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.”
The complete record
Every one of 576 lines we hold for Renee Coffey, in date order, each linked to its source. Free to read, in full, without an account. Page 8 of 12.
“That is the balance that this bill is working hard to strike. The Copyright Amendment Bill 2025 makes two important improvements. First, it creates a sensible way to deal with 'orphan works'—material that is still in copyright but where no-one can identify or locate the owner. Second, it makes sure the laws apply consistently in classrooms, whether teaching is happening face to face, online or in a hybrid model, including when parents or community members are supporting students. These reforms are not coming out of nowhere. They are the product of the copyright roundtables held across 2023, where stakeholders across the creative sector, education, libraries, archives and institutions came together to name the practical problems and work through sensible solutions.”
“Deputy Speaker, 'You wouldn't steal a car, you wouldn't steal a handbag,' and, I confidently say, 'you wouldn't steal a television.' For many Australians, that old piracy ad from 2004 is still our most vivid introduction to copyright; it has become somewhat of a cultural joke, but the point behind it still matters. Australians want to do the right thing. We want rules to be fair. We want to know what is allowed and what is not, and how to respect the people who make the work we all rely on: writers, musicians, educators, film-makers, photographers, publishers, artists and so many more. When the rules are clear and practical, people follow them—not just because they have to, but because we understand that copyright is one of the ways we recognise labour, reward creativity and keep Australian stories being made.”
“In Griffith, we are lucky to live in a place that tells stories everywhere you turn. Along the Brisbane River, through the backstreets of West End, at the school crossings at Coorparoo and Camp Hill, at the weekend sports fields and in the cafes that hold a thousand conversations every day, our community is made up of people sharing knowledge, memory, culture and connection. Sometimes it's big and public, sometimes it's quiet and personal, but it is how we make sense of who we are and how we pass that on. And that brings me to copyright.”
“In my role, I get to hear so many stories, but the ones that stay with me are the ones that show the heart of our electorate. Zoe's story and Sharing for Kids is one of them. To everyone in Griffith who donated, who shared and who backed this idea, thank you. You have helped children start the year with confidence, and you have shown, in the most practical way, what it means to be a part of our wonderful community in Griffith.”
“Sometimes the biggest ideas come from the smallest people, and that is exactly what our community knows, thanks to people like little Zoe. It's exactly stories like these that make me so proud and so honoured to represent the Griffith community. When a seven-year-old takes the lead on helping our neighbours, it tells us something important about the values being lived out in our suburbs and in our streets, of compassion, of empathy and of connectedness. It shows that our kids are growing up with a sense of responsibility for one another, and that is something worth celebrating. That's what I see again and again in Griffith, in our school P&Cs, our local volunteers, our neighbourhood and community groups and the simple way people look after one another when times get tough.”
“She rolled into her kitchen with roller skates on, and she told her mummy that she wanted to collect supplies for kids who might not have everything they need. With that, Zoe started Sharing for Kids, a little idea from a big heart. Zoe went to different places in our community. She set up donation boxes and asked people to give what they could, and our community responded overwhelmingly. We received so many donations at our office. It absolutely filled our office with boxes of pencil cases, lunchboxes and school supplies. We had families collect these from our Stones Corner office, and we also dropped these off to many of our local schools, including the Seville Road State School, where Zara and Mia, the school leaders there, gratefully accepted these on behalf of students in their community.”
“In Griffith, going back to school can bring a sense of routine back to the house. I know it has for my household. But for some families it also brings a quiet stress, because the book list is long, the uniforms need replacing, the shoes have been outgrown and the basics can add up fast. That's why I want to speak today about a small idea from a young person in my Griffith community that has made a real difference. That amazing young person is seven-year-old Zoe. Zoe noticed that some children start the school year without the things many of us take for granted—a pencil case with pencils, a new notebook, glue sticks, rulers; the everyday tools that help kids feel ready to learn. And that gave Zoe an idea.”
