Andrew Wallace
Fisher · Liberal National Party · Australia
“Based on that meeting, I worked pretty closely with the former shadow minister for communications David Coleman, and I was the chair of the Social Policy and Legal Affairs Committee when, with the member for Newcastle, we held an inquiry into protecting the age of innocence.”
“On 3 January 2018, Dolly Everett passed away at the age of 14. She was a young woman, a young lady, who had been bullied mercilessly. Sadly, she took her own life as a result of the bullying she encountered on social media. That happened not long into my parliamentary term in this place.”
“Later, in June 2024, the then opposition leader Peter Dutton pledged that a coalition government would implement a ban on social media for under-16s within 100 days of taking office. The Labor government did not introduce a bill to protect under-16s from social media until 12 months after we introduced our private member's bill.”
“It was the coalition that consistently led the charge on the protection of children. We actually set up the eSafety Commissioner—and what we now know, from the eSafety Commissioner herself, is that 70 per cent of children are still on social media as a result of this government's flawed legislation.”
“The continuity, the trust and the prevention that a good family GP, like my doctor in Maroochydore, provides cannot be replicated by a clipboard and a six-minute timer. That is where the human cost begins to accumulate. Bulk-billing has collapsed under this government, no matter what those opposite say or how they try and spin it.”
“For decades, Commonwealth governments, including coalition governments, have used health incentive payments to support quality care, to encourage digital health adoption, to sustain general practice in aged-care settings and to keep doctors working in rural and remote communities, where the economics of medicine are hard and the distances…”
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“Some people would be aware that, as a result of Cyclone Alfred in February, Bribie Island broke through and endangered not just the Caloundra community but also the Golden Beach area; it really has substantially changed our waterways. So well done to Coast Guard Caloundra QF4. Every finalist and nominee represented a story of dedication and service, whether it was Warby's 2,000 hours on patrol at Mooloolaba Beach, Maya's leadership in STEM outreach or Coastguard Caloundra's work, as I've said. These are people who are making our region stronger. They are the salt-of-the-earth Australians who very rarely get recognised, and this is my way of saying thank you to them. I want to thank our sponsors; the community judges; the Caloundra RSL; our MC, Annabelle 'AB' Brett from Mix FM; and my hardworking staff for making all the evening possible.”
“Employee of the Year was won by Daniel Giles from DV Safe Phone. Environmental Leader of the Year was won by Jodi Salmond from Reef Check Australia. The Sports Club of the Year was won by Caloundra Panthers Australian Rules football club; go Lions! Senior Community Group of the Year was won by Glasshouse Country Menshed. Senior of the Year was won by Ian 'Warby' Warburton. Sportsperson of the Year was won by Greg Toman from the Mooloolaba surf club. Business of the Year was won by 4 Ingredients—and well done to Kim McCosker, who's an outstanding advocate for the Sunshine Coast. The final award was the Andrew Wallace Award, which was won by Coast Guard Caloundra QF4 for all the amazing work that they have been doing, particularly since the Bribie breakthrough.”
“On 19 September this year, I hosted Fisher's eighth annual community awards. It has become one of the Sunshine Coast's most anticipated events. For the first time, we celebrated with a gala dinner, and we had over 300 locals attending. Incidentally, we had over 300 nominations for the various awards, which I will go through—we had 11 categories—and that number has been growing. Fisher is home to some of the most generous, resilient and community minded people in the country. I'm sure some of my colleagues might dispute that! But, on the night, the following were recognised for their great feats. Winner of Educator of the Year was Darren Freeman from Kairos Community College. The winner of the Education Provider of the Year was the Australian Air Force Cadets 223 Squadron. Young Achiever of the Year was won by Maya Teerink.”
“The late Jim Molan put it perfectly when he said: … how can there be a defence strategy without an overarching and comprehensive national security strategy? The Home Affairs portfolio touches every Australian life. This government needs to do— (Time expired)”
“We strengthened the ASD and invested in its critical infrastructure protection with a $9.9 billion investment. Labor has squandered that momentum. It talks tough on cyber but delivers delay after delay. In the face of growing foreign interference, this complacency is unacceptable. At the heart of this failure lies a deeper truth. Australia still does not have a national security strategy. The coalition and I have been calling for one for years, as have defence leaders, experts and allies. Our AUKUS partners in the US and UK each have national security strategies. Australia does not. We cannot keep patching our national security framework with quick fixes and bumper-sticker bills. Security should be built in not bolted on.”
