Fiona Phillips
Gilmore · Australian Labor Party · Australia
“For the past 26 years, Pig has been involved in charity car rallies, and in 1992 he hosted the first Nowra truck show, which raised $15,000 for the family of a fellow truckie who was tragically killed in a truck accident in Cobargo.”
“Today, I want to give a massive shout-out to a Shoalhaven legend, Ian Usher—better known locally as 'Pig'—who has raised more than $2 million for charities.”
“The team took on bush roads while raising funds to support men with mental health issues throughout Australia, as well as in our own community. Pig is proud and humble and isn't too keen on fanfare, but he really is a legend in our community.”
“At the other end of the scale, we have many young families that are encouraged to walk with prams or venture out with young kids on scooters or bikes to safely walk or ride to the local park, school or sporting fields.”
“Recently I joined with the Bawley Point and Kioloa communities to celebrate the completion of the pathway that connects the two coastal villages. It's a project that has taken decades and has been completed in stages, but the community pushed on because they knew how much it was needed.”
“Covering three local government areas of Kiama, Shoalhaven and the Eurobodalla, I know that new or improved footpaths and cycleways are at the top of the wish list for many communities, but council funding is limited.”
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“It will provide a clear signal to the market of the importance of equitable and accessible outdoor mobile coverage and that it is a government priority that services are available as soon as possible. We aren't sitting around waiting for this issue to fix itself. We are acting early to ensure that Australia is at the forefront of technology. This legislation brings mobile services into the longstanding universal services regime, which previously only covered legacy copper based voice services. By doing so, we are also creating a framework that can protect consumers and ensure mobile services if industry does not deliver in the national interest.”
“It is about expanding coverage to areas where, despite significant industry and government co-investment, it has not been feasible to provide coverage. Direct to device or D2D is an emerging technology and is still being rolled out in Australia and around the world. However, we are legislating now to ensure this critical technology is deployed as widely and quickly as possible to ensure Australians can benefit no matter where they live, work or travel. Given the emerging nature of D2D technology, this bill sets a default date for the commencement of the UOMO on 1 December 2027 but allows flexibility to adjust the date to accommodate market readiness.”
“Thank goodness the Albanese Labor government is committed to continuing fibre-to-the-premises upgrades in Gilmore. This bill will bolster that plan and reiterate Labor's commitment to strengthening the resilience of our nation's telecommunications services. It will ensure that in our hour of need we can make that life-saving call. Improved connectivity not only keeps people connected but means safer roads, stronger businesses and better access to services. Whether you're facing a natural disaster, broken down on a highway, injured on the farm or lost in the bush, under UOMO there will be outdoor mobile coverage nearly anywhere you look up and see the sky. This reform is not about replacing traditional mobile coverage.”
“I'll go back to the 2019-20 Black Summer bushfires again because it was such an extremely significant event in my community when communication was paramount. When the power went out and phones went down, some homes in villages such as North Nowra were on Labor's fibre to the premises and therefore had access to battery systems, allowing them to stay connected. Other communities in the electorate, however, weren't so lucky. Thanks to the previous government, they were on fibre-to-the-node NBN and therefore were left in the dark, with no access to internet or phone services during the fire emergency. Labor's fibre to the premises is the only NBN technology that allows for a battery to be installed at the property so when the power goes out the household still has access to some internet and phone services for a few hours.”
“The UOMO legislation is a key part of the government's response to the 2024 Regional Telecommunications Review. The implementation of the service will be an important step towards modernising Australia's universal service arrangements to guarantee we all have access to essential telecommunications services. Our significant NBN upgrades and investment in programs like the Mobile Black Spot Program and Mobile Network Hardening Program will further expand mobile coverage, resilience and capacity. This government has provided access to faster and more reliable broadband for 1.5 million premises across Australia, including 660,000 in rural and regional communities like mine. Labor created the NBN and only Labor is delivering the NBN and keeping it in public ownership. Under the Liberals, my community was left behind.”
