Dai Le
Fowler · Independent · Australia
“Sometimes it is measured in language, in cultural unfamiliarity and in the absence of services that actually reflect the community they are supposed to serve. My second amendment embeds a requirement that appropriate treatment must be linguistically and culturally accessible at the person's geographical location.”
“The language a person speaks at home is one of the most important factors in how they express their needs, understand their rights and advocate for themselves or their loved ones. Language forms the bridge between all of us socially, culturally and emotionally.”
“by leave—I move amendments (1) to (3) circulated in my name together: (1) Schedule 1, item 4, page 4 (line 23), after "circumstances", insert "(other than the person's linguistic environment)".”
“Australians living with disability deserve a scheme that is trusted, well managed and sustainable. But sustainability and financial viability cannot come at the cost of fairness, and they certainly should not be achieved by pushing the most vulnerable participants into greater uncertainty or into a system of bureaucracy that is harder to…”
“The system must be able to respond to the lived experience of people on the ground, not just assumptions built into centrally designed guidelines. Taken together, these amendments rest on one principle: the NDIS must be as diverse as the people it serves.”
“They are an attempt to make it work for the people who will be hurt most if we get this wrong. I have moved these amendments not to stop reform but to make sure reform is fair, inclusive, practical and safe for people living with disability from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds and people from low socioeconomic background…”
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“We have seen it before with the failure to deliver a proper Western Sydney metro link to the new Western Sydney airport, leaving communities disconnected from the very jobs and opportunities that infrastructure was meant to unlock. The University of Wollongong has shown belief in Liverpool and in Western Sydney communities. It is a shame that this government has not done the same thing.”
“What is the value of investing in education if this government fails to support the jobs and industries that those students are training to enter? We are told this decision was made in the context of the current fiscal environment, but, once again, it is communities in Western Sydney that are asked to bear the cost. SBS plays a critical role in telling stories of multicultural Australia, and there is no more multicultural region in this country than the communities I represent. The jobs this expansion will have created across the media, communications and creative industries are exactly the roles that students at the University of Wollongong, Liverpool are preparing for right now. Yet, instead of strengthening those pathways, the government has cut them off. This is not an isolated case.”
“For many young people in Fowler, access to world-class education, just a train or a bus ride away, is about far more than lectures, exams or degrees. It represents opportunity. It reflects the hopes of families, many of whom came to Australia, like my own late mother, because they believed in the promise of education as a pathway to a better life. That promise only holds true if it is equitable and accessible to everyone, regardless of postcode, which is why the recent decision by the government to withdraw funding for the promised Western Sydney expansion of the Special Broadcasting Service is quite disappointing. This was meant to be a hub for jobs, skills and opportunities—a pipeline from education into meaningful employment. And now that pathway has been taken away.”
“I want to speak to two matters that go to the heart of opportunity and fairness in my community of Fowler, and to the growing gap between the promises this government makes to Western Sydney and the reality it delivers. I recently had the pleasure of attending the opening of the University of Wollongong's new campus at Liverpool Civic Place. Liverpool is already home to UOW's fastest-growing student cohort, with a 134 per cent increase in completed applications now compared to this time last year. These are young people who are able to pursue their education and build their futures close to where they live. I welcome the university's strong commitment to communities like mine in south-western Sydney.”
“But families do not need short-term sugar hits. They need real structural solutions. Now is the time for the government to step up, to have the courage to make the decisions to restore confidence for working Australians. People in communities like Fowler work hard. They pay their taxes. They do everything right. When families are doing everything right and are still falling behind, it's not them that's failing; it's us. So I call on the government to revisit my original request to halve the fuel excise, which last year delivered almost $27 billion in revenue. A six-month pause would take real pressure off families and small businesses and off inflation.”
