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…”
The complete record
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“But apparently there's nothing to see here because we're all friends with the CCP again! We'd all like to spend six days in China like the Prime Minister just did.”
“Bear in mind, it's the Prime Minister that chooses who sits on that committee—in consultation with the Leader of the Opposition. So, Prime Minister, get your skates on. We need to ensure that the PJCIS is formed as quickly as possible. In the last parliament, we saw instance after instance of this government failing to prioritise the national security of Australians. We saw the NZYQ case. We saw the circumnavigation of Australia by the People's Liberation Army Navy. But apparently it's all fine; there's nothing to see here! We continue to see mixed messages by this government. I don't know whether the Minister for Defence actually talks with the Minister for Foreign Affairs, but the defence minister acknowledges that we're in the most geopolitically unstable period since 1945.”
“When we were in government, we would do it in two or three. Results speak for themselves, and a government that does not prioritise national security puts 27 million Australians at risk. I know, having served on that committee, just how disinterested this government is in relation to national security. I'll give you another example. In the last parliament, the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security was not formed for weeks after the parliament recommenced; weeks and weeks went by. I hope that is not repeated in this parliament. It has been three months since this government won power, again. We're in our second week of sitting, so I'll give them some leeway, but let's wait and see how long it takes this government to prioritise the formation of the most important committee in this place.”
“But, when we look at the internal factional tug of war that went on in the last Albanese government, we saw, as I said, Home Affairs being gutted in some sort of institutional power grab by the then attorney-general. We saw that this absolutely failed. I was watching this train wreck unfold. When we were in government, when there was an organisation that was going to be considered for listing as a terrorist organisation, that was done in a matter of a few short days. Under this lot, under Labor, because of the gutting of the Department of Home Affairs that they did, we saw information ping-ponging between the Attorney-General and the Minister for Home Affairs. Information went missing or information wasn't being attended to by various ministers, and it was taking up to 60 days to list an organisation as a terrorist organisation.”
“They say that a country that doesn't prioritise national security does so at its own peril. Of course, nothing could be further from that truth than this government. In the previous parliament under the so-called stewardship of the then attorney-general, this government gutted Home Affairs because this government does not believe in national security. That much is very, very clear. In the last parliament, I had the privilege of being the Deputy Chair of the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security, a very important committee. Some—I'd be one of them—would say that's the most important committee in this place. Why? It is because it deals with the national security of our nation.”
“In all the time that I have spent in this place, some of my fondest memories here are the work that I have done with you on Standing Committee on Social Policy and Legal Affairs.”
“It's with great humility that I rise tonight to renew my promise to my electors, to my people in Fisher, that I will once again serve them in the best way that I can. It's been one of the greatest privileges of my life—perhaps the greatest privilege of my life—to take my seat in this place, to be given the honour of representing my community as an elected representative in this place. Every time I drive up into this place and I see the flagpole—to the newbies in the room, I hope you never lose the special goosebumps that you get when you see that flagpole, because it is incredibly special. This is my ninth year now serving the Sunshine Coast, and it's a great privilege. Deputy Speaker Freelander, you and I have been sparring partners and, dare I say, good friends, because you and I have done a lot of good work in this place.”
“It is with great confidence and deep respect that I nominate the member for Longman to serve as the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives.”
“His values and sense of personal responsibility inform everything he does, including his deep respect for this institution as the bulwark of our democracy. The member for Longman is humble, hardworking, passionate, consistent and deeply respected across this chamber. The member for Longman brings real-world perspective to this role. As someone who speaks plainly, listens carefully and treats others with decency, he will approach the Deputy Speaker's chair with the same calm, measured approach that has defined his service to date and would complement the fine work that you have done, Mr Speaker. In a chamber that needs more common sense and civility, the member for Longman is the right man at the right time and—if you'll pardon the pun—he is a good man.”
