Angie Bell
Moncrieff · Liberal National Party · Australia
“Twice the Prime Minister was directly asked whether he could guarantee that house prices wouldn't tank as a result of his government's housing policies; twice he refused to answer.”
“At the same time, the government's own budget papers show rents are set to rise. Do those opposite realise that cheaper house prices mean nothing when the cost of living makes it impossible to save for a deposit? We already see young Australians locked out of independence, forced to live at home longer as rental stress worsens.”
“Over 2½ thousand people experience homelessness on the Gold Coast on any given night, and the money raised from this event will go directly to supporting those locals getting back on their feet. I want to thank everyone who donated so generously to the CEO Sleepout.”
“Back to the bill in front of us, this is a bill that changes a process, to give more power to a minister—the same minister who had to pay back the debt—and a bill that nobody has asked for. The government has not justified the need for a change in process.”
“Labor is more interested in their bottom line than supporting grassroots sport and the communities—like the communities of everybody in this place—who rely on it. At a time when families are tightening their belts, affordable community sport has never been more important.”
“I want to start by talking about sport, the inspiration that is sport and what it can do for young lives. I was inspired, as the federal member for Moncrieff, just a few weeks ago when I attended the Benowa State School, where there was a boccia tournament for three primary schools across my electorate.”
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“At the same time, the government's own budget papers show rents are set to rise. Do those opposite realise that cheaper house prices mean nothing when the cost of living makes it impossible to save for a deposit? We already see young Australians locked out of independence, forced to live at home longer as rental stress worsens. Australians deserve honesty from this government, not spin.”
“Twice the Prime Minister was directly asked whether he could guarantee that house prices wouldn't tank as a result of his government's housing policies; twice he refused to answer. Australians are entitled to ask why, for it was he who only months ago encouraged thousands of young Australians to enter the market with historically large mortgages. People did what the government told them: bought in, stretched themselves, got a foothold. Now they're exposed to the real risk of negative equity if prices fall further. So my questions are simple: Will the Prime Minister apologise to those Australians who followed government signals in good faith and now carry that risk? Can he guarantee his treasurer's reckless spending won't continue fuelling inflation, pushing interest rates higher again and putting these homes at risk?”
“Over 2½ thousand people experience homelessness on the Gold Coast on any given night, and the money raised from this event will go directly to supporting those locals getting back on their feet. I want to thank everyone who donated so generously to the CEO Sleepout. I want to thank Colin Wheeler, who stepped down this year, for his service, as well as Karen Phillips OAM and the team of ambassadors for all of your efforts for homelessness on the Gold Coast. It's initiatives like these that go to the heart of who we are as Gold Coasters: a community that supports one another, celebrates one another and never hesitates to lend a helping hand when needed. It's a privilege to represent the good people of Moncrieff, and I thank every volunteer, organiser and participant whose efforts continue to make our community stronger and safer.”
“Recently I also joined fellow Gold Coast community leaders at the Vinnies CEO Sleepout at Cbus Super Stadium, the home of the mighty Gold Coast Titans. While spending one night sleeping rough can never truly replicate the experience of homelessness, it served as a powerful reminder of the challenges faced by far too many Australians every single day and in my community. The evening brought together leaders from business, local government and the wider community with a shared goal: raising funds to support the work of the St Vincent de Paul Society and initiatives like the 500 Homes Project, helping Queenslanders move from homelessness into safe and secure housing, including the 60 apartments that we're building in conjunction with the Queensland government at Nerang.”
“While my older body may still be recovering from the yoga mat, it was wonderful to see people of all ages and backgrounds participating in this special day of mindfulness activities and wellness programs, while sharing in the vibrant culture of our local Indian community. Moncrieff is home to people from every corner of the world, and events like this remind us that our diversity is one of our greatest strengths. They provide an opportunity to learn from one another, build friendships across cultures, and celebrate the traditions that enrich our community. I thank Pushpinder and everyone involved for their tireless work in bringing this event together and for the contribution they continue to make to the Gold Coast.”
