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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“But, for families in south-west Sydney, especially in Fowler, that promise is slipping away. I hear the government making announcements as if they've solved health care. They point to new urgent care clinics like they are a magic wand for chronic disease and the doctor shortage. In Fowler people are being admitted to the hospital at higher rates for things like diabetes, asthma and heart failure—conditions that could be managed in the community if we actually had enough GPs and the right ongoing support. This isn't just about a spreadsheet or ribbon-cutting ceremonies. It's about people. We need more than just bricks-and-mortar announcements. We need the doctors and nurses who actually do the healing. The government says the number of GPs, nationally, is up.”
“A constituent of mine recently wrote to me about her elderly father. In just one week, at Fairfield Hospital, she watched his wound deteriorate to a shocking degree. She was very clear that this wasn't the fault of the nurses. They're doing everything they can, but when you don't have proper staffing ratios or enough support on the floor, everyone suffers—patients and staff alike. When vulnerable people are left without basic care and dedicated health workers are burning out, that's not just a staffing hiccup; that is a policy failure. She knows the system is broken. She sees that the nurses are overworked and underpaid, but knowing the reason doesn't make it less unacceptable. Things need to change now. We love to talk about Australia's universal health, and we should be proud of Medicare.”
“Prime Minister, your government has found $660 million to develop the $93 billion fast rail to Newcastle, a 194-kilometre project promising a six-minute trip. Yet in Western Sydney, just 34 kays from the new airport to Liverpool, more than 1.2 million residents still have no East West Rail Link—a journey that takes six to seven minutes by bus. Why prioritise a high-risk fast rail over a critical link for Western Sydney, once again leaving people behind? How does that make sense?”
“Today, I call on the government—and, of course, the member for Bennelong, because of this motion—to make a clear, long-term funding commitment in the 2026-27 budget to keep both schemes going, and to announce the decision from the May budget this year. Don't leave employees and apprentices waiting until the eleventh hour again. If the government wants to boast about the success of KAP, then make it permanent. Make it a genuine, long-term investment in our workforce and our housing future. Our housing targets depend on it. Our small businesses depend on it and young Australians trying to buy their first home depend on it. Let's not cap KAP.”
“Without their willingness to take apprentices on, the system simply collapses. There's no apprenticeship without an employer ready to create that opportunity. The Priority Hiring Incentive for housing and clean energy apprentices is a great initiative, but industry is telling me that they have no certainty about what happens after this year. We've already seen other sectors have their incentives halved. Businesses need predictability to make long-term hiring decisions. Industry is calling loudly for both KAP and priority-hiring-incentive programs to be made permanent, at least at current support levels. Too often, skills and workforce policy feels like a game of hokey-pokey. One minute, support is in, the next, it's out. That has to stop.”
“But here's where I'm especially concerned: how are we supporting small builders and the ones doing the heavy lifting when it comes to taking on apprentices and training the next generation? The HIA Small Business Conditions Survey, which I helped launch recently, paints a very troubling picture. Sixty-seven per cent of businesses are struggling to find or keep skilled workers. Seventy-three per cent do not expect to hire more staff in 2026. Sixty-eight per cent have considered scaling back or closing because of red tape, and 88 per cent say red tape has increased their stress and pressure. That's not just a red flag; it's a huge alarm bell. Small businesses are the lifeblood of our economy, and 85.5 per cent of construction apprentices are employed by small firms.”
“With an 83,000-person shortfall we need an additional 14,000 trainees on top of the baseline, not just an aggregate number that the government can put in a press release. The Housing Industry Association have told me constantly that they've been begging the government to make KAP permanent. Industry supports KAP schemes and so do I. But, as builders remind me, attracting people into trades is only half the story. Keeping them there is where the real challenges lie, with dropout rates hovering around 40 and 50 per cent. That's why the milestone payments under KAP are so critical. Supporting an apprentice through their full three or four years of training is what truly makes a difference. I'll be watching closely for the next set of data from the government, and I sincerely hope that those dropout rates start trending the other way.”