“The average household has 1.7 vehicles, and nearly half of all households have two or more cars, not because people want to drive but because they don't have any other public transport and no real alternative. Public transport simply does not meet the needs of many families in my area. People need to get to work, drop their kids off at school, attend appointments and keep their small business running. At the same time, global instability is pushing fuel prices higher. Conflict in the Middle East is adding further pressure at the bowser, and families are feeling that heat straightaway. This is happening exactly at the wrong time. When I was first elected I called on the government to cut the fuel excise to provide immediate relief. That call was dismissed, replaced with short-term announcements and temporary measures.”
“If we did, we would be moving very quickly to fix the structural issues behind them. But families and small-business owners in communities like mine will feel it immediately. They will feel it when they fill up at the petrol station. They will feel it in their mortgage repayments. They will feel it every day as the cost of living continues to rise. In Fowler, the median weekly household income is just $1,403. For a family with a mortgage, even a small rate rise of 25 basis points can mean around $100 extra a month, and two back-to-back increases only add to that pressure. That is money that cannot go towards groceries, petrol, school fees or rent, and in Fowler, transport is not optional.”
“The Reserve Bank lifted the cash rate to 4.1 per cent. That is the second increase in just two months. For millions of Australians, that decision has just rewritten their household budgets overnight. Families in my community are now paying the price for an inflation problem they did not create, and they're asking the very simple question: who is responsible? Because part of that answer sits right here in this place. When government spending remains high and the Reserve Bank is left to do all of the heavy lifting, it's everyday Australians who carry the burden. We have seen the pattern: when rates come down, the government is quick to take credit, but when they go up, that responsibility is pushed elsewhere. You cannot have it both ways. Let me be honest. Many of us in this place will not feel the full impact of these decisions.”
“My question is to the Prime Minister. Prime Minister, constituents have told me today that fuel is now $3.15 in Fowler, south-west of Sydney. Since my question to the Treasurer on Tuesday, when he failed to answer—will you follow Italy's prime minister and cut fuel excise temporarily to provide immediate relief at the bowser?”
“For many in our community, this has also been a time of deep concern, with loved ones in the Middle East and elsewhere facing uncertainty and conflict. I know many have continued to pray for peace while holding close a deep sense of gratitude for the safety and freedom we have here in Australia. I would also like to thank the mayor, Ned Mannoun, and Liverpool City Council for putting on an amazing Most Blessed Nights, where families come together to join in the spirits of Ramadan. To everyone who observed Ramadan this year: I wish you and your families Eid Mubarak. May the spirit of peace and compassion guide us here at home and remind us of our shared responsibility to stand for dignity, understanding and hope for all communities everywhere.”
“Last week marked the end of the holy month of Ramadan, a time of reflection, generosity and compassion for Australians of the Muslim faith. In my electorate of Fowler, we are home to a large and vibrant Muslim community whose faith and contributions enrich our local area every day. As a Catholic, I've had the honour of attending many religious celebrations across our community, and it's always a privilege to be welcomed into these moments of faith. In recent weeks, I had the privilege of sharing Ramadan and Eid, joining families at the Grand Omar Mosque in Auburn and the Turkish mosque in Bonnyrigg and spending time with the Australian Uyghur community—I hope I pronounced that correctly! These were meaningful moments of prayer, reflection and gratitude after a month of fasting and service to others.”
“It means having clear powers and clear triggers so that when prices are exploding, like they are now, when they're barrelling towards $3 a litre and beyond, governments can intervene to cap the damage, prevent gouging and back temporary tax relief like a fuel excise cut. It means recognising that fuel is not a luxury; it is the backbone of how our economy moves, how our people get to work and how our supply chains function. For this reason, I strongly support the member for Calare's motion to suspend the standing orders so that this bill to amend the Competition and Consumer Act 2010 can be debated and voted on today. Australians cannot wait. Families in Fowler and across Western Sydney cannot wait. The time for reviews and excuses is over; the time for real, immediate action is now. I second the motion.”
