Leon Rebello
McPherson · Liberal National Party · Australia
“But it's becoming really frightening when there is nowhere else to go if i can no longer afford rent and health care too. Another person said: As a still working, self funded semi retiree (73years) old, I feel disillusioned and disgusted by our current govt, who seem to be hell bent on removing any incentive to be a self sufficient, hard…”
“I'm going to read out some of the comments that ordinary Australians in the 65-plus category have sent to me and give them a voice in this place, because those on the opposite side of this parliament are prepared to go against them. I quote one person: 'That's a joke, Leon. We currently struggle to maintain existing low cover.”
“A lot of them are hanging on by the skin of their teeth financially, when they need their insurance the most and after paying premiums for years with minimal claims. Labour will pay the price if they mess with older Australians … Another person said: So this is over $1200 for the two of us.”
“We received over 2,000 responses to those surveys, and most of the responses focused on the fact that these are older Australians who have worked for this country, who have done the right thing for so many years, and now they're finding themselves in a really difficult spot as a result of this government's characterisation of them.”
“And I say to those opposite, the ones who have contributed to this debate and those who are sitting in the chamber today or watching, you should really look at yourself and look at the content of what we're saying, because this is about your parents, it's about your grandparents and it's about people that you represent, or are supposed to…”
“I commend my friend and colleague the member for Gippsland for moving this motion in relation to the government's failure to govern for older Australians. I am livid.”
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“But we are relatively concerned that, under this government, as I spoke to before, the experience of women is that it's never been harder or more expensive for them to access critical primary care. And that is something that needs to change. I'll just finish with a personal note that was given to me, in relation to a constituent whose wife was going through menopause. He said: Watching my wife go through menopause has shown me how deeply it affects her—and us as a family. She faced confusion, conflicting advice, and outdated information at every turn. Her persistence and courage helped her find what worked, but too many women are left navigating myths alone. It's time for better research, education, and support—for women and the loved ones who care for them.”
“These include measures to enhance menopause care for women through a new Medicare rebate; to expand health professional training, which is so critically important; to develop national clinical guidelines; and to also increase funding for endometriosis and pelvic pain clinics. That package expands on the important work that we started on and my predecessors started on when we were in government previously. That included launching the National Women's Health Strategy and announcing what was an historic investment into Australia's first endometriosis and pelvic pain clinics under the former coalition. So, while we are committed to holding this government to account, we're also committed to working with this government on this really important matter for women across the country.”
“One of the things that we as the coalition want to do is ensure that women across Australia, regardless of where they are, in the cities and in the regions, can access care that not only is affordable but also understands their unique experience and their needs. As part of the opposition, something that I will do is, while acknowledging the important progress that's been made, make sure that we as a coalition are able to actually hold this government to account on progressing what were and what are bipartisan commitments. They need to be progressed as soon as possible.”
“I think it would serve this government well if it actually invested in looking at those outcomes and changing those outcomes, as opposed to just talking about these investments. At the end of the day, the people in my electorate and across the country don't see the investment; they see their experience. That's something that we need to put the focus on. I'd also like to take this opportunity, while we have the member for Forrest in the chamber, to acknowledge the incredible work of his predecessor, the honourable Nola Marino, during her time in this place. She was an absolute champion for those who suffer from endometriosis, and I'd like to note our appreciation on the Hansard record.”
“But one of the things that I'd say is that, when I speak to women from my electorate of McPherson, their experience is somewhat different to what we hear in this place. I've spoken to women who have heard the Prime Minister say time and time again that you only need a Medicare card, and that's not their experience. I've spoken to women who have, through their endometriosis journeys, had the experience of having to spend hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars of their own hard-earned money just for basic testing and for treatment. That's something that is the true lived experience of women. It's something that we need to change and, as a country, we need to do better.”
