Steve Georganas
Adelaide · Australian Labor Party · Australia
“It reflects one of our most important national values. Health care should be available to everyone, not just to those who can afford it. Many people prioritise their health and paying their everyday essentials. That is a fact.”
“That means more than 172,000 occasions when individuals and families have been able to receive urgent medical care without needing to attend an emergency department or a public hospital and without needing to face out-of-pocket costs.”
“That is really important because that gives the confidence to those people that I spoke about earlier, those families that are doing it tough that may have previously considered whether they received the health care that they really required and was a necessity or whether they put food on the table.”
“People receive treatment earlier, chronic illnesses are managed more effectively, hospital admissions are reduced and pressure on our emergency departments is eased. Every dollar invested in effective primary care saves costs elsewhere in the system while delivering better health outcomes for Aussies.”
“I too rise to make a contribution, just as the member for Pearce just did, on the Health Insurance Amendment (Incentive Payments and Other Measures) Bill 2026. At its heart is Medicare.”
“In my home state alone, bulk-billing has risen to 80.4 per cent across the state, representing one of the strongest improvements in the country. We heard, the other day, other statistics around the country. They are all increasing, and this is a good thing. It means people are having to fork less out of their pocket when visiting a GP.”
The complete record
Every one of 587 lines we hold for Steve Georganas, in date order, each linked to its source. Free to read, in full, without an account. Page 1 of 12.
“The bill strengthens that principle, strengthens Medicare and ensures that future generations can continue to access the quality, affordable health care that they deserve.”
“It's a promise that quality care should never depend on the size of someone's bank account. This bill strengthens that promise. It strengthens bulk-billing, it strengthens primary care, it strengthens accountability and it strengthens Medicare itself. At a time when Australians are concerned about the cost of living, the government is ensuring that access to a doctor remains affordable. As I said, it's a necessity. A strong Medicare system is one of the greatest expressions of who we are as Australians. It says that health care should never be a privilege reserved for a few but be a right available to every single Australian, regardless of their postcode and regardless of what their income is.”
“That is why this legislation really matters. It's not merely about creating administrative frameworks; it's about changing the system and strengthening the foundations of one of the most important necessities, and that is health care. It's about ensuring incentive programs are transparent, effective, accountable and sustainable. It's also about ensuring Australians continue to receive the health care that they deserve. The bill also includes an important symbolic change. It amends the title of Health Insurance Act 1973 and renames it the Medicare act, a much more appropriate title. That is fitting because, for Australians, Medicare is far more than just a program; it is an institution, and it is a promise—a promise that health care will be there when people need it.”
“That means more than 172,000 occasions when individuals and families have been able to receive urgent medical care without needing to attend an emergency department or a public hospital and without needing to face out-of-pocket costs. This is important for parents whose child develops a fever at odd hours, for workers who suffer minor injuries and for older Australians needing urgent care. These clinics provide peace of mind, they provide convenience and they provide access. Health care is ultimately about people, and behind every statistic is a story—a parent who can afford to take their child to a GP, an older Australian managing their health with confidence, a family avoiding a costly emergency-department visit and a healthcare professional able to focus on treating patients, rather than navigating administrative uncertainty.”
“No matter where you live within the federal electorate of Adelaide, you are no more than 20 minutes away from either a doctor who bulk-bills or a Medicare urgent care clinic. We have four of them: one in Gepps Cross, just on the border of my electorate; one in Norwood; one down in Marion, at the southern end of the electorate; and, in the western suburbs, one in Albert Park, towards Port Adelaide. This means my entire electorate is surrounded by urgent care clinics—north, west, east and south—which is really good for those who require after-hours treatment et cetera. The impact is already clear. Since the network commenced in 2023, South Australian clinics have delivered more than 172,000 fully bulk-billed visits.”
“People receive treatment earlier, chronic illnesses are managed more effectively, hospital admissions are reduced and pressure on our emergency departments is eased. Every dollar invested in effective primary care saves costs elsewhere in the system while delivering better health outcomes for Aussies. The government's commitment to health care extends beyond traditional general practice; it also includes record investments in, as I said earlier, the Medicare urgent care clinics. As we've heard before in this place, the government is investing $1.8 billion over five years with ongoing funding secured into the future to ensure that Australians have access to urgent health care when they need it most. In my home state of South Australia, this provides certainty for a network of nine operational Medicare urgent care clinics.”
