Basem Abdo
Calwell · Australian Labor Party · Australia
“The World Cup is a festival of football, and I'm proud of our government's backing through the Urban Precincts and Partnerships Program, which helped bring the world game to the big screens at Town Hall Broadmeadows, alongside our local partners.”
“We know Australia for what it is—a nation built by people who have come from every corner of the world seeking opportunity, working hard, raising families and helping build a better life for themselves and in turn helping build Australia.”
“I happened to graduate from the same school as Aziz and members of his family, and shared a university class with one of his siblings. Some of his earlier moments in the football journey were at one of our local clubs, Hume City, before going on to represent Australia on the world stage as a Socceroo.”
“We believe in an Australia that's confident in its diversity and strengthened by the contributions of people from every corner of the world who have chosen to make this country home.”
“When it comes to cost-of-living support, we're supporting first home buyers get a foothold into the market because we see homeownership for what it is—helping families get the stability they need in attaining the security of a home.”
“The Albanese Labor government is delivering for working families. Whether it be investments in Medicare, housing, roads, infrastructure or cost-of-living relief, we're focused on what matters.”
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“The Prime Minister has just announced, coming out of National Cabinet, that we've halved the fuel excise and we will reduce the heavy vehicle charge to zero for three months. That is a practical, coordinated approach—a national approach, an Australian approach—to a global crisis. This bill matters because it fills strategic gaps. It gives the government the ability to act early, to act proportionately and to stabilise the system before a situation escalates. It is about the risk-mitigation factors, adding supply here in Australia. Getting fuel where it needs to be in this country is not a simple task.”
“I want to take this opportunity to thank the Minister for Climate Change and Energy, the Minister for Resources and the Minister for Trade and Tourism for their round-the-clock work in dealing with this global crisis. This legislation is vital, it is timely and it is ready to move quickly. Addressing supply chain risks allows us to provide confidence to the market and ensure continuity of supply. It's about getting ahead of the curve. We are responding to global disruptions with practical, outward-looking solutions that strengthen our resilience while engaging with global markets from a position of strength. While others deal in hypotheticals and political instability, we are focused on delivery and focused on working to secure Australia's future.”
“This is not about also subsidising business as usual. It's about targeted, temporary intervention, supporting contracts that would otherwise not proceed, particularly where they fill urgent gaps in local supply, including in regional areas. If companies can demonstrate that a shipment is essential but commercially unviable under current market conditions, we will step in, ensuring those cargoes come here and do not go elsewhere. This is a supply-side measure designed to get fuel into Australia, and fast. Importantly, this builds on work already underway to strengthen sovereign capability. We're not starting from scratch. We are extending a framework developed through our strategic reserves policy to meet today's challenges.”
“This would ensure government has sufficient flexibility to deal with the current fuel crisis now and into the future. Right now, the challenge is about affordability and volatility, with prices surging and smaller importers facing the potential of being priced out altogether. It creates a real risk, and that's why this government is acting. While Australia continues to receive sufficient fuel overall, through recent experience we have identified some structural vulnerabilities in our fuel security framework that we should act now to address and that we are addressing. These will help position us to manage supply chain disruptions and ensure we have a wider range of tools to respond proactively and without needing to resort to emergency powers. It's a time for national unity, not a time to play politics.”
“And, when we speak about sovereign capability, we mean it with each letter of the words—not just being sovereign, like those opposite, but being capable. That's what sovereign capability is about. We are evolving our approach, moving along a critical minerals strategic reserve to consider a broader, more responsive national interest framework. This includes the potential to secure critical fuel supplies as well as other essential imports that underpin construction and housing. Through Export Finance Australia, we are establishing mechanisms to finance the import of fuel and other necessary goods and to provide financial derivatives and price support to purchase, sell and stockpile fuel and other necessary goods to ensure domestic availability, as and when directed by government, and to financially hedge resulting exposures as appropriate.”