“It is somewhat curious, therefore, that the tradition calls these roles 'the Speaker' and 'the Deputy Speaker', for they involve a lot more listening than they do speaking, but this is where the member for Longman's qualities would shine through. Since being elected in 2019, the member for Longman has served with integrity on key parliamentary committees and is already a valued member of the Speaker's panel. He's proven himself to be a fair, respectful and impartial member, able to work across the aisle. I have no doubt he will keep the chamber in good order in your absence, Mr Speaker. As a family man with strong ties to faith and community, he brings a real sense of compassion to his work and is always focused on doing what's right for the people he serves.”
“I dare say that the member for Longman has employed more people than have many of us in this chamber put together. He deeply understands the trials and tribulations of what it is like to try and run a profitable business in this country, with its ever-increasing and crushing industrial relations complexities and other government red tape. When the member for Longman speaks, his coalition colleagues listen. He is a wealth of knowledge on small business and industrial relations. At the church service this morning, the Vicar-General of the Catholic Archdiocese of Canberra and Goulburn, the Very Reverend Richard Thompson, preached in his sermon about the importance of listening as leaders. As you would know, Mr Speaker, the Deputy Speaker does a lot of listening.”
“But the member for Longman has much more than a degree or two to his name. He's a man of the utmost integrity. He is a man of principle and honour. He is a man that has deep roots within the community that he serves. The member for Longman would make a fine deputy speaker. You cannot learn the concept of integrity, honour and loyalty. These are qualities that one possesses or strives to possess, or they don't. The member for Longman, from humble beginnings, worked as a petrol station attendant. He then moved into retail, selling power tools and equipment, and then into household appliances. He then went on to own his own Good Guys franchise in Morayfield and later to combine his love for business and his passion for golf when he owned and operated his own Drummond Golf franchise shops.”
“I move: That the member for Longman be elected Deputy Speaker of this House. The make-up of the Australian parliament should be a microcosm of the broader Australian community. Only 1,276 people have ever served in this place. Since 1901, there have been people of different colours, ethnicities and backgrounds. There's a common misconception that the vast bulk of people who have served and continue to serve here are former professionals—doctors, lawyers, bankers and the like. The member for Longman does not fit that mould. The member for Longman does not have a series of letters after his name like many people in this place. He never went to university. In fact, he left Dakabin State High School at age 15 with the intention of starting a motor mechanics apprenticeship.”
“I would like to send a shout-out to all those within the national intelligence community, whether they are working in their offices or whether they are in the field. We often remark on, rightly, and acknowledge the service of our men and women in uniform, but not often enough do we acknowledge the service of our men and women in our national intelligence community who keep Australians safe every day—24 hours a day, seven days a week—often in extremely difficult and challenging environments. We never talk about you, and we never know your names, but on behalf of this parliament and on behalf of this committee I want to send a big thankyou and shout-out to you, wherever you are in the world. Thank you for your service. It is equally as important as that of our men and women in the ADF. I commend the report to the House.”
“With all that said, the committee recommends that, subject to the implementation of these recommendations, the bill be passed. On behalf of the committee, I extend my thanks to those who participated in the inquiry from industry, academia and the Public Service. I'd like to thank the chair, Senator Ciccone, and my colleagues, including the member for Flinders, who's in the chamber with me this morning; the shadow minister for defence; and the shadow minister for home affairs for their hard work and collegiate spirit. It is a tremendous privilege to serve on the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security. It is the only committee in the parliament that receives classified briefings up to a top-secret level. It has been a privilege to have served as the deputy chair.”
“Coalition members on the committee took the opportunity over the course of this inquiry to highlight the disproportionate impact of these burdens on regional and smaller entities. The Sunshine Coast area is home to Australia's 12th busiest airport as well as smaller airports in Caloundra and nearby Noosa. We're a region which relies on visitors and which is developing a strong export base and aviation sector. We really do rely on our airports. That's why I'm pleased the committee also recommended that the government consider an extended implementation timeframe for smaller affected entities. These entities are not as well resourced as those larger organisations and will naturally need additional support and time as they begin to shoulder the increased regulatory and cost burden which comes as a result of this legislation.”
