Trish Cook
Bullwinkel · Australian Labor Party · Australia
“Primary care, urgent care and emergency care—patients with non-life threatening urgent conditions can be treated quickly and efficiently in the community close to where they live. This is what strong primary care and urgent care systems look like. They are accessible, responsive and centred on the needs of patients.”
“There are now over 3,800 Medicare bulk-billing practices nationwide, and more than 1,400 of these were previously mixed-billing clinics—so 1,400 have converted to bulk-billing all patients all of the time. Importantly, about 97 per cent of Australians now live within a 20-minute drive of a bulk-billing practice.”
“They're also relieving pressure on GP practices themselves. As a GP nurse, I know that when something urgent walks through the door, of course the scheduled patients, both on my lists and the doctor's lists, will need to wait so that the urgent case is attended to.”
“Since Labor strengthened Medicare bulk-billing and introduced additional incentives for GPs, we have seen five more GP practices in my electorate of Bullwinkel take up bulk-billing. That is five more practices, and all the doctors within those practices, making the choice to put patients first and ensure care is accessible to everyone.”
“This bill has established a clear and enduring legislative framework for Commonwealth primary care incentive payment programs, including the Medicare Bulk Billing Practice Incentive Program. These programs are a vital part of how we support access, affordability and quality in our health system.”
“Today I rise in strong support of the Health Insurance Amendment (Incentive Payments and Other Measures) Bill 2026. As federal member for Bullwinkel and as somebody that worked on the frontline as a nurse for decades, I know firsthand just how important a strong, accessible primary care system is to the health and wellbeing of our communi…”
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“We know the only sustainable long-term fix, the only answer, to the housing crisis is to build more homes. Supply is the key. That's why we've set a bold, ambitious national target under Minister O'Neil to build 1.2 million homes over five years. We are actively delivering 55,000 social and affordable rental homes. We're reserving 100,000 homes specifically for first home buyers. To unlock these builds, we're not just writing cheques; we're unblocking the system. We're training a new generation of tradies through free TAFE, we're building the vital neighbourhood infrastructure required and we're aggressively cutting red tape. But building homes is only half the battle. We need to make sure that everyday Australians can actually buy them.”
“And, when the Albanese Labor government introduced the $10 billion Housing Australia Future Fund to fix that mess, what did the coalition do? They teamed up with the Greens to block it, stall it and delay it in parliament for months. They played cheap political games with the roofs that are literally needed over people's heads. Even worse, they have committed to cutting this vital funding if they're ever re-elected. The opposition have shown time and time again that they are only interested in saying one word: no—no to Help to Buy, no to social and affordable housing, no to tax cuts, no to build-to-rent and no to helping everyday Australians buy a home. Our $47 billion total national investment is almost 10 times what the coalition invested when they were in office. The contrast could not be starker.”
“I'm looking forward to going back there in a few weeks and meeting the new residents as they unpack their boxes and get settled into their new lives with a secure roof over their heads. This is what Labor delivery looks like. It is local, it is tangible and it changes lives. But let's look at why the HAFF was so desperately needed. Let's look at the record of the opposition. During their entire decade in office, how many social and affordable homes did they build? They built 373. Not 300,000 or 37,000—just 373 social and affordable homes across the nation over nine years. It is an absolute disgrace. They presided over a decade of systematic and purposeful neglect, leaving a crater in our national housing supply.”
“We included local government, mayors, presidents, CEOs, community housing providers, local builders, eager investors and the tireless not-for-profit sector, and we were all in one room and completely aligned on one single mission: building more homes for Western Australians. To see exactly what that sort of collaboration yields, the very next day I visited 19 brand-new social and affordable homes in my electorate, in High Wycombe. Minister O'Neil accompanied me there so we could see these 19 safe havens. They're more than just bricks and mortar. They're places that provide security for people. These 19 social and affordable homes were directly funded by our landmark Housing Australia Future Fund, the HAFF.”
