Daniel Mulino
Fraser · Australian Labor Party · Australia
“Second, the amendments introduce a mechanism for merger parties to seek extensions from the ACCC for the period in which they can put an approved acquisition into effect. The extensions can be up to six months each. Multiple extensions may be granted.”
“The reforms complement a broader suite of government reforms to strengthen integrity and accountability across the tax system and professional services sector.”
“The bill also establishes criminal and civil penalties and provides information gathering and enforcement powers to regulators to support compliance. Together, these powers create a coherent framework to support the continued availability and long-term viability of cash as a means of payment in Australia.”
“These amendments also reflect the government's commitment to listening and responding to stakeholder experiences to ensure the merger regime continues to promote competition and economic activity in the interests of Australians.”
“The second enables the ACCC to oversee designated entities, including fair and efficient pricing of cash distribution services, which is essential to maintaining access to cash. ACCC oversight will support fair, transparent and reasonable pricing outcomes, while helping maintain the long-term economic viability of the sector.”
“It also enables up to $400 million in funding support to ensure the continuity of critical cash distribution services. Funding support is intended as a last resort, limited to situations where an entity's resources and recovery tools are insufficient to address losses or threats to cash availability.”
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“Together, these features create a pathway to a clear, consistent and enforceable framework that protects consumers, provides regulatory certainty for industry, and maintains flexibility as technology and markets evolve. As digital assets grow in use and scale, this bill lays the foundation for managing future risks to financial stability. It closes the gap for unregulated digital asset intermediaries and gives Australians the confidence that their assets are protected. Stakeholders have long called for this bill, engaging in four rounds of public consultation on the policy and legislative approach. The Legislative and Governance Forum for Corporations was consulted in relation to the bill and has approved them as required under the Corporations Agreement.”
“The minister may designate certain facilities as financial markets or clearing and settlement facilities, or exempt them where that treatment would be inappropriate. The minister may also prohibit particular products or activities that present systemic or consumer risks. ASIC's existing product intervention powers and the government's existing regulation-making powers will extend to cover these new financial products. There will be an 18-month transition period. This will help businesses and ASIC get familiar with navigating the reforms in practice. The bill will ensure a smooth pathway to the new regime, including providing temporary relief for businesses trying to do the right thing.”
“Operators must also provide a platform guide to clients, explaining how the service works, including custody and transfer arrangements, fees and charges, key risks, and client rights. It replaces the need for multiple product disclosure documents and ensures transparency for investors. The bill also delivers proportionate regulation, providing targeted exemptions to avoid regulatory duplication. Small-scale operators with less than $10 million in transaction value across a rolling 12-month period will be exempt from licensing, as will businesses that deal in or advise on platforms only incidental to their main, non-financial activities. Flexible powers are provided to the minister and ASIC to respond to emerging risks and technologies.”
“These include prohibitions on misleading and deceptive conduct and unfair contract terms, design and distribution obligations, and supervision and enforcement by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission. Anyone providing services in relation to digital asset or tokenised custody platforms—such as advising on, dealing in, or arranging for others to deal in them—will be treated as providing a financial service. They will therefore need to hold an Australian financial services licence, as other financial service providers do. Using the existing licensing framework avoids the need for a new regime, reducing complexity and compliance costs for businesses. Operators will be required to meet minimum standards set by ASIC covering how client assets are held and how transactions and settlements are conducted.”
“Together with the world-first Scams Prevention Framework and our proposed reforms of Australia's anti-money-laundering and counterterrorism financing regime, this bill will help remove bad actors and restore trust in digital asset markets. It will make it harder for criminals to operate and easier for consumers to participate safely. Two new types of financial products will be introduced into the Corporations Act: digital asset platforms and tokenised custody platforms. This ensures that businesses holding and dealing in client digital assets are subject to the same consumer protections and licensing requirements that apply across the financial system.”