“We should be focusing on that and concentrating on that to ensure that what we've seen generally across the country is actually taken to every single town and regional area and suburb of the cities across the country because, as I said, healthcare is so important. The bill before us supports the ongoing operation of the Medicare Bulk Billing Practice Incentive Program itself. This program is helping to create stronger primary care systems by ensuring clinics that commit to bulk-billing their patients are appropriately supported. What the government is saying is: you bulk-bill, and we'll support you. It's an important message to our medical doctors. It reinforces the central role that primary care plays in our healthcare system. When primary care works well, everyone benefits.”
“Around 97 per cent of Australians now live within a 20-minute drive of a bulk-billing practice. That doesn't include the out-of-hours Medicare centres that have been set up all across the country. That really matters because healthcare accessibility should never depend on your postcode, your income or where you live. Whether you live in a major city, a suburban community or a regional area, you deserve access to affordable health care close to home. We're not saying everywhere is exactly the same. There are areas we have to focus on to ensure that they as well get the services that for whatever reason could be lacking in their areas.”
“That is really important because that gives the confidence to those people that I spoke about earlier, those families that are doing it tough that may have previously considered whether they received the health care that they really required and was a necessity or whether they put food on the table. This makes a real difference to those working Australians, people that are doing it tough on low incomes and paying the bills. Together with the tax incentive that they received as of yesterday, this plays a big role as well. That's something I'm very proud of on this side of the House. It also means that practices that once charged some patients are now able to bulk-bill everyone, as I said. It's a remarkable shift from where we were to where we are. It means that Australians are seeing real improvement in access to health care.”
“We mean 100 per cent bulk-billing within their clinic. There are now more than 3,800 Medicare bulk-billing practices operating nationally across the country. What makes this particularly significant is that more than 1,400 of these were previously mixed-billing clinics. What does that mean? It means that sometimes they bulk-billed depending on the patient, and sometimes they didn't. What they're doing now is bulk-billing every single person that walks in that front door into their clinic seeking medical advice, seeking treatment and seeking prescriptions.”
“In my home state alone, bulk-billing has risen to 80.4 per cent across the state, representing one of the strongest improvements in the country. We heard, the other day, other statistics around the country. They are all increasing, and this is a good thing. It means people are having to fork less out of their pocket when visiting a GP. These aren't just the statistics. There are thousands of Australians who are now able to walk into a doctor's clinic to their GP; receive the care they need, the advice that they need and the prescriptions that they need; and walk out knowing that they've not been burdened with that additional cost. The success of these reforms is also evident in the growing number of fully bulk-billed practices across Australia. What do we mean by fully bulk-billing practices across Australia?”
“If you have to be out of pocket every time you visit a doctor, it is a worrying thing. Sometimes that decision could be made where you forgo your healthcare needs for the economics of your family. That is a dangerous position to be in. We want people to be able to access the health care that they require. We know that this 12.5 per cent incentive is working. The last quarterly figures show that the national bulk-billing rate reached 81.9 per cent between January and March this year, an absolute increase. It's going upwards. It's an increase of 4.6 percent compared to the same time last year. Every single state and territory across the nation, across Australia, has experienced an increase in bulk-billing.”
“On 1 November, the government expanded the general practice bulk-billing incentive to all Australians, and, at the same time, practices that bulk-bill all their patients now receive an additional 12.5 per cent incentive payment. That certainly is an incentive. They're saying to GP clinics around the place, 'If your practice bulk-bills its patients, you'll now receive an additional 12.5 per cent on top of the incentive payment.' That's been taken up by clinics around the country. That reform was designed to make it easier for general practices to continue offering that affordable care while ensuring that patients can access treatment without worrying about those out-of-pocket expenses. It was a worry if you had a family and you were working—mum was working, dad was working, the kids were at school.”
“That commitment is not just a slogan; it has been backed by the biggest investment seen in Medicare in this country in the nation's history—an investment of $8.5 billion to strengthen bulk-billing and support the training of more doctors and nurses in our health system. This is absolutely transformational investment—investment that will make a difference. It represents a recognition that strong public health care is not just a cost to be managed but a necessity. It is an investment in healthier people, stronger communities and more, which means we will have a more productive nation. A key part of this investment has been the expansion, as I said earlier, at the beginning of the speech, of bulk-billing incentives and Medicare.”
“That has affected some of the administration and limited the ability to effectively ensure compliance, maintain the integrity and support the full expansion which this bill fixes. It creates a stronger and more transparent framework for administering incentive programs that support GPs, nurses, clinics and the healthcare providers right across Australia. It strengthens accountability, improves program integrity and provides certainty for the future. Importantly, it ensures that financial incentives designed to improve access to health care continue to support those who need them most. That's important. These reforms are part of this government's broader commitment to strengthening Medicare and making health care more affordable and accessible for every single Australian.”
