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.”
The complete record
Every one of 321 lines we hold for Ali France, in date order, each linked to its source. Free to read, in full, without an account. Page 4 of 7.
“It provides for the establishment of technical standard-setting boards within ERA, including a dedicated board for developing and maintaining standards for sustainability reporting. Existing standards will continue as standards of ERA until updated or replaced. The introduction of the bill follows extensive consultation and consideration of feedback.”
“Integrity in our markets matters because when people trust the system to be fair and honest, they're more willing to invest, innovate and plan for their future. That confidence underpins a strong economy for everyone. The new legislation establishes more adaptable and accountable standard setting through the creation of a new one-stop shop, External Reporting Australia. Our standard setters play a crucial role in supporting the integrity of markets, enhancing investor confidence and ensuring accountability in public sector institutions. The legislation strengthens the existing system by better positioning it to respond to emerging developments both locally and internationally.”
“Transitional provisions provide certainty and continuity between the existing arrangements and the new arrangements. The provisions are designed to ensure that External Reporting Australia can begin operations from the day of the amendments, establishing that the new arrangements take effect and maintaining the validity of any existing standards issued by the existing bodies. If the bill receives assent before 30 June 2026, a four-month transition period will commence on 30 June 2026, with External Reporting Australia commencing operations on 1 November 2026. The transitional period will provide for sufficient time to transition from the existing to the new arrangements in an orderly way so as to limit disruption.”
“Additional functions, including the making of new kinds of standards, can be conferred by ministerial instruments should they be required in the future. ERA will not have the current function of the ERC of providing advice and reports to the minister and professional accounting bodies in relation to the quality of audits conducted by Australian auditors. This overlaps with those already performed by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission, which has access to compulsory powers and an investigative remit to carry out and report on this work as well as the ability to take enforcement action. As reflected in some feedback received during consultation, without this function, ERA will be better positioned to direct its specialist resources and focus on its primary role of setting standards in its establishment phase.”
“I rise to speak on the Treasury Laws Amendment (Financial Reporting System Reform) Bill 2026. The government committed to streamlining Australia's financial reporting bodies. The bill delivers on this commitment by creating External Reporting Australia, ERA. ERA will combine the existing standard-setting functions of the Australian Accounting Standards Board, the Auditing and Assurance Standards Board and the Financial Reporting Council, and be responsible for accounting, auditing and assurance, and sustainability standards. At commencement, ERA's responsibilities will include making and formulating accounting, auditing and assurance, and sustainability standards, and providing strategic policy advice and reports to the minister on its functions.”
“I know this might trigger some of you, but today is the actual anniversary of the announcement of that tone-deaf archaic policy. We know that there are many of you over there that still ideologically oppose work-from-home arrangements, including the shadow Treasurer. The gender pay gap is shrinking three times faster under our government. That is what you get when you have a majority female caucus as opposed to the blue-suit brigade over there.”
“Last week I visited Goodstart Early Learning Albany Creek in my electorate of Dickson. Before I could even talk about our three-day childcare guarantee, educators were gushing over Labor's delivery of a 15 per cent pay rise. Advocating for wage rises in female dominated industries, strengthening laws around flexible work arrangements and the expansion of paid parental leave to six months are reducing gender pay gap. Today marks the third release of employer gender pay gap reporting, and the data shows progress, a reduction of 0.9 per cent in the past year. Obviously, there is more work to do, but on this side of the House we are clear eyed and focused on reducing the gender pay gap. This is in stark contrast to the coalition, which went to the last election with a policy to end work-from-home arrangements.”
“We're also investing in more social and affordable housing. Through the Housing Australia Future Fund, 153 new homes are being delivered in Joyner in my community. 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 Dickson. Congratulations to Matthew and his family. Their story shows that our record investment in housing is making a real difference.”
“For too long, owning a home of your own has been out of reach for many people in my electorate of Dickson, a problem that has been decades in the making. We are now doing everything we can to catch up. That includes our five per cent deposit scheme for first-time homebuyers. I was at Warner Marketplace recently when a bloke named Matt called me over. He said: 'Thanks. You guys got us our house.' Matthew and his wife were paying $700 a week in rent while raising four kids and trying desperately to save enough for a deposit for a place of their own. They'd almost given up when they applied for Labor's five per cent deposit scheme, were approved and moved into their new home last month. Since we came to government, 1,713 people in Dickson have been able to buy their first home with a five per cent deposit.”