“The committee has made several recommendations for the government to consider. Recommendations relating to the role of the Department of Home Affairs include the need to continue industry consultation so that any changes to subsequent regulations are both clear and accessible, that the department help reduce the regulatory burden on industry through guidance and training, and, finally, that duplication of reporting requirements across Commonwealth agencies be addressed, notably in relation to cyber incident reporting. The committee also makes recommendations that would amend the bill itself, relating to reporting related offences and the need for a penalty regime that's responsive and scalable and also safeguards around the use of expanded security directions powers.”
“Threats to Australia's transport security have evolved since the Howard coalition government first introduced aviation and maritime security legislation over 20 years ago. Increasing reliance on digital connectivity means malicious cyberactivity is a real and present threat. We saw this recently with the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport hack and the infamous CrowdStrike outage which affected airports across Australia. That's why the Howard coalition government introduced the initial legislation 20 years ago. That's also why the previous coalition government commissioned a review into Australia's aviation and maritime transport security settings. This review formed the basis of the Transport Security Amendment (Critical Infrastructure) Bill of 2022. Although it lapsed at the 2022 election, it forms the basis of this legislation.”
“Only a few years ago, our nation felt the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on our supply chains, and we would all remember that. With over 99 per cent of Australian imports arriving by sea, we have to ensure that our maritime ports are able to prevent and respond to cyberthreats. At the same time, our country thrives and relies on a strong visitor economy. On the Sunshine Coast alone, tourism and adjacent industries add over $900 million a year to our local economy. Communities like the Sunshine Coast depend on their airports. States like Queensland rely on maritime ports for trade, tourism and transit. And countries like Australia rely on global access and aspiration, and on free and safe movement between nations and states. That's why issues like aviation and maritime transport security are so important.”
“On behalf of the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security, I present the committee's advisory report on the Transport Security Amendment (Security of Australia's Transport Sector) Bill 2024. Report made a parliamentary paper in accordance with standing order 39(e). by leave—There are 629 airports and 70 maritime ports in Australia, playing a crucial role in the movement of people and goods between states and countries. Because of the sheer scale of movement through our aviation and maritime hubs, ports and airports remain significant targets for organised crime, terror, and foreign interference. The strength and resilience of our supply chains is a critical issue of national security, our economic prosperity and national sovereignty.”
“I want to acknowledge the great work of Jen Kettleton-Butler and the Pumicestone Passage Catchment Management Body, who held a community meeting on Monday night. More than 620 Sunshine Coast locals attended this meeting to show support. All three tiers of government need to act—and we need to act now, or as soon as we get the results of this study—to see what we can do to ensure that people's homes, businesses and livelihoods are protected. I will do whatever I can whilst I am in this place to ensure that, if the federal government is called upon to provide financial assistance, we do that. I make that commitment that I'll do whatever I can to help.”
“Without the protection of Bribie Island, they were faced with a significant risk of storm surge. Thankfully, it didn't hit. We dodged a bullet. We, as a collective, need to ensure that we do whatever we can to restore Bribie Island to ensure that the people who live in Golden Beach, Pelican Waters and Caloundra South are not impacted by future storms. We know a cyclone impacts this area every four years. I was really pleased to see that on Monday the state member for Caloundra, Kendall Morton, and the Crisafulli government announced a study to be done as to what we can do to ameliorate these risks so that people don't have the sword of Damocles hanging over their heads for years and years to come.”
“As it turns out, we got 462 millimetres in the hinterland, and the coast got about 30 millimetres. That's Mother Nature. The community of the Sunshine Coast really hooked in, and we all sandbagged together, preparing for the worst but hoping for the best, and we're thankful. I do want to take this opportunity to highlight to the country the issue of the Bribie Island breakthrough. In January 2022, as a result of Tropical Cyclone Seth, Bribie Island was broken through from the Pacific Ocean into the Pumicestone Passage. For more than 3,000 years Bribie Island has protected areas like Golden Beach from storm inundation, but, as a result of that storm inundation from Tropical Cyclone Seth in 2022, the people of Golden Beach, Pelican Waters and southern Caloundra were staring down the barrel of oblivion. I'm not overstating it.”
