Renee Coffey
Griffith · Australian Labor Party · Australia
“He has also been a leader in sepsis advocacy, helping improve awareness, care and recovery for people affected by sepsis. Professor Hans Peter Soyer received his honour for distinguished service in dermatology, skin cancer diagnosis, medical research and governance.”
“His work aims to find skin cancers earlier, improve patient outcomes and address gaps in access to care, especially in regional, rural and remote Australia. Katarina Carroll AO APM received her honour for distinguished service to law enforcement, disaster management and the community.”
“This year's King's Birthday Honours recognised 14 Griffith recipients whose service reflects the best of our community. In my short few minutes here today, I want to acknowledge a few of them. Matthew Ames received his honour for significant service to community health, engineering, business administration and corporate governance.”
“Christine also contributed to the taskforce on domestic and family violence which delivered the landmark Not now, not ever report. She now serves on the board of DVConnect, continuing to work to support people experiencing violence and abuse. I also acknowledge the other Griffith recipients named in this year's honours.”
“Australia's strength has never come from sameness. It has come from the people who have built lives across difference, from our many First Nations communities with millennia of history and culture—the oldest continuous cultures on earth—to people who arrive with little English, little money and deep hope for their children, people who tur…”
“My friend the member for Reid said in this House in her maiden speech: In just over half a century, we have moved from an embrace of a White Australia policy to a country that is now a majority-migrant nation. But what is more remarkable is how this news was received—not with backlash but with a genuine embrace of modern Australia.”
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“They do not mean the work is done, but they show that sustained action is making a difference. We are also rebuilding the Commonwealth's role in social and affordable housing, something very close to my heart. Through the Housing Australia Future Fund and our broader housing agenda, 55,000 new social and affordable homes are on the way for people who need them most. That matters deeply because, for many Australians, the private market alone will never provide the security or affordability that they need. I have seen what it looks like in Griffith through the Brisbane Housing Company project in Stones Corner. Last year, I was proud to welcome the Prime Minister to see residents moving into these 82 brand-new social and affordable homes. We met John, Jan and Karen and heard what secure housing meant for them.”
“It is a practical plan that recognises there is no single lever to pull and no one announcement that will solve a challenge of this scale. At the centre of this effort is a simple fact: we need more homes. That is why we are working with state and territories on planning reform, cutting red tape, investing in enabling infrastructure and training more tradies so we can lift housing supply across our cities, our suburbs and our regions. The commencement of new builds is up 11.6 per cent compared with this time last year. Construction cost inflation, which reached extraordinary heights under the former government, has fallen to 1.8 per cent. Construction times have also improved, with new homes now being built 10 per cent faster. These are important signs of progress.”
“I hear it from renters facing repeated rent increases, short leases and the stress that comes with not knowing what happens next. Australia's current housing situation has been building for a long time. For 40 years, our country simply has not been building enough homes. We know it will not be fixed overnight, but that is exactly why it requires national leadership, serious ambition and a government prepared to act. The Commonwealth needed to return to housing policy with purpose, investment and a clear focus on delivery, and that is what this government has done. Our $45 billion housing plan is built around three clear priorities—building more homes, making it easier to buy and making it better for renters.”
“I thank the member for Fadden for the opportunity to speak on housing and on the work that this government is doing to address it. Given housing did not have a dedicated ministerial focus for six years of the opposition's time in government, it's genuinely good to see the member for Fadden and, more recently, Senator Bragg holding the shadow housing portfolio. Housing is one of the most immediate and life-shaping challenges facing Australians today. Across Griffith and across the country, people are working hard and doing all the right things and yet are struggling to get in the market. I hear it from young people, who wonder if they will ever be able to own a home of their own. I hear it from parents, who want their children to have the security that they once took for granted.”
“We honour those who fought so bravely for liberty and, really importantly, here in Australia we celebrate the ongoing contribution of Greek Australians to our great nation.”
“The Paniyiri Festival is also part of the rhythm of South Brisbane and West End. It's the smell of honey puffs and grilled food drifting through Musgrave Park. It's the children learning steps from generations before them. It's families returning year after year and neighbours from every background coming together to celebrate the heart, soul and spirit of Greece. I look forward to joining the Paniyiri Festival in May. My spirit, and if I'm being honest, my stomach can hardly wait for the joyful celebration of culture, community and extraordinary food. Tonight I want to say thank you to our Greek Australian community. On Greek Independence Day, we celebrate a great nation born in freedom.”