“That's also why the government has strengthened national coordination through the establishment of the Fuel Supply Taskforce, working across the Commonwealth, states and territories and with industry. It's about acting as one country in response to a challenge—not fragmentation, not delay, but coordination because, in a strategic environment such as this, cooperation is essential. We must also be honest about what recent events have shown us. While Australia continues to receive sufficient fuel overall, recent events have shown how quickly global pressures can translate into local disruption. That's why preparedness matters and that's why flexibility and action matter. In an increasingly uncertain global environment, Australia must act decisively to protect its sovereign capability and secure the essentials that keep our economy moving.”
“That's the task before us, and that's exactly what this legislation supports, working in our national interest. Let me start with what we've already done, because this bill is not an isolated measure. It is part of a broader coordinated response. As we've also seen, they've just come out of National Cabinet. We have empowered the ACCC to protect motorists from unfair price rises, we have boosted supply by releasing additional fuel into the market, we have acted to increase supply by temporarily amending fuel standards and we are working closely with industry and with states and territories to ensure that fuel gets where it's needed most, particularly in regional communities—because supply is only part of the story; distribution also matters. When demand spikes, some communities feel that pressure first and most acutely.”
“A conflict thousands of kilometres away can disrupt global supply chains overnight. It can drive volatility in global energy markets, which can place real pressure on households. So we should be clear. This is not theoretical; it is real and immediate and requires a serious, calm, measured approach. In moments like this, governments have a choice. They can stand back and hope markets adjust, or they can step up calmly and with purpose to protect everyday people right across the country, including industry and business. This government has chosen to step up, not with panic, not with slogans, but with practical, coordinated action, because Australians expect leadership. As the Prime Minister has said, we are working around the clock to make sure we deal with the fuel security issues, to keep our people, our economy and our nation moving.”
“One thing we have made sure is that our strategic reserves are here in Australia and not in Texas, where the now leader of the opposition had them. Those opposite carry on as though only they understand what Australians feel, but I represent a community in Melbourne's outer suburbs and I understand what communities are going through at the moment with this global disruption. We're living through a period of profound global instability, and events unfolding in the Middle East, far from our shores, are having real and immediate consequences here at home. Australians are seeing it and Australians are feeling it at the petrol pump, in industry, across small businesses and across family budgets, which are under pressure. That is the reality all across the world.”
“More people will understand their biological vulnerabilities, and that knowledge has the potential to dramatically improve health outcomes. But if our laws do not keep pace with scientific progress, we risk creating a new form of inequality. We risk creating a world where people are penalised simply because they have access to better medical knowledge about themselves. That is not a future Australians would accept. A person's DNA should be a tool for better health, not a barrier to financial security, and the knowledge that could save your life should never be used against you. This legislation ensures that genetic knowledge remains a tool for prevention, for treatment and for better health, not a mechanism for discrimination. It is for those reasons that I commend this bill to the House.”
“This will help ensure that Australian investors, including superannuation funds, can access a wider range of global financial services and investment opportunities. Schedule 3 modernises the legislative framework governing Australia's participation in multilateral development banks and the International Monetary Fund. These institutions play a critical role in supporting economic stability and development around the world, including in our own region. Schedule 4 repeals the planned stage 2 financial adviser registration requirement, reducing unnecessary regulatory burden while maintaining appropriate oversight of the financial advice profession. Genetic science is advancing rapidly. Over the coming decades, genetic testing will become a routine part of health care. More people will learn about their inherited risks.”
“This reform ensures that this does not happen, and it does so with strong safeguards. The legislation establishes strict liability and civil penalty provisions for breaches of the ban, and gives the Australian Securities and Investments Commission responsibility for monitoring and enforcing compliance. In other words, these protections will not just simply exist on paper; they will be backed by real regulatory oversight. While schedule 1 represents essential reform in this bill, the legislation also contains several additional measures designed to modernise Australia's financial regulatory framework. Schedule 2 introduces licensing exemptions for certain foreign financial services providers, allowing them to provide services to Australian professional and wholesale investors under defined conditions.”