“It reflects one of our most important national values. Health care should be available to everyone, not just to those who can afford it. Many people prioritise their health and paying their everyday essentials. That is a fact. We know that people out there who wish to have private insurance health cover sometimes prioritise it, and it makes them feel safer, more secure and they know that, if it's needed, it's there. This Health Insurance Amendment (Incentive Payments and Other Measures) Bill establishes that clear legislative framework for Commonwealth primary care incentive payment programs, including the Medicare bulk-billing practice incentive program. While these programs have played an important role in our community and an important role in supporting primary care, they've lacked a clear legislative framework—a clear direction.”
“I too rise to make a contribution, just as the member for Pearce just did, on the Health Insurance Amendment (Incentive Payments and Other Measures) Bill 2026. At its heart is Medicare. Medicare is built on a simple but powerful principle that every Australian should be able to access quality health care when they need it regardless of their income, their postcode or their stage of life. It's one of the Australian nation's greatest achievements. For more than four decades, Medicare has been there for Australians during some of life's most significant moments. It's been there for young families welcoming new babies and children into the world, for workers recovering from illnesses, for older Australians managing those chronic illnesses, diseases and conditions and for communities relying on trusted, local GPs and doctors.”
“The reality is that Australians work hard for their money, and we should be doing everything we can to protect them and to ensure that supermarkets are not price gouging and that, when they do, they are punished for it. House adjourned at 20:01”
“All it means is, psychologically, they're ensuring that they are coaching us into buying things that are dearer, and it's just not on. I see it all the time. I keep an eye out for prices and I keep an eye out for their increases and their decreases—which are then sold back to us as specials when they were the normal price. These are unconscionable practices, and they should be stopped. I notice when the so-called sale price looks remarkably similar to the original price. Another one is cracker biscuits. They were on special at, I think, two packets for $2—so $1 dollar each. They upped the price for a period of time to $4. They've dropped it down to about $3 something, on a special, even though a few weeks ago they were $2 for two packets. As I said, we must crack down on these types of practices.”
“I've raised the issue of the anticompetitiveness of the two big retailers in Australia many times over the years that I've been here. In the US they would have been divested and made to break up because, with the US laws, they would not be able to control over 70 per cent of the market. Unfortunately, here we can't do that, but we have put measures in place to make sure that gouging does not take place. I'll give you an example. For years I've purchased a large tin of coffee that can usually cost around $22. It was, just after COVID, around $14. It's now around $22. Occasionally you'll walk into the supermarket and you'll see it for a couple of weeks at $32—maybe for three weeks or maybe even a month. Then all of a sudden you see 'special reduced price—$22'.”
“It's one of the most basic expenses every family faces, so Australians should be able to trust that prices are fair and that companies are acting responsibly. When they are upping their prices, they should be justified, and that is why these reforms matter. They're part of a broad crackdown on anticompetitive behaviour across the food and grocery sector, in supermarkets, and they send a clear message that consumers must come first. Importantly, price gouging is, as of today, as I said, now illegal. Businesses should be competing on service, quality and value, not exploiting circumstances to increase profits at the expense of hardworking Australians. This is an issue that I take particular interest in because it is something that every Australian experiences.”
“Yet, week after week, many Australians have found that their grocery bills just keep rising while the amount in their trolley stays the same. That frustration is real, especially here in Australia, where the two biggest supermarkets, Coles and Woolworths, control about 70 per cent of everything in the retail sector; that's 70 per cent when you add the other businesses that they own, such as the liquor stores, petrol stations et cetera. It would be a very powerful conglomerate if these two got together and basically discussed what the prices should be. That's why this government is really looking at this in a serious way. It's felt in households right across Australia. Weekly grocery shopping is not a luxury; it's a necessity.”
“Today marks an important step for Australian consumers. Starting today, 1 July, we are banning supermarket price gouging, with new laws coming into effect to protect everyday shoppers from excessive pricing practices and unfair behaviour in the supermarket sector. These reforms are about one thing: fairness. It's about fairness for families trying to make ends meet, fairness for pensioners watching every dollar and fairness for Australians, who should not be punished when they walk through the supermarket doors and when they're at the check-out. For too long, Australians have felt the impact of rising groceries, and we have to do everything that we can as a government to ensure that price rises are justified. Families work very hard. They are budgeting carefully and they're making sacrifices.”