“The Gold Coast is often recognised for our beautiful beaches and lifestyle, member for McPherson, but if you ask me what truly makes our community so special, it is of course our people. We never miss an opportunity to come together to celebrate and support one another. Recently I had the great privilege of attending the GOPIO Gold Coast community wellness event at the Broadwater Parklands in Southport, organised by founder Pushpinder Oberoi—thanks, Push—and the dedicated team at GOPIO Gold Coast. The event brought together families, community leaders and local organisations to celebrate health, wellbeing and a connection as part of International Yoga Day.”
“As we look to events like the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games, we should be strengthening the connection between young Australians and the dream of representing their country, not weakening it. While this debate is about process and legislative structure, its impacts will be felt far beyond this chamber—in every backyard, on every school oval and by every child who dares to dream of one day wearing the green and gold. Debate adjourned.”
“This is about protecting the integrity of events that inspire Australian children—in fact, children all over the world—to the dream of becoming tomorrow's Olympians, Paralympians and world champions. When the Socceroos represent Australia, they carry with them not just a team but millions of young Australians who see a version of themselves in that green-and-gold jersey. The scarves, jerseys and merchandise worn in schoolyards and living rooms across the country are not just products; they are symbols—symbols of aspiration, of belonging and of national pride for Australia. Every major sporting event we protect is another spark for a young Australian to decide that sport could be their future, and that matters more than any administrative convenience.”
“Back to the bill in front of us, this is a bill that changes a process, to give more power to a minister—the same minister who had to pay back the debt—and a bill that nobody has asked for. The government has not justified the need for a change in process. The coalition indeed supports the protection of indicia and images for major sporting events. This bill aims to change the legislative process by which an international event is recognised to receive these protections. The government has not made a clear case as to why the parliament should lose transparency and concentrate powers into the executive and into the minister of the day. I note that the scrutiny of bills committee will convene tomorrow to consider this bill, and I look forward to their assessment of it. At the end of the day, this is about more than legislation.”
“With the 2032 Olympics fast approaching, the government should be backing the programs that help develop our future Olympians and Paralympians, not putting them at risk. With a government minister who's more focused on justifying using taxpayer dollars to go to a mate's birthday party on a Saturday night in Adelaide and calling it a work meeting, it's only right that we question the transparency of bills that the same minister puts forward. For those birthday party events that the minister tried to justify as a legit use of taxpayer dollars, an independent inquiry found the minister was in breach of the rules. It ordered the minister to pay back the money and issued a fine.”
“Labor is more interested in their bottom line than supporting grassroots sport and the communities—like the communities of everybody in this place—who rely on it. At a time when families are tightening their belts, affordable community sport has never been more important. Families are choosing whether their kids are able to play sport or not at this time while they're having to pay their huge mortgage bills, their huge electricity bills and all of the other bills, like the groceries and the insurance. These programs help millions of Australians stay active, connected and involved in sport, and cutting support for community, school and disability sport programs will hit families and local clubs hard. Instead of backing grassroots sport, Labor is creating more uncertainty for the organisations delivering these vital programs.”
“Mr Perkins said: Mr Perkins warned that the Sporting Schools program alone would see 'close to two million children' participate in free after-school sport this year and that ending the program 'would have an impact on the number of children getting the opportunity to play free sport after school'. He said that this lack of long-term funding certainty 'would limit those organisations' capacity to provide participation based growth programs within their sporting environments'. But, despite these warnings, the Albanese Labor government stripped ongoing funding for these programs, slashing the sporting grants budget from $331 million in 2025-26 to $151 million in 2029-30, a reduction of a massive $182 million.”
“Meanwhile, the very NSO expected to deliver on Australia's ambitions for Brisbane 2032 can't get certainty on their core operating funding six weeks out from expiry. That tells you everything about this government's sports policy priorities. Then, if that wasn't enough, we heard in the recent budget estimates in May this year that Labor cuts put grassroots sport at risk. The Albanese Labor government has dealt a $182 million blow to grassroots sport. Australian Sports Commission CEO and Olympian Kieren Perkins revealed during Senate estimates that the government ignored advice to provide ongoing funding for a group of key sporting programs. Programs facing uncertainty beyond the next 12 months include Sporting Schools, Play Well, Local Para Champions and Local Sporting Champions.”
