proud to be a member of this Albanese government.”
“Families who work, study or train will continue to be eligible for the 100 hours of the childcare subsidy each fortnight. This reform will increase entitlements for over 100,000 families, with 66,700 families expected to be better off in the first full financial year of operation. For example, families earning between $50,000 and $100,000 will save, on average, $1,460 per year. This provides genuine cost-of-living relief for those families, on top of Labor's tax cuts and energy bill assistance. Crucially, no family will be worse off because of this legislation. The three-day guarantee adds to Labor's impressive record in the area of child care and early education. It builds on cheaper child care, which has cut the cost of early education and care for more than a million families, and builds on our 15 per cent pay rise for early educators.”
“Jay Weatherill of the Minderoo Foundation perhaps summed up the failed activity test best when he said the activity test has always been 'punitive and unfair'. The facts and figures attest to Mr Weatherill's quote. Data from the Department of Education shows the number of children from low-income families accessing child care went down from 32,000 in 2018 to 6,500 in 2019. This is just shameful. The bill before us thankfully replaces the former coalition government's disastrous activity test with a new three-day guarantee to early education from 5 January 2026. All families will be guaranteed three days or 72 hours of childcare subsidy each fortnight. For families caring for First Nations children, there will be a guaranteed 100 hours of childcare subsidy per fortnight.”
“It is what every parent wants for their child as well. Essential to getting the best start in life is access to early education. That's because we know how important the first few years of learning are. When a child starts kindy, it's vital they don't start behind. This bill will work towards making sure they don't. Those opposite claim to champion accessible early education and care, but their track record says differently. When the former coalition government introduced the activity test in July 2018, they promised it would simplify childcare payments and encourage greater workforce participation. Instead, the activity test hopelessly failed. It created new barriers to workforce participation and made the childcare system even more complicated.”
“That is what is happening in childcare centres all over the country all the time. That's why we need to make sure that all of our children have access to that. We know that the first five years of life is the best time to give them the educational foundation they need. So I very much thank all the childcare workers in my electorate but particularly those who have welcomed me, like Organic Seedlings. I clearly believe in access and opportunity. Specifically but not exclusively this includes access to good-quality health care, access to quality education, access to good jobs and training, and access to quality government support and help if it's needed. On top of that and especially relevant today, I believe in access to child care. Labor fundamentally believes that every child in Australia deserves the best possible start in life.”
“I know how much they care about their children and the work that they do every day to give them interesting experiences. They are high-quality staff that are making sure that our littlies get the best start in life. I have a really wonderful and fun piece of artwork that was completed by the children at that childcare centre. It's a butterfly and it has all the children's names on it. it was part of their curriculum looking at the life cycle of a butterfly. I joined their class for a couple of hours one afternoon. It is amazing how these really experienced childcare workers and educators can make that complex scientific information available to littlies, from eight months old to five years old, and they were able to explain to me just exactly what was happening.”
“It gives me great pleasure to speak on this important piece of legislation, the Early Childhood Education and Care (Three Day Guarantee) Bill 2025, because few things are more important to my constituents in Werriwa than access to child care. Let me commence by thanking all those wonderful early childhood teachers and workers in the electorate for the wonderful work they do and the care that they have for our children. It is much appreciated, I'm sure, by their parents and caregivers but also by the rest of society, giving children opportunities for education into the future. I have made many visits to childcare centres in my electorate. One such centre is Organic Seedlings. I've visited them a number of times. I know the staff. They are my friends.”
“In the evening, I was pleased to join my parliamentary colleagues: the member for McMahon, Chris Bowen; the member for Cabramatta, Tri Vo; the member for Liverpool, Charishma Kaliyanda; and the member for Prospect, Hugh McDermott. The Prime Minister—no stranger to our part of Sydney—was also present for the evening and was warmly received by the crowd. I congratulate the organisers of the event, especially Peter Ha. While it may have been my first Tet festival, it certainly won't be my last. I wish all the constituents from the Vietnamese community a happy and prosperous Year of the Snake.”
“One of the great privileges of my role is being invited to community events. Over the weekend, for the first time, I attended the Vietnamese Tet festival at Fairfield Showground. The Tet festival coincides with the Vietnamese festival of the new year, which this year is the Year of the Snake. The festival was a huge success, with dozens of stallholders, rides and food stalls. The crowd was terrific and a perfect blend of old and young, traditional dress with modern. The feel of the event was one of celebration and joy, even though it was very warm in the morning and got wet later. This was especially evident on the stage, which was full of singing and colourful, beautiful costumes.”
“I think of the late Harry Hunt OAM, who gave so much to our community; Immanuel Sada and his tireless work for the Assyrian community; and, of course, there's Michael Andjelkovic, who works tirelessly in the Serbian community. Finally, there's James Chan OAM. James's efforts in the Chinese and Buddhist communities are legendary in our part of the world. To each of these communities, their leaders and volunteers, I say thank you. I especially thank you for inviting me to be part of everything that you do.”
“My electorate is rich in diversity. It is home to nationalities from all over the world and is home to all faiths. My diary reflects this diversity. In January this year, I attended a Serbian event and a Syrian event as well as one organised by the Chinese associations of Greater Western Sydney. In February, I attended multiple Lunar New Year celebrations hosted by the Australian Chinese Buddhist associations. Attending these events, affirming the communities they represent and thanking the community leaders, who give up so much of their time, is one of the great privileges of my job. The electorate is full of people and volunteers from multicultural communities, many of whom are genuine local heroes.”
“Throughout all of his life of volunteering, Ron worked passionately and tirelessly to make football more inclusive. Ron's service and dedication to football was recognised through life membership of the Southern Districts in 1993 and Liverpool Rangers in 2000. In 2012, he was also awarded football's prestigious George Churchward Medal. At his funeral, a guard of honour was formed as a sign of respect. It was an appropriate gesture for Ron. I offer my sympathies to Ron's family and the bigger soccer family, and I acknowledge his life and all his service.”
“Winston Churchill once remarked: We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give. On this measure, Ron Hughes, who sadly passed away earlier this year, lived a full life. Ron was a stalwart of the Southern Districts Soccer Football Association for decades. Indeed, he was on the committee for 26 years. I knew Ron for more than 20 years and I appreciated his help and support, first when I was the chair of the Liverpool City Council sports committee and throughout that time. During his 26-year period with Southern Districts, Ron held positions on the Liverpool District women's soccer committee and the Liverpool Sports Council. In addition to his service with Southern Districts, Ron was involved with the Liverpool Rangers Soccer Club for over 27 years.”
“I genuinely thank the Prime Minister and the New South Wales Premier and Minister for Infrastructure for their support for my campaign. It is yet further proof that, far from forgetting the south-west, it is forefront and foremost in the minds of our government both at federal and state levels, and, more importantly, the funding is in their budgets.”