Kate Thwaites
Jagajaga · Australian Labor Party · Australia
“My question is to the Minister for Climate Change and Energy. How has the Albanese Labor government acted to strengthen Australia's fuel security and shield Australians from the impacts of the conflict in the Middle East? What policies would leave Australians more vulnerable?”
“The Albanese government is committed to ending violence against women and children. Within this portfolio, support for victims of gender-based violence who have to interact with the courts and the justice system is particularly important.”
“This completes the national rollout of these services and builds on announcements of the establishment of new pilots across New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Northern Territory and Tasmania and the extension and expansion of existing pilots in the ACT and WA.”
“This will be very important for those people who are facing courts and justice systems as part of their process. I note this funding is in addition to approximately $2.5 million per annum ongoing funding provided to support solutions for domestic and gender-based violence.”
“In this book, Heather shares her experience of advocating for Eddie's education, for his inclusion and for his place in the wider community. The book was cowritten with Meryka Alexander, who has also been part of the Hebbard family for more than 25 years as Eddie's teacher, advocate, adviser and trusted supporter.”
“I really want to congratulate Eddie. I want to especially congratulate Heather for the success of Educating Eddie and for the effort they have made to share his story. I wish them all the very best for the future.”
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“Just recently, over summer, a new clinic opened in Eltham, providing fully bulk-billed treatment for non-life threatening illnesses and injuries without the long waits people too often face in emergency departments. That joins the one we had existing in Heidelberg, on Burgundy Street, which has supported thousands of locals since it opened in 2022. I see this firsthand in my community—parents of young children who otherwise knew they were in for a long wait at an emergency department after, perhaps, an injury at a sporting event, and elderly people who feel like they just need to be seen and can't get into their regular GP at that time.”
“It is a privilege to rise to speak on this motion because it is fundamental to what this government is about and to what Labor governments are about. At its heart, it's about how we regard being Australian—that access to quality universal health care which Labor governments always stand up for. On that note, it was disingenuous of the member for Forrest to say things have in fact got worse under this government. What has happened under this government is we have reversed the freefall in Medicare bulk-billing that was happening under those opposite. We have opened Medicare urgent care clinics right around this country. Those opposite did not do that. They did not offer this opportunity for walk-in, bulk-billed care in our communities. In fact, in my community we now have two Medicare urgent care clinics.”
“One local told me she had a fantastic experience and had avoided waiting at the Austin Hospital in emergency for the hours that, unfortunately, often takes. So this clinic is a wonderful addition to our local health care. The one in Eltham joins the one that we already have in Burgundy Street, in Heidelberg. As I said, I consistently get good feedback about this investment we are making locally for access to good, affordable health care and the work that this government is doing to strengthen Medicare.”
“People are not having to choose what in their budget they have to take out to pay to see a GP, and that is how it should be in Australia. That is how health care works in Australia. It is why Labor set up Medicare, and it is why we continue to strengthen and back Medicare. So, as I said, I encourage more GP practices across Jagajaga to take up this opportunity and to further expand access for our community. In Jagajaga, we are also benefiting from a new Medicare urgent care clinic in Eltham. It's making a real difference for people in that part of my electorate. This is walk-in care for when you need it urgently—those times when your child might have had an accident at sport, it's late at night and the other clinics aren't open. I've had such positive feedback about this clinic.”
“We have expanded the bulk-billing incentives for GPs so that these incentives apply across the board, encouraging more GPs to make sure that people can see the doctor for a bulk-billed visit. We are seeing this have an effect in Jagajaga. More practices in Jagajaga are now bulk-billing patients, and I'm encouraging even more of our local GP clinics to take up this incentive so that this becomes the norm rather than the exception. I recently visited Greensborough Medical & Dental Centre in Greensborough, which is one of our wonderful local practices and was one of the first clinics in our community to switch to full bulk-billing for GP visits. It was really heartening to talk to Alicia, the practice manager there, who told me that every day she is seeing how this change is making life easier for local families.”
“Access to health care is top of mind for people in my community of Jagajaga. We're fortunate to be home to some of Melbourne's best medical institutions, including the Austin, the Repat, the ONJ, the Mercy and many more. Local health care matters, and that's why investing in local services and strengthening Medicare locally is so important for my community. Because for the families, the seniors and the young people I represent, access to affordable health care is not a luxury; it is essential. That is why this government, the Albanese Labor government, has put people and access at the heart of our reforms to strengthen Medicare, and it's why we are already seeing a difference in communities in Jagajaga. For the first time in decades, we are making bulk-billing viable again after it was allowed to languish under those opposite.”