“While the Albanese government has talked up its major sporting events legacy framework as a centrepiece for its sports policy, the coalition has exposed it for what it really is: a policy document with no dedicated funding pool and no grant guidelines. When pressed on the total budget allocation for the framework in 2025-26, government officials confirm there is none. Instead, approximately $130 million has been handed out on a case-by-case basis with no transparent criteria and no competitive process. What we have is a minister with a chequebook and no rule book. There are no grant guidelines, no published criteria, no competitive processes—just whatever the minister decides. That is not a framework; that is a slush fund.”
“These athletes are being asked to make major career and education decisions with no idea whether their support will continue, and that's simply unacceptable, particularly with Brisbane 2032 on the horizon. Government officials also confirm approximately 60 per cent of cash grants to NSOs come from terminating budget measures, meaning the majority of high-performance funding for Australia's 46 high-performance programs has no certainty beyond 30 June 2026. The United States and China, our competitors, both operate on multiyear funding cycles, giving their athletes and coaches genuine long-term certainty. Yet Australia, as the host nation for 2032, cannot currently guarantee funding beyond the next few months. That's not a runway; it's a cliff.”
“Labor left around 2,000 Australian athletes without certainty about their scholarships and funding with just weeks until the lion's share of national sporting organisations' funding expires on 30 June 2026, which happens to be today. In Senate estimates, the Australian Sports Commission's CEO, Kieren Perkins—a gold medallist—confirmed that 'circa 2,000 athletes' currently receive direct athlete support and have no certainty their scholarships will continue beyond 30 June 2026. He also confirmed that NSOs likely won't know the outcome until the federal budget in the first week of May, leaving just six to seven weeks before the funding runs out.”
“Examples of future major sporting events to be recognised by this act include the 2027 Men's Rugby World Cup, the 2028 cricket world cup and, as I've mentioned, the 2032 Brisbane Olympic and Paralympic Games, which we are so excited to host in South-East Queensland. Whilst we're on the topic of sport, which this bill is about, one needs to be wary of this minister and the government in terms of how they say one thing and appear to support the sport industry and then do something quite different. The Albanese government has a track record of a lack of support for our sports stars, leaving them in the lurch. In February 2026, Labor left 2,000 athletes in the dark with an imminent funding cliff.”
“This is because there are often long lead times from the announcement of an international sporting event—think about Brisbane 2032—to when they are played. Examples of major sporting events that have been legislated under this act previously are the International Cricket Committee T20 World Cup 2020, which was recognised by this act by a legislation amendment in 2019; the International Cricket Committee Men's T20 World Cup 2022, which was recognised by this act by a legislation amendment in 2019; and the Women's World Cup Australia & New Zealand 2023, which was recognised by this act via legislation amendment in 2019. This is already happening.”
“The debate on this bill is actually based on the philosophy of legislating. A key theme of legislating is that all laws should be placed in primary legislation, unless it's critical to do otherwise. The government has not made an argument here as to why it's critical to change the legislation process. However, I wish to thank the minister for the departmental briefing, where I was informed that this legislation change has been initiated by the minister. It has come from the minister, not stakeholders, and there's no time imperative on this change. We've got plenty of time in the run up to major events. It is important to note that there is sufficient lead time for a major sporting event of international significance to be recognised and protected under the current legislation.”
“What's actually changing is whether sporting events will be recognised by a change to the primary legislation, as has been the case since 2014, or by a disallowable instrument. The government claims this bill modernises legislation to recognise a future major sporting event by a disallowable legislative instrument and makes the process more efficient. Although the proposed changes to legislation may create efficiencies, they do so by trading off transparency so that members of parliament only see those decisions once they are law. We only see the words afterwards once the disallowable instrument has been introduced. The debate on this bill is not about whether or not indicia or images should be protected, because that already occurs, and we all agree that, of course, they should be protected.”
“It protects against unauthorised reproduction of indicia and images. It essentially protects against fake merchandising. The act already does this. The protections already exist. The Major Sporting Events (Indicia and Images) Protection Amendment Bill 2026 amends the act by changing the process by which a major sporting event will be recognised, and it does so by proposing that events are recognised by a delegated instrument, moving power from the parliament, from primary legislation, and giving it to the executive, to the minister, into delegated legislation. It's important to note that the laws that provide protection of indicia and images essentially remain unchanged in the proposed new arrangements.”
