Marion Scrymgour
Lingiari · Australian Labor Party · Australia
“I want to say thank you and congratulations to the CEO of Mala'la, Ray Matthews, and the manager of primary health services, Jessica Gatti, who've fought so hard for this facility on behalf of their community.”
“I rise today to speak on the opening of the Manayingkarirra public health centre in Maningrida in my electorate. It was great to be there last week for the official opening of what is an amazing facility.”
“Mala'la delivers so many important services in the Top End, particularly in Maningrida, and their work with rheumatic heart disease and tuberculosis is essential in keeping that community healthy and safe.”
“I'm looking forward to seeing this facility serve the Maningrida region in coming years and help our locals go from strength to strength. I thank everyone involved, because there are increasing numbers of rheumatic heart disease and also tuberculosis, which we thought had been eradicated but which has come back, and we've seen recently, i…”
“Players, coaches and umpires of all ages and at every level of the game came together, and it's easy to see why it has become one of the best events on the Territory netball calendar. We know the importance of engaging with young people through sport. It helps boost mental, social and physical health.”
“I was so grateful to attend the Sitzler First Nations netball competition last weekend at the Territory Netball Stadium on Larrakia country in Darwin.”
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“But it was quite funny to hear the Liberal volunteers trying to tell my people that I wasn't really a Tiwi person but that I was from Cairns. The way these people behaved at the voting booths was appalling. They were bullying volunteers, forcing them to leave the booths, but there was intimidation of female voters, and it was the first time I'd seen that. In 2022, I think the campaign was good on both sides, but this time there was a different level of bullying, in particular when it came to the intimidation of women voters in an attempt to make them vote their way. It simply wasn't accepted by a lot of the voters in some of the areas. The grubby tactics that they used didn't make a difference. In fact, a lot of voters saw straight through them. The results in Alice Springs in particular surprised a lot of people, I think.”
“So this time it was really interesting to see the Country Liberal Party add a whole lot of new people, donning orange shirts and swarming and manning the voting booths. I note there were reports that those shirts were sometimes swapped out for orange One Nation shirts, which is very interesting to me. These groups of CLP volunteers, mostly men, whom we'd never seen before were very aggressive, often trying to intimidate women and bully a lot of our volunteers. They played grubby politics. We heard them lying to voters about my background. I found it quite funny, in particular on the Tiwi Islands, when I went home. For the record, I want to say that I'm not from Cairns; I'm a born and raised Territorian.”
“We had in Lingiari, at the last federal election, 197 individual election booths scattered around my 1.35-plus-million square kilometres of electorate. We drove thousands of kilometres on dusty, sandy roads and flew in plenty of tiny little planes to reach all corners of the electorate to ensure every Territorian in Lingiari had the opportunity to voice their opinion and cast their vote—and they did. Lingiari voted resoundingly for a strong, stable government and decidedly against the divisive culture wars that were stirred up by the opposition at the time. The Territory doesn't have a huge population, despite its size, so during elections we usually know most of the volunteers from both sides at the booths.”
“I love the electorate of Lingiari, from Kaltukatjara, which is the Docker River, which is only 670 kilometres south-west of Alice Springs on the border of Western Australia, to Galiwinku, right up north in the Top End on Elcho Island—and let's not forget the magnificent Christmas and Cocos islands. To everyone in Lingiari, thank you for putting your trust in me again. It is a privilege to represent such a vibrant and diverse community. Lingiari is a vast electorate, as I have pointed out previously, and a massive logistical challenge to travel around. In this last campaign, we spent countless hours in four-wheel drives, in planes and even on forklifts, and we did an incredible job. I want to acknowledge the incredible team that I had around me.”
“It really is great to be back in this House again with old friends and a whole mob of new friends and colleagues. To the new members, listening to all the stories of your journeys here to this point in your life certainly fills one with hope and a lot of encouragement that this new parliament, with all of the new members on both sides, will continue to achieve really great things. I was reminded listening to a lot of those speeches how privileged we are to represent all Australians. Your stories have inspired me to keep fighting. Representing Territorians, particularly in the seat of Lingiari, and fighting to deliver for them is what I love.”
