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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“And these numbers reflect among them people retraining, mid-career, to keep up with changing industries. This government promised to put TAFE back at the heart of vocational education and training, and we are delivering. Through the passage of the free-TAFE bill, Labor locked in at least 100,000 free TAFE places every year. This is ongoing and permanent. It's not a pilot and it is not a trial. In my electorate of Calwell, we are fortunate to have institutions such as the Kangan Institute, one of Victoria's most important skills and training centres. The opportunities that skills and training provide matter, and this government is backing that in. The experiences of Kangan students show us why. Take Christopher, who switched from IT to automotive studies. He said: I realised a career in automotive could be a better fit for me.”
“This week is National Skills Week, and it reminds us that our future economy and security depend on building Australia's skills capacity today. To seize new industries, meet community needs and stay competitive, we on this side of the House carry this week's message forward through policy and with purpose. Since January 2023, more than 650,000 Australians have enrolled in free TAFE. That's 650,000 Australians who might otherwise have been shut out of training because of cost. And, importantly, more than 170,000 Australians have completed a free TAFE course—finishing, qualifying and having an opportunity to move into work. These are not abstract numbers. They represent people taking their first step into a career in construction, nursing, aged care, early childhood education or cybersecurity, areas whose skills this nation needs.”
“I move: That this House: (1) notes that: (a) during National Skills Week, we recognise the importance of Australia's vocational education and training (VET) sector; (b) there have been more than 650,000 enrolments in the Government's Free TAFE program; and (c) there have been more than 170,000 Free TAFE courses completed by Australians; (2) commends the Government's successful passage of the Free TAFE Bill 2024, supporting quality training and putting TAFE back at the heart of the VET sector; (3) recognises Free TAFE is helping Australians to get skills in in-demand areas like housing construction, nursing and aged care, giving Australians the skills they want, in sectors we need; and (4) supports the Government as it continues to invest in the Australian people by prioritising training initiatives like Free TAFE.”
“At a time when so many are searching for meaning, for connection, for belonging, this congregation offers exactly that. This church, like so many other places of worship in the area, is a reminder that Australia's great strength lies in its diversity and in the freedom to live one's faith with purpose and peace.”
“I am certain I was in the presence of a number of young future Matildas and Socceroos. Earlier this month I was very pleased to join members of the St Thomas Jacobite Syrian Orthodox Church in Dallas in my electorate for the feast of St Thomas. The spiritual Jacobite Syrian Orthodox community is comprised of worshippers who hail from various corners of the world, particularly from India's Kerala region. Since its founding in 2013, the church has grown into something truly special: a spiritual and cultural home. I especially want to pay tribute to Fr Dr Jacob Joseph, vicar and president, for his beautiful and truly heartfelt words; Mr Jijo George, secretary; and Mr Binoj John for his service to the community. I saw firsthand how places like this church enrich our community.”
“To see the pictures of the club buzzing with skill and energy, and all the kids from across the state showing up and showing us what the game is all about—in an age where the lure of screens and online distractions is hard for parents to combat, the role of strong, well-run, inclusive clubs like Hume City and tournaments like this matters so much. I want to thank Ersan Gulum, the club president, who shows that you can leave the area but the area never leaves you. Ersan played professionally overseas and now has returned to foster the next generation of players at home in what I would call the real big leagues. I'd also like to thank club secretary Haydin Bekir and Hadi Bultan, a fierce advocate for the club. Congratulations to all at Hume City Football Club for the work they do.”
“Sport plays a huge part in the life of my community in Calwell. Across the area, there is always a game going on somewhere on the basketball courts, the footy grounds, the cricket pitches, the netball and tennis courts and the soccer fields all over the electorate. The games we play are part of who we are as an area. Earlier this month, I had the opportunity to visit Hume City FC as they hosted a Junior Super League three-day tournament featuring 172 teams. The teams ranged in age from under-eights to under-13s—although some would say the parents were also playing from the sidelines, such was the level of excitement!”
“My question is to the Minister for Education. What is the Albanese Labor government doing to build a better and fairer education system and improve students' wellbeing? What other approaches is the government being asked to consider?”
“I thought of her words to me: 'Look at the dignity in the way we are treated'—the dignity of our healthcare system; the dignity that Medicare affords patients and their families; the dignity of work, and the strength of secure, stable employment; the dignity of child care and of aged care; and the dignity of our community and our area. Strength and dignity—this is the Australia I want to help build. This is what I am here to fight for. Thank you. Debate adjourned.”
“I will carry that with me always as I come to the defence of my own community. I simply would not be here without you, which is why it hurts me so much that you're not here with me. But know this: anything good I achieve will be your good deeds. I carry your hopes with me, and I hope I have made you proud. May God have mercy on your soul, my beautiful mother. I love you and I miss you, Mama. When the Prime Minister stood before the Australian people announcing the election and holding up a Medicare card, my mind immediately went to my mother.”
