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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“We are reforming Australia's outdated and broken environmental laws—laws that don't work for the environment, for business or for communities. We're responding to the Samuel review with our Nature Positive Plan, backed by serious investment, and we're getting on with delivering it. I've been really pleased, since the election, to see the momentum with which we are working towards delivering reform of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act. This is something that my constituents raise with me constantly. It is something that I have focused my advocacy on for the whole time I've been in parliament, since 2019. It is critical that we get this right, and I was pleased to see that, as part of the roundtable last week, this priority was emphasised again.”
“They just want to stop the killing and destruction. What I do reject when I hear it from my constituents is that our government is doing nothing, because we are not. We have been speaking very strongly on this. There is incredible work that is going on behind the scenes by the Foreign minister, the Prime Minister and others. I also want you to know that, as your representative, this is something that I am focusing on very much and constantly raising in discussions around this. We do want to see an end to what is happening there—this terrible situation. It would dehumanise us all if we were to stand by and see what is continuing to happen in Gaza. The government is taking real, responsible action to protect nature and secure the economy of the future.”
“True strength is measured in protecting the innocent, in committing to uphold international law and in having the courage to stand on the side of humanity. I am proud of what our government has been doing in this regard. We have been calling for a ceasefire, we have been calling for aid to flow into Gaza and we have contributed significant aid. We have been calling on Israel to respect international law, and we will continue to do so. I hear my community and their deep distress about what is going on in Gaza. I have been engaging with people all of this time, particularly with the Canberra Palestinian community, with organisations like APAN and with any constituents, because I understand their desperation about wanting to see an end to this and the powerlessness that they feel when they see this happen.”
“It is a recognition that the Palestinian people are entitled to dignity, to safety and to statehood. Of course, it doesn't address the current situation that is going on in Gaza. The fear that many are expressing to me is that, as the Foreign minister has said, there's a risk that there will be no Gaza left to recognise. But it is an important step in creating that international momentum. Our prime minister has been subject to personal attacks from the Prime Minister of Israel for taking this position. The Israeli prime minister has claimed that our prime minister is weak. But I thought the Leader of the House said it best when he said that strength is not measured by the number of people you can blow up or children you can starve. True strength is measured in the pursuit of peace.”
“UN agencies have warned that the worst-case scenario of famine is currently playing out. The famine is not the result of natural disasters or drought. It is not an unavoidable tragedy. It is a man-made catastrophe. It is a calculated, deliberate starvation of a civilian population that has endured relentless war for nearly two decades. We cannot let this go on. Using starvation as a weapon of war is horrendous and clearly a breach of international law, as is the bombing of hospitals and relentless killing of innocent people. I welcome Australia's decision to recognise a state of Palestine at the UN General Assembly. It is so important. It is a clear and principled statement and something that many people, including me, have advocated for for a long time.”
“I now want to turn to some of the issues that my constituents have been raising most with me since the election and in the lead-up to the election. I want to begin by speaking about the situation in the Middle East. The people of Gaza are starving. The humanitarian crisis unfolding in the Gaza Strip is beyond comprehension. As the Prime Minister has said, it has exceeded the world's worst fears of what could happen there. We see the photos of starving children and hear the reports of doctors collapsing from hunger. We watch the videos of desperate people scrambling for the tiniest scraps of food, dodging gunfire to do so. Just yesterday we saw another hospital bombed and more journalists killed in what has been the deadliest conflict on record for the press.”
“Paid prac placements began for nursing, teaching, social work and midwifery students. The superannuation guarantee increased to 12 per cent, and millions of minimum wage and award wage workers got a 3.5 per cent pay rise. These are true Labor reforms to improve the lives of Australians. The mission of Labor governments has always been one of fairness, of a society where, as the Prime Minister says, no-one is held back and no-one is left behind. We are the party that created and will always strengthen Medicare, we are the party that stands up for our environment and for climate justice and we are the party that established the NDIS and paid parental leave. We will continue to deliver on these things in this term.”
