Alicia Payne
Canberra · Australian Labor Party · Australia
“This week, the Parliamentary Friends of the People of Afghanistan farewelled the ambassador of Afghanistan, His Excellency Mr Wahidullah Waissi, with the Afghan embassy in Canberra to close at the end of this month.”
“They highlighted the need for sustained international engagement and renewed focus on protection and access to education for Afghan women and girls.”
“Australia works with established United Nations partners to ensure our support helps those in need, but not the Taliban regime. The world must not turn away from the situation that women and girls in Afghanistan face.”
“They also requested that Australia call for gender apartheid to be codified as a crime against humanity. In January, the Australian government committed a further $50 million in humanitarian support to the people of Afghanistan to address the deteriorating situation there.”
“In Afghanistan, under the Taliban, girls and women are barred from secondary schools, universities and other educational and vocational training centres. Most employment is forbidden, as is participation in public and political life, and women must be completely covered and accompanied by a male relative in public.”
“Henry and his family are advocating for this drug to be added to the PBS for children under 12 as well, in the hope that more families' lives can be changed, and I was pleased to discuss this with him yesterday.”
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“I want to say their names now: Rabbi Eli Schlanger, Alex Kleytman, Boris and Sofia Gurman, Reuven Morrison, Dan Elkayam, Peter Meagher, Rabbi Yaakov Levitan, Tibor Weitzen, Marika Pogany, Edith Brutman, Boris Tetleroyd, Adam Smyth, Tania Tretiak and Matilda, just 10 years old, whose parents gave her the most Australian name there was, such was their hope for their lives in this country. May their memory be a blessing. To the families of all 15 victims and the dozens more who were injured: this House and this nation grieve with you, and we stand together against antisemitism and hate. We must be direct about why this happened. This was not a random act of violence; it was a targeted antisemitic attack on the Jewish community. Antisemitism is abhorrent. It is a poison that has no place in Australia.”
“Like all in this chamber, I rise with a profound sense of grief. On the evening of 14 December, at Bondi Beach, what should have been a beautiful celebration of faith and light was turned into a scene of unimaginable darkness. The Chanukah by the Sea event was the first night of the Festival of Lights. Australians of Jewish faith had gathered to light the first candle of the menorah, a symbol of hope and of the triumph of light over darkness. That sacred moment was shattered by a targeted antisemitic terrorist attack that claimed the lives of 15 innocent people and injured many more.”
“The Minister for Health and Ageing has introduced legislation to establish the agency which will deliver $251.7 million to set up the CDC and ongoing annual funding of $73.3 million in 2028. These bills deliver for Canberra and deliver for Australia. They are about keeping faith for the Australian people, delivering on the commitments we have made, strengthening the services that Australians rely on and building a stronger, fairer future for our economy. They reflect the values of this Labor government—fairness, opportunity and responsibility. I commend them to the House.”
“They are a great example of Canberra punching above our weight when it comes to innovation and incredible capability in our city that is exported to the world. Many in Canberra who commute through or around State Circle would also know our government is building a brand new national security precinct in Barton which will employ around 10,000 people. The multiplier effect will be major, with this project providing a huge economic boost to our city. Just this week, we are one step closer to setting up Australia's Centre for Disease Control, which will be headquartered right here in Canberra, something I and the other Labor representatives—the members for Fenner and Bean, and Senator Gallagher—were very keen to see.”
“It was great to join Defence Minister Richard Marles and Defence Industry Minister Pat Conroy in the last term to announce a $272 million investment in CEA Technologies in Fyshwick, supporting 720 local Canberra jobs and delivering 14 world-class active phased array radars to the Australian Army's long-range fire capability. CEA is a Canberra success story, producing cutting-edge radar technology that strengthens our Defence Force, and has exported globally. This project highlights how the Albanese government is creating high-tech Australian made solutions while boosting local employment and capability. It was wonderful to tour this facility and hear about the Canberra history of this major employer in our city.”