“My question is to the Assistant Treasurer and Minister for Financial Services. What steps is the Albanese Labor government taking to deliver real change and help Australians deal with the rising cost-of-living pressures at the supermarket checkout?”
“A nation that delivers sporting events with integrity, excellence and a vision for the future—that's what this bill is all about”
“It strengthens the integrity of the events that we host, it protects the consumers, it supports the investment and it ensures that Australia remains one of the world's most attractive destinations for major international sporting events. We just have to get the Mondial World Cup here at some stage in the future, and I'm sure that will happen in the future—maybe not in my time, but it'll be wonderful to host the soccer World Cup, or football World Cup, here. When the world turns its attention to Australia, we want it to see a nation that's confident, capable, innovative and ready to seize every opportunity. So the bill is about more than protecting logos and trademarks; it's about protecting Australia's reputation, safeguarding the economic benefits and ensuring that future generations inherit a legacy of opportunity, pride and success.”
“As I said, they're going to offer Australia the chance to welcome the world, to demonstrate our hospitality and sporting excellence and to leave a legacy that will be felt long after the medals and awards have been presented and the crowds have gone home. But the legacy depends on trust. It depends on ensuring that those who invest have those rights that they have agreed to and that those people who are purchasing products know that they are genuine products. Trust from the sponsors and investors for their contributions will be protected with this bill, as will trust from everyday Australians that, when they attend, participate in or support these events, they'll be treated fairly and protected from misleading and deceptive conduct. That is exactly what this legislation delivers.”
“This legislation ensures that those memories are built on trust, integrity and fairness, protecting consumers, supporting those that invest and helping Australia continue to host the world's greatest sporting moments. The successes of events like, as I said, Gather Round in South Australia and LIV Golf have shown what happens when Australia gets it right. We see in my electorate that, when these events are being held, the pubs are absolutely filled. At local restaurants, cafes and other businesses, there are jobs that are created, and communities come together in a celebration that extends far beyond the sporting arena. We see people inspired and local economies strengthened, and our cities are showcased to the world. The Rugby World Cup and the Olympic and Paralympic Games present an even greater opportunity.”
“At the same time, we want to ensure that the merchandise that's being sold, the tickets that are being sold and the people associating themselves with a particular event like that are the genuine thing so that the experiences that we all get become the real thing as well. Another great event that's going to be hosted in 2027, the Rugby World Cup—and, of course, the Brisbane 2032 Olympics—is an even greater opportunity for investment and for kids to see their heroes and to be able to participate. These events will remain with them forever and a day. It's also an opportunity to showcase Australia to the world, to inspire future generations and to strengthen our economy and our communities for years to come. Major sporting events leave memories that last a lifetime.”
“Ultimately, the bill reflects a broader vision of Australia as a confident host nation, a nation that welcomes the world, a nation that embraces opportunity and a nation that understands that major sporting events are about far more than just the competition. They're about community. They're about economic growth. They're about participation. They are also about creating memories that last a lifetime and legacies that endure for generations. On that point, I'm thinking of the number of Australians who are over in the US, Canada and Mexico and the memories that will remain with them forever. Imagine, if we were hosting the World Cup here, how wonderful and magnificent it would be for kids who see our Socceroos as their heroes.”
“As an Aussie, you should be able to purchase your ticket to a world event being held here in Australia, your merchandise, your travel packages and your event experiences with confidence, knowing that the products you're receiving are exactly what you've paid for and that you're dealing with legitimate providers who are offering these products. This reform will also help prevent consumers from being misled by businesses falsely claiming an association with an event. It'll help protect families from spending their hard-earned money on products or experiences that are not the genuine thing. It will ensure that the official partners whose investment makes these events possible receive the protection that they deserve, because, after all, they're the ones that have invested for us to be able to host whatever particular world event it is.”
“At the same time, the legislation strikes an appropriate balance. It includes clear statutory criteria before protections can be declared. It maintains parliamentary oversight. It contains safeguards to ensure legitimate activities and users remain protected. This is a sensible framework that promotes accountability, transparency and confidence, as I said earlier. As Australia prepares to host some of the biggest events in the world, it's also important that we protect the Australian consumer. Major events generate excitement and enthusiasm, but, unfortunately, they can also attract misleading conduct and scams. We have seen many scams that revolved around sporting events in the past.”