“The coalition has a proud record of supporting women's health, and this remains a strong priority for us. Let me start with a quote: 'Caring for women is not charity. It's an investment in the future of families, communities and nations.' I dare say that every member of this place would agree with me. In the 2021-22 budget, the former coalition government invested more than $353 million to support women's health. That included $22 million to introduce additional gynaecological items on the Medicare Benefits Schedule, including items for assisted reproductive technology, ensuring affordable access to reproductive health services through Medicare. I'd say that there is a bipartisan commitment in this place to make sure that we can actually progress the way in which Australia deals with endometriosis and pelvic pain as well.”
“They're doing it across the business sector, they're doing it across the economy and we're seeing it here in the housing space as well. Young people in my electorate and across the country are not experiencing what those on the government side of this chamber are saying is the reality. They are not experiencing an environment where young Australians, or even older Australians, are able to actually purchase their first home. They're seeing rents that are skyrocketing. We're seeing that all over the Gold Coast. We're seeing not enough houses being built. Under this government's policy, when you're building a new house, they're now going to be pitting investors against first home buyers, who are going to be bidding against each other because of this government's changes to negative gearing. This is a shocking budget that we have seen.”
“Young Australians, in particular, but also older Australians are frustrated by the changes that this government has made because not only are we not building houses effectively under this government but the government is also making it even harder for young Australians to build. I just had passed to me earlier that we've had, post the announcement of the budget, the CGT changes and the negative gearing changes, nine per cent lower clearance rates across the country over the last weekend. Are we actually supporting Australians to get into their first homes? Are we actually encouraging them to do so? No. What we're seeing is a government that is absolutely invested in one thing, and that is crushing aspiration.”
“They're not prepared to divorce themselves from the CFMEU and the unions, who are pushing up the costs of building new properties. They're not prepared to actually invest, as we've announced in the opposition budget reply, in the enabling infrastructure. When we speak to developers and when we speak to the businesses, which, again, are the ones that are delivering houses in this country, their biggest issue is that they are not able to deal with the upfront costs in new areas. This is something that we've addressed through our $5 billion fund, which Angus Taylor, the Leader of the Opposition, announced in his budget reply speech.”
“They've committed $80 billion to date to build 30,000 fewer houses per year than the coalition delivered when we were in office. Let's actually be honest about these figures and honest about these facts. If that's what those opposite are actually celebrating—that they're spending more to deliver less—then there is something seriously wrong here. I wanted to make those two points. What we're seeing is a government who, quite frankly, maybe through no fault of their own, don't understand how to manage this economy. I don't think they understand how to drive up supply and actually deliver more houses. At the end of the day, this is a supply issue. What we're seeing is a government that is not prepared to make the tough decisions.”
“We're seeing a lack of adequate investment in the next generation of Australians who can build homes. Let's be very clear about that. The other thing that I want to speak about is this. The motion says: this total investment— which Labor is very proud of— is more than 50 times what the Opposition invested in housing-enabling infrastructure after over almost a decade in office The prime minister over the last 15 years to build the most houses per day was a Liberal prime minister. The one in second place was also a coalition prime minister. In fact, despite being in the middle of a cost-of-living crisis and a housing crisis, this prime minister doesn't even come in the top three. They're speaking about having committed $80 billion to date. Who knows what more is going to be broadcast in announcements and fancy openings.”
“I want to touch on something that's been said throughout this debate by members opposite. We hear all of these different stats about the government building homes or the government not building homes. Governments don't build homes. It's businesses that are building the homes. Let's just be very, very clear about that. Businesses will only build the homes, and they'll only build the homes effectively, if they can operate under economic conditions that encourage them to be productive. That is part of the issue that we're seeing under this Labor government. The economy is tanking, there is an absolute lack of business confidence and we're seeing an environment in which businesses are not encouraged to build homes quickly. We're also seeing a shortage of people who are actually able to build homes.”
