Simon Kennedy
Cook · Liberal Party · Australia
“Can you guess how long it took Cory to have his injuries accepted? Eight years—eight years of forms, reports, appointments, assessments, delays and uncertainty. Cory, as I mentioned, is president of the Cronulla RSL Sub-Branch.”
“This Albanese government must accept its obligation in return, must explain why veterans are being pushed through repeated reassessments, must explain why veterans are paying out-of-pocket costs for 400 days while waiting for approval and must explain why doctors are being driven away from DVA work.”
“This has to change. I don't want to continue with political point scoring. I want this to flip. If the members across here today and the members watching in their offices right now can take this back to their party room: we want to stop. Let's make this right.”
“A veteran should not be forced through repeated assessments just to keep receiving care. A veteran should not be paying out of pocket while waiting for a government approval.”
“We've announced it and passed it in a budget, and now we're doing the consultation. How backwards is that? We're raising revenue and giving billions of dollars to hydrogen and billions of dollars to billionaires. We're giving $15 billion to the NRF.”
“Luckily, he had a home which he could borrow against, but for those 17 months he had to borrow against his home and he was under constant psychiatric treatment, with no promise that it would ever be reimbursed. This isn't how a grateful country should treat a veteran.”
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“I want to sincerely thank everyone who attended and contributed their time and expertise. In particular, I want to acknowledge Ashleigh Daines, the CEO of The Family Co., and Belinda Harrison from The Family Co. for their leadership. They provide the central hub that pulls together domestic violence support right across the Sutherland Shire. Also in attendance were other NGOs from our community who play a critical role: Vicki Sherry, the CEO of Hopefield; Bernadette Hoy, the coordinator of Orana Women's Health; Liza Barlow, the manager of homelessness and housing services for the St George and Sutherland areas at St Vincent de Paul; and Mark Soper, the manager of Salvos Miranda Housing. I also wish to acknowledge the local councillors and police representatives who attended as well as the state member Eleni Petinos, for her leadership.”
“I also want to acknowledge my mate Glenn Gorick, who, with me, won the state champions of the teams event. It may have been that there was only one entry, but, Glen, I'm proud of you anyway. I also want to note that this is a beautiful event that actually brings people together and keeps them healthy in my community. The Cronulla Triathlon Club has a proud history, with seven world champions—more than many countries—and I congratulate them on their achievement. Late in 2025, our community took an important step forward with the first community domestic and family violence roundtable. It was held in partnership with The Family Co. This roundtable was about listening, identifying gaps and strengthening the local response to domestic and family violence, an issue that affects far too many families and takes too many lives.”
“I want to recognise the Richie Walker Aquathlon, organised by the Cronulla Triathlon Club and run last weekend in my electorate. I'd like to particularly thank Steve Papworth, the race organiser and a 30-year police veteran, who's been doing a phenomenal job of organising this event. I'd also like to recognise the president of the club, Adam Stroud, and the vice-president, Luke Targett. This event is held in memory of Richie Walker. Richie was an incredible athlete, a member of the Cronulla Triathlon Club and passed away 39 years ago because of a heart attack in a race in Tamworth. David and Elizabeth Walker, Richie's parents, were there as keen supporters. They've watched this event raise hundreds of thousands of dollars for our local community and the Heart Foundation.”
“His work reflects a deep commitment to those who care about our maritime sector and its operations. Mrs Cathy Mason OAM is honoured for service to the community through a wide range of roles, including her Rotary work. This reflects quiet dedication that underpins strong communities—service given freely, consistently and with compassion. I'd also like to recognise Captain Benjamin Hurst CSM RAN, who was awarded the Conspicuous Service Medal for meritorious achievement in the field of Navy engineering. His service reflects professionalism and technical excellence. (Time expired)”
“Today, I wish to recognise and congratulate several outstanding members of my local community who have been honoured through the Order of Australia and the Australian military honours system. I'd like to congratulate the following recipients of the Medal of the Order of Australia. Firstly, Dr Adrian Paterson AM was appointed as a Member of the Order of Australia for significant service in the field of nuclear science. Dr Paterson's contributions represent the very best of Australian scientific expertise, all done on the doorstep of our electorate at Lucas Heights. He has advanced knowledge, capability and national resilience in a highly specialised field critical to Australia's future. Mr Michael Kelly OAM is recognised for his service to seafarers' welfare and the maritime transport industry.”
