Matt Burnell
Spence · Australian Labor Party · Australia
“Christiana also said: We need Carnival to stop exploiting the workers. We work very long hours and get paid not even peanuts. Australia has built its reputation on fair wages, safe workplaces and respect for working people. Those values cannot stop at the water's edge.”
“Long shifts are routine, often stretching well beyond 12-hour days. Nobody should have to choose between protecting their health and keeping their job, and, after I heard this, nobody can convince me to go on a Carnival cruise in the future. The Maritime Union of Australia deserves enormous credit for exposing these practices.”
“This was about making sure those without a voice had someone prepared to stand up for them. That experience has stayed with me ever since. Perhaps that is why I reacted so strongly after meeting two former Carnival Cruise employees, Queen and Christiana, this week. What they described left me entirely appalled.”
“Queen and Christiana described having to purchase their own drinking water, Wi-Fi, toiletries and sanitary products while living on board. Basic necessities became another cost deducted from wages that were already impossible to live on. No employer should expect workers to pay simply to meet their most fundamental needs.”
“Thank you to the member for Mayo for that fine contribution to this House just now. Before I entered this place, I spent a decade working offshore in the Australian oil and gas industry.”
“I call on AMSA to ensure these rights are respected and enforced. I know the pride that comes from working in the maritime sector. I also know the sacrifices made by those who spend months away from their families to keep global trade and tourism moving. That commitment should never be rewarded with exploitation.”
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“It is important to note there's never been a student complaint about the handling of TFNs in the VET Student Loans program since its commencement in 2017. That is not by accident. It is because providers have been operating under strict security controls and integrity safeguards from the outset. Those safeguards include compliance with use and disclosure provisions under the VET Student Loans Act, rigorous approval processes to become an approved provider and mandatory notification of any data breach involving student information. The bill before us does not remove or weaken these safeguards; it cements them and confirms that they were lawfully applied from the beginning.”
“This is a simple but significant change, one that closes the loop between legislation, technology and practice. It is also a demonstration of what good governance looks like—identifying an administrative gap, consulting with providers, building a solution and enshrining it in law. A tax file number is not a small piece of information. It is the key that connects a student's loan to their future earnings and their repayment through the tax system. Without it, the integrity of the entire loan repayment framework could be compromised. So this bill recognises that reality—that a TFN is for accurate tracking, for fairness to taxpayers and for confidence in the system. At the same time, it ensures that personal data is handled with the utmost care and respect for privacy law and community expectation.”
“This bill retrospectively authorises the handling of students' tax file numbers by VET student loan providers for the purpose of administering the program from 1 January 2017 to 30 September 2025. In doing so, it ensures that providers and Commonwealth officers alike can be confident that their past actions were lawful and necessary in the delivery of a program that has helped hundreds of thousands of Australians gain a qualification and build a career. The Department of Employment and Workplace Relations has, since early 2025, made the technical changes required to modernise the system. The tax file numbers are now masked from providers and transferred automatically between relevant Commonwealth systems. That means, from 1 October 2025, providers will no longer need to handle TFNs at all.”
“Our government is taking steps to fix a problem identified during a review conducted in the previous term of government, a problem that goes to the heart of how VET student loans were administered and how tax file numbers were handled under the 2016 act. That review revealed that the VET Student Loans Act 2016 did not explicitly authorise loan providers to handle student tax file numbers for the purpose of administering those loans. While the practice had been long established and no evidence of misuse ever arose, the legislation itself has not kept pace with the system it was designed to govern. That is why the Albanese Labor government has brought forward this bill—to make sure that alignment between our IT systems and our law is restored and to provide certainty where uncertainty once stood.”
“I wish to address the House on the VET Student Loans (Miscellaneous Measures) Bill 2025, a bill that strengthens our vocational education system, ensures the integrity of student loan administration and delivers certainty for students, providers and the Commonwealth alike. This bill is not a headline-grabbing measure but is one that matters deeply to those who trust our system to work as it should. It's a technical bill with a very human purpose—to make sure that every student who relied on the VET student loan program since its commencement in 2017 can do so with confidence in the law and confidence in their privacy.”