“But talk to any family in Fowler—in Liverpool, Cabramatta, Fairfield or Canley Heights—and they will tell you fuel is the bill that makes every other bill worse. This is why the member for Calare's bill to amend the Competition and Consumer Act 2010 is so important. It is about ensuring that, in times of genuine crisis—and we are having a genuine crisis at the moment, with global conflicts, supply shocks and market failures sending prices spiralling—the Australian government can step in to take control of fuel prices and protect the public. We already accept that in a natural disaster or pandemic, government must act quickly in the national interest. A fuel price shock that is pushing families to the brink is no different. Taking control in a crisis does not mean micromanaging every servo every day.”
“It is one of the simplest, fastest levers the Commonwealth can pull. It is deflationary while it is in place, because it brings down one of the key prices feeding into everything else. It does not require an application form. It does not require a means test. It does not carve Australians into winners and losers. It helps everyone who has to fill a tank—workers, families, small businesses, regional communities. This is not a boutique program for one sector; this is relief for the majority of working Australians. With petrol and diesel rocketing towards $3 a litre—and, as we heard, $3.20 in Bathurst—the Albanese government refuses to budge. It is as if they think that the crisis at the bowser is somehow less real than the crisis at the supermarket checkout or in the mortgage statement.”
“They are aged-care workers, warehouse workers, truckies, cleaners, delivery drivers, tradies. They keep the country running and simply cannot work from home. They cannot drive less. Every time fuel jumps by 10c to 20c, it is a direct pay cut for them. While this is happening, the Commonwealth government is doing very well, thank you. On every litre of petrol and diesel, more than 50c goes straight to Canberra, plus the GST as well. Last year alone, the government raked in around $27 million in fuel excise. Surely a six-month halving of the fuel excise—which cost the Morrison government approximately $5.6 billion when they did it in 2022—is not an impossible ask off the back of such a profit. That is why I have been calling consistently for a temporary halving of the fuel excise.”
“What I heard was a government that is prepared to sit on its hands while Australians are pummelled by prices they simply cannot escape. Families and small business in Fowler in south-west Sydney and right across Western Sydney—and, of course, in regional areas—are being crushed by the cost-of-living crisis. They are not trimming luxuries or excess; they're actually being hit by non-negotiable bills. They have to fill their tank to drive to work. They have to pay their high energy bill costs. They have to pay for increased food. These are all the things that they have to do. In my electorate of Fowler, driving is not a luxury. It's not a lifestyle choice. It is a necessity. Public transport is terrible. We don't have proper public transport. Many workers start before dawn and finish late at night. They are frontline workers.”
“I rise to second the motion moved by the member for Calare. This proposal goes to the heart of what millions of Australians are feeling right now. Across Western Sydney, diesel and petrol are surging towards $3 a litre, and, as the member for Calare just mentioned, in Bathurst, it's at $3.20. Rocketing fuel prices are hitting families and small businesses first, and they are being hurt the most. Yesterday I asked the Treasurer a very simple question: why won't this government halve the fuel excise at least for six months to help Australians through this crisis? I did not get an answer that would reassure any parent at the bowser this morning. I did not get an answer that would reassure any small business owner trying to keep their vans and trucks on the road.”
“My question is to the Treasurer. Treasurer, your government ignored my calls last term to halve the fuel excise to ease the cost of living for families and small businesses. Now, petrol and diesel are surging towards $3 a litre, yet, your government is still taking $27 billion in fuel excise from struggling Australians. Why won't you halve the excise to provide immediate relief and curb inflation, like the previous government did? Surely there's never been a more critical time to act.”
“If we want a fair transition, it must be accessible to the families, the renters and the workers, who simply cannot afford the gap payment for a battery, even with a discount. I ask the government to look beyond the Instagram feeds and to the tens of thousands of households in my electorate who are still waiting for the cheaper power they were promised. We need structural reform, not just sugar hits. No-one should be left behind, and it's time that the government's energy policy reflected that. I'd like to say thank you to the member for Kooyong for raising a matter of public importance on this subject.”