“It was established in 1972, and it's barely changed since then. My family absolutely loves brothers George and Emmanuel and their family. Paniyiri deserves a special mention because it's one of the clearest expressions of the Greek contribution to Brisbane's cultural life. The Paniyiri Festival is Queensland's longest running cultural festival and the largest Greek festival in Australia. In 2026 Paniyiri will celebrate its 50th anniversary, and organisers have told me that it will be their biggest and most spectacular celebration yet. What began in 1976 as a simple Sunday picnic in Musgrave Park has grown into one of Brisbane's most loved cultural festivals, bringing people together though the heart, soul and spirit of Greece and attracting up to 50,000 people each year.”
“After graduating from Loretto College, Mel and Georgia opened up Baked by M&G in honour of their grandmother, who sadly passed away in 2017—a truly beautiful story and one that fills my heart every time I drop into the store. In West End, Kafenio Brisbane brings that same spirit in its own way. It is a small Greek and Cypriot cafe on Vulture Street full of warmth and welcoming faces. Petro has built something really special there, a place where people come to play tavli and cards, talking and slowly sipping ouzo. It's no wonder that people describe Kafenio as a place where you feel as though you're sitting in the back of a friend's house somewhere in the Greek isles. And if you are in need of some dried fruits, olives, cheeses or, of course, fresh nuts, I cannot recommend Mick's Nuts on Hardgrave Road in West End enough.”
“Of course, culture is carried forward in smaller, everyday ways as well. In Coorparoo, Baked by M&G is a beautiful and delicious example of that. Twin sisters Mel and Georgia have built an artisanal bakehouse around age old family recipes, baking fresh to order and sharing the flavours so many of us love from baklava to kourabiedes and much more. This story of this thriving bakery goes back to 1956, when Mel and Georgia's grandmother from Athens. Surviving the hardships of war, their grandmother taught the sisters some simple but heartwarming lessons: to never take good food for granted, cook with love and care and, most importantly, never leave a crumb sitting on their plates.”
“In Griffith, the contribution of Greek Australians is part of the fabric of everyday life. It is there in the community institutions built over generations, in family businesses created through hard work and persistence and in the culture, warmth and hospitality that has enriched our local neighbourhoods. Greek traditions have not only been preserved here, but also shared, celebrated and woven into the broader story of Brisbane. St George's Greek Orthodox Church stands as an enduring sign of that history, and the Greek Orthodox community of St George, established in 1929, remains the oldest Greek Orthodox community in south-east Queensland. Across the road from Musgrave Park in West End, the Greek Club continues to be one of those gathering places that tells a bigger story about belonging, continuity and community.”
“Last Wednesday Greek communities in Brisbane and around the world marked Greek Independence Day. In Griffith that day carries a particular resonance because the story of Greek migration, community and contribution is written into the life of our neighbourhoods. In South Brisbane, West End, High Gate Hill and surrounding suburbs, Greek families helped shape the character of this part of Brisbane, and that legacy remains part of who we are today. Greek Independence Day is a celebration of freedom, courage and national pride. It's a day to remember the revolutionaries who put their lives on the line for liberty. It's also a chance for us all in Australia to reflect on the deep bond between our countries and to celebrate the extraordinary contribution Greek Australians have made to our national story.”
“When we talk about what stronger international ocean governance means for our region, we are talking about tuna stocks, coastal fisheries, local nutrition, sustainable livelihoods and resilience in the face of climate change. We are talking about countries already carrying immense environmental pressure and whose futures are tightly bound to the health of the ocean. This bill also speaks to something we understand deeply in Griffith: stewardship works best when it is practical, shared and sustained. The high seas do not belong to any one country, but their future will be shaped by the choices countries make together.”
