David Smith
Bean · Australian Labor Party · Australia
“When Australian sport is showcased on the international stage, all Australians feel proud. But I think the best by-product of international success is the inspiration it provides to people back at home to get involved in community sports. There are few things as rewarding, both physically and mentally, as getting involved in sports.”
“But, unfathomably, this club has been prevented from seeking promotion to the ACT National Premier League Girls competition and prevented from providing girls and their club a strong pathway into higher levels of participation in their sport.”
“And it does this without increasing the administrative burden on our doctors. This bill also outlaws another practice that is becoming increasingly problematic in the insurance system, which is the practice of product phoenixing.”
“It is unjustifiable to expect Australians to commit to a medical treatment without being able to compare those costs against the fees charged by other providers. Australians have the right to know the level of support that is provided by their private health insurer so they can determine from the outset their likely out-of-pocket costs.”
“The Albanese government has delivered the largest cut to the cost of medicines in the history of the PBS, with the maximum cost of a general script falling from $42.50 to $30 in January 2023 and now to $25.”
“This bill before the House creates changes that will require an insurer to seek ministerial approval for the premium charged for a proposed new product and, importantly, where changes are made that reduce cover, a benefit or a term of condition of an existing product.”
The complete record
Every one of 282 lines we hold for David Smith, in date order, each linked to its source. Free to read, in full, without an account. Page 1 of 6.
“They've also been instrumental in the establishment of nine similar choirs across Australia. It was fantastic to be able to join in their Decade of Delight and sing along with them—mostly in tune—to recognise their accomplishments. Alchemy brings joy and light to difficult journeys. To Brian and all the volunteers, thank you so much for your work.”
“But, unfathomably, this club has been prevented from seeking promotion to the ACT National Premier League Girls competition and prevented from providing girls and their club a strong pathway into higher levels of participation in their sport. I encourage Capital Football to reconsider its decision regarding Woden Valley Soccer Club's participation in the National Premier League Girls competition in 2027, so that everyone has equal opportunity. I also want to take this moment to acknowledge the Alchemy Chorus, who recently celebrated their 10-year anniversary. The Alchemy Chorus is a dementia-friendly choir established by Brian Triglone, and it's been recognised for its deeply moving and joyous work, including being awarded the ACT Chief Minister's Inclusion Award and a Positive Ageing Award from the ACT Council on the Ageing.”
“The Play Our Way grant is one example of this, with Scouts ACT in my electorate receiving one $1½ million to upgrade facilities at Camp Cottermouth to ensure safe and inclusive facilities are installed at this iconic location. Last year, we committed to upgrades at the Chisholm cricket oval to deliver that as well. I want to take this moment to recognise the work of Woden Valley Soccer Club. This club is one of the largest clubs in Canberra, if not the largest, when measured by the number of registered players and has the highest participation of girls in the game in the ACT. Jason Geria and Lydia Williams have close connections to the club.”
“When Australian sport is showcased on the international stage, all Australians feel proud. But I think the best by-product of international success is the inspiration it provides to people back at home to get involved in community sports. There are few things as rewarding, both physically and mentally, as getting involved in sports. And while my days as a star athlete may be a little behind me, I always encourage those who are able to get involved in the sports that we all love. Unfortunately, not everyone has that opportunity. There are a number of groups within our society that face unfair and unjust barriers to participation. This I know in particular is faced by girls and young women. The Albanese Labor government is committed to knocking these barriers down and has committed and delivered a number of programs that deliver just that.”
“This fits into the broader picture of Labor's commitment to stand in the trenches with the Australian people in the fight against the cost of living. That's why we've also cut student debt, cut the cost of PBS medicines, cut 30 per cent off of home batteries to lower power bills, supported apprentices with 10,000 bonuses and introduced paid prac for nursing, teaching, social work and midwifery students. I'm very excited to see this latest commitment be delivered and added to that list. I commend this bill to the House.”
“The Albanese government has delivered the largest cut to the cost of medicines in the history of the PBS, with the maximum cost of a general script falling from $42.50 to $30 in January 2023 and now to $25. This Albanese government has established 1800MEDICARE, because life isn't nine to five and access to health advice shouldn't be either.. In my community, the Albanese Labor government has invested in and established the Medicare urgent care clinic in Woden and the Tuggeranong Medicare Mental Health Centre in Tuggeranong. (Quorum formed) This bill is another example of the Albanese Labor government's plan to assist Australians with the cost of health care to ensure that the last thing Australians are worrying about when seeking medical treatment is their wallet.”
