Helen Haines
Indi · Independent · Australia
“on indulgence I just want to acknowledge the Leader of the House and thank you for considering this in the way of a conversation with us. I think the crossbench has become a large crossbench because of the way that we engage with legislation in a very detailed way and seek to collaborate and seek to improve legislation.”
“I move amendment (4) on sheet 1, revised 30 June 2026, as circulated in my name: (4) Schedule 1, item 92, page 35 (line 31) to page 36 (line 4), omit subsection 25A(2), substitute: (2A) Treatment may not be appropriate treatment for a person's impairment or impairments if the person's individual circumstances restrict the person from acce…”
“(5) Schedule 1, item 97, page 39 (lines 3 to 7), omit subsection 25B(6), substitute: (6) Before making National Disability Insurance Scheme rules declaring that a support is an alternative support for an impairment, the Minister must be satisfied that: (a) it is not appropriate to fund or provide a support for the impairment through the N…”
“My amendment would give them greater clarity about why decisions have been made and how the evidence they've provided has been used. Again, I hear consistently from people in my electorate that they want to understand the 'why'; they truly do.”
“by leave—I move: (6) Schedule 3, page 101 (after line 12), at the end of the Schedule, add: Part 4 — Whistleblower protections National Disability Insurance Scheme Act 2013 18 After subsection 73ZA(2) Insert: (2A) The disclosure of the information by the discloser qualifies for protection under this Division if it is made for the purpose…”
“Now, the government's recently made improvements to NDIS whistleblower protections, and I really welcome those. But I think many Australians, in fact all Australians, would be very surprised to learn that, under this legislation more broadly across the NDIA and NDIS, whistleblowers may not legally be allowed to talk about their own situat…”
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“They've said: This open-ended language creates significant uncertainty regarding what constitutes 'reasonable' mobile coverage. It creates opportunity for providers to circumvent their obligation … We're trying to get a universal obligation. Similarly, I've spoken with the National Farmers' Federation, who have said: If the UOMO is to be truly universal, it must be accessible not only in terms of coverage, but also in terms of cost. They said that, in regional areas, 'there is a real risk that consumers in these areas will be priced out of essential mobile services, undermining the very purpose of the UOMO'. This is why I have circulated amendments—to ensure affordability is explicit in this legislation and to ensure that the concepts of 'reasonably available' and equitable access consider the cost of mobile devices and plans.”
“For so many in my community struggling with the cost of food, the cost of housing or the cost of health care, purchasing a $1,000 phone isn't a choice for them right now. If access to a universal service is limited by income and affordability, then by definition it is not universal. I accept that we can't connect every device to satellites right away. That's just a technological fact. But to shift the responsibility for that onto the consumer is grossly unfair. The government must do more to explain how it will ensure all Australians, and especially those doing it tough, with less financial means, aren't left behind. I've spoken with the Australian Communications and Consumer Action Network, who are similarly concerned about the lack of a clear definition for what constitutes 'reasonably available'.”
“When the 3G shutdown occurred, the users of older devices were forced to purchase new ones. Many were using older devices because they couldn't afford a new one, and therefore they bought budget phones that now won't be compatible with direct-to-device technology. Knowing these were concerns raised clearly in the consultation on the draft UOMO legislation, I hoped the government would have provided sufficient explanation to allay my concerns and those of key consumer advocacy groups. So I turned to the bill's explanatory memorandum, which expands on what is meant by 'reasonably' available, stating that this would include 'a choice by a consumer not to purchase an appropriate handset or plan'. A choice?”
“We know the direct-to-device technology is only available to the most recent smartphones. For example, the government funded Regional Tech Hub states on its website that, currently, only iPhone 13, 14, 15 and 16 and Samsung Galaxy S25 devices are supported by Telstra's direct-to-service SMS service. It's clear that many Australians won't have one of the phones I've just listed, and it's not clear if they'll be able to access the UOMO when it launches. For those without means to purchase these compatible phones—with the latest iPhone starting at $1,399—where does this leave pensioners or young families struggling with the cost of living and living in regional or remote Australia? There's a real risk that less well-off users will see less or no benefit from UOMO compared to those who can afford premium devices and premium plans.”