“It also protects sponsors and commercial partners from ambush marketing, where organisations attempt to gain commercial benefit from an event without actually making those investments, whether they be in sponsorship, advertising et cetera. We want to make sure that those people who do sponsor these major events, who give us the opportunity to host these events here in Australia, have absolute security and that their investment—their products and, commercially, their brands—are protected. Those who contribute to the success of major events deserve confidence that their investment cannot be undermined by those seeking to profit from an association that they have not earned by having supported, sponsored, put money in et cetera. It's very important to protect the sponsors, as that then protects the integrity of the events themselves.”
“Rather than requiring governments to return to parliament and amend legislation every time Australia secures a major event, this bill establishes a modern, flexible, rules based framework that can be adopted to support future events. It's a practical reform but an important one. It reduces the unnecessary legislative duplication while providing certainty for event organisers, investors, sponsors and the broader sporting community. Most importantly, it ensures that Australia can continue to meet its obligations when hosting significant international events. The bill will enable protections to be applied to events like the Rugby World Cup 2027, for example, and, of course, the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.”
“If they're putting millions of dollars into a particular world-class event that's being held in Australia, they also want to know that their brands and products will be protected and that commercial partnerships will be absolutely guaranteed, respected and protected. Without those protections, the value of sponsorship diminishes and, when sponsorship is undermined, the ability to secure and successfully deliver these major sporting events or world events becomes more difficult. That's why this legislation is so important. The bill before the House, the Major Sporting Events (Indicia and Images) Protection Amendment Bill 2026, modernises the Major Sporting Events (Indicia and Images) Protection Act. It does so to ensure that it remains fit for purpose in a rapidly changing environment.”
“It requires confidence from the event owners, the investors and the sponsors and commercial partners, whose contributions are absolutely essential in delivering these events. So a critical part of securing and successfully hosting these international sporting events is ensuring that our event owners and their partners can protect their intellectual property rights. Major events rely heavily on sponsorship and commercial investment. Businesses commit significant resources because they know their brands, trademarks and commercial partnerships will be respected and protected. They need that security and that guarantee.”
“We have the Rugby World Cup in 2027, and the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games will place our nation firmly on the global stage. They'll attract millions of viewers, thousands of athletes and countless visitors from every corner of the world. These events represent an unparalleled opportunity to strengthen Australia's international reputation, generate economic activity, as I said, create jobs and inspire Australians to participate in their sports. But hosting events of the scale and magnitude of the Olympics and the Rugby World Cup requires more than world-class venues and passionate supporters. Yes, the world-class venues help and the passionate supporters help, but it requires confidence.”
“For the first time anywhere in the world it will be on a street track. All these events have generated enormous economic activity. They've filled hotels, supported small businesses, attracted interstate and international visitors and showcased South Australia to audiences around the world. Beyond the economic benefits, they've created an atmosphere of excitement and national and civic pride. They bring communities together and inspire people. Those events in Adelaide that I've seen firsthand have reinforced Adelaide's reputation as a destination capable of delivering major international events. These are the kinds of opportunities that major sporting events create. The opportunity before Australia over the coming decades is extraordinary.”
“You only have to look at, for example, in South Australia the Gather Round and how the entire nation converges for one weekend on Adelaide and the excitement from the fans, the atmosphere in Adelaide at the restaurants and cafes. Everywhere, there's excitement. They're wonderful events. I've seen it firsthand in South Australia. I've seen in my own home state and in the city that I represent, Adelaide, the incredible impact that these events can have. I've seen the success, as I said, of the Gather Round, LIV Golf and the Tour Down Under in Adelaide. These are just some events that demonstrate what is possible when world-class sporting events are brought to local communities. As I said, I'm looking forward to next year and the MotoGP, which will be in Adelaide for the first time.”
“Whether it's a packed stadium as a young child seeing their sporting heroes for the first time or communities proudly welcoming visitors from across the globe, these events have a legacy that extends far beyond the final whistle. Their significance extends far beyond sport itself. Major sporting events are about more than just the actual sport itself. They are a very powerful driver of economic growth, tourism, employment and international engagement—soft diplomacy. They attract investment. They strengthen local businesses. They showcase our cities and regions. They encourage participation in sport across every corner of our community.”
“The major sporting events here in Australia are woven into the fabric of our Australian identity whether it be the AFL that we all love, tennis, cricket, the wonderful round ball football that we're watching Australia compete in or whether it be motor motorcycle events like the MotoGP, which is currently held in Melbourne but will be held in Adelaide in 2027. It will be a magnificent event with it being the first time on a street circuit, so we're really looking forward to it. All these events inspire our nation and create lifelong memories. When we host these event, they showcase the very best of our Australian teams, our Australian participants, to the world.”