“Importantly, this legislation strikes a careful balance. It does not prevent life insurers from assessing risk entirely. Insurers will still be able to consider information such as diagnosed conditions, symptoms and family medical history when underwriting policies. Those factors have long been part of the insurance system and will remain so. The legislation draws a clear line around predictive genetic test results, because genetic information raises unique ethical and social issues. A person may carry a genetic variant associated with a disease, yet live their entire life without ever developing that condition. To penalise someone financially for knowledge of a possibility rather than evidence of illness is something many Australians instinctively recognise as unfair.”
“These reforms reflect the shared understanding across advanced economies. Genetic information is fundamentally different from many other forms of medical data. It is predictive rather than diagnostic. It often relates to probabilities rather than certainty, and it can reveal information not only about an individual but about their family members as well. For these reasons, many countries have concluded that genetic data requires special protections. Australia is now taking an important step to align with those international standards. This bill amends the Insurance Contracts Act 1984 to prohibit life insurers from using the results of genetic testing, or information about these tests, when deciding whether to offer life insurance cover or determining the terms and conditions of that cover.”
“It is also worth noting that Australia is not entering new territory with this reform. Several comparable countries have already recognised the risks of genetic discrimination insurance and have taken steps to prevent it. In Canada, federal legislation passed in 2017 makes it illegal for insurers to require individuals to undergo genetic testing or the use of the results of those tests when providing services such as insurance. In the United Kingdom, a longstanding agreement between government and the insurance industry prevents insurers from using predictive genetic test results for most types of insurance. Across Europe, many countries have also implemented restrictions on the use of genetic data in insurance underwriting, recognising the unique ethical issues associated with genetic information.”
“Research has shown that fear of genetic discrimination has been discouraging some Australians from undertaking genetic testing altogether, even when those tests could identify preventable disease or allow early treatment. It's a deeply troubling outcome, because genetic testing has the potential to save lives. Tests that identify inherited risks, such as variants in genes which significantly increase the risk of breast, ovarian and prostate cancer, can enable prevention, early intervention and significantly improved outcomes. Genetic testing can change the future for people at risk of preventable disease. Yet, without proper protections, the very knowledge that could protect a person's health could also become their financial liability. That is precisely the situation this legislation seeks to resolve.”
“She observed: A bill that would ban life insurers from discriminating against Australians based on results of genetic testing has been introduced to parliament … … … … It follows almost a decade of research, consultation, community pressure and political efforts to end this form of genetic discrimination. That observation captures how we arrived at this moment. This reform has not emerged overnight. It has been shaped by years of research, evidence and engagement with clinicians, scientists, patient groups and the broader community. Dr Tiller and others have also highlighted the central problem that this legislation addresses—the fear that genetic information may be used against people when they apply for life insurance.”
“I seek to continue my remarks. In other words, the voluntary system and the effectiveness of industry self-regulation have not provided the certainty Australians need. When people avoid potentially lifesaving knowledge because of financial fear, government has a responsibility to act, and when people are avoiding potentially lifesaving medical knowledge because of financial fear, the government has that responsibility to step in. This issue has also been examined by leading experts in genomic medicine. Dr Jane Tiller, the Ethical, Legal and Social Adviser in Public Health Genomics at Monash University, wrote recently about the significance of these reforms.”
“The evidence that emerged from that consultation was clear. Australians continue to report difficulties accessing insurance after genetic testing, and some avoided testing altogether for fear of financial consequences. Stakeholders also raised concerns about the moratorium and had a lack of confidence in its consistent application. In other words, the voluntary system and the effectiveness of industry— Debate interrupted.”
“For years, there has been growing concern from researchers, clinicians, patient groups and the broader community about the impact of insurance practices on genetic testing. A parliamentary inquiry into the life insurance industry raised the issue as far back as 2018, warning that the use of genetic test results in insurance underwriting was discouraging Australians from participating in research and even in undertaking clinically recommended testing. In response, the industry introduced a voluntary moratorium in 2019, but it was always understood that this arrangement would need to be monitored carefully. Treasury subsequently released a national consultation paper to examine the issue in detail and seek views from stakeholders across medicine, research, the insurance sector and the community.”