“This is the same FOI requests that the government seeks to make even harder and more costly to make—so much for transparency! In 2025 the agency tasked with guarding our borders and data is still managing sensitive information on spreadsheets. Then there's cybersecurity. Every Australian understands the importance of protecting our digital systems and critical infrastructure, yet this government's cybersecurity record is as weak as its record on detention and immigration. Businesses continue to be hacked through years-old vulnerabilities. The minister admits many of these breaches are preventable, yet there's no enforcement, no guidance and no support for small businesses. The coalition built the foundations for a strong cyber strategy.”
“That's not sustainable. It is not fair to migrants waiting for certainty, and it is not fair to Australians struggling to find a roof over their heads. Despite these pressures, the government still has no clear migration strategy. The 2025-26 Migration Program was not even set in the budget. Instead we got more reviews, more talking points and no plan. When will the government set a coherent migration strategy? Inside the Department of Home Affairs, the picture is no better. The 2025-26 corporate plan is full of buzzwords and bureaucracy. It lists overlapping responsibilities, constant restructures and yet another so-called transformation program that changes nothing. The same department was responsible for 43 per cent of all Commonwealth FOI requests.”
“Each restructure has slowed decisions, blurred accountability and weakened Australia's readiness to respond to threats. Under the coalition, the process for listing a terrorist organisation took days. Under Labor it now takes months. In an age of fast-moving threats, that delay is unacceptable. The same dysfunction runs through our immigration system. Net migration has exploded. In two years, more than one million people have been added to Australia's population. That has placed enormous pressure on housing infrastructure, health services and schools. There are now close to three million temporary visa holders and almost 400,000 people on bridging visas in Australia. The Administrative Review Tribunal, which this government played with, is buried under more than 110,000 cases. When the coalition left government, there were 67,000 cases.”
“The member for Watson has overseen the return of ISIS brides and their children. The PM this week has continued to dodge questions on the government's role in this. I hope the minister can explain to the Chamber what the definition of 'assistance' might be a little bit better than the Foreign Minister has. Minister, what assistance did the government, the Australian Border Force or other government agencies provide to facilitate the return of the ISIS brides and/or their children to Australia? This government confuses sentiment with strategy. It governs by reaction rather than principle. It dismantled the Home Affairs superdepartment in 2022 only to rebuild it again in 2025. It removed ASIO and the AFP from its remit, then brought them back under the same roof.”
“That is not compassion; that is negligence. Minister, for those who have allegedly committed offences since being released from detention by this government, what does the government plan to do with them after they are released from prison, assuming— (Time expired)”
“That is not accountability; it is political cowardice. Fast forward to now. The Prime Minister has handed the Home Affairs portfolio to the member for Watson, who's already carrying a pretty heavy load, one would think. The member Watson is now responsible for Home Affairs, immigration, cybersecurity, the arts and still serves as Leader of the House. He is, by definition, a part-time Home Affairs minister. That is not a serious model for national security. It is a recipe for divided attention and diminished leadership. Since his appointment, we have seen this government approve the entry of almost 3,000 people from war-torn Gaza without appropriate ASIO vetting. Visas were issued in as little as 24 hours, when such checks can take weeks, if not months. Some have since had their visas cancelled after proper screening.”
“Some have reoffended since they've been released into the community. The then minister made a reckless concession to the High Court that these individuals were being held in indefinite detention when he did not have to make that concession. His decision tied the hands of the High Court and triggered a chain of events that endangered communities across this country. Whether that was through arrogance or incompetence, the outcome remains the same. It was a serious public safety failure that should never have happened. What was the government's response? It was confusion, panic and the ultimate—albeit very long, slow and painful—reshuffle. The member for Hotham and the member for Scullin were quietly shifted on to new portfolios as if Australians would forget the consequences of their actions.”
