Aaron Violi
Casey · Liberal Party · Australia
“I think it's really important when we have this discussion, that we separate the intent versus the outcome. Now, it's clear the intent is to make sure all those under 16 do not have access to social media.”
“CFA volunteers give back so much to our community, and today I want to pay tribute to a good friend of mine, someone I've known for 20 years: Tim Mitchelson, better known to all of us as Loaf. He's stepping back from the BMT at the Wandin Fire Brigade, but he has served our community with distinction.”
“We see time and time again that the backbench has to follow orders. They can't get what they want on gambling reform. They have to take the sandwich from those. They have to follow the Prime Minister's lead on a bad budget, and they have to continue to follow the minister that is failing when it comes to social media.”
“You spend a lot of time rushing legislation through this House for political means, but doing your job is getting the legislation right. This legislation is not working. Young— A government member: How? How is it not working? I will explain to you if you stop interjecting and listen. Young children are still on social media.”
“The coalition is saying, 'Let's take the time to have an inquiry, to do the work, to understand why it has failed and why we can get it right the second time.' As the member for Berowra said, we don't want to be back here in six months' time having to amend it again. The detail was wrong the first time.”
“They weren't prepared to look at the detail and understand. Let's look at history. This legislation was introduced on Monday this week. This government wants to ram it through the house on Thursday. But let's look at December when the first legislation was brought in.”
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“It was a privilege to be in attendance for Selby Fire Brigade's centenary celebration on Saturday night. It's an incredible milestone and one that highlights the ongoing dedication of the volunteer firefighters and the ongoing support of their families and the wider community. The celebration was a night filled with laughter, stories of times gone by, reflection and remembrance of the hard work and commitment of all the Selby Fire Brigade volunteers to protecting our community over the last century. It was wonderful to speak to past and present members and their families, and to view the incredible display of memorabilia of the last 100 years of service to the community across the Dandenong Ranges.”
“Over the weekend the Gruyere Fire Brigade held their annual beef-on-a-spit fundraiser event, which is a favourite amongst the community. This year didn't disappoint, with another great turnout despite the cold weather. The event is more than just a fundraiser. It's a night where we come together with family and friends to share good food and help support one of our local brigades. Well done to the Gruyere Fire Brigade for another successful beef-on-a-spit night. Thank you for all the hard work you do protecting and serving our community. Another two important events occurred in our community over the weekend. The Belgrave South Fire Brigade and the Selby Fire Brigade celebrated 100 years; they were established after terrible bushfires in 1926.”
“With the summer weather easing and bushfire risk subsiding, now is the time we are able to thank our local fire brigades and volunteer firefighters for all their hard work on the ground in Casey and across the state of Victoria. The summer season saw many crews from my community tasked to assist brigades in fighting fires in Longwood, Walwa, Harcourt and other areas while also protecting our local area. Without our volunteer firefighters, summer may have looked vastly different. So thank you to each and every single firefighter who volunteered across Casey for your continued dedication to protecting our community. Our local fire brigades are an integral part of our community. Without support, they cannot continue to protect us.”
“If you break your promise, your bond to the Australian people, you are breaking trust with the Australian people and you are not a leader. Let's find out in the next three weeks where this prime minister stands, because he's abandoned the Australian people. (Time expired)”
“The test now for the member for Parramatta—who is so concerned about trust in leadership—and for all those opposite is the next budget, because the Prime Minister said, 'My word is my bond,' before the last election. He promised the Australian people that there would be no changes to the tax system, no changes to negative gearing and no changes to capital gains. That was the Prime Minister's word before the last election. Well, let's watch the budget. If there are any changes to those two taxes, then, by the member for Parramatta's own standard, which he set today, this prime minister is not fit to lead this country. That is the test that the member for Parramatta has set for his own leader, because he said that leaders need to have trust.”
“No Australian got that reduction. In fact, their price went up by double digits. The member for Deakin let the cat out of the bag when he interjected last year and said: That line worked for three years. That sums it up from this government. When we talk about trust, this prime minister also said, before he was elected: 'My word is my bond. I will not change the tax system. I will not change the superannuation system.' Two weeks ago, this prime minister changed the superannuation system in this country, breaking his word to the Australian people. The member for Parramatta talks about trust; I hope he stands up in caucus or in cabinet and calls out the Prime Minister for breaking the trust of the Australian people.”