“Today we also reaffirm a simple but powerful truth: terror and hatred will not succeed in dividing us. They will not erode our commitment to community or to the open and inclusive society that we value so deeply. We honour the victims of this attack by remembering them with dignity, with compassion and with deep sorrow and by standing together in the face of great loss. Today we grieve for all of those whose lives should have been longer. We grieve for all those affected. We stand with the Jewish community, and we reaffirm that antisemitism and hatred have no place in our communities.”
“As Australians, we are at our strongest when we stand together, when we look out for one another and when we respond to tragedy not with division or suspicion but with kindness and, through that kindness, with strength and solidarity. In the days following this attack, we've seen flowers being laid. We've seen messages of support and people lining up to give blood donations—quiet acts of kindness and reaching out from strangers to strangers. These moments remind us that, while violence may leave deep scars, it does not have to define us. What does define us is our commitment to one another and to our shared humanity—our commitment to creating a sense of community that every Australian can see themselves in, based on values of respect, inclusion and our responsibility to each other.”
“People are shaken, they are angry and they are grieving, and rightly so. At this moment, it matters that we are clear-eyed, that we stand with the Jewish community and that we don't look away or soften the truth of what has occurred. It is also important that those of us in this place who are given the task of leadership do this with respect for each other and respect for our communities in this place and outside. It is not possible for us to build better communities if our words are motivated not by speaking about the challenges we face and the work we need to do but by attacking and posturing. Australia is a multicultural country, and our foundations of that country must continue to include respect for each other.”
“To all of those people whose lives will never be the same, today we acknowledge that and we grieve for you. I extend our thanks to the first responders: to the police, paramedics, firefighters, nurses, doctors and everyday civilians who acted with courage, professionalism and compassion in the most difficult of circumstances. Their care and their bravery saved lives and provided reassurance in moments of fear and plain terror. At this difficult time, they remind us that our communities are filled with people who value and support each other—not only those who seek to spread hate and terror. This was an antisemitic and deeply hateful attack on our Jewish community, and it has shaken people's sense of safety and belonging. It is confronting, it is unacceptable and it has caused real fear and distress well beyond Bondi.”
“Nothing we say today can end the pain of the Jewish people whose lives were upended by the Bondi terror attack. Nothing we do can bring back the 15 people who were killed, people should have had more—more time, more life, more moments with those who now face the bleakness of a future without them. Those moments were stolen, and they were stolen by people who were driven by hatred and by antisemitism, who designed their act of terror to spread fear and to test our trust and our faith in one another as Australians. That is why our words today matter: we are also saying that we will not allow that to happen. I extend my deepest condolences and those of my community in Melbourne to the families and friends of those killed and who are suffering.”
“I'm really pleased to see how this is playing out in my electorate in north-eastern Melbourne. We have a number of excellent TAFEs and vocational institutions locally that have for many years been playing a vital role in creating opportunity and that I know are feeling reinvigorated by this government's focus on skills and training and by the investments we are making in this.”
“We believe that every Australian, no matter their background or their postcode, deserves the chance to learn, to upskill, to work and to build a better life for themselves and their families. We believe that education should open doors, not close them—that skills and knowledge are the great equalisers of our society. The truth is, as the Prime Minister has said, that, no matter how far TAFE helps you climb or what opportunities it opens for you and your family, the Liberals and Nationals will always look down on the very education that gave you that lift. We do not see it in this way. That is the difference. This opportunity to help people to get these skills, to get the future that they deserve, is what drives and defines our government: helping Australians now while also building for the future.”
“Despite having recently gone to an election where it was wholeheartedly endorsed by my electorate and others, despite the results we see through our TAFE and training sector—where people are getting the skills they need to get good jobs, where we are filling workforce shortages right around our country in key industries—the Leader of the Opposition and her colleagues continue to come into this place, and go out to the community, and oppose Australians getting the skills they want for the jobs we need. I was here in the last parliament when the Leader of the Opposition said: 'It's a key principle and tenet of the Liberal Party: if you don't pay for something, you don't value it.' I want to be very clear. Our government does not see it that way. We believe in opportunity.”
