Ged Kearney
Cooper · Australian Labor Party · Australia
“I rise to inform the chamber of the opening of the 1st Preston Scout and Community Centre. This was a project that I was incredibly proud to attend and speak at alongside wonderful families and volunteers in my electorate of Cooper.”
“We're taking the next step towards a fairer, more sustainable system. The reality is that the current system makes it easier to buy your 10th home than your first, and that is not fair for young Australians. It's not fair for renters. It's not sustainable for the future of our country, and those opposite do not care.”
“Let me tell you the coalition likes to talk about taxpayers. But we on this side—Labor—talk about workers and people getting up early, finishing late, juggling bills, raising children, caring for family members and just doing their best to get ahead.”
“We are doubling maximum penalties to $100 million and providing almost $68 million to strengthen enforcement. Unlike those opposite, we match our words with action. The coalition spent the last parliament opposing sensible and responsible cost-of-living relief while taking higher taxes to the last election. Workers know this.”
“Those opposite want Australians to forget that when they were in government wages were deliberately kept low. Suddenly they're pretending they're the friends of workers, when they deliberately kept wages low. Productivity stagnated and living standards went backwards under them, and working people fell further and further behind.”
“Limiting negative gearing to new builds means these concessions will continue to be available to people who legitimately want to build wealth, but only where they are helping to build the homes that Australia needs. We're reforming capital gains tax.”
The complete record
Every one of 249 lines we hold for Ged Kearney, in date order, each linked to its source. Free to read, in full, without an account. Page 1 of 5.
“I rise to inform the chamber of the opening of the 1st Preston Scout and Community Centre. This was a project that I was incredibly proud to attend and speak at alongside wonderful families and volunteers in my electorate of Cooper. What I saw was more than a refurbished building; it was a space brought back to life by a dedicated Scout group and a community that refused to let it fade away. With support from the Albanese Labor government through the Thriving Suburbs Program, we invested more than $545,000 to transform a once unusable hall into a vibrant, modern community hub. That investment has delivered a main activity space for Scouts to meet, learn and grow; community rooms for the rest of Preston and surrounding suburbs to use; and—”
“The beneficiaries of our policies are clear—workers and first home buyers—with more homes; higher wages; stronger Medicare; free TAFE; and a tax system that rewards effort, aspiration and productive investment.”
“Those of us on this side of the house will not stand by and let that happen. They will. These reforms are expected to help around 75,000 additional Australians buy a home over the next decade. They sit alongside our bold and ambitious housing agenda, where 250,000 people have been helped into their own homes already. This is what responsible governments do. When those opposite come into this chamber demanding a so-called 'tax-back guarantee', Australians are entitled to ask: 'Is that all they've got? Who will this benefit?' They are quite right to be suspicious, because their track record on workers' welfare is rotten. Workers and Australians know that. The answer is simple.”
“Limiting negative gearing to new builds means these concessions will continue to be available to people who legitimately want to build wealth, but only where they are helping to build the homes that Australia needs. We're reforming capital gains tax. We are replacing the current 50 per cent discount with inflation adjusted indexation, and we're introducing a minimum tax on realised gains because only real gains should be taxed. That's fair. The treatment of existing investments will not be affected by the changes to negative gearing, and the reforms to capital gains tax will only apply to future gains. It is careful and responsible reform, and it is necessary. We are listening to young Australians locked out of the housing market. The dream of homeownership is disappearing for a generation.”
“We're encouraging investment in new housing supply and helping fund tax cuts for workers to make the system fairer and more sustainable. It's all about backing the Australian ambition of owning your own home. If investors want to continue accessing negative gearing concessions, they can. In the future, those concessions would be directed towards new homes that add to housing supply. Right now, around 83 per cent of investor loans are going into existing properties, not encouraging the building of new homes. Those opposite say they care about supply. Well, this is supply. Vote for our bill. It is about directing investment towards building homes rather than simply bidding up the price of existing ones.”