“The promise of Australia is simple: you can be safe, you can belong and you can build a life with others, not against them.”
“In my first speech to this parliament I spoke about the responsibility of listening to community and the honour of being trusted to represent Griffith. I did not come into this job to inflame things. I came into this job to bring people together and do the practical, patient work of strengthening the bonds that make a place like ours work. We assemble in this place, on Ngunnawal and Ngambri country, to make and amend laws, and laws matter. They set boundaries. But what must underpin them is our commitment to build understanding and strengthen cohesion. That commitment is the most important ingredient. It cannot be legislated. It is demonstrated in the choices each of us make every day, day in and day out, to practise mutual respect.”
“That is not the Australia we want; it is not the Griffith we want to see. I was asked recently on social media post about this very issue and how would I know what my community wants. I know, because I meet with people across Griffith every single day, whether it's at a pop-up office, at the electorate office or on the doorsteps while doorknocking. I know, because my electorate team and I receive and respond to hundreds of emails and phone calls every single week. I know, because I sit with families, community leaders, faith leaders and local organisations and I listen. I know, when a Jewish constituent tells me they no longer feel comfortable turning up to the gym or when a Muslim parent tells me their daughter-in-law is weighing up whether it's safe to wear a hijab, that's not politics; that's lived experience.”
“The member for Bruce and I agree it is a political business model that scratches at the fringes and stokes anger and outrage to harvest votes at both ends of the political spectrum. We are seeing a concerning rise in deliberately divisive language from the likes of One Nation. I grew up in 1990s Queensland when now Senator Hanson made her maiden speech. I vividly remember what it did to people's sense of safety and to the tone of community life. Then I was outraged and took action as a teenager, and I'm not going to pretend it is acceptable now. I share the concerns of many in my electorate. I worry about the normalisation of Senator Hanson's disgraceful rhetoric and her exclusionary form of patriotism. I worry because words set the temperature in our community. They signpost to people whether they belong.”
“He said, 'Hate and violence don't result from diversity. Hate and violence result because of misinformation, polarisation and miscommunication of those differences.' We know what is putting strain on that work: echo chambers driven by algorithms, foreign malign influence and the weaponisation of overseas conflicts here at home. Australia is proudly one of the world's most successful multicultural societies but that success didn't just happen. It takes investment, strong institutions, and it takes leadership in our communities and in this place, because leadership matters when there are people trying to make division feel normal. The politics of division is very easy. The quick hit of outrage, grievance and blame.”
“This fear and concern did not start on the on 14 December last year. Our community is clear on this. It has been building for some time through the drip of hateful rhetoric, the spread of misinformation and the steady normalisation of behaviour that makes people second guess whether they will be safe and welcome in their own suburb. Last week I had the opportunity to visit 4EB in Woolloongabba with the Assistant Minister for Citizenship, Customs and Multicultural Affairs, my friend, the member for Bruce. We sat down with the team and heard directly from trusted community voices that connect people across languages, cultures and generations. The member for Bruce said something that stuck with me about how social cohesion is a dynamic process, not an end state or a mere tick box, reminding us that it's a process that requires constant work.”
“Days after the horrific antisemitic attack at Bondi on 14 December, people in my community of Griffith were shaken. I was shaken, as I know every single Australian was. If we are honest, that shock has landed on top of something else that has been building for too long, a sense in parts of our community that it is getting harder to simply belong. Over recent months, and especially in the last few weeks, as I have met with constituents and community groups across Griffith, I have heard stories that have stayed with me. I've heard from a Jewish community member who no longer feels comfortable in his own gym, a man who feels judged and condemned by those around him. I have heard from Muslim families, including a father whose daughter-in-law is now afraid to wear her hijab on the way to work or to the shop simply because of her faith.”
“What this means in practice is more teachers in classrooms, early support for kids who fall behind, better access to wellbeing services, and properly resourced public schools that are not forced to do more with less, no matter what your postcode. When we properly fund education, we give every child a fair start and we strengthen our whole community.”
