Alice Jordan-Baird
Gorton · Australian Labor Party · Australia
“This includes incentives like the Commonwealth Prac Payment, which means students on their mandatory nursing and midwifery placements will be paid for their work, making life easier for our nursing and midwifery students.”
“We took health care to the election, and right across the board we're legislating change. We've capped the cost of PBS-listed medicines at just $25, the lowest it's been since 2004—when I was in primary school—which has seen a saving of more than $14 million in my electorate of Gorton.”
“With competing cost-of-living pressures, these families shouldn't be worrying about the cost of seeing a doctor as well. These families deserve regular access to affordable GP appointments, and that's why this bill matters.”
“Our green and gold Medicare card means opportunity. It means receiving high-quality health care, regardless of your bank balance. I'm so proud to be part of the Albanese Labor government, which is committed to strengthening Medicare for generations to come, and this bill, the Health Insurance Amendment (Incentive Payments and Other Measur…”
“It means that, in Melbourne's western suburbs, people in our community have access to free walk-in care when they need it. With this budget, we're making urgent care clinics like the ones in Melton and Sunshine permanent. Urgent care clinics play a really important role in taking the pressure off our emergency departments.”
“Our introduction of Medicare bulk-billing clinics is really making a huge difference in our communities across the country. I'm really proud to report that, in my community, there are now 24 Medicare bulk-billing practices—up from 13 before our bulk-billing changes were introduced.”
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“This comes alongside the opening of 22 endometriosis and pelvic pain clinics, with another 11 to be opening soon. Thanks to these initiatives, Australian women and their families will save thousands of dollars on health related costs across their lifetimes. This is what happens when we elect women: women's issues become at the forefront of the government's agenda. On this side of the House, we're committed to tangible cost-of-living relief and health outcomes for Australians. Labor built Medicare, and we will always protect it. This is all because the Albanese Labor government is ensuring that accessible health care for all Australians remains a priority. No-one should be discouraged from looking after their health—and, with this legislation, they won't be.”
“We're rolling out 1800MEDICARE, a new 24/7 service families can access from home whenever they need it. This is a state-of-the-art expansion of telehealth. We're growing Australia's health workforce with the largest GP training program in Australian history, and we're investing landmark commitments in women's health. For too long, women's health issues have not been adequately addressed. We're working to reverse decades of neglect to women's health, with $573.3 million to deliver more choice, lower costs and better health care for women. We're introducing the first new contraceptive pills added to the PBS in 30 years—Yaz, Yasmin and Slinda. We're introducing the first new menopause treatments on the PBS in 20 years—Estrogel, Estrogel Pro and Prometrium. We're ensuring there's better access to IUDs and birth control implants as well.”
“Published modelling indicates that this screening is cost-effective, with associated productivity gains in the billions of dollars. This bill has broad support across parliament, and it fits squarely within Labor's broader agenda. We have invested more than ever before in the health of Australians. With record investments in Medicare, we are bringing bulk-billing back and strengthening as we do so. In my electorate of Gorton, 72 per cent of clinics are now fully bulk-billed. We've brought cost-of-living relief to Australians by lowering the cost of PBS listed medicines to just $25, and we've increased access to health care by expanding those lists of medicines on the PBS. We've opened new urgent care clinics across the country, including in Melton and Sunshine near my electorate.”
“That means reforms like this are not abstract or theoretical; they affect real people in our communities. This legislation helps reduce one of those barriers by giving people confidence that getting genetic testing will not come at a personal cost. This reform follows extensive consultation with community members, medical practitioners, genetic researchers and the insurance industry. The DNA Screen study hopes to expand its testing to 100,000 people, which would identify thousands more at-risk people who would not have to worry about life insurance discrimination. It's a step towards a screening program to use genomics to prevent disease. We must move into an era of using genomics to prevent and get ahead of disease.”
“This legislation restores balance between individuals and large insurance corporations, and it puts people back at the centre of the system. For communities like Gorton, this matters. We are a young and diverse community in Melbourne's western suburbs, with many families already facing financial and cost-of-living pressures. The median age of people in Gorton is 35 years old, and young Australians want preventive genetic information. The DNA Screen study was extremely popular amongst young people, with tens of thousands of young people registering their interest in participating for the study, and young people found that genetic testing has significant benefits for their futures. Around 22 per cent of people in my electorate of Gorton are living with at least one long-term health condition.”