“The government is also investing in the roads infrastructure that Canberrans need. We're providing $53.5 million to support key projects, including completing stage 1 of the Monaro Highway upgrade, planning for stage 2 and finishing the duplication of Gundaroo Drive. These upgrades will improve safety, ease congestion and make daily commutes faster and smoother for Canberran residents on these key arterial roads. The Albanese government is also backing Canberra's local defence industry, and building Australia's future through this.”
“Households have cut energy use, lowered bills by thousands of dollars a year and reduced emissions, all while improving comfort and efficiency. By bringing this program to Canberra, we are giving residents choice, saving families money and building the renewable energy infrastructure that will power our city into the future. We're also contributing $5 million to stage 2 of the Garden City Cycleway through the inner north. Stage 1 has been an absolutely massive success. I'm looking forward to seeing the cycleway extend to Watson. I was thrilled to join the minister for infrastructure, the Chief Minister and the ACT transport minister to turn the sod of the light rail stage 2A to Commonwealth Park. It is a great example of our two governments working together.”
“We're also investing an extra $10 million into respite services here in Canberra to ensure that people who need a bed in a respite centre will get one, because the health and wellbeing of Canberrans matters to our government. We are also helping Canberrans electrify their homes and reduce energy bills through the Albanese government's suburb-wide electrification programs. Building on the success of early pilots like Electrify 2015, we are expanding this approach here in Canberra and working with communities such as Giralang to help households transition from gas to electric heating, cooking and hot water. These programs provide funding support, expert guidance and practical solutions to make upgrades easier and more affordable for families. Early results from similar pilots have been very encouraging.”
“Labor has also committed to delivering a new Medicare urgent care clinic in Woden, which is much needed. This clinic will be open seven days a week, over extended hours, with no appointment needed, and every patient will be fully bulk-billed. It will provide urgent medical care close to home without the stress of going to the emergency department. The Woden clinic will also take pressure off Canberra Hospital and make sure that families in Woden and across the city can see a doctor when it really matters. It will build on the five existing nurse led walk-in clinics already operating in the ACT, which have seen more than 236,000 presentations since opening, and it shows once again the difference a Labor government makes when it invests in the health of our community.”
“Our city has some of the lowest bulk-billing rates in the country and Canberrans pay some of the highest GP fees. It's simply not good enough. That is why, on top of our national commitment to make nine in 10 GP appointments free by 2030, we're investing $14.3 million to directly boost bulk-billing GP rates in Canberra. This funding will go towards funding three new fully bulk-billed GP practices across the city and will guarantee the ongoing operation of Interchange Health Co-operative in Tuggeranong. We're also delivering new training initiatives, including the first metropolitan trial of the single-employer model, to attract more GPs to Canberra and keep them here. This is a game-changing investment for our city. It will mean more choice, better access and more affordable health care for Canberra families.”
“With this strong community support, I was pleased to secure a commitment from the government. Our commitment will deliver a full pitch replacement, including a new international category 1 surface—the same as what was used in the Paris Olympics. This investment will also upgrade irrigation, fencing and other essential infrastructure. The new surface will reduce water consumption by 45 per cent and will support over 10,000 community fixtures and training sessions over the next decade. Our commitment secures the future of hockey in Canberra and ensures that players at all levels, from juniors through to elite athletes, have access to a world-class facility. Our government recognises the specific challenges Canberrans face when seeing a GP.”
“We're also backing our local sporting community with $1.5 million for Hockey ACT to upgrade and replace the ageing Carter Field at the National Hockey Centre in Lyneham. This is another project I was very proud to advocate for on behalf of my community, and I'm very pleased that we can deliver. The Carter Field is Canberra's premier hockey pitch, home to the Canberra Chill and the large Canberra hockey community. Everyone who plays hockey in Canberra plays at the Lyneham fields. But, after nine seasons, the playing surface has deteriorated, posing a safety risk to players and falling below international standards. I was very proud to run a petition which saw over 1,000 Canberra hockey players and fans show their support for an upgrade to our hockey centre.”
“It will deliver a new convention and entertainment precinct capable of hosting major summits, conferences and events befitting a national capital, as well as a new aquatic centre to replace the ageing Civic Pool. This investment is about building Canberra's future, supporting local business, tourism and hospitality, and ensuring our city has the infrastructure it needs to grow. It shows the difference a federal Labor government makes when it works hand in hand with an ACT Labor government to deliver for Canberra—a government that's not ashamed of our national capital and that doesn't engage in cheap pointscoring, as the former opposition leader did with his attacks on the public service, which clearly backfired in the last election.”