“My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Industry and Innovation. How is the Albanese Labor government making the economy more resilient while providing good jobs as part of the government's Future Made in Australia agenda?”
“We know how special and unique our culture is, and all of those communities are certainly proud to celebrate and put it on show for everybody. It is important to show the positive side of our culture with our art and by celebrating that through these festivals. I know there have been many visitors to a lot of these events, and I'm looking forward to going.”
“The long crusade waged by Vincent Lingiari in the Gurindji is something we must never ever take for granted. We've seen the Liberals and the Country Liberal Party try and attack our land councils in the Northern Territory. In doing this, they are directly subverting the land rights we fought so hard to achieve. This years 50-year anniversary is a moment to showcase the vibrant history and culture of the Territory, and I'm looking forward to travelling to Kalkarindji in August for this important celebration and sitting down with people. These festivals are beautiful events. They contribute so much to the fabric of the Northern Territory. For all of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, we've been here for countless generations.”
“That is the wonderful thing that makes my home, the Tiwi Islands, the beautiful place that it is. The federal government strongly supported both of these events and the impact, and we certainly have seen the impact that they have had. I was certainly glad to see, for both of these festivals, the federal funding that supported both events to go ahead. Another event that is coming up in the Northern Territory calendar is the Gurindji Freedom Day Festival. This year will mark 50 years since the then prime minister Gough Whitlam poured the red dirt of the Gurindji country through Vincent Lingiari's hands. This was a momentous occasion. For 50 years the successors of Lingiari have been working to safeguard land rights, particularly in the Northern Territory, to ensure Aboriginal people and their connection to land is protected.”
“They're not my team, but certainly the Imalu Tigers from the Pirlangimpi community played a terrific game and fought hard for the victory. This was an emotional and a long time in the making. I know for all the Garden Point mob this would've been a special moment, and I want to give a shoutout to the runner-up, the Muluwurri Magpies, who have the same colours as Collingwood, as they were unbeaten all season. For the women's grand final, the magpies were able to bring it home, putting on a fantastic performance. You made Milikapiti proud. For anyone who has witnessed it, the Tiwi Islands grand final is more than just football, particularly with this year's being held on the same day as the cultural festival. It is about culture, dance, art and the community. Our footy is about culture and art.”
“The festival is also a huge boost to the local businesses and to the local community, and it was great to see so many groups set up, selling wares and services. These festivals are an important part of the economic autonomy for remote communities, and I'm proud to be part of a federal government that backs them. Another exciting event that recently took place in my home island community is the Tiwi Islands football grand final. There are not many events like the Tiwi grand final, but this year the event carried greater significance. It was the first year the grand final was held on the same day as the Tiwi Cultural Festival. This was a huge boon for the island and for local businesses but also a fantastic opportunity for people from the community to come together. Congratulations are in order to the Imalu Tigers.”
“I rise today to share with you some of the exciting events that have taken place in my electorate over the past few weeks. Just the other week my team and I attended the 2025 Barunga Festival on Bagala country. This was a beautiful celebration of music and culture, bringing people together from all walks of life to celebrate in the rich history and diversity of the Bagala people. Barunga is a place of politics. It has a long, strong history of advocacy in the Aboriginal rights movement. It was the home of the Barunga Statement, a powerful, gracious document handed to the Commonwealth government in 1988 calling for Indigenous rights and self-determination. The Barunga Statement hangs in this building today, a testament to the strength and perseverance of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.”
“It is an electorate that this government has certainly recognised needs a lot of resources and support. When I look at the budget—I will go throughout the Northern Territory and sell this budget to my constituents—there has been substantial investment, particularly in infrastructure and connectivity. When we talk about connectivity, that's the NBN but also our highways. So it's important that the budget reflect not just the $200 million in terms of the duplication in that part of the Stuart Highway. Unlike the CLP senator, I drive that road quite a bit, and it is a part of the road that actually does need that money, so I'm looking forward to that happening, but it does need the CLP government to deliver on all of those infrastructure projects that we've outlined in our great federal budget.”