“In Fowler we have approximately 68,000 households. Do you know how many, as of late last year, are actually benefiting from the battery program? It is just under 500. Fowler sits at 96 on the list for installation. For the vast majority of my constituents—the renters, the families in townhouses and those in social housing—this program is practically inaccessible. My community is being asked to pay for a transition that is leaping over Western Sydney and landing in the laps of those who are already ahead. I don't say this to be partisan. I say it because the current approach is leaving the entire ecosystem of Fowler behind. Our small-business owners are the very same people heading these households. If we want sovereign capability, we must ensure that our local shops remain viable.”
“The government's primary answer to this crisis has been the Cheaper Home Batteries Program, but there is a massive disconnect between the press releases and the reality in Western Sydney. A home battery rebate does very little for a bakery strangled by commercial energy tariffs and rising overheads. Even on its own terms, the batteries program is stumbling. It launched with a promise of one million batteries by 2030, backed by $2.3 billion. Yet, because the initial funding was exhausted so rapidly, the government has had to commit a further $5 billion of taxpayers' money just to chase the original target. But it's questionable whether that target will even be reached. In a cost-of-living crisis, a $5 billion correction is a massive figure. More importantly, we must ask who is actually benefiting from this spending.”
“Here are just some examples of what energy chaos looks like on the ground. A local bakery cafe in Cabramatta told me that their energy rate in March 2024 was 32c per kilowatt. By April, it had jumped to about 49c per kilowatt. That is about a 53 per cent increase in a single month. Another local bakery in Canley Vale have seen their flour prices rise by 40 per cent since 2022, on top of skyrocketing energy prices and rent. When you hit a small business with these kinds of increases, you aren't just adjusting a price. You are removing the hope of even a small profit. You're asking a family, who have poured their life's work into a shop, to decide which staff to let go and whether they can even afford to keep the lights on.”
“When energy prices rise, it's not the politicians who feel it; it's the families and the businesses. In my community of Fowler and for small business owners across Western Sydney, we are currently living through a period of immense pressure. When we talk about energy in this place, we often speak in abstractions, targets, transitions and percentages. For the people I represent, however, energy is a line item on the balance sheet that is increasingly failing to add up. I've been raising these concerns since I entered parliament. I have called for fuel excise relief and warned about the rising costs of power. I have asked the Prime Minister and the government for a clear explanation of how government policies translate into real relief for struggling households and businesses.”
“My question is to the Minister for Aged Care and Seniors. Minister, your government promised that in a transition to your once-in-a-generation reforms, older people getting care at home would be no worse off, yet many seniors in my electorate who have been approved for home-care packages are left stuck in the national priority queue with only limited interim help because providers are at capacity. Will you urgently review these long-waited transition cases and set clear maximum wait times so older Australians are not left in limbo without real support at home while your reforms roll out?”
“There will be people seeking safe haven, because these people, like my family, have no control over the war. We had no control over the decisions made by the government of the day to get into war, so we had to flee. When we fled, we needed a place of safe haven. Australia provided us with safe haven. We cannot now, sitting in here and seeing the wars happening, not step up and say: 'We participated in that war in some capacity. We must provide a safe haven for those people'—because, by God, there will be refugees seeking asylum to this safe haven—'because we are part of that war.'”
“So, when we talk about our migration policy, know that behind the numbers and the policies we talk about are the individuals and the civilians who actually are the most impacted by the wars that are happening across the world. I could quote the amazing poet, Paul Valery, who talks about war as 'a massacre of people who don't know each other for the profit of people who know each other but don't massacre each other'. As people who make decisions and policies that impact the lives of civilians out there, we need to be careful when it comes to war. If we are going to participate in any wars, we have to be ready to take up the responsibility and deal with the consequences. And one of the consequences of that is people movement. There will be refugees.”