“We have committed to protecting and conserving 30 per cent of Australia's land and 30 per cent of Australia's marine areas by 2030. This bill builds on that strong domestic foundation and extends our contribution into the international sphere. It also has particular importance for the Pacific. Australia and the Pacific island countries are connected by the Blue Pacific, and that idea reflects a lived reality as much as a diplomatic one. Across our region, the ocean is central to food security, livelihoods, culture, identity, resilience and sovereignty. Questions of marine biodiversity and ocean governance go directly to the long-term wellbeing of communities and nations across the Pacific.”
“Together, these measures allow Australia to ratify the treaty with integrity and play a meaningful role in its implementation. For Australia, this legislation carries particular significance. We are an island continent with one of the largest maritime jurisdictions in the world. Our prosperity, resilience and way of life are closely tied to the ocean. Fisheries, tourism, marine science, conservation and coastal communities all depend on healthy marine systems, and the condition of our oceans does not stop at the edge of our exclusive economic zone. Australia comes to this work with credibility. More than half of our ocean is now protected in marine parks and around a quarter of our marine estate is in highly protected areas.”
“Second, it creates a framework for Australia to recognise area-based management tools established under the treaty, including marine protected areas on the high seas. That means international conservation decisions under the treaty can be reflected in Australian law and observed by Australian entities. Third, it establishes an environmental impact assessment process for certain planned activities by Australian entities in areas beyond national jurisdiction where there is a risk of harm to the marine environment. When an activity could cause substantial pollution or significant and harmful changes to marine ecosystems, there should be a proper process to assess those impacts before the damage is done. That is a sensible safeguard and an essential part of responsible environmental management.”
“These waters and the seabeds below them are essential to biodiversity, climate regulation and the overall health of marine ecosystems. Yet only around one per cent of them is currently protected. That is the gap this legislation helps address. First, it regulates the collection and use of marine genetic resources in areas beyond national jurisdiction, including related digital sequence information, reporting and benefit sharing. The language is technical, but the principle is straightforward. Marine genetic resources can hold enormous scientific and commercial value, including in medicine, biotechnology and research, so access to them should sit within a framework that supports transparency, accountability and fairer sharing of benefits.”
“That local understanding helps frame the significance of this bill, the High Seas Biodiversity Bill 2026, because the health of our local waterways is inseparable from the health of the global ocean. The ocean does not divide neatly according to national borders, and the pressures facing marine environments do not stop at the edge of a map. Species migrate, currents carry pollution and damage in one part of the world's ocean can affect conditions somewhere else entirely. Protecting marine biodiversity requires a wider view, one that recognises we are all dealing with one deeply interconnected marine system. I can get seasick in a bathtub, so it is with some apprehension that I venture mentally onto the high seas—but here we go. The high seas are the international marine waters beyond the jurisdiction of any country.”
“Our waterways tell a story about connection. What flows through our creeks does not stop there; it moves through wetlands and mangroves into the bay and out into wider marine systems that sustain biodiversity, livelihoods and communities far beyond our shoreline. When local habitat is degraded or pollution is allowed to build up, the consequences travel. When communities come together to restore creek banks and care for catchments, the benefits travel too. In Griffith and surrounds, we see that every day through the work of groups like the Norman Creek Catchment Coordinating Committee, the Bulimba Creek Catchment Coordinating Committee, OzFish and the many volunteers who give their time to restoring habitat, improving water quality and caring for the places that connect our suburbs to Moreton Bay.”
“They deserve a government that delivers for them, not one that turns its back when relief is on the table. Labor's tax cuts are letting people keep more of what they earn and providing relief that shows up in their bank accounts every single pay day, ensuring we have a tax system that is fairer for the people who keep this country moving. This week marks one year since those opposite chose to vote against Labor's tax cuts. But there is absolutely nothing to celebrate in that. This isn't a moment for celebration, but it is a powerful reminder of the priorities of those opposite.”
“Sir Robert Menzies once spoke of the forgotten people—Australians who worked hard, raised families, kept their communities going and asked only for a fair go. That was the tradition the Liberal Party once called its own. But when it came time to support tax cuts for working Australians, today's Liberal Party, which once said it stood for the forgotten people, has, in too many ways, simply forgotten people. Labor's tax cuts have been delivering relief for all Australians, particularly low- and middle-income earners. Those opposite not only opposed the next round of cuts; they committed to repealing them. In Griffith every day I meet working people—renters, young families, shift workers, small-business owners, teachers, and healthcare and aged-care workers—who are doing their best to keep up.”