“I also want to talk about some of the commitments we made at the election specifically for the people of Canberra. Our flagship announcement at our campaign launch was game-changing for our city. Labor announced a $200 million investment to green-light a new national convention and entertainment precinct and a new aquatic centre in Commonwealth Park. This is something that I have advocated for the whole time I have been in parliament, because this new convention centre will be befitting of a national capital. It's so important that our city can host the sort of events that we need to play our part on the world stage. This will be a game changer for our local economy as well. The joint project with the ACT government will create jobs, boost our local economy and give Canberra the modern facilities the national capital deserves.”
“Alongside the Housing Australia Future Fund, build-to-rent, our shared equity schemes and other initiatives, this government is by far the most ambitious when it comes to housing policy in a generation. On education, we're investing at every stage. We're guaranteeing access to at least three days a week of subsidised early childhood education and care. We're fully funding every public school. We've made free TAFE permanent, and we're delivering reform to the university sector through the Universities Accord. We're building a stronger, more resilient economy through our new National Competition Policy, the Future Made in Australia plan supporting green metals production and clean energy manufacturing, and through expanded funding for the Clean Energy Finance Corporation.”
“We're building more homes faster, using modern construction methods and expanding the Help to Buy scheme. We're providing up to $10,000 for apprentices in housing construction to ensure we have the tradies we need to build the homes Australians need. We're expanding the five per cent deposit scheme to all first home buyers, so the once insurmountable burden of saving for a deposit is less of a hurdle. We've invested $43 billion in our Homes for Australia plan, as we work towards our 1.2 million new homes by 2030. We're fast-tracking the approvals of 26,000 homes that have stagnated, and we're freezing changes to the Construction Code so that builders can get on with the job of building.”
“These appropriation bills reflect that choice. They give effect to the commitments we took to the people, commitments we are proud to deliver, commitments to reduce the cost of living and fight inflation, including more relief on energy bills, tax cuts for every Australian taxpayer, cheaper medicines and a 20 per cent cut to student debt. We are strengthening Medicare, including funding so that, by 2030, nine out of 10 GP visits will be bulk-billed; a huge issue in my community. There'll be more investment in our public hospitals; more urgent care clinics—with 137 right across the nation, including a new one right here in Canberra; more doctors and nurses in the system; and lower costs, more choice and more accessible health care for women. We're also making it easier to buy and rent a home.”
“We have delivered these reforms while maintaining strong fiscal discipline under the leadership of the Treasurer and the Minister for Finance. In the last term, we delivered the largest nominal budget improvement in a single parliamentary term. We delivered the first back-to-back budget surpluses in nearly two decades because, for all the bluff and bluster about surpluses from those opposite when they were in government, it took Labor to actually deliver one. That is the harsh reality for those opposite. This is responsible economic management in action, and it's what we are continuing to deliver in this second term in government. When Australians went to the polls, they voted for a government that would tackle the big challenges, invest in the services they rely on and build a stronger, fairer future.”
“We are a government that acts, whether it's action on climate change after a decade of denial and delay; whether it's the introduction of the National Anti-Corruption Commission that is restoring accountability and integrity into public life; whether it's more affordable early childhood education, cheaper medicines or cheaper home batteries; whether it's the ambition to build 1.2 million new homes and help young Australians achieve the dream of homeownership; or whether it's cutting student debt or the introduction of fee-free TAFE and paid prac placements. At every step, the Albanese Labor government has been guided by the core Labor values of fairness, opportunity and support for those who need it most.”
“I rise in support of the package of appropriation bills. Budget management is one of the most fundamental responsibilities of government. It's about ensuring the resources and the wealth of this nation and its people are managed well. It's about ensuring that the services that Australians rely on and expect and deserve are funded and delivered. It's about protecting our people and our nation, whether from the global challenge of climate change or from other threats in an increasingly uncertain world. Most importantly, budget management is about priorities—the priorities that reflect the values and choices of the Australian people when they cast their vote. Since coming to government in 2022, this government has delivered meaningful reform and real progress for our nation.”