“So many on this side, including me, spoke over this time about the folly of looking at the symptoms and not the causes, because, when you treat the symptoms for a couple of years, you take away a little bit of pain but you make the pain worse when you can no longer deliver the medicine. That is what we are seeing with this government. They gave temporary relief, but they didn't address productivity. Productivity is continuing to be in freefall under this government, and this government has not delivered. I want to look at the member for Parramatta. He was talking about trust. Let's talk about trust in leadership from the Prime Minister. Ninety-seven times before the 2022 election, the Prime Minister promised the Australian people that he would reduce power bills by $275. He said: I don't think; I know. I've done the modelling.”
“Every military expert in the world will tell you that, in the last six to eight weeks before the conflict started, there was a significant shift in military assets from the United States into the area. Experts knew this was coming. This government had two and a half years to prepare for this by bringing fuel stocks forward and getting the numbers up significantly. They did not do that. Preparation can happen over two and a half years to mitigate some of the pain. The other thing that this government could have done is focus on bringing inflation sustainably into the band to give the Australian people and the RBA some buffer so the RBA wouldn't need to raise rates. But, for over 3½ years, the Prime Minister and the Treasurer focused on treating the symptoms of the economic challenges, not the causes.”
“Right now, we really need to understand that there are two challenges the Australian people are facing. Obviously, there's the fuel crisis—getting fuel, particularly diesel, and the impacts on price. But we shouldn't forget that Australians were paying the price and struggling before this with inflation at 3.8 per cent and two increases in the interest rates. The question about leadership is about understanding that you can't control events, but it's what you do to prepare for them and how you handle them. Let's understand that this crisis, this conflict in the Middle East, didn't operate in a vacuum. This started on 7 October 2023. There was conflict in the Middle East. It escalated last year when Iran was impacted directly by Israel and the US. There were warning signs that this would happen.”
“He's got the backbench following the talking points today, talking about how they're doing something. Well, guess what, Treasurer: words and spin do not put food on the table for my community. It does not bring petrol prices down and it does not help anyone. This Treasurer has been in this building for over 20 years. He thinks that this spin that he throws actually makes a difference. Well, the Australian people have worked him out. They know he has no plan to support them.”
“Last week I was at Fast Fuel in Mount Evelyn, talking to the owner about how he could not get diesel. At the exact same time, Minister Bowen was telling us that there was no issue here in Australia, that there was no crisis at all. When I left that meeting, a young mum stopped and asked me when fuel prices would go down. She'd put $30 in the tank and said it had to last her two weeks until her next pay. There were literally tears in her eyes. In question time today, we are going to hear the Treasurer talk about his plan to help. His plan to help is $5 a week that starts on 1 July this year. That's it. That is his only plan to help the Australian people, to help the people in Casey: $5 a week on 1 July, two and a half months away. This is a Treasurer who is big on spin. He will spin it all day today.”
“They have fuel.' At the very same time, farmers in my community were getting messages from their distributors saying, 'We are not delivering fuel to farmers today.' At the exact same time, the Minister for Climate Change and Energy is in this House telling those people there is no problem in this country. Time and time again, this minister and this prime minister are late, and it's the Australian people that pay the price.”
“That's why it's so galling that, day after day, in question time we have to listen, and our communities have to listen, to a prime minister that continues to tell them that they've never had it better, that the economy is going great and that this government has got it under control. We have seen the same story from this government. The Treasurer talked about how the economy was going so strong for so long. Well, it wasn't and it's not for John and so many in my community. The story is being played again with fuel. For weeks, the Prime Minister and Minister Bowen told members of my community: 'There is no issue. There is no crisis.”
“This is what makes this price shock so painful—that it has been so hard for people for so long. John from Lilydale recently filled out my household budget survey. He said that, in the last six months, he has taken on extra work. He's had to dip into savings to cover everyday bills and delayed medical and dental appointments due to the cost. He wrote: We have delayed multiple maintenance callouts due to the cost. We are living with no lights in one room, no working aircon and plumbing issues. We have tried to grow some of our own food due to the crazy increases at the supermarket. This is the lived experience of John. It could be so many in my community.”