“That's understandable, but in its implementation the government, the regulator and the telcos must deliver a gold standard UOMO because that's what we need and that's what Australians deserve. I have some concerns with the bill as it's currently drafted. Central to this concern is the ambiguity in what is meant by 'reasonably available' and 'equitable basis'. This bill requires that mobile coverage be reasonably available outdoors to all people in Australia on an equitable basis. While these terms sound great at face value, it isn't clear what these terms mean and how the government and the telcos will interpret them in practice. It has left key advocacy groups fearful that some groups will be left behind if 'reasonably available' is left to the for profit telcos to define.”
“This flexibility is important because technology can change quickly, as we've seen with the low-Earth satellites in recent years, and the legislation must be flexible enough to adapt to future innovation and changes in the technology landscape. The bill will also allow the government to create standards that would apply in the interim period before the commencement of the UOMO in 2027, which is just under two years from now. We cannot accept avoidable delays to this date, and I implore the government to ensure the telcos know that this deadline is not aspirational. They need to be clear; it is essential. So, while the bill charts a destination—universal outdoor access—it doesn't describe every step of how we get there.”
“The government expects these providers will meet UOMO requirements by using a mix of their current terrestrial land based mobile networks and rapidly evolving direct-to-device technology, which will be delivered through satellites. When operational, the UOMO will theoretically guarantee SMS and voice call coverage for significantly uninhabited or sparsely inhabited areas where it has never been and never will be viable to provide land based towers. While the UOMO will only require provision of voice services and SMS at first, the legislation is written to enable the addition of new services, such as data, subject to technological and market developments. The bill will also establish ministerial powers to create standards, rules and benchmarks that will lay out how the UOMO will work in practice.”
“This bill amends the Telecommunications (Consumer Protection and Service Standards) Act 1999 to incorporate the UOMO into the existing universal service regime. The UOMO will complement the existing universal service obligation by creating a new section in the act that will establish the UOMO as an existing part of Australia's telecommunications framework. Initially, three mobile network operators will be captured as primary universal outdoor mobile providers: Telstra, Optus and TPG. The minister may designate other mobile network operators in the future. In reality, this will only happen if new telcos enter the Australian market, which at this stage seems unlikely. The UOMO will require providers to deliver baseline mobile services—voice services and short message services, SMS—to all our outdoor areas on a reasonable basis.”
“It makes it harder to work and get by, and, in an emergency, it is absolutely life threatening. In recent months, communities in my electorate have been devastated by bushfires, with hundreds of homes lost on the tablelands between Euroa and Alexandra and in the Upper Murray too. In many of these fire affected communities, as I heard from a woman last year in Merton, connectivity is sparse in good times and much harder to maintain in an emergency or, indeed, during tourist season. Put simply, the UOMO will save lives if implemented correctly. I'll now discuss in more detail what this bill does, and then I'll outline my concerns and speak to important amendments I will be proposing to this bill.”
“It's why the government is now introducing the Telecommunications Legislation Amendment (Universal Outdoor Mobile Obligation) Bill 2025 to upgrade our universal service framework so that we can access phone calls and SMS from anywhere in Australia, as long as you can see the sky. It's a potential game changer for regional communities—no question. I've spent years fighting for better internet and connectivity for regional Australia, so I welcome this bill. With the rise of these new technologies, it will make life safer for those working, exploring or living in the bush or off the grid. In Indi people desperately want the UOMO to succeed as promised, because, whether you are a farmer in Goomalibee, a nurse travelling from Tolmie or a hiker out in Dandongadale, people are sick of second-rate access.”
“For years, the universal service obligation included reasonable access to payphones and a landline phone in your home. For many years before mobile phones, that was enough. But times have changed, and now we work on our mobiles, run businesses on them and keep in touch with family and friends on them. We participate in telehealth appointments on them. We've also seen the rise of the low-Earth-orbit satellites that make it possible to connect to the internet from practically anywhere with a line of sight to the sky. Many people don't realise that most smartphones produced in the past five years can already connect to satellites through emerging direct-to-device technology.”