“Investing in preventive health is a proven way of increasing national productivity, reducing health system spending and keeping Australians out of hospital. Preventive health takes the burden off our hospital systems and off our public spending. While there's plenty of research that tells us of the benefits of investing more broadly in the prevention of diseases in adults through DNA screening, until we pass this bill, Australians cannot have confidence that they can get tested without consequences. This bill is an opportunity to invest more broadly in prevention of disease in adults through DNA screening without people having to worry about insurance concerns. It sends a clear message that you should not have to choose between your health and your financial security.”
“For decades, this has been a significant ethical concern for Australians, who have had to choose between genetic testing that could save their lives and potential financial implications for their life insurance. This is not how the system should work. Life insurers should not be able to discriminate like this. Life insurers should not be able to act as a barrier to Australians accessing preventable health care. This bill will end that discrimination. It will end that fear and it will enable Australians to make decisions about genetic testing and genetic research without worrying about life insurance. Here, we are addressing the most significant barrier to testing for Australians, and we are paving the way for greater investment in preventive genomic screening, because preventive healthcare matters.”
“So, when those participants in the electorate of Macnamara and in my electorate of Gorton, alongside other participants in the study, found they were at high risk of these preventable genetic diseases, they were able to access preventive measures such as surgery, surveillance and medication. For them, this study was very possibly life changing. Now, that is incredible. While this study was life altering for these individuals, it also highlighted a severe fault in our healthcare system—the thing that is the most significant barrier to testing for Australians. The main reason people who signed up for the DNA screening ultimately decided not to participate was genetic discrimination in life insurance. This isn't new.”
“In my friend the member for Macnamara's electorate, at least 67 young people participated in the DNA screen. Four young people were found to be at high genetic risk—two of breast, ovarian and prostate cancer, one of bowel cancer and one of a heart attack due to genetic high cholesterol. In my electorate of Gorton, 39 young people participated and three were found to be at high genetic risk—two of breast, ovarian and prostate cancer and one of heart attack due to genetic high cholesterol. I want to be clear: we're talking about preventable diseases—diseases which have life-altering consequences if detected early.”
“She is someone who has dedicated her career to public health research and to increasing equitable access to genomic medicine for public health outcomes. She's passionate about this because she knows that genetic testing saves lives through the prevention of disease in very high risk people. She knows that there are more high-risk Australians than most people realise. Recently, Monash University, led by Dr Tiller, conducted a DNA screen study which tested 10,000 18- to 40-year-old Australians for high genetic risk of preventable cancer and heart disease. They found that one in 50 Australians—two per cent—were at high risk of preventable cancer and heart diseases. Now, don't be misled; one in 50 Australians is still a lot of Australians.”
“Back in 2023, Josh hosted a roundtable with Dr Jane Miller; the Assistant Treasurer at the time, Stephen Jones; and a group of advocates and women directly impacted by these reforms. These were women who had done everything right. They had taken the responsible step of getting tested, discovered they carried the BRCA gene and, in many cases, undergone preventive surgery to reduce their risk, only to find themselves penalised by life insurers. Many other Jewish Australians have avoided genetic testing altogether to avoid paying higher premiums, leaving genetic disorders which could have cost them their lives undetected. Thanks to this bill and to Josh's advocacy, that would no longer be the case. It is also thanks in no small way to the research of Dr Jane Tiller and her team at Monash University.”
“It allows people to focus on their health without worrying that they will be financially punished for doing so. It removes a barrier that never should have existed in the first place. I want to take a moment to pay tribute to my colleague the wonderful member for Macnamara, Josh Burns, who has led the charge for these reforms within government along with his constituent and close friend Dr Jane Tiller. Josh represents the largest Jewish community in Victoria, which is highly predisposed to genetic disorders. One in 40 Ashkenazi Jews carry the BRCA gene mutation, which can lead to higher risk of breast, ovarian, prostate, pancreatic and skin cancers—that's 10 times higher than for the general population.”
“Under previous arrangements, people could be penalised for genetic information that is completely outside of their control, something they were born with and did not choose. Some Australians delayed testing or avoided it altogether out of fear it would affect their access to life insurance. That fear has real consequences for people's health. This legislation is addressing this problem. In practical terms, it bans life insurers from using adverse genetic test results when making decisions about life insurance contracts entered into after the commencement of this bill. Put simply, if someone chooses to undergo genetic testing to protect their health, that information cannot be used against them when they apply for life insurance. That is a significant reform, and it will make a real difference.”
