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.”
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“We're told to accept people for who they are, to respect diversity and individuality, yet here we are asking Australians to disclose personal details that have absolutely no relevance to their tax obligations. This is not a census. This is a tax return. It's not the census that we do every few years, where we want to know lots of details. It is a tax return form. Its purpose is to calculate income and ensure compliance with tax law, not to collect unnecessary demographic data. So I ask again: what does the gender of a spouse have to do with claiming one's taxed income? As I said, we live in a society overflowing with information. Every click, every form and every interaction leaves a digital footprint. With that comes a responsibility—a responsibility to ask only what is necessary and nothing more.”
“He started to wonder why this question is asked when, both earlier and later in the form, it asks for your spouse's date of birth, first name and surname—therefore having all the details. One has to ask: Why? Why is this question in there? Why does the ATO need to know the gender of your spouse? What purpose does this serve? Does it affect the amount of tax you pay? Does one receive a benefit for being in a heterosexual relationship? Does one receive a benefit for being in a same-sex relationship? Or is there a penalty for being in either one of those relationships? Of course not—so why is this question there? Why is this question there? That's what this constituent is asking. This issue, as I said, was raised by a constituent in Adelaide, who wrote to me with genuine concern, and I couldn't agree more with their questions.”
“We live in an era where information flows faster than ever before. Protecting what little privacy we have left is so important. Every day we're asked to share more and more of our personal details, which often go far beyond what's necessary. Every year, Australians do the right thing. They fill out and return their tax forms, abiding by the law and contributing to the system that supports our nation. As a government, we have a responsibility to do the right thing by them, to respect their privacy and to protect their personal information. Recently, a constituent of mine contacted me to discuss something that caught his attention: on page eight of the tax return for individuals in 2025, there is a question asking applicants to specify their spouse's gender. The options are male, female or intermediate.”
“It's an outing, it's a great opportunity to talk to people and to meet people, and I see firsthand the hard work of those publicans, who play an important role in our economy, in employing people and in just having a community—like a community centre—there for everyone. At the same time, we want them to flourish and we want their businesses to flourish.”
“They are the best place to actually gauge what the views are of the public out there. They are places to catch up with your friends, mates, to have a beer, to go to weekly trivia nights, and to celebrate local sporting teams after a game. They bring people together. They connect Australians. In Adelaide, we're spoiled for choice with such amazing venues. I've mentioned some of them. There are others: Exeter Hotel, the British Hotel, the Strathmore, Cumberland Arms Hotel—great pubs. Currently, I frequent the Arab Steed in my neighbourhood occasionally, as I said, on a Saturday afternoon if I don't have anything on, which is very rare. We may go there with my wife and have lunch and a bit of a flutter on the TAB.”
“Therefore, this bill is very important in supporting the pubs and hospitality industry. The draft beer excise freeze may seem modest but it helps where it matters most—that is, small and local businesses. As I said, I regularly meet with local traders. Many publicans I speak to tell me that the cost-of-living crisis is hurting their business. This freeze will help to alleviate input costs, giving them better stability and certainty, not only helping them keep the doors open but also helping them plan ahead. The hospitality sector is not just for employment; it represents something bigger. Many of us in our speeches here have tried to explain that bars, pubs and other venues are the heart of local communities. I am sure every member of parliament here speaks to people in pubs.”
“Over many elections, we had election night events in the Hilton Hotel. For those of you hearing 'Hilton Hotel', it is not the Conrad Hilton; this is a Hilton Hotel, named after the suburb called Hilton in a very working-class area of Adelaide. These pubs are community pubs. Up the road, the Royal Hotel, which was run by Peter Hurley, again, is a great community pub that supports soccer clubs, football clubs, the local dart club and a whole range of other groups that meet there—from Lions Clubs to different community groups. They play an important role, they are a community centre and people gravitate to them. If you are on your own, for example, it is a great place to go and talk to people. They not only provide a wonderful service but, more importantly, they employ so many thousands of people.”