“It is the foundation on which families are built, careers are launched and communities thrive. I'm proud to stand here today as part of the Albanese Labor government that hasn't just recognised the crisis but met it head on, with the most ambitious national housing agenda that we've seen in generations. We don't just talk about housing in this building; we are actually delivering it on the ground, where it matters. Just last week, I had the immense privilege of being part of a major housing forum held in collaboration with my WA federal caucus members and colleagues. This wasn't a closed-door meeting. It was a massive collaboration, a powerhouse of action. We brought together the federal minister for housing, Minister Clare O'Neil, alongside our WA state housing minister, Mr John Carey, and hundreds of vital stakeholders.”
“I rise today to air a profound grievance on behalf of the people in my electorate of Bullwinkel and indeed right across Western Australia. My grievance is that of the legacy of housing—the housing neglect that was left behind by the previous coalition government after a decade-long failure that stripped dignity away from aspiring homeowners and renters alike. For 10 long years, those opposite treated housing not as a fundamental human right or a cornerstone of community security but as an afterthought. They looked the other way while the dream of homeownership drifted further and further out of reach, particularly for the younger generation. Too many Australians grew up feeling that the entire housing market was stacked against them. But housing is central to the security and dignity of all Australians.”
“We have also introduced the landmark $2 billion Local Infrastructure Fund to help councils deliver the enabling infrastructure that they need for new housing. ALGA President Matt Burnett warmly welcomed this, praising the government's trust in local councils. Labor is backing our councils to build stronger communities based on local priorities. We are restoring the funding, the certainty and the respect that was stripped away during the coalition years. I urge the house to reject this hypocritical motion, and I commend our record to the House.”
“Thanks to Labor, 466 of Australia's 550 councils benefited from this extra funding. If the Liberals and Nationals had their way, regional councils, whom they pretend to represent, would have had $250 million less funding than over the last few years. They are quite literally complaining about the consequences of their own decision. Our support goes far beyond this. We have given local government a permanent seat at the table by restoring the Australian Council of Local Government. In 2023-24 alone, almost $6 billion flowed from the Commonwealth to local governments—that's equivalent to $16 million every single day, supporting local jobs and infrastructure. We've doubled the funding for the Roads to Recovery Program, committing $4.4 billion nationally, which is a 76 per cent increase.”
“That is more than two-and-a-half times the growth that the opposition achieved. We are providing long-term certainty, with funding projected to exceed $4 billion annually by 2029-30. We hear the coalition complaining bitterly about the conclusion of the Local Roads and Community Infrastructure Program—the LRCI program—but they're crying crocodile tears, completely ignoring the fact that it was the Liberals and the Nationals who made the decision not to fund future rounds of the LRCI. Under their watch, the program was set to expire completely in 2023-24. If they wanted to make it ongoing, they could have done so, but they didn't. Instead, it was this Albanese Labor government that stepped up at the 2022 election, committing an additional $250 million to councils in regional and outer urban areas and extending the LRCI until June 2026.”
“They build the roads we drive on and the libraries where our kids learn, and they manage waste and a whole lot more besides. They need a federal partner that they can trust, and that's exactly what they have under this Labor government. We are delivering record Commonwealth investment to the sector. Since coming to office, Labor has delivered more than $16 billion in financial assistance grants directly to local councils. This financial year, those grants have increased by five per cent and they're up a massive 35 per cent since 2021-22. That means they've grown from $2.6 billion to $3.6 billion. Let's compare the records. In the coalition's last five years in office, the financial assistance grants increased by $368 million. In Labor's first five years, they have increased by $943 million.”
“I rise today to oppose this motion. I spent eight years on the ground as a local councillor for the Shire of Mundaring and served proudly as the deputy shire president before coming into this place. Today I'm proud to continue that advocacy right here in federal parliament as the co-chair of the Parliamentary Friends of Local Government group. I know firsthand the financial pressures that councils face, the critical reliance on federal funding partnerships and the deep frustration in dealing with a federal government that leaves you behind—and that is exactly what the coalition did for a decade. The reality is quite simple: the Albanese Labor government is delivering for local government, while the coalition spent a decade leaving them behind. Local councils are the lifeblood of our communities.”