“This bill is all about certainty and integrity, but I also think it's about something broader. It's about the value that our government places on skills and training, and the work we are trying to do to continue to build a robust TAFE and training system that is giving Australians the best possible future and the best possible chance at a good future with the job and the skills they need. We know, on this side, that free TAFE is delivering real opportunity right around the country. It's helping hundreds of thousands of Australians to gain the skills they need while also strengthening our workforce in key industries. That's why I continue to be surprised that those opposite have free TAFE on the chopping block.”
“While this bill deals with the past, it also ensures confidence for the future. Throughout 2025, the department has implemented system updates to mask tax file numbers from providers and automate their secure transfer between the student interface and government systems. This means that from 1 October 2025, providers will no longer handle tax file numbers at all. These are important reforms that strengthen privacy and reduce the administrative burden for training providers while maintaining integrity and accuracy in the loan system. I also want to assure members and students in my community that no students have been adversely affected by the past handling of tax file numbers and that the department has received no complaints relating to this issue since the program began in 2017.”
“During a review of the program, the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations identified this misalignment between the legislation and the technology platforms that manage loan applications and data. This bill ensures that the law will now match what has occurred in practice. It retrospectively authorises the handling of students' tax file numbers by approved VSL providers for the purpose of administering student loans. This retrospective authorisation will apply from 1 January 2017, when the program commenced, until 30 September 2025, when final system updates fully removed the need for providers to handle tax file numbers. Put simply, this bill provides legal certainty that past actions that were taken in good faith to administer student loans were lawful.”
“Income-contingent student loans for vocational education and training students were first introduced under the Rudd Labor government in 2008 under the VET FEE-HELP scheme. That allowed VET providers to handle student tax file numbers, as those identifiers are essential to linking students' loans with their Australian Taxation Office accounts. In 2017, the VET Student Loans program replaced the VET FEE-HELP scheme. It brought in stronger integrity requirements and a new legislative framework: the VET Student Loans Act 2016. However, the new legislation did not explicitly provide a role for VSL providers to handle tax file numbers, even though the IT systems that supported the program continued to operate as they had under the previous framework.”
“The VET Student Loans (Miscellaneous Measures) Bill 2025 addresses a technical but important issue in the administration of our vocational education loan system. It ensures that students, training providers and the government all have the clarity and confidence that they deserve in the operation of the VET Student Loans program. This is a responsible and necessary measure that fixes a problem identified during a review. It provides certainty to the sector, and it strengthens the integrity of a system that supports tens of thousands of Australians to gain new skills and qualifications. Vocational education is a highly valued resource in my community, and much of this important work to upskill workers is happening in north-eastern Melbourne, in my electorate of Jagajaga, thanks to some really important investments from our Labor government.”
“They ignored the warnings of scientists, and they left Australia without a credible plan to safeguard our environment. They stalled renewable investment, cut environmental programs and oversaw worsening biodiversity loss.”
“Will the Greens political party finally join the government and pass these reforms to protect our environment, or will they once again hold out for the perfect and scupper the good? I want to pay tribute to the many groups and individuals who have campaigned hard for these reforms for many years, who have made and continue to make informed contributions. These are the people who understand the importance of getting this done. I just hope that the opposition and the Greens political party do too. This bill builds on the Albanese Labor government's broader agenda to protect and restore Australia's natural environment, and this is an agenda that stands in stark contrast to the inaction and neglect of those opposite. For nearly a decade the Liberals failed to act on climate change.”
“While this bill, the Environment Protection Reform Bill 2025, very clearly demonstrates that the Labor government understands the need to protect our environment and pass these laws, I'm yet to be convinced that those opposite understand it. These are some of the questions on my mind right now: Will the Leader of the Opposition stand up for our environment? Will she demonstrate her party's new-found capacity to listen, to learn the hard lessons and reflect the Australia from which they have become disconnected? Will she listen to Graeme Samuel—who she commissioned to do the report that these laws are based on—to Ken Henry or to the businesses urging her to support reform?”
“This is a landmark piece of legislation that represents the most significant overhaul of Australia's environmental laws in a generation. It is overdue. After our environment was neglected, ignored and left to degrade by those opposite, this is work that Labor attempted in our last term but that we could not get opposition or Greens support for in the Senate. We are now meeting the commitment we made—I certainly made this commitment to many of my constituents prior to the last election—to bring back to the parliament new laws to protect the environment. Our Labor government understands how critical these laws are, for our environment and the precious places and species we must protect and for the certainty needed by business and those looking to make necessary developments.”