“This bill, as I said, acts as a buffer against financial pressure, helping businesses to stay open and keeping young workers employed. I already gave the numbers in my electorate. Around Australia, there are thousands and thousands of young students employed in the pub industry, working part-time, helping to support their studies. This will be a help to them. They will also get their student debt cut this week as well, so it will be a double help for lots of uni students. The hospitality sector in Adelaide is more than an industry; it is a key connection to our identity. I mentioned some of those iconic pubs in my electorate. The Hilton Hotel that I used to visit quite regularly was a pub where the local Lions Club would meet, the local football club would meet and even our branch of the Labor Party would meet in there on a regular basis.”
“Across South Australia alone—in my state—about 60,000 people are employed in accommodation and food services, as bar staff and in hospitality. In my electorate of Adelaide alone, the sector employs 4,461 males and 4,250 females. The hospitality industry has a large proportion of young workers—especially representing a seat with the CBD in the middle of it. Many of them are uni students and part-time workers, with 2,593 workers between the ages of 25 and 34 years old. Many of these workers are employed part time or gaining experience, often without— ( Q uorum formed) I will kick off where I left off—praising the wonderful workers, the employees, who are dedicated, who are pouring beers, cooking meals and serving guests.”
“I agree with David Basheer and others who have been calling for this—the other publicans and hotel owners in the industry. We must do all that we can. Rising excise rates through biannual indexation, business costs and cost-of-living impacts have been reported by industry and the media as putting pressure on the survival of businesses in the alcohol industry. This measure supports around 10,000 hospitality venues across Australia—pubs, bars, taverns and clubs—about 75 per cent of which are small businesses. This freeze will provide crucial breathing space for small hospitality businesses. Not only does this support the venues; it protects the thousands of those hardworking Australians that the pubs employ.”
“Industry stakeholders like some of the ones I mentioned earlier have all spoken to me about the excise tax, but they've previously made calls for support and focused on changes to alcohol excise and taxation arrangements. The AHA of South Australia—David Basheer is the president and also the owner of the Strathmore Hotel and other hotels in my electorate—has said: This freeze is a win for socialising, your local and most importantly jobs, at a time when cost-of-living is impacting everyone. That was the AHA of South Australia. The national CEO said: This is a win for the millions of men and women who like to go down to their local and have a beer. It's a win for common-sense in the middle of a cost-of-living crisis—every little bit makes a difference.”
“This bill, therefore, is a great bill that will relieve some of that pressure. This will help the workers that work in pubs, whether they're in kitchens as a kitchenhand, cook or chef, are the cleaners of pubs or are bar staff. This will help all people connected to bars and pubs around the nation. As I said, this automatic, twice-yearly increase to duty rates on draught beer every February and August has been a cause of frustration for many years for publicans in hospitality venues and patrons alike, because the end result is the patron pays more. It's something the AHA has been advancing for many years. This has compounded cost for venues and added stress.”
“We have many, many pubs in my electorate—I could name thousands of them—but one that stands out is the Wheatsheaf Hotel in Thebarton, which is run by Jade Flavell. It's known for its significant role in developing the Wheatsheaf's reputation as one of the premier craft beer venues in South Australia. They run a great show down there, with live bands. There are no pokies; they made a decision not to have pokies. This pub was run by the Brown family—Bob Brown and his wife—for many, many years. I used to go to school with Wayne Brown, their son, and many were the days where, when we were kids, we'd be running up and down the stairs of the Wheatsheaf Hotel. These are real, iconic institutions in the electorate of Adelaide. These are pubs that have been run by families for years and years.”
“That was my first interaction—and occasionally I'd get a nice tip from someone who'd perhaps had a beer too many! There is Peter Hurley, of the Hotel Royal and the Arkaba Hotel. They are great businesses that, through hard work, have become successful businesses and community pubs. In my own neighbourhood is the Arab Steed, which I still frequent occasionally on Saturdays; I have a bit of a flutter if I've got nothing to do on a Saturday afternoon, which is very rare. I see the hard work that Shayne White and Jill White put into running the Arab Steed. They've been long-term owners of that pub. It feels like a real family when you walk into that front bar. There are the regulars, the publicans and people that know each other and are friendly.”