“To put that into perspective, that's enough to fill every seat in Sydney's Olympic stadium, and we'd need each of these people on the tools just to meet today's demand. Those numbers break down to around 22,000 carpenters, 17,000 electricians, 12,000 plumbers, 4½ thousand bricklayers and around 3,000 concreters. Without them, slabs don't get poured, frames don't get built and bricks don't get laid. That means more young Australians stay locked out of homeownership. It's encouraging to see the government reporting 14,000 new commencements in housing trades under the KAP. But, I have to ask, are these genuinely new additions or simply the normal intake we'd expect in any given year?”
“I'd like to thank the member for Bennelong for this motion about the construction sector. Traineeships matter deeply to me, as does the construction sector, because they're one of the largest employers in my electorate. This matter really goes to the heart of the challenges facing my community in Fowler. The skill shortage is holding us back, and we heard the member for Fisher talking about the housing crisis that Australia is currently facing. Our national housing target is falling short by around 60,000 homes a year, even as our builders and tradies work tirelessly to speed up supply and delivery. Right now, builders are telling me we face a shortfall of more than 83,000 tradespeople.”
“Instead of reducing red tape, they've added more hurdles, green tape and more taxes. Deliver reliable energy that doesn't treat a basic utility like a luxury. It's not just about installing home batteries for those who can afford it but real structural energy policy changes so people like Kimberley, Caroline and James don't have to face the threefold increases in their energy bills. Stop the wasteful spending on pet projects that fuel the very inflation hurting our families. Behind every interest rate rise and every percentage point of inflation is a real family and a real business owner suffering. I have stood here since 2022 raising these alarms. I will keep standing here until the government stops acting and starts governing for the people of Fowler and Australia. Our country's engine is stalling.”
“They're frustrated, angry, disillusioned and worried, and they're tired of hearing that the economy is resilient when they're skipping meals to pay their rent. In Fowler, many of our households are large, multigenerational families. There is no saving cushion. Every policy failure hits the kitchen table tomorrow. That is why I hold my Bring Your Bill days. I see the invoices for tolls, water, energy and gas. I see the math that doesn't add up. These are proud, hardworking people. They don't want a government that treats their suffering like a PR problem to be managed. As we approach the May 2026 budget, the government needs to step off the stage and do some actual work. Stop the red tape that is strangling our small-business owners and manufacturers. I have heard this so often from successive governments, yet nothing seems to change.”
“Make no mistake, small business is the lifeblood of Fowler, and manufacturing is our backbone. If these engines fail, the entire machine stalls, and the repercussions will be felt for a generation. We are losing the local employers and the very foundation of our community's prosperity. When ordinary Australians see, or listen to, what we do in this House, they don't see a solution. They see a stage. While many of our leaders deliver media grabbing performances at the dispatch box in the House, real lives in the real world are falling apart. While the government are busy managing the optics and worrying about their next 30-second grab, my constituents are managing the crumbs left in their bank accounts. People are sick of performance.”
“The increasing number of batteries that the government keeps on boasting about—the last I heard was around 250,000 installed—is not the answer to these families struggles nor the sugar hit rebates. Families feel that, despite doing everything right—working hard, studying, paying their taxes—they're still falling behind. It isn't just households. Our small businesses and the industrial engine of our electorate are red lining. From the cafes in Cabramatta to the manufacturers in Wetherill Park, I hear the same thing: the cost of doing business is becoming impossible. When a local manufacturer sees their electricity costs double and their overheads skyrocket, they just don't absorb them. They cut staff, they reduce hours or, heartbreakingly, they shut down.”
“She told me that at the end of each month she sits at the kitchen table, calculator in hand, trying to decide which bill gets paid first—the registration or the groceries, the gas or the mortgage. And she said something that really struck me: We're not asking for handouts. Just understanding. Real help. Real government policies that make a difference. And James from Liverpool messaged me saying: plz Dai, it's all about the cost of living and the cost of living comes down to one thing, the cost of energy. When you hear stories like this, you cannot help but ask what it is that we are actually doing in this place to make life easier for families in Fowler and south-west Sydney and probably across Australia.”