“School is back. Right across Australia and throughout my community in Griffith, the contact has been patiently placed on the books, the lunch boxes have been lovingly packed and oversized backpacks have been heaved onto small shoulders. While our little ones are on track for the new school year, our public schools are on track for full funding. This is the biggest new investment in public schools by the Australian government ever. It's worth $16.5 billion over the next 10 years. It's not a blank cheque; it is tied to real, practical reforms to reduce the number of students who need additional support for literacy and numeracy, and help students who fall behind to catch up, keep up and to finish school.”
“The trauma and loss that you face is beyond our comprehension. To all Jewish Australians, including those in Griffith: you should never have to wonder whether a gathering of faith and celebration is safe. You belong here. You are respected. You are valued and admired. We stand with you. An attack on Jewish Australians is an attack on every Australian, and we will continue to do everything required to ensure your security, uphold your safety and protect and honour your place here with us as Australians. In the wake of this vile act of violence and hate, we must unite. We must emerge from this tragedy in unity where all Australians embrace our fellow Australians of Jewish faith. We must move forward together to help repair and strengthen the fabric of our nation, united, to ensure we remain a place where light triumphs over darkness.”
“In Jewish tradition, as I understand it, there is a teaching from the Talmud that explains that every life is unique and that if one destroys one life, it is as though they have destroyed an entire world. And for the heroes of the day, our first responders and those brave people who ran towards the danger, if one saves one life, it is as though they have saved an entire world. That same teaching helps us name what this tragedy has done. Fifteen worlds were taken from us that day—worlds of relationships, memories, service, laughter, ordinary routines and future plans that can never be replaced. Beautiful Matilda, Rabbi Eli, Rabbi Yaakov, Boris and Sofia, Reuven, Edith, Marika, Peter, Tibor, Alexander, Dan, Adam, Boris and Tania. To the families, friends and loved ones: I am so sorry for what has been taken from you.”
“I've never forgotten how quickly antisemitism can appear in the middle of an everyday moment, and it can make even the most familiar places feel unsafe. Our Jewish community should never have to live with fear simply for gathering, praying, celebrating and belonging in Australia, their home. As my friend and colleague the member for Macnamara said this morning, there will be a lot of work to be done. But today is about recognising those people who paid the ultimate price just for participating in Jewish life in Australia. In the days since the horrific, antisemitic terrorist shooting at Bondi Beach on 14 December, our country has been carrying a weight that is hard to put into words—a summer evening, a gathering to mark the beginning of Hanukkah, families together by the water, and then fear, violence and unbearable, permanent absence.”
“I found myself scanning the crowds outside, looking at faces and at vehicles—a vigilance known all too well by our Jewish communities. And yet inside, past security checks, our Jewish community welcomed me with openness, reassurance and warmth, even as they carried their own grief. The first time I witnessed antisemitism was on another Sunday afternoon in Sydney's Bondi many years ago. It was in the checkout queue, during the couple of years I lived in the eastern suburbs of Sydney for work. A woman slammed the divider down on the conveyor belt, almost catching an older woman's fingers behind her, and hissed 'expletive Jew'. It was sudden and ugly, and I couldn't process what I'd just seen before the woman paid, took her items and left.”
“Thank God that here, for my children, school is a place of learning, friendship and inherent safety.' But, for so many of our Jewish families here in Australia, I know that is not the case. Jewish schools, childcare centres, places of worship and, yes, even public celebrations are all forced to plan carefully, consider safety and assess risk in moments that should be defined only by joy, community and connection. This is a deep shame to me. I am a person of faith, and not once have I ever felt afraid to be in my family's church of five generations. In a little over the last 12 months, I have gathered with our local Jewish community of Brisbane twice—once for the first anniversary of the October 7 attack, and again just weeks ago for the Bondi terror attack memorial. At both gatherings, I will admit, I was scared.”