“My office in Heidelberg will have information available, and I also encourage people to go to the eSafety Commissioner, a trusted resource, for more information.”
“I also want to acknowledge that there are legitimate concerns from young people, who have come to me and others and said that they use social media well and that they use it to connect. This is not to say that that doesn't happen; it is to say that the vast majority of the evidence shows us that social media platforms have been harmful for young people. What we are saying is: it's not 'no social media forever', but it is 'no social media at this critical stage while you're still developing and you're still forming your brain and your relationships'. I give my commitment to young people in my community that I'll continue to talk to them as we implement this change. Our government have prepared a range of materials to help explain these changes to young people and to schools.”
“We've done it with alcohol and we've done it with tobacco, and now we're doing it with social media. Importantly, under-16s or their parents will not be fined or penalised if they use or allow the use of a platform. The responsibility for this lies on the platforms, as it should. I want to pay tribute to the parents across the country who have campaigned for this change, and I know that they've campaigned because their children have been affected in ways that they absolutely should not have been. This is a tribute to you and your work. As a parent myself, I know that this is an opportunity to have real conversations with our kids about healthy online habits, managing screen time and understanding the pressure social media can bring.”
“Children will still be able to view some public content, but they won't have full accounts and platforms will be held accountable if they don't apply these changes. This is a change that is about safety and responsibility. It's about making sure that we are not taking childhood away from young people, who should be protected. It really comes about because there has been a failure of the social media platforms to do this properly—to take their social responsibility seriously. We have essentially allowed them to conduct a giant social experiment, and at many points they have shown that they did not take social responsibility seriously, and we have seen the consequences of that. It's not unusual for government to step in and regulate if we see an industry that's doing harm to young people.”
“There are some important changes coming up soon as a result of our government's reform to make children safer online. I want to take this opportunity to talk about what these changes mean for parents, guardians and, of course, young people across our community and the country. From December, social media platforms will be required to prevent Australians under 16 from creating or keeping social media accounts. This is something that is of huge interest to many communities, including those in Jagajaga, and I want to take this opportunity to speak directly to parents and young people in our community. Firstly, what is actually changing? Social media platforms will have to ensure under-16s cannot hold accounts.”
“I myself have a disability. To close this post office will be unfair and discriminatory towards the community. Bernadette from Heidelberg West says: The community of Heidelberg West needs this post office. It will be devastating to the businesses in the mall if it closes. Elizabeth from Bellfield said: Very disappointed, this is our closest post office. They have also removed a post-box on Oriel Road a couple of years ago. Nothing in walking distance now. I have also been advocating to Australia Post around the restoration of red post boxes, of which quite a few have disappeared in my electorate. I want to thank Mayor Liz Nealy, Councillor Mary O'Kane, Banyule Council and state member Anthony Carbines, who have joined me in asking Australia Post to reconsider this decision to recognise how important this service is.”
“Planned local infrastructure upgrades, such as the new community pavilion at Shelley Park in Heidelberg Heights, which is being funded by our government, are further strengthening this community. There's investment going in. There are people going in. It does not make sense for Australia Post to be dropping this service that those local people continue to depend on. It runs absolutely counter to the broader commitment to this very important area that I have; that I know my state colleague, Anthony Carbines, the member for Ivanhoe, has; and that I know the local council has. Locals have, as I said, been conveying their disappointment to me. Leanne from Heidelberg Heights shared with me: There are many elderly and disabled residents that utilise this post office. Most are unable to travel further to other post offices.”
“I'm particularly concerned and dismayed by this decision, given that there is currently major investment going into the area of 3081 from all levels of government. The Bell-Bardia housing estate, which is currently being rebuilt with support from both the federal and state Labor governments, sits right outside this area. In fact there will be 104 new homes just on the doorstop of where this post office is being closed. Nearby there are 307 new homes being built on Bell Street in Ivanhoe, and 25 more are planned in nearby Bellfield, funded through our Housing Australia Future Fund. In fact 3081 is one of the fastest growing communities in my electorate, with new families and residents taking advantage of the proximity to the city, of good local shops and of our medical precinct in Heidelberg.”