“Ben himself has begun adopting strategies to reduce his risk and monitor his health. In other words, genetic testing did exactly what modern medicine intended it to do. It gave a person and their family the information they needed to take control of their own health. The fact that Ben's story comes from a research study where many participants withdrew because of insurance concerns tells us something deeply troubling. Too many Australians are still being forced to make a choice between protecting their health and protecting their financial security. That is a choice nobody should have to make. That is the problem this legislation seeks to address. This reform has also been the subject of extensive consultation, research and evidence. The government did not arrive at this legislation lightly.”
“People were participating in medical research—research that could improve their own health outcomes and potentially save the lives of others—and yet many felt compelled to walk away because they were worried that knowledge about their own DNA might come with financial risk. That is not how a modern health system should work. One of the participants in that study was Ben. Ben did not have a significant family history of cancer, but he chose to take part in a genetic testing study. The results revealed that he carries a genetic variant, which increases the risk of prostate and breast cancer found amongst men. That information proved to be critically important not only for Ben but for his family. His female relatives were able to undergo testing, understand their own risks and take preventive action.”
“In other words, genetic testing gives people the power to act early to protect their health and the wellbeing of their families. The uncomfortable truth is that many Australians have been hesitant to take advantage of these life-saving technologies. The question is: why? It's because they fear that what they learn about their genetic risks might be used against them when applying for life insurance. For years, researchers, doctors and patient advocates have warned about this problem, and the evidence backs this up. A recent genetic testing study conducted by Monash University found that more than half of the participants who withdrew from the study did so because they were concerned about the impact genetic testing might have on their ability to access affordable insurance. Think about that for a moment.”
“It enables earlier detection of risk, identification of inherited conditions and more personalised treatments, often helping prevent illness or managing it far more effectively. As the Assistant Treasurer said when introducing this bill to the House: Genetic testing can help save lives, supporting medical practitioners to prevent, treat and monitor a range of cancers, cancer predisposition syndromes and other heritable conditions. These are not abstract benefits. They are real improvements in people's health and wellbeing. Genetic testing can identify the inherited risks of cancers, heart disease and other serious conditions long before symptoms appear. With that knowledge, people can undertake monitoring, preventive treatment, lifestyle changes and medical interventions that significantly reduce their risk.”
“I was really enjoying the assistant minister's contribution, so apologies for taking up some of his time. I rise to speak in support of this bill and particularly the reforms contained in schedule 1, which will prohibit life insurers from using genetic test results to discriminate against Australians seeking life insurance. At its heart, this reform is about something very simple. It's about fairness. Australians believe deeply in the idea of a fair go. We believe people should not be penalised for things beyond their control. We believe that the benefits of modern science should improve lives, not create new barriers or new forms of discrimination. Until now, the rapid advance of genetic science has outpaced our laws. Genetic testing is transforming modern medicine.”
“Like many of the diverse communities contributing to our local area, I'm grateful for the positive impact EFHN continues to have in the lives of people, particularly young people, across our area. I congratulate the new committee, the members who support the delivery of programs, their ADAL initiative and wish them every success as they continue with their important work.”
“What stands out about EFHN is the energy and leadership it brings in building engagement and opportunity for many people in our community. Importantly, as I've seen, it is across all ages. I've had the opportunity to attend activities and programs hosted by Eritrean Families in Hume and the North and have seen the impact of their work in promoting participation, wellbeing and positive connections through sport. Importantly, I have seen how everyone plays a part in this grassroots organisation and how leadership is spread amongst all ages. EFHN's active role within the Eritrean community in my electorate has helped to create meaningful opportunities for people to engage, build skills, leadership capability and a strong sense of community connection.”
“In those moments, community can also be there in ways that matter as well. Their work continues to grow. I am pleased to see them now partnering with the hospital on new initiatives that will bring comfort and support to cancer patients throughout our community. It is why I'm incredibly proud of the team and volunteers at ICMG Women's, who are doing everything they can to support Northern Health. As we marked International Women's Day just a few days ago, they remind us of the incredible women in my community delivering acts of service, care, dignity and hope. There are many organisations in my community doing important work that are delivering outcomes for our area. Eritrean Families in Hume and the North is a vibrant organisation working across my electorate and Melbourne's north.”