“So I'm so proud of this achievement of our government, this historic Better and Fairer Schools Agreement, which ensures that we back every student in this country—no matter where they live, no matter what their parents' income—and give them the opportunity for a great public education.”
“But this agreement that our government has delivered has actually further increased that funding for ACT schools. As a parent whose children attend public schools I know that that is much needed. It is really wonderful to see that every school around this country will now receive a 100 per cent of that resource standard and be able to invest in their future and give our teachers, who do such incredible and important work every day, the resources that they need to empower these young people to learn. There's a particular focus with the agreement on ensuring that teachers have the things they need to stop students falling behind before it is too late—things like the year 1 phonics test, which is critically important to ensure that students at that age are learning the things they need to continue that journey.”
“That all changed with the change in government. We are ending that era of underfunding because we believe every child in every school deserves the same chance to succeed. I want to acknowledge the Minister for Education, Jason Clare, and the incredible work he's done in this space. Our government has invested $16.5 billion in additional funding to fully fund all public schools. We've introduced paid prac for teaching students to help with the cost of placements. There are more teachers in the pipeline, with enrolments in teaching degrees up 11 per cent this year. I want to acknowledge too that in the ACT, the community that I represent, we were the only jurisdiction that was already at 100 per cent of the resource standard, and that is, in a big way, thanks to our ACT Labor government and Minister Yvette Berry.”
“For too long, governments—specifically, the last coalition government—left public school students shortchanged, forcing teachers and principals to stretch resources while parents fundraised for the basics. Let's remind ourselves of the recent history in this space. In 2012, David Gonski released the report into Australia's school funding, recommending changes with the aim of reducing the impact of social disadvantage on educational outcomes. The key recommendation was introduction of the schooling resource standard, a base rate of funding per student which would determine the required funding needed for each school. When the coalition came to government a year later, they tore up that Gonski report. They directed funds to less needy schools and left public school students to endure substandard resourcing.”
“Nothing is more fundamental to fairness and nothing is more essential to national prosperity than ensuring that every child, no matter where they live and no matter their background, has access to a high-quality education. That's why this government has made huge investments in both schools and skills, investing in education at all levels so that all Australians, from the youngest through to older Australians pursuing new skills and training, have the best opportunities to take on the jobs of the future. In regard to schools, we are delivering the first ever national agreement that fully funds public schools to 100 per cent of the schooling resource standard. This is absolutely huge. This is a historic step.”
“There's a lot of rhetoric coming from those opposite today about governing for all Australians, and I agree with the Assistant Treasurer that it's a very interesting topic for them to bring, given their record in government over nearly a decade compared to what we have achieved already in one term and just a couple of months of this term. There are obviously many issues in which we could contrast our record against theirs, where we are actually governing for all Australians and where they neglected Australians. I'm just going to pick one, and that's education because it's a really important one. Education is how you build the future. If you want to measure a government's priorities, we should start by asking: How we are governing for the youngest Australians? How are we investing in their education, their opportunities and their future?”
“I also want to acknowledge the former assistant minister for women's health, Ged Kearney, for her work in this area. We have put the first new contraceptive pills on the PBS for the first time in 30 years. We will open more pelvic pain clinics around the country, and we are training nurses to help support women through the non-optional hormonal changes of perimenopause and menopause. And now, from 1 January, PBS scripts will cost no more than $25. They have not been that low since 2004. Labor is the party of Medicare, and we will always strengthen it, including for Australian women, because women's health is central to gender equality and gender equality is essential to the Albanese Labor government's agenda.”
“It's Women's Health Week, and, this morning, I joined the new Assistant Minister for Health and Aged Care at Sexual Health and Family Planning ACT, a critical service for our community here in Canberra, to discuss the Albanese Labor government's announcement of more training for practitioners for the placement and removal of IUDs and birth-control implants. This free training boost will make long-acting contraceptives more widely accessible on top of our previous commitment to make them more affordable. For far too long, women's health has been underfunded, underresearched and undervalued. Now, the Albanese Labor government has invested a massive $729.9 million into women's health to ensure that women have more choice and better outcomes for their reproductive health.”