“Bob was affectionately known as 'Bob the Hat' because he always wore a hat. He passed away a number of years ago but his son James has taken over the business. We talk regularly, when I'm down there with James, about the industry and how hard it is, and the long hours they put into running a successful pub. The Hilton hotel today has changed completely from the Hilton of many years ago. In fact, it was my first encounter with a pub. As a young schoolboy, I used to sell newspapers outside ETSA, the Electricity Trust of South Australia, which was right opposite the Hilton hotel. The workers would finish at 4 pm and come out. I would sell the papers, and then, with whatever was left, I'd walk into the Hilton hotel, into the front bar and the saloon, and get rid of the rest of the papers.”
“I've been a frequent customer in many of them in my electorate because I enjoy them. I feel like it is part of our culture. I enjoy the conversations and I enjoy meeting people. For members of parliament, it is the best place to hear what people have got to say and what the realities of this world are. When you think of pubs, you also think of the hard work that goes into running a pub. You look at publicans, and a lot of pubs are still run by families, especially in my electorate. I give a shout-out to some of those pubs, and to the Franzon family at the Hilton hotel—and I'm not talking about the Conrad Hiltons and the five-star Hiltons; I'm talking about the workers of the Hilton in the suburb of Hilton in my electorate, run by James Franzon. It was run by his father, Bob Franzon, for many years.”
“It gives me great pleasure to speak on the Excise Tariff Amendment (Draught Beer) Bill 2025 and the associated bill. These bills will help pubs, clubs and breweries across our country, across our electorates and across our states, and will deliver a simple, long-overdue measure—that is, pausing the indexation on draught beer excise and excise equivalent customs duty rates for two years. This will be a real relief. This will be a real-money-in-people's-pockets policy. I'm very pleased to be speaking on these bills and supporting them. With bills like these, we are supporting the great pubs, clubs, sporting clubs et cetera of our nation. Think of your iconic pub. There is nothing more Australiana than a local pub, than being in the front bar with people and talking to them. I've campaigned in plenty of pubs over the years, believe me.”
“Ms Vlahos did intense research to the point where she actually did comparisons of other nations where there have been mass migration influxes, like Canada and the US. One thing that we have got to report that is very positive is that Australia, in maintaining its Greek language, is doing far better than Canada, the US and many other places. That was something positive in the report. There are also differences in the United States. Greek migration has been going since the 1800s, so that loss of connectivity is far greater than it is here. I'm very proud of Dimity. Those of you that have not had an intern in your office, please do so. It's a great experience for both yourself and the student.”
“It'll assist us in our economy, in our partnerships with other nations et cetera. A loss of language fluency, as I said, is equivalent to a loss of human capital. The research paper also outlines how multilingualism increases social cohesion in our community through giving individuals a stronger sense of identity and belonging. Now more than ever, we need to support connection between all Australians. This paper, here in this parliament, through this ANU intern program, as the first of its kind, provides a comprehensive overview of the current state of the Greek language in Australia. It is extended by evidence based solutions to revitalise the Greek language and support all languages in our multicultural society.”
“Currently, there's inconsistency in the language education system between states and different jurisdictions, and this has led to barriers not only for modern Greek but for all languages. As a proud multicultural nation, we need to better embrace and support our diverse languages. The report and research paper that Ms Vlahos has done shows the immense value of multilingualism. When I speak to other communities in my electorate, like the Italian community, they're all facing the same issue: the loss of their mother tongue in the second, third and fourth generations. Monolingualism is an economic disadvantage in both international and domestic markets. A loss of language fluency is equivalent to a loss of human capital. It's something that we have. We should cherish it and support it. That will only assist us.”