“We've spoken about actually addressing the housing crisis and, in part, looking at migration so that we can make sure that migration numbers are linked to how many homes Australia builds, because we all know that this government is not building enough homes. We're looking to put Australians first and make sure that when it comes to social welfare, including the NDIS, it is preserved for Australian citizens, because we all know that we do need to make some tough decisions when it comes to reining in this government's reckless spending. We've also spoken about a future-generations fund so we can actually bank some of the resource windfalls to pay down the debt and build national infrastructure. There is another way. This government has broken its promise to Australians, and it's contributed to this massive trust deficit.”
“It's not making retirement any easier for older Australians, and it's not making it any easier for those who are wanting to put their aspiration to the test and make sure they start a business or invest to secure their future. But there is another way. I say to Australians and to people in my electorate that it's one thing for us in the opposition to hold this government to account, but it's another thing for us to put forward an alternative vision for the country. That's a vision that will have a fairer, freer and better Australia. We've spoken about generational tax reform, which is something that the Leader of the Opposition outlined in his budget reply speech, a tax back guarantee to once and for all end Labor's inflation tax by indexing income thresholds to inflation.”
“I'll just say, on this recent budget, we've seen the changes that have been announced in relation to the capital gains tax and negative gearing and also in relation to trusts. These are the biggest and most indefensible, broken promises that we've seen by the government, because, before the election, the Prime Minister categorically, without any sense of doubt, ruled out any changes to negative gearing, to trusts and to capital gains tax. He told us that his word is his bond. He said one thing before the election, but he's doing something afterwards. The sad reality is that it's not actually making Australians' lives easier. It's not making housing more affordable for young Australians.”
“This is at a time where we've come out of an election where the Prime Minister and the government promised relief. Instead, we've seen that they've delivered pain. They promised $275 off your power bill, but electricity prices have gone up by around 40 per cent. They said mortgages would go down, but we've seen 15 interest rate rises since this government was elected. They promised to implement the stage 3 tax cuts, but that backflipped. And they promised that the cost of living would fall, but we've seen prices rise and pressure build. We've now seen this disgraceful budget put forward by the Treasurer. It's a budget of broken promises. We're seeing higher taxes, more debt, lower living standards and fewer homes. So it is no wonder that there is a trust deficit in Australian politics.”
“The member for Cunningham said that she would leave no-one behind—that it's Labor's philosophy to not leave anybody behind. Tell that to the small-business owners. Tell that to the 50- to 65-year-olds who are being affected in terms of their private health insurance rebate. Tell that to people who have done the right thing by this country, who have worked hard, who have secured their future—or so they thought—and who are now seeing the rules shifting below them. Because I can tell you now those are the people who this government is leaving behind. The pain and the pressure is real. This cost-of-living crisis that Labor has created is absolutely devastating. It's devastating households, business owners, individuals and pensioners.”
“It is no wonder that we have a trust deficit in Australian politics. I've been sitting in this chamber and listening to the contributions of those opposite, and there are a few points that I would like to make. The member for Cunningham said that she doesn't think Australians would have been better off under a coalition government. Well, what I'd say is: Australians aren't stupid. Australians, I say to you—I say to every single person that's listening—ask yourself this question: am I better off now than I was four-and-a-half years ago? The people in my electorate, on the southern Gold Coast, are not coming up to me and talking about how great things are. They're coming up to me and talking about their issues. I go back to that trust deficit.”
“It's resulting in people who, at a time when Australians should be celebrating—we're approaching Easter. Families should be coming together. People should be thinking about things other than how they're going to get to places or if they can get to places. We're seeing people on that side of the chamber dismissing those concerns.”
“The absolute nerve of those opposite to come into this place at a time when Australians are doing it tougher than ever before and lecture us on leadership—the absolute nerve. We heard nothing but buzzwords, nothing but plans. 'We're going to take action. We're going to do X, Y, Z'—no details, but a lecture on leadership, something that those opposite are absolutely lacking. Australians are looking for leadership right now. They are crying out for leadership, because we have a prime minister, a treasurer and an energy minister who are not prepared to be upfront and honest with the Australian people and who are not prepared to have direct conversations with Australians at a time when Australians are concerned, at a time when they're anxious. What we're seeing is that they're sending mixed messages, and that's resulting in confusion.”