“Barry's life was defined by helping others. He was a lifelong St John's ambulance officer, an Army Reserve medic and a life member of the Gidgegannup Agricultural Society. Even in retirement, he was happiest on his 135 Fergie tractor, weeding the garden and volunteering. Barry was diagnosed at 80 with MND, and he faced this cruel disease with dignity. His voluntary passing, along with the recent deeply felt loss of AFL legend and MND champion Neale Daniher, reminds us all of the urgent need to find a cure for MND. Rest in peace, Barry.”
“I rise today to pay tribute to a remarkable constituent from Bullwinkel, Barry Howard, who recently passed away after a courageous battle with motor neurone disease. He utilised the WA law of voluntary assisted dying. I first met Barry and his wonderful wife, Barbara, when she contacted my office seeking assistance to help them navigate their aged-care packages. I visited Barry and Barbara in their homes several times and had the privilege of learning about his life. It was a quiet life dedicated to service, hard work and deep community spirit. Born in the Wheatbelt town of Dalwallinu, Barry was a true jack of all trades. He dedicated 32 years to Transperth, earned a diploma in transport management and never met a problem he couldn't fix. He met Barbara in 1957 and was married in 1964, raising three beautiful children.”
“My question is to the Minister for Housing. How is the Albanese Labor government helping more Australians achieve the dream of homeownership, and how will the government's approach benefit more Australians compared with other approaches?”
“My question is to the Treasurer. How will the Albanese Labor government's tax cuts help workers? And how will the government's tax reforms help first home buyers and home buyers? How does this compare with other approaches?”
“Behind all of this are the people who make our ag sector what it is: our farmers, fishers and regional communities. We know the pressures that they are under, we know the challenges they face and we're backing them, because this government will always have their back.”
“We understand how significant that change is to our Western Australian farmers, particularly in my electorate of Bullwinkel, and that is why we have committed almost $140 million to help producers, transport operators and regional communities plan for their future. Through this transition funding, we are supporting farmers to diversify, invest in new opportunities and strengthen their long-term viability while helping transport operators adapt and continue contributing to the regional economies. Finally, food security remains one of the most important responsibilities of any government. Australia has a world-class food system, but we cannot take that for granted. That's why we're developing 'Feeding Australia: A National Food Security Strategy' to ensure that our food systems remain strong, resilient and prepared for future challenges.”
“We are working closely with industry to ensure supply keeps flowing and that farmers have what they need to keep producing. For WA, drought resilience is absolutely crucial. This government has invested more than $1.3 billion in rural support and drought preparedness. We are delivering the new drought resilience hubs, including in southern and northern Western Australia, connecting farmers with the latest science, technology and expertise to prepare for and respond to drought. We are also backing with real financial support, including concessional loans and drought hardship assistance, so that farmers can get access when they need it the most. At the same time in WA, we are supporting communities through the transition of the live sheep exports by sea.”
“Since 2022, we have delivered 272 market access outcomes, opening new markets, improving export conditions and restoring lost opportunities. We have repaired relationships that were neglected for nearly a decade and secured the removal of trade barriers worth $20 billion, including restoring trade with China. We are strengthening ties with India, implementing our agreements with the UAE and expanding opportunities right across our region. For WA producers that means more markets, better prices and more certainty. But we also know farmers cannot take advantage of these opportunities if they're under pressure at home. That is why we've taken practical steps on fuel and fertiliser supply. We are underwriting purchases to secure supply, releasing fuel stockholdings and supporting the import of critical fertiliser like urea.”
“Across WA and across the country, farmers are facing extreme weather, rising costs and ongoing uncertainty. On top of that, global instability, including the conflict in the Middle East, is putting enormous pressure on supply chains including fuel and fertiliser, and that creates real concern for farmers, fishers, freight operators and the regional communities that rely on them. That is why the government is acting, supporting these industries now, while investing in their future. When we came to office, agriculture was worth about $88 billion. Today, it's forecast to exceed $100 billion in this financial year, four years ahead of the National Farmers' Federation 2030 target. That growth is being driven by strong trade.”