“It is not merely about submarines; it is about sovereignty, skills and shared security. I commend this bill to the House.”
“The treaty represents the same spirit that built our manufacturing base and our naval tradition. It reminds us that nation building is never a thing of the past; it is an ongoing responsibility. The Geelong treaty is how we continue to carry that responsibility forward into the 21st century. It is how we equip our nation to defend our interests, strengthen our alliances and grow our economy through technological excellence and people power. It's how we ensure that the next generation of Australians, from our classrooms to our shipyards, inherits a country that is secure, prosperous and respected. That is why this parliament should support the passage of this bill without delay. The Geelong treaty will shape our strategic landscape for the next half-century.”
“Every course, every apprenticeship and every partnership that flows from AUKUS builds a pipeline of skills and careers for decades to come. These aren't just defence jobs; they are jobs that will strengthen advanced manufacturing, robotics, AI and engineering industries across Australia. That is why the Geelong treaty is so vital. It ties our education system, our workforce and our industrial base together in service of a shared national mission. The treaty also deepens our people-to-people connections. As we welcome UK sailors, engineers and scientists to our shores, Australian workers and students will train and work in the UK, creating knowledge, sharing and cooperation that will stand the test of time. As its name suggests, this treaty was signed in Geelong, and fittingly so—it is a city with a heritage of industry and innovation.”
“That consultation shows a healthy engagement with his national endeavour—an endeavour that belongs not to one government or party but to the nation itself. This is a 50-year undertaking. It is a project that will span decades of policy, decades of people and decades of progress. The AUKUS program is already building momentum across our regions. From Perth to Adelaide to Geelong, in TAFE campuses— A division having been called in the House of Representatives— Sitting suspended from 12:34 to 12:45 As I was saying, the AUKUS program is already building momentum across our regions. From Perth to Adelaide to Geelong, in TAFE campuses and university hubs across the nation, young Australians are preparing for a new era of opportunity.”
“Doing it right means ensuring small- and medium-sized Australian businesses can access the opportunities that come with AUKUS, with capability uplift, quality accreditation and payment terms that let small firms scale into global supply chains. Extensive consultation has been undertaken across the Commonwealth with the Department of Defence, Foreign Affairs and Trade, Prime Minister and Cabinet, Treasury, Finance, the Attorney-General's Department, the Australian Submarine Agency, Border Force and nuclear safety bodies. All agencies support the implementation of this treaty and the amendments contained in this bill. The Joint Standing Committee on Treaties has already held public hearings, receiving a range of submissions from industry and the public.”
“It delivers clarity and readiness and is a necessary step before Australia can declare it has completed its domestic obligations for the treaty to enter into force later this year. When I welcomed the UK Defence Select Committee to Parliament House as co-chair of Parliamentary Friends of AUKUS, I was struck by how aligned we are on the fundamentals: safety, sovereignty, transparency and the long game required to do this right. Doing it right means maintaining the highest safeguards and non-proliferation standards, a culture of safety in every workshop and laboratory and an unwavering commitment to the communities that will host these capabilities. Doing it right means building partnerships with industry and education providers and aligning curricula, equipment and placements so that graduates are job ready on day one.”
“This will be a training ground for our sailors and technicians and a living classroom for the transfer of skills and knowledge. Beyond the strategic benefits, the treaty delivers real economic and commercial benefits through trade, information sharing and joint procurement arrangements. It will allow both countries to share materials and equipment freely under the treaty framework without additional tariffs adding cost to the trade exchange. That is why this bill is so important. It provides the legislative mechanism to apply a free rate of duty for goods imported for use under the Geelong treaty. It amends the Customs Tariff Act 1995 by inserting a new item, item 58A, ensuring that the movement of materials under AUKUS is swift, efficient and cost neutral. There are no revenue implications from this change.”
“Students in high school today will graduate into apprenticeships and degrees tailored to AUKUS industries: nuclear engineering streams, maritime systems training and defence technology courses developed through partnership between government and education providers. These pathways mean that a student in my electorate of Spence, Geelong or Osborne can see a clear line from the classroom to a career in sovereign shipbuilding and defence innovation. The Geelong treaty cements that pipeline. It supports the growth of the workforce, infrastructure and regulatory systems required to build and sustain our submarines here in Australia. It also enables the rotational presence of a UK Astute-class submarine as part of the Submarine Rotational Force - West in Perth.”