“That's not right—and, what's more, it takes one easy fix, and that fix is this bill in front of us. This bill bans life insurers from taking information from an individual's genetic testing into account when deciding whether to offer life insurance cover or when making decisions about the terms and conditions of that cover. It's about protecting Australians, making things fairer for Australians and giving Australians confidence—confidence to get tested, confidence to look after their health and confidence that doing the right thing won't come back to bite them. Medical science is moving forward quickly, and genetic testing is one of the most important and impactful advances we've seen. But our laws have simply not kept pace.”
“Today I rise to support the Treasury Laws Amendment (Genetic Testing Protections in Life Insurance and Other Measures) Bill 2025, which was introduced by the Assistant Treasurer, and I commend him for doing so. This amendment to the Insurance Contracts Act 1984 is a significant one because genetic testing can save lives. Genetic testing supports medical practitioners to prevent illnesses, diagnose conditions earlier, and treat and monitor a range of cancers, cancer predisposition syndromes and other heritable conditions sooner. It plays a critical role in monitoring all of this. For many Australians, one major thing has stood in the way of getting tested for and treating conditions early, and that's the concern that life insurers will use that information against them.”
“I am proud that we are delivering real changes and real cost-of-living relief for Australians in my community in the west and for those right around the country. On doing so, I commend this bill to the House.”
“We are a government who understands the challenges faced by Australian women because that's who we are. For that reason, we make changes for women right across the country, like expanding paid parental leave to 26 weeks so that Australian women are supported in getting back into the workforce. We're also paying super on paid parental leave. We've brought in cheaper child care and the three-day childcare guarantee, and we've secured a 15 per cent pay rise for early childhood educators. This is about closing the gender super gap so that Australian women can retire with more super. When we were elected, we committed to delivering on the issues that matter to Australians, like better infrastructure, health and education outcomes.”
“They're amongst the 90 urgent care clinics Labor has opened across the country, with another 50 still coming. We've cut the cost of PBS listed medicines at just $25. We've done so much in women's health. We've added new contraceptives to the PBS for the first time in 30 years—Yaz, Yasmin and Slinda—we've introduced the first new menopause treatments on the PBS for the first time in 20 years, and we're ensuring there's better access to IUDs and birth control implants as well. We've opened endometriosis and pelvic pain clinics across the country. Let me be clear: this does not happen by accident. It happens because we have a Labor government with a majority female Labor caucus, unlike those opposite, who fail to elect enough women and who then undermine the ones who are elected and do manage to break the glass ceiling.”
“When it comes to securing affordable and accessible health care, we're making sure that no Australian is left behind. We have made record investments in Medicare, like our landmark agreement to deliver record funding to state and territory hospitals, with $25 billion in additional funding for public hospitals. That is three times more additional funding for public hospitals than under the last five-year agreement. There are now 23 Medicare bulk-billing clinics in my electorate of Gorton in Melbourne's west. Seventy per cent of GP clinics in Gorton are fully bulk-billed. I visited some of these clinics, including Our Medical Caroline Springs and the Taylors Hill Medical Clinic. We also have two urgent care clinics nearby in our community, in Melton and in Sunshine.”
“In Gorton, more than 400 construction apprentices are getting $5,000 incentive payments to train in the trades. These young workers will help build the homes that our community so desperately needs. This just shows that the contrast between us could not be clearer. The Liberals wanted young people to raid their super. They voted against Help to Buy. They voted against building 100,000 homes for first home buyers. Labor is delivering, Labor is building and Labor is giving young Australians a fair shot at homeownership. The Albanese Labor government is laser focused on the health care of all Australians. We've introduced a suite of reforms to strengthen Medicare, boost our healthcare workforce and make health care more readily accessible to all Australians.”
“My electorate of Gorton has one of the highest uptakes in the country. Since we came to government, more than 3,000 people in Gorton have bought their first homes with just a five per cent deposit. And this scheme is simple: no income limits, no limits on places, no house price caps. It's just real help for real people. But helping people into a home is just one part. We also need to build more homes. In Labor's last term, we built 500,000 homes across the country. Right now, 28,000 social and affordable homes, funded by our government, are in planning and construction. And we are aiming even higher. This term, we are working towards a bold national goal: 1.2 million new homes in five years. We are also building the workforce to deliver them.”