“During the inquiry it became very clear that leaving the system as it is would be devastating for our kids and their future. This report is a much-needed road map to ensure that every child receives the early support they need to thrive.”
“Kids have been falling through the cracks, and those cracks are now deep chasms of inequity, particularly for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, children in out-of-home care and children from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds or whose parents lack financial resources. The committee makes 16 recommendations. The very first is ensuring that any change is inclusive, co-designed and grounded in evidence and that a rapid review be undertaken two years after implementation to ensure it is delivering what it is intended to deliver. The committee recommends a staged implementation; safeguards to protect current supports; improved access in regional areas; a multidisciplinary workforce; Medicare funded developmental checks; and a single entry point, with multiple pathways, for families seeking help.”
“I love that Labor created it, and I love that we will always work to make it better. The NDIS is dignity, opportunity and independence, but it has to work for everyone. We know from this inquiry that the NDIS has been failing children with developmental delay or disability. We know because we were told over and over again during the inquiry. Families told us that children are waiting too long for diagnosis, missing out on early intervention and struggling to access supports, especially in regional, rural and remote communities where services are patchy or non-existent.”
“I would like to take this opportunity to speak on the tabling of the Thriving Kids No c hild l eft b ehind report. I firstly acknowledge the many people with a disability and their families who contributed to this inquiry, particularly those in my own electorate of Dickson. Your voices matter. Your lived experiences matter, and this report very much puts your stories and the needs of children with a developmental delay or disability and their families at the heart of the recommendations. I also thank the organisations, experts, workers and advocates who contributed to the inquiry and my colleagues on the committee, including the member for Nicholls. As a woman with a disability, I am incredibly proud to have been part of this inquiry as a member of the committee. I love the NDIS.”
“We're funding men's behaviour change programs and we are investing $1.2 billion in housing for victims of family violence—incredibly important. We also have a responsibility, everyone does, in our daily interactions to talk about good and bad relationships. While many will celebrate Valentine's Day on Saturday, please wave the red flag if you've got hot-and-cold energy, love bombing, location tracking, relationship cycling, situationships. Wave the red flag for your friends and your family members and loved ones.”
“When I was young, the only red flags that I knew about were the ones that I had to swim between at the beach. There were no conversations about what a bad relationship looked like. Gen X women like me grew up seeing misogyny and disrespect on our tellies, in our workplaces and in many of the relationships around us. We didn't use the word gaslighting; we didn't know what it was. What we got was: 'You're too sensitive. You're crazy. You're overreacting.' And we got it all the time. Now, in my 50s, I'm so gutted by the rising rates of family violence and the influence of the manosphere. Hard won progress is being eroded. In November, we delivered a 40 per cent funding boost—an additional $41 million—to 1800RESPECT because we know it saves lives. We've made the $5,000 leaving family violence payment permanent.”
“This needs to change. By establishing the independent Defence and Veterans' Service Commission, we are taking a significant step toward a future where veterans and their families are supported by a system that is worthy of their service; a future where their wellbeing is protected, their voices are central and their experiences shape the policies that affect them; and a future where no veteran or serving defence personnel feel left behind. I commend the bills to the House.”
“It is a recognition that we owe a debt of care to those who have served, and that debt does not end when their service ends. Communities like Dickson, with such a strong defence presence, understand just how important this reform is. We understand the impact of service every day—the pride, the resilience and the strength, but also the challenges, the transitions and the moments when support is needed most. I reflect on my own experience with post-traumatic stress disorder. I was one of the lucky ones. I got psychology appointments every two weeks. It was acted upon early, identified early, recognised and supported, and it made all the difference. Many of our veterans have had to go through extremely traumatic experiences of PTSD, and their recovery has been delayed or ignored. They've been embarrassed to talk about it.”
“The independent defence and veterans commission is not a symbolic gesture; it is a structural reform designed to create lasting change. It will help ensure that the lessons of the royal commission are not forgotten, that the recommendations are implemented and that the momentum for reform is maintained long after the headlines fade. It will help create a system that is simpler, more compassionate and more responsive—a system that recognises the dignity of veterans and their families and treats them with the respect they deserve. The Albanese Labor government is committed to delivering the change that veterans have, for a very long time, been calling for. This is not just a policy commitment; it is a moral commitment. It is coming from the heart.”