“We need to ensure we have a system of integrity, a system that Australians can be proud of and a system that ultimately delivers for the people who have that genuine need.”
“That's the main point that I would make. There are many, many examples that I could provide in relation to people who've approached my office, people who have that genuine need that I speak of, who shouldn't need to engage with a federal MP, who should be able to go through the regular process of the NDIS. There is no shortage of bureaucracy in it, there is no shortage of assistance there that should be able to be afforded. There are many examples across my electorate. People are saying, 'We recognise this is a system that was set up for the right reasons, and we just need to make sure that this government is taking very seriously the fraud that we are seeing', and I've spoken about that fraud many times in this place.”
“This happens the moment they say that they want to use their NDIS plan to pay for the work. When they do that, the cost of the service doubles, triples, quadruples. That is symptomatic of certain people out there—it's not all providers; I have some fantastic providers in my electorate—who are using the NDIS as nothing more than a cash cow. This is something that government needs to step up on, because, at the end of the day, the NDIS is being used for people who have a genuine need, but there are billions and billions of dollars of taxpayer money that are funding it. We need to make sure, and it is the responsibility of every person in this place to make sure, that when we are using taxpayer money that we are using it in a way that maximises its potential for the benefit of those who need the assistance.”
“The coalition will always support measures which improve the integrity of the NDIS and ensure that there are safeguards in place to protect the participants involved in it, while at the same time prevent the fraud and rorting that, as we know, is rife within the scheme. I do note, however, that the changes in this bill don't actually provide direct regulation or fraud controls for the 94 per cent of NDIS providers who are not registered. We are constantly, as federal members of parliament, receiving reports in our offices about NDIS participants who are seeking quotes for basic services around the home, whether it's for cleaning or for gardening or whatever, and they are quoted prices that are absolutely extraordinary. They are quoted prices that we would never see outside the NDIS.”
“His mother had contacted our office to seek assistance on their NDIS matter, as they'd had significant difficulties in obtaining clear information from the NDIS. He hadn't had an updated plan in nearly five years, and he required critical support. After we managed to take on that matter and make a representation to the NDIS, we were able to obtain a favourable outcome for Levi—which was great. But most Australians shouldn't have to go through their federal MP in order to do that. That should be part of how the system works. It's symptomatic of a broader issue with the NDIS. I think just about every person in this chamber would agree that the NDIS—like I said, its intention is really good; we just need to make sure it actually delivers for the people who need it. That is the key thing.”
“The coalition will be supporting the National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Integrity and Safeguarding) Bill 2026. We are supporters of the NDIS. It is something that provides support and assistance for some of the most vulnerable people across our communities, and I have spoken to the NDIS quite a number of times in relation to a number of constituents who have made representations to my office. One of the things that we have the opportunity to do, as members of parliament, is attend end-of-year school events. I recently had the opportunity to attend a school event at Varsity College in my electorate. I had a mother come up to me at the end of that ceremony. She wanted to introduce me to her son. Her son was 12 years old at the time, and his name is Levi. Levi has cerebral palsy.”
“The contribution that these people will no doubt make to our community and to our country is something I'm very proud of, as the local federal MP. I delivered two key messages to the graduating class of 2026. The first was where you start does not define where you finish, and the second was, if you want something, work for it. These graduates have already shown that they have the will, the desire and the work ethic to work towards achievement. I'd like to again reiterate my sincere congratulations to each and every one of the graduates of the class of 2026 at Southern Cross University, to their support network—their parents, their families, their friends—and to the entire teaching staff, who made it all possible as well. Congratulations.”
“I'd like to acknowledge the pro-chancellor; the vice-chancellor, Professor Tyrone Carlin; and each and every one of the 240 graduates who received their awards that evening. It was such a formidable ceremony, and it was really quite something to see the looks on many of these graduates' faces as they walked across that stage after putting in so many years, in many instances, of hard work and dedication to their degrees. The ceremony that I attended and that I spoke at was in relation to health students. At Southern Cross University, the Faculty of Health produces students who graduate in podiatry, biomedical science, community welfare, exercise science, psychological science and social work, to name a few.”