“A young community like mine means a community building their futures, starting families and buying their first homes. Right now, Australia is facing a housing challenge that has been a generation in the making. When the coalition were in government for almost a decade, they were negligent when it came to housing. They didn't take responsibility. They didn't step in. They didn't deliver. This problem can't be tackled overnight. But, unlike previous coalition governments, we are addressing this issue. We're not leaving the struggle for homeownership to an entire generation. We're not leaving it to the states. We're taking a hand in it. We have brought the federal government back to the table, where it always should have been. That's why I'm so proud to report on the success of the Albanese Labor government's five per cent deposit scheme.”
“It applies to more than 280,000 VET student loans and Australian Apprenticeship Support Loan accounts, and it will remove $500 million from those balances. That's a huge boost for apprentices and trainees starting out in the workforce. But this isn't a one-off change. It's about making the whole system fairer for the students who'll study tomorrow as well. It's about long-term structural change. Reducing student-debt burden helps graduates build a better future for themselves and for their families. It's about intergenerational fairness, because getting an education here in Australia should not leave young people with a lifetime of debt. For the more than 26,000 people in Gorton who currently have student debt, this is real change, real cost-of-living relief and real fairness. And that's what this Labor government is delivering.”
“Those with an average debt of $27,600 have seen a reduction of $5,520 in their outstanding debt. This means that students can keep more of what they earn. There are no applications and no forms, just real cost-of-living relief. We've capped the interest, so that young people's student debt doesn't spiral out of control, and we've raised the minimum repayment threshold, so students aren't forced to pay back more than they can afford. This means that, for example, if you earn $27,000 a year, you'll save over $1,000 a year in repayments. You can still pay off more if you want to. But this makes the system fairer for everyone, no matter what their income is. This 20 per cent cut will be especially important for VET students.”
“I speak regularly with so many young people in the west: students at uni or TAFE or in schools, all across my community, and they keep telling me the same thing. They're facing cost-of-living pressures that their parents' generation simply didn't have. It's not fair, and the younger generations of Aussies deserve better. That's why we've made HECS fairer. It's why we've cut 20 per cent off student debt for young people pursuing an education, whether it's at uni or TAFE, in VET or apprenticeships. Wiping 20 per cent off every student's debt was the first piece of legislation this Labor government introduced to parliament after we came in last year. By Christmas, millions of Australians had seen that reduction for themselves the next time they'd logged into their myGov account.”
“They spend more hours of the day away from their families, sitting in traffic—more hours at risk of road accidents. And westies deserve better than that. We deserve to get home safely and efficiently. That's why I'm advocating for these changes, which will mean less time on the road and more time at home with our families. And we're making those changes. Around 26,000 people in my electorate have student debt. They're the same people who are trying to save for a deposit to get into the housing market, or paying a mortgage; they're paying bills; they're starting their own families; they're working hard, trying to get ahead. But many people still face barriers to education and training—barriers that the generations before us simply didn't face. I hear it from young people in the families in my community all the time.”
“If you're a westie like me, regularly driving these roads, you already know that the Calder Freeway has a really dangerous intersection at Calder Park Drive. That is exactly why, in March last year, we announced $300 million to upgrade this interchange on the Calder Freeway. This diamond interchange will make things a lot safer for my community. Early planning stages are underway with the department, and they're currently refining the interchange design scope. They're speaking to stakeholders about how the works may impact them and what this might look like. This project is about improving access between our roads and about community safety. Better planning means getting the basics right: building roads to withstand the tens of thousands of cars driving on them day and night. And our westies—our locals—travel on them every single day.”
“A growing community means things like more people in more cars on our roads—roads like the Western Freeway and the Calder Freeway. The Western Freeway is a critical transport route for passengers and freight. It links in with major freight routes throughout our state, including the Midland, Sunraysia, Pyrenees, Henty and Wimmera highways. Approximately 86,000 vehicles travel on the Western Freeway stretch between Melton and Caroline Springs every day, and we're expecting that figure to rise to about 113,000 by 2031. That's why we've invested $1 billion to upgrade the Western Freeway between Melton and Caroline Springs, all towards improving capacity and safety along the freeway for our community in the west. Then there's Calder Park drive.”