“Finding or maintaining a job while pregnant can obviously be challenging, especially when someone is also dealing with other complex circumstances, like family and domestic violence. I think it is easy to see how homelessness becomes a real possibility for someone trying to survive on that income. I think if we as a society agree that there is no place for disadvantage for pregnant women and newborn babies—that there is more that we can do to make sure these women don't fall into poverty and homelessness—I know many in my community would support this. House adjourned at 20:00”
“I am proud of our commitment to ending violence against women and children in a generation and of the extensive and multifaceted policies we are pursuing to support that. I am particularly proud that we restored single parenting payments to sole parents up until their child is 14, and I am proud of the substantial increases to rent assistance we have delivered. Currently, however, the key payment for a single woman who is unemployed and not yet a mother—including if she is pregnant—is the JobSeeker payment, which is currently around $390 per week. If the recipient is under 21, they receive the lower youth allowance, which is currently around $332 per week. I note that a single person paying $75 per week in rent will be eligible for rent assistance up to a maximum of $106 per week but only where their weekly rent is $216 or more.”
“As Karinya's CEO, Lavinia Tyrrel, has said: …there's no place for disadvantage for children, pregnant women and women raising children in Canberra. I hope this is a statement that we can all agree with, for women not only here in Canberra but all around our country. Karinya House faces a waiting list of women needing support. It is important we focus not just on supporting incredibly important work like what they do but also help prevent women from facing violence, poverty and disadvantage in the first place. I, like many in this place, am here in parliament because I believe that government has a role in preventing poverty and disadvantage. The Albanese Labor government has focused on building an inclusive Australia where no-one is left behind or held back.”
“I am proud to have signed up as a community champion for the walk, and I encourage anyone who is able to do so to support this wonderful organisation. I want to acknowledge the other around 20 champions—there are too many to name—and their generous commitments. It's an honour to join them. The walk will be held on 14 September and is open to our entire community. The aim of the Walk for Hope is not just to raise the much-needed money for Karinya House's vital work but also to walk alongside pregnant women and new mothers as a community. Many will be walking with weighted vests to represent the weight of a pregnancy—I won't be doing that! We often use the phrase these days, 'It takes a village,' and this is about putting meaning to that.”
“Karinya House is an inspiring Canberra organisation that believes no woman should navigate parenting alone. For over 27 years they have provided safety, accommodation, support and community to thousands of women impacted by violence, homelessness and disadvantage while pregnant or parenting. They are a 24-hour, seven-day-a-week service and the only service of their kind specifically for pregnant women, their babies and young children in our region. I want to begin by acknowledging the work of their CEO, Lavinia Tyrrel, and their whole team, including the volunteers who create this peaceful home, as Karinya is for the women there and their families. This September they will hold a major new fundraising initiative, the Walk for Hope, with all funds raised going to Karinya House to directly support pregnant and parenting women in crisis.”
“(): In a few weeks I am due to welcome a new baby into this world. To be a mother is something I am deeply thankful for. Preparing for the birth of a baby brings a profound sense of both privilege and responsibility; a new life, a new human story, is about to begin with you, for better or worse. Mothers desperately want to give their babies the very best start—the best foundation—that they can for that life. As an expectant mother, I am thankful to have a supportive and loving partner and family around me, to have a secure roof over my head and not to worry about where our next meal will come from or about providing the things I need for this baby or my other children. Bu the reality is that, for so many mothers in our community, this is not the case.”
“Fundamentally, the Future Made in Australia agenda, with the Battery Breakthrough Initiative, is about people. It's about the workers in Port Kembla, in Geelong, in Brisbane, in Sydney and in regional towns across the country who will find new opportunities in the industries of the future. It's about the students in our universities who will help develop the next breakthroughs. It's about the communities who will benefit from cleaner, cheaper and more reliable energy. This is what a future made in Australia looks like—a future where we not only mine the minerals but manufacture the products; a future where our economy is more resilient, our communities are stronger and our environment is safeguarded. I am proud to be part of a government that is making this vision a reality.”
