Mary Doyle
Aston · Australian Labor Party · Australia
“Our government is laser focused on assisting with the cost of living. On this side of the chamber, we understand that many Australians feel as though the economy isn't working for them. We know that right around the country Australians are looking for solutions, and that's why Labor is delivering real change.”
“We've passed new laws to give first home buyers a fair go because, if you work hard and save, you should be able to buy a home of your own. Lower taxes, higher pay and a fair go for families and first home buyers—that's real change, and that matters to people in my community. It's real change that we'll keep delivering.”
“We all know the type—the people from local organisations that put on a feed for people who are having a hard time feeding themselves; those in a community group that support women and children fleeing family and domestic violence; the club presidents and coaches who give up their evenings and weekends to ensure local sporting clubs run sm…”
“We back workers on the minimum wage and those on modern awards. We welcome the decision by the Fair Work Commission to increase the minimum wage by 5.97 per cent to $26.44 per hour, alongside a 4.75 per cent increase to award wages from 1 July this year.”
“They don't ask for recognition and they don't seek the spotlight, but, without them, our communities simply would not function the way they do. These people and organisations are the very reason why the Tilly Aston Community Awards were created a couple of years ago.”
“These awards honour a legacy of service and community spirit that continues to inspire today. Nominations are now open to anyone living or working in the electorate of Aston, and I especially encourage self-nominations. Sometimes the people doing the most meaningful work do not realise just how much of a difference they are making.”
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“Some of them were yelling right in my face as I was speaking to voters at prepoll, but they were nothing I couldn't handle. My volunteers and supporters were fantastic. They were always there for me at all of the street stalls and early morning train station visits, just as they were in 2022. They were handing out flyers for me on prepoll and by-election day too. I will never forget that rousing reception I walked into at Boronia Bowls Club on the night of the by-election. It was electric and so overwhelming. It is safe to say my face said it all that night. I had not expected to win at all, and I was so overwhelmed and excited as I made my victory speech in front of all the nation's media and the crowd at the Boronia Bowls Club.”
“The former member for Aston's resignation from office followed nine months later, thus necessitating a by-election in April of 2023. I then had to gear up for an election campaign again, not even a year after the last one. This time was vastly different, as the nation's media was focused solely on this one federal electorate, once the safest Liberal seat in the whole country. How would it all turn out? 'Could you win, Mary? No pressure!' And, against all odds, that is what happened, the first time a sitting government had won an opposition seat in a by-election in 103 years—such an historic political event. It was a bruiser of a campaign; I'm not going to lie. There were sniping comments and barbs from my opponent's volunteers.”
“I shared a campaign office with two other first-time Labor candidates: the now current member for Deakin, Matt Gregg, as well as the Labor candidate for Menzies at that time. I funded a lot of that campaign myself, with financial help from the wonderful ASU, my union; local ALP branch members; my friends; and many true believers. I had zero delusions of grandeur, let alone any delusions of winning Aston in 2022, but I was amazed, as were many of my friends and colleagues, by a swing of 7.3 per cent to Labor in Aston in 2022—incredible. Having Labor win the whole federal election in 2022 was brilliant, and that was the best win overall. But I wondered about the victor in Aston that year and if he'd hang around for a full term. I wondered, in fact, why he'd ever run at all in Aston in that election, quite frankly.”
“There is the family of the electorate of Aston, such a vibrant, multicultural community—one where I have gained all kinds of siblings and maybe a few different mums, dads, grandparents, aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews and cousins. Then there's my family of colleagues in Canberra—the MPs and senators I have come to know and respect, and their staff members too. It's good to be back in the big house, and that's an enormous honour as well. Having run three elections in three years has been a lot of fun—well, some of the time. In 2022, when I ran against the former member for Aston, Alan Tudge, it was a steep learning curve for me as a first-time Labor candidate. At that time, in 2022, Aston had been Liberal since 1990, and my fledgling campaign for Aston was extremely grassroots.”