“In the lead-up to major events like the Commonwealth Games, a World Cup or the Olympic and Paralympic Games, thousands of young Australians are being inspired to dream bigger because they can see a pathway in front of them. I think of the pride in the eyes of families when a child puts on an Australian jersey for the first time. It is a symbol of years of hard work, sacrifice and inspiration. I think about the excitement that builds every time the Socceroos take the field, when children across the country pull on jerseys, wave scarves and believe that maybe one day that could be them. The legislation that we have before us amends the Major Sporting Events (Indicia and Images) Protection Act 2014. The act protects the commercial rights associated with major sporting events in Australia.”
“It inspires a nation, and it inspires our youngest athletes and would-be Paralympians and Olympians alike. Last week in the parliament, I met with young athletes preparing to represent Australia at the Commonwealth Games—a moment they've trained years and years for. They have spent their whole lives training every spare hour, quietly chasing the dream of one day pulling on the green and gold on the world stage. I think of the children right across Australia who are currently lacing up their boots, stringing racquets and stepping onto ovals for the first time, not knowing it yet but beginning a journey that could one day lead them to a World Cup or indeed an Olympic Games perhaps in 2032. The Team Australia uniform means so much more than a piece of clothing.”
“I want to start by talking about sport, the inspiration that is sport and what it can do for young lives. I was inspired, as the federal member for Moncrieff, just a few weeks ago when I attended the Benowa State School, where there was a boccia tournament for three primary schools across my electorate. Benowa, Ashmore and Surfers Paradise came together for a boccia tournament for students living with disability. I can tell you there was hope in their eyes—and in their parents' eyes—when they got to actually participate in something greater than themselves and think about what it would be like to perhaps be a Paralympian at the 2032 Paralympics. There was light in Xavier's eyes and in Florence's eyes when I spoke to them and they told me about the enjoyment they got from participating in sport. That's what it does.”
“Last week our community proudly hosted the Bowls Australia 2026 Australian Open at the Broadbeach bowls club. This event welcomed competitors and visitors from across Australia and from around the world. Thank you to all of the event's sponsors and the City of Gold Coast for supporting this great event. Congratulations to every participant and every winner. I hope you loved your time on the Gold Coast. A very special shout-out to Pierre Westerveld, president of the Broadbeach bowls club, for all the work he and his team did to make this event a great success.”
“These are the people who sponsor our junior sporting teams, support local charities and create local jobs. When small businesses succeed, our entire community succeeds. Last week I had the great honour of sponsoring and attending the Gold Coast Primary Schools Boccia Competition. Participating schools included Surfers Paradise, Benowa and Ashmore. It was fantastic to see students from across our community sharing the court, encouraging one another and giving every match their absolute best. Boccia creates opportunities for children of all abilities to participate, build confidence, form friendships and be part of a team—be part of something much bigger. It was a wonderful reminder of the inclusive spirit that makes our community so special.”
“Insurance is up 39 per cent, energy is up 38 per cent, rents are up 22 per cent and food prices are up 16 per cent. Small-business operating costs continue to rise, while families facing their own cost-of-living pressure simply cannot spend like they once did. With record small-business insolvencies, many local business owners told me they are working longer hours for less reward just to keep the doors open and the lights on. More than 41,000 Australian small businesses have collapsed just in the last four years. But, despite these challenges, what stood out most was the resilience and generosity of our community. I saw neighbours choosing to buy local; families stopping in for a coffee, a loaf of bread or lunch; and business owners who knew their customers by name and are always willing to lend a hand.”
“Over the past two weeks, I've been out meeting with the hardworking small businesses that are the backbone of my local community. I had the pleasure of visiting Hudson and Rosie's Table, Nerang's Highland Park Bakery, Coffee Brothers in Merrimac and Papa Rolly's in Carrara, as well as dozens of other small and family businesses. I also want to thank every small-business owner, worker and customer who took the time to speak with me at Highland Park Shopping Plaza, at Carrara Village, at Nerang Fair and at Benowa Gardens. The message was consistent wherever I went, and that is that these are incredibly tough times for customers and for small businesses alike. After four years of this bad Labor government, Australians are paying more for almost everything.”