“The bill before the House, the Combatting Illicit Tobacco Bill 2026, is a necessary and decisive response to a growing threat to Australia's public health, community safety and economic integrity. We're talking about the illicit tobacco trade. Speaking from experience, having been a nicotine addict on and off for many, many years in my life—I'm pretty clean at the moment and haven't touched a cigarette for well over four years—”
“This is not how we should honour the contribution of older Australians who've worked every day of their lives and just want to do the right thing by their families and their children. Many older Australians would be in this very same predicament. When we dug around, we found many, many policies just like this, where people have been sold this package that basically does not make sense as you get older, because, if you're on a pension, you just cannot afford to pay this, and they know that. They know that people will stop paying and it's all over and they won't lose a single cent but will just make lots of dollars out of older people.”
“We've written to the Assistant Treasurer and it's been referred to AFCA. Recently there was an article in the Adelaide Sunday Mail about another elderly couple in their 90s. It was a similar sort of thing where the premiums had increased, and it's a straight-out insurance product. In other words, you pay, with the premium increasing every year, and if you don't pay, it just stops. There are other products that could have been sold to these people which mean that the premium remains the same or that, as money is accumulated in a particular account, the premium goes down. But, no, they were sold this policy that took every single cent from them and increased every year. I'm going to write to the minister again to see what legislation we can put in place to protect people like Mr and Mrs Athanasiou.”
“That small amount that they were paying at the beginning started to increase by five per cent every single year. Now, in their late 80s, they are paying $93 a fortnight from a very meagre income, supplemented with the pension—something they just cannot afford. When they reached out for help with this particular company, after years of loyalty, they were told something devastating: if they stop paying, their policy would be cancelled and they would lose every single dollar that they'd already contributed. Imagine that—doing the right thing, starting off with a policy that was a very small amount of money that increased by five per cent every year. This is not the only case that I've seen in my office. We've seen many cases like this and it is an unscrupulous, disgraceful way of taking money from older people.”
“I rise today to speak about a very sad story in my electorate of a particular couple, Mr and Mrs Athanasiou, an elderly Australian couple who came to my electorate with a dreadful story of their funeral insurance. They're a hardworking couple who worked all their lives on a very meagre income. They took out a policy many years ago, which was a fairly reasonably priced policy, to cover their insurance costs when they pass away. Like so many Australians, they wanted to spare their children the burden and the financial stress that follows the loss of a loved one, so years ago they made the responsible choice to take out funeral insurance. They paid their premiums faithfully, fortnight after fortnight, believing that they were doing the right thing for their family. But over time things changed.”
“This is exactly what AUKUS is doing. It covers two areas, plus the research and development and the cutting-edge technology that will go into the future for many years to come.”
“It could be, as we've seen in past history with different governments, the other way around, where you've got thousands out of work. This is a pretty good problem to have. Those who are not supporting it or who are perhaps having a go at AUKUS should have a good think about where this is taking us as a nation in terms of our defence, security, economic capabilities and the creation of jobs, which are so important to Australia and also for the strategic partnership with the United States and the UK in terms of defending our nation. When you look at governments, what are we here for? No. 1, to provide security to the nation, to make the Australian public feel that they are secure at a time of need, when we're under threat; and No. 2, to keep an economy going with jobs for people to put bread and butter on the table.”
“Many said that we couldn't build assembly lines in the thirties and forties, when General Motors was being developed. They're the same arguments we're having now. Yet automobile production produced a great economy for South Australia for 70, 80 years. AUKUS and shipbuilding and submarine building in South Australia will continue to give jobs to South Australians for generations to come. It will ensure that they're not just plain jobs but cutting-edge jobs, with training, technology and a whole range of other things that go with it. One of our biggest problems will be finding workers. There are estimates that up to 20,000 will be required for the AUKUS build itself, plus the manufacturing that will be feeding into it. That's a pretty good problem to have if you're a government, I reckon.”
“Most importantly, there's the strategic defence of our nation. It will strengthen the bilateral relationships and defence relationships with the United States and the UK, ensuring that we are protecting our nation and that the security of this nation is top-notch. When I think of AUKUS, I think of the cutting-edge technology, research and development and the creation of jobs. There will be thousands of people working in the shipbuilding industry, whether it be submarines or manufacturing industries. That will feed into submarine production. We're talking generation after generation after generation of decent paid jobs for working Australians to continue that proud history of manufacturing in South Australia that we once had. Back then, it was car manufacturing.”