“Our serving members deserve to know that wellbeing is actually a national priority—not something that is considered only after their service ends but something that is protected throughout their entire career and beyond. This reform is about rebuilding trust—trust that has been eroded over many decades by systems that were too slow, too complex and too disconnected from the real experience of veterans and their families. It is about ensuring that no veteran feels invisible, unheard or left to struggle. It is about acknowledging the sacrifices made by those who have worn our nation's uniform and ensuring that the systems around them finally serve them back. When someone puts their hand up to serve Australia, they should never have to fight for support when they return home.”
“With Gallipoli Barracks on our doorstep, we understand better than most the challenges that defence families face: the frequent relocations, the long periods of separation, the uncertainty and the unique pressures that come with military life. When defence members transition out of service, they deserve a system that supports them, not one that leaves them navigating a maze of agencies, forms and conflicting advice. They deserve clarity, compassion, a clear pathway to the services that they need. Their families deserve confidence that help will be there when they need it, whether that's mental health support, financial assistance or guidance through the transition process.”
“It will report directly to the minister and the parliament, ensuring transparency and accountability at the highest levels. It will have the power to investigate, to compel information when necessary and to scrutinise the performance of agencies responsible for supporting defence personnel, veterans and their families. Importantly, it will not be limited to reacting to crisis. It will be proactive—which I think is incredibly important—identifying emerging risks and recommending reforms before problems escalate. At every step, it will ensure that the lived experience of veterans and their families is respected, valued and acted upon. For communities like Dickson, this matters deeply.”
“The royal commission made it clear that what was needed was not another review, not another temporary taskforce and not another layer of bureaucracy. What was needed was an independent body with real authority, a body with the teeth to look at the whole system, not just individual cases, and the mandate to drive meaningful, lasting reform—a body capable of identifying systemic risks, holding agencies accountable and ensuring that the voices of veterans and their families are not only heard but placed at the very centre of decision-making. The independent defence and veterans commission is designed to do exactly that. This commission will provide independent oversight and shine a light on the issues that have been allowed to persist for far too long.”
“We also announced $78 million for a new veteran and family wellbeing agency, which I think is incredibly important. That is why the establishment of this independent Defence and Veterans' Service Commission represents such an important and long-overdue step. For too long, many veterans and their families have been let down by systems that were meant to support them. These are people who stepped forward to serve their country, often at great personal cost, only to find themselves navigating a confusing, fragmented and sometimes indifferent system when they needed help the most. The Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide laid bare the scale of the problem. It revealed not just isolated failings but deep systemic issues—issues that have persisted across governments, across agencies and across generations of our veterans.”
“Our local RSL subbranches are not just a place for mateship and for recognising the contribution that veterans and our defence community make every single day. They're also a real lifeline for our whole community and for so many families. Their service to our nation is something we honour deeply. But their wellbeing and the wellbeing of their families is something we have, as all elected members, a responsibility to protect. The Albanese Labor government is squarely focused on improving support for veterans and their families. It's why we've launched a new $24 million veteran employment transition program. We allocated, in the last parliament, half a billion dollars to fast-track compensation claims for our veterans, with about 500 extra people being employed to make sure those claims get done as quickly as possible.”
“I can tell you that those stories and those conversations, which I had over 10 years ago, have stayed with me to this day. Gallipoli Barracks sits just outside the boundaries of Dickson. For decades it's really shaped the character, the rhythm and the identity of our local community. I love that defence personnel and their families proudly call our Dickson suburbs home, and their presence is felt in every single corner of my electorate. They're not just residents; they are neighbours, team mates, volunteers, mentors and leaders. You see our veterans and serving Defence Force members coaching the junior footy team on Saturday mornings, helping out at school fetes, supporting local small businesses and lending a hand wherever our community needs it.”
“Day to talk with serving Defence Force members about my personal experience with post-traumatic stress disorder, to talk through the real struggle, every day, that was getting out of bed and that was combating fear. I got to talk directly with individual Defence Force members, at their desks, about their stories and about the sacrifices that they had made—of family time, of being away a long time, and of witnessing things overseas that almost all of us will never have to experience. I stood next to one serving Defence Force member who had got back to work only recently, in the few weeks before I spoke at the barracks, and we talked directly about our experience of post-traumatic stress disorder. He was in tears, and I was in tears.”