“I rise today to speak about an issue that matters very deeply to the people in my electorate of Indi and to communities right across regional Australia: universal telecommunications access. Every year that I have served as the Independent member for Indi, poor regional telecommunications has been one of the most frequent issues raised with me by constituents. It's why the work of the Indi Telecommunications Advisory Group has been so valuable to my community and why we've needed significant investment under programs like the Mobile Black Spot Program and the Regional Connectivity Program. However, there is much, much more work to be done. The universal outdoor mobile obligation, UOMO for short, is a generational change in the commitment of government to ensure we all have access to a minimum level of connectivity, no matter where we live.”
“Of course we must be vigilant against external threats, but we must also be vigilant against the erosion of principles that define our democracy, because protecting those principles provides the ultimate safety for Australians, their rights and the rule of law.”
“Just last month this parliament strengthened laws addressing hate crimes and a longstanding need to improve information-sharing between agencies to better identify and respond to threats. However, in pursuing security we must not lose sight of lessons from around the world of the tragic consequence of governments exercising extraordinary powers over its citizens. We see the consequence of the politicisation of state powers and its undermining of individual freedoms and the safety of citizens. We have fervently protected our democratic conventions, and we should avoid weakening the mechanisms of scrutiny that preserve the balance between executive and judicial powers. We cannot allow the creep of overreach to compromise that balance.”
“It ensures that extraordinary powers remain subject to deliberate democratic scrutiny by us—by the parliament—retaining the check and balance that was a condition of Labor's support back in 2003 and that has proven its value over decades. It is a responsibility of us as legislators to interrogate laws of such great consequence to our citizens. Entrenching these extraordinary powers in our laws, even with the statutory review mechanism, risks normalising executive overreach. At a time when our nation is still living the shock and grief of terrorist atrocity committed against Jewish people at Bondi in December and another terrorist attempt against First Nations people on 26 January, our nation is desperate for effective responses to radicalisation and threats to public safety.”
“I acknowledge that ASIO has used these powers at a discretionary level over the past 20 years and that they have cited the complex, challenging and changing nature of the threat environment as a reason they continue. This bill, though, removes the sunset clause and replaces it with a statutory review in three years. I share the view expressed by the Law Council and others that the sunset clause signals the extraordinary nature of compulsory questioning powers. The very restraint in their use underscores the function of the sunset clause. And by requiring parliament to regularly revisit them, the sunset clause delivers the accountability and balance that were central to its original purpose.”
“It further concerns me that we're not seeking other alternatives within our judicial system for such circumstances. It's so important in this House when we legislate laws of such consequence as these that we don't engage in groupthink, that we do put forward questions to really interrogate why we need these laws and the proportionality of them. A sunset clause was not part of the original bill but was negotiated in to secure its passage and provide a protective measure—in fact, by Labor in opposition. To my point, we must never groupthink. We must really interrogate these. The sunset clause has been renewed five times since 2003. That reflects the parliament's consistent recognition that these are extraordinary powers and that they should be monitored.”
“Less than two years ago, ASIO told the PJCIS that it no longer saw a strong case for retaining the power to question minors under warrant. This was because ASIO had at the time never used or requested a minor questioning warrant. ASIO has walked back this position and now argues it's proportionate to the potential threat to security. Again, it's difficult to understand the evidence base behind this when we know little about the threat. Repeal of this power is not before the House, and I question why successive governments have retained these powers when they remain unused and unjustified. The prospect of extraordinary powers being held in reserve for hypothetical future use on a child does not give me assurance that any of these powers are indeed proportionate to the threat.”
“While this bill strengthens some eligibility and termination provisions for prescribed authorities, it gives the Attorney-General certain discretion over appointments and it does not fully resolve concerns about actual or perceived conflicts of interest. In my view, the ratification of warrants would be better safeguarded in a judicial setting, instead of by ministerial approval. This bill also fails to strike an appropriate balance regarding access to legal advice for someone being questioned under these powers. The point has been well made that such legal representation is only meaningful if sufficient information is available about the basis and the scope of the warrant. There remain unresolved concerns about rule-of-law principles, including privilege against self-incrimination.”