“We're partnering with Telstra to fund the construction or upgrade of 168 sites across 147 different telecommunications projects across Australia, from transmission, coverage and capacity upgrades to the construction of new macro or small-cell mobile base stations in blackspot areas. Our better connectivity plan is delivering significant investments to improve mobile and broadband connectivity in regional Australia through the Regional Connectivity Program, Mobile Black Spot Program and On Farm Connectivity Program. We are committed to reducing the digital divide and meeting the country's growing demand for data and seamless connectivity. We're working to improve regional coverage and communications resilience on so many levels because we know how important it is to stay connected, especially in regional areas like the south coast.”
“Two new Telstra mobile base stations will soon be switched on at Jamberoo and Worrigee, providing improved mobile coverage and connectivity for locals and visitors. The infrastructure was built by Telstra as part of the Mobile Blackspot Program's Improving Mobile Coverage Round, with funding provided by Telstra and the Albanese Labor government. It means local residents and visitors will be able to access more reliable phone coverage, and it's also really important for local businesses that I know have been struggling with connection issues for years. I've worked hard to improve mobile coverage in our region, and I'm thrilled to be delivering for local communities like Jamberoo and Worrigee.”
“Right now, work is being carried out at the Mount Wandera station to improve its bushfire resilience under tranche 1 of the Protecting Our Communities (Disaster Resilience) Program. The project has included an infrastructure upgrade, improved asset protection zones and road resilience works on the access road. Timber power poles have been replaced with composite poles to help fireproof the power and ensure essential emergency information for emergency workers and the community can continue during bushfires. Composite power poles have also been erected along the length of Durras Road, ensuring the coastal village remains connected during emergencies. It's really great to see Telstra and the government working together to share the cost in bringing new coverage to regional and rural locations like Gilmore.”
“The Telecommunications Disaster Resilience Innovation Program has accelerated the development and deployment of new solutions to address communications issues and improve the resilience and availability of telecommunications during disasters. This includes new or enhanced satellite connectivity and new ways to monitor networks and share critical information with emergency services. Reliable communications are vital in emergencies and natural disasters to ensure Australians can call for help, receive emergency information and stay in touch with family and friends. Access to telecommunications coverage during a natural disaster can be the difference between life and death. During the 2019-2020 bushfires, we lost essential emergency communications when the remote Mount Wandera transmission station in the Eurobodalla was burnt to the ground.”
“But, when they come from the city to the regions, they should be confident that they can call emergency services in their time of need and their call for help will be answered. Whether it's a bushfire, a flood, someone in trouble at the beach, a sinking boat, a motor vehicle accident or a health emergency, Australians cannot be let down. We must restore Australia's confidence in our national telecommunications service, and we must continue to boost the resilience of our telecommunications network. This bill complements the great work the Albanese Labor government is doing to improve the resilience of telecommunications networks in regional areas like mine, especially during times of natural disasters.”
“When someone is in trouble and needs to call for help at our beaches or on our waterways, they deserve the certainty that their call will connect. Our Marine Rescue NSW volunteers also do an incredible job of keeping boaters safe on our ocean and waterways all year round but particularly during those busy summer months. They are called upon to help sinking vessels, pull ailing boaters from the water, search for rock fishers and tow boats to safety. When injured boaties or lost bushwalkers need help, they must be assured their calls will be answered. Our roads and highways are jam-packed over the school holidays as families flock to enjoy everything our magnificent South Coast has to offer.”
“Almost immediately after the Black Summer fires, significant floods hit the South Coast, followed by a series of ferocious storms, again highlighting the need for an effective and resilient communications system. Summer on the coast is very busy as tourists flock to the region to swim at our beaches and lakes, to rock fish, to waterski and to surf. They take their boats out to sea, ride mountain bikes and bushwalk in our beautiful forests and national parks. But, unfortunately, not all holidays go to plan, and accidents frequently happen. Our volunteer surf lifesavers do a magnificent job of keeping people safe on our beaches, but far too often people lose their lives when they're caught in rips while swimming at isolated beaches.”
“When comms went down, she lost contact with her husband, who stayed home to fight the flames, and joined hundreds of other frightened locals, their pets and holidaymakers in the dark on New Year's Eve. People lost their lives, their homes, their sheds, their livestock and their communities. They lost confidence in the communication system which went down for days, isolating them from their loved ones and from the help they so desperately needed. These people are still recovering. Many have rebuilt more resilient homes. Others have never returned. They relive the nightmares of this catastrophic event over and over, and they fear what the future might hold as climate change presents a very real chance of similar events playing out again in our region.”