“I've certainly raised these concerns directly with Australia Post. I have requested that they reconsider their decision, and I've met with them to discuss that and options for the future. I really do urge Australia Post to reconsider their decision to close the Heidelberg West Post Shop. This is an essential service for the local community. It deserves to continue. The community in Heidelberg West deserves to have this essential service. Our local people have been telling me this themselves. My petition calling for the post office to remain open, which I've only had open for a couple of weeks, already has more than 300 people who have signed onto it. There is a real recognition in this community about the value of this local service.”
“It will be difficult for residents who rely on it the most, and they include people who are elderly and people who have challenges with mobility—people for whom it is not an option to go to another, nearby post office. I should point out that the nearest post offices to this one are more than a kilometre away. It is just not an option for those people to get themselves there. For many of these people, it is more than just a post office. It's an essential service that supports their daily life and their business activity. I'm really aware of the crucial role at Australia Post and its post offices play in providing this community service and in providing a service to people with disability, older residents and others who may find it difficult to access services online or in a further away place.”
“I rise to share the concern and disappointment of my community about Australia Post's decision to close the post office at the Bell Street Mall in Heidelberg West. Residents are very worried, rightly so, about how this will affect their daily lives and their access to essential services. I am particularly concerned about the fact that there wasn't consultation from Australia Post before they made this decision, and, of course, I am concerned about the impact this is going to have on the community. This closure will restrict access to important services such as parcel collection, PO boxes and banking—those everyday services that community members expect from their local post office. Its closure will be disruptive.”
“My question is to the Minister for Housing, Minister for Homelessness and Minister for Cities. What is the Albanese Labor government doing to back first home buyers and build more homes? What is standing in the way?”
“I look forward to continuing this important work as the Chair of the Parliamentary Joint Committee on the National Anti-Corruption Commission in this parliament.”
“by leave—I present the following reports of the Parliamentary Joint Committee on the National Anti-Corruption Commission of the 47th Parliament: Examination of the Inspector of the National Anti-Corruption Commission a nnual r eport 2023-24 and Examination of the National Anti-Corruption Commission a nnual r eport 2023-24 . Reports made parliamentary papers in accordance with standing order 39(e). by leave—These two reports from the 47th Parliament represent a significant body of work by the former committee, particularly under the stewardship of the former chair, Senator Karen Grogan. I want to thank the committee for that work. It is a committee that plays an important role in oversight and supporting Australians' confidence in the commission's work.”
“The situation in Gaza has gone beyond even the world's worst fears, and the position of the Australian government is very clear: we must continue to contribute to the global efforts to break the cycle of violence, because every innocent life matters. This war must end and we must have peace.”
“Israel's denial of aid, the killing of civilians, including children, as they seek access to water and food, is indefensible. The Australian government has called on Israel to comply immediately with its obligations under international law. This includes ensuring that the United Nations and NGOs can carry out their life-saving work safely and without obstruction. As the Prime Minister said: … it is a breach of international law to stop food being delivered, which was a decision that Israel made in March … It is also a breach of basic humanity. I hear and I stand with members of my community. We are all devastated as this war continues to take innocent lives.”
“He once said that his life's work wasn't just about finding answers but about having conversations with patients, students and fellow clinicians, rooted in humility and empathy. He said: 'Patients are not just cases; they are people with stories. The privilege of being a doctor is being invited into those stories, sometimes at their most vulnerable point, and trying to help.' I know he is very much missed by the community of Austin Hospital, and our community and our country are grateful for his immense contributions. Vale, Professor Rinaldo Bellomo AO. I continue to be contacted by many people in my community who are deeply distressed by the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza. I share their horror. Gaza is in the grip of a humanitarian catastrophe.”
“I rise to pay tribute to Professor Rinaldo Bellomo AO after his death in May this year. Professor Ronaldo was a director of intensive care research at Austin Health in Heidelberg. He was a giant in Australian and global intensive care medicine—the most published and most cited medical researcher in the history of Australian medicine. Professor Rinaldo arrived in Australia from Italy in 1980, completed his medical degree at Monash University and earned his PhD from the School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine. He became a professor at Monash University, where his passion for research and teaching shaped generations of clinicians and scientists. In 2018, he was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia for his service to intensive care medicine as a biomedical scientist, researcher and systems innovator.”
“Thank you to the AEC, and I look forward to hopefully doing it with them all again. In the meantime, I look forward to delivering for Jagajaga during this campaign.”