“I had the privilege of working closely with Ann Leahy, the state disaster management minister, who was terrific, but I also want to send a shout-out to the federal disaster management minister, Senator Jenny McAllister. I phoned Jenny in the lead-up to the disaster and talked to her about what we were looking at happening. I spoke to her several times afterwards and I encouraged her—in fact, I wrote a submission to her—to list Eudlo, Palmwoods and Nambour as a flood affected area to get people that emergency assistance. Jenny, you were quite remarkable. Politics was put to the side immediately, and that's as it should be. Thank you for your really good work. I do also want to send a shout-out because I, along with thousands of other Sunshine Coast locals, sandbagged for days because we thought that the coast was going to get hit.”
“The cricket ground was five feet underwater. It effectively destroyed their cricket nets. That happened on the Monday. I went to the cricket ground on the Sunday, and they were playing cricket. I could not believe it. The ground was five feet underwater on Monday, and on Saturday and Sunday they were playing cricket. To the grounds staff at Palmwoods Cricket Club: you guys are legends, you're amazing and I take my hat off to you. To the soccer club that was also damaged—all of the so-called floodproof fencing, which we know wasn't quite floodproof—we'll work with you to rebuild that. Hopefully, we'll be able to get some disaster management funding for that replacement.”
“I do want to make a shout-out because he took a nanosecond—I think before I even finished my sentence. Neal said: 'Yep. When do you want me? How can I help?' Neal from Chilli Bins: thank you so much for your generosity. It was really quite amazing. I want to send a shout-out to the mayor, Rosanna Natoli, for her leadership during the flooding and the weather event. I was able to speak to the mayor and secure free green waste disposal and rubbish disposal for the people from Chilli Bins and all the Sunshine Coast residents to be able to take their green waste and, in particular, flood waste from Eudlo to the tip free of charge. Thank you, Mayor, for your leadership and your assistance in that regard. It wasn't just Eudlo that was impacted, though; it was also the town of Palmwoods. Its cricket club and soccer club went under.”
“There were Sam Elms, Deb Taylor, Pat Cleary, Cameron Radatz—and there was a gentleman that I hadn't met before whose name I can't remember, but he helped take stuff to the rubbish in his ute. You know who you are. I'm sorry I don't remember your name. But it was that community spirit that brought people together to help the people of Eudlo. I want to send a big shout-out to Neal Heinrich from Chilli Bins. On Monday 8 March, I rang Neal and said: 'Mate, we've got a real problem. People have had floodwater going through their homes. We're going to need to get a lot rubbish out of those homes.' He donated skip bins. The streets of Eudlo were lined with skip bins. They've now all or just about all been taken. Anybody thinking about throwing anything in there: if you're not from Eudlo, please don't.”
“When I went there the very next day, what I saw was really quite heartbreaking. There were a number of businesses that had been flooded. There were homes that were flooded and, because there is no town water or sewerage, they had septic tanks that popped out of the ground, spilling and leaking raw sewage into people's homes. It wasn't just a matter of flood waters racing through people's homes; it was sewage as well. That's tough. I door-knocked all of the homes that had been impacted. Thankfully, I was able to muster a team of volunteers that helped me help people in Eudlo to clean up, and I want to give them a shout-out. I hope I don't forget their names.”
“I rise in support of the Sunshine Coast locals that have endured the clean-up and the difficulties as a result of ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred, which made landfall on 8 March 2025. I've recently moved to the Sunshine Coast hinterland from the coast, in the beautiful town of Mooloolah. On 8 March, Mooloolah received 462 millimetres in 24 hours. That was Mooloolah and Diamond Valley. That's the annual rainfall of Melbourne in 24 hours. I described it as like living under a fire hose for 24 hours. We were okay in our place, for anybody who's asking, but some people weren't. In the town next door to us in Eudlo, they got flooded in. Eudlo has neither town water nor sewerage. There were parts of Eudlo that were really badly affected, but people couldn't get into Eudlo because Eudlo was cut off at the worst of the flooding.”
