Ali France
Dickson · Australian Labor Party · Australia
“I rise to speak on the Aviation Consumer Protection Bill 2026 and the related bills. Australia is a big country, and we are a long way from almost everywhere, including, very often, from each other. That makes aviation more than a convenience for Aussies. It is how we travel to see our family and friends.”
“The project was funded, the business case was done, the designing and planning work was done, consultation was done, preferred tenderers identified and the site prepared.”
“The only mention is 'to progress the delivery of a number of hospitals, including the Queensland Cancer Centre'. That's where the information stops. That's because there are no real plans to start the build.”
“Most importantly, it will be free for the consumer to use to pursue a remedy to their complaint. Second, the bills establish an aviation consumer protections charter.”
“The aircraft noise ombudsperson will be independent of Airservices Australia and the Department of Defence, consistent with the commitment made in the aviation white paper. The ombudsperson will have the capacity to publish independent reports and make recommendations to the government for policy or regulatory change.”
“It is the most significant reform to aviation consumer protection this country has seen, and it flows directly from our aviation white paper—our plan to protect passengers while keeping our aviation sector competitive and while keeping our proud safety record intact. Let me set out what these bills actually do.”
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“This disgraceful practice forces customers into more expensive, often similar coverage, making it difficult to find, compare and maintain better value policies. By doing this, insurers have been able to sidestep scrutiny and quietly reduce the quality of care while hiking up the cost for families. It is a sneaky practice that destroys consumer confidence. The Australian Private Hospitals Association called them 'insurance cowboys', and the Australian Medical Association president said it well when she said: The widespread practice of phoenixing is a major factor in consumers struggling to access the level of cover that meets their needs … If you've been paying into a policy for years, you shouldn't wake up to find your benefits have been gutted through a technicality. This bill stops this quite mercenary practice.”
“They do this to avoid government regulated caps on annual premium increases. For example, the government cap on premium increase in the 2025 financial year was about 3.7 per cent. We know of one insurer that offered a 'premium gold' product in February 2025, only to close it and launch an 'optimum gold' product that was almost identical but priced 35 per cent higher. CHOICE research found that, while average health insurance premiums rose by 11.9 per cent over a four-year period, health insurers use phoenixing to close older, cheaper policies and replace them with more expensive, near-identical products to increase the average price of gold-level hospital cover by up to 45 per cent.”
“Consumers will be able to compare the costs of individual medical practitioners, helping them make informed decisions about their own health care. We know that surprise out-of-pocket bills for specialist services have been a household stress for way too long, and we are taking action to fix this. Another important part to this bill is the outlawing of product phoenixing. To put it simply, some private health insurers have been closing down existing insurance products only to reopen almost identical ones under a different name and at a higher premium or reduced value. This means a consumer, who may have paid fees monthly for decades for health insurance, expecting a certain level of coverage, can suddenly have their insurance cancelled and replaced by a new product that costs them more or has less coverage.”
“It also showed that the median specialist gap fee for in-hospital care has risen 22 per cent since 2022, which has meant thousands of dollars in out-of-pocket costs for procedures. One in two patients did not know their specialist fee before attending, 38 per cent received an unexpected bill, 55 per cent paid more than expected and nearly one in three reported being charged illegal booking or admin fees. Patients deserve to know the price tag before they receive the service. This bill transforms the Medical Costs Finder website from a failed experiment into a meaningful platform. By integrating data from Medicare, hospitals and insurers, we are providing individual specialists' fees and out-of-pocket costs without adding any new administrative burden on our hardworking doctors.”
“I'm pleased to see those opposite supporting these much-needed changes tonight, because, for a family in Dickson trying to budget for a knee reconstruction or a hip replacement or to see a psychiatrist to get an ADHD diagnosis, that website was useless. It left them walking into specialists' offices with no idea how much they would be charged. This is not choice; it is being blindsided. According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, medical and hospital costs are a primary strain on the family budget. We are seeing massive variations in specialist fees, where patients are charged wildly different amounts for exactly the same procedure. Private Healthcare Australia released new data recently that is truly shocking. It showed some specialists are charging between $500 and $1,000 in out-of-pocket upfront fees for a first appointment.”