“We're taking the next step towards a fairer, more sustainable system. The reality is that the current system makes it easier to buy your 10th home than your first, and that is not fair for young Australians. It's not fair for renters. It's not sustainable for the future of our country, and those opposite do not care. House prices have increased by around 400 per cent over the past two decades. They've gone from around four times incomes to eight times incomes, and home ownership among young Australians has fallen dramatically. I regularly hear from young people who have studied hard, worked hard and saved hard but still wonder if they will ever own a home. They're asking for a fair go, and the Albanese Labor government has listened. That's why we are reforming negative gearing and capital gains tax to help more Australians buy a new home.”
“We are doubling maximum penalties to $100 million and providing almost $68 million to strengthen enforcement. Unlike those opposite, we match our words with action. The coalition spent the last parliament opposing sensible and responsible cost-of-living relief while taking higher taxes to the last election. Workers know this. They won't forget this. If you want to talk about history, talk about that. If those opposite want to talk about tax, then let's talk about who the tax system is working for because, for too long, Australians who work for a living have watched the system reward wealth more generously than work. The vast majority of Australians get up every day, go to work, earn a wage and pay tax. They work hard, they pay their taxes and they expect a fair go, and that's exactly who the budget delivers for.”
“For many of them, I have no doubt that yesterday's decision means a little more breathing room at the kitchen table and a little less anxiety when bills arrive. We are delivering permanent, sustainable tax relief. We are providing a new round of tax cuts through the $250 working Australians tax offset and a $1,000 instant tax deduction. With our previous tax reforms, we're cutting income taxes five times in five different ways, putting nearly $3,000 a year back into the pockets of a worker on average earnings by 2028. On top of tax relief, we're helping workers and families manage everyday costs by cutting tax on fuel by more than half, reducing the heavy vehicle road user charge to zero and giving the ACCC stronger powers to crack down on price gouging, scams and unfair trading practices.”
“Yesterday the Fair Work Commission handed down the 2026 annual wage review decision, which increased modern award wages by 4.75 per cent and the national minimum wage by six per cent from 1 July this year. That means the national minimum wage will increase to above $1,000 per week for the very first time. That represents a real wage increase, supporting workers with the cost of living. With this decision, the national minimum wage will have increased by more than $12,000 per year since Labor came to government. The Albanese Labor government is proud to have backed these pay rises. We'll always advocate for economically substantial wage increases. This is a win for working Australians. In Cooper, my electorate, I hear from workers who are feeling the pressure of rising costs.”
“When we see families under pressure, we provide responsible relief that helps people right now while supporting our economy for the future. They voted against every single cost-of-living measure that we introduced, and they have the gall to stand here now and say, 'Aww, we care about workers.' Well, Australians see right through it. Here they go again. Our budget, the recent budget, supports everyday Australians, and they're going to vote against it. We will deliver targeted cost-of-living relief, invest in essential services and continue the economic progress that Australians have worked so hard to achieve. And nowhere is that clearer than in our record for Australian workers.”
“Let me tell you the coalition likes to talk about taxpayers. But we on this side—Labor—talk about workers and people getting up early, finishing late, juggling bills, raising children, caring for family members and just doing their best to get ahead. As a former nurse and a trade unionist, I have spent my life standing alongside those workers—aged-care workers finishing a night shift, childcare educators helping parents get to work, disability support workers or retail workers, cleaners, truck drivers, tradies. These are the people who keep our communities running and who ask for nothing more than a fair go. The difference between this side of the House and those opposite is simple. When we see cost-of-living pressures, we act. When we see wages falling behind, we fight for workers' wage rises—unlike those opposite.”
“Those opposite want Australians to forget that when they were in government wages were deliberately kept low. Suddenly they're pretending they're the friends of workers, when they deliberately kept wages low. Productivity stagnated and living standards went backwards under them, and working people fell further and further behind. Today the shadow treasurer tried to blame the government for the massive productivity fail in 2022, when they were in government. That was hilarious. Thank goodness the Treasurer is on the money. Do not mess with Dr Jim Chalmers! They want all Australians to forget that they left office with a trillion dollars of debt, ingrained deficits, inflation with a six in front of it and real wages going backwards. And now, after all that, they want Australians to trust them again on tax.”