“Twelve months after the Albanese government's landmark $792.9 million women's health package, we are seeing real and impactful changes being delivered. This includes the first PBS listing of new contraceptive pills in more than 30 years and the first PBS listing of new menopausal hormone therapies in over 20 years. More than 6,700 women with endometriosis have access to treatment at PBS prices, saving $4.9 million on 26,000 scripts in the past year. Women undergoing in vitro fertilisation are receiving earlier and more affordable access to a form of fertility treatment, with more than 46,000 women with specific low levels of reproductive hormones accessing 273,000 scripts in the past year.”
“We've made record investments in Medicare and bulk-billing, which has worked to ensure that bulk-billing rates Australia-wide are now over 81 per cent and that 97 per cent of Australians live within a 20-minute drive of a registered Medicare bulk-billing practice. The Albanese government has made record investments in our healthcare system, reaching new agreements with the states and territories to deliver record funding into the hospital system. Here in the ACT, it will mean an additional $557 million boost to hospital funding alongside additional funding of $75 million to assist with the challenges of being a smaller jurisdiction. This is part of a package that is worth over $4 billion in the ACT.”
“I will not stand here and say that there is not more work to do on the bulk-billing rates in my community, but to exploit the concerns of my community—to which he is a stranger—for his own political gain and narrative is unacceptable. I'll stand here with every opportunity I have, be honest about the challenges we face and fight for my community—not exploit them and the constituencies of others to suit my own narrative. The member for Goldstein has gone on record in this House saying, 'Let's be honest about health care,' and I agree: let's be honest about it. There is only one side of this chamber that is committed to fighting for Australians' right to access affordable and accessible health care, and it's not just this bill that proves it.”
“And it will allow for the publication of information about insurers, including the proportion of policyholders who experience different gap cover arrangements and the out-of-pocket costs under those arrangements. Transparency and honesty in our medical system are crucial so that Australians and people in my community are able to make fully informed healthcare choices. Honesty in our system and in how we talk about our system matters. Unfortunately, not everyone in this House would seem to agree with that. The member for Goldstein has, in this House, declared that there are no bulk-billed doctors in this capital city. He has come here and claimed that people in my home, in my community, do not have these services. This is a blatant falsehood.”
“In more specifics, this bill will amend the Health Insurance Act 1973 and the Private Health Insurance Act 2007 to allow for the publication of information about medical practitioners and their billing, including names, locations, fees charged by location, and their utilisation of gap cover arrangements with insurers, where insurers pay a medical practitioner more if they agree to charge no or fixed out-of-pocket costs. It will allow for the publication of information about hospitals, including medical practitioners who provide services at the facility and insurers that have gap cover or contracting arrangements with the facility.”
“The member for Goldstein has gone on record in this House declaring that Australia runs an 'illness system', not a healthcare system, stating that it is a system designed to keep people ill to feed the benefits of the unions and the people they are paid to represent and to maintain the political control of the Australian Labor Party. He is more obsessed with grand political conspiracy theories and union bashing than with the health care of the Australian people. The only thing the member champions in health care is the privatisation of Medicare. But on this side of the House we will champion all aspects of our public healthcare system. That's why I'm proud to stand for this bill.”
“On this side of the chamber we are dedicated to working for the Australian people to ensure that our healthcare system is strong, transparent and accessible for all. If only that was the case for everyone in this chamber, though. Can we really be shocked that we are still here cleaning up the mess of the previous government when they have members on their front bench who still believe that our Medicare system should be privatised, stripping Australians of the quality health care they deserve? Can we be shocked when they have members on their front bench who are committed to talking down Australia and Australians and members who are willing to bet against the Australian economy and people?”
“This bill before the House creates changes that will require an insurer to seek ministerial approval for the premium charged for a proposed new product and, importantly, where changes are made that reduce cover, a benefit or a term of condition of an existing product. We know that the cost of medical and hospital services is a key driver of health inflation for consumers, which ultimately feeds into higher out-of-pocket costs and higher private health insurance premiums. We know that fees can vary widely across specialists, even for the same procedure in the same part of Australia. And we know that this is hurting Australians. That is why we promised to address this issue, and that is why we are delivering on this promise and advocating the passing of this bill.”
“This doesn't protect only new entrants to private health insurance but also the 15.3 million people who currently hold private health insurance policies, who are currently left unprotected from this practice. The bill will achieve this by amending the approvals that insurers are required to receive from the minister for health. Currently, private health insurers are required to apply to the minister for health if they wish to change the premium for an existing product. This creates loopholes that have been exploited by providers to maximise their profits and hurt the Australian people.”