“They said this website would display the cost of common medical services alongside the fees that individual specialists charge, and those specialists would voluntarily share their fees to the website—effectively asking them to dob themselves in. It was, of course, a truly epic fail. Out of 6,300 eligible specialists, how many do you think uploaded their fees in 2022? Six—not six per cent; six individual doctors. Three years later, that number had slowly crawled to 88 out of 6,300. Without mandatory reporting, this tool is effectively a multimillion dollar suggestion box that has failed to gain any real traction.”
“This bill will do two incredibly important things: make cost transparency the default, not an option, and crack down on sneaky private health insurance product phoenixing. To understand why this legislation is so vital, we should have a look at the mess we inherited. For nearly a decade, the previous government sat on its hands while out-of-pocket medical costs spiralled, particularly to see a specialist. Their solution was the Medical Costs Finder website, a project that became a textbook example of a taxpayer funded big, fat fail. The Morrison government spent $24 million setting up the Medical Costs Finder website.”
“When you need a timely specialist medical appointment or a procedure, it's only fair and reasonable that you also know the out-of-pocket costs of that treatment—how much you're going to pay when you wake up from that surgery. Patients want to be able to access care without experiencing bill shock, and many across the country have experienced that shock. This bill makes changes that will give patients the power to scrutinise the cost of specialist fees and make informed decisions about their health care and private health insurance. It is about ensuring that, when an Australian family chooses a specialist or a private health product, they can do so with their eyes wide open.”
“It also puts a stop to phoenixing, where insurance companies suddenly shut down a policy and move consumers onto a new but almost identical policy at a higher cost or with less coverage. We know consumers are quite often shocked by the increase in their private health premiums at the start of a new financial year. That shock has eroded confidence in our private healthcare system. This bill is part of the Albanese Labor government's mission to strengthen our healthcare system and protect Medicare. For the people I represent in Dickson and for families right across Australia, the cost of specialists and private health insurance have been growing issues discussed around kitchen tables around the country. They are line items in the family budget that, under those opposite, became harder and harder to predict and manage.”
“I rise to speak on the Health Legislation Amendment (Improving Choice and Transparency for Private Health Consumers) Bill 2026. No-one here is surprised that many Aussies with private health insurance are paying more out-of-pocket costs and rising premiums and that many are considering dumping their private health cover as a result. For public or private patients seeing a private specialist, we know that the gap fees are equally daunting, with many having to pay hundreds in out-of-pocket fees for a single appointment. This translates to pressure on our public health system and longer waiting times to see a specialist for elective surgery and non-urgent procedures. This bill is a step towards greater transparency of gap fees.”
“On housing, we have an ambitious $45 billion plan to build 1.2 million homes, despite those opposite blocking our housing legislation along with the Greens. Right now, 153 new social and affordable homes are being built in Joyner, in my community, as part of our $10 billion Housing Australia Future Fund. We're delivering tax cuts, higher wages, cheaper medicines, better health care and more housing—real relief. Those opposite oppose nearly every single one of these measures. On this side of the House, we are focused on fuel security and delivering cost-of-living relief. Those opposite have literally done everything in their power to make it tougher for everyday Aussies. I urge those opposite to be patriotic—to back Aussies, not work against us.”
“Let's not forget their $600 billion nuclear plan that would take 20 years to build and push up household electricity bills by hundreds of dollars. Unlike those opposite, we are delivering real cost-of-living relief for Aussies. It is our No. 1 priority. We're cutting taxes for every Australian taxpayer, with another round of tax cuts taking effect on 1 July and again the following year. We've delivered increases in the minimum wage and major pay rises for workers in feminised industries. We've provided energy bill relief and taken 30 per cent off home batteries. Over 1,700 homes and businesses in Dickson alone have taken up that battery discount. Those opposite called it elitist. On Medicare, we have delivered the single largest investment ever, $8.5 billion, for bulk-billing and more GPs and $1.8 billion in extra hospital funding.”