“If we go back to under the Liberal government over 10 years, there was a reduction in the Northern Territory by over $310 million in GST payments. It has been fantastic to see that being reinstated by our government. You had the NT Treasurer coming out a week ago saying: 'Big win for the Northern Territory. This is fantastic.' Pat, pat, pat. 'We've done a great job.' And then the day of the budget and the next day he's saying: 'This is bad. This is terrible for the Northern Territory, and the NT has lost.' Get it right. Stop contradicting yourselves. Try and look at the budget papers and understand that a bit more. I'm looking forward to getting back into my fantastic electorate, which is nearly the whole of the Northern Territory except Darwin, and to visiting Christmas Island and Cocos Islands.”
“I just want to touch on our federal budget last night and look at it from the Northern Territory's perspective. In 2025-26, the government expects to provide the Northern Territory with $7.2 billion in funding, which is nearly 88.3 per cent of the Northern Territory's total revenue. There has been a lot of media over the last 24 to 48 hours, from members opposite and from our CLP government in Darwin, saying that there hasn't been funding and that the Northern Territory has done badly in terms of the federal budget. It couldn't be further from the truth. I think we've got a Northern Territory Treasurer with his L-plates on who is doing nothing but playing politics. The NT at the moment is the biggest beneficiary in terms of GST payments.”
“I just want to put something on the record. I was listening to our Minister for Regional Development, Local Government and Territories when she was talking about our first term of government, and the message to regional Australia has been loud and clear, as well as the support. Often those guys opposite forget that, in seats like mine—Lingiari, in the Northern Territory—the most forgotten Australians by that government have been years in the making. It was only in the election of 2022—”
“My question is to the Minister for Health and Aged Care. How is the Albanese Labor government strengthening Medicare by investing in bulk billing? Why is it important to strengthen Medicare after a decade of cuts and neglect, and are there any threats to a stronger Medicare?”
“I'm sorry I missed the last meeting with those insurers, but we promised that we would get this last report through. I will wait to hear what Mr Willcox says.”
“I know that another committee, the economics committee, has certainly been looking at some of this, so I look forward to some of that coming through from that committee in the next parliament. But I won't talk any further because I know one of the Nationals or Liberal members will speak. In summing up, I do want to thank the deputy chair, who will be retiring from this parliament. I think it's been a good committee. While there is a dissenting report with this final report, I think all members have tried to work together in the interest of the electorates we represent that have been directly affected by these issues. I do want to thank Mr Willcox and all of the other members of the committee and I want to thank the secretariat for all of the work. It has been interesting.”
“To aid the work of the ACCC, the committee has further recommended that the Australian government fund the ACCC to continue its insurance monitoring role until at least 2030 and consider expanding its remit to examine the extent to which insurers are reducing their insurance premiums in response to mitigation and resilience measures. The committee not only took evidence from those insurance bodies but also looked at recent events that have unfolded across northern Australia. There are concerns about housing, and more and more people are walking away from having insurance. That is certainly something that needs to be addressed. and the Australian government will certainly look at a number of recommendations.”
“Given the importance of mitigation and resilience to reducing premium costs, the committee strongly recommends the Australian government support the ongoing national resilience program on a permanent basis. In addition, the committee has recommended that consideration be given by the Australian government to funding cyclone damage mitigation by a tax offset or by direct subsidies to eligible householders in northern Australia who engage in household resilience and mitigation. Noting higher insurance premiums attract higher GST, the committee has also recommended the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, in its insurance monitoring role, investigate the impact of current taxation methods on insurance premium pricing.”
“However, whether or not discounts are ultimately given to insurance policyholders for mitigation remains obscure. In the report, the committee has called on insurers to publicly commit to greater transparency on how mitigation impacts insurance premium costs both for individual insurance holders and for overall impacts to premium. The report notes the considerable efforts of the Australian government to provide financial relief to individuals impacted by these disasters. However, the committee was also persuaded by arguments that more can and should be done given the science indicating that climate change will lead to increased severity and intensity of weather events over the coming decades.”