“This week, a young constituent named Kimberley shared her family's cost of living challenges. Their energy bill has tripled, from around $400 to $1,200 a quarter. Their car insurance has gone up by 25 per cent, and the family has two cars. Their rent has increased as well. Groceries, fuel and tolls are also on the up. Kimberley works part time and studies, and she's grateful to be able to support her family. But I couldn't help but notice the worry in her voice. Then there's Caroline Gorges, a mother from Wakeley in my electorate. She wrote that her family is being stretched to breaking point. Her mortgage has gone up again. Groceries keep climbing. Power bills keep climbing.”
“I move: That this House: (1) acknowledges that: (a) Australians are still battling a cost of living crisis, with many low and middle income families already unable to absorb surging mortgages, rent, energy bills and everyday essentials as annual inflation sits at about 3.8 per cent, above the Reserve Bank's two to three per cent target band; (b) the higher than expected inflation outcome has increased the likelihood of a further cash rate rise next month, which would push already stretched households to the brink, forcing many to choose between meeting their mortgage, paying the rent or covering basic necessities; and (c) high mortgage stress electorates such as the electoral division of Fowler, where many families are on low and modest incomes and have little to no financial buffer, are among the hardest hit by the combination of higher prices, higher interest rates and shrinking household budgets; and (2) calls on the Government to ensure that any policies it introduces tackle the roots of cost of living, does not further exacerbate inflation rates and that it works with, and not against, the Reserve Bank's efforts to bring inflation back to target.”
“It comes from dedicated volunteers, parents who drive their kids to training in the rain and coaches who give their time week after week. On the day more than 40 ex-players were welcomed back, as well as coaches and board members, some of whom represented both club and country as far back as the late 1960s and 1970s. It was not just a reunion. It was a powerful reminder that strong clubs are built across generations. Grassroots sport, when supported properly, builds leaders. It strengthens communities, and, in places like Fowler, it gives young people direction, discipline and hope. I also want to thank the young UBF podcast team, Thomas and Abdul. (Time expired)”
“King Tom's Club, founded in 1965 by Croatian migrants, sits right in the heart of my Fowler electorate. For decades it has been more than just a sporting ground; it has been a home for culture, for community and for Sydney United 58 FC. On the weekend I attended their season opener against UNSW FC with club president Mark Ivancic. Standing on the sidelines surrounded by club legends, former Socceroos and lifelong supporters, I was reminded that this club was not just about football; it was about identity, it was about belonging, and it was about giving young people a place to grow. Sydney United has produced more than 60 Socceroos, including Mark Bosnich, Tony Popovic, Graham Arnold, Mile Jedinak, Robbie Slater and Tim Cahill. That legacy does not happen by accident.”
“I join the member for Bendigo in thanking every first responder who has worked through this difficult summer, and I especially commend the men and women of the Fairfield SES for everything they do for our community and our nation. I commend the motion to the House.”
“They are the backbone of Fairfield SES—passing skills on, setting standards and showing what service really looks like. The Fairfield SES is also a model for the nation when it comes to diversity. In one of the most multicultural areas in the country, communication can be life saving. Between them, volunteers speak more than 10 languages, helping people feel understood and supported in moments of real fear. We can't stop the rain from falling or the fires from starting, but we can make sure that, when disaster strikes, no Australian is left to face it alone. The Fairfield SES unit represents the very best of our country—resilience, service and compassion in action.”
“Nathan Lin, a local high-school teacher, joined the unit back in June 2003 and has given more than 22 years of continuous service. David Ton first joined in August 1999, served for 15 years, stepped away to raise his young family and then returned seven years ago. Altogether, he's given more than 21 years of service. Jenny To joined in February 2008 and now serves as a trainer and assessor. For 18 years, she's helped prepare others for the front line. She's joined by Frank Seraglio, also with 18 years of continuous service, and Ross Weller, who joined in March 2010 and has given more than 15 years of steady, reliable service. Together, these volunteers represent decades of experience, local knowledge and quiet leadership.”