“I consider myself to be very lucky to be representing an electorate that has a large veteran and defence population. Gallipoli Barracks is right on our doorstep, and we have approximately 3,500 veterans—more than that, I think now—and approximately 2,000 serving members of the Defence Force. They're spread out across Warner, Albany Creek and the hills district. We really value our veteran and defence community. Last month I had the privilege of visiting Gallipoli Barracks with the Minister for Veterans' Affairs, Matt Keogh, but it wasn't the first time that I had had the opportunity to visit Gallipoli Barracks. Over 10 years ago, before I got involved in politics and while I was still recovering from post-traumatic stress disorder, I was invited to Gallipoli Barracks on R U OK?”
“The new wellbeing centre ensures that students are supported both inside and outside of the classroom. The Albanese Labor government is investing in our kids. We've increased funding by 25 per cent into our state schools over the next 10 years. That's $2.8 billion extra for Queensland state schools like Bray Park State High School. This investment, coupled with our wonderful teachers and principals, will deliver into the future.”
“An automotive precinct; specialist robotics spaces; purpose-built studios for dance, drama and media; and a dedicated wellbeing centre—I'm not talking about a university campus; I'm talking about Bray Park State High School in my electorate of Dickson. Recently I visited Bray with the Minister for Education, Jason Clare—the first time an education minister has visited a school in Dickson in over a decade. The minister and I saw firsthand what modern, future focused education looks like in my electorate. There are nearly 2,000 students at Bray Park State High School, and my community loves their high school. From hands-on trades to cutting-edge technology and creative industries, students are gaining real-world skills in real-world environments. Just as importantly, the school recognises that learning doesn't happen in isolation.”
“I have always had the most amazing care from our nurses in Queensland and New South Wales. Together with our wider Medicare reforms, this bill helps deliver a stronger Medicare and a more resilient, equitable health system for every Australian. I commend the bill to the House.”
“We will continue to listen to patients, nurses, doctors, pharmacists and community leaders because good policy is co-designed with the people who use it and deliver it. Medicare is Labor's heart. It is the very best of this country and it is dearly loved by all Australians. That is why we are working to strengthen and protect it and why this bill matters so much. The Health Legislation Amendment (Prescribing of Pharmaceutical Benefits) Bill 2025 is a practical, safety-first measure to improve access, strengthen teams and modernise care. It recognises the central role nurses play in communities across Australia. I stand here in absolute awe of the nurses that I have been in contact with in my health journey. They are an incredible support to so many people across our community.”
“We're making access to endometriosis specialists and getting specialist support for complex gynaecological conditions right across the country. This is long overdue, but we're delivering it. We're opening endometriosis and pelvic pain clinics right across the country so that women can get earlier diagnosis and better treatment. We are delivering more free mental health services, with walk-in Medicare mental health clinics popping up right across the country. We opened one in my electorate, in Strathpine, last year. The feedback from that service has been incredible, particularly from local families, who say that, instead of having to go to the A&E if their relative or loved one is having a mental health crisis, they can now pop down to the Strathpine Medicare mental health centre. No appointment is necessary. It's walk in.”
“We are modernising digital health, strengthening e-prescribing, enhancing My Health Record and improving secure messaging so the right to information is available to the right clinician at the right time. We are investing in our health workforce. We're hiring more doctors and nurses, expanding training pathways, and, as I mentioned before, we're undertaking the biggest GP training program across the country that has ever been undertaken. We want to grow our next generation of GPS. We want to see more GPS in our communities and particularly in regional, rural and remote communities. We are investing more than $790 million in women's health—something I'm incredibly passionate about and, as I'm in my menopause era, I'm actually taking advantage of. We're making contraceptives cheaper. We're expanding access to treatments for menopause.”
“We have delivered more bulk-billing GPS by significantly increasing the bulk-billing incentive, supporting more practices to bulk bill and making it cheaper to see a doctor. We are opening more Medicare urgent care clinics so families can get urgent non-life threatening care without having to go to the emergency department and without a bill. The Murrumba Downs urgent care clinic in my electorate has treated over 27,000 people. The staff is incredible, and the community absolutely loves this service. We've made PBS medicines cheaper by reducing the maximum cost of PBS medicines from $31.60 to just $25. The last time they were this low was in 2004. We introduced 60-day scripts, halving the number of pharmacy and GP visits needed for repeat scripts.”
“These new laws come after extensive research, development and consultation led by the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia and the Australian Chief Nursing and Midwifery Officer. These changes include safeguards to ensure the best level of care. Only registered nurses who meet the registration standard for designated registered nurse prescribers through specific education, competency and professional requirements will be eligible to apply for PBS approval. This bill outlines a framework that is collaborative, safe and accountable to deliver access without compromising standards. This bill is part of the Albanese Labor government's commitment to strengthen Medicare.”