“For those who didn't support me at the election, I want you to know that I am equally here to listen to you and understand the changes that you want to see and also to represent you in this place. Even before this parliament convened, key policy changes began from 1 July. Paid parental leave was extended to 24 weeks, with superannuation now paid on that leave. This is something that will make a huge difference for so many families around Australia. Also from 1 July, every household and business began receiving energy bill relief. We slashed the price of home batteries to help lower household emissions and energy bills at the same time. Apprentice tradies who will be building Australia's homes became eligible for a $10,000 bonus. An extra $1.8 billion flowed into hospitals, including here in Canberra.”
“I also want to thank the Labor Environment Action Network for the faith they placed in me when naming me as one of their LEAN champions in recognition of the importance of having people within our Labor caucus speaking up on environment and climate matters. It was really helpful for me, with the grassroots campaigning that the ACT region LEAN team did for me as well as the national efforts around that. Campaigns are run by people, but they also require money. I want to thank the many Canberrans and Labor Party members who donated generously to my campaign. I'm very grateful. To my community who put their faith in me at the ballot box: I will not let you down and I pledge to work every day to represent you as best as I can in this place. Thank you for placing your trust in me.”
“With over 32 booths on polling day, it took essentially an army of volunteers to man those booths and spread the Labor message. I want to thank everyone who helped out on that day, particularly the booth captains of whom there are far too many to name. I want to thank my core team: Hamish; Rad Miller; Grace; Andrew; India; my volunteers Fran and Karen, who came out of retirement to help out on the election campaign; and Tina, who always takes time off work to come and volunteer in the lead-up to polling day. I couldn't do it without you guys. You're absolutely amazing, and I'm very lucky to have such a wonderful team around me.”
“I'm always hesitant to start naming people because you will leave someone off, and I probably didn't actually see the work that many people were doing behind the scenes, putting in countless hours doing things like putting the signs out at night. But I particularly want to thank a few volunteers who showed up to pretty much every doorknock across almost all of the suburbs in my electorate, including Oksana Melnyk, Anne Baly and Julia Raine. I also want to acknowledge Janaline Oh, Labor's formidable second Senate candidate, who was doorknocking at not only all of my doorknocks but also those for our other ACT candidates. Her commitment to our cause was an inspiration, and I'm so grateful for the time that she gave to my campaign.”
“I'm particularly pleased about and looking forward to serving on the Joint Standing Committee on Electoral Matters in this 48th Parliament and to do my part in protecting and strengthening our democracy for future elections. My own re-election campaign here in Canberra was a massive grassroots effort as it always is. Our campaign team was made up of committed volunteers, mostly from Labor Party members, who did everything from erecting roadside corflutes, doorknocking and assembling booth kits to standing on pre-poll for countless hours, always with a smile on their face. I really want to thank them for their efforts from the bottom of my heart.”
“I should say that while my Labor values are fundamentally part of who I am and will always motivate me, my first love is democracy, and my first political lesson from my mother was that you should never take for granted your right to vote. We continue to see people around the world dying for that very right. I think it is something that we must cherish and always take the opportunity to engage in as much as we can. When I'm out talking to Canberrans and campaigning, I'd rather hear someone say to me that they are supporting someone else or that they want to see me or my party doing something differently than hear someone express a total disinterest or disengagement with politics. It is so important that we stay engaged in order to maintain that strong democracy.”
“Our democracy is robust, our elections are fair and our independent Australian Electoral Commission is one of the best in the world. We should be immensely proud of the system we have built, a system that delivers stability, integrity and a voice for every citizen. Our elections are well run, transparent and trusted—a credit to the professionalism of the AEC. Of course, no system is perfect, and there are always improvements that can be made. But the 2025 federal election once again showed why Australia's democracy is among the strongest and most inclusive in the world. Our system of compulsory and preferential voting is unique and powerful. It ensures broad participation and real representation, and we must never allow it to be undermined.”