“In April and May, they moved from riverine flooding in Wanaaring to storm-hit communities across the Hunter region and Taree. In August, they were again deployed to northern New South Wales—Gunnedah, Narrabri and Wee Waa—ready for in-water rescues. Closer to home, they responded to more than 340 incidents across the Fairfield local government area. These weren't minor callouts. Many were urgent situations where lives were on the line. I remember constituents reaching out to me during one of the major storms when a huge tree had uprooted and they didn't know what to do. So I called our local SES, who quickly turned up to remove the tree safely, making sure the family was out of danger. What really defines Fairfield SES, though, isn't just the scale of what they do; it's the length of service and commitment of the people who make it work.”
“This motion rightly acknowledges the extraordinary contribution of our emergency services personnel, as we've heard already from many members in the House tonight. I want to shine a light on my local SES unit in Fowler, where there are more than 90 active volunteers. They are our neighbours who have given up family time in the middle of the night or stepped away from their workplaces and put their own lives on hold and at risk to help others when it matters most. Under the leadership of Inspector Darren Eurlings, the Fairfield SES unit had an extraordinary year. Their work shows exactly why this motion matters. In March last year, Fairfield SES volunteers were on the ground in Tweed Heads during Tropical Cyclone Alfred, carrying out flood rescues and damage assessments.”
“I rise today to pay tribute to the families and communities who've had their lives devastated by recent floods in Queensland and fires in Victoria. When natural disasters hit, there's very little any of us can do to control what happens. For the families affected, I know that words we speak in this House can't offer assurances that life will simply return to normal. These events leave a lasting impact. Many people are still standing in what's left of their homes, looking over their paddocks, where livestock has been lost, or wondering what the next step looks like. For those who've lost loved ones, no words can ease the pain. We can't take away your grief, but we can—and we must—make sure your loss is met with real care, real support and a genuine commitment to recovery.”
“What should be an equal opportunity for anyone wanting to upskill has yet again fallen short for the young people of Fowler. So I say to this government that, if you are serious about skills, then make it real for communities like mine. Give small business manufacturers the support they need to take on and keep apprentices. Lift financial support so apprentices can afford to stay in training and fund targeted multicultural outreach in places like south-west Sydney.”
“What about those in south-west Sydney for whom travelling to those specialist hubs is simply not realistic or affordable? Investment in one sector cannot come at the expense of others, and it cannot ignore where people actually live and work. Training in my community is more than just turning up to a couple of classes or ticking a box on a course. For young people in Fowler, it's about whether they can afford the train fare, whether there is child care for their younger siblings or their own children and whether they have a mentor who understands their culture, language and family responsibilities. The National Skills Agreement, as it stands, misses the primary industry base of my electorate and the day-to-day barriers faced by my community.”
“They're not sitting on government websites, reading media releases about fee-free TAFE. For them, navigating complex application forms, online portals and bureaucratic language can be overwhelming. If outreach is not targeted, multilingual and truly place based, then communities like mine will be left behind yet again. Last year, the minister announced $20 million for a new energy skills centre in western Melbourne and $35 million to expand clean energy training, promising that apprentices in clean energy and housing construction could be eligible for up to $10,000 in support. I welcome that investment, but I have to ask: What about apprentices who want to build a future in other sectors like local manufacturing, food production, logistics or care work, which employ so many people in Fowler?”
“But you cannot fix a shortage with a revolving door. Nationally, almost half of apprentices do not finish their training. That alone tells us that the current system is not working for our young people or for employers. Our young people are facing a cost-of-living firestorm. When entry-level apprentice wages are so low that a young person can't help their parents pay the rent, the mortgage or the power bill, they walk away. They take casual, low-skilled jobs just to keep the family afloat. This agreement does nothing practical to deal with that reality on the ground in places like Fowler. We also hear a lot about equal access, but this agreement barely acknowledges the unique realities of south-west Sydney. Many of our residents speak a language other than English at home.”