“The bill supports innovation and competition while giving regulators the tools to swiftly act when new risks arise. It extends longstanding, well-understood financial services obligations that can be applied across a diverse and rapidly developing industry. It is another important step to make the Australian economy more dynamic, resilient and productive. It advances our commitment to smarter regulation—regulation that gets more investment flowing more efficiently and effectively across the economy. It will boost confidence, attract investment and support jobs and wages by providing clear, trusted rules for emerging digital markets—helping to make Australia a global leader in financial technology. These reforms will increase integrity in the digital asset ecosystem.”
“These risks cannot be ignored. This bill responds to those challenges by reducing loopholes and ensuring comparable activities face comparable obligations, tailored to the digital asset ecosystem. It focuses on the potential source of risk—the businesses that hold digital assets on behalf of consumers—rather than the underlying technology itself. This means it can evolve as new forms of tokenisation and digital services emerge. This bill delivers on the government's commitment to modernise Australia's financial regulatory framework and prepare it for an ever-digitising economy. It ensures digital asset and tokenised custody platforms are subject to the same standards of consumer protection, transparency and integrity that apply across our financial system. This is about futureproofing Australia's regulatory settings.”
“They offer new ways to trade, invest and build businesses, unlocking capital markets and strengthening Australia's competitiveness as a financial centre. Australia must keep pace. If we get this right, we can attract investment, create jobs and position our financial system as a leader in innovation. But with opportunity comes risk. It is currently possible for a business to hold an unlimited value of client digital assets without any financial law safeguards. The collapse of FTX and other failures showed what happens when digital asset businesses operate without proper oversight. Billions were misappropriated, consumers were devastated, and confidence was shattered. We also know that cryptocurrency remains a vector for scams and fraud. Australians have lost millions to schemes that exploit gaps in regulation and consumer understanding.”
“I move: That this bill be now read a second time. Financial markets are changing. And so is the way people hold and exchange value. Across the world, digital assets are reshaping finance. Blockchain technology and tokenisation are unlocking new ways to invest, trade and transfer wealth. They promise faster settlement, lower costs, and broader access to markets that were once out of reach. Tokenisation can turn real-world assets like property, commodities or bonds into digital tokens that can be traded instantly and securely. This is not a distant future. It is happening now. Global institutions are experimenting with tokenised securities, central banks are exploring digital currencies and investors are demanding safe, regulated ways to participate. Digital assets are a growing part of the global financial system.”
“The Legislative and Governance Forum for Corporations was notified about the amendments as required under the Corporations Agreement 2002. Full details of the measure are contained in the explanatory memorandum. Debate adjourned.”
“Schedule 4 to the bill repeals schedule 2 of the Financial Sector Reform (Hayne Royal Commission Response—Better Advice) Act 2021 and gives effect to the government's decision to no longer proceed with stage 2 of the registration process for financial advisers. This would have otherwise required individual financial advisers to register themselves annually with ASIC from 1 July 2026. This maintains the current system which requires Australian financial services licensees to apply to ASIC to register their authorised financial advisers and is consistent with the objective of removing unnecessary regulatory burden for individual advisers. Further, the operation of stage 1 registration has proven sufficient to meet the policy objectives of a functioning and effective disciplinary system.”
“Schedule 3 to the bill streamlines and modernises Australia's legislative framework for multilateral development banks and the IMF, reducing both administrative and legislative burden. These banks are rapidly evolving their financing models. A more flexible framework will ensure Australia does not fall behind in our ability to participate in future financing arrangements with these institutions. These changes will importantly allow Australia to formalise agreements announced as part of the 2024-25 MYEFO with the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank and are consistent with Australia's support for rules-based multilateral institutions.”
“Schedule 2 to the bill provides licensing relief to facilitate access by Australian professional and wholesale investors to global investment opportunities so that they can diversify their financial holdings. This improves outcomes for millions of Australians as these services are commonly used by superannuation funds and institutional investors, among other financial firms. This relief has generally been provided by way of an ASIC instrument. The legislation and this schedule in the bill will elevate the relief to primary law and improve oversight for the regulator. This gives certainty to the industry that financial institutions and eligible investors can access the financial products and services offered by foreign financial service providers.”