“On 3 May Australians voted for a government that, over the previous three years, had delivered stability, decency and vision—a government that understands the lives, hopes and needs of everyday Australians. Australians told us clearly what they wanted to see: help with the cost of living, serious action on climate change, action on housing so that more people can have a roof over their head and own their own homes, free health care and affordable medicines, cheaper early childhood education and care, fully funded public schools, a fairer deal on student debt, Australia's global reputation restored, and the ability to earn more and keep more of what they earn. The Albanese Labor government delivered on these priorities and will continue to deliver for the Australian people in the 48th Parliament. We are lucky to live in Australia.”
“Thankfully, Australians understood the dire consequences there would have been, not just for those who would have lost their jobs but also for the services that Australians rely on. Given that election result and the fact that our government openly rejected this, I hope we can move on from this cheap politics of Canberra-bashing that had no basis in actual outcomes for the Australian people but was based on a cheap political idea that attacking our city is popular elsewhere. I hope we can put that to bed and move on from it, because I've been incredibly proud of the way our prime minister, our government and my ACT colleague Senator Katy Gallagher, who has ministerial responsibility for the APS, have stood up to defend those hardworking people.”
“We saw huge amounts of outsourcing, arbitrary employment caps designed for political pointscoring, wage freezes, and speeches by the former prime minister that completely misunderstood the purpose and mission of the APS—or, more likely, misrepresented what he knew was the hardworking and important role they play, as anyone who has served as a minister or of course prime minister would know from working directly with those people. When Labor returned to power in 2022 we set about rebuilding a greatly diminished APS, and the response of those opposite was as expected. For the last term we saw Trumpian attacks on public servants, culminating in the election threat to sack 41,000 Canberra based public servants and end flexible work.”
“I saw it in my father's career in the Public Service, and I was fortunate that he taught me about the principles of frank and fearless advice and how important that was to getting the best policy outcomes for Australia. In my own career, including as a public servant in Treasury, I was also able to see that work firsthand and work with some of the most professional and dedicated people I will ever have the privilege to work with. That is why it is so enraging to see the politics of Canberra-bashing wielded by those opposite. While in office, those opposite gutted the APS in what could only be seen as an attitude of contempt for those who work in it.”
“It is work that confronts the challenges we face as a nation, from climate change to health care to infrastructure to social security. It requires long and tiring work hours, attention to detail, and a deep understanding of what Australia and Australians need as a nation and as a people. As the term suggests, these people are servants of the public. They are people whose motivation to go to work every day is the national interest, and that is something that, as a Canberran, I have a deep respect for. Canberrans know, probably more than most, the value of an empowered APS in delivering the policy outcomes that create a better future for all Australians and are a key part of a well-functioning democracy.”
“As a proud Canberran, I was heartened to see the rest of the nation reject those attacks too, resoundingly, and to see my Labor team and my prime minister defend our city and the hardworking people that live here, not just here in our city but in the national conversation. Canberra is a special place. We have five university campuses in my electorate. The federal government is a major employer. We have an incredible small-business community that makes our city the vibrant and wonderful place that it is. For many years, Canberrans have punched above our weight on the national and international stage. I want to focus for a minute on the Public Service. The men and women who make up our APS are dedicated, hardworking, professional people. The work of the APS is the solid foundation that we use to build the future prosperity of the nation.”
“'Canberra', of course, comes from a word meaning 'meeting place', a fitting description for a place which for millennia has brought together Indigenous nations and today brings together the representatives in our democracy. I was born and raised here in Canberra, and it is an immense privilege to have been re-elected by my community to represent them in the 48th Parliament. On 3 May, Canberrans once again rejected the politics of hate and division, they rejected fear campaigns, they rejected relentless attacks on public servants and they rejected the tired, cynical attempts to diminish this city.”