“In Fowler, we especially need more trainees and apprentices in manufacturing, construction, care, logistics and the service sector—exactly the industries that keep Western Sydney's economy running every day. The government talks about billions in funding, yet the lion's share is funnelled into institutions like TAFE—which is fine, but our small local businesses are left to fend for themselves. How can a small business in Liverpool or Fairfield take on an apprentice when they are being smashed by rising energy costs, rent, insurance and of course other compliance costs as well? The government might be funding the classroom, but it's failing to support the workshop floor, where the real learning happens, in my community. There's a lot of talk about easing skills shortages, and that should absolutely be a national priority.”
“This is not just about providing a classroom to teach the next generation of trainees and apprentices; it's about backing the small and medium-sized manufacturing businesses at the heart of our community so that they can actually employ them. Manufacturing is the lifeblood of Fowler, employing around 12 to 18 per cent of local workers—roughly double the national share of about six per cent. These are not giant government-subsidised corporations. They are small and medium-sized, family and migrant owned businesses in light manufacturing and food production—the places that have given generations of migrants and refugees their very first job. They are the backbone of our local economy.”
“I rise to speak on the motion brought by the member for Holt. I understand that the government would like to trumpet its success in securing what it calls a landmark agreement and to point to percentage drops in national skills shortages. But the young people and small businesses of Fowler are experiencing something quite different. We've heard today that the National Skills Agreement supposedly gives Australians easier access to training no matter where they live. But the people in my electorate—one of the most diverse and socioeconomically challenged in the country—beg to differ. Let's look at one of the blind spots that this motion and the National Skills Agreement ignore.”
“We are farewelling the Year of the Snake and welcoming the Year of the Fire Horse. In many traditions the horse represents rapid change, strong energy and challenge. It reminds us that while the year ahead may move quickly, it demands our collective grit and resilience. There is a lesson here for this House: when pressures rise, progress comes not from noise or division, but from the same cooperation and respect we see in our local communities. I thank the staff of Liverpool and Fairfield city councils for their tireless work in fostering a sense of belonging through the cultural activities they put together year in, year out. May the Year of the Horse bring health, prosperity and strength to the people of Fowler and to all of Australia.”
“Despite real cost-of-living pressures, Lunar New Year remains a vital anchor for our families of Fowler. Right now, our local stores are filled with red envelopes and festive treats—candied ginger, coconut pieces, lotus seeds, and sticky rice cakes wrapped in banana leaves called banh tet and their savoury squared counterpart banh chung. These are simple but powerful signals of memory and belonging. Our streets are transformed, and I invite members of this House to visit and witness the resilience of my wonderful community. These traditions connect generations. Our families gather to share food and to hand out li xi, which are the red envelopes given to young people carrying wishes of luck, health and a good year ahead. They include money as well, which, as a child, I certainly used to look forward to.”
“My question is to the Prime Minister. Prime Minister, UNSW research shows that Fowler has the highest level of rental stress in the country, with almost half of the renters in housing stress. Working renters in my community are being smashed by high rents and soaring bills, yet most are not eligible for rent assistance or other concessions, even though they do the right thing and pay their taxes. What specific new relief will your government deliver this year for the renters in south-west Sydney who are above concession thresholds but are still falling further behind?”
“That is why this bill, the Criminal Code Amendment (Flag Protection) Bill 2026, matters. This is not about silencing debate; it is about protecting the shared national symbol that represents unity, sanctuary and mutual respect. A poll conducted in August 2025 showed that 77 per cent of Australians believe burning the national flag should be against the law. This bill reflects the public sentiment and the respect Australians feel for their nation, which has given so much. If we choose to come here, we must also choose to embrace what Australia stands for: fairness, opportunity and sanctuary. Respect for the flag reflects respect for the sanctuary that has welcomed generations of migrants and refugees. We are one people under one flag in one shared home, and it is our responsibility to protect that symbol of unity.”