“Evidence to the PJCIS inquiry into this bill did not suggest a historic peak in threats to border protection but instead noted global developments that can drive the displacement of people. We should remember that people seeking asylum are some of the most vulnerable people around the world; they are fleeing conflict and violence, not seeking to perpetrate it. One justification advanced for these changes is the convenience of aligning ASIO's compulsory questioning with the rest of their warrant powers, including broadening additional heads of security through undefined or vaguely defined terms. Convenience, however, is not a sufficient test for necessity or proportionality when extraordinary powers are at stake.”
“This bill now substitutes the definition of 'adult questioning matter' to include espionage, sabotage, politically motivated violence, promotion of communal violence, attacks on Australia's defence system, acts of foreign interference, and the protection of Australia's borders. During the lapsed statutory review—only in the last parliament—both ASIO and the Department of Home Affairs recommended against including border security in this list of powers, yet they've changed their tune in recent times. We have little detail to properly consider the shift in this opinion, and detail is important. Australia already has a very rigorous, multi-agency border protection framework.”
“I don't underestimate the complexity of these threats, nor the responsibility of government to equip our agencies with powers that are effective and proportionate to the threat environment—powers that protect our citizens and contribute to peace throughout the world—but effective powers must never become unfettered powers. Compulsory questioning powers were introduced in 2003 as part of Australia's response to the increased international threat of terrorism, following the horrendous September 11 attacks on the United States. They were framed then as a measure of last resort, reserved for the most extreme of circumstances. In 2020 these powers were expanded to cover warrants in matters relating to espionage, politically motivated violence and acts of foreign interference.”
“Once again, I'm disappointed that debate on legislation of such gravity is being relegated to the Federation Chamber, rather than being debated in the full light of the House of Representatives. Measures that shape the reach of our intelligence agencies deserve the highest level of scrutiny, not a narrow window for debate. It's a troubling pattern. Laws with profound consequence for civil liberties and the rule of law must never be met with constrained debate, limited scrutiny and the erosion of any safeguards. ASIO plays a critical role in maintaining our national security and responding to serious threats through the collection of intelligence information.”
“I rise to speak on the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2025. This is the second and, I would say, more controversial of the two bills introduced to this parliament to update the powers of our national intelligence agency. The first extended the operation for compulsory questioning powers. This bill goes further by making those powers permanent. The bill proposes to remove longstanding sunset provisions, establish new grounds for compulsory questioning warrants, alter who may oversee that questioning, and change the circumstances in which warrants may be issued when a person has been charged or a charge is imminent.”
“My question is to the Attorney-General. In the almost three years that the National Anti-Corruption Commission has been operating, there've been one finding of officer misconduct, a new investigation of officer misconduct and no public hearings. The NACC's most significant investigation had to be reopened and referred to an independent assessor. The public has heard more about the commissioner's conflicts of interest than about findings of corruption. Attorney-General, do you accept that changes are needed to restore public confidence in the NACC?”
“Their pursuit of freedom and democracy deserves our respect and it deserves our continued laser-like attention. In standing with the people of Iran, we stand for human rights and the rule of law. We support those who bravely advocate for these values under the most perilous, difficult and dangerous circumstances. Debate adjourned.”
“Australia must categorically reject any actions that suppress democratic freedoms and must affirm our commitment to upholding human rights whenever and wherever they are threatened. Australia has expanded its existing framework of sanctions in response to recent events, and I welcome this. Earlier this month, the government announced further sanctions on individuals and entities complicit in violent suppression of domestic protests and threatening lives both inside and outside of Iran. I urge the Australian government to continue to take appropriate diplomatic steps in partnership with the EU, the UK and other international partners because we must use all available channels to promote accountability for these crimes—because that is what they are. This motion affirms our solidarity with the people of Iran.”