“I'm a proud mum to my 24-year-old son, Clancy, and my 21-year-old daughter, Lily, and a proud great-aunty to 19-year-old Jamilah, who came into my care five years ago at the age of 14, when her beautiful mum, my niece Melanie, tragically died from a brain aneurysm at the age of 42. This sudden devastation occurred in Tasmania not long after the start of the COVID lockdowns in 2020. Having Jamilah join Clancy, Lily and me in our home was something I never questioned, as she needed connection to her mother's family. Being re-elected as the member for Aston was an enormous honour—one that was so humbling. It was also akin to being welcomed back to a family of sorts—in fact, a couple of families.”
“I acknowledge that we meet on the traditional lands of the Ngunnawal and Ngambri peoples of this region, and I pay my respects to their elders past, present and emerging. The community of Aston, which I represent, exists on the lands of the Wurundjeri and Bunurong peoples of the Kulin nation, the outer eastern suburbs of Naarm/Melbourne—a place I have called home for the past 37 years. I acknowledge and pay my respects to their peoples past, present and emerging. Always was, always will be, Aboriginal land. I came to live in the outer eastern suburbs of Melbourne because three of my older sisters had done the same, so naturally, when it was my time to move out of home from my home town of Echuca, this is where I gravitated to, because connection to family is so important.”
“This should never have been allowed to happen. Joeanne said only last month: 'We should all be safe at work. We all have family we want to get back to. It took me seven days to get home. And I'm one of the lucky ones.' No-one should ever go to work fearing that they may not come home safely or, worse, not come home at all. The Ashton review looked into the risks faced by Commonwealth frontline workers, especially those in public-facing roles. It made 44 recommendations to strengthen safety, security and protections. The government agreed to all 44 recommendations. One of those recommendations, recommendation 17, was that the current ACT workplace protection order provisions should be adapted for use by the Commonwealth as a staff protection mechanism nationwide, and that is precisely what this bill does.”
“That review, commonly referred to as the Ashton review, was triggered by what happened to a 55-year-old Services Australia team leader, Joeanne Cassar, one day in May of 2023 at a branch in Melbourne. Earlier that morning, a man whom Services Australia had already deemed a risk to workers, but whom they had no legal authority to ban from the branch, had turned up again. As team leader, Joeanne asked him to leave, and he did so immediately, but then he came back later with a knife. Joeanne had stepped in to cover for a security guard taking a lunch break. When the man returned with the knife, he lunged at Joeanne, chasing her back into the office. He punched her in the face and stabbed her once in the lower back, just missing her spine and kidneys but leaving her with life-changing injuries and enduring pain.”
“I rise today in strong support of the Commonwealth Workplace Protection Orders Bill 2025. This bill introduces new legislation and with it a new national scheme designed to provide Commonwealth workers with the safety, dignity and protection they deserve in the course of their duties. This is a bill about safety. This is a bill about fairness. And, most importantly, this is a bill about respect—respect for the thousands of Australians who dedicate themselves to delivering critical services on behalf of the Commonwealth. Let me begin with why we are here. This bill is borne out of both necessity and tragedy. In 2023 the Albanese Labor government commissioned the Services Australia Security Risk Management Review, led by Graham Ashton AM APM, a respected law enforcement and public safety leader.”
“Additionally, we're going to remove income caps, and we're lifting the property caps from $800,000 to $950,000 in the city of Melbourne. This means a $1 million home in my electorate will only require a $50,000 deposit instead of a $200,000 deposit. However, this is not the only thing this government has done to assist people into housing. Since being re-elected, we have paused the National Construction Code and are fast-tracking 26,000 homes stuck in the approval process. We are building more social and affordable housing, and we've invested over $43 billion in the Homes for Australia plan. These reforms are giving Australians a chance to step into their first home, build security for their families and invest in their futures.”