“Two in five young people aged 16 to 24 experienced mental ill health within the previous 12 months. We're very fortunate to have headspace in Lilydale and in Knox doing great work to support our young people, but their services are often at capacity. It's time for the Lilydale hub to go from a part-time service to a full-time service five days a week. This June, I'm supporting local young people and our headspace centres by completing the headspace Push-Up Challenge. Registrations open on 14 April, and I encourage you to get involved or donate to a worthy cause. We all know that so many people in our community are struggling. They are struggling today as petrol hits $3 a litre, but they have been struggling for so much more than just the recent crisis.”
“Everyone that lives in Monbulk knows that, as when they lived through the June storms of 2021, they can be cut off from any other community for days and weeks. So this is such a significant investment in the Monbulk community. It was wonderful to attend the Lilydale Football Club's men's mental health awareness games recently to honour club champions in the Steve Featherstone Shield and the John Crennan Trophy. Mental health support is so important, and sport is one of the best ways to provide positive mental wellbeing. In our community, accessing mental health supports can be a challenge, especially for our young people and those that are geographically diverse. According to headspace, nearly half of all young Australians aged 12 to 25 report high or very high levels of psychological distress.”
“In my community of Casey, it is vital we are prepared for emergencies. This is something I've been advocating since becoming a candidate in 2021. Solutions don't just come from parliament; they come from our community. It was fantastic to be in Lilydale on Sunday for the handover of the new power trailer from Buffalo Stand-alone Power Solutions to the Monbulk & District Community Opportunities Working Group, fondly known as MADCOW. This power trailer is a deployable back-up system that will be used to strengthen our local emergency preparedness during outages and severe weather events. It will ensure that local groups and community members have access to energy when they need it most in a crisis.”
“There are so many opportunities to drive productivity, to drive economic growth and to improve our communities, but there is downside risk. We cannot afford to have a government that is asleep at the wheel, sending us in two different directions, then flipping those directions and flipping them again—providing no certainty for businesses, no certainty for the community and no certainty for the workers of Australia.”
“We know how bad it is because the member for Chifley—a member of this government and the former minister in this area—has consistently and publicly criticised this government when it comes to failures in artificial intelligence. The Prime Minister talks about how unified they are, how supportive they are, but what does it say that a member of his own government is prepared to take the risk to publicly come out and criticise this government? We all know what happens to those on the ALP side when they criticise the government. Senator Payman is a living example of that. This government's own members admit it has failed when it comes to AI, and this is a technological revolution that will impact every Australian. It is one that we need to get right.”
“Even worse than that, those opposite will potentially talk about the AI accelerator fund. They will talk about the money they're spending in the AI accelerator fund and how that is going to help businesses invest in artificial intelligence and our community take advantage of it. But that is a false claim by this government, because that fund does not provide money to industry until 2028. The one plan, the one idea, this government has to support artificial intelligence is to provide industry with funding in 2028—two years away. That is a lifetime when it comes to investment decisions and to artificial intelligence. We are seeing the changes move so quickly. We know that this government has no plan and that all its ideas are talk.”
“We saw this play out in the last term of parliament when it came to industrial relations. We saw outsourcing to the unions resulting in productivity—less than a five per cent—decline under this government, productivity going backwards significantly. But they needed an action plan through microcredentials, through training people today. In these ways they can protect people, because we are seeing jobs being lost today. Those opposite will look to spin and look to talk about how they actually have a plan and they are doing things when it comes to AI. I have no doubt they're going to reference the plan that they announced in December, and I look forward to hearing the references. They won't talk about how, within that plan, there was no framework. There were no real actions. There was talk about more conversations.”
“They've seen this play out over four years under this government. Let's understand, when it comes to artificial intelligence, how important this transformation is for our society. While the technology is new, the transformation is not unprecedented. Society has gone through big technological changes before—the printing press, electricity, the internet, smartphones and social media just to name a few. So it's a question for government of how they capture the upside but make sure that they mitigate the downside, and providing that certainty not just for businesses to invest but also for workers is so crucial. We have seen silence from this government when it comes to workers and how they will support them. Undoubtedly, they are waiting to get their marching orders from the unions on how they will look after communities when it comes to AI.”