“I rise to add my condolences and the condolences from my community of Griffith for those murdered in the Bondi terror attack on 14 December 2025. It's very meaningful to me to be able to add my voice to those who have spoken before me—and, Mr Speaker, I would like to acknowledge how humbling it is to see that you have been sitting in that chair for almost seven hours now, showing your own deep respect for this debate. As a parent of school-aged children, at times I have looked on at the security processes and protections at schools in other nations—security checks and armed guards—and thought, with deep gratitude: 'Thank God we don't have to do that here.”
“No-one should have to delay or abandon their studies simply because they cannot afford to do the placement that qualifies them for the profession that they love. We have started with teaching, nursing, midwifery and social work students, consistent with the Australian Universities Accord, but this legislation does require review after three years to assess how well the payment is working and whether it should be extended to other areas, including allied health. I want to thank the member for Indi for raising this matter and for working so constructively with government on this. Our focus is on implementing these changes well so that students in Griffiths and across Australia can complete their studies and move into the professions that keep our communities healthy, safe and thriving.”
“For the first time, the Australian government is providing direct financial support to help students complete compulsory placements—around $331 a week in 2025—supporting around 70,000 students each year. Sadly, it was just a little bit too late for my niece, Bridget, but I am very pleased to report that she managed to struggle through and has completed her education qualifications and is teaching in my electorate of Griffith as a first-year teacher. But we know that it's going to be much easier for other educators and healthcare workers coming through the ranks now with these changes. These payments are targeted at those who need help the most. They give students breathing space so they can focus on learning in the classroom, on the ward and in the community instead of worrying about the next bill.”
“With the federal Labor government's changes we are able to support young people studying these absolutely essential professions. It's something that I am incredibly proud. In my community of Griffith in Brisbane, I meet education, nursing, midwifery and social work students on placement in our local schools, aged-care homes, hospitals and community services. They love their work and they are absolutely determined to graduate, but they tell me how hard it is to juggle unpaid prac with rent, groceries, bills, transport and the costs involved with actually doing these pracs, in many instances. That's why the Albanese Labor government has put practical support behind practical training. From 1 July, paid prac became a reality for these professions.”
“Twenty years after that, I watched her studying her education degree and also, very recently, watched her trying to finish her practicum and not being able to afford that and have it be incredibly challenging. Due to my own experience, and, decades later, seeing my niece go through the same hardship, I was incredibly proud to be able to support this policy within the Australian Labor Party, through our conference processes. I have advocated for and supported this from its earliest stages, so I was absolutely heartened to see this passed. I thank the member for her contributions to passing this also. It's a great policy and it's an important way that we can support nursing, teaching, midwifery and social work students during those crucial weeks where they must undertake their prac.”
“My intention was to graduate and to start teaching, but, when it came to my final practicum—the very last part of my qualification—there was absolutely no way that I could afford to give up work for that period and continue to pay rent and all other costs. So I had to make the very difficult decision all those years ago to graduate with an arts degree and to leave my education degree on the shelf for a bit longer. It took me a couple of years of working and saving after that point to be able to afford to return to university and finish my teaching qualifications. During that period, when I was a young adult, my gorgeous little baby niece, Bridget, was born, and, quite famously in my family, Bridget said that when she grew up she wanted to live in a 'nunit' and go to 'nooni' like 'Aunty Nay'. She has done most of that.”
“I want to thank the honourable member for Indi for her support for paid prac and her enthusiasm for supporting students, especially young people, to gain the qualifications they want and the qualifications that Australia needs. In particular, I want to acknowledge her longstanding advocacy about placement poverty in regional Australia. Thank you very much. More than 20 years ago, when I first left high school, all I wanted to be was a teacher. I started off at the University of Queensland, undertaking a Bachelor of Arts and a Bachelor of Education. I finished all the coursework that was needed for that degree over a number of years.”
“My question is to the Minister for Health and Ageing. How is the Albanese Labor government strengthening Medicare by delivering cheaper medicines and providing real cost-of-living relief to Australians? Are there any risks to these important measures?”