“And it does this without increasing the administrative burden on our doctors. This bill also outlaws another practice that is becoming increasingly problematic in the insurance system, which is the practice of product phoenixing. For those who are unaware, product phoenixing is when an insurer closes an existing product and then opens an identical or similar new product at a higher premium. We know that this practice is hurting the hip pockets of Australians and damaging their confidence in the insurance system. That is why we promised at the last election to address it, and that's why we are delivering on that promise. Not only does this provide more protections to Australians; it also provides them with assurance that our insurance system is working as it should and is there to support them.”
“It is unjustifiable to expect Australians to commit to a medical treatment without being able to compare those costs against the fees charged by other providers. Australians have the right to know the level of support that is provided by their private health insurer so they can determine from the outset their likely out-of-pocket costs. This bill will allow the government to publish details about what individual specialists charge for particular medical services. This information is already collected by government. It's just a matter of allowing it to be published. This move will improve transparency and take the guesswork out of health care, helping to ensure that Australians have all the information they need when making choices concerning the health of themselves and their loved ones.”
“By the end of 2022, out of the approximately 6,300 eligible specialists registered to practise in the 11 specialities covered on Medical Costs Finder, just six doctors had chosen to display their fee information—six out of more than 6,000. But that was in 2022. Maybe it improved over time. But, even three years later, only 88 doctors have voluntarily displayed their fee information—just 88. It is clear that the system was not working and that this was preventing Australians from accessing information that they needed when making decisions regarding their health care. This bill before the House fixes that. It is simply unjustifiable to expect Australians to commit to a medical treatment without knowing the cost of that treatment.”
“I also rise today to speak to the Health Legislation Amendment (Improving Choice and Transparency for Private Health Consumers) Bill 2026. Now, it would not shock anyone in this House that I believe that the Morrison government made many mistakes and missteps in their term of government. Whilst a lot of time could be spent discussing those that made major headlines, one that did not receive as much attention was their failed price disclosure tool, Medical Costs Finder. The Morrison government spent $24 million setting up the Medical Costs Finder website, which they claimed would use Medicare data to display the cost of common medical services alongside the fees that individual specialists voluntarily shared on the website. But how did this work out in practice?”
“My question is to the Minister for Housing. What action is the Albanese Labor government taking to help Australians into a home of their own? What policies would make homeownership harder for Australians?”
“I've had this week to meet with young workers who've advocated for these changes and heard about the difference that this has made to their lives. There is more work to do in this space, and I commend the SDA for continuing the fight, particularly their focus on ensuring that younger workers get access to the same superannuation entitlements as other workers. Your bills aren't different, your rent isn't different, your groceries aren't different, so your pay or your rights shouldn't be different. This government will continue to deliver for working people and their families right across this nation.”
“The Albanese government promised that we would back in our lowest paid workers—our retail workers, our hospitality, our care workers, the workers that keep our society moving—and we have done just that. Since the Albanese government came to office, we've advocated for Australian workers at every single annual wage review, five years in a row. Our advocacy has seen the national minimum wage increase by more than $6 per hour, $230 per week and more than $12,000 per year, or a 30.1 per cent increase. This is on top of the tax cuts that the Albanese government has delivered, not just committed to, for all working Australians. I also want to acknowledge the SDA for their successful campaign on the 'Adult Age = Adult Wage' campaign.”
“With lower taxes and higher wages, we're backing workers and their families in the fight against the cost of living. We will always back our communities to earn more and keep more of what they earn.”
“This week we have seen a win for three million Australian workers, a win for workers at the core of our communities. The Fair Work Commission has lifted the minimum wage by 4.75 per cent, which means that the minimum wage is now over $1,000 per week. This is real, meaningful change for the lowest paid workers in our communities and their families. On this side of the House, we fought for this fairness. We fought for our community, for our retail workers, our receptionists and our care workers. But what about those on the opposite side of the House? They deliberately suppressed wages for a decade. They consistently refused to back minimum-wage cases and they refused to support fairer tax cuts for all working Australians. Australians saw through it last year, and they continue to see through it.”
“Alongside this, we are investing in projects to ensure that housing supply increases, including over $18 million into infrastructure in my community of Bean to unlock future housing, and we're extending the bans on foreign property investors buying existing homes. On this side of the house, we have the courage to stand up for younger Australians and are proud to do so. We take no shame in backing in our future generations every opportunity we can.”