“We're helping the Sri Durga Temple build a new community and education centre. We've opened a new childcare centre in Brimbank, in Kings Park. We're helping the St Michael Ethiopian church expand programs for language assistance and youth outreach. And we are providing important infrastructure upgrades to strengthen community safety right across Gorton. These are the places where our kids play sport and learn, where families gather, where communities come together. These upgrades really matter, and this is what delivering for our community looks like. Infrastructure is really important. It matters because in my electorate, in the western suburbs, we are seeing so much growth in our community. That's a good thing, but it comes with its own set of challenges.”
“It's full of young families, setting up their futures in the western suburbs, and they've chosen our community to call home. The Albanese Labor government is doing everything it can to support young families in the west. We are rolling out real cost-of-living relief, help that makes a difference at the checkout and to power bills, at doctor's appointments, in rent and in mortgage payments. I've fought really hard to make sure our community receives its fair share—every announcement, every dollar, every project. We push for Gorton because I know how much it mattered, and I'm really proud of what we will be delivering. We're installing a new roundabout at the intersection of Mount Cottrell Road and Greigs Road. We're upgrading the Caroline Springs Recreation Reserve, Keilor Recreation Reserve and Lionheart Reserve.”
“That's because of everything this Labor government has done to improve Australia's economic environment to make life easier for everyday Aussies. We have delivered real cost-of-living relief. But, more than that, we're laying the groundwork for a stronger and fairer future by investing in the services people rely on every day and in the local infrastructure that keeps our communities moving—in health care, education, energy, workforce skills, and local communities like mine, in Melbourne's western suburbs. And we are building for the next generation of Australians. I'm so proud to represent such a beautiful, diverse community in the west. We are one of the youngest electorates in the country, with a median age of just 35. In the city of Melton alone, nearly 80 babies are born every week.”
“They voted for a government with a clear economic plan. But, most importantly, they voted for a government that puts the Australian people first, because that's what a Labor government does. Australians have been doing it tough. Household budgets are tight, and many families are working harder than ever just to get by. There have been devastating global events, which have a hand in current economic tides. But there's also the role of governments. In times like these, people look to their government for support, and they expect us to make change, not just in words but in action. When we got elected, that's exactly what we did. When Labor first came to government after the coalition's Morrison era, the inflation rate had a six in front of it; now it has just a three in front of it.”
“I rise to speak on Appropriation Bill (No. 3) 2025-2026, Appropriation Bill (No. 4) 2025-2026 and Appropriation (Parliamentary Departments) Bill (No. 2) 2025-2026, brought forward by the Assistant Treasurer and Minister for Financial Services, and I commend him for doing so. These bills underpin our government's expenditure decisions made since the 2025-26 budget, the commitments that we took to the 2025 election and that we have been able to deliver in my home in Melbourne's western suburbs, in Sydenham, as well as for Australians right across the country. We introduced a number of really important reforms that are already making a difference in the lives of everyday Australians. Australians didn't vote just for a Labor government. They voted for a government with priorities in health care, education and infrastructure.”
“Late last night our Minister for Home Affairs issued five humanitarian visas to members of the Iranian women's soccer team. They're safe here, and they should feel at home here. I have had the other teammates in mind as they head back to Iran, along with the safety of the team's families as well. This is also a really difficult time for those in our local community with family in the region, and I want to assure my community that we're doing everything we can as a government to return Australians home safely. As the Prime Minister has said, we remain available as a nation to help others. I commend the bravery of the Iranian women's soccer team, and I welcome them home. House adjourned at 19:59”
“I'd like to acknowledge the women of Iran and in particular the strength of the Iranian women's soccer team, because there is no greater challenge than having your rights stripped away from you. There is no question that Iranian women deserve better and that life under the IRGC and the situation that has been unfolding in Iran over the last several weeks are terrifying and heartbreaking. But it takes a certain kind of courage that I can't quite put into words for the women belonging to the Iranian women's soccer team playing here in Australia during the Women's AFC Asian Cup to refuse to sing the Iranian national anthem as they did ahead of the opening game. Australians have been moved by the acts of bravery of these incredible women.”