“There's a great saying: if you don't have a destination, any path will get you there. Unfortunately, that saying sums up the Albanese Labor government when it comes to artificial intelligence—no destination, no plan. Even worse, they had a destination that wasn't a destination that Minister Husic was taking them under, and then when Minister Husic got rolled the destination changed again. So now industry is left with a world with no certainty, no destination and changing priorities depending on the minister's whim. They rightly wonder what happens. To use the words of then minister Husic and still the member for Chifley, if the factional assassins come for Minister Ayres, does Assistant Minister Charlton get promoted? Does he take it in a different direction? Industry has no certainty.”
“I move: That this House: (1) acknowledges the rapid changes artificial intelligence (AI) is driving across Australian workplaces, including: (a) automation of routine tasks; (b) augmenting jobs and increasing productivity; (c) creating new jobs and skill sets; and (d) workplace restructuring and business changes; (2) notes that the Government has not developed an AI transition plan for Australian workers adversely affected by workplace restructuring and business changes, meaning the Government is silent on how Australians who lose their job because of AI will be supported or transitioned to another industry; (3) recognises that conflict and tension between Government ministers and members is causing: (a) AI policy inertia and delays; (b) uncertainty for business to invest in AI technology; and (c) serious unknowns for Australian workers impacted by potential workplace changes; (4) further notes that after the Government won the 2025 election, it suddenly scrapped an expert AI advisory body after spending 15 months and $188,000 finding experts to join it; and (5) calls upon the Government to resolve its internal conflicts and act now so Australian businesses, workers, and investors have certainty and clarity over Australia's AI policy direction.”
“Her farm is the only farm in Australia to deliver animal based therapy and education on a mixed farm. She has helped countless young people find purpose in their lives and integrate into their communities, equipping them with resilience to overcome challenges. Congratulations, Lesley, on this well-deserved recognition, and thank you for your ongoing commitment to young Australians and to our community.”
“I'm looking forward to speaking with so many locals at the Wandin North Harvest Market this Sunday. Last weekend it was great to attend the Connecting Community Festival in Healesville. It was wonderful to see local stallholders, including the Healesville Lions Club on the barbeque, as well as street parades, community crafts, concerts and dances throughout the day. Some of the old legends from the Healesville Football Club also shared some stories. I've heard them before, but they were a lot cleaner than how they were normally told at the terminus back in the day. I had the privilege of presenting an award to the founder of the Good Life Farm, Lesley Porter, on behalf of the board of directors. Lesley started the Good Life Farm in Chum Creek in 2005 to support vulnerable young people in our community.”
“I look forward to Celebrate Mooroolbark this weekend. The Wandin North Harvest Market at Wandin North Primary School is a staple in the Yarra Valley. It's wonderful to be there every year with my team and see local kids having fun with their friends, families and teachers. The Harvest Market at Wandin North Primary School is their main fundraiser, and it's a fantastic day for the whole family. It's got entertainment, crafts, market stalls, delicious food, activities for the kids, fresh local produce and so much more. The fundraiser for the school is so important to make sure they can get the support that they need. Thank you to Megan who is the key Harvest Market organiser along with the many parents and volunteers and to school principal Paul Bailey and all the teachers for all the work they put into this great local event.”
“We have so many amazing community events that play an important part in making our region even stronger. They are run by volunteers and community groups who give their time to allow locals to come together with family, friends and neighbours. This weekend, we have two of those fantastic local events. Celebrate Mooroolbark is exactly what the name suggests—a celebration of everything that makes Mooroolbark so special. I'm looking forward to being out with my community this Sunday 15 March to celebrate with Mooroolbark locals and celebrate this amazing community. There will be fun for the whole family with free activities, market stalls by local businesses, local arts and crafts, delicious food, live entertainment and so much more. Thank you to the entire committee and volunteers who have planned this weekend's festival.”