“One of the greatest challenges for young people in Aston is that, despite their hard work and saving efforts, many still struggle to buy their first home. For these young people in my community, a 20 per cent deposit is daunting, and, if they can't get to 20 per cent, they have to pay for mortgage insurance as well. Across the course of the election campaign, I heard these concerns loud and clear. Since being re-elected, this government has been working hard to address this challenge. From 1 October this year, we are expanding our first home buyer scheme, a scheme that's already been assisting hundreds of people in my electorate to buy their first home. These expansions mean that from 1 October, every first home buyer in Aston will only need a five per cent deposit to enter the housing market and buy their first home.”
“We were very privileged to hear from keynote speaker Rosie Batty, whose fierce advocacy continues to lead the national conversation on family violence. Her words were a powerful reminder of the fundamental role that charities play in providing urgent support and resources to victims-survivors. To all at Hands Off Foundation and, especially, to the wonderful Donna Jordan, the founder of Hands Off Foundation: thank you for showing courage, for taking action and, most importantly, for believing in survivors. Your work changes lives and deserves our deepest respect and support.”
“I want to acknowledge the remarkable work of a charity based in my electorate, the Hands Off Foundation, a grassroots organisation making a real difference to the lives of victims-survivors of sexual assault and violence. From emergency accommodation and counselling to transport and relocation costs, they offer safety, dignity and hope in the most difficult moments. Last Friday night, I had the honour of attending their annual gala dinner, which was an inspiring evening that brought together local communities, survivors, advocates and allies with a shared commitment to end gender based violence. The event was both moving and powerful not only for the courage of stories shared but for the strength of the collective action it represented.”
“As Tilly herself once said, nothing worthy is ever achieved without perseverance. However, you do not have to wait for someone else to nominate you; self-nominations are most welcome. But you need to hurry; nominations are closing on Sunday 10 August, and the winners will be announced at the awards ceremony on Saturday 30 August. To everyone out there rolling up their sleeves, helping their local community and raising voices for the vulnerable: these awards are for you. I look forward to reading all the wonderful nominations.”
“From volunteers in multicultural associations and sporting clubs to those helping our environment, supporting the elderly or mentoring young people, this award is for them. It's about saying thank you and building a culture that values service and community connection. There are four group categories and 10 individual categories from which to choose. These include the Leadership Award, the Volunteer of the Year Award, the Teacher of the Year Award and the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award. As the federal member for Aston it is my great honour to champion these awards, which are held annually to ensure the spirit of Tilly Aston lives on in not just memory but action. I encourage every constituent to nominate someone they admire or someone who quietly makes a difference. Let's tell their stories and let's lift each other up.”
“The Tilly Aston Community Awards honour her legacy by celebrating individuals and groups that have demonstrated exceptional dedication, leadership and a positive impact in various aspects of community life. These are the quiet achievers, selfless volunteers and local heroes who go above and beyond to make our community in Aston a better place to live, work and thrive. Too often, the people who hold our communities together do so without fanfare or accolades. They don't ask for recognition, but they absolutely deserve it. That's why initiatives like these awards are so important. They shine a light on the good happening around us and celebrate the everyday leadership, kindness and compassion that keeps our suburbs strong.”
“Congratulations on your appointment, Deputy Speaker Mascarenhas. I rise today to speak about our annual Tilly Aston Community Awards, which seek to recognise and honour the contributions and achievements of the wonderful Aston community. These awards, like my electorate, are named after Tilly Aston, a trailblazing woman—arguably one of Australia's first disability activists—and a true inspiration. Tilly lost her sight at a young age, but she never let that define or limit her. Instead, she became a poet, a teacher and a fierce advocate for the rights of people with disabilities, founding the Victorian Association of Braille Writers and the Association for the Advancement for the Blind. She was a pioneer in inclusive education and the first blind woman in Australia to attend university.”
“I also hope to visit Graham and Elly, owners of Kingsland Chinese Restaurant in Boronia, who found similar hateful graffiti upon their premises earlier this week. No-one should have to deal with this kind of hate. The cowards who chose to paint such hateful images and offensive words on these premises are absolute low-life with fear in their hearts, not love, for others, and I strongly condemn their actions. I stand in solidarity with those affected and I want to assure them that, as their federal member, I believe that our multicultural diversity in Aston is something to be celebrated, not feared. It makes us a stronger community, and racist and hateful attacks such as these will not be tolerated.”
