Anika Wells
Lilley · Australian Labor Party · Australia
“Eight years ago, this parliament came together in a bipartisan effort to ban what was then the primary form of foreign lottery operations in our market: lottery betting services.”
“It will be up to online platforms to implement these restrictions, and, if they choose not to, then the rules are clear: they can't show gambling ads at any time, to anyone. Sport ban The government is determined to act on the nexus that has formed between our love of the game and the push to gamble.”
“I move: That this bill be now read a second time. The recent statutory review of BetStop the National Self-Exclusion Register, tabled in February 2026, found only one in four people are aware that BetStop exists. And among people who placed a bet in the last 12 months, it was still only one in three.”
“But this critical service can be even stronger and more effective. The world is changing rapidly, and gambling companies are taking advantage of this.”
“Placing an obligation on digital services, including search engines and app providers, to block access and advertising to illegal gambling services online. 4.”
“I move: That the bill be now read a second time. Introduction This bill will introduce a meaningful and impactful suite of reforms to protect Australians, particularly children and young people, from gambling harms.”
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“I rise today to wholeheartedly support this important bill. The Free TAFE Bill locks in fee-free TAFE as an enduring feature of Australia's vocational education and training system. The Albanese government is guided by a simple principle: no-one held back, no-one left behind. Whether you're a student in Nundah, a tradie in Boondall or a parent in Stafford, you deserve the opportunity to build a good life for yourself and your family. Labor believes that opening the door to these opportunities starts with education. Education is the most powerful tool we have to overcome disadvantage or retrain for a better paid, more secure job. It is the best investment we can deliver to build a future made in Australia.”
“When we say we're putting our money where our mouth is, we mean we are delivering on a $15 billion pay rise promise for aged-care workers to improve their lives and the lives of those they care for. When those opposite say they're putting their money where their mouth is, they mean a $10 billion plan for you to shout the bosses' lunch.”
“And, when we decided to expand fee-free TAFE so that aged-care workers could upskill without digging into their household budgets, the coalition called that 'wasteful spending'. So, if pay rises, tax cuts and affordable higher education aren't the coalition's priorities, I—and, frankly, the people I represent—wonder what is, and I've been keeping an ear out. Imagine my surprise when I recently heard the opposition make a billion-dollar promise using the exact same words—they would put their money where their mouth is. We know where that money and where those mouths are going to end up: at a waterfront restaurant at about 11.59 am on a Friday—a $10 billion plan for some sparkling mineral water, a medium-rare steak and some heretofore unspecified entertainment.”
“After almost 10 years of low and stagnant wages, the car park of her workplace looked terrible. People had basically unroadworthy cars; no-one could afford to fix them. But, with pay rises like this, people have been able to get their cars fixed or even get more reliable cars, and that is a good thing. I was asked how the government's support for aged-care workers compares with other approaches that would leave people worse off. I can tell the member for Lingiari that the coalition have never supported a pay rise for people like Rachel. In 2019, when the now Prime Minister stood with aged-care workers to back their pay rise, the coalition railed that a dollar-an-hour increase would destroy the economy. And, when we proposed to deliver Labor's tax cut for aged-care workers, the coalition's impulse was to call for a snap election over it.”
“I thank the member for Lingiari for her question and for her efforts to lift the standard of aged care in this country. Before the last election, we promised more nurses who would be better paid in order to better care for those who need it most in this country. We said, if elected, a Labor government would put our money where our mouth is, and we've done exactly that with $15 billion for increases to aged-care workers' pay. Under the Albanese government, registered nurses are now taking home an additional $196 a week, or more than $10,000 a year, and personal care workers are now taking home an additional $141 a week, or $7,300 a year. Rachel, who's a Northside home-care worker who came to visit me at my mobile office in Zillmere, told me that that is having a transformative impact on workers like herself.”