“What has become clear since the delivery of the budget is that those opposite have no desire to help our young people live the Australian dream by owning their own home. On this side of the House, we are reforming a tax system that, unlike what those opposite have claimed, has only acted to increase the cost of housing and done nothing to address its supply. When house prices have grown by 400 per cent since 1999, you know that reform is needed. That's why we're levelling the playing field. Combined with our five per cent deposit program, we're shifting the scales in favour of aspiring first homebuyers. In my electorate alone, over 2,200 first home buyers have accessed the five per cent deposit scheme.”
“Thank you to all who have put up their hand to participate—in many cases, over multiple years. And thank you to all those who've supported our participation and to those that will step up to provide support over the next couple of weeks as the temperature goes down.”
“We're also continuing to roll out our ambitious social and affordable housing agenda, delivering 55,000 social and affordable homes right across the country. We are releasing a further $100 million from the Housing Australia Future Fund to improve the quality of housing for First Nations Australians in remote communities. And we're investing $31 million over two years into the Homelessness Access Program to deliver health care to Australians experiencing, or at risk of, homelessness. Homelessness is a challenging issue, and it requires government leadership, great NGOs to invest their time and whole communities coming together to help address it—and the generosity of our community in supporting events like the Vinnies sleep-out. The Vinnies sleep-out is happening across Australia on 18 June.”
“For the entirety of Australia, that total was over 122,000 people experiencing homelessness each night. It's important to note that the homeless aren't simply those who are out on the streets. It has been estimated that 15 per cent of homeless people rely on couch surfing with family, friends and acquaintances so that they have a safe place to sleep. The Albanese government is taking action to help address this crisis. That's why we're investing almost $60 million to supplement rental income for community housing providers delivering social housing for over 4,000 young people aged 16 to 24 who are in receipt of the away-from-home rate of the youth allowance or Abstudy and who are at risk of or are experiencing homelessness.”
“This work, alongside the work of others at Valley FM, is all voluntary. Yet it provides a crucial hub of information and entertainment for our community. I look forward to working with Valley FM well into the future. The annual Vinnies CEO Sleepout is being held on 18 June at Old Parliament House. This will be my 12th consecutive year participating in the sleepout. Thank you, Speaker, for your particular leadership in hosting the 2024 sleepout here in the Parliament House car park. It is no secret to anyone having to travel here at this time of year that the nights get cold, often dropping down to minus-six degrees. Ultimately, that isn't too bad for those of us who have a warm home to return to. But, as we know, not everyone is that fortunate. At the last census, over 1,500 people were experiencing homelessness in the ACT.”
“Make sure to tune in, and, Speaker, let me know if you have any requests. I also want to take this opportunity to thank Valley FM and their presenters, staff and board members for the service they provide to our community. In particular, I want to give a shout-out to Chris McLeod, who's one of the Bean volunteers of the year for 2025. Chris has been a dedicated radio presenter for over 20 years with Valley FM and has gone beyond that, offering valuable input into the ongoing development of the station. Having held the position of secretary for a number of years, he's played a crucial role in communication and organisation for the station as well as mentoring new members of the board and broadcasters. I know that, on the side, he is also a dedicated bagpipe and violin player and is involved in the Canberra Burns Club Pipe Band.”
“When you first enter this place, there are many parts of this job that come as a surprise. The speeches, media appearances and street stalls were to be expected, but something I did not expect was becoming a part-time radio DJ. That is exactly what I've been given the chance to do for a couple of these past Mondays with Valley FM, one of the fantastic community radio stations servicing the Tuggeranong Valley. I've been able to join Tim Kilby to talk not just about politics but about the music that I've listened to over the decades and the influence it's had on my life. It's the sort of conversation you so rarely get to have in this role—a much more personal conversation, but, perhaps, with a heavy nineties influence. I look forward to joining Tim again this coming Monday 1 June at 3 pm.”
“These grants help ensure that volunteers can keep doing what they do best—working in and across our community. When the Albanese Labor government came in, we committed to investing back into our capital and right across Australia, and investing back into communities like mine. We are doing just that.”
“Someone experiencing homelessness and in need of food, bedding or toiletries will be able to receive help from YWCA Canberra at Mura Lanyon Youth and Community Centre. A highlight of my visits to Mura Lanyon is always seeing what they're growing in their community gardens managed by Peter Gilligan, who I recognised as a community volunteer of the year at one of my annual volunteer recognition evenings. It is volunteer organisations and the people that keep them running that are the lifeblood of our community. I welcome any chance I have to recognise the work that they do. I greatly enjoyed being able to call a number of volunteer groups last week to let them know that they'll be invited to apply for the latest round of volunteer grants.”