“I rise today to speak about Southern Cross University, which is a formidable educational institution on the southern end of my seat of McPherson. It's a university that was established in 1994, so it's as old as I am, but it's a university whose identity symbolises a guiding light for the curious and a beacon for independent thinking. Over the decades that have followed, that vision has led to the university being known as one of our country's most innovative universities. It's produced more than 75,000 graduates and a lot of world-leading research. The impact of the university and its graduates is felt not only locally in my seat, not only nationally but internationally as well. On Friday night, I had the distinct privilege of delivering the occasional address at the university graduation.”
“I've spoken on a few motions today, and this one is yet another example of this Labor government putting forward motions to congratulate themselves on things that they think are achievements. I had the opportunity to speak on the super legislation when it was before the House. Let me say this. The member for Bennelong spoke about the fact that—and we've heard this rhetoric because the Labor Party sings it out in chorus in the chamber—they want people to keep more of what they earn. This is actually inconsistent with their actions and policies.”
“Enjoy the time with your family and your friends, and enjoy what a beautiful period it is on the southern Gold Coast. We have the best weather and the best sense of community in the country. Make the most of it. Be safe if you're travelling. Travel safe and come home with your family, united and ready for the rest of the year.”
“If there's any way that we can support, please do reach out to my office. Something else I'd like to talk about is the fact that, whenever we have these events that are periods of families coming together and community coming together, it's also worth recognising that there are many individuals—especially in my electorate, where the average age is slightly older than in the rest of the country—who are suffering from loneliness and isolation. I would say to our community that we have some incredible volunteer groups and community groups who go out of their way, especially around times such as Easter, to make these members of our community feel included. Thank you very much for all that you do. On that note, I'd finish by saying to the people of McPherson: have a very happy Easter.”
“I say to the team at Glow Church and to the incredible supporters there who I've had the opportunity to spend a lot of time with over the last few years, it's a very special day for all of us and all of you, so please make sure you enjoy the weekend and use it as an opportunity to commemorate it. A division having been called in the House of Representatives— Sitting suspended from 17:30 to 17:56 As I was saying, we are entering a period of great celebration and great reflection for the Christian community in McPherson. I say to the people, especially those who are having to work over this period of cultural celebration—to the police officers, the ambulance drivers, the hospital workers and those looking after our community—a massive thank you for what you're doing for our community.”
“For me, on the Southern Gold Coast, something I always do—my parents came from Goa in India. It was a Portuguese colony in India at the time, and so we were all raised as Catholics. I play the piano at the local Catholic church, and I'll be there again for Easter. We have Infant Saviour in Burleigh Heads for a 7 am service, and then we typically go to Mary, Mother of Mercy at 10.30. I say to all the people who attend those services and those who volunteer at those services: thank you for everything you do for the Christian community, not just for Easter but across the year as well. We also have other parts of the Gold Coast celebrating Easter.”
“But it was a lot of fun, nonetheless. In particular, the event brought the Merrimac and broader Gold Coast communities together in raising funds for the Kelly Wilkinson Foundation. Danielle, who is Kelly's sister, has been doing an incredible job in trying to raise awareness in that space. I commend her on the work that she's doing as well. Easter on the southern Gold Coast is coming up, and I say to the many Christians across my southern Gold Coast community that are celebrating Easter: I wish you a very happy Easter. Enjoy the time with your family and with your friends, and take that opportunity to get a bit of a pause out of what is no doubt a busy life and a busy period. Sometimes, it's those small moments that you get with your family that must be cherished and relished.”