“Prior to that, the coalition, under the direction of the opposition leader, held our fuel reserves in Texas, not Australia. Those opposite also presided over the closure of four of Australia's remaining six refineries while in government. Your record on fuel security was appalling and put our country and primary producers at risk. The member for Goldstein moved this motion, so let's move onto his record and the record of those opposite on cost of living. It's no secret that the member for Goldstein, the new shadow Treasurer, supports privatising Medicare and has talked about patients taking on the financial burden of public health care. Here's a translation: the member for Goldstein wants patients to pay more.”
“Our new fuel supply taskforce is working directly with states and territories to make sure fuel gets to where it is needed most. We are cracking down on petrol price gouging, doubling penalties for companies that try to profit at the expense of Australian families to $100 million. We've taken real action on fuel security and are responding to global changes. Unlike those opposite, we are actually delivering. Those opposite left us a dire inheritance: fuel insecurity, record debt, a housing crisis, energy uncertainty and a healthcare system under serious strain. We now have a national fuel reserve in Australia because, when we came to government, we established one. In 2023, we introduced new rules requiring Australia's two remaining refineries and major importers to hold baseline stocks of fuel onshore.”
“I rise to speak on the somewhat warped MPI move by the member for Goldstein. I really thank him for it because I love talking about Labor's cost-of-living measures, and I'm really happy to inform those opposite about our national fuel reserve in Australia, something that those opposite could never do. We all know global conflict is disrupting fuel supply chains, and this government is acting. We've released a fifth of our fuel reserves and directed that fuel to areas with shortages. We've temporarily allowed lower quality fuel that was destined for export to be used in Australia, enabling an extra 100 million litres of fuel to areas of need. We're also supporting Australian refineries to produce more domestically.”
“My question is to the Prime Minister. How is the Albanese Labor government working with the states and territories, industry and our international partners to respond to the ongoing disruptions to global trade caused by the war in the Middle East?”
“The urgent need for more dedicated beds at the RBWH impacts people right across Queensland who must come to Brisbane for a transplant. It is unacceptable that the lives of young people are being compromised due to a lack of beds. I urge the Queensland government to reconsider and to start construction of the Queensland Cancer Centre.”
“There is no line item in last year's budget or the forward estimates. It feels to me like it's been erased. It is quite difficult to comprehend the thinking behind this decision. It is cruel. It is a decision made on a spreadsheet, far removed from the reality of a parent watching their child get sicker. Now we're left with no centre and no construction date. The Queensland Cancer Strategy 2024 set out a plan to expand cancer services across regional areas and hospitals, as well as the construction of the Queensland Cancer Centre for more complex cancer services—all costed and budgeted for. While the Crisafulli government seems to be talking about more cancer services in the regions, which I am all for, there is radio silence on the Queensland Cancer Centre.”
“I spoke to staff about the risk to Henry at the time, and their response was always the same: 'Sorry, there's no other option right now, but there's a new Queensland cancer hospital on the way. That will change things.' Now there is no light on the hill. The Queensland Cancer Centre was due to start construction last year. Funding had been allocated, and the preferred contractor had been engaged to progress the design. It was shovel-ready. It was to be built within the Herston Health Precinct on the RBWH site. Plans called for 150 dedicated beds, four operating theatres, outpatient consultant rooms, pathology, pharmacy and chemotherapy services, but the Queensland Crisafulli government has put those plans on ice. They have pushed back construction of the Queensland Cancer Centre until 2031 at the earliest.”
“His health and his mental health were constantly at risk because the RBWH, as a specialist centre for bone marrow transplants and blood cancers, is not fit for purpose in 2026. He regularly shared cramped four-bed, single-bathroom rooms with much older patients when severely immune compromised after his transplant. Many of those older patients were dying, extremely ill and incontinent and had Alzheimer's and dementia, and the impact on his mental health was devastating. One day he tried to run away. I found him in the hospital car park crying, begging to never have to go back. No teenager should have to endure an overcrowded hospital, sharing rooms with much older patients in wards that compromise their health and increase their risk of an early death.”