“Speaking of support for the local community, I was recently at the Mura Lanyon Youth and Community Centre to announce that the Albanese Labor government is investing over $190,000 to enable YWCA Canberra to provide emergency relief to more vulnerable households in the Lanyon Valley community, securing its operation until 2030. This funding will help individuals and families experiencing financial hardship who may be facing tough choices, such as buying new school shoes or doing a grocery shop, or keeping the lights on or paying their phone bills. Providers like YWCA Canberra deliver critical frontline support for those experiencing financial hardship and who would otherwise not have access to the resources they need to stay afloat.”
“I wish to congratulate Women's Shed Canberra, based at Lake Tuggeranong, on receiving a Local Jobs, Local People grant. The women's shed will run a 15-month project to establish a hands-on construction and trade skills exposure program for migrant, refugee and humanitarian visa holder women in collaboration with Himayat and Master Builders ACT. This will ensure people from these backgrounds have reduced barriers when attempting to enter the workforce and will be connected to industry groups, contributing to their own financial independence. It will also ensure growth in the construction sector. I thank Women's Shed Canberra for the work they are doing in our community and for the support they offer to people across all backgrounds. I am proud to say that the Albanese Labor government is supporting this work.”
“This program has so far installed 47 publicly accessible AEDs across Canberra. Last week, it was announced that, due to the generosity of people such as Mat Franklin and Capital Chemist, we will see an AED installed in every residential suburb in Canberra, making our city one of the first in the world to achieve this. Every Australian should have access to this life-saving equipment. Any Australian can learn first aid and how to use one. I commend St John Ambulance and GoodLoop Mutual for working to make this a reality.”
“Sudden cardiac arrest can impact people of all ages, genders and lifestyles. It does not discriminate. Approximately 10 per cent of people who experience a cardiac arrest outside of hospital survive. However, if good-quality and timely CPR and AED are utilised, survival rates can increase to 70 per cent. That is where the work of organisations such as St John Ambulance comes in. St John Ambulance asks governments, partners, funders and communities to get behind public access to defibrillators. Working together with StreetBeat, an initiative led by GoodLoop Mutual in partnership with St John Ambulance ACT, I sponsored the installation of one of these life-saving devices in my community. I was also able to run community training on how to use this AED last week, in recognition of Heart Week.”
“A highlight for me was working with Olivia to secure upgrades to facilities at Chisholm Oval to ensure the oval can remain one of the ACT's stand-out grounds. Her commitment to ensuring cricket has impact beyond the boundary, through partnerships with charities and community organisations, has been a hallmark of her tenure. I thank Olivia for her service to the Canberra community and I wish her every success as CEO of Tennis NSW. She is a first-class cricketer and first-class person. Let's continue Olivia's work to get that Big Bash team here in Canberra.”
“I wish to acknowledge Olivia Thornton, who is concluding her time as Chief Executive Officer of Cricket ACT, marking the end of an extraordinary period of leadership for the organisation and for cricket in the territory. Olivia has led Cricket ACT through one of the most defining chapters in its history and is leaving the organisation stronger and more connected and well positioned for the future. Olivia played most of her club cricket in Sydney, playing pathways and state-level cricket in New South Wales, with a stint over in county cricket for Nottingham. As Cricket ACT's first female CEO, she broke new ground while delivering results—from record participation growth across boys' and girls' cricket, to the reinstatement of ACT pathway teams, strengthening community engagement throughout Canberra.”
“These increases will be phased in in a responsible way. What it will mean over the phasing-in period for 18-year-old casual workers is a gradual increase of $10 per hour. I joined the SDA on my first day on the job because I knew they would fight for my rights at work, and I want to congratulate them, their members, workplace delegates and officials for their outstanding Adult Age = Adult Wage campaign and this historic win.”
“Today, we have seen a win for workers. It's a win for workers in retail, fast food and pharmacy; a win for our younger workers; and a win for intergenerational equity. The independent Fair Work Commission has decided to dump junior pay rates for people over 18 in these industries. As someone whose first job was at my local Big W in Woden, I know firsthand how these decisions greatly improve people's lives. It is a landmark decision for wage justice. Eighteen-year-olds can vote, drive and put their lives on the line for their country. Eighteen-year-olds are adults; they struggle with the same cost-of-living pressures as every other adult. Just because they happen to be 18, it doesn't mean they receive a discount on their rent or on the fuel they buy to get to work. Now they'll be paid the same as other adults.”