“I rise today to support the appropriation bill for the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry. The Albanese Labor government and Minister Julie Collins are committed to a strong and sustainable agricultural sector, one that continues to grow, back regional jobs and support communities right across Western Australia and beyond. Agriculture is the backbone of our regions. It drives our exports, underpins local economies and feeds our nation and other nations. Since coming to government, we have been delivering for farmers and producers, strengthening biodiversity, boosting the workforce, opening new trade opportunities and supporting more sustainable farming practices. Let's be clear: Labor is the party for farmers, and we know it has been a tough period.”
“May the next 30 years for the Mundaring Firefighters School be just as productive as the last 30 years has been, and may it show the same sense of courage, commitment and collaboration that brought us to this proud day. Congratulations, Mundaring Firefighters School, on 30 years of keeping us safe.”
“Protecting our environment is a collective effort, and I encourage everyone to support these centres through donations or volunteering. I look forward to working with Minister Watt to continue to champion the resources that they need to do their vital work. I also rise today to recognise the cornerstone of community safety in the Perth Hills. We celebrated the 30th anniversary of the Mundaring Firefighters School. What makes this milestone truly remarkable is that this is a place where volunteers train other volunteers. It's a cycle of mentorship and shared responsibility, and over 9,000 people have been trained there over the last 30 years. To every volunteer, both the trainers passing on their wisdom and the trainees stepping up for the first time: thank you. You embody the spirit of service that defines Mundaring.”
“We also visited the dedicated team at Kanyana Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre in Lesmurdie. Kanyana is a cornerstone of wildlife care in the Perth Hills. It provides a lifeline for sick, injured and orphaned native animals while it leads critical breeding programs for threatened species. Seeing their hospital and education programs in action reinforces how much our local environment relies on the tireless efforts of volunteers. I want to send a massive shout-out to the staff and volunteers at both Kaarakin and Kanyana. Your passion is the heartbeat of these operations, and I specifically want to congratulate Kaarakin's founder and the City of Gosnells councillor Glenn Dewhurst for his enduring commitment. These facilities are a credit to everyone.”
“Today I rise to express my sincere thanks to the federal Minister for the Environment and Water, Senator Murray Watt. He visited my electorate of Bullwinkel recently, and it was a privilege to showcase the incredible dedication of our local conservationists and the unique biodiversity that we're so fortunate to have in our own backyard in Western Australia. Our first stop was the Kaarakin Black Cockatoo Conservation Centre in Martin. Kaarakin is a vital sanctuary, currently rehabilitating around 300 black cockatoos. These birds are icons of the WA skyline, and ensuring their survival is a priority for our entire community. I was pleased to have the minister there to hear firsthand about the plight of these birds and the urgent need for facility upgrades and additional funding to support Kaarakin's amazing work.”
“We are doing so in a measured and responsible way, providing certainty through staged implementation and ongoing consultation on the more complex elements. This approach reflects best practice. This legislation represents meaningful reform. It delivers tax relief to millions of workers. It supports more Australians into homeownership. It encourages investment where it is most needed. And it simplifies the tax system and reduces compliance costs. It does all this while strengthening the sustainability of our budget and economy. This is what responsible government looks like. This is what reform in the national interest looks like. These reforms are the reforms that make our economy work better for more Australians. I commend this bill to the House.”
“Responsible economic management is about making choices, and it's about balancing support today with sustainability tomorrow. This legislation reflects that balance. At its core, this tax-reform package is about intergenerational fairness. For too long, structural issues in our tax system have been allowed to persist—issues that distort markets, entrench inequality and place increasing pressure on younger Australians. This government is taking those challenges very seriously. We are not deferring them. We are addressing them. We are ensuring that our tax system is fit for purpose, not just for today but for decades ahead. We are creating a system that supports aspiration, rewards work and directs investment to where it is most productive.”
“It comes with another important benefit: it reduces compliance costs by an estimated $380 million annually. That is time and money that is back in the pockets of Australians. It is a reform that recognises the value of people's time and makes everyday interactions with the tax system easier and more efficient. These measures do not stand alone. They form part of our broader strategy to strengthen the economy, improve productivity and ensure long-term fiscal sustainability. We are delivering these reforms whilst managing the budget responsibly, making substantial expenditure savings, strengthening Medicare, securing our fuel supplies and providing cost-of-living relief to Australians. We are also supporting investment through a broader productivity agenda, by cutting red tape and reducing regulatory costs by more than $10 billion per year.”