“Australians deserve a fair and responsible tax system. They don't want slogans dressed up as guarantees. The shadow treasurer talked about history. Well, let's go back in history to other slogans that this sounds very similar to. Remember 'back in black'? Remember that? I wonder if they've got their mugs already on order. If those opposite want to talk about tax, then Australians deserve to hear the full story. They talked about history. Let's go back in history. It was the opposition that wanted to roll back our tax cuts for every single Australian, particularly those on lower and middle incomes. They voted against tax cuts for all of those Australians. Not only did they want Australians to pay more tax, but they wanted to take away the tax breaks that we had already given them.”
“He told me story after story of men finding connection and fulfilment from having these deeper conversations. You see, the books start the conversations, and the themes in the books often lead to other important topics that help men discuss their feelings and personal things that are happening—or maybe not. Maybe they do just talk about the book, because just being there together is an important first step to enable deeper conversations. Supporting men's mental health benefits our whole community too. It encourages less stigma around help-seeking, more positive relationships and stronger and safer communities. Fantastic work to Shay and the whole team.”
“'I can assure you there is nothing tough about knowing less than the next guy.' Today the Tough Guy Book Club has grown from two friends meeting at a pub in Collingwood to having over 1,300 attendees over 140 locations in eight countries. That's over 5,000 meetings of healthy conversations between everyday men. Something that I love about Shay's work is that it's dedicated to supporting men from all classes, all backgrounds and all contexts. I believe that Tough Guy is the kind of initiative that we need to see more of when addressing men's mental health. In Cooper, there are Tough Guy meetings in Preston, Reservoir, Northcote, Thornbury and Alphington. Shay came to my office recently to tell me about the work he's doing, and he's absolutely warmed my heart.”
“He had a successful career and relationships with his work peers, but on the inside, he says, he was feeling unfulfilled and lonely. One day while Shay was thinking and talking about this with one of his friends, they were looking for an answer, and the idea of the book club was formed. Today the work of Shay and other members of the book club is challenging the mentality that tough men don't talk about their feelings. They're working hard towards creating healthier relationships for themselves and for other men. Shay says, 'How the hell does reading—you know, picking up a book and learning new shit—become something that's considered the opposite of toughness?' That's a direct quote, Deputy Speaker. I promise it wasn't just me saying that! So I hope you understand.”
“Today I rise to recognise the important work of an amazing group, the Tough Guy Book Club. A national survey by Healthy Male has found that 43 per cent of men are impacted by loneliness, and some long-term trends show a decline in close friendships amongst men. For many men, connections used to be formed in community groups, sporting clubs, churches or unions—institutions that maybe aren't as prevalent as they once were. And that's why today I'd like to take the opportunity to highlight the incredible work of the Tough Guy Book Club in fighting loneliness. This is a story that started in 2012. Shay Leighton, the founder of Tough Guy Book Club, was living a life that by many societal standards would appear fortunate.”
“It is about valuing the work of our farmers and investing in local production systems that benefit communities, not corporations.”
“Education has been at the heart of this transformation, and graduates of these programs are now leading cooperatives, supporting community groups and stepping into roles in local government. Coffee, one of Timor-Leste's most important crops, has long been controlled by global supply chains dominated by large companies, and small growers struggle to compete. In response, farmers formed the Federation of Solidarity Economy, a cooperative network connecting growers directly with ethical markets. Already, more than 1,000 tonnes of organic Timorese grown coffee have been exported to Japan, with new opportunities emerging—including here in Australia. As Jenito Santana from the Kdadalak Sulimutuk Institute said so beautifully: This is not just about buying coffee.”