“It sets the foundation for the design, construction, operation, sustainment and eventual deployment of a new class of conventionally armed nuclear-powered submarines, the SSN-AUKUS, and ensures both our nations' navies will sail side by side for generations to come, protecting both of our island homes. The treaty is a cornerstone of AUKUS Pillar I, the submarine program that will create over 20,000 high-skill jobs in Australia through the design and construction of these vessels. Those jobs will not just be in shipyards; they will span engineering, science, cyber, welding, nuclear stewardship, logistics and advanced manufacturing. Across our TAFEs, universities and research institutes, new education pathways are opening that will link directly into these AUKUS jobs.”
“This bill gives domestic effect to the Geelong treaty, signed on 26 July 2025 by the Deputy Prime Minister, Richard Marles, and the UK Secretary of State for Defence, John Healey. It marks a moment of deep renewal between two nations whose friendship pre-dates Federation but now finds new expression in shared capability, shared technology and shared purpose under AUKUS. Our relationship with the United Kingdom is among our oldest. We have fought together across Europe, Africa and Asia and built together and grown together as nations. Now, through AUKUS, that historic bond carries a contemporary, strategic weight deep into the 21st century. The Geelong treaty represents the most significant bilateral agreement between Australia and the UK since 1901.”
“Recently, I had the pleasure as co-chair of the Parliamentary Friends of AUKUS to welcome members of the UK House of Commons Defence Select Committee to Parliament House. It was a powerful reminder that the AUKUS partnership is not just a policy or a simple handshake agreement. It is a relationship between people, parliaments and communities that share values, trust and ideas. The conversations I had reaffirmed what the Geelong treaty embodies: a 50-year commitment to industrial cooperation, technological exchange and mutual security. That is why today I speak in strong support of the Customs Tariff Amendment (Geelong Treaty Implementation) Bill 2025, legislation that brings to life one of the most significant defence partnerships in our nation's history.”
“I encourage the City of Playford to stop with the secrecy and act with integrity to ensure we are not left with another cost blowout for ratepayers to clean up. Start prioritising the basics. We deserve delivery and not more debt and disappointment. It's time to pull up your socks, Mayor Docherty. Get on the program and start engaging in good faith with the entire ratepayer community in the city of Playford. Enough with a smoke and mirrors. Come out of the dark and be honest with everyone in our community.”
“Despite this, I strongly encourage locals to use the next 15 days to make a submission and make your voices heard. In their application, we can see their original plans being put on ice, and many aspects of this development are being pared back entirely. The elite rock climbing gym, basement car parking, basketball courts, playground, restaurant and outdoor dining area and more are all gone; although, we've been assured that the ice arena in Elizabeth isn't skating on thin ice, like the arena that was proposed in the city of Marion. We're also assured that ratepayers will not end up paying for this development. What aren't you telling us, Mayor Docherty? I welcome investment in the north and I welcome ambition, but I don't accept poor judgement calls.”
“When the City of Playford sought my support for federal funding for this project, I declined, making it clear that they should instead focus on delivering long-overdue local road and infrastructure upgrades that have been overlooked for far too long. These are the projects I will support every day of the week. The ice arena was given development approval back in April last year, hailed by many as a huge win for the north with few downsides. Now, I'm told that, as of late last week, residents only have until 20 November to make submissions on the ice arena after the developers proposed a number of changes. You'd have known this if you drove past the site and scanned the QR code on a sign they placed there. It leads to a 143-page document outlining these changes. It's a token consultation if ever I saw it!”
“In Adelaide's north we have long memories. Residents in the city of Playford have had to endure their share of fizzers, spanning from a hotel to a carpark that ratepayers spent millions on yet no-one uses—white elephants hidden in plain sight. Under the leadership of Mayor Glenn Docherty, the City of Playford has too often prioritised publicity over planning and focused on ribbon-cutting events before due diligence. But this isn't about personalities; it's about priorities. It's about how every dollar spent on these vanity projects is a dollar not spent fixing local roads, parks and community facilities. The ice arena in Elizabeth is yet another one of these projects.”