“Home affairs was designed to ensure information was shared, decisions were swift and Australia's defences were united. It worked because it had focus, discipline and accountability. But, since Labor took office, that discipline has been dismantled. The government has treated home affairs like a political experiment. It's rearranging its structure without strategy and without purpose. What was once the cornerstone of national security has been reduced to bureaucratic chaos. The clearest example of this incompetence was the High Court ruling on indefinite detention known as the NZYQ case. It was an avoidable legal and political disaster caused by this government's own actions. You'd remember that over 150 detainees were released into the community, including convicted rapists, child sex offenders and murderers.”
“I rise to speak on the systemic failings of the Albanese government in the Home Affairs portfolio. This portfolio should be the foundation of our national security, our border integrity and the public's confidence that their government can keep them safe. That is government's first and most important responsibility. Instead, it has become a symbol of mismanagement, confusion and weakness. The Department of Home Affairs was created in 2017 by the coalition. It was designed to bring together our key domestic security agencies. It coordinates counterterrorism, immigration, border protection, law enforcement, cybersecurity and emergency management under one strategic umbrella. I'm very privileged to be the deputy chair of the PJCIS, which oversees many of these agencies.”
“I recently met with Genevieve De Michele and Dylan Bowan, who are part of the project team in Caloundra, to discuss tunnelling under Little Mountain, improved environmental design and major station hubs with up to 1,700 new commuter car parks. This is a $5.5 billion joint investment, with the Australian and Queensland governments each contributing $2.75 billion to deliver stage 1 from Beerwah to Caloundra. The Wave represents the future of transport in Fisher and the broader Sunshine Coast. It is the result of persistence, planning and a new LNP government that actually gets things done.”
“After years of delay and neglect under the former state Labor government, The Wave heavy rail stage 1 and 2 project is finally full steam ahead. For too long, Labor promised the Sunshine Coast a train and never delivered. Studies, reviews and photo opportunities were all we ever saw. Labor's empty promises date back nearly 25 years, but now, thanks to the Crisafulli state LNP government, this project is back on track and powering ahead. The Wave will transform the Fisher electorate, connecting Beerwah to Birtinya and, in time, to Maroochydore and the airport. It'll take cars off the Bruce Highway and major connecting routes, creating thousands of jobs and giving locals the reliable public transport they've been waiting decades for.”
“The footage in that video, seeing white HiLux 4x4 utes pulling up, taking the hostages and driving back into Gaza to the absolute jubilation of the residents in Gaza that Jews had been captured—that will stay with me for the rest of my life. It is a good thing that we commemorate this today, and we hope—and I hope and pray—that peace is near. Too many people have died. Too many people have suffered on both sides since 7 October, and I hope and pray that this peace plan comes to fruition and that it holds. Nobody wants to see innocent life being taken, nobody wants to see people suffer, and I'm sure that everybody in this place would share those views. So today we recognise the loss, pain and grief of the people of Israel and we say, 'Am Yisrael Chai.' (Time expired)”
“When we visited southern Israel, we went to a town called Sderot, which is called the air-raid-shelter capital of the world because it has an air-raid shelter every 100 metres in public spaces. Every single home has an air-raid shelter because of the tens of thousands of rockets and missiles that have been fired from Gaza into the town of Sderot. Occupants of Sderot have around 30 seconds or so to get into an air-raid shelter once the siren goes. That's their life and that's the life that they have led for many years. Some of the images that have stayed with me from that trip, visiting with the member for Macnamara and the member for Flinders, are from walking through Kibbutz Kfar Aza and seeing the absolute destruction of homes. Walls were pockmarked with gunshots from RPGs and small-arms fire. Homes had been burnt to the ground.”
“Today we commemorate the most appalling atrocities that occurred in Israel two years ago today, where we saw the massacre of some 1,200 innocent Israelis. Women, children and men were slaughtered, women were raped, and some 250 people were taken hostage. I had the opportunity, along with the member for Macnamara and others, to visit Israel just two short months after the event, and what I saw will stay with me forever. Before we went to Israel, the Israeli ambassador briefed a number of members of the PJCIS and gave us the opportunity to see a 43-minute video—or a compilation, at least—of the bodycam footage of those Hamas terrorists slaughtering 1,200 Israelis. That also will stay with me for the rest of my life.”