“We are really privileged in this country that we have an independent commission that is dedicated to running our elections in a way that is free, fair and transparent, and I know that that work is not always easy. We particularly see this in local campaigns, and we did see in this last local campaign, particularly when it came to prepolling, that the environment can get heated. There can be some very difficult demands put on AEC staff, who are working to deliver a free and fair election. I think that the way the AEC is able to deal with those demands, with the professionalism shown by its staff, is exemplary. We absolutely must make sure that we protect that system and that Australians do feel confident and proud to vote and to participate in our democracy.”
“Of course to my family—to Daniel, Harriet and Gilbert, these campaigns do take a lot and put a toll on families. I could not do it without any of them. It was great to see Harriet, who's now seven years old, take quite an interest in this campaign. She's definitely on team red. She was quite pleased and proud to see her mum's face up around the electorate. I don't think that will be the case if I get the chance to run for election when she is 10 years old, so I also enjoyed having that moment. But a huge thanks goes to them and to my parents, to my brothers and their partners, and the whole family who wrapped around us. Also a final thankyou from me goes to the Australian Electoral Commission.”
“Whether you joined us in the morning at the train stations or you were making phone calls in the evenings, there every day at prepoll or helping behind the scenes, I could not have done this without you. To Judy, Jennie, Garry, Rhonda, Chris, Jason and all our local party leaders and volunteers: thank you for your trust and support. To my state colleagues Anthony Carbines, Colin Brooks and Vicki Ward: it's always such a pleasure to have your support and to work with you on behalf of our communities, and I'm looking forward to standing alongside you in your coming election campaigns. To my wonderful staff—to David, my campaign manager; Simone; Alex; Kate; Ziggy; Izzy, who's here in the chamber; and Carla: you all worked so hard and you delivered for our community, so thank you.”
“To Abdiaziz Farah, Pam Burley and Yusuf Oman: you and your teams are doing the work on the ground in the community, and I thank you for your collaboration—and all of those in the Somali Australian community who are helping us build a more inclusive and connected society. There are a lot of thankyous to make after a campaign, and I want to thank all of the people who made our local campaign possible. In Jagajaga, we ran a grassroots campaign, which was local, positive and progressive, and it focused on what mattered to our community. I'm so grateful to every person who gave their time and energy and for their belief in the work we do. To my incredible volunteers and branch members: thank you.”
“I'm proud to represent one of the largest Somali Australian communities in the country. I was pleased to secure further funding for Himilo Community Connect, which does outstanding work in education, youth leadership and engagement within the community. Supporting community cohesion, interfaith understanding and cultural celebration has been a focus of the great work they are doing. Together with the member for Cooper, I was also proud to support the Darusalam Community Centre, helping to ensure that it remains a safe and welcoming gathering place. Thank you to community leaders Abdallah Ahmed and Ishmael Gabo.”
“We've made free TAFE permanent, because it is essential to skills development and opportunity. In my community, that means that students at Greensborough and the west Heidelberg Melbourne Polytechnic are already benefiting. We are investing in the future workforce though a new national TAFE centre of excellence for housing construction at west Heidelberg Melbourne Polytechnic, which will be fantastic. That's a $50 million investment which will tackle skills shortages, speed up housing delivery and support more sustainable construction, all while creating strong pathways into secure local jobs. It was great to visit that site with Minister Giles and talk with some of the students studying there and also some of the educators about the important work they are doing there. Another great strength of Jagajaga is our diversity.”
“Again, when I talk about those conversations about the future that people had with me during the election campaign, this idea of how we're making sure we do build a country that delivers a better life for our children and their children was one they were talking with me about. So I'm very pleased that one of the first acts of our government in this new session of parliament was to introduce our bill to wipe 20 per cent off all student debt. I've already heard from many people in Jagajaga about what a real difference this has made to them, particularly when it comes to things like getting into the housing market, so that's fantastic. Obviously we have a commitment to not just wiping debt but also helping young people to get the skills and education they need.”
“Across Ivanhoe, Heidelberg, Rosanna and Greensborough, 642 new homes are being built through the HAFF. We have just funded 25 additional homes under the second round of the HAFF, in Bellfield. These are significant investments in Jagajaga and in our communities. Again, I'm really pleased with how our community has embraced this opportunity and seen the need for more housing and particularly more social and affordable housing in our area. It will support women and children leaving family violence. It will support First Nations people. It will mean that key workers can live close to things like the Austin Hospital, so that's going to be really important. I look forward to continuing to see those houses being built and hopefully visiting some of them fairly shortly for an opening. I talked before about intergenerational equality.”