“It is 64 per cent of these people with their profits down year on year, 60 per cent not paying themselves, 60 per cent explaining to their family why they are poorer, why they may risk and lose their house—if a minister can smear tens of thousands of Australians and refuse to correct the record, what does that say about standards in this House?”
“The housing crisis is getting worse. The small-business collapse is getting worse. For the Minister for Small Business to insinuate they are dodgy, in this environment—why isn't the Minister for Small Business here? She should come back into the House, withdraw those shameful comments and apologise not just to the House but to all these hardworking small-business owners in the seat of Cook and right across Australia. If the Minister for Small Business won't do it, the Prime Minister should come and do it.”
“These small-business owners were recently surveyed, and it showed a large proportion of them are dealing with lower profits—64 per cent. That is, almost two-thirds of small business have their profits down year on year. Two-thirds—that is amazing. Sixty per cent of these businesses are not paying themselves and not declaring dividends, and 72 per cent said rising costs were their biggest obstacle to growth. These small businesses aren't just numbers; they play essential roles in our community. The record closure rates—these rising insolvencies—are not a normal part of the cycle; they're a symptom of mounting cost pressures. In the developed world, Australia has had the shortest cycle of easing to now hiking rates. It's the shortest cycle ever on record for the Reserve Bank of Australia, underpinned by record government spending.”
“It has never, ever been a higher share of the economy than this year. The only year it might be at risk of being higher than this year is next year. So what does the Treasurer do? Instead of admitting that, he goes into clever little tricky weasel words and talks about private demand and public demand. He says public demand is coming off. Well, that ignores the electricity rebates. It ignores Centrelink transfers. It ignores all these other transfers where payments are at an all-time high. So, Treasurer, why are you misleading the Australian people? Why are you putting these small businesses under pressure? You're putting mortgages out of reach for Australian people, rents out of reach for Australian people and small businesses under pressure.”
“They've got families that surround them, and they are falling over, with 14,722 collapsing—a 33 per cent increase—in the prior year. Their mortgages are going up, and their loans are going up. Today in question time we heard Treasurer Chalmers be a little bit tricky. Yes, it comes quite naturally to him. We asked him about government spending time and time again. Listen closely to how he answered. He came back and spoke about public demand. He talked about public demand coming off, and that was quite deliberate, because government spending is more than public demand; it shows up in private demand. Public demand does not include energy rebates. It does not include Centrelink. It does not include pensions. He likes to talk about public demand because it obscures the fact that government spending is at a 40-year high, at 27 per cent of GDP.”
“I second the motion. At the end of last year, I held a small business forum in Caringbah. I met dozens of small-business owners struggling to make ends meet. There are now vacant shops there. Behind each shop is a family and a person who has lost it all. This morning in Canberra, I spoke to a gentleman from there who has lost his house in one of these insolvent businesses. We hear this number of these thousands of businesses. I spoke to one of those people today, and that is the face of Jim Chalmers's economic failure. These small businesses employ 70 per cent of Australia. Seventy per cent of Australia is in small and medium enterprises. They make up almost 98 per cent of all businesses, and they are on their knees. There are around 2.6 million of them operating in Australia, and most of them are micro, with zero to four employees.”
“My question is to the Treasurer. The RBA governor confirmed what the Treasurer would not, which is that government spending contributes to pressure on interest rates. Confirming what we all already knew, the governor said: That's logical. It's mathematical. That's what happens. Given economists, former RBA board members and now the RBA governor have all acknowledged government spending contributes to inflation and the latest interest rate rise, why can't the Treasurer?”
“He said that 'actually, private demand is growing faster than public demand', but the data shows the exact opposite. In the September quarter, public demand grew by 1.2 per cent, private demand by 1.1 per cent. We need a treasurer who is across these numbers. We need him to do better. (Time expired)”
“Unfortunately, that statement stands in stark contrast with what Governor Bullock said to the committee just last week. She said very clearly and unambiguously that 'it is mathematically correct to suggest government spending is contributing towards higher inflation'. These two positions cannot both be right. The committee will continue to test, in evidence, what the bank believes the economy can sustainably absorb, where capacity constraints are binding, where cost pressures are not moderating fast enough and what we can do as the federal government, in charge of fiscal policy, to actually help these settings. Yesterday, I saw Treasurer Chalmers on Insiders , and, after 3½ years in the role, I thought he would have had a handle on this. But, unfortunately, Treasurer Chalmers was mistaking the growth rates for public and private demand.”