“I want to begin by acknowledging the traditional owners of the land on which we meet for this parliament, the Ngunnawal people, which is of course part of the electorate that I am so proud to represent in this place, and I pay my respects to their elders past, present and emerging. It was particularly moving to see Aunty Violet Sheridan do the welcome to country for the opening of parliament this term. It was really wonderful to see her, as someone I know and am often with at events, have that honour this time. We share this continent with the world's oldest continuing culture—more than 60,000 years of custodianship and of deep connection to country, land that always was and always will be Aboriginal land.”
“This is a game changer for countless young Australians who have been diligently saving to buy their first home—who might be living with parents as Abby and Lachlan were—and see the saving of 20 per cent deposit as an almost insurmountable task. This will bring them a step closer than ever before to having a place they can call their own. Since coming to office in 2022, Labor has helped over 180,000 first home buyers get into a home of their own with a lower deposit. This is just one part of our housing agenda. We've invested $43 billion in our Homes for Australia plan as we work toward our target of 1.2 million new homes by 2030. We're fast-tracking the approvals of 26,000 homes that have stagnated. We're freezing changes to the National Construction Code so that builders can get on with the job— (Time expired)”
“My constituents Abby and Lachlan, both just 23, recently bought their first home in Lawson in my electorate. I want to thank them for welcoming me, the Prime Minister and the Minister for Housing to their home yesterday to hear about what it means to them to be paying off their own mortgage rather than someone else's and to meet their very cute puppy, Chilli, who they've been able to welcome now that they have their own home. This has been possible because of the Albanese government's five per cent home deposit scheme. We were there yesterday to announce that our election promise to expand eligibility of the five per cent deposit scheme to every first home buyer will be brought forward to 1 October this year.”
“Labor created paid parental leave, and we will always defend it and continue to build on it. But it's not just paid parental leave that we're making better; these changes build on the Albanese government's broader agenda to support Australian families and modernise our workplace and care systems. Since we came to office, parents have been almost $12,000 better off. From cheaper early childhood education, with the goal of universal access, and paid placements for student nurses and teachers to getting wages moving again, we are backing working people and working families.”
“It is my belief that it is incredibly important we make it easier for both men and women to take this time out of the workforce—that we normalise it as part of life that people need to take time out of work to do things like care for children and other family members and that this is shared equally between men and women. I believe one of the most key factors in influencing gender equality going forward is that this is seen as something that is normal and respected—respected in ways like paying superannuation on paid parental leave, which is a really important way to show that this is a serious and important thing. These changes will benefit around 180,000 families every year. It will give them more time, money and flexibility, and more people will be eligible.”
“So it is really a very proud moment that our government has delivered these and that, from 1 July this year families have been benefiting from both of those. It means that taking time out of paid work to care for children will no longer have such an impact on women's retirement savings. It's helping to close that gap, and it's sending an important signal to employers about this as well. For too long women have been penalised for taking time out of the workforce to care for their children. The result is that women retire with around 25 per cent less superannuation than men. By paying this on the paid parental leave scheme, we are beginning to close that gap.”
“It supports healthy development, strengthens family relationships and lays the foundation for a strong start in life. For parents, particularly mothers, it's about their health and recovery after birth. It is about recognition, respect and economic justice. Secondly, and very significantly, superannuation is now being paid with paid parental leave. This is a reform that generations of Labor women, unions and advocates have fought for, and I'm proud to be part of the government that has delivered it. Both of these policy features were actually recommended in the initial Productivity Commission report on which the first scheme was very closely based, and these were things that were long an aspiration to be delivered: more leave, more time, and also superannuation.”