“It's about putting Australian stories in front of Australian audiences on every screen. It is consistent with our national cultural policy. It is backed by industry analysis. It is fair to platforms and vital for workers. It honours the promise we made to ensure a place for every story and a story for every place for the families of Griffith, for Queensland's screen sector and for everyone who believes that Australian stories matter.”
“It says to every child in Griffith who wants to write, act, animate or direct that there will be space for their story. It says to every worker in our screen and creative industries that their skills and jobs matter, and this Albanese Labor government is prepared to put in place the rules that give them a fair go. It says to audiences that, in a global market with endless choice, Australian stories will not be left to chance; they will be guaranteed. In Griffith, we know that, when our kids see themselves and their communities reflected on screen, they feel that this country truly belongs to them. The Communications Legislation Amendment (Australian Content Requirement for Subscription Video On Demand (Streaming) Services) Bill is about making sure that, as technology changes, that simple truth does not.”
“It gives certainty to industry and workers, and guarantees audiences access to Australian content across all major platforms. Labor has always believed that culture is not an optional extra. It is part of the basic fabric of a fair, confident and cohesive country. Revive repositions arts and culture as central to Australia's future alongside health, education and jobs. This bill is one concrete way to give life to that idea. It delivers on the commitment made in Revive to introduce Australian content requirements for streaming services. It delivers on the commitment made by our prime minister and the Minister for the Arts during the election campaign. And it delivers on the commitments from the Minister for Communications and the Minister for the Arts to legislate an Australian content obligation on streaming platforms.”
“And for parents in Griffith it means our children will be able to grow up with new Australian kids shows that reflect their world and values, not just imported content. The voices on the screen will not just come from somewhere else; they will sound like the kids in their classroom. The 10 per cent expenditure obligation with an optional 7.5 per cent revenue based pathway gives companies choice in how they meet their obligations. The three-year carry-over period reflects real production cycles. The four-year review ensures that we can adjust settings if they are not delivering the intended outcomes. This is not regulation for regulation's sake. It is carefully calibrated framework that aligns streamers with obligations that free-to-air and pay TV already meet.”
“We see that in studios across Brisbane, on sets around our suburbs and at the Screen Queensland facilities that are attracting domestic and international productions to our state. A stronger pipeline of Australian commissions on streaming platforms means more work for writers, directors, actors and crew. It means more opportunities for post-production houses, costume and set builders, caterers and small businesses. And it means more chances for students in our local schools and TAFEs who dream of a career in film, television or digital production. For First Nations storytellers in our community, this also means more platforms to share stories that are so central to who we are as a nation, which is a key focus of Revive.”
“They just want good content that feels like it belongs to them. What this amendment means for them is that, when they open a streaming app, there will be Australian stories there. There will be stories with our accents, humour, landscapes and diversity. It means more shows like Bluey being made here and shared with the world. Content like Bluey connects Australians with who they are and helps us share that worldwide. For workers in Queensland's screen sector, this amendment means greater certainty. Queensland's screen industry is already a major contributor to our state economy, generating hundreds of millions of dollars in production expenditure and providing jobs for skilled Queenslanders and diverse local businesses.”
“They do not apply to services that offer predominantly user-generated content, services that do not have paying subscribers and rely wholly on advertising, services that only make money from one-off transactions, services with limited appeal or special interest audiences or services that only operate for a special event or provide content of very limited appeal. This ensures that we do not burden small or niche platforms, and focus obligations where they will have the greatest cultural impact. In short, this amendment guarantees a minimum level of investment in Australian stories on the platforms Australians increasingly use while giving services flexibility in how they meet that obligation. People in Griffith are not thinking about the Broadcasting Services Act when they sit down to stream a show after work.”