“I speak on this issue not as a member of parliament but as someone whose life story was shaped by war. As people know, my family fled Vietnam after the fall of Saigon. We were civilians caught in a conflict we did not start and could not control. Australia could have chosen to close its door, but under the former prime minister Malcolm Fraser, this country made a decision that changed the lives of thousands of families like mine. Australia chose compassion. Because of that decision, a refugee child who arrived here with nothing now stands in this parliament representing her community. That history matters. It reminds us that migration policy is not about systems and powers; it's about human lives.”
“I stand in support of the member for Warringah's amendments. But also I say this to the assistant minister, as, I think, at the moment, the only refugee—somebody who's escaped a war-torn country—here—”
“Because while wars may begin from outside our shores, their consequences are often felt by ordinary Australians simply trying to get through their week.”
“Fowler is one of the most resilient communities in this country. It is a community built by migrants, refugees, workers and small-business owners who have overcome enormous challenges to build better lives for themselves and their families. But resilience should never be mistaken for limitless capacity to absorb pressure. Even the strongest communities have a breaking point. Tonight, as conflict escalates overseas, families in Western Sydney are once again bracing themselves for the economic ripple effects. They are watching the petrol price rises. They are calculating the weekly budget. They are asking themselves what they will give next. To the families of Fowler, I want you to know this: I see the pressure you're under, I hear your concerns and I will continue to raise your voice in this place.”
“While this conflict is unfolding overseas, the economic impact is already being felt in suburbs across Western Sydney today, tomorrow and next week. That is why the government must recognise that global instability does not stay overseas. It arrives quickly on the balance sheets of Australian households. We are now approaching the federal budget and, for communities like Fowler, that budget matters enormously. Families do not need more slogans. They need real relief. They need practical measures that ease the pressure on energy and transport costs. They need long-term thinking about Australia's fuel security so we are not exposed every time conflict erupts near major global shipping routes. And they need a government that understands that the cost-of-living crisis looks very different depending on where you live.”
“Over the past few weeks, I've been speaking to local shop owners and operators across Fairfield, Wakeley, Bossley Park and Wetherill Park. Many of them run family businesses that have served their communities for decades. They're proud, resilient and hardworking people. They are worried, but they need to make a living and they have to work. When fuel prices rise, the cost of everything rises with it. Transport costs increase, delivery costs increase and supply prices increase, yet these small businesses cannot simply keep passing on those costs to their customers, because they know their customers—local families—are already doing it tough. So they absorb the increases themselves, their margins shrink, their stress grows and many quietly wonder how much longer they can keep going.”
“For families already under immense cost-of-living pressure, these global shocks hit harder, and they hit communities in Western Sydney first because, while people in some parts of our cities can rely on metro trains, trams and short commutes, many in my electorate simply cannot. They rely on their cars every single day. On top of the rising fuel prices, many of my constituents are already paying what they call the Western Sydney tax: thousands of dollars a year in tolls just to get to work. When they add fuel, tolls, groceries and electricity together, families in my community are telling me the same thing over and over. They're running out of room in the household budget. The other group feeling the pressure tonight is our small businesses.”
“For many Australians, that may be an inconvenience, but for the families I represent it's something far more serious. Fowler is a community of workers and travellers, tradies driving utes packed with tools, cleaners and carers driving across suburbs before sunrise, parents doing the school drop-offs because reliable public transport simply does not reach where they live or where they work and small-business owners delivering stock in vans and trucks after hours just to keep their doors open. When fuel jumps as high as it is at the moment, it affects how a family can afford to get to work, it affects whether a small business can afford to deliver its products and it smashes the weekly household budget, which still has to balance at the end of the month.”
“There is a conflict unfolding thousands of miles away, but it's casting a very real shadow over households in my electorate of Fowler. When we speak about wars and geopolitical tensions in this place, it is often in the language of strategy, alliances and global security, but, to the people I represent in Sydney's west, be it in Cabramatta, Canley Vale, Bonnyrigg or Liverpool, geopolitics is not an abstract concept. It shows up in the most ordinary place of all: the petrol pump. In the past week alone, we have already seen fuel prices climb by a staggering 40c per litre as tensions escalate in the Middle East and markets react to the risk of disruption in global oil supply. In parts of Western Sydney, regular unleaded has already pushed past $2.20 per litre, and I just filled mine up today at about $2.29.”