“We heard the Reserve Bank governor admit this is putting pressure on aggregate demand and putting pressure on inflation and forcing them to raise interest rates. There is a growing number of respected economists who have been very clear on this point. Stephen Smith from Deloitte Access Economics, Shane Oliver from AMP, Paul Bloxham from HSBC and Alex Joiner from IFM Investors have all warned, time and time again, that elevated spending adds to inflationary pressure, complicating the Reserve Bank's job. Yet, last Tuesday, in this very House, Treasurer Chalmers tried to deny this link. He got up and sat at this very dispatch box and said, 'The Reserve Bank governor's statement does not mention government spending at all.' He went on to say it played no role in their decision to raise interest rates.”
“We're living in this cost-of-living crisis with interest rates rising and energy costs remaining elevated. Living standards are under pressure, and Australians are getting poorer. Therefore, the committee has essential roles in examining these problems. First, we must ensure the Reserve Bank is explaining its decisions transparently and credibly. Second, we must ensure the government's policy settings are not working at cross-purposes with the bank's task of bringing inflation under control. The federal government spending, as a share of GDP, is at an almost 40-year high. It is at 26.9 per cent of GDP. The last time it was higher than this was in 1986. The fact is, since 1986, we have been increasing government spending, and it is at an all-time high.”
“She had tears in her eyes as she was telling me of the anguish of losing her deposit and having to go back to renting again. This is the face of the decisions we make in here on fiscal policy and the decisions the Reserve Bank makes on monetary policy. Yes, it's true we're facing a productivity crisis. We must lift productivity so Australians can become wealthy again, because right now there is essentially a speed limit on our economy. Growing anything over two per cent leads to inflation, and we have seen that with 13 interest rate rises under this government. Most recently, the Reserve Bank increased the cash rate from 3.6 per cent to 3.85 per cent. Australians don't need any reminder of what this means in practice—higher mortgage repayments and higher rent.”
“I'd like to pick up where the chair left off. It has been a pleasure to work on this committee with the chair. He has done a remarkable job keeping the committee structured and helping it tackle pressing issues for this country, like the cost of living, monetary policy and the Reserve Bank. The secretariat has been fantastic and all members have been fantastic. It has been a very well-functioning, good, bipartisan committee. But, in these committee hearings where we talk about technicalities, Reserve Bank boards and monetary policy, it can be easy to forget what it's really about. Just a few weeks ago, I was meeting with a single mother in Sans Souci. As a result of the now 13 interest rate rises under this government, she has had to give up her apartment because she can no longer service the mortgage.”
“From a local junior in the sport to representing Australia internationally, Zoe has combined excellence with humility and continues to give back by mentoring young athletes and supporting grassroots hockey. Finally, Young Sports Citizen of the Year went to Izobelle Louison-Roe. She's an exceptional athlete whose achievements on the world stage are matched by her commitment to her local community. As a coach and mentor, she inspires young athletes to strive and do their best. I congratulate all our fabulous award winners.”
“Their annual event brings together thousands of people—cancer survivors honouring loved ones, running around Don Lucas Reserve for 24 hours. It is proudly run by volunteers, and millions of dollars have been raised over the last two decades. The Environmental Citizen of the Year was Colin Storey. Colin has dedicated decades to protecting and restoring the local environment around the Sutherland Shire. Through bush care, wetland restoration, wildlife habitat projects and environmental monitoring, Colin's hands-on work and leadership have left a lasting legacy for Sutherland Shire and for our children. Thank you Colin. Sports Citizen of the Year went to Zoe Newman. Zoe is an elite hockey player and inspiring role model.”
“You're a ripper bloke, and thank you for what you do. The Young Citizen of the Year award went to Stephanie Duric. Stephanie had shown outstanding dedication to the wellbeing of young people across the Sutherland Shire. Through her longstanding volunteer work with headspace Miranda, Stephanie helped support youth mental health and amplify young voices. Stephanie also contributes to the arts and education. Her leadership and compassion are remarkable. The Community Group of the Year award went to the Sutherland Shire Relay for Life Committee. That committee has raised—and raises each year—more money than any other relay for life in the country. It is amazing the work they do for cancer. It's amazing the community spirit they bring out.”