“We've continued to improve this really critical scheme, and that's what I rise to speak about today: two very important reforms that came into effect from 1 July this year relating to paid parental leave—reforms that deliver really meaningful and life-changing support to families, delivering fairness, dignity and security to working families across the country. These are reforms that reflect our values and the priorities of the Australians who elected this government. Firstly, the duration of paid parental leave increased from 22 to 24 weeks, and this is part of our plan to reach 26 weeks by 2026. This is a meaningful change that gives parents more precious time at home with their newborns—time to bond, recover and adjust to life as a growing family. For babies, this time is critical.”
“It is about supporting families at such an important time in their life as they welcome a new baby, it's about gender equality, it's about maternal health, and it's about recognising the importance of supporting both men and women to take time out of the workforce to care for family. Paid parental leave was first introduced by the Labor government when Jenny Macklin, who I'm so proud to have had the opportunity to work for, was the minister for social services. In 2011 this was introduced, and we were one of the last OECD countries to introduce such an important scheme. So this is a really proud Labor achievement. But we haven't just left it there.”
“I move: That this House: (1) acknowledges the Government's commitment to strengthening the paid parental leave system; (2) notes that on 1 July 2025: (a) the Government's paid parental leave increased by two weeks, from 22 weeks to 24 weeks; and (b) superannuation was added to Government paid parental leave meaning taking paid parental leave will not mean missing out on superannuation; and (3) welcomes the Government delivering the better future Australians voted for. I'm very proud today to move this motion relating to paid parental leave because it's an issue that's really close to my heart, not just at the moment but all the time.”
“I'm excited that we are doing this with urgency as part of a new government and excited about what this will mean for the young people in my electorate and all around the country.”
“I know that he is very welcoming of these changes because, even back then in 2008, he had concerns about the way the HECS system was going, that it wasn't delivering in the fair and equitable way that it was originally designed to do and that it had lost its way in many senses. It actually is a system that enables people who have studied. As our report back then showed, this does on average have a significant impact on improving lifetime incomes. But that shouldn't mean that it's absolutely crippling to pay back debts as a young person when you are trying to establish your career, your life outside of work and what that might mean for your ability to enter the housing market or consider things like starting a family. I know that Bruce Champman welcomed these changes, and these are excellent changes.”
“I'm lucky that when I was at university the debts were nothing compared to what they are these days. When I talk to young people, I can really understand their concern about the huge debts that they are now incurring when they study. Back in 2008 when I was a researcher at NATSEM I actually authored a report on HECS and the impact it was having on young people, called What p rice the c lever c ountry? As part of that, I had the great opportunity to work with Professor Bruce Chapman, the architect of HECS. He created this scheme, always envisaging it as a fair and equitable scheme. It was more about allowing the opportunity for more people to study and be able to pay the loan back in an equitable manner.”
“It just shows their attitude to universities and higher education, which they show so consistently. Young people have consistently told us that they feel the system is stacked against them. It costs far more to get into the property market. Degrees cost significantly more due to the policies of those opposite when they were in government. This bill is about letting those young people know that we hear them. We see them. They are the future of this nation. This bill delivers fairness, it delivers opportunity, and, as I've said, it delivers relief to over 22,000 people in my electorate. I've paid off a HECS debt too, and I remember the pressure that that put on me as a young person and the concern that I had about whether I would ever be able to save for a home et cetera.”
“We've changed the rules so that HELP debts don't impact mortgage serviceability assessments—no more punishing people for taking on debt to improve their future income chances. I had one particular constituent raise this issue with me before this change was made. It was something I raised with the Treasurer. I actually saw her the other night, and she has been able to be approved for a loan. She hadn't been able to before that because of her substantial HELP debt, so this is really making a difference to people's lives. We believe in a society where education is not a privilege for a few but a right for all, where no-one is held back because of their postcode or their bank balance. Those opposite have called this bill elitist—what a load of rubbish.”