“So my message to the government is simple: do not just turn up before an election with headline announcements. Deliver the infrastructure and support that ensure communities like mine are not left behind.”
“The people of Fowler work hard. We pay our taxes, and they keep this state running every day. We deserve to see that contribution returned in meaningful investment in infrastructure that makes life easier, whether to travel, work or live. Our region is the powerhouse of this state's workforce, and the mums and dads should be acknowledged for that. We should not be a divided city. We should be a united one, where everyone shares in the opportunity of this great city, from the beaches of the east to the culturally rich suburbs of the west. In Fowler, two-thirds of our residents speak a language other than English at home and more than half of the population was born overseas. Ours is a story of resilience and aspiration. It reflects modern Australia.”
“While other suburbs received significant funding, we did not. That sends a message to my constituents that we are treated as second-class citizens. They do not deserve to be left behind while others receive the lion's share of investment. That's why I want to acknowledge Fairfield City Council and Mayor Frank Carbone for the beach bus initiative. It's a free service connecting Fowler to Bondi, Manly and Watsons Bay. For many in my community, a day at the beach is usually out of reach. It is not just the distance; it's the cost. Tolls, fuel and parking can easily add up to around $100. For families already stretched, that is simply unaffordable. But this responsibility should not fall on local government alone. For too long, south-western Sydney has missed out on the transport and infrastructure investment it needs.”
“My community in Fowler is navigating the cost-of-living crisis and persistent inflation. People are struggling. They're facing rising energy costs, and many simply cannot afford to turn on the air conditioning, especially when the heat hits. Think about this: Sydney reached 42 degrees twice in January this year. That has not happened in 13 years. While people in other parts of the city were cooling off, families in my electorate were stuck indoors worrying about their power bills. This is the result of political neglect. Look at WestInvest. It was meant to transform Western Sydney, yet, despite Fowler being one of the hottest and fastest-growing regions in the state, we were overlooked. Our community called for new aquatic facilities. We fought for them, and those calls went unheard.”
“It's time to ensure that a resident in Fairfield or Liverpool has the same chance at a healthy life as someone living in the most affluent parts of the country. Let's not leave these communities like mine behind.”
“It gives people live information, on their phone or on a small receiver with alarms, about what is happening in their bodies when their sugar is going too high or too low. It lets them act before they hit a crisis point. It helps them avoid the ambulance ride, the emergency department and the hospital stay. The health economic modelling is clear. When people with insulin-dependent type 2 diabetes use real-time continuous glucose monitoring, we see fewer amputations, fewer kidney failures, fewer heart attacks and fewer severe hypos. We save money in the health system. The 2024 inquiry recognised this reality, and its recommendations should not sit on the shelf gathering dust. I urge the government to support the Diabetes Australia prebudget submission and expand NDSS funding.”
“It should not be like that. A patient should never feel fortunate to have one chronic condition over another simply to access the technology required to stay healthy. Expanding access is not just a compassionate policy; it is also cost-effective, yet too many people in communities like mine still go without it. My constituent Mr Compart from Chipping Norton manages his type 2 diabetes by pricking his finger several times a day, every single day. He spends between $200 and $300 a month on medication and supplies. In a community like Fowler, where families are already struggling with the cost of living, this is a financial breaking point. Real-time CGM flips that on its head.”
“They stated that all access limitations for patients with type 1 diabetes should be removed and that individuals with insulin-dependent type 3c diabetes, gestational diabetes or type 2 diabetes requiring regular insulin should all be made eligible for subsidies. We finally have real CGM funded under the National Diabetes Services Scheme for people living with type 1 diabetes, and that has changed lives. But we now know that people with insulin-dependent type 2 diabetes also benefit enormously from this technology. I recently met with Dexcom, who told me about their visit to the diabetes clinic at Fairfield Hospital. They met one of my constituents there, and he said something that really struck me. He told Dexcom that he was relieved to have type 1 diabetes instead of type 2 because it meant he could finally access a CGM.”