“Throughout the inquiry, stakeholders from all sides agreed that the pool is beneficial; however, many had differing ideas on how to improve its operations, including whether it should be expanded by lifting the sum-insured limits, extending the 48-hour period for flooding to be considered cyclone related, including marine insurance and introducing a national ongoing resilience program on a permanent basis to improve household resilience. These are complex economic issues, and the committee has recommended that the Australian government investigate and provide clarity on its position on these potential changes to the reinsurance pool. One of the purposes of the pool is to provide incentives to reduce and mitigate the risk of eligible cyclone losses.”
“Some of the outcomes so far: the committee acknowledged that the pool has been in operation for only a short time, so it would not be unreasonable to expect significant changes to the overall cost of insurance premiums to consumers at this point. However, as noted by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, or the ACCC, in September 2024, the pool is beginning to deliver premium relief in some regions facing higher risk of cyclones. Unfortunately, as the ACCC also acknowledged, these premium reductions are being offset by premium increases caused by other cost increases, such as higher building costs.”
“One outcome of the increased claims for cyclone related damage has been the hesitancy of insurance companies to take on this ever-growing risk. The cyclone reinsurance pool is one of the major levers used by the Australian government to influence insurance affordability and availability in cyclone-prone areas of northern Australia, as the availability of insurance can be a major factor in people's decision to move from or stay in the region. Although the pool operates Australia-wide, it targets support to cyclone-prone areas—in other words, much of northern Australia. The pool commenced operations from 1 July 2022. This inquiry was to examine whether the pool is operating as intended and meeting its policy objective of improving insurance access and affordability in cyclone-prone areas of Australia.”
“On behalf of the Joint Select Committee on Northern Australia, I present the committee's report Final report on the cyclone reinsurance pool , incorporating a dissenting report. Report made parliamentary paper in accordance with standing order 39(e). by leave—This is the Joint Select Committee on Northern Australia's second and final report on the operation and implementation of the cyclone reinsurance pool. The increasing prevalence and severity of cyclones has been a concern for many years, particularly in high-risk areas of northern Australia. At the time of drafting this report, parts of northern Australia had experienced the effects of ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred, with devastating floodwaters still impacting many individual houses and entire communities.”
“This is a divisive and nasty person who will not unite the country. I get that the antisemitism that's been happening is terrible. What's been happening on the eastern seaboard is terrible. But have a think about what's been happening to Aboriginal people in this country for a long time. We talk about genocide. Let's talk about the history of this country and what that side, when they've been in government, have done, particularly in the last nine years of their government, where they ripped needed and necessary funds and resources from Aboriginal communities. And you wonder why we've got problems in Alice Springs, in Tennant Creek and in Katherine! It's because the bush has been neglected for too long.”
“Recently I was proud to be with the Prime Minister in Alice Springs where we announced an extra $842 million over the next six years to fund needed services to close the gap in remote Aboriginal communities. We know they didn't care on the other side, and it will be cut. People stand up say here and say, 'The Leader of the Opposition will make a great prime minister.' I'm sorry; I've been on the receiving end of these mob all of my life, and so have many Aboriginal Territorians, and all the Leader of the Opposition is interested in this is culture wars. He publicly stated, on Australia Day—when we're trying to unite the country, black and white, and our multicultural communities—that his No. 1 policy will be to remove the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander flags if he becomes Prime Minister.”
“We have also provided more protection for families and children. In the nearly three years I've been standing in this chamber, all I've heard the Leader of the Opposition bleat about is child sexual abuse in remote Aboriginal communities and the issues of child protection. Well, I reckon that that protection will be one of the things they will cut. He's appointed a senator from the other chamber to become the new minister under their government to look at government efficiency, and these are all the things that she will cut. We are investing in quality education and vocational training through the injection of $1.1 billion in public education and the establishment of on-country vocational training facilities. That will be cut.”