“This is a practical way of giving back to the next generation, helping them to get ahead, save and build for their future. Schedule 4 of the legislation introduces another practical and impactful reform: a $1,000 instant tax deduction for work related expenses. This measure delivers on our election commitment to make tax simpler, faster and fairer. Each year, millions of Australians spend time and money gathering receipts and navigating complex rules to claim work related deductions. These reforms cut through that complexity. Workers will be able to claim an automatic $1,000 deduction—no paperwork required. For those with higher expenses, the option remains to claim actual costs. This measure is expected to deliver, to around 6.2 million workers in the first year, an average tax saving of around $205.”
“It will effectively increase the tax-free threshold for workers, boosting it to nearly $20,000, or close to $25,000 for those eligible for the low-income tax offset. Combined with our previous tax cuts and other measures in this package, this will benefit the average worker by almost $3,000 by 2028. This is real cost of living relief. It helps workers keep more of what they earn, it encourages workforce participation and it supports aspiration, because people should be rewarded for their efforts. Importantly, this measure is not temporary. It is a permanent improvement to the structure of the tax system. It is particularly significant for younger Australians. Millennials and gen Zs are expected to make up around two-thirds of the beneficiaries.”
“We are also consulting carefully on how these reforms will apply to startups and businesses with low or zero cost bases, because we recognise the important role that they play in our economy. These changes strike the right balance. They improve fairness, support housing supply and enhance productivity. I now turn to schedule 3, the introduction of the working Australians tax offset. This is a new, permanent structural improvement to our tax system. From the 2027-28 income year, it will provide a $250 tax offset to Australians that are earning income from work. More than 13 million Australian workers will benefit. This is a straightforward measure with a powerful impact. It recognises a simple truth: for most Australians, particularly young Australians, income comes from work, and the tax system should reflect that.”
“Under the current settings, investments have been skewed towards assets that benefit most from tax concessions, particularly established housing, and these distortions have had wide-ranging consequences for both housing affordability and economic efficiency. By applying these reforms consistently across asset classes, we avoid creating new distortions. We are creating a more neutral system, one that directs investment towards where it earns the best real return, not the greatest tax advantage. Importantly, these changes preserve existing small business capital gains tax concessions. The vast majority of small businesses will continue to benefit from reduced or zero capital gains tax when they sell.”
“It does not punish existing investors. Instead, it redirects future investors with future incentives in new builds. It encourages investment where it is most needed, and we all know that is in new housing supply. By doing so, it is expected to support around 75,000 Australians into homeownership over the next decade. This is about opening the door to homeownership for more Australians. Alongside this, the legislation reforms capital gains tax arrangements. From 1 July 2027, we are replacing the blanket 50 per cent discount with a system of cost base indexation paired with a 30 per cent minimum tax. This is a sensible and measured reform. It restores the system to its original intent, ensuring that investors are taxed on real gains and not inflationary gains. It also reduces the distortion in investment decisions.”
“These are important changes as they go to one of the most pressing challenges that we face as a nation—housing affordability. For too long, the current tax settings have locked out many Australians from owning their own home, particularly young Australians. The existing system has incentivised investment in established properties, and that investment is over the new housing supply, so it's contributed to rising prices and reduced accessibility. This legislation addresses that. It limits negative gearing for residential properties to only new builds for properties purchased after budget night, with changes taking effect from 1 July 2027. Importantly, these changes are grandfathered, meaning that Australians who currently own investment properties or negatively gear will not be affected. This is a targeted reform.”
“Through these reforms, we are reducing the tax burden for 13 million workers. We're supporting around 75,000 more Australians into homeownership. We're delivering $3.5 billion in new measures to support businesses and startups and cutting compliance costs by around $540 million every year. This legislation builds on our government's record of responsible economic management. It ensures that the revenue raised is returned to workers and businesses in the near term while improving the sustainability of the budget over the medium term. These reforms are sensible, thoughtful, balanced and necessary. They address the distortions that have built up over decades while supporting growth and opportunity across the economy. I want to turn to schedules 1 and 2 of the legislation—reforms to negative gearing and the capital gains tax.”