“They spent a decade in government doing nothing to address our declining productivity, nothing to strengthen our sovereign capability and nothing to prepare Australia for a clean energy future. They cannot even agree on whether climate change is real, let alone put forward a serious plan to seize the opportunities of the global energy transformation. Their approach is one of complacency and neglect, leaving Australia underinvested and vulnerable to global shocks. By contrast Labor is acting with urgency and ambition. We are building new industries, new jobs and new opportunities and securing our place in the global clean energy economy. We are ensuring that the benefits of this transformation are felt by communities across our country.”
“The Battery Breakthrough Initiative will also ensure that public and private investment flows to local communities, creating safe, secure and well-paid jobs. It promotes inclusive workforce development, supporting First Nations employment, gender equality and regional transition opportunities. Every funded project will also be required to share data and insights, building a collective knowledge base that benefits the whole industry and accelerates innovation. The government's approach stands in stark contrast to those opposite. The coalition have never reckoned with the changing global landscape. They are happiest when they're talking Australian industry down.”
“By 2035 Australia will be a globally competitive producer of batteries and battery materials, delivering secure supply chains and affordable energy and creating secure, well-paid jobs. And it's backed by significant investment. We've already committed over $20 million for battery innovation, scale-up programs, best practice guidelines and workforce training. This includes support for the Future Battery Industries Cooperative Research Centre and the Powering Australia Industry Growth Centre. The Battery Breakthrough Initiative is one of the largest investments in Australian battery manufacturing capability to date. We're also ensuring this investment delivers on our climate commitments, by backing projects that not only strengthen supply chains but also contribute to emissions reduction.”
“Together they form the foundation of future export industries. But to secure these opportunities we need to make smart, strategic investments today. That's exactly what the Albanese government is doing. We are building a more resilient economy—one that ensures us against a changing geopolitical environment and protects us against global shocks. In last year's budget, we committed nearly $23 billion to our Future Made in Australia agenda, and this investment is already transforming our industrial base. The $500 million Battery Breakthrough Initiative is part of that plan and will enable us to accelerate battery manufacturing here at home. Labor's National Battery Strategy sets a bold vision.”
“I thank the member for Swan for bringing this motion and rise today to speak in support of the Albanese Labor government's vision for a future made in Australia and to highlight one of the most exciting new programs under that agenda, the Battery Breakthrough Initiative. A future made in Australia is about making sure that all Australians thrive in a changing world. It's about seizing the opportunities of the global clean energy transformation rather than letting them pass us by. It's about using the resources, the ingenuity and the skills we have right here at home to create the jobs and industries of the future. Australia has abundant natural advantages. We have world-class deposits of critical minerals, unmatched renewable energy resources and outstanding research institutions, including, of course, right here in Canberra.”
“This service provides support and financial assistance to these families, no matter the circumstances—through accident, injury or illness. The Wall to Wall Ride for Remembrance is another event that celebrates and remembers those police officers from around Australia who have paid the ultimate sacrifice. This year, the final leg of the ride, between the New South Wales Wall of Remembrance in Sydney and the National Police Memorial here in Canberra, will take place on Saturday 13 September. Police, family, friends and visitors are welcome at the National Police Remembrance Day events, and I strongly encourage the community to attend. This day is a time to grieve with police families who have lost loved ones and reflect on their commitment to duty and to keeping our communities safe from harm.”
“As the Prime Minister said, the death of any officer in the line of duty hits deeply at the heart of members of the police family. Every day, as a police officer puts themselves on the line, they are doing it for the safety of their community, and they know that there is a possibility that the worst could happen on that, or on any, day. Often police officers are the first responders—whether in an emergency, during a pandemic or in a natural disaster—at significant personal risk. It is they whom we look to, to keep us safe, protect us and guide us in the most challenging of times. It is the bravery of these police officers at work every day that makes their loss even more deeply felt. For the families of police officers who have passed away, on or off duty, Police Legacy is there to support them.”