“Australians should not be discouraged from undertaking genetic testing out of fear that it may impact their ability to get life insurance. By putting this ban in place, we will remove this barrier, so more Australians will access genetic testing and, in turn, its full benefits for patients, public health and medical research can be delivered. I appreciate the industry and stakeholder consultation process that has occurred to ensure this legislation is achieves its intended purpose. This schedule creates new strict liability and civil penalty provisions for breaches of the ban and gives the Australian Securities and Investments Commission regulatory responsibility for monitoring and enforcing the ban.”
“Although genetic testing uptake is on the rise, a recent genetic testing study from Monash University shows that more than half of participants that discontinued their involvement in the study did so because of concerns around accessing affordable insurance. One participant in this study was Ben. Ben didn't have any significant family history of cancer, but he took part in a genetic testing study. The results showed he carries a PALB2 variant, which raises the risk of prostate and breast cancer in men. This information was important not only for him but also for his female relatives, who now know they face higher risks of breast and ovarian cancer and have begun getting tested. Learning about these elevated risks has motivated Ben to adopt risk-reducing strategies. Genetic tests help save lives.”
“I move: That this bill be now read a second time. Genetic testing can help save lives, supporting medical practitioners to prevent, diagnose, treat and monitor a range of cancers, cancer predisposition syndromes and other heritable conditions. This bill amends the Insurance Contracts Act 1984 to ban life insurers from taking into account information about an individual's genetic testing to inform the offer of life insurance cover, or the terms and conditions of the cover that is offered. The Albanese government recognises the importance of genetic and genomic health technologies. We support the use of genetic tests increasingly becoming a part of our preventive healthcare system.”
“The traders association put on a phenomenal event, along with the Footscray Bulldogs. I thank them for hosting that also. I'd also like to take the time to recognise the representation that they offer to small businesses of the west. For decades, the association has served as a bulwark for local entrepreneurship. They continue today to represent the interests of some of our community's most industrious members. I thank the association for their invitation to this event, which has become such an important item on the calendar of Fraser and Melbourne's broader west.”
“The courage and the valour of the Vietnamese veterans inspire us all. I thank the Vietnam Veterans Association for the invitation to such an important and moving event, particularly in this year when we celebrate the 50th anniversary of Vietnamese settlement in Australia. I had the pleasure of attending the Diwali festival at the Melbourne mandir. The festival was a kaleidoscope of colour, lights, dancing and traditional food, a testament to the beauty and vibrance of Hindu culture. The festival's core theme, the celebration of triumph of good over evil, is befitting of an organisation that gives so much to the people it serves. I thank the Melbourne mandir for their hospitality. Of course, because one Diwali isn't enough, last weekend I also celebrated Diwali with the West Footscray Traders Association.”
“It celebrated the contribution of Vietnamese refugees and migrants and their families and all they have given to Fraser and beyond. For decades now this community has been weaving its influence into the fabric of Melbourne's west. This festival has a family focus and included a lantern parade for young children. I would like to thank the VMA for putting on such a fantastic event, and I hope to score an invite for next year. I also had the honour of attending the Republic of Vietnam veterans ceremony. Many in our community experienced the fall of Saigon and the tumultuous period that followed. The hardships and heartache of that time are carried in the memories of so many who fled to our shores and made their home in Fraser. They have contributed so much to the community since. But, just as we remember the fall, we honour the fight.”
“I pay tribute to the North Sunshine Eagles, who again successfully hosted the Albanian Cup last weekend. This annual soccer tournament draws teams from around Australia. It is a celebration of the national Albanian community and also the food, culture and customs of Albania. Congratulations to the incredible committee and dozens of volunteers who organised an event that drew the attendance of over 10,000 people, with over 2.1 million views on social media and counting. Congratulations to the winning team, Shepparton, who defeated last year's champions, Adelaide, 2-1 in the final. Recently, I attended the mid-autumn festival in Sunshine. This event, hosted by the Vietnamese Museum Australia, has become a highlight on the calendar.”