“My boy, Henry, lost his battle with leukaemia at the Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital on 20 February 2024. We were told on a Sunday afternoon that he would not make it, and by Tuesday he was gone, taking his last breath in the cancer ward—the general cancer ward at the RBWH. He spent 12 months almost constantly in hospital after a bone marrow transplant. While the dedicated nurses, doctors and healthcare professionals did absolutely everything they could for him, for us, his experience at the RBWH was fraught and distressing, not just because he was fighting cancer but because the hospital did not have enough space or enough isolation beds, and it had no beds specifically for 18-year-olds in an adult system.”
“This is a difficult speech for me because it's personal, but it is not unique. I am telling it in the hope that the Queensland government reverses its decision to delay—effectively cancel—the construction of the Queensland Cancer Centre, which was to be a state-of-the-art hospital and centre for research and treatment excellence. The hospital was due to start construction last year, in 2025, and begin treating cancer patients from 2028. It was shovel-ready, with funding allocated by the former Queensland Labor government and the Albanese Labor government. It was a lifeline for cancer patients across Queensland—in particular, leukaemia and blood cancer patients. Years of planning, of staff and patients making do until construction, are all now in the bin.”
“Colleen raised Michael, instilling in him an unwavering commitment to social justice, and that little boy went on to study law at QUT and then, of course, to become the first Labor member for Fisher, the very first member for Dickson and the Attorney-General of Australia in the Keating government. Colleen was the backbone of her local branch, a tireless election campaigner and a life member of the Queensland branch. Vale, Colleen Lavarch.”
“I rise to honour the exceptional life of Colleen Lavarch, who left us in February, aged 94. She devoted her life to her two great loves: her family and the Australian Labor Party. She grew up inCamooweal, the daughter of the local publican, and was a single mum when she was motivated to join the ALP, after Gough Whitlam was dismissed in 1975. Like my own grandmother, she was aghast that the founder of Medibank and free university had been removed. More than 50 years of campaigning for Labor in the Moreton Bay region followed, and her little love, Michael, followed her every step—letterboxing, street stalls and many election days together. They had a special bond. Michael recounted on the weekend that his mum, unmarried, had been put under pressure to give him up for adoption in 1961—she refused.”
“The $33.1 million Lakes Activation project complements the $205 million Olympic and Paralympic legacy venue, and it's right next door to the UniSC Moreton Bay Petrie station, the Mitchell Water Park and more. These projects will not only transform Petrie but the whole region, a true demonstration of what we can do when all three levels of government work together.”
“If you told me 10 years ago that Petrie in my electorate of Dickson would become home to a world-class university, an Olympic and Paralympic Games venue and a new lakes precinct with three kilometres of waterfront walkways, I would have choked on my Weet-Bix. It sounds more like South Bank in Brisbane than Moreton Bay. But record investment by the Albanese Labor government in infrastructure and education is delivering exactly that. I recently walked the new lakefront walkway at the Mill site with Mayor Peter Flannery and state MP Shane King. The lakes precinct, located beside the future Moreton Bay Indoor Sports Centre for Brisbane 2032, is being delivered under the $1.8 billion South East Queensland City Deal, a partnership between federal and state governments and local councils.”
“We've built over 5,000 social and affordable homes since being elected. For renters we've delivered real relief with back-to-back increases to Commonwealth rent assistance—nearly a 50 per cent boost—supporting 7,230 people in my electorate of Dickson. And we're backing the construction workforce, with more than 335 apprentices receiving $5,000 incentive payments. From 1 July 2025, it will be up to $10,000 through Labor's Key Apprenticeship Program. These appropriation bills have ensured responsible cost-of-living relief. The Albanese Labor government is focused on getting inflation under control while easing cost-of-living pressures for Australian families. That is what my electorate of Dickson voted for and that's what we are delivering here.”
“We're also investing in more social and affordable housing through the $10 billion Housing Australia Future Fund to support the delivery of 55,000 social and affordable homes right across Australia. One hundred and fifty-three of those new homes are being built right now in Joyner, in my community of Dickson. Of course, those opposite not only opposed our investment in social and affordable homes but have also said they would repeal the laws that have allowed investment in these homes. They have said our $10 billion investment fund for social and affordable homes was a 'warped' approach. I tell you what's truly warped. It's the coalition's record on construction of social and affordable homes in the nine years they were in government. There were just 373 homes in nine years. That's not just warped; it is neglect.”