“These shells are now helping to restore habitat, improve water quality and bring life back to the bay and our reefs. And this work is growing. Under the Reef Trust Partnership, the Albanese government has invested $1.9 million in OzFish to restore oyster reefs and mangroves across Great Barrier Reef catchments. This is just one of the many investments being made through the Community Stewardship Program in the delivery of the Reef 2050 Plan. This is practical environmental action led by communities and delivering real results to protect our marine ecosystems and preserve their beauty for future generations. I thank Mark very much for his advocacy on this issue, even though he gave me an oyster shell—which I placed in my back pocket and then was cursing the rest of the day because I forgot I put it there.”
“On another topic, it was a joy to catch up with Mark, one of our local Griffith residents, at one of the four recent mobile offices that I held this past weekend. We chatted about oysters, an incredibly important species for the health of our waterways. Like many in our community, Mark was shocked when he first learnt that oysters are now functionally extinct in Moreton Bay, a sobering reminder of how much has been lost but also of how much we can rebuild when community science and practical action come together. I want to recognise the community programs doing incredible work to restore shellfish reefs, including in Moreton Bay, such as the OzFish shellfish reef restoration program. Thanks to initiatives like this, more than 856 tonnes of oyster shells have been diverted from landfill across Brisbane, Moreton Bay and Redlands.”
“Dr Onyango represents the kind of leadership we need more of in STEM—deeply knowledgeable, community minded, and ready to contribute at the highest levels of decision-making. I'd also like to acknowledge the valuable work of WILD for STEM, an important program that supports women in STEM not only to excel technically but also to step into leadership and help shape the future of Australian innovation. Through her involvement in WILD for STEM, Dr Onyango was selected as a board observer with the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering. I congratulate Dr Onyango for her achievements and the work she is doing, and I acknowledge the important role of programs like WILD for STEM in building the leadership pipeline Australia needs.”
“Today I want to recognise the achievements of an outstanding STEM leader and Griffith resident, Dr Esther Onyango. Dr Onyango is an interdisciplinary systems scientist whose work explores the connection between our environment and human health. By bringing together science, policy and community perspectives, she is helping us better understand the health risks communities face in a changing climate and how we can build a more sustainable and resilient future. In doing so, she is making an important contribution to Australia's response to these challenges. She has received international recognition for her contributions to climate change and health research, being named among the leading African women in climate research.”
“The answer is no. When it comes to tax, this government's policy is clear: to deliver a system that is fairer, simpler and more sustainable and that helps Australians earn more and keep more of what they earn. Labor's first round of tax cuts has been flowing since July 2024, benefiting more than 14 million taxpayers, with further tax cuts legislated for this year and next year. Combined, they are expected to deliver an average annual tax cut of more than $2,500 in 2027-28. This is relief for every taxpayer. It does not depend on whether a household has one income or two, and it does not build dependence on the tax system. Alongside those tax cuts, Labor has increased the Medicare low-income thresholds so more—”
“I would like to acknowledge and thank the member for Kennedy for bringing forward this motion on income splitting. I would in particular like to acknowledge the intent of the motion, which is very clearly supporting families—something I know the member for Kennedy is passionate about, and it is a passion I share. In Griffith, families are doing what families right across Australia do every single day. They are working hard, juggling care, managing school drop-offs and shift changes, and stretching every dollar as far as it can possibly go. So when a proposal like income splitting is put forward as support for families, we owe people an honest assessment. Does it make life easier for the families that are under the most pressure? And does it reflect how the majority of Australian families actually organise their work and care today?”
“It recognises that, if we are serious about prevention, we must not only respond when someone is in crisis but also address the broader conditions that lead to suicide and suicidal distress. We've made a significant $1.1 billion investment to support the mental health of Australians more broadly, including through Medicare mental health centres, an expanded headspace network and a new network of youth specialist care centres, because this is life-changing and life-saving work. It's work absolutely worth doing, and it's work that we must keep doing together.”