“I rise to recognise the important work of ICMG Women's Meadow Heights community and acknowledge their incredible efforts in raising $12,000 in support of Northern Health, contributing to vital health services for families across our region. Their efforts extend far beyond fundraising. For years, these remarkable women have been supporting Northern Health with hand-knitted clothing and accessories for patients and newborn babies. This work matters, and I have a particular appreciation of its impact. I was heartened to see their work, where I was reminded of the maternity and women's health ward, of the NICU ward where my son spent weeks, of the wonderful nurses, doctors and staff. That work at the Northern Hospital saves lives and holds families together in their most vulnerable moments.”
“My question is to the Minister for Climate Change and Energy. What steps has the Albanese Labor government taken to improve Australia's fuel security and sovereign capability? Why did the failures of the past make this work essential?”
“They remind us that faith lives in the values that shape how we live, how we support one another and how we grow together, and that is a message that resonates far beyond any one tradition. May this period of observance and celebration in our community be blessed.”
“It reflects something special about modern, multicultural Australia—a country where the traditions and cultures of people from every corner of the world enrich our shared national story. While religious and cultural observances—whether it be Ramadan, Lent, Holi or many other sacred traditions—come from diverse backgrounds and expressions of faith, they share something deeply meaningful. They invite people to renew themselves. They call on people to reflect on their values. They remind us that our lives are not lived in isolation but in relationship with others. In different ways, traditions point us back to the same enduring ideals: compassion, forgiveness, renewal and the importance of community. In a world that can sometimes feel volatile, divided and uncertain, these messages matter.”
“Often known as the festival of colours, it celebrates the triumph of good over evil, the renewal of friendships and the enduring power of forgiveness. Communities gather to celebrate with colour, music and shared meals, and the significance of Holi extends far beyond its joyful festivities. It marks the arrival of spring in many parts of the world and symbolises renewal, hope and new beginnings. It is a time when families and communities come together, when differences are set aside and when people reaffirm the bonds that connect them to one another. Across my wonderfully diverse community, Holi has become a celebration embraced not only by Hindu communities but by Australians from many different backgrounds.”
“Alongside these crises sits another challenge we cannot ignore: the threat posed by climate change and our shared responsibility to confront it. This conflict and instability and these environmental pressures are all testing our humanity. The late Salvadoran archbishop Oscar Romero once said: … Lent should awaken a sense of social justice. That reminder is as relevant now as ever. Lent is not only about private reflection; it is about asking ourselves what kind of society we are building and whether we are prepared to stand up for dignity, safety and the wellbeing of others in a troubled world. May those observing across my community have a blessed Lent. At the same time, many Australians of Hindu and South-Asian heritage are celebrating the festival of Holi. Holi is one of the most joyful and vibrant festivals in the Hindu calendar.”
“It requires discipline, it requires humility, and it requires a willingness to look inward and ask often-difficult questions about how we live and how we treat those around us. Lent is a deliberate pause in the rhythm of life, a time of spiritual nourishment that prepares the faithful for the hope and renewal symbolised by Easter. Lent also asks us to slow down and sit with silence. For the faithful, it asks them to face something many of us try to avoid: the fear of being alone. In doing so, it reminds us of a deeper truth: in community, we are never truly alone. Perhaps that's why Lent still speaks powerfully to our times. The past few years have shaken the world. We lived through a pandemic that tested our resilience and our sense of solidarity. Today we see devastating wars unfolding, reminding us how fragile peace can be.”