“The report attributes this success to the high level of support in different communities through various Greek community groups and language schools, and there are multiple language schools within each state and territory. In my own state of South Australia, there are seven language schools with 18 classes that run weekly, and I'm aware of a couple in the member for Boothby's electorate as well. She's from South Australia. These are supported by community language associations, which receive funding from both state and federal governments. Arguably, the most important finding in this research is that better support for the Greek language needs to come alongside better support for all languages in Australia.”
“Her unique research aimed to address concerns around the decreasing usage of Greek language between generations here in Australia, and the findings of her report are extremely valuable for all of us here in parliament that have an interest in languages and provide evidence based research. Dimity is an applied data analysis student in her final year at the ANU and has been great to have around the office doing this research. Her findings are pretty clear: Greek-Australian households in Australia are increasingly losing their bilingualism, with a high proportion of second- and third-generation Greek Australians speaking English only. However, around 21 per cent of the third generation maintain their Greek language.”
“I rise today to speak about a recent report and research paper that was completed in my office by Dimity Vlahos, who was part of the Australian National Internships Program, better known as ANIP, run by the ANU. The research paper that she did for us is titled 'Cultivating the Greek language within the Australian diaspora: the current landscape, barriers and frameworks'. I seek leave to table the report. Leave granted. I thank the member for Goldstein for allowing the report to be tabled. I'd like to thank Dimity Vlahos for putting together the report and the research.”
“There would continue to be dual ministerial responsibilities for the AER's activities, and, in accordance with the Administrative Arrangements Order, the Minister for Climate Change and Energy would continue to have portfolio responsibilities for the AER while the Treasurer would be responsible under finance law because the AER would remain a constituent part of the ACCC, a non-corporate Commonwealth entity within the Treasury portfolio. It's important that this bill is passed; it's important that we support it. As I said, we are empowering the AER to lead with clarity, independence and purpose and to ensure that we build a fairer and more resilient energy future, ensuring that consumers are protected—not just household consumers but small businesses and industry—which then supports our economy. I commend this bill to the House.”
“In five or 10 years, I hope we can look back on the moment of this bill as the turning point where we empowered the AER to lead with clarity, independence and purpose—when we chose to put consumers first and build a more resilient energy future. If we don't do this, if this bill is not passed, there'll be negative impacts. If the bill's not passed, the AER and the ACCC will remain a single Commonwealth entity under the finance law. The AER Board would continue to have the powers required to fulfil its regulatory role; however, it would not give those with the regulatory responsibilities authoritative control over the resources and people needed to undertake that work.”
“It means fewer disruptions, more reliable service and greater confidence in our energy infrastructure. We must also consider the long-term economic benefits. A well-regulated energy market fosters investor confidence, encourages competition and drives down prices. It ensures that infrastructure investments are made wisely and that consumers reap the benefit of technological advancements. It also helps Australia remain competitive globally, as energy affordability is a key factor in attracting and retaining industry. This bill lays the foundation for a future where energy regulation is proactive, not reactive; where consumers are empowered, not exploited; and where Australia leads the way in building a fair, affordable and sustainable energy system.”
“Let us also remember that this reform is not happening in isolation. It's part of a broader national strategy to modernise our energy systems, support the transition to renewables and ensure that no Australian is left behind. The AER's independence will allow it to better support innovation in energy markets, including battery storage, demand response and community energy projects. It will also enable more agile responses to emerging technologies and consumer trends, ensuring our regulatory framework keeps pace with the future. Energy insecurity is not just a household issue; it's a national economic concern. Small businesses, hospitals, manufacturing, aged-care facilities and schools are all affected by rising energy costs. A stronger AER means better oversight, fairer pricing and, ultimately, a more resilient economy.”