“Tens of thousands of people have been detained, including women and girls, university students, human rights advocates, lawyers, journalists and members of ethnic and religious minorities. Authorities are refusing to provide information about detainees' whereabouts to their families. There are reports of ill treatment and torture. These developments are deeply, deeply distressing to Iranian Australians, especially those with friends and family back in Iran, and they should trouble every single one of us. As a constituent from Wodonga in my electorate of Indi wrote to me this week: Such practices contradict the principles of justice, human dignity and the rule of law. A peaceful and secure world can only be sustained through accountable and equitable governance.”
“I rise today to speak in support of this motion and to acknowledge the deeply concerning reports that continue to emerge from Iran. I stand in solidarity with Iranians everywhere. In December last year, Iranians gathered to protest economic and political conditions in their country. They were exercising their right to peacefully assemble and express their views. The Iranian regime's response was to murder its own people. There is credible evidence that, since December, the regime has killed thousands of Iranians and detained many more. At the same time, it has implemented nationwide internet and telecommunications blackouts to limit visibility of its actions. Eyewitness accounts gathered by Amnesty International suggest security forces aimed rifles and shotguns loaded with metal pellets at the heads and torsos of protesters.”
“Expanding Commonwealth prac payments to include all allied health and medical students is a practical solution, giving our future health workforce the financial support they need to complete their degrees. Alongside Senator David Pocock, I'm pleased to co-sponsor Allied Health Professions Australia's petition to expand prac payments. I urge everyone to sign this petition. Share it with your friends and family as well. Let's look after the next generation of medical professionals, because one day they will look after us.”
“These students have all told me that undertaking unpaid placement has caused significant financial stress, and, unfortunately, their stories are not unique. A national placement poverty survey from the Health Students Alliance found a staggering 81 per cent of students took unpaid leave to undertake placement, 78 per cent of students struggled to pay bills due to placement and, concerningly, 53 per cent considered leaving their degree due to the burden of placement. At this time of urgent healthcare workforce shortages, particularly in rural and regional areas, we cannot let financial pressures prevent or delay students from completing health degrees.”
“In their final year of study, students are expected to use basic skills to diagnose and to treat patients. Placements are essential training for our health workforce, but they also put significant financial pressure on students, sometimes resulting in students skipping meals, sleeping in cars or, unfortunately, dropping out of their courses altogether. As the cost-of-living pressures rise, so do these financial pressures on our students. I've previously spoken in this place about the healthcare students in Indi, including Gemma, who is studying diagnostic radiography, Darcy, a physiotherapy student, and Zac, who is studying dentistry. I've also recently heard from Alex from Wangaratta, a fourth-year medical student who will undertake 25-35 hours per week of unpaid placement this year.”
“I'm pleased to speak about the work of Allied Health Professions Australia, who today have officially launched a national petition calling on the government to expand Commonwealth prac payments to all allied health and medical students. Every Australian interacts with allied health and medical graduates when we get an X-ray, fill a prescription, see a GP or check in with a psychologist. Medical and allied health professionals look after Australians at all ages and stages of our lives. To complete their training, allied health and medical students need to complete hundreds and in some cases thousands of hours of mandatory, unpaid practical placements. Prac placements are like apprenticeships; students are learning and practising their skills, under supervision, while caring for us.”
“My question is to the Minister for Emergency Management. Bushfires are still burning in Victoria, and thus far over 75 per cent of homes lost and private land burnt is in my electorate of Indi. My electorate is grateful for the support provided by the government to date, but so much more is needed. Minister, what further support, beyond that already announced, can communities in my electorate expect from the Commonwealth?”
“I believe that a targeted pause in excise for independent Australian producers is a fair and sensible way to back local jobs, local investment and local ownership. They argue, and I agree, that such a pause would not only help stabilise a sector under real strain but also support greater investment in domestic production and in the independent retail market, where small brewers have more opportunity to get their products on shelves and on tap. If we want a vibrant, competitive beer industry in Australia with strong local producers and retailers in regional communities, like those in Indi, then we must be prepared to rethink the excise settings in a serious way and not just tinker at the edges to benefit big business.”