“Our local communities are fitter and cleaner thanks to women like Tanya and Janelle from Aintree Reserve Parkrun, who I recently saw at the community group's plogging event, where we ran five kilometres, picking up rubbish along the way for Clean Up Australia Day. I'd like to shout out Dawn Clark as well, an outstanding member of my local community, for putting together such an amazing International Women's Day event last week at Wintringham in Delahey. These are just some of the incredible women who show real leadership, keeping our community connected. I commend and thank the work of these incredible women and all women in Melbourne's western suburbs, who I have the privilege to meet every single day for everything they do.”
“This is an organisation dedicated to providing a safe environment for local individuals with disabilities to play sports. In our community are leaders like Pooja, who opened the Fraser Rise Kool Kidz Childcare Centre, supporting our local families as our community continues to grow. Once these kids grow, they graduate into our wonderful local schools run by dedicated women like the amazing Gab Zorko, principal of Springside Primary School and Kindergarten in Caroline Springs. Our local community is also so blessed to have women like Poonam and Devika, who I celebrated Holi with this weekend in Kings Park on International Women's Day. A big shout-out to the Women of Brimbank Multicultural Organisation!”
“It's because I grew up with a mum who was one of the first women to work on Melbourne City Loop at a time when the railways were dominated by men. It's because I grew up around women who taught me the value of fighting for what's right—like my sister Emily, an infrastructure lawyer who's working on some of Melbourne's major transport infrastructure projects, and my late sister Clara, who worked as a lawyer and paved the way for housing estates to be built in Melbourne's western suburbs. Clara encouraged me and many other young women to get involved in the Labor Party, where real change is made. I'm surrounded by women in my local community across my electorate of Gorton who inspire me every single day, like Emily Attard, a Caroline Springs local who as a teenager saw a need in our community and founded Specialist Hoops.”
“After a weekend celebrating International Women's Day, I rise in this chamber once again to talk about the incredible contribution of women to modern Australia. When women unite, we are unstoppable. Last Friday I attended the International Women's Day March for Working Women at Victorian Trades Hall. I rallied with our mighty union movement, including the Transport Workers' Union and the Rail, Tram and Bus Union and was honoured to hear the stories of these powerful union women—like Gia from the RTBU, who I'm proud to support in the 'It's a Bloody Mess' campaign for access to clean, safe and private toilets for Aussie women working in transport. There's a reason I attend these rallies as a proud member of the Transport Workers' Union.”
“Rail is back on track, and this is a significant first step in the delivery of faster, more reliable rail transport which will reshape how Aussies live, work and travel. It's not the only thing our Labor government is doing for rail. Closer to home and just this week, construction has officially begun on stage 1 of the Melbourne Airport rail link project. Transforming Sunshine Station is a critical step in the new airport rail link project, and sorting out the signalling issues here means we can get on with electrifying the Melton line, meaning more services and more stations for my growing community in Melbourne's western suburbs, because that's where real change matters.”
“I'm really proud to be a gunzel, and let me tell you what that means. It means I grew up with two parents in the railways, spending my weekends seeing level crossings with my dad and my two sisters, and it means I know the difference between standard and broad-gauge rail track. It also means I'm so proud to support our government's agenda to improve rail connectivity across the country for passengers and freight alike. Ed Sheeran said it best: … we found love right where we are. That's right here in Australia with our rail network that he took from Sydney to Melbourne last week during his Australian tour. But don't let me lose my train of thought. I am so excited that the Albanese Labor government is going full steam ahead, laying the foundations for high-speed rail in Australia.”
“I particularly acknowledge Derek, one of Rockbank CFA's longest-serving members, who began as the sole firefighter in the area and has witnessed firsthand the extraordinary growth of this community. Alongside Derek, Todd and every volunteer and supporter, the Rockbank CFA is a powerful reminder of what community spirit looks like in action. If we're serious about building thriving communities in Melbourne's west, we must continue to work collaboratively to ensure essential services grow in step with population growth. To every volunteer at Rockbank and to volunteers right across the electorate of Gorton and across our nation: thank you. Your commitment, your courage and your community spirit make our nation stronger every single day.”
“As Melbourne's west continues to expand and housing estates extend through this growth corridor, Rockbank has transformed into a thriving suburban community. Streets, schools and shopping centres now stand where paddocks once were. With that growth comes increased demand on essential services, particularly emergency services. Since 1 July alone, this small brigade has responded to more than 250 callouts, including bushfires, road accidents, grassfires and house fires, while also supporting neighbouring CFA brigades, particularly during the recent bushfire emergencies. These highly skilled volunteers are there day and night, leaving their jobs, their families and their own commitments to protect ours.”