“I'd like to begin by commending the member for Barton on moving this motion. The member for Barton's contribution on the experiences and the various individuals and groups that have influenced her and influenced the incredible person that she's become, I think, is something that we in this chamber have been privileged to hear. So well done. I'd like to say that we are entering a time that is very important not only to my community on the southern Gold Coast but to people across this country, and for various reasons. I was up in Merrimac last Saturday, when the community came together, hosted by Gold Coast Property, for a community Easter hunt, which is something that went down very well, especially amongst the young people—although sometimes, on the Gold Coast, a lot of chocolate in Queensland's sun doesn't really end up very well.”
“We're seeing that eligibility reassessments have nearly doubled, revoked eligibility has skyrocketed from 389 to over 10,000 and $436 million has been cut from participant plans in just one quarter. Everybody in this Chamber would have experiences of speaking to the parents, to families and to loved ones who have actually borne the brunt of these cuts. The government's own budget papers show that the NDIS is going to cost the Australian taxpayer $63.4 billion by 2028-29. It's absolutely telling. It's telling where this government's priorities are. Recently we had a situation in the Senate where the government was presented with the opportunity to participate in a review of the NDIS. In particular, it was a review into fraudulent behaviour in the NDIS scheme. And what did they do? They voted against it. Can you imagine that?”
“There have been so many examples of this recently, but I'd say this: Australia is waking up, and Australians are waking up. This motion calls on the government to restore transparency, consistency and accountability and calls for a renewed focus on fixing inefficiency and safeguarding the integrity of this scheme. Anybody who has social media in this country will really question the integrity of the NDIS at the moment, and they'll question it for good reason because, time and time again, we are seeing the hard earned money of Australian taxpayers being absolutely used and abused not by participants but by the people who are running some of these facilities and some of these services. The data in the motion is distressing and deeply alarming.”
“The NDIS is a system that was built to provide dignity, fairness and support for Australians living with disabilities. But, across Australia, we're seeing the exact opposite. We're seeing this in my electorate on the southern Gold Coast. We're seeing a system where participants are losing support, honest providers are under pressure and fraudulent operators are thriving. This goes to the heart of the problem. We are targeting the wrong people. Something is wrong when people who are doing the right thing—the physiotherapists I speak to, the OTs and various other professionals who are doing the right thing by working with and for participants—are not given the support that they need from this government, and those who are rorting the system are.”
“They work tirelessly, often with limited resources, driven not by profit but by a deep commitment to their communities. On the southern Gold Coast, I've seen this dedication firsthand, meeting with volunteers who give their time to supporting others. Investing in community centres is not just the right thing to do; it's the smart thing to do. When government supports these centres, we strengthen our communities, we reduce pressure on other services, and we ensure that there's help that's available early before problems escalate to a crisis. This motion rightly acknowledges the indispensable role of neighbourhood and community centres. It highlights the challenges they face, and it calls for the long-term support that they so clearly need.”
“But, despite all this, many of these centres are operating under immense strain. They're underfunded and overstretched, and they're often forced to rely on short-term competitive grants just to keep their doors open. What we're seeing now is that we are left hanging when it comes to whether this government will fund the Stronger Communities Program that these community centres and neighbourhood centres often rely on and benefit from. We can't expect organisations that provide essential frontline support to operate in a constant state of uncertainty, never knowing if they'll have the resources to continue to do their work six months down the track. The staff and the volunteers who power these centres deserve better. They're people who go above and beyond every day.”
“From Palm Beach Neighbourhood Centre to the Varsity Lakes Community Resource Centre, these centres are often the first and sometimes the only point of contact for vulnerable Australians, and their importance becomes even more evident in times of disaster. On the Gold Coast, during ex-tropical-cyclone Alfred, we saw firsthand just how vital these community centres and organisations are. While the winds were still howling, rain was falling and power was out for days, community centres opened their doors. They became safe havens, coordination points and lifelines. They distributed supplies, checked in on isolated residents and provided real-time information when people needed it most. Importantly, they offered reassurance—a human connection at a time of uncertainty and fear.”