“That's why the Treasurer worked with APRA and ASIC to ensure that HELP debts are treated fairly in loan assessments. Income-contingent loans should never have been treated like other loans when people are applying for a mortgage. When you apply for a mortgage, lenders assess how much you can borrow by calculating your debt-to-income ratio. This ratio compares your total debts to your income, affecting your borrowing capacity. This is obviously a sensible thing to do because we don't want people borrowing money they can't afford to pay back, but, unlike credit card debt or personal loans, HELP repayments depend solely on your income, not the outstanding loan amount or interest rates. This means that HELP doesn't behave like traditional debt. It's income contingent and doesn't fluctuate in response to changes in the cash rate.”
“Labor values education in all its forms, not just what happens in lecture theatres but what happens in TAFE, in trade schools and on job sites. These reforms are just one part of a broader coherent vision for higher education. We've locked free TAFE into law, with more than 650,000 enrolments so far. We've introduced paid prac placements for teaching, nursing, midwifery and social work students. We've expanded FEE-FREE Uni Ready courses to give more people, especially those from disadvantaged backgrounds, a pathway to university, and we've established an independent Australian Tertiary Education Commission to drive long-term reform and equity across the sector. Finally, we've listened to young Australians and first home buyers, who told us that student debt was locking them out of the property market.”
“Right now, someone earning $70,000 pays around $1,750 a year in HELP repayments. Under our changes, that same person will pay around $450, a saving of $1,300 every single year. That's money for rent, for groceries and for saving for a home. That's the kind of relief that we need in a cost-of-living crunch. This is not just a Canberra issue, but it matters deeply to my community. We are home to a large number of public servants, early-career professionals and students—many of them carrying student loan debts—and it's something they talk to me about often. This bill will lift that weight. It's also a boost for women, who are more likely to take time out of paid work and more likely to carry their student debts for longer. And it isn't just about uni students. These reforms also apply to vocational education students and some apprentices.”
“We know how much anxiety the annual indexation of HELP debts caused for students and graduates across the country. That's why this year our government capped indexation so that it will never outpace wage growth again. This is so important. This legislation goes even further. We are fundamentally reshaping how the repayments work. Under the current system, once you've earnt above the threshold—currently just $54,435—you start paying a percentage of your entire income. That can be punishing. For someone earning just over the threshold, it's like falling off a cliff. We are raising the minimum repayment threshold to $67,000 next year and indexing it to wages. Repayments will be based on what you earn above that threshold, not your entire income. That's a fairer, more progressive system. Let me give one example.”
“More than three million Australians will see their student debts cut by 20 per cent overnight, and this includes 22,126 people in my electorate of Canberra. For someone with an average student debt, which is now around $27,600, that's a reduction of over $5,520. For someone with a $50,000 HELP debt that's $10,000 wiped away. That's a real relief for young people who feel like the system was working against them. Canberra is a university town. My electorate is home to five university campuses, and this bill will make a huge difference to the students who have studied in Canberra's universities, who are now contributing to our local economy as graduates. Importantly, this cut will be backdated to 1 June this year, before indexation kicked in.”
“Yesterday this parliament delivered on a promise we made to students, to young people, to workers retraining for the future and to every Australian who took on a student loan and pursued an opportunity. This bill, the Universities Accord (Cutting Student Debt by 20 Per Cent) Bill 2025, is the first piece of legislation that was introduced into the 48th Parliament, just as the Prime Minister said it would be, and I am so proud that this was a key priority for us in the new parliament. This bill is about fairness; it's about making our student loan system more just, more affordable and more humane; and it's only happening because the Australian people put their faith in the Albanese Labor government on 3 May.”
“I particularly want to draw attention to the escalating humanitarian crisis affecting approximately four million Afghan refugees who are currently residing in Iran. This has been brought to my attention by two more local organisations, the Afghan Peace Foundation and Susan Hutchinson of Azadi-e Zan, a women's rights organisation based here in my electorate of Canberra which is aimed at bringing justice for human rights defenders of Afghanistan, ultimately for them to be able to continue defending women's rights for Afghan women. The world must not forget the plight of the women of Afghanistan. I'm proud that our government is doing this, and I hope that we can do more.”