“This Australia Day weekend in the Sutherland Shire, we had a weekend of festivities. It was glorious, but one of the top events was the 2026 Sutherland Shire Citizens of the Year Awards, for individuals and groups whose contribution, service and leadership make our local community stronger. The Citizen of the Year award went to Shanon Bates. Shanon is a powerful motivational speaker and disability advocate. He draws on his own experience with disability. Shanon works across schools, workplaces and the community to change attitudes, challenge stereotypes, promote resilience and demonstrate that people with a disability are just as capable, valued and respected as all other members in our society. Shanon, your commitment to education, wellbeing and social justice has a lasting impact across our community.”
“If Australia repeats these mistakes in digital assets, the cost will be even greater. The Corporations Amendment (Digital Assets Framework) Bill 2025 represents progress. It brings clarity to structure where uncertainty has persisted for far too long. But it's only the first step. Australia should not be content with just catching up and not being as far behind as it was. Australia needs to lead. Australia needs to lead to create jobs, Australia needs to lead to capture capital and Australia needs to lead to make Australians wealthy again. If we want to compete in a world of tokenised markets, blockchain infrastructure and artificial intelligence, we must move faster, think bigger and act with ambition. A framework is good, but a long-term strategy and ambition is better. This bill is a start. Now we must finish the job. Debate adjourned.”
“In fast-moving technology markets, be it blockchain, crypto or AI, markets and capital do not wait. Delay means the talent, the money, the jobs and the expertise move offshore. The opposition supports sensible guardrails for emerging technologies including blockchain and AI, but not delay, drift or failure to compete for global talent and global capital and for productivity to make Australians wealthier. AI, like blockchain, is being treated primarily as a regulatory risk rather than as a major economic pillar that can unlock wealth for Australia. The government has failed to articulate how Australia will participate across the blockchain or AI supply chain, from data centres to energy, from advanced computing to exportable AI services. Energy policy remains the single biggest constraint on AI growth, also inhibiting blockchain growth.”
“Uncertainty around licensing and compliance means stablecoins are still treated primarily as trading products, not as a payment infrastructure. This limits the real-world use cases such as merchant payments, cross-border settlement and programmable money. All these things would save businesses and consumers millions of dollars. But it's not too late. We must act on this now, and we can act in a bipartisan way. I'm asking the Labor government, again, to join us. Let's push Australia to the forefront of this so we can capture jobs. Digital assets is not an isolated case; the same pattern is also emerging in artificial intelligence. Once again, Australia risks watching the global technology play out from the sidelines. Labor's instinct is to delay.”
“The framework should allow for corporate authorised representatives within related bodies corporate, reducing duplication of licences and compliance systems. Consumer protection would not be weakened. The accountability would remain with the licensee. Without this flexibility, Australian firms face unnecessary costs compared to global competitors which will ultimately be passed on to consumers. Australia still lacks this stablecoins framework. The digital-assets bill does not unlock stablecoins as a payment instrument. Other jurisdictions are moving faster. The US is explicitly enabling regulated stablecoins for payments; the US has done this under the GENIUS Act. Australia needs something similar and needs to act now.”
“Platforms do not control the issuance, the reserves, the governance or redemption mechanics, yet they bear the regulatory risk by listing the asset. Without clearer rules or workable relief, platforms may be forced to delist globally used stablecoins, undermining payments and tokenised use cases for Australian consumers and Australian businesses. Regulatory responsibility should sit exclusively with issuers and not be indirectly imposed through regulatory exchanges. Lastly, group licensing flexibility is still missing. Digital assets and businesses often operate through integrated corporate groups for legitimate government and risk reasons, no different to any other corporate on the ASX.”
“It also doesn't address the fact that broker model platforms should not be regulated as financial markets. Broker model digital-asset platforms do not operate multiparty trading venues like traditional financial markets. Applying market license concepts to broker models is disproportionate and unworkable, particularly for platforms accessing global liquidity. Regulatory uncertainty in this area is forcing Australian platforms into isolated, Australia-only liquidity pools, harming consumers and harming competition. Australian consumers are getting a raw deal. We need clear differentiations of business models to avoid unintended consequences. Stablecoin listing rules place issuer risk onto platforms. Australian platforms face significant compliance and uncertainty when listing stablecoins issued by offshore entities, not licensed locally.”