“Every part of the supply chain for food in this country requires diesel—for the supplies to get to the food manufacturer, for the manufacturer to make the product, and for the product to go from the manufacturer, to the distribution centre, to the supermarket that sells it. Everything in this country, unfortunately, will get more expensive. And what do we get from this government? Silence. We get one letter to the ACCC from the Treasurer of this country. That is the sum total effort of this government to help the Australian people as it gets worse, and it continues to get worse. As prices go up at home, understand this: the failure is with the Prime Minister and the Treasurer. They have let you down. It is their responsibility. They have failed.”
“Leadership is about understanding that you can't control events; however, you can control how you prepare, and how you respond to events. And this government has failed to prepare Australians and the Australian economy for the cost, price, increases in fuel that we are seeing, with reports today of over $3 a litre for petrol in some outlets. Inflation is above the band, at 3.8 per cent. There are no shock-absorbers in the Australian economy to deal with the challenges we face, and this sits firmly as a failure of Anthony Albanese, the Prime Minister of this country, and the Treasurer. They have failed to prepare us for the challenges we have. But understand this: it is going to get worse.”
“On the topic of defence and veterans, I wish to take the opportunity to publicly condemn recent comments by US president Donald Trump about our service men and women who served overseas with US forces. Many constituents in Casey, including Deane, have contacted me to express their disappointment. This was deeply offensive to our Aussie diggers and all allied troops who fought overseas, many paying the ultimate sacrifice. Those who pull on a uniform to serve their country and allies deserve our respect and gratitude, and I'll always stand up for and support our veterans. As we're seeing right now, we live in dangerous times, and we need to support the ADF and make sure they have the equipment that they need to keep our country safe.”
“And thank you, Ross, for having the courage to share your story. It was great to see you, and I look forward to continuing to support you on your journey. The federal government has a core responsibility to keep Australians safe. It is disappointing to see cuts to our defence capability in one of the most globally uncertain times our nation has seen. I'm proud that the coalition has committed to increasing defence spending to three per cent of GDP, up from two per cent under the current government. The government's two per cent does not meet the strategic environment that we face. We have been warned that what we are currently spending to keep our nation safe is not adequate, and it is time those opposite heed those warnings.”
“Brain Injury Matters is an advocacy and community education organisation run by and for people with acquired brain injury. I recently met with Casey local Ross Greenhorn, someone I was lucky enough to grow up with in Yarra Glen. Ross explained how these cuts are impacting him. Disability advocacy networks and groups have reported that there are significant delays with new supports, which means that organisations like Brain Injury Matters are facing the possibility of closure or a reduction in supports available for the community. This is causing an uncomfortable level of uncertainty for participants like Ross, impacting social, mental and physical health outcomes. These are vital supports to help individuals and families after traumatic events have changed their lives, and they must be supported.”
“Residents in my community who use this intersection daily, including local CFA brigades turning out to emergencies, are fed up with being stuck in traffic and seeing near misses at this dangerous intersection. With the new estate now complete in Coldstream, the added traffic has increased the urgency for this upgrade. It's time that federal Labor told Victorian Labor to get on with it and upgrade this intersection. One of the reasons upgraded roads are needed is to prevent accidents; however, when accidents happen, we need to support those impacted. This government talk a big game when it comes to supporting people; however, the reality is very different from their spin. Recent funding cuts to community based and peer-led support models are impacting disability advocacy networks.”
“It is 2026, and my community is rightly asking what is happening with the Maroondah Highway and Killara Road upgrade. The former federal Liberal government secured $20 million to upgrade this busy intersection back in 2019, and we've been waiting on the Victorian state Labor government to deliver the project ever since. I have continuously followed up this project with both the federal and state Labor ministers for infrastructure and the Victorian Minister for Roads and Road Safety—to no avail. Our community was told pre-works and community consultation would occur in 2024, with construction to follow in 2025. I stand here now, in March 2026, and demand that the government step in until their Victorian colleagues to get on with the job at Killara Road.”
“Where we live, emergency preparedness is not optional; it is essential. We know that prepared communities recover faster and stay stronger, and I am proud that I helped to deliver $10 million to Yarra Ranges Council to implement the Resilient Yarra Ranges program, which has improved our local disaster resilience by upgrading community buildings with solar, generators and plug-in points. This includes resilience upgrades on facilities in Monbulk, Olinda, Healesville, Montrose, Dixons Creek, Warburton, Mooroolbark, Mount Evelyn, Upwey and Kilsyth. I will continue to advocate for stronger emergency resilience right across our community to ensure that we are prepared for natural disasters. A key part of emergency preparedness is first-class road infrastructure.”