“It has a range of actions already underway in court. This includes actions in relation to financial advisers involved in these collapses. It also involves actions against individuals involved in the managed investment schemes. Importantly, there were also significant actions in relation to the platforms. I welcome the fact that recently there was an agreement reached between Macquarie and ASIC which saw over $300 million returned to investors. So a significant proportion of the investors in the Shield MIS will see a full return of their capital. But I do acknowledge that there is more work to be done, and I continue to work with ASIC and with other regulators in relation to the immediate priority of protecting investor interests.”
“I thank the honourable member for the question. I acknowledge his interest in this area and I look forward to constructively engaging with him and members across this chamber on this issue. I know that this affects members across this chamber in terms of how it's affected their constituents. I want to acknowledge from the outset how distressing this has been for many people who have lost considerable amounts of funds. There are many individuals and families who have lost a significant proportion of their life savings. I've met with victims of these collapses. I have heard firsthand harrowing stories, and I understand how difficult this has been. Can I stress that the focus of ASIC, the independent regulator, over recent months has been to protect investor funds, and it has undertaken a range of actions to do so.”
“A staggered approach in this instance would result in workers losing out on their super balances. We listened to the feedback from stakeholders, and this bill strikes the correct balance. It avoids both delays and further financial harm for workers who do not currently have super paid into their accounts. This bill is an important step forward in strengthening the super system and achieving a dignified retirement for all Australians. I commend this bill to the House.”
“We adjusted the default due date for contributions to be received by superannuation funds, changing this from seven calendar days to seven business days. We have also introduced an extended due date of 20 business days for situations where an employer needs to change the fund they contribute to for an employee. In addition, the ATO has indicated that it will adopt a transitional compliance approach during the first year. Employers who make a genuine attempt to comply, even if they face technical issues, will not be targeted by ATO compliance. The shadow Treasurer compared the staged rollout of Single Touch Payroll with payday rollout, suggesting the government should adopt the same approach. The key difference here is that Single Touch Payroll is a reporting measure, whereas payday is a cashflow measure.”
“In the current system, a 25-year-old median income worker who is paid their wages fortnightly and their super quarterly could be $6,000 better off in today's dollars at retirement with the shift to payday super. The government will not be supporting the amendments moved and tabled by the shadow Treasurer. I accept that businesses across the economy will need to make system and process changes to implement what is contained in this bill. We share the desire of those opposite to support employers and small businesses through the implementation of this change. However, where we differ is that we believe every single worker should benefit from these changes from 1 July 2026. We've made sensible changes that will support employers and digital service providers in the transition to the new system.”
“For the average 35-year-old, failing to recover this money could reduce their retirement savings by around $32,000 in today's dollars. The bill will also improve the way the superannuation guarantee charge works. It will encourage employers to contribute for their employees in full and on time. Where employers don't contribute on time, it will provide a clearer path for employers to correct their mistake and it will deliver more significant consequences for employers who continue to do the wrong thing. The increased frequency of contributions will also result in greater earnings on contributions, as they are in workers' funds sooner.”
“In the current quarterly system, unpaid super is occurring too often and for too long. Through this bill, employees will benefit from more frequent contributions that compound over their working life. Employees will be able to more quickly recognise when they are missing contributions that they are owed and the Australian Taxation Office will be better equipped to enforce the law and recover unpaid super earlier. This will help to avoid unpaid super building up for employers and limit the amount of super that never gets recovered. Unpaid super disproportionately affects younger workers and those in insecure work; these are the people who can least afford to miss out on retirement savings. In a typical ATO investigation of an unpaid super case, a worker has missed out on nearly two years worth of super contributions.”
“Firstly, I would like to thank all those members who have contributed to this debate. The Treasury Laws Amendment (Payday Superannuation) Bill 2025 and related bill reflect the government's commitment to a stronger superannuation system, which will ensure a dignified retirement for all Australians. The payday superannuation bill will require super contributions to be paid at the same frequency as wages, which will benefit the retirement income of around 8.9 million Australian workers. The bill will help to address the problem of unpaid super, which is putting the retirement outcomes of millions of Australians at risk every year. The ATO has estimated that around $5.2 billion in super went unpaid in 2021-2022. That's around $100 million every week that workers earned but never received.”