“For three years Australians have suffered crisis after crisis, thanks to the Albanese Labor government and their teal and green allies, from antisemitism and the cost of living to housing and national security. The country has paid a heavy price for this Prime Minister's broken promises and the reckless political games of the Greens and the teals. We cannot afford three more years of going down the same path, but we don't have to. The coalition has a positive nation-building plan to get the country back on track, and that is under the strong leadership of Peter Dutton. Peter Dutton will restore what this country holds dear—that is, faith and belief in itself.”
“Nine years ago I made a pledge that I would work hard for the people of Fisher. I promised to fight for our community and to make Fisher the best place to learn, earn and retire. Every day since then I've done just that, securing nearly $7.2 billion in federal funding for the infrastructure, services and opportunities that my community deserve. I've worked hard to build better roads and rail, to boost mental health services and outcomes and to back small business, especially local manufacturers. At the same time, I've fought to protect Australians and secure our future against vested interests and grave threats, both at home and abroad.”
“He was an outstanding health minister and changed the way that we dealt with not only the funding but also the treatment of people with mental health conditions, whether they be very significant or mild. I have lived through the mental health sector personally, as a family member, both in the public sector and in the private sector. The way that this country cares for people with mental health problems is an absolute disgrace. If it were any other type of illness, people would be marching in the streets. They'd be holding demonstrations. But, because it's in relation to mental health, we don't want to talk about it. We keep pushing and shoving it under the carpet. If a person with a significant mental health illness comes up to a public hospital, they are basically put on suicide watch and released into the public a couple of days later.”
“The big problem I have with this government and health care—and I want to welcome members from the other place into the chamber right now—is in relation to the care of, and how we deal with, people with mental health problems and mental illness. Years ago—and thankfully those days are gone by—we stuck people with mental health problems in sanatoriums and asylums. We removed them from our sight so we didn't have to look at them. Thankfully those days are over, but the treatment and care of people who live with mental health problems in this country is nothing other than an absolute disgrace. The current health minister does not get mental health. I'm gonna say it again. The current health minister does not get mental health. Do you know who did get mental health? The former health minister, the former member for Flinders, Greg Hunt.”
“They are at 77 per cent. That is a big, fat fail on the part of this government. One of the things that upsets me the most about this government's failures isn't the fact that they were 18 months late in establishing a headspace in Caloundra, when we had promised to do it when we were in government. They were 18 months late in opening that headspace. That was a big problem for me and a big problem for young people. It took me and a concerted campaign to drag the Minister for Health and Aged Care kicking and screaming to instigate a headspace in Caloundra. But that's not the big problem that I have.”
“You know that the Labor Party are in trouble when they come into this place and start spruiking Medicare and start running the age-old trope that the coalition is anti-Medicare. They ran 'Mediscare' in the campaign of 2016 or 2019, which turned out to be absolute rubbish. We even had to introduce laws to try and prevent them from doing it again—but clearly that didn't work, because here they are again trying to do a big beat-up about Medicare. Madam Deputy Speaker, I don't know about you, and I don't know about other members in this place, but the last time I went and saw a GP it cost me a significant sum of money as a co-payment—for me, and I earn good money. Those members opposite talk about strengthening Medicare, but, when they came into government, Medicare bulk-billing rates were at 88 per cent. Do you know what they are now?”
“Alongside the Leader of the Opposition, the shadow foreign minister and my good friend the member for Berowra, I outlined yesterday many of Labor's failures. I note that, in his second reading speech, the Attorney-General only referenced antisemitism once and only in tandem with Islamophobia. For many months Labor ministers have proved incapable of acknowledging the scourge of domestic antisemitism without mentioning Islamophobia, as if one somehow offsets the other. Yes, people of all faiths are contending with the rise in extremism. The Islamic community, the Christian community, Hindus, Sikhs and minority faith groups are all paying the price for Labor's social cohesion crisis. This legislation is an important step forward, but it is too little, too late. That should be the slogan of Labor's approach in office: too little, too late.”