“I rise today to speak in strong support of the Treasury Laws Amendment (Tax Reform No. 1) Bill 2026. This legislation represents one of the most significant and forward-looking tax reform packages in more than a generation. At its heart, it's about building a tax system and an economy that works in the interests of more Australians. It's about fairness, aspiration and responsibility. It's about ensuring that we look to the future and that we're not leaving difficult structural problems for the next generation to fix. The Albanese Labor government is delivering a new round of tax cuts, helping more Australians achieve the dream of homeownership and supporting investment and innovation. This package is pro-worker, pro-investment, and pro-aspiration. It is designed with a clear purpose to make the system simpler, fairer and more sustainable.”
“We're doing this by extending the battery back-up power at mobile phone stations, and installing up to 23 automatic transfer units for when the power does go out. This is our commitment to resilience of communications—just as our budget 2026 is delivering a resilient economy and providing safer communities and levelling the playing field, particularly for first-time homebuyers. Labor is delivering.”
“After that earlier earbashing, I'd like to talk about the storms that have been bashing WA. Over the weekend we had a severe, one-in-50-year weather event in Perth and in the south-west of WA. I was right there with them, experiencing the intense blackouts and the isolation that wild weather triggers in Bullwinkel. I want to extend my deepest gratitude to the SES workers and all the emergency volunteers. They work tirelessly, around the clock, in dangerous conditions, to help keep Western Australians safe. Thank you. This event underscores the reason the Albanese Labor government's $1.2 million investment into mobile phone resilience across the Perth Hills is so critical. We are delivering on my election commitment to protect our community and our communications when the power goes out and the storms hit.”
“The scale of AGLG's impact is extraordinary, with more than 1.4 million native seedlings planted over the last 30 years. On average, AGLG has maintained 25 project sites each year, hosted 600 community events and 200 school programs, and engaged thousands of students. More than 34,000 volunteers have contributed over 74,000 hours, valued at an estimated $2.7 million. This is more than environmental work; it is a long-term investment in the health, resilience and beauty of our natural space. AGLG has made a lasting difference to both the environment and our community. Congratulations again to Pat and the team. May your important work continue for many more years to come.”
“Its impact goes beyond projects by inspiring people to learn, get involved and care. Much of this success reflects Pat Hart's leadership. Through her work securing funding and championing education and community engagement, AGLG has built a strong volunteer base and secured more than $5.6 million in grants and sponsorship as well as $10 million in federal funding for the Canning River, with support from neighbouring MP Minister Matt Keogh. Anyone who has visited Roley Pools in Roleystone knows how special a place it is, and places like this remind us that this takes years of care and dedication. I also acknowledge Cam Clay, Wayne van Lieven and Dan Walker for their important contributions, along with the councils and mayors of the city of Armadale and city of Gosnells for supporting the group over three decades.”
“Having started environmental restoration projects myself, I know the effort it takes to bring them to life. I warmly congratulate Pat Hart and the staff and volunteers of the Armadale Gosnells Landcare Group on their remarkable 30-year anniversary. Bullwinkel is fortunate to have such a dedicated organisation protecting its natural environment. Funded through the collaboration of two local governments, the group has become a cornerstone of environmental stewardship. Its work across the Canning and Wungong catchments, together with the bushland and wetlands restoration, has made a lasting mark on the landscape. AGLG has consistently protected and restored ecosystems, improving water quality, and has strengthened community responsibility for the environment.”
“As Laura Hunter from ACOSS rightly said, a product that kills two of three long-term users should not be readily accessible in our communities. I commend this bill to the House.”
“We are closing the loopholes that allow these products to flood our convenience stores, and we're making it clear that, if you sell vapes to kids in our community, we are coming for your profits and your liberty. There is much more to do around tobacco, and this bill is about much more than just tobacco itself. It's about the kind of society that we want to live in. We want to protect small businesses, prioritise the health of our children and ensure that crime does not pay. As a nurse, I have seen the consequences of tobacco use up close. I've held the hands of patients struggling for breath. I've sat with families as they have navigated the heartbreak of preventable illness. In the clinical setting, we fight to save lives one person at a time, and I'm very proud to be in a House where we have the power to protect millions.”