“To this day, it remains one of our proudest moments as a movement that the unions of Australia were awarded the medal of the Order of Timor-Leste for our solidarity. Today that solidarity continues. Around 80 per cent of people in Timor-Leste rely on subsistence farming. Yet, despite their resilience, many communities still struggle with limited access to land, the pressures of a changing climate and restricted access to markets. In response, extraordinary local organisations work with APHEDA and support more than 12,000 farmers who are now organising themselves through municipal unions, grassroots committees and an international agrarian reform network.”
“Today, APHEDA partners with 42 trade unions and community organisations across 14 countries throughout South-East Asia, the Pacific, the Middle East and Southern Africa. Together they carry out more than 30 projects dedicated to improving health, expanding education, strengthening workers' rights and building sustainable, resilient communities. Their mission speaks deeply to two causes that have shaped my own life—the power of unionism and the importance of international solidarity. I highlight today some of the remarkable work APHEDA is doing in supporting Timor-Leste, a place that holds a personal meaning for so many in our movement. During my time in the union movement, I had the honour of standing with those who fought for Timor-Leste's independence.”
“Today I rise to recognise the important work of Union Aid Abroad—APHEDA. APHEDA was born out of the Australian union movement in 1984, sparked by the courage and imagination of a remarkable young nurse, Helen McCue. She believed that the values that shape our union movement—solidarity, fairness and collective strength—should reach far beyond our workplaces and even beyond our shores. From that simple but profound idea, a global justice organisation took shape. I've had the privilege of working closely with APHEDA both as secretary of the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation and as president of the ACTU, and as a board member of APHEDA itself. I have seen firsthand the integrity, commitment and humanity that guides their work today.”
“Assistant Minister Rebecca White is now a champion for women as the Assistant Minister for Health and Aged Care, and she knows and is going to be working on what really needs to be done in the next steps. There's so much more to do for women's health, social services, housing, employment, law, communications, disability and finance. I see a really bright future for women under an Albanese Labor government. Thank you. Question agreed to. Federation Chamber adjourned at 13:25”
“This is saving some women up to $600. People actually stop me in the street and thank me for that. We introduced an MBS item number for menopause. We've created the first ever national guidelines around this. We're providing training for health professionals in women's health, a review of bone densitometry, expansion of endometriosis and pelvic pain clinics, and better access to UTI treatment and contraception through pharmacies—over-the-counter medicines from pharmacists. We've had conversations with medical schools and deans of medicine about how they teach medicine to their students. This is huge work that all goes into making the health and wellbeing of women better. But the work is not done.”
“That is why, when I became the Assistant Minister for Health and Aged Care, I was laser focused on tackling gender bias in the health system. I'm incredibly proud to say it's now been one year since we announced over half a billion dollars for women's health, a package that meant cheaper contraception, increased rebates for IUDs and birth-control implants. We added huge bulk-billing incentives for women, who will save up to $400 when they have an IUD implanted. We added Yaz, Yasmin and Slinda to the PBS. It's the first time in 30 years that a contraceptive has been added to the PBS, saving women up to $350. We're opening up centres of training excellence. The package meant transformative menopause care. We added Estrogel, Prometrium and Estrogel Pro to the PBS for the first time in 20 years. My goodness!”
“I couldn't help but wonder: if she, a single woman in her late 50s, had been a man of the same age who walked into that ED in a suit and a tie and gave the exact same symptoms, would they merely have sent her home as anxious and worried and tired? I don't think so. I'm not suggesting, of course, that there is some national conspiracy about this, that there are a whole bunch of doctors, nurses and health professionals out there conspiring against women—of course not. We all know our health professionals work incredibly hard under terrible circumstances, and they do the very best they can. But this is a systemic issue. I myself, as a nurse, was taught in that system. I know how it is built into everything that we do in those health facilities.”
“Our gender bias survey found that two out of three respondents reported they experienced discrimination and bias in the health system; 70 per cent of that was from GPs and half of it in hospitals. I myself was really launched into action around this issue when my cousin presented to an emergency department with some symptoms of tingling from her waist down. She felt unwell, a bit faint. Her feet were numb, and she had pins and needles. She was barely examined in that ED; she was just told she was being anxious, that she was tired, that she needed a rest. She was sent home with some panadol and told to call her GP. My cousin Resa died that night, alone in her house, from an abdominal aortic aneurysm that had ruptured.”