“I remember the yellow coat I wore and the little moustache you drew on me for the school concert when we sang 'Singin' in the Rain'. Decades later, you'd still break into that song for me. You'd rise before the sun to get me ready for the day, always with a cup of that proper tea and that plate of olives, cucumber, tomato and bread by my bedside, ready as soon as I opened my eyes. I'd ask you to pray for me before every big moment, as if I needed to ask. You rose before dawn without fail to pray for your family while we slept. During lockdown, you would walk the unusually quiet streets of Roxburgh Park collecting bird of paradise flowers because you knew how much Natascha loved them. Our joy always mattered to you. You were the ultimate devil's advocate, always defending people because you believed there was something better in all of us.”
“There is nothing I've achieved without your example, and today belongs to you. I hope you're proud, Dad. I hope today shows you that every sacrifice was worth something, that none of it was in vain. And in Australia, Dad, you should never again have to ask that question, 'Should we stay, or should we go?' In this Australia, we stay. To my beautiful mother, Mariam, so stunning and so full of life: there is a boysenberry plant in our garden, waiting to fruit. It has your name on it, as I promised you. There is Noah, the grandson you were just weeks away from meeting. He's exactly as you imagined him. And here is your son, standing in our nation's parliament, representing the very same community you raised us in. On my first day of school, you walked me into a room full of children whose language I didn't speak.”
“I hope I can help build a world that you will be proud of. To my in-laws I say: liebste Jutta und liebster Reinhold, danke fur alles. Fur eure liebe und unterstutzung. Dafur, dass ihr mich als sohn willkommen geheissen habt und fur das grosste geschenk, das ich mir je wunschen konnte—Natascha. Wir lieben und vermissen euch. I promise that was all parliamentary and within standing orders—I hope! Above all, thanks to my parents. To my father, Jamal: I watched you, and I watched how the world tested you. I watched your strength and your quiet resolve. You taught us, without ever needing to say much, how to be better human beings. You taught me the quiet dignity that a man must carry in pursuit of doing everything he can for his family and to use that dignity and self-respect to contribute to the world.”
“I want to pay tribute to my siblings, Wasim, Asil and Aaya; to your partners who have become our own, Tarek, Saja and Abed; and to my nieces and nephews, some now adults—Jannah, Daniya, Jamal, Salma, Omar and Zain. To my beautiful wife, Natascha: you are the strongest, kindest and most extraordinary woman—always getting things done for us with such quiet power. You've changed my life in ways beyond words and made me appreciate the beauty in the everyday. Thank you for dropping everything to be with me on the other end of the world. You left your home in Germany's Bavaria; your parents, even as their only child; your work; and the life you knew. You did it all so we could build our life together. I am here today only through your support. I love you so much, my heart. To my beautiful and blessed son, Noah: your mother and I love you.”
“To Kim Carr: thank you for your service and all you've given to advance Australian manufacturing and industry. Thank you to local state colleagues, Ros Spence, Kathleen Matthews-Ward, Iwan Walters, Sheena Watt, Enver Erdogan and Josh Bull. Thank you to Michael Watson, Dylan Wight, Kat Hardy, Mat Hilakari, Cassie Farley, Gab Williams, Bronwyn Halfpenny, Vicki Ward and Pauline Richards. To Ramy, Monika, Riley, Cat, Ella, Samet, Kerim and Mikaela: thank you. I'll never forget the solidarity and support I received from my Calwell community and from across our labour movement. I know I've failed to name so many of you, people without whose support I wouldn't be here. But I will always carry your support with me into this chamber.”
“I appreciate all your efforts and support. Dylan Mckenna, Stephanie Thuesen, Molly Pilson, Matt Fanning, Tony Piccolo, Michalis Michael, Kos Samaras, Stephen Fodrocy and Asif Naeem, thank you. To Kos Samaras and Ros Spence, thank you for all your support, solidarity and commitment to our area. To doctor, comrade and, at heart, artist Michalis Michael, thank you for all the support along this journey. Thank you, Member for Scullin, Andrew Giles, for your friendship and solidarity and the supportive reminders to focus on what matters. To the member for Bruce, Julian Hill, and the former member, Alan Griffin: thank you for the unfiltered advice—not for the Hansard ! Thank you to Senators Jess Walsh and Lisa Darmanin, Kate Thwaites, Ged Kearney and Rob Mitchell.”