“I know my local nurses and childcare workers value and love what they do. The Albanese Labor government is also taking strong steps to ensure Australians have a safe, secure and affordable home. We have an ambitious $45 billion plan to build 1.2 million homes across the country. Of course, those opposite blocked our plan in conjunction with the Greens, which delayed our progress for a long time. But, with the states and territories, we are doing everything we can to increase supply right across the country. Our five per cent deposit scheme for first-time buyers is making a real difference in my electorate of Dickson. Since we came to government, 1,713 people in Dickson have been able to buy their first home with a five per cent deposit, fast-tracking their way to homeownership.”
“For the first time in 30 years, we have put new contraception pills on the PBS, as well as menopause medications. That is what you get with a majority-female caucus. On that front—on the gender pay gap—it's worth reminding the House that those opposite voted against our three-day childcare guarantee, saying, 'It's not something the country can afford.' Working mums can't afford the coalition. We've provided 20 per cent off student debt, literally changing the lives of so many students. Those opposite called it 'reverse Robin Hood', basically labelling uni students 'the big end of town'. We've also funded more free TAFE and paid prac places. On that, they said, 'If you don't pay for something, you don't value it.' Well, in Queensland, the most popular free TAFE courses are nursing and early childhood education.”
“Almost 1,300 of those practices were previously mixed billing. In just three months, the bulk-billing rate for all Australians has jumped to 81.4 per cent nationwide. This is the largest quarterly jump in bulk-billing in 20 years. We've launched 1800MEDICARE, a free service that will get you a free consultation with a registered nurse—or a GP, if needed—over the phone. We've opened more fully bulk-billed Medicare urgent care clinics. That includes the Murrumba Downs UCC in my electorate. It is now a much-loved community service. We've made medicines cheaper, reducing the cost of medicines on the PBS to just $25—back to 2004 prices. And we're investing more than $790 million in our women's health package, providing Australian women with more choice and better treatment at a lower cost.”
“Interestingly, the new shadow Treasurer, the member for Goldstein, has previously suggested Medicare should be privatised. All Aussies should be low-key terrified of the member for Goldstein and of the Liberal Party's suggestion that he should ever be in charge of the country's finances. Our investment in Medicare is unmatched, because you should not have to rely on your credit card for essential health services and medications. The Albanese Labor government has tripled the bulk-billing incentive for people who need to see their GP most often and offered an extra incentive for whole GP practices to offer bulk-billing to every single patient. New data shows Australians can now access over 3,400 Medicare bulk-billing practices across the country. That number continues to grow every single week.”
“While they yell and scream about energy prices, they've voted against energy bill relief every single time. They are against investment in cheaper renewable energy. They called our Cheaper Home Batteries Program 'elitist'. Over 1,700 homes and businesses in my electorate of Dickson have taken up the 30 per cent discount on new home batteries—again, much needed cost-of-living relief opposed by those opposite. We've also delivered the single largest investment in Medicare ever: $8.5 billion for more bulk-billing and more doctors, and $1.8 billion in extra hospital funding. This is in stark contrast to those opposite. While in government, they tried—and, thankfully, failed—to introduce a GP co-payment, which would have effectively ended bulk-billing.”
“As a result, nominal wage growth is at its highest in nearly 15 years. We've seen an increase in the minimum wage and significant increases in award wages, particularly for feminised industries like child care and aged care. Early childhood educators and aged-care workers were leaving their sectors in droves prior to this wage rise because they could earn more working at Macca's or Kmart. Those much-needed wage rises, of course, were opposed by those opposite. The new deputy leader of the Liberals claimed that real wage increases would be the worst thing for Australians. Really? Minimum wage earners, educators and aged-care workers would respectfully disagree. We've provided energy bill relief and cheaper home batteries to help with the cost of household power bills—opposed by those opposite.”