“Residents were given little time to flee, and many were left standing in the streets in total darkness, enveloped by thick black smoke with embers raining down on them. People drove their cars into the lake and ran into the water to take shelter from the flames that roared to the sand, then leapt over them to the opposite side of the lake, where the blaze tore through more homes. It was horrendous, and people were cut off, with no way of contacting family members, friends, neighbours and, importantly, emergency services. After being turned around at the Princes Highway, one mother drove her car, with crying children in the back seat, from Conjola Park, back through walls of flames on either side of the road, as she sought shelter at the nearby Conjola Beach.”
“Mobile phone blackspots are of particular concern to people living on the New South Wales South Coast, who have been hit with natural disaster after natural disaster. After being left in the dark too many times, they want to be confident that they can call for help during their time of need. They need to know they can call or text if they are involved in, or come across, an accident on the Princes Highway or on one of our many rural roads. Knowing they can connect if they can see the sky will provide some reassurance for Gilmore residents. On 31 December 2019, the Black Summer bushfires wiped out 90 homes in Conjola Park, just one of many towns and villages in my area impacted by the firestorm.”
“Driving through mountains, forests and farmland, I pass through numerous mobile blackspots, so I know just how frustrating it can be when service is interrupted. The Albanese government is getting on and doing something about it. Mobile phone coverage is a huge issue in many pockets of Gilmore, so I'm really excited that we're working to keep people in my region and those living right around the country better connected. The UOMO will keep people in Gilmore connected and safer by ensuring they are able to call for help in times of emergency. New technology means low-Earth-orbit satellite signals can now connect directly to people's mobile phones rather than relying on land based infrastructure like mobile towers. This is great news for people living in remote and isolated areas.”
“I rise today to support the Telecommunications Legislation Amendment (Universal Outdoor Mobile Obligation) Bill 2025 and to applaud the Albanese Labor government's commitment to strengthening the resilience of Australia's telecommunications service. The Universal Outdoor Mobile Obligation will require national mobile carriers Telstra, Optus and TPG to provide access to SMS and voice coverage for Australians nationwide, almost everywhere you can see the sky. This is really important reform that will improve connectivity and provide reassurance for people in regional areas like my electorate of Gilmore. Gilmore is a big electorate. A few times a week I drive up and down the highway, sometimes for up to four hours, from one end to the other.”
“Finally I want to highlight the wonderful work being done by Waminda, the South Coast's women's health and wellbeing Aboriginal corporation, and their birthing on country centre of excellence. I'm proud to have secured $22.5 million from the government for this, and they're doing a magnificent job. (Time expired)”
“From 1 January women have made further savings with PBS medicines now just $25 and the concessional co-payment remaining at $7.70. Labor's historic investment in Medicare is helping women and their families with more bulk-billing practices, including 32 in my electorate of Gilmore. Our 50 new Medicare urgent care clinics, including the Batemans Bay clinic and the brand new Nowra clinic, opening on Thursday, will offer free walk-in care day and night. Our $1 billion injection for mental health services, including 31 new and upgraded Medicare mental health centres and 20 youth specialist centres are providing free, accessible services for women of all ages. As a mum of four, I know just how important it is that our 20 perinatal mental health clinics now offer free psychological support for new and expectant parents.”
“A year on from us announcing the groundbreaking women's health package, the Albanese Labor government continues to deliver more choice, better access and more affordable health care for women. How great it is that in just one year more than 700,000 women have accessed more than 2.3 million cheaper scripts for new contraceptives, menopausal hormone therapies and endometriosis treatments listed on the PBS. More than 71,000 women have now received a Medicare funded menopause health assessment, and 383,000 women have saved more than $53 million on menopausal hormone therapies. Women undergoing IVF are receiving earlier and more affordable access to fertility treatment, with more than 46,000 women with specific low levels of reproductive hormones accessing $273,00 scripts in the past year.”