“To Maria Vamvakinou, the former member for Calwell, thank you for your service and contribution to our community. As a proud product of Australian multiculturalism, you carried that with purpose and we are so much better for it. To the AMWU, without your strength, we lose our industrial backbone and Australia's capacity to be self-reliant, secure and fair. Thank you to Tony Mav, Piccolo and the national office, led by Steve Murphy. Thank you to the ETU for your solidarity. Blue-collar workers help build Australia. Thank you to Paul Healy and the HACSU team and your incredible members, to the Victorian branches of the ASU and to everyone in our mighty trade union movement. In no particular order, and by no means complete, I say thank you to the campaign team. Julijana Todorovic, thank you for stepping up with such energy.”
“As a proud son of this community, I carry the honour of representing them with a deep sense of responsibility and determination to fight for them and to stand in solidarity with those communities that often feel excluded from the Australian story. Our multicultural Australia is a remarkable achievement, and it's our responsibility in this place to protect it so the promise of a fair go is real for all. There are some people I would like to thank, starting with the Prime Minister. Thank you for the values with which you led us. We now have a parliament with an 'Albo' and an 'Abdo'! To our branchies and the incredible volunteers, who did a mountain of work, thank you, each and every one. This would not have been possible without you.”
“Let us never forget that Labor made Medicare and we fight to protect it because it provides what Australians expect: fairness, access and security. When, as I have, you have waited in emergency wards, relied on nurses and doctors and sat beside a hospital bed, holding the hand of someone you love, you realise just how precious that health system is. It is a promise to our people that doesn't exist in many parts of the world. We must never let it slip away. Calwell is one of the most diverse communities in the country and one of the proudest. It's a place where the world can be found and where people truly understand the world. To us who live there, it is simply 'the area'. I thank the people of Calwell for their trust and support.”
“To the staff at Peter Mac and the Royal Melbourne Hospital, you gave my mother dignity in care and you showed me that a society that puts the health and wellbeing of its people first, no matter their income, postcode or background, is a good society. Labor has always fought for this principle. A strong universal healthcare system is one of our enduring commitments. It means Australians can live their lives with the confidence that, if the worst happens, the country will have their back. That said, we need to get better at keeping people well before they get sick. Preventive health is essential to a fair and functioning system. We need to do more to support the allied health workforce, professionals who are so often undervalued and underpaid but play a critical role in recovery and care.”
“I've spent more time in emergency wards than I ever imagined I would, all while I was running for parliament for the first time. There were days I'd rush out of the emergency ward to attend a community event and days that began with a quiet visit to my mother's grave and ended back at the hospital in the evening to be beside my wife and, later, my son. My son, Noah, is a master of timing. He chose election day in May to come home after weeks in the neonatal unit. I want to pay tribute to the extraordinary nurses, doctors and all staff at the Northern Hospital, where Noah was born. Thank you for your care and your compassion. The work that you do as if we were your own family saves lives and holds families together in their most vulnerable moments.”
“Otherwise, we risk breaking Australia's social contract and unravelling our democracy's credibility with working people, something all too evident in the dangers we are witnessing in the US, in Europe and across the world. At my first event as a candidate I received two phone calls I'll never forget. One told me my mum, Mariam, was on her way to hospital; the other told me that my mother-in-law, Jutta, had been diagnosed with breast cancer in Germany. Jutta is now in remission, but, weeks after her trip to hospital, my mum was treated for a rare and sudden illness that would take her from us so quickly. This was followed by my brave, beautiful wife, Natascha, who spent weeks in hospital and then even more weeks with our newborn son, Noah.”
“We understand the importance of using Australia's natural advantages in a world shaped by resource security and emerging technologies and of putting industry, jobs and national direction back at the centre of our economic policy—because productivity in the economy isn't just a headline figure; it's about whether people can skill and upskill into secure, stable and growing industries. It's about ensuring emerging technologies aren't wielded as a blade against jobs but create a new area of home-grown Australian industry. Working-class communities aren't folklore. They're not a ragged trousered throwback from industries past. They're people with aspiration and families who carry the weight of our economy, and we demand investment, dignity and a strong place in what's next for our country.”
“We see it in young people caught in cycle after cycle of insecure work. We see it in the teenager who takes a bus, two trains and walks the highway each way just to reach precarious work, as I had to when as a teenager I walked along the Nepean Highway in Brighton, on the other side of town, to a job washing cars. We see it in those who have been retrenched in middle age, with no clear pathway back into stable employment, or in those who are told their experience doesn't count for much, as my father experienced when he came to this country and could not find work as an engineer despite all his years of experience and education. Labor recognises through its core purpose and its policies the value of Australian manufacturing.”