“Please add your voice to our local campaign for better youth mental health support, and I won't stop working until our community receives the healthcare services that it needs and deserves. It is crucial that we have reliable phone and internet communications, particularly during emergencies. I have lived firsthand our local telecommunications challenges during weather events, like the June storms and the 2009 Black Saturday bushfires. I'm proud that the Liberals improved local network capabilities by investing in phone towers in East Warburton, in Steels Creek, in Reefton, in Mount Evelyn, in McMahons Creek, in Silvan, in Menzies Creek and two in Chum Creek. I'm focused on advocating for a reliable communications network that keeps us safe and keeps us connected every day, including in times of emergency.”
“The clinic in Lilydale will help residents of the Yarra Ranges receive urgent care close to home and help to reduce pressure on our closest emergency departments. While a clinic in Lilydale is a step forward, families in the rural parts of our community are still left travelling long distances to access health care. Together, we'll keep pushing for better local health care, and I'll keep being a strong local voice for all in our region. Unfortunately, our community has one of the highest rates of youth mental health challenges in Victoria, and more needs to be done, especially since the government heartlessly shut down the Lilydale Youth Hub. We need to increase the capacity at Lilydale headspace and make it a full-time service for the Yarra Ranges.”
“A new bulk-billing Medicare urgent care clinic opened in December, located at Access Health and Inspiro, at 17 Clarke Street in Lilydale. The clinic is open for extended hours. I'd like to thank the many local residents who signed my petition and joined our campaign for better local health care. I was proud to be your voice here in parliament and advocate for better access to health in our community and make a commitment at the election for an urgent care clinic in my community. I'm glad the government chose to follow the lead and match my commitment. It is good to see that we can make a difference as good local members. Imitation is the greatest form of flattery, so I'm glad the minister for health chose to copy my announcement.”
“House prices increased by around $23,000 in the September 2025 quarter alone. Labor is failing to hit its own housing target, with recent data showing the government fell 15,000 homes short of its own goal. I know that affordable housing is a challenge for so many in our community, and I'll continue to advocate for real action on housing to ease the pressure on renters and homebuyers and increase supply of housing in our community. If you listen to the minister for housing, it feels like she thinks that the job's done and she's solved the challenge. But that's not what the Australian people are feeling. Not only do locals in Casey want to own a home; they also want to access health care when they need it. I was proud that our local campaign for a Medicare urgent care clinic to be established in the Yarra Ranges was successful.”
“That's why I've launched my household budget survey. I want them to let me know how the cost of living is impacting them—is it higher interest rates, higher childcare costs or higher electricity bills?—to best represent them and our community. It's so important that I hear about the issues that matter to them. Every Australian deserves access to affordable housing, whether it be buying a home or being able to rent a place of your own. When I speak to young Australians, it is devastating to see that so many have almost given up on the idea of buying a home. They see that not enough houses are being built and prices for existing stock keep climbing, and renters are paying 22 per cent more. Interest rates have increased, and mortgage holders are paying more as well.”
“What we're going to see now is a Treasurer trying to spin his way out of this and blaming overseas factors, but the community in Casey and all across the country know that the pressure they are under happened well before conflict in the Middle East and the failures sit squarely with the Prime Minister and Treasurer of this country. Australians have suffered the largest decline in living standards compared to any other nation in the developed world. It's because of the poor decisions of Prime Minister Albanese and his Labor government that Australian families are left paying the price for his cost-of-living crisis. The truth is that Australians are working harder, paying more and getting less under this government. I want to hear directly from Casey locals about how they're going and the relief that they need here in Canberra.”
“Local residents like Matt from Lilydale deserve to know why their interest rates have gone up, why they are paying more on their mortgage and why cost-of-living pressures continue to worsen. The Treasurer thinks he can spin his way out of inflation, but the reality is that he cannot, and it's the Australian people who continue to pay for his failures. It's not only mortgages that are up; rents are up by 22 per cent, insurance premiums have risen by 39 per cent, food is 16 per cent more expensive, healthcare costs are up 17 per cent and families are paying up to 40 per cent more just to keep the lights on. The increasing cost of living is by far the single biggest challenge facing families.”