“I would like to address the blatantly racist and hateful attacks that were perpetrated upon two Asian restaurants, a healing centre on Mountain Highway and the Hindu temple in the suburbs of Boronia and Bayswater earlier this week. In my first speech in this parliament, in May 2023, I spoke about meeting Atul from the Shree Swaminarayan Hindu temple in Boronia and how I was welcomed upon my first of many visits there. The temple is a tranquil place of worship to the Hindu community of Aston and beyond. To learn that it'd been plastered with such hateful images and offensive language was sickening. I have spoken to Atul today and I will visit with him and others at the temple on Saturday to reassure them that I stand with them in solidarity against such hateful attacks.”
“I think so because the actions of the Leader of the Opposition and his party in voting against every measure that we have brought forward in this parliament to assist the people of Aston mean his words then are ringing hollow now. One thing is certain; past performance is the best indicator of future practice. With the Leader of the Opposition, this is truly the case. The choice is clear at this election: a Labor government that is building on a better future for Australia or a coalition that will just send us all backwards.”
“What have we learned from yesterday in this House and the other place? It's what we've seen repeatedly from those opposite—voting no to everything this government is doing to assist households. Now those opposite have done it again, announcing today they'll axe Labor's tax cuts for every taxpayer if elected. Once again, they just say no, and that sums up the Leader of the Opposition's approach for this entire term. I'd like to remind the Leader of the Opposition of the words he spoke on Insider s the day after I was elected to this House: So, many lessons, including for me and for our party. And we'll take those, we'll listen to what the people of Aston have said and we'll act on it. Were those just empty words from the Leader of the Opposition?”
“My question is to the Minister for Early Childhood Education. What action is the Albanese Labor government taking to make early childhood education more affordable for families [inaudible] to cheaper and more accessible child care?”
“My question is to the Minister for Early Childhood Education. What action has the Albanese Labor government taken to start building a universal early education system that is simple, affordable and accessible for every family? What could put this at risk and leave families worse off?”
“Finally, continuing in the spirit of those celebrations, last weekend was the celebration of the 41st birthday of a great Labor initiative: Medicare. Medicare has provided assistance to millions of Australians over its 41-year history. I am so proud to be part of a government that is continuing to deliver for Australians through our investments in Medicare, like the 87 urgent care clinics across this country—one of which is located in our very own Bayswater. I've been talking to locals a lot lately about our urgent care clinic in Bayswater, and my constituents absolutely love this initiative by our federal government. They can see how we're helping to ease the pressure on public hospital emergency rooms. People absolutely love this, and when I tell them about it they respond so well to it. They can see how we are really assisting people.”
“By investing in Victorian public schools, we are helping them to succeed, meaning teachers and principals like Mat Anderton, and his team at Boronia Heights Primary, can continue their fantastic work in giving kids the best start in life. This is a shining example of how Labor governments work together to build Australia's future. On Saturday I was also thrilled to attend the Lunar New Year Festival with the Prime Minister in Box Hill. The celebration provided a wonderful opportunity to bring in the year of the snake with great food and fun. I got the chance to say hello to some Aston locals there and hear about how they are celebrating the new year. I give special thanks to the Asian Business Association of Whitehorse and their fantastic president, Bihong Wang, who led the celebrations so excellently.”
“It's a privilege to be back here in Canberra for the start of a new sitting year. Over the break I have had the great pleasure of being out in the community, hearing from any of my constituents about what is important to them. I love chatting with people on the street or in the local shopping centres, and I learn so much from them. Last week it was wonderful to host both our Prime Minister and the Victorian Premier, the Hon. Jacinta Allan, at Boronia Heights Primary School, where they signed the historic Better and Fairer Schools Agreement along with federal and Victorian education ministers. This agreement is a monumental step forward for Victorian education and will put all Victorian public schools on a path to full and fair funding, delivering an additional $2.5 billion of Commonwealth funding over the next 10 years.”