“These measures include a 10-year $4 billion housing injection—which will be cut under those opposite; $2.8 billion to improve the safety and reliability of Northern Territory roads and the nation's critical supply chains—that will be cut by those opposite; $700 million to increase 3,000 new jobs in remote communities—that will be cut by the Leader of the Opposition; substantial improvements to essential health services and facilities, with more renal dialysis units on country and six remote Medicare urgent care clinics—they will be cut by the Leader of the Opposition; significant enhancements to water security and infrastructure at a standard every Australian deserves, no matter where they live—these will be cut by those opposite; and enhancements to the liveability of remote communities through upgraded sporting and recreational facilities, playground equipment, shade shelters and improved digital connectivity to the internet—these will also be cut.”
“Every single cost-of-living measure was opposed by the Leader of the Opposition and members opposite. We know people are doing it tough and that there is more to do, and we are getting on with the job. Under their government Territorians would be worse off. I often speak about bush communities because of their neglect over the 10 years or nine years that those opposite were in government. The members opposite talk about neglect. The Liberals neglected bush communities in my electorate and removed funding. We on this side have been focused on delivering $7 billion to achieve long-term sustainability and improve the liveability of the Northern Territory's remote Aboriginal communities, which is often a dirty word and something that's not talked about by members opposite.”
“My question is to the Prime Minister. How is the Albanese Labor government building Australia's future to ensure no-one is held back and no-one is left behind? And, Prime Minister, what approaches would leave Australians worse off?”
“In Tiwi tradition usually a person's name becomes pukumani and cannot be talked about for 12 months. They've agreed for me to use her death and what happened as an example for us—that we must end the silence on suicides and start looking at what we need to do to try and deal with this issue. Marbine and her family can be proud of all that she accomplished. She was our very first Tiwi Islands female ranger. She has gone too soon. She will be sadly missed. But I think the legacy that she leaves behind will serve as an important pathway for many young people: she went from school into a ranger position, which she was very proud of. I think if we can replicate that and encourage more of our young people to do that, then we will see better results in our remote communities to come.”
“I welcome our government's commitment of $842 million, in partnership with the Northern Territory government and the Aboriginal peak organisations in the Northern Territory, which was announced last week, to continue to the close the gap and to build a better future for Territorians in remote communities. Amongst its initiatives, this investment increases the availability of culturally-safe and qualified mental health supports, including scholarships for up to 150 First Nations psychology students. We have expanded the Indigenous Rangers Program to create a thousand new jobs, including 770 positions for First Nations women. We must all work together to support our First Nations women. Although Marbine is no longer with us—and with the blessing of her family I'm using her name.”
“Back in 2012, when I was the chair of the Select Committee on Youth Suicides in the Northern Territory, I wrote the report Gone too soon , in which I called for more to be done to address youth suicide, as too many of our youth were falling through the gaps and not getting the help that they needed. For far too many of our youth, particularly young women, there is not enough hope to protect them from the impulse to end their lives. Clearly, things need to change if we are to stop losing our youth, particularly our young women, to their own hand at such a high rate. Sadly, since October last year, three young women in my home community on the Tiwi Islands have taken their lives. But we're working hard to do something about this issue, which causes terrible pain and devastation for families and tightknit communities like the Tiwi Islands.”
“At the time, Marbine also met with me and my Labor government colleagues the Minister for the Environment and Water, Tanya Plibersek, and the then Minister for Indigenous Australians, Linda Burney, as well as Greens senator Dorinda Cox. I still have a photograph on my desk of the five of us together. Marbine was also present to witness the first dingo, Pumbah, to ever visit Parliament House, highlighting the protection of dingoes and to raise awareness of the cultural and environmental significance of these amazing animals. Unfortunately, Marbine is not the first woman from the Tiwi Islands to take her life.”