“This bill acknowledges that reality and provides a safe pathway for designated registered nurse prescribers to keep people well closer to home. For a relative in an aged-care home, this might mean a timely dose adjustment can be made and dispensed under the PBS by the authorised nurse practitioner working in partnership with their GP. For a family in Central Queensland, it might mean not having to take a day off work or drive hundreds of kilometres for a simple routine repeat prescription. This is how we make Medicare work for real people—by removing barriers and supporting the teams already caring for people in our communities. Harnessing the strength of our wonderful nurses will improve access to essential medicines, support continuity of care and take pressure off our healthcare system.”
“Nurses will be able to provide safe, high-quality care, reducing the need for GP appointments for routine repeat scripts or a trip to A&E. We want to remove the barriers to regular and follow-up prescriptions. Registered nurses make up approximately half of the country's health workforce and are the most geographically distributed health profession. This is particularly true in my state of Queensland. More than half of our population lives outside Greater Brisbane. In many communities, the kilometres to the nearest GP and then the nearest chemist are the barrier. In many Queensland communities, nurses are the first point of contact and the most consistent presence in a person's health journey. This is the case across aged-care facilities, community clinics, Indigenous health services and outreach programs.”
“Labor's record investment restores the $8.3 billion that the Australian Medical Association, the AMA, says was cut from Medicare under those opposite in a decade-long effort to dismantle Medicare by the Liberal and National parties of Australia, a calculated and sustained attack on bulk-billing. That decade cost us all, and we are now rebuilding. This bill is a part of that rebuild. This bill will make life a little bit easier for all Aussies but in particular for those with chronic health conditions. These changes will empower nurses to work to their full scope of practice and improve access to medicines across the country. It enables suitably qualified, endorsed registered nurses to prescribe specified PBS medicines under a carefully designed, nationally consistent framework.”
“We know this is a direct result of a decade of underinvestment in Medicare by those two unhappy groups opposite formerly known as the coalition—a decade of turning a blind eye to the rising costs of health care and health inequality. Since 2022, Labor has been squarely focused on fixing Medicare. In the 2025-26 budget, we made the single biggest investment in Medicare since it was established over 40 years ago: an $8.5 billion investment to expand bulk-billing for more urgent care clinics, to undertake the biggest GP training program ever, for hundreds of nurse scholarships, for cheaper medicines and for our women's health package. This investment is why I got involved in politics. It is why I wanted to represent the people of Dickson.”
“50 per cent of Australians have at least one chronic health condition, such as diabetes, cancer, heart disease, Alzheimer's, endometriosis, motor neurone disease, Crohn's disease and dementia, just to name a few. And they're more likely to be women. For people living with a chronic illness, access to affordable health care is life or death. Managing that illness is never-ending, often exhausting, expensive, frustrating and all-consuming. It often means the loss of work, poverty and a breakdown in relationships. It's a huge struggle. Part of that struggle can be delays in accessing GPS and specialists. Some simply can't afford the appointment, and others are on a waitlist.”
“I rise to speak in support of the Health Legislation Amendment (Prescribing of Pharmaceutical Benefits) Bill 2025. The Albanese Labor government is committed to strengthening Medicare and building a stronger, fairer healthcare system so that all Australians can access the care that they need. Australians rightly expect that Medicare will be there for them when they need it, no matter where they live or how much they earn. Yet an ageing population, rising rates of chronic and complex disease and workforce shortages, particularly in regional and rural and remote areas, are making it harder for people to get the right care at the right time.”
“It is about protecting the loss of life, preventing violence and hate. This bill, together with related firearms and customs law reforms, delivers strong, targeted action against those who spread hate and violence. The bill strengthens hate crime laws by introducing aggravated offences for those in positions of influence, including religious leaders who advocate violence and adults who radicalise children. These provisions reflect the serious harm caused when an authority is being abused. Penalties for hate crimes will be increased to ensure they reflect the gravity of these offences. These laws send a clear message that crimes driven by antisemitism and racial hatred will attract strong consequences. This bill is about protecting innocent lives. It is about honouring 15 beautiful people who left us too soon. Bondi must never occur again.”