“I offer my deepest condolences, on behalf of the people of Canberra, to the families, loved ones and colleagues of Detective Leading Senior Constable Neal Thompson and Senior Constable Vadim De Waart. Detective Leading Senior Constable Thompson was looking forward to retirement and all the possibilities that would open up for him with his partner, Lisa. Senior Constable De Waart came from Belgium and served his community in Victoria. He was a man with many passions, including motorbikes and scuba diving. Both of these men will be deeply missed by their families and communities. May they rest in peace. We honour their bravery, and my thoughts are with their fellow officers who were at the scene, including their colleague who is recovering in hospital from gunshot wounds.”
“It provides an opportunity for solemn reflection and seeks to encourage serving and retired police officers, their families and the community to honour the memory of those who have given their lives in service. Here in the ACT, ACT police officers have been serving the capital since 1927. The original local police force had one police sergeant and 10 Commonwealth police officers. While ACT policing has now expanded and become the community policing arm of the Australian Federal Police, these officers have diligently protected our city no matter the challenges put ahead of them. The Australian community is reminded of the importance of National Police Remembrance Day by the terrible events at Porepunkah. They are a reminder to all of us of the dangers that police officers face in keeping our communities safe each day.”
“On 29 September, we will mark National Police Remembrance Day. This is a day to reflect on the courageous officers who have lost their lives in the line of duty. This is the 36th National Police Remembrance Day, and it is an opportunity to pay tribute to the courage, commitment and dedication of police officers who protect our community each and every day. On the 29th, a ceremony is held at the National Police Memorial, in my electorate of Canberra, each year. It complements the ceremonies that are held in each state and territory around the country. The National Police Memorial honours and remembers those police officers from all Australian police jurisdictions who gave their lives in the line of duty.”
“That's a 1.4 per cent reduction, taking us to 28 per cent below 2005 levels—proof that we are well on track to meet and beat our 43 per cent emissions reduction target by 2030. To put that in perspective, a reduction of 6.5 million tonnes is like taking 1.4 million cars off the road or eliminating the annual electricity use of around 1.3 million homes. I know Canberrans want to see us set a strong 2035 target, and this is something I am raising their voice for in our government.”
“I've been incredibly concerned by what I've heard, and I've been passing these concerns on to the Minister for Education and directly to the vice-chancellor as well. I was pleased to see that the regulator, TEQSA, has stepped in and put the ANU on notice to ensure that they are being compliant with their obligations and these standards. I think it's incredibly important that trust is restored within the ANU staff, community and leadership if things are to in any way be rescued from where they are at the moment. The reputation and the role of this institution are too important to let it be destroyed, and serious action is needed to be taken. This week we have learnt that Australian emissions fell by 6.5 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent in the year to March 2025.”
“These people are coming to their political representatives because they are not feeling heard; they feel they have exhausted their avenues for feedback and that it's not been taking seriously. There have also been serious allegations that have come to light, through the Senate committee, of bullying and mismanagement. There has clearly been a lack of consultation and transparency. There have been announcements of the closure of institutions that are incredibly important to Australian culture and society, including the National Dictionary Centre, the Australian Dictionary of Biography and the Humanities Research Centre—unique work that does not happen anywhere else—as well as significant changes proposed to the School of Music with far-reaching consequences for the music ecosystem in Canberra and beyond.”
“The Australian National University is an important institution for our whole nation. As the only national university established by federal legislation, it is unique in its remit. It's research is groundbreaking, and it holds a level of community trust that is precious. But, at the moment, the ANU is in crisis. Over many months I've been hearing from countless ANU staff about the situation there, as well as engaging with the National Tertiary Education Union. Many of the staff are not feeling heard, and they feel that the Renew ANU process is being driven without transparency, consultation or a clear rationale for the number of job cuts and other changes that are being made.”
“We need strong laws that protect nature and protect the environment but also are going to make it more efficient for projects to be approved in a way that is more fitting for these decisions. So I want to say to my electorate: I am raising those concerns that you raised with me, and I will continue to do so. When we choose fairness over division, compassion over cruelty and responsibility over denial, we build a better future for all Australians. That is the mission of this Labor government, and it is why I sought election, why I am honoured to serve in this place and why I will continue to work every single day for the people of Canberra and for our common future, because ours is a nation built on the principle that no-one should be held back and no-one should be left behind.”