“It's all very well and good for the Prime Minister to make mealy-mouthed comments, but what we have seen is a systemic attack on Israel and the Jewish people which has fuelled antisemitism in Australia. The government can't have it both ways. The Prime Minister can't stand up and say he's doing all these wonderful things and then lead the charge in the United Nations against Israel. That is unacceptable. Israel is our ally. It is the only democracy in the Middle East, and the Australian government has abandoned Israel. We are seeing insidious Neo-Nazi extremism moving from the dark recesses of the internet onto regularly used apps, web platforms and indeed our streets. I think that, above all things, this is a crisis in leadership from a government which has, as I said, systematically campaigned against Israel and the Jewish people.”
“I do congratulate Chris Minns and the New South Wales police force on their work in relation to this, but our political leadership and our senior police and law enforcement agencies' leadership has been left wanting. It has been left wanting since October 9, when we saw those disgraceful scenes on the steps of Sydney Opera House. Those scenes were left unchecked. And when these things are left unchecked, it becomes a progressive series of events where people think they can get away with something, and they'll keep pushing the envelope—pushing, pushing, pushing—until we start to see the firebombing of synagogues and childcare centres. There is a very real risk that someone will be killed as a result of these appalling antisemitic actions.”
“Last year, we saw the Adass Israel synagogue firebombed in Melbourne, in scenes that were reminiscent of the Kristallnacht in November 1938. This year, unforgivably, a childcare centre in Sydney near a Jewish school and synagogue was torched. That childcare centre was not Jewish run. It just happened to be near a synagogue and a Jewish school. Thanks to the efforts of law enforcement and intelligence agencies, a catastrophic terror attack was prevented in Sydney last week. That terrorist attack had the potential to be the worst domestic terrorism event in Australian history. Reportedly, there were enough explosives for there to have been a 40-metre blast zone—almost the length of a 50-metre Olympic swimming pool. Inside that caravan was a list of Jewish synagogues and sites.”
“School students, university students and academics have been targeted through protests, encampments, discrimination and hate filled conferences, including at local schools and at my own alma mater, QUT. I recently called on the education minister to stop funding QUT until an investigation was done on their actions in the most heinous conference, which was supposed to drive social cohesion—absolutely disgraceful. Not only should the people that ran and spoke at that conference be condemned; the leadership of QUT, where I did my law degree, should be condemned. This government needs to muscle up, put its money where its mouth is and start taking action against organisations that drive antisemitism, like the Queensland University of Technology.”
“She said: Zionism is the belief that Jews have the right to self-determination in their own country. She continued: Anti-Zionism, in its proper def'n says that Jews, alone in the world, should not have their own nation state. Let's look at what this anti-Jewish hate, by its many names, has led to in this country since the October 7 attacks. Stores run by Jewish people have been vandalised. Nazi symbols and antisemitic vandalism have been spray painted and carved into public spaces, including in Sippy Downs and Birtinya in my own community and right outside my office. Violent protests have spread from national monuments to regional towns, replete with terrorist slogans, the flags of hate groups and the portraits of dictators.”
“This is not the Australia that we know and love.' The crazies on the far left and the crazies on the far right seem to have created this confluence of unforgiveable behaviour, and it is up to every single Australian to call it out as we see it. This hate speech—this hate—has a new lick of paint and has rebranded, and it's a campaign that is called 'Zionism'. But, make no mistake, they are the same ancient tropes, lies and attitudes that have been repackaged to attack the Jewish people as they have for thousands of years. I think we need to be really clear about what Zionism is and give clarity to its definition, which this legislation is supposed to provide after all. UK TV personality and Holocaust educator Rachel Riley put it really well.”
“What are the opposition to do when they see a total fundamental failure on the part of government in relation to its policies? Should the opposition just say: 'Well, we don't want to politicise this. We don't want to create an issue here. We don't want to draw any attention to the failure of government'? No. It's up to every single Australian to call out the failures of this government—and they are. This is not a Jewish problem; this is a problem that is impacting 27 million Australians. I have a very small Jewish community in my electorate. Whilst the Jewish community is growing, the Sunshine Coast has reportedly around a thousand Jewish people. It's very small, but I have people—everyday ordinary Australians; non-Jewish people—coming to me, stopping me in the street and saying: 'What is happening to Jews in Australia is unforgiveable.”