“The coalition's position is pretty straightforward on this bill, but, as I said, this Labor government likes to roll some good reform policy in with very, very bad policy. We as a coalition cannot—”
“Master Builders Australia has warned small businesses will be unfairly disadvantaged. Small businesses in my electorate and many electorates around the country will be unfairly disadvantaged. Queensland's deputy premier has described the proposal as a national version of Queensland's former BPIC policy—the so-called CFMEU—there's the word that Labor love—tax! These are serious concerns. They deserve serious scrutiny. There are also provisions establishing a separate high-income threshold for road transport contractors. The government argues that high operating costs justify a special carve-out, but stakeholder views are mixed and the evidence to back it up remains incomplete. Creating industry specific exceptions to longstanding legislative principles should never occur without careful examination. That too deserves proper scrutiny.”
“The Business Council of Australia, the BCA, has warned public money should go to businesses that can deliver, not businesses with the preferred union agreement of this government. Ai Group has warned these provisions risk undermining freedom of association. Currently, in the Fair Work Act 2009, there are specific statutory protections to join or not join industrial associations like unions. This bill exempts the Commonwealth from this, which is why it is so outrageous. Those on the other side are looking at me like I'm a whiny cow or something. Well, I am whining because what this government is doing is completely and utterly out of order. The Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry has called the proposal a structural shift away from best practice contracting.”
“That is precisely why governments should not use procurement policy to create artificial incentives for one particular industrial model. My home state of Queensland provides another warning. Best practice industry conditions sought to embed preferred industrial arrangements into government procurement. The Queensland government concluded the policy contributed to delays and, more importantly, increased costs. Independent Treasury modelling estimated project costs could increase by up to 25 per cent and impose a net economic cost of up to $17 billion. That policy, I'm pleased to say, has now been abolished. Yet this legislation risks the very same inflated taxpayer costs at a Commonwealth level. It is little wonder that industry groups have raised the alarm. The Housing Industry Association has expressed their concern.”
“The Geoffrey Watson SC report into corruption within the Victorian construction branch of the CFMEU painted a deeply troubling picture. We've seen it on the news. It described an enterprise bargaining system that had become, in its words, 'thoroughly corrupted'. It described a system where access to enterprise agreements became a form of market access, where contractors allegedly paid enormous sums simply to obtain agreements where refusing an agreement could drive a legitimate business out of the market. The lesson is not that enterprise agreements are inherently improper. Many operate perfectly well. The lesson is that, when commercial opportunity becomes dependent upon obtaining the right enterprise agreement, the risks of coercion, exclusion and corruption increase significantly.”
“If company A wins a Commonwealth contract and subcontracts work to company B, company B may also be expected to preference businesses operating under union-covered enterprise agreements. The incentive cascades through the entire supply chain. It has the potential to reshape markets, it has the potential to disadvantage perfectly lawful businesses and it risks creating a procurement system based on industrial ideology rather than merit. Commonwealth procurement should always be guided by three principles: (1) value for money, (2) capability and (3) compliance with the law—nothing more. Taxpayer dollars should purchase the best possible outcome for Australian taxpayers, not reward businesses simply because they've signed a particular industrial agreement that the Labor government likes. Recent history demonstrates exactly why this matters.”
“It creates an exemption allowing the Commonwealth to preference businesses whose employees are covered by union covered enterprise agreements. I'll say that again: this bill creates an exemption allowing the Commonwealth—that is, the government—to preference businesses whose employees are covered by union covered enterprise agreements. It permits the government to favour one lawful business over another based solely on the industrial instrument under which it operates—not because it delivers better outcomes, not because it provides better value and not because it has a stronger safety record but because it has the preferred enterprise agreement. This preference does not stop with the primary contractor. The bill extends throughout the Commonwealth contractual arrangement chain.”
“This is what they often do—put something that is acceptable and something that is completely not acceptable all into one bill together. That is why we would like them to split the bill. Hidden amongst those sensible reforms in this bill is a completely different policy agenda. I'll explain. It's an agenda that fundamentally changes Commonwealth procurement. It is this part of the bill we are most concerned about. Currently, the Fair Work Act prevents discrimination against employers based on whether their employees are covered by particular industrial instruments, including enterprise agreements. That principle protects freedom of association. It means businesses compete based on capability, performance and value for money, not whether they have negotiated the government's preferred industrial arrangement. This bill actually changes that.”