“It unites us as one Australia. It carries a simple but powerful idea that, regardless of where we come from, what language we speak or what faith we practice, once we join this country, we stand together as Australians. My beautiful late mother came to this country seeking sanctuary. Under this flag, our family found safety, dignity and a future. For refugees and migrants, the flag is not just a fabric; t represents the promise that this country will protect you and that you in turn belong to it. Australia has not always been perfect, and we continue to debate and reckon with our history. But, after decades of shared effort, we can say with confidence that Australia has forged a unique identity as a multicultural nation that lives together under one flag.”
“I second the member for Mayo's bill. As many in the House know, I'm a proud Australian of Vietnamese heritage. In my maiden speech, I came here wearing my traditional Vietnamese ao dai with the Australian flag design on it, and of course the Union Jack was slightly too big. But in the second speech, when I got re-elected last year, the design was proportioned. But what mattered was not the design; it was the meaning. That dress represents to me the merging of two worlds, the heritage of my birth and the country that became my home. It tells the story of my late mother, who chose Australia as a place of safety, opportunity and belonging for her children, and it reflects the journey of how we became Australian. For me, and for many like me, the Australian national flag is not an abstract symbol; it is deeply personal.”
“With rising interest rates and no real relief in sight, it is now up to this parliament to prove that the fair go still means something, and to ensure that families in Fowler and across south-west and Western Sydney are not left behind in the upcoming budget. Thank you.”
“It's the difference between paying the mortgage and falling behind, between keeping a small business open and shutting the doors, between keeping the lights on and being forced to turn them off and between filling a prescription and going without. So, today, on behalf of Narkis and thousands of others in my electorate, I urge the leaders in this House to wake up to reality, to listen to the voices of ordinary Australians in Wakeley, Cabramatta, Liverpool, Warwick Farm and across south-west and Western Sydney. Their struggles are lived every single day. My community believes in a fair go.”
“Narkis also shared a growing frustration across my electorate. While families and small businesses are doing it tougher than ever, this parliament is distracted. Too much energy is spent on messaging and political manoeuvring, and too little on delivering stability and relief for people carrying the real burden. These are people who love this country. They believe in fairness and the dignity of hard work. They are not asking for special treatment; they are asking for focused, grounded leadership that understands their reality and acts on it. The message from Fowler is clear. People are not asking for handouts; they're asking for action. Cost-of-living relief is not a slogan.”
“Instead, they're met with slogans and announcements that do not match the reality they're living, while being told, yet again, that interest rate rises are not the government's responsibility, when governing means taking responsibility for the consequences, not deflecting them. My constituents tell me our community is hurting. Families are lying awake at night worrying about keeping a roof over their heads, managing energy costs and making ends meet from one week to the next. They're not economists or political strategists. They're mums and dads, carers, pensioners, small-business owners and young people trying to build a future. They're exhausted by uncertainty and worn down by constant pressure—bracing for the next bill, the next bank notice or the next letter from the landlord.”
“I rise today on behalf of my community in Fowler and, in particular, a constituent from Wakeley, Narkis, who has written with deep concern about the rising cost of living and the Reserve Bank's latest interest rate increase. For families in Fowler, this is more than a policy debate or a blame game about interest rate rises. Rates have risen. What matters now is what the government will do to reduce the pressure families and small businesses will face moving forward. Every 0.25 per cent rise in cash rates means higher mortgage repayments, higher rents and even greater strain on households struggling to afford groceries, power bills and basic necessities. People in my community were clinging to the hope that meaningful relief was finally on the way.”
“It punishes students for their academic interests and creates a debt trap for those pursuing careers in teaching, social work or community services, roles that are really critical to the health of our society. If this commission is to be more than a bureaucratic exercise, it must confront the JRG legacy directly. It must set out concrete options to fix what is clearly broken. The success of this bill won't be measured by reports or frameworks. It will be measured by whether a student in Fowler can realistically afford to finish their degree without being crushed by debt. That is the test of equity. Anything less is just more rhetoric.”