“These are technical but important amendments intended not to create entirely new laws or powers but to clarify existing obligations and ensure the workability of particular provisions within the telecommunications laws that enable the crucial work of our national security agencies. The committee has recommended that the bill be passed without amendment. I commend both reports to the House.”
“Schedule 3 would permit limited access to stored communications to allow agencies to undertake development and testing activities. Schedule 4 would address a technical issue with the operation of interception international production orders that has prevented orders from being given to US based prescribed communication providers in certain circumstances. Schedule 5 would clarify the threshold for authorising and varying controlled operations and, subsequently, the circumstances in which a participant is protected from criminal responsibility and indemnified against civil liability. The committee received five submissions to its review of the bill, most of which expressed support for it, in whole or in part.”
“The bill amends the Telecommunications (Interception and Access) Act 1979, the Surveillance Devices Act 2004 and the Crimes Act 1914 with the objective of ensuring key provisions operate as intended and supporting the proper administration of government, law enforcement, national security and criminal justice processes. The bill consists of five schedules. Schedule 1 would permit network activity warrant information to be used, communicated and recorded to meet disclosure obligations or to be admitted in evidence where necessary to ensure a defendant is afforded a fair trial or to respond to any such information admitted by the defence. Schedule 2 would transfer the statutory function of the communications access coordinator from the Secretary of the Attorney-General's Department to the Secretary of the Department of Home Affairs.”
“On the basis of the information available to it, the committee agrees with the Australian government's assessment that the organisation known as Terrorgram advocates the doing of a terrorist act. The committee is satisfied that the appropriate process has been followed and that the listing has been properly made. The committee therefore supports the listing of Terrorgram under division 102 of the Criminal Code in order to protect Australians and Australia's interests and finds no reason to disallow the regulations. I also rise to present a report on behalf of the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security for its review of the Telecommunications and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2025.”
“The decentralised and encrypted online environment of Terrorgram allows the organisation to operate internationally with few barriers and with membership relatively easily attainable for Australians. A key concern is Terrorgram's frequent promotion and praise of the 2019 Christchurch terrorist attack and perpetrator, which it uses as a propaganda tool to radicalise potential members, advocate terrorist actions and spread its violent extremist ideology. The nature of this organisation is unconventional for a terrorist organisation as it is a decentralised, non-hierarchical network that primarily operates in online spaces. However, the committee is satisfied with the Australian government's assessment that Terrorgram is a distinct organisation with identifiable members and leadership figures.”
“The committee also received a private briefing on the organisation from the Department of Home Affairs. The statement of reasons makes clear that Terrorgram is a nationalist and racist violent extremist organisation comprising a group of persons who use a network of various online channels based primarily on the online messaging application Telegram. Terrorgram's leaders and members create and distribute propaganda with the intent to inspire terrorist attacks on minority groups, critical infrastructure and specific individuals they deem to be against their values. The organisation advocates for and provides instructions on how to conduct terrorist attacks and has successfully inspired a number of terrorist attacks in the United States, Europe and Asia.”
“On 27 June 2025, the Minister for Home Affairs announced that the Australian government had listed Terrorgram, also known as Terrorgram Collective, as a terrorist organisation under the Criminal Code. The committee's review examines the minister's decision to list this organisation. Section 102.1A of the Criminal Code provides that the committee may review a regulation which lists an organisation as a terrorist organisation and report its comments and recommendations to each House of the parliament at any time. In determining whether the regulations listing this organisation should be supported, the committee reviewed the merits of the listing with regard to the Minister for Home Affairs's explanatory statement and statement of reasons for the listing and other publicly available information.”
“On behalf of the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security, I present the following reports: Review of the listing of Terrorgram as a terrorist organisation under the Criminal Code and Advisory report on the Telecommunications and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2025 . Reports made parliamentary papers in accordance with standing order 39(e). by leave—I rise today to present a report on behalf of the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security for a review of the listing of Terrorgram as a terrorist organisation under the Criminal Code. Organisations can be listed under the Criminal Code, provided the minister is satisfied on reasonable grounds that the organisations are directly or indirectly engaged in terrorism or advocates the doing of a terrorist act.”