“The RBA governor said: Government spending is part of total spending and total aggregate demand in the economy. … that's contributing to inflationary pressures. That's why we've decided to raise interest rates … This statement by the RBA governor completely contradicts the spin from Treasurer Chalmers. For our local community, it's not just economic theory. It's about real people, real families and real small businesses who are seeing their cost of living rising because the government refuses to show spending restraint. The RBA confirmed that the Albanese Labor government spending is contributing to interest rate rises, and, while local families and small businesses are having to manage their own household and business budgets, the Treasurer and Labor cannot manage their own budget, and it's Australians that pay the price.”
“Families and small businesses are paying more for electricity and gas, and local roads and telecommunications are not keeping up. As we move forward into 2026, my focus remains on being a strong local voice for our region. I'll continue to advocate for cost-of-living relief, cheaper power bills, safer local roads, stronger emergency resilience and reliable telecommunications. Together, we'll keep working to make our community stronger. A strong economy is a key pillar for a strong community. In the economics committee recently, I asked a question on behalf of a local directly to the Reserve Bank governor, Michele Bullock, as part of the hearing. The Lilydale local was Matt, and he wanted to know: how is the government spending affecting the economy, and has it contributed to the rate rise?”
“I rise today to raise my community's voice in our nation's parliament, and I have the honour to serve my community, the community my family has lived in since 1953, and to ensure that I am a strong local voice fighting for our region, from the suburbs to the valley, the hills and all of the outer east. When I'm out speaking with locals, visiting community groups and hearing from small business owners, I know and they know that we live in a beautiful part of Australia. Just like them, I want our region to remain the best place to live, to work, to invest in a local business, to raise a family and to enjoy your retirement. But I know the past few years haven't been easy. Household budgets are being stretched to cover rising housing costs, insurance, child care and groceries.”
“That's the scary part. We will see in the May budget whether the Prime Minister's word is his bond, whether he's not going to change capital gains tax and whether he's not going to change negative gearing, as he promised every Australian at the election in 2025 that he would not. If he breaks that promise, what's next? Is it your house? We just don't know. I guess we'll find out soon.”
“So, when this Prime Minister gives his word, his bond, that he is not going to change the capital gains tax system or negative gearing in this country, we take it with a grain of salt. We will watch with interest because, already, we've seen the backgrounding and we've seen Treasury are doing more modelling. We legitimately ask: what's next? That is the fear for the Australian people. We have a government that believes it is reasonable to tax unrealised capital gains. We have a government that believes it is reasonable to mislead the Australian people and promise one thing before an election and do another thing after. We like to say that the biggest mistake Bill Shorten made was that he was actually upfront and honest with the Australian people in 2019. They've clearly learned their lesson. But every Australian needs to know what's next.”
“They're now changing the superannuation system. So every Australian has the legitimate right to ask themselves: what's next? We've repeatedly asked the Prime Minister and the Treasurer if they would rule out taxing the family home, and they won't rule it out. They're not prepared to rule it out. So, when you join the dots, every Australian has to legitimately be fearful that housing is next. We know that the Prime Minister emphatically ruled out before the last election that they had any plans to change the capital gains system or negative gearing in this country. 'My word is my bond' was the statement from the Prime Minister before the 2022 election. We saw that that word is not worth anything because he broke that word and he broke his bond with the Australian people after the 2022 election.”
“They finally backflipped and saw a little bit of sense once they realised they weren't going to get it through, but that doesn't change the fact that they all thought it was reasonable. They all defended it. They continued to run the line that the farmers of Casey, the small-business owners of Casey, the farmers of the country and the small-business owners of the country, should have to pay tax on money that they do not have and on something that they have not earned. The other element to this that is deeply concerning is the broken promise. What's next? We know we can't trust the government when it comes to tax because they broke their word on tax when they said they weren't going to change the tax system. They backflipped and broke their word. They said they weren't going to change the superannuation system.”