“Recently, I had the privilege of visiting the incredible volunteers at the Rockbank CFA, a small brigade operating a single tanker from what is quite literally a tin shed with one bathroom. Rockbank may have once been considered a country town, but that is no longer the case. Established in 1953, the Rockbank CFA has faithfully served its community for more than 70 years. Today, it sits on the urban fringe of one of Australia's fastest-growing corridors between Caroline Springs and Melton. What was once rural landscape is now rapidly transforming into dense residential development. Yet this brigade remains 100 per cent volunteer run, carrying responsibilities that rival those of fully-staffed urban emergency services.”
“Across my electorate there is one common thread that binds our community together—the volunteers. They are the quiet achievers, the people who step forward without fanfare and give their time, their skills and their hearts to strengthen the communities we call home. That is why I'm pleased to remind local organisations that expressions of interest are now open for the 2025-26 federal volunteer grants. These grants provide practical funding to support equipment, training and resources, ensuring volunteers can continue their extraordinary work safely and effectively. I strongly encourage eligible organisations to apply and take advantage of this opportunity to invest in the people who invest so much in our communities. Nowhere is that spirit of volunteerism more evident than at the Country Fire Authority Rockbank Brigade.”
“When I give these speeches in parliament calling out the abhorrent language and racist behaviour from the Liberals, the Nationals and One Nation, I have my community in mind because they're good people and because they're who get hit by these comments of hatred the hardest. The hatred rhetoric is real, and they're forced to face it day to day. Calling out extremism matters. It matters for my community and for Australians right around the country. We choose what is Australian identity and what is not. There is strength in our diversity. That strength binds us and unites us. That's the message I would like to give Australians.”
“These men are not living Australian values. I would argue these men are not welcome in our community or in any community in this country to spout such vitriol. We call it out, and I stand here to call it out. There is a lot of discussion happening at the moment, and it's pretty dark. But I agree with Senator Wong when she says she maintains hope for Australia. I have hope for Australia. Personally, I have hope for my community—a proud, multicultural, multifaith community. Young leaders working together to combat racism at school gives me hope. Volunteers from mosques, temples and gurdwaras feeding those in need gives me hope. Members of the RSL raising money and awareness for veterans' welfare gives me hope. Every action of kindness, no matter how small, gives me hope in that face of division. We are stronger.”
“We are a safe haven for multicultural communities to practice their religion free of discrimination. Living in freedom, not in fear—that is the Australia we know and love, and we refuse to let these extremists make Australian identity anything but that. Using religion as an excuse to vilify other groups has no place in our country and in our society. The recent reports of hate preachers stoking the flames of hate have no place in our society. I went to a Melbourne beach with a friend a few weeks ago. While we were there we saw a group of men from the National Workers Alliance walking up and down the beach, spouting white supremacist views and hatred with microphones and speakers to beachgoers. They were using our flags in vain, not as a symbol of democracy but as a symbol of division and contempt for multicultural Australia.”
“In yesterday's censure motion against the One Nation senator, the Liberal-National coalition, bar just two, sat alongside her, signalling support for her racist remarks. The member for New England simply brushed these comments off as just words, and from the Liberal-National coalition's actions yesterday in the Senate it seems they agree. I'm sorry, but it's not good enough. Words have consequences. Extremist language fuels extremist behaviour. It feeds violence. Over the summer we saw at Bondi what this kind of extremist rhetoric can lead to. It is not enough to condemn the comment without real accountability. The standard you walk past is the standard you accept. The Liberals, the Nationals and One Nation are hand in hand trying to redefine Australian identity—and we won't let them. We are a country strengthened by multiculturalism.”
“I am surprised, though, at the role the Libs have in this, and the space they seem to try to carve out for themselves in the future of Australian politics. I don't know about anyone else watching the Liberal-National 'noalition' lately, but they seem absolutely lost. They are stooping to One Nation's divisive tactics, inciting hatred and sowing fear. The three right-wing parties of Australia—the Libs, the Nats and One Nation—are seeming more and more the same. Frankly, I don't get it. It's not what the Australian people want to hear about. Right now, Aussies across the country care about the cost of living, access to health care, education and improved infrastructure. Divisive language and divisive politics is not in the interest of a single Australian.”