“It is a great privilege to be the member for Fisher because, while agriculture is a smaller part of what we do in Fisher, it is a very important part.”
“Some of my rural colleagues and my state colleagues might have a bit of a chuckle about that, but the seat of Fisher still holds very important agricultural industries in the farming of pineapples, bananas, strawberries of course; so many different industries that are the lifeblood of Australia. The Sunshine Coast could very well be the fruit bowl and the food bowl of our country. The challenge that we face, of course, is that our real estate prices are so high that it is very difficult to make a go of farming on the Sunshine Coast on a broad scale. But if you go to any farmers market on a Saturday or Sunday morning, you will see so many small farmers and boutique businesses that are selling their wares.”
“I think they're here to learn all about the Federation Chamber, so I'm hoping that they're acting like sponges and taking in all of this wisdom that they're no doubt hearing. I want to send a shout-out to my good friend in particular, the member for Glass House, Andrew Powell, who's doing a great job as the state's new tourism and environment minister. It's a good segue when we're talking about agriculture, because all people see in the federal seat of Fisher are the beaches, as beautiful as they are, but the seat of Fisher is still classified by the Australian Electoral Commission as a rural seat.”
“I rise to speak on the important matter of agriculture. People often may see the seat of Fisher for its glorious Sunshine Coast beaches, but they don't actually go west of the highway. But you don't even have to go west of the highway; we have some fantastic agricultural businesses operating in my seat of Fisher, including one of the largest eastern seaboard fisheries, operating out of the Mooloolaba harbour, in prawns and tuna. I want to send a shout-out to Heidi and Pavo Walker of Walker Seafoods, who are fantastic local businesspeople in my electorate. They are a sustainable fishery and they do a great job, so a shout-out to all of them and to all the people that work on our wharves at Mooloolaba. I also want to take the opportunity to welcome my friends from the Queensland parliament that are here today.”
“After almost every NRL or AFL grand final, I get emails from parents saying, 'When are you guys going to ban gambling ads?' Online gambling ads are relentless, whether you're watching your favourite team play on TV, mindlessly scrolling through social media or even trying to scan an important document. On what you thought was a credible app, up come flashy, high-octane gambling ads that are almost impossible to skip. 'You bet big, you win big,' yadda, yadda, yadda. We have to do more to protect, particularly, young children from gambling. I did a report in this place in 2020, Protecting the age of innocen ce . We've got to stop kids from gambling before they turn 18.”
“It breaks my heart—Mr Speaker, you're about the same vintage as me. When we were kids, we'd exchange football cards. We had our favourite players. We'd know who'd won. We'd know who was the good, the great or the not-so-great. But kids these days seem to be incapable of distinguishing gambling from sport. That really upsets me because it demonstrates to me and so many other people that these gambling companies have infiltrated the lives of our children such that they cannot differentiate between sport and gambling. I think that that is a travesty. According to polling conducted by the Alliance for Gambling Reform—and I want to send a shout-out to the Reverend Tim Costello; you are an absolute legend—more than 70 per cent of Australians believe there is too much gambling advertising in sport and want it to be banned.”
“This, along with the great many individual conversations I had with local residents on the subject, convinced me that the overwhelming majority of people who live on the coast opposed this threatened casino development and they wanted me to fight to do whatever I could to prevent it going ahead. As we know from other Australian cities with a casino, it would have almost absolutely attracted organised crime gangs, who use casinos to launder money, and would have led to increased family breakdowns. There are numerous studies that look at the impact of gambling, and all of them report that gambling is a huge, troubling and growing problem. Last week I was able to attend an important roundtable on gambling harm. The roundtable demonstrated once again the importance of this issue, especially the worrying connection between sport and gambling.”
“Curiously, we have a history of governments not acting strongly enough. I'm proud to have led the way in the fight against gambling in my own electorate of Fisher. I fought against the building of a casino on the Sunshine Coast, and I'm very proud to have led the finally victorious battle. It was soon after my election that there was a proposal to allow the construction of a casino on the Sunshine Coast. I began a petition in 2017, calling on the Sunshine Coast Council, which owns the CBD site where it was going to be built. The Sunshine Coast Daily agreed that the coast was no place for a casino. I held many listening posts all over my electorate and received overwhelming, direct feedback from local residents stating that they did not want to see a casino on the Sunshine Coast.”