“Also, this bill does not address the widespread practice of debanking, where banks will not bank these fintech, crypto or blockchain players or, in some instances, their customers. Despite the many issue papers acknowledging this as a serious issue and despite government supported regulations by the Council of Financial Regulators, this remains unaddressed. It doesn't provide a clear pathway for Australia to lead in tokenisation. The next generation of financial infrastructure is tokenisation. The EU and the UK are moving there rapidly. The United States actively partners on token markets with major global exchanges, and they are now announcing moves to bring equities on chain. That would be the equivalent of the ASX. This bill lays a foundation but does not yet constitute a strategy, and it's not building on top of it.”
“The case the coalition has made and continues to make is that delay is costly and we must act. According to KPMG's Pulse of fintech report, in the first half of 2025 Australia recorded just $142 million in fintech investment across 32 deals. That's an 84 per cent fall in deal value and a 42 per cent in deal volume compared to the previous half year. KPMG attributes this to a slowly growing domestic economy and an increasingly cautious investor sentiment. In a sector as mobile as fintech and digital assets, this matters. Capital doesn't wait for certainty. It doesn't wait for the House of Reps or the Senate to pass laws. It moves, and it has moved. We're seeing 84 per cent of capital falling away in this sector.”
“By the end of 2024, more than 12 months ago, two thirds of comparable jurisdictions worldwide had already regulated stablecoins or crypto assets or had firm plans to do it imminently. Australia has not kept pace. We are losing investment, we are losing jobs, and we are falling behind as a major financial player on world markets. Countries that provide this regulatory clarity, proportionate rules and certainty attract investment, jobs and technology. The innovation that this sector drives will drive productivity, something we are desperately in search of in this country. Productivity drives wages. It helps make Australians richer. Right now, Australians feel poorer every day because of declining productivity. This is one of the answers, and the government has sat on it for over three years.”
“This delay has mattered. Instead of having clear rules set by parliament six years ago or three years ago, when the Albanese government came in, Australia has seen regulatory uncertainty and enforcement approaches fill this vacuum. ASIC, in the absence of this legislation, has been forced into a quasi-legislative role, suing companies, taking them to court and destroying business models to try and create test cases to see how the law should apply. This bill addresses some of that, but unfortunately it's too little too late. Digital assets, blockchain and tokenisation are part of the global financial system, but let there be no doubt about this: it is a race, and it's a race that Australia is losing. Comparable jurisdictions including the United Kingdom, the EU and the US have moved quickly and decisively.”
“The road map for this reform originated with the coalition. Recognising the rapid pace of change in the last government, the coalition commissioned a Senate inquiry into Australia as a technology and financial centre chaired by Senator Andrew Bragg. We developed a comprehensive payment and crypto assets reform agenda which was timely and critical. It recognised digital assets are not simply about speculation and trading. It's not just about people buying crypto and hoping it will go up; it's about payments, market settlement, currency and the very rails the financial system itself operates on. The hard policy thinking has been done over the last six years. The coalition does not support prolonged delay, regulatory drift or enforcement ahead of this legislation. ASIC must now pause, wait for this legislation and work with industry.”
“Instead of forcing digital asset businesses into parallel regulatory universes or into grey areas, this bill allows them, where appropriate, to be recognised with the same regulatory architecture, the same regulatory certainty, that other corporations and banks are subject to. This integration matters for confidence, interoperability, system stability, and jobs and investment for Australia. The bill also improves transparency for everyday Australians. We now will have clearer disclosure. We'll have clearer expectations of how rights are attached to underlying assets and are protecting Australian consumers who operate in the blockchain or crypto sectors. So, while this bill is not perfect, it is very sensible. But we can't assess this bill in isolation. We must be honest about the policy context that led us here.”
“The bill finally draws clear lines in the Corporations Act about what a digital token is, when a token constitutes a financial product and when platforms holding these tokens form part of Australia's regulated financial system. This matters because uncertainty is not neutral. Uncertainty deters investment. It drives jobs offshore, it drives capital offshore and we have seen that happen already. Now, no-one is pretending heavy handed regulation helps industry or innovation. But we needed confidence—confidence so people could invest in this sector. More importantly, we do not need to treat these platforms as outsiders; we need to welcome them as part of the financial regulation system.”