“Our landmark almost $800 million women's health package means more clinics like the one in Milton can provide specialised staff, including nurse practitioners and allied health professionals, with equipment, resources and training to manage and treat complex and debilitating disorders. Endometriosis affects around one in seven Australian women and has an extensive, devastating impact on their daily lives, with those suffering waiting around seven years before diagnosis. I'm really proud that 11 additional endometriosis and pelvic pain clinics have opened, taking the network to 33 nationwide. The new clinics have also started provided perimenopause and menopause care. The Milton clinic is opening the front door to give women access to the health care they need, and the best part is that it is free under Medicare.”
“During her visits, Susan has provided free, comprehensive education about pelvic pain, sexual health and endometriosis to more than 4,000 women and girls, equipping them with knowledge about what is healthy, what is normal and when to seek help if required. I'm always delighted to visit the clinic and to hear so many success stories from women who have accessed free support, often after years of pain. I'm so proud the Albanese Labor government is taking women's health seriously after decades of neglect, and we're making specialised, multidisciplinary care available to more women in regional areas.”
“Endometriosis, pelvic pain and sexual health have for too long been taboo topics, but the incredible team at the south-eastern endometriosis and pelvic pain clinic in Milton is changing that. The clinic was one of the first of its kind to open its doors in September 2023, and for more than two years has been providing women from Helensburgh to the Victorian border with expert multidisciplinary services and care for endometriosis and pelvic pain. Not only is the team helping women of all ages, many of whom have lived with intense pelvic pain for many years, even decades; they're also educating our younger generation. Women's health nurse Susan Wilford has been travelling across the south-east of New South Wales visiting high schools at Nowra, Moruya, Batemans Bay and Ulladulla as well as community groups including CWAs and VIEW clubs.”
“My question is to the Minister for Aged Care and Seniors. How are the Albanese Labor government's changes to bulk-billing delivering better health outcomes for older Australians? Why was this necessary after a decade of cuts and neglect?”
“Mr Wicks has been awarded the National Medal, the National Emergency Medal and the New South Wales Public Schools Parent of the Year. Kiama's Mitchell von Borstel was honoured with the Australian Corrections Medal. Mr von Borstel began his career at the Long Bay Correctional Complex in 2007, and he has risen through the ranks to senior assistant superintendent at the Security Operations Group, where he engages in high-risk interventions and critical-incident responses at sites across New South Wales. Congratulations and thank you to these six sensational Gilmore residents.”
“And she was a delivery driver with Kiama Meals on Wheels for 50 years. The fifth OAM for Gilmore was awarded to Shane Wicks from Gerringong. The retired New South Wales ambulance paramedic is a life member and former captain of the Gerringong Rural Fire Brigade. He has been a flood rescue operations officer with the New South Wales State Emergency Service. And he is the President of Surf Life Saving New South Wales's South Coast Branch. A volunteer and life member of the Gerringong Surf Life Saving Club, Mr Wicks keeps locals and visitors safe on our beaches, and he takes his paramedic experience onto the field as Gerringong Lions rugby league club's medical support officer. He also provides important mental health support for young people in our community.”
“Mr Hutt's incredible dedication secured him a swag of rotary awards, including the Paul Harris Fellow and the Humanitarian Overseas Service Medal with Indian Ocean clasp. Margaret Snelling of Kiama was awarded an OAM for her service to hockey, but her contributions go way beyond the hockey field. Mrs Snelling was a player, committee member, umpire and coach with the Kiama Hockey Club for more than 40 years and was made a life member of the Kiama Ladies Hockey Club in 1991. She is a life member of Illawarra South Coast Hockey, played for the New South Wales veterans ladies team and shared her passion with young players, kicking off Minkey, mini hockey, in the 1970s. Mrs Snelling dedicated 65 years to Kiama's Saints Peter and Paul Catechist Ministry, where she coordinated the parish knitting group and taught scripture at local schools.”
“Mr Baker was chair of the selection committee for the Sydney Olympics Australian triathlon team and has been involved with many children and youth organisations. Decorated former police officer and Rotarian Kenneth Hutt of Berry was awarded an OAM for his service to the community. A member of the Berry Rotary Club, foundation director and former international director, Mr Hutt went above and beyond—literally—to raise funds for Rotary's End Polio Now campaign. The Berry adventurer reached dizzying heights by paragliding at locations around the world, including Mount Everest in the Himalayas and the Lobuche Peak in Nepal. A member of the Sports Aviation Federation of Australia, his efforts featured in the 2022 Fly from Everest documentary.”