“These laws, which include the power to shut down illegal shops for up to a year, provide the perfect state-level complement to the federal bill that we are debating today, and this is what Labor in power looks like—federal and state governments working as one to protect our communities and put criminals behind bars. I briefly want to touch on the e-cigarettes aspect of this bill. We have seen an explosion in disposable vapes, often sold in bright colours with flavours like watermelon or bubblegum, and these are not smoking-cessation tools. They are a delivery system for high-concentration nicotine, designed to appeal to teenagers. The 14 million seizures that I mentioned earlier—this bill will give us the legislative teeth that we need to go further.”
“The only way to truly shut down this trade is if the Commonwealth, states and territories work seamlessly together. The criminals, of course, don't care about state borders, but neither should our enforcement efforts. On that note of cooperation, I want to take a moment and give a significant shout-out to my colleagues in the Western Australian parliament, the Cook Labor government—no relation. In March of this year, the WA parliament passed some of the toughest, most comprehensive tobacco and vaping laws in this country. By introducing massive financial penalties—up to $21 million for companies—and potential 15-year prison sentences, Premier Roger Cook and health minister Meredith Hammat have sent a clear message: WA will not be a playground for organised crime.”
“Our strategy is built on three clear, actionable pillars: disruption at the border, where we're stopping the flow of it before it reaches our shores; enhanced detection and destruction using state-of-the-art technology to find and seize products within our communities; and national coordination, breaking down the silos between the Commonwealth and state authorities to ensure there are no blind spots for criminals to exploit. The results speak for themselves. Since January 2024, in a country of nearly 30 million people, more than 14 million vaping products have been seized by the Australian Border Force. In just the final six months of last year, we took over a billion illicit cigarettes off the streets. That is a billion cigarettes that do not fund a crime syndicate and do not end up in the lungs of Australians.”
“The Albanese Labor government is not just talking about this issue; we are delivering the resources that we need to win this fight. Since 2023-24, we have provided $346 million in funding to the Australian Border Force, a significant investment in our front line, and we also appointed the first ever Illicit Tobacco and E-cigarette Commissioner and backed back this with an additional $21.3 million in the 2025-26 budget. This commissioner is the general in this fight, coordinating our national response across every agency.”
“For too long, the penalties for dealing in illicit tobacco were seen by criminals as a mere cost of doing business—quite affordable. If the fine is $50,000 but the profit is $500,000, the criminal will pay the fine with a smile. This bill ends that. We are raising offence penalties to match the actual severity of the harm caused, ensuring that the punishment is a genuine deterrent and not a line item in a ledger. Second, we are attacking the profit motive. By making the proceeds-of-crime regime more effective, we are going after the one thing that criminals care about: their money. We are expanding law enforcement powers to investigate and ensure that the consequences for criminal actors are swift, severe and financially ruinous.”
“However, when the availability of cheap, unregulated, illicit tobacco, often sold without health warnings and in attractive non-compliant packaging, threatens to undo that progress, this is particularly concerning in regard to our youth. The explosion of illicit chop-chop and unregulated e-cigarettes is designed to hook a new generation on the devastating product of nicotine. By removing the price signals and health warnings that we know work, these criminal actors are directly attacking the health of our children. We cannot allow the progress of the last 30 years to be torched by criminals looking for a quick profit. This bill addresses the crisis by fundamentally changing the business model of illicit tobacco through two key objectives. First, we are rebalancing the risk-to-reward calculation.”
“… … … Forty thousand outlets is an open invitation for illegal operators to exploit the system. She went on: When tobacco is sold on every corner, it makes enforcement harder and it normalises a deadly product … We must also address the risk this poses to decades of national tobacco control policy. Australia has been the world leader in lowering smoking rates, through plain packaging, education and sensible taxation. As a nurse, I am of course totally supportive of these measures, having seen the devastating effects of smoking. I remember when every second person on buses, in workplaces and even on aeroplanes smoked, and we've come a long way since those times to protect our future generations.”