“In every community, from city schools to small regional classrooms, there are teachers like Mrs Morrison. They are at the heart of progress and inclusion in and out of the classroom. World Teachers' Day is a day to reflect on the impact of great teaching and the teachers who have changed lives, encouraged ambition and sparked ideas and to reaffirm that education is one of the strongest forces for good in our world. To all teachers out there, I say thank you for your tireless work and patience in preparing the next generation of Australians for the future.”
“Recently we had the pleasure of celebrating World Teachers' Day. It reminds us that teachers do more than deliver lessons; they inspire curiosity, build confidence and help young people find their place in the world. When I asked constituents in my electorate about teachers that had the biggest impact on them, Georgia had this to say: I had the most wonderful music teacher, Mrs Morrison from Angle Vale Primary School. She helped me write and perform a political protest song when I was just 7 years old! Teachers like Mrs Morrison create lifelong memories for their students. Whether they're teaching the alphabet, songs or extension mathematics, their impact remains the same. They nurture potential, open doors to opportunity and equip students with skills and values needed for life beyond the classroom.”
“It will operate through two key mechanisms: national offtake agreements to acquire or option key minerals at set prices and selective stockpiling to secure access to the minerals most vital to our national interests. A dedicated taskforce has been established to deliver this work and the reserve is on track to be operational by the end of 2026. Together the framework and the reserve reflect a clear vision: an Australia that doesn't just export raw materials but refines, processes and manufactures the products the world needs; a nation that turns our natural resources into long-term prosperity for regional communities; a trusted partner to our allies; and a global leader in sustainable, high-standard production. This is a future made in Australia—stronger, fairer and more secure.”
“Together we will invest in new critical minerals projects, enhanced mining and processing capability, promote high-standard production and cooperate to address market challenges such as unfair trade and price volatility. The Prime Minister said in Washington that this is about ensuring that our nations lead in the industries that matter most to our future prosperity, climate security and defence capability. Domestically the Albanese Labor government is reinforcing this international effort by establishing the Critical Minerals Strategic Reserve. The reserve will help Australia manage volatility in global supply chains—something we saw last year in nickel and lithium—by allowing the government to act from a position of strength when markets are disrupted.”
“It's about securing Australia's role in global supply chains so that, when the world looks for responsibly sourced, high-quality materials, they look to Australia first. And it's about strengthening the industries that underpin our national security, ensuring we have the materials we need for clean energy, advanced manufacturing and defence capability. The framework will also leverage our existing policy tools and international partnerships through the G7 Critical Minerals Action Plan, the Quad Critical Minerals Initiative and our Critical Minerals Strategy 2023-2030. Australia and the United States have worked closely for years to identify and support projects of shared interests, and this framework formalises that partnership.”
“It provides the architecture for coordinated investment, mobilising financing from both governments and private industry to support mining, processing and manufacturing projects in both countries. It will diversify supply chains essential for defence and advanced technology manufacturing and will enhance investor confidence through transparency, clear regulation and shared standards. Through the framework both nations have committed to at least $1 billion each in funding to accelerate projects that strengthen critical mineral and rare earth supply. This is about jobs. It's about making sure that regional Australians—those working in our mines, refineries and processing facilities—are at the centre of the industries that define the 21st century.”
“Nearly the whole of the periodic table sits below the ground we stand on. These are called critical because they are essential to the world's transition to net zero: the batteries that store renewable energy, the turbines that generate it and the solar panels that capture it. But their importance goes further. Light and heavy rare earths are central to high-tech manufacturing, defence, artificial intelligence and clean energy. They power the data centres, precision systems and advanced technologies that underpin the evolving modern economy. The US-Australia framework will help create diverse, resilient and sustainable critical minerals supply chains that reduce global market concentration and strengthen both nations' economic security.”