“I also acknowledge the contribution from the member for Monash. Suicide is complex. There is no single cause and no single fix. Suicidal distress can be shaped by mental ill health but also by trauma, family violence, financial pressure, insecure housing, loneliness and isolation. That's why preventing suicide requires all levels of government services and the broader community working together. It requires a joined-up approach across health, housing, education and social services, because people do not experience these pressures in silos, and our response cannot be siloed. That's the thinking behind the National Suicide Prevention Strategy 2025-2035 released last year by our government.”
“In that sector, as in so many others, important decisions are made here in this place. They shape everyday lives, and they can save them. One of the reasons I entered politics was because I wanted to help shape those decisions here, where national policy can either strengthen the mental health of our communities or, sadly, leave people to fall through the cracks. That's why I am and remain deeply passionate about suicide prevention and why I believe the mental health of our nation must remain a national priority. I thank the member for Bowman for bringing forward this private member's business, along with colleagues who have spoken before me, including the member for Maribyrnong, who's a qualified psychologist, and the member for Hunter, who has been working so incredibly hard as our Special Envoy for Men's Health.”
“I saw friendships form, I saw little eyes light up, and I saw the moment the penny drops when a child realises that their mum or dad's experiences and what they're going through aren't their fault. You could see years, sometimes, of stress, guilt or shame begin to lift, and that experience stays with you. It reminds you that suicide prevention is not only about responding in crisis; it's also about early intervention. It's about connection, mental health literacy, reducing stigma and encouraging help-seeking behaviour before distress deepens into despair. I want to give a shout-out to Kookaburra Kids and the 42 Challenge, which begins on 1 April, with fundraisers completing 42 minutes of movement each day, inspired by the 42 per cent of Australian families impacted by mental ill health.”
“This work is deeply personal to me and it's one of the reasons I came to this place. In Australia, we know that men are disproportionately impacted by suicide, accounting for over 75 per cent of all suicide deaths. And I have known far too many good men who are no longer with us due to suicide. Before entering parliament, I was the CEO of Kookaburra Kids, a national youth mental health charity delivering evidence based prevention and early intervention support through peer based programs and activities. I came to that role because I understood firsthand the impact that family mental illness can have on young lives, and I believe deeply in increasing children's mental health knowledge and encouraging help-seeking behaviour. Over those years, through camps and activity days, I saw firsthand the impact those programs had on young people.”
“There are few things more painful than watching someone you love struggle with their mental health and not knowing how to ease their pain. Too many families in our community know the helplessness of knowing that someone they love is not coping. Too many know the heartbreak of watching a friend, a partner, a child or a colleague withdraw, carry too much or lose hope. Too many of us live in fear of that phone call. We know that sometimes suicide comes with no perceivable warning. It leaves families, friends and communities reeling with shock, devastation and confusion, asking how this could have happened and whether anything might have changed the outcome. That is part of what makes suicide so deeply heartbreaking for individuals, for families and for our communities. It is not always visible and its impact reaches far.”
“It offers hope to people considering genetic testing or participation in research. It aligns our insurance law with our anti-discrimination framework. It establishes enforcement provisions that give reform real force. It modernises financial service regulation, supports Australia's international economic engagement and removes unnecessary red tape. Most of all, it says to Australians living with uncertainty about their health, quite simply: get the test, join the research, have the conversation with your doctor, seek the information that could help you or help your family. This government will not leave you exposed for doing so. That is fair, that is humane and that is exactly why this House should support this bill.”
“This schedule removes the requirement for individual advisers to separately register themselves annually, a process that otherwise would add red tape without improving consumer protection. These are sensible changes. Consumer protection must always be real and robust but regulation should also be effective and proportionate. Our laws must evolve alongside science; when medicine advances, policy must keep pace. When we know that an outdated rule is discouraging life-saving or life-improving action, it is our responsibility to change that rule. When people have raised this issue for years, we owe them far more than just warm words; we owe them guarantees. That's what this bill is here to do. It gives Australians reassurance against genetic discrimination in life insurance.”