“Take Kimberley, a constituent of mine. Kimberley hits her $25 weekly Opal cap just travelling from Cabramatta to campus. She spends $120 a week on food. She contributes $125 a week towards her family's electricity and water bills. She does all of this while working part time and keeping up with her studies. For Kimberley, the choice isn't between degrees. The choice is between education and survival. If we are serious about equity, we must be honest about the policies that undermine it. I agree with the member for Kooyong that the job-ready graduates scheme must be reversed. As this House knows, I've introduced my fair study and opportunity bill twice to confront this injustice. Under the JRG scheme, the cost of humanities and social science degrees more than doubled. This isn't just a policy failure; it's a social one.”
“They chip away at their debt only to watch it climb right back up through indexation. While the government talks about distribution, inflation and interest rates are moving faster than relief. Yesterday, the Prime Minister spoke about how the government distributed the benefits of stage 3 tax cuts. If distribution is the measure of fairness, I ask how exactly is equity being distributed to the communities that need it most? In Fowler, students aren't just studying; they're working long hours whilst trying to maintain a full-time load. Fowler is ranked in the top 12 per cent of the most disadvantaged areas in this country. For us, systematic barriers are not just an abstract concept. I've told this House about the about young people in Fowler and their struggles and how they are contributing to their families.”
“Without real accountability, there is a risk this commission becomes just another layer of expensive Canberra based bureaucracy, well-intentioned on paper but disconnected from students' lived realities. In the four years that I have been in this parliament, I've heard the government and the minister speak confidently about how well they understand the struggles of Western Sydney, and the minister should understand. He regularly talks about how he grew up there and went to Cabramatta Public School and Canley Vale High School. He knows Western Sydney, but understanding isn't the same as solving. Measures like the 20 per cent HECS debt reduction are held up as proof of action, but, for families in Fowler, that is a brief sugar hit. It hasn't changed the day-to-day grind. Students are trapped in a vicious cycle.”
“Somewhere along the way, equity, access and opportunity were relegated to the fine print, and, in that process, a silent and cruel understanding was born that, if you are a disadvantaged student, you're simply condemned to a tougher road. Why is that the case? A student's postcode should never be their destiny. Whether a young person grows up in a leafy inner city suburb or in the heart of Western Sydney, quality education must be a right, not a privilege shaped by postcode. I recognise the intention behind Australian Tertiary Education Commission. Long-term planning is good, but, in Fowler, we have seen commissions and taskforces come and go.”
“They have failed in their most basic duty to build the skills and provide the knowledge our young people need to thrive. In my electorate of Fowler and across greater south-western Sydney, we see the consequences of this neglect every single day. For our community, university has not become a gateway; it has become a finish line that is moving further and further out of reach. We have allowed a system to take root where the path to a better life is increasingly determined by your bank balance rather than your potential. For too long, our priorities have shifted. It became about international rankings and protecting our balance sheets.”
“As the House knows, education is very important to my community in Fowler and, of course, across the country, but, for migrants and refugee communities that are in Fowler, I cannot emphasise enough how critical education is. People would recall I constantly speak about how, when we were in refugee camps when my mother chose Australia, my late mother told me the reason why we chose Australia was that it had the best education system in the world. We came here and settled here, and I have benefited from our education system. I do want to start by acknowledging the government's efforts. It is a start, but I think we need to be honest. It should never have taken this long to recognise what students, families and educators in my community have been shouting from the rooftops for years. For decades, successive governments have lost their way.”
“The Buddhist message of respect, mindfulness and responsibility resonated deeply within my community that day. I thank the Druk Community Centre of Australia for bringing these sacred relics from France in collaboration with the Buddhist Union of France, under the spiritual guidance of His Eminence Kalu Rinpoche. Their presence in Fowler reflected values that define our community: dignity, harmony and care for everyone. At a time when fear can lead to division or calls for rushed responses that risk targeting communities, I will always stand for practical, evidence based solutions that keep people safe while upholding the dignity of all Australians no matter where they come from, what language they speak or what they believe in. Thank you. (Time expi red)”