“Since that terrible day, we have seen the decimation of human rights and a growing humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan. In 2024 our government joined Germany, Canada and the Netherlands to take the Taliban to the International Court of Justice over the violation of women's and girls' human rights. We have allocated 26,500 dedicated visa places for Afghans to migrate to Australia under the offshore humanitarian program through to 2026, focusing on reuniting refugees with immediate family in Australia. We have also committed significant humanitarian and basic aid assistance to Afghanistan. When I see Nilofar's family here and the new lives they are making, I hope we can extend that to even more Afghan people for them to come and have a chance to live a life where women can pursue normal and happy lives like these wonderful women are.”
“I have seen these incredible young women and the resilience, strength and courage with which they are starting a new life here in Australia. Think about what their lives have been so far, what they have had to endure and what they would be if they were not here. What they will be now is an incredible testament to what it means when we can welcome refugees into this country. I was really pleased to have the opportunity to share in some of their Afghan culture on the weekend. What an incredibly beautiful and generous culture that is, one that, under the Taliban, is being so destructively attacked, particularly for women and their basic right to exist. On 15 August we will mark fourth anniversary of the Taliban's takeover of Kabul.”
“To call her a friend and a supporter means more to me than I can put into words. Her story is incredibly inspiring and is covered in a documentary called Facing the Dragon that I hope we will be able to screen in the parliament some time very soon. I encourage anyone who has the opportunity to view this to do so. It is one of the most powerful things I have ever watched. For me personally as a member of parliament, hearing her journey as a member of parliament representing her community and what that meant for her as a woman and the challenges she faced in Afghanistan was incredibly moving, particularly considering what has happened since then. Recently, Nilofar's sister, Manizha, and six of her daughters and her son have been able to join her here in Australia.”
“Deputy Speaker Scrymgour, I start by congratulating you as the first Aboriginal person to chair the House of Representatives. On Sunday, I had the most special day with my family. My friend, Dr Nilofar Ibrahimi, hosted a special gathering with her family and friends to celebrate my being elected. Dr Nilofar Ibrahimi is one of the most inspiring people I have the great honour to know. She is a doctor from Afghanistan and was a female member of parliament in Afghanistan. Since the Taliban retook Kabul, she has been a Canberran and here has founded the ZamZam Foundation, which is an organisation that supports the education of young women in Afghanistan. So it was incredibly moving that she organised this celebration for me and my family when really the greatest honour is to know her and her beautiful family.”
“I am so proud of what we have already achieved in our first term and that we are going to continue that as a re-elected government, because this is critically important. This is about the future of our planet. This is about life on Earth. This is about our economy and so much more. Those opposite seem to be completely in denial about what is required. (Time expired)”
“Well, I am proud that one of the first things we are doing as a new government is to again try to reform those laws, as we attempted to do in the previous parliament. This is something that is incredibly important. We cannot protect nature without getting those laws right. We cannot protect nature without responding to the climate crisis. We cannot protect nature without an aim of getting to net zero. I mean, it's extraordinary that we are still even discussing this. Instead, those opposite took a nuclear fantasy to this election, which was more of a distraction from the climate crisis and the need to respond to it and a distraction from our plans to invest in renewable energy and transition us to a sustainable economy.”
“I am proud to be part of a government that is doing that, and I am proud to be part of the Labor Party, who are responsible for every significant environmental reform in Australia's history. It's extraordinary to hear what those opposite have said in this matter of public importance debate today. This is a coalition that had a decade in government to fix environmental laws and instead they cut funding to the Environment Department by 40 per cent. They halved highly protected marine parks, they sabotaged the Murray-Darling Basin Plan and they let environmental standards slide into chaos. They had the Samuel review of our critically important environmental protection and biodiversity laws, and they ignored it and actually used it as an excuse to try and weaken the laws.”