“CSL alone should have been enough to show us what's possible when Australia invests in sovereign capability, when we back our own skills, science and institutions. A resilient nation demands a strong industrial base, and sovereign capability means control over our supply chains. In an increasingly uncertain world, strategic dependency is a vulnerability Australia cannot afford. In other words, we still depend on what is made here but not enough. We still depend on what is made but not enough on what is made here. My community has lived through this failure to shape or even imagine Australia's industrial comeback—a failure to cushion the blow for communities such as mine, forcing countless numbers of people to take jobs that don't come close to reflecting their skills and training.”
“I joined the Australian Labor Party not to spoke cigars but because of my commitment to social justice and the dignity of work—a commitment to Labor as the party of workers and of industry, the party that unites workers and their unions with businesses that build and researchers who invent to drive the innovation that secures our future and to never forget not just what we fight for but who we fight for. We fight for people in places like in Calwell, because, the stronger Labor is in its purpose, the better communities like mine are able to withstand social and economic conditions. If you look anywhere in the world, there is not one country with any weight that does not have a strong industrial base. You can still drive down Camp Road in my electorate and see places like CSL, a cornerstone of Australian ingenuity.”
“The decision to allow and even accelerate the demise of our automotive industry broke the social contract between government and working families in our area. It was more than economic failure. It was a failure of national self-belief. It showed what happens when governments stop valuing their own people and their vast potential. It was a failure to imagine what the future of Australian industry could look like, a failure celebrated literally with cigars on a balcony in Parliament House.”
“Our area was home to industrial icons like Kraft Foods and telecommunications giant Ericsson. These were places of pride for thousands of workers. They anchored communities and projected a sense of permanence and place. Our workers didn't ask for favours, only fairness and opportunity. Living in a community built on aspiration, people believed that if they worked hard they would be rewarded with something better for their children. The collapse of manufacturing in our area was the first real sign that this promise of social and economic mobility was broken. Factories like Ford and the vast supply chain that stretched along the Hume Highway, which once sustained thousands of families, were reduced to industrial graveyards.”
“Too often it is working people who feel the first shock, who shoulder the greatest burden and who get the least support to recover and rebuild. I saw it in my electorate of Calwell in north-west Melbourne, once the manufacturing heartland of Australia. Families in our area helped carry the weight of Australia's post-war economy into the 21st century. Workers made things in Australia and in doing so helped make Australia on the assembly lines in Broadmeadows, in factories in Campbellfield, behind the counter and behind the wheel in our outer suburbs, on job sites in Craigieburn and in warehouses across our northern corridor, in multinationals and in local workshops. Growing up we saw what good, secure, well-paying jobs and careers did for our community.”
“The morning war arrived my father drove to work unaware that while we slept the country had been overrun, unaware that tanks now stood between him and stable employment. My father's studies across continents, the job earnt through grit and the career in electrical engineering built to support our family were all gone, literally overnight—not just that day, but every day since. My father never complained, but I could see what it cost. The tragedy of the human condition is that disruption and dispossession can also come through quiet everyday means, even in a peaceful country such as Australia. Every day in cities, towns and suburbs, disruption and dispossession occur through political decisions, social neglect and economic exclusion.”
“We walked with our parents down a path that belonged to a people always forced to leave for the next place—our story of intergenerational dispossession, again and always once more, never with any certainty that this would finally be the last time. No matter how much we contributed to the countries we lived in and where we almost always excelled, no matter how long our families had called the place home, we belonged to a people who were always the first to be made strangers in their own homes simply because we were Palestinian—a suffering people, a steadfast people. International law matters. The international rules based order matters. Human rights matter. The right to peace, justice and recognition matters, deserving of an historic commitment.”
“Through the night we waited in the barren desert along the Jordanian border for the new plates to be sent from the capital, because that's what war looks like too—not just tanks and fear but paperwork, approvals and delays, administrative burdens and the never-ending weight of bureaucracy, even in war. I also remember the brown gaffer tape. It lined the windows of homes in Jordan and was meant to protect us from a non-conventional attack, perhaps the supposed threat of chemical agents from the Scud missiles. The tape wasn't much protection, but using it was a ritual that made people feel a little less powerless. What else was there to do? From the moment war reached the window of our apartment, my brother, my sister and I came of age.”
“'Should we stay or should we go?' These were my father, Jamal's, words, spoken from the window of our apartment in Kuwait to an Iraqi soldier on the street below. My father was holding me in his arms. His words were the first I remember ever hearing. It was the beginning of the first Gulf War. In those early days of the assault there were clashes in our neighbourhood, and you could feel the buildings shake. Apparently I asked my mum, Mariam, 'Why is the kitchen walking?' It's the kind of question a child asks when his imagination is trying to make sense of something too big and too real. I remember that time not through a series of memories but through the quiet chaos of a single day. Amidst that chaos we left for another country. We were held up at the border because the number plates on the vehicles had to be changed.”