“That's why we're providing tax cuts for every taxpayer, with another round coming into effect on 1 July and again next year. These are tax cuts opposed by those opposite. Our tax cuts, once implemented, will save Aussies an average of $50 a week—$50 a week back into the pockets of every Australian, opposed by those opposite. We also know that Aussies are now earning more and keeping more of what they earn. Under Labor, real wages are growing again. We know that those opposite intentionally limited wage growth while in government, a cruel approach that meant that the lowest-paid Aussies could not even crawl their way to a wage they could live on, let alone thrive on. Since coming to government, we have taken significant steps to deliver wage increases to address working poverty after a decade of neglect.”
“Just to rub salt into our cost-of-living wounds, that plan was widely panned by experts who said it would actually have increased electricity costs by hundreds of dollars for every household. Those opposite also went to the election promising to raise income taxes. No-one, and I mean no-one, understood this crazy plan—a plan that the new Leader of the Opposition, the then shadow Treasurer, was the architect of. He was the mastermind behind those proposed tax increases. Fantastic! Well done! Great move! In stark contrast, the Albanese Labor government is providing real help for people with the cost of living, as promised during the election. When I'm in my community knocking on doors or talking to locals at a coffee shop or a supermarket, cost-of-living relief is by far their No.1 concern.”
“Treasurer Jim Chalmers has also delivered two surpluses—something the previous coalition government could never achieve, no matter how many black mugs and premature slogans they put out. Along with record debt, those opposite also left us with a dire housing shortage, energy and fuel uncertainty and a serious lack of access to affordable health care. They left a hot mess, and you would think they would have recalibrated and gone to the last election with a plan to reduce the massive debt that they left us, but, instead, they decided to go all in, gambling with our economic security and proposing a spending spree to end all spending sprees—$600 billion on nuclear power stations that would take at least 20 years to build.”
“I rise to speak on the Appropriation Bill (No. 3) 2025-2026, the Appropriation Bill (No. 4) 2025-2026 and the Appropriation (Parliamentary Departments) Bill (No. 2) 2025-2026. Australia, like most of the world, continues to experience persistent inflationary pressures, but we know that inflation is much lower than when we came to government. Inflation has a three in front of it instead of a six, but it's still higher than we would like. We also know people are under pressure and are worried about paying the bills, including people in my electorate of Dickson. That is why we have been clear-eyed and focused on responsible cost-of-living relief while, at the same time, delivering a $235 billion turnaround in the budget. This government has got the Liberal debt down by $176 billion, saving Aussies $60 billion in debt interest.”
“My question is to the Minister for Housing, the Minister for Homelessness and the Minister for Cities. What is the Albanese Labor government doing to help Australians get into their first home, and how does this compare to alternative approaches?”
“And, as we continue steadfast in our commitment, we will listen to the voices of survivors, seek guidance from experts and be informed by evidence, because everyone deserves to live without fear of violence. I want to thank the commissioner and the team for their hard work towards addressing and ending violence against women and children in all its forms, and I really want to acknowledge our amazing Labor women's caucus, led by Ministers Gallagher and Plibersek and Assistant Ministers Kearney and White. Thank you for all of your work in this space.”
“The key messages and lines of the manosphere online are seeping into the relationships of our young people—undermining women's rights, reducing social barriers to abuse and promoting rigid traditional ideas of masculinity. Women are still dying—58 women in 2025. Women are still fighting to keep their children and themselves alive. This year, so far, eight women have died at the hands of a partner or former partner. Eight women have been failed by the systems that were supposed to protect them and their families. It's just not good enough; it's devastating. We will keep adapting to emerging challenges. We will work even harder to help women and children to reach safety and heal. We will better support children to recover and thrive. We will prioritise the most effective ways to change the behaviour of men who use violence.”
“Frontline workers are often the first, most trusted point of contact for victims-survivors. By investing in them, we're investing in the safety of every woman and child they reach. We are working to adapt to new challenges, We're addressing the impact of online harms through our social media ban and by restricting access to predatory technologies like nudify apps and undetectable stalking tools. While we have put decades of work into fighting domestic and family violence, it never seems to be enough, which is just gutting for gen Xers like me. Some of us feel that our hard-fought changes in this space are being eroded and that antifemale, gender biased, misogynistic talk is on the rise.”