“It provides legal clarity where uncertainty has long hindered development and frustrated industry. It also highlights something else: just how long this reform has taken and how much ground Australia has lost in what is a race. It is a global race, and Australia is slipping behind. But, before we get to that, let's focus on what this bill gets right. This bill does something that the Australian digital asset sector has needed for a long time and is long overdue. It brings some clarity. Activity in this space has sat in a grey area not properly regulated and enforced by ASIC through enforcement actions and creating laws, testing them by suing companies in courts, rather than administering laws. Now we have some legal frameworks that can be applied and that business can conform to.”
“Digital assets, blockchain infrastructure and tokenisation are taking over global financial markets. They're reshaping payments, custody, capital raising, trading and clearing; they will all be done by what is essentially smart money—tokenised money that is decentralised. This sector is growing, and blockchain is going to revolutionise the entire sector. The question is not whether it will grow. The questions are: Will Australia continue to be a place where financial markets are served through Asia? Will we build jobs or will we lose jobs? Will we build capability and sovereign expertise, or will we continue to watch innovation and investment move offshore? That's why the Corporations Amendment (Digital Assets Framework) Bill 2025 is a welcome step.”
“It's time for Australians to unite—unite for who we are—and unify around a simple truth: Australia is a place of equality. International conflicts are not imported. Violence is never justified. Faith is protected and not feared. To the families who are grieving: Australia stands with you. To those living with fear today: let me remind you you belong here. We will stand up and make sure you are protected. And to this nation: let this be a turning point where we choose unity over division, courage over silence and our shared values over hatred. The Australian parliament must stand up. It must act and take action so these events can never happen here again and so that we do everything in our power to make sure this never occurs again on Australian shores.”
“Remember Reuven Morrison trying to throw a rock to disarm the gunman; Boris and Sofia Gurman, who we watched on that grainy dash cam footage disarming a gunman and then giving up their lives, being shot while stepping in to protect strangers because that's the Australian way; and Ahmed al-Ahmed, who owned a local tobacconist in the Sutherland shire and disarmed a gunman, saving countless lives, and was shot doing so. Bondi and Cronulla share much in common. They're relaxed beachside communities shaped by everyday Australian life. They're open. They're inclusive and built around communities that look out for one another. They celebrate the tradition of surf lifesaving, which reflects our Australian culture of service and self-sacrifice. This is the Australia we must protect. This is not a time for division or equivocation.”
“We must not allow Australia to import international hatreds or extremism. It can't be imported into our streets or into our Australian neighbourhoods. We must unify as a country. We must find pride in being Australians and the values that we protect—values like the rule of law, equality, tolerance and the rejection of any political violence. Australians' values are not optional. People who reject these values, who hate our country or hate what it stands for, have no place in our society and no place in our country. Even in the face of violence, Australians showed extraordinary courage. There were people who gave their lives trying to stop or disarm the gunmen.”
“The attack is also a reminder of a hard truth: antisemitism exists in Australia, and it was allowed to go unchecked for far too long. And it's still causing fear. Jewish friends of mine are feeling fear—fear about their safety, fear about their families, fear about dropping off their kids at Jewish schools or Jewish day cares, and fear that a mass murder that should have never happened in Australia could happen again. I'd also like to acknowledge the passing of Stanley Roth, a Jewish Australian and friend, local to the Bondi area, who this issue mattered deeply to. Stanley's legacy must continue, because no Australian should live in fear of violence because of their religion or who they are. What happened in Bondi must be a national turning point for our country. We must pivot.”
“Bondi Beach is a place where Australians gather to have fun, play in the sea and sand and maybe enjoy a night out. But on December14, 15 innocent people were murdered. Families have been shattered, a community has been traumatised and Jewish Australians are grieving. People—friends and family members—were murdered simply because they were Jewish. We honour those who were killed. We honour them as Australians—people who belonged here, who were part of this country and whose absence will be deeply felt by their family and their community. One of those killed was Marika Pogany, an 82-year-old woman, whose nieces Jenny and Andrea live in our local electorate of Cook. Their loss reminds us that this violence isn't distant; it reaches directly into Australian families—into Australian neighbourhoods.”