“I don't know that, and nor should any Australian. That is not living. What I do know is the horrific loss of a child. I know some of the grief that Charlotte's parents are going through. It is a particularly cruel existence, living while your child no longer walks with you. What I don't know is the intentional murder of a child—that another human chose that, planned that and was motivated by hate to do that. Cancer chose my boy. Leukaemia took him. No human took him. I can't imagine the grief, the anger and resentment that that would trigger. Antisemitism, hate and extremism have no place in Australia, and I certainly support any changes that will help ensure that no parent or family experiences the trauma of Bondi again. This bill is about confronting extremism, protecting social cohesion and safeguarding our communities.”
“It is fear that I never knew before the accident, and it means the management of never-ending anxiety that, at any moment, anywhere, life can end. What I don't know, and have never lived with, is racially-motivated terror, anxiety and fear—deep fear—that you might be purposefully targeted by another human because of your faith, the colour of your skin, where you were born or where your parents or their parents were born; that, while you're doing your grocery shopping, another human will whisper under their breath; that, while you're dropping your child at school, another parent will say things about the way you might be dressed or what's happening in your country of birth; that your family members, your children, may be abused, shunned and targeted; that, while attending a celebration at our iconic Bondi Beach with your friends and family, other humans would plan a mass-murder event targeting you, your friends and family on that beach.”
“I rise to speak on the Combatting Antisemitism, Hate and Extremism (Criminal and Migration Laws) Bill 2026. Some of us here in this place know loss, know trauma and know grief—the grief of losing a child or a family member. We know that gut-wrenching feeling, that visceral feeling, of coming home and they are no longer there. But what I don't know, and can't begin to know, is racially-motivated terror, and the loss, trauma, grief and fear that derives from that. I know what it is like to see danger and to put your body in front of your child to give them every chance of living. I know it because I did that, as an out-of-control car came towards my four-year-old in a pram in 2011. That day has never left me. It is seared into every breath I take.”
“Those households know it cuts bills and delivers cheaper, cleaner energy. In his address to this year's COP, the Minister for Climate Change and Energy made clear that net zero is the engine room of global economic growth. Australia is leading, with a 2035 target of up to 70 per cent emissions reduction, record renewable uptake and partnership with Pacific neighbours. My message to those opposite is: Do better. Be for Australia, not against us.”
“The Albanese Labor government is delivering a responsible energy plan that creates jobs, provides business certainty and lowers emissions. We have acted to provide three rounds of power bill relief, and we've capped gas prices and invested in cheaper renewables—all of which those opposite have opposed. Wholesale electricity prices fell by a third last quarter. Nearly 140,000 homes and businesses across the country have installed batteries through our Cheaper Home Batteries Program, storing their sunshine, powering their homes and saving money off their bills. It's worth noting that the electorates with the highest uptake of rooftop solar are not necessarily the inner-city seats that you might expect but overwhelmingly regional and outer-suburban communities, many of them held by those opposite and the Nationals.”
“Australians at the election made it very, very clear they want cleaner, cheaper, renewable energy. Most industrialised nations have committed to net zero emissions. Governments are setting ambitious targets and investing in cleaner technologies, and consumers are demanding more sustainable practices. Big businesses have shifted to net zero practices because if they want to be competitive and save costs they absolutely must. What would hurt Aussie families would be walking away from the table like those opposite have walked away from net-zero—shame! That would scare off investment, prolong ageing and unreliable coal and push up power prices. Renewable energy is not just an environmental choice. It is an economic necessity, embraced by families right across this great nation.”
“We also know that serving ministers in other countries have held the same position previously. Actually, if those opposite had done their research, they would find that seven out of 10 since Paris in 2015 have been serving ministers. One actually was a Prime Minister. While we know that those opposite might find multitasking quite difficult, rest assured our minister can walk and chew gum at the same time just like the previous seven ministers from other countries. The opposition seems to absolutely love talking Australia down, but what this is really about is the coalition's absolute opposition to any action on climate change. What we're seeing here is what you could call the Nationals effect. The Liberals drop net zero to make the Nationals happy, and now they're talking Australia down to the world.”
“I completely understand why those opposite are so triggered and confused by our Minister for Climate Change and Energy's success on the world stage. Those opposite haven't seen success like that for years and years. This MPI really is a little bit embarrassing, right? Getting an exclusive role for Australia as President of Negotiations for COP31, closely directing the world's response to climate change, is something that those opposite could only dream of. It will give Australia the power to appoint cofacilitators, draft negotiation texts and issue decisions. Representing Australia on the world stage is in our national and economic interest. We understand that on this side of the House. Our neighbours in the Pacific are pretty happy with this appointment along with the pre COP meeting in the Pacific.”