“Today I speak about a landmark achievement for Australia's economic and strategic future, the signing of the United States-Australia Framework for Securing of Supply in the Mining and Processing of Critical Minerals and Rare Earths, reached during Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's successful visit to Washington DC. This agreement represents a major milestone in the enduring friendship between our two nations and a deepening of the alliance that has shaped our shared prosperity and security for generations. It is also a cornerstone of our Future Made in Australia agenda, driving investment in new export industries, creating jobs in local communities and securing the resources and technologies that will power our clean energy future. Australia is home to some of the most valuable deposits of critical minerals and rare earths in the world.”
“I move: That this House: (1) acknowledges the Prime Minister's successful visit to Washington DC, during which the United States-Australia framework for securing the supply of critical minerals and rare earths was signed with the President of the United States, a landmark bilateral framework on critical minerals and rare earths; (2) notes that the agreement will: (a) assist both countries in achieving resilience and security of critical minerals and rare earth supply chains; (b) support Australian jobs in the mining, separation, and processing of these minerals through the use of economic policy tools and coordinated investment; and (c) support defence and other advanced technologies; and (3) recognises that this agreement: (a) represents a further strengthening of the enduring Australia-United States alliance and a significant milestone in the longstanding friendship and cooperation between the two nations; and (b) is delivering on the Government's Future Made in Australia agenda by driving investment in new export industries and providing good jobs in regional Australia.”
“I especially want to thank Barbara, Jodie, Shiela and Kelly for your extremely moving personal stories of the lived family experience of those living within the dynamic of someone who has served. You all helped to bring the words on a page to life and provided deep meaning to this report. I thank Renee Wilson and Tricia Hobson, CEO and chair of the Families of Veterans Guild, respectively, for their hard work with this report and for bringing this roundtable to parliament. To all of you: your hard work continues to ensure that the dial moves in the right direction when support is needed most for those we love. Thank you very much.”
“Today it was my pleasure as co-chair of the Parliamentary Friends of Veterans, along with Senator Andrew Mclachlan CSC, to welcome the Families of Veterans Guild to Parliament House, many of whom are up in the gallery today. I want to thank Minister for Veterans' Affairs and Defence Personnel Matt Keogh, Shadow Minister for Veterans' Affairs Darren Chester and Greens Spokesperson for Defence and Veterans' Affairs Senator David Shoebridge, as well as my good friend Luke Gosling MP, Special Envoy for Defence, Veterans' Affairs and Northern Australia, and all my parliamentary colleagues who attended the roundtable. Today's discussion was to launch the results of the 2025 Veteran Families Survey, which will be extremely important in aiding us to deliver better outcomes for Defence families and veterans.”
“To the men and women that will be part of this maintenance facility, all power to you and the work that you do. You will save lives. To Greg Yerkes, the CEO of LSI, and to BiORG's Doug Phillips, thank you so much for the opportunity to be there at your grand opening. It's just another feather in the cap for defence industry in South Australia, building on the great work that has been going on for many, many years.”
“Last Friday I had the great honour to open our newest defence capability in my electorate of Spence. Life Support International Australia has commenced its service and maintenance function on the UNI-PAC III search-and-rescue kit, which is deployed from our P-8 Poseidons based out of the RAAF Base Edinburgh. This kit is relied on when we have search-and-rescue events across our neighbouring seas. As someone who spent 10 years in the offshore gas and oil sector, being able to be part of the grand opening and have an inherent link to a life-saving device such as the UNI-PAC III was a really special occasion for me. When things go wrong and you're hundreds of nautical miles offshore, you don't have the luxury of being able to step back onto land, to safety. You really do rely on these life-saving appliances being deployed in a time of need.”
“My question is to the Acting Prime Minister. How are the Prime Minister's recent meetings in the United States and in Malaysia, for the ASEAN Summit, providing opportunities for economic growth and job creation here at home? What has been the response?”
“How good is all of that? Believe me: the work will not stop there. While we're focused on delivering real outcomes, what do those opposite do? They divide, they disagree and they take pot shots from social media while wondering what headline they can manufacture for themselves. While the 94 Labor members and ministers in this chamber are focused on delivering for Australia, the same cannot be said for the divided, divisive lot opposite me.”