“In making the regulations, and this bill, the states and territories were notified of the proposed changes on 5 February 2025, and in September 2025, under the Legislative and Governance Forum for Corporations arrangement. Full details of the measure are contained in the explanatory memorandum. Debate adjourned.”
“The passage of this bill will have no impact on the fees being charged to users of the ASIC business registers. It ensures that the government has been authorised to collect the relevant fees in line with the longstanding application of indexation charged by ASIC. These fees are well known to the business community and are publicly accessible via ASIC's website. This follows an earlier regulatory amendment the government made on 11 March 2025, under the Corporations (Review Fees) Amendment (2025 Measures No. 1) Regulations 2025,to ensure that ASIC is authorised to collect the current fees that are charged to businesses, in line with the intended policy outcome.”
“I move: That this bill be now read a second time. This bill validates certain fees charged by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) between 1 July 2011 and 11 March 2025, including the indexation applied to those fees. These fees include late fees, 10-year upfront fees and special company review fees. This amendment is administrative in nature. It corrects a technical error recently identified by ASIC, in the application of indexation introduced for these fees in the Corporations (Review Fees) Amendment Regulations 2011 (No. 1). This error had the unintended effect of resetting indexation, while the explanatory statement to the 2011 amendment regulations indicates that the intended policy outcome of parliament was to apply indexation consistent with ASIC actions.”
“There are practical measures like urgent care clinics being rolled out right across the country. This government is delivering.”
“Paid parental leave is increased to 24 weeks, and now super is being paid on government paid parental leave. There's $150 in additional support for people's energy bills and $10,000 in incentive payments for new housing apprentices. All of these are concrete measures, like the cheaper home batteries, which are being taken up by tens of thousands of households—more than 75,000 at last measure. Those measures are worth focusing on for the practical benefits they are providing to people, but I remind the chamber that almost every single one of those measures were opposed by those opposite. More meaningful, responsible cost-of-living help will continue to roll out. Tax cuts for every taxpayer kicked in last year, with two more tax cuts next year and the year after.”
“When we see what the Leader of the Opposition offered in her first major economic speech, it can be described only as a terrifying reheat of Joe Hockey's shocking 2014 budget speech. We know, as previous speakers on this side have indicated, that people are still doing it tough, and that's why we have a range of measures which are providing support to people. Those measures include giving people more in their pay packets. We've seen real wages increasing. We've also seeing measures, starting on 1 July, increasing the national minimum wage and award wages by 3.5 per cent. We've got the super guarantee increasing to 12 per cent—a real, solid, concrete measure which will improve people's retirement income security, and that is after such a long period where every single increase in the SG was opposed by those opposite.”
“That can be contrasted with those opposite and their shocking decade of economic mismanagement, when real wages were going backwards. The economy is expanding. We've seen interest rates cut three times in six months, and 1.1 million jobs have been created since we came to government. That is a record for any government in a single term. We're seeing the macroeconomics results of the government's strong fiscal management. When we look at what those opposite offered at the last election, they offered higher taxes and they rejected our personal income taxes. It's still not clear what they think of that even now. They offer lower wages—as always—bigger deficits and more debt. No wonder that agenda was rejected.”
“That $60 billion can be spent on cost-of-living improvements, things that those opposite reject. Real payments growth is estimated to average 1.7 per cent per year under this government, which is less than half of that under those opposite. There have been real structural improvements. We have found $100 billion in savings—real structural improvements. Those opposite in their last budget found none. When it comes to the budget situation, which is what the shadow Treasurer spent most of his speech on, this government has delivered substantial improvements and substantial achievements. That's reflected in the macroeconomic situation. We've seen quarterly headline and underlying inflation at around four-year lows. We've seen annual real wages growth for seven consecutive quarters.”