“That saves time, that saves money and it avoids scheduling hearings where no practical purpose would be served. Again, this is a sensible modernisation that improves efficiency while preserving procedural fairness. There are also several smaller amendments that are entirely reasonable, and I'll point to those now. There are changes to the National Construction Industry Forum, additional time for the CFMEU administrator to prepare financial statements, travel allowances for members of the Road Transport Advisory Group and streamlined supported bargaining authorisations. These are practical housekeeping measures. None of these provisions are controversial. But, unfortunately, that's not where the bill ends. Australians need to know this about the Labor Party.”
“Where applications are frivolous, vexatious or have no reasonable prospects of success, resources should not be wasted pursuing them indefinitely. This bill allows the commission to dismiss such applications and, in appropriate circumstances, prevent serial applicants from repeatedly lodging substantially similar claims. Importantly, safeguards exist. A full bench must make the order, and the individual must have an opportunity to make submissions. That strikes an appropriate balance between access to justice and protecting the integrity of the system. The fourth reform allows certain matters to be determined on the papers. So, where parties consent and the commission considers a hearing unnecessary, matters can be resolved through written submissions.”
“It reduces unnecessary process without removing anyone's legal rights, and the coalition supports it. The second reform allows limited delegation of procedural functions to senior commission staff. So, rather than requiring commission members to perform purely administrative tasks, appropriately qualified staff will be able to undertake certain procedural functions in unresolved dismissal matters. Again, this is a sensible, efficient measure. It allows commission members to focus on substantive disputes rather than administrative paperwork. The commission itself sought this flexibility, and we on this side support that too. The third reform deals with vexatious litigants. Every tribunal and court must have the ability to protect processes from abuse.”
“But, following the court decision, the commission has often been forced to determine complex legal questions before it can even begin helping the parties to resolve the dispute. Employers can argue there was no dismissal or that the person was never an employee. The commission must then hold hearings and determine those issues before any conciliation can occur. The result is more legal argument, more cost and more delay. The commission estimates around 600 cases each year are now caught up in this process. This bill restores the previous approach. If a person alleges they were dismissed unlawfully, the commission can proceed directly to dispute resolution without first determining every jurisdictional question, and those issues can still be determined later, if necessary. That is a practical reform.”
“The commission has spoken publicly about the growing pressures on its resources and the need for legislative changes to help it operate more efficiently. The president of the commission himself described the workload as becoming unsustainable. So, when practical solutions are proposed, they deserve support, and there are a number of provisions in this bill that we on this side of the House will gladly get behind. The first concerns jurisdictional objections. Until the Coles Supply Chain Pty Ltd v Milford decision, the commission would generally move straight into conciliation or mediation when someone lodged a general protections or unlawful termination application. That made sense. The purpose of the commission at that early stage is to help parties resolve disputes quickly and informally.”
“On one hand, it contains sensible practical reforms requested by the Fair Work Commission itself. On the other hand, it contains significant and controversial changes that would allow the Commonwealth to preference businesses with union-covered enterprise agreements when awarding its contracts and grants. These issues are completely unrelated, so they should be considered separately. It's no secret that Labor and the unions are one and the same, but the government should not be using sensible reforms as a cover to introduce dodgy changes to Commonwealth procurement. The Fair Work Commission has made it abundantly clear that it's facing an unprecedented workload crisis. Applications are projected to increase by more than 70 per cent within just three years.”
“The coalition supports practical reforms that improve the efficiency of our workplace relations system; we support reforms that ensure disputes are resolved quickly; we support reforms that reduce unnecessary bureaucracy; and we support reforms that allow the Fair Work Commission to focus on its core task of resolving workplace disputes fairly and efficiently—because justice delayed is, indeed, justice denied. When an employee has lost their job, they deserve a timely resolution. When a small business is defending a claim, they deserve certainty and an efficient process; there's no doubt. No-one benefits from a system weighed down by unnecessary delay. Unfortunately, this bill asks the parliament to support two completely different agendas wrapped up into one piece of legislation.”
“From those Katie lived with during the Canberra sittings—Birmo, Marise, James and Trent—and from CC and AB to those closest to dear Katie—Malcolm, Monty, Jemima, Arabella and Archie: our thoughts are with you, and may our dearest DK rest in peace forevermore. Vale, Professor Katrina Allen, 24 February 1966 to 29 January 2026.”