“An elderly female constituent in my electorate wrote to me to say that the government needs to do something to help the increasing number of people in her community struggling to pay their energy bills. Australians who are renting, who already face the reality of their rent rising, do not need to worry about their energy prices increasing as well. We, as the Australian government and as representatives of our constituents, must speak openly about these realities and ensure that we're doing something about them. This bill is more than just the separation of an electricity regulator. It's about protecting Australian households and ensuring that they are safe. It's about preserving the Australian dream of living a life of fairness and comfort. No Australian should fear that their quarterly electricity bills will be unaffordable.”
“These sectors depend on the accessibility of a stable national electricity grid. All of us will be able to witness the benefit of this bill that separates the AER. In my own electorate of Adelaide, many constituents have come to me to raise issues and to ask me for assistance in combating their rising electricity bills. Correspondence I received recently from an elderly couple in my electorate comes to mind. They had received a 4.7 per cent increase in their electricity bill. It has impacted them so much that they, like so many others, have recognised that electricity is becoming a luxury item. The air conditioners and heaters that help households combat the wild temperatures that we face here in Australia are becoming very expensive to operate, and families are left to face the rising costs.”
“Times are tough, as I said earlier. The only way to get out of this cost-of-living spike is to band together—industries, businesses and families alike. We need to support each other rather than focus on maximising profit at the expense of ethics and fairness. The AER separated from the ACCC is the superhero we need. The AER can finally manage its growing regulatory responsibilities effectively and efficiently, free from government constraints. It is a start. It's the beginning of reducing electricity prices and supporting households. The AER's purpose is to ensure energy consumers are better off now and in the future. Affordable and reliable energy is vital to our national economy. It supports productivity in industry, agriculture, manufacturing and the backbone of this nation, small businesses.”
“The rise of electricity prices is of course a major point for all of us—businesses, families and industries. Many Australians are doing it tough with the cost of living, and it's our duty as a government to help alleviate that burden. This bill is a small but significant step on a long journey for Australia's sustainable future. The bill is an act to make the energy market fairer and prevent retailers from overcharging customers. Recent data by the ACCC shows that 80 per cent of households could be paying less for electricity. This is a statistic that must improve. The AER, with full independence, can ensure that everyday Australians are not taken advantage of and that they can trust that their government is working for them. In these challenging times, our electricity markets must prioritise the welfare of Australian consumers.”
“The AER will no longer be a Commonwealth entity and will gain full operational control over its own staff, resources, governance arrangements and regulations. Importantly, the role of the AER will remain unchanged. The Australian Energy Market Agreement, the national energy laws which provide the AER with detail obligations and functions, will continue to apply. The need for this bill reflects the energy reality in Australia. We have all faced increases in electricity bills—individuals and businesses—and this growing energy insecurity reflects upon a growing economic insecurity for all of us. This government must strengthen our electricity market and provide the AER with its independence to take the initiative to act in the public interest.”
“This bill will benefit the Australian public by enabling the AER to focus on and respond to energy consumer needs with greater clarity on energy security, reliability and affordability. The AER plays a vital role in the Australian energy market. It monitors compliance, with market rules and performance, and it regulates the electricity and gas networks by setting the maximum amount of revenue businesses can earn from the consumer—ultimately, keeping a tab on what they can earn. The AER standardises the wholesale and retail energy markets, to protect consumers from exploitation. The bill will amend the Competition and Consumer Act 2010 to legally separate the Australian Energy Regulator from the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission.”
“Australia's energy markets are undergoing rapid transformation to accommodate cheaper and renewable energy like solar and many other forms. As we move towards net zero emissions, our energy market must be agile, transparent and responsive. The AER's independence will allow it to better support integration of renewables, manage grid stability and ensure that consumers are not left behind in transition. Governance structures matter when regulatory bodies are entangled with border agencies. Accountability can be diluted. By granting the AER full independence, what we're doing is streamlining its operations and reinforcing something very important: public trust in its decisions.”