“We all arrive in this place because we want to make a difference. We come in here as one of 150 members of parliament, and we strive to make our country a better place. I've advocated for a vast range of issues since I arrived here in 2016, but one particular issue that I'm proud to have acted on—in fact, to have fought against—is the alarmingly high rate of gambling addiction. Gambling addiction is a curse in Australia. The economic toll of gambling is equally staggering. Australians are losing more than $25 billion a year to gambling, leading the world in per capita losses. The everyday Australian knows this. We're addicted to gambling, whether it be in person or online, and it's only getting worse. Australian governments can act to stop this addiction and to end the curse.”
“But that shouldn't stop them from seeking the medallic recognition they could be entitled to. This legislation was written by the department whose decisions the tribunal was set up to review. The opposition was briefed by Defence, with no tribunal staff or members present to defend their position in opposing these changes. Would anyone in this parliament think it appropriate for Defence to decide how the Inspector-General of the Australian Defence Force operates? I urge the government to reconsider their position on the bill. At the very least, this bill must be reviewed and those impacted must be consulted.”
“In short, this is just another step by the Albanese government to stifle dissenting opinions, to stop review and to stop transparency of their decisions. We saw this yesterday, in relation to the introduction of the new FOI laws. Families of veterans will not have a right to seek a review for an honour under this legislation. Let me say that again: families of veterans will not have a right to seek a review for an honour under this legislation. Veterans, family members, advocates and historians should have the ability to seek review under the tribunal—as, we all know, in this place, sometimes a veteran or their family are not able to take carriage of their matter through such a process. That's why we have an advocacy system through the Department of Veterans' Affairs.”
“I seem to recall the Prime Minister, when he was the Leader of the Opposition, standing up here and thumping the dispatch box, particularly, around Teddy Sheean and how he had been consistently knocked back for a Victoria Cross. Yet the legislation that his government wants to introduce would disempower the very awarding of a Victoria Cross to people like Teddy Sheean. Defence and senior members of the ADF have consistently pushed back against retrospective awarding of these sorts of gallantry awards, like the Victoria Cross. I remember being part of a voice or voices which, when we were in government, led to the appointment of Brendan Nelson, the former director of the War Memorial, in conducting an inquiry, in relation to another inquiry, in relation to Teddy Sheean.”
“But, for half a century, many of the men received no official recognition of their courage, despite sustained campaigning for recognition. Company Commander Harry Smith long fought for recognition for Long Tan's frontline soldiers. He said a 30-year secrecy period and bureaucratic red tape stood in the way of the awards. It wasn't until the tribunal reviewed the cases, on behalf of Harry Smith, that these 13 Australian men were awarded for their bravery. Under this legislation, they would never have received the medals that they were rightly due. Under this legislation, Teddy Sheean, that young sailor, would never have received his Victoria Cross.”
“In its inquiry function, at the direction of the minister, the tribunal can inquire into matters relating to Defence honours and awards and provide a report and recommendations to government. The legislation currently under debate shuts the door on any further review of actions in the Vietnam War. By 2029, it will shut the door on ADF members that served in Iraq. As an idea of the impact that this bill would have on review possibilities, as the member for Herbert pointed out, D Company actions during the Vietnam War at Long Tan would not have been reviewable. On 18 August 1966, members of D company were outnumbered 20 to one and fought against the odds to defeat the Viet Cong. About 245 Viet Cong were killed in the rubber plantation; 18 Australians were killed, and more were wounded.”
“It absolutely shows a complete lack of respect for our veterans and their rights to recognition. The Defence Honours and Awards Appeals Tribunal, as I said, is independent. It was established in 2011 under the Defence Act. It's designed to consider Defence honours and award matters. The tribunal has both a review and an inquiry function. In its review function, the tribunal can conduct a merits review of a decision of Defence that is a refusal to recommend a person for a Defence honour, such as a gallantry or distinguished service decoration; a defence award, such as a medal granted for service in a campaign or to recognise long service; or a foreign award. Through this review function, the tribunal allows Australian Defence Force members, veterans and their families to obtain timely, independent and thorough reviews of those decisions.”