“The 2024-25 MYEFO included support through a US$150 million purchase of World Bank hybrid capital and US$200 million guarantees for the Asian Development Bank's Innovative Finance Facility for Climate in Asia and the Pacific. This schedule helps ensure our legislative settings are flexible enough to support commitments of that kind and future commitments without sacrificing parliamentary oversight. Schedule 4 repeals stage 2 of the financial adviser registration process that was due to commence on 1 July 2026. Under the current stage 1 system, Australian financial services licensees already have to register authorised financial advisers with ASIC before those advisers can lawfully provide personal advice to retail clients. The Financial Services and Credit Panel also already has the authority to take disciplinary action where needed.”
“The amendments standardise appropriation provisions, allow Australia to participate more effectively in evolving financial arrangements and reduce the need for repeated legislative amendment every time routine or non-controversial administrative steps are required. At the same time, they retain parliamentary transparency by requiring notice of new financial obligations through disallowable legislative instruments. That is important for a country like Australia. Our prosperity is tied to the stability and the resilience of our region. In an era of climate disruption, economic uncertainty and growing development finance needs, multilateral development banks are changing how they work.”
“At the same time, we should never lose sight of the need for regulatory safeguards and domestic market integrity. What this schedule attempts to do is strike that balance: reduce duplication where there is comparable overseas regulation but preserve conditions, court submission requirements in some cases, and ASIC's ability to supervise, vary conditions or cancel exemptions. Schedule 3 modernises the legislative architecture that supports Australia's participation in multilateral development banks and the International Monetary Fund. These institutions matter because they help finance development, economic stability and, increasingly, climate resilience across our region.”
“It also creates a faster path through aspects of the licensing process for some foreign providers who have already been authorised in comparable regulatory regimes by exempting them from the fit-and-proper-person assessment when applying for a standard Australian financial services licence for wholesale services. The aim is to facilitate access to a wider range of global investment opportunities, specialised advice and new financing sources for Australian businesses and investors while retaining conditions, notification requirements and ASIC oversight. That matters in practical terms because Australian wholesale and professional investors, including superannuation funds, operate in global financial environments. Access to international markets can help diversify holdings and increase competition.”
“This reform says to them, 'Your health comes first.' It says to clinicians and researchers, 'We will not leave unnecessary barriers in the way of good care and scientific progress.' Schedules 2 through 4 of the bill deal with practical questions on how our economy is regulated and how public administration should work. They are different in subject matter, but they share an underlying principle that good law should be clear, modern and proportionate. Schedule 2 deals with foreign financial services providers. It establishes licensing exemptions for certain providers, including a comparable regulator exemption, a professional investor exemption and a market maker exemption.”
“A patchwork approach could not deliver the certainty that Australians needed. Only a clear, statutory rule could do that. In my electorate of Griffith, this matters because our community values research, innovation and access to good care. We are home to families who participate in screening, who support medical research and who understand that early intervention often changes outcomes. We are also home to people who carry enough already—a health concern, a family history, caring responsibilities, the cost of living. They should not carry an extra burden created by outdated insurance settings.”
“Delay can mean treatment starting later than it should. Delay can mean a family member not understanding their risk in time. Delay can also mean fewer people participating in research, slowing progress for the whole community. When the law creates hesitation around testing that may be medically indicated or socially valuable, the law is failing to serve the public interest. I hope this is unacceptable to all members. It is worth saying plainly that voluntary arrangements were evidently not enough. The Australian Genetics and Life Insurance Moratorium: Monitoring the Effectiveness and Response report from Monash University found that the existing moratorium was 'inadequate to address and prevent genetic discrimination in life insurance', and they recommended a legislative prohibition instead. That is why government action matters here.”
“We should be a country that supports research participation, because the discoveries of today become the treatments of tomorrow, and I would like to acknowledge all of the wonderful medical research facilities that exist in my community of Griffith and the remarkable work that they are doing in this space. And we should be a country where the benefits of scientific progress are not reserved for those wealthy enough to absorb financial risk but shared fairly across the community. Consultation on this very issue followed years of concern from advocates, clinicians and researchers, and the evidence put before government showed that the status quo was suppressing the full benefits of genetic testing. We know that, in health, delay can come at a real cost. Delay can mean a missed opportunity for surveillance.”