“While the benefits to consumers are small, the benefits of this $95 million tax break will mostly benefit big international beer conglomerates, because the draught beer market is overwhelmingly dominated by three major brewers who control around 90 per cent of the market. They buy up local Australian brands, market them as Australian and then ship their profits offshore. While I try to avoid colloquialisms in this place, this is the appropriate time to say, as my colleague has just said, that this one absolutely does not pass the pub test. When foreign entities have such a strong hold on the sector, it's hard to understand why the government is passing a measure that will disproportionately benefit their bottom line, when it could have designed this tax break benefit for Australian companies.”
“While I overall support this bill, I express the same frustrations as my colleagues and the independent brewing sector that this measure will only apply to draught beer. I've spoken with the Independent Brewers Association and small brewers right across the electorate of Indi, and they tell me clearly that, while any change to excise to ease cost pressures is welcome, the government's decision is still only a drop in their proverbial ocean, because they mostly sell packaged beer, not draught tap beer. The simple fact is this bill will take 10c off the cost of a beer or $36 if you had a pint every single day for the next year.”
“Breweries aren't just a nice place to visit; they're vital supporters of local industries. When a local brewery thrives, it creates jobs, engages local agriculture and helps sustain the visitor economy. Local, independently owned breweries are strong contributors to the social and economic fabric of many regional communities, with the sector being worth more than $3.5 billion per year. Independent breweries reinvest profits in local wages, local suppliers and local infrastructure rather than overseas shareholders and multibillion-dollar corporations that often pay little tax. If we want locally owned breweries to sustain this contribution to local employment, tourism and community life in rural and regional Australia, then policy settings must reflect the outsized benefits they deliver back into their communities.”
“This terrific venue beside the Ovens River is the place to be, no matter whether it's the Bright Rod Run or the Brighter Days Festival. Back in the High Country we have Mountain Monk Brewers and Crank Handle Brewery in the upper Kiewa Valley in Mount Beauty, both popular destinations after a big day on the slopes in snow season. Mitta Mitta Brewing Company is a great stopover on your way to the High Country, while King River Brewing Co have an impressive range and hold their own against the famous wineries of the King Valley. In Wangaratta, Pedal Slowly are demonstrating that a regional microbrewery can achieve in a small place, while On Point Brewing in Alexandra is a must-visit for those travelling through Murrindindi shire as it recovers from devastating bushfires.”
“I rise to support the member for Bradfield's amendments. These are good and sensible amendments. In my electorate of Indi and north-east Victoria we are lucky enough to have locally owned, locally loved and nationally renowned breweries no matter where you turn. In Beechworth, Bridge Road Brewers are celebrated for their Beechworth Pale Ale, a craft staple in pubs across the country. They're also a leader in the zero-alcohol market, with their popular Free Time pale ale now accompanied by a full range of alcohol-free stouts and hazy ales. Their raspberry sour was recently crowned Australia's best non-alcoholic beer. Bright Brewery, a little further into the mountains, certainly know how to put on a family friendly party.”
“These communities need substantial, ongoing, huge Commonwealth and state support to recover, more support to build the infrastructure that can withstand the next disaster, more protection for power and telecommunications—sustained assistance for people who have lost almost everything. The scale of loss in these communities is substantial, and the government's support absolutely has to reflect this and must be there for the long haul. Recovery certainly doesn't end when the flames die down.”
“In Murrindindi Shire, a community still living with the trauma of Black Saturday, more than 190 homes have been lost—the highest number in the state. At the Yarck Town Hall, I met Sandy Keath. Her husband, Andrew—known as Spud—has worked relentlessly since the fire, facing the heartbreaking task of disposing of 300 sheep. Sandy told me that farmers like them are exhausted—but they keep going. They need mental health support that meets them where they are in ways that work for their lives. In the Towong Shire, farmers like David and Tara Brewer lost nearly a million dollars in fodder and infrastructure, along with years of regenerative Landcare work. And beyond the fire front, entire towns were cut off for days without power, roads or telecommunications. I want to thank Minister Kristy McBain for coming to Indi and for her engagement.”