“Medical misogyny and gender bias are rife in the health system. Every single woman has a story, and I am incredibly proud that this Labor government has launched a national conversation about this. You see, before you even consider the compounding effects of intersectionality and women with disability or LGBTIQA+ communities, First Nations or people from a CALD background, we hear stories from women about how their pain has been dismissed. There are misdiagnoses. Symptoms are minimised. Health guidelines around diseases have been written over centuries by men, about men and for men. We now know that there are very vast differences between the pathophysiology of a male body and a female body. Women are not small men.”
“The bill takes important steps to ensure the social security system is operating as intended and in accordance with the law. The Albanese Labor government will always do the work to make sure this system is strong and robust, providing the best support it can to the Australian people who rely on it. I commend the bill. Question agreed to. Bill read a second time. Message from the Governor-General recommending appropriation announced. Ordered that this bill be reported to the House without amendment.”
“A division having been called in the House of Representatives— Sitting suspended from 16:36 to 16:48 When considering a debt waiver, Services Australia will be able to take into account all the circumstances that lead to someone knowingly making a false statement in relation to a debtor not complying with the law, including circumstances of coercion or financial abuse. So, as the Minister for Social Services and member for Sydney said in introducing it, the bill proposes technical changes which will simply strengthen the legal basis of current policy and practice. The minister's office and the Department of Social Services have provided briefings to the opposition and the crossbench, and we will continue to make these available to assist in the Senate's consideration of the bill.”
“What we need is for you to get on with the job and invest the resources you might expend on a royal commission into the sector and make sure you actually make in roads on those recommendations.' The Albanese government is indeed also, with other issues raised by the member, delivering on our commitment to embed safety in Commonwealth systems and ensure the social security system cannot be weaponised against women experiencing violence. New measures will be introduced to reform the special circumstances debt waiver, which will give Services Australia extended powers to waive social security debts that have been incurred as a result of domestic and family violence.”
“Just this morning with Assistant Minister Rebecca White, we announced an excellent measure to expand a program that we are working with primary health care facilities to train up health professionals, admin staff and allied health staff to know exactly what to do when someone discloses family and domestic violence in their health facility. It is a wonderful program that has been lauded right across the primary health care sector. With respect to a royal commission, the minister made it very clear in question time the other day that there have been royal commissions after royal commissions and reports after reports into family and domestic violence with hundreds and hundreds of recommendations. The very people working in the sector—peak bodies and those at the coalface—have all said to us: 'We don't need another inquiry.”
“With respect to the family and domestic violence issues that the member has raised, we are currently spending over $4 billion or investing $4 billion to protect victims of family and domestic violence. Just yesterday, indeed, we launched 'Our Ways—Strong Ways—Our Voices', an absolute landmark document and strategy to make sure that First Nations people are protected from family, domestic and sexual violence. It was an absolutely amazing day yesterday, with many members of the First Nations communities there to share in that—something they have been calling on for days.”
“I'd like to thank all the members who've spoken on this bill for their support and for their constructive comments. With respect to some of the comments made by the member for Warringah, we understand only too well that families broadly and, particularly, single parent families are indeed under cost-of-living pressures. That's why we have introduced a myriad of measures—cost-of-living savings, cost-of-living measures—to help families who are under that pressure. I'm sure that the member has heard us make those lists over and over again, and I'm sure that I won't waste this House's time by going through them all again. But I will mention one, of course: it is including tripling the rent assistance.”
“This legislation doesn't represent the end of this journey but the next step in our shared commitment to support First Nations children and young people. They deserve more. We owe it to them. They deserve to live and grow free from violence. They deserve to live and grow safely in their own homes, on country and with their communities. They deserve to have their strengths acknowledged and celebrated. They deserve the recognition that their communities have the solutions and that they're already doing the work. And they deserve to be supported and to heal. I have to say that I'm proud to be part of a government that will work to turn these words into a lived reality.”