“This time of year, many Australians are observing seasons and festivals that hold deep spiritual significance. In my community in Calwell, this time of year is a significant one for faith communities. For those of the Christian faith, we are in the season of Lent. Observed across many Christian traditions—East and West and across traditions—Lent is a 40-day period of reflection, prayer and renewal that leads towards the celebration of Easter. It is a season that calls people to slow down and step back from the distractions of daily life. Through prayer, fasting and acts of service, Lent encourages believers to examine their lives honestly, to reflect on their relationships, their values and their responsibilities to others. It is a time that reminds people of the Christian faith that spiritual growth is not accidental.”
“It is not a privilege for the few. It is a pillar of economic security for the many. Labor built it, Labor strengthened it and Labor will defend it—stronger, fairer and more sustainable. I commend the bills to the House.”
“They frame the Australian dream as trade-offs: choose between owning your home or having a comfortable retirement; draw down your super to patch over housing failures; downgrade your expectations. We on this side of the House, the Albanese Labor government, reject that. The Australian dream has always been both: a home of your own and a dignified retirement after a lifetime of hard work. We will not force Australians to choose, and we will not defend unlimited taxpayer subsidies for those with $20 million in super, while telling ordinary Australians to tighten their belts. This side of the House stands with working people. We stand with the nurse, the apprentice, the retail worker, the single parent returning to work and young Australians starting their first job. Superannuation is not a loophole. It is not a shelter.”
“They froze the superannuation guarantee. They delayed increases. They undermined accountability reforms. Now they present themselves as defenders of aspiration, while defending unlimited concessions at the very top. The Leader of the Opposition and his failed economic team produce reactionary thought bubbles, few of them containing actual thought. What they cannot accept is the idea that working people might accumulate capital without their permission, that working people can build wealth and that working people can control their financial future. Superannuation democratises capital. It turns wage earners into investors. It gives working Australians ownership in infrastructure, industry and enterprise. For Labor, that is the point. Some opposite have always been uncomfortable with that.”
“The decisions we make now echo across a working lifetime, and the decisions we avoid echo too. If we pretend the balances of $10 million, $20 million and $30 million should continue receiving unlimited concessional treatment, the fiscal pressure does not disappear; it accumulates and it compounds, just like super itself. Intergenerational fairness cuts both ways. It means strengthening balances for low-income workers today, and it means ensuring tomorrow's taxpayers are not asked to fund unsustainable concessions for the very few. That is responsible economic management. Superannuation did not drift into existence. Labor built it—deliberately, systematically and against resistance—and that is why we will defend it. Let us not pretend the politics here are new. The Liberal Party opposed superannuation at its inception.”
“For too long the low-income super tax offset was static while the broader tax system moved. Income tax thresholds changed. The superannuation guarantee increased, but the LISTO threshold sat still. That is how inequity creeps in, not through dramatic change but through drift. This legislation ends that drift. By explicitly linking LISTO thresholds and payment rates to personal income tax settings and the superannuation guarantee, we embed fairness into the architecture of the system. We futureproof it. We ensure that low-income workers are not quietly left behind every time structural reforms are made elsewhere, because superannuation is a long game. A 22-year-old apprentice entering the workforce today will contribute for 40 years. A retail worker earning $42,000 a year will rely on these structural settings compounding over decades.”
“Younger Australians are entitled to ask whether a system costing more than $60 billion a year is sustainable. This legislation ensures that it will be. The Treasurer also said if those opposite: … vote against this legislation they will be voting for less super for people on low incomes, and they will be voting for even bigger tax breaks for people who have $10 million or $20 million or $30 million in their super already. That is the choice before this parliament. You either strengthen retirement savings for super-low-income Australians, or you push more tax benefits, more tax concessions to those with high retirement savings going into the millions and tens of millions. Let us also recognise what is actually structurally important about this legislation.”
“On average that means about $399 more going into retirement savings of each of those workers per year—delivering around $3.3 million in additional super savings into our community. Importantly, the majority of those who benefit are woman—more than 5,100 women in Calwell—helping to narrow the super gender gap and strengthen the retirement security of family across Melbourne's north. The Treasurer captured this in a recent interview on ABC Radio National. He said: The legislation does 2 things. It does make the concessional tax treatment fairer for people with the biggest balances, but it also increases the low-income super tax offset for people with the lowest balances. He described it as making the super system fairer from top to bottom, and he is right. This is an important intergenerational issue.”