“A former international chair and board member of Campbell Page Australia, Mr Armstrong is also a former CEO, state board member and life member of Banksia Villages and has been involved with age and community services in New South Wales and the ACT. Now a resident of Rosedale on the far South Coast, William Baker was awarded an OAM for his service to the community of Queanbeyan. A retired lawyer, Mr Baker is the President of Treehouse Queanbeyan, a charity that supports children with developmental delay or disability, and he founded the Treehouse family fund. He was a founding member and former president of the Queanbeyan Business Council and has held executive roles with the Telopea swimming club, Triathlon ACT and the New South Wales Country Children's Services Association.”
“I'm so proud of the six outstanding residents who were recognised on the 2026 Australia Day Honours List for their selfless service to communities right across my Gilmore electorate. Eurobodalla Meals on Wheels president Phillip Armstrong of Broulee was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia for his service to the community. Mr Armstrong has been a member of the Moruya Rotary Club since the year 2000 and, through his roles as treasurer, president and foundation chair, has been involved with drought relief and bushfire recovery efforts. He is a former district governor for Rotary International District 9710 and was named Rotarian of the Year for 2019-2020, the organisation's highest honour.”
“Our investment in Medicare is already having a massive impact in my electorate, which is home to one of the highest populations of aged pensioners in the country. We also have many young families and low-income earners who are reaping the benefits of a better, fairer and stronger health system that the Albanese Labor government promised and that we are delivering.”
“From 1 January, Australians have had even better access to free health advice, with the 1800MEDICARE telehealth service, website and mobile app. The new Medicare Mental Health Check In also went live on New Year's Day, giving easy and free access to early support for Australians experiencing mild mental health challenges. Of course, we're opening more Medicare urgent care clinics in every corner of the country, and I'm proud to say the Batemans Bay Urgent Care Clinic is going great guns and is operating 18 hours a day. I know my community cannot wait for the doors to open on the new Medicare urgent care clinic in Nowra very soon, which will take pressure off Shoalhaven Hospital's emergency department.”
“We're adding more life-saving and disease-preventing medicines to the PBS every month to help men, women and children. Just last week, Andriga-10 was added to the PBS to provide life-changing help for men with an aggressive form of prostate cancer. Without the PBS, patients might pay $930 per script. Since July 2022 we've approved extra funding for 399 new and amended listings on the PBS. As a woman and a mum, I know just how much we're helping women and their families by subsidising the cost of contraceptive pills, hormone therapies for menopause, and medicines for endometriosis. In just one year, more than 610,000 Australian women have saved money since essential women's health medications were listed on the PBS as part of our landmark $792.9 million women's health package.”
“I know this important cost-of-living measure is helping struggling families and older people in my region and right across the country, thanks to the Albanese Labor government's single-largest investment in Medicare since its creation more than 40 years ago. From 1 January this year, we've introduced a whole gamut of health services that are saving the hip pocket and, importantly, saving lives around the nation. We're ensuring Australians can access the medicines they need at an affordable price, with PBS scripts now capped at $25, or just $7.70 for those who hold a concession card. Without the PBS, Australian patients would pay thousands of dollars for life-saving medicines. Instead, $25 PBS scripts will save Australians more than $200 million each year.”
“I'm so pleased that, since the bulk-billing incentive program came into effect, on 1 November, the number of fully bulk-billing medical practices in my electorate has almost tripled. This is an absolute game changer for local patients, who now have improved access to the health care they need with just their Medicare card, not their credit card. Delivering on this election commitment is a massive help for families living in the smaller towns and villages in my electorate. Doctors in places like Gerringong, Shoalhaven Heads, Culburra Beach, Callala Bay and Sussex Inlet are now fully bulk-billing. People can now see a doctor for free at fully bulk-billed practices in the villages of Mollymook, Surf Beach and Broulee and in the major towns of Nowra, Moruya and Ulladulla.”