“That is the confronting reality. This is why I continue to speak up for my community in Fowler. Fowler sits in the heart of what experts call Australia's diabetes belt. These are not just numbers on a spreadsheet; they are my constituents. While the national trend for new type 2 diagnoses has seen a slight decline, Western Sydney and Fowler remain at the forefront of this disease. As noted by the chair of the standing committee, Australia is a wealthy country, yet we are facing a situation where these chronic illnesses are contributing to shorter life spans. There were 23 recommendations in that report, but I want to focus on recommendation 15. It says: The Committee recommends that subsidised access to Continuous Glucose Monitors (CGMs) be further expanded.”
“That is roughly eight per cent of our population, which is significantly higher than the New South Wales average of seven per cent. South-western Sydney is recognised as a national hotspot for this condition. Within my region, the Fairfield local government area has one of the highest proportions of people registered with diabetes, at 8.1 per cent. In suburbs like Fairfield and Cabramatta that figure climbs even higher, with some pockets seeing rates of nine per cent. Deputy Speaker Scrymgour, I'm sure you understand this issue. Significantly, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adults represent rates of about 13 to 17 per cent. Every day more Australians are living with this condition. Some know about it and are doing the best to manage it while others have no idea it is quietly taking hold of their lives.”
“In June 2024, the Standing Committee on Health, Aged Care and Sport released a significant report following the parliamentary diabetes inquiry. This report is a wake-up call for our national strategy on managing diabetes and obesity. It highlights how these chronic conditions are threatening to reduce life expectancy for the first time in generations. Crucially, the report makes clear that disadvantaged groups and regional communities face the heaviest health burdens. These are the very people struggling with inequitable access to specialised medical care and essential technology. The report calls for urgent government intervention. In my electorate of Fowler, an estimated 8,575 people are living with diabetes and likely thousands more remain undiagnosed.”
“We are looking for the same access to a doctor that the Prime Minister's own neighbours enjoy. For this card to work, our health system must be reformed to make it equally accessible and targeted to those in need.”
“So, instead of the government using this green card as a talking point, calling it a plan, I'm calling on them to actually redesign workforce incentives. Give Fowler a special category and take the health of this nation seriously. This card here is a promise. But, for families in Fowler, it's a promise that isn't being kept. A piece of plastic doesn't provide care—people do. Today I'm calling on the government to look past the symbols and start fixing the system. Redesign the workforce incentives and give Fowler the priority status it deserves. If the need is greater in our community, then the investment must be greater too. The government must end the health care lottery. Health investment is critical for the health of Australians, but especially for those from lower socioeconomic backgrounds.”
“If the government can recognise that rural Australia needs extra incentives to attract doctors and nurses, then it must also recognise that places like Fowler, with high disadvantages, high chronic disease and low GP numbers, need the same level of priority. The needs in Fairfield are not like the needs in Fairlight. Fowler should be formally classified as a priority area for workforce incentives. This would mean that doctors and nurses who choose to work in our community receive additional loadings, scholarships, training placements and long-term support, just as they would if they went to a rural town. We need Monash thinking applied to communities like mine. If the need is greater, the incentives must be greater too.”
“National figures don't mean much if you can't find a doctor in south-western Sydney. In Fowler we have roughly one GP for every 917 people. Meanwhile, in the Prime Minister's own seat or in wealthier suburbs, it's closer to one for every 700 residents. A surplus of doctors in wealthier postcodes does nothing for a community like mine that is carrying a much heavier burden of chronic disease. We have to move past one-size-fits-all policy. Equity doesn't mean treating every postcode exactly the same; it means recognising where the need is greatest and actually doing something about it. That is why today I'm calling for something very specific: that Fowler be given a special workforce category, just like rural and remote communities under the Modified Monash Model.”