“It is a true shame that today we are discussing the successes of the Albanese government since winning the 2025 election, given we're only limited to 90 seconds to speak. So, even though I can go on for hours, I'll have to cut a long story short. In my electorate of Spence, we've seen many positive changes in the last six months. The people of Virginia now have a door-to-door Australia Post service, which is a massive win for the families and businesses of the town. The nearly 20,000 students in the north with a student debt will see, on average, $5,000 disappear after the 20 per cent HECS cuts were legislated. The Cheaper Home Batteries Program is a roaring success, with my community installing more than 1,100 installations—the fifth-most of any electorate in the country. And this month saw the delivery of five per cent home deposits.”
“Every worker, no matter how they are employed, no matter which platform they use, deserve respect, protection and a fair go. Step by step, reform by reform, we are delivering on the commitments we made to the Australian people: higher wages, stronger protections, fairer workplaces. That is the Labor way, that is our promise and that is exactly what we are delivering.”
“These safeguards were seen in the case of Mohammad Shareed Hotak. Mohammad is an Uber driver who had his account unfairly deactivated after he was attacked while working in his vehicle in Adelaide this year. After a review from Uber and a court case, Mohammad was reactivated on the Uber app. He will be paid nearly two months in lost wages for unfair deactivation. It is the first time a gig worker has won an unfair deactivation and had lost income repaid under national legislation that was passed earlier this year to better protect Australian workers. For gig workers, these reforms mean greater security, stronger protections and a fairer future. For all workers, they mean a government that will not let modern technology be used as a tool to strip away fairness.”
“It's why we are modernising our workplace laws to reflect the reality of work today. The simple truth is the nature of work has changed, and our laws must change with it. For too long the gig workers, the drivers, the riders, and the people delivering our Uber Eats and parcels have been left behind. They have faced insecure incomes, limited rights, little bargaining power and the constant fear of being cut off by an app without notice. That's why our government has acted. We have introduced a new category of employee-like workers, ensuring the Fair Work Commission can set minimum standards for those working through platforms, standards that cover pay terms, deductions, record-keeping and protections against unfair treatment. From February this year gig workers have had new safeguards against unfair deactivation.”
“We are addressing the findings of the Fair Work Commission's historic gender undervaluation review. No woman should ever be paid less simply because of who she is or because of the sector she works in. We are committed to ensuring Australians can earn more and keep more of what they earn. This is why we put the case for a sustainable real-wage increase to the Fair Work Commission, and we won. From 1 July almost three million of Australia's workers saw their pay rise by 3½ per cent—a pay rise that put more money into their pockets, easing cost-of-living pressures at a time when every dollar counts. We know that higher wages are only one part of the task. It is why we are banning unfair non-compete clauses; they hold workers back, suppress wages and put a handbrake on productivity.”
“It ensures that those entitlements cannot be undermined or traded away. It does all of this while maintaining flexibility in individual workplaces. This week, we will also deliver on another important election commitment—baby Priya's bill. This bill will guarantee that parents dealing with the tragedy of stillbirth or early infant death will continue to access their employer paid parental leave. It's such a devastating time. It certainly matters. Time matters. Compassion matters. By safeguarding these entitlements, we give grieving parents the space they need to mourn and to heal. These reforms reflect the values we bring to government, the values of fairness and equality for all Australians. That is why we have placed gender equity at the very centre of our workplace relations system.”
“In May this year, the Australian people voted for higher wages, more cooperative workplaces and responsible economic management. They voted for fairness. They voted for security. They voted for a government that would stand up for working people and deliver on the promises it made. From the very beginning of our second term in government, we acted on our commitment to enshrine penalty rates in law. Penalty rates are not a bonus or a luxury. They are a critical part of the safety net that underpins fair wages and decent conditions. They are recognition of the sacrifices made by hardworking Australians who keep this country moving late at night, on weekends and during public holidays. For many, penalty rates are the difference between getting by and falling behind. That is why this legislation matters. It protects the safety net.”