“They are targeted online and in the street through doxxing and abuse simply because of where they come from or what they believe. This is Australia in 2025. Mr Deputy Speaker Wilkie, I'm going to hazard a guess that neither you nor I—certainly not I—would have thought even two years ago that we would be here where we are today. Scratch that very thin veneer and what we are seeing today is the worst kind of racial vilification—the oldest kind of racial vilification. It is up to every member of this House and the Senate, all leaders in the community across the states and territories and, in fact, every single Australian to call out antisemitism when and as we see it. Currently, the government is using the tactic that the opposition are somehow politicising this issue, but nothing could be further from the truth.”
“Tell that to the people of Alice Springs; tell that to the Australian Border Force; tell that to victims of knife crime, child exploitation and domestic violence, who are paying the price for Labor's careless cuts and clueless government; tell that to Jewish students; tell that to the Jewish community who frequent synagogues; tell that to Jewish shopowners across the country. In introducing this bill, the Criminal Code Amendment (Hate Crimes) Bill 2024, the member for Isaacs said: No-one in Australia should be targeted because of who they are or what they believe. That goes to the heart of this issue. The reality is that Australia is facing an antisemitism crisis in which Jewish people and the Israeli diaspora are targeted because of who they are.”
“They have, however, created a position of the Special Envoy for Social Cohesion. Now, I've got nothing against the member for Wills—the member for Wills is a good bloke—but, in this position, this is typical of what this Prime Minister does: a bit of wallpaper, a fresh coat of paint and there's nothing to see here. He does these things. He creates positions like the Special Envoy for Social Cohesion to make out as though he's actually doing something when he's doing nothing, or, worse, when he's actually making the problem worse by his actions and his inactions. The Attorney-General said that this Labor government is committed to the safety and security of the community.”
“I congratulate the member for Mallee on the fine speech that she's just given. I support the remarks that she's made. Both sides of this House agree that our country is facing significant challenges when it comes to antisemitism and the breakdown in social cohesion. The Director-General of Security, in his 2024 threat assessment, warned the country of this growing threat. The previous coalition government invested in efforts to counter violent extremism and address the root causes and vehicles of radicalisation with strong leadership on online safety, education and mental health care. What was Labor's response? What has been this government's response? Their response has been a divisive, race based referendum, funding for divisive organisations and a systematic campaign against Israel and the Jewish people.”
“We've got lots and lots of small townships, and, having recently moved from the coast back into the hinterland, I've got to tell you that going back to Mooloolah Valley, back to the bush, is like coming home. That small-town community spirit—you just can't beat it. The Albanese Labor government's tedious red tape and reporting requirements, its skyrocketing costs and its savage cuts to community funding programs—all of these—have resulted in the decline of volunteering. So many volunteers in so many different community groups I know are just not getting the same number of volunteers coming through the door, and it's greatly as a result of the red tape and the cost of living that this government is bringing down on everyday Australians.”
“I want to thank Richard Bruinsma, another constituent of mine, for sharing Sam's story with me recently, and I want to congratulate Sam on his ongoing success. As the federal member for Fisher, I, like just about all members that stand in this place, am very proud of my community—all members who come in here are proud of their own communities—but Fisher is home to an incredible number of community groups and inspiring individuals who work hard to get Fisher active, to combat loneliness, to boost health outcomes and to keep Australians safe. They say that the Sunshine Coast is a community of communities. We don't have one big city centre.”
“As a Mooloolah Valley local, I know well that our hinterland communities are some of the best places in which to live, work and raise a family. One Montville local, Sam Lucas, is certainly doing his community proud as he takes on the concert halls of Europe with his cello. Young Sam has invested a tremendous amount of dedication to master his craft, and those calloused fingers and long hours have now translated into a remarkable global career. Just two weeks ago, Sam was asked to perform at the European Parliament as part of global commemorations of the liberation of Auschwitz. Sam performed on a long-lost Gagliano cello, crafted in 1720. That cello belong to renowned musician Pal Hermann. Mr Hermann was one of the six million Jews murdered by the Nazis during the Holocaust, making Sam's performance all the more poignant.”