“Today I rise to honour the life of a bright and inspiring community leader named Marbine Austral. Tragically, Marbine recently took her own life. I pay my condolences to her family and, particularly, to all of my people on the Tiwi Islands who are mourning. Marbine was an extraordinary person who lived an extraordinary life. She was the Tiwi Islands' first female ranger, an inspiration for women and First Nations people alike. Just two years ago, Marbine walked the halls of Parliament House with many other Indigenous rangers and traditional owners to celebrate 25 years of Indigenous Protected Areas. She met many MPs and senators in this place. As a ranger, she was passionate about sustainable land management and conservation.”
“My question is to the Minister for Health and Aged Care. Minister, how will the Albanese Labor government's new health funding agreements with all states and territories help to protect our public hospital system, strengthen Medicare and build Australia's future? Minister, are there approaches that will leave Australians worse off?”
“We are committed to the future pipeline of investments in building the future sustainability of remote Australia. I compare this with the coalition's regressive agenda of cost cutting and harmful policies aimed at eroding living standards and the authority and control of Aboriginal people over their lives. I ask the coalition to stop these culture wars, particularly in relation to our remote communities.”
“I've had discussions with the Minister for Indigenous Australians about the $707 million investment to create 3,000 new jobs in remote communities across Australia over the next three years. That is welcome, and I know that the minister will be making an announcement soon about that first tranche for organisations and companies to apply to—to put those jobs in the communities. That will be announced soon. Certainly, a lot of employers have been invited to apply for the funds under this program to create those local jobs with proper pay and conditions. Labor's investment in bush communities across my electorate will continue to have a positive impact on maintaining the living conditions and standards of constituents in my electorate.”
“The unprecedented investment will build 270 houses every year for the next 10 years, including an extra $120 million over the next three years to improve housing maintenance and upgrade essential infrastructure in homeland communities. I heard the member for Mallee saying that her electorate is not the dumping ground for bad policy. Well, that needs to be the same for Lingiari and our bush communities. The opposition shouldn't use Lingiari or our bush communities for their bad, culture-war policies, which are part of their DNA and which they always revert to when they've got nothing else. It's punching down on Aboriginal people and their communities. That's not what the federal Labor government is all about. We are about delivering jobs.”
“The coalition is just focused on culture wars. Where Labor has taken the opportunity to boost living standards in the bush, we've seen the Leader of the Opposition and the Shadow Minister for Indigenous Australians come to Alice Springs and say very clearly that the shadow minister will use her new government efficiency role to cut programs for Aboriginal people. The coalition is not a friend of remote Australia. The best safeguard to improve living standards is to have a safe and secure roof over your head, and I'm proud to remind the House of Labor's ambitious investment of $4 billion with the Northern Territory government, announced earlier this year, to increase housing stock in remote Aboriginal communities in my electorate.”
“I continue to be a strong advocate and build on my proven track record of improving living standards and getting the best possible outcomes for people in Lingiari—in better roads, safer communities, more housing, sporting and recreational facilities, more jobs, better health and education outcomes, greater water security and strong environmental protections. Over the last four years, the Albanese Labor government has invested over $7 billion in lifting the living standards and improving the social and economic wellbeing of the 73 remote Aboriginal communities in my electorate. We have a plan for the continued sustainability of remote Australia. Labor talk about, and will deliver, more jobs, more housing, quality education, improved health, better roads and an overall improvement in living standards in the bush.”
“Labor is working hard to help Australians deal with the cost of living and maintain high living standards, and I'm doing everything in my capacity to ease cost-of-living pressures on families and individuals in my electorate of Lingiari. In the 2022 federal election I pledged about $1.5 billion in pre-election commitments for Lingiari. These commitments represented an unprecedented level of investment in improving the liveability, resilience and economy of the many remote Aboriginal communities, regional centres and towns that make up Lingiari. I'm proud to announce that we are delivering on every single commitment.”
“SCRYMGOUR () (): My question is to the Minister for Aged Care and Minister for Sport. How do the Albanese Labor government's investments help aged-care workers earn more and keep more of what they earn, and how does this compare to other approaches which would leave people worse off?”