“We inherited a situation where a government had even made the coffee mugs. That was a government that was very strong when it came to crockery but not very strong when it came to the actual budget. We turned two Liberal deficits around and delivered two Labor surpluses. We brought the deficit down in our third year to a fifth of what we inherited from those opposite. When it came to the bottom line, this government delivered a substantial improvement. That is reflected in the fact that our overall budget position improved by $209 billion—the biggest nominal improvement in the budget position that has been seen. Debt is $188 billion lower in 2024-25; that represents a saving of $60 billion in interest costs as a consequence. That $60 billion can be spent on services for people.”
“We've seen a lot from the opposition when it comes to very well rehearsed rhetoric and not much when it comes to content. I can only imagine that in the opposition offices this morning there was a great deal of activity, with speeches being practised in front of mirrors for this afternoon's debate. I think it would have been better if the time was spent writing those speeches, rather than practising the ones that were delivered here. I'll refer to some comments made by the shadow Treasurer in his speech in relation to the state of the budget. That is one of the greatest areas of contrast—what we inherited and what we currently see. When we came to office, we inherited nine years of promised budget repair. We succeeded a government that said it was going to deliver a budget back in the black.”
“I move: That this bill be now read a second time. The government is delivering on its 2025-26 budget commitment to freeze the indexation on draught beer excise for two years. The measure in this bill was previously moved as Customs Tariff Proposal (No. 1) 2025 on 24 July 2025. Consistent with normal parliamentary practice, the customs tariff proposal now requires incorporation in the Customs Tariff Act. This bill is complemented by the Excise Tariff Amendment (Draught Beer) Bill 2025. Full details of the measure are contained in the explanatory memorandum. Debate adjourned.”
“These measures are practical, targeted support that makes a real difference in the lives of pub owners and pub goers alike. And I look forward to visiting pubs in as many electorates as possible so that I can carry out the important task of post-legislative implementation assessments. The measure in this bill was previously moved as Excise Tariff Proposal (No. 1) 2025 on 24 July 2025. Consistent with normal parliamentary practice, the excise tariff proposal now requires incorporation in the Excise Tariff Act. This bill is complemented by the Customs Tariff Amendment (Draught Beer) Bill 2025. This bill makes the same changes to Australia's excise laws. Full details of the measure are contained in the explanatory memorandum. Debate adjourned.”
“The excise will then resume indexation from that paused rate in August 2027. It's a moderate and targeted measure, but one with real impact. It builds on the broader tax relief we announced earlier this year for Australia's brewers, distillers and winemakers that are not only central to our culture and way of life, but also to jobs, innovation and exports. Currently all eligible brewers, distillers and winemakers can get a tax remission under the scheme up to a cap of $350,000. The government is also increasing these caps to $400,000 per financial year from 1 July 2026, under legislation we have recently consulted on. From Burnie's whisky to Burdekin rum, from Brisbane beer to Barossa shiraz—producers right across the country will benefit.”
“It's where people unwind after a week of hard work, where mates catch up, where you celebrate your team's win. It's where tourists get their first real taste of the real Australia—and learn that we don't drink Fosters and there's much better beer on tap from top-notch local brewers. Keeping those places strong matters. They employ hundreds of thousands of people and play a big part in local life. This pause is about giving pubs, clubs and breweries a bit more certainty—delivering around $100 million of support. Under longstanding arrangements, beer excise is indexed twice a year—every February and August. Those increases are automatic, and keep taxes in line with CPI. This legislation pauses those biannual increases for draught beer from 1 August 2025 through to 31 July 2027.”
“I move: That this bill be now read a second time. Australians have always known how to come together—around the kitchen table for a cuppa, over a snag at your mate's birthday barbecue or cheering from the sidelines at the kids' Saturday netball game. This bill delivers another reason for Australians to come together. This bill delivers on the government's commitment in the 2025-26 budget to freeze the indexation on draught beer excise for two years. This bill is a win for beer drinkers, brewers and every pub, club and hospitality business across the country. I want to put on the public record that, as Assistant Treasurer, I see it as a key part of my role to support liquid markets. For many Australians, the local pub isn't just a place to have a drink. It's where the community meets.”