“The bill requires a statutory review four years after the obligations commence to make sure the scheme is effective and fit for purpose, and to consider whether adjustments are needed. Breaches of the new obligations will be subject to civil penalties, with ACMA empowered to monitor compliance—just as it does for existing television content rules. The sixth thing relates to targeted scope and sensible exemptions. These obligations are aimed squarely at major subscription streaming services.”
“The bill uses the existing definition of Australian content in the Broadcasting Services (Australian Content and Children's Television) Standards 2020, the same framework that currently applies to free-to-air and subscription broadcasters. That means a level playing field across platforms and continuity for producers who already work within those rules. The fourth thing is a three-year carry-over period. Screen production works in multi-year cycles. Some years will be heavier on commissions than others. To reflect that reality, services will have a three-year carry-over period to acquit their program expenditure. Over-delivery in one year can be carried forward to assist in meeting obligations in subsequent years. The fifth thing relates to review and accountability.”
“Total program expenditure includes spending on all eligible programs available to Australian subscribers, except news or sport, and includes the Australian share of globally commissioned or licensed content. Eligible formats include drama, children's programs, documentaries, and arts and educational programs. The second thing is a flexible 7.5 per cent revenue option. As an alternative, providers can choose a voluntary pathway where their obligation is calculated as 7.5 per cent of their gross Australian revenue, again limited to those same eligible program types. This hybrid model recognises that different businesses have different expenditure patterns while still guaranteeing a meaningful level of local investment. The third thing is a clear, consistent definition of Australian content.”
“This bill amends the Broadcasting Services Act 1992 to introduce Australian content expenditure requirements for subscription video-on-demand streaming services. It also makes consequential amendments to the Australian Communications and Media Authority Act 2005 so the regulator can oversee and enforce the new framework. For the first time, major streaming services operating in Australia—those with more than one million Australian subscribers—will be required to make a minimum investment in new Australian content. The first thing the bill provides is a 10 per cent expenditure obligation. Regulated streaming services will be required to invest at least 10 per cent of their total program expenditure for their Australian service on new Australian commissions or first-release acquisitions of eligible programs.”
“Platforms like Netflix, Disney Plus, Stan, Amazon Prime and others have brought extraordinary choice and some remarkable shows, but, unlike traditional broadcasters, they currently have no baseline obligation to invest in Australian stories. Industry has been clear about the risk: without local content requirements on streaming platforms, Australian drama, kids programs and documentaries will be squeezed out by cheaper imports and global productions; producers will struggle to finance local projects; crews will face insecure work; and Australian will kids grow up seeing fewer and fewer shows that sound like them and look like the streets they walk down. Revive promised a renewed commitment, and now we are putting this plan into action.”
“The Broadcasting Services Act 1992 and the Broadcasting Services (Australian Content and Children's Television) Standards 2020 require commercial broadcasters to meet Australian content quotas, including a minimum of 55 per cent Australian programming between 6 am and midnight on primary channels and specific first-release quotas for Australian drama and children's content. These rules exist for a reason. They make sure that our screens reflect our own identity and diversity and that local creators have a fair go in their own market. The way we access and watch our content has changed. Families in Griffith, including my own, are watching more streamed content than ever before.”
“They tell migrants and refugees that their experience belongs here and enriches our country. They help us understand First Nations cultures, which have cared for this continent for tens of thousands of years. Revive also identified the need for Australian screen content requirements on streaming platforms, recognising that, as audiences shift from free-to-air and pay television to subscription video-on-demand, we must make sure local stories are not crowded out or allowed to disappear from our screens and platforms. For many years, Australian content rules have applied to free-to-air television and subscription broadcasters.”
“Sometimes they land on Bluey , that little blue heeler from Brisbane who has become global superstar. Whilst I hear the member for Ryan's comments, I have heard some argue that Bluey, in fact, does live in Griffith. What this amendment is about is very simple: making sure that, no matter which platform the people of Griffith and across Australia choose, they can still find Australian stories on their screens. Revive, our national cultural policy, is a five-year plan to renew and rebuild Australia's arts, entertainment and cultural sector. It sets out a simple but powerful vision: 'a place for every story, a story for every place'. At the heart of Revive is a recognition that our people and our stories are our greatest cultural asset. Stories shape how our kids see themselves.”