“She encouraged women to back themselves, to speak up, to support each other, and to believe that their voices mattered. Many young women— though not just young women— saw in Katie not just a role model, but a pathway. Her funeral at St Paul's Cathedral Melbourne was the most beautiful service I've ever been to, befitting of our Katie, where hundreds of mourners gathered to celebrate her life. Professor Katie Allen was posthumously appointed as an Officer of the Order of Australia, an AO, in the King's Birthday 2026 Honours List. She was recognised for her distinguished service to medical research as a paediatric allergist and gastroenterologist and for her contributions to the Australian parliament as the member for Higgins from 2019 to 2022, and she thoroughly deserved it.”
“She broke barriers in medicine, championed better outcomes for mothers and children, and earned deep respect for her expertise, compassion and integrity. When Katie stepped into politics, she brought with her the same sense of purpose that defined her professional life. She believed deeply in service. Not service for status or recognition, but service grounded in a genuine desire to improve the lives of others. She listened carefully, she worked tirelessly, and she never forgot that behind every policy debate were real people and real families. As a woman in public life, Katie led by example. She showed that strength and kindness were not opposites, that leadership could be both principled and humane, and that conviction need not veer towards cruelty.”
“Tragically, we'll never see that come to be. The intellect, the empathy, the compassion, the drive, the determination, the knowledge and the experience she contributed in every forum she was in was immense. She was an academic and fellow with more than 400 papers published, a researcher, a paediatrician, a scientist, a politician, a wife and a mum. But I will remember Katie as first and foremost my very good friend and confidant. I would just like to read a few words from the former opposition leader and first female Liberal Party leader, Sussan Ley: Katie was a pioneer in every sense of the word. Long before she entered public life, she had already distinguished herself as an outstanding doctor, academic and leader in women's health.”
“And he's waving it about; thank you. It was about the rise of allergies and anaphylaxis in Australia. Through it all, DK was always a positive force. She was full of energy and vitality. She was a thought pioneer and a staunch advocate for what she considered was right. She was never backwards in coming forwards, our DK. Katie was always willing to give her view, her support and her friendship. Even after Katie was not successful at the 2022 and 2025 elections, she would come and see me in my office and start with, 'You're doing so well, AB; I'm so proud of you.' She was always a ray of light, our Katie, leading the way to a better day. She was brave and fierce but kind. DK was a leader cut down way too soon, taken from us at just 59. I always believed that she had what it took to be the Prime Minister.”
“I rise to pay tribute to Katie Allen, my dear friend, former colleague and former member for Higgins, who was taken way too soon from us through aggressive illness. Before I talk about Katie's multitude of achievements as a spectacular human who lived life to the fullest, I simply want to talk about my friend DK, short for Dr Katie. Katie; Celia Hammond, known as CC, the previous member for Curtin; and I came to this place together in 2019, and we formed a very, very special friendship immediately. We went through a whole term of ups and downs together. We endured COVID together. We were indeed in government together. I was on the Standing Committee on Health, Aged Care and Sport with Katie, Trent Zimmerman and Dr Freelander, who's in the chamber, when we worked on the inquiry report Walking the allergy tightrope Katie's speciality.”
“I move: That this House: (1) notes the passing of former Member for Higgins, Dr Katrina 'Katie' Allen, at the age of 59; (2) acknowledges: (a) Dr Allen's distinguished service to the Australian community as a paediatrician, medical researcher, professor, advocate and parliamentarian; (b) her contribution to the House of Representatives from 2019 to 2022, where she served the people of Higgins with integrity, compassion and dedication; (c) the respect she earned across the political spectrum for her decency, intellect, courage and willingness to advocate for her convictions; and (d) her leadership in medical research, particularly in the fields of paediatric allergy and gastroenterology, and her lifelong commitment to improving the health and well-being of Australian children and families; and (3) expresses: (a) its gratitude for her contribution to public life and to the advancement of women in leadership, medicine and politics; and (b) its sincere condolences to her husband Malcolm, their children Monty, Jemima, Arabella and Archie, her granddaughter, her extended family, friends, former colleagues and all those whose lives she touched.”