“Phill, who runs it there—great guy, works incredibly hard—is a huge supporter of manufacturing in Australia and a huge supporter of trades. He's watched the number of his tradies go from seven to three, and he's worried it's going to zero. He talks about their declining revenues and their increasing costs, and he worries they're going to close that manufacturing plant one day and instead just turn it into another set of apartments. What will we make in this country? I worry because energy prices are up 40 per cent in just three years. While emissions are down 28 per cent since 2005, energy prices have more than doubled, and it's not surprising. We have a government that is obsessed with emissions targets. They're legislating for 2030; they're setting 2035 and 2050 targets, but where is the price target? I'll take the interjection.”
“Last weekend I conducted almost 30 listening posts in my electorate, speaking to members from all across my electorate. I had a pensioner who could not pay his energy bill. We introduced him to Wesley Mission, and Wesley Mission paid his bill so that this man could continue to cool and heat his house and continue to cook food. There are pensioners in my electorate forced to make choices no pensioner should have to make—between paying an electricity bill or feeding him and his wife or between paying their car, filling up their car, or seeing family and friends. It's not just the pensioners. I was recently at FJP Manufacturing. In just two years, their electricity prices have gone up over 70 per cent. Their gas prices are up over 50 per cent.”
“I know the Prime Minister likes to quote a report that I'd written on the energy transition. Guess what? When the parliament returns I'm happy to break out the candles and walk over to the PMO and explain how you can actually reduce emissions and keep energy affordable. When prices are up 40 per cent, when pensioners in my electorate are coming to me for help to pay their bills, and when the bodies of corporate Australia and the Australian manufacturing industry piling up, that's not something you should be proud of; that's something you should be embarrassed by.”
“The member for Hughes just said the Labor Party's leading the world on energy. We would settle just for leading Australia, because their energy policies are a trainwreck. Last week the ANZ CEO said the medicine of this transition could kill the patient. Who is the patient under the Labor Party? Is it Tomago, who went bankrupt? Is it Nyrstar, who went bankrupt? Is it the Mount Isa shelter, which went bankrupt? Is it Whyalla Steelworks, which went bankrupt? Is it Bell Bay, which is facing an $80 million loss? Is it the pensioner in my electorate who I had to introduce to Wesley Mission last weekend to pay his energy bills? If that wasn't a signal, yesterday this parliament was plunged into darkness—a blackout in the heart of Australian democracy. If that's not a sign that this energy transition is off the rails, I don't know what is.”
“Harper has been supporting her friend as she grieves, and she's seen how devastating these accidents can be for families and communities. She wrote to me that these incidents are not isolated and many riders don't fully appreciate how powerful e-bikes are or how easily they can lose control of them. Some don't follow traffic rules, putting others at risk. Harper is calling for clearer, stricter safety measures. If an 11-year-old in my electorate can see this, I ask the infrastructure minister and our state premiers to recognise it, too.”
“Today I want to share a powerful message from a young 11-year-old in my electorate, Harper. Harper came to see me last Thursday at one of my listening posts and approached me out of real concern for young people in my community—young people on e-bikes. Harper strongly believes safety rules are urgently needed. Although they might look like bicycles, e-bikes can vary and reach high speeds very quickly. As Harper puts it, riding some of these bikes 'is like a death wish.' They can create a much higher risk of serious accidents, especially for younger and inexperienced riders. Harper told me about a tragedy that struck very close to her. A close friend recently lost one of her friends in an e-bike crash. The rider was thrown from the bike at around 80 kilometres per hour and collided with a pole. They did not survive.”
“They're getting pushed on their margins, both their costs and their revenue, so this is welcome relief. I'd also like to acknowledge the local Tradies club, which supports dozens and dozens of charities right across my electorate. Debate interrupted.”
“Excise tariff amendment is critical to my electorate. We have lots of pubs and clubs in the seat of Cook, from the Feros Group, which runs a number of them, to the Laundy group, which runs iconic Northies, where I spent part of my university years doing security and working. Pubs and clubs employ hundreds of hardworking people across my electorate—who pour the beers and serve the meals—and keep a lot of our economy going. The Sutherland shire has a lovely tourist clientele along the Bate Bay beaches. The beautiful pubs and clubs of the Sutherland shire adorn some of the finest views we have in all of Sydney. That's why this excise freeze is critical. Many of the small pubs and small operators that are family operated and run have not been doing well. They've not invested in poker machines; they've been putting on live music.”