“We are saying that never again will silence stand between an Australian and the help they deserve. We will continue to build a system worthy of the trust Australians place in it—one that is stronger, more transparent and unbreakable in the moments that matter most. The Australian government is standing up for Australians in all parts of the country and putting the work in to make sure that a telecommunications company like Optus never fails the triple 0 ecosystem ever again. (Time expired)”
“It is a promise between Australians and the services they need most. It is a promise that, no matter the hour, no matter the circumstance and no matter the location, help will be there. Optus has broken this promise to our constituents. Because of this, I stand firmly with the Minister for Communications in saying that Optus will be held to account. The trust of the Australian people is sacred, and it is our responsibility to restore this trust and then protect it with the legislation passed today. We're doing just that. We are taking those steps. We are saying with one voice that never again will a preventable outage take lives. We are saying that never again will Australians be isolated from emergency services in the time when they need them the most.”
“These changes show that this is a government focused on positive change for Australians and a government determined to ensure that the failures of September 2025 are never repeated. These changes have mandated reporting and transparency, which is just the first step we're taking to ensure the public have confidence that their safety is being treated with the seriousness it deserves. Every one of us in this chamber has a duty to the people we represent. For some that duty is about policy; for others it is about principle. But on this issue it's about people—people who trust us to ensure that the systems that protect them never fail, people who trust us to act not when it's convenient but when it's critical, and people who trust that, when they call for help, they will not be met with silence. Triple 0 is more than a number.”
“The establishment of a Triple Zero Custodian and the new powers given to the Australian Communications and Media Authority by the legislation are incredibly important for Australians. The custodian will oversee the performance of the triple 0 ecosystem, identify risks, coordinate responses and demand accountability, because when every second counts, we cannot afford a system faltering through confusion or delay. Combined with this, ACMA will have the power to issue binding directions to carriers, carriage service providers and emergency call persons—no more waiting, no more chasing and no more voluntary briefings after the fact. ACMA will be able to demand to demand answers immediately and direct corrective action on the spot.”
“Optus, as one of Australia's largest telecommunications providers, had a clear legal and moral duty to ensure that emergency calls were carried through, regardless of commercial inconvenience. They failed, and Australians paid the price. Lives were lost, faith and trust were shattered, and communities were left to pick up the pieces. The simple truth is that Australians expect more, and Australians deserve more. They expect accountability—real accountability, not corporate apologies after the fact by sheepish CEOs and not excuses in any capacity, but genuine responsibility by the heads of these corporations for the systems they control and have oversight of, and they are right to demand it. That is why legislation has been moved by the Minister for Communications as a matter of urgency.”
“Let me be absolutely clear. Optus has failed the Australian people. Optus is the reason we debated legislation today, and its failures are why we have expedited telecommunications reform. I will not be lectured by the moral grandstanding of those opposite in the chamber, trying to gain cheap political points while families are grieving—while a family in my own electorate is grieving. That loss has left a mark on our community and on me personally. Let me be clear. This outage should never have happened, and it must never happen again. There is an unspoken understanding between Australians and their emergency services that, in their darkest hour of need, help will be only three numbers away.”
“Regional development is about more than economics; it is about community, identity and opportunity. It is about making sure that every young person, every family and every worker can build a life and a future right at home and not have to move to a big city to work or study. Our region is proud. It is innovative and it is forward looking, and with the continued support and leadership of RDA it is a region that will not just grow but flourish. I thank them for their vision, their partnership and their unwavering belief in the potential of our region, and I reaffirm my commitment to standing beside them as together we build a stronger, more connected and more prosperous future for the Barossa, Gawler, Light and the northern Adelaide Plains.”
“Our region continues to face skills shortages across key sectors: construction, aged care, hospitality and primary production. We know the need for continued investment in physical and digital infrastructure is critical to unlocking the region's full potential. We must keep backing our small businesses who turn local ideas into national industries. These challenges are not barriers; they are opportunities to be seized. With RDA leading the way, our region is well placed to rise to the occasion. I want to take the opportunity to thank the board, the staff and their local partners across the Barossa, Gawler, Light and the northern Adelaide Plains. Their work is practical, purposeful and grounded in the needs and aspirations of the people they serve. They bring optimism where it is needed and unity where it is most powerful.”