Dan Repacholi
Hunter · Australian Labor Party · Australia
“It's practical and it's most certainly overdue I want to spend a bit more time on why this transparency matters in the real world. When people cannot see the cost up front, they're making decisions in the dark. They might pick the first specialist they referred to without knowing that there are more affordable ones right near them.”
“He said to me, 'I just want to focus on getting better and not having to worry about the bill.' This is the kind of uncertainty that is not accidental. When more of the burden is pushed onto individuals and people are expected to navigate the costs on their own, this is exactly what happens.”
“We tried that, and it simply didn't work. Out of thousands of eligible specialists, only a handful chose to share their fees. That is not transparency. That is a system that leaves patients in the dark. This bill fixes it by using data we already have—medical data, hospital billing data, insurer data.”
“If we make the system clearer, simpler and easier to understand, we remove more barriers. We make it more likely that they will actually take that next step, book the appointment, follow through with treatment and get checked early instead of late. That saves lives. And it's not just about physical health.”
“I've spoken to a family in Singleton whose teenage daughter needed a specialist consultation. They were trying to do the right thing, following the medical advice they were given, and get Olivia the care she needed, but they were given very little clarity on the cost.”
“They can see whether a doctor participates in gap-cover arrangements. They can understand what their insurer is likely to cover. This is common sense. It's something that people expect. This bill also provides transparency around hospitals and insurers. It will show which doctors operate at which facilities.”
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“Right now, there are almost 35,000 fee-free TAFE students studying construction, which is helping to tackle the acute skills shortage we found when we came to government. There are over 35,000 fee-free TAFE students studying early childhood education, which means there will be more childcare workers with the skills that they need in the sector that our economy needs. There are over 131,000 fee-free TAFE students studying nursing, aged care and personal care. There is an historic number of people enrolling in nursing, aged care and disability support, with a huge 7.8 per cent increase in enrolments, a massive increase of workers qualified in the sector, which is only going to demand more and more workers as our nation ages. We came into government saying that we would rebuild TAFE, and clearly, going by these numbers, we have delivered.”
“I want to thank the hardworking TAFE teachers and staff. They give our young people the skills they need for today's jobs, and that's what makes our country strong. TAFE sets you up for life and opens doors for your future. By making TAFE fee free, we're giving people a door that they are able to open. This is the reality that our fee-free TAFE has already provided for over 508,000 Australians who are currently enrolled in one of these fee-free courses. Those are 508,000 Australians on their way to a secure job. This means that you could be an early childhood educator, a chippie, a lecco, a fitter, a cyber expert and so much more, and you can do it without paying any course fees—without hitting your back pocket and without having to sacrifice some other part of your life to get the skills you need to move forward.”
“If this is the path that someone wants to go down, it should be accessible and affordable. There should be no barriers, such as limited availability or excessive fees, holding them back from attaining qualifications they need to pursue the job of their dreams. I know that it may come as a shock to those opposite, who haven't really got their hands dirty since playing in the playground in primary school, but sometimes school isn't for everyone. Sometimes a person thrives when working with their hands and not by sitting in a classroom. While sometimes your attitude towards TAFE makes it appear as though you look down on these people, I'd like to see you out there doing the job that they do. We already know that the former member for Cook certainly can't weld. Let's see if the Leader of the Opposition can do any better.”
“Maybe it's just something about the idea of not sitting in a comfortable chair in an air-conditioned office that doesn't sit right with them, or maybe it's just that they don't respect Australians who like to get their hands dirty for a living. Let me tell them one thing: it is these hardworking skilled Australians who our country relies on. It is these Australians who go through our TAFE system—who work in our mines, producing the coal, iron ore and other critical minerals—that lead to budget surpluses. It is these Australians who fix our cars when they break down, who build our houses that our growing nation needs so desperately and who keep our lights on at night. It is these Australians who look after our little ones in child care so parents can go back to work. People should be encouraged to do these important jobs.”
“As one of the only people in this place who have a trade and as someone who left school at the age of 15, went to TAFE, gained skills in an area that I enjoyed and built a career and a life with those skills, I feel I am in a better position than most others to talk about how important TAFE is. That's why I'm proud that this government is committed to building up TAFE, instead of tearing TAFE and skills in this country to the ground, like those opposite have done before us. Make no mistake—if they form government after the election this year, the only attention they'll give to TAFE is by tearing it down. You could put your last dollar on that.”
“I rise to contribute to the debate on the Free TAFE Bill 2024. As I'm a product of TAFE, this bill is very close to my heart. It is a bill that will make a massive, real-world difference to the lives of countless people in my electorate, because the Hunter has been built upon and by a hardworking, skilled workforce, and, to this day, most of our young people build their lives using skills they learnt at TAFE. TAFE is one of the pillars that literally helps to build this country, and that's why it should be one of the highest priorities for any government. If TAFE is strong, our country is strong.”
“This purpose-built vehicle was the first of its kind and has since been adopted as a standard by the NSW Rural Fire Service. Over the years, Alan has been involved in almost every major fire season. For his dedication and service, he has received a number of medals and citations, including the Australian Fire Service Medal, the Premier's Bushfire Emergency Citation and the National Emergency Medal with clasp for the bushfires in 2019-2020. Congratulations on an amazing career, Alan. Thank you for the decades of service that you've given to our community and thank you for putting yourself in danger to keep us safe. We really appreciate you. Enjoy your retirement, buddy.”
“After 58 years as a volunteer with the RFS, Deputy Captain Alan Robinson AFSM is heading into a well-earned retirement. Alan joined the New South Wales bushfire brigades in 1967, at the age of 25. He started his career with Blaxland Volunteer Bushfire Brigade, where he was a member until the Glenbrook-Lapstone Volunteer Bushfire Brigade was raised in 1969. Alan was a foundation member and remained a member of that brigade until 2010. As a member of the Blue Mountains Group Support Brigade, Alan held various positions, such as deputy captain, senior deputy captain and captain. Alan also led an initiative to design and construct a purpose-built mobile communications vehicle, fully fitted out and operational so that the communications brigade could set up and obtain good communication for firefighters working in difficult terrain.”