“The separation of the AER and ACCC is long, long overdue, and we have recognised that the current governance structure limits the AER's potential as an independent energy regulator. The AER will be empowered to resolve longstanding governance issues, take full control of funding and personnel and strengthen its accountability. This is not a rushed decision. As you heard earlier, it went through this House prior to the last election but didn't get through the Senate. But this bill has been recommended by a number of public reviews, such as the 2015 Review of Governance Arrangements for Australian Energy Markets, the 2017 Independent Review into the Future Security of the National Electricity Market, and the 2020 independent review of the Energy Security Board.”
“Today, the AER requires approximately 400 employees to meet its dramatically expanded responsibilities as Australia's energy landscape evolves with the rise of renewables and our commitment to net zero carbon emissions, expanding the AER's role significantly. The change that you see quite bluntly here is the 400 employees compared to 15 back in 2005. The AER is the cornerstone of consumer protection and market regulation in an increasingly complex energy environment. Although the AER and ACCC currently have separate regulatory functions, the ACCC still retains authority over the AER's funding and staffing and is responsible for governing and setting the AER's strategic direction. In contrast the AER has its own independent board, which is ultimately accountable for operations. This arrangement is no longer fit for purpose.”
“I'm pleased to be standing here to support the Competition and Consumer Amendment (Australian Energy Regulator Separation) Bill 2025, which will establish the Australian Energy Regulator, AER, as a standalone entity. It will be completely separate and fully independent from the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, or the ACCC, and the Commonwealth. This is not the first time that this bill has been introduced. In 2024, a similar bill passed the House; however, it failed to pass the Senate before the end of the parliamentary term and is now long overdue. We must not allow a reform like this to falter again. This bill is essential for Australia's continued growth and progress. The AER has long outgrown its parent body, the ACCC. When it was established in 2005, the AER operated with just 15 employees and a budget of $6.5 million.”
“More than half a million homes have been built nationwide since Labor were elected. We're delivering 55,000 social and affordable homes, thanks to programs like the HAFF that the opposition have tried to tear down. We have a plan to make it easier: lower deposits, through our five per cent deposit scheme; smaller mortgages for 40,000 Australians, through Help to Buy; and a $10 billion investment into 100,000 homes. (Time expired)”
“We need more stock, and we need to work in partnership with all levels of government—local government and state governments—and the private sector to get those homes built. In South Australia, a former colleague from this House, the Hon. Nick Champion, is their Minister for Housing and Urban Development, the Minister for Housing Infrastructure and also the Minister for Planning. Combining these portfolios under one minister makes perfect sense. We, the federal government, have been working very closely with the South Australian state government. In my electorate of Adelaide, I've been pleased to join the minister on a number of occasions to launch projects such as UnitingSA's Uniting on Second, in Renewal SA's Bowden Precinct, creating and providing more affordable homes.”
“Only last week in the other place they tried to completely scrap the Commonwealth housing agenda. They tried to scrap five per cent deposits for first home buyers; they tried to scrap the Help to Buy program, helping the people who need it most; they also tried to scrap the social and affordable homes we're already delivering, thanks to the Housing Australia Future Fund. We know that the long-term fix for housing is to build more homes. We know that we have to build more homes and we have to encourage everything from private enterprise to governments to absolutely build those homes. We on this side have an ambitious national target. We're determined, together with the states and the territories, to build 1.2 million new homes. That's the only way we can solve this housing crisis.”
“All of us in this place, as we go doorknocking, speak to people in forums et cetera, know that it's harder for young people to buy a home. I also hear from young people themselves who apply for the rental properties with dozens of other people competing for that very same property. And it's not just young Australians. Families with kids are worried that, as rents go up, they may be forced to move at the whim of a landlord, and they feel bad that they can't give their child the stability they enjoyed as children. On this side of the House, we understand profoundly how upsetting it is for families, as opposed to the others, who for nine wasted years only built 373 affordable homes over that entire period. During this term of parliament, they've continued to show that they don't understand what needs to be done.”