“As I said, when it comes to climate change, they're just getting worse and worse, and it's going to be the future generations that suffer if some of the policies that they are putting forward in their internal party debates get back into the mainstream. Just about every one of our major OECD partners, just about every one of our trading partners, has moved well beyond debating whether or not climate change is happening. Many of those countries look at us and think it's bizarre that we are still debating this.”
“We've got senior members of those opposite putting private members' bills into this place, questioning the need to act on climate change. We've got a complete internal debate from those opposite on whether we need to do anything at all. It is truly bizarre. Let's have a debate about governing for all, because those opposite have had the most sectional, narrow minded, cynical approach to so many issues. That was reflected in how compelling their policies were at the last election! What we're seeing, unfortunately—both for them and the nation—is that they are doubling down on that, whether it be tax policy, whether it be housing policy, whether it be the social safety net or whether it be climate change.”
“We went to the last election having delivered so much in the first term when it came to climate change. We had delivered a legislated 2050 target. We had delivered a 2030 target—with those opposite, of course, opposing it and opposing any action. Those opposite had a decade of inaction, which put us in the worst possible position to achieve what we need to when it comes to climate change. When you think about not just the young people of today but future generations—about truly governing for all in an intergenerational sense—what are we seeing from those opposite? The most bizarre internal political charade, the most bizarre internal political infighting, and inward-looking approaches to policies after an election loss. That is the last thing that they or the country need.”
“We've invested in skills; we've invested in programs to help first-time buyers; we've invested in helping the upcoming generation to buy a home—to buy their first home. Those opposite spent almost all of the last term, in combination with the Greens, stopping our policies from coming through the parliament. They were blocking our policies and playing a negative game. We were governing for all in the last term, and we continue to, in the face of opposition from those opposite along with the Greens—a truly unholy alliance—and what we're seeing is that that policy is now paying off. Perhaps the worst example, though, where those opposite aren't governing for all—not just for current generations and not just the young now but also future generations—is climate change.”
“Me too.' So, after three years of deep thought on health care, they added nothing, and that's exactly what was reflected throughout the campaign in so many policy areas. When it comes to health care and when it comes to service delivery right across our social safety net, we have been backers of Medicare, of the NDIS and of superannuation—and not just backers of them; we brought them in, and we have defended them against attacks from those opposite over decades. At the last election, the contrast when it comes to Medicare could not have been more stark. We backed in universality; we backed in governing for all. Those opposite had the most shallow and hollow of policies, which would have undermined Medicare. When it comes to housing, those opposite did so little for so long. We have invested billions upon billions in housing.”
“We went to the last election with a policy supporting higher rates of bulk-billing. Bulk-billing is something we back in. Bulk-billing is so critical for universal access, because it's the best way of ensuring that everybody gets access to the core services they need. We went to the last election with a policy of more urgent care clinics, which I've seen in my own electorate, delivering critical services for people—people who are accessing them outside business hours and who can thereby avoid going to emergency departments. Those opposite, in the last election, were led by a person who had been a health minister, and yet, after three years of having the opportunity to deliver a health policy, when we delivered our health policy, the next day they said: 'Look, we'll do the same—we'll spend the same amount.”
“We had successive surpluses—successive surpluses delivered. So those opposite come in here with the rhetoric. The rhetoric's fine—this place is all about rhetoric—but the rhetoric from that side is not backed up at all by statistics. They claim the mantle of economic management, but they did not deliver in a shocking decade of fiscal mismanagement, of real wages going backwards and of the worst productivity growth in half a century. We're the party which has delivered tax cuts; they're the party which tried to unwind them. Another powerful example of where we are governing for all Australians and they are trying to unwind it is universal health care. We have been backing up Medicare for decades. In so many instances over many elections, those opposite come in here and try to undermine Medicare.”