“If this parliament is going to say to Australians that they can proceed with genetic testing without fear of misuse by insurers, then we must back that promise with a regulator that can monitor, enforce and act. The bill also provides for regular review of the operation of new provisions, including whether they are effective in giving individuals reasonable certainty and whether there are any unintended consequences. That is good lawmaking—firm where it needs to be and accountable over time. For me, one of the most compelling arguments for this reform is what it says about the kind of country we want to be. We should be a country that backs prevention. We should be a country that wants people to seek information early, not late.”
“The framework allows an individual with written consent to volunteer genetic test results in circumstances where doing so would not adversely affect the insurance offer or policy terms. It is a proportionate and sensible response, and it protects people from harm while allowing room for choice where disclosure is genuinely in their interests. These protections have teeth. The bill establishes both civil penalties and strict liability offence for non-compliance, with regulatory responsibility assigned to the Australian Securities and Investment Commission, ASIC. That matters because rights without enforcement are often not rights at all.”
“They deserve laws that speak clearly to one another. They deserve to know that the advance of genomic medicine is being matched by the advance of legal protection. It is also important to be clear about what this reform does not do. It does not prevent life insurance from continuing to be properly risk rated. Insurers will still be able to use information they can already access and use, including signs, symptoms, diagnosed disease and family medical history. The bill is directly targeted at genetic test information and has been drafted and consulted on to remove a specific barrier to care while preserving the broader capacity of insurers to underwrite policies in a way that reflects actual clinical presentation and existing risk factors. Nor does this bill prevent people from choosing to disclose test results where that benefits them.”
“It tells Australians that, if they undertake genetic testing, whether for their own health care or through health and medical research, that decision will not be used to block them from life insurance or saddle them with worse terms. This government announced these reforms because the existing arrangements were not delivering that certainty, and this legislation gives effect to that decision. The bill will apply the ban to life insurance contract decisions. It amends the Insurance Contract Act 1984 to stop insurers from using protected genetic information in life insurance underwriting and contract decisions. It also amends the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 so that our antidiscrimination law is aligned with that new protection. This matters because people deserve a framework that is coherent.”
“As someone living with MS, multiple sclerosis, I know what it's like to live with health uncertainty. At present, we've identified over 200 genes which have been linked to the risk of developing MS. I know what it's like to think seriously about the future, to navigate medical systems and to understand that a diagnosis or a test result can shape not only how you feel physically but how secure you feel in every other aspect of your life. I understand in a very real way why health decisions must be driven by care, by knowledge and by what gives people the best chance to live well, not by the fear that doing the right thing medically will somehow leave them worse off financially. That is why this reform matters so much. It gives people certainty.”
“'If I take this test, will I be penalised by an insurer?' Treasury's analysis shows that concerns about life insurance have caused some people to delay or avoid genetic testing, including participation in research. That is not an acceptable choice for any Australian to face. No-one should have to choose between protecting their health and protecting their family's financial future. No-one should sit in a doctor's office and hesitate about a medically recommended test because they are worried that an insurer may later use that information against them. No-one should hold back from joining medical research because a commercial consequence hangs over them. Health care should be guided by clinical need and informed consent, not distorted by fear or financial disadvantage. This issue is also a personal one to me.”
“This bill establishes a ban on life insurers using certain information about an individual's genetic testing when deciding whether to offer life insurance or on what terms, and it aligns with the Disability Discrimination Act with that reform. Schedule 1 of this bill deals with a problem that has sat in front of governments for too long. Genetic testing has become an increasingly important part of modern medicine. It can help doctors prevent, monitor and treat a range of cancers, cancer predisposition syndromes and other heritable conditions. It can guide earlier intervention. It can help families understand risk. It can also support clinical research that improves care for everyone. But, for too many Australians, the promise of that science has been overshadowed by a very practical fear.”
“That is why I support this bill, the Treasury Laws Amendment (Genetic Testing Protections in Life Insurance and Other Measures) Bill 2025, which delivers on this Albanese Labor government's commitment to ban the use of adverse genetic test results in life insurance and to do exactly what we said we would do to protect Australians from discrimination when engaging with their own health care. At its heart, this bill is about making sure our laws keep up with modern science and keep faith with people who these laws are supposed to serve. Most importantly, it's about ensuring Australians are not punished for seeking information that could protect their health or even save their lives.”