“As I've travelled through affected towns in recent weeks, I've seen the same thing I always do: communities showing up for each other, town halls turned into relief centres, neighbours helping neighbours, people giving all that they can. But our resilience is not limitless. For many communities, this is the second or third catastrophic disaster in just a few years. What were once-in-a-century events are now happening once-in-a-decade, or even more often. This is the lived reality of my electorate. In Strathbogie Shire, 455 properties have been affected, with 115 homes destroyed or made uninhabitable; more than 13,500 hectares of pasture burned; 2,400 kilometres of fencing lost; and thousands of livestock killed.”
“I acknowledge the words of the Attorney-General. The Longwood fire in the south and the Walwa fire in the Upper Murray have burned through hundreds of thousands of hectares of farmland, national park, private property and small rural towns. Earlier fires in December destroyed homes and agricultural land in places like Goomalibee and Markwood. The bushfire season is far from over. As I speak, emergency services personnel are still on the ground protecting lives and communities. On behalf of the people of Indi, I say thank you to each and every one of you. Bushfire disaster is something the people of Indi sadly know all too well.”
“I'm absolutely alive to concerns from some other members of the health team about fragmented care. I'm the first to say that we really must make sure that our communication and digital tools are sufficient to enable us to ensure that we do not have fragmentation. Debate interrupted.”
“It all could have been sorted in a very short time if a nurse had this additional capacity. Enabling registered nurses to expand their scope of practice through additional training endorsement—really, it's a commonsense national solution and one I hope will materially improve access to health care in the regions. We've heard this evening that this isn't Robinson Crusoe ; this is happening in many other parts of the world, most recognisably in the United Kingdom. Right now there are people in my electorate of Indi who spend half a day travelling or wait weeks for GP appointments just to get that repeat prescription, and I'm hoping this legislation is going to be a godsend for them. It'll make a real difference to their lives if they can get their medications a little sooner and a little closer to home.”
“In Victoria, the number of nurses is actually relatively consistent in proportion to population across major cities, inner and outer regions and remote communities. In fact, as I said before, nurses make up the highest number of healthcare professionals in the bush, and, where we do have the workforce in rural and regional Australia, we need to make sure that we're not putting unnecessary handbrakes on the care that they can provide their communities. I've been in that situation many times in my long distant past, working in a bush nursing hospital where I have waited on the phone, trying to get on to a medical practitioner to come and prescribe what is a pretty basic repeat medication for a patient who's driven for several hours to come to the hospital to get that medication.”
“Certainly there is inadequate resourcing of regional health systems. Training pathways make getting regional experience difficult or unaffordable. Housing and childcare shortages prevent talented professionals from moving to regional Australia. We really do have a wicked problem, and there isn't just one policy to solve it, but this piece of legislation is part of that puzzle, and I really welcome it. The truth is that, if we're going to address workforce challenges, we do need to come at it from all angles, and that includes making sure that every single healthcare professional is supported to work at their full scope of practice. This bill supports a reform that does precisely this.”
“So, with the workforce that we have, we need to ensure absolutely that we're providing the opportunities to access the training and education they need to expand their scope of practice and work closely with the people who need them most. Further to that, when I think about health workforce in rural and regional Australia, it's not just a matter of attracting workforce; it's also a matter of retaining them. One of the challenges for many nurses is job satisfaction—the frustration of seeing a patient who needs further care and the restrictions on nurses in being able to provide that care. That's why this bill, again, is really important in a sense of expanding scope of practice and really building on job satisfaction for a nurse. The reasons for workforce shortages in rural health are many and complex.”
“Of course, this legislation isn't restricted to nurses who work in the regions—it's across Australia—but I'm highlighting why it matters to communities like mine in particular. Regional communities absolutely struggle to access healthcare, including the prescribing of medications. To be clear, I want to say that the healthcare workforce in regional Australia is absolutely fantastic, filled with highly competent professionals, of whom the biggest group are nurses, and so many of them had not been able until more recent times to work to their full scope of practice. These problems aren't their doing. There's simply not enough workforce to meet our healthcare demands.”