“We all know of course, it's when Kath fake-tanned her wrong arm. These moments stayed with us because they were ours—Australian characters, Australian heartbreak, Australian humour—beamed into living rooms and woven into our shared story. In Griffith, I see every day how much stories matter. On week nights in West End, Woolloongabba, Coorparoo and Carina, families pile on the couch after dinner, kids in school uniforms or pyjamas, flicking through channels trying to find something to watch together. Sometimes it's an Australian drama like Home and Away or Neighbours that looks like the beaches and cul-de-sacs in the community. Sometimes it's an original docuseries like Annabel Crabb's Civic Duty , which highlights to us the remarkable story of the uniquely Australian democratic system that we all rightly treasure.”
“That gut punch of an episode had people texting other as the credits rolled, wondering how a fictional character could make us feel we had lost a friend. Even the New South Wales Police joined in the drama, posting, 'We appreciate your calls but we cannot arrest anyone at Channel 10 for killing Patrick.' Who could forget the visual of Maggie, clutching her proud bargain purchase of roadside oranges on Mother and Son or the chaotic moment as a dozen oranges wreaked havoc at the graveside—my mother threatened to buy some oranges on the way to a recent funeral—or Ernie Dingo in the house auction skit of Fast Forward . With my remaining minutes, we could barely scratch the surface of the countless incredible scenes and iconic lines from Kath and Kim . I'm sure we could hotly debate our favourites.”
“For many of us, Australian stories live in our memories as moments on screen that marked out whole chapters of our lives. We remember Scott and Charlene's wedding on Neighbours with the classic 1980s big hair and big shoulder pads, when it felt like the nation pressed pause to watch two young Aussies say 'I do' and then talked about it at school and work the next day. Who can forget sitting around the television for Molly's death on A Country Practice a heartbreaking scene in the garden—tissues in hand, as families right across the country cried together. That slow fade to black still feels like a punch in the gut to me today. We remember the collective shock and outrage when Dr Patrick died on Offspring .”
“To dismiss this as unnecessary or attempt to paint it with a brush of stigma is not just wrong and dehumanising; it is dangerous. It risks undermining public confidence in vaccines and public health. It risks turning back the clock to a time when preventable diseases claimed countless lives. Australians deserve representatives who to listen to the experts, not those who use their position to peddle misinformation and conspiracy theories. When medical researchers, public health experts, immunologists and physicians stand united behind our nation's vaccines program, that should count for something. Our national immunisation program saves lives. It protects our most vulnerable, and it upholds our shared responsibility to one another.”
“These people are valuable members of our community—people who matter and who deserve respect, quality health care and our protection. Included in the 200,000 people living with hepatitis B are people who have contracted the disease at birth through their mother or through exposure to unsterilised equipment, including those in tattooing and body piercing studios, from medical procedures or from needlestick injuries. That's because, unlike Liberal senators, hepatitis B does not discriminate. What Senator Antic forgets is that immunisation is a preventative measure and has seen diagnosis rates fall across Australia and internationally. With Australia's program of neonatal immunisation for hepatitis B, there has been a clear and profound decrease in the rates of hep B in our community.”
“The hepatitis B vaccine given to newborns is one of the safest, most effective public health measures we have. Last week in Senate estimates, Senator Antic asked: … who can tell me the rationale for newborn babies having a vaccine for a disease which is largely in the domain of intravenous drug users and prostitutes? This was from a senator in the Liberal Party of Australia. We know that there are 200,000 people in living with hepatitis B in Australia, including in vulnerable communities like sex workers, intravenous drug users, First Nations communities and culturally and linguistically diverse communities. Sex workers and injecting drug users experience discrimination daily, which, sadly, results in a general acceptance of social stigma against them and internalised stigma within these communities.”