“On the international day for the prevention of family, domestic and sexual violence, the Albanese Labor government announced a 40 per cent funding increase to the 1800RESPECT line, a 24-hour sexual assault, family and domestic violence counselling line for any and all Australians. Last financial year, 1800RESPECT received a whopping 342,000 calls, video calls, online chats and texts. Today Minister Plibersek and Assistant Minister Kearney announced a 72 per cent funding boost for our frontline family, domestic and sexual violence workforce. The Albanese Labor government will invest $291.7 million for the next phase of the 500 Workers Initiative, supporting the workforce and recognising the specialist skills and expertise they have to support women and children fleeing violence.”
“Now, it's harder for perpetrators to use the social security system to leave survivors with tens of thousands of dollars in debt. That reduces the barriers to women and children leaving violent relationships. We recently released 'Our Ways—Strong Ways—Our Voices', the first ever national Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander plan to end family, domestic and sexual violence. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women are seven times more likely to be the victims of intimate partner homicide and 27 times more likely than non-Indigenous women to be hospitalised due to family violence.”
“We are supporting essential frontline services with $700 million in new match funding with the states and territories to support women and children at risk to reach safety. We're investing over $81 million to support children who are trying to heal, expanding services like child-specific counselling. We're investing over $21 million to expand trauma informed legal services and pilot new services to help victims of sexual violence navigate the justice system. We're investing over $82 million to detect, monitor and intervene earlier with high-risk and serial domestic violence offenders. We have reformed the family law system so that it is safer, simpler and more accessible. Financial abuse is often hidden and unseen. Often it is a big reason why women feel it is impossible to leave an abusive relationship.”
“In her report, the commissioner expresses a clear sense of urgency, and this government shares that urgency. We have been relentless in our efforts to address gender based violence. Since coming to government, Labor has invested more than any Australian government ever—more than $4 billion in frontline services and preventive programs, as well as providing $3.9 billion in support for frontline legal assistance services. We've made the $5,000 leaving violence payment permanent, providing support for women leaving violence. Over 100,000 people have accessed this payment. We're investing $1.2 billion in emergency and transitional housing, and we've legislated 10 days of domestic violence leave.”
“She spoke of the heartbreak and the guilt but also of the shame and the judgement she felt as a result of interactions with police and hospital staff, how she became homeless as a result of the abuse, the court battles she fought and the decade-long impact on her life and the lives of all those around her. We all know in this place that her story is not unique. Since being elected to this place, I have sat with many women in my community who are struggling with the impacts of domestic violence. Even if they manage to leave their abusive partners, they still experience abuse, coercive control and financial manipulation by government and court systems. Lauren said something that has stayed with me: 'The shame I felt was indescribable.' No woman should ever have to feel that way for seeking help.”
“I rise to make a statement on the Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence Commission's yearly report to parliament. Gender based violence impacts one in three Australian women in their lifetime. One in six have survived sexual and physical violence. Women with a disability over the age of 15 are three times more likely than women without a disability or men with a disability to have experienced intimate partner violence. These are not just numbers; they represent lives shattered. The impacts of domestic violence ripple through communities, impacting families, children and friends. I recently met Lauren in Petrie in my electorate. Lauren bravely told me about her experience of domestic and family violence and the devastating impact of her partner harming her beautiful newborn baby at just three months old.”
“This reform helps ensure the governance and structural arrangements of Australia's economic institutions, and that they are best positioned to help build a more competitive, dynamic and productive economy. I commend the bill to the House.”
“The establishment of ERA has been guided by three key principles: flexibility and removing barriers so that future standard setting so that needs arising in the future can be more easily accommodated; preserving what works and seeking to maintain key benefits of the existing structure; and strengthening accountability by ensuring workable and appropriate governance arrangements are in place, including alignment between responsibility for the body's performance and the capacity to address issues when they arise, while at the same time managing conflicts of interest. The transitional provisions in the bill will facilitate an orderly process, minimising disruption to the current standard-setting board's ongoing work and providing greater certainty around statutory roles ahead of commencement.”