“There are 14 times as many people benefiting from this LISTO boost as there are people with more than $3 million in super. For a low-income worker, up to $810 a year into super is meaningful as it compounds into retirement. It helps narrow the gender retirement gap. If we are serious about closing retirement inequality, we cannot ignore this reality. That is dignity. That is security. That is fairness. The benefits of this reform are not abstract; they will be felt directly in communities like mine. Analysis by the Super Members Council shows that in Calwell alone around 8,180 low-income workers will receive a boost to their superannuation because of the changes to the low-income superannuation tax offset.”
“It refunds the tax paid on concessional super contributions up to a capped amount so that low-income earners are not penalised simply because they earn less. This legislation strengthens LISTO. From 1 July 2027, the LISTO threshold rises from $37,000 to $45,000, and the maximum payment increases from $500 to $810. Crucially, this legislation explicitly links LISTO settings to income tax thresholds and the superannuation guarantee rate, ensuring the offset keeps pace structurally into the future. This is not cosmetic; it is structural reform. In 2027-28, 770,000 additional Australians will become eligible; 490,000 Australians will receive a higher payment; 1.3 million Australians will benefit directly; around 750,000 are women; and around 550,000 are under 30. The total number eligible rises to 3.1 million Australians.”
“Now, concessions are appropriate—they encourage savings and they reduce future pension liabilities—but they must be targeted. Currently, 38 per cent of super earnings concessions go to the top 10 per cent of income earners, while 54 per cent go to the top 20 per cent. That concentration cannot be ignored. It's important to understand exactly what the low-income super tax offset, or LISTO, is, because this goes to the heart of fairness in our super system. When a low-income worker receives a super contribution from their employer, that contribution is taxed at 15 per cent inside the super fund. But, if that worker's marginal tax rate is lower than 15 per cent or they pay little or no income tax, they can effectively pay more tax on their super than on their wages. That is unfair. LISTO exists to correct that.”
“Because of that, this parliament has a responsibility to ensure that the system remains fair, sustainable and true to its purpose. That is exactly what these bills do. This parliament is legislating the objective of superannuation: to preserve savings to deliver income for a dignified retirement alongside government support in an equitable and sustainable way. This objective matters because superannuation was never designed to be an unlimited tax shelter; it was designed to fund retirement income. If we lose sight of that, we risk eroding public confidence in the entire system, and confidence is everything. Superannuation tax concessions are generous. They cost the budget more than $60 billion every year. Without reform, they are projected to exceed the cost of the age pension in the 2040s.”
“There are moments in this parliament when legislation is technical, and there are moments when legislation speaks directly to the kind of country we want Australia to be. This is one of those moments, designed to build a stronger and fairer super system because superannuation is not just a policy instrument; it is one of the most powerful, democratising economic reforms in Australian history. It is the reason millions of Australians retire with dignity instead of dependence. It is the reason working people—nurses, teachers, tradies, warehouse workers, small-business employees—collectively own a stake in this nation's economic future. Superannuation is deferred wages. It is not a gift. It is not largesse. It is earned pay slip by pay slip and preserved for retirement.”
“Where they have chosen obstruction, we remain focused on delivery, expanding supply, strengthening opportunity and backing the aspirations of Australians. I commend the motion to the House.”
“While we're getting on with the job of delivering for communities like mine, helping thousands achieve the dream of homeownership, the coalition have given up on them and opposed every single measure. They voted against Help to Buy. They opposed our build-to-rent plan, the 80,000 new and affordable long-term leases and our $10 billion plan for 100,000 new homes reserved for first home buyers. They voted against five per cent deposits and they opposed secure rentals, smaller mortgages, building new homes for first home buyers and lower deposits that are right now helping tens of thousands of Australians into homeownership. While we build more homes, support first home buyers, back our tradies and provide cost-of-living and rent relief, those opposite have opposed the measures that make it possible.”