“On Friday I met with Dr Eva Morris and her husband and practice manager, Jason Morris, at the St Georges Basin Medical Centre, who jumped at the chance to register for the Bulk Billing Practice Incentive Program. Dr Morris said they took up the incentive because it's good for their business and good for their patients. They want to make a difference in their community, and they want to help their patients, including older patients, many with multiple health conditions, and young families, who are feeling the cost-of-living pinch. They're also helping to train new doctors in the region, which is fantastic. The St Georges Basin Medical Centre is one of 32 medical practices across Gilmore that have transitioned to fully bulk-billing all patients.”
“My question is to the Minister for Housing, Minister for Homelessness and Minister for Cities. What is the Albanese Labor government doing to build more houses in the regions and help more regional Australians into homeownership after a decade of neglect?”
“And so many people in Gilmore have told me that our cheaper medicines are making a huge difference to their household budgets, with PBS scripts now costing no more than $25. We'll continue to deliver across every portfolio to help people with the cost of living.”
“We're helping train young people in Gilmore to become doctors, nurses, social workers, builders and electricians, with free TAFE, supported uni places and by slashing student debt—all policies those opposite opposed. We're getting on with the job of rolling out responsible cost-of-living relief, just like we said we would. People in the Gilmore electorate tell me every day how the expanded hours at the Batemans Bay Medicare Urgent Care Clinic have helped them or their loved ones, and people in Nowra are champing at the bit for their new Medicare urgent care clinic to open—as am I. I'm so thrilled that the number of fully bulk-billed medical centres in my electorate has almost tripled, from 10 to 27, in just the past three months.”
“Do those opposite, who claim to support regional and rural areas, want to slash funding for the New South Wales South Coast? We're boosting our regions with better roads, more doctors, full funding for our public schools and more funding for our hospitals, and we're helping people buy their first home. What's got to go from those opposite? To say that these important investments are reckless spending just goes to show how out of touch they really are with everyday Australians. Like everyone on this side of the chamber, I know people in my electorate are doing it tough. That's why we're doing something about it. We're helping families, students, our older residents and small businesses with tax cuts for every taxpayer, more bulk-billing and cheaper medicines. We're backing higher wages.”
“Do they want to scrap plans for the revitalisation of the Nowra Riverfront Precinct, which will support local jobs and provide more housing? Or maybe they want to sink the upgrade of the Shoalhaven marine rescue base? Or maybe those opposite can tell the kids at Gerringong that plans to upgrade their clubhouse at Gerry Emery oval have tanked or notify the Batemans Bay Seahawks Football Club that their new clubhouse has been axed? I'm proud that the Albanese Labor government is backing our regions, our families and our communities. We've made a record investment in funding for regional roads through the Black Spot program, Roads to Recovery and, in my area, a special $40 million Shoalhaven roads package to help the council fix local roads. Should we scrap that essential road funding and put drivers at risk?”
“They voted for more bulk-billing GP clinics and wage increases for our wonderful aged-care workers, and they voted for Medicare urgent care clinics, with the new Nowra Medicare Urgent Care Clinic due to open very soon. I can't understand on what planet any of these significant local projects or important cost-of-living initiatives equate to reckless spending. Do those opposite want to pull the pin on the new Nowra Medicare Urgent Care Clinic, leaving people in my community waiting hours for medical attention at the overcrowded Shoalhaven Hospital ED? Do they want to slash the $752 million for the Milton Ulladulla bypass, which has been in the 'too hard' basket for more than two decades? Will they tell my community that the Princes Highway duplication between the Jervis Bay road turnoff and Tomerong is a waste of money?”
“People in my electorate of Gilmore put their faith in me once again at last year's election because they know, as part of the Albanese Labor government, I will continue to deliver for my local community. I've delivered important community infrastructure, like the Jervis Bay intersection flyover, which is well underway, the new RFS sheds at Manyana and Lake Conjola, a new surf lifesaving club at Gerringong and the reconstruction of the Mogo Local Aboriginal Land Council building, which was destroyed in the Black Summer bushfires. The people of Gilmore voted for cheaper medicines, cheaper child care, free TAFE, reduced student debt and tax cuts.”