“They must have known that veterans often get adverse decisions about these honours and awards from Defence, and they must have known that the ability to seek an independent review—a review independent of government—from an independent tribunal would be held sacrosanct by these veterans and their families. That the government would be introducing this bill today leaves me flabbergasted. Military officers are not infallible. None of us are infallible. Errors of judgement are made, particularly on the battlefield, and errors of judgement are absolutely made by departmental officers. The Labor Party is seeking to interfere with the independence of the current system and limit the rights of veterans and other interested parties to question the merit of past decisions.”
“One of those 103,000 Australians might have been your granddad, your uncle, your mum or your sister who have served in uniform. They may have either paid the ultimate sacrifice or been in the hundreds of thousands of men and women who have served in the ADF that have been willing to make that ultimate sacrifice for us—for you. As the member for Herbert pointed out, it is unbelievably telling that there is a dearth of members of the government who are willing to speak to this bill. Quite frankly, I am surprised at this government's willingness to continue to proceed with this bill, given that they know—they must have known—the guttural response that this bill would receive from our veteran community.”
“He, along with a number of other veterans that I have spoken to, cannot understand the rationale of this government in bringing forward this bill. The Defence Honours and Awards Appeals Tribunal was established in 2011, and it was supposed to be and has been an independent body. But some genius or geniuses in the Department of Defence have decided that they no longer like—they have probably never liked—their decisions being reviewed by the tribunal, so, effectively, want to gut the jurisdiction, the ability and the powers of this tribunal to be able to make decisions. I get that many Australians might be thinking: 'This doesn't impact on me. Why should I bother about this?' Just remember those 103,000 Australians.”
“So, when it comes to bills like these, I shake my head in disbelief that this government would bring such a bill as this that will strip the rights of our service men and women to be able to effectively review decisions of Defence around honours and awards. It doesn't strip them entirely. I accept that. But what it does is neuter the ability of the tribunal in the timeframes that applications for reviews have to be made and of those who can bring them. It is absolutely a solution in search of a problem. I had a retired lieutenant colonel contact me on Sunday about this bill. Graeme Mickelberg, who is a constituent of mine, often rings me about veterans' affairs matters. He had a very long and distinguished service career in the Australian Army, and he was very exercised by this bill.”
“We talk about how this parliament was designed in such a way that, if you opened up all the doors between the cabinet room and each door that proceeds to the front of Parliament House, you can look down the colonnade to see the Australian War Memorial. It's the decisions that are made in this House that send our men and women into conflict. As we just heard from the member for Herbert, who served his country in Afghanistan and was wounded very severely, the pains and the scars of that conflict remain with him and many of his colleagues. We in this place and we Australians who have never served should always remember and thank them for their service.”
“Firstly, I would like to acknowledge the member for Herbert's service to this country, as well as the service of the member for Canning and the member for Solomon. I'm probably forgetting others, but, if you served in uniform for this country, then on Australia's national flag day I salute you. The country thanks you for your service. It was more than 103,000 Australians. Picture the size of the crowd in the MCG on an AFL grand final day. That and a little bit more is the number of Australians who pulled on the uniform and were killed in the ultimate sacrifice for the generations that followed. That is a sacrifice that Australians can never repay, and it's a sacrifice that I often talk about to school children. I note the school kids that have just sat down in the gallery upstairs.”
“If the government does not change course, it will not just be therapy services that close; it'll be the doors to independence and dignity for the most vulnerable of Australians. We've repeatedly said that we'll work with the government to make the NDIS more effective and more sustainable. However, throwing the baby out with the bathwater will only make life more difficult and more expensive for vulnerable Australians.”
“Instead of my NDIS package supporting me, I'm left worrying about money while my kids watch me struggle with Parkinson's and the stress it brings. Sadly, Andrew's story is not unique, and it's a warning sign of what is coming for countless families if these changes go ahead unchecked. The coalition has formally written to the Minister for Disability and the National Disability Insurance Scheme, calling for these changes to be deferred for at least three months to allow for proper consultation and planning. We've made it clear that this is not just about numbers; it's about people, their families and their futures. We'll continue to hold the government to account and fight to protect participants and the providers they rely upon.”