“I remember many questions being asked in this place by the then Labor opposition. I recall the answers from this side of the House from the coalition government of the time, wiping their hands clean of housing and saying, 'This is solely an issue for the states to combat.' In my home state of South Australia, in 1993, when the Brown-Olsen Liberal government came to power, right through to 2002, when the Rann Labor government came to power, 10,000 public housing, houses and housing stock was sold off—10,000! You don't rip out a massive hole of 10,000 homes without creating some form of problem. I don't know what it was like in other states, but I can tell you that was the case. As I said, there is no doubt there is a housing problem.”
“The great Australian dream has traditionally been to own your own home. That is the dream of every young person who's just finishing school and who's starting work to get a deposit together and buy themselves a house. And there's no doubt that there is a housing crisis and a housing problem that we're facing, and this government is doing all it can to overcome that challenge. But that's not to say that this problem began in May 2022, when Labor came to this side of the House and formed government. This has been an ongoing issue for many years. I recall the debates mainly tailored around homelessness in the Abbott-Turnbull-Morrison years and even in the Howard years. We know for a fact that traditionally, by the coalition side, it was to handball it to the states.”
“Oxi Day is held as a significant day, especially in my electorate with its big community of Greek Australians who will be commemorating this weekend. We will be laying wreaths at different points across Adelaide to remember those who fought bravely and to remember the determination of the Greek people throughout World War II and other wars they have fought in.”
“I rise today to commemorate Oxi Day, a day which represents the Greek determination through its strong refusal of fascism and the fight for freedom. We remember the sacrifices and struggles of those who fought for us. On this day, 28 October, Greeks all over Australia will commemorate and celebrate the day as Oxi Day. In 1940, Greece refused to surrender to the Axis forces and said no to allowing their troops into Greece. Despite the odds being stacked against them, their brave act greatly influenced the tide of the war. The strength and determination of the Greek army resulted in the first victory for the Allied forces and the first setback for the Axis forces. The delay of the Axis plans, through Greece's defiance, greatly shaped the Allied victory.”
“The Speaker has received a message from the Senate acquainting the House that Senator Shoebridge has been appointed a member of the Joint Standing Committee on Implementation of the National Redress Scheme.”
“I would like, particularly, to thank my colleague the member for Nicholls for his support at the conference, and I give particular thanks to our delegation's secretary, Dr Susan Love, who worked tirelessly to make sure everything went like clockwork for us. I commend the report to the House.”
“With a widening representation of observer parliaments beyond the immediate region, the forum continues to hold importance for Australian engagement in ASEAN countries and beyond, particularly given the current global tensions. I would like to express thanks and congratulations to the National Assembly of Lao PDR for its successful year of chairing AIPA and hosting of the 45th AIPA general assembly. I would also like to thank the staff of the International and Parliamentary Relations Office here in our Parliament House, the Parliamentary Library and Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade for their assistance in the preparations ahead of the assembly, and the Australian embassy in Vientiane for its support and briefings during the visit.”
“Key Australian ASEAN initiatives were highlighted, including the ASEAN-Australia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, the ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement. This agreement demonstrates our regional economic engagement to support the inclusive growth of ASEAN. Our observer parliament dialogue session with ASEAN member parliaments emphasised this importance and the importance of bilateral relationships, people-to-people links and diaspora communities in Australia. We held bilateral meetings with the AIPA secretary-general and delegations from Algeria, the Lao PDR and Ukraine. Many expressions of appreciation were received for the Australian presence at AIPA, with both ASEAN and observer countries keen to increase parliamentary engagement.”
“His Excellency noted the role of the assembly in coming together to celebrate coming goals in the context of unpredictable international and regional circumstances. His Excellency noted that there were opportunities and challenges in the current economic climate as countries work to foster peace, prosperity, security and development in the region. I was honoured to make a statement on behalf of the Australian parliament and of the delegation. The statement highlighted the 50th anniversary of Australia's dialogue partnership with ASEAN, which was celebrated in March 2024 at the ASEAN-Australia Special Summit in Melbourne.”