“The Waratahs recruited men as they marched north along the coast through Bomaderry, Berry, Gerringong, Kiama and Jamberoo, and 120 volunteers had enlisted by the time they arrived in Sydney on 18 December 1915. Most of the Waratahs served as 1st Battalion reinforcements on the Western Front and, sadly, 28 of those young men never returned home. It's so important that stories of military service are commemorated and shared in a defence town like Nowra. The Saluting Their Service Commemorative Grants program has funded thousands of projects nationwide, shining a light on the veteran community and the sacrifices they have made. Today I want to say a huge thank you to the Shoalhaven Historical Society members, including President Lyn Allen and Secretary Tim Rigney, for ensuring the survival of our Waratahs Red Ensign.”
“The Waratahs march Red Ensign is such an important piece of local military history. It represents the sacrifice that so many young men from right across the Shoalhaven made in World War I. The grant will ensure the restoration of the fragile flag so that it can be safely stored and displayed on special occasions at the Nowra Museum. The Nowra Red Cross president, Mrs Rodway, presented the Red Ensign to Captain Blow when the Waratahs march left Nowra on 30 November 1915 bound for Sydney's Centennial Park. According to the Shoalhaven News at the time, an enthusiastic demonstration was held outside the Nowra post office in Junction Street—which is just outside my electorate office—as the 70-strong group heeded the call of the Empire.”
“Last week I was pleased to drop into the Nowra Museum and meet with the enthusiastic and dedicated members of the Shoalhaven Historical Society. The local historians work really hard to look after and showcase the history of our region. As a proud defence town, it's really important to ensure our military history is preserved. That's why I was delighted to announce that a very special Red Ensign flag will be restored, thanks to a federal government Saluting Their Service commemorative grant. The flag was presented to World War I volunteer recruits as they departed Nowra as part of the 1915 Waratahs march. The flag represents a significant day in our town's history, so I was happy to support the Shoalhaven Historical Society's application for $2,420 to preserve it.”
“In Dani's words, 'Through the good and bad, we grow stronger together, when we come together and face it head on for each other.' We need to strengthen our laws to protect all Australians no matter their faith, their nationality or their beliefs, because everyone should have the right to feel safe. Today, as we remember those who are no longer with us, we must vow to do all we can to ensure the horrific Bondi Beach massacre is never, ever repeated on Australian soil.”
“Dozens of services were held at churches right across my electorate, and people lit candles in their homes to support our local Jewish community and to mourn the devastating loss of 15 innocent lives. Local Jewish woman Dani lost a family member at Bondi on 14 December, and she bravely, sadly, told the Shoalhaven gathering of her growing fears living as a Jew in Australia. However, with these words, Dani also said she held hope for the future. Dani said: Hearing your prayers, seeing you donate blood and having you all come out here tonight is what it means to be Australian … The heritage of our Aboriginal people, mateship and celebrating differences is what this country is made of.”
“They are truly selfless and extraordinary human beings. When lifesavers around the nation held their faces up to the morning sun, they shone a light on what it means to be Australian, to be united, to be courageous and to be there for each other. I am so, so proud of each and every one of them for the courage and the incredible Aussie spirit they demonstrate every day. I know the shock, pain and grief of the Bondi attack are still so raw for those directly impacted, and the horrendous incident certainly sent shockwaves throughout my local community. Following the attack, I attended a prayer vigil on the lawns of the Shoalhaven Entertainment Centre at Nowra. A community gathering was also held at Kiama's Coronation Park.”
“Today, on behalf of everyone in Gilmore, I pay my respects to those who are no longer with us because of the atrocious, antisemitic terrorist attack at Bondi. We will never forget the victims, their families and the heroes who risked their own lives and who worked so hard to save complete strangers during the worst terrorist attack we've ever experienced in Australia. I want to thank all first responders, including the police, paramedics, lifeguards and volunteer surf lifesavers, who heroically put themselves in danger to protect and save others. The three minutes of reflection on local beaches was such a moving tribute to the victims and to acknowledge the Bondi lifesavers, many of whom are regular visitors to the South Coast and who came to the aid of our local community during the Black Summer bushfires.”