“Just last Friday in my electorate, we announced major investments in the ACT to secure more access to bulk-billing for people across Canberra, including an additional two bulk-billing GP clinics in my electorate of Bean. These new clinics, in the Molonglo Valley and southern Tuggeranong will help ensure that, when families in my community need health care, they can fully access it without having to worry about their hip pockets. This is what action on the cost of living looks like. The Albanese government is there to support our community, and it's committed to helping Australians in these trying times. We want to see Australians thrive and help them earn more and to keep more of what they earn.”
“The only workplace policies that we've seen the coalition promise are cutting 41,000 workers from our Public Service, particularly in my land of Bean and right across the Canberra region, and providing taxpayer funded lunches for bosses. On this side of the chamber, we've just marked 12 months since introducing tax cuts for 14 million Australians—14 million Australians who are better off under this government than they would have been under a government led by those opposite, because those opposite committed to revoking those tax cuts. What can I say about that except, 'Fantastic; great move—well done, Angus!'? But it's not just about pay increases and it's not just about superannuation; it's about investing in other services.”
“In the crisis we see now, in which the Albanese government has taken strong action to secure the supply of fuels and supplies to Australia, all we have seen the opposition do is play politics. They call for urgent responses and then do everything they can to delay those responses and delay assistance to Australians across the country, including our farmers. It appears the only farming the coalition is interested in these days is clip farming. But let's compare that approach with that of this side of the chamber. We're backing another pay rise for minimum wage and award-reliant workers to help with the cost of living. My first job was at my local Big W down in Woden. I'm speaking from firsthand experience when I say that these pay increases matter and help improve the lives of so many people across my community.”
“If the member for McPherson is so concerned about people working later into their lives, I'm sure he must have been outraged when the Abbott government froze the superannuation guarantee at 9½ per cent, which was then continued by successive coalition governments—a repeated failure to help workers secure their futures. So forgive me if I'm a bit shocked by the hypocrisy on display here from those opposite. But doesn't this just show who the coalition are deep down? They've got no policy, no solutions—not even a consistent ideology anymore. They have stood against every piece of cost-of-living relief implemented by this government. Their only ideology is opposition—no meaningful progress for older Australians, no meaningful assistance for our younger Australian and no support for those in our cities or out in our regional areas.”
“And, earlier this year, the shadow Treasurer was forced to back down when he declared he no longer supported the twin objectives of the Reserve Bank, with the ultimate effect of the changes he was proposing being a climb in unemployment and climbs in interest rates. Compulsory superannuation is one of the greatest ways people are able to secure their retirement and future. It was introduced under the Keating Labor government and strengthened under the Albanese Labor government, who lifted the compulsory contribution to 12 per cent.”
“I'm happy to see that the member for McPherson is concerned about the cost of living and interest rates for Australians and that he has presented us the opportunity to talk about these issues in this chamber. However, I think a more efficient use of the member's time would have been to discuss this with his own shadow treasurer, who has gone on record in parliament as saying, 'We need to create the policy settings to progressively increase interest rates.' He's been consistent on this, also stating, 'Nobody wins from low interest rates.' I wonder what Australians think about that.”
“Over the coming four years, WILD for STEM aims to advance the careers of 300 emerging female leaders in STEM, an objective possible through government investment. I'd like to recognise Dr Klara Verbyla, a constituent of Bean. Klara holds her PhD in genetics statistics, working alongside key agricultural sectors, including a decade-long collaboration with the CSIRO. Participating in WILD for STEM allowed her to strengthen her leadership capacity while developing and expanding her network and connections in industry. She now serves as the vice president for a global agriculture technology company, proving the value of programs like WILD for STEM that champion diversity in Australian industries.”
“Currently, we are seeing significant underrepresentation of women in our top industrial positions, where highly skilled and diverse leaders are exiting STEM. In order to allow for Australian innovation to truly prosper, we must remedy these issues of structural inequality. This can be helped to be achieved by programs like WILD for STEM, an initiative providing valuable leadership training, tailored network building and opportunity for industry experience. Over 150 Australian women have benefited from this program. One hundred per cent of participants have retained a career in STEM, with half receiving new roles or promotions and 28 per cent gaining positions on boards within one year.”