“It is community controlled, culturally appropriate and immediately responsive to the needs of those communities. One such program, supported by the Department of Social Services, is the Stronger ACCOs, Stronger Family project. It was designed to strengthen partnerships between Aboriginal community controlled organisations and non-Indigenous service providers in the child and family sector. Through meaningful collaboration, the initiative aims to create a culturally responsive and cohesive system that empowers Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and families. I want to thank everyone who has been involved in the development of this legislation and Our Ways—in particular, the First Nations people who shared their stories with government and who advocated so firmly and persistently for their communities.”
“The new funding will support programs like crisis responses, such as mobile teams in remote areas to work with families after a violent incident or safe transport and emergency accommodation; planning to help victims leave violence safely and continued support once they have; therapeutic supports, like community playgroups, where mums and bubs can connect with elders, receive parenting support and be linked to early help and healing; and behaviour change and education, like outreach programs for men and boys. I know just how important this work is. Last year, I visited Kununurra in Western Australia. When I was there, I saw firsthand the impact that such programs are having on young kids. I met with the Ord Valley Aboriginal Health Service and Wunan Health service. The work that they are doing there is unbelievable.”
“'Our Ways—Strong Ways—Our Voices: National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Plan to End Family, Domestic and Sexual Violence 2026-2036' is Australia's new national plan to address the high and disproportionate rates of violence against Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women and children. It sits on equal footing with the National Plan to End Violence against Women and Children 2022 to 2032. The plan announced this morning will be backed by $218.3 million dollars in new funding over four years. As an immediate step, the funding will invest in a national network of up to 40 Aboriginal community controlled organisations to deliver community-led specialist support services that help Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women and families who are experiencing family, domestic and sexual violence.”
“I've got to say that I'm really very proud to be working with her. This legislation will join other work that the Albanese Labor government is doing in partnership with First Nations people to improve the lives of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders. One such commitment was demonstrated further this morning when I enjoined the Minister for Social Services to launch Australia's first-ever dedicated plan to end violence against Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women and children. This was developed in partnership with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and state and territory governments.”
“Late last year, when Sue-Anne had been in the role for just a few short weeks, she and I attended a roundtable with young people from across the country in Sydney with Minister Plibersek. This included First Nations kids, and they talked to us about their experience with domestic and sexual violence. It was incredibly powerful for those First Nations kids to have the commissioner there with them. I remember one young Aboriginal person saying that they experienced family and sexual violence and that they would not have survived without their wonderful aunties, who surrounded themselves around that young person, supported them and loved them. It may not have been a traditional response to that child's needs, but it was what they needed. I know that Sue-Anne understands the unique perspective of these young people.”
“Sue-Anne Hunter is a First Nations woman with extensive experience in governance and leadership. She has practised as a qualified social worker and is a recognised leader in the First Nations child and family services sector. She, too, has lived and breathed the issues that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families face. She's widely recognised for developing rights based, transformative practice responses that empower Aboriginal people to heal from the continuing effects and processes of colonisation. Her work across these sectors will be vital to ensuring that the rights, the interests and the wellbeing of First Nations children and young people are protected. I have known Sue-Anne for many years, and I know her to be a powerhouse. She will be a powerhouse in this role.”
“This includes powers to inquire into systemic matters affecting the rights, the interests, the development, the safety and the wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people and to make recommendations to government. Importantly, the national commissioner can publicly advocate for the rights, the interests, the development, the safety and the wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people and can amplify their voices and strengths. Already, I know, the commissioner has been meeting with community controlled organisations and leaders—with state, territory and national commissioners and with guardians and advocates—to build stronger relationships and to identify opportunities for collaboration and change.”
“This position provides a strategic, nationally coordinated focus to raise systemic issues and Australia's human rights commitments. The bill will provide an independent, dedicated agency focused on the systemic failures affecting outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people right across Australia. It will drive the accountability to support all governments to achieve better outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children. It's truly an important, systemic piece that will help drive system-wide change. The national commissioner's functions are centred on identifying systemic issues and informing advice to government to directly influence policymaking.”