“I rise to support this motion and to recognise the extraordinary role that neighbourhood and community centres play, not just in times of crisis but every single day in communities like mine on the southern Gold Coast. These centres are often the quiet backbone of our communities. They're where people turn when life becomes overwhelming, when they need food on the table, support for their mental health, help navigating services or simply a place where someone will listen. On the southern Gold Coast, we're fortunate to have a network of dedicated community organisations and neighbourhood centres that step in where other services simply don't reach.”
“So I'd say to the government, on yet another self-congratulating motion by them, that the thing that actually affects the lives of Australians is the actual results of what we do in this place. Saying we're going to do things, committing to doing things and even funding is not always, in and of itself, an end goal. I'd say to the government that, instead of putting focus on the fact that they're putting extra funding into this space, we should spend our time here—and we've got limited time in this place—identifying where the gaps are and strategically identifying how we can fill those gaps, because throwing money at a problem is not always going to be an end in and of itself. I'd be more than happy to come here when we see those stats turning the other direction. If the government wants to move a congratulatory motion, we can do it then.”
“According to recent data from the Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership, up to 30 per cent of teachers are considering leaving the profession before retirement age. This comes at a time when student numbers are soaring and academic outcomes are slipping. In 2022, under the Labor government, we saw federal, state and territory education ministers agree on a National Teacher Workforce Action Plan. Again, we see plans and funding. What are the actual results? That was aimed at improving teacher supply, retaining teachers, revamping initial teacher education and elevating the profession. Now we're four years on from that, and where are we at? Research has shown that the stressors that are leading teachers to quit the profession are only worsening.”
“On the first front, there were stats that came out last year which spoke about our NAPLAN results, and we've seen NAPLAN results again showing that roughly one-third of students are not meeting expectations in literacy and numeracy. That concern is amplified when you look at students in remote areas, Indigenous students and people who are experiencing disadvantage, who are even further behind their peers. On the second front, we look at teachers. I hear this all too often in my seat when I speak to people who are involved with the profession, when I visit schools and when I speak to parents who engage with teachers. There are clearly some significant issues in our ability to attract them to the profession in the first place but also in our ability to keep them there.”
“But the one thing I would say to the government—I'd say it in relation to the public school system but also in relation to other forms of expenditure—is that, just because the government is funding something or increasing funding, it doesn't mean that the results are going to follow. If we look at history, that is exactly what we've seen. In preparing for today's speech, I thought I'd take a look online to see where we're at as a country in terms of two things. Firstly, it's looking at the level of education and education standards in this country. Secondly, it's in relation to our teachers and their satisfaction levels, and our ability, as a country, to retain them in the profession but also to attract new people to the profession of teaching.”
“I rise to speak on this motion today as the beneficiary of the Australian public school system. I know I'm a new member—I've been here for about nine to 10 months—but what really surprises me is the number of motions that come through this place that are merely congratulatory of the government or government led motions that congratulate themselves on various things. This one is no different. They're congratulating themselves on their investment in Australian public schools. Australian public schools have an incredible role to play in educating our next generation. Across my electorate of McPherson, we have some incredible public schools and public school communities, and I know that there are many people in this place, on all sides of the chamber, who are the beneficiaries of that.”
“We saved Australia's last two refineries, legislated the Fuel Security Act, introduced the minimum stockholding obligation and delivered a 40 per cent increase in diesel reserves. We can't have the government's endless pursuit of net zero coming at the cost of basic supply security. That's why I say to this government: come to the table, get some action on the plate and let's address this issue for the benefit of Australians.”
“The coalition has come out in support of halving the fuel excise, and I say to every Australian to look at their representatives, especially those who have representatives who are members of the government. They should be able to look at them and tell them that for every single day that the Prime Minister doesn't do that Australians are paying an extra $16 million in fuel right in the midst of a fuel crisis. When fuel doesn't reach where it's needed and when supply is low and the costs are high, we see a whole heap of other consequences. We see food production being disrupted, regional economies disrupted, freight slowing and many other consequences. The coalition has in the past recognised fuel security as a national vulnerability. This happened during COVID.”