“This has come about through long and hard stakeholder consultation, with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and community advocates calling repeatedly for this to happen. The current and ongoing national commissioner, Adjunct Professor Sue-Anne Hunter, has been involved in developing the bill, and I know that she is in the gallery, in the chamber, with us today. I'll say a bit more about Professor Hunter shortly. I'd also like to acknowledge that Katie Kiss is in the chamber with us today—the national Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner. It's a great honour to have you here, listening to the introduction of this bill. The national commissioner fills a gap to ensure the voices of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people are strongly reflected in advice to government.”
“I heard the member for New England's hopes and aspirations for First Nations people, but I fail to understand why he doesn't see that the establishment of this commission will work towards those very goals. It's why I am honoured to speak to this bill to establish the National Commission for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children and Young People. By introducing this bill, we are delivering on our commitment to establish a legislated, independent, empowered commission. This is a bill that has come about after years of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander advocates calling for the establishment of a legislated national commissioner, over an extended period, with over 70 organisations uniting behind this request. We didn't just dream this up. This didn't just drop out of the sky as a good idea.”
“We understand the legacy of colonialism, of structural racism, of institutional punishment and systemic disadvantage. We acknowledge the history of the Frontier Wars and the Stolen Generations. We know that, despite efforts from more recent, well-meaning governments, if policy and laws are created without genuine partnership and power transfer to Aboriginal people, we will not create meaningful change and we will only perpetrate the brutal, racist history. The Albanese Labor government is committed to improving life outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people. We know that this requires a systems based approach, one that works with and champions First Nations people, creates genuine partnership and truly transforms the lives and future of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.”
“First Nations children and young people face high and persistent levels of disadvantage. They are 11 times more likely to be in out-of-home care and 27 times more likely to be in youth detention than non-Indigenous children. Data released last year by the Australian Institute of Health and Wellbeing revealed that only one in three Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children are on track developmentally. Incarceration rates have climbed, suicide rates and out-of-home care rates are getting worse, and the aspirations for healthy baby birth weights have slipped. Let me be clear. This is not a failure of First Nations people. Unlike some of those opposite, we as a government understand that this is not a moral failing on the part of Indigenous cultures and communities—no.”
“For millennia, the First Peoples of Australia lived on and cared for this continent's land, waterways and environment, passing down their knowledge and cultures, generation to generation, as the oldest continuous culture in the history of this Earth. This is something that we as a nation should be proud of and that we celebrate. Even during the most brutal history of colonisation and invasion, First Nations people have persevered, protecting and nourishing their culture—ensuring its survival in the face of state sanctioned brutality. But we know the toll that colonisation has taken on First People, a toll that is reflected in cold, hard statistics—a national shame for this country. Nowhere is this more evident than when we look at the challenges facing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children.”
“I rise to speak in strong support of this bill, the National Commission for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children and Young People Bill 2026. I have to say that I'm very proud to do that while you're in the chamber, Deputy Speaker Scrymgour, because I know that you have been a longstanding champion for this to happen over the years. Thank you for the work that you've done. I want to acknowledge that I'm standing on the lands of the Ngunnawal and Ngambri people, and I pay respect to their elders, past and present. They are the people who occupied this land long before this building was erected here, long before the nation-state of Australia was even established.”
“In the aftermath of Bondi, I met with local Victorian Muslim leaders alongside Basem Abdo, the member for Calwell; and Premier Jacinta Allan. They spoke with deep compassion for the Jewish community, and they condemned the atrocity without hesitation or qualification. Despite their differences in faith, background or politics, they stood united in humanity, anxious to find the way through this tragedy and to do what they can to prevent this happening again. This is the Australia we must hold onto. This is who we must remember we are—an Australia where difference does not divide us, where kindness is not weakness but courage. Social cohesion rests on respect for one another, for our institutions and for the opportunity for every person to live with dignity and safety.”